The Psalter, or Psalms of David and certain canticles / with a translation and exposition in English by Richard Rolle of Hampole ; ed. from manuscripts by the Rev. H. R. Bramley ... With an introduction and glossary.

[PSALM LXXXVIII.]

MISERICORDIAS domini: in eternum cantabo. ¶ The mercys of lord; withouten end .i. sall synge. ¶ Here spekis hali|kirke that lastis til the warldis ende. and says. the mercys of oure lord. that is, the thyngis that god mercifully has done til mannys kynde. the whilk withouten end sall last .i. sall synge. that is, with gladnes .i. sall tell.

2. In generacione & generacione: annunciabo veritatem tuam in ore meo. ¶ In generacioun & generacioun .i. sall shew thi sothfastnes in my mouth. ¶ In generacioun that is now. and generacioun eftere this .i. sall shew thi sothfastnes, that thou fulfillys that thou hight. in my mouth. that it be thare in. noght als tyte slipand out thare of.

3. Quoniam tu dixisti in eternum misericordia edificabi|tur in celis: preparabitur veritas tua in eis. ¶ ffor thou sayde withouten end mercy sall be [S. U om.] edified in heuens; graythid sall be thi sothfastnes in thaim. ¶ Thou sayd thorgh the haly gast, mercy sall be edified in heuens, that is, in halymen. whas conuer|sacioun is in heuen. that all thaire synnys biforgifen thaim. thi soth|fastnes sall be graythid in thaim: that is, fulfillynge of thi hetynge. that thai may noght cum to. bot if forgifnes of syn ga bifore. and thou sayd.

4. Disposui testamentum electis meis iuraui dauid seruo meo: vsque in eternum preparabo semen tuum. ¶ I hafe ordaynd testament til my chosen .i. sware til dauid my seruaunt: in till withouten end .i. sall grayth thi sede. ¶ I ordaynd the new testament til thaim that .i. hafe chosen till endles blis .i. sware, that is, .i. hight stabelly till dauid, that is, till crist. stalworth of hand, .i. sall grayth thi sede, that is, thi lufers & folowers. that thai be lastand withouten end.

5. Et edificabo in generacione & generacionem: sedem tuam. ¶ And .i. sall make in generacioun and in generacioun: thi setil. ¶ That is, .i. sall brynge all rightwismen in whaim thou restis til perfit stabilnes and fayrhede in this generacioun dedly, helpand thaim til thai cum in till generacioun. that is vndedly. and ay til than.

6. Confitebuntur celi mirabilia tua domine: etenim veri|tatem tuam in ecclesia sanctorum. ¶ Shrife sall heuens thi wondirs lord [S om.] : forwhi thi sothfastnes in kirke of halighis. ¶ That is, apostils and halymen sall loue that other may here thi wondirs. that thou boght man & makis him rightwis. and thai sall tell thi soth|fastnes. that thou dos that thou hight. in kirke of halighis, whare men trowis that the trynite is a god.

7. Quoniam quis in nubibus equabitur domino: similis erit domino in filijs dei. ¶ ffor wha in the cloudis sall be euend til lord: like sall be til god in sunnys of god. ¶ That is, amange all halymen. nane may be euend til ihū crist. and nane may be like til him in godis sunnys. for he is godis sun bi kynde. and thai [S. U om.] thorgh grace.

8. Deus qui glorificabitur in consilio sanctorum: magnus & terribilis super omnes qui in circuitu eius sunt. ¶ God that is glorifyed in counsaile of halighis [U haligis.] : grete and agheful. abouen all that ere in his vmgange. ¶ The counsail of halymen is to trow in crist. and luf him and ioy in him. for thai may noght be euend til him: and in this [S & M. U his.] counsayl is he glorifyd, for he is grete in mageste. and agheful in syght when he demys. abouen all that ere in his vmgange. that is, that drawis on ilke syde til him with lastand luf.

9. Domine deus virtutum quis similis tibi: potens es domine & veritas tua in circuitu tuo. ¶ Lord god of vertus wha is like til the: myghty ert thou lord and thin [S thi.] sothfastnes in thin vmgange. ¶ That is, sothfastnes of trouth & charite is in all genge. that ere ordaynd til the ioy that thou hight.

10. Tu dominaris potestati maris: motum autem fluc|tuum eius tu mitigas. ¶ Thou ert lord til the myght of the see: the stirynge sothly of the stremys of it. thou swagis. ¶ Swilke, lord, thou ert, that the see. that is, this warld. has na myght to be stird. bot at thi suffrynge. and the stirynge of the stremys. that is, of per|secuciouns. thou dos noght all away, bot thou swagis thaim as thou sees that it is profitabil for vs. & god swagis in vs the stirynge of temptaciouns, that we may stand and wyn the corown. and that the stremys of the see sweloghe vs noght.

11. Tu humiliasti sicut vulneratum superbum: in brachio virtutis tue dispersisti inimicos tuos. ¶ Thou mekid as a woundid the proude; in arme of thi vertu thou skatird thin enmys.

¶ That is, thou ouercome the proude deuyl. that wonys in see. as a woundid man that for woundis has tynt mykil of his strenght. bes ware. for the deuyl is noght all ded ȝit. for in arme of thi vertu. that is, in werke of thi sun. thou scatird thin enmys.

12. Tui sunt celi & tua est terra: orbem terre & pleni|tudinem eius tu fundasti, aquilonem & mare tu creasti. ¶ Thin ere heuens and thin is the erth: the warld and the fulnes of it thou grundid, the north and the see thou made. ¶ Heuens ere tha that rayns haly lare. erth. tha that resayfes it. the warld, haly|kirke: the fulnes of it, trew men that fillis it. thou grundid in trouth: the north, that is, the deuyl. and the see, that is, lufers of the warld. thou made to purge thi seruauntis with thaire pynys.

13. Thabor & hermon in nomine tuo exultabunt: tuum brachium cum potencia. ¶ Thabor and hermon in thi name sall glade: thin arme with myght. ¶ Thabor, that is, lightynd in grace. and hermon, weriand syn. in thi name ihū sall glade thorgh goed consyence. for the arme that mekis the proude is thin. that is, thou that [M. U om.] made vs defend vs [S 'proude is synne defende vs.'] . with myght that ay is.

14. Firmetur manus tua & exaltetur dextera tua: iusticia & iudicium preparacio sedis tue. ¶ ffestid be thi hand. & heghid be thi righthand: rightwisnes & dome graythynge of thi setil. ¶ Thi hand, that is, thi werke be festid in proude men. that thai be mekid. and thi righthand. that is, the noumbire of tha that sall be at thi righthand be ekid. for rightwisnes in goed dede and dome in hatynge of syn. graythis thi setill. in mannys saule.

15. Misericordia & veritas precedent faciem tuam: beatus populus qui scit iubilacionem. ¶ Mercy and soth|fastnes sall pass bifore thi face: blisful folke that wate ioiynge. ¶ Mercy forgifand syn, and sothfastnes not lefand it vnpunysst. sall pass bifor thi knawynge. in oure thoghtis: for in that blisful is the folk that wate ioiynge. that is, that kan offire louyngis til the in a wondire ioy of brennand deuocioun. tha.

16. Domine in lumine vultus tui ambulabunt: & in nomine tuo exultabunt tota die & in iusticia tua exalta|buntur. ¶ Lord in light of thi face thai sall ga: and in thi name thai sall ioy 'alle day'. [S. U om.] and in thi rightwisnes thai sall be heghid. ¶ That is, lord in luf of thi sun thai hafe euen way til heuen. for in ihū thai sall ioy, syngand withinen thaim the delicys of endles luf.

17. Quoniam gloria virtutis eorum tu es: & in beneplacito tuo exaltabitur cornu nostrum. ¶ ffor ioy of thaire vertu thou ert: and in thi welwillynge heghid sall be oure horne. ¶ That is, in the thai ioy als mykil as thaire vertu is in luf. and in thi wel|willynge, that is, in crist, heghid sall be oure myght.

18. Quia domini est assumpcio nostra: & sancti israel regis nostri. ¶ ffor of lord is oure vptakynge: and of the halighe of israel oure kynge. ¶ Aswhasay, oure lord & oure kynge that halighis cristen men takis vs fra lust and couaitys til [S to. U of.] contempla|cioun of heuen.

19. Tunc locutus es in visione sanctis tuis: & dixisti, posui adiutorium in potente, & exaltaui electum de plebe mea. ¶ Than thou spak in vysyon til thi halighis: and thou sayd .i. sett help in myghty, & .i. heghid the chosen of my folke. ¶ Than when thou sayd that, thou spak in visyon. that is, in pryue reuelacioun til prophetis. and thou sayd apertly, .i. sett help of men. in crist myghty. and .i. heghid crist chosen. that he be heuyd of my folke.

20. Inueni dauid seruum meum: oleo sancto meo vnxi eum. ¶ I fand dauid my seruaunt: with my haly oyle .i. enoynt him. ¶ I fand that dauid. that is, crist stalworth of hand to sla [S also.? at slo.] goly the deuyl whaim men ȝernys, is my seruaunt boghand til ded. for with my haly oyle. that is, of the haly gast .i. fild him. of whas fulnes we all take grace.

21. Manus enim mea auxiliabitur ei: & brachium meum confirmabit eum. ¶ ffor my hand sall help til him: and myn arme sall conferme him. ¶ That is. my myght sall help him. in alsmykil as he is man. and my vertu sall mak him fast agayns his fas.

22. Nichil proficiet inimicus in eo: & filius iniquitatis non apponet nocere ei. ¶ Noght sall the enmy profit in him: and the sun of wickidnes. sall not toset him to noy. ¶ That is, the deuel sall fynd nathynge in crist. that is his. and iudas of [S thof.] he had will to noy him, he sall not do it in dede finally, for all turnys til his ese. and louynge. alsswa the deuyl profitis noght in chosen men that ouercumys him. bot in ill men whaim he ouercumys.

23. Et concidam a facie ipsius inimicos eius: & odientes eum in fugam conuertam. ¶ And .i. sall shere fra his face

the enmys of him: and hatand him in til fleynge .i. sall turne. ¶ That is, .i. sall do away fra the ioy of his sight all that lufis this warld mare than him. and all other that hatis him in his lufers, .i. sall with tourmentis gare thaim fle and lefe thaire feluny.

24. Et veritas mea & misericordia mea cum ipso: & in nomine meo exaltabitur cornu eius. ¶ And my sothfastnes and my mercy with him: and in my name heghid sall be his horn. ¶ God will that we be sothfast in knawynge of oure synnys. & mercyful in compassion of other mennys. noght demand na dis|pisand synful men. the horn of crist is. the heghnes that he is prechid god.

25. Et ponam in mari manum eius: & in fluminibus dexteram eius. ¶ And .i. sall sett in the see his hand: & in flodis his righthand. ¶ That is, he sall be lord in synful men. that ere bittere as the see in wickidnes. and .i. sall make couatous men suget til him. the whilke as flodis in the see. swa ren thai in til bitternes of this warld.

26. Ipse inuocauit me pater meus es tu: deus meus & susceptor salutis mee. ¶ He incald me my fadire ert thou: my god and resayuere of my hele. ¶ He incald me sayand my fadire ert thou. in that. that .i. am god. my god. in that. that .i. am man. and in that. that .i. am seke, takand me til hele.

27. Et ego primogenitum ponam illum: excelsum pre regibus terre. ¶ And .i. sall sett him firstborn: heghe bifor kyngis of erth. ¶ ffirstborn. he says for tha ere wont to be honurd bifor other. as whasay, he honorabilest of all and heghe bifore kyngis. that is, all haly men. for he makis na liknynge of ill pryncys that ere laghest in hell.

28. In eternum seruabo illi misericordiam meam: & tes|tamentum meum fidele ipsi. ¶ Withouten ende .i. sall kepe til him my mercy; and my testament trew til him. ¶ That is, til the endles honur of him .i. sall kepe my mercy that .i. gif til mannys kynde. & my testament, in the whilke the heritage of heuen .i. hight till all lufand me, is trew til him. that is, trewly thorghe him sall be fulfild.

29. Et ponam in seculum seculi semen eius: & tronum eius sicut dies celi. ¶ And .i. sall sett in warlde of warld the sede of him: and his trone as dayes of heuen. ¶ That is, in last|andnes of bliss sall .i. fest all his lufers and folouers. and .i. sall sett

his trone. that is, all chosen men in whaim he restis. that thai be as dayes of heuen. that is, as aungels in thaire degres, withouten nyght.

30. Si autem dereliquerint filij eius legem meam: & in iudicijs meis non ambulauerint. ¶ Bot if his sunnys trespas my laghe: and in my domys thai noght ga. ¶ His sunnys ere cristen men. that dos agayns godis laghe all day, and gas noght in his domes of rightwisnes.

31. Si iusticias meas prophanauerint: & mandata mea non custodierint. ¶ If thai wery my rightwisnesis: and my comaundmentis noght kepe. ¶ That is, if thai dispyse to kepe as thynge that is worthi weriynge. that .i. hafe rightwisly comaundid to be kepid.

32. Visitabo in virga iniquitates eorum: & in verberibus peccata eorum. [S. U omits the translation of v. 32.] ¶ I schal vesit in wonde theire wickednesses [M. S wickednes.] : and in betynges theire synnes [S ins. 'of them.' M om.] . ¶ I sall visyt in wand. that is, in light chastiynge, that thai lefe thaire pride: and in dyngis [S betynges.] . that is, in sayre tourmentis, if thai will not lightly be amendid.

33. Misericordiam autem meam non dispergam ab eo: neque nocebo in veritate mea. ¶ Bot my mercy .i. sall noght scatir [S scater. U scatird.] fra him; na .i. sall [S ins. 'noght.'] noy in my sothfastnes. ¶ That is, my mercy sall noght want til all that he has chosen. na .i. sall noy as leghers dos. that hetis the thynge that thai will noght gif. and that .i. say in my sothfastnes. that is, as .i. am sothfast god.

34. Neque prophanabo testamentum meum: & que pro|cedunt de labijs meis non faciam irrita. ¶ Na .i. sall wery my testament: and that passis of my lippis .i. sall not make vnnayt. ¶ That is, the cuuaunt that .i. hafe made .i. sall not fordo. for if .i. did, .i. werid it. that ware peryssynge tharof. and that passis of my lippis. that is, that my prophetis sayd .i. sall brynge it til dede. for,

35. Semel iuraui in sancto meo si dauid menciar: semen eius in eternum manebit. ¶ Antyme .i. sware in my haligh. if .i. leghe til dauid: and [S om.] his sede withouten end sall won. ¶ An|tyme. that is, vnchaungabilly .i. sware in my haligh. that is, .i. hight by my halynes. if .i. leghe til dauid, na man trow me. & that .i.

sware: the sede of him. that is, the folowers of crist, sall won with me in endles ioy.

36. Et tronus eius sicut sol in conspectu meo: & sicut luna perfecta in eternum, & testis in celo fidelis. ¶ And the trone of him as son in my sight: and as mone perfit, & witnes trew in heuen. ¶ And his trone, that is, all the fayre felaghshipe of halighis, as son shynand [U shynad.] anence thaire saules sall be in my sight. & as mone perfit anence thaire body withouten defaut. and of all this thynge; is ihū crist sett in heuen trew witnes.

37. Tu vero repulisti & despexisti: distulisti xpm tuum. ¶ Thou sothly put agayn thou despisyd: thou delayd thi crist. ¶ Thou put agayn thi crist. when thou him sett to be done on the cross. and swa thou gaf him til despyte. & delayd him. fra ioy awhile.

38. Auertisti testamentum serui tui: prophanasti in terra sanctuarium eius. ¶ Thou turnyd vp the testament of thi seruaunt: thou werid in erth his sanctuary. ¶ That is, it semyd that thou hade chawngid the hetyngis that thou made til him. and his sanctuary thou werid. that is, haly men thou suffird tobe in weri|ynge & myssaghe in this life. halymen couayts noght tobe halden gloriouse here, bot in heuen.

39. Destruxisti omnes sepes eius: posuisti fundamentum eius formidinem. ¶ Thou distroyd all his thorne garthis: thou sett his festnynge [S festenyng. U ftestnynge.] drede. ¶ That is, thou suffird prelates to be slane the whilke was defens til the folke. and thai that festid men with halylare thou sett thaim drede til other when thai ware slane.

40. Diripuerunt eum omnes transeuntes viam: factus est obprobrium vicinis suis. ¶ Thai reft him all passand the way: made he is reproue til his neghburs. ¶ The way is crist, in whaim ill men dwellis noght, bot passis on til the deuyl. and thorgh thaim crist is reprofe. that is, sklawndire in his lufers. til his negh|burs. that is, til men that ȝernys to cum til him. and lettis for ill ensaumpil of thaim that sould be best.

41. Exaltasti dexteram deprimencium eum: letificasti omnes inimicos eius. ¶ Thou heghid the righthand of down|berand him: thou made fayn all his enmys. ¶ Ill men beres down oft sithe goed men in this life. and than ere thai fayne when thai hafe getyn erthly pouste.

42. Auertisti adiutorium gladij eius: & non es auxiliatus ei in bello. ¶ Thou turnyd away the help of his swerd; & thou helpid him noght in batayle. ¶ That is, thou gaf noght myght to ouercum ill men in prechynge of thi worde. and in batayle of passion thou lett him thole dede.

43. Destruxisti eum ab emundacione: & sedem eius in terra collisisti. ¶ Thou distroyd him fra clensynge: and his setil in erth thou hurt. ¶ That is, sum that semyd clene thorgh him. and in whaim he restid him. fayld, hurt & broght til erthly luf.

44. Minorasti dies temporis eius: perfudisti eum con|fusione. ¶ Thou lessyd the dayes of his tyme; thou helt him ful of shame. ¶ Thai wend that his dayes had bene lessid. for he was sone tane of this life. and he was helt ful of shame for tha that beris the reprofe of syn.

45. Vsquequo domine auertis in finem: exardescet sicut ignis ira tua. ¶ Howlange lord turnys thou away in ende: as fyre brennys thi wreth. ¶ That is, howlange sall this blyndhed last. sall it be in ende. that is, ay. na, for thi wreth, that is, rightwis pyne, brennys as fire, that purges gold & wastis stra.

46. Memorare que mea substancia: nunquid enim vane constituisti omnes filios hominum. ¶ Vmthynke whilke be my substaunce; forwhether in vayne has thou sett all sunnys of men. ¶ Aswhasay, thof many fayle. vmthynke that my sub|staunce. that is, all that .i. hafe chosen, fayls noght. thare is sede til the whilke the hetynge is made. for thou has noght. in vayne made all men.

47. Quis est homo qui viuet & non videbit mortem: eruet animam suam de manu inferi. ¶ Whilke is the man that lifes. and he sall noght see ded: he sall delyuer his saule of the hand of hell. ¶ Crist is the man that lifes and sall noght dye. for rysand fra ded he dyes namare. and he anly myght delyuer his saule out of hell.

48. Vbi sunt misericordie tue antique domine: sicut iurasti dauid in veritate tua. ¶ Whare ere thin alde mercys lord: as thou sware til dauid in thi sothfastnes. ¶ Whare ere the alde mercys that thou did til oure fadirs. whi dos thou noght as thou sware till dauid.

49. Memor esto domine obprobrij seruorum tuorum: quod continui in sinu meo multarum gencium. ¶ Be

menand of the reprofe of thi seruaunts: that .i. helde in my bosum of many genge. ¶ Aswhasay, do as thou hight. and be menand to rewarde the reprofe of many ill men. that .i. held in my hert with paciens.

50. Quod exprobrauerunt inimici tui domine: quod ex|probrauerunt commutacionem xpi tui. ¶ That thi fas vpbraydid til the lord: that thai vpbraydid the chawngynge of thi crist. ¶ That is, the ded of ihū crist, that is tobe chawngyd fra erth til heuen. at the ende he concludys all in louynge of him that has done swa many beneficys til cristen man [S menne.] . and says.

51. Benedictus dominus in eternum: fiat fiat. ¶ Blissid lord withouten end; be it done be it done. ¶ That is, louyd be oure god of vs all withouten end, in this warld and in the tothere. swa be it.