The III. Chapter.
[ A] I Am the mā, that (thorow the rodd of his wrath) haue experiēce of misery.
He droue me forth, and led me: yee into darcknesse, but not in to light.
Agaynst me only he turneth his honde, & layeth it euer vpon me.
My flesh & my skynne hath he made ol∣de, and my bones hath he brussed.
He hath buylded rounde aboute me, & clo¦sed me in with gall and trauayle.
He hath set me in darcknesse, as they that be deed for euer.
He hath so hedged me in, that I can not get out, & hath layed heuy lynckes vpon me.
Though I crie & call piteously, yet hea∣reth he not my prayer.
He hath stopped vp my wayes with fou∣re squared stones, & made my pathes croked.
He layeth waite for me like a Bere, and as a lyon in a hole.
He hath marred my wayes, and brokē me in peces, he hath layed me waist altogether.
He hath bent his bowe, and made me as it were a marck to shute at.
The arowes of his quyuer hath he shot, euen in to my reynes.
I am laughed to scorne of all my people, they make songes vpon me all ye daye lōge.
He hath fylled me with bytternesse, & ge∣uen me wormwod to drynke.
He hat•• smytten my teth in peces, & rol∣led me in the dust.
He hath put my soule out of rest, I forget all good thinges.
I thought in myself: I am vndone, there is no hope for me in the LORDE.
O remembre yet my mysery and my trou∣ble, the wormwod and the gall.
Yee thou shalt remēbre them, for my sou∣le melteth awaye in me.
Whyle I cōsidre these thinges in my hert, I get a hope agayne.
Namely, that the mercies of the LORDE are not clene gone, & that his louynge kynd∣nesse ceasseth not.
His faithfulnes is greate, and renueth it self as the mornynge.
The LORDE is my porcion (saieth my sou¦le) therfore wil I hope in him.
O how good is the LORDE vnto thē, that put their trust in him, and to the soule that seketh after him?
O how good is it with stilnesse to wate and tarie, for the health of the LORDE?
O how good is it for a man, to take the yock vpon him from his youth vp?
He sitteth alone, he holdeth him still▪ and dwelleth quietly by him self.
He layeth his face vpon the earth, yf (per case) there happen to be eny hope.
He offreth his cheke to the smyter, he will be content with reproues.
For the LORDE wil not forsake for euer.
But though he do cast of, yet (acordinge to ye multitude of his mercies) he receaueth to grace agayne.
For he doth not plage, & cast out the chil∣dren of men from his herte.
To treade all the presoners of the earth vnder his fete.
To moue the iudgment of man before the most highest.
To condemne a man in his cause: The LORDE hath no pleasure in soch thinges.
What is he then that saieth: there shulde somthinge be done without the LORDES cō∣maundement?
Out of the mouth of the most highest go¦eth not euell and good.
Wherfore them murmureth the lyuinge man? let him murmoure at his owne synne,
Let vs loke well vpon oure owne waies, & remembre oureselues, and turne agayne to ye LORDE.
Let vs lift vp oure hertes with oure hon∣des vnto the LORDE, that is in heauen.
We haue bene dyssemblers & haue offen∣ded, wilt thou therfore not be intreated?
Thou hast couered vs in thy wrath, & per¦secuted vs, thou hast slayne vs without eny fauoure.
Thou hast hyd thy self in a cloude, that oure prayer shulde not go thorow.
Thou hast made vs outcastes, and to be despysed amonge the Heithen.