2
For as greene grasse & florishing herbs
are cut and vvith••ravvay:
So shall their great prosperitie,
soone pa•••• fa••e and decay.
3
Trust thou therefore in God alone,
to doe vvel giue thy minde▪
So shalt thou haue the land as thine,
and there sure food shalt finde.
4
In God set all thy hearts delight,
and looke vvhat thou vvouldst haue:
Or else canst vvish in all the vvorld▪
thou needst it not to craue.
5
Cast both thy selfe and thine affaires,
on God vvith perfect trust:
And thou shalt see vvith patience:
the effect both sure and iust.
6
Thy perfect life and godly name,
he vvill cleare as the light:
So that the sun euen as noone dayes,
shall not shine halfe so bright.
7
Be still therefore and stedfastly,
on God see thou vvaite then:
Not shrinking for the prosperous state
of levvd and vvicked men.
8
Shake off despight, enuie and hate,
at least in my vvise:
Their vvicked steps auoid and flye,
and follovv not their gui••e:
9
For euery vvicked man vvill God
destroy both more and lesse:
But such as trust in him are sure
the land for to possesse.
10
Watch but a vvhile & thou shalt see
no more the vvicked trayne:
No not so much as house or place,
vvhere once he did remaine.
The second part.
11
But mercifull and humble men,
enioy shall sea and land:
In rest and peace they shall reioyce,
for sought shall them vvithstand.
12
The levvd men and malitions,
against the iust conspire:
They gnash their teeth at him, as men
vvhich doe his bane desire.
13
But vvhile that levvd men thus do think
the Lord laughes them to scorne:
For vvhy he seeth their terme approach,
vvhe•• they shall sigh and mourne.
14
The vvicked haue their svvord out dravvn,
their bovv eke haue they bent
To ouerthrovv and kill the poore,
as they the right vvay vvent.
15
But the same svvord shall pierce their hearts,
vvhich vvas to kill the iust:
Likevvise the bovv shal break to shiuers
vvherein they put their trust.
16
Doubtlesse the iust mans poore estate
is better a great deale more:
Then all these levvd and vvorldly mens
rich pomp and heaped store.
17
For be their povver neuer so strong,
God vvill it ouerthrovv:
VVhere co••trary he doth preserue
the humble men and lovv.
18
He seeth by his great prouidence,
the good mens trade and vvay:
And vvill giue them inheritance,
vvhich neuer shall decay.
19
They shall not be discouraged,
vvhen some are hard bestead:
When other shall be hunger-bit,
they shall be clad and fed.
20
For vvhosoeuer vvicked is,
and enemie to the Lord:
Shal quaile, yea melt euen as lambs grese
or smoake that flyeth abroad.
The third part.
21
Behold the vvicked borrovveth much,
aud neuer payeth againe:
VVhereas the iust by liberall gifts,
makes many glad and faine.
22
For they vvhom God doth blesse shall haue
the land for heritage:
And they vvhom he doth curse likevvise,
shall perish in his rage.
23
The Lord the iust mans vvayes doth guide,
and giues him good successe:
To euery thing he takes in hand,
he sendeth good addresse.
24
Though that he fall, yet is he sure
not vtterly to quaile:
Because the Lord stretcheth out his hand
at need, and doth not quaile.
25
I haue beene young, and novv am'old,
yet did I neuer see
The iust man left, nor yet his seed
to beg for misery.
26
But giues alvvayes most liberally,
and lendeth vvhereas is neede:
His children and posteritie,
receiue of God their meede.
27
Flye vice therefore and vvickednesse,
and vertue doe imbrace:
So God shall grant thee long to haue
on earth a dvvelling place.
28
For God so loueth equitie,
and shevveth to his such grace:
That he pres••rues them euermore,
destroying the vvicked race.
29
VVhereas the good and godly men,
inherit shall the land:
Hauing as Lords all things therein,
in their ovvne povver and hand.
30
The iust mans mouth doth euerspeake
of matters vvise and hie:
His tongue doth talke to edifie,
vvith truth and equitie.
31
For in his heart the lavv of God
the Lord doth still abide:
So that vvhere euer he goe or vvalke,
his foot can neuer slide.
32
The vvicked like a raueuing vvolfe,
the iust man doth beset:
By all meanes seeking him to kill,
if he fall in his net.
The fourth part.
33
Though he should fall into his hands,
yet God vvould succour send:
Though men against him sentence giue,
God vvould him yet defend.
34
VVait thou on God, & keep his vvay,
he shall preserue thee then:
The earth to rule, and thou shalt see
destroyd these vvicked men.
35
The vvicked haue I seene most strong,
and placed in hie degree:
Flourishing in all vvealth and store,
as doth the Laurell tree.
36
But suddenly he passeth avvay,
and loe he vvas quite gone:
Then I him sought but could scarce finde
the place vvhere dvvelt such one.