2
The wicked tongue and guilefull mouth,
on me disclosed be:
And they with false and lying tongue
haue spoken vnto me.
3
They did beset me round about
with words of hatefull spight:
Without all cause of my desert
against me they did fight.
4
For my good will they were my foe••,
but then gan I to pray:
My good with ill, my f••iendlinesse
with hate they did repay.
5
Set thou the wicked ouer him,
to haue the vpper hand:
At his right hand eke suffer thou
his hatefull ••oe to stand.
6
When he is iudged, let hi•• then
conde••ned be therein▪
7
And let the prayer that he make,
be turned into sinne.
8
Few be his dayes his charge also
let thou another take:
9
His children let be f••therlesse,
his wife a widdow make.
10
Let his off-spring be vagabond••,
to beg and seeke their bread:
Wandring out of the wasted place
where earst they haue beene fed.
21
Let couetous extortioners
catch all his goods and store:
And let the strangers spoile the 〈◊〉〈◊〉
of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his toyle before.
12
Let there be none to pittie him▪
let there be none at all
That on his children fathe••less••
will let their mercie fall.
The second part.
13
And so let his posteritie
for euer be destroyd:
Thei•• name ou•• blotted in the age
that after shall succ••ed.
14
Let not his fathers wickednesse
from Gods remembra••ce fall
And let thou not his ••others sinne
be done away at all.
15
But in the p••esence of the Lord
let them remaine for aye
That from the earth their memory
he may cut cleane away.
16
Sith mercy he forgat to shew,
but did pursue with spight:
The troubled ma••, and thought to stay
the wofull hearted wight.
17
As he did cursing loue, it shall
betide vnto him so:
And as he did not blessing lo••e,
it shall be farie him f••o.
18
As he with cursing clad himselfe,
so it like water shall
Into his bowels, and like o••le
into his bones befall.
19
As garments let it be to him,
to couer him for aye.
And as a girdle wherewith he
shall girded be alway.
20
Loe, let this s••me be from the Lord
the gu••••don of my foe:
Yea, and of those that euill speak••
against my soule also.
21
But thou O Lord that art my God,
deale thou I say with me▪
After thy name deliuer me,
for good thy mercies be.
22
Because in depth of great distresse,
I needy am and poore:
And eke within my pained brest
my heart is wounded sore.
The third part.
23
Euen so doe I depart away,
as doth declining shade:
And as the Grashopper, so I
am shaken off and fade▪
24
With fasting long from needfull food
enfeebled are my knees:
And all her fatnesse hath my 〈◊〉〈◊〉
enforced beene to leese.
25
And I also a vi••e reproach,
to them was made to be:
And they that did vpon me looke,
did shake their heads at me.
26
But thou O Lord that a••t my God
mine aide and succour be:
According to thy mercie Lord
saue and deliuer me.
27
And they shall know there by that this.
Lord is thy mighty hand:
And that thou, thou hast done 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Lord,
so shall they vnderstand.
28
Although they curse with spite, yet thou.
shalt blesse with louing voice:
They shall arise and come to shame,
thy seruant shall reioyce.
29
Let them be clothed all with shame▪
that enemies are to me:
And with confusion as a cloake
eke couered let them be.
30
But greatly I will with my mouth
giu•• thankes vnto the Lord:
And I among the multitude
his praises will record.
31
For he with helpe at his right hand.
will stand the poore man by:
To saue him from the man that would
••ondemne his soule to die