Diligam te, Dom. Psal. xviii.
O God my strength and fortitude,
of force I must love thee:
Thou art my castle and desence
in my necessitie.
[verse 2] My God, my rock in whom I trust,
the worker of my wealth:
My refuge, buckler, and my shield,
the horn of all my health.
[verse 3] When I sing laud unto the Lord
most worthy to be served,
Then from my foes I am right sure,
that I shall be preserved.
[verse 4] The pangs of death did compass me,
and bound me every where:
The flowing waves of wickedness
did put me in great fear.
•• The slie and subtil snares of hell
were round about me set:
••ed for my death there was prepar'd
a deadly trapping net.
•• I thus beset with pain and grief,
did pray to God for grace;
••••d he forthwith did hear my plaint
••ut of his holy place.
•• Such is his power that in his wrath
••e made the earth to quake,
••o, the foundation of the mount
of Basan for to shake.
•• And from his nostrils came a smoke,
then kindled was his ire:
••••d from his mouth came kindled coals
of hot consuming fire.
•• The Lord descended from above,
and bowed the heavens high;
••••d underneath his feet he cast
the darkness of the skie.
•• On cherubs and on cherubims
full royally he rode:
〈◊〉〈◊〉 on the wings of all the winds
came flying all abroad.
The second part.
And like a den most dark he made
his hid and secret place:
••••th waters black and a••ery clouds
environed he was.
•• But when the presence of his face
in brightness shall appear,
••••••n clouds consume, and in their stead
come hail and coals of fire.
•• The fiery darts and thunderbolts
disperse them here and there:
〈◊〉〈◊〉 with his often lightenings
he puts them in great fear.
•• Lord, at thy wrath and threatenings,
and at thy chiding chear,
••••e springs and the foundations
of all the world appear.
•• And from above the Lord sent down
to fetch me from below,
〈◊〉〈◊〉 pluckt me out of waters great,
that would me over flow.
•• And me delivered from my foes
that would have made me thrall:
〈◊〉〈◊〉, from such foes as were too strong
for me to deal withall.
•• They did prevent me to oppress
in time of my great grief:
〈◊〉〈◊〉 yet the Lord was my defence,
my succour and relief.
•• He brought me forth in open place,
whereas I might be free,
••••d kept me safe, because he had
a favour unto me.
•• And as I was an innocent,
so did he me regard,
••••d to the cleanness of my hands
he gave me my reward:
•• For that I walked in his ways,
and in his paths have trod,
〈◊〉〈◊〉 have not wavered wickedly
against my Lord and God.
The third part.
[verse 21] But evermore I have respect
to his law and decree:
His statutes and commandements
I cast not out from me.
[verse 22] But pure and clean, and uncorrupt
appear'd before his face,
And did refrain from wickedness
and sin in any case.
[verse 23] The Lord therefore will me reward
as I have done aright,
And to the cleanness of my hands
appearing in his sight.
[verse 24] For, Lord, with him that holy is
wilt thou be holy too,
And with the good and vertuous men
right vertuously wilt do:
[verse 25] And to the loving and elect
thy love thou wilt reserve:
And thou wilt use the wicked men
as wicked men deserve.
[verse 26] For thou dost save the simple folk
in trouble when they lie,
And dost bring down the countenance
of them that look full high.
[verse 27] The Lord will light my candle so
that it shall shine full bright:
The Lord my God will make also
my darkness to be light.
[verse 28] For by thy help an host of men
discomnt, Lord, I shall:
By thee I scale and overleap
the strength of any wall.
[verse 29] Unspotted are the ways of God,
his word is purely tri'd:
He is a sure defence to such
as in his faith abide.
[verse 30] For who is God except the Lord?
for other there is none:
Or else who is omnipotent,
saving our God alone?
The fourth part.
[verse 31] The God that girdeth me with strength,
is he that I do mean,
That all the ways wherein I walk
did evermore keep clean.
[verse 32] That made my feet like to the harts
in swiftness of my pace,
And for my surety brought me forth
into an open place.
[verse 33] He did in order put my hands
to battel and to fight:
To break in sunder bars of brass
he gave my arms the might.
[verse 34] Thou teachest me thy saving health,
thy right hand is my tower:
Thy love and familiarity
doth still increase my power.
[verse 35] And under me thou makest plain
the way where I should walk,
So that my feet shall never slip,
nor stumble at a balk.
[verse 36] And fiercely I pursue and take
my foes that me annoy'd:
And from the field do not return
till they be all destroy'd.
[verse 37] So I suppress and wound my foes,
that they can rise no more:
For at my feet they fall down flat,
I strike them all so sore.
[verse 38] For thou dost gird me with thy strength
to war in such a wise,
That they be all scattred abroad
that up against me rise.
[verse 39] Lord, thou hast put into my hands
my mortal enemies yoke:
And all my foes thou dost divide
in sunder with thy stroke.
[verse 40] They call'd for help, but none gave ear,
nor holp them with relief:
Yea, to the Lord they call'd for help,
yet heard he not their grief.
The fifth part.
[verse 41] And still like dust before the wind
I drive them under seet,
And sweep them out like filthy clay
that sticketh in the street.
[verse 42] Thou keep'st me from seditious folk,
that still in strife are led:
And thou dost of the heathen folk
appoint me to be head.
[verse 43] A people strange to me unknown,
and yet they shall me serve:
And at the first obey my word,
whereas mine own will swerve.
[verse 44] I shall be irksome to mine own,
they will not see my light:
But wander wide out of the way,
and hide them out of fight,
[verse 45] But blessed be the living Lord,
most worthy of all praise.
That is my rock and saving health;
praised be he always.
[verse 46] For God it is that gave me power,
revenged for to be,
And with his holy word subdu'd
the people unto me.
[verse 47] And from my foe delivered me,
and set me higher then those
That cruel and ungodly were,
and up against me rose.
[verse 48] And for this cause, O Lord my God,
to thee give thanks I shall,
And sing out praises to thy Name
among the Gentiles all.
[verse 49] That gavest great prosperity
unto the king, I say,
To David thine anointed king,
and to his seed for ay.