Misericordias. Psal. lxxxix.
TO sing the mercies of the Lord
my tongue shall never spare:
And with my mouth from age to age
thy truth I will declare.
[verse 2] For I have said, That mercy shall
for evermore remain:
In that thou dost the heavens stay,
thy truth appeareth plain.
[verse 3] To mine elect, saith God, I made
a covenant and behest:
My servant David to perswade,
I swore and did protest:
[verse 4] Thy feed for ever I will stay,
and stablish it full fast:
And still uphold thy throne alway
from age to age to last.
[verse 5] The heavens shew with joy and mirth
thy wondrous worke, O Lord:
Thy saints within thy Church on earth
thy saith and truth record.
[verse 6] Who with the Lord is equal then
in all the clouds abroad?
Among the sons of all the gods,
what one is like our God?
[verse 7] God in assembly of the saints
is greatly to be dread:
And over all that dwell about
in terrour to be had.
[verse 8] Lord God of hosts, in all the world
what one is like to thee?
On every side, most mighty Lord,
thy truth is seen to be.
[verse 9] The raging sea by thine advice
thou ru••est at thy will:
And when the waves thereof arise,
thou mak'st them calm and still.
[verse 10] And Egypt, Lord, thou hast subdu'd,
and thou hast it destroy'd:
Yea, thou thy toes with m••ghty arm
hast scatt'red all abroad.
The second part.
[verse 11] The heavens are thine and still have been
likewise the earth and land:
The world and all that is therein
thou foundedst w••th tay hand.
[verse 12] Both north and south, with east and west
thy self didst make and frame:
Both Tabor mount, and eke Hermon,
rejoyce and praise thy Name.
[verse 13] Thine arm is strong and full of power,
all might therein doth lie:
The strength of thy right hand each hour
thou listest up on high.
[verse 14] In righteousness and equity
thou hast thy seat and place:
Mercy and truth are still with thee,
and go before thy face.
[verse 15] That folk is blest that knows aright
thy present power, O God:
For in the favour of thy sight
they walk full safe abroad.
[verse 16] For in thy Name throughout the day
they joy and much rejoyce:
And through thy righteousness have they
a pleasant fame and noise.
[verse 17] For why? their glory, strength, and aid
in thee alone doth fie:
Thy goodness eke that hath us staid,
shall lift our horn on high.
[verse 18] Our strength that doth defend us well
the Lord to us doth bring:
The holy one of Israel,
he is our guide and king.
[verse 19] Sometimes thy will unto thy saints
in visions thou didst show:
And thus then didst thou say to them,
thy minde to make them know;
[verse 20] A man of might I have erect,
your king and guide to be:
And set him up whom I elect
among the folk to me.
The third part.
[verse 21] My servant David I appoint,
whom I have searched out:
And with my holy oyl anoint
him king of all the rout.
[verse 22] For why? my hand is ready still
with him for to remain:
And with mine arm also I will
him strengthen and sustain.
[verse 23] The enemie•• shall not him oppress,
they shall him not devour:
Ne yet the sons of wickedness
on him shall have no power:
[verse 24] His foes likewise I will destroy
before his face in fight:
And those that hate him I will plague,
and strike them with my might.
[verse 25] My truth and mercy eke withall
shall still upon him lie:
And in my Name his horn eke shall
be listed up on high.
[verse 26] His kingdom I will set to be
upon the sea and land:
And eke the running flouds shall he
embrace with his right hand.
[verse 27] He shall depend with all his heart
on me, and thus shall say,
My Father and my God thou art,
my rock of health and stay.
[verse 28] As my first-born I will him take
of all on earth that springs:
His might and honour I will make
above all earthly kings.
[verse 29] My mercy shall be with him still,
as I my self have told:
My faithful covenant to fulfil
my mercy I will hold.
[verse 30] And eke his seed I will sustain
for ever strong and sure:
So that his seat shall still remain
while heaven doth endure.
The fourth part.
[verse 31] If that his sons for sake my law,
and so begin to swerve:
And of my judgements have none aw,
nor will not them observe:
[verse 32] Or if they do not use aright
my statutes to them made,
And set all my commandments light,
and will not keep my trade:
[verse 33] Then with the rod will I begin
their doings to amend:
And so with scourging for their sin,
if that they do offend.
[verse 34] My mercy yet and my goodness
I will not take him fro:
Nor handle him with craftiness,
and so my truth forgo.
[verse 35] But sure my covenant I will hold.
with all that I have spoke:
No word the which my lips have told
shall alter or be broke.
[verse 36] Once sware I by my holiness,
and that perform will I:
With David I shall keep promise,
to him I will not lie.
[verse 37] His seed for evermore shall reign,
and eke his throne of might:
As doth the sun, it shall remain
for ever in my fight.
[verse 38] And as the moon within thesky
for ever standeth fast
A faithful witness from on high,
so shall his kingdom last.
[verse 39] But now, O Lord, thou dost reject,
and now thou changest cheer:
Yea, thou art wroth with thine elect,
thine own anointe dear.
[verse 40] The covenant with thy servant made,
Lord, thou hast quite undone:
And down upon the ground also
hast cast his royal crown.
The fifth part.
[verse 41] Thou pluck'st his hedges up with might,
his walls thou dost confound:
Thou beatest eke his bulwarks down,
and break'st them to the ground.
[verse 42] That he is sore destroy'd and torn
of comers by throughout:
And so is made a mock and scorn
to all that dwell about.
[verse 43] Thou their right hand hast lifted up
that him so sore annoy:
And all his foes that him devour,
lo, thou hast made to joy.
[verse 44] His swords edge thou dost take away,
that should his foes withstand:
To him in war no victory
thou giv'st, nor upper hand.
[verse 45] His glory thou dost also waste,
his throne, his joy, his mirth
By thee is overthrown, and cast
full low upon the earth.
[verse 46] Thou hast cut off and made full short
his youth and lusty days:
And rais'd of him an ill report
with shame and great dispraise.
[verse 47] How long away from me, O Lord,
for ever wilt thou turn?
And shall thine anger still alway
as fire consume and burn?
[verse 48] O call to minde, remember then,
my time consumeth fast:
Why hast thou made the sons of men
as things in vain to waste?
[verse 49] What man is he that liveth here,
and death shall never see?
Or from the hand of hell his soul
shall he deliver free?
[verse 50] Where is, O Lord, thine own goodness
so oft declar'd beforn,
Which by thy truth and uprightness
to David thou hast sworn?
[verse 51] The great rebukes to minde I call
that on thy servants lie:
The railings of the people all
born in my breast have I,
[verse 52] Wherewith, O Lord, thine enemies
blasphemed have thy Name:
The steps of thine anointed one
they cease not to defame.
[verse 53] All praise to thee, O Lord of hosts,
both now and eke for ay:
Through sky and earth, and all the coasts,
Amen, amen, I say.