Despis'd of all Mankind Thou hast preserv'd me in despite Of my contending Foes That still with eager Violence My Honour did oppose And thou hast made the Heathen stoop To my subduing Sword Strangers that knew me not before Now serve me as their Lord. When they but hear my Name they yield Not able to withstand And distant Kings their proffer'd Realms Submit to my Command Tho' far remote in dread of Me Their fainting hearts sink down They tremble in their Lurking holes In fear of my Renown Jehovah lives Blest be the Rock Of my Deliverance And let the God of my defence His Glorious Name advance Thou Great Preserver of my Life Even Thou hast set me free From those that prest my injur'd Soul The Sons of Cruelty Therefore O Lord o're all the World Will I extol thy Fame And study still new Songs of Praise In Honour of thy Name Most tenderly dost Thou preserve Thy dear Anointed King And wilt shew mercy to his Throne For ever flourishing PSALM C. To the Proper Tune Clangite Jehovae OH all the Earth sing loud to God And every Region Praise his Name Serve him with Gladness and with Songs Extol his everlasting Fame For know ye that the Lord is God He made us and our days decreed We are his People and the sheep That in his goodly pastures feed Oh enter then his Gates with joy And fill his Holy Courts with Praise Give thanks to him and bless his Name That Name which Heav'n and Earth obeys For the free Mercies of the Lord Endure to all Eternity Nor does his Truth e're fail the Hopes Of them that on his Truth relye Another way VVIth shouts of Joy let all the Earth The Praises of the Lord Proclaim With chearful Hymns and Odes resound The Adoration of his Name For he the Parent of the World First made us and our days decreed We are his People and the sheep That in his goodly pastures feed Enter his Gates with praise and fill His Holy Courts with chearful Songs Extol applaud and celebrate His Power to whom all Power belongs For still in an Eternal Stream His Goodness and his mercy flow His Truth endures from Age to Age The same o're all things here below PSALM CI. Misericordiam Judicium MErcy and Judgment are the Theams I hat wake my tuneful strings Of them I sing and sing to thee Great Soveraign of Kings Wisdom and justice are the Props That my soft Rule sustain Behold since thou didst fix my Throne The Method of my Reign For in th' Uprightness of my heart To Privacy restrain'd A true Example there I walk't Of Soveraign Command No wicked Deed my Regal Power Did meanly Countenance Nor fawning Falshood in my Court Did her proud Head advance They that with sullen Envy muse Disturbances of state I still abhor'd their vile Converse Chief Objects of my Hate He that with baneful slander sought His Neighbour to enthral Like to the Proud without Remorse Did by my Justice fall But to the Virtuous of the Land My favour still was shewn Religious Officers did shine Like stars about my Throne The fraudulent contrives of State My Councils never knew Them that by lyes their Pomp upheld My Anger did pursue Betimes will I exterminate The Wickeds growing Race No Harbour shall th' Ungodly find Within thy Holy Place PSALM CXXXVII WHen from our Country Captive led Upon the Banks we sate Of Babylons remoter streams Bewailing our hard fate Then lofty Sions ruin'd Walls Our thoughtful woes survey'd Those Walls no more for us to see All now in Ashes laid Streight from our Eyes grown big with tears A Briny Deluge fell Our Sobs and Sighs supprest the words That sought our Griefs to tell Upon the pensive Willow Boughs Our Lutes untuned hung And our neglected Harps lay by As carelesly unstrung Come Captives leave your fruitless Moans Our taunting Spoylers cry'd And Sing us one of Sions Songs But sadly we reply'd Ah! who can now those Airs repeat With which our Temple rang Who so distrest as we can sing As our blest Fathers sang Shall Babylon our songs deride So charming to the Ear Shall a Prophane and Forreign Land Our sacred Musick hear No dear Jerusalem no no If ever I forget Thy vast Affliction and thy share Of misery so great First let my nimble joynts benum'd Forget their Active Skill No more let tuneful Lute or Harp Their Artful Touches feel First to my dry and Parched Roof My useless Tongue be glew'd Unless thy joys and Songs of Praise Be once again renew'd Lord curse thou Edoms traiterous Race That in our ruin revell'd Sack burn destroy and kill they cry'd Let all be lowly levell'd And thou Fierce Babel when thy Tide Of Tryumph once shall turn Oh mayst thou then a Victor now Thy sadder ruin Mourn Full happy He who spoils thee then As thou hast laid us wast And makes the tast those bitter woes Which thou hast made us tast Who from the wailing Mothers Breasts The tender Babes shall tear And with their Blood the rugged Stones And Pavements all besmeare PSALM CXLVIII To the Common Tune and Measure LET Highest Heav'n extol The Praises of the Lord And all the seats of Bliss Melodiously accord Let Angels Praise Him with sweet Hymns And numerous Hosts of Seraphims Praise him both Sun and Moon That govern Day and Night Praise him ye lesser Stars In number infinite The Sphears above And Sphears below And waters that Beyond 'em flow Praise ye the Lord all These Praise ye his Holy Name The supream Architect That rear'd the wondrous Frame He said the Word And all was made From times decay Securely laid And as in Heaven above So Praise the Lord on Earth All Monsters which the Land And which the Sea bring forth All Dragons fierce And Whales that sweep The Vast Abys ses of the Deep And all ye Meteors The wonders of the Air Fire Snow and ratling Hail Jehova's Name revere Tempests and Storms And Hurricans Performing still What He Ordains Mountains and lesser Hills Valleys and Fertile Glades Trees happy in their Fruit Or yielding useful shades Cedars that mount To pompous height And variously The Hills delight All Creatures Flocks and Herds That People the wide Fields And every creeping thing That copious Nature yields The larger Fowl And lesser Crouds That Chirp and Sing Among the Woods All Monarchs of the Earth All Nations far and near Princes and Rulers too That swelling Titles wear Beauty and Youth With all their Charms Declining Age And Babes in Arms. Praise ye the Lord all these And magnifie his Name For only He alone Can our just Praises claim So great his Fame His Power no less That Heav'n and Earth Do both confess He has advanc'd in Fame The Strength of Israel His chosen People They Who in his Favour dwell Therefore to Him Your Voices raise To Him alone Sing Praise sing Praise PSALM CL. Hallelujah PRaise ye the Lord Praise him within His Holy Residence Extol him for the Boundless fame Of his Omnipotence Extol him for his mighty Deeds That fill the World with Wonder And for the Triumphs of his Power That Numbers cannot Number With lofty Trumpets Martial Sounds Extol his Puissance While the Far-ecchoing Drum Unites The Chorus in a Dance Praise him with Harps and Harpsichords With Flutes and Violins While the Majestick Organ joyns To grace the Vocal Hymns Praise him with Cimbals softly sweet Praise him with Cimbals loud Let every Creature that has Breath Extol the Living God FINIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Judicio aut loco judicii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Coetu Justorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Osculamini filium ne irascatur Some of the Rabbins atttibute the ne irascatur to God the Father and so turn it this way Osculamini filium ut sedet Iram putris Simile est hoc Regi qui ira percitus est in cives Iuerunt igitur Cives rogaverunt filium Regis ut sedaret iram patris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gena Maxillas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Segregavit sibi Benignum seu potius sanctum for the word signifies both Gnalab Gneschan be Affo Ecsh Miffiou Tokel Gechalim Baguacou mimmennou Ascendit famus ah excandescentia tua Ignis consumet ex ore ejus pruinae arserunt abâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laetitia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Canticum laetum sive cum clamore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clangite voeifermini These three Words denote a chearful Service of God and nâ—t that morose Devotion which some are pleas'd to affect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Comprehends all those Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dissipabit allidendo which can never be done but that the Blood must sprinckle and scatter about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Celi Celorum which includes the whole structure of the Heavens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aque quae sunt superne vel super coelos The Rabbins observe the Derivation of Shamaim from Shem Illic and Maim Waters because they say that Waters are there and that the Heavens are Compos'd of Fire and Water
not saved those That bare me causeless hate Then let my Foes pursue my Soul Not knowing whom to trust Let them tread down my Life to Earth My Honour to the Dust Else Lord arise and in thy Wrath Against my Foes appear That thy confirmed Promises My Innocence may clear Then shall thy People worship Thee To quiet Peace restor'd Oh! therefore for thy People's sake Advance thy Strength O Lord. Nor do I fear but thou wilt give Just Sentence on my side When Thou my clear Integrity And Righteousness hast try'd Second Part. Confound O Lord ungodly Men That vent their Spleen in vain But guide the Just and make thy ways Unto their Footsteps plain For tho' the secret Bosom hides Our Thoughts from Mortal Eye Yet like unfolded Leaves all Hearts Before Thee open lie Therefore will I in God alone For Aid and Succour trust Who stil preserves the Righteous And still protects the just Jehovah is a righteous Judge And patient in his Power Suffering the Wicked to provoke His Anger every Hour But if the Wicked will not turn From Sin 's alluring Charms He whets his Sword and bends his Bow His Sin-revenging Arms. Chas'd by such Instruments of Death No place shall give them Rest He makes his Arrows sharp to pierce The Persecutor's Breast Behold they travel all in vain Their Mischief to bring forth For Mischief is the thing conceal'd Tho' Folly be the Birth Deep Pits they dig in hopes to catch The Righteous there betray'd But reel themselves into the Grave For others Ruin made For on their own forsaken Heads Their plotted Mischiefs fall And while they studie to revenge Feel Vengeance first of all Therefore with Thanks will I extol The pleader of my Right And his protecting Truth in Songs Of Lasting Praise recite PSALM VIII O Lord our God how ought the World Thy wondrous Name to prize For thou thy Glory hast advanc'd Above the starry Skies The tender Babes and Sucklings crie In witness of thy Fame And to the Heav'n-contemning Crowd Thy Providence proclaim While I the Heav'ns behold the work of thy Almighty Hand The Moon and Stars in order fix'd By thy divine Command Then deeply reasoning with my Soul I these discourses make Oh! what is Man that thou hast wrought Such wonders for his sake For little lower in degree Then happy Angels plac'd Thou hast his Rare Seraphic Form With Heav'nly Beauty grac'd O're all the Works that Thou hast made He beareth lordly Sway All Creatures with submissive Awe His ample Power obey The profitable Sheep and Ox To hardy Toil decreed And all the Beasts that in the Field Or in the Desart feed The winged Fowl and lesser Fish That in the Rivers keep With all the larger Fry that haunt The secrets of the Deep Therefore O Thou o'er all the World Chief Lord and Governour How powerful is thy wondrous Name How wonderful thy Power PSALM IX WITH my whole Heart will I sing praise Unto the Lord our God The noble Acts which thou hast done Will I declare abroad I will be glad I will rejoyce In Thee O thou most High And in my Hymns thy blessed Name For ever magnifie For thou hast put my Enemies To ignominious flight That they with shame before Thee fall And languish at thy sight Thou by thy Power hast still maintain'd my just and righteous Cause Commanding from thy starry Throne Obedience to thy Laws Thou hast rebuk'd the Heathen's Rage and wicked Men destroy'd Their Name is perish'd from the Earth Of all remembrance void Insulting Enemies no more Your desolations boast For like the Cities ye laid waste The Fame of you is lost But he that dwells above the Stars For evermore shall Reign He hath prepar'd his Royal Throne True Judgment to maintain To all the Nations of the Earth Will he his Truth declare His chosen People unto Him For Justice shall repair The sure Protector of the Poor Will he at length appear In time will he the sad Complaint Of their Affliction hear And therefore they that know thy Name Shall on thy Help depend For still on them thy Guarding Power Ne're faileth to attend Second Part. Sing praises therefore to the Lord That doth in Sion dwell Unto the People all his Works In Songs of Wonder tell He strictly searches for the Blood Of them that are opprest And bears in mind the Poor's complaint Until they be redrest Have mercy on me O my God In pity of my grief Behold how near the Gates of Death I beg thy swift Relief That rescu'd so on Sion Hill Thy praise I may set forth And thy Salvation loudly sing In Songs of sacred Mirth Sunk are the Heathen in the Pit For others Ruin made Their Feet are taken in the Net which they in secret laid Oh! Justice still to be admir'd By just Examples taught For still the wicked dig the Snares In which themselves are caught Headlong to the forgotten Grave Ungodly Men descend Untimely Death mows down the proud That against Heav'n contend For always will he not forget The Poor when they complain Nor shall the Humble in Distress For ever wait in vain Up Lord and let not Man prevail ' Gainst thy Celestial might But on the Heathen take revenge So guilty in thy fight Let them in dread of Thee despair That in their deep distress They then may know themselves but Men And Thee their Lord confess PSALM X. WHy so far distant from us Lord Dost thou conceal thy Face Now that our Troubles most require The Comfort of thy Grace For wicked Men the vexed Poor Of all their Peace deprive But Lord confound them in the Plots Which they themselves contrive They boast of all their Hearts desire With Power and Riches stor'd In friendship with the Covetous They scom the living Lord. Such is their Pride that after God Their Folly never sought And hold the knowledge of his Name Not worthy of a thought They prosper in their wicked ways And from their scornful Eyes So far remote thy judgments are That they thy power despise He faith in his deceived Heart What cause have I of dread For I shall never now be mov'd Nor danger reach my Head His Mouth is full of vile Untruth And cursed Blasphemy Under his Tongue Deceit and Fraud Like poys'nous Adders lye In private Villages he waits To slay the Innocent In secret Holes his leering Eyes Against the poor are bent He lurketh as a Lyon lurks The humble to defeat And merciless devours the Poor Entangl'd in his Net With curteous Bow and lowly Cringe He bends his treacherous Knee Thus falls the Poor in heaps betray'd By smooth Hypocrisie Then in his wicked Heart saith he God has forgot their Cries He shall for ever vale and hide Their misery from his Eyes Second Part. Now then arise O God arise Lift up thy Potent Hand And succour thy afflicted Poor That have so long complain'd Wherefore should wicked Men blaspheme And thus thy power
DAVEIDOS OR A Specimen of some of David's Psalms IN English METRE With Remarks upon the Late TRANSLATORS By Mr. JOHN PHILLIPS LONDON Printed for William Keblewhite at the Swan in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1798. THE PREFACE IT was the Complaint of a Person no less eminent in the Church of England then Dr. Don Dean of St. Paul's that the Psalms of King David I mean as they were translated into English Metre in his time and by that means being adapted to the Vulgar Tunes were made a considerable Part of the Publick Worship should be admitted into the Church in such an undecent and unmannerly Dress That Great Person who himself expressing his own Thoughts and Notions with so much Rapture and Sublimity must certainly be deem'd a competent Judge in his Poem upon the Translation of the Psalms by Sir Philip Sidney and his Sister the Countess of Pembrook cannot forbear condoling the Misfortune of these Celestial Hymns so rudely handl'd by other Pens Says he The Songs are these which Heav'ns High Holy Muse Whisper'd to David David to the Jews And David's Successors in Holy Zeal In Forms of Joy and Art do re-reveal To us so sweetly and sincerely too That I must not rejoice as I would do When I behold that these Psalms are become So well attir'd abroad so ill at home So well in Chambers in thy Church so ill As I can scarce call that reform'd untIl This be reform'd Since the Death of Dr. Donne several Persons have attempted to redress this Grievance with more Zeal then good Success for Zeal and Poetry are two different Inspirations that do not always accompany one another Men may be good Men eloquent Divines most excellent Preachers yet but very bad Poets Sandys of later times and Buchanan before him both adventur'd to imp their Muses Wings with Cherubims Feathers and suffer 'em to expatiate in the Tempes of Fancy and Exuberancy yet Cowley in his Preface to his Pindaric Odes ranges both those Great Men among those that have not hit the Mark. For says He All the Translators of the Psalms of David even Mr. Sands Himself for in despite of Popular Error I will be bold not to Except him are so far from doing Honour or at least Justice to that Divine Poet that methinks they revile him worse then Shimei And Buchanan himself who much the best of them all and indeed a great Person comes in my Opinon no less short of David then his Country does of Judea And the Reason of this he gives to be because that none of these People have sought to supply the lost Excellencies of another Language with new ones in their own To this I cannot forbear adding That all the Translations which I have hitherto seen since his time are equally as guilty of their Predecessors Faults and are so far from supplying us with the Excellencies of our Language that where they are forc'd for their conveniency to gloss upon the Sense of the Text they rather deform the Granduer of the Sacred Authors's Style with flat and insipid Notions of their own and Expressions no less improper mean and vulgar They fetch in Rhimes by the Head and Shoulders like so many obstinate Delinquents and bind 'em with the Chains of Impropriety à nd Incongruity to Words and Sentences altogether forc'd and foreign from the true Signification and all this to patch up a Clink i' the Close And while they pretend to be Reformers of others sin against the very Idiom of the Language which they pretend to be Masters of Unrivall'd of which the Translators N. B. and N. T. seem to be proud off is an Epithite by no means proper for God And Incarnate ten times worse for the Messiah For Incarnate is a word more frequently taken in an ill then a good Sense We say of Women that are continually Brawling and Scolding that they are Devils Incarnate And therefore Words that admit of a twofold and dubious Signification are to be carefully avoided in a Sacred Translation Their Cadences which ought to fall with the greatest ease and softness imaginable are harsh and violent rather like the Shogs and Rubs of Carts and Coaches against the Posts i' the Street then natural Closes Of this number are The feather'd Throng spoken of Birds His rains from Heav'n parch'd Hills recruite and Storms the swift wing'd Steeds with which he flies Really not good Sense And make the angry Sea comply Let all the World O Lord combine to praise c. Then shall the Teeming Ground a large Increase disclose These Expressions will serve in a Ballad but there is nothing of Flight nothing of Curiosity in ' em Of the same nature are A thousand dewy Sweats distill'd Thy word unseal'd the Springs You who the Lord adore your Vows before him lay Thy ratling Thunders roard around As Floods through ancient Forrests roar or Mountain Shrubs surprize God for their Diet finds a way When great they seem like some large Cloak let shame be round 'em rould But enough of these Blunders in General little superiour to Hopkins and Sternhold for they do so Scaturire that it would almost require a Transcription of the whole to repeat 'em all In short the Poetry more especially N. B. and N. T 's is very ordinary and insipid not to be call'd Poetry the Contexture nothing better then Linsey Woolsey and the Stuffing meer Thrums To come to particulars I would fain know how N. B. and N. T. could pick out of these words Beterem javinou Sirothekem Atad in the 58th Psalm Ante spinae Vestrae crescant in Rhamnum this piece of ill sounding and spropositous Sense E're Thorns can make the Fleshpots Boyl 't was certainly before Dinner For I cannot see the least ground in the words for such a Pye Corner Expression In the 95th Psalm the Text runs thus Ki El Gadol Jehova ou melek Gadol gnal Col Elohim Quia Deus Magnus Jehova rex Magnus super omnes Deus These words N. B. and N. T. thus Translate For God the Lord enthron'd in State Is with unrival'd Glory great A King Superiour far to all Whom by his Title God we call Here are no less then two Blunders to supply the conciseness of the Text unrivall'd Glory hardly warrantable whom by his Title God we call of which there is nothing at all in the Text only it was a hard Shift which might have been supply'd with much better words These occurr'd to the first Glances of my Eye and I was unwilling to examin any farther for fear of meeting many more I shall say nothing farther at present of their Translation but that it is too full of He'ls and He 's deformities not to be endur'd in true and elegant Poetry As for the Psalms that have lately appear'd under the Name of Mr. Milbourn they may be truly said to be his For the whole is an exuberant Paraphrase with little of David in it insomuch that they may be rightly call'd David's Psalms
despise Their God is otherwise imploy'd Then to regard their Cries For sure thy all surveying Eye Their Tyrannies beheld Severely marking open Wrongs And Malice most conceal'd Since therefore it remains in Thee The Feeble to defend To Thee the Poor commits their Cause The Orphans only friend Break thou the Strength of evil Men O God whom we adore Pursue their bold Impieties Until they be ho more Then shall thy rescu'd Poor confess Thy everlasting Reign While deep Perdition swallows up The Ungodly and Prophane But the Petitions of the Poor Thou wilt in Mercy hear With thankful Hearts by thee prepar'd To reap the Fruits of Prayer Then shalt thou judge the Fatherless And give the Poor his right Nor shall the haughty Tyrant more Oppress him With his Might PSALM XI GOD is my Hope then to my Soul Why speak ye bitter words And say fly to the desert Hills Like the affrighted Birds Behold the Wicked bend their Bow And ready is the Dart With fatal Aim directed still To pierce the Righteous Heart All the Foundations of his Hope Are quite cast down they cry Lord what have good Men done that they must thus forsak'n dye But high in Heav'n the Immrotal God Has fix'd his Azure Throne And thence on poor afflicted Souls In pity will look down Thence he beholds the Ways of Men With a discerning Eye Approving Right detesting Works Of bold Impiety On them will He rain all his Plagues Together summoned up Brimstone and Fire in dismal Storms The Portion of their Cup. For God the God of holy Truth Will Righteous Men embrace And to the Just with Favour shew The brightness of his Face PSALM XII HElp Lord Oh help for godly Men Chac'd from the Earth are fled The Faitful seem to lye conceal'd 'Mong the forgotten dead The common Talk of Neighbours now Is all but Vanity For what their double Hearts intend Their flattering Tongues deny But let Dissemblers perish Lord From the corrupted Earth And the triumphing Boaster find The folly of his Mirth Who say that by such Tricks of State We will our Names extoll Are not our Lips and Tongues our own Who shall our Pride controul When moved with the loud Complaints And Sighings of the Poor I will arise saith God and them To quiet Peace restore Nor are thy Promises O God Dispersed in the Wind More pure then Silver are thy Words Tho' many times refind Now therefore keep thy Promise Lord Amd save thy chos'n Race For now Impiety prevails And potent Wrong takes place And well thou know'st when violent Men Are lofty in command The godly languish ill prepar'd Their fury to withstand PSALM XIII HOW long wilt thou forget me Lord In this afflicted plight How long wilt thou conceal from me Thy all-restoring Light How long shall I in deep suspence Consult my weary Soul How long shall my insulting Foes Thus lawlessly controul Consider Lord and hear the Cries Which my loud Sorrows make And least I sleep the sleep of Death Keep thou mine Eyes awake Least in their Triumphs thus they sing We have prevail'd at length Least their proud Trophies they advance I hat have pull'd down my Strength Yet are my Hopes in God my King His Fame will I advance And tho' forsak'n sing of Him For past Deliverance PSALM XIV THE Fool has said there is no God For Men are all now grown Abominable in their Works Not one upright not one The Lord look'd down from Heav'n and view'd Man's all-corrupted Race To see who would seek after Him Or Holiness embrace But Lord they blindly all obey'd Blasphemous Ignorance There was not one that gave his mind Thy Worship to advance Vain workers of Iniquity That will not understand How they like Bread my People eat And have my Laws prophan'd But Fear shall soon surprize 'em all When dreaming least of fear For in defence of the Upright Th' Almighty will appear For they have proudly laught to scorn The Counsels of the Just And in derision held the Poor That make the Lord their trust Oh that the Lord to Israel His promise would fulfill And send Salvation to his Church From Sion's holy Hill Then when thy People shall return From heavy Thraldom free Triumphant Jacob shall rejoyce And glad shall Israel be PSALM XV. WHO shall inhabit Lord of Hosts Thy Holy Place s0 pure Or whom shall Sion's sacred Towrs In fix'd repose secure The Man whose Life is uncorrupt And blameless in thy sight Who from his Heart the Friend of Truth Continues still upright Whose Tongue ne'r vented vile Reproach His Neighbour to defame Nor ever harbour'd false Reports To prejudice his Name Who lowly in his own esteem Does wicked Men despise While they that truly fear the Lord Are pretious in his Eyes Who always faithful to perform His Vow and Covenant both Tho' to his harm he sometime Swears yet changes not his Oath He that tormenteth not the Poor With griping Usury Nor to defeat the Innocent E'er took accursed Fee The Man thus blameless in his Life Of Heaven's great King belov'd Shall prsoper in his holy Hill And never be remov'd PSALM XVI THou great preserver of my Life Continue my defence For in thee only Oh my God I fix my Confidence My quiet Soul to God has said Thee only I adore Not all my heaps of treasur'd Wealth Can add unto thy Store But my Relief I give to them That are on Earth upright To them in Vertue that excel Who are my chief Delight They shall heap sorrow on their heads Whose giddy Ignorance Thy Truth forsakes of Idol Gods The Worship to advance I will not of their Sacrifice In any sort partake Nor yet so much as of their Names The smallest mention make The Lord is my Inheritance The Portion of my Rest My sacred Lot shalt thou maintain First by thy Aid possest In places far for Pleasure fam'd My Lot is measur'd forth I have a goodly Heritage The Garden of the Earth Prais'd be thy Name thy Grace inspir'd My Knowledge of thy Will Teaching my Slumbers in the Night Thy Precepts to fulfill The Lord I set before me still On whom my Hopes rely'd While he directs my wary Steps My Feet shall never slide My Soul rejoic'd from Tyrant Death To be for ever free My Flesh in hopes of future Life Likewise depends on thee For sure thou wilt not leave my Soul Within the Grave asleep Nor let thy Holy One abide Corruption in the Deep Rather instruct me how to find That fair and goodly way Which leads me to those blissful seats Of never-setting Day There in thy Presence to behold Th' Eternal Stores os Bliss And all those Pleasures that surround The Throne of Paradise PSALM XVII COnsider well my case O Lord And to my Cause give ear And with thy wonted Grace attend To my unfeigned Prayer Yea let thy own avenging Wrath The Sentence execute And with an equal Eye regard The Right of my Dispute For thou by Night
in Disguise For why should this Gentleman spend such an exuberancy of words upon only Ahsre ha Isch in the first Psalm Beatus Vir A thousand Blessings crown his Head Or how it could come into his Mind to fancy the dreadful Sound of the last Trumpet in the word Mischphat which signifies in that place no more then an Assembly which is plain from its being coupled with the word Gnadath which signifies Caetus Or lastly how could he extract such an effluvium from the first words of the second Psalm Lummat Ragschou Goiim ou leummim yehegou Rik God's wife Decrees are fix'd and strong As his Eternal Throne Why then should Heathen Fools so long His Sacred Power disown Vain are their hopes vain every thought And all their words are vain For what Gods mighty Hands have wrought God's mighty Hands maintain What is this to the Purpose nothing I 'm sure to the Text And besides the Elegancy of the double expostulation is lost Such Paraphrases as these rather mislead then Instruct And therefore Benedicat Deus operi Authori. Paraphrases are nothing to our Business There is in the last place a small Specimen printed for the Company of Stationers for the reforming of old Sternhold and Hopkins but it begins so unfortunately that I dà re be bold to assert that the Honour of reforming those Authors is not reserv'd for that Gentleman For the first Psalm instead of being reform'd is render'd ten times worse then it was before There is such a Hysteron Proteron in the two first Lines that stumsently bles you at the very Threshold and presently calls for a Candle to light you to the Sence The Man is blest by ill advice To walk who doth forbear The rest is much of the same Form and Stile from whence we may safely conclude that the Expressions of Sternhold and Hopkins are too beggarly already to want any more Patching It may be objected in defence of these Gentlemen that they condescend to a mean and vulgar way of expressing themselves for the better understanding of the Common People and in complyance with their Capacities But whose fault is that the People are no better taught At least I am sure it would be much more for the Honour of the Publick Worship that they should be better instructed then to sing the Praises of God in undecent and incongruous Language 'T is the General Opinion that the Psalms of David in their Original Beauty were the most exalted Productions of a divine and soaring Genius and withal the Perfection of the Hebrew Idiome and that they were inrich'd with a Copious and Eloquent Conciseness which our Modern Languages cannot reach without the help of Paraphrase and Circumlocutions However those two Assistances are very warily to be made use of by no means too profusely yet so as to supply the vacuums of our own Language with those Beauties of the English Idiom which come the nearest to the Grandeur of Style and Meaning of the Author And to this a due Consideration of the Subject of the Psalm and the Occasion of the Author's writing it and the Connexion and Coherence of the Sentences will very much contribute 'T is true that there are some of these Psalms that are written with a plainness befitting the Subjects of Penitence Prayer and Confession On the other side there are others so truly Poetical and full of sublime Rapture that if they be not follow'd with a Spirit and a Fancy in some measure adequate they must of necessity loose their Luster Seeing therefore that Specimens are come into the Mode and that so many have so good an Opinion of themselves as to believe their Offerings worthy of the Publick View I thought it now my time to be not Semper Auditor tantum especially having by me so many as I have of David's Psalms some long since Translated and others of ◠later Date I know I shall not wait for Censure having adventur'd to pass my Judgment so freely upon others But for that my Years and Education may in some measure bear me out The Method which I took that I might avoid the Rock which others had dash'd against was in the first place to throw off the Shackles of Rhime a weight that lyes a little too heavy upon Fancy and Invention but which I would never be a Slave to In the next place I had the Assistance of the Original it self the Latin and Greek Versions together with the Chaldee Paraphrase all which I examin'd with the best Judgment I had Nor was I without the two English Translations not refusing to look upon Sternhold and Hopkins sometimes whether by accident or no not far distant sometimes from the Point As for my Talent in Poetry I leave that with the rest for others to judge of Only this I must add that whoever he be who has not that Talent in some measure above N. B. and N. T. whatever his other Properties or Perfections are shall never obtain much Credit by Translating David's Psalms I will not insist upon the Vse and Benefit of the Singing Psalms in Churches which would savour too much of inclining to Self-interest 'T is sufficiedt for me that the Church of England has approv'd the Custome and given 'em admission into their Congregations And truly since the Voices of the People are so much reform'd to what they have been by the many Organs set up in several Churches in this Ciry 't is but Reason that the Words they Sing should be reform'd as well By whomsoever it be done I shall not envy that Honour to the Person who does it as it should be Nevertheless as I have shewd my self ready to serve the Publick I should account it among the greatest Felicities of my Life if such a Work as this should Crown the end of my Days PSALM I. BLest is the Man who in the Paths Of Sinners never stray'd Nor listen'd to the Scorners Charms By wicked Counsel sway'd But in the Law of God the Lord Doth place his whole Delight And to observe his pure Commands Doth labour Day and Night He shall be like a goodly Tree That by the water grows Whose timely fruit makes early hast To ease the tender Boughs His verdant Leaf shall never fade But Winter's rage withstand For still desir'd Success shall crown Whate'er he takes in hand But no such fixed Happiness Shall the ungodly find They 're like the Chaff blown from the Earth By every gust of Wind Nor shall the wicked dare to stand Where God-like Justice pleads Among the Righteous still afraid To shew their guilty Heads For the Omnipotent well knows The ways of righteous Men But in their bold career destroys The Scoffers hateful Train PSALM II. WHY do the Heathen drunk with rage Such frantick uproars make Why do the People vain designs So vainly undertake The Kings and Rulers of the Earth In deep contrivance bold Against the Lord and David's Throne A solemn League do hold
Proudly they cry come let us cast Their servile bands away Let us in sunder break their cords That bind us to obey But he that dwells in Heav'n above Shall laugh them all to scorn And in derision of their Craft Their Plots to folly turn Then in his wrath he shall rebuke The blindness of their ways And in his hot Displeasure vex The remnant of their days But he hath set his King on high The King he always lov'd And fix'd his Throne on Sion Hill That never shall be mov'd Concerning him will I declare Heav'ns firm and high Decree Thou art my Son he said this day Have I begotten thee Ask but of me the Heathen shall Be thy Inheritance To every corner of the Earth Thy Empire shall advance For they with rods of Iron bruis'd Before thy feet shall fall Like Potsherds into pieces broke So shalt thou break them all Now therefore O ye Kings be wise And to my Words give ear And all ye Judges of the Earth My timely Precepts hear With fear and trembling serve the Lord Submissive to his Law When ye rejoce rejoice in Him With a Religious Awe Lest he be angry to the Son Obedient Homage pay For fear ye perish in the Paths Of Error led astray For ye must die if once his Wrath Be kindl'd in his Breast But they that trust in him are safe In his Protection blest PSALM III. When David fled from his Son Absolon O Lord how numerous are they grown That trouble my repose Many are they that still increase The Burthen of my Woes Many there be that scoffing say To my disturbed Soul His God no more shall be his Aid Nor our Designs controul But Thou art the secure Defence On which my hopes rely Thou dost my Honour still maintain And lift my head on high I call'd I cry'd unto my God When I was weak and faint And from his Holy Hill he heard The voice of my complaint I laid me down and slept secure And safely rose again Regardless of my present fears For God did me sustain I will not their ten thousands fear By thousands multiply'd Tho' in the midst of all their Power Hemm'd in on every side Arise O God the Lord appears For on the shameless Cheek They now are smitten with Reproach That did my Ruin seek And more to disappoint their Rage Thy all-o'recoming Pow'r Has broke their Fangs envenom'd force So eager to devour Salvation thus belongs alone Unto the Lord above Who for his People keeps in store The Blessings of his Love PSALM IV. THou Great Defender of my Cause Unto my cries gave ear My God reliev'd me in Distress And heard my humble Prayer Proud Sons of Men how long will you My Honour thus despise That please your selves in vain Designs And wander after Lyes On Judah's Throne the Lord has plac'd A righteous Soveraign And he will surely hear my Voice When ever I complain With trembling then his Power confess And strive to sin no more Ponder at Night upon the Deeds Ye did the Day before In your Retirements most remote Your treacherous hearts upbraid And every evil thought chastise When on your Pillows laid Let Justice be your Sacrifice With an unfeigned zeal Then hope in God and to his Throne For mercy still appeal Men say that our forsaken Cause No friends will now embrace Therefore O King of Heav'n unvail The Brightness of thy face For greater joy my cheared heart Has in thy favour found Then they had ever when their wheat And wine did most abound Therefore will I lye down in Peace And take my due Repose For only from the Lord himself My safe Protection flows PSALM V. POnder my Words I thee implore My mournful Words O Lord And also to my secret Sighs Thy gracious Ear afford Hearken with speed unto the sound Of my continual Cries For at thy Throne my God and King My sad Soul prostrate lies Lord in the Morning hear my Voice For at thy Heav'nly Gate My early importuning Pray'rs Thy answer boldly wait For thou art not a God that dost In wicked Works delight While every froward friend of Sin Is banish'd from thy sight The wayward Fool shall not enjoy the splendor of thy Face Those hidden Glories shine remote from their detested Race The busie forgers of untruth shall perish undeplor'd Such sons of Blood and deep Deceit Thou always hast abhor'd But I will to thy House approach Embolden'd by thy Grace And pay the Tribute of my Vows Within thy Holy Place Teach me to shun those crooked Paths Wheren my Foes are led But in thy ways from wandring safe Direct me how to tread For in their Mouths there is no truth Or care of Promise made Corrupt within like canker'd Flesh With rottenness decay'd Their slanderous Throats are like the smells Of open Sepulchers Whose flattering Tongue in vile defence Of falshood only swears But let their own Designs O Lord Their own Confusion be Subvert them in their heaps of Sin Proud Rebels against Thee But they that trust in Thee let them Triumph for evermore Let them rejoyce in thy defence Who thy great Name adore In Showers of Plenty upon them Thy Blessings shall descend Them shall thy Favour like a Shield In all distress defend PSALM VI. OH do not in thy Anger Lord My secret Shame detect Nor while thy Fury yet remains My guilty Soul correct For I am weak O therefore Lord In mercy me restore And with thy heav'nly Balsom heal My Bones with trembling Sore My heavy Soul tormented lies Opprest with inward Grief My God how long wilt Thou delay E'er Thou afford Relief Return O Lord and my sad Soul From horrid Death defend Oh! for thy holy Mercy 's sake Some speedy succour send For who within the Cells of Death Can praise Thee under Ground Or who in the Infernal Pit Thy Wonders can resound Weary with groaning every Night In Tears I bath my Bed And all the Day my water'd Couch Supports my drooping Head The luster of mine Eyes is fled By sorrow chac't a way Mine Eyes are sunk to see my Foes Now bear triumphant sway Be gone be gone all ye that toil In Works of Wickedness Heaven's King hath heard my weeping Voice With ptomise of Redress Pleas'd with my Prayers the Lord receiv'd My humble Sacrifice And soon his reconciled Ear Was open to my Cries Now shall he so my Foes perplex So tame their growing Pride That they shall run with speedy flight Their sudden Shame to hide PSALM VII O Lord my God I have repos'd My Confidence in Thee From them that persecute my Soul Now then deliver me Lest greedy of my guiltless Blood They do my Soul devour As the fierce Lyon rends the Prey Within his ravenous power O Lord my God if justly they Charge on me this Offence If I have acted any Crime To stain my Innocence If e'er the kindness of my Friend I willingly forgate Or rather have