Category: Uncategorized

1    Do ye, O congregation,

          indeed speak righteousness?

     O ye that are the sons of men,

          judge ye with uprightness?

2    Yea, ev’n within your very hearts

          ye wickedness have done;

     And ye the vi’lence of your hands

          do weigh the earth upon.

3    The wicked men estranged are,

          ev’n from the very womb;

     They, speaking lies, do stray as soon

          as to the world they come.

4    Unto a serpent’s poison like

          their poison doth appear;

     Yea, they are like the adder deaf,

          that closely stops her ear;

5    That so she may not hear the voice

          of one that charm her would,

     No, not though he most cunning were,

          and charm most wisely could.

6    Their teeth, O God, within their mouth

          break thou in pieces small;

     The great teeth break thou out, O Lord,

          of these young lions all.

7    Let them like waters melt away,

          which downward still do flow:

     In pieces cut his arrows all,

          when he shall bend his bow.

8    Like to a snail that melts away,

          let each of them be gone;

     Like woman’s birth untimely, that

          they never see the sun.

9    He shall them take away before

          your pots the thorns can find,

     Both living, and in fury great,

          as with a stormy wind.

10   The righteous, when he vengeance sees,

          he shall be joyful then;

     The righteous one shall wash his feet

          in blood of wicked men.

11   So men shall say, The righteous man

          reward shall never miss:

     And verily upon the earth

          a God to judge there is.

1    That there is not a God, the fool

          doth in his heart conclude:

     They are corrupt, their works are vile,

          not one of them doth good.

2    The Lord upon the sons of men

          from heav’n did cast his eyes,

     To see if any one there was

          that sought God, and was wise.

3    They altogether filthy are,

          they all are backward gone;

     And there is none that doeth good,

          no, not so much as one.

4    These workers of iniquity,

          do they not know at all,

     That they my people eat as bread,

          and on God do not call?

5    Ev’n there they were afraid, and stood

          with trembling, all dismay’d,

     Whereas there was no cause at all

          why they should be afraid:

     For God his bones that thee besieg’d

          hath scatter’d all abroad;

     Thou hast confounded them, for they

          despised are of God.

6    Let Isr’el’s help from Sion come:

          when back the Lord shall bring

     His captives, Jacob shall rejoice,

          and Israel shall sing.

1    Be merciful to me, O God;

          thy mercy unto me

     Do thou extend; because my soul

          doth put her trust in thee:

     Yea, in the shadow of thy wings

          my refuge I will place,

     Until these sad calamities

          do wholly overpass.

2    My cry I will cause to ascend

          unto the Lord most high;

     To God, who doth all things for me

          perform most perfectly.

3    From heav’n he shall send down, and me

          from his reproach defend

     That would devour me: God his truth

          and mercy forth shall send.

4    My soul among fierce lions is,

          I firebrands live among,

     Men’s sons, whose teeth are spears and darts,

          a sharp sword is their tongue.

5    Be thou exalted very high

          above the heav’ns, O God;

     Let thou thy glory be advanc’d

          o’er all the earth abroad.

6    My soul’s bow’d down; for they a net

          have laid, my steps to snare:

     Into the pit which they have digg’d

          for me, they fallen are.

7    My heart is fix’d, my heart is fix’d,

          O God; I’ll sing and praise.

8    My glory wake; wake psalt’ry, harp;

          myself I’ll early raise.

9    I’ll praise thee ‘mong the people, Lord;

          ‘mong nations sing will I:

10   For great to heav’n thy mercy is,

          thy truth is to the sky.

11   O Lord, exalted be thy name

          above the heav’ns to stand:

     Do thou thy glory far advance

          above both sea and land.

1    Why dost thou boast, O mighty man,

          of mischief and of ill?

     The goodness of Almighty God

          endureth ever still.

2    Thy tongue mischievous calumnies

          deviseth subtilely,

     Like to a razor sharp to cut,

          working deceitfully.

3    Ill more than good, and more than truth

          thou lovest to speak wrong:

4    Thou lovest all-devouring words,

          O thou deceitful tongue.

5    So God shall thee destroy for aye,

          remove thee, pluck thee out

     Quite from thy house, out of the land

          of life he shall thee root.

6    The righteous shall it see, and fear,

          and laugh at him they shall:

7    Lo, this the man is that did not

          make God his strength at all:

     But he in his abundant wealth

          his confidence did place;

     And he took strength unto himself

          from his own wickedness.

8    But I am in the house of God

          like to an olive green:

     My confidence for ever hath

          upon God’s mercy been.

9    And I for ever will thee praise,

          because thou hast done this:

     I on thy name will wait; for good

          before thy saints it is.

1    Save me, O God, by thy great name,

          and judge me by thy strength:

2    My prayer hear, O God; give ear

           unto my words at length.

3    For they that strangers are to me

          do up against me rise;

     Oppressors seek my soul, and God

          set not before their eyes.

4    The Lord my God my helper is,

          lo, therefore I am bold:

     He taketh part with ev’ry one

          that doth my soul uphold.

5    Unto mine enemies he shall

          mischief and ill repay:

     O for thy truth’s sake cut them off,

          and sweep them clean away.

6    I will a sacrifice to thee

          give with free willingness;

     Thy name, O Lord, because ’tis good,

          with praise I will confess.

7    For he hath me delivered

          from all adversities;

     And his desire mine eye hath seen

          upon mine enemies.

First Version (S.M.)
Tune: Crown Him with Many Crowns

1    The mighty God, the Lord,
          hath spoken, and did call
     The earth, from rising of the sun,
          to where he hath his fall.

2    From out of Sion hill,
          which of excellency
     And beauty the perfection is,
          God shined gloriously.

3    Our God shall surely come,
          keep silence shall not he:
     Before him fire shall waste, great storms
          shall round about him be.

4    Unto the heavens clear
          he from above shall call,
     And to the earth likewise, that he
          may judge his people all.

5    Together let my saints
          unto me gather’d be,
     Those that by sacrifice have made
          a covenant with me.

6    And then the heavens shall
          his righteousness declare:
     Because the Lord himself is he
          by whom men judged are.

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7    My people Isr’el hear,

          speak will I from on high,

     Against thee I will testify;

          God, ev’n thy God, am I.

8    I for thy sacrifice

          no blame will on thee lay,

     Nor for burnt-off ‘rings, which to me

          thou offer’dst ev’ry day.

9    I’ll take no calf nor goats

          from house or fold of thine:

10   For beasts of forests, cattle all

          on thousand hills, are mine.

11   The fowls on mountains high

          are all to me well known;

     Wild beasts which in the fields do lie,

          ev’n they are all mine own.

12   Then, if I hungry were,

          I would not tell it thee;

     Because the world, and fulness all

          thereof, belongs to me.

13   Will I eat flesh of bulls?

          or goats’ blood drink will I?

14   Thanks offer thou to God, and pay

          thy vows to the most High.

15   And call upon me when

          in trouble thou shalt be;

     I will deliver thee, and thou

          my name shalt glorify.

16   But to the wicked man

          God saith, My laws and truth

     Should’st thou declare? how dar’st thou take

          my cov’nant in thy mouth?

17   Sith thou instruction hat’st,

          which should thy ways direct;

     And sith my words behind thy back

          thou cast’st, and dost reject.

18   When thou a thief didst see,

          with him thou didst consent;

     And with the vile adulterers

          partaker on thou went.

19   Thou giv’st thy mouth to ill,

          thy tongue deceit doth frame;

20   Thou sitt’st, and ‘gainst thy brother speak’st,

          thy mother’s son dost shame.

21   Because I silence kept,

          while thou these things hast wrought;

     That I was altogether like

          thyself, hath been thy thought;

     Yet I will thee reprove,

          and set before thine eyes,

     In order ranked, thy misdeeds

          and thine iniquities.

22   Now, ye that God forget,

          this carefully consider;

     Lest I in pieces tear you all,

          and none can you deliver.

23   Whoso doth offer praise

          me glorifies; and I

     Will shew him God’s salvation,

          that orders right his way.

Second Version (C.M.)

1    The mighty God, the Lord, hath spoke,

          and call’d the earth upon,

     Ev’n from the rising of the sun

          unto his going down.

2    From out of Sion, his own hill,

          where the perfection high

     Of beauty is, from thence the Lord

          hath shined gloriously.

3    Our God shall come, and shall no more

          be silent, but speak out:

     Before him fire shall waste, great storms

          shall compass him about.

4    He to the heavens from above,

          and to the earth below,

     Shall call, that he his judgments may

          before his people show.

5    Let all my saints together be

          unto me gathered;

     Those that by sacrifice with me

          a covenant have made.

6    And then the heavens shall declare

          his righteousness abroad:

     Because the Lord himself doth come;

          none else is judge but God.

7    Hear, O my people, and I’ll speak;

          O Israel by name,

     Against thee I will testify;

          God, ev’n thy God, I am.

8    I for thy sacrifices few

          reprove thee never will,

     Nor for burnt-off ‘rings to have been

          before me offer’d still.

9    I’ll take no bullock nor he-goats

          from house nor folds of thine:

10   For beasts of forests, cattle all

          on thousand hills, are mine.

11   The fowls are all to me well known

          that mountains high do yield;

     And I do challenge as mine own

          the wild beasts of the field.

12   If I were hungry, I would not

          to thee for need complain;

     For earth, and all its fulness, doth

          to me of right pertain.

13   That I to eat the flesh of bulls

          take pleasure dost thou think?

     Or that I need, to quench my thirst,

          the blood of goats to drink?

14   Nay, rather unto me, thy God,

          thanksgiving offer thou:

     To the most High perform thy word,

          and fully pay thy vow:

15   And in the day of trouble great

          see that thou call on me;

     I will deliver thee, and thou

          my name shalt glorify.

16   But God unto the wicked saith,

          Why should’st thou mention make

     Of my commands? how dar’st thou in

          thy mouth my cov’nant take?

17   Sith it is so that thou dost hate

          all good instruction;

     And sith thou cast’st behind thy back,

          and slight’st my words each one.

18   When thou a thief didst see, then straight

          thou join’dst with him in sin,

     And with the vile adulterers

          thou hast partaker been.

19   Thy mouth to evil thou dost give,

          thy tongue deceit doth frame.

20   Thou sitt’st, and ‘gainst thy brother speak’st,

          thy mother’s son to shame.

21   These things thou wickedly hast done,

          and I have silent been:

     Thou thought’st that I was like thyself,

          and did approve thy sin:

     But I will sharply thee reprove,

          and I will order right

     Thy sins and thy transgressions

          in presence of thy sight.

22   Consider this, and be afraid,

          ye that forget the Lord,

     Lest I in pieces tear you all,

          when none can help afford.

23   Who off’reth praise me glorifies:

          I will shew God’s salvation

     To him that ordereth aright

          his life and conversation.

1    After thy loving-kindness, Lord,
          have mercy upon me:
     For thy compassions great, blot out
          all mine iniquity.

2    Me cleanse from sin, and throughly wash
          from mine iniquity:
3    For my transgressions I confess;
          my sin I ever see.

4   ‘Gainst thee, thee only, have I sinn’d,
          in thy sight done this ill;
     That when thou speak’st thou may’st be just,
          and clear in judging still.

5    Behold, I in iniquity
          was form’d the womb within;
     My mother also me conceiv’d
          in guiltiness and sin.

6    Behold, thou in the inward parts
          with truth delighted art;
     And wisdom thou shalt make me know
          within the hidden part.

7    Do thou with hyssop sprinkle me,
          I shall be cleansed so;
     Yea, wash thou me, and then I shall
          be whiter than the snow.

8    Of gladness and of joyfulness
          make me to hear the voice;
     That so these very bones which thou
          hast broken may rejoice.

9    All mine iniquities blot out,
          thy face hide from my sin.
10   Create a clean heart, Lord, renew
          a right sp’rit me within.

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11   Cast me not from thy sight, nor take

          thy Holy Sp’rit away.

12   Restore me thy salvation’s joy;

          with thy free Sp’rit me stay.

13   Then will I teach thy ways unto

          those that transgressors be;

     And those that sinners are shall then

          be turned unto thee.

14   O God, of my salvation God,

          me from blood-guiltiness

     Set free; then shall my tongue aloud

          sing of thy righteousness.

15   My closed lips, O Lord, by thee

          let them be opened;

     Then shall thy praises by my mouth

          abroad be published.

16   For thou desir’st not sacrifice,

          else would I give it thee;

     Nor wilt thou with burnt-offering

          at all delighted be.

17   A broken spirit is to God

          a pleasing sacrifice:

     A broken and a contrite heart,

          Lord, thou wilt not despise.

18   Shew kindness, and do good, O Lord,

          to Sion, thine own hill:

     The walls of thy Jerusalem

          build up of thy good will.

19   Then righteous off ‘rings shall thee please,

          and off ‘rings burnt, which they

     With whole burnt-off ‘rings, and with calves,

          shall on thine altar lay.

1    Hear this, all people, and give ear,

          all in the world that dwell;

2    Both low and high, both rich and poor.

3         My mouth shall wisdom tell:

     My heart shall knowledge meditate.

4         I will incline mine ear

     To parables, and on the harp

          my sayings dark declare.

5    Amidst those days that evil be,

          why should I, fearing, doubt?

     When of my heels th’ iniquity

          shall compass me about.

6    Whoe’er they be that in their wealth

          their confidence do pitch,

     And boast themselves, because they are

          become exceeding rich:

7    Yet none of these his brother can

          redeem by any way;

     Nor can he unto God for him

          sufficient ransom pay,

8    (Their soul’s redemption precious is,

          and it can never be,)

9    That still he should for ever live,

          and not corruption see.

10   For why? he seeth that wise men die,

          and brutish fools also

     Do perish; and their wealth, when dead,

          to others they let go.

11   Their inward thought is, that their house

          and dwelling-places shall

     Stand through all ages; they their lands

          by their own names do call.

12   But yet in honour shall not man

          abide continually;

     But passing hence, may be compar’d

          unto the beasts that die.

13   Thus brutish folly plainly is

          their wisdom and their way;

     Yet their posterity approve

          what they do fondly say.

14   Like sheep they in the grave are laid,

          and death shall them devour;

     And in the morning upright men

          shall over them have pow’r:

     Their beauty from their dwelling shall

          consume within the grave.

15   But from hell’s hand God will me free,

          for he shall me receive.

16   Be thou not then afraid when one

          enriched thou dost see,

     Nor when the glory of his house

          advanced is on high:

17   For he shall carry nothing hence

          when death his days doth end;

     Nor shall his glory after him

          into the grave descend.

18   Although he his own soul did bless

          whilst he on earth did live;

     (And when thou to thyself dost well,

          men will thee praises give;)

19   He to his fathers’ race shall go,

          they never shall see light.

20   Man honour’d wanting knowledge is

          like beasts that perish quite.

1    Great is the Lord, and greatly he

          is to be praised still,

     Within the city of our God,

          upon his holy hill.

2    Mount Sion stands most beautiful,

          the joy of all the land;

     The city of the mighty King

          on her north side doth stand.

3    The Lord within her palaces

          is for a refuge known.

4    For, lo, the kings that gather’d were

          together, by have gone.

5    But when they did behold the same,

          they, wond’ring, would not stay;

     But, being troubled at the sight,

          they thence did haste away.

6    Great terror there took hold on them;

          they were possess’d with fear;

     Their grief came like a woman’s pain,

          when she a child doth bear.

7    Thou Tarshish ships with east wind break’st:

8         As we have heard it told,

     So, in the city of the Lord,

          our eyes did it behold;

     In our God’s city, which his hand

          for ever stablish will.

9    We of thy loving-kindness thought,

          Lord, in thy temple still.

10   O Lord, according to thy name,

          through all the earth’s thy praise;

     And thy right hand, O Lord, is full

          of righteousness always.

11   Because thy judgments are made known,

          let Sion mount rejoice;

     Of Judah let the daughters all

          send forth a cheerful voice.

12   Walk about Sion, and go round;

          the high tow’rs thereof tell:

13   Consider ye her palaces,

          and mark her bulwarks well;

     That ye may tell posterity.

14        For this God doth abide

     Our God for evermore; he will

          ev’n unto death us guide.

1    Blessed is he that wisely doth

          the poor man’s case consider;

     For when the time of trouble is,

          the Lord will him deliver.

2    God will him keep, yea, save alive;

          on earth he bless’d shall live;

     And to his enemies’ desire

          thou wilt him not up give.

3    God will give strength when he on bed

          of languishing doth mourn;

     And in his sickness sore, O Lord,

          thou all his bed wilt turn.

4    I said, O Lord, do thou extend

          thy mercy unto me;

     O do thou heal my soul; for why?

          I have offended thee.

5    Those that to me are enemies,

          of me do evil say,

     When shall he die, that so his name

          may perish quite away?

6    To see me if he comes, he speaks

          vain words: but then his heart

     Heaps mischief to it, which he tells,

          when forth he doth depart.

7    My haters jointly whispering,

          ‘gainst me my hurt devise.

8    Mischief, say they, cleaves fast to him;

          he li’th, and shall not rise.

9    Yea, ev’n mine own familiar friend,

          on whom I did rely,

     Who ate my bread, ev’n he his heel

          against me lifted high.

10   But, Lord, be merciful to me,

          and up again me raise,

     That I may justly them requite

          according to their ways.

11   By this I know that certainly

          I favour’d am by thee;

     Because my hateful enemy

          triumphs not over me.

12   But as for me, thou me uphold’st

          in mine integrity;

     And me before thy countenance

          thou sett’st continually.

13   The Lord, the God of Israel,

          be bless’d for ever then,

     From age to age eternally.

          Amen, yea, and amen.