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First Version (C.M.)

1    My heart brings forth a goodly thing;

          my words that I indite

     Concern the King: my tongue’s a pen

          of one that swift doth write.

2    Thou fairer art than sons of men:

          into thy lips is store

     Of grace infus’d; God therefore thee

          hath bless’d for evermore.

3    O thou that art the mighty One,

          thy sword gird on thy thigh;

     Ev’n with thy glory excellent,

          and with thy majesty.

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Tune = All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name

4    For meekness, truth, and righteousness,
          in state ride prosp’rously;
     And thy right hand shall thee instruct
          in things that fearful be.

5    Thine arrows sharply pierce the heart
          of th’ en’mies of the King;
     And under thy subjection
          the people down do bring.

6    For ever and for ever is,
          O God, thy throne of might;
     The sceptre of thy kingdom is
          a sceptre that is right.

7    Thou lovest right, and hatest ill;
          for God, thy God, most high,
     Above thy fellows hath with th’ oil
          of joy anointed thee.

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8    Of aloes, myrrh, and cassia,

          a smell thy garments had,

     Out of the iv’ry palaces,

          whereby they made thee glad.

9    Among thy women honourable

          kings’ daughters were at hand:

     Upon thy right hand did the queen

          in gold of Ophir stand.

10   O daughter, hearken and regard,

          and do thine ear incline;

     Likewise forget thy father’s house,

          and people that are thine.

11   Then of the King desir’d shall be

          thy beauty veh’mently:

     Because he is thy Lord, do thou

          him worship rev’rently.

12   The daughter there of Tyre shall be

          with gifts and off ‘rings great:

     Those of the people that are rich

          thy favour shall entreat.

13   Behold, the daughter of the King

          all glorious is within;

     And with embroideries of gold

          her garments wrought have been.

14   She shall be brought unto the King

          in robes with needle wrought;

     Her fellow-virgins following

          shall unto thee be brought.

15   They shall be brought with gladness great,

          and mirth on ev’ry side,

     Into the palace of the King,

          and there they shall abide.

16   Instead of those thy fathers dear,

          thy children thou may’st take,

     And in all places of the earth

          them noble princes make.

17   Thy name remember’d I will make

          through ages all to be:

     The people therefore evermore

          shall praises give to thee.

Second Version (S.M.)

1    My heart inditing is

          good matter in a song:

     I speak the things that I have made,

          which to the King belong:

     My tongue shall be as quick,

          his honour to indite,

     As is the pen of any scribe

          that useth fast to write.

2    Thou’rt fairest of all men;

          grace in thy lips doth flow:

     And therefore blessings evermore

          on thee doth God bestow.

3    Thy sword gird on thy thigh,

          thou that art most of might:

     Appear in dreadful majesty,

          and in thy glory bright.

4    For meekness, truth, and right,

          ride prosp’rously in state;

     And thy right hand shall teach to thee

          things terrible and great.

5    Thy shafts shall pierce their hearts

          that foes are to the King;

     Whereby into subjection

          the people thou shalt bring.

6    Thy royal seat, O Lord,

          for ever shall remain:

     The sceptre of thy kingdom doth

          all righteousness maintain.

7    Thou lov’st right, and hat’st ill;

          for God, thy God, most high,

     Above thy fellows hath with th’ oil

          of joy anointed thee.

8    Of myrrh and spices sweet

          a smell thy garments had,

     Out of the iv’ry palaces,

          whereby they made thee glad.

9    And in thy glorious train

          kings’ daughters waiting stand;

     And thy fair queen, in Ophir gold,

          doth stand at thy right hand.

10   O daughter, take good heed,

          incline, and give good ear;

     Thou must forget thy kindred all,

          and father’s house most dear.

11   Thy beauty to the King

          shall then delightful be:

     And do thou humbly worship him,

          because thy Lord is he.

12   The daughter then of Tyre

          there with a gift shall be,

     And all the wealthy of the land

          shall make their suit to thee.

13   The daughter of the King

          all glorious is within;

     And with embroideries of gold

          her garments wrought have been.

14   She cometh to the King

          in robes with needle wrought;

     The virgins that do follow her

          shall unto thee be brought.

15   They shall be brought with joy,

          and mirth on ev’ry side,

     Into the palace of the King,

          and there they shall abide.

16   And in thy fathers’ stead,

          thy children thou may’st take,

     And in all places of the earth

          them noble princes make.

17   I will shew forth thy name

          to generations all:

     Therefore the people evermore

          to thee give praises shall.

Tune = God Moves In A Mysterious Way

(V) 1    Like as the hart for water-brooks
          in thirst doth pant and bray;
     So pants my longing soul, O God,
          that come to thee I may.

(V) 2    My soul for God, the living God,
          doth thirst: when shall I near
     Unto thy countenance approach,
          and in God’s sight appear?

(C) 3    My tears have unto me been meat,
          both in the night and day,
     While unto me continually,
          Where is thy God? they say.

(V) 4    My soul is poured out in me,
          when this I think upon;
     Because that with the multitude
          I heretofore had gone:

(V)     With them into God’s house I went,
          with voice of joy and praise;
     Yea, with the multitude that kept
          the solemn holy days.

(C) 5    O why art thou cast down, my soul?
          why in me so dismay’d?
     Trust God, for I shall praise him yet,
          his count’nance is mine aid.

6    My God, my soul’s cast down in me;
          thee therefore mind I will
     From Jordan’s land, the Hermonites,
          and ev’n from Mizar hill.

7    At the noise of thy water-spouts
          deep unto deep doth call;
     Thy breaking waves pass over me,
          yea, and thy billows all.

8    His loving-kindness yet the Lord
          command will in the day,
     His song’s with me by night; to God,
          by whom I live, I’ll pray:

9    And I will say to God my rock,
          Why me forgett’st thou so?
     Why, for my foes’ oppression,
          thus mourning do I go?

10  ‘Tis as a sword within my bones,
          when my foes me upbraid;
     Ev’n when by them, Where is thy God?
          ’tis daily to me said.

11   O why art thou cast down, my soul?
          why, thus with grief opprest,
     Art thou disquieted in me?
          in God still hope and rest:

     For yet I know I shall him praise,
          who graciously to me
     The health is of my countenance,
          yea, mine own God is he.

Tune = God Moves in A Mysterious Way

v 1    Shew mercy, Lord, to me, for man
          would swallow me outright;
     He me oppresseth, while he doth
          against me daily fight.

v 2    They daily would me swallow up
          that hate me spitefully;
     For they be many that do fight
          against me, O most High.

c 3    When I’m afraid I’ll trust in thee:
4         In God I’ll praise his word;
     I will not fear what flesh can do,
          my trust is in the Lord.

v 5    Each day they wrest my words; their thoughts
          ‘gainst me are all for ill.
6    They meet, they lurk, they mark my steps,
          waiting my soul to kill.

v 7    But shall they by iniquity
          escape thy judgments so?
     O God, with indignation down
          do thou the people throw.

c 8    My wand’rings all what they have been
          thou know’st, their number took;
     Into thy bottle put my tears:
          are they not in thy book?

v 9    My foes shall, when I cry, turn back;
          I know’t, God is for me.
10   In God his word I’ll praise; his word
        in God shall praised be.

v 11   In God I trust; I will not fear
          what man can do to me.
12   Thy vows upon me are, O God:
          I’ll render praise to thee.

c 13   Wilt thou not, who from death me sav’d,
          my feet from falls keep free,
     To walk before God in the light
          of those that living be?

1    Lord, hear my pray’r, hide not thyself

          from my entreating voice:

2    Attend and hear me; in my plaint

          I mourn and make a noise.

3    Because of th’ en’my’s voice, and for

          lewd men’s oppression great:

     On me they cast iniquity,

          and they in wrath me hate.

4    Sore pain’d within me is my heart:

          death’s terrors on me fall.

5    On me comes trembling, fear and dread

          o’erwhelmed me withal.

6    O that I, like a dove, had wings,

          said I, then would I flee

     Far hence, that I might find a place

          where I in rest might be.

7    Lo, then far off I wander would,

          and in the desert stay;

8    From windy storm and tempest I

          would haste to ‘scape away.

9    O Lord, on them destruction bring,

          and do their tongues divide;

     For in the city violence

          and strife I have espy’d.

10   They day and night upon the walls

          do go about it round:

     There mischief is, and sorrow there

          in midst of it is found.

11   Abundant wickedness there is

          within her inward part;

     And from her streets deceitfulness

          and guile do not depart.

12   He was no foe that me reproach’d,

          then that endure I could;

     Nor hater that did ‘gainst me boast,

          from him me hide I would.

13   But thou, man, who mine equal, guide,

          and mine acquaintance wast:

14   We join’d sweet counsels, to God’s house

          in company we past.

15   Let death upon them seize, and down

          let them go quick to hell;

     For wickedness doth much abound

          among them where they dwell.

16   I’ll call on God: God will me save.

17        I’ll pray, and make a noise

     At ev’ning, morning, and at noon;

          and he shall hear my voice.

18   He hath my soul delivered,

          that it in peace might be

     From battle that against me was;

          for many were with me.

19   The Lord shall hear, and them afflict,

          of old who hath abode:

     Because they never changes have,

          therefore they fear not God.

20  ‘Gainst those that were at peace with him

          he hath put forth his hand:

     The covenant that he had made,

          by breaking he profan’d.

21   More smooth than butter were his words,

          while in his heart was war;

     His speeches were more soft than oil,

          and yet drawn swords they are.

22   Cast thou thy burden on the Lord,

          and he shall thee sustain;

     Yea, he shall cause the righteous man

          unmoved to remain.

23   But thou, O Lord my God, those men

          in justice shalt o’erthrow,

     And in destruction’s dungeon dark

          at last shalt lay them low:

     The bloody and deceitful men

          shall not live half their days:

     But upon thee with confidence

          I will depend always.

1    O God, we with our ears have heard,

          our fathers have us told,

     What works thou in their days hadst done,

          ev’n in the days of old.

2    Thy hand did drive the heathen out,

          and plant them in their place;

     Thou didst afflict the nations,

          but them thou didst increase.

3    For neither got their sword the land,

          nor did their arm them save;

     But thy right hand, arm, countenance;

          for thou them favour gave.

4    Thou art my King: for Jacob, Lord,

          deliv’rances command.

5    Through thee we shall push down our foes,

          that do against us stand:

     We, through thy name, shall tread down those

          that ris’n against us have.

6    For in my bow I shall not trust,

          nor shall my sword me save.

7    But from our foes thou hast us sav’d,

          our haters put to shame.

8    In God we all the day do boast,

          and ever praise thy name.

9    But now we are cast off by thee,

          and us thou putt’st to shame;

     And when our armies do go forth,

          thou go’st not with the same.

10   Thou mak’st us from the enemy,

          faint-hearted, to turn back;

     And they who hate us for themselves

          our spoils away do take.

11   Like sheep for meat thou gavest us;

          ‘mong heathen cast we be.

12   Thou didst for nought thy people sell;

          their price enrich’d not thee.

13   Thou mak’st us a reproach to be

          unto our neighbours near;

     Derision and a scorn to them

          that round about us are.

14   A by-word also thou dost us

          among the heathen make;

     The people, in contempt and spite,

          at us their heads do shake.

15   Before me my confusion

          continually abides;

     And of my bashful countenance

          the shame me ever hides:

16   For voice of him that doth reproach,

          and speaketh blasphemy;

     By reason of th’ avenging foe,

          and cruel enemy.

17   All this is come on us, yet we

          have not forgotten thee;

     Nor falsely in thy covenant

          behav’d ourselves have we.

18   Back from thy way our heart not turn’d;

          our steps no straying made;

19   Though us thou brak’st in dragons’ place,

          and cover’dst with death’s shade.

20   If we God’s name forgot, or stretch’d

          to a strange god our hands,

21   Shall not God search this out? for he

          heart’s secrets understands.

22   Yea, for thy sake we’re kill’d all day,

          counted as slaughter-sheep.

23   Rise, Lord, cast us not ever off;

          awake, why dost thou sleep?

24    O wherefore hidest thou thy face?

          forgett’st our cause distress’d,

25    And our oppression? For our soul

          is to the dust down press’d:

     Our belly also on the earth

          fast cleaving, hold doth take.

26    Rise for our help, and us redeem,

          ev’n for thy mercies’ sake.

1    Judge me, O God, and plead my cause

          against th’ ungodly nation;

     From the unjust and crafty man,

          O be thou my salvation.

2    For thou the God art of my strength;

          why thrusts thou me thee fro’?

     For th’ enemy’s oppression

          why do I mourning go?

3    O send thy light forth and thy truth;

          let them be guides to me,

     And bring me to thine holy hill,

          ev’n where thy dwellings be.

4    Then will I to God’s altar go,

          to God my chiefest joy:

     Yea, God, my God, thy name to praise

          my harp I will employ.

5    Why art thou then cast down, my soul?

          what should discourage thee?

     And why with vexing thoughts art thou

          disquieted in me?

     Still trust in God; for him to praise

          good cause I yet shall have:

     He of my count’nance is the health,

          my God that doth me save.

1    O come, let us sing to the Lord:

          come, let us ev’ry one

     A joyful noise make to the Rock

          of our salvation.

2    Let us before his presence come

          with praise and thankful voice;

     Let us sing psalms to him with grace,

          and make a joyful noise.

3    For God, a great God, and great King,

          above all gods he is.

4    Depths of the earth are in his hand,

          the strength of hills is his.

5    To him the spacious sea belongs,

          for he the same did make;

     The dry land also from his hands

          its form at first did take.

6    O come, and let us worship him,

          let us bow down withal,

     And on our knees before the Lord

          our Maker let us fall.

7    For he’s our God, the people we

          of his own pasture are,

     And of his hand the sheep; to-day,

          if ye his voice will hear,

8    Then harden not your hearts, as in

          the provocation,

     As in the desert, on the day

          of the tentation:

9    When me your fathers tempt’d and prov’d,

          and did my working see;

10   Ev’n for the space of forty years

          this race hath grieved me.

     I said, This people errs in heart,

          my ways they do not know:

11   To whom I sware in wrath, that to

          my rest they should not go.

1    O Lord God, unto whom alone

          all vengeance doth belong;

     O mighty God, who vengeance own’st,

          shine forth, avenging wrong.

2    Lift up thyself, thou of the earth

          the sov’reign Judge that art;

     And unto those that are so proud

          a due reward impart.

3    How long, O mighty God, shall they

          who lewd and wicked be,

     How long shall they who wicked are

          thus triumph haughtily?

4    How long shall things most hard by them

          be uttered and told?

     And all that work iniquity

          to boast themselves be bold?

5    Thy folk they break in pieces, Lord,

          thine heritage oppress:

6    The widow they and stranger slay,

          and kill the fatherless.

7    Yet say they, God it shall not see,

          nor God of Jacob know.

8    Ye brutish people! understand;

          fools! when wise will ye grow?

9    The Lord did plant the ear of man,

          and hear then shall not he?

     He only form’d the eye, and then

          shall he not clearly see?

10   He that the nations doth correct,

          shall he not chastise you?

     He knowledge unto man doth teach,

          and shall himself not know?

11   Man’s thoughts to be but vanity

          the Lord doth well discern.

12   Bless’d is the man thou chast’nest, Lord,

          and mak’st thy law to learn:

13   That thou may’st give him rest from days

          of sad adversity,

     Until the pit be digg’d for those

          that work iniquity.

14   For sure the Lord will not cast off

          those that his people be,

     Neither his own inheritance

          quit and forsake will he:

15   But judgment unto righteousness

          shall yet return again;

     And all shall follow after it

          that are right-hearted men.

16   Who will rise up for me against

          those that do wickedly?

     Who will stand up for me ‘gainst those

          that work iniquity?

17   Unless the Lord had been my help

          when I was sore opprest,

     Almost my soul had in the house

          of silence been at rest.

18   When I had uttered this word,

          (my foot doth slip away,)

     Thy mercy held me up, O Lord,

          thy goodness did me stay.

19   Amidst the multitude of thoughts

          which in my heart do fight,

     My soul, lest it be overcharg’d,

          thy comforts do delight.

20   Shall of iniquity the throne

          have fellowship with thee,

     Which mischief, cunningly contriv’d,

          doth by a law decree?

21   Against the righteous souls they join,

          they guiltless blood condemn.

22   But of my refuge God’s the rock,

          and my defence from them.

23    On them their own iniquity

          the Lord shall bring and lay,

     And cut them off in their own sin;

          our Lord God shall them slay.

1    I mercy will and judgment sing,

          Lord, I will sing to thee.

2    With wisdom in a perfect way

          shall my behaviour be.

     O when, in kindness unto me,

          wilt thou be pleas’d to come?

     I with a perfect heart will walk

          within my house at home.

3    I will endure no wicked thing

          before mine eyes to be:

     I hate their work that turn aside,

          it shall not cleave to me.

4    A stubborn and a froward heart

          depart quite from me shall;

     A person giv’n to wickedness

          I will not know at all.

5    I’ll cut him off that slandereth

          his neighbour privily:

     The haughty heart I will not bear,

          nor him that looketh high.

6    Upon the faithful of the land

          mine eyes shall be, that they

     May dwell with me: he shall me serve

          that walks in perfect way.

7    Who of deceit a worker is

          in my house shall not dwell;

     And in my presence shall he not

          remain that lies doth tell.

8    Yea, all the wicked of the land

          early destroy will I;

     All from God’s city to cut off

          that work iniquity.

¹ To render thanks unto the Lord
it is a comely thing,
And to thy name, O thou most High,
due praise aloud to sing.

² Thy loving-kindness to show forth
when shines the morning light;
And to declare thy faithfulness
with pleasure ev’ry night.

³ On a ten-stringed instrument,
upon the psaltery,
And on the harp with solemn sound,
and grave sweet melody.

⁴ For thou, Lord, by thy mighty works
hast made my heart right glad;
And I will triumph in the works
which by thine hands were made.

⁵ How great, Lord, are thy works! each thought
of thine a deep it is:
⁶ A brutish man it knoweth not;
fools understand not this.

⁷ When those that lewd and wicked are
spring quickly up like grass,
And workers of iniquity
do flourish all apace;

It is that they for ever may
destroyed be and slain;
⁸ But thou, O Lord, art the most High,
for ever to remain.

⁹ For, lo, thine enemies, O Lord,
thine en’mies perish shall;
The workers of iniquity
shall be dispersed all.

¹⁰ But thou shalt, like unto the horn
of th’ unicorn, exalt
My horn on high: thou with fresh oil
anoint me also shalt.

¹¹ Mine eyes shall also my desire
see on mine enemies;
Mine ears shall of the wicked hear
that do against me rise.

¹² But like the palm-tree flourishing
shall be the righteous one;
He shall like to the cedar grow
that is in Lebanon.

¹³ Those that within the house of God
are planted by his grace,
They shall grow up, and flourish all
in our God’s holy place.

¹⁴ And in old age, when others fade,
they fruit still forth shall bring;
They shall be fat, and full of sap,
and aye be flourishing;

¹⁵ To show that upright is the Lord:
he is a rock to me;
And he from all unrighteousness
is altogether free.