1 In my distress to God I cry’d,
and he gave ear to me.
2 From lying lips, and guileful tongue,
O Lord, my soul set free.
3 What shall be giv’n thee? or what shall
be done to thee, false tongue?
4 Ev’n burning coals of juniper,
sharp arrows of the strong.
5 Woe’s me that I in Mesech am
a sojourner so long;
That I in tabernacles dwell
to Kedar that belong.
6 My soul with him that hateth peace
hath long a dweller been.
7 I am for peace; but when I speak,
for battle they are keen.
1 Praise ye the Lord. The man is bless’d
that fears the Lord aright,
He who in his commandements
doth greatly take delight.
2 His seed and offspring powerful
shall be the earth upon:
Of upright men blessed shall be
the generation.
3 Riches and wealth shall ever be
within his house in store;
And his unspotted righteousness
endures for evermore.
4 Unto the upright light doth rise,
though he in darkness be:
Compassionate, and merciful,
and righteous, is he.
5 A good man doth his favour shew,
and doth to others lend:
He with discretion his affairs
will guide unto the end.
6 Surely there is not any thing
that ever shall him move:
The righteous man’s memorial
shall everlasting prove.
7 When he shall evil tidings hear,
he shall not be afraid:
His heart is fix’d, his confidence
upon the Lord is stay’d.
8 His heart is firmly stablished,
afraid he shall not be,
Until upon his enemies
he his desire shall see.
9 He hath dispers’d, giv’n to the poor;
his righteousness shall be
To ages all; with honour shall
his horn be raised high.
10 The wicked shall it see, and fret,
his teeth gnash, melt away:
What wicked men do most desire
shall utterly decay.
1 Give thanks to God, call on his name;
to men his deeds make known.
2 Sing ye to him, sing psalms; proclaim
his wondrous works each one.
3 See that ye in his holy name
to glory do accord;
And let the heart of ev’ry one
rejoice that seeks the Lord.
4 The Lord Almighty, and his strength,
with stedfast hearts seek ye:
His blessed and his gracious face
seek ye continually.
5 Think on the works that he hath done,
which admiration breed;
His wonders, and the judgments all
which from his mouth proceed;
6 O ye that are of Abr’ham’s race,
his servant well approv’n;
And ye that Jacob’s children are,
whom he chose for his own.
7 Because he, and he only, is
the mighty Lord our God;
And his most righteous judgments are
in all the earth abroad.
8 His cov’nant he remember’d hath,
that it may ever stand:
To thousand generations
the word he did command.
9 Which covenant he firmly made
with faithful Abraham,
And unto Isaac, by his oath,
he did renew the same:
10 And unto Jacob, for a law,
he made it firm and sure,
A covenant to Israel,
which ever should endure.
11 He said, I’ll give Canaan’s land
for heritage to you;
12 While they were strangers there, and few,
in number very few:
13 While yet they went from land to land
without a sure abode;
And while through sundry kingdoms they
did wander far abroad;
14 Yet, notwithstanding suffer’d he
no man to do them wrong:
Yea, for their sakes, he did reprove
kings, who were great and strong.
15 Thus did he say, Touch ye not those
that mine anointed be,
Nor do the prophets any harm
that do pertain to me.
16 He call’d for famine on the land,
he brake the staff of bread:
17 But yet he sent a man before,
by whom they should be fed;
Ev’n Joseph, whom unnat’rally
sell for a slave did they;
18 Whose feet with fetters they did hurt,
and he in irons lay;
19 Until the time that his word came
to give him liberty;
The word and purpose of the Lord
did him in prison try.
20 Then sent the king, and did command
that he enlarg’d should be:
He that the people’s ruler was
did send to set him free.
21 A lord to rule his family
he rais’d him, as most fit;
To him of all that he possess’d
he did the charge commit:
22 That he might at his pleasure bind
the princes of the land;
And he might teach his senators
wisdom to understand.
23 The people then of Israel
down into Egypt came;
And Jacob also sojourned
within the land of Ham.
24 And he did greatly by his pow’r
increase his people there;
And stronger than their enemies
they by his blessing were.
25 Their heart he turned to envy
his folk maliciously,
With those that his own servants were
to deal in subtilty.
26 His servant Moses he did send,
Aaron his chosen one.
27 By these his signs and wonders great
in Ham’s land were made known.
28 Darkness he sent, and made it dark;
his word they did obey.
29 He turn’d their waters into blood,
and he their fish did slay.
30 The land in plenty brought forth frogs
in chambers of their kings.
31 His word all sorts of flies and lice
in all their borders brings.
32 He hail for rain, and flaming fire
into their land he sent:
33 And he their vines and fig-trees smote:
trees of their coasts he rent.
34 He spake, and caterpillars came,
locusts did much abound;
35 Which in their land all herbs consum’d,
and all fruits of their ground.
36 He smote all first-born in their land,
chief of their strength each one.
37 With gold and silver brought them forth,
weak in their tribes were none.
38 Egypt was glad when forth they went,
their fear on them did light.
39 He spread a cloud for covering,
and fire to shine by night.
40 They ask’d, and he brought quails: with bread
of heav’n he filled them.
41 He open’d rocks, floods gush’d, and ran
in deserts like a stream.
42 For on his holy promise he,
and servant Abr’ham, thought.
43 With joy his people, his elect
with gladness, forth he brought.
44 And unto them the pleasant lands
he of the heathen gave;
That of the people’s labour they
inheritance might have.
45 That they his statutes might observe
according to his word;
And that they might his laws obey.
Give praise unto the Lord.
First Version (C.M.)
1 Had not the Lord been on our side,
may Israel now say;
2 Had not the Lord been on our side,
when men rose us to slay;
3 They had us swallow’d quick, when as
their wrath ‘gainst us did flame:
4 Waters had cover’d us, our soul
had sunk beneath the stream.
5 Then had the waters, swelling high,
over our soul made way.
6 Bless’d be the Lord, who to their teeth
us gave not for a prey.
7 Our soul’s escaped, as a bird
out of the fowler’s snare;
The snare asunder broken is,
and we escaped are.
8 Our sure and all-sufficient help
is in Jehovah’s name;
His name who did the heav’n create,
and who the earth did frame.
Second Version (10.10.10.10.10.)
1 Now Israel
may say, and that truly,
If that the Lord
had not our cause maintain’d;
2 If that the Lord
had not our right sustain’d,
When cruel men
against us furiously
Rose up in wrath,
to make of us their prey;
3 Then certainly
they had devour’d us all,
And swallow’d quick,
for ought that we could deem;
Such was their rage,
as we might well esteem.
4 And as fierce floods
before them all things drown,
So had they brought
our soul to death quite down.
5 The raging streams,
with their proud swelling waves,
Had then our soul
o’erwhelmed in the deep.
6 But bless’d be God,
who doth us safely keep,
And hath not giv’n
us for a living prey
Unto their teeth,
and bloody cruelty.
7 Ev’n as a bird
out of the fowler’s snare
Escapes away,
so is our soul set free:
Broke are their nets,
and thus escaped we.
8 Therefore our help
is in the Lord’s great name,
Who heav’n and earth
by his great pow’r did frame.
1 O give ye praise unto the Lord,
all nations that be;
Likewise, ye people all, accord
his name to magnify.
2 For great to us-ward ever are
his loving-kindnesses:
His truth endures for evermore.
The Lord O do ye bless.
1 Bless God, my soul. O Lord my God,
thou art exceeding great;
With honour and with majesty
thou clothed art in state.
2 With light, as with a robe, thyself
thou coverest about;
And, like unto a curtain, thou
the heavens stretchest out.
3 Who of his chambers doth the beams
within the waters lay;
Who doth the clouds his chariot make,
on wings of wind make way.
4 Who flaming fire his ministers,
his angels sp’rits, doth make:
5 Who earth’s foundations did lay,
that it should never shake.
6 Thou didst it cover with the deep,
as with a garment spread:
The waters stood above the hills,
when thou the word but said.
7 But at the voice of thy rebuke
they fled, and would not stay;
They at thy thunder’s dreadful voice
did haste them fast away.
8 They by the mountains do ascend,
and by the valley-ground
Descend, unto that very place
which thou for them didst found.
9 Thou hast a bound unto them set,
that they may not pass over,
That they do not return again
the face of earth to cover.
10 He to the valleys sends the springs,
which run among the hills:
11 They to all beasts of field give drink,
wild asses drink their fills.
12 By them the fowls of heav’n shall have
their habitation,
Which do among the branches sing
with delectation.
13 He from his chambers watereth
the hills, when they are dry’d:
With fruit and increase of thy works
the earth is satisfy’d.
14 For cattle he makes grass to grow,
he makes the herb to spring
For th’ use of man, that food to him
he from the earth may bring;
15 And wine, that to the heart of man
doth cheerfulness impart,
Oil that his face makes shine, and bread
that strengtheneth his heart.
16 The trees of God are full of sap;
the cedars that do stand
In Lebanon, which planted were
by his almighty hand.
17 Birds of the air upon their boughs
do chuse their nests to make;
As for the stork, the fir-tree she
doth for her dwelling take.
18 The lofty mountains for wild goats
a place of refuge be;
The conies also to the rocks
do for their safety flee.
19 He sets the moon in heav’n, thereby
the seasons to discern:
From him the sun his certain time
of going down doth learn.
20 Thou darkness mak’st, ’tis night, then beasts
of forests creep abroad.
21 The lions young roar for their prey,
and seek their meat from God.
22 The sun doth rise, and home they flock,
down in their dens they lie.
23 Man goes to work, his labour he
doth to the ev’ning ply.
24 How manifold, Lord, are thy works!
in wisdom wonderful
Thou ev’ry one of them hast made;
earth’s of thy riches full:
25 So is this great and spacious sea,
wherein things creeping are,
Which number’d cannot be; and beasts
both great and small are there.
26 There ships go; there thou mak’st to play
that leviathan great.
27 These all wait on thee, that thou may’st
in due time give them meat.
28 That which thou givest unto them
they gather for their food;
Thine hand thou open’st lib’rally,
they filled are with good.
29 Thou hid’st thy face; they troubled are,
their breath thou tak’st away;
Then do they die, and to their dust
return again do they.
30 Thy quick’ning spirit thou send’st forth,
then they created be;
And then the earth’s decayed face
renewed is by thee.
31 The glory of the mighty Lord
continue shall for ever:
The Lord Jehovah shall rejoice
in all his works together.
32 Earth, as affrighted, trembleth all,
if he on it but look;
And if the mountains he but touch,
they presently do smoke.
33 I will sing to the Lord most high,
so long as I shall live;
And while I being have I shall
to my God praises give.
34 Of him my meditation shall
sweet thoughts to me afford;
And as for me, I will rejoice
in God, my only Lord.
35 From earth let sinners be consum’d,
let ill men no more be.
O thou my soul, bless thou the Lord.
Praise to the Lord give ye.
1 O thou that dwellest in the heav’ns,
I lift mine eyes to thee.
2 Behold, as servants’ eyes do look
their masters’ hand to see,
As handmaid’s eyes her mistress’ hand;
so do our eyes attend
Upon the Lord our God, until
to us he mercy send.
3 O Lord, be gracious to us,
unto us gracious be;
Because replenish’d with contempt
exceedingly are we.
4 Our soul is fill’d with scorn of those
that at their ease abide,
And with the insolent contempt
of those that swell in pride.
1 I love the Lord, because my voice
and prayers he did hear.
2 I, while I live, will call on him,
who bow’d to me his ear.
3 Of death the cords and sorrows did
about me compass round;
The pains of hell took hold on me,
I grief and trouble found.
4 Upon the name of God the Lord
then did I call, and say,
Deliver thou my soul, O Lord,
I do thee humbly pray.
5 God merciful and righteous is,
yea, gracious is our Lord.
6 God saves the meek: I was brought low,
he did me help afford.
7 O thou my soul, do thou return
unto thy quiet rest;
For largely, lo, the Lord to thee
his bounty hath exprest.
8 For my distressed soul from death
deliver’d was by thee:
Thou didst my mourning eyes from tears,
my feet from falling, free.
9 I in the land of those that live
will walk the Lord before.
10 I did believe, therefore I spake:
I was afflicted sore.
11 I said, when I was in my haste,
that all men liars be.
12 What shall I render to the Lord
for all his gifts to me?
13 I’ll of salvation take the cup,
on God’s name will I call:
14 I’ll pay my vows now to the Lord
before his people all.
15 Dear in God’s sight is his saints’ death.
16 Thy servant, Lord, am I;
Thy servant sure, thine handmaid’s son:
my bands thou didst untie.
17 Thank-off ‘rings I to thee will give,
and on God’s name will call.
18 I’ll pay my vows now to the Lord
before his people all;
19 Within the courts of God’s own house,
within the midst of thee,
O city of Jerusalem.
Praise to the Lord give ye.
1 O thou my soul, bless God the Lord;
and all that in me is
Be stirred up his holy name
to magnify and bless.
2 Bless, O my soul, the Lord thy God,
and not forgetful be
Of all his gracious benefits
he hath bestow’d on thee.
3 All thine iniquities who doth
most graciously forgive:
Who thy diseases all and pains
doth heal, and thee relieve.
4 Who doth redeem thy life, that thou
to death may’st not go down;
Who thee with loving-kindness doth
and tender mercies crown:
5 Who with abundance of good things
doth satisfy thy mouth;
So that, ev’n as the eagle’s age,
renewed is thy youth.
6 God righteous judgment executes
for all oppressed ones.
7 His ways to Moses, he his acts
made known to Isr’el’s sons.
8 The Lord our God is merciful,
and he is gracious,
Long-suffering, and slow to wrath,
in mercy plenteous.
9 He will not chide continually,
nor keep his anger still.
10 With us he dealt not as we sinn’d,
nor did requite our ill.
11 For as the heaven in its height
the earth surmounteth far;
So great to those that do him fear
his tender mercies are:
12 As far as east is distant from
the west, so far hath he
From us removed, in his love,
all our iniquity.
13 Such pity as a father hath
unto his children dear;
Like pity shews the Lord to such
as worship him in fear.
14 For he remembers we are dust,
and he our frame well knows.
15 Frail man, his days are like the grass,
as flow’r in field he grows:
16 For over it the wind doth pass,
and it away is gone;
And of the place where once it was
it shall no more be known.
17 But unto them that do him fear
God’s mercy never ends;
And to their children’s children still
his righteousness extends:
18 To such as keep his covenant,
and mindful are alway
Of his most just commandements,
that they may them obey.
19 The Lord prepared hath his throne
in heavens firm to stand;
And ev’ry thing that being hath
his kingdom doth command.
20 O ye his angels, that excel
in strength, bless ye the Lord;
Ye who obey what he commands,
and hearken to his word.
21 O bless and magnify the Lord,
ye glorious hosts of his;
Ye ministers, that do fulfil
whate’er his pleasure is.
22 O bless the Lord, all ye his works,
wherewith the world is stor’d
In his dominions ev’ry where.
My soul, bless thou the Lord.
1 Praise ye the Lord. God’s praise within
his sanctuary raise;
And to him in the firmament
of his pow’r give ye praise.
2 Because of all his mighty acts,
with praise him magnify:
O praise him, as he doth excel
in glorious majesty.
3 Praise him with trumpet’s sound; his praise
with psaltery advance:
4 With timbrel, harp, string’d instruments,
and organs, in the dance.
5 Praise him on cymbals loud; him praise
on cymbals sounding high.
6 Let each thing breathing praise the Lord.
Praise to the Lord give ye.