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THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 
 
THE 
 
 SEVEN 
 PENITENTIAL PSALMS, 
 
 IN VERSE. 
 
 SPECIMENS OF 
 A NEW VERSION OF THE PSALTER: 
 
 fiM tn tljB €mm mtt in ClmrrlreB. 
 
 WITH 
 
 AN APPENDIX OF EARLY VERSIONS OF THOSE PSALMS 
 AND ILLUSTRATIVE NOTES. 
 
 ^ i^eiD (!5Utti0n, cnlargelf. 
 
 / 
 By M. MONTAGU. 
 
 LONDON. 
 T. HATCHARD. 187 PICCADILLY. 
 
 M.DCCC.LI. 
 
LONDON. 
 
 G. J. PALMER, PRINTER, SAVOV STREET, STRAND. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Preface. - - vii 
 
 Preface to The First Edition - - - - ix 
 
 The Seven Penitential Psalms. 
 
 Psalm vi. Bb : and Lt: Vns. Page 44 M. M. Vn. 45 
 
 _xxxii. __ „ _ _ 50 „ - 51 
 
 _xxxviii. _„_ _58 „ - 59 
 
 - li. — » _ _ 68 „ - 69 
 
 — cii. _ „ _ _ 80 „ - 81 
 _cxxx. _ „ _ _ 96 „ - 97 
 _clxxiii. _ „ _ _ 100 „ - 101 
 
 Notes to The Psalms. ------ 111 
 
 The Seven Penitential Psalms. Old Version. 130 
 
 The Seven Penitential Psalms. New Version. 131 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Hampole. R: or Maidstone. R : Ps. cxxx. - 168 
 
 Brampton. J; „ - - 169 
 
 Wyatt. SirT: „ - - 176 
 
 Hunnis. W: - - „ - - 177 
 
 Davies. I: „ - - 180 
 
 Petrarch. F : His Ps. v. - - - „ - - 182 
 
 Chapman. G : Petrarch's Ps. v translated. - 183 
 
 Verstegan. R: Ps. cxxx. - 186 
 
 Daniel. R : „ - - 187 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2011 with funding from 
 
 Princeton Theological Seminary Library 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/sevenpenitentialOOmont 
 
PREFACE 
 
 TO 
 
 THE PRESENT EDITION. 
 
 The First Edition of these pages was pub- 
 lished seven years ago, 1844. It was then our 
 intention and expectation that ' The Entire 
 Version of The Psalms ' named in the Title- 
 page, should appear in the following year. But, 
 the Work having grown under our hands, and 
 proved of much greater research and labour (as 
 probably very often the case in such pursuits) 
 than was at first anticipated, it has unavoidably 
 been protracted until this year, when it is now in 
 course of being brought out. 
 
 In the present Work Second or Additional 
 Versions of The Seven Psalms have been given, 
 as with other such AUters introduced in the 
 Entire Version; for the object of accommodat- 
 ing them to dififerent metres, which may by some 
 be thought a desireable variety. 
 
 The Notes also have been extended : and 
 additions have been made to the correlative 
 matter. All which it is hoped will be found 
 to have added to the completeness and 
 interest of the whole. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The following Psalms are offered as a Speci- 
 men of A New Version of The entire Psalter: 
 " Fitted to the tunes used in Churches " * : and 
 
 intended that is to say proposed to supersede 
 
 the two Authorised Versions now in use, re- 
 spectively called THE OLD and the new. 
 
 We are of course not at all unaware of the 
 
 existence of numerous other Versions some 
 
 very recent with pretensions similar to our 
 
 own, and some of themf with very good claims 
 and that have found warm advocates in their 
 support ; but all which we presume to consider — 
 
 in one respect or another equally faulty or 
 
 deficient, and, generally speaking taking them 
 
 each altogether as a whole, not at all to be 
 preferred to at least Brady and Tate's. 
 
 * Now in course of publication. 
 
 t Chiefly those of Sandys, 1636. Rouse, 1G50. Denham, 
 1714. Blackmore, 1721. Merrick, 1765. and Mant, 1824. 
 
X PREFACE. 
 
 Having thus briefly stated the object of this 
 
 Version, it would be premature and perhaps 
 
 out of place here to anticipate the reasons that 
 
 will be given with it for making it at all, for 
 assuming that those older ones should be set 
 aside, and stating the pretensions that this may- 
 have to supplant them. Their substance, how- 
 ever, may be inferred from the fact of the 
 
 present Publication, that it is thought those 
 
 Versions are not what they ought to be ; the 
 one — The old, however generally true to the 
 sense of the Text, yet more generally still — 
 
 indeed almost invariably much below the 
 
 standard of poetical or even ordinarily good 
 language in which that should be given ; and 
 the other — The new, tho much superior to its 
 antecessor in harmony and diction, yet below it 
 
 in soberness gravity and truth, and not nearly 
 
 so faithful to their common Original. In this 
 new one, then, the faults or deficiencies of those 
 Versions are endeavoured to be avoided, and 
 their good points emulated and still farther 
 
 improved, by combining a close attention to 
 
 the Text both as to its letter and spirit with 
 
 as much poetical ornament as could be used 
 consistently with such a design and more 
 
PREFACE. XI 
 
 especially still with its Scriptural character: 
 
 This latter point, indeed, has been the chief 
 object here in view ; and which in real fact 
 leaves very little room for any addition to in- 
 clude that of adornment, as, whatever the 
 thing said, nothing can be better expressed 
 than in its own language. 
 
 It has, in short, been aimed-at to give the 
 
 very words of the Text'^ and those alone — 
 
 neither more nor less, wherever practicable ; 
 merely throwing them into the form of one or 
 other of the usual singing stanzas or verses. 
 And it is remarkable that, almost as if it were 
 designedly or destinatedly so, those, that is — 
 the three Measures more generally used in our 
 
 Church, the Common the Long and the Short, 
 
 besides their general suitableness for the purpose 
 in a just sufficient length or extent, are peculiarly 
 adapted correspondingly to render the Hebrew 
 Text : one or the other of them for the most 
 
 * This, whether The Bible or Liturgy Version ; some- 
 times one, sometimes the other, and occasionally where ad- 
 mitting of the combination both ; tho, where the reading 
 
 made the choice indifferent, perhaps more generally the 
 second, from its greater hold on the pubhc mind thro long 
 acquaintance and familiarity with it. 
 
Xll PREFACE. 
 
 part answering precisely to its verses or lines : a 
 particular, this, whicli has not been taken suf- 
 ficient notice of by those who contend for a 
 greater variety in them. 
 
 And this is what we persuade ourselves to 
 
 have done at least to some extent not without 
 
 success : which, if we did not, would only be 
 trifling with the Keader to challenge his judge- 
 ment upon it, and exposing in ourselves silliness 
 as well as incapacity. 
 
 Neither have we here to claim the usually 
 
 asked-for indulgence for failure if need be — 
 
 on the score of good intention; as this is pre- 
 mised, of course, and nothing else could either 
 move or justify the attempt ; nor for inex- 
 perience, as this is by no means our first essay 
 in verse ; and still less for any '' request of 
 friends" : This said merely to show we are not 
 unmindful of either the seriousness or the diffi- 
 culties of the task : But we come before him 
 entirely on the merits of the thing, such as they 
 
 are; and all we ask is justice a fair trial, a 
 
 patient hearing, and a candid comparison with 
 others ; and, if those be given us, however 
 perhaps disappointed in it__we shall not com- 
 plain of his verdict. 
 
PREFACE. Xlll 
 
 The reason for choosing these The Seven 
 
 Penitential Psalms — for a specimen of the 
 Work, is not at all because they may be a 
 
 favourable one ; for, on the contrary, they are 
 
 from their nature by no means so ; but, from 
 
 their being a Selection more complete than 
 would be any other, as a specific number set 
 apart to be used on particular occasions, and not 
 infrequently thus seen by themselves.* 
 
 It is obvious that there are several many 
 
 othersjt which ; from their subjects, their greater 
 
 degree of interest of variety and poetical 
 
 beauty ; would, assuming them to be properly 
 done, convey a much better idea of the Per- 
 formance than these : but, to give them would 
 perhaps hardly be fair, tho really not more partial 
 to ourselves than these are the contrary. But 
 we are quite content to let it be tested by 
 these samples ; and can honestly and confidently 
 
 * In the Romish Church, where they are more used, they 
 pretty often thus occur at least in prose, with glosses or ex- 
 positions. For instances with us, of both kinds, for the most 
 part anterior to the Reformation, see below p. xv, 
 
 t As, for instance, Ps : viii, xviii, xix, xxiv, xxix, xxxiii, 
 xlvi, 1, Lwiii, Ixxvii, with twice as many more. 
 
XIV PREFACE. 
 
 assert that they are patterns to which the 
 whole Piece — such as it is — will not in any 
 way be found unequal. 
 
 One of the earhest productions of the English 
 Press, 1505*, and about twenty years ante- 
 cedently to the printing of any part of The 
 Scriptures in EngHshf, occurs in connection 
 with The Penitential Psalms, in the following 
 Work, abridging the Title : — 
 
 Ei\t frustfull sastitgs of ©abgtr tfje 
 {tgngc anti propijete in tljc se&m penstrntgall 
 psalmes* Be&gtJeti in seiren sermons. Bg 
 tfje rggljt vtbtxmtt (atier in gotr Soijan 
 JFgssljert tioctoure in tjg&snto antr figssfjop 
 of Eorijester* 
 
 * The Copy from which the ahove title is taken, in the 
 British Museum, is dated 1509 : But that, according to 
 Cotton (List of the Editions of The Bible etc. 8vo. 
 Oxford. 1821.) appears to be the Third Edition, the First 
 being as aforesaid. 
 
 t The first book printed in England was a work on Chess, 
 by Caxton, 1474, about thirty years after the invention of the 
 art ; the first New Testament in 1526 ; and the first whole 
 Bible, called Coverdale's, in 1535. 
 
 + Born 1459. Died 1535. 
 
PREFACE. XV 
 
 It is, of course, a Black-Letter Book, as above ; 
 a small Quarto of 288 pages ; the first and second 
 of which are occupied by the Title and a Prologue, 
 and beginning with the subject at the third. 
 
 This has been described as a poetical com- 
 position a rhymed Version of these Psalms : 
 
 but erroneously, it being strictly what the Title 
 announces, namely a series of Sermons, or Dis- 
 courses, of which those are the text ; each headed 
 with the first words of the Psalm, and giving 
 all the verses in latin successively, expounding 
 upon them as they occur, and further illustrating 
 the exposition by quotations — in latin — from 
 other parts of Scripture. 
 
 There are, however, some old Poetical Ver- 
 sions of these Psalms, which it may be interest- 
 ing to notice ; namely, those of or Hampole 
 
 or Maidstone — uncertain which, Brampton, 
 Wyatt, Hunnis, Davies, Verstegan, and 
 Daniel* ; besides a translation by Chapman 
 from Petrarch on a similar subject. 
 
 * There exists in M.S., in the possession of the Author's 
 descendants, a Metrical Version of Thirteen Psalms, in- 
 cluding the Penitential ones and which stand first, of the 
 
XVI PREFACE. 
 
 Of the Firsi of those (and that does not seem 
 to have ever been printed) there are several 
 Copies extant ; but especially Two, both in 
 the Bodleian Library at Oxford ; of which, 
 as a difference in them involves the question 
 of its authorship, it may be well here to 
 give some account*. 
 
 first haK of the 16th century, by one J : Croke ; all in 
 Long Measure, alternate rhymed. But, as not confining 
 itself to these Seven, we have not thought ourselves bound 
 to give it further notice than this. It has lately been printed 
 by The Percy Society, 
 
 * For this we are indebted to the Idndness of the Rev. 
 Dr. Bliss, the learned Registrar of the University and now 
 Principal of St. Mary Hall, thro whose obliging instrument- 
 ality we have also been enabled to bring some of the others 
 under the notice of the Reader. 
 
 TiAL Psalms (Les Pseaumes de la Penitence, etc.: 8vo. La 
 
 Haye. 1714) rather curious from its form, namely SoNNETsf, 
 
 every separate verse of all the Seven Psalms being rendered in 
 that manner. This, however, tho much the same sort of thing, 
 is not nearly so fantastic as Benserade's famous Version of 
 Ovid's Metamorphoses in Rondeaux; as the Sacred Subject will 
 readily admit of expansion, while the Profane one is entirely 
 discharacterised and disfigured by any such alteration of it : 
 
 f There is also an old French vEsop in Sonnets, each 
 Fable being comprised in one. ' Esbatisment des Animaux.' 
 4to. Anvers. 1578. 
 
PREFACE. XVU 
 
 The former is part of an M.S. in the ' Digby ' 
 Collection (No. 18. fol : 37.) containing several 
 pieces by the same author (assumed to be 
 
 The work is further remarkable from its origin ; the Author 
 (M. Constantin de RennevUle) having written it (besides a 
 multitude of other Poetries : for he seems to have been a most 
 prolific Versifier) in the very worst dungeons of The Bastille, 
 where he was for many years confined. On his enlargement 
 he pubhshed a History of that Prison, by which he has become 
 well known. And he afterwards visited this Country, becom- 
 ing a pensioner of George the P'" His life, in the Biographie 
 Universelle, is highly worth reading. 
 
 As some of our readers may not be acquainted with this form 
 of Poem, which is exclusively French, we subjoin one for 
 the occasion, as a specimen. 
 
 RONDEAU. 
 
 Commoved (as famed) to be with laurels crown'd 
 And to all time in deathless verse renovvn'd ; 
 
 With bounds strict as The Sonnet's (haply whence 
 Derived) wherein the subject to condense ; 
 Of twice six lines — where but two rhymes resound, 
 
 And twice a half of corresponding sound, 
 
 Arranged as here : this form of song compound 
 First by The Gallic Muse, with pains immense, 
 Erewhile was framed. 
 The invention on Parnassus favour found : 
 And (as 't would seem) from the returning round 
 
 Of its same chimes, that (wherewith dragg'd the sense) 
 As in a circle moved or ring-like fence. 
 
 Rondeau was named. 
 
 M. S. Poems. 
 B 
 
XVlll PREFACE. 
 
 Hampole) but The Seven Psalms alone in 
 verse. The other is in one, much larger, in 
 the 'Kawlinson' Collection (a. 389. fol : 13.) 
 consisting of several pieces attributed to Ham- 
 pole, but some of which are known not to 
 belong to him. 
 
 This Composition is in every respect highly- 
 curious and interesting, as probably the oldest 
 specimen extant of the versification of any 
 part of The Scriptures — and at all events of The 
 
 Psalms in what may fairly be called English, 
 
 however of course old, being of the early part 
 of the 14th Century : always excepting (cer- 
 tainly a pretty large salvo at least in sound) 
 
 the '' Translation of The Old and New Testa- 
 ment in verse.", spoken of by Warton, in his 
 History of Enghsh Poetry (v. 1. p. 19. 4to. Ed.) 
 as being in the 'Vernon*' M.S. in the Bodleian, 
 
 In strictness the beginning words and the two hemistichs 
 L : 8 and 13 should be the same : But this is found so generally 
 impracticable that it is often departed from, as here. 
 
 The invention of The Rondeau is by some attributed to 
 Marot ; the first French versifier of The Psalms, a few 
 years before our own Old Version, and perhaps suggesting 
 it. Born 1496. Died 1544. 
 
 * The Vernon M.S., as described to us by Dr. B :, is 
 " One huge Volume ; containing prose and poetry mostly 
 
PREFACE. XIX 
 
 in that part entitled Saliis Animm or<Soul0;l|0l0; 
 and which he believes to have been done before 
 1200, but is probably much later. 
 
 The Psalms are given, the Original (latin) 
 first — in rubric, verse by verse ; each of these 
 being rendered by a stanza of eight octosyllabic 
 lines on alternate and two rhymes alone : res- 
 pectively so throughout the whole. 
 
 The difference above alluded to is in the 
 Title and Prologue. 
 
 " the latter, Scripture history, Uves of the Saints, briefs — as 
 
 " it were of the Psalms, The pricke of conscience, Pierce 
 
 " Plowman, etc: etc: In short it is a library in itself. It is so 
 ** called after the name of the donor." 
 
 Psalm cxxx is thus given in it : The two first sentences of 
 V. 1 from the latin; then an invocation, or address, apparently 
 to The Virgin with allusion to The Saviour, in four latin leo- 
 nine verses on the same rhyme ; with a translation of these in 
 the english of that day in eiorht equivalent alternate rhymed 
 
 lines, which modernized would run thus : 
 
 Hail thou bearer of the flower, 
 
 At whose scent to make alive, 
 
 Thro' its renovating power. 
 Straight the dead to life revive. 
 
 List their cries imploring thee : 
 
 List : and, thro' that flower, us make 
 
 Nought to fear ^but joy'd to be 
 
 Of death's realm for thy dear sake. 
 
 Of course the Poet has sacrificed something to his rhymes 
 in both the latin and english. 
 
 B 2 
 
XX PREFACE. 
 
 The First (the Digby) is thus headed — 
 
 ' Here hegynneth the j)rologe of the 
 ' seven salmys in englysche by Richard 
 * hamj)ole hereinyte.' 
 
 This "prologe" is of one stanza, of the same 
 kind as the text ; and ends with these two lines, 
 referring to the subject the Psalms : 
 
 * And into englische thei ben brought 
 
 * For synne in man to be for don J 
 
 which leaves the claim of the authorship to 
 rest on the Title or Heading. 
 
 The Second (the Kawlinson) has no Title : 
 but the Prologue is of two stanzas ; the first (in 
 its previous lines the same) ending thus 
 
 * And in englishhe thei ben broughte 
 * By frere Richarde Maydenstoon' 
 
 There is, however, a Complete Metrical Version of The 
 Psalms done about this time the middle of the 14 Cen- 
 tury, without any Author's name (spoken of by Warton V : 
 P : 23.) which may by some be thought to compete for 
 
 priority with that now under review : But as if this be 
 
 Hampole's that would be later, and — as a Version of the 
 
 whole Psalter not exactly in the category here treated of, 
 
 we shall not consider it further than thus to mention its exist- 
 ence. The verse throughout is octo- and hexa-syllabic but 
 
 with a prevalence of the former, and in successive rhymes or 
 couplets. There are Copies of this in the British Museum, the 
 Bodleian, and Corpus Christi College Cambridge. 
 
PREFACE. XXI 
 
 and continuing the sense in the second, thus — 
 
 * In Mary order of the Carme 
 ' That hachilere is in divinitie.* 
 
 The rest of the stanza does not bear upon the 
 particular point. 
 
 It will have been observed that in Maidstone's 
 first stanza the sense is perfect and complete, 
 while in Hampole's it is defective : tho, how 
 far this is to be ascribed to the truth of the 
 original facts or the accidents of transcription, is 
 more than there are data to determine ; the 
 accounts handed down to us of the Writers being 
 very scanty, and in this point ambiguous. 
 
 The only notices we have of the writers are 
 in Leland "^ ; whence they are copied verbatim, 
 with the addition of some Notes, by Bp. Tanner 
 in his Bibliotheca Britannico-Hibernica.f 
 
 Hampole's (Richard) proper name was RoUe : 
 but so surnamed from the place of his abode 
 near Doncaster (where was a Nunnery, in which 
 he was buried) and usually called " Hampole 
 
 * Commentarii de Scriptoribus Britannicis. 2. 8vo. 1709. 
 t Folio. London. 1748. 
 
XXll PREFACE. 
 
 the hermit." * He was a brother of the order 
 of St. Augustine. He appears to have been a 
 
 * Ritson, in Ms article on Hampole * ; which seems de- 
 rived solely from Tanner, as his is from Leland ; says that 
 
 ** he was a hermit, of the Order of St. Augustine, resideing 
 " in or near the Nunnery of Hampole etc :" which is a 
 
 * BibHographia Poetica. 12mo. Pel-Mel 1813. P. 33. 
 
 " Pel-Mel." Ritson would seem here to have forestalled the 
 sapient Fonetishuns of the present day, as well as given an 
 earnest of their success. 
 
 How such a gross and indeed pernicious absurdity as this 
 New System of spelMng, writing by the ear (as impracticable 
 
 as it is unnecessary in every way objectionable ; infinitely 
 
 more arbitrary than any prescription it would set aside ; and 
 where any two persons, much more the world at large, are 
 
 liable to disagree about its first principles even the writing of 
 
 its very name) can have found even the few supporters it has, 
 is diflScult to conceive : It can only be accounted for by the 
 
 modern rage for novelty in any shape in every thing, that 
 
 will leave nothing as it is that can by any possibility be 
 changed ; but which most assuredly in many cases, as in this, 
 
 will leave the novellers only their pains for their pay happy 
 
 if with no worse return. 
 
 Their " Nuz " (' News ' Paper) hard indeed to crack ! is 
 already defunct, after struggling thro a few month's uncertain 
 existence. And their Bible ! ! ! is in a language more dead 
 than that of the Papists. 
 
 Ritson, however, was only the re\iver of an old folly ; as 
 our own Pasigraphers are of his. 
 
PREFACE. XXlll 
 
 learned — at least in the latin tongue, pious, 
 and laborious Divine ; having written numerous 
 devotional Pieces (all enumerated, tho with 
 some errors, in Tanner) besides a Prose Trans- 
 lation in english of The Psalter of course from 
 
 The Vulgate with a gloss or commentary upon 
 
 it, and this Metrical Version or Paraphrase of 
 The Penitential Psalms. He seems moreover to 
 
 strangely loose way of talking, indeed : for there is an im- 
 mense difference between the circumstances separated by this 
 or : and, tho he may have lived near (and which, tho it is 
 not stated, is to be inferred from his being called after the 
 place and buried there) it is pretty certain that it was not in 
 it : the utmost that can be supposed is that he was the father 
 confessor or ghostly director to the Convent and thus fre- 
 quently visited it. 
 
 It is not unlikely that eremita, a solitary Religious, is used 
 by Leland (as after him by Tanner) in the sense of coenobitus — 
 one living in a Community ; as shown by his not separating 
 the word by any stop from what follows : " eremita ejus sectcs 
 quam vacant Augustinam." But Ritson, improving upon this, 
 tells us 1° that " he was a hermit," (with a comma) a;;d 2° 
 " of etc :" thus making him an " eremyte " absolutely, and 
 *' of the order of St. " Augustine " besides, and " resideing in 
 or near the Nunnery etc " : which is not what Leland says, 
 nor at all likely to be true. 
 
 The name does not appear in all the Gazetteers : and Car- 
 lisle's Topographical Dictionary calls it Hampa//. Some 
 remains of the place, and still called Harapole Priory, are yet 
 in existence. It is in the Parish of Adwick Ic Street. 
 
XXIV PREFACE. 
 
 have enjoyed a great reputation for sanctity ; 
 and is said, tho indistinctly, as it is not clear 
 whether this was during his life or afterwards 
 
 when in the tomb both perhaps being liable to 
 
 question, to have worked miracles, and to have 
 
 been reputed if not absolutely canonized 
 
 a Saint. His solitude, however, must be taken in 
 a very large sense, unless it was confined to the 
 close of his life ; as his literary pursuits, includ- 
 ing the great number of books he wrote, could 
 certainly not have been carried on in any com- 
 mon " hermitage." The probability is that in 
 his old age he went into retirement, and occupied 
 himself only in preparing for his end ; which 
 would explain both. His birth is not given ; 
 but he lived in the reigns of the first three 
 Edwards, dying in 1349. 
 
 Of Maidstone (Kichard also) still less is told. 
 His family name is not recorded. He is said to 
 have been so called from his native place the 
 Town of that name in Kent. He was a Fellow 
 of Merton College, Oxford, where he subse- 
 quently became D.D. ; being also a Carmelite 
 Friar in a House of that Order at Aylesford, 
 where he seems to have been held in great 
 honour for his learning and writnigs (enumerated 
 
PREFACE. XXV 
 
 in Tanner) all on theological subjects : Here he 
 died in 1396. 
 
 The only authority in Tanner for the ascrip- 
 tion to Maidstone of the Performance in ques- 
 tion is a short and not very clear Note, as 
 follows : "In M.S. Bale Sloan : there is the title 
 " Letania qucedain metrice. In septem Psalmos. 
 " (anglice) 1 Book." 
 
 The Sloane M.S.S., with the exception of a 
 few in the Bodleian, are in The British Museum : 
 the Compilation by Bp : Bale, here referred to, 
 is among the former ; but no such Work by what- 
 ever hand is now in it. On the Rawlinson M.S. 
 therefor must Maidstone's title depend. 
 
 It is not easy to settle the point and reconcile 
 these conflicting claims, as they seem to rest on 
 nearly equal authority. Tanner ascribes such a 
 
 Work to each of them ; only more distinctly to 
 
 Hampole, and stating where it is to be found, i. e. 
 in the Digby M.S. above named : And in 
 which he is followed by Warton and Kitson '^^ ; 
 
 * Ritson does not notice Maidstone at all : from which one 
 might infer that he did not consider him the author of 
 this or any Metrical Version of The Psalms and therefor not 
 entitled to a place in a Poetical Bibliography. But it is more 
 
XXVI PREFACE. 
 
 tho these, truth constrains to say, are not always 
 safe authorities : while his mention of it in re- 
 ference to Maidstone is altogether vague, and 
 might be understood of a Work in prose as 
 much as verse. The general character also and 
 greater number of Hampole's Writings seem to 
 favour its ascription to him rather than his less 
 prolific and versatile competitor. On the other 
 hand it is known, that, from Hampole's reputa- 
 tion and popularity among the learned, anony- 
 mous Compositions were frequently ascribed to 
 him without any sufficient authority, as therefor 
 this also may have been. 
 
 If the dates of the differing Copies could be 
 ascertained, assuming they were contempora- 
 neous with the Composition, that might lead to 
 a solution of the query ; as there is an interval 
 of nearly fifty years between the time of their 
 deaths : but this evidence can now hardly 
 be hoped for. 
 
 likely that, in consulting Tanner, it not being prominent, 
 he overlooked the point * altogether. 
 
 * At the end of the Article : which is under the head of 
 Richardus, P : 627. 
 
PREFACE. XXVll 
 
 The question therefor must remain sub j'udice : 
 Maidstone having in the mean time the claim 
 legally belonging to him of being positively 
 named in the Text as the author, while the 
 moral weight perhaps lies with Hampole. 
 
 As to the Composition itself, at its earlier 
 date it would be anterior to Chaucer* ; in which 
 case its author had at least no english lyrical 
 model before him whereon to frame or polish 
 his versification ; which gives his performance 
 a merit and respectability that otherwise might 
 perhaps be denied to it, tho at the very worst it 
 is far from contemptible ; and at its later would 
 be about contemporaneous with him. 
 
 The Second, Brampton's, is also a Manu- 
 script. Of this there are two known Copies, one 
 in Trinity College f Cambridge, and the other in 
 the British Museum. [j: There is indeed a third, 
 among the Harleian M.S.S. ; but imperfect, and 
 apparently of a much later date§. 
 
 * Born 1328. Died 1400. 
 
 t R: 3. 20. Art: 71. J Sloan: 1853. 4. D. 
 
 § It is, however, well to observe that there are several differ- 
 ences and variorums in the two Copies, as always and almost 
 
XXVlll PREFACE. 
 
 It is a Paraphrase of the most diffuse kind ; 
 every verse of the Psalm, which is regularly- 
 given — from the latin before the text, some- 
 times two short ones being combined into one 
 and at others a long one divided into two, being 
 
 rendered by a stanza* of eight lines the last 
 
 of which is always 
 
 Ne reminiscaris, Domine.f 
 
 unavoidably the case with Manuscripts : but they are evidently 
 one and the same Composition. 
 
 * This of a form but Uttle tho very elegantly differing 
 
 from the Ottava Rima of the Italians. And the noble and 
 ' numerous ' Spenserian Stanza might seem to have been only 
 varied from this. It seems, however, to be much older than 
 the present Piece ; for an anonymous Elegy on the death of 
 Edward 1st, who died in 1307, given by Warton (V: i. P: 103. 
 4to. Ed:) is in the same. It occurs in Chaucer in The Monk's 
 Tale and some other Pieces. 
 
 t ^^ Ne reminiscaris, Bomine." 
 
 This sentence (which is taken for the burthen or refrain of 
 the whole Piece) is the beginning of the prayer in the Litany 
 " Remember not, Lord ! etc :" after the invocation to The 
 Trinity, and of course stands for the whole of it. 
 
 The Penitential Psalms stand together in the old Bre- 
 viaries and Primers ; and this prayer is at their end, as the 
 Antiphona or general response. 
 6 
 
PREFACE. XXIX 
 
 The Psalms, however, are prefaced by a Prologue 
 of six similar stanzas, in which the Poet very 
 prettily introduces the subject.* 
 
 As the authorship of this Piece has hitherto 
 been involved in some obscurity ; from the 
 Writers t who have given an account of it 
 having only known of the British Museum 
 Copy, where the rubric (heading or title) from 
 which that is to be derived is imperfect ; it 
 will be well to say a few words to clear this 
 away, while at the same time confirming their 
 conjectures on the point. 
 
 In an old Hymn to The Virgin in the Vernon M.S. 
 (quoted by Warton, V. i. P. 314. 4to. Ed:, as an instance 
 of alliterative measure with rhyme) every stanza has a 
 burthen line of the same kind. 
 
 * Before this, in the British Museum Copy, there are 
 two pages of precepts moral and rehgious in english inter- 
 mixed with latin ; and at the end are four pages of prayer, 
 one latin and three english. 
 
 t Mr. I : Holland, in his " Psalmists of Britain." 8vo. 
 London. 1843. a most valuable and interesting Work: And Mr. 
 W: H: Black, in an Impression of the M.S. itself; printed for 
 the Percy Society, under his able editorship, in 1842. 
 
XXK PREFACE. 
 
 The Cambridge Copy lias the following 
 Title— 
 
 ' Loo heere hegynneii ye seven salmes trans- 
 ' latecl out of latyne into Englisshe hy a hooly 
 ^ and grate clerke yat was reclused in the west 
 ^ ptie of Englande! 
 
 Then (here giving the contractions at length) 
 follows in another and later hand 
 
 * Whose name was Frater Thomas hratnpto?ie 
 
 * sacra Theologie doctor frater minorum pauper - 
 ^ cuius confessor, de Latino in Anglicum anno 
 ' domine m.ccccxiiii ad dei honorem & incre- 
 
 * mentum devocionisJ 
 
 The British Museum Copy has only the 
 second part of this title, from 'Frater etc:' ; 
 and part of which is retouched by another hand, 
 while some of it remains obliterated altogether : 
 But, the hiatuses being filled up by the corres- 
 ponding words in the other, as they have rightly 
 been assumed by Messrs. H: and B:, represent 
 it exactly the same : so that there is no reason 
 whatever to doubt its correctness. 
 
 That second or additional part in the Cam- 
 bridge Copy, and the retouched portion of the 
 British Museum one, are in the hand-writing of 
 
PREFACE. XXXI 
 
 John Stowe-^ the antiquary and historian, in whoso 
 possession both these M.S.S. once were. 
 
 Of Brampton personally nothing whatever is 
 known beyond the brief record of him connected 
 with this Piece. 
 
 Sir Thomas WYATxf, the well-known friend 
 and poetical compeer of the gallant accom- 
 plished and ill-fated Surrey, has had the honour 
 
 of being the first acknowledged versifier of any 
 part of The Psalms in English X ; tho, as we 
 
 * Of this we are informed by Sir F: Madden, of tiie latter 
 Establishment : And it has been confirmed to us by the Revd. 
 J. J. Smith, the present (1844) Librarian of Trinity, who has 
 also in the most obUging manner furthered our reseaixhes on 
 the point first directed thither by Sir F. M. 
 
 t Born 1503. Died 1541 . Generally called Sir T : Wyatt 
 " the elder"; to distinguish him from his son Sir T: W:, who 
 was beheaded for high treason in the reign of EUzabeth. The 
 name is now usually wTitten Wyatt : but in his autographs in 
 the Harington Collection (in which the M.S. of these Psalms 
 still exists) the signature is Tho: Wiat. 
 
 X He has indeed been said to have versified the whole 
 Psalter : but which Work, if ever done, is not now known, 
 nor is there any record of it : and as such would have been 
 
XXXll PREFACE. 
 
 have just seen, that palm belongs in fact to 
 another; hut Sir T: W: had the advantage of 
 first appearing in print.* 
 
 His Composition is entitled 
 
 " Certaine Psalmes chosen out of the Psalter 
 " of David : commonlye called the VII Peny- 
 *' tentiall Psalmes. Drawen into Englyshe 
 " Meter by Sir Thomas Wyat knight. Where- 
 " unto is added a prologe of the auctore before 
 " every Psalme, very pleasant and profittable 
 " to the Godly reader." 
 
 These are written in ten-syllable lines, in the 
 Terza Rimaf of the Italians. They are pre- 
 faced, as announced in the Title, by a Prologue 
 of nine eight-line stanzas in Ottava Rima : 
 
 most unlikely to perish, especially as so many of his minor 
 Pieces have been preserved. In all probability the loose 
 mention of the present performance gave rise to the notion 
 of the other. 
 
 * In this same year, however, 1549, appeared the first im- 
 pression of Sternhold's Psalms, about fifty in number ; the 
 Complete Version, as we have it now, not coming out till 1562 ; 
 but the priority is usually assigned to Wyatt. 
 
 f The measure of Lord Byron's " Prophecy of Dante," 
 as of the Tuscan bard's (who was its inventor) great Poem 
 the * Divina Commedia.' 
 
PREFACE. XXXlll 
 
 and every Psalm, but the last, has an Epilogue 
 of four similar stanzas. 
 
 The Work seems to have been posthumous ; 
 being published in 1549, eight years after his 
 death ; but it must have been in circulation 
 some time before. 
 
 They are, with the rest of his Works, in 
 Chalmers's and other Collections. 
 
 This (and in some others of Wyatt's Pieces) appears to be 
 the first occurrence of that measure in our Poetry : It was 
 of course brought from Italy by Sir T : W :, along with 
 the Sonnet and the Ottava Rima ; and (a much less profit- 
 able importation) the concetti the unnatural thoughts, 
 
 the strained metaphors, and forced expressions of the 
 Cisalpine school. 
 
 It may not be considered out of place here to give 
 Surrey's * Sonnet in praise of his friend's Psalms ; probably 
 written after the latter's death, which was only a few years 
 before his own, both being cut off in the bright noon of life. 
 
 This little Piece, tho not without defects, is in its elements 
 of the highest merit ; and one that the polishing file, which 
 probably he had not time to give it, might easily have 
 smoothened to an entire perfection. 
 
 Considering the life and character of Henry, a nowise 
 scrupulous proscriber of epigrammatists, it seems not at all 
 unlikely that the moral at its close may have influenced his 
 tyrannical and barbarous execution of the noble Poet. 
 
 Born 1519. Died 1546. 
 
XXXIV PREFACE. 
 
 HuNNis W : was only some years later than 
 Wyatt, having lived under Edward G*''* and 
 Elizabeth. His Work was published in 1583, 
 about thirty years after a first Essay on some 
 other of the Psalms. 
 
 It is thus entitled 
 
 " Seven Sobs of a Sorrowful Soule for Sin. 
 " Comprehending those Seven Psalmes of the 
 '' Princelie Prophet David commonlie called 
 " Poenitentiall : framed into a forme of familiar 
 
 Praise 
 
 of certain Psalmes of David 
 
 Translated by Sir T : W : the elder. 
 
 Sonette. 
 
 The great Macedon, that out of Persie chased 
 Darius of whose huge power all Asie rong, 
 In the rich arke Dan Homer's rimes he placed, 
 Who feigned gestes of heathen Princes' song. 
 
 What holy grave what worthy sepulture — 
 
 To Wyate's Psalmes should Christians then purchase ! 
 Where he doth paint the lively faith and pure — 
 The stedfast hope the swete returne to grace 
 
 Of just David hy perfite penitence. 
 
 Where Rulers may see in a myrrour clere 
 The bitter frute of false concupiscence, 
 
 How Jewry bought Uria's death ful dere. 
 
 In Princes' hartes God's scourge emprinted depe 
 Ought them awake out of their sinfull slepe. 
 
PREFACE. XXXV 
 
 " praiers and rendered into meeter.* By Wil- 
 " liam Hunnis, one of the Gentlemen of hir 
 "Maiesties honourable Chappell, and maister 
 " to the children of the same." 
 
 As may be inferred from the Title, taking it 
 
 as a whole It is a Paraphrase of the loosest 
 
 and most diffuse kind : But yet in no way so if 
 its parts be separated, and the real Translations 
 or Versifications of the Psalms confined to 
 themselves ; for these are done very closely, 
 verse by verse ; each being followed, and the 
 
 Psalm itself preceded, by several more stanzas 
 
 from two or three to eleven or twelve — com- 
 posing the " forme of familiar praiers " named 
 in the Title, and that are a sort of commentary 
 or '^ improvement " on the Text. 
 
 All the Psalms are in Common. Metre, but 
 the xxxviii**"* and cxxx*""* that are in Short : And 
 tunes are given with them. 
 
 Davies John, commonly called ' Davies of 
 Hereford ' from being born there, lived in the 
 beginning of the xvii*'"' century. He was edu- 
 
 * 24""'- London. 1583. In the same Volume, after these, 
 is his " liandfuU of llonisuckles etc." 
 
 c 2 
 
XXXVl PREFACE. 
 
 cated at Oxford ; being apparently intended for 
 The Church, tho he never took orders ; and 
 finally settled in London. He published several 
 Poetical Pieces (tho none of any extent) on 
 various subjects, but mostly satirical panegyrical 
 and devotional. He was chiefly known, however, 
 as a writing master ; as which he greatly ex- 
 ceiled ; being esteemed the best cahgrapher of 
 his time, of an execution absolutely to rival 
 copper-plate. 
 
 His version of The Penitential Psalms is a 
 separate Collection, though not printed by it- 
 self, called The Doleful Dove. It appears, 
 with some other Pieces, in a little volume inti- 
 tled'-'THE Muses' Sacrifice;' l;^"^°• London. 
 1612. They are all in the same stanza as the 
 cxxx*''* here given below ; and of much the 
 same character, which wi;l be found at least 
 respectable if not more, as indeed is that gene- 
 rally of all his verse. 
 
 The time of his birth is not known : nor pre- 
 cisely that of his death ; but he is thought to have 
 deceased in 1618, when still but in middle life. 
 
 Verstegan R : is the author of the well- 
 known "Restitution of Decayed IntelHgence.", 
 
PREFACE. XXX VI 1 
 
 a very curious and valuable work on English 
 Antiquities in general. The time of his birth is 
 not known : he died in Holland (where the 
 Work here in question appears to have been 
 printed) about 1634. 
 
 His Version is thus entitled 
 
 " Odes : in imitation of the Seaven Peniten- 
 " tial Psalmes." Printed with " Sundry other 
 *' Poems and Ditties tending to devotion and 
 '* piety. Imprinted Anno Domini m.d.c.i." 
 8vo. Supposed at Antwerp. 
 
 The Piece we have given, Ps: cxxx, will be 
 noticed as being remarkably tender and pathetic. 
 
 This work of Verstegan's is of very rare 
 occurrence. 
 
 The Work of Chapman G:* here in question 
 does not properly come within the category of 
 the Compositions under our notice ; being, not 
 a Version of The Penitential Psalms, but a 
 Translation in verse of (to make a distinc- 
 tion) Seven Psalms Penitential, in latin prose, 
 by Petrarch. 
 
 * The Poet and Dramatist ; but chiefly known as the trans- 
 lator of Homer. Born 1557. Died 1634. 
 
XXXVIU PREFACE. 
 
 It is not easy to conceive what could induce 
 the Itahan Bard, with such beautiful and pa- 
 thetic compositions before him as the Scripture 
 Psalms, to write Penitential Pieces in imita- 
 tion or rather rivalry ^of them, and which, as 
 
 might be expected, fall in every respect infi- 
 nitely short of their inspired exemplars ; and 
 still less what could move his English Copier 
 to chuse those for his models rather than the 
 sweet " Songs of Zion" : But so it was, that the 
 former wrote such ; and the latter translated 
 them, giving however his Version the advan- 
 tage of a poetical dress. 
 
 Nevertheless, as being on a similar subject, 
 
 and both the Writers especially the Italian — 
 
 of high eminence, it has been thought that a 
 notice and specimen of their Works would here 
 be not unacceptable. 
 
 Petrarch's Psalms are in his collected Latin 
 Works. And Chapman's are thus entitled : 
 
 *' Petrarcke's seaven penitentiall psalms in 
 ''verse paraphrastically translated. With other 
 " poems philosophical! and a hymne to Christ 
 "upon the crosse." Small Octavo. London. 1612, 
 
 This also is a book of extreme rarity. 
 
PREFACE. XXXIX 
 
 The last of our Poets who has occupied his 
 
 pen or his lyre on the Penitential Psalms in 
 
 an exclusive form is Dr*. R: Daniel D.D.; who, 
 as appears from the title to his Work, was then 
 Dean of Armagh. But this is all we know of 
 him ; as he is not mentioned in any of the usual 
 repositories of such information. 
 
 He seems to have published two Poetical 
 Versions of some of the Psalms : the first in 
 1 722, entitled " A Paraphrase on some Select 
 Psalms." ; consisting of fifteen, being part or 
 forerunners (as he says in his Preface) of about 
 fifty that he designed to paraphrase : and the 
 second the Work here in question, in 1727, 
 entitled ''The Royal Penitent."t 
 
 * " Doctor." So designated by Cotton, Lowndes, and 
 Holland: but in the Editions both of 1722 and 1737 (from 
 which latter our specimen is taken) he is only called 
 Mr. Richard Daniel. 
 
 t In 1659 there had appeared the following Work: which 
 is not unUkely to have suggested to Dr. Daniel the Title at 
 least to his own ; in each of course applied to the respective 
 Psalmists. 
 
 * The Royal Penitent ; or Psalmes of Don Antonio King of 
 ' Portugal. In which a Sinner confesses his faults and im- 
 ' plores the grace of God. Translated into Enghsli by Fr: 
 ' Ch: (Chamberlayn) Esq: London, Printed by R: D: for 
 * John Dakins near the Vine-Tavern in Holborn. 1659.' 
 
Xi PREFACE. 
 
 These two Works, it would appear, have 
 been printed both separately and together : 
 The former, of 1722, by itself, is sufficiently 
 common, and to be found in most large Libra- 
 ries : But the latter (first printed singly, as 
 abovesaid, in 1727*; and afterwards, conjointly 
 with the preceding, in 1727) is extremely rare, 
 not being possessed even by the Bodleian, and 
 indeed seems to be generally unknown : there 
 is, however, a Copy of it, in the latter shape, 
 on some private shelves at Oxford ; for an ac- 
 quaintance with which these pages are again 
 indebted to Dr. B. 
 
 The Seven Psalms are respectively entitled 
 vi. The Penitent pardoned. xxxii. The In- 
 structor, xxxviii. The Distress. li. Uriah, 
 cii. The Captive. cxxx. The Sinner. cxhii. 
 The Persecution. They are written in various 
 measures, but all lyric. 
 
 These Psalms are Seven in Number, in prose, and evidently 
 written in allusion to the Penitential ones of Da^dd. The 
 Translator was one Francis Chamherlayn ; of whom nothing 
 else seems to be known, as he is not mentioned in any of 
 the Bibliographies. 
 
 * See Holland's Psalmists, V: 2. P; 169, 
 
PREFACE. Xli 
 
 This, as appears by the date, is a modern pro- 
 duction, and comparatively recent, being about 
 thirty years subsequent to The New Version by 
 Brady and Tate : and, so far as our inquiries have 
 been able to ascertain, the latest Separate Version 
 of The Penitential Psalms. 
 
 Thinking that a comparison of these several 
 Versions with one another, and with the Autho- 
 rised ones The Old and The New, as well as 
 
 with our own, would be interesting to the Keader, 
 and as marking alike the progression of the lan- 
 guage and of poetical taste, we have here given, 
 
 at the end, a Copy of one of these Psalms the 
 
 cxxx**" — as the shortest, from them all, and one 
 of Chapman's from Petrarch, in their chronolo- 
 gical order. And, that he may the more readily 
 judge of their respective degrees of closeness to 
 
 the Text whether of The Bible or Liturgy 
 
 Version, both these are also given. 
 
 May the whole not only please as a literary 
 matter ^but be of far higher interest and advan- 
 tage in its own specific character. 
 
THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS, 
 
44 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 
 
 PSALM VI. 
 
 BIBLE VERSION. LITURGY VERSION. 
 
 To the chief Musician* 
 on Neginoth upon 
 Sheminith. A Psalm Domine, ne. 
 
 of David. 
 
 O Lord, rebuke me not o Lord, rebuke me not in 
 in thine anger, neither thine indignation : neither 
 
 *:}.* The Seven Penitential Psalms. All these Psalms 
 are of a plaintive and mournful character, and generally the 
 expression of contrition and repentance and imploring pardon 
 for sin ; and are therefor called " Penitential." They are 
 also sometimes called " Prostrate" : from, it is to be supposed, 
 the supphant posture suitable to a Penitent. They are ac- 
 cordingly all used in our Church Service on the First Day 
 of Lent or Ash Wednesday. 
 
 * The Titles to The Psalms in The Bible Version 
 are from the Hebrevr. They are, however, generally not 
 considered of unquestionable authority as to genuineness : but 
 neither is it at all material that they should be ; and they at 
 least serve the purpose, however unnecessary, of a collateral 
 corroboration of the Sacred Text. 
 
 The hebrew words occurring in them are generally of un- 
 certain meaning. Some, however, as here, pretty clearly 
 denote musical instruments : And others are differently under- 
 stood ; either as such also, or as names used in a figurative 
 sense for the subject or some object or quality of the Psalm. 
 The two occurring here, Neginoth and Sheminith, are thought 
 
THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 45 
 
 PSALM VI. 
 
 A PSALM OF DAVID : ON THE OCCASION OF SOME SICKNESS, OH 
 GREAT GRIEF OF MIND FOR SOME SIN COMMITTED. 
 
 First Versioti. 
 i 
 Lord ! in Thy wrath rebuke me not, 
 
 Nor in Thine ire chastise ; 
 Ne'er smite in Thy displeasure hot, 
 Nor let it 'gainst me rise. 
 )l 
 O heal me, Lord ! my strengjth restore : 
 
 For I am worn and weak ; 
 My soul* also is troubled sore, 
 Nor knows where ease to seek. 
 3 
 O Lord ! do Thou forgive my wrong ; 
 
 Eelease me from Thy frown. 
 'Neath Thy displeasure, thus, how long 
 Wilt still Thou bow me down ? 
 4 
 Turn Thee, Lord ! turn from Thy wrath ; 
 
 Me in Thy mercy save : 
 None may remember Thee in death. 
 None thank Thee in the grave. 
 
 ta be eight-stringed instruments ; tho some rather refer them 
 to tunes. 
 
 * See notes to the Psahns. 
 
46 
 
 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. vi. 
 
 chasten me inythy hot 
 displeasure.* 
 
 2 Have mercy upon me, 
 O Lord; for I am weak; 
 O Lord, heal me; for 
 my bones are vexed. 
 
 3 My soul is also sore 
 vexed : but thou, O 
 Lord, how long ? 
 
 4 Return, O Lord, 
 deliver my soul : Oh 
 save me for thy mercies 
 sake. 
 
 5 For in death there 
 is no remembrance of 
 thee : in the grave who 
 shall give thee thanks ? 
 
 6 I am weary with my 
 
 chasten me in thy displea- 
 sure.* 
 
 2 Have mercy upon me, 
 O Lord, for I am weak : O 
 Lord, heal me ; for my 
 bones are vexed. 
 
 3 My soul also is sore 
 troubled : but. Lord, how 
 long wilt thou punish me ? 
 
 4 Turn thee, O Lord, and 
 deliver my soul : O save me 
 for thy mercies' sake : 
 
 5 For in death no man 
 remembereth thee : and 
 who will give thee thanks 
 in the pit ? * 
 
 * The discrepancy between the two Authorised Versions of 
 The Psalms is owing to the interval of their dates : that 
 of The Liturgy being much the older, as taken from the so- 
 called Great-Bible, or Cranmer's, of 1539, a translation chiefly 
 
 from the greek the Septdagint : while the Bible one, with 
 
 the rest of The Old Testament, nearly a century later 
 
 1611, was made directly from or at least with principal 
 
 reference to the Hebrew ; and is accordingly more close to 
 
 it, as occasionally with more hebraisms of style. But the 
 difference generally is very immaterial, and much more in the 
 words than the meaning. 
 
THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS, 47 
 
 5 
 
 I 'm worn with groaning ; nothing cheers : 
 
 By night as day still shed, 
 IVfy couch I water with my tears ; 
 
 Therewith I bathe my bed. 
 
 6 
 
 Because of all my many woes, 
 
 Mine eye is worn away ; 
 Because of my so many foes, 
 
 'T is dimmed and in decay. 
 
 7 
 Hence from me, ye I all who rejoice 
 
 In vanity and ill. 
 The Lord hath heard my weeping's voice ; 
 
 My prayer He will fulfil. 
 
 8 
 My foes shall all confounded be, 
 
 Sore vex'd, and mark'd of blame ; 
 They shall be made turn back and flee, 
 
 And sudden put to shame. 
 
 Second Version. 
 1 
 Lord ! in Thy wrath rebuke me not, 
 
 Nor in Thine ire withhold to spare ; 
 In pity now my sin outblot ; 
 
 And heal my woes, for great they are. 
 
48 
 
 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 
 
 Ps. vi. 
 
 groanings ; all the night 
 make I my bed to swhii ; 
 I water my couch with 
 my tears. 
 
 7 Mine eye is con- 
 sumed because of grief; 
 it waxeth old because of 
 all mine enemies. 
 
 8 Depart from me, all 
 ye workers of iniquity : 
 for the Lord hath heard 
 the voice of my weeping. 
 
 9 The Lord hath 
 heard my supplication : 
 the Lord will receive 
 my prayer. 
 
 10 Let all mine ene- 
 mies be ashamed and 
 sore vexed ; let them re- 
 turn and be ashamed 
 suddenly. 
 
 6 I am weary of my 
 groaning; every night wash 
 I my bed, and water my 
 couch with my tears. 
 
 7 My beauty is gone for 
 very trouble, and worn 
 away because of all mine 
 enemies. 
 
 8 Away from me, all ye 
 that work vanity : for the 
 Lord hath heard the voice 
 of my weeping. 
 
 9 The Lord hath heard 
 my petition ; the Lord will 
 receive my prayer. 
 
 10 All mine enemies shall 
 be confounded, and sore 
 vexed : they shall be turned 
 back and put to shame sud- 
 denly. 
 
Ps. vi. THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 49 
 
 2 
 
 Shall then Thine anger ne'er be past ? 
 
 Still vainly must I pardon crave ? 
 Lord ! relent Thee now at last ; 
 
 And, for Thy mercies' sake, me save. 
 
 3 
 Lord ! to me turn : my soul set free ; 
 
 Release, and give me now to live. 
 In death none memory keeps of Thee, 
 
 None in the grave Thee thanks can give. 
 
 4 
 My couch with ceaseless tears o'erflows ; 
 
 With groaning worn, in grief I pine ; 
 'T is dimm'd thro my so many foes, 
 
 Mine eye with weeping learns decline. 
 
 5 
 But, from me hence, ye wicked ones, 
 
 Who in iniquity rejoice ! 
 For now no more my plaint He shuns, 
 
 The Lord has heard my wailing's voice : 
 
 6 
 My supplication has He heard ; 
 
 The Lord will now my prayer receive : 
 My enemies shall turn back, deterr'd ; 
 
 They shall be made asham'd, and grieve. 
 
50 
 
 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 
 
 PSALM XXXII. 
 
 BIBLE VERSION. 
 
 A Psalm of David. Mas- 
 
 Blessed is he whose 
 transgression is fors:iven, 
 tchose sin is covered. 
 
 2 Blessed is the man 
 unto whom the Lord im- 
 puteth not iniquity, and 
 in whose spirit there is 
 no guile. 
 
 3 When I kept silence, 
 my bones waxed old 
 
 LITURGY VERSION. 
 
 Beati, quorum. 
 
 Blessed is he, whose un- 
 righteousness is forgiven, 
 and whose sin is covered. 
 
 2 Blessed is the man, 
 unto whom the Lord im- 
 puteth no sin ; and in 
 whose spirit there is no 
 guile. 
 
 3 For, while I held my 
 tongue, my bones con- 
 
 * " MasehiV This word is explained to mean * giAing in- 
 struction or understanding or prudence,' according to v. 8 
 
 of the Psalm " I will instruct thee etc :" It occurs again in 
 the Titles to several other Psalms. Some, however, take it to 
 refer to the music. 
 
THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 
 
 PSALM XXXII. 
 
 A PSALM OF DAVID. ON THE BLESSEDNESS OF, PARDON FOR 
 SIN, AND THE MEANS OF OBTAINING IT THRO CONFESSION 
 AND REPENTANCE, 
 
 First Version. 
 
 1 
 Blest lie, whose fault forgiven is, 
 
 Whose sin is covered; free from wile, 
 
 In whom The Lord sees nought amiss, 
 
 And in whose spirit is no guile. 
 
 2 
 While unavow'd my wrong, all day 
 
 With inward sorrow did I pine ; 
 
 Thy hand still heavy on me lay ; 
 
 As drought-parch'd land did I dechne. 
 
 3 
 Bat I my iniquity confess'd ; 
 
 That so I pardon might receive : 
 
 My wrong I own'd wherein transgressed ; 
 
 And, Lord ! Thou didst my sin forgive. 
 
 4 
 For this shall, while Thou may'st he found, 
 
 To Thee his prayer the godly make : 
 
 So, when the water-floods are round. 
 
 Him shall thev not come nidi nor shake. 
 
52 
 
 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. XXxii. 
 
 through my roaring all sumed away through my 
 
 the day long. daily complaining. 
 
 4 For day and night 4 For thy hand is heavy 
 thy hand was heavy upon ^.po^ me day and night : 
 me: my moisture is and my moisture is like the 
 turned into the drought ^^^^^^^ -^^ ^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 of summer. Selah^ 5 I will acknowledge my 
 
 5 I acknowledo-ed my , , , . 
 
 ° '' sm unto thee ; and mme 
 
 sin unto thee, and mine 
 iniquity have I not hid. 
 I said, I will confess my 
 transgressions unto the 
 Lord ; and thou for- 
 gavest the iniquity of my 
 sin. Selah. 
 
 6 For this shall every 
 one that is godly pray 
 
 unrighteousness have I not 
 hid. 
 
 6 I said, I will confess 
 my sins unto the Lord : and 
 so thou forgavest the wick- 
 edness of my sin. 
 
 7 For this shall every 
 one that is godly make his 
 
 unto thee in a time P^^yer unto thee, in a 
 
 when thou mayest be time when thou mayest be 
 
 found : surely in the found : but in the great 
 
 floods of great waters water-floods they shall not 
 
 they shall not come nigh come nigh him. 
 
 unto him. g Thou art a place to 
 
 * ' Selah.' See Notes to the Psalms. 
 
Ps. XXXii. THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 53 
 
 5 
 
 Thou art my hiding place ; Thou still 
 
 In trouble art my refuge sure ; 
 Thou, with deliverance-songs,* in ill, 
 
 Shalt compass me about secure. 
 
 6 
 The Lord hath said* " I will instruct 
 
 "And teach thy way, wherein to bide; 
 
 *' Thee will I govern and conduct, 
 
 " And with mine eye thee safely guide. 
 
 7 
 " Be not ye as the horse or mule ; 
 
 " Who sense and understanding lack ; 
 
 " Whose mouth must bit and bridle rule, 
 
 " Lest on their rider turning back." 
 
 8 
 Woe waits the wicked. But, who trust 
 
 In Him shall plenteous mercy share : 
 
 Be gladsome in The Lord, ye just ! 
 
 Ye, shout for joy, who righteous are ! 
 
 Second Version, 
 
 1 
 
 Blest he, guile-free within. 
 
 Whose fault forgiven is ; 
 To whom The Lord imputes no sin ; 
 In whom is nought amiss. 
 
 * See Notes to the Psalms. 
 
54 
 
 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. XXxii. 
 
 7 Thou art my hid- hide me in : thou shalt 
 
 ing place ; thou shalt preserve me from trouble : 
 
 preserve me from trou- thou shalt compass me 
 
 ble ; thou shalt compass ^bout with songs of deh- 
 me about with songs of 
 
 deliverance. Selah. 
 
 8 I will instruct thee 
 and teach thee in the 
 way which thou shalt 
 go : I will guide thee 
 with mine eye. 
 
 9 Be ye not as the 
 horse, or as the mule, 
 which have no under- 
 
 verance. 
 
 9 I will inform thee, 
 and teach thee in the way 
 wherein thou shall go : 
 and I will guide thee with 
 mine eye. 
 
 10 Be ye not like to 
 horse and mule, which 
 have no understanding; 
 
 standing : whose mouth ^^'^ose mouths must be 
 must be held in with bit held with bit and bridle, 
 and bridle, lest they lest they fall upon thee. 
 
 11 Great plagues re- 
 
 come near unto thee. 
 
 10 Many sorrows 5A«^/ . r ^ n 
 
 *' mam for the ungodly : 
 
 he to the wicked : but 
 
 he that trusteth in the 
 Lord, mercy shall com- 
 pass him about. 
 
 but whoso putteth his trust 
 in the Lord, mercy em- 
 braceth him on every side. 
 
Ps. XXxii. THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 55 
 
 2 
 
 While silent I remained, 
 
 And unavow'd my wrong ; 
 Eemorsefnl still, and anguish-pained, 
 
 I mourn'd the whole day long. 
 
 8 
 
 For night and day Thy hand 
 
 Still heavy on me lay : 
 Upburn'd within, like drought-parch'd land, 
 
 Was I consum'd away. 
 
 4 
 
 Of all wherein transgressed, 
 
 Then did I me relieve ; 
 To Thee, Lord ! I my sin confess'd : 
 
 And Thou didst me forgive. 
 
 5 
 
 Thus, while Thou may'st be found, 
 
 Who fears, to Thee on high 
 Shall pray : So, when the floods are round, 
 
 Him shall they not come nigh. 
 
 6 
 
 Thou shalt me guard from ill ; 
 
 Thou art my refuge sure ; 
 Thou, with, deliverance songs, shalt still 
 
 Encompass me secure. 
 
56 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. XXxii. 
 
 11 Be glad in the 1 2 Be glad, O ye righ- 
 
 LoRD, and rejoice, ye , j ■ ■ ■ .•> 
 
 *' -^ teous, and rejoice in the 
 
 righteous : and shout for 
 
 „ ^, ^ Lord: and be joyful all 
 
 joy, all ye that are up- ^ 
 
 right in heart. ye that are true of heart. 
 
 *^* The last verse of this Psalm has been conjectured 
 rather to belong to the next one, Ps : xxxiii., as its first : and 
 with some probabihty, as it has no immediate relation to the 
 context here ; while it may with all appropriateness open 
 that, which moreover has no Title and thus seems to be with- 
 out its intended beginning. 
 
Ps. XXxii. THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 57 
 
 7 
 The Lord shall thee instruct. 
 
 And teach thy way where bide ; 
 Thee shall He govern and conduct, 
 
 And with His eye thee guide. 
 
 8 
 Be not as horse or mule ; 
 
 Who understanding lack ; 
 Whose mouth must bit and bridle rule, 
 
 Lest on thee turning back. 
 
 9 
 On them wait many woes, 
 
 Whose ways unrighteous are : 
 But they, who on The Lord repose. 
 
 Shall plenteous mercy share. 
 
 10 
 Be gladsome in The Lord, 
 
 Ye just ! in Him rejoice ; 
 Ye righteous all ! to Him, loud pour'd, 
 
 Uplift the praiseful voice. 
 
58 
 
 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 
 
 PSALM XXXVIII. 
 
 BIBLE VERSION. 
 
 A Psalm of David. To 
 bring to remembrance. * 
 
 O Lord, rebuke me not 
 in thy wrath : neither 
 chasten me in thy hot 
 displeasure. 
 
 2 For thine arrows 
 stick fast in me, and 
 thy hand presseth me 
 sore. 
 
 3 There is no sound-* 
 ness in mv flesh because 
 
 LITURGY VERSION. 
 
 Domine, ne in furore. 
 
 Put me not to rebuke, O 
 Lord, in thine anger : nei- 
 ther chasten me in thy 
 heavy displeasure. 
 
 2 For thine arrows stick 
 fast in me : and thy hand 
 presseth me sore. 
 
 3 There is rio health 
 in my flesh, because of 
 thy displeasure : neither is 
 
 * There is nothing to lead to what is intended by this 
 " bringing (or calling) to remembrance" : perhaps as a com- 
 memoration of former sicknesses or troubles out of which 
 delivered by the goodness of God. It may also be rendered 
 "recording" generally. The Septuagint gives it (A Psalm 
 of David) " for remembrance concerning the Sabbath." 
 
THE TENITENTIAL PSALMS. 51) 
 
 PSALM XXXVIII. 
 
 A PSALM OF DAVID. THIS PSALM SEEMS WRITTEN UNDER 
 GENERALLY SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES AS PSALM VI.* 
 
 First Versio?i. 
 1 
 Lord ! in Thy wrath rebuke me not, 
 
 Nor in Thine ire chastise; 
 Ne'er smite in Thy displeasure hot, 
 
 Nor let it 'gainst me rise. 
 2 
 For in me fast Thine arrows stick, 
 
 And hand me presses sore ; 
 Whence am I wounded to the quick. 
 
 E'en to my inmost core. 
 
 8 
 Thro Thy displeasure, there within 
 
 My flesh no health is left ; 
 
 My bones, by reason of my sin, 
 
 Are of all rest bereft. 
 
 4 
 
 My wickednesses are so great, 
 
 They whelm me and outwear ; 
 They like a burden are, of weight 
 Too much for me to bear. 
 
 * The first verse in bdth are identical. 
 
60 
 
 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. XXXViii. 
 
 of thine anger ; neither 
 is there any rest in my 
 bones because of my 
 sin. 
 
 there any rest in my bones, 
 by reason of my sin. 
 
 4 For my wickednesses 
 are gone over my head ; and 
 
 4 For mine iniquities are hke a sore burden, too 
 
 are gone over mine heavy for me to bear, 
 
 head : as an heavy bur- 5 My wounds stink, and 
 
 den they are too heavy are corrupt; through my 
 
 for me. 
 
 5 My wounds stink 
 and are corrupt because 
 of my foolishness. 
 
 6 I am troubled ; I 
 am bowed down greatly ; 
 I go mourning all the 
 day long. 
 
 7 For my bones are 
 filled with a loathsome 
 disease : and there is no 
 soundness in my flesh. 
 
 foolishness. 
 
 6 I am brought into so 
 great trouble and misery, 
 that I go mourning all the 
 day long. 
 
 7 For my loins are filled 
 with a sore disease : and 
 there is no wbole part in 
 my body. 
 
 8 I am feeble, and sore 
 smitten : I have roared for 
 the very disquietness of my 
 
 8 I am feeble and sore heart. 
 broken: I have roared by 9 Lord, thou knowest all 
 
 reason of the disquietness my desire: and my groan- 
 
 of my heart. 
 
 ing is not hid from thee. 
 
Ps. XXXviii. THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 01 
 
 5 
 
 My wounds corrupt are, past relief; 
 
 Thro mine own foolish wrong: 
 
 So troubled am I, bow'd with grief, 
 
 I mourn the whole day long. 
 6 
 My loins with painfulness are fill'd ; 
 
 With hurts I 'm cover'd o'er ; 
 
 I 'm faint and weak : with cries unstill'd, 
 
 For inward smart I roar. 
 7 
 Thou, Lord ! my inmost thoughts dost know ; 
 
 My groaning 's heard by Thee : 
 
 My heart beats small; my strength 's laid low; 
 
 Mine eyes refuse to see. 
 8 
 My neighbours, and associates all, 
 
 Unmov' in my behoof, 
 Look on my trouble ; and, withal, 
 
 My kinsmen stand aloof. 
 9 
 My foes, also, my life who seek. 
 
 Their snares still for me lay ; 
 And they, who seek my hurt, still speak 
 
 Of mischief all the day. 
 10 
 For me I list them not ; e'en as 
 
 One that is deaf of ear ; 
 As one that dumb, nor utterance has ; 
 And one that cannot hear. 
 
(52 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. XXXviii. 
 
 9 Lord, all my desire 
 is before thee ; and my 
 groaning is not hid from 
 thee. 
 
 10 My heart panteth, 
 my strength faileth me : 
 as for the light of mine 
 eyes, it also is gone from 
 me. 
 
 1 1 . My lovers and my 
 friends stand aloof from 
 my sore ; and my kins- 
 men stand afar off. 
 
 1 2 They also, that seek 
 after my Hfe, lay snares 
 for me : and they, that 
 seek my hurt speak mis- 
 chievous things and ima- 
 gine deceits all the day 
 long. 
 
 13 But I, as a deaf 
 man, heard not ; and I 
 was as a dumb man that 
 openeth not his mouth. 
 
 10 My heart panteth, my 
 strength has failed me : and 
 the sight of mine eyes is 
 gone from me. 
 
 11 My lovers and my 
 neighbours did stand look- 
 ing upon my trouble, and 
 my kinsmen stand afar oflf. 
 
 12 They also, that sought 
 after my life, laid snares for 
 me : and they, that went 
 about to do me evil, talked 
 of wickedness and imagined 
 deceit all the day long. 
 
 1 3 As for me, I was like 
 a deaf m.an, and heard not; 
 and as one that is dumb,- 
 who doth not open his 
 mouth. 
 
 14 I became even as a 
 man that heareth not : and 
 in whose mouth are no re- 
 proofs. 
 
 1 5 For in thee, O Lord, 
 
Ps. xxxviii. THE penitential psalms. G8 
 
 1] 
 
 I am as one whose lips are shut, 
 
 Whence no reproofs proceed. 
 
 But, still in Thee my trust I put : 
 
 Thou, Lord I shalt for me plead. 
 12 
 To Thee, Tord my God ! I call; 
 
 To Thee uplift my voice : 
 
 Test, when I slip, they mark my fall, 
 
 And o'er me so rejoice. 
 13 
 For now I faint : my wickedness 
 
 Is still mine eyes before ; 
 My iniquity do I confess. 
 
 And all my sin deplore. 
 14. 
 My enemies lively are and strong, 
 
 Nor to assail me cease ; 
 
 And they, that hate me, tho with wrong, 
 
 Are many, and still increase. 
 15 
 For good they evil to me pay. 
 
 And my adversaries are ; 
 Because I follow the upright way, 
 
 And keep my footsteps there. 
 10 
 Lord, my God ! he near me now ; 
 
 Forsake me not, nor leave ; 
 Lord God of my salvation. Thou ! 
 Now haste Thee to relieve. 
 
64 
 
 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 
 
 Ps. 
 
 14 Thus I was as a have I put my trust : thou 
 man that heareth not, shalt answer for me, O 
 and in whose mouth are Lqj.^ j^y Qq^ 
 
 " ' 16 I have required that 
 
 15 For in thee, O Lord 
 
 do I hope: thou wilt hear, 
 O Lord my God. 
 
 16 For I said, Hear 
 me, lest otherwise they 
 should rejoice over me : 
 when my foot shppeth, 
 they magnify themselves 
 against me. 
 
 17 For I am ready to 
 halt, and my sorrow is 
 continually before me. 
 
 18 For I will declare 
 mine iniquity ; I will be 
 sorry for my sin. 
 
 19 But mine enemies 
 
 they, even mine enemies, 
 should not triumph over 
 me : for, when my foot 
 slipt, they rejoiced greatly 
 against me. 
 
 17 And I, truly, am set 
 in the plague : and my 
 heaviness is ever in my 
 sight. 
 
 18 For I will confess my 
 wickedness, and be sorry 
 for my sin. 
 
 19 But mine enemies 
 live, and are mighty : and 
 they, that hate me wrong- 
 
 are lively, and they are 
 
 T ^1 ^, ^ fully, are many in number, 
 
 strong : and they that ^ 
 
 hate me wrongfully are 20 They also, that 
 
 multiplied. reward evil for 
 
Ps. XXXviii. THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 65 
 
 Second Vernon. 
 
 1 
 
 Let not Thy wrath against me stand. 
 
 Nor, Lord ! me in Thine anger chide : 
 For heavy on me lies Thy hand, 
 
 And in me fast Thine arrows bide. 
 2 
 Thy chastening makes my flesh to fail ; 
 
 Nor rest 1 know beneath Thy frown ; 
 My iniquities I ceaseless wail, 
 
 Their weight o'erwhelming bows me down. 
 8 
 My wounds with loathsomeness offend, 
 
 Through mine own wrong and deeds amiss ; 
 'Neath suffering and disease I bend, 
 
 Nor in me any soundness is. 
 4 
 Sore broken and oppressed with ill, 
 
 I troubled am, down humbled low ; 
 Thro my heart's anguish, wailing still, 
 
 The whole day long 1 mourning go. 
 
 5 
 But, Lord ! Thou seest all my desires, 
 
 My groaning is not hid from Thee ; 
 My strength is gone ; my heart expires ; 
 
 Tear-dimm'd, mine eyes refuse to see. 
 
 E 
 
GC) 
 
 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 
 
 Ps. 
 
 XXXVlll. 
 
 20 They also that ren- 
 der evil for good are mme 
 adversaries ; because I o-ood is. 
 follow the thing that 
 good is. 
 
 21 Forsake me not, O 
 Lord : O my God, be 
 not far from me. 22 Haste thee to help 
 
 22 Make haste to help me : O Lord God of my 
 me, Lord my salvation, salvation. 
 
 are against me ; because 
 I follow the thing that 
 
 21 Forsake me not, O 
 Lord my God : be not thou 
 far from me. 
 
Ps. XXXViii. THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 07 
 
 6 
 
 My friends and followers stand aloof, 
 
 Far off my kindred from me stand ; 
 
 My enemies taunt with keen reproof, 
 
 They seek my hurt on every hand. 
 7 
 But I am e'en as deaf of ear ; 
 
 As one, that, dumb, can nought declare ; 
 
 I am as one that cannot hear, 
 
 And in whose mouth no chidings are. 
 8 
 For, Lord ! on Thee I wait in all : 
 
 Lord my God ! Thou hear'st my suit : 
 
 Let not them joy to see me fall, 
 
 Nor boast, should haply slip my foot. 
 9 
 Yea now I fail with my distress ; 
 
 My woe is still mine eyes before ; 
 
 My iniquity will I confess. 
 
 And pardon for my sin implore. 
 10 
 Mine enemies numerous are and strong ; 
 
 And they that good with ill repay ; 
 
 Because I that eschew which wrong. 
 
 Still following in the righteous way. 
 11 
 O Lord my God ! forsake me not. 
 
 Nor from me turn now in my smart ; 
 Be quick to help me, as besought : 
 
 For Thou all my salvation art. 
 
68 
 
 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 
 
 PSALM LI. 
 
 BIBLE VERSION. 
 
 LITURGY VERSION. 
 
 To the chief Musician, A 
 Psalm of David, when 
 Nathan the prophet 
 came unto him, after 
 he had gone in to 
 Bathsheba. 
 
 Miserere mei, Deus. 
 
 Have mercy upon me, 
 O God, according to thy 
 ioving-kindness : accord- 
 ing unto the multitude of 
 thy tender mercies blot 
 out my transgressions. 
 
 2 Wash me throughly 
 from mine iniquity, and 
 cleanse me from my sin. 
 
 Have mercy upon me, O 
 God, after thy great good- 
 ness : according to the mul- 
 titude of thy mercies do 
 away mine offences. 
 
 2 Wash me throughly 
 from my wickedness : and 
 cleanse me from my sin. 
 
 3. For I acknowledge my 
 
TJIE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. DO 
 
 PSALM LI. 
 
 A PSALM OF DAVID : UNDER DEEP CONTRITION FOR SIN 
 COMMITTED.* 
 
 FiTHt Version. 
 
 1 
 As Thy great goodness is, Lord ! 
 
 Thy mercy to me now display ; 
 
 As Thy compassion is full stor'd, 
 
 Now my offences do away. 
 2 
 
 Wash me from all my wickedness, 
 
 And cleanse me from whatever amiss. 
 
 For my transgressions I confess ; 
 
 And still my sin before me is. 
 o 
 Yea I 'gainst Thee"^ have sinn'd 'gainst Thee, 
 
 i\nd done this evil in Thy sight : 
 
 But here Thou justified shalt be, 
 
 And shown in all Thy judgements right. 
 4 
 I in wickedness was fram'd ere lived, 
 
 In evil shapen ere my birth ; 
 
 In sin* my mother me conceived, 
 
 And in iniquity brought forth. 
 
 j/^^ This may be called the chief of The Penitential Psalms : 
 and as such is inserted in the Commination Service, that pro- 
 I)er for Ash-Wednesday. 
 
 * See Notes to the Psalms. 
 
70 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. li. 
 
 3 For I acknowledge faults : and my sin is ever 
 
 my transgressions : and before me. 
 
 my sin is ever before me. 
 
 4 Against thee only have 
 
 4 Against thee, thee I sinned, and done this evil 
 only, have I sinned, and in thy sight : that thou 
 done this evil in thy mightest be justified in thy 
 sight: that thou might- saying, and clear when thou 
 est be justified when thou art judged. 
 
 speakest, and be clear 
 
 when thou judgest. ^ ^^^«^^' ^ ^^^^ ^^^^P^^ 
 
 in wickedness ; and in sin 
 
 5 Behold, I was shapen hath my mother conceived 
 in iniquity ; and in sin did ^^q^ 
 
 my mother conceive me. 
 
 6 But lo, thou requirest 
 
 6 Behold, thou desir- ^^,^^^1^ ^^^ ^^ie inward parts ; 
 est truth in the inward ^^^ shalt make me to un- 
 parts : and in the hidden derstand wisdom secretly. 
 part thou shalt make me 
 
 to know wisdom. 7 Thou shalt purge me 
 
 i 
 
Ps. II. TIJE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 71 
 
 5 
 
 .But Thou requirest truth within. 
 
 In the inward parts and in the heart. 
 Then teach me Tliou ; so shunnnig sin ; 
 
 And wisdom to my soul impart. 
 {) 
 With hyssop* do Thou purify 
 
 And cleanse me, Lord ! renewing so : 
 Yea do Thou wash me ; so thereby 
 
 Shall I be whiter than the snow. 
 
 7 
 Now send me tidings, to console ; 
 
 A message send me, and a voice, 
 Of joy and gladness ; that, made whole, 
 
 The bones Thou 'st broken may rejoice. 
 
 8 
 See not my sin, thence turn Thy view ; 
 
 All mine iniquities blot out ; 
 Within me a clean heart renew. 
 
 And aright spirit pure of thought. 
 
 9 
 Ne'er from Thee cast me ; nor away 
 
 Thy holy spirit from me take ; 
 Give me again Thy saving stay, 
 
 And 'stabhsh me and stedfast make. 
 
 * See Notes to the Psalms, 
 
72 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. li. 
 
 7 Purge me with hys- with hyssop, and I shall be 
 sop, and I shall be clean : clean : thou shalt wash me, 
 wash me, and I shall be and I shall be whiter than 
 whiter than snow. snow. 
 
 8 Make me to hear s Thou shalt make me 
 joy and gladness ; that j^ear of joy and gladness : 
 the bones which thou that the bones which thou 
 
 hast broken may reioice. i * t. i 
 
 •^ '' nast broken may rejoice. 
 
 9 Hide thy face from 9 Turn thy face from my 
 my sins, and blot out all sins : and put out all my 
 mine iniquities. misdeeds. 
 
 10 Create in me a clean 10 Make me a clean 
 heart, O God ; and renew i^g^^t, O God : and renew a 
 a right spirit within me. ^-^^^ ^^^^.^ ^-^j^^^ ^^ 
 
 1 1 Cast me not away 1 1 Cast me not away 
 from thy presence ; and from thy presence : and 
 
Ps. li. THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 
 
 10 
 
 That to transgressors I may show 
 
 Thy ways, them bringing back to Thee ; 
 
 And sinners may Thy goodness know, 
 
 And to Thy law converted be. 
 11 
 Deliver me fi'om guilt of blood, 
 
 Thou, my salvation's God and King I 
 
 So shall my tongue, on loudest mood. 
 
 Of Thy great righteousness still sing. 
 12 
 Ope Thou my lips unto the task : 
 
 So shall my mouth Thy praise declare. 
 
 Not but burnt- offerings dost Thou ask ; 
 
 Or I to give them would not spare : 
 18 
 Thine is, God ! from the inward part, 
 
 A troubled spirit's sacrifice; 
 A broken and a contrite heart, 
 
 Thou, gracious Lord ! will not despise. 
 U 
 O God ! to Thee Thy Siou calls : 
 
 Now piteous to her be, and aid ; 
 Euild up Jerusalem her walls, 
 
 And be her strength in Thee upstay'd. 
 
 15 
 So to Thine altar shall tliey then 
 
 Bring victims, and oblations make : 
 And so shalt Thou, well pleas'd, from men 
 Their righteous sacrifices take. 
 
74 
 
 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 
 
 Ps. li. 
 
 take not thy holy spirit take not thy Holy Spirit 
 from me. from me. 
 
 12 Restore unto me 
 the joy of thy salvation ; 
 and uphold me with thy 
 free spirit. 
 
 13 Th€7i will I teach 
 transgressors thy ways ; 
 and sinners shall be con- 
 verted unto thee. 
 
 14 Deliver me from 
 blood-guiltiness, O God, 
 thou God of my salva- 
 tion : and my tongue 
 shall sing aloud of thy 
 righteousness. 
 
 15 Lord, open thou 
 my lips ; and my mouth 
 
 12 O give me the com- 
 fort of thy help again : and 
 stablish me with thy free 
 spirit. 
 
 13 Then shall I teach thy 
 ways unto the wicked : and 
 sinners shall be converted 
 unto thee. 
 
 14 Deliver me from 
 blood-guiltiness, O God, 
 thou that art the God 
 of my health : and my 
 tongue shall sing of thy 
 righteousness. 
 
 15 Thou shalt open my 
 
Ps- li. THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 75 
 
 Second Version. 
 
 1 
 As is Thy goodness, Lord ! 
 
 That to me now disphxy ; 
 As are Thy mercies niimerous-stor'd, 
 
 Do my offence away. 
 
 2 
 Now wash me from my ill, 
 
 And cleanse from all amiss : 
 For I my faults confess, and still 
 
 My sin before me is. 
 3 
 Lord ! I 've sinn'd 'gainst Thee, 
 
 Doing evil in Thy sight. 
 So just Thy judgements shown shall be, 
 
 And prov'd Thy sentence right. 
 
 4 
 Lo I was shapeii in 
 
 Iniquity ere birth ; 
 In sin was I conceiv'd, in sin 
 
 My mother brought me forth. 
 5 
 But Tiiou dost truth require 
 
 In the inward parts and heart ; 
 With knowledge so do Thou inspire. 
 
 And teach me wisdom's part. 
 
76 THE PENITEiNTIAL PSALMS. Ps. li. 
 
 shall shew forth thy lips, O Lord : and my 
 
 praise. mouth shall shew thy 
 
 praise. 
 
 16 For thou desirest 
 
 not sacrifice; else would 10 For thou desirest no 
 
 I give it : thou delight- sacrifice, else would I give 
 
 est not in burnt-offering. it thee: but thou delightest 
 
 not in burnt-offerings. 
 
 17 The sacrifices of 
 
 God are a broken spirit : ^^ rp^^g sacrifice of God 
 
 a broken and a contrite is a troubled spirit: a broken 
 
 heart, O God, thou wilt ^nd contrite heart, O God, 
 
 not despise. ^halt thou not despise. 
 
 18 Do good in thy jg O be favourable and 
 good pleasure unto Zion : gi-acious unto Sion ; build 
 build thou the walls of ti^o^ ^he walls of Jeru- 
 Jerusalem. s^lem. 
 
 19 Then shalt thou be 19 Then shalt thou be 
 pleased with the sacri- pleased with the sacrifice 
 fices of righteousness, of righteousness, with the 
 
Ps. li. THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 
 
 6 
 
 Do Thou, Lord ! make me clean ; 
 
 With hyssop purify ; 
 
 Thou wash me : so I vvliiter e'en 
 
 Than snow shall be thereby. 
 7 
 Make me to hear the voice 
 
 Of gladness and of joy : 
 
 That so my mourning may rejoice, 
 
 xA.nd glee my woe employ. 
 8 
 Blot out my guilt of late, 
 
 And my past sin efface ; 
 Within me a new heart create, 
 And a right spirit place. 
 9 
 Lord ! cast me not away, 
 
 Nor wholly me forsake ; 
 
 Ne'er from me, reaving of Thy stay. 
 
 Thy holy spirit take. 
 
 10 
 
 Direct my goings each. 
 
 And keep Thou me from hurt : 
 
 So I '11 Thy ways to sinners teach. 
 
 And to Thee them convert. 
 11 
 Wash out my stain blood-hued, 
 
 Thou, my God and King ! 
 
 So, of Thy mercy still renewed, 
 
 My tongue shall ever sing. 
 
78 THP] PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. ]i. 
 
 with burnt offering and burnt-offerings and obla- 
 
 whole burnt offering : tions : then shall they 
 
 then shall they offer bul- offer young bullocks upon 
 
 locks upon thine altar. thine altar. 
 
 performed in the Sixtine Chapel at Rome on the evening of 
 Ash-Wednesday in The Holy Week. It is a fine instance of 
 
 the power of music when directed by skill ^judgement and 
 
 taste : for, this consists of only a few simple notes ; but, com- 
 bined as they are in a scientific — sustained — and perfectly- 
 executed harmony, their eflfect is wonderfully fine quite 
 
 overpowering and seeming almost more than earthly. It is 
 
 the very sublime of devotional song. 
 
 * Composed by AUegri circa 1635. 
 
Ps. li. THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 79 
 
 12 
 
 Ope Thou my lips, O Lord ! 
 
 So will I tell Thy praise; 
 To Thee, my Saviour God ador'd ! 
 
 My laudful voice I '11 raise. 
 
 13 
 
 Thou dost not but desire 
 
 Burnt- offerings to receive; 
 Thou dost not only gifts require ; 
 
 Else would I them Thee give. 
 
 14 
 
 A spirit under smnrt 
 
 Is Thy best sacrifice ; 
 A broken nnd a contrite heart, 
 
 God ! Thou 'It not despise. 
 
 15 
 In Thy good pleasure, Lord ! 
 
 O'er Zion cast Thy shield ; 
 ]Make Thou her gates to be restor'd, 
 
 Thy Salem's walls upbuild. 
 
 10 
 Then, on Thy altar laid. 
 
 Shall gifts for Thee be kept ; 
 And righteousness's offerings paid 
 
 Well-pleas'd shalt Thou accept. 
 
80 
 
 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 
 
 PSALM CII. 
 
 BIBLE VERSION. 
 
 LITURGY VERSION. 
 
 A prayer of the afflicted, 
 when he is over- 
 whelmed, and poureth 
 out his complaint be- 
 fore the Lord. 
 
 Domine, exaudi. 
 
 Hear my prayer, O 
 Lord, and let my cry 
 come unto thee. 
 
 2 Hide not thy face 
 from me in the day when 
 I am in trouble : incline 
 thine ear unto me ; in 
 the day when I call an- 
 swer me speedily. 
 
 3 For my days are 
 consumed like smoke, 
 and my bones are burned 
 as an hearth. 
 
 Hear my prayer, O Lord : 
 and let my crying come 
 unto thee. 
 
 2 Hide not thy face from 
 me in the time of my trou- 
 ble : inchne thine ear unto 
 me when I call; O hear 
 me, and that right soon. 
 
 3 For my days are con- 
 sumed away like smoke : 
 and my bones are burnt 
 up as it were a firebrand. 
 
THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 81 
 
 PSALM Oil.* 
 
 A PSALM OF COMPLAINT FOR THE AFFLICTION OF THE 
 CHURCH AND PERSONALLY THAT OF THE PSALMIST. 
 
 Fii'st Version. 
 LIST my prayer ; now, when implor'd. 
 
 Ne'er from me turn aside ; 
 Now in my troublous time, O Lord ! 
 
 Thy face ne'er from me hide. 
 
 to me now incline Thine ear ; 
 
 Now hear and answer me ; 
 Now, when I call, my crying hear ; 
 
 haste, and set me free. 
 3 
 For, e'en as smoke, to vapour turn'd. 
 
 My days consume away ; 
 As 't were a brand with fire up-burn'd, 
 
 My wasting bones decay. 
 4 
 My heart is stricken down, as dead, 
 
 Like wither'd grass and dry ; 
 That I forget to eat my bread, 
 
 Nor seek my food's supply. 
 
 * See Notes to the Psalms. 
 
82 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. cii. 
 
 4 My heart is smitten, 4 My heart is smitten 
 and withered like grass ; down, and withered hke 
 so that I forget to eat S^^^^ = so that I forget to 
 
 1 1 eat my hread. 
 
 my bread. ^ 
 
 5 By reason of the 5 For the voice of my 
 voice of my groaning, my groaning, my bones will 
 bones cleave to my skin. ^^^^^^ ^^^^^ve to my flesh. 
 
 6 I am like a pelican q i am become like a 
 
 p , 1 -IT T pelican in the wilderness ; 
 
 01 the wilderness : 1 am ^ 
 
 and like an owl that is in 
 like an owl of the desert, the desert. 
 
 7 I watch, and am as ^ I have watched; and 
 
 am even as it were a spar- 
 
 a sparrow alone upon , . , , 
 
 ^ * row, that sitteth alone up- 
 
 the house top. on the house-top. 
 
Ps. cii. THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 83 
 
 5 
 
 I sorrow with incessant moans ; 
 
 I nothing do but grieve ; 
 Thro my continued plaint, my hones 
 
 Seem to my skin to cleave. 
 6 
 I 'm like the wilderness's fowl, 
 
 The pelican, become ; 
 And like unto the desert's owl. 
 
 Where in his lonely home. 
 7 
 I 've watch'd, till wearied and outworn ; 
 
 I *m like the sparrow,* where 
 She on the house-top sits forlorn, 
 
 All solitary there. 
 
 8 
 Yea all the day, with rage incens'd, 
 
 Mine enemies me revile ; 
 And they that hate me, sworn against. 
 
 Upon me wreak their guile. 
 9 
 For, still, on grief and sorrow fed, 
 
 In mournfulness nought cheers, 
 I Ve eaten ashes as my bread, 
 
 And mix'd my drink with tears : 
 10 
 Because of Thy dread wrath, and thro 
 
 Thine indignation's frown : 
 For Thou didst set me up :* so, too. 
 
 Thou now hast cast me down. 
 
 Ses Notes to the Psalms. 
 
 f2 
 
84 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. cii. 
 
 8 Mine enemies re- 8 Mine enemies revile 
 proacli me all the day ; me all the day long : and 
 and they, that are mad they, that are made upon 
 against me, are sworn ^^^ ^^^ g^^Q^n together 
 against me. ^^^^^^^ ^^^ 
 
 9 For I have eaten 9 For I have eaten 
 ashes like bread, and ashes as it were bread, 
 mingled my drink with and mingled my drink 
 weeping; with weeping: 
 
 10 Because of thine in- 10 And that because 
 dignation and thy wrath : of thine indignation and 
 for thou hast lifted me wrath : for thou hast taken 
 up, and cast me down. me up, and cast me down. 
 
 1 1 My days are hke 1 1 My days are gone 
 a shadow that dechneth j like a shadow : and I am 
 
Ps. cii. THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 85 
 
 11 
 
 As fades a shadow lengthening out. 
 
 My days consume away ; 
 I 'm e'en as grass, distrewn ahout, 
 
 Cut down and in decay. 
 
 1^ 
 But Thou, Lord ! for aye as now, 
 
 Mak'st Thy memorial sure : 
 Throughout all generations Thou 
 Shalt evermore endure. 
 13 
 Now shalt Thou rise, gracious Lord ! 
 
 And mercy on Sion have : 
 Her time is come to be restor'd,^ 
 Thy appointed time to save. 
 14 
 Yea do Thy servants love her stones ; 
 
 They mourn her sunk degree ; 
 And them, where in the dust she moans, 
 It pitieth sore to see. 
 15 
 So shall the Heathen fear Thy Name, 
 
 Thereof with dread shall hear ; 
 And every where Earth's Kings, the same. 
 Thy Majesty shall lear. 
 16 
 For Thou Thy Sion shalt upbuild, 
 
 And shalt Thou make Thee known : 
 And shall Thy glory be reveal 'd, 
 In all its brightness shown : 
 
 * See Notes to the Psalms. 
 
86 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. cii. 
 
 and I am withered withered hke grass. 
 like grass. 
 
 12 But thou, O Lord, 12 But thou, O Lord, 
 shalt endure for ever ; shalt endure for ever ; and 
 and thy remembrance thy remembrance through- 
 unto all generations. out all generations. 
 
 13 Thou shalt arise, 13 Thou shalt arise, and 
 and have mercy upon have mercy upon Sion : 
 Zion: for the time to for it is time that thou 
 favour her, yea, the set have mercy upon her, yea, 
 time is come. the time is come. 
 
 14 For thy servants 14 And why? thy ser- 
 take pleasure in her vants think upon her 
 stones, and favour the stones : and it pitieth them 
 dust thereof. to see her in the dust. 
 
Ps. cii. THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 87 
 
 17 
 
 Then Thou, no longer pass'd unheard 
 
 Shalt list the wretched's prayer ; 
 
 Nor shalt reject their suit preferr'd, 
 But the depress'd upbear. 
 18 
 
 For after times shall this he writ', 
 
 O'er Earth His lauds to raise ; 
 And unborn Nations, telling it, 
 
 Shall bless The Lord and praise 
 
 19 
 " Yea, from His Sanctuary on high, 
 
 " Adown did He look forth ; 
 
 " From out His Heaven, still to us nigh, 
 
 '' The Lord beheld the Earth. 
 20 
 " Thence He the prisoners' groans did hear, 
 
 " And bid their thraldom cease ; 
 
 " Thence did to the condemn'd give ear, 
 
 " And them from death release." 
 21 
 So they The Lord's great Name avow'd 
 
 In Sion shall declare ; 
 
 And in Jerusalem, aloud, 
 
 His praise proclaim all there. 
 22 
 Together when the Peoples all 
 
 Assembled there attend ; 
 
 To worship Him, upon Him call, 
 
 And at His altars bend. 
 
88 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. cii. 
 
 15 So the heathen 15 The heathen shall 
 shall fear the name of the fear thy Name, O Lord : 
 Lord, and all the kmgs and all the kings of the 
 of the earth thy glory. ^^'^^ ^^V ^^^^'^V > 
 
 16 When the Lord iq When the Lord shall 
 shall build up Zion, he build up Sion : and when 
 shall appear in his glory, his glory shall appear ; 
 
 17 He will regard 17 Whenheturnethhim 
 the prayer of the des- unto the prayer of the poor 
 titute, and not despise destitute, and despiseth not 
 their prayer. their desire. 
 
 18 This shall be writ- 18 This shall be written 
 ten for the generation to for those that come after : 
 come : and the people and the people which 
 
Cll. 
 
 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 89 
 
 23 
 
 He, on my journey, hath my strength 
 
 Brought down and prostrate laid ; 
 My days, abridging of their length, 
 
 He in their course hath stav'd. 
 24 
 But (I said) in midst my days 
 
 Now take me not away, 
 For Thee, God ! Thy time still stays, 
 
 Thy years have no decay. 
 
 'T was Thou in the beginning first 
 
 That Earth's foundations laid'st ; 
 The Heavens are Thy hands' work from erst ; 
 
 Thou all Creation mad'st. 
 26 
 They all shall perish with impair : 
 
 While Thou dost still abide : 
 They, as a vesture, shall outwear, 
 
 Decayed, and cast aside. 
 27 
 Yea Thou shalt change them, and new frame, 
 
 E'en as a raiment-piece. 
 But Thou art ever, still the same ; 
 
 Nor shall Thy years e'er cease. 
 28 
 Here let Thy servants' children last. 
 
 Firm settled in the land ; 
 And, in Thy sight, establish'd fast, 
 
 Their seed for ever stand. 
 
 * See Notes to the Psalms. 
 
90 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. cii. 
 
 which shall be created shall be born shall praise 
 shall praise the Lord. the Lord. 
 
 19 For he hath looked ^9 For he hath looked 
 down from the height of down from his sanctuary : 
 his sanctuary ; from hea- out of the heaven did the 
 ven did the Lord behold Lord behold the earth : 
 the earth ; 
 
 20 To hear the groan- 20 That he might hear 
 ing of the prisoner ; to ^^^ mournings of such as 
 
 - , , are in captivity, and deliver 
 
 loose those that are ap- 
 
 the children appointed un- 
 pointed to death : 
 
 to death ; 
 
 21 To declare the 21 That they may de» 
 name of the Lord in clare the Name of the 
 Zion, and his praise in Lord in Sion, and his wor- 
 Jerusalem ; ship at Jerusalem ; 
 
Ps. cii. THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 91 
 
 Second Version. 
 
 Lord ! hear my prayer, my crying hear ; 
 
 Nor from me turn Thy face away ; 
 Now in my trouble give me ear, 
 
 Nor in Thy answering make delay. 
 
 2 
 For, e'en as smoke, my days off-fume ; 
 
 My heart, like grass, dry wither'd lies ; 
 My limbs, like upburn'd brands, consume ; 
 
 For rest my soul incessant cries. 
 
 3 
 My food do I forget, with ill ; 
 
 With woe oppress'd, I ceaseless grieve ; 
 Thro my complaining, moaning still, 
 
 My skin seems to my bones to cleave. 
 
 4 
 I 'm like the wildernesses bird. 
 
 The desert's fowl, where silent flits ; 
 E'en as the sparrow, mournful heard, 
 
 That lonely on the housetop sits. 
 
 5 
 My foes still taunt me : sorrow-fed, 
 
 In ceaseless wail, me nothing cheers ; 
 I 've eaten ashes as my bread. 
 
 And with my drink commingled tears : 
 
92 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. cii. 
 
 22 When the people 22 When the people are 
 are gathered together, gathered together, and the 
 and the kmgdoms, to kingdoms also, to serve 
 
 - ^ the Lord, 
 serve the Lord. 
 
 23 He weakened my 23 He brought down 
 strength in the way ; he ^y strength in my journey, 
 shortened my days. ^"^ shortened my days. 
 
 24 I said, O my God, 24 But I said, O my 
 take me not away in the God, take me not away in 
 midst of my days : thy the midst of mine age : as 
 years are throughout ^^^ ^hy years, they endure 
 all generations. throughout all generations. 
 
 25 Of old hast thou 25 Thou, Lord, in the 
 laid the foundations of beginning hast laid the 
 the earth : and the hea- foundation of the earth : 
 
Ps. cii. THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 93 
 
 G 
 
 Thro Thy dread anger threatening nigh, 
 And thro Thine indignation's frown : 
 For Thou didst set me up on high ; 
 
 And Thou, Lord ! hast cast me down. 
 7 
 As wither'd grass, so quickly past. 
 
 Like evening shadows are my days. 
 
 But Thou 'rt for ever, 'stablish'd fast ; 
 
 And Thy remembrance ne'er decays. 
 8 
 Now shalt Thou rise ; nor more defer. 
 
 But mercy on Thy Zion have : 
 
 Is come the time for succouring her, 
 
 Is come her promis'd time to save. 
 9 
 Her dust is to Thy servants dear. 
 
 And pleasure in her stones they take 
 
 So shall His Name the Heathen fear^ 
 
 And Earth's all Kings before Him quake : 
 10 
 For He His Zion shall upbuild, 
 
 In all His glory when to rise, 
 He o'er the oppress'd will cast His shield, 
 
 Nor will the wretched's prayer dispise. 
 11 
 This, for the generations all 
 
 To come, the writers shall record ; 
 And o'er all Earth, for this withal, 
 
 The yet unborn shall praise the Lord — 
 
94 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. cii. 
 
 vens are the work of and the heavens are the 
 thy hands. work of thy hands. 
 
 26 They shall perish, 26 They shall perish, 
 
 but thou shalt endure : 
 they all shall wax old as 
 doth a garment : 
 
 but thou shalt endure : 
 yea, all of them shall wax 
 old like a garment ; as a 
 vesture shalt thou change 
 them, and they shall 
 be changed : 
 
 2/ But thou art the 27 And as a vesture 
 
 shalt thou change them, 
 same, and thy years shall 
 
 and they shall be changed : 
 
 have no end. but thou art the same, and 
 
 thy years shall not fail. 
 
 28 The children of thy 28 The children of thy 
 
 servants shall continue, servants shall continue : 
 
 and their seed shall be and their seed shall stand 
 
 established before thee. fast in thy sight. 
 
Ps. cii. THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 95 
 
 12 
 
 " Yea, from His Sanctuary's height, 
 
 " He look'd adown with pitying eye ; 
 
 " To cheer the prisoner's darksome night, 
 
 " And save the appointed ones to die. 
 13 
 " His Name shall Zion so declare, 
 
 " And so Jerusalem His praise ; 
 
 " When there the Peoples gather'd are, 
 
 '* To Him their homage-songs to raise." 
 14 
 My days Thou 'st shorten'd of their length, 
 
 My powers enfeebled with decay : 
 
 In midst my path, and in my strength, 
 
 Lord ! now take me not away. 
 15 
 Thy years throughout all ages last. 
 
 All comes of Thee: Thou all things mad'st; 
 
 The Heavens are Thy hands' work ; bas'd fast, 
 
 Of old Thou Earth's foundations laid'st. 
 16 
 They end : But Thou continuest still : 
 
 They, as a garment, old shall grow ; 
 
 Thou, as a vesture, at Thy will, 
 
 Shalt change them ; and they changed shall show. 
 17 
 Thou 'rt still the same, whate'er betide ; 
 
 Thy years shall no conclusion see. 
 Lord ! let Thy servants' children bide, 
 Their seed before Thee stabhsliVl be. 
 
m 
 
 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 
 
 PSALM CXXX. 
 
 BIBLE VERSION. 
 
 A Song of degrees.* 
 
 Out of the depths have 
 I have cried unto thee, 
 Lord. 
 
 2 Lord, hear my 
 voice : let thine ears be 
 attentive to the voice of 
 my supphcations. 
 
 3 If thou. Lord, 
 shouldest mark iniqui- 
 ties, O Lord, who shall 
 stand. 
 
 4 But there is forgive- 
 ness with thee, that thou 
 mayest be feared. 
 
 LITURGY VERSION. 
 
 De profundis. 
 
 Out of the deep have I 
 called unto thee, O Lord : 
 Lord, hear my voice. 
 
 2 O let thine ears con- 
 sider well the voice of my 
 complaint, 
 
 3 If thou. Lord, wilt be 
 extreme to mark what is 
 done amiss ; 0. Lord, who 
 may abide it. 
 
 4 For there is mercy 
 with thee : therefore shalt 
 thou be feared. 
 
 * See Notes to the Psalms. 
 
THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 97 
 
 PSALM CXXX* 
 
 A PSALM GENERALLY OP PRAYER UNTO GOD. 
 
 First Versmi. 
 
 1 
 Out of woe's depths,* O Lord ! 
 
 To Thee, I 've rais'd my cry : 
 
 Now hear my voice and plaint outpoured ; 
 
 Now hear me, nor deny. 
 2 
 Should'st Thou mark all amiss, 
 
 Who might Thy judgement bide ! 
 
 But, Lord ! with Thee there pardon is ; 
 
 Tho from Thee turn'd aside. 
 3 
 My soul looks for Him still ; 
 
 Yea still I wait The Lord ; 
 
 My soul Him waits, bow'd to His will ; 
 
 My trust is in His word. 
 4 
 As those who watch the day,* 
 
 I seek The Lord, thro night ; 
 
 My soul* seeks for Him, more than they 
 
 Who watch the morning light. 
 5 
 Trust in The Lord, and wait : 
 
 Here Israel's hope has ground ; 
 
 * Notes to the Psalms. 
 
98 
 
 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. CXXX. 
 
 5 I wait for the Lord, 5 I look for the Lord ; 
 my soul doth wait, and my soul doth wait for him : 
 in his word do I hope. in his word is my trust. 
 
 6 My soul waiteth for 6 My soul fleeth unto 
 the Lord more than they the Lord : before the morn- 
 
 that watch for the morn- 
 ing : / sayt more than 
 they that watch for 
 the morning. 
 
 7 Let Israel hope in 
 the Lord : for with the 
 Lord there is mercy, 
 and with him is plent- 
 eous redemption. 
 
 8 And he shall re- 
 deem Israel from all his 
 iniquities. 
 
 ing watch, I say, before the 
 morning watch. 
 
 7 O Israel, trust in the 
 Lord : for with the Lord 
 there is mercy ; and 
 with him is plenteous 
 redemption. 
 
 8 And he shall redeem 
 Israel from all bis sins. 
 
Ps. CXXX. THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 
 
 For that with Him is mercy greats 
 
 And full redemption found. 
 6 
 The Lord the sinner frees ; 
 
 He will deliver him : 
 
 And, from all their iniquities. 
 
 He Israel will redeem. 
 
 Second Version. 
 
 I 
 From woe's all lowest depths, Lord ! 
 
 To Thee I 've cried : Thine ear now lend , 
 
 Now hear my plaint, to Thee outpour'd ; 
 
 My supplication's voice attend. 
 2 
 If Thou should'st mark whate'er amiss, 
 
 Who might before Thee stand unseared ! 
 
 But, Lord ! with Thee forgiveness is ; 
 
 That so Thou may'st be loved, as feared. 
 3 
 My trust upon The Lord I lay ; 
 
 My hope is in His word, thro strait ; 
 
 My soul looks for Him more than they 
 
 Who thro night's watch the morning wait. 
 4 
 Let Israel hope in Him, who frees ; 
 
 For stintless mercy is with Him : 
 
 And, from all her iniquities. 
 
 Her He, with pardon, will redeem. 
 
 G 2 
 
100 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 
 
 PSALM CXLIII. 
 
 BIBLE VERSION. LITURGY VERSION. 
 
 A Psalm of David. Domine, exaudi. 
 
 Hear my prayer, O Hear my prayer, O 
 
 Lord, give ear to my Lord, and consider my 
 
 supplications : in thy desire: hearken unto me 
 
 faithfulness answer me, for thy truth and right- 
 
 «7ic? in thy righteousness. eousness sake. 
 
 2 And enter not into 2 And enter not into 
 judgment with thy ser- judgment with thy ser- 
 vant : for in thy sight vant : for in thy sight 
 shall no man living be shall no man living be 
 justified. justified. 
 
 3 For the enemy hath 3 For the enemy hath 
 
THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 10] 
 
 PSALM OXLIII. 
 
 A PSALM OP DAVID: UNDER OPPRESSION FROM HIS ENEMIES, 
 
 First Version. 
 
 1 
 
 Lord ! list my prayer : in this distress 
 
 My supplication hear ; 
 For Thy truth's sake and righteousness^ 
 
 Now to my plaint give ear. 
 
 2 
 Nor judge Thy servant : since none can, 
 
 Offenceless be with Thee : 
 For in Thy sight no living man 
 
 E'er justified shall be. 
 
 3 
 For, the enemy, with ceaseless strife, 
 
 Doth vex my soul and wound ; 
 Yea he hath smitten down my life, 
 
 Down even to the ground. 
 
 4 
 
 To caverns doth he me compel. 
 
 Wherein to hide my head ; 
 In darkness doth he make me dwell. 
 
 As those long since that dead. 
 
102 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. CXliii. 
 
 persecuted my soul : he persecuted my soul ; he 
 hath smitten my life hath smitten my hfe down 
 to the ground; he hath 
 
 down to the ground ; 
 he hath made me to 
 dwell in darkness, as 
 those that have been 
 long dead. ^^^S dead 
 
 laid me in the darkness, as 
 the men that have been 
 
 4 Therefore is my 4 Therefore is my spirit 
 
 spirit overwhelmed with- vexed within me : and 
 
 in me ; my heart within ^Y heart within me is 
 
 me is desolate. desolate. 
 
 5 I remember the days 5 Yet do I remember 
 
 ^ ,, ^ ,. , -, the time past; I muse up- 
 
 of old ; I meditate on all 
 
 on all thy works; yea, I 
 thy works ; I muse on ^^^^^.^^ ^^^^^^ .^ ^^^ 
 
 the work of thy hands. works of thy hands. 
 
 6 I stretch forth my 6 1 stretch forth my 
 
Ps. Cxliii. THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 103 
 
 5 
 
 Within me thence my spirit faints, 
 
 Oppressed heyond to bear ; 
 
 Thence is my heart, with ceaseless plaints, 
 
 All desolate and drear. 
 6 
 I mind the days of olden date, 
 
 The past I o'er-peruse ; 
 
 Still on Thy acts I meditate, 
 
 On Thy hands' work I muse. 
 7 
 To Thee do I stretch forth my hands ; 
 
 I long with Thee to he ; 
 
 As thirst for rain the droughted lands, 
 
 My soul still thirsts for Thee. 
 8 
 O hear me soon : For, strength -deprived, 
 
 I 'm like to them laid low : 
 Yea let me speedily, revived. 
 
 Thy loving-kindness know. 
 9 
 On Thee I trust : my hope ne'er balk ; 
 
 Lord ! help me with Thine aid : 
 Show me the way wherein to walk : 
 
 For all on Thee I 'm stay'd. 
 10 
 Deliver me from my enemies ; 
 
 Me 'neath Thy covert hide : 
 To Thee my soul affrighted flees. 
 For shelter Thee beside. 
 
]04 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. Cxliii. 
 
 hands unto thee : my hands unto thee : my soul 
 
 soul thirsteth after thee, gaspeth unto thee, as a 
 
 as a thirsty land. Selah. thirsty land. 
 
 7 Hear me speedily, 7 Hear me, O Lord, and 
 Lord : my spirit fail- that soon; for my spirit 
 eth : hide not thy face waxeth faint : hide not thy 
 from me, lest I be like face from me, lest I be 
 unto them that go down like unto them that go 
 into the pit. down into the pit. 
 
 8 Cause me to hear 8 O let me hear thy 
 thy loving-kindness in loving-kindness betimes in 
 the morning ; for in thee the morning ; for in thee 
 do I trust : cause me to is my trust : shew thou 
 know the way wherein I me the way that I should 
 should walk ; for I lift walk in ; for I lift up my 
 up my soul unto thee. soul unto thee. 
 
Ps. cxliii. THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 105 
 
 11 
 
 Teach me, O Lord ! Thy will to do, 
 
 In all, as may ordain : 
 Let Thy good spirit lead me into, 
 
 And in Thy paths maintain. 
 12 
 For Thy Name's sake, O Lord my God ! 
 
 And for Thy mercy's sake, 
 
 My soul, uplifting where down trod'. 
 
 From out its troubles take. 
 13 
 And my enemies smite ; their rage controul, 
 
 And from them set me free : 
 Destroy Thou them that vex my soul : 
 
 For still I wait on Thee. 
 
 Second Version. 
 
 1 
 Lord ! hear my prayer ; now gracious be. 
 
 And answer to my suing give : 
 Nor judge Thy servant : For, with Thee, 
 
 Can none be justified that live. 
 2 
 For the enemy my life has sought ; 
 
 Pursuing me, with malice fell : 
 As those, that, long since dead, are nought, 
 
 In darkness has ho made me dwell. 
 
106 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. Cxliii. 
 
 9 Deliver me, O 9 Deliver me, O Lord, 
 Lord, from mine ene- from mine enemies : for I 
 mies: I flee unto thee flee unto thee to hide me. 
 to hide me. 
 
 10 Teach me to do 10 Teach me to do the 
 
 ^, -n n J.-I . thing that pleaseth thee; 
 
 thy will ; for thou art ^ ^ 
 
 for thou art my God : 
 my God: thy spirit is 
 
 let thy loving Spirit lead 
 
 ffood ; lead me into the ^ ^i • . *i n a 
 
 ° me lorth mto the land 
 
 land of uprightness. of righteousness. 
 
 11 Quicken me, O 11 Quicken me, O Lord, 
 
 Lord, for thy name's for thy Name's sake : and 
 
 sake : for thy righteous- for thy righteousness sake 
 
 ness' sake bring my soul bring my soul out of 
 
 out of trouble. ^^o^^le. 
 
Ps. Cxliii. THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 107 
 
 Thence sinks my spirit, as in thrall ; 
 
 My heart within me keeps recluse ; 
 I gone-by times to mind recall, 
 
 I on Thy dispensations muse. 
 
 4 
 To Thee do I stretch forth my hands ; 
 
 Still seeking Thee, who alone canst save 
 As crave drought-parch'd the thirsty lands, 
 
 For Thee still thirsting do I crave. 
 
 5 
 Lord ! hear me soon, now helpless left 
 
 Nor from me turn Thy face in frown : 
 For I am e'en as life-bereft, 
 
 As one that to the pit gone down. 
 
 6 
 Thy loving-kindness to me show ; 
 
 For all on Thee my trust I 've laid : 
 Show me the way that I should go ; 
 
 For still on Thee my soul is stay'd. 
 
 7 
 Deliver me from my enemies ; 
 
 Hide me with Thee, for shelter sure ; 
 Teach me Thy will, Thy law's decrees : 
 
 For Thou rt my God, in whom secure. 
 
108 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. Cxliii. 
 
 12 And of thy mercy 12 And of thy goodness 
 
 cut off mine enemies, and slay mine enemies ; and 
 
 destroy all them that af- destroy all them that 
 
 flict my soul : for I am vex my soul : for I am 
 
 thy servant. thy servant. 
 
Ps. Cxliii. THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 109 
 
 8 
 Thy spirit is with grace fiill-stor'd ; 
 
 Into uprightness' land me lead : 
 
 For Thy Name's sake, gracious Lord ! 
 
 Believe me Thou, now in my need. 
 
 9 
 Me, for Thy goodness' sake, relieve ; 
 
 From my enemies now set me free ; 
 Chastise Thou them that me aggrieve : 
 
 For still I ever wait on Thee. 
 
NOTES TO THE PSALMS. 
 
 *>ii* It may be noticed that the Punctuation in both 
 The Bible and Liturgy Versions of The Psalms, 
 but most especially the latter, is confessedly incorrect, 
 in many cases extremely so, so as very much to obscure 
 and confuse the sense. A remarkable instance of this 
 occurs in Verses 15 16 and 17 of Ps: cii. (which, for 
 the purpose of this illustration, are here left with their 
 stops unaltered) where, in The Bible Version, those 
 Verses, ending respectively with a full stop, present three 
 separate and distinct sentences having no necessary rela- 
 tion whatever : While, in The Liturgy Version, the 
 first and second (V: 15 and 16) being stopped at the end 
 with a semicolon, make the former (V : 15) to be condi- 
 tionally dependant on the other two — V: 16 and 17, 
 completing the proposition with the latter : making the 
 general sense in the two Versions quite different : The 
 Liturgy reading, as governed by the stops, being much 
 the better of the two (as evidently the sense equally in- 
 tended in both, and that generally understood by the 
 Commentators) has here been adopted : and the num- 
 bers of the Verses correspond. 
 
 This, tho perhaps an extreme case, shows the import- 
 ance of correct Punctuation : a real art, however often 
 lightly regarded by those who have not given it attention, 
 and affectedly depreciated by some who ought to know 
 better : an art, however apparently simple — and really so 
 if rightly apprehended, if to be judged of by its practice, 
 in general very little understood ; as hitherto taught upon 
 entirely mistaken principles ; tho founded upon laws as 
 
112 NOTES TO THE PSALMS. 
 
 certain as those of language, and that may be considered 
 a part — however secondary — of that science itself, be- 
 longing in fact to the thought still more than to its ex- 
 pression. Stops, in real fact, are words, and often equi- 
 valent to whole sentences. 
 
 It is to be observed, however, as to The Liturgy 
 Version, that this is punctuated with reference to the 
 music, the period and the colon being almost the only 
 stops there used ; as, when that Version was made, The 
 
 Psalms were always — not sung as now but intoned 
 
 or chanted with holding notes, as the Te Deum and 
 the fixed Psalms in the Prayer-Service are still. In 
 weighing the sense therefor in that Version, this 
 must always be kept in mind. 
 
 It may further be remarked, on this, that Stops in 
 general are much more necessary in Verse than in Prose; 
 from the more involved construction of the former, 
 
 its compression of the sense inversions — and frequent 
 
 ellipses ; and therefor require to be employed with 
 corresponding accuracy. Moreover, what might be 
 called ' The Inscriptive Style,' or a greater use of 
 periods and colons than in Prose, will often be found 
 particularly suitable to Verse ; as occasionally — tho diffi- 
 dently — here introduced. But all this said only in pass- 
 ing, and it is hoped not obtrusively. 
 
 In the Psalms here given, their Punctuation (with the 
 exception of the above-mentioned passage in Ps: cii.) has 
 been corrected in all the material parts, so as to make the 
 sense perfectly clear; and only leaving it unchanged where 
 it is a matter of mere grammatical precision. 
 
 This is a point by no means unworthy of considera- 
 tion in future Impressions of whether The Bible or 
 The Prayer-Book. 
 
NOTES TO THE PSALMS. 113 
 
 The Penitential Psalms. 
 
 When Galileo* was imprisoned by the Inquisition at 
 Rome, for asserting the Copernican System, he was en- 
 joined, as a penance, to repeat The Seven Penitential 
 Psalms every week for three years. Tnis must have been 
 intended as extorting a sort of confession from him of his 
 guilt and acknowledgement of the justice of his sentence; 
 and in which there certainly was some cleverness — and 
 indeed humour, however adding to the iniquity (or foolish- 
 ness) of the proceeding : Otherwise it is not easy to under- 
 stand what idea of painfulness or punishment the good 
 Fathers could attach to a devotional exercise such as this, 
 which, in whatever way, could only have been agreeable 
 and consoling to their prisoner. 
 
 Psalm vi. 
 
 V: 2. * My soul.' The word * soul' (nephesh) is used in 
 The Psalms, as generally in The Old Testament, 
 with great variety of signification: For 1°' Man gene- 
 rally, whether materially or spiritually or both ; as Ps. iii. 
 2. '2°' for the body living or dead ; as in Ps. xvi. 10, 
 last clause, and cv. 18. 3°" for existence or life; as here 
 
 in Ps. cxliii. 3. 4°' in our ordinary sense of it for the 
 
 undying spirit ; as in Ps. xvi. 10, first clause. 5°' for the 
 sentient faculty, or mind in its connection with life ; as 
 above and in Ps. xi. 1 ; as with more or fewer of these in 
 combination, and generally for all the modifications to 
 which they may generally be subject. The context then 
 is to be looked to for the precise sense intended ; and 
 which will always determine it with abundant clearness. 
 
 * Born 1.564. Died 1642. 
 
114 NOTES TO THE PSALMS. 
 
 Second Version. Second Versions (or Aliters) have 
 here been given of The Seven Psahns, for the sake of 
 adapting them to different Metres, as the variety may 
 sometimes seem desirable. 
 
 Psalm xxxii. 
 
 It may be noticed that In the Title to this Psalm the 
 
 first words "A Psalm " is not in the Hebrew, but sup- 
 plied in italics by the Translators ; and which is the case 
 in some others. It is no doubt from the omission being 
 considered as merely an ellipsis, obvious and naturally 
 to be filled up : the words appearing as necessary there 
 as in the Titles where they do occur. 
 
 Selah. This word, which appears at V: 4. 5. and 7. of 
 this Psalm, as frequently elsewhere in The Bible Ver- 
 sion,* is not known as what referring to; some sup- 
 posing one thing and some another; but it is more 
 generally thought to have been merely some annotation 
 for the music. 
 
 Its position at V : 7. here (as at Ps: xxiv. 6. xlvii. 4. 
 Ixxv. 3. and a few other places) might seem to imply that 
 it is a mark for a division of the subject ; for there is 
 there an entire change in it : tho that change necessarily 
 
 * It occurs there, after the Hebrew Text, seventy/ -one times, 
 and three times in Habakkuk c: iii. v: 9 and 13 : But in The 
 Septuagint, where rendered by Diapsalma or ' Change of 
 song/ oftener still ; clearly shewing that it was there 
 
 thought to refer if to the sense only so as connected 
 
 with the music. 
 
NOTES TO THE PSALMS. 115 
 
 induces the same in the music, and so may make it apply 
 to the latter only. And, where it occurs at V; 4 and 5, 
 there is (as generally) none such at all : This therefor 
 can go for nothing. 
 
 Indeed, from the very arbitrary — not to say accidental — 
 use of the word, the almost entire promiscuousness of 
 its presence ; sometimes occurring three or four times, 
 and at very short intervals, in the same Psalm ; and in by 
 far the greater number not at all (from Ps: xc to cxxxix 
 inclusive not once) and never in The Alphabetical 
 Psalms nor those without a Title, it is evident that it is 
 not used with any distinct method whatever as referring 
 to the sense. 
 
 In Ps: ix. 16. Selah occurs coupled with Higgaion : 
 which latter word is rendered in the margin of our anno- 
 tated Bibles * meditation ' ; while some of the commenta- 
 tors consider it a musical term apposed with the former. 
 At all events this conjunction of Selah with another word 
 
 of equally questionable or rather unknown import 
 
 shows the doubtfulness of any fixed moral meaning in it. 
 
 In a New Prose Translation of The Psalms, lately 
 published, ^^ there is a long dissertation on the word ; 
 the object of which is to identify it in every case with the 
 sense as a mark of division in it : tho, as to any specifi- 
 cation of the manner of this after an evident system, or 
 what it simply and really means, there is none whatever ; 
 as indeed there are no suflficient data for, tho the thing 
 
 * " A Literal Translation of The Psalms etc:" By the Revd. 
 J: Jehb. 2 vol: 8^o- London. 1846. 
 
 H 2 
 
110 NOTES TO THE PSALMS. 
 
 has often been attempted. On an examination of its in- 
 stances, which are 71 ; it occurs as more or less appa- 
 rently a division of the sense 37-'' times, 30f times with- 
 out any such — or obtrusively, and 4| times at the end of 
 a Psalm : while, as already said, it is perpetually absent 
 where it might be looked for to separate the sense. 
 See especially Ps: Ivii and Ixviii for instances of both 
 its random presence and its absence where it might 
 seem necessary. 
 
 It also appears in some of the Prayers still in use 
 among the Jews, and particularly in those called "The 
 Eighteen '' or more commonly " The Blessings :" where 
 the meaning generally attached to it is that of * complete- 
 ness' — as the nearest single word for the idea, an ex- 
 pression of full acquiescence or consent on the part of 
 the worshipper to either what he has been pouring forth 
 himself or what has been declared to or for him; in 
 much the same sense, only more emphatically, as we use 
 Amen — also a Hebrew word ; and that coupled with an 
 
 * Ps: iii. 2. iv. 2. vii. 5. xxiv. 6. xxxii. 4. 5. 7. xxxix. 11. 
 xUv. 8. xlvi. 3. 7. xlvii. 4. xlviii. 8. xUx. 5. 1. 6; Iii. 5. liv. 3. 
 Iv. 19. Ivii. 6. lix. 5. 13. Ixi. 4. Ixii. 4. 8. Ixvi. 4. 7. 15. Lxxv, 
 3. Ixxvi. 3. Ixxvii. 9. 15. Ixxxi. 7. Lxxxiii. 8. Ixxxix. 4. 37. 
 cxl. 5. 
 
 t Ps: iii. 4. iv. 4. ix. 16. xx. 3. xxi. 2. xxxix. 5. xlix. 13. 
 Iii. 3. Iv. 7. Ivii. 3. Ix. 4. Ixvii. 1. 4. Ixviii. 7. 19. 32. kxvii. 3. 
 Ixxxii. 2. Ixxxiv. 4. 8. Ixxxv. 2. Ixxxvii. 3. 6. Ixxxviii. 7. 10. 
 Ixxxix. 45. 48. cxl. 3. 8. cxliii. 6. 
 
 X Ps: iii. ix. xxiv. xlvi. 
 
NOTES TO THE PSALMS. 117 
 
 idea of enduringness or perpetuity, however in most of 
 the cases nothing seems particularly to call for or point 
 to this. Tho the above is against the notion of its being 
 a musical annotation ; unless it be considered — what is 
 the fact — that these Prayers are said in a sort of chant, 
 and may thus be subject to such marks. On the other 
 hand, as showing its apparent connection with music, — 
 out of the thirty-nine Psalms where it occurs, thirty- one 
 have musical Titles. But all this only shows its real 
 unintelligibleness. 
 
 For a very minute — tho not the more satisfactory — 
 dissertation upon the word, see Mr. Home's " Introduc- 
 tion to The Scriptures." Art: Psalms; where i.a. it 
 seems that some suppose it to stand for Hallelujah : but 
 which, however ingenious the idea, is in by far the 
 greater number of instances not in the least borne out 
 by the context. 
 
 It seems not unhkely that, — In its origin, the word 
 was a musical mark, of course (as already said) with 
 some general reference to the sense, and so in some 
 measure arbitrary ; but that insensibly, in course of time, 
 from some change in the chant or in the manner of an- 
 notation, it came to have a conventional and prescriptive 
 meaning ; and so, not being amenable to the general laws 
 of the language, would naturally be applied with some 
 vagueness, and thus be liable to farther varieties of sig- 
 nification ; as in fact we find it now apparently used. 4^ 
 
 In the Latin Vulgate it does not appear at all : no 
 doubt the reason of its absence in our Liturgy Version ; 
 a like evidence of its not having been thought to have any 
 distinct reference to the sense : as neither in the Romish 
 
118 NOTES TO THE PSALMS. 
 
 Bibles in general ; tlio it does in all the Protestant ones, 
 from their greater conference with the Hebrew. It might, 
 perhaps well be dropped in future impressions of our 
 own ; as but serving to perplex and encumber, and thus 
 only in the way. 
 
 V : 5. ' Thou, with deliverance songs, in ill.' 
 
 The Commentators are very much at a loss satisfac- 
 torily to explain these words. But, if their more obvious 
 meaning be taken, instead of searching for all the senses 
 they may possibly bear, it will appear plain enough, 
 namely — an elliptical manner of expression for giving the 
 Psalmist occasion to sing ' songs of grateful rejoicing for 
 
 deliverance', from whether enemies — danger affliction — 
 
 or whatever other evil. 
 
 The true sense of such passages is not unfrequently 
 missed ; by supposing it to lie very deep, while in real 
 fact it is on the surface. 
 
 V : 6. ' The Lord hath said etc :' 
 
 It cannot be necessary to point out to those who read 
 
 The Psalms with any attention That they are often 
 
 broken into parts (r.s in what is called Antiphonal sing- 
 ing) which belong to different interlocutors or speakers, 
 
 such as — for illustration the personages in a drama, but 
 
 in fact here the several persons Priests Worshippers or 
 
 Others — by whom they were recited or sung. This will 
 account for and serve to explain many of the transitions, 
 that otherwise would seem disjointed or be unmtelligible. 
 For instance here V : 6 and 7 are assumed to be uttered 
 from the altar as an oracle : while the previous ones have 
 
NOTES TO THE PSALMS. Il9 
 
 been the Worshipper's confession, and those subsequent 
 are the exhortation either of himself or the Psalmist or 
 Priest for him. 
 
 As, however, it is not at all necessary that such divi- 
 sions should be constantly marked in a Version intended 
 for modern singing, they are here (as usually done) 
 blended with the general burthen of the Song, as 
 they are_tho more abruptly—in The Authorised 
 Versions. 
 
 In qualification of the above, however, it may be 
 remarked generally that — Change of person, or other 
 transitions, being often very abrupt in Scripture (as in 
 Oriental compositions in general) such may sometimes 
 suggest the notion of a diversity of interlocutors, tho 
 really no more than the usual idiom of the language 
 in monologue. Due attention then must be given to 
 the context, the object and design of the Piece, before 
 deciding on the point. 
 
 Psalm li. 
 
 This Psalm is generally — indeed has always been, ac- 
 cording to its Title, ascribed to David-'^ in his penitence 
 for his crime against Uriah. Bp. Horsley,t however, 
 chooses to consider this erroneous : from, as he con- 
 
 * The Title in The Bible Version, so referring it, is in 
 the Hebrew. 
 
 t " The Book of Psalms. Translated from the Hebrew etc: 
 1815." Which, however so miscalled, is only a partial and in- 
 complete work ; being a posthumous pubhcation, left unfinished 
 at his death, and so given to the world. 
 
120 NOTES TO THE PSALMS. 
 
 tends, V : 4. b. v. (here 3) not being applicable to him : 
 as it speaks of God alone being sinned against ; and the 
 last two Verses, which, he says (with Mudge and some 
 '>thers) can only refer to the time of the Babylonian 
 -^aptivity. 
 
 But these are the weakest possible reasons for attempt- 
 ing to subvert the well-grounded and long-established 
 opinion on its occasion and subject; and which seems, 
 to say the least of it, most entirely unnecessary. The 
 exclusive reference to God in V : 4 is obviously only an 
 emphatical declaration of the Psalmist's sinfulness before 
 Him whom he had chiefly and far more than man 
 thereby offended. And, as to the last two Verses, — tho 
 their connection with what precedes them is not at first 
 sight very apparent, yet, taking them in a figurative 
 sense as imploring generally the favour of God for 
 the City and Kingdom over which the penitent King 
 ruled, there is no violence whatever done to the general 
 sense and leading idea of the Piece, but only giving it a 
 consoling and satisfactory close. 
 
 V: 4. 'In sin my mother me conceiv'd.' 
 This of course is only a periphrasis, a circuitous or 
 figurative manner of speech, for ' I am a great sinner: I 
 have been so from my youth up.' To take it literally 
 would be doing violence to other the very words of Scrip- 
 ture. Nevertheless it may perhaps be understood as re- 
 ferring to the stain of original sin. 
 
 V: 6. ' With hyssop do Thou purify.' 
 This is said by metonymy : " hyssop" not being here 
 named with reference to its medicinal properties, tho so 
 
NOTES TO THE PSALMS. 12 J 
 
 imagined by some of the Commentators, but only from 
 its use as an instrument of aspersion. (See Numbers 
 C: xix. 18, where it is clearly used in that sense.) Per- 
 sons under uncleanness, whether from having touched a 
 dead body or being infected with leprosy, were purified 
 by being sprinkled with a branch or bunch of hyssop 
 dipped in consecrated water : See Leviticus xiv. 7 and 
 52. If the word be rightly rendered in John xix. 29, 
 where the sponge filled with vinegar presented to The 
 Saviour, which is said to have been put upon a stick of 
 it, the plant must have grown to a pretty considerable 
 height in Judea, tho generally it is but a shrub. 
 
 Psalm cii. 
 
 This Psalm is not one of David's, and is not as- 
 signed to any particular author. It is not unhkely to 
 have been written by one of the Prophets during the 
 Babylonian captivity. 
 
 V : 7. 2. ' r m like the sparrow^ etc :' 
 The precise nature of the bird here mentioned {tzip- 
 por) rendered " sparrow '' is altogether uncertain, and 
 
 * The accounts given of the Sparrow (Passer) by the 
 Naturahsts are somewhat contradictory ; it being called in 
 diiferent passages both gregarious and unsocial : And it is not 
 easy to make out from them if this refers to diversities of the 
 Bird or to differences obtaining in it generally according to 
 circumstances. There is a species of it named from its as- 
 sumed loneUness (perhaps borrowing this from The Vulgate) 
 
122 NOTES TO THE PSALMS. 
 
 the Commentators very much differ about it : One of 
 them* considers it is not a bird that is intended, but ' a 
 wild-goat of the rock', to which the Psalmist compares 
 himself; he — and not the animal — being on the "house- 
 top" (which in the East are flat roofs) retired there for 
 solitude. It is clear and quite sufficient that it was some 
 bird, which, Uke our sparrow, frequented the roofs of 
 the houses : and, as in almost every other similar in- 
 stance, nothing can be better than the general sense 
 of The Authorized Version. 
 
 V : 10. ' For Thou didst set me up : So too 
 'Thou now hast cast me down.' 
 
 Some of the Translations render this passage, not as 
 above in antithesis, but only stating its latter point, 
 and — for the former — describing The Lord (of course 
 all figuratively) to have — " taken (or lifted) the Psalmist 
 " up in order to throw him down with the greater fall" ! 
 An attributing this of mechanical artifice, which, how- 
 ever legitimate as applied to men and of allowable ascrip- 
 tion to Pagan Divinities, is unspeakably derogatory to 
 the majesty of The Deity. 
 
 The true sense is obviously as here given, con- 
 trasting the now displeasure of The Lord with His 
 previous favour. 
 
 Passer Solitarius : And, in corroboration of which, Buffon 
 derives the French name Moineau from the Greek monos — 
 ' single ' ; the without absolutely asserting that its habits 
 warrant this. So that nothing positive is to be deduced about 
 the matter from their authority. 
 
 * Fry J: Lyra Davidis. 8^"- London. 1819. 
 
NOTES TO THE PSALMS. 128 
 
 V : 13. ' Her time is come to be restored etc :' 
 This *'time" is supposed to refer to the expiration of 
 the seventy years appointed for the Babylonian Captivity. 
 The Psalm is not assigned to any particular Author; and 
 is not unlikely to have been written by one of the Pro- 
 phets during that exile. 
 
 V: 14. ' Yea do Thy servants love her stones etc:' 
 This is not at all exaggerated. It is traditionally re- 
 corded that, when the Jews were taken captive to Baby- 
 lon, they carried with them of the soil and stones of 
 Jerusalem wherewith to erect a Place of Worship in 
 their land of exile. And to this day pious Israelites, who 
 make the pilgrimage of the Holy City, bring back with 
 them and delight to treasure up to their death some of 
 its earth, to be mingled with the meaner dust of their 
 graves. Many too go to die there. 
 
 V : 16. ' For Thou Thy Sion shalt upbuild etc :' 
 In the Original V: 16 and 17 are in the Past, given in 
 The Authorized Versions (as here) in the Future. But, 
 from the elhptical and otherwise arbitrary forms of its 
 poetical idiom, the Tenses in the Hebrew are perpetually 
 expressed differently from what should seem the ordinary 
 construction, and must only be understood with reference 
 generally to the context. 
 
 V: 25 26 and 27- "T was Thou in the beginning 
 first etc :' 
 
 These Verses are quoted, or at least repeated, 
 in Hebrews i. 10 11 and 12, as addressed to 
 The Saviour. 
 
124 NOTES TO THK PSALMS. 
 
 V: 21. 'So they The Lord's great Nameavow'd etc:' 
 The New Version renders this 
 
 " That they in Sion, where He dwells, 
 " Might celebrate His fame." 
 
 This word " fame/' in connection with The Deity, is 
 very commonly used in this sense of ' renown ' in both 
 The Old Version and The New,* as generally in 
 all the others : Yet it cannot but be considered as 
 
 entirely misapplied or rather improperly used — ^\vith 
 
 any such a reference. 
 
 " Fame," in the universal acceptation of the word, is 
 the loud, as — unless otherwise specified — the good, report 
 of Men among one another ; and is courted by them, as 
 
 are riches rank — or any acquisition that tends to gratify 
 
 their self-love or give them distinction or pre-eminence 
 above their fellows ; but surely cannot be applied with 
 any propriety to The Creator, who has no equals 
 with whom to be in antagonism, and who is so infinitely 
 above all the opinions as concerns of His Creatures, tho 
 ever occupied in providing for their welfare ; and who 
 moreover does not require to have — not His greatness 
 and goodness — but rather His reputation — pointed out in 
 this reflected manner, seeing that both are always and 
 everywhere equally present and obvious. 
 
 The word, we know, occurs in Scripture — in Num- 
 bers xiv. 15, and Joshua ix. 9;, in connection with God : 
 but not in this sense, and only as — the knowledge or 
 report of Him among the Heathen, not in our common 
 
 It occuis again there in Ps; eviii. 1. and cxlvii. 1. 
 
NOTES TO THE PSALMS. 125 
 
 acceptation of it and as here used for vulgar " celebrity" 
 or " renown.'' The objection then to the word (that is — 
 in the mouth of His worshippers) is — as ascribing to 
 The Creator a distinction that is in fact degrading to 
 Him and a merit shared with some of the very worst of 
 His creatures ; and as a circumstance entirely repugnant 
 to and incompatible with His attributes ; and therefor 
 that should never be used with reference to Him " whose 
 " glory is declared by the Heavens," of whom " the Fir- 
 " mament showeth the handywork *," and " with whose 
 " majesty all Earth is filled f." 
 
 Moreover nothing can be more trite and puerile : it is 
 just the idea and the words, for the obviousness of the 
 rhyme, that would occur to a schoolboy and at once un- 
 reflectingly be used by him. 
 
 Psalm cxxx. 
 
 *#=!= This Psalm, and the fourteen from cxx to cxxxiv 
 inclusive, are called in The Bible Version (from The 
 Original) " Songs of Degrees " otherwise * Gradual,' — 
 Gradational, or ' of the Steps,' also ' of Ascents ' or ' As- 
 censions ' or 'Heights]:.' The Commentators are not 
 agreed about the meaning of this Title : Some contend- 
 ing for its deriving from the Songs being sung, whether 
 by the Priests or the Worshippers, on the greece or steps 
 
 * Psixix. 1. t Ps: Ixxii. 19. 
 
 X The Hebrew word rendered by Degree also admits the 
 meaning of ' excellence ' ; which, applied to these Psalms as a 
 mere generality, would not require explanation. 
 
126 NOTES TO THE PSALMS. 
 
 of the Temple (see Nehemiah ix. 4.) and others from a 
 gradual ascension of the voice in singing them : the 
 former derivation plausible enough, but the latter al- 
 together remote and trivial. Others again explain it by- 
 considering all these Psalms (as some seem clearly to 
 do) to refer to the return from the Babylonian Captivity, 
 which the Jews rendered hy " going up^' — i.e. to Jeru- 
 salem, in the same way that we now speak with reference 
 to a metropolis : and which seems not improbable. But 
 this would confine them to the very latest period of the 
 composition of The Book ; whereas several of them have 
 an obvious reference to David, besides his being named 
 in the text of some and the headings of others. It seems 
 on the whole more probable that they were of long time 
 used by companies "going up" to the celebration of 
 the periodical religious festivals at Jerusalem, and thence 
 occasionally sung afterwards in commemoration of those 
 pilgrimages, as ultimately resumed on the return from 
 Babylon : which hypothesis would include all their 
 points. This Title, therefor, as so entirely obscure and 
 quite immaterial, might perhaps well be dropped alto- 
 gether. Nevertheless it may be observed that the general 
 adoption of it in one or other of its acceptations gives to 
 those Psalm-Headings a certain authority, or at least 
 consideration, they would otherwise want. 
 
 V : 1 . * From woe's all lowest depths." 
 
 In The Bible Version "Out of the depths", and 
 The Liturgy "Out of the deep" : that is— calamities, 
 troubles, or afflictions ; figured by floods or overwhelm- 
 ing waters ; pretty evidently a traditionary remembrance 
 of the deluge. 
 
NOTES TO THE PSALMS. 127 
 
 V: 4. *As those who watch the day.' .... 
 ' Who watch the morning light.' 
 
 Among the Jews the Nij^ht was divided into four 
 watches of about three hours each, as see Mark xiii. 25 ; 
 when those in the service of The Temple (who are here 
 alluded to) were naturally anxiously looking for the 
 coming day, to offer the the Morning Sacrifice. See 
 Ps: cxix. 43, and cxxxvii. 1. 
 
 This Psalm is the famous De profundis, used at the 
 burial of the dead, of the Roman-Catholic Church : 
 tho it cannot be said to be particularly well selected 
 for the purpose. There is a certain solemnity, however, 
 about its opening ; both in the sense, and the sound — in 
 the latin; that is not unlikely to have suggested the choice, 
 and in so far makes it not unsuitable. 
 
THE 
 
 SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 
 
 THE OLD AND NEW VERSIONS. 
 
130 THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 
 
 (BUS Wn^ian. 
 
 PSALM VI. 
 
 1 . Lord ! in Thy wrath reprove me not, 
 
 Tho' I deserve Thine ire : 
 Nor yet correct me in Thy rage, 
 O Lord ! I Thee desire. 
 
 2. For I am weak ; therefore, O Lord ! 
 
 Of mercy, me forbear : 
 And heal me, Lord ! for why ? Thou know'st 
 My bones do quake for fear. 
 
 3. My soul is troubled very sore, 
 
 And vex'd exceedingly : 
 But, Lord ! how long wilt Thou delay 
 To cure my misery ? 
 
 4. Lord! turn Thee to Thy wonted grace; 
 
 Some pity on me take : 
 save me ; not for my deserts. 
 But for Thy mercy's sake. 
 
 5. For why ? no man among the dead 
 
 Rememb'reth Thee at all : 
 Or who shall worship Thee, O Lord ! 
 That in the pit do fall ? 
 
 6. So grievous is my plaint and moan, 
 
 That I grow wondrous faint : 
 
 All the night long I wash my bed 
 
 With tears of my complaint. 
 
 7. My sight is dim, and waxeth old, 
 
 With anguish of my heart : 
 
 For fear of them, that be my foes 
 
 And would my soul subvert. 
 
THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 131 
 
 NEW VERSION. 
 
 PSALM VI. 
 
 1. Thy dreadful anger, Lord ! restrain, 
 
 And spare a wretch forlorn ; 
 Correct me not in Thy fierce wrath, 
 Too heavy to he born'. 
 
 2. Have mercy, Lord ! for I grow faint ; 
 
 Unable to endure 
 The anguish of my aching bones. 
 Which Thou alone can'st cure. 
 
 3. My tortur' d flesh distracts my mind, 
 
 Andfllls my soul with grief. 
 But, Lord ! how long wilt Thou delay 
 To grant me Thy relief ? 
 
 4. Thy wonted goodness. Lord ! repeat, 
 
 And ease my troubled soul : 
 Lord ! for Thy wondrous mercy's sake, 
 Vouchsafe to make me whole. 
 
 5. For after death no more can I 
 
 Thy glorious acts proclaim : 
 No pris'ner of the silent grave 
 Can magnify Thy Name. 
 
 6. Quite tird with pain, with groaning faint, 
 
 No hope of ease I see : 
 The night, that quiets common grief Sy 
 Is spent in tears by me. 
 
 7. My beauty fades, my sight grows dim. 
 
 My eyes with weakness close ; 
 Old age overtakes me, whilst I think 
 On my insulting foes. 
 
 I 2 
 
132 THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. vi. 
 
 8. But now depart from me, all ye 
 
 That work iniquity ! 
 Because The Lord hath heard the voice 
 Of my complaint and cry. 
 
 9. He heard not only the request 
 
 And prayer of my sad heart ; 
 But it received at my hands, 
 
 And took it in good part. 
 10. And now my foes, that vexed me, 
 
 The Lord will soon defame : 
 And suddenly confound them all. 
 
 With great rebuke and shame. 
 
 *5i5* Not to " set down aught in malice", but to let our 
 
 rivals have every fair play, we have here given them all we 
 
 could the benefit of at least a correct Punctuation, the want 
 
 of which often shows them to an injurious disadvantage. 
 
 At the same time, " nothing to extenuate", while for- 
 bearing to point out their principal faults, we have underhned 
 some of the most prominent of the minor ones ; as the Reader, 
 from early and long intimacy, may never have observed them, 
 
 while he naturally would take notice of and perhaps seek for 
 
 any such in a new competitor. 
 
 It is but just to ourselves also to observe that The present 
 
 Version (meaning The Whole Version, as announced in the 
 Title) is fully rhymed throughout ; while theirs, except the 
 Psalms in Long Metre, are very seldom so (in a proportion of 
 not more than one to four in the whole) but only rhyming in 
 the second and fourth Unes ; as instanced in those here given : 
 an immense abridgement andfacilitation,this, of the Versifier's 
 
 labour ; but which, if admitted — as will scarcely be denied 
 
 that rhyme is a source of beauty, leaves their Versions corre- 
 spondingly deficient in that particular. This partial freedom 
 from tlie fetters of rhyme also enables them to express many 
 
Ps. vi. THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS, 183 
 NEW VERSION. 
 
 8. Depart, ye wicked ! in my wrongs 
 
 Ye shall no more rejoice ; 
 For God, I find, accepts my tears, 
 And listens to my voice. 
 
 9. He hears, and grants my humble pray'r : 
 
 And they, that wish my fall. 
 Shall hliish and rage, to see that God 
 Protects me from them all. 
 
 things easily and happily in a single line ; which could not be 
 so done with those shackles, from the necessity of making the 
 other lines of the Verse consonant to that, and must therefor 
 be said in another and probably less felicitous manner : But 
 even this advantage we here freely concede to them to make 
 the most of ; content to try the merits of our respective Ver- 
 sions on every other point absolutely as they are. 
 
 These remarks, however, must be confined to The New 
 Version : as it is not too harsh to say that The Old must 
 now be considered out of Court. 
 
 Again, a single line, or a detached sentence, or even occa- 
 sionally a whole Verse, may always be selected out of any one 
 of such rival Performances as better than that of another : 
 But the test of superiority is not in such partial instances ; but 
 in the general character of the whole, and considering all the 
 points that by common consent are required or admitted to 
 constitute excellence in such a "Work, and here with particular 
 reference to The Sacred Original. 
 
 And on this ground, trusting to the justice and candour of 
 the Reader, the present Performance fearlessly joins issue 
 with The New Version ; and therefor with all or any 
 other ; that (as already said) being here considered not 
 to have been surpassed as a Whole by any which has 
 yet appeared. 
 
134 THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 
 
 PSALM XXXII. 
 
 1 . The man is blest, whose wickedness 
 
 The Lord forgiven hath ; 
 And he, whose sin is Ukewise hid 
 And cover'd from His wrath. 
 
 2. And blest is he, to whom the Lord 
 
 Imputeth not his sin ; 
 Who in his heart hath hid no guile, 
 Nor fraud is found therein. 
 
 3. For, whilst that I kept close my sin 
 
 In silence and constraint, 
 My bones did wear and waste away 
 With daily moan and plaint. 
 
 4. Both night and day Thy hand on me 
 
 So grievous was and smart ; 
 My moistute, Kke the summer's heat, 
 To driness did convert. 
 
 5. I did therefore confess my faults, 
 
 And all my sins reveal : 
 Then Thou, Lord ! didst me forgive, 
 And all my sins conceal. 
 
THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 135 
 
 NEW VERSION. 
 
 PSALM XXXII. 
 
 1. He 's blest, whose sins have pardon gain'd, 
 
 No more in judgment to appear ; 
 
 Whose guilt remission has obtained, 
 
 And whose repentance is sincere. 
 
 2. While I conceal'd the fretting sore, 
 
 My bones consumed without relief ; 
 All day did I with anguish roar ; 
 
 But no complaints assuag'd my grief. 
 
 3. Heavy on me Thy hand remained, 
 
 By day and night alike distress'd ; 
 'Till quite of vital moisture drain'd, 
 
 Like land with summer's drought oppress'd. 
 
 4. No sooner I my wound disclos'd, 
 
 The guilt that tortur'd me within, 
 But Thy forgiveness interposed, 
 
 And mercy's healing balm pour'd in. 
 
 5. True penitents shall thus succeed. 
 
 Who seek Thee whilst Thou may'stbe found; 
 And, from the common deluge freed, 
 Shall see remorseless sinners drown d. 
 
136 THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. XXxii. 
 
 C9ltf Wtx^ian. 
 
 6. The humble man shall pray, therefore. 
 
 And seek Thee in due time : 
 
 So that the floods of waters great 
 
 Shall have no pow'r on him. 
 
 7. When trouble and adversity 
 
 Do compass me about, 
 Thou art my refuge and my joy. 
 And Thou dost rid me out. 
 
 8. Come hither, and I will thee teach 
 
 How thou shalt walk aright : 
 I will thee guide, as I myself 
 Have learn'd by proof and sight. 
 
 9. Be not so rude and ignorant '; 
 
 As is the horse and mule ; 
 Whose mouth, without a rein or bit. 
 From harm thou canst not rule. 
 
 10. The wicked man shall manifold 
 
 Sorrows and grief sustain : 
 But, unto him that trusts in God, 
 His goodness shall remain. 
 
 1 1 . Be merry therefore in the Lord, 
 
 Ye just ! lift up your voice : 
 And ye, of pure and perfect heart I 
 With cheerfulness rejoice. 
 
Ps. XXxii. THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 137 
 NEW VERSION. 
 
 6. Thy favour, Lord ! in all distress, 
 
 My tow'r of refuge I must own : 
 Thou shalt my haughty foes suppress. 
 And me with songs of triumph crown. 
 
 7. In my instruction then confide, 
 
 You — that would truth's safe paths descry ! 
 Your progress I'll securely guide. 
 And keep you in my watchful eye. 
 
 8. Submit yourselves to wisdom's rule, 
 
 Like men that reason have attained ; 
 Not like the ungovern'd horse and mule, 
 Who^Q fury must be curh'd and rein'd. 
 
 9. Sorrows, on sorrows multiply'd, 
 
 The hardened sinner shall confound ; 
 But them, who in His truth confide. 
 
 Blessings of mercy shall surround. 
 10. His saints, that have performed His laws. 
 
 Their life in triumph shall employ : 
 Let them {as they alo7ie have cause) 
 
 In grateful raptures shout for joy. 
 
138 THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 
 
 PSALM XXXVIII. 
 
 1. Put me not to rebuke, Lord I 
 
 In Thy provoked ire ; 
 And in Thy wrath correct me not, 
 I humbly Thee desire. 
 
 2. Thy arrows do stick fast in me. 
 
 Thy hand doth press me sore ; 
 And in my flesh no health at all 
 Appeareth any more. 
 
 3. And all this is by reason of 
 
 Thy wrath that I am in ; 
 Nor any rest is in my bones, 
 By reason of my sin. 
 
 4. For lo, my wicked doings, Lord ! 
 
 Above my head are gone ; 
 A greater load than I can bear, 
 They lie me sore upon. 
 
 5. My wounds do stink and are corrupt, 
 
 And loathsome are to see : 
 Which, all thro' my own foolishness. 
 Doth happen unto me. 
 
 6. And I in careful wise am brought 
 
 Into such great distress, 
 That I go wailing all the day 
 In doleful heaviness. 
 
THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 139 
 
 NEW VERSION, 
 
 PSALM XXXVIII. 
 
 1. Thy chast'ning wrath, Lord! restrain, 
 
 Though I deserve it all ; 
 Nor let at once on me the storm 
 Of Thy displeasure fall. 
 
 2. In ev'ry wretched part of me 
 
 Thy arrows deep remain ; 
 Thy heavy hand's afflicting weight 
 I can no more sustain. 
 
 3. My flesh is one continued wound, 
 
 Thy wrath so fiercely glows ; 
 Betwixt my punishment and guilt, 
 My hones have no repose. 
 
 4. My sins, which to a deluge swell. 
 
 My sinking head oerflow ; 
 And, for my feehle strength to bear, 
 Too vast a burden grow. 
 
 5. Stench and corruption fill my wounds, 
 
 My folly's just return ; 
 With troubles I am wrap'd and bow'd. 
 And all day long I mourn. 
 
140 THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps.XXXviii. 
 
 e^Rf Wtv^iaix. 
 
 7. My loins are fill'd with sore disease, 
 
 My flesh hath no whole part; 
 I feeble am and broken sore, 
 And roar for grief of heart. 
 
 8. Thou know'st, Lord ! my desire ; my groans 
 
 Are open in Thy sight : 
 My heart doth pant, my strength doth fail, 
 My eyes have lost their light. 
 
 9. My lovers, and my wonted friends, 
 
 Stand looking on my woe : 
 My kinsmen they do far away 
 From me depart also. 
 
 10. They, that do seek my life, lay snares; 
 
 And they, that go the way 
 To do me hurt, speak lies, and think 
 On mischief all the day. 
 
 The Second Part. 
 
 1 1 . But as a deaf man I became. 
 
 That cannot hear at all ; 
 And as one dumb, that opens not 
 His mouth to speak withal. 
 
 12. For all my confidence, Lord ! 
 
 I wholly place in Thee : 
 Therefore, Lord ! who art my God, 
 Do Thou give ear to me. 
 
Ps.XXXVlii. THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 141 
 NEW VERSION. 
 
 6. A loath'd disease afflicts my loins, 
 
 Infecting ev'ry part ; 
 With sickness worn, I groan and roar, 
 Through anguish of my heart. 
 
 7. But, Lord ! before Thy searching eyes 
 
 All my desires appear ; 
 And sure my groans have been too loud 
 Not to have reach'd Thine ear. 
 
 8. My heart 's opprest, my strength decay 'd. 
 
 My eyes depriv'd of light ; 
 Friends, lovers, kinsmen, gaze aloof 
 On such a dismal sight. 
 
 9. Meanwhile the foes, that seek my life, 
 
 Their snares to take me set, 
 Vent slanders, and contrive all day 
 To forge some new deceit. 
 
 10. But I, as if both deaf and dumb. 
 
 Nor heard, nor once replied ; 
 Quite deaf and dumb, like one whose tongue 
 With conscious guilt is tied. 
 
 1 1 . For, Lord ! to Thee I do appeal, 
 
 My innocence to clear ; 
 Assur'd that Thou, the righteous God, 
 My injur'd cause wilt hear. 
 
142 THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps.XXXViii. 
 
 1 3. This do I crave that they my foes 
 
 Triumph not over me : 
 For, when my foot doth slip, then they 
 Rejoice my fall to see. 
 
 14. And I am ready for to halt; 
 
 I cannot stand upright : 
 Also my grievous heaviness 
 Is ever in my sight. 
 
 15. For, while that I my wickedness 
 
 In humble wise confess, 
 And while I for my sinful deeds 
 My sorrows do express : 
 
 16. My foes do still remain alive, 
 
 And mighty are, I know : 
 And they, that hate me wrongfully. 
 In number hugely grow. 
 
 17. They stand against me, that my good 
 
 With evil do repay ; 
 Because that good and honest things 
 I do pursue alway. 
 
 18. Forsake me not, O Lord my God I 
 
 Be Thou not far away : 
 Make haste to help me, O my God ! 
 My safety and my stay. 
 
Ps.XXXViii. THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 143 
 NEW VERSION. 
 
 12. ' Hear me,' said I, ' lest my proud foes 
 
 ' A spiteful joy display ; 
 * Insulting, if they see my foot 
 ' But once to go astray.' 
 
 13. And, with continual grief opprest, 
 
 To sink I now begin : 
 To Thee, O Lord ! I will confess, 
 To Thee bewail my sin. 
 
 14. But, whilst I languish, my proud foes 
 
 Their strength and vigour boast ; 
 And they, who hate me without cause. 
 Are grown a dreadful host. 
 
 15. Ev'n they, whom I obligd, return 
 
 My kindness with despite ; 
 And are my enemies, because 
 I choose the path that's right. 
 
 16. Forsake me not, Lord my God ! 
 
 Nor far from me depart : 
 Make haste to my relief, O Thou ! 
 Who my salvation art. 
 
144 THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 
 
 ercr Wtt^ian. 
 PSALM LI.* 
 
 1. Lord! consider my distress, 
 
 And now with speed some pity take : 
 My sins forgive, my faults redress, 
 
 Good Lord ! for Thy great mercy's sake. 
 
 2. Wash me, Lord ! and make me clean. 
 
 From this unjust and sinful act ; 
 And purify me once again 
 
 From this foul crime and bloody fact. 
 
 3. Eemorse and sorrow do constrain 
 
 Me to acknowledge my excess ; 
 Because my sin doth still remain 
 Before my face without release. 
 
 4. Against Thee only have I sinn'd. 
 
 And done this evil in Thy sight : 
 And, if I should no mercy find. 
 
 Yet were Thy judgments just and right. 
 
 5. It is too manifest, alas ! 
 
 That first I was conceiv'd in sin ; 
 
 Yea of my mother so born was ; 
 
 And yet, vile wretch, remain therein. 
 
 6. Also behold. Lord ! Thou dost love 
 
 The inward truth of a pure heart : 
 Therefore Thy wisdom from above 
 Thou hast reveal'd, me to convert. 
 
 * There are two Versions of this Psalm in The Old Ver- 
 sion : the first by Whyttingham, and the second by Hopkins : 
 The former is that here given ; being, however faulty, much 
 the better one. 
 
THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. J 45 
 
 NEW VERSION. 
 
 PSALM LI. 
 
 J . Have mercy. Lord ! on me, 
 As Thou wast ever kind ; 
 Let me, oppress'd with loads of guilt, 
 Thy wonted mercy find. 
 2. Wash off my foul offence, 
 
 And cleanse me from my sin : 
 For I confess my crime, and see 
 How great my guilt has been. 
 •3. Against Thee, Lord ! alone, 
 And only in Thy sight. 
 Have I transgress'd ; and, tho' condemned, 
 Must own Thy judgments right. 
 
 4. In guilt each part was form'd 
 
 Of all this sinful frame ; 
 In guilt I was conceiv'd, and born 
 The heir of sin and shame. 
 
 5. Yet Thou, whose searching eye 
 
 Does inward truth require, 
 In secret didst with wisdoms laws 
 
 My tender soul inspire. 
 0. With hyssop purge me. Lord ! 
 
 And so I clean shall be : 
 I shall with snow in whiteness vie. 
 
 When purifi'd by Thee. 
 
146 THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. 11. 
 
 <BXis Wtx^ian. 
 
 7. If Thou with hyssop purge this blot, 
 
 I shall be cleauer than the glass : 
 And if Thou wash away my spot, 
 The snow in whiteness I shall pass. 
 
 8. Therefore, Lord ! such joy me send, 
 
 That I may praise Thee with my voice ; 
 And that my strength may now amend, 
 And broken bones also rejoice. 
 
 9. Turn back Thy face and frowning ire ; 
 
 For I have felt enough Thy hand ; 
 And purge my sins, I Thee desire. 
 Which do in number pass the sand. 
 
 10. Make new my heart within my breast. 
 
 And frame it to Thy Holy will ; 
 And let Thy spirit in me rest, 
 
 Which may my soul with comfort fill. 
 
 The Second Part. 
 
 11. Cast me not. Lord ! out from Thy sight ; 
 
 But speedily my torments end : 
 Take not from me Thy holy Sp nt, 
 Which may from dangers me defend. 
 
 12. Restore me to those joys again. 
 
 Which I was wont in Thee to find : 
 Let me Thy free spirit retain. 
 
 Which unto Thee may draw my mind. 
 
 13. Thus, when I shall Thy mercies know, 
 
 I shall instruct others therein : 
 
Ps. li; THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 147 
 NEW VERSION. 
 
 7. Make me to hear with joy 
 
 Thy kind forgiving voice ; 
 That so my bones, which Thou hast broke', 
 May with fresh strength rejoice. 
 
 8. Blot out my crying sins, 
 
 Nor me in anger view ; 
 Create in me a heart that 's clean, 
 An upright mind renew. 
 Part II 
 
 9. Withdraw not Thou Thy help, 
 
 Nor cast me from Thy sight ; 
 Nor let Thy Holy Spirit take 
 Its everlasting flight. 
 
 10. The joy, Thy favour gives. 
 
 Let me again obtain ; 
 And let Thy spirit*s firm support 
 My fainting soul sustain. 
 
 11. So I Thy righteous ways 
 
 To sinners will impart ; 
 Whilst my advice shall wicked men 
 To Thy just laws convert. 
 
 12. My guilt of blood remove. 
 
 My Saviour and my God ! 
 
 K % 
 
148 THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. li. 
 
 And men, that are likewise brought low, 
 By my example shall flee sin. 
 
 14. O God ! that of my health art Lord; 
 
 Forgive me this my bloody vice : 
 My heart and tongue shall then accord 
 To sing Thy mercy and justice. 
 
 15. Touch Thou my Hps, my tongue untie, 
 
 Lord ! I do Thee humbly pray : 
 And then my mouth shall testify 
 
 Thy praise and wondrous works alway. 
 
 16. And as for outward sacrifice, 
 
 1 would have ofier'd many one ; 
 But Thou esteem'dst them of no price, 
 
 And therein pleasure takest none. 
 
 17. The heavy heart, the mind opprest, 
 
 O Lord ! Thou never dost reject : 
 This sacrifice indeed is best, 
 
 And that Thou chiefly dost expect. 
 
 18. Lord ! unto Sion turn Thy face ; 
 
 Pour out Thy mercies on Thy hill, 
 And on Jerusalem Thy grace ; 
 
 Build up its walls, and love it still. 
 
 19. Thou shalt accept then our ofi*'rings 
 
 Of peace and righteousness alway : 
 Yea, calves and many other things. 
 Upon Thy altar we will lay. 
 
Ps. li. THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 149 
 NEW VERSION. 
 
 And my glad tongue shall loudly tell 
 Thy righteous acts abroad. 
 
 13. Do Thou unlock my lips, 
 
 With sorrow clos'd and shame ; 
 So shall my mouth Thy wondrous praise 
 To all the world proclaim. 
 
 14. Could sacrifice atone, 
 
 Whole flocks and herds should die ; 
 But on such off'rings Thou disdain'st 
 To cast a gracious eye. 
 
 1 5. A broken spirit is 
 
 By God most highly priz'd ; 
 By Him, a broken contrite heart 
 Shall never be despis'd. 
 
 16. Let Sion favour find, 
 
 Of Thy good will assur'd ; 
 And Thy own City flourish long, 
 Bj/ lofty walls securd. 
 
 17. The just shall then attend, 
 
 And pleasing tribute pay, 
 And sacrifice of choicest kind 
 Upon Thy altar lay. 
 
150 TPIE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 
 
 PSALM CII. 
 
 1 . Hear Thou my pray'r, Lord ! and let 
 
 My cry come unto Thee : 
 
 In time of trouble do not hide 
 
 Thy face away from me. 
 
 2. Incline Thine ear to me ; make haste 
 
 To hear me, when I call : 
 For, as the smoke doth fade, so do 
 My days consume and fall. 
 8. And, as an hearth, my bones are burnt ; 
 My heart is smitten dead, 
 And withers hke the grass ; that I 
 Forget to eat my bread. 
 
 4. By reason of my groaning voice, 
 
 My bones cleave to my skin : 
 As pelican in wilderness, 
 Such case now am I in : 
 
 5. And as an owl in desert is, 
 
 Lo I am such an one : 
 I watch, and as a sparrow on 
 
 The house-top am alone. 
 0, For daily, in reproachful wise, 
 
 My foes they dq me scorn ; 
 And them, that mad upon mo arc. 
 
 Against me they have sworn. 
 
THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 151 
 NEW VERSION. 
 
 PSALM CII. 
 
 1 . When I pour out my soul in pray'r, 
 
 Do Thou, Lord ! attend ; 
 To Thy eternal throne of grace, 
 Let my sad cry ascend. 
 
 2. hide not Thou Thy gracious face, 
 
 In times of deep distress ; 
 Incline Thine ear ; and, when I call, 
 My sorrows soon redress. 
 
 3. Each cloud?/ portion of my life 
 
 Like scatter'd smoke expires ; 
 My shrivell'd bones are like a hearth 
 That 's parch'd with constant fires. 
 
 4. My heart, like grass that feels the blast 
 
 Of some infectious wind ; 
 Does languish so with grief, that scarce 
 My needful food I mind. 
 
 5. By reason of my sad estate, 
 
 I spend my breath in groans ; 
 My flesh is worn away, my skin 
 Scarce hides my starting bones. 
 
 6. I 'm like a pelican become. 
 
 That does in deserts mourn ; 
 Or like an owl, that sits all day 
 On barren trees forlorn. 
 
J 52 THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. cil. 
 
 ©nr Weriian. 
 
 7. Surely with ashes, as with bread, 
 
 My hunger I have fill'd ; 
 And mingled have my drink with tears. 
 That from my eyes distilFd : 
 
 8. Because of Thy displeasure, Lord ! 
 
 Thy wrath and great disdain : 
 For Thou hast set me up on high, 
 And cast me down again. 
 
 9. The days, wherein I pass my life, 
 
 Are like the fleeting shade ; 
 And I am wither'd, like the grass 
 That soon away doth fade. 
 
 10. But Thou, O Lord ! for ever dost 
 
 Kemain in steady place : 
 And Thy remembrance ever doth 
 Abide from race to race. 
 
 The Second Part. 
 
 11. Thou wilt arise, and mercy Thou 
 
 To Sion wilt extend : 
 The time of mercy, now the time 
 
 Foreset, is come to end. 
 \2. For in the very stones thereof 
 
 Thy servants do delight; 
 And on the dust thereof they have 
 
 Compassion in their sight. 
 
Ps. Cii. THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 153 
 NEW VERSION. 
 
 7. In watchings, or in restless dreams, 
 
 The night by me is spent ; 
 As by those solitary birds, 
 That lonesome roofs frequent. 
 
 8. All day, by railing foes, I 'm made 
 
 The subject of their scorn ; 
 Who, all possest with furious rage, 
 Have my destruction sworn. 
 
 9. When yrovling on the ground I lie, 
 
 Opprest with grief and fears ; 
 My bread is strewed with ashes oer. 
 My drink is mix'd with tears. 
 
 10. Because on me with double weight 
 
 Thy heavy wrath does lie ; 
 For Thou, to make my fall more great. 
 Didst lift me up on high. 
 
 1 1. My days, just hast'ning to their end. 
 
 Are like an ev'ning shade ; 
 My beauty does, like wither'd grass, 
 With waning lustre fade. 
 
 12. But Thy eternal state, Lord ! 
 
 No length of time shall waste : 
 The mem'ry of Thy wond'rous works. 
 From age to age shall last. 
 
154 THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. cii. 
 
 13. Then shall the heathen people fear 
 
 The Lord's most holy Name ; 
 And all the kings on Earth shall dread 
 His glory and His fame. 
 
 14. Then, when the Lord, the mighty God, 
 
 Again shall Sion rear : 
 And then, when He most nobly in 
 His glory shall appear : 
 
 1 5. To pray'r of the poor destitute 
 
 When He Himself shall bend ; 
 When He shall not disdain unto 
 
 Their suits for to attend : 
 10. This shall be written for the age 
 
 That after shall succeed ; 
 The people that are yet unborn 
 
 The Lord's renown shall spread. 
 
 17. From His high sanctuary He 
 
 Hath looked down below ; 
 And out of heav'n most high He hath 
 Beheld the Earth also. 
 
 18. That of the mourning captive He 
 
 Might hear the woeful cry : 
 And that He might deliver those 
 That were condemn'd to die. 
 
Vs. cii, THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL I'SALMS. 155 
 
 NEW VERSION. 
 
 13. Thou shalt arise, and Sion view 
 
 With an unclouded face : (?) 
 For now her time is come, Thy own 
 Appointed day of grace. 
 
 14. Her scatter'd ruins by Thy saints 
 
 With pity are survey'd ; 
 They grieve to see her lofty spires 
 In dust and rubbish laid. 
 
 15. The name and glory of The Lord 
 
 All heathen kings shall fear ; 
 When He shall Sion build again, 
 
 And in full state appear : 
 J 0. When He regards the poor''s request, 
 
 Nor slights their earnest pray'r : 
 Our sons, for His recorded grace, 
 
 Shall His just praise declare. 
 
 17. For God, from His abode on high. 
 
 His gracious beams dii'splay^d ; 
 The Lord from Heav'n, His lofty throne, 
 Hath all the Earth survey'd. 
 
 18. He listen'd to the captive's moans, 
 
 He heard their mournful cry ; 
 And freed, by His resistless pow'r, 
 The wretches doom'd to die. 
 
156 THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. cH. 
 
 (BUS Wtxiian. 
 
 19. That they in Sion may declare 
 
 The Lord's most holy Name, 
 And in Jerusalem set forth 
 The praises of the same. 
 
 20. Then, when the people of the land, 
 
 x\nd kingdoms, with accord, 
 Shall be assembled, to perform 
 Their service to The Lord. 
 
 The Third Part. 
 
 2 1 . My former force of strength He hath 
 
 Abated in the way ; 
 And shorter He did cut my days. 
 Thus I therefore did say : 
 
 22. My God ! in midst of all my days, 
 
 Now take me not away : 
 Thy years endure eternally, 
 And never do decay. 
 
 23. Thou the foundations of the Earth, 
 
 Before all time hast laid : 
 The Heavens also they are the work 
 Which Thy own hands have made. 
 
 24. They all shall perish and decay : 
 
 But Thou remainest still : 
 And they shall all in time wax old, 
 Even as a garment will. 
 
Ps. Cii. THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 157 
 
 NEW VERSION. 
 
 19. That they in Sion, where He dwells, 
 
 Might celebrate His fame, 
 And thro' the holy city sing 
 Loud praises to His Name : 
 
 20. When all the tribes assembling there, 
 
 Their solemn vows address ; 
 And neighb'ring lands, with glad consent, 
 The Lord their God confess. 
 
 21. But ere my race is run, my strength 
 
 Through His fierce wrath decays ; 
 He has, when all my wishes bloom d. 
 Cut short my hopeful days. 
 
 22. Lord ! end not Thou my life (said I) 
 
 When half is scarcely pass'd. 
 Thy years, from worldly changes free, 
 To endless ages last. 
 
 23. The strong foundations of the Earth 
 
 Of old by Thee were laid ; 
 Thy hands the beauteous arch of Heaven 
 With wond'rous skill have made : 
 
 24. Whilst Thou for ever shalt endure. 
 
 They soon shall pass away ; 
 And, like a garment ofte7i worn. 
 Shall tarnish and decay. 
 
158 THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. CXXX 
 
 (BUS ^tt^ian, 
 
 25. Thou as a garment shalt tliem change ; 
 And changed shall they be. 
 But Thou dost still abide the same ; 
 Thy years do never flee. 
 2G. The children of Thy servants shall 
 Continue and endure ; 
 And in Thy sight their happy seed 
 For ever shall stand sure. 
 
 PSALM CXXX. 
 
 . Lord ! unto Thee I make my moan, 
 When dangers me oppress ; 
 
 I call, I sigh complain and groan : 
 
 Trusting to find release. 
 . Hearken, Lord ! to my request ; 
 Unto my suit incline ; 
 And let Thine ears, Lord ! be prest 
 
 To hear this pray'r of mine. 
 Lord our God ! if Thou survey 
 
 Our sins and them peruse, 
 Who shall escape ? or who dare say-^ 
 ' I can myself excuse ' ? 
 
Ps. OXXX. THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 159 
 NEW VERSION. 
 
 25. Like that, when Thou ordain'st their change, 
 To Thy command they bend : 
 But Thou continu'st still the same, 
 Nor have Thy years an end. 
 2G. Thou to the children of Thy saints 
 Shalt lasting quiet give ; 
 Whose happy race, securely fix'd, 
 Shall in Thy presence live. 
 
 PSALM CXXX. 
 
 1. From lowest depths of woe. 
 
 To God I se?it my cry : 
 Lord, hear my supplicating voice, 
 And graciously reply. 
 
 2. Should'st Thou severely judge, 
 
 Who can the trial bear ? 
 But Thou forgiv'st ; lest we despond, 
 And quite renounce Thy fear. 
 
 3. My soul with patience waits 
 
 For Thee, The living Lord ; 
 My hopes are on Thy promise built, 
 Thy never-failing word. 
 
160 THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. CXXX. 
 
 mn Wtriian. 
 
 4. But Thou art merciful and free, 
 
 And boundless is Thy grace : 
 That we might always careful be 
 To fear before Thy face. 
 
 5. In God The Lord I put my trust ; 
 
 My soul waits on His will ; 
 His promise is for ever just; 
 And I hope therein still. 
 G. My soul to God hath great regard ; 
 Wishing for Him alway, 
 Much more than they that watch and ward 
 To see the dawning day. 
 
 7. Israel ! trust in The Lord : 
 
 With Him there mercy is ; 
 And He doth plenteously aflford 
 Redemption unto His. 
 
 8. E'en He it is that Isr'el shall. 
 
 Thro' His abundant grace, 
 
 Redeem from his offences all 
 
 And wholly them deface. 
 
Ps. CXXX. THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS IGI 
 NEW VERSION. 
 
 4. My longing eyes look out 
 
 For Thy enliv'ning ray ; 
 More duly than the morning watch 
 To spy the dawning day. 
 
 5. Let Israel trust in God : 
 
 No bounds His mercy knows ; 
 The plenteous source and spring, from whence 
 Eternal succour flows : 
 
 6. Whose friendly streams to us 
 
 Supplies in want convey ; 
 A healing spring, a spring to cleanse 
 And wash our guilt away. 
 
/ 
 
 r 
 
 102 THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 
 
 PSALM CXLIII. 
 
 1. Lord ! hear my pray'r and my complaint, 
 
 Which I do make to Thee ; 
 And, in Thy native truth, and in 
 Thy justice, answer me. 
 
 2. In judgment with Thy servant, Lord ! 
 
 O enter not at all : 
 For justify'd be in Thy sight 
 Not one that liveth shall. 
 
 5. The enemy pursu'd my soul ; 
 
 My life to ground hath thrown, 
 And laid me in the dark, like them 
 
 That are to grave gone down. 
 4. Therefore my spirit in me is 
 
 In great perplexity ; 
 My heart within me also is 
 
 Afflicted grievously. 
 
 6. Yet I record time past, and on 
 
 Thy works I meditate : 
 Yea, I do muse upon the works 
 
 That Thy hands have create. 
 6. To Thee, Lord my God ! do I 
 
 Stretch forth my craving hands : 
 My soul desire th after Thee, 
 
 As do the thirsty lands. 
 
THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 163 
 
 NEW VERSION. 
 
 PSALM CXLIII. 
 
 1. Lord ! hear my pray'r ; and, to my cry, 
 
 Thy wonted audience lend ; 
 In Thy accustom'd faith and truth, 
 A gracious answer send. 
 
 2. Nor at Thy strict tribunal bring 
 
 Thy servant to be try'd ; 
 For in Thy sight no living man 
 Can e'er be justify'd. 
 
 3. The spiteful foe pursues my life, 
 
 Whose comforts all are fled ; 
 He drives me into caves as dark 
 As mansions of the dead. 
 
 4. My spirit therefore is o'erwhelm'd, 
 
 And sinks within my breast ; 
 My mournful heart grows desolate, 
 With heavy woes opprest. 
 
 5. I call to mind the days of old, 
 
 And wonders Thou hast wrought ; 
 My former dangers and escapes 
 Employ my musing thought. 
 
 6. To Thee my hands in humble pray'r 
 
 I fervently stretch out ; 
 My soul for Thy refreshment thirsts. 
 Like land oppressed with drought. 
 
 L 2 
 
164 THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. Ps. CxUii. 
 
 ^Itr WetSian. 
 
 7. Hear me with speed : my spirit fails : 
 
 Hide not Thy face ; lest I 
 Be like to them, that in the pit 
 Sink down and there do lie. 
 
 8. Let me Thy loving-kindness in 
 
 The mornins: hear and know : 
 For in Thee is my trust : shew me 
 The way that I shall go. 
 
 9. For unto Thee I Hft my soul : 
 
 O Lord ! deliver me 
 From all mine enemies : for I 
 Have hid myself with Thee. 
 
 10. Teach me to do Thy will : for Thou 
 
 Thou art my God alway : 
 Let Thy good Spirit to the land 
 Of mercy me convey. 
 
 1 1 . For Thy Name's sake, with quickening grace, 
 
 Alive ilo Thou me make ; 
 And out of trouble bring iny soul, . 
 Even for Thy justice' sake. 
 
 12. And of Thy mercy slay my foes ; 
 
 Let them destroyed be, 
 That do oppress my soul : for I 
 A servant am to Thee. 
 
Ps. cxliii. THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS. 1G5 
 NEW VERSION. 
 
 7. Hear me with speed : my spirit fails : 
 
 Thy face no longer hide ; 
 Lest I become forlorn, like them 
 That in the grave reside, 
 
 8. Thy kindness early let me hear, 
 
 Whose trust on Thee depends ; 
 Teach me the way where I should go : 
 My soul to Thee ascends. 
 
 9. Do Thou, Lord ! from all my foes 
 
 Preserve, and set me free ; 
 A safe retreat against their rage 
 My soul implores from Thee. 
 
 1 0. Thou art my God : Thy righteous will 
 
 Instruct me to obey ; 
 Let Thy good Spirit lead, and keep, 
 My soul in Thy right way. 
 
 11. ! for the sake of Thy great Name, 
 
 Eevive my drooping heart ; 
 For Thy truth's sake, to me distress'd, 
 Thy promis'd aid impart. 
 
 12. In pity to my sulF'rings, Lord ! 
 
 Eeduce my foes to shame ; 
 Slay them, that persecute a soul 
 Devoted to Thy Name. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 R: HAMPOLE. circa 1280 to 1349. 
 
 OR 
 
 R: MAIDSTONE, circa 1330 to 1396. 
 PSALM CXXX. 
 
 De prqfundis clamaiii ad te due : dne exaudi 
 Hocem meam. 
 
 Fro dalis* depe to thee I criede. 
 
 Lord ! lord ! listene the uois of me. 
 The depe prison that I in abide, 
 
 Breke it up, lord ! for thi pite. 
 Be thou my gouernour & my gide, 
 
 A gen my foos, whan I schal fle ; 
 And latet out of thin herte glide 
 
 That I haue don agens thee. 
 
 Fiant aures tuo intendentes : m uoce depre- 
 cacionis mecB. 
 
 Late thine eeris be listenynge 
 
 Unto the vois of my prayer. 
 What euer I rede, what euer I synge, 
 
 Listene, lord ! with loueli chere ; 
 And vouche-saif, at myn askyng, 
 The lyf that I schal leden here, 
 
 * " dalis." dales. f " late." let. 
 
 *5^* It has been thought best, to preserve the distinctive 
 character of all these Versions, to give them in their own 
 orthography: but giving the older ones, the two M.S.S., 
 the benefit of stops; which, except an unmeaning and 
 improper period-mark at the end of each line, they are 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 T: BRAMPTON. 1414. 
 
 PSALM CXXX. 
 
 De profu7idis clamavi ad Te, Doinine ! 
 Domine ! exaudi vocem meam. 
 
 To the, lord ! I calle and cry, 
 
 Fro the depe vale of sorow. 
 Here my voys gracyously, 
 
 And schelde me from all woe. 
 
 I preye for me and many moe, 
 That ben in peyne and mowe* notjiee. 
 
 To dredefull dome whan we should goe, 
 
 Ne REMINISCARIS, DOMINE ! 
 
 Fiant aures Tue intendentes in vocem depre- 
 caciones me(B. 
 
 Bowe thin eyrs hyderward, 
 
 And here my prayerys, whan I have nede. 
 
 Of mercy thou were nevere so hard ; 
 
 Thi grace thou woldyst nevere man forbede, 
 That wolde be sory of his mysdede : 
 
 This mercye is redyere than he : 
 
 * " mowe." may. ' notfleeJ conjecturally supplied, 
 wholly without. In the originals of these latter the Latin 
 Text of the Psalms is in rubric ; and the lines rhyming with 
 each other are tied together by a brace or bracket (a common 
 custom in old manuscript poetry) here supphed by the 
 arrangement of the lines. 
 
170 APPENDIX. Ps. CXXX. 
 
 HAMPOLE OR MAIDSTONE. 
 
 Mi soule also, to dense & clere. 
 That jt may be to tlii likyng. 
 
 Si iniquitates obseruaueris d/ie : drte 
 quis stistinebit. 
 
 Gif thou gelde* all wickidnesse, 
 
 Lord ! lord ! who schal it susteyoe ? 
 For, by the lawe of rightwisnesse, 
 
 Endeles thanf were al oure peyne. 
 But eue I hope to thi goodnesse, 
 
 Whanne thou schalt this world afreyne |, 
 With mercy & with myldenesse, 
 
 Thi rightful dome thou schalt restreyne. 
 
 Quia apud te ppiciacio est : d propter lege 
 tuam sustimii te dne. 
 
 For whi § with thee is forgiuenesse, 
 I thee, lord ! susteyne for thi lawe. 
 
 Thi lawe unrightis schal redresse : 
 Was neuer seid no sothir || sawe : 
 
 Therfore, whanne thou schalt bodies blesse 
 And dede men out of dennes drawe, 
 
 Thou, that sauerest all swetnesse. 
 
 Late neuer no fendisH our goostis gnawe. 
 
 * " gelde." repay. f " than." then. 
 
 X " afreyne." ciub. rule. § ** For whi." Because. 
 
 11 " sothir." soother, truer. ^ "fendis." fiends. 
 
Ps. CXXX. APPENDIX. 171 
 
 BRAMPTON. 
 
 Him tliar* no more but speke and spede 
 
 Of Ne REMINISCARIS, DOMINE ! 
 
 Si iniquitates observaris, Domine I Domine ! 
 quis siistinebit ? 
 Gyf thou woldyst venge the anon, 
 
 Whan we have synned, and no thyng spare, — 
 Oure lyfe in erthe shulde sone be gon, 
 
 Oure merthe schulde turn to sorwe and care ; 
 
 Thi rightwysnes wolde us forfaref; 
 We durst nought byde, we myght nought fle : 
 
 Than schulde many on be ful bare 
 
 Of Ne REMINISCARIS, DOMINE ! 
 
 Qvia apud Te jjropiciacio est; et proiiler 
 legem Tuam ; sustinui Te, Domine ! 
 A law of mercy e thou hast gyven 
 
 To him that wyll no synnes hyde, 
 But clenly to a preest be schryven, 
 
 And leve rebellyoun and his pryde. 
 
 Thi mercy is bothe long and wyde : 
 Thereof alle men hav gret plente, 
 
 That wyll nought lesej ne caste asyde 
 
 Ne REMINISCARIS, DOMINE ! 
 
 thar." need. + " forfare." destroy. 
 
 t ** lese." lose. 
 
1T2 APPENDIX. Ps. CXXX. 
 
 HAMPOLE OR MAIDSTONE. 
 
 Sustinuit anima meet in tier bo eiiis : sjiduit 
 anima niea. 
 
 Mi soule hath suffrid in his word : 
 
 In god my gost hath hadde his truste. 
 For synne it scharpe as knyues oord* ; 
 
 It maketh the lame that lyiie in luste. 
 TherPore, Ihu, my loueli lord ! 
 
 There I am rot — ruhbe of the ruste ; 
 Art I be brought withine schippe bord, 
 
 To seile in to the dale of dnst. 
 
 A custodia matutina usq: ad node spet 
 Israel in dno. 
 
 Fro morow tide unto the nyghte 
 
 Late israel in god truste & trowe. 
 Israel bitocnethj euery whighte 
 
 That schal se god and gostili knoue. 
 To knowe god is mannes right, 
 
 That wole his wittis wel bestowen : 
 Therfore I hope, as he hath highte§, 
 
 That mannes blisse is mannes owen. 
 
 * " oord." point, f " Ar." Ere. before. 
 
 X " i)itocneth." betokenetli. § " highte." promised. 
 
Ps. CXXX. APPENDIX. 173 
 
 BRAMPTON. 
 
 Sustinuit anima mea in verbo ejus : Speravit 
 
 anima mea in Domino 
 
 I am in hope of thi beheste : 
 
 Thi wordys fully I beleve, — 
 That thou wylt save both moste and leste,t 
 
 That wylfully the wyll nought greve. 
 
 There is no man that may myscheve, 
 Why 11 thou of mercy art so fre ; 
 
 With sorwefuU herte gyf he wyll meve^' 
 
 Ne REMINISCARIS, DOMINE ! 
 
 A custodia matutina usque ad noctem. Speret 
 Israel in Domino. 
 
 I truste fully thou wylt me kepe 
 
 Fro all myscheef bothe day and nyght. 
 
 Wher so evere I wake or slepe, 
 
 Wyth me is evere an aungyle bryght : 
 Thowgh he apere nought to my syght, 
 
 Ful tendyrly he kepyth me : 
 
 He steryth myn herte with al his myght 
 
 To Ne REMINISCARIS, DOMINE ! 
 * *' leste." least. f " nieve." move. 
 
174 APPENDIX. Ps. CXXX. 
 
 HAMPOLE OR MAIDSTONE. 
 
 Quia ajmd dnm mia d cojnosa apud 
 eu redempcio. 
 
 For with oure lord is grete mercy, 
 
 And raunsu eke in grete plente ; 
 That payede for us his owne bodi, 
 
 That oughte be take in greet dente * : 
 His blood he schedde wilfulli, 
 
 To make our former fadirf free ; 
 And alle oure raunsomes bi & by 
 
 He quittej hi silf, and non but he. 
 
 Et ipse redimet israel ex omnibus iniqui- 
 latihus eius. 
 
 And he schal agenbie§ israel 
 
 From his mys-dedis euerych oon ; 
 Whanne we schule rise up in fleisch & fel, 
 
 And eft be glad in bodi & bon. 
 Than schal the fend, that now is snelle||, 
 
 To fier be flemedH with all our foon** ; 
 And we schul up to heuene I telle : 
 
 Ihu geue grace that I (be) oon. 
 
 * ** dente." dainty. f " former fadir." first father. 
 
 X "quitte." acquitted. § "agenbie." rebuy. redeem. 
 
 II "snelle." quick. ^ "flemed." driven. ** "foon." foes. 
 
Ps. CXXX. APPENDIX. 175 
 
 BRAMPTON. 
 
 Quia apud Dominum misericordia, et copiosa 
 apud Eum redemptio. 
 
 Thou art mercyfull and pyteuous, 
 
 Oyf we oure lyving will amende. 
 Our raunsoum is ful copyous, 
 
 For thou art redy thi grace to sende. 
 
 But, gyf we wylie oure synne defende, 
 And dyspise thi lawe and the, 
 
 Thanne must rightwysenesse suspende 
 
 Ne REMINISCARIS, DOMINE ! 
 
 Et Ipse redimet Israel ex omnibus iniqui- 
 tatibus ejus. 
 
 Lord ! ful bytterly thou hast bought 
 
 Wrecchyd mannes forfeture : 
 Whan he was lost thou hast hym sought : 
 
 Thi lyif thou potyst in aventure. 
 
 There myghte no pore creature, 
 Whan we were thralle, make us free : 
 
 For on our syde was no recure,* 
 
 But Ne REMINISCARIS, DOMINE ! 
 
 recure. recovery. 
 
176 APPENDIX. 
 
 SIR T: WYATT. circa 1535. 
 PSALM CXXX. 
 
 From depth of synne, and from a depe dispayre, 
 From depth of deeth, from depth of harte's sorrowe, 
 From this depe cave of darknes' depe repayre, 
 
 Thee have I calde, Lorde ! to be my borowe.* 
 Thou in my voyce, O Lorde ! perceave and heare 
 My harte — my hope — my playnte my overthrowe 
 
 My wyll to ryse : and lette, by graunte, appeare 
 That to my voyce Thine eares do well attende. 
 No place so farre, that to Thee is not near. 
 
 No depthe so depe, that Thou ne mayste extende 
 Thyne eare therto : Heare, then, my wofull playnte. 
 For, Lord ! yf thou do observe what men o£Pende, 
 
 And putte Thy natyve mercye in restreynte, — 
 Yf juste exactyon demaunde recompence, — 
 Who may endure, Lorde ' who shall not fainte 
 
 * " borowe." surety, bail. 
 
APPENDIX. 177 
 
 W: HUNNIS. 1583. 
 PSALM CXXX. 
 
 Out from the deepe likewise 
 
 Of sinne and wickednesse, 
 To Thee I call : Lord ! hear my voice. 
 
 And free me from distresse. 
 
 And let thine eares, sweet Lord ! 
 
 To hear attentive bee 
 The voice and praier of my plaint. 
 
 That now I make to Thee. 
 
 If thou, Lord! be extreme 
 
 To mark what Hnnes be done, 
 Alas ! 710 Jlesh shall saved bee 
 
 That is under the sonne. 
 
 For mercie is with Thee, 
 
 Increasing more and more ; 
 Wherewith Thou didst vouchsafe to come, 
 
 Mankind for to restore. 
 
 *:ic* This Piece is given, omitting the Prefatory Stanzas 
 (eight) and those after every Verse of the Psalm proper 
 (as described in P: xxxv of Preface) opposite to which, in 
 the margin, the Latin Text is given. The passages here in 
 italics are so printed in Hunnis ; apparently to distinguish 
 them, as strict translations, from the more additional and 
 explanatory mattei-. 
 
 M 
 
178 APPENDIX. Ps. CXXX. 
 
 WYATT. 
 
 At soche accompte ? So drede, not reverence, 
 
 Should raigne at large. But Thou sekest rather love. 
 For in Thy hande is mercye's resydence ; 
 
 By hope whereof Thou doeste our hartes eke move. 
 I in The Lorde have sette my confidence : 
 My soule soche truste doth evermore approve. 
 
 Thy holye worde of eterne excellence, 
 
 Thy mercye's promise that is all-waye juste, 
 Have been my stay my piller and defence. 
 
 My soule in God hath more desyrous truste 
 Than hath the watchman loking for the daye, 
 By the relief to quenche of slepe the thurst. 
 
 Lette Israeli truste unto The Lorde alwaye : 
 For grace and favor are Hys propertie. 
 Plenteouse ransome shall come with Hym, I saye, 
 
 And shall redeme all our iniquitie. 
 
Ps. CXXX. APPENDIX. 179 
 
 HUNNIS. 
 
 And so Thy lawe, which was 
 
 In tables written deepe ; 
 That everie one, accordinglie, 
 
 The same should hold and keepe. 
 
 I hope after this life 
 
 My soule shall then obtaine, 
 Which hope abides still in Thy word. 
 
 An everlasting gaine. 
 
 Such hope my soule hath had, 
 
 By grace Thou gav'st to me ; 
 And, by the same, I firmlie trust 
 
 My soule shall saved be. 
 
 E'en still from mornitig watch 
 
 Untill the night of death ; 
 Which is from youth unto mine age ; 
 
 When life shall pass with breath. 
 
 And verie meet it is — 
 
 That Israeli also, 
 Which is all faithful! Christians, 
 
 This hope should feele and knowe. 
 
 For mercie is with GOD, 
 
 And grace abundant store ; 
 With which. Israel is redeem' d 
 From sin ne for evermore. 
 
 M 2 
 
180 APPENDIX. 
 
 I: DAVIES. 1612. 
 PSALM CXXX. 
 
 FROM 
 
 THE DOLEFUL DOVE. 
 
 David's 7 Penitentiall Psalmes somewhat para- 
 phrastically turned into Verse. 
 
 Be profundis clamavi. 
 
 The people of God, from their bottomlesse misery, doe 
 cry unto God, and are heard. They confesse their sins, 
 and fly unto God's mercy. 
 
 From depth of Grief e^ (wherein my Soule doth lye) 
 I doe and will (deare Lord) still call on thee : 
 
 Then let thine eares attend mine inward cry, 
 and listen to my prayers, and to me. 
 
 If thou fraile Flesh wilt call to strict account, 
 
 what Jlesh and blood then, in thy si^ht shall stand ? 
 
 But Mercy is with thee, as in the Fount : 
 
 then I expect thy Mercyes Keeping hand. 
 
 * The italics are so in the exemplar. 
 
Ps. CXXX. APPENDIX. 181 
 
 My Soiile upon the Faith, which thou hast plight, 
 hath ever staid ; and still doth hope in thee ; 
 
 Then from the Morning-watch, till that of Night, 
 let Israel still relie on Thee with me. 
 
 For, with this God of Glory and of Grace, 
 
 is Grace as much as Glory ; and, therein 
 
 He will redeeme the sad in sinfull case, 
 
 with his true Israel, from al] their sin. 
 
 To God the Father (which we doe adore) 
 
 and to the Sonne, and to their blessed Spirit, 
 
 All Glory be, as it was hertofore, 
 
 is and still shall be through worlds infinite. 
 
182 ' APPENDIX. 
 
 F: PETRARCH. 1304—1374. 
 
 PSALMUS V. 
 
 Noctes meae in moerore transeunt, & terrores 
 agitant innumeris, conscientia concutat iusom- 
 nem, & male mihi est. Somnis meus illusionib : 
 variis turbatur, non mihi quietem afferens sed 
 laborem, signum pestiferi eventus. Exhibe, 
 Domine ! & occurre, quoniam adventatis mortis 
 est juditium. Dies meae in amaritudinib : 
 exegi, consumpserunt me curse immortales, 
 & anima3 meae litigio exasperatus sum. Corpo- 
 ris mei sarcinse defessus ac curvatus ingredior. 
 
APPENDIX. 183 
 
 G: CHAPMAN. 1612. 
 
 PETRARCH. HIS PSALME V. 
 
 Yet, Lord ! vnquiet sinne is stirriDg ; 
 
 My long nights longer grow, like evening shades : 
 
 In which woe, lost, is all waies erring ; 
 
 And varied terror euery step invades. 
 
 Wayes, made in teares, shut as they ope ; 
 
 My lodestarre I can no way see ; 
 
 Lame is my faith, blind loue and hope : 
 
 And, Lord ! 't is passing ill with me. 
 
 My sleepe, like glasse, in dreames is broken ; 
 
 No quiet yielding, but affright and care ; 
 
 Signes that my poore hfe is forspoken : 
 
 Lord ! courbe the ill, and good in place prepare : 
 No more delay my spent desire ; 
 'T is now full time for thee to hear : 
 Thy loue hath set my soule on fire. 
 My heart quite broke twixt hope and feare. 
 
 *:^* A little violence has here been done to the chronolo- 
 gical order, in placing Chapman before Verstegan (tho, after 
 all, the difference between them is only about ten years) for 
 the sake of letting the different Versions face each other, as a 
 better means of comparing them. 
 
184 APPENDIX. Ps. CXXX. 
 
 PETRARCH. 
 
 & terra invitus aspicio. Intus & extra mihi 
 ispi sum molestus, utrobiq: hostes domesticos 
 inveni, qui me pessunderunt. Persecutionib : 
 alienigeniis patuit ingressus, & murorum 
 custodia devicta est. Et ego somno gravis, 
 atque incautus, inter tenebras noctis oppressus 
 sum. Nulla mihi spes salutis nullum presidium 
 aliudne, sed in misericordia tua sperabo. Suc- 
 curre, accelera, fer opem, et miserere mei. 
 Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto. 
 
Ps. CXXX. APPENDIX. 185 
 
 CHAPMAN. 
 
 No outward light my life hath graced ; 
 
 My mind hath ever bene my onely sunne ; 
 
 And that so farre hath enuie chased, 
 
 That all in clouds her hated head is runne. 
 And, while she hides, immortal! cares 
 Consume the soule that sense inspires ; 
 Since outward she sets eyes and eares, 
 A nd other ioyes spend her desires. 
 
 She musters, both without and in me, 
 Troubles and tumults : she's my houshold theefe, 
 Opes all my doores to lust and enuie. 
 And all my persecutors lends releefe. 
 
 Bind her. Lord ! and my true soule free : 
 Preferre the gift thy hand hath giuen : 
 Thy image in her, crowne in me ; 
 And make us here free, as in heauen. 
 
 All glorie to the Father be ! 
 And to the Sonne as great as he, 
 
 With the coequall sacred Spirit : 
 Who all beginnings were before, 
 Are, and shall be euermore. 
 
 Glorie, all glorie to their merit ! 
 
180 APPENDIX. 
 
 R: VERSTEGAN. 1601. 
 
 PSALM CXXX. 
 
 Be profundis clamaui ad Te, Domine I 
 Ev'n from the depth of woes 
 Wherein my soule remaines, 
 To thee, in supreame blis, 
 Lord, that highest raignes ! 
 
 I do both call and cry : 
 'T is deep hart-sorrowes force 
 That moues me thus to waile : 
 'Tis pittie, Lord ! in thee 
 Must make it to auaile ; 
 
 Thyne eares therefore aply. 
 
 If stricktly thou, o Lord ! 
 Obserued haest my sinne, 
 Alas, what shal I do ! 
 What case then am I in, 
 
 If rigour thou extend ! 
 But wel, Lord ! I know 
 Sweet mercy dwelles with thee ; 
 And with thy justice then 
 It must expected bee ; 
 
 And I therefore attend. 
 
 My soule doth wait on thee : 
 Thy grace confirmes my trust ; 
 My warrant is thy woord : 
 Thou keepest promis just. 
 
APPENDIX. 187 
 
 R: DANIEL. 1727- 
 
 THE SUPPLICATION. 
 
 PSALM CXXX. 
 
 Buried in Darkness, and opprest with Care, 
 To thee, my gracious God ! I bend in Pray'r. 
 Nor Pray'rs nor Sighs can jealous Saul assuage: 
 Save me, oh save me from the Tyrant's Rage ! 
 Friends I have none to take my injur'd Part : 
 And sure no Soul like mine can plead Desert ; 
 If Merit must my Intercessor be, 
 Vain are my wretched hopes and lost in thee. 
 
 Ah no ! in such a Light I ne'sr must shine ; 
 Let others claim Desert, let shame be mine ; 
 For oh ! should'st thou inspect the inward Part, 
 And nicely weigh each Failing of the Heart, 
 Should'st thou our vain and idle Actions scan, 
 And let thy vig'rous Justice loose on Man, 
 The purest Mind can no Perfection boast, 
 And ev'n the whitest Innocence is lost. 
 
 But see thy tender mercy intervenes. 
 
 Covers our Failings, and our Follies screens ; 
 Mercy and Pity in thy Bosom move, 
 And all thy Godhead stands confest in Love, — 
 Love, wondrous Love, the Fav'rite of thy Breast, 
 Love felt by all too great to be exprest. 
 
188 APPENDIX. Ps. CXXX. 
 
 VERSTEGAN. 
 
 Keep me, o Lord ! secure : 
 Let thy afflicted flock 
 Comfort in tliee retaine ; 
 From dauning day to night. 
 From night to day againe, 
 
 Let still their hope endure. 
 
 There is with our good God 
 Much mercie stil in store : 
 Eedemption doth remaine 
 With him for euer more : 
 
 Aboundant is his grace : 
 His people He afiects; 
 He wil not leave distrest : 
 The thralled he wil fre, 
 With ease of their unrest, 
 
 And all their faultes deface.* 
 
 All glory be, therefore, 
 Father ! unto thee : 
 And so, unto the sonne, 
 The lyke great glory bee, 
 
 And to the holy Ghoste : 
 Such as it wonted was, 
 Before the world began ; 
 Such as now yet it is. 
 And euer shal remaine, 
 
 Aboue all glorie moste. 
 Amen. 
 
 * " deface" for ' efface ' : in which sense the word is con- 
 stantly used in The Old Version. 
 
Ps. CXXX. APPENDIX. 189 
 
 DANIEL. 
 
 Come, mighty God ! and take thy Servant's part : 
 Come, mighty God ! and triumph o'er my Heart ; 
 
 Seize, take it all, and let the Wand'rer be 
 Close knit in sweetest Bonds to Truth and Thee. 
 Not so thy Priests, which in the Temple pray, 
 Watch for the early Blush of rising Day, 
 As my Soul pants and struggles to be free. 
 Full of thy wished approach, and full of thee. 
 Come, mighty God ! and take my injur'd Part ; 
 Oh come, and reign for ever in my Heart. 
 
 Oh Isra'l ! mourn, like me, your Conduct past. 
 Implore his Pardon, and his Bounty taste : 
 All- gracious is the God in whom we trust. 
 Mild and forgiving. Merciful and Just ; 
 His Arm will strike this grand Oppressor down. 
 Confirm our Israel, and secure the Crown : 
 Then hostile Rage and Jealousies shall cease. 
 And the glad Land shall taste the Sweets of Peace. 
 
 THE END.