(His arrows purposely made he
For them that persecute.) Behold,
He travels big with vanity;
Trouble he hath conceiv'd of old,
As in a womb; and from that mould
Hath at length brought forth a lie.

He digg'd a pit, and delv'd it deep,
And fell into the pit he made;

His mischief, that due course doth keep,
Turns on his head; and his ill trade
Of violence will, undelay'd,

Fall on his crown with ruin steep.

Then will I Jehovah's praise
According to his justice raise,
And sing the Name and Deity
Of Jehovah the Most High.

PSALM VIII. Aug. 14, 1653.

O JEHOVAH Our Lord, how wonderous great
And glorious is thy Name through all the earth!

So as above the heavens thy praise to set

Out of the tender mouths of latest birth.

Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou Hast founded strength, because of all thy foes, To stint the enemy, and slack the avenger's brow, That bends his rage thy Providence to oppose.

When I behold thy heavens, thy fingers' art,

The moon, and stars, which thou so bright hast set

In the pure firmament; then saith my heart,
O, what is man that thou remember'st yet,

And think'st upon him? or of man begot,

That him thou visit'st, and of him art found? Scarce to be less than gods, thou mad'st his lot,

With honour and with state thou hast him crown'd.

O'er the works of thy hand thou mad'st him Lord,
Thou hast put all under his lordly feet;
All flocks, and herds, by thy commanding word,
All beasts that in the field or forest meet,

Fowl of the heavens, and fish that through the wet
Sea-paths in shoals do slide, and know no dearth.
O Jehovah our Lord, how wonderous great
And glorious is thy Name through all the earth!

April 1648. J. M.

Nine of the Psalms done into metre; wherein all, but what is in a different character, are the very words of the text, translated from the original.

PSALM LXXX.

1 THOU Shepherd, that dost Israel keep,

Give ear in time of need;

Who leadest like a flock of sheep

Thy loved Joseph's seed;

That sitt'st between the Cherubs bright,
Between their wings out-spread;

Shine forth, and from thy cloud give light,
And on our foes thy dread.

2 In Ephraim's view and Benjamin's,
And in Mannasse's sight,

Awake thy strength, come, and be seen
To save us by thy might.

3 Turn us again, thy grace divine
To us, O God, vouchsafe;
Cause thou thy face on us to shine,
And then we shall be safe.

4 Lord God of Hosts, how long wilt thou,
How long wilt thou declare
Thy smoking wrath, and angry brow
Against thy people's prayer!

5 Thou feed'st them with the bread of tears:
Their bread with tears they eat;
And mak'st them largely drink the tears
Wherewith their cheeks are wet.

6 A strife thou mak'st us and a prey To every neighbour foe;

Among themselves they laugh, they play, And flouts at us they throw.

7 Return us, and thy grace divine,
O God of Hosts, vouchsafe;
Cause thou thy face on us to shine,
And then we shall be safe.

8 A vine from Egypt thou hast brought,
Thy free love made it thine,

And drov'st out nations, proud and haut,
To plant this lovely vine.

9 Thou didst prepare for it a place,
And root it deep and fast,

That it began to grow apace,
And fill'd the land at last.

10 With her green shade that cover'd all,
The hills were over-spread;
Her boughs as high as cedars tall
Advanc'd their lofty head.

11 Her branches on the western side
Down to the sea she sent,
And upward to that river wide
Her other branches went.

12 Why hast thou laid her hedges low,
And broken down her fence,

That all may pluck her, as they go,
With rudest violence?

13 The tusked boar out of the wood
Up turns it by the roots;

Wild beasts there brouze, and make their food
Her grapes and tender shoots.

14 Return now, God of Hosts, look down

From Heaven, thy seat divine;

Behold us, but without a frown,
And visit this thy vine.

15 Visit this vine, which thy right hand
Hath set, and planted long,

And the young branch that for thyself
Thou hast made firm and strong.

16 But now it is consum'd with fire,
And cut with axes down;
They perish at that dreadful ire,
At thy rebuke and frown.

17 Upon the man of thy right hand
Let thy good hand be laid;
Upon the son of man, whom thou
Strong for thyself hast made.

18 So shall we not go back from thee
To ways of sin and shame;
Quicken us thou; then gladly we
Shall call upon thy Name.

19 Return us, and thy grace divine,
Lord God of Hosts, vouchsafe;
Cause thou thy face on us to shine,
And then we shall be safe.

PSALM LXXXI.

1 To God our strength sing loud, and clear, Sing loud to God our King;

To Jacob's God, that all may hear,

Loud acclamations ring.