PSALM LXXXII.

1. God in the great assembly stands
Of kings and lordly states;
Among the Gods, on both his hands,
He judges and debates.

2. How long will ye pervert the right With judgement false and wrong, Favouring the wicked by your might, Who thence grow bold and strong?

3. Regard the weak and fatherless,
Despatch the poor man's cause;
And raise the man in deep distress
By just and equal laws.

4. Defend the poor and desolate,
And rescue from the hands

Of wicked men the low estate
Of him that help demands.

5. They know not, nor will understand, In darkness they walk on

The earth's foundations all are mov'd,
And out of order gone.

6. I said that ye were Gods, yea all The sons of God Most High;

7. But ye shall die like men, and fall

As other princes die.

8. Rise, God; judge thou the earth in might, This wicked earth redress;

For thou art he who shall by right

The nations all possess.

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 Manasse'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. Here 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.