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Psal : 103 (Add. MS. 11744, British Library)


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Psal 103
Psal 103
Psal 103
Psal 103
"Psal 103". Add. MS. 11744 (British Library).

Transcription

Arise my soule & all my inward frame
Adore the Lord bless his holy name
Bless him my soule for soe t'is fitt
No benifitt of his should slip
Who when thou 'wert sunk in sin did seale
Thy pardon and diseases heale
When as distruction gaping sought
Thy life then he redemtion wrought
As wth complected wreaths he bound
Thy head wth signal mercys round
Thy mouth wth good things fill'd yea more
Did Thy youth decayd eagle like restore
Whē heauy pressurs on his chosen light
Th'opressours then finds his iudgments stright
As Mosys knew who could tell
His wondrous acts to Isreall
How t'is thy nature Lord to be
To Anger slow to mercy free
And when thou chidest t'is soone past
Nor doth thyne Anger euer last
When sin did burne & we not melt
As far from ea Rewards acording h'as not delt
As far from earth the spangled sphears
Ther arched volts in hights apears
Or the rising sun to wher it setts
So far thou cast trensgressours debts
And father like thy pitty moues
To him that pays his fillial loues
As knowing wel our framime's but dust
And to't againe returne we must
That from fraile man his days doe pass
As faiding flowers of withring grass
When on it's face the rough winds blowes
To caues (it) of obliuion throwes
But in endless ends still mercy moues
To the childrin's childrin whom he loues
And such whose harts are steadfast fixt
To keepe his lawes & sin vnmixt
Lord thy throne's plast is in heauenly orbs
Whose powers these earthly Kingdoms curbs
Ye powers Angellick wch exell
O might you vs his goodness tell
And ye that doe his will ô sacred Host
May we wth you in's goodness bost
But bless him soule who mak'st apeare
His workes al praise him in ther spheare

Modernized Text

Arise my soul and all my inward frame,
Adore the Lord, bless his holy name.
Bless him my soul, for so t'is fit
No benefit of his should slip
Who, when thou 'wert sunk in sin, did seal
Thy pardon and diseases heal.
When as destruction gaping sought
Thy life, then he redemption wrought.
As with completed wreaths, he bound
Thy head with signal mercies round.
Thy mouth with good things filled, yea more,
Thy youth decayed eagle-like restore.
When heavy pressures on his chosen light,
Th'oppressors then find his judgments straight.
As Moses knew, who could tell
His wondrous acts to Israel,
How t'is thy nature, Lord, to be
To anger slow to mercy free;
And when thou chidest t'is soon past;
Nor doth thine anger ever last.
When sin did burn and we not melt,
Rewards according h'as not dealt.
As, far from earth, the spangled spheres
Ther arched vaults in heights appears,
Or the rising sun to where it sets,
So far thou cast transgressor's debts
And father-like thy pity moves
To him that pays his filial loves,
As knowing well our frame's but dust
And to't again return we must,
That from frail man his days do pass
As fading flowers of with'ring grass:
When on its face the rough wind blows,
To caves (it) of oblivion throws.note
But in endless ends still mercy moves
To the children's children whom he loves
And such whose hearts are steadfast fixed
To keep his lawes and sin unmixed.
Lord, thy throne's placed in heavenly orbs
Whose powers these earthly kingdoms curb.
Ye powers angelic which excel,
Oh might you us his goodness tell!
And ye that do his will, oh sacred host,
May we with you in's goodness boast!
But bless him, soul, who mak'st appear
His workes: all praise him in their sphere!

When on its face the rough wind blows, / To caves (it) of oblivion throws. Fairfax's punctuation and syntax are peculiar here, but he seems to mean "When the rough wind blows on its face, it [the wind] throws it [the flowers, the days of man] to caves of oblivion". [back to text]

 


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