Psal 22 (Add. MS. 11744, British Library)
Transcription
My God why is thy presence thus retired
And when assistance needs so far remote
Who wth my daly cries am almost tired
But my woefull plaints thou hearest not
And in the night the time when all finds rest
I only am disturb'd by any an unquiet brest
Yit thou art holy the trust our storys tells
Our fathers had in thee distress being nie
Ô thou who dost Isearills praise exelle
How ready was thy helpe when they did crie
Let it noe less be now though by reproach I am
To men a scorne to thee a worme noe man
Not scorning only but derision too
When deiected thus my soule they see
Such slighting gestures wth Lips & Head they doe
And what is worse in high contempt of thee
Sence hem god did trust say they lett him
Deliuer theseem he such delight hath in
But as from Naturs liuing Tombe
Thou maidst mey hope though then smale as I
When first thou tookes me from the wombe
And on my mothers brest did lie
Sence from the wombe on thee I am cast
Preserue me now as a then thou hast
When thou seemes gone & terrors come
Let not thy presence to far distance be
Least I by Basians Bulls be ouerrun
Wch falls wth gapinge mouth's so feirce on me
Or like the roring lions hunger bitt
Deuouring al they in ther paws doe gitt
Distiling tears my life doth wast
My melting hart as wax disolues
And when tremblinge ioints thy hath boones displast
What can my striengh thus gone resolue
Or praise the wth the tonge that also must
To giawes be tied when I brought am to dust
The wicked crew seing this did flock
Like dogs whose nature's keene & fierse
But crueler in this that could mock
When they my hands & feet did peirce
Nor could my numbred boones all might know
A glance of pitty from ther eys on us show
As men iniurious not yiett content
My garments part amongst them all
My sacred vestments wch they have rent
By lotts doe cast on' whom't shal fall
But Lord be thou not far to bring
Deliuerance from these men of Sin
'Mongst those that to thy house resort
In a religious awe vnto thy name
I'le pay my vowu'd obsarviance & report
Those acts that justly purchas Fame
Such finds not only here a worldy food
But shal liue wth thee in an eternal good
To keep his soule aliue who can
For al men must to dust discend
Though pride exalts the now yett know ô Man
Those plumes abased shal be & thou must bend
But to the' vpright & him whom he shal raise
This, this he hath done shal be ther song of praise
Modernized Text
My God why is thy presence thus retired
And, when assistance needs, so far remote
Who with my daily cries am almost tired?
But my woeful plaints thou hearest not
And in the night, the time when all finds rest,
I only am disturbed by an unquiet breast.
Yet thou art holy; the trust, our stories tells,
Our fathers had in thee, distress being nigh.
Oh thou, who dost Israel's praise excel
How ready was thy help when they did cry.
Let it no less be now, though by reproach I am
To men a scorne, to thee a worm, no man.
Not scorning only but derision too,
When dejected thus my soul they see.
Such slighting gestures wth lips and head they do,
And what is worse in high contempt of thee:
Since [t]hem God did trust, say they, let him
Deliver them he such delight hath in.
But as from nature's living tomb,
Thou mad'st my hope then small as I
When first thou took me from the womb
And on my mothers breast did lie.
Sence from the womb on thee I am cast
Preserve me now as then thou hast.
When thou seem gone and terrors come,
Let not thy presence too far distance be,
Lest I by Bashan's bulls be ouerrun
Which falls with gaping mouths so fierce on me.
Or, like the roaring lion's hunger bit,
Devouring all they in ther paws do get.
Distilling tears my life doth waste;
My melting hart as wax disolves;
And when trembling joints hath bones displaced,
What can my strength thus gone resolve,
Or praise thee with the tongue that also must
To jaws be tied when I brought am to dust?
The wicked crew, seeing this, did flock
Like dogs whose nature's keen and fierce;
But crueler in this, that could mock
When they my hands and feet did pierce;
Nor could my numbered bones all might know
A glance of pity from their eyes on us show.
As men injurious, not yet content,
My garments part amongst them all
My sacred vestments whic they have rent,
By lots do cast on whom't shall fall.
But Lord, be thou not far to bring
Deliverance from these men of sin.
'Mongst those that to thy house resort
In a religious awe unto thy name,
I'll pay my vowed observance and report
Those acts that justly purchase fame.
Such finds not only here worldy food
But shall live wth thee in an eternal good.
To keep his soul alive who can,
For all men must to dust descend.
Though pride exalts thee now yet know, oh man,
Those plumes abased shall be and thou must bend.
But to th' upright and him whom he shall raise,
"This, this he hath done!" shall be their song of praise.
