Psal 33 (MS. Fairfax 40, The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford)
Transcription
You in the name of the Lord reioyce that righteous bee
For prayse becometh none but such as yee
Whos warbling harp ther Epithemiansnote sings
Wth pleasing instruments of ten-tuned strings
Raise then your sacred notes in well set songs
His wonders show thyis prayse to him belongs
In iudments equal balance he hath layd
All what his word in heauen & earth has made
As watry mountaines the seas he'as layd on heaps
His treasurys he'as placed in the depts
Ye mortals feare the Lord who'has fram'd the earth
Att his Com̃and t'was done all wth his breath
His counsels sure shal stand foreuer fast
And thoughts of loue to come as thos that's past
The heathen's counsels he doth brings to naught
Ther secret plots to noe effect was brought
Happy the nation wch god hym for Lord doth chuse
Happy the people he for for his owne doth use
Vpon the sons of men he look'd from high
And from his heauenly throne he cast his eye
The harts of men he made as t'were the same
Ther workes considered then wch he did frame
Tis not the numurous armys Kings do saue
Nor mighty men by any powre they haue
The pransing horse in whom vaine men confides
Cannot wth strentht saue such as on them rides
But his al-seing-eye doth such disearne
Who in his mercy hopes, whom faith doth arme
When death's grime sargent comes, when or pining want
Relie Wait then on him & he'le diliuerance grant
Sence Lord on thee they all ther trust haue had
Let mercy sustaine therm prayers[?] Let ther harts be glad
Epithemians. Fairfax presumably means epithumia, ἐπιθυμίᾳ, one of the Greek words for "love". The oddity of Fairfax's choice, however, is that epithumian desire is connected with bodily pleasure: it is senusal rather than spiritual. Where the word appears in the New Testament, it is almost always a desire that is the subject of condemnation, such as lust or covetousness (see examples here). An exception is Luke 22:15, in which Epithumia (notably capitalised as in Fairfax's verse) refers to Jesus's desire to eat with his disciples (again, desire connected to the bodily). Perhaps Fairfax's choice was founded in the connection of the word to touch: the righteous make this bodily desire pure through touching the strings of their harps into praise of God. Alternatively, Fairfax's use of this word may signal that his understanding of Greek accounts of love was limited. [back to text]
Modernized Text
You in the name of the Lord rejoyce that righteous be,
For praise becometh none but such as yee
Whose warbling harp their Epithumia sings.
With pleasing instruments of ten-tuned strings
Raise, then, your sacred notes in well set songs:
His wonders show this prayse to him belongs.
In judments equal balance he hath laid
All what his word in heauen and earth has made.
As wat'ry mountains, seas he's laid on heaps;
His treasuries he's placéd in the depths.
Ye mortals fear the Lord who's framed the earth:
At his command t'was done all with his breath.
His counsels, sure, shall stand forever fast
And thoughts of love to come as those that's past.
The heathen's counsels he doth brings to naught;
Ther secret plots to no effect was brought.
Happy the nation him for Lord doth choose;
Happy the people he for his doth use.
Upon the sons of men he looked from high
And from his heavenly throne he cast his eye.
The hearts of men he made as t'were the same;
Their works considered, then. which he did frame.
'Tis not the numerous armyies kings do save
Nor mighty men by any power they have;
The prancing horse in whom vain men confide
Cannot with strength save such as on them rides.
But his all-seeing eye doth such discern
Who in his mercy hopes; whom faith doth arm
When death's grim sergeant comes or pining want.
Wait, then, on him and he'll diliverance grant.
Since, Lord, on thee they all their trust have had,
Mercy sustain them, let ther hearts be glad.
