Psalm 119

O Blessed blessed are the pure,
That never from Gods laws depart:
That keep his testimonies sure,
And seek him with a perfect heart.
They also do no wickedness,
Walk in his ways, and never swerve:
Thou dost a strict command'ment press,
That we with care thy laws observe.
O that my ways were made direct,
And to thy statutes rightly fram'd:
When t' all thy laws I have respect,
Then sure I shall not be asham'd.
With upright heart I'l give thee praise,
When I have learn'd thy judgmēts right:
And I will surely keep thy ways,
O do not Lord forsake me quite.

2. Part.
HOw may the waies of man be freed
From errour in his youth?
If thereunto he take good heed,
According to thy truth.
Lord I have sought thee (I am sure)
Even with a perfect heart:
From paths of thy commandments pure,
O let me not depart.
I hid thy Word within my heart,
From sin to keep me free:
A blessed God O Lord thou art,
Thy statutes teach to me.
Thy mouths decrees my lips declar'd:
I count no worldly treasure
With thy commandments waies compar'd,
To yield so sweet a pleasure.
Upon thy precepts I will muse,
Much by thy judgments set:
Thy statutes with contentment use,
And not thy words forget.

3. Part.
BE moved towards thy servant Lord,
To deal with me in bounteous wise,
That I may live and keep thy word,
Yea, open thou, O Lord, mine eies.
That I the wondrous things may see,
Which from thy testimonies flow:
Thy statutes do not hide from me,
That am a stranger here below.
My soul ev'n breaks with fervent thirst,
Thy judgements having still preferr'd:
The proud thou hast rebuk't and curst,
Which from thy precepts greatly err'd.
Remove from me contempt and shame,
For I have kept thy just decrees:
While Princes in their counsels blame
Thy servant (Lord) for keeping these.
But in thy Statutes exquisite,
Thy servant meditation ply'd
Thy Testaments are my delight,
They are my counsell and my guide.

4. Part.
MY spirit cleaves unto the dust,
O quick'n me for thy promise just.
I have declar'd my ways to thee,
And thou hast heard and noted me.
Teach me thy Statutes I thee pray,
And let me know thy precepts way.
So my discourse shall wholly tend,
Thy works and wonders to commend.
My heart doth melt for very grief,
Lord for thy promise send relief.
The way of lies from me with-draw,
And grant me graciously thy law.
I chose the way of truth most right,
I laid thy judgments in my sight.
Thy testaments I stuck unto,
Lord shame me not for what I do.
I'l run the way thou giv'st in charge,
When as thou shalt my heart enlarge.

5. Part.
LOrd teach me in thy Statutes way,
And I shall keep it to the end:
O give me knowledge that I may
With my whole heart thy laws attend.
Yea, I to keep them shall be sure,
Make me therefore to go aright;
In paths of thy Command'ments pure,
For therein onely I delight.
Incline mine heart unto thy Law,
And not to cov'tousnes (I pray)
From objects vain mine eies withdraw,
And quicken me in thy good way.
Thy promise to thy servant prove,
Who is devoted to fear thee:
My fear'd reproach from me remove,
For very good thy Judgments be.
Lord I have long'd with earnestness,
Thy blessed laws to know and do;
Vouchsafe then in thy righteousness,
To move and quicken me thereto.

6. Part.
LORD let thy mercies free
Come also unto mee,
According to
Thy promise do,
And my salvation be.
So shall my answer just
Reprove his envious lust;
Who ever he be
That taunteth me,
For in thy Word I trust.
Let not the word of light,
My mouth abandon quite;
For lo the scope
Of all my hope
Is in thy judgments right.
So keep thy laws shall I
For ever constantly;
And I, because
I keep thy laws,
Will walk at libertie.
Thy Testaments to name
To Kings, I will not shame;
Delighting still
To do thy will
For I have lov'd the same.
I'l also lift my hands,
To thy belov'd commands,
And on them pitch
My thoughts, to which
My strong affection stands.

7. Part.
THy promise to thy servant mind,
Whereon thou mad'st me rest:
This comfort in distress I find,
Thy word revives my brest.
Tho proud men have me greatly scoft,
Thy ways I ne'er declin'd:
Thy judgements old I thought on oft,
And comforted my mind.
I'm seis'd with horrour for this age,
Which doth thy laws forsake:
And in my house of pilgrimage,
Thy laws my songs did make.
Thy Name I have in mind retain'd,
When night her curtain draws:
I kept thy word, this grace I gain'd,
Because I kept thy laws.

8. Part.
THou Lord my onely portion art,
I said that I will keep thy Word:
I sought thy favour from my heart,
Thy promised grace to me afford.
I have considered of my ways,
And to thy laws my feet • bent:
I made good haste and shunn'd delays,
To keep thy just commandement.
The wicked bands have robbed me,
Yet have I not forgot thy laws:
I'l rise at midnight praising thee,
For thy just judgments give me cause.
Who fear thy Name and do thy will,
Such men I am companion to:
Thy mercies do the whole earth fill,
Teach me thy laws to know and do.

9. Part
ACcording to thy promise free,
Lord thou hast dealt full well with me,
That am thy servant fearing thee.
Teach me good judgment Lord, I pray,
And knowledge of thy word and way,
For I beleeve what thou dost say.
While unchastised with thy rod,
I went astray from thee, O God;
But in thy paths I since have trod.
Lord thou art good, thy nature's so,
And thou dost good, thy works do show,
O teach me Lord thy laws to know.
The proud against me forg'd a lye,
But my whole heart will I apply,
To keep thy precepts faithfully.
As fat as grease their heart is grown,
But, Lord, the law which thou dost own,
Is my delight, and that alone.
'Twas good for me to undergo
Th' afflicting hand of God, I know,
That I might learn thy Statutes so.
The law of thy dear mouth I hold,
Better to me a thousand fold,
Then heaps of silver and of gold.

10. Part.
THy hands have made and fashion'd me,
Give me thy laws to learn:
And thy Commandements what they
Give knowledge to discern.
All they that see me will be glad,
When they shall me behold:
Because I have assurance had
In what thy word foretold.
How right ô Lord, thy judgments be,
I understand no less:
I know thou hast afflicted me
Of very faithfulness.
I pray thee let thy mercies kind•,
Come to thy servant Lord:
For comfort to my troubled minde,
According to thy word.
With tender mercy me prevent,
That I may live thereby
For lo in thy Commandement,
Full great delight have I.
Asham'd let all proud persons be,
For they without a cause
Have most perversly dealt with me,
But I will mind thy laws.
Turn they to me whose fear thou art,
And that have known my Name:
In all thy laws make sound my heart,
That I be free from shame.

11th Part.
MY soul for thy salvation faints,
But in thy word is all my stay:
My failing eies urge sad complaints,
When wilt thou comfort me, they •ay.
A wrinkled bottle set in smoke,
I am rightly compar'd unto:
But lo the word which thou hast spoke,
I have not yet forgot to do.
How many are thy servants days?
When wilt thou judgment execute?
On them that persecutions raise
Against my soul with close pursuit?
The proud have digged pits for me,
Which with thy law do not accord:
All thy commandments faithfull be,
They persecute me, help me Lord.
Here upon earths malignants coast,
Their cruel and injurious hands,
Had ev'n consumed me almost:
But I forsook not thy commands.
O give thy loving kindness vent,
To quicken up my fainting mind:
So shall I keep the Testament
Which thy most holy mouth assign'd.

12th Part.
O Lord thy Word is setled sure,
As sure as heav'n frō whēce it came:
Thy faithfulness doth still endure,
From age to age it is the same.
The earth, by thee confirm'd, abides
Unto this day continuing still,
Just as thine ordinance provides,
For all things do obey thy will.
Had not thy Word been my delight,
And inward comfort ministred:
Affliction had destroy'd me quite,
And I therein had perished.
Of thy commandements therefore,
I never will forgetfull be:
But think upon them evermore,
For thou with them hast quickned me.
LORD save me, I belong to thee,
And I do seek thy precepts still:
The wicked lie in wait for me,
Intending to destroy and kill.
But still thy laws I entertain,
And thereon are my thoughts bestowd:
I see the worlds perfections vain,
Onely thy laws are wondrous broad.

The 13th Part.
HOw much O Lord, I love thy laws!
All day I meditate on those:
And thy command'ments are the cause
That make me wiser then my foes.
For they are evermore with me.
And make my understanding more
Then even my Teachers skill can be,
For they my meditation store.
I kept thy precepts carefully,
And so more skill then th' ancients gaind:
To keep thy holy word have I
From all lewd ways my feet refraind.
I from thy precepts have not err'd,
For thou hast taught me wondrous well.
O how have I thy word preferr'd,
Counting its sweetness to excell.
No honey to my mouth so sweet,
It is thy precept onely praise;
That I am made so wise, discreet.
Detesting all erroneous ways.

The 14th Part.
THy word's a lamp unto my feet,
A light to guide my paths most meet.
I've sworn, and will perform it too,
Thy righteous judgments I will do.
I am afflicted very sore,
Lord keep thy word, and me restore.
The free-will offrings that I vow'd
Let I beseech thee be allowd.
Lord from my mouth accept thē each,
And unto me thy judgments teach.
My soul is ever in my hand,
Yet I forget not thy command.
The wicked laid a snare for mee,
Yet err'd I not from thy decree.
Thy Testaments to me I chose
A constant heritage of those.
For they are all and every part,
The dear rejoicing of my heart.
I evermore my heart did bend,
To keep thy statutes to the end.

The 15th Part.
I Hate vain thoughts, but love thy laws.
Thou art my hiding place, ô Lord:
My shield (when dāger neer me draws)
And I have hoped in thy word.
Ye evill doers from me depart,
Your fellowship must needs withstand:
For I am purpos'd in my heart
To keep my righteous Gods cōmand.
My soul in life good Lord uphold,
As thou hast promised the same:
That for my expectation bold,
I never may be put to shame.
O Lord uphold me by thy pow'r,
And I shall very safely stand:
And I will have respect each hour
To all thy Statutes shall command.
Thou all the lewd hast undertrood,
Which from thy Statutes go astray;
Whose fraud is falshood, them ô God,
As basest dross thou putst away.
Therefore I love thy holy laws.
My flesh even quakes for fear of thee:
And all thy dreadfull judgments cause
A trembling fear to rise in me.

The 16th Part.
I Do what truth & right commands,
O leave me not to tyrants hands.
For good thy servants suretie be,
To proud oppressors leave not me.
Mine eyes for thy salvation fail,
And till thy righteous word prevail.
In mercy with thy servant deal,
And unto me thy laws reveal.
I am thy servant, give me skill,
That I may know thy blessed will.
It's time for thee to work O God,
For they thy laws have undertrod.
Therefore I thy commandments love,
Yea gold and finest gold above.
Therefore thy laws I estimate
In all things right: All false ways hate.

17th Part.
THy testamēts are wōderfull,
Therefore my soul doth keep them right:
The entrance of thy Word gives light,
And understanding to the dull.
I long'd, gaspt, panted for thy laws;
Look thou upon me and be kind,
As those thy usuall dealing find,
Whom pure affection tow'rd thee draws.
Order my steps by thy good Word,
From sins dominion set me free:
From mans oppression save thou me,
So shall I keep thy word ô Lord.
Thy face let on thy servant shine,
And in thy statutes make me wise
Rivers of tears run down my eies,
Because they keep no laws of thine.

The 18th Part.
LOrd thou art a righteous God indeed,
And righteous judgmēts hast decreed.
Thy words, wch each cōmādmēt mings,
Are very righteous faithfull things.
My zeal consum'd me, 'twas so hot,
Because my foes thy words forgot.
The pureness of thy word is such,
That I thy servant love it much.
By me they littl' or nothing set,
Yet do not I thy laws forget.
Eternall righteousness is thine,
Thy law is truth, the truth divine.
Trouble and anguish on me seis'd,
Yet thy cōmandments sweetly pleas'd.
To me this understanding give,
And I eternally shall live.

19. Part.
WIth all my heart I cry and call,
Lord hear the words wch I let fall:
For I will keep thy Statutes all.
O save me Lord, I cri'd to thee,
Thy testimonies then shall be
Most faithfully observ'd by me.
I did prevent the dawning day,
Ith' morning did I cry and pray:
I made thy Word my hope and stay.
Mine eyes prevent the watches late,
That I might sweetly contemplate,
And on thy Word might meditate.
According as thy judgments be,
And after thy compassions free,
Lord hear my voice, and quicken me.
Lo they draw nigh, and neer me press,
That follow after wickedness:
But from thy law they far digress.
But thou O Lord, art very nigh,
And thy command'ments generally
Are perfect truth and equitie.
Thy testimonies alter never,
I know of old they must persever:
For thou hast founded them for ever.

20th. Part.
WEigh mine affliction, set me free,
For I do mind thy laws:
Make good thy word by quickning me,
Defend me, plead my cause.
Salvation from the wicked flies,
Who never seek thy ways:
But rich are thy benignities,
Me by thy judgments raise.
Full many be those foes of mine,
Which persecute me sore:
Yet did not I thy laws decline,
Nor go aside therefore.
Transgressours I with sorrow saw,
Who kept not thy decree:
Consider how I love thy law,
In kind love quicken me.
Even from the first thy word is known
To be a bulwark sure:
Thy righteous judgments every one
Perpetually endure.

21. Part.
PRinces have persecuted mee
Maliciously without a cause:
Yet stands my heart in fear of thee,
So much thy Word my conscience aws.
As one that finds the richest prize,
So do I in thy law delight:
I hate and loath the way of lies,
But love thy laws, for they are right.
Sev'n times a day I give thee praise,
Even for thy righteous judgments sake:
Great peace have they that love thy ways,
And no offence they need to take.
Lord I have hoped to partake
Of thy salvations welcome ayd:
And thy command'ments for thy sake,
To execute have not delayd.
My soul hath kept thy laws contents,
Which great affections in me raise:
I kept thy laws and testaments,
For thou beholdest all my wayes.

22. Part.
BEfore thee let my cry come neer,
Thy faithfull promises to prove:
O give me understanding cleer,
Admit the humble suits I move.
For me a sure deliverance raise,
According as thy promise stands:
My lips shall utter thankfull praise,
When thou hast taught me thy commands.
All thy commands are righteousness,
I'l speak of them with cheerfull voice:
O let thy hands my wrongs redress,
For of thy precepts I made choice.
I long'd for thy salvation LORD,
And have delighted in thy laws:
My soul thy praises shall record,
O let it live for that same cause.
O let thy judgments give me aid,
Thy poor lost servant seek to find,
Who like a wandring sheep have strayd,
For I thy precepts bear in mind.