Psalm LXXIII

Yet surely God is ever good
To [all his] Israel, and to them
Whose hearts are purify'd and clean,
And that are upright [hearted] men.

But yet my weakness was so great
In my [time of] temptation,
That my foot-steps had well-nigh slipt,
My [stumbling] feet were almost gone.

For at the fools who flourished,
I [grudg'd and] looked enviously,
When as I saw how wicked men
[Do] live in [great] prosperity.

For there are no bands in their death,
Their strength shews they are [fully] fed.

Other mens troubles they escape,
[And are] not like them chastened.

Therefore with pride as with a chain,
[About] they all encompass'd are:
And covered with violence,
It as a garment [they do] wear.

Their eyes stand out with fat: they have
More than their [very] hearts can wish.

They are corrupt; their wicked speech
Oppressing, [lofty] and poud is.

They set their mouth against the Heav'ns
In their [prophane] blaspheming talk;
And their reviling lavish tongue
[At large] throughout the earth doth walk.

And hereupon his people do
Hither [themselves] return agen,
And waters of a vessel full
Are [drawn and] wrung out unto them.

And thus they say, How can it be
That God all this doth [note and] know;
And that there is in the most high
Knowledge of things [done here] below?

Behold, these the ungodly are,
Who live in health and [fleshly] ease,
Who prosper in the present world,
In [wealth and] riches do increase.

Then surely I have cleans'd my heart,
And wash'd my hands [from sin] in vain:

For all day long have I been plagu'd,
And thy sharp rod [each day] sustain.

But if these tempted sinful thoughts
I [own and] utter with my tongue
Thy Childrens generation all
I should offend and [greatly] wrong.

When this I thought to understand,
It was too [high and] hard for me:

Till to God's holy place I went,
Then I their [later] end did see.

Surely it is a slippery place
In which these [worldly] men are set,
From whence thy hand doth cast them down
[At last] into destruction great.

How in a moment suddenly
To [utter] ruine brought are they,
And with just terrors utterly
[From earth] they are consum'd away.

Even as a transient dream of men,
Who [waking] do from sleep arise;
So thou, O Lord, when thou awak'st,
Their [lifeless] Image wilt despise.

Thus grieved was my tempted heart,
And me my [pierced] Reins opprest.

So rude and ignorant was I,
And in thy sight [too like] a beast.

Nevertheless continually
[O Lord] with thee I do remain,
And the support of thy right hand
Doth me always [help and] sustain.

Thou with thy Counsel in thy way
Wilt me direct and [surely] guide,
And unto Glory afterwards
[Thou wilt] receive me to abide.

Whom have I in the heav'ns above
[To trust] but thee my God alone?
And whom on earth do I desire
[And seek?] besides thee there is none.

My flesh and heart do faint and fail;
But God upholds my [sinking] heart;
God is my Rock of strength, and he
For ever is my [chosen] part.

For they shall surely perish all
That are gone far [away] from thee:
They that from thee a whoring go,
Shall all [at last] destroyed be.

I know that it is best for me
My God still to draw [and dwell] near;
I trust in thee, Lord God, that I
May all thy [wondrous] works declare.