Miserere mei Deus. Psal. 51

GReat God of Gods (whose Mercy is as great)
haue mercy on me (wretch) whose Sin exceeds;
Yet after thy compassion so compleate,
wash out the blots of my too foule misdeedes.

O clense me from the filth of mine offence,
that ranckles in my Conscience, all defilde
With all that may depraue both Soule and Sense;
that (purg'd) I may to thee be reconcil'd:

For, I acknowledge mine iniquitie,
sith still my Sinne's the obiect of my sight;
And, by the pow'r of mine impiety,
I wrong thy grace and still impugne thy Sp'rit.

Against thee onely I in sinne abide,
and done what doth condemne me in thy sight;
That in thy Words thou maist be iustifide,
and ouercome when thou art iudg'd vnright.

For, nought but wickednesse prepar'd the way
to my conception; which to worse did passe:
Then, ere I was, I stood at sinfull stay;
and, when I fell to Being, worser was.

This (Lord) is true; confessing which, doth moue
thy Grace to me thy Wisedome (hid) to show:
Then sprinckle me with Isop, in thy Loue;
and so, I shall be whiter farre; than Snow.

Vnto mine Eares (invred but to heare
what Eares corrupts) thou shalt but Ioy obiect:
So shall the bones, which by thee broken were,
reioyce; and, sinne, wherein it ioy'd, reiect.

O then from my foule sinnes thy Face auert;
and wash me from the filth they cast on me;
In me create an vndefiled Heart,
with such a spirit as may be iust to thee.

And cast me not, ô cast me not away
out of the Way still brightned by thy beames;
Nor, from me take thy Spirit, my Guide and Stay,
in hardest passages of all Extreames.

Restore to me the gladnesse of thy blisse;
and, with thy chiefest Spirit, still strengthen me;
Then those Ile teach that now thy wayes doe misse:
so, Sinners shall conuerted be to thee.

Saue me from bloud, that vengeance doth implore;
so shall my Tongue thy Iustice highly raise:
But more thy Mercy, sith it glads me more.
Then, ope my Lips, and they shall shew thy praise.

Had'st thou desired Sacrifice, I had
offer'd it to thee; but, thou tak'st delight
In no burnt Offrings; but, art euer glad
to take the Offer of a contrite Spirit.

A Broken Heart, with sorrow but for Sinne,
thou wilt, nor canst thou, for thy Word, despise;
Then, let mine, broken so, thy Mercy win;
and, from it still auert thine Angers Eyes.

With Sion, ô deale gently; that the Wals
of raz'd Ierusalem rebuilt may be;
And still withstand Hels fiery darts, and Bals,
to keepe thy Foes out, onely but for thee.

Then shalt thou take the Sacrifice in gree,
of Iustice in thy Mercy; then, shall they
Offer Oblations still in flames to thee;
and Calues vpon thine holy Alter lay.

To God the Father, praise and glory be;
and to the Sonne, and to their blessed Sp'rit;
(A Trinitie in strictest Vnitie)
as it was, is, and shall be infinite.