Religion

Psalm 50

by George Wither 1588–1667

Translated by George Wither (1632) · From The Psalmes of David Translated into Lyrick-Verse (1632)

Religion

THe Lord our God, th'Almightie-one
Hath spoke, & summon'd all,
That are bewixt the rising Sunn,
And places of his fall.
God's glorie, Syon, first will showe,
With noise, approch will hee;
Before him, burning fire shall goe,
A storme, shall round him be.

Through heav'n & earth, he shall, aloud,
His folke to iudgment call;
His Saints, that Sacrisizes vow'd,
Appear before him shall.
His Iustice, heav'n shall shewe abrode;
For, God the Iudge will be.
Hark Isr'el; for, ev'n I, thy God,
Will thee accuse, saith hee.

I, for thine Offrings blame thee not,
Which were my due of olde;
Nor Bullock ask I, neither Goate,
Out of thy Stall or Folde.
For, I, more heards of Cattell owne,
Then all the Mountaines yeald;
To mee all Beasts, & Birds are known,
That live in wood or feild.

If I were hungrie, dost thou thinck,
(Since all the world is mine)
Thy Goates bloud, I would ask to drinck?
Or, feed on Bulls of thine?
No; rather pay, in thanckfulnes,
Thy Vowes; and call on me:
So, I shall pittie thy destresse
And, have due praise from thee.

But, to the wicked, saies the Lord,
How darest thou to prate
Of my commands, & of my word,
Whilst thou dost Counsell hate?
For, when thou dost a Theef perceive,
A share with him thou tak'st;
Thou, in Adulterie dost live,
And, wicked words thou speak'st.

Thy Brother, (thine owne Mothers sonn)
Thou causles, dost revile.
I, silent was, & thou hast done
These wicked things, the while.
Yea, thou hast therevpon suppos'd,
That, I, was like to thee;
But, all thy folly shall disclos'd,
And, now apparant be.

Yee, that of God forgetfull are,
Of this, Remembrance have;
Els, I shall you in peeces tear,
When there is none to save,
For, I am glorifide of those,
That give due praise to mee,
And, such as well their lives dispose
My saving-health shall see.

MLA

Wither, George. “Psalm 50.” Translated by George Wither. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/wither/77/.

Chicago

Wither, George. “Psalm 50.” Translated by George Wither. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/wither/77/.

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