Psalm 35 (Judica, Domine)

Speake thou for me against wrong speaking foes;
Thy force, O Lord, against their force oppose:
Take up thy shield, and for my succour stand;
Yea, take thy launce, and stoppe the way of those
That seeke my bane; O make me understand
In sprite, that I shall have thy helping hand.

Confound those folks, thrust them in shamfull hole,
That hunt so poore a prey as is my soule.
Rebuke, and wrack, on those wrong-doers throw,
Who for my hurt each way their thoughtes did roule;
And as vile chaff away the wind did blow,
Let angell thine, a scatt'ring make them goe.

Let angell thine, pursue them as they fly,
But let their flight be dark and slippery;
For causles they, both pitt and nett did sett:
For causles they, did seeke to make me die:
Let their sly witts unwares destruction gett,
Fall in self pitt, be caught in their own nett.

Then shall I joy in thee, then sav'd by thee,
I both in mind and bones shall gladded be.
Ev'n bones shall say (O God), who is thy peere?
Who poore and weake, from rich and strong dost free:
Who helpest those whose mine was so neere,
From him whose force did in their soules appeere.

Who did me wrong against me wittnesse beare,
Laying such things as never in me were:
So my good deedes they pay with evill share,
With cruell mindes, my very soule to teare.
And whose? ev'n his, who then they sickness bare,
With inward woe, an outward sack cloth ware.

I did pull down my self, fasting for such,
I praid, with praiers, which my brest did touch:
In summe I shew'd, that I to them was bent
As brothers, or as frendes beloved much.
Still, still for them I humbly moorning went,
Like one that should his mothers death lament.

But lo, soone as they did me stagg'ring see,
Who joy but they? when they assembled be:
Then abiects, while I was unwitting quite
Against me swarme, causelesse to raile at me
With scoffers false, I was theyr feasts delight,
Even gnashing teeth, to witness more their spight.

Lord wilt thou see, and wilt thou suffer it?
Oh! on my soule let not these tumults hitt.
Save me, distrest, from lions cruell kind,
I will thanck thee, where congregations sitt,
Even where I do most store of people find,
Most to thy laudes will I my speeches bind.

Then, then lett not my foes unjustly joy;
Let them not fleere who me would now destroy:
Who never word of peace yet utter would,
But hunt with craft the quiett mans annoy,
And said to me, wide mowing, as they could:
A, ha, Sir, now we see you where we should.

This thou hast seene: and wilt thou silent be?
O Lord, doe not absent thy selfe from me;
But rise, but wake, that I may judgment gett.
My Lord, my God, ev'n for my equity,
Judge, Lord: judge, God, ev'n in thy justice greate:
Let not their joy upon my woes be sett.

Lett them not, Lord, within their harts thus say:
O soule, rejoyce, we made this wretch our prey.
But throw them down, put them to endles blame,
Who make a cause to joy of my decay.
Lett them be cloth'd in most confounding shame
That lift themselves my ruine for to frame.

But make such glad and full of joyfullnesse
That yet beare love unto my righteousnesse:
Yet, lett them say, laud be to God allwaies,
Who loves with God his servauntes good to blesse.
As for my tongue, whiles I have any daies,
Thy justice witness shall, and speake thy praise.