Attendite populi

Verse 1

1 Attend, my people, to my law, and to my words incline: My mouth shall speak strange parables, and sentences divine;

Verse 2

2 Which we ourselves have heard and learnt ev'n of our fathers old, And which for our instruction them our fathers have us told;

Verse 3

3 Because we should not keep it close from them, that after came, Who should God's mighty power declare, and wondrous works proclaim.

Verse 4

4 To Jacob he commandment gave, how Israel should live, Willing our fathers should the same unto their children give;

Verse 5

5 That they and their posterity, that were not sprung up then Should have the knowledge of the law, and teach it their children:

Verse 6

6 That they might have the better hope in God, that is above, And not forget to keep his laws, and his commands in love:

Verse 7

7 Not being as their fathers, who rebelled in God's sight, And would not frame their wicked hearts to know their God aright;

Verse 8

8 How went the sons of Ephraim their neighbours for to spoil, Shooting their darts in day of war, and yet receiv'd the foil?

Verse 9

9 For why? they did not keep with God the covenant, that was made, Nor yet would walk or lead their lives according as he said;

Verse 10

10 But put into oblivion his counsel and his will, And all his works magnificent, which he declared still.

Verse 11

The Second Part.

Verse 12

11 What wonders to our fore-fathers did he himself disclose, In Egypt's land, within the field that call'd is Thaneos!

Verse 13

12 He did divide and part the sea, through which he made a way For them to pass, and on a heap the waters made to stay;

Verse 14

13 He led them secret in a cloud by day, when it was bright, And in the night when it was dark with fire he gave them light.

Verse 15

14 He clave the rocks in wilderness, and gave the people drink, As plentiful as when the deeps do flow up to the brink:

Verse 16

15 He drew forth rivers out of rocks that were both dry and hard, in such abundance, that no floods to them might be compar'd.

Verse 17

16 Yet, for all this, against the Lord their sin they did increase; And stirr'd up him who is most High to wrath in wilderness:

Verse 18

17 And in their hearts they tempted God like people of mistrust, Requiring such a kind of meat as served to their lust:

Verse 19

18 Yea, they against him spake, and thus their boldness did express; Can God prepare a table in this barren wilderness?

Verse 20

19 Indeed he smote the stony rock, and floods forthwith did flow, But can he now give to his folk both bread and flesh also?

Verse 21

20 When God heard this he waxed wroth with Jacob and his seed, His indignation also did 'gainst Israel proceed.

Verse 22

The Third Part.

Verse 23

21 Because they did not faithfully believe, and hope that he Could always help and succour them in their necessity:

Verse 24

22 Wherefore he did command the clouds, forthwith they brake in sunder, And rain'd down manna for to eat, a food of mighty wonder;

Verse 25

23 When earthly men with angels food did plentifully feast; He made the east-wind blow away, and brought in the south-west:

Verse 26

24 He rain'd down flesh as thick as dust, and fowls as thick as sand, Which he did cast amidst the place where all their tents did stand.

Verse 27

25 Then did they eat exceedingly, and all men had their fills Yet more and more they did desire to serve their lusts and wills:

Verse 28

26 But as the meat was in their mouths his wrath upon them fell, And slew the strength of all their youth, and choice of Israel.

Verse 29

27 Yet fell they to their wonted sin, and still they did him grieve; For all the wonders that he wrought, they would not him believe.

Verse 30

28 Their days therefore he shorten'd, and did make their honour vain, Their years did waste and pass away with terror and with pain:

Verse 31

29 But ever when he plagued them, they sought him speedily, Rememb'ring that he was their strength, their help and God most high:

Verse 32

30 Tho' with their mouths they nothing did but flatter with the Lord, And with their tongues, and in their hearts, dissembled ev'ry word.

Verse 33

The Fourth Part.

Verse 34

31 For why? their hearts were nothing bent to him, nor what he said, Nor yet to keep or to perform the cov'nant he had made.

Verse 35

32 Yet was he still so merciful, when they deserv'd to die, That he forgave them, and would not them utterly destroy:

Verse 36

33 Yea, many times he stay'd his wrath, and did not them surprise, And would not suffer that his whole displeasure should arise;

Verse 37

34 Considering that they were but flesh, or like to wind and rain, Passing away, that never doth return and come again.

Verse 38

35 How often in the wilderness did they the Lord provoke! How did they move and stir him up to plague them with his stroke!

Verse 39

36 Yet did they turn again to sin, and tempt him very soon, Prescribing to the mighty God what things they would have done

Verse 40

37 Not thinking of his mighty hand, nor of the day when he Deliver'd them out of the hand of the fierce enemy;

Verse 41

38 Nor how he wrought his miracles (as they themselves beheld) In Egypt, and the wonders that he did in Zoan field;

Verse 42

39 Nor how he turned by his pow'r their waters into blood, That no man might receive his drink at river or at flood;

Verse 43

40 Nor how he sent them swarms of flies, which did them sore annoy, And fill'd their country full with frogs, which did their land destroy.

Verse 44

The Fifth Part.

Verse 45

41 Nor how he did their fruits unto the caterpillar give, And of the labour of their hands locusts did them deprive:

Verse 46

42 With hail-stones he destroy'd their vines, so that they all were lost, And likewise all their sycamores he did consume with frost;

Verse 47

43 With hail-stones also once again the Lord their cattle smote, And all their flocks and herds likewise with thunder-bolts full hot:

Verse 48

44 He cast upon them his fierce wrath, and indignation sore, Amongst them evil angels sent, which troubled them yet more.

Verse 49

45 Then to his wrath he made a way, and spared not the least, But gave unto the pestilence the man as well as beast,

Verse 50

46 He smote also all the first-born, that up in Egypt came, And all the chief of men and beasts, within the tents of Ham:

Verse 51

47 But as for his own people, he did them preserve and keep, And carried them through wilderness ev'n like a flock of sheep:

Verse 52

48 Without all fear, both safe and sound He brought them out of thrall; Whereas their foes with rage of seas were overwhelmed all;

Verse 53

49 And brought them out into the coasts of his own holy land, Ev'n to the mount which he had got by his strong arm and hand;

Verse 54

50 And thee cast out the heathen folk, and did their land divide, And in their tents he set the tribes of Israel to abide.

Verse 55

51 Yet, for all this, the God most high they mov'd and tempted still, And would not keep his testament, nor yet obey His will;

Verse 56

52 But as their fathers turned back, ev'n so they went astray, Much like a bow that will not bend, but slips and starts away;

Verse 57

The Sixth Part.

Verse 58

53 And griev'd him with their hill altars, with offerings and fire, And with their idols grievously provoked him to ire.

Verse 59

54 For which his wrath began again to kindle in his breast, The wickedness of Israel he did so much detest:

Verse 60

55 The tabernacle he forsook of Silo, where he was Right conversant with earthly men ev'n as his dwelling-place.

Verse 61

56 Then suffer'd he his might and pow'r in bondage for to be, And gave the honour of his ark unto the enemy;

Verse 62

57 And did commit them to the sword, wroth with his heritage; Their young men were consum'd with fire, maids had no marriage:

Verse 63

58 And with the sword the priests also did perish every one, And not a widow left alive their death for to bemoan.

Verse 64

59 Then did the Lord awake as one whom sleep could not confine, And like a mighty giant, that refreshed is with wine:

Verse 65

60 With em'rods in the hinder parts his enemies he smote, And put them into such a shame as should not be forgot:

Verse 66

61 The tent and tabernacle he of Joseph did refuse, Also the tribe of Ephriam he would in no wise chuse:

Verse 67

62 But he the tribe of Judah chose, that he therein might dwell, Ev'n the most noble mount Sion, which he did love so well:

Verse 68

63 And there he did his temple build, both sumptously and sure, Like as the earth, which he hath made for ever to endure.

Verse 69

64 Then chose he David him to serve, his people for to keep, Whom he took up and brought away e'vn from the folds of sheep:

Verse 70

65 From following the ewes with young the Lord did him advance, To feed his people Israel, and his inheritance.

Verse 71

66 Thus David with a faithful heart his flock and charge did feed, And prudently with all his pow'r did govern them indeed.