Psal. LXXXI.

To God our strength sing loud, and clear,     Sing loud to God our King,     To Jacobs God, that all may hear     Loud acclamations ring.     Prepare a Hymn, prepare a Song     The Timbrel hither bring     The cheerfull Psaltry bring along     And Harp with pleasant string.     Blow, as is wont, in the new Moon     With Trumpets lofty sound,     Th'appointed time, the day wheron     Our solemn Feast comes round.     This was a Statute giv'n of old     For Israel to observe     A Law of Jacobs God, to hold     From whence they might not swerve.     This he a Testimony ordain'd     In Joseph, not to change,     When as he pass'd through Aegypt land;     The Tongue I heard, was strange.     From burden, and from slavish toyle     I set his shoulder free;     His hands from pots, and mirie soyle     Deliver'd were by me.     When trouble did thee sore assaile,     On me then didst thou call,     And I to free thee did not faile,     And led thee out of thrall.     I answer'd thee in *thunder deep     With clouds encompass'd round;     I tri'd thee at the water steep     Of Meriba renown'd.     Hear O my people, heark'n well,     I testifie to thee     Thou antient flock of Israel,     If thou wilt list to mee,     Through out the land of thy abode     No alien God shall be     Nor shalt thou to a forein God     In honour bend thy knee.     I am the Lord thy God which brought     Thee out of Aegypt land     Ask large enough, and I, besought,     Will grant thy full demand.     And yet my people would not hear,     Nor hearken to my voice;     And Israel whom I lov'd so dear     Mislik'd me for his choice.     Then did I leave them to their will     And to their wandring mind;     Their own conceits they follow'd still     Their own devises blind     O that my people would be wise     To serve me all their daies,     And O that Israel would advise     To walk my righteous waies.     Then would I soon bring down their foes     That now so proudly rise,     And turn my hand against all those     That are their enemies.     Who hate the Lord should then be fain     To bow to him and bend,     But they, His should remain,     Their time should have no end.     And he would free them from the shock     With flower of finest wheat,     And satisfie them from the rock     With Honey for their Meat.