The Complete Poetry of John Milton (55 page)

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Many there be that say

               
Who yet will shew us good?

               
Talking like this worlds brood;

               
But Lord, thus let me pray,

               
On us lift up the light,

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         Lift up the favour of thy count’nance bright.

               
Into my heart more joy

               
And gladness thou hast put

               
Then when a year of glut

               
Their stores doth over-cloy

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And from their plenteous grounds

           
      
       With vast increase their corn and wine abounds.

               
In peace at once will I

               
Both lay me down and sleep

               
For thou alone dost keep

   40        
Me safe where ere I lie:

               
As in a rocky Cell

    
             Thou Lord alone in safety mak’st me dwell.

               
Jehovah to my words give ear

    
                     My meditation waigh,

    
             The voyce of my complaining hear

               
My King and God for unto thee I pray.

    
             Jehovah thou my early voyce

    
                     Shalt in the morning hear,

    
             I’th morning I to thee with choyce

               
Will rank my praiers, and watch till thou appear.

    
             For thou art not a God that takes

   10  
     
                In wickedness delight,

    
             Evil with thee no biding makes

               
Fools or mad men stand not within thy sight.

    
             All workers of iniquity

    
                     Thou hat’st; and them unblest

  15   
    
         Thou wilt destroy that speak a lie;

               
The bloodi’ and guileful man God doth detest.

    
             But I will in thy mercies dear,

    
                     Thy numerous mercies go

    
             Into thy house; I in thy fear

   20        
Will towards thy holy temple worship low.

    
             Lord lead me in thy righteousness,

    
                     Lead me because of those

    
             That do observe if I transgress,

               
Set thy wayes right before, where my step goes.

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         For in his faltring mouth unstable

    
                     No word is firm or sooth;

    
             Their inside, troubles miserable;

               
An open grave their throat, their tongue they smooth.

    
             God, find them guilty, let them fall

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                By their own counsels quell’d;

    
             Push them in their rebellions all

               
Still on; for against thee they have rebell’d;

    
             Then all who trust in thee shall bring

    
                     Their joy, while thou from blame

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         Defend’st them, they shall ever sing

               
And shall triumph in thee, who love thy name.

    
             For thou Jehovah wilt be found

    
                     To bless the just man still,

    
             As with a shield thou will surround

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Him with thy lasting favour and good will.

               
Lord in thine anger do not reprehend me

    
             Nor in thy hot displeasure me correct;

               
Pity me Lord for I am much deject,

    
             Am very weak and faint; heal and amend me,

   5          
For all my bones, that even with anguish ache,

    
             Are troubled, yea my soul is troubled sore;

               
And thou O Lord how long? turn Lord, restore

    
             My soul, O save me for thy goodness sake

               
For in death no remembrance is of thee;

  10   
    
         Who in the grave can celebrate thy praise?

               
Wearied I am with sighing out my dayes,

    
             Nightly my Couch I make a kind of Sea;

               
My Bed I water with my tears; mine Eie

    
             Through grief consumes, is waxen old and dark

   15        
I’th midst of all mine enemies that mark.

    
             Depart all ye that work iniquitie.

               
Depart from me, for the voice of my weeping

    
             The Lord hath heard, the Lord hath heard my praier

               
My supplication with acceptance fair

  20   
    
         The Lord will own, and have me in his keeping.

               
Mine enemies shall all be blank and dash’t

    
             With much confusion; then grow red with shame,

               
They shall return in hast the way they came

    
             And in a moment shall be quite abash’t.

               
Upon the words of
Chush
the
Benjamite
against him.

               
Lord my God to thee I flie,

               
Save me and secure me under

               
Thy protection while I crie,

               
Least as a Lion (and no wonder)

   5          
He hast to tear my Soul asunder

               
Tearing and no rescue nigh.

               
Lord my God if I have thought

               
Or done this, if wickedness

               
Be in my hands, if I have wrought

   10        
Ill to him that meant me peace,

               
Or to him have render’d less,

               
And not freed my foe for naught;

               
Let th’ enemy pursue my soul

               
And overtake it, let me tread

   15        
My life down to the earth and roul

               
In the dust my glory dead,

               
In the dust and there outspread

               
Lodge it with dishonour foul.

               
Rise Jehovah in thine ire

   20        
Rouze thy self amidst the rage

               
Of my foes that urge like fire;

               
And wake for me, their furi’ asswage;

               
Judgment here thou didst ingage

               
And command which I desire.>

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So th’ assemblies of each Nation

               
Will surround thee, seeking right,

               
Thence to thy glorious habitation

               
Return on high and in their sight.

               
Jehovah judgeth most upright

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All people from the worlds foundation.

               
Judge me Lord, be judge in this

               
According to my righteousness

               
And the innocence which is

               
Upon me: cause at length to cease

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Of evil men the wickedness

               
And their power that do amiss.

               
But the just establish fast,

               
Since thou art the just God that tries

               
Hearts and reins. On God is cast

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My defence, and in him lies,

               
In him who both just and wise

               
Saves th’ upright of heart at last.

               
God is a just Judge and severe,

               
And God is every day offended;

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If th’ unjust will not forbear,

               
His Sword he whets, his Bow hath bended

               
Already, and for him intended

               
The tools of death, that waits him near.

               
(His arrows purposely made he

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For them that persecute.) Behold

               
He travels big with vanitie,

               
Trouble he hath conceav’d of old

               
As in a womb, and from that mould

               
Hath at length brought forth a lie.

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He dig’d a pit, and delv’d it deep,

               
And fell into the pit he made;

               
His mischief that due course doth keep,

               
Turns on his head, and his ill trade

               
Of violence will undelay’d

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Fall on his crown with ruin steep.

               
Then will I Jehovah’s praise

               
According to his justice raise

               
And sing the Name and Deitie

               
Of Jehovah the most high.

               
O Jehovah our Lord, how wondrous great

    
             And glorious is thy name through all the earth!

               
So as above the Heav’ns thy praise to set

    
             Out of the tender mouths of latest birth,

   5          
Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou

    
             Hast founded strength because of all thy foes

               
To stint th’ enemy, and slack th’ avengers brow

    
             That bends his rage thy providence t’oppose.

               
When I behold thy Heav’ns, thy Fingers art,

  10   
    
         The Moon and Starrs which thou so bright hast set

               
In the pure firmament, then saith my heart,

    
             O what is man that thou remembrest yet,

               
And think’st upon him; or of man begot

    
             That him thou visit’st and of him art found;

   15        
Scarce to be less then Gods, thou mad’st his lot,

    
             With honour and with state thou hast him crown’d.

               
O’re the works of thy hand thou mad’st him Lord,

    
             Thou hast put all under his lordly feet,

               
All Flocks, and Herds, by thy commanding word,

  20   
    
         All beasts that in the field or forrest meet.