O Lord of whom I do depend, |
behold my careful heart, |
And when thy will and pleasure is, |
release me of my smart, |
Thou seest my sorrows what they are, |
my grief is known to thee: |
And there is none that can remove |
or take the same from me.
|
But only thou whose aid I crave, |
whose mercy still is pressed: |
To ease all those that come to thee, |
for succor and for rest. |
And sith thou seest my restless eyes, |
my tears and grievous groan: |
Attend unto my suite O Lord, |
mark well my ‘plaint and moan.
|
For sin hath so enclosed me, |
And ‘compass me about, |
That I am now remediless, |
if mercy help not out: |
For mortal man cannot release, |
or mitigate this pain: |
But even thy Christ my Lord, and God, |
which for my sin was slain.
|
Whose bloody wound are yet to see, |
though not with mortal eye: |
Yet do thy Saints behold them all, |
and so I trust shall I. |
Though sin doth hinder me a while |
when thou shalt see it good, |
shall enjoy the sight of him, |
and see his wounds and blood. |
|
And as thine Angels
and thy saints, |
do now behold the
same: |
So trust I to possess
that place, |
with them to praise
thy name. |
But while I live here
in this vale, |
where sinners do
frequent, |
Assist me ever with
thy grace, |
my sins still to
lament.
|
Least that I tread in
sinners’ trace, |
and give them my
consent, |
To dwell with them in
wickedness, |
where to nature is
bent. |
Only thy grace must be
my stay, |
least that I fall down
flat. |
And being down, then
of myself, |
cannot recover that.
|
Wherefore, this is yet
once again, |
my suite and my
request, |
To grant me pardon for
my sins, |
that I in thee may
rest. |
Then shall my heart,
my tongue, and voice, |
be instruments of
praise, |
And in the Church and
House of Saints, |
sing Psalms to thee
always. |
|