The Lord be thanked for his gifts, and mercies evermore: That he doth show unto his Saints, to him be laud therefore. Our tongues cannot so praise the Lord, as he doth right deserve: Our hearts cannot of him so think, as he doth us preserve. His benefits they be so great, to us that be but sin: That at our hands for recompense, there is no hope to win. O sinful flesh that thou shouldst have such mercies of the Lord: Thou dost deserve more worthily, of him to be abhorred.

 

Naught else but sin and wretchedness, doth rest within our hearts: And stubbornly against the Lord, we daily play our parts, The sun above the firmament which is to us a light: Doth show itself more clear and pure, than we be in his sight. The heavens above, and all therein, more holy are than we: They serve the Lord in their estate, each one in their degree. They do not strive for mastership, nor slack their office set: But fear the Lord and do his will, hate is to them no let.

 

Also the earth and all therein, of God it is in awe: It doth observe the former’s will, by skillful natures law. The sea and all that is therein, both bend when God doth beck: The spirits beneath do tremble all, and fear his wrathful check.

 

But we alas for whom all these were made them for to rule: Do not so know or love the Lord, as doth the Ox or Mule. A law he gave for us to know, what was his holy will: He would us good, but we would not avoid the thing is ill.

 

Not one of us that seeketh out, the Lord of life to please: Nor do the thing that might us join, to Christ and quiet ease. Thus are we all his enemies, we can it not deny: And he again of his good will, would not that we should die.

 

Therefore when remedy was none, to bring us unto life: The Son of God our flesh he took, to end our mortal strife. And all the law of God the Lord, he did it full obey: And for our sins upon the Cross, his blood our debts did pay.

 

And what we should not yet forget, what good he to us wrought: A sign he left our eyes to tell, that he our bodies bought. In bread and wine here visible, unto thine eyes and taste: His mercies great thou maist record, if that his spirit thou haste.

 

At once the corn did live and grow, and was cut down with scythe: And threshed our with many stripes, out from his husk to drive. And as the mill with violence, did tear it out so small And make it like to earthly dust, not sparing it at all.

 

And as the oven with fire hot, did close it up in heat: And all this done that I have said, that it should be our mete. So was the Lord in his ripe age, cut down by cruel leath: His soul he gave to torments great, and yielded up his breath.

 

Because that he to us might be an everlasting bread: With much reproach and troubles great, on earth his life he led, And as the grapes in pleasant time, are pressed very sore: And plucked down when they be ripe and let to grow no more.

 

Because the juice that in them is, as comfortable drink: We might receive and joyful be, when sorrows make us shrink. So Christ his blood out-pressed was, with nails and eke with spear: The juice whereof doth save all those, that rightly do him fear.

 

And as the corners by unity into one loaf is knit: So is the Lord and his whole Church, though he in heaven sit: As many grapes make but one Wine, so should we be but one, In faith and love in Christ above, and unto Christ alone.

 

Leading a life without all strife, in quiet rest and peace: From envy and from malice both, our hearts and tongues to cease. Which if we do, then shall we show, that we his chosen be By faith in him to lead a life, as always willed he.

 

And that we may so do indeed, God send us all his grace. Then after death we shall be sure, with him to have a place.  

THE BOOK OF PSALMS

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