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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

PSALM 102 by OLD TESTAMENT BIBLE

First Line: O LORD MY CRYENG HEARE
Last Line: HIS PRESENCE YOUR UNCHAUNGED PLACE.
Subject(s): CONVERSION;
O Lord my cryeng heare:
Lord let my crie come to thine eare
hide not thy face awaie
but hast and aunswer mee
in this most miserable daie
wherein I praie, and crie to thee.

My daies as smoake are paste,
My bones as flaming fuell waste:
mowne downe in mee (alas)
with sithe of sharpest paine:
my hart is withred like the wounded grasse
my stomack doth all foode disdaine.

So leane my woes mee leave
that to my bones my flesh doe cleave:
and so I braie, and howle
as use to howle, and braie
the lovelie Pelican, and desart Owle
like whome I languish longe the daie

I languish so the daie,
the night in watch I wast awaie:
right as the Sparrowe sitts
berefte of Spowse or Sonne:
which irk'd alone with dollors deadlie fitts,
to companie will not be wonne.

As daie to daie succeedes:
so shame on shame to mee proceedes:
from them that doe mee hate:
whoe of my wrack so boaste,
that wishing ill, they wish but my estate,
yet thinck of ills the most.

Therefore my bread is claie
therefore my teares my wine allaye:
for how else should it be:
since thou still angrie arte
And seem'st for naught to have advanced mee
but mee advaunced to subvert?

The Sunn of my life daies:
enclines to west with falling rayes:
and I, as haie am dride
while yet in stedfast seate
Eternall thou, eternally dost bide
thy memorie, no yeares can frett.

O then at length arrise
On Sion cast thy mercies eyes:
nowe is the time that thou
to mercie shouldst encline:
concerning her (O Lord) the time is nowe:
thy self for mercie didst assigne.

Thy servants waite the daie,
when shee, whoe like a carkase laie:
stretcht foorth in ruyns beere:
shall so arrise and live,
that nations all Jehova's name shall feare
all kings to thee shall glorie give.

Because thou hast a newe
made Sion stand, restor'd to viewe
thy glorious presence there:
because thou haste I saie,
beheld oure woes, and not refus'd to heare
what wretched wee did playning praie.

This of record shall bide,
To this, and ev'rie age beside:
And they comend thee shall:
whome thou a newe shalt make:
that from the prospect of thy heav'nly hall
thy eye of earth survey did take.

Harkning to prisoners grones:
And setting free condemned ones
that they when nations come,
and Realmes to serve the Lord
In Sion and in Salem might become
fitt meanes his honnour to record.

But what is this if I,
In the midd waie should fall and die?
my God to thee I praie
whoe canst my prayer give:
Turne not to night, the noonetide of my daie
since endles thou, do'st ageles live.

The Earth, the heavens stands
Once founded formed by thy hands:
they perish, thou shalt bide:
they owld, as clothes shall weare
till chaunging still, full chaung shall them betide
uncloth'd of all the clothes they weare.

But thou art one, still one
time interest in thee have none:
then hope, who godlie be
or come of godlie race
endles your blisse, as never ending he
his presence your unchaunged place.



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