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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
PSALM 65, by HENRY VAUGHAN Poet Analysis Poet's Biography
First Line: Sion's true, glorious god! On thee
Last Line: Glory to the eternal king!
Alternate Author Name(s): Silurist
First Line: Sion's true, glorious god! On thee
Last Line: Glory to the eternal king!
Alternate Author Name(s): Silurist
Sion's true, glorious God! on thee
Praise waits in all humility.
All flesh shall unto thee repair,
To thee, O thou that hearest prayer!
But sinful words and works still spread
And overrun my heart and head;
Transgressions make me foul each day,
O purge them, purge them all away!
Happy is he! whom thou wilt choose
To serve thee in thy blessed house!
Who in thy holy Temple dwells,
And filled with joy, thy goodness tells!
King of Salvation! by strange things
And terrible, Thy Justice brings
Man to his duty. Thou alone
Art the world's hope, and but thee, none.
Sailors that float on flowing seas
Stand firm by thee, and have sure peace.
Thou still'st the loud waves, when most wild
And mak'st the raging people mild.
Thy arm did first the mountains lay
And girds their rocky heads this day.
The most remote, who know not thee,
At thy great works astonished be.
The outgoings of the even and dawn,
In antiphones sing to thy Name.
Thou visit'st the low earth, and then
Water'st it for the sons of men,
Thy upper river, which abounds
With fertile streams, makes rich all grounds,
And by thy mercies still supplied
The sower doth his bread provide.
Thou water'st every ridge of land
And settlest with thy secret hand
The furrows of it; then thy warm
And opening showers (restrained from harm)
Soften the mould, while all unseen
The blade grows up alive and green.
The year is with thy goodness crowned,
And all thy paths drop fatness round,
They drop upon the wilderness,
For thou dost even the deserts bless,
And hills full of springing pride,
Wear fresh adornments on each side.
The fruitful flocks fill every dale,
And purling corn doth clothe the vale;
They shout for joy, and jointly sing,
Glory to the eternal King!