Joseph Hall

1574 - 1656 / England

Psalm Vii

On thee, O Lord my God, relies
My onely trust from bloudy spight;
Of all my raging enemies
Oh let thy mercy me acquite;
Lest they, like greedy lyons, rend
My soule, while none shall it defend.

O Lord, if I this thing have wrought;
If in my hands be found such ill;
If I with mischief ever sought
To pay good turnes, or did not still
Doe good unto my causeless foe
That thirsted for my overthrow;

Then let my foe in eager chase
O'ertake my soule, and proudly tread
My life below, and with disgrace
In dust laye downe mine honour dead.
Rise up in rage, O Lord, eft soone
Advance thine arm against my fo'ne.

And wake for me, till thou fulfill
My promis'd right : so shall glad throngs
Of people flock unto this hill.
For their sakes then reuenge my wrongs
And rouse thyself. Thy judgments be
O'er all the world : Lord, judge thou me.

As truth and honest innocence
Thou find'st in me, Lord, judge thou me;
Settle the just with sure defence :
Let me the wicked's malice see
Brought to an end : for thy just eye
Doth heart and inward reines descry.

My safety stands in God, who shields
The sound in heart, whose doome, each day,
To just men and contemners yeelds
Their due. Except he change his way,
His sword is whet, to blood intended;
His murdering bow is ready bended.

Weapons of death he hath addrest,
And arrowes keene to pierce my foe,
Who late bred mischiefe in his breast;
But when he doth on travell goe,
Brings forth a lye ; deep pits doth delve,
And falls into his pits himselve.

Back to his own head shall rebound
His plotted mischiefe ; and his wrongs
His crowne shall craze : but I shall sound
Jehouah's praise with thankful songs,
And with his glorious name expresse,
And tell of all his riediteousnesse.
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