Psalm 50

First Version

Short Metre (6,6,8,6)

Suggested Tunes:

(vv.1-6) 165 Hampton, 175 Shere

(vv.7-15) 169 Old 134th, 172 St Olave

(vv.16-23) 177 Southwell, 168 Narenza

1    The mighty God, the Lord,

            hath spoken, and did call

      The earth, from rising of the sun,

            to where he hath his fall.

2    From out of Sion hill,

            which of excellency

      And beauty the perfection is,

            God shined gloriously.

3    Our God shall surely come;

            keep silence shall not he:

      Before him fire shall waste, great storms

            shall round about him be.

4    Unto the heavens clear

            he from above shall call,

      And to the earth likewise, that he

            may judge his people all.

5    Together let my saints

            unto me gather’d be,

      Those that by sacrifice have made

            a covenant with me.

6    And then the heavens shall

            his righteousness declare:

      Because the Lord himself is he

            by whom men judged are.

7    My people Isr’el hear,

            speak will I from on high,

      Against thee I will testify;

            God, ev’n thy God, am I.

8    I for thy sacrifice

            no blame will on thee lay,

      Nor for burnt-off’rings, which to me

            thou offer’dst ev’ry day.

9    I’ll take no calf nor goats

            from house or fold of thine:

10  For beasts of forest, cattle all

            on thousand hills, are mine.

11  The fowls on mountains high

            are all to me well known;

      Wild beasts which in the fields do lie,

            ev’n they are all mine own.

12  Then, if I hungry were,

            I would not tell it thee;

      Because the world, and fulness all

            thereof, belongs to me.

13  Will I eat flesh of bulls?

            or goats’ blood drink will I?

14  Thanks offer thou to God, and pay

            thy vows to the Most High.

15  And call upon me when

            in trouble thou shalt be;

      I will deliver thee, and thou

            my name shalt glorify.

16  But to the wicked man

            God saith, My laws and truth

      Should’st thou declare? how dar’st thou take

            my cov’nant in thy mouth?

17  Sith thou instruction hat’st,

            which should thy ways direct;

      And sith my words behind thy back

            thou cast’st, and dost reject.

18  When thou a thief didst see,

            with him thou didst consent;

      And with the vile adulterers

            partaker on thou went.

19  Thou giv’st thy mouth to ill,

            thy tongue deceit doth frame;

20  Thou sitt’st, and ’gainst thy brother speak’st,

            thy mother’s son dost shame.

21  Because I silence kept,

            while thou these things hast wrought;

      That I was altogether like

            thyself, hath been thy thought;

      Yet I will thee reprove,

            and set before thine eyes,

      In order ranked, thy misdeeds

            and thine iniquities.

22  Now, ye that God forget,

            this carefully consider;

      Lest I in pieces tear you all,

            and none can you deliver.

23  Whoso doth offer praise

            me glorifies; and I

      Will shew him God’s salvation,

            that orders right his way.

_____

Second Version

Common Metre (8,6,8,6)

Suggested Tunes:

(vv.1-6) 127 St Thomas, 41 Colchester

(vv.7-15) 110 St David, 78 Jackson

(vv.16-23) 57 Elgin, 27 Balfour

1    The mighty God, the Lord, hath spoke,

            and call’d the earth upon,

      Ev’n from the rising of the sun

            unto his going down.

2    From out of Sion, his own hill,

            where the perfection high

      Of beauty is, from thence the Lord

            hath shined gloriously.

3    Our God shall come, and shall no more

            be silent, but speak out:

      Before him fire shall waste, great storms

            shall compass him about.

4    He to the heavens from above,

            and to the earth below,

      Shall call, that he his judgments may

            before his people shew.

5    Let all my saints together be

            unto me gathered;

      Those that by sacrifice with me

            a covenant have made.

6    And then the heavens shall declare

            his righteousness abroad:

      Because the Lord himself doth come;

            none else is judge but God.

7    Hear, O my people, and I’ll speak;

            O Israel by name,

      Against thee I will testify;

            God, ev’n thy God, I am.

8    I for thy sacrifices few

            reprove thee never will,

      Nor for burnt-off’rings to have been

            before me offer’d still.

9    I’ll take no bullock nor he-goats

            from house nor folds of thine:

10  For beasts of forest, cattle all

            on thousand hills, are mine.

11  The fowls are all to me well known

            that mountains high do yield;

      And I do challenge as mine own

            the wild beasts of the field.

12  If I were hungry, I would not

            to thee for need complain;

      For earth, and all its fulness, doth

            to me of right pertain.

13  That I to eat the flesh of bulls

            take pleasure dost thou think?

      Or that I need, to quench my thirst,

            the blood of goats to drink?

14  Nay, rather unto me, thy God,

            thanksgiving offer thou:

      To the Most High perform thy word,

            and fully pay thy vow:

15  And in the day of trouble great

            see that thou call on me;

      I will deliver thee, and thou

            my name shalt glorify.

16  But God unto the wicked saith,

            Why should’st thou mention make

      Of my commands? how dar’st thou in

            thy mouth my cov’nant take?

17  Sith it is so that thou dost hate

            all good instruction;

      And sith thou cast’st behind thy back,

            and slight’st my words each one.

18  When thou a thief didst see, then straight

            thou join’dst with him in sin,

      And with the vile adulterers

            thou hast partaker been.

19  Thy mouth to evil thou dost give,

            thy tongue deceit doth frame.

20  Thou sitt’st, and ’gainst thy brother speak’st,

            thy mother’s son to shame.

21  These things thou wickedly hast done,

            and I have silent been:

      Thou thought’st that I was like thyself,

            and did approve thy sin:

      But I will sharply thee reprove,

            and I will order right

      Thy sins and the transgressions

            in presence of thy sight.

22  Consider this, and be afraid,

            ye that forget the Lord,

      Lest I in pieces tear you all,

            when none can help afford.

23  Who off’reth praise me glorifies:

            I will shew God’s salvation

      To him that ordereth aright

            his life and conversation.