Sir Philip Sidney. Psalm 5

THE PSALMS OF DAVID
By Sir Philip Sidney

PSALM V.

Verba mea auribus.

I. PONDER the words, O Lord, that I do say,
         Consider what I meditate in me:
         O, hearken to my voice, which calls on Thee,
    My King, my God, for I to Thee will pray.
         So shall my voice clime to Thyne eares betime,
    For unto Thee I will my prayer send
         With earlyest entry of the morning prime,
    And will my waiting eyes to Thee-ward bend.

2. For Thou art that same God, far from delight
         In that which of fowle wickedness doth smel;
         No, nor with Thee the naughty ones shall dwel,
    Nor glorious fooles stand in Thy awfull sight.
         Thou hatest all whose workes in evil are plac't,
    And shalt root out the tongues to lying bent;
         For Thou, the Lord, in endless hatred hast
    The murd'rous man, and so the fraudulent.

3. But I my self will to Thy house addresse
         With passe-port of Thy graces manyfold;
         And in Thy feare, knees of my heart will fold,
    Towards the temple of Thy holyness.
         Thou Lord, Thou Lord, the saver of Thyne owne,
    Guide me, O, in Thy justice be my guide,
         And make Thy wayes to me more plainly known,
    For all I neede, that with such foes do byde.

4. For in their mouth not one cleere word is spent,
         Their soules' fowl sinns for inmost lieing haue;
         Their throat it is an open swallowing graue,
    Wherto their tongue is flattring instrument.
         Giue them their due unto their guiltiness,
    Let their vile thoughts theire thinkers ruin be:
         With heapèd weights of their own sinns, oppresse
    These most ungratefull rebells unto Thee.

5. So shall all they that trust on Thee do bend,
         And loue the sweet sound of Thy name, rejoyce;
         They ever shall send Thee their praysing voyce,
    Since ever Thou to them wilt succour send.
         Thy work it is to blesse, Thou blessest them
    The just in Thee, on Thee and justice build:
         Thy work it is such men safe in to hemm
    With kindest care, as with a certain shield.

Text source:
Sidney, Philip. The Complete Poems of Sir Philip Sidney. vol. III.
Alexander B. Grosart, Ed. London: Chatto & Windus, 1877. 88-90.

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