The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (23 page)

With iron scepters bruised,
¹²⁸⁰
and them disperse

Like to a potter’s vessel, shivered so.

And now be wise at length,
¹²⁸¹
ye kings averse,
¹²⁸²

Be taught, ye judges of the earth—with fear

Jehovah serve, and let your joy converse
¹²⁸³

With trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he appear

In anger and ye perish in the way,
¹²⁸⁴

If once his wrath take fire, like fuel sere.
¹²⁸⁵

Happy all those who have him in their stay.
¹²⁸⁶

3

When he
¹²⁸⁷
fled from Absalom.
¹²⁸⁸

Lord, how many are my foes,

How many those

That in arms against me rise.

Many are they

That of my life distrustfully thus say:

No help for him in God there lies.

But thou, Lord, art my shield, my glory,

Thee through my story
¹²⁸⁹

Th’ exalter of my head I count.

Aloud I cried

Unto Jehovah. He full soon
¹²⁹⁰
replied

And heard me from His holy mount.

I lay and slept, I waked again,

For my sustain

Was the Lord. Of many millions

The populous rout
¹²⁹¹

I fear not, though encamping round about

They pitch
¹²⁹²
against me their pavilions.
¹²⁹³

Rise, Lord. Save me, my God, for Thou

Hast smote
¹²⁹⁴
ere now

On the cheek-bone all my foes,

Of men abhorred

Hast broke the teeth. This help was from the Lord,

Thy blessing on Thy people flows.

4

Answer me when I call,

God of my righteousness.
¹²⁹⁵

In straits
¹²⁹⁶
and in distress

Thou didst me disenthrall
¹²⁹⁷

And set at large.
¹²⁹⁸
Now spare,

Now pity me, and hear my earnest prayer.

Great ones, how long will ye

My glory have in scorn?

How long be this forborn
¹²⁹⁹

Still to love vanity,

To love, to seek, to prize

Things false and nothing else but lies?

Yet know the Lord hath chose,

Chose to Himself apart

The good and meek of heart

(For whom to choose He knows).

Jehovah from on high

Will hear my voice, what time
¹³⁰⁰
to Him I cry.

Be awed,
¹³⁰¹
and do not sin.

Speak to your hearts alone,

Upon your beds, each one,

And be at peace within.

Offer the offerings just
¹³⁰²

Of righteousness, and in Jehovah trust.

Many there be that say

“Who yet will show us good?”

Talking like this world’s brood!
¹³⁰³

But Lord, thus let me pray:

On us lift up the light,

Lift up the favor of Thy count’nance bright.

Into my heart more joy

And gladness Thou has put

Than when a year of glut
¹³⁰⁴

Their stores
¹³⁰⁵
doth over-cloy
¹³⁰⁶

And from their plenteous grounds
¹³⁰⁷

With vast increase their corn
¹³⁰⁸
and wine abounds.

In peace at once will I

Both lay me down and sleep,

For Thou alone dost keep

Me safe, where ere I lie.

As in a rocky cell

Thou, Lord, alone in safety mak’st me dwell.

5

Jehovah, to my words give ear,

My meditation
¹³⁰⁹
weigh,
¹³¹⁰

The voice of my complaining hear,

My King and God, for unto Thee I pray.

Jehovah, Thou my early voice

Shalt in the morning hear.

I’ th’ morning I to Thee, with choice,
¹³¹¹

Will rank
¹³¹²
my prayers and watch till Thou appear.

For Thou art not a God that takes

In wickedness delight.

Evil with Thee no biding
¹³¹³
makes.

Fools or madmen stand
¹³¹⁴
not within Thy sight.

All workers of iniquity
¹³¹⁵

Thou hat’st, and them unblessed

Thou wilt destroy that speak a lie.

The bloodi’ and guileful
¹³¹⁶
man God doth detest.

But I will in Thy mercies dear,

Thy numerous mercies go

Into Thy house, I in Thy fear
¹³¹⁷

Will towards Thy holy temple worship low.
¹³¹⁸

Lord, lead me in Thy righteousness,

Lead me because of those

That do observe
¹³¹⁹
if I transgress.
¹³²⁰

Set Thy right ways before
¹³²¹
where my step goes.

For in his
¹³²²
falt’ring mouth unstable
¹³²³

No word is firm or sooth:
¹³²⁴

Their inside troubles miserable,

An open grave their throat; their tongue they smooth.

God, find them guilty, let them fall

By their own counsels quelled,
¹³²⁵

Push them in their rebellions all

Still on, for against Thee they have rebelled.

Then all who trust in Thee shall bring

Their joy, while Thou from blame

Defend’st them. They shall ever sing

And shall triumph in Thee, who love Thy name.

For Thou, Jehovah, wilt be found

To bless the just man still,
¹³²⁶

As with a shield. Thou will surround

Him with Thy lasting favor and good will.

6

Lord, in Thine anger do not reprehend
¹³²⁷
me,

Nor in Thy hot displeasure me correct.

Pity me, Lord, for I am much deject,

Am very weak and faint. Heal and amend me,

For all my bones that even with anguish ache

Are troubled, yea, my soul is troubled sore.

And Thou, O Lord, how long? Turn, Lord, restore
¹³²⁸

My soul, O save me for Thy goodness sake,

For in death is no remembrance of Thee.

Who in the grave can celebrate Thy praise?

Wearied I am with sighing out my days,

Nightly my couch
¹³²⁹
I make a kind of sea,

My bed I water with my tears, mine eye

Through grief consumes,
¹³³⁰
is waxen
¹³³¹
old and dark

I’ th’ midst of all mine enemies, that mark.
¹³³²

Depart all ye that work iniquity!
¹³³³

Depart from me, for the voice of my weeping

The Lord hath heard, the Lord hath heard my prayer,

My supplication
¹³³⁴
with acceptance fair

The Lord will own,
¹³³⁵
and have me in His keeping.

Mine enemies shall be all blank
¹³³⁶
and dashed
¹³³⁷

With much confusion, then grown red with shame

They shall return in haste the way they came,

And in a moment shall be quite abashed.
¹³³⁸

7

Upon the words of Chush, the Benjamite,
¹³³⁹
against him.
¹³⁴⁰

Lord, my God, to Thee I fly,

Save me and secure me under

Thy protection, while I cry,

Lest as a lion (and no wonder)

He haste to tear my soul asunder—

Tearing, and no rescue nigh.

Lord, my God, if I have thought