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Edward Farr, ed. Select Poetry of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. 1845.

Psalme CXLVII

CVIII. Thomas Norton

Laudate Dominum.

PRAYSE ye the Lord, for it is good

Vnto our God to sing;

For it is pleasant, and to prayse

It is a comely thing.

The Lord, his owne Jerusalem

He buildeth vp alone,

And the disperst of Israël

Doth gather into one.

He heales the broken in their heart,

Their sores vp doth he bind;

He counts the number of the stars,

And names them in their kinde.

Great is the Lord, great is his power,

His wisedome infinite:

The Lord releeues the meeke, and throwes

To ground the wicked wight.

Sing vnto God the Lord with prayse,

Vnto the Lord reioyce,

And to our God vpon the harpe

Aduance your singing voice.

He couers heauen with clouds, and for

The earth prepareth raine;

And on the mountaines he doth make

The grasse to grow againe.

He giues to beastes their foode, and to

Yong rauens, when they cry:

His pleasure not in strength of horse,

Nor in man’s legs doth lye:

But in all those that feare the Lord

The Lord hath his delight,

And such as doe attend vpon

His mercie’s shining light.

O prayse the Lord, Jerusalem;

Thy God, O Sion, prayse;

For he the barres hath forged strong,

Wherewith thy gates he staies.

Thy children he hath blest in thee,

And in thy borders he

Doth settle peace, and with the flower

Of wheat he filleth thee.

And his commandement vpon

The earth he sendeth out,

And eke his word with speedy course

Doth swiftly runne about.

He giueth snow like wool, hoar frost

Like ashes doth he spread;

Like morsels castes his ice; thereof

The cold who can abide?

He sendeth forth his mighty word,

And melteth them agayne;

His winde he made to blow, and then

The waters flow amayne.

The doctrine of his holy word

To Jacob did he show;

His statutes and his iudgements he

Giues Israël to know.

With euery nation hath he not

So delt, nor they haue knowne

His secret iudgements: ye, therefore,

Prayse ye the Lord alone.