Psalm 19: Coeli Enarrant

The heavenly frame sets forth the fame

Of him that only thunders;

The firmament, so strangely bent,

Shows his handworking wonders.

Day unto day doth it display,

Their course doth it acknowledge,

And night to night succeeding right

In darkness teach clear knowledge.

There is no speech, no language which

Is so of skill bereaved,

But of the skies the teaching cries

They have heard and conceived.

There be no eyen but read the line

From so fair book proceeding,

Their words be set in letters great

For everybody's reading.

Is not he blind that doth not find

The tabernacle builded

There by His Grace for sun's fair face

In beams of beauty gilded?

Who forth doth come, like a bridegroom,

From out his veiling places,

As glad is he, as giants be

To run their mighty races.

His race is even from ends of heaven;

About that vault he goeth;

There be no realms hid from his beams;

His heat to all he throweth.

O law of His, how perfect 'tis

The very soul amending;

God's witness sure for aye doth dure

To simplest wisdom lending.

God's dooms be right, and cheer the sprite,

All His commandments being

So purely wise it gives the eyes

Both light and force of seeing.

Of Him the fear doth cleanness bear

And so endures forever,

His judgments be self verity,

They are unrighteous never.

Then what man would so soon seek gold

Or glittering golden money?

By them is past in sweetest taste,

Honey or comb of honey.

By them is made Thy servants' trade

Most circumspectly guarded,

And who doth frame to keep the same

Shall fully be rewarded.

Who is the man that ever can

His faults know and acknowledge?

O Lord, cleanse me from faults that be

Most secret from all knowledge.

Thy servant keep, lest in him creep

Presumtuous sins' offenses;

Let them not have me for their slave

Nor reign upon my senses.

So shall my sprite be still upright

In thought and conversation,

So shall I bide well purified

From much abomination.

So let words sprung from my weak tongue

And my heart's meditation,

My saving might, Lord, in Thy sight,

Receive good acceptation!