Psalm 45 J.H.
Words: Sternhold and Hopkins, The Whole Book of Psalms Collected into English Metre
1 My heart doth take in hand
some godly song to sing;
The praise that I shall show therein
pertaineth to the King.
2 My tongue shall be as quick,
His honor to indict,
As is the pen of any scribe
that useth fast to write.
3 O fairest of all men,
thy lips with grace are pure;
For God hath bless-ed thee with gifts
for ever to endure.
4 About thee gird thy sword,
O Prince of might elect;
With honor, glory, and renown,
thou art most richly decked.
5 Go forth with godly speed,
with meekness, truth, and right;
And thy right hand shall thee instruct
in works of dreadful might.
6 Thy arrows sharp and keen
their heart so sore shall sting,
That they shall crouch and kneel to thee,
yea, all thy foes, O King.
7 Thy royal Seat, O Lord,
for ever shall remain;
Because the scepter of thy realm
doth righteousness maintain,
8 Because thou lov'dst the right,
and didst the ill detest,
Therefore hath God anointed thee
with joy above the rest.
9 With myrrh and savors sweet
thy clothes are all bespread,
When thou dost from thy palace pass,
thereby to make thee glad.
10 Kings' daughters do attend
in fine and rich array;
At thy right hand the Queen doth stand
in gold and garments gay.
The Second Part.
11 O daughter, take good heed,
incline and give good ear;
Thou must forget thy kindred all,
thy father's house most dear:
12 Then shall the King desire
thy beauty more and more;
He is the Lord thy God, whom thou
must worship and adore.
13 The daughters then of Tyre,
with gifts fill rich to see,
And all the wealthy of the land
shall make their suit to thee.
14 The daughter of the King
is glorious to behold;
Within her closet She doth sit
all decked in beaten gold.
15 In robes with needle wrought,
and ev'ry pleasant thing,
With virgins fair on her to wait
she cometh to the King.
16 Thus are they brought with joy,
and mirth on ev'ry side,
Into the palace of the King,
and there they do abide.
17 Instead of fathers, thou
shalt children multiply,
Whom thou may'st princes make, to rule
all lands successively.
18 Wherefore thy holy Name
all ages shall record,
The people shall give thanks to thee
for evermore, O Lord.
