Only Version ❧ CM · 8·6·8·6
1 The Lord bless, O my soul, O Lord my God, exceedingly great art thou: thou with honour art cloth’d and with majesty. 2 Who dost thyself with light, as if it were a garment cover: who like unto a curtain dost the heavens stretch all over.
3 Who of his chambers lays the beams i’th waters, and he makes the clouds his char’ots, and his way on wings of wind he takes: 4 His angels sp’rits, his ministers who makes a fiery flame. 5 Who earth’s foundations laid, that nev’r should be remov’d the same.
6 Thou with the deep as with a robe didst cover the dry land: above the places mountainous the waters they did stand. 7 When as that thou rebuked’st them away then fled they fast: they also at thy thunder’s voice with speed away do haste.
8 Up by the mountains they ascend: down by the valleys go, the place which thou didst found for them until they come unto. 9 Thou hast to them a bound prefix’d which they may not pass over: so that they might no more return again the earth to cover.
10 Who springs into the valleys sends, which run among the hills. 11 Whence all beasts of the field have drink: wild asses drink their fills. 12 Heav’n’s fowls dwell by them, which do sing among the sprigs with mirth. 13 He waters from his lofts the hills: thy works’ fruit fill the earth.
14 For beasts he makes the grass to grow, herbs also for man’s good: that he may bring out of the earth what may be for their food; 15 Wine also that man’s heart may glad, and oil their face to bright: and bread which to the heart of man may it supply with might.
16 God’s trees are sappy: his planted cedars of Lebanon: 17 Where birds do nest: as for the stork, firs are her mansion. 18 The wild goats’ refuge are the hills: rocks conies do enclose. 19 The moon he hath for seasons set, the sun his setting knows.
20 Thou makest darkness, and ‘tis night: when wood beasts creep out all. 21 After their prey young lions roar: from God for food they call. 22 The sun doth rise, then in their dens they couch, when gone aside. 23 Man to his work and labour goes, until the ev’ning tide.
24 O Lord, how many are thy works! all of them thou hast wrought in wisdom: with thy plent’ous store the earth is fully fraught. 25 So is this great and spacious sea, wherein things creeping be beyond all number: beasts of small and of great quantity.
26 There go the ships: leviathan, therein thou mad’st to play. 27 These all wait on thee, that their meat in their time give thou may. 28 They gather what thou givest them: thy hand thou open’st wide, and they with such things as are good are fully satisfied.
29 Thou hid’st thy face, they troubl’d are, their breath thou tak’st away, then do they die: also return unto their dust do they. 30 They are created, when thou mak’st thy spirit forth to go: thou of the earth dost make the face to be renew’d also.
31 The glory of Jehovah shall for evermore endure: in his own works Jehovah shall joyfully take pleasure. 32 The earth doth tremble, when that he upon the same doth look, the mountains he doth touch, likewise they thereupon do smoke.
33 I’ll to the Lord sing cheerfully* throughout my life always: while I a being have will I unto my God sing praise. 34 Full sweet my meditation concerning him shall be: so that I in Jehovah will rejoice exceedingly.
35 Let sinners be consum’d from th’ earth, and wicked be no more: bless thou Jehovah, O my soul, praise ye the Lord therefore.
*In the first edition of the 1640 verse 33 was never translated into meter or it was left out by the printer. The missing verse is supplied from the 1651 edition – editor.