Lyrics from the Psalter; a metrical rendering of selections from the Psalms

Preface

This volume is designed primarily for devotional reading. It contains a selection of Psalms and parts of Psalms from a metrical rendering of the entire Psalter. The work was begun twenty years ago, and much of it has appeared in many religious papers. Kind commendation of initial portions, by the late Francis N. Zabriskie, D. D. (then Editor of the Christian Intelligencer), and especially his laconic message on a postalcard — "Keep it up" — encouraged the author to go on until the whole was done. By many others than the author it has been thought that a volume of selections of the most lyrical portions of his work would be welcomed for devotional reading by those who love the songs of the great singer of the Church.

Strict adherence to the spirit of the original has been conscientiously sought. With that, slight freedom of paraphrase has been exercised here and there, as seemed necessary to correct and smooth versification. Without some degree of such freedom, as Keble long ago maintained, a good acceptable metrical rendering is "impossible." Rigid literalism makes crudities and infelicities of rhythm and rhyme, as well as of expression, unavoidable. Occasional expansion also, if true to the thought of the Psalm, has been deemed preferable to the compression which squeezes out every vestige of poetry. These unavoidable results of strict adherence to the ipsissima verba of a version of the original furnish a striking illustration of how "the letter killeth." None can "paint the lily" ; but we need not let the beauty of the Psalms be marred and bruised by the iron-clad feet of English verse.

8 Preface

If the author has contributed anything that shall be profitable devotional reading, or anything that may be helpful toward an ultimate metrical version that shall be widely acceptable to the Church for the service of song in the house of the Lord, the pleasant labor of many years will not be in vain. That a few of these entire Psalms, and fragments of others, — stanzas, couplets, lines, are to be found in the "Psalms in Meter, prepared by a Committee of American and Canadian Churches," is due to the fact that the author was a member of that committee. Nearly everything here given was written and printed years before that committee began its work.

I

How blest the man who day by day From wicked counsels keeps his feet;

Who stands not in the sinners' way, Nor sits upon the scorners' seat.

Jehovah's law is his delight,

His meditation day and night.

He, like a tree in favored field By full refreshing streams made glad.

Shall ample fruit in season yield, And stand with fadeless verdure clad;

His precious fruit matured shall be ;

His work all prospered well by Thee.

Not so the wicked of the land ;

As chaff the wind doth drive apace — They shall not in the judgment stand,

Nor have among Thy saints a place. Thou, LoRD_, the righteous' way dost know, But ways of sin shalt overthrow.

Psalm

PART I. O wherefore do the nations rage?

The peoples vainly dream They can triumphant warfare wage

Against the King supreme?

Against the Lord, the mighty One,

The kings rebellion make; Against His own anointed Son

The rulers counsel take.

Up now and break their bands — they say —

And from their yoke be free; Come, let us cast their cords away

And walk at liberty.

The Lord, enthroned in heaven's far height,

Shall all their rage deride; With words of wrathful thunder smite

And vex their swelling pride.

Against My sovereign will, Yet I, saith He, have set My King

Upon My holy hill.