The Complete Old English Poems

by Craig Williamson

  Now and forever. You made the days

  With your mighty deeds, your wondrous works.

  The days continue through your righteous rule;

  You wield the world in your infinite authority.

  Without your law in the life of my mind, 270

  I might have been lost in endless abjection.

  I can never forget your eternal precepts

  And will always abide by your true words

  All the days of my life here on this earth.

  Save me, Lord, for I am your servant, 275

  Faithful and devoted. I seek your words

  And strive to live by your true works.

  The wicked plot to steal my soul—

  They lie in wait with hatred in their hearts,

  Longing darkly to demand my life, 280

  But I have always trusted in your true revelation.

  I have seen the truth that the world will end;

  Your decree is firm, wider than the world,

  And your infinite glory is broad and bright.

  How I have passionately loved your law, 285

  My eternal Lord, meditating on it over time,

  Musing on its meaning devoutly in my mind.

  As I have followed your precepts and commandments,

  You have made me wiser than my devious enemies

  Who scheme and plot against me on earth. 290

  More than my teachers, I have always understood

  That I should seek the testimony that you have revealed.

  More than my elders, I have always known

  That I must firmly keep your commandments.

  I have turned my feet away from treachery, 295

  Those evil paths of deceit and deception,

  So that I might hear and heed your words.

  I have never strayed from your just precepts,

  Your righteous judgments, in any of my acts,

  For you set before me the rule of law. 300

  Your word is sweeter than honey to my mouth;

  Your testimony too is better than bee-bread.

  Your precepts have taught me to seek satisfaction

  For every injustice, every evil act,

  Because you have established your law for me. 305

  Your word is a lamp to my feet, O Lord,

  A powerful light on the path I follow.

  I have sworn my oaths and will keep my promise

  To respect your judgments and revere your laws.

  I will endure and embrace humility, Lord, 310

  With my whole heart. Forgive me now,

  My eternal God, so that I may be glad

  And lead a good life according to your words.

  May the endless yearning of my heart and mind

  And the fervent words of longing in my mouth 315

  Quicken my joy as I come to you.

  Teach me the truth of your judgments, Lord.

  My soul is always in your trusted hands,

  And I will never forget your sacred law.

  Sinners have laid clever snares for my soul 320

  In their cunning deceit, their cruel schemes,

  But I would not wander away from your precepts.

  I have received my inheritance, a gathering of gifts

  Like a flock of shccp, your gracious testimony,

  Your faithful trust, from now to eternity— 325

  These are forever the joys of my heart.

  I have set my mind to meditate on your law

  And inclined my heart to fulfill your just works—

  For that I shall win an eternal reward.

  I have hated sinners but loved your law. 330

  You must help me, Lord. Be firm and faithful,

  A stalwart defender in my time of need.

  I trust in the truth and witness of your word.

  Let those who are wicked leave me alone,

  Let them pass me by as long as I meditate 335

  Fervently on God’s precepts. Accept me, Lord,

  With care and compassion, according to the words

  You once said, that I should live a long time.

  Do not confuse or confound me on the way,

  Since I’ve so long looked forward to seeing you. 340

  Come to my aid surely and steadily—

  Help me soon so that I will be safe,

  And I will firmly meditate on your truth.

  You have always despised the wicked ones—

  I know they dream endlessly of doing evil. 345

  The sinners on earth are liars and schemers,

  But I have loved and honored your testimony.

  Imprint on my flesh the fear of you, Lord,

  Inscribe awe in me, deny me no dread,

  For I would walk in fear of your judgments. 350

  I have always acted in accord with justice.

  Do not hand me over to my vengeful persecuters.

  Safeguard your servant, receive me fairly

  With goodness and grace so that arrogant men

  May never slander me. They care not for kindness. 355

  My eyes have grown weak, deformed and unsightly,

  As I pine for your promise and seek salvation

  In your righteous laws, your powerful speech.

  Treat your servant with much gentle mercy

  And teach me the way of your own truthful words. 360

  I am your servant—grant me understanding

  So that I may learn your revealed testimony.

  In this hour of rejoicing, everyone should strive

  To work your will. O Lord, never allow

  The faithless and foolish to deny or destroy 365

  Your just laws. Listen, O Lord,

  I have loved your precepts more than gold.

  Your truth is more precious than priceless topaz.

  I have always held the treasure of your testimony,

  The wealth of your words, in the trove of my heart, 370

  And I will always detest the ways of the wicked.

  Your witness is wonderful, my sovereign Lord,

  And my soul earnestly seeks your revelation.

  Your words and wisdom enlighten my mind

  And illuminate the world like a bright lamp 375

  With the light of clarity. You offer understanding

  To all earth-dwellers. I opened my mouth

  To catch my breath at the wonder of your laws

  When I fulfilled your command. Look down on me

  With a merciful eye and a compassionate heart, 380

  As you’ve done for those who have loved your name.

  Keep me steady on the righteous road

  According to your words, lest some iniquity

  Or injustice dominate me and wield my will.

  Deliver me now from the devious schemes 385

  Of liars and deceivers who twist the truth,

  So I can faithfully keep your commandments.

  Let your blessed and beautiful face shine

  On your beloved servant. Afterwards teach me

  How best to observe your truthful words. 390

  My eyes have seen a stream of tears,

  A wonder of waves, a torment of water;

  So shall it be with the wicked ones

  Who refuse to keep your rule of law.

  The Lord is righteous, his laws are just. 395

  His manner is stern, his judgments severe,

  Made known after full and fair deliberation.

  Lord, in your testimony you have always ordered

  That works of justice be properly practiced.

  Harsh persecution and hard affliction 400

  Have often brought me into the intimacy

  Of your holy house. Sometimes I suffered

  When my hateful enemies ignored your words

  Or willfully forgot to follow your precepts.

  Your speech is full of a righteous fire, 405

  Tempering and true, loved with
out limits

  By your own faithful servant here on earth.

  When I was young, my enemies despised me,

  But I never forgot to maintain your true works.

  Eternal Lord, your justice endures, 410

  Your judgment remains both now and forever,

  Your majesty and law are just and abiding.

  When hard troubles oppressed and afflicted me,

  When anguish and sorrow harrowed my heart,

  I carried out your commands and counted on them 415

  To protect and sustain me. I meditated upon them

  Constantly in my mind. Your testimony is my truth,

  Your judgment my justice, your witness my worth.

  Lend me insight and understanding so that I might live.

  I began to cry out with my whole heart, 420

  My mind and soul, to my beloved Lord,

  Singing out my sorrow, my life’s cares,

  And the Lord heard me in my loyal pleading

  And knew that I sought his justice and truth.

  I cried out to you, “O high King of heaven, 425

  My Savior Christ, my ruler and redeemer,

  Come rescue me now in my time of need;

  I promise gladly to keep your commandments.”

  I came before you in my maturity, Lord,

  And called out to you in my gathering grief. 430

  You received me warmly in a fitting way,

  Knowing that I truly trusted in your words.

  I brought you my eyes and ears in the morning

  And listened eagerly to your spoken words.

  Hear my voice, holy Lord, in your great mercy 435

  And save me according to your fair judgments.

  My enemies are entirely too close to me now—

  These sinners have left your law far behind.

  Be near to me, Lord—gather me in your glory,

  The surety of your truth, the wisdom of your words. 440

  I have always recognized your truth revealed,

  The testimony you established long ago forever.

  Regard my complete humiliation, Lord,

  Rescue and redeem me without delay.

  Save me now in my beleaguered need, 445

  For I was willing to keep your commandments

  With full courage and observe your law.

  Render my verdict and lovingly release me,

  Quicken me now and let me live

  For the sake of your truth, your witness in words. 450

  The sinners were far from true salvation

  Because they refused to seek your justice.

  Great are your mercies, almighty Lord;

  Let me live according to your fair judgments.

  I have watched the wicked persecute me, 455

  But I was never willing to forsake your witness

  Or turn my back on your true testimony.

  I saw many people refusing to honor

  Their promises of peace, their vows of truth,

  And I swelled up with anger, lamenting their loss 460

  Because they refused to recognize the power

  Of your spoken words and to keep your trust.

  I saw in myself that I love your law

  And fervently obey your true commands,

  My beloved Lord. In your reviving mercy 465

  Quicken me, Lord, and let me live.

  The starting point of all your pronouncements is this—

  That truth always abides in your words;

  Your judgments endure till the end of time

  And are solely affirmed by each day’s deeds. 470

  Princes and elders have persecuted me

  Without just cause, and my heart knew fear

  When I first investigated your wise, holy words

  With a sense of awe and began to revere

  Their righteous meaning, their noble truth. 475

  I will rejoice with a bold spirit, an assured mind,

  Over the richness and abundance of your spoken words,

  Just as one exults who takes up a treasure

  Like a warrior’s booty that once was lost.

  I have always abhorred evil and iniquity 480

  And detested every wicked act,

  Desiring to follow and love your law.

  I have always hoped to sing a hymn,

  A praise-song to you, my beloved Lord,

  Seven times a day with great devotion, 485

  For I know that your judgments are always executed

  Faithfully and fairly, secure in their justice.

  Those who love your name shall find peace;

  They shall never know shame or scandal in that.

  That will never be a stumbling block for them. 490

  I waited expectantly for your salvation, Lord,

  And I earnestly loved all of your precepts.

  My soul has treasured the truth of your testimony,

  The worth of your witness in all of your words,

  The gift that brings great joy to my heart. 495

  I have kept your commandments with true intent

  And confirmed your revelation with my own words,

  For all of my ways are wisely seen,

  Sure in your sight, my eternal Lord.

  Let my prayers approach in my passionate need, 500

  Let them stand in your sight with my supplication.

  Deliver me, Lord, according to your word

  From every kind of evil, every act of iniquity.

  Let my lips pour out my words to you,

  Let my mouth boldly sing beautiful hymns, 505

  Provided you are willing to teach me your truth.

  Listen, O Lord, my tongue has proclaimed

  The truth of your precepts, the power of your word.

  All of your laws are fair and just.

  Let your hand be the hand of my salvation, 510

  Offer me glory as I accept your commandments

  In my time of need. I have always longed,

  Almighty Lord, for salvation here on earth.

  Let me meditate deeply on your true law.

  My soul shall live and gladly praise you, 515

  And your judgments will aid me in all my works.

  I was led astray like a foolish sheep

  That desired in its heart to be lost to you,

  And in deepest despair even wanted to die.

  Lord, seek out your servant with great passion, 520

  For I have never forgotten your brighter commands,

  Your enlightening laws, your illuminating grace.

  119

  I called out to my beloved Lord

  When trials and temptations afflicted me,

  And the Lord listened with a gracious spirit

  And a steadfast heart. Lord of life,

  Deliver my soul from the treacherous lips, 5

  The malicious mouth, the deceitful tongue

  That spits out the hatred of a hostile heart.

  What would you expect cruelty to offer?

  Can any goodness be given to you

  By a devious mind, a slanderous tongue? 10

  Sharp, bitter arrows are always dangerous,

  Strong and deadly after they’ve been hardened

  By coals from the fire. I sing this lament

  Of suffering and sorrow because of the fate

  That has stolen my joy—my land is lost, 15

  My farmer has gone, so I must leave my home.

  I am forced to live with the people of Kedar,

  Which is not easy for me. All of my kin

  Who cared for my life and sheltered my soul

  Live somewhere else. When the people here 20

  Hated peace, I kept peace with them.

  When I tried to speak and truly teach them,

  They attacked me cruelly without cause.

  120

  I raised up my eyes to the lofty mountain,

  Where I found true
help in my time of need.

  My help comes from the Lord, who created

  Heaven and earth—it is pleasing and good.

  May the Lord protect you and watch over you, 5

  Never lead your foot on an evil path

  Into the power of the enemy, never dream

  Of falling asleep in your hour of peril.

  Truly, the mind of God never sleeps,

  For he must guard Israel against its enemies. 10

  May the holy Lord shield and sustain you,

  Be your staunch protector, the stalwart power

  Always abiding at your right hand in need.

  He will not let the bright sun burn you by day

  Or the pale moon harm you by night. 15

  May the holy Lord earnestly guard you

  Against all evil and protect your soul.

  May the eternal Lord watch over you always.

  May the true king of souls guard your going out

  And your coming in forever and ever. 20

  121

  I am pleased to hear these things said to me

  In a kindly spirit and will gladly go

  Into the house of God. My feet were standing

  Firmly in your courtyards in the city of Jerusalem,

  Our first home built in the beginning. 5

  In days long ago, O my Jerusalem,

  You were built as a beautiful, glorious city

  With separate neighborhoods linked together.

  Tribes were born, generation after generation,

  Who knew the Lord. The Israelites, who needed 10

  To cherish his name and to acknowledge him,

  Confirmed their faith, bearing witness to God.

  Often they sat in the seats of judgment,

  Yet you are the judge, O House of David,

  Established aloft in the heights of heaven. 15

  You who are ever upright in Jerusalem,

  Ask boldly for a peace that is unsurpassed.

  Let those who love you and cherish you deeply

  In the gladness of their hearts share your abundance.

  Let those who set great store in you prosper. 20

  Let peace be yours in your boundless power,

  First and foremost. And in all of your towers,

  Let there be plenty, a timeless abundance.

  For the sake of my brothers, my kith and kin,

  Not to mention my neighbors, I beg you now, 25

  Let us always have a lasting peace in you.

  For the house of my God, I earnestly pray

  And deeply beseech my beloved Lord

  That I might gather good things from it.

  122

  I have lifted up my eyes to you, O Lord.

  You rule eternally in heaven’s home.

  Listen, O Lord, my adoring eyes

  Are most like those of a beloved servant

  Who pleases and praises his Lord with reverence, 5

  And also like the eyes of a humble maidservant,