Suite of a Sinner

[Kerminator]

 A Psalm; From the 1599 Geneva Bible:


 The Humble Suite of a Sinner.

O Lord of whom I do depend,
behold my careful heart,
And when thy will and pleasure is,
release me of my smart,

Thou seest my sorrows what they are,
my grief is known to thee:
And there is none that can remove
or take the same from me.

But only thou whose aid I crave,
whose mercy still is pressed:
To ease all those that come to thee,
for succor and for rest.

And sith thou seest my restless eyes,
my tears and grievous groan:
Attend unto my suite O Lord,
mark well my ‘plaint and moan.

For sin hath so enclosed me,
And ‘compass me about,
That I am now remediless,
if mercy help not out:

For mortal man cannot release,
or mitigate this pain:
But even thy Christ my Lord, and God,
which for my sin was slain.

Whose bloody wound are yet to see,
though not with mortal eye:
Yet do thy Saints behold them all,
and so I trust shall I.

Though sin doth hinder me a while
when thou shalt see it good,
shall enjoy the sight of him,
and see his wounds and blood.

And as thine Angels and thy saints,
do now behold the same:
So trust I to possess that place,
with them to praise thy name.

But while I live here in this vale,
where sinners do frequent,
Assist me ever with thy grace,
my sins still to lament.

Least that I tread in sinners’ trace,
and give them my consent,
To dwell with them in wickedness,
where to nature is bent.

Only thy grace must be my stay,
least that I fall down flat.
And being down, then of myself,
cannot recover that.

Wherefore, this is yet once again,
my suite and my request,
To grant me pardon for my sins,
that I in thee may rest.

Then shall my heart, my tongue, and voice,
be instruments of praise,
And in the Church and House of Saints,
sing Psalms to thee always.