Page:The Complete Poetical Works of John Milton.djvu/53

 PSALM CXXXVI

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��Jehovah's wonders were in Israel shown, His praise and glory was in Israel known. That saw the troubled sea, and shivering

fled,

And sought to hide his f roth-becurled head Low in the earth; Jordan's clear streams

recoil, As a faint host that hath received the

foil. The high huge-bellied mountains skip like

rams Amongst their ewes, the little hills like

lambs. Why fled the ocean ? and why skipped the

mountains ? Why turned Jordan toward his crystal

fountains ?

Shake, Earth, and at the presence be aghast Of Him that ever was and aye shall last, That glassy floods from rugged rocks can

crush, And make soft rills from fiery flint-stones

gush.

��PSALM CXXXVI

LET us with a gladsome mind Praise the Lord for he is kind;

For his mercies aye endure, Ever faithful, ever sure.

Let us blaze his Name abroad, For of gods he is the God ; For his, &c.

O let us his praises tell, That doth the wrathful tyrants quell; 10 For his, &c.

That with his miracles doth make Amazed Heaven and Earth to shake; For his, &c.

That by his wisdom did create

The painted heavens so full of state;

For his, &c. 19

That did the solid Earth ordain To rise above the watery plain; For his, &c.

That by his all-commanding might, Did fill the new-made world with light; For his, &c.

��And caused the golden-tressed Sun All the day long his course to run; 30 For his, &c.

The horned Moon to shine by night Amongst her spangled sisters bright; For his, &c.

He, with his thunder-clasping hand, Smote the first-born of Egypt land;

For his, &c. 39

And, in despite of Pharao fell, He brought from thence his Israel; For his, &c.

The ruddy waves he cleft in twain Of the Erythraean main; For his, &c.

The floods stood still, like walls of glass, While the Hebrew bands did pass; 50 For his, &c.

But full soon they did devour The tawny King with all his power; For his, &c.

His chosen people he did bless In the wasteful Wilderness; For his, &c.

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��In bloody battail he brought down Kings of prowess and renown; For his, &c.

He foiled bold Seon and his host, That ruled the Amorrean coast; For his, &c.

And large-limbed Og he did subdue, With all his over-hardy crew ; For his, &c.

And to his servant Israel He gave their land, therein to dwell; For his, &c.

He hath, with a piteous eye, Beheld us in our misery; For his, &c.

And freed us from the slavery Of the invading enemy; For his, &c.

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