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Oft they (now Israel may say)

Author: Thomas Sternhold
Published in 2 hymnals

Representative Text

1 Oft they, now Israel may say,
me from my youth assail'd;
Oft they assail'd me from my youth,
yet never have prevail'd.

2 Upon my back the plowers plow'd,
and furrows long did cast:
The righteous Lord hath cut the cords
of wicked men at last.

3 They that hate me shall be asham'd
and turned back also,
And made as grass upon the house,
which withers ere it grow:

4 Whereof the mower cannot find
enough to fill his hand;
Nor can he fill his lap that goes
to glean upon the land.

5 Nor passers by pray God on them
to let his blessing fall;
Nor say, We bless you in his Name,
who is Lord over all.

Source: The Whole Book of Psalms #CXXIX

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Author: Thomas Sternhold

Thomas Sternhold was Groom of the Robes to Henry VIII and Edward VI. With Hopkins, he produced the first English version of the Psalms before alluded to. He completed fifty-one; Hopkins and others composed the remainder. He died in 1549. Thirty-seven of his psalms were edited and published after his death, by his friend Hopkins. The work is entitled "All such Psalms of David as Thomas Sternhold, late Groome of the King's Majestye's Robes, did in his Lyfetime drawe into Englyshe Metre." Of the version annexed to the Prayer Book, Montgomery says: "The merit of faithful adherence to the original has been claimed for this version, and need not to be denied, but it is the resemblance which the dead bear to the living." Wood, in his "Athe… Go to person page >

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