Classic Poem

Bishop Mack seemed fond of paraphrasing passages of Scripture. This may have resulted partly because of the pleasure he derived from setting favorite passages to meter and rhyme, and partly perhaps through planning to have these paraphrases published with the hope of attracting readers to the Scriptures who otherwise would not read them.
The following paraphrase of the 119th Psalm, which is preserved in manuscript, closes with the 80th stanza. Judging by the appearance of the manuscript, there probably was no more written.
Blest, yes, ever blest are they
Who like to live in purity,
Accustomed, too, to always walk
Forever in the law of God.

Blest are they who always live
That they keep God's testimonies,
And through pure and faithful love
Seek the Lord with their whole heart.

For the ways of God are pure,
Right, and good, and ever true,
He alone who walks in them
Is the one who does no wrong.

Therefore Thou, O Lord, hast ordered
That we keep Thy laws with care,
That we look up to Thy glory,
And to the good of our souls.

Oh, that my entire life,
With all serious diligence,
Were directed to Thy statutes
Here on this my pilgrim way

Then if I am only mindful
Of Thine own most holy laws,
Trusting Thee with all my heart,
Never shall I be ashamed.

Praise to Thee that Thou hast taught
To me Thy law of righteousness,
And to Thee my heart shall turn,
Thee to love throughout all time.

Thy commandments will I keep,
O my Lord, forsake me never,
That my purpose shall not wane
And I will give to Thee honor.

How then shall a young man walk
And his way be kept blameless?
If he keep in every way
Himself close to Thy word.

With all my heart and all my soul
I have Thee sought, O Lord, my God.
Oh, let me therefore never stray
From Thy great and holy laws.

Thy word alone is the possessor
Of my heart continually,
It is thus my soul's protector,
That against Thee I do not sin.

I'll give Thee praise continually
For the state of Thy great mercy.
Teach me in temptation's tests
To be mindful of Thy laws.

What Thy mouth will not conceal,
Thy commandments altogether,
My own lips will also tell
And tell it, too, involuntarily.

I rejoice in all the ways
Of Thy holy testimonies
Much more than in this life's riches
Whatever these may be like.

I will tell and acknowledge
What Thou hast commanded me
To meditate upon Thy ways
Is my heart's most fond desire.

I will ever love Thy laws
And have in them my great delight.
I will use Thy words so often
That I never can forget them.

Oh deal well with Thy servant,
That I may live to honor Thee,
And Thy word and all Thy laws
Rightly will I always keep.

Open now my eyes for me,
Open them and make them clean
That I may see the wondrous things
Which are in Thy holy law.

I'm a stranger here on earth,
From me then, O Lord, let not
Thy commandments be concealed
So that they can comfort me.

My soul is breaking, O my Lord,
With the longing that it has
To cling forever to Thy laws
Through all the conflict and the strife.

Thy rebukes are for the proud
And they receive Thy curses, too,
For they care not for Thy blessings
And they keep not Thy commandments.

With the wrong wilt Thou thus deal
When contempt shall oppress me,
That I can keep Thy testimonies
And be quickened inwardly.

Princes, also, to torment me
Often sit and speak against me,
But Thy servant will declare
For Thy statutes evermore.

I have joy in Thy words,
Thy testimonies, O my Lord,
Have become my counsellors,
And they teach me more and more.

My soul lies prostrate in the dust,
O my God, give me new life,
That according to Thy word
My faith again shall be made strong.

And now my ways I do declare,
And Thou, O Lord, Thou hearest me.
Teach me to walk in Thine own paths
And to keep Thy blessed laws.

Wilt Thou, Lord, make known to me
The way alone of Thy commands,
Then will I with diligence
Speak of Thy most wondrous works.

My heart, in grieving, languishes
Through my suffering that is hidden;
Lord, Thy word I have considered,
Strengthen me through Thine own strength.

Turn from me the ways of lying
Where the false light always rules,
Show to me the paths of truth,
And may Thy law be my report.

For I have made my choice
To love Thy way of truth,
And Thy laws I've laid before me
To be the light along my way.

To Thy testimonies here
I have clung with all my heart;
Let me not be put to shame,
Lead me in the paths of virtue.

When my heart delights within me,
As Thou, O Lord, dost comfort me,
Then will I awake to run
On the way of Thy commandment.

Show me the way of Thy commandments
That I may keep them till the end,
And then when I my head must bow
Receive my spirit in Thy hands.

Help me, O Lord, to know
How to keep Thy law,
That I may keep it with my strength
And all my heart and soul.

Lead me Lord into the ways
Of Thy most holy laws,
Therein do I delight.
Draw me to Thee, O Lord, my God.

Wilt Thou my heart incline
Unto Thy testimonies,
That I may show in all my acts
Thy love, and never covet.

Let not my eyes look to
The foolish teachings, Lord;
But rather lead me to Thy way
And strengthen me in Thine own honor.

Oh, let Thy servant firmly hold
To Thy commandments in Thy word,
That I may fear Thee and in death
Remain true, O Thou, my help.

Turn the reproach and all the sin
Which I so fear, Oh Lord, from me;
In Thy commandments I rejoice
Because they are so very good.

Behold how I desire, Lord,
Thy precepts at the present time;
Wilt Thou, therefore, revive my soul
By giving me Thy righteousness.

Let Thy mercies, Lord, my help,
Come to me for my comfort;
And in order to preserve them
Grant Thy help according to Thy word,

That I may also answer give
The slanderer, who reproaches me,
For in Thy word I always trust,
Thy word which means eternity.

Then take not wholly from my mouth
Thy truth's most noble words
For I have hope, from my whole heart,
In all the judgments that are Thine.

So I will keep Thy holy law
Everywhere and at all times,
And I will not withdraw from Thee
Throughout the long eternity.

Everything must serve for the best
Because Thy precepts I am seeking,
Happily will my actions prosper
Before Thee, O Immanuel.

Of Thy precepts I will speak
Gladly, freely, without shame,
And tell even before kings
What Thy spirit in me utters.

Heavenly joy is always found
When one honors Thy commands,
Love has bound me to them firmly,
It is stronger far than death.

My hands also do I lift up
To Thy blessed commandments,
And of all Thy righteous laws
I will speak with great and small.

Wilt Thou remind Thy servant, Lord,
Of Thy most holy word,
For Thou hast been accustomed to direct to it
My hope both here and yonder, too.

This is, in all my misery,
My comfort when I turn
Myself in faith to Thee,
For Thy word always quickens me.

'Tis true, indeed, that haughty spirits
Have held me often in derision,
But, good Master, I have turned
Not from Thee nor from Thy law.

When I remember the precepts
Of Thy hand of ages past,
The darkness turns to nothingness
And I am greatly comforted.

Because I have to hate all wrong
I become incensed, therefore,
That the wicked, as is known,
Forsake always Thy great law.

Thy statutes always are most noble,
And in my house they are my song,
Which always of necessity
Must be my business to perform.

In the night time I am mindful
Of Thy name in such a way,
That it makes me turn to it
And hold steadfast to Thy law.

This on earth is my great treasure
Because I hold to Thy command;
This to me becomes my comfort,
Therefore it's my foremost choice.

This is now what I declare,
This, O Lord, I've said to Thee,
That always in Thy way to be
Should be the portion granted me.

O Lord, before Thy holy face,
I beseech with my whole heart,
Unto me be merciful
As Thy word has promised me.

On my ways I have considered
According to Thy testimonies,
And my feet I also turn
To walk in Thy most righteous way.

I must haste and not delay,
That Thy commandment I may keep;
That I my time dream not away
Before Thee, O my Lord and God.

Bands of men in wickedness
Have come here and have robbed me,
But never once shall I forget
Thy commands through eternity.

When at midnight I arise,
In the dark I give Thee praise,
Because I see in Thy precepts
Thy holy law of righteousness.

O Lord, I keep myself with them
Who have a righteous fear of Thee,
Who are familiar with Thy law
And who keep it steadfastly.

The entire earth, O Lord,
With Thy graciousness is filled
Teach me that my wisdom grows
To know Thy precepts evermore.

Thou Thy servant treatest well
O Lord, Thou, my faithful help,
And this brings me renewed courage,
For what Thou dost is like Thy word.

Teach me good judgments, Lord!
And I for knowledge, O my God,
Will humbly beg of Thee,
For Thy commandments I believe.

Formerly I went astray,
That was before I was cast down;
Now I am never more confounded
For Thy word to me is clear.

Thou, O Lord, art surely good,
And Thou with kindness teachest me
That all Thy laws in peace
Forever I may keep.

The proud are fond of forging lies
Against me and my soul;
But my heart seeks no delight
Other than to keep Thy law.

Their heart is as fat as grease,
But the delight that I possess
Is when I can perceive Thy law,
This revives me, heart and soul.

It has happened to me well
That Thou me before Thee, Lord,
Hast afflicted in Thy mercy,
That I should learn of Thy precepts.

The law of Thine own mouth
Is chosen by me rather
Than many thousand pieces of gold
And much silver beyond measure.

I am the work of Thine own hands
And prepared by Thee, O Lord,
Therefore send me understanding
That Thy law I rightly learn.

They that fear Thee see me too,
And at this they do rejoice
That Thy word shall come to pass
In which Thou hast given me hope.

Of the secret of Thy judgments
Thou hast pointed out the law,
That Thou hast me not brought to naught
And yet hast grieved me well.

I will praise Thy mercies, Lord,
Which can always comfort me;
As Thou hast then promised me
I accept them as a child.

Then let to me be granted
Thy tender mercies, Lord,
That I may live and always keep
With delight Thy holy law.

Oh, that to shame should be brought
The proud liars who my soul
Do oppress here on the earth
When I speak of Thy precepts.

Oh that they might hold fast to me,
Those who in fact have fear of Thee,
Those who have known Thy testimony
And recognize Thy graciousness.

Let my heart stay true here on earth
To Thy commandments, Lord, I pray,
That I may not be put to shame,
Help Thou me to be upright.