Classic Poem

Part I.

V EX not thyself at the impiety
Of wicked men, nor their frail height envy;
For they shall soon be mow'd like summer's hay,
And as the verdure of the herb decay,
Trust thou in God; do good, and long in peace
Possess the land, refresh'd by her increase.
Be He thy sole delight, He shall inspire
Thy raised thoughts, and grant thy heart's desire.
Rely, and to His care thy ways commend,
Who will produce them to a happy end.
He shall thy justice like the light display,
And make thy judgment as the height of day.
Rest on the Lord, and patiently attend
His heav'nly will; nor let it thee offend,
Because the wicked in their courses thrive,
And prosp'rously at their desires arrive.
Abstain from anger, heady wrath eschew;
Nor fret thou, lest ill deeds ill thoughts pursue,
God will cut off the bad, the faithful bless;
Who shall the ever-fruitful land possess.

Part II.

After a while th' unjust shall cease to be;
Thou shalt his place consider, but not see.
The meek in heart shall reap the land's increase,
And solace in the multitude of peace.
Against the godly wicked men conspire,
Gnash their malicious teeth, and foam with ire;
But God shall laugh at their impiety,
Because He knows their day of doom is nigh.
They draw their bloody swords, their bows are bent
To kill the needy, poor, and innocent.
But their proud hearts shall perish by the stroke
Of their own steel, their bow's asunder broke.
That little which the righteous hath, excells
Th'abundant wealth wherein the wicked swells.
For God the arms of violent men will break,
But shield the righteous, and support the weak.
His Eyes behold the suff'rings of the poor,
Their firm possessions ever shall endure.
They in the time of danger shall not dread,
But shall in famine's rage be fill'd with bread.
When vicious men shall speedily decay,
And those who slight Jehovah melt away
As fat of lambs, which sacred fires consume,
And forthwith vanish like the rising fume.

Part III.

The wicked borrow never to restore,
The just are gracious and relieve the poor.
Whom God shall bless, they shall the land enjoy;
Whom God shall curse, them vengeance shall destroy.
The steps of righteous men the Lord directs,
For He, ev'n He, their order'd paths affects.
Although they fall, yet fall to rise again;
For His His care and pow'rful Hand sustain.
I have been young, am old, yet never saw
The just abandoned, nor those who draw
From him their birth with beggary oppress'd.
He lends in mercy, and his seed are bless'd.
Do good, shun evil, and remain unmov'd,
For righteous souls are of the Lord belov'd:
His undeserted saints protecting still,
Their plants uprooting who transgress His will.
Just men inherit shall the promis'd land,
And dwell therein, while mountains steadfaststand.

Part IV.

The righteous soul of sacred judgment speaks,
And from his lips a spring of wisdom breaks.
God's law is in his heart, his light, his guide,
Nor shall his feet in slipp'ry places slide.
Men seek his blood, but God defends, nor shall
He by the sentence of the wicked fall.
Waiton the Lord, nor His straight paths transgress;
And evermore this pregnant soil possess.
But those who in iniquity delight
Shall be cut off, and perish in thy sight.
The wicked I have seen in wealth to flow,
Exceed in pow'r, and like a laurel grow,
Yet vanish hence, as he had never been;
I sought him, but he was not to be seen.
Observe the perfect and the pure of heart,
They die in peace, and happily depart,
But the ungodly are at once cut down,
And perish without pity or renown.
The Lord is the salvation of the just,
Their strength in trouble, since in Him they trust:
Will those assist who on His aid depend,
Deliver, and from impious foes defend.