The Paris Psalter: Psalm 108

Verse Indeterminate Saxon

Nelle ic lofes þines, lifigende god,
geswigian, þeah þe me synfulra
inwitfulra muðas on ganian.
Hio þa innwit feala ywdan on tungan,

5

and me wraðra wearn worda spræcon,
fæcne firenlicu, and afuhtan me
ealle earwunga ungemete swyðe.
Hi me wið lufan laþum dædum
torne telnysse teodan mænige;

10

ic him a gebæd ungemete georne.
Hi me yfel settan a wið goode
and feounge for minre lufan.
Gesete him synnfulle symble to ealdrum,
stande him on þa swyþeran hand swylce deoful.

15

Gange of dome gehwam deope gehyned,
and him his gebed hweorfe to fyrenum.
Gewurðe him weste eall his onwunung
and on hys eardungstowe næfre gewurþe
þæt þær on gewunige awiht lifigendes.

20

Wesan him dagas deorce and dimme and feawe,
and his bisceophad brucan feondas.
Weorðan his agene bearn ealle steopcild
and his wif wyrðe wydewe hreowlic.
Syn his bearn swylce toboren wide,

25

and he ut weorpe earme þearfan,
þonne hi to his huse hleowes wilnian.
Ealle his æhta unholde fynd
rice reðemann rycene gedæle,
and his feoh onfon fremde handa.

30

Ne him ahwær wese ænig fultum,
ne his steopcildum stande to helpe.
Gangan ealle his bearn on ece forwyrd,
and on anum cneowe eall gewyrðe
his nama nyhsta nede adilgad.

35

Eall þæt unriht þe his ealdras ær
manes gefremedan, on gemynd cume
and on ansyne ures drihtnes;
ne adilgode wesan deorce fyrene,
þa his modur ær mane fremede.

40

Wesan hi wið drihtne dædum swylce,
and hine adilgie dome ealne
of ðysse eorðan awa to feore.
Næs him milde gemynd on modsefan,
and he þearfendra ðriste ehte;

45

symble þæt on heortan hogode geornust,
hu he mid searuwe swylce acwealde.
He wolde wergðu wyrcean georne,
and hine seo ylce on eft gesette;
nolde he bletsunge biddan ne tilian,

50

forðon hio him wæs afyrred of ferhðcofan.
He hine gegyrede mid grame wyrgðu,
swa he hine wædum wræstum geteode,
and sio his innað ywde swylce
wan wætere gelic and wynele,

55

se þe banes byrst beteð and hæleð.
Wese he hrægle gelic þe her hraðe ealdað,
and gyrdelse, ðe hine man gelome gyrt.
þis is weorc þara þe oft wraðe me
trage tældan; tyne hine dryhten

60

þam þe sar sprece sawle minre.
And þu, min drihten god, do me þine nu
mycle mildheortnesse for þinum þam mæran naman,
swa ðu oft þin milde mod manegum cyðdest.
Alys me, lifes weard, forþan ic eom lama þearfa;

65

is me heorte on hearde gedrefed.
Ic eom scuan gelic swyþe ahylded,
oðlæded godum swa se gærshoppa.
Me synt cneowu swylce cwicu unhale
for fæstenum; is min flæsc swylce

70

for fægrum ele frecne onwended;
eom ic to edwitstæfe eallum geworden.
Swa hi me gesawon, sona hig wegdan,
hrerdan heora heafod; help min, drihten god,
and me halne gedo, hælynde Crist,

75

for þinre þære myclan mildheortnysse.
þæt hi soð witan, þæt si þin sylfes hand
and þu þas gedydest, drihten usser.
Weorðan þa awyrgde, wes þu gebletsad;
and þa þe me mid unryhte ænige styrian,

80

and hi þær sceande sylfe agon;
wese þin esne on þe ungemete bliðe.
Syn ða butan are ealle gegyrede
þe me tælnysse teonan ætfæstan,
and him si abrogden swa of brechrægle

85

hiora sylfra sceamu swyþust ealra.
Ic on minum muðe mihta drihtnes
ealle andette, and eac swylce
hine on midle manna herige.
He sylfa gestod on ða swyðran hand,

90

þær he þearfendra þinga teolode;
he mine sawle swylce gehealde
wið ehtendra egsan griman.