Chapter IV: Psalm of David

_Reproving and admonishing his enemies_. Not to burlesque
his Psalms.

1 As Thou hast always taken care A pretty phrase!
My sufferings to remove.

2 But you, my frail (1) malicious foes, (1) Are they malicious
Who do my power despise; out of frailty, or frail
Vainly how long will ye oppose, out of malice?
And (2) falsely calumnize!
(2) That is, they say
_false_ things
_falsely_.

I will discover the
doctor's secret of
making the coherence
and connection, in
the Psalms that he
brags of in his title
and preface: he lays
violent hands on certain
particles,(such as _and,
when, since, for, but,
thus, so_, &c.) and
presses them to his
service on all occasions
sore against their wills,
and without any regard
whether the sense will
admit them or no.

3 Since those alone the Lord has blest, (3) 'Tis plain the doctor
That do from sin refrain; never requested to be a
He therefore grants what I request, (3) poet.
And hears when I (4) complain:

(4) If your requests be
granted, why do you
complain?

But of Thy face to us do Thou What is it, to
The favour still dispense; dispense the favour
of his face?

7 Then shall my soul with more divine (5) I have heard of a
And solid joys abound, crown or garland of corn,
Than they with stores of corn and wine, but a crown of wine is
Those earthly riches, crown'd: (5) new, and can hardly be
explained, unless we
suppose the wine to be
in icicles.

8 And thus confiding, Lord, in thee (6) And yet, to shew I
I take my calm repose; (6) tell no fibs,
For thou each night protectest me Thou hast left me in
From all my (7) treacherous foes thrall
To Hopkins, eke, and
Doctor Gibbs
The vilest rogue of all.

(7) Aye, and _open_ foes
too; or his repose would
not be very calm.