The Paris Psalter: Psalm 101

Verse Indeterminate Saxon

ðu min gebed,         mære drihten,
gehyr, heofenes weard,         and gehlyde min
to ðe becume,         þeoda reccend.
Na þu andwlitan         æfre þinne

5

awend fram me,         wuldres ealdor;
gif ic geswenced sy,         þu swæs to me
þin eare onhyld         and me ofestlice
gehyr, heofenes weard,         helpys benan.
Forðon dagas mine         gedroren syndan

10

smece gelice,         and forspyrcende synd
mine mearhcofan,         þæs þe me þinceð,
swylce hi on cocerpannan         cocas gehyrstan.
Ic eom hege gelic,         þam þe hraðe weornað,
ðonne hit byð amawyn         mannes folmum;

15

is min heorte eac         hearde geswenced,
forðon ic ær forgeat,         þæt ic etan sceolde
minne swetne hlaf;         forðon me is swære stefn
hefig gnorniende         heortan getenge,
ætfeolen eac min ban         flæsce minum.

20

Ic geworden eom         pellicane gelic,
se on westene wunað;         wat ic eac swiðe geare,
þæt ic genemned eam         nihthrefne gelic,
þe on scræfe eardað,         and ic spearuwan swa some
gelice gewearð,         anlicum fugele.

25

Hwæt, me ealne dæg         edwitspræce on
mine feondas         fæste brohtan,
and ða me heredan;         hi me hraþe æfter
full swyþe eft         swerigean ongunnon.
Forðon ic anlic ætt         æscean hlafe,

30

and ic minne drinc         mengde wið tearum,
For andwlitan         yrres þines;
feor þu me ahofe         and gehnæctest eft.
Dagas mine gedruran         swa se deorca scua,
and ic hege gelic,         swa hit hraðe weornað.

35

þu on ecnysse wunast         awa, drihten;
wunað þin gemynd,         þenden woruld standeð.
Aris nu, mihtig god,         miltsa Sione;
nu is hire helpe         heahsæl cumen.
Forþon þæs þancunga         þine scealcas

40

ambyhtmæcgas         ealle hæfdan,
forðon þe þu stiðlice         stanum and eorðan
eallum ætgædere         ær miltsadest.
Forþon neodlice         on naman ðinum
ealle eorðbuend         egsan habbað,

45

and þin wuldor ongitað         wise cyningas.
Eft timbrade         ece drihten
and gesette Sion         þurh his sylfes miht,
ðær wæs gesyne         his seo soðe sped.
Oft he þearfendra bene         ðance gehyrde,

50

and he ne forhogode         heora hold gebed.
ða wislice         awriten standað
and on cneoressum         cyðed syndan,
þæt he folc gesceop;         fægere drihten
herað holdlice         hrore geþance.

55

Forðon he fæstlice         forð locade
of his þam hean         halgan setle;
drihten geseah of heofenum         her on eorðan.
He þa gehyrde         heahgnornunge
þæra ðe gebundene         bitere wæron,

60

and ða bealdlice         bearn alysde
þara ðe ofslegene         sliþe wæran.
þonne byð on Sione sægd         soð nama drihtnes,
and his lof swylce,         leoda bearnum,
on Hierusalem         gleawast and mærust.

65

Cumað folc syððan         feorran togædere
and ricu eac,         þæt hraðe drihtne
ful holdlice         hyran syþþan.
He him andwyrdeð         eallum sona
on wege worulde,         þær his gewis mægen

70

fæste standeð:         "Ic þe feawe dagas
minra mættra         mode secge,
þæt þu me meaht on midle         minra dagena
sona gecigean,         gif þu sylfa wylt."
Earon þines anes gear         awa to feore.

75

æt fruman þu,         drihten, geworhtest
eorþan frætwe         and upheofen;
þæt is heahgeweorc         handa þinra.
Sweotule þa forweorðað         and ðu sylf wunast;
eall forwisnað         wædum anlice,

80

and ðu hi onwendest,         swa man wrigels deð,
and hi beoð to worulde         wended syþþan.
þu þonne byst se ilca,         se þu ær wære;
ne beoð winter þin         wiht ðe sæmran.
Bearn þinra scealca         her bu namon,

85

and þær eardedan         ealle þrage,
and heora sylfra cynn         syððan to feore
on worulda woruld         well gerehtest.