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.