Psalm 59: Against the Pharisees and False Prophets
eagerness be quite taken from them. Confound thou in the turning of a hand their lewd devices, and cause the Congregation of the faithful greatly to triumph, when as they may right well perceive that thou both renderest the fruit of righteousness to the righteous, and also takest punishment of the ungodly, according to their wretched and lewd deserts, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
PSALM 59: AGAINST THE PHARISEES
AND FALSE PROPHETS
(Prayer 1) Our earnest request is (O most mighty God) that thou only wouldest be our speedy deliverer, when as the extreme enemies of thy sacred doctrine and pure religion do grievously oppress us: now it appertaineth unto thee for to defend us from naughty persons, who gape much for our destruction, and have augmented their force and power with great and huge conspiracies, to wipe out thy holy ones from off the earth. They do persecute us nothing at all for our heinous faults and mischievous deeds, whereof we acknowledge and confess that we have committed many, but they run upon us for hatred they only bear to sincere godliness and perfect religion, to the intent they would both craftily and with extreme violence furnish themselves to our destruction. But thou (O good
God) who hast dominion over all creatures, first pardon whatsoever we have wickedly committed against thee: then stir up thyself, and at length discuss the cause of the godly. Our most cruel enemies go to and fro, they grin like Doggs and run about in all Countries, for, when they speak anything of our matters, swords and weapons only are in their lips, but thou (O good God) shalt laugh these men to scorn and have them in great derision: we attend and look for help altogether at thy merciful hands, who art our mighty Tower and most strong defense. Let thy sacred Church be such a partaker of thy wonderful and unspeakable goodness, as she may see her desire upon the enemies of all righteousness. Slay not these men after an accustomable manner, but destroy them utterly in such a sort as thy blessed people may not lightly forget the same: cause thou them to become runagates and beggars forever, by reason of their abominable vices,
blasphemous lies, and cursed perjuries, wherewith they are be wrapped and abound greatly: consume thou such manner of men at length, bring them to naught I say, as they may become a laughing stock and by word unto every man, to the intent all people may assuredly know and right well perceive that thou showest thyself a very God unto thy blessed Church, wherein thou oughtest to be highly magnified as a firm defense, and most strong aid for all such as will unfeignedly invocate and call upon thy glorious name, through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
(Prayer 2) We being hedged in (O most mighty God) through human infirmity, and bound in conscience with the chains of most heavy sins, do continually with right great lamentation, call upon thy unspeakable mercy, wherewith thou mayest willingly and gently bow down thy favorable ear to our humble petitions: the force of our outrageous enemies doth wonderfully assault, marvelously invade, and greatly oppress us, but seeing that the strength of our nature utterly falleth in this behalf, and showeth itself altogether unavailable, arise thou
(O God) and overthrow by thy mighty puissance, whatsoever shall be repugnant to our salvation, and finally deride and mock such a one as hath a greater pleasure to resist thy blessed will, then to submit himself thereunto as meet it is he should so do. We have reposed the whole strength of our welfare in thee only, having no mistrust but that thou art our chief goodness and most merciful God: although therefore the fierce enemies of thy glorious name compass us about, and after a sort besiege us with the dark and obscure blindness which they shed, we (trusting in thy excellent goodness) hope that the malicious wickedness they have imagined, shall not fall on us, but light upon their own necks: wherefore let thy inestimable goodness (according to our assured hope) be in steed of a strong fortress, puissant refuge, and mighty Bulwark unto us, who are wonderful desirous to celebrate and set forth thy exceeding great honor and unspeakable mercy, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.