Psalm 88: In the Trial of Faith
place of thy habitation to be wonderful pleasant and delectable, in which thou speakest things of very great importance, whereunto men have recourse from all parts and borders of the world, being augmented through the mighty preaching of thy blessed word, and is notably increased upon all men by the comfort of thy exceeding sweet promise: let her fame be very largely spread abroad, for that she hath no respect of persons or deserts, but cause all thy sanctified children (be they Jews or Ethnics, Lord's or servants) to spring and grow up in the same together, through the steadfast and unremovable faith they have in Christ Jesus.
For this was thy own purposed will (O most high and mighty God) even from the beginning, to gather some together out of diverse nations of the world, through the most manifest declaration of strange and unknown tongues, by whom thou mightest be highly celebrated in pleasant songs and loud blasts of glorious Trumpets, through Jesus Christ our Lord. So be it.
PSALM 88: IN THE TRIAL OF FAITH
(Prayer 1) Seeing that our only salvation dependeth wholly upon thy divine Majesty (O almighty God) and that we do cry daily upon thee, bow down thy favorable ear to our humble prayers, turn not away thy face from them, but permit the same to come into thy blessed presence, specially at this time when we be so glutted with adversity, who are neither unjustly, nor yet without good cause punished with these troublesome and most sharp afflictions: for we have behaved ourselves so unthankfully, lived after such a wicked sort, and so negligently honored thee, as all those evils light upon us for our naughty and lewd behavior.
How be it we are exceeding sorry for the same, and do lamentably in our most fervent prayers, require thy favorable mercy, beseeching thee not to deal with us according to our iniquities and naughty usages. Make us not like unto them that now lie in the grave, neither reckon us with those that go down into the pit. Thou seest what man's strength is, what succor is to be had in fleshly hands, and how vain a thing outward power is: wherefore make haste to be our ready helper, neither establish thou thy wrath upon us, nor yet suffer us to be drowned in these
stormy times of Antichrist. We are become an open shame unto the adversaries of thy glorious name and Gospel, our friends and acquaintance withdraw and hide themselves from us. For which cause we call earnestly upon thee, and stretch forth our sorrowful hands unto thy most favorable mercies seat: hide not thy loving face from us, we humbly beseech thee, whereas otherwise we shall die like miserable wretches, neither be able to abide the terror of thy fierce justice. Although our dear friends, near neighbors, and familiar acquaintance withdraw themselves far from us, yet show thou thyself present with us, and lighten us in such wise with thy most ready help, to the intent, that being delivered from so great perils, we may not praise thee in the grave, or in death, but amongst such as remain a live, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Prayer 2) Because (O most mighty God) we often fall from thee like men, so long as we here live, our minds being overcast with darkness, and we who ought to walk outwardly in thy blessed ways, have divers times either fallen, or else do cowardly lie still: from the which thou (of thy unspeakable goodness) hast been accustomed to raise up such as thou well favourest, either with some sickness, or adversity, to the intent thou mayest shake of their unpalpable darkness and slothful sluggishness from them, which thing we assuredly know thou wilt presently do, and that without any delay, who feel ourselves so bowed to the ground and made crooked with the heavy burden of woeful miseries, as we are even in a manner brought to utter confusion and undoing. Wherefore our earnest request is, (O most dear Father) that thou wouldest not chastise us in thy fury, nor destroy us with the wrath of thy sore displeasure: but we would that the things which have hitherto happened, might make to our renewing or restorement. For we now pour out our humble petitions and lamentable cries before thy eye sight: thou seest how our friends and allies are gone clean against us, and that the adversaries laying await for our life, cease not to pitch snares, who do always imagine crafts and deceits whereby they might do us some notable mischief. Give ear (O good God) to our fervent prayers and earnest petitions, and suffer not the enemies of thy glorious name to triumph over us. Forsake us not utterly, hold not thyself aloof from us, and make haste to be our ready helper,