Lyra Davidica/The Complaint
The Complaint: Or, A Meditation for Noon.
To the Tune of, Awake my Soul.
1.
TEmptations Lord beset me round;
No Place of Safety can be found:
I shall a wretched Prey be made
To ev'ry Lust without thy Aid.
2.
Tempted to Vanity by Dress;
By Meat and Drink unto Excess.
Want Anxious makes; Highminded Wealth;
Disease Impatient, Wanton Health.
3.
My faithful Friends, whom most I Love,
The worst of Thieves too often prove;
Whilst I'm by them of Time depriv'd;
Of Time, which ne'er can be retriev'd.
4.
And O yet worse, I'm rare at Rest
From Wars and Conflicts in my Breast.
Passion my Reason doth Invade;
Reason my Faith doth Captive lead.
5.
The Good I would I oft omit;
The Ill would not I commit.
What in the Spirit I begin
The Flesh constrains to end in Sin.
6.
After my Washing I am Stain'd;
After my Conquests I am Maim'd;
After Repentance Fall again;
When Life's renew'd by Sin I'm slain.
7.
Soon my Devotion lags and tires,
But rarely sensual Joy expires.
My Vows I break; to Sin I'm bent,
Tho' checkt with fear of Punishment.
8.
Ill Thoughts within my Bosom dwell;
The Tongue's oft set on Fire of Hell:
Seated between my Brain and Heart
Both unto it ill Words impart.
9.
In this sad plight where shall I go?
There's none but God can ease my Woe.
His Spirit alone can guide my way;
Without Him I shall ever stray.
10.
Lord, Pardon will do little good;
Or ev'n thy Son's Balsamick Blood;
Unless thy Spirit set me free
From Sins dark Power and Slavery.
11.
Therefore make good thy Promise Lord;
Thy Powerful Aid to me afford:
That no Presumptuous Sin may Reign,
Or ought my Innocency stain.
12.
My Appetites my Eye and Ear,
My Passions anger, Hope and Fear,
O let me watch continually,
And check ev'n Lawful Liberty.
13.
Our Love, our Hope, our Faith, our Fear,
The most degenerate Vices are,
On Creatures plac'd, but on God set
His Image in us they beget.
14.
O let my Tongue be always barr'd
By Teeth and Lips that double Guard:
My Words with Edge and Softness move;
With pointed Truth, Foreclos'd by Love.
15.
May my chief study and delight
Be in God's Word both Day and Night.
Then from my God I nere shall swerve;
Him ever Love, Him ever Serve.
16.
When his Blest Will's my daily Food,
My daily Business doing Good,
Blest shall I be whilst I have Breath,
And Endless Happy after Death.