1 Help, Lord, for good and godly men
do perish and decay;
And faith and truth from worldly men,
is parted clean away.
do perish and decay;
And faith and truth from worldly men,
is parted clean away.
2 Whoso doth with his neighbor talk,
'tis all but vainty;
For ev'ry man bethinketh how
to speak deceitfully.
'tis all but vainty;
For ev'ry man bethinketh how
to speak deceitfully.
3 But flatt'ring and deceitful lips,
and tongues that be so stout
To speak proud words, and make great brags,
the Lord will soon cut out:
and tongues that be so stout
To speak proud words, and make great brags,
the Lord will soon cut out:
4 For they say still, We will prevail,
our lips shall us extol;
Our tongues are ours, we ought to speak;
what lord shall us control?
our lips shall us extol;
Our tongues are ours, we ought to speak;
what lord shall us control?
5 But for the great complaint and cry
of those that are opp'resed,
I will arise now, saith the Lord,
and them restore to rest.
of those that are opp'resed,
I will arise now, saith the Lord,
and them restore to rest.
6 God's word is like to silver pure,
that from the dross is tried,
Which hath not less than seven times n
the fire been purified.
that from the dross is tried,
Which hath not less than seven times n
the fire been purified.
7 Now since thy promise is to help,
Lord, keep thy promise then,
And save us not and evermore
from this ill kind of men.
Lord, keep thy promise then,
And save us not and evermore
from this ill kind of men.
8 For now the wicked world if full
of mischiefs manifold,
Whilst vanity with worldly men
so highly is extolled.
of mischiefs manifold,
Whilst vanity with worldly men
so highly is extolled.