The man is blest that hath not bent

Top Media Text Author Text Info Tune Timeline Page Scans Instances

The man is blest that hath not bent

Author: Thomas Sternhold
Tune: [The man is blest that hath not bent]
Published in 3 hymnals

Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 The man is blest that hath not lent
to wicked men his ear,
Nor led his life as sinners do,
nor sat in scorner's chair.

2 But in the law of God the Lord
doth set his whole delight,
And in the same doth exercise
himself both day and night.

3 He shall be like a tree that is
planted the rivers nigh,
Which in due season bringeth forth
its fruit abundantly;

4 Whose leaf shall never fade nor fall,
but flourishing shall stand:
Ev'n so all things shall prosper well
that this man takes in hand.

5 As for ungodly men, with them
it shall be nothing so;
But as the chaff, which by the wind
is driven to and fro.

6 Therefore the wicked men shall not
in judgment stand upright,
Nor in th' assembly of the just
shall sinners come in sight.

7 For why? The way of godly men
unto the Lord is known;
Whereas the way of wicked men
shall quite be overthrown.

Source: The Whole Book of Psalms #I

All representative texts • Compare texts ^ top

Author: Thomas Sternhold

Thomas Sternhold was Groom of the Robes to Henry VIII and Edward VI. With Hopkins, he produced the first English version of the Psalms before alluded to. He completed fifty-one; Hopkins and others composed the remainder. He died in 1549. Thirty-seven of his psalms were edited and published after his death, by his friend Hopkins. The work is entitled "All such Psalms of David as Thomas Sternhold, late Groome of the King's Majestye's Robes, did in his Lyfetime drawe into Englyshe Metre." Of the version annexed to the Prayer Book, Montgomery says: "The merit of faithful adherence to the original has been claimed for this version, and need not to be denied, but it is the resemblance which the dead bear to the living." Wood, in his "Athe… Go to person page >

^ top