Episode 82: Sidney, Translation of Psalm 52

Psalm 52 concerns a lying tyrant and God's impending judgment. Mary Sidney, who lived 1561-1621, was an extraordinary writer, editor, and literary patron. Like many talented writers of her time, she translated all the psalms. Here we talk about translation, early modern women's writing, religious engagements with politics, and the power of Psalm 52.

For more on Mary Sidney, see The Poetry Foundation page: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/mary-sidney-herbert

For the Geneva translation of Psalm 52, which Mary Sidney would have known, see here:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2052&version=GNV

For a new collection of English translations of the psalms in the early modern era, see The Psalms in English 1530-1633 (Tudor and Stuart Translations), edited by Hannibal Hamlin.

Psalm 52
translated by Mary Sidney

Tyrant, why swell’st thou thus,
 Of mischief vaunting?
Since help from God to us
 Is never wanting.

Lewd lies thy tongue contrives,
 Loud lies it soundeth;
Sharper than sharpest knives
 With lies it woundeth.

Falsehood thy wit approves,
 All truth rejected:
Thy will all vices loves,
 Virtue neglected.

Not words from cursed thee,
 But gulfs are poured;
Gulfs wherein daily be
 Good men devoured.

Think’st thou to bear it so?
 God shall displace thee;
God shall thee overthrow,
 Crush thee, deface thee.

The just shall fearing see
 These fearful chances,
And laughing shoot at thee
 With scornful glances.

Lo, lo, the wretched wight,
 Who God disdaining,
His mischief made his might,
 His guard his gaining.

I as an olive tree
 Still green shall flourish:
God’s house the soil shall be
 My roots to nourish.

My trust in his true love
 Truly attending,
Shall never thence remove,
 Never see ending.

Thee will I honour still,
 Lord, for this justice;
There fix my hopes I will
 Where thy saints’ trust is.

Thy saints trust in thy name,
 Therein they joy them:
Protected by the same,
 Naught can annoy them.