Robert Burns (1759–1796). Poems and Songs.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14. |
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| 18. The First Six Verses of the Ninetieth Psalm versified |
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| O THOU, the first, the greatest friend | |
| Of all the human race! | |
| Whose strong right hand has ever been | |
| Their stay and dwelling place! | |
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| Before the mountains heav’d their heads | 5 |
| Beneath Thy forming hand, | |
| Before this ponderous globe itself | |
| Arose at Thy command; | |
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| That Pow’r which rais’d and still upholds | |
| This universal frame, | 10 |
| From countless, unbeginning time | |
| Was ever still the same. | |
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| Those mighty periods of years | |
| Which seem to us so vast, | |
| Appear no more before Thy sight | 15 |
| Than yesterday that’s past. | |
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| Thou giv’st the word: Thy creature, man, | |
| Is to existence brought; | |
| Again Thou say’st, “Ye sons of men, | |
| Return ye into nought!” | 20 |
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| Thou layest them, with all their cares, | |
| In everlasting sleep; | |
| As with a flood Thou tak’st them off | |
| With overwhelming sweep. | |
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| They flourish like the morning flow’r, | 25 |
| In beauty’s pride array’d; | |
| But long ere night cut down it lies | |
| All wither’d and decay’d. | |
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