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A new Psalm for the chapel of Kilmarnock


O sing a new Song to the Lord! Make, all and every one, A joyful noise, even for the king His restoration. The sons of Belial in the land Did set their heads together; Come, let us sweep them off, said they, Like an o'erflowing river. They set their heads together, I say, They set their heads together: On right, and left, and every hand, We saw none to deliver. Thou madest strong two chosen Ones To quell the Wicked's pride: That Young Man, great in Issachar, The burden-bearing Tribe. And him, among the Princes chief In our Jerusalem, The judge that's mighty in thy law, The man that fears thy name. Yet they, even they, with all their might, Began to faint and fail; Even as two howling, ravening wolves To dogs do turn their tail. Th' Ungodly o'er the Just prevail'd, For so thou hadst appointed; That thou might'st greater glory give Unto thine own Annointed. And now thou hast restored our State, Pity our kirk also; For she by tribulations Is now brought very low! Consume that High-Place, Patronage, From off thy holy hill; And in thy fury burn the book Even of that man, M'Gill. Now hear our Prayer, accept our Song, And fight thy Chosen's battle: We seek but little, Lord, from thee, Thou kens we get as little.

Listen

Laura Fraser

About this work

This is a poem by Robert Burns. It was written in 1789 and is read here by Laura Fraser.

More about this poem

Thursday 23 April 1789 was designated a day of public thanksgiving for King George III’s recent recovery from madness. Burns was less than impressed with the celebrations, and consequently wrote this mocking Psalm.

In a letter to Mrs Dunlop, Burns claimed, ‘As I am not devoutly attached to a certain monarch I cannot say that my heart run any risk of bursting... with the struggling emotions of gratitude. – G-d forgive me for speaking evil dignities!’

The Psalm parodies the style of the Presbyterian metrical psalter, and takes as its theme Psalm cxliv, which relates how God gives salvation to kings. Burns signed off the poem with the name ‘Duncan M’Leerie’, a title associated with bawdry poetry.

M’Gill is an allusion to Rev. Dr William M’Gill (1732-1807) a minister in Ayrshire who had previously attracted censure from the Presbytery for writing works on Jesus Christ which were believed by the religious orthodoxy to contain heretical statements.

Ralph McLean

Themes for this poem

religionjacobitism

Locations for this poem

Kilmarnock

Selected for 24 October

George III became King of Britain and Ireland in October 1760. Much to his chagrin, he saw America become independent of his rule but he married happily, fathered fifteen children and reigned for sixty years. This is Burns's somewhat acid response to the madness surrounding George's return to sanity.

Donny O'Rourke

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