A New Psalm for the Chapel of Kilmarnock
The poem offers a thanksgiving prayer for the King’s restoration, calling all people to sing joyfully to the Lord. It describes the sons of Belial joining together to sweep away their opponents, while no deliverer appears. God strengthens two chosen defenders: a Young Man great in Issachar, the burden-bearing tribe, and a leading judge in Jerusalem who fears God’s name. Despite their strength, these men begin to fail and retreat before their enemies, allowing the ungodly to prevail for a time so that greater glory may be given to God’s anointed. With the State restored, the speaker asks God to pity the troubled Kirk, which has been brought low by tribulations. The prayer asks for Patronage to be removed from God’s holy hill and for the book of that man M'Gill to be burned. It asks God to accept the song, fight for the chosen, and grant the small measure of help the speakers expect.
By Robert Burns · First published 1786 · Genre: Satirical Poetry, Political Satire, Religious Satire · 435 words
First lines
On the Thanksgiving-Day for His Majesty's Recovery.
O sing a new song to the Lord, / Make, all and every one, / A joyful noise, even for the King / His restoration.
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Genres
- Satirical Poetry — The poem humorously and sharply imitates sacred psalm language to criticize political and ecclesiastical factions, especially church patronage and the persecution of Dr. William M'Gill.
- Political Satire — Its apparent celebration of King George III's recovery becomes a partisan commentary on Scottish political conflict, royalist loyalty, and opposition forces portrayed as the 'sons of Belial.'
- Religious Satire — Burns adopts biblical diction, prayer, and psalm structure while exposing disputes within the Kirk of Scotland and mocking religiously charged political rhetoric.
- Parody — The work parodies the form, cadence, vocabulary, and devotional posture of a biblical psalm, using elevated sacred language for contemporary controversy.
Tags
Scottish poetry · late eighteenth-century Scotland · Kilmarnock, Scotland · thanksgiving hymn · psalm parody · biblical pastiche · religious satire · political satire · royal restoration · monarchy · King's recovery · Scottish Kirk
What this Textopian page supports
A New Psalm for the Chapel of Kilmarnock is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Burns, dated 1786 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Robert Burns
- Date: 1786 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satirical Poetry, Political Satire, Religious Satire, Parody, Occasional Poetry
- Length: 435 words
- Structure: 1 section, 12 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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