My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: me. My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; And my kinsmen stand afar off. They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: And they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, And imagine deceits all the day long. But I, as a deaf man, heard not; And I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. Thus I was as a man that heareth not, And in whose mouth are no reproofs. For in thee, O Lord, do I hope: Thou wilt hear, O Lord my God. For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should re joice over me: When my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me. For I am ready to halt, And my sorrow is continually before me. For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin. But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: And they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied. They also that render evil for good are mine adver saries; Because I follow the thing that good is. Forsake me not, O Lord: O my God, be not far from me. XXXIX To the chief Musician, even to Jeduthun I Said, I will take heed to my ways, I will keep my mouth with a bridle, I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; And my sorrow was stirred. My heart was hot within me, While I was musing the fire burned: Then spake I with my tongue, Lord, make me to know mine end, And the measure of my days, what it is; That I may know how frail I am. Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; And mine age is as nothing before thee: Verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. And now, Lord, what wait I for? Deliver me from all my transgressions: Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand. When thou with rebukes dost correct man for ini quity, Thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: Surely every man is vanity. Hear my prayer, O Lord, And give ear unto my cry; Hold not thy peace at my tears: And a sojourner, as all my fathers were. Selah. XL To the chief Musician A Psalm of David I Waited patiently for the Lord; And he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, And respecleth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, And thy thoughts which are to us-ward: If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; Mine ears hast thou opened: Burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come: In the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: Lo, I have not refrained my lips, 0 Lord, thou knowest. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually pre serve me. For innumerable evils have compassed me about: Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; They are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me: O Lord, make haste to help me. Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; Let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil. Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame That say unto me, Aha, aha. Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: |