3 For th' en my hath pursu'd my soul,
my life to ground down tread :
In darkness he hath made me dwell,
as who have long been dead.
4 My sp'rit is therefore overwhelm'd
in me perplexedly:

Within me is my very heart
amazed wondrously.

5 I call to mind the days of old,
to meditate I use

On all thy works; upon the deeds
I of thy hands do muse.

6 My hands to thee I stretch; my soul thirsts, as dry land, for thee.

Haste, Lord, to hear, my spirit fails:
hide not thy face from me ;

Lest like to them I do become
that go down to the dust.

8 At morn let me thy kindness hear,
for in thee do I trust:

Teach me the way that I should walk
I lift my soul to thee.

9 Lord, free me from my foes; I flee
to thee to cover me.

10 Because thou art my God, to do
thy will do me instruct:

Thy Spirit is good, me to the land
of uprightness conduct.

11 Revive and quicken me, O Lord, ev'n for thine own name's sake? And do thou, for thy righteousness my soul from trouble take.

12 And of thy mercy slay my foes, let all destroyed be

That do afflict my soul; for I a servant am to thee.

SECOND VERSION.

H! hear my prayer, Lord,
And unto my desire

To bow thine ear accord,
I humbly thee require;
And in thy faithfulness
Unto me answer make,
And, in thy righteousness,
Upon me pity take.
2 In judgment enter not
With me thy servant poor;
For why, this well I wot,
No sinner can endure
The sight of thee, O God,
If thou his deeds shalt try,
He dare make none abode
Himself to justify.

3 Behold, the cruel foe
Me persecutes with spite,
My soul to overthrow:
Yea, he my life down quite
Unto the ground hath smote,
And made me dwell full low
In darkness, as forgot,

Or men dead long ago.

4 Therefore my sp'rit, much vex'd, O'erwhelm'd is me within:

My heart right sore perplex'd
And desolate hath been,

5 Yet I do call to mind

What ancient days record,

Thy works of ev'ry kind
I think upon, O Lord.

6 Lo, I do stretch my hands
To thee, my help alone,
For thou well understands
All my complaint and moan :
My thirsting soul desires
And longeth after thee,
As thirsty ground requires
With rain refresh'd to be.
7 Lord let my pray'r prevail,
To answer it make speed,
For lo, my sp'rit, doth fail 5
Hide not thy face in need:
Lest I be like to those,
That do in darkness sit,
Or him that downward goes
Into the dreadful pit.
8 Because I trust in thee,
O Lord cause me to hear
Thy loving-kindness free
When morning doth appear:
Cause me to know the way
Wherein my path should be,
For why, my soul on high
I do lift up to thee.

9 From my fierce enemy

In safety do me guide,
Because I flee to thee,

Lord that thou may'st me hide.

10 My God alone art thou,

Teach me thy righteousness:
Thy Spirit's good, lead me to
The land of uprightness.

O Lord, for thy name's sake,
Be pleas'd to quicken me:
And for thy truth forth take
My soul from misery.
12 And of thy grace destroy
My foes, and put to shame
All who my soul annoy;
For I thy servant am.

PSALM CXLIV.

A Psalm of David.

This Psalm was probably composed by David upon the o casion of his advancement to the throne; 1 Chron. xii. 2 Sam. v. as Psal. cxxxviii. lxxv. &c. In it we have, (1) Thankful acknowledgements of God's relation to him, and condescending kindness towards him; ver. 1-4. (2) Supplication for divine deliverance from his enemies, who still threatened him ; ver. 5-8. and for prosperity to his kingdom; ver. 11-14. (3) Triumphant Joy in God, as his and their deliverer and portion; ver. 9, 10. 15.

While I sing let me admire the relation, the kindness of God to me, who am so mean, so frail, so sinful! Let me rejoice in him, as my ALL in ALL; and commit my way to him, that he may bring it to pass. And let every external benefit lead up my heart to God himself.

BLESSED ever be the Lord,

who is my strength and might,

Who doth instruct my hands to war, my fingers teach to fight,

2 My goodness, fortress, my high tow'r, deliverer, and shield,

In whom I trust who under me
my people makes to yield.

3 Lord, what is man, that thou of him
dost so much knowledge take?
Or son of man that thou of him,
so great account dost make?
4 Man is like vanity; his days
as shadows pass away.

5 Lord, bow thy heav'ns, come down; touch the hills, and smoke shall they.

6 Cast forth thy lightnings, scatter them thine arrows shoot, them rout.

7 Thine hand send from above, me save, from great depths draw me out :

8

[thou ;

And from the hand of children strange > Whose mouth speaks vanity;

And their right hand is a right hand that works deceitfully.

9 A new song I to thee will sing, Lord, on a psaltery:

I on a ten-string'd instrument

will praises sing to thee.

10 Ev'n he it is that unto kings
salvation doth send :

Who his own servant David doth
from hurtful sword defend.

11 0 free me from strange children's hands whose mouth speaks vanity;

And their right hand a right hand is
that works deceitfully.

12 That as the plants our sons may be
in youth grown up that are;

Our daughters like to corner-stones,
carv'd like a palace fair.

13 That, to afford all kind of store,
our garners may be fill'd;

That our sheep thousands, in our streets ten thousands they may yield.

14 That strong our oxen be for work,
that no in-breaking be,

Nor going out; and that our streets
may from complaints be free.