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CXXXVIII. A Psalm of David.

I WILL praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee. I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

3 In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

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*All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth. "Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.

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Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall

save me.

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The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

CXXXIX. To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. *Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3 Thou *compassest my path and my lying down, Or, winnowest. and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

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5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

"Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

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Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. "If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth Heb. darkeneth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: "the darkness and the light are both Heb. as is the darkness, alike to thee.

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not.

80 is the light.

13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

15

Or, strength, or, body.

14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My sub- Heb. greatly. stance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my mem- Heal bers were written, which in continuance Or, what days they were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

18

Heb.

of them.

should be fushioned.

"How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

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19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me, therefore, ye bloody men. For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise.

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up against thee? "I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

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23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any *wicked way in me, and lead me in the way pain, or, grief. everlasting.

CXL. To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

*

Heb. way of

violences.

DELIVER me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man; which imagine Heb, man of mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war. They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.

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*Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings. The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me.

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Selah.

I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD. 'O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle. Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; * lest they exalt themselves. Selah.

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Or, let them not be exulted.

10 Let

As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them. burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again. "Let not an evil speaker be es- Heb. a man of tongue. Or, an tablished in the earth: evil shall violence, be established in the hunt the violent man to overthrow him.

evil speaker, a wicked man of

earth: let him be hunted to his

overthrow.

12 I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of

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the afflicted, and the right of the poor. Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

CXLI. A Psalm of David.

2

LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee. prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the sacrifice.

Let my Heb. directed. evening

3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.

5*

Or, Let the righteous smite me

head, &c.

Let the righteous smite me; kindly, and reprove me; let not it shall be a kindness: and let him their precious oil break my reprovę me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities. When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they

are sweet.

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my soul bare.

7 Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth. But mine eyes are unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my trust; "leave not my soul desti- Heb. make not tute. Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity. the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst withal escape.

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CXLII. *Maschil of David; A Prayer when he

was in the cave.

Let that I

Heb. pass

over.

Or, A Psalm of David, giving instruction.

I CRIED unto the LORD with my voice; with

my

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voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication. I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.

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hand, and see.

When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me. 4*I Or, Look on the right looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge *failed me; *no man cared for my soul.

Heb. perished from me. Heb. no man sought after my soul."

5 I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. "Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I. 'Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.

CXLIII. A Psalm of David.

2

HEAR my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness. And enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.

3

For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.

5

Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate. I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands. I stretch forth my hands unto thee my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.

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