To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, A Psalm of David.

8,6,8,6

^1Save me, O God, because the floods

do so environ me,

That ev'n unto my very soul

come in the waters be.

^2I downward in deep mire do sink,

where standing there is none:

I am into deep waters come,

where floods have o'er me gone.

^3I weary with my crying am,

my throat is also dry'd;

Mine eyes do fail, while for my God

I waiting do abide.

^4Those men that do without a cause

bear hatred unto me,

Than are the hairs upon my head

in number more they be:

They that would me destroy, and are

mine en'mies wrongfully,

Are mighty: so what I took not,

to render forc'd was I.

They that would me destroy, and are

mine en'mies wrongfully,

Are mighty: so what I took not,

to render forc'd was I.

^5Lord, thou my folly know'st, my sins

not cover'd are from thee.

^6Let none that wait on thee be sham'd,

Lord God of hosts, for me.

O Lord, the God of Israel,

let none, who search do make,

And seek thee, be at any time

confounded for my sake.

^7For I have borne reproach for thee,

my face is hid with shame.

^8To brethren strange, to mother's sons

an alien I became.

^9Because the zeal did eat me up,

which to thine house I bear;

And the reproaches cast at thee,

upon me fallen are.

^10My tears and fasts, t' afflict my soul,

were turned to my shame.

^11When sackcloth I did wear, to them

a proverb I became.

^12The men that in the gate do sit

against me evil spake;

They also that vile drunkards were

of me their song did make.

^13But, in an acceptable time,

my pray'r, Lord, is to thee:

In truth of thy salvation, Lord,

and mercy great, hear me.

^14Deliver me out of the mire,

from sinking do me keep;

Free me from those that do me hate,

and from the waters deep.

^15Let not the flood on me prevail,

whose water overflows;

Nor deep me swallow, nor the pit

her mouth upon me close.

^16Hear me, O Lord, because thy love

and kindness is most good;

Turn unto me, according to

thy mercies' multitude.

^17Nor from thy servant hide thy face:

I'm troubled, soon attend.

^18Draw near my soul, and it redeem;

me from my foes defend.

^19To thee is my reproach well known,

my shame, and my disgrace:

Those that mine adversaries be

are all before thy face.

^20Reproach hath broke my heart; I'm full

of grief: I look'd for one

To pity me, but none I found;

comforters found I none.

^21They also bitter gall did give

unto me for my meat:

They gave me vinegar to drink,

when as my thirst was great.

^22Before them let their table prove

a snare; and do thou make

Their welfare and prosperity

a trap themselves to take.

^23Let thou their eyes so darken'd be,

that sight may them forsake;

And let their loins be made by thee

continually to shake.

^24Thy fury pour thou out on them,

and indignation;

And let thy wrathful anger, Lord,

fast hold take them upon.

^25All waste and desolate let be

their habitation;

And in their tabernacles all

inhabitants be none.

^26Because him they do persecute,

whom thou didst smite before;

They talk unto the grief of those

whom thou hast wounded sore.

^27Add thou iniquity unto

their former wickedness;

And do not let them come at all

into thy righteousness.

^28Out of the book of life let them

be raz'd and blotted quite;

Among the just and righteous

let not their names be writ.

^29But now become exceeding poor

and sorrowful am I:

By thy salvation, O my God,

let me be set on high.

^30The name of God I with a song

most cheerfully will praise;

And I, in giving thanks to him,

his name shall highly raise.

^31This to the Lord a sacrifice

more gracious shall prove

Than bullock, ox, or any beast

that hath both horn and hoof.

^32When this the humble men shall see,

it joy to them shall give:

O all ye that do seek the Lord,

your hearts shall ever live.

^33For God the poor hears, and will not

his prisoners contemn.

^34Let heav'n, and earth, and seas, him praise,

and all that move in them.

^35For God will Judah's cities build,

and he will Sion save,

That they may dwell therein, and it

in sure possession have.

^36And they that are his servants' seed

inherit shall the same;

So shall they have their dwelling there

that love his blessed name.