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.