Psalm 69
Words: Brady and Tate, A New Version of the Psalms of David
1 Save me, O God, from. waves that roll,
and press to overwhelm my soul:
2 With painful steps in mire I tread,
and deluges o'erflow my head.
3 With restless cries my spirits faint,
my voice is hoarse with long complaint;
My sight decays with tedious pain,
whilst for my God I wait in vain.
4 My hairs; though num'rous, are but few
compared with foes that me pursue
With groundless hate, grown now of might,
to execute their lawless spite:
They force me guiltless to resign
as rapine, what, by right was mine.
5 Thou, Lord, my innocence dost see,
nor are my sins concealed from thee.
6 Lord God of hosts, take timely care,
lest for my sake thy saints despair;
7 Since I have suffered for thy name
reproach, and hid my face in shame.
8 A stranger to my country grown,
nor to my nearest kindred known;
A foreigner, exposed to scorn
by brethren of my mother born.
9 For zeal to thy loved house and name
consumes me like devouring flame,
Concerned at their affronts to thee,
more than at slanders cast on me.
10 My very tears and abstinence
they construe in a spiteful sense:
11 When clothed with sackcloth for their sake,
they me their common proverb make.
12 Their judges at my wrongs do jest,
those wrongs they ought to have redrest!
How should I then expect to be
from libels of lewd drunkards free?
13 But, Lord, to thee I will repair
for help with humble timely pray'r;
Relieve me from thy mercy's store,
display thy truth s preserving pow'r.
14 From threat'ning dangers me relieve,
and from the mire my feet retrieve;
From spiteful foes in safety keep,
and snatch me from the raging deep.
15 Control the deluge ere it spread,
and roll its waves above my head;
Nor deep destruction's open pit
to close her jaws on me permit.
16 Lord, hear the humble pray'r I make,
for thy transcending goodness' sake;
Relieve thy supplicant once more
from thy abounding mercy's store.
17 Nor from thy servant hide thy face;
make haste, for desp'rate is my case;
18 Thy timely succor interpose,
and shield me from remorseless foes.
19 Thou know'st what infamy and scorn
I from my enemies have borne,
Nor can their close dissembled spite,
or darkest plots, escape thy sight.
20 Reproach and grief have broke my heart;
I looked for some to take my part,
To pity or relieve my pain;
but :looked, alas! for both in vain.
21 With hunger pined, for food I call,
instead of food they give me gall;
And when wit thirst my spirits sink,
They gave me vinegar to drink.
22 Their table therefore to their health
shall prove a snare, a trap their wealth;
23 Perpetual darkness, seize their eyes,
and sudden blasts their hopes surprise.
24 On them thou shalt thy fury pour,
till thy fierce wrath their race devour;
25 And make their house a dismal cell,
where none will e'er vouchsafe to dwell.
26 For new aff;ictions they procured
for him, who had thy stripes endured;
And made the wounds thy scourge had torn
to bleed afresh with sharper scorn.
27 Sin shall to sin their steps betray,
till they to truth have lost their way.
28 From life thou shalt exclude their soul,
nor with the just their names carol.
29 But me, howe'er distressed and poor.
thy strong salvation shall restore:
30 Thy pow'r with songs I'll then proclaim,
and celebrate with thanks thy Name.
31 Our God shall this more highly prize
than herds or flocks in sacrifice;
32 Which humble saints with joy shall see,
and hope for like redress with me.
33 For God regards the poor's complaint,
sets pris'ners free from close restraint.
34 Let heav'n, earth, sea, their voices raise,
and all the world resound his praise.
35 For God will Zion's walls erect,
and Judah's cities still protect,
Till all her scattered sons repair
to undisturbed possession there,
36 This blessing they shall at their death
to their religious heirs bequeath;
And they to endless ages more
of such as his blest name adore.
