Psalm 59 J.H.
Words: Sternhold and Hopkins, The Whole Book of Psalms Collected into English Metre
1 Send aid, and save me from my foes,
O Lord, I pray to thee;
Defend and keep me from all those
that rise and strive with me.
2 O Lord, preserve me from those men
Whose doings are not good;
And set me sure and safe from them
that thirst still after blood.
3 For lo, they wait my soul to take,
they rage against me still;
Yea, for no fault that I did make,
I never did them ill.
4 They run and do themselves prepare,
when I no whit offend;
Arise, and save me from their snare,
and see what they intend.
5 Arise, O God of Israel,
smite ev'ry heathen land;
And pity none that do rebel,
and in their mischief stand.
6 At night they run and seek about,
like dogs they howl also,
And all the city quite throughout
from place to place they go.
7 They speak of me with mouth alway,
but in their lips are swords;
They have contrived my death, and say,
There's no one hears our words.
8 But, Lord, thou hast their ways espied,
and thou shalt them disgrace;
The heathen folk thou dost deride,
and mock them to their face.
9 The strength that doth our foes withstand,
O Lord, doth come from thee:
Thou art, O God, my help at hand,
a fort and fence to me.
10 The Lord to me doth show his grace
in great abundance still,
That I may see my foes in case
such as my heart doth will.
The Second Part.
11 Destroy them not at once, O Lord,
lest it from mind do fall;
But with thy strength drive them abroad,
and so consume them all.
12 For their ill words and lying tongue
confound them in their pride;
Their wicked oaths with lies and wrong
let all the world deride.
13 That men may know throughout the world
that Jacob's God doth reign.
Consume them in thy wrath, O Lord,
that nought of them remain;
14 At ev'ning they return apace,
as dogs they grin and cry;
Throughout the streets in ev'ry place
they run about and spy.
15 They seek about for meat alway,
but let them not be fed,
Nor find a house wherein they may
be bold to put their head.
16 But I will shew thy strength abroad,
thy goodness I will praise;
For thou art my defense and God
in time of need always.
17 Thou art my strength, thou hast me stayed,
O Lord, I sing to thee;
Thou art my fort, my fence, and aid,
a loving God to me.
