Psalm 143

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Psalm 143

First Version (C.M.)

[Recommended tunes: St Mary, Dundee, Caroline]

8,6,8,6



A Psalm of David.



¹Lord, hear my pray'r, attend my suits;

and in thy faithfulness

Give thou an answer unto me,

and in thy righteousness.

²Thy servant also bring thou not

in judgment to be try'd:

Because no living man can be

in thy sight justify'd.

³For th' en'my hath pursu'd my soul,

my life to ground down tread:

In darkness he hath made me dwell,

as who have long been dead.

⁴My sp'rit is therefore overwhelm'd

in me perplexedly;

Within me is my very heart

amazed wondrously.

⁵I call to mind the days of old,

to meditate I use

On all thy works; upon the deeds

I of thy hands do muse.

⁶My hands to thee I stretch; my soul

thirsts, as dry land, for thee.

⁷Haste, Lord, to hear, my spirit fails:

hide not thy face from me;

Lest like to them I do become

that go down to the dust.

⁸At morn let me thy kindness hear;

for in thee do I trust.

Teach me the way that I should walk:

I lift my soul to thee.

⁹Lord, free me from my foes; I flee

to thee to cover me.

¹⁰Because thou art my God, to do

thy will do me instruct:

Thy Sp'rit is good, me to the land

of uprightness conduct.

¹¹Revive and quicken me, O Lord,

ev'n for thine own name's sake;

And do thou, for thy righteousness,

my soul from trouble take.

¹²And of thy mercy slay my foes;

let all destroyed be

That do afflict my soul: for I

a servant am to thee.





    Second Version (6.6.6.6.D.)

[Recommended tunes: Leuchars, St Cecilia, Hawarden, Lawes (Psalm 32)]

6,6,6,6

¹Oh, hear my prayer, Lord,

And unto my desire

To bow thine ear accord,

I humbly thee require;

And, in thy faithfulness,

Unto me answer make,

And, in thy righteousness,

Upon me pity take.

²In judgment enter not

With me thy servant poor;

For why, this well I wot,

No sinner can endure

The sight of thee, O God:

If thou his deeds shalt try,

He dare make none abode

Himself to justify.

³Behold, the cruel foe

Me persecutes with spite,

My soul to overthrow:

Yea, he my life down quite

Unto the ground hath smote,

And made me dwell full low

In darkness, as forgot,

Or men dead long ago.

⁴Therefore my sp'rit much vex'd,

O'erwhelm'd is me within;

My heart right sore perplex'd

And desolate hath been.

⁵Yet I do call to mind

What ancient days record,

Thy works of ev'ry kind

I think upon, O Lord.

⁶Lo, I do stretch my hands

To thee, my help alone;

For thou well understands

All my complaint and moan:

My thirsting soul desires,

And longeth after thee,

As thirsty ground requires

With rain refresh'd to be.

⁷Lord, let my pray'r prevail,

To answer it make speed;

For, lo, my sp'rit doth fail:

Hide not thy face in need;

Lest I be like to those

That do in darkness sit,

Or him that downward goes

Into the dreadful pit.

⁸Because I trust in thee,

O Lord, cause me to hear

Thy loving-kindness free,

When morning doth appear:

Cause me to know the way

Wherein my path should be;

For why, my soul on high

I do lift up to thee.

⁹From my fierce enemy

In safety do me guide,

Because I flee to thee,

Lord, that thou may'st me hide.

¹⁰My God alone art thou,

Teach me thy righteousness:

Thy Sp'rit's good, lead me to

The land of uprightness.

¹¹O Lord, for thy name's sake,

Be pleas'd to quicken me;

And, for thy truth, forth take

My soul from misery.

¹²And of thy grace destroy

My foes, and put to shame

All who my soul annoy;

For I thy servant am.

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