PXXXV. A Psalm of David

1 Plead Lord with them that with me plead
Against them fight that fight with me.
2 Of shield and buckler take thou hold,
Stand up my helper for to be.
3 Draw out the spear and stop the way
'Gainst them that my pursuers be;
And to my soul, Oh do thou say,
I am salvation unto thee.

4 Let them confounded be and sham'd
That seek my soul how they may spill:
Let them be turned back and sham'd
That in their thoughts devise mine ill.
5 As chaff before the wind be they.
God's angel let them drive also.
6 Let dark and slippery be their way,
God's angel drive them to and fro.

7 For causlesly within a pit
They hidden have for me a net;
They causelesly have digged it,
That they therein my soul may get.
8 Let seize upon him unaware
Destruction; let his net withal
That he hat hid, himself insnare,
Into that ruin let him fall.

9 My soul shall in the Lord rejoyce,
In his salvation joyful be.
10 My bones shall say as with one voice
Jehovah, who is like to thee,
Who sett'st the poor afflicted free
From him that is for him too strong;
Yea, such as poor and needy be,
From him that spoileth him with wrong?

[2]
11 False witnesses die up arise,
What I knew not they charg'd on me.
12 They pay me ill for good likewise
Whereby my soul might spoiled be.
13 But as for me, when sick they were,
My cloathing then of sackcloth was:
My soul I bow'd with fasts, my pray'r
Did back into my bosom pass.

14 As he my friend and brother were
So my behavior I have kept:
I bowed down with heavy chear
As one that for his mother wept.
15 But they were glad my woe to see
And they together gathered were;
Ya, th' abjects 'gainst me gathered be,
And restless me unwitting tear.

16 They mocking parasites among,
In feasts do gnash their teeth at me.
17 O Lord how long wilt thou look on?
My soul from their destruction free:
My darling free from lions set.
18 So will I give thee than ks always
Within the congregation great:
Among much people I'll thee praise.

[3]
19 O let them not rejoyce o'er me,
That are my wrongful enemies:
And they that hate me causlesly,
Let them not twinkle with their eyes.
20 Because they do not speak for peace,
But in their thoughts they do invent
Against them plots of guilefulness,
That in the land for peace are bent.

21 Their mouth 'gainst me hath open'd been
And said, ah, ah, our eye it saw.
22 Lord be not silent, thou hast seen;
Lord, do not far from me withdraw.
23 Arise and to my judgment wake,
My God and Lord unto my plea.
24 Lord judge me for thy justice sake,
My God lest o'er me joy should they.

25 Let them not say their hearts within,
Aha, our souls desire have we:
Now have we quite up swallowed him,
Oh let them never say of me.
26 Sham'd let them and confounded be
At once, who at my hurt are glad;
Let such as boast themselves 'gainst me,
With shame and with disgrace be clad.

27 Let them be glad and shout for joy,
That favour do my righteous cause:
Yea let them say continually,
Extolled be the Lord with praise,
Who in his servants faring well
Doth his delightful pleasure take.
28 So shall my tongue thy justice tell:
And of thy praise all day shall speak.

Text Information
First Line: Plead Lord with them that with me plead
Title: A Psalm of David
Language: English
Publication Date: 1742
Tune Information
(No tune information)



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