A Psalm of David

1 Save me, O GOD: for mighty streams
break now into my soul:
2 In depths of mire and floods I sink,
and torrents o'er me roll.
3 I with my crying weary am;
my throat is thereby dry:
And my eyes fail, while for my GOD,
I wait attentively.

4 Those men who for no cause at all
to me great hatred bear
More than the hairs upon my head
increas'd in number are.
Yea mighty are my causeless foes,
who would me hurt and slay;
Then I resigned and gave up
what I ne'er took away.

[2 Part]
5 O GOD, Thou know'st my foolishness,
Thou dost it fully see;
And all my faults of life and heart,
lie open clear to Thee.
6 Lord, LORD of hosts, let none who wait
on Thee have shame for me;
Nor those who seek Thee, Isr'el's God,
for me confounded be.

7 Because 'tis only for thy sake,
I suffer this disgrace;
And for Thy sake alone it is,
confusion spreads my face.
8 For Thee, to my own brethren I
a stranger quite became;
And to my mother's children I,
an utter alien am.

9 For of thy house the fervent zeal
hath ev'n consumed me;
And on me their reproaches fell,
who have reproached Thee.
10 My weeping, fasting, grief of soul,
to my reproach were turn'd;
11 A proverb to them I became,
when I in sackcloth mourn'd.

12 Who sat in gates of dignity,
on me did censures pass;
And I the subject of the song
of stupid drunkards was.
13 But, LORD, in an accepted time
I make my pray'r to Thee:
In thy great mercy, O my GOD,
and saving truth hear me.

[3 Part]
14 O rescue me out of the mire,
and me from sinking keep:
Free me from those who hate my soul,
and out of waters deep.
15 Let not the floods me overflow,
nor the deep swallow me,
Nor mouth of the devouring grave
upon me closed be.
16 LORD hear me: for exceeding good
is thy benignity;
And in thy mercies multitude
O turn and look to me.
17 O do not from thy servant hide,
thy countenance away;
For I in grievous trouble am:
hear me without delay.

18 O draw Thou near my troubled soul,
redeem and set it free;
And from my powerful enemies,
do Thou deliver me.
19 Thou knowest all my vile reproach,
my shame, and my disgrace:
Mine adversaries and their plots
are all before thy face.

20 My heart is broken with reproach,
and full of heaviness:
I look'd, but found no comforter,
not one to give me ease.
21 But bitter gall was all the food,
they to me offer'd have;
And in my parching thirst, for drink
sharp vinegar they gave.

[4 Part]
22 Before them shall their table prove
a snare: and Thou wilt make
Their temporal prosperity
a trap, themselves to take.
23 Thick darkness on their eyes shall come,
that they shall nothing see:
And Thou wilt make their loins to shake
for fear, continually.

24 Thou wilt thine anger on them pour;
thy wrath shall seize them fast:
25 Their palace shall be desolate;
and all their tents be waste:
26 For, him whom Thou hast smitten down,
they persecute the more;
And vex him with malicious words,
whom Thou didst wound before.

27 Thou wilt them therefore justly leave
to add more sin to sin;
And they thy paths of righteousness
shall never enter in.
28 Out of the book of living ones
Thou wilt them wholly blot;
And in the roll of righteous men,
they never shall be wrote.

[5 Part]
29 I'm poor, distress'd: salvation grant;
raise me, O GOD, on high.
30 I'll praise the name of GOD with songs,
with thanks Him magnify.
31 This will be pleasing to the LORD,
and better in his eyes,
Than any bullocks fat and young,
mature for sacrifice.

32 And when the humble this shall see,
it joy to them will give:
And ye who seek the blessed GOD,
your heart shall ever life.
33 Because JEHOVAH hears the poor,
his pris'ners won't despise;
34 Let heav'ns, earth, seas, and ev'ry thing
that moves therein Him praise.

35 For GOD will Judah's cities build,
and Zion he will save;
That they may dwell therein, and them
for their possession have.
36 The children of his servants too
inherit shall the same;
And those shall have their dwelling there
who truly love his name.

Source: The Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs of the Old and New Testament, faithfully translated into English Metre: being the New-England Psalm-Book, revised and improved... (2nd ed.) #PLXIX