Category: Songs of Christ

1    O Lord, thou hast me search’d and known.

2         Thou know’st my sitting down,

     And rising up; yea, all my thoughts

          afar to thee are known.

3    My footsteps, and my lying down,

          thou compassest always;

     Thou also most entirely art

          acquaint with all my ways.

4    For in my tongue, before I speak,

          not any word can be,

     But altogether, lo, O Lord,

          it is well known to thee.

5    Behind, before, thou hast beset,

          and laid on me thine hand.

6    Such knowledge is too strange for me,

          too high to understand.

7    From thy Sp’rit whither shall I go?

          or from thy presence fly?

8    Ascend I heav’n, lo, thou art there;

          there, if in hell I lie.

9    Take I the morning wings, and dwell

          in utmost parts of sea;

10   Ev’n there, Lord, shall thy hand me lead,

          thy right hand hold shall me.

11   If I do say that darkness shall

          me cover from thy sight,

     Then surely shall the very night

          about me be as light.

12   Yea, darkness hideth not from thee,

          but night doth shine as day:

     To thee the darkness and the light

          are both alike alway.

13   For thou possessed hast my reins,

          and thou hast cover’d me,

     When I within my mother’s womb

          inclosed was by thee.

14   Thee will I praise; for fearfully

          and strangely made I am;

     Thy works are marv’llous, and right well

          my soul doth know the same.

15   My substance was not hid from thee,

          when as in secret I

     Was made; and in earth’s lowest parts

          was wrought most curiously.

16   Thine eyes my substance did behold,

          yet being unperfect;

     And in the volume of thy book

          my members all were writ;

     Which after in continuance

          were fashion’d ev’ry one,

     When as they yet all shapeless were,

          and of them there was none.

17   How precious also are thy thoughts,

          O gracious God, to me!

     And in their sum how passing great

          and numberless they be!

18   If I should count them, than the sand

          they more in number be:

     What time soever I awake,

          I ever am with thee.

19   Thou, Lord, wilt sure the wicked slay:

          hence from me bloody men.

20   Thy foes against thee loudly speak,

          and take thy name in vain.

21   Do not I hate all those, O Lord,

          that hatred bear to thee?

     With those that up against thee rise

          can I but grieved be?

22   With perfect hatred them I hate,

          my foes I them do hold.

23   Search me, O God, and know my heart,

          try me, my thoughts unfold:

24   And see if any wicked way

          there be at all in me;

     And in thine everlasting way

          to me a leader be.

Second Version (6.6.6.6.D.)

1    Oh, 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.

2    In 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.

3    Behold, 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.

4    Therefore my sp’rit much vex’d,
          O’erwhelm’d is me within;
     My heart right sore perplex’d
          And desolate hath been.

5    Yet I do call to mind
          What ancient days record,
     Thy works of ev’ry kind
          I think upon, O Lord.

6    Lo, 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.

7    Lord, 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.

8    Because 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.

9    From my fierce enemy
          In safety do me guide,
     Because I flee to thee,
          Lord, that thou may’st me hide.

10   My God alone art thou,
          Teach me thy righteousness:
     Thy Sp’rit’s good, lead me to
          The land of uprightness.

11   O Lord, for thy name’s sake,
          Be pleas’d to quicken me;
     And, for thy truth, forth take
          My soul from misery.

12   And of thy grace destroy
          My foes, and put to shame
     All who my soul annoy;
For I thy servant am

1    O Lord, I unto thee do cry,

          do thou make haste to me,

     And give an ear unto my voice,

          when I cry unto thee.

2    As incense let my prayer be

          directed in thine eyes;

     And the uplifting of my hands

          as th’ ev ‘ning sacrifice.

3    Set, Lord, a watch before my mouth,

          keep of my lips the door.

4    My heart incline thou not unto

          the ills I should abhor,

     To practise wicked works with men

          that work iniquity;

     And with their delicates my taste

          let me not satisfy.

5    Let him that righteous is me smite,

          it shall a kindness be;

     Let him reprove, I shall it count

          a precious oil to me:

     Such smiting shall not break my head;

          for yet the time shall fall,

     When I in their calamities

          to God pray for them shall.

6    When as their judges down shall be

          in stony places cast,

     Then shall they hear my words; for they

          shall sweet be to their taste.

7    About the grave’s devouring mouth

          our bones are scatter’d round,

     As wood which men do cut and cleave

          lies scatter’d on the ground.

8    But unto thee, O God the Lord,

          mine eyes uplifted be:

     My soul do not leave destitute;

          my trust is set on thee.

9    Lord, keep me safely from the snares

          which they for me prepare;

     And from the subtile gins of them

          that wicked workers are.

10   Let workers of iniquity

          into their own nets fall,

     Whilst I do, by thine help, escape

          the danger of them all.

1    Lord, from the ill and froward man

          give me deliverance,

     And do thou safe preserve me from

          the man of violence:

2    Who in their heart mischievous things

          are meditating ever;

     And they for war assembled are

          continually together.

3    Much like unto a serpent’s tongue

          their tongues they sharp do make;

     And underneath their lips there lies

          the poison of a snake.

4    Lord, keep me from the wicked’s hands,

          from vi’lent men me save;

     Who utterly to overthrow

          my goings purpos’d have.

5    The proud for me a snare have hid,

          and cords; yea, they a net

     Have by the way-side for me spread;

          they gins for me have set.

6    I said unto the Lord, Thou art

          my God: unto the cry

     Of all my supplications,

          Lord, do thine ear apply.

7    O God the Lord, who art the strength

          of my salvation:

     A cov’ring in the day of war

          my head thou hast put on.

8    Unto the wicked man, O Lord,

          his wishes do not grant;

     Nor further thou his ill device,

          lest they themselves should vaunt.

9    As for the head and chief of those

          about that compass me,

     Ev’n by the mischief of their lips

          let thou them cover’d be.

10   Let burning coals upon them fall,

          them throw in fiery flame,

     And in deep pits, that they no more

          may rise out of the same.

11   Let not an evil speaker be

          on earth established:

     Mischief shall hunt the vi’lent man,

          till he be ruined.

12   I know God will th’ afflicted’s cause

          maintain, and poor men’s right.

13   Surely the just shall praise thy name;

          th’ upright dwell in thy sight.

1    Lord, from the depths to thee I cry’d.

2         My voice, Lord, do thou hear:

     Unto my supplication’s voice

          give an attentive ear.

3    Lord, who shall stand, if thou, O Lord,

          should’st mark iniquity?

4    But yet with thee forgiveness is,

          that fear’d thou mayest be.

5    I wait for God, my soul doth wait,

          my hope is in his word.

6    More than they that for morning watch,

          my soul waits for the Lord;

 I say, more than they that do watch

          the morning light to see.

7    Let Israel hope in the Lord,

          for with him mercies be;

     And plenteous redemption

          is ever found with him.

8    And from all his iniquities

          he Isr’el shall redeem.

1    David, and his afflictions all,

          Lord, do thou think upon;

2    How unto God he sware, and vow’d

          to Jacob’s mighty One.

3    I will not come within my house,

          nor rest in bed at all;

4    Nor shall mine eyes take any sleep,

          nor eyelids slumber shall;

5    Till for the Lord a place I find,

          where he may make abode;

     A place of habitation

          for Jacob’s mighty God.

6    Lo, at the place of Ephratah

          of it we understood;

     And we did find it in the fields,

          and city of the wood.

7    We’ll go into his tabernacles,

          and at his footstool bow.

8    Arise, O Lord, into thy rest,

          th’ ark of thy strength, and thou.

9    O let thy priests be clothed, Lord,

          with truth and righteousness;

     And let all those that are thy saints

          shout loud for joyfulness.

10   For thine own servant David’s sake,

          do not deny thy grace;

     Nor of thine own anointed one

          turn thou away the face.

11   The Lord in truth to David sware,

          he will not turn from it,

     I of thy body’s fruit will make

          upon thy throne to sit.

12   My cov’nant if thy sons will keep,

          and laws to them made known,

     Their children then shall also sit

          for ever on thy throne.

13   For God of Sion hath made choice;

          there he desires to dwell.

14   This is my rest, here still I’ll stay;

          for I do like it well.

15   Her food I’ll greatly bless; her poor

          with bread will satisfy.

16   Her priests I’ll clothe with health; her saints

          shall shout forth joyfully.

17   And there will I make David’s horn

          to bud forth pleasantly:

     For him that mine anointed is

          a lamp ordain’d have I.

18   As with a garment I will clothe

          with shame his en’mies all:

     But yet the crown that he doth wear

          upon him flourish shall.

1    Praise ye the Lord, the Lord’s name praise;

          his servants, praise ye God.

2    Who stand in God’s house, in the courts

          of our God make abode.

3    Praise ye the Lord, for he is good;

          unto him praises sing:

     Sing praises to his name, because

          it is a pleasant thing.

4    For Jacob to himself the Lord

          did chuse of his good pleasure,

     And he hath chosen Israel

          for his peculiar treasure.

5    Because I know assuredly

          the Lord is very great,

     And that our Lord above all gods

          in glory hath his seat.

6    What things soever pleas’d the Lord,

          that in the heav’n did he,

     And in the earth, the seas, and all

          the places deep that be.

7    He from the ends of earth doth make

          the vapours to ascend;

     With rain he lightnings makes, and wind

          doth from his treasures send.

8    Egypt’s first-born, from man to beast

9         who smote. Strange tokens he

     On Phar’oh and his servants sent,

          Egypt, in midst of thee.

10   He smote great nations, slew great kings:

11         Sihon of Heshbon king,

     And Og of Bashan, and to nought

          did Canaan’s kingdoms bring:

12   And for a wealthy heritage

          their pleasant land he gave,

     An heritage which Israel,

          his chosen folk, should have.

13   Thy name, O Lord, shall still endure,

          and thy memorial

     With honour shall continu’d be

          to generations all.

14   For why? the righteous God will judge

          his people righteously;

     Concerning those that do him serve,

          himself repent will he.

15   The idols of the nations

          of silver are and gold,

     And by the hands of men is made

          their fashion and mould.

16   Mouths have they, but they do not speak;

          eyes, but they do not see;

17   Ears have they, but hear not; and in

          their mouths no breathing be.

18   Their makers are like them; so are

          all that on them rely.

19   O Isr’el’s house, bless God; bless God,

          O Aaron’s family.

20   O bless the Lord, of Levi’s house

          ye who his servants are;

     And bless the holy name of God,

          all ye the Lord that fear.

21   And blessed be the Lord our God

          from Sion’s holy hill,

     Who dwelleth at Jerusalem.

          The Lord O praise ye still.

1    My heart not haughty is, O Lord,

          mine eyes not lofty be;

     Nor do I deal in matters great,

          or things too high for me.

2    I surely have myself behav’d

          with quiet sp’rit and mild,

     As child of mother wean’d: my soul

          is like a weaned child.

3    Upon the Lord let all the hope

          of Israel rely,

     Ev’n from the time that present is

          unto eternity.

1    By Babel’s streams we sat and wept,

          when Sion we thought on.

2    In midst thereof we hang’d our harps

          the willow-trees upon.

3    For there a song required they,

          who did us captive bring:

     Our spoilers call’d for mirth, and said,

          A song of Sion sing.

4    O how the Lord’s song shall we sing

          within a foreign land?

5    If thee, Jerus’lem, I forget,

          skill part from my right hand.

6    My tongue to my mouth’s roof let cleave,

          if I do thee forget,

     Jerusalem, and thee above

          my chief joy do not set.

7    Remember Edom’s children, Lord,

          who in Jerus’lems day,

     Ev’n unto its foundation,

          Raze, raze it quite, did say.

8    O daughter thou of Babylon,

          near to destruction;

     Bless’d shall he be that thee rewards,

          as thou to us hast done.

9    Yea, happy surely shall he be

          thy tender little ones

     Who shall lay hold upon, and them

          shall dash against the stones.