Category: Songs of Christ

1    Plead, Lord, with those that plead; and fight

          with those that fight with me.

2    Of shield and buckler take thou hold,

          stand up mine help to be.

3    Draw also out the spear, and do

          against them stop the way

     That me pursue: unto my soul,

          I’m thy salvation, say.

4    Let them confounded be and sham’d

          that for my soul have sought:

     Who plot my hurt turn’d back be they,

          and to confusion brought.

5    Let them be like unto the chaff

          that flies before the wind;

     And let the angel of the Lord

          pursue them hard behind.

6    With darkness cover thou their way,

          and let it slipp’ry prove;

     And let the angel of the Lord

          pursue them from above.

7    For without cause have they for me

          their net hid in a pit,

     They also have without a cause

          for my soul digged it.

8    Let ruin seize him unawares;

          his net he hid withal

     Himself let catch; and in the same

          destruction let him fall.

9    My soul in God shall joy; and glad

          in his salvation be:

10   And all my bones shall say, O Lord,

          who is like unto thee,

     Which dost the poor set free from him

          that is for him too strong;

     The poor and needy from the man

          that spoils and does him wrong?

11   False witnesses rose; to my charge

          things I not knew they laid.

12   They, to the spoiling of my soul,

          me ill for good repaid.

13   But as for me, when they were sick,

          in sackcloth sad I mourn’d:

     My humbled soul did fast, my pray’r

          into my bosom turn’d.

14   Myself I did behave as he

          had been my friend or brother;

     I heavily bow’d down, as one

          that mourneth for his mother.

15   But in my trouble they rejoic’d,

          gath’ring themselves together;

     Yea, abjects vile together did

          themselves against me gather:

     I knew it not; they did me tear,

          and quiet would not be.

16   With mocking hypocrites, at feasts

          they gnash’d their teeth at me.

17   How long, Lord, look’st thou on? from those

          destructions they intend

     Rescue my soul, from lions young

          my darling do defend.

18   I will give thanks to thee, O Lord,

          within th’ assembly great;

     And where much people gather’d are

          thy praises forth will set.

19   Let not my wrongful enemies

          proudly rejoice o’er me;

     Nor who me hate without a cause,

          let them wink with the eye.

20   For peace they do not speak at all;

          but crafty plots prepare

     Against all those within the land

          that meek and quiet are.

21   With mouths set wide, they ‘gainst me said,

          Ha, ha! our eye doth see.

22   Lord, thou hast seen, hold not thy peace;

          Lord, be not far from me.

23   Stir up thyself; wake, that thou may’st

          judgment to me afford,

     Ev’n to my cause, O thou that art

          my only God and Lord.

24   O Lord my God, do thou me judge

          after thy righteousness;

     And let them not their joy ‘gainst me

          triumphantly express:

25   Nor let them say within their hearts,

          Ah, we would have it thus;

     Nor suffer them to say, that he

          is swallow’d up by us.

26   Sham’d and confounded be they all

          that at my hurt are glad;

     Let those against me that do boast

          with shame and scorn be clad.

27   Let them that love my righteous cause

          be glad, shout, and not cease

     To say, The Lord be magnify’d,

          who loves his servant’s peace.

28   Thy righteousness shall also be

          declared by my tongue;

     The praises that belong to thee

          speak shall it all day long.

1    The wicked man’s transgression

          within my heart thus says,

     Undoubtedly the fear of God

          is not before his eyes.

2    Because himself he flattereth

          in his own blinded eye,

     Until the hatefulness be found

          of his iniquity.

3    Words from his mouth proceeding are,

          fraud and iniquity:

     He to be wise, and to do good,

          hath left off utterly.

4    He mischief, lying on his bed,

          most cunningly doth plot:

     He sets himself in ways not good,

          ill he abhorreth not.

5    Thy mercy, Lord, is in the heav’ns;

          thy truth doth reach the clouds:

6    Thy justice is like mountains great;

          thy judgments deep as floods:

     Lord, thou preservest man and beast.

7         How precious is thy grace!

     Therefore in shadow of thy wings

          men’s sons their trust shall place.

8    They with the fatness of thy house

          shall be well satisfy’d;

     From rivers of thy pleasures thou

          wilt drink to them provide.

9    Because of life the fountain pure

          remains alone with thee;

     And in that purest light of thine

          we clearly light shall see.

10   Thy loving-kindness unto them

          continue that thee know;

     And still on men upright in heart

          thy righteousness bestow.

11   Let not the foot of cruel pride

          come, and against me stand;

     And let me not removed be,

          Lord, by the wicked’s hand.

12   There fallen are they, and ruined,

          that work iniquities:

     Cast down they are, and never shall

          be able to arise.

First Version (S.M.)

1    To thee I lift my soul:

2          O Lord, I trust in thee:

     My God, let me not be asham’d,

          nor foes triumph o’er me.

3    Let none that wait on thee

          be put to shame at all;

     But those that without cause transgress,

          let shame upon them fall.

4    Shew me thy ways, O Lord;

          thy paths, O teach thou me:

5    And do thou lead me in thy truth,

          therein my teacher be:

     For thou art God that dost

          to me salvation send,

     And I upon thee all the day

          expecting do attend.

6    Thy tender mercies, Lord,

          I pray thee to remember,

     And loving-kindnesses; for they

          have been of old for ever.

7    My sins and faults of youth

          do thou, O Lord, forget:

     After thy mercy think on me,

          and for thy goodness great.

8    God good and upright is:

          the way he’ll sinners show.

9    The meek in judgment he will guide,

          and make his path to know.

10   The whole paths of the Lord

          are truth and mercy sure,

     To those that do his cov’nant keep,

          and testimonies pure.

11   Now, for thine own name’s sake,

          O Lord, I thee entreat

     To pardon mine iniquity;

          for it is very great.

12   What man is he that fears

          the Lord, and doth him serve?

     Him shall he teach the way that he

          shall choose, and still observe.

13   His soul shall dwell at ease;

          and his posterity

     Shall flourish still, and of the earth

          inheritors shall be.

14   With those that fear him is

          the secret of the Lord;

     The knowledge of his covenant

          he will to them afford.

15   Mine eyes upon the Lord

          continually are set:

     For he it is that shall bring forth

          my feet out of the net.

16   Turn unto me thy face,

          and to me mercy show;

     Because that I am desolate,

          and am brought very low.

17   My heart’s griefs are increas’d:

          me from distress relieve.

18   See mine affliction and my pain,

          and all my sins forgive.

19   Consider thou my foes,

          because they many are;

     And it a cruel hatred is

          which they against me bear.

20   O do thou keep my soul,

          do thou deliver me:

     And let me never be asham’d,

          because I trust in thee.

21   Let uprightness and truth

          keep me, who thee attend.

22   Redemption, Lord, to Israel

          from all his troubles send.

Second Version (C.M.)

1    To thee I lift my soul, O Lord:

2          My God, I trust in thee:

     Let me not be asham’d; let not

          my foes triumph o’er me.

3    Yea, let thou none ashamed be

          that do on thee attend:

     Ashamed let them be, O Lord,

          who without cause offend.

4    Thy ways, Lord, shew; teach me thy paths:

5         Lead me in truth, teach me:

     For of my safety thou art God;

          all day I wait on thee.

6    Thy mercies, that most tender are,

          do thou, O Lord, remember,

     And loving-kindnesses; for they

          have been of old for ever.

7    Let not the errors of my youth,

          nor sins, remember’d be:

     In mercy, for thy goodness’ sake,

           O Lord, remember me.

8    The Lord is good and gracious,

          he upright is also:

     He therefore sinners will instruct

          in ways that they should go.

9    The meek and lowly he will guide

          in judgment just alway:

     To meek and poor afflicted ones

          he’ll clearly teach his way.

10   The whole paths of the Lord our God

          are truth and mercy sure,

     To such as keep his covenant,

          and testimonies pure.

11   Now, for thine own name’s sake, O Lord,

          I humbly thee entreat

     To pardon mine iniquity;

          for it is very great.

12   What man fears God? him shall he teach

          the way that he shall chuse.

13   His soul shall dwell at ease; his seed

          the earth, as heirs, shall use.

14   The secret of the Lord is with

          such as do fear his name;

     And he his holy covenant

          will manifest to them.

15   Towards the Lord my waiting eyes

          continually are set;

     For he it is that shall bring forth

          my feet out of the net.

16   O turn thee unto me, O God,

          have mercy me upon;

     Because I solitary am,

          and in affliction.

17   Enlarg’d the griefs are of mine heart;

          me from distress relieve.

18   See mine affliction and my pain,

          and all my sins forgive.

19   Consider thou mine enemies,

          because they many are;

     And it a cruel hatred is

          which they against me bear.

20   O do thou keep my soul; O God,

          do thou deliver me:

     Let me not be asham’d; for I

          do put my trust in thee.

21   O let integrity and truth

          keep me, who thee attend.

22   Redemption, Lord, to Israel

          from all his troubles send.

TUNE = God Moves in a Mysterious Way, Jason French version

¹ The earth belongs unto the Lord,
and all that it contains;
The world that is inhabited,
and all that there remains.

² For the foundations thereof
he on the seas did lay,
And he hath it established
upon the floods to stay.

³ Who is the man that shall ascend
into the hill of God?
Or who within his holy place
shall have a firm abode?

⁴ Whose hands are clean, whose heart is pure,
and unto vanity
Who hath not lifted up his soul,
nor sworn deceitfully.

⁵ He from th’ Eternal shall receive
the blessing him upon,
And righteousness, ev’n from the God
of his salvation.

⁶ This is the generation
that after him enquire,
O Jacob, who do seek thy face
with their whole heart’s desire.

⁷ Ye gates, lift up your heads on high;
ye doors that last for aye,
Be lifted up, that so the King
of glory enter may.

⁸ But who of glory is the King?
The mighty Lord is this;
Ev’n that same Lord, that great in might
and strong in battle is.

⁹ Ye gates, lift up your heads; ye doors,
doors that do last for aye,
Be lifted up, that so the King
of glory enter may.

¹⁰ But who is he that is the King
of glory? who is this?
The Lord of hosts, and none but he,
the King of glory is

     

1    My God, my God, why hast thou me
          forsaken? why so far
     Art thou from helping me, and from
          my words that roaring are?

2    All day, my God, to thee I cry,
          yet am not heard by thee;
     And in the season of the night
          I cannot silent be.

3    But thou art holy, thou that dost
          inhabit Isr’el’s praise.
4    Our fathers hop’d in thee, they hop’d
          and thou didst them release.

5    When unto thee they sent their cry,
          to them deliv’rance came:
     Because they put their trust in thee,
          they were not put to shame.

6    But as for me, a worm I am,
          and as no man am priz’d:
     Reproach of men I am, and by
          the people am despis’d.

7    All that me see laugh me to scorn;
          shoot out the lip do they;
     They nod and shake their heads at me,
          and, mocking, thus do say,

8    This man did trust in God, that he
          would free him by his might:
     Let him deliver him, sith he
          had in him such delight.

9    But thou art he out of the womb
          that didst me safely take;
     When I was on my mother’s breasts
          thou me to hope didst make.

10   And I was cast upon thy care,
          ev’n from the womb till now;
     And from my mother’s belly, Lord,
          my God and guide art thou.

11   Be not far off, for grief is near,
          and none to help is found.
12   Bulls many compass me, strong bulls
          of Bashan me surround.

13   Their mouths they open’d wide on me,
          upon me gape did they,
     Like to a lion ravening
          and roaring for his prey.

14   Like water I’m pour’d out, my bones
          all out of joint do part:
     Amidst my bowels, as the wax,
          so melted is my heart.

15   My strength is like a potsherd dry’d;
          my tongue it cleaveth fast
     Unto my jaws; and to the dust
          of death thou brought me hast.

16   For dogs have compass’d me about:
          the wicked, that did meet
     In their assembly, me inclos’d;
          they pierc’d my hands and feet.

17   I all my bones may tell; they do
          upon me look and stare.
18   Upon my vesture lots they cast,
          and clothes among them share.

19   But be not far, O Lord, my strength;
          haste to give help to me.
20   From sword my soul, from pow’r of dogs
          my darling set thou free.

21   Out of the roaring lion’s mouth
          do thou me shield and save:
     For from the horns of unicorns
          an ear to me thou gave.

22   I will shew forth thy name unto
          those that my brethren are;
     Amidst the congregation
          thy praise I will declare.

23   Praise ye the Lord, who do him fear;
          him glorify all ye
     The seed of Jacob: fear him all
          that Isr’el’s children be.

24   For he despis’d not nor abhorr’d
          th’ afflicted’s misery;
     Nor from him hid his face, but heard
          when he to him did cry.

25   Within the congregation great
          my praise shall be of thee;
     My vows before them that him fear
          shall be perform’d by me.

26   The meek shall eat, and shall be fill’d;
          they also praise shall give
     Unto the Lord that do him seek:
          your heart shall ever live.

27   All ends of th’ earth remember shall,
          and turn the Lord unto;
     All kindreds of the nations
          to him shall homage do:

28   Because the kingdom to the Lord
          doth appertain as his;
     Likewise among the nations
          the Governor he is.

29   Earth’s fat ones eat, and worship shall:
          all who to dust descend
     Shall bow to him; none of them can
          his soul from death defend.

30   A seed shall service do to him
          unto the Lord it shall
     Be for a generation
          reckon’d in ages all.

31   They shall come, and they shall declare
          his truth and righteousness
     Unto a people yet unborn,
          and that he hath done this.