Category: Songs of Christ

  • Psalm 031

    1    In thee, O Lord, I put my trust,

              sham’d let me never be;

         According to thy righteousness

              do thou deliver me.

    2    Bow down thine ear to me, with speed

              send me deliverance:

         To save me, my strong rock be thou,

              and my house of defence.

    3    Because thou art my rock, and thee

              I for my fortress take;

         Therefore do thou me lead and guide,

              ev’n for thine own name’s sake.

    4    And sith thou art my strength, therefore

              pull me out of the net,

         Which they in subtilty for me

              so privily have set.

    5    Into thine hands I do commit

              my sp’rit: for thou art he,

         O thou, Jehovah, God of truth,

              that hast redeemed me.

    6    Those that do lying vanities

              regard, I have abhorr’d:

         But as for me, my confidence

              is fixed on the Lord.


    7    I’ll in thy mercy gladly joy:

              for thou my miseries

         Consider’d hast; thou hast my soul

              known in adversities:

    8    And thou hast not inclosed me

              within the en’my’s hand;

         And by thee have my feet been made

              in a large room to stand.

    9    O Lord, upon me mercy have,

              for trouble is on me:

         Mine eye, my belly, and my soul,

              with grief consumed be.

    10   Because my life with grief is spent,

              my years with sighs and groans:

         My strength doth fail; and for my sin

              consumed are my bones.

    11   I was a scorn to all my foes,

              and to my friends a fear;

         And specially reproach’d of those

              that were my neighbours near:

         When they me saw they from me fled.

    12        Ev’n so I am forgot,

         As men are out of mind when dead:

              I’m like a broken pot.

    13   For slanders I of many heard;

              fear compass’d me, while they

         Against me did consult, and plot

              to take my life away.

    14   But as for me, O Lord, my trust

              upon thee I did lay;

         And I to thee, Thou art my God,

              did confidently say.

    15   My times are wholly in thine hand:

              do thou deliver me

         From their hands that mine enemies

              and persecutors be.

    16   Thy countenance to shine do thou

              upon thy servant make:

         Unto me give salvation,

              for thy great mercies’ sake.

    17   Let me not be asham’d, O Lord,

              for on thee call’d I have:

         Let wicked men be sham’d, let them

              be silent in the grave.

    18   To silence put the lying lips,

              that grievous things do say,

         And hard reports, in pride and scorn,

              on righteous men do lay.

    19   How great’s the goodness thou for them

              that fear thee keep’st in store,

         And wrought’st for them that trust in thee

              the sons of men before!

    20   In secret of thy presence thou

              shalt hide them from man’s pride:

         From strife of tongues thou closely shalt,

              as in a tent, them hide.

    21   All praise and thanks be to the Lord;

              for he hath magnify’d

         His wondrous love to me within

              a city fortify’d.

    22   For from thine eyes cut off I am,

              I in my haste had said;

         My voice yet heard’st thou, when to thee

              with cries my moan I made.

    23   O love the Lord, all ye his saints;

              because the Lord doth guard

         The faithful, and he plenteously

              proud doers doth reward.

    24   Be of good courage, and he strength

              unto your heart shall send,

         All ye whose hope and confidence

              doth on the Lord depend.

  • Psalm 030

    1    Lord, I will thee extol, for thou

              hast lifted me on high,

         And over me thou to rejoice

              mad’st not mine enemy.

    2    O thou who art the Lord my God,

              I in distress to thee,

         With loud cries lifted up my voice,

              and thou hast healed me.

    3    O Lord, my soul thou hast brought up,

              and rescu’d from the grave;

         That I to pit should not go down,

              alive thou didst me save.

    4    O ye that are his holy ones,

              sing praise unto the Lord;

         And give unto him thanks, when ye

              his holiness record.

    5    For but a moment lasts his wrath;

              life in his favour lies:

         Weeping may for a night endure,

              at morn doth joy arise.

    6    In my prosperity I said,

              that nothing shall me move.

    7    O Lord, thou hast my mountain made

              to stand strong by thy love:

         But when that thou, O gracious God,

              didst hide thy face from me,

         Then quickly was my prosp’rous state

              turn’d into misery.

    8    Wherefore unto the Lord my cry

              I caused to ascend:

         My humble supplication

              I to the Lord did send.

    9    What profit is there in my blood,

              when I go down to pit?

         Shall unto thee the dust give praise?

              thy truth declare shall it?

    10   Hear, Lord, have mercy; help me, Lord:

    11        Thou turned hast my sadness

         To dancing; yea, my sackcloth loos’d,

              and girded me with gladness;

    12   That sing thy praise my glory may,

              and never silent be.

         O Lord my God, for evermore

              I will give thanks to thee.

  • Psalm 019

    1    The heav’ns God’s glory do declare,

              the skies his hand-works preach:

    2    Day utters speech to day, and night

              to night doth knowledge teach.

    3    There is no speech nor tongue to which

              their voice doth not extend:

    4    Their line is gone through all the earth,

              their words to the world’s end.

         In them he set the sun a tent;

    5         Who, bridegroom-like, forth goes

         From’s chamber, as a strong man doth

              to run his race rejoice.

    6    From heav’n’s end is his going forth,

              circling to th’ end again;

         And there is nothing from his heat

              that hidden doth remain.

    7    God’s law is perfect, and converts
             the soul in sin that lies:
         God’s testimony is most sure,
              and makes the simple wise.

    8    The statutes of the Lord are right,
              and do rejoice the heart:
         The Lord’s command is pure, and doth
              light to the eyes impart.

    9    Unspotted is the fear of God,
              and doth endure for ever:
         The judgments of the Lord are true
              and righteous altogether.

    10   They more than gold, yea, much fine gold,
              to be desired are:
         Than honey, honey from the comb
              that droppeth, sweeter far.

    11   Moreover, they thy servant warn
              how he his life should frame:
         A great reward provided is
              for them that keep the same.

    12   Who can his errors understand?
              O cleanse thou me within
    13   From secret faults. Thy servant keep
              from all presumptuous sin:

         And do not suffer them to have
              dominion over me:
         Then, righteous and innocent,
              I from much sin shall be.

    14  The words which from my mouth proceed,
              the thoughts sent from my heart,
         Accept, O Lord, for thou my strength
              and my Redeemer art.

  • Psalm 018

    1    Thee will I love, O Lord, my strength.

    2          My fortress is the Lord,

         My rock, and he that doth to me

              deliverance afford:

         My God, my strength, whom I will trust,

              a buckler unto me,

         The horn of my salvation,

              and my high tow’r, is he.

    3    Upon the Lord, who worthy is

              of praises, will I cry;

         And then shall I preserved be

              safe from mine enemy.

    4    Floods of ill men affrighted me,

              death’s pangs about me went;

    5    Hell’s sorrows me environed;

              death’s snares did me prevent.

    6    In my distress I call’d on God,

              cry to my God did I;

         He from his temple heard my voice,

              to his ears came my cry.

    7    Th’ earth, as affrighted, then did shake,

              trembling upon it seiz’d:

         The hills’ foundations moved were,

              because he was displeas’d.

    8    Up from his nostrils came a smoke,

              and from his mouth there came

         Devouring fire, and coals by it

              were turned into flame.

    9   He also bowed down the heav’ns,

              and thence he did descend;

         And thickest clouds of darkness did

              under his feet attend.

    10   And he upon a cherub rode,

              and thereon he did fly;

         Yea, on the swift wings of the wind

              his flight was from on high.

    11   He darkness made his secret place:

              about him, for his tent,

         Dark waters were, and thickest clouds

              of th’ airy firmament.

    12   And at the brightness of that light,

              which was before his eye,

         His thick clouds pass’d away, hailstones

              and coals of fire did fly.

    13   The Lord God also in the heav’ns

              did thunder in his ire;

         And there the Highest gave his voice,

              hailstones and coals of fire.

    14   Yea, he his arrows sent abroad,

              and them he scattered;

         His lightnings also he shot out,

              and them discomfited.

    15   The waters’ channels then were seen,

              the world’s foundations vast

         At thy rebuke discover’d were,

              and at thy nostrils’ blast.

    16   And from above the Lord sent down,

              and took me from below;

         From many waters he me drew,

              which would me overflow.

    17   He me reliev’d from my strong foes,

              and such as did me hate;

         Because he saw that they for me

              too strong were, and too great.

    18   They me prevented in the day

              of my calamity;

         But even then the Lord himself

              a stay was unto me.

    19   He to a place where liberty

              and room was hath me brought;

         Because he took delight in me,

              he my deliv’rance wrought.

    20   According to my righteousness

              he did me recompense,

         He me repaid according to

              my hands’ pure innocence.

    21   For I God’s ways kept, from my God

              did not turn wickedly.

    22   His judgments were before me, I

              his laws put not from me.

    23   Sincere before him was my heart;

              with him upright was I;

         And watchfully I kept myself

              from mine iniquity.

    24   After my righteousness the Lord

              hath recompensed me,

         After the cleanness of my hands

              appearing in his eye.

    25   Thou gracious to the gracious art,

              to upright men upright:

    26   Pure to the pure, froward thou kyth’st

              unto the froward wight.

    27   For thou wilt the afflicted save

              in grief that low do lie:

         But wilt bring down the countenance

              of them whose looks are high.

    28   The Lord will light my candle so,

              that it shall shine full bright:

         The Lord my God will also make

              my darkness to be light.

    29   By thee through troops of men I break,

              and them discomfit all;

         And, by my God assisting me,

              I overleap a wall.

    30   As for God, perfect is his way:

              the Lord his word is try’d;

         He is a buckler to all those

              who do in him confide.


    31   Who but the Lord is God? but he

              who is a rock and stay?

    32   ‘Tis God that girdeth me with strength,

              and perfect makes my way.

    33   He made my feet swift as the hinds,

              set me on my high places.

    34   Mine hands to war he taught, mine arms

              brake bows of steel in pieces.

    35   The shield of thy salvation

              thou didst on me bestow:

         Thy right hand held me up, and great

              thy kindness made me grow.

    36   And in my way my steps thou hast

              enlarged under me,

         That I go safely, and my feet

              are kept from sliding free.

    37   Mine en’mies I pursued have,

              and did them overtake;

         Nor did I turn again till I

              an end of them did make.

    38   I wounded them, they could not rise;

              they at my feet did fall.

    39   Thou girdedst me with strength for war;

              my foes thou brought’st down all:

    40   And thou hast giv’n to me the necks

              of all mine enemies;

         That I might them destroy and slay,

              who did against me rise.

    41   They cried out, but there was none

              that would or could them save;

         Yea, they did cry unto the Lord,

              but he no answer gave.

    42   Then did I beat them small as dust

              before the wind that flies;

         And I did cast them out like dirt

              upon the street that lies.

    43   Thou mad’st me free from people’s strife,

              and heathen’s head to be:

         A people whom I have not known

              shall service do to me.

    44   At hearing they shall me obey,

              to me they shall submit.

    45   Strangers for fear shall fade away,

              who in close places sit.

    46   God lives, bless’d be my Rock; the God

              of my health praised be.

    47   God doth avenge me, and subdues

              the people under me.

    48   He saves me from mine enemies;

              yea, thou hast lifted me

         Above my foes; and from the man

              of vi’lence set me free.

    49   Therefore to thee will I give thanks

              the heathen folk among;

         And to thy name, O Lord, I will

              sing praises in a song.

    50   He great deliv’rance gives his king:

              he mercy doth extend

         To David, his anointed one,

              and his seed without end.

  • Psalm 016

    Psalm 16:7-11

    TUNE = All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name

    1    Lord, keep me; for I trust in thee.
    2          To God thus was my speech,
         Thou art my Lord; and unto thee
              my goodness doth not reach:

    3    To saints on earth, to th’ excellent,
              where my delight’s all plac’d.
    4    Their sorrows shall be multiply’d
              to other gods that haste:

         Of their drink-offerings of blood
              I will no off ‘ring make;
         Yea, neither I their very names
              up in my lips will take.

    5    God is of mine inheritance
              and cup the portion;
         The lot that fallen is to me
              thou dost maintain alone.

    6    Unto me happily the lines
              in pleasant places fell;
         Yea, the inheritance I got
              in beauty doth excel.

    7    I bless the Lord, because he doth
              by counsel me conduct;
         And in the seasons of the night
              my reins do me instruct.

    8    Before me still the Lord I set:
              sith it is so that he
         Doth ever stand at my right hand,
              I shall not moved be.

    9    Because of this my heart is glad,
              and joy shall be exprest
         Ev’n by my glory; and my flesh
              in confidence shall rest.

    10   Because my soul in grave to dwell
              shall not be left by thee;
         Nor wilt thou give thine Holy One
              corruption to see.

    11   Thou wilt me shew the path of life:
              of joys there is full store
         Before thy face; at thy right hand
              are pleasures evermore.

  • Psalm 015

    1    Within thy tabernacle, Lord,

              who shall abide with thee?

         And in thy high and holy hill

              who shall a dweller be?

    2    The man that walketh uprightly,

              and worketh righteousness,

         And as he thinketh in his heart,

              so doth he truth express.

    3    Who doth not slander with his tongue,

              nor to his friend doth hurt;

         Nor yet against his neighbour doth

              take up an ill report.

    4    In whose eyes vile men are despis’d;

              but those that God do fear

         He honoureth; and changeth not,

              though to his hurt he swear.

    5    His coin puts not to usury,

              nor take reward will he

         Against the guiltless. Who doth thus

              shall never moved be.

  • Psalm 017

    1    Lord, hear the right, attend my cry,

              unto my pray’r give heed,

         That doth not in hypocrisy

              from feigned lips proceed.

    2    And from before thy presence forth

              my sentence do thou send:

         Toward these things that equal are

              do thou thine eyes intend.

    3    Thou prov’dst mine heart, thou visit’dst me

              by night, thou didst me try,

         Yet nothing found’st; for that my mouth

              shall not sin, purpos’d I.

    4    As for men’s works, I, by the word

              that from thy lips doth flow,

         Did me preserve out of the paths

              wherein destroyers go.

    5    Hold up my goings, Lord, me guide

              in those thy paths divine,

         So that my footsteps may not slide

              out of those ways of thine.

    6    I called have on thee, O God,

              because thou wilt me hear:

         That thou may’st hearken to my speech,

              to me incline thine ear.

    7    Thy wondrous loving-kindness show,

              thou that, by thy right hand,

         Sav’st them that trust in thee from those

              that up against them stand.

    8    As th’ apple of the eye me keep;

              in thy wings shade me close

    9    From lewd oppressors, compassing

              me round, as deadly foes.

    10   In their own fat they are inclos’d;

              their mouth speaks loftily.

    11   Our steps they compass’d; and to ground

              down bowing set their eye.

    12   He like unto a lion is

              that’s greedy of his prey,

         Or lion young, which lurking doth

              in secret places stay.

    13   Arise, and disappoint my foe,

              and cast him down, O Lord:

         My soul save from the wicked man,

              the man which is thy sword.

    14  From men, which are thy hand, O Lord,

              from worldly men me save,

         Which only in this present life

              their part and portion have.

         Whose belly with thy treasure hid

              thou fill’st: they children have

         In plenty; of their goods the rest

              they to their children leave.

    15  But as for me, I thine own face

              in righteousness will see;

         And with thy likeness, when I wake,

              I satisfy’d shall be.

  • Psalm 013

    1    How long wilt thou forget me, Lord?

              shall it for ever be?

         O how long shall it be that thou

              wilt hide thy face from me?

    2    How long take counsel in my soul,

              still sad in heart, shall I?

         How long exalted over me

              shall be mine enemy?

    3    O Lord my God, consider well,

              and answer to me make:

         Mine eyes enlighten, lest the sleep

              of death me overtake:

    4    Lest that mine enemy should say,

              Against him I prevail’d;

         And those that trouble me rejoice,

              when I am mov’d and fail’d.

    5    But I have all my confidence

              thy mercy set upon;

         My heart within me shall rejoice

              in thy salvation.

    6    I will unto the Lord my God

              sing praises cheerfully,

         Because he hath his bounty shown

              to me abundantly.

  • Psalm 014

    1    That there is not a God, the fool

              doth in his heart conclude:

         They are corrupt, their works are vile;

              not one of them doth good.

    2    Upon men’s sons the Lord from heav’n

              did cast his eyes abroad,

         To see if any understood,

              and did seek after God.



    3    They altogether filthy are,

              they all aside are gone;

         And there is none that doeth good,

              yea, sure there is not one.

    4    These workers of iniquity

              do they not know at all,

         That they my people eat as bread,

              and on God do not call?

    5    There fear’d they much; for God is with

              the whole race of the just.

    6    You shame the counsel of the poor,

              because God is his trust.

    7    Let Isr’el’s help from Sion come:

              when back the Lord shall bring

         His captives, Jacob shall rejoice,

              and Israel shall sing.

  • Psalm 012

    1    Help, Lord, because the godly man

              doth daily fade away;

         And from among the sons of men

              the faithful do decay.

    2    Unto his neighbour ev’ry one

              doth utter vanity:

         They with a double heart do speak,

              and lips of flattery.

    3    God shall cut off all flatt’ring lips,

              tongues that speak proudly thus,

    4    We’ll with our tongue prevail, our lips

              are ours: who’s lord o’er us?

    5    For poor oppress’d, and for the sighs

              of needy, rise will I,

         Saith God, and him in safety set

              from such as him defy.

    6    The words of God are words most pure;

              they be like silver try’d

         In earthen furnace, seven times

              that hath been purify’d.

    7    Lord, thou shalt them preserve and keep

              for ever from this race.

    8    On each side walk the wicked, when

              vile men are high in place.