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.
1 The Lord’s my light and saving health,
who shall make me dismay’d?
My life’s strength is the Lord, of whom
then shall I be afraid?
2 When as mine enemies and foes,
most wicked persons all,
To eat my flesh against me rose,
they stumbled and did fall.
3 Against me though an host encamp,
my heart yet fearless is:
Though war against me rise, I will
be confident in this.
4 One thing I of the Lord desir’d,
and will seek to obtain,
That all days of my life I may
within God’s house remain;
That I the beauty of the Lord
behold may and admire,
And that I in his holy place
may rev’rently enquire.
5 For he in his pavilion shall
me hide in evil days;
In secret of his tent me hide,
and on a rock me raise.
6 And now, ev’n at this present time,
mine head shall lifted be
Above all those that are my foes,
and round encompass me:
Therefore unto his tabernacle
I’ll sacrifices bring
Of joyfulness; I’ll sing, yea, I
to God will praises sing.
7 O Lord, give ear unto my voice,
when I do cry to thee;
Upon me also mercy have,
and do thou answer me.
8 When thou didst say, Seek ye my face,
then unto thee reply
Thus did my heart, Above all things
thy face, Lord, seek will I.
9 Far from me hide not thou thy face;
put not away from thee
Thy servant in thy wrath: thou hast
an helper been to me.
O God of my salvation,
leave me not, nor forsake:
10 Though me my parents both should leave,
the Lord will me up take.
11 O Lord, instruct me in thy way,
to me a leader be
In a plain path, because of those
that hatred bear to me.
12 Give me not to mine en’mies’ will;
for witnesses that lie
Against me risen are, and such
as breathe out cruelty.
13 I fainted had, unless that I
believed had to see
The Lord’s own goodness in the land
of them that living be.
14 Wait on the Lord, and be thou strong,
and he shall strength afford
Unto thine heart; yea, do thou wait,
I say, upon the Lord.
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