1 Be merciful to me, O God;
thy mercy unto me
Do thou extend; because my soul
doth put her trust in thee:
Yea, in the shadow of thy wings
my refuge I will place,
Until these sad calamities
do wholly overpass.
2 My cry I will cause to ascend
unto the Lord most high;
To God, who doth all things for me
perform most perfectly.
3 From heav’n he shall send down, and me
from his reproach defend
That would devour me: God his truth
and mercy forth shall send.
4 My soul among fierce lions is,
I firebrands live among,
Men’s sons, whose teeth are spears and darts,
a sharp sword is their tongue.
5 Be thou exalted very high
above the heav’ns, O God;
Let thou thy glory be advanc’d
o’er all the earth abroad.
6 My soul’s bow’d down; for they a net
have laid, my steps to snare:
Into the pit which they have digg’d
for me, they fallen are.
7 My heart is fix’d, my heart is fix’d,
O God; I’ll sing and praise.
8 My glory wake; wake psalt’ry, harp;
myself I’ll early raise.
9 I’ll praise thee ‘mong the people, Lord;
‘mong nations sing will I:
10 For great to heav’n thy mercy is,
thy truth is to the sky.
11 O Lord, exalted be thy name
above the heav’ns to stand:
Do thou thy glory far advance
above both sea and land.