1 Save me, O God, from Waves that roll,
And press to overwhelm my Soul.
2 With painful Steps in Mire I tread,
And Deluges o'erflow my Head.
3 With restless Cries my Spirits faint;
My Voice is hoarse with long Complaint;
My Sight decays with tedious Pain,
Whilst for my God i wait in vain.
4 My Hairs, tho' num'rous, are but few,
Compar'd with Foes that me pursue
With groundless Hate, grown now of Might,
To execute their lawless Spite:
Thy force me, guiltless, to resign,
As Rapine, what by Right was mine.
5 Thou, Lord, my Foolishness dost see,
Nor are my Sins conceal'd from Thee.
6 Lord God of Hosts, take timely Care,
Lest, for my sake, thy Saints despair:
7 Since I have suffer'd for thy Name
Reproach and hide my Face in Shame;
8 A Stranger to my Country grown,
Nor to my nearest Kindred known;
A Foreigner, expos'd to Scorn
By Brethren of my Mother born.
9 For Zeal to thy lov'd House and Name
Consumes me like devouring Flame;
Concern'd at their Affronts to Thee,
More than at Slanders cast on me.
10 My very Tears and Abstinence
They construe in a spightful Sense.
11 When cloath'd with Sackcloth for their sake,
They me their common Proverb make.
12 Their Judges make my Wrongs their Jest,
Those Wrongs they ought to have redress'd.
How should I then expect to be
From Libels of lewd Drunkards free?
13 But, Lord, to Thee I will repair
For Help, with humble, timely Pray'r:
Relieve me from thy Mercy's Store:
Display thy Truth's preserving Pow'r.
14 From threat'ning Dangers me relieve,
And from the Mire my Feet retrieve;
From spiteful Foes in Safety keep,
15 Controul the Deluge, e're it spread,
And roll its Waves above my Head;
Nor deep Destruction's yawning Pit
To close her Jaws on me permit.
16 Lord, hear the humble Pray'r I make,
For thy transcending Goodness' sake;
Relieve thy Supplicant once more
From thy abounding Mercy's Store.
17 Nor from thy Servant hid thy Face;
Make haste; for desp'rate is my Case:
18 Thy timely Succour interpose,
And shield me from remorseless Foes.
19 Thou know'st what Infamy and Scorn
I from my Enemies have borne;
Nor can their close-dissembled Spite,
Or darkest Plots, escape thy Sight.
20 Reproach and Grief have broke my Heart:
I look'd for some to take my Part,
To pity or relieve my Pain;
But look'd, alas! for both in vain.
21 With Hunger pin'd, for Food I call:
Instead of Food, they give me Gall:
And when with Thirst my Spirits sink,
They give me Vinegar to drink.
22 Their Table therefore to their Health
Shall prove a Snare, a Trap their Wealth;
23 Perpetual Darkness seize their Eyes;
And sudden Blasts their Hopes surprise.
24 On them Thou shalt thy Fury pour,
'Till thy fierce Wrath their Race devour;
25 And make their House a dismal Cell,
Where none will e'er vouchsafe to dwell.
26 For new Afflictions they procur'd
For him who had thy Stripes endur'd;
And made the Wounds thy Scourge had torn
To blend afreash with sharper Scorn.
27 Sin shall to Sin their Steps betray,
Till they to Truth have lost the Way.
28 From Life thou shalt exclude their Soul,
Nor with the Just their Names inroll.
29 But me, howe'er distress'd and poor,
Thy strong Salvation shalt restore:
30 Thy Pow'r with Songs I'll then proclaim,
And celebrate with Thanks thy Name.
31 Our God shall this more highly prize,
Than Herds or Flocks in Sacrifice:
32 Which humble Saints with Joy shall see,
And hope for like Redress with me.
33 For God regards the Poor's Complaint;
Sets Pris'ners free from close Restraint.
34 Let Heav'n, Earth, Sea, their Voices raise,
And all the World resound his Praise.
35 For God will Sion's Walls erect;
Fair Judah's Cities He'll protect;
Till all her scatter'd Sons repair
To undisturb'd Possession there.
36 This Blessing they shall, at their Death,
To their religious Heirs bequeath;
And they to endless Ages more,
Of such as His blest Name adore.
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