1. The rights of justice hear, O Lord,
Attend unto my cry;
A gracious ear my prayer afford,
From lips which do not lie.
2. O let my sentence from thy face
Impartially proceed;
The rights, and justice, of my case,
Let thine eyes closely heed.
3. My heart, and reins, thou Lord hast tried
In the still night's recess;
And nothing found; I fixed abide,
My mouth shall not transgress.
4. However wicked men decoy,
Yet, taught by thy pure word,
The paths of them that would destroy,
I ever have abhorred.
5. Through all my walk uphold thou me
In thy most righteous way;
So shall my steps unmoved be,
And from thy paths ne'er stray.
6. On thee I call, for thou wilt hear;
O God, I thee beseech.
To my request incline thy ear,
And hear my humble speech.
Second Part
7. O thou, who savest, with thy right hand,
Who trust in thee repose,
From all that up against them stand;
Thy wondrous love disclose.
8. Keep, as the apple of the eye;
Hide me beneath thy wing:
9. From raging foes, who round me lie,
And me to death would bring.
10. Enclosed in Fat, they proudly boast,
What malice doth devise.
11. They now surround me with their host,
And couch with watchful eyes;
12. As hungry lions raging fret,
When greedy for their prey;
Or a young lion lurking sets,
In some close covert way.
13. Arise, his secret plots control,
And cast him down, O Lord;
At liberty, O, set my soul,
From wicked men, thy sword.
14. From mortal man, thy hand, O Lord,
From worldly men me save;
Who in this present life, and world,
Their fading portion have.
With thy hid treasures, thou dost fill,
Their bellies: and their race,
Numerous and pampered, heir by will
The bulk of their increase.
15. But as for me, in righteousness,
Thy smiling face I'll see;
And waking, with thine image blessed
Shall satisfied be.
A New Version of the Psalms of David, 1752