The Psalms of David
Day 8. Morning Prayer
Psalm 38.
Domine, ne in furore
Put me not to rebuke, O Lord, in thine anger : neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure.
2 For thine arrows stick fast in me : and thy hand presseth me sore.
3 There is no health in my flesh, because of thy displeasure : neither is there any rest in my bones, by reason of my sin.
4 For my wickednesses are gone over my head : and are like a sore burden, too heavy for me to bear.
5 My wounds stink, and are corrupt : through my foolishness.
6 I am brought into so great trouble and misery : that I go mourning all the day long.
7 For my loins are filled with a sore disease : and there is no whole part in my body.
8 I am feeble, and sore smitten : I have roared for the very disquietness of my heart.
9 Lord, thou knowest all my desire : and my groaning is not hid from thee.
10 My heart panteth, my strength hath failed me : and the sight of mine eyes is gone from me.
11 My lovers and my neighbours did stand looking upon my trouble : and my kinsmen stood afar off.
12 They also that sought after my life laid snares for me : and they that went about to do me evil talked of wickedness, and imagined deceit all the day long.
13 As for me, I was like a deaf man, and heard not: and as one that is dumb, who doth not open his mouth.
14 I became even as a man that heareth not : and in whose mouth are no reproofs.
15 For in thee, O Lord, have I put my trust : thou shalt answer for me, O Lord my God.
16 I have required that they, even mine enemies, should not triumph over me : for when my foot slipped, they rejoiced greatly against me.
17 And I, truly, am set in the plague : and my heaviness is ever in my sight.
18 For I will confess my wickedness : and be sorry for my sin.
19 But mine enemies live, and are mighty : and they that hate me wrongfully are many in number.
20 They also that reward evil for good are against me : because I follow the thing that good is.
21 Forsake me not, O Lord my God : be not thou far from me.
22 Haste thee to help me : O Lord God of my salvation.
Psalm 39.
Dixi, Custodiam
I said, I will take heed to my ways : that I offend not in my tongue.
2 I will keep my mouth as it were with a bridle : while the ungodly is in my sight.
3 I held my tongue, and spake nothing : I kept silence, yea, even from good words; but it was pain and grief to me.
4 My heart was hot within me, and while I was thus musing the fire kindled : and at the last I spake with my tongue;
5 Lord, let me know mine end, and the number of my days : that I may be certified how long I have to live.
6 Behold, thou hast made my days as it were a span long : and mine age is even as nothing in respect of thee; and verily every man living is altogether vanity.
7 For man walketh in a vain shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain : he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them.
8 And now, Lord, what is my hope : truly my hope is even in thee.
9 Deliver me from all mine offences : and make me not a rebuke unto the foolish.
10 I became dumb, and opened not my mouth : for it was thy doing.
11 Take thy plague away from me : I am even consumed by the means of thy heavy hand.
12 When thou with rebukes dost chasten man for sin, thou makest his beauty to consume away, like as it were a moth fretting a garment : every man therefore is but vanity.
13 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and with thine ears consider my calling : hold not thy peace at my tears.
14 For I am a stranger with thee : and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
15 O spare me a little, that I may recover my strength : before I go hence, and be no more seen.
Psalm 40.
Expectans expectavi
I waited patiently for the Lord : and he inclined unto me, and heard my calling.
2 He brought me also out of the horrible pit, out of the mire and clay : and set my feet upon the rock, and ordered my goings.
3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth : even a thanksgiving unto our God.
4 Many shall see it, and fear : and shall put their trust in the Lord.
5 Blessed is the man that hath set his hope in the Lord : and turned not unto the proud, and to such as go about with lies.
6 O Lord my God, great are the wondrous works which thou hast done, like as be also thy thoughts which are to us-ward : and yet there is no man that ordereth them unto thee.
7 If I should declare them, and speak of them : they should be more than I am able to express.
8 Sacrifice and meat-offering thou wouldest not: but mine ears hast thou opened.
9 Burnt-offerings, and sacrifice for sin, hast thou not required : then said I, Lo, I come,
10 In the volume of the book it is written of me, that I should fulfil thy will, O my God : I am content to do it; yea, thy law is within my heart.
11 I have declared thy righteousness in the great congregation : lo, I will not refrain my lips, O Lord, and that thou knowest.
12 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart : my talk hath been of thy truth and of thy salvation.
13 I have not kept back thy loving mercy and truth : from the great congregation.
14 Withdraw not thou thy mercy from me, O Lord: let thy loving-kindness and thy truth alway preserve me.
15 For innumerable troubles are come about me; my sins have taken such hold upon me that I am not able to look up : yea, they are more in number than the hairs of my head, and my heart hath failed me.
16 O Lord, let it be thy pleasure to deliver me : make haste, O Lord, to help me.
17 Let them be ashamed and confounded together, that seek after my soul to destroy it : let them be driven backward and put to rebuke, that wish me evil.
18 Let them be desolate, and rewarded with shame: that say unto me, Fie upon thee, fie upon thee.
19 Let all those that seek thee be joyful and glad in thee : and let such as love thy salvation say alway, The Lord be praised.
20 As for me, I am poor and needy : but the Lord careth for me.
21 Thou art my helper and redeemer : make no long tarrying, O my God.
Text from The Book of Common Prayer, the rights in which are vested in the Crown,
is reproduced by permission of the Crown's Patentee, Cambridge University Press.
