1. 3. THE GRACIOUS GOD. BE gracious unto me, O God! according to thy loving kindness; According to the greatness of thy mercy, blot out my transgressions! 2. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin! 3. For I acknowledge my transgressions, 4. Against thee, thee only have I sinned, 6. Behold! thou desirest truth in the heart; 7. Make me to hear joy and gladness, So that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice! 8. Hide thy face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities! 9. Create within me a clean heart, O God! Renew within me a steadfast spirit! 10. Cast me not away from thy presence, And take not thy holy spirit from me! 11. Restore to me the joy of thy protection, And strengthen me with a willing spirit! 12. Then will I teach thy ways to transgressors, And sinners shall be converted to thee. 13. O LORD! open thou my lips, That my mouth may show forth thy praise! 14. For thou desirest not sacrifice, else would I give it ; Thou delightest not in burnt-offerings. 15. The sacrifice which God loveth is a broken spirit; 1. A broken and contrite heart, O God! thou wilt not despise ! 4. THE WAY OF GOD. Cause me to know thy ways, O LORD! Teach me thy paths! 2. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me! For thou art the God from whom cometh my help; 3. Remember thy loving-kindness, O LORD! (Ps LI.) And thy tender mercy, which thou hast exercised of old! 4. Remember not the faults and transgr ssions of my youth! According to thy mercy remember thou me, For thy goodness' sake, O LORD! 5. Good and righteous is the LORD; Therefore showeth he to sinners the way. 6. The humble he guideth in his statutes, And the meek he teacheth his way. 7. All the doings of the LORD are mercy and truth To those who keep his covenant and his precepts. 8. For thy name's sake, O LORD, 9. Pardon my iniquity; for it is great! Who is the man that feareth the LORD? Him doth he show the way which he should choose. 10. He shall himself dwell in prosperity, And his offspring shall inherit the land. 11. The friendship of the LORD is with them that fear him, And he will teach them his covenant. 12. Mine eyes are ever directed to the LORD, For he will pluck my feet from the net. Look upon me, and pity me; 13. For I am desolate and afflicted! 14. Lighten the sorrows of my heart, And deliver me from my troubles! 15. Look upon my affliction and distress, And forgive all my sins! 16. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For on thee do I rest my hope! 17. Redeem Israel, O God! from all his troubles! 1. (Ps. XX; 4-18,21, 22.) 5. THE HEARER OF PRAYER. To thee belongeth trust, to thee praise, O God in Zion! And to thee shall the vow be performed! 2. O Thou that hearest prayer ! To thee shall all flesh come! 3. My iniquities are heavy upon me; But thou wilt forgive our transgressions! 4. Happy is he whom thou choosest, And bringest near thee to dwell in thy courts! May we be satisfied with the blessings of thy house. 5. By wonderful deeds dost thou answer us in thy goodness, O God, our salvation ! Who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, And of the most distant seas! (Ps. LXV; 1-5′) 7. Cause me to see thy loving-kindness speedily; For in thee do I trust! Make known to me the way which I should take; (Ps. CXLIII; 1-2, 4-8.) 6. THE HAPPINESS OF HIM WHOSE SINS ARE FORGIVEN. 1. Happy is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is pardoned! 2. Happy the man to whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no guile! 3. While I kept silence, my bones were wasted, By reason of my groaning all the day long. 4. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me; My moisture dried up, as in summer's drought. 5. At length I acknowledged to thee my sin, I said, "I will confess my transgression to the LORD; 6. Therefore shall every pious man pray to thee, while thou mayst be found; Surely the floods of great waters shall not come near him. 7. Thou art my hiding-place; thou preservest me from trouble; Thou compassest me about with songs of deliverance. (Ps. XXXII; 1-7.) 1. IX. PROBLEMS OF LIFE. 1. THE WAYS OF PROVIDENCE. TRULY God is good to Israel, To those who are pure in heart. 2. Yet my feet almost gave way; My steps had well nigh slipped: 3. For I was envious of the proud, 4. When I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For they have no pains even to their death; Their bodies are in full health. 5. They have not the woes of other men, Neither are they smitten like other men. 6. Therefore pride encircleth their neck as a collar; Violence covereth them as a garment. 7. From their bosom issueth their iniquity; The designs of their hearts burst forth. 8. They mock, and speak of malicious oppression; Their words are haughty; 9. They stretch forth their mouth to the heavens, And their tongue goeth through the earth; 10. Therefore his people walk in their ways, And there drink from full fountains. 11. And they say, "How doth God know? How can there be knowledge with the Most High ?" 12. Behold these are the ungodly! Yet they are ever prosperous; they heap up riches. 13. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain; In vain have I washed my hands in innocence. 14. For every day have I been smitten; Every morn have I been chastened. 15. If I should resolve to speak like them, Surely I should be treacherous to the family of thy children. 16. So, when I studied to know this, It was painful to my eyes; 17. Until I went into the sanctuary of God, And considered what was their end. 18. Behold! thou hast set them on slippery places; Thou castest them down into unseen pits. 19. How they are brought to desolation in a moment, And utterly consumed with sudden destruction ! 20. As a dream when one awaketh, 21. Thou, O LORD! when thou arisest, will make their vain show a derision. When my heart was vexed, And I was pierced in my reins, 22. Then was I stupid and without understanding; I was like one of the brutes before thee. 23. Yet I am ever under thy care; By my right hand thou dost hold me up. 24. Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel, And at last receive me in glory. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee, And whom on earth do I love in comparison with thee? 26. Though my flesh and my heart fail, God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. Ps. LXXIII. 1. 2. THE RIDDLE OF LIFE. HEAR this, all ye nations; Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world; 2. Both high and low, rich and poor alike! 3. My mouth shall speak wisdom, And the meditation of my mind shall be understanding. 4. I will incline mine ear to a poem ; 5. I will utter my song upon the harp. Why should I fear in the days of adversity; When the iniquity of my adversaries encompasseth me? 6. They who trust in their riches, And glory in the greatness of their wealth: 7. No one can redeem his brother from death, Nor give a ransom for him to God, 8. That he should live to eternity, and not see the grave. 9. Too costly is the redemption of his life, And he gave it up forever. 10. For he seeth that wise men die, As well as the foolish and the ignorant; They perish alike, and leave their wealth to others. 12. Yet man, who is in honor, abideth not; He is like the beasts that perish. 13. But God will redeem my life from the underworld; Yea, he will take me under his care. 14. Be not thou afraid, when the wicked becometh rich; When the glory of his house is increased! 15. For, when he dieth, he will carry nothing away; His glory will not descend after him. 15. Though in his life he thought himself happy, Though men praised thee, while thou wast in prosperity,16. Yet shalt thou go to the dwelling-place of thy fathers, Who never more shall see the light! 17. The man who is in honor, but without understanding, Is like the beasts that perish. (Ps. XIIX; 1-12, 15-20). 1. 3. REWARD AND PUNISHMENT. BE not thou angry on account of the wicked, 2. For soon shall they be cut down like grass, 3. Trust in the LORD, and do good; Abide in the land, and delight in faithfulness. |