Part 283 (1/2)

I have called upon thee, for thou wilt answer me, O G.o.d: Incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.

Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest them which put their trust in thee From those that rise up against them, by thy right hand.

Keep me as the apple of the eye, Hide me under the shadow of thy wings.

As for me, I shall behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

--_Psalm 17_.

{26}

A SONG OF DELIVERANCE.

In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried unto my G.o.d: He heard my voice out of his temple, And my cry before him came into his ears.

Then the earth shook and trembled, The foundations also of the mountains moved And were shaken, because he was wroth.

There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, And fire out of his mouth devoured: Coals were kindled by it.

He bowed the heavens also, and came down; And thick darkness was under his feet.

And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: Yea, he flew swiftly upon the wings of the wind.

He made darkness his hiding place, his pavilion round about him; Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

At the brightness before him his thick clouds pa.s.sed, Hailstones and coals of fire.

The Lord also thundered in the heavens, And the Most High uttered his voice; Hailstones and coals of fire.

And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; Yea, lightnings manifold, and discomfited them. {27} Then the channels of waters appeared, And the foundations of the world were laid bare, At thy rebuke, O Lord, At the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.

He sent from on high, he took me; He drew me out of many waters.

He delivered me from my strong enemy, And from them that hated me, for they were too mighty for me.

I love thee, O Lord, my strength.

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; My G.o.d, my strong rock, in him will I trust; My s.h.i.+eld, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower.

I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: So shall I be saved from mine enemies.

The cords of death compa.s.sed me, And the floods of unG.o.dliness made me afraid.

The cords of Sheol were round about me: The snares of death came upon me.

They came upon me in the day of my calamity: But the Lord was my stay.

He brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me, because he delighted in me.

The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

For I have kept the ways of the Lord, And have not wickedly departed from my G.o.d.

For all his judgments were before me, {28} And I put not away his statutes from me.

I was also perfect with him, And I kept myself from mine iniquity.

Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; With the perfect man thou wilt shew thyself perfect; With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; And with the perverse thou wilt shew thyself froward.

For thou wilt save the afflicted people; But the haughty eyes thou wilt bring down.

For thou wilt light my lamp: The Lord my G.o.d will lighten my darkness.

For by thee I run upon a troop; And by my G.o.d do I leap over a wall.

As for G.o.d, his way is perfect: The word of the Lord is tried; He is a s.h.i.+eld unto all them that trust in him.

For who is G.o.d, save the Lord?

And who is a rock, beside our G.o.d?

The G.o.d that girdeth me with strength, And maketh my way perfect.

He maketh my feet like hinds' feet: And setteth me upon my high places.

The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; And exalted be the G.o.d of my salvation: Even the G.o.d that executeth vengeance for me, {29} And subdueth peoples under me.

He rescueth me from mine enemies: Yea, thou liftest me up above them that rise up against me; Thou deliverest me from the violent man.

Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the nations, And will sing praises unto thy name.