The Psalms
40
1I waited patiently upon the Lord; *
he stooped to me and heard my cry.
2He lifted me out of the desolate pit, out of the mire and clay; *
he set my feet upon a high cliff and made my footing sure.
3He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God; *
many shall see, and stand in awe,
and put their trust in the Lord.
4Happy are they who trust in the Lord! *
they do not resort to evil spirits or turn to false gods.
5Great things are they that you have done, O Lord my God!
how great your wonders and your plans for us! *
there is none who can be compared with you.
6Oh, that I could make them known and tell them ! *
but they are more than I can count.
7In sacrifice and offering you take no pleasure *
(you have given me ears to hear you);
8Burnt-offering and sin-offering you have not required, *
and so I said, “Behold, I come.
9In the roll of the book it is written concerning me: *
‘I love to do your will, O my God;
your law is deep in my heart.'”
10I proclaimed righteousness in the great congregation; *
behold, I did not restrain my lips;
and that, O Lord, you know.
11Your righteousness have I not hidden in my heart;
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your deliverance; *
I have not concealed your love and faithfulness from the
great congregation.
12You are the Lord;
do not with hold your compassion from me; *
let your love and your faithfulness keep me safe for ever,
13For innumerable troubles have crowded upon me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see; *
they are more in number than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails me.
14Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; *
O Lord, make haste to help me.
15Let them be ashamed and altogether dismayed
who seek after my life to destroy it; *
let them draw back and be disgraced
who take pleasure in my misfortune.
16Let those who say “Aha!” and gloat over me be confounded, *
because they are ashamed.
17Let all who seek you rejoice in you and be glad; *
let those who love your salvation continually say,
Great is the Lord!”
18Though I am poor and afflicted, *
the Lord will have regard for me.
19You are my helper and my deliverer; *
do not tarry, O my God.
54
1Save me, O God, by your Name; *
in your might, defend my cause.
2Hear my prayer, O God; *
give ear to the words of my mouth.
3For the arrogant have risen up against me,
and the ruthless have sought my life, *
those who have no regard for God.
4Behold, God is my helper; *
it is the Lord who sustains my life.
5Render evil to those who spy on me; *
in your faithfulness, destroy them.
6I will offer you a freewill sacrifice *
and praise your Name, O Lord, for it is good.
7For you have rescued me from every trouble, *
and my eye has seen the ruin of my foes.
A Prayer For Social Justice
Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart, that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Thomas Eakins | The Pathetic Song | American | The Metropolitan Museum of Art (metmuseum.org)