To the chief musician Altaschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.
1 O GOD, to me be merciful,
be merciful to me:
because my soul for shelter-safe
betakes itself to thee.
Yea in the shadow of thy wings,
my refuge I have plac’t,
until these sore calamities
shall quite be over past.
2 To God most high I cry: the God
that doth for me perform.
3 He will from heaven send, and save
me from the spiteful scorn
Of him that would with greedy hast,
swallow me utterly: Selah.
the Lord from heaven will send forth
his grace and verity.
4 My soul’s ‘mongst lions, and I lye
with me on-fire-set:
men’s sons whose teeth are spears, and shafts,
whose tongues as swords are whet.
5 O God, do thou exalt thy self,
above the heavens high:
up over all the earth also
lifted be thy glory.
6 They for my steps prepar’d a net,
my soul is bow’d; a pit
they digg’d before me, but themselves
are fall’n in midst of it. Selah.
7 My heart o God, prepared is,
prepared is my heart,
sing will I, and sing praise with psalms.
8 Up o my glory start;
Wake Psaltery and Harp, I will
awake in the morning.
9 Among the folk I’ll praise thee, Lord,
‘mongst nations to thee sing.
10 For great unto the heavens is
thy merciful bounty:
thy verity also doth reach
unto the cloudy sky.
11 O God, do thou exalt thy self,
above the heavens high:
up over all the earth also
lifted be thy glory.