Psalm 143, 6.6.6.6.D.: Oh, hear my prayer, Lord
Second Version (6.6.6.6.D.)
Meter: 6s (6,6,6,6 D)
1 Oh, hear my prayer, Lord, And unto my desire To bow thine ear accord, I humbly thee require; And, in thy faithfulness, Unto me answer make, And, in thy righteousness, Upon me pity take.
2 In judgment enter not With me thy servant poor; For why, this well I wot, No sinner can endure The sight of thee, O God: If thou his deeds shalt try, He dare make none abode Himself to justify.
3 Behold, the cruel foe Me persecutes with spite, My soul to overthrow: Yea, he my life down quite Unto the ground hath smote, And made me dwell full low In darkness, as forgot, Or men dead long ago.
4 Therefore my sp’rit much vex’d, O’erwhelm’d is me within; My heart right sore perplex’d And desolate hath been. 5 Yet I do call to mind What ancient days record, Thy works of ev’ry kind I think upon, O Lord.
6 Lo, I do stretch my hands To thee, my help alone; For thou well understands All my complaint and moan: My thirsting soul desires, And longeth after thee, As thirsty ground requires With rain refresh’d to be.
7 Lord, let my pray’r prevail, To answer it make speed; For, lo, my sp’rit doth fail: Hide not thy face in need; Lest I be like to those That do in darkness sit, Or him that downward goes Into the dreadful pit.
8 Because I trust in thee, O Lord, cause me to hear Thy loving-kindness free, When morning doth appear: Cause me to know the way Wherein my path should be; For why, my soul on high I do lift up to thee.
9 From my fierce enemy In safety do me guide, Because I flee to thee, Lord, that thou may’st me hide. 10 My God alone art thou, Teach me thy righteousness: Thy Sp’rit’s good, lead me to The land of uprightness.
11 O Lord, for thy name’s sake, Be pleas’d to quicken me; And, for thy truth, forth take My soul from misery. 12 And of thy grace destroy My foes, and put to shame All who my soul annoy; For I thy servant am.