Miserere mei

O Lord consider my distress

Author: William Whittingham
Tune: [O Lord consider my distress]
Published in 2 hymnals

Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 O Lord, consider my distress,
and now with speed some pity take,
My sins forgive, my faults redress,
good Lord, for thy great mercy's sake.

2 Wash me, O Lord, and make me clean
from this unjust mad sinful act,
And purify me once again
from this foul crime and bloody fact.

3 Remorse and sorrow do constrain
me to acknowledge my excess,
Because my sin doth still remain
before my face without release.

4 Against thee only have I sinn'd
and done this evil in thy sight;
And if I should no mercy find,
yet were thy judgments just and right,

5 It is too manifest, alas!
that first I was conceiv'd in sin;
Yea, of my mother so born was,
and yet, vile wretch, remain therein.

6 Also, behold, Lord, thou dost love
the inward truth of a pure heart;
Therefore thy wisdom from above
thou hast reveal'd me to convert,

7 If thou with hyssop purge this blot,
I shall be cleaner than the glass;
And if thou wash away my spot,
the snow in whiteness I shall pass.

8 Therefore, O Lord, such joy me send,
that I may praise thee with my voice,
And that my strength may now amend,
and broken bones also rejoice:

9 Turn back thy face and frowning ire,
for I have felt enough thine hand,
And purge my sins, I thee desire,
which do in number pass the sand;

10 Make new my heart within my breast,
and frame it to thy holy will,
And let thy spirit in me rest,
Which may my soul with comfort fill

The Second Part.

11 Cast me not, Lord, out from thy sight,
but speedily my torments end;
Take not from me thy holy Spirt,
which may from dangers me defend,

12 Restore me to those joys again,
which I was wont in thee to find;
Let me thy free spirit retain,
which unto thee may draw my mind.

13 Thus, when I shall thy mercies know,
I shall instruct others therein;
And men that are likewise brought low
by my example shall flee sin.

14 O God, that of my health art Lord,
forgive me this my bloody vice;
My heart and tongue shall then accord
to sing thy mercy and justice.

15 Touch thou my lips, my tongue untie,
O Lord, I do thee humbly pray;
And then my mouth shall testify
thy praise and wondrous works alway.

16 And as for outward sacrifice,
I would have offer'd many one;
But thou esteem'st them of no price,
and therein pleasure takest none.

17 The heavy heart, the mind opprest,
O Lord, thou never dost reject;
This sacrifice indeed is blest
and that thou chiefly dost expect.

18 Lord, unto Sion turn thy face,
pour out thy mercies on thy hill,
And on Jerusalem thy grace,
build up the wall, and love it still.

19 Thou shalt accept then our off'rings
of peace and righteousness alway;
Yea, calves and many other things
upon thy altar we will lay.

Source: The Whole Book of Psalms #LIa

Author: William Whittingham

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Text Information

First Line: O Lord consider my distress
Title: Miserere mei
Author: William Whittingham

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The Whole Booke of Psalmes #27a

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The Whole Book of Psalms #LIa

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