Give ear, O God, unto my prayer

1. Give ear, O God, unto my prayer,
Nor hide from my request.
2. Attend, and hear my mournful cry;
I roar, I'm so distressed.
3. My foes reproach me, I'm oppressed,
By a vile impious crew;
Who load me with foul crimes, in wrath,
And hatred, me pursue.

4. My heart within me's greatly pained;
Death's terrors seize me fast;
5. Trembling and fear beset me round;
Horror is o'er me cast.
6. "Oh! had I wings, like to a dove,"
(I said, while thus distressed,)
"Then would I fly from hence away
"And seek a place of rest:

7. "Far would I wander, and remain
In some desert alone;
8. There swiftly 'scape, till furious winds,
And tempests were o'er blown."

Second Part

9. Confound, O Lord, their ill designs,
Their plotting tongues divide;
For violence, and raging strife,
I've in the city spied.
10. These, day and night, upon the walls,
Compass the city round;
Mischief, and sorrow, sprung from thence,
In midst thereof abound.

11. There, wickedness, in various shapes,
An hearty welcome meets;
There open fraud, and practiced guile,
Depart not from her streets.
12. Had a known foe reproached me,
This I could bear with ease;
Should open haters me insult,
I might have shunned these.

13. 'Twas thou, perfidious man, my friend,
My guide, mine intimate,
14. Sweet counsel took we, jointly went,
And in God's house we sat.

Third Part

15. Death shall seize on them unawares,
And sink them quick to hell;
For wickedness doth in their hearts,
And in their houses, dwell.
16. But I will call on God; the Lord
Will for my help appear.
17. At evening, morn, and noon, I'll pray,
And he my voice will hear.

18. The battle was against me aimed,
But he hath set me free;
My soul in peace and safety dwells,
For many joined with me.
19. God, who abides of old, shall hear,
And smite them with his rod;
Because they have no changes felt,
Therefore they fear not God.

20. Against the man at peace with him
His hands he did extend
In wrath; and most profanely broke
His covenant with his friend.
21. Smoother than butter was his speech,
But war in his heart was found;
His words were softer than the oil,
Yet, like drawn swords, they wound.

22. Thy burden cast upon the Lord,
Who will sustain his own;
He'll never suffer righteous men,
Though shook, to be o'erthrown.
23. God, to destruction's pit, shall bring
Men of deceit and blood;
They scarce shall live out half their days;
But I will trust in God.

A New Version of the Psalms of David, 1752