The Psalms
Psalms of Lamentation
Ps. 21, Ps. 87, Ps. 142
Psalms Chapter 21
Deus Deus meus.
Christ’s passion: and the conversion of the Gentiles.
21:1. Unto the end, for the morning protection, a psalm for David.
21:2. O God my God, look upon me: why hast thou forsaken me? Far from my
salvation are the words of my sins.
21:3. O my God, I shall cry by day, and thou wilt not hear: and by night,
and it shall not be reputed as folly in me.
21:4. But thou dwellest in the holy place, the praise of Israel.
21:5. In thee have our fathers hoped: they have hoped, and thou hast
delivered them.
21:6. They cried to thee, and they were saved: they trusted in thee, and
were not confounded.
21:7. But I am a worm, and no man: the reproach of men, and the outcast of
the people.
21:8. All they that saw me have laughed me to scorn: they have spoken with
the lips, and wagged the head.
21:9. He hoped in the Lord, let him deliver him: let him save him, seeing
he delighteth in him.
21:10. For thou art he that hast drawn me out of the womb: my hope from
the breasts of my mother.
21:11. I was cast upon thee from the womb. From my mother’s womb thou
art my God,
21:12. Depart not from me. For tribulation is very near: for there is none
to help me.
21:13. Many calves have surrounded me: fat bulls have besieged me.
21:14.They have opened their mouths against me, as a lion ravening and
roaring.
21:15. I am poured out like water; and all my bones are scattered. My
heart is become like wax melting in the midast of my bowels.
21:16. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue hath cleaved
to my jaws: and thou hast brought me down into the dust of death.
21:17. For many dogs have encompassed me: the council of the malignant
hath besieged me. They have dug my hands and feet.
21:18. They have numbered all my bones. And they have looked and stared
upon me.
21:19. They parted my garments amongst them; and upon my vesture they cast
lots.
21:20. But thou, O Lord, remove not thy help to a distance from me; look
towards my defense.
21:21. Deliver, O God, my soul from the sword: my only one from the hand
of the dog.
21:22. Save me from the lion’s mouth; and my lowness from the horns of
the unicorns.
21:23. I will declare thy name to my brethren: in the midst of the church
will I praise thee.
21:24. Ye that fear the Lord, praise him: all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify
him.
21:25. Let all the seed of Israel fear him: because he hath not slighted nor
despised the supplication of the poor man. Neither hath he turned away his face
form me: and when I cried to him he heard me.
21:26. With thee is my praise in a great church: I will pay my vows in the
sight of them that fear him.
21:27. The poor shall eat and shall be filled: and they shall praise the Lord
that seek him: their hearts shall live for ever and ever.
21:28. All the ends of the earth shall remember, and shall be converted to
the Lord: And all the kindreds of the Gentiles shall adore in his sight.
21:29. For the kingdom is the Lord’s; and he shall have dominion over the
nations.
21:30. All the fat ones of the earth have eaten and have adored: all they
that go down to the earth shall fall before him.
21:31. And to him my soul shall live: and my seed shall serve him.
21:32. There shall be declared to the Lord a generation to come: and the
heavens shall shew forth his justice to a people that shall be born, which the
Lord hath made.
Psalms Chapter 87
Dómine Deus meus
87:1. O Lord, my God, by day I cry out; * at night I clamor in Thy presence.
87:2. Let my prayer come before Thee; * incline Thine ear to my call for help.
87:3. For my soul is surfeited with troubles * and my life draws near to the nether world.
87:4. I am numbered with those who go down to the pit; * I am a man without strength.
87:5. My couch is among the dead, * like the slain who lie in the grave,
87:6. Whom Thou remember no longer * and who are cut off from Thy care.
87:7. Thou hast plunged me into the bottom of the pit, * into the dark abyss.
87:8. Upon me Thy wrath lies heavy, * and with all Thy billows Thou overwhelm me.
87:9. Thou hast taken my friends away from me; Thou hast made me an abomination to them; * I am imprisoned, and I cannot escape.
87:10. My eyes have grown dim through affliction; daily I call upon Thee, O Lord; * to Thee I stretch out my hands.
87:11. Wilt Thou work wonders for the dead? * Will the shades arise to give Thee thanks?
87:12. Do they declare Thy kindness in the grave, * Thy faithfulness among those who have perished?
87:13. Are Thy wonders made known in the darkness, * or Thy justice in the land of oblivion?
87:14. But I, O Lord, cry out to Thee; * with my morning prayer I wait upon Thee.
87:15. Why, O Lord, dost Thou reject me; * why hide from me Thy face?
87:16. I am afflicted and in agony from my youth; * I am dazed with the burden of Thy dread.
87:17. Thy furies have swept over me; * Thy terrors have cut me off.
87:18. They encompass me like water all the day; * on all sides they close in upon me.
87:19. Companion and neighbor Thou hast taken away from me; * my only friend is
darkness.
Psalms Chapter 142
- Domine, exaudi.
The psalmist in tribulation calleth upon God for his delivery. The
seventh penitential psalm.
142:1. A psalm of David, when his son Absalom pursued him. [2 Kings 17.]
Hear, O Lord, my prayer: give ear to my supplication in thy truth: hear me
in thy justice.
142:2. And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight no
man living shall be justified.
142:3. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul: he hath brought down my
life to the earth. He hath made me to dwell in darkness as those that have
been dead of old:
142:4 And my spirit is in anguish within me: my heart within me is
troubled.
142:5. I remembered the days of old, I meditated on all thy works: I
meditated upon the works of thy hands.
142:6. I stretched forth my hands to thee: my soul is as earth without
water unto thee.
142:7. Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit hath fainted away. Turn not
away thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
142:8. Cause me to hear thy mercy in the morning; for in thee have I
hoped. Make the way known to me, wherein I should walk: for I have lifted up
my soul to thee.
142:9. Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord, to thee have I fled:
142:10. Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God. Thy good spirit
shall lead me into the right land:
142:11 for thy name’s sake, O Lord, thou wilt quicken me in thy
justice. Thou wilt bring my soul out of trouble:
142:12. And in thy mercy thou wilt destroy my enemies. And thou wilt cut
off all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.
A Lamentation Bordering on a
Curse
Psalms Chapter 108
"Deus, laus mea"
Unto the end, a Psalm for David
108:1. O God, whom I praise, be not silent, * for they have opened wicked and treacherous mouths against me.
108:2. They have spoken to me with lying tongues, and with words of hatred they have encompassed me * and attacked me without cause.
108:3. In return for my love they slandered me, * but I prayed.
108:4. They repaid me evil for good * and hatred for my love.
108:5. Raise up a wicked man against him, * and let the accuser stand at his right hand.
108:6. When he is judged, let him go forth condemned, * and may his plea be in vain.
108:7. May his days be few; * may another take his office.
108:8. May his children be fatherless, * and his wife a widow.
108:9. May his children be roaming vagrants and beggars; * may they be cast out of the ruins of their homes.
108:10. May the usurer ensnare all his belongings, * and strangers plunder the fruit of his labors.
108:11. May there be no one to do him a kindness, * nor anyone to pity his orphans.
108:12. May his posterity meet with destruction; * in the next generation may their name be blotted out.
108:13. May the guilt of his fathers be remembered by the Lord; * let not his mother's sin be blotted out;
108:14. May they be continually before the Lord, * till He banish the memory of these parents from the earth.
108:15. Because he remembered not to show kindness , but persecuted the wretched and the poor * and the brokenhearted, to do them to death.
108:16. He loved cursing; may it come upon him; * he took no delight in blessing; may it be far from him.
108:17. And may he be clothed with cursing as with a robe; may it penetrate into his entrails like water * and like oil into his bones;
108:18. May it be for him like a garment that covers him, like a girdle that is always about him.
108:19. May this be the recompense from the Lord upon my accusers * and upon those who speak evil against me.
108:20. But do Thou, O God, my Lord, deal kindly with me for Thy name's sake; * in Thy generous kindness rescue me;
108:21. For I am wretched and poor, * and my heart is pierced within me.
108:22. Like a lengthening shadow I pass away; * I am swept away like the locust.
108:23. My knees totter from my fasting, * and my flesh is wasted of its substance.
108:24. And I am become a mockery to them; * when they see me, they shake their heads.
108:25. Help me, O Lord, my God; * save me in Thy kindness,
108:26. And let them know that this is Thy hand; * that Thou, O Lord, have done this.
108:27. Let them curse, but do Thou bless; may my adversaries be put to shame, * but let Thy servant rejoice.
108:28. Let my accusers be clothed with disgrace * and let them wear their shame like a mantle.
108:29. I will speak my thanks earnestly to the Lord, * and in the midst of the throng I will praise Him,
108:30. For He stood at the right hand of the poor man, * to save him from those who would condemn him.
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