Readings

¹I waited patiently upon the Lord; *he stooped to me and heard my cry.

²He lifted me out of the desolate pit, out of the mire and clay; *he set my feet upon a high cliff and made my footing sure.

³He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; *many shall see, and stand in awe, and put their trust in the Lord.

⁴Happy are they who trust in the Lord! *they do not resort to evil spirits or turn to false gods.

⁵Great things are they that you have done, O Lord my God! how great your wonders and your plans for us! *there is none who can be compared with you.

⁶Oh, that I could make them known and tell them! *but they are more than I can count.

⁷In sacrifice and offering you take no pleasure *(you have given me ears to hear you);

⁸Burnt-offering and sin-offering you have not required, *and so I said, “Behold, I come.

⁹In the roll of the book it is written concerning me: *‘I love to do your will, O my God; your law is deep in my heart.’”

¹⁰I proclaimed righteousness in the great congregation; *behold, I did not restrain my lips; and that, O Lord, you know.

¹¹Your righteousness have I not hidden in my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your deliverance; *I have not concealed your love and faithfulness from the great congregation.

¹²You are the Lord; do not withhold your compassion from me; *let your love and your faithfulness keep me safe for ever,

¹³For innumerable troubles have crowded upon me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see; *they are more in number than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails me.

¹⁴Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; *O Lord, make haste to help me.

¹⁵Let them be ashamed and altogether dismayed who seek after my life to destroy it; *let them draw back and be disgraced who take pleasure in my misfortune.

¹⁶Let those who say “Aha!” and gloat over me be confounded, *because they are ashamed.

¹⁷Let all who seek you rejoice in you and be glad; *let those who love your salvation continually say, “Great is the Lord!”

¹⁸Though I am poor and afflicted, *the Lord will have regard for me.

¹⁹You are my helper and my deliverer; *do not tarry, O my God.

¹Save me, O God, by your Name; *in your might, defend my cause.

²Hear my prayer, O God; *give ear to the words of my mouth.

³For the arrogant have risen up against me, and the ruthless have sought my life, *those who have no regard for God.

⁴Behold, God is my helper; *it is the Lord who sustains my life.

⁵Render evil to those who spy on me; *in your faithfulness, destroy them.

⁶I will offer you a freewill sacrifice *and praise your Name, O Lord, for it is good.

⁷For you have rescued me from every trouble, *and my eye has seen the ruin of my foes.