Psalm 55 (Tate & Brady)

1 Give ear, thou Judge of all the earth,

and listen when I pray;

Nor from thy humble suppliant turn

thy glorious face away.

2 Attend to this my sad complaint,

and hear my grievous moans;

Whilst I my mournful case declare

with artless sighs and groans.

3 Hark, how the foe insults aloud!

how fierce oppressors rage!

Whose sland'rous tongues, with wrathful hate,

against my fame engage.

4,5 My heart is racked with pain, my soul

with deadly frights distressed;

With fear and trembling compassed round,

with horror quite oppressed.

6 How often wished I then, that I

the dove's swift wings could get;

That I might take my speedy flight,

and seek a safe retreat.

7,8 Then would I wander far from hence,

and in wild deserts stray,

Till all this furious storm were spent,

this tempest past away.

The Second Part.

9 Destroy, O Lord, their ill designs,

their counsels soon divide;

For through the city my grieved eyes

have strife and rapine spied.

10 By day and night on ev'ry wall

they walked their constant round;

And in the midst of all her strength

are grief and mischief found.

11 Whoe'er through ev'ry part shall roam,

with fresh disorders meet;

Deceit and guile their constant posts

maintain in ev'ry street.

12 For 'twas not any open foe

that false reflections made;

For then I could with ease have borne

the bitter things he said:

'Twas none who hatred had professed,

that did against me rise;

For then I had withdrawn myself

from his malicious eyes.

13,14 But 'twas e'en thou, my guide, my friend,

whom tend'rest love did join;

Whose sweet advice I valued most,

whose pray'rs were mixed with mine.

15 Sure vengeance, equal to their crimes,

such traitors must surprise:

And sudden death requite those ills,

they wickedly devise.

16,17 But I will call on God, who still

shall in my aid appear;

At morn, at noon, at night I'll pray,

and he my voice shall hear.

The Third Part.

18 God has released my soul from those

that did with me contend;

And made a num'rous host of friends

my righteous cause defend.

19 For he, who was my help of old,

shall now his suppliant hear;

And punish them, whose prosp'rous state

makes them no God to fear.

20 Whom can I trust, if faithless men

perfidiously devise

To ruin me, their peaceful friend,

and break the strongest ties!

21 Though soft and melting are their words,

their hearts with war abound;

Their speeches are more smooth than oil,

and yet like swords they wound.

22 Do thou, my soul, on God depend,

and he shall thee sustain;

He aids the just, whom to supplant

the wicked strive in vain.

23 My foes, that trade in lies and blood,

shall all untimely die;

Whilst I for health and length of days

on thee, my God, rely.