Benign O hear me; save me, gracious God

Verse 1

Benign O hear me; save me, gracious God; Sinks my sad soul in grief's o'erwhelming flood;

Verse 2

In the deep mire my feet unfirmly tread; The threat'ning billows compass round my head;

Verse 3

My sapless jaws are shrunk with constant cries; Deny their wonted aid my weaken'd eyes;

Verse 4

Far more in number than my countless hair, The foes that bear me ceaseless hatred, are; Each day in number still these foes increase, And on my rights with ravenous hand they seize.

Verse 5

Thou know'st, O Lord, my innocence of heart; A witness to my guileless soul thou art;

Verse 6

Let not my woes affect the good with shame, Who know I'm wretched, 'cause I love thy name.

Verse 7

For thee I've borne this mis'ry, this disgrace, For thee dishonour overspreads my face.

Verse 8

My brothers shun me, and my presence fly My mother's sons, as if an alien I.

Verse 9

With zeal I burn, to see thy hallow'd house Profan'd, to hear despis'd the solemn vows: From their vile mouths the blasphemies that fall, With bitt'rest anguish wring my tortur'd soul.

Verse 10

I weep, I fail, or feed upon my tears, While they, insulting, mock my pious cares;

Verse 11

In humbling sackcloth when my limbs are clad, A tale, a proverb, and a jest, I'm made:

Verse 12

The beggars at the gate my mis'ries flout, And I'm the sing-song of the drunken rout.

Verse 13

But tho' thro' grief I feel a strong decay, Thee still, dread father, will I make my stay; I'll on thy justice, on thy love depend, For thou art ever to the good a friend.

Verse 14

O free me, free me, from this miry clay; O chace my causeless, cruel foes away;

Verse 15

My soul, from sinking in the waters, keep; O save me from the horrors of the deep.

Verse 16

Hear me, my God; thy mercy's still the same, And in that mercy I protection claim.

Verse 17

On thee relying, I to thee have pray'd, Turn not thy face, but grant a timely aid:

Verse 18

Propitious come; redeem my sinking soul; The horrid counsels of my foes controul.

Verse 19

Thou know'st, O God, the infamy, the shame, From them I've suffer'd, 'cause I love thy name:

Verse 20

Griev'd my pain'd heart; yet none wou'd share my grief, No friend consol'd me, or wou'd give relief.

Verse 21

For food I ask'd; they mix'd with gall my meat; For drink, and aconite they 'fore me set;

Verse 22

O be their tables to themselves a snare; O turn their plans for peace to fatal war,

Verse 23

Darken their eyes, that they no longer see; Weak be their loins; their bodies languid be:

Verse 24

On them the fury of thine anger pour; Bear they thy vengeance, till they breathe no more;

Verse 25

Their homes with no inhabitant be blest, And in their tents let rav'ning bestials rest;

Verse 26

For they've insulted those who feel thy wrath; And with their taunts have wounded, worse than death;

Verse 27

Crime let them add to crime, that they mayn't know The blest effects that from thy mercy flow:

Verse 28

Their impious names let not life's volumes hold; And with the righteous be they not enroll'd.

Verse 29

But poor, afflicted, indigent am I; Raise me, O God, and set me safe on high;

Verse 30

Then I in honour of thy name will sing, And to thy glory fit the trembling string.

Verse 31

More grateful this, than if th' attoning blood Of horned victim on thy altar flow'd.

Verse 32

This shall the humble see with pious joy, And in glad praise their faithful hearts employ.

Verse 33

For hears the Lord the poor; he'll not despise His pray'r, who for his name in bondage sighs.

Verse 34

Praise him, O earth and seas and heav'ns above And all in earth, in sea, in air, that move; Sion he'll save, and Judah cities build So strong, that not to force, to time, they'll yield;

Verse 35

Her fertile lands his people shall enjoy, And leave them to their off-spring when they die; Their off-spring, who, like them, shall long possess, While him they serve, their rich domains in peace.