O Lord, to Thee I call aloud

Verse 1

O LORD, to Thee I call aloud! O make Thou haste to me, And hearken to my earnest voice, Now while I cry to Thee!

Verse 2

O let my pray'r before thy face as fragrant incense rise; The lifting of my hands accept as ev'ning sacrifice.

Verse 3

O let a constant watch before my hasty mouth, O LORD; And of my lips keep Thou the door. against each evil word.

Verse 4

Let not my heart incline to ill; nor let me ever share With evil men in evil deeds; nor on their dainties fare.

Verse 5

Me, let the righteous kindly smite, and that I'll kindly take; Their just reproofs shall fail so soft, my head they shall not break. But as an oil of great esteem, I shall it highly prize; And in requital pray for them in their calamities.

Verse 6

And when by judges they shall be in stony places cast; My kind words they shall hear, and they shall sweet be to their taste.

Verse 7

About the grave's wide open mouth, our bones are scatter'd round, As wood which hewers cut and cleave, lies scatter'd on the ground.

Verse 8

But O JEHOVAH, Lord, to Thee directed are mine eyes: My soul, O leave not destitute, On thee my hope relies.

Verse 9

O keep me from the hands of those who snares have laid for me; And from the secret nets of those who work iniquity.

Verse 10

Into the nets which they have set shall the ungodly fall; While I, for whom they were prepar'd, pass and escape them all.