Chapter 85

Turn thy ear, Lord, and listen to me in my helplessness and my need.

Protect a life dedicated to thyself; rescue a servant of thine that puts his trust in thee.

In thee, my own God; have mercy, O Lord, for mercy I plead continually;

comfort thy servant’s heart, this heart that aspires, Lord, to thee.

Who is so kind and forgiving, Lord, as thou art, who so rich in mercy to all who invoke him?

Give a hearing, then, Lord, to my prayer; listen to my plea

when I cry out to thee in a time of sore distress, counting on thy audience.

There is none like thee, Lord, among the gods; none can do as thou doest.

Lord, all the nations thou hast made must needs come and worship thee, honouring thy name,

so great thou art, so marvellous in thy doings, thou who alone art God.

Guide me, Lord, thy own way, thy faithful care my escort; be all my heart’s direction reverence for thy name.

O Lord my God, with all my heart I will praise thee, eternally hold thy name in honour

for the greatness of the mercy thou hast shewed me, in rescuing me thus from the lowest depths of hell.

And now, O God, see how scornful foes have set upon me, how their dread conspiracy threatens my life, with no thought of thee to restrain it!

But thou, Lord, art a Lord of mercy and pity, patient, full of compassion, true to thy promise.

Look upon me and be merciful to me; rescue, with thy sovereign aid, one whose mother bore him to thy service!

Shew me some token of thy favour; let my enemies see, abashed, how thou, Lord, dost help me, how thou, Lord, dost comfort me.