xiii

Counsels of Sorrow

How long, O LORD, wilt thou forget me for ever?

How long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart all the day?

How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and answer me, O LORD my God:

Lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him;
Lest mine adversaries rejoice when I am moved.

But I have trusted in thy mercy;

My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation :
I will sing unto the LORD,

Because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

xiv

Judgment of a Corrupt World

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.
They are corrupt, they have done abominable works;
There is none that doeth good.

The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children

of men,

To see if there were any that did understand,

That did seek after God.

They are all gone aside; they are together become filthy; There is none that doeth good,

No, not one.

"Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge,

"Who eat up my people as they eat bread,

"And call not upon the LORD?"

There were they in great fear, for God is in the generation

of the righteous.

Ye put to shame the counsel of the poor,

But the LORD is his refuge.

Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Then shall Jacob rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

25

XV

The Consecrated Life

LORD, who shall sojourn in thy tabernacle?

Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

He that walketh uprightly,
And worketh righteousness,

And speaketh truth in his heart.

He that slandereth not with his tongue,

Nor doeth evil to his friend,

Nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.

In whose eyes a reprobate is despised;

But he honoureth them that fear the LORD.

He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
He that putteth not out his money to usury,
Nor taketh reward against the innocent.

He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

26

xvi

A Song of Personal Consecration

Preserve me, O God:

For in thee do I put my trust.

I have said unto the LORD, 'Thou art my Lord,

'I have no good beyond thee:'

Unto the saints that are in the earth,

'They are the excellent in whom is all my delight.' Their sorrows shall be multiplied that exchange the LORD for another god:

Their drink offerings of blood will I not offer,

Nor take their names upon my lips.

The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup:
Thou maintainest my lot.

The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places;
Yea, I have a goodly heritage.

I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel:
Yea, my reins instruct me in the night seasons.

I have set the LORD always before me:

Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: My flesh also shall dwell in safety.

For thou wilt not leave my soul to Sheol;

Neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corrup

tion.

Thou wilt shew me the path of life:

In thy presence is fulness of joy;

In thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

xvii

A Prayer for the Vindication of the Righteous

Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry;

Give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips. Let my sentence come forth from thy presence;

Let thine eyes look upon equity.

Thou hast proved mine heart;

Thou hast visited me in the night;

Thou hast tried me, and findest nothing;

I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

As for the works of men, by the word of thy lips
I have kept me from the ways of the violent.

My steps have held fast to thy paths,

My feet have not slipped.