Psalm 69, Part 1

Save me, O God! my griefs abound.
Temptation's waves enclose me round.
And seas of trouble roll;
Sunk in the deepest mire of sin,
Floods of iniquity pour in
And deluge all my soul.

Spent with my own complaints and cries.
With pain I lift my weary eyes.
Which fail with looking up;
Cleaves to the roof my speechless tongue.
Or hardly asks my God, " How long
Dost Thou defer my hope?"

My foes are strong and numberless.
Who wrongfully my soul oppress;
Thou, Lord, their malice see
Thee have I wrong'd, and Thee alone,
My follies, which with shame I own,
My sins, are known to Thee.

But let not them that seek Thy face
Be sharers in my foul disgrace, —
For IsracPs sake I pray!
Thou Lord of Hosts, Thou God of love,
My fears and dire reproach remove,
Nor let me fall away!

For IsraePs sake the sinner spare;
(I ask in agony of prayer!)
O never let it be
That those who wait to know Thy name
Should stumble at my guilty shame.
Or stand abash'd for me.

Me, Lord, Thou didst begin to turn,
I surely Thy reproach have borne.
Thy people's portion chose;
Stranger to my own flesh I was
Despised and liated for Thy cause,
By my own household-foes.