Book of Common Prayer

⁶ I hate those who cling to worthless idols;^(M)
    as for me, I trust in the Lord.^(N)
7 I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
    for you saw my affliction^(O)
    and knew the anguish^(P) of my soul.
⁸ You have not given me into the hands^(Q) of the enemy
    but have set my feet in a spacious place.^(R)

⁹ Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress;^(S)
    my eyes grow weak with sorrow,^(T)
    my soul and body^(U) with grief.
¹⁰ My life is consumed by anguish^(V)
    and my years by groaning;^(W)
my strength fails^(X) because of my affliction,^[b](Y)
    and my bones grow weak.^(Z)
11 Because of all my enemies,^(AA)
    I am the utter contempt^(AB) of my neighbors^(AC)
and an object of dread to my closest friends—
    those who see me on the street flee from me.
¹² I am forgotten as though I were dead;^(AD)
    I have become like broken pottery.
¹³ For I hear many whispering,^(AE)
    “Terror on every side!”^(AF)
They conspire against me^(AG)
    and plot to take my life.^(AH)

¹⁴ But I trust^(AI) in you, Lord;
    I say, “You are my God.”
¹⁵ My times^(AJ) are in your hands;
    deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
    from those who pursue me.
¹⁶ Let your face shine^(AK) on your servant;
    save me in your unfailing love.^(AL)
17 Let me not be put to shame,^(AM) Lord,
    for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
    and be silent^(AN) in the realm of the dead.
¹⁸ Let their lying lips^(AO) be silenced,
    for with pride and contempt
    they speak arrogantly^(AP) against the righteous.

¹⁹ How abundant are the good things^(AQ)
    that you have stored up for those who fear you,
that you bestow in the sight of all,^(AR)
    on those who take refuge^(AS) in you.
²⁰ In the shelter^(AT) of your presence you hide^(AU) them
    from all human intrigues;^(AV)
you keep them safe in your dwelling
    from accusing tongues.

²¹ Praise be to the Lord,^(AW)
    for he showed me the wonders of his love^(AX)
    when I was in a city under siege.^(AY)
22 In my alarm^(AZ) I said,
    “I am cut off^(BA) from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cry^(BB) for mercy
    when I called to you for help.

²³ Love the Lord, all his faithful people!^(BC)
    The Lord preserves those who are true to him,^(BD)
    but the proud he pays back^(BE) in full.
²⁴ Be strong and take heart,^(BF)
    all you who hope in the Lord.

⁴ May those who seek my life^(I)
    be disgraced^(J) and put to shame;^(K)
may those who plot my ruin
    be turned back^(L) in dismay.
⁵ May they be like chaff^(M) before the wind,
    with the angel of the Lord^(N) driving them away;
⁶ may their path be dark and slippery,
    with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

⁷ Since they hid their net^(O) for me without cause^(P)
    and without cause dug a pit^(Q) for me,
⁸ may ruin overtake them by surprise—^(R)
    may the net they hid entangle them,
    may they fall into the pit,^(S) to their ruin.
⁹ Then my soul will rejoice^(T) in the Lord
    and delight in his salvation.^(U)
10 My whole being will exclaim,
    “Who is like you,^(V) Lord?
You rescue the poor from those too strong^(W) for them,
    the poor and needy^(X) from those who rob them.”

¹¹ Ruthless witnesses^(Y) come forward;
    they question me on things I know nothing about.
¹² They repay me evil for good^(Z)
    and leave me like one bereaved.
¹³ Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth^(AA)
    and humbled myself with fasting.^(AB)
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
¹⁴     I went about mourning^(AC)
    as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
    as though weeping for my mother.
¹⁵ But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;^(AD)
    assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
    They slandered^(AE) me without ceasing.
¹⁶ Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;^[b](AF)
    they gnashed their teeth^(AG) at me.

¹⁷ How long,^(AH) Lord, will you look on?
    Rescue me from their ravages,
    my precious life^(AI) from these lions.^(AJ)
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly;^(AK)
    among the throngs^(AL) I will praise you.^(AM)
19 Do not let those gloat over me
    who are my enemies^(AN) without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason^(AO)
    maliciously wink the eye.^(AP)
20 They do not speak peaceably,
    but devise false accusations^(AQ)
    against those who live quietly in the land.
²¹ They sneer^(AR) at me and say, “Aha! Aha!^(AS)
    With our own eyes we have seen it.”

²² Lord, you have seen^(AT) this; do not be silent.
    Do not be far^(AU) from me, Lord.
²³ Awake,^(AV) and rise^(AW) to my defense!
    Contend^(AX) for me, my God and Lord.
²⁴ Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God;
    do not let them gloat^(AY) over me.
²⁵ Do not let them think, “Aha,^(AZ) just what we wanted!”
    or say, “We have swallowed him up.”^(BA)

²⁶ May all who gloat^(BB) over my distress^(BC)
    be put to shame^(BD) and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me^(BE)
    be clothed with shame and disgrace.
²⁷ May those who delight in my vindication^(BF)
    shout for joy^(BG) and gladness;
may they always say, “The Lord be exalted,
    who delights^(BH) in the well-being of his servant.”^(BI)

²⁸ My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,^(BJ)
    your praises all day long.^(BK)