Psalm 41

Common Metre (8,6,8,6)

Suggested Tunes:

(vv.1-3) 139 Tiverton, 107 St Bernard

(vv.4-9) 33 Belmont, 47 Culross

(vv.10-13) 118 St Leonard, 90 Morven

1    Blessed is he that wisely doth

            the poor man’s case consider;

      For when the time of trouble is,

            the Lord will him deliver.

2    God will him keep, yea, save alive;

            on earth he bless’d shall live;

      And to his enemies’ desire

            thou wilt him not up give.

3    God will give strength when he on bed

            of languishing doth mourn;

      And in his sickness sore, O Lord,

            thou all his bed wilt turn.

4    I said, O Lord, do thou extend

            thy mercy unto me;

      O do thou heal my soul; for why?

            I have offended thee.

5    Those that to me are enemies,

            of me do evil say,

      When shall he die, that so his name

            may perish quite away?

6    To see me if he comes, he speaks

            vain words: but then his heart

      Heaps mischief to it, which he tells,

            when forth he doth depart.

7    My haters jointly whispering,

            ’gainst me my hurt devise.

8    Mischief, say they, cleaves fast to him;

            he li’th, and shall not rise.

9    Yea, ev’n mine own familiar friend,

            on whom I did rely,

      Who ate my bread, ev’n he his heel

            against me lifted high.

10  But, Lord, be merciful to me,

            and up again me raise,

      That I may justly them requite

            according to their ways.

11  By this I know that certainly

            I favour’d am by thee;

      Because my hateful enemy

            triumphs not over me.

12  But as for me, thou me uphold’st

            in mine integrity;

      And me before thy countenance

            thou sett’st continually.

13  The Lord, the God of Israel,

            be bless’d for ever then,

      From age to age eternally.

            Amen, yea, and amen.