Psalm 18b

St Denio

The faithful they see that you’re faithful that’s sure,
The blameless your blameless, of that their assured,
The pure know that to them you show yourself pure,
But crooked men see that with them you are shrewd.

The humble you save but the haughty-eyed fall.
Lord, you keep my lamp bright; my God makes dark light.
With help from my God I can scale any wall
With your help I can, Lord, against a troop fight.

As for God, his way's right; not flawed, the Lord's Word.
A shield he for all, he's their refuge from harm.
Who's God but the Lord? Who's the Rock but our God?
God makes my way perfect, with strength he'll me arm.

He makes my feet firm like those of a gazelle;
Enabling me unmoved to stand on a height.
A bronze bow my strong arms can bend very well,
My hands he trains well and prepares them to fight.

You give me your shield, your shield of victory,
Your right hand sustains me; you stoop, I'm made great.
You broaden the path that is underneath me,
So that I don’t suffer a sprain to my feet.

My foes I pursued and I overtook them;
I did not turn back till they fell in defeat.
I crushed them so that they could not rise again;
All of them fell prostrate, fell under my feet.

You armed me with strength in the battle to fight;
You made my adversaries bow at my feet.
You made all my rivals turn their backs in flight,
And all my opponents I brought to defeat.

They cried out for help, but none saves them or sees –
They cried to the Lord, but no answer he gave.
I beat them as fine as the dust on the breeze;
I poured them like mud in the streets wave on wave.

Though people attacked, you have now set me free;
I’m set over nations as head by your hands;
Those I did not know are now subject to me.
As soon as they hear me, they meet my demands.

These foreigners cringe and before me they cry,
All trembling from strongholds, no heart left, they flee,
The Lord lives! Praise my Rock! Lift my Saviour high!
He is the God who has come to avenge me.

He subdues the nations, puts them under me,
And he rescues and saves from each enemy.
Above all my foes you have exalted me
And from violent men you have set me free.

So you among nations all, O Lord, I’ll praise;
Your name I sing. He gives his king great success;
Unfailing the love that to the Christ he shows,
To David and his sons for all of their days.

Psalm 18a

St Denio

I love you, O Lord, you’re my strength. Yes, O Lord,
You’re my Rock, my fortress, my saviour revealed;
My God is my rock, who will refuge afford.
My horn of salvation, my stronghold, my shield.

The Lord who is worthy of praise, him I call,
I’m saved from my foes, though death’s cords wrapped me round;
The torrents of ruin have been my downfall.
The grave cords coiled round me; by death’s snares fast bound.

Distressed how I called out, called out to the Lord;
I cried to my God and I asked him for aid.
From out of his temple, my voice he has heard;
My cry came before him, to his ears relayed.

Earth trembled and quaked and the mountains' depths moved;
They trembled because in his anger he came.
Smoke rose from his nostrils; his mouth it expelled
Fierce fire that consumes and hot coals all aflame.

He parted the heavens and he came right down;
Dark clouds his feet under. On cherubs he flies;
He soars on the wind’s wings, makes darkness his gown,
His canopy round him - dark clouds in the skies.

From out of the brightness of where he was went
Clouds, lightning and hail. The Lord thundered from heav’n;
The voice of the Most High resounding. He sent
His darts scatt'ring foes; by great bolts overthrown.

Exposed then were valleys hid deep in the sea,
The earth’s own foundations were all laid quite bare.
O Lord, at your censure these things came to be
The blast from your nostrils, of breath, on them there.

From on high he reached down and took hold of me;
Up out of the waters so deep he drew me.
From my foe so pow'rful he's now set me free,
From one so much stronger, my adversary.

In days of disaster, we came face to face.
The Lord, though, was near me to be my support
And he brought me out into a spacious place;
He saved me because I was his great delight.

What my righteous deeds earned, the Lord gave to me;
Because of my clean hands he gave me reward.
For I've kept the ways of the Lord faithfully;
I have not done evil, not turned from my God.

Not turned from your precepts, all his laws I see.
From sin I've held back; before him done what's right.
In line with my righteousness the Lord blessed me,
In line with how clean were my hands in his sight.

Psalm 17

CM

O Lord, come hear my righteous plea;
Come listen to my cry.
Your ears to my prayer open be,
It’s not from lips that lie.

May vindication come from you;
May your eyes see what’s right.
You probe my heart, test if I'm true -
I am, though searched at night.

My mouth won’t sin I have resolved.
And as for what man does -
By your lips' word, I’m not involved
With violent people's ways.

My steps with your paths correspond;
And my feet do not err.
On you I call, God, you’ll respond;
Give ear and hear my prayer.

The wonder of your love show me,
Who’s right hand will set free
Those who to you for refuge flee
From ev’ry enemy.

Keep me the apple of your eye;
In your wings’ shadow hide
From wicked men who villify,
Dire foes from every side.

Their mouths with arrogance abound,
Their callous hearts close fast.
They’ve tracked me down, they now surround,
Alert, me down to cast.

They’re like a li’n hungry for prey,
A great li'n crouching low.
Rise up, O Lord, confront, waylay;
From sinners may I go.

O Lord, from such save by your sword,
O by your hand save me,
From men of this world whose reward
Is in this life only.

The hunger you bring to an end
Of all your cherished ones;
Their heirs have plenty; they extend
Their wealth to their own sons.

And I - in righteousness I’ll see
Your face; awake I'll be
And satisfied I then will be
Your likeness there to see.

Psalm 16

CM

Keep me unharmed, O God, because
In you I safely hide.
I told you ‘You're my Lord. The source
Of all I have that's good.’

As for the saints who’re in the land,
They're glorious – my delight.
The sorrows of those will expand
Who to false gods take flight.

To pour out blood to gods I'll not
Or speak their names, for sure.
Lord, you my cup and share allot,
You’ve made my lot secure.

My bound’ry lines fall pleasantly,
My heritage so bright.
I’ll praise the Lord, he counsels me,
My heart's taught too at night.

I have the Lord before me set,
Always at my right hand.
And so whatever may be yet,
Unshaken I will stand.

Therefore my heart it is so glad,
My tongue by joy possessed,
My body also is secured,
It will in safety rest.

Because you’ll not abandon me,
In death I will not stay,
Your Holy One you will keep free
From bodily decay.

The path of life to me you show,
With joy from you I’m filled.
Throughout eternity I’ll know
Good things from your right hand.

Psalm 15

CM

Lord, who may in your sanct’ry dwell?
Who on your holy hill?
The man who walks in all things well,
Who does your righteous will.

He speaks the truth out of his heart,
His tongue will not slander.
No ill to neighbours he’ll impart,
On others casts no slur.

And he a vile man will despise
But always honour those
Who fear the Lord. He keeps his oaths,
Though he may suffer woes.

He lends his money not for gain
And bribes will never take.
He who to such things can attain
No change will ever shake.

Psalm 14

CM (St Agnes [Dykes]?)

The fool, he speaks to his own heart,
He says “There is no God.”
Their deeds are vile, they are corrupt;
There's no-one who does good.

From heaven the Lord looks down and scans
The sons of men to see
If there is one who understands
Or seeks to God to flee.

They've turned aside, yes, everyone,
Corrupted they've become;
Those who do good – there now are none,
No, there's not even one.

Will evil doers never learn?
My people they've devoured,
As though they're bread. There's no concern,
They call not on the Lord.

There they are all in dread so great -
God's with his righteous ones.
Though sinners poor men’s plans frustrate -
The Lord their refuge comes.

From Zion may deliv’rance rise,
For Isra'l from the Lord!
Jacob be glad, Isra’l rejoice
When what is good’s restored.

Psalm 13

CM

How long, Lord, will I be forgot?
How long your face not see?
How long my thoughts churn, sad at heart,
How long my foe mock me?

Lord my God, look on me, answer,
Give light, from death save me;
"I've overcome" my foe will say,
Foes glad my fall to see.

But in your cov'nant love I trust;
Salvation glad to see.
Sing gladly to the Lord I must,
For he's been good to me.

Psalm 12

St Chrysostom

Help, Lord, the godly are no more;
The faithful from mankind take leave.
They all tell lies to their neighbour;
With flatt'ring lips they all deceive.
Lord, may you cut off lips that fawn,
Be every boastful tongue withdrawn.

They say, ‘We'll triumph by our cries;
We own our lips - who is our head?’
The Lord declares, ‘I’ll now arise,
Because the weak are so oppressed,
Because the needy ones all groan,
Them I’ll protect from spiteful men.’

Like silver smelted sevenfold,
The Lord's pure words contain no flaw.
O Lord, you will us safe uphold,
Protect us from them evermore.
The wicked freely strut round while
Men give esteem to what is vile.