Bless the Lord, all his hosts,

You servants who do his will,

Bless the Lord, all his works,

In every place where he rules,
Bless the Lord, O my soul.

275. GOD'S INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF MEN

O Lord, thou searchest and knowest me,
Whether I sit or stand, thou knowest,

Thou readest my thought afar off,

When I walk or lie down thou determinedst it.

Thou knowest all my ways.

There is not a word on my tongue

That thou, O Lord, dost not know!
Behind and before thou enfoldest me,
Over me thou dost lay thy hand.
Such knowledge for me is too wonderful!
Too high, I cannot attain it.

Where shall I go from thy spirit,
Where shall I flee from thy presence?
If I climb into heaven, thou art there,
If I lie down in the grave, thou art there.

Should I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell on the most distant sea,
Even there thy hand would grasp me,
Thy right hand would hold me fast.

If I say, "The darkness will hide me,
And the night throw its curtain about me,'
Even darkness for thee is not dark,
But the night shines clear as the day.

Thou didst form my vital parts,
Thou didst knit me in the womb,

I thank thee, for I am wonderfully made;
Fearful and wonderful are thy works.

Thou knowest me right well,

My frame was not hid from thee
When I was made in secret,

And formed in the depths of the womb.

Thine eyes did see me while yet unformed,
And in thy book were inscribed

All the days that were preordained for me,
When as yet there were none of them.

How precious to me are thy thoughts, O God!

How great is the sum of them all!

Should I count them, they would be more than the

sand;

When I awake I am still with thee.

Search me, O God, and know my heart,
Try me, and know my secret thoughts,
And see if I have any evil in me,

And lead me in the way to eternal life.

276.

CONFIDENCE OF GOD'S FORGIVING LOVE

Out of the depths have I cried to thee, O Lord; hear my voice,

O Lord, let thine ear be attentive to the sound of my supplication.

If thou shouldst keep a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?

But with thee there is forgiveness, that thou mayest be revered.

I wait for the Lord, I wait, and in his promise I hope, I wait for the Lord more than the watchmen wait for the morning.

Let Israel wait for the Lord, for he is merciful and able

to deliver,

And he will deliver the people of Israel from all their sins.

277.

LONGINGS THAT GOD ALONE CAN SATISFY

As a hart longs for the water brooks,

So my soul longs for thee, O God,

My soul thirsts for the Lord, the living God.
When shall I come and worship him in his temple?
My tears are my food by day and by night,
While men continually say to me, 'Where is your God?'

I remember well-and my heart sinks within meHow I marched at the head of the throng to God's house, With the joyous shouts and praise of a festal throng.

Why are you cast down, O my soul,

And why do you moan within me?

Wait for God, for I shall yet praise him,

Who is my God and my Savior!

My soul is cast down within me, so I remember thee, From the land of the Jordan and Hermon and Mount

Mizar.

Deep calls to deep in the roar of thy cataracts;

Thy breakers and thy billows have all passed over me. I say to God, my Rock, 'Why hast thou forgotten me? Why go I mourning, oppressed by my foe,

While the taunts of my enemies pierce me to the heart, While they continually say to me, "Where is your God?""

Why are you cast down, O my soul,
And why do you moan within me?
Wait for God, for I shall yet praise him,
Who is my Savior and my God!

Judge me and plead my cause against a merciless people; From the deceitful and wicked man, O God, deliver me, For why, O God of my refuge, hast thou rejected me? Why must I go about mourning oppressed by my foe? O send forth thy light and thy truth; let them be my guides,

Let them bring me to thy holy mount, to the place where thou dwellest;

I will go to God's altar, to the God who is my joy,
And with joy will I praise thee on the lyre, O God, my
God.

Why are you cast down, O my soul,
And why do you moan within me?
Wait for God, for I shall yet praise him,
Who is my Savior and my God.

278. FAITH IN GOD'S PROTECTION

To thee, O God, I lift up my soul,

All the day long do I wait for thee.

I trust in thee, O God, let me not be ashamed;

Let not my enemies exult over me,

And let none who hope in thee be ashamed;

But let wanton traitors be disgraced.

Show me thy ways, O Lord,

Teach me thy way to live.

Lead me in thy truth and teach me,
For thou art the God who saves me,
And in thee do I hope continually.

Remember thy tender mercies, O Lord,
And thy loving deeds, for they are eternal.
Do not recall the sins of my youth,
But in thy love remember thou me,
Because of thy goodness, O Lord.

Good and upright is the Lord,
So he teaches sinners the way,
He guides the humble aright,
And teaches the meek his way,
All his rules are loving and true,

To those who follow his law and precepts.
For thy name's sake, O Lord,

Pardon my guilt, for it is great.

Who is the man that reveres the Lord?
He will teach him the way to choose.
That man shall continue to prosper,
And his children inherit the land.

He is friendly with those who revere him,
And with his covenant he makes them acquainted.

My eyes are ever turned toward the Lord,

For he delivers my feet from the net.

Turn to me and be gracious,

For I am alone and afflicted;
Relieve the troubles of my heart,
And deliver me from my distresses;
Look on my affliction and trouble,
And pardon all my sins.

Consider my foes, for they are many,
And they hate me with violent hatred;
Oh save my life and deliver me,

Let me not be ashamed, for I trust thee.
Let innocence and uprightness preserve me,
For I wait for thee, O Lord.

279. GOD THE UNFAILING REFUGE

God is our refuge and strength,
An ever-present help in trouble.

So we fear not, though the earth trembles,

And mountains totter into the heart of the sea;