286. THE SILENT PROTECTOR OF HIS PEOPLE

I lift up my eyes to the hills; from whence comes my help?

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and

earth.

He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you does not slumber;

Behold, he who keeps Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps!

The Lord is your protector; the Lord is your shade upon your right hand;

The sun shall not smite you by day nor the moon by night!

The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will preserve

your life;

The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in forevermore!

PRAYERS

287. A CRY FOR HELP IN MORTAL DISTRESS

Rebuke me not, Lord, in thine anger,

Nor chastise me in thy wrath.

Be gracious, Lord, for I am weak,
Heal me, for racked is my body,
And my spirit is completely broken.

And thou, O Lord-how much longer?
Turn, O Lord, and save me,

Save me because of thy love,

For in death no one remembers thee;
In the grave who can praise thee?

I am worn out by my groaning;
Every night I lament on my bed,
And drench my couch with my tears.
My eye is sunken with grief,
And dim because of my foes.

Depart from me, all evil-doers,
For the Lord has heard my weeping,
The Lord has heard my entreaty,
The Lord has accepted my prayer.

All my foes shall be put to shame,
They shall quickly turn back in disgrace.

288. AN EVENING PRAYER

Answer my cry, thou God who vindicatest me,
Who didst give me relief when I was in distress,
Be gracious to me now, and hear my prayer.

O men, how long shall my honor be defamed,

How long will you love falsehood, and seek lies?

But know that the Lord has shown me wonderful kind

ness,

The Lord hears my cry when I call to him.

Many say, 'O that he would give us prosperity,
Lift up the light of thy countenance on us.'
O Lord, thou hast put joy in my heart,

More joy than when there is much grain and wine.
In peace I lie down and slumber,

For thou, O Lord, makest me dwell alone in safety.

289. A PETITION FOR PROTECTION

O Lord, condescend to hear me,

Answer me, for I am poor and afflicted.
Preserve my life, for I am faithful,
Save thy servant who trusts in thee.
Thou art my God, be gracious to me,
For to thee do I call all the day.
Make glad the soul of thy servant,
Because for thee, O Lord, I am longing,
For thou, Lord, art kind and forgiving,
Full of love for all who call on thee.

Listen, O Lord, to my prayer,
And heed my supplication.
I call upon thee when in trouble,

For I know that thou wilt answer me.
None of the gods are like thee, O Lord,
And there are no works like thine.
All nations whom thou hast made
Shall come and bow down before thee,
And shall glorify thy name, O Lord,
For thou art great and doest wonders;
Thou art God alone.

Teach me thy way, O Lord,

That I may walk in thy truth;

Let my heart rejoice in revering thee.
I will thank thee with all my heart,
And will honor thy name forever,

For great is thy love toward me,

From the depths of the grave thou hast saved me.

O God, the scornful rise up against me,
And a mob of violent men seek my life,
And for thee they have no regard.

But thou art a God of mercy and goodness,
Patient and rich in love and faithfulness.

Turn unto me and be gracious, O Lord,
And grant thy strength to thy servant,
Save the son of one who served thee.
Show me a favorable sign,

That those who hate me may see with shame
That thou, O Lord, dost help and comfort me.

290. THE PRAYER OF THE SUPREME SUFFERER

My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me,
And art far from helping me when I implore thee?
I call by day, but thou dost not answer me,
And in the night I. find no rest.

Yet thou, O my God, art the Holy One,
Enthroned on Israel's songs of praise.
In thee did our fathers trust,

They trusted, and thou didst deliver them;
To thee they cried and escaped,

In thee they trusted and were not ashamed.

But I am a worm and no man,

Taunted by men and despised by the people.
Whoever sees me derides me,

They sneer and shake their head, saying: 'He depended upon Jehovah, let him save him, Let him rescue him, for he is pleased with him!'

But it was thou who tookest me from the womb,
Who madest me feel safe on my mother's breast;
On thee I was cast from birth,

Thou art my God from my mother's womb.
Be not far from me, for I am in distress,
Draw near, for there is no helper.

Many bulls surround me on all sides,
The strong bulls of Bashan encircle me,
They face me with gaping jaws,
Like lions roaring for prey.
I am poured out like water,
And all of my bones are loosened.
My heart has become like wax,
It is melted within my breast.

My throat is dry as a potsherd,
And my tongue cleaves to my jaws.
In the dust of death thou dost lay me,
For many dogs surround me.

A gang of knaves encircles me,
They gnaw my hands and my feet.

I can count all my bones,

While they look, they gloat over me;

They divide my garments among them,
And for my clothing cast lots.

Be not far off, O Lord,

O thou my strength, hasten to my help;
Deliver my life from the sword,

My only one from the claws of the dog.
Rescue me from the mouth of the lion,
From the horns of the wild oxen save me.