Prayer in Time of Chastening
A Psalm of David.
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To bring to remembrance.
1 OLord, do notrebuke me in Your wrath,
Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure!
2 For Your arrows pierce me deeply,
And Your hand presses me down.
3 Thereisno soundness in my flesh
Because of Your anger,
Noranyhealth in my bones
Because of my sin.
4 For my iniquities have gone over my head;
Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
5 My wounds are foulandfestering
Because of my foolishness.
6 I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly;
I go mourning all the day long.
7 For my loins are full of inflammation,
Andthereisno soundness in my flesh.
8 I am feeble and severely broken;
I groan because of the turmoil of my heart.
9 Lord, all my desireisbefore You;
And my sighing is not hidden from You.
10 My heart pants, my strength fails me;
As for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me.
11 My loved ones and my friendsstand aloof from my plague,
And my relatives stand afar off.
12 Those also who seek my life lay snaresforme;
Those who seek my hurt speak of destruction,
And plan deception all the day long.
13 But I, like a deafman,do not hear;
AndIamlike a mutewhodoes not open his mouth.
14 Thus I am like a man who does not hear,
And in whose mouthisno response.
15 For in You, OLord,I hope;
You will hear, O Lord my God.
16 For I said,“Hear me,lest they rejoice over me,
Lest, when my foot slips, they exaltthemselvesagainst me.”
17 For Iamready to fall,
And my sorrowiscontinually before me.
18 For I willdeclare my iniquity;
# I will bein anguish over my sin.
19 But my enemiesarevigorous,andthey are strong;
And those who hate me wrongfully have multiplied.
20 Those alsowho render evil for good,
They are my adversaries, because I followwhatisgood.
21 Do not forsake me, OLord;
# O my God,be not far from me!
22 Make haste to help me,
O Lord, my salvation!