Hear my | prayer, O God,

* and hide not thy- | -self from my petition.

2 Take heed unto | me, and hear me,

* how I mourn in my | prayer, and am vexed;

3 The enemy crieth so, and the ungodly cometh | on so fast;

* for they are minded to do me some mischief, so maliciously | are they set against me.

4 My heart is disquiet- | -ed within me,

* and the fear of | death is •fallen• upon me.

5 Fearfulness and trembling are | come upon me,

* and an horrible | dread hath overwhelmed me.

6 And I said, O that I had wings | like a dove!

* for then would I flee a- | -way, and be at rest.

7 Lo, then would I get me a- | -way far off,

* and re- | -main in the wilderness.

8 I would make haste | to escape,

* because of the | stormy wind and tempest.

9 Destroy their tongues, O Lord, | and divide them;

* for I have spied unrighteousness and | strife in the city.

10 Day and night they go about within the | walls thereof:

* mischief also and sorrow are | in the midst of it.

11 Wickedness | is therein;

* deceit and guile | go not •out of• her streets.

12 For it is not an open enemy that hath done me | this dishonour;

* for | then I could have borne it;

13 Neither was it mine adversary that did magnify him- | -self against me;

* for then peradventure I would have | hid myself from him;

14 But it was even thou, | my companion,

* my guide, and mine | own familiar friend.

15 We took sweet | counsel• together,

* and walked in the | house of God as friends.

16 Let death come hastily upon them, and let them go down alive | into• the pit;

* for wickedness is in their | dwellings, and among them.

17 As for me, I will | call up•on God,

* and the | LORD shall save me.

18 In the evening, and morning, and at noon-day will I pray, and | that instantly;

* and | he shall hear my voice.

19 It is he that hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that | was against me;

* for there were | many that strove with me.

20 Yea, even God, that endureth for ever, shall hear me, and | bring them down;

* for they will not | turn, nor fear God.

21 He laid his hands upon such as be at | peace with him,

* and he | brake his covenant.

22 The words of his mouth were softer than butter, having war | in his heart;

* his words were smoother than oil, and yet | be they very swords.

23 O cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall | nourish thee,

* and shall not suffer the | righteous• to fall for ever.

24 And | as for them,

* thou, O God, shalt bring them into the | pit of destruction.

25 The blood-thirsty and deceitful men shall not live out | half their days:

* nevertheless, my trust shall | be in thee, O Lord.

Glory be to the Father, and | to the Son,

* and | to the Holy Ghost,

As it was in the beginning, is now, and | ever shall be,

* world without | end.  Amen.