14 Lord, why abhorrest thou my soul: and hidest thou thy face from me?

15 I am in misery, and like unto him that is at the point to die: even from my youth up thy terrors have I suffered with a troubled mind.

16 Thy wrathful displeasure goeth over me: and the fear of thee hath undone me.

17 They came round about me daily like water: and compa.s.sed me together on every side.

18 My lovers and friends hast thou put away from me: and hid mine acquaintance out of my sight.

DAY 17 EVENING PRAYER

PSALM 89. _Misericordias Domini_.

My song shall be alway of the loving-kindness of the Lord: with my mouth will I ever be shewing thy truth from one generation to another.

2 For I have said, Mercy shall be set up for ever: thy truth shalt thou stablish in the heavens.

3 I have made a covenant with my chosen: I have sworn unto David my servant;

4 Thy seed will I stablish for ever: and set up thy throne from one generation to another.

5 O Lord, the very heavens shall praise thy wondrous works: and thy truth in the congregation of the saints.

6 For who is he among the clouds: that shall be compared unto the Lord?

7 And what is he among the G.o.ds: that shall be like unto the Lord?

8 G.o.d is very greatly to be feared in the council of the saints: and to be had in reverence of all them that are round about him.

9 O Lord G.o.d of hosts, who is like unto thee: thy truth, most mighty Lord, is on every side.

10 Thou rulest the raging of the sea: thou stillest the waves thereof when they arise.

11 Thou hast subdued Egypt, and destroyed it: thou hast scattered thine enemies abroad with thy mighty arm.

12 The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: thou hast laid the foundation of the round world, and all that therein is.

13 Thou hast made the north and the south: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy Name.

14 Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.

15 Righteousness and equity are the habitation of thy seat: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.

16 Blessed is the people, O Lord, that can rejoice in thee: they shall walk in the light of thy countenance.

17 Their delight shall be daily in thy Name: and in thy righteousness shall they make their boast.

18 For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy loving-kindness thou shalt lift up our horns.

19 For the Lord is our defence: the Holy One of Israel is our King.

20 Thou spakest sometime in visions unto thy saints, and saidst: I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.

21 I have found David my servant: with my holy oil have I anointed him.

22 My hand shall hold him fast: and my arm shall strengthen him.

23 The enemy shall not be able to do him violence: the son of wickedness shall not hurt him.

24 I will smite down his foes before his face: and plague them that hate him.

25 My truth also and my mercy shall be with him: and in my Name shall his horn be exalted.

26 I will set his dominion also in the sea: and his right hand in the floods.

27 He shall call me, Thou art my Father: my G.o.d, and my strong salvation.

28 And I will make him my first-born: higher than the kings of the earth.

29 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore: and my covenant shall stand fast with him.

30 His seed also will I make to endure for ever: and his throne as the days of heaven.

31 But if his children forsake my law: and walk not in my judgements;

32 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments: I will visit their offences with the rod, and their sin with scourges.

33 Nevertheless, my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him: nor suffer my truth to fail.

34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips: I have sworn once by my holiness, that I will not fail David.

35 His seed shall endure for ever: and his seat is like as the sun before me.

36 He shall stand fast for evermore as the moon: and as the faithful witness in heaven.

37 But thou hast abhorred and forsaken thine Anointed: and art displeased at him.

38 Thou hast broken the covenant of thy servant: and cast his crown to the ground.

39 Thou hast overthrown all his hedges: and broken down his strong holds.

40 All they that go by spoil him: and he is become a reproach to his neighbours.

41 Thou hast set up the right hand of his enemies: and made all his adversaries to rejoice.

42 Thou hast taken away the edge of his sword: and givest him not victory in the battle.

43 Thou hast put out his glory: and cast his throne down to the ground.