Psalm XL I waited meekly for the Lord ................... 'till he vouchsafed a kind reply; Who did his gracious ear afford .............. and heard from heav'n my humble cry. He took me from the dismal pit .............. when founder'd deep in miry clay; On solid ground he placed my feet .......... and suffered not my steps to stray. The wonders he for me has wrought ....... shall fill my mouth with songs of praise; And others, to his worship brought, ........ to hopes of like deliverance raise. For blessings shall that man reward, ...... who on th' Almighty Lord relies; Who treats the proud with disregard, ..... and hates the hypocrite's disguise. Who can the wond'rous works recount ... which thou, O God, for us hast wrought? The treasures of thy love surmount ......... the power of numbers, speech and thought. Glory be to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, World without end. Amen.
Psalm 90/91 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Psalm 50/51 Miserere: Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar. (Authorised Version) Sung in Latin to the setting by Gregorio Allegri is absolutely wonderful! It's verse 15 that gives us the opening versicle for the Office.
My favorite Psalm is 126. It has been a constant source of comfort during trying times, especially verse 5 Psalm 126 A song of ascents. 1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed. 2 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” 3 The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. 4 Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev. 5 Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. 6 Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.
Perhaps it's cliche, but Psalm 23 has always resonated powerfully with me. Especially verse 4, highlighted in bold. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long. When I was a kid who had only just discovered the bible I used to have to take the washing out of the communal washing machine underneath our house late at night because my sister was always too scared. We lived in the top floor and a scary old man lived downstairs (he was probably perfectly lovely, but he always scared me when I was young). It was the stuff of childhood nightmare fuel, with echoing creaky sounds, and this pitch black corridor under the stairs to the laundry with snakes, spiders, and possums rustling in the bushes that made me think a monster was going to jump out at me. I used to repeat verse 4, and it used to give me courage, and so that's probably why I've always appreciated hearing it. I knew the valley of the shadow of death is not actually a dark valley, but I liked it anyway.
I wish I had had that comfort when I was child. I lived in Australia in the 'bush' and to go to the toilet at night we had to come out of the house, go through a laundry room and then to the toilet. There was many a night I only went because wetting the bed would have been worse. I was terrified of going when I saw on the news because of drought snakes were coming near human habitation in search of water. I have a real fear of snakes. In fact, I think if I'd seen one I would no longer be here to recount the tale. I'd have died of pure terror.
Psalm 19:7-14 “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.”
Psalm 85 10 Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed. 11 Truth shall spring out of the earth, And righteousness shall look down from heaven. 12 Yes, the Lord will give what is good; And our land will yield its increase. 13 Righteousness will go before Him, And shall make His footsteps our pathway.