If the Lord had not been my helper,
I would soon rest in the silence of death.

In the multitude of the sorrows that I had in my heart, thy comforts have refreshed my soul.

where your fathers tested Me;
they tried Me, though they had seen what I did.

So I made a vow in my anger, 'They will never enter into the resting place I had set aside for them.'"

The mountains rose, the valleys sank down, to the place which you had assigned to them.

He had sent a man ahead of them—
Joseph, who was sold as a slave.

until the time that his word came, and until the word of the LORD had tried him.

Then sent the king and caused him to be delivered; the prince of the people had let him go.

He made him lord of his house, and ruler over everything he had;

He sent Moses His servant,
and Aaron, whom He had chosen.

Egypt was glad when they left,
for the dread of Israel had fallen on them.

For why? He remembered his holy promise which he had made to Abraham his servant.

He gave them the lands of the nations,
and they inherited
what other peoples had worked for.

Then they had faith in his words; they gave him songs of praise.

They quickly forgot what he had done; they did not wait for his instructions.

In the wilderness they had an insatiable craving for meat; they challenged God in the desert.

They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt;

So He said He would have destroyed them—
if Moses His chosen one
had not stood before Him in the breach
to turn His wrath away from destroying them.

They were disgusted with the good land; they had no belief in his word;

They had provoked anger by their deeds, so that a plague broke out against them.

They did not destroy the peoples
as the Lord had commanded them

But had fellowship with the nations, and learned their doings;

And gave the blood of their sons and their daughters who had done no wrong, offering them to the images of Canaan; and the land was made unclean with blood.

So he delivered them up into the hand of the nations, And they who hated them, had dominion over them;

Their enemies oppressed them, and had them in subjection.

Many times he delivered them, but they had a rebellious attitude, and degraded themselves by their sin.

But when their cry came to his ears, he had pity on their trouble:

And he caused them to find compassion of all those that had carried them captives.

Because they had rebelled against the words of God, and had despised the counsel of the Most High; ...

So that he made their hearts weighted down with grief; they were falling, and had no helper.

God had promised in his sanctuary: "I will triumph and divide Shechem, then I will measure the valley of Succoth!

For the love that I had unto them, they take now my contrary part; but I give myself unto prayer.

Let the wickedness of his fathers be had in remembrance in the sight of LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be done away.

Because he had no mercy, but was cruel to the low and the poor, designing the death of the broken-hearted.

He loved to curse others, so those curses have come upon him. He had no desire to bless anyone, so he has experienced no blessings.

His work is worthy to be praised and had in honour, and his righteousness endureth forever.

The merciful and gracious LORD hath so done his marvelous works, that they ought to be had in remembrance.

For he shall never be moved; The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance.

The nets of death were round me, and the pains of the underworld had me in their grip; I was full of trouble and sorrow.

I had faith when I said, "I am severely oppressed."

The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not turned from your law.

This I had, because I kept your precepts.

They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not your precepts.

Unless your law had been my delights, I should then have perished in my affliction.

I have long had knowledge that your unchanging word is for ever.

Too long my soul has had its dwelling near [one who] hates peace.

Show us favor, Lord, show us favor,
for we’ve had more than enough contempt.

We’ve had more than enough
scorn from the arrogant
and contempt from the proud.

[A song of ascents. Of David.] If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say;

If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us:

Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:

Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:

Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.

The Lord had done great things for us;
we were joyful.

For there those who had taken us prisoners made request for a song; and those who had taken away all we had gave us orders to be glad, saying, Give us one of the songs of Zion.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book all my days were recorded, even those which were purposed before they had come into being.

Let the righteous rather smite me friendly, and reprove me: so will I take it as though he had poured oil on my head; it shall not hurt my head. Yea, I will pray yet for their wickedness.

When my spirit fainted concerning myself, then, thou, didst take note of my path, - In the course which I was about to take, they had hidden a snare for me.

Looking to my right side, I saw no man who was my friend: I had no safe place; no one had any care for my soul.