Oh, Hear My Prayer, Lord (Second Version)

1.Oh, hear my prayer, Lord,
And unto my desire
To bow thine ear accord,
I humbly thee require;
And, in thy faithfulness,
Unto me answer make,
And, in thy righteousness,
Upon me pity take.

2.In judgment enter not
With me thy servant poor;
For why, this well I wot,
No sinner can endure
The sight of thee, O God:
If thou his deeds shalt try,
He dare make none abode
Himself to justify.

3.Behold, the cruel foe
Me persecutes with spite,
My soul to overthrow:
Yea, he my life down quite
Unto the ground hath smote,
And made me dwell full low
In darkness, as forgot,
Or men dead long ago.

4.Therefore my spirit much vexed,
O'erwhelmed is me within;
My heart right sore perplexed
And desolate hath been.
Yet I do call to mind
What ancient days record,
Thy works of ev'ry kind
I think upon, O Lord.

5.Lo, I do stretch my hands
To thee, my help alone;
For thou well understands
All my complaint and moan:
My thirsting soul desires,
And longeth after thee,
As thirsty ground requires
With rain refreshed to be.

6.Lord, let my pray'r prevail,
To answer it make speed;
For, lo, my spirit doth fail:
Hide not thy face in need;
Lest I be like to those
That do in darkness sit,
Or him that downward goes
Into the dreadful pit.

7.Because I trust in thee,
O Lord, cause me to hear
Thy loving-kindness free,
When morning doth appear:
Cause me to know the way
Wherein my path should be;
For why, my soul on high
I do lift up to thee.

8.From my fierce enemy
In safety do me guide,
Because I flee to thee,
Lord, that thou may'st me hide.
My God alone art thou,
Teach me thy righteousness:
Thy Spirit 's good, lead me to
The land of uprightness.

9.O Lord, for thy name's sake,
Be pleased to quicken me;
And, for thy truth, forth take
My soul from misery.
And of thy grace destroy
My foes, and put to shame
All who my soul annoy;
For I thy servant am.