Scottish Psalter and Paraphrases

¹The Lord’s my light and saving health,

who shall make me dismay’d?

My life’s strength is the Lord, of whom

then shall I be afraid?

²When as mine enemies and foes,

most wicked persons all,

To eat my flesh against me rose,

they stumbled and did fall.

³Against me though an host encamp,

my heart yet fearless is:

Though war against me rise, I will

be confident in this.

⁴One thing I of the Lord desir’d,

and will seek to obtain,

That all days of my life I may

within God’s house remain;

That I the beauty of the Lord

behold may and admire,

And that I in his holy place

may rev’rently enquire.

⁵For he in his pavilion shall

me hide in evil days;

In secret of his tent me hide,

and on a rock me raise.

⁶And now, ev’n at this present time,

mine head shall lifted be

Above all those that are my foes,

and round encompass me:

Therefore unto his tabernacle

I’ll sacrifices bring

Of joyfulness; I’ll sing, yea, I

to God will praises sing.

⁷O Lord, give ear unto my voice,

when I do cry to thee;

Upon me also mercy have,

and do thou answer me.

⁸When thou didst say, Seek ye my face,

then unto thee reply

Thus did my heart, Above all things

thy face, Lord, seek will I.

⁹Far from me hide not thou thy face;

put not away from thee

Thy servant in thy wrath: thou hast

an helper been to me.

O God of my salvation,

leave me not, nor forsake:

¹⁰Though me my parents both should leave,

the Lord will me up take.

¹¹O Lord, instruct me in thy way,

to me a leader be

In a plain path, because of those

that hatred bear to me.

¹²Give me not to mine en’mies’ will;

for witnesses that lie

Against me risen are, and such

as breathe out cruelty.

¹³I fainted had, unless that I

believed had to see

The Lord’s own goodness in the land

of them that living be.

¹⁴Wait on the Lord, and be thou strong,

and he shall strength afford

Unto thine heart; yea, do thou wait,

I say, upon the Lord.