Lament. David’s, which he sang for Yahweh concerning the Kushite [Sudanese] words. The Binyaminite.
1 Yahweh my God, in you I take shelter
– deliver me from all the people who are pursuing me, rescue me,
2 So that one doesn’t tear me apart like a lion,
ripping me to pieces when there’s no one to rescue.
3 Yahweh my God, if I did this,
if there’s meanness in the palms of my hands,
4 If I have dealt something bad to my friend,
but released my adversary without reason,
5 May the enemy pursue me and overtake me,
may he trample my life to the ground,
may he lay my honour in the dirt. (Rise)
6 Rise up, Yahweh, in your anger;
lift yourself up at the great outburst of my adversaries.
Awake, my God, you must order the exercise of authority;
7 the assembly of the nations should come round you.
Take your seat over it on high;
8 Yahweh must rule the peoples.
Exercise authority for me, Yahweh,
in accordance with my faithfulness
and with my integrity, which are over me.
9 The bad ways of faithless people must please come to an end,
and you must establish the faithful person.
The faithful God
is one who tests minds and inner being.
10 God is my shield on high,
one who delivers people who are upright in mind.
11God exercises authority for the faithful person;
God is indignant each day.
12 If someone doesn’t turn back, he whets his sword;
he’s directed his bow and fixed it.
13 He’s fixed deadly weapons for himself,
he makes his arrows into flames.
14 There, someone twists with trouble,
he’s pregnant with oppression, he gives birth to falsehood.
15 He’s dug a cistern and made it deep,
but he’s fallen into the hole he makes.
16 His act of oppression comes back on to his own head,
his violence comes down on his own skull.
17 I will confess Yahweh in accordance with his faithfulness
and make music to the name of Yahweh, the One on High.
Eternal Light, shine into our hearts;
Eternal Goodness, deliver us from evil;
Eternal Power, be our support;
Eternal Wisdom, scatter the darkness of our ignorance:
That we may seek your face
with all our heart and mind and soul and strength. Amen.
Alcuin