The Waters Are up to My Neck

1Helpe me (o God) for the waters are come in eue vnto my soule.

2I sticke fast in the depe myre, where no grounde is: I am come into depe waters, and the floudes wil drowne me.

3I am weery of crienge, my throte is drye, my sight fayleth me, for waytinge so longe vpon my God.

4They yt hate me without a cause, are mo then the hayres of my heade: they that are myne enemies & wolde destroye me giltlesse, are mightie:

5I am fayne to paye the thinges yt I neuer toke. God, thou knowest my symplenesse, and my fautes are not hyd from the.

6Let not them that trust in the (o LORDE God of hoostes) be ashamed for my cause: let not those yt seke the, be confounded thorow me, o God of Israel.

7And why? for thy sake do I suffre reprofe, shame couereth my face.

8I am become a straunger vnto my brethren, and an aleaunt vnto my mothers children.

9For the zele of thine house hath euen eaten me, and the rebukes of them that rebuked the, is fallen vpon me.

10I wepte and chastened my self wt fastinge, and that was turned to my reprofe.

11I put on a sackecloth, and therfore they iested vpon me.

12They that satt in the gate, spake agaynst me, and the dronckardes made songes vpon me.

13But LORDE, I made my prayer vnto the in an acceptable tyme: Heare me (o God) with thy greate mercy & sure helpe.

14Take me out of the myre, yt I syncke not: Oh let me be delyuered fro the yt hate me, & out of ye depe waters.

15Lest ye water floude drowne me, that the depe swalowe me not vp, & yt the pitte shut not hir mouth vpon me.

16Heare me (o LORDE) for thy louynge kyndnesse is confortable: turne the vnto me acordinge vnto yi greate mercy.

17Hyde not thy face from thy seruaut, for I am in trouble: O haist ye to helpe me.

18Drawe nye vnto my soule, and saue it: Oh delyuer me because of myne enemies.

19Thou knowest my reprofe, my shame & my dishonor: my aduersaries are all in thy sight.

20The rebuke breaketh my hert, & maketh me heuy: I loke for some to haue pitie vpon me, but there is no man: & for some to coforte me, but I fynde none.

21They gaue me gall to eate, & whe I was thurstie, they gaue me vyneger to drynke.

22Let their table be made a snare to take them selues withall, an occasion to fall & a rewarde vnto them.

23Let their eyes be blynded, that they se not: & euer bowe downe their backes.

24Poure out thy indignacion vpon them, & let thy wrothfull displeasure take holde of them.

25Let their habitacion be voyde, & no man to dwell in their tentes.

26For they persecute him whom thou hast smytten, & besyde thy woundes they haue geuen him moo.

27Let them fall fro one wickednesse to another, & not come into thy rightuousnesse.

28Let the be wyped out of ye boke of the lyuinge, & not be written amonge the rightuous.

29As for me, I am poore & in heuynesse, let thy helpe defende me, o God.

30That I maye prayse ye name of God with a songe, & magnifie it with thankesgeuynge.

31This shal please the LORDE better then a bullocke, that hath hornes & hoffes.

32O considre this & be glad (ye that be in aduersite) seke after God, & yor soule shal lyue.

33For the LORDE heareth the poore, & despyset not his presoners.

34Let heauen & earth praise him, the see & all that moueth therin.

35For God wil saue Sion, & buylde the cities of Iuda, that men maye dwell there, & haue the in possession.

36The sede of his seruauntes shal iheret it, & they that loue his name, shal dwell therin.