XII. George Herbert

LORD, to my words incline thine ear,

My meditation weigh:

My King, my God, vouchsafe to hear

My cry to thee, I pray.

Thou in the morn shalt hear my mone,

For in the morn will I

Direct my prayers to thy Throne,

And thither lift mine eye.

Thou art a God, whose puritie

Cannot in sins delight:

No evil, Lord, shall dwell with thee,

Nor fools stand in thy sight.

Thou hat’st those that unjustly do,

Thou slay’st the men that lie;

The bloody man, the false one too,

Shall be abhorr’d by thee.

But in th’ abundance of thy grace

Will I to thee draw near,

And toward thy most holy place

Will worship thee in fear.

Lord, lead me in thy righteousness,

Because of all my foes;

And to my dym and sinful eyes

Thy perfect way disclose:

For wickedness their insides are,

Their mouths no truth retain,

Their throat an open sepulchur,

Their flattering tongues do fain.

Destroy them, Lord, and by their own

Bad counsels let them fall

In height of their transgression;

O Lord! reject them all.

Because against thy Majesty

They vainly have rebell’d;

But let all those that trust in thee

With perfect joy be fill’d.

Yea, shout for joy for evermore,

Protected still by thee;

Let them that do thy name adore

In that still joyful be.

For God doth righteous men esteem,

And them for ever bless;

His favour shalt encompass them,

A shield in their distress.