The Prayer of a Penitent Sinner, Collected out of the Psalms

Lord, from the horrid deep my cries Ps. 130. 1.

Ascend unto thine ear,
Do not my mournful voice despise,

But my petition hear. I do confess that I receiv’d Ps. 51. 5.

My very shape in sin;
In it my mother me conceiv’d,

And brought me forth therein.

Numberless evils compass me, Ps. 40. 122,

My sins do me assail:
More than my very hairs they be,

So that my heart doth fail. But there is mercy to be had Ps. 130. 4.

With thee, and pardoning grace,
That men may be encouraged

With fear to seek thy face.

Have mercy, Lord, and pity take Ps. 51. 1.

On me in this distress,
For thy abundant mercy sake

Blot out my wickedness. My youthful sins do thou deface Ps. 25. 7.

Keep them not on record;
But after thine abundant grace

Remember me, O Lord.

If thou the failings shouldst observe, Ps. 130. 3.

E’en of the most upright,
And give to them as they deserve

Who should stand in thy sight? O blessed is the man to whom Ps. 32. 1,

Are freely pardoned All the transgressions he hath done!

Whose sin is covered.

Blessed is he to whom the Lord Ps. 32. 2.

Imputeth not his sin; Whose heart hath all deceit abhorr’d,

And guile ’s not found therein. Lord, hide thy face from all my sins, Ps. 51. 9. 10;

And my misdeeds deface:
O God, make clean my heart within,

Renew it with thy grace.

O then let joy and gladness speak, Ps. 51. 8.

And let me hear their voice; That so the bones which thou didst break

May feelingly rejoice! O that my ways thou wouldst direct, Ps. 119. 5. 6.

And to thy statutes frame!
Which when entirely I respect,

Then shall I know no shame.

What mortal man can fully see Ps. 19. 12.

The errors of his thoughts?
Then cleanse me, and deliver me

From all my secret faults:
From every presumptuous crime

Thy servant, Lord, restrain;
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178 daxter’s poems.

And let them not at any time
Dominion obtain.

Thou art my God! thy spirit’s good! Ps. 143. 10.

Thy sen-ant’s soul instruct
In thy commands, and to the land

Of uprightness conduct. With upright heart I’ll speak thy praise, Ps. 119.

When I have learnt thy word: 7, 8.

Fain would I keep thy laws always!

Forsake me not, O Lord.