18
A Psalm. Of Solomon. Again of the Anointed of the Lord.
1 Lord, thy mercy is over the works of thy hands forever;
Thy goodness is over Israel with a rich gift.
2 Thine eyes look upon them, so that none of them suffereth want;
Thine ears listen to the hopeful prayer of the poor.
3 Thy judgments are executed upon the whole earth in mercy;
And thy love is toward the seed of Abraham, the children of Israel.
4 Thy chastisement is upon us as upon a firstborn, only begotten son,
To turn back the obedient soul from folly that is wrought in ignorance.
5 May God cleanse Israel against the day of mercy and blessing,
Against the day of choice when he bringeth back his anointed.
6 Blessed shall they be that shall be in those days,
In that they shall see the goodness of the Lord which he shall perform for the generation that is to come,
7 Under the rod of chastening of the Lord’s anointed in the fear of his God,
In the spirit of wisdom and righteousness and strength;
8 That he may direct every man in the works of righteousness by the fear of God,
That he may establish them all before the Lord,
9 A good generation living in the fear of God in the days of mercy.
Interlude
10 Great is our God and glorious, dwelling in the highest.
It is he who hath established in their courses the lights of heaven for determining seasons from year to year,
And they have not turned aside from the way which he appointed them.
11 In the fear of God they pursue their path every day,
From the day God created them and forevermore.
12 And they have erred not since the day he created them.
Since the generations of old they have not withdrawn from their path,
Unless God commanded them so to do by the command of his servants.