Lord, from the Ill and Froward Man

Lord

from the ill and fro­ward man

Give me de­liv­er­ance

And do Thou safe pre­serve me from

The man of vio­lence:

Who in their heart mis­chiev­ous things

Are me­di­tat­ing e’er;

And they for war as­sem­bled are

Continually to­ge­ther.

Much like un­to a ser­pent’s tongue

Their tongues they sharp do make;

And un­der­neath their lips there lies

The poi­son of a snake.

Lord

keep me from the wick­ed’s hands

From vio­lent men me save;

Who ut­ter­ly to ov­er­throw

My go­ings pur­posed have.

The proud for me a snare have hid

And cords; yea

they a net

Have by the way­side for me spread;

They gins for me have set.

I said un­to the Lord

Thou art

My God: un­to the cry

Of all my sup­pli­ca­tions

Lord

do Thine ear ap­ply.

O God the Lord

who art the strength

Of my sal­va­tion:

A co­ver­ing in the day of war

My head Thou hast put on.

Unto the wick­ed man

O Lord

His wish­es do not grant;

Nor fur­ther Thou his ill de­vice

Lest they them­selves should vaunt.

As for the head and chief of those

About that com­pass me

E’en by the mis­chief of their lips

Let Thou them cov­ered be.

Let burn­ing coals up­on them fall

Them throw in fie­ry flame

And in deep pits

that they no more

May rise out of the same.

Let not an ev­il speak­er be

On earth es­tab­lish­èd:

Mischief shall hunt the vio­lent man

Till he be ru­in­èd.

I know God will th’af­flict­ed’s cause

Maintain

and poor men’s right.

Surely the just shall praise Thy name;

Th’upright dwell in Thy sight.