Psalterium [Incertus]

Psalter. Lord God Almighty, King of eternal glory, who know that man to be blessed who, spurning the path of sinners, meditates day and night on the law of your commandments; teach me, a sinner, to serve you faithfully with my whole heart, with fear and trembling, and hear my voice humbly invoking you; and so most clemently receive my words with your ears, that you do not abandon me, delinquent in the wrath of your fury, lest at any time that most ancient, lying enemy seize my soul like a lion, when there is no one to redeem nor to save. But you, Lord, whose name is admirable in heaven and on earth, so turn my enemy backward, that he may be weakened and perish from your face; may he never be able to ensnare my soul with fiery snares, nor may sulphur or the spirit of storms envelop me. But on account of the misery of the poor man and the groan of the pauper, now rising up, look and hear me, Lord, because you are the counsel of the poor man and his hope. Make me, God, so enter without stain, and work justice, that the grace of your mercy may be part of my inheritance. Guard me like the pupil of the eye, and protect me under the shadow of your wings; because you are my strength, my firmament, and my refuge. Cleanse me from my hidden sins, Lord, and from those of others spare your servant. Send me help from the sanctuary, and grant me the desire of my soul.

Deliver me from the lion's mouth, and lead me along the paths of your righteousness: so that I may ascend your holy mountain, and stand in your holy place, innocent in my hands and pure in heart. Do not remember the sins of my youth and my ignorances. Do not destroy my soul with the impious, and do not deliver me into the souls of my persecutors: but graciously hear the voice of my supplication, so that you may mercifully hear me invoking the glory of your holy name, and have mercy on me, and attend to me, Lord, so that hoping in you I may not be confounded forever: but forgive me the impiety of my heart. Let your mercy, Lord, be upon me, as I hope in you: and deliver me from all my distresses, saying to my soul, I am your salvation. And because I hope in the protection of your wings, grant me the petition of my heart, and attend to my aid, Lord God of my salvation. Do not conceal from me, Lord, my end and the number of my days: so that I may know what is lacking to me. Graciously hear the voice of my supplication, and lead me out of the pit of misery and the mire of filth. Set my feet upon the rock, and direct my steps on the straight path. On the evil day, deliver me, Lord, so that I may enter the place of the wonderful tabernacle of the house of God; for you are my God and my strength. Do not turn my steps from your way: so that I may love justice and hate iniquity. Be my refuge and strength, for you are the great king over all the earth.

Who rules all through the ages, free my soul from the hand of the underworld, when it has taken me. But when you have become manifest to judge us, have mercy on me according to your great mercy: and do not take your Holy Spirit from me. Turn away, most pious Lord, in that hour your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my innermost being: so that, like a fruitful olive tree in the paradise of my God, I may receive the oil of holiness, and there exult with Jacob, and forever rejoice with Israel. Save me in your name, and by your power free me. Do not despise my supplication, but have mercy on me. Send from heaven, and free me, and give those who trample me into reproach: crush their teeth in their own mouth, and break the jaws of lions. You are my God and my mercy; may your right hand make me safe, and may I be protected by the covering of your wings, when you render to each according to their deeds. While my soul thirsts for you, protect me from the assembly of the malicious. When all flesh comes to you, do not remove your mercy from me, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me; but illuminate your face upon me. Make my journey prosperous, my saving God: so that the deep may not swallow me, nor a pit open its mouth over me. Be my helper and deliverer, Lord, do not delay. Because I hope in you, Lord, may I not be confounded forever.

When you judge your people, and those who distance themselves from you will perish, may I not turn away, made humble and confounded. For you are a just judge, you humble and exalt, exceedingly terrible, and who will resist you then in your anger? You are the God who alone works great wonders. Just as you fed your people with bread in the desert, and did not defraud them of their desire, so may your grace refresh me, hungering, and may your mercy quickly come before me. And you, my guardian, give me the bread of tears and the bitterness of compunctions in the time of tribulation: and grant that I may take from the rock of honey the sweetness of internal delight. God, who discern all things between the just and sinners, who alone are the highest over all peoples, have mercy on me, and grant me a blessing, you who gave the law: remit the iniquity of my heart, and forgive all my sins: and save your servant, my God, hoping in you. God, who founded your Church on the holy mountains, incline your ear to my prayer. Therefore, may your hand help me, that I may not turn away in humility; but free me from the snare of hunters, and from ruin, and from the noonday demon: and planted in the house of the Lord, may I flourish like a palm, and like a cedar, which is in Lebanon, may I deserve to be multiplied in length of days. Be a refuge for me, and the help of my hope, my God, and great king over all the earth.

When you have judged the world in equity, and the peoples in your truth, may I enjoy perpetual light with the just, and rejoice with the righteous of heart: may your right hand and your holy arm save me. You who sit above the Cherubim, make me be in your sight with exultation: so that I may walk in the innocence of my heart in the midst of my house. Let not a crooked heart cling to me: but let my eyes be upon your holy faithful, so that I may sit with them, walking along the immaculate way, when you have destroyed through judgment from your city all those who now work iniquity. Lord, hear my prayer, and may my cry come to you. Do not turn your face away from me: on whatever day I am troubled, incline your ear to me. Be propitious to all my iniquities, and redeem my life from destruction. Satisfy my desire with good things. You who look upon the earth and make it tremble, you who led out your people in exultation, and the elect in joy, let me guard judgment and justice at all times: lead me out of darkness and the shadow of death, so that with a prepared heart I may sing and recite a psalm to you. Make a sign with me for good, because of your mercy and your name: so that in the splendors of the saints, in the counsel of the just and the congregation, my justice may remain forever and ever, and my horn be exalted in glory.

And when you have commanded me to be raised up, a poor man from the earth, and a pauper from the dungheap, I will bless you from this time and forever, and then may I please you in the land of the living; break my bonds, and confirm me in your mercy. When I have called upon you in tribulation, Lord, hear me in your breadth. Impose a law upon me, Lord, that I may live, and I will always seek out the ways of your justice. Give me understanding, that I may scrutinize your law, and keep it with my whole heart. I have strayed like a sheep that was lost, seeking to free my soul. Guard my entrance and my exit; so that my feet may stand in your house, in the courts of Jerusalem. To you I have lifted up my soul and my eyes, who dwell in the heavens: snatch my soul from the snare of the hunters, that I may not stretch out my hands to iniquity. Fill my mouth with joy, and my tongue with exultation. Fill my desire with good, and bless me from Zion; that I may see the good things which are in Jerusalem: keep me far from iniquity. Let your ears be attentive to the voice of the prayer of your servant, Lord. Let not my heart be exalted in pride, nor my eyes be raised up: but let me feel humbly, until I find a place for the Lord, a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. Where you have commanded blessing and life forever; there I will lift up my hands to the Holy One, and bless you who judge your people, and will be comforted in your servants.

God of gods and Lord of lords, as I weep and adore at your holy temple, test me and know my heart: question me and recognize my paths, and lead me on the eternal way. Preserve me, Lord, and deliver me from the hand of the sinner, and free me from all the wicked. Let my prayer be directed like incense before you, Lord. Lead my soul out of prison, to confess your name, Lord. Hear me in your justice, and do not enter into judgment with your servant, Lord. Hear me quickly, Lord, lest my spirit fail: for you are my God, my mercy, my refuge and my sustainer. For you are great and exceedingly praiseworthy, and your greatness has no end; raise up the crushed, release the fettered, enlighten the blind, you who build Jerusalem. And when you have strengthened the bars of your gates, may I be joined within with your children. As the Angels and all your Powers praise you in the kingdom of heaven: there also may I, exulting with glory in the choir of the saints, praise and glorify your name with the cymbals of the lips, which is holy and glorious, and reigns forever through infinite ages of ages, Amen.