1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:

² Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

⁴ Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

⁵ For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

⁶ And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

⁷ And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.

⁸ For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:

⁹ But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:

¹⁰ Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

¹¹ Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.

¹² For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

¹³ For we write none other things unto you, that what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end;

¹⁴ As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are our's in the day of the Lord Jesus.

¹⁵ And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit;

¹⁶ And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judaea.

¹⁷ When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay?

¹⁸ But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay.

¹⁹ For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.

²⁰ For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

²¹ Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;

²² Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

²³ Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.

²⁴ Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.

69 Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.

² I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.

³ I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.

⁴ They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.

⁵ O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.

⁶ Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord God of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.

⁷ Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.

⁸ I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.

⁹ For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

¹⁰ When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.

¹¹ I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.

¹² They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.

¹³ But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Lord, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.

¹⁴ Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.

¹⁵ Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.

¹⁶ Hear me, O Lord; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.

¹⁷ And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.

¹⁸ Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.

¹⁹ Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee.

²⁰ Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.

²¹ They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

²² Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.

²³ Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.

²⁴ Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.

²⁵ Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents.

²⁶ For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.

²⁷ Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness.

²⁸ Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.

²⁹ But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.

³⁰ I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.

³¹ This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.

³² The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.

³³ For the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.

³⁴ Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.

³⁵ For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession.

³⁶ The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein.

70 Make haste, o God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O Lord.

² Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt.

³ Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame that say, Aha, aha.

⁴ Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified.

⁵ But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O Lord, make no tarrying.

71 In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.

² Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.

³ Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.

⁴ Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

⁵ For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth.

⁶ By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.

⁷ I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.

⁸ Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.

⁹ Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.

¹⁰ For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,

¹¹ Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.

¹² O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.

¹³ Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.

¹⁴ But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.

¹⁵ My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.

¹⁶ I will go in the strength of the Lord God: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.

¹⁷ O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.

¹⁸ Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.

¹⁹ Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!

²⁰ Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

²¹ Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.

²² I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.

²³ My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.

²⁴ My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.

72 Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.

² He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.

³ The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.

⁴ He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.

⁵ They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.

⁶ He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.

⁷ In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.

⁸ He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.

⁹ They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.

¹⁰ The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.

¹¹ Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.

¹² For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.

¹³ He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.

¹⁴ He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.

¹⁵ And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.

¹⁶ There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.

¹⁷ His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.

¹⁸ Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.

¹⁹ And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.

²⁰ The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.