Psalm 4

You hear me when I call, O God, source and supporter of my righteousness:

Thou hast enlarged me with courage, in distress;

You will forever have mercy upon me, and hear my prayers.

 

Dark children of the world,

Ye sons of men who burn with a terrible black beauty,

How long will ye pretend the glory of my God

Is a thing of shame?

For in your vanity you call His light darkness,

And your darkness light. Selah.

 

But he that hath set himself apart for the Lord,

The Lord hath set apart for Himself.

The Lord, always, will hear when I call unto him.

 

I will stand in awe, I must sin not:

I go, I must commune with my own heart upon my bed,

And be still. Selah.

 

I plead with my soul to offer the sacrifices of righteousness,

Yet still it trembles.

I plead with my soul to put its trust in the Lord.

 

There be many that accost my ears, that say,

Who will shew us any good?

The Lord has called me as his candle, I must be the good.

Sons of man, cast your eyes upon me—

Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.

 

Thou hast put gladness in my heart,

Thou hast filled me with more Joy than have all my successes.

Surely, thou hast made all my tares corn and all my water wine,

While the rocks beneath my feet are gold.

My Joy in Thee increaseth.

 

Though my bed be a den of lions, and for my pillow a stone,

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep:

For thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.