O let my earnest pray’r and cry
come near before thee, Lord:
Give understanding unto me,
according to thy word.

Let my request before thee come:
after thy word me free.
My lips shall utter praise, when thou
hast taught thy laws to me.

My tongue of thy most blessed word
shall speak, and it confess;
Because all thy commandements
are perfect righteousness.

Let thy strong hand make help to me:
thy precepts are my choice.
I long’d for thy salvation, Lord,
and in thy law rejoice.

O let my soul live, and it shall
give praises unto thee;
And let thy judgments gracious
be helpful unto me.

I, like a lost sheep, went astray;
thy servant seek, and find:
For thy commands I suffer’d not
to slip out of my mind.

Scottish Psalter and Paraphrases