Psalm 120: Against the Enemies of God's Divine Word
PSALM 120: AGAINST THE ENEMIES
OF GOD'S DIVINE WORD
(Prayer 1) We being wearied and sore troubled (O almighty God) with most grievous and exceeding perilous mishaps, as thou right well knowest, do daily fly unto thy gracious mercies seat, humbly requiring thee to give ear at length unto the fervent prayers which we always make, namely that thou wouldest deliver thy blessed Church from the deceits, lies, and false imaginations of Antichrist and his retinue. For the blasphemies, reproaches, and slanders wherewith they invade and defame thy holy gospel, may be compared to deadly sharp arrows, and hot burning coals, through which the hearts of the godly are stricken with exceeding great sorrow, and their minds be inflamed with zeal and rightful anger for the glory of thy name. We acknowledge ourselves verily to have well deserved for to be troubled with such unclean infection and outrageous pestilence, because we have sinned most heinously against thee and thy divine law. But our earnest request is that (of thy natural and free mercy wherewith thou art endued) we who are so greatly desirous of perfect peace, for the true honoring, sincere celebrating, and due setting out thy worthy praise, may at length attain thereto through thy most gracious favor, sore against their wills, which are chiefest enemies to the peace and tranquility of thy faithful, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
(Prayer 2) We know by experience (O almighty God) how great the affliction and misery of the Church is, for the vices and lies of corrupt opinions sakes which are brought into it. Wherefore we humbly beseech thee to deliver her from this kind of calamity: for we have now at length begun right well to understand how deceitful and crafty the seducements of Antichrist hath been hitherto.
Cause henceforth the puissant force and most sharp weapons of thy blessed word to be present, whereby all the subtlety of Satan may be confounded and brought to naught. Yea rather thrust thou in thy most mighty shaft (which thou usest diverse times to punish ungodliness withal) against this pestilent plague, so that all malicious snares may thereby be consumed, as it were with most hot burning coals: whereas otherwise, if thou dost not lay to thy most strong and puissant