Psalm 39: Against Vanity and the Haters of Man's Life and Safety
heart, not to correct us for them with ire and wrathful indignation: let thy admonition be fatherly as thou hast been accustomed of old to show and extend the same towards thy faithful servants. Behold how (through conscience of our heinous sins) our hearts be altogether amazed, all things are marvelously putrefied and very corrupt in us: we shall live exceeding sorrowfully in affliction, and in a manner quite destitute of light, unless thou puttest to thy assistant helping hand. Neither do we trust anything at all in our friends and neighbors: for our grievous sins purchase us all things frowardly and after an envious manner.
Therefore (O good God) at what time we pour out our wretched iniquities into thy bosom, and are so much careful to procure pardon for them, let us not be utterly destitute of the loving favor and rich mercy that is naturally grafted in thee, but as thou art always tractable and easy to be entreated, so vouchsafe to make haste for to minister speedy and steadfast help in our sorrowful distresses, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
PSALM 39: AGAINST VANITY AND THE
HATERS OF MAN'S LIFE AND SAFETY
(Prayer 1) Seeing that (O most mighty God) we are vexed with present calamities in this most troublesome time, and oppressed with so great a storm of afflictions: we fly unto thee for succor, humbly requiring that thou wouldest so bridle our mouth and tongue with thy holy spirit as nothing may pass from us either detestable to thy divine Majesty, or unseemly for our profession. But seeing we cannot rightfully complain that these perplexities and anguishes do surmount our heinous sins, or that we be unworthily punished, grant we may appease and stay the cursed cries of such as wrongfully complain of thee: but rather let our bowels be stirred up with a perfect grief for the heinous sins we have committed, let them ware whotte with a most inward sorrow, and cause our hearts to be kindled and set on fire with a continual earnest repentance. Grant that we may right well understand (O most gentle father) every moment and hour the state of our unripe life, forsomuch as it is but mere vanity howsoever we lead it,
and we are far wide to think that our careful turmoil, or heaping together of uncertain riches, are able to profit or avail us anything at all. Therefore it behooveth us (O mighty Lord) to have a special regard unto thee only, whom if thou wilt especially relieve from our grievous sins and heinous iniquities, our assured hope is that we shall be no more a scorn and reproach to the ungodly. For thou hast been accustomed to remove thy plagues from such as be purged and cleansed of their wicked crimes, and sinful deeds, least they should be utterly consumed at the shaking of thy most mighty and invincible hand: which, if it should persevere and go on in continual vexing men (according to their just deserts) it would no less consume then, and grind them to powder than Moths fret out clothes. Give ear therefore (O good God) unto our humble prayers, and seeing thou knowest we cannot have an assured and perfect rest upon earth, grant that we may finally live with thy excellent Majesty by a constant faith, and walk before thee in much safety, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Prayer 2) While we feel any tokens of thy rigor and severity (O most mighty God) although we are persuaded in spirit not to speak evil of thy goodness or justice: yet (through the greatness of our extreme sorrow and testimony of our sins) we are almost so far gone, and brought to such a point that our life is very irksome unto us: wherefore, seeing that we confess our heinous sins unto thee, and have sundry ways wickedly offended thy divine Majesty, be merciful and favorable unto us for thy loving kindness and mercies sake. Thou seest how short and vain a thing our life is, being like unto shadows, wherein is nothing firm, sound, or worth the trusting to: we fade away in a moment, and what time soever thou givest us here to live, we pass over all the same (through our own default) with most heady, troublesome, and pernicious affections. We require thee therefore that thou wouldest yet at length have mercy upon us: let our earnest petitions and sorrowful mourning (which thy blessed spirit hath from our hearts wrong out in us) enter into thy merciful ears, and moreover vouche thou safe to refresh our distressed minds, with thy loving favor from time to time, so long as we wander like pilgrims in this wretched world, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.