Psalm 43: In Necessity
Grant, that we being stirred up with thy holy spirit, may always encourage ourselves to hope and trust in thy most steadfast help because we shall yet still celebrate and praise thy glorious name, for restoring us health and perfect quietness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Prayer 2) We desire with our whole heart (O most good and merciful God) to be knit and annexed unto thee, daily hungering and thirsting for the same, because we cannot without great sorrow and grief, hear the gyrds and scornings both of our own mind and of our cruel adversaries (when thou seemest to have forsaken us) wherewith they mock at godliness and faith conceived, namely by casting us in the teeth with the woeful cares, piteous miseries, and lamentable calamities that we (being sore oppressed) seem in a manner to be cast down with, and that so much the more because our own sins become every day greater and greater. We humbly beseech thee (O good God) for thy excellent mercies sake, to pardon and forgive us the same, whereby we may be made able to confirm and strengthen ourselves, being assuredly printed in our minds by thee only: and seeing that our evil affections and grievous terrors of punishments are very troublesome unto us, grant that we (being mightily strengthened with thy loving promise) may comfort our own afflicted souls, persuading then, that as they trust only in thee, so shall they be in good hope cheerfully to celebrate thy most glorious name, because thou art both become their perfect salvation, and also their true
God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
PSALM 43: IN NECESSITY
(Prayer 1) Take at length upon thee (O most good and mighty God) through thy own authority and invincible power, the judgment of our cause, which although it endeavoreth to maintain and uphold the true worshipping of thee and thy pure religion, for which things sake, the same is very good, and yet nevertheless is it forsaken and disallowed of all men. Wherefore we have exceeding great need that thou dost deliver us from deceitful and wicked men. Thou only remainest the chief comfort, assured strength, and strong defense of thy
blessed Church: Notwithstanding we have lived unworthy of thy holy name, profession, and doctrine, but such is thy unspeakable mercy, that it hideth such men's iniquities as unfeignedly repent and turn unto thee, it forgiveth heinous sins, and will not lay to the charge of the faithful whatsoever they have most wickedly committed. Therefore we heartily require thee to have pity upon us, and make us in such wise partakers of thy splendent light and glorious truth, that we may both here worship thee purely in the holy congregations, and at the last be conducted to the most blessed habitations of eternal life. Our soul truly is now heavy and utterly dismayed: we are oftentimes vexed with timorous imaginations, and the bowels within us do tremble and quake for fear. Yet we humbly beseech thee (O excellent father) to confirm such an assured hope in us, that we may hereafter set forth thy worthy praises, and be exceeding cheerful for the obtaining of our salvation, when as thou shalt declare thyself to be our most famous
God, as in very deed thou art, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Prayer 2) We commit our cause to thy strong defense and puissant government (O most mighty God) being in marvelous great danger, and in so great perils of this sinful life. For although we have no strength and power in ourselves, so long as we continue in this most miserable life, whereunto may we lean, seeing we be wretchedly overlaid with original sin, and an infinite number of wickednesses adjoined thereto: yet we humbly beseech thee, let the clear light of thy most loving countenance shine upon us, that the darkness of our mind may be made bright thereby. For if it happen unto us through thy unspeakably mercy, to be replenished with thy exceeding gladness and incredible joy, we will then bid our mind (which otherwise would be abashed) to be of good cheer. This one thing we heartily require of thee, to vouchsafe for to grant us, that we may repose our whole trust and affiance in thee alone, because thou only art become our salvation and very true God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.