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and praise the Lord (p), with the voice of joy and praise, with the multitude that keep holyday (q): for a day in thy courts is better than a thousand (r). Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: be thou the strength of my heart and my portion for ever(s).

PRAYER IN AFFLICTION.

Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for

he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. Hos. vi, 1.

HAVE mercy upon me, O Lord, for I

(p) Psalm cxviii. 19. (r) Psalm lxxxiv. 10. Ixxiii. 25, 26.

(q)

xlii. 4.

(s)

am in trouble(a); turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me, for I am desolate and afflicted (b). My soul melteth for heaviness (c); the joy of my heart is ceased (d): fearfulness and trembling are come upon me; and an horrible dread hath overwhelmed me (e).

O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure; for thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore (ƒ). O Lord, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing(g). Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me, for my soul trusteth in thee; yea, in

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the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast (h). From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I(i). For thou art a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in distress; a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat (j), a very present help in trouble (k).

The Lord maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole (7): though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion, according to the multitude of his mercies (m). Why then art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within

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me? hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God (n).

RESIGNATION IN AFFLICTION.

Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it. Jer. x. 19.

O GOD, thou hast proved me; thou hast tried me, as silver is tried: thou hast laid affliction upon me (a). My soul is bowed down to the dust (b); it is humbled within me (c): my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart (d). I am consumed by the blow of thine hand, yet must I be

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dumb, and open not my mouth because thou didst it(e). For thou art righte ous, O Lord, and upright are thy judgments (f); just and true are all thy

ways, thou King of Saints (g). Who am I, that I should reply against thee? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, "Why hast thou made me thus (h)?" I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress (i). It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good (j)! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right (k)?

Behold I come unto thee, for thou art the Lord my God (1): though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt receive

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