Project Canterbury

Private Forms of Prayer Fit for Sad Times
[By Brian Duppa]

London: Thomas Mabb, 1660.


I. King David's Prayer for the Church and People.

O God, wherefore art thou absent from us so long? why is thy wrath so hot against the sheep of thy pasture?

O think upon thine Inheritance, which thou hast purchased, and Redeemed of old.

Lift up thy feet, that thou mayst utterly destroy every Enemy that hath done Evil in thy Sanctuary.

For behold, they break down all the carved Works thereof, with Axes and Hammers.

Yea, they have said in their hearts, Let us make havock of them altogether; And thus have they designed to ruin all the Houses of God in the land.

But O God, how long shall the Adversary do this dishonour? how long shall the Enemy Blaspheme thy Name, for ever?

Arise, O God, maintain thine own Cause; Remember how the Foolish man blasphemeth thee daily.

But, O deliver not the soul of thy Turtle Dove into their Hands: For the Presumption of them that hate. Thee, increaseth more and more.

O God make speed to save us.
O Lord make haste to help us.

II.

O Lord God of Hosts, how long wilt thou be angry with thy People that Prayeth?

How long wilt thou feed us with the Bread of Tears? and give us plenteousnesse of Tears to drink?

O Turn us again, Thou God of Hosts; shew us the Light of thy Countenance, and we shall be whole.

Remember that Thou didst once plant a Vine amongst us: And when it had taken Root, it filled the Land.

Our Hills were covered with the shadow of it: and the Boughs thereof were like the Goodly Cedar Trees.

But now, thou hast broken down her Hedge, so that all they that go by, pluck off her Grapes.

The wild Boar of the Wood doth root it up, and the Beasts of the Field devour it.

Yet turn us again, O Lord God of Hosts; shew us the Light of thy Countenance, and we shall be whole.

For we will not go back from thee; O let us live, and we shall call upon thy Name.

O God make speed to save us.
O Lord make haste to help us.

III.

HOld not thy Tongue; O God, keep not still silence; Refrain not thy self, O God.

For Lo Thine Enemies make a murmuring, and they that hate Thee, have lift up their Head.

They have imagined craftily against thy People, and have taken Counsell against thy secret ones.

Behold they have cast their heads together with one Consent, and are Confederate against Thee.

They have said, Come let us root them out that they may be no more a People, and that their Name may be no more in remembrance.

They come daily round about us like Water, and compasse us on every side.

But, O my God, make them like unto a Wheel, and as the stubble before the Wind:

Who say, Let us take unto Our selves the Houses of God in Possession

O make their Faces ashamed, O Lord, that they may seek Thy Name.

O God make speed to save us.
O Lord make haste to help us.

IV.

O God thou hast cast us out, and scattered us abroad; Thou hast been displeased at us, O Turn thee unto us again.

Thou hast moved the Land and divided it: O heal the sores thereof, for it shaketh.

Thou hast shewn Thy People heavy things, and given us a Drink of Deadly Wine.

Thou hast made us to turn our backs upon our Enemies, so that they which hate Us spoil our Goods.

Thou makest us to be rebuked of our Neighbours, to be laugh'd to scorn, and to be had in derision of them that are round about us.

But though all this be come upon us, yet do we not forget Thee, nor behave our selves frowardly in Thy Covenant.

Our heart is not turned back, nor our steps gone out of thy Way.

No, not when thou hast smitten us into the place of Dragons and covered us with the shadow of Death.

Up Lord, Why sleepest thou? Awake, and be not absent from Us for ever?

But O why hidest Thou Thy Face; and forgettest our Misery and Trouble?

For our soul is brought low, even unto the Dust, and our Belly cleaveth unto the ground.

Arise, help us and deliver us for Thy Mercies sake.

O God make speed to save us.
O Lord make haste to help us.

King David's Tears.

O My God, why hast thou forsaken Thine Anointed, and art displeased with him?

For Lo Thou hast broken the Covenant of thy servant; and cast his Crown to the Ground.

Thou hast overthrown all his Hedges, and broken down his strong holds.

So that all they that go by spoil him, and he is become a Rebuke to his Neighbours.

For thou hast set up the Right hand of his Enemies, and made all his Adversaries to rejoyce.

Thou hast put out his Glory, and hast cast his Throne down to the Ground.

The Dayes of his Youth hast Thou seasoned with Bitternesse, and covered him with dishonor.
But Lord, how long wilt thou hide thy self, for Ever? and shall thy Wrath still burn like Fire?

Remember, O Lord, the rebuke that Thy Servant hath, and how he doth bear in his Bosom, the Rebukes of many People

And let his Adversaries be clothed with sham; But upon his Head let his Crown flourish.

O help him against his Enemies; for vain is the help of Man.

O God make speed to save Him:
O Lord make haste to help Him.


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