1 I cry out, that God may hear me
and with help be ever near me.
To the Lord I cry aloud,
2 by a weight of troubles bowed.
I stretch out my hand to reach him;
day and night my prayers beseech him.
To my God my grief I told;
I refused to be consoled.
3-4 I remember God with weeping.
He has kept my eyes from sleeping,
and my spirit is so weak
that I’m too distraught to speak.
5 Through the night my thoughts in sadness
turn to former days of gladness,
to my songs of years gone by,
6 and I in my sorrow sigh:
7 “Will the Lord spurn us forever
and withhold from us his favor?
8 Will his love and mercy fail?
Will his promise not prevail?
9 Did God forget his compassion?
Will he not forgive transgression?
10 Then I said, “This is my grief;
God’s right hand brings no relief.”
11 Yet I will recall and ponder
all his awesome works of wonder,
12 meditating with delight
on his deeds so great in might.
13 What god can with our God compare?
14 Your wonders are found ev’rywhere.
15 You freed us with your strong arm
and kept your people from harm.
16 Mighty waters writhed and trembled,
for they saw you and were humbled;
17 Clouds poured water, lightning flashed;
18 earth then trembled, thunder crashed.
19 You led your people through the sea
though no one your footprints could see.
20 Moses, Aaron, by their hand
led them to the promised land.
– cento
Oremus 