A Prayer for Guidance

¹Give ear to my words, O Lord ,[#Ps. 4:1]

Consider my meditation.

²Give heed to the voice of my cry,

My King and my God,

For to You I will pray.

³My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord ;

In the morning I will direct it to You,

And I will look up.

⁴For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness,

Nor shall evil dwell with You.

⁵The boastful shall not stand in Your sight;[#(Hab. 1:13); #Ps. 1:5]

You hate all workers of iniquity.

⁶You shall destroy those who speak falsehood;

The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

⁷But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy;

In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.

⁸Lead me, O Lord , in Your righteousness because of my enemies;[#Ps. 25:4, 5; 27:11; 31:3]

Make Your way straight before my face.

⁹For there is no faithfulness in their mouth;

Their inward part is destruction;

Their throat is an open tomb;

They flatter with their tongue.

¹⁰Pronounce them guilty, O God!

Let them fall by their own counsels;

Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions,

For they have rebelled against You.

¹¹But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;

Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;

Let those also who love Your name

Be joyful in You.

¹²For You, O Lord , will bless the righteous;

With favor You will surround him as with a shield.