I love You, Lord, You are my strength
Deliv’rer, Fortress, Rock
Shield and Stronghold, Mighty Savior
Worthy of praise and trust.

I call upon the Lord for help
To save me from my foes
The cords of death entangled me
In fear I nearly drowned.

Engulfed in sorrow and distress
I cry out to my God
He heard my voice from heav’n above
My cry reached to His ears.

In righteous anger He came down
With quakes the earth did shake
Fire and smoke, a fearsome storm
On wings of wind He flew.

Thick clouds of hailstorms, coals of fire
He thundered from His throne
And when the Most High raised His voice
Like lightning, arrows flashed.

At Your rebuke, one blast of breath
The sea convulsed and fled
My foes were scattered and confused
And You came to my aid.

From deep, deep waters I was saved
Delivered from my foes
Who, in my moment of distress
Attacked, and I was doomed.

But You, O Lord, were my support
On firm ground set my feet
In me, O Lord, You find delight
That’s why You rescued me.

Because my heart and hands are clean
You have rewarded me
I’ve kept Your statutes and Your ways
And from them would not stray.

The blameless, merciful, and pure
Know You to be the same
But with the crooked, devious ones
You show that You are shrewd.

© 2014 J Dan Small

O Lord, I beg you please to hear my cry now
This prayer is not from lips that would deceive
My vindication must come from Your presence
Your eyes can see what’s right, my fate relieve.

My heart has been the object of Your testing
All night You have examined me and found
There’s nothing in my life that could offend You
Uphold my steps, keep them on solid ground.

It’s You to whom I call, O God Who hears me
Incline Your ear and show Your mercies great
You always save the ones who trust in You, Lord
Deliver from the wicked ones who hate.

Protect me as the apple of Your eye, Lord
My hiding place –the shadow of Your wings
The enemy surrounds and hopes to slay me
His threats and deadly arrows now he flings.

Their hearts are void of feelings and their mouths boast
Like lions they crouch down for the attack
Surrounding me like prey eager to tear me
Arise, O Lord, confront and turn them back.

Take up Your sword! From evil men deliver
With Your strong hand now bring them low
How is it that in this life they so prosper?
Their lives are filled with treasures You bestow.

The only life they know will soon be passing
The things they cherish now others will take
But as for me, I know I’ll see Your face soon
In Your own likeness, satisfied, awake.

© 2014 J Dan Small

Why, O Lord, do You stand so far off?
Why hide now in our time of distress?
In their pride, wicked boast and they scoff
And the poor and the helpless they oppress

Let the schemes they devise fall apart
They don’t seek You but spurn You instead
Filled with greed every thought of their heart
As they curse, mock, and say,“God is dead!”

For they prosper in all that they try
And declare “I forever will stand!”
They can’t see that Your judgment is nigh
But pursue wicked deeds they have planned

They’re so sure they can’t possibly fail
That they sneer at their foes as they plot
Secretly they crouch down to assail
Thinking God cannot see or forgot

All the innocent victims they seek
Like a lion they watch from their den
Rise, O Lord, lift Your hand for the weak
Lest their deeds go unopposed once again

But You do see their troubles and grief
All the orphans and feeble You aid
As to You they look up for relief
By Your hand evil men are repaid

Our Lord reigns as the King forevermore
While the nations and their tyrants pass away
You have heard the humble hearts and won’t ignore
Final justice will be theirs on Judgment Day

© 2014 J Dan Small

I give thanks to the Lord from my heart
As I tell of Your marvelous works
You have stood for my cause,
I am glad and rejoice
I sing praise to Your Name, O Most High

You have judged righteously from Your throne
All my enemies turn back in shame
They have come to an end,
Gone for good, they’re destroyed
Nevermore to be remembered nor feared

But the Lord will endure evermore
Righteous Judge, He will rule from on high
Those who know Him and trust,
the oppressed He protects
For You, Lord, won’t forsake those who seek

Lift your voice, sing your praise to the Lord
Tell His deeds to the nations around
He’ll avenge martyr’s blood,
He remembers their plight
And the cry of the meek He recalls

Please have mercy on me, O my Lord
And consider the troubles I face
Rescue me from my foes,
then I’ll tell all Your praise
And rejoice as I enter Your gates

All the nations have dug a deep pit
They fall into the hole they have made
In the net they have hid
their own foot will be caught
They are snared in the works of their hands

Interlude/Instrumental bridge providing opportunity
for contemplation (Higgaion/Selah)

By Your judgments, O Lord, You are known
All the nations shall end up in hell
Brazenly they rebel
and forget You are God
Let the nations be judged in Your sight

But the needy will not be forgot
And the hopes of the poor will not die
Rise, O Lord, overcome,
make them fear Your great Name
That all nations may know they’re mere men                      Selah

© 2014 J Dan Small

Bold text is to help convey the stress in each phrase.