Morning Prayer in Time of Affliction

Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.

  My soul flies to you for refuge.

I will hide in the shelter of your wings

  until the time of ambush is past.

I will cry to God the Most High,

  to the God who cares for me.

He will send help from heaven to set me free.

  He will disgrace those who trample me underfoot.

  He will send forth his mercy and faithfulness.

My soul lies among lion-cubs

  that would devour the children of men.

Their teeth are spears and arrows,

  their tongues are pointed swords.

May you be exalted above the heavens, O God;

  let your glory cover the whole earth.

They prepared a trap for my feet;

  my soul was bent double under its burden;

they dug a pit in front of me

 – but they fell into it themselves.

My heart is ready, God.

  My heart is ready.

  I will offer you music and song.

Awake, my glory,

  awake, lyre and harp.

  I will awaken the dawn.

I will proclaim you among the peoples, Lord,

  and make music for you among the nations,

for your mercy reaches as high as the heavens,

  your faithfulness to the clouds.

May you be exalted above the heavens, O God;

  let your glory cover the earth.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

  and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

  is now, and ever shall be,

  world without end.

Amen.