1 When my soul declined a little from the Lord, I had almost been in the lapses of the sleep of destruction; and when I was far away from the Lord,

2 my soul had almost been poured out to death, hard by the gates of Sheol along with the sinners:

3 and when my soul declined from the GOD of Israel, unless the Lord had helped me by His mercy which is for ever—

4 He pricked me, like the spur of the horse, according to His watchfulness: my Saviour and Helper at all times is He: He saved me:

5 I will praise Thee, O GOD, because Thou hast helped me with Thy salvation: and hast not reckoned me with sinners for destruction.

6 Withdraw not Thy mercy from me, O GOD: and let not the remembrance of Thee remove from my heart until I die:

7 save me, O Lord, from the wicked sinful woman, and from every wicked woman who sets traps for the simple:

8 and let not the beauty of a wicked woman lead me astray, nor any sin that is,

9 and establish the work of my hands before Thee: and preserve my walk in the remembrance of Thee.

10 My tongue and my lips in words of truth do Thou establish: anger and unreasonable passion do Thou remove from me:

11 grumbling and little-mindedness in affliction do Thou remove from me: for if I shall sin when Thou hast chastened me, it is for repentance:

12 but by Thy good-will establish my soul: and when Thou shalt strengthen my soul, whatever has been given shall be sufficient for me:

13 for if Thou strengthenest me not, who can endure Thy chastening in poverty?

14 for a soul shall be reproved in his flesh and by the affliction of poverty;

15 and when a righteous man shall endure these things, mercy shall be upon him from the Lord.