I Will Watch My Ways

1I sayde: I wil kepe my waies, that I offended not in my tonge. And so I shut my mouth, whyle the vngodly layed wayte for me.

2I helde my tonge, I was domme, I kepte sylence, yee eue from good wordes, but it was payne and grefe to me.

3My hert was hote within me, & whyle I was thus musynge, the fyre kyndled: so that I spake with my tonge.

4LORDE, let me knowe myne ende, and the nombre of my dayes: that I maye be certified what I wante.

5Beholde, thou hast made my dayes a spanne longe, and my life is as it were nothinge before the. O how vayne are all men lyuynge?

6Sela. Yee euery man walketh as it were a shadowe, and disquieteth him self in vayne: he heapeth vp riches, and can not tell to whom he gathereth them.

7And now LORDE, wherin shall I comforte me? my hope is in the.

8Delyuer me from all myne offences, and make me not a scorne vnto the foolish.

9I kepe sylece, and open not my mouth, for thou hast done it.

10Turne thy plages awaye fro me, for I am cosumed thorow the feare of thy hade.

11When thou punyshest man for synne, thou chastenest him: so that his beutie consumeth awaye, like as it were a mothe. O how vayne are all men? Sela.

12Heare my prayer o LORDE, and considre my callinge: shewe not thy self as though thou sawest not my teares. For I am a straunger and pilgrymme with the, as all my forefathers were.

13Oh spare me a litle, that I maye refresh myself, before I go hence, and be nomore sene.