Psalm 27.  Ad te, Domine

The pastor's prayer

Psalm 27 continues the spirit of the second part of Psalm 26.  It is a pressing plea for help in time of crisis.  For us it is the pastoral prayer of the Church.

Plea for protection

Ad te, Dómine, clamábo, Deus meus, ne síleas a me: * nequándo táceas a me, et assimilábor descendéntibus in lacum.
2  Exáudi, Dómine, vocem deprecatiónis meæ dum oro ad te: * dum extóllo manus meas ad templum sanctum tuum.

Unto thee will I cry, O Lord, my God, be not thou silent unto me : * lest, if thou make as though thou hearest not, I become like them that go down into the pit.
2  O Lord, hear the voice of my humble petitions, when I cry unto thee; * when I hold up my hands towards thy holy temple.

Prayer for the destruction of our enemies

3  Ne simul trahas me cum peccatóribus: * et cum operántibus iniquitátem ne perdas me.
4  Qui loquúntur pacem cum próximo suo, * mala autem in córdibus eórum.
5  Da illis secúndum ópera eórum, * et secúndum nequítiam adinventiónum ipsórum.
6  Secúndum ópera mánuum eórum tríbue illis, * redde retributiónem eórum ipsis.
7  Quóniam non intellexérunt ópera Dómini, et in ópera mánuum ejus * déstrues illos, et non ædificábis eos.

3  O pluck me not away with the ungodly, * neither destroy me with the wicked doers, *
4  Which speak peace to their neighbours, * but imagine mischief in their hearts.
5  Reward them according to their deeds, * and according to the wickedness of their own inventions.
6  Recompense them after the work of their hands; * pay them that they have deserved.
7  For they have regarded not in their mind the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands; * therefore shall he break them down, and not build them up.

Thanksgiving in the assurance that God will hear us

8  Benedíctus Dóminus, * quóniam exaudívit vocem deprecatiónis meæ.
9  Dóminus adjútor meus, et protéctor meus : * in ipso sperávit cor meum et adjútus sum.
10  Et reflóruit caro mea: * et ex voluntáte mea confitébor ei.

8  Blessed be the Lord; * for he hath heard the voice of my humble petitions.
9  The Lord is my strength, and my shield; * my heart hath trusted in him, and I am helped.
10  And my flesh hath flourished again, * and with my will I will praise him.

 Plea for king and people

11  Dóminus fortitúdo plebis suæ: * et protéctor salvatiónum Christi sui est.
12  Salvum fac pópulum tuum, Dómine, et bénedic hereditáti tuæ, * et rege eos, et extólle illos usque in ætérnum.

11  The Lord is the strength of his people, * and he is the defence of the salvation of his anointed.
12  O Lord, save thy people, and bless thine inheritance : * govern them, and lift them up for ever.