(8) "Now all those things are confirmed by the faith that is in Christ. 'Come, ye children,' says the Lord, ' hearken to me, and I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is the man that desireth life, that loveth to see good days?' Then He subjoins the gnostic mystery of the numbers seven and eight. 'Stop thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good. Seek peace, and pursue it.' For in these words He alludes to knowledge (gnosis), with abstinence from evil and the doing of what is good, teaching that it is to be perfected by word and deed. ' The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are to their prayer. But the face of God is against those thai do evil, to root out their memory from the earth. The righteous cried, and the Lord heard, and delivered him out of all his distresses.' ' Many are the stripes of sinners; but those who hope in the Lord, mercy shall compass about.'" "A multitude of mercy," he nobly says, "surrounds him that trusts in the Lord."

(2) I was greatly troubled in my groaning. I will bathe my bed and my cover each night with my tears. I have become old in the midst of all my enemies. Depart from me, all you who work at lawlessness, for look, the lord has heard the cry of my weeping and the lord has heard my prayer.

(5) "David too, of whom the Lord, testifying, says, 'I found a man after my own heart, David the son of Jesse. With my holy oil I anointed him.' But he also says to God, 'Pity me, O God, according to Thy mercy; and according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies, blot out my transgression. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgression, and my sin is ever before me.' " Then, alluding to sin which is not subject to the law, in the exercise of the moderation of true knowledge, he adds, "Against Thee only have I sinned, and done evil in Thy sight." For the Scripture somewhere says, "The Spirit of the Lord is a lamp, searching the recesses of the belly."

(172) Draw their sustenance from Him, both winter and summer. Every moment this heaven cries to Him, saying, "O Lord, quit not Thy hold of me for a moment! The pillar of my being is Thy aid and protection; The whole is folded up in that right hand of Thine." And earth cries, "O keep me fixed and steadfast, Thou who hast placed me on the top of waters!" All of them are waiting and expecting His aid, Every prophet extols this prescription, "Seek ye help with patience and with prayer."

(141) "O Thou that hearest prayer and relievest pain, He knows of none on whom to rely save Thee; Every suppliant obtains his desire from Thee." God makes answer, "The delay in granting his prayer Is intended to benefit him, not to harm him. His pressing need draws him from his negligence to me; Yea, drags him by the hair into my courts. If I at once remove his need he will go away, Though he is wailing with heartfelt cry of 'O Aider!' His voice sounds sweet in my ears,

(9) Blot out mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my inward parts. Cast me not away from Thy face, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation, and establish me with Thy princely spirit."

(59) Thus I will not be angry with my God, though for his name's sake I should endure shame, ignominy and reproach, which springeth, buddeth and blossometh for me every day, so that I am almost inured to it: I will sing with the prophet David [Psalm lxxiii 26], Though my body and soul should faint and fail, yet thou, O God, art my trust and confidence; also my salvation, and the comfort of my heart.

(34) For I have fallen into this dire disgrace; Aid me so that perchance I may escape hence, And extricate myself from this deep slough." He repeats this prayer to high and low, " Release me, release me, release me!" His eyes and ears are open, and he is free from bonds, No jailer watches him, no chain binds him; What, then, is the bond from which he asks release? What is the prison from which ho seeks an exit? 'Tis the bond of God's purpose and hidden decrees; Ah! none but the pure in sight can see that bond;

(17) "O lord, spare the life of him that putteth his trust in thee

(3) Praise the lord, O my soul and all within me, praise his holy name. O my soul, praise god, who forgave all your sins, who healed all your sicknesses, who ransomed your life from death, who crowned you with mercy, who satisfies your longing for good things. Your youth will be renewed like the eagle's.

(1) The bird's cries to God for aid. When he had eaten the grain he was caught in the trap, And began to recite the chapters "Yasin" and "An'am." Then he began to wail and cry loudly, He said, "My back is broken by the conflict of my thoughts; O Beloved One, come and stroke my head in mercy! The palm of Thy hand on my head gives me rest, Remove not Thy shadow from my head, I am afflicted, afflicted, afflicted!