The Psalm of Nephi
Behold, my soul delighteth in the things
of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the
things which I have seen and heard.
Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the
Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart
exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart
sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of
mine iniquities.
I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the
sins which do so easily beset me.
And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of
my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have
trusted.
My God hath been my support; he hath led
me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath
preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.
He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of
my flesh.
He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to
quake before me.
Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me
knowledge by vision in the nighttime.
And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him;
yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down
and ministered unto me.
And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried
away upon exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have
beheld great things, yea, even too great for man; therefore
I was bidden that I should not write them.
O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his
condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in
so much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger
in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my
strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?
And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why
should I give way to temptations, that the evil one
have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my
soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?
Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart,
and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.
Do not anger again because of mine
enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine
afflictions.
Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say:
O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will
rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me
out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me
that I may shake at the appearance of sin?
May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because
that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord,
wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me,
that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be
strict in the plain road!
O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy
righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape
before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before
me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way–
but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not
up my way, but the ways of mine enemy.
O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee
forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I
know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of
flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or
maketh flesh his arm.
Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh.
Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I
will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry upon thee,
my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall
forever ascend up to thee, my rock and mine everlasting God.
Amen.
2 Nephi 4:16-35