[M]y soul delighteth in the scriptures,
and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them
for the learning and the profit of my children.
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 visions 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
unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness.
Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee,
my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen. (2 Nephi 4:15-35)
And amen.
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