I Cried to God in My Distress

I cried to God in my dis­tress

And by the Lord my pray­er was heard;

O save me

Lord

from ly­ing lips

And from the false

de­ceit­ful word.

What woe for false­hood can atone

Or pun­ish the de­ceit­ful tongue

The tongue whose speech con­sumes like fire

Whose words like dead­ly shafts are flung?

Alas for me

whose lot is cast

With those who find their joy in strife!

With those who hate the paths of peace

I long have dwelt and spent my life.

In thought and act I am for peace

Peace I pur­sue and ev­er seek;

But those about me are for strife

Though I in love and kind­ness speak.