Chris van der Westhuizen

1
O HERE, U is ’n God van waarheid,
Voor U kan geen leuen bestaan nie.
U deurgrond die harte van mense,
En weeg hul woorde op U skaal.

2
Geseënd is hy wie se tong rein is,
Wat geen bedrog op sy lippe dra nie,
En nie vals spreek om mense te behaag nie.

3
Maar ek het gesien hoe die leuen kortliks seëvier,
En baie jubel oor woorde wat nie waar is nie.
Hulle lig hul hande met sekerheid,
Maar hul harte het nie gelees wat hul bely nie.

4
Hulle sê: “Ons weet,” maar kennis het hulle nie bereik nie;
Hulle sê: “Ons hoor,” maar waarheid het verbygegaan.
Hul monde beweeg vinnig,
Maar hul siele bly stil.

5
O HERE, U word nie mislei deur die stem van die skare nie,
Nog minder oortuig deur baie hande wat oplig.
U verlustig U nie in voorkoms nie,
Maar in opregtheid wat verborge is.

6
Die leuen is ’n vlugtige skaduwee,
Dit stap trots in die middagson,
Maar teen die aand word dit ontbloot,
En die duisternis wys sy vorm.

7
Waarheid staan stil en wag,
Dit roep nie om geglo te word nie.
Dit deurstaan die nag,
En verrys met die môrelig.

8
Deurgrond my, o God, en ken my weë;
Beproef my woorde vóór hulle my mond verlaat.
Plaas ’n wag voor my lippe,
Dat ek nie sondig met selfversekerde valsheid nie.

9
Leer my om te sê: “Ek weet nie,”
Liewer as om onwaarheid te spreek.
Want nederigheid behaag U meer as slim woorde,
En berou meer as aansien.

10
Laat my ja opreg wees,
En my stilte eerlik.
Want U begeer waarheid in die binneste,
En trou in verborge plekke.

11
Herstel in ons die liefde vir waarheid, o HERE,
En verwyder die vrees om tekort te skiet.
Want dit is beter om deur U reggewys te word,
As deur mense geprys te word in dwaling.

12
Dan sal ons woorde met ons harte ooreenstem,
En ons hande met opregtheid opgelig word.
Waarheid sal woon onder U volk,
En U, o HERE, sal in ons ’n welbehae hê.

                              Chris M. v/d Westhuizen '2024 

Psalm 151 (A Psalm of Examination and Truth)

1
O LORD, You are a God of truth,
Before You no falsehood stands.
You search the hearts of men,
And weigh their words upon Your scales.

2
Blessed is the one whose tongue is clean,
Who does not lift deceit upon his lips,
Nor answer falsely to gain the praise of men.

3
But I have seen the lie prosper for a moment,
And many rejoice in words that are not so.
They raise their hands in confidence,
Yet their hearts have not read what they proclaim.

4
They say, “We know,” but knowledge has not entered them;
They say, “We heard,” yet truth passed them by.
Their mouths move swiftly,
But their souls remain silent.

5
O LORD, You are not mocked by the voice of the crowd,
Nor persuaded by the lifting of many hands.
You delight not in appearance,
But in honesty hidden within.

6
The lie is a fleeting shadow,
It walks proudly at noon,
But at evening it is exposed,
And darkness reveals its shape.

7
Truth stands quietly and waits,
It does not shout to be believed.
It endures the night,
And rises with the morning light.

8
Search me, O God, and know my ways;
Test my words before they leave my mouth.
Set a guard over my lips,
That I may not sin with confident falsehood.

9
Teach me to say, “I do not know,”
Rather than speak what is untrue.
For humility pleases You more than clever speech,
And repentance more than reputation.

10
Let my yes be truthful,
And my silence be honest.
For You desire truth in the inward parts,
And faithfulness in secret places.

11
Restore to us the love of truth, O LORD,
And remove the fear of being found lacking.
For it is better to be corrected by You,
Than praised by men in error.

12
Then shall our words align with our hearts,
And our hands be raised in sincerity.
Truth shall dwell among Your people,
And You, O LORD, will delight in us.

                              Chris M. v/d Westhuizen '2024 (Translated from Afrikaans)