51 O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul?
52 Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies?
53 Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?
54 May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite?
55 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?
56 O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness?
57 O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies?
58 Wilt thou make my path straight before me?
59 Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way?
60 But that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy.
61 O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee for ever.
62 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.
63 Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh his arm.
64 Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh.
65 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.
66 Behold, my voice shall for ever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.
CHAPTER 4
1 Behold, it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cry much unto the Lord my God, because of the anger of my brethren.
2 But behold, their anger did increase against me; insomuch that they did seek to take away my life.
3 Yea, they did murmur against me, saying: Our younger brother thinks to rule over us; and we have had much trial because of him; wherefore, now let us slay him, that we may not be afflicted more because of his words.
4 For behold, we will not have him to be our ruler: for it belongs unto us, who are the elder brethren, to rule over this people.
5 Now I do not write upon these plates, all the word which they murmured against me.
6 But it sufficeth me to say, that they did seek to take away my life.
7 And it came to pass that the Lord did warn me, that I, Nephi, should depart from them, and flee into the wilderness, and all those who would go with me.
8 Wherefore, it came to pass that I, Nephi, did take my family, and also Zoram and his family, and Sam, mine elder brother, and his family, and Jacob, and Joseph, my younger brethren, and also my sisters, and all those who would go with me.
9 And all those who would go with me, were those who believed in the warnings and the revelations of God; wherefore, they did hearken unto my words.
10 And we did take our tents and whatsoever things were possible for us, and did journey in the wilderness for the space of many days.
11 And after we had journeyed for the space of many days, we did pitch our tents.
12 And my people would that we should call the name of the place Nephi; wherefore, we did call it Nephi.
13 And all those who were with me, did take upon them to call themselves the people of Nephi.
14 And we did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord, in all things, according to the law of Moses.
15 And the Lord was with us; and we did prosper exceedingly: for we did sow seed, and we did reap again in abundance.
16 And we began to raise flocks, and herds, and animals of every kind.
17 And I, Nephi, had also brought the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass; and also the ball, or compass, which was prepared for my father, by the hand of the Lord, according to that which is written.
18 And it came to pass that we began to prosper exceedingly, and to multiply in the land.
19 And I, Nephi, did take the sword of Laban, and after the manner of it did make many swords, lest by any means the people who were now called Lamanites, should come upon us and destroy us:
20 For I knew their hatred towards me and my children, and those who were called my people.
21 And I did teach my people to build buildings, and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance.
22 And I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon, save it were not built of so many precious things:
23 For they were not to be found upon the land;
24 Wherefore, it could not be built like unto Solomon’s temple.
25 But the manner of the construction was like unto the temple of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceeding fine.
26 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cause my people to be industrious, and to labor with their hands.
27 And it came to pass that they would that I should be their king.
28 But I, Nephi, was desirous that they should have no king; nevertheless, I did for them according to that which was in my power.
29 And behold, the words of the Lord had been fulfilled unto my brethren, which he spake concerning them, that I should be their ruler and their teacher;
30 Wherefore, I had been their ruler and their teacher, according to the commandment of the Lord, until the time they sought to take away my life.
