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Psalm 1-20
New International Version
Psalm 1-20
New International Version
BOOK I
Psalms 1–41
Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the one(A)
who does not walk(B) in step with the wicked(C)
or stand in the way(D) that sinners take(E)
or sit(F) in the company of mockers,(G)
2 but whose delight(H) is in the law of the Lord,(I)
and who meditates(J) on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree(K) planted by streams(L) of water,(M)
which yields its fruit(N) in season
and whose leaf(O) does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.(P)
4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff(Q)
that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand(R) in the judgment,(S)
nor sinners in the assembly(T) of the righteous.
6 For the Lord watches over(U) the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.(V)
Psalm 2
1 Why do the nations conspire[a]
and the peoples plot(W) in vain?
2 The kings(X) of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord and against his anointed,(Y) saying,
3 “Let us break their chains(Z)
and throw off their shackles.”(AA)
4 The One enthroned(AB) in heaven laughs;(AC)
the Lord scoffs at them.
5 He rebukes them in his anger(AD)
and terrifies them in his wrath,(AE) saying,
6 “I have installed my king(AF)
on Zion,(AG) my holy mountain.(AH)”
7 I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:
He said to me, “You are my son;(AI)
today I have become your father.(AJ)
8 Ask me,
and I will make the nations(AK) your inheritance,(AL)
the ends of the earth(AM) your possession.
9 You will break them with a rod of iron[b];(AN)
you will dash them to pieces(AO) like pottery.(AP)”
10 Therefore, you kings, be wise;(AQ)
be warned, you rulers(AR) of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear(AS)
and celebrate his rule(AT) with trembling.(AU)
12 Kiss his son,(AV) or he will be angry
and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath(AW) can flare up in a moment.
Blessed(AX) are all who take refuge(AY) in him.
Psalm 3[c]
A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.(AZ)
1 Lord, how many are my foes!
How many rise up against me!
2 Many are saying of me,
“God will not deliver him.(BA)”[d]
3 But you, Lord, are a shield(BB) around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high.(BC)
4 I call out to the Lord,(BD)
and he answers me from his holy mountain.(BE)
5 I lie down and sleep;(BF)
I wake again,(BG) because the Lord sustains me.
6 I will not fear(BH) though tens of thousands
assail me on every side.(BI)
7 Arise,(BJ) Lord!
Deliver me,(BK) my God!
Strike(BL) all my enemies on the jaw;
break the teeth(BM) of the wicked.
Psalm 4[e]
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.
1 Answer me(BP) when I call to you,
my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;(BQ)
have mercy(BR) on me and hear my prayer.(BS)
2 How long will you people turn my glory(BT) into shame?(BU)
How long will you love delusions and seek false gods[f]?[g](BV)
3 Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant(BW) for himself;
the Lord hears(BX) when I call to him.
4 Tremble and[h] do not sin;(BY)
when you are on your beds,(BZ)
search your hearts and be silent.
5 Offer the sacrifices of the righteous
and trust in the Lord.(CA)
6 Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”
Let the light of your face shine on us.(CB)
7 Fill my heart(CC) with joy(CD)
when their grain and new wine(CE) abound.
Psalm 5[i]
For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.
1 Listen(CI) to my words, Lord,
consider my lament.(CJ)
2 Hear my cry for help,(CK)
my King and my God,(CL)
for to you I pray.
3 In the morning,(CM) Lord, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait expectantly.(CN)
4 For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
with you, evil people(CO) are not welcome.
5 The arrogant(CP) cannot stand(CQ)
in your presence.
You hate(CR) all who do wrong;
6 you destroy those who tell lies.(CS)
The bloodthirsty and deceitful
you, Lord, detest.
7 But I, by your great love,
can come into your house;
in reverence(CT) I bow down(CU)
toward your holy temple.(CV)
8 Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness(CW)
because of my enemies—
make your way straight(CX) before me.
9 Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
their heart is filled with malice.
Their throat is an open grave;(CY)
with their tongues they tell lies.(CZ)
10 Declare them guilty, O God!
Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,(DA)
for they have rebelled(DB) against you.
11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.(DC)
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name(DD) may rejoice in you.(DE)
12 Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;(DF)
you surround them(DG) with your favor as with a shield.(DH)
Psalm 6[j]
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith.[k] A psalm of David.
1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger(DI)
or discipline me in your wrath.
2 Have mercy on me,(DJ) Lord, for I am faint;(DK)
heal me,(DL) Lord, for my bones are in agony.(DM)
3 My soul is in deep anguish.(DN)
How long,(DO) Lord, how long?
4 Turn,(DP) Lord, and deliver me;
save me because of your unfailing love.(DQ)
5 Among the dead no one proclaims your name.
Who praises you from the grave?(DR)
All night long I flood my bed with weeping(DU)
and drench my couch with tears.(DV)
7 My eyes grow weak(DW) with sorrow;
they fail because of all my foes.
8 Away from me,(DX) all you who do evil,(DY)
for the Lord has heard my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;(DZ)
the Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish;(EA)
they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.(EB)
Psalm 7[l]
A shiggaion[m](EC) of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush, a Benjamite.
1 Lord my God, I take refuge(ED) in you;
save and deliver me(EE) from all who pursue me,(EF)
2 or they will tear me apart like a lion(EG)
and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue(EH) me.
3 Lord my God, if I have done this
and there is guilt on my hands(EI)—
4 if I have repaid my ally with evil
or without cause(EJ) have robbed my foe—
5 then let my enemy pursue and overtake(EK) me;
let him trample my life to the ground(EL)
and make me sleep in the dust.[n](EM)
6 Arise,(EN) Lord, in your anger;
rise up against the rage of my enemies.(EO)
Awake,(EP) my God; decree justice.
7 Let the assembled peoples gather around you,
while you sit enthroned over them on high.(EQ)
8 Let the Lord judge(ER) the peoples.
Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness,(ES)
according to my integrity,(ET) O Most High.(EU)
9 Bring to an end the violence of the wicked
and make the righteous secure—(EV)
you, the righteous God(EW)
who probes minds and hearts.(EX)
10 My shield[o](EY) is God Most High,
who saves the upright in heart.(EZ)
11 God is a righteous judge,(FA)
a God who displays his wrath(FB) every day.
12 If he does not relent,(FC)
he[p] will sharpen his sword;(FD)
he will bend and string his bow.(FE)
13 He has prepared his deadly weapons;
he makes ready his flaming arrows.(FF)
14 Whoever is pregnant with evil
conceives trouble and gives birth(FG) to disillusionment.
15 Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out
falls into the pit(FH) they have made.(FI)
16 The trouble they cause recoils on them;
their violence comes down on their own heads.
17 I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness;(FJ)
I will sing the praises(FK) of the name of the Lord Most High.(FL)
Psalm 8[q]
For the director of music. According to gittith.[r] A psalm of David.
1 Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name(FM) in all the earth!
You have set your glory(FN)
in the heavens.(FO)
2 Through the praise of children and infants
you have established a stronghold(FP) against your enemies,
to silence the foe(FQ) and the avenger.
3 When I consider your heavens,(FR)
the work of your fingers,(FS)
the moon and the stars,(FT)
which you have set in place,
4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?[s](FU)
5 You have made them[t] a little lower than the angels[u](FV)
and crowned them[v] with glory and honor.(FW)
6 You made them rulers(FX) over the works of your hands;(FY)
you put everything under their[w] feet:(FZ)
7 all flocks and herds,(GA)
and the animals of the wild,(GB)
8 the birds in the sky,
and the fish in the sea,(GC)
all that swim the paths of the seas.
9 Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!(GD)
Psalm 9[x][y]
For the director of music. To the tune of “The Death of the Son.” A psalm of David.
1 I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;(GE)
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.(GF)
2 I will be glad and rejoice(GG) in you;
I will sing the praises(GH) of your name,(GI) O Most High.
3 My enemies turn back;
they stumble and perish before you.
4 For you have upheld my right(GJ) and my cause,(GK)
sitting enthroned(GL) as the righteous judge.(GM)
5 You have rebuked the nations(GN) and destroyed the wicked;
you have blotted out their name(GO) for ever and ever.
6 Endless ruin has overtaken my enemies,
you have uprooted their cities;(GP)
even the memory of them(GQ) has perished.
7 The Lord reigns forever;(GR)
he has established his throne(GS) for judgment.
8 He rules the world in righteousness(GT)
and judges the peoples with equity.(GU)
9 The Lord is a refuge(GV) for the oppressed,(GW)
a stronghold in times of trouble.(GX)
10 Those who know your name(GY) trust in you,
for you, Lord, have never forsaken(GZ) those who seek you.(HA)
11 Sing the praises(HB) of the Lord, enthroned in Zion;(HC)
proclaim among the nations(HD) what he has done.(HE)
12 For he who avenges blood(HF) remembers;
he does not ignore the cries of the afflicted.(HG)
13 Lord, see how my enemies(HH) persecute me!
Have mercy(HI) and lift me up from the gates of death,(HJ)
14 that I may declare your praises(HK)
in the gates of Daughter Zion,(HL)
and there rejoice in your salvation.(HM)
15 The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug;(HN)
their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.(HO)
16 The Lord is known by his acts of justice;
the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.[z](HP)
17 The wicked go down to the realm of the dead,(HQ)
all the nations that forget God.(HR)
18 But God will never forget the needy;
the hope(HS) of the afflicted(HT) will never perish.
19 Arise,(HU) Lord, do not let mortals triumph;(HV)
let the nations be judged(HW) in your presence.
20 Strike them with terror,(HX) Lord;
let the nations know they are only mortal.(HY)
Psalm 10[aa]
2 In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,(IB)
who are caught in the schemes he devises.
3 He boasts(IC) about the cravings of his heart;
he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord.(ID)
4 In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God.(IE)
5 His ways are always prosperous;
your laws are rejected by[ab] him;
he sneers at all his enemies.
6 He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.”
He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.”(IF)
7 His mouth is full(IG) of lies and threats;(IH)
trouble and evil are under his tongue.(II)
8 He lies in wait(IJ) near the villages;
from ambush he murders the innocent.(IK)
His eyes watch in secret for his victims;
9 like a lion in cover he lies in wait.
He lies in wait to catch the helpless;(IL)
he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.(IM)
10 His victims are crushed,(IN) they collapse;
they fall under his strength.
11 He says to himself, “God will never notice;(IO)
he covers his face and never sees.”(IP)
12 Arise,(IQ) Lord! Lift up your hand,(IR) O God.
Do not forget the helpless.(IS)
13 Why does the wicked man revile God?(IT)
Why does he say to himself,
“He won’t call me to account”?(IU)
14 But you, God, see the trouble(IV) of the afflicted;
you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;(IW)
you are the helper(IX) of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked man;(IY)
call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
that would not otherwise be found out.
16 The Lord is King for ever and ever;(IZ)
the nations(JA) will perish from his land.
17 You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;(JB)
you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,(JC)
18 defending the fatherless(JD) and the oppressed,(JE)
so that mere earthly mortals
will never again strike terror.
Psalm 11
For the director of music. Of David.
1 In the Lord I take refuge.(JF)
How then can you say to me:
“Flee(JG) like a bird to your mountain.(JH)
2 For look, the wicked bend their bows;(JI)
they set their arrows(JJ) against the strings
to shoot from the shadows(JK)
at the upright in heart.(JL)
3 When the foundations(JM) are being destroyed,
what can the righteous do?”
4 The Lord is in his holy temple;(JN)
the Lord is on his heavenly throne.(JO)
He observes everyone on earth;(JP)
his eyes examine(JQ) them.
5 The Lord examines the righteous,(JR)
but the wicked, those who love violence,
he hates with a passion.(JS)
6 On the wicked he will rain
fiery coals and burning sulfur;(JT)
a scorching wind(JU) will be their lot.
Psalm 12[ac]
For the director of music. According to sheminith.[ad] A psalm of David.
1 Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore;(JZ)
those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.
2 Everyone lies(KA) to their neighbor;
they flatter with their lips
but harbor deception in their hearts.(KB)
3 May the Lord silence all flattering lips(KC)
and every boastful tongue—(KD)
4 those who say,
“By our tongues we will prevail;(KE)
our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?”
5 “Because the poor are plundered(KF) and the needy groan,(KG)
I will now arise,(KH)” says the Lord.
“I will protect them(KI) from those who malign them.”
6 And the words of the Lord are flawless,(KJ)
like silver purified(KK) in a crucible,(KL)
like gold[ae] refined seven times.
7 You, Lord, will keep the needy safe(KM)
and will protect us forever from the wicked,(KN)
8 who freely strut(KO) about
when what is vile is honored by the human race.
Psalm 13[af]
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 How long,(KP) Lord? Will you forget me(KQ) forever?
How long will you hide your face(KR) from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts(KS)
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?(KT)
3 Look on me(KU) and answer,(KV) Lord my God.
Give light to my eyes,(KW) or I will sleep in death,(KX)
4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,(KY)”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.(KZ)
5 But I trust in your unfailing love;(LA)
my heart rejoices in your salvation.(LB)
6 I will sing(LC) the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.
Psalm 14(LD)
For the director of music. Of David.
1 The fool[ag] says in his heart,
“There is no God.”(LE)
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good.
2 The Lord looks down from heaven(LF)
on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,(LG)
any who seek God.(LH)
3 All have turned away,(LI) all have become corrupt;(LJ)
there is no one who does good,(LK)
not even one.(LL)
4 Do all these evildoers know nothing?(LM)
They devour my people(LN) as though eating bread;
they never call on the Lord.(LO)
5 But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
for God is present in the company of the righteous.
6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,
but the Lord is their refuge.(LP)
7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!(LQ)
When the Lord restores(LR) his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
Psalm 15
A psalm of David.
2 The one whose walk is blameless,(LV)
who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth(LW) from their heart;
3 whose tongue utters no slander,(LX)
who does no wrong to a neighbor,
and casts no slur on others;
4 who despises a vile person
but honors(LY) those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath(LZ) even when it hurts,
and does not change their mind;
5 who lends money to the poor without interest;(MA)
who does not accept a bribe(MB) against the innocent.
Whoever does these things
will never be shaken.(MC)
Psalm 16
A miktam[ah] of David.
2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;(MF)
apart from you I have no good thing.”(MG)
3 I say of the holy people(MH) who are in the land,(MI)
“They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”
4 Those who run after other gods(MJ) will suffer(MK) more and more.
I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods
or take up their names(ML) on my lips.
5 Lord, you alone are my portion(MM) and my cup;(MN)
you make my lot(MO) secure.
6 The boundary lines(MP) have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.(MQ)
7 I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;(MR)
even at night(MS) my heart instructs me.
8 I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
With him at my right hand,(MT) I will not be shaken.(MU)
9 Therefore my heart is glad(MV) and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,(MW)
10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,(MX)
nor will you let your faithful[ai] one(MY) see decay.(MZ)
11 You make known to me the path of life;(NA)
you will fill me with joy in your presence,(NB)
with eternal pleasures(NC) at your right hand.(ND)
Psalm 17
A prayer of David.
1 Hear me,(NE) Lord, my plea is just;
listen to my cry.(NF)
Hear(NG) my prayer—
it does not rise from deceitful lips.(NH)
2 Let my vindication(NI) come from you;
may your eyes see what is right.(NJ)
3 Though you probe my heart,(NK)
though you examine me at night and test me,(NL)
you will find that I have planned no evil;(NM)
my mouth has not transgressed.(NN)
4 Though people tried to bribe me,
I have kept myself from the ways of the violent
through what your lips have commanded.
5 My steps have held to your paths;(NO)
my feet have not stumbled.(NP)
6 I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;(NQ)
turn your ear to me(NR) and hear my prayer.(NS)
7 Show me the wonders of your great love,(NT)
you who save by your right hand(NU)
those who take refuge(NV) in you from their foes.
8 Keep me(NW) as the apple of your eye;(NX)
hide me(NY) in the shadow of your wings(NZ)
9 from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
from my mortal enemies who surround me.(OA)
10 They close up their callous hearts,(OB)
and their mouths speak with arrogance.(OC)
11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me,(OD)
with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion(OE) hungry for prey,(OF)
like a fierce lion crouching in cover.
13 Rise up,(OG) Lord, confront them, bring them down;(OH)
with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
14 By your hand save me from such people, Lord,
from those of this world(OI) whose reward is in this life.(OJ)
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
may their children gorge themselves on it,
and may there be leftovers(OK) for their little ones.
15 As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
when I awake,(OL) I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.(OM)
Psalm 18[aj](ON)
For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:
1 I love you, Lord, my strength.(OO)
2 The Lord is my rock,(OP) my fortress(OQ) and my deliverer;(OR)
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,(OS)
my shield[ak](OT) and the horn[al] of my salvation,(OU) my stronghold.
3 I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,(OV)
and I have been saved from my enemies.(OW)
4 The cords of death(OX) entangled me;
the torrents(OY) of destruction overwhelmed me.
5 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death(OZ) confronted me.
6 In my distress(PA) I called to the Lord;(PB)
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;(PC)
my cry came(PD) before him, into his ears.
7 The earth trembled(PE) and quaked,(PF)
and the foundations of the mountains shook;(PG)
they trembled because he was angry.(PH)
8 Smoke rose from his nostrils;(PI)
consuming fire(PJ) came from his mouth,
burning coals(PK) blazed out of it.
9 He parted the heavens and came down;(PL)
dark clouds(PM) were under his feet.
10 He mounted the cherubim(PN) and flew;
he soared(PO) on the wings of the wind.(PP)
11 He made darkness his covering,(PQ) his canopy(PR) around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.
12 Out of the brightness of his presence(PS) clouds advanced,
with hailstones(PT) and bolts of lightning.(PU)
13 The Lord thundered(PV) from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.[am]
14 He shot his arrows(PW) and scattered the enemy,
with great bolts of lightning(PX) he routed them.(PY)
15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations(PZ) of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke,(QA) Lord,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils.(QB)
16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.(QC)
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,(QD)
from my foes, who were too strong for me.(QE)
18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,(QF)
but the Lord was my support.(QG)
19 He brought me out into a spacious place;(QH)
he rescued me because he delighted in me.(QI)
20 The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;(QJ)
according to the cleanness of my hands(QK) he has rewarded me.(QL)
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;(QM)
I am not guilty of turning(QN) from my God.
22 All his laws are before me;(QO)
I have not turned away from his decrees.
23 I have been blameless(QP) before him
and have kept myself from sin.
24 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,(QQ)
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
25 To the faithful(QR) you show yourself faithful,(QS)
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
26 to the pure(QT) you show yourself pure,
but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.(QU)
27 You save the humble(QV)
but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.(QW)
28 You, Lord, keep my lamp(QX) burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.(QY)
29 With your help(QZ) I can advance against a troop[an];
with my God I can scale a wall.
30 As for God, his way is perfect:(RA)
The Lord’s word is flawless;(RB)
he shields(RC) all who take refuge(RD) in him.
31 For who is God besides the Lord?(RE)
And who is the Rock(RF) except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength(RG)
and keeps my way secure.(RH)
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;(RI)
he causes me to stand on the heights.(RJ)
34 He trains my hands for battle;(RK)
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
and your right hand sustains(RL) me;
your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path(RM) for my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way.(RN)
37 I pursued my enemies(RO) and overtook them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
38 I crushed them(RP) so that they could not rise;(RQ)
they fell beneath my feet.(RR)
39 You armed me with strength(RS) for battle;
you humbled my adversaries(RT) before me.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs(RU) in flight,
and I destroyed(RV) my foes.
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them(RW)—
to the Lord, but he did not answer.(RX)
42 I beat them as fine as windblown dust;(RY)
I trampled them[ao] like mud in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
you have made me the head of nations.(RZ)
People I did not know(SA) now serve me,
44 foreigners(SB) cower before me;
as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
45 They all lose heart;(SC)
they come trembling(SD) from their strongholds.(SE)
46 The Lord lives!(SF) Praise be to my Rock!(SG)
Exalted be God(SH) my Savior!(SI)
47 He is the God who avenges(SJ) me,
who subdues nations(SK) under me,
48 who saves(SL) me from my enemies.(SM)
You exalted me above my foes;
from a violent man(SN) you rescued me.
49 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;(SO)
I will sing(SP) the praises of your name.(SQ)
50 He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing love to his anointed,(SR)
to David(SS) and to his descendants forever.(ST)
Psalm 19[ap]
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 The heavens(SU) declare(SV) the glory of God;(SW)
the skies(SX) proclaim the work of his hands.(SY)
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.(SZ)
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice[aq] goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.(TA)
In the heavens God has pitched a tent(TB) for the sun.(TC)
5 It is like a bridegroom(TD) coming out of his chamber,(TE)
like a champion(TF) rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens(TG)
and makes its circuit to the other;(TH)
nothing is deprived of its warmth.
7 The law of the Lord(TI) is perfect,(TJ)
refreshing the soul.(TK)
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,(TL)
making wise the simple.(TM)
8 The precepts of the Lord are right,(TN)
giving joy(TO) to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.(TP)
9 The fear of the Lord(TQ) is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
and all of them are righteous.(TR)
10 They are more precious than gold,(TS)
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,(TT)
than honey from the honeycomb.(TU)
11 By them your servant is warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can discern their own errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.(TV)
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;(TW)
may they not rule over me.(TX)
Then I will be blameless,(TY)
innocent of great transgression.
14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing(TZ) in your sight,
Lord, my Rock(UA) and my Redeemer.(UB)
Psalm 20[ar]
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;(UC)
may the name of the God of Jacob(UD) protect you.(UE)
2 May he send you help(UF) from the sanctuary(UG)
and grant you support(UH) from Zion.(UI)
3 May he remember(UJ) all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.[as](UK)
4 May he give you the desire of your heart(UL)
and make all your plans succeed.(UM)
5 May we shout for joy(UN) over your victory
and lift up our banners(UO) in the name of our God.
May the Lord grant all your requests.(UP)
Footnotes
- Psalm 2:1 Hebrew; Septuagint rage
- Psalm 2:9 Or will rule them with an iron scepter (see Septuagint and Syriac)
- Psalm 3:1 In Hebrew texts 3:1-8 is numbered 3:2-9.
- Psalm 3:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 4 and 8.
- Psalm 4:1 In Hebrew texts 4:1-8 is numbered 4:2-9.
- Psalm 4:2 Or seek lies
- Psalm 4:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 4.
- Psalm 4:4 Or In your anger (see Septuagint)
- Psalm 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1-12 is numbered 5:2-13.
- Psalm 6:1 In Hebrew texts 6:1-10 is numbered 6:2-11.
- Psalm 6:1 Title: Probably a musical term
- Psalm 7:1 In Hebrew texts 7:1-17 is numbered 7:2-18.
- Psalm 7:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 7:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
- Psalm 7:10 Or sovereign
- Psalm 7:12 Or If anyone does not repent, / God
- Psalm 8:1 In Hebrew texts 8:1-9 is numbered 8:2-10.
- Psalm 8:1 Title: Probably a musical term
- Psalm 8:4 Or what is a human being that you are mindful of him, / a son of man that you care for him?
- Psalm 8:5 Or him
- Psalm 8:5 Or than God
- Psalm 8:5 Or him
- Psalm 8:6 Or made him ruler . . . ; / . . . his
- Psalm 9:1 Psalms 9 and 10 may originally have been a single acrostic poem in which alternating lines began with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In the Septuagint they constitute one psalm.
- Psalm 9:1 In Hebrew texts 9:1-20 is numbered 9:2-21.
- Psalm 9:16 The Hebrew has Higgaion and Selah (words of uncertain meaning) here; Selah occurs also at the end of verse 20.
- Psalm 10:1 Psalms 9 and 10 may originally have been a single acrostic poem in which alternating lines began with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In the Septuagint they constitute one psalm.
- Psalm 10:5 See Septuagint; Hebrew / they are haughty, and your laws are far from
- Psalm 12:1 In Hebrew texts 12:1-8 is numbered 12:2-9.
- Psalm 12:1 Title: Probably a musical term
- Psalm 12:6 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text earth
- Psalm 13:1 In Hebrew texts 13:1-6 is numbered 13:2-6.
- Psalm 14:1 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Psalms denote one who is morally deficient.
- Psalm 16:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 16:10 Or holy
- Psalm 18:1 In Hebrew texts 18:1-50 is numbered 18:2-51.
- Psalm 18:2 Or sovereign
- Psalm 18:2 Horn here symbolizes strength.
- Psalm 18:13 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 2 Samuel 22:14); most Hebrew manuscripts resounded, / amid hailstones and bolts of lightning
- Psalm 18:29 Or can run through a barricade
- Psalm 18:42 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac and Targum (see also 2 Samuel 22:43); Masoretic Text I poured them out
- Psalm 19:1 In Hebrew texts 19:1-14 is numbered 19:2-15.
- Psalm 19:4 Septuagint, Jerome and Syriac; Hebrew measuring line
- Psalm 20:1 In Hebrew texts 20:1-9 is numbered 20:2-10.
- Psalm 20:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
Psalm 1-20
English Standard Version
Psalm 1-20
English Standard Version
Book One
The Way of the Righteous and the Wicked
1 Blessed is the man[a]
who (A)walks not in (B)the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in (C)the way of sinners,
nor (D)sits in (E)the seat of (F)scoffers;
2 but his (G)delight is in the law[b] of the Lord,
and on his (H)law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like (I)a tree
planted by (J)streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its (K)leaf does not wither.
(L)In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like (M)chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked (N)will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in (O)the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord (P)knows (Q)the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
The Reign of the Lord's Anointed
2 (R)Why do (S)the nations rage[c]
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the Lord and against his (T)Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us (U)burst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us.”
4 He who (V)sits in the heavens (W)laughs;
the Lord holds them in derision.
5 Then he will speak to them in his (X)wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6 “As for me, I have (Y)set my King
on (Z)Zion, my (AA)holy hill.”
7 I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, (AB)“You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and (AC)the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You shall (AD)break[d] them with (AE)a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like (AF)a potter's vessel.”
10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11 (AG)Serve the Lord with (AH)fear,
and (AI)rejoice with (AJ)trembling.
12 (AK)Kiss (AL)the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his (AM)wrath is quickly kindled.
(AN)Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
Save Me, O My God
A Psalm of David, (AO)when he fled from Absalom his son.
3 O Lord, (AP)how many are my foes!
Many are (AQ)rising against me;
2 many are saying of my soul,
(AR)“There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah[e]
3 But you, O Lord, are (AS)a shield (AT)about me,
my glory, and (AU)the lifter of my head.
4 I (AV)cried aloud to the Lord,
and he (AW)answered me from his (AX)holy hill. Selah
5 I (AY)lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
6 I (AZ)will not be afraid of many thousands of people
who have (BA)set themselves against me all around.
7 (BB)Arise, O Lord!
Save me, O my God!
For you (BC)strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you (BD)break the teeth of the wicked.
8 (BE)Salvation belongs to the Lord;
your blessing be on your people! Selah
Answer Me When I Call
To the (BF)choirmaster: with (BG)stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.
4 Answer me when I call, O God of my (BH)righteousness!
You have (BI)given me relief when I was in distress.
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!
2 O men,[f] how long shall my honor be turned into shame?
How long will you love vain words and seek after (BJ)lies? Selah
3 But know that the Lord has (BK)set apart (BL)the godly for himself;
the Lord hears when I call to him.
4 (BM)Be angry,[g] and do not sin;
(BN)ponder in your own hearts (BO)on your beds, and be silent. Selah
5 Offer (BP)right sacrifices,
and put your (BQ)trust in the Lord.
6 There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?
(BR)Lift up (BS)the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”
7 You have put (BT)more joy in my heart
than they have when their grain and wine abound.
Lead Me in Your Righteousness
To the choirmaster: for the flutes. A Psalm of David.
5 Give ear to my words, O Lord;
consider my (BW)groaning.
2 Give attention to the sound of my cry,
my (BX)King and my God,
for (BY)to you do I pray.
3 O Lord, in (BZ)the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you[h] and (CA)watch.
4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil may not dwell with you.
5 The (CB)boastful shall not (CC)stand before your eyes;
you (CD)hate all evildoers.
6 You destroy those who speak (CE)lies;
the Lord abhors (CF)the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
will enter your house.
I will (CG)bow down (CH)toward your (CI)holy temple
in the fear of you.
8 (CJ)Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
because of my enemies;
(CK)make your way straight before me.
9 For there is no truth in their mouth;
their inmost self is (CL)destruction;
(CM)their throat is (CN)an open grave;
they (CO)flatter with their tongue.
10 (CP)Make them bear their guilt, O God;
let them (CQ)fall by their own counsels;
because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out,
for they have rebelled against you.
11 But let all who (CR)take refuge in you (CS)rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may (CT)exult in you.
12 For you (CU)bless the righteous, O Lord;
you (CV)cover him with favor as with (CW)a shield.
O Lord, Deliver My Life
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments; according to (CX)The Sheminith.[i] A Psalm of David.
6 O Lord, (CY)rebuke me not in your anger,
nor (CZ)discipline me in your wrath.
2 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;
(DA)heal me, O Lord, (DB)for my bones are troubled.
3 My (DC)soul also is greatly troubled.
But you, O Lord—(DD)how long?
4 Turn, O Lord, deliver my life;
save me for the sake of your steadfast love.
5 For in (DE)death there is no remembrance of you;
in Sheol who will give you praise?
6 I am (DF)weary with my (DG)moaning;
every night I flood my bed with tears;
I drench my couch with my weeping.
7 My (DH)eye wastes away because of grief;
it grows weak because of all my foes.
8 (DI)Depart from me, all you (DJ)workers of evil,
for the Lord (DK)has heard the sound of my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my (DL)plea;
the Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled;
they shall (DM)turn back and be put to shame in a moment.
In You Do I Take Refuge
A (DN)Shiggaion[j] of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning the words of Cush, a Benjaminite.
7 O Lord my God, in you do I (DO)take refuge;
(DP)save me from all my pursuers and deliver me,
2 lest like (DQ)a lion they tear my soul apart,
rending it in pieces, with (DR)none to deliver.
3 O Lord my God, (DS)if I have done this,
if there is (DT)wrong in my hands,
4 if I have repaid (DU)my friend[k] with evil
or (DV)plundered my enemy without cause,
5 let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it,
and let him (DW)trample my life to the ground
and lay my glory in the dust. Selah
6 (DX)Arise, O Lord, in your anger;
(DY)lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;
(DZ)awake for me; you have appointed a judgment.
7 Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you;
over it return on high.
8 The Lord (EA)judges the peoples;
(EB)judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness
and according to the integrity that is in me.
9 Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
and may you establish the righteous—
you who (EC)test (ED)the minds and hearts,[l]
O righteous God!
10 My shield is (EE)with God,
who saves (EF)the upright in heart.
11 God is (EG)a righteous judge,
and a God who feels (EH)indignation every day.
12 If a man[m] does not repent, God[n] will (EI)whet his sword;
he has (EJ)bent and (EK)readied his bow;
13 he has prepared for him his deadly weapons,
making his (EL)arrows (EM)fiery shafts.
14 Behold, the wicked man (EN)conceives evil
and is (EO)pregnant with mischief
and gives birth to lies.
15 He makes (EP)a pit, digging it out,
and falls into the hole that he has made.
16 His (EQ)mischief returns upon his own head,
and on his own skull his violence descends.
17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
and I will (ER)sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.
How Majestic Is Your Name
To the choirmaster: according to The (ES)Gittith.[o] A Psalm of David.
8 O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your (ET)name in all the earth!
You have set your (EU)glory above the heavens.
2 (EV)Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established (EW)strength because of your foes,
to still (EX)the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I (EY)look at your heavens, the work of your (EZ)fingers,
the moon and the stars, (FA)which you have set in place,
4 (FB)what is man that you are (FC)mindful of him,
and (FD)the son of man that you (FE)care for him?
5 Yet you have made him a little lower than (FF)the heavenly beings[p]
and crowned him with (FG)glory and honor.
6 You have given him (FH)dominion over the works of your hands;
(FI)you have put all things under his feet,
7 all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
I Will Recount Your Wonderful Deeds
[q] To the choirmaster: according to Muth-labben.[r] A Psalm of David.
9 I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
I will recount all of your (FJ)wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and (FK)exult in you;
I will (FL)sing praise to your name, (FM)O Most High.
3 When my enemies turn back,
they stumble and perish before[s] your presence.
4 For you have (FN)maintained my just cause;
you have (FO)sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment.
5 You have (FP)rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish;
you have (FQ)blotted out their name forever and ever.
6 The enemy came to an end in everlasting ruins;
their cities you rooted out;
the very memory of them has perished.
7 But the Lord sits enthroned forever;
he has established his throne for justice,
8 and he (FR)judges the world with righteousness;
he (FS)judges the peoples with uprightness.
9 The Lord is (FT)a stronghold for (FU)the oppressed,
a stronghold in (FV)times of trouble.
10 And those who (FW)know your name put their trust in you,
for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.
11 Sing praises to the Lord, who (FX)sits enthroned in Zion!
Tell among the peoples his (FY)deeds!
12 For he who (FZ)avenges blood is mindful of them;
he (GA)does not forget the cry of the afflicted.
13 (GB)Be gracious to me, O Lord!
See my affliction from those who hate me,
O you who lift me up from (GC)the gates of death,
14 that I may recount all your praises,
that in the gates of (GD)the daughter of Zion
I may (GE)rejoice in your salvation.
15 The nations have sunk in (GF)the pit that they made;
in (GG)the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught.
16 The Lord has made himself (GH)known; he has executed judgment;
the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion.[t] Selah
18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten,
and (GK)the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.
19 (GL)Arise, O Lord! Let not (GM)man prevail;
let the nations be judged before you!
20 Put them in fear, O Lord!
Let the nations know that they are but (GN)men! Selah
Why Do You Hide Yourself?
2 In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor;
let them (GR)be caught in the schemes that they have devised.
3 For the wicked (GS)boasts of the desires of his soul,
and the one greedy for gain (GT)curses[u] and (GU)renounces the Lord.
4 In the pride of his face[v] the wicked does not (GV)seek him;[w]
all his thoughts are, (GW)“There is no God.”
5 His ways prosper at all times;
your judgments are on high, (GX)out of his sight;
as for all his foes, he (GY)puffs at them.
6 He (GZ)says in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
throughout all generations I (HA)shall not meet adversity.”
7 (HB)His mouth is filled with cursing and (HC)deceit and (HD)oppression;
(HE)under his tongue are (HF)mischief and (HG)iniquity.
8 He sits in ambush in the villages;
in (HH)hiding places he murders the innocent.
His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
9 he lurks in ambush like (HI)a lion in his (HJ)thicket;
he (HK)lurks that he may seize the poor;
he seizes the poor when he draws him into his (HL)net.
10 The helpless are crushed, sink down,
and fall by his might.
11 He says in his heart, “God has forgotten,
he has (HM)hidden his face, he (HN)will never see it.”
12 (HO)Arise, O Lord; O God, (HP)lift up your hand;
(HQ)forget not the afflicted.
13 Why does the wicked (HR)renounce God
and say in his heart, “You will not (HS)call to account”?
14 But you do see, for you (HT)note mischief and vexation,
that you may take it into your hands;
to you the helpless (HU)commits himself;
you have been (HV)the helper of the fatherless.
15 (HW)Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;
(HX)call his wickedness to account till you find none.
16 (HY)The Lord is king forever and ever;
the (HZ)nations perish from his land.
17 O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
you will (IA)strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear
18 to (IB)do justice to the fatherless and (IC)the oppressed,
so that (ID)man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.
The Lord Is in His Holy Temple
To the choirmaster. Of David.
11 In the Lord I take refuge;
how can you say to my soul,
(IE)“Flee like a bird to your mountain,
2 for behold, the wicked (IF)bend the bow;
(IG)they have fitted their arrow to the string
to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart;
3 if (IH)the foundations are destroyed,
what can the righteous do?”[x]
4 (II)The Lord is in his holy temple;
the Lord's (IJ)throne is in heaven;
his eyes see, his eyelids (IK)test the children of man.
5 The Lord (IL)tests the righteous,
but (IM)his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.
6 Let him rain coals on the wicked;
(IN)fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be (IO)the portion of their cup.
7 For the Lord is righteous;
he (IP)loves righteous deeds;
(IQ)the upright shall behold his face.
The Faithful Have Vanished
To the choirmaster: according to The Sheminith.[y] A Psalm of David.
12 Save, O Lord, for (IR)the godly one is gone;
for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man.
2 Everyone (IS)utters lies to his neighbor;
with (IT)flattering lips and (IU)a double heart they speak.
3 May the Lord cut off all (IV)flattering lips,
the tongue that makes (IW)great boasts,
4 those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail,
our lips are with us; who is master over us?”
5 “Because (IX)the poor are plundered, because the needy groan,
(IY)I will now arise,” says the Lord;
“I will place him in the (IZ)safety for which he longs.”
6 (JA)The words of the Lord are pure words,
like silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
purified seven times.
7 You, O Lord, will keep them;
you will guard us[z] from this generation forever.
8 On every side the wicked prowl,
as vileness is exalted among the children of man.
How Long, O Lord?
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
13 (JB)How long, O Lord? Will you (JC)forget me forever?
How long will you (JD)hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take (JE)counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3 (JF)Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
(JG)light up my eyes, lest (JH)I sleep the sleep of death,
4 (JI)lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
lest my foes rejoice because I am (JJ)shaken.
5 But I have (JK)trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall (JL)rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.
The Fool Says, There Is No God
To the choirmaster. Of David.
14 (JM)The (JN)fool says in his heart, (JO)“There is no God.”
They are (JP)corrupt, they do abominable deeds;
(JQ)there is none who does good.
2 The Lord (JR)looks down from heaven on the children of man,
to see if there are any who understand,[aa]
who (JS)seek after God.
3 They have all turned aside; together they have become (JT)corrupt;
there is none who does good,
not even one.
4 Have they no (JU)knowledge, all the evildoers
who (JV)eat up my people as they eat bread
and (JW)do not call upon the Lord?
5 There they are in great terror,
for God is with (JX)the generation of the righteous.
6 You would shame the plans of the poor,
but[ab] the Lord is his (JY)refuge.
7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the Lord (JZ)restores the fortunes of his people,
let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.
Who Shall Dwell on Your Holy Hill?
A Psalm of David.
2 He who (KD)walks blamelessly and (KE)does what is right
and (KF)speaks truth in his heart;
3 who (KG)does not slander with his tongue
and does no evil to his neighbor,
nor (KH)takes up a reproach against his friend;
4 (KI)in whose eyes a vile person is despised,
but who honors those who fear the Lord;
who (KJ)swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 who (KK)does not put out his money at interest
and (KL)does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be (KM)moved.
You Will Not Abandon My Soul
A (KN)Miktam[ac] of David.
16 Preserve me, O God, for in you I (KO)take refuge.
2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
(KP)I have no good apart from you.”
4 The sorrows of those who run after[ae] another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or (KR)take their names on my lips.
5 The Lord is (KS)my chosen portion and my (KT)cup;
you hold my (KU)lot.
6 (KV)The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
7 I bless the Lord who (KW)gives me counsel;
in (KX)the night also my (KY)heart instructs me.[af]
8 (KZ)I have (LA)set the Lord always before me;
because he is at my (LB)right hand, I shall not be (LC)shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my (LD)whole being[ag] rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
10 For you will not abandon my soul to (LE)Sheol,
(LF)or let your (LG)holy one see (LH)corruption.[ah]
11 You make known to me (LI)the path of life;
in your presence there is (LJ)fullness of joy;
at your right hand are (LK)pleasures forevermore.
In the Shadow of Your Wings
A (LL)Prayer of David.
17 Hear a just cause, O Lord; (LM)attend to my cry!
Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!
2 From your presence (LN)let my vindication come!
Let your eyes behold the right!
3 You have (LO)tried my heart, you have (LP)visited me by (LQ)night,
you have (LR)tested me, and you will find nothing;
I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.
4 With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips
I have avoided the ways of the violent.
5 My steps have (LS)held fast to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.
6 I (LT)call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
(LU)incline your ear to me; hear my words.
7 (LV)Wondrously show[ai] your steadfast love,
O Savior of those who seek refuge
from (LW)their adversaries at your right hand.
8 Keep me as (LX)the apple of your eye;
hide me in (LY)the shadow of your wings,
9 from the wicked who do me violence,
my deadly enemies who (LZ)surround me.
10 (MA)They close their hearts to pity;
with their mouths they (MB)speak arrogantly.
11 They have now surrounded our (MC)steps;
they set their eyes to (MD)cast us to the ground.
12 He is like a lion eager to tear,
as a young lion (ME)lurking in ambush.
13 Arise, O Lord! Confront him, subdue him!
Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,
14 from men by your hand, O Lord,
from (MF)men of the world whose (MG)portion is in this life.[aj]
You fill their womb with treasure;[ak]
they are satisfied with (MH)children,
and they leave their abundance to their infants.
15 As for me, I shall (MI)behold your face in righteousness;
when I (MJ)awake, I shall be (MK)satisfied with your likeness.
The Lord Is My Rock and My Fortress
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, (ML)the servant of the Lord, (MM)who addressed the words of this (MN)song to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said:
18 I love you, O Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my (MO)rock and my (MP)fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my (MQ)rock, in (MR)whom I take refuge,
my (MS)shield, and (MT)the horn of my salvation, my (MU)stronghold.
3 I call upon the Lord, who is (MV)worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.
4 (MW)The cords of death encompassed me;
(MX)the torrents of destruction assailed me;[al]
5 (MY)the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.
6 (MZ)In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I cried for help.
From his (NA)temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.
7 Then the earth (NB)reeled and rocked;
the foundations also of the mountains trembled
and quaked, because he was angry.
8 Smoke went up from his nostrils,[am]
and devouring (NC)fire from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
9 He (ND)bowed the heavens and (NE)came down;
(NF)thick darkness was under his feet.
10 He rode on a cherub and flew;
he came swiftly on (NG)the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his covering, his (NH)canopy around him,
thick clouds (NI)dark with water.
12 Out of the brightness before him
(NJ)hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.
13 The Lord also (NK)thundered in the heavens,
and the Most High uttered his (NL)voice,
hailstones and coals of fire.
14 And he sent out his (NM)arrows and scattered them;
he flashed forth lightnings and (NN)routed them.
15 Then (NO)the channels of the sea were seen,
and the foundations of the world were laid bare
at your (NP)rebuke, O Lord,
at the blast of (NQ)the breath of your nostrils.
16 He (NR)sent from on high, he took me;
he (NS)drew me out of (NT)many waters.
17 He rescued me from my strong enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were (NU)too mighty for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my support.
19 He brought me out into (NV)a broad place;
he rescued me, because he (NW)delighted in me.
20 The Lord dealt with me (NX)according to my righteousness;
according to (NY)the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.
21 For I have (NZ)kept the ways of the Lord,
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For (OA)all his rules[an] were before me,
and his statutes I did not put away from me.
23 I was (OB)blameless before him,
and I kept myself from my guilt.
24 So the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
25 With (OC)the merciful you show yourself merciful;
with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;
26 with the purified you show yourself pure;
and with (OD)the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
27 For you save (OE)a humble people,
but (OF)the haughty eyes you bring down.
28 For it is you who light my (OG)lamp;
the Lord my God lightens my darkness.
29 For by you I can run against a troop,
and by my God I can (OH)leap over (OI)a wall.
30 This God—his way is (OJ)perfect;[ao]
the word of the Lord (OK)proves true;
he is (OL)a shield for all those who (OM)take refuge in him.
31 For (ON)who is God, but the Lord?
And who is (OO)a rock, except our God?—
32 the God who (OP)equipped me with strength
and made my way (OQ)blameless.
33 He made my feet like the feet of a (OR)deer
and set me secure on (OS)the heights.
34 He (OT)trains my hands for war,
so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have given me the shield of your salvation,
and your right hand (OU)supported me,
and your (OV)gentleness made me great.
36 You (OW)gave a wide place for my steps under me,
and my feet did not slip.
37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them,
and did not turn back till they were consumed.
38 I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise;
they fell under my feet.
39 For you equipped me with strength for the battle;
you made those who rise against me sink under me.
40 You made my enemies (OX)turn their backs to me,[ap]
and those who hated me I destroyed.
41 (OY)They cried for help, but there was none to save;
they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
42 I beat them fine as (OZ)dust before the wind;
I cast them out like (PA)the mire of the streets.
43 You delivered me from (PB)strife with the people;
you made me (PC)the head of the nations;
(PD)people whom I had not known served me.
44 As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me;
(PE)foreigners (PF)came cringing to me.
45 (PG)Foreigners lost heart
and (PH)came trembling out of their fortresses.
46 The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,
and exalted be the God of my salvation—
47 the God who gave me vengeance
and (PI)subdued peoples under me,
48 who rescued me from my enemies;
yes, you (PJ)exalted me above those who rose against me;
you delivered me from (PK)the man of violence.
49 (PL)For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations,
and (PM)sing to your name.
50 Great (PN)salvation he brings to his king,
and shows steadfast love to his (PO)anointed,
to (PP)David and his offspring forever.
The Law of the Lord Is Perfect
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
19 (PQ)The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above[aq] proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
4 (PR)Their (PS)voice[ar] goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for (PT)the sun,
5 (PU)which comes out like (PV)a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7 (PW)The law of the Lord is perfect,[as]
(PX)reviving the soul;
(PY)the testimony of the Lord is (PZ)sure,
(QA)making wise (QB)the simple;
8 (QC)the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is (QD)pure,
(QE)enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules[at] of the Lord are (QF)true,
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than (QG)gold,
even much (QH)fine gold;
(QI)sweeter also than honey
and drippings of (QJ)the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
(QK)in keeping them there is great reward.
12 (QL)Who can discern his errors?
(QM)Declare me innocent from (QN)hidden faults.
13 (QO)Keep back your servant also from (QP)presumptuous sins;
let them not have (QQ)dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my (QR)rock and my (QS)redeemer.
Trust in the Name of the Lord Our God
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
20 May the Lord (QT)answer you in the day of trouble!
May (QU)the name of the God of Jacob (QV)protect you!
2 May he send you help from (QW)the sanctuary
and give you support from (QX)Zion!
3 May he (QY)remember all your offerings
and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah
4 May he (QZ)grant you your heart's desire
and fulfill all your plans!
5 May we shout for joy over (RA)your salvation,
and in the name of our God set up our (RB)banners!
May the Lord fulfill all your petitions!
6 Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed;
he will answer him from his holy heaven
with (RC)the saving might of his right hand.
7 Some trust in (RD)chariots and some in (RE)horses,
(RF)but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
Footnotes
- Psalm 1:1 The singular Hebrew word for man (ish) is used here to portray a representative example of a godly person; see Preface
- Psalm 1:2 Or instruction
- Psalm 2:1 Or nations noisily assemble
- Psalm 2:9 Revocalization yields (compare Septuagint) You shall rule
- Psalm 3:2 The meaning of the Hebrew word Selah, used frequently in the Psalms, is uncertain. It may be a musical or liturgical direction
- Psalm 4:2 Or O men of rank
- Psalm 4:4 Or Be agitated
- Psalm 5:3 Or I direct my prayer to you
- Psalm 6:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 7:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 7:4 Hebrew the one at peace with me
- Psalm 7:9 Hebrew the hearts and kidneys
- Psalm 7:12 Hebrew he
- Psalm 7:12 Hebrew he
- Psalm 8:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 8:5 Or than God; Septuagint than the angels
- Psalm 9:1 Psalms 9 and 10 together follow an acrostic pattern, each stanza beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In the Septuagint they form one psalm
- Psalm 9:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 9:3 Or because of
- Psalm 9:16 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 10:3 Or and he blesses the one greedy for gain
- Psalm 10:4 Or of his anger
- Psalm 10:4 Or the wicked says, “He will not call to account”
- Psalm 11:3 Or for the foundations will be destroyed; what has the righteous done?
- Psalm 12:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 12:7 Or guard him
- Psalm 14:2 Or that act wisely
- Psalm 14:6 Or for
- Psalm 16:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 16:3 Or To the saints in the land, the excellent in whom is all my delight, I say:
- Psalm 16:4 Or who acquire
- Psalm 16:7 Hebrew my kidneys instruct me
- Psalm 16:9 Hebrew my glory
- Psalm 16:10 Or see the pit
- Psalm 17:7 Or Distinguish me by
- Psalm 17:14 Or from men whose portion in life is of the world
- Psalm 17:14 Or As for your treasured ones, you fill their womb
- Psalm 18:4 Or terrified me
- Psalm 18:8 Or in his wrath
- Psalm 18:22 Or just decrees
- Psalm 18:30 Or blameless
- Psalm 18:40 Or You gave me my enemies' necks
- Psalm 19:1 Hebrew the expanse; compare Genesis 1:6–8
- Psalm 19:4 Or Their measuring line
- Psalm 19:7 Or blameless
- Psalm 19:9 Or just decrees
Psalm 1-36
New American Standard Bible
Psalm 1-36
New American Standard Bible
BOOK 1
The Righteous and the Wicked Contrasted.
1 Blessed is the person who (A)does not walk in the (B)counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the [a](C)path of sinners,
Nor (D)sit in the seat of scoffers!
2 But his (E)delight is (F)in the Law of the Lord,
And on His Law he meditates (G)day and (H)night.
3 He will be like (I)a tree planted by [b]streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season,
And its [c]leaf does not wither;
And [d]in whatever he does, (J)he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
But they are like (K)chaff which the wind blows away.
5 Therefore (L)the wicked will not stand in the (M)judgment,
Nor sinners in (N)the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the Lord [e](O)knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of (P)the wicked will perish.
The Reign of the Lord’s Anointed.
2 Why are (Q)the [f]nations restless
And the peoples (R)plotting in vain?
2 The (S)kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers conspire together
(T)Against the Lord and against His [g](U)Anointed, saying,
3 “Let’s (V)tear their shackles apart
And throw their ropes away from us!”
4 He who [h]sits in the heavens (W)laughs,
The Lord (X)scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His (Y)anger
And (Z)terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 “But as for Me, I have installed (AA)My King
Upon Zion, (AB)My holy mountain.”
7 “I will announce the [i]decree of the Lord:
He said to Me, ‘You are (AC)My Son,
Today I have fathered You.
8 Ask it of Me, and (AD)I will certainly give (AE)the [j]nations as Your inheritance,
And the (AF)ends of the earth as Your possession.
9 You shall [k](AG)break them with a [l]rod of iron,
You shall (AH)shatter them like [m]earthenware.’”
10 Now then, you kings, (AI)use insight;
Let yourselves be instructed, you [n]judges of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with [o](AJ)reverence
And rejoice with (AK)trembling.
12 [p]Kiss (AL)the Son, that He not be angry and you perish on the way,
For (AM)His wrath may be kindled quickly.
How blessed are all who (AN)take refuge in Him!
Morning Prayer of Trust in God.
A Psalm of David, when [q]he fled from his son Absalom.
3 Lord, how (AO)my enemies have increased!
Many are rising up against me.
2 Many are saying of my soul,
“There is no (AP)salvation for him in God.” Selah
3 But You, Lord, are (AQ)a shield around me,
My (AR)glory, and the One who (AS)lifts my head.
4 I was crying out to the Lord with my voice,
And He (AT)answered me from (AU)His holy [r]mountain. Selah
5 [s]I (AV)lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the Lord sustains me.
6 I will (AW)not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have (AX)set themselves against me all around.
7 (AY)Arise, Lord; (AZ)save me, my God!
For You [t]have (BA)struck all my enemies on the [u]cheek;
You [v]have (BB)shattered the teeth of the wicked.
8 [w](BC)Salvation belongs to the Lord;
May Your (BD)blessing [x]be upon Your people! Selah
Evening Prayer of Trust in God.
[y]For the music director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.
4 (BE)Answer me when (BF)I call, God [z]of my righteousness!
You have [aa](BG)relieved me in my distress;
Be (BH)gracious to me and (BI)hear my prayer.
2 You sons of man, how long will (BJ)my [ab]honor be treated as (BK)an insult?
How long will you love (BL)what is worthless and strive for a (BM)lie? Selah
3 But know that the Lord has [ac](BN)set apart the (BO)godly person for Himself;
The Lord (BP)hears when I call to Him.
4 [ad](BQ)Tremble, [ae](BR)and do not sin;
[af](BS)Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah
5 Offer [ag]the (BT)sacrifices of righteousness,
And (BU)trust in the Lord.
6 Many are saying, “(BV)Who will show us anything good?”
(BW)Lift up the light of Your face upon us, Lord!
7 You have put (BX)joy in my heart,
More than when their grain and new wine are abundant.
8 In peace I will [ah]both (BY)lie down and sleep,
For You alone, Lord, have me (BZ)dwell in safety.
Prayer for Protection from the Wicked.
For the music director; for [ai]flute accompaniment. A Psalm of David.
5 (CA)Listen to my words, Lord,
Consider my (CB)sighing.
2 Listen to (CC)the sound of my cry for help, (CD)my King and my God,
For to You I pray.
3 In the morning, Lord, [aj]You will hear my voice;
In the (CE)morning I will present my [ak]prayer to You and be on the (CF)watch.
4 For You are not a God (CG)who takes pleasure in wickedness;
(CH)No evil can dwell with You.
5 The (CI)boastful will not (CJ)stand before Your eyes;
You (CK)hate all who do injustice.
6 You (CL)destroy those who speak lies;
The Lord loathes (CM)the person of bloodshed and deceit.
7 But as for me, (CN)by Your abundant graciousness I will enter Your house,
[al]At Your holy temple I will (CO)bow in (CP)reverence for You.
8 Lord, (CQ)lead me (CR)in Your righteousness (CS)because of my enemies;
Make Your way [am]straight before me.
9 For there is (CT)nothing [an]trustworthy in [ao]their mouth;
Their (CU)inward part is destruction itself.
Their (CV)throat is an open grave;
They [ap]flatter with their tongue.
10 Make them pay, God;
(CW)Have them fall by their own schemes!
(CX)Scatter them in the multitude of their wrongdoings,
For they are (CY)rebellious against You.
11 But (CZ)rejoice, all who (DA)take refuge in You,
Sing for joy forever!
And [aq]may You (DB)shelter them,
That those who (DC)love Your name may rejoice in You.
12 For You (DD)bless the righteous person, Lord,
You (DE)surround him with favor as with a shield.
Prayer for Mercy in Time of Trouble.
For the music director; with stringed instruments, [ar]upon an eight-string lyre. A Psalm of David.
6 Lord, (DF)do not rebuke me in Your anger,
Nor discipline me in Your wrath.
2 Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am (DG)frail;
(DH)Heal me, Lord, for (DI)my bones are horrified.
3 And my (DJ)soul is greatly horrified;
But You, Lord—(DK)how long?
4 Return, Lord, (DL)rescue my [as]soul;
Save me because of Your mercy.
5 For (DM)there is no [at]mention of You in death;
In [au]Sheol, who will praise You?
6 I am (DN)weary with my sighing;
Every night I make my bed swim,
I flood my couch with (DO)my tears.
7 My (DP)eye has wasted away with grief;
It has grown old because of all my enemies.
8 (DQ)Leave me, all you who practice injustice,
For the Lord (DR)has heard the sound of my weeping.
9 The Lord (DS)has heard my pleading,
The Lord (DT)receives my prayer.
10 All my enemies will (DU)be put to shame and greatly horrified;
They shall [av]turn back, they will (DV)suddenly be put to shame.
The Lord Implored to Defend the Psalmist against the Wicked.
A [aw]Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord [ax]concerning Cush, a Benjaminite.
7 O Lord my God, (DW)in You I have taken refuge;
Save me from all those who pursue me, and (DX)rescue me,
2 Or he will tear [ay]my soul (DY)like a lion,
Dragging me away, while there is no one to rescue me.
3 O Lord my God, if I have done this,
If there is (DZ)injustice in my hands,
4 If I have (EA)done evil to [az]my friend,
Or have (EB)plundered [ba]my enemy for no reason,
5 Let the enemy pursue [bb]my soul and overtake [bc]it;
And let him trample my life to the ground
And lay my glory in the dust. Selah
6 (EC)Arise, Lord, in Your anger;
(ED)Raise Yourself against (EE)the rage of my enemies,
And (EF)stir Yourself [bd]for me; You have ordered judgment.
7 Let the assembly of the (EG)peoples encompass You,
And return on high over it.
8 The Lord (EH)judges the peoples;
[be](EI)Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me.
9 Please let (EJ)the evil of the wicked come to an end, but (EK)establish the righteous;
For the righteous God (EL)puts hearts and [bf]minds to the test.
10 My (EM)shield is [bg]with God,
Who (EN)saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a (EO)righteous judge,
And a God who (EP)shows indignation every day.
12 If one (EQ)does not repent, He will (ER)sharpen His sword;
He has (ES)bent His bow and taken aim.
13 He has also prepared deadly weapons for Himself;
He makes His (ET)arrows fiery shafts.
14 Behold, an evil person is pregnant with injustice,
And he (EU)conceives harm and gives birth to lies.
15 He has dug a pit and hollowed it out,
And has (EV)fallen into the hole which he made.
16 His (EW)harm will return on his own head,
And his (EX)violence will descend on the top of his own head.
17 I will give thanks to the Lord (EY)according to His righteousness
And will (EZ)sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.
The Lord’s Glory and Mankind’s Dignity.
For the music director; on the Gittith. A Psalm of David.
8 Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth,
You who have [bh](FA)displayed Your splendor above the heavens!
2 (FB)From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have established [bi](FC)strength
Because of Your enemies,
To do away with (FD)the enemy and the revengeful.
3 When I [bj](FE)consider (FF)Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The (FG)moon and the stars, which You have set in place;
4 (FH)What is man that You think of him,
And a son of man that You are concerned about him?
5 Yet You have made him a (FI)little lower than [bk]God,
And (FJ)You crown him with (FK)glory and majesty!
6 You have him (FL)rule over the works of Your hands;
You have (FM)put everything under his feet,
7 All sheep and oxen,
And also the animals of the field,
8 The birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea,
Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.
9 (FN)Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth!
Thanksgiving for God’s Justice.
For the music director; on [bl]Muth-labben. A Psalm of David.
9 I will give thanks to the Lord with all (FO)my heart;
I will (FP)tell of all Your [bm]wonders.
2 I will rejoice and be (FQ)jubilant in You;
I will (FR)sing praise to Your name, O (FS)Most High.
3 When my enemies turn back,
They stumble and (FT)perish before You.
4 For You have (FU)maintained [bn]my just cause;
You have sat on the throne [bo](FV)judging righteously.
5 You have (FW)rebuked the nations, You have eliminated the wicked;
You have (FX)wiped out their name forever and ever.
6 [bp]The enemy has come to an end in everlasting ruins,
And You have uprooted the cities;
The very (FY)memory of them has perished.
7 But the (FZ)Lord [bq]sits as King forever;
He has established His (GA)throne for judgment,
8 And He will (GB)judge the world in righteousness;
He will execute judgment for the peoples fairly.
9 [br]The Lord will also be a (GC)stronghold for the oppressed,
A stronghold in times of trouble;
10 And [bs]those who (GD)know Your name will put their trust in You,
For You, Lord, have not (GE)abandoned those who seek You.
11 Sing praises to the Lord, who (GF)dwells in Zion;
(GG)Declare His deeds among the peoples.
12 For (GH)He who [bt]requires blood remembers them;
He does not forget (GI)the cry of the needy.
13 Be gracious to me, Lord;
See my oppression from those (GJ)who hate me,
You who (GK)lift me up from the gates of death,
14 So that I may tell of (GL)all Your praises,
That in the gates of the daughter of Zion
I may (GM)rejoice in Your [bu]salvation.
15 The nations have sunk down (GN)into the pit which they have made;
In the (GO)net which they hid, their own foot has been caught.
16 The Lord has (GP)made Himself known;
He has (GQ)executed judgment.
A wicked one is ensnared in the work of his own hands. [bv]Higgaion Selah
17 The wicked will [bw](GR)return to [bx]Sheol,
All the nations who (GS)forget God.
18 For the (GT)needy will not always be forgotten,
Nor the (GU)hope of the afflicted perish forever.
19 (GV)Arise, Lord, do not let mankind prevail;
Let the nations be (GW)judged before You.
20 Put them (GX)in fear, Lord;
Let the nations know that they are (GY)merely human. Selah
A Prayer for the Overthrow of the Wicked.
10 Why (GZ)do You stand far away, Lord?
Why (HA)do You hide [by]Yourself in times of trouble?
2 In (HB)arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the needy;
[bz]Let them be (HC)caught in the plots which they have devised.
3 For the wicked (HD)boasts of his (HE)soul’s desire,
And [ca]the greedy person curses and (HF)shows disrespect to the Lord.
4 The wicked, [cb]in his haughtiness, (HG)does not seek Him.
(HH)There is no God in all his schemes.
5 His ways (HI)succeed at all times;
Yet Your judgments are on high, (HJ)out of his sight;
As for all his enemies, he snorts at them.
6 He says to himself, “(HK)I will not be moved;
[cc]Throughout the generations (HL)I will not be in adversity.”
7 His (HM)mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and (HN)oppression;
(HO)Under his tongue is harm and injustice.
8 He sits in the (HP)lurking places of the villages;
He (HQ)kills the innocent in the secret places;
His eyes [cd]surreptitiously watch for the [ce](HR)unfortunate.
9 He lurks in secret like (HS)a lion in his [cf]lair;
He (HT)lurks to catch (HU)the needy;
He catches the needy when he pulls him into his (HV)net.
10 Then he crushes the needy one, who cowers;
And [cg]unfortunate people fall by his mighty power.
11 He (HW)says to himself, “God has forgotten;
He has hidden His face; He will never see it.”
12 Arise, Lord; God, (HX)lift up Your hand.
(HY)Do not forget the humble.
13 Why has the wicked (HZ)treated God disrespectfully?
He has said to himself, “[ch]You will not require an account.”
14 You have seen it, for You have looked at (IA)harm and provocation to [ci]take it into Your hand.
The [cj](IB)unfortunate commits himself to You;
You have been the (IC)helper of the orphan.
15 (ID)Break the arm of the wicked and the evildoer,
[ck](IE)Seek out his wickedness until You find none.
16 The Lord is (IF)King forever and ever;
(IG)Nations have perished from His land.
17 Lord, You have heard the (IH)desire of the humble;
You will (II)strengthen their heart, (IJ)You will make Your ear attentive
18 To [cl]vindicate the (IK)orphan and the (IL)oppressed,
So that mankind, which is of the earth, will no longer cause (IM)terror.
The Lord, a Refuge and Defense.
For the music director. A Psalm of David.
11 In the Lord I (IN)take refuge;
How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your (IO)mountain?
2 For, behold, the wicked (IP)bend the bow,
They have [cm](IQ)set their arrow on the string
To (IR)shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.
3 If the (IS)foundations are destroyed,
What can the righteous do?”
4 The Lord is in His (IT)holy temple; the [cn]Lord’s (IU)throne is in heaven;
His (IV)eyes see, His eyelids test the sons of mankind.
5 The Lord (IW)tests the righteous and (IX)the wicked,
And His soul hates one who loves violence.
6 He will (IY)rain [co]coals of fire upon the wicked,
(IZ)And brimstone and (JA)burning wind will be the portion of (JB)their cup.
7 For the Lord is (JC)righteous, (JD)He loves [cp]righteousness;
The upright will (JE)see His face.
God, a Helper against the Treacherous.
For the music director; [cq]upon an eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm of David.
12 Help, Lord, for (JF)the godly person has come to an end,
For the faithful have disappeared from the sons of mankind.
2 They (JG)speak [cr]lies to one another;
They speak with [cs](JH)flattering lips and a double heart.
3 May the Lord cut off all [ct]flattering lips,
The tongue that (JI)speaks great things;
4 Who (JJ)have said, “With our tongue we will prevail;
Our lips are [cu]our own; who is lord over us?”
5 “Because of the (JK)devastation of the poor, because of the groaning of the needy,
Now (JL)I will arise,” says the Lord; “I will (JM)put him in the safety for which he longs.”
6 The (JN)words of the Lord are pure words;
Like silver (JO)refined in a furnace on the ground, filtered seven times.
7 You, Lord, will keep them;
You will (JP)protect him from this generation forever.
8 The (JQ)wicked strut about on every side
When [cv](JR)vileness is exalted among the sons of mankind.
Prayer for Help in Trouble.
For the music director. A Psalm of David.
13 How long, Lord? Will You (JS)forget me forever?
How long (JT)will You hide Your face from me?
2 How long am I to (JU)feel anxious in my soul,
With (JV)grief in my heart all the day?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?
3 (JW)Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
(JX)Enlighten my eyes, or I will (JY)sleep the sleep of death,
4 And my enemy will (JZ)say, “I have overcome him,”
And (KA)my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken.
5 But I have (KB)trusted in Your faithfulness;
My heart shall (KC)rejoice in Your salvation.
6 I will (KD)sing to the Lord,
Because He has (KE)looked after me.
Foolishness and Wickedness of People.
For the music director. A Psalm of David.
14 The fool has (KF)said in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, they have committed detestable acts;
There is (KG)no one who does good.
2 The Lord has (KH)looked down from heaven upon the sons of mankind
To see if there are any who [cw](KI)understand,
Who (KJ)seek God.
3 They have all (KK)turned aside, together they are corrupt;
There is (KL)no one who does good, not even one.
4 Do all the workers of injustice (KM)not know,
Who (KN)devour my people as they eat bread,
And (KO)do not call upon the Lord?
5 There they are in great dread,
For God is with a (KP)righteous generation.
6 You would put to shame the plan of the poor,
But the Lord is his (KQ)refuge.
7 Oh, that (KR)the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
When the Lord (KS)restores the fortunes of His people,
Jacob will rejoice, Israel will be glad.
Description of a Citizen of Zion.
A Psalm of David.
15 Lord, who may reside (KT)in Your tent?
Who may settle on Your (KU)holy hill?
2 One who (KV)walks with integrity, practices righteousness,
And (KW)speaks truth in his heart.
3 He (KX)does not slander [cx]with his tongue,
Nor (KY)do evil to his neighbor,
Nor (KZ)bring shame on his friend;
4 A despicable person is despised in his eyes,
But he (LA)honors those who fear the Lord;
He (LB)takes an oath to his own detriment, and does not change;
5 He (LC)does not [cy]lend his money [cz]at interest,
Nor (LD)does he take a bribe against the innocent.
(LE)One who does these things will never be shaken.
The Lord, the Psalmist’s Portion in Life and Salvation in Death.
A [da]Mikhtam of David.
16 (LF)Protect me, God, for (LG)I take refuge in You.
2 [db]I said to the Lord, “You are [dc]my Lord;
I (LH)have nothing good besides You.”
3 As for the [dd](LI)saints who are on the earth,
[de]They are the majestic ones; (LJ)all my delight is in them.
4 [df]The (LK)pains of those who have acquired another god will be multiplied;
I will not pour out their drink offerings of (LL)blood,
Nor will I (LM)take their names upon my lips.
5 The Lord is the (LN)portion of my inheritance and my (LO)cup;
You support my (LP)lot.
6 The measuring (LQ)lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
Indeed, my inheritance is (LR)beautiful to me.
7 I will bless the Lord who has (LS)advised me;
Indeed, my [dg](LT)mind instructs me in the night.
8 (LU)I have (LV)set the Lord continually before me;
Because He is (LW)at my right hand, (LX)I will not be shaken.
9 Therefore (LY)my heart is glad and (LZ)my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will (MA)dwell securely.
10 For You (MB)will not abandon my soul to [dh]Sheol;
You will not [di](MC)allow Your [dj]Holy One to [dk]undergo decay.
11 You will make known to me (MD)the way of life;
In (ME)Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are (MF)pleasures forever.
Prayer for Protection against Oppressors.
A Prayer of David.
17 Hear a (MG)just cause, Lord, (MH)give Your attention to my cry;
(MI)Listen to my prayer, which is not from (MJ)deceitful lips.
2 Let (MK)my [dl]judgment come forth from Your presence;
Let Your eyes look with (ML)integrity.
3 You have (MM)put my heart to the test;
You have visited me by night;
You have (MN)sifted me and (MO)You find [dm]nothing;
My (MP)intent is that my mouth will not offend.
4 As for the works of mankind, (MQ)by the word of Your lips
I have kept from the (MR)ways of the violent.
5 My (MS)steps have held to Your [dn]paths.
My (MT)feet have not slipped.
6 I have (MU)called upon You, for You will answer me, God;
(MV)Incline Your ear to me, hear my speech.
7 (MW)Show Your wonderful faithfulness,
(MX)Savior of those who take refuge [do]at Your right hand
From those who rise up against them.
8 Keep me as [dp]the (MY)apple of the eye;
Hide me (MZ)in the shadow of Your wings
9 From the (NA)wicked who deal violently with me,
My (NB)deadly enemies who surround me.
10 They have (NC)closed their [dq]unfeeling hearts,
With their mouths they (ND)speak proudly.
11 They have now (NE)surrounded us in our steps;
They set their eyes (NF)to cast us down to the ground.
12 He is (NG)like a lion that is eager to tear,
And as a young lion (NH)lurking in secret places.
13 (NI)Arise, Lord, confront him, (NJ)make him bow down;
(NK)Save my soul from the wicked with (NL)Your sword,
14 From people by (NM)Your hand, Lord,
From people [dr]of the world, (NN)whose portion is in this life,
And whose belly You (NO)fill with Your treasure;
They are satisfied with children,
And leave their abundance to their babies.
15 As for me, I shall (NP)behold Your face in righteousness;
(NQ)I shall be satisfied with Your (NR)likeness when I awake.
The Lord Praised for Rescuing David.
For the music director. A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, [ds]who spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord rescued him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said,
18 “I love You, Lord, (NS)my strength.”
2 The Lord is (NT)my rock and (NU)my fortress and my (NV)savior,
My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;
My (NW)shield and the (NX)horn of my salvation, my (NY)stronghold.
3 I call upon the Lord, who is (NZ)worthy to be praised,
And I am (OA)saved from my enemies.
4 The (OB)ropes of death encompassed me,
And the (OC)torrents of [dt]destruction [du]terrified me.
5 The (OD)ropes of [dv]Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.
6 In my (OE)distress I called upon the Lord,
And cried to my God for help;
He heard my voice (OF)from His temple,
And my (OG)cry for help before Him came into His ears.
7 Then the (OH)earth shook and quaked;
And the (OI)foundations of the mountains were trembling
And were shaken, because He was angry.
8 Smoke went up [dw]out of His nostrils,
And (OJ)fire from His mouth was devouring;
Coals burned from it.
9 He also (OK)bowed the heavens down low, and came down
With thick (OL)darkness under His feet.
10 He rode on a (OM)cherub and flew;
And He sped on the (ON)wings of the wind.
11 He made (OO)darkness His hiding place, (OP)His [dx]canopy around Him,
Darkness of waters, thick clouds.
12 From the (OQ)brightness before Him passed His thick clouds,
Hailstones and (OR)coals of fire.
13 The Lord also (OS)thundered in the heavens,
And the Most High uttered His voice,
Hailstones and coals of fire.
14 He (OT)sent out His arrows, and scattered them,
And lightning flashes in abundance, and [dy]routed them.
15 Then the (OU)channels of water appeared,
And the foundations of the world were exposed
By Your (OV)rebuke, Lord,
At the blast of the (OW)breath of Your nostrils.
16 He (OX)sent from on high, He took me;
He drew me out of (OY)many waters.
17 He (OZ)saved me from my strong enemy,
And from those who hated me, for they were (PA)too mighty for me.
18 They confronted me in (PB)the day of my disaster,
But (PC)the Lord was my support.
19 He also brought me out into an (PD)open place;
He rescued me, because (PE)He delighted in me.
20 The Lord has (PF)rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the (PG)cleanness of my hands He has repaid me.
21 For I have (PH)kept the ways of the Lord,
And have (PI)not acted wickedly against my God.
22 For all (PJ)His judgments were before me,
And I did not put away His (PK)statutes from me.
23 I was also [dz](PL)blameless with Him,
And I (PM)kept myself from my wrongdoing.
24 Therefore the Lord has (PN)repaid me according to my righteousness,
According to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes.
25 With (PO)the faithful You show Yourself faithful;
With the [ea]blameless (PP)You prove Yourself blameless;
26 With the pure You show Yourself (PQ)pure,
And with the crooked (PR)You show Yourself [eb]astute.
27 For You (PS)save an afflicted people,
But You humiliate (PT)haughty eyes.
28 For You (PU)light my lamp;
The Lord my God (PV)illumines my darkness.
29 For by You I can (PW)run at a [ec]troop of warriors;
And by my God I can (PX)leap over a wall.
30 As for God, His way is [ed](PY)blameless;
The (PZ)word of the Lord is refined;
He is a (QA)shield to all who take refuge in Him.
31 For (QB)who is God, but the Lord?
And who is a (QC)rock, except our God,
32 The God who (QD)encircles me with strength,
And [ee]makes my way [ef](QE)blameless?
33 He (QF)makes my feet like deer’s feet,
And (QG)sets me up on my high places.
34 He (QH)trains my hands for battle,
So that my arms can (QI)bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have also given me (QJ)the shield of Your salvation,
And Your (QK)right hand upholds me;
And (QL)Your [eg]gentleness makes me great.
36 You (QM)enlarge my steps under me,
And my [eh](QN)feet have not slipped.
37 I (QO)pursued my enemies and overtook them,
And I did not turn back (QP)until they were consumed.
38 I shattered them, so that they were (QQ)not able to rise;
They fell (QR)under my feet.
39 For You have (QS)encircled me with strength for battle;
You have forced those who rose up against me (QT)to bow down under me.
40 You have also made my enemies (QU)turn their backs to me,
And I [ei](QV)destroyed those who hated me.
41 They cried for help, but there was (QW)no one to save,
They cried to the Lord, but (QX)He did not answer them.
42 Then I beat them fine like the (QY)dust before the wind;
I emptied them out like the mud of the streets.
43 You have rescued me from the (QZ)contentions of the people;
You have placed me as (RA)head of the nations;
A (RB)people whom I have not known serve me.
44 As soon as they hear, they obey me;
Foreigners (RC)pretend to obey me.
45 Foreigners (RD)lose heart,
And (RE)come trembling out of their [ej]fortresses.
46 The Lord (RF)lives, and blessed be (RG)my rock;
And exalted be (RH)the God of my salvation,
47 The God who (RI)executes vengeance for me,
And (RJ)subdues peoples under me.
48 He (RK)rescues me from my enemies;
You indeed (RL)lift me above those who rise up against me;
You rescue me from a (RM)violent man.
49 Therefore I will (RN)give thanks to You among the nations, Lord,
And I will (RO)sing praises to Your name.
50 He gives great [ek](RP)salvation to His king,
And shows faithfulness to (RQ)His anointed,
To David and (RR)his [el]descendants forever.
The Works and the Word of God.
For the music director. A Psalm of David.
19 The (RS)heavens tell of the glory of God;
And their (RT)expanse declares the work of His hands.
2 Day to (RU)day pours forth speech,
And (RV)night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
4 Their [em](RW)line has gone out into all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.
In them He has (RX)placed a tent for the sun,
5 Which is like a groom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices like a strong person to run his course.
6 Its (RY)rising is from [en]one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the [eo]other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7 (RZ)The Law of the Lord is [ep](SA)perfect, (SB)restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is (SC)sure, making (SD)wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are (SE)right, (SF)rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is (SG)pure, (SH)enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are (SI)true; they are (SJ)righteous altogether.
10 They are more desirable than (SK)gold, yes, than much pure gold;
(SL)Sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, (SM)Your servant is warned by them;
In keeping them there is great (SN)reward.
12 Who can (SO)discern his errors? (SP)Acquit me of (SQ)hidden faults.
13 Also keep Your servant back (SR)from presumptuous sins;
Let them not (SS)rule over me;
Then I will be (ST)innocent,
And I will be blameless of (SU)great wrongdoing.
14 May the words of my mouth and (SV)the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
Lord, (SW)my rock and my (SX)Redeemer.
Prayer for Victory over Enemies.
For the music director. A Psalm of David.
20 May the Lord answer you (SY)on a day of trouble!
May the (SZ)name of the (TA)God of Jacob [eq]protect you!
2 May He send you help (TB)from the sanctuary,
And (TC)support you from Zion!
3 May He (TD)remember all your meal offerings
And [er](TE)accept your burnt offering! Selah
4 May He grant you your (TF)heart’s desire
And (TG)fulfill your whole plan!
5 [es]We will (TH)sing for joy over your [et]victory,
And in the name of our God we will (TI)set up our banners.
May the Lord (TJ)fulfill all your desires.
6 Now (TK)I know that the Lord saves His anointed;
He will (TL)answer him from His holy heaven
With the [eu](TM)saving strength of His right hand.
7 Some praise their chariots and some their (TN)horses,
But (TO)we will praise the name of the Lord, our God.
8 They have (TP)bowed down and fallen,
But we have (TQ)risen and stood upright.
9 [ev](TR)Save, Lord;
May the (TS)King answer us on the day we call.
Praise for Salvation.
For the music director. A Psalm of David.
21 Lord, in Your strength the king will (TT)be glad,
And in Your [ew]salvation how greatly he will rejoice!
2 You have (TU)given him his heart’s desire,
And You have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah
3 For You (TV)meet him with the blessings of good things;
You set a (TW)crown of pure gold on his head.
4 He asked for life from You,
You (TX)gave it to him,
(TY)Length of days forever and ever.
5 His (TZ)glory is great through Your [ex]salvation,
(UA)Splendor and majesty You place upon him.
6 For You make him [ey]most (UB)blessed forever;
You make him joyful (UC)with the joy of Your presence.
7 For the king (UD)trusts in the Lord,
And through the faithfulness of the Most High (UE)he will not be shaken.
8 Your hand will (UF)find all your enemies;
Your right hand will find those who hate you.
9 You will make them (UG)as a fiery oven in the time [ez]of your anger;
The Lord will (UH)swallow them up in His wrath,
And (UI)fire will devour them.
10 You will eliminate their [fa]descendants from the earth,
And their [fb](UJ)children from among the sons of mankind.
11 Though they [fc](UK)intended evil against You
And (UL)devised a plot,
They will not succeed.
12 For You will (UM)make them turn their back;
You will take aim at their faces (UN)with Your bowstrings.
13 Be exalted, Lord, in Your strength;
We will (UO)sing and praise Your power.
A Cry of Anguish and a Song of Praise.
For the music director; upon [fd]Aijeleth Hashshahar. A Psalm of David.
22 (UP)My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?
(UQ)Far from my [fe]help are the words of my [ff](UR)groaning.
2 My God, I (US)cry out by day, but You do not answer;
And by night, but [fg]I have no rest.
3 Yet (UT)You are holy,
You who [fh]are enthroned upon (UU)the praises of Israel.
4 In You our fathers (UV)trusted;
They trusted and You (UW)rescued them.
5 To You they cried out and they fled to safety;
(UX)In You they trusted and were not [fi]disappointed.
6 But I am a (UY)worm and not a person,
A (UZ)disgrace of mankind and (VA)despised by the people.
7 All who see me (VB)deride me;
They [fj]sneer, they (VC)shake their heads, saying,
8 “[fk]Turn [fl]him over to the Lord; (VD)let Him save him;
Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him.”
9 Yet You are He who (VE)brought me forth from the womb;
You made me trust when upon my mother’s breasts.
10 I was cast upon You (VF)from [fm]birth;
You have been my God from my mother’s womb.
11 (VG)Do not be far from me, for [fn]trouble is near;
For there is (VH)no one to help.
12 Many (VI)bulls have surrounded me;
Strong bulls of (VJ)Bashan have encircled me.
13 They (VK)open their mouths wide at me,
As a ravening and roaring (VL)lion.
14 I am (VM)poured out like water,
And all my (VN)bones are out of joint;
My (VO)heart is like wax;
It is melted within [fo]me.
15 My (VP)strength is dried up like a piece of pottery,
And (VQ)my tongue clings to my jaws;
And You (VR)lay me [fp]in the dust of death.
16 For (VS)dogs have surrounded me;
[fq]A band of evildoers has encompassed me;
[fr]They (VT)pierced my hands and my feet.
17 I can count all my bones.
(VU)They look, they stare at me;
18 They (VV)divide my garments among them,
And they cast lots for my clothing.
19 But You, Lord, (VW)do not be far away;
You who are my help, (VX)hurry to my assistance.
20 Save my [fs]soul from (VY)the sword,
My (VZ)only life from the [ft]power of the dog.
21 Save me from the (WA)lion’s mouth;
From the horns of the (WB)wild oxen You (WC)answer me.
22 I will (WD)proclaim Your name to my brothers;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
23 (WE)You who fear the Lord, praise Him;
All you [fu]descendants of Jacob, (WF)glorify Him,
And (WG)stand in awe of Him, all you [fv]descendants of Israel.
24 For He has (WH)not despised nor scorned the suffering of the afflicted;
Nor has He (WI)hidden His face from him;
But (WJ)when he cried to Him for help, He heard.
25 From You comes (WK)my praise in the great assembly;
I shall (WL)pay my vows before those who fear Him.
26 The [fw]afflicted will eat and (WM)be satisfied;
Those who seek Him will (WN)praise the Lord.
May your (WO)heart live forever!
27 All the (WP)ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord,
And all the (WQ)families of the nations will worship before [fx]You.
28 For the (WR)kingdom is the Lord’s
And He (WS)rules over the nations.
29 All the [fy](WT)prosperous of the earth will eat and worship,
All those who (WU)go down to the dust will kneel before Him,
Even he who [fz](WV)cannot keep his soul alive.
30 A [ga](WW)posterity will serve Him;
It will be told of the Lord to (WX)the coming generation.
31 They will come and (WY)will declare His righteousness
To a people (WZ)who will be born, that He has performed it.
The Lord, the Psalmist’s Shepherd.
A Psalm of David.
23 The Lord is my (XA)shepherd,
I will (XB)not be in need.
2 He lets me lie down in (XC)green pastures;
He (XD)leads me beside [gb](XE)quiet waters.
3 He (XF)restores my soul;
He (XG)guides me in the [gc](XH)paths of righteousness
For the sake of His name.
4 Even though I (XI)walk through the [gd]valley of the shadow of death,
I (XJ)fear no [ge]evil, for (XK)You are with me;
Your (XL)rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You (XM)prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You [gf]have (XN)anointed my head with oil;
My (XO)cup overflows.
6 [gg]Certainly (XP)goodness and [gh]faithfulness will follow me all the days of my life,
And my (XQ)dwelling will be in the house of the Lord [gi]forever.
The King of Glory Entering Zion.
A Psalm of David.
24 The (XR)earth is the Lord’s, and [gj]all it contains,
The (XS)world, and those who live in it.
2 For He has (XT)founded it upon the seas
And established it upon the rivers.
3 Who may (XU)ascend onto the (XV)hill of the Lord?
And who may stand in His holy (XW)place?
4 One who has (XX)clean hands and a (XY)pure heart,
Who has not (XZ)lifted up his soul to deceit
And has not (YA)sworn deceitfully.
5 He will receive a (YB)blessing from the Lord
And [gk](YC)righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 [gl]This is the generation of those who (YD)seek Him,
Who seek Your face—even Jacob. Selah
7 (YE)Lift up your heads, you gates,
And be lifted up, you [gm]ancient doors,
That the King of (YF)glory may come in!
8 Who is the King of glory?
The Lord (YG)strong and mighty,
The Lord (YH)mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, you gates,
And lift them up, you [gn]ancient doors,
That the King of (YI)glory may come in!
10 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of (YJ)armies,
He is the King of glory. Selah
Prayer for Protection, Guidance, and Pardon.
A Psalm of David.
25 To You, Lord, I (YK)lift up my soul.
2 My God, in You (YL)I trust,
Do not let me (YM)be ashamed;
Do not let my (YN)enemies rejoice over me.
3 Indeed, (YO)none of those who wait for You will be ashamed;
[go]Those who (YP)deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed.
4 (YQ)Make me know Your ways, Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
5 Lead me in (YR)Your truth and teach me,
For You are the (YS)God of my salvation;
For You I (YT)wait all the day.
6 (YU)Remember, Lord, Your compassion and Your faithfulness,
For they have been [gp](YV)from of old.
7 Do not remember the (YW)sins of my youth or my wrongdoings;
(YX)Remember me according to Your faithfulness,
For Your (YY)goodness’ sake, Lord.
8 (YZ)The Lord is good and (ZA)upright;
Therefore He (ZB)instructs sinners in the way.
9 He (ZC)leads the [gq]humble in justice,
And He (ZD)teaches the [gr]humble His way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are (ZE)faithfulness and truth
To (ZF)those who comply with His covenant and His testimonies.
11 For the (ZG)sake of Your name, Lord,
(ZH)Forgive my wrongdoing, for it is great.
12 Who is the person who (ZI)fears the Lord?
He will (ZJ)instruct him in the way he should choose.
13 His soul will (ZK)dwell in [gs]prosperity,
And his [gt]descendants will (ZL)inherit the [gu]land.
14 The [gv](ZM)secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him,
[gw]And He will (ZN)make them know His covenant.
15 My (ZO)eyes are continually toward the Lord,
For He will [gx](ZP)rescue my feet from the net.
16 (ZQ)Turn to me and be gracious to me,
For I am (ZR)lonely and afflicted.
17 [gy]The (ZS)troubles of my heart are enlarged;
Bring me (ZT)out of my distresses.
18 (ZU)Look at my misery and my trouble,
And (ZV)forgive all my sins.
19 Look at my enemies, for they (ZW)are many,
And they (ZX)hate me with violent hatred.
20 (ZY)Guard my soul and save me;
Do not let me (ZZ)be ashamed, for I take refuge in You.
21 Let (AAA)integrity and uprightness protect me,
For (AAB)I wait for You.
22 (AAC)Redeem Israel, God,
From all his distress.
Protestation of Integrity and Prayer for Protection.
A Psalm of David.
26 [gz](AAD)Vindicate me, Lord, for I have (AAE)walked in my integrity,
And I have (AAF)trusted in the Lord [ha](AAG)without wavering.
2 (AAH)Examine me, Lord, and put me to the test;
(AAI)Refine my [hb]mind and my heart.
3 For Your (AAJ)[hc]goodness is before my eyes,
And I have (AAK)walked in Your truth.
4 I do not (AAL)sit with [hd]deceitful people,
Nor will I go with [he](AAM)pretenders.
5 I (AAN)hate the assembly of evildoers,
And I will not sit with the wicked.
6 I will (AAO)wash my hands in innocence,
And I will go around (AAP)Your altar, Lord,
7 That I may proclaim with the voice of (AAQ)thanksgiving
And declare all Your [hf]wonders.
8 Lord, I (AAR)love the dwelling of Your house,
And the place [hg]where Your (AAS)glory remains.
9 (AAT)Do not [hh]take my soul away along with sinners,
Nor my life with (AAU)men of bloodshed,
10 In whose hands is a (AAV)wicked scheme,
And whose right hand is full of (AAW)bribes.
11 But as for me, I will (AAX)walk in my integrity;
(AAY)Redeem me, and be gracious to me.
12 (AAZ)My foot stands on (ABA)level ground;
In the (ABB)congregations I will bless the Lord.
A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God.
A Psalm of David.
27 The Lord is my (ABC)light and my (ABD)salvation;
Whom should I fear?
The Lord is the [hi](ABE)defense of my life;
(ABF)Whom should I dread?
2 When evildoers came upon me to (ABG)devour my flesh,
My adversaries and my enemies, they (ABH)stumbled and fell.
3 If an (ABI)army encamps against me,
My heart will not fear;
If war arises against me,
In spite of this I am (ABJ)confident.
4 (ABK)One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:
That I may (ABL)dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
To behold (ABM)the [hj]beauty of the Lord
And to [hk](ABN)meditate in His temple.
5 For on the (ABO)day of trouble He will (ABP)conceal me in His [hl]tabernacle;
He will (ABQ)hide me in the secret place of His tent;
He will (ABR)lift me up on a rock.
6 And now (ABS)my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,
And I will offer (ABT)sacrifices in His tent [hm]with shouts of joy;
I will (ABU)sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.
7 (ABV)Hear, Lord, when I cry with my voice,
And be gracious to me and (ABW)answer me.
8 When You said, “(ABX)Seek My face,” my heart said to You,
“(ABY)I shall seek Your face, Lord.”
9 (ABZ)Do not hide Your face from me,
Do not turn Your servant away in (ACA)anger;
You have been (ACB)my help;
(ACC)Do not abandon me nor (ACD)forsake me,
God of my salvation!
10 [hn]For my father and (ACE)my mother have forsaken me,
But (ACF)the Lord will take me up.
11 (ACG)Teach me Your way, Lord,
And lead me on a (ACH)level path
Because of my enemies.
12 Do not turn me over to the [ho](ACI)desire of my enemies,
For (ACJ)false witnesses have risen against me,
And the violent (ACK)witness.
13 I certainly believed that I would see the (ACL)goodness of the Lord
In the (ACM)land of the living.
14 (ACN)Wait for the Lord;
Be (ACO)strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the Lord.
A Prayer for Help, and Praise for Its Answer.
A Psalm of David.
28 To You, Lord, I call;
My (ACP)rock, do not be deaf to me,
For if You (ACQ)are silent to me,
I will become like those who (ACR)go down to the pit.
2 Hear the (ACS)sound of my pleadings when I cry to You for help,
When I (ACT)raise my hands (ACU)toward [hp]Your holy (ACV)sanctuary.
3 (ACW)Do not drag me away with the wicked
And with those who practice injustice,
Who (ACX)speak peace with their neighbors,
While evil is in their hearts.
4 Give back to them (ACY)according to their work and according to the evil of their practices;
Give back to them according to the work of their hands;
Repay them what is due them.
5 Because they (ACZ)do not regard the works of the Lord
Nor the deeds of His hands,
He will tear them down and not build them up.
6 Blessed be the Lord,
Because He (ADA)has heard the sound of my pleading.
7 The Lord is my (ADB)strength and my (ADC)shield;
My heart (ADD)trusts in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore (ADE)my heart triumphs,
And with (ADF)my song I shall thank Him.
8 The Lord is [hq]their (ADG)strength,
And He is a refuge of (ADH)salvation to His anointed.
9 (ADI)Save Your people and bless (ADJ)Your inheritance;
Be their (ADK)shepherd also, and (ADL)carry them forever.
The Voice of the Lord in the Storm.
A Psalm of David.
29 (ADM)Ascribe to the Lord, [hr]sons of the mighty,
Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory [hs]due His name;
Worship the Lord (ADN)in holy attire.
3 The (ADO)voice of the Lord is on the waters;
The God of glory (ADP)thunders,
The Lord is over [ht](ADQ)many waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is (ADR)powerful,
The voice of the Lord is majestic.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
Yes, the Lord breaks (ADS)the cedars of Lebanon in pieces.
6 He makes Lebanon (ADT)skip like a calf,
And (ADU)Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord divides [hu]flames of fire.
8 The voice of the Lord [hv]shakes the wilderness;
The Lord shakes the wilderness of (ADV)Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord makes (ADW)the deer give birth
And strips the forests bare;
And (ADX)in His temple everything says, “Glory!”
10 The Lord sat as King at the (ADY)flood;
Yes, the Lord sits as (ADZ)King forever.
11 [hw]The Lord will give (AEA)strength to His people;
[hx]The Lord will bless His people with (AEB)peace.
Thanksgiving for Rescue from Death.
A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of the House. A Psalm of David.
30 I will (AEC)exalt You, Lord, for You have (AED)lifted me up,
And have not let my (AEE)enemies rejoice over me.
2 Lord my God,
I (AEF)cried to You for help, and You (AEG)healed me.
3 Lord, You have (AEH)brought up my soul from [hy]Sheol;
You have kept me alive, [hz]that I would not (AEI)go down to the pit.
4 (AEJ)Sing praise to the Lord, you (AEK)His godly ones,
And (AEL)praise the mention of His holiness.
5 For (AEM)His anger is but for a moment,
His (AEN)favor is for a lifetime;
Weeping may (AEO)last for the night,
But a shout of joy comes in the morning.
6 Now as for me, I said in my prosperity,
“I will (AEP)never be moved.”
7 Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain to stand strong;
You (AEQ)hid Your face, I was dismayed.
8 To You, Lord, I called,
And to the Lord I pleaded for compassion:
9 “What gain is there in my blood, if I (AER)go down to the pit?
Will the (AES)dust praise You? Will it declare Your faithfulness?
10 “(AET)Hear, Lord, and be gracious to me;
Lord, be my (AEU)helper.”
11 You have turned (AEV)my mourning into dancing for me;
You have (AEW)untied my sackcloth and encircled me with (AEX)joy,
12 That my [ia](AEY)soul may sing praise to You and not be silent.
Lord my God, I will (AEZ)give thanks to You forever.
A Psalm of Complaint and of Praise.
For the music director. A Psalm of David.
31 (AFA)In You, Lord, I have taken refuge;
Let me never (AFB)be [ib]put to shame;
(AFC)In Your righteousness rescue me.
2 (AFD)Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly;
Be a (AFE)rock of [ic]strength for me,
A [id]stronghold to save me.
3 For You are my rock and (AFF)my fortress;
For the (AFG)sake of Your name You will lead me and guide me.
4 You will (AFH)pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,
For You are my (AFI)strength.
5 (AFJ)Into Your hand I entrust my spirit;
You have (AFK)redeemed me, Lord, (AFL)God of [ie]truth.
6 I hate those who (AFM)devote themselves to worthless [if]idols,
But I (AFN)trust in the Lord.
7 I will (AFO)rejoice and be glad in Your faithfulness,
Because You have (AFP)seen my misery;
You have known the troubles of my soul,
8 And You have not (AFQ)handed me over to the enemy;
You have set my feet in a large place.
9 Be gracious to me, Lord, for (AFR)I am in distress;
My (AFS)eye is wasted away from grief, (AFT)my soul and my body too.
10 For my life is spent with (AFU)sorrow
And my years with sighing;
My (AFV)strength has failed because of my guilt,
And (AFW)my [ig]body has wasted away.
11 Because of all my adversaries, I have become a (AFX)disgrace,
Especially to my (AFY)neighbors,
And an object of dread to my acquaintances;
Those who see me in the street flee from me.
12 I am (AFZ)forgotten like a dead person, out of mind;
I am like a broken vessel.
13 For I have heard the [ih](AGA)slander of many,
(AGB)Terror is on every side;
While they (AGC)took counsel together against me,
They (AGD)schemed to take away my life.
14 But as for me, I trust in You, Lord,
I say, “(AGE)You are my God.”
15 My (AGF)times are in Your hand;
(AGG)Rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.
16 Make Your (AGH)face shine upon Your servant;
(AGI)Save me in Your faithfulness.
17 Let me not be (AGJ)put to shame, Lord, for I call upon You;
Let the (AGK)wicked be put to shame, let them (AGL)be silent in [ii]Sheol.
18 Let the (AGM)lying lips be speechless,
Which (AGN)speak arrogantly against the righteous
With pride and contempt.
19 How great is Your (AGO)goodness,
Which You have stored up for those who fear You,
Which You have performed for those who (AGP)take refuge in You,
(AGQ)Before the sons of mankind!
20 You hide them in the (AGR)secret place of Your presence from the (AGS)conspiracies of mankind;
You keep them secretly in a [ij]shelter from the (AGT)strife of tongues.
21 (AGU)Blessed be the Lord,
For He has shown His (AGV)marvelous faithfulness to me in a besieged (AGW)city.
22 As for me, (AGX)I said in my alarm,
“I am (AGY)cut off from Your eyes”;
Nevertheless You (AGZ)heard the sound of my pleadings
When I called to You for help.
23 Love the Lord, all (AHA)His godly ones!
The Lord (AHB)watches over the faithful
But fully (AHC)repays the one who acts arrogantly.
24 (AHD)Be strong and let your heart take courage,
All you who wait for the Lord.
Blessedness of Forgiveness and of Trust in God.
A Psalm of David. A [ik]Maskil.
32 (AHE)How blessed is he whose wrongdoing is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered!
2 How blessed is a person whose guilt the Lord (AHF)does not take into account,
And in whose spirit there is (AHG)no deceit!
3 When (AHH)I kept silent about my sin, (AHI)my [il]body wasted away
Through my [im](AHJ)groaning all day long.
4 For day and night (AHK)Your hand was heavy upon me;
My [in](AHL)vitality failed as with the dry heat of summer. Selah
5 I (AHM)acknowledged my sin to You,
And I (AHN)did not hide my guilt;
I said, “(AHO)I will confess my wrongdoings to the Lord”;
And You (AHP)forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
6 Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You [io](AHQ)in a time when You may be found;
Certainly (AHR)in a flood of great waters, they will not reach him.
7 You are (AHS)my hiding place; You (AHT)keep me from trouble;
You surround me with [ip](AHU)songs of deliverance. Selah
8 I will (AHV)instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will advise you (AHW)with My eye upon you.
9 Do not be (AHX)like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding,
Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check,
Otherwise they will not come near to you.
10 The (AHY)sorrows of the wicked are many,
But (AHZ)the one who trusts in the Lord, goodness will surround him.
11 Be (AIA)glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are (AIB)upright in heart.
Praise to the Creator and Protector.
33 (AIC)Sing for joy in the Lord, you righteous ones;
Praise is (AID)becoming to the upright.
2 Give thanks to the Lord with the (AIE)lyre;
Sing praises to Him with a (AIF)harp of ten strings.
3 Sing to Him a (AIG)new song;
Play skillfully with (AIH)a shout of joy.
4 For the word of the Lord (AII)is right,
And all His work is done (AIJ)in faithfulness.
5 He (AIK)loves righteousness and justice;
The (AIL)earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
6 By the (AIM)word of the Lord the heavens were made,
And (AIN)by the breath of His mouth (AIO)all their [iq]lights.
7 He gathers the (AIP)waters of the sea together [ir]as a heap;
He puts the depths in storehouses.
8 Let (AIQ)all the earth fear the Lord;
Let all the inhabitants of the world (AIR)stand in awe of Him.
9 For (AIS)He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it [is]stood firm.
10 The Lord (AIT)nullifies the plan of nations;
He frustrates the plans of peoples.
11 The (AIU)plan of the Lord stands forever,
The (AIV)plans of His heart from generation to generation.
12 Blessed is the (AIW)nation whose God is the Lord,
The people He has (AIX)chosen for His own inheritance.
13 The Lord (AIY)looks from heaven;
He (AIZ)sees all the sons of mankind;
14 From (AJA)His dwelling place He looks out
On all the inhabitants of the earth,
15 He who (AJB)fashions [it]the hearts of them all,
He who (AJC)understands all their works.
16 (AJD)The king is not saved by a mighty army;
A warrior is not rescued by great strength.
17 A (AJE)horse is a false hope for victory;
Nor does it rescue anyone by its great strength.
18 Behold, (AJF)the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who (AJG)wait for His faithfulness,
19 To (AJH)rescue their soul from death
And to keep them alive (AJI)in famine.
20 Our soul (AJJ)waits for the Lord;
He is our (AJK)help and our shield.
21 For our (AJL)heart rejoices in Him,
Because we trust in His holy name.
22 Let Your favor, Lord, be upon us,
Just as we have waited for You.
The Lord, a Provider and the One Who Rescues Me.
A Psalm of David, when he pretended to be insane before [iu]Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.
34 I will (AJM)bless the Lord at all times;
His (AJN)praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul will (AJO)make its boast in the Lord;
The (AJP)humble will hear it and rejoice.
3 (AJQ)Exalt the Lord with me,
And let’s (AJR)exalt His name together.
4 I (AJS)sought the Lord and He answered me,
And (AJT)rescued me from all my fears.
5 They (AJU)looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will (AJV)never be ashamed.
6 This wretched man cried out, and (AJW)the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The (AJX)angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,
And rescues them.
8 (AJY)Taste and see that the Lord is good;
How (AJZ)blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
9 Fear the Lord, you (AKA)His saints;
For to those who fear Him there is (AKB)no lack of anything.
10 The young lions do without and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the Lord will (AKC)not lack any good thing.
11 (AKD)Come, you children, listen to me;
(AKE)I will teach you (AKF)the fear of the Lord.
12 (AKG)Who is the person who desires life
And loves length of days, that he may (AKH)see good?
13 Keep (AKI)your tongue from evil
And your lips from speaking (AKJ)deceit.
14 (AKK)Turn from evil and do good;
Seek peace and (AKL)pursue it.
15 The (AKM)eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,
And His ears are toward their cry for help.
16 The (AKN)face of the Lord is against evildoers,
To (AKO)eliminate the memory of them from the earth.
17 The righteous (AKP)cry out, and the Lord hears
And rescues them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord (AKQ)is near to the (AKR)brokenhearted
And saves those who are [iv](AKS)crushed in spirit.
19 (AKT)The (AKU)afflictions of the righteous are many,
But the Lord (AKV)rescues him from them all.
20 He protects all his bones,
(AKW)Not one of them is broken.
21 (AKX)Evil will bring death to the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous will suffer for their guilt.
22 The Lord (AKY)redeems the souls of His servants,
And none of those who (AKZ)take refuge in Him will suffer for their guilt.
Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.
A Psalm of David.
35 Contend, Lord, with those who (ALA)contend with me;
Fight against those who (ALB)fight against me.
2 Take hold of [iw](ALC)buckler and shield
And rise up as (ALD)my help.
3 Draw also the spear and [ix]the battle-axe to meet those who pursue me;
Say to my soul, “I am (ALE)your salvation.”
4 Let those be (ALF)ashamed and dishonored who seek my [iy]life;
Let those be (ALG)turned back and humiliated who devise evil against me.
5 Let them be (ALH)like chaff before the wind,
With the angel of the Lord driving them on.
6 Let their way be dark and (ALI)slippery,
With the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
7 For (ALJ)they (ALK)hid their net for me without cause;
Without cause they dug a pit for my soul.
8 Let (ALL)destruction come upon him when he is unaware,
And (ALM)let the net which he hid catch him;
Let him fall into that very (ALN)destruction.
9 So my soul shall (ALO)rejoice in the Lord;
It shall (ALP)rejoice in His salvation.
10 All my (ALQ)bones will say, “Lord, (ALR)who is like You,
Who rescues the afflicted from one (ALS)who is too strong for him,
And (ALT)the afflicted and the poor from one who robs him?”
11 (ALU)Malicious witnesses rise up;
They ask me things that I do not know.
12 They (ALV)repay me evil for good,
To the bereavement of my soul.
13 But as for me, (ALW)when they were sick, my (ALX)clothing was sackcloth;
I (ALY)humbled my soul with fasting,
But my (ALZ)prayer kept returning to [iz]me.
14 I went about as though it were my friend or brother;
I (AMA)bowed down [ja]in mourning, like one who mourns for a mother.
15 But (AMB)at my [jb]stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together;
The [jc](AMC)afflicted people whom I did not know gathered together against me,
They [jd](AMD)slandered me without ceasing.
16 Like godless jesters at a feast,
They (AME)gnashed at me with their teeth.
17 Lord, (AMF)how long will You look on?
Rescue my soul (AMG)from their ravages,
My (AMH)only life from the lions.
18 I will (AMI)give You thanks in the great congregation;
I will (AMJ)praise You among a mighty people.
19 (AMK)Do not let those who are wrongfully (AML)my enemies rejoice over me;
Nor let those (AMM)who hate me for no reason [je](AMN)wink maliciously.
20 For they do not speak peace,
But they devise (AMO)deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.
21 They (AMP)opened their mouth wide against me;
They said, “(AMQ)Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen it!”
22 (AMR)You have seen it, Lord, (AMS)do not keep silent;
Lord, (AMT)do not be far from me.
23 (AMU)Stir Yourself, and awake to my right
And to my cause, my God and my Lord.
24 (AMV)Judge me, Lord my God, according to Your righteousness,
And (AMW)do not let them rejoice over me.
25 Do not let them say in their heart, “(AMX)Aha, our desire!”
Do not let them say, “We have (AMY)swallowed him up!”
26 May (AMZ)those be ashamed and altogether humiliated who rejoice at my distress;
May those who (ANA)exalt themselves over me be (ANB)clothed with shame and dishonor.
27 May those (ANC)shout for joy and rejoice, who take delight in (AND)my vindication;
And (ANE)may they say continually, “The Lord be exalted,
Who (ANF)delights in the prosperity of His servant.”
28 And (ANG)my tongue shall proclaim Your righteousness
And Your praise all day long.
Wickedness of Humanity and Goodness of God.
For the music director. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord.
36 [jf]Wrongdoing speaks to the ungodly within [jg]his heart;
There is (ANH)no fear of God before his eyes.
Footnotes
- Psalm 1:1 Or way
- Psalm 1:3 Or canals
- Psalm 1:3 Or foliage
- Psalm 1:3 Or all that he does prospers
- Psalm 1:6 Or approves; or has regard to
- Psalm 2:1 Or Gentiles
- Psalm 2:2 Or Messiah
- Psalm 2:4 Or is enthroned
- Psalm 2:7 Or decree: The Lord said to Me
- Psalm 2:8 Or Gentiles
- Psalm 2:9 Another reading is rule
- Psalm 2:9 Or scepter; or staff
- Psalm 2:9 Lit potter’s ware
- Psalm 2:10 Or leaders
- Psalm 2:11 Or fear
- Psalm 2:12 I.e., probably kiss the feet of the Son
- Psalm 3 Title 2 Sam 15:13-17, 29
- Psalm 3:4 Or hill
- Psalm 3:5 Or As for me, I
- Psalm 3:7 Or strike
- Psalm 3:7 Or jaw
- Psalm 3:7 Or shatter
- Psalm 3:8 Or Deliverance
- Psalm 3:8 Or is
- Psalm 4 Title I.e., Belonging to the choir director’s anthology
- Psalm 4:1 I.e., who maintains my right
- Psalm 4:1 Lit made room for
- Psalm 4:2 Or glory
- Psalm 4:3 Another reading is dealt wonderfully with
- Psalm 4:4 I.e., with anger or fear
- Psalm 4:4 Or but
- Psalm 4:4 Lit Speak
- Psalm 4:5 Or righteous sacrifices
- Psalm 4:8 Or at the same time
- Psalm 5 Title Heb Nehiloth
- Psalm 5:3 Or May You hear
- Psalm 5:3 Or sacrifice
- Psalm 5:7 Or Toward
- Psalm 5:8 Or smooth
- Psalm 5:9 Or true
- Psalm 5:9 So ancient versions; MT his
- Psalm 5:9 Or make their tongue smooth
- Psalm 5:11 Or You shelter
- Psalm 6 Title Or according to a lower octave (Heb Sheminith)
- Psalm 6:4 Or life
- Psalm 6:5 Or remembrance
- Psalm 6:5 I.e., the netherworld
- Psalm 6:10 Or again be abruptly put to shame
- Psalm 7 Title I.e., Dithyrambic rhythm; or wild, passionate song
- Psalm 7 Title Or concerning the words of
- Psalm 7:2 Or me
- Psalm 7:4 Lit him who was at peace with me
- Psalm 7:4 Or him who for no reason was my enemy,
- Psalm 7:5 Or me
- Psalm 7:5 Or me
- Psalm 7:6 One ancient version reads O my God
- Psalm 7:8 Lit Judge
- Psalm 7:9 Lit kidneys, figurative for inner man
- Psalm 7:10 Lit upon
- Psalm 8:1 Lit put
- Psalm 8:2 Or a strength
- Psalm 8:3 Or see
- Psalm 8:5 LXX angels
- Psalm 9 Title Meaning of the Heb uncertain
- Psalm 9:1 Or miracles
- Psalm 9:4 Lit my right and my cause
- Psalm 9:4 Or a righteous Judge
- Psalm 9:6 Or O enemy, desolations are finished forever; And their cities You have uprooted
- Psalm 9:7 Or remains forever
- Psalm 9:9 Or Let the Lord also be
- Psalm 9:10 Or let those...name put
- Psalm 9:12 I.e., avenges bloodshed
- Psalm 9:14 Or deliverance
- Psalm 9:16 Perhaps, resounding music or meditation
- Psalm 9:17 Or turn
- Psalm 9:17 I.e., the netherworld
- Psalm 10:1 Or Your eyes
- Psalm 10:2 Or They will be caught
- Psalm 10:3 Or blesses the greedy man
- Psalm 10:4 Lit the height of his nose
- Psalm 10:6 Lit To
- Psalm 10:8 Lit lie in wait
- Psalm 10:8 Or poor
- Psalm 10:9 Or thicket
- Psalm 10:10 Or unhappy
- Psalm 10:13 I.e., as though God will ignore it
- Psalm 10:14 Lit put, give
- Psalm 10:14 Or poor
- Psalm 10:15 Or May You seek
- Psalm 10:18 Lit judge
- Psalm 11:2 Or fixed
- Psalm 11:4 Lit Lord, His throne
- Psalm 11:6 As in a Gr version; MT snares; Fire and
- Psalm 11:7 Or righteous deeds
- Psalm 12 Title Or according to a lower octave (Heb Sheminith)
- Psalm 12:2 Lit worthless speech
- Psalm 12:2 Lit a smooth lip
- Psalm 12:3 Lit a smooth lip
- Psalm 12:4 Lit with us
- Psalm 12:8 Or worthlessness
- Psalm 14:2 Or act wisely
- Psalm 15:3 Lit according to
- Psalm 15:5 Lit give
- Psalm 15:5 I.e., to a fellow Israelite
- Psalm 16 Title Possibly Epigrammatic Poem or Atonement Psalm
- Psalm 16:2 Or O my soul, you said
- Psalm 16:2 Or the Lord
- Psalm 16:3 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- Psalm 16:3 Lit They, even the
- Psalm 16:4 Lit Their pains, they who acquired
- Psalm 16:7 Lit kidneys, figurative for inner man
- Psalm 16:10 I.e., the netherworld
- Psalm 16:10 Lit give
- Psalm 16:10 Or godly one
- Psalm 16:10 Or see corruption; or the pit
- Psalm 17:2 I.e., vindication
- Psalm 17:3 Or no shameful act in me; My mouth
- Psalm 17:5 Lit tracks
- Psalm 17:7 Or from those who rise up...at Your right hand
- Psalm 17:8 Lit the pupil, the daughter of the eye
- Psalm 17:10 Lit fat
- Psalm 17:14 Or whose portion in life is of the world
- Psalm 18 Title 2 Sam 22:1-51
- Psalm 18:4 Or ungodliness; Heb Belial
- Psalm 18:4 Or were assailing; or terrifying
- Psalm 18:5 I.e., the netherworld
- Psalm 18:8 Or in His wrath
- Psalm 18:11 Or pavilion
- Psalm 18:14 Lit confused
- Psalm 18:23 Lit complete; or having integrity; or perfect
- Psalm 18:25 See note v 23
- Psalm 18:26 Lit twisted
- Psalm 18:29 Or wall
- Psalm 18:30 Or perfect
- Psalm 18:32 Or has made
- Psalm 18:32 Lit complete; or having integrity
- Psalm 18:35 Or condescension
- Psalm 18:36 Lit ankles
- Psalm 18:40 Or silenced
- Psalm 18:45 Or prisons
- Psalm 18:50 I.e., victories; lit salvations
- Psalm 18:50 Lit seed
- Psalm 19:4 Another reading is sound
- Psalm 19:6 Lit the end
- Psalm 19:6 Lit the ends
- Psalm 19:7 I.e., blameless
- Psalm 20:1 Lit make you high and inaccessible
- Psalm 20:3 Lit consider your...as fat
- Psalm 20:5 Or Let’s sing
- Psalm 20:5 Or salvation
- Psalm 20:6 Or mighty deeds of the victory of His right hand
- Psalm 20:9 Or O Lord, save the king; answer us
- Psalm 21:1 Or victory
- Psalm 21:5 Or victory
- Psalm 21:6 Lit blessings
- Psalm 21:9 Or of your presence
- Psalm 21:10 Lit fruit
- Psalm 21:10 Lit seed
- Psalm 21:11 Lit stretched out
- Psalm 22 Title Lit the doe of the morning
- Psalm 22:1 Or deliverance
- Psalm 22:1 Lit screaming
- Psalm 22:2 Lit there is no silence for me
- Psalm 22:3 Or inhabit the praises
- Psalm 22:5 Or ashamed
- Psalm 22:7 Lit open with the lip
- Psalm 22:8 Lit Roll...away to
- Psalm 22:8 Or it
- Psalm 22:10 Lit a womb
- Psalm 22:11 Or distress
- Psalm 22:14 Lit my inward parts
- Psalm 22:15 Lit to
- Psalm 22:16 Or An assembly
- Psalm 22:16 Another reading is Like a lion, my...
- Psalm 22:20 Or life
- Psalm 22:20 Lit paw
- Psalm 22:23 Lit seed
- Psalm 22:23 Lit seed
- Psalm 22:26 Or poor
- Psalm 22:27 Some ancient versions Him
- Psalm 22:29 Lit fat ones
- Psalm 22:29 Or did not
- Psalm 22:30 Lit seed
- Psalm 23:2 Lit waters of rest
- Psalm 23:3 Lit tracks
- Psalm 23:4 Or valley of deep darkness
- Psalm 23:4 Or harm
- Psalm 23:5 Or anoint
- Psalm 23:6 Or Only
- Psalm 23:6 Or mercy
- Psalm 23:6 Lit for length of days
- Psalm 24:1 Lit its fullness
- Psalm 24:5 I.e., as vindicated
- Psalm 24:6 Or Such
- Psalm 24:7 Lit everlasting
- Psalm 24:9 Lit everlasting
- Psalm 25:3 Or Let those...be ashamed
- Psalm 25:6 Or everlasting
- Psalm 25:9 Or afflicted
- Psalm 25:9 Or afflicted
- Psalm 25:13 Lit good
- Psalm 25:13 Lit seed
- Psalm 25:13 Or earth
- Psalm 25:14 Or counsel; or intimacy
- Psalm 25:14 Or And His covenant, to make them know it
- Psalm 25:15 Lit bring out
- Psalm 25:17 Some commentators Relieve the troubles of my heart
- Psalm 26:1 Lit Judge
- Psalm 26:1 Lit I do not slide
- Psalm 26:2 Lit kidneys, figurative for inner man
- Psalm 26:3 Or faithfulness
- Psalm 26:4 Or worthless men; lit men of falsehood
- Psalm 26:4 Or dissemblers, hypocrites
- Psalm 26:7 Or miracles
- Psalm 26:8 Lit of the tabernacle of Your glory
- Psalm 26:9 Lit gather
- Psalm 27:1 Or refuge
- Psalm 27:4 Lit delightfulness
- Psalm 27:4 Lit inquire
- Psalm 27:5 Or shelter
- Psalm 27:6 Lit of shouts
- Psalm 27:10 Or If my father...forsake me, Then the Lord
- Psalm 27:12 Lit soul
- Psalm 28:2 Lit the innermost place of Your sanctuary
- Psalm 28:8 A few mss and ancient versions the strength of His people
- Psalm 29:1 Lit sons of gods
- Psalm 29:2 Lit of His name
- Psalm 29:3 Or great
- Psalm 29:7 I.e., lightning
- Psalm 29:8 Or causes...to whirl
- Psalm 29:11 Or May the Lord give
- Psalm 29:11 Or May the Lord bless
- Psalm 30:3 I.e., the netherworld
- Psalm 30:3 Some mss from among those who go down
- Psalm 30:12 Lit glory
- Psalm 31:1 Or ashamed;
- Psalm 31:2 Or refuge, protection
- Psalm 31:2 Lit house of a stronghold
- Psalm 31:5 Or faithfulness
- Psalm 31:6 Lit futilities
- Psalm 31:10 Or bones, substance
- Psalm 31:13 Lit whispering
- Psalm 31:17 I.e., the netherworld
- Psalm 31:20 Or pavilion
- Psalm 32 Title Possibly Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
- Psalm 32:3 Or bones, substance
- Psalm 32:3 Lit roaring
- Psalm 32:4 Lit life juices were turned into the drought of summer
- Psalm 32:6 Lit in a time of finding out
- Psalm 32:7 Or shouts
- Psalm 33:6 Lit host; i.e., sun, stars, etc.
- Psalm 33:7 Some ancient versions in a water skin; i.e., container
- Psalm 33:9 Or stood forth
- Psalm 33:15 Or their heart together
- Psalm 34 Title Possibly a title of King Achish of Gath, see 1 Sam 21:10-15
- Psalm 34:18 Or contrite
- Psalm 35:2 I.e., small shield
- Psalm 35:3 Or close up the path against those
- Psalm 35:4 Or soul
- Psalm 35:13 Lit my chest
- Psalm 35:14 Or dressed for mourning
- Psalm 35:15 Or limping
- Psalm 35:15 Or struck ones
- Psalm 35:15 Lit tore
- Psalm 35:19 Or wink the eye
- Psalm 36:1 Or Rebellion
- Psalm 36:1 Another reading is my heart
Psalm 1-69
New King James Version
Psalm 1-69
New King James Version
BOOK ONE
Psalms 1–41
The Way of the Righteous and the End of the Ungodly
1 Blessed (A)is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the [a]ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
(B)Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But (C)his delight is in the law of the Lord,
(D)And in His law he [b]meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree
(E)Planted by the [c]rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall (F)prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so,
But are (G)like the chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For (H)the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
The Messiah’s Triumph and Kingdom(I)
2 Why (J)do the [d]nations [e]rage,
And the people plot a [f]vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the (K)rulers take counsel together,
Against the Lord and against His (L)Anointed,[g] saying,
3 “Let (M)us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”
4 He who sits in the heavens (N)shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.
5 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:
6 “Yet I have [h]set My King
[i]On My holy hill of Zion.”
7 “I will declare the [j]decree:
The Lord has said to Me,
(O)‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
8 Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
9 (P)You shall [k]break them with a rod of iron;
You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”
10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
12 [l]Kiss the Son, lest [m]He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When (Q)His wrath is kindled but a little.
(R)Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
The Lord Helps His Troubled People
A Psalm of David (S)when he fled from Absalom his son.
3 Lord, how they have increased who trouble me!
Many are they who rise up against me.
2 Many are they who say of me,
“There is no help for him in God.” Selah
3 But You, O Lord, are (T)a shield [n]for me,
My glory and (U)the One who lifts up my head.
4 I cried to the Lord with my voice,
And (V)He heard me from His (W)holy hill. Selah
5 (X)I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.
6 (Y)I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have set themselves against me all around.
7 Arise, O Lord;
Save me, O my God!
(Z)For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone;
You have broken the teeth of the ungodly.
8 (AA)Salvation belongs to the Lord.
Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah
The Safety of the Faithful
To the [o]Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.
4 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
You have relieved me in my distress;
[p]Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.
2 How long, O you sons of men,
Will you turn my glory to shame?
How long will you love worthlessness
And seek falsehood? Selah
3 But know that (AB)the Lord has [q]set apart for Himself him who is godly;
The Lord will hear when I call to Him.
4 (AC)Be[r] angry, and do not sin.
(AD)Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah
5 Offer (AE)the sacrifices of righteousness,
And (AF)put your trust in the Lord.
6 There are many who say,
“Who will show us any good?”
(AG)Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.
7 You have put (AH)gladness in my heart,
More than in the season that their grain and wine increased.
8 (AI)I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;
(AJ)For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
A Prayer for Guidance
To the Chief Musician. With [s]flutes. A Psalm of David.
5 Give (AK)ear to my words, O Lord,
Consider my [t]meditation.
2 Give heed to the voice of my cry,
My King and my God,
For to You I will pray.
3 My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord;
(AL)In the morning I will direct it to You,
And I will look up.
4 For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness,
Nor shall evil [u]dwell with You.
5 The (AM)boastful shall not (AN)stand in Your sight;
You hate all workers of iniquity.
6 You shall destroy those who speak falsehood;
The Lord abhors the (AO)bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
7 But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy;
In fear of You I will worship toward [v]Your holy temple.
8 (AP)Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies;
Make Your way straight before my face.
9 For there is no [w]faithfulness in their mouth;
Their inward part is destruction;
(AQ)Their throat is an open tomb;
They flatter with their tongue.
10 Pronounce them guilty, O God!
Let them fall by their own counsels;
Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions,
For they have rebelled against You.
11 But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;
Let them ever shout for joy, because You [x]defend them;
Let those also who love Your name
Be joyful in You.
12 For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous;
With favor You will surround him as with a shield.
A Prayer of Faith in Time of Distress
To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. (AR)On [y]an eight-stringed harp. A Psalm of David.
6 O Lord, (AS)do not rebuke me in Your anger,
Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure.
2 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak;
O Lord, (AT)heal me, for my bones are troubled.
3 My soul also is greatly (AU)troubled;
But You, O Lord—how long?
4 Return, O Lord, deliver me!
Oh, save me for Your mercies’ sake!
5 (AV)For in death there is no remembrance of You;
In the grave who will give You thanks?
6 I am weary with my groaning;
[z]All night I make my bed swim;
I drench my couch with my tears.
7 (AW)My eye wastes away because of grief;
It grows old because of all my enemies.
8 (AX)Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity;
For the Lord has (AY)heard the voice of my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my supplication;
The Lord will receive my prayer.
10 Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled;
Let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly.
Prayer and Praise for Deliverance from Enemies
A (AZ)Meditation[aa] of David, which he sang to the Lord (BA)concerning the words of Cush, a Benjamite.
7 O Lord my God, in You I put my trust;
(BB)Save me from all those who persecute me;
And deliver me,
2 (BC)Lest they tear me like a lion,
(BD)Rending me in pieces, while there is none to deliver.
3 O Lord my God, (BE)if I have done this:
If there is (BF)iniquity in my hands,
4 If I have repaid evil to him who was at peace with me,
Or (BG)have plundered my enemy without cause,
5 Let the enemy pursue me and overtake me;
Yes, let him trample my life to the earth,
And lay my honor in the dust. Selah
6 Arise, O Lord, in Your anger;
(BH)Lift Yourself up because of the rage of my enemies;
(BI)Rise up [ab]for me to the judgment You have commanded!
7 So the congregation of the peoples shall surround You;
For their sakes, therefore, return on high.
8 The Lord shall judge the peoples;
(BJ)Judge me, O Lord, (BK)according to my righteousness,
And according to my integrity within me.
9 Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end,
But establish the just;
(BL)For the righteous God tests the hearts and [ac]minds.
10 [ad]My defense is of God,
Who saves the (BM)upright in heart.
11 God is a just judge,
And God is angry with the wicked every day.
12 If he does not turn back,
He will (BN)sharpen His sword;
He bends His bow and makes it ready.
13 He also prepares for Himself instruments of death;
He makes His arrows into fiery shafts.
14 (BO)Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity;
Yes, he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood.
15 He made a pit and dug it out,
(BP)And has fallen into the ditch which he made.
16 (BQ)His trouble shall return upon his own head,
And his violent dealing shall come down on [ae]his own crown.
17 I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness,
And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.
The Glory of the Lord in Creation
To the Chief Musician. [af]On the instrument of Gath. A Psalm of David.
8 O Lord, our Lord,
How (BR)excellent is Your name in all the earth,
Who have (BS)set Your glory above the heavens!
2 (BT)Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have [ag]ordained strength,
Because of Your enemies,
That You may silence (BU)the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I (BV)consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
4 (BW)What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You (BX)visit[ah] him?
5 For You have made him a little lower than [ai]the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.
6 (BY)You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
(BZ)You have put all things under his feet,
7 All sheep and oxen—
Even the beasts of the field,
8 The birds of the air,
And the fish of the sea
That pass through the paths of the seas.
9 (CA)O Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth!
Prayer and Thanksgiving for the Lord’s Righteous Judgments
To the Chief Musician. To the tune of [aj]“Death of the Son.” A Psalm of David.
9 I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart;
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
2 I will be glad and (CB)rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, (CC)O Most High.
3 When my enemies turn back,
They shall fall and perish at Your presence.
4 For You have maintained my right and my cause;
You sat on the throne judging in righteousness.
5 You have rebuked the [ak]nations,
You have destroyed the wicked;
You have (CD)blotted out their name forever and ever.
6 O enemy, destructions are finished forever!
And you have destroyed cities;
Even their memory has (CE)perished.
7 (CF)But the Lord shall endure forever;
He has prepared His throne for judgment.
8 (CG)He shall judge the world in righteousness,
And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness.
9 The Lord also will be a (CH)refuge[al] for the oppressed,
A refuge in times of trouble.
10 And those who (CI)know Your name will put their trust in You;
For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.
11 Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion!
(CJ)Declare His deeds among the people.
12 (CK)When He avenges blood, He remembers them;
He does not forget the cry of the [am]humble.
13 Have mercy on me, O Lord!
Consider my trouble from those who hate me,
You who lift me up from the gates of death,
14 That I may tell of all Your praise
In the gates of [an]the daughter of Zion.
I will (CL)rejoice in Your salvation.
15 (CM)The [ao]nations have sunk down in the pit which they made;
In the net which they hid, their own foot is caught.
16 The Lord is (CN)known by the judgment He executes;
The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.
(CO)Meditation.[ap] Selah
17 The wicked shall be turned into hell,
And all the [aq]nations (CP)that forget God.
18 (CQ)For the needy shall not always be forgotten;
(CR)The expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.
19 Arise, O Lord,
Do not let man prevail;
Let the [ar]nations be judged in Your sight.
20 Put them in fear, O Lord,
That the [as]nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah
A Song of Confidence in God’s Triumph over Evil
10 Why do You stand afar off, O Lord?
Why do You hide in times of trouble?
2 The wicked in his pride [at]persecutes the poor;
(CS)Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.
3 For the wicked (CT)boasts of his heart’s desire;
[au]He (CU)blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord.
4 The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God;
[av]God is in none of his (CV)thoughts.
5 His ways [aw]are always prospering;
Your judgments are far above, out of his sight;
As for all his enemies, he sneers at them.
6 (CW)He has said in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
(CX)I shall never be in adversity.”
7 (CY)His mouth is full of cursing and (CZ)deceit and oppression;
Under his tongue is trouble and iniquity.
8 He sits in the lurking places of the villages;
In the secret places he murders the innocent;
His eyes are secretly fixed on the helpless.
9 He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den;
He lies in wait to catch the poor;
He catches the poor when he draws him into his net.
10 So [ax]he crouches, he lies low,
That the helpless may fall by his [ay]strength.
11 He has said in his heart,
“God has forgotten;
He hides His face;
He will never see.”
12 Arise, O Lord!
O God, (DA)lift up Your hand!
Do not forget the (DB)humble.
13 Why do the wicked renounce God?
He has said in his heart,
“You will not require an account.”
14 But You have (DC)seen, for You observe trouble and grief,
To repay it by Your hand.
The helpless (DD)commits[az] himself to You;
(DE)You are the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked and the evil man;
Seek out his wickedness until You find none.
16 (DF)The Lord is King forever and ever;
The nations have perished out of His land.
17 Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble;
You will prepare their heart;
You will cause Your ear to hear,
18 To [ba]do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
That the man of the earth may [bb]oppress no more.
Faith in the Lord’s Righteousness
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
11 In (DG)the Lord I put my trust;
How can you say to my soul,
“Flee as a bird to your mountain”?
2 For look! (DH)The wicked bend their bow,
They make ready their arrow on the string,
That they may shoot [bc]secretly at the upright in heart.
3 (DI)If the foundations are destroyed,
What can the righteous do?
4 The Lord is in His holy temple,
The Lord’s (DJ)throne is in heaven;
(DK)His eyes behold,
His eyelids test the sons of men.
5 The Lord (DL)tests the righteous,
But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.
6 Upon the wicked He will rain coals;
Fire and brimstone and a burning wind
(DM)Shall be [bd]the portion of their cup.
Man’s Treachery and God’s Constancy
To the Chief Musician. (DO)On [bf]an eight-stringed harp. A Psalm of David.
12 Help,[bg] Lord, for the godly man (DP)ceases!
For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men.
2 (DQ)They speak idly everyone with his neighbor;
With flattering lips and [bh]a double heart they speak.
3 May the Lord [bi]cut off all flattering lips,
And the tongue that speaks [bj]proud things,
4 Who have said,
“With our tongue we will prevail;
Our lips are our own;
Who is lord over us?”
5 “For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy,
Now I will arise,” says the Lord;
“I will set him in the safety for which he yearns.”
6 The words of the Lord are (DR)pure words,
Like silver tried in a furnace of earth,
Purified seven times.
7 You shall keep them, O Lord,
You shall preserve them from this generation forever.
8 The wicked prowl on every side,
When vileness is exalted among the sons of men.
Trust in the Salvation of the Lord
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
13 How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?
(DS)How long will You hide Your face from me?
2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart daily?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and hear me, O Lord my God;
(DT)Enlighten my eyes,
(DU)Lest I sleep the sleep of death;
4 Lest my enemy say,
“I have prevailed against him”;
Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved.
5 But I have trusted in Your mercy;
My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me.
Folly of the Godless, and God’s Final Triumph(DV)
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
14 The (DW)fool has said in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt,
They have done abominable works,
There is none who does good.
2 (DX)The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
3 (DY)They have all turned aside,
They have together become corrupt;
There is none who does good,
No, not one.
4 Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge,
Who eat up my people as they eat bread,
And (DZ)do not call on the Lord?
5 There they are in great fear,
For God is with the generation of the righteous.
6 You shame the counsel of the poor,
But the Lord is his (EA)refuge.
7 (EB)Oh,[bk] that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
(EC)When the Lord brings back [bl]the captivity of His people,
Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.
The Character of Those Who May Dwell with the Lord
A Psalm of David.
2 He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the (EE)truth in his heart;
3 He who (EF)does not backbite with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
(EG)Nor does he [bn]take up a reproach against his friend;
4 (EH)In whose eyes a vile person is despised,
But he honors those who fear the Lord;
He who (EI)swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 He who does not put out his money at usury,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things (EJ)shall never be moved.
The Hope of the Faithful, and the Messiah’s Victory
A (EK)Michtam of David.
16 Preserve[bo] me, O God, for in You I put my trust.
2 O my soul, you have said to the Lord,
“You are my Lord,
(EL)My goodness is nothing apart from You.”
3 As for the saints who are on the earth,
“They are the excellent ones, in (EM)whom is all my delight.”
4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god;
Their drink offerings of (EN)blood I will not offer,
(EO)Nor take up their names on my lips.
5 O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You [bp]maintain my lot.
6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Yes, I have a good inheritance.
7 I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel;
My [bq]heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
8 (EP)I have set the Lord always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will [br]rest in hope.
10 (EQ)For You will not leave my soul in [bs]Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to [bt]see corruption.
11 You will show me the (ER)path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Prayer with Confidence in Final Salvation
A Prayer of David.
17 Hear a just cause, O Lord,
Attend to my cry;
Give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips.
2 Let my vindication come from Your presence;
Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright.
3 You have tested my heart;
You have visited me in the night;
(ES)You have [bu]tried me and have found [bv]nothing;
I have purposed that my mouth shall not (ET)transgress.
4 Concerning the works of men,
By the word of Your lips,
I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer.
5 (EU)Uphold my steps in Your paths,
That my footsteps may not slip.
6 (EV)I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God;
Incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech.
7 Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand,
O You who [bw]save those who trust in You
From those who rise up against them.
8 Keep me as the [bx]apple of Your eye;
Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,
9 From the wicked who oppress me,
From my deadly enemies who surround me.
10 They have closed up their (EW)fat hearts;
With their mouths they (EX)speak proudly.
11 They have now surrounded us in our steps;
They have set their eyes, crouching down to the earth,
12 As a lion is eager to tear his prey,
And like a young lion lurking in secret places.
13 Arise, O Lord,
Confront him, cast him down;
Deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword,
14 With Your hand from men, O Lord,
From men of the world who have their portion in this life,
And whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure.
They are satisfied with children,
And leave the rest of their possession for their babes.
15 As for me, (EY)I will see Your face in righteousness;
(EZ)I shall be satisfied when I (FA)awake in Your likeness.
God the Sovereign Savior(FB)
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David (FC)the servant of the Lord, who spoke to the Lord the words of (FD)this song on the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said:
18 I (FE)will love You, O Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my [by]strength, (FF)in whom I will trust;
My shield and the [bz]horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I will call upon the Lord, (FG)who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.
4 (FH)The pangs of death surrounded me,
And the floods of [ca]ungodliness made me afraid.
5 The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.
6 In my distress I called upon the Lord,
And cried out to my God;
He heard my voice from His temple,
And my cry came before Him, even to His ears.
7 (FI)Then the earth shook and trembled;
The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken,
Because He was angry.
8 Smoke went up from His nostrils,
And devouring fire from His mouth;
Coals were kindled by it.
9 (FJ)He bowed the heavens also, and came down
With darkness under His feet.
10 (FK)And He rode upon a cherub, and flew;
(FL)He flew upon the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness His secret place;
(FM)His canopy around Him was dark waters
And thick clouds of the skies.
12 (FN)From the brightness before Him,
His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire.
13 The Lord thundered from heaven,
And the Most High uttered (FO)His voice,
[cb]Hailstones and coals of fire.
14 (FP)He sent out His arrows and scattered [cc]the foe,
Lightnings in abundance, and He vanquished them.
15 Then the channels of the sea were seen,
The foundations of the world were uncovered
At Your rebuke, O Lord,
At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.
16 (FQ)He sent from above, He took me;
He drew me out of many waters.
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy,
From those who hated me,
For they were too strong for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
But the Lord was my support.
19 (FR)He also brought me out into a broad place;
He delivered me because He delighted in me.
20 (FS)The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the cleanness of my hands
He has recompensed me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord,
And have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all His judgments were before me,
And I did not put away His statutes from me.
23 I was also blameless [cd]before Him,
And I kept myself from my iniquity.
24 (FT)Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
According to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.
25 (FU)With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful;
With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless;
26 With the pure You will show Yourself pure;
And (FV)with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd.
27 For You will save the humble people,
But will bring down (FW)haughty looks.
28 (FX)For You will light my lamp;
The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.
29 For by You I can [ce]run against a troop,
By my God I can leap over a wall.
30 As for God, (FY)His way is perfect;
(FZ)The word of the Lord is [cf]proven;
He is a shield (GA)to all who trust in Him.
31 (GB)For who is God, except the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God?
32 It is God who (GC)arms me with strength,
And makes my way perfect.
33 (GD)He makes my feet like the feet of deer,
And (GE)sets me on my high places.
34 (GF)He teaches my hands to make war,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have also given me the shield of Your salvation;
Your right hand has held me up,
Your gentleness has made me great.
36 You enlarged my path under me,
(GG)So my feet did not slip.
37 I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them;
Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed.
38 I have wounded them,
So that they could not rise;
They have fallen under my feet.
39 For You have armed me with strength for the battle;
You have [cg]subdued under me those who rose up against me.
40 You have also given me the necks of my enemies,
So that I destroyed those who hated me.
41 They cried out, but there was none to save;
(GH)Even to the Lord, but He did not answer them.
42 Then I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind;
I (GI)cast them out like dirt in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the strivings of the people;
(GJ)You have made me the head of the [ch]nations;
(GK)A people I have not known shall serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me they obey me;
The foreigners [ci]submit to me.
45 (GL)The foreigners fade away,
And come frightened from their hideouts.
46 The Lord lives!
Blessed be my Rock!
Let the God of my salvation be exalted.
47 It is God who avenges me,
(GM)And subdues the peoples under me;
48 He delivers me from my enemies.
(GN)You also lift me up above those who rise against me;
You have delivered me from the violent man.
49 (GO)Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the [cj]Gentiles,
And sing praises to Your name.
50 (GP)Great deliverance He gives to His king,
And shows mercy to His anointed,
To David and his [ck]descendants forevermore.
The Perfect Revelation of the Lord
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
19 The (GQ)heavens declare the glory of God;
And the (GR)firmament[cl] shows [cm]His handiwork.
2 Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.
4 (GS)Their [cn]line has gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.
In them He has set a [co]tabernacle for the sun,
5 Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
(GT)And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
6 Its rising is from one end of heaven,
And its circuit to the other end;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7 (GU)The law of the Lord is perfect, [cp]converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making (GV)wise the simple;
8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than (GW)gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the [cq]honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can understand his errors?
(GX)Cleanse me from secret faults.
13 Keep back Your servant also from (GY)presumptuous sins;
Let them not have (GZ)dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
And I shall be innocent of [cr]great transgression.
14 (HA)Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my [cs]strength and my (HB)Redeemer.
The Assurance of God’s Saving Work
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
20 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble;
May the name of the God of Jacob [ct]defend you;
2 May He send you help from the sanctuary,
And strengthen you out of Zion;
3 May He remember all your offerings,
And accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah
4 May He grant you according to your heart’s desire,
And (HC)fulfill all your [cu]purpose.
5 We will rejoice in your salvation,
And in the name of our God we will set up our banners!
May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.
6 Now I know that the Lord saves His [cv]anointed;
He will answer him from His holy heaven
With the saving strength of His right hand.
7 Some trust in chariots, and some in (HD)horses;
But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
8 They have bowed down and fallen;
But we have risen and stand upright.
9 Save, Lord!
May the King answer us when we call.
Joy in the Salvation of the Lord
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
21 The king shall have joy in Your strength, O Lord;
And in Your salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!
2 You have given him his heart’s desire,
And have not withheld the (HE)request of his lips. Selah
3 For You meet him with the blessings of goodness;
You set a crown of pure gold upon his head.
4 (HF)He asked life from You, and You gave it to him—
Length of days forever and ever.
5 His glory is great in Your salvation;
Honor and majesty You have placed upon him.
6 For You have made him most blessed forever;
(HG)You have made him [cw]exceedingly glad with Your presence.
7 For the king trusts in the Lord,
And through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be [cx]moved.
8 Your hand will find all Your enemies;
Your right hand will find those who hate You.
9 You shall make them as a fiery oven in the time of Your anger;
The Lord shall swallow them up in His wrath,
And the fire shall devour them.
10 Their offspring You shall destroy from the earth,
And their [cy]descendants from among the sons of men.
11 For they intended evil against You;
They devised a plot which they are not able to (HH)perform.
12 Therefore You will make them turn their back;
You will make ready Your arrows on Your string toward their faces.
13 Be exalted, O Lord, in Your own strength!
We will sing and praise Your power.
The Suffering, Praise, and Posterity of the Messiah
To the Chief Musician. Set to [cz]“The Deer of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David.
22 My (HI)God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
Why are You so far from helping Me,
And from the words of My groaning?
2 O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear;
And in the night season, and am not silent.
3 But You are holy,
Enthroned in the (HJ)praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in You;
They trusted, and You delivered them.
5 They cried to You, and were delivered;
(HK)They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.
6 But I am (HL)a worm, and no man;
(HM)A reproach of men, and despised by the people.
7 (HN)All those who see Me ridicule Me;
They [da]shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8 “He(HO) [db]trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him;
(HP)Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”
9 (HQ)But You are He who took Me out of the womb;
You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts.
10 I was cast upon You from birth.
From My mother’s womb
(HR)You have been My God.
11 Be not far from Me,
For trouble is near;
For there is none to help.
12 (HS)Many bulls have surrounded Me;
Strong bulls of (HT)Bashan have encircled Me.
13 (HU)They [dc]gape at Me with their mouths,
Like a raging and roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water,
(HV)And all My bones are out of joint;
My heart is like wax;
It has melted [dd]within Me.
15 (HW)My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
And (HX)My tongue clings to My jaws;
You have brought Me to the dust of death.
16 For dogs have surrounded Me;
The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.
(HY)They[de] pierced My hands and My feet;
17 I can count all My bones.
(HZ)They look and stare at Me.
18 (IA)They divide My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots.
19 But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me;
O My Strength, hasten to help Me!
20 Deliver Me from the sword,
(IB)My[df] precious life from the power of the dog.
21 (IC)Save Me from the lion’s mouth
And from the horns of the wild oxen!
(ID)You have answered Me.
22 (IE)I will declare Your name to (IF)My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
23 (IG)You who fear the Lord, praise Him!
All you [dg]descendants of Jacob, glorify Him,
And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel!
24 For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted;
Nor has He hidden His face from Him;
But (IH)when He cried to Him, He heard.
25 (II)My praise shall be of You in the great assembly;
(IJ)I will pay My vows before those who fear Him.
26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied;
Those who seek Him will praise the Lord.
Let your heart live forever!
27 All the ends of the world
Shall remember and turn to the Lord,
And all the families of the [dh]nations
Shall worship before [di]You.
28 (IK)For the kingdom is the Lord’s,
And He rules over the nations.
29 (IL)All the prosperous of the earth
Shall eat and worship;
(IM)All those who go down to [dj]the dust
Shall bow before Him,
Even he who cannot keep himself alive.
30 A posterity shall serve Him.
It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation,
31 They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born,
That He has done this.
The Lord the Shepherd of His People
A Psalm of David.
23 The Lord is (IN)my shepherd;
(IO)I shall not [dk]want.
2 (IP)He makes me to lie down in [dl]green pastures;
(IQ)He leads me beside the [dm]still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
(IR)He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of (IS)the shadow of death,
(IT)I will fear no evil;
(IU)For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You (IV)prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You (IW)anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will [dn]dwell in the house of the Lord
[do]Forever.
The King of Glory and His Kingdom
A Psalm of David.
24 The (IX)earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell therein.
2 For He has (IY)founded it upon the seas,
And established it upon the [dp]waters.
3 (IZ)Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
4 He who has (JA)clean hands and (JB)a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor (JC)sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive blessing from the Lord,
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is Jacob, the generation of those who (JD)seek Him,
Who seek Your face. Selah
7 (JE)Lift up your heads, O you gates!
And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
(JF)And the King of glory shall come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in (JG)battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Lift up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
10 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
He is the King of glory. Selah
A Plea for Deliverance and Forgiveness
A Psalm of David.
25 To (JH)You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, I (JI)trust in You;
Let me not be ashamed;
(JJ)Let not my enemies triumph over me.
3 Indeed, let no one who [dq]waits on You be ashamed;
Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.
4 (JK)Show me Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day.
6 Remember, O Lord, (JL)Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses,
For they are from of old.
7 Do not remember (JM)the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;
(JN)According to Your mercy remember me,
For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.
8 Good and upright is the Lord;
Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.
9 The humble He guides in justice,
And the humble He teaches His way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth,
To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.
11 (JO)For Your name’s sake, O Lord,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.
12 Who is the man that fears the Lord?
(JP)Him shall [dr]He teach in the way He chooses.
13 (JQ)He himself shall dwell in [ds]prosperity,
And (JR)his descendants shall inherit the earth.
14 (JS)The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him,
And He will show them His covenant.
15 (JT)My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
For He shall [dt]pluck my feet out of the net.
16 (JU)Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me,
For I am [du]desolate and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart have enlarged;
Bring me out of my distresses!
18 (JV)Look on my affliction and my pain,
And forgive all my sins.
19 Consider my enemies, for they are many;
And they hate me with [dv]cruel hatred.
20 Keep my soul, and deliver me;
Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You.
21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,
For I wait for You.
22 (JW)Redeem Israel, O God,
Out of all their troubles!
A Prayer for Divine Scrutiny and Redemption
A Psalm of David.
26 Vindicate (JX)me, O Lord,
For I have (JY)walked in my integrity.
(JZ)I have also trusted in the Lord;
I shall not slip.
2 (KA)Examine me, O Lord, and [dw]prove me;
Try my mind and my heart.
3 For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes,
And (KB)I have walked in Your truth.
4 I have not (KC)sat with idolatrous mortals,
Nor will I go in with hypocrites.
5 I have (KD)hated the assembly of evildoers,
And will not sit with the wicked.
6 I will wash my hands in innocence;
So I will go about Your altar, O Lord,
7 That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving,
And tell of all Your wondrous works.
8 Lord, (KE)I have loved the habitation of Your house,
And the place [dx]where Your glory dwells.
9 (KF)Do[dy] not gather my soul with sinners,
Nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
10 In whose hands is a sinister scheme,
And whose right hand is full of (KG)bribes.
11 But as for me, I will walk in my integrity;
Redeem me and be merciful to me.
12 (KH)My foot stands in an even place;
In the congregations I will bless the Lord.
An Exuberant Declaration of Faith
A Psalm of David.
27 The Lord is my (KI)light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The (KJ)Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked came against me
To (KK)eat[dz] up my flesh,
My enemies and foes,
They stumbled and fell.
3 (KL)Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me,
In this I will be confident.
4 (KM)One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may (KN)dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the [ea]beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple.
5 For (KO)in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall (KP)set me high upon a rock.
6 And now (KQ)my head shall be [eb]lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of [ec]joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.
7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice!
Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8 When You said, “Seek My face,”
My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”
9 (KR)Do not hide Your face from me;
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;
Do not leave me nor forsake me,
O God of my salvation.
10 (KS)When my father and my mother forsake me,
Then the Lord will take care of me.
11 (KT)Teach me Your way, O Lord,
And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;
For (KU)false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as breathe out violence.
13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
(KV)In the land of the living.
14 (KW)Wait[ed] on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!
Rejoicing in Answered Prayer
A Psalm of David.
28 To You I will cry, O Lord my Rock:
(KX)Do not be silent to me,
(KY)Lest, if You are silent to me,
I become like those who go down to the pit.
2 Hear the voice of my supplications
When I cry to You,
(KZ)When I lift up my hands (LA)toward Your holy sanctuary.
3 Do not [ee]take me away with the wicked
And with the workers of iniquity,
(LB)Who speak peace to their neighbors,
But evil is in their hearts.
4 (LC)Give them according to their deeds,
And according to the wickedness of their endeavors;
Give them according to the work of their hands;
Render to them what they deserve.
5 Because (LD)they do not regard the works of the Lord,
Nor the operation of His hands,
He shall destroy them
And not build them up.
6 Blessed be the Lord,
Because He has heard the voice of my supplications!
7 The Lord is (LE)my strength and my shield;
My heart (LF)trusted in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I will praise Him.
8 The Lord is [ef]their strength,
And He is the (LG)saving refuge of His [eg]anointed.
9 Save Your people,
And bless (LH)Your inheritance;
Shepherd them also,
(LI)And bear them up forever.
Praise to God in His Holiness and Majesty
A Psalm of David.
29 Give[eh] (LJ)unto the Lord, O you mighty ones,
Give unto the Lord glory and strength.
2 [ei]Give unto the Lord the glory [ej]due to His name;
Worship the Lord in (LK)the [ek]beauty of holiness.
3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
(LL)The God of glory thunders;
The Lord is over many waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks (LM)the cedars,
Yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon.
6 (LN)He makes them also skip like a calf,
Lebanon and (LO)Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord [el]divides the flames of fire.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
The Lord shakes the Wilderness of (LP)Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord makes the (LQ)deer give birth,
And strips the forests bare;
And in His temple everyone says, “Glory!”
10 The (LR)Lord sat enthroned at the Flood,
And (LS)the Lord sits as King forever.
11 (LT)The Lord will give strength to His people;
The Lord will bless His people with peace.
The Blessedness of Answered Prayer
A Psalm. A Song (LU)at the dedication of the house of David.
30 I will extol You, O Lord, for You have (LV)lifted me up,
And have not let my foes (LW)rejoice over me.
2 O Lord my God, I cried out to You,
And You (LX)healed me.
3 O Lord, (LY)You brought my soul up from the grave;
You have kept me alive, [em]that I should not go down to the pit.
4 (LZ)Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His,
And give thanks at the remembrance of [en]His holy name.
5 For (MA)His anger is but for a moment,
(MB)His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But [eo]joy comes in the morning.
6 Now in my prosperity I said,
“I shall never be [ep]moved.”
7 Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong;
(MC)You hid Your face, and I was troubled.
8 I cried out to You, O Lord;
And to the Lord I made supplication:
9 “What profit is there in my blood,
When I go down to the pit?
(MD)Will the dust praise You?
Will it declare Your truth?
10 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me;
Lord, be my helper!”
11 (ME)You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have put off [eq]my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
12 To the end that my [er]glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.
The Lord a Fortress in Adversity
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
31 In (MF)You, O Lord, I [es]put my trust;
Let me never be ashamed;
Deliver me in Your righteousness.
2 (MG)Bow down Your ear to me,
Deliver me speedily;
Be my rock of [et]refuge,
A [eu]fortress of defense to save me.
3 (MH)For You are my rock and my fortress;
Therefore, (MI)for Your name’s sake,
Lead me and guide me.
4 Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,
For You are my strength.
5 (MJ)Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
You have redeemed me, O Lord God of (MK)truth.
6 I have hated those (ML)who regard useless idols;
But I trust in the Lord.
7 I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy,
For You have considered my trouble;
You have (MM)known my soul in [ev]adversities,
8 And have not (MN)shut[ew] me up into the hand of the enemy;
(MO)You have set my feet in a wide place.
9 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble;
(MP)My eye wastes away with grief,
Yes, my soul and my [ex]body!
10 For my life is spent with grief,
And my years with sighing;
My strength fails because of my iniquity,
And my bones waste away.
11 (MQ)I am a [ey]reproach among all my enemies,
But (MR)especially among my neighbors,
And am repulsive to my acquaintances;
(MS)Those who see me outside flee from me.
12 (MT)I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind;
I am like a [ez]broken vessel.
13 (MU)For I hear the slander of many;
(MV)Fear is on every side;
While they (MW)take counsel together against me,
They scheme to take away my life.
14 But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord;
I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in Your (MX)hand;
Deliver me from the hand of my enemies,
And from those who persecute me.
16 (MY)Make Your face shine upon Your servant;
Save me for Your mercies’ sake.
17 (MZ)Do not let me be ashamed, O Lord, for I have called upon You;
Let the wicked be ashamed;
(NA)Let them be silent in the grave.
18 (NB)Let the lying lips be put to silence,
Which (NC)speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.
19 (ND)Oh, how great is Your goodness,
Which You have laid up for those who fear You,
Which You have prepared for those who trust in You
In the presence of the sons of men!
20 (NE)You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence
From the plots of man;
(NF)You shall keep them secretly in a [fa]pavilion
From the strife of tongues.
21 Blessed be the Lord,
For (NG)He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a [fb]strong city!
22 For I said in my haste,
“I am cut off from before Your eyes”;
Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications
When I cried out to You.
23 Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints!
For the Lord preserves the faithful,
And fully repays the proud person.
24 (NH)Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart,
All you who hope in the Lord.
The Joy of Forgiveness
A Psalm of David. A [fc]Contemplation.
32 Blessed is he whose (NI)transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord (NJ)does not [fd]impute iniquity,
And (NK)in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent, my bones grew old
Through my groaning all the day long.
4 For day and night Your (NL)hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah
5 I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
(NM)I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
6 (NN)For this cause everyone who is godly shall (NO)pray to You
In a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters
They shall not come near him.
7 (NP)You are my hiding place;
You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround me with (NQ)songs of deliverance. Selah
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will guide you with My eye.
9 Do not be like the (NR)horse or like the mule,
Which have no understanding,
Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle,
Else they will not come near you.
10 (NS)Many sorrows shall be to the wicked;
But (NT)he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.
11 (NU)Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous;
And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
The Sovereignty of the Lord in Creation and History
33 Rejoice (NV)in the Lord, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful.
2 Praise the Lord with the harp;
[fe]Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.
3 Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.
4 For the word of the Lord is right,
And all His work is done in truth.
5 He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
6 (NW)By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
And all the (NX)host of them (NY)by the breath of His mouth.
7 (NZ)He gathers the waters of the sea together [ff]as a heap;
He lays up the deep in storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the Lord;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
9 For (OA)He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.
10 (OB)The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.
11 (OC)The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
The plans of His heart to all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
The people He has (OD)chosen as His own inheritance.
13 (OE)The Lord looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men.
14 From the place of His dwelling He looks
On all the inhabitants of the earth;
15 He fashions their hearts individually;
(OF)He [fg]considers all their works.
16 (OG)No king is saved by the multitude of an army;
A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.
17 (OH)A horse is a [fh]vain hope for safety;
Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.
18 (OI)Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope in His mercy,
19 To deliver their soul from death,
And (OJ)to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart shall rejoice in Him,
Because we have trusted in His holy name.
22 Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us,
Just as we hope in You.
The Happiness of Those Who Trust in God
A Psalm of David (OK)when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.
34 I will (OL)bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.
4 I (OM)sought the Lord, and He heard me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces were not ashamed.
6 This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 (ON)The [fi]angel of the Lord (OO)encamps all around those who fear Him,
And delivers them.
8 Oh, (OP)taste and see that the Lord is good;
(OQ)Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints!
There is no [fj]want to those who fear Him.
10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger;
(OR)But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.
11 Come, you children, listen to me;
(OS)I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 (OT)Who is the man who desires life,
And loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil,
And your lips from speaking (OU)deceit.
14 (OV)Depart from evil and do good;
(OW)Seek peace and pursue it.
15 (OX)The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their cry.
16 (OY)The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
(OZ)To [fk]cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry out, and (PA)the Lord hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 (PB)The Lord is near (PC)to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as [fl]have a contrite spirit.
19 (PD)Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
(PE)But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He guards all his bones;
(PF)Not one of them is broken.
21 (PG)Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous shall be [fm]condemned.
22 The Lord (PH)redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.
The Lord the Avenger of His People
A Psalm of David.
35 Plead[fn] my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me;
Fight against those who fight against me.
2 Take hold of shield and [fo]buckler,
And stand up for my help.
3 Also draw out the spear,
And stop those who pursue me.
Say to my soul,
“I am your salvation.”
4 (PI)Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor
Who seek after my life;
Let those be (PJ)turned back and brought to confusion
Who plot my hurt.
5 (PK)Let them be like chaff before the wind,
And let the [fp]angel of the Lord chase them.
6 Let their way be (PL)dark and slippery,
And let the angel of the Lord pursue them.
7 For without cause they have (PM)hidden their net for me in a pit,
Which they have dug without cause for my life.
8 [fq]Let (PN)destruction come upon him unexpectedly,
And let his net that he has hidden catch himself;
Into that very destruction let him fall.
9 And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord;
It shall rejoice in His salvation.
10 (PO)All my bones shall say,
“Lord, (PP)who is like You,
Delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him,
Yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?”
11 Fierce witnesses rise up;
They ask me things that I do not know.
12 (PQ)They reward me evil for good,
To the sorrow of my soul.
13 But as for me, (PR)when they were sick,
My clothing was sackcloth;
I humbled myself with fasting;
And my prayer would return to my own [fr]heart.
14 I paced about as though he were my friend or brother;
I bowed down [fs]heavily, as one who mourns for his mother.
15 But in my [ft]adversity they rejoiced
And gathered together;
Attackers gathered against me,
And I did not know it;
They tore at me and did not cease;
16 With ungodly mockers at feasts
They gnashed at me with their teeth.
17 Lord, how long will You (PS)look on?
Rescue me from their destructions,
My precious life from the lions.
18 I will give You thanks in the great assembly;
I will praise You among [fu]many people.
19 (PT)Let them not rejoice over me who are wrongfully my enemies;
Nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause.
20 For they do not speak peace,
But they devise deceitful matters
Against the quiet ones in the land.
21 They also opened their mouth wide against me,
And said, “Aha, aha!
Our eyes have seen it.”
22 This You have seen, O Lord;
Do not keep silence.
O Lord, do not be far from me.
23 Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication,
To my cause, my God and my Lord.
24 Vindicate me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness;
And let them not rejoice over me.
25 Let them not say in their hearts, “Ah, so we would have it!”
Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”
26 Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion
Who rejoice at my hurt;
Let them be (PU)clothed with shame and dishonor
Who exalt themselves against me.
27 (PV)Let them shout for joy and be glad,
Who favor my righteous cause;
And let them say continually,
“Let the Lord be magnified,
Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”
28 And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness
And of Your praise all the day long.
Man’s Wickedness and God’s Perfections
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord.
36 An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked:
(PW)There is no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes,
When he finds out his iniquity and when he hates.
3 The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit;
(PX)He has ceased to be wise and to do good.
4 (PY)He devises wickedness on his bed;
He sets himself (PZ)in a way that is not good;
He does not [fv]abhor (QA)evil.
5 Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens;
Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
6 Your righteousness is like the [fw]great mountains;
(QB)Your judgments are a great deep;
O Lord, You preserve man and beast.
7 How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
Therefore the children of men (QC)put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.
8 (QD)They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house,
And You give them drink from (QE)the river of Your pleasures.
9 (QF)For with You is the fountain of life;
(QG)In Your light we see light.
10 Oh, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You,
And Your righteousness to the upright in heart.
11 Let not the foot of pride come against me,
And let not the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12 There the workers of iniquity have fallen;
They have been cast down and are not able to rise.
The Heritage of the Righteous and the Calamity of the Wicked
A Psalm of David.
37 Do(QH) not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down (QI)like the grass,
And wither as the green herb.
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
4 (QJ)Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your (QK)heart.
5 (QL)Commit[fx] your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
6 (QM)He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.
7 Rest in the Lord, (QN)and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who (QO)prospers in his way,
Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
8 (QP)Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
(QQ)Do not fret—it only causes harm.
9 For evildoers shall be [fy]cut off;
But those who wait on the Lord,
They shall (QR)inherit the earth.
10 For (QS)yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more;
Indeed, (QT)you will look carefully for his place,
But it shall be no more.
11 (QU)But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12 The wicked plots against the just,
(QV)And gnashes at him with his teeth.
13 (QW)The Lord laughs at him,
For He sees that (QX)his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn the sword
And have bent their bow,
To cast down the poor and needy,
To slay those who are of upright conduct.
15 Their sword shall enter their own heart,
And their bows shall be broken.
16 (QY)A little that a righteous man has
Is better than the riches of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
But the Lord upholds the righteous.
18 The Lord knows the days of the upright,
And their inheritance shall be forever.
19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time,
And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
20 But the wicked shall perish;
And the enemies of the Lord,
Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish.
Into smoke they shall vanish away.
21 The wicked borrows and does not repay,
But (QZ)the righteous shows mercy and gives.
22 (RA)For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth,
But those cursed by Him shall be [fz]cut off.
23 (RB)The steps of a good man are [ga]ordered by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.
24 (RC)Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For the Lord upholds him with His hand.
25 I have been young, and now am old;
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his descendants begging bread.
26 (RD)He is [gb]ever merciful, and lends;
And his descendants are blessed.
27 Depart from evil, and do good;
And dwell forevermore.
28 For the Lord loves justice,
And does not forsake His saints;
They are preserved forever,
But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 (RE)The righteous shall inherit the land,
And dwell in it forever.
30 (RF)The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom,
And his tongue talks of justice.
31 The law of his God is in his heart;
None of his steps shall [gc]slide.
32 The wicked (RG)watches the righteous,
And seeks to slay him.
33 The Lord (RH)will not leave him in his hand,
Nor condemn him when he is judged.
34 (RI)Wait on the Lord,
And keep His way,
And He shall exalt you to inherit the land;
When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.
35 I have seen the wicked in great power,
And spreading himself like a native green tree.
36 Yet [gd]he passed away, and behold, he was no more;
Indeed I sought him, but he could not be found.
37 Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright;
For the future of that man is peace.
38 (RJ)But the transgressors shall be destroyed together;
The future of the wicked shall be cut off.
39 But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
He is their strength (RK)in the time of trouble.
40 And (RL)the Lord shall help them and deliver them;
He shall deliver them from the wicked,
And save them,
(RM)Because they trust in Him.
Prayer in Time of Chastening
A Psalm of David. (RN)To bring to remembrance.
38 O Lord, do not (RO)rebuke me in Your wrath,
Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure!
2 For Your arrows pierce me deeply,
And Your hand presses me down.
3 There is no soundness in my flesh
Because of Your anger,
Nor any health in my bones
Because of my sin.
4 For my iniquities have gone over my head;
Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
5 My wounds are foul and festering
Because of my foolishness.
6 I am [ge]troubled, I am bowed down greatly;
I go mourning all the day long.
7 For my loins are full of inflammation,
And there is no soundness in my flesh.
8 I am feeble and severely broken;
I groan because of the turmoil of my heart.
9 Lord, all my desire is before You;
And my sighing is not hidden from You.
10 My heart pants, my strength fails me;
As for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me.
11 My loved ones and my friends (RP)stand aloof from my plague,
And my relatives stand afar off.
12 Those also who seek my life lay snares for me;
Those who seek my hurt speak of destruction,
And plan deception all the day long.
13 But I, like a deaf man, do not hear;
And I am like a mute who does not open his mouth.
14 Thus I am like a man who does not hear,
And in whose mouth is no response.
15 For [gf]in You, O Lord, (RQ)I hope;
You will [gg]hear, O Lord my God.
16 For I said, “Hear me, lest they rejoice over me,
Lest, when my foot slips, they exalt themselves against me.”
17 (RR)For I am ready to fall,
And my sorrow is continually before me.
18 For I will (RS)declare my iniquity;
I will be (RT)in [gh]anguish over my sin.
19 But my enemies are vigorous, and they are strong;
And those who hate me wrongfully have multiplied.
20 Those also (RU)who render evil for good,
They are my adversaries, because I follow what is good.
21 Do not forsake me, O Lord;
O my God, (RV)be not far from me!
22 Make haste to help me,
O Lord, my salvation!
Prayer for Wisdom and Forgiveness
To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
39 I said, “I will guard my ways,
Lest I sin with my (RW)tongue;
I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle,
While the wicked are before me.”
2 (RX)I was mute with silence,
I held my peace even from good;
And my sorrow was stirred up.
3 My heart was hot within me;
While I was [gi]musing, the fire burned.
Then I spoke with my tongue:
4 “Lord, (RY)make me to know my end,
And what is the measure of my days,
That I may know how frail I am.
5 Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths,
And my age is as nothing before You;
Certainly every man at his best state is but (RZ)vapor. Selah
6 Surely every man walks about like a shadow;
Surely they [gj]busy themselves in vain;
He heaps up riches,
And does not know who will gather them.
7 “And now, Lord, what do I wait for?
My (SA)hope is in You.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions;
Do not make me (SB)the reproach of the foolish.
9 (SC)I was mute, I did not open my mouth,
Because it was (SD)You who did it.
10 (SE)Remove Your plague from me;
I am consumed by the blow of Your hand.
11 When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity,
You make his beauty (SF)melt away like a moth;
Surely every man is vapor. Selah
12 “Hear my prayer, O Lord,
And give ear to my cry;
Do not be silent at my tears;
For I am a stranger with You,
A sojourner, (SG)as all my fathers were.
13 (SH)Remove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength,
Before I go away and (SI)am no more.”
Faith Persevering in Trial(SJ)
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
40 I (SK)waited patiently for the Lord;
And He inclined to me,
And heard my cry.
2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
Out of (SL)the miry clay,
And (SM)set my feet upon a rock,
And established my steps.
3 (SN)He has put a new song in my mouth—
Praise to our God;
Many will see it and fear,
And will trust in the Lord.
4 (SO)Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust,
And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
5 (SP)Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works
Which You have done;
(SQ)And Your thoughts toward us
Cannot be recounted to You in order;
If I would declare and speak of them,
They are more than can be numbered.
6 (SR)Sacrifice and offering You did not desire;
My ears You have opened.
Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I come;
In the scroll of the book it is written of me.
8 (SS)I delight to do Your will, O my God,
And Your law is (ST)within my heart.”
9 (SU)I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness
In the great assembly;
Indeed, (SV)I do not restrain my lips,
O Lord, You Yourself know.
10 (SW)I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;
I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth
From the great assembly.
11 Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O Lord;
(SX)Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me.
12 For innumerable evils have surrounded me;
(SY)My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up;
They are more than the hairs of my head;
Therefore my heart fails me.
13 (SZ)Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;
O Lord, make haste to help me!
14 (TA)Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion
Who seek to destroy my [gk]life;
Let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor
Who wish me evil.
15 Let them be (TB)confounded because of their shame,
Who say to me, “Aha, aha!”
16 (TC)Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
Let such as love Your salvation (TD)say continually,
“The Lord be magnified!”
17 (TE)But I am poor and needy;
(TF)Yet the Lord thinks upon me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Do not delay, O my God.
The Blessing and Suffering of the Godly
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
41 Blessed is he who considers the [gl]poor;
The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.
2 The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive,
And he will be blessed on the earth;
(TG)You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies.
3 The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness;
You will [gm]sustain him on his sickbed.
4 I said, “Lord, be merciful to me;
(TH)Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.”
5 My enemies speak evil of me:
“When will he die, and his name perish?”
6 And if he comes to see me, he speaks [gn]lies;
His heart gathers iniquity to itself;
When he goes out, he tells it.
7 All who hate me whisper together against me;
Against me they [go]devise my hurt.
8 “An[gp] evil disease,” they say, “clings to him.
And now that he lies down, he will rise up no more.”
9 (TI)Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted,
(TJ)Who ate my bread,
Has [gq]lifted up his heel against me.
10 But You, O Lord, be merciful to me, and raise me up,
That I may repay them.
11 By this I know that You are well pleased with me,
Because my enemy does not triumph over me.
12 As for me, You uphold me in my integrity,
And (TK)set me before Your face forever.
13 (TL)Blessed be the Lord God of Israel
From everlasting to everlasting!
Amen and Amen.
BOOK TWO
Psalms 42–72
Yearning for God in the Midst of Distresses
To the Chief Musician. A [gr]Contemplation of the sons of Korah.
42 As the deer [gs]pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
2 (TM)My soul thirsts for God, for the (TN)living God.
When shall I come and [gt]appear before God?
3 (TO)My tears have been my food day and night,
While they continually say to me,
(TP)“Where is your God?”
4 When I remember these things,
(TQ)I pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go with the multitude;
(TR)I went with them to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and praise,
With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.
5 (TS)Why are you [gu]cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
(TT)Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him
[gv]For the help of His countenance.
6 [gw]O my God, my soul is cast down within me;
Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan,
And from the heights of Hermon,
From [gx]the Hill Mizar.
7 Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls;
(TU)All Your waves and billows have gone over me.
8 The Lord will (TV)command His lovingkindness in the daytime,
And (TW)in the night His song shall be with me—
A prayer to the God of my life.
9 I will say to God my Rock,
(TX)“Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10 As with a [gy]breaking of my bones,
My enemies [gz]reproach me,
(TY)While they say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
11 (TZ)Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The [ha]help of my countenance and my God.
Prayer to God in Time of Trouble
43 Vindicate (UA)me, O God,
And (UB)plead my cause against an ungodly nation;
Oh, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man!
2 For You are the God of my strength;
Why do You cast me off?
(UC)Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
3 (UD)Oh, send out Your light and Your truth!
Let them lead me;
Let them bring me to (UE)Your holy hill
And to Your [hb]tabernacle.
4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
To God my exceeding joy;
And on the harp I will praise You,
O God, my God.
5 (UF)Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The [hc]help of my countenance and my God.
Redemption Remembered in Present Dishonor
To the Chief Musician. A (UG)Contemplation[hd] of the sons of Korah.
44 We have heard with our ears, O God,
(UH)Our fathers have told us,
The deeds You did in their days,
In days of old:
2 (UI)You drove out the [he]nations with Your hand,
But them You planted;
You afflicted the peoples, and cast them out.
3 For (UJ)they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword,
Nor did their own arm save them;
But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance,
(UK)Because You favored them.
4 (UL)You are my King, [hf]O God;
[hg]Command victories for Jacob.
5 Through You (UM)we will push down our enemies;
Through Your name we will trample those who rise up against us.
6 For (UN)I will not trust in my bow,
Nor shall my sword save me.
7 But You have saved us from our enemies,
And have put to shame those who hated us.
8 (UO)In God we boast all day long,
And praise Your name forever. Selah
9 But (UP)You have cast us off and put us to shame,
And You do not go out with our armies.
10 You make us (UQ)turn back from the enemy,
And those who hate us have taken [hh]spoil for themselves.
11 (UR)You have given us up like sheep intended for food,
And have (US)scattered us among the nations.
12 (UT)You sell Your people for next to nothing,
And are not enriched by selling them.
13 (UU)You make us a reproach to our neighbors,
A scorn and a derision to those all around us.
14 (UV)You make us a byword among the nations,
(UW)A shaking of the head among the peoples.
15 My dishonor is continually before me,
And the shame of my face has covered me,
16 Because of the voice of him who reproaches and reviles,
(UX)Because of the enemy and the avenger.
17 (UY)All this has come upon us;
But we have not forgotten You,
Nor have we dealt falsely with Your covenant.
18 Our heart has not turned back,
(UZ)Nor have our steps departed from Your way;
19 But You have severely broken us in (VA)the place of jackals,
And covered us (VB)with the shadow of death.
20 If we had forgotten the name of our God,
Or (VC)stretched[hi] out our hands to a foreign god,
21 (VD)Would not God search this out?
For He knows the secrets of the heart.
22 (VE)Yet for Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
23 (VF)Awake! Why do You sleep, O Lord?
Arise! Do not cast us off forever.
24 (VG)Why do You hide Your face,
And forget our affliction and our oppression?
25 For (VH)our soul is bowed down to the [hj]dust;
Our body clings to the ground.
26 Arise for our help,
And redeem us for Your mercies’ sake.
The Glories of the Messiah and His Bride
To the Chief Musician. (VI)Set to [hk]“The Lilies.” A [hl]Contemplation of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love.
45 My heart is overflowing with a good theme;
I recite my composition concerning the King;
My tongue is the pen of a [hm]ready writer.
2 You are fairer than the sons of men;
(VJ)Grace is poured upon Your lips;
Therefore God has blessed You forever.
3 [hn]Gird Your (VK)sword upon Your thigh, (VL)O Mighty One,
With Your (VM)glory and Your majesty.
4 (VN)And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness;
And Your right hand shall teach You awesome things.
5 Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies;
The peoples fall under You.
6 (VO)Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
A (VP)scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
Therefore God, Your God, has (VQ)anointed You
With the oil of (VR)gladness more than Your companions.
8 All Your garments are (VS)scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia,
Out of the ivory palaces, by which they have made You glad.
9 (VT)Kings’ daughters are among Your honorable women;
(VU)At Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir.
10 Listen, O daughter,
Consider and incline your ear;
(VV)Forget your own people also, and your father’s house;
11 So the King will greatly desire your beauty;
(VW)Because He is your Lord, worship Him.
12 And the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift;
(VX)The rich among the people will seek your favor.
13 The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace;
Her clothing is woven with gold.
14 (VY)She shall be brought to the King in robes of many colors;
The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to You.
15 With gladness and rejoicing they shall be brought;
They shall enter the King’s palace.
16 Instead of Your fathers shall be Your sons,
(VZ)Whom You shall make princes in all the earth.
17 (WA)I will make Your name to be remembered in all generations;
Therefore the people shall praise You forever and ever.
God the Refuge of His People and Conqueror of the Nations
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song (WB)for Alamoth.
46 God is our (WC)refuge and strength,
(WD)A[ho] very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the [hp]midst of the sea;
3 (WE)Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah
4 There is a (WF)river whose streams shall make glad the (WG)city of God,
The holy place of the [hq]tabernacle of the Most High.
5 God is (WH)in the midst of her, she shall not be [hr]moved;
God shall help her, just [hs]at the break of dawn.
6 (WI)The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;
He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
7 The (WJ)Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
Who has made desolations in the earth.
9 (WK)He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
(WL)He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
(WM)He burns the chariot in the fire.
10 Be still, and know that I am God;
(WN)I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
Praise to God, the Ruler of the Earth
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
47 Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples!
Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
2 For the Lord Most High is awesome;
He is a great (WO)King over all the earth.
3 (WP)He will subdue the peoples under us,
And the nations under our feet.
4 He will choose our (WQ)inheritance for us,
The excellence of Jacob whom He loves. Selah
5 (WR)God has gone up with a shout,
The Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 (WS)For God is the King of all the earth;
(WT)Sing praises with understanding.
8 (WU)God reigns over the nations;
God (WV)sits on His (WW)holy throne.
9 The princes of the people have gathered together,
(WX)The people of the God of Abraham.
(WY)For the shields of the earth belong to God;
He is greatly exalted.
The Glory of God in Zion
A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
48 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised
In the (WZ)city of our God,
In His holy mountain.
2 (XA)Beautiful in [ht]elevation,
The joy of the whole earth,
Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north,
The city of the great King.
3 God is in her palaces;
He is known as her refuge.
4 For behold, (XB)the kings assembled,
They passed by together.
5 They saw it, and so they marveled;
They were troubled, they hastened away.
6 Fear (XC)took hold of them there,
And pain, as of a woman in birth pangs,
7 As when You break the (XD)ships of Tarshish
With an east wind.
8 As we have heard,
So we have seen
In the city of the Lord of hosts,
In the city of our God:
God will (XE)establish it forever. Selah
9 We have thought, O God, on (XF)Your lovingkindness,
In the midst of Your temple.
10 According to (XG)Your name, O God,
So is Your praise to the ends of the earth;
Your right hand is full of righteousness.
11 Let Mount Zion rejoice,
Let the daughters of Judah be glad,
Because of Your judgments.
12 Walk about Zion,
And go all around her.
Count her towers;
13 Mark well her bulwarks;
Consider her palaces;
That you may (XH)tell it to the generation following.
14 For this is God,
Our God forever and ever;
(XI)He will be our guide
[hu]Even to death.
The Confidence of the Foolish
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
49 Hear this, all peoples;
Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
2 Both low and high,
Rich and poor together.
3 My mouth shall speak wisdom,
And the meditation of my heart shall give understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb;
I will disclose my [hv]dark saying on the harp.
5 Why should I fear in the days of evil,
When the iniquity at my heels surrounds me?
6 Those who (XJ)trust in their wealth
And boast in the multitude of their riches,
7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother,
Nor (XK)give to God a ransom for him—
8 For (XL)the redemption of their souls is costly,
And it shall cease forever—
9 That he should continue to live eternally,
And (XM)not [hw]see the Pit.
10 For he sees wise men die;
Likewise the fool and the senseless person perish,
And leave their wealth to others.
11 [hx]Their inner thought is that their houses will last forever,
Their dwelling places to all generations;
They (XN)call their lands after their own names.
12 Nevertheless man, though in honor, does not [hy]remain;
He is like the beasts that perish.
13 This is the way of those who are (XO)foolish,
And of their posterity who approve their sayings. Selah
14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave;
Death shall feed on them;
(XP)The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning;
(XQ)And their beauty shall be consumed in [hz]the grave, far from their dwelling.
15 But God (XR)will redeem my soul from the power of [ia]the grave,
For He shall (XS)receive me. Selah
16 Do not be afraid when one becomes rich,
When the glory of his house is increased;
17 For when he dies he shall carry nothing away;
His glory shall not descend after him.
18 Though while he lives (XT)he blesses himself
(For men will praise you when you do well for yourself),
19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers;
They shall never see (XU)light.[ib]
20 A man who is in honor, yet does not understand,
(XV)Is like the beasts that perish.
God the Righteous Judge
A Psalm of Asaph.
50 The (XW)Mighty One, God the Lord,
Has spoken and called the earth
From the rising of the sun to its going down.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
(XX)God will shine forth.
3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent;
(XY)A fire shall devour before Him,
And it shall be very tempestuous all around Him.
4 (XZ)He shall call to the heavens from above,
And to the earth, that He may judge His people:
5 “Gather (YA)My saints together to Me,
(YB)Those who have [ic]made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”
6 Let the (YC)heavens declare His righteousness,
For (YD)God Himself is Judge. Selah
7 “Hear, O My people, and I will speak,
O Israel, and I will testify against you;
(YE)I am God, your God!
8 (YF)I will not [id]rebuke you (YG)for your sacrifices
Or your burnt offerings,
Which are continually before Me.
9 (YH)I will not take a bull from your house,
Nor goats out of your folds.
10 For every beast of the forest is Mine,
And the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know all the birds of the mountains,
And the wild beasts of the field are Mine.
12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you;
(YI)For the world is Mine, and all its fullness.
13 (YJ)Will I eat the flesh of bulls,
Or drink the blood of goats?
14 (YK)Offer to God thanksgiving,
And (YL)pay your vows to the Most High.
15 (YM)Call upon Me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”
16 But to the wicked God says:
“What right have you to declare My statutes,
Or take My covenant in your mouth,
17 (YN)Seeing you hate instruction
And cast My words behind you?
18 When you saw a thief, you (YO)consented[ie] with him,
And have been a (YP)partaker with adulterers.
19 You give your mouth to evil,
And (YQ)your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother;
You slander your own mother’s son.
21 These things you have done, and I kept silent;
(YR)You thought that I was altogether like you;
But I will rebuke you,
And (YS)set them in order before your eyes.
22 “Now consider this, you who (YT)forget God,
Lest I tear you in pieces,
And there be none to deliver:
23 Whoever offers praise glorifies Me;
And (YU)to him who orders his conduct aright
I will show the salvation of God.”
A Prayer of Repentance
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David (YV)when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
51 Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
(YW)Blot out my transgressions.
2 (YX)Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
4 (YY)Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil (YZ)in Your sight—
(ZA)That You may be found just [if]when You speak,
And blameless when You judge.
5 (ZB)Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.
7 (ZC)Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be (ZD)whiter than snow.
8 Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken (ZE)may rejoice.
9 Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.
10 (ZF)Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your (ZG)Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your (ZH)generous Spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
The God of my salvation,
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
16 For (ZI)You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
17 (ZJ)The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.
18 Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion;
Build the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then You shall be pleased with (ZK)the sacrifices of righteousness,
With burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.
The End of the Wicked and the Peace of the Godly
To the Chief Musician. A [ig]Contemplation of David (ZL)when Doeg the Edomite went and (ZM)told Saul, and said to him, “David has gone to the house of Ahimelech.”
52 Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man?
The goodness of God endures continually.
2 Your tongue devises destruction,
Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
3 You love evil more than good,
Lying rather than speaking righteousness. Selah
4 You love all devouring words,
You deceitful tongue.
5 God shall likewise destroy you forever;
He shall take you away, and pluck you out of your dwelling place,
And uproot you from the land of the living. Selah
6 The righteous also shall see and fear,
And shall laugh at him, saying,
7 “Here is the man who did not make God his strength,
But trusted in the abundance of his riches,
And strengthened himself in his [ih]wickedness.”
8 But I am (ZN)like a green olive tree in the house of God;
I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.
9 I will praise You forever,
Because You have done it;
And in the presence of Your saints
I will wait on Your name, for it [ii]is good.
Folly of the Godless, and the Restoration of Israel(ZO)
To the Chief Musician. Set to “Mahalath.” A [ij]Contemplation of David.
53 The (ZP)fool has said in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity;
(ZQ)There is none who does good.
2 God looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there are any who understand, who (ZR)seek God.
3 Every one of them has turned aside;
They have together become corrupt;
There is none who does good,
No, not one.
4 Have the workers of iniquity (ZS)no knowledge,
Who eat up my people as they eat bread,
And do not call upon God?
5 (ZT)There they are in great fear
Where no fear was,
For God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you;
You have put them to shame,
Because God has despised them.
6 (ZU)Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
When God brings back [ik]the captivity of His people,
Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.
Answered Prayer for Deliverance from Adversaries
To the Chief Musician. With [il]stringed instruments. A [im]Contemplation of David (ZV)when the Ziphites went and said to Saul, “Is David not hiding with us?”
54 Save me, O God, by Your name,
And vindicate me by Your strength.
2 Hear my prayer, O God;
Give ear to the words of my mouth.
3 For strangers have risen up against me,
And oppressors have sought after my life;
They have not set God before them. Selah
4 Behold, God is my helper;
The Lord is with those who [in]uphold my life.
5 He will repay my enemies for their evil.
[io]Cut them off in Your [ip]truth.
6 I will freely sacrifice to You;
I will praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good.
7 For He has delivered me out of all trouble;
(ZW)And my eye has seen its desire upon my enemies.
Trust in God Concerning the Treachery of Friends
To the Chief Musician. With [iq]stringed instruments. A [ir]Contemplation of David.
55 Give ear to my prayer, O God,
And do not hide Yourself from my supplication.
2 Attend to me, and hear me;
I (ZX)am[is] restless in my complaint, and moan noisily,
3 Because of the voice of the enemy,
Because of the oppression of the wicked;
(ZY)For they bring down trouble upon me,
And in wrath they hate me.
4 (ZZ)My heart is severely pained within me,
And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
5 Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me,
And horror has overwhelmed me.
6 So I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest.
7 Indeed, I would wander far off,
And remain in the wilderness. Selah
8 I would hasten my escape
From the windy storm and tempest.”
9 Destroy, O Lord, and divide their [it]tongues,
For I have seen (AAA)violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go around it on its walls;
(AAB)Iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of it.
11 Destruction is in its midst;
(AAC)Oppression and deceit do not depart from its streets.
12 (AAD)For it is not an enemy who reproaches me;
Then I could bear it.
Nor is it one who hates me who has (AAE)exalted himself against me;
Then I could hide from him.
13 But it was you, a man my equal,
(AAF)My companion and my acquaintance.
14 We took sweet counsel together,
And (AAG)walked to the house of God in the throng.
15 Let death seize them;
Let them (AAH)go down alive into [iu]hell,
For wickedness is in their dwellings and among them.
16 As for me, I will call upon God,
And the Lord shall save me.
17 (AAI)Evening and morning and at noon
I will pray, and cry aloud,
And He shall hear my voice.
18 He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me,
For (AAJ)there were many against me.
19 God will hear, and afflict them,
(AAK)Even He who abides from of old. Selah
Because they do not change,
Therefore they do not fear God.
20 He has (AAL)put forth his hands against those who (AAM)were at peace with him;
He has broken his [iv]covenant.
21 (AAN)The words of his mouth were smoother than butter,
But war was in his heart;
His words were softer than oil,
Yet they were drawn swords.
22 (AAO)Cast your burden on the Lord,
And (AAP)He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit the righteous to be [iw]moved.
23 But You, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction;
(AAQ)Bloodthirsty and deceitful men (AAR)shall not live out half their days;
But I will trust in You.
Prayer for Relief from Tormentors
To the Chief Musician. Set to [ix]“The Silent Dove in Distant Lands.” A Michtam of David when the (AAS)Philistines captured him in Gath.
56 Be (AAT)merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up;
Fighting all day he oppresses me.
2 My enemies would (AAU)hound me all day,
For there are many who fight against me, O Most High.
3 Whenever I am afraid,
I will trust in You.
4 In God (I will praise His word),
In God I have put my trust;
(AAV)I will not fear.
What can flesh do to me?
5 All day they twist my words;
All their thoughts are against me for evil.
6 They gather together,
They hide, they mark my steps,
When they lie in wait for my life.
7 Shall they escape by iniquity?
In anger cast down the peoples, O God!
8 You number my wanderings;
Put my tears into Your bottle;
(AAW)Are they not in Your book?
9 When I cry out to You,
Then my enemies will turn back;
This I know, because (AAX)God is for me.
10 In God (I will praise His word),
In the Lord (I will praise His word),
11 In God I have put my trust;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
12 Vows made to You are binding upon me, O God;
I will render praises to You,
13 (AAY)For You have delivered my soul from death.
Have You not kept my feet from falling,
That I may walk before God
In the (AAZ)light of the living?
Prayer for Safety from Enemies(ABA)
To the Chief Musician. Set to [iy]“Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David (ABB)when he fled from Saul into the cave.
57 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!
For my soul trusts in You;
(ABC)And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge,
(ABD)Until these calamities have passed by.
2 I will cry out to God Most High,
To God (ABE)who performs all things for me.
3 (ABF)He shall send from heaven and save me;
He reproaches the one who [iz]would swallow me up. Selah
God (ABG)shall send forth His mercy and His truth.
4 My soul is among lions;
I lie among the sons of men
Who are set on fire,
(ABH)Whose teeth are spears and arrows,
And their tongue a sharp sword.
5 (ABI)Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.
6 (ABJ)They have prepared a net for my steps;
My soul is bowed down;
They have dug a pit before me;
Into the midst of it they themselves have fallen. Selah
7 (ABK)My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and give praise.
8 Awake, (ABL)my glory!
Awake, lute and harp!
I will awaken the dawn.
9 (ABM)I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing to You among the [ja]nations.
10 (ABN)For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens,
And Your truth unto the clouds.
11 (ABO)Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.
The Just Judgment of the Wicked
To the Chief Musician. Set to [jb]“Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David.
58 Do you indeed speak righteousness, you silent ones?
Do you judge uprightly, you sons of men?
2 No, in heart you work wickedness;
You weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth.
3 (ABP)The wicked are estranged from the womb;
They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.
4 (ABQ)Their poison is like the poison of a serpent;
They are like the deaf cobra that stops its ear,
5 Which will not (ABR)heed the voice of charmers,
Charming ever so skillfully.
6 (ABS)Break[jc] their teeth in their mouth, O God!
Break out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord!
7 (ABT)Let them flow away as waters which run continually;
When he bends his bow,
Let his arrows be as if cut in pieces.
8 Let them be like a snail which melts away as it goes,
(ABU)Like a stillborn child of a woman, that they may not see the sun.
9 Before your (ABV)pots can feel the burning thorns,
He shall take them away (ABW)as with a whirlwind,
As in His living and burning wrath.
10 The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the (ABX)vengeance;
(ABY)He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked,
11 (ABZ)So that men will say,
“Surely there is a reward for the righteous;
Surely He is God who (ACA)judges in the earth.”
The Assured Judgment of the Wicked
To the Chief Musician. Set to [jd]“Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David (ACB)when Saul sent men, and they watched the house in order to kill him.
59 Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
[je]Defend me from those who rise up against me.
2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity,
And save me from bloodthirsty men.
3 For look, they lie in wait for my life;
(ACC)The mighty gather against me,
Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord.
4 They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine.
(ACD)Awake to help me, and behold!
5 You therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel,
Awake to punish all the [jf]nations;
Do not be merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah
6 (ACE)At evening they return,
They growl like a dog,
And go all around the city.
7 Indeed, they belch with their mouth;
(ACF)Swords are in their lips;
For they say, (ACG)“Who hears?”
8 But (ACH)You, O Lord, shall laugh at them;
You shall have all the [jg]nations in derision.
9 I will wait for You, O You [jh]his Strength;
(ACI)For God is my [ji]defense.
10 [jj]My God of mercy shall (ACJ)come to meet me;
God shall let (ACK)me see my desire on my enemies.
11 Do not slay them, lest my people forget;
Scatter them by Your power,
And bring them down,
O Lord our shield.
12 (ACL)For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips,
Let them even be taken in their pride,
And for the cursing and lying which they speak.
13 (ACM)Consume them in wrath, consume them,
That they may not be;
And (ACN)let them know that God rules in Jacob
To the ends of the earth. Selah
14 And (ACO)at evening they return,
They growl like a dog,
And go all around the city.
15 They (ACP)wander up and down for food,
And [jk]howl if they are not satisfied.
16 But I will sing of Your power;
Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning;
For You have been my defense
And refuge in the day of my trouble.
17 To You, (ACQ)O my Strength, I will sing praises;
For God is my defense,
My God of mercy.
Urgent Prayer for the Restored Favor of God(ACR)
To the Chief Musician. (ACS)Set to [jl]“Lily of the Testimony.” A Michtam of David. For teaching. (ACT)When he fought against Mesopotamia and Syria of Zobah, and Joab returned and killed twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
60 O God, (ACU)You have cast us off;
You have broken us down;
You have been displeased;
Oh, restore us again!
2 You have made the earth tremble;
You have broken it;
(ACV)Heal its breaches, for it is shaking.
3 (ACW)You have shown Your people hard things;
(ACX)You have made us drink the wine of [jm]confusion.
4 (ACY)You have given a banner to those who fear You,
That it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah
5 (ACZ)That Your beloved may be delivered,
Save with Your right hand, and hear me.
6 God has (ADA)spoken in His holiness:
“I will rejoice;
I will (ADB)divide (ADC)Shechem
And measure out (ADD)the Valley of Succoth.
7 Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine;
(ADE)Ephraim also is the [jn]helmet for My head;
(ADF)Judah is My lawgiver.
8 (ADG)Moab is My washpot;
(ADH)Over Edom I will cast My shoe;
(ADI)Philistia, shout in triumph because of Me.”
9 Who will bring me to the strong city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
10 Is it not You, O God, (ADJ)who cast us off?
And You, O God, who did (ADK)not go out with our armies?
11 Give us help from trouble,
(ADL)For the help of man is useless.
12 Through God (ADM)we will do valiantly,
For it is He who shall tread down our enemies.
Assurance of God’s Eternal Protection
To the Chief Musician. On [jo]a stringed instrument. A Psalm of David.
61 Hear my cry, O God;
Attend to my prayer.
2 From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
3 For You have been a shelter for me,
(ADN)A strong tower from the enemy.
4 I will abide in Your [jp]tabernacle forever;
(ADO)I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah
5 For You, O God, have heard my vows;
You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name.
6 You will prolong the king’s life,
His years as many generations.
7 He shall abide before God forever.
Oh, prepare mercy (ADP)and truth, which may [jq]preserve him!
8 So I will sing praise to Your name forever,
That I may daily perform my vows.
A Calm Resolve to Wait for the Salvation of God
To the Chief Musician. To (ADQ)Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
62 Truly (ADR)my soul silently waits for God;
From Him comes my salvation.
2 He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my [jr]defense;
I shall not be greatly (ADS)moved.[js]
3 How long will you attack a man?
You shall be slain, all of you,
(ADT)Like a leaning wall and a tottering fence.
4 They only consult to cast him down from his high position;
They (ADU)delight in lies;
They bless with their mouth,
But they curse inwardly. Selah
5 My soul, wait silently for God alone,
For my [jt]expectation is from Him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my defense;
I shall not be [ju]moved.
7 (ADV)In God is my salvation and my glory;
The rock of my strength,
And my refuge, is in God.
8 Trust in Him at all times, you people;
(ADW)Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah
9 (ADX)Surely men of low degree are [jv]a vapor,
Men of high degree are a lie;
If they are weighed on the scales,
They are altogether lighter than vapor.
10 Do not trust in oppression,
Nor vainly hope in robbery;
(ADY)If riches increase,
Do not set your heart on them.
11 God has spoken once,
Twice I have heard this:
That power belongs to God.
12 Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy;
For (ADZ)You [jw]render to each one according to his work.
Joy in the Fellowship of God
A Psalm of David (AEA)when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
63 O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
(AEB)My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
2 So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see (AEC)Your power and Your glory.
3 (AED)Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips shall praise You.
4 Thus I will bless You while I live;
I will (AEE)lift up my hands in Your name.
5 My soul shall be satisfied as with [jx]marrow and [jy]fatness,
And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.
6 When (AEF)I remember You on my bed,
I meditate on You in the night watches.
7 Because You have been my help,
Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.
8 My soul follows close behind You;
Your right hand upholds me.
9 But those who seek my life, to destroy it,
Shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
10 They shall [jz]fall by the sword;
They shall be [ka]a portion for jackals.
11 But the king shall rejoice in God;
(AEG)Everyone who swears by Him shall glory;
But the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.
Oppressed by the Wicked but Rejoicing in the Lord
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
64 Hear my voice, O God, in my [kb]meditation;
Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
2 Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,
From the rebellion of the workers of iniquity,
3 Who sharpen their tongue like a sword,
(AEH)And bend their bows to shoot their arrows—bitter words,
4 That they may shoot in secret at the blameless;
Suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear.
5 They encourage themselves in an evil matter;
They talk of laying snares secretly;
(AEI)They say, “Who will see them?”
6 They devise iniquities:
“We have perfected a shrewd scheme.”
Both the inward thought and the heart of man are deep.
7 But God shall shoot at them with an arrow;
Suddenly they shall be wounded.
8 So He will make them stumble over their own tongue;
(AEJ)All who see them shall flee away.
9 All men shall fear,
And shall (AEK)declare the work of God;
For they shall wisely consider His doing.
10 (AEL)The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him.
And all the upright in heart shall glory.
Praise to God for His Salvation and Providence
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. A Song.
65 Praise is awaiting You, O God, in Zion;
And to You the [kc]vow shall be performed.
2 O You who hear prayer,
(AEM)To You all flesh will come.
3 Iniquities prevail against me;
As for our transgressions,
You will (AEN)provide atonement for them.
4 (AEO)Blessed is the man You (AEP)choose,
And cause to approach You,
That he may dwell in Your courts.
(AEQ)We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,
Of Your holy temple.
5 By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us,
O God of our salvation,
You who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth,
And of the far-off seas;
6 Who established the mountains by His strength,
(AER)Being clothed with power;
7 (AES)You who still the noise of the seas,
The noise of their waves,
(AET)And the tumult of the peoples.
8 They also who dwell in the farthest parts are afraid of Your signs;
You make the outgoings of the morning and evening [kd]rejoice.
9 You [ke]visit the earth and (AEU)water it,
You greatly enrich it;
(AEV)The river of God is full of water;
You provide their grain,
For so You have prepared it.
10 You water its ridges abundantly,
You settle its furrows;
You make it soft with showers,
You bless its growth.
11 You crown the year with Your goodness,
And Your paths drip with abundance.
12 They drop on the pastures of the wilderness,
And the little hills rejoice on every side.
13 The pastures are clothed with flocks;
(AEW)The valleys also are covered with grain;
They shout for joy, they also sing.
Praise to God for His Awesome Works
To the Chief Musician. A Song. A Psalm.
66 Make (AEX)a joyful shout to God, all the earth!
2 Sing out the honor of His name;
Make His praise glorious.
3 Say to God,
“How (AEY)awesome are Your works!
(AEZ)Through the greatness of Your power
Your enemies shall submit themselves to You.
4 (AFA)All the earth shall worship You
And sing praises to You;
They shall sing praises to Your name.” Selah
5 Come and see the works of God;
He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men.
6 (AFB)He turned the sea into dry land;
(AFC)They went through the river on foot.
There we will rejoice in Him.
7 He rules by His power forever;
His eyes observe the nations;
Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah
8 Oh, bless our God, you peoples!
And make the voice of His praise to be heard,
9 Who keeps our soul among the living,
And does not allow our feet to [kf]be moved.
10 For (AFD)You, O God, have tested us;
(AFE)You have refined us as silver is refined.
11 (AFF)You brought us into the net;
You laid affliction on our backs.
12 (AFG)You have caused men to ride over our heads;
(AFH)We went through fire and through water;
But You brought us out to [kg]rich fulfillment.
13 (AFI)I will go into Your house with burnt offerings;
(AFJ)I will pay You my [kh]vows,
14 Which my lips have uttered
And my mouth has spoken when I was in trouble.
15 I will offer You burnt sacrifices of fat animals,
With the sweet aroma of rams;
I will offer bulls with goats. Selah
16 Come and hear, all you who fear God,
And I will declare what He has done for my soul.
17 I cried to Him with my mouth,
And He was [ki]extolled with my tongue.
18 (AFK)If I regard iniquity in my heart,
The Lord will not hear.
19 But certainly God (AFL)has heard me;
He has attended to the voice of my prayer.
20 Blessed be God,
Who has not turned away my prayer,
Nor His mercy from me!
An Invocation and a Doxology
To the Chief Musician. On [kj]stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song.
67 God be merciful to us and bless us,
And (AFM)cause His face to shine upon us, Selah
2 That (AFN)Your way may be known on earth,
(AFO)Your salvation among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise You, O God;
Let all the peoples praise You.
4 Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy!
For (AFP)You shall judge the people righteously,
And govern the nations on earth. Selah
5 Let the peoples praise You, O God;
Let all the peoples praise You.
6 (AFQ)Then the earth shall [kk]yield her increase;
God, our own God, shall bless us.
7 God shall bless us,
And all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.
The Glory of God in His Goodness to Israel
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. A Song.
68 Let (AFR)God arise,
Let His enemies be scattered;
Let those also who hate Him flee before Him.
2 (AFS)As smoke is driven away,
So drive them away;
(AFT)As wax melts before the fire,
So let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
3 But (AFU)let the righteous be glad;
Let them rejoice before God;
Yes, let them rejoice exceedingly.
4 Sing to God, sing praises to His name;
(AFV)Extol[kl] Him who rides on the [km]clouds,
(AFW)By His name [kn]Yah,
And rejoice before Him.
5 (AFX)A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows,
Is God in His holy habitation.
6 (AFY)God sets the solitary in families;
(AFZ)He brings out those who are bound into prosperity;
But (AGA)the rebellious dwell in a dry land.
7 O God, (AGB)when You went out before Your people,
When You marched through the wilderness, Selah
8 The earth shook;
The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God;
Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9 (AGC)You, O God, sent a plentiful rain,
Whereby You confirmed Your inheritance,
When it was weary.
10 Your congregation dwelt in it;
(AGD)You, O God, provided from Your goodness for the poor.
11 The Lord gave the word;
Great was the [ko]company of those who proclaimed it:
12 “Kings(AGE) of armies flee, they flee,
And she who remains at home divides the [kp]spoil.
13 (AGF)Though you lie down among the [kq]sheepfolds,
(AGG)You will be like the wings of a dove covered with silver,
And her feathers with yellow gold.”
14 (AGH)When the Almighty scattered kings in it,
It was white as snow in Zalmon.
15 A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan;
A mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan.
16 Why do you [kr]fume with envy, you mountains of many peaks?
(AGI)This is the mountain which God desires to dwell in;
Yes, the Lord will dwell in it forever.
17 (AGJ)The chariots of God are twenty thousand,
Even thousands of thousands;
The Lord is among them as in Sinai, in the Holy Place.
18 (AGK)You have ascended on high,
(AGL)You have led captivity captive;
(AGM)You have received gifts among men,
Even from (AGN)the rebellious,
(AGO)That the Lord God might dwell there.
19 Blessed be the Lord,
Who daily loads us with benefits,
The God of our salvation! Selah
20 Our God is the God of salvation;
And (AGP)to God the Lord belong escapes from death.
21 But (AGQ)God will wound the head of His enemies,
(AGR)The hairy scalp of the one who still goes on in his trespasses.
22 The Lord said, “I will bring (AGS)back from Bashan,
I will bring them back (AGT)from the depths of the sea,
23 (AGU)That [ks]your foot may crush them in blood,
(AGV)And the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies.”
24 They have seen Your [kt]procession, O God,
The procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.
25 (AGW)The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after;
Among them were the maidens playing timbrels.
26 Bless God in the congregations,
The Lord, from (AGX)the fountain of Israel.
27 (AGY)There is little Benjamin, their leader,
The princes of Judah and their [ku]company,
The princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.
28 [kv]Your God has (AGZ)commanded your strength;
Strengthen, O God, what You have done for us.
29 Because of Your temple at Jerusalem,
(AHA)Kings will bring presents to You.
30 Rebuke the beasts of the reeds,
(AHB)The herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples,
Till everyone (AHC)submits himself with pieces of silver.
Scatter the peoples who delight in war.
31 (AHD)Envoys will come out of Egypt;
(AHE)Ethiopia will quickly (AHF)stretch out her hands to God.
32 Sing to God, you (AHG)kingdoms of the earth;
Oh, sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33 To Him (AHH)who rides on the heaven of heavens, which were of old!
Indeed, He sends out His voice, a (AHI)mighty voice.
34 (AHJ)Ascribe strength to God;
His excellence is over Israel,
And His strength is in the clouds.
35 O God, (AHK)You are more awesome than Your holy places.
The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people.
Blessed be God!
An Urgent Plea for Help in Trouble
To the Chief Musician. Set to [kw]“The Lilies.” A Psalm of David.
69 Save me, O God!
For (AHL)the waters have come up to my [kx]neck.
2 (AHM)I sink in deep mire,
Where there is no standing;
I have come into deep waters,
Where the floods overflow me.
3 (AHN)I am weary with my crying;
My throat is dry;
(AHO)My eyes fail while I wait for my God.
4 Those who (AHP)hate me without a cause
Are more than the hairs of my head;
They are mighty who would destroy me,
Being my enemies wrongfully;
Though I have stolen nothing,
I still must restore it.
Footnotes
- Psalm 1:1 wicked
- Psalm 1:2 ponders by talking to himself
- Psalm 1:3 channels
- Psalm 2:1 Gentiles
- Psalm 2:1 throng tumultuously
- Psalm 2:1 worthless or empty
- Psalm 2:2 Christ, Commissioned One, Heb. Messiah
- Psalm 2:6 Lit. installed
- Psalm 2:6 Lit. Upon Zion, the hill of My holiness
- Psalm 2:7 Or decree of the Lord: He said to Me
- Psalm 2:9 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr., Vg. rule (cf. Rev. 2:27)
- Psalm 2:12 LXX, Vg. Embrace discipline; Tg. Receive instruction
- Psalm 2:12 LXX the Lord
- Psalm 3:3 Lit. around
- Psalm 4:1 Choir Director
- Psalm 4:1 Be gracious to me
- Psalm 4:3 Many Heb. mss., LXX, Tg., Vg. made wonderful
- Psalm 4:4 Lit. Tremble or Be agitated
- Psalm 5:1 Heb. nehiloth
- Psalm 5:1 Lit. groaning
- Psalm 5:4 Lit. sojourn
- Psalm 5:7 Lit. the temple of Your holiness
- Psalm 5:9 uprightness
- Psalm 5:11 protect, lit. cover
- Psalm 6:1 Heb. sheminith
- Psalm 6:6 Or Every night
- Psalm 7:1 Heb. Shiggaion
- Psalm 7:6 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX O Lord my God
- Psalm 7:9 Lit. kidneys, the most secret part of man
- Psalm 7:10 Lit. My shield is upon God
- Psalm 7:16 The crown of his own head
- Psalm 8:1 Heb. Al Gittith
- Psalm 8:2 established
- Psalm 8:4 give attention to or care for
- Psalm 8:5 Heb. Elohim, God; LXX, Syr., Tg., Jewish tradition angels
- Psalm 9:1 Heb. Muth Labben
- Psalm 9:5 Gentiles
- Psalm 9:9 Lit. secure height
- Psalm 9:12 afflicted
- Psalm 9:14 Jerusalem
- Psalm 9:15 Gentiles
- Psalm 9:16 Heb. Higgaion
- Psalm 9:17 Gentiles
- Psalm 9:19 Gentiles
- Psalm 9:20 Gentiles
- Psalm 10:2 hotly pursues
- Psalm 10:3 Or The greedy man curses and spurns the Lord
- Psalm 10:4 Or All his thoughts are, “There is no God”
- Psalm 10:5 Lit. are strong
- Psalm 10:10 Or he is crushed, is bowed
- Psalm 10:10 Or mighty ones
- Psalm 10:14 Lit. leaves, entrusts
- Psalm 10:18 vindicate
- Psalm 10:18 terrify
- Psalm 11:2 Lit. in darkness
- Psalm 11:6 Their allotted portion or serving
- Psalm 11:7 Or The upright beholds His countenance
- Psalm 12:1 Heb. sheminith
- Psalm 12:1 Save
- Psalm 12:2 An inconsistent mind
- Psalm 12:3 destroy
- Psalm 12:3 great
- Psalm 14:7 Lit. Who will give out of Zion the salvation of Israel?
- Psalm 14:7 Or His captive people
- Psalm 15:1 sojourn
- Psalm 15:3 receive
- Psalm 16:1 Watch over
- Psalm 16:5 Lit. uphold
- Psalm 16:7 Mind, lit. kidneys
- Psalm 16:9 Or dwell securely
- Psalm 16:10 The abode of the dead
- Psalm 16:10 undergo
- Psalm 17:3 examined
- Psalm 17:3 Nothing evil
- Psalm 17:7 deliver
- Psalm 17:8 pupil
- Psalm 18:2 Lit. rock
- Psalm 18:2 Strength
- Psalm 18:4 Lit. Belial
- Psalm 18:13 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; a few Heb. mss., LXX omit Hailstones and coals of fire
- Psalm 18:14 Lit. them
- Psalm 18:23 with
- Psalm 18:29 Or run through
- Psalm 18:30 Lit. refined
- Psalm 18:39 Lit. caused to bow
- Psalm 18:43 Gentiles
- Psalm 18:44 feign submission
- Psalm 18:49 nations
- Psalm 18:50 Lit. seed
- Psalm 19:1 expanse of heaven
- Psalm 19:1 the work of His hands
- Psalm 19:4 LXX, Syr., Vg. sound; Tg. business
- Psalm 19:4 tent
- Psalm 19:7 restoring
- Psalm 19:10 honey in the combs
- Psalm 19:13 Or much
- Psalm 19:14 Lit. rock
- Psalm 20:1 Lit. set you on high
- Psalm 20:4 counsel
- Psalm 20:6 Commissioned one, Heb. messiah
- Psalm 21:6 Lit. joyful with gladness
- Psalm 21:7 shaken
- Psalm 21:10 Lit. seed
- Psalm 22:1 Heb. Aijeleth Hashahar
- Psalm 22:7 Show contempt with their mouth
- Psalm 22:8 LXX, Syr., Vg. hoped; Tg. praised
- Psalm 22:13 Lit. have opened their mouths at Me
- Psalm 22:14 Lit. in the midst of My bowels
- Psalm 22:16 So with some Heb. mss., LXX, Syr., Vg.; MT Like a lion instead of They pierced
- Psalm 22:20 Lit. My only one
- Psalm 22:23 Lit. seed
- Psalm 22:27 Gentiles
- Psalm 22:27 So with MT, LXX, Tg.; Arab., Syr., Vg. Him
- Psalm 22:29 Death
- Psalm 23:1 lack
- Psalm 23:2 Lit. pastures of tender grass
- Psalm 23:2 Lit. waters of rest
- Psalm 23:6 So with LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg.; MT return
- Psalm 23:6 Or To the end of my days, lit. For length of days
- Psalm 24:2 Lit. rivers
- Psalm 25:3 Waits for You in faith
- Psalm 25:12 Or he
- Psalm 25:13 Lit. goodness
- Psalm 25:15 Lit. bring out
- Psalm 25:16 lonely
- Psalm 25:19 violent hatred
- Psalm 26:2 test me
- Psalm 26:8 Lit. of the tabernacle of Your glory
- Psalm 26:9 Do not take away
- Psalm 27:2 devour
- Psalm 27:4 delightfulness
- Psalm 27:6 Lifted up in honor
- Psalm 27:6 joyous shouts
- Psalm 27:14 Wait in faith
- Psalm 28:3 drag
- Psalm 28:8 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr., Vg. the strength of His people
- Psalm 28:8 Commissioned one, Heb. messiah
- Psalm 29:1 Ascribe
- Psalm 29:2 Ascribe
- Psalm 29:2 Lit. of His name
- Psalm 29:2 majesty
- Psalm 29:7 stirs up, lit. hews out
- Psalm 30:3 So with Qr., Tg.; Kt., LXX, Syr., Vg. from those who descend to the pit
- Psalm 30:4 Or His holiness
- Psalm 30:5 a shout of joy
- Psalm 30:6 shaken
- Psalm 30:11 The sackcloth of my mourning
- Psalm 30:12 soul
- Psalm 31:1 have taken refuge
- Psalm 31:2 strength
- Psalm 31:2 Lit. house of fortresses
- Psalm 31:7 troubles
- Psalm 31:8 given me over
- Psalm 31:9 Lit. belly
- Psalm 31:11 despised thing
- Psalm 31:12 Lit. perishing
- Psalm 31:20 shelter
- Psalm 31:21 fortified
- Psalm 32:1 Heb. Maschil
- Psalm 32:2 charge his account with
- Psalm 33:2 Lit. Sing to Him
- Psalm 33:7 LXX, Tg., Vg. in a vessel
- Psalm 33:15 understands
- Psalm 33:17 false
- Psalm 34:7 Or Angel
- Psalm 34:9 lack
- Psalm 34:16 destroy
- Psalm 34:18 are crushed in spirit
- Psalm 34:21 held guilty
- Psalm 35:1 Contend for me
- Psalm 35:2 A small shield
- Psalm 35:5 Or Angel
- Psalm 35:8 Lit. Let destruction he does not know come upon him,
- Psalm 35:13 Lit. bosom
- Psalm 35:14 in mourning
- Psalm 35:15 limping, stumbling
- Psalm 35:18 a mighty
- Psalm 36:4 reject, loathe
- Psalm 36:6 Lit. mountains of God
- Psalm 37:5 Lit. Roll off onto
- Psalm 37:9 destroyed
- Psalm 37:22 destroyed
- Psalm 37:23 established
- Psalm 37:26 Lit. all the day
- Psalm 37:31 slip
- Psalm 37:36 So with MT, LXX, Tg.; Syr., Vg. I passed by
- Psalm 38:6 Lit. bent down
- Psalm 38:15 I wait for You, O Lord
- Psalm 38:15 answer
- Psalm 38:18 anxiety
- Psalm 39:3 meditating
- Psalm 39:6 make an uproar for nothing
- Psalm 40:14 Lit. soul
- Psalm 41:1 helpless or powerless
- Psalm 41:3 restore
- Psalm 41:6 empty words
- Psalm 41:7 plot
- Psalm 41:8 Lit. A thing of Belial
- Psalm 41:9 Acted as a traitor
- Psalm 42:1 Heb. Maschil
- Psalm 42:1 Lit. longs for
- Psalm 42:2 So with MT, Vg.; some Heb. mss., LXX, Syr., Tg. I see the face of God
- Psalm 42:5 Lit. bowed down
- Psalm 42:5 So with MT, Tg.; a few Heb. mss., LXX, Syr., Vg. The help of my countenance, my God
- Psalm 42:6 So with MT, Tg.; a few Heb. mss., LXX, Syr., Vg. put my God at the end of v. 5
- Psalm 42:6 Or Mount
- Psalm 42:10 Lit. shattering
- Psalm 42:10 revile
- Psalm 42:11 Lit. salvation
- Psalm 43:3 dwelling places
- Psalm 43:5 Lit. salvation
- Psalm 44:1 Heb. Maschil
- Psalm 44:2 Gentiles, heathen
- Psalm 44:4 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Vg. and my God
- Psalm 44:4 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr., Vg. Who commands
- Psalm 44:10 plunder
- Psalm 44:20 Worshiped
- Psalm 44:25 Ground, in humiliation
- Psalm 45:1 Heb. Shoshannim
- Psalm 45:1 Heb. Maschil
- Psalm 45:1 skillful
- Psalm 45:3 Belt on
- Psalm 46:1 An abundantly available help
- Psalm 46:2 Lit. heart
- Psalm 46:4 dwelling places
- Psalm 46:5 shaken
- Psalm 46:5 Lit. at the turning of the morning
- Psalm 48:2 height
- Psalm 48:14 So with MT, Syr.; LXX, Vg. Forever
- Psalm 49:4 riddle
- Psalm 49:9 experience corruption
- Psalm 49:11 LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. Their graves shall be their houses forever
- Psalm 49:12 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr., Vg. understand (cf. v. 20)
- Psalm 49:14 Or Sheol
- Psalm 49:15 Or Sheol
- Psalm 49:19 The light of life
- Psalm 50:5 Lit. cut
- Psalm 50:8 reprove
- Psalm 50:18 LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. ran
- Psalm 51:4 LXX, Tg., Vg. in Your words
- Psalm 52:1 Heb. Maschil
- Psalm 52:7 Lit. desire, in evil sense
- Psalm 52:9 Or has a good reputation
- Psalm 53:1 Heb. Maschil
- Psalm 53:6 Or His captive people
- Psalm 54:1 Heb. neginoth
- Psalm 54:1 Heb. Maschil
- Psalm 54:4 sustain my soul
- Psalm 54:5 Destroy them
- Psalm 54:5 Or faithfulness
- Psalm 55:1 Heb. neginoth
- Psalm 55:1 Heb. Maschil
- Psalm 55:2 wander
- Psalm 55:9 speech, their counsel
- Psalm 55:15 Or Sheol
- Psalm 55:20 treaty
- Psalm 55:22 shaken
- Psalm 56:1 Heb. Jonath Elem Rechokim
- Psalm 57:1 Heb. Al Tashcheth
- Psalm 57:3 snaps at or hounds me, or crushes me
- Psalm 57:9 Gentiles
- Psalm 58:1 Heb. Al Tashcheth
- Psalm 58:6 Break away
- Psalm 59:1 Heb. Al Tashcheth
- Psalm 59:1 Lit. Set me on high
- Psalm 59:5 Gentiles
- Psalm 59:8 Gentiles
- Psalm 59:9 So with MT, Syr.; some Heb. mss., LXX, Tg., Vg. my Strength
- Psalm 59:9 Lit. fortress
- Psalm 59:10 So with Qr.; some Heb. mss., LXX, Vg. My God, His mercy; Kt., some Heb. mss., Tg. O God, my mercy; Syr. O God, Your mercy
- Psalm 59:15 So with LXX, Vg.; MT, Syr., Tg. spend the night
- Psalm 60:1 Heb. Shushan Eduth
- Psalm 60:3 staggering
- Psalm 60:7 Lit. protection
- Psalm 61:1 Heb. neginah
- Psalm 61:4 tent
- Psalm 61:7 Lit. guard or keep
- Psalm 62:2 strong tower
- Psalm 62:2 shaken
- Psalm 62:5 hope
- Psalm 62:6 shaken
- Psalm 62:9 vanity
- Psalm 62:12 reward
- Psalm 63:5 Lit. fat
- Psalm 63:5 Abundance
- Psalm 63:10 Lit. pour him out by the hand of the sword
- Psalm 63:10 Prey
- Psalm 64:1 complaint
- Psalm 65:1 A promised deed
- Psalm 65:8 shout for joy
- Psalm 65:9 give attention to
- Psalm 66:9 slip
- Psalm 66:12 abundance
- Psalm 66:13 Promised deeds
- Psalm 66:17 praised
- Psalm 67:1 Heb. neginoth
- Psalm 67:6 give her produce
- Psalm 68:4 Praise
- Psalm 68:4 MT deserts; Tg. heavens (cf. v. 34 and Is. 19:1)
- Psalm 68:4 Lit. Lord, a shortened Heb. form
- Psalm 68:11 host
- Psalm 68:12 plunder
- Psalm 68:13 Or saddlebags
- Psalm 68:16 Lit. stare
- Psalm 68:23 LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. you may dip your foot
- Psalm 68:24 Lit. goings
- Psalm 68:27 throng
- Psalm 68:28 LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. Command, O God
- Psalm 69:1 Heb. Shoshannim
- Psalm 69:1 Lit. soul
Psalm 1-71
The Message
Psalm 1-71
The Message
1 How well God must like you—
you don’t walk in the ruts of those blind-as-bats,
you don’t stand with the good-for-nothings,
you don’t take your seat among the know-it-alls.
2-3 Instead you thrill to God’s Word,
you chew on Scripture day and night.
You’re a tree replanted in Eden,
bearing fresh fruit every month,
Never dropping a leaf,
always in blossom.
4-5 You’re not at all like the wicked,
who are mere windblown dust—
Without defense in court,
unfit company for innocent people.
6 God charts the road you take.
The road they take leads to nowhere.
2 1-6 Why the big noise, nations?
Why the mean plots, peoples?
Earth-leaders push for position,
Demagogues and delegates meet for summit talks,
The God-deniers, the Messiah-defiers:
“Let’s get free of God!
Cast loose from Messiah!”
Heaven-throned God breaks out laughing.
At first he’s amused at their presumption;
Then he gets good and angry.
Furiously, he shuts them up:
“Don’t you know there’s a King in Zion? A coronation banquet
Is spread for him on the holy summit.”
7-9 Let me tell you what God said next.
He said, “You’re my son,
And today is your birthday.
What do you want? Name it:
Nations as a present? continents as a prize?
You can command them all to dance for you,
Or throw them out with tomorrow’s trash.”
10-12 So, rebel-kings, use your heads;
Upstart-judges, learn your lesson:
Worship God in adoring embrace,
Celebrate in trembling awe. Kiss Messiah!
Your very lives are in danger, you know;
His anger is about to explode,
But if you make a run for God—you won’t regret it!
3 1-2 God! Look! Enemies past counting!
Enemies sprouting like mushrooms,
Mobs of them all around me, roaring their mockery:
“Hah! No help for him from God!”
3-4 But you, God, shield me on all sides;
You ground my feet, you lift my head high;
With all my might I shout up to God,
His answers thunder from the holy mountain.
5-6 I stretch myself out. I sleep.
Then I’m up again—rested, tall and steady,
Fearless before the enemy mobs
Coming at me from all sides.
7 Up, God! My God, help me!
Slap their faces,
First this cheek, then the other,
Your fist hard in their teeth!
8 Real help comes from God.
Your blessing clothes your people!
4 When I call, give me answers. God, take my side!
Once, in a tight place, you gave me room;
Now I’m in trouble again: grace me! hear me!
2 You rabble—how long do I put up with your scorn?
How long will you lust after lies?
How long will you live crazed by illusion?
3 Look at this: look
Who got picked by God!
He listens the split second I call to him.
4-5 Complain if you must, but don’t lash out.
Keep your mouth shut, and let your heart do the talking.
Build your case before God and wait for his verdict.
6-7 Why is everyone hungry for more? “More, more,” they say.
“More, more.”
I have God’s more-than-enough,
More joy in one ordinary day
7-8 Than they get in all their shopping sprees.
At day’s end I’m ready for sound sleep,
For you, God, have put my life back together.
5 1-3 Listen, God! Please, pay attention!
Can you make sense of these ramblings,
my groans and cries?
King-God, I need your help.
Every morning
you’ll hear me at it again.
Every morning
I lay out the pieces of my life
on your altar
and watch for fire to descend.
4-6 You don’t socialize with Wicked,
or invite Evil over as your houseguest.
Hot-Air-Boaster collapses in front of you;
you shake your head over Mischief-Maker.
God destroys Lie-Speaker;
Blood-Thirsty and Truth-Bender disgust you.
7-8 And here I am, your invited guest—
it’s incredible!
I enter your house; here I am,
prostrate in your inner sanctum,
Waiting for directions
to get me safely through enemy lines.
9-10 Every word they speak is a land mine;
their lungs breathe out poison gas.
Their throats are gaping graves,
their tongues slick as mudslides.
Pile on the guilt, God!
Let their so-called wisdom wreck them.
Kick them out! They’ve had their chance.
11-12 But you’ll welcome us with open arms
when we run for cover to you.
Let the party last all night!
Stand guard over our celebration.
You are famous, God, for welcoming God-seekers,
for decking us out in delight.
6 1-2 Please, God, no more yelling,
no more trips to the woodshed.
Treat me nice for a change;
I’m so starved for affection.
2-3 Can’t you see I’m black-and-blue,
beaten up badly in bones and soul?
God, how long will it take
for you to let up?
4-5 Break in, God, and break up this fight;
if you love me at all, get me out of here.
I’m no good to you dead, am I?
I can’t sing in your choir if I’m buried in some tomb!
6-7 I’m tired of all this—so tired. My bed
has been floating forty days and nights
On the flood of my tears.
My mattress is soaked, soggy with tears.
The sockets of my eyes are black holes;
nearly blind, I squint and grope.
8-9 Get out of here, you Devil’s crew:
at last God has heard my sobs.
My requests have all been granted,
my prayers are answered.
10 Cowards, my enemies disappear.
Disgraced, they turn tail and run.
7 1-2 God! God! I am running to you for dear life;
the chase is wild.
If they catch me, I’m finished:
ripped to shreds by foes fierce as lions,
dragged into the forest and left
unlooked for, unremembered.
3-5 God, if I’ve done what they say—
betrayed my friends,
ripped off my enemies—
If my hands are really that dirty,
let them get me, walk all over me,
leave me flat on my face in the dirt.
6-8 Stand up, God; pit your holy fury
against my furious enemies.
Wake up, God. My accusers have packed
the courtroom; it’s judgment time.
Take your place on the bench, reach for your gavel,
throw out the false charges against me.
I’m ready, confident in your verdict:
“Innocent.”
9-11 Close the book on Evil, God,
but publish your mandate for us.
You get us ready for life:
you probe for our soft spots,
you knock off our rough edges.
And I’m feeling so fit, so safe:
made right, kept right.
God in solemn honor does things right,
but his nerves are sandpapered raw.
11-13 Nobody gets by with anything.
God is already in action—
Sword honed on his whetstone,
bow strung, arrow on the string,
Lethal weapons in hand,
each arrow a flaming missile.
14 Look at that guy!
He had sex with sin,
he’s pregnant with evil.
Oh, look! He’s having
the baby—a Lie-Baby!
15-16 See that man shoveling day after day,
digging, then concealing, his man-trap
down that lonely stretch of road?
Go back and look again—you’ll see him in it headfirst,
legs waving in the breeze.
That’s what happens:
mischief backfires;
violence boomerangs.
17 I’m thanking God, who makes things right.
I’m singing the fame of heaven-high God.
8 God, brilliant Lord,
yours is a household name.
2 Nursing infants gurgle choruses about you;
toddlers shout the songs
That drown out enemy talk,
and silence atheist babble.
3-4 I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous,
your handmade sky-jewelry,
Moon and stars mounted in their settings.
Then I look at my micro-self and wonder,
Why do you bother with us?
Why take a second look our way?
5-8 Yet we’ve so narrowly missed being gods,
bright with Eden’s dawn light.
You put us in charge of your handcrafted world,
repeated to us your Genesis-charge,
Made us stewards of sheep and cattle,
even animals out in the wild,
Birds flying and fish swimming,
whales singing in the ocean deeps.
9 God, brilliant Lord,
your name echoes around the world.
9 1-2 I’m thanking you, God, from a full heart,
I’m writing the book on your wonders.
I’m whistling, laughing, and jumping for joy;
I’m singing your song, High God.
3-4 The day my enemies turned tail and ran,
they stumbled on you and fell on their faces.
You took over and set everything right;
when I needed you, you were there, taking charge.
5-6 You blow the whistle on godless nations;
you throw dirty players out of the game,
wipe their names right off the roster.
Enemies disappear from the sidelines,
their reputation trashed,
their names erased from the halls of fame.
7-8 God holds the high center,
he sees and sets the world’s mess right.
He decides what is right for us earthlings,
gives people their just deserts.
9-10 God’s a safe-house for the battered,
a sanctuary during bad times.
The moment you arrive, you relax;
you’re never sorry you knocked.
11-12 Sing your songs to Zion-dwelling God,
tell his stories to everyone you meet:
How he tracks down killers
yet keeps his eye on us,
registers every whimper and moan.
13-14 Be kind to me, God;
I’ve been kicked around long enough.
Once you’ve pulled me back
from the gates of death,
I’ll write the book on Hallelujahs;
on the corner of Main and First
I’ll hold a street meeting;
I’ll be the song leader; we’ll fill the air
with salvation songs.
15-16 They’re trapped, those godless countries,
in the very snares they set,
Their feet all tangled
in the net they spread.
They have no excuse;
the way God works is well-known.
The shrewd machinery made by the wicked
has maimed their own hands.
17-20 The wicked bought a one-way
ticket to hell.
No longer will the poor be nameless—
no more humiliation for the humble.
Up, God! Aren’t you fed up with their empty strutting?
Expose these grand pretensions!
Shake them up, God!
Show them how silly they look.
10 1-2 God, are you avoiding me?
Where are you when I need you?
Full of hot air, the wicked
are hot on the trail of the poor.
Trip them up, tangle them up
in their fine-tuned plots.
3-4 The wicked are windbags,
the swindlers have foul breath.
The wicked snub God,
their noses stuck high in the air.
Their graffiti are scrawled on the walls:
“Catch us if you can!” “God is dead.”
5-6 They care nothing for what you think;
if you get in their way, they blow you off.
They live (they think) a charmed life:
“We can’t go wrong. This is our lucky year!”
7-8 They carry a mouthful of spells,
their tongues spit venom like adders.
They hide behind ordinary people,
then pounce on their victims.
9 They mark the luckless,
then wait like a hunter in a blind;
When the poor wretch wanders too close,
they stab him in the back.
10-11 The hapless fool is kicked to the ground,
the unlucky victim is brutally axed.
He thinks God has dumped him,
he’s sure that God is indifferent to his plight.
12-13 Time to get up, God—get moving.
The luckless think they’re Godforsaken.
They wonder why the wicked scorn God
and get away with it,
Why the wicked are so cocksure
they’ll never come up for audit.
14 But you know all about it—
the contempt, the abuse.
I dare to believe that the luckless
will get lucky someday in you.
You won’t let them down:
orphans won’t be orphans forever.
15-16 Break the wicked right arms,
break all the evil left arms.
Search and destroy
every sign of crime.
God’s grace and order wins;
godlessness loses.
17-18 The victim’s faint pulse picks up;
the hearts of the hopeless pump red blood
as you put your ear to their lips.
Orphans get parents,
the homeless get homes.
The reign of terror is over,
the rule of the gang lords is ended.
11 1-3 I’ve already run for dear life
straight to the arms of God.
So why would I run away now
when you say,
“Run to the mountains; the evil
bows are bent, the wicked arrows
Aimed to shoot under cover of darkness
at every heart open to God.
The bottom’s dropped out of the country;
good people don’t have a chance”?
4-6 But God hasn’t moved to the mountains;
his holy address hasn’t changed.
He’s in charge, as always, his eyes
taking everything in, his eyelids
Unblinking, examining Adam’s flesh and blood
inside and out, not missing a thing.
He tests the good and the bad alike;
if anyone cheats, God’s outraged.
Fail the test and you’re out,
out in a hail of firestones,
Drinking from a canteen
filled with hot desert wind.
7 God’s business is putting things right;
he loves getting the lines straight,
Setting us straight. Once we’re standing tall,
we can look him straight in the eye.
12 1-2 Quick, God, I need your helping hand!
The last decent person just went down,
All the friends I depended on gone.
Everyone talks in lie language;
Lies slide off their oily lips.
They doubletalk with forked tongues.
3-4 Slice their lips off their faces! Pull
The braggart tongues from their mouths!
I’m tired of hearing, “We can talk anyone into anything!
Our lips manage the world.”
5 Into the hovels of the poor,
Into the dark streets where the homeless groan, God speaks:
“I’ve had enough; I’m on my way
To heal the ache in the heart of the wretched.”
6-8 God’s words are pure words,
Pure silver words refined seven times
In the fires of his word-kiln,
Pure on earth as well as in heaven.
God, keep us safe from their lies,
From the wicked who stalk us with lies,
From the wicked who collect honors
For their wonderful lies.
13 1-2 Long enough, God—
you’ve ignored me long enough.
I’ve looked at the back of your head
long enough. Long enough
I’ve carried this ton of trouble,
lived with a stomach full of pain.
Long enough my arrogant enemies
have looked down their noses at me.
3-4 Take a good look at me, God, my God;
I want to look life in the eye,
So no enemy can get the best of me
or laugh when I fall on my face.
5-6 I’ve thrown myself headlong into your arms—
I’m celebrating your rescue.
I’m singing at the top of my lungs,
I’m so full of answered prayers.
14 Bilious and bloated, they gas,
“God is gone.”
Their words are poison gas,
fouling the air; they poison
Rivers and skies;
thistles are their cash crop.
2 God sticks his head out of heaven.
He looks around.
He’s looking for someone not stupid—
one man, even, God-expectant,
just one God-ready woman.
3 He comes up empty. A string
of zeros. Useless, unshepherded
Sheep, taking turns pretending
to be Shepherd.
The ninety and nine
follow their fellow.
4 Don’t they know anything,
all these predators?
Don’t they know
they can’t get away with this—
Treating people like a fast-food meal
over which they’re too busy to pray?
5-6 Night is coming for them, and nightmares,
for God takes the side of victims.
Do you think you can mess
with the dreams of the poor?
You can’t, for God
makes their dreams come true.
7 Is there anyone around to save Israel?
Yes. God is around; God turns life around.
Turned-around Jacob skips rope,
turned-around Israel sings laughter.
15 God, who gets invited
to dinner at your place?
How do we get on your guest list?
2 “Walk straight,
act right,
tell the truth.
3-4 “Don’t hurt your friend,
don’t blame your neighbor;
despise the despicable.
5 “Keep your word even when it costs you,
make an honest living,
never take a bribe.
“You’ll never get
blacklisted
if you live like this.”
16 1-2 Keep me safe, O God,
I’ve run for dear life to you.
I say to God, “Be my Lord!”
Without you, nothing makes sense.
3 And these God-chosen lives all around—
what splendid friends they make!
4 Don’t just go shopping for a god.
Gods are not for sale.
I swear I’ll never treat god-names
like brand-names.
5-6 My choice is you, God, first and only.
And now I find I’m your choice!
You set me up with a house and yard.
And then you made me your heir!
7-8 The wise counsel God gives when I’m awake
is confirmed by my sleeping heart.
Day and night I’ll stick with God;
I’ve got a good thing going and I’m not letting go.
9-10 I’m happy from the inside out,
and from the outside in, I’m firmly formed.
You canceled my ticket to hell—
that’s not my destination!
11 Now you’ve got my feet on the life path,
all radiant from the shining of your face.
Ever since you took my hand,
I’m on the right way.
17 1-2 Listen while I build my case, God,
the most honest prayer you’ll ever hear.
Show the world I’m innocent—
in your heart you know I am.
3 Go ahead, examine me from inside out,
surprise me in the middle of the night—
You’ll find I’m just what I say I am.
My words don’t run loose.
4-5 I’m not trying to get my way
in the world’s way.
I’m trying to get your way,
your Word’s way.
I’m staying on your trail;
I’m putting one foot
In front of the other.
I’m not giving up.
6-7 I call to you, God, because I’m sure of an answer.
So—answer! bend your ear! listen sharp!
Paint grace-graffiti on the fences;
take in your frightened children who
Are running from the neighborhood bullies
straight to you.
8-9 Keep your eye on me;
hide me under your cool wing feathers
From the wicked who are out to get me,
from mortal enemies closing in.
10-14 Their hearts are hard as nails,
their mouths blast hot air.
They are after me, nipping my heels,
determined to bring me down,
Lions ready to rip me apart,
young lions poised to pounce.
Up, God: beard them! break them!
By your sword, free me from their clutches;
Barehanded, God, break these mortals,
these flat-earth people who can’t think beyond today.
I’d like to see their bellies
swollen with famine food,
The weeds they’ve sown
harvested and baked into famine bread,
With second helpings for their children
and crusts for their babies to chew on.
15 And me? I plan on looking
you full in the face. When I get up,
I’ll see your full stature
and live heaven on earth.
18 1-2 I love you, God—
you make me strong.
God is bedrock under my feet,
the castle in which I live,
my rescuing knight.
My God—the high crag
where I run for dear life,
hiding behind the boulders,
safe in the granite hideout.
3 I sing to God, the Praise-Lofty,
and find myself safe and saved.
4-5 The hangman’s noose was tight at my throat;
devil waters rushed over me.
Hell’s ropes cinched me tight;
death traps barred every exit.
6 A hostile world! I call to God,
I cry to God to help me.
From his palace he hears my call;
my cry brings me right into his presence—
a private audience!
7-15 Earth wobbles and lurches;
huge mountains shake like leaves,
Quake like aspen leaves
because of his rage.
His nostrils flare, bellowing smoke;
his mouth spits fire.
Tongues of fire dart in and out;
he lowers the sky.
He steps down;
under his feet an abyss opens up.
He’s riding a winged creature,
swift on wind-wings.
Now he’s wrapped himself
in a trenchcoat of black-cloud darkness.
But his cloud-brightness bursts through,
spraying hailstones and fireballs.
Then God thundered out of heaven;
the High God gave a great shout,
spraying hailstones and fireballs.
God shoots his arrows—pandemonium!
He hurls his lightnings—a rout!
The secret sources of ocean are exposed,
the hidden depths of earth lie uncovered
The moment you roar in protest,
let loose your hurricane anger.
16-19 But me he caught—reached all the way
from sky to sea; he pulled me out
Of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos,
the void in which I was drowning.
They hit me when I was down,
but God stuck by me.
He stood me up on a wide-open field;
I stood there saved—surprised to be loved!
20-24 God made my life complete
when I placed all the pieces before him.
When I got my act together,
he gave me a fresh start.
Now I’m alert to God’s ways;
I don’t take God for granted.
Every day I review the ways he works;
I try not to miss a trick.
I feel put back together,
and I’m watching my step.
God rewrote the text of my life
when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.
25-27 The good people taste your goodness,
The whole people taste your health,
The true people taste your truth,
The bad ones can’t figure you out.
You take the side of the down-and-out,
But the stuck-up you take down a notch.
28-29 Suddenly, God, you floodlight my life;
I’m blazing with glory, God’s glory!
I smash the bands of marauders,
I vault the highest fences.
30 What a God! His road
stretches straight and smooth.
Every God-direction is road-tested.
Everyone who runs toward him
Makes it.
31-42 Is there any god like God?
Are we not at bedrock?
Is not this the God who armed me,
then aimed me in the right direction?
Now I run like a deer;
I’m king of the mountain.
He shows me how to fight;
I can bend a bronze bow!
You protect me with salvation-armor;
you hold me up with a firm hand,
caress me with your gentle ways.
You cleared the ground under me
so my footing was firm.
When I chased my enemies I caught them;
I didn’t let go till they were dead men.
I nailed them; they were down for good;
then I walked all over them.
You armed me well for this fight,
you smashed the upstarts.
You made my enemies turn tail,
and I wiped out the haters.
They cried “uncle”
but Uncle didn’t come;
They yelled for God
and got no for an answer.
I ground them to dust; they gusted in the wind.
I threw them out, like garbage in the gutter.
43-45 You rescued me from a squabbling people;
you made me a leader of nations.
People I’d never heard of served me;
the moment they got wind of me they listened.
The foreign devils gave up; they came
on their bellies, crawling from their hideouts.
46-48 Live, God! Blessings from my Rock,
my free and freeing God, towering!
This God set things right for me
and shut up the people who talked back.
He rescued me from enemy anger,
he pulled me from the grip of upstarts,
He saved me from the bullies.
49-50 That’s why I’m thanking you, God,
all over the world.
That’s why I’m singing songs
that rhyme your name.
God’s king takes the trophy;
God’s chosen is beloved.
I mean David and all his children—
always.
19 1-2 God’s glory is on tour in the skies,
God-craft on exhibit across the horizon.
Madame Day holds classes every morning,
Professor Night lectures each evening.
3-4 Their words aren’t heard,
their voices aren’t recorded,
But their silence fills the earth:
unspoken truth is spoken everywhere.
4-5 God makes a huge dome
for the sun—a superdome!
The morning sun’s a new husband
leaping from his honeymoon bed,
The daybreaking sun an athlete
racing to the tape.
6 That’s how God’s Word vaults across the skies
from sunrise to sunset,
Melting ice, scorching deserts,
warming hearts to faith.
7-9 The revelation of God is whole
and pulls our lives together.
The signposts of God are clear
and point out the right road.
The life-maps of God are right,
showing the way to joy.
The directions of God are plain
and easy on the eyes.
God’s reputation is twenty-four-carat gold,
with a lifetime guarantee.
The decisions of God are accurate
down to the nth degree.
10 God’s Word is better than a diamond,
better than a diamond set between emeralds.
You’ll like it better than strawberries in spring,
better than red, ripe strawberries.
11-14 There’s more: God’s Word warns us of danger
and directs us to hidden treasure.
Otherwise how will we find our way?
Or know when we play the fool?
Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh!
Keep me from stupid sins,
from thinking I can take over your work;
Then I can start this day sun-washed,
scrubbed clean of the grime of sin.
These are the words in my mouth;
these are what I chew on and pray.
Accept them when I place them
on the morning altar,
O God, my Altar-Rock,
God, Priest-of-My-Altar.
20 1-4 God answer you on the day you crash,
The name God-of-Jacob put you out of harm’s reach,
Send reinforcements from Holy Hill,
Dispatch from Zion fresh supplies,
Exclaim over your offerings,
Celebrate your sacrifices,
Give you what your heart desires,
Accomplish your plans.
5 When you win, we plan to raise the roof
and lead the parade with our banners.
May all your wishes come true!
6 That clinches it—help’s coming,
an answer’s on the way,
everything’s going to work out.
7-8 See those people polishing their chariots,
and those others grooming their horses?
But we’re making garlands for God our God.
The chariots will rust,
those horses pull up lame—
and we’ll be on our feet, standing tall.
9 Make the king a winner, God;
the day we call, give us your answer.
21 1-7 Your strength, God, is the king’s strength.
Helped, he’s hollering Hosannas.
You gave him exactly what he wanted;
you didn’t hold back.
You filled his arms with gifts;
you gave him a right royal welcome.
He wanted a good life; you gave it to him,
and then made it a long life as a bonus.
You lifted him high and bright as a cumulus cloud,
then dressed him in rainbow colors.
You pile blessings on him;
you make him glad when you smile.
Is it any wonder the king loves God?
that he’s sticking with the Best?
8-12 With a fistful of enemies in one hand
and a fistful of haters in the other,
You radiate with such brilliance
that they cringe as before a furnace.
Now the furnace swallows them whole,
the fire eats them alive!
You purge the earth of their progeny,
you wipe the slate clean.
All their evil schemes, the plots they cook up,
have fizzled—every one.
You sent them packing;
they couldn’t face you.
13 Show your strength, God, so no one can miss it.
We are out singing the good news!
22 1-2 God, God . . . my God!
Why did you dump me
miles from nowhere?
Doubled up with pain, I call to God
all the day long. No answer. Nothing.
I keep at it all night, tossing and turning.
3-5 And you! Are you indifferent, above it all,
leaning back on the cushions of Israel’s praise?
We know you were there for our parents:
they cried for your help and you gave it;
they trusted and lived a good life.
6-8 And here I am, a nothing—an earthworm,
something to step on, to squash.
Everyone pokes fun at me;
they make faces at me, they shake their heads:
“Let’s see how God handles this one;
since God likes him so much, let him help him!”
9-11 And to think you were midwife at my birth,
setting me at my mother’s breasts!
When I left the womb you cradled me;
since the moment of birth you’ve been my God.
Then you moved far away
and trouble moved in next door.
I need a neighbor.
12-13 Herds of bulls come at me,
the raging bulls stampede,
Horns lowered, nostrils flaring,
like a herd of buffalo on the move.
14-15 I’m a bucket kicked over and spilled,
every joint in my body has been pulled apart.
My heart is a blob
of melted wax in my gut.
I’m dry as a bone,
my tongue black and swollen.
They have laid me out for burial
in the dirt.
16-18 Now packs of wild dogs come at me;
thugs gang up on me.
They pin me down hand and foot,
and lock me in a cage—a bag
Of bones in a cage, stared at
by every passerby.
They take my wallet and the shirt off my back,
and then throw dice for my clothes.
19-21 You, God—don’t put off my rescue!
Hurry and help me!
Don’t let them cut my throat;
don’t let those mongrels devour me.
If you don’t show up soon,
I’m done for—gored by the bulls,
meat for the lions.
22-24 Here’s the story I’ll tell my friends when they come to worship,
and punctuate it with Hallelujahs:
Shout Hallelujah, you God-worshipers;
give glory, you sons of Jacob;
adore him, you daughters of Israel.
He has never let you down,
never looked the other way
when you were being kicked around.
He has never wandered off to do his own thing;
he has been right there, listening.
25-26 Here in this great gathering for worship
I have discovered this praise-life.
And I’ll do what I promised right here
in front of the God-worshipers.
Down-and-outers sit at God’s table
and eat their fill.
Everyone on the hunt for God
is here, praising him.
“Live it up, from head to toe.
Don’t ever quit!”
27-28 From the four corners of the earth
people are coming to their senses,
are running back to God.
Long-lost families
are falling on their faces before him.
God has taken charge;
from now on he has the last word.
29 All the power-mongers are before him
—worshiping!
All the poor and powerless, too
—worshiping!
Along with those who never got it together
—worshiping!
30-31 Our children and their children
will get in on this
As the word is passed along
from parent to child.
Babies not yet conceived
will hear the good news—
that God does what he says.
23 1-3 God, my shepherd!
I don’t need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word,
you let me catch my breath
and send me in the right direction.
4 Even when the way goes through
Death Valley,
I’m not afraid
when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd’s crook
makes me feel secure.
5 You serve me a six-course dinner
right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head;
my cup brims with blessing.
6 Your beauty and love chase after me
every day of my life.
I’m back home in the house of God
for the rest of my life.
24 1-2 God claims Earth and everything in it,
God claims World and all who live on it.
He built it on Ocean foundations,
laid it out on River girders.
3-4 Who can climb Mount God?
Who can scale the holy north-face?
Only the clean-handed,
only the pure-hearted;
Men who won’t cheat,
women who won’t seduce.
5-6 God is at their side;
with God’s help they make it.
This, Jacob, is what happens
to God-seekers, God-questers.
7 Wake up, you sleepyhead city!
Wake up, you sleepyhead people!
King-Glory is ready to enter.
8 Who is this King-Glory?
God, armed
and battle-ready.
9 Wake up, you sleepyhead city!
Wake up, you sleepyhead people!
King-Glory is ready to enter.
10 Who is this King-Glory?
God-of-the-Angel-Armies:
he is King-Glory.
25 1-2 My head is high, God, held high;
I’m looking to you, God;
No hangdog skulking for me.
3 I’ve thrown in my lot with you;
You won’t embarrass me, will you?
Or let my enemies get the best of me?
Don’t embarrass any of us
Who went out on a limb for you.
It’s the traitors who should be humiliated.
4 Show me how you work, God;
School me in your ways.
5 Take me by the hand;
Lead me down the path of truth.
You are my Savior, aren’t you?
6 Mark the milestones of your mercy and love, God;
Rebuild the ancient landmarks!
7 Forget that I sowed wild oats;
Mark me with your sign of love.
Plan only the best for me, God!
8 God is fair and just;
He corrects the misdirected,
Sends them in the right direction.
9 He gives the rejects his hand,
And leads them step-by-step.
10 From now on every road you travel
Will take you to God.
Follow the Covenant signs;
Read the charted directions.
11 Keep up your reputation, God;
Forgive my bad life;
It’s been a very bad life.
12 My question: What are God-worshipers like?
Your answer: Arrows aimed at God’s bull’s-eye.
13 They settle down in a promising place;
Their kids inherit a prosperous farm.
14 God-friendship is for God-worshipers;
They are the ones he confides in.
15 If I keep my eyes on God,
I won’t trip over my own feet.
16 Look at me and help me!
I’m all alone and in big trouble.
17 My heart and mind are fighting each other;
Call a truce to this civil war.
18 Take a hard look at my life of hard labor,
Then lift this ton of sin.
19 Do you see how many people
Have it in for me?
How viciously they hate me?
20 Keep watch over me and keep me out of trouble;
Don’t let me down when I run to you.
21 Use all your skill to put me together;
I wait to see your finished product.
22 God, give your people a break
From this run of bad luck.
26 Clear my name, God;
I’ve kept an honest shop.
I’ve thrown in my lot with you, God, and
I’m not budging.
2 Examine me, God, from head to foot,
order your battery of tests.
Make sure I’m fit
inside and out
3 So I never lose
sight of your love,
But keep in step with you,
never missing a beat.
4-5 I don’t hang out with tricksters,
I don’t pal around with thugs;
I hate that pack of gangsters,
I don’t deal with double-dealers.
6-7 I scrub my hands with purest soap,
then join hands with the others in the great circle,
dancing around your altar, God,
Singing God-songs at the top of my lungs,
telling God-stories.
8-10 God, I love living with you;
your house glows with your glory.
When it’s time for spring cleaning,
don’t sweep me out with the quacks and crooks,
Men with bags of dirty tricks,
women with purses stuffed with bribe-money.
11-12 You know I’ve been aboveboard with you;
now be aboveboard with me.
I’m on the level with you, God;
I bless you every chance I get.
27 Light, space, zest—
that’s God!
So, with him on my side I’m fearless,
afraid of no one and nothing.
2 When vandal hordes ride down
ready to eat me alive,
Those bullies and toughs
fall flat on their faces.
3 When besieged,
I’m calm as a baby.
When all hell breaks loose,
I’m collected and cool.
4 I’m asking God for one thing,
only one thing:
To live with him in his house
my whole life long.
I’ll contemplate his beauty;
I’ll study at his feet.
5 That’s the only quiet, secure place
in a noisy world,
The perfect getaway,
far from the buzz of traffic.
6 God holds me head and shoulders
above all who try to pull me down.
I’m headed for his place to offer anthems
that will raise the roof!
Already I’m singing God-songs;
I’m making music to God.
7-9 Listen, God, I’m calling at the top of my lungs:
“Be good to me! Answer me!”
When my heart whispered, “Seek God,”
my whole being replied,
“I’m seeking him!”
Don’t hide from me now!
9-10 You’ve always been right there for me;
don’t turn your back on me now.
Don’t throw me out, don’t abandon me;
you’ve always kept the door open.
My father and mother walked out and left me,
but God took me in.
11-12 Point me down your highway, God;
direct me along a well-lighted street;
show my enemies whose side you’re on.
Don’t throw me to the dogs,
those liars who are out to get me,
filling the air with their threats.
13-14 I’m sure now I’ll see God’s goodness
in the exuberant earth.
Stay with God!
Take heart. Don’t quit.
I’ll say it again:
Stay with God.
28 Don’t turn a deaf ear
when I call you, God.
If all I get from you is
deafening silence,
I’d be better off
in the Black Hole.
2 I’m letting you know what I need,
calling out for help
And lifting my arms
toward your inner sanctuary.
3-4 Don’t shove me into
the same jail cell with those crooks,
With those who are
full-time employees of evil.
They talk a good line of “peace,”
then moonlight for the Devil.
Pay them back for what they’ve done,
for how bad they’ve been.
Pay them back for their long hours
in the Devil’s workshop;
Then cap it with a huge bonus.
5 Because they have no idea how God works
or what he is up to,
God will smash them to smithereens
and walk away from the ruins.
6-7 Blessed be God—
he heard me praying.
He proved he’s on my side;
I’ve thrown my lot in with him.
Now I’m jumping for joy,
and shouting and singing my thanks to him.
8-9 God is all strength for his people,
ample refuge for his chosen leader;
Save your people
and bless your heritage.
Care for them;
carry them like a good shepherd.
29 1-2 Bravo, God, bravo!
Gods and all angels shout, “Encore!”
In awe before the glory,
in awe before God’s visible power.
Stand at attention!
Dress your best to honor him!
3 God thunders across the waters,
Brilliant, his voice and his face, streaming brightness—
God, across the flood waters.
4 God’s thunder tympanic,
God’s thunder symphonic.
5 God’s thunder smashes cedars,
God topples the northern cedars.
6 The mountain ranges skip like spring colts,
The high ridges jump like wild kid goats.
7-8 God’s thunder spits fire.
God thunders, the wilderness quakes;
He makes the desert of Kadesh shake.
9 God’s thunder sets the oak trees dancing
A wild dance, whirling; the pelting rain strips their branches.
We fall to our knees—we call out, “Glory!”
10 Above the floodwaters is God’s throne
from which his power flows,
from which he rules the world.
11 God makes his people strong.
God gives his people peace.
30 I give you all the credit, God—
you got me out of that mess,
you didn’t let my foes gloat.
2-3 God, my God, I yelled for help
and you put me together.
God, you pulled me out of the grave,
gave me another chance at life
when I was down-and-out.
4-5 All you saints! Sing your hearts out to God!
Thank him to his face!
He gets angry once in a while, but across
a lifetime there is only love.
The nights of crying your eyes out
give way to days of laughter.
6-7 When things were going great
I crowed, “I’ve got it made.
I’m God’s favorite.
He made me king of the mountain.”
Then you looked the other way
and I fell to pieces.
8-10 I called out to you, God;
I laid my case before you:
“Can you sell me for a profit when I’m dead?
auction me off at a cemetery yard sale?
When I’m ‘dust to dust’ my songs
and stories of you won’t sell.
So listen! and be kind!
Help me out of this!”
11-12 You did it: you changed wild lament
into whirling dance;
You ripped off my black mourning band
and decked me with wildflowers.
I’m about to burst with song;
I can’t keep quiet about you.
God, my God,
I can’t thank you enough.
31 1-2 I run to you, God; I run for dear life.
Don’t let me down!
Take me seriously this time!
Get down on my level and listen,
and please—no procrastination!
Your granite cave a hiding place,
your high cliff nest a place of safety.
3-5 You’re my cave to hide in,
my cliff to climb.
Be my safe leader,
be my true mountain guide.
Free me from hidden traps;
I want to hide in you.
I’ve put my life in your hands.
You won’t drop me,
you’ll never let me down.
6-13 I hate all this silly religion,
but you, God, I trust.
I’m leaping and singing in the circle of your love;
you saw my pain,
you disarmed my tormentors,
You didn’t leave me in their clutches
but gave me room to breathe.
Be kind to me, God—
I’m in deep, deep trouble again.
I’ve cried my eyes out;
I feel hollow inside.
My life leaks away, groan by groan;
my years fade out in sighs.
My troubles have worn me out,
turned my bones to powder.
To my enemies I’m a monster;
I’m ridiculed by the neighbors.
My friends are horrified;
they cross the street to avoid me.
They want to blot me from memory,
forget me like a corpse in a grave,
discard me like a broken dish in the trash.
The street-talk gossip has me
“criminally insane”!
Behind locked doors they plot
how to ruin me for good.
14-18 Desperate, I throw myself on you:
you are my God!
Hour by hour I place my days in your hand,
safe from the hands out to get me.
Warm me, your servant, with a smile;
save me because you love me.
Don’t embarrass me by not showing up;
I’ve given you plenty of notice.
Embarrass the wicked, stand them up,
leave them stupidly shaking their heads
as they drift down to hell.
Gag those loudmouthed liars
who heckle me, your follower,
with jeers and catcalls.
19-22 What a stack of blessing you have piled up
for those who worship you,
Ready and waiting for all who run to you
to escape an unkind world.
You hide them safely away
from the opposition.
As you slam the door on those oily, mocking faces,
you silence the poisonous gossip.
Blessed God!
His love is the wonder of the world.
Trapped by a siege, I panicked.
“Out of sight, out of mind,” I said.
But you heard me say it,
you heard and listened.
23 Love God, all you saints;
God takes care of all who stay close to him,
But he pays back in full
those arrogant enough to go it alone.
24 Be brave. Be strong. Don’t give up.
Expect God to get here soon.
32 Count yourself lucky, how happy you must be—
you get a fresh start,
your slate’s wiped clean.
2 Count yourself lucky—
God holds nothing against you
and you’re holding nothing back from him.
3 When I kept it all inside,
my bones turned to powder,
my words became daylong groans.
4 The pressure never let up;
all the juices of my life dried up.
5 Then I let it all out;
I said, “I’ll come clean about my failures to God.”
Suddenly the pressure was gone—
my guilt dissolved,
my sin disappeared.
6 These things add up. Every one of us needs to pray;
when all hell breaks loose and the dam bursts
we’ll be on high ground, untouched.
7 God’s my island hideaway,
keeps danger far from the shore,
throws garlands of hosannas around my neck.
8 Let me give you some good advice;
I’m looking you in the eye
and giving it to you straight:
9 “Don’t be ornery like a horse or mule
that needs bit and bridle
to stay on track.”
10 God-defiers are always in trouble;
God-affirmers find themselves loved
every time they turn around.
11 Celebrate God.
Sing together—everyone!
All you honest hearts, raise the roof!
33 1-3 Good people, cheer God!
Right-living people sound best when praising.
Use guitars to reinforce your Hallelujahs!
Play his praise on a grand piano!
Compose your own new song to him;
give him a trumpet fanfare.
4-5 For God’s Word is solid to the core;
everything he makes is sound inside and out.
He loves it when everything fits,
when his world is in plumb-line true.
Earth is drenched
in God’s affectionate satisfaction.
6-7 The skies were made by God’s command;
he breathed the word and the stars popped out.
He scooped Sea into his jug,
put Ocean in his keg.
8-9 Earth-creatures, bow before God;
world-dwellers—down on your knees!
Here’s why: he spoke and there it was,
in place the moment he said so.
10-12 God takes the wind out of Babel pretense,
he shoots down the world’s power-schemes.
God’s plan for the world stands up,
all his designs are made to last.
Blessed is the country with God for God;
blessed are the people he’s put in his will.
13-15 From high in the skies God looks around,
he sees all Adam’s brood.
From where he sits
he overlooks all us earth-dwellers.
He has shaped each person in turn;
now he watches everything we do.
16-17 No king succeeds with a big army alone,
no warrior wins by brute strength.
Horsepower is not the answer;
no one gets by on muscle alone.
18-19 Watch this: God’s eye is on those who respect him,
the ones who are looking for his love.
He’s ready to come to their rescue in bad times;
in lean times he keeps body and soul together.
20-22 We’re depending on God;
he’s everything we need.
What’s more, our hearts brim with joy
since we’ve taken for our own his holy name.
Love us, God, with all you’ve got—
that’s what we’re depending on.
34 I bless God every chance I get;
my lungs expand with his praise.
2 I live and breathe God;
if things aren’t going well, hear this and be happy:
3 Join me in spreading the news;
together let’s get the word out.
4 God met me more than halfway,
he freed me from my anxious fears.
5 Look at him; give him your warmest smile.
Never hide your feelings from him.
6 When I was desperate, I called out,
and God got me out of a tight spot.
7 God’s angel sets up a circle
of protection around us while we pray.
8 Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—
how good God is.
Blessed are you who run to him.
9 Worship God if you want the best;
worship opens doors to all his goodness.
10 Young lions on the prowl get hungry,
but God-seekers are full of God.
11 Come, children, listen closely;
I’ll give you a lesson in God worship.
12 Who out there has a lust for life?
Can’t wait each day to come upon beauty?
13 Guard your tongue from profanity,
and no more lying through your teeth.
14 Turn your back on sin; do something good.
Embrace peace—don’t let it get away!
15 God keeps an eye on his friends,
his ears pick up every moan and groan.
16 God won’t put up with rebels;
he’ll cull them from the pack.
17 Is anyone crying for help? God is listening,
ready to rescue you.
18 If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there;
if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath.
19 Disciples so often get into trouble;
still, God is there every time.
20 He’s your bodyguard, shielding every bone;
not even a finger gets broken.
21 The wicked commit slow suicide;
they waste their lives hating the good.
22 God pays for each slave’s freedom;
no one who runs to him loses out.
35 1-3 Harass these hecklers, God,
punch these bullies in the nose.
Grab a weapon, anything at hand;
stand up for me!
Get ready to throw the spear, aim the javelin,
at the people who are out to get me.
Reassure me; let me hear you say,
“I’ll save you.”
4-8 When those thugs try to knife me in the back,
make them look foolish.
Frustrate all those
who are plotting my downfall.
Make them like cinders in a high wind,
with God’s angel working the bellows.
Make their road lightless and mud-slick,
with God’s angel on their tails.
Out of sheer cussedness they set a trap to catch me;
for no good reason they dug a ditch to stop me.
Surprise them with your ambush—
catch them in the very trap they set,
the disaster they planned for me.
9-10 But let me run loose and free,
celebrating God’s great work,
Every bone in my body laughing, singing, “God,
there’s no one like you.
You put the down-and-out on their feet
and protect the unprotected from bullies!”
11-12 Hostile accusers appear out of nowhere,
they stand up and badger me.
They pay me back misery for mercy,
leaving my soul empty.
13-14 When they were sick, I dressed in black;
instead of eating, I prayed.
My prayers were like lead in my gut,
like I’d lost my best friend, my brother.
I paced, distraught as a motherless child,
hunched and heavyhearted.
15-16 But when I was down
they threw a party!
All the nameless misfits of the town came
chanting insults about me.
Like barbarians desecrating a shrine,
they destroyed my reputation.
17-18 God, how long are you going
to stand there doing nothing?
Save me from their brutalities;
everything I’ve got is being thrown to the lions.
I will give you full credit
when everyone gathers for worship;
When the people turn out in force
I will say my Hallelujahs.
19-21 Don’t let these liars, my enemies,
have a party at my expense,
Those who hate me for no reason,
winking and rolling their eyes.
No good is going to come
from that crowd;
They spend all their time cooking up gossip
against those who mind their own business.
They open their mouths
in ugly grins,
Mocking, “Ha-ha, ha-ha, thought you’d get away with it?
We’ve caught you hands down!”
22 Don’t you see what they’re doing, God?
You’re not going to let them
Get by with it, are you? Not going to walk off
without doing something, are you?
23-26 Please get up—wake up! Tend to my case.
My God, my Lord—my life is on the line.
Do what you think is right, God, my God,
but don’t make me pay for their good time.
Don’t let them say to themselves,
“Ha-ha, we got what we wanted.”
Don’t let them say,
“We’ve chewed him up and spit him out.”
Let those who are being hilarious
at my expense
Be made to look ridiculous.
Make them wear donkey’s ears;
Pin them with the donkey’s tail,
who made themselves so high and mighty!
27-28 But those who want
the best for me,
Let them have the last word—a glad shout!—
and say, over and over and over,
“God is great—everything works
together for good for his servant.”
I’ll tell the world how great and good you are,
I’ll shout Hallelujah all day, every day.
36 1-4 The God-rebel tunes in to sedition—
all ears, eager to sin.
He has no regard for God,
he stands insolent before him.
He has smooth-talked himself
into believing
That his evil
will never be noticed.
Words gutter from his mouth,
dishwater dirty.
Can’t remember when he
did anything decent.
Every time he goes to bed,
he fathers another evil plot.
When he’s loose on the streets,
nobody’s safe.
He plays with fire
and doesn’t care who gets burned.
5-6 God’s love is meteoric,
his loyalty astronomic,
His purpose titanic,
his verdicts oceanic.
Yet in his largeness
nothing gets lost;
Not a man, not a mouse,
slips through the cracks.
7-9 How exquisite your love, O God!
How eager we are to run under your wings,
To eat our fill at the banquet you spread
as you fill our tankards with Eden spring water.
You’re a fountain of cascading light,
and you open our eyes to light.
10-12 Keep on loving your friends;
do your work in welcoming hearts.
Don’t let the bullies kick me around,
the moral midgets slap me down.
Send the upstarts sprawling
flat on their faces in the mud.
37 1-2 Don’t bother your head with braggarts
or wish you could succeed like the wicked.
In no time they’ll shrivel like grass clippings
and wilt like cut flowers in the sun.
3-4 Get insurance with God and do a good deed,
settle down and stick to your last.
Keep company with God,
get in on the best.
5-6 Open up before God, keep nothing back;
he’ll do whatever needs to be done:
He’ll validate your life in the clear light of day
and stamp you with approval at high noon.
7 Quiet down before God,
be prayerful before him.
Don’t bother with those who climb the ladder,
who elbow their way to the top.
8-9 Bridle your anger, trash your wrath,
cool your pipes—it only makes things worse.
Before long the crooks will be bankrupt;
God-investors will soon own the store.
10-11 Before you know it, the wicked will have had it;
you’ll stare at his once famous place and—nothing!
Down-to-earth people will move in and take over,
relishing a huge bonanza.
12-13 Bad guys have it in for the good guys,
obsessed with doing them in.
But God isn’t losing any sleep; to him
they’re a joke with no punch line.
14-15 Bullies brandish their swords,
pull back on their bows with a flourish.
They’re out to beat up on the harmless,
or mug that nice man out walking his dog.
A banana peel lands them flat on their faces—
slapstick figures in a moral circus.
16-17 Less is more and more is less.
One righteous will outclass fifty wicked,
For the wicked are moral weaklings
but the righteous are God-strong.
18-19 God keeps track of the decent folk;
what they do won’t soon be forgotten.
In hard times, they’ll hold their heads high;
when the shelves are bare, they’ll be full.
20 God-despisers have had it;
God’s enemies are finished—
Stripped bare like vineyards at harvest time,
vanished like smoke in thin air.
21-22 Wicked borrows and never returns;
Righteous gives and gives.
Generous gets it all in the end;
Stingy is cut off at the pass.
23-24 Stalwart walks in step with God;
his path blazed by God, he’s happy.
If he stumbles, he’s not down for long;
God has a grip on his hand.
25-26 I once was young, now I’m a graybeard—
not once have I seen an abandoned believer,
or his kids out roaming the streets.
Every day he’s out giving and lending,
his children making him proud.
27-28 Turn your back on evil,
work for the good and don’t quit.
God loves this kind of thing,
never turns away from his friends.
28-29 Live this way and you’ve got it made,
but bad eggs will be tossed out.
The good get planted on good land
and put down healthy roots.
30-31 Righteous chews on wisdom like a dog on a bone,
rolls virtue around on his tongue.
His heart pumps God’s Word like blood through his veins;
his feet are as sure as a cat’s.
32-33 Wicked sets a watch for Righteous,
he’s out for the kill.
God, alert, is also on watch—
Wicked won’t hurt a hair of his head.
34 Wait passionately for God,
don’t leave the path.
He’ll give you your place in the sun
while you watch the wicked lose it.
35-36 I saw Wicked bloated like a toad,
croaking pretentious nonsense.
The next time I looked there was nothing—
a punctured bladder, vapid and limp.
37-38 Keep your eye on the healthy soul,
scrutinize the straight life;
There’s a future
in strenuous wholeness.
But the willful will soon be discarded;
insolent souls are on a dead-end street.
39-40 The spacious, free life is from God,
it’s also protected and safe.
God-strengthened, we’re delivered from evil—
when we run to him, he saves us.
38 1-2 Take a deep breath, God; calm down—
don’t be so hasty with your punishing rod.
Your sharp-pointed arrows of rebuke draw blood;
my backside stings from your discipline.
3-4 I’ve lost twenty pounds in two months
because of your accusation.
My bones are brittle as dry sticks
because of my sin.
I’m swamped by my bad behavior,
collapsed under an avalanche of guilt.
5-8 The cuts in my flesh stink and grow maggots
because I’ve lived so badly.
And now I’m flat on my face
feeling sorry for myself morning to night.
All my insides are on fire,
my body is a wreck.
I’m on my last legs; I’ve had it—
my life is a vomit of groans.
9-16 Lord, my longings are sitting in plain sight,
my groans an old story to you.
My heart’s about to break;
I’m a burned-out case.
Cataracts blind me to God and good;
old friends avoid me like the plague.
My cousins never visit,
my neighbors stab me in the back.
My competitors blacken my name,
devoutly they pray for my ruin.
But I’m deaf and mute to it all,
ears shut, mouth shut.
I don’t hear a word they say,
don’t speak a word in response.
What I do, God, is wait for you,
wait for my Lord, my God—you will answer!
I wait and pray so they won’t laugh me off,
won’t smugly strut off when I stumble.
17-20 I’m on the edge of losing it—
the pain in my gut keeps burning.
I’m ready to tell my story of failure,
I’m no longer smug in my sin.
My enemies are alive and in action,
a lynch mob after my neck.
I give out good and get back evil
from God-haters who can’t stand a God-lover.
21-22 Don’t dump me, God;
my God, don’t stand me up.
Hurry and help me;
I want some wide-open space in my life!
39 1-3 I’m determined to watch steps and tongue
so they won’t land me in trouble.
I decided to hold my tongue
as long as Wicked is in the room.
“Mum’s the word,” I said, and kept quiet.
But the longer I kept silence
The worse it got—
my insides got hotter and hotter.
My thoughts boiled over;
I spilled my guts.
4-6 “Tell me, what’s going on, God?
How long do I have to live?
Give me the bad news!
You’ve kept me on pretty short rations;
my life is a string too short to be saved.
Oh! we’re all puffs of air.
Oh! we’re all shadows in a campfire.
Oh! we’re just spit in the wind.
We make our pile, and then we leave it.
7-11 “What am I doing in the meantime, Lord?
Hoping, that’s what I’m doing—hoping
You’ll save me from a rebel life,
save me from the contempt of idiots.
I’ll say no more, I’ll shut my mouth,
since you, Lord, are behind all this.
But I can’t take it much longer.
When you put us through the fire
to purge us from our sin,
our dearest idols go up in smoke.
Are we also nothing but smoke?
12-13 “Ah, God, listen to my prayer, my
cry—open your ears.
Don’t be callous;
just look at these tears of mine.
I’m a stranger here. I don’t know my way—
a migrant like my whole family.
Give me a break, cut me some slack
before it’s too late and I’m out of here.”
40 1-3 I waited and waited and waited for God.
At last he looked; finally he listened.
He lifted me out of the ditch,
pulled me from deep mud.
He stood me up on a solid rock
to make sure I wouldn’t slip.
He taught me how to sing the latest God-song,
a praise-song to our God.
More and more people are seeing this:
they enter the mystery,
abandoning themselves to God.
4-5 Blessed are you who give yourselves over to God,
turn your backs on the world’s “sure thing,”
ignore what the world worships;
The world’s a huge stockpile
of God-wonders and God-thoughts.
Nothing and no one
compares to you!
I start talking about you, telling what I know,
and quickly run out of words.
Neither numbers nor words
account for you.
6 Doing something for you, bringing something to you—
that’s not what you’re after.
Being religious, acting pious—
that’s not what you’re asking for.
You’ve opened my ears
so I can listen.
7-8 So I answered, “I’m coming.
I read in your letter what you wrote about me,
And I’m coming to the party
you’re throwing for me.”
That’s when God’s Word entered my life,
became part of my very being.
9-10 I’ve preached you to the whole congregation,
I’ve kept back nothing, God—you know that.
I didn’t keep the news of your ways
a secret, didn’t keep it to myself.
I told it all, how dependable you are, how thorough.
I didn’t hold back pieces of love and truth
For myself alone. I told it all,
let the congregation know the whole story.
11-12 Now God, don’t hold out on me,
don’t hold back your passion.
Your love and truth
are all that keeps me together.
When troubles ganged up on me,
a mob of sins past counting,
I was so swamped by guilt
I couldn’t see my way clear.
More guilt in my heart than hair on my head,
so heavy the guilt that my heart gave out.
13-15 Soften up, God, and intervene;
hurry and get me some help,
So those who are trying to kidnap my soul
will be embarrassed and lose face,
So anyone who gets a kick out of making me miserable
will be heckled and disgraced,
So those who pray for my ruin
will be booed and jeered without mercy.
16-17 But all who are hunting for you—
oh, let them sing and be happy.
Let those who know what you’re all about
tell the world you’re great and not quitting.
And me? I’m a mess. I’m nothing and have nothing:
make something of me.
You can do it; you’ve got what it takes—
but God, don’t put it off.
41 1-3 Dignify those who are down on their luck;
you’ll feel good—that’s what God does.
God looks after us all,
makes us robust with life—
Lucky to be in the land,
we’re free from enemy worries.
Whenever we’re sick and in bed,
God becomes our nurse,
nurses us back to health.
4-7 I said, “God, be gracious!
Put me together again—
my sins have torn me to pieces.”
My enemies are wishing the worst for me;
they make bets on what day I will die.
If someone comes to see me,
he mouths empty platitudes,
All the while gathering gossip about me
to entertain the street-corner crowd.
These “friends” who hate me
whisper slanders all over town.
They form committees
to plan misery for me.
8-9 The rumor goes out, “He’s got some dirty,
deadly disease. The doctors
have given up on him.”
Even my best friend, the one I always told everything
—he ate meals at my house all the time!—
has bitten my hand.
10 God, give grace, get me up on my feet.
I’ll show them a thing or two.
11-12 Meanwhile, I’m sure you’re on my side—
no victory shouts yet from the enemy camp!
You know me inside and out, you hold me together,
you never fail to stand me tall in your presence
so I can look you in the eye.
13 Blessed is God, Israel’s God,
always, always, always.
Yes. Yes. Yes.
42 1-3 A white-tailed deer drinks
from the creek;
I want to drink God,
deep drafts of God.
I’m thirsty for God-alive.
I wonder, “Will I ever make it—
arrive and drink in God’s presence?”
I’m on a diet of tears—
tears for breakfast, tears for supper.
All day long
people knock at my door,
Pestering,
“Where is this God of yours?”
4 These are the things I go over and over,
emptying out the pockets of my life.
I was always at the head of the worshiping crowd,
right out in front,
Leading them all,
eager to arrive and worship,
Shouting praises, singing thanksgiving—
celebrating, all of us, God’s feast!
5 Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God—
soon I’ll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
He’s my God.
6-8 When my soul is in the dumps, I rehearse
everything I know of you,
From Jordan depths to Hermon heights,
including Mount Mizar.
Chaos calls to chaos,
to the tune of whitewater rapids.
Your breaking surf, your thundering breakers
crash and crush me.
Then God promises to love me all day,
sing songs all through the night!
My life is God’s prayer.
9-10 Sometimes I ask God, my rock-solid God,
“Why did you let me down?
Why am I walking around in tears,
harassed by enemies?”
They’re out for the kill, these
tormentors with their obscenities,
Taunting day after day,
“Where is this God of yours?”
11 Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God—
soon I’ll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
He’s my God.
43 1-2 Clear my name, God; stick up for me
against these loveless, immoral people.
Get me out of here, away
from these lying degenerates.
I counted on you, God.
Why did you walk out on me?
Why am I pacing the floor, wringing my hands
over these outrageous people?
3-4 Give me your lantern and compass,
give me a map,
So I can find my way to the sacred mountain,
to the place of your presence,
To enter the place of worship,
meet my exuberant God,
Sing my thanks with a harp,
magnificent God, my God.
5 Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God—
soon I’ll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
He’s my God.
44 1-3 We’ve been hearing about this, God,
all our lives.
Our fathers told us the stories
their fathers told them,
How single-handedly you weeded out the godless
from the fields and planted us,
How you sent those people packing
but gave us a fresh start.
We didn’t fight for this land;
we didn’t work for it—it was a gift!
You gave it, smiling as you gave it,
delighting as you gave it.
4-8 You’re my King, O God—
command victories for Jacob!
With your help we’ll wipe out our enemies,
in your name we’ll stomp them to dust.
I don’t trust in weapons;
my sword won’t save me—
But it’s you, you who saved us from the enemy;
you made those who hate us lose face.
All day we parade God’s praise—
we thank you by name over and over.
9-12 But now you’ve walked off and left us,
you’ve disgraced us and won’t fight for us.
You made us turn tail and run;
those who hate us have cleaned us out.
You delivered us as sheep to the butcher,
you scattered us to the four winds.
You sold your people at a discount—
you made nothing on the sale.
13-16 You made people on the street,
people we know, poke fun and call us names.
You made us a joke among the godless,
a cheap joke among the rabble.
Every day I’m up against it,
my nose rubbed in my shame—
Gossip and ridicule fill the air,
people out to get me crowd the street.
17-19 All this came down on us,
and we’ve done nothing to deserve it.
We never betrayed your Covenant: our hearts
were never false, our feet never left your path.
Do we deserve torture in a den of jackals?
or lockup in a black hole?
20-22 If we had forgotten to pray to our God
or made fools of ourselves with store-bought gods,
Wouldn’t God have figured this out?
We can’t hide things from him.
No, you decided to make us martyrs,
lambs assigned for sacrifice each day.
23-26 Get up, God! Are you going to sleep all day?
Wake up! Don’t you care what happens to us?
Why do you bury your face in the pillow?
Why pretend things are just fine with us?
And here we are—flat on our faces in the dirt,
held down with a boot on our necks.
Get up and come to our rescue.
If you love us so much, Help us!
45 My heart bursts its banks,
spilling beauty and goodness.
I pour it out in a poem to the king,
shaping the river into words:
* * *
2-4 “You’re the handsomest of men;
every word from your lips is sheer grace,
and God has blessed you, blessed you so much.
Strap your sword to your side, warrior!
Accept praise! Accept due honor!
Ride majestically! Ride triumphantly!
Ride on the side of truth!
Ride for the righteous meek!
4-5 “Your instructions are glow-in-the-dark;
you shoot sharp arrows
Into enemy hearts; the king’s
foes lie down in the dust, beaten.
6-7 “Your throne is God’s throne,
ever and always;
The scepter of your royal rule
measures right living.
You love the right
and hate the wrong.
And that is why God, your very own God,
poured fragrant oil on your head,
Marking you out as king
from among your dear companions.
8-9 “Your forest-drenched garments
are fragrant with mountain breeze.
Chamber music—from the throne room—
makes you want to dance.
Kings’ daughters are maids in your court,
the Bride glittering with golden jewelry.
* * *
10-12 “Now listen, daughter, don’t miss a word:
forget your country, put your home behind you.
Be here—the king is wild for you.
Since he’s your lord, adore him.
Wedding gifts pour in from Tyre;
rich guests shower you with presents.”
13-15 (Her wedding dress is dazzling,
lined with gold by the weavers;
All her dresses and robes
are woven with gold.
She is led to the king,
followed by her virgin companions.
A procession of joy and laughter!
a grand entrance to the king’s palace!)
16-17 “Set your mind now on sons—
don’t dote on father and grandfather.
You’ll set your sons up as princes
all over the earth.
I’ll make you famous for generations;
you’ll be the talk of the town
for a long, long time.”
46 1-3 God is a safe place to hide,
ready to help when we need him.
We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom,
courageous in seastorm and earthquake,
Before the rush and roar of oceans,
the tremors that shift mountains.
Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.
4-6 River fountains splash joy, cooling God’s city,
this sacred haunt of the Most High.
God lives here, the streets are safe,
God at your service from crack of dawn.
Godless nations rant and rave, kings and kingdoms threaten,
but Earth does anything he says.
7 Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.
8-10 Attention, all! See the marvels of God!
He plants flowers and trees all over the earth,
Bans war from pole to pole,
breaks all the weapons across his knee.
“Step out of the traffic! Take a long,
loving look at me, your High God,
above politics, above everything.”
11 Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.
47 1-9 Applause, everyone. Bravo, bravissimo!
Shout God-songs at the top of your lungs!
God Most High is stunning,
astride land and ocean.
He crushes hostile people,
puts nations at our feet.
He set us at the head of the line,
prize-winning Jacob, his favorite.
Loud cheers as God climbs the mountain,
a ram’s horn blast at the summit.
Sing songs to God, sing out!
Sing to our King, sing praise!
He’s Lord over earth,
so sing your best songs to God.
God is Lord of godless nations—
sovereign, he’s King of the mountain.
Princes from all over are gathered,
people of Abraham’s God.
The powers of earth are God’s—
he soars over all.
48 1-3 God majestic,
praise abounds in our God-city!
His sacred mountain,
breathtaking in its heights—earth’s joy.
Zion Mountain looms in the North,
city of the world-King.
God in his citadel peaks
undefeatable.
4-6 The kings got together,
they united and came.
They took one look and shook their heads,
they scattered and ran away.
They doubled up in pain
like a woman having a baby.
7-8 You smashed the ships of Tarshish
with a storm out of the East.
We heard about it, then we saw it
with our eyes—
In God’s city of Angel Armies,
in the city our God
Set on firm foundations,
firm forever.
9-10 We pondered your love-in-action, God,
waiting in your temple:
Your name, God, evokes a train
of Hallelujahs wherever
It is spoken, near and far;
your arms are heaped with goodness-in-action.
11 Be glad, Zion Mountain;
Dance, Judah’s daughters!
He does what he said he’d do!
12-14 Circle Zion, take her measure,
count her fortress peaks,
Gaze long at her sloping bulwark,
climb her citadel heights—
Then you can tell the next generation
detail by detail the story of God,
Our God forever,
who guides us till the end of time.
49 1-2 Listen, everyone, listen—
earth-dwellers, don’t miss this.
All you haves
and have-nots,
All together now: listen.
3-4 I set plainspoken wisdom before you,
my heart-seasoned understandings of life.
I fine-tuned my ear to the sayings of the wise,
I solve life’s riddle with the help of a harp.
5-6 So why should I fear in bad times,
hemmed in by enemy malice,
Shoved around by bullies,
demeaned by the arrogant rich?
7-9 Really! There’s no such thing as self-rescue,
pulling yourself up by your bootstraps.
The cost of rescue is beyond our means,
and even then it doesn’t guarantee
Life forever, or insurance
against the Black Hole.
10-11 Anyone can see that the brightest and best die,
wiped out right along with fools and idiots.
They leave all their prowess behind,
move into their new home, The Coffin,
The cemetery their permanent address.
And to think they named counties after themselves!
12 We aren’t immortal. We don’t last long.
Like our dogs, we age and weaken. And die.
13-15 This is what happens to those who live for the moment,
who only look out for themselves:
Death herds them like sheep straight to hell;
they disappear down the gullet of the grave;
They waste away to nothing—
nothing left but a marker in a cemetery.
But me? God snatches me from the clutch of death,
he reaches down and grabs me.
16-19 So don’t be impressed with those who get rich
and pile up fame and fortune.
They can’t take it with them;
fame and fortune all get left behind.
Just when they think they’ve arrived
and folks praise them because they’ve made good,
They enter the family burial plot
where they’ll never see sunshine again.
20 We aren’t immortal. We don’t last long.
Like our dogs, we age and weaken. And die.
50 1-3 The God of gods—it’s God!—speaks out, shouts, “Earth!”
welcomes the sun in the east,
farewells the disappearing sun in the west.
From the dazzle of Zion,
God blazes into view.
Our God makes his entrance,
he’s not shy in his coming.
Starbursts of fireworks precede him.
4-5 He summons heaven and earth as a jury,
he’s taking his people to court:
“Round up my saints who swore
on the Bible their loyalty to me.”
6 The whole cosmos attests to the fairness of this court,
that here God is judge.
7-15 “Are you listening, dear people? I’m getting ready to speak;
Israel, I’m about ready to bring you to trial.
This is God, your God,
speaking to you.
I don’t find fault with your acts of worship,
the frequent burnt sacrifices you offer.
But why should I want your blue-ribbon bull,
or more and more goats from your herds?
Every creature in the forest is mine,
the wild animals on all the mountains.
I know every mountain bird by name;
the scampering field mice are my friends.
If I get hungry, do you think I’d tell you?
All creation and its bounty are mine.
Do you think I feast on venison?
or drink drafts of goats’ blood?
Spread for me a banquet of praise,
serve High God a feast of kept promises,
And call for help when you’re in trouble—
I’ll help you, and you’ll honor me.”
16-21 Next, God calls up the wicked:
“What are you up to, quoting my laws,
talking like we are good friends?
You never answer the door when I call;
you treat my words like garbage.
If you find a thief, you make him your buddy;
adulterers are your friends of choice.
Your mouth drools filth;
lying is a serious art form with you.
You stab your own brother in the back,
rip off your little sister.
I kept a quiet patience while you did these things;
you thought I went along with your game.
I’m calling you on the carpet, now,
laying your wickedness out in plain sight.
22-23 “Time’s up for playing fast and
loose with me.
I’m ready to pass sentence,
and there’s no help in sight!
It’s the praising life that honors me.
As soon as you set your foot on the Way,
I’ll show you my salvation.”
51 1-3 Generous in love—God, give grace!
Huge in mercy—wipe out my bad record.
Scrub away my guilt,
soak out my sins in your laundry.
I know how bad I’ve been;
my sins are staring me down.
4-6 You’re the One I’ve violated, and you’ve seen
it all, seen the full extent of my evil.
You have all the facts before you;
whatever you decide about me is fair.
I’ve been out of step with you for a long time,
in the wrong since before I was born.
What you’re after is truth from the inside out.
Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life.
7-15 Soak me in your laundry and I’ll come out clean,
scrub me and I’ll have a snow-white life.
Tune me in to foot-tapping songs,
set these once-broken bones to dancing.
Don’t look too close for blemishes,
give me a clean bill of health.
God, make a fresh start in me,
shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.
Don’t throw me out with the trash,
or fail to breathe holiness in me.
Bring me back from gray exile,
put a fresh wind in my sails!
Give me a job teaching rebels your ways
so the lost can find their way home.
Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God,
and I’ll sing anthems to your life-giving ways.
Unbutton my lips, dear God;
I’ll let loose with your praise.
16-17 Going through the motions doesn’t please you,
a flawless performance is nothing to you.
I learned God-worship
when my pride was shattered.
Heart-shattered lives ready for love
don’t for a moment escape God’s notice.
18-19 Make Zion the place you delight in,
repair Jerusalem’s broken-down walls.
Then you’ll get real worship from us,
acts of worship small and large,
Including all the bulls
they can heave onto your altar!
52 1-4 Why do you brag of evil, “Big Man”?
God’s mercy carries the day.
You scheme catastrophe;
your tongue cuts razor-sharp,
artisan in lies.
You love evil more than good,
you call black white.
You love malicious gossip,
you foul-mouth.
5 God will tear you limb from limb,
sweep you up and throw you out,
Pull you up by the roots
from the land of life.
6-7 Good people will watch and
worship. They’ll laugh in relief:
“Big Man bet on the wrong horse,
trusted in big money,
made his living from catastrophe.”
8 And I’m an olive tree,
growing green in God’s house.
I trusted in the generous mercy
of God then and now.
9 I thank you always
that you went into action.
And I’ll stay right here,
your good name my hope,
in company with your faithful friends.
53 1-2 Bilious and bloated, they gas,
“God is gone.”
It’s poison gas—
they foul themselves, they poison
Rivers and skies;
thistles are their cash crop.
God sticks his head out of heaven.
He looks around.
He’s looking for someone not stupid—
one man, even, God-expectant,
just one God-ready woman.
3 He comes up empty. A string
of zeros. Useless, unshepherded
Sheep, taking turns pretending
to be Shepherd.
The ninety and nine
follow the one.
4 Don’t they know anything,
all these predators?
Don’t they know
they can’t get away with this,
Treating people like a fast-food meal
over which they’re too busy to pray?
5 Night is coming for them, and nightmare—
a nightmare they’ll never wake up from.
God will make hash of these squatters,
send them packing for good.
6 Is there anyone around to save Israel?
God turns life around.
Turned-around Jacob skips rope,
turned-around Israel sings laughter.
54 1-2 God, for your sake, help me!
Use your influence to clear me.
Listen, God—I’m desperate.
Don’t be too busy to hear me.
3 Outlaws are out to get me,
hit men are trying to kill me.
Nothing will stop them;
God means nothing to them.
4-5 Oh, look! God’s right here helping!
God’s on my side,
Evil is looping back on my enemies.
Don’t let up! Finish them off!
6-7 I’m ready now to worship, so ready.
I thank you, God—you’re so good.
You got me out of every scrape,
and I saw my enemies get it.
55 1-3 Open your ears, God, to my prayer;
don’t pretend you don’t hear me knocking.
Come close and whisper your answer.
I really need you.
I shudder at the mean voice,
quail before the evil eye,
As they pile on the guilt,
stockpile angry slander.
4-8 My insides are turned inside out;
specters of death have me down.
I shake with fear,
I shudder from head to foot.
“Who will give me wings,” I ask—
“wings like a dove?”
Get me out of here on dove wings;
I want some peace and quiet.
I want a walk in the country,
I want a cabin in the woods.
I’m desperate for a change
from rage and stormy weather.
9-11 Come down hard, Lord—slit their tongues.
I’m appalled how they’ve split the city
Into rival gangs
prowling the alleys
Day and night spoiling for a fight,
trash piled in the streets,
Even shopkeepers gouging and cheating
in broad daylight.
12-14 This isn’t the neighborhood bully
mocking me—I could take that.
This isn’t a foreign devil spitting
invective—I could tune that out.
It’s you! We grew up together!
You! My best friend!
Those long hours of leisure as we walked
arm in arm, God a third party to our conversation.
15 Haul my betrayers off alive to hell—let them
experience the horror, let them
feel every desolate detail of a damned life.
16-19 I call to God;
God will help me.
At dusk, dawn, and noon I sigh
deep sighs—he hears, he rescues.
My life is well and whole, secure
in the middle of danger
Even while thousands
are lined up against me.
God hears it all, and from his judge’s bench
puts them in their place.
But, set in their ways, they won’t change;
they pay him no mind.
20-21 And this, my best friend, betrayed his best friends;
his life betrayed his word.
All my life I’ve been charmed by his speech,
never dreaming he’d turn on me.
His words, which were music to my ears,
turned to daggers in my heart.
22-23 Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders—
he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out.
He’ll never let good people
topple into ruin.
But you, God, will throw the others
into a muddy bog,
Cut the lifespan of assassins
and traitors in half.
And I trust in you.
56 1-4 Take my side, God—I’m getting kicked around,
stomped on every day.
Not a day goes by
but somebody beats me up;
They make it their duty
to beat me up.
When I get really afraid
I come to you in trust.
I’m proud to praise God;
fearless now, I trust in God.
What can mere mortals do?
5-6 They don’t let up—
they smear my reputation
and huddle to plot my collapse.
They gang up,
sneak together through the alleys
To take me by surprise,
wait their chance to get me.
7 Pay them back in evil!
Get angry, God!
Down with these people!
8 You’ve kept track of my every toss and turn
through the sleepless nights,
Each tear entered in your ledger,
each ache written in your book.
9 If my enemies run away,
turn tail when I yell at them,
Then I’ll know
that God is on my side.
10-11 I’m proud to praise God,
proud to praise God.
Fearless now, I trust in God;
what can mere mortals do to me?
12-13 God, you did everything you promised,
and I’m thanking you with all my heart.
You pulled me from the brink of death,
my feet from the cliff-edge of doom.
Now I stroll at leisure with God
in the sunlit fields of life.
57 1-3 Be good to me, God—and now!
I’ve run to you for dear life.
I’m hiding out under your wings
until the hurricane blows over.
I call out to High God,
the God who holds me together.
He sends orders from heaven and saves me,
he humiliates those who kick me around.
God delivers generous love,
he makes good on his word.
4 I find myself in a pride of lions
who are wild for a taste of human flesh;
Their teeth are lances and arrows,
their tongues are sharp daggers.
5 Soar high in the skies, O God!
Cover the whole earth with your glory!
6 They booby-trapped my path;
I thought I was dead and done for.
They dug a mantrap to catch me,
and fell in headlong themselves.
7-8 I’m ready, God, so ready,
ready from head to toe,
Ready to sing, ready to raise a tune:
“Wake up, soul!
Wake up, harp! wake up, lute!
Wake up, you sleepyhead sun!”
9-10 I’m thanking you, God, out loud in the streets,
singing your praises in town and country.
The deeper your love, the higher it goes;
every cloud is a flag to your faithfulness.
11 Soar high in the skies, O God!
Cover the whole earth with your glory!
58 1-2 Is this any way to run a country?
Is there an honest politician in the house?
Behind the scenes you weave webs of deceit,
behind closed doors you make deals with demons.
3-5 The wicked crawl from the wrong side of the cradle;
their first words out of the womb are lies.
Poison, lethal rattlesnake poison,
drips from their forked tongues—
Deaf to threats, deaf to charm,
decades of wax built up in their ears.
6-9 God, smash their teeth to bits,
leave them toothless tigers.
Let their lives be buckets of water spilled,
all that’s left, a damp stain in the sand.
Let them be trampled grass
worn smooth by the traffic.
Let them dissolve into snail slime,
be a miscarried fetus that never sees sunlight.
Before what they cook up is half-done, God,
throw it out with the garbage!
10-11 The righteous will call up their friends
when they see the wicked get their reward,
Serve up their blood in goblets
as they toast one another,
Everyone cheering, “It’s worth it to play by the rules!
God’s handing out trophies and tending the earth!”
59 1-2 My God! Rescue me from my enemies,
defend me from these mutineers.
Rescue me from their dirty tricks,
save me from their hit men.
3-4 Desperadoes have ganged up on me,
they’re hiding in ambush for me.
I did nothing to deserve this, God,
crossed no one, wronged no one.
All the same, they’re after me,
determined to get me.
4-5 Wake up and see for yourself! You’re God,
God-of-Angel-Armies, Israel’s God!
Get on the job and take care of these pagans,
don’t be soft on these hard cases.
6-7 They return when the sun goes down,
They howl like coyotes, ringing the city.
Then suddenly they’re all at the gate,
Snarling invective, drawn daggers in their teeth.
They think they’ll never get caught.
8-10 But you, God, break out laughing;
you treat the godless nations like jokes.
Strong God, I’m watching you do it,
I can always count on you.
God in dependable love shows up on time,
shows me my enemies in ruin.
11-13 Don’t make quick work of them, God,
lest my people forget.
Bring them down in slow motion,
take them apart piece by piece.
Let all their mean-mouthed arrogance
catch up with them,
Catch them out and bring them down
—every muttered curse
—every barefaced lie.
Finish them off in fine style!
Finish them off for good!
Then all the world will see
that God rules well in Jacob,
everywhere that God’s in charge.
14-15 They return when the sun goes down,
They howl like coyotes, ringing the city.
They scavenge for bones,
And bite the hand that feeds them.
16-17 And me? I’m singing your prowess,
shouting at dawn your largesse,
For you’ve been a safe place for me,
a good place to hide.
Strong God, I’m watching you do it,
I can always count on you—
God, my dependable love.
60 1-2 God! you walked off and left us,
kicked our defenses to bits
And stomped off angry.
Come back. Oh please, come back!
You shook earth to the foundations,
ripped open huge crevasses.
Heal the breaks! Everything’s
coming apart at the seams.
3-5 You made your people look doom in the face,
then gave us cheap wine to drown our troubles.
Then you planted a flag to rally your people,
an unfurled flag to look to for courage.
Now do something quickly, answer right now,
so the one you love best is saved.
6-8 That’s when God spoke in holy splendor,
“Bursting with joy,
I make a present of Shechem,
I hand out Succoth Valley as a gift.
Gilead’s in my pocket,
to say nothing of Manasseh.
Ephraim’s my hard hat,
Judah my hammer;
Moab’s a scrub bucket,
I mop the floor with Moab,
Spit on Edom,
rain fireworks all over Philistia.”
9-10 Who will take me to the thick of the fight?
Who’ll show me the road to Edom?
You aren’t giving up on us, are you, God?
refusing to go out with our troops?
11-12 Give us help for the hard task;
human help is worthless.
In God we’ll do our very best;
he’ll flatten the opposition for good.
61 1-2 God, listen to me shout,
bend an ear to my prayer.
When I’m far from anywhere,
down to my last gasp,
I call out, “Guide me
up High Rock Mountain!”
3-5 You’ve always given me breathing room,
a place to get away from it all,
A lifetime pass to your safe-house,
an open invitation as your guest.
You’ve always taken me seriously, God,
made me welcome among those who know and love you.
6-8 Let the days of the king add up
to years and years of good rule.
Set his throne in the full light of God;
post Steady Love and Good Faith as lookouts,
And I’ll be the poet who sings your glory—
and live what I sing every day.
62 1-2 God, the one and only—
I’ll wait as long as he says.
Everything I need comes from him,
so why not?
He’s solid rock under my feet,
breathing room for my soul,
An impregnable castle:
I’m set for life.
3-4 How long will you gang up on me?
How long will you run with the bullies?
There’s nothing to you, any of you—
rotten floorboards, worm-eaten rafters,
Anthills plotting to bring down mountains,
far gone in make-believe.
You talk a good line,
but every “blessing” breathes a curse.
5-6 God, the one and only—
I’ll wait as long as he says.
Everything I hope for comes from him,
so why not?
He’s solid rock under my feet,
breathing room for my soul,
An impregnable castle:
I’m set for life.
7-8 My help and glory are in God
—granite-strength and safe-harbor-God—
So trust him absolutely, people;
lay your lives on the line for him.
God is a safe place to be.
9 Man as such is smoke,
woman as such, a mirage.
Put them together, they’re nothing;
two times nothing is nothing.
10 And a windfall, if it comes—
don’t make too much of it.
11 God said this once and for all;
how many times
Have I heard it repeated?
“Strength comes
Straight from God.”
12 Love to you, Lord God!
You pay a fair wage for a good day’s work!
63 God—you’re my God!
I can’t get enough of you!
I’ve worked up such hunger and thirst for God,
traveling across dry and weary deserts.
2-4 So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open,
drinking in your strength and glory.
In your generous love I am really living at last!
My lips brim praises like fountains.
I bless you every time I take a breath;
My arms wave like banners of praise to you.
5-8 I eat my fill of prime rib and gravy;
I smack my lips. It’s time to shout praises!
If I’m sleepless at midnight,
I spend the hours in grateful reflection.
Because you’ve always stood up for me,
I’m free to run and play.
I hold on to you for dear life,
and you hold me steady as a post.
9-11 Those who are out to get me are marked for doom,
marked for death, bound for hell.
They’ll die violent deaths;
jackals will tear them limb from limb.
But the king is glad in God;
his true friends spread the joy,
While small-minded gossips
are gagged for good.
64 Listen and help, O God.
I’m reduced to a whine
And a whimper, obsessed
with feelings of doomsday.
2-6 Don’t let them find me—
the conspirators out to get me,
Using their tongues as weapons,
flinging poison words,
poison-tipped arrow-words.
They shoot from ambush,
shoot without warning,
not caring who they hit.
They keep fit doing calisthenics
of evil purpose,
They keep lists of the traps
they’ve secretly set.
They say to each other,
“No one can catch us,
no one can detect our perfect crime.”
The Detective detects the mystery
in the dark of the cellar heart.
7-8 The God of the Arrow shoots!
They double up in pain,
Fall flat on their faces
in full view of the grinning crowd.
9-10 Everyone sees it. God’s
work is the talk of the town.
Be glad, good people! Fly to God!
Good-hearted people, make praise your habit.
65 1-2 Silence is praise to you,
Zion-dwelling God,
And also obedience.
You hear the prayer in it all.
2-8 We all arrive at your doorstep sooner
or later, loaded with guilt,
Our sins too much for us—
but you get rid of them once and for all.
Blessed are the chosen! Blessed the guest
at home in your place!
We expect our fill of good things
in your house, your heavenly manse.
All your salvation wonders
are on display in your trophy room.
Earth-Tamer, Ocean-Pourer,
Mountain-Maker, Hill-Dresser,
Muzzler of sea storm and wave crash,
of mobs in noisy riot—
Far and wide they’ll come to a stop,
they’ll stare in awe, in wonder.
Dawn and dusk take turns
calling, “Come and worship.”
9-13 Oh, visit the earth,
ask her to join the dance!
Deck her out in spring showers,
fill the God-River with living water.
Paint the wheat fields golden.
Creation was made for this!
Drench the plowed fields,
soak the dirt clods
With rainfall as harrow and rake
bring her to blossom and fruit.
Snow-crown the peaks with splendor,
scatter rose petals down your paths,
All through the wild meadows, rose petals.
Set the hills to dancing,
Dress the canyon walls with live sheep,
a drape of flax across the valleys.
Let them shout, and shout, and shout!
Oh, oh, let them sing!
66 1-4 All together now—applause for God!
Sing songs to the tune of his glory,
set glory to the rhythms of his praise.
Say of God, “We’ve never seen anything like him!”
When your enemies see you in action,
they slink off like scolded dogs.
The whole earth falls to its knees—
it worships you, sings to you,
can’t stop enjoying your name and fame.
5-6 Take a good look at God’s wonders—
they’ll take your breath away.
He converted sea to dry land;
travelers crossed the river on foot.
Now isn’t that cause for a song?
7 Ever sovereign in his high tower, he keeps
his eye on the godless nations.
Rebels don’t dare
raise a finger against him.
8-12 Bless our God, O peoples!
Give him a thunderous welcome!
Didn’t he set us on the road to life?
Didn’t he keep us out of the ditch?
He trained us first,
passed us like silver through refining fires,
Brought us into hardscrabble country,
pushed us to our very limit,
Road-tested us inside and out,
took us to hell and back;
Finally he brought us
to this well-watered place.
13-15 I’m bringing my prizes and presents to your house.
I’m doing what I said I’d do,
What I solemnly swore I’d do
that day when I was in so much trouble:
The choicest cuts of meat
for the sacrificial meal;
Even the fragrance
of roasted lamb is like a meal!
Or make it an ox
garnished with goat meat!
16-20 All believers, come here and listen,
let me tell you what God did for me.
I called out to him with my mouth,
my tongue shaped the sounds of music.
If I had been cozy with evil,
the Lord would never have listened.
But he most surely did listen,
he came on the double when he heard my prayer.
Blessed be God: he didn’t turn a deaf ear,
he stayed with me, loyal in his love.
67 1-7 God, mark us with grace
and blessing! Smile!
The whole country will see how you work,
all the godless nations see how you save.
God! Let people thank and enjoy you.
Let all people thank and enjoy you.
Let all far-flung people become happy
and shout their happiness because
You judge them fair and square,
you tend the far-flung peoples.
God! Let people thank and enjoy you.
Let all people thank and enjoy you.
Earth, display your exuberance!
You mark us with blessing, O God, our God.
You mark us with blessing, O God.
Earth’s four corners—honor him!
68 1-4 Up with God!
Down with his enemies!
Adversaries, run for the hills!
Gone like a puff of smoke,
like a blob of wax in the fire—
one look at God and the wicked vanish.
When the righteous see God in action
they’ll laugh, they’ll sing,
they’ll laugh and sing for joy.
Sing hymns to God;
all heaven, sing out;
clear the way for the coming of Cloud-Rider.
Enjoy God,
cheer when you see him!
5-6 Father of orphans,
champion of widows,
is God in his holy house.
God makes homes for the homeless,
leads prisoners to freedom,
but leaves rebels to rot in hell.
7-10 God, when you took the lead with your people,
when you marched out into the wild,
Earth shook, sky broke out in a sweat;
God was on the march.
Even Sinai trembled at the sight of God on the move,
at the sight of Israel’s God.
You pour out rain in buckets, O God;
thorn and cactus become an oasis
For your people to camp in and enjoy.
You set them up in business;
they went from rags to riches.
11-14 The Lord gave the word;
thousands called out the good news:
“Kings of the armies
are on the run, on the run!”
While housewives, safe and sound back home,
divide up the plunder,
the plunder of Canaanite silver and gold.
On that day that Shaddai scattered the kings,
snow fell on Black Mountain.
15-16 You huge mountains, Bashan mountains,
mighty mountains, dragon mountains.
All you mountains not chosen,
sulk now, and feel sorry for yourselves,
For this is the mountain God has chosen to live on;
he’ll rule from this mountain forever.
17-18 The chariots of God, twice ten thousand,
and thousands more besides,
The Lord in the lead, riding down Sinai—
straight to the Holy Place!
You climbed to the High Place, captives in tow,
your arms full of plunder from rebels,
And now you sit there in state,
God, sovereign God!
19-23 Blessed be the Lord—
day after day he carries us along.
He’s our Savior, our God, oh yes!
He’s God-for-us, he’s God-who-saves-us.
Lord God knows all
death’s ins and outs.
What’s more, he made heads roll,
split the skulls of the enemy
As he marched out of heaven,
saying, “I tied up the Dragon in knots,
put a muzzle on the Deep Blue Sea.”
You can wade through your enemies’ blood,
and your dogs taste of your enemies from your boots.
24-31 See God on parade
to the sanctuary, my God,
my King on the march!
Singers out front, the band behind,
maidens in the middle with castanets.
The whole choir blesses God.
Like a fountain of praise, Israel blesses God.
Look—little Benjamin’s out
front and leading
Princes of Judah in their royal robes,
princes of Zebulun, princes of Naphtali.
Parade your power, O God,
the power, O God, that made us what we are.
Your temple, High God, is Jerusalem;
kings bring gifts to you.
Rebuke that old crocodile, Egypt,
with her herd of wild bulls and calves,
Rapacious in her lust for silver,
crushing peoples, spoiling for a fight.
Let Egyptian traders bring blue cloth
and Cush come running to God, her hands outstretched.
32-34 Sing, O kings of the earth!
Sing praises to the Lord!
There he is: Sky-Rider,
striding the ancient skies.
Listen—he’s calling in thunder,
rumbling, rolling thunder.
Call out “Bravo!” to God,
the High God of Israel.
His splendor and strength
rise huge as thunderheads.
35 A terrible beauty, O God,
streams from your sanctuary.
It’s Israel’s strong God! He gives
power and might to his people!
O you, his people—bless God!
69 God, God, save me!
I’m in over my head,
2 Quicksand under me, swamp water over me;
I’m going down for the third time.
3 I’m hoarse from calling for help,
Bleary-eyed from searching the sky for God.
4 I’ve got more enemies than hairs on my head;
Liars and cheats are out to knife me in the back.
What I never stole
Must I now give back?
5 God, you know every sin I’ve committed;
My life’s a wide-open book before you.
6 Don’t let those who look to you in hope
Be discouraged by what happens to me,
Dear Lord! God of the armies!
Don’t let those out looking for you
Come to a dead end by following me—
Please, dear God of Israel!
7 Because of you I look like an idiot,
I walk around ashamed to show my face.
8 My brothers shun me like a bum off the street;
My family treats me like an unwanted guest.
9 I love you more than I can say.
Because I’m madly in love with you,
They blame me for everything they dislike about you.
10 When I poured myself out in prayer and fasting,
All it got me was more contempt.
11 When I put on a sad face,
They treated me like a clown.
12 Now drunks and gluttons
Make up drinking songs about me.
13 And me? I pray.
God, it’s time for a break!
God, answer in love!
Answer with your sure salvation!
14 Rescue me from the swamp,
Don’t let me go under for good,
Pull me out of the clutch of the enemy;
This whirlpool is sucking me down.
15 Don’t let the swamp be my grave, the Black Hole
Swallow me, its jaws clenched around me.
16 Now answer me, God, because you love me;
Let me see your great mercy full-face.
17 Don’t look the other way; your servant can’t take it.
I’m in trouble. Answer right now!
18 Come close, God; get me out of here.
Rescue me from this deathtrap.
19 You know how they kick me around—
Pin on me the donkey’s ears, the dunce’s cap.
20 I’m broken by their taunts,
Flat on my face, reduced to a nothing.
I looked in vain for one friendly face. Not one.
I couldn’t find one shoulder to cry on.
21 They put poison in my soup,
Vinegar in my drink.
22 Let their supper be bait in a trap that snaps shut;
May their best friends be trappers who’ll skin them alive.
23 Make them become blind as bats,
Give them the shakes from morning to night.
24 Let them know what you think of them,
Blast them with your red-hot anger.
25 Burn down their houses,
Leave them desolate with nobody at home.
26 They gossiped about the one you disciplined,
Made up stories about anyone wounded by God.
27 Pile on the guilt,
Don’t let them off the hook.
28 Strike their names from the list of the living;
No rock-carved honor for them among the righteous.
29 I’m hurt and in pain;
Give me space for healing, and mountain air.
30 Let me shout God’s name with a praising song,
Let me tell his greatness in a prayer of thanks.
31 For God, this is better than oxen on the altar,
Far better than blue-ribbon bulls.
32 The poor in spirit see and are glad—
Oh, you God-seekers, take heart!
33 For God listens to the poor,
He doesn’t walk out on the wretched.
34 You heavens, praise him; praise him, earth;
Also ocean and all things that swim in it.
35 For God is out to help Zion,
Rebuilding the wrecked towns of Judah.
Guess who will live there—
The proud owners of the land?
36 No, the children of his servants will get it,
The lovers of his name will live in it.
70 1-3 God! Please hurry to my rescue!
God, come quickly to my side!
Those who are out to get me—
let them fall all over themselves.
Those who relish my downfall—
send them down a blind alley.
Give them a taste of their own medicine,
those gossips off clucking their tongues.
4 Let those on the hunt for you
sing and celebrate.
Let all who love your saving way
say over and over, “God is mighty!”
5 But I’ve lost it. I’m wasted.
God—quickly, quickly!
Quick to my side, quick to my rescue!
God, don’t lose a minute.
71 1-3 I run for dear life to God,
I’ll never live to regret it.
Do what you do so well:
get me out of this mess and up on my feet.
Put your ear to the ground and listen,
give me space for salvation.
Be a guest room where I can retreat;
you said your door was always open!
You’re my salvation—my vast, granite fortress.
4-7 My God, free me from the grip of Wicked,
from the clutch of Bad and Bully.
You keep me going when times are tough—
my bedrock, God, since my childhood.
I’ve hung on you from the day of my birth,
the day you took me from the cradle;
I’ll never run out of praise.
Many gasp in alarm when they see me,
but you take me in stride.
8-11 Just as each day brims with your beauty,
my mouth brims with praise.
But don’t turn me out to pasture when I’m old
or put me on the shelf when I can’t pull my weight.
My enemies are talking behind my back,
watching for their chance to knife me.
The gossip is: “God has abandoned him.
Pounce on him now; no one will help him.”
12-16 God, don’t just watch from the sidelines.
Come on! Run to my side!
My accusers—make them lose face.
Those out to get me—make them look
Like idiots, while I stretch out, reaching for you,
and daily add praise to praise.
I’ll write the book on your righteousness,
talk up your salvation all the day long,
never run out of good things to write or say.
I come in the power of the Lord God,
I post signs marking his right-of-way.
17-24 You got me when I was an unformed youth,
God, and taught me everything I know.
Now I’m telling the world your wonders;
I’ll keep at it until I’m old and gray.
God, don’t walk off and leave me
until I get out the news
Of your strong right arm to this world,
news of your power to the world yet to come,
Your famous and righteous
ways, O God.
God, you’ve done it all!
Who is quite like you?
You, who made me stare trouble in the face,
Turn me around;
Now let me look life in the face.
I’ve been to the bottom;
Bring me up, streaming with honors;
turn to me, be tender to me,
And I’ll take up the lute and thank you
to the tune of your faithfulness, God.
I’ll make music for you on a harp,
Holy One of Israel.
When I open up in song to you,
I let out lungsful of praise,
my rescued life a song.
All day long I’m chanting
about you and your righteous ways,
While those who tried to do me in
slink off looking ashamed.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson