⁴ Blessed is the one^(L)
    who trusts in the Lord,^(M)
who does not look to the proud,^(N)
    to those who turn aside to false gods.^[b](O)
5 Many, Lord my God,
    are the wonders^(P) you have done,
    the things you planned for us.
None can compare^(Q) with you;
    were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
    they would be too many^(R) to declare.

⁶ Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—^(S)
    but my ears you have opened^[c]—^(T)
    burnt offerings^(U) and sin offerings^[d] you did not require.
⁷ Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
    it is written about me in the scroll.^[e](V)
8 I desire to do your will,^(W) my God;^(X)
    your law is within my heart.”^(Y)

⁹ I proclaim your saving acts^(Z) in the great assembly;^(AA)
    I do not seal my lips, Lord,
    as you know.^(AB)
10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
    I speak of your faithfulness^(AC) and your saving help.
I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness
    from the great assembly.^(AD)

¹¹ Do not withhold your mercy^(AE) from me, Lord;
    may your love^(AF) and faithfulness^(AG) always protect^(AH) me.
¹² For troubles^(AI) without number surround me;
    my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.^(AJ)
They are more than the hairs of my head,^(AK)
    and my heart fails^(AL) within me.
¹³ Be pleased to save me, Lord;
    come quickly, Lord, to help me.^(AM)

¹⁴ May all who want to take my life^(AN)
    be put to shame and confusion;^(AO)
may all who desire my ruin^(AP)
    be turned back in disgrace.
¹⁵ May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”^(AQ)
    be appalled at their own shame.
¹⁶ But may all who seek you^(AR)
    rejoice and be glad^(AS) in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
    “The Lord is great!”^(AT)

¹⁷ But as for me, I am poor and needy;^(AU)
    may the Lord think^(AV) of me.
You are my help^(AW) and my deliverer;^(AX)
    you are my God, do not delay.^(AY)

⁵ Why should I fear^(J) when evil days come,
    when wicked deceivers surround me—
⁶ those who trust in their wealth^(K)
    and boast^(L) of their great riches?^(M)
7 No one can redeem the life of another
    or give to God a ransom for them—
⁸ the ransom^(N) for a life is costly,
    no payment is ever enough—^(O)
9 so that they should live on^(P) forever
    and not see decay.^(Q)
10 For all can see that the wise die,^(R)
    that the foolish and the senseless^(S) also perish,
    leaving their wealth^(T) to others.^(U)
11 Their tombs^(V) will remain their houses^[b] forever,
    their dwellings for endless generations,^(W)
    though they had^[c] named^(X) lands after themselves.

¹² People, despite their wealth, do not endure;^(Y)
    they are like the beasts that perish.^(Z)

¹³ This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,^(AA)
    and of their followers, who approve their sayings.^[d]
14 They are like sheep and are destined^(AB) to die;^(AC)
    death will be their shepherd
    (but the upright will prevail^(AD) over them in the morning).
Their forms will decay in the grave,
    far from their princely mansions.
¹⁵ But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead;^(AE)
    he will surely take me to himself.^(AF)
16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
    when the splendor of their houses increases;
¹⁷ for they will take nothing^(AG) with them when they die,
    their splendor will not descend with them.^(AH)
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—^(AI)
    and people praise you when you prosper—
¹⁹ they will join those who have gone before them,^(AJ)
    who will never again see the light^(AK) of life.

²⁰ People who have wealth but lack understanding^(AL)
    are like the beasts that perish.^(AM)

⁷ “Listen, my people, and I will speak;
    I will testify^(Q) against you, Israel:
    I am God, your God.^(R)
8 I bring no charges^(S) against you concerning your sacrifices
    or concerning your burnt offerings,^(T) which are ever before me.
⁹ I have no need of a bull^(U) from your stall
    or of goats^(V) from your pens,^(W)
10 for every animal of the forest^(X) is mine,
    and the cattle on a thousand hills.^(Y)
11 I know every bird^(Z) in the mountains,
    and the insects in the fields^(AA) are mine.
¹² If I were hungry I would not tell you,
    for the world^(AB) is mine, and all that is in it.^(AC)
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls
    or drink the blood of goats?

¹⁴ “Sacrifice thank offerings^(AD) to God,
    fulfill your vows^(AE) to the Most High,^(AF)
15 and call^(AG) on me in the day of trouble;^(AH)
    I will deliver^(AI) you, and you will honor^(AJ) me.”

“What right have you to recite my laws
    or take my covenant^(AK) on your lips?^(AL)
17 You hate^(AM) my instruction
    and cast my words behind^(AN) you.
¹⁸ When you see a thief, you join^(AO) with him;
    you throw in your lot with adulterers.^(AP)
19 You use your mouth for evil
    and harness your tongue to deceit.^(AQ)
20 You sit and testify against your brother^(AR)
    and slander your own mother’s son.
²¹ When you did these things and I kept silent,^(AS)
    you thought I was exactly^[c] like you.
But I now arraign^(AT) you
    and set my accusations^(AU) before you.

²² “Consider this, you who forget God,^(AV)
    or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you:^(AW)
23 Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me,
    and to the blameless^[d] I will show my salvation.^(AX)”

² But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;^(B)
    I had nearly lost my foothold.^(C)
3 For I envied^(D) the arrogant
    when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.^(E)

⁴ They have no struggles;
    their bodies are healthy and strong.^[a]
5 They are free^(F) from common human burdens;
    they are not plagued by human ills.
⁶ Therefore pride^(G) is their necklace;^(H)
    they clothe themselves with violence.^(I)
7 From their callous hearts^(J) comes iniquity^[b];
    their evil imaginations have no limits.
⁸ They scoff, and speak with malice;^(K)
    with arrogance^(L) they threaten oppression.^(M)
9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
    and their tongues take possession of the earth.
¹⁰ Therefore their people turn to them
    and drink up waters in abundance.^[c]
11 They say, “How would God know?
    Does the Most High know anything?”

¹² This is what the wicked are like—
    always free of care,^(N) they go on amassing wealth.^(O)

¹³ Surely in vain^(P) I have kept my heart pure
    and have washed my hands in innocence.^(Q)
14 All day long I have been afflicted,^(R)
    and every morning brings new punishments.

¹⁵ If I had spoken out like that,
    I would have betrayed your children.
¹⁶ When I tried to understand^(S) all this,
    it troubled me deeply
¹⁷ till I entered the sanctuary^(T) of God;
    then I understood their final destiny.^(U)

¹⁸ Surely you place them on slippery ground;^(V)
    you cast them down to ruin.^(W)
19 How suddenly^(X) are they destroyed,
    completely swept away^(Y) by terrors!
²⁰ They are like a dream^(Z) when one awakes;^(AA)
    when you arise, Lord,
    you will despise them as fantasies.^(AB)

²¹ When my heart was grieved
    and my spirit embittered,
²² I was senseless^(AC) and ignorant;
    I was a brute beast^(AD) before you.

²³ Yet I am always with you;
    you hold me by my right hand.^(AE)
24 You guide^(AF) me with your counsel,^(AG)
    and afterward you will take me into glory.
²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?^(AH)
    And earth has nothing I desire besides you.^(AI)
26 My flesh and my heart^(AJ) may fail,^(AK)
    but God is the strength^(AL) of my heart
    and my portion^(AM) forever.

²⁷ Those who are far from you will perish;^(AN)
    you destroy all who are unfaithful^(AO) to you.
²⁸ But as for me, it is good to be near God.^(AP)
    I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;^(AQ)
    I will tell of all your deeds.^(AR)