Psalm 3-5

English Standard Version

Save Me, O My God

A Psalm of David, ^(A)when he fled from Absalom his son.

3 O Lord, ^(B)how many are my foes!
Many are ^(C)rising against me;
²many are saying of my soul,
^(D)“There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah^[a]

³But you, O Lord, are ^(E)a shield ^(F)about me,
my glory, and ^(G)the lifter of my head.
⁴I ^(H)cried aloud to the Lord,
and he ^(I)answered me from his ^(J)holy hill. Selah

⁵I ^(K)lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
⁶I ^(L)will not be afraid of many thousands of people
who have ^(M)set themselves against me all around.

⁷^(N)Arise, O Lord!
Save me, O my God!
For you ^(O)strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you ^(P)break the teeth of the wicked.

⁸^(Q)Salvation belongs to the Lord;
your blessing be on your people! Selah

Answer Me When I Call

To the ^(R)choirmaster: with ^(S)stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

4 Answer me when I call, O God of my ^(T)righteousness!
You have ^(U)given me relief when I was in distress.
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!

²O men,^[b] how long shall my honor be turned into shame?
How long will you love vain words and seek after ^(V)lies? Selah
³But know that the Lord has ^(W)set apart ^(X)the godly for himself;
the Lord hears when I call to him.

⁴^(Y)Be angry,^[c] and do not sin;
^(Z)ponder in your own hearts ^(AA)on your beds, and be silent. Selah
⁵Offer ^(AB)right sacrifices,
and put your ^(AC)trust in the Lord.

⁶There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?
^(AD)Lift up ^(AE)the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”
⁷You have put ^(AF)more joy in my heart
than they have when their grain and wine abound.

⁸In peace I will both ^(AG)lie down and sleep;
for you alone, O Lord, make me ^(AH)dwell in safety.

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 ^(AI)groaning.
²Give attention to the sound of my cry,
    my ^(AJ)King and my God,
    for ^(AK)to you do I pray.
³O Lord, in ^(AL)the morning you hear my voice;
    in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you^[d] and ^(AM)watch.

⁴For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
    evil may not dwell with you.
⁵The ^(AN)boastful shall not ^(AO)stand before your eyes;
    you ^(AP)hate all evildoers.
⁶You destroy those who speak ^(AQ)lies;
    the Lord abhors ^(AR)the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

⁷But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
    will enter your house.
I will ^(AS)bow down ^(AT)toward your ^(AU)holy temple
    in the fear of you.
⁸^(AV)Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
    because of my enemies;
    ^(AW)make your way straight before me.

⁹For there is no truth in their mouth;
    their inmost self is ^(AX)destruction;
^(AY)their throat is ^(AZ)an open grave;
    they ^(BA)flatter with their tongue.
¹⁰^(BB)Make them bear their guilt, O God;
    let them ^(BC)fall by their own counsels;
because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out,
    for they have rebelled against you.

¹¹But let all who ^(BD)take refuge in you ^(BE)rejoice;
    let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
    that those who love your name may ^(BF)exult in you.
¹²For you ^(BG)bless the righteous, O Lord;
    you ^(BH)cover him with favor as with ^(BI)a shield.

Footnotes

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