Psalm 1-2

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;
²but his ^(G)delight is in the law^[b] of the Lord,
    and on his ^(H)law he meditates day and night.

³He 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.
⁴The wicked are not so,
    but are like ^(M)chaff that the wind drives away.

⁵Therefore the wicked ^(N)will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in ^(O)the congregation of the righteous;
⁶for 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?
²The 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.”

⁴He who ^(V)sits in the heavens ^(W)laughs;
    the Lord holds them in derision.
⁵Then 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.”

⁷I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, ^(AB)“You are my Son;
    today I have begotten you.
⁸Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
    and ^(AC)the ends of the earth your possession.
⁹You shall ^(AD)break^[d] them with ^(AE)a rod of iron
    and dash them in pieces like ^(AF)a potter's vessel.”

¹⁰Now 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.

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 10

English Standard Version

Why Do You Hide Yourself?

10 Why, O Lord, do you stand ^(A)far away?
Why ^(B)do you hide yourself in ^(C)times of trouble?

²In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor;
    let them ^(D)be caught in the schemes that they have devised.
³For the wicked ^(E)boasts of the desires of his soul,
    and the one greedy for gain ^(F)curses^[a] and ^(G)renounces the Lord.
⁴In the pride of his face^[b] the wicked does not ^(H)seek him;^[c]
    all his thoughts are, ^(I)“There is no God.”
⁵His ways prosper at all times;
    your judgments are on high, ^(J)out of his sight;
    as for all his foes, he ^(K)puffs at them.
⁶He ^(L)says in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
    throughout all generations I ^(M)shall not meet adversity.”
⁷^(N)His mouth is filled with cursing and ^(O)deceit and ^(P)oppression;
    ^(Q)under his tongue are ^(R)mischief and ^(S)iniquity.
⁸He sits in ambush in the villages;
    in ^(T)hiding places he murders the innocent.
His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
⁹    he lurks in ambush like ^(U)a lion in his ^(V)thicket;
he ^(W)lurks that he may seize the poor;
    he seizes the poor when he draws him into his ^(X)net.
¹⁰The helpless are crushed, sink down,
    and fall by his might.
¹¹He says in his heart, “God has forgotten,
    he has ^(Y)hidden his face, he ^(Z)will never see it.”

¹²^(AA)Arise, O Lord; O God, ^(AB)lift up your hand;
    ^(AC)forget not the afflicted.
¹³Why does the wicked ^(AD)renounce God
    and say in his heart, “You will not ^(AE)call to account”?
¹⁴But you do see, for you ^(AF)note mischief and vexation,
    that you may take it into your hands;
to you the helpless ^(AG)commits himself;
    you have been ^(AH)the helper of the fatherless.
¹⁵^(AI)Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;
    ^(AJ)call his wickedness to account till you find none.

¹⁶^(AK)The Lord is king forever and ever;
    the ^(AL)nations perish from his land.
¹⁷O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
    you will ^(AM)strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear
¹⁸to ^(AN)do justice to the fatherless and ^(AO)the oppressed,
    so that ^(AP)man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.