Psalm 41

New International Version

Psalm 41^[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹Blessed^(A) are those who have regard for the weak;^(B)
    the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.^(C)
²The Lord protects^(D) and preserves them—^(E)
    they are counted among the blessed in the land—^(F)
    he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.^(G)
³The Lord sustains them on their sickbed^(H)
    and restores them from their bed of illness.^(I)

⁴I said, “Have mercy^(J) on me, Lord;
    heal^(K) me, for I have sinned^(L) against you.”
⁵My enemies say of me in malice,
    “When will he die and his name perish?^(M)”
⁶When one of them comes to see me,
    he speaks falsely,^(N) while his heart gathers slander;^(O)
    then he goes out and spreads^(P) it around.

⁷All my enemies whisper together^(Q) against me;
    they imagine the worst for me, saying,
⁸“A vile disease has afflicted him;
    he will never get up^(R) from the place where he lies.”
⁹Even my close friend,^(S)
    someone I trusted,
one who shared my bread,
    has turned^[b] against me.^(T)

¹⁰But may you have mercy^(U) on me, Lord;
    raise me up,^(V) that I may repay^(W) them.
¹¹I know that you are pleased with me,^(X)
    for my enemy does not triumph over me.^(Y)
¹²Because of my integrity^(Z) you uphold me^(AA)
    and set me in your presence forever.^(AB)

¹³Praise^(AC) be to the Lord, the God of Israel,^(AD)
from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and Amen.^(AE)

Footnotes

Psalm 41:1 In Hebrew texts 41:1-13 is numbered 41:2-14.
Psalm 41:9 Hebrew has lifted up his heel

Psalm 81

New International Version

Psalm 81^[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.^[b] Of Asaph.

¹Sing for joy to God our strength;
shout aloud to the God of Jacob!^(A)
²Begin the music, strike the timbrel,^(B)
play the melodious harp^(C) and lyre.^(D)

³Sound the ram’s horn^(E) at the New Moon,^(F)
    and when the moon is full, on the day of our festival;
⁴this is a decree for Israel,
    an ordinance of the God of Jacob.^(G)
⁵When God went out against Egypt,^(H)
    he established it as a statute for Joseph.

I heard an unknown voice say:^(I)

⁶“I removed the burden^(J) from their shoulders;^(K)
    their hands were set free from the basket.
⁷In your distress you called^(L) and I rescued you,
    I answered^(M) you out of a thundercloud;
    I tested you at the waters of Meribah.^[c]^(N)
⁸Hear me, my people,^(O) and I will warn you—
    if you would only listen to me, Israel!
⁹You shall have no foreign god^(P) among you;
    you shall not worship any god other than me.
¹⁰I am the Lord your God,
    who brought you up out of Egypt.^(Q)
Open^(R) wide your mouth and I will fill^(S) it.

¹¹“But my people would not listen to me;
Israel would not submit to me.^(T)
¹²So I gave them over^(U) to their stubborn hearts
to follow their own devices.

¹³“If my people would only listen to me,^(V)
    if Israel would only follow my ways,
¹⁴how quickly I would subdue^(W) their enemies
    and turn my hand against^(X) their foes!
¹⁵Those who hate the Lord would cringe^(Y) before him,
    and their punishment would last forever.
¹⁶But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;^(Z)
    with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

Footnotes

Psalm 81:1 In Hebrew texts 81:1-16 is numbered 81:2-17.
Psalm 81:1 Title: Probably a musical term
Psalm 81:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

Psalm 141

New International Version

Psalm 141

A psalm of David.

¹I call to you, Lord, come quickly^(A) to me;
hear me^(B) when I call to you.
²May my prayer be set before you like incense;^(C)
may the lifting up of my hands^(D) be like the evening sacrifice.^(E)

³Set a guard over my mouth,^(F) Lord;
    keep watch over the door of my lips.^(G)
⁴Do not let my heart^(H) be drawn to what is evil
    so that I take part in wicked deeds^(I)
along with those who are evildoers;
    do not let me eat their delicacies.^(J)

⁵Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness;
let him rebuke me^(K)—that is oil on my head.^(L)
My head will not refuse it,
for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.

⁶Their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs,^(M)
and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.
⁷They will say, “As one plows^(N) and breaks up the earth,^(O)
so our bones have been scattered at the mouth^(P) of the grave.”

⁸But my eyes are fixed^(Q) on you, Sovereign Lord;
    in you I take refuge^(R)—do not give me over to death.
⁹Keep me safe^(S) from the traps set by evildoers,^(T)
    from the snares^(U) they have laid for me.
¹⁰Let the wicked fall^(V) into their own nets,
    while I pass by in safety.^(W)