BOOK I

Psalms 1–41

Psalm 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)
but whose delight(H) is in the law of the Lord,(I)
    and who meditates(J) on his law day and night.
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)

Not so the wicked!
    They are like chaff(Q)
    that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand(R) in the judgment,(S)
    nor sinners in the assembly(T) of the righteous.

For the Lord watches over(U) the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.(V)

Psalm 2

Why do the nations conspire[a]
    and the peoples plot(W) in vain?
The kings(X) of the earth rise up
    and the rulers band together
    against the Lord and against his anointed,(Y) saying,
“Let us break their chains(Z)
    and throw off their shackles.”(AA)

The One enthroned(AB) in heaven laughs;(AC)
    the Lord scoffs at them.
He rebukes them in his anger(AD)
    and terrifies them in his wrath,(AE) saying,
“I have installed my king(AF)
    on Zion,(AG) my holy mountain.(AH)

I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:

He said to me, “You are my son;(AI)
    today I have become your father.(AJ)
Ask me,
    and I will make the nations(AK) your inheritance,(AL)
    the ends of the earth(AM) your possession.
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)

Lord, how many are my foes!
    How many rise up against me!
Many are saying of me,
    “God will not deliver him.(BA)[d]

But you, Lord, are a shield(BB) around me,
    my glory, the One who lifts my head high.(BC)
I call out to the Lord,(BD)
    and he answers me from his holy mountain.(BE)

I lie down and sleep;(BF)
    I wake again,(BG) because the Lord sustains me.
I will not fear(BH) though tens of thousands
    assail me on every side.(BI)

Arise,(BJ) Lord!
    Deliver me,(BK) my God!
Strike(BL) all my enemies on the jaw;
    break the teeth(BM) of the wicked.

From the Lord comes deliverance.(BN)
    May your blessing(BO) be on your people.

Psalm 4[e]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.

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)

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)
Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant(BW) for himself;
    the Lord hears(BX) when I call to him.

Tremble and[h] do not sin;(BY)
    when you are on your beds,(BZ)
    search your hearts and be silent.
Offer the sacrifices of the righteous
    and trust in the Lord.(CA)

Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”
    Let the light of your face shine on us.(CB)
Fill my heart(CC) with joy(CD)
    when their grain and new wine(CE) abound.

In peace(CF) I will lie down and sleep,(CG)
    for you alone, Lord,
    make me dwell in safety.(CH)

Psalm 5[i]

For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.

Listen(CI) to my words, Lord,
    consider my lament.(CJ)
Hear my cry for help,(CK)
    my King and my God,(CL)
    for to you I pray.

In the morning,(CM) Lord, you hear my voice;
    in the morning I lay my requests before you
    and wait expectantly.(CN)
For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
    with you, evil people(CO) are not welcome.
The arrogant(CP) cannot stand(CQ)
    in your presence.
You hate(CR) all who do wrong;
    you destroy those who tell lies.(CS)
The bloodthirsty and deceitful
    you, Lord, detest.
But I, by your great love,
    can come into your house;
in reverence(CT) I bow down(CU)
    toward your holy temple.(CV)

Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness(CW)
    because of my enemies—
    make your way straight(CX) before me.
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.

Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger(DI)
    or discipline me in your wrath.
Have mercy on me,(DJ) Lord, for I am faint;(DK)
    heal me,(DL) Lord, for my bones are in agony.(DM)
My soul is in deep anguish.(DN)
    How long,(DO) Lord, how long?

Turn,(DP) Lord, and deliver me;
    save me because of your unfailing love.(DQ)
Among the dead no one proclaims your name.
    Who praises you from the grave?(DR)

I am worn out(DS) from my groaning.(DT)

All night long I flood my bed with weeping(DU)
    and drench my couch with tears.(DV)
My eyes grow weak(DW) with sorrow;
    they fail because of all my foes.

Away from me,(DX) all you who do evil,(DY)
    for the Lord has heard my weeping.
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.

Lord my God, I take refuge(ED) in you;
    save and deliver me(EE) from all who pursue me,(EF)
or they will tear me apart like a lion(EG)
    and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue(EH) me.

Lord my God, if I have done this
    and there is guilt on my hands(EI)
if I have repaid my ally with evil
    or without cause(EJ) have robbed my foe—
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)

Arise,(EN) Lord, in your anger;
    rise up against the rage of my enemies.(EO)
    Awake,(EP) my God; decree justice.
Let the assembled peoples gather around you,
    while you sit enthroned over them on high.(EQ)
    Let the Lord judge(ER) the peoples.
Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness,(ES)
    according to my integrity,(ET) O Most High.(EU)
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.

Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name(FM) in all the earth!

You have set your glory(FN)
    in the heavens.(FO)
Through the praise of children and infants
    you have established a stronghold(FP) against your enemies,
    to silence the foe(FQ) and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens,(FR)
    the work of your fingers,(FS)
the moon and the stars,(FT)
    which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    human beings that you care for them?[s](FU)

You have made them[t] a little lower than the angels[u](FV)
    and crowned them[v] with glory and honor.(FW)
You made them rulers(FX) over the works of your hands;(FY)
    you put everything under their[w] feet:(FZ)
all flocks and herds,(GA)
    and the animals of the wild,(GB)
the birds in the sky,
    and the fish in the sea,(GC)
    all that swim the paths of the seas.

Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!(GD)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 2:1 Hebrew; Septuagint rage
  2. Psalm 2:9 Or will rule them with an iron scepter (see Septuagint and Syriac)
  3. Psalm 3:1 In Hebrew texts 3:1-8 is numbered 3:2-9.
  4. Psalm 3:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 4 and 8.
  5. Psalm 4:1 In Hebrew texts 4:1-8 is numbered 4:2-9.
  6. Psalm 4:2 Or seek lies
  7. Psalm 4:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 4.
  8. Psalm 4:4 Or In your anger (see Septuagint)
  9. Psalm 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1-12 is numbered 5:2-13.
  10. Psalm 6:1 In Hebrew texts 6:1-10 is numbered 6:2-11.
  11. Psalm 6:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  12. Psalm 7:1 In Hebrew texts 7:1-17 is numbered 7:2-18.
  13. Psalm 7:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  14. Psalm 7:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  15. Psalm 7:10 Or sovereign
  16. Psalm 7:12 Or If anyone does not repent, / God
  17. Psalm 8:1 In Hebrew texts 8:1-9 is numbered 8:2-10.
  18. Psalm 8:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  19. Psalm 8:4 Or what is a human being that you are mindful of him, / a son of man that you care for him?
  20. Psalm 8:5 Or him
  21. Psalm 8:5 Or than God
  22. Psalm 8:5 Or him
  23. Psalm 8:6 Or made him ruler . . . ; / . . . his

Bible Gateway Recommends