Chronological
Psalm 17
A prayer of David.
1 Hear me,(A) Lord, my plea is just;
listen to my cry.(B)
Hear(C) my prayer—
it does not rise from deceitful lips.(D)
2 Let my vindication(E) come from you;
may your eyes see what is right.(F)
3 Though you probe my heart,(G)
though you examine me at night and test me,(H)
you will find that I have planned no evil;(I)
my mouth has not transgressed.(J)
4 Though people tried to bribe me,
I have kept myself from the ways of the violent
through what your lips have commanded.
5 My steps have held to your paths;(K)
my feet have not stumbled.(L)
6 I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;(M)
turn your ear to me(N) and hear my prayer.(O)
7 Show me the wonders of your great love,(P)
you who save by your right hand(Q)
those who take refuge(R) in you from their foes.
8 Keep me(S) as the apple of your eye;(T)
hide me(U) in the shadow of your wings(V)
9 from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
from my mortal enemies who surround me.(W)
10 They close up their callous hearts,(X)
and their mouths speak with arrogance.(Y)
11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me,(Z)
with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion(AA) hungry for prey,(AB)
like a fierce lion crouching in cover.
13 Rise up,(AC) Lord, confront them, bring them down;(AD)
with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
14 By your hand save me from such people, Lord,
from those of this world(AE) whose reward is in this life.(AF)
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
may their children gorge themselves on it,
and may there be leftovers(AG) for their little ones.
Psalm 35
Of David.
1 Contend,(A) Lord, with those who contend with me;
fight(B) against those who fight against me.
2 Take up shield(C) and armor;
arise(D) and come to my aid.(E)
3 Brandish spear(F) and javelin[a](G)
against those who pursue me.
Say to me,
“I am your salvation.(H)”
4 May those who seek my life(I)
be disgraced(J) and put to shame;(K)
may those who plot my ruin
be turned back(L) in dismay.
5 May they be like chaff(M) before the wind,
with the angel of the Lord(N) driving them away;
6 may their path be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
7 Since they hid their net(O) for me without cause(P)
and without cause dug a pit(Q) for me,
8 may ruin overtake them by surprise—(R)
may the net they hid entangle them,
may they fall into the pit,(S) to their ruin.
9 Then my soul will rejoice(T) in the Lord
and delight in his salvation.(U)
10 My whole being will exclaim,
“Who is like you,(V) Lord?
You rescue the poor from those too strong(W) for them,
the poor and needy(X) from those who rob them.”
11 Ruthless witnesses(Y) come forward;
they question me on things I know nothing about.
12 They repay me evil for good(Z)
and leave me like one bereaved.
13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth(AA)
and humbled myself with fasting.(AB)
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
14 I went about mourning(AC)
as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
as though weeping for my mother.
15 But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;(AD)
assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
They slandered(AE) me without ceasing.
16 Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;[b](AF)
they gnashed their teeth(AG) at me.
17 How long,(AH) Lord, will you look on?
Rescue me from their ravages,
my precious life(AI) from these lions.(AJ)
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly;(AK)
among the throngs(AL) I will praise you.(AM)
19 Do not let those gloat over me
who are my enemies(AN) without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason(AO)
maliciously wink the eye.(AP)
20 They do not speak peaceably,
but devise false accusations(AQ)
against those who live quietly in the land.
21 They sneer(AR) at me and say, “Aha! Aha!(AS)
With our own eyes we have seen it.”
22 Lord, you have seen(AT) this; do not be silent.
Do not be far(AU) from me, Lord.
23 Awake,(AV) and rise(AW) to my defense!
Contend(AX) for me, my God and Lord.
24 Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God;
do not let them gloat(AY) over me.
25 Do not let them think, “Aha,(AZ) just what we wanted!”
or say, “We have swallowed him up.”(BA)
26 May all who gloat(BB) over my distress(BC)
be put to shame(BD) and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me(BE)
be clothed with shame and disgrace.
27 May those who delight in my vindication(BF)
shout for joy(BG) and gladness;
may they always say, “The Lord be exalted,
who delights(BH) in the well-being of his servant.”(BI)
Psalm 54[a]
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil[b] of David. When the Ziphites(A) had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?”
1 Save me(B), O God, by your name;(C)
vindicate me by your might.(D)
2 Hear my prayer, O God;(E)
listen to the words of my mouth.
Psalm 63[a]
A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.
1 You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,(A)
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.(B)
2 I have seen you in the sanctuary(C)
and beheld your power and your glory.(D)
3 Because your love is better than life,(E)
my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live,(F)
and in your name I will lift up my hands.(G)
5 I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;(H)
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
6 On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.(I)
7 Because you are my help,(J)
I sing in the shadow of your wings.(K)
8 I cling to you;(L)
your right hand upholds me.(M)
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