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Second Book—Psalms 42–72

Psalm 42[a]

Longing for God’s Presence in the Temple

For the leader. A maskil of the Korahites.[b]

I

As the deer longs for streams of water,(A)
    so my soul longs for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, the living God.
    When can I enter and see the face of God?[c](B)
My tears have been my bread day and night,(C)
    as they ask me every day, “Where is your God?”(D)
Those times I recall
    as I pour out my soul,(E)
When I would cross over to the shrine of the Mighty One,[d]
    to the house of God,
Amid loud cries of thanksgiving,
    with the multitude keeping festival.(F)
Why are you downcast, my soul;
    why do you groan within me?
Wait for God, for I shall again praise him,
    my savior and my God.

II

My soul is downcast within me;
    therefore I remember you
From the land of the Jordan[e] and Hermon,
    from Mount Mizar,(G)
[f]Deep calls to deep
    in the roar of your torrents,
    and all your waves and breakers
    sweep over me.(H)
By day may the Lord send his mercy,
    and by night may his righteousness be with me!
    I will pray[g] to the God of my life,
10 I will say to God, my rock:
    “Why do you forget me?(I)
Why must I go about mourning
    with the enemy oppressing me?”
11 It shatters my bones, when my adversaries reproach me,
    when they say to me every day: “Where is your God?”
12 Why are you downcast, my soul,
    why do you groan within me?
Wait for God, for I shall again praise him,
    my savior and my God.

Psalm 43

Grant me justice, O God;
    defend me from a faithless people;
    from the deceitful and unjust rescue me.(J)
You, O God, are my strength.
    Why then do you spurn me?
Why must I go about mourning,
    with the enemy oppressing me?
(K)Send your light and your fidelity,[h]
    that they may be my guide;(L)
Let them bring me to your holy mountain,
    to the place of your dwelling,
That I may come to the altar of God,
    to God, my joy, my delight.
Then I will praise you with the harp,
    O God, my God.
Why are you downcast, my soul?
    Why do you groan within me?
Wait for God, for I shall again praise him,
    my savior and my God.

Psalm 44[i]

God’s Past Favor and Israel’s Present Need

For the leader. A maskil of the Korahites.

I

O God, we have heard with our own ears;
    our ancestors have told us(M)
The deeds you did in their days,
    with your own hand in days of old:
You rooted out nations to plant them,(N)
    crushed peoples and expelled them.
Not with their own swords did they conquer the land,(O)
    nor did their own arms bring victory;
It was your right hand, your own arm,
    the light of your face for you favored them.(P)
You are my king and my God,(Q)
    who bestows victories on Jacob.
Through you we batter our foes;
    through your name we trample our adversaries.
Not in my bow do I trust,
    nor does my sword bring me victory.
You have brought us victory over our enemies,
    shamed those who hate us.
In God we have boasted all the day long;
    your name we will praise forever.
Selah

II

10 (R)But now you have rejected and disgraced us;
    you do not march out with our armies.(S)
11 You make us retreat[j] before the foe;
    those who hate us plunder us at will.(T)
12 You hand us over like sheep to be slaughtered,
    scatter us among the nations.(U)
13 You sell your people for nothing;
    you make no profit from their sale.(V)
14 You make us the reproach of our neighbors,(W)
    the mockery and scorn of those around us.
15 You make us a byword among the nations;
    the peoples shake their heads at us.
16 All day long my disgrace is before me;
    shame has covered my face
17 At the sound of those who taunt and revile,
    at the sight of the enemy and avenger.

III

18 All this has come upon us,
    though we have not forgotten you,
    nor been disloyal to your covenant.
19 [k]Our hearts have not turned back,
    nor have our steps strayed from your path.
20 Yet you have left us crushed,
    desolate in a place of jackals;[l](X)
    you have covered us with a shadow of death.
21 If we had forgotten the name of our God,
    stretched out our hands to another god,
22 Would not God have discovered this,
    God who knows the secrets of the heart?
23 For you we are slain all the day long,
    considered only as sheep to be slaughtered.(Y)

IV

24 Awake! Why do you sleep, O Lord?
    Rise up! Do not reject us forever!(Z)
25 Why do you hide your face;(AA)
    why forget our pain and misery?
26 For our soul has been humiliated in the dust;(AB)
    our belly is pressed to the earth.
27 Rise up, help us!
    Redeem us in your mercy.

Psalm 45[m]

Song for a Royal Wedding

For the leader; according to “Lilies.” A maskil of the Korahites. A love song.

I

My heart is stirred by a noble theme,
    as I sing my ode to the king.
    My tongue is the pen of a nimble scribe.

II

You are the most handsome of men;
    fair speech has graced your lips,
    for God has blessed you forever.(AC)
Gird your sword upon your hip, mighty warrior!
    In splendor and majesty ride on triumphant!(AD)
In the cause of truth, meekness, and justice
    may your right hand show your wondrous deeds.
Your arrows are sharp;
    peoples will cower at your feet;
    the king’s enemies will lose heart.
Your throne, O God,[n] stands forever;(AE)
    your royal scepter is a scepter for justice.
You love justice and hate wrongdoing;
    therefore God, your God, has anointed you
    with the oil of gladness above your fellow kings.
With myrrh, aloes, and cassia
    your robes are fragrant.
From ivory-paneled palaces[o]
    stringed instruments bring you joy.
10 Daughters of kings are your lovely wives;
    a princess arrayed in Ophir’s gold[p]
    comes to stand at your right hand.

III

11 Listen, my daughter, and understand;
    pay me careful heed.
Forget your people and your father’s house,[q]
12     that the king might desire your beauty.
He is your lord;
13     (AF)honor him, daughter of Tyre.
Then the richest of the people
    will seek your favor with gifts.
14 All glorious is the king’s daughter as she enters,(AG)
    her raiment threaded with gold;
15 In embroidered apparel she is led to the king.
    The maids of her train are presented to the king.
16 They are led in with glad and joyous acclaim;
    they enter the palace of the king.

IV

17 The throne of your fathers your sons will have;
    you shall make them princes through all the land.(AH)
18 I will make your name renowned through all generations;
    thus nations shall praise you forever.(AI)

Psalm 46[r]

God, the Protector of Zion

For the leader. A song of the Korahites. According to alamoth.[s]

I

God is our refuge and our strength,
    an ever-present help in distress.(AJ)
[t]Thus we do not fear, though earth be shaken
    and mountains quake to the depths of the sea,
Though its waters rage and foam
    and mountains totter at its surging.(AK)
Selah

II

[u]Streams of the river gladden the city of God,
    the holy dwelling of the Most High.(AL)
God is in its midst; it shall not be shaken;
    God will help it at break of day.(AM)
Though nations rage and kingdoms totter,
    he utters his voice and the earth melts.(AN)
[v]The Lord of hosts is with us;
    our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Selah

III

Come and see the works of the Lord,
    who has done fearsome deeds on earth;(AO)
10 Who stops wars to the ends of the earth,
    breaks the bow, splinters the spear,
    and burns the shields with fire;(AP)
11 (AQ)“Be still and know that I am God!
    I am exalted among the nations,
    exalted on the earth.”
12 The Lord of hosts is with us;
    our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Selah

Psalm 47[w]

The Ruler of All the Nations

For the leader. A psalm of the Korahites.

I

All you peoples, clap your hands;
    shout to God with joyful cries.(AR)
For the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared,
    the great king over all the earth,(AS)
Who made people subject to us,
    nations under our feet,(AT)
[x]Who chose our heritage for us,
    the glory of Jacob, whom he loves.(AU)
Selah

II

[y]God has gone up with a shout;
    the Lord, amid trumpet blasts.(AV)
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
    sing praise to our king, sing praise.

III

For God is king over all the earth;(AW)
    sing hymns of praise.
God rules over the nations;
    God sits upon his holy throne.
10 The princes of the peoples assemble
    with the people of the God of Abraham.
For the shields of the earth belong to God,
    highly exalted.(AX)

Psalm 48[z]

The Splendor of the Invincible City

A psalm of the Korahites.[aa] A song.

I

Great is the Lord and highly praised
    in the city of our God:(AY)
His holy mountain,
    fairest of heights,
    the joy of all the earth,(AZ)
    Mount Zion, the heights of Zaphon,[ab](BA)
    the city of the great king.

II

God is in its citadel,
    renowned as a stronghold.
See! The kings assembled,
    together they advanced.
[ac]When they looked they were astounded;
    terrified, they were put to flight!(BB)
Trembling seized them there,
    anguish, like a woman’s labor,(BC)
As when the east wind wrecks
    the ships of Tarshish![ad]

III

[ae]What we had heard we have now seen
    in the city of the Lord of hosts,
In the city of our God,
    which God establishes forever.
Selah
10 We ponder, O God, your mercy
    within your temple
11 Like your name, O God,
    so is your praise to the ends of the earth.(BD)
Your right hand is fully victorious.
12     Mount Zion is glad!
The daughters of Judah rejoice
    because of your judgments!(BE)

IV

13 Go about Zion, walk all around it,
    note the number of its towers.
14 Consider the ramparts, examine its citadels,
    that you may tell future generations:(BF)
15 That this is God,
    our God for ever and ever.[af]
    He will lead us until death.

Psalm 49[ag]

Confidence in God Rather than in Riches

For the leader. A psalm of the Korahites.[ah]

Hear this, all you peoples!
    Give ear, all who inhabit the world,
You of lowly birth or high estate,
    rich and poor together.
My mouth shall speak words of wisdom,
    my heart shall offer insights.(BG)
I will turn my ear to a riddle,[ai]
    expound my question on a lyre.

I

Why should I fear in evil days,
    with the iniquity of my assailants surrounding me,
Of those who trust in their wealth
    and boast of their abundant riches?(BH)
[aj]No man can ransom even a brother,
    or pay to God his own ransom.(BI)
The redemption of his soul is costly;
    and he will pass away forever.
10 Will he live on forever, then,
    and never see the Pit of Corruption?
11 Indeed, he will see that the wise die,
    and the fool will perish together with the senseless,(BJ)
    and they leave their wealth to others.(BK)
12 Their tombs are their homes forever,
    their dwellings through all generations,
    “They named countries after themselves”
13     —but man does not abide in splendor.
    He is like the beasts—they perish.(BL)

II

14 This is the way of those who trust in themselves,
    and the end of those who take pleasure in their own mouth.
Selah
15 Like a herd of sheep they will be put into Sheol,
    and Death will shepherd them.
Straight to the grave they descend,
    where their form will waste away,
    Sheol will be their palace.
16 But God will redeem my life,
    will take me[ak] from the hand of Sheol.(BM)
Selah
17 Do not fear when a man becomes rich,
    when the wealth of his house grows great.
18 At his death he will not take along anything,
    his glory will not go down after him.(BN)
19 During his life his soul uttered blessings;
    “They will praise you, for you do well for yourself.”
20 But he will join the company of his fathers,
    never again to see the light.(BO)
21 In his prime, man does not understand.
    He is like the beasts—they perish.

Psalm 50[al]

The Acceptable Sacrifice

A psalm of Asaph.

I

The God of gods, the Lord,
    has spoken and summoned the earth
    from the rising of the sun to its setting.(BP)
From Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God shines forth.(BQ)
Our God comes and will not be silent!
    Devouring fire precedes him,
    it rages strongly around him.(BR)
He calls to the heavens above
    and to the earth to judge his people:
“Gather my loyal ones to me,
    those who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
    for God himself is the judge.(BS)
Selah

II

“Listen, my people, I will speak;
    Israel, I will testify against you;
    God, your God, am I.
Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,
    your burnt offerings are always before me.
I will not take a bullock from your house,
    or he-goats from your folds.(BT)
10 For every animal of the forest is mine,
    beasts by the thousands on my mountains.
11 I know every bird in the heights;
    whatever moves in the wild is mine.
12 Were I hungry, I would not tell you,
    for mine is the world and all that fills it.(BU)
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls
    or drink the blood of he-goats?
14 Offer praise as your sacrifice to God;(BV)
    fulfill your vows to the Most High.
15 Then call on me on the day of distress;(BW)
    I will rescue you, and you shall honor me.”

III

16 But to the wicked God says:
    “Why do you recite my commandments
    and profess my covenant with your mouth?
17 You hate discipline;
    you cast my words behind you!
18 If you see a thief, you run with him;
    with adulterers you throw in your lot.
19 You give your mouth free rein for evil;
    you yoke your tongue to deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother,
    slandering your mother’s son.
21 When you do these things should I be silent?
    Do you think that I am like you?
    I accuse you, I lay out the matter before your eyes.

IV

22 “Now understand this, you who forget God,
    lest I start ripping apart and there be no rescuer.
23 Those who offer praise as a sacrifice honor me;
    I will let him whose way is steadfast
    look upon the salvation of God.”(BX)

Psalm 51[am]

The Miserere: Prayer of Repentance

For the leader. A psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had gone in to Bathsheba.(BY)

I

Have mercy on me, God, in accord with your merciful love;
    in your abundant compassion blot out my transgressions.
Thoroughly wash away my guilt;
    and from my sin cleanse me.
For I know my transgressions;
    my sin is always before me.(BZ)
Against you, you alone have I sinned;
    I have done what is evil in your eyes
So that you are just in your word,
    and without reproach in your judgment.(CA)
Behold, I was born in guilt,
    in sin my mother conceived me.[an](CB)
Behold, you desire true sincerity;
    and secretly you teach me wisdom.
Cleanse me with hyssop,[ao] that I may be pure;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.(CC)
10 You will let me hear gladness and joy;
    the bones you have crushed will rejoice.

II

11 Turn away your face from my sins;
    blot out all my iniquities.
12 A clean heart create for me, God;
    renew within me a steadfast spirit.(CD)
13 Do not drive me from before your face,
    nor take from me your holy spirit.(CE)
14 Restore to me the gladness of your salvation;
    uphold me with a willing spirit.
15 I will teach the wicked your ways,
    that sinners may return to you.
16 Rescue me from violent bloodshed, God, my saving God,
    and my tongue will sing joyfully of your justice.(CF)
17 Lord, you will open my lips;
    and my mouth will proclaim your praise.
18 For you do not desire sacrifice[ap] or I would give it;
    a burnt offering you would not accept.(CG)
19 My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
    a contrite, humbled heart, O God, you will not scorn.

III

20 [aq]Treat Zion kindly according to your good will;
    build up the walls of Jerusalem.(CH)
21 Then you will desire the sacrifices of the just,
    burnt offering and whole offerings;
    then they will offer up young bulls on your altar.

Psalm 52[ar]

The Deceitful Tongue

For the leader. A maskil of David, when Doeg the Edomite entered and reported to Saul, saying to him: “David has entered the house of Ahimelech.”(CI)

I

Why do you glory in what is evil, you who are mighty by the mercy of God?
All day long
you are thinking up intrigues;
    your tongue is like a sharpened razor,
    you worker of deceit.(CJ)
You love evil more than good,
    lying rather than saying what is right.(CK)
Selah
You love all the words that create confusion,
    you deceitful tongue.(CL)

II

God too will strike you down forever,
    he will lay hold of you and pluck you from your tent,
    uproot you from the land of the living.(CM)
Selah
The righteous will see and they will fear;
    but they will laugh at him:(CN)
“Behold the man! He did not take God as his refuge,
    but he trusted in the abundance of his wealth,
    and grew powerful through his wickedness.”(CO)

III

10 But I, like an olive tree[as] flourishing in the house of God,(CP)
    I trust in God’s mercy forever and ever.
11 I will thank you forever
    for what you have done.
I will put my hope in your name—for it is good,(CQ)
    —in the presence of those devoted to you.

Psalm 53[at]

A Lament over Widespread Corruption

For the leader; according to Mahalath. A maskil of David.

I

The fool says in his heart,(CR)
    “There is no God.”(CS)
They act corruptly and practice injustice;
    there is none that does good.
God looks out from the heavens
    upon the children of Adam,(CT)
To see if there is a discerning person(CU)
    who is seeking God.
All have gone astray;
    each one is altogether perverse.
    There is not one who does what is good, not even one.(CV)

II

(CW)Do they not know better, those who do evil,
    who feed upon my people as they feed upon bread?(CX)
    Have they not called upon God?
They are going to fear his name with great fear,
    though they had not feared it before.
For God will scatter the bones
    of those encamped against you.
They will surely be put to shame,
    for God has rejected them.

III

Who will bring forth from Zion
    the salvation of Israel?
When God reverses the captivity of his people
    Jacob will rejoice and Israel will be glad.(CY)

Psalm 54[au]

Confident Prayer in Great Peril

For the leader. On stringed instruments. A maskil of David, when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, “David is hiding among us.”(CZ)

I

O God, by your name[av] save me.
    By your strength defend my cause.
O God, hear my prayer.
    Listen to the words of my mouth.
Strangers have risen against me;
    the ruthless seek my life;
    they do not keep God before them.(DA)
Selah

II

God is present as my helper;(DB)
    the Lord sustains my life.
Turn back the evil upon my foes;
    in your faithfulness, destroy them.(DC)
Then I will offer you generous sacrifice
    and give thanks to your name, Lord, for it is good.
Because it has rescued me from every trouble,
    and my eyes look down on my foes.(DD)

Psalm 55[aw]

A Lament over Betrayal

For the leader. On stringed instruments. A maskil of David.

I

Listen, God, to my prayer;(DE)
    do not hide from my pleading;
    hear me and give answer.
I rock with grief; I groan
    at the uproar of the enemy,
    the clamor of the wicked.
They heap trouble upon me,
    savagely accuse me.
My heart pounds within me;
    death’s terrors fall upon me.
Fear and trembling overwhelm me;
    shuddering sweeps over me.
I say, “If only I had wings like a dove
    that I might fly away and find rest.(DF)
Far away I would flee;
    I would stay in the desert.(DG)
Selah
“I would soon find a shelter
    from the raging wind and storm.”

II

10 Lord, check and confuse their tongues.
    For I see violence and strife in the city
11     making rounds on its walls day and night.
Within are mischief and trouble;
12     treachery is in its midst;
    oppression and fraud never leave its streets.(DH)
13 For it is not an enemy that reviled me—
    that I could bear—
Not a foe who viewed me with contempt,
    from that I could hide.
14 But it was you, my other self,
    my comrade and friend,(DI)
15 You, whose company I enjoyed,
    at whose side I walked
    in the house of God.

III

16 Let death take them;
    let them go down alive to Sheol,(DJ)
    for evil is in their homes and bellies.
17 But I will call upon God,
    and the Lord will save me.
18 At dusk, dawn, and noon
    I will grieve and complain,
    and my prayer will be heard.(DK)
19 He will redeem my soul in peace
    from those who war against me,
    though there are many who oppose me.
20 God, who sits enthroned forever,(DL)
    will hear me and afflict them.
Selah
For they will not mend their ways;
    they have no fear of God.
21 He stretched out his hand at his friends
    and broke his covenant.
22 Softer than butter is his speech,
    but war is in his heart.
Smoother than oil are his words,
    but they are unsheathed swords.(DM)
23 Cast your care upon the Lord,
    who will give you support.
He will never allow
    the righteous to stumble.(DN)
24 But you, God, will bring them down
    to the pit of destruction.(DO)
These bloodthirsty liars
    will not live half their days,
    but I put my trust in you.(DP)

Psalm 56[ax]

Trust in God

For the director. According to Yonath elem rehoqim.[ay] A miktam of David, when the Philistines seized him at Gath.(DQ)

I

Have mercy on me, God,
    for I am treated harshly;
    attackers press me all the day.
My foes treat me harshly all the day;
    yes, many are my attackers.
O Most High, when I am afraid,
    in you I place my trust.
I praise the word of God;
    I trust in God, I do not fear.(DR)
    What can mere flesh do to me?(DS)

II

All the day they foil my plans;
    their every thought is of evil against me.
They hide together in ambush;
    they watch my every step;
    they lie in wait for my life.(DT)
They are evil; watch them, God!
    Cast the nations down in your anger!
My wanderings you have noted;
    are my tears not stored in your flask,[az]
    recorded in your book?(DU)
10 My foes turn back when I call on you.
    This I know: God is on my side.
11 I praise the word of God,
    I praise the word of the Lord.
12 In God I trust, I do not fear.
    What can man do to me?

III

13 I have made vows to you, God;
    with offerings I will fulfill them,(DV)
14 For you have snatched me from death,
    kept my feet from stumbling,
That I may walk before God
    in the light of the living.

Psalm 57[ba]

Confident Prayer for Deliverance

For the director. Do not destroy.[bb] A miktam of David, when he fled from Saul into a cave.(DW)

I

Have mercy on me, God,
    have mercy on me.
    In you I seek refuge.
In the shadow of your wings[bc] I seek refuge
    till harm pass by.(DX)
I call to God Most High,
    to God who provides for me.
May God send help from heaven to save me,
    shame those who trample upon me.
    May God send fidelity and mercy.
Selah
I must lie down in the midst of lions
    hungry for human prey.(DY)
Their teeth are spears and arrows;
    their tongue, a sharpened sword.(DZ)
Be exalted over the heavens, God;
    may your glory appear above all the earth.(EA)

II

They have set a trap for my feet;
    my soul is bowed down;
They have dug a pit before me.
    May they fall into it themselves!(EB)
Selah
My heart is steadfast, God,
    my heart is steadfast.
    I will sing and chant praise.(EC)
Awake, my soul;
    awake, lyre and harp!
    I will wake the dawn.[bd](ED)
10 I will praise you among the peoples, Lord;
    I will chant your praise among the nations.(EE)
11 For your mercy towers to the heavens;
    your faithfulness reaches to the skies.(EF)
12 Exalt yourself over the heavens, God;
    may your glory appear above all the earth.

Psalm 58[be]

The Dethroning of Unjust Rulers

For the leader. Do not destroy.[bf] A miktam of David.

I

Do you indeed pronounce justice, O gods;[bg]
    do you judge fairly you children of Adam?(EG)
No, you freely engage in crime;
    your hands dispense violence to the earth.

II

The wicked have been corrupt since birth;
    liars from the womb, they have gone astray.
[bh]Their venom is like the venom of a snake,
    like that of a serpent stopping its ears,(EH)
So as not to hear the voice of the charmer
    or the enchanter with cunning spells.

III

O God, smash the teeth in their mouths;
    break the fangs of these lions, Lord!(EI)
Make them vanish like water flowing away;(EJ)
    trodden down, let them wither like grass.(EK)
Let them dissolve like a snail that oozes away,[bi]
    like an untimely birth that never sees the sun.(EL)
10 Suddenly, like brambles or thistles,
    have the whirlwind snatch them away.(EM)
11 Then the just shall rejoice to see the vengeance
    and bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.(EN)
12 Then people will say:
    “Truly there is a reward for the just;
    there is a God who is judge on earth!”

Psalm 59[bj]

Complaint Against Bloodthirsty Enemies

For the director. Do not destroy.[bk] A miktam of David, when Saul sent people to watch his house and kill him.(EO)

I

Rescue me from my enemies, my God;
    lift me out of reach of my foes.
Deliver me from evildoers;
    from the bloodthirsty save me.
They have set an ambush for my life;
    the powerful conspire against me.
For no offense or misdeed of mine, Lord,
    for no fault they hurry to take up arms.
Come near and see my plight!
    You, Lord God of hosts, are the God of Israel!
Awake! Punish all the nations.
    Have no mercy on these worthless traitors.
Selah
Each evening they return,
    growling like dogs, prowling the city.(EP)
Their mouths pour out insult;
    sharp words are on their lips.
    They say: “Who is there to hear?”[bl]
But you, Lord, laugh at them;
    you deride all the nations.(EQ)
10 My strength, for you I watch;
    you, God, are my fortress,
11     my loving God.

II

May God go before me,
    and show me my fallen foes.
12 Slay them, God,
    lest they deceive my people.
Shake them by your power;
    Lord, our shield, bring them down.
13 For the sinful words of their mouths and lips
    let them be caught in their pride.
For the lies they have told under oath(ER)
14     destroy them in anger,
    destroy till they are no more.
Then people will know God rules over Jacob,
    yes, even to the ends of the earth.(ES)
Selah
15 Each evening they return,
    growling like dogs, prowling the city.
16 They roam about as scavengers;
    if they are not filled, they howl.

III

17 But I shall sing of your strength,
    extol your mercy at dawn,
For you are my fortress,
    my refuge in time of trouble.
18 My strength, your praise I will sing;
    you, God, are my fortress, my loving God.

Psalm 60[bm]

Lament After Defeat in Battle

For the leader; according to “The Lily of.…” A miktam of David (for teaching), when he fought against Aram-Naharaim and Aram-Zobah; and Joab, coming back, killed twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.(ET)

I

O God, you rejected us, broke our defenses;
    you were angry but now revive us.
You rocked the earth, split it open;(EU)
    repair the cracks for it totters.
You made your people go through hardship,
    made us stagger from the wine you gave us.(EV)
Raise up a banner for those who revere you,
    a refuge for them out of bow shot.
Selah
[bn]Help with your right hand and answer us
    that your loved ones may escape.

II

[bo]In the sanctuary God promised:
    “I will exult, will apportion Shechem;
    the valley of Succoth I will measure out.
Gilead is mine, mine is Manasseh;
    Ephraim is the helmet for my head,
    Judah, my own scepter.[bp]
10 [bq]Moab is my washbowl;
    upon Edom I cast my sandal.(EW)
I will triumph over Philistia.”

III

11 Who will bring me to the fortified city?[br]
    Who will lead me into Edom?
12 Was it not you who rejected us, God?
    Do you no longer march with our armies?(EX)
13 Give us aid against the foe;
    worthless is human help.
14 We will triumph with the help of God,
    who will trample down our foes.

Psalm 61[bs]

Prayer of the King in Time of Danger

For the leader; with stringed instruments. Of David.

I

Hear my cry, O God,
    listen to my prayer!
From the ends of the earth[bt] I call;
    my heart grows faint.
Raise me up, set me on a rock,
    for you are my refuge,
    a tower of strength against the foe.(EY)
Let me dwell in your tent forever,
    take refuge in the shelter of your wings.(EZ)
Selah

II

    For you, O God, have heard my vows,
    you have granted me the heritage of those who revere your name.
Add days to the life of the king;
    may his years be as from generation to generation;(FA)
(FB)May he reign before God forever;
    send your love and fidelity[bu] to preserve him—(FC)
I will duly sing to your name forever,
    fulfill my vows day after day.

Psalm 62[bv]

Trust in God Alone

For the leader; ‘al Jeduthun.[bw] A psalm of David.

I

My soul rests in God alone,(FD)
    from whom comes my salvation.
God alone is my rock and salvation,
    my fortress; I shall never fall.
How long will you set yourself against a man?
    You shall all be destroyed,
Like a sagging wall
    or a tumbled down fence!
Even highly placed people
    plot to overthrow him.
They delight in lies;
    they bless with their mouths,
    but inwardly they curse.(FE)
Selah

II

My soul, be at rest in God alone,
    from whom comes my hope.
God alone is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress; I shall not fall.
My deliverance and honor are with God,(FF)
    my strong rock;
    my refuge is with God.
Trust God at all times, my people!
    Pour out your hearts to God our refuge!
Selah

III

10 Mortals are a mere breath,
    the sons of man but an illusion;(FG)
On a balance they rise;[bx]
    together they weigh nothing.
11 Do not trust in extortion;
    in plunder put no empty hope.
On wealth that increases,
    do not set your heart.(FH)
12 [by]One thing God has said;
    two things I have heard:(FI)
Strength belongs to God;
13     so too, my Lord, does mercy,
For you repay each man
    according to his deeds.(FJ)

Psalm 63[bz]

Ardent Longing for God

A psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.(FK)

I

O God, you are my God—
    it is you I seek!
For you my body yearns;
    for you my soul thirsts,
In a land parched, lifeless,
    and without water.(FL)
I look to you in the sanctuary
    to see your power and glory.
For your love is better than life;[ca]
    my lips shall ever praise you!

II

I will bless you as long as I live;
    I will lift up my hands, calling on your name.
My soul shall be sated as with choice food,
    with joyous lips my mouth shall praise you!
I think of you upon my bed,
    I remember you through the watches of the night
You indeed are my savior,
    and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.(FM)
My soul clings fast to you;
    your right hand upholds me.

III

10 But those who seek my life will come to ruin;
    they shall go down to the depths of the netherworld!
11     Those who would hand over my life to the sword shall
    become the prey of jackals!
12 But the king shall rejoice in God;
    all who swear by the Lord[cb] shall exult,
    but the mouths of liars will be shut!(FN)

Psalm 64[cc]

Treacherous Conspirators Punished by God

For the leader. A psalm of David.

I

O God, hear my anguished voice;
    from a dreadful foe protect my life.
Hide me from the malicious crowd,
    the mob of evildoers.
They sharpen their tongues like swords,
    bend their bows of poison words.(FO)
They shoot at the innocent from ambush,
    they shoot him in a moment and do not fear.
They resolve on their wicked plan;
    they conspire to set snares;
    they say: “Who will see us?”
They devise wicked schemes,
    conceal the schemes they devise;
    the designs of their hearts are hidden.(FP)

II

God shoots an arrow at them;
    in a moment they are struck down.(FQ)
They are brought down by their own tongues;
    all who see them flee.(FR)
10 Every person fears and proclaims God’s actions,
    they ponder his deeds.
11 The righteous rejoices and takes refuge in the Lord;
    all the upright give praise.(FS)

Psalm 65[cd]

Thanksgiving for God’s Blessings

For the leader. A psalm of David. A song.

I

To you we owe our hymn of praise,
    O God on Zion;
To you our vows[ce] must be fulfilled,
    [cf]you who hear our prayers.
To you all flesh must come(FT)
    with its burden of wicked deeds.
We are overcome by our sins;
    only you can pardon them.(FU)
Blessed the one whom you will choose and bring
    to dwell in your courts.
May we be filled with the good things of your house,
    your holy temple!

II

You answer us with awesome deeds[cg] of justice,
    O God our savior,
The hope of all the ends of the earth
    and of those far off across the sea.(FV)
You are robed in power,
    you set up the mountains by your might.
You still the roaring of the seas,(FW)
    the roaring of their waves,
    the tumult of the peoples.(FX)
Distant peoples stand in awe of your marvels;
    the places of morning and evening you make resound with joy.
10 [ch]You visit the earth and water it,
    make it abundantly fertile.(FY)
God’s stream[ci] is filled with water;
    you supply their grain.
Thus do you prepare it:
11     you drench its plowed furrows,
    and level its ridges.
With showers you keep it soft,
    blessing its young sprouts.
12 You adorn the year with your bounty;
    your paths[cj] drip with fruitful rain.
13 The meadows of the wilderness also drip;
    the hills are robed with joy.
14 The pastures are clothed with flocks,
    the valleys blanketed with grain;
    they cheer and sing for joy.(FZ)

Psalm 66[ck]

Praise of God, Israel’s Deliverer

For the leader. A song; a psalm.

I

Shout joyfully to God, all the earth;
    sing of his glorious name;
    give him glorious praise.(GA)
Say to God: “How awesome your deeds!
    Before your great strength your enemies cringe.
All the earth falls in worship before you;(GB)
    they sing of you, sing of your name!”
Selah

II

[cl]Come and see the works of God,
    awesome in deeds before the children of Adam.
He changed the sea to dry land;
    through the river they passed on foot.(GC)
There we rejoiced in him,
    who rules by his might forever,
His eyes are fixed upon the nations.
    Let no rebel rise to challenge!
Selah
Bless our God, you peoples;
    loudly sound his praise,
Who has kept us alive
    and not allowed our feet to slip.(GD)
10 You tested us, O God,
    tried us as silver tried by fire.(GE)
11 You led us into a snare;
    you bound us at the waist as captives.
12 [cm]You let captors set foot on our neck;
    we went through fire and water;
    then you led us out to freedom.(GF)

III

13 I will bring burnt offerings[cn] to your house;
    to you I will fulfill my vows,
14 Which my lips pronounced
    and my mouth spoke in my distress.
15 Burnt offerings of fatlings I will offer you
    and sacrificial smoke of rams;
    I will sacrifice oxen and goats.
Selah
16 Come and hear, all you who fear God,
    while I recount what has been done for me.
17 I called to him with my mouth;
    praise was upon my tongue.
18 Had I cherished evil in my heart,
    the Lord would not have heard.
19 But God did hear
    and listened to my voice in prayer.
20 Blessed be God, who did not reject my prayer
    and refuse his mercy.

Psalm 67[co]

Harvest Thanks and Petition

For the leader; with stringed instruments. A psalm; a song.

I

May God be gracious to us[cp] and bless us;
    may his face shine upon us.(GG)
Selah
So shall your way be known upon the earth,
    your victory among all the nations.(GH)
May the peoples praise you, God;
    may all the peoples praise you!

II

May the nations be glad and rejoice;
    for you judge the peoples with fairness,
    you guide the nations upon the earth.(GI)
Selah
May the peoples praise you, God;
    may all the peoples praise you!

III

The earth has yielded its harvest;
    God, our God, blesses us.(GJ)
May God bless us still;
    that the ends of the earth may revere him.

Psalm 68[cq]

The Exodus and Conquest, Pledge of Future Help

For the leader. A psalm of David; a song.

I

[cr]May God arise;
    may his enemies be scattered;
    may those who hate him flee before him.(GK)
As the smoke is dispersed, disperse them;
    as wax is melted by fire,
    so may the wicked perish before God.(GL)
Then the just will be glad;
    they will rejoice before God;
    they will celebrate with great joy.

II

Sing to God, praise his name;
    exalt the rider of the clouds.[cs]
Rejoice before him
    whose name is the Lord.(GM)
Father of the fatherless, defender of widows(GN)
    God in his holy abode,
God gives a home to the forsaken,
    who leads prisoners out to prosperity,
    while rebels live in the desert.[ct]

III

God, when you went forth before your people,(GO)
    when you marched through the desert,
Selah
The earth quaked, the heavens poured,
    before God, the One of Sinai,
    before God, the God of Israel.
10 You poured abundant rains, God,
    your inheritance was weak and you repaired it.
11 Your creatures dwelt in it;
    you will establish it in your goodness for the poor, O God.

IV

12 The Lord announced:
    “Those bringing news are a great Army.
13     The kings of the armies are in desperate flight.(GP)
Every household will share the spoil,
14     though you lie down among the sheepfolds,(GQ)
    you shall be covered with silver as the wings of a dove,
    her feathers bright as fine gold.”
15 When the Almighty routs the kings there,
    it will be as when snow fell on Zalmon.[cu]

V

16 You mountain of God, mountain of Bashan,
    you rugged mountain, mountain of Bashan,
17 You rugged mountains, why look with envy
    at the mountain[cv] where God has chosen to dwell,
    where the Lord resides forever?(GR)
18 God’s chariots were myriad, thousands upon thousands;
    from Sinai the Lord entered the holy place.
19 You went up to its lofty height;
    you took captives, received slaves as tribute,(GS)
    even rebels, for the Lord God to dwell.

VI

20 Blessed be the Lord day by day,
    God, our salvation, who carries us.(GT)
Selah
21 Our God is a God who saves;
    escape from death is the Lord God’s.
22 God will crush the heads of his enemies,
    the hairy scalp of the one who walks in sin.(GU)
23 The Lord has said:
    “Even from Bashan I will fetch them,
    fetch them even from the depths of the sea.[cw]
24 You will wash your feet in your enemy’s blood;
    the tongues of your dogs will lap it up.”(GV)

VII

25 [cx]Your procession comes into view, O God,
    your procession into the holy place, my God and king.
26 The singers go first, the harpists follow;
    in their midst girls sound the timbrels.(GW)
27 In your choirs, bless God;
    Lord, Israel’s fountain.
28 In the lead is Benjamin, few in number;
    there the princes of Judah, a large throng,
    the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali, too.(GX)

VIII

29 Summon again, O God, your power,
    the divine power you once showed for us,
30 From your temple on behalf of Jerusalem,
    that kings may bring you tribute.
31 Roar at the wild beast of the reeds,[cy]
    the herd of mighty bulls, the calves of the peoples;
    trampling those who lust after silver
    scatter the peoples that delight in war.
32 Let bronze be brought from Egypt,(GY)
    Ethiopia hurry its hands to God.(GZ)

IX

33 You kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;(HA)
    chant the praises of the Lord,
Selah
34 Who rides the heights of the ancient heavens,
    Who sends forth his voice as a mighty voice?
35 Confess the power of God,
    whose majesty protects Israel,
    whose power is in the sky.
36 Awesome is God in his holy place,
    the God of Israel,
    who gives power and strength to his people.(HB)
Blessed be God!

Psalm 69[cz]

A Cry of Anguish in Great Distress

For the leader; according to “Lilies.”[da] Of David.

I

Save me, God,
    for the waters[db] have reached my neck.(HC)
I have sunk into the mire of the deep,
    where there is no foothold.
I have gone down to the watery depths;
    the flood overwhelms me.(HD)
I am weary with crying out;
    my throat is parched.
My eyes fail,
    from looking for my God.(HE)
More numerous than the hairs of my head
    are those who hate me without cause.(HF)
Those who would destroy me are mighty,
    my enemies without reason.
Must I now restore
    what I did not steal?[dc]

II

God, you know my folly;
    my faults are not hidden from you.
Let those who wait in hope for you, Lord of hosts,
    not be shamed because of me.
Let those who seek you, God of Israel,(HG)
    not be disgraced because of me.
For it is on your account I bear insult,
    that disgrace covers my face.(HH)
I have become an outcast to my kindred,
    a stranger to my mother’s children.(HI)
10 Because zeal for your house has consumed me,[dd]
    I am scorned by those who scorn you.(HJ)
11 When I humbled my spirit with fasting,(HK)
    this led only to scorn.
12 When I clothed myself in sackcloth;
    I became a byword for them.
13 Those who sit in the gate gossip about me;
    drunkards make me the butt of songs.

III

14 But I will pray to you, Lord,
    at a favorable time.
God, in your abundant kindness, answer me
    with your sure deliverance.(HL)
15 Rescue me from the mire,(HM)
    and do not let me sink.
Rescue me from those who hate me
    and from the watery depths.
16 Do not let the flood waters overwhelm me,
    nor the deep swallow me,
    nor the pit close its mouth over me.
17 Answer me, Lord, in your generous love;
    in your great mercy turn to me.
18 Do not hide your face from your servant;
    hasten to answer me, for I am in distress.(HN)
19 Come and redeem my life;
    because of my enemies ransom me.
20 You know my reproach, my shame, my disgrace;
    before you stand all my foes.
21 Insult has broken my heart, and I despair;
    I looked for compassion, but there was none,(HO)
    for comforters, but found none.
22 Instead they gave me poison for my food;
    and for my thirst they gave me vinegar.(HP)

IV

23 May their own table be a snare for them,
    and their communion offerings a trap.(HQ)
24 Make their eyes so dim they cannot see;
    keep their backs ever feeble.
25 Pour out your wrath upon them;
    let the fury of your anger overtake them.
26 Make their camp desolate,
    with none to dwell in their tents.(HR)
27 For they pursued the one you struck,
    added to the pain of the one you wounded.
28 Heap punishment upon their punishment;
    let them gain from you no vindication.
29 May they be blotted from the book of life;
    not registered among the just!(HS)

V

30 But here I am miserable and in pain;
    let your saving help protect me, God,
31 [de]That I may praise God’s name in song
    and glorify it with thanksgiving.
32 That will please the Lord more than oxen,
    more than bulls with horns and hooves:(HT)
33 “See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
    you who seek God, take heart!(HU)
34 For the Lord hears the poor,
    and does not spurn those in bondage.
35 Let the heaven and the earth praise him,
    the seas and whatever moves in them!”

VI

36 For God will rescue Zion,
    and rebuild the cities of Judah.(HV)
They will dwell there and possess it;
37 the descendants of God’s servants will inherit it;
    those who love God’s name will dwell in it.(HW)

Psalm 70[df]

Prayer for Divine Help

For the leader; of David. For remembrance.

Graciously rescue me, God!(HX)
    Come quickly to help me, Lord!(HY)
Let those who seek my life
    be confused and put to shame.(HZ)
Let those who desire my ruin
    turn back in disgrace.
Let those who say “Aha!”(IA)
    turn back in their shame.
But may all who seek you
    rejoice and be glad in you,
Those who long for your help
    always say, “God be glorified!”(IB)
I am miserable and poor.
    God, come to me quickly!
You are my help and deliverer.
    Lord, do not delay!

Psalm 71[dg]

Prayer in Time of Old Age

I

In you, Lord, I take refuge;(IC)
    let me never be put to shame.(ID)
In your justice rescue and deliver me;
    listen to me and save me!
Be my rock of refuge,
    my stronghold to give me safety;
    for you are my rock and fortress.(IE)
My God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked,
    from the clutches of the evil and violent.(IF)
You are my hope, Lord;
    my trust, God, from my youth.
On you I have depended since birth;
    from my mother’s womb you are my strength;(IG)
    my hope in you never wavers.
[dh]I have become a portent to many,
    but you are my strong refuge!
My mouth shall be filled with your praise,
    shall sing your glory every day.

II

Do not cast me aside in my old age;
    as my strength fails, do not forsake me.
10 For my enemies speak against me;
    they watch and plot against me.(IH)
11 They say, “God has abandoned him.
    Pursue, and seize him!
    No one will come to the rescue!”
12 God, be not far from me;
    my God, hasten to help me.(II)
13 Bring to a shameful end
    those who attack me;
Cover with contempt and scorn
    those who seek my ruin.(IJ)
14 I will always hope in you
    and add to all your praise.
15 My mouth shall proclaim your just deeds,
    day after day your acts of deliverance,
    though I cannot number them all.(IK)
16 I will speak of the mighty works of the Lord;
    O God, I will tell of your singular justice.

III

17 God, you have taught me from my youth;
    to this day I proclaim your wondrous deeds.
18 Now that I am old and gray,(IL)
    do not forsake me, God,
That I may proclaim your might
    to all generations yet to come,(IM)
Your power 19 and justice, God,
    to the highest heaven.
You have done great things;(IN)
    O God, who is your equal?(IO)
20 Whatever bitter afflictions you sent me,
    you would turn and revive me.
From the watery depths of the earth
    once more raise me up.
21 Restore my honor;
    turn and comfort me,
22 That I may praise you with the lyre
    for your faithfulness, my God,
And sing to you with the harp,
    O Holy One of Israel!
23 My lips will shout for joy as I sing your praise;
    my soul, too, which you have redeemed.
24 Yes, my tongue shall recount
    your justice day by day.
For those who sought my ruin
    have been shamed and disgraced.

Psalm 72[di]

A Prayer for the King

Of Solomon.

I

O God, give your judgment to the king;
    your justice to the king’s son;[dj](IP)
That he may govern your people with justice,
    your oppressed with right judgment,(IQ)
That the mountains may yield their bounty for the people,
    and the hills great abundance,(IR)
That he may defend the oppressed among the people,
    save the children of the poor and crush the oppressor.

II

May they fear you with the sun,
    and before the moon, through all generations.(IS)
May he be like rain coming down upon the fields,
    like showers watering the earth,(IT)
That abundance may flourish in his days,
    great bounty, till the moon be no more.

III

[dk]May he rule from sea to sea,
    from the river to the ends of the earth.(IU)
May his foes kneel before him,
    his enemies lick the dust.(IV)
10 May the kings of Tarshish and the islands[dl] bring tribute,
    the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.(IW)
11 May all kings bow before him,
    all nations serve him.(IX)
12 For he rescues the poor when they cry out,
    the oppressed who have no one to help.
13 He shows pity to the needy and the poor(IY)
    and saves the lives of the poor.
14 From extortion and violence he redeems them,
    for precious is their blood[dm] in his sight.

IV

15 Long may he live, receiving gold from Sheba,
    prayed for without cease, blessed day by day.
16 [dn]May wheat abound in the land,
    flourish even on the mountain heights.
May his fruit be like that of Lebanon,
    and flourish in the city like the grasses of the land.(IZ)
17 May his name be forever;
    as long as the sun, may his name endure.(JA)
May the tribes of the earth give blessings with his name;[do]
    may all the nations regard him as favored.(JB)
18 [dp]Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,
    who alone does wonderful deeds.(JC)
19 Blessed be his glorious name forever;
    may he fill all the earth with his glory.(JD)
Amen and amen.

20 The end of the psalms of David, son of Jesse.

Footnotes

  1. Psalms 42–43 Ps 42–43 form a single lament of three sections, each section ending in an identical refrain (Ps 42:6, 12; 43:5). The psalmist is far from Jerusalem, and longs for the divine presence that Israel experienced in the Temple liturgy. Despite sadness, the psalmist hopes once again to join the worshiping crowds.
  2. 42:1 The Korahites: a major guild of Temple singers (2 Chr 20:19) whose name appears in the superscriptions of Ps 42; 44–49; 84–85; 87–88.
  3. 42:3 See the face of God: “face” designates a personal presence (Gn 33:10; Ex 10:28–29; 2 Sm 17:11). The expressions “see God/God’s face” occur elsewhere (Ps 11:7; 17:15; cf. Ex 24:10; 33:7–11; Jb 33:26) for the presence of God in the Temple.
  4. 42:5 The shrine of the Mighty One: this reading follows the tradition of the Septuagint and the Vulgate.
  5. 42:7 From the land of the Jordan: the sources of the Jordan are in the foothills of Mount Hermon in present-day southern Lebanon. Mount Mizar is presumed to be a mountain in the same range.
  6. 42:8 Deep calls to deep: to the psalmist, the waters arising in the north are overwhelming and far from God’s presence, like the waters of chaos (Ps 18:5; 69:2–3, 15; Jon 2:3–6).
  7. 42:9–10 I will pray…I will say: in the midst of his depression the psalmist turns to prayer. Despite his situation he trusts the Lord to deliver him from his sorrow so that he may enter the Temple precincts and praise him once again (Ps 43:3–4, 5b).
  8. 43:3 Your light and your fidelity: a pair of divine attributes personified as guides for the pilgrimage. As in Ps 42:9 the psalmist prays that these divine attributes lead him back to Jerusalem and ultimately to God’s presence in the Temple.
  9. Psalm 44 In this lament the community reminds God of past favors which it has always acknowledged (Ps 44:2–9). But now God has abandoned Israel to defeat and humiliation (Ps 44:10–17), though the people are not conscious of any sin against the covenant (Ps 44:18–23). They struggle with being God’s special people amid divine silence; yet they continue to pray (Ps 44:24–26).
  10. 44:11 You make us retreat: the corollary of Ps 44:3. Defeat, like victory, is God’s doing; neither Israel nor its enemies can claim credit (Ps 44:23).
  11. 44:19 Our hearts have not turned back: Israel’s defeat was not caused by its lack of fidelity.
  12. 44:20 A place of jackals: following Israel’s defeat and exile (Ps 44:11–12), the land lies desolate, inhabited only by jackals, cf. Is 13:22; Jer 9:10; 10:22. Others take tannim as “sea monster” (cf. Ez 29:3; 32:2) and render: “you crushed us as you did the sea monster.”
  13. Psalm 45 A song for the Davidic king’s marriage to a foreign princess from Tyre in Phoenicia. The court poet sings (Ps 45:2, 18) of God’s choice of the king (Ps 45:3, 8), of his role in establishing divine rule (Ps 45:4–8), and of his splendor as he waits for his bride (Ps 45:9–10). The woman is to forget her own house when she becomes wife to the king (Ps 45:11–13). Her majestic beauty today is a sign of the future prosperity of the royal house (Ps 45:14–17). The Psalm was retained in the collection when there was no reigning king, and came to be applied to the king who was to come, the messiah.
  14. 45:7 O God: the king, in courtly language, is called “god,” i.e., more than human, representing God to the people. Hb 1:8–9 applies Ps 45:7–8 to Christ.
  15. 45:9 Ivory-paneled palaces: lit., “palaces of ivory.” Ivory paneling and furniture decoration have been found in Samaria and other ancient Near Eastern cities, cf. Am 3:15.
  16. 45:10 Ophir’s gold: uncertain location, possibly a region on the coast of southern Arabia or eastern Africa, famous for its gold, cf. 1 Kgs 9:28; 10:11; Jb 22:24.
  17. 45:11 Forget your people and your father’s house: the bride should no longer consider herself a daughter of her father’s house, but the wife of the king—the queen.
  18. Psalm 46 A song of confidence in God’s protection of Zion with close parallels to Ps 48. The dominant note in Ps 46 is sounded by the refrain, The Lord of hosts is with us (Ps 46:8, 12). The first strophe (Ps 46:2–4) sings of the security of God’s presence even in utter chaos; the second (Ps 46:5–8), of divine protection of the city from its enemies; the third (Ps 46:9–11), of God’s imposition of imperial peace.
  19. 46:1 Alamoth: the melody of the Psalm, now lost.
  20. 46:3–4 Figurative ancient Near Eastern language to describe social and political upheavals.
  21. 46:5 Jerusalem is not situated on a river. This description derives from mythological descriptions of the divine abode and symbolizes the divine presence as the source of all life (cf. Is 33:21; Ez 47:1–12; Jl 4:18; Zec 14:8; Rev 22:1–2).
  22. 46:8 The first line of the refrain is similar in structure and meaning to Isaiah’s name for the royal child, Emmanuel, With us is God (Is 7:14; 8:8, 10).
  23. Psalm 47 A hymn calling on the nations to acknowledge the universal rule of Israel’s God (Ps 47:2–5) who is enthroned as king over Israel and the nations (Ps 47:6–9).
  24. 47:5 Our heritage…the glory: the land of Israel (cf. Is 58:14), which God has given Israel in an act of sovereignty.
  25. 47:6 God has gone up: Christian liturgical tradition has applied the verse to the Ascension of Christ.
  26. Psalm 48 A Zion hymn, praising the holy city as the invincible dwelling place of God. Unconquerable, it is an apt symbol of God who has defeated all enemies. After seven epithets describing the city (Ps 48:2–3), the Psalm describes the victory by the Divine Warrior over hostile kings (Ps 48:4–8). The second half proclaims the dominion of the God of Zion over all the earth (Ps 48:9–12) and invites pilgrims to announce that God is eternally invincible like Zion itself (Ps 48:13–14).
  27. 48:1 Korahites: see note on Ps 42:1.
  28. 48:3 The heights of Zaphon: the mountain abode of the Canaanite storm-god Baal in comparable texts. To speak of Zion as if it were Zaphon was to claim for Israel’s God what Canaanites claimed for Baal. Though topographically speaking Zion is only a hill, viewed religiously it towers over other mountains as the home of the supreme God (cf. Ps 68:16–17).
  29. 48:6 When they looked: the kings are stunned by the sight of Zion, touched by divine splendor. The language is that of holy war, in which the enemy panics and flees at the sight of divine glory.
  30. 48:8 The ships of Tarshish: large ships, named after the distant land or port of Tarshish, probably ancient Tartessus in southern Spain, although other identifications have been proposed, cf. Is 2:16; 60:9; Jon 1:3.
  31. 48:9 What we had heard we have now seen: the glorious things that new pilgrims had heard about the holy city—its beauty and awesomeness—they now see with their own eyes. The seeing here contrasts with the seeing of the hostile kings in Ps 48:6.
  32. 48:15 Our God for ever and ever: Israel’s God is like Zion in being eternal and invincible. The holy city is therefore a kind of “sacrament” of God.
  33. Psalm 49 The Psalm affirms confidence in God (cf. Ps 23; 27:1–6; 62) in the face of the apparent good fortune of the unjust rich, cf. Ps 37; 73. Reliance on wealth is misplaced (Ps 49:8–10) for it is of no avail in the face of death (Ps 49:18–20). After inviting all to listen to this axiom of faith (Ps 49:2–5), the psalmist depicts the self-delusion of the ungodly (Ps 49:6–13), whose destiny is to die like ignorant beasts (Ps 49:13, 18; cf. Prv 7:21–23). Their wealth should occasion no alarm, for they will come to nought, whereas God will save the just (Ps 49:14–20).
  34. 49:1 Korahites: see note on Ps 42:1.
  35. 49:5 Riddle: the psalmist’s personal solution to the perennial biblical problem of the prosperity of the wicked. Question: parallel in meaning to problem; in wisdom literature it means the mysterious way of how the world works.
  36. 49:8 No man can ransom even a brother: an axiom. For the practice of redemption, cf. Jb 6:21–23. A play on the first Hebrew word of Ps 49:8, 16 relates the two verses.
  37. 49:16 Will take me: the same Hebrew verb is used of God “taking up” a favored servant: Enoch in Gn 5:24; Elijah in 2 Kgs 2:11–12; the righteous person in Ps 73:24. The verse apparently states the hope that God will rescue the faithful psalmist in the same manner.
  38. Psalm 50 A covenant lawsuit stating that the sacrifice God really wants is the sacrifice of praise accompanied by genuine obedience (cf. Mi 6:1–8). It begins with a theophany and the summoning of the court (Ps 50:1–6). Then in direct address God explains what is required of the faithful (Ps 50:7–15), rebukes the hypocritical worshiper (Ps 50:16–21), and concludes with a threat and a promise (Ps 50:22–23; cf. Is 1:19–20).
  39. Psalm 51 A lament, the most famous of the seven Penitential Psalms, prays for the removal of the personal and social disorders that sin has brought. The poem has two parts of approximately equal length: Ps 51:3–10 and Ps 51:11–19, and a conclusion in Ps 51:20–21. The two parts interlock by repetition of “blot out” in the first verse of each section (Ps 51:3, 11), of “wash (away)” just after the first verse of each section (Ps 51:4) and just before the last verse (Ps 51:9) of the first section, and of “heart,” “God,” and “spirit” in Ps 51:12, 19. The first part (Ps 51:3–10) asks deliverance from sin, not just a past act but its emotional, physical, and social consequences. The second part (Ps 51:11–19) seeks something more profound than wiping the slate clean: nearness to God, living by the spirit of God (Ps 51:12–13), like the relation between God and people described in Jer 31:33–34. Nearness to God brings joy and the authority to teach sinners (Ps 51:15–16). Such proclamation is better than offering sacrifice (Ps 51:17–19). The last two verses express the hope that God’s good will toward those who are cleansed and contrite will prompt him to look favorably on the acts of worship offered in the Jerusalem Temple (Ps 51:19 [20–21]).
  40. 51:7 In sin my mother conceived me: lit., “In iniquity was I conceived,” an instance of hyperbole: at no time was the psalmist ever without sin, cf. Ps 88:15, “I am mortally afflicted since youth,” i.e., I have always been afflicted. The verse does not imply that the sexual act of conception is sinful.
  41. 51:9 Hyssop: a small bush whose many woody twigs make a natural sprinkler. It was prescribed in the Mosaic law as an instrument for sprinkling sacrificial blood or lustral water for cleansing, cf. Ex 12:22; Lv 14:4; Nm 19:18.
  42. 51:18 For you do not desire sacrifice: the mere offering of the ritual sacrifice apart from good dispositions is not acceptable to God, cf. Ps 50.
  43. 51:20–21 Most scholars think that these verses were added to the Psalm some time after the destruction of the Temple in 587 B.C. The verses assume that the rebuilt Temple will be an ideal site for national reconciliation.
  44. Psalm 52 A condemnation of the powerful and arrogant (Ps 52:3–6), who bring down upon themselves God’s judgment (Ps 52:7). The just, those who trust in God alone, are gladdened and strengthened by the downfall of their traditional enemies (Ps 52:8–9).
  45. 52:10 Like an olive tree: the righteous will flourish in the house of God like a well-watered olive tree, cf. Ps 92:14; 128:3.
  46. Psalm 53 A lament of an individual, duplicated in Ps 14, except that “God” is used for “the Lord,” and Ps 53:6 is different, cf. Ps 14.
  47. Psalm 54 A lament in which the person under attack calls directly upon God for help (Ps 54:3–5). Refusing to despair, the psalmist hopes in God, who is active in history and just (Ps 54:6–7). The Psalm ends with a serene promise to return thanks (Ps 54:8–9).
  48. 54:3 By your name: one is present in one’s name, hence God as revealed to human beings.
  49. Psalm 55 The psalmist, betrayed by intimate friends (Ps 55:14–15, 20–21), prays that God punish those oath breakers and thus be acknowledged as the protector of the wronged. The sufferings of the psalmist include both ostracism (Ps 55:4) and mental turmoil (Ps 55:5–6), culminating in the wish to flee society (Ps 55:7–9). The wish for a sudden death for one’s enemies (Ps 55:16) occurs elsewhere in the Psalms; an example of such a death is the earth opening under the wicked Dathan and Abiram (Nm 16:31–32). The psalmist, confident of vindication, exhorts others to a like trust in the God of justice (Ps 55:23). The Psalm is not so much for personal vengeance as for a public vindication of God’s righteousness now. There was no belief in an afterlife where such vindication could take place.
  50. Psalm 56 Beset physically (Ps 56:2–3) and psychologically (Ps 56:6–7), the psalmist maintains a firm confidence in God (Ps 56:5, 9–10). Nothing will prevent the psalmist from keeping the vow to give thanks for God’s gift of life (Ps 56:13). A refrain (Ps 56:5, 11–12) divides the Psalm in two equal parts.
  51. 56:1 Yonath elem rehoqim: Hebrew words probably designating the melody to which the Psalm was to be sung.
  52. 56:9 Are my tears not stored in your flask: a unique saying in the Old Testament. The context suggests that the tears are saved because they are precious; God puts a high value on each of the psalmist’s troubles.
  53. Psalm 57 Each of the two equal strophes contains a prayer for rescue from enemies, accompanied by joyful trust in God (Ps 57:2–5, 7–11). The refrain prays that God be manifested as saving (Ps 57:6, 12). Ps 108 is nearly identical to part of this Psalm (cf. Ps 57:8–11, Ps 108:2–6).
  54. 57:1 Do not destroy: probably the title of the melody to which the Psalm was to be sung.
  55. 57:2 The shadow of your wings: probably refers to the wings of the cherubim (powerful winged animals) whose wings spread over the ark in the inner chamber of the Temple (1 Kgs 6:23–28).
  56. 57:9 I will wake the dawn: by a bold figure the psalmist imagines the sound of music and singing will waken a new day.
  57. Psalm 58 A lament expressing trust in God’s power to dethrone all powers obstructing divine rule of the world. First condemned are “the gods,” the powers that were popularly imagined to control human destinies (Ps 58:2–3), then “the wicked,” the human instruments of these forces (Ps 58:4–6). The psalmist prays God to prevent them from harming the just (Ps 58:7–10). The manifestation of justice will gladden the just; they will see that their God is with them (Ps 58:11). The Psalm is less concerned with personal vengeance than with public vindication of God’s justice now.
  58. 58:1 Do not destroy: probably the title of the melody to which the Psalm was to be sung.
  59. 58:2 Gods: the Bible sometimes understands pagan gods to be lesser divine beings who are assigned by Israel’s God to rule the foreign nations. Here they are accused of injustice, permitting the human judges under their patronage to abuse the righteous, cf. Ps 82.
  60. 58:5–6 The image is that of a poisonous snake that is controlled by the voice or piping of its trainer.
  61. 58:9 A snail that oozes away: empty shells suggested to ancients that snails melted away as they left a slimy trail.
  62. Psalm 59 A lament in two parts (Ps 59:2–9, 11b–17), each ending in a refrain (Ps 59:10, 18). Both parts alternate prayer for vindication (Ps 59:2–3, 4b–5, 11b–14) with vivid depictions of the psalmist’s enemies (Ps 59:4–5a, 7–8, 15–16). The near curse in Ps 59:12–13 is not a crude desire for revenge but a wish that God’s just rule over human affairs be recognized now.
  63. 59:1 Do not destroy: probably the title of the melody to which the Psalm was to be sung.
  64. 59:8 Who is there to hear?: a sample of the enemies’ godless reflection. The answer is that God hears their blasphemies.
  65. Psalm 60 The community complains that God has let the enemy win the battle (Ps 60:3–5) and asks for an assurance of victory (Ps 60:6–7). In the oracle God affirms ownership of the land; the invasion of other nations is not permanent and will be reversed ultimately (Ps 60:8–10). With renewed confidence, the community resolves to fight again (Ps 60:11). The opening lament is picked up again (Ps 60:12), but this time with new awareness of God’s power and human limitation.
  66. 60:7–12 These verses occur again as the second half of Ps 108.
  67. 60:8 I will…apportion…measure out: God lays claim to these places. The valley of Succoth: probably the lower stretch of the Jabbok valley.
  68. 60:9 Judah, my own scepter: an allusion to the Testament of Jacob, Gn 49:10.
  69. 60:10 Moab is my washbowl: Moab borders the Dead Sea, hence a metaphor for the country. Upon Edom I cast my sandal: an ancient legal gesture of taking possession of land.
  70. 60:11 The fortified city: perhaps Bozrah, the fortified capital of Edom, cf. Is 34:6; 63:1; Am 1:12.
  71. Psalm 61 A lament of the king who feels himself at the brink of death (Ps 61:3) and cries out for the strong and saving presence of God (Ps 61:3b–5). The king cites the prayer being made for him (Ps 61:7–8), and promises to give thanks to God.
  72. 61:3 Ends of the earth: “earth” being taken in its occasional meaning “the underworld,” cf. Jon 2:3.
  73. 61:8 Send your love and fidelity: as in Ps 43:3 the psalmist asks God to send these two divine attributes like angels to protect the king.
  74. Psalm 62 A song of trust displaying serenity from experiencing God’s power (the refrains of Ps 62:2–3 and Ps 62:6–7) and anger toward unjust enemies (Ps 62:4–5). From the experience of being rescued, the psalmist can teach others to trust in God (Ps 62:9–12).
  75. 62:1 ‘Al Jeduthun: apparently the Hebrew name for the melody.
  76. 62:10 On a balance they rise: precious objects were weighed by balancing two pans suspended from a beam. The lighter pan rises.
  77. 62:12 One thing…two things: parallelism of numbers for the sake of variation, a common device in Semitic poetry. One should not literally add up the numbers, cf. Am 1:3; Prv 6:16–19; 30:15, 18, 21.
  78. Psalm 63 A Psalm expressing the intimate relationship between God and the worshiper. Separated from God (Ps 63:2), the psalmist longs for the divine life given in the Temple (Ps 63:3–6), which is based on a close relationship with God (Ps 63:7–9). May all my enemies be destroyed and God’s true worshipers continue in giving praise (Ps 63:10–11)!
  79. 63:4 For your love is better than life: only here in the Old Testament is anything prized above life—in this case God’s love.
  80. 63:12 All who swear by the Lord: to swear by a particular god meant that one was a worshiper of that god (Is 45:23; 48:1; Zep 1:5).
  81. Psalm 64 A lament of a person overwhelmed by the malice of the wicked who are depicted in the Psalms as the enemies of the righteous (Ps 64:2–7). When people see God bringing upon the wicked the evil they intended against others, they will know who is the true ruler of the world (Ps 64:8–10). The final verse is a vow of praise (Ps 64:11).
  82. Psalm 65 The community, aware of its unworthiness (Ps 65:3–4), gives thanks for divine bounty (Ps 65:5), a bounty resulting from God’s creation victory (Ps 65:6–9). At God’s touch the earth comes alive with vegetation and flocks (Ps 65:10–13).
  83. 65:2 Vows: the Israelites were accustomed to promising sacrifices in the Temple if their prayers were heard.
  84. 65:3 To you all flesh must come: all must have recourse to God’s mercy.
  85. 65:6 Awesome deeds: the acts of creating—installing mountains, taming seas, restraining nations (Ps 65:7–8)—that are visible worldwide (Ps 65:6, 9).
  86. 65:10–14 Apparently a description of the agricultural year, beginning with the first fall rains that soften the hard sun-baked soil (Ps 65:9–10).
  87. 65:10 God’s stream: the fertile waters of the earth derive from God’s fertile waters in the heavenly world.
  88. 65:12 Paths: probably the tracks of God’s storm chariot dropping rain upon earth.
  89. Psalm 66 In the first part (Ps 66:1–12), the community praises God for powerful acts for Israel, both in the past (the exodus from Egypt and the entry into the land [Ps 66:6]) and in the present (deliverance from a recent but unspecified calamity [Ps 66:8–12]). In the second part (Ps 66:13–20), an individual from the rescued community fulfills a vow to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving. As often in thanksgivings, the rescued person steps forward to teach the community what God has done (Ps 66:16–20).
  90. 66:5–6 cf. the events described in Ex 14:1–15, 21; Jos 3:11–4:24 and Ps 114.
  91. 66:12 You let captors set foot on our neck: lit., “you let men mount our heads.” Conquerors placed their feet on the neck of their enemies as a sign of complete defeat, cf. Jos 10:24. A ceremonial footstool of the Egyptian king Tutankhamen portrays bound and prostrate bodies of enemies ready for the king’s feet on their heads, and one of Tutankhamen’s ceremonial chariots depicts the king as a sphinx standing with paw atop the neck of an enemy.
  92. 66:13 Burnt offerings: cf. Lv 1:3–13; 6:1–4; 22:17–20.
  93. Psalm 67 A petition for a bountiful harvest (Ps 67:7), made in the awareness that Israel’s prosperity will persuade the nations to worship its God.
  94. 67:2 May God be gracious to us: the people’s petition echoes the blessing pronounced upon them by the priests, cf. Nm 6:22–27.
  95. Psalm 68 The Psalm is extremely difficult because the Hebrew text is badly preserved and the ceremony that it describes is uncertain. The translation assumes the Psalm accompanied the early autumn Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkoth), which included a procession of the tribes (Ps 68:25–28). Israel was being oppressed by a foreign power, perhaps Egypt (Ps 68:31–32)—unless Egypt stands for any oppressor. The Psalm may have been composed from segments of ancient poems, which would explain why the transitions are implied rather than explicitly stated. At any rate, Ps 68:2 is based on Nm 10:35–36, and Ps 68:8–9 are derived from Jgs 5:4–5. The argument develops in nine stanzas (each of three to five poetic lines): 1. confidence that God will destroy Israel’s enemies (Ps 68:2–4); 2. call to praise God as savior (Ps 68:5–7); 3. God’s initial rescue of Israel from Egypt (Ps 68:8), the Sinai encounter (Ps 68:9), and the settlement in Canaan (Ps 68:10–11); 4. the defeat of the Canaanite kings (Ps 68:12–15); 5. the taking of Jerusalem, where Israel’s God will rule the world (Ps 68:16–19); 6. praise for God’s past help and for the future interventions that will be modeled on the ancient exodus-conquest (Ps 68:20–24); 7. procession at the Feast of Tabernacles (Ps 68:25–28); 8. prayer that the defeated enemies bring tribute to the Temple (Ps 68:29–32); 9. invitation for all kingdoms to praise Israel’s God (Ps 68:33–35).
  96. 68:2 The opening line alluding to Nm 10:35 makes clear that God’s assistance in the period of the exodus and conquest is the model and assurance of all future divine help.
  97. 68:5 Exalt the rider of the clouds: God’s intervention is in the imagery of Canaanite myth in which the storm-god mounted the storm clouds to ride to battle. Such theophanies occur throughout the Psalm: Ps 68:2–3, 8–10, 12–15, 18–19, 22–24, 29–32, 34–35. See Dt 33:26; Ps 18:8–16; Is 19:1.
  98. 68:7 While rebels live in the desert: rebels must live in the arid desert, whereas God’s people will live in the well-watered land (Ps 68:8–11).
  99. 68:15 Zalmon: generally taken as the name of a mountain where snow is visible in winter, perhaps to be located in the Golan Heights or in the mountains of Bashan or Hauran east of the Sea of Galilee.
  100. 68:17 The mountain: Mount Zion, the site of the Temple.
  101. 68:23 Even from Bashan…from the depths of the sea: the heights and the depths, the farthest places where enemies might flee.
  102. 68:25–28 Your procession: the procession renews God’s original taking up of residence on Zion, described in Ps 68:16–19.
  103. 68:31 The wild beast of the reeds: probably the Nile crocodile, a symbol for Egypt; see Ps 68:32 and Ez 29:2–5.
  104. Psalm 69 A lament complaining of suffering in language both metaphorical (Ps 69:2–3, 15–16, the waters of chaos) and literal (Ps 69:4, 5, 9, 11–13, exhaustion, alienation from family and community, false accusation). In the second part the psalmist prays with special emphasis that the enemies be punished for all to see (Ps 69:23–29). Despite the pain, the psalmist does not lose hope that all be set right, and promises public praise (Ps 69:30–36). The Psalm, which depicts the suffering of the innocent just person vividly, is cited often by the New Testament especially in the passion accounts, e.g., Ps 69:5 in Jn 15:25; Ps 69:22 in Mk 15:23, 36 and parallels and in Jn 19:29. The Psalm prays not so much for personal vengeance as for public vindication of God’s justice. There was, at this time, no belief in an afterlife where such vindication could take place. Redress had to take place now, in the sight of all.
  105. 69:1 “Lilies”: apparently the name of the melody.
  106. 69:2 Waters: the waters of chaos from which God created the world are a common metaphor for extreme distress, cf. Ps 18:5; 42:8; 88:8; Jon 2:3–6.
  107. 69:5 What I did not steal: the psalmist, falsely accused of theft, is being forced to make restitution.
  108. 69:10 Zeal for your house has consumed me: the psalmist’s commitment to God’s cause brings only opposition, cf. Jn 2:17. I am scorned by those who scorn you: Rom 15:3 uses the verse as an example of Jesus’ unselfishness.
  109. 69:31 That I may praise God’s name in song: the actual song is cited in Ps 69:33–35, the word “praise” in Ps 69:35 referring back to “praise” in Ps 69:31.
  110. Psalm 70 A lament of a poor and afflicted person (Ps 70:6) who has no resource except God, and who cries out to be saved from the enemy. The Psalm is almost identical to Ps 40:14–17.
  111. Psalm 71 A lament of an old person (Ps 71:9, 18) whose afflictions are interpreted by enemies as a divine judgment (Ps 71:11). The first part of the Psalm pleads for help (Ps 71:1–4) on the basis of a hope learned from a lifetime’s experience of God; the second part describes the menace (Ps 71:9–13) yet remains buoyant (Ps 71:14–16); the third develops the theme of hope and praise.
  112. 71:7 A portent to many: the afflictions of the sufferer are taken as a manifestation of God’s anger, cf. Dt 28:46; Ps 31:12.
  113. Psalm 72 A royal Psalm in which the Israelite king, as the representative of God, is the instrument of divine justice (Ps 72:1–4, 12–14) and blessing (Ps 72:5–7, 15–17) for the whole world. The king is human, giving only what he has received from God. Hence intercession must be made for him. The extravagant language is typical of oriental royal courts.
  114. 72:2 The king…the king’s son: the crown prince is the king’s son; the prayer envisages the dynasty.
  115. 72:8 From sea to sea…the ends of the earth: the boundaries of the civilized world known at the time: from the Mediterranean Sea (the western sea) to the Persian Gulf (the eastern sea), and from the Euphrates (the river) to the islands and lands of southwestern Europe, “the ends of the earth.” The words may also have a mythic nuance—the earth surrounded by cosmic waters, hence everywhere.
  116. 72:10 Tarshish and the islands: the far west (Ps 48:6); Arabia and Seba: the far south (1 Kgs 10:1).
  117. 72:14 Their blood: cf. Ps 116:15.
  118. 72:16 The translation of the difficult Hebrew is tentative.
  119. 72:17 May the tribes of the earth give blessings with his name: an echo of the promise to the ancestors (Gn 12:3; 26:4; 28:14), suggesting that the monarchy in Israel fulfilled the promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
  120. 72:18–19 A doxology marking the end of Book II of the Psalter.