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Psalm 1-20
English Standard Version
Psalm 1-20
English Standard Version
Book One
The Way of the Righteous and the Wicked
1 Blessed is the man[a]
who (A)walks not in (B)the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in (C)the way of sinners,
nor (D)sits in (E)the seat of (F)scoffers;
2 but his (G)delight is in the law[b] of the Lord,
and on his (H)law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like (I)a tree
planted by (J)streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its (K)leaf does not wither.
(L)In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like (M)chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked (N)will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in (O)the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord (P)knows (Q)the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
The Reign of the Lord's Anointed
2 (R)Why do (S)the nations rage[c]
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the Lord and against his (T)Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us (U)burst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us.”
4 He who (V)sits in the heavens (W)laughs;
the Lord holds them in derision.
5 Then he will speak to them in his (X)wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6 “As for me, I have (Y)set my King
on (Z)Zion, my (AA)holy hill.”
7 I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, (AB)“You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and (AC)the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You shall (AD)break[d] them with (AE)a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like (AF)a potter's vessel.”
10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11 (AG)Serve the Lord with (AH)fear,
and (AI)rejoice with (AJ)trembling.
12 (AK)Kiss (AL)the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his (AM)wrath is quickly kindled.
(AN)Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
Save Me, O My God
A Psalm of David, (AO)when he fled from Absalom his son.
3 O Lord, (AP)how many are my foes!
Many are (AQ)rising against me;
2 many are saying of my soul,
(AR)“There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah[e]
3 But you, O Lord, are (AS)a shield (AT)about me,
my glory, and (AU)the lifter of my head.
4 I (AV)cried aloud to the Lord,
and he (AW)answered me from his (AX)holy hill. Selah
5 I (AY)lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
6 I (AZ)will not be afraid of many thousands of people
who have (BA)set themselves against me all around.
7 (BB)Arise, O Lord!
Save me, O my God!
For you (BC)strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you (BD)break the teeth of the wicked.
8 (BE)Salvation belongs to the Lord;
your blessing be on your people! Selah
Answer Me When I Call
To the (BF)choirmaster: with (BG)stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.
4 Answer me when I call, O God of my (BH)righteousness!
You have (BI)given me relief when I was in distress.
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!
2 O men,[f] how long shall my honor be turned into shame?
How long will you love vain words and seek after (BJ)lies? Selah
3 But know that the Lord has (BK)set apart (BL)the godly for himself;
the Lord hears when I call to him.
4 (BM)Be angry,[g] and do not sin;
(BN)ponder in your own hearts (BO)on your beds, and be silent. Selah
5 Offer (BP)right sacrifices,
and put your (BQ)trust in the Lord.
6 There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?
(BR)Lift up (BS)the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”
7 You have put (BT)more joy in my heart
than they have when their grain and wine abound.
Lead Me in Your Righteousness
To the choirmaster: for the flutes. A Psalm of David.
5 Give ear to my words, O Lord;
consider my (BW)groaning.
2 Give attention to the sound of my cry,
my (BX)King and my God,
for (BY)to you do I pray.
3 O Lord, in (BZ)the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you[h] and (CA)watch.
4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil may not dwell with you.
5 The (CB)boastful shall not (CC)stand before your eyes;
you (CD)hate all evildoers.
6 You destroy those who speak (CE)lies;
the Lord abhors (CF)the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
will enter your house.
I will (CG)bow down (CH)toward your (CI)holy temple
in the fear of you.
8 (CJ)Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
because of my enemies;
(CK)make your way straight before me.
9 For there is no truth in their mouth;
their inmost self is (CL)destruction;
(CM)their throat is (CN)an open grave;
they (CO)flatter with their tongue.
10 (CP)Make them bear their guilt, O God;
let them (CQ)fall by their own counsels;
because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out,
for they have rebelled against you.
11 But let all who (CR)take refuge in you (CS)rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may (CT)exult in you.
12 For you (CU)bless the righteous, O Lord;
you (CV)cover him with favor as with (CW)a shield.
O Lord, Deliver My Life
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments; according to (CX)The Sheminith.[i] A Psalm of David.
6 O Lord, (CY)rebuke me not in your anger,
nor (CZ)discipline me in your wrath.
2 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;
(DA)heal me, O Lord, (DB)for my bones are troubled.
3 My (DC)soul also is greatly troubled.
But you, O Lord—(DD)how long?
4 Turn, O Lord, deliver my life;
save me for the sake of your steadfast love.
5 For in (DE)death there is no remembrance of you;
in Sheol who will give you praise?
6 I am (DF)weary with my (DG)moaning;
every night I flood my bed with tears;
I drench my couch with my weeping.
7 My (DH)eye wastes away because of grief;
it grows weak because of all my foes.
8 (DI)Depart from me, all you (DJ)workers of evil,
for the Lord (DK)has heard the sound of my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my (DL)plea;
the Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled;
they shall (DM)turn back and be put to shame in a moment.
In You Do I Take Refuge
A (DN)Shiggaion[j] of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning the words of Cush, a Benjaminite.
7 O Lord my God, in you do I (DO)take refuge;
(DP)save me from all my pursuers and deliver me,
2 lest like (DQ)a lion they tear my soul apart,
rending it in pieces, with (DR)none to deliver.
3 O Lord my God, (DS)if I have done this,
if there is (DT)wrong in my hands,
4 if I have repaid (DU)my friend[k] with evil
or (DV)plundered my enemy without cause,
5 let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it,
and let him (DW)trample my life to the ground
and lay my glory in the dust. Selah
6 (DX)Arise, O Lord, in your anger;
(DY)lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;
(DZ)awake for me; you have appointed a judgment.
7 Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you;
over it return on high.
8 The Lord (EA)judges the peoples;
(EB)judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness
and according to the integrity that is in me.
9 Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
and may you establish the righteous—
you who (EC)test (ED)the minds and hearts,[l]
O righteous God!
10 My shield is (EE)with God,
who saves (EF)the upright in heart.
11 God is (EG)a righteous judge,
and a God who feels (EH)indignation every day.
12 If a man[m] does not repent, God[n] will (EI)whet his sword;
he has (EJ)bent and (EK)readied his bow;
13 he has prepared for him his deadly weapons,
making his (EL)arrows (EM)fiery shafts.
14 Behold, the wicked man (EN)conceives evil
and is (EO)pregnant with mischief
and gives birth to lies.
15 He makes (EP)a pit, digging it out,
and falls into the hole that he has made.
16 His (EQ)mischief returns upon his own head,
and on his own skull his violence descends.
17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
and I will (ER)sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.
How Majestic Is Your Name
To the choirmaster: according to The (ES)Gittith.[o] A Psalm of David.
8 O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your (ET)name in all the earth!
You have set your (EU)glory above the heavens.
2 (EV)Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established (EW)strength because of your foes,
to still (EX)the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I (EY)look at your heavens, the work of your (EZ)fingers,
the moon and the stars, (FA)which you have set in place,
4 (FB)what is man that you are (FC)mindful of him,
and (FD)the son of man that you (FE)care for him?
5 Yet you have made him a little lower than (FF)the heavenly beings[p]
and crowned him with (FG)glory and honor.
6 You have given him (FH)dominion over the works of your hands;
(FI)you have put all things under his feet,
7 all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
I Will Recount Your Wonderful Deeds
[q] To the choirmaster: according to Muth-labben.[r] A Psalm of David.
9 I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
I will recount all of your (FJ)wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and (FK)exult in you;
I will (FL)sing praise to your name, (FM)O Most High.
3 When my enemies turn back,
they stumble and perish before[s] your presence.
4 For you have (FN)maintained my just cause;
you have (FO)sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment.
5 You have (FP)rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish;
you have (FQ)blotted out their name forever and ever.
6 The enemy came to an end in everlasting ruins;
their cities you rooted out;
the very memory of them has perished.
7 But the Lord sits enthroned forever;
he has established his throne for justice,
8 and he (FR)judges the world with righteousness;
he (FS)judges the peoples with uprightness.
9 The Lord is (FT)a stronghold for (FU)the oppressed,
a stronghold in (FV)times of trouble.
10 And those who (FW)know your name put their trust in you,
for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.
11 Sing praises to the Lord, who (FX)sits enthroned in Zion!
Tell among the peoples his (FY)deeds!
12 For he who (FZ)avenges blood is mindful of them;
he (GA)does not forget the cry of the afflicted.
13 (GB)Be gracious to me, O Lord!
See my affliction from those who hate me,
O you who lift me up from (GC)the gates of death,
14 that I may recount all your praises,
that in the gates of (GD)the daughter of Zion
I may (GE)rejoice in your salvation.
15 The nations have sunk in (GF)the pit that they made;
in (GG)the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught.
16 The Lord has made himself (GH)known; he has executed judgment;
the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion.[t] Selah
18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten,
and (GK)the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.
19 (GL)Arise, O Lord! Let not (GM)man prevail;
let the nations be judged before you!
20 Put them in fear, O Lord!
Let the nations know that they are but (GN)men! Selah
Why Do You Hide Yourself?
2 In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor;
let them (GR)be caught in the schemes that they have devised.
3 For the wicked (GS)boasts of the desires of his soul,
and the one greedy for gain (GT)curses[u] and (GU)renounces the Lord.
4 In the pride of his face[v] the wicked does not (GV)seek him;[w]
all his thoughts are, (GW)“There is no God.”
5 His ways prosper at all times;
your judgments are on high, (GX)out of his sight;
as for all his foes, he (GY)puffs at them.
6 He (GZ)says in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
throughout all generations I (HA)shall not meet adversity.”
7 (HB)His mouth is filled with cursing and (HC)deceit and (HD)oppression;
(HE)under his tongue are (HF)mischief and (HG)iniquity.
8 He sits in ambush in the villages;
in (HH)hiding places he murders the innocent.
His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
9 he lurks in ambush like (HI)a lion in his (HJ)thicket;
he (HK)lurks that he may seize the poor;
he seizes the poor when he draws him into his (HL)net.
10 The helpless are crushed, sink down,
and fall by his might.
11 He says in his heart, “God has forgotten,
he has (HM)hidden his face, he (HN)will never see it.”
12 (HO)Arise, O Lord; O God, (HP)lift up your hand;
(HQ)forget not the afflicted.
13 Why does the wicked (HR)renounce God
and say in his heart, “You will not (HS)call to account”?
14 But you do see, for you (HT)note mischief and vexation,
that you may take it into your hands;
to you the helpless (HU)commits himself;
you have been (HV)the helper of the fatherless.
15 (HW)Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;
(HX)call his wickedness to account till you find none.
16 (HY)The Lord is king forever and ever;
the (HZ)nations perish from his land.
17 O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
you will (IA)strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear
18 to (IB)do justice to the fatherless and (IC)the oppressed,
so that (ID)man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.
The Lord Is in His Holy Temple
To the choirmaster. Of David.
11 In the Lord I take refuge;
how can you say to my soul,
(IE)“Flee like a bird to your mountain,
2 for behold, the wicked (IF)bend the bow;
(IG)they have fitted their arrow to the string
to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart;
3 if (IH)the foundations are destroyed,
what can the righteous do?”[x]
4 (II)The Lord is in his holy temple;
the Lord's (IJ)throne is in heaven;
his eyes see, his eyelids (IK)test the children of man.
5 The Lord (IL)tests the righteous,
but (IM)his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.
6 Let him rain coals on the wicked;
(IN)fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be (IO)the portion of their cup.
7 For the Lord is righteous;
he (IP)loves righteous deeds;
(IQ)the upright shall behold his face.
The Faithful Have Vanished
To the choirmaster: according to The Sheminith.[y] A Psalm of David.
12 Save, O Lord, for (IR)the godly one is gone;
for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man.
2 Everyone (IS)utters lies to his neighbor;
with (IT)flattering lips and (IU)a double heart they speak.
3 May the Lord cut off all (IV)flattering lips,
the tongue that makes (IW)great boasts,
4 those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail,
our lips are with us; who is master over us?”
5 “Because (IX)the poor are plundered, because the needy groan,
(IY)I will now arise,” says the Lord;
“I will place him in the (IZ)safety for which he longs.”
6 (JA)The words of the Lord are pure words,
like silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
purified seven times.
7 You, O Lord, will keep them;
you will guard us[z] from this generation forever.
8 On every side the wicked prowl,
as vileness is exalted among the children of man.
How Long, O Lord?
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
13 (JB)How long, O Lord? Will you (JC)forget me forever?
How long will you (JD)hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take (JE)counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3 (JF)Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
(JG)light up my eyes, lest (JH)I sleep the sleep of death,
4 (JI)lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
lest my foes rejoice because I am (JJ)shaken.
5 But I have (JK)trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall (JL)rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.
The Fool Says, There Is No God
To the choirmaster. Of David.
14 (JM)The (JN)fool says in his heart, (JO)“There is no God.”
They are (JP)corrupt, they do abominable deeds;
(JQ)there is none who does good.
2 The Lord (JR)looks down from heaven on the children of man,
to see if there are any who understand,[aa]
who (JS)seek after God.
3 They have all turned aside; together they have become (JT)corrupt;
there is none who does good,
not even one.
4 Have they no (JU)knowledge, all the evildoers
who (JV)eat up my people as they eat bread
and (JW)do not call upon the Lord?
5 There they are in great terror,
for God is with (JX)the generation of the righteous.
6 You would shame the plans of the poor,
but[ab] the Lord is his (JY)refuge.
7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the Lord (JZ)restores the fortunes of his people,
let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.
Who Shall Dwell on Your Holy Hill?
A Psalm of David.
2 He who (KD)walks blamelessly and (KE)does what is right
and (KF)speaks truth in his heart;
3 who (KG)does not slander with his tongue
and does no evil to his neighbor,
nor (KH)takes up a reproach against his friend;
4 (KI)in whose eyes a vile person is despised,
but who honors those who fear the Lord;
who (KJ)swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 who (KK)does not put out his money at interest
and (KL)does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be (KM)moved.
You Will Not Abandon My Soul
A (KN)Miktam[ac] of David.
16 Preserve me, O God, for in you I (KO)take refuge.
2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
(KP)I have no good apart from you.”
4 The sorrows of those who run after[ae] another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or (KR)take their names on my lips.
5 The Lord is (KS)my chosen portion and my (KT)cup;
you hold my (KU)lot.
6 (KV)The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
7 I bless the Lord who (KW)gives me counsel;
in (KX)the night also my (KY)heart instructs me.[af]
8 (KZ)I have (LA)set the Lord always before me;
because he is at my (LB)right hand, I shall not be (LC)shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my (LD)whole being[ag] rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
10 For you will not abandon my soul to (LE)Sheol,
(LF)or let your (LG)holy one see (LH)corruption.[ah]
11 You make known to me (LI)the path of life;
in your presence there is (LJ)fullness of joy;
at your right hand are (LK)pleasures forevermore.
In the Shadow of Your Wings
A (LL)Prayer of David.
17 Hear a just cause, O Lord; (LM)attend to my cry!
Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!
2 From your presence (LN)let my vindication come!
Let your eyes behold the right!
3 You have (LO)tried my heart, you have (LP)visited me by (LQ)night,
you have (LR)tested me, and you will find nothing;
I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.
4 With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips
I have avoided the ways of the violent.
5 My steps have (LS)held fast to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.
6 I (LT)call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
(LU)incline your ear to me; hear my words.
7 (LV)Wondrously show[ai] your steadfast love,
O Savior of those who seek refuge
from (LW)their adversaries at your right hand.
8 Keep me as (LX)the apple of your eye;
hide me in (LY)the shadow of your wings,
9 from the wicked who do me violence,
my deadly enemies who (LZ)surround me.
10 (MA)They close their hearts to pity;
with their mouths they (MB)speak arrogantly.
11 They have now surrounded our (MC)steps;
they set their eyes to (MD)cast us to the ground.
12 He is like a lion eager to tear,
as a young lion (ME)lurking in ambush.
13 Arise, O Lord! Confront him, subdue him!
Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,
14 from men by your hand, O Lord,
from (MF)men of the world whose (MG)portion is in this life.[aj]
You fill their womb with treasure;[ak]
they are satisfied with (MH)children,
and they leave their abundance to their infants.
15 As for me, I shall (MI)behold your face in righteousness;
when I (MJ)awake, I shall be (MK)satisfied with your likeness.
The Lord Is My Rock and My Fortress
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, (ML)the servant of the Lord, (MM)who addressed the words of this (MN)song to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said:
18 I love you, O Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my (MO)rock and my (MP)fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my (MQ)rock, in (MR)whom I take refuge,
my (MS)shield, and (MT)the horn of my salvation, my (MU)stronghold.
3 I call upon the Lord, who is (MV)worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.
4 (MW)The cords of death encompassed me;
(MX)the torrents of destruction assailed me;[al]
5 (MY)the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.
6 (MZ)In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I cried for help.
From his (NA)temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.
7 Then the earth (NB)reeled and rocked;
the foundations also of the mountains trembled
and quaked, because he was angry.
8 Smoke went up from his nostrils,[am]
and devouring (NC)fire from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
9 He (ND)bowed the heavens and (NE)came down;
(NF)thick darkness was under his feet.
10 He rode on a cherub and flew;
he came swiftly on (NG)the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his covering, his (NH)canopy around him,
thick clouds (NI)dark with water.
12 Out of the brightness before him
(NJ)hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.
13 The Lord also (NK)thundered in the heavens,
and the Most High uttered his (NL)voice,
hailstones and coals of fire.
14 And he sent out his (NM)arrows and scattered them;
he flashed forth lightnings and (NN)routed them.
15 Then (NO)the channels of the sea were seen,
and the foundations of the world were laid bare
at your (NP)rebuke, O Lord,
at the blast of (NQ)the breath of your nostrils.
16 He (NR)sent from on high, he took me;
he (NS)drew me out of (NT)many waters.
17 He rescued me from my strong enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were (NU)too mighty for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my support.
19 He brought me out into (NV)a broad place;
he rescued me, because he (NW)delighted in me.
20 The Lord dealt with me (NX)according to my righteousness;
according to (NY)the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.
21 For I have (NZ)kept the ways of the Lord,
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For (OA)all his rules[an] were before me,
and his statutes I did not put away from me.
23 I was (OB)blameless before him,
and I kept myself from my guilt.
24 So the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
25 With (OC)the merciful you show yourself merciful;
with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;
26 with the purified you show yourself pure;
and with (OD)the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
27 For you save (OE)a humble people,
but (OF)the haughty eyes you bring down.
28 For it is you who light my (OG)lamp;
the Lord my God lightens my darkness.
29 For by you I can run against a troop,
and by my God I can (OH)leap over (OI)a wall.
30 This God—his way is (OJ)perfect;[ao]
the word of the Lord (OK)proves true;
he is (OL)a shield for all those who (OM)take refuge in him.
31 For (ON)who is God, but the Lord?
And who is (OO)a rock, except our God?—
32 the God who (OP)equipped me with strength
and made my way (OQ)blameless.
33 He made my feet like the feet of a (OR)deer
and set me secure on (OS)the heights.
34 He (OT)trains my hands for war,
so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have given me the shield of your salvation,
and your right hand (OU)supported me,
and your (OV)gentleness made me great.
36 You (OW)gave a wide place for my steps under me,
and my feet did not slip.
37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them,
and did not turn back till they were consumed.
38 I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise;
they fell under my feet.
39 For you equipped me with strength for the battle;
you made those who rise against me sink under me.
40 You made my enemies (OX)turn their backs to me,[ap]
and those who hated me I destroyed.
41 (OY)They cried for help, but there was none to save;
they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
42 I beat them fine as (OZ)dust before the wind;
I cast them out like (PA)the mire of the streets.
43 You delivered me from (PB)strife with the people;
you made me (PC)the head of the nations;
(PD)people whom I had not known served me.
44 As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me;
(PE)foreigners (PF)came cringing to me.
45 (PG)Foreigners lost heart
and (PH)came trembling out of their fortresses.
46 The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,
and exalted be the God of my salvation—
47 the God who gave me vengeance
and (PI)subdued peoples under me,
48 who rescued me from my enemies;
yes, you (PJ)exalted me above those who rose against me;
you delivered me from (PK)the man of violence.
49 (PL)For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations,
and (PM)sing to your name.
50 Great (PN)salvation he brings to his king,
and shows steadfast love to his (PO)anointed,
to (PP)David and his offspring forever.
The Law of the Lord Is Perfect
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
19 (PQ)The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above[aq] proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
4 (PR)Their (PS)voice[ar] goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for (PT)the sun,
5 (PU)which comes out like (PV)a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7 (PW)The law of the Lord is perfect,[as]
(PX)reviving the soul;
(PY)the testimony of the Lord is (PZ)sure,
(QA)making wise (QB)the simple;
8 (QC)the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is (QD)pure,
(QE)enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules[at] of the Lord are (QF)true,
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than (QG)gold,
even much (QH)fine gold;
(QI)sweeter also than honey
and drippings of (QJ)the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
(QK)in keeping them there is great reward.
12 (QL)Who can discern his errors?
(QM)Declare me innocent from (QN)hidden faults.
13 (QO)Keep back your servant also from (QP)presumptuous sins;
let them not have (QQ)dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my (QR)rock and my (QS)redeemer.
Trust in the Name of the Lord Our God
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
20 May the Lord (QT)answer you in the day of trouble!
May (QU)the name of the God of Jacob (QV)protect you!
2 May he send you help from (QW)the sanctuary
and give you support from (QX)Zion!
3 May he (QY)remember all your offerings
and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah
4 May he (QZ)grant you your heart's desire
and fulfill all your plans!
5 May we shout for joy over (RA)your salvation,
and in the name of our God set up our (RB)banners!
May the Lord fulfill all your petitions!
6 Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed;
he will answer him from his holy heaven
with (RC)the saving might of his right hand.
7 Some trust in (RD)chariots and some in (RE)horses,
(RF)but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
Footnotes
- Psalm 1:1 The singular Hebrew word for man (ish) is used here to portray a representative example of a godly person; see Preface
- Psalm 1:2 Or instruction
- Psalm 2:1 Or nations noisily assemble
- Psalm 2:9 Revocalization yields (compare Septuagint) You shall rule
- Psalm 3:2 The meaning of the Hebrew word Selah, used frequently in the Psalms, is uncertain. It may be a musical or liturgical direction
- Psalm 4:2 Or O men of rank
- Psalm 4:4 Or Be agitated
- Psalm 5:3 Or I direct my prayer to you
- Psalm 6:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 7:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 7:4 Hebrew the one at peace with me
- Psalm 7:9 Hebrew the hearts and kidneys
- Psalm 7:12 Hebrew he
- Psalm 7:12 Hebrew he
- Psalm 8:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 8:5 Or than God; Septuagint than the angels
- Psalm 9:1 Psalms 9 and 10 together follow an acrostic pattern, each stanza beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In the Septuagint they form one psalm
- Psalm 9:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 9:3 Or because of
- Psalm 9:16 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 10:3 Or and he blesses the one greedy for gain
- Psalm 10:4 Or of his anger
- Psalm 10:4 Or the wicked says, “He will not call to account”
- Psalm 11:3 Or for the foundations will be destroyed; what has the righteous done?
- Psalm 12:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 12:7 Or guard him
- Psalm 14:2 Or that act wisely
- Psalm 14:6 Or for
- Psalm 16:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 16:3 Or To the saints in the land, the excellent in whom is all my delight, I say:
- Psalm 16:4 Or who acquire
- Psalm 16:7 Hebrew my kidneys instruct me
- Psalm 16:9 Hebrew my glory
- Psalm 16:10 Or see the pit
- Psalm 17:7 Or Distinguish me by
- Psalm 17:14 Or from men whose portion in life is of the world
- Psalm 17:14 Or As for your treasured ones, you fill their womb
- Psalm 18:4 Or terrified me
- Psalm 18:8 Or in his wrath
- Psalm 18:22 Or just decrees
- Psalm 18:30 Or blameless
- Psalm 18:40 Or You gave me my enemies' necks
- Psalm 19:1 Hebrew the expanse; compare Genesis 1:6–8
- Psalm 19:4 Or Their measuring line
- Psalm 19:7 Or blameless
- Psalm 19:9 Or just decrees
Psalm 1-20
New International Version
Psalm 1-20
New International Version
BOOK I
Psalms 1–41
Psalm 1
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)
2 but whose delight(H) is in the law of the Lord,(I)
and who meditates(J) on his law day and night.
3 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)
4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff(Q)
that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand(R) in the judgment,(S)
nor sinners in the assembly(T) of the righteous.
6 For the Lord watches over(U) the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.(V)
Psalm 2
1 Why do the nations conspire[a]
and the peoples plot(W) in vain?
2 The kings(X) of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord and against his anointed,(Y) saying,
3 “Let us break their chains(Z)
and throw off their shackles.”(AA)
4 The One enthroned(AB) in heaven laughs;(AC)
the Lord scoffs at them.
5 He rebukes them in his anger(AD)
and terrifies them in his wrath,(AE) saying,
6 “I have installed my king(AF)
on Zion,(AG) my holy mountain.(AH)”
7 I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:
He said to me, “You are my son;(AI)
today I have become your father.(AJ)
8 Ask me,
and I will make the nations(AK) your inheritance,(AL)
the ends of the earth(AM) your possession.
9 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)
1 Lord, how many are my foes!
How many rise up against me!
2 Many are saying of me,
“God will not deliver him.(BA)”[d]
3 But you, Lord, are a shield(BB) around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high.(BC)
4 I call out to the Lord,(BD)
and he answers me from his holy mountain.(BE)
5 I lie down and sleep;(BF)
I wake again,(BG) because the Lord sustains me.
6 I will not fear(BH) though tens of thousands
assail me on every side.(BI)
7 Arise,(BJ) Lord!
Deliver me,(BK) my God!
Strike(BL) all my enemies on the jaw;
break the teeth(BM) of the wicked.
Psalm 4[e]
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.
1 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)
2 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)
3 Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant(BW) for himself;
the Lord hears(BX) when I call to him.
4 Tremble and[h] do not sin;(BY)
when you are on your beds,(BZ)
search your hearts and be silent.
5 Offer the sacrifices of the righteous
and trust in the Lord.(CA)
6 Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”
Let the light of your face shine on us.(CB)
7 Fill my heart(CC) with joy(CD)
when their grain and new wine(CE) abound.
Psalm 5[i]
For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.
1 Listen(CI) to my words, Lord,
consider my lament.(CJ)
2 Hear my cry for help,(CK)
my King and my God,(CL)
for to you I pray.
3 In the morning,(CM) Lord, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait expectantly.(CN)
4 For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
with you, evil people(CO) are not welcome.
5 The arrogant(CP) cannot stand(CQ)
in your presence.
You hate(CR) all who do wrong;
6 you destroy those who tell lies.(CS)
The bloodthirsty and deceitful
you, Lord, detest.
7 But I, by your great love,
can come into your house;
in reverence(CT) I bow down(CU)
toward your holy temple.(CV)
8 Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness(CW)
because of my enemies—
make your way straight(CX) before me.
9 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.
1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger(DI)
or discipline me in your wrath.
2 Have mercy on me,(DJ) Lord, for I am faint;(DK)
heal me,(DL) Lord, for my bones are in agony.(DM)
3 My soul is in deep anguish.(DN)
How long,(DO) Lord, how long?
4 Turn,(DP) Lord, and deliver me;
save me because of your unfailing love.(DQ)
5 Among the dead no one proclaims your name.
Who praises you from the grave?(DR)
All night long I flood my bed with weeping(DU)
and drench my couch with tears.(DV)
7 My eyes grow weak(DW) with sorrow;
they fail because of all my foes.
8 Away from me,(DX) all you who do evil,(DY)
for the Lord has heard my weeping.
9 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.
1 Lord my God, I take refuge(ED) in you;
save and deliver me(EE) from all who pursue me,(EF)
2 or they will tear me apart like a lion(EG)
and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue(EH) me.
3 Lord my God, if I have done this
and there is guilt on my hands(EI)—
4 if I have repaid my ally with evil
or without cause(EJ) have robbed my foe—
5 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)
6 Arise,(EN) Lord, in your anger;
rise up against the rage of my enemies.(EO)
Awake,(EP) my God; decree justice.
7 Let the assembled peoples gather around you,
while you sit enthroned over them on high.(EQ)
8 Let the Lord judge(ER) the peoples.
Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness,(ES)
according to my integrity,(ET) O Most High.(EU)
9 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.
1 Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name(FM) in all the earth!
You have set your glory(FN)
in the heavens.(FO)
2 Through the praise of children and infants
you have established a stronghold(FP) against your enemies,
to silence the foe(FQ) and the avenger.
3 When I consider your heavens,(FR)
the work of your fingers,(FS)
the moon and the stars,(FT)
which you have set in place,
4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?[s](FU)
5 You have made them[t] a little lower than the angels[u](FV)
and crowned them[v] with glory and honor.(FW)
6 You made them rulers(FX) over the works of your hands;(FY)
you put everything under their[w] feet:(FZ)
7 all flocks and herds,(GA)
and the animals of the wild,(GB)
8 the birds in the sky,
and the fish in the sea,(GC)
all that swim the paths of the seas.
9 Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!(GD)
Psalm 9[x][y]
For the director of music. To the tune of “The Death of the Son.” A psalm of David.
1 I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;(GE)
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.(GF)
2 I will be glad and rejoice(GG) in you;
I will sing the praises(GH) of your name,(GI) O Most High.
3 My enemies turn back;
they stumble and perish before you.
4 For you have upheld my right(GJ) and my cause,(GK)
sitting enthroned(GL) as the righteous judge.(GM)
5 You have rebuked the nations(GN) and destroyed the wicked;
you have blotted out their name(GO) for ever and ever.
6 Endless ruin has overtaken my enemies,
you have uprooted their cities;(GP)
even the memory of them(GQ) has perished.
7 The Lord reigns forever;(GR)
he has established his throne(GS) for judgment.
8 He rules the world in righteousness(GT)
and judges the peoples with equity.(GU)
9 The Lord is a refuge(GV) for the oppressed,(GW)
a stronghold in times of trouble.(GX)
10 Those who know your name(GY) trust in you,
for you, Lord, have never forsaken(GZ) those who seek you.(HA)
11 Sing the praises(HB) of the Lord, enthroned in Zion;(HC)
proclaim among the nations(HD) what he has done.(HE)
12 For he who avenges blood(HF) remembers;
he does not ignore the cries of the afflicted.(HG)
13 Lord, see how my enemies(HH) persecute me!
Have mercy(HI) and lift me up from the gates of death,(HJ)
14 that I may declare your praises(HK)
in the gates of Daughter Zion,(HL)
and there rejoice in your salvation.(HM)
15 The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug;(HN)
their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.(HO)
16 The Lord is known by his acts of justice;
the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.[z](HP)
17 The wicked go down to the realm of the dead,(HQ)
all the nations that forget God.(HR)
18 But God will never forget the needy;
the hope(HS) of the afflicted(HT) will never perish.
19 Arise,(HU) Lord, do not let mortals triumph;(HV)
let the nations be judged(HW) in your presence.
20 Strike them with terror,(HX) Lord;
let the nations know they are only mortal.(HY)
Psalm 10[aa]
2 In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,(IB)
who are caught in the schemes he devises.
3 He boasts(IC) about the cravings of his heart;
he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord.(ID)
4 In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God.(IE)
5 His ways are always prosperous;
your laws are rejected by[ab] him;
he sneers at all his enemies.
6 He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.”
He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.”(IF)
7 His mouth is full(IG) of lies and threats;(IH)
trouble and evil are under his tongue.(II)
8 He lies in wait(IJ) near the villages;
from ambush he murders the innocent.(IK)
His eyes watch in secret for his victims;
9 like a lion in cover he lies in wait.
He lies in wait to catch the helpless;(IL)
he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.(IM)
10 His victims are crushed,(IN) they collapse;
they fall under his strength.
11 He says to himself, “God will never notice;(IO)
he covers his face and never sees.”(IP)
12 Arise,(IQ) Lord! Lift up your hand,(IR) O God.
Do not forget the helpless.(IS)
13 Why does the wicked man revile God?(IT)
Why does he say to himself,
“He won’t call me to account”?(IU)
14 But you, God, see the trouble(IV) of the afflicted;
you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;(IW)
you are the helper(IX) of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked man;(IY)
call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
that would not otherwise be found out.
16 The Lord is King for ever and ever;(IZ)
the nations(JA) will perish from his land.
17 You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;(JB)
you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,(JC)
18 defending the fatherless(JD) and the oppressed,(JE)
so that mere earthly mortals
will never again strike terror.
Psalm 11
For the director of music. Of David.
1 In the Lord I take refuge.(JF)
How then can you say to me:
“Flee(JG) like a bird to your mountain.(JH)
2 For look, the wicked bend their bows;(JI)
they set their arrows(JJ) against the strings
to shoot from the shadows(JK)
at the upright in heart.(JL)
3 When the foundations(JM) are being destroyed,
what can the righteous do?”
4 The Lord is in his holy temple;(JN)
the Lord is on his heavenly throne.(JO)
He observes everyone on earth;(JP)
his eyes examine(JQ) them.
5 The Lord examines the righteous,(JR)
but the wicked, those who love violence,
he hates with a passion.(JS)
6 On the wicked he will rain
fiery coals and burning sulfur;(JT)
a scorching wind(JU) will be their lot.
Psalm 12[ac]
For the director of music. According to sheminith.[ad] A psalm of David.
1 Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore;(JZ)
those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.
2 Everyone lies(KA) to their neighbor;
they flatter with their lips
but harbor deception in their hearts.(KB)
3 May the Lord silence all flattering lips(KC)
and every boastful tongue—(KD)
4 those who say,
“By our tongues we will prevail;(KE)
our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?”
5 “Because the poor are plundered(KF) and the needy groan,(KG)
I will now arise,(KH)” says the Lord.
“I will protect them(KI) from those who malign them.”
6 And the words of the Lord are flawless,(KJ)
like silver purified(KK) in a crucible,(KL)
like gold[ae] refined seven times.
7 You, Lord, will keep the needy safe(KM)
and will protect us forever from the wicked,(KN)
8 who freely strut(KO) about
when what is vile is honored by the human race.
Psalm 13[af]
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 How long,(KP) Lord? Will you forget me(KQ) forever?
How long will you hide your face(KR) from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts(KS)
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?(KT)
3 Look on me(KU) and answer,(KV) Lord my God.
Give light to my eyes,(KW) or I will sleep in death,(KX)
4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,(KY)”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.(KZ)
5 But I trust in your unfailing love;(LA)
my heart rejoices in your salvation.(LB)
6 I will sing(LC) the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.
Psalm 14(LD)
For the director of music. Of David.
1 The fool[ag] says in his heart,
“There is no God.”(LE)
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good.
2 The Lord looks down from heaven(LF)
on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,(LG)
any who seek God.(LH)
3 All have turned away,(LI) all have become corrupt;(LJ)
there is no one who does good,(LK)
not even one.(LL)
4 Do all these evildoers know nothing?(LM)
They devour my people(LN) as though eating bread;
they never call on the Lord.(LO)
5 But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
for God is present in the company of the righteous.
6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,
but the Lord is their refuge.(LP)
7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!(LQ)
When the Lord restores(LR) his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
Psalm 15
A psalm of David.
2 The one whose walk is blameless,(LV)
who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth(LW) from their heart;
3 whose tongue utters no slander,(LX)
who does no wrong to a neighbor,
and casts no slur on others;
4 who despises a vile person
but honors(LY) those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath(LZ) even when it hurts,
and does not change their mind;
5 who lends money to the poor without interest;(MA)
who does not accept a bribe(MB) against the innocent.
Whoever does these things
will never be shaken.(MC)
Psalm 16
A miktam[ah] of David.
2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;(MF)
apart from you I have no good thing.”(MG)
3 I say of the holy people(MH) who are in the land,(MI)
“They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”
4 Those who run after other gods(MJ) will suffer(MK) more and more.
I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods
or take up their names(ML) on my lips.
5 Lord, you alone are my portion(MM) and my cup;(MN)
you make my lot(MO) secure.
6 The boundary lines(MP) have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.(MQ)
7 I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;(MR)
even at night(MS) my heart instructs me.
8 I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
With him at my right hand,(MT) I will not be shaken.(MU)
9 Therefore my heart is glad(MV) and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,(MW)
10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,(MX)
nor will you let your faithful[ai] one(MY) see decay.(MZ)
11 You make known to me the path of life;(NA)
you will fill me with joy in your presence,(NB)
with eternal pleasures(NC) at your right hand.(ND)
Psalm 17
A prayer of David.
1 Hear me,(NE) Lord, my plea is just;
listen to my cry.(NF)
Hear(NG) my prayer—
it does not rise from deceitful lips.(NH)
2 Let my vindication(NI) come from you;
may your eyes see what is right.(NJ)
3 Though you probe my heart,(NK)
though you examine me at night and test me,(NL)
you will find that I have planned no evil;(NM)
my mouth has not transgressed.(NN)
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;(NO)
my feet have not stumbled.(NP)
6 I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;(NQ)
turn your ear to me(NR) and hear my prayer.(NS)
7 Show me the wonders of your great love,(NT)
you who save by your right hand(NU)
those who take refuge(NV) in you from their foes.
8 Keep me(NW) as the apple of your eye;(NX)
hide me(NY) in the shadow of your wings(NZ)
9 from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
from my mortal enemies who surround me.(OA)
10 They close up their callous hearts,(OB)
and their mouths speak with arrogance.(OC)
11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me,(OD)
with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion(OE) hungry for prey,(OF)
like a fierce lion crouching in cover.
13 Rise up,(OG) Lord, confront them, bring them down;(OH)
with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
14 By your hand save me from such people, Lord,
from those of this world(OI) whose reward is in this life.(OJ)
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
may their children gorge themselves on it,
and may there be leftovers(OK) for their little ones.
15 As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
when I awake,(OL) I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.(OM)
Psalm 18[aj](ON)
For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:
1 I love you, Lord, my strength.(OO)
2 The Lord is my rock,(OP) my fortress(OQ) and my deliverer;(OR)
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,(OS)
my shield[ak](OT) and the horn[al] of my salvation,(OU) my stronghold.
3 I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,(OV)
and I have been saved from my enemies.(OW)
4 The cords of death(OX) entangled me;
the torrents(OY) of destruction overwhelmed me.
5 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death(OZ) confronted me.
6 In my distress(PA) I called to the Lord;(PB)
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;(PC)
my cry came(PD) before him, into his ears.
7 The earth trembled(PE) and quaked,(PF)
and the foundations of the mountains shook;(PG)
they trembled because he was angry.(PH)
8 Smoke rose from his nostrils;(PI)
consuming fire(PJ) came from his mouth,
burning coals(PK) blazed out of it.
9 He parted the heavens and came down;(PL)
dark clouds(PM) were under his feet.
10 He mounted the cherubim(PN) and flew;
he soared(PO) on the wings of the wind.(PP)
11 He made darkness his covering,(PQ) his canopy(PR) around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.
12 Out of the brightness of his presence(PS) clouds advanced,
with hailstones(PT) and bolts of lightning.(PU)
13 The Lord thundered(PV) from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.[am]
14 He shot his arrows(PW) and scattered the enemy,
with great bolts of lightning(PX) he routed them.(PY)
15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations(PZ) of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke,(QA) Lord,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils.(QB)
16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.(QC)
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,(QD)
from my foes, who were too strong for me.(QE)
18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,(QF)
but the Lord was my support.(QG)
19 He brought me out into a spacious place;(QH)
he rescued me because he delighted in me.(QI)
20 The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;(QJ)
according to the cleanness of my hands(QK) he has rewarded me.(QL)
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;(QM)
I am not guilty of turning(QN) from my God.
22 All his laws are before me;(QO)
I have not turned away from his decrees.
23 I have been blameless(QP) before him
and have kept myself from sin.
24 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,(QQ)
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
25 To the faithful(QR) you show yourself faithful,(QS)
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
26 to the pure(QT) you show yourself pure,
but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.(QU)
27 You save the humble(QV)
but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.(QW)
28 You, Lord, keep my lamp(QX) burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.(QY)
29 With your help(QZ) I can advance against a troop[an];
with my God I can scale a wall.
30 As for God, his way is perfect:(RA)
The Lord’s word is flawless;(RB)
he shields(RC) all who take refuge(RD) in him.
31 For who is God besides the Lord?(RE)
And who is the Rock(RF) except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength(RG)
and keeps my way secure.(RH)
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;(RI)
he causes me to stand on the heights.(RJ)
34 He trains my hands for battle;(RK)
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
and your right hand sustains(RL) me;
your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path(RM) for my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way.(RN)
37 I pursued my enemies(RO) and overtook them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
38 I crushed them(RP) so that they could not rise;(RQ)
they fell beneath my feet.(RR)
39 You armed me with strength(RS) for battle;
you humbled my adversaries(RT) before me.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs(RU) in flight,
and I destroyed(RV) my foes.
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them(RW)—
to the Lord, but he did not answer.(RX)
42 I beat them as fine as windblown dust;(RY)
I trampled them[ao] like mud in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
you have made me the head of nations.(RZ)
People I did not know(SA) now serve me,
44 foreigners(SB) cower before me;
as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
45 They all lose heart;(SC)
they come trembling(SD) from their strongholds.(SE)
46 The Lord lives!(SF) Praise be to my Rock!(SG)
Exalted be God(SH) my Savior!(SI)
47 He is the God who avenges(SJ) me,
who subdues nations(SK) under me,
48 who saves(SL) me from my enemies.(SM)
You exalted me above my foes;
from a violent man(SN) you rescued me.
49 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;(SO)
I will sing(SP) the praises of your name.(SQ)
50 He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing love to his anointed,(SR)
to David(SS) and to his descendants forever.(ST)
Psalm 19[ap]
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 The heavens(SU) declare(SV) the glory of God;(SW)
the skies(SX) proclaim the work of his hands.(SY)
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.(SZ)
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice[aq] goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.(TA)
In the heavens God has pitched a tent(TB) for the sun.(TC)
5 It is like a bridegroom(TD) coming out of his chamber,(TE)
like a champion(TF) rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens(TG)
and makes its circuit to the other;(TH)
nothing is deprived of its warmth.
7 The law of the Lord(TI) is perfect,(TJ)
refreshing the soul.(TK)
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,(TL)
making wise the simple.(TM)
8 The precepts of the Lord are right,(TN)
giving joy(TO) to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.(TP)
9 The fear of the Lord(TQ) is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
and all of them are righteous.(TR)
10 They are more precious than gold,(TS)
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,(TT)
than honey from the honeycomb.(TU)
11 By them your servant is warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can discern their own errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.(TV)
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;(TW)
may they not rule over me.(TX)
Then I will be blameless,(TY)
innocent of great transgression.
14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing(TZ) in your sight,
Lord, my Rock(UA) and my Redeemer.(UB)
Psalm 20[ar]
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;(UC)
may the name of the God of Jacob(UD) protect you.(UE)
2 May he send you help(UF) from the sanctuary(UG)
and grant you support(UH) from Zion.(UI)
3 May he remember(UJ) all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.[as](UK)
4 May he give you the desire of your heart(UL)
and make all your plans succeed.(UM)
5 May we shout for joy(UN) over your victory
and lift up our banners(UO) in the name of our God.
May the Lord grant all your requests.(UP)
Footnotes
- Psalm 2:1 Hebrew; Septuagint rage
- Psalm 2:9 Or will rule them with an iron scepter (see Septuagint and Syriac)
- Psalm 3:1 In Hebrew texts 3:1-8 is numbered 3:2-9.
- Psalm 3:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 4 and 8.
- Psalm 4:1 In Hebrew texts 4:1-8 is numbered 4:2-9.
- Psalm 4:2 Or seek lies
- Psalm 4:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 4.
- Psalm 4:4 Or In your anger (see Septuagint)
- Psalm 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1-12 is numbered 5:2-13.
- Psalm 6:1 In Hebrew texts 6:1-10 is numbered 6:2-11.
- Psalm 6:1 Title: Probably a musical term
- Psalm 7:1 In Hebrew texts 7:1-17 is numbered 7:2-18.
- Psalm 7:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 7:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
- Psalm 7:10 Or sovereign
- Psalm 7:12 Or If anyone does not repent, / God
- Psalm 8:1 In Hebrew texts 8:1-9 is numbered 8:2-10.
- Psalm 8:1 Title: Probably a musical term
- Psalm 8:4 Or what is a human being that you are mindful of him, / a son of man that you care for him?
- Psalm 8:5 Or him
- Psalm 8:5 Or than God
- Psalm 8:5 Or him
- Psalm 8:6 Or made him ruler . . . ; / . . . his
- Psalm 9:1 Psalms 9 and 10 may originally have been a single acrostic poem in which alternating lines began with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In the Septuagint they constitute one psalm.
- Psalm 9:1 In Hebrew texts 9:1-20 is numbered 9:2-21.
- Psalm 9:16 The Hebrew has Higgaion and Selah (words of uncertain meaning) here; Selah occurs also at the end of verse 20.
- Psalm 10:1 Psalms 9 and 10 may originally have been a single acrostic poem in which alternating lines began with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In the Septuagint they constitute one psalm.
- Psalm 10:5 See Septuagint; Hebrew / they are haughty, and your laws are far from
- Psalm 12:1 In Hebrew texts 12:1-8 is numbered 12:2-9.
- Psalm 12:1 Title: Probably a musical term
- Psalm 12:6 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text earth
- Psalm 13:1 In Hebrew texts 13:1-6 is numbered 13:2-6.
- Psalm 14:1 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Psalms denote one who is morally deficient.
- Psalm 16:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 16:10 Or holy
- Psalm 18:1 In Hebrew texts 18:1-50 is numbered 18:2-51.
- Psalm 18:2 Or sovereign
- Psalm 18:2 Horn here symbolizes strength.
- Psalm 18:13 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 2 Samuel 22:14); most Hebrew manuscripts resounded, / amid hailstones and bolts of lightning
- Psalm 18:29 Or can run through a barricade
- Psalm 18:42 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac and Targum (see also 2 Samuel 22:43); Masoretic Text I poured them out
- Psalm 19:1 In Hebrew texts 19:1-14 is numbered 19:2-15.
- Psalm 19:4 Septuagint, Jerome and Syriac; Hebrew measuring line
- Psalm 20:1 In Hebrew texts 20:1-9 is numbered 20:2-10.
- Psalm 20:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.