Psalm 1-5

New American Standard Bible

BOOK 1

The Righteous and the Wicked Contrasted.

1 Blessed is the person who ^(A)does not walk in the ^(B)counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the ^[a]^(C)path of sinners,
Nor ^(D)sit in the seat of scoffers!
²But his ^(E)delight is ^(F)in the Law of the Lord,
And on His Law he meditates ^(G)day and ^(H)night.
³He will be like ^(I)a tree planted by ^[b]streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season,
And its ^[c]leaf does not wither;
And ^[d]in whatever he does, ^(J)he prospers.

⁴The wicked are not so,
But they are like ^(K)chaff which the wind blows away.
⁵Therefore ^(L)the wicked will not stand in the ^(M)judgment,
Nor sinners in ^(N)the assembly of the righteous.
⁶For the Lord ^[e]^(O)knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of ^(P)the wicked will perish.

The Reign of the Lord’s Anointed.

2 Why are ^(Q)the ^[f]nations restless
And the peoples ^(R)plotting in vain?
²The ^(S)kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers conspire together
^(T)Against the Lord and against His ^[g]^(U)Anointed, saying,
³“Let’s ^(V)tear their shackles apart
And throw their ropes away from us!”

⁴He who ^[h]sits in the heavens ^(W)laughs,
The Lord ^(X)scoffs at them.
⁵Then He will speak to them in His ^(Y)anger
And ^(Z)terrify them in His fury, saying,
⁶“But as for Me, I have installed ^(AA)My King
Upon Zion, ^(AB)My holy mountain.”

⁷“I will announce the ^[i]decree of the Lord:
He said to Me, ‘You are ^(AC)My Son,
Today I have fathered You.
⁸Ask it of Me, and ^(AD)I will certainly give ^(AE)the ^[j]nations as Your inheritance,
And the ^(AF)ends of the earth as Your possession.
⁹You shall ^[k]^(AG)break them with a ^[l]rod of iron,
You shall ^(AH)shatter them like ^[m]earthenware.’”

¹⁰Now then, you kings, ^(AI)use insight;
Let yourselves be instructed, you ^[n]judges of the earth.
¹¹Serve the Lord with ^[o]^(AJ)reverence
And rejoice with ^(AK)trembling.
¹²^[p]Kiss ^(AL)the Son, that He not be angry and you perish on the way,
For ^(AM)His wrath may be kindled quickly.
How blessed are all who ^(AN)take refuge in Him!

Morning Prayer of Trust in God.

A Psalm of David, when ^[q]he fled from his son Absalom.

3 Lord, how ^(AO)my enemies have increased!
Many are rising up against me.
²Many are saying of my soul,
“There is no ^(AP)salvation for him in God.” Selah

³But You, Lord, are ^(AQ)a shield around me,
My ^(AR)glory, and the One who ^(AS)lifts my head.
⁴I was crying out to the Lord with my voice,
And He ^(AT)answered me from ^(AU)His holy ^[r]mountain. Selah
⁵^[s]I ^(AV)lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the Lord sustains me.
⁶I will ^(AW)not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have ^(AX)set themselves against me all around.

⁷^(AY)Arise, Lord; ^(AZ)save me, my God!
For You ^[t]have ^(BA)struck all my enemies on the ^[u]cheek;
You ^[v]have ^(BB)shattered the teeth of the wicked.
⁸^[w]^(BC)Salvation belongs to the Lord;
May Your ^(BD)blessing ^[x]be upon Your people! Selah

Evening Prayer of Trust in God.

^[y]For the music director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

4 ^(BE)Answer me when ^(BF)I call, God ^[z]of my righteousness!
You have ^[aa]^(BG)relieved me in my distress;
Be ^(BH)gracious to me and ^(BI)hear my prayer.

²You sons of man, how long will ^(BJ)my ^[ab]honor be treated as ^(BK)an insult?
How long will you love ^(BL)what is worthless and strive for a ^(BM)lie? Selah
³But know that the Lord has ^[ac]^(BN)set apart the ^(BO)godly person for Himself;
The Lord ^(BP)hears when I call to Him.

⁴^[ad]^(BQ)Tremble, ^[ae]^(BR)and do not sin;
^[af]^(BS)Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah
⁵Offer ^[ag]the ^(BT)sacrifices of righteousness,
And ^(BU)trust in the Lord.

⁶Many are saying, “^(BV)Who will show us anything good?”
^(BW)Lift up the light of Your face upon us, Lord!
⁷You have put ^(BX)joy in my heart,
More than when their grain and new wine are abundant.
⁸In peace I will ^[ah]both ^(BY)lie down and sleep,
For You alone, Lord, have me ^(BZ)dwell in safety.

Prayer for Protection from the Wicked.

For the music director; for ^[ai]flute accompaniment. A Psalm of David.

5 ^(CA)Listen to my words, Lord,
Consider my ^(CB)sighing.
²Listen to ^(CC)the sound of my cry for help, ^(CD)my King and my God,
For to You I pray.
³In the morning, Lord, ^[aj]You will hear my voice;
In the ^(CE)morning I will present my ^[ak]prayer to You and be on the ^(CF)watch.

⁴For You are not a God ^(CG)who takes pleasure in wickedness;
^(CH)No evil can dwell with You.
⁵The ^(CI)boastful will not ^(CJ)stand before Your eyes;
You ^(CK)hate all who do injustice.
⁶You ^(CL)destroy those who speak lies;
The Lord loathes ^(CM)the person of bloodshed and deceit.
⁷But as for me, ^(CN)by Your abundant graciousness I will enter Your house,
^[al]At Your holy temple I will ^(CO)bow in ^(CP)reverence for You.

⁸Lord, ^(CQ)lead me ^(CR)in Your righteousness ^(CS)because of my enemies;
Make Your way ^[am]straight before me.
⁹For there is ^(CT)nothing ^[an]trustworthy in ^[ao]their mouth;
Their ^(CU)inward part is destruction itself.
Their ^(CV)throat is an open grave;
They ^[ap]flatter with their tongue.
¹⁰Make them pay, God;
^(CW)Have them fall by their own schemes!
^(CX)Scatter them in the multitude of their wrongdoings,
For they are ^(CY)rebellious against You.

¹¹But ^(CZ)rejoice, all who ^(DA)take refuge in You,
Sing for joy forever!
And ^[aq]may You ^(DB)shelter them,
That those who ^(DC)love Your name may rejoice in You.
¹²For You ^(DD)bless the righteous person, Lord,
You ^(DE)surround him with favor as with a shield.