The Works and the Word of God.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

19 The (A)heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their (B)expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
Day to (C)day pours forth speech,
And (D)night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
Their [a](E)line has gone out through all the earth,
And their utterances to the end of the world.
In them He has (F)placed a tent for the sun,
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.
Its (G)rising is from [b]one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the [c]other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

(H)The law of the Lord is [d](I)perfect, (J)restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is (K)sure, making (L)wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are (M)right, (N)rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is (O)pure, (P)enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are (Q)true; they are (R)righteous altogether.
10 They are more desirable than (S)gold, yes, than much fine gold;
(T)Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them (U)Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great (V)reward.
12 Who can (W)discern his errors? (X)Acquit me of (Y)hidden faults.
13 Also keep back Your servant (Z)from presumptuous sins;
Let them not (AA)rule over me;
Then I will be [e](AB)blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of (AC)great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and (AD)the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, (AE)my rock and my (AF)Redeemer.

Prayer for Victory over Enemies.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

20 May the Lord answer you (AG)in the day of trouble!
May the (AH)name of the (AI)God of Jacob set you securely on high!
May He send you help (AJ)from the sanctuary
And (AK)support you from Zion!
May He (AL)remember all your meal offerings
And (AM)find your burnt offering [f]acceptable! [g]Selah.

May He grant you your (AN)heart’s desire
And (AO)fulfill all your [h]counsel!
[i]We will (AP)sing for joy over your [j]victory,
And in the name of our God we will (AQ)set up our banners.
May the Lord (AR)fulfill all your petitions.

Now (AS)I know that the Lord saves His anointed;
He will (AT)answer him from His holy heaven
With the [k](AU)saving strength of His right hand.
Some [l]boast in chariots and some in (AV)horses,
But (AW)we [m]will boast in the name of the Lord, our God.
They have (AX)bowed down and fallen,
But we have (AY)risen and stood upright.
[n](AZ)Save, O Lord;
May the (BA)King answer us in the day we call.

Praise for Deliverance.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

21 O Lord, in Your strength the king will (BB)be glad,
And in Your [o]salvation how greatly he will rejoice!
You have (BC)given him his heart’s desire,
And You have not withheld the request of his lips. [p]Selah.
For You (BD)meet him with the blessings of good things;
You set a (BE)crown of fine gold on his head.
He asked life of You,
You (BF)gave it to him,
(BG)Length of days forever and ever.
His (BH)glory is great through Your [q]salvation,
(BI)Splendor and majesty You place upon him.
For You make him [r]most (BJ)blessed forever;
You make him joyful (BK)with gladness in Your presence.

For the king (BL)trusts in the Lord,
And through the lovingkindness of the Most High (BM)he will not be shaken.
Your hand will (BN)find out all your enemies;
Your right hand will find out those who hate you.
You will make them (BO)as a fiery oven in the time [s]of your anger;
The Lord will (BP)swallow them up in His wrath,
And (BQ)fire will devour them.
10 Their [t]offspring You will destroy from the earth,
And their [u](BR)descendants from among the sons of men.
11 Though they [v](BS)intended evil against You
And (BT)devised a plot,
They will not succeed.
12 For You will (BU)make them turn their back;
You will [w]aim (BV)with Your bowstrings at their faces.
13 Be exalted, O Lord, in Your strength;
We will (BW)sing and praise Your power.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 19:4 Another reading is sound
  2. Psalm 19:6 Lit the
  3. Psalm 19:6 Lit the ends
  4. Psalm 19:7 I.e. blameless
  5. Psalm 19:13 Lit complete
  6. Psalm 20:3 Lit fat
  7. Psalm 20:3 Selah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude
  8. Psalm 20:4 Or purpose
  9. Psalm 20:5 Or Let us sing
  10. Psalm 20:5 Or salvation
  11. Psalm 20:6 Or mighty deeds of the victory of His right hand
  12. Psalm 20:7 Or praise chariots, or trust, or are strong through
  13. Psalm 20:7 Lit make mention of; or praise the name
  14. Psalm 20:9 Or O Lord, save the king; answer us
  15. Psalm 21:1 Or victory
  16. Psalm 21:2 Selah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude
  17. Psalm 21:5 Or victory
  18. Psalm 21:6 Lit blessings
  19. Psalm 21:9 Or of your presence
  20. Psalm 21:10 Lit fruit
  21. Psalm 21:10 Lit seed
  22. Psalm 21:11 Lit stretched out
  23. Psalm 21:12 Lit make ready

Psalm 19[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

The heavens(A) declare(B) the glory of God;(C)
    the skies(D) proclaim the work of his hands.(E)
Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.(F)
They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice[b] goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.(G)
In the heavens God has pitched a tent(H) for the sun.(I)
    It is like a bridegroom(J) coming out of his chamber,(K)
    like a champion(L) rejoicing to run his course.
It rises at one end of the heavens(M)
    and makes its circuit to the other;(N)
    nothing is deprived of its warmth.

The law of the Lord(O) is perfect,(P)
    refreshing the soul.(Q)
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,(R)
    making wise the simple.(S)
The precepts of the Lord are right,(T)
    giving joy(U) to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
    giving light to the eyes.(V)
The fear of the Lord(W) is pure,
    enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
    and all of them are righteous.(X)

10 They are more precious than gold,(Y)
    than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,(Z)
    than honey from the honeycomb.(AA)
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.(AB)
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;(AC)
    may they not rule over me.(AD)
Then I will be blameless,(AE)
    innocent of great transgression.

14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
    be pleasing(AF) in your sight,
    Lord, my Rock(AG) and my Redeemer.(AH)

Psalm 20[c]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;(AI)
    may the name of the God of Jacob(AJ) protect you.(AK)
May he send you help(AL) from the sanctuary(AM)
    and grant you support(AN) from Zion.(AO)
May he remember(AP) all your sacrifices
    and accept your burnt offerings.[d](AQ)
May he give you the desire of your heart(AR)
    and make all your plans succeed.(AS)
May we shout for joy(AT) over your victory
    and lift up our banners(AU) in the name of our God.

May the Lord grant all your requests.(AV)

Now this I know:
    The Lord gives victory to his anointed.(AW)
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
    with the victorious power of his right hand.(AX)
Some trust in chariots(AY) and some in horses,(AZ)
    but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.(BA)
They are brought to their knees and fall,(BB)
    but we rise up(BC) and stand firm.(BD)
Lord, give victory to the king!
    Answer us(BE) when we call!

Psalm 21[e]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

The king rejoices in your strength, Lord.(BF)
    How great is his joy in the victories you give!(BG)

You have granted him his heart’s desire(BH)
    and have not withheld the request of his lips.[f]
You came to greet him with rich blessings
    and placed a crown of pure gold(BI) on his head.(BJ)
He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—
    length of days, for ever and ever.(BK)
Through the victories(BL) you gave, his glory is great;
    you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.(BM)
Surely you have granted him unending blessings
    and made him glad with the joy(BN) of your presence.(BO)
For the king trusts in the Lord;(BP)
    through the unfailing love(BQ) of the Most High(BR)
    he will not be shaken.(BS)

Your hand will lay hold(BT) on all your enemies;
    your right hand will seize your foes.
When you appear for battle,
    you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace.
The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,
    and his fire will consume them.(BU)
10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
    their posterity from mankind.(BV)
11 Though they plot evil(BW) against you
    and devise wicked schemes,(BX) they cannot succeed.
12 You will make them turn their backs(BY)
    when you aim at them with drawn bow.

13 Be exalted(BZ) in your strength, Lord;(CA)
    we will sing and praise your might.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 19:1 In Hebrew texts 19:1-14 is numbered 19:2-15.
  2. Psalm 19:4 Septuagint, Jerome and Syriac; Hebrew measuring line
  3. Psalm 20:1 In Hebrew texts 20:1-9 is numbered 20:2-10.
  4. Psalm 20:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  5. Psalm 21:1 In Hebrew texts 21:1-13 is numbered 21:2-14.
  6. Psalm 21:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.