Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd,(A) I lack nothing.(B)
    He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,(C)
    he refreshes my soul.(D)
He guides me(E) along the right paths(F)
    for his name’s sake.(G)
Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,[a](H)
I will fear no evil,(I)
    for you are with me;(J)
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

You prepare a table(K) before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;(L)
    my cup(M) overflows.
Surely your goodness and love(N) will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Psalm 24

Of David. A psalm.

The earth is the Lord’s,(O) and everything in it,
    the world, and all who live in it;(P)
for he founded it on the seas
    and established it on the waters.(Q)

Who may ascend the mountain(R) of the Lord?
    Who may stand in his holy place?(S)
The one who has clean hands(T) and a pure heart,(U)
    who does not trust in an idol(V)
    or swear by a false god.[b]

They will receive blessing(W) from the Lord
    and vindication(X) from God their Savior.
Such is the generation of those who seek him,
    who seek your face,(Y) God of Jacob.[c][d]

Lift up your heads, you gates;(Z)
    be lifted up, you ancient doors,
    that the King(AA) of glory(AB) may come in.(AC)
Who is this King of glory?
    The Lord strong and mighty,(AD)
    the Lord mighty in battle.(AE)
Lift up your heads, you gates;
    lift them up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory?
    The Lord Almighty(AF)
    he is the King of glory.

Psalm 25[e]

Of David.

In you, Lord my God,
    I put my trust.(AG)

I trust in you;(AH)
    do not let me be put to shame,
    nor let my enemies triumph over me.
No one who hopes in you
    will ever be put to shame,(AI)
but shame will come on those
    who are treacherous(AJ) without cause.

Show me your ways, Lord,
    teach me your paths.(AK)
Guide me in your truth(AL) and teach me,
    for you are God my Savior,(AM)
    and my hope is in you(AN) all day long.
Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,(AO)
    for they are from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth(AP)
    and my rebellious ways;(AQ)
according to your love(AR) remember me,
    for you, Lord, are good.(AS)

Good and upright(AT) is the Lord;
    therefore he instructs(AU) sinners in his ways.
He guides(AV) the humble in what is right
    and teaches them(AW) his way.
10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful(AX)
    toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.(AY)
11 For the sake of your name,(AZ) Lord,
    forgive(BA) my iniquity,(BB) though it is great.

12 Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?(BC)
    He will instruct them in the ways(BD) they should choose.[f]
13 They will spend their days in prosperity,(BE)
    and their descendants will inherit the land.(BF)
14 The Lord confides(BG) in those who fear him;
    he makes his covenant known(BH) to them.
15 My eyes are ever on the Lord,(BI)
    for only he will release my feet from the snare.(BJ)

16 Turn to me(BK) and be gracious to me,(BL)
    for I am lonely(BM) and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles(BN) of my heart
    and free me from my anguish.(BO)
18 Look on my affliction(BP) and my distress(BQ)
    and take away all my sins.(BR)
19 See how numerous are my enemies(BS)
    and how fiercely they hate me!(BT)

20 Guard my life(BU) and rescue me;(BV)
    do not let me be put to shame,(BW)
    for I take refuge(BX) in you.
21 May integrity(BY) and uprightness(BZ) protect me,
    because my hope, Lord,[g] is in you.(CA)

22 Deliver Israel,(CB) O God,
    from all their troubles!

Psalm 26

Of David.

Vindicate me,(CC) Lord,
    for I have led a blameless life;(CD)
I have trusted(CE) in the Lord
    and have not faltered.(CF)
Test me,(CG) Lord, and try me,
    examine my heart and my mind;(CH)
for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love(CI)
    and have lived(CJ) in reliance on your faithfulness.(CK)

I do not sit(CL) with the deceitful,
    nor do I associate with hypocrites.(CM)
I abhor(CN) the assembly of evildoers
    and refuse to sit with the wicked.
I wash my hands in innocence,(CO)
    and go about your altar, Lord,
proclaiming aloud your praise(CP)
    and telling of all your wonderful deeds.(CQ)

Lord, I love(CR) the house where you live,
    the place where your glory dwells.(CS)
Do not take away my soul along with sinners,
    my life with those who are bloodthirsty,(CT)
10 in whose hands are wicked schemes,(CU)
    whose right hands are full of bribes.(CV)
11 I lead a blameless life;
    deliver me(CW) and be merciful to me.

12 My feet stand on level ground;(CX)
    in the great congregation(CY) I will praise the Lord.

Psalm 27

Of David.

The Lord is my light(CZ) and my salvation(DA)
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold(DB) of my life—
    of whom shall I be afraid?(DC)

When the wicked advance against me
    to devour[h] me,
it is my enemies and my foes
    who will stumble and fall.(DD)
Though an army besiege me,
    my heart will not fear;(DE)
though war break out against me,
    even then I will be confident.(DF)

One thing(DG) I ask from the Lord,
    this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,(DH)
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
    and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble(DI)
    he will keep me safe(DJ) in his dwelling;
he will hide me(DK) in the shelter of his sacred tent
    and set me high upon a rock.(DL)

Then my head will be exalted(DM)
    above the enemies who surround me;(DN)
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice(DO) with shouts of joy;(DP)
    I will sing(DQ) and make music(DR) to the Lord.

Hear my voice(DS) when I call, Lord;
    be merciful to me and answer me.(DT)
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!(DU)
    Your face, Lord, I will seek.
Do not hide your face(DV) from me,
    do not turn your servant away in anger;(DW)
    you have been my helper.(DX)
Do not reject me or forsake(DY) me,
    God my Savior.(DZ)
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
    the Lord will receive me.
11 Teach me your way,(EA) Lord;
    lead me in a straight path(EB)
    because of my oppressors.(EC)
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
    for false witnesses(ED) rise up against me,
    spouting malicious accusations.

13 I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord(EE)
    in the land of the living.(EF)
14 Wait(EG) for the Lord;
    be strong(EH) and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.

Psalm 28

Of David.

To you, Lord, I call;
    you are my Rock,
    do not turn a deaf ear(EI) to me.
For if you remain silent,(EJ)
    I will be like those who go down to the pit.(EK)
Hear my cry for mercy(EL)
    as I call to you for help,
as I lift up my hands(EM)
    toward your Most Holy Place.(EN)

Do not drag me away with the wicked,
    with those who do evil,
who speak cordially with their neighbors
    but harbor malice in their hearts.(EO)
Repay them for their deeds
    and for their evil work;
repay them for what their hands have done(EP)
    and bring back on them what they deserve.(EQ)

Because they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord
    and what his hands have done,(ER)
he will tear them down
    and never build them up again.

Praise be to the Lord,(ES)
    for he has heard my cry for mercy.(ET)
The Lord is my strength(EU) and my shield;
    my heart trusts(EV) in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,(EW)
    and with my song I praise him.(EX)

The Lord is the strength(EY) of his people,
    a fortress of salvation(EZ) for his anointed one.(FA)
Save your people(FB) and bless your inheritance;(FC)
    be their shepherd(FD) and carry them(FE) forever.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 23:4 Or the valley of the shadow of death
  2. Psalm 24:4 Or swear falsely
  3. Psalm 24:6 Two Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac (see also Septuagint); most Hebrew manuscripts face, Jacob
  4. Psalm 24:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 10.
  5. Psalm 25:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  6. Psalm 25:12 Or ways he chooses
  7. Psalm 25:21 Septuagint; Hebrew does not have Lord.
  8. Psalm 27:2 Or slander

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

24 The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.

Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?

He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

25 Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.

Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.

Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths.

Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.

Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord.

Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.

The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.

10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

11 For thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.

12 What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.

13 His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.

14 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

15 Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.

16 Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.

17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses.

18 Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.

19 Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.

20 O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.

21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.

22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.

26 Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide.

Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.

I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers.

I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked.

I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O Lord:

That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.

Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.

Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:

10 In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.

11 But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.

12 My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the Lord.

27 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.

For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.

Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.

Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.

11 Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.

12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

28 Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.

Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.

Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.

Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert.

Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.

Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.

Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.