Psalm 24

Of David. A psalm.

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

Who may ascend the mountain(D) of the Lord?
    Who may stand in his holy place?(E)
The one who has clean hands(F) and a pure heart,(G)
    who does not trust in an idol(H)
    or swear by a false god.[a]

They will receive blessing(I) from the Lord
    and vindication(J) from God their Savior.
Such is the generation of those who seek him,
    who seek your face,(K) God of Jacob.[b][c]

Lift up your heads, you gates;(L)
    be lifted up, you ancient doors,
    that the King(M) of glory(N) may come in.(O)
Who is this King of glory?
    The Lord strong and mighty,(P)
    the Lord mighty in battle.(Q)
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(R)
    he is the King of glory.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 24:4 Or swear falsely
  2. Psalm 24:6 Two Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac (see also Septuagint); most Hebrew manuscripts face, Jacob
  3. Psalm 24:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 10.

The King of Glory and His Kingdom

A Psalm of David.

24 The (A)earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell therein.
For He has (B)founded it upon the seas,
And established it upon the [a]waters.

(C)Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
He who has (D)clean hands and (E)a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor (F)sworn deceitfully.
He shall receive blessing from the Lord,
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
This is Jacob, the generation of those who (G)seek Him,
Who seek Your face. Selah

(H)Lift up your heads, O you gates!
And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
(I)And the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in (J)battle.
Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Lift up, you 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

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 24:2 Lit. rivers

Psalm 54[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil[b] of David. When the Ziphites(A) had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?”

Save me(B), O God, by your name;(C)
    vindicate me by your might.(D)
Hear my prayer, O God;(E)
    listen to the words of my mouth.

Arrogant foes are attacking me;(F)
    ruthless people(G) are trying to kill me(H)
    people without regard for God.[c](I)

Surely God is my help;(J)
    the Lord is the one who sustains me.(K)

Let evil recoil(L) on those who slander me;
    in your faithfulness(M) destroy them.

I will sacrifice a freewill offering(N) to you;
    I will praise(O) your name, Lord, for it is good.(P)
You have delivered me(Q) from all my troubles,
    and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.(R)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 54:1 In Hebrew texts 54:1-7 is numbered 54:3-9.
  2. Psalm 54:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 54:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

Answered Prayer for Deliverance from Adversaries

To the Chief Musician. With [a]stringed instruments. A [b]Contemplation of David (A)when the Ziphites went and said to Saul, “Is David not hiding with us?”

54 Save me, O God, by Your name,
And vindicate me by Your strength.
Hear my prayer, O God;
Give ear to the words of my mouth.
For strangers have risen up against me,
And oppressors have sought after my life;
They have not set God before them. Selah

Behold, God is my helper;
The Lord is with those who [c]uphold my life.
He will repay my enemies for their evil.
[d]Cut them off in Your [e]truth.

I will freely sacrifice to You;
I will praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good.
For He has delivered me out of all trouble;
(B)And my eye has seen its desire upon my enemies.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 54:1 Heb. neginoth
  2. Psalm 54:1 Heb. Maschil
  3. Psalm 54:4 sustain my soul
  4. Psalm 54:5 Destroy them
  5. Psalm 54:5 Or faithfulness

Psalm 84[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.[b] Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

How lovely is your dwelling place,(A)
    Lord Almighty!
My soul yearns,(B) even faints,
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
    for the living God.(C)
Even the sparrow has found a home,
    and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,(D)
    Lord Almighty,(E) my King(F) and my God.(G)
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
    they are ever praising you.[c]

Blessed are those whose strength(H) is in you,
    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.(I)
As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
    they make it a place of springs;(J)
    the autumn(K) rains also cover it with pools.[d]
They go from strength to strength,(L)
    till each appears(M) before God in Zion.(N)

Hear my prayer,(O) Lord God Almighty;
    listen to me, God of Jacob.
Look on our shield,[e](P) O God;
    look with favor on your anointed one.(Q)

10 Better is one day in your courts
    than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper(R) in the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the Lord God is a sun(S) and shield;(T)
    the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold(U)
    from those whose walk is blameless.

12 Lord Almighty,
    blessed(V) is the one who trusts in you.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 84:1 In Hebrew texts 84:1-12 is numbered 84:2-13.
  2. Psalm 84:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  3. Psalm 84:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 8.
  4. Psalm 84:6 Or blessings
  5. Psalm 84:9 Or sovereign

The Blessedness of Dwelling in the House of God

To the Chief Musician. (A)On[a] an instrument of Gath. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

84 How (B)lovely [b]is Your tabernacle,
O Lord of hosts!
(C)My soul longs, yes, even faints
For the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

Even the sparrow has found a home,
And the swallow a nest for herself,
Where she may lay her young—
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in Your (D)house;
They will still be praising You. Selah

Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley (E)of [c]Baca,
They make it a spring;
The rain also covers it with [d]pools.
They go (F)from strength to strength;
[e]Each one (G)appears before God in Zion.

O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
(H)O God, behold our shield,
And look upon the face of Your [f]anointed.

10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.
I would rather [g]be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the Lord God is (I)a sun and (J)shield;
The Lord will give grace and glory;
(K)No good thing will He withhold
From those who walk uprightly.

12 O Lord of hosts,
(L)Blessed is the man who trusts in You!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 84:1 Heb. Al Gittith
  2. Psalm 84:1 are Your dwellings
  3. Psalm 84:6 Lit. Weeping
  4. Psalm 84:6 Or blessings
  5. Psalm 84:7 LXX, Syr., Vg. The God of gods shall be seen
  6. Psalm 84:9 Commissioned one, Heb. messiah
  7. Psalm 84:10 stand at the threshold

Psalm 114

When Israel came out of Egypt,(A)
    Jacob from a people of foreign tongue,
Judah(B) became God’s sanctuary,(C)
    Israel his dominion.

The sea looked and fled,(D)
    the Jordan turned back;(E)
the mountains leaped(F) like rams,
    the hills like lambs.

Why was it, sea, that you fled?(G)
    Why, Jordan, did you turn back?
Why, mountains, did you leap like rams,
    you hills, like lambs?

Tremble, earth,(H) at the presence of the Lord,
    at the presence of the God of Jacob,
who turned the rock into a pool,
    the hard rock into springs of water.(I)

The Power of God in His Deliverance of Israel(A)

114 When (B)Israel went out of Egypt,
The house of Jacob (C)from a people [a]of strange language,
(D)Judah became His sanctuary,
And Israel His dominion.

(E)The sea saw it and fled;
(F)Jordan turned back.
(G)The mountains skipped like rams,
The little hills like lambs.
(H)What ails you, O sea, that you fled?
O Jordan, that you turned back?
O mountains, that you skipped like rams?
O little hills, like lambs?

Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
At the presence of the God of Jacob,
(I)Who turned the rock into a pool of water,
The flint into a fountain of waters.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 114:1 who spoke unintelligibly

Psalm 144

Of David.

Praise be to the Lord my Rock,(A)
    who trains my hands for war,
    my fingers for battle.
He is my loving God and my fortress,(B)
    my stronghold(C) and my deliverer,
my shield,(D) in whom I take refuge,
    who subdues peoples[a](E) under me.

Lord, what are human beings(F) that you care for them,
    mere mortals that you think of them?
They are like a breath;(G)
    their days are like a fleeting shadow.(H)

Part your heavens,(I) Lord, and come down;(J)
    touch the mountains, so that they smoke.(K)
Send forth lightning(L) and scatter(M) the enemy;
    shoot your arrows(N) and rout them.
Reach down your hand from on high;(O)
    deliver me and rescue me(P)
from the mighty waters,(Q)
    from the hands of foreigners(R)
whose mouths are full of lies,(S)
    whose right hands(T) are deceitful.(U)

I will sing a new song(V) to you, my God;
    on the ten-stringed lyre(W) I will make music to you,
10 to the One who gives victory to kings,(X)
    who delivers his servant David.(Y)

From the deadly sword(Z) 11 deliver me;
    rescue me(AA) from the hands of foreigners(AB)
whose mouths are full of lies,(AC)
    whose right hands are deceitful.(AD)

12 Then our sons in their youth
    will be like well-nurtured plants,(AE)
and our daughters will be like pillars(AF)
    carved to adorn a palace.
13 Our barns will be filled(AG)
    with every kind of provision.
Our sheep will increase by thousands,
    by tens of thousands in our fields;
14     our oxen(AH) will draw heavy loads.[b]
There will be no breaching of walls,(AI)
    no going into captivity,
    no cry of distress in our streets.(AJ)
15 Blessed is the people(AK) of whom this is true;
    blessed is the people whose God is the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 144:2 Many manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls, Aquila, Jerome and Syriac; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text subdues my people
  2. Psalm 144:14 Or our chieftains will be firmly established

A Song to the Lord Who Preserves and Prospers His People

A Psalm of David.

144 Blessed be the Lord my Rock,
(A)Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle—
My lovingkindness and my fortress,
My high tower and my deliverer,
My shield and the One in whom I take refuge,
Who subdues [a]my people under me.

(B)Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?
Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?
(C)Man is like a breath;
(D)His days are like a passing shadow.

(E)Bow down Your heavens, O Lord, and come down;
(F)Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
(G)Flash forth lightning and scatter them;
Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them.
Stretch out Your hand from above;
Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters,
From the hand of foreigners,
Whose mouth (H)speaks [b]lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

I will (I)sing a new song to You, O God;
On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
10 The One who gives [c]salvation to kings,
(J)Who delivers David His servant
From the deadly sword.

11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners,
Whose mouth speaks lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood—
12 That our sons may be (K)as plants grown up in their youth;
That our daughters may be as [d]pillars,
Sculptured in palace style;
13 That our barns may be full,
Supplying all kinds of produce;
That our sheep may bring forth thousands
And ten thousands in our fields;
14 That our oxen may be well laden;
That there be no [e]breaking in or going out;
That there be no outcry in our streets.
15 (L)Happy are the people who are in such a state;
Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 144:2 So with MT, LXX, Vg.; Syr., Tg. the peoples (cf. 18:47)
  2. Psalm 144:8 empty or worthless
  3. Psalm 144:10 deliverance
  4. Psalm 144:12 corner pillars
  5. Psalm 144:14 Lit. breach

Saying 20

24 Do not envy(A) the wicked,
    do not desire their company;
for their hearts plot violence,(B)
    and their lips talk about making trouble.(C)

Saying 21

By wisdom a house is built,(D)
    and through understanding it is established;
through knowledge its rooms are filled
    with rare and beautiful treasures.(E)

Saying 22

The wise prevail through great power,
    and those who have knowledge muster their strength.
Surely you need guidance to wage war,
    and victory is won through many advisers.(F)

Saying 23

Wisdom is too high for fools;
    in the assembly at the gate they must not open their mouths.

Saying 24

Whoever plots evil
    will be known as a schemer.
The schemes of folly are sin,
    and people detest a mocker.

Saying 25

10 If you falter in a time of trouble,
    how small is your strength!(G)
11 Rescue those being led away to death;
    hold back those staggering toward slaughter.(H)
12 If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,”
    does not he who weighs(I) the heart perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know it?
    Will he not repay(J) everyone according to what they have done?(K)

Saying 26

13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good;
    honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.
14 Know also that wisdom is like honey for you:
    If you find it, there is a future hope for you,
    and your hope will not be cut off.(L)

Saying 27

15 Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous,
    do not plunder their dwelling place;
16 for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again,
    but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.(M)

Saying 28

17 Do not gloat(N) when your enemy falls;
    when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice,(O)
18 or the Lord will see and disapprove
    and turn his wrath away from them.(P)

Saying 29

19 Do not fret(Q) because of evildoers
    or be envious of the wicked,
20 for the evildoer has no future hope,
    and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.(R)

Saying 30

21 Fear the Lord and the king,(S) my son,
    and do not join with rebellious officials,
22 for those two will send sudden destruction(T) on them,
    and who knows what calamities they can bring?

Further Sayings of the Wise

23 These also are sayings of the wise:(U)

To show partiality(V) in judging is not good:(W)
24 Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent,”(X)
    will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations.
25 But it will go well with those who convict the guilty,
    and rich blessing will come on them.

26 An honest answer
    is like a kiss on the lips.

27 Put your outdoor work in order
    and get your fields ready;
    after that, build your house.

28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause(Y)
    would you use your lips to mislead?
29 Do not say, “I’ll do to them as they have done to me;
    I’ll pay them back for what they did.”(Z)

30 I went past the field of a sluggard,(AA)
    past the vineyard of someone who has no sense;
31 thorns had come up everywhere,
    the ground was covered with weeds,
    and the stone wall was in ruins.
32 I applied my heart to what I observed
    and learned a lesson from what I saw:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest(AB)
34 and poverty will come on you like a thief
    and scarcity like an armed man.(AC)

Do Not Envy Evil Men

24 Do not be (A)envious of evil men,
Nor desire to be with them;
For their heart devises violence,
And their lips talk of troublemaking.

Through wisdom a house is built,
And by understanding it is established;
By knowledge the rooms are filled
With all precious and pleasant riches.

(B)A wise man is strong,
Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength;
(C)For by wise counsel you will wage your own war,
And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.

(D)Wisdom is too lofty for a fool;
He does not open his mouth in the gate.

He who (E)plots to do evil
Will be called a [a]schemer.
The devising of foolishness is sin,
And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

10 If you (F)faint in the day of adversity,
Your strength is small.

11 (G)Deliver those who are drawn toward death,
And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
12 If you say, “Surely we did not know this,”
Does not (H)He who weighs the hearts consider it?
He who keeps your soul, does He not know it?
And will He not render to each man (I)according to his deeds?

13 My son, (J)eat honey because it is good,
And the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste;
14 (K)So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul;
If you have found it, there is a [b]prospect,
And your hope will not be cut off.

15 Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous;
Do not plunder his resting place;
16 (L)For a righteous man may fall seven times
And rise again,
(M)But the wicked shall fall by calamity.

17 (N)Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;
18 Lest the Lord see it, and [c]it displease Him,
And He turn away His wrath from him.

19 (O)Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the wicked;
20 For there will be no prospect for the evil man;
The lamp of the wicked will be put out.

21 My son, (P)fear the Lord and the king;
Do not associate with those given to change;
22 For their calamity will rise suddenly,
And who knows the ruin those two can bring?

Further Sayings of the Wise

23 These things also belong to the wise:

(Q)It is not good to [d]show partiality in judgment.
24 (R)He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
Him the people will curse;
Nations will abhor him.
25 But those who rebuke the wicked will have (S)delight,
And a good blessing will come upon them.

26 He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.

27 (T)Prepare your outside work,
Make it fit for yourself in the field;
And afterward build your house.

28 (U)Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause,
[e]For would you deceive with your lips?
29 (V)Do not say, “I will do to him just as he has done to me;
I will render to the man according to his work.”

30 I went by the field of the lazy man,
And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding;
31 And there it was, (W)all overgrown with thorns;
Its surface was covered with nettles;
Its stone wall was broken down.
32 When I saw it, I considered it well;
I looked on it and received instruction:
33 (X)A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest;
34 (Y)So shall your poverty come like [f]a prowler,
And your need like [g]an armed man.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:8 Lit. master of evil plots
  2. Proverbs 24:14 Lit. latter end
  3. Proverbs 24:18 Lit. it be evil in His eyes
  4. Proverbs 24:23 Lit. recognize faces
  5. Proverbs 24:28 LXX, Vg. Do not deceive
  6. Proverbs 24:34 Lit. one who walks about
  7. Proverbs 24:34 Lit. a man with a shield