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The Lord, a Provider and the One Who Rescues Me.

A Psalm of David; when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him out, and he went away.

34 I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
The humble and downtrodden will hear it and rejoice.

O [a]magnify the Lord with me,
And let us lift up His name together.


I sought the Lord [on the authority of His word], and He answered me,
And delivered me from all my fears.(A)

They looked to Him and were radiant;
Their faces will never blush in shame or confusion.

This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
And saved him from all his troubles.

The [b]angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him [with awe-inspired reverence and worship Him with obedience],
And He rescues [each of] them.(B)


O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good;
How blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who takes refuge in Him.(C)

O [reverently] fear the Lord, you His saints (believers, holy ones);
For to those who fear Him there is no want.
10 
The young lions lack [food] and grow hungry,
But they who seek the Lord will not lack any good thing.
11 
Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you to fear the Lord [with awe-inspired reverence and worship Him with obedience].
12 
Who is the man who desires life
And loves many days, that he may see good?
13 
Keep your tongue from evil
And your lips from speaking deceit.
14 
Turn away from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.

15 
The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous [those with moral courage and spiritual integrity]
And His ears are open to their cry.
16 
The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
To cut off the memory of them from the earth.(D)
17 
When the righteous cry [for help], the Lord hears
And rescues them from all their distress and troubles.
18 
The Lord is near to the heartbroken
And He saves those who are crushed in spirit (contrite in heart, truly sorry for their sin).

19 
Many hardships and perplexing circumstances confront the righteous,
But the Lord rescues him from them all.
20 
He keeps all his bones;
Not one of them is broken.(E)
21 
Evil will cause the death of the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous will be held guilty and will be condemned.
22 
The Lord redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.

Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.

A Psalm of David.

35 Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me;
Fight against those who fight against me.

Take hold of shield and buckler ([c]small shield),
And stand up for my help.

Draw also the spear and javelin to meet those who pursue me.
Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”

Let those be ashamed and dishonored who seek my life;
Let those be turned back [in defeat] and humiliated who plot evil against me.

Let them be [blown away] like chaff before the wind [worthless, without substance],
With the angel of the Lord driving them on.

Let their way be dark and slippery,
With the angel of the Lord pursuing and harassing them.

For without cause they hid their net for me;
Without cause they dug a pit [of destruction] for my life.

Let destruction come upon my enemy by surprise;
Let the net he hid for me catch him;
Into that very destruction let him fall.


Then my soul shall rejoice in the Lord;
It shall rejoice in His salvation.
10 
All my bones will say, “Lord, who is like You,
Who rescues the afflicted from him who is too strong for him [to resist alone],
And the afflicted and the needy from him who robs him?”
11 
Malicious witnesses rise up;
They ask me of things that I do not know.
12 
They repay me evil for good,
To the sorrow of my soul.
13 
But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth (mourning garment);
I humbled my soul with fasting,
And I prayed with my head bowed on my chest.
14 
I behaved as if grieving for my friend or my brother;
I bowed down in mourning, as one who sorrows for his mother.
15 
But in my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered together [against me];
The slanderers whom I did not know gathered against me;
They slandered and reviled me without ceasing.
16 
Like godless jesters at a feast,
They gnashed at me with their teeth [in malice].

17 
Lord, how long will You look on [without action]?
Rescue my life from their destructions,
My only life from the young lions.
18 
I will give You thanks in the great congregation;
I will praise You among a mighty people.
19 
Do not let those who are wrongfully my enemies rejoice over me;
Nor let those who hate me without cause wink their eye [maliciously].(F)
20 
For they do not speak peace,
But they devise deceitful words [half-truths and lies] against those who are quiet in the land.
21 
They open their mouths wide against me;
They say, “Aha, aha, our eyes have seen it!”

22 
You have seen this, O Lord; do not keep silent.
O Lord, do not be far from me.
23 
Wake Yourself up, and arise to my right
And to my cause, my God and my Lord.
24 
Judge me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness and justice;
And do not let them rejoice over me.
25 
Do not let them say in their heart, “Aha, that is what we wanted!”
Do not let them say, “We have swallowed him up and destroyed him.”
26 
Let those be ashamed and humiliated together who rejoice at my distress;
Let those be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves over me.

27 
Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication and want what is right for me;
Let them say continually, “Let the Lord be magnified, who delights and takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”
28 
And my tongue shall declare Your righteousness (justice),
And Your praise all the day long.

Wickedness of Men and Lovingkindness of God.

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord.

36 Transgression speaks [like an oracle] to the wicked (godless) [deep] within his heart;
There is no fear (dread) of God before his eyes.(G)

For he flatters and deceives himself in his own eyes
Thinking that his sinfulness will not be discovered and hated [by God].

The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful;
He has ceased to be wise and to do good.

He plans wrongdoing on his bed;
He sets himself on a path that is not good;
He does not reject or despise evil.


Your lovingkindness and graciousness, O Lord, extend to the skies,
Your faithfulness [reaches] to the clouds.

Your righteousness is like the mountains of God,
Your judgments are like the great deep.
O Lord, You preserve man and beast.

How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
The children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.

They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house;
And You allow them to drink from the river of Your delights.

For with You is the fountain of life [the fountain of life-giving water];
In Your light we see light.(H)

10 
O continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You,
And Your righteousness (salvation) to the upright in heart.
11 
Do not let the foot of the proud [person] overtake me,
And do not let the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12 
There those who [are perverse and] do evil have fallen;
They have been thrust down and cannot rise.

Security of Those Who Trust in the Lord, and Insecurity of the Wicked.

A Psalm of David.

37 [d]Do not worry because of evildoers,
Nor be envious toward wrongdoers;

For they will wither quickly like the grass,
And fade like the green herb.

Trust [rely on and have confidence] in the Lord and do good;
Dwell in the land and feed [securely] on His faithfulness.

Delight yourself in the Lord,
And He will give you the desires and petitions of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord;
Trust in Him also and He will do it.

He will make your righteousness [your pursuit of right standing with God] like the light,
And your judgment like [the shining of] the noonday [sun].


Be still before the Lord; wait patiently for Him and entrust yourself to Him;
Do not fret (whine, agonize) because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.

Cease from anger and abandon wrath;
Do not fret; it leads only to evil.

For those who do evil will be cut off,
But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.(I)
10 
For yet a little while and the wicked one will be gone [forever];
Though you look carefully where he used to be, he will not be [found].(J)
11 
But the humble will [at last] inherit the land
And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity and peace.(K)

12 
The wicked plots against the righteous
And gnashes at him with his teeth.
13 
The Lord laughs at him [the wicked one—the one who oppresses the righteous],
For He sees that his day [of defeat] is coming.
14 
The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow
To cast down the afflicted and the needy,
To slaughter those who are upright in conduct [those with personal integrity and godly character].
15 
The sword [of the ungodly] will enter their own heart,
And their bow will be broken.

16 
Better is the little of the righteous [who seek the will of God]
Than the abundance (riches) of many wicked (godless).(L)
17 
For the arms of the wicked will be broken,
But the Lord upholds and sustains the righteous [who seek Him].
18 
The Lord knows the days of the blameless,
And their inheritance will continue forever.
19 
They will not be [e]ashamed in the time of evil,
And in the days of famine they will have plenty and be satisfied.
20 
But the wicked (ungodly) will perish,
And the enemies of the Lord will be like the [f]glory of the pastures and like the fat of lambs [that is consumed in smoke],
They vanish—like smoke they vanish away.
21 
The wicked borrows and does not pay back,
But the righteous is gracious and kind and gives.
22 
For those blessed by God will [at last] inherit the land,
But those cursed by Him will be cut off.(M)

23 
The steps of a [good and righteous] man are directed and established by the Lord,
And He delights in his way [and blesses his path].
24 
When he falls, he will not be hurled down,
Because the Lord is the One who holds his hand and sustains him.
25 
I have been young and now I am old,
Yet I have not seen the righteous (those in right standing with God) abandoned
Or his descendants pleading for bread.
26 
All day long he is gracious and lends,
And his descendants are a blessing.

27 
Depart from evil and do good;
And you will dwell [securely in the land] forever.
28 
For the Lord delights in justice
And does not abandon His saints (faithful ones);
They are preserved forever,
But the descendants of the wicked will [in time] be cut off.
29 
The righteous will inherit the land
And live in it forever.
30 
The mouth of the righteous proclaims wisdom,
And his tongue speaks justice and truth.
31 
The law of his God is in his heart;
Not one of his steps will slip.
32 
The wicked lies in wait for the righteous
And seeks to kill him.
33 
The Lord will not leave him in his hand
Or let him be condemned when he is judged.
34 
Wait for and expect the Lord and keep His way,
And He will exalt you to inherit the land;
[In the end] when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

35 
I have seen a wicked, violent man [with great power]
Spreading and flaunting himself like a cedar in its native soil,
36 
Yet he passed away, and lo, he was no more;
I sought him, but he could not be found.
37 
Mark the blameless man [who is spiritually complete], and behold the upright [who walks in moral integrity];
There is a [good] future for the man of peace [because a life of honor blesses one’s descendants].
38 
As for transgressors, they will be completely destroyed;
The future of the wicked will be cut off.
39 
But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
He is their refuge and stronghold in the time of trouble.
40 
The Lord helps them and rescues them;
He rescues them from the wicked and saves them,
Because they take refuge in Him.

Prayer in Time of Discipline.

A Psalm of David; to bring to remembrance.

38 O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your wrath,
Nor discipline me in Your burning anger.

For Your arrows have sunk into me and penetrate deeply,
And Your hand has pressed down on me and greatly disciplined me.

There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your indignation;
There is no health in my bones because of my sin.

For my iniquities have gone over my head [like the waves of a flood];
As a heavy burden they weigh too much for me.

My wounds are loathsome and foul
Because of my foolishness.

I am bent over and greatly bowed down;
I go about mourning all day long.

For my sides are filled with burning,
And there is no health in my flesh.

I am numb and greatly bruised [deadly cold and completely worn out];
I groan because of the disquiet and moaning of my heart.


Lord, all my desire is before You;
And my sighing is not hidden from You.
10 
My heart throbs violently, my strength fails me;
And as for the light of my eyes, even that has also gone from me.
11 
My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague;
And my neighbors stand far away.(N)
12 
Those who seek my life lay snares for me,
And those who seek to injure me threaten mischievous things and destruction;
They devise treachery all the day long.

13 
But I, like a deaf man, do not hear;
I am like a mute man who does not open his mouth.
14 
Yes, I am like a man who does not hear,
In whose mouth are no arguments.
15 
For in You, O Lord, I hope;
You will answer, O Lord my God.
16 
For I pray, “May they not rejoice over me,
Who, when my foot slips, would boast against me.”
17 
For I am ready to fall;
My sorrow is continually before me.
18 
For I do confess my guilt and iniquity;
I am filled with anxiety because of my sin.(O)
19 
But my [numerous] enemies are vigorous and strong,
And those who hate me without cause are many.
20 
They repay evil for good, they attack and try to kill me,
Because I follow what is good.
21 
Do not abandon me, O Lord;
O my God, do not be far from me.
22 
Make haste to help me,
O Lord, my Salvation.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 34:3 The ancient rabbis applied this verse specifically to the saying of grace after a meal and instituted the practice of zimmum (“invitation”) as a religious duty for three or more men who had eaten together. They were to invite one another to say the blessing. One then said the blessing and the others were required to say “Amen” in voices no louder than that of the speaker of the blessing, based on the word together. It was also taught that all the participants in the blessing receive a reward from God.
  2. Psalm 34:7 See note Gen 16:7.
  3. Psalm 35:2 See note Jer 46:3.
  4. Psalm 37:1 One of the longer psalms, Ps 37 also has the distinction of having every other verse (sometimes succeeding verses) begin with a letter of the Hebrew in alphabetical order. This technique served as a memory aid.
  5. Psalm 37:19 I.e. have their expectations in Your goodness be disappointed.
  6. Psalm 37:20 I.e. flowers.

Psalm 34[a][b]

Of David. When he pretended to be insane(A) before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.

I will extol the Lord at all times;(B)
    his praise will always be on my lips.
I will glory(C) in the Lord;
    let the afflicted hear and rejoice.(D)
Glorify the Lord(E) with me;
    let us exalt(F) his name together.

I sought the Lord,(G) and he answered me;
    he delivered(H) me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant;(I)
    their faces are never covered with shame.(J)
This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
    he saved him out of all his troubles.(K)
The angel of the Lord(L) encamps around those who fear him,
    and he delivers(M) them.

Taste and see that the Lord is good;(N)
    blessed is the one who takes refuge(O) in him.
Fear the Lord,(P) you his holy people,
    for those who fear him lack nothing.(Q)
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.(R)
11 Come, my children, listen(S) to me;
    I will teach you(T) the fear of the Lord.(U)
12 Whoever of you loves life(V)
    and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue(W) from evil
    and your lips from telling lies.(X)
14 Turn from evil and do good;(Y)
    seek peace(Z) and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the Lord(AA) are on the righteous,(AB)
    and his ears are attentive(AC) to their cry;
16 but the face of the Lord is against(AD) those who do evil,(AE)
    to blot out their name(AF) from the earth.

17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears(AG) them;
    he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is close(AH) to the brokenhearted(AI)
    and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

19 The righteous person may have many troubles,(AJ)
    but the Lord delivers him from them all;(AK)
20 he protects all his bones,
    not one of them will be broken.(AL)

21 Evil will slay the wicked;(AM)
    the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord will rescue(AN) his servants;
    no one who takes refuge(AO) in him will be condemned.

Psalm 35

Of David.

Contend,(AP) Lord, with those who contend with me;
    fight(AQ) against those who fight against me.
Take up shield(AR) and armor;
    arise(AS) and come to my aid.(AT)
Brandish spear(AU) and javelin[c](AV)
    against those who pursue me.
Say to me,
    “I am your salvation.(AW)

May those who seek my life(AX)
    be disgraced(AY) and put to shame;(AZ)
may those who plot my ruin
    be turned back(BA) in dismay.
May they be like chaff(BB) before the wind,
    with the angel of the Lord(BC) driving them away;
may their path be dark and slippery,
    with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

Since they hid their net(BD) for me without cause(BE)
    and without cause dug a pit(BF) for me,
may ruin overtake them by surprise—(BG)
    may the net they hid entangle them,
    may they fall into the pit,(BH) to their ruin.
Then my soul will rejoice(BI) in the Lord
    and delight in his salvation.(BJ)
10 My whole being will exclaim,
    “Who is like you,(BK) Lord?
You rescue the poor from those too strong(BL) for them,
    the poor and needy(BM) from those who rob them.”

11 Ruthless witnesses(BN) come forward;
    they question me on things I know nothing about.
12 They repay me evil for good(BO)
    and leave me like one bereaved.
13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth(BP)
    and humbled myself with fasting.(BQ)
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
14     I went about mourning(BR)
    as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
    as though weeping for my mother.
15 But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;(BS)
    assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
    They slandered(BT) me without ceasing.
16 Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;[d](BU)
    they gnashed their teeth(BV) at me.

17 How long,(BW) Lord, will you look on?
    Rescue me from their ravages,
    my precious life(BX) from these lions.(BY)
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly;(BZ)
    among the throngs(CA) I will praise you.(CB)
19 Do not let those gloat over me
    who are my enemies(CC) without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason(CD)
    maliciously wink the eye.(CE)
20 They do not speak peaceably,
    but devise false accusations(CF)
    against those who live quietly in the land.
21 They sneer(CG) at me and say, “Aha! Aha!(CH)
    With our own eyes we have seen it.”

22 Lord, you have seen(CI) this; do not be silent.
    Do not be far(CJ) from me, Lord.
23 Awake,(CK) and rise(CL) to my defense!
    Contend(CM) for me, my God and Lord.
24 Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God;
    do not let them gloat(CN) over me.
25 Do not let them think, “Aha,(CO) just what we wanted!”
    or say, “We have swallowed him up.”(CP)

26 May all who gloat(CQ) over my distress(CR)
    be put to shame(CS) and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me(CT)
    be clothed with shame and disgrace.
27 May those who delight in my vindication(CU)
    shout for joy(CV) and gladness;
may they always say, “The Lord be exalted,
    who delights(CW) in the well-being of his servant.”(CX)

28 My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,(CY)
    your praises all day long.(CZ)

Psalm 36[e]

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord.

I have a message from God in my heart
    concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:[f](DA)
There is no fear(DB) of God
    before their eyes.(DC)

In their own eyes they flatter themselves
    too much to detect or hate their sin.(DD)
The words of their mouths(DE) are wicked and deceitful;(DF)
    they fail to act wisely(DG) or do good.(DH)
Even on their beds they plot evil;(DI)
    they commit themselves to a sinful course(DJ)
    and do not reject what is wrong.(DK)

Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
    your faithfulness(DL) to the skies.(DM)
Your righteousness(DN) is like the highest mountains,(DO)
    your justice like the great deep.(DP)
    You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.(DQ)
How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!(DR)
    People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.(DS)
They feast on the abundance of your house;(DT)
    you give them drink from your river(DU) of delights.(DV)
For with you is the fountain of life;(DW)
    in your light(DX) we see light.

10 Continue your love(DY) to those who know you,(DZ)
    your righteousness to the upright in heart.(EA)
11 May the foot of the proud not come against me,
    nor the hand of the wicked(EB) drive me away.
12 See how the evildoers lie fallen—
    thrown down, not able to rise!(EC)

Psalm 37[g]

Of David.

Do not fret because of those who are evil
    or be envious(ED) of those who do wrong;(EE)
for like the grass they will soon wither,(EF)
    like green plants they will soon die away.(EG)

Trust in the Lord and do good;
    dwell in the land(EH) and enjoy safe pasture.(EI)
Take delight(EJ) in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.(EK)

Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him(EL) and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward(EM) shine like the dawn,(EN)
    your vindication like the noonday sun.

Be still(EO) before the Lord
    and wait patiently(EP) for him;
do not fret(EQ) when people succeed in their ways,(ER)
    when they carry out their wicked schemes.(ES)

Refrain from anger(ET) and turn from wrath;
    do not fret(EU)—it leads only to evil.
For those who are evil will be destroyed,(EV)
    but those who hope(EW) in the Lord will inherit the land.(EX)

10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;(EY)
    though you look for them, they will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land(EZ)
    and enjoy peace and prosperity.(FA)

12 The wicked plot(FB) against the righteous
    and gnash their teeth(FC) at them;
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
    for he knows their day is coming.(FD)

14 The wicked draw the sword(FE)
    and bend the bow(FF)
to bring down the poor and needy,(FG)
    to slay those whose ways are upright.
15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts,(FH)
    and their bows will be broken.(FI)

16 Better the little that the righteous have
    than the wealth(FJ) of many wicked;
17 for the power of the wicked will be broken,(FK)
    but the Lord upholds(FL) the righteous.

18 The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care,(FM)
    and their inheritance will endure forever.(FN)
19 In times of disaster they will not wither;
    in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

20 But the wicked will perish:(FO)
    Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,
    they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.(FP)

21 The wicked borrow and do not repay,
    but the righteous give generously;(FQ)
22 those the Lord blesses will inherit the land,
    but those he curses(FR) will be destroyed.(FS)

23 The Lord makes firm the steps(FT)
    of the one who delights(FU) in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,(FV)
    for the Lord upholds(FW) him with his hand.

25 I was young and now I am old,
    yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken(FX)
    or their children begging(FY) bread.
26 They are always generous and lend freely;(FZ)
    their children will be a blessing.[h](GA)

27 Turn from evil and do good;(GB)
    then you will dwell in the land forever.(GC)
28 For the Lord loves the just
    and will not forsake his faithful ones.(GD)

Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed[i];
    the offspring of the wicked will perish.(GE)
29 The righteous will inherit the land(GF)
    and dwell in it forever.(GG)

30 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,(GH)
    and their tongues speak what is just.
31 The law of their God is in their hearts;(GI)
    their feet do not slip.(GJ)

32 The wicked lie in wait(GK) for the righteous,(GL)
    intent on putting them to death;
33 but the Lord will not leave them in the power of the wicked
    or let them be condemned(GM) when brought to trial.(GN)

34 Hope in the Lord(GO)
    and keep his way.(GP)
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
    when the wicked are destroyed,(GQ) you will see(GR) it.

35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
    flourishing(GS) like a luxuriant native tree,
36 but he soon passed away and was no more;
    though I looked for him, he could not be found.(GT)

37 Consider the blameless,(GU) observe the upright;(GV)
    a future awaits those who seek peace.[j](GW)
38 But all sinners(GX) will be destroyed;(GY)
    there will be no future[k] for the wicked.(GZ)

39 The salvation(HA) of the righteous comes from the Lord;
    he is their stronghold in time of trouble.(HB)
40 The Lord helps(HC) them and delivers(HD) them;
    he delivers them from the wicked and saves(HE) them,
    because they take refuge(HF) in him.

Psalm 38[l]

A psalm of David. A petition.

Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
    or discipline me in your wrath.(HG)
Your arrows(HH) have pierced me,
    and your hand has come down on me.
Because of your wrath there is no health(HI) in my body;
    there is no soundness in my bones(HJ) because of my sin.
My guilt has overwhelmed(HK) me
    like a burden too heavy to bear.(HL)

My wounds(HM) fester and are loathsome(HN)
    because of my sinful folly.(HO)
I am bowed down(HP) and brought very low;
    all day long I go about mourning.(HQ)
My back is filled with searing pain;(HR)
    there is no health(HS) in my body.
I am feeble and utterly crushed;(HT)
    I groan(HU) in anguish of heart.(HV)

All my longings(HW) lie open before you, Lord;
    my sighing(HX) is not hidden from you.
10 My heart pounds,(HY) my strength fails(HZ) me;
    even the light has gone from my eyes.(IA)
11 My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds;(IB)
    my neighbors stay far away.
12 Those who want to kill me set their traps,(IC)
    those who would harm me talk of my ruin;(ID)
    all day long they scheme and lie.(IE)

13 I am like the deaf, who cannot hear,(IF)
    like the mute, who cannot speak;
14 I have become like one who does not hear,
    whose mouth can offer no reply.
15 Lord, I wait(IG) for you;
    you will answer,(IH) Lord my God.
16 For I said, “Do not let them gloat(II)
    or exalt themselves over me when my feet slip.”(IJ)

17 For I am about to fall,(IK)
    and my pain(IL) is ever with me.
18 I confess my iniquity;(IM)
    I am troubled by my sin.
19 Many have become my enemies(IN) without cause[m];
    those who hate me(IO) without reason(IP) are numerous.
20 Those who repay my good with evil(IQ)
    lodge accusations(IR) against me,
    though I seek only to do what is good.

21 Lord, do not forsake me;(IS)
    do not be far(IT) from me, my God.
22 Come quickly(IU) to help me,(IV)
    my Lord and my Savior.(IW)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 34:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  2. Psalm 34:1 In Hebrew texts 34:1-22 is numbered 34:2-23.
  3. Psalm 35:3 Or and block the way
  4. Psalm 35:16 Septuagint; Hebrew may mean Like an ungodly circle of mockers,
  5. Psalm 36:1 In Hebrew texts 36:1-12 is numbered 36:2-13.
  6. Psalm 36:1 Or A message from God: The transgression of the wicked / resides in their hearts.
  7. Psalm 37:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the stanzas of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  8. Psalm 37:26 Or freely; / the names of their children will be used in blessings (see Gen. 48:20); or freely; / others will see that their children are blessed
  9. Psalm 37:28 See Septuagint; Hebrew They will be protected forever
  10. Psalm 37:37 Or upright; / those who seek peace will have posterity
  11. Psalm 37:38 Or posterity
  12. Psalm 38:1 In Hebrew texts 38:1-22 is numbered 38:2-23.
  13. Psalm 38:19 One Dead Sea Scrolls manuscript; Masoretic Text my vigorous enemies