He Will Tread Down Our Foes

To the choirmaster: according to (A)Shushan Eduth. A (B)Miktam[a] of David; (C)for instruction; when he (D)strove with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah, and when Joab on his return struck down twelve thousand of Edom in the Valley of Salt.

60 O God, (E)you have rejected us, (F)broken our defenses;
    you have been angry; (G)oh, restore us.
You have made the land to quake; you have torn it open;
    (H)repair its breaches, for it totters.
(I)You have made your people see hard things;
    (J)you have given us (K)wine to drink that made us stagger.

You have set up (L)a banner for those who fear you,
    that they may flee to it (M)from the bow.[b] Selah
(N)That your (O)beloved ones may be delivered,
    give salvation by your right hand and answer us!

God has spoken (P)in his holiness:[c]
    “With exultation (Q)I will divide up (R)Shechem
    and portion out the Vale of (S)Succoth.
(T)Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;
    (U)Ephraim is (V)my helmet;
    Judah is my (W)scepter.
(X)Moab is my washbasin;
    upon Edom I (Y)cast my shoe;
    over (Z)Philistia I shout in triumph.”[d]

Who will bring me to the fortified city?
    (AA)Who will lead me to Edom?
10 Have you not (AB)rejected us, O God?
    You (AC)do not go forth, O God, with our armies.
11 Oh, grant us help against the foe,
    for (AD)vain is the salvation of man!
12 With God we shall (AE)do valiantly;
    it is he who will (AF)tread down our foes.

Lead Me to the Rock

To the choirmaster: with (AG)stringed instruments. Of David.

61 Hear my cry, O God,
    (AH)listen to my prayer;
from the end of the earth I call to you
    when my heart is (AI)faint.
Lead me to (AJ)the rock
    that is higher than I,
for you have been (AK)my refuge,
    a strong (AL)tower against the enemy.

Let me (AM)dwell in your tent forever!
    Let me take refuge under (AN)the shelter of your wings! Selah
For you, O God, have heard my vows;
    you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

(AO)Prolong (AP)the life of the king;
    may his years endure to all generations!
May he be enthroned forever before God;
    appoint (AQ)steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over him!

So will I ever sing praises to your name,
    as I (AR)perform my vows day after day.

My Soul Waits for God Alone

To the choirmaster: according to (AS)Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

62 For God alone (AT)my soul (AU)waits in silence;
    from him comes my salvation.
(AV)He alone is my rock and my salvation,
    my (AW)fortress; (AX)I shall not be greatly shaken.

How long will all of you attack a man
    to batter him,
    like (AY)a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
They only plan to thrust him down from his (AZ)high position.
    They take pleasure in falsehood.
(BA)They bless with their mouths,
    but inwardly they curse. Selah

For God alone, O (BB)my soul, wait in silence,
    for my hope is from him.
(BC)He only is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my (BD)salvation and my glory;
    my mighty rock, (BE)my refuge is God.

(BF)Trust in him at all times, O people;
    (BG)pour out your heart before him;
    God is (BH)a refuge for us. Selah

(BI)Those of low estate are but a breath;
    those of high estate (BJ)are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
    (BK)they are together lighter than a breath.
10 Put no trust in extortion;
    (BL)set no vain hopes on robbery;
    (BM)if riches increase, set not your heart on them.

11 (BN)Once God has spoken;
    (BO)twice have I heard this:
that (BP)power belongs to God,
12     and that to you, O Lord, (BQ)belongs steadfast love.
For you will (BR)render to a man
    according to his work.

My Soul Thirsts for You

A Psalm of David, (BS)when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

63 O God, you are my God; (BT)earnestly I seek you;
    (BU)my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
    as in (BV)a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
    beholding (BW)your power and glory.
Because your (BX)steadfast love is better than life,
    my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you (BY)as long as I live;
    in your (BZ)name I will (CA)lift up my hands.

My soul will be (CB)satisfied as with fat and rich food,
    and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
when I remember you (CC)upon my bed,
    and meditate on you in (CD)the watches of the night;
for you have been my help,
    and in (CE)the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
My soul (CF)clings to you;
    your right hand (CG)upholds me.

But those who seek to destroy my life
    (CH)shall go down into (CI)the depths of the earth;
10 they shall be given over to the power of the sword;
    they shall be a portion for jackals.
11 But (CJ)the king shall rejoice in God;
    all who (CK)swear by him shall exult,
    (CL)for the mouths of (CM)liars will be stopped.

Hide Me from the Wicked

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

64 Hear my voice, O God, in my (CN)complaint;
    preserve my life from dread of the enemy.
Hide me from (CO)the secret plots of the wicked,
    from the throng of evildoers,
who (CP)whet their tongues like swords,
    who (CQ)aim bitter words like arrows,
shooting from (CR)ambush at the blameless,
    shooting at him suddenly and (CS)without fear.
They (CT)hold fast to their evil purpose;
    they talk of (CU)laying snares secretly,
thinking, (CV)“Who can see them?”
    They search out injustice,
saying, “We have accomplished a diligent search.”
    For (CW)the inward mind and heart of a man are deep.

(CX)But God shoots his arrow at them;
    they are wounded suddenly.
They are brought to ruin, with their own (CY)tongues turned against them;
    all who (CZ)see them will (DA)wag their heads.
Then all mankind (DB)fears;
    they (DC)tell what God has brought about
    and ponder what he has done.

10 Let (DD)the righteous one rejoice in the Lord
    and (DE)take refuge in him!
Let all (DF)the upright in heart exult!

O God of Our Salvation

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A Song.

65 Praise (DG)is due to you,[e] O God, in Zion,
    and to you shall (DH)vows be performed.
O you who (DI)hear prayer,
    to you (DJ)shall all flesh come.
When (DK)iniquities prevail against me,
    you (DL)atone for our transgressions.
(DM)Blessed is the one you choose and bring near,
    to (DN)dwell in your courts!
We shall be (DO)satisfied with the goodness of your house,
    the holiness of your temple!

By (DP)awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness,
    O God of our salvation,
the hope of all (DQ)the ends of the earth
    and of the farthest seas;
the one who by his strength established the mountains,
    being (DR)girded with might;
who (DS)stills the roaring of the seas,
    the roaring of their waves,
    (DT)the tumult of the peoples,
so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs.
You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.

You visit the earth and (DU)water it;[f]
    you greatly enrich it;
(DV)the river of God is full of water;
    (DW)you provide their grain,
    for so you have prepared it.
10 You water its furrows abundantly,
    settling its ridges,
softening it with (DX)showers,
    and blessing its growth.
11 You crown the year with your bounty;
    your wagon tracks (DY)overflow with abundance.
12 (DZ)The pastures of the wilderness overflow,
    the hills (EA)gird themselves with joy,
13 (EB)the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,
    the valleys deck themselves with grain,
    they (EC)shout and sing together for joy.

How Awesome Are Your Deeds

To the choirmaster. A Song. A Psalm.

66 (ED)Shout for joy to God, all the earth;
    sing the glory of his name;
    (EE)give to him glorious praise!
Say to God, (EF)“How awesome are your deeds!
    So great is your power that your enemies (EG)come cringing to you.
(EH)All the earth worships you
    and sings praises to you;
    they sing praises to your name.” Selah

(EI)Come and see what God has done:
    (EJ)he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.
He (EK)turned the sea into dry land;
    they (EL)passed through the river on foot.
There did we rejoice in him,
    who rules by his might forever,
whose (EM)eyes keep watch on the nations—
    let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah

Bless our God, O peoples;
    let the sound of his praise be heard,
who has kept our soul among the living
    and (EN)has not let our feet slip.
10 For you, O God, have (EO)tested us;
    you have tried us as silver is tried.
11 You brought us into (EP)the net;
    you laid a crushing burden on our backs;
12 you let men (EQ)ride over our heads;
    we went through fire and through (ER)water;
yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.

13 I will come into your house with burnt offerings;
    I will (ES)perform my vows to you,
14 that which my lips uttered
    and my mouth promised (ET)when I was in trouble.
15 I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals,
    with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams;
I will make an offering of bulls and goats. Selah

16 (EU)Come and hear, all you who fear God,
    and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
17 I cried to him with my mouth,
    and high praise was on[g] my tongue.[h]
18 If I had (EV)cherished iniquity in my heart,
    (EW)the Lord would not have listened.
19 But truly (EX)God has listened;
    he has attended to the voice of my prayer.

20 Blessed be God,
    because he has not rejected my prayer
    or removed his steadfast love from me!

Make Your Face Shine upon Us

To the choirmaster: with (EY)stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song.

67 May God (EZ)be gracious to us and bless us
    and make his face to (FA)shine upon us, Selah
that (FB)your way may be known on earth,
    your (FC)saving power among all nations.
(FD)Let the peoples praise you, O God;
    let all the peoples praise you!

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
    for you (FE)judge the peoples with equity
    and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
(FF)Let the peoples praise you, O God;
    let all the peoples praise you!

The earth has (FG)yielded its increase;
    God, our God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us;
    let (FH)all the ends of the earth fear him!

God Shall Scatter His Enemies

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A Song.

68 (FI)God shall arise, his enemies shall be (FJ)scattered;
    and those who hate him shall flee before him!
As (FK)smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away;
    (FL)as wax melts before fire,
    so the wicked shall perish before God!
But (FM)the righteous shall be glad;
    they shall exult before God;
    they shall be jubilant with joy!

Sing to God, (FN)sing praises to his name;
    (FO)lift up a song to him who (FP)rides through (FQ)the deserts;
his name is (FR)the Lord;
    exult before him!
(FS)Father of the fatherless and (FT)protector of widows
    is God in his holy habitation.
God (FU)settles the solitary in a home;
    he (FV)leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
    but (FW)the rebellious dwell in (FX)a parched land.

O God, when you (FY)went out before your people,
    (FZ)when you marched through (GA)the wilderness, Selah
(GB)the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain,
    before God, the One of Sinai,
    before God,[i] the God of Israel.
(GC)Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad;
    you restored your inheritance as it languished;
10 your flock[j] found a dwelling in it;
    in your goodness, O God, you (GD)provided for the needy.

11 The Lord gives (GE)the word;
    (GF)the women who announce the news are a great host:
12     (GG)“The kings of the armies—they flee, they flee!”
The women at home (GH)divide the spoil—
13     though you men lie among (GI)the sheepfolds—
the wings of a dove covered with silver,
    its pinions with shimmering gold.
14 When the Almighty scatters kings there,
    let snow fall on (GJ)Zalmon.

15 O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan;
    O many-peaked[k] mountain, mountain of Bashan!
16 Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain,
    at the mount that God (GK)desired for his abode,
    yes, where the Lord will dwell forever?
17 (GL)The chariots of God are twice ten thousand,
    thousands upon thousands;
    the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary.
18 (GM)You ascended on high,
    (GN)leading a host of captives in your train
    and (GO)receiving gifts among men,
even among (GP)the rebellious, (GQ)that the Lord God may dwell there.

19 Blessed be the Lord,
    who daily (GR)bears us up;
    God is our salvation. Selah
20 Our God is a God of salvation,
    (GS)and to God, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.
21 (GT)But God will strike the heads of his enemies,
    the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.
22 The Lord said,
    “I will bring them back (GU)from Bashan,
(GV)I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23 that you may (GW)strike your feet in their blood,
    that (GX)the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from the foe.”

24 Your procession is[l] seen, O God,
    the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—
25 (GY)the singers in front, (GZ)the musicians last,
    between them (HA)virgins playing tambourines:
26 (HB)“Bless God in the great congregation,
    the Lord, O you[m] who are of (HC)Israel's fountain!”
27 There is (HD)Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
    the princes of Judah in their throng,
    the princes of (HE)Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.

28 (HF)Summon your power, O God,[n]
    the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem
    kings shall (HG)bear gifts to you.
30 Rebuke (HH)the beasts that dwell among the reeds,
    the herd of (HI)bulls with the calves of the peoples.
(HJ)Trample underfoot those who lust after tribute;
    scatter the peoples who delight in war.[o]
31 Nobles shall come from (HK)Egypt;
    (HL)Cush shall hasten to (HM)stretch out her hands to God.

32 (HN)O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;
    sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33 to him (HO)who rides in (HP)the heavens, the ancient heavens;
    behold, he (HQ)sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
34 (HR)Ascribe power to God,
    whose majesty is over Israel,
    and whose (HS)power is in (HT)the skies.
35 (HU)Awesome is God from his[p] (HV)sanctuary;
    the God of Israel—he is the one who gives (HW)power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God!

Save Me, O God

To the choirmaster: according to (HX)Lilies. Of David.

69 Save me, O God!
    For (HY)the waters have come up to my neck.[q]
I sink in deep (HZ)mire,
    where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters,
    and the flood (IA)sweeps over me.
(IB)I am weary with my crying out;
    (IC)my throat is parched.
(ID)My eyes grow dim
    with (IE)waiting for my God.

(IF)More in number than the hairs of my head
    are (IG)those who hate me (IH)without cause;
mighty are those who would destroy me,
    (II)those who attack me with lies.
What I did not steal
    must I now restore?
O God, you know my folly;
    the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.

Let not those who hope in you (IJ)be put to shame through me,
    O Lord God of hosts;
let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me,
    O God of Israel.
For it is (IK)for your sake that I have borne reproach,
    that dishonor has covered my face.
I have become (IL)a stranger to my brothers,
    an alien to my mother's sons.

For (IM)zeal for your house has consumed me,
    and (IN)the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
10 When I wept and humbled[r] my soul with fasting,
    it became my reproach.
11 When I made (IO)sackcloth my clothing,
    I became (IP)a byword to them.
12 I am the talk of those who (IQ)sit in the gate,
    and the drunkards make (IR)songs about me.

13 But as for me, my (IS)prayer is to you, O Lord.
    At (IT)an acceptable time, O God,
    in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.
14 Deliver me
    from sinking in (IU)the mire;
(IV)let me be delivered from my enemies
    and from (IW)the deep waters.
15 Let not the flood sweep over me,
    or the deep swallow me up,
    or (IX)the pit close (IY)its mouth over me.

16 Answer me, O Lord, for your (IZ)steadfast love is good;
    according to your abundant (JA)mercy, (JB)turn to me.
17 (JC)Hide not your face from your servant,
    (JD)for I am in distress; (JE)make haste to answer me.
18 Draw near to my soul, redeem me;
    ransom me because of my enemies!

19 You know my (JF)reproach,
    and my shame and my dishonor;
    my foes are all known to you.
20 (JG)Reproaches have broken my heart,
    so that I am in (JH)despair.
I (JI)looked for (JJ)pity, but there was none,
    and for (JK)comforters, but I found none.
21 They gave me (JL)poison for food,
    and for my thirst they gave me (JM)sour wine to drink.

22 (JN)Let their own (JO)table before them become a snare;
    (JP)and when they are at peace, let it become a trap.[s]
23 (JQ)Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see,
    (JR)and make their loins tremble continually.
24 Pour out your indignation upon them,
    and let your burning anger overtake them.
25 (JS)May their camp be a desolation;
    let no one dwell in their tents.
26 For they (JT)persecute him whom (JU)you have struck down,
    and they recount the pain of (JV)those you have wounded.
27 (JW)Add to them punishment upon punishment;
    may they have no acquittal from you.[t]
28 Let them be (JX)blotted out of the book of the living;
    let them not be (JY)enrolled among the righteous.

29 But I am afflicted and in pain;
    let your salvation, O God, (JZ)set me on high!

30 I will (KA)praise the name of God with a song;
    I will (KB)magnify him with (KC)thanksgiving.
31 This will (KD)please the Lord more than an ox
    or a bull (KE)with horns and hoofs.
32 When (KF)the humble see it they will be glad;
    you who seek God, (KG)let your hearts revive.
33 For the Lord hears the needy
    and (KH)does not despise his own people who are prisoners.

34 Let (KI)heaven and earth praise him,
    the seas and everything that moves in them.
35 For (KJ)God will save Zion
    and build up the cities of Judah,
and people shall dwell there and possess it;
36     (KK)the offspring of his servants shall inherit it,
    and those who love his name shall dwell in it.

O Lord, Do Not Delay

To the choirmaster. Of David, (KL)for the memorial offering.

70 (KM)Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
    O Lord, make haste to help me!
Let them be put to shame and confusion
    who seek my life!
Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor
    who delight in my hurt!
Let them turn back because of their shame
    who say, “Aha, Aha!”

May all who seek you
    rejoice and be glad in you!
May those who love your salvation
    say evermore, “God is great!”
But I am poor and needy;
    (KN)hasten to me, O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;
    O Lord, do not delay!

Forsake Me Not When My Strength Is Spent

71 (KO)In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
    let me never be put to shame!
In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
    incline your ear to me, and save me!
Be to me a rock of (KP)refuge,
    to which I may continually come;
you have (KQ)given the command to save me,
    for you are my (KR)rock and my fortress.

(KS)Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
    from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.
For you, O Lord, are my (KT)hope,
    my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
Upon you I have leaned (KU)from before my birth;
    you are he who (KV)took me from my mother's womb.
My praise is continually of you.

I have been as (KW)a portent to many,
    but you are my strong refuge.
My (KX)mouth is filled with your praise,
    and with your glory all the day.
(KY)Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
    forsake me not when my strength is spent.
10 For my enemies speak concerning me;
    those who (KZ)watch for my life (LA)consult together
11 and say, “God has forsaken him;
    pursue and seize him,
    for there is none to deliver him.”

12 O God, be not (LB)far from me;
    O my God, (LC)make haste to help me!
13 May my accusers be (LD)put to shame and consumed;
    (LE)with scorn and disgrace may they be covered
    who (LF)seek my hurt.
14 But I will (LG)hope continually
    and will (LH)praise you yet more and more.
15 My (LI)mouth will tell of your righteous acts,
    of your deeds of salvation all the day,
    for (LJ)their number is past my knowledge.
16 With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come;
    I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.

17 O God, from my youth you have taught me,
    and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
18 So even to (LK)old age and gray hairs,
    O God, (LL)do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation,
    your power to all those to come.
19 Your (LM)righteousness, O God,
    reaches the high heavens.
You who have done (LN)great things,
    O God, (LO)who is like you?
20 You who have (LP)made me see many troubles and calamities
    will (LQ)revive me again;
from the depths of the earth
    you will bring me up again.
21 You will increase my greatness
    and comfort me again.

22 I will also praise you with (LR)the harp
    for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praises to you with the lyre,
    O (LS)Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will shout for joy,
    when I sing praises to you;
    my soul also, which you have (LT)redeemed.
24 And my (LU)tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,
for they have been (LV)put to shame and disappointed
    who sought to do me hurt.

Give the King Your Justice

Of (LW)Solomon.

72 Give the king your (LX)justice, O God,
    and your righteousness to the royal son!
May he (LY)judge your people with righteousness,
    and your poor with justice!
Let the mountains bear (LZ)prosperity for the people,
    and the hills, in righteousness!
May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
    give deliverance to the children of the needy,
    and crush the oppressor!

May they fear you[u] while (MA)the sun endures,
    and as long as the moon, (MB)throughout all generations!
May he be like (MC)rain that falls on (MD)the mown grass,
    like (ME)showers that water the earth!
In his days may (MF)the righteous flourish,
    and (MG)peace abound, till the moon be no more!

May he have dominion from (MH)sea to sea,
    and from (MI)the River[v] to the (MJ)ends of the earth!
May desert tribes (MK)bow down before him,
    and his enemies (ML)lick the dust!
10 May the kings of (MM)Tarshish and of (MN)the coastlands
    render him (MO)tribute;
may the kings of (MP)Sheba and (MQ)Seba
    bring gifts!
11 May all kings (MR)fall down before him,
    all nations serve him!

12 For he delivers (MS)the needy when he calls,
    the poor and him who has no helper.
13 He has pity on the weak and the needy,
    and saves the lives of the needy.
14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life,
    and (MT)precious is their blood in his sight.

15 Long may he live;
    may (MU)gold of Sheba be given to him!
May prayer be made (MV)for him continually,
    and blessings invoked for him all the day!
16 May there be abundance of grain in the land;
    on the tops of the mountains may it wave;
    may its fruit be like Lebanon;
and may people (MW)blossom in the cities
    like the (MX)grass of the field!
17 (MY)May his name endure forever,
    his fame continue as long as the sun!
(MZ)May people be blessed in him,
    (NA)all nations call him blessed!

18 (NB)Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
    who alone does (NC)wondrous things.
19 Blessed be his (ND)glorious name forever;
    may (NE)the whole earth be filled with his glory!
(NF)Amen and Amen!

20 (NG)The prayers of (NH)David, the son of Jesse, are ended.

Book Three

God Is My Strength and Portion Forever

A Psalm of (NI)Asaph.

73 Truly God is good to (NJ)Israel,
    to those who are (NK)pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
    my steps had nearly slipped.
(NL)For I was (NM)envious of the arrogant
    when I saw the (NN)prosperity of the wicked.

For they have no pangs until death;
    their bodies are fat and sleek.
They are not in trouble as others are;
    they are not (NO)stricken like the rest of mankind.
Therefore pride is (NP)their necklace;
    violence covers them as (NQ)a garment.
Their (NR)eyes swell out through fatness;
    their hearts overflow with follies.
They scoff and (NS)speak with malice;
    loftily they threaten oppression.
They set their mouths against the heavens,
    and their tongue struts through the earth.
10 Therefore his people turn back to them,
    and find (NT)no fault in them.[w]
11 And they say, (NU)“How can God know?
    Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12 Behold, these are the wicked;
    always at ease, they (NV)increase in riches.
13 All in vain have I (NW)kept my heart clean
    and (NX)washed my hands in innocence.
14 For all the day long I have been (NY)stricken
    and (NZ)rebuked (OA)every morning.
15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
    I would have betrayed (OB)the generation of your children.

16 But when I thought how to understand this,
    it seemed to me (OC)a wearisome task,
17 until I went into (OD)the sanctuary of God;
    then I discerned their (OE)end.

18 Truly you set them in (OF)slippery places;
    you make them fall to ruin.
19 How they are destroyed (OG)in a moment,
    swept away utterly by (OH)terrors!
20 Like (OI)a dream when one awakes,
    O Lord, when (OJ)you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.
21 When my soul was embittered,
    when I was pricked in heart,
22 I was (OK)brutish and ignorant;
    I was like (OL)a beast toward you.

23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
    you (OM)hold my right hand.
24 You (ON)guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will (OO)receive me to glory.
25 (OP)Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 (OQ)My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is (OR)the strength[x] of my heart and my (OS)portion (OT)forever.

27 For behold, those who are (OU)far from you shall perish;
    you put an end to everyone who is (OV)unfaithful to you.
28 But for me it is good to (OW)be near God;
    I have made the Lord God my (OX)refuge,
    that I may (OY)tell of all your works.

Arise, O God, Defend Your Cause

A Maskil[y] of (OZ)Asaph.

74 O God, why do you (PA)cast us off forever?
    Why does your anger (PB)smoke against (PC)the sheep of your pasture?
(PD)Remember your congregation, which you have (PE)purchased of old,
    which you have (PF)redeemed to be (PG)the tribe of your heritage!
    Remember Mount Zion, (PH)where you have dwelt.
Direct your steps to (PI)the perpetual ruins;
    the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary!

Your foes have (PJ)roared in the midst of your meeting place;
    (PK)they set up their (PL)own signs for (PM)signs.
They were like those who swing (PN)axes
    in a forest of trees.[z]
And all its (PO)carved wood
    they broke down with hatchets and hammers.
They (PP)set your sanctuary on fire;
    they (PQ)profaned (PR)the dwelling place of your name,
    bringing it down to the ground.
They (PS)said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”;
    they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.

We do not see our (PT)signs;
    (PU)there is no longer any prophet,
    and there is none among us who knows how long.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 60:1 Probably musical or liturgical terms
  2. Psalm 60:4 Or that it may be displayed because of truth
  3. Psalm 60:6 Or sanctuary
  4. Psalm 60:8 Revocalization (compare Psalm 108:10); Masoretic Text over me, O Philistia, shout in triumph
  5. Psalm 65:1 Or Praise waits for you in silence
  6. Psalm 65:9 Or and make it overflow
  7. Psalm 66:17 Hebrew under
  8. Psalm 66:17 Or and he was exalted with my tongue
  9. Psalm 68:8 Or before God, even Sinai before God
  10. Psalm 68:10 Or your congregation
  11. Psalm 68:15 Or hunch-backed; also verse 16
  12. Psalm 68:24 Or has been
  13. Psalm 68:26 The Hebrew for you is plural here
  14. Psalm 68:28 By revocalization (compare Septuagint); Hebrew Your God has summoned your power
  15. Psalm 68:30 The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain
  16. Psalm 68:35 Septuagint; Hebrew your
  17. Psalm 69:1 Or waters threaten my life
  18. Psalm 69:10 Hebrew lacks and humbled
  19. Psalm 69:22 Hebrew; a slight revocalization yields (compare Septuagint, Syriac, Jerome) a snare, and retribution and a trap
  20. Psalm 69:27 Hebrew may they not come into your righteousness
  21. Psalm 72:5 Septuagint He shall endure
  22. Psalm 72:8 That is, the Euphrates
  23. Psalm 73:10 Probable reading; Hebrew the waters of a full cup are drained by them
  24. Psalm 73:26 Hebrew rock
  25. Psalm 74:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
  26. Psalm 74:5 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain

Psalm 60[a](A)

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Lily of the Covenant.” A miktam[b] of David. For teaching. When he fought Aram Naharaim[c] and Aram Zobah,[d] and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.(B)

You have rejected us,(C) God, and burst upon us;
    you have been angry(D)—now restore us!(E)
You have shaken the land(F) and torn it open;
    mend its fractures,(G) for it is quaking.
You have shown your people desperate times;(H)
    you have given us wine that makes us stagger.(I)
But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner(J)
    to be unfurled against the bow.[e]

Save us and help us with your right hand,(K)
    that those you love(L) may be delivered.
God has spoken from his sanctuary:
    “In triumph I will parcel out Shechem(M)
    and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.(N)
Gilead(O) is mine, and Manasseh is mine;
    Ephraim(P) is my helmet,
    Judah(Q) is my scepter.(R)
Moab is my washbasin,
    on Edom I toss my sandal;
    over Philistia I shout in triumph.(S)

Who will bring me to the fortified city?
    Who will lead me to Edom?
10 Is it not you, God, you who have now rejected us
    and no longer go out with our armies?(T)
11 Give us aid against the enemy,
    for human help is worthless.(U)
12 With God we will gain the victory,
    and he will trample down our enemies.(V)

Psalm 61[f]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. Of David.

Hear my cry, O God;(W)
    listen to my prayer.(X)

From the ends of the earth I call to you,
    I call as my heart grows faint;(Y)
    lead me to the rock(Z) that is higher than I.
For you have been my refuge,(AA)
    a strong tower against the foe.(AB)

I long to dwell(AC) in your tent forever
    and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.[g](AD)
For you, God, have heard my vows;(AE)
    you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.(AF)

Increase the days of the king’s life,(AG)
    his years for many generations.(AH)
May he be enthroned in God’s presence forever;(AI)
    appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.(AJ)

Then I will ever sing in praise of your name(AK)
    and fulfill my vows day after day.(AL)

Psalm 62[h]

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

Truly my soul finds rest(AM) in God;(AN)
    my salvation comes from him.
Truly he is my rock(AO) and my salvation;(AP)
    he is my fortress,(AQ) I will never be shaken.(AR)

How long will you assault me?
    Would all of you throw me down—
    this leaning wall,(AS) this tottering fence?
Surely they intend to topple me
    from my lofty place;
    they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
    but in their hearts they curse.[i](AT)

Yes, my soul, find rest in God;(AU)
    my hope comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
    he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God[j];
    he is my mighty rock, my refuge.(AV)
Trust in him at all times, you people;(AW)
    pour out your hearts to him,(AX)
    for God is our refuge.

Surely the lowborn(AY) are but a breath,(AZ)
    the highborn are but a lie.
If weighed on a balance,(BA) they are nothing;
    together they are only a breath.
10 Do not trust in extortion(BB)
    or put vain hope in stolen goods;(BC)
though your riches increase,
    do not set your heart on them.(BD)

11 One thing God has spoken,
    two things I have heard:
“Power belongs to you, God,(BE)
12     and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”;(BF)
and, “You reward everyone
    according to what they have done.”(BG)

Psalm 63[k]

A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.

You, God, are my God,
    earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,(BH)
    my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
    where there is no water.(BI)

I have seen you in the sanctuary(BJ)
    and beheld your power and your glory.(BK)
Because your love is better than life,(BL)
    my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,(BM)
    and in your name I will lift up my hands.(BN)
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;(BO)
    with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

On my bed I remember you;
    I think of you through the watches of the night.(BP)
Because you are my help,(BQ)
    I sing in the shadow of your wings.(BR)
I cling to you;(BS)
    your right hand upholds me.(BT)

Those who want to kill me will be destroyed;(BU)
    they will go down to the depths of the earth.(BV)
10 They will be given over to the sword(BW)
    and become food for jackals.(BX)

11 But the king will rejoice in God;
    all who swear by God will glory in him,(BY)
    while the mouths of liars will be silenced.(BZ)

Psalm 64[l]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint;(CA)
    protect my life from the threat of the enemy.(CB)

Hide me from the conspiracy(CC) of the wicked,(CD)
    from the plots of evildoers.
They sharpen their tongues like swords(CE)
    and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.(CF)
They shoot from ambush at the innocent;(CG)
    they shoot suddenly, without fear.(CH)

They encourage each other in evil plans,
    they talk about hiding their snares;(CI)
    they say, “Who will see it[m]?”(CJ)
They plot injustice and say,
    “We have devised a perfect plan!”
    Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.

But God will shoot them with his arrows;
    they will suddenly be struck down.
He will turn their own tongues against them(CK)
    and bring them to ruin;
    all who see them will shake their heads(CL) in scorn.(CM)
All people will fear;(CN)
    they will proclaim the works of God
    and ponder what he has done.(CO)

10 The righteous will rejoice in the Lord(CP)
    and take refuge in him;(CQ)
    all the upright in heart will glory in him!(CR)

Psalm 65[n]

For the director of music. A psalm of David. A song.

Praise awaits[o] you, our God, in Zion;(CS)
    to you our vows will be fulfilled.(CT)
You who answer prayer,
    to you all people will come.(CU)
When we were overwhelmed by sins,(CV)
    you forgave[p] our transgressions.(CW)
Blessed are those you choose(CX)
    and bring near(CY) to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,(CZ)
    of your holy temple.

You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,(DA)
    God our Savior,(DB)
the hope of all the ends of the earth(DC)
    and of the farthest seas,(DD)
who formed the mountains(DE) by your power,
    having armed yourself with strength,(DF)
who stilled the roaring of the seas,(DG)
    the roaring of their waves,
    and the turmoil of the nations.(DH)
The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
    where morning dawns, where evening fades,
    you call forth songs of joy.(DI)

You care for the land and water it;(DJ)
    you enrich it abundantly.(DK)
The streams of God are filled with water
    to provide the people with grain,(DL)
    for so you have ordained it.[q]
10 You drench its furrows and level its ridges;
    you soften it with showers(DM) and bless its crops.
11 You crown the year with your bounty,(DN)
    and your carts overflow with abundance.(DO)
12 The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;(DP)
    the hills are clothed with gladness.(DQ)
13 The meadows are covered with flocks(DR)
    and the valleys are mantled with grain;(DS)
    they shout for joy and sing.(DT)

Psalm 66

For the director of music. A song. A psalm.

Shout for joy to God, all the earth!(DU)
    Sing the glory of his name;(DV)
    make his praise glorious.(DW)
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!(DX)
    So great is your power
    that your enemies cringe(DY) before you.
All the earth bows down(DZ) to you;
    they sing praise(EA) to you,
    they sing the praises of your name.”[r]

Come and see what God has done,
    his awesome deeds(EB) for mankind!
He turned the sea into dry land,(EC)
    they passed through(ED) the waters on foot—
    come, let us rejoice(EE) in him.
He rules forever(EF) by his power,
    his eyes watch(EG) the nations—
    let not the rebellious(EH) rise up against him.

Praise(EI) our God, all peoples,
    let the sound of his praise be heard;
he has preserved our lives(EJ)
    and kept our feet from slipping.(EK)
10 For you, God, tested(EL) us;
    you refined us like silver.(EM)
11 You brought us into prison(EN)
    and laid burdens(EO) on our backs.
12 You let people ride over our heads;(EP)
    we went through fire and water,
    but you brought us to a place of abundance.(EQ)

13 I will come to your temple with burnt offerings(ER)
    and fulfill my vows(ES) to you—
14 vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke
    when I was in trouble.
15 I will sacrifice fat animals to you
    and an offering of rams;
    I will offer bulls and goats.(ET)

16 Come and hear,(EU) all you who fear God;
    let me tell(EV) you what he has done for me.
17 I cried out to him with my mouth;
    his praise was on my tongue.
18 If I had cherished sin in my heart,
    the Lord would not have listened;(EW)
19 but God has surely listened
    and has heard(EX) my prayer.
20 Praise be to God,
    who has not rejected(EY) my prayer
    or withheld his love from me!

Psalm 67[s]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.

May God be gracious to us and bless us
    and make his face shine on us—[t](EZ)
so that your ways may be known on earth,
    your salvation(FA) among all nations.(FB)

May the peoples praise you, God;
    may all the peoples praise you.(FC)
May the nations be glad and sing for joy,(FD)
    for you rule the peoples with equity(FE)
    and guide the nations of the earth.(FF)
May the peoples praise you, God;
    may all the peoples praise you.

The land yields its harvest;(FG)
    God, our God, blesses us.(FH)
May God bless us still,
    so that all the ends of the earth(FI) will fear him.(FJ)

Psalm 68[u]

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song.

May God arise,(FK) may his enemies be scattered;(FL)
    may his foes flee(FM) before him.
May you blow them away like smoke—(FN)
    as wax melts(FO) before the fire,
    may the wicked perish(FP) before God.
But may the righteous be glad
    and rejoice(FQ) before God;
    may they be happy and joyful.

Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,(FR)
    extol him who rides on the clouds[v](FS);
    rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.(FT)
A father to the fatherless,(FU) a defender of widows,(FV)
    is God in his holy dwelling.(FW)
God sets the lonely(FX) in families,[w](FY)
    he leads out the prisoners(FZ) with singing;
    but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.(GA)

When you, God, went out(GB) before your people,
    when you marched through the wilderness,[x](GC)
the earth shook,(GD) the heavens poured down rain,(GE)
    before God, the One of Sinai,(GF)
    before God, the God of Israel.(GG)
You gave abundant showers,(GH) O God;
    you refreshed your weary inheritance.
10 Your people settled in it,
    and from your bounty,(GI) God, you provided(GJ) for the poor.

11 The Lord announces the word,
    and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng:(GK)
12 “Kings and armies flee(GL) in haste;
    the women at home divide the plunder.(GM)
13 Even while you sleep among the sheep pens,[y](GN)
    the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver,
    its feathers with shining gold.”
14 When the Almighty[z] scattered(GO) the kings in the land,
    it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon.(GP)

15 Mount Bashan,(GQ) majestic mountain,(GR)
    Mount Bashan, rugged mountain,
16 why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain,
    at the mountain where God chooses(GS) to reign,
    where the Lord himself will dwell forever?(GT)
17 The chariots(GU) of God are tens of thousands
    and thousands of thousands;(GV)
    the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.[aa]
18 When you ascended(GW) on high,(GX)
    you took many captives;(GY)
    you received gifts from people,(GZ)
even from[ab] the rebellious(HA)
    that you,[ac] Lord God, might dwell there.

19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,(HB)
    who daily bears our burdens.(HC)
20 Our God is a God who saves;(HD)
    from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.(HE)
21 Surely God will crush the heads(HF) of his enemies,
    the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.
22 The Lord says, “I will bring them from Bashan;
    I will bring them from the depths of the sea,(HG)
23 that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes,(HH)
    while the tongues of your dogs(HI) have their share.”

24 Your procession, God, has come into view,
    the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.(HJ)
25 In front are the singers,(HK) after them the musicians;(HL)
    with them are the young women playing the timbrels.(HM)
26 Praise God in the great congregation;(HN)
    praise the Lord in the assembly of Israel.(HO)
27 There is the little tribe(HP) of Benjamin,(HQ) leading them,
    there the great throng of Judah’s princes,
    and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.(HR)

28 Summon your power,(HS) God[ad];
    show us your strength,(HT) our God, as you have done(HU) before.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem
    kings will bring you gifts.(HV)
30 Rebuke the beast(HW) among the reeds,(HX)
    the herd of bulls(HY) among the calves of the nations.
Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver.
    Scatter the nations(HZ) who delight in war.(IA)
31 Envoys will come from Egypt;(IB)
    Cush[ae](IC) will submit herself to God.

32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth,(ID)
    sing praise(IE) to the Lord,
33 to him who rides(IF) across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens,
    who thunders(IG) with mighty voice.(IH)
34 Proclaim the power(II) of God,
    whose majesty(IJ) is over Israel,
    whose power is in the heavens.
35 You, God, are awesome(IK) in your sanctuary;(IL)
    the God of Israel gives power and strength(IM) to his people.(IN)

Praise be to God!(IO)

Psalm 69[af]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of David.

Save me, O God,
    for the waters(IP) have come up to my neck.(IQ)
I sink in the miry depths,(IR)
    where there is no foothold.
I have come into the deep waters;
    the floods engulf me.
I am worn out calling for help;(IS)
    my throat is parched.
My eyes fail,(IT)
    looking for my God.
Those who hate me(IU) without reason(IV)
    outnumber the hairs of my head;
many are my enemies without cause,(IW)
    those who seek to destroy me.(IX)
I am forced to restore
    what I did not steal.

You, God, know my folly;(IY)
    my guilt is not hidden from you.(IZ)

Lord, the Lord Almighty,
    may those who hope in you
    not be disgraced because of me;
God of Israel,
    may those who seek you
    not be put to shame because of me.
For I endure scorn(JA) for your sake,(JB)
    and shame covers my face.(JC)
I am a foreigner to my own family,
    a stranger to my own mother’s children;(JD)
for zeal for your house consumes me,(JE)
    and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.(JF)
10 When I weep and fast,(JG)
    I must endure scorn;
11 when I put on sackcloth,(JH)
    people make sport of me.
12 Those who sit at the gate(JI) mock me,
    and I am the song of the drunkards.(JJ)

13 But I pray to you, Lord,
    in the time of your favor;(JK)
in your great love,(JL) O God,
    answer me with your sure salvation.
14 Rescue me from the mire,
    do not let me sink;
deliver me from those who hate me,
    from the deep waters.(JM)
15 Do not let the floodwaters(JN) engulf me
    or the depths swallow me up(JO)
    or the pit close its mouth over me.(JP)

16 Answer me, Lord, out of the goodness of your love;(JQ)
    in your great mercy turn to me.
17 Do not hide your face(JR) from your servant;
    answer me quickly,(JS) for I am in trouble.(JT)
18 Come near and rescue me;
    deliver(JU) me because of my foes.

19 You know how I am scorned,(JV) disgraced and shamed;
    all my enemies are before you.
20 Scorn has broken my heart
    and has left me helpless;
I looked for sympathy, but there was none,
    for comforters,(JW) but I found none.(JX)
21 They put gall in my food
    and gave me vinegar(JY) for my thirst.(JZ)

22 May the table set before them become a snare;
    may it become retribution and[ag] a trap.(KA)
23 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
    and their backs be bent forever.(KB)
24 Pour out your wrath(KC) on them;
    let your fierce anger overtake them.
25 May their place be deserted;(KD)
    let there be no one to dwell in their tents.(KE)
26 For they persecute those you wound
    and talk about the pain of those you hurt.(KF)
27 Charge them with crime upon crime;(KG)
    do not let them share in your salvation.(KH)
28 May they be blotted out of the book of life(KI)
    and not be listed with the righteous.(KJ)

29 But as for me, afflicted and in pain—
    may your salvation, God, protect me.(KK)

30 I will praise God’s name in song(KL)
    and glorify him(KM) with thanksgiving.
31 This will please the Lord more than an ox,
    more than a bull with its horns and hooves.(KN)
32 The poor will see and be glad(KO)
    you who seek God, may your hearts live!(KP)
33 The Lord hears the needy(KQ)
    and does not despise his captive people.

34 Let heaven and earth praise him,
    the seas and all that move in them,(KR)
35 for God will save Zion(KS)
    and rebuild the cities of Judah.(KT)
Then people will settle there and possess it;
36     the children of his servants will inherit it,(KU)
    and those who love his name will dwell there.(KV)

Psalm 70[ah](KW)

For the director of music. Of David. A petition.

Hasten, O God, to save me;
    come quickly, Lord, to help me.(KX)

May those who want to take my life(KY)
    be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
    be turned back in disgrace.(KZ)
May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”(LA)
    turn back because of their shame.
But may all who seek you(LB)
    rejoice and be glad(LC) in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
    “The Lord is great!”(LD)

But as for me, I am poor and needy;(LE)
    come quickly to me,(LF) O God.
You are my help(LG) and my deliverer;(LH)
    Lord, do not delay.(LI)

Psalm 71(LJ)

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;(LK)
    let me never be put to shame.(LL)
In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
    turn your ear(LM) to me and save me.
Be my rock of refuge,
    to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
    for you are my rock and my fortress.(LN)
Deliver(LO) me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,(LP)
    from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.(LQ)

For you have been my hope,(LR) Sovereign Lord,
    my confidence(LS) since my youth.
From birth(LT) I have relied on you;
    you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.(LU)
    I will ever praise(LV) you.
I have become a sign(LW) to many;
    you are my strong refuge.(LX)
My mouth(LY) is filled with your praise,
    declaring your splendor(LZ) all day long.

Do not cast(MA) me away when I am old;(MB)
    do not forsake(MC) me when my strength is gone.
10 For my enemies(MD) speak against me;
    those who wait to kill(ME) me conspire(MF) together.
11 They say, “God has forsaken(MG) him;
    pursue him and seize him,
    for no one will rescue(MH) him.”
12 Do not be far(MI) from me, my God;
    come quickly, God, to help(MJ) me.
13 May my accusers(MK) perish in shame;(ML)
    may those who want to harm me
    be covered with scorn and disgrace.(MM)

14 As for me, I will always have hope;(MN)
    I will praise you more and more.

15 My mouth will tell(MO) of your righteous deeds,(MP)
    of your saving acts all day long—
    though I know not how to relate them all.
16 I will come and proclaim your mighty acts,(MQ) Sovereign Lord;
    I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
17 Since my youth, God, you have taught(MR) me,
    and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.(MS)
18 Even when I am old and gray,(MT)
    do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power(MU) to the next generation,
    your mighty acts to all who are to come.(MV)

19 Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,(MW)
    you who have done great things.(MX)
    Who is like you, God?(MY)
20 Though you have made me see troubles,(MZ)
    many and bitter,
    you will restore(NA) my life again;
from the depths of the earth(NB)
    you will again bring me up.
21 You will increase my honor(NC)
    and comfort(ND) me once more.

22 I will praise you with the harp(NE)
    for your faithfulness, my God;
I will sing praise to you with the lyre,(NF)
    Holy One of Israel.(NG)
23 My lips will shout for joy(NH)
    when I sing praise to you—
    I whom you have delivered.(NI)
24 My tongue will tell of your righteous acts
    all day long,(NJ)
for those who wanted to harm me(NK)
    have been put to shame and confusion.(NL)

Psalm 72

Of Solomon.

Endow the king with your justice,(NM) O God,
    the royal son with your righteousness.
May he judge your people in righteousness,(NN)
    your afflicted ones with justice.

May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,
    the hills the fruit of righteousness.
May he defend the afflicted(NO) among the people
    and save the children of the needy;(NP)
    may he crush the oppressor.(NQ)
May he endure[ai](NR) as long as the sun,
    as long as the moon, through all generations.(NS)
May he be like rain(NT) falling on a mown field,
    like showers watering the earth.
In his days may the righteous flourish(NU)
    and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.

May he rule from sea to sea
    and from the River[aj](NV) to the ends of the earth.(NW)
May the desert tribes bow before him
    and his enemies lick the dust.
10 May the kings of Tarshish(NX) and of distant shores(NY)
    bring tribute to him.
May the kings of Sheba(NZ) and Seba
    present him gifts.(OA)
11 May all kings bow down(OB) to him
    and all nations serve(OC) him.

12 For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
    the afflicted who have no one to help.
13 He will take pity(OD) on the weak and the needy
    and save the needy from death.
14 He will rescue(OE) them from oppression and violence,
    for precious(OF) is their blood in his sight.

15 Long may he live!
    May gold from Sheba(OG) be given him.
May people ever pray for him
    and bless him all day long.(OH)
16 May grain(OI) abound throughout the land;
    on the tops of the hills may it sway.
May the crops(OJ) flourish like Lebanon(OK)
    and thrive[ak] like the grass of the field.(OL)
17 May his name endure forever;(OM)
    may it continue as long as the sun.(ON)

Then all nations will be blessed through him,[al]
    and they will call him blessed.(OO)

18 Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,(OP)
    who alone does marvelous deeds.(OQ)
19 Praise be to his glorious name(OR) forever;
    may the whole earth be filled with his glory.(OS)
Amen and Amen.(OT)

20 This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.(OU)

BOOK III

Psalms 73–89

Psalm 73

A psalm of Asaph.

Surely God is good to Israel,
    to those who are pure in heart.(OV)

But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;(OW)
    I had nearly lost my foothold.(OX)
For I envied(OY) the arrogant
    when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.(OZ)

They have no struggles;
    their bodies are healthy and strong.[am]
They are free(PA) from common human burdens;
    they are not plagued by human ills.
Therefore pride(PB) is their necklace;(PC)
    they clothe themselves with violence.(PD)
From their callous hearts(PE) comes iniquity[an];
    their evil imaginations have no limits.
They scoff, and speak with malice;(PF)
    with arrogance(PG) they threaten oppression.(PH)
Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
    and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10 Therefore their people turn to them
    and drink up waters in abundance.[ao]
11 They say, “How would God know?
    Does the Most High know anything?”

12 This is what the wicked are like—
    always free of care,(PI) they go on amassing wealth.(PJ)

13 Surely in vain(PK) I have kept my heart pure
    and have washed my hands in innocence.(PL)
14 All day long I have been afflicted,(PM)
    and every morning brings new punishments.

15 If I had spoken out like that,
    I would have betrayed your children.
16 When I tried to understand(PN) all this,
    it troubled me deeply
17 till I entered the sanctuary(PO) of God;
    then I understood their final destiny.(PP)

18 Surely you place them on slippery ground;(PQ)
    you cast them down to ruin.(PR)
19 How suddenly(PS) are they destroyed,
    completely swept away(PT) by terrors!
20 They are like a dream(PU) when one awakes;(PV)
    when you arise, Lord,
    you will despise them as fantasies.(PW)

21 When my heart was grieved
    and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless(PX) and ignorant;
    I was a brute beast(PY) before you.

23 Yet I am always with you;
    you hold me by my right hand.(PZ)
24 You guide(QA) me with your counsel,(QB)
    and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?(QC)
    And earth has nothing I desire besides you.(QD)
26 My flesh and my heart(QE) may fail,(QF)
    but God is the strength(QG) of my heart
    and my portion(QH) forever.

27 Those who are far from you will perish;(QI)
    you destroy all who are unfaithful(QJ) to you.
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.(QK)
    I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;(QL)
    I will tell of all your deeds.(QM)

Psalm 74

A maskil[ap] of Asaph.

O God, why have you rejected(QN) us forever?(QO)
    Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?(QP)
Remember the nation you purchased(QQ) long ago,(QR)
    the people of your inheritance,(QS) whom you redeemed(QT)
    Mount Zion,(QU) where you dwelt.(QV)
Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins,(QW)
    all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary.

Your foes roared(QX) in the place where you met with us;
    they set up their standards(QY) as signs.
They behaved like men wielding axes
    to cut through a thicket of trees.(QZ)
They smashed all the carved(RA) paneling
    with their axes and hatchets.
They burned your sanctuary to the ground;
    they defiled(RB) the dwelling place(RC) of your Name.(RD)
They said in their hearts, “We will crush(RE) them completely!”
    They burned(RF) every place where God was worshiped in the land.

We are given no signs from God;(RG)
    no prophets(RH) are left,
    and none of us knows how long this will be.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 60:1 In Hebrew texts 60:1-12 is numbered 60:3-14.
  2. Psalm 60:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 60:1 Title: That is, Arameans of Northwest Mesopotamia
  4. Psalm 60:1 Title: That is, Arameans of central Syria
  5. Psalm 60:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  6. Psalm 61:1 In Hebrew texts 61:1-8 is numbered 61:2-9.
  7. Psalm 61:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  8. Psalm 62:1 In Hebrew texts 62:1-12 is numbered 62:2-13.
  9. Psalm 62:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 8.
  10. Psalm 62:7 Or / God Most High is my salvation and my honor
  11. Psalm 63:1 In Hebrew texts 63:1-11 is numbered 63:2-12.
  12. Psalm 64:1 In Hebrew texts 64:1-10 is numbered 64:2-11.
  13. Psalm 64:5 Or us
  14. Psalm 65:1 In Hebrew texts 65:1-13 is numbered 65:2-14.
  15. Psalm 65:1 Or befits; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  16. Psalm 65:3 Or made atonement for
  17. Psalm 65:9 Or for that is how you prepare the land
  18. Psalm 66:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 7 and 15.
  19. Psalm 67:1 In Hebrew texts 67:1-7 is numbered 67:2-8.
  20. Psalm 67:1 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 4.
  21. Psalm 68:1 In Hebrew texts 68:1-35 is numbered 68:2-36.
  22. Psalm 68:4 Or name, / prepare the way for him who rides through the deserts
  23. Psalm 68:6 Or the desolate in a homeland
  24. Psalm 68:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 19 and 32.
  25. Psalm 68:13 Or the campfires; or the saddlebags
  26. Psalm 68:14 Hebrew Shaddai
  27. Psalm 68:17 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text Lord is among them at Sinai in holiness
  28. Psalm 68:18 Or gifts for people, / even
  29. Psalm 68:18 Or they
  30. Psalm 68:28 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts Your God has summoned power for you
  31. Psalm 68:31 That is, the upper Nile region
  32. Psalm 69:1 In Hebrew texts 69:1-36 is numbered 69:2-37.
  33. Psalm 69:22 Or snare / and their fellowship become
  34. Psalm 70:1 In Hebrew texts 70:1-5 is numbered 70:2-6.
  35. Psalm 72:5 Septuagint; Hebrew You will be feared
  36. Psalm 72:8 That is, the Euphrates
  37. Psalm 72:16 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text Lebanon, / from the city
  38. Psalm 72:17 Or will use his name in blessings (see Gen. 48:20)
  39. Psalm 73:4 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text struggles at their death; / their bodies are healthy
  40. Psalm 73:7 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew Their eyes bulge with fat
  41. Psalm 73:10 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
  42. Psalm 74:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term