BOOK I

Psalms 1–41

Psalm 1

Blessed is the one(A)
    who does not walk(B) in step with the wicked(C)
or stand in the way(D) that sinners take(E)
    or sit(F) in the company of mockers,(G)
but whose delight(H) is in the law of the Lord,(I)
    and who meditates(J) on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree(K) planted by streams(L) of water,(M)
    which yields its fruit(N) in season
and whose leaf(O) does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.(P)

Not so the wicked!
    They are like chaff(Q)
    that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand(R) in the judgment,(S)
    nor sinners in the assembly(T) of the righteous.

For the Lord watches over(U) the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.(V)

Psalm 22[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?(A)
    Why are you so far(B) from saving me,
    so far from my cries of anguish?(C)
My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,(D)
    by night,(E) but I find no rest.[b]

Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;(F)
    you are the one Israel praises.[c](G)
In you our ancestors put their trust;
    they trusted and you delivered them.(H)
To you they cried out(I) and were saved;
    in you they trusted(J) and were not put to shame.(K)

But I am a worm(L) and not a man,
    scorned by everyone,(M) despised(N) by the people.
All who see me mock me;(O)
    they hurl insults,(P) shaking their heads.(Q)
“He trusts in the Lord,” they say,
    “let the Lord rescue him.(R)
Let him deliver him,(S)
    since he delights(T) in him.”

Yet you brought me out of the womb;(U)
    you made me trust(V) in you, even at my mother’s breast.
10 From birth(W) I was cast on you;
    from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

11 Do not be far from me,(X)
    for trouble is near(Y)
    and there is no one to help.(Z)

12 Many bulls(AA) surround me;(AB)
    strong bulls of Bashan(AC) encircle me.
13 Roaring lions(AD) that tear their prey(AE)
    open their mouths wide(AF) against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint.(AG)
My heart has turned to wax;(AH)
    it has melted(AI) within me.
15 My mouth[d] is dried up like a potsherd,(AJ)
    and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;(AK)
    you lay me in the dust(AL) of death.

16 Dogs(AM) surround me,
    a pack of villains encircles me;
    they pierce[e](AN) my hands and my feet.
17 All my bones are on display;
    people stare(AO) and gloat over me.(AP)
18 They divide my clothes among them
    and cast lots(AQ) for my garment.(AR)

19 But you, Lord, do not be far from me.(AS)
    You are my strength;(AT) come quickly(AU) to help me.(AV)
20 Deliver me from the sword,(AW)
    my precious life(AX) from the power of the dogs.(AY)
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;(AZ)
    save me from the horns of the wild oxen.(BA)

22 I will declare your name to my people;
    in the assembly(BB) I will praise you.(BC)
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!(BD)
    All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!(BE)
    Revere him,(BF) all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not despised(BG) or scorned
    the suffering of the afflicted one;(BH)
he has not hidden his face(BI) from him
    but has listened to his cry for help.(BJ)

25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;(BK)
    before those who fear you[f] I will fulfill my vows.(BL)
26 The poor will eat(BM) and be satisfied;
    those who seek the Lord will praise him—(BN)
    may your hearts live forever!

27 All the ends of the earth(BO)
    will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
    will bow down before him,(BP)
28 for dominion belongs to the Lord(BQ)
    and he rules over the nations.

29 All the rich(BR) of the earth will feast and worship;(BS)
    all who go down to the dust(BT) will kneel before him—
    those who cannot keep themselves alive.(BU)
30 Posterity(BV) will serve him;
    future generations(BW) will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim his righteousness,(BX)
    declaring to a people yet unborn:(BY)
    He has done it!(BZ)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 22:1 In Hebrew texts 22:1-31 is numbered 22:2-32.
  2. Psalm 22:2 Or night, and am not silent
  3. Psalm 22:3 Or Yet you are holy, / enthroned on the praises of Israel
  4. Psalm 22:15 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text strength
  5. Psalm 22:16 Dead Sea Scrolls and some manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Septuagint and Syriac; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text me, / like a lion
  6. Psalm 22:25 Hebrew him

Psalm 51[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.(A)

Have mercy(B) on me, O God,
    according to your unfailing love;(C)
according to your great compassion(D)
    blot out(E) my transgressions.(F)
Wash away(G) all my iniquity
    and cleanse(H) me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is always before me.(I)
Against you, you only, have I sinned(J)
    and done what is evil in your sight;(K)
so you are right in your verdict
    and justified when you judge.(L)
Surely I was sinful(M) at birth,(N)
    sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
    you taught me wisdom(O) in that secret place.(P)

Cleanse(Q) me with hyssop,(R) and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.(S)
Let me hear joy and gladness;(T)
    let the bones(U) you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins(V)
    and blot out(W) all my iniquity.

10 Create in me a pure heart,(X) O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.(Y)
11 Do not cast me(Z) from your presence(AA)
    or take your Holy Spirit(AB) from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation(AC)
    and grant me a willing spirit,(AD) to sustain me.(AE)

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,(AF)
    so that sinners(AG) will turn back to you.(AH)
14 Deliver me(AI) from the guilt of bloodshed,(AJ) O God,
    you who are God my Savior,(AK)
    and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.(AL)
15 Open my lips, Lord,(AM)
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice,(AN) or I would bring it;
    you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice,(AO) O God, is[b] a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart(AP)
    you, God, will not despise.

18 May it please you to prosper Zion,(AQ)
    to build up the walls of Jerusalem.(AR)
19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,(AS)
    in burnt offerings(AT) offered whole;
    then bulls(AU) will be offered on your altar.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 51:1 In Hebrew texts 51:1-19 is numbered 51:3-21.
  2. Psalm 51:17 Or The sacrifices of God are

Psalm 147

Praise the Lord.[a]

How good it is to sing praises to our God,
    how pleasant(A) and fitting to praise him!(B)

The Lord builds up Jerusalem;(C)
    he gathers the exiles(D) of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted(E)
    and binds up their wounds.(F)
He determines the number of the stars(G)
    and calls them each by name.
Great is our Lord(H) and mighty in power;(I)
    his understanding has no limit.(J)
The Lord sustains the humble(K)
    but casts the wicked(L) to the ground.

Sing to the Lord(M) with grateful praise;(N)
    make music(O) to our God on the harp.(P)

He covers the sky with clouds;(Q)
    he supplies the earth with rain(R)
    and makes grass grow(S) on the hills.
He provides food(T) for the cattle
    and for the young ravens(U) when they call.

10 His pleasure is not in the strength(V) of the horse,(W)
    nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;
11 the Lord delights(X) in those who fear him,(Y)
    who put their hope(Z) in his unfailing love.(AA)

12 Extol the Lord, Jerusalem;(AB)
    praise your God, Zion.

13 He strengthens the bars of your gates(AC)
    and blesses your people(AD) within you.
14 He grants peace(AE) to your borders
    and satisfies you(AF) with the finest of wheat.(AG)

15 He sends his command(AH) to the earth;
    his word runs(AI) swiftly.
16 He spreads the snow(AJ) like wool
    and scatters the frost(AK) like ashes.
17 He hurls down his hail(AL) like pebbles.
    Who can withstand his icy blast?
18 He sends his word(AM) and melts them;
    he stirs up his breezes,(AN) and the waters flow.

19 He has revealed his word(AO) to Jacob,(AP)
    his laws and decrees(AQ) to Israel.
20 He has done this for no other nation;(AR)
    they do not know(AS) his laws.[b]

Praise the Lord.(AT)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 147:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 20
  2. Psalm 147:20 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint nation; / he has not made his laws known to them

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