Psalm 1-36

New American Standard Bible

BOOK 1

The Righteous and the Wicked Contrasted.

1 Blessed is the person who ^(A)does not walk in the ^(B)counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the ^[a]^(C)path of sinners,
Nor ^(D)sit in the seat of scoffers!
²But his ^(E)delight is ^(F)in the Law of the Lord,
And on His Law he meditates ^(G)day and ^(H)night.
³He will be like ^(I)a tree planted by ^[b]streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season,
And its ^[c]leaf does not wither;
And ^[d]in whatever he does, ^(J)he prospers.

⁴The wicked are not so,
But they are like ^(K)chaff which the wind blows away.
⁵Therefore ^(L)the wicked will not stand in the ^(M)judgment,
Nor sinners in ^(N)the assembly of the righteous.
⁶For the Lord ^[e]^(O)knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of ^(P)the wicked will perish.

The Reign of the Lord’s Anointed.

2 Why are ^(Q)the ^[f]nations restless
And the peoples ^(R)plotting in vain?
²The ^(S)kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers conspire together
^(T)Against the Lord and against His ^[g]^(U)Anointed, saying,
³“Let’s ^(V)tear their shackles apart
And throw their ropes away from us!”

⁴He who ^[h]sits in the heavens ^(W)laughs,
The Lord ^(X)scoffs at them.
⁵Then He will speak to them in His ^(Y)anger
And ^(Z)terrify them in His fury, saying,
⁶“But as for Me, I have installed ^(AA)My King
Upon Zion, ^(AB)My holy mountain.”

⁷“I will announce the ^[i]decree of the Lord:
He said to Me, ‘You are ^(AC)My Son,
Today I have fathered You.
⁸Ask it of Me, and ^(AD)I will certainly give ^(AE)the ^[j]nations as Your inheritance,
And the ^(AF)ends of the earth as Your possession.
⁹You shall ^[k]^(AG)break them with a ^[l]rod of iron,
You shall ^(AH)shatter them like ^[m]earthenware.’”

¹⁰Now then, you kings, ^(AI)use insight;
Let yourselves be instructed, you ^[n]judges of the earth.
¹¹Serve the Lord with ^[o]^(AJ)reverence
And rejoice with ^(AK)trembling.
¹²^[p]Kiss ^(AL)the Son, that He not be angry and you perish on the way,
For ^(AM)His wrath may be kindled quickly.
How blessed are all who ^(AN)take refuge in Him!

Morning Prayer of Trust in God.

A Psalm of David, when ^[q]he fled from his son Absalom.

3 Lord, how ^(AO)my enemies have increased!
Many are rising up against me.
²Many are saying of my soul,
“There is no ^(AP)salvation for him in God.” Selah

³But You, Lord, are ^(AQ)a shield around me,
My ^(AR)glory, and the One who ^(AS)lifts my head.
⁴I was crying out to the Lord with my voice,
And He ^(AT)answered me from ^(AU)His holy ^[r]mountain. Selah
⁵^[s]I ^(AV)lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the Lord sustains me.
⁶I will ^(AW)not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have ^(AX)set themselves against me all around.

⁷^(AY)Arise, Lord; ^(AZ)save me, my God!
For You ^[t]have ^(BA)struck all my enemies on the ^[u]cheek;
You ^[v]have ^(BB)shattered the teeth of the wicked.
⁸^[w]^(BC)Salvation belongs to the Lord;
May Your ^(BD)blessing ^[x]be upon Your people! Selah

Evening Prayer of Trust in God.

^[y]For the music director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

4 ^(BE)Answer me when ^(BF)I call, God ^[z]of my righteousness!
You have ^[aa]^(BG)relieved me in my distress;
Be ^(BH)gracious to me and ^(BI)hear my prayer.

²You sons of man, how long will ^(BJ)my ^[ab]honor be treated as ^(BK)an insult?
How long will you love ^(BL)what is worthless and strive for a ^(BM)lie? Selah
³But know that the Lord has ^[ac]^(BN)set apart the ^(BO)godly person for Himself;
The Lord ^(BP)hears when I call to Him.

⁴^[ad]^(BQ)Tremble, ^[ae]^(BR)and do not sin;
^[af]^(BS)Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah
⁵Offer ^[ag]the ^(BT)sacrifices of righteousness,
And ^(BU)trust in the Lord.

⁶Many are saying, “^(BV)Who will show us anything good?”
^(BW)Lift up the light of Your face upon us, Lord!
⁷You have put ^(BX)joy in my heart,
More than when their grain and new wine are abundant.
⁸In peace I will ^[ah]both ^(BY)lie down and sleep,
For You alone, Lord, have me ^(BZ)dwell in safety.

Prayer for Protection from the Wicked.

For the music director; for ^[ai]flute accompaniment. A Psalm of David.

5 ^(CA)Listen to my words, Lord,
Consider my ^(CB)sighing.
²Listen to ^(CC)the sound of my cry for help, ^(CD)my King and my God,
For to You I pray.
³In the morning, Lord, ^[aj]You will hear my voice;
In the ^(CE)morning I will present my ^[ak]prayer to You and be on the ^(CF)watch.

⁴For You are not a God ^(CG)who takes pleasure in wickedness;
^(CH)No evil can dwell with You.
⁵The ^(CI)boastful will not ^(CJ)stand before Your eyes;
You ^(CK)hate all who do injustice.
⁶You ^(CL)destroy those who speak lies;
The Lord loathes ^(CM)the person of bloodshed and deceit.
⁷But as for me, ^(CN)by Your abundant graciousness I will enter Your house,
^[al]At Your holy temple I will ^(CO)bow in ^(CP)reverence for You.

⁸Lord, ^(CQ)lead me ^(CR)in Your righteousness ^(CS)because of my enemies;
Make Your way ^[am]straight before me.
⁹For there is ^(CT)nothing ^[an]trustworthy in ^[ao]their mouth;
Their ^(CU)inward part is destruction itself.
Their ^(CV)throat is an open grave;
They ^[ap]flatter with their tongue.
¹⁰Make them pay, God;
^(CW)Have them fall by their own schemes!
^(CX)Scatter them in the multitude of their wrongdoings,
For they are ^(CY)rebellious against You.

¹¹But ^(CZ)rejoice, all who ^(DA)take refuge in You,
Sing for joy forever!
And ^[aq]may You ^(DB)shelter them,
That those who ^(DC)love Your name may rejoice in You.
¹²For You ^(DD)bless the righteous person, Lord,
You ^(DE)surround him with favor as with a shield.

Prayer for Mercy in Time of Trouble.

For the music director; with stringed instruments, ^[ar]upon an eight-string lyre. A Psalm of David.

6 Lord, ^(DF)do not rebuke me in Your anger,
Nor discipline me in Your wrath.
²Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am ^(DG)frail;
^(DH)Heal me, Lord, for ^(DI)my bones are horrified.
³And my ^(DJ)soul is greatly horrified;
But You, Lord—^(DK)how long?

⁴Return, Lord, ^(DL)rescue my ^[as]soul;
Save me because of Your mercy.
⁵For ^(DM)there is no ^[at]mention of You in death;
In ^[au]Sheol, who will praise You?

⁶I am ^(DN)weary with my sighing;
Every night I make my bed swim,
I flood my couch with ^(DO)my tears.
⁷My ^(DP)eye has wasted away with grief;
It has grown old because of all my enemies.

⁸^(DQ)Leave me, all you who practice injustice,
For the Lord ^(DR)has heard the sound of my weeping.
⁹The Lord ^(DS)has heard my pleading,
The Lord ^(DT)receives my prayer.
¹⁰All my enemies will ^(DU)be put to shame and greatly horrified;
They shall ^[av]turn back, they will ^(DV)suddenly be put to shame.

The Lord Implored to Defend the Psalmist against the Wicked.

A ^[aw]Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord ^[ax]concerning Cush, a Benjaminite.

7 O Lord my God, ^(DW)in You I have taken refuge;
Save me from all those who pursue me, and ^(DX)rescue me,
²Or he will tear ^[ay]my soul ^(DY)like a lion,
Dragging me away, while there is no one to rescue me.

³O Lord my God, if I have done this,
If there is ^(DZ)injustice in my hands,
⁴If I have ^(EA)done evil to ^[az]my friend,
Or have ^(EB)plundered ^[ba]my enemy for no reason,
⁵Let the enemy pursue ^[bb]my soul and overtake ^[bc]it;
And let him trample my life to the ground
And lay my glory in the dust. Selah

⁶^(EC)Arise, Lord, in Your anger;
^(ED)Raise Yourself against ^(EE)the rage of my enemies,
And ^(EF)stir Yourself ^[bd]for me; You have ordered judgment.
⁷Let the assembly of the ^(EG)peoples encompass You,
And return on high over it.
⁸The Lord ^(EH)judges the peoples;
^[be]^(EI)Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me.
⁹Please let ^(EJ)the evil of the wicked come to an end, but ^(EK)establish the righteous;
For the righteous God ^(EL)puts hearts and ^[bf]minds to the test.
¹⁰My ^(EM)shield is ^[bg]with God,
Who ^(EN)saves the upright in heart.
¹¹God is a ^(EO)righteous judge,
And a God who ^(EP)shows indignation every day.

¹²If one ^(EQ)does not repent, He will ^(ER)sharpen His sword;
He has ^(ES)bent His bow and taken aim.
¹³He has also prepared deadly weapons for Himself;
He makes His ^(ET)arrows fiery shafts.
¹⁴Behold, an evil person is pregnant with injustice,
And he ^(EU)conceives harm and gives birth to lies.
¹⁵He has dug a pit and hollowed it out,
And has ^(EV)fallen into the hole which he made.
¹⁶His ^(EW)harm will return on his own head,
And his ^(EX)violence will descend on the top of his own head.

¹⁷I will give thanks to the Lord ^(EY)according to His righteousness
And will ^(EZ)sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.

The Lord’s Glory and Mankind’s Dignity.

For the music director; on the Gittith. A Psalm of David.

8 Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth,
You who have ^[bh]^(FA)displayed Your splendor above the heavens!
²^(FB)From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have established ^[bi]^(FC)strength
Because of Your enemies,
To do away with ^(FD)the enemy and the revengeful.

³When I ^[bj]^(FE)consider ^(FF)Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The ^(FG)moon and the stars, which You have set in place;
⁴^(FH)What is man that You think of him,
And a son of man that You are concerned about him?
⁵Yet You have made him a ^(FI)little lower than ^[bk]God,
And ^(FJ)You crown him with ^(FK)glory and majesty!
⁶You have him ^(FL)rule over the works of Your hands;
You have ^(FM)put everything under his feet,
⁷All sheep and oxen,
And also the animals of the field,
⁸The birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea,
Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

⁹^(FN)Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth!

Thanksgiving for God’s Justice.

For the music director; on ^[bl]Muth-labben. A Psalm of David.

9 I will give thanks to the Lord with all ^(FO)my heart;
I will ^(FP)tell of all Your ^[bm]wonders.
²I will rejoice and be ^(FQ)jubilant in You;
I will ^(FR)sing praise to Your name, O ^(FS)Most High.

³When my enemies turn back,
They stumble and ^(FT)perish before You.
⁴For You have ^(FU)maintained ^[bn]my just cause;
You have sat on the throne ^[bo]^(FV)judging righteously.
⁵You have ^(FW)rebuked the nations, You have eliminated the wicked;
You have ^(FX)wiped out their name forever and ever.
⁶^[bp]The enemy has come to an end in everlasting ruins,
And You have uprooted the cities;
The very ^(FY)memory of them has perished.

⁷But the ^(FZ)Lord ^[bq]sits as King forever;
He has established His ^(GA)throne for judgment,
⁸And He will ^(GB)judge the world in righteousness;
He will execute judgment for the peoples fairly.
⁹^[br]The Lord will also be a ^(GC)stronghold for the oppressed,
A stronghold in times of trouble;
¹⁰And ^[bs]those who ^(GD)know Your name will put their trust in You,
For You, Lord, have not ^(GE)abandoned those who seek You.

¹¹Sing praises to the Lord, who ^(GF)dwells in Zion;
^(GG)Declare His deeds among the peoples.
¹²For ^(GH)He who ^[bt]requires blood remembers them;
He does not forget ^(GI)the cry of the needy.
¹³Be gracious to me, Lord;
See my oppression from those ^(GJ)who hate me,
You who ^(GK)lift me up from the gates of death,
¹⁴So that I may tell of ^(GL)all Your praises,
That in the gates of the daughter of Zion
I may ^(GM)rejoice in Your ^[bu]salvation.
¹⁵The nations have sunk down ^(GN)into the pit which they have made;
In the ^(GO)net which they hid, their own foot has been caught.
¹⁶The Lord has ^(GP)made Himself known;
He has ^(GQ)executed judgment.
A wicked one is ensnared in the work of his own hands. ^[bv]Higgaion Selah

¹⁷The wicked will ^[bw]^(GR)return to ^[bx]Sheol,
All the nations who ^(GS)forget God.
¹⁸For the ^(GT)needy will not always be forgotten,
Nor the ^(GU)hope of the afflicted perish forever.
¹⁹^(GV)Arise, Lord, do not let mankind prevail;
Let the nations be ^(GW)judged before You.
²⁰Put them ^(GX)in fear, Lord;
Let the nations know that they are ^(GY)merely human. Selah

A Prayer for the Overthrow of the Wicked.

10 Why ^(GZ)do You stand far away, Lord?
Why ^(HA)do You hide ^[by]Yourself in times of trouble?
²In ^(HB)arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the needy;
^[bz]Let them be ^(HC)caught in the plots which they have devised.

³For the wicked ^(HD)boasts of his ^(HE)soul’s desire,
And ^[ca]the greedy person curses and ^(HF)shows disrespect to the Lord.
⁴The wicked, ^[cb]in his haughtiness, ^(HG)does not seek Him.
^(HH)There is no God in all his schemes.

⁵His ways ^(HI)succeed at all times;
Yet Your judgments are on high, ^(HJ)out of his sight;
As for all his enemies, he snorts at them.
⁶He says to himself, “^(HK)I will not be moved;
^[cc]Throughout the generations ^(HL)I will not be in adversity.”
⁷His ^(HM)mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and ^(HN)oppression;
^(HO)Under his tongue is harm and injustice.
⁸He sits in the ^(HP)lurking places of the villages;
He ^(HQ)kills the innocent in the secret places;
His eyes ^[cd]surreptitiously watch for the ^[ce]^(HR)unfortunate.
⁹He lurks in secret like ^(HS)a lion in his ^[cf]lair;
He ^(HT)lurks to catch ^(HU)the needy;
He catches the needy when he pulls him into his ^(HV)net.
¹⁰Then he crushes the needy one, who cowers;
And ^[cg]unfortunate people fall by his mighty power.
¹¹He ^(HW)says to himself, “God has forgotten;
He has hidden His face; He will never see it.”

¹²Arise, Lord; God, ^(HX)lift up Your hand.
^(HY)Do not forget the humble.
¹³Why has the wicked ^(HZ)treated God disrespectfully?
He has said to himself, “^[ch]You will not require an account.”
¹⁴You have seen it, for You have looked at ^(IA)harm and provocation to ^[ci]take it into Your hand.
The ^[cj]^(IB)unfortunate commits himself to You;
You have been the ^(IC)helper of the orphan.
¹⁵^(ID)Break the arm of the wicked and the evildoer,
^[ck]^(IE)Seek out his wickedness until You find none.

¹⁶The Lord is ^(IF)King forever and ever;
^(IG)Nations have perished from His land.
¹⁷Lord, You have heard the ^(IH)desire of the humble;
You will ^(II)strengthen their heart, ^(IJ)You will make Your ear attentive
¹⁸To ^[cl]vindicate the ^(IK)orphan and the ^(IL)oppressed,
So that mankind, which is of the earth, will no longer cause ^(IM)terror.

The Lord, a Refuge and Defense.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

11 In the Lord I ^(IN)take refuge;
How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your ^(IO)mountain?
²For, behold, the wicked ^(IP)bend the bow,
They have ^[cm]^(IQ)set their arrow on the string
To ^(IR)shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.
³If the ^(IS)foundations are destroyed,
What can the righteous do?”

⁴The Lord is in His ^(IT)holy temple; the ^[cn]Lord’s ^(IU)throne is in heaven;
His ^(IV)eyes see, His eyelids test the sons of mankind.
⁵The Lord ^(IW)tests the righteous and ^(IX)the wicked,
And His soul hates one who loves violence.
⁶He will ^(IY)rain ^[co]coals of fire upon the wicked,
^(IZ)And brimstone and ^(JA)burning wind will be the portion of ^(JB)their cup.
⁷For the Lord is ^(JC)righteous, ^(JD)He loves ^[cp]righteousness;
The upright will ^(JE)see His face.

God, a Helper against the Treacherous.

For the music director; ^[cq]upon an eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm of David.

12 Help, Lord, for ^(JF)the godly person has come to an end,
For the faithful have disappeared from the sons of mankind.
²They ^(JG)speak ^[cr]lies to one another;
They speak with ^[cs]^(JH)flattering lips and a double heart.
³May the Lord cut off all ^[ct]flattering lips,
The tongue that ^(JI)speaks great things;
⁴Who ^(JJ)have said, “With our tongue we will prevail;
Our lips are ^[cu]our own; who is lord over us?”
⁵“Because of the ^(JK)devastation of the poor, because of the groaning of the needy,
Now ^(JL)I will arise,” says the Lord; “I will ^(JM)put him in the safety for which he longs.”

⁶The ^(JN)words of the Lord are pure words;
Like silver ^(JO)refined in a furnace on the ground, filtered seven times.
⁷You, Lord, will keep them;
You will ^(JP)protect him from this generation forever.
⁸The ^(JQ)wicked strut about on every side
When ^[cv]^(JR)vileness is exalted among the sons of mankind.

Prayer for Help in Trouble.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

13 How long, Lord? Will You ^(JS)forget me forever?
How long ^(JT)will You hide Your face from me?
²How long am I to ^(JU)feel anxious in my soul,
With ^(JV)grief in my heart all the day?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

³^(JW)Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
^(JX)Enlighten my eyes, or I will ^(JY)sleep the sleep of death,
⁴And my enemy will ^(JZ)say, “I have overcome him,”
And ^(KA)my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken.

⁵But I have ^(KB)trusted in Your faithfulness;
My heart shall ^(KC)rejoice in Your salvation.
⁶I will ^(KD)sing to the Lord,
Because He has ^(KE)looked after me.

Foolishness and Wickedness of People.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

14 The fool has ^(KF)said in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, they have committed detestable acts;
There is ^(KG)no one who does good.
²The Lord has ^(KH)looked down from heaven upon the sons of mankind
To see if there are any who ^[cw]^(KI)understand,
Who ^(KJ)seek God.
³They have all ^(KK)turned aside, together they are corrupt;
There is ^(KL)no one who does good, not even one.

⁴Do all the workers of injustice ^(KM)not know,
Who ^(KN)devour my people as they eat bread,
And ^(KO)do not call upon the Lord?
⁵There they are in great dread,
For God is with a ^(KP)righteous generation.
⁶You would put to shame the plan of the poor,
But the Lord is his ^(KQ)refuge.

⁷Oh, that ^(KR)the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
When the Lord ^(KS)restores the fortunes of His people,
Jacob will rejoice, Israel will be glad.

Description of a Citizen of Zion.

A Psalm of David.

15 Lord, who may reside ^(KT)in Your tent?
Who may settle on Your ^(KU)holy hill?
²One who ^(KV)walks with integrity, practices righteousness,
And ^(KW)speaks truth in his heart.
³He ^(KX)does not slander ^[cx]with his tongue,
Nor ^(KY)do evil to his neighbor,
Nor ^(KZ)bring shame on his friend;
⁴A despicable person is despised in his eyes,
But he ^(LA)honors those who fear the Lord;
He ^(LB)takes an oath to his own detriment, and does not change;
⁵He ^(LC)does not ^[cy]lend his money ^[cz]at interest,
Nor ^(LD)does he take a bribe against the innocent.
^(LE)One who does these things will never be shaken.

The Lord, the Psalmist’s Portion in Life and Salvation in Death.

A ^[da]Mikhtam of David.

16 ^(LF)Protect me, God, for ^(LG)I take refuge in You.
²^[db]I said to the Lord, “You are ^[dc]my Lord;
I ^(LH)have nothing good besides You.”
³As for the ^[dd]^(LI)saints who are on the earth,
^[de]They are the majestic ones; ^(LJ)all my delight is in them.
⁴^[df]The ^(LK)pains of those who have acquired another god will be multiplied;
I will not pour out their drink offerings of ^(LL)blood,
Nor will I ^(LM)take their names upon my lips.

⁵The Lord is the ^(LN)portion of my inheritance and my ^(LO)cup;
You support my ^(LP)lot.
⁶The measuring ^(LQ)lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
Indeed, my inheritance is ^(LR)beautiful to me.

⁷I will bless the Lord who has ^(LS)advised me;
Indeed, my ^[dg]^(LT)mind instructs me in the night.
⁸^(LU)I have ^(LV)set the Lord continually before me;
Because He is ^(LW)at my right hand, ^(LX)I will not be shaken.
⁹Therefore ^(LY)my heart is glad and ^(LZ)my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will ^(MA)dwell securely.
¹⁰For You ^(MB)will not abandon my soul to ^[dh]Sheol;
You will not ^[di]^(MC)allow Your ^[dj]Holy One to ^[dk]undergo decay.
¹¹You will make known to me ^(MD)the way of life;
In ^(ME)Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are ^(MF)pleasures forever.

Prayer for Protection against Oppressors.

A Prayer of David.

17 Hear a ^(MG)just cause, Lord, ^(MH)give Your attention to my cry;
^(MI)Listen to my prayer, which is not from ^(MJ)deceitful lips.
²Let ^(MK)my ^[dl]judgment come forth from Your presence;
Let Your eyes look with ^(ML)integrity.
³You have ^(MM)put my heart to the test;
You have visited me by night;
You have ^(MN)sifted me and ^(MO)You find ^[dm]nothing;
My ^(MP)intent is that my mouth will not offend.
⁴As for the works of mankind, ^(MQ)by the word of Your lips
I have kept from the ^(MR)ways of the violent.
⁵My ^(MS)steps have held to Your ^[dn]paths.
My ^(MT)feet have not slipped.

⁶I have ^(MU)called upon You, for You will answer me, God;
^(MV)Incline Your ear to me, hear my speech.
⁷^(MW)Show Your wonderful faithfulness,
^(MX)Savior of those who take refuge ^[do]at Your right hand
From those who rise up against them.
⁸Keep me as ^[dp]the ^(MY)apple of the eye;
Hide me ^(MZ)in the shadow of Your wings
⁹From the ^(NA)wicked who deal violently with me,
My ^(NB)deadly enemies who surround me.
¹⁰They have ^(NC)closed their ^[dq]unfeeling hearts,
With their mouths they ^(ND)speak proudly.
¹¹They have now ^(NE)surrounded us in our steps;
They set their eyes ^(NF)to cast us down to the ground.
¹²He is ^(NG)like a lion that is eager to tear,
And as a young lion ^(NH)lurking in secret places.

¹³^(NI)Arise, Lord, confront him, ^(NJ)make him bow down;
^(NK)Save my soul from the wicked with ^(NL)Your sword,
¹⁴From people by ^(NM)Your hand, Lord,
From people ^[dr]of the world, ^(NN)whose portion is in this life,
And whose belly You ^(NO)fill with Your treasure;
They are satisfied with children,
And leave their abundance to their babies.
¹⁵As for me, I shall ^(NP)behold Your face in righteousness;
^(NQ)I shall be satisfied with Your ^(NR)likeness when I awake.

The Lord Praised for Rescuing David.

For the music director. A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, ^[ds]who spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord rescued him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said,

18 “I love You, Lord, ^(NS)my strength.”
²The Lord is ^(NT)my rock and ^(NU)my fortress and my ^(NV)savior,
My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;
My ^(NW)shield and the ^(NX)horn of my salvation, my ^(NY)stronghold.
³I call upon the Lord, who is ^(NZ)worthy to be praised,
And I am ^(OA)saved from my enemies.

⁴The ^(OB)ropes of death encompassed me,
And the ^(OC)torrents of ^[dt]destruction ^[du]terrified me.
⁵The ^(OD)ropes of ^[dv]Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.
⁶In my ^(OE)distress I called upon the Lord,
And cried to my God for help;
He heard my voice ^(OF)from His temple,
And my ^(OG)cry for help before Him came into His ears.

⁷Then the ^(OH)earth shook and quaked;
And the ^(OI)foundations of the mountains were trembling
And were shaken, because He was angry.
⁸Smoke went up ^[dw]out of His nostrils,
And ^(OJ)fire from His mouth was devouring;
Coals burned from it.
⁹He also ^(OK)bowed the heavens down low, and came down
With thick ^(OL)darkness under His feet.
¹⁰He rode on a ^(OM)cherub and flew;
And He sped on the ^(ON)wings of the wind.
¹¹He made ^(OO)darkness His hiding place, ^(OP)His ^[dx]canopy around Him,
Darkness of waters, thick clouds.
¹²From the ^(OQ)brightness before Him passed His thick clouds,
Hailstones and ^(OR)coals of fire.
¹³The Lord also ^(OS)thundered in the heavens,
And the Most High uttered His voice,
Hailstones and coals of fire.
¹⁴He ^(OT)sent out His arrows, and scattered them,
And lightning flashes in abundance, and ^[dy]routed them.
¹⁵Then the ^(OU)channels of water appeared,
And the foundations of the world were exposed
By Your ^(OV)rebuke, Lord,
At the blast of the ^(OW)breath of Your nostrils.

¹⁶He ^(OX)sent from on high, He took me;
He drew me out of ^(OY)many waters.
¹⁷He ^(OZ)saved me from my strong enemy,
And from those who hated me, for they were ^(PA)too mighty for me.
¹⁸They confronted me in ^(PB)the day of my disaster,
But ^(PC)the Lord was my support.
¹⁹He also brought me out into an ^(PD)open place;
He rescued me, because ^(PE)He delighted in me.

²⁰The Lord has ^(PF)rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the ^(PG)cleanness of my hands He has repaid me.
²¹For I have ^(PH)kept the ways of the Lord,
And have ^(PI)not acted wickedly against my God.
²²For all ^(PJ)His judgments were before me,
And I did not put away His ^(PK)statutes from me.
²³I was also ^[dz]^(PL)blameless with Him,
And I ^(PM)kept myself from my wrongdoing.
²⁴Therefore the Lord has ^(PN)repaid me according to my righteousness,
According to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes.

²⁵With ^(PO)the faithful You show Yourself faithful;
With the ^[ea]blameless ^(PP)You prove Yourself blameless;
²⁶With the pure You show Yourself ^(PQ)pure,
And with the crooked ^(PR)You show Yourself ^[eb]astute.
²⁷For You ^(PS)save an afflicted people,
But You humiliate ^(PT)haughty eyes.
²⁸For You ^(PU)light my lamp;
The Lord my God ^(PV)illumines my darkness.
²⁹For by You I can ^(PW)run at a ^[ec]troop of warriors;
And by my God I can ^(PX)leap over a wall.

³⁰As for God, His way is ^[ed]^(PY)blameless;
The ^(PZ)word of the Lord is refined;
He is a ^(QA)shield to all who take refuge in Him.
³¹For ^(QB)who is God, but the Lord?
And who is a ^(QC)rock, except our God,
³²The God who ^(QD)encircles me with strength,
And ^[ee]makes my way ^[ef]^(QE)blameless?
³³He ^(QF)makes my feet like deer’s feet,
And ^(QG)sets me up on my high places.
³⁴He ^(QH)trains my hands for battle,
So that my arms can ^(QI)bend a bow of bronze.
³⁵You have also given me ^(QJ)the shield of Your salvation,
And Your ^(QK)right hand upholds me;
And ^(QL)Your ^[eg]gentleness makes me great.
³⁶You ^(QM)enlarge my steps under me,
And my ^[eh]^(QN)feet have not slipped.

³⁷I ^(QO)pursued my enemies and overtook them,
And I did not turn back ^(QP)until they were consumed.
³⁸I shattered them, so that they were ^(QQ)not able to rise;
They fell ^(QR)under my feet.
³⁹For You have ^(QS)encircled me with strength for battle;
You have forced those who rose up against me ^(QT)to bow down under me.
⁴⁰You have also made my enemies ^(QU)turn their backs to me,
And I ^[ei]^(QV)destroyed those who hated me.
⁴¹They cried for help, but there was ^(QW)no one to save,
They cried to the Lord, but ^(QX)He did not answer them.
⁴²Then I beat them fine like the ^(QY)dust before the wind;
I emptied them out like the mud of the streets.

⁴³You have rescued me from the ^(QZ)contentions of the people;
You have placed me as ^(RA)head of the nations;
A ^(RB)people whom I have not known serve me.
⁴⁴As soon as they hear, they obey me;
Foreigners ^(RC)pretend to obey me.
⁴⁵Foreigners ^(RD)lose heart,
And ^(RE)come trembling out of their ^[ej]fortresses.

⁴⁶The Lord ^(RF)lives, and blessed be ^(RG)my rock;
And exalted be ^(RH)the God of my salvation,
⁴⁷The God who ^(RI)executes vengeance for me,
And ^(RJ)subdues peoples under me.
⁴⁸He ^(RK)rescues me from my enemies;
You indeed ^(RL)lift me above those who rise up against me;
You rescue me from a ^(RM)violent man.
⁴⁹Therefore I will ^(RN)give thanks to You among the nations, Lord,
And I will ^(RO)sing praises to Your name.
⁵⁰He gives great ^[ek]^(RP)salvation to His king,
And shows faithfulness to ^(RQ)His anointed,
To David and ^(RR)his ^[el]descendants forever.

The Works and the Word of God.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

19 The ^(RS)heavens tell of the glory of God;
And their ^(RT)expanse declares the work of His hands.
²Day to ^(RU)day pours forth speech,
And ^(RV)night to night reveals knowledge.
³There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
⁴Their ^[em]^(RW)line has gone out into all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.
In them He has ^(RX)placed a tent for the sun,
⁵Which is like a groom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices like a strong person to run his course.
⁶Its ^(RY)rising is from ^[en]one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the ^[eo]other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

⁷^(RZ)The Law of the Lord is ^[ep]^(SA)perfect, ^(SB)restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is ^(SC)sure, making ^(SD)wise the simple.
⁸The precepts of the Lord are ^(SE)right, ^(SF)rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is ^(SG)pure, ^(SH)enlightening the eyes.
⁹The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are ^(SI)true; they are ^(SJ)righteous altogether.
¹⁰They are more desirable than ^(SK)gold, yes, than much pure gold;
^(SL)Sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
¹¹Moreover, ^(SM)Your servant is warned by them;
In keeping them there is great ^(SN)reward.
¹²Who can ^(SO)discern his errors? ^(SP)Acquit me of ^(SQ)hidden faults.
¹³Also keep Your servant back ^(SR)from presumptuous sins;
Let them not ^(SS)rule over me;
Then I will be ^(ST)innocent,
And I will be blameless of ^(SU)great wrongdoing.
¹⁴May the words of my mouth and ^(SV)the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
Lord, ^(SW)my rock and my ^(SX)Redeemer.

Prayer for Victory over Enemies.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

20 May the Lord answer you ^(SY)on a day of trouble!
May the ^(SZ)name of the ^(TA)God of Jacob ^[eq]protect you!
²May He send you help ^(TB)from the sanctuary,
And ^(TC)support you from Zion!
³May He ^(TD)remember all your meal offerings
And ^[er]^(TE)accept your burnt offering! Selah

⁴May He grant you your ^(TF)heart’s desire
And ^(TG)fulfill your whole plan!
⁵^[es]We will ^(TH)sing for joy over your ^[et]victory,
And in the name of our God we will ^(TI)set up our banners.
May the Lord ^(TJ)fulfill all your desires.

⁶Now ^(TK)I know that the Lord saves His anointed;
He will ^(TL)answer him from His holy heaven
With the ^[eu]^(TM)saving strength of His right hand.
⁷Some praise their chariots and some their ^(TN)horses,
But ^(TO)we will praise the name of the Lord, our God.
⁸They have ^(TP)bowed down and fallen,
But we have ^(TQ)risen and stood upright.
⁹^[ev]^(TR)Save, Lord;
May the ^(TS)King answer us on the day we call.

Praise for Salvation.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

21 Lord, in Your strength the king will ^(TT)be glad,
And in Your ^[ew]salvation how greatly he will rejoice!
²You have ^(TU)given him his heart’s desire,
And You have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah
³For You ^(TV)meet him with the blessings of good things;
You set a ^(TW)crown of pure gold on his head.
⁴He asked for life from You,
You ^(TX)gave it to him,
^(TY)Length of days forever and ever.
⁵His ^(TZ)glory is great through Your ^[ex]salvation,
^(UA)Splendor and majesty You place upon him.
⁶For You make him ^[ey]most ^(UB)blessed forever;
You make him joyful ^(UC)with the joy of Your presence.

⁷For the king ^(UD)trusts in the Lord,
And through the faithfulness of the Most High ^(UE)he will not be shaken.
⁸Your hand will ^(UF)find all your enemies;
Your right hand will find those who hate you.
⁹You will make them ^(UG)as a fiery oven in the time ^[ez]of your anger;
The Lord will ^(UH)swallow them up in His wrath,
And ^(UI)fire will devour them.
¹⁰You will eliminate their ^[fa]descendants from the earth,
And their ^[fb]^(UJ)children from among the sons of mankind.
¹¹Though they ^[fc]^(UK)intended evil against You
And ^(UL)devised a plot,
They will not succeed.
¹²For You will ^(UM)make them turn their back;
You will take aim at their faces ^(UN)with Your bowstrings.
¹³Be exalted, Lord, in Your strength;
We will ^(UO)sing and praise Your power.

A Cry of Anguish and a Song of Praise.

For the music director; upon ^[fd]Aijeleth Hashshahar. A Psalm of David.

22 ^(UP)My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?
^(UQ)Far from my ^[fe]help are the words of my ^[ff]^(UR)groaning.
²My God, I ^(US)cry out by day, but You do not answer;
And by night, but ^[fg]I have no rest.
³Yet ^(UT)You are holy,
You who ^[fh]are enthroned upon ^(UU)the praises of Israel.
⁴In You our fathers ^(UV)trusted;
They trusted and You ^(UW)rescued them.
⁵To You they cried out and they fled to safety;
^(UX)In You they trusted and were not ^[fi]disappointed.

⁶But I am a ^(UY)worm and not a person,
A ^(UZ)disgrace of mankind and ^(VA)despised by the people.
⁷All who see me ^(VB)deride me;
They ^[fj]sneer, they ^(VC)shake their heads, saying,
⁸“^[fk]Turn ^[fl]him over to the Lord; ^(VD)let Him save him;
Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him.”

⁹Yet You are He who ^(VE)brought me forth from the womb;
You made me trust when upon my mother’s breasts.
¹⁰I was cast upon You ^(VF)from ^[fm]birth;
You have been my God from my mother’s womb.

¹¹^(VG)Do not be far from me, for ^[fn]trouble is near;
For there is ^(VH)no one to help.
¹²Many ^(VI)bulls have surrounded me;
Strong bulls of ^(VJ)Bashan have encircled me.
¹³They ^(VK)open their mouths wide at me,
As a ravening and roaring ^(VL)lion.
¹⁴I am ^(VM)poured out like water,
And all my ^(VN)bones are out of joint;
My ^(VO)heart is like wax;
It is melted within ^[fo]me.
¹⁵My ^(VP)strength is dried up like a piece of pottery,
And ^(VQ)my tongue clings to my jaws;
And You ^(VR)lay me ^[fp]in the dust of death.
¹⁶For ^(VS)dogs have surrounded me;
^[fq]A band of evildoers has encompassed me;
^[fr]They ^(VT)pierced my hands and my feet.
¹⁷I can count all my bones.
^(VU)They look, they stare at me;
¹⁸They ^(VV)divide my garments among them,
And they cast lots for my clothing.

¹⁹But You, Lord, ^(VW)do not be far away;
You who are my help, ^(VX)hurry to my assistance.
²⁰Save my ^[fs]soul from ^(VY)the sword,
My ^(VZ)only life from the ^[ft]power of the dog.
²¹Save me from the ^(WA)lion’s mouth;
From the horns of the ^(WB)wild oxen You ^(WC)answer me.

²²I will ^(WD)proclaim Your name to my brothers;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
²³^(WE)You who fear the Lord, praise Him;
All you ^[fu]descendants of Jacob, ^(WF)glorify Him,
And ^(WG)stand in awe of Him, all you ^[fv]descendants of Israel.
²⁴For He has ^(WH)not despised nor scorned the suffering of the afflicted;
Nor has He ^(WI)hidden His face from him;
But ^(WJ)when he cried to Him for help, He heard.

²⁵From You comes ^(WK)my praise in the great assembly;
I shall ^(WL)pay my vows before those who fear Him.
²⁶The ^[fw]afflicted will eat and ^(WM)be satisfied;
Those who seek Him will ^(WN)praise the Lord.
May your ^(WO)heart live forever!
²⁷All the ^(WP)ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord,
And all the ^(WQ)families of the nations will worship before ^[fx]You.
²⁸For the ^(WR)kingdom is the Lord’s
And He ^(WS)rules over the nations.
²⁹All the ^[fy]^(WT)prosperous of the earth will eat and worship,
All those who ^(WU)go down to the dust will kneel before Him,
Even he who ^[fz]^(WV)cannot keep his soul alive.
³⁰A ^[ga]^(WW)posterity will serve Him;
It will be told of the Lord to ^(WX)the coming generation.
³¹They will come and ^(WY)will declare His righteousness
To a people ^(WZ)who will be born, that He has performed it.

The Lord, the Psalmist’s Shepherd.

A Psalm of David.

23 The Lord is my ^(XA)shepherd,
I will ^(XB)not be in need.
²He lets me lie down in ^(XC)green pastures;
He ^(XD)leads me beside ^[gb]^(XE)quiet waters.
³He ^(XF)restores my soul;
He ^(XG)guides me in the ^[gc]^(XH)paths of righteousness
For the sake of His name.

⁴Even though I ^(XI)walk through the ^[gd]valley of the shadow of death,
I ^(XJ)fear no ^[ge]evil, for ^(XK)You are with me;
Your ^(XL)rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
⁵You ^(XM)prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You ^[gf]have ^(XN)anointed my head with oil;
My ^(XO)cup overflows.
⁶^[gg]Certainly ^(XP)goodness and ^[gh]faithfulness will follow me all the days of my life,
And my ^(XQ)dwelling will be in the house of the Lord ^[gi]forever.

The King of Glory Entering Zion.

A Psalm of David.

24 The ^(XR)earth is the Lord’s, and ^[gj]all it contains,
The ^(XS)world, and those who live in it.
²For He has ^(XT)founded it upon the seas
And established it upon the rivers.
³Who may ^(XU)ascend onto the ^(XV)hill of the Lord?
And who may stand in His holy ^(XW)place?
⁴One who has ^(XX)clean hands and a ^(XY)pure heart,
Who has not ^(XZ)lifted up his soul to deceit
And has not ^(YA)sworn deceitfully.
⁵He will receive a ^(YB)blessing from the Lord
And ^[gk]^(YC)righteousness from the God of his salvation.
⁶^[gl]This is the generation of those who ^(YD)seek Him,
Who seek Your face—even Jacob. Selah

⁷^(YE)Lift up your heads, you gates,
And be lifted up, you ^[gm]ancient doors,
That the King of ^(YF)glory may come in!
⁸Who is the King of glory?
The Lord ^(YG)strong and mighty,
The Lord ^(YH)mighty in battle.
⁹Lift up your heads, you gates,
And lift them up, you ^[gn]ancient doors,
That the King of ^(YI)glory may come in!
¹⁰Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of ^(YJ)armies,
He is the King of glory. Selah

Prayer for Protection, Guidance, and Pardon.

A Psalm of David.

25 To You, Lord, I ^(YK)lift up my soul.
²My God, in You ^(YL)I trust,
Do not let me ^(YM)be ashamed;
Do not let my ^(YN)enemies rejoice over me.
³Indeed, ^(YO)none of those who wait for You will be ashamed;
^[go]Those who ^(YP)deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed.

⁴^(YQ)Make me know Your ways, Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
⁵Lead me in ^(YR)Your truth and teach me,
For You are the ^(YS)God of my salvation;
For You I ^(YT)wait all the day.
⁶^(YU)Remember, Lord, Your compassion and Your faithfulness,
For they have been ^[gp]^(YV)from of old.
⁷Do not remember the ^(YW)sins of my youth or my wrongdoings;
^(YX)Remember me according to Your faithfulness,
For Your ^(YY)goodness’ sake, Lord.

⁸^(YZ)The Lord is good and ^(ZA)upright;
Therefore He ^(ZB)instructs sinners in the way.
⁹He ^(ZC)leads the ^[gq]humble in justice,
And He ^(ZD)teaches the ^[gr]humble His way.
¹⁰All the paths of the Lord are ^(ZE)faithfulness and truth
To ^(ZF)those who comply with His covenant and His testimonies.
¹¹For the ^(ZG)sake of Your name, Lord,
^(ZH)Forgive my wrongdoing, for it is great.

¹²Who is the person who ^(ZI)fears the Lord?
He will ^(ZJ)instruct him in the way he should choose.
¹³His soul will ^(ZK)dwell in ^[gs]prosperity,
And his ^[gt]descendants will ^(ZL)inherit the ^[gu]land.
¹⁴The ^[gv]^(ZM)secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him,
^[gw]And He will ^(ZN)make them know His covenant.
¹⁵My ^(ZO)eyes are continually toward the Lord,
For He will ^[gx]^(ZP)rescue my feet from the net.

¹⁶^(ZQ)Turn to me and be gracious to me,
For I am ^(ZR)lonely and afflicted.
¹⁷^[gy]The ^(ZS)troubles of my heart are enlarged;
Bring me ^(ZT)out of my distresses.
¹⁸^(ZU)Look at my misery and my trouble,
And ^(ZV)forgive all my sins.
¹⁹Look at my enemies, for they ^(ZW)are many,
And they ^(ZX)hate me with violent hatred.
²⁰^(ZY)Guard my soul and save me;
Do not let me ^(ZZ)be ashamed, for I take refuge in You.
²¹Let ^(AAA)integrity and uprightness protect me,
For ^(AAB)I wait for You.
²²^(AAC)Redeem Israel, God,
From all his distress.

Protestation of Integrity and Prayer for Protection.

A Psalm of David.

26 ^[gz]^(AAD)Vindicate me, Lord, for I have ^(AAE)walked in my integrity,
And I have ^(AAF)trusted in the Lord ^[ha]^(AAG)without wavering.
²^(AAH)Examine me, Lord, and put me to the test;
^(AAI)Refine my ^[hb]mind and my heart.
³For Your ^(AAJ)^[hc]goodness is before my eyes,
And I have ^(AAK)walked in Your truth.
⁴I do not ^(AAL)sit with ^[hd]deceitful people,
Nor will I go with ^[he]^(AAM)pretenders.
⁵I ^(AAN)hate the assembly of evildoers,
And I will not sit with the wicked.
⁶I will ^(AAO)wash my hands in innocence,
And I will go around ^(AAP)Your altar, Lord,
⁷That I may proclaim with the voice of ^(AAQ)thanksgiving
And declare all Your ^[hf]wonders.

⁸Lord, I ^(AAR)love the dwelling of Your house,
And the place ^[hg]where Your ^(AAS)glory remains.
⁹^(AAT)Do not ^[hh]take my soul away along with sinners,
Nor my life with ^(AAU)men of bloodshed,
¹⁰In whose hands is a ^(AAV)wicked scheme,
And whose right hand is full of ^(AAW)bribes.
¹¹But as for me, I will ^(AAX)walk in my integrity;
^(AAY)Redeem me, and be gracious to me.
¹²^(AAZ)My foot stands on ^(ABA)level ground;
In the ^(ABB)congregations I will bless the Lord.

A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God.

A Psalm of David.

27 The Lord is my ^(ABC)light and my ^(ABD)salvation;
Whom should I fear?
The Lord is the ^[hi]^(ABE)defense of my life;
^(ABF)Whom should I dread?
²When evildoers came upon me to ^(ABG)devour my flesh,
My adversaries and my enemies, they ^(ABH)stumbled and fell.
³If an ^(ABI)army encamps against me,
My heart will not fear;
If war arises against me,
In spite of this I am ^(ABJ)confident.

⁴^(ABK)One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:
That I may ^(ABL)dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
To behold ^(ABM)the ^[hj]beauty of the Lord
And to ^[hk]^(ABN)meditate in His temple.
⁵For on the ^(ABO)day of trouble He will ^(ABP)conceal me in His ^[hl]tabernacle;
He will ^(ABQ)hide me in the secret place of His tent;
He will ^(ABR)lift me up on a rock.
⁶And now ^(ABS)my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,
And I will offer ^(ABT)sacrifices in His tent ^[hm]with shouts of joy;
I will ^(ABU)sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

⁷^(ABV)Hear, Lord, when I cry with my voice,
And be gracious to me and ^(ABW)answer me.
⁸When You said, “^(ABX)Seek My face,” my heart said to You,
“^(ABY)I shall seek Your face, Lord.”
⁹^(ABZ)Do not hide Your face from me,
Do not turn Your servant away in ^(ACA)anger;
You have been ^(ACB)my help;
^(ACC)Do not abandon me nor ^(ACD)forsake me,
God of my salvation!
¹⁰^[hn]For my father and ^(ACE)my mother have forsaken me,
But ^(ACF)the Lord will take me up.

¹¹^(ACG)Teach me Your way, Lord,
And lead me on a ^(ACH)level path
Because of my enemies.
¹²Do not turn me over to the ^[ho]^(ACI)desire of my enemies,
For ^(ACJ)false witnesses have risen against me,
And the violent ^(ACK)witness.
¹³I certainly believed that I would see the ^(ACL)goodness of the Lord
In the ^(ACM)land of the living.
¹⁴^(ACN)Wait for the Lord;
Be ^(ACO)strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the Lord.

A Prayer for Help, and Praise for Its Answer.

A Psalm of David.

28 To You, Lord, I call;
My ^(ACP)rock, do not be deaf to me,
For if You ^(ACQ)are silent to me,
I will become like those who ^(ACR)go down to the pit.
²Hear the ^(ACS)sound of my pleadings when I cry to You for help,
When I ^(ACT)raise my hands ^(ACU)toward ^[hp]Your holy ^(ACV)sanctuary.
³^(ACW)Do not drag me away with the wicked
And with those who practice injustice,
Who ^(ACX)speak peace with their neighbors,
While evil is in their hearts.
⁴Give back to them ^(ACY)according to their work and according to the evil of their practices;
Give back to them according to the work of their hands;
Repay them what is due them.
⁵Because they ^(ACZ)do not regard the works of the Lord
Nor the deeds of His hands,
He will tear them down and not build them up.

⁶Blessed be the Lord,
Because He ^(ADA)has heard the sound of my pleading.
⁷The Lord is my ^(ADB)strength and my ^(ADC)shield;
My heart ^(ADD)trusts in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore ^(ADE)my heart triumphs,
And with ^(ADF)my song I shall thank Him.
⁸The Lord is ^[hq]their ^(ADG)strength,
And He is a refuge of ^(ADH)salvation to His anointed.
⁹^(ADI)Save Your people and bless ^(ADJ)Your inheritance;
Be their ^(ADK)shepherd also, and ^(ADL)carry them forever.

The Voice of the Lord in the Storm.

A Psalm of David.

29 ^(ADM)Ascribe to the Lord, ^[hr]sons of the mighty,
Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
²Ascribe to the Lord the glory ^[hs]due His name;
Worship the Lord ^(ADN)in holy attire.

³The ^(ADO)voice of the Lord is on the waters;
The God of glory ^(ADP)thunders,
The Lord is over ^[ht]^(ADQ)many waters.
⁴The voice of the Lord is ^(ADR)powerful,
The voice of the Lord is majestic.
⁵The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
Yes, the Lord breaks ^(ADS)the cedars of Lebanon in pieces.
⁶He makes Lebanon ^(ADT)skip like a calf,
And ^(ADU)Sirion like a young wild ox.
⁷The voice of the Lord divides ^[hu]flames of fire.
⁸The voice of the Lord ^[hv]shakes the wilderness;
The Lord shakes the wilderness of ^(ADV)Kadesh.
⁹The voice of the Lord makes ^(ADW)the deer give birth
And strips the forests bare;
And ^(ADX)in His temple everything says, “Glory!”

¹⁰The Lord sat as King at the ^(ADY)flood;
Yes, the Lord sits as ^(ADZ)King forever.
¹¹^[hw]The Lord will give ^(AEA)strength to His people;
^[hx]The Lord will bless His people with ^(AEB)peace.

Thanksgiving for Rescue from Death.

A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of the House. A Psalm of David.

30 I will ^(AEC)exalt You, Lord, for You have ^(AED)lifted me up,
And have not let my ^(AEE)enemies rejoice over me.
²Lord my God,
I ^(AEF)cried to You for help, and You ^(AEG)healed me.
³Lord, You have ^(AEH)brought up my soul from ^[hy]Sheol;
You have kept me alive, ^[hz]that I would not ^(AEI)go down to the pit.
⁴^(AEJ)Sing praise to the Lord, you ^(AEK)His godly ones,
And ^(AEL)praise the mention of His holiness.
⁵For ^(AEM)His anger is but for a moment,
His ^(AEN)favor is for a lifetime;
Weeping may ^(AEO)last for the night,
But a shout of joy comes in the morning.

⁶Now as for me, I said in my prosperity,
“I will ^(AEP)never be moved.”
⁷Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain to stand strong;
You ^(AEQ)hid Your face, I was dismayed.
⁸To You, Lord, I called,
And to the Lord I pleaded for compassion:
⁹“What gain is there in my blood, if I ^(AER)go down to the pit?
Will the ^(AES)dust praise You? Will it declare Your faithfulness?

¹⁰“^(AET)Hear, Lord, and be gracious to me;
Lord, be my ^(AEU)helper.”
¹¹You have turned ^(AEV)my mourning into dancing for me;
You have ^(AEW)untied my sackcloth and encircled me with ^(AEX)joy,
¹²That my ^[ia]^(AEY)soul may sing praise to You and not be silent.
Lord my God, I will ^(AEZ)give thanks to You forever.

A Psalm of Complaint and of Praise.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

31 ^(AFA)In You, Lord, I have taken refuge;
Let me never ^(AFB)be ^[ib]put to shame;
^(AFC)In Your righteousness rescue me.
²^(AFD)Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly;
Be a ^(AFE)rock of ^[ic]strength for me,
A ^[id]stronghold to save me.
³For You are my rock and ^(AFF)my fortress;
For the ^(AFG)sake of Your name You will lead me and guide me.
⁴You will ^(AFH)pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,
For You are my ^(AFI)strength.
⁵^(AFJ)Into Your hand I entrust my spirit;
You have ^(AFK)redeemed me, Lord, ^(AFL)God of ^[ie]truth.

⁶I hate those who ^(AFM)devote themselves to worthless ^[if]idols,
But I ^(AFN)trust in the Lord.
⁷I will ^(AFO)rejoice and be glad in Your faithfulness,
Because You have ^(AFP)seen my misery;
You have known the troubles of my soul,
⁸And You have not ^(AFQ)handed me over to the enemy;
You have set my feet in a large place.

⁹Be gracious to me, Lord, for ^(AFR)I am in distress;
My ^(AFS)eye is wasted away from grief, ^(AFT)my soul and my body too.
¹⁰For my life is spent with ^(AFU)sorrow
And my years with sighing;
My ^(AFV)strength has failed because of my guilt,
And ^(AFW)my ^[ig]body has wasted away.
¹¹Because of all my adversaries, I have become a ^(AFX)disgrace,
Especially to my ^(AFY)neighbors,
And an object of dread to my acquaintances;
Those who see me in the street flee from me.
¹²I am ^(AFZ)forgotten like a dead person, out of mind;
I am like a broken vessel.
¹³For I have heard the ^[ih]^(AGA)slander of many,
^(AGB)Terror is on every side;
While they ^(AGC)took counsel together against me,
They ^(AGD)schemed to take away my life.

¹⁴But as for me, I trust in You, Lord,
I say, “^(AGE)You are my God.”
¹⁵My ^(AGF)times are in Your hand;
^(AGG)Rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.
¹⁶Make Your ^(AGH)face shine upon Your servant;
^(AGI)Save me in Your faithfulness.
¹⁷Let me not be ^(AGJ)put to shame, Lord, for I call upon You;
Let the ^(AGK)wicked be put to shame, let them ^(AGL)be silent in ^[ii]Sheol.
¹⁸Let the ^(AGM)lying lips be speechless,
Which ^(AGN)speak arrogantly against the righteous
With pride and contempt.

¹⁹How great is Your ^(AGO)goodness,
Which You have stored up for those who fear You,
Which You have performed for those who ^(AGP)take refuge in You,
^(AGQ)Before the sons of mankind!
²⁰You hide them in the ^(AGR)secret place of Your presence from the ^(AGS)conspiracies of mankind;
You keep them secretly in a ^[ij]shelter from the ^(AGT)strife of tongues.
²¹^(AGU)Blessed be the Lord,
For He has shown His ^(AGV)marvelous faithfulness to me in a besieged ^(AGW)city.
²²As for me, ^(AGX)I said in my alarm,
“I am ^(AGY)cut off from Your eyes”;
Nevertheless You ^(AGZ)heard the sound of my pleadings
When I called to You for help.

²³Love the Lord, all ^(AHA)His godly ones!
The Lord ^(AHB)watches over the faithful
But fully ^(AHC)repays the one who acts arrogantly.
²⁴^(AHD)Be strong and let your heart take courage,
All you who wait for the Lord.

Blessedness of Forgiveness and of Trust in God.

A Psalm of David. A ^[ik]Maskil.

32 ^(AHE)How blessed is he whose wrongdoing is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered!
²How blessed is a person whose guilt the Lord ^(AHF)does not take into account,
And in whose spirit there is ^(AHG)no deceit!

³When ^(AHH)I kept silent about my sin, ^(AHI)my ^[il]body wasted away
Through my ^[im]^(AHJ)groaning all day long.
⁴For day and night ^(AHK)Your hand was heavy upon me;
My ^[in]^(AHL)vitality failed as with the dry heat of summer. Selah
⁵I ^(AHM)acknowledged my sin to You,
And I ^(AHN)did not hide my guilt;
I said, “^(AHO)I will confess my wrongdoings to the Lord”;
And You ^(AHP)forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
⁶Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You ^[io]^(AHQ)in a time when You may be found;
Certainly ^(AHR)in a flood of great waters, they will not reach him.
⁷You are ^(AHS)my hiding place; You ^(AHT)keep me from trouble;
You surround me with ^[ip]^(AHU)songs of deliverance. Selah

⁸I will ^(AHV)instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will advise you ^(AHW)with My eye upon you.
⁹Do not be ^(AHX)like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding,
Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check,
Otherwise they will not come near to you.
¹⁰The ^(AHY)sorrows of the wicked are many,
But ^(AHZ)the one who trusts in the Lord, goodness will surround him.
¹¹Be ^(AIA)glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are ^(AIB)upright in heart.

Praise to the Creator and Protector.

33 ^(AIC)Sing for joy in the Lord, you righteous ones;
Praise is ^(AID)becoming to the upright.
²Give thanks to the Lord with the ^(AIE)lyre;
Sing praises to Him with a ^(AIF)harp of ten strings.
³Sing to Him a ^(AIG)new song;
Play skillfully with ^(AIH)a shout of joy.
⁴For the word of the Lord ^(AII)is right,
And all His work is done ^(AIJ)in faithfulness.
⁵He ^(AIK)loves righteousness and justice;
The ^(AIL)earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

⁶By the ^(AIM)word of the Lord the heavens were made,
And ^(AIN)by the breath of His mouth ^(AIO)all their ^[iq]lights.
⁷He gathers the ^(AIP)waters of the sea together ^[ir]as a heap;
He puts the depths in storehouses.
⁸Let ^(AIQ)all the earth fear the Lord;
Let all the inhabitants of the world ^(AIR)stand in awe of Him.
⁹For ^(AIS)He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it ^[is]stood firm.
¹⁰The Lord ^(AIT)nullifies the plan of nations;
He frustrates the plans of peoples.
¹¹The ^(AIU)plan of the Lord stands forever,
The ^(AIV)plans of His heart from generation to generation.
¹²Blessed is the ^(AIW)nation whose God is the Lord,
The people He has ^(AIX)chosen for His own inheritance.

¹³The Lord ^(AIY)looks from heaven;
He ^(AIZ)sees all the sons of mankind;
¹⁴From ^(AJA)His dwelling place He looks out
On all the inhabitants of the earth,
¹⁵He who ^(AJB)fashions ^[it]the hearts of them all,
He who ^(AJC)understands all their works.
¹⁶^(AJD)The king is not saved by a mighty army;
A warrior is not rescued by great strength.
¹⁷A ^(AJE)horse is a false hope for victory;
Nor does it rescue anyone by its great strength.

¹⁸Behold, ^(AJF)the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who ^(AJG)wait for His faithfulness,
¹⁹To ^(AJH)rescue their soul from death
And to keep them alive ^(AJI)in famine.
²⁰Our soul ^(AJJ)waits for the Lord;
He is our ^(AJK)help and our shield.
²¹For our ^(AJL)heart rejoices in Him,
Because we trust in His holy name.
²²Let Your favor, Lord, be upon us,
Just as we have waited for You.

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

A Psalm of David, when he pretended to be insane before ^[iu]Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.

34 I will ^(AJM)bless the Lord at all times;
His ^(AJN)praise shall continually be in my mouth.
²My soul will ^(AJO)make its boast in the Lord;
The ^(AJP)humble will hear it and rejoice.
³^(AJQ)Exalt the Lord with me,
And let’s ^(AJR)exalt His name together.

⁴I ^(AJS)sought the Lord and He answered me,
And ^(AJT)rescued me from all my fears.
⁵They ^(AJU)looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will ^(AJV)never be ashamed.
⁶This wretched man cried out, and ^(AJW)the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
⁷The ^(AJX)angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,
And rescues them.

⁸^(AJY)Taste and see that the Lord is good;
How ^(AJZ)blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
⁹Fear the Lord, you ^(AKA)His saints;
For to those who fear Him there is ^(AKB)no lack of anything.
¹⁰The young lions do without and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the Lord will ^(AKC)not lack any good thing.
¹¹^(AKD)Come, you children, listen to me;
^(AKE)I will teach you ^(AKF)the fear of the Lord.
¹²^(AKG)Who is the person who desires life
And loves length of days, that he may ^(AKH)see good?
¹³Keep ^(AKI)your tongue from evil
And your lips from speaking ^(AKJ)deceit.
¹⁴^(AKK)Turn from evil and do good;
Seek peace and ^(AKL)pursue it.

¹⁵The ^(AKM)eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,
And His ears are toward their cry for help.
¹⁶The ^(AKN)face of the Lord is against evildoers,
To ^(AKO)eliminate the memory of them from the earth.
¹⁷The righteous ^(AKP)cry out, and the Lord hears
And rescues them from all their troubles.
¹⁸The Lord ^(AKQ)is near to the ^(AKR)brokenhearted
And saves those who are ^[iv]^(AKS)crushed in spirit.

¹⁹^(AKT)The ^(AKU)afflictions of the righteous are many,
But the Lord ^(AKV)rescues him from them all.
²⁰He protects all his bones,
^(AKW)Not one of them is broken.
²¹^(AKX)Evil will bring death to the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous will suffer for their guilt.
²²The Lord ^(AKY)redeems the souls of His servants,
And none of those who ^(AKZ)take refuge in Him will suffer for their guilt.

Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.

A Psalm of David.

35 Contend, Lord, with those who ^(ALA)contend with me;
Fight against those who ^(ALB)fight against me.
²Take hold of ^[iw]^(ALC)buckler and shield
And rise up as ^(ALD)my help.
³Draw also the spear and ^[ix]the battle-axe to meet those who pursue me;
Say to my soul, “I am ^(ALE)your salvation.”
⁴Let those be ^(ALF)ashamed and dishonored who seek my ^[iy]life;
Let those be ^(ALG)turned back and humiliated who devise evil against me.
⁵Let them be ^(ALH)like chaff before the wind,
With the angel of the Lord driving them on.
⁶Let their way be dark and ^(ALI)slippery,
With the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
⁷For ^(ALJ)they ^(ALK)hid their net for me without cause;
Without cause they dug a pit for my soul.
⁸Let ^(ALL)destruction come upon him when he is unaware,
And ^(ALM)let the net which he hid catch him;
Let him fall into that very ^(ALN)destruction.

⁹So my soul shall ^(ALO)rejoice in the Lord;
It shall ^(ALP)rejoice in His salvation.
¹⁰All my ^(ALQ)bones will say, “Lord, ^(ALR)who is like You,
Who rescues the afflicted from one ^(ALS)who is too strong for him,
And ^(ALT)the afflicted and the poor from one who robs him?”
¹¹^(ALU)Malicious witnesses rise up;
They ask me things that I do not know.
¹²They ^(ALV)repay me evil for good,
To the bereavement of my soul.
¹³But as for me, ^(ALW)when they were sick, my ^(ALX)clothing was sackcloth;
I ^(ALY)humbled my soul with fasting,
But my ^(ALZ)prayer kept returning to ^[iz]me.
¹⁴I went about as though it were my friend or brother;
I ^(AMA)bowed down ^[ja]in mourning, like one who mourns for a mother.
¹⁵But ^(AMB)at my ^[jb]stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together;
The ^[jc]^(AMC)afflicted people whom I did not know gathered together against me,
They ^[jd]^(AMD)slandered me without ceasing.
¹⁶Like godless jesters at a feast,
They ^(AME)gnashed at me with their teeth.

¹⁷Lord, ^(AMF)how long will You look on?
Rescue my soul ^(AMG)from their ravages,
My ^(AMH)only life from the lions.
¹⁸I will ^(AMI)give You thanks in the great congregation;
I will ^(AMJ)praise You among a mighty people.
¹⁹^(AMK)Do not let those who are wrongfully ^(AML)my enemies rejoice over me;
Nor let those ^(AMM)who hate me for no reason ^[je]^(AMN)wink maliciously.
²⁰For they do not speak peace,
But they devise ^(AMO)deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.
²¹They ^(AMP)opened their mouth wide against me;
They said, “^(AMQ)Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen it!”

²²^(AMR)You have seen it, Lord, ^(AMS)do not keep silent;
Lord, ^(AMT)do not be far from me.
²³^(AMU)Stir Yourself, and awake to my right
And to my cause, my God and my Lord.
²⁴^(AMV)Judge me, Lord my God, according to Your righteousness,
And ^(AMW)do not let them rejoice over me.
²⁵Do not let them say in their heart, “^(AMX)Aha, our desire!”
Do not let them say, “We have ^(AMY)swallowed him up!”
²⁶May ^(AMZ)those be ashamed and altogether humiliated who rejoice at my distress;
May those who ^(ANA)exalt themselves over me be ^(ANB)clothed with shame and dishonor.

²⁷May those ^(ANC)shout for joy and rejoice, who take delight in ^(AND)my vindication;
And ^(ANE)may they say continually, “The Lord be exalted,
Who ^(ANF)delights in the prosperity of His servant.”
²⁸And ^(ANG)my tongue shall proclaim Your righteousness
And Your praise all day long.

Wickedness of Humanity and Goodness of God.

For the music director. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord.

36 ^[jf]Wrongdoing speaks to the ungodly within ^[jg]his heart;
There is ^(ANH)no fear of God before his eyes.

Footnotes

Psalm 1:1 Or way
Psalm 1:3 Or canals
Psalm 1:3 Or foliage
Psalm 1:3 Or all that he does prospers
Psalm 1:6 Or approves; or has regard to
Psalm 2:1 Or Gentiles
Psalm 2:2 Or Messiah
Psalm 2:4 Or is enthroned
Psalm 2:7 Or decree: The Lord said to Me
Psalm 2:8 Or Gentiles
Psalm 2:9 Another reading is rule
Psalm 2:9 Or scepter; or staff
Psalm 2:9 Lit potter’s ware
Psalm 2:10 Or leaders
Psalm 2:11 Or fear
Psalm 2:12 I.e., probably kiss the feet of the Son
Psalm 3 Title 2 Sam 15:13-17, 29
Psalm 3:4 Or hill
Psalm 3:5 Or As for me, I
Psalm 3:7 Or strike
Psalm 3:7 Or jaw
Psalm 3:7 Or shatter
Psalm 3:8 Or Deliverance
Psalm 3:8 Or is
Psalm 4 Title I.e., Belonging to the choir director’s anthology
Psalm 4:1 I.e., who maintains my right
Psalm 4:1 Lit made room for
Psalm 4:2 Or glory
Psalm 4:3 Another reading is dealt wonderfully with
Psalm 4:4 I.e., with anger or fear
Psalm 4:4 Or but
Psalm 4:4 Lit Speak
Psalm 4:5 Or righteous sacrifices
Psalm 4:8 Or at the same time
Psalm 5 Title Heb Nehiloth
Psalm 5:3 Or May You hear
Psalm 5:3 Or sacrifice
Psalm 5:7 Or Toward
Psalm 5:8 Or smooth
Psalm 5:9 Or true
Psalm 5:9 So ancient versions; MT his
Psalm 5:9 Or make their tongue smooth
Psalm 5:11 Or You shelter
Psalm 6 Title Or according to a lower octave (Heb Sheminith)
Psalm 6:4 Or life
Psalm 6:5 Or remembrance
Psalm 6:5 I.e., the netherworld
Psalm 6:10 Or again be abruptly put to shame
Psalm 7 Title I.e., Dithyrambic rhythm; or wild, passionate song
Psalm 7 Title Or concerning the words of
Psalm 7:2 Or me
Psalm 7:4 Lit him who was at peace with me
Psalm 7:4 Or him who for no reason was my enemy,
Psalm 7:5 Or me
Psalm 7:5 Or me
Psalm 7:6 One ancient version reads O my God
Psalm 7:8 Lit Judge
Psalm 7:9 Lit kidneys, figurative for inner man
Psalm 7:10 Lit upon
Psalm 8:1 Lit put
Psalm 8:2 Or a strength
Psalm 8:3 Or see
Psalm 8:5 LXX angels
Psalm 9 Title Meaning of the Heb uncertain
Psalm 9:1 Or miracles
Psalm 9:4 Lit my right and my cause
Psalm 9:4 Or a righteous Judge
Psalm 9:6 Or O enemy, desolations are finished forever; And their cities You have uprooted
Psalm 9:7 Or remains forever
Psalm 9:9 Or Let the Lord also be
Psalm 9:10 Or let those...name put
Psalm 9:12 I.e., avenges bloodshed
Psalm 9:14 Or deliverance
Psalm 9:16 Perhaps, resounding music or meditation
Psalm 9:17 Or turn
Psalm 9:17 I.e., the netherworld
Psalm 10:1 Or Your eyes
Psalm 10:2 Or They will be caught
Psalm 10:3 Or blesses the greedy man
Psalm 10:4 Lit the height of his nose
Psalm 10:6 Lit To
Psalm 10:8 Lit lie in wait
Psalm 10:8 Or poor
Psalm 10:9 Or thicket
Psalm 10:10 Or unhappy
Psalm 10:13 I.e., as though God will ignore it
Psalm 10:14 Lit put, give
Psalm 10:14 Or poor
Psalm 10:15 Or May You seek
Psalm 10:18 Lit judge
Psalm 11:2 Or fixed
Psalm 11:4 Lit Lord, His throne
Psalm 11:6 As in a Gr version; MT snares; Fire and
Psalm 11:7 Or righteous deeds
Psalm 12 Title Or according to a lower octave (Heb Sheminith)
Psalm 12:2 Lit worthless speech
Psalm 12:2 Lit a smooth lip
Psalm 12:3 Lit a smooth lip
Psalm 12:4 Lit with us
Psalm 12:8 Or worthlessness
Psalm 14:2 Or act wisely
Psalm 15:3 Lit according to
Psalm 15:5 Lit give
Psalm 15:5 I.e., to a fellow Israelite
Psalm 16 Title Possibly Epigrammatic Poem or Atonement Psalm
Psalm 16:2 Or O my soul, you said
Psalm 16:2 Or the Lord
Psalm 16:3 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
Psalm 16:3 Lit They, even the
Psalm 16:4 Lit Their pains, they who acquired
Psalm 16:7 Lit kidneys, figurative for inner man
Psalm 16:10 I.e., the netherworld
Psalm 16:10 Lit give
Psalm 16:10 Or godly one
Psalm 16:10 Or see corruption; or the pit
Psalm 17:2 I.e., vindication
Psalm 17:3 Or no shameful act in me; My mouth
Psalm 17:5 Lit tracks
Psalm 17:7 Or from those who rise up...at Your right hand
Psalm 17:8 Lit the pupil, the daughter of the eye
Psalm 17:10 Lit fat
Psalm 17:14 Or whose portion in life is of the world
Psalm 18 Title 2 Sam 22:1-51
Psalm 18:4 Or ungodliness; Heb Belial
Psalm 18:4 Or were assailing; or terrifying
Psalm 18:5 I.e., the netherworld
Psalm 18:8 Or in His wrath
Psalm 18:11 Or pavilion
Psalm 18:14 Lit confused
Psalm 18:23 Lit complete; or having integrity; or perfect
Psalm 18:25 See note v 23
Psalm 18:26 Lit twisted
Psalm 18:29 Or wall
Psalm 18:30 Or perfect
Psalm 18:32 Or has made
Psalm 18:32 Lit complete; or having integrity
Psalm 18:35 Or condescension
Psalm 18:36 Lit ankles
Psalm 18:40 Or silenced
Psalm 18:45 Or prisons
Psalm 18:50 I.e., victories; lit salvations
Psalm 18:50 Lit seed
Psalm 19:4 Another reading is sound
Psalm 19:6 Lit the end
Psalm 19:6 Lit the ends
Psalm 19:7 I.e., blameless
Psalm 20:1 Lit make you high and inaccessible
Psalm 20:3 Lit consider your...as fat
Psalm 20:5 Or Let’s sing
Psalm 20:5 Or salvation
Psalm 20:6 Or mighty deeds of the victory of His right hand
Psalm 20:9 Or O Lord, save the king; answer us
Psalm 21:1 Or victory
Psalm 21:5 Or victory
Psalm 21:6 Lit blessings
Psalm 21:9 Or of your presence
Psalm 21:10 Lit fruit
Psalm 21:10 Lit seed
Psalm 21:11 Lit stretched out
Psalm 22 Title Lit the doe of the morning
Psalm 22:1 Or deliverance
Psalm 22:1 Lit screaming
Psalm 22:2 Lit there is no silence for me
Psalm 22:3 Or inhabit the praises
Psalm 22:5 Or ashamed
Psalm 22:7 Lit open with the lip
Psalm 22:8 Lit Roll...away to
Psalm 22:8 Or it
Psalm 22:10 Lit a womb
Psalm 22:11 Or distress
Psalm 22:14 Lit my inward parts
Psalm 22:15 Lit to
Psalm 22:16 Or An assembly
Psalm 22:16 Another reading is Like a lion, my...
Psalm 22:20 Or life
Psalm 22:20 Lit paw
Psalm 22:23 Lit seed
Psalm 22:23 Lit seed
Psalm 22:26 Or poor
Psalm 22:27 Some ancient versions Him
Psalm 22:29 Lit fat ones
Psalm 22:29 Or did not
Psalm 22:30 Lit seed
Psalm 23:2 Lit waters of rest
Psalm 23:3 Lit tracks
Psalm 23:4 Or valley of deep darkness
Psalm 23:4 Or harm
Psalm 23:5 Or anoint
Psalm 23:6 Or Only
Psalm 23:6 Or mercy
Psalm 23:6 Lit for length of days
Psalm 24:1 Lit its fullness
Psalm 24:5 I.e., as vindicated
Psalm 24:6 Or Such
Psalm 24:7 Lit everlasting
Psalm 24:9 Lit everlasting
Psalm 25:3 Or Let those...be ashamed
Psalm 25:6 Or everlasting
Psalm 25:9 Or afflicted
Psalm 25:9 Or afflicted
Psalm 25:13 Lit good
Psalm 25:13 Lit seed
Psalm 25:13 Or earth
Psalm 25:14 Or counsel; or intimacy
Psalm 25:14 Or And His covenant, to make them know it
Psalm 25:15 Lit bring out
Psalm 25:17 Some commentators Relieve the troubles of my heart
Psalm 26:1 Lit Judge
Psalm 26:1 Lit I do not slide
Psalm 26:2 Lit kidneys, figurative for inner man
Psalm 26:3 Or faithfulness
Psalm 26:4 Or worthless men; lit men of falsehood
Psalm 26:4 Or dissemblers, hypocrites
Psalm 26:7 Or miracles
Psalm 26:8 Lit of the tabernacle of Your glory
Psalm 26:9 Lit gather
Psalm 27:1 Or refuge
Psalm 27:4 Lit delightfulness
Psalm 27:4 Lit inquire
Psalm 27:5 Or shelter
Psalm 27:6 Lit of shouts
Psalm 27:10 Or If my father...forsake me, Then the Lord
Psalm 27:12 Lit soul
Psalm 28:2 Lit the innermost place of Your sanctuary
Psalm 28:8 A few mss and ancient versions the strength of His people
Psalm 29:1 Lit sons of gods
Psalm 29:2 Lit of His name
Psalm 29:3 Or great
Psalm 29:7 I.e., lightning
Psalm 29:8 Or causes...to whirl
Psalm 29:11 Or May the Lord give
Psalm 29:11 Or May the Lord bless
Psalm 30:3 I.e., the netherworld
Psalm 30:3 Some mss from among those who go down
Psalm 30:12 Lit glory
Psalm 31:1 Or ashamed;
Psalm 31:2 Or refuge, protection
Psalm 31:2 Lit house of a stronghold
Psalm 31:5 Or faithfulness
Psalm 31:6 Lit futilities
Psalm 31:10 Or bones, substance
Psalm 31:13 Lit whispering
Psalm 31:17 I.e., the netherworld
Psalm 31:20 Or pavilion
Psalm 32 Title Possibly Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
Psalm 32:3 Or bones, substance
Psalm 32:3 Lit roaring
Psalm 32:4 Lit life juices were turned into the drought of summer
Psalm 32:6 Lit in a time of finding out
Psalm 32:7 Or shouts
Psalm 33:6 Lit host; i.e., sun, stars, etc.
Psalm 33:7 Some ancient versions in a water skin; i.e., container
Psalm 33:9 Or stood forth
Psalm 33:15 Or their heart together
Psalm 34 Title Possibly a title of King Achish of Gath, see 1 Sam 21:10-15
Psalm 34:18 Or contrite
Psalm 35:2 I.e., small shield
Psalm 35:3 Or close up the path against those
Psalm 35:4 Or soul
Psalm 35:13 Lit my chest
Psalm 35:14 Or dressed for mourning
Psalm 35:15 Or limping
Psalm 35:15 Or struck ones
Psalm 35:15 Lit tore
Psalm 35:19 Or wink the eye
Psalm 36:1 Or Rebellion
Psalm 36:1 Another reading is my heart

Psalm 1-36

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Book I

(Psalms 1–41)

Psalm 1

The Two Ways

¹Happy are those
    who do not follow the advice of the wicked
or take the path that sinners tread
    or sit in the seat of scoffers,^(A)
²but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on his law they meditate day and night.^(B)
³They are like trees
    planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
    and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.^(C)

⁴The wicked are not so
    but are like chaff that the wind drives away.^(D)
⁵Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment
    nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous,^(E)
⁶for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked will perish.^(F)

Psalm 2

God’s Promise to His Anointed

¹Why do the nations conspire
    and the peoples plot in vain?^(G)
²The kings of the earth set themselves,
    and the rulers take counsel together,
    against the Lord and his anointed, saying,^(H)
³“Let us burst their bonds apart
    and cast their cords from us.”

⁴He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord has them in derision.^(I)
⁵Then he will speak to them in his wrath
and terrify them in his fury, saying,^(J)
⁶“I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill.”^(K)

⁷I will tell of the decree of the Lord:
He said to me, “You are my son;
    today I have begotten you.^(L)
⁸Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage
    and the ends of the earth your possession.^(M)
⁹You shall break them with a rod of iron
    and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”^(N)

¹⁰Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
    be warned, O rulers of the earth.
¹¹Serve the Lord with fear;
with trembling^(O) ¹²    kiss his feet,^[a]
or he will be angry, and you will perish in the way,
    for his wrath is quickly kindled.

Happy are all who take refuge in him.^(P)

Psalm 3

Trust in God under Adversity

A Psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom.

¹O Lord, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me;
²many are saying to me,
“There is no help for you^[b] in God.” Selah

³But you, O Lord, are a shield around me,
my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.^(Q)
⁴I cry aloud to the Lord,
and he answers me from his holy hill. Selah^(R)

⁵I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, for the Lord sustains me.^(S)
⁶I am not afraid of ten thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around.

⁷Rise up, O Lord!
Deliver me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked.

⁸Deliverance belongs to the Lord;
may your blessing be on your people! Selah^(T)

Psalm 4

Confident Plea for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

¹Answer me when I call, O God of my right!
You gave me room when I was in distress.
Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer.^(U)

²How long, you people, shall my honor suffer shame?
How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah^(V)
³But know that the Lord has set apart the faithful for himself;
the Lord hears when I call to him.^(W)

⁴When you are disturbed,^[c] do not sin;
ponder it on your beds, and be silent. Selah^(X)
⁵Offer right sacrifices,
and put your trust in the Lord.^(Y)

⁶There are many who say, “O that we might see some good!
Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord!”^(Z)
⁷You have put gladness in my heart
more than when their grain and wine abound.^(AA)

⁸I will both lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety.^(AB)

Psalm 5

Trust in God for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader: for the flutes. A Psalm of David.

¹Listen to my words, O Lord;
    attend to my sighing.^(AC)
²Listen to the sound of my cry,
    my King and my God,
    for to you I pray.^(AD)
³O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
    in the morning I plead my case to you and watch.^(AE)

⁴For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
    evil will not sojourn with you.^(AF)
⁵The boastful will not stand before your eyes;
    you hate all evildoers.^(AG)
⁶You destroy those who speak lies;
    the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful.^(AH)

⁷But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
    will enter your house;
I will bow down toward your holy temple
    in awe of you.^(AI)
⁸Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
    because of my enemies;
    make your way straight before me.^(AJ)

⁹For there is no truth in their mouths;
    their hearts are destruction;
their throats are open graves;
    they flatter with their tongues.^(AK)
¹⁰Make them bear their guilt, O God;
    let them fall by their own counsels;
because of their many transgressions, cast them out,
    for they have rebelled against you.^(AL)

¹¹But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
    let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
    so that those who love your name may exult in you.^(AM)
¹²For you bless the righteous, O Lord;
    you cover them with favor as with a shield.^(AN)

Psalm 6

Prayer for Recovery from Grave Illness

To the leader: with stringed instruments; according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David.

¹O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
    or discipline me in your wrath.^(AO)
²Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;
    O Lord, heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror.^(AP)
³My soul also is struck with terror,
    while you, O Lord—how long?^(AQ)

⁴Turn, O Lord, save my life;
deliver me for the sake of your steadfast love.
⁵For in death there is no remembrance of you;
in Sheol who can give you praise?^(AR)

⁶I am weary with my moaning;
    every night I flood my bed with tears;
    I drench my couch with my weeping.
⁷My eyes waste away because of grief;
    they grow weak because of all my foes.^(AS)

⁸Depart from me, all you workers of evil,
    for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.^(AT)
⁹The Lord has heard my supplication;
    the Lord accepts my prayer.^(AU)
¹⁰All my enemies shall be ashamed and struck with terror;
    they shall turn back and in a moment be put to shame.

Psalm 7

Plea for Help against Persecutors

A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush, a Benjaminite.

¹O Lord my God, in you I take refuge;
save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me,^(AV)
²or like a lion they will tear me apart;
they will drag me away, with no one to rescue.^(AW)

³O Lord my God, if I have done this,
    if there is wrong in my hands,^(AX)
⁴if I have repaid my ally with harm
    or plundered my foe without cause,^(AY)
⁵then let the enemy pursue and overtake me,
    trample my life to the ground,
    and lay my soul in the dust. Selah

⁶Rise up, O Lord, in your anger;
    lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;
    awake, O my God;^[d] you have appointed a judgment.^(AZ)
⁷Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered around you,
    and over it take your seat^[e] on high.^(BA)
⁸The Lord judges the peoples;
    judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness
    and according to the integrity that is in me.^(BB)

⁹O let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
    but establish the righteous,
you who test the minds and hearts,
    O righteous God.^(BC)
¹⁰God is my shield,
    who saves the upright in heart.^(BD)
¹¹God is a righteous judge
    and a God who has indignation every day.^(BE)

¹²If one does not repent, God^[f] will whet his sword;
    he has bent and strung his bow;^(BF)
¹³he has prepared his deadly weapons,
    making his arrows fiery shafts.^(BG)
¹⁴See how they conceive evil
    and are pregnant with mischief
    and bring forth lies.^(BH)
¹⁵They make a pit, digging it out,
    and fall into the hole that they have made.^(BI)
¹⁶Their mischief returns upon their own heads,
    and on their own heads their violence descends.^(BJ)

¹⁷I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness
and sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.^(BK)

Psalm 8

Divine Majesty and Human Dignity

To the leader: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of David.

¹O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory above the heavens.^(BL)
² Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
to silence the enemy and the avenger.^(BM)

³When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;^(BN)
⁴what are humans that you are mindful of them,
mortals^[g] that you care for them?^(BO)

⁵Yet you have made them a little lower than God^[h]
    and crowned them with glory and honor.^(BP)
⁶You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
    you have put all things under their feet,^(BQ)
⁷all sheep and oxen,
    and also the beasts of the field,
⁸the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
    whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

⁹O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!^(BR)

Psalm 9

God’s Power and Justice

To the leader: according to Muth-labben. A Psalm of David.

¹^[i]I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.^(BS)
²I will be glad and exult in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.^(BT)

³When my enemies turned back,
they stumbled and perished before you.^(BU)
⁴For you have maintained my just cause;
you have sat on the throne giving righteous judgment.^(BV)

⁵You have rebuked the nations; you have destroyed the wicked;
    you have blotted out their name forever and ever.^(BW)
⁶The enemies have vanished in everlasting ruins;
    their cities you have rooted out;
    the very memory of them has perished.^(BX)

⁷But the Lord sits enthroned forever;
he has established his throne for judgment.^(BY)
⁸He judges the world with righteousness;
he judges the peoples with equity.^(BZ)

⁹The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.^(CA)
¹⁰And those who know your name put their trust in you,
for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.^(CB)

¹¹Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion.
Declare his deeds among the peoples.^(CC)
¹²For he who avenges blood is mindful of them;
he does not forget the cry of the afflicted.^(CD)

¹³Be gracious to me, O Lord.
    See what I suffer from those who hate me;
    you are the one who lifts me up from the gates of death,^(CE)
¹⁴so that I may recount all your praises
    and, in the gates of daughter Zion,
    rejoice in your deliverance.^(CF)

¹⁵The nations have sunk in the pit that they made;
in the net that they hid has their own foot been caught.^(CG)
¹⁶The Lord has made himself known; he has executed judgment;
the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion. Selah^(CH)

¹⁷The wicked shall depart to Sheol,
all the nations that forget God.^(CI)

¹⁸For the needy shall not always be forgotten,
nor the hope of the poor perish forever.^(CJ)

¹⁹Rise up, O Lord! Do not let mortals prevail;
let the nations be judged before you.^(CK)
²⁰Put them in fear, O Lord;
let the nations know that they are only human. Selah^(CL)

Psalm 10

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

¹^[j]Why, O Lord, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
²In arrogance the wicked persecute the poor—
let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.^(CM)

³For the wicked boast of the desires of their heart;
those greedy for gain curse and renounce the Lord.^(CN)
⁴In the pride of their countenance the wicked say, “God will not seek it out”;
all their thoughts are, “There is no God.”^(CO)

⁵Their ways prosper at all times;
    your judgments are on high, out of their sight;
    as for their foes, they scoff at them.
⁶They think in their heart, “We shall not be moved;
    throughout all generations we shall not meet adversity.”^(CP)

⁷Their mouths are filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;
under their tongues are mischief and iniquity.^(CQ)
⁸They sit in ambush in the villages;
in hiding places they murder the innocent.

Their eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;^(CR)
⁹ they lurk in secret like a lion in its den;
they lurk that they may seize the poor;
they seize the poor and drag them off in their net.^(CS)

¹⁰They stoop, they crouch,
and the helpless fall by their might.
¹¹They think in their heart, “God has forgotten;
he has hidden his face; he will never see it.”^(CT)

¹²Rise up, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand;
do not forget the oppressed.^(CU)
¹³Why do the wicked renounce God
and say in their hearts, “You will not call us to account”?

¹⁴But you do see! Indeed, you note trouble and grief,
that you may take it into your hands;
the helpless commit themselves to you;
you have been the helper of the orphan.^(CV)

¹⁵Break the arm of the wicked and evildoers;
seek out their wickedness until you find none.^(CW)
¹⁶The Lord is king forever and ever;
the nations shall perish from his land.^(CX)

¹⁷O Lord, you will hear the desire of the meek;
you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear^(CY)
¹⁸to do justice for the orphan and the oppressed,
so that those from earth may strike terror no more.^[k]^(CZ)

Psalm 11

Song of Trust in God

To the leader. Of David.

¹In the Lord I take refuge; how can you say to me,
    “Flee like a bird to the mountains,^[l]^(DA)
²for look, the wicked bend the bow,
    they have fitted their arrow to the string,
    to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart.^(DB)
³If the foundations are destroyed,
    what can the righteous do?”^(DC)

⁴The Lord is in his holy temple;
    the Lord’s throne is in heaven.
    His eyes behold; his gaze examines humankind.^(DD)
⁵The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked,
    and his soul hates the lover of violence.^(DE)
⁶On the wicked he will rain coals of fire and sulfur;
    a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.^(DF)
⁷For the Lord is righteous;
he loves righteous deeds;
    the upright shall behold his face.^(DG)

Psalm 12

Plea for Help in Evil Times

To the leader: according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David.

¹Help, O Lord, for there is no longer anyone who is godly;
the faithful have disappeared from humankind.^(DH)
²They utter lies to each other;
with flattering lips and a deceitful heart they speak.^(DI)

³May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
the tongue that makes great boasts,^(DJ)
⁴those who say, “With our tongues we will prevail;
our lips are our own—who is our master?”

⁵“Because the poor are despoiled, because the needy groan,
    I will now rise up,” says the Lord;
    “I will place them in the safety for which they long.”^(DK)
⁶The promises of the Lord are promises that are pure,
    silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
    purified seven times.^(DL)

⁷You, O Lord, will protect us;
you will guard us from this generation forever.^(DM)
⁸On every side the wicked prowl,
as vileness is exalted among humankind.^(DN)

Psalm 13

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

¹How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?^(DO)
²How long must I bear pain^[m] in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?^(DP)

³Consider and answer me, O Lord my God!
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,^(DQ)
⁴and my enemy will say, “I have prevailed”;
my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.^(DR)

⁵But I trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.^(DS)
⁶I will sing to the Lord
because he has dealt bountifully with me.^(DT)

Psalm 14

Denunciation of Godlessness

To the leader. Of David.

¹Fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt; they do abominable deeds;
there is no one who does good.^(DU)

²The Lord looks down from heaven on humankind
to see if there are any who are wise,
who seek after God.^(DV)

³They have all gone astray; they are all alike perverse;
there is no one who does good,
no, not one.^(DW)

⁴Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers
who eat up my people as they eat bread
and do not call upon the Lord?^(DX)

⁵There they shall be in great terror,
for God is with the company of the righteous.^(DY)
⁶You would confound the plans of the poor,
but the Lord is their refuge.^(DZ)

⁷O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion!
When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,
Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.^(EA)

Psalm 15

Who Shall Abide in God’s Sanctuary?

A Psalm of David.

¹O Lord, who may abide in your tent?
Who may dwell on your holy hill?^(EB)

²Those who walk blamelessly and do what is right
    and speak the truth from their heart;^(EC)
³who do not slander with their tongue
    and do no evil to their friends
    nor heap shame upon their neighbors;^(ED)
⁴in whose eyes the wicked are despised
    but who honor those who fear the Lord;
who stand by their oath even to their hurt;^(EE)
⁵who do not lend money at interest
    and do not take a bribe against the innocent.

Those who do these things shall never be moved.^(EF)

Psalm 16

Song of Trust and Security in God

A Miktam of David.

¹Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.^(EG)
²I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”^[n]

³As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble ones
in whom is all my delight.^(EH)

⁴Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows;^[o]
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names upon my lips.^(EI)

⁵The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.^(EJ)
⁶The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
I have a goodly heritage.^(EK)

⁷I bless the Lord, who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.^(EL)
⁸I keep the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.^(EM)

⁹Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
my body also rests secure.^(EN)
¹⁰For you do not give me up to Sheol
or let your faithful one see the Pit.^(EO)

¹¹You show me the path of life.
In your presence there is fullness of joy;
in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.^(EP)

Psalm 17

Prayer for Deliverance from Persecutors

A Prayer of David.

¹Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry;
give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit.
²From you let my vindication come;
let your eyes see the right.

³If you try my heart, if you visit me by night,
    if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me;
    my mouth does not transgress.^(EQ)
⁴As for what others do, by the word of your lips
    I have avoided the ways of the violent.^(ER)
⁵My steps have held fast to your paths;
    my feet have not slipped.^(ES)

⁶I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
    incline your ear to me; hear my words.^(ET)
⁷Wondrously show your steadfast love,
    O savior of those who seek refuge
    from their adversaries at your right hand.^(EU)

⁸Guard me as the apple of the eye;
    hide me in the shadow of your wings,^(EV)
⁹from the wicked who despoil me,
    my deadly enemies who surround me.
¹⁰They close their hearts to pity;
    with their mouths they speak arrogantly.^(EW)
¹¹They flush me out;^[p] now they surround me;
    they set their eyes to cast me to the ground.
¹²They are like a lion eager to tear,
    like a young lion lurking in ambush.^(EX)

¹³Rise up, O Lord, confront them, overthrow them!
    By your sword deliver my life from the wicked,^(EY)
¹⁴from mortals—by your hand, O Lord—
    from mortals whose portion in life is in this world.
May their bellies be filled with what you have stored up for them;
    may their children have more than enough;
    may they leave something over to their little ones.^(EZ)

¹⁵As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.^(FA)

Psalm 18

Royal Thanksgiving for Victory

To the leader. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord, who addressed the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:

¹I love you, O Lord, my strength.
²The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer,
    my God, my rock in whom I take refuge,
    my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.^(FB)
³I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
    so I shall be saved from my enemies.^(FC)

⁴The cords of death encompassed me;
the torrents of perdition assailed me;^(FD)
⁵the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.^(FE)

⁶In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.^(FF)

⁷Then the earth reeled and rocked;
    the foundations also of the mountains trembled
    and reeled because he was angry.^(FG)
⁸Smoke went up from his nostrils
    and devouring fire from his mouth;
    glowing coals flamed forth from him.
⁹He bowed the heavens and came down;
    thick darkness was under his feet.^(FH)
¹⁰He rode on a cherub and flew;
    he came swiftly upon the wings of the wind.^(FI)
¹¹He made darkness his covering around him,
    his canopy thick clouds dark with water.^(FJ)
¹²Out of the brightness before him
    there broke through his clouds
    hailstones and coals of fire.^(FK)
¹³The Lord also thundered in the heavens,
    and the Most High uttered his voice.^[q]^(FL)
¹⁴And he sent out his arrows and scattered them;
    he flashed forth lightnings and routed them.^(FM)
¹⁵Then the channels of the sea were seen,
    and the foundations of the world were laid bare
at your rebuke, O Lord,
    at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.^(FN)

¹⁶He reached down from on high; he took me;
    he drew me out of mighty waters.^(FO)
¹⁷He delivered me from my strong enemy
    and from those who hated me,
    for they were too mighty for me.^(FP)
¹⁸They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
    but the Lord was my support.
¹⁹He brought me out into a broad place;
    he delivered me because he delighted in me.^(FQ)

²⁰The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;
    according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me.^(FR)
²¹For I have kept the ways of the Lord
    and have not wickedly departed from my God.^(FS)
²²For all his ordinances were before me,
    and his statutes I did not put away from me.^(FT)
²³I was blameless before him,
    and I kept myself from guilt.
²⁴Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
    according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.^(FU)

²⁵With the loyal you show yourself loyal;
    with the blameless you show yourself blameless;^(FV)
²⁶with the pure you show yourself pure;
    and with the crooked you show yourself shrewd.^(FW)
²⁷For you deliver a humble people,
    but the haughty eyes you bring down.^(FX)
²⁸It is you who light my lamp;
    the Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.^(FY)
²⁹By you I can outrun a troop,
    and by my God I can leap over a wall.^(FZ)
³⁰This God—his way is perfect;
    the promise of the Lord proves true;
    he is a shield for all who take refuge in him.^(GA)

³¹For who is God except the Lord?
    And who is a rock besides our God?^(GB)
³²The God who has girded me with strength
    and made my way safe.^[r]
³³He made my feet like the feet of a deer
    and set me secure on the heights.^(GC)
³⁴He trains my hands for war,
    so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.^(GD)
³⁵You have given me the shield of your salvation,
    and your right hand has supported me;
    your help^[s] has made me great.
³⁶You gave me a wide place for my steps under me,
    and my feet did not slip.
³⁷I pursued my enemies and overtook them
    and did not turn back until they were consumed.^(GE)
³⁸I struck them down so that they were unable to rise;
    they fell under my feet.^(GF)
³⁹For you girded me with strength for the battle;
    you made my assailants sink under me.^(GG)
⁴⁰You made my enemies turn their backs to me,
    and those who hated me I destroyed.^(GH)
⁴¹They cried for help, but there was no one to save them;
    they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.^(GI)
⁴²I beat them fine, like dust before the wind;
    I cast them out like the mire of the streets.^(GJ)

⁴³You delivered me from strife with the peoples;^[t]
    you made me head of the nations;
    people whom I had not known served me.^(GK)
⁴⁴As soon as they heard of me, they obeyed me;
    foreigners came cringing to me.
⁴⁵Foreigners lost heart
    and came trembling out of their strongholds.^(GL)

⁴⁶The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock,
    and exalted be the God of my salvation,^(GM)
⁴⁷the God who gave me vengeance
    and subdued peoples under me,^(GN)
⁴⁸who delivered me from my enemies;
    indeed, you exalted me above my adversaries;
    you delivered me from the violent.^(GO)

⁴⁹For this I will extol you, O Lord, among the nations
    and sing praises to your name.^(GP)
⁵⁰Great triumphs he gives to his king
    and shows steadfast love to his anointed,
    to David and his descendants forever.^(GQ)

Psalm 19

God’s Glory in Creation and the Law

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

¹The heavens are telling the glory of God,
    and the firmament^[u] proclaims his handiwork.^(GR)
²Day to day pours forth speech,
    and night to night declares knowledge.^(GS)
³There is no speech, nor are there words;
    their voice is not heard;
⁴yet their voice^[v] goes out through all the earth
    and their words to the end of the world.

In the heavens^[w] he has set a tent for the sun,^(GT)
⁵which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,
    and like a strong man runs its course with joy.^(GU)
⁶Its rising is from the end of the heavens
    and its circuit to the end of them,
    and nothing is hid from its heat.^(GV)

⁷The law of the Lord is perfect,
    reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
    making wise the simple;^(GW)
⁸the precepts of the Lord are right,
    rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear,
    enlightening the eyes;^(GX)
⁹the fear of the Lord is pure,
    enduring forever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true
    and righteous altogether.^(GY)
¹⁰More to be desired are they than gold,
    even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
    and drippings of the honeycomb.^(GZ)

¹¹Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.^(HA)
¹²But who can detect one’s own errors?
    Clear me from hidden faults.^(HB)
¹³Keep back your servant also from the insolent;^[x]
    do not let them have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless
    and innocent of great transgression.^(HC)

¹⁴Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.^(HD)

Psalm 20

Prayer for Victory

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

¹The Lord answer you in the day of trouble!
    The name of the God of Jacob protect you!^(HE)
²May he send you help from the sanctuary
    and give you support from Zion.^(HF)
³May he remember all your offerings
    and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices. Selah^(HG)

⁴May he grant you your heart’s desire
and fulfill all your plans.^(HH)
⁵May we shout for joy over your victory
and in the name of our God set up our banners.
May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.^(HI)

⁶Now I know that the Lord will help his anointed;
    he will answer him from his holy heaven
    with mighty victories by his right hand.^(HJ)
⁷Some take pride in chariots and some in horses,
    but our pride is in the name of the Lord our God.^(HK)
⁸They will collapse and fall,
    but we shall rise and stand upright.^(HL)

⁹Give victory to the king, O Lord;
answer us when we call.^[y]

Psalm 21

Thanksgiving for Victory

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

¹In your strength the king rejoices, O Lord,
    and in your help how greatly he exults!^(HM)
²You have given him his heart’s desire
    and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah^(HN)
³For you meet him with rich blessings;
    you set a crown of fine gold on his head.^(HO)
⁴He asked you for life; you gave it to him—
    length of days forever and ever.^(HP)
⁵His glory is great through your help;
    splendor and majesty you bestow on him.^(HQ)
⁶You bestow on him blessings forever;
    you make him glad with the joy of your presence.
⁷For the king trusts in the Lord,
    and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.^(HR)

⁸Your hand will find out all your enemies;
    your right hand will find out those who hate you.^(HS)
⁹You will make them like a fiery furnace
    when you appear.
The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,
    and fire will consume them.^(HT)
¹⁰You will destroy their offspring from the earth
    and their children from among humankind.^(HU)
¹¹If they plan evil against you,
    if they devise mischief, they will not succeed.^(HV)
¹²For you will put them to flight;
    you will aim at their faces with your bows.^(HW)

¹³Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength!
We will sing and praise your power.^(HX)

Psalm 22

Plea for Deliverance from Suffering and Hostility

To the leader: according to The Deer of the Dawn. A Psalm of David.

¹My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?^(HY)
²O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
and by night but find no rest.^(HZ)

³Yet you are holy,
    enthroned on the praises of Israel.^(IA)
⁴In you our ancestors trusted;
    they trusted, and you delivered them.
⁵To you they cried and were saved;
    in you they trusted and were not put to shame.^(IB)

⁶But I am a worm and not human,
    scorned by others and despised by the people.^(IC)
⁷All who see me mock me;
    they sneer at me; they shake their heads;^(ID)
⁸“Commit your cause to the Lord; let him deliver—
    let him rescue the one in whom he delights!”^(IE)

⁹Yet it was you who took me from the womb;
    you kept me safe on my mother’s breast.^(IF)
¹⁰On you I was cast from my birth,
    and since my mother bore me you have been my God.^(IG)
¹¹Do not be far from me,
    for trouble is near,
    and there is no one to help.

¹²Many bulls encircle me;
strong bulls of Bashan surround me;^(IH)
¹³they open wide their mouths at me,
like a ravening and roaring lion.^(II)

¹⁴I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
    it is melted within my breast;^(IJ)
¹⁵my mouth^[z] is dried up like a potsherd,
    and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
    you lay me in the dust of death.^(IK)

¹⁶For dogs are all around me;
a company of evildoers encircles me;
they bound my hands and feet.^[aa]^(IL)
¹⁷I can count all my bones.
They stare and gloat over me;
¹⁸they divide my clothes among themselves,
and for my clothing they cast lots.^(IM)

¹⁹But you, O Lord, do not be far away!
    O my help, come quickly to my aid!
²⁰Deliver my soul from the sword,
    my life^[ab] from the power of the dog!^(IN)
²¹    Save me from the mouth of the lion!

From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued^[ac] me.^(IO)
²²I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters;^[ad]
    in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:^(IP)
²³You who fear the Lord, praise him!
    All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him;
    stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!^(IQ)
²⁴For he did not despise or abhor
    the affliction of the afflicted;
he did not hide his face from me^[ae]
    but heard when I^[af] cried to him.^(IR)

²⁵From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
    my vows I will pay before those who fear him.^(IS)
²⁶The poor^[ag] shall eat and be satisfied;
    those who seek him shall praise the Lord.
    May your hearts live forever!^(IT)

²⁷All the ends of the earth shall remember
    and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
    shall worship before him.^[ah]^(IU)
²⁸For dominion belongs to the Lord,
    and he rules over the nations.^(IV)

²⁹To him,^[ai] indeed, shall all who sleep in^[aj] the earth bow down;
    before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
    and I shall live for him.^[ak]^(IW)
³⁰Posterity will serve him;
    future generations will be told about the Lord^(IX)
³¹and^[al] proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,
    saying that he has done it.^(IY)

Psalm 23

The Divine Shepherd

A Psalm of David.

¹The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.^(IZ)
²    He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;^[am]^(JA)
³    he restores my soul.^[an]
He leads me in right paths^[ao]
    for his name’s sake.^(JB)

⁴Even though I walk through the darkest valley,^[ap]
    I fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.^(JC)

⁵You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.^(JD)
⁶Surely^[aq] goodness and mercy^[ar] shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    my whole life long.^[as]^(JE)

Psalm 24

Entrance into the Temple

Of David. A Psalm.

¹The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,
the world, and those who live in it,^(JF)
²for he has founded it on the seas
and established it on the rivers.

³Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
    And who shall stand in his holy place?^(JG)
⁴Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,
    who do not lift up their souls to what is false
    and do not swear deceitfully.^(JH)
⁵They will receive blessing from the Lord
    and vindication from the God of their salvation.^(JI)
⁶Such is the company of those who seek him,
    who seek the face of the God of Jacob.^[at] Selah

⁷Lift up your heads, O gates!
    and be lifted up, O ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in!^(JJ)
⁸Who is the King of glory?
    The Lord, strong and mighty,
    the Lord, mighty in battle.^(JK)
⁹Lift up your heads, O gates!
    and be lifted up, O ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in!^(JL)
¹⁰Who is this King of glory?
    The Lord of hosts,
    he is the King of glory. Selah

Psalm 25

Prayer for Guidance and for Deliverance

Of David.

¹To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.^(JM)
²O my God, in you I trust;
    do not let me be put to shame;
    do not let my enemies exult over me.^(JN)
³Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;
    let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.^(JO)

⁴Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
    teach me your paths.^(JP)
⁵Lead me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are the God of my salvation;
    for you I wait all day long.^(JQ)

⁶Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love,
    for they have been from of old.^(JR)
⁷Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
    according to your steadfast love remember me,
    for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!^(JS)

⁸Good and upright is the Lord;
    therefore he instructs sinners in the way.^(JT)
⁹He leads the humble in what is right
    and teaches the humble his way.^(JU)
¹⁰All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
    for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.^(JV)

¹¹For your name’s sake, O Lord,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.^(JW)
¹²Who are they who fear the Lord?
He will teach them the way that they should choose.

¹³They will abide in prosperity,
    and their children shall possess the land.^(JX)
¹⁴The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,
    and he makes his covenant known to them.^(JY)
¹⁵My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
    for he will pluck my feet out of the net.^(JZ)

¹⁶Turn to me and be gracious to me,
    for I am lonely and afflicted.^(KA)
¹⁷Relieve the troubles of my heart,
    and bring me^[au] out of my distress.^(KB)
¹⁸Consider my affliction and my trouble,
    and forgive all my sins.^(KC)

¹⁹Consider how many are my foes
    and with what violent hatred they hate me.^(KD)
²⁰O guard my life and deliver me;
    do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
²¹May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
    for I wait for you.^(KE)

²²Redeem Israel, O God,
out of all its troubles.^(KF)

Psalm 26

Plea for Justice and Declaration of Righteousness

Of David.

¹Vindicate me, O Lord,
    for I have walked in my integrity,
    and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.^(KG)
²Prove me, O Lord, and try me;
    test my heart and mind.^(KH)
³For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
    and I walk in faithfulness to you.^[av]^(KI)

⁴I do not sit with the worthless,
nor do I consort with hypocrites;^(KJ)
⁵I hate the company of evildoers
and will not sit with the wicked.^(KK)

⁶I wash my hands in innocence
and go around your altar, O Lord,^(KL)
⁷singing aloud a song of thanksgiving
and telling all your wondrous deeds.^(KM)

⁸O Lord, I love the house in which you dwell
    and the place where your glory abides.^(KN)
⁹Do not sweep me away with sinners
    nor my life with the bloodthirsty,^(KO)
¹⁰those in whose hands are evil devices
    and whose right hands are full of bribes.^(KP)

¹¹But as for me, I walk in my integrity;
redeem me and be gracious to me.^(KQ)
¹²My foot stands on level ground;
in the great congregation I will bless the Lord.^(KR)

Psalm 27

Triumphant Song of Confidence

Of David.

¹The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold^[aw] of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?^(KS)

²When evildoers assail me
to devour my flesh—
my adversaries and foes—
they shall stumble and fall.^(KT)

³Though an army encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war rise up against me,
yet I will be confident.^(KU)

⁴One thing I asked of the Lord;
    this I seek:
to live in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord,
    and to inquire in his temple.^(KV)

⁵For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will set me high on a rock.^(KW)

⁶Now my head is lifted up
above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.^(KX)

⁷Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
    be gracious to me and answer me!^(KY)
⁸“Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!”
    Your face, Lord, do I seek.^(KZ)
⁹    Do not hide your face from me.

Do not turn your servant away in anger,
    you who have been my help.
Do not cast me off; do not forsake me,
    O God of my salvation!^(LA)
¹⁰If my father and mother forsake me,
    the Lord will take me up.^(LB)

¹¹Teach me your way, O Lord,
    and lead me on a level path
    because of my enemies.^(LC)
¹²Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries,
    for false witnesses have risen against me,
    and they are breathing out violence.^(LD)

¹³I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living.^(LE)
¹⁴Wait for the Lord;
    be strong, and let your heart take courage;
    wait for the Lord!^(LF)

Psalm 28

Prayer for Help and Thanksgiving for It

Of David.

¹To you, O Lord, I call;
    my rock, do not refuse to hear me,
for if you are silent to me,
    I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.^(LG)
²Hear the voice of my supplication,
    as I cry to you for help,
as I lift up my hands
    toward your most holy sanctuary.^[ax]^(LH)

³Do not drag me away with the wicked,
    with those who are workers of evil,
who speak peace with their neighbors
    while mischief is in their hearts.^(LI)
⁴Repay them according to their work
    and according to the evil of their deeds;
repay them according to the work of their hands;
    render them their due reward.^(LJ)
⁵Because they do not regard the works of the Lord
    or the work of his hands,
he will break them down and build them up no more.^(LK)

⁶Blessed be the Lord,
    for he has heard the sound of my pleadings.^(LL)
⁷The Lord is my strength and my shield;
    in him my heart trusts;
so I am helped, and my heart exults,
    and with my song I give thanks to him.^(LM)

⁸The Lord is the strength of his people;
he is the saving refuge of his anointed.^(LN)
⁹O save your people and bless your heritage;
be their shepherd and carry them forever.^(LO)

Psalm 29

The Voice of God in a Great Storm

A Psalm of David.

¹Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,^[ay]
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.^(LP)
²Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
worship the Lord in holy splendor.^(LQ)

³The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
    the God of glory thunders,
    the Lord, over mighty waters.^(LR)
⁴The voice of the Lord is powerful;
    the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.^(LS)

⁵The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.^(LT)
⁶He makes Lebanon skip like a calf
and Sirion like a young wild ox.^(LU)

⁷The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
⁸The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.^(LV)

⁹The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl^[az]
and strips the forest bare,
and in his temple all say, “Glory!”^(LW)

¹⁰The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.^(LX)
¹¹May the Lord give strength to his people!
May the Lord bless his people with peace!^(LY)

Psalm 30

Thanksgiving for Recovery from Grave Illness

A Psalm. A Song at the dedication of the temple. Of David.

¹I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up
    and did not let my foes rejoice over me.^(LZ)
²O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
    and you have healed me.^(MA)
³O Lord, you brought up my soul from Sheol,
    restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.^[ba]^(MB)

⁴Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones,
    and give thanks to his holy name.^(MC)
⁵For his anger is but for a moment;
    his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may linger for the night,
    but joy comes with the morning.^(MD)

⁶As for me, I said in my prosperity,
    “I shall never be moved.”
⁷By your favor, O Lord,
    you had established me as a strong mountain;
you hid your face;
    I was dismayed.^(ME)

⁸To you, O Lord, I cried,
    and to the Lord I made supplication:
⁹“What profit is there in my death,
    if I go down to the Pit?
Will the dust praise you?
    Will it tell of your faithfulness?^(MF)
¹⁰Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me!
    O Lord, be my helper!”^[bb]

¹¹You have turned my mourning into dancing;
    you have taken off my sackcloth
    and clothed me with joy,^(MG)
¹²so that my soul^[bc] may praise you and not be silent.
    O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.^(MH)

Psalm 31

Prayer and Praise for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

¹In you, O Lord, I seek refuge;
    do not let me ever be put to shame;
    in your righteousness deliver me.^(MI)
²Incline your ear to me;
    rescue me speedily.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
    a strong fortress to save me.^(MJ)

³You are indeed my rock and my fortress;
    for your name’s sake lead me and guide me;^(MK)
⁴take me out of the net that is hidden for me,
    for you are my refuge.^(ML)
⁵Into your hand I commit my spirit;
    you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.^(MM)

⁶You hate^[bd] those who pay regard to worthless idols,
    but I trust in the Lord.^(MN)
⁷I will exult and rejoice in your steadfast love,
    because you have seen my affliction;
    you have taken notice of my adversities^(MO)
⁸and have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
    you have set my feet in a broad place.^(MP)

⁹Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;
    my eye wastes away from grief,
    my soul and body also.
¹⁰For my life is spent with sorrow
    and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my misery,^[be]
    and my bones waste away.^(MQ)

¹¹I am the scorn of all my adversaries,
    a horror^[bf] to my neighbors,
an object of dread to my acquaintances;
    those who see me in the street flee from me.^(MR)
¹²I have passed out of mind like one who is dead;
    I have become like a broken vessel.^(MS)
¹³For I hear the whispering of many—
    terror all around!—
as they scheme together against me,
    as they plot to take my life.^(MT)

¹⁴But I trust in you, O Lord;
    I say, “You are my God.”^(MU)
¹⁵My times are in your hand;
    deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.^(MV)
¹⁶Let your face shine upon your servant;
    save me in your steadfast love.^(MW)
¹⁷Do not let me be put to shame, O Lord,
    for I call on you;
let the wicked be put to shame;
    let them go dumbfounded to Sheol.^(MX)
¹⁸Let the lying lips be stilled
    that speak insolently against the righteous
    with pride and contempt.^(MY)

¹⁹O how abundant is your goodness
    that you have laid up for those who fear you
and accomplished for those who take refuge in you,
    in the sight of everyone!^(MZ)
²⁰In the shelter of your presence you hide them
    from human plots;
you hold them safe under your shelter
    from contentious tongues.^(NA)

²¹Blessed be the Lord,
    for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me
    when I was beset as a city under siege.^(NB)
²²I had said in my alarm,
    “I am driven far^[bg] from your sight.”
But you heard my supplications
    when I cried out to you for help.^(NC)

²³Love the Lord, all you his saints.
    The Lord preserves the faithful
    but abundantly repays the one who acts haughtily.^(ND)
²⁴Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
    all you who wait for the Lord.^(NE)

Psalm 32

The Joy of Forgiveness

Of David. A Maskil.

¹Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.^(NF)
²Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.^(NG)

³While I kept silent, my body wasted away
through my groaning all day long.^(NH)
⁴For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up^[bh] as by the heat of summer. Selah^(NI)

⁵Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not hide my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah^(NJ)

⁶Therefore let all who are faithful
    offer prayer to you;
at a time of distress,^[bi] the rush of mighty waters
    shall not reach them.^(NK)
⁷You are a hiding place for me;
    you preserve me from trouble;
    you surround me with glad cries of deliverance. Selah^(NL)

⁸I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my eye upon you.^(NM)
⁹Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
    whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle,
    else it will not stay near you.^(NN)

¹⁰Many are the torments of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the Lord.^(NO)
¹¹Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.^(NP)

Psalm 33

The Greatness and Goodness of God

¹Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous.
    Praise befits the upright.^(NQ)
²Praise the Lord with the lyre;
    make melody to him with the harp of ten strings.^(NR)
³Sing to him a new song;
    play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.^(NS)

⁴For the word of the Lord is upright,
and all his work is done in faithfulness.^(NT)
⁵He loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.^(NU)

⁶By the word of the Lord the heavens were made
and all their host by the breath of his mouth.^(NV)
⁷He gathered the waters of the sea as in a bottle;
he put the deeps in storehouses.

⁸Let all the earth fear the Lord;
let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him,^(NW)
⁹for he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.^(NX)

¹⁰The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
    he frustrates the plans of the peoples.^(NY)
¹¹The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
    the thoughts of his heart to all generations.^(NZ)
¹²Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord,
    the people whom he has chosen as his heritage.^(OA)

¹³The Lord looks down from heaven;
    he sees all humankind.^(OB)
¹⁴From where he sits enthroned he watches
    all the inhabitants of the earth—
¹⁵he who fashions the hearts of them all
    and observes all their deeds.^(OC)
¹⁶A king is not saved by his great army;
    a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.^(OD)
¹⁷The war horse is a vain hope for victory,
    and by its great might it cannot save.^(OE)

¹⁸Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his steadfast love,^(OF)
¹⁹to deliver their soul from death
and to keep them alive in famine.^(OG)

²⁰Our soul waits for the Lord;
    he is our help and shield.
²¹Our heart is glad in him
    because we trust in his holy name.^(OH)
²²Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
    even as we hope in you.

Psalm 34

Praise for Deliverance from Trouble

Of David, when he feigned madness before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.

¹I will bless the Lord at all times;
    his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
²My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
    let the humble hear and be glad.^(OI)
³O magnify the Lord with me,
    and let us exalt his name together.^(OJ)

⁴I sought the Lord, and he answered me
    and delivered me from all my fears.^(OK)
⁵Look to him, and be radiant,
    so your^[bj] faces shall never be ashamed.^(OL)
⁶This poor soul cried and was heard by the Lord
    and was saved from every trouble.
⁷The angel of the Lord encamps
    around those who fear him and delivers them.^(OM)
⁸O taste and see that the Lord is good;
    happy are those who take refuge in him.^(ON)
⁹O fear the Lord, you his holy ones,
    for those who fear him have no want.^(OO)
¹⁰The young lions suffer want and hunger,
    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.^(OP)

¹¹Come, O children, listen to me;
    I will teach you the fear of the Lord.^(OQ)
¹²Which of you desires life
    and covets many days to enjoy good?^(OR)
¹³Keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from speaking deceit.^(OS)
¹⁴Depart from evil, and do good;
    seek peace, and pursue it.^(OT)

¹⁵The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
    and his ears are open to their cry.^(OU)
¹⁶The face of the Lord is against evildoers,
    to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.^(OV)
¹⁷When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
    and rescues them from all their troubles.^(OW)
¹⁸The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
    and saves the crushed in spirit.^(OX)

¹⁹Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
    but the Lord rescues them from them all.^(OY)
²⁰He keeps all their bones;
    not one of them will be broken.^(OZ)
²¹Evil brings death to the wicked,
    and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.^(PA)
²²The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
    none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.^(PB)

Psalm 35

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

Of David.

¹Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me;
    fight against those who fight against me!^(PC)
²Take hold of shield and buckler,
    and rise up to help me!
³Draw the spear and javelin
    against my pursuers;
say to my soul,
    “I am your salvation.”

⁴Let them be put to shame and dishonor
    who seek after my life.
Let them be turned back and confounded
    who devise evil against me.^(PD)
⁵Let them be like chaff before the wind,
    with the angel of the Lord driving them on.^(PE)
⁶Let their way be dark and slippery,
    with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.^(PF)

⁷For without cause they hid their net^[bk] for me;
without cause they dug a pit^[bl] for my life.^(PG)
⁸Let ruin come on them unawares,
and let the net that they hid ensnare them;
let them fall in it—to their ruin.^(PH)

⁹Then my soul shall rejoice in the Lord,
    exulting in his deliverance.^(PI)
¹⁰All my bones shall say,
    “O Lord, who is like you?
You deliver the weak
    from those too strong for them,
    the weak and needy from those who despoil them.”^(PJ)

¹¹Malicious witnesses rise up;
    they ask me about things I do not know.^(PK)
¹²They repay me evil for good;
    my soul is forlorn.^(PL)
¹³But as for me, when they were sick,
    I wore sackcloth;
    I afflicted myself with fasting.
I prayed with head bowed^[bm] on my bosom,^(PM)
¹⁴    as though I grieved for a friend or a brother;
I went about as one who laments for a mother,
    bowed down and in mourning.

¹⁵But at my stumbling they gathered in glee;
    they gathered together against me;
ruffians whom I did not know
    tore at me without ceasing;^(PN)
¹⁶they impiously mocked more and more,^[bn]
    gnashing at me with their teeth.

¹⁷How long, O Lord, will you look on?
    Rescue me from their ravages,
    my life from the lions!^(PO)
¹⁸Then I will thank you in the great congregation;
    in the mighty throng I will praise you.^(PP)

¹⁹Do not let my treacherous enemies rejoice over me
    or those who hate me without cause wink the eye.^(PQ)
²⁰For they do not speak peace,
    but they conceive deceitful words
    against those who are quiet in the land.
²¹They open wide their mouths against me;
    they say, “Aha, Aha,
    our eyes have seen it.”^(PR)

²²You have seen, O Lord; do not be silent!
    O Lord, do not be far from me!^(PS)
²³Wake up! Rouse yourself for my defense,
    for my cause, my God and my Lord!^(PT)
²⁴Vindicate me, O Lord, my God,
    according to your righteousness,
    and do not let them rejoice over me.^(PU)
²⁵Do not let them say to themselves,
    “Aha, we have our heart’s desire.”
Do not let them say, “We have swallowed you^[bo] up.”^(PV)

²⁶Let all those who rejoice at my calamity
be put to shame and confusion;
let those who exalt themselves against me
be clothed with shame and dishonor.^(PW)

²⁷Let those who desire my vindication
    shout for joy and be glad
    and say evermore,
“Great is the Lord,
    who delights in the welfare of his servant.”^(PX)
²⁸Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness
    and of your praise all day long.^(PY)

Psalm 36

Human Wickedness and Divine Goodness

To the leader. Of David, the servant of the Lord.

¹Transgression speaks to the wicked
deep in their hearts;
there is no fear of God
before their eyes.^(PZ)

Footnotes

2.12 Cn: Meaning of Heb of 2.11b and 12a is uncertain
3.2 Syr: Heb him
4.4 Or are angry
7.6 Or awake for me
7.7 Cn: Heb return
7.12 Heb he
8.4 Heb son of man
8.5 Or than the divine beings or angels
9.1 Psalms 9–10 were originally one psalm, as in the Greek and Latin traditions. In Hebrew, Psalms 9–10 formed an acrostic.
10.1 Psalms 9–10 were originally one psalm, as in the Greek and Latin traditions. In Hebrew, Psalms 9–10 formed an acrostic.
10.18 Meaning of Heb uncertain
11.1 Gk Syr Jerome Tg: Heb flee to your mountain, O bird
13.2 Syr: Heb hold counsels
16.2 Jerome Tg: Meaning of Heb uncertain
16.4 Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain
17.11 Q ms Gk: MT Our steps
18.13 Gk: Heb adds hailstones and coals of fire
18.32 Meaning of Heb uncertain
18.35 Or gentleness
18.43 Gk Tg: Heb people
19.1 Or dome
19.4 Gk Jerome Compare Syr: Heb line
19.4 Heb In them
19.13 Or from proud thoughts
20.9 Gk: Heb give victory, O Lord; let the King answer us when we call
22.15 Cn: Heb strength
22.16 Meaning of Heb uncertain
22.20 Heb my only one
22.21 Heb answered
22.22 Or kindred
22.24 Heb him
22.24 Heb he
22.26 Or afflicted
22.27 Gk Syr Jerome: Heb you
22.29 Cn: Heb They have eaten and
22.29 Cn: Heb all the fat ones
22.29 Compare Gk Syr Vg: Heb and he who cannot keep himself alive
22.31 Compare Gk: Heb it will be told about the Lord to the generation, they will come and
23.2 Heb waters of rest
23.3 Or life
23.3 Or paths of righteousness
23.4 Or the valley of the shadow of death
23.6 Or Only
23.6 Or kindness
23.6 Heb for length of days
24.6 Gk Syr: Heb your face, O Jacob
25.17 Or The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me
26.3 Or in your faithfulness
27.1 Or refuge
28.2 Heb your innermost sanctuary
29.1 Heb sons of gods
29.9 Or causes the deer to calve
30.3 Or that I should not go down to the Pit
30.10 Or The Lord heard and was gracious to me; the Lord became my helper
30.12 Heb that glory
31.6 Heb ms Gk Syr Jerome: MT I hate
31.10 Gk Syr: Heb my iniquity
31.11 Cn: Heb exceedingly
31.22 Heb mss: MT cut off
32.4 Meaning of Heb uncertain
32.6 Cn: Heb at a time of finding only
34.5 Gk Syr Jerome: Heb their
35.7 Heb a pit, their net
35.7 The word pit is transposed from the preceding line
35.13 Or My prayer turned back
35.16 Cn Compare Gk: Heb like the profanest of mockers of a cake
35.25 Heb him

Psalm 1-65

Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition

1 Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the chair of pestilence.

²But his will is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he shall meditate day and night.

³And he shall be like a tree which is planted near the running waters, which shall bring forth its fruit, in due season. And his leaf shall not fall off: and all whatsoever he shall do shall prosper.

⁴Not so the wicked, not so: but like the dust, which the wind driveth from the face of the earth.

⁵Therefore the wicked shall not rise again in judgment: nor sinners in the council of the just.

⁶For the Lord knoweth the way of the just: and the way of the wicked shall perish.

2 Why have the Gentiles raged, and the people devised vain things?

²The kings of the earth stood up, and the princes met together, against the Lord and against his Christ.

³Let us break their bonds asunder: and let us cast away their yoke from us.

⁴He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh at them: and the Lord shall deride them.

⁵Then shall he speak to them in his anger, and trouble them in his rage.

⁶But I am appointed king by him over Sion his holy mountain, preaching his commandment.

⁷The Lord hath said to me: Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee.

⁸Ask of me, and I will give thee the Gentiles for thy inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession.

⁹Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron, and shalt break them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

¹⁰And now, O ye kings, understand: receive instruction, you that judge the earth.

¹¹Serve ye the Lord with fear: and rejoice unto him with trembling.

¹²Embrace discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry, and you perish from the just way.

¹³When his wrath shall be kindled in a short time, blessed are all they that trust in him.

3 The psalm of David when he fled from the face of his son Absalom.

²Why, O Lord, are they multiplied that afflict me? many are they who rise up against me.

³Many say to my soul: There is no salvation for him in his God.

⁴But thou, O Lord art my protector, my glory, and the lifter up of my head.

⁵I have cried to the Lord with my voice: and he hath heard me from his holy hill.

⁶I have slept and taken my rest: and I have risen up, because the Lord hath protected me.

⁷I will not fear thousands of the people, surrounding me: arise, O Lord; save me, O my God.

⁸For thou hast struck all them who are my adversaries without cause: thou hast broken the teeth of sinners.

⁹Salvation is of the Lord: and thy blessing is upon thy people.

4 Unto the end, in verses. A psalm for David.

²When I called upon him, the God of my justice heard me: when I was in distress, thou hast enlarged me. Have mercy on me: and hear my prayer.

³O ye sons of men, how long will you be dull of heart? why do you love vanity, and seek after lying?

⁴Know ye also that the Lord hath made his holy one wonderful: the Lord will hear me when I shall cry unto him.

⁵Be angry, and sin not: the things you say in your hearts, be sorry for them upon your beds.

⁶Offer up the sacrifice of justice, and trust in the Lord: many say, Who sheweth us good things?

⁷The light of thy countenance O Lord, is signed upon us: thou hast given gladness in my heart.

⁸By the fruit of their corn, their wine and oil, they are multiplied.

⁹In peace in the selfsame I will sleep, and I will rest:

¹⁰For thou, O Lord, singularly hast settled me in hope.

5 Unto the end, for her that obtaineth the inheritance. A psalm of David.

²Give ear, O Lord, to my words, understand my cry.

³Hearken to the voice of my prayer, O my King and my God.

⁴For to thee will I pray: O Lord, in the morning thou shalt hear my voice.

⁵In the morning I will stand before thee, and will see: because thou art not a God that willest iniquity.

⁶Neither shall the wicked dwell near thee: nor shall the unjust abide before thy eyes.

⁷Thou hatest all the workers of iniquity: Thou wilt destroy all that speak a lie. The bloody and the deceitful man the Lord will abhor.

⁸But as for me in the multitude of thy mercy, I will come into thy house; I will worship towards thy holy temple, in thy fear.

⁹Conduct me, O Lord, in thy justice: because of my enemies, direct my way in thy sight.

¹⁰For there is no truth in their mouth; their heart is vain.

¹¹Their throat is an open sepulchre: they dealt deceitfully with their tongues: judge them, O God. Let them fall from their devices: according to the multitude of their wickedness cast them out: for they have provoked thee, O Lord.

¹²But let all them be glad that hope in thee: they shall rejoice for ever, and thou shalt dwell in them. And all they that love thy name shall glory in thee:

¹³For thou wilt bless the just. O Lord, thou hast crowned us, as with a shield of thy good will.

6 Unto the end, in verses, a psalm for David, for the octave.

²O Lord, rebuke me not in thy indignation, nor chastise me in thy wrath.

³Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak: heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled.

⁴And my soul is troubled exceedingly: but thou, O Lord, how long?

⁵Turn to me, O Lord, and deliver my soul: O save me for thy mercy's sake.

⁶For there is no one in death, that is mindful of thee: and who shall confess to thee in hell?

⁷I have laboured in my groanings, every night I will wash my bed: I will water my couch with my tears.

⁸My eye is troubled through indignation: I have grown old amongst all my enemies.

⁹Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity: for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.

¹⁰The Lord hath heard my supplication: the Lord hath received my prayer.

¹¹Let all my enemies be ashamed, and be very much troubled: let them be turned back, and be ashamed very speedily.

7 The psalm of David which he sung to the Lord for the words of Chusi the son of Jemini. [2 Kings 16.]

²O Lord my God, in thee have I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me.

³Lest at any time he seize upon my soul like a lion, while there is no one to redeem me, nor to save.

⁴O Lord my God, if I have done this thing, if there be iniquity in my hands:

⁵If I have rendered to them that repaid me evils, let me deservedly fall empty before my enemies.

⁶Let the enemy pursue my soul, and take it, and tread down my life on the earth, and bring down my glory to the dust.

⁷Rise up, O Lord, in thy anger: and be thou exalted in the borders of my enemies. And arise, O Lord my God, in the precept which thou hast commanded:

⁸And a congregation of people shall surround thee. And for their sakes return thou on high.

⁹The Lord judgeth the people. Judge me, O Lord, according to my justice, and according to my innocence in me.

¹⁰The wickedness of sinners shall be brought to nought: and thou shalt direct the just: the searcher of hearts and reins is God.

¹¹Just is my help from the Lord: who saveth the upright of heart.

¹²God is a just judge, strong and patient: is he angry every day?

¹³Except you will be converted, he will brandish his sword: he hath bent his bow and made it ready.

¹⁴And in it he hath prepared the instruments of death, he hath made ready his arrows for them that burn.

¹⁵Behold he hath been in labour with injustice; he hath conceived sorrow, and brought forth iniquity.

¹⁶He hath opened a pit and dug it; and he is fallen into the hole he made.

¹⁷His sorrow shall be turned on his own head: and his iniquity shall comedown upon his crown.

¹⁸I will give glory to the Lord according to his justice: and will sing to the name of the Lord the most high.

8 Unto the end, for the presses: a psalm of David.

²O Lord our Lord, how admirable is thy name in the whole earth! For thy magnificence is elevated above the heavens.

³Out of the mouth of infants and of sucklings thou hast perfected praise, because of thy enemies, that thou mayst destroy the enemy and the avenger.

⁴For I will behold thy heavens, the works of thy fingers: the moon and the stars which thou hast founded.

⁵What is man that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him?

⁶Thou hast made him a little less than the angels, thou hast crowned him with glory and honour:

⁷And hast set him over the works of thy hands.

⁸Thou hast subjected all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen: moreover the beasts also of the fields.

⁹The birds of the air, and the fishes of the sea, that pass through the paths of the sea.

¹⁰O Lord our Lord, how admirable is thy name in all the earth!

9 Unto the end, for the hidden things of the Son. A psalm for David.

²I will give praise to thee, O Lord, with my whole heart: I will relate all thy wonders.

³I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing to thy name, O thou most high.

⁴When my enemy shall be turned back: they shall be weakened and perish before thy face.

⁵For thou hast maintained my judgment and my cause: thou hast sat on the throne, who judgest justice.

⁶Thou hast rebuked the Gentiles, and the wicked one hath perished: thou hast blotted out their name for ever and ever.

⁷The swords of the enemy have failed unto the end: and their cities thou hast destroyed. Their memory hath perished with a noise.

⁸But the Lord remaineth for ever. He hath prepared his throne in judgment:

⁹And he shall judge the world in equity, he shall judge the people in justice.

¹⁰And the Lord is become a refuge for the poor: a helper in due time in tribulation.

¹¹And let them trust in thee who know thy name: for thou hast not forsaken them that seek thee, O Lord.

¹²Sing ye to the Lord, who dwelleth in Sion: declare his ways among the Gentiles:

¹³For requiring their blood he hath remembered the: he hath not forgotten the cry of the poor.

¹⁴Have mercy on me, O Lord: see my humiliation which I suffer from my enemies.

¹⁵Thou that liftest me up from the gates of death, that I may declare all thy praises in the gates of the daughter of Sion.

¹⁶I will rejoice in thy salvation: the Gentiles have stuck fast in the destruction which they have prepared. Their foot hath been taken in the very snare which they hid.

¹⁷The Lord shall be known when he executeth judgments: the sinner hath been caught in the works of his own hands.

¹⁸The wicked shall be turned into hell, all the nations that forget God.

¹⁹For the poor man shall not be forgotten to the end: the patience of the poor shall not perish for ever.

²⁰Arise, O Lord, let not man be strengthened: let the Gentiles be judged in thy sight.

²¹Appoint, O Lord, a lawgiver over them: that the Gentiles may know themselves to be but men.

²²Why, O Lord, hast thou retired afar off? why dost thou slight us in our wants, in the time of trouble?

²³Whilst the wicked man is proud, the poor is set on fire: they are caught in the counsels which they devise.

²⁴For the sinner is praised in the desires of his soul: and the unjust man is blessed.

²⁵The sinner hath provoked the Lord according to the multitude of his wrath he will not seek him:

²⁶God is not before his eyes: his ways are filthy at all times. Thy judgments are removed from his sight: he shall rule over all his enemies.

²⁷For he hath said in his heart: I shall not be moved from generation to generation, and shall be without evil.

²⁸His mouth is full of cursing, and of bitterness, and of deceit: under his tongue are labour and sorrow.

²⁹He sitteth in ambush with the rich in private places, that he may kill the innocent.

³⁰His eyes are upon the poor man: He lieth in wait in secret like a lion in his den. He lieth in ambush that he may catch the poor man: to catch the poor, whilst he draweth him to him.

³¹In his net he will bring him down, he will crouch and fall, when he shall have power over the poor.

³²For he hath said in his heart: God hath forgotten, he hath turned away his face not to see to the end.

³³Arise, O Lord God, let thy hand be exalted: forget not the poor.

³⁴Wherefore hath the wicked provoked God? for he hath said in his heart: He will not require it.

³⁵Thou seest it, for thou considerest labour and sorrow: that thou mayst deliver them into thy hands. To thee is the poor man left: thou wilt be a helper to the orphan.

³⁶Break thou the arm of the sinner and of the malignant: his sin shall be sought, and shall not be found.

³⁷The Lord shall reign to eternity, yea, for ever and ever: ye Gentiles shall perish from his land.

³⁸The Lord hath heard the desire of the poor: thy ear hath heard the preparation of their heart.

³⁹To judge for the fatherless and for the humble, that man may no more presume to magnify himself upon earth.

10 Unto the end. A psalm for David.

²In the Lord I put my trust: how then do you say to my soul: Get thee away from hence to the mountain like a sparrow?

³For, lo, the wicked have bent their bow; they have prepared their arrows in the quiver; to shoot in the dark the upright of heart.

⁴For they have destroyed the things which thou hast made: but what has the just man done?

⁵The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven. His eyes look on the poor man: his eyelids examine the sons of men.

⁶The Lord trieth the just and the wicked: but he that loveth iniquity hateth his own soul.

⁷He shall rain snares upon sinners: fire and brimstone and storms of winds shall be the portion of their cup.

⁸For the Lord is just, and hath loved justice: his countenance hath beheld righteousness.

11 Unto the end; for the octave, a psalm for David.

²Save me, O Lord, for there is now no saint: truths are decayed from among the children of men.

³They have spoken vain things every one to his neighbour: with deceitful lips, and with a double heart have they spoken.

⁴May the Lord destroy all deceitful lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things.

⁵Who have said: We will magnify our tongue; our lips are our own; who is Lord over us?

⁶By reason of the misery of the needy, and the groans of the poor, now will I arise, saith the Lord. I win set him in safety; I will deal confidently in his regard.

⁷The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried by the fire, purged from the earth refined seven times.

⁸Thou, O Lord, wilt preserve us: and keep us from this generation for ever.

⁹The wicked walk round about: according to thy highness, thou hast multiplied the children of men.

12 Unto the end, a psalm for David. How long, O Lord, wilt thou forget me unto the end? how long dost thou turn away thy face from me?

²How long shall I take counsels in my soul, sorrow in my heart all the day?

³How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

⁴Consider, and hear me, O Lord my God. Enlighten my eyes that I never sleep in death:

⁵Lest at any time my enemy say: I have prevailed against him. They that trouble me will rejoice when I am moved:

⁶But I have trusted in thy mercy. My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation: I will sing to the Lord, who giveth me good things: yea I will sing to the name of the Lord the most high.

13 Unto the end, a psalm for David. The fool hath said in his heart: There is no God, They are corrupt, and are become abominable in their ways: there is none that doth good, no not one.

²The Lord hath looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there be any that understand and seek God.

³They are all gone aside, they are become unprofitable together: there is none that doth good, no not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre: with their tongues they acted deceitfully; the poison of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and unhappiness in their ways: and the way of peace they have not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes.

⁴Shall not all they know that work iniquity, who devour my people as they eat bread?

⁵They have not called upon the Lord: there have they trembled for fear, where there was no fear.

⁶For the Lord is in the just generation: you have confounded the counsel of the poor man, but the Lord is his hope.

⁷Who shall give out of Sion the salvation of Israel? when the Lord shall have turned away the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice and Israel shall be glad.

14 A psalm of David. Lord, who shall dwell in thy tabernacle? or who shall rest in thy holy hill?

²He that walketh without blemish, and worketh justice:

³He that speaketh truth in his heart, who hath not used deceit in his tongue: Nor hath done evil to his neighbour: nor taken up a reproach against his neighbours.

⁴In his sight the malignant is brought to nothing: but he glorifieth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his neighbour, and deceiveth not;

⁵He that hath not put out his money to usury, nor taken bribes against the innocent: He that doth these things shall not be moved for ever.

15 The inscription of a title to David himself. Preserve me, O Lord, for I have put trust in thee.

²I have said to the Lord, thou art my God, for thou hast no need of my goods.

³To the saints, who are in his land, he hath made wonderful all my desires in them.

⁴Their infirmities were multiplied: afterwards they made haste. I will not gather together their meetings for blood offerings: nor will I be mindful of their names by my lips.

⁵The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup: it is thou that wilt restore my inheritance to me.

⁶The lines are fallen unto me in goodly places: for my inheritance is goodly to me.

⁷I will bless the Lord, who hath given me understanding: moreover my reins also have corrected me even till night.

⁸I set the Lord always in my sight: for he is at my right hand, that I be not moved.

⁹Therefore my heart hath been glad, and my tongue hath rejoiced: moreover my flesh also shall rest in hope.

¹⁰Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; nor wilt then give thy holy one to see corruption.

¹¹Thou hast made known to me the ways of life, thou shalt fill me with joy with thy countenance: at thy right hand are delights even to the end.

16 The prayer of David. Hear, O Lord, my justice: attend to my supplication. Give ear unto my prayer, which proceedeth not from deceitful lips.

²Let my judgment come forth from thy countenance: let thy eyes behold the things that are equitable.

³Thou hast proved my heart, and visited it by night, thou hast tried me by fire: and iniquity hath not been found in me.

⁴That my mouth may not speak the works of men: for the sake of the words of thy lips, I have kept hard ways.

⁵Perfect thou my goings in thy paths: that my footsteps be not moved.

⁶I have cried to thee, for thou, O God, hast heard me: O incline thy ear unto me, and hear my words.

⁷shew forth thy wonderful mercies; thou who savest them that trust in thee.

⁸From them that resist thy right hand keep me, as the apple of thy eye. Protect me under the shadow of thy wings.

⁹From the face of the wicked who have afflicted me. My enemies have surrounded my soul:

¹⁰They have shut up their fat: their mouth hath spoken proudly.

¹¹They have cast me forth and now they have surrounded me: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth.

¹²They have taken me, as a lion prepared for the prey; and as a young lion dwelling in secret places.

¹³Arise, O Lord, disappoint him and supplant him; deliver my soul from the wicked one: thy sword

¹⁴From the enemies of thy hand. O Lord, divide them from the few of the earth in their life: their belly is filled from thy hidden stores. They are full of children: and they have left to their little ones the rest of their substance.

¹⁵But as for me, I will appear before thy sight in justice: I shall be satisfied when thy glory shall appear.

17 Unto the end, for David the servant of the Lord, who spoke to the Lord the words of this canticle, in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hands of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. [2 Kings 22.]

²I will love thee, O Lord, my strength:

³The Lord is my firmament, my refuge, and my deliverer. My God is my helper, and in him will I put my trust. My protector and the horn of my salvation, and my support.

⁴Praising I will call upon the Lord: and I shall be saved from my enemies.

⁵The sorrows of death surrounded me: and the torrents of iniquity troubled me.

⁶The sorrows of hell encompassed me: and the snares of death prevented me.

⁷In my affliction I called upon the Lord, and I cried to my God: And he heard my voice from his holy temple: and my cry before him came into his ears.

⁸The earth shook and trembled: the foundations of the mountains were troubled and were moved, because he was angry with them.

⁹There went up a smoke in his wrath: and a fire flamed from his face: coals were kindled by it.

¹⁰He bowed the heavens, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.

¹¹And he ascended upon the cherubim, and he flew; he flew upon the wings of the winds.

¹²And he made darkness his covert, his pavilion round about him: dark waters in the clouds of the air.

¹³At the brightness that was before him the clouds passed, hail and coals of fire.

¹⁴And the Lord thundered from heaven, and the highest gave his voice: hail and coals of fire.

¹⁵And he sent forth his arrows, and he scattered them: he multiplied lightnings, and troubled them.

¹⁶Then the fountains of waters appeared, and the foundations of the world were discovered: At thy rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the spirit of thy wrath.

¹⁷He sent from on high, and took me: and received me out of many waters.

¹⁸He delivered me from my strongest enemies, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me.

¹⁹They prevented me in the day of my affliction: and the Lord became my protector.

²⁰And he brought me forth into a large place: he saved me, because he was well pleased with me.

²¹And the Lord will reward me according to my justice; and will repay me according to the cleanness of my hands:

²²Because I have kept the ways of the Lord; and have not done wickedly against my God.

²³For till his judgments are in my sight: and his justices I have not put away from me.

²⁴And I shall be spotless with him: and shall keep myself from my iniquity.

²⁵And the Lord will reward me according to my justice; and according to the cleanness of my hands before his eyes.

²⁶With the holy, thou wilt be holy; and with the innocent man thou wilt be innocent.

²⁷And with the elect thou wilt be elect: and with the perverse thou wilt be perverted.

²⁸For thou wilt save the humble people; but wilt bring down the eyes of the proud.

²⁹For thou lightest my lamp, O Lord: O my God enlighten my darkness.

³⁰For by thee I shall be delivered from temptation; and through my God I shall go over a wall.

³¹As for my God, his way is undefiled: the words of the Lord are fire tried: he is the protector of all that trust in him.

³²For who is God but the Lord? or who is God but our God?

³³God who hath girt me with strength; and made my way blameless.

³⁴Who hath made my feet like the feet of harts: and who setteth me upon high places.

³⁵Who teacheth my hands to war: and thou hast made my arms like a brazen bow.

³⁶And thou hast given me the protection of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath held me up: And thy discipline hath corrected me unto the end: and thy discipline, the same shall teach me.

³⁷Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; and my feet are not weakened.

³⁸I will pursue after my enemies, and overtake them: and I will not turn again till they are consumed.

³⁹I will break them, and they shall not be able to stand: they shall fall under my feet.

⁴⁰And thou hast girded me with strength unto battle; and hast subdued under me them that rose up against me.

⁴¹And thou hast made my enemies turn their back upon me, and hast destroyed them that hated me.

⁴²They cried, but there was none to save them, to the Lord: but he heard them not.

⁴³And I shall beat them as small as the dust before the wind; I shall bring them to nought, like the dirt in the streets.

⁴⁴Thou wilt deliver me from the contradictions of the people: thou wilt make me head of the Gentiles.

⁴⁵A people, which I knew not, hath served me: at the hearing of the ear they have obeyed me.

⁴⁶The children that are strangers have lied to me, strange children have faded away, and have halted from their paths.

⁴⁷The Lord liveth, and blessed be my God, and let the God of my salvation be exalted:

⁴⁸O God, who avengest me, and subduest the people under me, my deliverer from my enemies.

⁴⁹And thou wilt lift me up above them that rise up against me: from the unjust man thou wilt deliver me.

⁵⁰Therefore will I give glory to thee, O Lord, among the nations, and I will sing a psalm to thy name.

⁵¹Giving great deliverance to his king, and shewing mercy to David his anointed: and to his seed for ever.

18 Unto the end. A psalm for David.

²The heavens shew forth the glory of God, and the firmament declareth the work of his hands.

³Day to day uttereth speech, and night to night sheweth knowledge.

⁴There are no speeches nor languages, where their voices are not heard.

⁵Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth: and their words unto the ends of the world.

⁶He hath set his tabernacle in the sun: and he, as a bridegroom coming out of his bride chamber, Hath rejoiced as a giant to run the way:

⁷His going out is from the end of heaven, And his circuit even to the end thereof: and there is no one that can hide himself from his heat.

⁸The law of the Lord is unspotted, converting souls: the testimony of the Lord is faithful, giving wisdom to little ones.

⁹The justices of the Lord are right, rejoicing hearts: the commandment of the Lord is lightsome, enlightening the eyes.

¹⁰The fear of the Lord is holy, enduring for ever and ever: the judgments of the Lord are true, justified in themselves.

¹¹More to be desired than gold and many precious stones: and sweeter than honey and the honeycomb.

¹²For thy servant keepeth them, and in keeping them there is a great reward.

¹³Who can understand sins? from my secret ones cleanse me, O Lord:

¹⁴And from those of others spare thy servant. If they shall have no dominion over me, then shall I be without spot: and I shall be cleansed from the greatest sin.

¹⁵And the words of my mouth shall be such as may please: and the meditation of my heart always in thy sight. O Lord, my helper, and my redeemer.

19 Unto the end. A psalm for David.

²May the Lord hear thee in the day of tribulation: may the name of the God of Jacob protect thee.

³May he send thee help from the sanctuary: and defend thee out of Sion.

⁴May he be mindful of all thy sacrifices: and may thy whole burnt offering be made fat.

⁵May he give thee according to thy own heart; and confirm all thy counsels.

⁶We will rejoice in thy salvation; and in the name of our God we shall be exalted.

⁷The Lord fulfill all thy petitions: now have I known that the Lord hath saved his anointed. He will hear him from his holy heaven: the salvation of his right hand is in powers.

⁸Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will call upon the name of the Lord our God.

⁹They are bound, and have fallen; but we are risen, and are set upright. O Lord, save the king: and hear us in the day that we shall call upon thee.

20 Unto the end. A psalm for David.

²In thy strength, O Lord, the king shall joy; and in thy salvation he shall rejoice exceedingly.

³Thou hast given him his heart's desire: and hast not withholden from him the will of his lips.

⁴For thou hast prevented him with blessings of sweetness: thou hast set on his head a crown of precious stones.

⁵He asked life of thee: and thou hast given him length of days for ever and ever.

⁶His glory is great in thy salvation: glory and great beauty shalt thou lay upon him.

⁷For thou shalt give him to be a blessing for ever and ever: thou shalt make him joyful in gladness with thy countenance.

⁸For the king hopeth in the Lord: and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved.

⁹Let thy hand be found by all thy enemies: let thy right hand find out all them that hate thee.

¹⁰Thou shalt make them as an oven of fire, in the time of thy anger: the Lord shall trouble them in his wrath, and fire shall devour them.

¹¹Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth: and their seed from among the children of men.

¹²For they have intended evils against thee: they have devised counsels which they have not been able to establish.

¹³For thou shalt make them turn their back: in thy remnants thou shalt prepare their face.

¹⁴Be thou exalted, O Lord, in thy own strength: we will sing and praise thy power.

21 Unto the end, for the morning protection, a psalm for David.

²O God my God, look upon me: why hast thou forsaken me? Far from my salvation are the words of my sins.

³O my God, I shall cry by day, and thou wilt not hear: and by night, and it shall not be reputed as folly in me.

⁴But thou dwellest in the holy place, the praise of Israel.

⁵In thee have our fathers hoped: they have hoped, and thou hast delivered them.

⁶They cried to thee, and they were saved: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.

⁷But I am a worm, and no man: the reproach of men, and the outcast of the people.

⁸All they that saw me have laughed me to scorn: they have spoken with the lips, and wagged the head.

⁹He hoped in the Lord, let him deliver him: let him save him, seeing he delighteth in him.

¹⁰For thou art he that hast drawn me out of the womb: my hope from the breasts of my mother.

¹¹I was cast upon thee from the womb. From my mother's womb thou art my God,

¹²Depart not from me. For tribulation is very near: for there is none to help me.

¹³Many calves have surrounded me: fat bulls have besieged me.

¹⁴They have opened their mouths against me, as a lion ravening and roaring.

¹⁵I am poured out like water; and all my bones are scattered. My heart is become like wax melting in the midst of my bowels.

¹⁶My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue hath cleaved to my jaws: and thou hast brought me down into the dust of death.

¹⁷For many dogs have encompassed me: the council of the malignant hath besieged me. They have dug my hands and feet.

¹⁸They have numbered all my bones. And they have looked and stared upon me.

¹⁹They parted my garments amongst them; and upon my vesture they cast lots.

²⁰But thou, O Lord, remove not thy help to a distance from me; look towards my defence.

²¹Deliver, O God, my soul from the sword: my only one from the hand of the dog.

²²Save me from the lion's mouth; and my lowness from the horns of the unicorns.

²³I will declare thy name to my brethren: in the midst of the church will I praise thee.

²⁴Ye that fear the Lord, praise him: all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him.

²⁵Let all the seed of Israel fear him: because he hath not slighted nor despised the supplication of the poor man. Neither hath he turned away his face from me: and when I cried to him he heard me.

²⁶With thee is my praise in a great church: I will pay my vows in the sight of them that fear him.

²⁷The poor shall eat and shall be filled: and they shall praise the Lord that seek him: their hearts shall live for ever and ever.

²⁸All the ends of the earth shall remember, and shall be converted to the Lord: And all the kindreds of the Gentiles shall adore in his sight.

²⁹For the kingdom is the Lord's; and he shall have dominion over the nations.

³⁰All the fat ones of the earth have eaten and have adored: all they that go down to the earth shall fall before him.

³¹And to him my soul shall live: and my seed shall serve him.

³²There shall be declared to the Lord a generation to come: and the heavens shall shew forth his justice to a people that shall be born, which the Lord hath made.

22 A psalm for David. The Lord ruleth me: and I shall want nothing.

²He hath set me in a place of pasture. He hath brought me up, on the water of refreshment:

³He hath converted my soul. He hath led me on the paths of justice, for his own name's sake.

⁴For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they have comforted me.

⁵Thou hast prepared a table before me against them that afflict me. Thou hast anointed my head with oil; and my chalice which inebriateth me, how goodly is it!

⁶And thy mercy will follow me all the days of my life. And that I may dwell in the house of the Lord unto length of days.

23 On the first day of the week, a psalm for David. The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof: the world, and all they that dwell therein.

²For he hath founded it upon the seas; and hath prepared it upon the rivers.

³Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord: or who shall stand in his holy place?

⁴The innocent in hands, and clean of heart, who hath not taken his soul in vain, nor sworn deceitfully to his neighbour.

⁵He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, and mercy from God his Saviour.

⁶This is the generation of them that seek him, of them that seek the face of the God of Jacob.

⁷Lift up your gates, O ye princes, and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates: and the King of Glory shall enter in.

⁸Who is this King of Glory? the Lord who is strong and mighty: the Lord mighty in battle.

⁹Lift up your gates, O ye princes, and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates: and the King of Glory shall enter in.

¹⁰Who is this King of Glory? the Lord of hosts, he is the King of Glory.

24 Unto the end, a psalm for David. To thee, O Lord, have I lifted up my soul.

²In thee, O my God, I put my trust; let me not be ashamed.

³Neither let my enemies laugh at me: for none of them that wait on thee shall be confounded.

⁴Let all them be confounded that act unjust things without cause. shew, O Lord, thy ways to me, and teach me thy paths.

⁵Direct me in thy truth, and teach me; for thou art God my Saviour; and on thee have I waited all the day long.

⁶Remember, O Lord, thy bowels of compassion; and thy mercies that are from the beginning of the world.

⁷The sins of my youth and my ignorances do not remember. According to thy mercy remember thou me: for thy goodness' sake, O Lord.

⁸The Lord is sweet and righteous: therefore he will give a law to sinners in the way.

⁹He will guide the mild in judgment: he will teach the meek his ways.

¹⁰All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth, to them that seek after his covenant and his testimonies.

¹¹For thy name's sake, O Lord, thou wilt pardon my sin: for it is great.

¹²Who is the man that feareth the Lord? He hath appointed him a law in the way he hath chosen.

¹³His soul shall dwell in good things: and his seed shall inherit the land.

¹⁴The Lord is a firmament to them that fear him: and his covenant shall be made manifest to them.

¹⁵My eyes are ever towards the Lord: for he shall pluck my feet out of the snare.

¹⁶Look thou upon me, and have mercy on me; for I am alone and poor.

¹⁷The troubles of my heart are multiplied: deliver me from my necessities.

¹⁸See my abjection and my labour; and forgive me all my sins.

¹⁹Consider my enemies for they are multiplied, and have hated me with an unjust hatred.

²⁰Keep thou my soul, and deliver me: I shall not be ashamed, for I have hoped in thee.

²¹The innocent and the upright have adhered to me: because I have waited on thee.

²²Deliver Israel, O God, from all his tribulations.

25 Unto the end, a psalm for David. Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in my innocence: and I have put my trust in the Lord, and shall not be weakened.

²Prove me, O Lord, and try me; burn my reins and my heart.

³For thy mercy is before my eyes; and I am well pleased with thy truth.

⁴I have not sat with the council of vanity: neither will I go in with the doers of unjust things.

⁵I have hated the assembly of the malignant; and with the wicked I will not sit.

⁶I will wash my hands among the innocent; and will compass thy altar, O Lord:

⁷That I may hear the voice of thy praise: and tell of all thy wondrous works.

⁸I have loved, O Lord, the beauty of thy house; and the place where thy glory dwelleth.

⁹Take not away my soul, O God, with the wicked: nor my life with bloody men:

¹⁰In whose hands are iniquities: their right hand is filled with gifts.

¹¹But as for me, I have walked in my innocence: redeem me, and have mercy on me.

¹²My foot hath stood in the direct way: in the churches I will bless thee, O Lord.

26 The psalm of David before he was anointed. The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?

²Whilst the wicked draw near against me, to eat my flesh. My enemies that trouble me, have themselves been weakened, and have fallen.

³If armies in camp should stand together against me, my heart shall not fear. If a battle should rise up against me, in this will I be confident.

⁴One thing I have asked of the Lord, this will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. That I may see the delight of the Lord, and may visit his temple.

⁵For he hath hidden me in his tabernacle; in the day of evils, he hath protected me in the secret place of his tabernacle.

⁶He hath exalted me upon a rock: and now he hath lifted up my head above my enemies. I have gone round, and have offered up in his tabernacle a sacrifice of jubilation: I will sing, and recite a psalm to the Lord.

⁷Hear, O Lord, my voice, with which I have cried to thee: have mercy on me and hear me.

⁸My heart hath said to thee: My face hath sought thee: thy face, O Lord, will I still seek.

⁹Turn not away thy face from me; decline not in thy wrath from thy servant. Be thou my helper, forsake me not; do not thou despise me, O God my Saviour.

¹⁰For my father and my mother have left me: but the Lord hath taken me up.

¹¹Set me, O Lord, a law in thy way, and guide me in the right path, because of my enemies.

¹²Deliver me not over to the will of them that trouble me; for unjust witnesses have risen up against me; and iniquity hath lied to itself.

¹³I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

¹⁴Expect the Lord, do manfully, and let thy heart take courage, and wait thou for the Lord.

27 A psalm for David himself. Unto thee will I cry, O Lord: O my God, be not thou silent to me: lest thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.

²Hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication, when I pray to thee; when I lift up my hands to thy holy temple.

³Draw me not away together with the wicked; and with the workers of iniquity destroy me not: Who speak peace with their neighbour, but evils are in their hearts.

⁴Give them according to their works, and according to the wickedness of their inventions. According to the works of their hands give thou to them: render to them their reward.

⁵Because they have not understood the works of the Lord, and the operations of his hands: thou shalt destroy them, and shalt not build them up.

⁶Blessed be the Lord, for he hath heard the voice of my supplication.

⁷The Lord is my helper and my protector: in him hath my heart confided, and I have been helped. And my flesh hath flourished again, and with my will I will give praise to him.

⁸The Lord is the strength of his people, and the protector of the salvation of his anointed.

⁹Save, O Lord, thy people, and bless thy inheritance: and rule them and exalt them for ever.

28 A psalm for David, at the finishing of the tabernacle. Bring to the Lord, O ye children of God: bring to the Lord the offspring of rams.

²Bring to the Lord glory and honour: bring to the Lord glory to his name: adore ye the Lord in his holy court.

³The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of majesty hath thundered, The Lord is upon many waters.

⁴The voice of the Lord is in power; the voice of the Lord in magnificence.

⁵The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars: yea, the Lord shall break the cedars of Libanus.

⁶And shall reduce them to pieces, as a calf of Libanus, and as the beloved son of unicorns.

⁷The voice of the Lord divideth the flame of fire:

⁸The voice of the Lord shaketh the desert: and the Lord shall shake the desert of Cades.

⁹The voice of the Lord prepareth the stags: and he will discover the thick woods: and in his temple all shall speak his glory.

¹⁰The Lord maketh the flood to dwell: and the Lord shall sit king for ever. The Lord will give strength to his people: the Lord will bless his people with peace.

29 A psalm of a canticle, at the dedication of David's house.

²I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast upheld me: and hast not made my enemies to rejoice over me.

³O Lord my God, I have cried to thee, and then hast healed me.

⁴Thou hast brought forth, O Lord, my soul from hell: thou hast saved me from them that go down into the pit.

⁵Sing to the Lord, O ye his saints: and give praise to the memory of his holiness.

⁶For wrath is in his indignation; and life in his good will. In the evening weeping shall have place, and in the morning gladness.

⁷And in my abundance I said: I shall never be moved.

⁸O Lord, in thy favour, thou gavest strength to my beauty. Thou turnedst away thy face from me, and I became troubled.

⁹To thee, O Lord, will I cry: and I will make supplication to my God.

¹⁰What profit is there in my blood, whilst I go down to corruption? Shall dust confess to thee, or declare thy truth?

¹¹The Lord hath heard, and hath had mercy on me: the Lord became my helper.

¹²Thou hast turned for me my mourning into joy: thou hast cut my sackcloth, and hast compassed me with gladness:

¹³To the end that my glory may sing to thee, and I may not regret: O Lord my God, I will give praise to thee for ever.

30 Unto the end, a psalm for David, in an ecstasy.

²In thee, O Lord, have I hoped, let me never be confounded: deliver me in thy justice.

³Bow down thy ear to me: make haste to deliver me. Be thou unto me a God, a protector, and a house of refuge, to save me.

⁴For thou art my strength and my refuge; and for thy name's sake thou wilt lead me, and nourish me.

⁵Thou wilt bring me out of this snare, which they have hidden for me: for thou art my protector.

⁶Into thy hands I commend my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth.

⁷Thou hast hated them that regard vanities, to no purpose. But I have hoped in the Lord:

⁸I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy. For thou hast regarded my humility, thou hast saved my soul out of distresses.

⁹And thou hast not shut me up in the hands of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a spacious place.

¹⁰Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am afflicted: my eye is troubled with wrath, my soul, and my belly:

¹¹For my life is wasted with grief: and my years in sighs. My strength is weakened through poverty and my bones are disturbed.

¹²I am become a reproach among all my enemies, and very much to my neighbours; and a fear to my acquaintance. They that saw me without fled from me.

¹³I am forgotten as one dead from the heart. I am become as a vessel that is destroyed.

¹⁴For I have heard the blame of many that dwell round about. While they assembled together against me, they consulted to take away my life.

¹⁵But I have put my trust in thee, O Lord: I said: Thou art my God.

¹⁶My lots are in thy hands. Deliver me out of the hands of my enemies; and from them that persecute me.

¹⁷Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; save me in thy mercy.

¹⁸Let me not be confounded, O Lord, for I have called upon thee. Let the wicked be ashamed, and be brought down to hell.

¹⁹Let deceitful lips be made dumb. Which speak iniquity against the just, with pride and abuse.

²⁰O how great is the multitude of thy sweetness, O Lord, which thou hast hidden for them that fear thee! Which thou hast wrought for them that hope in thee, in the sight of the sons of men.

²¹Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy face, from the disturbance of men. Thou shalt protect them in thy tabernacle from the contradiction of tongues.

²²Blessed be the Lord, for he hath shewn his wonderful mercy to me in a fortified city.

²³But I said in the excess of my mind: I am cast away from before thy eyes. Therefore thou hast heard the voice of my prayer, when I cried to thee.

²⁴O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord will require truth, and will repay them abundantly that act proudly.

²⁵Do ye manfully, and let your heart be strengthened, all ye that hope in the Lord.

31 To David himself, understanding. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

²Blessed is the man to whom the Lord hath not imputed sin, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

³Because I was silent my bones grew old; whilst I cried out all the day long.

⁴For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: I am turned in my anguish, whilst the thorn is fastened.

⁵I have acknowledged my sin to thee, and my injustice I have not concealed. I said I will confess against myself my injustice to the Lord: and thou hast forgiven the wickedness of my sin.

⁶For this shall every one that is holy pray to thee in a seasonable time. And yet in a flood of many waters, they shall not come nigh unto him.

⁷Thou art my refuge from the trouble which hath encompassed me: my joy, deliver me from them that surround me.

⁸I will give thee understanding, and I will instruct thee in this way, in which thou shalt go: I will fix my eyes upon thee.

⁹Do not become like the horse and the mule, who have no understanding. With bit and bridle bind fast their jaws, who come not near unto thee.

¹⁰Many are the scourges of the sinner, but mercy shall encompass him that hopeth in the Lord.

¹¹Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye just, and glory, all ye right of heart.

32 A psalm for David. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye just: praise becometh the upright.

²Give praise to the Lord on the harp; sing to him with the psaltery, the instrument of ten strings.

³Sing to him a new canticle, sing well unto him with a loud noise.

⁴For the word of the Lord is right, and all his works are done with faithfulness.

⁵He loveth mercy and judgment; the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.

⁶By the word of the Lord the heavens were established; and all the power of them by the spirit of his mouth:

⁷Gathering together the waters of the sea, as in a vessel; laying up the depths in storehouses.

⁸Let all the earth fear the Lord, and let all the inhabitants of the world be in awe of him.

⁹For he spoke and they were made: he commanded and they were created.

¹⁰The Lord bringeth to naught the counsels of nations; and he rejecteth the devices of people, and casteth away the counsels of princes.

¹¹But the counsel of the Lord standeth for ever: the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

¹²Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord: the people whom he hath chosen for his inheritance.

¹³The Lord hath looked from heaven: he hath beheld all the sons of men.

¹⁴From his habitation which he hath prepared, he hath looked upon all that dwell on the earth.

¹⁵He who hath made the hearts of every one of them: who understandeth all their works.

¹⁶The king is not saved by a great army: nor shall the giant be saved by his own great strength.

¹⁷Vain is the horse for safety: neither shall he be saved by the abundance of his strength.

¹⁸Behold the eyes of the Lord are on them that fear him: and on them that hope in his mercy.

¹⁹To deliver their souls from death; and feed them in famine.

²⁰Our soul waiteth for the Lord: for he is our helper and protector.

²¹For in him our heart shall rejoice: and in his holy name we have trusted.

²²Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have hoped in thee.

33 For David, when he changed his countenance before Achimelech, who dismissed him, and he went his way. [1 Kings 21.]

²I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall be always in my mouth.

³In the Lord shall my soul be praised: let the meek hear and rejoice.

⁴O magnify the Lord with me; and let us extol his name together.

⁵I sought the Lord, and he heard me; and he delivered me from all my troubles.

⁶Come ye to him and be enlightened: and your faces shall not be confounded.

⁷This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him: and saved him out of all his troubles.

⁸The angel of the Lord shall encamp round about them that fear him: and shall deliver them.

⁹O taste, and see that the Lord is sweet: blessed is the man that hopeth in him.

¹⁰Fear the Lord, all ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.

¹¹The rich have wanted, and have suffered hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not be deprived of any good.

¹²Come, children, hearken to me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

¹³Who is the man that desireth life: who loveth to see good days?

¹⁴Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

¹⁵Turn away from evil and do good: seek after peace and pursue it.

¹⁶The eyes of the Lord are upon the just: and his ears unto their prayers.

¹⁷But the countenance of the Lord is against them that do evil things: to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

¹⁸The just cried, and the Lord heard them: and delivered them out of all their troubles.

¹⁹The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart: and he will save the humble of spirit.

²⁰Many are the afflictions of the just; but out of them all will the Lord deliver them.

²¹The Lord keepeth all their bones, not one of them shall be broken.

²²The death of the wicked is very evil: and they that hate the just shall be guilty.

²³The Lord will redeem the souls of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall offend.

34 For David himself. Judge thou, O Lord, them that wrong me: overthrow them that fight against me.

²Take hold of arms and shield: and rise up to help me.

³Bring out the sword, and shut up the way against them that persecute me: say to my soul: I am thy salvation.

⁴Let them be confounded and ashamed that seek after my soul. Let them be turned back and be confounded that devise against me.

⁵Let them become as dust before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord straiten them.

⁶Let their way become dark and slippery; and let the angel of the Lord pursue them.

⁷For without cause they have hidden their net for me unto destruction: without cause they have upbraided my soul.

⁸Let the snare which he knoweth not come upon him: and let the net which he hath hidden catch him: and let the net which he hath hidden catch him: and into that very snare let them fall.

⁹But my soul shall rejoice in the Lord; and shall be delighted in his salvation.

¹⁰All my bones shall say: Lord, who is like to thee? Who deliverest the poor from the hand of them that are stronger than he; the needy and the poor from them that strip him.

¹¹Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not.

¹²They repaid me evil for good: to the depriving me of my soul.

¹³But as for me, when they were troublesome to me, I was clothed with haircloth. I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer shall be turned into my bosom.

¹⁴As a neighbour and as an own brother, so did I please: as one mourning and sorrowful so was I humbled.

¹⁵But they rejoiced against me, and came together: scourges were gathered together upon me, and I knew not.

¹⁶They were separated, and repented not: they tempted me, they scoffed at me with scorn: they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

¹⁷Lord, when wilt thou look upon me? rescue thou soul from their malice: my only one from the lions.

¹⁸I will give thanks to thee in a great church; I will praise thee in a strong people.

¹⁹Let not them that are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: who have hated me without cause, and wink with the eyes.

²⁰For they spoke indeed peaceably to me; and speaking in the anger of the earth they devised guile.

²¹And they opened their mouth wide against me; they said: Well done, well done, our eyes have seen it.

²²Thou hast seen, O Lord, be not thou silent: O Lord, depart not from me.

²³Arise, and be attentive to my judgment: to my cause, my God, and my Lord.

²⁴Judge me, O Lord my God according to thy justice, and let them not rejoice over me.

²⁵Let them not say in their hearts: It is well, it is well, to our mind: neither let them say: We have swallowed him up.

²⁶Let them blush: and be ashamed together, who rejoice at my evils. Let them be clothed with confusion and shame, who speak great things against me.

²⁷Let them rejoice and be glad, who are well pleased with my justice, and let them say always: The Lord be magnified, who delights in the peace of his servant.

²⁸And my tongue shall meditate thy justice, thy praise all the day long.

35 Unto the end, for the servant of God, David himself.

²The unjust hath said within himself, that he would sin: there is no fear of God before his eyes.

³For in his sight he hath done deceitfully, that his iniquity may be found unto hatred.

⁴The words of his mouth are iniquity and guile: he would not understand that he might do well.

⁵He hath devised iniquity on his bed, he hath set himself on every way that is not good: but evil he hath not hated.

⁶O Lord, thy mercy is in heaven, and thy truth reacheth, even to the clouds.

⁷Thy justice is as the mountains of God, thy judgments are a great deep. Men and beasts thou wilt preserve, O Lord:

⁸O how hast thou multiplied thy mercy, O God! But the children of men shall put their trust under the covert of thy wings.

⁹They shall be inebriated with the plenty of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the torrent of thy pleasure.

¹⁰For with thee is the fountain of life; and in thy light we shall see light.

¹¹Extend thy mercy to them that know thee, and thy justice to them that are right in heart.

¹²Let not the foot of pride come to me, and let not the hand of the sinner move me.

¹³There the workers of iniquity are fallen, they are cast out, and could not stand.

36 A psalm for David himself. Be not emulous of evildoers; nor envy them that work iniquity.

²For they shall shortly wither away as grass, and as the green herbs shall quickly fall.

³Trust in the Lord, and do good, and dwell in the land, and thou shalt be fed with its riches.

⁴Delight in the Lord, and he will give thee the requests of thy heart.

⁵Commit thy way to the Lord, and trust in him, and he will do it.

⁶And he will bring forth thy justice as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

⁷Be subject to the Lord and pray to him Envy not the man who prospereth in his way; the man who doth unjust things.

⁸Cease from anger, and leave rage; have no emulation to do evil.

⁹For the evildoers shall be cut off: but they that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the land.

¹⁰For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: and thou shalt seek his place, and shalt not find it.

¹¹But the meek shall inherit the land, and shall delight in abundance of peace.

¹²The sinner shall watch the just man: and shall gnash upon him with his teeth.

¹³But the Lord shall laugh at him: for he foreseeth that his day shall come.

¹⁴The wicked have drawn out the sword: they have bent their bow. To cast down the poor and needy, to kill the upright of heart.

¹⁵Let their sword enter into their own hearts, and let their bow be broken.

¹⁶Better is a little to the just, than the great riches of the wicked.

¹⁷For the arms of the wicked shall be broken in pieces; but the Lord strengtheneth the just.

¹⁸The Lord knoweth the days of undefiled; and their inheritance shall be for ever.

¹⁹They shall not be confounded in the evil time; and in the days of famine they shall be filled:

²⁰Because the wicked shall perish. And the enemies of the Lord, presently after they shall be honoured and exalted, shall come to nothing and vanish like smoke.

²¹The sinner shall borrow, and not pay again; but the just sheweth mercy and shall give.

²²For such as bless him shall inherit the land: but such as curse him shall perish.

²³With the Lord shall the steps of a man be directed, and he shall like well his way.

²⁴When he shall fall he shall not be bruised, for the Lord putteth his hand under him.

²⁵I have been young, and now am old; and I have not seen the just forsaken, nor his seed seeking bread.

²⁶He sheweth mercy, and lendeth all the day long; and his seed shall be in blessing.

²⁷Decline from evil and do good, and dwell for ever and ever.

²⁸For the Lord loveth judgment, and will not forsake his saints: they shall be preserved for ever. The unjust shall be punished, and the seed of the wicked shall perish.

²⁹But the just shall inherit the land, and shall dwell therein for evermore.

³⁰The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom: and his tongue shall speak judgment.

³¹The law of his God is in his heart, and his steps shall not be supplanted.

³²The wicked watcheth the just man, and seeketh to put him to death,

³³But the Lord will not leave in his hands; nor condemn him when he shall be judged.

³⁴Expect the Lord and keep his way: and he will exalt thee to inherit the land: when the sinners shall perish thou shalt see.

³⁵I have seen the wicked highly exalted, and lifted up like the cedars of Libanus.

³⁶And I passed by, and lo, he was not: and I sought him and his place was not found.

³⁷Keep innocence, and behold justice: for there are remnants for the peaceable man.

³⁸But the unjust shall be destroyed together: the remnants of the wicked shall perish.

³⁹But the salvation of the just is from the Lord, and he is their protector in the time of trouble.

⁴⁰And the Lord will help them and deliver them: and he will rescue them from the wicked, and save them, because they have hoped in him.

37 A psalm for David, for a remembrance of the sabbath.

²Rebuke me not, O Lord, in thy indignation; nor chastise me in thy wrath.

³For thy arrows are fastened in me: and thy hand hath been strong upon me.

⁴There is no health in my flesh, because of thy wrath: there is no peace for my bones, because of my sins.

⁵For my iniquities are gone over my head: and as a heavy burden are become heavy upon me.

⁶My sores are putrified and corrupted, because of my foolishness.

⁷I am become miserable, and am bowed down even to the end: I walked sorrowful all the day long.

⁸For my loins are filled with illusions; and there is no health in my flesh.

⁹I am afflicted and humbled exceedingly: I roared with the groaning of my heart.

¹⁰Lord, all my desire is before thee, and my groaning is not hidden from thee.

¹¹My heart is troubled, my strength hath left me, and the light of my eyes itself is not with me.

¹²My friends and my neighbours have drawn near, and stood against me. And they that were near me stood afar off:

¹³And they that sought my soul used violence. And they that sought evils to me spoke vain things, and studied deceits all the day long.

¹⁴But I, as a deaf man, heard not: and as a dumb man not opening his mouth.

¹⁵And I became as a man that heareth not: and that hath no reproofs in his mouth.

¹⁶For in thee, O Lord, have I hoped: thou wilt hear me, O Lord my God.

¹⁷For I said: Lest at any time my enemies rejoice over me: and whilst my feet are moved, they speak great things against me.

¹⁸For I am ready for scourges: and my sorrow is continually before me.

¹⁹For I will declare my iniquity: and I will think for my sin.

²⁰But my enemies live, and are stronger that I: and they hate me wrongfully are multiplied.

²¹They that render evil for good, have detracted me, because I followed goodness.

²²Forsake me not, O Lord my God: do not thou depart from me.

²³Attend unto my help, O Lord, the God of my salvation.

38 Unto the end, for Idithun himself, a canticle of David.

²I said: I will take heed to my ways: that I sin not with my tongue. I have set guard to my mouth, when the sinner stood against me.

³I was dumb, and was humbled, and kept silence from good things: and my sorrow was renewed.

⁴My heart grew hot within me: and in my meditation a fire shall flame out.

⁵I spoke with my tongue: O Lord, make me know my end. And what is the number of my days: that I may know what is wanting to me.

⁶Behold thou hast made my days measurable: and my substance is as nothing before thee. And indeed all things are vanity: every man living.

⁷Surely man passeth as an image: yea, and he is disquieted in vain. He storeth up: and he knoweth not for whom he shall gather these things.

⁸And now what is my hope? is it not the Lord? and my substance is with thee.

⁹Deliver thou me from all my iniquities: thou hast made me a reproach to the fool.

¹⁰I was dumb, and I opened not my mouth, because thou hast done it.

¹¹Remove thy scourges from me. The strength of thy hand hath made me faint in rebukes:

¹²Thou hast corrected man for iniquity. And thou hast made his soul to waste away like a spider: surely in vain is any man disquieted.

¹³Hear my prayer, O Lord, and my supplication: give ear to my tears. Be not silent: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner as all my fathers were.

¹⁴O forgive me, that I may be refreshed, before I go hence, and be no more.

39 Unto the end, a psalm for David himself.

²With expectation I have waited for the Lord, and he was attentive to me.

³And he heard my prayers, and brought me out of the pit of misery and the mire of dregs. And he set my feet upon a rock, and directed my steps.

⁴And he put a new canticle into my mouth, a song to our God. Many shall see, and shall fear: and they shall hope in the Lord.

⁵Blessed is the man whose trust is in the name of the Lord; and who hath not had regard to vanities, and lying follies.

⁶Thou hast multiplied thy wonderful works, O Lord my God: and in thy thoughts there is no one like to thee. I have declared and I have spoken they are multiplied above number.

⁷Sacrifice and oblation thou didst not desire; but thou hast pierced ears for me. Burnt offering and sin offering thou didst not require:

⁸Then said I, Behold I come. In the head of the book it is written of me

⁹That I should do thy will: O my God, I have desired it, and thy law in the midst of my heart.

¹⁰I have declared thy justice in a great church, lo, I will not restrain my lips: O Lord, thou knowest it.

¹¹I have not hid thy justice within my heart: I have declared thy truth and thy salvation. I have not concealed thy mercy and thy truth from a great council.

¹²Withhold not thou, O Lord, thy tender mercies from me: thy mercy and thy truth have always upheld me.

¹³For evils without number have surrounded me; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I was not able to see. They are multiplied above the hairs of my head: and my heart hath forsaken me.

¹⁴Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me, look down, O Lord, to help me.

¹⁵Let them be confounded and ashamed together, that seek after my soul to take it away. Let them be turned backward and be ashamed that desire evils to me.

¹⁶Let them immediately bear their confusion, that say to me: 'T is well, 't is well.

¹⁷Let all that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say always: The Lord be magnified.

¹⁸But I am a beggar and poor: the Lord is careful for me. Thou art my helper and my protector: O my God, be not slack.

40 Unto the end, a psalm for David himself.

²Blessed is he that understandeth concerning the needy and the poor: the Lord will deliver him in the evil day.

³The Lord preserve him and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth: and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies.

⁴The Lord help him on his bed of sorrow: thou hast turned all his couch in his sickness.

⁵I said: O Lord, be thou merciful to me: heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee.

⁶My enemies have spoken evils against me: when shall he die and his name perish?

⁷And if he came in to see me, he spoke vain things: his heart gathered together iniquity to itself. He went out and spoke to the same purpose.

⁸All my enemies whispered together against me: they devised evils to me.

⁹They determined against me an unjust word: shall he that sleepeth rise again no more?

¹⁰For even the man of peace, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, hath greatly supplanted me.

¹¹But thou, O Lord, have mercy on me, and raise me up again: and I will requite them.

¹²By this I know, that thou hast had a good will for me: because my enemy shall not rejoice over me.

¹³But thou hast upheld me by reason of my innocence: and hast established me in thy sight for ever.

¹⁴Blessed by the Lord the God of Israel from eternity to eternity. So be it. So be it.

41 Unto the end, understanding for the sons of Core.

²As the hart panteth after the fountains of water; so my soul panteth after thee, O God.

³My soul hath thirsted after the strong living God; when shall I come and appear before the face of God?

⁴My tears have been my bread day and night, whilst it is said to me daily: Where is thy God?

⁵These things I remembered, and poured out my soul in me: for I shall go over into the place of the wonderful tabernacle, even to the house of God: With the voice of joy and praise; the noise of one feasting.

⁶Why art thou sad, O my soul? and why dost thou trouble me? Hope in God, for I will still give praise to him: the salvation of my countenance,

⁷And my God. My soul is troubled within myself: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan and Hermoniim, from the little hill.

⁸Deep calleth on deep, at the noise of thy flood-gates. All thy heights and thy billows have passed over me.

⁹In the daytime the Lord hath commanded his mercy; and a canticle to him in the night. With me is prayer to the God of my life.

¹⁰I will say to God: Thou art my support. Why hast thou forgotten me? and why go I mourning, whilst my enemy afflicteth me?

¹¹Whilst my bones are broken, my enemies who trouble me have reproached me; Whilst they say to me day be day: Where is thy God?

¹²Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why dost thou disquiet me? Hope thou in God, for I will still give praise to him: the salvation of my countenance, and my God.

42 A psalm for David. Judge me, O God, and distinguish my cause from the nation that is not holy: deliver me from the unjust and deceitful man.

²For thou art God my strength: why hast thou cast me off? and why do I go sorrowful whilst the enemy afflicteth me?

³Send forth thy light and thy truth: they have conducted me, and brought me unto thy holy hill, and into thy tabernacles.

⁴And I will go in to the altar of God: to God who giveth joy to my youth.

⁵To thee, O God my God, I will give praise upon the harp: why art thou sad, O my soul? and why dost thou disquiet me?

⁶Hope in God, for I will still give praise to him: the salvation of my countenance, and my God.

43 Unto the end, for the sons of Core, to give understanding.

²We have heard, O God, with our ears: our fathers have declared to us, The work, thou hast wrought in their days, and in the days of old.

³Thy hand destroyed the Gentiles, and thou plantedst them: thou didst afflict the people and cast them out.

⁴For they got not the possession of the land by their own sword: neither did their own arm save them. But thy right hand and thy arm, and the light of thy countenance: because thou wast pleased with them.

⁵Thou art thyself my king and my God, who commandest the saving of Jacob.

⁶Through thee we will push down our enemies with the horn: and through thy name we will despise them that rise up against us.

⁷For I will not trust in my bow: neither shall my sword save me.

⁸But thou hast saved us from them that afflict us: and hast put them to shame that hate us.

⁹In God shall we glory all the day long: and in thy name we will give praise for ever.

¹⁰But now thou hast cast us off, and put us to shame: and thou, O God, wilt not go out with our armies.

¹¹Thou hast made us turn our back to our enemies: and they that hated us plundered for themselves.

¹²Thou hast given us up like sheep to be eaten: thou hast scattered us among the nations.

¹³Thou hast sold thy people for no price: and there was no reckoning in the exchange of them.

¹⁴Thou hast made us a reproach to our neighbours, a scoff and derision to them that are round about us.

¹⁵Thou hast made us a byword among the Gentiles: a shaking of the head among the people.

¹⁶All the day long my shame is before me: and the confusion of my face hath covered me,

¹⁷At the voice of him that reproacheth and detracteth me: at the face of the enemy and persecutor.

¹⁸All these things have come upon us, yet we have not forgotten thee: and we have not done wickedly in they covenant.

¹⁹And our heart hath not turned back: neither hast thou turned aside our steps from thy way.

²⁰For thou hast humbled us in the place of affliction: and the shadow of death hath covered us.

²¹If we have forgotten the name of our God, and if we have spread forth our hands to a strange god:

²²Shall not God search out these things: for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. Because for thy sake we are killed all the day long: we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

²³Arise, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, and cast us not off to the end.

²⁴Why turnest thou face away? and forgettest our want and our trouble?

²⁵For our soul is humbled down to the dust: our belly cleaveth to the earth.

²⁶Arise, O Lord, help us and redeem us for thy name's sake.

44 Unto the end, for them that shall be changed, for the sons of Core, for understanding. A canticle for the Beloved.

²My heart hath uttered a good word I speak my works to the king; My tongue is the pen of a scrivener that writeth swiftly.

³Thou art beautiful above the sons of men: grace is poured abroad in thy lips; therefore hath God blessed thee for ever.

⁴Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O thou most mighty.

⁵With thy comeliness and thy beauty set out, proceed prosperously, and reign. Because of truth and meekness and justice: and thy right hand shall conduct thee wonderfully.

⁶Thy arrows are sharp: under thee shall people fall, into the hearts of the king's enemies.

⁷Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a sceptre of uprightness.

⁸Thou hast loved justice, and hated iniquity: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

⁹Myrrh and stacte and cassia perfume thy garments, from the ivory houses: out of which

¹⁰The daughters of kings have delighted thee in thy glory. The queen stood on thy right hand, in gilded clothing; surrounded with variety.

¹¹Hearken, O daughter, and see, and incline thy ear: and forget thy people and thy father's house.

¹²And the king shall greatly desire thy beauty; for he is the Lord thy God, and him they shall adore.

¹³And the daughters of Tyre with gifts, yea, all the rich among the people, shall entreat thy countenance.

¹⁴All the glory of the king's daughter is within in golden borders,

¹⁵Clothed round about with varieties. After her shall virgins be brought to the king: her neighbours shall be brought to thee.

¹⁶They shall be brought with gladness and rejoicing: they shall be brought into the temple of the king.

¹⁷Instead of thy fathers, sons are born to thee: thou shalt make them princes over all the earth.

¹⁸They shall remember thy name throughout all generations. Therefore shall people praise thee for ever; yea, for ever and ever.

45 Unto the end, for the sons of Core, for the hidden.

²Our God is our refuge and strength: a helper in troubles, which have found us exceedingly.

³Therefore we will not fear, when the earth shall be troubled; and the mountains shall be removed into the heart of the sea.

⁴Their waters roared and were troubled: the mountains were troubled with his strength.

⁵The stream of the river maketh the city of God joyful: the most High hath sanctified his own tabernacle.

⁶God is in the midst thereof, it shall not be moved: God will help it in the morning early.

⁷Nations were troubled, and kingdoms were bowed down: he uttered his voice, the earth trembled.

⁸The Lord of armies is with us: the God of Jacob is our protector.

⁹Come and behold ye the works of the Lord: what wonders he hath done upon earth,

¹⁰Making wars to cease even to the end of the earth. He shall destroy the bow, and break the weapons: and the shield he shall burn in the fire.

¹¹Be still and see that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, and I will be exalted in the earth.

¹²The Lord of armies is with us: the God of Jacob is our protector.

46 Unto the end, for the sons of Core.

²O clap your hands, all ye nations: shout unto God with the voice of Joy,

³For the Lord is high, terrible: a great king over all the earth.

⁴He hath subdued the people under us; and the nations under our feet.

⁵He hath chosen for us his inheritance the beauty of Jacob which he hath loved.

⁶God is ascended with jubilee, and the Lord with the sound of trumpet.

⁷Sing praises to our God, sing ye: sing praises to our king, sing ye.

⁸For God is the king of all the earth: sing ye wisely.

⁹God shall reign over the nations: God sitteth on his holy throne.

¹⁰The princes of the people are gathered together, with the God of Abraham: for the strong gods of the earth are exceedingly exalted.

47 A psalm of a canticle, for the sons of Core, on the second day of the week.

²Great is the Lord, and exceedingly to be praised in the city of our God, in his holy mountain.

³With the joy of the whole earth is mount Sion founded, on the sides of the north, the city of the great king.

⁴In her houses shall God be known, when he shall protect her.

⁵For behold the kings of the earth assembled themselves: they gathered together.

⁶So they saw, and they wondered, they were troubled, they were moved:

⁷Trembling took hold of them. There were pains as of a woman in labour.

⁸With a vehement wind thou shalt break in pieces the ships of Tharsis.

⁹As we have heard, so have we seen, in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God: God hath founded it for ever.

¹⁰We have received thy mercy, O God, in the midst of thy temple.

¹¹According to thy name, O God, so also is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of justice.

¹²Let mount Sion rejoice, and the daughters of Juda be glad; because of thy judgments, O Lord.

¹³Surround Sion, and encompass her: tell ye in her towers.

¹⁴Set your hearts on her strength; and distribute her houses, that ye may relate it in another generation.

¹⁵For this is God, our God unto eternity, and for ever and ever: he shall rule us for evermore.

48 Unto the end, a psalm for the sons of Core.

²Hear these things, all ye nations: give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world.

³All you that are earthborn, and you sons of men: both rich and poor together.

⁴My mouth shall speak wisdom: and the meditation of my heart understanding.

⁵I will incline my ear to a parable; I will open my proposition on the psaltery.

⁶Why shall I fear in the evil day? the iniquity of my heel shall encompass me.

⁷They that trust in their own strength, and glory in the multitude of their riches,

⁸No brother can redeem, nor shall man redeem: he shall not give to God his ransom,

⁹Nor the price of the redemption of his soul: and shall labour for ever,

¹⁰And shall still live unto the end.

¹¹He shall not see destruction, when he shall see the wise dying: the senseless and the fool shall perish together: And they shall leave their riches to strangers:

¹²And their sepulchres shall be their houses for ever. Their dwelling places to all generations: they have called their lands by their names.

¹³And man when he was in honour did not understand; he is compared to senseless beasts, and is become like to them.

¹⁴This way of theirs is a stumblingblock to them: and afterwards they shall delight in their mouth.

¹⁵They are laid in hell like sheep: death shall feed upon them. And the just shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their help shall decay in hell from their glory.

¹⁶But God will redeem my soul from the hand of hell, when he shall receive me.

¹⁷Be not thou afraid, when a man shall be made rich, and when the glory of his house shall be increased.

¹⁸For when he shall die he shall take nothing away; nor shall his glory descend with him.

¹⁹For in his lifetime his soul will be blessed: and he will praise thee when thou shalt do well to him.

²⁰He shall go in to the generations of his fathers: and he shall never see light.

²¹Man when he was in honour did not understand: he hath been compared to senseless beasts, and made like to them.

49 A psalm for Asaph. The God of gods, the Lord hath spoken: and he hath called the earth. From the rising of the sun, to the going down thereof:

²Out of Sion the loveliness of his beauty.

³God shall come manifestly: our God shall come, and shall not keep silence. A fire shall burn before him: and a mighty tempest shall be round about him.

⁴He shall call heaven from above, and the earth, to judge his people.

⁵Gather ye together his saints to him: who set his covenant before sacrifices.

⁶And the heavens shall declare his justice: for God is judge.

⁷Hear, O my people, and I will speak: O Israel, and I will testify to thee: I am God, thy God.

⁸I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices: and thy burnt offerings are always in my sight.

⁹I will not take calves out of thy house: nor he goats out of thy flocks.

¹⁰For all the beasts of the woods are mine: the cattle on the hills, and the oxen.

¹¹I know all the fowls of the air: and with me is the beauty of the field.

¹²If I should be hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.

¹³Shall I eat the flesh of bullocks? or shall I drink the blood of goats?

¹⁴Offer to God the sacrifice of praise: and pay thy vows to the most High.

¹⁵And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

¹⁶But to the sinner God hath said: Why dost thou declare my justices, and take my covenant in thy mouth?

¹⁷Seeing thou hast hated discipline: and hast cast my words behind thee.

¹⁸If thou didst see a thief thou didst run with him: and with adulterers thou hast been a partaker.

¹⁹Thy mouth hath abounded with evil, and thy tongue framed deceits.

²⁰Sitting thou didst speak against thy brother, and didst lay a scandal against thy mother's son:

²¹These things hast thou done, and I was silent. Thou thoughtest unjustly that I should be like to thee: but I will reprove thee, and set before thy face.

²²Understand these things, you that forget God; lest he snatch you away, and there be none to deliver you.

²³The sacrifice of praise shall glorify me: and there is the way by which I will shew him the salvation of God.

50 Unto the end, a psalm of David,

²When Nathan the prophet came to him after he had sinned with Bethsabee.

³Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy. And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquity.

⁴Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

⁵For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me.

⁶To thee only have I sinned, and have done evil before thee: that thou mayst be justified in thy words and mayst overcome when thou art judged.

⁷For behold I was conceived in iniquities; and in sins did my mother conceive me.

⁸For behold thou hast loved truth: the uncertain and hidden things of thy wisdom thou hast made manifest to me.

⁹Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.

¹⁰To my hearing thou shalt give joy and gladness: and the bones that have been humbled shall rejoice.

¹¹Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

¹²Create a clean heart in me, O God: and renew a right spirit within my bowels.

¹³Cast me not away from thy face; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

¹⁴Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and strengthen me with a perfect spirit.

¹⁵I will teach the unjust thy ways: and the wicked shall be converted to thee.

¹⁶Deliver me from blood, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall extol thy justice.

¹⁷O Lord, thou wilt open my lips: and my mouth shall declare thy praise.

¹⁸For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it: with burnt offerings thou wilt not be delighted.

¹⁹A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit: a contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

²⁰Deal favourably, O Lord, in thy good will with Sion; that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.

²¹Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations and whole burnt offerings: then shall they lay calves upon thy altar.

51 Unto the end, understanding for David,

²When Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul David went to the house of Achimelech. [1 Kings 22.]

³Why dost thou glory in malice, thou that art mighty in iniquity?

⁴All the day long thy tongue hath devised injustice: as a sharp razor, thou hast wrought deceit.

⁵Thou hast loved malice more than goodness: and iniquity rather than to speak righteousness.

⁶Thou hast loved all the words of ruin, O deceitful tongue.

⁷Therefore will God destroy thee for ever: he will pluck thee out, and remove thee from thy dwelling place: and thy root out of the land of the living.

⁸The just shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, and say:

⁹Behold the man that made not God his helper: But trusted in the abundance of his riches: and prevailed in his vanity.

¹⁰But I, as a fruitful olive tree in the house of God, have hoped in the mercy of God for ever, yea for ever and ever.

¹¹I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name, for it is good in the sight of thy saints.

52 Unto the end, for Maeleth, understandings to David. The fool said in his heart: There is no God.

²They are corrupted, and become abominable in iniquities: there is none that doth good.

³God looked down from heaven on the children of men: to see if there were any that did understand, or did seek God.

⁴All have gone aside, they are become unprofitable together, there is none that doth good, no not one.

⁵Shall not all the workers of iniquity know, who eat up my people as they eat bread?

⁶They have not called upon God: there have they trembled for fear, where there was no fear. For God hath scattered the bones of them that please men: they have been confounded, because God hath despised them.

⁷Who will give out of Sion the salvation of Israel? when God shall bring back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

53 Unto the end, In verses, understanding for David.

²When the men of Ziph had come and said to Saul: Is not David hidden with us?

³Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me in thy strength.

⁴O God, hear my prayer: give ear to the words of my mouth.

⁵For strangers have risen up against me; and the mighty have sought after my soul: and they have not set God before their eyes.

⁶For behold God is my helper: and the Lord is the protector of my soul.

⁷Turn back the evils upon my enemies; and cut them off in thy truth.

⁸I will freely sacrifice to thee, and will give praise, O God, to thy name: because it is good:

⁹For thou hast delivered me out of all trouble: and my eye hath looked down upon my enemies.

54 Unto the end, in verses, understanding for David.

²Hear, O God, my prayer, and despise not my supplication:

³Be attentive to me and hear me. I am grieved in my exercise; and am troubled,

⁴At the voice of the enemy, and at the tribulation of the sinner. For they have cast iniquities upon me: and in wrath they were troublesome to me.

⁵My heart is troubled within me: and the fear of death is fallen upon me.

⁶Fear and trembling are come upon me: and darkness hath covered me.

⁷And I said: Who will give me wings like a dove, and I will fly and be at rest?

⁸Lo, I have gone far off flying away; and I abode in the wilderness.

⁹I waited for him that hath saved me from pusillanimity of spirit, and a storm.

¹⁰Cast down, O Lord, and divide their tongues; for I have seen iniquity and contradiction in the city.

¹¹Day and night shall iniquity surround it upon its walls: and in the midst thereof are labour,

¹²And injustice. And usury and deceit have not departed from its streets.

¹³For if my enemy had reviled me, I would verily have borne with it. And if he that hated me had spoken great things against me, I would perhaps have hidden myself from him.

¹⁴But thou a man of one mind, my guide, and my familiar,

¹⁵Who didst take sweetmeats together with me: in the house of God we walked with consent.

¹⁶Let death come upon them, and let them go down alive into hell. For there is wickedness in their dwellings: in the midst of them.

¹⁷But I have cried to God: and the Lord will save me.

¹⁸Evening and morning, and at noon I will speak and declare: and he shall hear my voice.

¹⁹He shall redeem my soul in peace from them that draw near to me: for among many they were with me.

²⁰God shall hear, and the Eternal shall humble them. For there is no change with them, and they have not feared God:

²¹He hath stretched forth his hand to repay. They have defiled his covenant,

²²They are divided by the wrath Of his countenance, and his heart hath drawn near. His words are smoother than oil, and the same are darts.

²³Cast thy care upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall not suffer the just to waver for ever.

²⁴But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee, O Lord.

55 Unto the end, for a people that is removed at a distance from the sanctuary for David, for an inscription of a title (or pillar) when the Philistines held him in Geth.

²Have mercy on me, O God, for man hath trodden me under foot; all the day long he hath afflicted me fighting against me.

³My enemies have trodden on me all the day long; for they are many that make war against me.

⁴From the height of the day I shall fear: but I will trust in thee.

⁵In God I will praise my words, in God I have put my trust: I will not fear what flesh can do against me.

⁶All the day long they detested my words: all their thoughts were against me unto evil.

⁷They will dwell and hide themselves: they will watch my heel. As they have waited for my soul,

⁸For nothing shalt thou save them: in thy anger thou shalt break the people in pieces, O God,

⁹I have declared to thee my life: thou hast set my tears in thy sight, As also in thy promise.

¹⁰Then shall my enemies be turned back. In what day soever I shall call upon thee, behold I know thou art my God.

¹¹In God will I praise the word, in the Lord will I praise his speech. In God have I hoped, I will not fear what man can do to me.

¹²In me, O God, are vows to thee, which I will pay, praises to thee:

¹³Because thou hast delivered my soul from death, my feet from falling: that I may please in the sight of God, in the light of the living.

56 Unto the end, destroy not, for David, for an inscription of a title, when he fled from Saul into the cave. [1 Kings 24.]

²Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me: for my soul trusteth in thee. And in the shadow of thy wings will I hope, until iniquity pass away.

³I will cry to God the most High; to God who hath done good to me.

⁴He hath sent from heaven and delivered me: he hath made them a reproach that trod upon me. God hath sent his mercy and his truth,

⁵And he hath delivered my soul from the midst of the young lions. I slept troubled. The sons of men, whose teeth are weapons and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

⁶Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens, and thy glory above all the earth.

⁷They prepared a snare for my feet; and they bowed down my soul. They dug a pit before my face, and they are fallen into it.

⁸My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready: I will Sing, and rehearse a psalm.

⁹Arise, O my glory, arise psaltery and harp: I will arise early.

¹⁰I will give praise to thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing a psalm to thee among the nations.

¹¹For thy mercy is magnified even to the heavens: and thy truth unto the clouds.

¹²Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth.

57 Unto the end, destroy not, for David, for an inscription of a title.

²If in very deed you speak justice: judge right things, ye sons of men.

³For in your heart you work iniquity: your hands forge injustice in the earth.

⁴The wicked are alienated from the womb; they have gone astray from the womb: they have spoken false things.

⁵Their madness is according to the likeness of a serpent: like the deaf asp that stoppeth her ears:

⁶Which will not hear the voice of the charmers; nor of the wizard that charmeth wisely.

⁷God shall break in pieces their teeth in their mouth: the Lord shall break the grinders of the lions.

⁸They shall come to nothing, like water running down; he hath bent his bow till they be weakened.

⁹Like wax that melteth they shall be taken away: fire hath fallen on them, and they shall not see the sun.

¹⁰Before your thorns could know the brier; he swalloweth them up, as alive, in his wrath.

¹¹The just shall rejoice when he shall see the revenge: he shall wash his hands in the blood of the sinner.

¹²And man shall say: If indeed there be fruit to the just: there is indeed a God that judgeth them on the earth.

58 Unto the end, destroy not, for David for an inscription of It title, when Saul sent and watched his house to kill him.

²Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; and defend me from them that rise up against me.

³Deliver me from them that work iniquity, and save me from bloody men.

⁴For behold they have caught my soul: the mighty have rushed in upon me:

⁵Neither is it my iniquity, nor my sin, O Lord: without iniquity have I run, and directed my steps.

⁶Rise up thou to meet me, and behold: even thou, O Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel. Attend to visit all the nations: have no mercy on all them that work iniquity.

⁷They shall return at evening, and shall suffer hunger like dogs: and shall go round about the city.

⁸Behold they shall speak with their mouth, and a sword is in their lips: for who, say they, hath heard us?

⁹But thou, O Lord, shalt laugh at them: thou shalt bring all the nations to nothing.

¹⁰I will keep my strength to thee: for thou art my protector:

¹¹My God, his mercy shall prevent me.

¹²God shall let me see over my enemies: slay them not, lest at any time my people forget. Scatter them by thy power; and bring them down, O Lord, my protector:

¹³For the sin of their mouth, and the word of their lips: and let them be taken in their pride. And for their cursing and lying they shall be talked of,

¹⁴When they are consumed: when they are consumed by thy wrath, and they shall be no more. And they shall know that God will rule Jacob, and all the ends of the earth.

¹⁵They shall return at evening and shall suffer hunger like dogs: and shall go round about the city.

¹⁶They shall be scattered abroad to eat, and shall murmur if they be not filled.

¹⁷But I will sing thy strength: and will extol thy mercy in the morning. For thou art become my support, and my refuge, in the day of my trouble.

¹⁸Unto thee, O my helper, will I sing, for thou art God my defence: my God my mercy.

59 Unto the end, for them that shall be changed, for the inscription of a title, to David himself, for doctrine,

²When he set fire to Mesopotamia of Syria and Sobal and Joab returned and slew of Edom, in the vale of the saltpits, twelve thousand men.

³O God, thou hast cast us off, and hast destroyed us; thou hast been angry, and hast had mercy on us.

⁴Thou hast moved the earth, and hast troubled it: heal thou the breaches thereof, for it has been moved.

⁵Thou hast shewn thy people hard things; thou hast made us drink wine of sorrow.

⁶Thou hast given a warning to them that fear thee: that they may flee from before the bow: That thy beloved may be delivered.

⁷Save me with thy right hand, and hear me.

⁸God hath spoken in his holy place: I will rejoice, and I will divide Sichem; and will mete out the vale of tabernacles.

⁹Galaad is mine, and Manasses is mine: and Ephraim is the strength of my head. Juda is my king:

¹⁰Moab is the pot of my hope. Into Edom will I stretch out my shoe: to me the foreigners are made subject.

¹¹Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom?

¹²Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go out with our armies?

¹³Give us help from trouble: for vain is the salvation of man.

¹⁴Through God we shall do mightily: and he shall bring to nothing them that afflict us.

60 Unto the end, in hymns, for David.

²Hear, O God, my supplication: be attentive to my prayer,

³To thee have I cried from the ends of the earth: when my heart was in anguish, thou hast exalted me on a rock. Thou hast conducted me;

⁴For thou hast been my hope; a tower of strength against the face of the enemy.

⁵In thy tabernacle I shall dwell for ever: I shall be protected under the covert of thy wings.

⁶For thou, my God, hast heard my prayer: thou hast given an inheritance to them that fear thy name.

⁷Thou wilt add days to the days of the king: his years even to generation and generation.

⁸He abideth for ever in the sight of God: his mercy and truth who shall search?

⁹So will I sing a psalm to thy name for ever and ever: that I may pay my vows from day to day.

61 Unto the end, for Idithun, a psalm of David.

²Shall not my soul be subject to God? for from him is my salvation.

³For he is my God and my saviour: he is my protector, I shall be moved no more.

⁴How long do you rush in upon a man? you all kill, as if you were thrusting down a leaning wall, and a tottering fence.

⁵But they have thought to cast away my price; I ran in thirst: they blessed with their mouth, but cursed with their heart.

⁶But be thou, O my soul, subject to God: for from him is my patience.

⁷For he is my God and my saviour: he is my helper, I shall not be moved.

⁸In God is my salvation and my glory: he is the God of my help, and my hope is in God.

⁹Trust in him, all ye congregation of people: pour out your hearts before him. God is our helper for ever.

¹⁰But vain are the sons of men, the sons of men are liars in the balances: that by vanity they may together deceive.

¹¹Trust not in iniquity, and cover not robberies: if riches abound, set not your heart upon them.

¹²God hath spoken once, these two things have I heard, that power belongeth to God,

¹³And mercy to thee, O Lord; for thou wilt render to every man according to his works.

62 A psalm of David when he was in the desert of Edom.

²O God, my God, to thee do I watch at break of day. For thee my soul hath thirsted; for thee my flesh, O how many ways!

³In a desert land, and where there is no way, and no water: so in the sanctuary have I come before thee, to see thy power and thy glory.

⁴For thy mercy is better than lives: thee my lips shall praise.

⁵Thus will I bless thee all my life long: and in thy name I will lift up my hands.

⁶Let my soul be filled as with marrow and fatness: and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips.

⁷If I have remembered thee upon my bed, I will meditate on thee in the morning:

⁸Because thou hast been my helper. And I will rejoice under the covert of thy wings:

⁹My soul hath stuck close to thee: thy right hand hath received me.

¹⁰But they have sought my soul in vain, they shall go into the lower parts of the earth:

¹¹They shall be delivered into the hands of the sword, they shall be the portions of foxes.

¹²But the king shall rejoice in God, all they shall be praised that swear by him: because the mouth is stopped of them that speak wicked things.

63 Unto the end, a psalm for David.

²Hear, O God, my prayer, when I make supplication to thee: deliver my soul from the fear of the enemy.

³Thou hast protected me from the assembly of the malignant; from the multitude of the workers of iniquity.

⁴For they have whetted their tongues like a sword; they have bent their bow a bitter thing,

⁵To shoot in secret the undefiled.

⁶They will shoot at him on a sudden, and will not fear: they are resolute in wickedness. They have talked of hiding snares; they have said: Who shall see them?

⁷They have searched after iniquities: they have failed in their search. Man shall come to a deep heart:

⁸And God shall be exalted. The arrows of children are their wounds:

⁹And their tongues against them are made weak. All that saw them were troubled;

¹⁰And every man was afraid. And they declared the works of God: and understood his doings.

¹¹The just shall rejoice in the Lord, and shall hope in him: and all the upright in heart shall be praised.

64 To the end, a psalm of David. The canticle of Jeremias and Ezechiel to the people of the captivity, when they began to go out.

²A Hymn, O God, becometh thee in Sion: and a vow shall be paid to thee in Jerusalem.

³O hear my prayer: all flesh shall come to thee.

⁴The words of the wicked have prevailed over us: and thou wilt pardon our transgressions.

⁵Blessed is he whom thou hast chosen and taken to thee: he shall dwell in thy courts. We shall be filled with the good things of thy house; holy is thy temple,

⁶Wonderful in justice. Hear us, O God our saviour, who art the hope of all the ends of the earth, and in the sea afar off.

⁷Thou who preparest the mountains by thy strength, being girded with power:

⁸Who troublest the depth of the sea, the noise of its waves. The Gentiles shall be troubled,

⁹And they that dwell in the uttermost borders shall be afraid at thy signs: thou shalt make the outgoings of the morning and of the evening to be joyful.

¹⁰Thou hast visited the earth, and hast plentifully watered it; thou hast many ways enriched it. The river of God is filled with water, thou hast prepared their food: for so is its preparation.

¹¹Fill up plentifully the streams thereof, multiply its fruits; it shall spring up and rejoice in its showers.

¹²Thou shalt bless the crown of the year of thy goodness: and thy fields shall be filled with plenty.

¹³The beautiful places of the wilderness shall grow fat: and the hills shall be girded about with joy,

¹⁴The rams of the flock are clothed, and the vales shall abound with corn: they shall shout, yea they shall sing a hymn.

65 Unto the end, a canticle of a psalm of the resurrection. Shout with joy to God, all the earth,

²Sing ye a psalm to his name; give glory to his praise.

³Say unto God, How terrible are thy works, O Lord! in the multitude of thy strength thy enemies shall lie to thee.

⁴Let all the earth adore thee, and sing to thee: let it sing a psalm to thy name.

⁵Come and see the works of God; who is terrible in his counsels over the sons of men.

⁶Who turneth the sea into dry land, in the river they shall pass on foot: there shall we rejoice in him.

⁷Who by his power ruleth for ever: his eyes behold the nations; let not them that provoke him he exalted in themselves.

⁸O bless our God, ye Gentiles: and make the voice of his praise to be heard.

⁹Who hath set my soul to live: and hath not suffered my feet to be moved:

¹⁰For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us by fire, as silver is tried.

¹¹Thou hast brought us into a net, thou hast laid afflictions on our back:

¹²Thou hast set men over our heads. We have passed through fire and water, and thou hast brought us out into a refreshment.

¹³I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows,

¹⁴Which my lips have uttered, And my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.

¹⁵I will offer up to thee holocausts full of marrow, with burnt offerings of rams: I will offer to thee bullocks with goats.

¹⁶Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what great things he hath done for my soul.

¹⁷I cried to him with my mouth: and I extolled him with my tongue.

¹⁸If I have looked at iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.

¹⁹Therefore hath God heard me, and hath attended to the voice of my supplication.

Psalm 1-71

The Message

1 How well God must like you—
    you don’t walk in the ruts of those blind-as-bats,
    you don’t stand with the good-for-nothings,
    you don’t take your seat among the know-it-alls.

^2-3Instead you thrill to God’s Word,
    you chew on Scripture day and night.
You’re a tree replanted in Eden,
    bearing fresh fruit every month,
Never dropping a leaf,
    always in blossom.

^4-5You’re not at all like the wicked,
who are mere windblown dust—
Without defense in court,
unfit company for innocent people.

⁶God charts the road you take.
The road they take leads to nowhere.
2 ^1-6Why the big noise, nations?
Why the mean plots, peoples?
Earth-leaders push for position,
Demagogues and delegates meet for summit talks,
The God-deniers, the Messiah-defiers:
“Let’s get free of God!
Cast loose from Messiah!”
Heaven-throned God breaks out laughing.
At first he’s amused at their presumption;
Then he gets good and angry.
Furiously, he shuts them up:
“Don’t you know there’s a King in Zion? A coronation banquet
Is spread for him on the holy summit.”

^7-9Let me tell you what God said next.
He said, “You’re my son,
And today is your birthday.
What do you want? Name it:
Nations as a present? continents as a prize?
You can command them all to dance for you,
Or throw them out with tomorrow’s trash.”

^10-12So, rebel-kings, use your heads;
Upstart-judges, learn your lesson:
Worship God in adoring embrace,
Celebrate in trembling awe. Kiss Messiah!
Your very lives are in danger, you know;
His anger is about to explode,
But if you make a run for God—you won’t regret it!
3 ^1-2God! Look! Enemies past counting!
Enemies sprouting like mushrooms,
Mobs of them all around me, roaring their mockery:
“Hah! No help for him from God!”

^3-4But you, God, shield me on all sides;
You ground my feet, you lift my head high;
With all my might I shout up to God,
His answers thunder from the holy mountain.

^5-6I stretch myself out. I sleep.
Then I’m up again—rested, tall and steady,
Fearless before the enemy mobs
Coming at me from all sides.

⁷Up, God! My God, help me!
Slap their faces,
First this cheek, then the other,
Your fist hard in their teeth!

⁸Real help comes from God.
Your blessing clothes your people!
4 When I call, give me answers. God, take my side!
Once, in a tight place, you gave me room;
Now I’m in trouble again: grace me! hear me!

²You rabble—how long do I put up with your scorn?
How long will you lust after lies?
How long will you live crazed by illusion?

³Look at this: look
Who got picked by God!
He listens the split second I call to him.

^4-5Complain if you must, but don’t lash out.
Keep your mouth shut, and let your heart do the talking.
Build your case before God and wait for his verdict.

^6-7Why is everyone hungry for more? “More, more,” they say.
“More, more.”
I have God’s more-than-enough,
More joy in one ordinary day

^7-8Than they get in all their shopping sprees.
At day’s end I’m ready for sound sleep,
For you, God, have put my life back together.
5 ^1-3Listen, God! Please, pay attention!
    Can you make sense of these ramblings,
    my groans and cries?
    King-God, I need your help.
Every morning
    you’ll hear me at it again.
Every morning
    I lay out the pieces of my life
    on your altar
    and watch for fire to descend.

^4-6You don’t socialize with Wicked,
    or invite Evil over as your houseguest.
Hot-Air-Boaster collapses in front of you;
    you shake your head over Mischief-Maker.
God destroys Lie-Speaker;
    Blood-Thirsty and Truth-Bender disgust you.

^7-8And here I am, your invited guest—
    it’s incredible!
I enter your house; here I am,
    prostrate in your inner sanctum,
Waiting for directions
    to get me safely through enemy lines.

^9-10Every word they speak is a land mine;
    their lungs breathe out poison gas.
Their throats are gaping graves,
    their tongues slick as mudslides.
Pile on the guilt, God!
    Let their so-called wisdom wreck them.
Kick them out! They’ve had their chance.

^11-12But you’ll welcome us with open arms
    when we run for cover to you.
Let the party last all night!
    Stand guard over our celebration.
You are famous, God, for welcoming God-seekers,
    for decking us out in delight.
6 ^1-2Please, God, no more yelling,
    no more trips to the woodshed.
Treat me nice for a change;
    I’m so starved for affection.

^2-3Can’t you see I’m black-and-blue,
beaten up badly in bones and soul?
God, how long will it take
for you to let up?

^4-5Break in, God, and break up this fight;
if you love me at all, get me out of here.
I’m no good to you dead, am I?
I can’t sing in your choir if I’m buried in some tomb!

^6-7I’m tired of all this—so tired. My bed
    has been floating forty days and nights
On the flood of my tears.
    My mattress is soaked, soggy with tears.
The sockets of my eyes are black holes;
    nearly blind, I squint and grope.

^8-9Get out of here, you Devil’s crew:
at last God has heard my sobs.
My requests have all been granted,
my prayers are answered.

¹⁰Cowards, my enemies disappear.
Disgraced, they turn tail and run.
7 ^1-2God! God! I am running to you for dear life;
    the chase is wild.
If they catch me, I’m finished:
    ripped to shreds by foes fierce as lions,
    dragged into the forest and left
    unlooked for, unremembered.

^3-5God, if I’ve done what they say—
    betrayed my friends,
    ripped off my enemies—
If my hands are really that dirty,
    let them get me, walk all over me,
    leave me flat on my face in the dirt.

^6-8Stand up, God; pit your holy fury
    against my furious enemies.
Wake up, God. My accusers have packed
    the courtroom; it’s judgment time.
Take your place on the bench, reach for your gavel,
    throw out the false charges against me.
I’m ready, confident in your verdict:
    “Innocent.”

^9-11Close the book on Evil, God,
    but publish your mandate for us.
You get us ready for life:
    you probe for our soft spots,
    you knock off our rough edges.
And I’m feeling so fit, so safe:
    made right, kept right.
God in solemn honor does things right,
    but his nerves are sandpapered raw.

^11-13Nobody gets by with anything.
    God is already in action—
Sword honed on his whetstone,
    bow strung, arrow on the string,
Lethal weapons in hand,
    each arrow a flaming missile.

¹⁴Look at that guy!
    He had sex with sin,
    he’s pregnant with evil.
Oh, look! He’s having
    the baby—a Lie-Baby!

^15-16See that man shoveling day after day,
    digging, then concealing, his man-trap
    down that lonely stretch of road?
Go back and look again—you’ll see him in it headfirst,
    legs waving in the breeze.
That’s what happens:
    mischief backfires;
    violence boomerangs.

¹⁷I’m thanking God, who makes things right.
I’m singing the fame of heaven-high God.
8 God, brilliant Lord,
yours is a household name.

²Nursing infants gurgle choruses about you;
toddlers shout the songs
That drown out enemy talk,
and silence atheist babble.

^3-4I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous,
    your handmade sky-jewelry,
Moon and stars mounted in their settings.
    Then I look at my micro-self and wonder,
Why do you bother with us?
    Why take a second look our way?

^5-8Yet we’ve so narrowly missed being gods,
    bright with Eden’s dawn light.
You put us in charge of your handcrafted world,
    repeated to us your Genesis-charge,
Made us stewards of sheep and cattle,
    even animals out in the wild,
Birds flying and fish swimming,
    whales singing in the ocean deeps.

⁹God, brilliant Lord,
    your name echoes around the world.
9 ^1-2I’m thanking you, God, from a full heart,
    I’m writing the book on your wonders.
I’m whistling, laughing, and jumping for joy;
    I’m singing your song, High God.

^3-4The day my enemies turned tail and ran,
they stumbled on you and fell on their faces.
You took over and set everything right;
when I needed you, you were there, taking charge.

^5-6You blow the whistle on godless nations;
    you throw dirty players out of the game,
    wipe their names right off the roster.
Enemies disappear from the sidelines,
    their reputation trashed,
    their names erased from the halls of fame.

^7-8God holds the high center,
he sees and sets the world’s mess right.
He decides what is right for us earthlings,
gives people their just deserts.

^9-10God’s a safe-house for the battered,
a sanctuary during bad times.
The moment you arrive, you relax;
you’re never sorry you knocked.

^11-12Sing your songs to Zion-dwelling God,
    tell his stories to everyone you meet:
How he tracks down killers
    yet keeps his eye on us,
    registers every whimper and moan.

^13-14Be kind to me, God;
    I’ve been kicked around long enough.
Once you’ve pulled me back
    from the gates of death,
I’ll write the book on Hallelujahs;
    on the corner of Main and First
    I’ll hold a street meeting;
I’ll be the song leader; we’ll fill the air
    with salvation songs.

^15-16They’re trapped, those godless countries,
    in the very snares they set,
Their feet all tangled
    in the net they spread.
They have no excuse;
    the way God works is well-known.
The shrewd machinery made by the wicked
    has maimed their own hands.

^17-20The wicked bought a one-way
    ticket to hell.
No longer will the poor be nameless—
    no more humiliation for the humble.
Up, God! Aren’t you fed up with their empty strutting?
    Expose these grand pretensions!
Shake them up, God!
    Show them how silly they look.
10 ^1-2God, are you avoiding me?
    Where are you when I need you?
Full of hot air, the wicked
    are hot on the trail of the poor.
Trip them up, tangle them up
    in their fine-tuned plots.

^3-4The wicked are windbags,
    the swindlers have foul breath.
The wicked snub God,
    their noses stuck high in the air.
Their graffiti are scrawled on the walls:
    “Catch us if you can!” “God is dead.”

^5-6They care nothing for what you think;
if you get in their way, they blow you off.
They live (they think) a charmed life:
“We can’t go wrong. This is our lucky year!”

^7-8They carry a mouthful of spells,
their tongues spit venom like adders.
They hide behind ordinary people,
then pounce on their victims.

⁹They mark the luckless,
then wait like a hunter in a blind;
When the poor wretch wanders too close,
they stab him in the back.

^10-11The hapless fool is kicked to the ground,
the unlucky victim is brutally axed.
He thinks God has dumped him,
he’s sure that God is indifferent to his plight.

^12-13Time to get up, God—get moving.
    The luckless think they’re Godforsaken.
They wonder why the wicked scorn God
    and get away with it,
Why the wicked are so cocksure
    they’ll never come up for audit.

¹⁴But you know all about it—
    the contempt, the abuse.
I dare to believe that the luckless
    will get lucky someday in you.
You won’t let them down:
    orphans won’t be orphans forever.

^15-16Break the wicked right arms,
    break all the evil left arms.
Search and destroy
    every sign of crime.
God’s grace and order wins;
    godlessness loses.

^17-18The victim’s faint pulse picks up;
    the hearts of the hopeless pump red blood
    as you put your ear to their lips.
Orphans get parents,
    the homeless get homes.
The reign of terror is over,
    the rule of the gang lords is ended.
11 ^1-3I’ve already run for dear life
    straight to the arms of God.
So why would I run away now
    when you say,

“Run to the mountains; the evil
    bows are bent, the wicked arrows
Aimed to shoot under cover of darkness
    at every heart open to God.
The bottom’s dropped out of the country;
    good people don’t have a chance”?

^4-6But God hasn’t moved to the mountains;
    his holy address hasn’t changed.
He’s in charge, as always, his eyes
    taking everything in, his eyelids
Unblinking, examining Adam’s flesh and blood
    inside and out, not missing a thing.
He tests the good and the bad alike;
    if anyone cheats, God’s outraged.
Fail the test and you’re out,
    out in a hail of firestones,
Drinking from a canteen
    filled with hot desert wind.

⁷God’s business is putting things right;
he loves getting the lines straight,
Setting us straight. Once we’re standing tall,
we can look him straight in the eye.
12 ^1-2Quick, God, I need your helping hand!
The last decent person just went down,
All the friends I depended on gone.
Everyone talks in lie language;
Lies slide off their oily lips.
They doubletalk with forked tongues.

^3-4Slice their lips off their faces! Pull
The braggart tongues from their mouths!
I’m tired of hearing, “We can talk anyone into anything!
Our lips manage the world.”

⁵Into the hovels of the poor,
Into the dark streets where the homeless groan, God speaks:
“I’ve had enough; I’m on my way
To heal the ache in the heart of the wretched.”

^6-8God’s words are pure words,
Pure silver words refined seven times
In the fires of his word-kiln,
Pure on earth as well as in heaven.
God, keep us safe from their lies,
From the wicked who stalk us with lies,
From the wicked who collect honors
For their wonderful lies.
13 ^1-2Long enough, God—
    you’ve ignored me long enough.
I’ve looked at the back of your head
    long enough. Long enough
I’ve carried this ton of trouble,
    lived with a stomach full of pain.
Long enough my arrogant enemies
    have looked down their noses at me.

^3-4Take a good look at me, God, my God;
I want to look life in the eye,
So no enemy can get the best of me
or laugh when I fall on my face.

^5-6I’ve thrown myself headlong into your arms—
    I’m celebrating your rescue.
I’m singing at the top of my lungs,
    I’m so full of answered prayers.
14 Bilious and bloated, they gas,
    “God is gone.”
Their words are poison gas,
    fouling the air; they poison
Rivers and skies;
    thistles are their cash crop.

²God sticks his head out of heaven.
    He looks around.
He’s looking for someone not stupid—
    one man, even, God-expectant,
    just one God-ready woman.

³He comes up empty. A string
    of zeros. Useless, unshepherded
Sheep, taking turns pretending
    to be Shepherd.
The ninety and nine
    follow their fellow.

⁴Don’t they know anything,
    all these predators?
Don’t they know
    they can’t get away with this—
Treating people like a fast-food meal
    over which they’re too busy to pray?

^5-6Night is coming for them, and nightmares,
    for God takes the side of victims.
Do you think you can mess
    with the dreams of the poor?
You can’t, for God
    makes their dreams come true.

⁷Is there anyone around to save Israel?
    Yes. God is around; God turns life around.
Turned-around Jacob skips rope,
    turned-around Israel sings laughter.
15 God, who gets invited
    to dinner at your place?
How do we get on your guest list?

²“Walk straight,
act right,
tell the truth.

^3-4“Don’t hurt your friend,
don’t blame your neighbor;
despise the despicable.

⁵“Keep your word even when it costs you,
make an honest living,
never take a bribe.

“You’ll never get
blacklisted
if you live like this.”
16 ^1-2Keep me safe, O God,
I’ve run for dear life to you.
I say to God, “Be my Lord!”
Without you, nothing makes sense.

³And these God-chosen lives all around—
what splendid friends they make!

⁴Don’t just go shopping for a god.
Gods are not for sale.
I swear I’ll never treat god-names
like brand-names.

^5-6My choice is you, God, first and only.
And now I find I’m your choice!
You set me up with a house and yard.
And then you made me your heir!

^7-8The wise counsel God gives when I’m awake
is confirmed by my sleeping heart.
Day and night I’ll stick with God;
I’ve got a good thing going and I’m not letting go.

^9-10I’m happy from the inside out,
and from the outside in, I’m firmly formed.
You canceled my ticket to hell—
that’s not my destination!

¹¹Now you’ve got my feet on the life path,
    all radiant from the shining of your face.
Ever since you took my hand,
    I’m on the right way.
17 ^1-2Listen while I build my case, God,
    the most honest prayer you’ll ever hear.
Show the world I’m innocent—
    in your heart you know I am.

³Go ahead, examine me from inside out,
surprise me in the middle of the night—
You’ll find I’m just what I say I am.
My words don’t run loose.

^4-5I’m not trying to get my way
    in the world’s way.
I’m trying to get your way,
    your Word’s way.
I’m staying on your trail;
    I’m putting one foot
In front of the other.
    I’m not giving up.

^6-7I call to you, God, because I’m sure of an answer.
    So—answer! bend your ear! listen sharp!
Paint grace-graffiti on the fences;
    take in your frightened children who
Are running from the neighborhood bullies
    straight to you.

^8-9Keep your eye on me;
hide me under your cool wing feathers
From the wicked who are out to get me,
from mortal enemies closing in.

^10-14Their hearts are hard as nails,
    their mouths blast hot air.
They are after me, nipping my heels,
    determined to bring me down,
Lions ready to rip me apart,
    young lions poised to pounce.
Up, God: beard them! break them!
    By your sword, free me from their clutches;
Barehanded, God, break these mortals,
    these flat-earth people who can’t think beyond today.

I’d like to see their bellies
    swollen with famine food,
The weeds they’ve sown
    harvested and baked into famine bread,
With second helpings for their children
    and crusts for their babies to chew on.

¹⁵And me? I plan on looking
    you full in the face. When I get up,
I’ll see your full stature
    and live heaven on earth.
18 ^1-2I love you, God—
    you make me strong.
God is bedrock under my feet,
    the castle in which I live,
    my rescuing knight.
My God—the high crag
    where I run for dear life,
    hiding behind the boulders,
    safe in the granite hideout.

³I sing to God, the Praise-Lofty,
and find myself safe and saved.

^4-5The hangman’s noose was tight at my throat;
devil waters rushed over me.
Hell’s ropes cinched me tight;
death traps barred every exit.

⁶A hostile world! I call to God,
    I cry to God to help me.
From his palace he hears my call;
    my cry brings me right into his presence—
    a private audience!

^7-15Earth wobbles and lurches;
    huge mountains shake like leaves,
Quake like aspen leaves
    because of his rage.
His nostrils flare, bellowing smoke;
    his mouth spits fire.
Tongues of fire dart in and out;
    he lowers the sky.
He steps down;
    under his feet an abyss opens up.
He’s riding a winged creature,
    swift on wind-wings.
Now he’s wrapped himself
    in a trenchcoat of black-cloud darkness.
But his cloud-brightness bursts through,
    spraying hailstones and fireballs.
Then God thundered out of heaven;
    the High God gave a great shout,
    spraying hailstones and fireballs.
God shoots his arrows—pandemonium!
    He hurls his lightnings—a rout!
The secret sources of ocean are exposed,
    the hidden depths of earth lie uncovered
The moment you roar in protest,
    let loose your hurricane anger.

^16-19But me he caught—reached all the way
    from sky to sea; he pulled me out
Of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos,
    the void in which I was drowning.
They hit me when I was down,
    but God stuck by me.
He stood me up on a wide-open field;
    I stood there saved—surprised to be loved!

^20-24God made my life complete
    when I placed all the pieces before him.
When I got my act together,
    he gave me a fresh start.
Now I’m alert to God’s ways;
    I don’t take God for granted.
Every day I review the ways he works;
    I try not to miss a trick.
I feel put back together,
    and I’m watching my step.
God rewrote the text of my life
    when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.

^25-27The good people taste your goodness,
The whole people taste your health,
The true people taste your truth,
The bad ones can’t figure you out.
You take the side of the down-and-out,
But the stuck-up you take down a notch.

^28-29Suddenly, God, you floodlight my life;
I’m blazing with glory, God’s glory!
I smash the bands of marauders,
I vault the highest fences.

³⁰What a God! His road
stretches straight and smooth.
Every God-direction is road-tested.
Everyone who runs toward him
Makes it.

^31-42Is there any god like God?
    Are we not at bedrock?
Is not this the God who armed me,
    then aimed me in the right direction?
Now I run like a deer;
    I’m king of the mountain.
He shows me how to fight;
    I can bend a bronze bow!
You protect me with salvation-armor;
    you hold me up with a firm hand,
    caress me with your gentle ways.
You cleared the ground under me
    so my footing was firm.
When I chased my enemies I caught them;
    I didn’t let go till they were dead men.
I nailed them; they were down for good;
    then I walked all over them.
You armed me well for this fight,
    you smashed the upstarts.
You made my enemies turn tail,
    and I wiped out the haters.
They cried “uncle”
    but Uncle didn’t come;
They yelled for God
    and got no for an answer.
I ground them to dust; they gusted in the wind.
    I threw them out, like garbage in the gutter.

^43-45You rescued me from a squabbling people;
    you made me a leader of nations.
People I’d never heard of served me;
    the moment they got wind of me they listened.
The foreign devils gave up; they came
    on their bellies, crawling from their hideouts.

^46-48Live, God! Blessings from my Rock,
    my free and freeing God, towering!
This God set things right for me
    and shut up the people who talked back.
He rescued me from enemy anger,
    he pulled me from the grip of upstarts,
He saved me from the bullies.

^49-50That’s why I’m thanking you, God,
    all over the world.
That’s why I’m singing songs
    that rhyme your name.
God’s king takes the trophy;
    God’s chosen is beloved.
I mean David and all his children—
    always.
19 ^1-2God’s glory is on tour in the skies,
    God-craft on exhibit across the horizon.
Madame Day holds classes every morning,
    Professor Night lectures each evening.

^3-4Their words aren’t heard,
their voices aren’t recorded,
But their silence fills the earth:
unspoken truth is spoken everywhere.

^4-5God makes a huge dome
    for the sun—a superdome!
The morning sun’s a new husband
    leaping from his honeymoon bed,
The daybreaking sun an athlete
    racing to the tape.

⁶That’s how God’s Word vaults across the skies
from sunrise to sunset,
Melting ice, scorching deserts,
warming hearts to faith.

^7-9The revelation of God is whole
    and pulls our lives together.
The signposts of God are clear
    and point out the right road.
The life-maps of God are right,
    showing the way to joy.
The directions of God are plain
    and easy on the eyes.
God’s reputation is twenty-four-carat gold,
    with a lifetime guarantee.
The decisions of God are accurate
    down to the nth degree.

¹⁰God’s Word is better than a diamond,
better than a diamond set between emeralds.
You’ll like it better than strawberries in spring,
better than red, ripe strawberries.

^11-14There’s more: God’s Word warns us of danger
    and directs us to hidden treasure.
Otherwise how will we find our way?
    Or know when we play the fool?
Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh!
    Keep me from stupid sins,
    from thinking I can take over your work;
Then I can start this day sun-washed,
    scrubbed clean of the grime of sin.
These are the words in my mouth;
    these are what I chew on and pray.
Accept them when I place them
    on the morning altar,
O God, my Altar-Rock,
    God, Priest-of-My-Altar.
20 ^1-4God answer you on the day you crash,
The name God-of-Jacob put you out of harm’s reach,
Send reinforcements from Holy Hill,
Dispatch from Zion fresh supplies,
Exclaim over your offerings,
Celebrate your sacrifices,
Give you what your heart desires,
Accomplish your plans.

⁵When you win, we plan to raise the roof
and lead the parade with our banners.
May all your wishes come true!

⁶That clinches it—help’s coming,
an answer’s on the way,
everything’s going to work out.

^7-8See those people polishing their chariots,
    and those others grooming their horses?
    But we’re making garlands for God our God.
The chariots will rust,
    those horses pull up lame—
    and we’ll be on our feet, standing tall.

⁹Make the king a winner, God;
    the day we call, give us your answer.
21 ^1-7Your strength, God, is the king’s strength.
    Helped, he’s hollering Hosannas.
You gave him exactly what he wanted;
    you didn’t hold back.
You filled his arms with gifts;
    you gave him a right royal welcome.
He wanted a good life; you gave it to him,
    and then made it a long life as a bonus.
You lifted him high and bright as a cumulus cloud,
    then dressed him in rainbow colors.
You pile blessings on him;
    you make him glad when you smile.
Is it any wonder the king loves God?
    that he’s sticking with the Best?

^8-12With a fistful of enemies in one hand
    and a fistful of haters in the other,
You radiate with such brilliance
    that they cringe as before a furnace.
Now the furnace swallows them whole,
    the fire eats them alive!
You purge the earth of their progeny,
    you wipe the slate clean.
All their evil schemes, the plots they cook up,
    have fizzled—every one.
You sent them packing;
    they couldn’t face you.

¹³Show your strength, God, so no one can miss it.
    We are out singing the good news!
22 ^1-2God, God . . . my God!
    Why did you dump me
    miles from nowhere?
Doubled up with pain, I call to God
    all the day long. No answer. Nothing.
I keep at it all night, tossing and turning.

^3-5And you! Are you indifferent, above it all,
    leaning back on the cushions of Israel’s praise?
We know you were there for our parents:
    they cried for your help and you gave it;
    they trusted and lived a good life.

^6-8And here I am, a nothing—an earthworm,
    something to step on, to squash.
Everyone pokes fun at me;
    they make faces at me, they shake their heads:
“Let’s see how God handles this one;
    since God likes him so much, let him help him!”

^9-11And to think you were midwife at my birth,
    setting me at my mother’s breasts!
When I left the womb you cradled me;
    since the moment of birth you’ve been my God.
Then you moved far away
    and trouble moved in next door.
I need a neighbor.

^12-13Herds of bulls come at me,
the raging bulls stampede,
Horns lowered, nostrils flaring,
like a herd of buffalo on the move.

^14-15I’m a bucket kicked over and spilled,
    every joint in my body has been pulled apart.
My heart is a blob
    of melted wax in my gut.
I’m dry as a bone,
    my tongue black and swollen.
They have laid me out for burial
    in the dirt.

^16-18Now packs of wild dogs come at me;
    thugs gang up on me.
They pin me down hand and foot,
    and lock me in a cage—a bag
Of bones in a cage, stared at
    by every passerby.
They take my wallet and the shirt off my back,
    and then throw dice for my clothes.

^19-21You, God—don’t put off my rescue!
    Hurry and help me!
Don’t let them cut my throat;
    don’t let those mongrels devour me.
If you don’t show up soon,
    I’m done for—gored by the bulls,
    meat for the lions.

^22-24Here’s the story I’ll tell my friends when they come to worship,
    and punctuate it with Hallelujahs:
Shout Hallelujah, you God-worshipers;
    give glory, you sons of Jacob;
    adore him, you daughters of Israel.
He has never let you down,
    never looked the other way
    when you were being kicked around.
He has never wandered off to do his own thing;
    he has been right there, listening.

^25-26Here in this great gathering for worship
    I have discovered this praise-life.
And I’ll do what I promised right here
    in front of the God-worshipers.
Down-and-outers sit at God’s table
    and eat their fill.
Everyone on the hunt for God
    is here, praising him.
“Live it up, from head to toe.
    Don’t ever quit!”

^27-28From the four corners of the earth
    people are coming to their senses,
    are running back to God.
Long-lost families
    are falling on their faces before him.
God has taken charge;
    from now on he has the last word.

²⁹All the power-mongers are before him
    —worshiping!
All the poor and powerless, too
    —worshiping!
Along with those who never got it together
    —worshiping!

^30-31Our children and their children
    will get in on this
As the word is passed along
    from parent to child.
Babies not yet conceived
    will hear the good news—
    that God does what he says.
23 ^1-3God, my shepherd!
    I don’t need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
    you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word,
    you let me catch my breath
    and send me in the right direction.

⁴Even when the way goes through
    Death Valley,
I’m not afraid
    when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd’s crook
    makes me feel secure.

⁵You serve me a six-course dinner
right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head;
my cup brims with blessing.

⁶Your beauty and love chase after me
    every day of my life.
I’m back home in the house of God
    for the rest of my life.
24 ^1-2God claims Earth and everything in it,
    God claims World and all who live on it.
He built it on Ocean foundations,
    laid it out on River girders.

^3-4Who can climb Mount God?
    Who can scale the holy north-face?
Only the clean-handed,
    only the pure-hearted;
Men who won’t cheat,
    women who won’t seduce.

^5-6God is at their side;
with God’s help they make it.
This, Jacob, is what happens
to God-seekers, God-questers.

⁷Wake up, you sleepyhead city!
Wake up, you sleepyhead people!
King-Glory is ready to enter.

⁸Who is this King-Glory?
God, armed
and battle-ready.

⁹Wake up, you sleepyhead city!
Wake up, you sleepyhead people!
King-Glory is ready to enter.

¹⁰Who is this King-Glory?
God-of-the-Angel-Armies:
he is King-Glory.
25 ^1-2My head is high, God, held high;
I’m looking to you, God;
No hangdog skulking for me.

³I’ve thrown in my lot with you;
You won’t embarrass me, will you?
Or let my enemies get the best of me?

Don’t embarrass any of us
Who went out on a limb for you.
It’s the traitors who should be humiliated.

⁴Show me how you work, God;
School me in your ways.

⁵Take me by the hand;
Lead me down the path of truth.
You are my Savior, aren’t you?

⁶Mark the milestones of your mercy and love, God;
Rebuild the ancient landmarks!

⁷Forget that I sowed wild oats;
Mark me with your sign of love.
Plan only the best for me, God!

⁸God is fair and just;
He corrects the misdirected,
Sends them in the right direction.

⁹He gives the rejects his hand,
And leads them step-by-step.

¹⁰From now on every road you travel
Will take you to God.
Follow the Covenant signs;
Read the charted directions.

¹¹Keep up your reputation, God;
Forgive my bad life;
It’s been a very bad life.

¹²My question: What are God-worshipers like?
Your answer: Arrows aimed at God’s bull’s-eye.

¹³They settle down in a promising place;
Their kids inherit a prosperous farm.

¹⁴God-friendship is for God-worshipers;
They are the ones he confides in.

¹⁵If I keep my eyes on God,
I won’t trip over my own feet.

¹⁶Look at me and help me!
I’m all alone and in big trouble.

¹⁷My heart and mind are fighting each other;
Call a truce to this civil war.

¹⁸Take a hard look at my life of hard labor,
Then lift this ton of sin.

¹⁹Do you see how many people
Have it in for me?
How viciously they hate me?

²⁰Keep watch over me and keep me out of trouble;
Don’t let me down when I run to you.

²¹Use all your skill to put me together;
I wait to see your finished product.

²²God, give your people a break
From this run of bad luck.
26 Clear my name, God;
I’ve kept an honest shop.
I’ve thrown in my lot with you, God, and
I’m not budging.

²Examine me, God, from head to foot,
order your battery of tests.
Make sure I’m fit
inside and out

³So I never lose
sight of your love,
But keep in step with you,
never missing a beat.

^4-5I don’t hang out with tricksters,
I don’t pal around with thugs;
I hate that pack of gangsters,
I don’t deal with double-dealers.

^6-7I scrub my hands with purest soap,
    then join hands with the others in the great circle,
    dancing around your altar, God,
Singing God-songs at the top of my lungs,
    telling God-stories.

^8-10God, I love living with you;
    your house glows with your glory.
When it’s time for spring cleaning,
    don’t sweep me out with the quacks and crooks,
Men with bags of dirty tricks,
    women with purses stuffed with bribe-money.

^11-12You know I’ve been aboveboard with you;
    now be aboveboard with me.
I’m on the level with you, God;
    I bless you every chance I get.
27 Light, space, zest—
    that’s God!
So, with him on my side I’m fearless,
    afraid of no one and nothing.

²When vandal hordes ride down
ready to eat me alive,
Those bullies and toughs
fall flat on their faces.

³When besieged,
I’m calm as a baby.
When all hell breaks loose,
I’m collected and cool.

⁴I’m asking God for one thing,
    only one thing:
To live with him in his house
    my whole life long.
I’ll contemplate his beauty;
    I’ll study at his feet.

⁵That’s the only quiet, secure place
in a noisy world,
The perfect getaway,
far from the buzz of traffic.

⁶God holds me head and shoulders
    above all who try to pull me down.
I’m headed for his place to offer anthems
    that will raise the roof!
Already I’m singing God-songs;
    I’m making music to God.

^7-9Listen, God, I’m calling at the top of my lungs:
    “Be good to me! Answer me!”
When my heart whispered, “Seek God,”
    my whole being replied,
“I’m seeking him!”
    Don’t hide from me now!

^9-10You’ve always been right there for me;
    don’t turn your back on me now.
Don’t throw me out, don’t abandon me;
    you’ve always kept the door open.
My father and mother walked out and left me,
    but God took me in.

^11-12Point me down your highway, God;
    direct me along a well-lighted street;
    show my enemies whose side you’re on.
Don’t throw me to the dogs,
    those liars who are out to get me,
    filling the air with their threats.

^13-14I’m sure now I’ll see God’s goodness
    in the exuberant earth.
Stay with God!
    Take heart. Don’t quit.
I’ll say it again:
    Stay with God.
28 Don’t turn a deaf ear
    when I call you, God.
If all I get from you is
    deafening silence,
I’d be better off
    in the Black Hole.

²I’m letting you know what I need,
calling out for help
And lifting my arms
toward your inner sanctuary.

^3-4Don’t shove me into
    the same jail cell with those crooks,
With those who are
    full-time employees of evil.
They talk a good line of “peace,”
    then moonlight for the Devil.

Pay them back for what they’ve done,
for how bad they’ve been.
Pay them back for their long hours
in the Devil’s workshop;
Then cap it with a huge bonus.

⁵Because they have no idea how God works
or what he is up to,
God will smash them to smithereens
and walk away from the ruins.

^6-7Blessed be God—
he heard me praying.
He proved he’s on my side;
I’ve thrown my lot in with him.

Now I’m jumping for joy,
and shouting and singing my thanks to him.

^8-9God is all strength for his people,
    ample refuge for his chosen leader;
Save your people
    and bless your heritage.
Care for them;
    carry them like a good shepherd.
29 ^1-2Bravo, God, bravo!
    Gods and all angels shout, “Encore!”
In awe before the glory,
    in awe before God’s visible power.
Stand at attention!
    Dress your best to honor him!

³God thunders across the waters,
Brilliant, his voice and his face, streaming brightness—
God, across the flood waters.

⁴God’s thunder tympanic,
God’s thunder symphonic.

⁵God’s thunder smashes cedars,
God topples the northern cedars.

⁶The mountain ranges skip like spring colts,
The high ridges jump like wild kid goats.

^7-8God’s thunder spits fire.
God thunders, the wilderness quakes;
He makes the desert of Kadesh shake.

⁹God’s thunder sets the oak trees dancing
A wild dance, whirling; the pelting rain strips their branches.
We fall to our knees—we call out, “Glory!”

¹⁰Above the floodwaters is God’s throne
from which his power flows,
from which he rules the world.

¹¹God makes his people strong.
God gives his people peace.
30 I give you all the credit, God—
you got me out of that mess,
you didn’t let my foes gloat.

^2-3God, my God, I yelled for help
    and you put me together.
God, you pulled me out of the grave,
    gave me another chance at life
    when I was down-and-out.

^4-5All you saints! Sing your hearts out to God!
    Thank him to his face!
He gets angry once in a while, but across
    a lifetime there is only love.
The nights of crying your eyes out
    give way to days of laughter.

^6-7When things were going great
    I crowed, “I’ve got it made.
I’m God’s favorite.
    He made me king of the mountain.”
Then you looked the other way
    and I fell to pieces.

^8-10I called out to you, God;
    I laid my case before you:
“Can you sell me for a profit when I’m dead?
    auction me off at a cemetery yard sale?
When I’m ‘dust to dust’ my songs
    and stories of you won’t sell.
So listen! and be kind!
    Help me out of this!”

^11-12You did it: you changed wild lament
    into whirling dance;
You ripped off my black mourning band
    and decked me with wildflowers.
I’m about to burst with song;
    I can’t keep quiet about you.
God, my God,
    I can’t thank you enough.
31 ^1-2I run to you, God; I run for dear life.
    Don’t let me down!
    Take me seriously this time!
Get down on my level and listen,
    and please—no procrastination!
Your granite cave a hiding place,
    your high cliff nest a place of safety.

^3-5You’re my cave to hide in,
    my cliff to climb.
Be my safe leader,
    be my true mountain guide.
Free me from hidden traps;
    I want to hide in you.
I’ve put my life in your hands.
    You won’t drop me,
    you’ll never let me down.

^6-13I hate all this silly religion,
    but you, God, I trust.
I’m leaping and singing in the circle of your love;
    you saw my pain,
    you disarmed my tormentors,
You didn’t leave me in their clutches
    but gave me room to breathe.
Be kind to me, God—
    I’m in deep, deep trouble again.
I’ve cried my eyes out;
    I feel hollow inside.
My life leaks away, groan by groan;
    my years fade out in sighs.
My troubles have worn me out,
    turned my bones to powder.
To my enemies I’m a monster;
    I’m ridiculed by the neighbors.
My friends are horrified;
    they cross the street to avoid me.
They want to blot me from memory,
    forget me like a corpse in a grave,
    discard me like a broken dish in the trash.
The street-talk gossip has me
    “criminally insane”!
Behind locked doors they plot
    how to ruin me for good.

^14-18Desperate, I throw myself on you:
    you are my God!
Hour by hour I place my days in your hand,
    safe from the hands out to get me.
Warm me, your servant, with a smile;
    save me because you love me.
Don’t embarrass me by not showing up;
    I’ve given you plenty of notice.
Embarrass the wicked, stand them up,
    leave them stupidly shaking their heads
    as they drift down to hell.
Gag those loudmouthed liars
    who heckle me, your follower,
    with jeers and catcalls.

^19-22What a stack of blessing you have piled up
    for those who worship you,
Ready and waiting for all who run to you
    to escape an unkind world.
You hide them safely away
    from the opposition.
As you slam the door on those oily, mocking faces,
    you silence the poisonous gossip.
Blessed God!
    His love is the wonder of the world.
Trapped by a siege, I panicked.
    “Out of sight, out of mind,” I said.
But you heard me say it,
    you heard and listened.

²³Love God, all you saints;
God takes care of all who stay close to him,
But he pays back in full
those arrogant enough to go it alone.

²⁴Be brave. Be strong. Don’t give up.
    Expect God to get here soon.
32 Count yourself lucky, how happy you must be—
    you get a fresh start,
    your slate’s wiped clean.

²Count yourself lucky—
God holds nothing against you
and you’re holding nothing back from him.

³When I kept it all inside,
my bones turned to powder,
my words became daylong groans.

⁴The pressure never let up;
all the juices of my life dried up.

⁵Then I let it all out;
I said, “I’ll come clean about my failures to God.”

Suddenly the pressure was gone—
my guilt dissolved,
my sin disappeared.

⁶These things add up. Every one of us needs to pray;
when all hell breaks loose and the dam bursts
we’ll be on high ground, untouched.

⁷God’s my island hideaway,
keeps danger far from the shore,
throws garlands of hosannas around my neck.

⁸Let me give you some good advice;
I’m looking you in the eye
and giving it to you straight:

⁹“Don’t be ornery like a horse or mule
that needs bit and bridle
to stay on track.”

¹⁰God-defiers are always in trouble;
God-affirmers find themselves loved
every time they turn around.

¹¹Celebrate God.
    Sing together—everyone!
    All you honest hearts, raise the roof!
33 ^1-3Good people, cheer God!
    Right-living people sound best when praising.
Use guitars to reinforce your Hallelujahs!
    Play his praise on a grand piano!
Compose your own new song to him;
    give him a trumpet fanfare.

^4-5For God’s Word is solid to the core;
    everything he makes is sound inside and out.
He loves it when everything fits,
    when his world is in plumb-line true.
Earth is drenched
    in God’s affectionate satisfaction.

^6-7The skies were made by God’s command;
he breathed the word and the stars popped out.
He scooped Sea into his jug,
put Ocean in his keg.

^8-9Earth-creatures, bow before God;
world-dwellers—down on your knees!
Here’s why: he spoke and there it was,
in place the moment he said so.

^10-12God takes the wind out of Babel pretense,
    he shoots down the world’s power-schemes.
God’s plan for the world stands up,
    all his designs are made to last.
Blessed is the country with God for God;
    blessed are the people he’s put in his will.

^13-15From high in the skies God looks around,
    he sees all Adam’s brood.
From where he sits
    he overlooks all us earth-dwellers.
He has shaped each person in turn;
    now he watches everything we do.

^16-17No king succeeds with a big army alone,
no warrior wins by brute strength.
Horsepower is not the answer;
no one gets by on muscle alone.

^18-19Watch this: God’s eye is on those who respect him,
the ones who are looking for his love.
He’s ready to come to their rescue in bad times;
in lean times he keeps body and soul together.

^20-22We’re depending on God;
    he’s everything we need.
What’s more, our hearts brim with joy
    since we’ve taken for our own his holy name.
Love us, God, with all you’ve got—
    that’s what we’re depending on.
34 I bless God every chance I get;
my lungs expand with his praise.

²I live and breathe God;
if things aren’t going well, hear this and be happy:

³Join me in spreading the news;
together let’s get the word out.

⁴God met me more than halfway,
he freed me from my anxious fears.

⁵Look at him; give him your warmest smile.
Never hide your feelings from him.

⁶When I was desperate, I called out,
and God got me out of a tight spot.

⁷God’s angel sets up a circle
of protection around us while we pray.

⁸Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—
how good God is.
Blessed are you who run to him.

⁹Worship God if you want the best;
worship opens doors to all his goodness.

¹⁰Young lions on the prowl get hungry,
but God-seekers are full of God.

¹¹Come, children, listen closely;
I’ll give you a lesson in God worship.

¹²Who out there has a lust for life?
Can’t wait each day to come upon beauty?

¹³Guard your tongue from profanity,
and no more lying through your teeth.

¹⁴Turn your back on sin; do something good.
Embrace peace—don’t let it get away!

¹⁵God keeps an eye on his friends,
his ears pick up every moan and groan.

¹⁶God won’t put up with rebels;
he’ll cull them from the pack.

¹⁷Is anyone crying for help? God is listening,
ready to rescue you.

¹⁸If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there;
if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath.

¹⁹Disciples so often get into trouble;
still, God is there every time.

²⁰He’s your bodyguard, shielding every bone;
not even a finger gets broken.

²¹The wicked commit slow suicide;
they waste their lives hating the good.

²²God pays for each slave’s freedom;
no one who runs to him loses out.
35 ^1-3Harass these hecklers, God,
    punch these bullies in the nose.
Grab a weapon, anything at hand;
    stand up for me!
Get ready to throw the spear, aim the javelin,
    at the people who are out to get me.
Reassure me; let me hear you say,
    “I’ll save you.”

^4-8When those thugs try to knife me in the back,
    make them look foolish.
Frustrate all those
    who are plotting my downfall.
Make them like cinders in a high wind,
    with God’s angel working the bellows.
Make their road lightless and mud-slick,
    with God’s angel on their tails.
Out of sheer cussedness they set a trap to catch me;
    for no good reason they dug a ditch to stop me.
Surprise them with your ambush—
    catch them in the very trap they set,
    the disaster they planned for me.

^9-10But let me run loose and free,
    celebrating God’s great work,
Every bone in my body laughing, singing, “God,
    there’s no one like you.
You put the down-and-out on their feet
    and protect the unprotected from bullies!”

^11-12Hostile accusers appear out of nowhere,
they stand up and badger me.
They pay me back misery for mercy,
leaving my soul empty.

^13-14When they were sick, I dressed in black;
    instead of eating, I prayed.
My prayers were like lead in my gut,
    like I’d lost my best friend, my brother.
I paced, distraught as a motherless child,
    hunched and heavyhearted.

^15-16But when I was down
    they threw a party!
All the nameless misfits of the town came
    chanting insults about me.
Like barbarians desecrating a shrine,
    they destroyed my reputation.

^17-18God, how long are you going
    to stand there doing nothing?
Save me from their brutalities;
    everything I’ve got is being thrown to the lions.
I will give you full credit
    when everyone gathers for worship;
When the people turn out in force
    I will say my Hallelujahs.

^19-21Don’t let these liars, my enemies,
    have a party at my expense,
Those who hate me for no reason,
    winking and rolling their eyes.
No good is going to come
    from that crowd;
They spend all their time cooking up gossip
    against those who mind their own business.
They open their mouths
    in ugly grins,
Mocking, “Ha-ha, ha-ha, thought you’d get away with it?
    We’ve caught you hands down!”

²²Don’t you see what they’re doing, God?
You’re not going to let them
Get by with it, are you? Not going to walk off
without doing something, are you?

^23-26Please get up—wake up! Tend to my case.
    My God, my Lord—my life is on the line.
Do what you think is right, God, my God,
    but don’t make me pay for their good time.
Don’t let them say to themselves,
    “Ha-ha, we got what we wanted.”
Don’t let them say,
    “We’ve chewed him up and spit him out.”
Let those who are being hilarious
    at my expense
Be made to look ridiculous.
    Make them wear donkey’s ears;
Pin them with the donkey’s tail,
    who made themselves so high and mighty!

^27-28But those who want
    the best for me,
Let them have the last word—a glad shout!—
    and say, over and over and over,
“God is great—everything works
    together for good for his servant.”
I’ll tell the world how great and good you are,
    I’ll shout Hallelujah all day, every day.
36 ^1-4The God-rebel tunes in to sedition—
    all ears, eager to sin.
He has no regard for God,
    he stands insolent before him.
He has smooth-talked himself
    into believing
That his evil
    will never be noticed.
Words gutter from his mouth,
    dishwater dirty.
Can’t remember when he
    did anything decent.
Every time he goes to bed,
    he fathers another evil plot.
When he’s loose on the streets,
    nobody’s safe.
He plays with fire
    and doesn’t care who gets burned.

^5-6God’s love is meteoric,
    his loyalty astronomic,
His purpose titanic,
    his verdicts oceanic.
Yet in his largeness
    nothing gets lost;
Not a man, not a mouse,
    slips through the cracks.

^7-9How exquisite your love, O God!
    How eager we are to run under your wings,
To eat our fill at the banquet you spread
    as you fill our tankards with Eden spring water.
You’re a fountain of cascading light,
    and you open our eyes to light.

^10-12Keep on loving your friends;
    do your work in welcoming hearts.
Don’t let the bullies kick me around,
    the moral midgets slap me down.
Send the upstarts sprawling
    flat on their faces in the mud.
37 ^1-2Don’t bother your head with braggarts
    or wish you could succeed like the wicked.
In no time they’ll shrivel like grass clippings
    and wilt like cut flowers in the sun.

^3-4Get insurance with God and do a good deed,
settle down and stick to your last.
Keep company with God,
get in on the best.

^5-6Open up before God, keep nothing back;
he’ll do whatever needs to be done:
He’ll validate your life in the clear light of day
and stamp you with approval at high noon.

⁷Quiet down before God,
be prayerful before him.
Don’t bother with those who climb the ladder,
who elbow their way to the top.

^8-9Bridle your anger, trash your wrath,
cool your pipes—it only makes things worse.
Before long the crooks will be bankrupt;
God-investors will soon own the store.

^10-11Before you know it, the wicked will have had it;
you’ll stare at his once famous place and—nothing!
Down-to-earth people will move in and take over,
relishing a huge bonanza.

^12-13Bad guys have it in for the good guys,
obsessed with doing them in.
But God isn’t losing any sleep; to him
they’re a joke with no punch line.

^14-15Bullies brandish their swords,
    pull back on their bows with a flourish.
They’re out to beat up on the harmless,
    or mug that nice man out walking his dog.
A banana peel lands them flat on their faces—
    slapstick figures in a moral circus.

^16-17Less is more and more is less.
One righteous will outclass fifty wicked,
For the wicked are moral weaklings
but the righteous are God-strong.

^18-19God keeps track of the decent folk;
what they do won’t soon be forgotten.
In hard times, they’ll hold their heads high;
when the shelves are bare, they’ll be full.

²⁰God-despisers have had it;
God’s enemies are finished—
Stripped bare like vineyards at harvest time,
vanished like smoke in thin air.

^21-22Wicked borrows and never returns;
Righteous gives and gives.
Generous gets it all in the end;
Stingy is cut off at the pass.

^23-24Stalwart walks in step with God;
his path blazed by God, he’s happy.
If he stumbles, he’s not down for long;
God has a grip on his hand.

^25-26I once was young, now I’m a graybeard—
    not once have I seen an abandoned believer,
    or his kids out roaming the streets.
Every day he’s out giving and lending,
    his children making him proud.

^27-28Turn your back on evil,
work for the good and don’t quit.
God loves this kind of thing,
never turns away from his friends.

^28-29Live this way and you’ve got it made,
but bad eggs will be tossed out.
The good get planted on good land
and put down healthy roots.

^30-31Righteous chews on wisdom like a dog on a bone,
rolls virtue around on his tongue.
His heart pumps God’s Word like blood through his veins;
his feet are as sure as a cat’s.

^32-33Wicked sets a watch for Righteous,
he’s out for the kill.
God, alert, is also on watch—
Wicked won’t hurt a hair of his head.

³⁴Wait passionately for God,
don’t leave the path.
He’ll give you your place in the sun
while you watch the wicked lose it.

^35-36I saw Wicked bloated like a toad,
croaking pretentious nonsense.
The next time I looked there was nothing—
a punctured bladder, vapid and limp.

^37-38Keep your eye on the healthy soul,
    scrutinize the straight life;
There’s a future
    in strenuous wholeness.
But the willful will soon be discarded;
    insolent souls are on a dead-end street.

^39-40The spacious, free life is from God,
    it’s also protected and safe.
God-strengthened, we’re delivered from evil—
    when we run to him, he saves us.
38 ^1-2Take a deep breath, God; calm down—
    don’t be so hasty with your punishing rod.
Your sharp-pointed arrows of rebuke draw blood;
    my backside stings from your discipline.

^3-4I’ve lost twenty pounds in two months
    because of your accusation.
My bones are brittle as dry sticks
    because of my sin.
I’m swamped by my bad behavior,
    collapsed under an avalanche of guilt.

^5-8The cuts in my flesh stink and grow maggots
    because I’ve lived so badly.
And now I’m flat on my face
    feeling sorry for myself morning to night.
All my insides are on fire,
    my body is a wreck.
I’m on my last legs; I’ve had it—
    my life is a vomit of groans.

^9-16Lord, my longings are sitting in plain sight,
    my groans an old story to you.
My heart’s about to break;
    I’m a burned-out case.
Cataracts blind me to God and good;
    old friends avoid me like the plague.
My cousins never visit,
    my neighbors stab me in the back.
My competitors blacken my name,
    devoutly they pray for my ruin.
But I’m deaf and mute to it all,
    ears shut, mouth shut.
I don’t hear a word they say,
    don’t speak a word in response.
What I do, God, is wait for you,
    wait for my Lord, my God—you will answer!
I wait and pray so they won’t laugh me off,
    won’t smugly strut off when I stumble.

^17-20I’m on the edge of losing it—
    the pain in my gut keeps burning.
I’m ready to tell my story of failure,
    I’m no longer smug in my sin.
My enemies are alive and in action,
    a lynch mob after my neck.
I give out good and get back evil
    from God-haters who can’t stand a God-lover.

^21-22Don’t dump me, God;
    my God, don’t stand me up.
Hurry and help me;
    I want some wide-open space in my life!
39 ^1-3I’m determined to watch steps and tongue
    so they won’t land me in trouble.
I decided to hold my tongue
    as long as Wicked is in the room.
“Mum’s the word,” I said, and kept quiet.
    But the longer I kept silence
The worse it got—
    my insides got hotter and hotter.
My thoughts boiled over;
    I spilled my guts.

^4-6“Tell me, what’s going on, God?
    How long do I have to live?
    Give me the bad news!
You’ve kept me on pretty short rations;
    my life is a string too short to be saved.
Oh! we’re all puffs of air.
    Oh! we’re all shadows in a campfire.
Oh! we’re just spit in the wind.
    We make our pile, and then we leave it.

^7-11“What am I doing in the meantime, Lord?
    Hoping, that’s what I’m doing—hoping
You’ll save me from a rebel life,
    save me from the contempt of idiots.
I’ll say no more, I’ll shut my mouth,
    since you, Lord, are behind all this.
    But I can’t take it much longer.
When you put us through the fire
    to purge us from our sin,
    our dearest idols go up in smoke.
Are we also nothing but smoke?

^12-13“Ah, God, listen to my prayer, my
    cry—open your ears.
Don’t be callous;
    just look at these tears of mine.
I’m a stranger here. I don’t know my way—
    a migrant like my whole family.
Give me a break, cut me some slack
    before it’s too late and I’m out of here.”
40 ^1-3I waited and waited and waited for God.
    At last he looked; finally he listened.
He lifted me out of the ditch,
    pulled me from deep mud.
He stood me up on a solid rock
    to make sure I wouldn’t slip.
He taught me how to sing the latest God-song,
    a praise-song to our God.
More and more people are seeing this:
    they enter the mystery,
    abandoning themselves to God.

^4-5Blessed are you who give yourselves over to God,
    turn your backs on the world’s “sure thing,”
    ignore what the world worships;
The world’s a huge stockpile
    of God-wonders and God-thoughts.
Nothing and no one
    compares to you!
I start talking about you, telling what I know,
    and quickly run out of words.
Neither numbers nor words
    account for you.

⁶Doing something for you, bringing something to you—
    that’s not what you’re after.
Being religious, acting pious—
    that’s not what you’re asking for.
You’ve opened my ears
    so I can listen.

^7-8So I answered, “I’m coming.
    I read in your letter what you wrote about me,
And I’m coming to the party
    you’re throwing for me.”
That’s when God’s Word entered my life,
    became part of my very being.

^9-10I’ve preached you to the whole congregation,
    I’ve kept back nothing, God—you know that.
I didn’t keep the news of your ways
    a secret, didn’t keep it to myself.
I told it all, how dependable you are, how thorough.
    I didn’t hold back pieces of love and truth
For myself alone. I told it all,
    let the congregation know the whole story.

^11-12Now God, don’t hold out on me,
    don’t hold back your passion.
Your love and truth
    are all that keeps me together.
When troubles ganged up on me,
    a mob of sins past counting,
I was so swamped by guilt
    I couldn’t see my way clear.
More guilt in my heart than hair on my head,
    so heavy the guilt that my heart gave out.

^13-15Soften up, God, and intervene;
    hurry and get me some help,
So those who are trying to kidnap my soul
    will be embarrassed and lose face,
So anyone who gets a kick out of making me miserable
    will be heckled and disgraced,
So those who pray for my ruin
    will be booed and jeered without mercy.

^16-17But all who are hunting for you—
    oh, let them sing and be happy.
Let those who know what you’re all about
    tell the world you’re great and not quitting.
And me? I’m a mess. I’m nothing and have nothing:
    make something of me.
You can do it; you’ve got what it takes—
    but God, don’t put it off.
41 ^1-3Dignify those who are down on their luck;
    you’ll feel good—that’s what God does.
God looks after us all,
    makes us robust with life—
Lucky to be in the land,
    we’re free from enemy worries.
Whenever we’re sick and in bed,
    God becomes our nurse,
    nurses us back to health.

^4-7I said, “God, be gracious!
    Put me together again—
    my sins have torn me to pieces.”
My enemies are wishing the worst for me;
    they make bets on what day I will die.
If someone comes to see me,
    he mouths empty platitudes,
All the while gathering gossip about me
    to entertain the street-corner crowd.
These “friends” who hate me
    whisper slanders all over town.
They form committees
    to plan misery for me.

^8-9The rumor goes out, “He’s got some dirty,
    deadly disease. The doctors
    have given up on him.”
Even my best friend, the one I always told everything
    —he ate meals at my house all the time!—
    has bitten my hand.

¹⁰God, give grace, get me up on my feet.
I’ll show them a thing or two.

^11-12Meanwhile, I’m sure you’re on my side—
    no victory shouts yet from the enemy camp!
You know me inside and out, you hold me together,
    you never fail to stand me tall in your presence
    so I can look you in the eye.

¹³Blessed is God, Israel’s God,
    always, always, always.
    Yes. Yes. Yes.
42 ^1-3A white-tailed deer drinks
    from the creek;
I want to drink God,
    deep drafts of God.
I’m thirsty for God-alive.
I wonder, “Will I ever make it—
    arrive and drink in God’s presence?”
I’m on a diet of tears—
    tears for breakfast, tears for supper.
All day long
    people knock at my door,
Pestering,
    “Where is this God of yours?”

⁴These are the things I go over and over,
    emptying out the pockets of my life.
I was always at the head of the worshiping crowd,
    right out in front,
Leading them all,
    eager to arrive and worship,
Shouting praises, singing thanksgiving—
    celebrating, all of us, God’s feast!

⁵Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
    Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God—
    soon I’ll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
    He’s my God.

^6-8When my soul is in the dumps, I rehearse
    everything I know of you,
From Jordan depths to Hermon heights,
    including Mount Mizar.
Chaos calls to chaos,
    to the tune of whitewater rapids.
Your breaking surf, your thundering breakers
    crash and crush me.
Then God promises to love me all day,
    sing songs all through the night!
    My life is God’s prayer.

^9-10Sometimes I ask God, my rock-solid God,
    “Why did you let me down?
Why am I walking around in tears,
    harassed by enemies?”
They’re out for the kill, these
    tormentors with their obscenities,
Taunting day after day,
    “Where is this God of yours?”

¹¹Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
    Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God—
    soon I’ll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
    He’s my God.
43 ^1-2Clear my name, God; stick up for me
    against these loveless, immoral people.
Get me out of here, away
    from these lying degenerates.
I counted on you, God.
    Why did you walk out on me?
Why am I pacing the floor, wringing my hands
    over these outrageous people?

^3-4Give me your lantern and compass,
    give me a map,
So I can find my way to the sacred mountain,
    to the place of your presence,
To enter the place of worship,
    meet my exuberant God,
Sing my thanks with a harp,
    magnificent God, my God.

⁵Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
    Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God—
    soon I’ll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
    He’s my God.
44 ^1-3We’ve been hearing about this, God,
    all our lives.
Our fathers told us the stories
    their fathers told them,
How single-handedly you weeded out the godless
    from the fields and planted us,
How you sent those people packing
    but gave us a fresh start.
We didn’t fight for this land;
    we didn’t work for it—it was a gift!
You gave it, smiling as you gave it,
    delighting as you gave it.

^4-8You’re my King, O God—
    command victories for Jacob!
With your help we’ll wipe out our enemies,
    in your name we’ll stomp them to dust.
I don’t trust in weapons;
    my sword won’t save me—
But it’s you, you who saved us from the enemy;
    you made those who hate us lose face.
All day we parade God’s praise—
    we thank you by name over and over.

^9-12But now you’ve walked off and left us,
    you’ve disgraced us and won’t fight for us.
You made us turn tail and run;
    those who hate us have cleaned us out.
You delivered us as sheep to the butcher,
    you scattered us to the four winds.
You sold your people at a discount—
    you made nothing on the sale.

^13-16You made people on the street,
    people we know, poke fun and call us names.
You made us a joke among the godless,
    a cheap joke among the rabble.
Every day I’m up against it,
    my nose rubbed in my shame—
Gossip and ridicule fill the air,
    people out to get me crowd the street.

^17-19All this came down on us,
    and we’ve done nothing to deserve it.
We never betrayed your Covenant: our hearts
    were never false, our feet never left your path.
Do we deserve torture in a den of jackals?
    or lockup in a black hole?

^20-22If we had forgotten to pray to our God
    or made fools of ourselves with store-bought gods,
Wouldn’t God have figured this out?
    We can’t hide things from him.
No, you decided to make us martyrs,
    lambs assigned for sacrifice each day.

^23-26Get up, God! Are you going to sleep all day?
    Wake up! Don’t you care what happens to us?
Why do you bury your face in the pillow?
    Why pretend things are just fine with us?
And here we are—flat on our faces in the dirt,
    held down with a boot on our necks.
Get up and come to our rescue.
    If you love us so much, Help us!
45 My heart bursts its banks,
    spilling beauty and goodness.
I pour it out in a poem to the king,
    shaping the river into words:

* * *

^2-4“You’re the handsomest of men;
    every word from your lips is sheer grace,
    and God has blessed you, blessed you so much.
Strap your sword to your side, warrior!
    Accept praise! Accept due honor!
    Ride majestically! Ride triumphantly!
Ride on the side of truth!
    Ride for the righteous meek!

^4-5“Your instructions are glow-in-the-dark;
you shoot sharp arrows
Into enemy hearts; the king’s
foes lie down in the dust, beaten.

^6-7“Your throne is God’s throne,
    ever and always;
The scepter of your royal rule
    measures right living.
You love the right
    and hate the wrong.
And that is why God, your very own God,
    poured fragrant oil on your head,
Marking you out as king
    from among your dear companions.

^8-9“Your forest-drenched garments
    are fragrant with mountain breeze.
Chamber music—from the throne room—
    makes you want to dance.
Kings’ daughters are maids in your court,
    the Bride glittering with golden jewelry.

* * *

^10-12“Now listen, daughter, don’t miss a word:
    forget your country, put your home behind you.
Be here—the king is wild for you.
    Since he’s your lord, adore him.
Wedding gifts pour in from Tyre;
    rich guests shower you with presents.”

^13-15(Her wedding dress is dazzling,
    lined with gold by the weavers;
All her dresses and robes
    are woven with gold.
She is led to the king,
    followed by her virgin companions.
A procession of joy and laughter!
    a grand entrance to the king’s palace!)

^16-17“Set your mind now on sons—
    don’t dote on father and grandfather.
You’ll set your sons up as princes
    all over the earth.
I’ll make you famous for generations;
    you’ll be the talk of the town
    for a long, long time.”
46 ^1-3God is a safe place to hide,
    ready to help when we need him.
We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom,
    courageous in seastorm and earthquake,
Before the rush and roar of oceans,
    the tremors that shift mountains.

Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

^4-6River fountains splash joy, cooling God’s city,
    this sacred haunt of the Most High.
God lives here, the streets are safe,
    God at your service from crack of dawn.
Godless nations rant and rave, kings and kingdoms threaten,
    but Earth does anything he says.

⁷ Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

^8-10Attention, all! See the marvels of God!
    He plants flowers and trees all over the earth,
Bans war from pole to pole,
    breaks all the weapons across his knee.
“Step out of the traffic! Take a long,
    loving look at me, your High God,
    above politics, above everything.”

¹¹    Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
    God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.
47 ^1-9Applause, everyone. Bravo, bravissimo!
    Shout God-songs at the top of your lungs!
God Most High is stunning,
    astride land and ocean.
He crushes hostile people,
    puts nations at our feet.
He set us at the head of the line,
    prize-winning Jacob, his favorite.
Loud cheers as God climbs the mountain,
    a ram’s horn blast at the summit.
Sing songs to God, sing out!
    Sing to our King, sing praise!
He’s Lord over earth,
    so sing your best songs to God.
God is Lord of godless nations—
    sovereign, he’s King of the mountain.
Princes from all over are gathered,
    people of Abraham’s God.
The powers of earth are God’s—
    he soars over all.
48 ^1-3God majestic,
    praise abounds in our God-city!
His sacred mountain,
    breathtaking in its heights—earth’s joy.
Zion Mountain looms in the North,
    city of the world-King.
God in his citadel peaks
    undefeatable.

^4-6The kings got together,
    they united and came.
They took one look and shook their heads,
    they scattered and ran away.
They doubled up in pain
    like a woman having a baby.

^7-8You smashed the ships of Tarshish
    with a storm out of the East.
We heard about it, then we saw it
    with our eyes—
In God’s city of Angel Armies,
    in the city our God
Set on firm foundations,
    firm forever.

^9-10We pondered your love-in-action, God,
    waiting in your temple:
Your name, God, evokes a train
    of Hallelujahs wherever
It is spoken, near and far;
    your arms are heaped with goodness-in-action.

¹¹Be glad, Zion Mountain;
Dance, Judah’s daughters!
He does what he said he’d do!

^12-14Circle Zion, take her measure,
    count her fortress peaks,
Gaze long at her sloping bulwark,
    climb her citadel heights—
Then you can tell the next generation
    detail by detail the story of God,
Our God forever,
    who guides us till the end of time.
49 ^1-2Listen, everyone, listen—
    earth-dwellers, don’t miss this.
All you haves
    and have-nots,
All together now: listen.

^3-4I set plainspoken wisdom before you,
my heart-seasoned understandings of life.
I fine-tuned my ear to the sayings of the wise,
I solve life’s riddle with the help of a harp.

^5-6So why should I fear in bad times,
hemmed in by enemy malice,
Shoved around by bullies,
demeaned by the arrogant rich?

^7-9Really! There’s no such thing as self-rescue,
    pulling yourself up by your bootstraps.
The cost of rescue is beyond our means,
    and even then it doesn’t guarantee
Life forever, or insurance
    against the Black Hole.

^10-11Anyone can see that the brightest and best die,
    wiped out right along with fools and idiots.
They leave all their prowess behind,
    move into their new home, The Coffin,
The cemetery their permanent address.
    And to think they named counties after themselves!

¹² We aren’t immortal. We don’t last long.
Like our dogs, we age and weaken. And die.

^13-15This is what happens to those who live for the moment,
    who only look out for themselves:
Death herds them like sheep straight to hell;
    they disappear down the gullet of the grave;
They waste away to nothing—
    nothing left but a marker in a cemetery.
But me? God snatches me from the clutch of death,
    he reaches down and grabs me.

^16-19So don’t be impressed with those who get rich
    and pile up fame and fortune.
They can’t take it with them;
    fame and fortune all get left behind.
Just when they think they’ve arrived
    and folks praise them because they’ve made good,
They enter the family burial plot
    where they’ll never see sunshine again.

²⁰    We aren’t immortal. We don’t last long.
    Like our dogs, we age and weaken. And die.
50 ^1-3The God of gods—it’s God!—speaks out, shouts, “Earth!”
    welcomes the sun in the east,
    farewells the disappearing sun in the west.
From the dazzle of Zion,
    God blazes into view.
Our God makes his entrance,
    he’s not shy in his coming.
Starbursts of fireworks precede him.

^4-5He summons heaven and earth as a jury,
he’s taking his people to court:
“Round up my saints who swore
on the Bible their loyalty to me.”

⁶The whole cosmos attests to the fairness of this court,
that here God is judge.

^7-15“Are you listening, dear people? I’m getting ready to speak;
    Israel, I’m about ready to bring you to trial.
This is God, your God,
    speaking to you.
I don’t find fault with your acts of worship,
    the frequent burnt sacrifices you offer.
But why should I want your blue-ribbon bull,
    or more and more goats from your herds?
Every creature in the forest is mine,
    the wild animals on all the mountains.
I know every mountain bird by name;
    the scampering field mice are my friends.
If I get hungry, do you think I’d tell you?
    All creation and its bounty are mine.
Do you think I feast on venison?
    or drink drafts of goats’ blood?
Spread for me a banquet of praise,
    serve High God a feast of kept promises,
And call for help when you’re in trouble—
    I’ll help you, and you’ll honor me.”

^16-21Next, God calls up the wicked:

“What are you up to, quoting my laws,
    talking like we are good friends?
You never answer the door when I call;
    you treat my words like garbage.
If you find a thief, you make him your buddy;
    adulterers are your friends of choice.
Your mouth drools filth;
    lying is a serious art form with you.
You stab your own brother in the back,
    rip off your little sister.
I kept a quiet patience while you did these things;
    you thought I went along with your game.
I’m calling you on the carpet, now,
    laying your wickedness out in plain sight.

^22-23“Time’s up for playing fast and
    loose with me.
I’m ready to pass sentence,
    and there’s no help in sight!
It’s the praising life that honors me.
    As soon as you set your foot on the Way,
I’ll show you my salvation.”
51 ^1-3Generous in love—God, give grace!
    Huge in mercy—wipe out my bad record.
Scrub away my guilt,
    soak out my sins in your laundry.
I know how bad I’ve been;
    my sins are staring me down.

^4-6You’re the One I’ve violated, and you’ve seen
    it all, seen the full extent of my evil.
You have all the facts before you;
    whatever you decide about me is fair.
I’ve been out of step with you for a long time,
    in the wrong since before I was born.
What you’re after is truth from the inside out.
    Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life.

^7-15Soak me in your laundry and I’ll come out clean,
    scrub me and I’ll have a snow-white life.
Tune me in to foot-tapping songs,
    set these once-broken bones to dancing.
Don’t look too close for blemishes,
    give me a clean bill of health.
God, make a fresh start in me,
    shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.
Don’t throw me out with the trash,
    or fail to breathe holiness in me.
Bring me back from gray exile,
    put a fresh wind in my sails!
Give me a job teaching rebels your ways
    so the lost can find their way home.
Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God,
    and I’ll sing anthems to your life-giving ways.
Unbutton my lips, dear God;
    I’ll let loose with your praise.

^16-17Going through the motions doesn’t please you,
    a flawless performance is nothing to you.
I learned God-worship
    when my pride was shattered.
Heart-shattered lives ready for love
    don’t for a moment escape God’s notice.

^18-19Make Zion the place you delight in,
    repair Jerusalem’s broken-down walls.
Then you’ll get real worship from us,
    acts of worship small and large,
Including all the bulls
    they can heave onto your altar!
52 ^1-4Why do you brag of evil, “Big Man”?
    God’s mercy carries the day.
You scheme catastrophe;
    your tongue cuts razor-sharp,
    artisan in lies.
You love evil more than good,
    you call black white.
You love malicious gossip,
    you foul-mouth.

⁵God will tear you limb from limb,
sweep you up and throw you out,
Pull you up by the roots
from the land of life.

^6-7Good people will watch and
    worship. They’ll laugh in relief:
“Big Man bet on the wrong horse,
    trusted in big money,
    made his living from catastrophe.”

⁸And I’m an olive tree,
growing green in God’s house.
I trusted in the generous mercy
of God then and now.

⁹I thank you always
    that you went into action.
And I’ll stay right here,
    your good name my hope,
    in company with your faithful friends.
53 ^1-2Bilious and bloated, they gas,
    “God is gone.”
It’s poison gas—
    they foul themselves, they poison
Rivers and skies;
    thistles are their cash crop.
God sticks his head out of heaven.
    He looks around.
He’s looking for someone not stupid—
    one man, even, God-expectant,
    just one God-ready woman.

³He comes up empty. A string
    of zeros. Useless, unshepherded
Sheep, taking turns pretending
    to be Shepherd.
The ninety and nine
    follow the one.

⁴Don’t they know anything,
    all these predators?
Don’t they know
    they can’t get away with this,
Treating people like a fast-food meal
    over which they’re too busy to pray?

⁵Night is coming for them, and nightmare—
a nightmare they’ll never wake up from.
God will make hash of these squatters,
send them packing for good.

⁶Is there anyone around to save Israel?
    God turns life around.
Turned-around Jacob skips rope,
    turned-around Israel sings laughter.
54 ^1-2God, for your sake, help me!
    Use your influence to clear me.
Listen, God—I’m desperate.
    Don’t be too busy to hear me.

³Outlaws are out to get me,
hit men are trying to kill me.
Nothing will stop them;
God means nothing to them.

^4-5Oh, look! God’s right here helping!
God’s on my side,
Evil is looping back on my enemies.
Don’t let up! Finish them off!

^6-7I’m ready now to worship, so ready.
    I thank you, God—you’re so good.
You got me out of every scrape,
    and I saw my enemies get it.
55 ^1-3Open your ears, God, to my prayer;
    don’t pretend you don’t hear me knocking.
Come close and whisper your answer.
    I really need you.
I shudder at the mean voice,
    quail before the evil eye,
As they pile on the guilt,
    stockpile angry slander.

^4-8My insides are turned inside out;
    specters of death have me down.
I shake with fear,
    I shudder from head to foot.
“Who will give me wings,” I ask—
    “wings like a dove?”
Get me out of here on dove wings;
    I want some peace and quiet.
I want a walk in the country,
    I want a cabin in the woods.
I’m desperate for a change
    from rage and stormy weather.

^9-11Come down hard, Lord—slit their tongues.
    I’m appalled how they’ve split the city
Into rival gangs
    prowling the alleys
Day and night spoiling for a fight,
    trash piled in the streets,
Even shopkeepers gouging and cheating
    in broad daylight.

^12-14This isn’t the neighborhood bully
    mocking me—I could take that.
This isn’t a foreign devil spitting
    invective—I could tune that out.
It’s you! We grew up together!
    You! My best friend!
Those long hours of leisure as we walked
    arm in arm, God a third party to our conversation.

¹⁵Haul my betrayers off alive to hell—let them
experience the horror, let them
feel every desolate detail of a damned life.

^16-19I call to God;
    God will help me.
At dusk, dawn, and noon I sigh
    deep sighs—he hears, he rescues.
My life is well and whole, secure
    in the middle of danger
Even while thousands
    are lined up against me.
God hears it all, and from his judge’s bench
    puts them in their place.
But, set in their ways, they won’t change;
    they pay him no mind.

^20-21And this, my best friend, betrayed his best friends;
    his life betrayed his word.
All my life I’ve been charmed by his speech,
    never dreaming he’d turn on me.
His words, which were music to my ears,
    turned to daggers in my heart.

^22-23Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders—
    he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out.
He’ll never let good people
    topple into ruin.
But you, God, will throw the others
    into a muddy bog,
Cut the lifespan of assassins
    and traitors in half.

And I trust in you.
56 ^1-4Take my side, God—I’m getting kicked around,
    stomped on every day.
Not a day goes by
    but somebody beats me up;
They make it their duty
    to beat me up.
When I get really afraid
    I come to you in trust.
I’m proud to praise God;
    fearless now, I trust in God.
    What can mere mortals do?

^5-6They don’t let up—
    they smear my reputation
    and huddle to plot my collapse.
They gang up,
    sneak together through the alleys
To take me by surprise,
    wait their chance to get me.

⁷Pay them back in evil!
Get angry, God!
Down with these people!

⁸You’ve kept track of my every toss and turn
through the sleepless nights,
Each tear entered in your ledger,
each ache written in your book.

⁹If my enemies run away,
turn tail when I yell at them,
Then I’ll know
that God is on my side.

^10-11I’m proud to praise God,
proud to praise God.
Fearless now, I trust in God;
what can mere mortals do to me?

^12-13God, you did everything you promised,
    and I’m thanking you with all my heart.
You pulled me from the brink of death,
    my feet from the cliff-edge of doom.
Now I stroll at leisure with God
    in the sunlit fields of life.
57 ^1-3Be good to me, God—and now!
    I’ve run to you for dear life.
I’m hiding out under your wings
    until the hurricane blows over.
I call out to High God,
    the God who holds me together.
He sends orders from heaven and saves me,
    he humiliates those who kick me around.
God delivers generous love,
    he makes good on his word.

⁴I find myself in a pride of lions
who are wild for a taste of human flesh;
Their teeth are lances and arrows,
their tongues are sharp daggers.

⁵Soar high in the skies, O God!
Cover the whole earth with your glory!

⁶They booby-trapped my path;
I thought I was dead and done for.
They dug a mantrap to catch me,
and fell in headlong themselves.

^7-8I’m ready, God, so ready,
    ready from head to toe,
Ready to sing, ready to raise a tune:
    “Wake up, soul!
Wake up, harp! wake up, lute!
    Wake up, you sleepyhead sun!”

^9-10I’m thanking you, God, out loud in the streets,
singing your praises in town and country.
The deeper your love, the higher it goes;
every cloud is a flag to your faithfulness.

¹¹Soar high in the skies, O God!
    Cover the whole earth with your glory!
58 ^1-2Is this any way to run a country?
    Is there an honest politician in the house?
Behind the scenes you weave webs of deceit,
    behind closed doors you make deals with demons.

^3-5The wicked crawl from the wrong side of the cradle;
    their first words out of the womb are lies.
Poison, lethal rattlesnake poison,
    drips from their forked tongues—
Deaf to threats, deaf to charm,
    decades of wax built up in their ears.

^6-9God, smash their teeth to bits,
    leave them toothless tigers.
Let their lives be buckets of water spilled,
    all that’s left, a damp stain in the sand.
Let them be trampled grass
    worn smooth by the traffic.
Let them dissolve into snail slime,
    be a miscarried fetus that never sees sunlight.
Before what they cook up is half-done, God,
    throw it out with the garbage!

^10-11The righteous will call up their friends
    when they see the wicked get their reward,
Serve up their blood in goblets
    as they toast one another,
Everyone cheering, “It’s worth it to play by the rules!
    God’s handing out trophies and tending the earth!”
59 ^1-2My God! Rescue me from my enemies,
    defend me from these mutineers.
Rescue me from their dirty tricks,
    save me from their hit men.

^3-4Desperadoes have ganged up on me,
    they’re hiding in ambush for me.
I did nothing to deserve this, God,
    crossed no one, wronged no one.
All the same, they’re after me,
    determined to get me.

^4-5Wake up and see for yourself! You’re God,
God-of-Angel-Armies, Israel’s God!
Get on the job and take care of these pagans,
don’t be soft on these hard cases.

^6-7    They return when the sun goes down,
    They howl like coyotes, ringing the city.
    Then suddenly they’re all at the gate,
    Snarling invective, drawn daggers in their teeth.
    They think they’ll never get caught.

^8-10But you, God, break out laughing;
    you treat the godless nations like jokes.
Strong God, I’m watching you do it,
    I can always count on you.
God in dependable love shows up on time,
    shows me my enemies in ruin.

^11-13Don’t make quick work of them, God,
    lest my people forget.
Bring them down in slow motion,
    take them apart piece by piece.
Let all their mean-mouthed arrogance
    catch up with them,
Catch them out and bring them down
    —every muttered curse
    —every barefaced lie.
Finish them off in fine style!
    Finish them off for good!
Then all the world will see
    that God rules well in Jacob,
    everywhere that God’s in charge.

^14-15    They return when the sun goes down,
    They howl like coyotes, ringing the city.
    They scavenge for bones,
    And bite the hand that feeds them.

^16-17And me? I’m singing your prowess,
    shouting at dawn your largesse,
For you’ve been a safe place for me,
    a good place to hide.
Strong God, I’m watching you do it,
    I can always count on you—
    God, my dependable love.
60 ^1-2God! you walked off and left us,
    kicked our defenses to bits
And stomped off angry.
    Come back. Oh please, come back!

You shook earth to the foundations,
ripped open huge crevasses.
Heal the breaks! Everything’s
coming apart at the seams.

^3-5You made your people look doom in the face,
    then gave us cheap wine to drown our troubles.
Then you planted a flag to rally your people,
    an unfurled flag to look to for courage.
Now do something quickly, answer right now,
    so the one you love best is saved.

^6-8That’s when God spoke in holy splendor,
    “Bursting with joy,
I make a present of Shechem,
    I hand out Succoth Valley as a gift.
Gilead’s in my pocket,
    to say nothing of Manasseh.
Ephraim’s my hard hat,
    Judah my hammer;
Moab’s a scrub bucket,
    I mop the floor with Moab,
Spit on Edom,
    rain fireworks all over Philistia.”

^9-10Who will take me to the thick of the fight?
Who’ll show me the road to Edom?
You aren’t giving up on us, are you, God?
refusing to go out with our troops?

^11-12Give us help for the hard task;
    human help is worthless.
In God we’ll do our very best;
    he’ll flatten the opposition for good.
61 ^1-2God, listen to me shout,
    bend an ear to my prayer.
When I’m far from anywhere,
    down to my last gasp,
I call out, “Guide me
    up High Rock Mountain!”

^3-5You’ve always given me breathing room,
    a place to get away from it all,
A lifetime pass to your safe-house,
    an open invitation as your guest.
You’ve always taken me seriously, God,
    made me welcome among those who know and love you.

^6-8Let the days of the king add up
    to years and years of good rule.
Set his throne in the full light of God;
    post Steady Love and Good Faith as lookouts,
And I’ll be the poet who sings your glory—
    and live what I sing every day.
62 ^1-2God, the one and only—
    I’ll wait as long as he says.
Everything I need comes from him,
    so why not?
He’s solid rock under my feet,
    breathing room for my soul,
An impregnable castle:
    I’m set for life.

^3-4How long will you gang up on me?
    How long will you run with the bullies?
There’s nothing to you, any of you—
    rotten floorboards, worm-eaten rafters,
Anthills plotting to bring down mountains,
    far gone in make-believe.
You talk a good line,
    but every “blessing” breathes a curse.

^5-6God, the one and only—
    I’ll wait as long as he says.
Everything I hope for comes from him,
    so why not?
He’s solid rock under my feet,
    breathing room for my soul,
An impregnable castle:
    I’m set for life.

^7-8My help and glory are in God
    —granite-strength and safe-harbor-God—
So trust him absolutely, people;
    lay your lives on the line for him.
    God is a safe place to be.

⁹Man as such is smoke,
woman as such, a mirage.
Put them together, they’re nothing;
two times nothing is nothing.

¹⁰And a windfall, if it comes—
don’t make too much of it.

¹¹God said this once and for all;
how many times
Have I heard it repeated?
“Strength comes
Straight from God.”

¹²Love to you, Lord God!
    You pay a fair wage for a good day’s work!
63 God—you’re my God!
    I can’t get enough of you!
I’ve worked up such hunger and thirst for God,
    traveling across dry and weary deserts.

^2-4So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open,
    drinking in your strength and glory.
In your generous love I am really living at last!
    My lips brim praises like fountains.
I bless you every time I take a breath;
    My arms wave like banners of praise to you.

^5-8I eat my fill of prime rib and gravy;
    I smack my lips. It’s time to shout praises!
If I’m sleepless at midnight,
    I spend the hours in grateful reflection.
Because you’ve always stood up for me,
    I’m free to run and play.
I hold on to you for dear life,
    and you hold me steady as a post.

^9-11Those who are out to get me are marked for doom,
    marked for death, bound for hell.
They’ll die violent deaths;
    jackals will tear them limb from limb.
But the king is glad in God;
    his true friends spread the joy,
While small-minded gossips
    are gagged for good.
64 Listen and help, O God.
    I’m reduced to a whine
And a whimper, obsessed
    with feelings of doomsday.

^2-6Don’t let them find me—
    the conspirators out to get me,
Using their tongues as weapons,
    flinging poison words,
    poison-tipped arrow-words.
They shoot from ambush,
    shoot without warning,
    not caring who they hit.
They keep fit doing calisthenics
    of evil purpose,
They keep lists of the traps
    they’ve secretly set.
They say to each other,
    “No one can catch us,
    no one can detect our perfect crime.”
The Detective detects the mystery
    in the dark of the cellar heart.

^7-8The God of the Arrow shoots!
They double up in pain,
Fall flat on their faces
in full view of the grinning crowd.

^9-10Everyone sees it. God’s
    work is the talk of the town.
Be glad, good people! Fly to God!
    Good-hearted people, make praise your habit.
65 ^1-2Silence is praise to you,
    Zion-dwelling God,
And also obedience.
    You hear the prayer in it all.

^2-8We all arrive at your doorstep sooner
    or later, loaded with guilt,
Our sins too much for us—
    but you get rid of them once and for all.
Blessed are the chosen! Blessed the guest
    at home in your place!
We expect our fill of good things
    in your house, your heavenly manse.
All your salvation wonders
    are on display in your trophy room.
Earth-Tamer, Ocean-Pourer,
    Mountain-Maker, Hill-Dresser,
Muzzler of sea storm and wave crash,
    of mobs in noisy riot—
Far and wide they’ll come to a stop,
    they’ll stare in awe, in wonder.
Dawn and dusk take turns
    calling, “Come and worship.”

^9-13Oh, visit the earth,
    ask her to join the dance!
Deck her out in spring showers,
    fill the God-River with living water.
Paint the wheat fields golden.
    Creation was made for this!
Drench the plowed fields,
    soak the dirt clods
With rainfall as harrow and rake
    bring her to blossom and fruit.
Snow-crown the peaks with splendor,
    scatter rose petals down your paths,
All through the wild meadows, rose petals.
    Set the hills to dancing,
Dress the canyon walls with live sheep,
    a drape of flax across the valleys.
Let them shout, and shout, and shout!
    Oh, oh, let them sing!
66 ^1-4All together now—applause for God!
    Sing songs to the tune of his glory,
    set glory to the rhythms of his praise.
Say of God, “We’ve never seen anything like him!”
    When your enemies see you in action,
    they slink off like scolded dogs.
The whole earth falls to its knees—
    it worships you, sings to you,
    can’t stop enjoying your name and fame.

^5-6Take a good look at God’s wonders—
    they’ll take your breath away.
He converted sea to dry land;
    travelers crossed the river on foot.
    Now isn’t that cause for a song?

⁷Ever sovereign in his high tower, he keeps
his eye on the godless nations.
Rebels don’t dare
raise a finger against him.

^8-12Bless our God, O peoples!
    Give him a thunderous welcome!
Didn’t he set us on the road to life?
    Didn’t he keep us out of the ditch?
He trained us first,
    passed us like silver through refining fires,
Brought us into hardscrabble country,
    pushed us to our very limit,
Road-tested us inside and out,
    took us to hell and back;
Finally he brought us
    to this well-watered place.

^13-15I’m bringing my prizes and presents to your house.
    I’m doing what I said I’d do,
What I solemnly swore I’d do
    that day when I was in so much trouble:
The choicest cuts of meat
    for the sacrificial meal;
Even the fragrance
    of roasted lamb is like a meal!
Or make it an ox
    garnished with goat meat!

^16-20All believers, come here and listen,
    let me tell you what God did for me.
I called out to him with my mouth,
    my tongue shaped the sounds of music.
If I had been cozy with evil,
    the Lord would never have listened.
But he most surely did listen,
    he came on the double when he heard my prayer.
Blessed be God: he didn’t turn a deaf ear,
    he stayed with me, loyal in his love.
67 ^1-7God, mark us with grace
    and blessing! Smile!
The whole country will see how you work,
    all the godless nations see how you save.
God! Let people thank and enjoy you.
    Let all people thank and enjoy you.
Let all far-flung people become happy
    and shout their happiness because
You judge them fair and square,
    you tend the far-flung peoples.
God! Let people thank and enjoy you.
    Let all people thank and enjoy you.
Earth, display your exuberance!
    You mark us with blessing, O God, our God.
You mark us with blessing, O God.
    Earth’s four corners—honor him!
68 ^1-4Up with God!
    Down with his enemies!
        Adversaries, run for the hills!
Gone like a puff of smoke,
    like a blob of wax in the fire—
        one look at God and the wicked vanish.
When the righteous see God in action
    they’ll laugh, they’ll sing,
        they’ll laugh and sing for joy.
Sing hymns to God;
    all heaven, sing out;
        clear the way for the coming of Cloud-Rider.
Enjoy God,
    cheer when you see him!

^5-6Father of orphans,
    champion of widows,
        is God in his holy house.
God makes homes for the homeless,
    leads prisoners to freedom,
        but leaves rebels to rot in hell.

^7-10God, when you took the lead with your people,
    when you marched out into the wild,
Earth shook, sky broke out in a sweat;
    God was on the march.
Even Sinai trembled at the sight of God on the move,
    at the sight of Israel’s God.
You pour out rain in buckets, O God;
    thorn and cactus become an oasis
For your people to camp in and enjoy.
    You set them up in business;
    they went from rags to riches.

^11-14The Lord gave the word;
    thousands called out the good news:
“Kings of the armies
    are on the run, on the run!”
While housewives, safe and sound back home,
    divide up the plunder,
    the plunder of Canaanite silver and gold.
On that day that Shaddai scattered the kings,
    snow fell on Black Mountain.

^15-16You huge mountains, Bashan mountains,
    mighty mountains, dragon mountains.
All you mountains not chosen,
    sulk now, and feel sorry for yourselves,
For this is the mountain God has chosen to live on;
    he’ll rule from this mountain forever.

^17-18The chariots of God, twice ten thousand,
    and thousands more besides,
The Lord in the lead, riding down Sinai—
    straight to the Holy Place!
You climbed to the High Place, captives in tow,
    your arms full of plunder from rebels,
And now you sit there in state,
    God, sovereign God!

^19-23Blessed be the Lord—
    day after day he carries us along.
He’s our Savior, our God, oh yes!
    He’s God-for-us, he’s God-who-saves-us.
Lord God knows all
    death’s ins and outs.
What’s more, he made heads roll,
    split the skulls of the enemy
As he marched out of heaven,
    saying, “I tied up the Dragon in knots,
    put a muzzle on the Deep Blue Sea.”
You can wade through your enemies’ blood,
    and your dogs taste of your enemies from your boots.

^24-31See God on parade
    to the sanctuary, my God,
    my King on the march!
Singers out front, the band behind,
    maidens in the middle with castanets.
The whole choir blesses God.
    Like a fountain of praise, Israel blesses God.
Look—little Benjamin’s out
    front and leading
Princes of Judah in their royal robes,
    princes of Zebulun, princes of Naphtali.
Parade your power, O God,
    the power, O God, that made us what we are.
Your temple, High God, is Jerusalem;
    kings bring gifts to you.
Rebuke that old crocodile, Egypt,
    with her herd of wild bulls and calves,
Rapacious in her lust for silver,
    crushing peoples, spoiling for a fight.
Let Egyptian traders bring blue cloth
    and Cush come running to God, her hands outstretched.

^32-34Sing, O kings of the earth!
    Sing praises to the Lord!
There he is: Sky-Rider,
    striding the ancient skies.
Listen—he’s calling in thunder,
    rumbling, rolling thunder.
Call out “Bravo!” to God,
    the High God of Israel.
His splendor and strength
    rise huge as thunderheads.

³⁵A terrible beauty, O God,
streams from your sanctuary.
It’s Israel’s strong God! He gives
power and might to his people!
O you, his people—bless God!
69 God, God, save me!
I’m in over my head,

²Quicksand under me, swamp water over me;
I’m going down for the third time.

³I’m hoarse from calling for help,
Bleary-eyed from searching the sky for God.

⁴I’ve got more enemies than hairs on my head;
Liars and cheats are out to knife me in the back.

What I never stole
Must I now give back?

⁵God, you know every sin I’ve committed;
My life’s a wide-open book before you.

⁶Don’t let those who look to you in hope
Be discouraged by what happens to me,
Dear Lord! God of the armies!

Don’t let those out looking for you
Come to a dead end by following me—
Please, dear God of Israel!

⁷Because of you I look like an idiot,
I walk around ashamed to show my face.

⁸My brothers shun me like a bum off the street;
My family treats me like an unwanted guest.

⁹I love you more than I can say.
Because I’m madly in love with you,
They blame me for everything they dislike about you.

¹⁰When I poured myself out in prayer and fasting,
All it got me was more contempt.

¹¹When I put on a sad face,
They treated me like a clown.

¹²Now drunks and gluttons
Make up drinking songs about me.

¹³And me? I pray.
God, it’s time for a break!

God, answer in love!
Answer with your sure salvation!

¹⁴Rescue me from the swamp,
Don’t let me go under for good,

Pull me out of the clutch of the enemy;
This whirlpool is sucking me down.

¹⁵Don’t let the swamp be my grave, the Black Hole
Swallow me, its jaws clenched around me.

¹⁶Now answer me, God, because you love me;
Let me see your great mercy full-face.

¹⁷Don’t look the other way; your servant can’t take it.
I’m in trouble. Answer right now!

¹⁸Come close, God; get me out of here.
Rescue me from this deathtrap.

¹⁹You know how they kick me around—
Pin on me the donkey’s ears, the dunce’s cap.

²⁰I’m broken by their taunts,
Flat on my face, reduced to a nothing.

I looked in vain for one friendly face. Not one.
I couldn’t find one shoulder to cry on.

²¹They put poison in my soup,
Vinegar in my drink.

²²Let their supper be bait in a trap that snaps shut;
May their best friends be trappers who’ll skin them alive.

²³Make them become blind as bats,
Give them the shakes from morning to night.

²⁴Let them know what you think of them,
Blast them with your red-hot anger.

²⁵Burn down their houses,
Leave them desolate with nobody at home.

²⁶They gossiped about the one you disciplined,
Made up stories about anyone wounded by God.

²⁷Pile on the guilt,
Don’t let them off the hook.

²⁸Strike their names from the list of the living;
No rock-carved honor for them among the righteous.

²⁹I’m hurt and in pain;
Give me space for healing, and mountain air.

³⁰Let me shout God’s name with a praising song,
Let me tell his greatness in a prayer of thanks.

³¹For God, this is better than oxen on the altar,
Far better than blue-ribbon bulls.

³²The poor in spirit see and are glad—
Oh, you God-seekers, take heart!

³³For God listens to the poor,
He doesn’t walk out on the wretched.

³⁴You heavens, praise him; praise him, earth;
Also ocean and all things that swim in it.

³⁵For God is out to help Zion,
Rebuilding the wrecked towns of Judah.

Guess who will live there—
The proud owners of the land?

³⁶No, the children of his servants will get it,
The lovers of his name will live in it.
70 ^1-3God! Please hurry to my rescue!
    God, come quickly to my side!
Those who are out to get me—
    let them fall all over themselves.
Those who relish my downfall—
    send them down a blind alley.
Give them a taste of their own medicine,
    those gossips off clucking their tongues.

⁴Let those on the hunt for you
sing and celebrate.
Let all who love your saving way
say over and over, “God is mighty!”

⁵But I’ve lost it. I’m wasted.
    God—quickly, quickly!
Quick to my side, quick to my rescue!
    God, don’t lose a minute.
71 ^1-3I run for dear life to God,
    I’ll never live to regret it.
Do what you do so well:
    get me out of this mess and up on my feet.
Put your ear to the ground and listen,
    give me space for salvation.
Be a guest room where I can retreat;
    you said your door was always open!
You’re my salvation—my vast, granite fortress.

^4-7My God, free me from the grip of Wicked,
    from the clutch of Bad and Bully.
You keep me going when times are tough—
    my bedrock, God, since my childhood.
I’ve hung on you from the day of my birth,
    the day you took me from the cradle;
    I’ll never run out of praise.
Many gasp in alarm when they see me,
    but you take me in stride.

^8-11Just as each day brims with your beauty,
    my mouth brims with praise.
But don’t turn me out to pasture when I’m old
    or put me on the shelf when I can’t pull my weight.
My enemies are talking behind my back,
    watching for their chance to knife me.
The gossip is: “God has abandoned him.
    Pounce on him now; no one will help him.”

^12-16God, don’t just watch from the sidelines.
    Come on! Run to my side!
My accusers—make them lose face.
    Those out to get me—make them look
Like idiots, while I stretch out, reaching for you,
    and daily add praise to praise.
I’ll write the book on your righteousness,
    talk up your salvation all the day long,
    never run out of good things to write or say.
I come in the power of the Lord God,
    I post signs marking his right-of-way.

^17-24You got me when I was an unformed youth,
    God, and taught me everything I know.
Now I’m telling the world your wonders;
    I’ll keep at it until I’m old and gray.
God, don’t walk off and leave me
    until I get out the news
Of your strong right arm to this world,
    news of your power to the world yet to come,
Your famous and righteous
    ways, O God.
God, you’ve done it all!
    Who is quite like you?
You, who made me stare trouble in the face,
    Turn me around;
Now let me look life in the face.
    I’ve been to the bottom;
Bring me up, streaming with honors;
    turn to me, be tender to me,
And I’ll take up the lute and thank you
    to the tune of your faithfulness, God.
I’ll make music for you on a harp,
    Holy One of Israel.
When I open up in song to you,
    I let out lungsful of praise,
    my rescued life a song.
All day long I’m chanting
    about you and your righteous ways,
While those who tried to do me in
    slink off looking ashamed.

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

New American Standard Bible is made available by The Lockman Foundation

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)

Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)

Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?)

The Message (MSG)

Psalm 1-36 New American Standard Bible

BOOK 1

The Righteous and the Wicked Contrasted.

The Reign of the Lord’s Anointed.

Morning Prayer of Trust in God.

A Psalm of David, when [q]he fled from his son Absalom.

Evening Prayer of Trust in God.

[y]For the music director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

Prayer for Protection from the Wicked.

For the music director; for [ai]flute accompaniment. A Psalm of David.

Prayer for Mercy in Time of Trouble.

For the music director; with stringed instruments, [ar]upon an eight-string lyre. A Psalm of David.

The Lord Implored to Defend the Psalmist against the Wicked.

A [aw]Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord [ax]concerning Cush, a Benjaminite.

The Lord’s Glory and Mankind’s Dignity.

For the music director; on the Gittith. A Psalm of David.

Thanksgiving for God’s Justice.

For the music director; on [bl]Muth-labben. A Psalm of David.

A Prayer for the Overthrow of the Wicked.

The Lord, a Refuge and Defense.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

God, a Helper against the Treacherous.

For the music director; [cq]upon an eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm of David.

Prayer for Help in Trouble.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

Foolishness and Wickedness of People.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

Description of a Citizen of Zion.

A Psalm of David.

The Lord, the Psalmist’s Portion in Life and Salvation in Death.

A [da]Mikhtam of David.

Prayer for Protection against Oppressors.

A Prayer of David.

The Lord Praised for Rescuing David.

For the music director. A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, [ds]who spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord rescued him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said,

The Works and the Word of God.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

Prayer for Victory over Enemies.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

Praise for Salvation.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

A Cry of Anguish and a Song of Praise.

For the music director; upon [fd]Aijeleth Hashshahar. A Psalm of David.

The Lord, the Psalmist’s Shepherd.

A Psalm of David.

The King of Glory Entering Zion.

A Psalm of David.

Prayer for Protection, Guidance, and Pardon.

A Psalm of David.

Protestation of Integrity and Prayer for Protection.

A Psalm of David.

A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God.

A Psalm of David.

A Prayer for Help, and Praise for Its Answer.

A Psalm of David.

The Voice of the Lord in the Storm.

A Psalm of David.

Thanksgiving for Rescue from Death.

A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of the House. A Psalm of David.

A Psalm of Complaint and of Praise.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

Blessedness of Forgiveness and of Trust in God.

A Psalm of David. A [ik]Maskil.

Praise to the Creator and Protector.

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

A Psalm of David, when he pretended to be insane before [iu]Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.

Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.

A Psalm of David.

Wickedness of Humanity and Goodness of God.

For the music director. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord.

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 1-36 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Book I

(Psalms 1–41)

Psalm 1

The Two Ways

Psalm 2

God’s Promise to His Anointed

Psalm 3

Psalm 1-36

New American Standard Bible

A Psalm of David, when ^[q]he fled from his son Absalom.

^[y]For the music director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

For the music director; for ^[ai]flute accompaniment. A Psalm of David.

For the music director; with stringed instruments, ^[ar]upon an eight-string lyre. A Psalm of David.

A ^[aw]Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord ^[ax]concerning Cush, a Benjaminite.

For the music director; on ^[bl]Muth-labben. A Psalm of David.

For the music director; ^[cq]upon an eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm of David.

A ^[da]Mikhtam of David.

For the music director. A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, ^[ds]who spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord rescued him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said,

For the music director; upon ^[fd]Aijeleth Hashshahar. A Psalm of David.

A Psalm of David. A ^[ik]Maskil.

A Psalm of David, when he pretended to be insane before ^[iu]Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.

Psalm 1-36

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition