Psalm 1-5

Good News Translation

⁴ But evil people are not like this at all;
    they are like straw that the wind blows away.
⁵ Sinners will be condemned by God
    and kept apart from God's own people.
⁶ The righteous are guided and protected by the Lord,
    but the evil are on the way to their doom.

⁴ From his throne in heaven the Lord laughs
    and mocks their feeble plans.
⁵ Then he warns them in anger
    and terrifies them with his fury.
⁶ “On Zion,^[a] my sacred hill,” he says,
    “I have installed my king.”

^7 (D)“I will announce,” says the king, “what the Lord has declared.
    He said to me: ‘You are my son;
    today I have become your father.
⁸ Ask, and I will give you all the nations;
    the whole earth will be yours.
^9 (E)You will break them with an iron rod;
    you will shatter them in pieces like a clay pot.’”

¹⁰ Now listen to this warning, you kings;
    learn this lesson, you rulers of the world:
¹¹ Serve the Lord with fear;
tremble ¹²     and bow down to him;^[b]
or else his anger will be quickly aroused,
    and you will suddenly die.
Happy are all who go to him for protection.

³ But you, O Lord, are always my shield from danger;
    you give me victory
    and restore my courage.
⁴ I call to the Lord for help,
    and from his sacred hill^[d] he answers me.

⁵ I lie down and sleep,
    and all night long the Lord protects me.
⁶ I am not afraid of the thousands of enemies
    who surround me on every side.

⁷ Come, Lord! Save me, my God!
You punish all my enemies
    and leave them powerless to harm me.
⁸ Victory comes from the Lord—
    may he bless his people.

² How long will you people insult me?
    How long will you love what is worthless
    and go after what is false?

³ Remember that the Lord has chosen the righteous for his own,
    and he hears me when I call to him.

^4 (G)Tremble with fear and stop sinning;
    think deeply about this,
    when you lie in silence on your beds.
⁵ Offer the right sacrifices to the Lord,
    and put your trust in him.

⁶ There are many who pray:
    “Give us more blessings, O Lord.
    Look on us with kindness!”
⁷ But the joy that you have given me
    is more than they will ever have
    with all their grain and wine.

⁸ When I lie down, I go to sleep in peace;
    you alone, O Lord, keep me perfectly safe.

I pray to you, O Lord;
³     you hear my voice in the morning;
at sunrise I offer my prayer^[g]
    and wait for your answer.

⁴ You are not a God who is pleased with wrongdoing;
    you allow no evil in your presence.
⁵ You cannot stand the sight of the proud;
    you hate all wicked people.
⁶ You destroy all liars
    and despise violent, deceitful people.

⁷ But because of your great love
    I can come into your house;
I can worship in your holy Temple
    and bow down to you in reverence.
⁸ Lord, I have so many enemies!
    Lead me to do your will;
    make your way plain for me to follow.

^9 (H)What my enemies say can never be trusted;
    they only want to destroy.
Their words are flattering and smooth,
    but full of deadly deceit.
¹⁰ Condemn and punish them, O God;
    may their own plots cause their ruin.
Drive them out of your presence
    because of their many sins
    and their rebellion against you.

¹¹ But all who find safety in you will rejoice;
    they can always sing for joy.
Protect those who love you;
    because of you they are truly happy.
¹² You bless those who obey you, Lord;
    your love protects them like a shield.