Psalm 18[a](A)

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:

I love you, Lord, my strength.(B)

The Lord is my rock,(C) my fortress(D) and my deliverer;(E)
    my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,(F)
    my shield[b](G) and the horn[c] of my salvation,(H) my stronghold.

I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,(I)
    and I have been saved from my enemies.(J)
The cords of death(K) entangled me;
    the torrents(L) of destruction overwhelmed me.
The cords of the grave coiled around me;
    the snares of death(M) confronted me.

In my distress(N) I called to the Lord;(O)
    I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;(P)
    my cry came(Q) before him, into his ears.
The earth trembled(R) and quaked,(S)
    and the foundations of the mountains shook;(T)
    they trembled because he was angry.(U)
Smoke rose from his nostrils;(V)
    consuming fire(W) came from his mouth,
    burning coals(X) blazed out of it.
He parted the heavens and came down;(Y)
    dark clouds(Z) were under his feet.
10 He mounted the cherubim(AA) and flew;
    he soared(AB) on the wings of the wind.(AC)
11 He made darkness his covering,(AD) his canopy(AE) around him—
    the dark rain clouds of the sky.
12 Out of the brightness of his presence(AF) clouds advanced,
    with hailstones(AG) and bolts of lightning.(AH)
13 The Lord thundered(AI) from heaven;
    the voice of the Most High resounded.[d]
14 He shot his arrows(AJ) and scattered the enemy,
    with great bolts of lightning(AK) he routed them.(AL)
15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
    and the foundations(AM) of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke,(AN) Lord,
    at the blast of breath from your nostrils.(AO)

16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
    he drew me out of deep waters.(AP)
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,(AQ)
    from my foes, who were too strong for me.(AR)
18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,(AS)
    but the Lord was my support.(AT)
19 He brought me out into a spacious place;(AU)
    he rescued me because he delighted in me.(AV)

20 The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;(AW)
    according to the cleanness of my hands(AX) he has rewarded me.(AY)
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;(AZ)
    I am not guilty of turning(BA) from my God.
22 All his laws are before me;(BB)
    I have not turned away from his decrees.
23 I have been blameless(BC) before him
    and have kept myself from sin.
24 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,(BD)
    according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

25 To the faithful(BE) you show yourself faithful,(BF)
    to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
26 to the pure(BG) you show yourself pure,
    but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.(BH)
27 You save the humble(BI)
    but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.(BJ)
28 You, Lord, keep my lamp(BK) burning;
    my God turns my darkness into light.(BL)
29 With your help(BM) I can advance against a troop[e];
    with my God I can scale a wall.

30 As for God, his way is perfect:(BN)
    The Lord’s word is flawless;(BO)
    he shields(BP) all who take refuge(BQ) in him.
31 For who is God besides the Lord?(BR)
    And who is the Rock(BS) except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength(BT)
    and keeps my way secure.(BU)
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;(BV)
    he causes me to stand on the heights.(BW)
34 He trains my hands for battle;(BX)
    my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
    and your right hand sustains(BY) me;
    your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path(BZ) for my feet,
    so that my ankles do not give way.(CA)

37 I pursued my enemies(CB) and overtook them;
    I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
38 I crushed them(CC) so that they could not rise;(CD)
    they fell beneath my feet.(CE)
39 You armed me with strength(CF) for battle;
    you humbled my adversaries(CG) before me.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs(CH) in flight,
    and I destroyed(CI) my foes.
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them(CJ)
    to the Lord, but he did not answer.(CK)
42 I beat them as fine as windblown dust;(CL)
    I trampled them[f] like mud in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
    you have made me the head of nations.(CM)
People I did not know(CN) now serve me,
44     foreigners(CO) cower before me;
    as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
45 They all lose heart;(CP)
    they come trembling(CQ) from their strongholds.(CR)

46 The Lord lives!(CS) Praise be to my Rock!(CT)
    Exalted be God(CU) my Savior!(CV)
47 He is the God who avenges(CW) me,
    who subdues nations(CX) under me,
48     who saves(CY) me from my enemies.(CZ)
You exalted me above my foes;
    from a violent man(DA) you rescued me.
49 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;(DB)
    I will sing(DC) the praises of your name.(DD)

50 He gives his king great victories;
    he shows unfailing love to his anointed,(DE)
    to David(DF) and to his descendants forever.(DG)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 18:1 In Hebrew texts 18:1-50 is numbered 18:2-51.
  2. Psalm 18:2 Or sovereign
  3. Psalm 18:2 Horn here symbolizes strength.
  4. Psalm 18:13 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 2 Samuel 22:14); most Hebrew manuscripts resounded, / amid hailstones and bolts of lightning
  5. Psalm 18:29 Or can run through a barricade
  6. Psalm 18:42 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac and Targum (see also 2 Samuel 22:43); Masoretic Text I poured them out

Psalm 18

For the choir director: A psalm of David, the servant of the Lord. He sang this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul. He sang:

I love you, Lord;
    you are my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
    my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
    and my place of safety.
I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
    and he saved me from my enemies.

The ropes of death entangled me;
    floods of destruction swept over me.
The grave[a] wrapped its ropes around me;
    death laid a trap in my path.
But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;
    yes, I prayed to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
    my cry to him reached his ears.

Then the earth quaked and trembled.
    The foundations of the mountains shook;
    they quaked because of his anger.
Smoke poured from his nostrils;
    fierce flames leaped from his mouth.
    Glowing coals blazed forth from him.
He opened the heavens and came down;
    dark storm clouds were beneath his feet.
10 Mounted on a mighty angelic being,[b] he flew,
    soaring on the wings of the wind.
11 He shrouded himself in darkness,
    veiling his approach with dark rain clouds.
12 Thick clouds shielded the brightness around him
    and rained down hail and burning coals.[c]
13 The Lord thundered from heaven;
    the voice of the Most High resounded
    amid the hail and burning coals.
14 He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies;
    great bolts of lightning flashed, and they were confused.
15 Then at your command, O Lord,
    at the blast of your breath,
the bottom of the sea could be seen,
    and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.

16 He reached down from heaven and rescued me;
    he drew me out of deep waters.
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemies,
    from those who hated me and were too strong for me.
18 They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress,
    but the Lord supported me.
19 He led me to a place of safety;
    he rescued me because he delights in me.
20 The Lord rewarded me for doing right;
    he restored me because of my innocence.
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;
    I have not turned from my God to follow evil.
22 I have followed all his regulations;
    I have never abandoned his decrees.
23 I am blameless before God;
    I have kept myself from sin.
24 The Lord rewarded me for doing right.
    He has seen my innocence.

25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful;
    to those with integrity you show integrity.
26 To the pure you show yourself pure,
    but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.
27 You rescue the humble,
    but you humiliate the proud.
28 You light a lamp for me.
    The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.
29 In your strength I can crush an army;
    with my God I can scale any wall.

30 God’s way is perfect.
    All the Lord’s promises prove true.
    He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.
31 For who is God except the Lord?
    Who but our God is a solid rock?
32 God arms me with strength,
    and he makes my way perfect.
33 He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
    enabling me to stand on mountain heights.
34 He trains my hands for battle;
    he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.
35 You have given me your shield of victory.
    Your right hand supports me;
    your help[d] has made me great.
36 You have made a wide path for my feet
    to keep them from slipping.

37 I chased my enemies and caught them;
    I did not stop until they were conquered.
38 I struck them down so they could not get up;
    they fell beneath my feet.
39 You have armed me with strength for the battle;
    you have subdued my enemies under my feet.
40 You placed my foot on their necks.
    I have destroyed all who hated me.
41 They called for help, but no one came to their rescue.
    They even cried to the Lord, but he refused to answer.
42 I ground them as fine as dust in the wind.
    I swept them into the gutter like dirt.
43 You gave me victory over my accusers.
    You appointed me ruler over nations;
    people I don’t even know now serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me, they submit;
    foreign nations cringe before me.
45 They all lose their courage
    and come trembling from their strongholds.

46 The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock!
    May the God of my salvation be exalted!
47 He is the God who pays back those who harm me;
    he subdues the nations under me
48     and rescues me from my enemies.
You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies;
    you save me from violent opponents.
49 For this, O Lord, I will praise you among the nations;
    I will sing praises to your name.
50 You give great victories to your king;
    you show unfailing love to your anointed,
    to David and all his descendants forever.

Footnotes

  1. 18:5 Hebrew Sheol.
  2. 18:10 Hebrew a cherub.
  3. 18:12 Or and lightning bolts; also in 18:13.
  4. 18:35 Hebrew your humility; compare 2 Sam 22:36.

For the choir director; by David, the servant of the Lord. He sang this song to the Lord when the Lord rescued him from all his enemies, especially from Saul. He said,

18 I love you, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my Savior,
my God, my rock in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the strength of my salvation,
my stronghold.
The Lord should be praised.
I called on him, and I was saved from my enemies.

The ropes of death had become tangled around me.
The torrents of destruction had overwhelmed me.
The ropes of the grave had surrounded me.
The clutches of death had confronted me.

I called on the Lord in my distress.
I cried to my God for help.
He heard my voice from his temple,
and my cry for help reached his ears.

Then the earth shook and quaked.
Even the foundations of the mountains trembled.
They shook violently because he was angry.
Smoke went up from his nostrils,
and a raging fire came out of his mouth.
Glowing coals flared up from it.
He spread apart the heavens
and came down with a dark cloud under his feet.
10 He rode on one of the angels [a] as he flew,
and he soared on the wings of the wind.
11 He made the darkness his hiding place,
the dark rain clouds his covering.
12 Out of the brightness in front of him,
those rain clouds passed by with hailstones and lightning.
13 The Lord thundered in the heavens.
The Most High made his voice heard with hailstones and lightning.
14 He shot his arrows and scattered them.
He flashed streaks of lightning and threw them into confusion.
15 Then the ocean floor could be seen.
The foundations of the earth were laid bare
at your stern warning, O Lord,
at the blast of the breath from your nostrils.

16 He reached down from high above and took hold of me.
He pulled me out of the raging water.
17 He rescued me from my strong enemy
and from those who hated me,
because they were too strong for me.
18 On the day when I faced disaster, they confronted me,
but the Lord came to my defense.
19 He brought me out to a wide-open place.
He rescued me because he was pleased with me.

20 The Lord rewarded me
because of my righteousness,
because my hands are clean.
He paid me back
21 because I have kept the ways of the Lord
and I have not wickedly turned away from my God,
22 because all his judgments are in front of me
and I have not turned away from his laws.
23 I was innocent as far as he was concerned.
I have kept myself from guilt.
24 The Lord paid me back
because of my righteousness,
because he can see that my hands are clean.

25 ⌞In dealing⌟ with faithful people you are faithful,
with innocent people you are innocent,
26 with pure people you are pure.
⌞In dealing⌟ with devious people you are clever.

27 You save humble people,
but you bring down a conceited look.
28 O Lord, you light my lamp.
My God turns my darkness into light.
29 With you I can attack a line of soldiers.
With my God I can break through barricades.

30 God’s way is perfect!
The promise of the Lord has proven to be true.
He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.
31 Who is God but the Lord?
Who is a rock except our God?
32 God arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.
33 He makes my feet like those of a deer
and gives me sure footing on high places.
34 He trains my hands for battle
so that my arms can bend an ⌞archer’s⌟ bow of bronze.
35 You have given me the shield of your salvation.
Your right hand supports me.
Your gentleness makes me great.
36 You make a wide path for me to walk on
so that my feet do not slip.
37 I chased my enemies and caught up with them.
I did not return until I had ended their lives.
38 I wounded them so badly that they were unable to get up.
They fell under my feet.
39 You armed me with strength for battle.
You made my opponents bow at my feet.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs to me,
and I destroyed those who hated me.
41 They cried out for help, but there was no one to save them.
They cried out to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
42 I beat them into a powder as fine as the dust blown by the wind.
I threw them out as though they were dirt on the streets.
43 You rescued me from my conflicts with the people.
You made me the leader of nations.
A people I did not know will serve me:
44 As soon as they hear of me, they will obey me.
Foreigners will cringe in front of me.
45 Foreigners will lose heart,
and they will tremble when they come out of their fortifications.

46 The Lord lives!
Thanks be to my rock!
May God my Savior be honored.
47 God gives me vengeance!
He brings people under my authority.
48 He saves me from my enemies.
You lift me up above my opponents.
You rescue me from violent people.
49 That is why I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the nations
and make music to praise your name.
50 He gives great victories to his king.
He shows mercy to his anointed,
to David, and to his descendant [b] forever.

Footnotes

  1. 18:10 Or “cherubim.”
  2. 18:50 Or “to his descendants.”

The Lord Is My Rock and My Fortress

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, (A)the servant of the Lord, (B)who addressed the words of this (C)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:

18 I love you, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my (D)rock and my (E)fortress and my deliverer,
    my God, my (F)rock, in (G)whom I take refuge,
    my (H)shield, and (I)the horn of my salvation, my (J)stronghold.
I call upon the Lord, who is (K)worthy to be praised,
    and I am saved from my enemies.

(L)The cords of death encompassed me;
    (M)the torrents of destruction assailed me;[a]
(N)the cords of Sheol entangled me;
    the snares of death confronted me.

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

Then the earth (Q)reeled and rocked;
    the foundations also of the mountains trembled
    and quaked, because he was angry.
Smoke went up from his nostrils,[b]
    and devouring (R)fire from his mouth;
    glowing coals flamed forth from him.
He (S)bowed the heavens and (T)came down;
    (U)thick darkness was under his feet.
10 He rode on a cherub and flew;
    he came swiftly on (V)the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his covering, his (W)canopy around him,
    thick clouds (X)dark with water.
12 Out of the brightness before him
    (Y)hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.

13 The Lord also (Z)thundered in the heavens,
    and the Most High uttered his (AA)voice,
    hailstones and coals of fire.
14 And he sent out his (AB)arrows and scattered them;
    he flashed forth lightnings and (AC)routed them.
15 Then (AD)the channels of the sea were seen,
    and the foundations of the world were laid bare
at your (AE)rebuke, O Lord,
    at the blast of (AF)the breath of your nostrils.

16 He (AG)sent from on high, he took me;
    he (AH)drew me out of (AI)many waters.
17 He rescued me from my strong enemy
    and from those who hated me,
    for they were (AJ)too mighty for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
    but the Lord was my support.
19 He brought me out into (AK)a broad place;
    he rescued me, because he (AL)delighted in me.

20 The Lord dealt with me (AM)according to my righteousness;
    according to (AN)the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.
21 For I have (AO)kept the ways of the Lord,
    and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For (AP)all his rules[c] were before me,
    and his statutes I did not put away from me.
23 I was (AQ)blameless before him,
    and I kept myself from my guilt.
24 So the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
    according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

25 With (AR)the merciful you show yourself merciful;
    with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;
26 with the purified you show yourself pure;
    and with (AS)the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
27 For you save (AT)a humble people,
    but (AU)the haughty eyes you bring down.
28 For it is you who light my (AV)lamp;
    the Lord my God lightens my darkness.
29 For by you I can run against a troop,
    and by my God I can (AW)leap over (AX)a wall.
30 This God—his way is (AY)perfect;[d]
    the word of the Lord (AZ)proves true;
    he is (BA)a shield for all those who (BB)take refuge in him.

31 For (BC)who is God, but the Lord?
    And who is (BD)a rock, except our God?—
32 the God who (BE)equipped me with strength
    and made my way (BF)blameless.
33 He made my feet like the feet of a (BG)deer
    and set me secure on (BH)the heights.
34 He (BI)trains my hands for war,
    so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have given me the shield of your salvation,
    and your right hand (BJ)supported me,
    and your (BK)gentleness made me great.
36 You (BL)gave a wide place for my steps under me,
    and my feet did not slip.
37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them,
    and did not turn back till they were consumed.
38 I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise;
    they fell under my feet.
39 For you equipped me with strength for the battle;
    you made those who rise against me sink under me.
40 You made my enemies (BM)turn their backs to me,[e]
    and those who hated me I destroyed.
41 (BN)They cried for help, but there was none to save;
    they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
42 I beat them fine as (BO)dust before the wind;
    I cast them out like (BP)the mire of the streets.

43 You delivered me from (BQ)strife with the people;
    you made me (BR)the head of the nations;
    (BS)people whom I had not known served me.
44 As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me;
    (BT)foreigners (BU)came cringing to me.
45 (BV)Foreigners lost heart
    and (BW)came trembling out of their fortresses.

46 The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,
    and exalted be the God of my salvation—
47 the God who gave me vengeance
    and (BX)subdued peoples under me,
48 who rescued me from my enemies;
    yes, you (BY)exalted me above those who rose against me;
    you delivered me from (BZ)the man of violence.

49 (CA)For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations,
    and (CB)sing to your name.
50 Great (CC)salvation he brings to his king,
    and shows steadfast love to his (CD)anointed,
    to (CE)David and his offspring forever.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 18:4 Or terrified me
  2. Psalm 18:8 Or in his wrath
  3. Psalm 18:22 Or just decrees
  4. Psalm 18:30 Or blameless
  5. Psalm 18:40 Or You gave me my enemies' necks

Psalm 48[a]

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah.

Great is the Lord,(A) and most worthy of praise,(B)
    in the city of our God,(C) his holy mountain.(D)

Beautiful(E) in its loftiness,
    the joy of the whole earth,
like the heights of Zaphon[b](F) is Mount Zion,(G)
    the city of the Great King.(H)
God is in her citadels;(I)
    he has shown himself to be her fortress.(J)

When the kings joined forces,
    when they advanced together,(K)
they saw her and were astounded;
    they fled in terror.(L)
Trembling seized(M) them there,
    pain like that of a woman in labor.(N)
You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish(O)
    shattered by an east wind.(P)

As we have heard,
    so we have seen
in the city of the Lord Almighty,
    in the city of our God:
God makes her secure
    forever.[c](Q)

Within your temple, O God,
    we meditate(R) on your unfailing love.(S)
10 Like your name,(T) O God,
    your praise reaches to the ends of the earth;(U)
    your right hand is filled with righteousness.
11 Mount Zion rejoices,
    the villages of Judah are glad
    because of your judgments.(V)

12 Walk about Zion, go around her,
    count her towers,(W)
13 consider well her ramparts,(X)
    view her citadels,(Y)
that you may tell of them
    to the next generation.(Z)

14 For this God is our God for ever and ever;
    he will be our guide(AA) even to the end.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 48:1 In Hebrew texts 48:1-14 is numbered 48:2-15.
  2. Psalm 48:2 Zaphon was the most sacred mountain of the Canaanites.
  3. Psalm 48:8 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

Psalm 48

A song. A psalm of the descendants of Korah.

How great is the Lord,
    how deserving of praise,
in the city of our God,
    which sits on his holy mountain!
It is high and magnificent;
    the whole earth rejoices to see it!
Mount Zion, the holy mountain,[a]
    is the city of the great King!
God himself is in Jerusalem’s towers,
    revealing himself as its defender.

The kings of the earth joined forces
    and advanced against the city.
But when they saw it, they were stunned;
    they were terrified and ran away.
They were gripped with terror
    and writhed in pain like a woman in labor.
You destroyed them like the mighty ships of Tarshish
    shattered by a powerful east wind.

We had heard of the city’s glory,
    but now we have seen it ourselves—
    the city of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
It is the city of our God;
    he will make it safe forever. Interlude

O God, we meditate on your unfailing love
    as we worship in your Temple.
10 As your name deserves, O God,
    you will be praised to the ends of the earth.
    Your strong right hand is filled with victory.
11 Let the people on Mount Zion rejoice.
    Let all the towns of Judah be glad
    because of your justice.

12 Go, inspect the city of Jerusalem.[b]
    Walk around and count the many towers.
13 Take note of the fortified walls,
    and tour all the citadels,
that you may describe them
    to future generations.
14 For that is what God is like.
    He is our God forever and ever,
    and he will guide us until we die.

Footnotes

  1. 48:2 Or Mount Zion, in the far north; Hebrew reads Mount Zion, the heights of Zaphon.
  2. 48:12 Hebrew Zion.

A song; a psalm by Korah’s descendants.

48 The Lord is great.
He should be highly praised.
His holy mountain is in the city of our God.
Its beautiful peak is the joy of the whole earth.
Mount Zion is on the northern ridge.
It is the city of the great king.
God is in its palaces.
He has proved that he is a stronghold.

The kings have gathered.
They marched together.
⌞When⌟ they saw ⌞Mount Zion⌟,
they were astonished.
They were terrified and ran away in fear.
Trembling seized them
like the trembling that a woman experiences during labor.
With the east wind you smash the ships of Tarshish.

The things we had only heard about, we have now seen
in the city of the Lord of Armies,
in the city of our God.
God makes Zion stand firm forever. Selah
Inside your temple we carefully reflect on your mercy, O God.
10 Like your name, O God,
your praise ⌞reaches⌟ to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled with righteousness.
11 Let Mount Zion be glad
and the cities of Judah rejoice
because of your judgments.

12 Walk around Zion.
Go around it.
Count its towers.
13 Examine its embankments.
Walk through its palaces.
Then you can tell the next generation,
14 “This God is our God forever and ever.
He will lead us beyond death.”

Zion, the City of Our God

A Song. A Psalm of (A)the Sons of Korah.

48 (B)Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised
    in (C)the city of our God!
His (D)holy mountain, (E)beautiful in elevation,
    is (F)the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north,
    (G)the city of the great King.
Within her citadels God
    has made himself known as a fortress.

For behold, (H)the kings assembled;
    they came on together.
As soon as they saw it, they were astounded;
    they were in panic; they took to flight.
(I)Trembling took hold of them there,
    anguish (J)as of a woman in labor.
By (K)the east wind you (L)shattered
    the ships of (M)Tarshish.
As we have heard, so have we seen
    in the city of the Lord of hosts,
in (N)the city of our God,
    which God will (O)establish forever. Selah

We have thought on your (P)steadfast love, O God,
    in the midst of your temple.
10 As your (Q)name, O God,
    so your praise reaches to (R)the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled with righteousness.
11     Let Mount (S)Zion be glad!
Let (T)the daughters of Judah rejoice
    because of your judgments!

12 Walk about Zion, go around her,
    number her towers,
13 consider well her (U)ramparts,
    go through her citadels,
(V)that you may tell the next generation
14     that this is God,
our God forever and ever.
    He will (W)guide us forever.[a]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 48:14 Septuagint; another reading is (compare Jerome, Syriac) He will guide us beyond death

Psalm 78

A maskil[a] of Asaph.

My people, hear my teaching;(A)
    listen to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth with a parable;(B)
    I will utter hidden things, things from of old—
things we have heard and known,
    things our ancestors have told us.(C)
We will not hide them from their descendants;(D)
    we will tell the next generation(E)
the praiseworthy deeds(F) of the Lord,
    his power, and the wonders(G) he has done.
He decreed statutes(H) for Jacob(I)
    and established the law in Israel,
which he commanded our ancestors
    to teach their children,
so the next generation would know them,
    even the children yet to be born,(J)
    and they in turn would tell their children.
Then they would put their trust in God
    and would not forget(K) his deeds
    but would keep his commands.(L)
They would not be like their ancestors(M)
    a stubborn(N) and rebellious(O) generation,
whose hearts were not loyal to God,
    whose spirits were not faithful to him.

The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows,(P)
    turned back on the day of battle;(Q)
10 they did not keep God’s covenant(R)
    and refused to live by his law.(S)
11 They forgot what he had done,(T)
    the wonders he had shown them.
12 He did miracles(U) in the sight of their ancestors
    in the land of Egypt,(V) in the region of Zoan.(W)
13 He divided the sea(X) and led them through;
    he made the water stand up like a wall.(Y)
14 He guided them with the cloud by day
    and with light from the fire all night.(Z)
15 He split the rocks(AA) in the wilderness
    and gave them water as abundant as the seas;
16 he brought streams out of a rocky crag
    and made water flow down like rivers.

17 But they continued to sin(AB) against him,
    rebelling in the wilderness against the Most High.
18 They willfully put God to the test(AC)
    by demanding the food they craved.(AD)
19 They spoke against God;(AE)
    they said, “Can God really
    spread a table in the wilderness?
20 True, he struck the rock,
    and water gushed out,(AF)
    streams flowed abundantly,
but can he also give us bread?
    Can he supply meat(AG) for his people?”
21 When the Lord heard them, he was furious;
    his fire broke out(AH) against Jacob,
    and his wrath rose against Israel,
22 for they did not believe in God
    or trust(AI) in his deliverance.
23 Yet he gave a command to the skies above
    and opened the doors of the heavens;(AJ)
24 he rained down manna(AK) for the people to eat,
    he gave them the grain of heaven.
25 Human beings ate the bread of angels;
    he sent them all the food they could eat.
26 He let loose the east wind(AL) from the heavens
    and by his power made the south wind blow.
27 He rained meat down on them like dust,
    birds(AM) like sand on the seashore.
28 He made them come down inside their camp,
    all around their tents.
29 They ate till they were gorged—(AN)
    he had given them what they craved.
30 But before they turned from what they craved,
    even while the food was still in their mouths,(AO)
31 God’s anger rose against them;
    he put to death the sturdiest(AP) among them,
    cutting down the young men of Israel.

32 In spite of all this, they kept on sinning;(AQ)
    in spite of his wonders,(AR) they did not believe.(AS)
33 So he ended their days in futility(AT)
    and their years in terror.
34 Whenever God slew them, they would seek(AU) him;
    they eagerly turned to him again.
35 They remembered that God was their Rock,(AV)
    that God Most High was their Redeemer.(AW)
36 But then they would flatter him with their mouths,(AX)
    lying to him with their tongues;
37 their hearts were not loyal(AY) to him,
    they were not faithful to his covenant.
38 Yet he was merciful;(AZ)
    he forgave(BA) their iniquities(BB)
    and did not destroy them.
Time after time he restrained his anger(BC)
    and did not stir up his full wrath.
39 He remembered that they were but flesh,(BD)
    a passing breeze(BE) that does not return.

40 How often they rebelled(BF) against him in the wilderness(BG)
    and grieved him(BH) in the wasteland!
41 Again and again they put God to the test;(BI)
    they vexed the Holy One of Israel.(BJ)
42 They did not remember(BK) his power—
    the day he redeemed them from the oppressor,(BL)
43 the day he displayed his signs(BM) in Egypt,
    his wonders(BN) in the region of Zoan.
44 He turned their river into blood;(BO)
    they could not drink from their streams.
45 He sent swarms of flies(BP) that devoured them,
    and frogs(BQ) that devastated them.
46 He gave their crops to the grasshopper,(BR)
    their produce to the locust.(BS)
47 He destroyed their vines with hail(BT)
    and their sycamore-figs with sleet.
48 He gave over their cattle to the hail,
    their livestock(BU) to bolts of lightning.
49 He unleashed against them his hot anger,(BV)
    his wrath, indignation and hostility—
    a band of destroying angels.(BW)
50 He prepared a path for his anger;
    he did not spare them from death
    but gave them over to the plague.
51 He struck down all the firstborn of Egypt,(BX)
    the firstfruits of manhood in the tents of Ham.(BY)
52 But he brought his people out like a flock;(BZ)
    he led them like sheep through the wilderness.
53 He guided them safely, so they were unafraid;
    but the sea engulfed(CA) their enemies.(CB)
54 And so he brought them to the border of his holy land,
    to the hill country his right hand(CC) had taken.
55 He drove out nations(CD) before them
    and allotted their lands to them as an inheritance;(CE)
    he settled the tribes of Israel in their homes.

56 But they put God to the test
    and rebelled against the Most High;
    they did not keep his statutes.
57 Like their ancestors(CF) they were disloyal and faithless,
    as unreliable as a faulty bow.(CG)
58 They angered him(CH) with their high places;(CI)
    they aroused his jealousy with their idols.(CJ)
59 When God heard(CK) them, he was furious;(CL)
    he rejected Israel(CM) completely.
60 He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh,(CN)
    the tent he had set up among humans.(CO)
61 He sent the ark of his might(CP) into captivity,(CQ)
    his splendor into the hands of the enemy.
62 He gave his people over to the sword;(CR)
    he was furious with his inheritance.(CS)
63 Fire consumed(CT) their young men,
    and their young women had no wedding songs;(CU)
64 their priests were put to the sword,(CV)
    and their widows could not weep.

65 Then the Lord awoke as from sleep,(CW)
    as a warrior wakes from the stupor of wine.
66 He beat back his enemies;
    he put them to everlasting shame.(CX)
67 Then he rejected the tents of Joseph,
    he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim;(CY)
68 but he chose the tribe of Judah,(CZ)
    Mount Zion,(DA) which he loved.
69 He built his sanctuary(DB) like the heights,
    like the earth that he established forever.
70 He chose David(DC) his servant
    and took him from the sheep pens;
71 from tending the sheep(DD) he brought him
    to be the shepherd(DE) of his people Jacob,
    of Israel his inheritance.
72 And David shepherded them with integrity of heart;(DF)
    with skillful hands he led them.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 78:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term

Psalm 78

A psalm[a] of Asaph.

O my people, listen to my instructions.
    Open your ears to what I am saying,
    for I will speak to you in a parable.
I will teach you hidden lessons from our past—
    stories we have heard and known,
    stories our ancestors handed down to us.
We will not hide these truths from our children;
    we will tell the next generation
about the glorious deeds of the Lord,
    about his power and his mighty wonders.
For he issued his laws to Jacob;
    he gave his instructions to Israel.
He commanded our ancestors
    to teach them to their children,
so the next generation might know them—
    even the children not yet born—
    and they in turn will teach their own children.
So each generation should set its hope anew on God,
    not forgetting his glorious miracles
    and obeying his commands.
Then they will not be like their ancestors—
    stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful,
    refusing to give their hearts to God.

The warriors of Ephraim, though armed with bows,
    turned their backs and fled on the day of battle.
10 They did not keep God’s covenant
    and refused to live by his instructions.
11 They forgot what he had done—
    the great wonders he had shown them,
12 the miracles he did for their ancestors
    on the plain of Zoan in the land of Egypt.
13 For he divided the sea and led them through,
    making the water stand up like walls!
14 In the daytime he led them by a cloud,
    and all night by a pillar of fire.
15 He split open the rocks in the wilderness
    to give them water, as from a gushing spring.
16 He made streams pour from the rock,
    making the waters flow down like a river!

17 Yet they kept on sinning against him,
    rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
18 They stubbornly tested God in their hearts,
    demanding the foods they craved.
19 They even spoke against God himself, saying,
    “God can’t give us food in the wilderness.
20 Yes, he can strike a rock so water gushes out,
    but he can’t give his people bread and meat.”
21 When the Lord heard them, he was furious.
    The fire of his wrath burned against Jacob.
    Yes, his anger rose against Israel,
22 for they did not believe God
    or trust him to care for them.
23 But he commanded the skies to open;
    he opened the doors of heaven.
24 He rained down manna for them to eat;
    he gave them bread from heaven.
25 They ate the food of angels!
    God gave them all they could hold.
26 He released the east wind in the heavens
    and guided the south wind by his mighty power.
27 He rained down meat as thick as dust—
    birds as plentiful as the sand on the seashore!
28 He caused the birds to fall within their camp
    and all around their tents.
29 The people ate their fill.
    He gave them what they craved.
30 But before they satisfied their craving,
    while the meat was yet in their mouths,
31 the anger of God rose against them,
    and he killed their strongest men.
    He struck down the finest of Israel’s young men.

32 But in spite of this, the people kept sinning.
    Despite his wonders, they refused to trust him.
33 So he ended their lives in failure,
    their years in terror.
34 When God began killing them,
    they finally sought him.
    They repented and took God seriously.
35 Then they remembered that God was their rock,
    that God Most High[b] was their redeemer.
36 But all they gave him was lip service;
    they lied to him with their tongues.
37 Their hearts were not loyal to him.
    They did not keep his covenant.
38 Yet he was merciful and forgave their sins
    and did not destroy them all.
Many times he held back his anger
    and did not unleash his fury!
39 For he remembered that they were merely mortal,
    gone like a breath of wind that never returns.

40 Oh, how often they rebelled against him in the wilderness
    and grieved his heart in that dry wasteland.
41 Again and again they tested God’s patience
    and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
42 They did not remember his power
    and how he rescued them from their enemies.
43 They did not remember his miraculous signs in Egypt,
    his wonders on the plain of Zoan.
44 For he turned their rivers into blood,
    so no one could drink from the streams.
45 He sent vast swarms of flies to consume them
    and hordes of frogs to ruin them.
46 He gave their crops to caterpillars;
    their harvest was consumed by locusts.
47 He destroyed their grapevines with hail
    and shattered their sycamore-figs with sleet.
48 He abandoned their cattle to the hail,
    their livestock to bolts of lightning.
49 He loosed on them his fierce anger—
    all his fury, rage, and hostility.
He dispatched against them
    a band of destroying angels.
50 He turned his anger against them;
    he did not spare the Egyptians’ lives
    but ravaged them with the plague.
51 He killed the oldest son in each Egyptian family,
    the flower of youth throughout the land of Egypt.[c]
52 But he led his own people like a flock of sheep,
    guiding them safely through the wilderness.
53 He kept them safe so they were not afraid;
    but the sea covered their enemies.
54 He brought them to the border of his holy land,
    to this land of hills he had won for them.
55 He drove out the nations before them;
    he gave them their inheritance by lot.
    He settled the tribes of Israel into their homes.

56 But they kept testing and rebelling against God Most High.
    They did not obey his laws.
57 They turned back and were as faithless as their parents.
    They were as undependable as a crooked bow.
58 They angered God by building shrines to other gods;
    they made him jealous with their idols.
59 When God heard them, he was very angry,
    and he completely rejected Israel.
60 Then he abandoned his dwelling at Shiloh,
    the Tabernacle where he had lived among the people.
61 He allowed the Ark of his might to be captured;
    he surrendered his glory into enemy hands.
62 He gave his people over to be butchered by the sword,
    because he was so angry with his own people—his special possession.
63 Their young men were killed by fire;
    their young women died before singing their wedding songs.
64 Their priests were slaughtered,
    and their widows could not mourn their deaths.

65 Then the Lord rose up as though waking from sleep,
    like a warrior aroused from a drunken stupor.
66 He routed his enemies
    and sent them to eternal shame.
67 But he rejected Joseph’s descendants;
    he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.
68 He chose instead the tribe of Judah,
    and Mount Zion, which he loved.
69 There he built his sanctuary as high as the heavens,
    as solid and enduring as the earth.
70 He chose his servant David,
    calling him from the sheep pens.
71 He took David from tending the ewes and lambs
    and made him the shepherd of Jacob’s descendants—
    God’s own people, Israel.
72 He cared for them with a true heart
    and led them with skillful hands.

Footnotes

  1. 78:Title Hebrew maskil. This may be a literary or musical term.
  2. 78:35 Hebrew El-Elyon.
  3. 78:51 Hebrew in the tents of Ham.

A maskil by Asaph.

78 Open your ears to my teachings, my people.
Turn your ears to the words from my mouth.
I will open my mouth to illustrate points.
I will explain what has been hidden long ago,
things that we have heard and known about,
things that our parents have told us.
We will not hide them from our children.
We will tell the next generation
about the Lord’s power and great deeds
and the miraculous things he has done.

He established written instructions for Jacob’s people.
He gave his teachings to Israel.
He commanded our ancestors to make them known to their children
so that the next generation would know them.
Children yet to be born ⌞would learn them⌟.
They will grow up and tell their children
to trust God, to remember what he has done,
and to obey his commands.
Then they will not be like their ancestors,
a stubborn and rebellious generation.
Their hearts were not loyal.
Their spirits were not faithful to God.

The men of Ephraim, well-equipped with bows ⌞and arrows⌟,
turned ⌞and ran⌟ on the day of battle.
10 They had not been faithful to God’s promise.[a]
They refused to follow his teachings.
11 They forgot what he had done—
the miracles that he had shown them.

12 In front of their ancestors he performed miracles
in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan.
13 He divided the sea and led them through it.
He made the waters stand up like a wall.
14 He guided them by a cloud during the day
and by a fiery light throughout the night.
15 He split rocks in the desert.
He gave them plenty to drink, an ocean of water.
16 He made streams come out of a rock.
He made the water flow like rivers.

17 They continued to sin against him,
to rebel in the desert against the Most High.
18 They deliberately tested God by demanding the food they craved.
19 They spoke against God by saying,
“Can God prepare a banquet in the desert?
20 True, he did strike a rock,
and water did gush out,
and the streams did overflow.
But can he also give us bread or provide us, his people, with meat?”

21 When the Lord heard this, he became furious.
His fire burned against Jacob
and his anger flared up at Israel
22 because they did not believe God
or trust him to save them.

23 In spite of that, he commanded the clouds above
and opened the doors of heaven.
24 He rained manna down on them to eat
and gave them grain from heaven.
25 Humans ate the bread of the mighty ones,
and God sent them plenty of food.

26 He made the east wind blow in the heavens
and guided the south wind with his might.
27 He rained meat down on them like dust,
birds like the sand on the seashore.
28 He made the birds fall in the middle of his camp,
all around his dwelling place.

29 They ate more than enough.
He gave them what they wanted,
30 but they still wanted more.
While the food was still in their mouths,
31 the anger of God flared up against them.
He killed their strongest men and slaughtered the best young men in Israel.

32 In spite of all this, they continued to sin,
and they no longer believed in his miracles.
33 He brought their days to an end like a whisper in the wind.
He brought their years to an end in terror.
34 When he killed ⌞some of⌟ them, ⌞the rest⌟ searched for him.
They turned from their sins and eagerly looked for God.
35 They remembered that God was their rock,
that the Most High was their defender.
36 They flattered him with their mouths
and lied to him with their tongues.
37 Their hearts were not loyal to him.
They were not faithful to his promise.

38 But he is compassionate.
He forgave their sin.
He did not destroy them.
He restrained his anger many times.
He did not display all of his fury.
39 He remembered that they were only flesh and blood,
a breeze that blows and does not return.

40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness!
How often they caused him grief in the desert!
41 Again and again they tested God,
and they pushed the Holy One of Israel to the limit.
42 They did not remember his power—
the day he freed them from their oppressor,
43 when he performed his miraculous signs in Egypt,
his wonders in the fields of Zoan.

44 He turned their rivers into blood
so that they could not drink from their streams.
45 He sent a swarm of flies that bit them
and frogs that ruined them.
46 He gave their crops to grasshoppers
and their produce to locusts.
47 He killed their vines with hail
and their fig trees with frost.
48 He let the hail strike their cattle
and bolts of lightning strike their livestock.
49 He sent his burning anger, rage, fury, and hostility against them.
He sent an army of destroying angels.
50 He cleared a path for his anger.
He did not spare them.
He let the plague take their lives.
51 He slaughtered every firstborn in Egypt,
the ones born in the tents of Ham when their fathers were young.

52 But he led his own people out like sheep
and guided them like a flock through the wilderness.
53 He led them safely.
They had no fear while the sea covered their enemies.
54 He brought them into his holy land,
to this mountain that his power had won.
55 He forced nations out of their way
and gave them the land of the nations as their inheritance.
He settled the tribes of Israel in their own tents.

56 They tested God Most High and rebelled against him.
They did not obey his written instructions.
57 They were disloyal and treacherous like their ancestors.
They were like arrows shot from a defective bow.
58 They made him angry because of their illegal worship sites.
They made him furious because they worshiped idols.

59 When God heard, he became furious.
He completely rejected Israel.
60 He abandoned his dwelling place in Shiloh,
the tent where he had lived among humans.
61 He allowed his power to be taken captive
and handed his glory over to an oppressor.
62 He let swords kill his people.
He was furious with those who belonged to him.
63 Fire consumed his best young men,
so his virgins heard no wedding songs.
64 His priests were cut down with swords.
The widows ⌞of his priests⌟ could not even weep ⌞for them⌟.
65 Then the Lord woke up like one who had been sleeping,
like a warrior sobering up from ⌞too much⌟ wine.
66 He struck his enemies from behind
and disgraced them forever.

67 He rejected the tent of Joseph.
He did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
68 but he chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion which he loved.
69 He built his holy place to be like the high heavens,
like the earth which he made to last for a long time.

70 He chose his servant David.
He took him from the sheep pens.
71 He brought him from tending the ewes that had lambs
so that David could be the shepherd of the people of Jacob,
of Israel, the people who belonged to the Lord.
72 With unselfish devotion David became their shepherd.
With skill he guided them.

Footnotes

  1. 78:10 Or “covenant.”

Tell the Coming Generation

A Maskil[a] of (A)Asaph.

78 (B)Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
    incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
(C)I will open my mouth (D)in a parable;
    I will utter dark sayings from of old,
things that we have heard and known,
    that our (E)fathers have told us.
We will not (F)hide them from their children,
    but (G)tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
    and (H)the wonders that he has done.

He established (I)a testimony in (J)Jacob
    and appointed a law in (K)Israel,
which he commanded our fathers
    to teach to their children,
that (L)the next generation might know them,
    the children yet unborn,
and arise and tell them to their children,
    so that they should set their hope in God
and not forget (M)the works of God,
    but (N)keep his commandments;
and that they should not be (O)like their fathers,
    (P)a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation (Q)whose heart was not steadfast,
    whose spirit was not faithful to God.

The Ephraimites, armed with[b] the bow,
    (R)turned back on the day of battle.
10 They (S)did not keep God's covenant,
    but refused to walk according to his law.
11 They (T)forgot his works
    and (U)the wonders that he had shown them.
12 In the sight of their fathers (V)he performed wonders
    in the land of Egypt, in (W)the fields of Zoan.
13 He (X)divided the sea and let them pass through it,
    and made the waters (Y)stand like a heap.
14 (Z)In the daytime he led them with a cloud,
    and all the night with a fiery light.
15 He (AA)split rocks in the wilderness
    and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep.
16 He made streams come out of (AB)the rock
    and caused waters to flow down like rivers.

17 Yet they sinned still more against him,
    (AC)rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
18 They (AD)tested God in their heart
    by demanding the food they craved.
19 They spoke against God, saying,
    (AE)“Can God (AF)spread a table in the wilderness?
20 (AG)He struck the rock so that water gushed out
    and streams overflowed.
Can he also give bread
    or provide meat for his people?”

21 Therefore, when the Lord heard, he was full of wrath;
    (AH)a fire was kindled against Jacob;
    his anger rose against Israel,
22 because they (AI)did not believe in God
    and did not trust his saving power.
23 Yet he commanded the skies above
    and (AJ)opened the doors of heaven,
24 and he (AK)rained down on them manna to eat
    and gave them (AL)the grain of heaven.
25 Man ate of the bread of (AM)the angels;
    he sent them food (AN)in abundance.
26 He (AO)caused the east wind to blow in the heavens,
    and by his power he led out the south wind;
27 he rained meat on them like (AP)dust,
    winged birds like (AQ)the sand of the seas;
28 he (AR)let them fall in the midst of their camp,
    all around their dwellings.
29 And they (AS)ate and were well filled,
    for he gave them what they (AT)craved.
30 But before they had satisfied their craving,
    (AU)while the food was still in their mouths,
31 the anger of God rose against them,
    and he killed (AV)the strongest of them
    and laid low (AW)the young men of Israel.

32 In spite of all this, they (AX)still sinned;
    (AY)despite his wonders, they did not believe.
33 So he made (AZ)their days (BA)vanish like[c] a breath,[d]
    and their years in terror.
34 When he killed them, they (BB)sought him;
    they repented and sought God earnestly.
35 They remembered that God was their (BC)rock,
    the Most High God their (BD)redeemer.
36 But they (BE)flattered him with their mouths;
    they (BF)lied to him with their tongues.
37 Their (BG)heart was not (BH)steadfast toward him;
    they were not faithful to his covenant.
38 Yet he, being (BI)compassionate,
    (BJ)atoned for their iniquity
    and did not destroy them;
he restrained his anger often
    and did not stir up all his wrath.
39 He (BK)remembered that they were but (BL)flesh,
    (BM)a wind that passes and comes not again.
40 How often they (BN)rebelled against him in the wilderness
    and (BO)grieved him in (BP)the desert!
41 They (BQ)tested God again and again
    and provoked (BR)the Holy One of Israel.
42 They (BS)did not remember his power[e]
    or the day when he redeemed them from the foe,
43 (BT)when he performed his (BU)signs in Egypt
    and his (BV)marvels in (BW)the fields of Zoan.
44 He (BX)turned their rivers to blood,
    so that they could not drink of their streams.
45 He sent among them swarms of (BY)flies, which devoured them,
    and (BZ)frogs, which destroyed them.
46 He gave their crops to (CA)the destroying locust
    and the fruit of their labor to the locust.
47 He destroyed their vines with (CB)hail
    and their sycamores with frost.
48 He gave over their (CC)cattle to the hail
    and their flocks to thunderbolts.
49 He let loose on them his burning anger,
    wrath, indignation, and distress,
    a company of (CD)destroying angels.
50 He made a path for his anger;
    he did not spare them from death,
    but gave their lives over to the plague.
51 He struck down every (CE)firstborn in Egypt,
    the firstfruits of their strength in the tents of (CF)Ham.
52 Then he led out his people (CG)like sheep
    and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
53 (CH)He led them in safety, so that they (CI)were not afraid,
    but (CJ)the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
54 And he brought them to his (CK)holy land,
    (CL)to the mountain which his right hand had (CM)won.
55 He (CN)drove out nations before them;
    he (CO)apportioned them for a possession
    and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.

56 Yet they (CP)tested and (CQ)rebelled against the Most High God
    and did not keep his testimonies,
57 but turned away and acted treacherously like their fathers;
    they twisted like (CR)a deceitful bow.
58 For they (CS)provoked him to anger with their (CT)high places;
    they (CU)moved him to jealousy with their (CV)idols.
59 When God heard, he was full of (CW)wrath,
    and he utterly rejected Israel.
60 He (CX)forsook his dwelling at (CY)Shiloh,
    the tent where he dwelt among mankind,
61 and delivered his (CZ)power to captivity,
    his (DA)glory to the hand of the foe.
62 He (DB)gave his people over to the sword
    and (DC)vented his wrath on his heritage.
63 (DD)Fire devoured their young men,
    and their young women had no (DE)marriage song.
64 Their (DF)priests fell by the sword,
    and their (DG)widows made no lamentation.
65 Then the Lord (DH)awoke as from sleep,
    like a strong man shouting because of wine.
66 And he (DI)put his adversaries to rout;
    he put them to everlasting shame.

67 He rejected the tent of (DJ)Joseph;
    he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
68 but he chose the tribe of Judah,
    Mount Zion, which he (DK)loves.
69 He (DL)built his sanctuary like the high heavens,
    like the earth, which he has founded forever.
70 He (DM)chose David his servant
    and took him from the sheepfolds;
71 from (DN)following the nursing ewes he brought him
    to (DO)shepherd Jacob his people,
    Israel his (DP)inheritance.
72 With (DQ)upright heart he shepherded them
    and (DR)guided them with his skillful hand.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 78:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
  2. Psalm 78:9 Hebrew armed and shooting
  3. Psalm 78:33 Hebrew in
  4. Psalm 78:33 Or vapor
  5. Psalm 78:42 Hebrew hand

Psalm 108[a](A)(B)

A song. A psalm of David.

My heart, O God, is steadfast;(C)
    I will sing(D) and make music with all my soul.
Awake, harp and lyre!(E)
    I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
    I will sing of you among the peoples.
For great is your love,(F) higher than the heavens;
    your faithfulness(G) reaches to the skies.(H)
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;(I)
    let your glory be over all the earth.(J)

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

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

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 108:1 In Hebrew texts 108:1-13 is numbered 108:2-14.

Psalm 108

A song. A psalm of David.

My heart is confident in you, O God;
    no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart!
Wake up, lyre and harp!
    I will wake the dawn with my song.
I will thank you, Lord, among all the people.
    I will sing your praises among the nations.
For your unfailing love is higher than the heavens.
    Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.
    May your glory shine over all the earth.

Now rescue your beloved people.
    Answer and save us by your power.
God has promised this by his holiness[a]:
“I will divide up Shechem with joy.
    I will measure out the valley of Succoth.
Gilead is mine,
    and Manasseh, too.
Ephraim, my helmet, will produce my warriors,
    and Judah, my scepter, will produce my kings.
But Moab, my washbasin, will become my servant,
    and I will wipe my feet on Edom
    and shout in triumph over Philistia.”

10 Who will bring me into the fortified city?
    Who will bring me victory over Edom?
11 Have you rejected us, O God?
    Will you no longer march with our armies?
12 Oh, please help us against our enemies,
    for all human help is useless.
13 With God’s help we will do mighty things,
    for he will trample down our foes.

Footnotes

  1. 108:7 Or in his sanctuary.

A song; a psalm by David.

108 My heart is confident, O God.
I want to sing and make music even with my soul.[a]
Wake up, harp and lyre!
I want to wake up at dawn.
I want to give thanks to you among the people, O Lord.
I want to make music to praise you among the nations
because your mercy is higher than the heavens.
Your truth reaches the skies.

May you be honored above the heavens, O God.
Let your glory extend over the whole earth.

Save ⌞us⌟ with your powerful hand, and answer us
so that those who are dear to you may be rescued.

God has promised the following through his holiness:
“I will triumph!
I will divide Shechem.
I will measure the valley of Succoth.
Gilead is mine.
Manasseh is mine.
Ephraim is the helmet on my head.
Judah is my scepter.
Moab is my washtub.
I will throw my shoe over Edom.
I will shout in triumph over Philistia.”

10 Who will bring me into the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
11 Isn’t it you, O God, who rejected us?
Isn’t it you, O God, who refused to accompany our armies?

12 Give us help against the enemy
because human assistance is worthless.
13 With God we will display great strength.
He will trample our enemies.

Footnotes

  1. 108:1 Or “my glory.”

With God We Shall Do Valiantly

A Song. A Psalm of David.

108 (A)My heart is steadfast, O God!
    I will sing and make melody with all my being![a]
Awake, O harp and lyre!
    I will awake the dawn!
I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
    I will sing praises to you among the nations.
For your steadfast love is great (B)above the heavens;
    your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
    Let your glory be over all the earth!
(C)That your beloved ones may be delivered,
    give salvation by your right hand and answer me!

God has promised in his holiness:[b]
    “With exultation I will divide up Shechem
    and portion out the Valley of Succoth.
Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;
    Ephraim is my helmet,
    Judah my scepter.
Moab is my washbasin;
    upon Edom I cast my shoe;
    (D)over Philistia I shout in triumph.”

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

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 108:1 Hebrew with my glory
  2. Psalm 108:7 Or sanctuary

Psalm 138

Of David.

I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
    before the “gods”(A) I will sing(B) your praise.
I will bow down toward your holy temple(C)
    and will praise your name(D)
    for your unfailing love and your faithfulness,(E)
for you have so exalted your solemn decree
    that it surpasses your fame.(F)
When I called,(G) you answered me;(H)
    you greatly emboldened(I) me.

May all the kings of the earth(J) praise you, Lord,
    when they hear what you have decreed.
May they sing(K) of the ways of the Lord,
    for the glory of the Lord(L) is great.

Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;(M)
    though lofty, he sees them(N) from afar.
Though I walk(O) in the midst of trouble,
    you preserve my life.(P)
You stretch out your hand(Q) against the anger of my foes;(R)
    with your right hand(S) you save me.(T)
The Lord will vindicate(U) me;
    your love, Lord, endures forever(V)
    do not abandon(W) the works of your hands.(X)

Psalm 138

A psalm of David.

I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart;
    I will sing your praises before the gods.
I bow before your holy Temple as I worship.
    I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness;
for your promises are backed
    by all the honor of your name.
As soon as I pray, you answer me;
    you encourage me by giving me strength.

Every king in all the earth will thank you, Lord,
    for all of them will hear your words.
Yes, they will sing about the Lord’s ways,
    for the glory of the Lord is very great.
Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble,
    but he keeps his distance from the proud.

Though I am surrounded by troubles,
    you will protect me from the anger of my enemies.
You reach out your hand,
    and the power of your right hand saves me.
The Lord will work out his plans for my life—
    for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.
    Don’t abandon me, for you made me.

By David.

138 I will give thanks to you with all my heart.
I will make music to praise you in front of the false gods.
I will bow toward your holy temple.
I will give thanks to your name because of your mercy and truth.
You have made your name and your promise greater than everything.

When I called, you answered me.
You made me bold by strengthening my soul.
All the kings of the earth will give thanks to you, O Lord,
because they have heard the promises you spoke.
They will sing this about the ways of the Lord:
“The Lord’s honor is great!”
Even though the Lord is high above, he sees humble people ⌞close up⌟,
and he recognizes arrogant people from a distance.

Even though I walk into the middle of trouble,
you guard my life against the anger of my enemies.
You stretch out your hand,
and your right hand saves me.
The Lord will do everything for me.
O Lord, your mercy endures forever.
Do not let go of what your hands have made.

Give Thanks to the Lord

Of David.

138 (A)I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
    before (B)the gods I sing your praise;
I bow down (C)toward your (D)holy temple
    and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
    for you have exalted above all things
    your name and your word.[a]
On the day I called, you answered me;
    my strength of soul you increased.[b]

(E)All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord,
    for they have heard the words of your mouth,
and they shall sing of (F)the ways of the Lord,
    for great is the glory of the Lord.
(G)For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly,
    but the haughty he knows from afar.

(H)Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
    you (I)preserve my life;
you (J)stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
    and your (K)right hand delivers me.
The Lord will (L)fulfill his purpose for me;
    (M)your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
    Do not forsake (N)the work of your hands.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 138:2 Or you have exalted your word above all your name
  2. Psalm 138:3 Hebrew you made me bold in my soul with strength