Psalm 42
English Standard Version
Book Two
Why Are You Cast Down, O My Soul?
To the choirmaster. A Maskil[a] of (A)the Sons of Korah.
42 (B)As a deer pants for flowing streams,
so pants my soul for you, O God.
2 (C)My soul thirsts for God,
for (D)the living God.
When shall I come and (E)appear before God?[b]
3 (F)My tears have been my food
day and night,
(G)while they say to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember,
as I (H)pour out my soul:
(I)how I would go (J)with the throng
and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise,
(K)a multitude keeping festival.
5 (L)Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you (M)in turmoil within me?
(N)Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation[c] 6 and my God.
My soul is cast down within me;
therefore I (O)remember you
(P)from the land of Jordan and of (Q)Hermon,
from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
at the roar of your waterfalls;
(R)all your breakers and your (S)waves
have gone over me.
8 By day the Lord (T)commands his steadfast love,
and at (U)night his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God, (V)my rock:
“Why have you forgotten me?
(W)Why do I go mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10 As with a deadly wound in my bones,
my adversaries taunt me,
(X)while they say to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?”
11 (Y)Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.
Footnotes
- Psalm 42:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 42:2 Revocalization yields and see the face of God
- Psalm 42:5 Hebrew the salvation of my face; also verse 11 and 43:5
Psalm 44
English Standard Version
Come to Our Help
To the choirmaster. (A)A Maskil[a] of the Sons of Korah.
44 O God, we have heard with our ears,
(B)our fathers have told us,
what deeds you performed in their days,
(C)in the days of old:
2 you with your own hand (D)drove out the nations,
but (E)them you planted;
you afflicted the peoples,
but (F)them you set free;
3 for not (G)by their own sword did they win the land,
nor did their own arm save them,
but your right hand and your arm,
and (H)the light of your face,
(I)for you delighted in them.
4 (J)You are my King, O God;
(K)ordain salvation for Jacob!
5 Through you we (L)push down our foes;
through your name we (M)tread down those who rise up against us.
6 For not in (N)my bow do I trust,
nor can my sword save me.
7 But you have saved us from our foes
and have (O)put to shame those who hate us.
8 (P)In God we have boasted continually,
and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah
9 But you have (Q)rejected us and disgraced us
and (R)have not gone out with our armies.
10 You have made us (S)turn back from the foe,
and those who hate us have gotten spoil.
11 You have made us like (T)sheep for slaughter
and have (U)scattered us among the nations.
12 (V)You have sold your people for a trifle,
demanding no high price for them.
13 You have made us (W)the taunt of our neighbors,
the derision and (X)scorn of those around us.
14 You have made us (Y)a byword among the nations,
(Z)a laughingstock[b] among the peoples.
15 All day long my disgrace is before me,
and (AA)shame has covered my face
16 at the sound of the taunter and reviler,
at the sight of (AB)the enemy and the avenger.
17 (AC)All this has come upon us,
though we have not forgotten you,
and we have not been false to your covenant.
18 Our heart has not turned back,
nor have our (AD)steps (AE)departed from your way;
19 yet you have (AF)broken us in the place of (AG)jackals
and covered us with (AH)the shadow of death.
20 If we had forgotten the name of our God
or (AI)spread out our hands to (AJ)a foreign god,
21 (AK)would not God discover this?
(AL)For he knows the secrets of the heart.
22 Yet (AM)for your sake we are killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.
23 (AN)Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord?
Rouse yourself! (AO)Do not reject us forever!
24 Why (AP)do you hide your face?
Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?
25 For our (AQ)soul is bowed down to the dust;
our belly clings to the ground.
26 Rise up; (AR)come to our help!
(AS)Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!
Footnotes
- Psalm 44:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 44:14 Hebrew a shaking of the head
Psalm 45
English Standard Version
Your Throne, O God, Is Forever
To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Maskil[a] of (A)the Sons of Korah; a love song.
45 My heart overflows with a pleasing theme;
I address my verses to the king;
my tongue is like the pen of (B)a ready scribe.
2 You are (C)the most handsome of the sons of men;
(D)grace is poured upon your lips;
therefore God has blessed you forever.
3 (E)Gird your (F)sword on your thigh, O (G)mighty one,
in (H)your splendor and majesty!
4 In your majesty (I)ride out victoriously
for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness;
let your right hand teach you (J)awesome deeds!
5 Your arrows are sharp
in the heart of the king's enemies;
the peoples fall under you.
6 (K)Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
The (L)scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;
7 (M)you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.
Therefore (N)God, your God, has (O)anointed you
with the oil of (P)gladness (Q)beyond your companions;
8 your robes are all fragrant with (R)myrrh and aloes and cassia.
From ivory palaces (S)stringed instruments make you glad;
9 daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor;
(T)at your right hand stands the queen in (U)gold of Ophir.
10 Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:
forget your people and your father's house,
11 and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your (V)lord, (W)bow to him.
12 The people[b] of Tyre will (X)seek your favor with (Y)gifts,
(Z)the richest of the people.[c]
13 All glorious is (AA)the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold.
14 (AB)In many-colored robes (AC)she is led to the king,
with her virgin companions following behind her.
15 With joy and gladness they are led along
as they enter the palace of the king.
16 In place of your fathers shall be your sons;
you will make them (AD)princes in all the earth.
17 (AE)I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations;
therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.
Footnotes
- Psalm 45:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 45:12 Hebrew daughter
- Psalm 45:12 Or The daughter of Tyre is here with gifts, the richest of people seek your favor
Psalm 46
English Standard Version
God Is Our Fortress
To the choirmaster. Of (A)the Sons of Korah. According to (B)Alamoth.[a] A Song.
46 God is our (C)refuge and strength,
a very (D)present[b] help in (E)trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear (F)though the earth give way,
though the mountains be moved into (G)the heart of the sea,
3 though (H)its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah
4 There is (I)a river whose streams make glad (J)the city of God,
the holy (K)habitation of the Most High.
5 (L)God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
6 (M)The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he (N)utters his voice, the earth (O)melts.
7 (P)The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
8 (Q)Come, behold the works of the Lord,
how he has brought desolations on the earth.
9 (R)He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he (S)breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
(T)he burns the chariots with fire.
10 (U)“Be still, and know that I am God.
(V)I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
11 (W)The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
Footnotes
- Psalm 46:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 46:1 Or well proved
Psalm 47
English Standard Version
God Is King over All the Earth
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of (A)the Sons of Korah.
47 (B)Clap your hands, all peoples!
(C)Shout to God with loud songs of joy!
2 For the Lord, the Most High, (D)is to be feared,
(E)a great king over all the earth.
3 He (F)subdued peoples under us,
and nations under our feet.
4 He chose our (G)heritage for us,
(H)the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah
5 God (I)has gone up with a shout,
the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 For God is (J)the King of all the earth;
sing praises (K)with a psalm![a]
8 God (L)reigns over the nations;
God sits on his holy throne.
9 (M)The princes of the peoples gather
as the people of the God of Abraham.
For (N)the shields of the earth belong to God;
he is highly exalted!
Footnotes
- Psalm 47:7 Hebrew maskil
Psalm 48
English Standard Version
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, 2 (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.
3 Within her citadels God
has made himself known as a fortress.
4 For behold, (H)the kings assembled;
they came on together.
5 As soon as they saw it, they were astounded;
they were in panic; they took to flight.
6 (I)Trembling took hold of them there,
anguish (J)as of a woman in labor.
7 By (K)the east wind you (L)shattered
the ships of (M)Tarshish.
8 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
9 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
- Psalm 48:14 Septuagint; another reading is (compare Jerome, Syriac) He will guide us beyond death
Psalm 49
English Standard Version
Why Should I Fear in Times of Trouble?
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of (A)the Sons of Korah.
49 (B)Hear this, all peoples!
Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
2 (C)both low and high,
rich and poor together!
3 My mouth shall speak (D)wisdom;
the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to (E)a proverb;
I will solve my (F)riddle to the music of the lyre.
5 (G)Why should I fear in (H)times of trouble,
when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,
6 those who (I)trust in their wealth
and boast of the abundance of their riches?
7 Truly no man (J)can ransom another,
or (K)give to God (L)the price of his life,
8 for (M)the ransom of their life is costly
and can never suffice,
9 that he should live on forever
and (N)never see the pit.
10 For he sees (O)that even the wise die;
(P)the fool and the stupid alike must perish
and (Q)leave their wealth to others.
11 Their (R)graves are their homes forever,[a]
their dwelling places (S)to all generations,
though they (T)called lands by their own names.
12 Man in his pomp (U)will not remain;
(V)he is like the beasts that perish.
13 This is the path of those who have (W)foolish confidence;
yet after them people approve of their boasts.[b] Selah
14 Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
death shall be their shepherd,
and the upright (X)shall rule over them in the morning.
(Y)Their form shall be consumed (Z)in Sheol, with no place to dwell.
15 But God will (AA)ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
for he will (AB)receive me. Selah
16 Be not afraid when a man becomes rich,
when the glory of his house increases.
17 (AC)For when he dies he will (AD)carry nothing away;
his glory will not go down after him.
18 For though, while he lives, he counts himself (AE)blessed—
and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—
19 his soul will (AF)go to the generation of his fathers,
who will never again (AG)see light.
20 (AH)Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
Footnotes
- Psalm 49:11 Septuagint, Syriac, Targum; Hebrew Their inward thought was that their homes were forever
- Psalm 49:13 Or and of those after them who approve of their boasts
Psalm 84
English Standard Version
My Soul Longs for the Courts of the Lord
To the choirmaster: according to (A)The Gittith.[a] A Psalm of (B)the Sons of Korah.
84 How (C)lovely is your (D)dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul (E)longs, yes, (F)faints
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to (G)the living God.
3 Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
(H)my King and my God.
4 (I)Blessed are those who dwell in your house,
ever (J)singing your praise! Selah
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
(K)in whose heart are the highways to Zion.[b]
6 As they go through the Valley of Baca
they make it a place of springs;
(L)the early rain also covers it with (M)pools.
7 They go (N)from strength to strength;
each one (O)appears before God in Zion.
8 O (P)Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
9 (Q)Behold our (R)shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed!
10 For a day (S)in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be (T)a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the Lord God is (U)a sun and (V)shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor.
(W)No good thing does he withhold
from those who (X)walk uprightly.
12 O Lord of hosts,
(Y)blessed is the one who trusts in you!
Footnotes
- Psalm 84:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 84:5 Hebrew lacks to Zion
Psalm 85
English Standard Version
Revive Us Again
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of (A)the Sons of Korah.
85 Lord, you were (B)favorable to your land;
you (C)restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You (D)forgave the iniquity of your people;
you (E)covered all their sin. Selah
3 You withdrew all your wrath;
you (F)turned from your hot anger.
4 (G)Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
and put away your indignation toward us!
5 (H)Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
6 Will you not (I)revive us again,
that your people may (J)rejoice in you?
7 Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
and grant us your salvation.
8 (K)Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
for he will (L)speak peace to his people, to his (M)saints;
but let them not (N)turn back to (O)folly.
9 Surely his (P)salvation is near to those who fear him,
that (Q)glory may dwell in our land.
10 (R)Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
(S)righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs up from the ground,
and righteousness looks down from the sky.
12 Yes, (T)the Lord will give what is good,
and our land (U)will yield its increase.
13 (V)Righteousness will go before him
and make his footsteps a way.
Psalm 87
English Standard Version
Glorious Things of You Are Spoken
A Psalm of (A)the Sons of Korah. A Song.
87 On (B)the holy mount (C)stands the city he founded;
2 the Lord (D)loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
3 (E)Glorious things of you are spoken,
O (F)city of God. Selah
4 Among those who (G)know me I mention (H)Rahab and Babylon;
behold, Philistia and Tyre, with (I)Cush[a]—
“This one was born there,” they say.
5 And of Zion it shall be said,
“This one and that one were born in her”;
for the Most High himself will (J)establish her.
6 The Lord records as he (K)registers the peoples,
“This one was born there.” Selah
Footnotes
- Psalm 87:4 Probably Nubia
Psalm 88
English Standard Version
I Cry Out Day and Night Before You
A Song. A Psalm of (A)the Sons of Korah. To the choirmaster: according to (B)Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil[a] of (C)Heman the Ezrahite.
88 O Lord, (D)God of my salvation,
I (E)cry out day and night before you.
2 Let my prayer come before you;
(F)incline your ear to my cry!
3 For my soul is full of troubles,
and (G)my life draws near to (H)Sheol.
4 I am counted among those who (I)go down to the pit;
I am a man who has no strength,
5 like one set loose among the dead,
like the slain that lie in the grave,
like those whom (J)you remember no more,
for they are (K)cut off from your hand.
6 You have put me in (L)the depths of the pit,
in the (M)regions dark and (N)deep.
7 Your wrath (O)lies heavy upon me,
and you overwhelm me with (P)all your waves. Selah
8 You have caused (Q)my companions to shun me;
you have made me (R)a horror[b] to them.
I am (S)shut in so that I cannot escape;
9 (T)my eye grows dim through sorrow.
Every day I call upon you, O Lord;
I (U)spread out my hands to you.
10 Do you work wonders for the dead?
(V)Do the departed rise up to praise you? Selah
11 Is your steadfast love declared in the grave,
or your faithfulness in Abaddon?
12 Are your (W)wonders known in (X)the darkness,
or your righteousness in the land of (Y)forgetfulness?
13 But I, O Lord, cry (Z)to you;
(AA)in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 O Lord, why (AB)do you cast my soul away?
Why (AC)do you hide your face from me?
15 Afflicted and close to death from my youth up,
I suffer your terrors; I am helpless.[c]
16 Your wrath has swept over me;
your (AD)dreadful assaults destroy me.
17 They (AE)surround me like a flood (AF)all day long;
they (AG)close in on me together.
18 You have caused (AH)my beloved and my friend to shun me;
my companions have become darkness.[d]
Footnotes
- Psalm 88:1 Probably musical or liturgical terms
- Psalm 88:8 Or an abomination
- Psalm 88:15 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
- Psalm 88:18 Or darkness has become my only companion
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
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