Psalm 78:5-103:12
New King James Version
5 For (A)He established a testimony in Jacob,
And appointed a law in Israel,
Which He commanded our fathers,
That (B)they should make them known to their children;
6 (C)That the generation to come might know them,
The children who would be born,
That they may arise and declare them to their children,
7 That they may set their hope in God,
And not forget the works of God,
But keep His commandments;
8 And (D)may not be like their fathers,
(E)A stubborn and rebellious generation,
A generation (F)that did not [a]set its heart aright,
And whose spirit was not faithful to God.
9 The children of Ephraim, being armed and [b]carrying bows,
Turned back in the day of battle.
10 (G)They did not keep the covenant of God;
They refused to walk in His law,
11 And (H)forgot His works
And His wonders that He had shown them.
12 (I)Marvelous things He did in the sight of their fathers,
In the land of Egypt, (J)in the field of Zoan.
13 (K)He divided the sea and caused them to pass through;
And (L)He made the waters stand up like a heap.
14 (M)In the daytime also He led them with the cloud,
And all the night with a light of fire.
15 (N)He split the rocks in the wilderness,
And gave them drink in abundance like the depths.
16 He also brought (O)streams out of the rock,
And caused waters to run down like rivers.
17 But they sinned even more against Him
By (P)rebelling against the Most High in the wilderness.
18 And (Q)they tested God in their heart
By asking for the food of their fancy.
19 (R)Yes, they spoke against God:
They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?
20 (S)Behold, He struck the rock,
So that the waters gushed out,
And the streams overflowed.
Can He give bread also?
Can He provide meat for His people?”
21 Therefore the Lord heard this and (T)was furious;
So a fire was kindled against Jacob,
And anger also came up against Israel,
22 Because they (U)did not believe in God,
And did not trust in His salvation.
23 Yet He had commanded the clouds above,
(V)And opened the doors of heaven,
24 (W)Had rained down manna on them to eat,
And given them of the [c]bread of (X)heaven.
25 Men ate angels’ food;
He sent them food to [d]the full.
26 (Y)He caused an east wind to blow in the heavens;
And by His power He brought in the south wind.
27 He also rained meat on them like the dust,
Feathered fowl like the sand of the seas;
28 And He let them fall in the midst of their camp,
All around their dwellings.
29 (Z)So they ate and were well filled,
For He gave them their own desire.
30 They were not [e]deprived of their craving;
But (AA)while their food was still in their mouths,
31 The wrath of God came against them,
And slew the stoutest of them,
And struck down the choice men of Israel.
32 In spite of this (AB)they still sinned,
And (AC)did not believe in His wondrous works.
33 (AD)Therefore their days He consumed in futility,
And their years in fear.
34 (AE)When He slew them, then they sought Him;
And they returned and sought earnestly for God.
35 Then they remembered that (AF)God was their rock,
And the Most High God (AG)their Redeemer.
36 Nevertheless they (AH)flattered Him with their mouth,
And they lied to Him with their tongue;
37 For their heart was not steadfast with Him,
Nor were they faithful in His covenant.
38 (AI)But He, being full of (AJ)compassion, forgave their iniquity,
And did not destroy them.
Yes, many a time (AK)He turned His anger away,
And (AL)did not stir up all His wrath;
39 For (AM)He remembered (AN)that they were but flesh,
(AO)A breath that passes away and does not come again.
40 How often they (AP)provoked[f] Him in the wilderness,
And grieved Him in the desert!
41 Yes, (AQ)again and again they tempted God,
And limited the Holy One of Israel.
42 They did not remember His [g]power:
The day when He redeemed them from the enemy,
43 When He worked His signs in Egypt,
And His wonders in the field of Zoan;
44 (AR)Turned their rivers into blood,
And their streams, that they could not drink.
45 (AS)He sent swarms of flies among them, which devoured them,
And (AT)frogs, which destroyed them.
46 He also gave their crops to the caterpillar,
And their labor to the (AU)locust.
47 (AV)He destroyed their vines with hail,
And their sycamore trees with frost.
48 He also gave up their (AW)cattle to the hail,
And their flocks to fiery [h]lightning.
49 He cast on them the fierceness of His anger,
Wrath, indignation, and trouble,
By sending angels of destruction among them.
50 He made a path for His anger;
He did not spare their soul from death,
But gave [i]their life over to the plague,
51 And destroyed all the (AX)firstborn in Egypt,
The first of their strength in the tents of Ham.
52 But He (AY)made His own people go forth like sheep,
And guided them in the wilderness like a flock;
53 And He (AZ)led them on safely, so that they did not fear;
But the sea (BA)overwhelmed their enemies.
54 And He brought them to His (BB)holy border,
This mountain (BC)which His right hand had acquired.
55 (BD)He also drove out the nations before them,
(BE)Allotted them an inheritance by [j]survey,
And made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents.
56 (BF)Yet they tested and provoked the Most High God,
And did not keep His testimonies,
57 But (BG)turned back and acted unfaithfully like their fathers;
They were turned aside (BH)like a deceitful bow.
58 (BI)For they provoked Him to anger with their (BJ)high places,
And moved Him to jealousy with their carved images.
59 When God heard this, He was furious,
And greatly abhorred Israel,
60 (BK)So that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh,
The tent He had placed among men,
61 (BL)And delivered His strength into captivity,
And His glory into the enemy’s hand.
62 (BM)He also gave His people over to the sword,
And was furious with His inheritance.
63 The fire consumed their young men,
And (BN)their maidens were not given in marriage.
64 (BO)Their priests fell by the sword,
And (BP)their widows made no lamentation.
65 Then the Lord awoke as from sleep,
(BQ)Like a mighty man who shouts because of wine.
66 And (BR)He beat back His enemies;
He put them to a perpetual reproach.
67 Moreover He rejected the tent of Joseph,
And did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
68 But chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion (BS)which He loved.
69 And He built His (BT)sanctuary like the heights,
Like the earth which He has established forever.
70 (BU)He also chose David His servant,
And took him from the sheepfolds;
71 From following (BV)the ewes that had young He brought him,
(BW)To shepherd Jacob His people,
And Israel His inheritance.
72 So he shepherded them according to the (BX)integrity of his heart,
And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.
A Dirge and a Prayer for Israel, Destroyed by Enemies
A Psalm of Asaph.
79 O God, the [k]nations have come into (BY)Your inheritance;
Your holy temple they have defiled;
(BZ)They have laid Jerusalem [l]in heaps.
2 (CA)The dead bodies of Your servants
They have given as food for the birds of the heavens,
The flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth.
3 Their blood they have shed like water all around Jerusalem,
And there was no one to bury them.
4 We have become a reproach to our (CB)neighbors,
A scorn and derision to those who are around us.
5 (CC)How long, Lord?
Will You be angry forever?
Will Your (CD)jealousy burn like fire?
6 (CE)Pour out Your wrath on the [m]nations that (CF)do not know You,
And on the kingdoms that (CG)do not call on Your name.
7 For they have devoured Jacob,
And laid waste his dwelling place.
8 (CH)Oh, do not remember [n]former iniquities against us!
Let Your tender mercies come speedily to meet us,
For we have been brought very low.
9 Help us, O God of our salvation,
For the glory of Your name;
And deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins,
(CI)For Your name’s sake!
10 (CJ)Why should the [o]nations say,
“Where is their God?”
Let there be known among the nations in our sight
The avenging of the blood of Your servants which has been shed.
11 Let (CK)the groaning of the prisoner come before You;
According to the greatness of Your [p]power
Preserve those who are appointed to die;
12 And return to our neighbors (CL)sevenfold into their bosom
(CM)Their reproach with which they have reproached You, O Lord.
13 So (CN)we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture,
Will give You thanks forever;
(CO)We will show forth Your praise to all generations.
Prayer for Israel’s Restoration
To the Chief Musician. (CP)Set to [q]“The Lilies.” A [r]Testimony of Asaph. A Psalm.
80 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
(CQ)You who lead Joseph (CR)like a flock;
You who dwell between the cherubim, (CS)shine forth!
2 Before (CT)Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh,
Stir up Your strength,
And come and save us!
4 O Lord God of hosts,
(CW)How long will You be angry
Against the prayer of Your people?
5 (CX)You have fed them with the bread of tears,
And given them tears to drink in great measure.
6 You have made us a strife to our neighbors,
And our enemies laugh among themselves.
7 Restore us, O God of hosts;
Cause Your face to shine,
And we shall be saved!
8 You have brought (CY)a vine out of Egypt;
(CZ)You have cast out the [s]nations, and planted it.
9 You prepared room for it,
And caused it to take deep root,
And it filled the land.
10 The hills were covered with its shadow,
And the [t]mighty cedars with its (DA)boughs.
11 She sent out her boughs to [u]the Sea,
And her branches to [v]the River.
12 Why have You (DB)broken down her [w]hedges,
So that all who pass by the way pluck her fruit?
13 The boar out of the woods uproots it,
And the wild beast of the field devours it.
14 Return, we beseech You, O God of hosts;
(DC)Look down from heaven and see,
And visit this vine
15 And the vineyard which Your right hand has planted,
And the branch that You made strong (DD)for Yourself.
16 It is burned with fire, it is cut down;
(DE)They perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.
17 (DF)Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand,
Upon the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself.
18 Then we will not turn back from You;
Revive us, and we will call upon Your name.
19 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts;
Cause Your face to shine,
And we shall be saved!
An Appeal for Israel’s Repentance
To the Chief Musician. (DG)On[x] an instrument of Gath. A Psalm of Asaph.
81 Sing aloud to God our strength;
Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob.
2 Raise a song and strike the timbrel,
The pleasant harp with the lute.
3 Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon,
At the full moon, on our solemn feast day.
4 For (DH)this is a statute for Israel,
A law of the God of Jacob.
5 This He established in Joseph as a testimony,
When He went throughout the land of Egypt,
(DI)Where I heard a language I did not understand.
6 “I removed his shoulder from the burden;
His hands were freed from the baskets.
7 (DJ)You called in trouble, and I delivered you;
(DK)I answered you in the secret place of thunder;
I (DL)tested you at the waters of [y]Meribah. Selah
8 “Hear,(DM) O My people, and I will admonish you!
O Israel, if you will listen to Me!
9 There shall be no (DN)foreign god among you;
Nor shall you worship any foreign god.
10 (DO)I am the Lord your God,
Who brought you out of the land of Egypt;
(DP)Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
11 “But My people would not heed My voice,
And Israel would have (DQ)none of Me.
12 (DR)So I gave them over to [z]their own stubborn heart,
To walk in their own counsels.
13 “Oh,(DS) that My people would listen to Me,
That Israel would walk in My ways!
14 I would soon subdue their enemies,
And turn My hand against their adversaries.
15 (DT)The haters of the Lord would pretend submission to Him,
But their [aa]fate would endure forever.
16 He would (DU)have fed them also with [ab]the finest of wheat;
And with honey (DV)from the rock I would have satisfied you.”
A Plea for Justice
A Psalm of Asaph.
82 God (DW)stands in the congregation of [ac]the mighty;
He judges among (DX)the [ad]gods.
2 How long will you judge unjustly,
And (DY)show partiality to the wicked? Selah
3 [ae]Defend the poor and fatherless;
Do justice to the afflicted and (DZ)needy.
4 Deliver the poor and needy;
Free them from the hand of the wicked.
5 They do not know, nor do they understand;
They walk about in darkness;
All the (EA)foundations of the earth are [af]unstable.
6 I said, (EB)“You are [ag]gods,
And all of you are children of the Most High.
7 But you shall die like men,
And fall like one of the princes.”
8 Arise, O God, judge the earth;
(EC)For You shall inherit all nations.
Prayer to Frustrate Conspiracy Against Israel
A Song. A Psalm of Asaph.
83 Do(ED) not keep silent, O God!
Do not hold Your peace,
And do not be still, O God!
2 For behold, (EE)Your enemies make a [ah]tumult;
And those who hate You have [ai]lifted up their head.
3 They have taken crafty counsel against Your people,
And consulted together (EF)against Your sheltered ones.
4 They have said, “Come, and (EG)let us cut them off from being a nation,
That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”
5 For they have consulted together with one [aj]consent;
They [ak]form a confederacy against You:
6 (EH)The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites;
Moab and the Hagrites;
7 Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek;
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 Assyria also has joined with them;
They have helped the children of Lot. Selah
9 Deal with them as with (EI)Midian,
As with (EJ)Sisera,
As with Jabin at the Brook Kishon,
10 Who perished at En Dor,
(EK)Who became as refuse on the earth.
11 Make their nobles like (EL)Oreb and like Zeeb,
Yes, all their princes like (EM)Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 Who said, “Let us take for ourselves
The pastures of God for a possession.”
13 (EN)O my God, make them like the whirling dust,
(EO)Like the chaff before the wind!
14 As the fire burns the woods,
And as the flame (EP)sets the mountains on fire,
15 So pursue them with Your tempest,
And frighten them with Your storm.
16 Fill their faces with shame,
That they may seek Your name, O Lord.
17 Let them be [al]confounded and dismayed forever;
Yes, let them be put to shame and perish,
18 (EQ)That they may know that You, whose (ER)name alone is the Lord,
Are (ES)the Most High over all the earth.
The Blessedness of Dwelling in the House of God
To the Chief Musician. (ET)On[am] an instrument of Gath. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
84 How (EU)lovely [an]is Your tabernacle,
O Lord of hosts!
2 (EV)My soul longs, yes, even faints
For the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
And the swallow a nest for herself,
Where she may lay her young—
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in Your (EW)house;
They will still be praising You. Selah
5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley (EX)of [ao]Baca,
They make it a spring;
The rain also covers it with [ap]pools.
7 They go (EY)from strength to strength;
[aq]Each one (EZ)appears before God in Zion.
8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
9 (FA)O God, behold our shield,
And look upon the face of Your [ar]anointed.
10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.
I would rather [as]be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the Lord God is (FB)a sun and (FC)shield;
The Lord will give grace and glory;
(FD)No good thing will He withhold
From those who walk uprightly.
12 O Lord of hosts,
(FE)Blessed is the man who trusts in You!
Prayer that the Lord Will Restore Favor to the Land
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm (FF)of the sons of Korah.
85 Lord, You have been favorable to Your land;
You have (FG)brought back the captivity of Jacob.
2 You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people;
You have covered all their sin. Selah
3 You have taken away all Your wrath;
You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger.
4 (FH)Restore us, O God of our salvation,
And cause Your anger toward us to cease.
5 (FI)Will You be angry with us forever?
Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?
6 Will You not (FJ)revive us again,
That Your people may rejoice in You?
7 Show us Your mercy, Lord,
And grant us Your salvation.
8 I will hear what God the Lord will speak,
For He will speak peace
To His people and to His saints;
But let them not turn back to [at]folly.
9 Surely (FK)His salvation is near to those who fear Him,
(FL)That glory may dwell in our land.
10 Mercy and truth have met together;
(FM)Righteousness and peace have kissed.
11 Truth shall spring out of the earth,
And righteousness shall look down from heaven.
12 (FN)Yes, the Lord will give what is good;
And our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before Him,
And shall make His footsteps our pathway.
Prayer for Mercy, with Meditation on the Excellencies of the Lord
A Prayer of David.
86 Bow down Your ear, O Lord, hear me;
For I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my [au]life, for I am holy;
You are my God;
Save Your servant who trusts in You!
3 Be merciful to me, O Lord,
For I cry to You all day long.
4 [av]Rejoice the soul of Your servant,
(FO)For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
5 For (FP)You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.
6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
And attend to the voice of my supplications.
7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon You,
For You will answer me.
8 (FQ)Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord;
Nor are there any works like Your works.
9 All nations whom You have made
Shall come and worship before You, O Lord,
And shall glorify Your name.
10 For You are great, and (FR)do wondrous things;
(FS)You alone are God.
11 (FT)Teach me Your way, O Lord;
I will walk in Your truth;
[aw]Unite my heart to fear Your name.
12 I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And I will glorify Your name forevermore.
13 For great is Your mercy toward me,
And You have delivered my soul from the depths of [ax]Sheol.
14 O God, the proud have risen against me,
And a mob of violent men have sought my life,
And have not set You before them.
15 But (FU)You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious,
Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.
16 Oh, turn to me, and have mercy on me!
Give Your strength to Your servant,
And save the son of Your maidservant.
17 Show me a sign for good,
That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed,
Because You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
The Glories of the City of God
A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song.
87 His foundation is in the holy mountains.
2 (FV)The Lord loves the gates of Zion
More than all the dwellings of Jacob.
3 (FW)Glorious things are spoken of you,
O city of God! Selah
4 “I will make mention of [ay]Rahab and Babylon to those who know Me;
Behold, O Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia:
‘This one was born there.’ ”
5 And of Zion it will be said,
“This one and that one were born in her;
And the Most High Himself shall establish her.”
6 The Lord will record,
When He (FX)registers the peoples:
“This one was born there.” Selah
7 Both the singers and the players on instruments say,
“All my springs are in you.”
A Prayer for Help in Despondency
A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. To the Chief Musician. Set to “Mahalath Leannoth.” A [az]Contemplation of (FY)Heman the Ezrahite.
88 O Lord, (FZ)God of my salvation,
I have cried out day and night before You.
2 Let my prayer come before You;
[ba]Incline Your ear to my cry.
3 For my soul is full of troubles,
And my life (GA)draws near to the grave.
4 I am counted with those who (GB)go[bb] down to the pit;
(GC)I am like a man who has no strength,
5 [bc]Adrift among the dead,
Like the slain who lie in the grave,
Whom You remember no more,
And who are cut off from Your hand.
6 You have laid me in the lowest pit,
In darkness, in the depths.
7 Your wrath lies heavy upon me,
And You have afflicted me with all (GD)Your waves. Selah
8 (GE)You have [bd]put away my acquaintances far from me;
You have made me an abomination to them;
(GF)I am shut up, and I cannot get out;
9 My eye wastes away because of affliction.
(GG)Lord, I have called daily upon You;
I have stretched out my hands to You.
10 Will You work wonders for the dead?
Shall [be]the dead arise and praise You? Selah
11 Shall Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave?
Or Your faithfulness in the place of destruction?
12 Shall Your wonders be known in the dark?
And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But to You I have cried out, O Lord,
And in the morning my prayer comes before You.
14 Lord, why do You cast off my soul?
Why do You hide Your face from me?
15 I have been afflicted and ready to die from my youth;
I suffer Your terrors;
I am distraught.
16 Your fierce wrath has gone over me;
Your terrors have [bf]cut me off.
17 They came around me all day long like water;
They engulfed me altogether.
18 (GH)Loved one and friend You have put far from me,
And my acquaintances into darkness.
Remembering the Covenant with David, and Sorrow for Lost Blessings
A [bg]Contemplation of (GI)Ethan the Ezrahite.
89 I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever;
With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations.
2 For I have said, “Mercy shall be built up forever;
(GJ)Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens.”
3 “I(GK) have made a covenant with My chosen,
I have (GL)sworn to My servant David:
4 ‘Your seed I will establish forever,
And build up your throne (GM)to all generations.’ ” Selah
5 And (GN)the heavens will praise Your wonders, O Lord;
Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints.
6 (GO)For who in the heavens can be compared to the Lord?
Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the Lord?
7 (GP)God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints,
And to be held in reverence by all those around Him.
8 O Lord God of hosts,
Who is mighty like You, O Lord?
Your faithfulness also surrounds You.
9 (GQ)You rule the raging of the sea;
When its waves rise, You still them.
10 (GR)You have broken [bh]Rahab in pieces, as one who is slain;
You have scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.
11 (GS)The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours;
The world and all its fullness, You have founded them.
12 The north and the south, You have created them;
(GT)Tabor and (GU)Hermon rejoice in Your name.
13 You have a mighty arm;
Strong is Your hand, and high is Your right hand.
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
Mercy and truth go before Your face.
15 Blessed are the people who know the (GV)joyful sound!
They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance.
16 In Your name they rejoice all day long,
And in Your righteousness they are exalted.
17 For You are the glory of their strength,
And in Your favor our [bi]horn is (GW)exalted.
18 For our shield belongs to the Lord,
And our king to the Holy One of Israel.
19 Then You spoke in a vision to Your [bj]holy one,
And said: “I have given help to one who is mighty;
I have exalted one (GX)chosen from the people.
20 (GY)I have found My servant David;
With My holy oil I have anointed him,
21 (GZ)With whom My hand shall be established;
Also My arm shall strengthen him.
22 The enemy shall not [bk]outwit him,
Nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
23 I will beat down his foes before his face,
And plague those who hate him.
24 “But My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him,
And in My name his horn shall be exalted.
25 Also I will (HA)set his hand over the sea,
And his right hand over the rivers.
26 He shall cry to Me, ‘You are (HB)my Father,
My God, and (HC)the rock of my salvation.’
27 Also I will make him (HD)My firstborn,
(HE)The highest of the kings of the earth.
28 (HF)My mercy I will keep for him forever,
And My covenant shall stand firm with him.
29 His seed also I will make to endure forever,
(HG)And his throne (HH)as the days of heaven.
30 “If(HI) his sons (HJ)forsake My law
And do not walk in My judgments,
31 If they [bl]break My statutes
And do not keep My commandments,
32 Then I will punish their transgression with the rod,
And their iniquity with stripes.
33 (HK)Nevertheless My lovingkindness I will not [bm]utterly take from him,
Nor [bn]allow My faithfulness to fail.
34 My covenant I will not break,
Nor (HL)alter the word that has gone out of My lips.
35 Once I have sworn (HM)by My holiness;
I will not lie to David:
36 (HN)His seed shall endure forever,
And his throne (HO)as the sun before Me;
37 It shall be established forever like the moon,
Even like the faithful witness in the sky.” Selah
38 But You have (HP)cast off and (HQ)abhorred,[bo]
You have been furious with Your [bp]anointed.
39 You have renounced the covenant of Your servant;
(HR)You have [bq]profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.
40 You have broken down all his hedges;
You have brought his [br]strongholds to ruin.
41 All who pass by the way (HS)plunder him;
He is a reproach to his neighbors.
42 You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries;
You have made all his enemies rejoice.
43 You have also turned back the edge of his sword,
And have not sustained him in the battle.
44 You have made his [bs]glory cease,
And cast his throne down to the ground.
45 The days of his youth You have shortened;
You have covered him with shame. Selah
46 How long, Lord?
Will You hide Yourself forever?
Will Your wrath burn like fire?
47 Remember how short my time (HT)is;
For what (HU)futility have You created all the children of men?
48 What man can live and not [bt]see (HV)death?
Can he deliver his life from the power of [bu]the grave? Selah
49 Lord, where are Your former lovingkindnesses,
Which You (HW)swore to David (HX)in Your truth?
50 Remember, Lord, the reproach of Your servants—
(HY)How I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples,
51 (HZ)With which Your enemies have reproached, O Lord,
With which they have reproached the footsteps of Your [bv]anointed.
52 (IA)Blessed be the Lord forevermore!
Amen and Amen.
BOOK FOUR
Psalms 90–106
The Eternity of God, and Man’s Frailty
A Prayer (IB)of Moses the man of God.
90 Lord, (IC)You have been our [bw]dwelling place in all generations.
2 (ID)Before the mountains were brought forth,
Or ever You [bx]had formed the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
3 You turn man to destruction,
And say, (IE)“Return, O children of men.”
4 (IF)For a thousand years in Your sight
Are like yesterday when it is past,
And like a watch in the night.
5 You carry them away like a flood;
(IG)They are like a sleep.
In the morning (IH)they are like grass which grows up:
6 In the morning it flourishes and grows up;
In the evening it is cut down and withers.
7 For we have been consumed by Your anger,
And by Your wrath we are terrified.
8 (II)You have set our iniquities before You,
Our (IJ)secret sins in the light of Your countenance.
9 For all our days have passed away in Your wrath;
We finish our years like a sigh.
10 The days of our lives are seventy years;
And if by reason of strength they are eighty years,
Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow;
For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
11 Who knows the power of Your anger?
For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath.
12 (IK)So teach us to number our days,
That we may gain a heart of wisdom.
13 Return, O Lord!
How long?
And (IL)have compassion on Your servants.
14 Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy,
(IM)That we may rejoice and be glad all our days!
15 Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us,
The years in which we have seen evil.
16 Let (IN)Your work appear to Your servants,
And Your glory to their children.
17 (IO)And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,
And (IP)establish the work of our hands for us;
Yes, establish the work of our hands.
Safety of Abiding in the Presence of God
91 He (IQ)who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide (IR)under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 (IS)I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”
3 Surely (IT)He shall deliver you from the snare of the [by]fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.
4 (IU)He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and [bz]buckler.
5 (IV)You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
8 Only (IW)with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the Lord, who is (IX)my refuge,
Even the Most High, (IY)your dwelling place,
10 (IZ)No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
11 (JA)For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
12 In their hands they shall [ca]bear you up,
(JB)Lest you [cb]dash your foot against a stone.
13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
14 “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will [cc]set him on high, because he has (JC)known My name.
15 He shall (JD)call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be (JE)with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With [cd]long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.”
Praise to the Lord for His Love and Faithfulness
A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath day.
92 It is (JF)good to give thanks to the Lord,
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
2 To (JG)declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,
And Your faithfulness every night,
3 (JH)On an instrument of ten strings,
On the lute,
And on the harp,
With harmonious sound.
4 For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work;
I will triumph in the works of Your hands.
5 (JI)O Lord, how great are Your works!
(JJ)Your thoughts are very deep.
6 (JK)A senseless man does not know,
Nor does a fool understand this.
7 When (JL)the wicked [ce]spring up like grass,
And when all the workers of iniquity flourish,
It is that they may be destroyed forever.
8 (JM)But You, Lord, are on high forevermore.
9 For behold, Your enemies, O Lord,
For behold, Your enemies shall perish;
All the workers of iniquity shall (JN)be scattered.
10 But (JO)my [cf]horn You have exalted like a wild ox;
I have been (JP)anointed with fresh oil.
11 (JQ)My eye also has seen my desire on my enemies;
My ears hear my desire on the wicked
Who rise up against me.
12 (JR)The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 Those who are planted in the house of the Lord
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be [cg]fresh and [ch]flourishing,
15 To declare that the Lord is upright;
(JS)He is my rock, and (JT)there is no unrighteousness in Him.
The Eternal Reign of the Lord
93 The (JU)Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty;
The Lord is clothed,
(JV)He has girded Himself with strength.
Surely the world is established, so that it cannot be [ci]moved.
2 (JW)Your throne is established from of old;
You are from everlasting.
3 The floods have [cj]lifted up, O Lord,
The floods have lifted up their voice;
The floods lift up their waves.
4 (JX)The Lord on high is mightier
Than the noise of many waters,
Than the mighty waves of the sea.
5 Your testimonies are very sure;
Holiness adorns Your house,
O Lord, [ck]forever.
God the Refuge of the Righteous
94 O Lord God, (JY)to whom vengeance belongs—
O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth!
2 Rise up, O (JZ)Judge of the earth;
[cl]Render punishment to the proud.
3 Lord, (KA)how long will the wicked,
How long will the wicked triumph?
4 They (KB)utter speech, and speak insolent things;
All the workers of iniquity boast in themselves.
5 They break in pieces Your people, O Lord,
And afflict Your heritage.
6 They slay the widow and the stranger,
And murder the fatherless.
7 (KC)Yet they say, “The Lord does not see,
Nor does the God of Jacob [cm]understand.”
8 Understand, you senseless among the people;
And you fools, when will you be wise?
9 (KD)He who planted the ear, shall He not hear?
He who formed the eye, shall He not see?
10 He who [cn]instructs the [co]nations, shall He not correct,
He who teaches man knowledge?
11 The Lord (KE)knows the thoughts of man,
That they are futile.
12 Blessed is the man whom You (KF)instruct, O Lord,
And teach out of Your law,
13 That You may give him [cp]rest from the days of adversity,
Until the pit is dug for the wicked.
14 For the Lord will not [cq]cast off His people,
Nor will He forsake His inheritance.
15 But judgment will return to righteousness,
And all the upright in heart will follow it.
16 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers?
Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?
17 Unless the Lord had been my help,
My soul would soon have settled in silence.
18 If I say, “My foot slips,”
Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up.
19 In the multitude of my anxieties within me,
Your comforts delight my soul.
20 Shall (KG)the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law,
Have fellowship with You?
21 They gather together against the life of the righteous,
And condemn (KH)innocent blood.
22 But the Lord has been my defense,
And my God the rock of my refuge.
23 He has brought on them their own iniquity,
And shall [cr]cut them off in their own wickedness;
The Lord our God shall cut them off.
A Call to Worship and Obedience
95 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord!
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with (KI)psalms.
3 For (KJ)the Lord is the great God,
And the great King above all gods.
4 [cs]In His hand are the deep places of the earth;
The heights of the hills are His also.
5 (KK)The sea is His, for He made it;
And His hands formed the dry land.
6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
Let (KL)us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
7 For He is our God,
And (KM)we are the people of His pasture,
And the sheep [ct]of His hand.
(KN)Today, if you will hear His voice:
8 “Do not harden your hearts, as in the [cu]rebellion,
(KO)As in the day of [cv]trial in the wilderness,
9 When (KP)your fathers tested Me;
They tried Me, though they (KQ)saw My work.
10 For (KR)forty years I was [cw]grieved with that generation,
And said, ‘It is a people who go astray in their hearts,
And they do not know My ways.’
11 So (KS)I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”
A Song of Praise to God Coming in Judgment(KT)
96 Oh, (KU)sing to the Lord a new song!
Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Sing to the Lord, bless His name;
Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
3 Declare His glory among the [cx]nations,
His wonders among all peoples.
4 For (KV)the Lord is great and (KW)greatly to be praised;
(KX)He is to be feared above all gods.
5 For (KY)all the gods of the peoples are idols,
(KZ)But the Lord made the heavens.
6 Honor and majesty are before Him;
Strength and (LA)beauty are in His sanctuary.
7 (LB)Give[cy] to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
Give to the Lord glory and strength.
8 [cz]Give to the Lord the glory due His name;
Bring an offering, and come into His courts.
9 Oh, worship the Lord (LC)in the beauty of holiness!
Tremble before Him, all the earth.
10 Say among the [da]nations, (LD)“The Lord reigns;
The world also is firmly established,
It shall not be [db]moved;
(LE)He shall judge the peoples righteously.”
11 (LF)Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
(LG)Let the sea roar, and [dc]all its fullness;
12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it.
Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice
13 before the Lord.
For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth.
(LH)He shall judge the world with righteousness,
And the peoples with His truth.
A Song of Praise to the Sovereign Lord
2 (LJ)Clouds and darkness surround Him;
(LK)Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
3 (LL)A fire goes before Him,
And burns up His enemies round about.
4 (LM)His lightnings light the world;
The earth sees and trembles.
5 (LN)The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the Lord,
At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
6 (LO)The heavens declare His righteousness,
And all the peoples see His glory.
7 (LP)Let all be put to shame who serve carved images,
Who boast of idols.
(LQ)Worship Him, all you gods.
8 Zion hears and is glad,
And the daughters of Judah rejoice
Because of Your judgments, O Lord.
9 For You, Lord, are (LR)most high above all the earth;
(LS)You are exalted far above all gods.
10 You who love the Lord, (LT)hate evil!
(LU)He preserves the souls of His saints;
(LV)He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.
11 (LW)Light is sown for the righteous,
And gladness for the upright in heart.
12 (LX)Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous,
(LY)And give thanks [de]at the remembrance of [df]His holy name.
A Song of Praise to the Lord for His Salvation and Judgment
A Psalm.
98 Oh, (LZ)sing to the Lord a new song!
For He has (MA)done marvelous things;
His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.
2 (MB)The Lord has made known His salvation;
(MC)His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the [dg]nations.
3 He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;
(MD)All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
4 Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth;
Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.
5 Sing to the Lord with the harp,
With the harp and the sound of a psalm,
6 With trumpets and the sound of a horn;
Shout joyfully before the Lord, the King.
7 Let the sea roar, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell in it;
8 Let the rivers clap their hands;
Let the hills be joyful together
9 before the Lord,
(ME)For He is coming to judge the earth.
With righteousness He shall judge the world,
And the peoples with [dh]equity.
Praise to the Lord for His Holiness
99 The Lord reigns;
Let the peoples tremble!
(MF)He dwells between the cherubim;
Let the earth be [di]moved!
2 The Lord is great in Zion,
And He is high above all the peoples.
3 Let them praise Your great and awesome name—
[dj]He is holy.
4 The King’s strength also loves justice;
You have established equity;
You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.
5 Exalt the Lord our God,
And worship at His footstool—
He is holy.
6 Moses and Aaron were among His priests,
And Samuel was among those who (MG)called upon His name;
They called upon the Lord, and He answered them.
7 He spoke to them in the cloudy pillar;
They kept His testimonies and the [dk]ordinance He gave them.
8 You answered them, O Lord our God;
You were to them God-Who-Forgives,
Though You took vengeance on their deeds.
9 Exalt the Lord our God,
And worship at His holy hill;
For the Lord our God is holy.
A Song of Praise for the Lord’s Faithfulness to His People
(MH)A Psalm of Thanksgiving.
100 Make (MI)a joyful shout to the Lord, [dl]all you lands!
2 Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
3 Know that the Lord, He is God;
(MJ)It is He who has made us, and [dm]not we ourselves;
(MK)We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
4 (ML)Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
5 For the Lord is good;
(MM)His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.
Promised Faithfulness to the Lord
A Psalm of David.
101 I will sing of mercy and justice;
To You, O Lord, I will sing praises.
2 I will behave wisely in a [dn]perfect way.
Oh, when will You come to me?
I will (MN)walk within my house with a perfect heart.
3 I will set nothing [do]wicked before my eyes;
(MO)I hate the work of those (MP)who fall away;
It shall not cling to me.
4 A perverse heart shall depart from me;
I will not (MQ)know wickedness.
5 Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor,
Him I will destroy;
(MR)The one who has a haughty look and a proud heart,
Him I will not endure.
6 My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land,
That they may dwell with me;
He who walks in a [dp]perfect way,
He shall serve me.
7 He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house;
He who tells lies shall not [dq]continue in my presence.
8 (MS)Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land,
That I may cut off all the evildoers (MT)from the city of the Lord.
The Lord’s Eternal Love
A Prayer of the afflicted, (MU)when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the Lord.
102 Hear my prayer, O Lord,
And let my cry come to You.
2 (MV)Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble;
Incline Your ear to me;
In the day that I call, answer me speedily.
3 For my days [dr]are (MW)consumed like smoke,
And my bones are burned like a hearth.
4 My heart is stricken and withered like grass,
So that I forget to eat my bread.
5 Because of the sound of my groaning
My bones cling to my [ds]skin.
6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness;
I am like an owl of the desert.
7 I lie awake,
And am like a sparrow alone on the housetop.
8 My enemies reproach me all day long;
Those who deride me swear an oath against me.
9 For I have eaten ashes like bread,
And mingled my drink with weeping,
10 Because of Your indignation and Your wrath;
For You have lifted me up and cast me away.
11 My days are like a shadow that lengthens,
And I wither away like grass.
12 But You, O Lord, shall endure forever,
And the remembrance of Your name to all generations.
13 You will arise and have mercy on Zion;
For the time to favor her,
Yes, the set time, has come.
14 For Your servants take pleasure in her stones,
And show favor to her dust.
15 So the [dt]nations shall (MX)fear the name of the Lord,
And all the kings of the earth Your glory.
16 For the Lord shall build up Zion;
(MY)He shall appear in His glory.
17 (MZ)He shall regard the prayer of the destitute,
And shall not despise their prayer.
18 This will be (NA)written for the generation to come,
That (NB)a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.
19 For He (NC)looked down from the height of His sanctuary;
From heaven the Lord viewed the earth,
20 (ND)To hear the groaning of the prisoner,
To release those appointed to death,
21 To (NE)declare the name of the Lord in Zion,
And His praise in Jerusalem,
22 (NF)When the peoples are gathered together,
And the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.
23 He weakened my strength in the way;
He (NG)shortened my days.
24 (NH)I said, “O my God,
Do not take me away in the midst of my days;
(NI)Your years are throughout all generations.
25 (NJ)Of old You laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
26 (NK)They will perish, but You will [du]endure;
Yes, they will all grow old like a garment;
Like a cloak You will change them,
And they will be changed.
27 But (NL)You are the same,
And Your years will have no end.
28 (NM)The children of Your servants will continue,
And their descendants will be established before You.”
Praise for the Lord’s Mercies
A Psalm of David.
103 Bless (NN)the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
3 (NO)Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who (NP)heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction,
(NQ)Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that (NR)your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The Lord executes righteousness
And justice for all who are oppressed.
7 (NS)He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the children of Israel.
8 (NT)The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
9 (NU)He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
10 (NV)He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He (NW)removed our transgressions from us.
Footnotes
- Psalm 78:8 Lit. prepare its heart
- Psalm 78:9 Lit. bow shooters
- Psalm 78:24 Lit. grain
- Psalm 78:25 satiation
- Psalm 78:30 Lit. separated
- Psalm 78:40 rebelled against Him
- Psalm 78:42 Lit. hand
- Psalm 78:48 lightning bolts
- Psalm 78:50 Or their beasts
- Psalm 78:55 surveyed measurement, lit. measuring cord
- Psalm 79:1 Gentiles
- Psalm 79:1 in ruins
- Psalm 79:6 Gentiles
- Psalm 79:8 Or against us the iniquities of those who were before us
- Psalm 79:10 Gentiles
- Psalm 79:11 Lit. arm
- Psalm 80:1 Heb. Shoshannim
- Psalm 80:1 Heb. Eduth
- Psalm 80:8 Gentiles
- Psalm 80:10 Lit. cedars of God
- Psalm 80:11 The Mediterranean
- Psalm 80:11 The Euphrates
- Psalm 80:12 walls or fences
- Psalm 81:1 Heb. Al Gittith
- Psalm 81:7 Lit. Strife or Contention
- Psalm 81:12 the dictates of their heart
- Psalm 81:15 Lit. time
- Psalm 81:16 Lit. fat of wheat
- Psalm 82:1 Heb. El, lit. God
- Psalm 82:1 Judges; Heb. elohim, lit. mighty ones or gods
- Psalm 82:3 Vindicate
- Psalm 82:5 moved
- Psalm 82:6 Judges; Heb. elohim, lit. mighty ones or gods
- Psalm 83:2 uproar
- Psalm 83:2 Exalted themselves
- Psalm 83:5 Lit. heart
- Psalm 83:5 Lit. cut a covenant
- Psalm 83:17 ashamed
- Psalm 84:1 Heb. Al Gittith
- Psalm 84:1 are Your dwellings
- Psalm 84:6 Lit. Weeping
- Psalm 84:6 Or blessings
- Psalm 84:7 LXX, Syr., Vg. The God of gods shall be seen
- Psalm 84:9 Commissioned one, Heb. messiah
- Psalm 84:10 stand at the threshold
- Psalm 85:8 foolishness
- Psalm 86:2 Lit. soul
- Psalm 86:4 Make glad
- Psalm 86:11 Give me singleness of heart
- Psalm 86:13 The abode of the dead
- Psalm 87:4 Egypt
- Psalm 88:1 Heb. Maschil
- Psalm 88:2 Listen to
- Psalm 88:4 Die
- Psalm 88:5 Lit. Free
- Psalm 88:8 taken away my friends
- Psalm 88:10 shades, ghosts
- Psalm 88:16 destroyed me
- Psalm 89:1 Heb. Maschil
- Psalm 89:10 Egypt
- Psalm 89:17 Strength
- Psalm 89:19 So with many Heb. mss.; MT, LXX, Tg., Vg. holy ones
- Psalm 89:22 Or exact usury from him
- Psalm 89:31 profane
- Psalm 89:33 Lit. break off
- Psalm 89:33 Lit. deal falsely with My faithfulness
- Psalm 89:38 rejected
- Psalm 89:38 Commissioned one, Heb. messiah
- Psalm 89:39 defiled
- Psalm 89:40 fortresses
- Psalm 89:44 splendor or brightness
- Psalm 89:48 experience death
- Psalm 89:48 Or Sheol
- Psalm 89:51 Commissioned one, Heb. messiah
- Psalm 90:1 LXX, Tg., Vg. refuge
- Psalm 90:2 Lit. gave birth to
- Psalm 91:3 One who catches birds in a trap or snare
- Psalm 91:4 A small shield
- Psalm 91:12 lift
- Psalm 91:12 strike
- Psalm 91:14 exalt him
- Psalm 91:16 Lit. length of days
- Psalm 92:7 sprout
- Psalm 92:10 Strength
- Psalm 92:14 Full of oil or sap, lit. fat
- Psalm 92:14 green
- Psalm 93:1 shaken
- Psalm 93:3 raised up
- Psalm 93:5 Lit. for length of days
- Psalm 94:2 Repay with
- Psalm 94:7 pay attention
- Psalm 94:10 disciplines
- Psalm 94:10 Gentiles
- Psalm 94:13 relief
- Psalm 94:14 abandon
- Psalm 94:23 destroy them
- Psalm 95:4 In His possession
- Psalm 95:7 Under His care
- Psalm 95:8 Or Meribah, lit. Strife, Contention
- Psalm 95:8 Or Massah, lit. Trial, Testing
- Psalm 95:10 disgusted
- Psalm 96:3 Gentiles
- Psalm 96:7 Ascribe
- Psalm 96:8 Ascribe
- Psalm 96:10 Gentiles
- Psalm 96:10 shaken
- Psalm 96:11 all that is in it
- Psalm 97:1 Or coastlands
- Psalm 97:12 Or for the memory
- Psalm 97:12 Or His holiness
- Psalm 98:2 Gentiles
- Psalm 98:9 uprightness
- Psalm 99:1 shaken
- Psalm 99:3 Or It
- Psalm 99:7 statute
- Psalm 100:1 Lit. all the earth
- Psalm 100:3 So with Kt., LXX, Vg.; Qr., many Heb. mss., Tg. we are His
- Psalm 101:2 blameless
- Psalm 101:3 worthless
- Psalm 101:6 blameless
- Psalm 101:7 Lit. be established
- Psalm 102:3 Lit. end in
- Psalm 102:5 flesh
- Psalm 102:15 Gentiles
- Psalm 102:26 continue
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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