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A Call to Worship and Obedience

95 O come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
    let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
For the Lord is a great God,
    and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth;
    the heights of the mountains are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it;
    for his hands formed the dry land.

O come, let us worship and bow down,
    let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
For he is our God,
    and we are the people of his pasture,
    and the sheep of his hand.

O that today you would hearken to his voice!
    Harden not your hearts, as at Mer′ibah,
    as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,
when your fathers tested me,
    and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.
10 For forty years I loathed that generation
    and said, “They are a people who err in heart,
    and they do not regard my ways.”
11 Therefore I swore in my anger
    that they should not enter my rest.

Psalm 95

Come,(A) let us sing for joy(B) to the Lord;
    let us shout aloud(C) to the Rock(D) of our salvation.
Let us come before him(E) with thanksgiving(F)
    and extol him with music(G) and song.

For the Lord is the great God,(H)
    the great King(I) above all gods.(J)
In his hand are the depths of the earth,(K)
    and the mountain peaks belong to him.
The sea is his, for he made it,
    and his hands formed the dry land.(L)

Come, let us bow down(M) in worship,(N)
    let us kneel(O) before the Lord our Maker;(P)
for he is our God
    and we are the people of his pasture,(Q)
    the flock under his care.

Today, if only you would hear his voice,
“Do not harden your hearts(R) as you did at Meribah,[a](S)
    as you did that day at Massah[b] in the wilderness,(T)
where your ancestors tested(U) me;
    they tried me, though they had seen what I did.
10 For forty years(V) I was angry with that generation;
    I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray,(W)
    and they have not known my ways.’(X)
11 So I declared on oath(Y) in my anger,
    ‘They shall never enter my rest.’”(Z)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 95:8 Meribah means quarreling.
  2. Psalm 95:8 Massah means testing.

BOOK I

The Two Ways

Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
    nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree
    planted by streams of water,
that yields its fruit in its season,
    and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.

The wicked are not so,
    but are like chaff which the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
    nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked will perish.

God’s Promise to His Anointed

Why do the nations conspire,
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
    and the rulers take counsel together,
    against the Lord and his anointed, saying,
“Let us burst their bonds asunder,
    and cast their cords from us.”

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

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

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

Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Trust in God under Adversity

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

O Lord, how many are my foes!
    Many are rising against me;
many are saying of me,
    there is no help for him in God.Selah

But thou, O Lord, art a shield about me,
    my glory, and the lifter of my head.
I cry aloud to the Lord,
    and he answers me from his holy hill.Selah

I lie down and sleep;
    I wake again, for the Lord sustains me.
I am not afraid of ten thousands of people
    who have set themselves against me round about.

Arise, O Lord!
    Deliver me, O my God!
For thou dost smite all my enemies on the cheek,
    thou dost break the teeth of the wicked.

Deliverance belongs to the Lord;
    thy blessing be upon thy people!Selah

Confident Plea for Deliverance from Enemies

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

Answer me when I call, O God of my right!
    Thou hast given me room when I was in distress.
    Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer.

O men, how long shall my honor suffer shame?
    How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies?Selah
But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself;
    the Lord hears when I call to him.

Be angry, but sin not;
    commune with your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.Selah
Offer right sacrifices,
    and put your trust in the Lord.

There are many who say, “O that we might see some good!
    Lift up the light of thy countenance upon us, O Lord!”
Thou hast put more joy in my heart
    than they have when their grain and wine abound.

In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
    for thou alone, O Lord, makest me dwell in safety.

Trust in God for Deliverance from Enemies

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

Give ear to my words, O Lord;
give heed to my groaning.
Hearken to the sound of my cry,
    my King and my God,
    for to thee do I pray.
O Lord, in the morning thou dost hear my voice;
    in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for thee, and watch.

For thou art not a God who delights in wickedness;
    evil may not sojourn with thee.
The boastful may not stand before thy eyes;
    thou hatest all evildoers.
Thou destroyest those who speak lies;
    the Lord abhors bloodthirsty and deceitful men.

But I through the abundance of thy steadfast love
    will enter thy house,
I will worship toward thy holy temple
    in the fear of thee.
Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness
    because of my enemies;
    make thy way straight before me.

For there is no truth in their mouth;
    their heart is destruction,
their throat is an open sepulchre,
    they flatter with their tongue.
10 Make them bear their guilt, O God;
    let them fall by their own counsels;
because of their many transgressions cast them out,
    for they have rebelled against thee.

11 But let all who take refuge in thee rejoice,
    let them ever sing for joy;
and do thou defend them,
    that those who love thy name may exult in thee.
12 For thou dost bless the righteous, O Lord;
    thou dost cover him with favor as with a shield.

Prayer for Recovery from Grave Illness

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

O Lord, rebuke me not in thy anger,
    nor chasten me in thy wrath.
Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;
    O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled.
My soul also is sorely troubled.
    But thou, O Lord—how long?

Turn, O Lord, save my life;
    deliver me for the sake of thy steadfast love.
For in death there is no remembrance of thee;
    in Sheol who can give thee praise?

I am weary with my moaning;
    every night I flood my bed with tears;
    I drench my couch with my weeping.
My eye wastes away because of grief,
    it grows weak because of all my foes.

Depart from me, all you workers of evil;
    for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
The Lord has heard my supplication;
    the Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and sorely troubled;
    they shall turn back, and be put to shame in a moment.

Plea for Help against Persecutors

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

O Lord my God, in thee do I take refuge;
    save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me,
lest like a lion they rend me,
    dragging me away, with none to rescue.

O Lord my God, if I have done this,
    if there is wrong in my hands,
if I have requited my friend with evil
    or plundered my enemy without cause,
let the enemy pursue me and overtake me,
    and let him trample my life to the ground,
    and lay my soul in the dust.Selah

Arise, O Lord, in thy anger,
    lift thyself up against the fury of my enemies;
    awake, O my God;[b] thou hast appointed a judgment.
Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about thee;
    and over it take thy seat[c] on high.
The Lord judges the peoples;
    judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness
    and according to the integrity that is in me.

O let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
    but establish thou the righteous,
thou who triest the minds and hearts,
    thou righteous God.
10 My shield is with God,
    who saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a righteous judge,
    and a God who has indignation every day.

12 If a man[d] does not repent, God[e] will whet his sword;
    he has bent and strung his bow;
13 he has prepared his deadly weapons,
    making his arrows fiery shafts.
14 Behold, the wicked man conceives evil,
    and is pregnant with mischief,
    and brings forth lies.
15 He makes a pit, digging it out,
    and falls into the hole which he has made.
16 His mischief returns upon his own head,
    and on his own pate his violence descends.

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

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 2:12 Cn: The Hebrew of 11b and 12a is uncertain
  2. Psalm 7:6 Or for me
  3. Psalm 7:7 Cn: Heb return
  4. Psalm 7:12 Heb he
  5. Psalm 7:12 Heb he

BOOK I

Psalms 1–41

Psalm 1

Blessed is the one(A)
    who does not walk(B) in step with the wicked(C)
or stand in the way(D) that sinners take(E)
    or sit(F) in the company of mockers,(G)
but whose delight(H) is in the law of the Lord,(I)
    and who meditates(J) on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree(K) planted by streams(L) of water,(M)
    which yields its fruit(N) in season
and whose leaf(O) does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.(P)

Not so the wicked!
    They are like chaff(Q)
    that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand(R) in the judgment,(S)
    nor sinners in the assembly(T) of the righteous.

For the Lord watches over(U) the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.(V)

Psalm 2

Why do the nations conspire[a]
    and the peoples plot(W) in vain?
The kings(X) of the earth rise up
    and the rulers band together
    against the Lord and against his anointed,(Y) saying,
“Let us break their chains(Z)
    and throw off their shackles.”(AA)

The One enthroned(AB) in heaven laughs;(AC)
    the Lord scoffs at them.
He rebukes them in his anger(AD)
    and terrifies them in his wrath,(AE) saying,
“I have installed my king(AF)
    on Zion,(AG) my holy mountain.(AH)

I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:

He said to me, “You are my son;(AI)
    today I have become your father.(AJ)
Ask me,
    and I will make the nations(AK) your inheritance,(AL)
    the ends of the earth(AM) your possession.
You will break them with a rod of iron[b];(AN)
    you will dash them to pieces(AO) like pottery.(AP)

10 Therefore, you kings, be wise;(AQ)
    be warned, you rulers(AR) of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear(AS)
    and celebrate his rule(AT) with trembling.(AU)
12 Kiss his son,(AV) or he will be angry
    and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath(AW) can flare up in a moment.
    Blessed(AX) are all who take refuge(AY) in him.

Psalm 3[c]

A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.(AZ)

Lord, how many are my foes!
    How many rise up against me!
Many are saying of me,
    “God will not deliver him.(BA)[d]

But you, Lord, are a shield(BB) around me,
    my glory, the One who lifts my head high.(BC)
I call out to the Lord,(BD)
    and he answers me from his holy mountain.(BE)

I lie down and sleep;(BF)
    I wake again,(BG) because the Lord sustains me.
I will not fear(BH) though tens of thousands
    assail me on every side.(BI)

Arise,(BJ) Lord!
    Deliver me,(BK) my God!
Strike(BL) all my enemies on the jaw;
    break the teeth(BM) of the wicked.

From the Lord comes deliverance.(BN)
    May your blessing(BO) be on your people.

Psalm 4[e]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.

Answer me(BP) when I call to you,
    my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;(BQ)
    have mercy(BR) on me and hear my prayer.(BS)

How long will you people turn my glory(BT) into shame?(BU)
    How long will you love delusions and seek false gods[f]?[g](BV)
Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant(BW) for himself;
    the Lord hears(BX) when I call to him.

Tremble and[h] do not sin;(BY)
    when you are on your beds,(BZ)
    search your hearts and be silent.
Offer the sacrifices of the righteous
    and trust in the Lord.(CA)

Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”
    Let the light of your face shine on us.(CB)
Fill my heart(CC) with joy(CD)
    when their grain and new wine(CE) abound.

In peace(CF) I will lie down and sleep,(CG)
    for you alone, Lord,
    make me dwell in safety.(CH)

Psalm 5[i]

For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.

Listen(CI) to my words, Lord,
    consider my lament.(CJ)
Hear my cry for help,(CK)
    my King and my God,(CL)
    for to you I pray.

In the morning,(CM) Lord, you hear my voice;
    in the morning I lay my requests before you
    and wait expectantly.(CN)
For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
    with you, evil people(CO) are not welcome.
The arrogant(CP) cannot stand(CQ)
    in your presence.
You hate(CR) all who do wrong;
    you destroy those who tell lies.(CS)
The bloodthirsty and deceitful
    you, Lord, detest.
But I, by your great love,
    can come into your house;
in reverence(CT) I bow down(CU)
    toward your holy temple.(CV)

Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness(CW)
    because of my enemies—
    make your way straight(CX) before me.
Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
    their heart is filled with malice.
Their throat is an open grave;(CY)
    with their tongues they tell lies.(CZ)
10 Declare them guilty, O God!
    Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,(DA)
    for they have rebelled(DB) against you.
11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
    let them ever sing for joy.(DC)
Spread your protection over them,
    that those who love your name(DD) may rejoice in you.(DE)

12 Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;(DF)
    you surround them(DG) with your favor as with a shield.(DH)

Psalm 6[j]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith.[k] A psalm of David.

Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger(DI)
    or discipline me in your wrath.
Have mercy on me,(DJ) Lord, for I am faint;(DK)
    heal me,(DL) Lord, for my bones are in agony.(DM)
My soul is in deep anguish.(DN)
    How long,(DO) Lord, how long?

Turn,(DP) Lord, and deliver me;
    save me because of your unfailing love.(DQ)
Among the dead no one proclaims your name.
    Who praises you from the grave?(DR)

I am worn out(DS) from my groaning.(DT)

All night long I flood my bed with weeping(DU)
    and drench my couch with tears.(DV)
My eyes grow weak(DW) with sorrow;
    they fail because of all my foes.

Away from me,(DX) all you who do evil,(DY)
    for the Lord has heard my weeping.
The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;(DZ)
    the Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish;(EA)
    they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.(EB)

Psalm 7[l]

A shiggaion[m](EC) of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush, a Benjamite.

Lord my God, I take refuge(ED) in you;
    save and deliver me(EE) from all who pursue me,(EF)
or they will tear me apart like a lion(EG)
    and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue(EH) me.

Lord my God, if I have done this
    and there is guilt on my hands(EI)
if I have repaid my ally with evil
    or without cause(EJ) have robbed my foe—
then let my enemy pursue and overtake(EK) me;
    let him trample my life to the ground(EL)
    and make me sleep in the dust.[n](EM)

Arise,(EN) Lord, in your anger;
    rise up against the rage of my enemies.(EO)
    Awake,(EP) my God; decree justice.
Let the assembled peoples gather around you,
    while you sit enthroned over them on high.(EQ)
    Let the Lord judge(ER) the peoples.
Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness,(ES)
    according to my integrity,(ET) O Most High.(EU)
Bring to an end the violence of the wicked
    and make the righteous secure—(EV)
you, the righteous God(EW)
    who probes minds and hearts.(EX)

10 My shield[o](EY) is God Most High,
    who saves the upright in heart.(EZ)
11 God is a righteous judge,(FA)
    a God who displays his wrath(FB) every day.
12 If he does not relent,(FC)
    he[p] will sharpen his sword;(FD)
    he will bend and string his bow.(FE)
13 He has prepared his deadly weapons;
    he makes ready his flaming arrows.(FF)

14 Whoever is pregnant with evil
    conceives trouble and gives birth(FG) to disillusionment.
15 Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out
    falls into the pit(FH) they have made.(FI)
16 The trouble they cause recoils on them;
    their violence comes down on their own heads.

17 I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness;(FJ)
    I will sing the praises(FK) of the name of the Lord Most High.(FL)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 2:1 Hebrew; Septuagint rage
  2. Psalm 2:9 Or will rule them with an iron scepter (see Septuagint and Syriac)
  3. Psalm 3:1 In Hebrew texts 3:1-8 is numbered 3:2-9.
  4. Psalm 3:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 4 and 8.
  5. Psalm 4:1 In Hebrew texts 4:1-8 is numbered 4:2-9.
  6. Psalm 4:2 Or seek lies
  7. Psalm 4:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 4.
  8. Psalm 4:4 Or In your anger (see Septuagint)
  9. Psalm 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1-12 is numbered 5:2-13.
  10. Psalm 6:1 In Hebrew texts 6:1-10 is numbered 6:2-11.
  11. Psalm 6:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  12. Psalm 7:1 In Hebrew texts 7:1-17 is numbered 7:2-18.
  13. Psalm 7:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  14. Psalm 7:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  15. Psalm 7:10 Or sovereign
  16. Psalm 7:12 Or If anyone does not repent, / God