BOOK ONE

Psalms 1–41

The Way of the Righteous and the End of the Ungodly

Blessed (A)is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the [a]ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
(B)Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But (C)his delight is in the law of the Lord,
(D)And in His law he [b]meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
(E)Planted by the [c]rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall (F)prosper.

The ungodly are not so,
But are (G)like the chaff which the wind drives away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

For (H)the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

The Messiah’s Triumph and Kingdom(I)

Why (J)do the [d]nations [e]rage,
And the people plot a [f]vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the (K)rulers take counsel together,
Against the Lord and against His (L)Anointed,[g] saying,
“Let (M)us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”

He who sits in the heavens (N)shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.
Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:
“Yet I have [h]set My King
[i]On My holy hill of Zion.”

“I will declare the [j]decree:
The Lord has said to Me,
(O)‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
(P)You shall [k]break them with a rod of iron;
You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”

10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
12 [l]Kiss the Son, lest [m]He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When (Q)His wrath is kindled but a little.
(R)Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

The Lord Helps His Troubled People

A Psalm of David (S)when he fled from Absalom his son.

Lord, how they have increased who trouble me!
Many are they who rise up against me.
Many are they who say of me,
There is no help for him in God.” Selah

But You, O Lord, are (T)a shield [n]for me,
My glory and (U)the One who lifts up my head.
I cried to the Lord with my voice,
And (V)He heard me from His (W)holy hill. Selah

(X)I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.
(Y)I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have set themselves against me all around.

Arise, O Lord;
Save me, O my God!
(Z)For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone;
You have broken the teeth of the ungodly.
(AA)Salvation belongs to the Lord.
Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah

The Safety of the Faithful

To the [o]Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
You have relieved me in my distress;
[p]Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.

How long, O you sons of men,
Will you turn my glory to shame?
How long will you love worthlessness
And seek falsehood? Selah
But know that (AB)the Lord has [q]set apart for Himself him who is godly;
The Lord will hear when I call to Him.

(AC)Be[r] angry, and do not sin.
(AD)Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah
Offer (AE)the sacrifices of righteousness,
And (AF)put your trust in the Lord.

There are many who say,
“Who will show us any good?”
(AG)Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.
You have put (AH)gladness in my heart,
More than in the season that their grain and wine increased.
(AI)I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;
(AJ)For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

A Prayer for Guidance

To the Chief Musician. With [s]flutes. A Psalm of David.

Give (AK)ear to my words, O Lord,
Consider my [t]meditation.
Give heed to the voice of my cry,
My King and my God,
For to You I will pray.
My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord;
(AL)In the morning I will direct it to You,
And I will look up.

For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness,
Nor shall evil [u]dwell with You.
The (AM)boastful shall not (AN)stand in Your sight;
You hate all workers of iniquity.
You shall destroy those who speak falsehood;
The Lord abhors the (AO)bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy;
In fear of You I will worship toward [v]Your holy temple.
(AP)Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies;
Make Your way straight before my face.

For there is no [w]faithfulness in their mouth;
Their inward part is destruction;
(AQ)Their throat is an open tomb;
They flatter with their tongue.
10 Pronounce them guilty, O God!
Let them fall by their own counsels;
Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions,
For they have rebelled against You.

11 But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;
Let them ever shout for joy, because You [x]defend them;
Let those also who love Your name
Be joyful in You.
12 For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous;
With favor You will surround him as with a shield.

A Prayer of Faith in Time of Distress

To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. (AR)On [y]an eight-stringed harp. A Psalm of David.

O Lord, (AS)do not rebuke me in Your anger,
Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure.
Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak;
O Lord, (AT)heal me, for my bones are troubled.
My soul also is greatly (AU)troubled;
But You, O Lord—how long?

Return, O Lord, deliver me!
Oh, save me for Your mercies’ sake!
(AV)For in death there is no remembrance of You;
In the grave who will give You thanks?

I am weary with my groaning;
[z]All night I make my bed swim;
I drench my couch with my tears.
(AW)My eye wastes away because of grief;
It grows old because of all my enemies.

(AX)Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity;
For the Lord has (AY)heard the voice of my weeping.
The Lord has heard my supplication;
The Lord will receive my prayer.
10 Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled;
Let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly.

Prayer and Praise for Deliverance from Enemies

A (AZ)Meditation[aa] of David, which he sang to the Lord (BA)concerning the words of Cush, a Benjamite.

O Lord my God, in You I put my trust;
(BB)Save me from all those who persecute me;
And deliver me,
(BC)Lest they tear me like a lion,
(BD)Rending me in pieces, while there is none to deliver.

O Lord my God, (BE)if I have done this:
If there is (BF)iniquity in my hands,
If I have repaid evil to him who was at peace with me,
Or (BG)have plundered my enemy without cause,
Let the enemy pursue me and overtake me;
Yes, let him trample my life to the earth,
And lay my honor in the dust. Selah

Arise, O Lord, in Your anger;
(BH)Lift Yourself up because of the rage of my enemies;
(BI)Rise up [ab]for me to the judgment You have commanded!
So the congregation of the peoples shall surround You;
For their sakes, therefore, return on high.
The Lord shall judge the peoples;
(BJ)Judge me, O Lord, (BK)according to my righteousness,
And according to my integrity within me.

Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end,
But establish the just;
(BL)For the righteous God tests the hearts and [ac]minds.
10 [ad]My defense is of God,
Who saves the (BM)upright in heart.

11 God is a just judge,
And God is angry with the wicked every day.
12 If he does not turn back,
He will (BN)sharpen His sword;
He bends His bow and makes it ready.
13 He also prepares for Himself instruments of death;
He makes His arrows into fiery shafts.

14 (BO)Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity;
Yes, he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood.
15 He made a pit and dug it out,
(BP)And has fallen into the ditch which he made.
16 (BQ)His trouble shall return upon his own head,
And his violent dealing shall come down on [ae]his own crown.

17 I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness,
And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.

The Glory of the Lord in Creation

To the Chief Musician. [af]On the instrument of Gath. A Psalm of David.

O Lord, our Lord,
How (BR)excellent is Your name in all the earth,
Who have (BS)set Your glory above the heavens!

(BT)Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have [ag]ordained strength,
Because of Your enemies,
That You may silence (BU)the enemy and the avenger.

When I (BV)consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
(BW)What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You (BX)visit[ah] him?
For You have made him a little lower than [ai]the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.

(BY)You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
(BZ)You have put all things under his feet,
All sheep and oxen—
Even the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air,
And the fish of the sea
That pass through the paths of the seas.

(CA)O Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth!

Prayer and Thanksgiving for the Lord’s Righteous Judgments

To the Chief Musician. To the tune of [aj]“Death of the Son.” A Psalm of David.

I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart;
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
I will be glad and (CB)rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, (CC)O Most High.

When my enemies turn back,
They shall fall and perish at Your presence.
For You have maintained my right and my cause;
You sat on the throne judging in righteousness.
You have rebuked the [ak]nations,
You have destroyed the wicked;
You have (CD)blotted out their name forever and ever.

O enemy, destructions are finished forever!
And you have destroyed cities;
Even their memory has (CE)perished.
(CF)But the Lord shall endure forever;
He has prepared His throne for judgment.
(CG)He shall judge the world in righteousness,
And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness.

The Lord also will be a (CH)refuge[al] for the oppressed,
A refuge in times of trouble.
10 And those who (CI)know Your name will put their trust in You;
For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.

11 Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion!
(CJ)Declare His deeds among the people.
12 (CK)When He avenges blood, He remembers them;
He does not forget the cry of the [am]humble.

13 Have mercy on me, O Lord!
Consider my trouble from those who hate me,
You who lift me up from the gates of death,
14 That I may tell of all Your praise
In the gates of [an]the daughter of Zion.
I will (CL)rejoice in Your salvation.

15 (CM)The [ao]nations have sunk down in the pit which they made;
In the net which they hid, their own foot is caught.
16 The Lord is (CN)known by the judgment He executes;
The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.
(CO)Meditation.[ap] Selah

17 The wicked shall be turned into hell,
And all the [aq]nations (CP)that forget God.
18 (CQ)For the needy shall not always be forgotten;
(CR)The expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.

19 Arise, O Lord,
Do not let man prevail;
Let the [ar]nations be judged in Your sight.
20 Put them in fear, O Lord,
That the [as]nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah

A Song of Confidence in God’s Triumph over Evil

10 Why do You stand afar off, O Lord?
Why do You hide in times of trouble?
The wicked in his pride [at]persecutes the poor;
(CS)Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.

For the wicked (CT)boasts of his heart’s desire;
[au]He (CU)blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord.
The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God;
[av]God is in none of his (CV)thoughts.

His ways [aw]are always prospering;
Your judgments are far above, out of his sight;
As for all his enemies, he sneers at them.
(CW)He has said in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
(CX)I shall never be in adversity.”
(CY)His mouth is full of cursing and (CZ)deceit and oppression;
Under his tongue is trouble and iniquity.

He sits in the lurking places of the villages;
In the secret places he murders the innocent;
His eyes are secretly fixed on the helpless.
He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den;
He lies in wait to catch the poor;
He catches the poor when he draws him into his net.
10 So [ax]he crouches, he lies low,
That the helpless may fall by his [ay]strength.
11 He has said in his heart,
“God has forgotten;
He hides His face;
He will never see.”

12 Arise, O Lord!
O God, (DA)lift up Your hand!
Do not forget the (DB)humble.
13 Why do the wicked renounce God?
He has said in his heart,
“You will not require an account.

14 But You have (DC)seen, for You observe trouble and grief,
To repay it by Your hand.
The helpless (DD)commits[az] himself to You;
(DE)You are the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked and the evil man;
Seek out his wickedness until You find none.

16 (DF)The Lord is King forever and ever;
The nations have perished out of His land.
17 Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble;
You will prepare their heart;
You will cause Your ear to hear,
18 To [ba]do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
That the man of the earth may [bb]oppress no more.

Faith in the Lord’s Righteousness

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

11 In (DG)the Lord I put my trust;
How can you say to my soul,
“Flee as a bird to your mountain”?
For look! (DH)The wicked bend their bow,
They make ready their arrow on the string,
That they may shoot [bc]secretly at the upright in heart.
(DI)If the foundations are destroyed,
What can the righteous do?

The Lord is in His holy temple,
The Lord’s (DJ)throne is in heaven;
(DK)His eyes behold,
His eyelids test the sons of men.
The Lord (DL)tests the righteous,
But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.
Upon the wicked He will rain coals;
Fire and brimstone and a burning wind
(DM)Shall be [bd]the portion of their cup.

For the Lord is righteous,
He (DN)loves righteousness;
[be]His countenance beholds the upright.

Man’s Treachery and God’s Constancy

To the Chief Musician. (DO)On [bf]an eight-stringed harp. A Psalm of David.

12 Help,[bg] Lord, for the godly man (DP)ceases!
For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men.
(DQ)They speak idly everyone with his neighbor;
With flattering lips and [bh]a double heart they speak.

May the Lord [bi]cut off all flattering lips,
And the tongue that speaks [bj]proud things,
Who have said,
“With our tongue we will prevail;
Our lips are our own;
Who is lord over us?”

“For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy,
Now I will arise,” says the Lord;
“I will set him in the safety for which he yearns.”

The words of the Lord are (DR)pure words,
Like silver tried in a furnace of earth,
Purified seven times.
You shall keep them, O Lord,
You shall preserve them from this generation forever.

The wicked prowl on every side,
When vileness is exalted among the sons of men.

Trust in the Salvation of the Lord

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

13 How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?
(DS)How long will You hide Your face from me?
How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart daily?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and hear me, O Lord my God;
(DT)Enlighten my eyes,
(DU)Lest I sleep the sleep of death;
Lest my enemy say,
“I have prevailed against him”;
Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

But I have trusted in Your mercy;
My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

Folly of the Godless, and God’s Final Triumph(DV)

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

14 The (DW)fool has said in his heart,
There is no God.”
They are corrupt,
They have done abominable works,
There is none who does good.

(DX)The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
(DY)They have all turned aside,
They have together become corrupt;
There is none who does good,
No, not one.

Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge,
Who eat up my people as they eat bread,
And (DZ)do not call on the Lord?
There they are in great fear,
For God is with the generation of the righteous.
You shame the counsel of the poor,
But the Lord is his (EA)refuge.

(EB)Oh,[bk] that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
(EC)When the Lord brings back [bl]the captivity of His people,
Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.

The Character of Those Who May Dwell with the Lord

A Psalm of David.

15 Lord, (ED)who may [bm]abide in Your tabernacle?
Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the (EE)truth in his heart;
He who (EF)does not backbite with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
(EG)Nor does he [bn]take up a reproach against his friend;
(EH)In whose eyes a vile person is despised,
But he honors those who fear the Lord;
He who (EI)swears to his own hurt and does not change;
He who does not put out his money at usury,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things (EJ)shall never be moved.

The Hope of the Faithful, and the Messiah’s Victory

A (EK)Michtam of David.

16 Preserve[bo] me, O God, for in You I put my trust.

O my soul, you have said to the Lord,
“You are my Lord,
(EL)My goodness is nothing apart from You.”
As for the saints who are on the earth,
“They are the excellent ones, in (EM)whom is all my delight.”

Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god;
Their drink offerings of (EN)blood I will not offer,
(EO)Nor take up their names on my lips.

O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You [bp]maintain my lot.
The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Yes, I have a good inheritance.

I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel;
My [bq]heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
(EP)I have set the Lord always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will [br]rest in hope.
10 (EQ)For You will not leave my soul in [bs]Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to [bt]see corruption.
11 You will show me the (ER)path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Prayer with Confidence in Final Salvation

A Prayer of David.

17 Hear a just cause, O Lord,
Attend to my cry;
Give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips.
Let my vindication come from Your presence;
Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright.

You have tested my heart;
You have visited me in the night;
(ES)You have [bu]tried me and have found [bv]nothing;
I have purposed that my mouth shall not (ET)transgress.
Concerning the works of men,
By the word of Your lips,
I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer.
(EU)Uphold my steps in Your paths,
That my footsteps may not slip.

(EV)I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God;
Incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech.
Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand,
O You who [bw]save those who trust in You
From those who rise up against them.
Keep me as the [bx]apple of Your eye;
Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,
From the wicked who oppress me,
From my deadly enemies who surround me.

10 They have closed up their (EW)fat hearts;
With their mouths they (EX)speak proudly.
11 They have now surrounded us in our steps;
They have set their eyes, crouching down to the earth,
12 As a lion is eager to tear his prey,
And like a young lion lurking in secret places.

13 Arise, O Lord,
Confront him, cast him down;
Deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword,
14 With Your hand from men, O Lord,
From men of the world who have their portion in this life,
And whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure.
They are satisfied with children,
And leave the rest of their possession for their babes.

15 As for me, (EY)I will see Your face in righteousness;
(EZ)I shall be satisfied when I (FA)awake in Your likeness.

God the Sovereign Savior(FB)

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David (FC)the servant of the Lord, who spoke to the Lord the words of (FD)this song on the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said:

18 I (FE)will love You, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my [by]strength, (FF)in whom I will trust;
My shield and the [bz]horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I will call upon the Lord, (FG)who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.

(FH)The pangs of death surrounded me,
And the floods of [ca]ungodliness made me afraid.
The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.
In my distress I called upon the Lord,
And cried out to my God;
He heard my voice from His temple,
And my cry came before Him, even to His ears.

(FI)Then the earth shook and trembled;
The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken,
Because He was angry.
Smoke went up from His nostrils,
And devouring fire from His mouth;
Coals were kindled by it.
(FJ)He bowed the heavens also, and came down
With darkness under His feet.
10 (FK)And He rode upon a cherub, and flew;
(FL)He flew upon the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness His secret place;
(FM)His canopy around Him was dark waters
And thick clouds of the skies.
12 (FN)From the brightness before Him,
His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire.

13 The Lord thundered from heaven,
And the Most High uttered (FO)His voice,
[cb]Hailstones and coals of fire.
14 (FP)He sent out His arrows and scattered [cc]the foe,
Lightnings in abundance, and He vanquished them.
15 Then the channels of the sea were seen,
The foundations of the world were uncovered
At Your rebuke, O Lord,
At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.

16 (FQ)He sent from above, He took me;
He drew me out of many waters.
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy,
From those who hated me,
For they were too strong for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
But the Lord was my support.
19 (FR)He also brought me out into a broad place;
He delivered me because He delighted in me.

20 (FS)The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the cleanness of my hands
He has recompensed me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord,
And have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all His judgments were before me,
And I did not put away His statutes from me.
23 I was also blameless [cd]before Him,
And I kept myself from my iniquity.
24 (FT)Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
According to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.

25 (FU)With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful;
With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless;
26 With the pure You will show Yourself pure;
And (FV)with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd.
27 For You will save the humble people,
But will bring down (FW)haughty looks.

28 (FX)For You will light my lamp;
The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.
29 For by You I can [ce]run against a troop,
By my God I can leap over a wall.
30 As for God, (FY)His way is perfect;
(FZ)The word of the Lord is [cf]proven;
He is a shield (GA)to all who trust in Him.

31 (GB)For who is God, except the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God?
32 It is God who (GC)arms me with strength,
And makes my way perfect.
33 (GD)He makes my feet like the feet of deer,
And (GE)sets me on my high places.
34 (GF)He teaches my hands to make war,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

35 You have also given me the shield of Your salvation;
Your right hand has held me up,
Your gentleness has made me great.
36 You enlarged my path under me,
(GG)So my feet did not slip.

37 I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them;
Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed.
38 I have wounded them,
So that they could not rise;
They have fallen under my feet.
39 For You have armed me with strength for the battle;
You have [cg]subdued under me those who rose up against me.
40 You have also given me the necks of my enemies,
So that I destroyed those who hated me.
41 They cried out, but there was none to save;
(GH)Even to the Lord, but He did not answer them.
42 Then I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind;
I (GI)cast them out like dirt in the streets.

43 You have delivered me from the strivings of the people;
(GJ)You have made me the head of the [ch]nations;
(GK)A people I have not known shall serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me they obey me;
The foreigners [ci]submit to me.
45 (GL)The foreigners fade away,
And come frightened from their hideouts.

46 The Lord lives!
Blessed be my Rock!
Let the God of my salvation be exalted.
47 It is God who avenges me,
(GM)And subdues the peoples under me;
48 He delivers me from my enemies.
(GN)You also lift me up above those who rise against me;
You have delivered me from the violent man.
49 (GO)Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the [cj]Gentiles,
And sing praises to Your name.

50 (GP)Great deliverance He gives to His king,
And shows mercy to His anointed,
To David and his [ck]descendants forevermore.

The Perfect Revelation of the Lord

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

19 The (GQ)heavens declare the glory of God;
And the (GR)firmament[cl] shows [cm]His handiwork.
Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.
(GS)Their [cn]line has gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.

In them He has set a [co]tabernacle for the sun,
Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
(GT)And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
Its rising is from one end of heaven,
And its circuit to the other end;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

(GU)The law of the Lord is perfect, [cp]converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making (GV)wise the simple;
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than (GW)gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the [cq]honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.

12 Who can understand his errors?
(GX)Cleanse me from secret faults.
13 Keep back Your servant also from (GY)presumptuous sins;
Let them not have (GZ)dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
And I shall be innocent of [cr]great transgression.

14 (HA)Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my [cs]strength and my (HB)Redeemer.

The Assurance of God’s Saving Work

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

20 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble;
May the name of the God of Jacob [ct]defend you;
May He send you help from the sanctuary,
And strengthen you out of Zion;
May He remember all your offerings,
And accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah

May He grant you according to your heart’s desire,
And (HC)fulfill all your [cu]purpose.
We will rejoice in your salvation,
And in the name of our God we will set up our banners!
May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.

Now I know that the Lord saves His [cv]anointed;
He will answer him from His holy heaven
With the saving strength of His right hand.

Some trust in chariots, and some in (HD)horses;
But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
They have bowed down and fallen;
But we have risen and stand upright.

Save, Lord!
May the King answer us when we call.

Joy in the Salvation of the Lord

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

21 The king shall have joy in Your strength, O Lord;
And in Your salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!
You have given him his heart’s desire,
And have not withheld the (HE)request of his lips. Selah

For You meet him with the blessings of goodness;
You set a crown of pure gold upon his head.
(HF)He asked life from You, and You gave it to him—
Length of days forever and ever.
His glory is great in Your salvation;
Honor and majesty You have placed upon him.
For You have made him most blessed forever;
(HG)You have made him [cw]exceedingly glad with Your presence.
For the king trusts in the Lord,
And through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be [cx]moved.

Your hand will find all Your enemies;
Your right hand will find those who hate You.
You shall make them as a fiery oven in the time of Your anger;
The Lord shall swallow them up in His wrath,
And the fire shall devour them.
10 Their offspring You shall destroy from the earth,
And their [cy]descendants from among the sons of men.
11 For they intended evil against You;
They devised a plot which they are not able to (HH)perform.
12 Therefore You will make them turn their back;
You will make ready Your arrows on Your string toward their faces.

13 Be exalted, O Lord, in Your own strength!
We will sing and praise Your power.

The Suffering, Praise, and Posterity of the Messiah

To the Chief Musician. Set to [cz]“The Deer of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David.

22 My (HI)God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
Why are You so far from helping Me,
And from the words of My groaning?
O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear;
And in the night season, and am not silent.

But You are holy,
Enthroned in the (HJ)praises of Israel.
Our fathers trusted in You;
They trusted, and You delivered them.
They cried to You, and were delivered;
(HK)They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.

But I am (HL)a worm, and no man;
(HM)A reproach of men, and despised by the people.
(HN)All those who see Me ridicule Me;
They [da]shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
“He(HO) [db]trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him;
(HP)Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”

(HQ)But You are He who took Me out of the womb;
You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts.
10 I was cast upon You from birth.
From My mother’s womb
(HR)You have been My God.
11 Be not far from Me,
For trouble is near;
For there is none to help.

12 (HS)Many bulls have surrounded Me;
Strong bulls of (HT)Bashan have encircled Me.
13 (HU)They [dc]gape at Me with their mouths,
Like a raging and roaring lion.

14 I am poured out like water,
(HV)And all My bones are out of joint;
My heart is like wax;
It has melted [dd]within Me.
15 (HW)My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
And (HX)My tongue clings to My jaws;
You have brought Me to the dust of death.

16 For dogs have surrounded Me;
The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.
(HY)They[de] pierced My hands and My feet;
17 I can count all My bones.
(HZ)They look and stare at Me.
18 (IA)They divide My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots.

19 But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me;
O My Strength, hasten to help Me!
20 Deliver Me from the sword,
(IB)My[df] precious life from the power of the dog.
21 (IC)Save Me from the lion’s mouth
And from the horns of the wild oxen!

(ID)You have answered Me.

22 (IE)I will declare Your name to (IF)My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
23 (IG)You who fear the Lord, praise Him!
All you [dg]descendants of Jacob, glorify Him,
And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel!
24 For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted;
Nor has He hidden His face from Him;
But (IH)when He cried to Him, He heard.

25 (II)My praise shall be of You in the great assembly;
(IJ)I will pay My vows before those who fear Him.
26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied;
Those who seek Him will praise the Lord.
Let your heart live forever!

27 All the ends of the world
Shall remember and turn to the Lord,
And all the families of the [dh]nations
Shall worship before [di]You.
28 (IK)For the kingdom is the Lord’s,
And He rules over the nations.

29 (IL)All the prosperous of the earth
Shall eat and worship;
(IM)All those who go down to [dj]the dust
Shall bow before Him,
Even he who cannot keep himself alive.

30 A posterity shall serve Him.
It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation,
31 They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born,
That He has done this.

The Lord the Shepherd of His People

A Psalm of David.

23 The Lord is (IN)my shepherd;
(IO)I shall not [dk]want.
(IP)He makes me to lie down in [dl]green pastures;
(IQ)He leads me beside the [dm]still waters.
He restores my soul;
(IR)He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of (IS)the shadow of death,
(IT)I will fear no evil;
(IU)For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You (IV)prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You (IW)anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will [dn]dwell in the house of the Lord
[do]Forever.

The King of Glory and His Kingdom

A Psalm of David.

24 The (IX)earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell therein.
For He has (IY)founded it upon the seas,
And established it upon the [dp]waters.

(IZ)Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
He who has (JA)clean hands and (JB)a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor (JC)sworn deceitfully.
He shall receive blessing from the Lord,
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
This is Jacob, the generation of those who (JD)seek Him,
Who seek Your face. Selah

(JE)Lift up your heads, O you gates!
And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
(JF)And the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in (JG)battle.
Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Lift up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
10 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
He is the King of glory. Selah

A Plea for Deliverance and Forgiveness

A Psalm of David.

25 To (JH)You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
O my God, I (JI)trust in You;
Let me not be ashamed;
(JJ)Let not my enemies triumph over me.
Indeed, let no one who [dq]waits on You be ashamed;
Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.

(JK)Show me Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day.

Remember, O Lord, (JL)Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses,
For they are from of old.
Do not remember (JM)the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;
(JN)According to Your mercy remember me,
For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.

Good and upright is the Lord;
Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.
The humble He guides in justice,
And the humble He teaches His way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth,
To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.
11 (JO)For Your name’s sake, O Lord,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

12 Who is the man that fears the Lord?
(JP)Him shall [dr]He teach in the way He chooses.
13 (JQ)He himself shall dwell in [ds]prosperity,
And (JR)his descendants shall inherit the earth.
14 (JS)The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him,
And He will show them His covenant.
15 (JT)My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
For He shall [dt]pluck my feet out of the net.

16 (JU)Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me,
For I am [du]desolate and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart have enlarged;
Bring me out of my distresses!
18 (JV)Look on my affliction and my pain,
And forgive all my sins.
19 Consider my enemies, for they are many;
And they hate me with [dv]cruel hatred.
20 Keep my soul, and deliver me;
Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You.
21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,
For I wait for You.

22 (JW)Redeem Israel, O God,
Out of all their troubles!

A Prayer for Divine Scrutiny and Redemption

A Psalm of David.

26 Vindicate (JX)me, O Lord,
For I have (JY)walked in my integrity.
(JZ)I have also trusted in the Lord;
I shall not slip.
(KA)Examine me, O Lord, and [dw]prove me;
Try my mind and my heart.
For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes,
And (KB)I have walked in Your truth.
I have not (KC)sat with idolatrous mortals,
Nor will I go in with hypocrites.
I have (KD)hated the assembly of evildoers,
And will not sit with the wicked.

I will wash my hands in innocence;
So I will go about Your altar, O Lord,
That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving,
And tell of all Your wondrous works.
Lord, (KE)I have loved the habitation of Your house,
And the place [dx]where Your glory dwells.

(KF)Do[dy] not gather my soul with sinners,
Nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
10 In whose hands is a sinister scheme,
And whose right hand is full of (KG)bribes.

11 But as for me, I will walk in my integrity;
Redeem me and be merciful to me.
12 (KH)My foot stands in an even place;
In the congregations I will bless the Lord.

An Exuberant Declaration of Faith

A Psalm of David.

27 The Lord is my (KI)light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The (KJ)Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
When the wicked came against me
To (KK)eat[dz] up my flesh,
My enemies and foes,
They stumbled and fell.
(KL)Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me,
In this I will be confident.

(KM)One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may (KN)dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the [ea]beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple.
For (KO)in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall (KP)set me high upon a rock.

And now (KQ)my head shall be [eb]lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of [ec]joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice!
Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
When You said, “Seek My face,”
My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”
(KR)Do not hide Your face from me;
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;
Do not leave me nor forsake me,
O God of my salvation.
10 (KS)When my father and my mother forsake me,
Then the Lord will take care of me.

11 (KT)Teach me Your way, O Lord,
And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;
For (KU)false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as breathe out violence.
13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
(KV)In the land of the living.

14 (KW)Wait[ed] on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!

Rejoicing in Answered Prayer

A Psalm of David.

28 To You I will cry, O Lord my Rock:
(KX)Do not be silent to me,
(KY)Lest, if You are silent to me,
I become like those who go down to the pit.
Hear the voice of my supplications
When I cry to You,
(KZ)When I lift up my hands (LA)toward Your holy sanctuary.

Do not [ee]take me away with the wicked
And with the workers of iniquity,
(LB)Who speak peace to their neighbors,
But evil is in their hearts.
(LC)Give them according to their deeds,
And according to the wickedness of their endeavors;
Give them according to the work of their hands;
Render to them what they deserve.
Because (LD)they do not regard the works of the Lord,
Nor the operation of His hands,
He shall destroy them
And not build them up.

Blessed be the Lord,
Because He has heard the voice of my supplications!
The Lord is (LE)my strength and my shield;
My heart (LF)trusted in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I will praise Him.

The Lord is [ef]their strength,
And He is the (LG)saving refuge of His [eg]anointed.
Save Your people,
And bless (LH)Your inheritance;
Shepherd them also,
(LI)And bear them up forever.

Praise to God in His Holiness and Majesty

A Psalm of David.

29 Give[eh] (LJ)unto the Lord, O you mighty ones,
Give unto the Lord glory and strength.
[ei]Give unto the Lord the glory [ej]due to His name;
Worship the Lord in (LK)the [ek]beauty of holiness.

The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
(LL)The God of glory thunders;
The Lord is over many waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

The voice of the Lord breaks (LM)the cedars,
Yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon.
(LN)He makes them also skip like a calf,
Lebanon and (LO)Sirion like a young wild ox.
The voice of the Lord [el]divides the flames of fire.

The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
The Lord shakes the Wilderness of (LP)Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord makes the (LQ)deer give birth,
And strips the forests bare;
And in His temple everyone says, “Glory!”

10 The (LR)Lord sat enthroned at the Flood,
And (LS)the Lord sits as King forever.
11 (LT)The Lord will give strength to His people;
The Lord will bless His people with peace.

The Blessedness of Answered Prayer

A Psalm. A Song (LU)at the dedication of the house of David.

30 I will extol You, O Lord, for You have (LV)lifted me up,
And have not let my foes (LW)rejoice over me.
O Lord my God, I cried out to You,
And You (LX)healed me.
O Lord, (LY)You brought my soul up from the grave;
You have kept me alive, [em]that I should not go down to the pit.

(LZ)Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His,
And give thanks at the remembrance of [en]His holy name.
For (MA)His anger is but for a moment,
(MB)His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But [eo]joy comes in the morning.

Now in my prosperity I said,
“I shall never be [ep]moved.”
Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong;
(MC)You hid Your face, and I was troubled.

I cried out to You, O Lord;
And to the Lord I made supplication:
“What profit is there in my blood,
When I go down to the pit?
(MD)Will the dust praise You?
Will it declare Your truth?
10 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me;
Lord, be my helper!”

11 (ME)You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have put off [eq]my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
12 To the end that my [er]glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

The Lord a Fortress in Adversity

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

31 In (MF)You, O Lord, I [es]put my trust;
Let me never be ashamed;
Deliver me in Your righteousness.
(MG)Bow down Your ear to me,
Deliver me speedily;
Be my rock of [et]refuge,
A [eu]fortress of defense to save me.

(MH)For You are my rock and my fortress;
Therefore, (MI)for Your name’s sake,
Lead me and guide me.
Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,
For You are my strength.
(MJ)Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
You have redeemed me, O Lord God of (MK)truth.

I have hated those (ML)who regard useless idols;
But I trust in the Lord.
I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy,
For You have considered my trouble;
You have (MM)known my soul in [ev]adversities,
And have not (MN)shut[ew] me up into the hand of the enemy;
(MO)You have set my feet in a wide place.

Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble;
(MP)My eye wastes away with grief,
Yes, my soul and my [ex]body!
10 For my life is spent with grief,
And my years with sighing;
My strength fails because of my iniquity,
And my bones waste away.
11 (MQ)I am a [ey]reproach among all my enemies,
But (MR)especially among my neighbors,
And am repulsive to my acquaintances;
(MS)Those who see me outside flee from me.
12 (MT)I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind;
I am like a [ez]broken vessel.
13 (MU)For I hear the slander of many;
(MV)Fear is on every side;
While they (MW)take counsel together against me,
They scheme to take away my life.

14 But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord;
I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in Your (MX)hand;
Deliver me from the hand of my enemies,
And from those who persecute me.
16 (MY)Make Your face shine upon Your servant;
Save me for Your mercies’ sake.
17 (MZ)Do not let me be ashamed, O Lord, for I have called upon You;
Let the wicked be ashamed;
(NA)Let them be silent in the grave.
18 (NB)Let the lying lips be put to silence,
Which (NC)speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

19 (ND)Oh, how great is Your goodness,
Which You have laid up for those who fear You,
Which You have prepared for those who trust in You
In the presence of the sons of men!
20 (NE)You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence
From the plots of man;
(NF)You shall keep them secretly in a [fa]pavilion
From the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be the Lord,
For (NG)He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a [fb]strong city!
22 For I said in my haste,
“I am cut off from before Your eyes”;
Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications
When I cried out to You.

23 Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints!
For the Lord preserves the faithful,
And fully repays the proud person.
24 (NH)Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart,
All you who hope in the Lord.

The Joy of Forgiveness

A Psalm of David. A [fc]Contemplation.

32 Blessed is he whose (NI)transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord (NJ)does not [fd]impute iniquity,
And (NK)in whose spirit there is no deceit.

When I kept silent, my bones grew old
Through my groaning all the day long.
For day and night Your (NL)hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah
I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
(NM)I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

(NN)For this cause everyone who is godly shall (NO)pray to You
In a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters
They shall not come near him.
(NP)You are my hiding place;
You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround me with (NQ)songs of deliverance. Selah

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will guide you with My eye.
Do not be like the (NR)horse or like the mule,
Which have no understanding,
Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle,
Else they will not come near you.

10 (NS)Many sorrows shall be to the wicked;
But (NT)he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.
11 (NU)Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous;
And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

The Sovereignty of the Lord in Creation and History

33 Rejoice (NV)in the Lord, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful.
Praise the Lord with the harp;
[fe]Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.
Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.

For the word of the Lord is right,
And all His work is done in truth.
He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

(NW)By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
And all the (NX)host of them (NY)by the breath of His mouth.
(NZ)He gathers the waters of the sea together [ff]as a heap;
He lays up the deep in storehouses.

Let all the earth fear the Lord;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
For (OA)He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.

10 (OB)The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.
11 (OC)The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
The plans of His heart to all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
The people He has (OD)chosen as His own inheritance.

13 (OE)The Lord looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men.
14 From the place of His dwelling He looks
On all the inhabitants of the earth;
15 He fashions their hearts individually;
(OF)He [fg]considers all their works.

16 (OG)No king is saved by the multitude of an army;
A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.
17 (OH)A horse is a [fh]vain hope for safety;
Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.

18 (OI)Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope in His mercy,
19 To deliver their soul from death,
And (OJ)to keep them alive in famine.

20 Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart shall rejoice in Him,
Because we have trusted in His holy name.
22 Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us,
Just as we hope in You.

The Happiness of Those Who Trust in God

A Psalm of David (OK)when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.

34 I will (OL)bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.

I (OM)sought the Lord, and He heard me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces were not ashamed.
This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
(ON)The [fi]angel of the Lord (OO)encamps all around those who fear Him,
And delivers them.

Oh, (OP)taste and see that the Lord is good;
(OQ)Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints!
There is no [fj]want to those who fear Him.
10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger;
(OR)But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.

11 Come, you children, listen to me;
(OS)I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 (OT)Who is the man who desires life,
And loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil,
And your lips from speaking (OU)deceit.
14 (OV)Depart from evil and do good;
(OW)Seek peace and pursue it.

15 (OX)The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their cry.
16 (OY)The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
(OZ)To [fk]cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

17 The righteous cry out, and (PA)the Lord hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 (PB)The Lord is near (PC)to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as [fl]have a contrite spirit.

19 (PD)Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
(PE)But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He guards all his bones;
(PF)Not one of them is broken.
21 (PG)Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous shall be [fm]condemned.
22 The Lord (PH)redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.

The Lord the Avenger of His People

A Psalm of David.

35 Plead[fn] my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me;
Fight against those who fight against me.
Take hold of shield and [fo]buckler,
And stand up for my help.
Also draw out the spear,
And stop those who pursue me.
Say to my soul,
“I am your salvation.”

(PI)Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor
Who seek after my life;
Let those be (PJ)turned back and brought to confusion
Who plot my hurt.
(PK)Let them be like chaff before the wind,
And let the [fp]angel of the Lord chase them.
Let their way be (PL)dark and slippery,
And let the angel of the Lord pursue them.
For without cause they have (PM)hidden their net for me in a pit,
Which they have dug without cause for my life.
[fq]Let (PN)destruction come upon him unexpectedly,
And let his net that he has hidden catch himself;
Into that very destruction let him fall.

And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord;
It shall rejoice in His salvation.
10 (PO)All my bones shall say,
Lord, (PP)who is like You,
Delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him,
Yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?”

11 Fierce witnesses rise up;
They ask me things that I do not know.
12 (PQ)They reward me evil for good,
To the sorrow of my soul.
13 But as for me, (PR)when they were sick,
My clothing was sackcloth;
I humbled myself with fasting;
And my prayer would return to my own [fr]heart.
14 I paced about as though he were my friend or brother;
I bowed down [fs]heavily, as one who mourns for his mother.

15 But in my [ft]adversity they rejoiced
And gathered together;
Attackers gathered against me,
And I did not know it;
They tore at me and did not cease;
16 With ungodly mockers at feasts
They gnashed at me with their teeth.

17 Lord, how long will You (PS)look on?
Rescue me from their destructions,
My precious life from the lions.
18 I will give You thanks in the great assembly;
I will praise You among [fu]many people.

19 (PT)Let them not rejoice over me who are wrongfully my enemies;
Nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause.
20 For they do not speak peace,
But they devise deceitful matters
Against the quiet ones in the land.
21 They also opened their mouth wide against me,
And said, “Aha, aha!
Our eyes have seen it.

22 This You have seen, O Lord;
Do not keep silence.
O Lord, do not be far from me.
23 Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication,
To my cause, my God and my Lord.
24 Vindicate me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness;
And let them not rejoice over me.
25 Let them not say in their hearts, “Ah, so we would have it!”
Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”

26 Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion
Who rejoice at my hurt;
Let them be (PU)clothed with shame and dishonor
Who exalt themselves against me.

27 (PV)Let them shout for joy and be glad,
Who favor my righteous cause;
And let them say continually,
“Let the Lord be magnified,
Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”
28 And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness
And of Your praise all the day long.

Man’s Wickedness and God’s Perfections

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord.

36 An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked:
(PW)There is no fear of God before his eyes.
For he flatters himself in his own eyes,
When he finds out his iniquity and when he hates.
The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit;
(PX)He has ceased to be wise and to do good.
(PY)He devises wickedness on his bed;
He sets himself (PZ)in a way that is not good;
He does not [fv]abhor (QA)evil.

Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens;
Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the [fw]great mountains;
(QB)Your judgments are a great deep;
O Lord, You preserve man and beast.

How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
Therefore the children of men (QC)put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.
(QD)They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house,
And You give them drink from (QE)the river of Your pleasures.
(QF)For with You is the fountain of life;
(QG)In Your light we see light.

10 Oh, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You,
And Your righteousness to the upright in heart.
11 Let not the foot of pride come against me,
And let not the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12 There the workers of iniquity have fallen;
They have been cast down and are not able to rise.

The Heritage of the Righteous and the Calamity of the Wicked

A Psalm of David.

37 Do(QH) not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
For they shall soon be cut down (QI)like the grass,
And wither as the green herb.

Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
(QJ)Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your (QK)heart.

(QL)Commit[fx] your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
(QM)He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.

Rest in the Lord, (QN)and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who (QO)prospers in his way,
Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
(QP)Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
(QQ)Do not fret—it only causes harm.

For evildoers shall be [fy]cut off;
But those who wait on the Lord,
They shall (QR)inherit the earth.
10 For (QS)yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more;
Indeed, (QT)you will look carefully for his place,
But it shall be no more.
11 (QU)But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

12 The wicked plots against the just,
(QV)And gnashes at him with his teeth.
13 (QW)The Lord laughs at him,
For He sees that (QX)his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn the sword
And have bent their bow,
To cast down the poor and needy,
To slay those who are of upright conduct.
15 Their sword shall enter their own heart,
And their bows shall be broken.

16 (QY)A little that a righteous man has
Is better than the riches of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
But the Lord upholds the righteous.

18 The Lord knows the days of the upright,
And their inheritance shall be forever.
19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time,
And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
20 But the wicked shall perish;
And the enemies of the Lord,
Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish.
Into smoke they shall vanish away.

21 The wicked borrows and does not repay,
But (QZ)the righteous shows mercy and gives.
22 (RA)For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth,
But those cursed by Him shall be [fz]cut off.

23 (RB)The steps of a good man are [ga]ordered by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.
24 (RC)Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For the Lord upholds him with His hand.

25 I have been young, and now am old;
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his descendants begging bread.
26 (RD)He is [gb]ever merciful, and lends;
And his descendants are blessed.

27 Depart from evil, and do good;
And dwell forevermore.
28 For the Lord loves justice,
And does not forsake His saints;
They are preserved forever,
But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 (RE)The righteous shall inherit the land,
And dwell in it forever.

30 (RF)The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom,
And his tongue talks of justice.
31 The law of his God is in his heart;
None of his steps shall [gc]slide.

32 The wicked (RG)watches the righteous,
And seeks to slay him.
33 The Lord (RH)will not leave him in his hand,
Nor condemn him when he is judged.

34 (RI)Wait on the Lord,
And keep His way,
And He shall exalt you to inherit the land;
When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.
35 I have seen the wicked in great power,
And spreading himself like a native green tree.
36 Yet [gd]he passed away, and behold, he was no more;
Indeed I sought him, but he could not be found.

37 Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright;
For the future of that man is peace.
38 (RJ)But the transgressors shall be destroyed together;
The future of the wicked shall be cut off.

39 But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
He is their strength (RK)in the time of trouble.
40 And (RL)the Lord shall help them and deliver them;
He shall deliver them from the wicked,
And save them,
(RM)Because they trust in Him.

Prayer in Time of Chastening

A Psalm of David. (RN)To bring to remembrance.

38 O Lord, do not (RO)rebuke me in Your wrath,
Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure!
For Your arrows pierce me deeply,
And Your hand presses me down.

There is no soundness in my flesh
Because of Your anger,
Nor any health in my bones
Because of my sin.
For my iniquities have gone over my head;
Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
My wounds are foul and festering
Because of my foolishness.

I am [ge]troubled, I am bowed down greatly;
I go mourning all the day long.
For my loins are full of inflammation,
And there is no soundness in my flesh.
I am feeble and severely broken;
I groan because of the turmoil of my heart.

Lord, all my desire is before You;
And my sighing is not hidden from You.
10 My heart pants, my strength fails me;
As for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me.

11 My loved ones and my friends (RP)stand aloof from my plague,
And my relatives stand afar off.
12 Those also who seek my life lay snares for me;
Those who seek my hurt speak of destruction,
And plan deception all the day long.

13 But I, like a deaf man, do not hear;
And I am like a mute who does not open his mouth.
14 Thus I am like a man who does not hear,
And in whose mouth is no response.

15 For [gf]in You, O Lord, (RQ)I hope;
You will [gg]hear, O Lord my God.
16 For I said, “Hear me, lest they rejoice over me,
Lest, when my foot slips, they exalt themselves against me.”

17 (RR)For I am ready to fall,
And my sorrow is continually before me.
18 For I will (RS)declare my iniquity;
I will be (RT)in [gh]anguish over my sin.
19 But my enemies are vigorous, and they are strong;
And those who hate me wrongfully have multiplied.
20 Those also (RU)who render evil for good,
They are my adversaries, because I follow what is good.

21 Do not forsake me, O Lord;
O my God, (RV)be not far from me!
22 Make haste to help me,
O Lord, my salvation!

Prayer for Wisdom and Forgiveness

To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

39 I said, “I will guard my ways,
Lest I sin with my (RW)tongue;
I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle,
While the wicked are before me.”
(RX)I was mute with silence,
I held my peace even from good;
And my sorrow was stirred up.
My heart was hot within me;
While I was [gi]musing, the fire burned.
Then I spoke with my tongue:

Lord, (RY)make me to know my end,
And what is the measure of my days,
That I may know how frail I am.
Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths,
And my age is as nothing before You;
Certainly every man at his best state is but (RZ)vapor. Selah
Surely every man walks about like a shadow;
Surely they [gj]busy themselves in vain;
He heaps up riches,
And does not know who will gather them.

“And now, Lord, what do I wait for?
My (SA)hope is in You.
Deliver me from all my transgressions;
Do not make me (SB)the reproach of the foolish.
(SC)I was mute, I did not open my mouth,
Because it was (SD)You who did it.
10 (SE)Remove Your plague from me;
I am consumed by the blow of Your hand.
11 When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity,
You make his beauty (SF)melt away like a moth;
Surely every man is vapor. Selah

12 “Hear my prayer, O Lord,
And give ear to my cry;
Do not be silent at my tears;
For I am a stranger with You,
A sojourner, (SG)as all my fathers were.
13 (SH)Remove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength,
Before I go away and (SI)am no more.”

Faith Persevering in Trial(SJ)

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

40 I (SK)waited patiently for the Lord;
And He inclined to me,
And heard my cry.
He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
Out of (SL)the miry clay,
And (SM)set my feet upon a rock,
And established my steps.
(SN)He has put a new song in my mouth—
Praise to our God;
Many will see it and fear,
And will trust in the Lord.

(SO)Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust,
And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
(SP)Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works
Which You have done;
(SQ)And Your thoughts toward us
Cannot be recounted to You in order;
If I would declare and speak of them,
They are more than can be numbered.

(SR)Sacrifice and offering You did not desire;
My ears You have opened.
Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require.
Then I said, “Behold, I come;
In the scroll of the book it is written of me.
(SS)I delight to do Your will, O my God,
And Your law is (ST)within my heart.”

(SU)I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness
In the great assembly;
Indeed, (SV)I do not restrain my lips,
O Lord, You Yourself know.
10 (SW)I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;
I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth
From the great assembly.

11 Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O Lord;
(SX)Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me.
12 For innumerable evils have surrounded me;
(SY)My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up;
They are more than the hairs of my head;
Therefore my heart fails me.

13 (SZ)Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;
O Lord, make haste to help me!
14 (TA)Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion
Who seek to destroy my [gk]life;
Let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor
Who wish me evil.
15 Let them be (TB)confounded because of their shame,
Who say to me, “Aha, aha!”

16 (TC)Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
Let such as love Your salvation (TD)say continually,
“The Lord be magnified!”
17 (TE)But I am poor and needy;
(TF)Yet the Lord thinks upon me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Do not delay, O my God.

The Blessing and Suffering of the Godly

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

41 Blessed is he who considers the [gl]poor;
The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.
The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive,
And he will be blessed on the earth;
(TG)You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies.
The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness;
You will [gm]sustain him on his sickbed.

I said, “Lord, be merciful to me;
(TH)Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.”
My enemies speak evil of me:
“When will he die, and his name perish?”
And if he comes to see me, he speaks [gn]lies;
His heart gathers iniquity to itself;
When he goes out, he tells it.

All who hate me whisper together against me;
Against me they [go]devise my hurt.
“An[gp] evil disease,” they say, “clings to him.
And now that he lies down, he will rise up no more.”
(TI)Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted,
(TJ)Who ate my bread,
Has [gq]lifted up his heel against me.

10 But You, O Lord, be merciful to me, and raise me up,
That I may repay them.
11 By this I know that You are well pleased with me,
Because my enemy does not triumph over me.
12 As for me, You uphold me in my integrity,
And (TK)set me before Your face forever.

13 (TL)Blessed be the Lord God of Israel
From everlasting to everlasting!
Amen and Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 1:1 wicked
  2. Psalm 1:2 ponders by talking to himself
  3. Psalm 1:3 channels
  4. Psalm 2:1 Gentiles
  5. Psalm 2:1 throng tumultuously
  6. Psalm 2:1 worthless or empty
  7. Psalm 2:2 Christ, Commissioned One, Heb. Messiah
  8. Psalm 2:6 Lit. installed
  9. Psalm 2:6 Lit. Upon Zion, the hill of My holiness
  10. Psalm 2:7 Or decree of the Lord: He said to Me
  11. Psalm 2:9 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr., Vg. rule (cf. Rev. 2:27)
  12. Psalm 2:12 LXX, Vg. Embrace discipline; Tg. Receive instruction
  13. Psalm 2:12 LXX the Lord
  14. Psalm 3:3 Lit. around
  15. Psalm 4:1 Choir Director
  16. Psalm 4:1 Be gracious to me
  17. Psalm 4:3 Many Heb. mss., LXX, Tg., Vg. made wonderful
  18. Psalm 4:4 Lit. Tremble or Be agitated
  19. Psalm 5:1 Heb. nehiloth
  20. Psalm 5:1 Lit. groaning
  21. Psalm 5:4 Lit. sojourn
  22. Psalm 5:7 Lit. the temple of Your holiness
  23. Psalm 5:9 uprightness
  24. Psalm 5:11 protect, lit. cover
  25. Psalm 6:1 Heb. sheminith
  26. Psalm 6:6 Or Every night
  27. Psalm 7:1 Heb. Shiggaion
  28. Psalm 7:6 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX O Lord my God
  29. Psalm 7:9 Lit. kidneys, the most secret part of man
  30. Psalm 7:10 Lit. My shield is upon God
  31. Psalm 7:16 The crown of his own head
  32. Psalm 8:1 Heb. Al Gittith
  33. Psalm 8:2 established
  34. Psalm 8:4 give attention to or care for
  35. Psalm 8:5 Heb. Elohim, God; LXX, Syr., Tg., Jewish tradition angels
  36. Psalm 9:1 Heb. Muth Labben
  37. Psalm 9:5 Gentiles
  38. Psalm 9:9 Lit. secure height
  39. Psalm 9:12 afflicted
  40. Psalm 9:14 Jerusalem
  41. Psalm 9:15 Gentiles
  42. Psalm 9:16 Heb. Higgaion
  43. Psalm 9:17 Gentiles
  44. Psalm 9:19 Gentiles
  45. Psalm 9:20 Gentiles
  46. Psalm 10:2 hotly pursues
  47. Psalm 10:3 Or The greedy man curses and spurns the Lord
  48. Psalm 10:4 Or All his thoughts are, “There is no God”
  49. Psalm 10:5 Lit. are strong
  50. Psalm 10:10 Or he is crushed, is bowed
  51. Psalm 10:10 Or mighty ones
  52. Psalm 10:14 Lit. leaves, entrusts
  53. Psalm 10:18 vindicate
  54. Psalm 10:18 terrify
  55. Psalm 11:2 Lit. in darkness
  56. Psalm 11:6 Their allotted portion or serving
  57. Psalm 11:7 Or The upright beholds His countenance
  58. Psalm 12:1 Heb. sheminith
  59. Psalm 12:1 Save
  60. Psalm 12:2 An inconsistent mind
  61. Psalm 12:3 destroy
  62. Psalm 12:3 great
  63. Psalm 14:7 Lit. Who will give out of Zion the salvation of Israel?
  64. Psalm 14:7 Or His captive people
  65. Psalm 15:1 sojourn
  66. Psalm 15:3 receive
  67. Psalm 16:1 Watch over
  68. Psalm 16:5 Lit. uphold
  69. Psalm 16:7 Mind, lit. kidneys
  70. Psalm 16:9 Or dwell securely
  71. Psalm 16:10 The abode of the dead
  72. Psalm 16:10 undergo
  73. Psalm 17:3 examined
  74. Psalm 17:3 Nothing evil
  75. Psalm 17:7 deliver
  76. Psalm 17:8 pupil
  77. Psalm 18:2 Lit. rock
  78. Psalm 18:2 Strength
  79. Psalm 18:4 Lit. Belial
  80. Psalm 18:13 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; a few Heb. mss., LXX omit Hailstones and coals of fire
  81. Psalm 18:14 Lit. them
  82. Psalm 18:23 with
  83. Psalm 18:29 Or run through
  84. Psalm 18:30 Lit. refined
  85. Psalm 18:39 Lit. caused to bow
  86. Psalm 18:43 Gentiles
  87. Psalm 18:44 feign submission
  88. Psalm 18:49 nations
  89. Psalm 18:50 Lit. seed
  90. Psalm 19:1 expanse of heaven
  91. Psalm 19:1 the work of His hands
  92. Psalm 19:4 LXX, Syr., Vg. sound; Tg. business
  93. Psalm 19:4 tent
  94. Psalm 19:7 restoring
  95. Psalm 19:10 honey in the combs
  96. Psalm 19:13 Or much
  97. Psalm 19:14 Lit. rock
  98. Psalm 20:1 Lit. set you on high
  99. Psalm 20:4 counsel
  100. Psalm 20:6 Commissioned one, Heb. messiah
  101. Psalm 21:6 Lit. joyful with gladness
  102. Psalm 21:7 shaken
  103. Psalm 21:10 Lit. seed
  104. Psalm 22:1 Heb. Aijeleth Hashahar
  105. Psalm 22:7 Show contempt with their mouth
  106. Psalm 22:8 LXX, Syr., Vg. hoped; Tg. praised
  107. Psalm 22:13 Lit. have opened their mouths at Me
  108. Psalm 22:14 Lit. in the midst of My bowels
  109. Psalm 22:16 So with some Heb. mss., LXX, Syr., Vg.; MT Like a lion instead of They pierced
  110. Psalm 22:20 Lit. My only one
  111. Psalm 22:23 Lit. seed
  112. Psalm 22:27 Gentiles
  113. Psalm 22:27 So with MT, LXX, Tg.; Arab., Syr., Vg. Him
  114. Psalm 22:29 Death
  115. Psalm 23:1 lack
  116. Psalm 23:2 Lit. pastures of tender grass
  117. Psalm 23:2 Lit. waters of rest
  118. Psalm 23:6 So with LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg.; MT return
  119. Psalm 23:6 Or To the end of my days, lit. For length of days
  120. Psalm 24:2 Lit. rivers
  121. Psalm 25:3 Waits for You in faith
  122. Psalm 25:12 Or he
  123. Psalm 25:13 Lit. goodness
  124. Psalm 25:15 Lit. bring out
  125. Psalm 25:16 lonely
  126. Psalm 25:19 violent hatred
  127. Psalm 26:2 test me
  128. Psalm 26:8 Lit. of the tabernacle of Your glory
  129. Psalm 26:9 Do not take away
  130. Psalm 27:2 devour
  131. Psalm 27:4 delightfulness
  132. Psalm 27:6 Lifted up in honor
  133. Psalm 27:6 joyous shouts
  134. Psalm 27:14 Wait in faith
  135. Psalm 28:3 drag
  136. Psalm 28:8 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr., Vg. the strength of His people
  137. Psalm 28:8 Commissioned one, Heb. messiah
  138. Psalm 29:1 Ascribe
  139. Psalm 29:2 Ascribe
  140. Psalm 29:2 Lit. of His name
  141. Psalm 29:2 majesty
  142. Psalm 29:7 stirs up, lit. hews out
  143. Psalm 30:3 So with Qr., Tg.; Kt., LXX, Syr., Vg. from those who descend to the pit
  144. Psalm 30:4 Or His holiness
  145. Psalm 30:5 a shout of joy
  146. Psalm 30:6 shaken
  147. Psalm 30:11 The sackcloth of my mourning
  148. Psalm 30:12 soul
  149. Psalm 31:1 have taken refuge
  150. Psalm 31:2 strength
  151. Psalm 31:2 Lit. house of fortresses
  152. Psalm 31:7 troubles
  153. Psalm 31:8 given me over
  154. Psalm 31:9 Lit. belly
  155. Psalm 31:11 despised thing
  156. Psalm 31:12 Lit. perishing
  157. Psalm 31:20 shelter
  158. Psalm 31:21 fortified
  159. Psalm 32:1 Heb. Maschil
  160. Psalm 32:2 charge his account with
  161. Psalm 33:2 Lit. Sing to Him
  162. Psalm 33:7 LXX, Tg., Vg. in a vessel
  163. Psalm 33:15 understands
  164. Psalm 33:17 false
  165. Psalm 34:7 Or Angel
  166. Psalm 34:9 lack
  167. Psalm 34:16 destroy
  168. Psalm 34:18 are crushed in spirit
  169. Psalm 34:21 held guilty
  170. Psalm 35:1 Contend for me
  171. Psalm 35:2 A small shield
  172. Psalm 35:5 Or Angel
  173. Psalm 35:8 Lit. Let destruction he does not know come upon him,
  174. Psalm 35:13 Lit. bosom
  175. Psalm 35:14 in mourning
  176. Psalm 35:15 limping, stumbling
  177. Psalm 35:18 a mighty
  178. Psalm 36:4 reject, loathe
  179. Psalm 36:6 Lit. mountains of God
  180. Psalm 37:5 Lit. Roll off onto
  181. Psalm 37:9 destroyed
  182. Psalm 37:22 destroyed
  183. Psalm 37:23 established
  184. Psalm 37:26 Lit. all the day
  185. Psalm 37:31 slip
  186. Psalm 37:36 So with MT, LXX, Tg.; Syr., Vg. I passed by
  187. Psalm 38:6 Lit. bent down
  188. Psalm 38:15 I wait for You, O Lord
  189. Psalm 38:15 answer
  190. Psalm 38:18 anxiety
  191. Psalm 39:3 meditating
  192. Psalm 39:6 make an uproar for nothing
  193. Psalm 40:14 Lit. soul
  194. Psalm 41:1 helpless or powerless
  195. Psalm 41:3 restore
  196. Psalm 41:6 empty words
  197. Psalm 41:7 plot
  198. Psalm 41:8 Lit. A thing of Belial
  199. Psalm 41:9 Acted as a traitor

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)

Psalm 8[q]

For the director of music. According to gittith.[r] A psalm of David.

Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name(FM) in all the earth!

You have set your glory(FN)
    in the heavens.(FO)
Through the praise of children and infants
    you have established a stronghold(FP) against your enemies,
    to silence the foe(FQ) and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens,(FR)
    the work of your fingers,(FS)
the moon and the stars,(FT)
    which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    human beings that you care for them?[s](FU)

You have made them[t] a little lower than the angels[u](FV)
    and crowned them[v] with glory and honor.(FW)
You made them rulers(FX) over the works of your hands;(FY)
    you put everything under their[w] feet:(FZ)
all flocks and herds,(GA)
    and the animals of the wild,(GB)
the birds in the sky,
    and the fish in the sea,(GC)
    all that swim the paths of the seas.

Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!(GD)

Psalm 9[x][y]

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Death of the Son.” A psalm of David.

I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;(GE)
    I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.(GF)
I will be glad and rejoice(GG) in you;
    I will sing the praises(GH) of your name,(GI) O Most High.

My enemies turn back;
    they stumble and perish before you.
For you have upheld my right(GJ) and my cause,(GK)
    sitting enthroned(GL) as the righteous judge.(GM)
You have rebuked the nations(GN) and destroyed the wicked;
    you have blotted out their name(GO) for ever and ever.
Endless ruin has overtaken my enemies,
    you have uprooted their cities;(GP)
    even the memory of them(GQ) has perished.

The Lord reigns forever;(GR)
    he has established his throne(GS) for judgment.
He rules the world in righteousness(GT)
    and judges the peoples with equity.(GU)
The Lord is a refuge(GV) for the oppressed,(GW)
    a stronghold in times of trouble.(GX)
10 Those who know your name(GY) trust in you,
    for you, Lord, have never forsaken(GZ) those who seek you.(HA)

11 Sing the praises(HB) of the Lord, enthroned in Zion;(HC)
    proclaim among the nations(HD) what he has done.(HE)
12 For he who avenges blood(HF) remembers;
    he does not ignore the cries of the afflicted.(HG)

13 Lord, see how my enemies(HH) persecute me!
    Have mercy(HI) and lift me up from the gates of death,(HJ)
14 that I may declare your praises(HK)
    in the gates of Daughter Zion,(HL)
    and there rejoice in your salvation.(HM)

15 The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug;(HN)
    their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.(HO)
16 The Lord is known by his acts of justice;
    the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.[z](HP)
17 The wicked go down to the realm of the dead,(HQ)
    all the nations that forget God.(HR)
18 But God will never forget the needy;
    the hope(HS) of the afflicted(HT) will never perish.

19 Arise,(HU) Lord, do not let mortals triumph;(HV)
    let the nations be judged(HW) in your presence.
20 Strike them with terror,(HX) Lord;
    let the nations know they are only mortal.(HY)

Psalm 10[aa]

Why, Lord, do you stand far off?(HZ)
    Why do you hide yourself(IA) in times of trouble?

In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,(IB)
    who are caught in the schemes he devises.
He boasts(IC) about the cravings of his heart;
    he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord.(ID)
In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;
    in all his thoughts there is no room for God.(IE)
His ways are always prosperous;
    your laws are rejected by[ab] him;
    he sneers at all his enemies.
He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.”
    He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.”(IF)

His mouth is full(IG) of lies and threats;(IH)
    trouble and evil are under his tongue.(II)
He lies in wait(IJ) near the villages;
    from ambush he murders the innocent.(IK)
His eyes watch in secret for his victims;
    like a lion in cover he lies in wait.
He lies in wait to catch the helpless;(IL)
    he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.(IM)
10 His victims are crushed,(IN) they collapse;
    they fall under his strength.
11 He says to himself, “God will never notice;(IO)
    he covers his face and never sees.”(IP)

12 Arise,(IQ) Lord! Lift up your hand,(IR) O God.
    Do not forget the helpless.(IS)
13 Why does the wicked man revile God?(IT)
    Why does he say to himself,
    “He won’t call me to account”?(IU)
14 But you, God, see the trouble(IV) of the afflicted;
    you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;(IW)
    you are the helper(IX) of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked man;(IY)
    call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
    that would not otherwise be found out.

16 The Lord is King for ever and ever;(IZ)
    the nations(JA) will perish from his land.
17 You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;(JB)
    you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,(JC)
18 defending the fatherless(JD) and the oppressed,(JE)
    so that mere earthly mortals
    will never again strike terror.

Psalm 11

For the director of music. Of David.

In the Lord I take refuge.(JF)
    How then can you say to me:
    “Flee(JG) like a bird to your mountain.(JH)
For look, the wicked bend their bows;(JI)
    they set their arrows(JJ) against the strings
to shoot from the shadows(JK)
    at the upright in heart.(JL)
When the foundations(JM) are being destroyed,
    what can the righteous do?”

The Lord is in his holy temple;(JN)
    the Lord is on his heavenly throne.(JO)
He observes everyone on earth;(JP)
    his eyes examine(JQ) them.
The Lord examines the righteous,(JR)
    but the wicked, those who love violence,
    he hates with a passion.(JS)
On the wicked he will rain
    fiery coals and burning sulfur;(JT)
    a scorching wind(JU) will be their lot.

For the Lord is righteous,(JV)
    he loves justice;(JW)
    the upright(JX) will see his face.(JY)

Psalm 12[ac]

For the director of music. According to sheminith.[ad] A psalm of David.

Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore;(JZ)
    those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.
Everyone lies(KA) to their neighbor;
    they flatter with their lips
    but harbor deception in their hearts.(KB)

May the Lord silence all flattering lips(KC)
    and every boastful tongue—(KD)
those who say,
    “By our tongues we will prevail;(KE)
    our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?”

“Because the poor are plundered(KF) and the needy groan,(KG)
    I will now arise,(KH)” says the Lord.
    “I will protect them(KI) from those who malign them.”
And the words of the Lord are flawless,(KJ)
    like silver purified(KK) in a crucible,(KL)
    like gold[ae] refined seven times.

You, Lord, will keep the needy safe(KM)
    and will protect us forever from the wicked,(KN)
who freely strut(KO) about
    when what is vile is honored by the human race.

Psalm 13[af]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

How long,(KP) Lord? Will you forget me(KQ) forever?
    How long will you hide your face(KR) from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts(KS)
    and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
    How long will my enemy triumph over me?(KT)

Look on me(KU) and answer,(KV) Lord my God.
    Give light to my eyes,(KW) or I will sleep in death,(KX)
and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,(KY)
    and my foes will rejoice when I fall.(KZ)

But I trust in your unfailing love;(LA)
    my heart rejoices in your salvation.(LB)
I will sing(LC) the Lord’s praise,
    for he has been good to me.

Psalm 14(LD)

For the director of music. Of David.

The fool[ag] says in his heart,
    “There is no God.”(LE)
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
    there is no one who does good.

The Lord looks down from heaven(LF)
    on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,(LG)
    any who seek God.(LH)
All have turned away,(LI) all have become corrupt;(LJ)
    there is no one who does good,(LK)
    not even one.(LL)

Do all these evildoers know nothing?(LM)

They devour my people(LN) as though eating bread;
    they never call on the Lord.(LO)
But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
    for God is present in the company of the righteous.
You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,
    but the Lord is their refuge.(LP)

Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!(LQ)
    When the Lord restores(LR) his people,
    let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Psalm 15

A psalm of David.

Lord, who may dwell(LS) in your sacred tent?(LT)
    Who may live on your holy mountain?(LU)

The one whose walk is blameless,(LV)
    who does what is righteous,
    who speaks the truth(LW) from their heart;
whose tongue utters no slander,(LX)
    who does no wrong to a neighbor,
    and casts no slur on others;
who despises a vile person
    but honors(LY) those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath(LZ) even when it hurts,
    and does not change their mind;
who lends money to the poor without interest;(MA)
    who does not accept a bribe(MB) against the innocent.

Whoever does these things
    will never be shaken.(MC)

Psalm 16

A miktam[ah] of David.

Keep me safe,(MD) my God,
    for in you I take refuge.(ME)

I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;(MF)
    apart from you I have no good thing.”(MG)
I say of the holy people(MH) who are in the land,(MI)
    “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”
Those who run after other gods(MJ) will suffer(MK) more and more.
    I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods
    or take up their names(ML) on my lips.

Lord, you alone are my portion(MM) and my cup;(MN)
    you make my lot(MO) secure.
The boundary lines(MP) have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    surely I have a delightful inheritance.(MQ)
I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;(MR)
    even at night(MS) my heart instructs me.
I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
    With him at my right hand,(MT) I will not be shaken.(MU)

Therefore my heart is glad(MV) and my tongue rejoices;
    my body also will rest secure,(MW)
10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,(MX)
    nor will you let your faithful[ai] one(MY) see decay.(MZ)
11 You make known to me the path of life;(NA)
    you will fill me with joy in your presence,(NB)
    with eternal pleasures(NC) at your right hand.(ND)

Psalm 17

A prayer of David.

Hear me,(NE) Lord, my plea is just;
    listen to my cry.(NF)
Hear(NG) my prayer—
    it does not rise from deceitful lips.(NH)
Let my vindication(NI) come from you;
    may your eyes see what is right.(NJ)

Though you probe my heart,(NK)
    though you examine me at night and test me,(NL)
you will find that I have planned no evil;(NM)
    my mouth has not transgressed.(NN)
Though people tried to bribe me,
    I have kept myself from the ways of the violent
    through what your lips have commanded.
My steps have held to your paths;(NO)
    my feet have not stumbled.(NP)

I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;(NQ)
    turn your ear to me(NR) and hear my prayer.(NS)
Show me the wonders of your great love,(NT)
    you who save by your right hand(NU)
    those who take refuge(NV) in you from their foes.
Keep me(NW) as the apple of your eye;(NX)
    hide me(NY) in the shadow of your wings(NZ)
from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
    from my mortal enemies who surround me.(OA)

10 They close up their callous hearts,(OB)
    and their mouths speak with arrogance.(OC)
11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me,(OD)
    with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion(OE) hungry for prey,(OF)
    like a fierce lion crouching in cover.

13 Rise up,(OG) Lord, confront them, bring them down;(OH)
    with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
14 By your hand save me from such people, Lord,
    from those of this world(OI) whose reward is in this life.(OJ)
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
    may their children gorge themselves on it,
    and may there be leftovers(OK) for their little ones.

15 As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
    when I awake,(OL) I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.(OM)

Psalm 18[aj](ON)

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.(OO)

The Lord is my rock,(OP) my fortress(OQ) and my deliverer;(OR)
    my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,(OS)
    my shield[ak](OT) and the horn[al] of my salvation,(OU) my stronghold.

I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,(OV)
    and I have been saved from my enemies.(OW)
The cords of death(OX) entangled me;
    the torrents(OY) of destruction overwhelmed me.
The cords of the grave coiled around me;
    the snares of death(OZ) confronted me.

In my distress(PA) I called to the Lord;(PB)
    I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;(PC)
    my cry came(PD) before him, into his ears.
The earth trembled(PE) and quaked,(PF)
    and the foundations of the mountains shook;(PG)
    they trembled because he was angry.(PH)
Smoke rose from his nostrils;(PI)
    consuming fire(PJ) came from his mouth,
    burning coals(PK) blazed out of it.
He parted the heavens and came down;(PL)
    dark clouds(PM) were under his feet.
10 He mounted the cherubim(PN) and flew;
    he soared(PO) on the wings of the wind.(PP)
11 He made darkness his covering,(PQ) his canopy(PR) around him—
    the dark rain clouds of the sky.
12 Out of the brightness of his presence(PS) clouds advanced,
    with hailstones(PT) and bolts of lightning.(PU)
13 The Lord thundered(PV) from heaven;
    the voice of the Most High resounded.[am]
14 He shot his arrows(PW) and scattered the enemy,
    with great bolts of lightning(PX) he routed them.(PY)
15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
    and the foundations(PZ) of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke,(QA) Lord,
    at the blast of breath from your nostrils.(QB)

16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
    he drew me out of deep waters.(QC)
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,(QD)
    from my foes, who were too strong for me.(QE)
18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,(QF)
    but the Lord was my support.(QG)
19 He brought me out into a spacious place;(QH)
    he rescued me because he delighted in me.(QI)

20 The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;(QJ)
    according to the cleanness of my hands(QK) he has rewarded me.(QL)
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;(QM)
    I am not guilty of turning(QN) from my God.
22 All his laws are before me;(QO)
    I have not turned away from his decrees.
23 I have been blameless(QP) before him
    and have kept myself from sin.
24 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,(QQ)
    according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

25 To the faithful(QR) you show yourself faithful,(QS)
    to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
26 to the pure(QT) you show yourself pure,
    but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.(QU)
27 You save the humble(QV)
    but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.(QW)
28 You, Lord, keep my lamp(QX) burning;
    my God turns my darkness into light.(QY)
29 With your help(QZ) I can advance against a troop[an];
    with my God I can scale a wall.

30 As for God, his way is perfect:(RA)
    The Lord’s word is flawless;(RB)
    he shields(RC) all who take refuge(RD) in him.
31 For who is God besides the Lord?(RE)
    And who is the Rock(RF) except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength(RG)
    and keeps my way secure.(RH)
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;(RI)
    he causes me to stand on the heights.(RJ)
34 He trains my hands for battle;(RK)
    my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
    and your right hand sustains(RL) me;
    your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path(RM) for my feet,
    so that my ankles do not give way.(RN)

37 I pursued my enemies(RO) and overtook them;
    I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
38 I crushed them(RP) so that they could not rise;(RQ)
    they fell beneath my feet.(RR)
39 You armed me with strength(RS) for battle;
    you humbled my adversaries(RT) before me.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs(RU) in flight,
    and I destroyed(RV) my foes.
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them(RW)
    to the Lord, but he did not answer.(RX)
42 I beat them as fine as windblown dust;(RY)
    I trampled them[ao] like mud in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
    you have made me the head of nations.(RZ)
People I did not know(SA) now serve me,
44     foreigners(SB) cower before me;
    as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
45 They all lose heart;(SC)
    they come trembling(SD) from their strongholds.(SE)

46 The Lord lives!(SF) Praise be to my Rock!(SG)
    Exalted be God(SH) my Savior!(SI)
47 He is the God who avenges(SJ) me,
    who subdues nations(SK) under me,
48     who saves(SL) me from my enemies.(SM)
You exalted me above my foes;
    from a violent man(SN) you rescued me.
49 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;(SO)
    I will sing(SP) the praises of your name.(SQ)

50 He gives his king great victories;
    he shows unfailing love to his anointed,(SR)
    to David(SS) and to his descendants forever.(ST)

Psalm 19[ap]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

The heavens(SU) declare(SV) the glory of God;(SW)
    the skies(SX) proclaim the work of his hands.(SY)
Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.(SZ)
They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice[aq] goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.(TA)
In the heavens God has pitched a tent(TB) for the sun.(TC)
    It is like a bridegroom(TD) coming out of his chamber,(TE)
    like a champion(TF) rejoicing to run his course.
It rises at one end of the heavens(TG)
    and makes its circuit to the other;(TH)
    nothing is deprived of its warmth.

The law of the Lord(TI) is perfect,(TJ)
    refreshing the soul.(TK)
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,(TL)
    making wise the simple.(TM)
The precepts of the Lord are right,(TN)
    giving joy(TO) to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
    giving light to the eyes.(TP)
The fear of the Lord(TQ) is pure,
    enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
    and all of them are righteous.(TR)

10 They are more precious than gold,(TS)
    than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,(TT)
    than honey from the honeycomb.(TU)
11 By them your servant is warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can discern their own errors?
    Forgive my hidden faults.(TV)
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;(TW)
    may they not rule over me.(TX)
Then I will be blameless,(TY)
    innocent of great transgression.

14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
    be pleasing(TZ) in your sight,
    Lord, my Rock(UA) and my Redeemer.(UB)

Psalm 20[ar]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;(UC)
    may the name of the God of Jacob(UD) protect you.(UE)
May he send you help(UF) from the sanctuary(UG)
    and grant you support(UH) from Zion.(UI)
May he remember(UJ) all your sacrifices
    and accept your burnt offerings.[as](UK)
May he give you the desire of your heart(UL)
    and make all your plans succeed.(UM)
May we shout for joy(UN) over your victory
    and lift up our banners(UO) in the name of our God.

May the Lord grant all your requests.(UP)

Now this I know:
    The Lord gives victory to his anointed.(UQ)
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
    with the victorious power of his right hand.(UR)
Some trust in chariots(US) and some in horses,(UT)
    but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.(UU)

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
  17. Psalm 8:1 In Hebrew texts 8:1-9 is numbered 8:2-10.
  18. Psalm 8:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  19. Psalm 8:4 Or what is a human being that you are mindful of him, / a son of man that you care for him?
  20. Psalm 8:5 Or him
  21. Psalm 8:5 Or than God
  22. Psalm 8:5 Or him
  23. Psalm 8:6 Or made him ruler . . . ; / . . . his
  24. Psalm 9:1 Psalms 9 and 10 may originally have been a single acrostic poem in which alternating lines began with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In the Septuagint they constitute one psalm.
  25. Psalm 9:1 In Hebrew texts 9:1-20 is numbered 9:2-21.
  26. Psalm 9:16 The Hebrew has Higgaion and Selah (words of uncertain meaning) here; Selah occurs also at the end of verse 20.
  27. Psalm 10:1 Psalms 9 and 10 may originally have been a single acrostic poem in which alternating lines began with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In the Septuagint they constitute one psalm.
  28. Psalm 10:5 See Septuagint; Hebrew / they are haughty, and your laws are far from
  29. Psalm 12:1 In Hebrew texts 12:1-8 is numbered 12:2-9.
  30. Psalm 12:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  31. Psalm 12:6 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text earth
  32. Psalm 13:1 In Hebrew texts 13:1-6 is numbered 13:2-6.
  33. Psalm 14:1 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Psalms denote one who is morally deficient.
  34. Psalm 16:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  35. Psalm 16:10 Or holy
  36. Psalm 18:1 In Hebrew texts 18:1-50 is numbered 18:2-51.
  37. Psalm 18:2 Or sovereign
  38. Psalm 18:2 Horn here symbolizes strength.
  39. Psalm 18:13 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 2 Samuel 22:14); most Hebrew manuscripts resounded, / amid hailstones and bolts of lightning
  40. Psalm 18:29 Or can run through a barricade
  41. Psalm 18:42 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac and Targum (see also 2 Samuel 22:43); Masoretic Text I poured them out
  42. Psalm 19:1 In Hebrew texts 19:1-14 is numbered 19:2-15.
  43. Psalm 19:4 Septuagint, Jerome and Syriac; Hebrew measuring line
  44. Psalm 20:1 In Hebrew texts 20:1-9 is numbered 20:2-10.
  45. Psalm 20:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.