Psalm 10[a]

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

In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,(C)
    who are caught in the schemes he devises.
He boasts(D) about the cravings of his heart;
    he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord.(E)
In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;
    in all his thoughts there is no room for God.(F)
His ways are always prosperous;
    your laws are rejected by[b] 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.”(G)

His mouth is full(H) of lies and threats;(I)
    trouble and evil are under his tongue.(J)
He lies in wait(K) near the villages;
    from ambush he murders the innocent.(L)
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;(M)
    he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.(N)
10 His victims are crushed,(O) they collapse;
    they fall under his strength.
11 He says to himself, “God will never notice;(P)
    he covers his face and never sees.”(Q)

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

16 The Lord is King for ever and ever;(AA)
    the nations(AB) will perish from his land.
17 You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;(AC)
    you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,(AD)
18 defending the fatherless(AE) and the oppressed,(AF)
    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.(AG)
    How then can you say to me:
    “Flee(AH) like a bird to your mountain.(AI)
For look, the wicked bend their bows;(AJ)
    they set their arrows(AK) against the strings
to shoot from the shadows(AL)
    at the upright in heart.(AM)
When the foundations(AN) are being destroyed,
    what can the righteous do?”

The Lord is in his holy temple;(AO)
    the Lord is on his heavenly throne.(AP)
He observes everyone on earth;(AQ)
    his eyes examine(AR) them.
The Lord examines the righteous,(AS)
    but the wicked, those who love violence,
    he hates with a passion.(AT)
On the wicked he will rain
    fiery coals and burning sulfur;(AU)
    a scorching wind(AV) will be their lot.

For the Lord is righteous,(AW)
    he loves justice;(AX)
    the upright(AY) will see his face.(AZ)

Psalm 12[c]

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

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

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

“Because the poor are plundered(BG) and the needy groan,(BH)
    I will now arise,(BI)” says the Lord.
    “I will protect them(BJ) from those who malign them.”
And the words of the Lord are flawless,(BK)
    like silver purified(BL) in a crucible,(BM)
    like gold[e] refined seven times.

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

Psalm 13[f]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

How long,(BQ) Lord? Will you forget me(BR) forever?
    How long will you hide your face(BS) from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts(BT)
    and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
    How long will my enemy triumph over me?(BU)

Look on me(BV) and answer,(BW) Lord my God.
    Give light to my eyes,(BX) or I will sleep in death,(BY)
and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,(BZ)
    and my foes will rejoice when I fall.(CA)

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

Psalm 14(CE)

For the director of music. Of David.

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

The Lord looks down from heaven(CG)
    on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,(CH)
    any who seek God.(CI)
All have turned away,(CJ) all have become corrupt;(CK)
    there is no one who does good,(CL)
    not even one.(CM)

Do all these evildoers know nothing?(CN)

They devour my people(CO) as though eating bread;
    they never call on the Lord.(CP)
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.(CQ)

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

Psalm 15

A psalm of David.

Lord, who may dwell(CT) in your sacred tent?(CU)
    Who may live on your holy mountain?(CV)

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

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

Psalm 16

A miktam[h] of David.

Keep me safe,(DE) my God,
    for in you I take refuge.(DF)

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

Lord, you alone are my portion(DN) and my cup;(DO)
    you make my lot(DP) secure.
The boundary lines(DQ) have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    surely I have a delightful inheritance.(DR)
I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;(DS)
    even at night(DT) my heart instructs me.
I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
    With him at my right hand,(DU) I will not be shaken.(DV)

Therefore my heart is glad(DW) and my tongue rejoices;
    my body also will rest secure,(DX)
10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,(DY)
    nor will you let your faithful[i] one(DZ) see decay.(EA)
11 You make known to me the path of life;(EB)
    you will fill me with joy in your presence,(EC)
    with eternal pleasures(ED) at your right hand.(EE)

Psalm 17

A prayer of David.

Hear me,(EF) Lord, my plea is just;
    listen to my cry.(EG)
Hear(EH) my prayer—
    it does not rise from deceitful lips.(EI)
Let my vindication(EJ) come from you;
    may your eyes see what is right.(EK)

Though you probe my heart,(EL)
    though you examine me at night and test me,(EM)
you will find that I have planned no evil;(EN)
    my mouth has not transgressed.(EO)
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;(EP)
    my feet have not stumbled.(EQ)

I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;(ER)
    turn your ear to me(ES) and hear my prayer.(ET)
Show me the wonders of your great love,(EU)
    you who save by your right hand(EV)
    those who take refuge(EW) in you from their foes.
Keep me(EX) as the apple of your eye;(EY)
    hide me(EZ) in the shadow of your wings(FA)
from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
    from my mortal enemies who surround me.(FB)

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

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

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

Footnotes

  1. 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.
  2. Psalm 10:5 See Septuagint; Hebrew / they are haughty, and your laws are far from
  3. Psalm 12:1 In Hebrew texts 12:1-8 is numbered 12:2-9.
  4. Psalm 12:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  5. Psalm 12:6 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text earth
  6. Psalm 13:1 In Hebrew texts 13:1-6 is numbered 13:2-6.
  7. Psalm 14:1 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Psalms denote one who is morally deficient.
  8. Psalm 16:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  9. Psalm 16:10 Or holy

10 Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?

The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.

For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth.

The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.

He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.

His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.

He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor.

He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net.

10 He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.

11 He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.

12 Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble.

13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.

14 Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.

15 Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none.

16 The Lord is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land.

17 Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

18 To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.

11 In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?

For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.

If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.

The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.

Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.

For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.

12 Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.

They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.

The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:

Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?

For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.

The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.

13 How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

14 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord.

There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.

Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the Lord is his refuge.

Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

15 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.

In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

16 Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.

O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;

But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.

Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.

The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.

The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.

I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.

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 rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

17 Hear the right, O Lord, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.

Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.

Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.

Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.

I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.

Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.

Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,

From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.

10 They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly.

11 They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth;

12 Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.

13 Arise, O Lord, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:

14 From men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.

15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.