Prayer for Help in Trouble.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

13 How long, Lord? Will You (A)forget me forever?
How long (B)will You hide Your face from me?
How long am I to (C)feel anxious in my soul,
With (D)grief in my heart all the day?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

(E)Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
(F)Enlighten my eyes, or I will (G)sleep the sleep of death,
And my enemy will (H)say, “I have overcome him,”
And (I)my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken.

But I have (J)trusted in Your faithfulness;
My heart shall (K)rejoice in Your salvation.
I will (L)sing to the Lord,
Because He has (M)looked after me.

Foolishness and Wickedness of People.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

14 The fool has (N)said in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, they have committed detestable acts;
There is (O)no one who does good.
The Lord has (P)looked down from heaven upon the sons of mankind
To see if there are any who [a](Q)understand,
Who (R)seek God.
They have all (S)turned aside, together they are corrupt;
There is (T)no one who does good, not even one.

Do all the workers of injustice (U)not know,
Who (V)devour my people as they eat bread,
And (W)do not call upon the Lord?
There they are in great dread,
For God is with a (X)righteous generation.
You would put to shame the plan of the poor,
But the Lord is his (Y)refuge.

Oh, that (Z)the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
When the Lord (AA)restores the fortunes of His people,
Jacob will rejoice, Israel will be glad.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 14:2 Or act wisely

Psalm 13[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

How long,(A) Lord? Will you forget me(B) forever?
    How long will you hide your face(C) from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts(D)
    and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
    How long will my enemy triumph over me?(E)

Look on me(F) and answer,(G) Lord my God.
    Give light to my eyes,(H) or I will sleep in death,(I)
and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,(J)
    and my foes will rejoice when I fall.(K)

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

Psalm 14(O)

For the director of music. Of David.

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

The Lord looks down from heaven(Q)
    on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,(R)
    any who seek God.(S)
All have turned away,(T) all have become corrupt;(U)
    there is no one who does good,(V)
    not even one.(W)

Do all these evildoers know nothing?(X)

They devour my people(Y) as though eating bread;
    they never call on the Lord.(Z)
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.(AA)

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

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 13:1 In Hebrew texts 13:1-6 is numbered 13:2-6.
  2. Psalm 14:1 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Psalms denote one who is morally deficient.