Font Size
Psalm 16-20
New King James Version
Psalm 16-20
New King James Version
The Hope of the Faithful, and the Messiah’s Victory
A (A)Michtam of David.
16 Preserve[a] me, O God, for in You I put my trust.
2 O my soul, you have said to the Lord,
“You are my Lord,
(B)My goodness is nothing apart from You.”
3 As for the saints who are on the earth,
“They are the excellent ones, in (C)whom is all my delight.”
4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god;
Their drink offerings of (D)blood I will not offer,
(E)Nor take up their names on my lips.
5 O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You [b]maintain my lot.
6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Yes, I have a good inheritance.
7 I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel;
My [c]heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
8 (F)I have set the Lord always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will [d]rest in hope.
10 (G)For You will not leave my soul in [e]Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to [f]see corruption.
11 You will show me the (H)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.
2 Let my vindication come from Your presence;
Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright.
3 You have tested my heart;
You have visited me in the night;
(I)You have [g]tried me and have found [h]nothing;
I have purposed that my mouth shall not (J)transgress.
4 Concerning the works of men,
By the word of Your lips,
I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer.
5 (K)Uphold my steps in Your paths,
That my footsteps may not slip.
6 (L)I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God;
Incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech.
7 Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand,
O You who [i]save those who trust in You
From those who rise up against them.
8 Keep me as the [j]apple of Your eye;
Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,
9 From the wicked who oppress me,
From my deadly enemies who surround me.
10 They have closed up their (M)fat hearts;
With their mouths they (N)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, (O)I will see Your face in righteousness;
(P)I shall be satisfied when I (Q)awake in Your likeness.
God the Sovereign Savior(R)
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David (S)the servant of the Lord, who spoke to the Lord the words of (T)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 (U)will love You, O Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my [k]strength, (V)in whom I will trust;
My shield and the [l]horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I will call upon the Lord, (W)who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.
4 (X)The pangs of death surrounded me,
And the floods of [m]ungodliness made me afraid.
5 The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.
6 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.
7 (Y)Then the earth shook and trembled;
The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken,
Because He was angry.
8 Smoke went up from His nostrils,
And devouring fire from His mouth;
Coals were kindled by it.
9 (Z)He bowed the heavens also, and came down
With darkness under His feet.
10 (AA)And He rode upon a cherub, and flew;
(AB)He flew upon the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness His secret place;
(AC)His canopy around Him was dark waters
And thick clouds of the skies.
12 (AD)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 (AE)His voice,
[n]Hailstones and coals of fire.
14 (AF)He sent out His arrows and scattered [o]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 (AG)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 (AH)He also brought me out into a broad place;
He delivered me because He delighted in me.
20 (AI)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 [p]before Him,
And I kept myself from my iniquity.
24 (AJ)Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
According to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.
25 (AK)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 (AL)with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd.
27 For You will save the humble people,
But will bring down (AM)haughty looks.
28 (AN)For You will light my lamp;
The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.
29 For by You I can [q]run against a troop,
By my God I can leap over a wall.
30 As for God, (AO)His way is perfect;
(AP)The word of the Lord is [r]proven;
He is a shield (AQ)to all who trust in Him.
31 (AR)For who is God, except the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God?
32 It is God who (AS)arms me with strength,
And makes my way perfect.
33 (AT)He makes my feet like the feet of deer,
And (AU)sets me on my high places.
34 (AV)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,
(AW)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 [s]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;
(AX)Even to the Lord, but He did not answer them.
42 Then I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind;
I (AY)cast them out like dirt in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the strivings of the people;
(AZ)You have made me the head of the [t]nations;
(BA)A people I have not known shall serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me they obey me;
The foreigners [u]submit to me.
45 (BB)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,
(BC)And subdues the peoples under me;
48 He delivers me from my enemies.
(BD)You also lift me up above those who rise against me;
You have delivered me from the violent man.
49 (BE)Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the [v]Gentiles,
And sing praises to Your name.
50 (BF)Great deliverance He gives to His king,
And shows mercy to His anointed,
To David and his [w]descendants forevermore.
The Perfect Revelation of the Lord
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
19 The (BG)heavens declare the glory of God;
And the (BH)firmament[x] shows [y]His handiwork.
2 Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.
4 (BI)Their [z]line has gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.
In them He has set a [aa]tabernacle for the sun,
5 Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
(BJ)And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
6 Its rising is from one end of heaven,
And its circuit to the other end;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7 (BK)The law of the Lord is perfect, [ab]converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making (BL)wise the simple;
8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
9 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 (BM)gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the [ac]honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can understand his errors?
(BN)Cleanse me from secret faults.
13 Keep back Your servant also from (BO)presumptuous sins;
Let them not have (BP)dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
And I shall be innocent of [ad]great transgression.
14 (BQ)Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my [ae]strength and my (BR)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 [af]defend you;
2 May He send you help from the sanctuary,
And strengthen you out of Zion;
3 May He remember all your offerings,
And accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah
4 May He grant you according to your heart’s desire,
And (BS)fulfill all your [ag]purpose.
5 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.
6 Now I know that the Lord saves His [ah]anointed;
He will answer him from His holy heaven
With the saving strength of His right hand.
7 Some trust in chariots, and some in (BT)horses;
But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
8 They have bowed down and fallen;
But we have risen and stand upright.
9 Save, Lord!
May the King answer us when we call.
Footnotes
- Psalm 16:1 Watch over
- Psalm 16:5 Lit. uphold
- Psalm 16:7 Mind, lit. kidneys
- Psalm 16:9 Or dwell securely
- Psalm 16:10 The abode of the dead
- Psalm 16:10 undergo
- Psalm 17:3 examined
- Psalm 17:3 Nothing evil
- Psalm 17:7 deliver
- Psalm 17:8 pupil
- Psalm 18:2 Lit. rock
- Psalm 18:2 Strength
- Psalm 18:4 Lit. Belial
- Psalm 18:13 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; a few Heb. mss., LXX omit Hailstones and coals of fire
- Psalm 18:14 Lit. them
- Psalm 18:23 with
- Psalm 18:29 Or run through
- Psalm 18:30 Lit. refined
- Psalm 18:39 Lit. caused to bow
- Psalm 18:43 Gentiles
- Psalm 18:44 feign submission
- Psalm 18:49 nations
- Psalm 18:50 Lit. seed
- Psalm 19:1 expanse of heaven
- Psalm 19:1 the work of His hands
- Psalm 19:4 LXX, Syr., Vg. sound; Tg. business
- Psalm 19:4 tent
- Psalm 19:7 restoring
- Psalm 19:10 honey in the combs
- Psalm 19:13 Or much
- Psalm 19:14 Lit. rock
- Psalm 20:1 Lit. set you on high
- Psalm 20:4 counsel
- Psalm 20:6 Commissioned one, Heb. messiah
Psalm 16-20
New International Version
Psalm 16-20
New International Version
Psalm 16
A miktam[a] of David.
2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;(C)
apart from you I have no good thing.”(D)
3 I say of the holy people(E) who are in the land,(F)
“They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”
4 Those who run after other gods(G) will suffer(H) more and more.
I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods
or take up their names(I) on my lips.
5 Lord, you alone are my portion(J) and my cup;(K)
you make my lot(L) secure.
6 The boundary lines(M) have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.(N)
7 I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;(O)
even at night(P) my heart instructs me.
8 I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
With him at my right hand,(Q) I will not be shaken.(R)
9 Therefore my heart is glad(S) and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,(T)
10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,(U)
nor will you let your faithful[b] one(V) see decay.(W)
11 You make known to me the path of life;(X)
you will fill me with joy in your presence,(Y)
with eternal pleasures(Z) at your right hand.(AA)
Psalm 17
A prayer of David.
1 Hear me,(AB) Lord, my plea is just;
listen to my cry.(AC)
Hear(AD) my prayer—
it does not rise from deceitful lips.(AE)
2 Let my vindication(AF) come from you;
may your eyes see what is right.(AG)
3 Though you probe my heart,(AH)
though you examine me at night and test me,(AI)
you will find that I have planned no evil;(AJ)
my mouth has not transgressed.(AK)
4 Though people tried to bribe me,
I have kept myself from the ways of the violent
through what your lips have commanded.
5 My steps have held to your paths;(AL)
my feet have not stumbled.(AM)
6 I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;(AN)
turn your ear to me(AO) and hear my prayer.(AP)
7 Show me the wonders of your great love,(AQ)
you who save by your right hand(AR)
those who take refuge(AS) in you from their foes.
8 Keep me(AT) as the apple of your eye;(AU)
hide me(AV) in the shadow of your wings(AW)
9 from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
from my mortal enemies who surround me.(AX)
10 They close up their callous hearts,(AY)
and their mouths speak with arrogance.(AZ)
11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me,(BA)
with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion(BB) hungry for prey,(BC)
like a fierce lion crouching in cover.
13 Rise up,(BD) Lord, confront them, bring them down;(BE)
with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
14 By your hand save me from such people, Lord,
from those of this world(BF) whose reward is in this life.(BG)
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
may their children gorge themselves on it,
and may there be leftovers(BH) for their little ones.
15 As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
when I awake,(BI) I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.(BJ)
Psalm 18[c](BK)
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:
1 I love you, Lord, my strength.(BL)
2 The Lord is my rock,(BM) my fortress(BN) and my deliverer;(BO)
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,(BP)
my shield[d](BQ) and the horn[e] of my salvation,(BR) my stronghold.
3 I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,(BS)
and I have been saved from my enemies.(BT)
4 The cords of death(BU) entangled me;
the torrents(BV) of destruction overwhelmed me.
5 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death(BW) confronted me.
6 In my distress(BX) I called to the Lord;(BY)
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;(BZ)
my cry came(CA) before him, into his ears.
7 The earth trembled(CB) and quaked,(CC)
and the foundations of the mountains shook;(CD)
they trembled because he was angry.(CE)
8 Smoke rose from his nostrils;(CF)
consuming fire(CG) came from his mouth,
burning coals(CH) blazed out of it.
9 He parted the heavens and came down;(CI)
dark clouds(CJ) were under his feet.
10 He mounted the cherubim(CK) and flew;
he soared(CL) on the wings of the wind.(CM)
11 He made darkness his covering,(CN) his canopy(CO) around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.
12 Out of the brightness of his presence(CP) clouds advanced,
with hailstones(CQ) and bolts of lightning.(CR)
13 The Lord thundered(CS) from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.[f]
14 He shot his arrows(CT) and scattered the enemy,
with great bolts of lightning(CU) he routed them.(CV)
15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations(CW) of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke,(CX) Lord,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils.(CY)
16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.(CZ)
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,(DA)
from my foes, who were too strong for me.(DB)
18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,(DC)
but the Lord was my support.(DD)
19 He brought me out into a spacious place;(DE)
he rescued me because he delighted in me.(DF)
20 The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;(DG)
according to the cleanness of my hands(DH) he has rewarded me.(DI)
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;(DJ)
I am not guilty of turning(DK) from my God.
22 All his laws are before me;(DL)
I have not turned away from his decrees.
23 I have been blameless(DM) before him
and have kept myself from sin.
24 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,(DN)
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
25 To the faithful(DO) you show yourself faithful,(DP)
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
26 to the pure(DQ) you show yourself pure,
but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.(DR)
27 You save the humble(DS)
but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.(DT)
28 You, Lord, keep my lamp(DU) burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.(DV)
29 With your help(DW) I can advance against a troop[g];
with my God I can scale a wall.
30 As for God, his way is perfect:(DX)
The Lord’s word is flawless;(DY)
he shields(DZ) all who take refuge(EA) in him.
31 For who is God besides the Lord?(EB)
And who is the Rock(EC) except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength(ED)
and keeps my way secure.(EE)
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;(EF)
he causes me to stand on the heights.(EG)
34 He trains my hands for battle;(EH)
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
and your right hand sustains(EI) me;
your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path(EJ) for my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way.(EK)
37 I pursued my enemies(EL) and overtook them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
38 I crushed them(EM) so that they could not rise;(EN)
they fell beneath my feet.(EO)
39 You armed me with strength(EP) for battle;
you humbled my adversaries(EQ) before me.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs(ER) in flight,
and I destroyed(ES) my foes.
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them(ET)—
to the Lord, but he did not answer.(EU)
42 I beat them as fine as windblown dust;(EV)
I trampled them[h] like mud in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
you have made me the head of nations.(EW)
People I did not know(EX) now serve me,
44 foreigners(EY) cower before me;
as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
45 They all lose heart;(EZ)
they come trembling(FA) from their strongholds.(FB)
46 The Lord lives!(FC) Praise be to my Rock!(FD)
Exalted be God(FE) my Savior!(FF)
47 He is the God who avenges(FG) me,
who subdues nations(FH) under me,
48 who saves(FI) me from my enemies.(FJ)
You exalted me above my foes;
from a violent man(FK) you rescued me.
49 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;(FL)
I will sing(FM) the praises of your name.(FN)
50 He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing love to his anointed,(FO)
to David(FP) and to his descendants forever.(FQ)
Psalm 19[i]
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 The heavens(FR) declare(FS) the glory of God;(FT)
the skies(FU) proclaim the work of his hands.(FV)
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.(FW)
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice[j] goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.(FX)
In the heavens God has pitched a tent(FY) for the sun.(FZ)
5 It is like a bridegroom(GA) coming out of his chamber,(GB)
like a champion(GC) rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens(GD)
and makes its circuit to the other;(GE)
nothing is deprived of its warmth.
7 The law of the Lord(GF) is perfect,(GG)
refreshing the soul.(GH)
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,(GI)
making wise the simple.(GJ)
8 The precepts of the Lord are right,(GK)
giving joy(GL) to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.(GM)
9 The fear of the Lord(GN) is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
and all of them are righteous.(GO)
10 They are more precious than gold,(GP)
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,(GQ)
than honey from the honeycomb.(GR)
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.(GS)
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;(GT)
may they not rule over me.(GU)
Then I will be blameless,(GV)
innocent of great transgression.
14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing(GW) in your sight,
Lord, my Rock(GX) and my Redeemer.(GY)
Psalm 20[k]
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;(GZ)
may the name of the God of Jacob(HA) protect you.(HB)
2 May he send you help(HC) from the sanctuary(HD)
and grant you support(HE) from Zion.(HF)
3 May he remember(HG) all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.[l](HH)
4 May he give you the desire of your heart(HI)
and make all your plans succeed.(HJ)
5 May we shout for joy(HK) over your victory
and lift up our banners(HL) in the name of our God.
May the Lord grant all your requests.(HM)
6 Now this I know:
The Lord gives victory to his anointed.(HN)
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
with the victorious power of his right hand.(HO)
7 Some trust in chariots(HP) and some in horses,(HQ)
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.(HR)
8 They are brought to their knees and fall,(HS)
but we rise up(HT) and stand firm.(HU)
9 Lord, give victory to the king!
Answer us(HV) when we call!
Footnotes
- Psalm 16:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 16:10 Or holy
- Psalm 18:1 In Hebrew texts 18:1-50 is numbered 18:2-51.
- Psalm 18:2 Or sovereign
- Psalm 18:2 Horn here symbolizes strength.
- Psalm 18:13 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 2 Samuel 22:14); most Hebrew manuscripts resounded, / amid hailstones and bolts of lightning
- Psalm 18:29 Or can run through a barricade
- Psalm 18:42 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac and Targum (see also 2 Samuel 22:43); Masoretic Text I poured them out
- Psalm 19:1 In Hebrew texts 19:1-14 is numbered 19:2-15.
- Psalm 19:4 Septuagint, Jerome and Syriac; Hebrew measuring line
- Psalm 20:1 In Hebrew texts 20:1-9 is numbered 20:2-10.
- Psalm 20:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.