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 (A)request of his lips. Selah

For You meet him with the blessings of goodness;
You set a crown of pure gold upon his head.
(B)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;
(C)You have made him [a]exceedingly glad with Your presence.
For the king trusts in the Lord,
And through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be [b]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 [c]descendants from among the sons of men.
11 For they intended evil against You;
They devised a plot which they are not able to (D)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 [d]“The Deer of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David.

22 My (E)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 (F)praises of Israel.
Our fathers trusted in You;
They trusted, and You delivered them.
They cried to You, and were delivered;
(G)They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.

But I am (H)a worm, and no man;
(I)A reproach of men, and despised by the people.
(J)All those who see Me ridicule Me;
They [e]shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
“He(K) [f]trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him;
(L)Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”

(M)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
(N)You have been My God.
11 Be not far from Me,
For trouble is near;
For there is none to help.

12 (O)Many bulls have surrounded Me;
Strong bulls of (P)Bashan have encircled Me.
13 (Q)They [g]gape at Me with their mouths,
Like a raging and roaring lion.

14 I am poured out like water,
(R)And all My bones are out of joint;
My heart is like wax;
It has melted [h]within Me.
15 (S)My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
And (T)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.
(U)They[i] pierced My hands and My feet;
17 I can count all My bones.
(V)They look and stare at Me.
18 (W)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,
(X)My[j] precious life from the power of the dog.
21 (Y)Save Me from the lion’s mouth
And from the horns of the wild oxen!

(Z)You have answered Me.

22 (AA)I will declare Your name to (AB)My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
23 (AC)You who fear the Lord, praise Him!
All you [k]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 (AD)when He cried to Him, He heard.

25 (AE)My praise shall be of You in the great assembly;
(AF)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 [l]nations
Shall worship before [m]You.
28 (AG)For the kingdom is the Lord’s,
And He rules over the nations.

29 (AH)All the prosperous of the earth
Shall eat and worship;
(AI)All those who go down to [n]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 (AJ)my shepherd;
(AK)I shall not [o]want.
(AL)He makes me to lie down in [p]green pastures;
(AM)He leads me beside the [q]still waters.
He restores my soul;
(AN)He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

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

You (AR)prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You (AS)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 [r]dwell in the house of the Lord
[s]Forever.

The King of Glory and His Kingdom

A Psalm of David.

24 The (AT)earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell therein.
For He has (AU)founded it upon the seas,
And established it upon the [t]waters.

(AV)Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
He who has (AW)clean hands and (AX)a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor (AY)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 (AZ)seek Him,
Who seek Your face. Selah

(BA)Lift up your heads, O you gates!
And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
(BB)And the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in (BC)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 (BD)You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
O my God, I (BE)trust in You;
Let me not be ashamed;
(BF)Let not my enemies triumph over me.
Indeed, let no one who [u]waits on You be ashamed;
Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.

(BG)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, (BH)Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses,
For they are from of old.
Do not remember (BI)the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;
(BJ)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 (BK)For Your name’s sake, O Lord,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

12 Who is the man that fears the Lord?
(BL)Him shall [v]He teach in the way He chooses.
13 (BM)He himself shall dwell in [w]prosperity,
And (BN)his descendants shall inherit the earth.
14 (BO)The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him,
And He will show them His covenant.
15 (BP)My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
For He shall [x]pluck my feet out of the net.

16 (BQ)Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me,
For I am [y]desolate and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart have enlarged;
Bring me out of my distresses!
18 (BR)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 [z]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 (BS)Redeem Israel, O God,
Out of all their troubles!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 21:6 Lit. joyful with gladness
  2. Psalm 21:7 shaken
  3. Psalm 21:10 Lit. seed
  4. Psalm 22:1 Heb. Aijeleth Hashahar
  5. Psalm 22:7 Show contempt with their mouth
  6. Psalm 22:8 LXX, Syr., Vg. hoped; Tg. praised
  7. Psalm 22:13 Lit. have opened their mouths at Me
  8. Psalm 22:14 Lit. in the midst of My bowels
  9. Psalm 22:16 So with some Heb. mss., LXX, Syr., Vg.; MT Like a lion instead of They pierced
  10. Psalm 22:20 Lit. My only one
  11. Psalm 22:23 Lit. seed
  12. Psalm 22:27 Gentiles
  13. Psalm 22:27 So with MT, LXX, Tg.; Arab., Syr., Vg. Him
  14. Psalm 22:29 Death
  15. Psalm 23:1 lack
  16. Psalm 23:2 Lit. pastures of tender grass
  17. Psalm 23:2 Lit. waters of rest
  18. Psalm 23:6 So with LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg.; MT return
  19. Psalm 23:6 Or To the end of my days, lit. For length of days
  20. Psalm 24:2 Lit. rivers
  21. Psalm 25:3 Waits for You in faith
  22. Psalm 25:12 Or he
  23. Psalm 25:13 Lit. goodness
  24. Psalm 25:15 Lit. bring out
  25. Psalm 25:16 lonely
  26. Psalm 25:19 violent hatred

Psalm 21[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

The king rejoices in your strength, Lord.(A)
    How great is his joy in the victories you give!(B)

You have granted him his heart’s desire(C)
    and have not withheld the request of his lips.[b]
You came to greet him with rich blessings
    and placed a crown of pure gold(D) on his head.(E)
He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—
    length of days, for ever and ever.(F)
Through the victories(G) you gave, his glory is great;
    you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.(H)
Surely you have granted him unending blessings
    and made him glad with the joy(I) of your presence.(J)
For the king trusts in the Lord;(K)
    through the unfailing love(L) of the Most High(M)
    he will not be shaken.(N)

Your hand will lay hold(O) on all your enemies;
    your right hand will seize your foes.
When you appear for battle,
    you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace.
The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,
    and his fire will consume them.(P)
10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
    their posterity from mankind.(Q)
11 Though they plot evil(R) against you
    and devise wicked schemes,(S) they cannot succeed.
12 You will make them turn their backs(T)
    when you aim at them with drawn bow.

13 Be exalted(U) in your strength, Lord;(V)
    we will sing and praise your might.

Psalm 22[c]

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?(W)
    Why are you so far(X) from saving me,
    so far from my cries of anguish?(Y)
My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,(Z)
    by night,(AA) but I find no rest.[d]

Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;(AB)
    you are the one Israel praises.[e](AC)
In you our ancestors put their trust;
    they trusted and you delivered them.(AD)
To you they cried out(AE) and were saved;
    in you they trusted(AF) and were not put to shame.(AG)

But I am a worm(AH) and not a man,
    scorned by everyone,(AI) despised(AJ) by the people.
All who see me mock me;(AK)
    they hurl insults,(AL) shaking their heads.(AM)
“He trusts in the Lord,” they say,
    “let the Lord rescue him.(AN)
Let him deliver him,(AO)
    since he delights(AP) in him.”

Yet you brought me out of the womb;(AQ)
    you made me trust(AR) in you, even at my mother’s breast.
10 From birth(AS) I was cast on you;
    from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

11 Do not be far from me,(AT)
    for trouble is near(AU)
    and there is no one to help.(AV)

12 Many bulls(AW) surround me;(AX)
    strong bulls of Bashan(AY) encircle me.
13 Roaring lions(AZ) that tear their prey(BA)
    open their mouths wide(BB) against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint.(BC)
My heart has turned to wax;(BD)
    it has melted(BE) within me.
15 My mouth[f] is dried up like a potsherd,(BF)
    and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;(BG)
    you lay me in the dust(BH) of death.

16 Dogs(BI) surround me,
    a pack of villains encircles me;
    they pierce[g](BJ) my hands and my feet.
17 All my bones are on display;
    people stare(BK) and gloat over me.(BL)
18 They divide my clothes among them
    and cast lots(BM) for my garment.(BN)

19 But you, Lord, do not be far from me.(BO)
    You are my strength;(BP) come quickly(BQ) to help me.(BR)
20 Deliver me from the sword,(BS)
    my precious life(BT) from the power of the dogs.(BU)
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;(BV)
    save me from the horns of the wild oxen.(BW)

22 I will declare your name to my people;
    in the assembly(BX) I will praise you.(BY)
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!(BZ)
    All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!(CA)
    Revere him,(CB) all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not despised(CC) or scorned
    the suffering of the afflicted one;(CD)
he has not hidden his face(CE) from him
    but has listened to his cry for help.(CF)

25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;(CG)
    before those who fear you[h] I will fulfill my vows.(CH)
26 The poor will eat(CI) and be satisfied;
    those who seek the Lord will praise him—(CJ)
    may your hearts live forever!

27 All the ends of the earth(CK)
    will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
    will bow down before him,(CL)
28 for dominion belongs to the Lord(CM)
    and he rules over the nations.

29 All the rich(CN) of the earth will feast and worship;(CO)
    all who go down to the dust(CP) will kneel before him—
    those who cannot keep themselves alive.(CQ)
30 Posterity(CR) will serve him;
    future generations(CS) will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim his righteousness,(CT)
    declaring to a people yet unborn:(CU)
    He has done it!(CV)

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd,(CW) I lack nothing.(CX)
    He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,(CY)
    he refreshes my soul.(CZ)
He guides me(DA) along the right paths(DB)
    for his name’s sake.(DC)
Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,[i](DD)
I will fear no evil,(DE)
    for you are with me;(DF)
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

You prepare a table(DG) before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;(DH)
    my cup(DI) overflows.
Surely your goodness and love(DJ) will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Psalm 24

Of David. A psalm.

The earth is the Lord’s,(DK) and everything in it,
    the world, and all who live in it;(DL)
for he founded it on the seas
    and established it on the waters.(DM)

Who may ascend the mountain(DN) of the Lord?
    Who may stand in his holy place?(DO)
The one who has clean hands(DP) and a pure heart,(DQ)
    who does not trust in an idol(DR)
    or swear by a false god.[j]

They will receive blessing(DS) from the Lord
    and vindication(DT) from God their Savior.
Such is the generation of those who seek him,
    who seek your face,(DU) God of Jacob.[k][l]

Lift up your heads, you gates;(DV)
    be lifted up, you ancient doors,
    that the King(DW) of glory(DX) may come in.(DY)
Who is this King of glory?
    The Lord strong and mighty,(DZ)
    the Lord mighty in battle.(EA)
Lift up your heads, you gates;
    lift them up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory?
    The Lord Almighty(EB)
    he is the King of glory.

Psalm 25[m]

Of David.

In you, Lord my God,
    I put my trust.(EC)

I trust in you;(ED)
    do not let me be put to shame,
    nor let my enemies triumph over me.
No one who hopes in you
    will ever be put to shame,(EE)
but shame will come on those
    who are treacherous(EF) without cause.

Show me your ways, Lord,
    teach me your paths.(EG)
Guide me in your truth(EH) and teach me,
    for you are God my Savior,(EI)
    and my hope is in you(EJ) all day long.
Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,(EK)
    for they are from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth(EL)
    and my rebellious ways;(EM)
according to your love(EN) remember me,
    for you, Lord, are good.(EO)

Good and upright(EP) is the Lord;
    therefore he instructs(EQ) sinners in his ways.
He guides(ER) the humble in what is right
    and teaches them(ES) his way.
10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful(ET)
    toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.(EU)
11 For the sake of your name,(EV) Lord,
    forgive(EW) my iniquity,(EX) though it is great.

12 Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?(EY)
    He will instruct them in the ways(EZ) they should choose.[n]
13 They will spend their days in prosperity,(FA)
    and their descendants will inherit the land.(FB)
14 The Lord confides(FC) in those who fear him;
    he makes his covenant known(FD) to them.
15 My eyes are ever on the Lord,(FE)
    for only he will release my feet from the snare.(FF)

16 Turn to me(FG) and be gracious to me,(FH)
    for I am lonely(FI) and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles(FJ) of my heart
    and free me from my anguish.(FK)
18 Look on my affliction(FL) and my distress(FM)
    and take away all my sins.(FN)
19 See how numerous are my enemies(FO)
    and how fiercely they hate me!(FP)

20 Guard my life(FQ) and rescue me;(FR)
    do not let me be put to shame,(FS)
    for I take refuge(FT) in you.
21 May integrity(FU) and uprightness(FV) protect me,
    because my hope, Lord,[o] is in you.(FW)

22 Deliver Israel,(FX) O God,
    from all their troubles!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 21:1 In Hebrew texts 21:1-13 is numbered 21:2-14.
  2. Psalm 21:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  3. Psalm 22:1 In Hebrew texts 22:1-31 is numbered 22:2-32.
  4. Psalm 22:2 Or night, and am not silent
  5. Psalm 22:3 Or Yet you are holy, / enthroned on the praises of Israel
  6. Psalm 22:15 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text strength
  7. Psalm 22:16 Dead Sea Scrolls and some manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Septuagint and Syriac; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text me, / like a lion
  8. Psalm 22:25 Hebrew him
  9. Psalm 23:4 Or the valley of the shadow of death
  10. Psalm 24:4 Or swear falsely
  11. Psalm 24:6 Two Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac (see also Septuagint); most Hebrew manuscripts face, Jacob
  12. Psalm 24:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 10.
  13. Psalm 25:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  14. Psalm 25:12 Or ways he chooses
  15. Psalm 25:21 Septuagint; Hebrew does not have Lord.