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Psalm 70-73
Easy-to-Read Version
Psalm 70-73
Easy-to-Read Version
To the director: A song of David to help people remember.
70 Please, God, rescue me!
Lord, hurry and help me!
2 People are trying to kill me.
Please disappoint them.
Humiliate them!
They want to hurt me.
Make them run away in shame.
3 May those who make fun of me
be too embarrassed to speak.
4 But may those who come to you
be happy and rejoice.
May those who love being saved by you
always be able to say, “Praise God!”[a]
5 I am only a poor, helpless man.
God, please hurry to me.
You are my helper, the one who can save me.
Lord, don’t be too late!
71 Lord, I depend on you for protection.
Don’t let me be disappointed.
2 You always do what is right, so come and save me.
Listen to me and save me.
3 Be my Rock, my place of safety.
Be my fortress, and protect me!
You are my Rock and my protection.
4 My God, save me from wicked people.
Save me from cruel, evil people.
5 Lord God, you are my hope.
I have trusted you since I was a young boy.
6 I depended on you even before I was born.
I relied on you even in my mother’s womb.
I have always prayed to you.[b]
7 You are my source of strength,
so I have been an example to others.
8 I am always singing about the wonderful things you do.
9 Don’t throw me away just because I am old.
Don’t leave me as I lose my strength.
10 My enemies make plans against me.
They have met together and are making plans to kill me.
11 They say, “Go get him!
God has left him, so there is no one to help him.”
12 God, don’t leave me!
My God, hurry and help me!
13 Defeat my enemies.
Destroy them completely!
They are trying to hurt me.
Let them suffer shame and disgrace.
14 Then I will always trust in you
and praise you more and more.
15 I will tell people how good you are.
I will tell about all the times you saved me—
too many times to count.
16 I will tell about your greatness, my Lord God.
I will talk only about you and your goodness.
17 God, you have taught me since I was a young boy.
And to this day I have told people about the wonderful things you do.
18 Now that I am old and my hair is gray, don’t leave me, God.
I must tell the next generation about your power and greatness.
19 God, your goodness reaches far above the skies.
You have done wonderful things.
God, there is no one like you.
20 You have let me see troubles and hard times,
but you will give me new life;
you will lift me up from this pit of death!
21 You will help me do even greater things.
You will comfort me again!
22 I will play the harp and praise you.
My God, I will sing about your faithfulness.
I will play songs on my lyre
for the Holy One of Israel.
23 I will shout for joy,
singing songs of praise to you for saving me.
24 My tongue will sing about your goodness all the time,
because those who wanted to kill me
have been defeated and disgraced.
To Solomon.[c]
72 God, help the king be like you and make fair decisions.
Help the king’s son know what justice is.
2 Help the king judge your people fairly.
Help him make wise decisions for your poor people.
3 Let there be peace and justice throughout the land,
known on every mountain and hill.
4 May the king be fair to the poor.
May he help the helpless and punish those who hurt them.
5 May people always fear and respect you, God,
as long as the sun shines and the moon is in the sky.
6 Help the king be like rain falling on the fields,
like showers falling on the land.
7 Let goodness grow everywhere while he is king.
Let peace continue as long as there is a moon.
8 Let his kingdom grow from sea to sea,
from the Euphrates River to the faraway places on earth.[d]
9 May all the people living in the desert bow down to him.
May all his enemies bow before him with their faces in the dirt.
10 May the kings of Tarshish and all the faraway lands by the sea bring gifts to him.
May the kings of Sheba and Seba bring their tribute to him.
11 May all kings bow down to our king.
May all nations serve him.
12 Our king helps the poor who cry out to him—
those in need who have no one to help them.
13 He feels sorry for all who are weak and poor.
He protects their lives.
14 He saves them from the cruel people who try to hurt them.
Their lives are important to him.
15 Long live the king!
Let him receive gold from Sheba.
Always pray for the king.
Ask God to bless him every day.
16 May the fields grow plenty of grain
and the hills be covered with crops.
May the fields be as fertile as Lebanon,
and may people fill the cities as grass covers a field.
17 May the king be famous forever.
May people remember his name as long as the sun shines.
May all nations be blessed through him,
and may they all bless him.
18 Praise the Lord God, the God of Israel!
Only he can do such amazing things.
19 Praise his glorious name forever!
Let his glory fill the whole world.
Amen and Amen!
20 (This ends the prayers of David son of Jesse.)
Book 3
(Psalms 73-89)
Asaph’s song of praise.
73 God is so good to Israel,
to those whose hearts are pure.
2 But I almost slipped and lost my balance.
I almost fell into sin.
3 I saw that wicked people were successful,
and I became jealous of those proud people.
4 They are healthy.
They don’t have to struggle to survive.[e]
5 They don’t suffer like the rest of us.
They don’t have troubles like other people.
6 So they are proud and hateful.
This is as easy to see as the jewels and fancy clothes they wear.
7 If they see something they like, they go and take it.
They do whatever they want.
8 They make fun of others and say cruel things about them.
In their pride they make plans to hurt people.
9 They think they are gods!
They think they are the rulers of the earth.
10 [f] Even God’s people turn to them
and do what they say.
11 Those evil people say, “God does not know what we are doing!
God Most High does not know!”
12 Those proud people are wicked,
but they are rich and getting richer.
13 Clearly, then, I gain nothing by keeping my thoughts pure!
What good is it to keep myself from sin?
14 God, I suffer all day long,
and you punish me every morning.
15 I wanted to tell others these things,
but that would have made me a traitor to your people.
16 I tried hard to understand all this,
but it was too hard for me.
17 But then, God, I went to your Temple,
and I understood what will happen to the wicked.
18 Clearly, you have put them in danger.
You make it easy for them to fall and be destroyed.
19 Trouble can come suddenly,
and they will be ruined.
Terrible things can happen to them,
and they will be finished.
20 Then they will be like a dream
that we forget when we wake up.
You will make them disappear
like the monsters in our dreams.
21-22 I was so stupid.
I thought about such people and became upset.
God, I was upset and angry with you!
I acted like a senseless animal.
23 But I am always with you.
You hold my hand.
24 You lead me and give me good advice,
and later you will lead me to glory.[g]
25 In heaven, God, I have only you.
And if I am with you, what on earth could I want?
26 Maybe my mind[h] and body will become weak,
but God is my source of strength.[i]
He is mine forever!
27 God, people who leave you will be lost.
You will destroy all who are not faithful to you.
28 As for me, all I need is to be close to God.
I have made the Lord God my place of safety.
And, God, I will tell about all that you have done.
Footnotes
- Psalm 70:4 Praise God Literally, “God is great” or “May God be magnified.”
- Psalm 71:6 prayed to you Or “praised you.”
- Psalm 72:1 Psalm 72 To Solomon This might mean that this song was written by Solomon or dedicated to him, or that it is from some special collection of songs.
- Psalm 72:8 faraway places on earth This usually means the countries around the Mediterranean Sea.
- Psalm 73:4 Literally, “They have no bonds to their death.”
- Psalm 73:10 The Hebrew text here is hard to understand.
- Psalm 73:24 lead me to glory Or “receive me in honor.”
- Psalm 73:26 mind Literally, “heart.”
- Psalm 73:26 my … strength Literally, “the Rock of my heart.”
Psalm 70-73
New International Version
Psalm 70-73
New International Version
Psalm 70[a](A)
For the director of music. Of David. A petition.
1 Hasten, O God, to save me;
come quickly, Lord, to help me.(B)
2 May those who want to take my life(C)
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
be turned back in disgrace.(D)
3 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”(E)
turn back because of their shame.
4 But may all who seek you(F)
rejoice and be glad(G) in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
“The Lord is great!”(H)
5 But as for me, I am poor and needy;(I)
come quickly to me,(J) O God.
You are my help(K) and my deliverer;(L)
Lord, do not delay.(M)
Psalm 71(N)
1 In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;(O)
let me never be put to shame.(P)
2 In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
turn your ear(Q) to me and save me.
3 Be my rock of refuge,
to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.(R)
4 Deliver(S) me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,(T)
from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.(U)
5 For you have been my hope,(V) Sovereign Lord,
my confidence(W) since my youth.
6 From birth(X) I have relied on you;
you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.(Y)
I will ever praise(Z) you.
7 I have become a sign(AA) to many;
you are my strong refuge.(AB)
8 My mouth(AC) is filled with your praise,
declaring your splendor(AD) all day long.
9 Do not cast(AE) me away when I am old;(AF)
do not forsake(AG) me when my strength is gone.
10 For my enemies(AH) speak against me;
those who wait to kill(AI) me conspire(AJ) together.
11 They say, “God has forsaken(AK) him;
pursue him and seize him,
for no one will rescue(AL) him.”
12 Do not be far(AM) from me, my God;
come quickly, God, to help(AN) me.
13 May my accusers(AO) perish in shame;(AP)
may those who want to harm me
be covered with scorn and disgrace.(AQ)
14 As for me, I will always have hope;(AR)
I will praise you more and more.
15 My mouth will tell(AS) of your righteous deeds,(AT)
of your saving acts all day long—
though I know not how to relate them all.
16 I will come and proclaim your mighty acts,(AU) Sovereign Lord;
I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
17 Since my youth, God, you have taught(AV) me,
and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.(AW)
18 Even when I am old and gray,(AX)
do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power(AY) to the next generation,
your mighty acts to all who are to come.(AZ)
19 Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,(BA)
you who have done great things.(BB)
Who is like you, God?(BC)
20 Though you have made me see troubles,(BD)
many and bitter,
you will restore(BE) my life again;
from the depths of the earth(BF)
you will again bring me up.
21 You will increase my honor(BG)
and comfort(BH) me once more.
22 I will praise you with the harp(BI)
for your faithfulness, my God;
I will sing praise to you with the lyre,(BJ)
Holy One of Israel.(BK)
23 My lips will shout for joy(BL)
when I sing praise to you—
I whom you have delivered.(BM)
24 My tongue will tell of your righteous acts
all day long,(BN)
for those who wanted to harm me(BO)
have been put to shame and confusion.(BP)
Psalm 72
Of Solomon.
1 Endow the king with your justice,(BQ) O God,
the royal son with your righteousness.
2 May he judge your people in righteousness,(BR)
your afflicted ones with justice.
3 May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,
the hills the fruit of righteousness.
4 May he defend the afflicted(BS) among the people
and save the children of the needy;(BT)
may he crush the oppressor.(BU)
5 May he endure[b](BV) as long as the sun,
as long as the moon, through all generations.(BW)
6 May he be like rain(BX) falling on a mown field,
like showers watering the earth.
7 In his days may the righteous flourish(BY)
and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.
8 May he rule from sea to sea
and from the River[c](BZ) to the ends of the earth.(CA)
9 May the desert tribes bow before him
and his enemies lick the dust.
10 May the kings of Tarshish(CB) and of distant shores(CC)
bring tribute to him.
May the kings of Sheba(CD) and Seba
present him gifts.(CE)
11 May all kings bow down(CF) to him
and all nations serve(CG) him.
12 For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
13 He will take pity(CH) on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.
14 He will rescue(CI) them from oppression and violence,
for precious(CJ) is their blood in his sight.
15 Long may he live!
May gold from Sheba(CK) be given him.
May people ever pray for him
and bless him all day long.(CL)
16 May grain(CM) abound throughout the land;
on the tops of the hills may it sway.
May the crops(CN) flourish like Lebanon(CO)
and thrive[d] like the grass of the field.(CP)
17 May his name endure forever;(CQ)
may it continue as long as the sun.(CR)
18 Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,(CT)
who alone does marvelous deeds.(CU)
19 Praise be to his glorious name(CV) forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.(CW)
Amen and Amen.(CX)
20 This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.(CY)
BOOK III
Psalms 73–89
Psalm 73
A psalm of Asaph.
1 Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.(CZ)
2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;(DA)
I had nearly lost my foothold.(DB)
3 For I envied(DC) the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.(DD)
4 They have no struggles;
their bodies are healthy and strong.[f]
5 They are free(DE) from common human burdens;
they are not plagued by human ills.
6 Therefore pride(DF) is their necklace;(DG)
they clothe themselves with violence.(DH)
7 From their callous hearts(DI) comes iniquity[g];
their evil imaginations have no limits.
8 They scoff, and speak with malice;(DJ)
with arrogance(DK) they threaten oppression.(DL)
9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10 Therefore their people turn to them
and drink up waters in abundance.[h]
11 They say, “How would God know?
Does the Most High know anything?”
13 Surely in vain(DO) I have kept my heart pure
and have washed my hands in innocence.(DP)
14 All day long I have been afflicted,(DQ)
and every morning brings new punishments.
15 If I had spoken out like that,
I would have betrayed your children.
16 When I tried to understand(DR) all this,
it troubled me deeply
17 till I entered the sanctuary(DS) of God;
then I understood their final destiny.(DT)
18 Surely you place them on slippery ground;(DU)
you cast them down to ruin.(DV)
19 How suddenly(DW) are they destroyed,
completely swept away(DX) by terrors!
20 They are like a dream(DY) when one awakes;(DZ)
when you arise, Lord,
you will despise them as fantasies.(EA)
21 When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless(EB) and ignorant;
I was a brute beast(EC) before you.
23 Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.(ED)
24 You guide(EE) me with your counsel,(EF)
and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?(EG)
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.(EH)
26 My flesh and my heart(EI) may fail,(EJ)
but God is the strength(EK) of my heart
and my portion(EL) forever.
Footnotes
- Psalm 70:1 In Hebrew texts 70:1-5 is numbered 70:2-6.
- Psalm 72:5 Septuagint; Hebrew You will be feared
- Psalm 72:8 That is, the Euphrates
- Psalm 72:16 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text Lebanon, / from the city
- Psalm 72:17 Or will use his name in blessings (see Gen. 48:20)
- Psalm 73:4 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text struggles at their death; / their bodies are healthy
- Psalm 73:7 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew Their eyes bulge with fat
- Psalm 73:10 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.