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A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God.

A Psalm of David.

27 The Lord is my light and my salvation—
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the refuge and fortress of my life—
Whom shall I dread?

When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh,
My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.

Though an army encamp against me,
My heart will not fear;
Though war arise against me,
Even in this I am confident.


One thing I have asked of the Lord, and that I will seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord [in His presence] all the days of my life,
To gaze upon the beauty [the delightful loveliness and majestic grandeur] of the Lord
And to meditate in His temple.(A)

For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter;
In the secret place of His tent He will hide me;
He will lift me up on a rock.

And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,
In His tent I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.


Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
Be gracious and compassionate to me and answer me.

When You said, “Seek My face [in prayer, require My presence as your greatest need],” my heart said to You,
“Your face, O Lord, I will seek [on the authority of Your word].”

Do not hide Your face from me,
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;
Do not abandon me nor [a]leave me,
O God of my salvation!
10 
Although my father and my mother have abandoned me,
Yet the Lord will take me up [adopt me as His child].(B)

11 
Teach me Your way, O Lord,
And lead me on a level path
Because of my enemies [who lie in wait].
12 
Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries,
For false witnesses have come against me;
They breathe out violence.
13 
I would have despaired had I not believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.
14 
Wait for and confidently expect the Lord;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for and confidently expect the Lord.

A Prayer for Help, and Praise for Its Answer.

A Psalm of David.

28 To you I call, O Lord,
My rock, do not be deaf to me,
For if You are silent to me,
I will become like those who go down to the pit (grave).

Hear the voice of my supplication (specific requests, humble entreaties) as I cry to You for help,
As I lift up my hands and heart toward Your innermost sanctuary (Holy of Holies).

Do not drag me away with the wicked
And with those who do evil,
Who speak peace with their neighbors,
While malice and mischief are in their hearts.

Repay them according to their work and according to the evil of their practices;
Repay them according to the deeds of their hands;
Repay them what they deserve.(C)

Because they have no regard for the works of the Lord
Nor the deeds of His hands,
He will tear them down and not rebuild them.


Blessed be the Lord,
Because He has heard the voice of my supplication.

The Lord is my strength and my [impenetrable] shield;
My heart trusts [with unwavering confidence] in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I shall thank Him and praise Him.

The Lord is their [unyielding] strength,
And He is the fortress of salvation to His anointed.

Save Your people and bless Your inheritance;
Be their shepherd also, and carry them forever.

The Voice of the Lord in the Storm.

A Psalm of David.

29 [b]Ascribe to the Lord, O [c]sons of the mighty,
Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name;
Worship the Lord in the beauty and majesty of His holiness [as the creator and source of holiness].


The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;
The God of glory thunders;
The Lord is over many waters.

The voice of the Lord is powerful;
The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
Yes, the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
And Sirion (Mount Hermon) like a young, wild ox.

The voice of the Lord rakes flames of fire (lightning).

The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
The Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of the Lord [d]makes the doe labor and give birth
And strips the forests bare;
And in His temple all are saying, “Glory!”

10 
The Lord sat as King at the flood;
Yes, the Lord sits as King forever.
11 
The Lord will give [unyielding and impenetrable] strength to His people;
The Lord will bless His people with peace.

Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death.

A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of the House (Temple). A Psalm of David.

30 I will extol and praise You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up,
And have not let my enemies rejoice over me.

O Lord my God,
I cried to You for help, and You have healed me.

O Lord, You have brought my life up from Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead);
You have kept me alive, so that I would not go down to the pit (grave).

Sing to the Lord, O you His godly ones,
And give thanks at the mention of His holy name.

For His anger is but for a moment,
[e]His favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may endure for a night,
But a shout of joy comes in the morning.(D)


As for me, in my prosperity I said,
“I shall never be moved.”

By Your favor and grace, O Lord, you have made my mountain stand strong;
You hid Your face, and I was horrified.

I called to You, O Lord,
And to the Lord I made supplication (specific request).

“What profit is there in my blood (death), if I go down to the pit (grave)?
Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your faithfulness [to man]?

10 
“Hear, O Lord, be gracious and show favor to me;
O Lord, be my helper.”
11 
You have turned my mourning into dancing for me;
You have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
12 
That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

A Psalm of Complaint and of Praise.

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

31 In You, O Lord, I have placed my trust and taken refuge;
Let me never be [f]ashamed;
In Your righteousness rescue me.

Incline Your ear to me, deliver me quickly;
Be my rock of refuge,
And a strong fortress to save me.

Yes, You are my rock and my fortress;
For Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me.

You will draw me out of the net that they have secretly laid for me,
For You are my strength and my stronghold.

[g]Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
You have redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth and faithfulness.(E)


I hate those who pay regard to vain (empty, worthless) idols;
But I trust in the Lord [and rely on Him with unwavering confidence].

I will rejoice and be glad in Your steadfast love,
Because You have seen my affliction;
You have taken note of my life’s distresses,

And You have not given me into the hand of the enemy;
You have set my feet in a broad place.


Be gracious and compassionate to me, O Lord, for I am in trouble;
My eye is clouded and weakened by grief, my soul and my body also.
10 
For my life is spent with sorrow
And my years with sighing;
My strength has failed because of my iniquity,
And even my body has wasted away.
11 
Because of all my enemies I have become a reproach and disgrace,
Especially to my neighbors,
And an object of dread to my acquaintances;
Those who see me on the street run from me.
12 
I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind;
I am like a broken vessel.
13 
For I have heard the slander and whispering of many,
Terror is on every side;
While they schemed together against me,
They plotted to take away my life.(F)

14 
But as for me, I trust [confidently] in You and Your greatness, O Lord;
I said, “You are my God.”
15 
My times are in Your hands;
Rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from those who pursue and persecute me.
16 
Make Your face shine upon Your servant;
Save me in Your lovingkindness.
17 
Let me not be put to shame, O Lord, for I call on You;
Let the wicked (godless) be put to shame, let them be silent in Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead).
18 
Let the lying lips be mute,
Which speak insolently and arrogantly against the [consistently] righteous
With pride and contempt.

19 
How great is Your goodness,
Which You have stored up for those who [reverently] fear You,
Which You have prepared for those who take refuge in You,
[h]Before the sons of man!
20 
In the secret place of Your presence You hide them from the plots and conspiracies of man;
You keep them secretly in a shelter (pavilion) from the strife of tongues.
21 
Blessed be the Lord,
For He has shown His marvelous favor and lovingkindness to me [when I was assailed] in a besieged city.
22 
As for me, I said in my alarm,
“I am cut off from Your eyes.”
Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications (specific requests)
When I cried to You [for help].

23 
O love the Lord, all you His godly ones!
The Lord preserves the faithful [those with moral and spiritual integrity]
And fully repays the [self-righteousness of the] arrogant.
24 
Be strong and let your hearts take courage,
All you who wait for and confidently expect the Lord.

Blessedness of Forgiveness and of Trust in God.

A Psalm of David. A skillful [i]song, or a didactic or reflective poem.

32 Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, favored by God] is he whose transgression is forgiven,
And whose sin is covered.

Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute wickedness,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit.(G)


When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away
Through my groaning all the day long.

For day and night Your hand [of displeasure] was heavy upon me;
My [j]energy (vitality, strength) was drained away as with the burning heat of summer. Selah.

I acknowledged my sin to You,
And I did not hide my wickedness;
I said, “I will confess [all] my transgressions to the Lord”;
And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.

Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You [for forgiveness] in a time when You [are near and] may be found;
Surely when the great waters [of trial and distressing times] overflow they will not reach [the spirit in] him.

You are my hiding place; You, Lord, protect me from trouble;
You surround me with songs and shouts of deliverance. Selah.


I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you [who are willing to learn] with My eye upon you.

Do not be like the horse or like the mule which have no understanding,
Whose trappings include bridle and rein to hold them in check,
Otherwise they will not come near to you.
10 
Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
But he who trusts in and relies on the Lord shall be surrounded with compassion and lovingkindness.
11 
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous [who actively seek right standing with Him];
Shout for joy, all you upright in heart.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 27:9 Lit forsake.
  2. Psalm 29:1 This psalm has been called “The Song of the Thunderstorm,” a glorious psalm of praise sung during an earthshaking tempest which reminds the psalmist of the time of Noah and the deluge (see v 10).
  3. Psalm 29:1 The ancient rabbis interpreted this as referring to the patriarchs. Today many scholars regard this as a reference to God’s angels.
  4. Psalm 29:9 Or makes the oaks shake.
  5. Psalm 30:5 Or in His favor is life.
  6. Psalm 31:1 I.e. have my expectations in Your goodness be disappointed.
  7. Psalm 31:5 The ancient rabbis made this statement a bedtime prayer.
  8. Psalm 31:19 I.e. human beings.
  9. Psalm 32:1 Meaning uncertain.
  10. Psalm 32:4 Lit life juices were turned into the drought of summer.

Psalm 27

Of David.

The Lord is my light(A) and my salvation(B)
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold(C) of my life—
    of whom shall I be afraid?(D)

When the wicked advance against me
    to devour[a] me,
it is my enemies and my foes
    who will stumble and fall.(E)
Though an army besiege me,
    my heart will not fear;(F)
though war break out against me,
    even then I will be confident.(G)

One thing(H) I ask from the Lord,
    this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,(I)
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
    and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble(J)
    he will keep me safe(K) in his dwelling;
he will hide me(L) in the shelter of his sacred tent
    and set me high upon a rock.(M)

Then my head will be exalted(N)
    above the enemies who surround me;(O)
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice(P) with shouts of joy;(Q)
    I will sing(R) and make music(S) to the Lord.

Hear my voice(T) when I call, Lord;
    be merciful to me and answer me.(U)
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!(V)
    Your face, Lord, I will seek.
Do not hide your face(W) from me,
    do not turn your servant away in anger;(X)
    you have been my helper.(Y)
Do not reject me or forsake(Z) me,
    God my Savior.(AA)
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
    the Lord will receive me.
11 Teach me your way,(AB) Lord;
    lead me in a straight path(AC)
    because of my oppressors.(AD)
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
    for false witnesses(AE) rise up against me,
    spouting malicious accusations.

13 I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord(AF)
    in the land of the living.(AG)
14 Wait(AH) for the Lord;
    be strong(AI) and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.

Psalm 28

Of David.

To you, Lord, I call;
    you are my Rock,
    do not turn a deaf ear(AJ) to me.
For if you remain silent,(AK)
    I will be like those who go down to the pit.(AL)
Hear my cry for mercy(AM)
    as I call to you for help,
as I lift up my hands(AN)
    toward your Most Holy Place.(AO)

Do not drag me away with the wicked,
    with those who do evil,
who speak cordially with their neighbors
    but harbor malice in their hearts.(AP)
Repay them for their deeds
    and for their evil work;
repay them for what their hands have done(AQ)
    and bring back on them what they deserve.(AR)

Because they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord
    and what his hands have done,(AS)
he will tear them down
    and never build them up again.

Praise be to the Lord,(AT)
    for he has heard my cry for mercy.(AU)
The Lord is my strength(AV) and my shield;
    my heart trusts(AW) in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,(AX)
    and with my song I praise him.(AY)

The Lord is the strength(AZ) of his people,
    a fortress of salvation(BA) for his anointed one.(BB)
Save your people(BC) and bless your inheritance;(BD)
    be their shepherd(BE) and carry them(BF) forever.

Psalm 29

A psalm of David.

Ascribe to the Lord,(BG) you heavenly beings,(BH)
    ascribe to the Lord glory(BI) and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
    worship the Lord in the splendor of his[b] holiness.(BJ)

The voice(BK) of the Lord is over the waters;
    the God of glory(BL) thunders,(BM)
    the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.(BN)
The voice of the Lord is powerful;(BO)
    the voice of the Lord is majestic.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
    the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.(BP)
He makes Lebanon leap(BQ) like a calf,
    Sirion[c](BR) like a young wild ox.(BS)
The voice of the Lord strikes
    with flashes of lightning.(BT)
The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;
    the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.(BU)
The voice of the Lord twists the oaks[d](BV)
    and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”(BW)

10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;(BX)
    the Lord is enthroned as King forever.(BY)
11 The Lord gives strength to his people;(BZ)
    the Lord blesses his people with peace.(CA)

Psalm 30[e]

A psalm. A song. For the dedication of the temple.[f] Of David.

I will exalt(CB) you, Lord,
    for you lifted me out of the depths(CC)
    and did not let my enemies gloat over me.(CD)
Lord my God, I called to you for help,(CE)
    and you healed me.(CF)
You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead;(CG)
    you spared me from going down to the pit.(CH)

Sing(CI) the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people;(CJ)
    praise his holy name.(CK)
For his anger(CL) lasts only a moment,(CM)
    but his favor lasts a lifetime;(CN)
weeping(CO) may stay for the night,
    but rejoicing comes in the morning.(CP)

When I felt secure, I said,
    “I will never be shaken.”(CQ)
Lord, when you favored me,
    you made my royal mountain[g] stand firm;
but when you hid your face,(CR)
    I was dismayed.

To you, Lord, I called;
    to the Lord I cried for mercy:
“What is gained if I am silenced,
    if I go down to the pit?(CS)
Will the dust praise you?
    Will it proclaim your faithfulness?(CT)
10 Hear,(CU) Lord, and be merciful to me;(CV)
    Lord, be my help.(CW)

11 You turned my wailing(CX) into dancing;(CY)
    you removed my sackcloth(CZ) and clothed me with joy,(DA)
12 that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
    Lord my God, I will praise(DB) you forever.(DC)

Psalm 31[h](DD)

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;(DE)
    let me never be put to shame;
    deliver me in your righteousness.(DF)
Turn your ear to me,(DG)
    come quickly to my rescue;(DH)
be my rock of refuge,(DI)
    a strong fortress to save me.
Since you are my rock and my fortress,(DJ)
    for the sake of your name(DK) lead and guide me.
Keep me free from the trap(DL) that is set for me,
    for you are my refuge.(DM)
Into your hands I commit my spirit;(DN)
    deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.(DO)

I hate those who cling to worthless idols;(DP)
    as for me, I trust in the Lord.(DQ)
I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
    for you saw my affliction(DR)
    and knew the anguish(DS) of my soul.
You have not given me into the hands(DT) of the enemy
    but have set my feet in a spacious place.(DU)

Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress;(DV)
    my eyes grow weak with sorrow,(DW)
    my soul and body(DX) with grief.
10 My life is consumed by anguish(DY)
    and my years by groaning;(DZ)
my strength fails(EA) because of my affliction,[i](EB)
    and my bones grow weak.(EC)
11 Because of all my enemies,(ED)
    I am the utter contempt(EE) of my neighbors(EF)
and an object of dread to my closest friends—
    those who see me on the street flee from me.
12 I am forgotten as though I were dead;(EG)
    I have become like broken pottery.
13 For I hear many whispering,(EH)
    “Terror on every side!”(EI)
They conspire against me(EJ)
    and plot to take my life.(EK)

14 But I trust(EL) in you, Lord;
    I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times(EM) are in your hands;
    deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
    from those who pursue me.
16 Let your face shine(EN) on your servant;
    save me in your unfailing love.(EO)
17 Let me not be put to shame,(EP) Lord,
    for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
    and be silent(EQ) in the realm of the dead.
18 Let their lying lips(ER) be silenced,
    for with pride and contempt
    they speak arrogantly(ES) against the righteous.

19 How abundant are the good things(ET)
    that you have stored up for those who fear you,
that you bestow in the sight of all,(EU)
    on those who take refuge(EV) in you.
20 In the shelter(EW) of your presence you hide(EX) them
    from all human intrigues;(EY)
you keep them safe in your dwelling
    from accusing tongues.

21 Praise be to the Lord,(EZ)
    for he showed me the wonders of his love(FA)
    when I was in a city under siege.(FB)
22 In my alarm(FC) I said,
    “I am cut off(FD) from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cry(FE) for mercy
    when I called to you for help.

23 Love the Lord, all his faithful people!(FF)
    The Lord preserves those who are true to him,(FG)
    but the proud he pays back(FH) in full.
24 Be strong and take heart,(FI)
    all you who hope in the Lord.

Psalm 32

Of David. A maskil.[j]

Blessed is the one
    whose transgressions are forgiven,
    whose sins are covered.(FJ)
Blessed is the one
    whose sin the Lord does not count against them(FK)
    and in whose spirit is no deceit.(FL)

When I kept silent,(FM)
    my bones wasted away(FN)
    through my groaning(FO) all day long.
For day and night
    your hand was heavy(FP) on me;
my strength was sapped(FQ)
    as in the heat of summer.[k]

Then I acknowledged my sin to you
    and did not cover up my iniquity.(FR)
I said, “I will confess(FS)
    my transgressions(FT) to the Lord.”
And you forgave
    the guilt of my sin.(FU)

Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
    while you may be found;(FV)
surely the rising(FW) of the mighty waters(FX)
    will not reach them.(FY)
You are my hiding place;(FZ)
    you will protect me from trouble(GA)
    and surround me with songs of deliverance.(GB)

I will instruct(GC) you and teach you(GD) in the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my loving eye on(GE) you.
Do not be like the horse or the mule,
    which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle(GF)
    or they will not come to you.
10 Many are the woes of the wicked,(GG)
    but the Lord’s unfailing love
    surrounds the one who trusts(GH) in him.

11 Rejoice in the Lord(GI) and be glad, you righteous;
    sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 27:2 Or slander
  2. Psalm 29:2 Or Lord with the splendor of
  3. Psalm 29:6 That is, Mount Hermon
  4. Psalm 29:9 Or Lord makes the deer give birth
  5. Psalm 30:1 In Hebrew texts 30:1-12 is numbered 30:2-13.
  6. Psalm 30:1 Title: Or palace
  7. Psalm 30:7 That is, Mount Zion
  8. Psalm 31:1 In Hebrew texts 31:1-24 is numbered 31:2-25.
  9. Psalm 31:10 Or guilt
  10. Psalm 32:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  11. Psalm 32:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 5 and 7.