Psalm 42-72
New American Standard Bible
BOOK 2
Thirsting for God in Trouble and Exile.
For the music director. A [a]Maskil of the sons of Korah.
42 As the deer [b]pants for the water brooks,
So my soul [c](A)pants for You, God.
2 My soul (B)thirsts for God, for the (C)living God;
When shall I come and [d](D)appear before God?
3 My (E)tears have been my food day and night,
While they (F)say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
4 I remember these things and (G)pour out my soul within me.
For I (H)used to go over with the multitude and walk them to the house of God,
With a voice of (I)joy and thanksgiving, a multitude celebrating a festival.
5 (J)Why are you [e](K)in despair, my soul?
And why are you (L)restless within me?
(M)Wait for God, for I will [f]again praise [g]Him
For the [h](N)help of His [i]presence, my God.
6 My soul is [j]in despair within me;
Therefore I (O)remember You from (P)the land of the Jordan
And the [k]peaks of (Q)Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls;
All Your (R)breakers and Your waves have passed over me.
8 The Lord will (S)send His goodness in the daytime;
And His song will be with me (T)in the night,
A prayer to (U)the God of my life.
9 I will say to God (V)my rock, “Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go about (W)mourning [l]because of the (X)oppression of the enemy?”
10 As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries taunt me,
While they (Y)say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
11 (Z)Why are you [m]in despair, my soul?
And why are you restless within me?
Wait for God, for I will again praise [n]Him
For the [o]help of His presence, my God.
Prayer for Help.
43 (AA)Vindicate me, God, and (AB)plead my case against an ungodly nation;
[p]Save me from (AC)the deceitful and unjust person!
2 For You are the (AD)God of my strength; why have You (AE)rejected me?
Why do I go about (AF)mourning [q]because of the oppression of the enemy?
3 Send out Your (AG)light and Your truth, they shall lead me;
They shall bring me to Your (AH)holy hill
And to Your (AI)dwelling places.
4 Then I will go to (AJ)the altar of God,
To God [r]my exceeding (AK)joy;
And I will praise You on the (AL)lyre, God, my God.
5 (AM)Why are you [s]in despair, my soul?
And why are you restless within me?
Wait for God, for I will [t]again praise [u]Him
For the [v]help of His presence, my God.
Former Times of Help and Present Troubles.
For the music director. A [w]Maskil of the sons of Korah.
44 God, we have heard with our ears,
Our (AN)fathers have told us
The (AO)work that You did in their days,
In the (AP)days of old.
2 You with Your own hand (AQ)drove out the nations;
Then You (AR)planted them;
You (AS)afflicted the peoples,
Then You (AT)let them go free.
3 For by their own sword they (AU)did not possess the land,
And their own arm did not save them,
But Your right hand and Your (AV)arm and the (AW)light of Your presence,
For You (AX)favored them.
4 You are (AY)my King, God;
(AZ)Command [x]victories for Jacob.
5 Through You we will (BA)push back our adversaries;
Through Your name we will (BB)trample down those who rise up against us.
6 For I will (BC)not trust in my bow,
Nor will my sword save me.
7 But You (BD)have saved us from our adversaries,
And You have (BE)put to shame those who hate us.
8 In God we have (BF)boasted all day long,
And we will (BG)give thanks to Your name forever. Selah
9 Yet You (BH)have rejected us and brought us to (BI)dishonor,
And (BJ)do not go out with our armies.
10 You cause us to (BK)turn back from the enemy;
And those who hate us (BL)have taken spoils for themselves.
11 You turn us over [y]to be eaten like (BM)sheep,
And have (BN)scattered us among the nations.
12 You (BO)sell Your people [z]cheaply,
And have not [aa]profited by their sale.
13 You make us an object of (BP)reproach to our neighbors,
Of scoffing and (BQ)ridicule to those around us.
14 You make us (BR)a proverb among the nations,
A [ab](BS)laughingstock among the peoples.
15 All day long my dishonor is before me
And [ac]I am covered with my (BT)humiliation,
16 Because of the voice of one who (BU)taunts and reviles,
Because of the presence of the (BV)enemy and the avenger.
17 All this has come upon us, but we have (BW)not forgotten You,
And we have not (BX)dealt falsely with Your covenant.
18 Our heart has not (BY)turned back,
And our steps (BZ)have not deviated from Your way,
19 Yet You have (CA)crushed us in a place of (CB)jackals
And covered us with [ad](CC)deep darkness.
20 If we had (CD)forgotten the name of our God
Or extended our [ae]hands to (CE)a strange god,
21 Would God not (CF)find this out?
For He knows the secrets of the heart.
22 But (CG)for Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are regarded as (CH)sheep to be slaughtered.
23 (CI)Wake Yourself up, why (CJ)do You sleep, Lord?
Awake, (CK)do not reject us forever.
24 Why do You (CL)hide Your face
And (CM)forget our affliction and oppression?
25 For our (CN)souls have sunk down into the dust;
Our bodies cling to the earth.
26 (CO)Rise up, be our help,
And (CP)redeem us because of Your mercy.
A Song Celebrating the King’s Marriage.
For the music director; according to the [af]Shoshannim. A [ag]Maskil of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love.
45 My heart is moved with a good theme;
I [ah]address my [ai]verses to the [aj]King;
My tongue is the pen of (CQ)a ready writer.
2 You are the most handsome of the sons of mankind;
(CR)Grace is poured [ak]upon Your lips;
Therefore God has (CS)blessed You forever.
3 Strap (CT)Your sword on Your thigh, [al](CU)Mighty One,
In Your splendor and majesty!
4 And in Your majesty ride on victoriously,
For the cause of truth, (CV)humility, and righteousness;
Let Your (CW)right hand teach You [am]awesome things.
5 Your (CX)arrows are sharp;
The (CY)peoples fall under You;
Your arrows are (CZ)in the heart of the King’s enemies.
6 (DA)Your throne, God, is forever and ever;
(DB)The scepter of Your kingdom is a scepter of justice.
7 You have (DC)loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
Therefore God, Your God, has (DD)anointed You
With the oil of joy above Your companions.
8 All Your garments are fragrant with (DE)myrrh, aloes, and cassia;
From ivory palaces (DF)stringed instruments have made You joyful.
9 Kings’ daughters are among (DG)Your noble women;
At Your (DH)right hand stands the queen in (DI)gold from Ophir.
10 Listen, daughter, look and incline your ear:
(DJ)Forget your people and your father’s house;
11 Then the King will crave your beauty.
Because He is your (DK)Lord, (DL)bow down to Him.
12 The daughter of (DM)Tyre will come with a gift;
The (DN)wealthy among the people will seek your favor.
13 The King’s daughter is all glorious within;
Her clothing is (DO)interwoven with gold.
14 She will be (DP)brought to the King (DQ)in colorful garments;
The (DR)virgins, her companions who follow her,
Will be brought to You.
15 They will be brought with joy and rejoicing;
They will enter into the King’s palace.
16 In place of your fathers will be your sons;
You shall make them princes in all the earth.
17 I will make (DS)Your name known among all generations;
Therefore the peoples (DT)will praise You forever and ever.
God, the Refuge of His People.
For the music director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah, [an]set to Alamoth. A Song.
46 God is our (DU)refuge and strength,
A [ao]very (DV)ready help (DW)in [ap]trouble.
2 Therefore we will (DX)not fear, though (DY)the earth shakes
And (DZ)the mountains slip into the heart of the [aq]sea;
3 Though its (EA)waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah
4 There is a (EB)river whose streams make the (EC)city of God happy,
The holy (ED)dwelling places of the Most High.
5 God is (EE)in the midst of her, she will not be moved;
God will (EF)help her [ar]when morning dawns.
6 The [as]nations (EG)made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered;
He [at](EH)raised His voice, the earth (EI)quaked.
7 The Lord of armies (EJ)is with us;
The God of Jacob is (EK)our stronghold. Selah
8 Come, (EL)behold the works of the Lord,
[au]Who has inflicted (EM)horrific events on the earth.
9 He (EN)makes wars to cease to the end of the earth;
He (EO)breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He (EP)burns the chariots with fire.
10 “[av]Stop striving and (EQ)know that I am God;
I will be (ER)exalted among the [aw]nations, I will be exalted on the earth.”
11 The Lord of armies is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah
God, the King of the Earth.
For the music director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
47 (ES)Clap your hands, all you peoples;
(ET)Shout to God with a voice of joy.
2 For the Lord Most High is to be (EU)feared,
A (EV)great King over all the earth.
3 He (EW)subdues peoples under us
And nations under our feet.
4 He chooses our (EX)inheritance for us,
The (EY)pride of Jacob whom He loves. Selah
5 God has (EZ)ascended [ax]with a shout,
The Lord, [ay]with the (FA)sound of a trumpet.
6 (FB)Sing praises to God, sing praises;
Sing praises to (FC)our King, sing praises.
7 For God is the (FD)King of all the earth;
Sing praises (FE)with a psalm of wisdom.
8 God (FF)reigns over the nations,
God [az]sits on (FG)His holy throne.
9 The [ba](FH)princes of the people have assembled as the (FI)people of the God of Abraham,
For the (FJ)shields of the earth belong to God;
He is (FK)highly exalted.
The Beauty and Glory of Zion.
A Song; a Psalm of the sons of Korah.
48 (FL)Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised
In the (FM)city of our God, His (FN)holy mountain.
2 (FO)Beautiful in elevation, (FP)the joy of the whole earth,
Is Mount Zion in the far north,
The (FQ)city of the great King.
3 In its palaces,
God has made Himself known as a (FR)stronghold.
4 For, behold, the (FS)kings arrived,
They passed by together.
5 They saw it, then they were amazed;
They were (FT)terrified, they fled in a hurry.
6 [bb]Panic seized them there,
Anguish, as that of (FU)a woman in childbirth.
7 With the (FV)east wind
You (FW)smash the (FX)ships of Tarshish.
8 Just as we have heard, so have we seen
In the city of the Lord of armies, in the city of our God;
God will (FY)establish her forever. Selah
9 We have thought over (FZ)Your goodness, God,
In the midst of Your temple.
10 As is Your (GA)name, God,
So is Your (GB)praise to the ends of the earth;
Your (GC)right hand is full of righteousness.
11 Mount (GD)Zion shall be glad,
The (GE)daughters of Judah shall rejoice
Because of Your judgments.
12 Walk around Zion and encircle her;
Count her (GF)towers;
13 Consider her (GG)ramparts;
Go through her palaces,
So that you may (GH)tell of her to the next generation.
14 For [bc]such is God,
Our God forever and ever;
He will (GI)lead us [bd]until death.
The Foolishness of Trusting in Riches.
For the music director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
49 (GJ)Hear this, all peoples;
Listen, all (GK)inhabitants of the world,
2 Both (GL)low and high,
Rich and poor together.
3 My mouth will (GM)speak wisdom,
And the meditation of my heart will be (GN)understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to (GO)a proverb;
(GP)I will [be]express my (GQ)riddle on the harp.
5 Why should I (GR)fear in days of adversity,
When the injustice of those who betray me surrounds me,
6 Those who (GS)trust in their wealth
And boast in the abundance of their riches?
7 No one can by any means (GT)redeem another
Or give God a (GU)ransom for him—
8 For (GV)the redemption of [bf]his soul is priceless,
And he should cease imagining forever—
9 That he might (GW)live on eternally,
That he might not [bg](GX)undergo decay.
10 For he sees that even (GY)wise people die;
The (GZ)foolish and the stupid alike perish
And (HA)leave their wealth to others.
11 Their [bh](HB)inner thought is that their houses (HC)are forever
And their dwelling places to all generations;
They have (HD)named their lands after their own names.
12 But (HE)man in his splendor will not endure;
He is like the animals that [bi]perish.
13 This is the (HF)way of those who are foolish,
And of those after them who (HG)approve their words. Selah
14 Like sheep they sink down (HH)to [bj]Sheol;
Death will be their shepherd;
And the (HI)upright will rule over them in the morning,
And their form shall be for [bk]Sheol (HJ)to consume
[bl]So that they have no lofty home.
15 But God will (HK)redeem my soul from the [bm]power of [bn]Sheol,
For (HL)He will receive me. Selah
16 Do not be afraid (HM)when a person becomes rich,
When the splendor of his house is increased;
17 For when he dies, he will (HN)take nothing with him;
His [bo]wealth will not descend after him.
18 Though while he lives he (HO)congratulates [bp]himself—
And though people praise you when you do well for yourself—
19 [bq]He will (HP)go to the generation of his fathers;
They will never see (HQ)the light.
20 (HR)Mankind in its splendor, yet without understanding,
Is (HS)like the animals that [br]perish.
God, the Judge of the Righteous and the Wicked.
A Psalm of [bs]Asaph.
50 (HT)The Mighty One, God, the Lord, has spoken
And summoned the earth, (HU)from [bt]the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, (HV)the perfection of beauty,
God (HW)has shone.
3 May our God (HX)come and not keep silent;
(HY)Fire devours before Him,
And a storm is violently (HZ)raging around Him.
4 He (IA)summons the heavens above,
And the earth, to judge His people:
5 “Gather My (IB)godly ones to Me,
Those who have made a (IC)covenant with Me by (ID)sacrifice.”
6 And the (IE)heavens declare His righteousness,
For (IF)God Himself is judge. Selah
7 “(IG)Hear, My people, and I will speak;
Israel, I will testify [bu]against you;
I am God, (IH)your God.
8 I do (II)not rebuke you for your sacrifices,
And your burnt offerings are continually before Me.
9 I will not take a (IJ)bull from your house,
Nor male goats from your folds.
10 For (IK)every animal of the forest is Mine,
The cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know every (IL)bird of the mountains,
And everything that moves in the field is [bv]Mine.
12 If I were hungry I would not tell you,
For the (IM)world is Mine, and [bw]everything it contains.
13 Shall I eat the flesh of [bx](IN)bulls
Or drink the blood of male goats?
14 Offer God (IO)a sacrifice of thanksgiving
And (IP)pay your vows to the Most High;
15 (IQ)Call upon Me on the day of trouble;
I will (IR)rescue you, and you will (IS)honor Me.”
16 But to the wicked God says,
“What right do you have to tell of My statutes
And to take (IT)My covenant in your mouth?
17 For you yourself (IU)hate discipline,
And you (IV)throw My words behind you.
18 When you see a thief, you (IW)become friends with him,
And [by]you (IX)associate with adulterers.
19 You [bz](IY)let your mouth loose in evil,
And your (IZ)tongue harnesses deceit.
20 You sit and (JA)speak against your brother;
You slander your own mother’s son.
21 These things you have done and (JB)I kept silent;
You thought that I was just like you;
I will (JC)rebuke you and present the case before your eyes.
22 “Now consider this, you who (JD)forget God,
Or I will (JE)tear you in pieces, and there will be no one to save you.
23 He who (JF)offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me;
And to him who (JG)sets his way properly
I will (JH)show the salvation of God.”
A Contrite Sinner’s Prayer for Pardon.
For the music director. A Psalm of David, when [ca]Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
51 (JI)Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithfulness;
According to the greatness of (JJ)Your compassion, (JK)wipe out my wrongdoings.
2 (JL)Wash me thoroughly from my guilt
And (JM)cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I (JN)know my wrongdoings,
And my sin is constantly before me.
4 (JO)Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is (JP)evil in Your sight,
So that (JQ)You [cb]are justified [cc]when You speak
And [cd]blameless when You judge.
5 Behold, I was (JR)brought forth in guilt,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
6 Behold, You desire (JS)truth in the [ce]innermost being,
And in secret You will (JT)make wisdom known to me.
7 [cf]Purify me (JU)with hyssop, and I will be clean;
[cg]Cleanse me, and I will be (JV)whiter than snow.
8 [ch]Let me hear (JW)joy and gladness,
Let the (JX)bones You have broken rejoice.
9 (JY)Hide Your face from my sins
And wipe out all my guilty deeds.
10 (JZ)Create [ci]in me a (KA)clean heart, God,
And renew a (KB)steadfast spirit within me.
11 (KC)Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your (KD)Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the (KE)joy of Your salvation,
And sustain me with a (KF)willing spirit.
13 Then I will (KG)teach wrongdoers Your ways,
And sinners will [cj]be (KH)converted to You.
14 Save me from (KI)the guilt of bloodshed, God, (KJ)the God of my salvation;
Then my (KK)tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.
15 Lord, [ck](KL)open my lips,
So that my mouth may (KM)declare Your praise.
16 For You (KN)do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You do not take pleasure in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a (KO)broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, God, You will not despise.
18 (KP)By Your favor do good to Zion;
[cl](KQ)Build the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then You will delight in [cm](KR)righteous sacrifices,
In (KS)burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then [cn]bulls will be offered on Your altar.
Futility of Boastful Wickedness.
For the music director. A [co]Maskil of David, [cp]when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul and said to him, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”
52 Why do you (KT)boast in evil, you mighty man?
The (KU)faithfulness of God endures all day long.
2 Your tongue devises (KV)destruction,
Like a (KW)sharp razor, (KX)you worker of deceit.
3 You (KY)love evil more than good,
(KZ)Lies more than speaking what is right. Selah
4 You love all words that devour,
You (LA)deceitful tongue.
5 [cq]But God will break you down forever;
He will snatch you up and (LB)tear you away from your tent,
And (LC)uproot you from the (LD)land of the living. Selah
6 The righteous will (LE)see and fear,
And they will (LF)laugh at him, saying,
7 “Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge,
But (LG)trusted in the abundance of his riches
And (LH)was strong in [cr]his evil desire.”
8 But as for me, I am like a (LI)green olive tree in the house of God;
I (LJ)trust in the faithfulness of God forever and ever.
9 I will (LK)praise You forever, because You have done it,
And I will wait on Your name, (LL)for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones.
Foolishness and Wickedness of People.
For the music director; according to [cs]Mahalath. A [ct]Maskil of David.
53 (LM)The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice;
(LN)There is no one who does good.
2 God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of mankind
To see if there is (LO)anyone who [cu]understands,
Who (LP)seeks after God.
3 (LQ)Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt;
There is no one who does good, not even one.
4 Have the workers of injustice (LR)no knowledge,
Who eat up My people like they ate bread,
And have not called upon God?
5 They were in great [cv]fear there, (LS)where no [cw]fear had been;
For God (LT)scattered the bones of [cx]him who encamped against you;
You (LU)put them to shame, because (LV)God had rejected them.
6 Oh, that (LW)the salvation of Israel would come from Zion!
When God restores the fortunes of His people,
Jacob shall rejoice, Israel shall be glad.
Prayer for Defense against Enemies.
For the music director; on stringed instruments. A [cy]Maskil of David, [cz]when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, “Is David not keeping himself hidden among us?”
54 Save me, God, by (LX)Your name,
And [da]vindicate me by (LY)Your power.
2 (LZ)Hear my prayer, God;
(MA)Listen to the words of my mouth.
3 For strangers have (MB)risen against me
And (MC)violent men have (MD)sought my [db]life;
They have (ME)not set God before them. Selah
4 Behold, (MF)God is my helper;
The Lord is [dc]the (MG)sustainer of my soul.
5 [dd]He will (MH)pay back the evil to my enemies;
[de](MI)Destroy them (MJ)in Your [df]faithfulness.
6 [dg](MK)Willingly I will sacrifice to You;
I will (ML)praise Your name, Lord, for it is good.
7 For [dh]He has (MM)saved me from all [di]trouble,
And my eye has (MN)looked with satisfaction upon my enemies.
Prayer for the Destruction of the Treacherous.
For the music director; on stringed instruments. A [dj]Maskil of David.
55 (MO)Listen to my prayer, God;
And (MP)do not hide Yourself from my pleading.
2 Give Your (MQ)attention to me and answer me;
I am restless in my (MR)complaint and [dk](MS)severely distracted,
3 Because of the voice of the enemy,
Because of the (MT)pressure of the wicked;
For they (MU)bring down [dl]trouble upon me
And in anger they (MV)hold a grudge against me.
4 My (MW)heart is in anguish within me,
And the terrors of (MX)death have fallen upon me.
5 Fear and (MY)trembling come upon me,
And [dm](MZ)horror has [dn]overwhelmed me.
6 I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and [do](NA)be at rest.
7 Behold, I would flee far away,
I would (NB)spend my nights in the wilderness. Selah
8 I would hurry to my place of refuge
From the (NC)stormy wind and heavy gale.”
9 Confuse them, Lord, (ND)divide their tongues,
For I have seen (NE)violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go around her upon her walls,
And evil and harm are in her midst.
11 (NF)Destruction is in her midst;
(NG)Oppression and deceit do not depart from her [dp]streets.
12 For it is (NH)not an enemy who taunts me,
Then I could endure it;
Nor is it one who hates me who (NI)has exalted himself against me,
Then I could hide myself from him.
13 But it is you, a man [dq]my equal,
My (NJ)companion and my (NK)confidant;
14 We who had sweet [dr]fellowship together,
(NL)Walked in the house of God among the commotion.
15 May [ds]death come (NM)deceitfully upon them;
May they (NN)go down alive to [dt]Sheol,
For evil is in their dwelling, in their midst.
16 As for me, I shall (NO)call upon God,
And the Lord will save me.
17 (NP)Evening and (NQ)morning and at (NR)noon, I will complain and moan,
And He will hear my voice.
18 He will (NS)redeem my soul in peace [du]from the battle which is against me,
For they are (NT)many who are aggressive toward me.
19 God will (NU)hear and humiliate them—
Even the one (NV)who [dv]sits enthroned from ancient times— Selah
With whom there [dw]is no change,
And who (NW)do not fear God.
20 He has put forth his hands against (NX)those who were at peace with him;
He has [dx](NY)violated his covenant.
21 His [dy]speech was (NZ)smoother than butter,
But his heart was war;
His words were (OA)softer than oil,
Yet they were drawn (OB)swords.
22 (OC)Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you;
(OD)He will never allow the righteous to [dz](OE)be shaken.
23 But You, God, will bring them down to the (OF)pit of destruction;
(OG)Men of bloodshed and deceit will (OH)not live out half their days.
But I will (OI)trust in You.
Pleading for Help and Grateful Trust in God.
For the music director; according to [ea]Jonath elem rehokim. A [eb]Mikhtam of David, [ec]when the Philistines seized him in Gath.
56 Be gracious to me, God, for a man has [ed](OJ)trampled upon me;
[ee]Fighting all day long he (OK)oppresses me.
2 My enemies have (OL)trampled upon me all day long,
For [ef]they are many who (OM)fight proudly against me.
3 [eg]When I am (ON)afraid,
[eh]I will (OO)put my trust in You.
4 (OP)In God, whose word I praise,
In God I have put my trust;
I shall not be afraid.
(OQ)What can mere [ei]mortals do to me?
5 All day long they (OR)distort my words;
All their [ej](OS)thoughts are against me for evil.
6 They [ek](OT)attack, they lurk,
They (OU)watch my [el]steps,
As they have (OV)waited to take my [em]life.
7 Because of their wickedness, will there be an (OW)escape for them?
In anger (OX)make the peoples fall down, God!
8 You (OY)have taken account of my [en]miseries;
Put my (OZ)tears in Your bottle.
Are they not in (PA)Your book?
9 Then my enemies will (PB)turn back (PC)on the day when I call;
This I know, [eo]that (PD)God is for me.
10 In God, whose word I praise,
In the Lord, whose word I praise,
11 In God I have put my [ep]trust, I shall not be afraid.
What can mankind do to me?
12 Your (PE)vows are binding upon me, God;
I will render thanksgiving offerings to You.
13 For You have (PF)saved my soul from death,
[eq]Indeed (PG)my feet from stumbling,
So that I may (PH)walk before God
In the (PI)light of the [er]living.
Prayer for Rescue from Persecutors.
For the music director; set to [es]Al-tashheth. A [et]Mikhtam of David, [eu]when he fled from Saul in the cave.
57 Be gracious to me, God, be gracious to me,
For my soul (PJ)takes refuge in You;
And in the (PK)shadow of Your wings I will take refuge
Until destruction (PL)passes by.
2 I will cry to God Most High,
To God who (PM)accomplishes all things for me.
3 He will (PN)send from heaven and save me;
He rebukes the one who [ev](PO)tramples upon me. Selah
God will send His [ew](PP)favor and His truth.
4 My soul is among (PQ)lions;
I must lie among those who devour,
Among sons of mankind whose (PR)teeth are spears and arrows,
And their (PS)tongue is a sharp sword.
5 (PT)Be exalted above the heavens, God;
May Your glory be above all the earth.
6 They have prepared a (PU)net for my steps;
My soul is (PV)bowed down;
They (PW)dug a pit before me;
They themselves have (PX)fallen into the midst of it. Selah
7 (PY)My (PZ)heart is steadfast, God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises!
8 Awake, (QA)my glory!
Awake, (QB)harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
9 (QC)I will praise You, Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to You among the [ex]nations.
10 For Your (QD)goodness is great to the heavens
And Your [ey]truth to the clouds.
11 (QE)Be exalted above the heavens, God;
May Your glory be above all the earth.
Prayer for the Punishment of the Wicked.
For the music director; set to [ez]Al-tashheth. A [fa]Mikhtam of David.
58 Do you indeed [fb]speak righteousness, you [fc]gods?
Do you (QF)judge [fd]fairly, you sons of mankind?
2 No, in heart you (QG)practice injustice;
On earth you (QH)clear a way for the violence of your hands.
3 The wicked have turned away (QI)from the womb;
These who speak lies (QJ)go astray from [fe]birth.
4 They have venom like the (QK)venom of a serpent;
Like a deaf cobra that stops up its ear,
5 So that it (QL)does not hear the voice of [ff](QM)charmers,
Or a skillful caster of spells.
6 God, (QN)shatter their teeth in their mouth;
Break out the fangs of the young lions, Lord.
7 May they (QO)flow away like water that runs off;
When he [fg](QP)aims his arrows, may they be as [fh]headless shafts.
8 May they be like a snail which goes along in slime,
Like the (QQ)miscarriage of a woman that never sees the sun.
9 Before your (QR)pots can feel the fire of thorns
He will (QS)sweep them away with a whirlwind, the [fi]green and the burning alike.
10 The (QT)righteous will rejoice when he (QU)sees vengeance;
He will (QV)wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 And people will say, “There certainly is [fj](QW)a reward for the righteous;
There certainly is a God who (QX)judges on the earth!”
Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.
For the music director; set to [fk]Al-tashheth. A [fl]Mikhtam of David, [fm]when Saul sent men and they watched the house in order to kill him.
59 (QY)Rescue me from my enemies, my God;
[fn](QZ)Set me securely on high away from those who rise up against me.
2 Rescue me from (RA)those who practice injustice,
And save me from (RB)men of bloodshed.
3 For behold, they (RC)have [fo]set an ambush for my [fp]life;
[fq]Fierce men (RD)attack me,
(RE)Not for my wrongdoing nor for my sin, Lord,
4 [fr](RF)For no guilt of mine, they run and take their stand against me.
(RG)Stir Yourself to [fs]help me, and see!
5 You, (RH)Lord God of armies, the God of Israel,
Awake to [ft](RI)punish all the nations;
(RJ)Do not be gracious to any who deal treacherously in wrongdoing. Selah
6 They (RK)return at evening, they howl like a (RL)dog,
And prowl around the city.
7 Behold, they (RM)gush forth with their mouths;
(RN)Swords are in their lips,
For, they say, “(RO)Who hears?”
8 But You, Lord, (RP)laugh at them;
You (RQ)scoff at all the nations.
9 Because of [fu]his (RR)strength I will watch for You,
For God is my (RS)refuge.
10 [fv]My God (RT)in His faithfulness will meet me;
God will let me (RU)look triumphantly upon my enemies.
11 Do not kill them, (RV)or my people will forget;
[fw](RW)Scatter them by Your power and bring them down,
Lord, (RX)our shield.
12 [fx]On account of the (RY)sin of their mouths and the words of their lips,
May they even be (RZ)caught in their pride,
And on account of (SA)curses and lies which they tell.
13 [fy](SB)Destroy them in wrath, [fz]destroy them so that they will no longer exist;
So that people may (SC)know that God [ga]rules in Jacob,
To the ends of the earth. Selah
14 They (SD)return at evening, they howl like a dog,
And prowl around the city.
15 They (SE)wander about [gb]for food
And [gc]murmur if they are not satisfied.
16 But as for me, I will (SF)sing of Your strength;
Yes, I will (SG)joyfully sing of Your faithfulness in the (SH)morning,
For You have been my (SI)refuge
And a (SJ)place of refuge on the day of my distress.
17 (SK)My strength, I will sing praises to You;
For God is my (SL)refuge, the [gd]God who shows me favor.
Grieving over Defeat in Battle, and Prayer for Help.
For the music director; according to [ge]Shushan Eduth. A [gf]Mikhtam of David, to teach; [gg]when he fought with Aram-naharaim and Aram-zobah, and Joab returned, and killed twelve thousand of Edom in the Valley of Salt.
60 God, (SM)You have rejected us. You have [gh](SN)broken us;
You have been (SO)angry; (SP)restore us!
2 You have made the [gi](SQ)land quake, You have split it open;
(SR)Heal its cracks, for it sways.
3 You have [gj](SS)made Your people experience hardship;
You have given us [gk]wine to (ST)drink that makes us stagger.
4 You have given a (SU)banner to those who fear You,
That it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah
5 (SV)That Your (SW)beloved may be rescued,
(SX)Save us with Your right hand, and answer [gl]us!
6 God has spoken in His [gm](SY)holiness:
“I will triumph, I will divide up (SZ)Shechem, and measure out the Valley of (TA)Succoth.
7 (TB)Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine;
(TC)Ephraim also is the [gn]helmet of My head;
Judah is My (TD)scepter.
8 (TE)Moab is My washbowl;
I will throw My sandal over (TF)Edom;
Shout loud, (TG)Philistia, because of Me!”
9 Who will bring me into the besieged city?
Who [go]will lead me to Edom?
10 Have You Yourself not (TH)rejected us, God?
And (TI)will You not go out with our armies, God?
11 Oh give us help against the enemy,
For (TJ)rescue [gp]by man is worthless.
12 [gq]Through God we will (TK)do valiantly,
And it is He who will (TL)trample down our enemies.
Confidence in God’s Protection.
For the music director; on a stringed instrument. A Psalm of David.
61 (TM)Hear my cry, God;
(TN)Give Your attention to my prayer.
2 From the (TO)end of the earth I call to You when my heart is (TP)faint;
Lead me to (TQ)the rock that is higher than I.
3 For You have been a (TR)refuge for me,
A (TS)tower of strength against the enemy.
4 Let me [gr](TT)dwell in Your tent forever;
Let me (TU)take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah
5 For You have heard my (TV)vows, God;
You have given me the inheritance of those who (TW)fear Your name.
6 You will [gs](TX)prolong the king’s [gt]life;
His years will be like generations.
7 He will [gu]sit enthroned (TY)before God forever;
Appoint (TZ)faithfulness and truth that they may watch over him.
8 So I will (UA)sing praise to Your name forever,
That I may (UB)pay my vows day by day.
God Alone a Refuge from Treachery and Oppression.
For the music director; [gv]according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
62 (UC)My soul waits in silence for God alone;
From Him (UD)comes my salvation.
2 He alone is my (UE)rock and my salvation,
My (UF)stronghold; I will not be greatly shaken.
3 How long will you attack a man,
That you may murder him, all of you,
Like a (UG)leaning wall, like a tottering fence?
4 They have planned only to thrust him down from his high position;
They (UH)delight in falsehood;
They (UI)bless with [gw]their mouth,
But inwardly they curse. Selah
5 My soul, (UJ)wait in silence for God alone,
For my hope is from Him.
6 He alone is (UK)my rock and my salvation,
My refuge; I will not be shaken.
7 My (UL)salvation and my glory rest on God;
The rock of my strength, my (UM)refuge is in God.
8 (UN)Trust in Him at all times, you people;
(UO)Pour out your hearts before Him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah
9 People of (UP)low standing are only (UQ)breath, and people of rank are a (UR)lie;
In the (US)balances they go up.
Together they are lighter than breath.
10 (UT)Do not trust in oppression,
And do not vainly rely on (UU)robbery;
If wealth increases, (UV)do not set your heart on it.
11 God has (UW)spoken [gx]once;
[gy]Twice I have heard this:
That (UX)power belongs to God;
12 And faithfulness (UY)is Yours, Lord,
For You (UZ)reward a person according to his work.
The Thirsting Soul Satisfied in God.
A Psalm of David, [gz]when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
63 God, (VA)You are my God; I shall be watching for You;
My soul (VB)thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You,
In a (VC)dry and exhausted land where there is no water.
2 So have I (VD)seen You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and glory.
3 Because Your [ha](VE)favor is better than life,
My lips will praise You.
4 So I will bless You (VF)as long as I live;
I will (VG)lift up my hands in Your name.
5 My soul is (VH)satisfied as with fat and fatness,
And my mouth offers (VI)praises with joyful lips.
6 When I remember You (VJ)on my bed,
I meditate on You in the (VK)night watches,
7 For (VL)You have been my help,
And in the (VM)shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.
8 My soul (VN)clings [hb]to You;
Your (VO)right hand takes hold of me.
9 But those who (VP)seek my [hc]life to destroy it,
Will go into the [hd](VQ)depths of the earth.
10 [he]They will be [hf](VR)turned over to the power of the sword;
They will be a [hg](VS)prey for foxes.
11 But the (VT)king will rejoice in God;
Everyone who (VU)swears by Him will boast,
For the (VV)mouths of those who speak lies will be stopped.
Prayer for Rescue from Secret Enemies.
For the music director. A Psalm of David.
64 Hear my voice, God, in (VW)my [hh]complaint;
(VX)Protect my life from dread of the enemy.
2 Hide me from the (VY)secret discussion of evildoers,
From the restlessness of (VZ)the workers of injustice,
3 Who (WA)have sharpened their tongues like a sword.
They (WB)aimed bitter speech as their arrows,
4 To (WC)shoot [hi]from concealment at the innocent;
Suddenly they shoot at him, and (WD)do not fear.
5 They make firm for themselves an evil [hj]purpose;
They [hk]talk of (WE)setting snares secretly;
They say, “(WF)Who can see them?”
6 They [hl]devise injustices, saying,
“We are [hm]ready with a well-conceived plot”;
For the [hn](WG)inward thought and the heart of a person are [ho]deep.
7 But (WH)God [hp]will shoot an arrow at them;
Suddenly [hq]they will be wounded.
8 So [hr]they [hs]will (WI)make him stumble;
(WJ)Their own tongue is against them;
All who see them will (WK)shake their heads.
9 Then all people [ht]will (WL)fear,
And they [hu]will (WM)declare the work of God,
And [hv]will consider [hw]what He has done.
10 The righteous person will be (WN)glad in the Lord and (WO)take refuge in Him;
And all the upright in heart will boast.
God’s Abundant Favor to Earth and Mankind.
For the music director. A Psalm of David. A Song.
65 There will be silence [hx]before You, and praise in Zion, God,
And the (WP)vow will be fulfilled for You.
2 You who hear prayer,
To You (WQ)all [hy]mankind comes.
3 [hz](WR)Wrongdoings prevail against me;
As for our offenses, You [ia](WS)forgive them.
4 (WT)Blessed is the one You (WU)choose and allow to approach You;
He will dwell in Your courtyards.
We will be (WV)satisfied with the goodness of Your house,
Your holy temple.
5 By (WW)awesome deeds You answer us in righteousness, (WX)God of our salvation,
You who are the trust of all the (WY)ends of the earth and the farthest [ib](WZ)sea;
6 Who (XA)establishes the mountains by His strength,
Who is (XB)encircled with might;
7 Who (XC)stills the roaring of the seas,
The roaring of their waves,
And the (XD)turmoil of the nations.
8 They who dwell at the (XE)ends of the earth stand in awe of Your signs;
You make the [ic]sunrise and the sunset shout for joy.
9 You visit the earth and (XF)cause it to overflow;
You greatly (XG)enrich it;
The [id](XH)stream of God is full of water;
You prepare their (XI)grain, for so You prepare [ie]the earth.
10 You water its furrows abundantly,
You [if]settle its ridges,
You soften it (XJ)with showers,
You bless its growth.
11 You have crowned the year [ig]with Your (XK)goodness,
And Your [ih]paths (XL)drip with fatness.
12 (XM)The pastures of the wilderness drip,
And the (XN)hills encircle themselves with rejoicing.
13 The meadows are (XO)clothed with flocks
And the valleys are (XP)covered with grain;
They (XQ)shout for joy, yes, they sing.
Praise for God’s Mighty Deeds and for His Answer to Prayer.
For the music director. A Song. A Psalm.
66 (XR)Shout joyfully to God, all the earth;
2 Sing the (XS)glory of His name;
Make His (XT)praise glorious.
3 Say to God, “How (XU)awesome are Your works!
Because of the greatness of Your power Your enemies will (XV)pretend to obey You.
4 (XW)All the earth will worship You,
And will (XX)sing praises to You;
They will sing praises to Your name.” Selah
5 (XY)Come and see the works of God,
Who is (XZ)awesome in His deeds toward the sons of mankind.
6 He (YA)turned the sea into dry land;
They passed through (YB)the river on foot;
Let’s (YC)rejoice there, in Him!
7 He (YD)rules by His might forever;
His (YE)eyes keep watch on the nations;
The rebellious shall not (YF)exalt themselves! Selah
8 Bless our God, you peoples,
And [ii](YG)sound His praise abroad,
9 Who [ij](YH)keeps us in life,
And (YI)does not allow our feet to [ik]slip.
10 For You have (YJ)put us to the test, God;
You have (YK)refined us as silver is refined.
11 You (YL)brought us into the net;
You laid an oppressive burden upon [il]us.
12 You made men (YM)ride over our heads;
We went through (YN)fire and through water.
Yet You (YO)brought us out into a place of abundance.
13 I shall (YP)come into Your house with burnt offerings;
I shall (YQ)pay You my vows,
14 Which my lips uttered
And my mouth spoke when I was (YR)in distress.
15 I shall (YS)offer to You burnt offerings of fat animals,
With the smoke of (YT)rams;
I shall make an offering of [im]bulls with male goats. Selah
16 (YU)Come and hear, all who [in]fear God,
And I will (YV)tell of what He has done for my soul.
17 I cried to Him with my mouth,
And [io]He was (YW)exalted with my tongue.
18 If I [ip](YX)regard wickedness in my heart,
The (YY)Lord will not hear;
19 But (YZ)God has heard;
He has given attention to the sound of my prayer.
20 (ZA)Blessed be God,
Who (ZB)has not turned away my prayer
Nor His favor from me.
The Nations Exhorted to Praise God.
For the music director; with stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song.
67 God be gracious to us and (ZC)bless us,
And (ZD)cause His face to shine [iq]upon us— Selah
2 That (ZE)Your way may be known on the earth,
(ZF)Your salvation among all nations.
3 May the (ZG)peoples praise You, God;
May all the peoples praise You.
4 May the (ZH)nations be glad and sing for joy;
For You will (ZI)judge the peoples with fairness
And (ZJ)guide the nations on the earth. Selah
5 May the (ZK)peoples praise You, God;
May all the peoples praise You.
6 The (ZL)earth has yielded its produce;
God, our God, (ZM)blesses us.
7 God blesses us,
[ir]So that (ZN)all the ends of the earth may fear Him.
The God of Sinai and of the Sanctuary.
For the music director. A Psalm of David. A Song.
68 [is]May (ZO)God arise, [it]may His enemies be scattered,
And [iu]may those who hate Him flee from His presence.
2 As (ZP)smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
As (ZQ)wax melts before a fire,
So the (ZR)wicked will perish before God.
3 But the (ZS)righteous will be joyful; they will rejoice before God;
Yes, they will rejoice with gladness.
4 Sing to God, (ZT)sing praises to His name;
[iv](ZU)Exalt Him who (ZV)rides through the deserts,
Whose (ZW)name is [iw]the Lord, and be jubilant before Him.
5 A (ZX)father of the fatherless and a (ZY)judge [ix]for the widows,
Is God in His (ZZ)holy dwelling.
6 God [iy](AAA)makes a home for the lonely;
He (AAB)leads out the prisoners into prosperity,
Only (AAC)the rebellious live in parched lands.
7 God, when You (AAD)went forth before Your people,
When You (AAE)marched through the desert, Selah
8 The (AAF)earth quaked;
The (AAG)heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God;
[iz](AAH)Sinai itself quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9 You (AAI)made plentiful rain fall, God;
You confirmed Your inheritance when it was [ja]parched.
10 Your creatures settled in it;
In Your kindness You (AAJ)provided for the poor, God.
11 The Lord gives the [jb]command;
The (AAK)women who proclaim good news are a great army:
12 “(AAL)Kings of armies flee, they flee,
And she who remains at home will (AAM)divide the spoils!”
13 [jc]When you lie down (AAN)among the sheepfolds,
You are like the wings of a dove covered with silver,
And its pinions with [jd]glistening gold.
14 When the Almighty (AAO)scattered the kings [je]there,
It was snowing in (AAP)Zalmon.
15 (AAQ)The mountain of Bashan is a [jf]mountain of God;
The mountain of Bashan is a mountain of many peaks.
16 Why do you look with envy, you mountains of many peaks,
At the mountain God has (AAR)desired as His dwelling?
Indeed, (AAS)the Lord will dwell there forever.
17 The (AAT)chariots of God are [jg]myriads, (AAU)thousands upon thousands;
[jh]The Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness.
18 You have (AAV)ascended on high, You have (AAW)led captive Your captives;
You have received gifts among people,
Even among the rebellious as well, that [ji]the Lord God may dwell there.
19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily (AAX)bears our burden,
(AAY)The God who is our salvation. Selah
20 God is to us a (AAZ)God of salvation;
And (ABA)to [jj]God the Lord belong ways of escape [jk]from death.
21 God certainly will (ABB)shatter the heads of His enemies,
The hairy [jl]head of one who goes about in his guilt.
22 The Lord [jm]said, “(ABC)I will bring them back from Bashan.
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23 So that [jn](ABD)your foot may shatter them in blood,
And the tongue of your (ABE)dogs may have its portion from your enemies.”
24 They have seen (ABF)Your procession, God,
The procession of my God, my King, [jo](ABG)into the sanctuary.
25 The (ABH)singers went on, the musicians after them,
[jp]In the midst of the (ABI)young women beating tambourines.
26 (ABJ)Bless God in the congregations,
Even the Lord, you who are of the (ABK)fountain of Israel.
27 (ABL)Benjamin, the [jq]youngest, is there, [jr]ruling them,
The leaders of Judah in their company,
The leaders of (ABM)Zebulun, the leaders of Naphtali.
28 [js]Your God has (ABN)commanded your strength;
Show Yourself strong, God, You (ABO)who acted [jt]in our behalf.
29 [ju]Because of Your temple at Jerusalem
(ABP)Kings will bring gifts to You.
30 Rebuke the (ABQ)animals [jv]in the reeds,
The herd of (ABR)bulls with the calves of the peoples,
Trampling the pieces of silver;
He has (ABS)scattered the peoples who delight in war.
31 [jw]Messengers will come from (ABT)Egypt;
[jx](ABU)Cush will quickly stretch out her hands to God.
32 Sing to God, you (ABV)kingdoms of the earth,
(ABW)Sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33 To Him who (ABX)rides upon the [jy](ABY)highest heavens, which are from ancient times;
Behold, (ABZ)He [jz]speaks with His voice, a (ACA)mighty voice.
34 (ACB)Ascribe strength to God;
His majesty is over Israel,
And (ACC)His strength is in the [ka]skies.
35 [kb]God, You are (ACD)awesome from Your [kc]sanctuary.
The God of Israel Himself (ACE)gives strength and power to the people.
(ACF)Blessed be God!
A Cry of Distress and a Curse on Adversaries.
For the music director; according to [kd]Shoshannim. A Psalm of David.
69 Save me, God,
For the (ACG)waters have [ke]threatened my life.
2 I have sunk in deep (ACH)mud, and there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters, and a [kf](ACI)flood overflows me.
3 I am (ACJ)weary with my crying; my throat is parched;
My (ACK)eyes fail while I wait for my God.
4 Those (ACL)who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head;
Those who would [kg]destroy me (ACM)are powerful, those who oppose me with lies;
(ACN)What I did not steal, I then have to restore.
5 God, You know (ACO)my foolishness,
And (ACP)my guilt is not hidden from You.
6 May those who wait for You not (ACQ)be ashamed because of me, Lord [kh]God of armies;
May those who seek You not be dishonored because of me, God of Israel,
7 Because (ACR)for Your sake I have endured disgrace;
(ACS)Dishonor has covered my face.
8 I have become (ACT)estranged [ki]from my brothers,
And a stranger to my mother’s sons.
9 For (ACU)zeal for Your house has consumed me,
And (ACV)the taunts of those who taunt You have fallen on me.
10 When I wept (ACW)in my soul with fasting,
It became my (ACX)disgrace.
11 When I made (ACY)sackcloth my clothing,
I became (ACZ)a proverb to them.
12 Those who (ADA)sit in the gate talk about me,
And (ADB)songs of mockery by those habitually drunk are about me.
13 But as for me, my prayer is to You, Lord, (ADC)at an acceptable time;
God, in the (ADD)greatness of Your mercy,
Answer me with [kj]Your saving truth.
14 Rescue me from the (ADE)mud and do not let me sink;
May I be (ADF)rescued from those who hate me, and from the (ADG)depths of water.
15 May the [kk](ADH)flood of water not overflow me
Nor the deep swallow me up,
Nor the (ADI)pit close its mouth on me.
16 Answer me, Lord, for (ADJ)Your mercy is good;
(ADK)According to the greatness of Your compassion, (ADL)turn to me,
17 And (ADM)do not hide Your face from Your servant,
For I am (ADN)in distress; answer me quickly.
18 Come near to my soul and (ADO)redeem it;
(ADP)Ransom me because of my enemies!
19 You know my (ADQ)disgrace, my shame, and my dishonor;
All my enemies are [kl]known to You.
20 Disgrace has (ADR)broken my heart, and I am so sick.
And (ADS)I waited for sympathy, but there was none;
And for (ADT)comforters, but I found none.
21 They also gave me [km](ADU)a bitter herb in my food,
And for my thirst they (ADV)gave me vinegar to drink.
22 May (ADW)their table before them become a snare;
And [kn](ADX)when they are at peace, may it become a trap.
23 May their (ADY)eyes grow dim so that they cannot see,
And make their (ADZ)hips shake continually.
24 (AEA)Pour out Your indignation on them,
And may Your burning anger overtake them.
25 May their [ko](AEB)camp be desolated;
May there be none living in their tents.
26 For they have (AEC)persecuted him whom (AED)You Yourself struck,
And they tell of the pain of those whom (AEE)You have [kp]wounded.
27 Add (AEF)guilt to their guilt,
And (AEG)may they not come into (AEH)Your righteousness.
28 May they be (AEI)wiped out of the (AEJ)book of life,
And may they not be [kq](AEK)recorded with the righteous.
29 But I am (AEL)afflicted and in pain;
[kr]May Your salvation, God, (AEM)set me safely on high.
30 I will (AEN)praise the name of God with song,
And (AEO)exalt Him with (AEP)thanksgiving.
31 And it will (AEQ)please the Lord better than an ox
Or bull with horns and hoofs.
32 The (AER)humble [ks]have seen it and are glad;
You who seek God, (AES)let your heart [kt]revive.
33 For (AET)the Lord hears the needy,
And (AEU)does not despise those of His who are prisoners.
34 (AEV)Heaven and earth shall praise Him,
The seas and (AEW)everything that moves in them.
35 For God will (AEX)save Zion and (AEY)build the cities of Judah,
So that they may live there and (AEZ)possess it.
36 The [ku](AFA)descendants of His servants will inherit it,
And those who love His name (AFB)will live in it.
Prayer for Help against Persecutors.
For the music director. A Psalm of David; for a memorial.
70 (AFC)God, hurry to save me;
Lord, hurry to help me!
2 (AFD)May those who seek my [kv]life
Be put to shame and humiliated;
May those who delight [kw]in my harm
Be turned back and dishonored.
3 (AFE)May those who say, “Aha, aha!” be [kx]turned back
Because of their shame.
4 May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
And may those who love Your salvation say continually,
“May God be exalted!”
5 But (AFF)I am afflicted and needy;
(AFG)Hurry to me, God!
You are my help and my savior;
Lord, do not delay.
Prayer of an Old Man for Rescue.
71 (AFH)In You, Lord, I have taken refuge;
Let me never be put to shame.
2 (AFI)In Your righteousness rescue me and save me;
(AFJ)Extend Your ear to me and help me.
3 (AFK)Be to me a rock of (AFL)dwelling to which I may continually come;
You have given the (AFM)commandment to save me,
For You are (AFN)my rock and my fortress.
4 (AFO)Save me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,
From the [ky]grasp of the wrongdoer and the ruthless,
5 For You are my (AFP)hope;
Lord [kz]God, You are my (AFQ)confidence from my youth.
6 I have (AFR)leaned on you since my birth;
You are He who (AFS)took me from my mother’s womb;
My (AFT)praise is continually [la]of You.
7 I have become a (AFU)marvel to many,
For You are (AFV)my strong refuge.
8 My (AFW)mouth is filled with Your praise
And with (AFX)Your glory all day long.
9 Do not cast me away at the (AFY)time of my old age;
Do not abandon me when my strength fails.
10 For my enemies have spoken [lb]against me;
And those who (AFZ)watch for my [lc]life (AGA)have consulted together,
11 Saying, “(AGB)God has abandoned him;
Pursue and seize him, for there is (AGC)no one to save him.”
12 God, (AGD)do not be far from me;
My God, (AGE)hurry to my aid!
13 May those who are enemies of my soul be (AGF)put to shame and consumed;
May they be (AGG)covered with disgrace and dishonor, who (AGH)seek [ld]to injure me.
14 But as for me, I will (AGI)wait continually,
And will [le](AGJ)praise You yet more and more.
15 My (AGK)mouth shall tell of Your righteousness
And of (AGL)Your salvation all day long;
For I (AGM)do not know the art of writing.
16 I will come (AGN)with the mighty deeds of the Lord [lf]God;
I will (AGO)make mention of Your righteousness, Yours alone.
17 God, You (AGP)have taught me from my youth,
And I still (AGQ)declare Your wondrous deeds.
18 And even when I am (AGR)old and gray, God, do not abandon me,
Until I (AGS)declare Your [lg]strength to this generation,
Your power to all who are to come.
19 [lh]For Your (AGT)righteousness, God, reaches to the [li]heavens,
You who have (AGU)done great things;
God, (AGV)who is like You?
20 You who have (AGW)shown [lj]me many troubles and distresses
Will (AGX)revive [lk]me again,
And will bring [ll]me up again (AGY)from the depths of the earth.
21 May You increase my (AGZ)greatness
And turn to (AHA)comfort me.
22 I will also praise You with [lm](AHB)a harp,
And Your [ln]truth, my God;
I will sing praises to You with the (AHC)lyre,
(AHD)Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will (AHE)shout for joy when I sing praises to You;
And my (AHF)soul, which You have redeemed.
24 My (AHG)tongue also will tell of Your righteousness all day long;
For they are (AHH)put to shame, for they are humiliated who seek [lo]my harm.
The Reign of the Righteous King.
A Psalm of Solomon.
72 Give the king (AHI)Your judgments, God,
And (AHJ)Your righteousness to the king’s son.
2 [lp]May [lq]he (AHK)judge Your people with righteousness
And [lr](AHL)Your afflicted with justice.
3 [ls]May the mountains bring [lt](AHM)peace to the people,
And the hills, in righteousness.
4 [lu]May he (AHN)vindicate the [lv]afflicted of the people,
Save the children of the needy,
And crush the oppressor.
5 [lw]May they fear You (AHO)while the sun shines,
And [lx]as long as the moon shines, throughout all generations.
6 [ly]May he come down (AHP)like rain upon the mown grass,
Like (AHQ)showers that water the earth.
7 [lz]May the (AHR)righteous flourish in his days,
As well as an (AHS)abundance of peace, until the moon is no more.
8 May he also rule (AHT)from sea to sea,
And from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.
9 [ma]May (AHU)the nomads of the desert (AHV)bow before him,
And his enemies (AHW)lick the dust.
10 [mb]May the kings of (AHX)Tarshish and of the [mc](AHY)islands bring gifts;
May the kings of (AHZ)Sheba and (AIA)Seba (AIB)offer tributes.
11 [md]And may all (AIC)kings bow down before him,
All (AID)nations serve him.
12 For he will (AIE)save the needy when he cries for help,
The [me]afflicted also, and him who has no helper.
13 He will have (AIF)compassion on the poor and needy,
And he will save the [mf]lives of the needy.
14 He will [mg](AIG)rescue their [mh]life from oppression and violence,
And their blood will be (AIH)precious in his sight;
15 So may he live, and may the (AII)gold of Sheba be given to him;
And [mi]they are to pray for him continually;
[mj]They are to bless him all day long.
16 May there be abundance of grain on the earth on top of the mountains;
Its fruit will wave like the cedars of (AIJ)Lebanon;
And may those from the city flourish like the (AIK)vegetation of the earth.
17 May his (AIL)name endure forever;
May his name produce descendants [mk](AIM)as long as the sun shines;
And may people (AIN)wish blessings on themselves by him;
(AIO)May all nations call him blessed.
18 (AIP)Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,
Who alone (AIQ)works wonders.
19 And blessed be His (AIR)glorious name forever;
And may the whole (AIS)earth be filled with His glory.
(AIT)Amen and Amen.
20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
Footnotes
- Psalm 42 Title Possibly Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
- Psalm 42:1 Lit longs for
- Psalm 42:1 Lit longs for
- Psalm 42:2 Some mss see the face of God
- Psalm 42:5 Lit dissolved away
- Psalm 42:5 Or still
- Psalm 42:5 Some ancient versions Him, the help of my face and my God
- Psalm 42:5 Or saving acts of
- Psalm 42:5 Or presence. O my God, my soul...
- Psalm 42:6 Or dissolved away
- Psalm 42:6 Lit Hermons
- Psalm 42:9 Or while the enemy oppresses
- Psalm 42:11 Or dissolved away
- Psalm 42:11 As in some ancient mss, cf. v 5; MT Him, the help of my face and my God
- Psalm 42:11 Or saving acts of
- Psalm 43:1 Or May You
- Psalm 43:2 Or while the enemy oppresses
- Psalm 43:4 Lit the gladness of my joy
- Psalm 43:5 Or dissolved away
- Psalm 43:5 Or still
- Psalm 43:5 As in some ancient mss; MT Him, the help of my face and my God
- Psalm 43:5 Or saving acts of
- Psalm 44 Title Possibly Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
- Psalm 44:4 Lit salvation
- Psalm 44:11 Lit for food
- Psalm 44:12 Lit for no wealth
- Psalm 44:12 Or set a high price on them
- Psalm 44:14 Lit shaking of the head
- Psalm 44:15 Lit the shame of my face has covered me
- Psalm 44:19 Or the shadow of death
- Psalm 44:20 Lit palms
- Psalm 45 Title Or possibly Lilies
- Psalm 45 Title Possibly Contemplative; or Didactic; or Wisdom Psalm
- Psalm 45:1 Lit am saying
- Psalm 45:1 Lit works
- Psalm 45:1 Prob. refers to a Davidic king as a type of Christ
- Psalm 45:2 Or through
- Psalm 45:3 Or Warrior
- Psalm 45:4 Or fearful
- Psalm 46 Title Possibly for soprano voices
- Psalm 46:1 Lit help easily found
- Psalm 46:1 Or needs
- Psalm 46:2 Lit seas
- Psalm 46:5 Lit at the turning of the morning
- Psalm 46:6 Or Gentiles
- Psalm 46:6 Lit gave forth
- Psalm 46:8 Or Which He has inflicted as desolations
- Psalm 46:10 Or Let go, relax
- Psalm 46:10 Or Gentiles
- Psalm 47:5 Or amid
- Psalm 47:5 Or amid
- Psalm 47:8 Or has taken His seat
- Psalm 47:9 Or nobles
- Psalm 48:6 Lit Trembling
- Psalm 48:14 Lit this
- Psalm 48:14 Lit upon; some mss and LXX forever
- Psalm 49:4 Lit open up
- Psalm 49:8 Lit their
- Psalm 49:9 Or see corruption; lit see the pit
- Psalm 49:11 Some ancient versions graves are their houses
- Psalm 49:12 Lit are destroyed
- Psalm 49:14 I.e., the netherworld
- Psalm 49:14 I.e., the netherworld
- Psalm 49:14 Lit Away from his habitation
- Psalm 49:15 Lit hand
- Psalm 49:15 I.e., the netherworld
- Psalm 49:17 Lit glory
- Psalm 49:18 Lit his soul
- Psalm 49:19 Lit You; or It
- Psalm 49:20 Lit are destroyed
- Psalm 50 Title 1 Chr 15:17; 2 Chr 29:30
- Psalm 50:1 I.e., the east to the west
- Psalm 50:7 Or to
- Psalm 50:11 Or in My mind; lit with Me
- Psalm 50:12 Lit its fullness
- Psalm 50:13 Lit strong ones
- Psalm 50:18 Lit your part is with
- Psalm 50:19 Lit send
- Psalm 51 Title 2 Sam 12:1
- Psalm 51:4 Or may be in the right
- Psalm 51:4 Many mss in Your words
- Psalm 51:4 Lit pure
- Psalm 51:6 Or inward parts
- Psalm 51:7 Or May You purify...that I may be clean
- Psalm 51:7 Or May You cleanse
- Psalm 51:8 Or May You cause
- Psalm 51:10 Lit for
- Psalm 51:13 Or turn back
- Psalm 51:15 Or may You open
- Psalm 51:18 Or May You build
- Psalm 51:19 Or sacrifices of righteousness
- Psalm 51:19 Lit they will offer bulls
- Psalm 52 Title Possibly Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
- Psalm 52 Title 1 Sam 22:9
- Psalm 52:5 Or Also
- Psalm 52:7 Or his destruction
- Psalm 53 Title I.e., sickness, a sad tone
- Psalm 53 Title Possibly Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
- Psalm 53:2 Or acts wisely
- Psalm 53:5 Or dread
- Psalm 53:5 Or dread
- Psalm 53:5 Or possibly those
- Psalm 54 Title Possibly Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
- Psalm 54 Title 1 Sam 23:19; 26:1
- Psalm 54:1 Lit judge
- Psalm 54:3 Or soul
- Psalm 54:4 Lit as those who sustain
- Psalm 54:5 LXX; MT The evil will return
- Psalm 54:5 Or Put to silence
- Psalm 54:5 Or truth
- Psalm 54:6 Or With a voluntary offering
- Psalm 54:7 Or it; i.e., His name
- Psalm 54:7 Or distress
- Psalm 55 Title Possibly Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
- Psalm 55:2 Another reading is I must moan
- Psalm 55:3 Or wickedness
- Psalm 55:5 Lit shuddering
- Psalm 55:5 Lit covered
- Psalm 55:6 Lit settle down
- Psalm 55:11 Or plaza
- Psalm 55:13 Lit according to my valuation
- Psalm 55:14 Lit counsel; or intimacy
- Psalm 55:15 Another reading is devastation be upon them
- Psalm 55:15 I.e., the netherworld
- Psalm 55:18 Or so that none may approach me
- Psalm 55:19 Or remains from
- Psalm 55:19 Lit are no changes
- Psalm 55:20 Lit profaned
- Psalm 55:21 Lit mouth
- Psalm 55:22 Or totter
- Psalm 56 Title Or The silent dove of those who are far off; or The dove of the distant terebinths
- Psalm 56 Title Possibly Epigrammatic Poem; or Atonement Psalm
- Psalm 56 Title 1 Sam 21:10, 11
- Psalm 56:1 Or snapped at
- Psalm 56:1 Or A fighting man
- Psalm 56:2 Or many are fighting
- Psalm 56:3 Lit The day
- Psalm 56:3 Or I am one who puts
- Psalm 56:4 Lit flesh
- Psalm 56:5 Or purposes
- Psalm 56:6 Or stir up strife
- Psalm 56:6 Lit heels
- Psalm 56:6 Lit soul
- Psalm 56:8 Or wanderings
- Psalm 56:9 Or because
- Psalm 56:11 Or trust without fear
- Psalm 56:13 Or Have You not delivered
- Psalm 56:13 Or life
- Psalm 57 Title Lit Do Not Destroy
- Psalm 57 Title Possibly, Epigrammatic Poem; or Atonement Psalm
- Psalm 57 Title 1 Sam 22:1; 24:3
- Psalm 57:3 Or snaps at
- Psalm 57:3 Or faithfulness
- Psalm 57:9 Lit peoples
- Psalm 57:10 Or faithfulness
- Psalm 58 Title Lit Do Not Destroy
- Psalm 58 Title Possibly Epigrammatic Poem or Atonement Psalm
- Psalm 58:1 Another reading is speak righteousness in silence
- Psalm 58:1 Or mighty ones; or judges
- Psalm 58:1 Or mankind fairly?
- Psalm 58:3 Lit the womb
- Psalm 58:5 Or whisperers
- Psalm 58:7 Lit bends
- Psalm 58:7 Lit though they were cut off
- Psalm 58:9 Lit living
- Psalm 58:11 Lit fruit
- Psalm 59 Title Lit Do Not Destroy
- Psalm 59 Title Possibly Epigrammatic Poem or Atonement Psalm
- Psalm 59 Title 1 Sam 19:11
- Psalm 59:1 Or May You put me in an inaccessibly high place
- Psalm 59:3 Or lain in wait
- Psalm 59:3 Lit soul
- Psalm 59:3 Or Strong
- Psalm 59:4 Lit Without guilt
- Psalm 59:4 Lit meet
- Psalm 59:5 Lit visit
- Psalm 59:9 LXX, some mss and some ancient versions my strength (cf. v 17)
- Psalm 59:10 Many mss and some ancient versions The God of my faithfulness
- Psalm 59:11 Or Make them wander
- Psalm 59:12 Or The sin of their mouth is the word of their lips,
- Psalm 59:13 Lit Bring to an end
- Psalm 59:13 Lit Bring to an end
- Psalm 59:13 Or is Ruler
- Psalm 59:15 Lit to eat
- Psalm 59:15 Another reading is linger all night
- Psalm 59:17 Lit God of my favor
- Psalm 60 Title Lit The lily of testimony
- Psalm 60 Title Possibly, Epigrammatic Poem or Atonement Psalm
- Psalm 60 Title 2 Sam 8:3, 13; 1 Chr 18:3, 12
- Psalm 60:1 Or broken out upon us
- Psalm 60:2 Or earth
- Psalm 60:3 Lit caused Your people to see
- Psalm 60:3 Lit wine of staggering
- Psalm 60:5 Some authorities me
- Psalm 60:6 Or sanctuary
- Psalm 60:7 Lit protection
- Psalm 60:9 Or has led
- Psalm 60:11 Lit of
- Psalm 60:12 Or In; or With
- Psalm 61:4 Or sojourn
- Psalm 61:6 Lit add days to
- Psalm 61:6 Lit days
- Psalm 61:7 Or remain before
- Psalm 62 Title Cf. 1 Chr 16:41; 25:1; Ps 39 and 77 titles
- Psalm 62:4 Lit his
- Psalm 62:11 Or one thing
- Psalm 62:11 Or These two things I have heard
- Psalm 63 Title 1 Sam 22:5; 23:14
- Psalm 63:3 Or faithfulness
- Psalm 63:8 Lit after
- Psalm 63:9 Lit soul
- Psalm 63:9 Lit lowest places
- Psalm 63:10 Lit They will pour him out
- Psalm 63:10 Lit poured out by
- Psalm 63:10 Lit portion
- Psalm 64:1 Or concern
- Psalm 64:4 Lit in
- Psalm 64:5 Lit matter
- Psalm 64:5 Lit tell of
- Psalm 64:6 Or search out
- Psalm 64:6 Lit complete
- Psalm 64:6 Or inward part
- Psalm 64:6 Or unsearchable
- Psalm 64:7 Or shot
- Psalm 64:7 Or they were wounded; lit their wounds occurred
- Psalm 64:8 Or they make their tongue a stumbling for themselves
- Psalm 64:8 Or made
- Psalm 64:9 Or feared
- Psalm 64:9 Or declared
- Psalm 64:9 Or considered
- Psalm 64:9 Lit His work
- Psalm 65:1 Lit to
- Psalm 65:2 Lit flesh comes
- Psalm 65:3 Or Confessions of wrongdoings
- Psalm 65:3 Lit cover, atone for
- Psalm 65:5 Or seas
- Psalm 65:8 Lit outgoings of the morning and evening
- Psalm 65:9 Or channel
- Psalm 65:9 Lit it
- Psalm 65:10 Or smooth
- Psalm 65:11 Lit of
- Psalm 65:11 I.e., wagon tracks
- Psalm 66:8 Lit cause to hear the sound of His praise
- Psalm 66:9 Lit puts our soul in life
- Psalm 66:9 Or dodder, stumble
- Psalm 66:11 Lit our loins
- Psalm 66:15 Or cattle
- Psalm 66:16 Or revere
- Psalm 66:17 Or praise was under my tongue
- Psalm 66:18 Or had regarded
- Psalm 67:1 Lit with
- Psalm 67:7 Or And let all...earth fear Him
- Psalm 68:1 Or God shall
- Psalm 68:1 Or His enemies shall
- Psalm 68:1 Or those who hate Him shall
- Psalm 68:4 Or Prepare the way for Him
- Psalm 68:4 Heb Yah
- Psalm 68:5 Lit of
- Psalm 68:6 Lit makes the solitary to dwell in a house
- Psalm 68:8 Lit This is Sinai which
- Psalm 68:9 Lit weary
- Psalm 68:11 Lit word
- Psalm 68:13 Lit If
- Psalm 68:13 I.e., gold alloyed with silver
- Psalm 68:14 Lit in it
- Psalm 68:15 Or mighty mountain
- Psalm 68:17 Lit twice 10,000
- Psalm 68:17 Another reading is The Lord came from Sinai into the sanctuary
- Psalm 68:18 Heb Yah
- Psalm 68:20 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Psalm 68:20 I.e., in view of; lit for
- Psalm 68:21 Lit skull
- Psalm 68:22 Or says
- Psalm 68:23 Some ancient versions render, you may bathe your foot in blood
- Psalm 68:24 Or in holiness
- Psalm 68:25 Or The maidens in the midst
- Psalm 68:27 Or smallest
- Psalm 68:27 Or their ruler
- Psalm 68:28 Some mss Command, God
- Psalm 68:28 Lit for us
- Psalm 68:29 Or From Your temple
- Psalm 68:30 Lit of
- Psalm 68:31 As in LXX; MT uncertain, possibly, Articles of bronze; or Articles of red cloth
- Psalm 68:31 Or Ethiopia
- Psalm 68:33 Lit heaven of heavens of old
- Psalm 68:33 Lit gives forth
- Psalm 68:34 Lit clouds
- Psalm 68:35 Or Awesome is God from your sanctuary
- Psalm 68:35 Lit holy places
- Psalm 69 Title Or possibly Lilies
- Psalm 69:1 Lit come up to my soul
- Psalm 69:2 Lit flowing stream
- Psalm 69:4 Or silence
- Psalm 69:6 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Psalm 69:8 Lit to
- Psalm 69:13 Or the faithfulness of Your salvation
- Psalm 69:15 Lit stream
- Psalm 69:19 Lit before You
- Psalm 69:21 Or poison
- Psalm 69:22 Lit for those who are secure
- Psalm 69:25 Lit encampment
- Psalm 69:26 Lit pierced
- Psalm 69:28 Lit written
- Psalm 69:29 Or Your salvation, O God, will set...
- Psalm 69:32 Some mss and ancient versions will see
- Psalm 69:32 Or live
- Psalm 69:36 Lit seed
- Psalm 70:2 Or soul
- Psalm 70:2 Or to injure me
- Psalm 70:3 Some mss appalled
- Psalm 71:4 Lit palm
- Psalm 71:5 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Psalm 71:6 Lit in
- Psalm 71:10 Lit with reference to
- Psalm 71:10 Lit soul
- Psalm 71:13 Lit my injury
- Psalm 71:14 Lit add upon all Your praise
- Psalm 71:16 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Psalm 71:18 Lit arm
- Psalm 71:19 Or And
- Psalm 71:19 Lit height
- Psalm 71:20 Another reading is us
- Psalm 71:20 Another reading is us
- Psalm 71:20 Another reading is us
- Psalm 71:22 Lit an instrument of a harp
- Psalm 71:22 Or faithfulness
- Psalm 71:24 Or to injure me
- Psalm 72:2 Or He will judge
- Psalm 72:2 Many of the pronouns in this Psalm may be rendered He since the typical reference is to the Messiah
- Psalm 72:2 Or Your humble
- Psalm 72:3 Or The mountains will bring
- Psalm 72:3 Or prosperity
- Psalm 72:4 Or He will vindicate
- Psalm 72:4 Or humble
- Psalm 72:5 Or They will fear
- Psalm 72:5 Lit before the moon
- Psalm 72:6 Or He will come down
- Psalm 72:7 Or The righteous will flourish
- Psalm 72:9 Or The nomads...will bow
- Psalm 72:10 Or The kings...will bring
- Psalm 72:10 Or coastlands
- Psalm 72:11 Or All kings will bow down
- Psalm 72:12 Or humble
- Psalm 72:13 Lit souls
- Psalm 72:14 Lit redeem
- Psalm 72:14 Lit soul
- Psalm 72:15 Lit he is to
- Psalm 72:15 Lit He is to
- Psalm 72:17 Lit before the sun
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