Psalm 1

English Standard Version

Book One

The Way of the Righteous and the Wicked

1 Blessed is the man^[a]
    who ^(A)walks not in ^(B)the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in ^(C)the way of sinners,
    nor ^(D)sits in ^(E)the seat of ^(F)scoffers;
²but his ^(G)delight is in the law^[b] of the Lord,
    and on his ^(H)law he meditates day and night.

³He is like ^(I)a tree
    planted by ^(J)streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
    and its ^(K)leaf does not wither.
^(L)In all that he does, he prospers.
⁴The wicked are not so,
    but are like ^(M)chaff that the wind drives away.

⁵Therefore the wicked ^(N)will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in ^(O)the congregation of the righteous;
⁶for the Lord ^(P)knows ^(Q)the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

Footnotes

Psalm 1:1 The singular Hebrew word for man (ish) is used here to portray a representative example of a godly person; see Preface
Psalm 1:2 Or instruction

Psalm 31:9-16

English Standard Version

⁹Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am ^(A)in distress;
    ^(B)my eye is wasted from grief;
    my soul and my body also.
¹⁰For my life is spent with sorrow,
    and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my iniquity,
    and ^(C)my bones waste away.

¹¹Because of all my adversaries I have become ^(D)a reproach,
    especially to my ^(E)neighbors,
and an object of dread to my acquaintances;
    those who see me in the street ^(F)flee from me.
¹²I have been ^(G)forgotten like one who is dead;
    I have become like ^(H)a broken vessel.
¹³For I ^(I)hear the whispering of many—
    terror on every side!—
^(J)as they scheme together against me,
    as they plot to take my life.

¹⁴But I ^(K)trust in you, O Lord;
    I say, “You are my God.”
¹⁵My ^(L)times are in your hand;
    ^(M)rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!
¹⁶^(N)Make your face shine on your servant;
    save me in your steadfast love!