Psalm 20-35

New International Version

May the Lord grant all your requests.^(N)

⁶ Now this I know:
    The Lord gives victory to his anointed.^(O)
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
    with the victorious power of his right hand.^(P)
7 Some trust in chariots^(Q) and some in horses,^(R)
    but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.^(S)
8 They are brought to their knees and fall,^(T)
    but we rise up^(U) and stand firm.^(V)
9 Lord, give victory to the king!
    Answer us^(W) when we call!

² You have granted him his heart’s desire^(Z)
    and have not withheld the request of his lips.^[d]
3 You came to greet him with rich blessings
    and placed a crown of pure gold^(AA) on his head.^(AB)
4 He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—
    length of days, for ever and ever.^(AC)
5 Through the victories^(AD) you gave, his glory is great;
    you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.^(AE)
6 Surely you have granted him unending blessings
    and made him glad with the joy^(AF) of your presence.^(AG)
7 For the king trusts in the Lord;^(AH)
    through the unfailing love^(AI) of the Most High^(AJ)
    he will not be shaken.^(AK)

⁸ Your hand will lay hold^(AL) on all your enemies;
    your right hand will seize your foes.
⁹ When you appear for battle,
    you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace.
The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,
    and his fire will consume them.^(AM)
10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
    their posterity from mankind.^(AN)
11 Though they plot evil^(AO) against you
    and devise wicked schemes,^(AP) they cannot succeed.
¹² You will make them turn their backs^(AQ)
    when you aim at them with drawn bow.

¹³ Be exalted^(AR) in your strength, Lord;^(AS)
    we will sing and praise your might.

³ Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;^(AY)
    you are the one Israel praises.^[g](AZ)
4 In you our ancestors put their trust;
    they trusted and you delivered them.^(BA)
5 To you they cried out^(BB) and were saved;
    in you they trusted^(BC) and were not put to shame.^(BD)

⁶ But I am a worm^(BE) and not a man,
    scorned by everyone,^(BF) despised^(BG) by the people.
⁷ All who see me mock me;^(BH)
    they hurl insults,^(BI) shaking their heads.^(BJ)
8 “He trusts in the Lord,” they say,
    “let the Lord rescue him.^(BK)
Let him deliver him,^(BL)
    since he delights^(BM) in him.”

⁹ Yet you brought me out of the womb;^(BN)
    you made me trust^(BO) in you, even at my mother’s breast.
¹⁰ From birth^(BP) I was cast on you;
    from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

¹¹ Do not be far from me,^(BQ)
    for trouble is near^(BR)
    and there is no one to help.^(BS)

¹² Many bulls^(BT) surround me;^(BU)
    strong bulls of Bashan^(BV) encircle me.
¹³ Roaring lions^(BW) that tear their prey^(BX)
    open their mouths wide^(BY) against me.
¹⁴ I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint.^(BZ)
My heart has turned to wax;^(CA)
    it has melted^(CB) within me.
¹⁵ My mouth^[h] is dried up like a potsherd,^(CC)
    and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;^(CD)
    you lay me in the dust^(CE) of death.

¹⁶ Dogs^(CF) surround me,
    a pack of villains encircles me;
    they pierce^[i](CG) my hands and my feet.
¹⁷ All my bones are on display;
    people stare^(CH) and gloat over me.^(CI)
18 They divide my clothes among them
    and cast lots^(CJ) for my garment.^(CK)

¹⁹ But you, Lord, do not be far from me.^(CL)
    You are my strength;^(CM) come quickly^(CN) to help me.^(CO)
20 Deliver me from the sword,^(CP)
    my precious life^(CQ) from the power of the dogs.^(CR)
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;^(CS)
    save me from the horns of the wild oxen.^(CT)

²² I will declare your name to my people;
    in the assembly^(CU) I will praise you.^(CV)
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!^(CW)
    All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!^(CX)
    Revere him,^(CY) all you descendants of Israel!
²⁴ For he has not despised^(CZ) or scorned
    the suffering of the afflicted one;^(DA)
he has not hidden his face^(DB) from him
    but has listened to his cry for help.^(DC)

²⁵ From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;^(DD)
    before those who fear you^[j] I will fulfill my vows.^(DE)
26 The poor will eat^(DF) and be satisfied;
    those who seek the Lord will praise him—^(DG)
    may your hearts live forever!

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

²⁹ All the rich^(DK) of the earth will feast and worship;^(DL)
    all who go down to the dust^(DM) will kneel before him—
    those who cannot keep themselves alive.^(DN)
30 Posterity^(DO) will serve him;
    future generations^(DP) will be told about the Lord.
³¹ They will proclaim his righteousness,^(DQ)
    declaring to a people yet unborn:^(DR)
    He has done it!^(DS)

⁵ You prepare a table^(ED) before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;^(EE)
    my cup^(EF) overflows.
⁶ Surely your goodness and love^(EG) will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

³ Who may ascend the mountain^(EK) of the Lord?
    Who may stand in his holy place?^(EL)
4 The one who has clean hands^(EM) and a pure heart,^(EN)
    who does not trust in an idol^(EO)
    or swear by a false god.^[l]

⁵ They will receive blessing^(EP) from the Lord
    and vindication^(EQ) from God their Savior.
⁶ Such is the generation of those who seek him,
    who seek your face,^(ER) God of Jacob.^[m][n]

⁷ Lift up your heads, you gates;^(ES)
    be lifted up, you ancient doors,
    that the King^(ET) of glory^(EU) may come in.^(EV)
8 Who is this King of glory?
    The Lord strong and mighty,^(EW)
    the Lord mighty in battle.^(EX)
9 Lift up your heads, you gates;
    lift them up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
¹⁰ Who is he, this King of glory?
    The Lord Almighty^(EY)—
    he is the King of glory.

² I trust in you;^(FA)
    do not let me be put to shame,
    nor let my enemies triumph over me.
³ No one who hopes in you
    will ever be put to shame,^(FB)
but shame will come on those
    who are treacherous^(FC) without cause.

⁴ Show me your ways, Lord,
    teach me your paths.^(FD)
5 Guide me in your truth^(FE) and teach me,
    for you are God my Savior,^(FF)
    and my hope is in you^(FG) all day long.
⁶ Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,^(FH)
    for they are from of old.
⁷ Do not remember the sins of my youth^(FI)
    and my rebellious ways;^(FJ)
according to your love^(FK) remember me,
    for you, Lord, are good.^(FL)

⁸ Good and upright^(FM) is the Lord;
    therefore he instructs^(FN) sinners in his ways.
⁹ He guides^(FO) the humble in what is right
    and teaches them^(FP) his way.
¹⁰ All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful^(FQ)
    toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.^(FR)
11 For the sake of your name,^(FS) Lord,
    forgive^(FT) my iniquity,^(FU) though it is great.

¹² Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?^(FV)
    He will instruct them in the ways^(FW) they should choose.^[p]
13 They will spend their days in prosperity,^(FX)
    and their descendants will inherit the land.^(FY)
14 The Lord confides^(FZ) in those who fear him;
    he makes his covenant known^(GA) to them.
¹⁵ My eyes are ever on the Lord,^(GB)
    for only he will release my feet from the snare.^(GC)

¹⁶ Turn to me^(GD) and be gracious to me,^(GE)
    for I am lonely^(GF) and afflicted.
¹⁷ Relieve the troubles^(GG) of my heart
    and free me from my anguish.^(GH)
18 Look on my affliction^(GI) and my distress^(GJ)
    and take away all my sins.^(GK)
19 See how numerous are my enemies^(GL)
    and how fiercely they hate me!^(GM)

²⁰ Guard my life^(GN) and rescue me;^(GO)
    do not let me be put to shame,^(GP)
    for I take refuge^(GQ) in you.
²¹ May integrity^(GR) and uprightness^(GS) protect me,
    because my hope, Lord,^[q] is in you.^(GT)

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

⁴ I do not sit^(HE) with the deceitful,
    nor do I associate with hypocrites.^(HF)
5 I abhor^(HG) the assembly of evildoers
    and refuse to sit with the wicked.
⁶ I wash my hands in innocence,^(HH)
    and go about your altar, Lord,
⁷ proclaiming aloud your praise^(HI)
    and telling of all your wonderful deeds.^(HJ)

⁸ Lord, I love^(HK) the house where you live,
    the place where your glory dwells.^(HL)
9 Do not take away my soul along with sinners,
    my life with those who are bloodthirsty,^(HM)
10 in whose hands are wicked schemes,^(HN)
    whose right hands are full of bribes.^(HO)
11 I lead a blameless life;
    deliver me^(HP) and be merciful to me.

¹² My feet stand on level ground;^(HQ)
    in the great congregation^(HR) I will praise the Lord.

² When the wicked advance against me
    to devour^[r] me,
it is my enemies and my foes
    who will stumble and fall.^(HW)
3 Though an army besiege me,
    my heart will not fear;^(HX)
though war break out against me,
    even then I will be confident.^(HY)

⁴ One thing^(HZ) 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,^(IA)
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
    and to seek him in his temple.
⁵ For in the day of trouble^(IB)
    he will keep me safe^(IC) in his dwelling;
he will hide me^(ID) in the shelter of his sacred tent
    and set me high upon a rock.^(IE)

⁶ Then my head will be exalted^(IF)
    above the enemies who surround me;^(IG)
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice^(IH) with shouts of joy;^(II)
    I will sing^(IJ) and make music^(IK) to the Lord.

⁷ Hear my voice^(IL) when I call, Lord;
    be merciful to me and answer me.^(IM)
8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face!^(IN)”
    Your face, Lord, I will seek.
⁹ Do not hide your face^(IO) from me,
    do not turn your servant away in anger;^(IP)
    you have been my helper.^(IQ)
Do not reject me or forsake^(IR) me,
    God my Savior.^(IS)
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
    the Lord will receive me.
¹¹ Teach me your way,^(IT) Lord;
    lead me in a straight path^(IU)
    because of my oppressors.^(IV)
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
    for false witnesses^(IW) rise up against me,
    spouting malicious accusations.

¹³ I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord^(IX)
    in the land of the living.^(IY)
14 Wait^(IZ) for the Lord;
    be strong^(JA) and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.

³ 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.^(JH)
4 Repay them for their deeds
    and for their evil work;
repay them for what their hands have done^(JI)
    and bring back on them what they deserve.^(JJ)

⁵ Because they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord
    and what his hands have done,^(JK)
he will tear them down
    and never build them up again.

⁶ Praise be to the Lord,^(JL)
    for he has heard my cry for mercy.^(JM)
7 The Lord is my strength^(JN) and my shield;
    my heart trusts^(JO) in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,^(JP)
    and with my song I praise him.^(JQ)

⁸ The Lord is the strength^(JR) of his people,
    a fortress of salvation^(JS) for his anointed one.^(JT)
9 Save your people^(JU) and bless your inheritance;^(JV)
    be their shepherd^(JW) and carry them^(JX) forever.

³ The voice^(KC) of the Lord is over the waters;
    the God of glory^(KD) thunders,^(KE)
    the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.^(KF)
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;^(KG)
    the voice of the Lord is majestic.
⁵ The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
    the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.^(KH)
6 He makes Lebanon leap^(KI) like a calf,
    Sirion^[t](KJ) like a young wild ox.^(KK)
7 The voice of the Lord strikes
    with flashes of lightning.^(KL)
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;
    the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.^(KM)
9 The voice of the Lord twists the oaks^[u](KN)
    and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”^(KO)

¹⁰ The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;^(KP)
    the Lord is enthroned as King forever.^(KQ)
11 The Lord gives strength to his people;^(KR)
    the Lord blesses his people with peace.^(KS)

⁴ Sing^(LA) the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people;^(LB)
    praise his holy name.^(LC)
5 For his anger^(LD) lasts only a moment,^(LE)
    but his favor lasts a lifetime;^(LF)
weeping^(LG) may stay for the night,
    but rejoicing comes in the morning.^(LH)

⁶ When I felt secure, I said,
    “I will never be shaken.”^(LI)
7 Lord, when you favored me,
    you made my royal mountain^[x] stand firm;
but when you hid your face,^(LJ)
    I was dismayed.

⁸ To you, Lord, I called;
    to the Lord I cried for mercy:
⁹ “What is gained if I am silenced,
    if I go down to the pit?^(LK)
Will the dust praise you?
    Will it proclaim your faithfulness?^(LL)
10 Hear,^(LM) Lord, and be merciful to me;^(LN)
    Lord, be my help.^(LO)”

¹¹ You turned my wailing^(LP) into dancing;^(LQ)
    you removed my sackcloth^(LR) and clothed me with joy,^(LS)
12 that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
    Lord my God, I will praise^(LT) you forever.^(LU)

⁶ I hate those who cling to worthless idols;^(MH)
    as for me, I trust in the Lord.^(MI)
7 I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
    for you saw my affliction^(MJ)
    and knew the anguish^(MK) of my soul.
⁸ You have not given me into the hands^(ML) of the enemy
    but have set my feet in a spacious place.^(MM)

⁹ Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress;^(MN)
    my eyes grow weak with sorrow,^(MO)
    my soul and body^(MP) with grief.
¹⁰ My life is consumed by anguish^(MQ)
    and my years by groaning;^(MR)
my strength fails^(MS) because of my affliction,^[z](MT)
    and my bones grow weak.^(MU)
11 Because of all my enemies,^(MV)
    I am the utter contempt^(MW) of my neighbors^(MX)
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;^(MY)
    I have become like broken pottery.
¹³ For I hear many whispering,^(MZ)
    “Terror on every side!”^(NA)
They conspire against me^(NB)
    and plot to take my life.^(NC)

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

¹⁹ How abundant are the good things^(NL)
    that you have stored up for those who fear you,
that you bestow in the sight of all,^(NM)
    on those who take refuge^(NN) in you.
²⁰ In the shelter^(NO) of your presence you hide^(NP) them
    from all human intrigues;^(NQ)
you keep them safe in your dwelling
    from accusing tongues.

²¹ Praise be to the Lord,^(NR)
    for he showed me the wonders of his love^(NS)
    when I was in a city under siege.^(NT)
22 In my alarm^(NU) I said,
    “I am cut off^(NV) from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cry^(NW) for mercy
    when I called to you for help.

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

³ When I kept silent,^(OE)
    my bones wasted away^(OF)
    through my groaning^(OG) all day long.
⁴ For day and night
    your hand was heavy^(OH) on me;
my strength was sapped^(OI)
    as in the heat of summer.^[ab]

⁵ Then I acknowledged my sin to you
    and did not cover up my iniquity.^(OJ)
I said, “I will confess^(OK)
    my transgressions^(OL) to the Lord.”
And you forgave
    the guilt of my sin.^(OM)

⁶ Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
    while you may be found;^(ON)
surely the rising^(OO) of the mighty waters^(OP)
    will not reach them.^(OQ)
7 You are my hiding place;^(OR)
    you will protect me from trouble^(OS)
    and surround me with songs of deliverance.^(OT)

⁸ I will instruct^(OU) you and teach you^(OV) in the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my loving eye on^(OW) you.
⁹ Do not be like the horse or the mule,
    which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle^(OX)
    or they will not come to you.
¹⁰ Many are the woes of the wicked,^(OY)
    but the Lord’s unfailing love
    surrounds the one who trusts^(OZ) in him.

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

⁴ For the word of the Lord is right^(PI) and true;^(PJ)
    he is faithful^(PK) in all he does.
⁵ The Lord loves righteousness and justice;^(PL)
    the earth is full of his unfailing love.^(PM)

⁶ By the word^(PN) of the Lord the heavens were made,^(PO)
    their starry host^(PP) by the breath of his mouth.
⁷ He gathers the waters^(PQ) of the sea into jars^[ac];^(PR)
    he puts the deep into storehouses.
⁸ Let all the earth fear the Lord;^(PS)
    let all the people of the world^(PT) revere him.^(PU)
9 For he spoke, and it came to be;
    he commanded,^(PV) and it stood firm.

¹⁰ The Lord foils^(PW) the plans^(PX) of the nations;^(PY)
    he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
¹¹ But the plans of the Lord stand firm^(PZ) forever,
    the purposes^(QA) of his heart through all generations.

¹² Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,^(QB)
    the people he chose^(QC) for his inheritance.^(QD)
13 From heaven the Lord looks down^(QE)
    and sees all mankind;^(QF)
14 from his dwelling place^(QG) he watches
    all who live on earth—
¹⁵ he who forms^(QH) the hearts of all,
    who considers everything they do.^(QI)

¹⁶ No king is saved by the size of his army;^(QJ)
    no warrior escapes by his great strength.
¹⁷ A horse^(QK) is a vain hope for deliverance;
    despite all its great strength it cannot save.
¹⁸ But the eyes^(QL) of the Lord are on those who fear him,
    on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,^(QM)
19 to deliver them from death^(QN)
    and keep them alive in famine.^(QO)

²⁰ We wait^(QP) in hope for the Lord;
    he is our help and our shield.
²¹ In him our hearts rejoice,^(QQ)
    for we trust in his holy name.^(QR)
22 May your unfailing love^(QS) be with us, Lord,
    even as we put our hope in you.

⁴ I sought the Lord,^(QZ) and he answered me;
    he delivered^(RA) me from all my fears.
⁵ Those who look to him are radiant;^(RB)
    their faces are never covered with shame.^(RC)
6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
    he saved him out of all his troubles.^(RD)
7 The angel of the Lord^(RE) encamps around those who fear him,
    and he delivers^(RF) them.

⁸ Taste and see that the Lord is good;^(RG)
    blessed is the one who takes refuge^(RH) in him.
⁹ Fear the Lord,^(RI) you his holy people,
    for those who fear him lack nothing.^(RJ)
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.^(RK)
11 Come, my children, listen^(RL) to me;
    I will teach you^(RM) the fear of the Lord.^(RN)
12 Whoever of you loves life^(RO)
    and desires to see many good days,
¹³ keep your tongue^(RP) from evil
    and your lips from telling lies.^(RQ)
14 Turn from evil and do good;^(RR)
    seek peace^(RS) and pursue it.

¹⁵ The eyes of the Lord^(RT) are on the righteous,^(RU)
    and his ears are attentive^(RV) to their cry;
¹⁶ but the face of the Lord is against^(RW) those who do evil,^(RX)
    to blot out their name^(RY) from the earth.

¹⁷ The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears^(RZ) them;
    he delivers them from all their troubles.
¹⁸ The Lord is close^(SA) to the brokenhearted^(SB)
    and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

¹⁹ The righteous person may have many troubles,^(SC)
    but the Lord delivers him from them all;^(SD)
20 he protects all his bones,
    not one of them will be broken.^(SE)

²¹ Evil will slay the wicked;^(SF)
    the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
²² The Lord will rescue^(SG) his servants;
    no one who takes refuge^(SH) in him will be condemned.

⁴ May those who seek my life^(SQ)
    be disgraced^(SR) and put to shame;^(SS)
may those who plot my ruin
    be turned back^(ST) in dismay.
⁵ May they be like chaff^(SU) before the wind,
    with the angel of the Lord^(SV) driving them away;
⁶ may their path be dark and slippery,
    with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

⁷ Since they hid their net^(SW) for me without cause^(SX)
    and without cause dug a pit^(SY) for me,
⁸ may ruin overtake them by surprise—^(SZ)
    may the net they hid entangle them,
    may they fall into the pit,^(TA) to their ruin.
⁹ Then my soul will rejoice^(TB) in the Lord
    and delight in his salvation.^(TC)
10 My whole being will exclaim,
    “Who is like you,^(TD) Lord?
You rescue the poor from those too strong^(TE) for them,
    the poor and needy^(TF) from those who rob them.”

¹¹ Ruthless witnesses^(TG) come forward;
    they question me on things I know nothing about.
¹² They repay me evil for good^(TH)
    and leave me like one bereaved.
¹³ Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth^(TI)
    and humbled myself with fasting.^(TJ)
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
¹⁴     I went about mourning^(TK)
    as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
    as though weeping for my mother.
¹⁵ But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;^(TL)
    assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
    They slandered^(TM) me without ceasing.
¹⁶ Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;^[ag](TN)
    they gnashed their teeth^(TO) at me.

¹⁷ How long,^(TP) Lord, will you look on?
    Rescue me from their ravages,
    my precious life^(TQ) from these lions.^(TR)
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly;^(TS)
    among the throngs^(TT) I will praise you.^(TU)
19 Do not let those gloat over me
    who are my enemies^(TV) without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason^(TW)
    maliciously wink the eye.^(TX)
20 They do not speak peaceably,
    but devise false accusations^(TY)
    against those who live quietly in the land.
²¹ They sneer^(TZ) at me and say, “Aha! Aha!^(UA)
    With our own eyes we have seen it.”

²² Lord, you have seen^(UB) this; do not be silent.
    Do not be far^(UC) from me, Lord.