Psalm 9-16

Contemporary English Version

³ When my enemies face you,
they run away and stumble
    and are destroyed.
⁴ You take your seat as judge,
and your fair decisions prove
    that I was in the right.
⁵ You warn the nations
    and destroy evil people;
you wipe out their names
    forever and ever.
⁶ Our enemies are destroyed
    completely for all time.
Their cities are torn down,
and they will never
    be remembered again.

⁷ You rule forever, Lord,
and you are on your throne,
    ready for judgment.
⁸ You judge the world fairly
and treat all nations
    with justice.
⁹ The poor can run to you
because you are a fortress
    in times of trouble.
¹⁰ Everyone who honors your name
    can trust you,
because you are faithful
    to all who depend on you.

¹¹ You rule from Zion, Lord,
    and we sing about you
to let the nations know
    everything you have done.
¹² You did not forget
    to punish the guilty
or listen to the cries
    of those in need.

^13 (A) Please have mercy, Lord!
    My enemies mistreat me.
Keep me from the gates
    that lead to death,
¹⁴ and I will sing about you
    at the gate to Zion.
I will be happy there
    because you rescued me.

^15 (B) Our Lord, the nations fell
    into their own pits,
and their feet were caught
    in their own traps.
¹⁶ You showed what you are like,
and you made certain
    that justice is done,
but evil people are trapped
    by their own evil deeds.
¹⁷ The wicked will go down
    to the world of the dead
to be with those nations
    that forgot about you.

¹⁸ The poor and the homeless
won't always be forgotten
    and without hope.

¹⁹ Do something, Lord!
    Don't let the nations win.
Make them stand trial
    in your court of law.
²⁰ Make the nations afraid
and let them all discover
    just how weak they are.

³ The wicked brag about
    their deepest desires.
Those greedy people hate
    and curse you, Lord.
⁴ The wicked are too proud
to turn to you
    or even think about you.
⁵ They are always successful,
though they can't understand
    your teachings,
and they keep sneering
    at their enemies.

⁶ In their hearts they say,
    “Nothing can hurt us!
We'll always be happy
    and free from trouble.”
^7 (C) They curse and tell lies,
and all they talk about
    is how to be cruel
    or how to do wrong.

⁸ They hide outside villages,
waiting to strike and murder
    some innocent victim.
⁹ They are hungry lions
    hiding in the bushes,
hoping to catch
    some helpless passerby.
They trap the poor in nets
    and drag them away.
¹⁰ They crouch down and wait
    to grab a victim.
¹¹ They say, “God can't see!
    He's got on a blindfold.”

¹² Do something, Lord God,
and use your powerful arm
    to help those in need.
¹³ The wicked don't respect you.
In their hearts they say,
    “God won't punish us!”

¹⁴ But you see the trouble
and the distress,
    and you will do something.
The poor can count on you,
    and so can orphans.
¹⁵ Now break the power
    of all merciless people.
Punish them for doing wrong
    and make them stop.

¹⁶ Our Lord, you will always rule,
but every godless nation
    will vanish from the earth.
¹⁷ You listen to the longings
    of those who suffer.
You offer them hope,
and you pay attention
    to their cries for help.
¹⁸ You defend orphans
    and everyone else in need,
so that no one on earth
    can terrify others again.

⁴ The Lord is sitting
in his sacred temple
    on his throne in heaven.
He knows everything we do
    because he sees us all.
⁵ The Lord tests honest people,
but despises those
    who are cruel
    and love violence.
⁶ He will send fiery coals^[a]
and flaming sulfur
    down on the wicked,
and they will drink nothing
    but a scorching wind.

⁷ The Lord always does right
    and wants justice done.
Everyone who does right
    will see his face.

⁵ But you, Lord, tell them,
    “I will do something!
The poor are mistreated
and helpless people moan.
    I'll rescue all who suffer.”

⁶ Our Lord, you are true
    to your promises,
and your word is like silver
heated seven times
    in a fiery furnace.^[c]
7 You will protect us
and always keep us safe
    from those people.
⁸ But all who are wicked
    will keep on strutting,
while everyone praises
    their shameless deeds.^[d]

³ Please listen, Lord God,
    and answer my prayers.
Make my eyes sparkle again,
or else I will fall
    into the sleep of death.
⁴ My enemies will say,
    “Now we've won!”
They will be greatly pleased
    when I am defeated.

⁵ I trust your love,
and I feel like celebrating
    because you rescued me.
⁶ You have been good to me, Lord,
    and I will sing about you.

² From heaven the Lord
    looks down to see
if anyone is wise enough
    to search for him.
³ But all of them are corrupt;
    no one does right.

⁴ Won't you evil people learn?
    You refuse to pray,
and you gobble up
    the Lord's people.
⁵ But you will be frightened,
because God is on the side
    of every good person.
⁶ You may spoil the plans
of the poor,
    but the Lord protects them.

⁷ I long for someone from Zion
    to come and save Israel!
Our Lord, when you bless
    your people again,
Jacob's family will be glad,
    and Israel will celebrate.

² Only those who obey God
    and do as they should.
They speak the truth
³     and don't spread gossip;
they treat others fairly
    and don't say cruel things.

⁴ They hate worthless people,
but show respect for all
    who worship the Lord.
And they keep their promises,
    no matter what the cost.
⁵ They lend their money
    without charging interest,
and they don't take bribes
    to hurt the innocent.

Those who do these things
    will always stand firm.

³ Your people are wonderful,
    and they make me happy,^[e]
4 but worshipers of other gods
    will have much sorrow.^[f]
I refuse to offer sacrifices
of blood to those gods
    or worship in their name.

⁵ You, Lord, are all I want!
You are my choice,
    and you keep me safe.
⁶ You make my life pleasant,
    and my future is bright.

⁷ I praise you, Lord,
    for being my guide.
Even in the darkest night,
    your teachings fill my mind.
^8 (E) I will always look to you,
as you stand beside me
    and protect me from fear.
⁹ With all my heart,
I will celebrate,
    and I can safely rest.

^10 (F) I am your chosen one.
You won't leave me in the grave
    or let my body decay.
¹¹ You have shown me
    the path to life,
and you make me glad
    by being near to me.
Sitting at your right side,^[g]
    I will always be joyful.