My soul also is greatly troubled; But You, O Lord—how long?

Faith in the Lord’s Righteousness

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

In the Lord I put my trust; How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain”?

The Lord tests the righteous, But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.

How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

O my soul, you have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You.”

For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;

He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.

He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.

A Plea for Deliverance and Forgiveness

A Psalm of David.

To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

Keep my soul, and deliver me; Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You.

Do not gather my soul with sinners, Nor my life with bloodthirsty men,

O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, For You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities,

Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; My eye wastes away with grief, Yes, my soul and my body!

To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine.

Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.

My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; The humble shall hear of it and be glad.

The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.

Also draw out the spear, And stop those who pursue me. Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”

And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; It shall rejoice in His salvation.

They reward me evil for good, To the sorrow of my soul.

I said, “Lord, be merciful to me; Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.”

BOOK TWO

Psalms 42–72

Yearning for God in the Midst of Distresses

To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of the sons of Korah.

As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.

Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance.

O my God, my soul is cast down within me; Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, And from the heights of Hermon, From the Hill Mizar.

Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.

Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.

For our soul is bowed down to the dust; Our body clings to the ground.

For the redemption of their souls is costly, And it shall cease forever—

But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, For He shall receive me. Selah

He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, For there were many against me.

For You have delivered my soul from death. Have You not kept my feet from falling, That I may walk before God In the light of the living?

Prayer for Safety from Enemies

To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David when he fled from Saul into the cave.

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by.

My soul is among lions; I lie among the sons of men Who are set on fire, Whose teeth are spears and arrows, And their tongue a sharp sword.

They have prepared a net for my steps; My soul is bowed down; They have dug a pit before me; Into the midst of it they themselves have fallen. Selah

A Calm Resolve to Wait for the Salvation of God

To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation.

My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him.

Joy in the Fellowship of God

A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.

My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.

My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me.

Who keeps our soul among the living, And does not allow our feet to be moved.

Come and hear, all you who fear God, And I will declare what He has done for my soul.

When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting, That became my reproach.

Draw near to my soul, and redeem it; Deliver me because of my enemies.

My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You, And my soul, which You have redeemed.

He will spare the poor and needy, And will save the souls of the needy.

In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; My hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing; My soul refused to be comforted.

He made a path for His anger; He did not spare their soul from death, But gave their life over to the plague,

My soul longs, yes, even faints For the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

Rejoice the soul of Your servant, For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

For great is Your mercy toward me, And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

For my soul is full of troubles, And my life draws near to the grave.

Lord, why do You cast off my soul? Why do You hide Your face from me?

Unless the Lord had been my help, My soul would soon have settled in silence.

In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.

You who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.

Praise for the Lord’s Mercies

A Psalm of David.

Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:

Bless the Lord, all His works, In all places of His dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Praise to the Sovereign Lord for His Creation and Providence

Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, You are very great: You are clothed with honor and majesty,

May sinners be consumed from the earth, And the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!

And He gave them their request, But sent leanness into their soul.

Hungry and thirsty, Their soul fainted in them.

For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness.

Their soul abhorred all manner of food, And they drew near to the gates of death.

They mount up to the heavens, They go down again to the depths; Their soul melts because of trouble.

Then I called upon the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul!”

Return to your rest, O my soul, For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

For You have delivered my soul from death, My eyes from tears, And my feet from falling.

My soul breaks with longing For Your judgments at all times.

ד DALETH

My soul clings to the dust; Revive me according to Your word.

My soul melts from heaviness; Strengthen me according to Your word.

כ KAPH

My soul faints for Your salvation, But I hope in Your word.

פ PE

Your testimonies are wonderful; Therefore my soul keeps them.

My soul keeps Your testimonies, And I love them exceedingly.

Let my soul live, and it shall praise You; And let Your judgments help me.

Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips And from a deceitful tongue.

My soul has dwelt too long With one who hates peace.

The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul.

Our soul is exceedingly filled With the scorn of those who are at ease, With the contempt of the proud.

Then the waters would have overwhelmed us, The stream would have gone over our soul;

Then the swollen waters Would have gone over our soul.”

Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers; The snare is broken, and we have escaped.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope.

My soul waits for the Lord More than those who watch for the morning— Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.

Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, Like a weaned child with his mother; Like a weaned child is my soul within me.

In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul.

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.

But my eyes are upon You, O God the Lord; In You I take refuge; Do not leave my soul destitute.

Look on my right hand and see, For there is no one who acknowledges me; Refuge has failed me; No one cares for my soul.

Bring my soul out of prison, That I may praise Your name; The righteous shall surround me, For You shall deal bountifully with me.”

For the enemy has persecuted my soul; He has crushed my life to the ground; He has made me dwell in darkness, Like those who have long been dead.

I spread out my hands to You; My soul longs for You like a thirsty land. Selah

Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You.

Revive me, O Lord, for Your name’s sake! For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.

In Your mercy cut off my enemies, And destroy all those who afflict my soul; For I am Your servant.

The Happiness of Those Whose Help Is the Lord

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul!