Beginning

¹ For the music director, to the tune of “The Death of the Son,” a psalm of David.
² I will praise Adonai with my whole heart.
I will tell about all Your wonders.
³ I will be glad and rejoice in You.
I will sing praise to Your Name, Elyon!
⁴ When my enemies turn back,
they stumble and perish before You.
⁵ For You upheld my right and my cause.
You sat upon the throne, judging righteously.
⁶ You rebuked the nations,
You destroyed the wicked—
blotting out their name forever and ever.
⁷ The enemy is finished, in ruins forever.
You overturned their cities—
even the memory of them has perished.
⁸ But Adonai reigns forever.
He established His throne for judgment.
⁹ He judges the world in righteousness
and governs the peoples justly.
¹⁰ Adonai is a stronghold for the oppressed,
a high tower in times of trouble.
¹¹ Those who know Your Name trust You—
for You, Adonai, never have forsaken those who seek You.
¹² Sing praises to Adonai, who dwells in Zion.
Declare His deeds among the peoples.
¹³ He who avenges blood remembers.
He will not forget the cry of the afflicted.
¹⁴ Be compassionate to me, Adonai.
See my affliction from those hating me.
Lift me up from the gates of death.
¹⁵ Then I will tell all your praises
in the gates of the daughter of Zion,
rejoicing in Your salvation.
¹⁶ The nations sank into the pit they made.
The net they hid caught their own foot.
¹⁷ Adonai is known for executing judgment.
The wicked one is trapped in the work of his own hands.
    Selah
¹⁸ The wicked will turn to Sheol,
as will all the nations that forget God.
¹⁹ For the needy will not forever be forgotten,
nor the hope of the poor perish forever.
²⁰ Arise, Adonai, do not let man triumph.
Let the nations be judged before You.
²¹ Strike them with terror, Adonai.
Let the nations know they are only human. Selah

¹ Why, Adonai, are You standing far off?
Why hide Yourself in times of trouble?
² In pride the wicked hotly hunts the poor.
Let them be caught in the plots they have planned.
³ For the wicked one boasts about his soul’s desire.
The greedy one curses, reviling Adonai.
⁴ The wicked one, with his nose in the air, never seeks Him.
All his thoughts are: “There is no God.”
⁵ His ways are secure at all times.
He haughtily disregards Your judgments.
He snorts at all his adversaries.
⁶ He says in his heart: “I’ll never be shaken!
From generation to generation nothing bad will happen.”
⁷ His mouth is full of cursing, lies and oppression.
On his tongue are trouble and iniquity.^[a]
8 He lies in ambush near villages.
In hidden places he slays the innocent.
His eyes watch in secret for the helpless.
⁹ He lurks in a hiding place like a lion in a thicket.
He lies in wait to catch the helpless.
He catches the unfortunate one, dragging him away in his net.
¹⁰ The victim is crushed, brought down,
and falls into his mighty claws.
¹¹ He says in his heart: “God has forgotten.
He hides His face—He will never see it.”
¹² Arise, Adonai! O God, lift up Your hand.
Do not forget the afflicted.
¹³ Why does the wicked one revile God?
He says in his heart:
“You will never require anything.”
¹⁴ You saw—for You see trouble and grief,
    to take it in Your hand.
The victim puts his trust in You—
You are the helper of the orphan.
¹⁵ Break the arm of the wicked, evil one!
Call him to account for his wickedness—
    until no more is found.
¹⁶ Adonai is King forever and ever!
Nations will be wiped off His land.
¹⁷ You hear, Adonai, the desire of the meek.
You encourage them and incline Your ear.
¹⁸ You vindicate the orphan and oppressed,
so that man, who is earthly, may terrify no more.

¹ For the music director, a psalm of David.
In Adonai I have taken shelter.
How can you say to my soul:
“Fly like a bird to your mountain?
² For look, the wicked bend the bow.
They fix their arrow on the bowstring
so they can shoot from the shadows
at those who are upright in heart.
³ If our foundations are destroyed,
what should the righteous do?”

¹ For the music director, on the eight-string lyre, a psalm of David.
² Help, Adonai! For no one godly exists.
For the faithful have vanished from the children of men.
³ Everyone tells a lie to his neighbor,
talking with flattering lips and a divided heart.
⁴ May Adonai cut off all flattering lips—
a tongue bragging big things.
⁵ They say: “With our tongue we’ll prevail.
We own our lips—who can master us?”

¹ For the music director, a psalm of David.
² How long, Adonai? Will You forget me forever?
    How long will You hide Your face from me?
³ How long must I have cares in my soul
    and daily sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
⁴ Look at me and answer, Adonai my God.
Light up my eyes, or I will sleep in death.
⁵ Or else my enemy will say: “I have overcome him!”
    and my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.

¹ For the music director, of David.
The fool said in his heart:
    “There is no God.”
They are corrupt; their deeds are vile;
    there is no one who does good.^[c]
2 Adonai looked down from heaven on the children of men,
to see if there are any who understand,
    who seek after God.
³ They all turned aside, became corrupt.
There is no one who does good
—not even one.
⁴ “Will evildoers never understand—
those who consume My people as they eat bread—
and never call on Adonai?”
⁵ There they are, in great dread.
For God is with the righteous generation.
⁶ You would frustrate the plan of the lowly.
Surely Adonai is his refuge!
⁷ O may He give Israel’s salvation out of Zion!
When Adonai restores His captive people,
Jacob will rejoice, Israel will be glad!

¹ A psalm of David.
Adonai, who may dwell in Your tent?
Who may live on Your holy mountain?
² The one who walks with integrity,
who does what is right,
    and speaks truth in his heart,
³ who does not slander with his tongue,
    does not wrong his neighbor,
and does not disgrace his friend,
⁴ who despises a vile person in his eyes,
    but honors those who fear Adonai,
who keeps his oath even when it hurts,
    and does not change,
⁵ who lends his money without usury,
and takes no bribe against the innocent.
One who does these things will never be shaken.

¹ A Michtam of David.
Keep me safe, O God, for in You I have found shelter.
² I said to Adonai: “You are my Lord—
I have no good apart from You.”
³ As for the kedoshim who are in the land,
they are noble—in them is all my delight.
⁴ As for those who run after another god,
    may their sorrows multiply.
I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood,
    nor lift up their names with my lips.