Chronological

¹ A prayer of David.
Hear, Adonai, a just plea, listen to my cry!
Give ear to my prayer—from lips with no deceit.
² From Your presence comes my vindication.
Your eyes see what is right.
³ You have examined my heart.
You searched me at night.
Though You test me, You find nothing.
I resolved that my mouth will not sin.
⁴ As for the deeds of mankind—
by the word of Your lips
I have kept out of the ways of the violent.
⁵ My steps have kept on Your paths.
My feet have not slipped.
⁶ I called upon You, O God,
    for You will answer me.
Incline Your ear to me,
    hear my speech.
⁷ Be wonderful with Your lovingkindness,
O Savior of those taking refuge at Your right hand
from those rising up against them.
⁸ Protect me like the pupil of the eye.
Hide me in the shadow of Your wings,
⁹ from the wicked who attack me—
    my enemies, who surround me.
¹⁰ Their callous heart they shut tight.
With their mouth they speak proudly.
¹¹ Our steps are now surrounded.
They set their eyes to throw us down to the ground,
¹² like a lion eager to tear to pieces,
like a young lion crouching in cover.
¹³ Arise, Adonai! Confront him!
    Make him bow down!
Deliver my soul from the wicked with Your sword,
¹⁴ from men, with Your hand, Adonai,
from men of the world whose portion is in this life.
You fill their belly with Your treasure
—with plenty of children—
and leave their surplus to their babes.
¹⁵ I in righteousness will behold Your face!
When I awake,
    I will be satisfied with Your likeness.

¹ A psalm of David.
Adonai, oppose those who oppose me.
Fight those who fight me.
² Take hold of shield and buckler,
and rise up to my help.
³ Draw out also a spear and battle-axe.
Stop those who pursue me.
Say to my soul: “I am your salvation.”
⁴ May those who seek my life
be ashamed and disgraced.
May they be turned back and humiliated
—those who plot evil against me.
⁵ May they be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of Adonai driving them off.
⁶ May their way be dark and slippery,
with the angel of Adonai pursuing them.
⁷ For without cause they hid their net for me,
and without cause they dug a pit for my soul.
⁸ Let ruin come upon him by surprise.
Let the net he hid entangle himself
—into that same pit let him fall.
⁹ Then my soul will rejoice in Adonai
and delight in His salvation.
¹⁰ All my bones will say:
“Adonai, who is like You,
rescuing the poor from one too strong for him,
the poor and needy from one who robs him?”
¹¹ Violent witnesses rise up.
They question me about things I know nothing about.
¹² They repay me evil for good—
my soul is forlorn.
¹³ But as for me, when they were sick,
    my clothing was sackcloth.
I afflicted my soul with fasting,
    my prayer kept returning to my heart.
¹⁴ I went about mourning as though for my own friend or brother.
I bowed down dressed in black as though for my own mother.
¹⁵ But at my stumbling they gathered in glee.
Wretches gathered against me whom I did not know,
    tearing at me without ceasing.
¹⁶ They mocked profanely, as if at a feast,
they gnashed at me with their teeth.

¹ For the music director, on stringed instruments, a contemplative song of David, ² when the Ziphites came and said to Saul: “Is not David hiding himself among us?”
³ O God, save me by Your Name,
vindicate me by Your might.
⁴ O God, hear my prayer,
listen to the words of my mouth.
⁵ For strangers have risen up against me.
Violent men seek after my soul.
They do not set God before them. Selah

¹ A psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
² O God, You are my God,
earnestly I seek You.
My soul thirsts for You.
My flesh longs for You
in a dry and weary land, where there is no water.
³ So, I looked for You in the Sanctuary,
to see Your power and Your glory.
⁴ Since Your lovingkindness is better than life,
my lips will praise You.
⁵ So I will bless You as long as I live.
In Your name I lift up my hands.^[a]
6 My soul is satisfied as with fat and oil,
so my mouth praises You with joyful lips.