Chronological
A Prayer for Protection
A prayer of David.
17 Lord, hear me begging for fairness.
Listen to my cry for help.
Pay attention to my prayer.
I speak the truth.
2 You will judge that I am right.
Your eyes can see what is true.
3 You have examined my heart.
You have tested me all night.
You questioned me without finding anything wrong.
I did not plan any evil.
4 I have obeyed your commands.
I have not done what evil people do.
5 I have done what you told me to do.
I have not failed.
6 I call to you, God,
and you answer me.
Listen to me now.
Hear what I say.
7 Your love is wonderful.
By your power you save
from their enemies those who trust you.
8 Protect me as you would protect your own eye.
Protect me as a bird hides her young under her wings.
9 Keep me from the wicked who attack me.
Protect me from my enemies who surround me.
10 They are selfish.
They brag about themselves.
11 They have chased me.
Now they surround me.
They plan to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like lions ready to kill.
Like lions, they sit in hiding.
13 Lord, rise up and face the enemy.
Throw them down.
Save me from the wicked
with your sword.
14 Lord, save me from them by your power.
Their reward is in this life.
They have plenty of food.
They have many sons.
They leave money to their children.
15 Because I have lived right, I will see your face.
When I wake up, I will see your likeness and be satisfied.
A Prayer for Help
Of David.
35 Lord, battle with those who battle with me.
Fight against those who fight against me.
2 Pick up the shield and armor.
Rise up and help me.
3 Lift up your spears, both large and small,
against those who chase me.
Tell me, “I will save you.”
4 Make those who want to kill me
be ashamed and disgraced.
Make those who plan to harm me
turn back and run away.
5 Make them like chaff blown by the wind.
Let the angel of the Lord chase them away.
6 Let their road be dark and slippery
as the angel of the Lord chases them.
7 For no reason they spread out their net to trap me.
For no reason they dug a pit for me.
8 So let ruin strike them suddenly.
Let them be caught in their own nets.
Let them fall into the pit and die.
9 Then I will rejoice in the Lord.
I will be happy when he saves me.
10 Even my bones will say,
“Lord, who is like you?
You save the weak from the strong.
You save the weak and poor from robbers.”
11 Men without mercy stand up to testify.
They ask me things I do not know.
12 They repay me with evil for the good I have done.
They make me very sad.
13 Yet when they were sick, I put on rough cloth to show my sadness.
I showed my sorrow by going without food.
But my prayers were not answered.
14 I acted as if they were my friends or brothers.
I bowed in sadness as if I were crying for my mother.
15 But when I was in trouble, they gathered and laughed.
They gathered to attack before I knew it.
They insulted me without stopping.
16 They made fun of me and were cruel to me.
They ground their teeth at me in anger.
17 Lord, how long will you watch this happen?
Save my life from their attacks.
Save me from these people who are like lions.
18 I will praise you in the great meeting.
I will praise you among crowds of people.
19 Do not let my enemies laugh at me.
They hate me for no reason.
Do not let them make fun of me.
They have no reason to hate me.
20 Their words are not friendly.
They think up lies about peace-loving people.
21 They speak against me.
They say, “Aha! We saw what you did!”
22 Lord, you have been watching. Do not keep quiet.
Lord, do not leave me alone.
23 Wake up! Come and defend me!
My God and Lord, fight for me!
24 Lord my God, defend me with your justice.
Don’t let them laugh at me.
25 Don’t let them think, “Aha! We got what we wanted!”
Don’t let them say, “We destroyed him.”
26 Let them be ashamed and embarrassed.
They were happy when I hurt.
Cover them with shame and disgrace.
They thought they were better than I was.
27 May my friends sing and shout for joy.
May they always say, “Praise the greatness of the Lord.
He loves to see his servants do well.”
28 I will tell of your goodness.
I will praise you every day.
A Prayer for Help
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David when the Ziphites went to Saul and said, “We think David is hiding among our people.”
54 God, save me because of who you are.
By your strength show that I am innocent.
2 Hear my prayer, God.
Listen to what I say.
3 Strangers turn against me.
Cruel men want to kill me.
They do not care about God. Selah
4 See, God will help me.
The Lord will spare my life.
5 Let my enemies be punished with their own evil.
Destroy them because you are loyal to me.
6 I will offer a sacrifice as a special gift to you.
I will thank you, Lord, because you are good.
7 You have saved me from all my troubles.
I have seen my enemies defeated.
Wishing to Be Near God
A song of David when he was in the desert of Judah.
63 God, you are my God.
I want to follow you.
My whole being
thirsts for you,
like a man in a dry, empty land
where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in the Temple.
I have seen your strength and glory.
3 Your love is better than life.
I will praise you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live.
I will lift up my hands in prayer to your name.
5 I will be content as if I had eaten the best foods.
My lips will sing. My mouth will praise you.
6 I remember you while I’m lying in bed.
I think about you through the night.
7 You are my help.
Because of your protection, I sing.
8 I stay close to you.
You support me with your right hand.
9 Some people are trying to kill me.
But they will go down to the grave.
10 They will be killed with swords.
They will be eaten by wild dogs.
11 But the king will rejoice in his God.
All who make promises in his name will praise him.
But the mouths of liars will be shut.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.