Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

² When my enemies advanced
    to devour me alive,
They tripped and fell flat on their faces into the soil.

³ When the armies of the enemy surround me,
    I will not be afraid.
When death calls for me in the midst of war,
    my soul is confident and unmoved.

⁴ I am pleading with the Eternal for this one thing,
    my soul’s desire:
To live with Him all of my days—
    in the shadow of His temple,
To behold His beauty and ponder His ways
    in the company of His people.

⁵ His house is my shelter and secret retreat.
    It is there I find peace in the midst of storm and turmoil.
Safety sits with me in the hiding place of God.
    He will set me on a rock, high above the fray.

⁶ God lifts me high above those with thoughts
    of death and deceit that call for my life.
I will enter His presence, offering sacrifices and praise.
    In His house, I am overcome with joy
As I sing, yes, and play music for the Eternal alone.
⁷ I cannot shout any louder. Eternal One—hear my cry
    and respond with Your grace.
⁸ The prodding of my heart leads me to chase after You.
    I am seeking You, Eternal One—don’t retreat from me.
⁹ You have always answered my call.
    Don’t hide from me now.

Don’t give up on me in anger at Your servant.
    You have always been there for me.
Don’t throw me to the side and forget me,
    my God and only salvation.
¹⁰ My father and mother have deserted me,
    yet the Eternal will take me in.

¹¹ O Eternal, show me Your way,
    shine Your light brightly on this path, and make it level for me,
    for my enemies are lurking in the recesses and ravines along the way.
¹² They are watching—hoping to seize me.
    Do not release me to their desires or surrender me to their will!
Liars are standing against me,
    breathing out cruel lies hoping that I will die.

¹³ I will move past my enemies with this one, sure hope:
    that with my own eyes, I will see the goodness of the Eternal
    in the land of the living.

¹⁴ Please answer me: Don’t give up.
    Wait for the Eternal in expectation, and be strong.
    Again, wait for the Eternal.

⁷ The path of those who do right is straight and smooth.
    O God, You who are upright, You make the way of the righteous level.
⁸ When we act in justice and righteousness—following Your laws—we wait for You.
    We are eager to hear Your holy name and remember Your ways.
⁹ At night I long for You with all that is in Me.
    When morning comes, I seek You with all my heart.
For when Your justice is done on earth,
    then everyone in the world will learn righteousness.
¹⁰ If grace is extended to those who do wrong,
    the perpetrators never learn what is right.
Even when surrounded by upright people, they gravitate to evil
    and never even notice the awesome beauty of the Eternal.
¹¹ O Eternal One, even when Your hand is raised against them, they do not see it.
    When they finally do see how passionately
You act on the people’s behalf, they will be ashamed.
    Ah, let the fire that consumes Your enemies consume them.
¹² Eternal One, You are preparing peace for us;
    in fact, everything we have accomplished has come from You.
¹³ Others have tried to rule over us,
    but You, Eternal One, are our God.
At the end of the day, when all is done,
    we acknowledge only You.
¹⁴ But now these would-be rulers are dead, never to live again;
    these shadowy spirits will never rise.
You have punished and utterly destroyed them—
    You erased every memory of them.
¹⁵ By contrast You have made this people great, Eternal One—
    made this nation vital and strong. To you be all glory!
You have expanded the borders of this land.