Old Testament

New Testament

Psalm 1-72
BOOK I: PSALMS 1–41
Psalm 1
Two Responses to God's Word
The Way of the Godly Leads to Blessing
1How blessed is the man
who does not walk in the advice of the wicked,
who does not stand on the path with sinners,
and who does not sit in a meeting with mockers.
2But his delight is in the teaching[] of the Lord,
and on his teaching he meditates day and night.
3He is like a tree planted beside streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season,
and its leaves do not wither.
Everything he does prospers.
The Way of the Ungodly Leads to Destruction
4Not so the wicked!
No, they are like the chaff which the wind blows away.
5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
Conclusion
6Yes, the Lord approves[] of the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Psalm 2
The Nations Conspire,
But God's King Rules Securely
The Futile Rebellion of the Nations
1Why do the nations rage?
Why do the peoples grumble in vain?
2The kings of the earth take a stand,
and the rulers join together
against the Lord
and against his Anointed One.[]
3“Let us tear off their chains
and throw off their ropes from us.”
The Reaction of the Lord
4The one who is seated in heaven laughs.
The Lord scoffs at them.
5Then he speaks to them in his anger,
and in his wrath he terrifies them.
6“I have installed my King on Zion, my holy mountain.”
The Powerful Rule of God's King
7I will proclaim the decree of the Lord.
He said to me:
“You are my Son.
Today I have begotten you.[]
8Ask me,
and I will give you the nations as your inheritance
and the ends of the earth as your possession.
9You will smash them with an iron rod.
You will break them to pieces like pottery.”
The Lesson to Be Learned
10So now, you kings, do what is wise.
Accept discipline,[] you judges of the earth.
11Serve the Lord with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
12Kiss the Son,
or he will be angry,
and you will be destroyed in your way,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
How blessed are all who take refuge in him.
Psalm 3
How Many Are My Foes,
But You Are My Shield
A psalm by David. When he fled from Absalom, his son.[]
Many Enemies
1O Lord, how my foes are multiplying!
Many are rising up against me!
2Many are saying about my life,
“There is no salvation for him in God.” Interlude[]
One Protector
3But you, O Lord, are a shield for me.
You are my glory and the one who lifts up my head.
4With a loud voice I cry out to the Lord,
and he answers me from his holy mountain. Interlude
Peaceful Rest
5I lie down, and I sleep.
I awake, because the Lord sustains me.
6I will not be afraid of the thousands of people
who line up against me on all sides.
Certain Victory
7Rise up, O Lord! Save me, my God!
Yes, you will strike all my enemies on the jaw.
The teeth of the wicked you will break.
8Salvation belongs to the Lord.
Your blessing rests on your people. Interlude
Psalm 4
My Righteous God, Give Me Relief
For the choir director. With stringed instruments. A psalm by David.
A Prayer to God
1My righteous God, answer me when I call.
When I was under pressure, you gave me relief.
Be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
A Rebuke to Enemies
2You people, how long will you turn my glory into shame?
How long will you love empty delusions?
How long will you pursue lies? Interlude
3Know this: The Lord has set apart
his favored one[] for himself.
The Lord will hear when I call to him.
Advice to David's Friends
4You may be upset, but do not sin.
When you are on your beds,
speak to your heart, but remain silent. Interlude
5Offer righteous sacrifices,
and trust in the Lord.
6Many are saying, “Who can show us any good?”
Shine the light of your face on us, O Lord.
Closing Prayer
7You have placed joy in my heart greater than the joy
when grain and new wine are plentiful.
8In complete peace I will lie down, and I will sleep,
for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 5
With You the Wicked Cannot Dwell
For the choir director. For flutes. A psalm by David.
Access in Prayer
1Turn your ear to my words, O Lord.
Understand me when I sigh.
2Pay attention to my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
3 Lord, in the morning you hear my voice.
In the morning I lay out my requests in front of you,
and I watch for your answer.
No Access for the Wicked
4For you are not a God who takes pleasure in evil.
With you the wicked cannot dwell.
5The arrogant cannot stand before your eyes.
You hate all evildoers.
6You put to death those who speak lies.
The Lord is disgusted with bloodthirsty, deceitful men.
Access in Prayer
7But as for me, by your great mercy
I will enter your house.
I will bow down toward your holy temple
with reverence for you.
8 Lord, lead me in your righteousness.
Because of those who slander me,
make your way straight before me.
Lying Tongues
9Nothing reliable comes out of their mouth.
From within them comes destruction.
Their throat is an open grave.
With their tongue they flatter.
10Declare them guilty, O God!
Let them fall because of their own schemes.
For their many treacherous deeds banish them,
because they have rebelled against you.
Praising Tongues
11But let all who take refuge in you be glad.
Let them sing for joy forever.
You cover them with protection,
so those who love your name rejoice in you.
12Yes, Lord, you bless the righteous.
You surround them with your favor as a shield.
Psalm 6
Do Not Rebuke Me in Your Anger
For the choir director. With stringed instruments.
According to sheminith.[] A psalm by David.
Anxious Prayer
1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger.
Do not discipline me in your wrath.
2Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am fading away.
Heal me, Lord, for my bones are trembling,
3and my soul is terrified.
But you, O Lord—how long?
4Turn, O Lord, and deliver my soul.
Save me because of your mercy.
5For in death no one remembers you.
In the grave who praises you?
6I am worn out from my groaning.
I flood my bed all night long.
With my tears I drench my couch.
7My eyes are blurred by sorrow.
They are worn out because of all my foes.
Confident Trust
8Turn away from me, all you evildoers,
because the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
9The Lord has heard my cry for mercy.
The Lord accepts my prayer.
10They will be put to shame.
All my enemies will be terrified.
They will turn back.
They will be put to shame in an instant.
Psalm 7
The Slandered Saint
A shiggaion[] by David, which he sang to the Lord
because of the words of Cush, from the tribe of Benjamin.
David's Innocence
1O Lord my God, in you I take refuge.
Save me from all my pursuers and deliver me.
2Otherwise, like a lion they will tear me apart.
They will drag me away with no one to rescue me.
3O Lord my God, if I have done this,
if there is injustice in my hands,
4if I have done evil to anyone who is at peace with me,
or if I have robbed my foe for no reason,
5then let an enemy pursue my life and overtake me.
Let him trample my life to the ground
and make my glory dwell in the dust. Interlude
David's Appeal for Justice
6Stand up, O Lord, in your anger.
Rise up against the fury of my foes.
Awake for me. You have commanded justice.[]
7A crowd of peoples surrounds you.
Turn against them from on high.
8Let the Lord judge the peoples.
Acquit me, O Lord, according to my righteousness,
according to my integrity which is in me.
9The evil of the wicked will come to an end,
but you will establish the righteous.
You search minds and hearts,[] O righteous God.
God's Judgment Against the Wicked
10My shield is God, who saves the upright in heart.
11God, the judge, is righteous,
but he is a God who expresses his wrath every day.
12If he[] does not relent,
the Lord[] will sharpen his sword.
He has bent his bow and will string it.
13He prepares his deadly weapons.
He will make his arrows flames.
You Reap What You Sow
14Yes, whoever conceives evil and is pregnant with trouble
will give birth to disappointment.[]
15He digs a pit and scoops it out,
and he will fall into the hole he has made.
16The trouble he causes comes back on his own head.
His violence comes down on top of his own skull.
Closing Praise
17I will thank the Lord because of his righteousness,
and I will make music to the name of the Lord Most High.
Psalm 8
Your Name Is Majestic
For the choir director. According to gittith.[] A psalm by David.
The Glory of God Declared by the Heavens
The Glory of God Declared by Children
1O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Set this glory of yours above the heavens.[]
2From the lips of little children and nursing babies
you have established strength[] because of your foes,
to put a stop to the enemy and the avenger.
The Glory of the Son of Man
3Whenever I look up at your heavens, the works of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place—
4what is man that you remember him,
the son of man[] that you pay attention to him!
5Nevertheless, you make him suffer need,
apart from God for a while,[]
but you crown him with glory and honor.
6You make him the ruler over the works of your hands.
You put everything under his feet:
7all flocks and cattle, and even the wild animals,
8the birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea,
which pass through the currents of the seas.
9O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Psalm 9
Praise for God's Righteous Judgment
For the choir director. According to “The Death of the Son.”[]
A psalm by David.
Praise for God's Righteous Judgment
1I will thank you, Lord, with all my heart.
I will tell about all your wonderful deeds.
2I will be glad and rejoice in you.
I will make music to your name, O Most High.
Judgment Against David's Enemies
3When my enemies turn back,
they stumble and perish from your presence,
4for you have upheld my rights and my cause.
You sat on the throne, judging righteously.
5You have rebuked the nations,
and you made the wicked perish.
You have blotted out their name forever and ever.
6As for the enemy, their destruction is complete and final.
You have uprooted cities.
Memory of them has perished with them.
Judgment Against the Whole World
7The Lord is seated forever.
He has established his throne for judgment.
8The Lord himself will judge the world in righteousness.
He will judge the peoples with fairness.
9The Lord will be a refuge for those who have been crushed,
a refuge for times of trouble.
10Those who know your name will trust in you,
for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.
Closing Praise and Final Appeal
11Make music for the Lord, who is seated in Zion.
Proclaim his deeds among the peoples.
12Yes, he who avenges bloodshed remembers them.
He does not forget the cry of the afflicted.
13Have mercy on me, O Lord.
See my afflictions that are caused by those who hate me,
and raise me up from the gates of death,
14so that I may declare all your praise.
In the gates of the Daughter of Zion[]
I will rejoice in your salvation.
The End of the Wicked
15The nations have sunk into the pit they have made.
Their feet are caught in the net that they have hidden.
16The Lord makes himself known by the judgment he has carried out.
By the work of his hands the wicked are snared. Interlude for meditation[]
17The wicked return to the grave,
all the nations who forget God.
18But he will never forget the needy.
The hope of the afflicted will never perish.
19Rise up, O Lord. Do not let man triumph.
Let the nations be judged in your presence.
20Strike them with fear, O Lord.
Let the nations know they are only human. Interlude
Psalm 10
Break the Arm of the Wicked Man
An Opening Appeal for Action
1Why, Lord, do you stand so far away?
Why do you hide in times of distress?
A Portrait of the Wicked
2Because of the pride of the wicked, the oppressed burn.[]
They are caught in the schemes that the wicked plan.
3Yes, the wicked man boasts about his heart's desires.
He blesses the robber. He despises the Lord.[]
4With his nose in the air, the wicked man does not seek God.
There is no room at all for God in his thoughts.
5His ways are prosperous all the time.
He is haughty. Your judgments do not concern him.
He snorts at all of his foes.
6He says in his heart, “I will not be shaken.
Through age after age I will have no trouble.”
7Cursing fills his mouth, along with lies and threats.
Trouble and evil lie under his tongue.
8He waits in ambush by the villages.
In hidden places he murders the innocent.
His eyes are spying on the helpless.
9He lies in ambush. He hides like a lion in a thicket.
He lies in ambush to catch the oppressed.
He catches the oppressed by dragging them in his net.
10The helpless are crushed. They sink down.
They fall under his strength.
11He says in his heart, “God has forgotten.
He hides his face. He never sees.”
An Appeal for Divine Justice
12Rise up, O Lord! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget the oppressed.
13Why does the wicked man despise God?
Why does he say in his heart,
“You do not seek justice”?
14But you do see. You notice trouble and grief.
You take it into your own hands.
The helpless one abandons himself to you.
For the fatherless you are indeed a helper.
15Break the arm of the wicked.
You pursue the wickedness of the evil man
until you find no more.[]
Confidence in Divine Justice
16The Lord is King forever and ever.
The nations will perish from his land.
17 Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted.
You strengthen their hearts,
and your ear pays attention,
18to obtain justice for the fatherless and the crushed,
so that the worldly man[] may no longer terrify.
Psalm 11
Faith, Not Flight
For the choir director. By David.
The Fear of the Fainthearted
1In the Lord I take refuge.
How can you say to my soul:
“Flee to your mountain like a bird.
2Look! The wicked bend their bow.
They set their arrow against the string
to shoot in the darkness at the upright in heart.
3When the foundations are being torn down,
what can the righteous do?”
David's Answer
4The Lord is in his holy temple.
The Lord is on his throne in heaven.
His eyes observe.
He focuses[] on the children of Adam.[]
5The Lord is righteous.
He examines the wicked.
He really hates[] those who love violence.
6On the wicked he will rain down fiery coals and sulfur.[]
A scorching wind will be the cup given to them.
7Indeed, the Lord is righteous. He loves righteousness.
The upright will view his face.
Psalm 12
Proud Word vs. Pure Words
For the choir director. According to sheminith.[] A psalm by David.
The Proud Words of the Ungodly
1Save us, Lord, for the merciful have disappeared.
The faithful have vanished from among mankind.
2Everyone speaks falsehood to his neighbor.
Their flattering lips speak double-talk.[]
3May the Lord cut off all flattering lips.
May he cut off every tongue that speaks boastfully,
4which says, “With our tongues we will establish our power.
We say whatever we please.[] Who is lord over us?”
The Pure Words of the Lord
5“Because of the destruction of the oppressed,
because of the groaning of the poor,
now I will rise up,” says the Lord.
“I will keep him safe from the one who puffs against him.”[]
6The words of the Lord are pure words,
like silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
purified seven times.
7You, Lord, will keep them safe.
You will protect them from such people forever.
8The wicked strut around
when depravity is honored by the children of Adam.
Psalm 13
How Long, O Lord?
For the choir director. A psalm by David.
Anguished Questions
1How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2How long must I experience worries in my soul,
sorrow in my heart every day?
How long will my enemy tower over me?
An Urgent Prayer
3Look at me. Answer me, O Lord my God.
Give light to my eyes
so I do not sleep in death,
4so my enemy does not say, “I have overcome him,”
so my foes do not rejoice when I fall.
A Solid Answer
5But I trust in your mercy.
My heart rejoices in your salvation.
6I will sing to the Lord
because he has accomplished his purpose for me.
Psalm 14
The Fool
For the choir director. By David.
A Description of the Fool
1The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt. They do disgusting things.
There is no one who does good.
2The Lord looks down from heaven on all the children of Adam
to see if there is anyone who understands,
anyone who seeks God.
3Every one has turned away.
Altogether they have become rotten.
There is no one who does good.
There is not even one.
The Final Fate of the Fool
4Don't any of these evildoers understand,
those who devour my people as if they were eating bread?
They do not call on the Lord.
5There they are! They are terrified
because God is present in the circle of the righteous.
6You try to put the plans of the poor to shame,
but the Lord is their refuge.
Closing Prayer
7Who will provide salvation for Israel from Zion?[]
When the Lord restores his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
Psalm 15
Who May Dwell in Your Sanctuary?
A psalm by David.
The Question: Who May Dwell in Your Sanctuary?
1 Lord, who may be a guest in your tent?
Who may dwell on your holy mountain?
The Answer: The One Who Does What Is Righteous
2One who walks with integrity,
who does what is righteous,
and who speaks the truth in his heart.
3He has no slander on his tongue.
He does not harm his friend,
and he does not defame his neighbor.
4He despises everyone whom God rejects,
but he honors those who fear the Lord.
When he promises something,
he does not break his word
even though it costs him a lot.
5He does not lend his money to get interest,[]
and he does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
One who does these things will never be toppled.
Psalm 16
You Will Not Abandon Me to the Grave
A miktam[] by David.
You are my Lord
1Guard me, O God, for I take refuge in you.
2I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord.
I have no good apart from you.”[]
3The holy ones who are in the land are glorious.
All my delight is in them.
4Those who chase after another god will increase their sorrows.
I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood.
I will not take up their names on my lips.
You Will Not Abandon Me to the Grave
5 Lord, you are the cup that has been given to me.
You have secured an allotment for me.
6The property lines chosen for me fall in pleasant places.
Yes, a delightful inheritance is mine.
7I will bless the Lord, who guides me.
Even at night my heart[] instructs me.
8I have set the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9Therefore my heart is glad,
and my whole being[] rejoices,
Even my flesh will dwell securely
10because you will not abandon my life to the grave.
You will not let your favored one[] see decay.
11You have made known to me the path of life,
fullness of joy in your presence,
pleasures at your right hand forever.
Psalm 17
My Righteous Plea
A prayer by David
David's Righteousness
1Hear my righteous plea, O Lord.
Pay attention to my outcry.
Turn your ear to my prayer, which is not offered by deceitful lips.
2May a just verdict for me come from you.
May your eyes observe the things that are right.
3You have tested my heart.
You have visited me at night.
You have refined me;
you have found nothing wrong.
I resolved that my mouth will not overstep its bounds.
4As for the deeds of people:
by the words from your lips
I have kept myself from the ways of the violent.
5Keep my footsteps on your paths.
My steps have not slipped.
God's Love
6Indeed, I call to you because you will answer me, O God.
Turn your ear toward me. Hear what I say.
7Perform wonders through your mercy.
By your right hand save those who seek refuge
from those who rise up against them.
8Guard me like the pupil of your eye.[]
In the shadow of your wings hide me
9from the wicked who try to destroy me,
from those enemies of my life who surround me.
The Enemies' Ruthlessness
10Their hearts are calloused.[]
Their mouths speak arrogantly.
11Now they surround our steps.
They watch us to throw us to the ground.
12He is like a lion that is eager to tear,
like a young lion crouching in its hiding place.
13Rise, O Lord. Confront him. Bring him down.
Save my life from the wicked by your sword.
14Save me from such men by your hand, O Lord,
from men of this world, whose reward is in this life.
Closing Confidence
But you fill the stomach of those whom you treasure.[]
Their children are satisfied,
and they leave their wealth to their children.
15Indeed, in righteousness I will view your face.
When I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.
Psalm 18
Unfailing Kindness to David
and to His Descendant Forever
For the choir director.
By David, the servant of the Lord, who spoke the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord had delivered him from the grasp of all his enemies, even from the grasp of Saul.
Praise to the Rock of Salvation
1Then he said:
I love you, O Lord, my strength.
2The Lord is my rocky cliff, my stronghold, and my deliverer.
My God is my rock. I take refuge in him.
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my high fortress.
3I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies.
Deliverance From Death
4The ropes of death entangled me.
Floodwaters of destruction[] rolled over me.
5The ropes of the grave wrapped around me.
The traps of death threatened me.
6In my distress I called to the Lord.
To my God I cried out.
He heard my voice from his temple.
My cry came before him. It reached his ears.
The Greatness of the Deliverer
7Then the earth shook and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains[] trembled.
They shook because the Lord was angry.
8Smoke rose from his nostrils,
and fire from his mouth devoured.
Coals were set on fire by it.
9Then he tore open the heavens and came down.
A dark cloud was under his feet.
10He rode upon a cherub,[] and he flew.
He soared on the wings of the wind.
11He made the darkness around him his hiding place.
Dark rain clouds[] surrounded him like a canopy.
12Emerging from the brightness in front of him
his clouds passed by with hail and coals of fire.
13Then the Lord thundered in the heavens.
The Most High raised his voice with hail and coals of fire.[]
14Then he shot his arrows and scattered the enemy.
He shot great lightning bolts and routed them.
15Then the sources of water[] were revealed,
and the foundations of the world were uncovered
by your rebuke, O Lord,
by the breath of wind from your nostrils.
16He reached down from on high and took hold of me.
He drew me out of deep waters.
17Because they were too strong for me,
he rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from those who hate me.
18They confronted me on the day of my disaster,
but the Lord supported me.
19Then he brought me out into a wide-open space.
He rescued me because he delighted in me.
David's Uprightness as a Basis for God's Judgment
20The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness.
According to the cleanness of my hands he has repaid me,
21for I have kept the ways of the Lord.
I have not done evil and departed from my God.
22So all his just decrees remain before me,
and I have not turned his statutes away from me.
23I have been blameless with him.
I have kept myself from guilt.
24The Lord has repaid me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
God's Uprightness as a Basis for His Judgment
25To the merciful you reveal yourself as merciful.
To the blameless person you reveal yourself as blameless.
26To the pure you reveal yourself as pure,
but to the crooked you reveal yourself as crafty.
27For you save humble people,
but you bring low the eyes of the arrogant.
28Yes, you light my lamp, O Lord.
My God turns my darkness to light.
29For with you I can charge against a battalion,
and with my God I can jump over a wall.
God Equips David for Victory
30This God—his way is blameless.
The speech of the Lord is pure.
He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.
31For who is God besides the Lord?
And who is the Rock except our God?
32This God wraps me with strength
and makes my way perfect.[]
33By making my feet like those of a deer
he enables me to stand on high places.
34Because he trains my hands for battle
my arms can draw a bronze bow.
35Then you give me the shield of your salvation.
Your right hand sustains me,
and you stoop down to lift me up.
36You widen the path under my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way.
David's Victories
37I pursued my enemies, and I overtook them.
So I did not turn back until they were wiped out.
38I crushed them so that they could not rise again.
They fell beneath my feet.
39You wrapped me with strength for battle.
You made those who rose up against me bow down to me.
40You made my enemies turn their backs and flee.
I destroyed those who hate me.
41They cried for help, but there was no one to save them.
They cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
42So I grind them as fine as dust blown by the wind.
I dump them out like mud in the streets.
43You delivered me from the accusations of the people.
You made me the head of nations.
A people I did not know serve me.
44As soon as they hear me, they obey me.
Foreigners cower before me.
45Foreigners fall exhausted.
They come trembling from their strongholds.
Closing Words of Faith
46The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock!
May the God who saves me be exalted!
47The God who avenges me subdues peoples under me.
48You delivered me from my enemies.
Yes, you exalted me above those who rose against me.
You rescued me from the violent man.
49Therefore I will praise you among the nations, Lord.
To your name I will make music.
50By providing great salvation for his King,
he shows mercy to his Anointed One,
to David and to his Descendant[] forever.
Psalm 19
The Glory of God Is Revealed
For the choir director. A psalm by David.
The Glory of God Revealed by Creation
1The heavens tell about the glory of God.
The expanse of the sky proclaims the work of his hands.
2Day after day they pour out speech.
Night after night they display knowledge.
3They do not speak. They say no words.
Their voice is not heard.[]
4Their voice[] goes out into all the earth,
and their word reaches the end of the world.
God has pitched a tent for the sun in the heavens.
5It comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy.
It celebrates like a champion who has run his race.
6It sets out from one end of the heavens.
It runs until it reaches the other end.
There is nowhere to hide from its heat.
The Glory of God Revealed in His Word
7The law[] of the Lord is perfect.
It revives the soul.
The testimony of the Lord is trustworthy.
It gives wisdom to the inexperienced.[]
8The precepts of the Lord are right.
They give joy to the heart.
The commandment of the Lord is bright.
It gives light to the eyes.
9The fear of the Lord is pure.
It stands forever.
The just decrees of the Lord are truth.
They are altogether righteous.
10They are more desirable than gold,
even better than much pure gold.
They are sweeter than honey,
even honey dripping from the honeycomb.
The Glory of God is Revealed in the Believer's Life
11Yes, by them your servant is warned.
In keeping them there is great reward.
12Who can recognize his own errors?
Declare me innocent of hidden sins.
13Restrain your servant also from deliberate sins.
Do not let them rule over me.
Then I will be blameless.
Then I will be innocent of great rebellion.
14May the speech from my mouth
and the thoughts in my heart be pleasing to you,
O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 20
A Prayer for Victory for the King
For the choir director. A psalm by David.
The People's Prayer
1May the Lord answer you in the day of distress.
May the name of the God of Jacob lift you up.
2May he send you help from the holy place.
May he support you from Zion.
3May he remember all your sacrificial gifts.
May he accept your burnt offerings. Interlude
4May he give you whatever your heart desires.
May he fulfill all your plans.
5We will shout joyfully when God saves you.
In the name of our God we will lift up our banners.
May the Lord fulfill all your prayers.
The King's Response
6Now I know that the Lord saves his Anointed.[]
He answers him from his holy heavens
with powerful acts of salvation from his right hand.
The People's Prayer
7Some rely on chariots, and some on horses,
but we rely on the name of the Lord our God.
8They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.
9 Lord, save the king! Answer us in the day we call!
Psalm 21
Thanksgiving for Victory
For the choir director. A psalm by David.
The People Thank the Lord for Victory
1O Lord, the king rejoices in your strength.
He joyfully celebrates salvation from you.
2You have granted him what his heart desired.
You have not denied the request from his lips. Interlude
3Yes, you meet him to give him great blessings.
You place a crown of pure gold on his head.
4He asked you for life, and you gave it to him
—length of days, forever and ever.
5He receives great glory through the salvation you gave.
You bestow splendor and majesty on him.
6Surely you grant him blessings forever.
You make him glad with joy in your presence.
7Surely the king trusts in the Lord,
and through the mercy of the Most High he will not be shaken.
The People Assure the King of Future Victory
8Your hand will reach all your enemies.
Your right hand will reach those who hate you.
9At the time when you appear, O Lord,
you will make them like a blazing furnace.
In his anger he will swallow them.
Fire will consume them.
10You will cause their fruit to perish from the earth,
their seed[] from among the children of Adam.
11Indeed, they intend[] evil against you.
They plan wicked schemes,
but they will not succeed,
12because you will make them turn and run
when you get ready to aim your arrows at them.
The People Praise the Lord
13Rise up, O Lord, in your strength.
We will sing and make music because of your might.
Psalm 22
Why Have You Forsaken Me?
For the choir director. According to “Doe of the Dawn.”[]
A psalm by David.
Part One: The Messiah's Suffering
The Messiah's Plea
1My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
My groaning does nothing to save me.
2My God, I call out by day, but you do not answer.
I call out by night, but there is no relief for me.[]
God's Help in the Past
3Yet you are seated as the Holy One, praised by Israel.
4In you our fathers trusted.
They trusted and you delivered them.
5They cried out to you, and they were rescued.
They trusted in you, and they were not disappointed.
God's Present Absence
6But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by men and despised by the people.
7All who see me mock me. They sneer.
They shake their heads.
They say, 8“Trust in the Lord.”[]
“Let the Lord deliver him.
Let him rescue him, if he delights in him.”[]
The Mutual Love of Father and Son
9But you are the one who brought me out of the belly.
You made me trust when I was at my mother's breasts.
10I was cast on you from the womb.
From the belly of my mother you have been my God.
11Do not be distant from me, for distress is near,
and there is no one to help.
The Power of His Enemies
12Many bulls surround me.
Strong bulls from Bashan encircle me.
13Enemies open their mouths wide against me,
like a lion that tears its prey and roars.
14Like water I am poured out.
All my bones are pulled apart.
My heart has become like wax.
It has melted in the middle of my chest.
15My strength is dried up like broken pottery,
and my tongue is stuck to the roof of my mouth.
You lay me in the dust of death.
16For dogs have surrounded me.
A band of evil men has encircled me.
They have pierced[] my hands and my feet.
17I can count all my bones.
They stare and gloat over me.
18They divide my garments among them.
For my clothing they cast lots.
The Greater Power of God
19But you, O Lord, do not be distant.
O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
20Deliver my life from the sword,
my only life from the power of the dog.
21Save me from the mouth of the lion.
From the horns of the wild oxen you have answered me.[]
Part Two: The Messiah's Glory
The Messiah's Vow
22I will declare your name to my brothers.
In the midst of the congregation I will praise you.
23You who fear the Lord, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Stand in awe of him, all you descendants of Israel!
24For he has not despised nor detested the affliction of the afflicted.
He has not hidden his face from him,
but when he cried out to him, he heard.
25You are the source of my praise in the great congregation.[]
I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who fear him.
The Glory of Messiah's Kingdom
26The poor will eat and be satisfied.
Those who seek him will praise the Lord
—may he live in your hearts forever![]
27All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations will bow down before you.
28For the kingdom belongs to the Lord,
and he rules over the nations.
29All the rich of the earth will eat and bow down.
All who go down to the dust will kneel before him
—those who cannot keep themselves alive.[]
30Descendants will serve him.
For generations people will be told about the Lord.
31They will come and proclaim his righteousness
to a people yet to be born
—because he has done it.
Psalm 23
The King of Love My Shepherd Is
A psalm by David.
The Shepherd Provides for His People
1The Lord is my shepherd.
I lack nothing.
2He causes me to lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside quiet waters.
3He restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
The Shepherd Protects His People
4Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
The Royal Host Provides for His People
5You set a table for me in the presence of my foes.
You drench my head with oil.[]
My cup is overflowing.
6Surely goodness and mercy will pursue me all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.[]
Psalm 24
The King of Glory
By David. A psalm.
The King of Glory Owns the Whole World
1The earth is the Lord's
and everything that fills it,
the world and all who live in it,
2because he founded it on the seas,
and he established it on the rivers.[]
The King of Glory Is Served by a Holy People
3Who may go up to the mountain of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place?
4He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
whose soul is not set on what is false,
who does not swear deceitfully.
5He will receive blessing from the Lord
and righteousness from the God who saves him.
6Such are the people of Jacob
who look for the Lord,
who seek your face.[] Interlude[]
The King of Glory Comes
7Lift up your heads, you gates.
Lift yourselves up, you ancient doors,
and the King of Glory will come in.
8Who is this King of Glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
the Lord mighty in battle.
9Lift up your heads, you gates.
Lift up, you ancient doors,
and the King of Glory will come in.
10Who is he, this King of Glory?
The Lord of Armies—he is the King of Glory. Interlude
Psalm 25
Teach Me Your Ways
By David.
A Prayer for Protection
1To you, O Lord, I will lift up my soul.
2In you I have trusted, O my God.
Do not let me be put to shame.
Do not let my enemies triumph over me.
3All who hope in you will never be put to shame,
but those who are treacherous for no reason will be put to shame.
A Prayer for Forgiveness
4Make known to me your ways, O Lord.
Teach me your paths.
5Make me walk in your truth and teach me,
because you are the God who saves me.
In you I hope all day long.
6Remember, O Lord, your compassion and your mercy,
for they are from eternity.[]
7Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways.
According to your mercy remember me,
because of your goodness, O Lord.
8Good and upright is the Lord.
Therefore, he instructs sinners in the right way.
9He directs the humble to what is just,
and he teaches the humble his way.
10All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth
for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
11For the sake of your name, O Lord,
you forgive my guilt, although it is great.
A Prayer for a Godly Life
12Who, then, is the man who fears the Lord?
The Lord will instruct him in the way he chooses.
13That man will enjoy a good life,
and his descendants will possess the land.
14The guidance[] of the Lord is with those who fear him.
His covenant will give them knowledge.
A Second Prayer for Protection
15My eyes are always on the Lord,
because he frees my feet from the net.
16Turn toward me and be gracious to me,
because I am lonely and afflicted.
17The distress of my heart increases.[]
Bring me out of my anguish.
18See my affliction and my trouble,
and take away all my sins.
19See my enemies
—how they have increased,
and how violently they hate me!
20Guard my life and rescue me.
Do not let me be put to shame,
for I have taken refuge in you.
21May integrity and uprightness protect me,
because I wait for you.
22Redeem Israel, O God, from all its distress!
Psalm 26
Vindicate Me, O Lord
By David.
Affirmation of Innocence and Plea for Judgment
1Judge me favorably, O Lord,
because I have walked in my integrity.
In the Lord I have trusted. I have not wavered.
2Test me, O Lord, and examine me.
Refine my thoughts and my emotions,
3for your mercy is in front of my eyes,
and I keep walking in your truth.
Separation from Evil
4I do not sit with deceivers.
I do not associate with hypocrites.
5I hate the company of evildoers.
I do not sit with the wicked.
Affirmation of Innocence and Love for God
6I wash my hands from sin,
so I can march around your altar, O Lord,
7to shout thanks to you
and to proclaim all your wonderful deeds.
8 Lord, I love the house where you reside,
the place where your glory dwells.
Separation from Evil
9Do not snatch my soul away along with sinners,
nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
10who grasp wicked schemes in their hands,
whose right hands are full of bribes.
Affirmation of Innocence and Prayer for Redemption
11But as for me, I will walk in my integrity.
Redeem me and be merciful to me.
12My feet stand on level ground.
In the assemblies I will bless the Lord.
Psalm 27
The Stronghold of My Life
By David
Safe in God's Stronghold
1The Lord is my light and my salvation
—whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life
—of whom shall I be afraid?
2When evildoers advance against me to eat my flesh,
when my foes and my enemies come against me,
it is they who will stumble and fall.
3If an army lines up against me, my heart will not fear.
If war rises against me, even then I will keep trusting.
Happy in God's Temple
4One thing I ask from the Lord. This is what I seek:
that I live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord,
and to seek him in his temple.[]
5Yes, he will hide me in his shelter on the day of trouble.
He will hide me in his tent.
He will set me high on a rock.
6Then my head will be lifted up above the enemies who surround me.
I will offer sacrifices at his tent with a joyful shout.
I will sing and make music to the Lord.
Confident in Prayer
7Hear me, O Lord. With my voice I call.
Be merciful to me and answer me.
8When you say, “Seek my face,” my heart says to you,
“Your face, Lord, I will seek.”
9Do not hide your face from me.
Do not turn your servant away in anger.
You have been my help.
Do not reject me or forsake me, O God who saves me.
10If my father and my mother abandoned me,
the Lord would take me in.
Walking in God's Path
11 Lord, teach me your way,
and lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.
12Do not give me up to the desire of my foes,
because false witnesses rise up against me,
and so do those who breathe out violence.
At Home in God's Land
13Unless I was confident to see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living[]—
14Wait for the Lord. Be strong and take heart,
and wait for the Lord!
Psalm 28
My Rock
By David.
Protect Me from the Wicked
1O Lord, I keep calling to you.
My Rock, do not be deaf to me.
If you remain silent to me,
I will become like those who go down to the pit.
2Hear the sound of my plea for mercy when I cry out to you,
when I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.
3Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those evildoers.
They speak peace to their neighbors but hide evil in their hearts.
Punish the Wicked
4Give to them what they have done to others.
According to their evil actions,
according to the deeds of their hands, punish them.
Repay to them what they deserve.
5Because they do not recognize the works of the Lord
or the deeds of his hands,
he will tear them down and not build them up.
Then I Will Praise You
6Blessed be the Lord,
because he has heard the sound of my plea for mercy.
7The Lord is my strength and my shield.
In him my heart trusts, and I am helped.
My heart also celebrates.
With my song I will give thanks to him.
8The Lord is their strength.
He is a stronghold of salvation for his anointed king.
9Save your people, and bless the people that belong to you.
Shepherd them, and carry them forever.
Psalm 29
The God of Glory Thunders
A Psalm by David.
The God of Glory Thunders
1Ascribe to the Lord, you sons of God,[]
Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name.
Bow down to the Lord in the splendor of holiness.
3The voice of the Lord is heard over the waters.
The God of glory thunders.
The Lord thunders above the mighty waters.
4The voice of the Lord thunders in power.
The voice of the Lord thunders in majesty.
5The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars.
The Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
6He makes Mount Lebanon skip like a calf.
Sirion[] skips like a young wild ox.
7The voice of the Lord slashes with flashes of fire.
8The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness.
The Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.
9The voice of the Lord destroys the oaks[]
and strips the forests bare.
So in his temple they all say, “Glory!”
10The Lord is seated over the flood.
The Lord is seated as King forever.
11The Lord gives strength to his people.
The Lord blesses his people with peace.
Psalm 30
You Brought Me Up From the Grave
A psalm. A song for the dedication of the Temple. By David.
Praise for Answered Prayer
1I will exalt you, O Lord,
because you lifted me up.
You did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
2O Lord my God, I cried out to you,
and you healed me.
3 Lord, you snatched my life from the grave.
You kept me alive so I did not go down into the pit.
Join Me in Prayer
4Make music to the Lord, you his favored ones,
and give thanks when you remember[] his holiness,
5for we spend a moment under his anger,
but we enjoy a lifetime in his favor.
In the evening, weeping comes to stay through the night,
but in the morning, there is rejoicing!
Wrestling in Prayer
6But I—I said in my security,
“I will never be knocked down.”
7 Lord, in your favor you made strength
stand like a mountain for me.
Then you hid your face. I was terrified.
8To you, O Lord, I call.
To the Lord I cry for mercy:
9“What gain is there in shedding my blood,
in sending me down to destruction?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it proclaim your truth?
10 Lord, hear and be merciful to me.
Lord, be a helper for me.”
A Happy Outcome
11You turned my mourning into dancing.
You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
12so that my whole being[] may make music to you
and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I thank you forever.
Psalm 31
Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit
For the choir director. A psalm by David.
A Declaration of Confidence
1In you, Lord, I have taken refuge.
Petition
Let me never be put to shame.
In your righteousness deliver me.
2Turn your ear toward me.
Hurry! Rescue me!
Be a rock where I take refuge,
a fortified place that saves me.
The Basis for Confidence
3Yes, you are my rocky cliff and my stronghold.
For the sake of your name you will lead me and guide me.
4You will pull me out of the net that they hid for me,
because you are my refuge.
5Into your hand I commit my spirit.
You have redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth.
6I hate those who keep worthless idols,
but I trust in the Lord.
7I will be glad and rejoice in your mercy,
because you saw my affliction.
You knew the distress of my soul.
8You have not left me in the hand of the enemy.
You have made my feet stand in a wide-open space.
A Prayer for Delivery
9Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress.
My eye grows weak with sorrow
—my soul and my body too.
10Yes, my life is consumed by grief,
and my years by groaning.
My strength fails because of my guilt,
and my bones grow weak.
11Because of all my foes,
I am a disgrace, especially to my neighbors.
I am dreaded by those who know me.
Those who see me on the street flee from me.
12I have been forgotten like a dead man, gone from memory.[]
I have become like a broken pot.
13Yes, I hear the slander of many.
There is terror on every side.
When they conspire together against me,
they plot to take my life.
Confident Petition
14But I—I trust in you, O Lord.
I say, “You are my God.”
15My times are in your hand.
Deliver me from the hand of my enemies
and from those who pursue me.
16Let your face shine on your servant.
Save me in your mercy.
17Do not allow me to be put to shame, O Lord,
because I have cried out to you.
But let the wicked be put to shame.
Let them be silent in the grave.[]
18Let lying lips be silenced,
those who speak against the righteous
impudently with pride and contempt.
Closing Praise
19How great is your goodness,
which you store up for those who fear you,
which you deliver for those who take refuge in you
in the presence of the people.
20You hide them in your presence from the schemes of man.
You conceal them in your shelter from accusing tongues.
21Blessed be the Lord,
because he made his mercy wonderful for me
when I was in a besieged city.
22In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from before your eyes!”
But you heard the sound of my cry for mercy
when I cried out to you.
23Love the Lord, all his favored ones!
The Lord preserves the faithful,
but he pays back in full the one who acts proudly.
24Be strong, and let your heart be firm,
all you who wait confidently for the Lord.
Psalm 32
How Blessed Is the Person Whose Rebellion Is Forgiven
By David. A maskil.[]
The Joy of Forgiveness
1How blessed is the person
whose rebellion is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
2How blessed is the person
whose guilt the Lord does not charge against him,
in whose spirit there is no deceit.
Obtaining the Joy of Forgiveness
3When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away as I groaned all day long.
4For day and night your hand was heavy on me.
My moisture was dried up
by the droughts of summer. Interlude
5I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover up my guilt.
I said, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord,”
and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Interlude
6Because of this let everyone who receives favor
pray to you at a time when you may be found.
Surely when the mighty waters overflow,
they will not reach him.
7You are my hiding place.
You will protect me from distress.
You will surround me with shouts of deliverance. Interlude
Sharing the Joy of Forgiveness
8I will make you wise.
I will instruct you in the way that you should go.
I will guide you, keeping my eye on you.
9Do not be like a horse or a mule, which has no understanding.
Its mouth must be controlled by a bit and bridle,
or else it will not come to you.
10Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but mercy will surround those who trust in the Lord.
11Rejoice in the Lord and celebrate, all you righteous,
and shout joyfully, all you upright in heart.
Psalm 33
Blessed Is the Nation Whose God Is the Lord
Introductory Praise
1Shout joyfully to the Lord, you righteous.
The praise of the upright is beautiful.
2Thank the Lord with a lyre.
Make music for him with the ten-stringed harp.
3Sing to him a new song.
Play skillfully and shout praises.
4Yes, the word of the Lord is right,
and everything he does is trustworthy.
5He loves righteousness and justice.
The mercy of the Lord fills the earth.
God's Love in Creation
6By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.
By the breath of his mouth he made the whole army of stars.[]
7He gathers the water of the sea into a heap.
He puts the depths into storehouses.
8Let all the earth fear the Lord.
Let all the inhabitants of the world revere him.
9For he said, “Let it be,” and it was!
He gave a command, and there it stood.
God's Rule of History
10The Lord wrecks the plan of the nations.
He hinders the intentions of the peoples.
11The plan of the Lord stands forever.
The intentions of his heart stand through all generations.
12How blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people he chose to be his possession.
13From heaven the Lord observes.
He sees all the children of Adam.
14From his throne room he looks at all the inhabitants of earth.
15He is the one who shapes their hearts altogether.
He understands all their deeds.
16No king is saved by the great size of his army.
No hero is rescued by his great strength.
17You cannot rely on a horse to save you.
Its great strength will not deliver you.
18Look, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
on those who wait for his mercy.
19He will deliver their souls from death.
He keeps them alive in famine.
Concluding Prayer
20Our souls wait for the Lord.
He is our help and our shield.
21Yes, in him our heart rejoices,
because we trust in his holy name.
22May your mercy, O Lord, be on us,
even as we wait confidently for you.
Psalm 34
Blessed Is the Person Who Takes Refuge in God
By David. When he pretended to be insane in the presence of Abimelek, who drove him away, and David left.[]
David's Thanks for Delivery
1I will bless the Lord at all times.
His praise will always be in my mouth.
2In the Lord my soul will boast.
The humble will hear and rejoice.
An Invitation to Join David in Praise
3Proclaim the greatness of the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together.
The Story of David's Delivery
4I sought the Lord, and he answered me.
From all my terrors he delivered me.
5His people look to him and are radiant,
and their faces will never blush.
6This poor man called, and the Lord heard.
From all his distress the Lord saved him.
7The angel of the Lord[] camps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.
The Application of This Truth to All Believers
8Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Blessed is everyone who takes refuge in him.
9Fear the Lord, you his saints,
since those who fear him lack nothing.
10Young lions may lack food and be hungry,
but those who seek the Lord do not lack any good thing.
11Come, children, listen to me.
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12Who wants to find pleasure in life?
Who would love to experience many good days?
13Guard your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14Turn from evil and do good.
Seek peace and pursue it.
15The eyes of the Lord watch over the righteous.
His ears listen to their cry.
16The face of the Lord is set against those who do evil,
to cut off memory of them from the earth.
17The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears.
From all their distress he delivers them.
18The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
He saves those whose spirits have been crushed.
19Many are the troubles of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him from them all.
20He watches over all his bones.
Not one of them will be broken.
21Evil will slay the wicked.
Those who hate the righteous will be found guilty.
22The Lord redeems the soul[] of his servants.
Anyone who takes refuge in him will not be found guilty.
Psalm 35
David's Defender
By David.
Opening Prayer
1 Lord, oppose those who oppose me.
Fight against those who fight against me.
2Put on your armor and shield.[]
Rise up to help me.
3Wield a spear and block the way[] of those who pursue me.
Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”
First Petition
4May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame.
May those who plot to harm me be turned back and dismayed.
5May they be like chaff driven by the wind.
May an angel of the Lord drive them away.
6May their path be dark and slippery.
May an angel of the Lord pursue them.
7Without cause they hid their net to catch me.
Without cause they dug a pit to trap me.
8May devastation overtake him before he knows it.
May the net which he hid catch him.
May he fall into it to his own destruction.
First Vow
9Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord.
It will delight in his salvation.
10All my bones[] will say, “Lord, who is like you?
You rescue the poor from the one too strong for him,
the poor and needy from the one who robs him.”
The Attacks of the Wicked
11Malicious witnesses arise.
They ask me about things I do not know.
12They repay me with evil instead of good.
They rob my soul of happiness.
13But when they were sick, I dressed in sackcloth.
I afflicted myself with fasting.
My prayers returned unanswered.[]
14I walked around mourning,
as if mourning for a friend or for my brother.
I bowed down, dirty with ashes,
as though mourning for my mother.
15But when I stumbled, they were happy.
They gathered together.
Yes, attackers gathered together against me
though I did not expect it.
They ripped me and were never quiet.
16Like profane mockers,[] they gnashed their teeth at me.
Second Petition
17Lord, how long will you look on?
Restore my life from their devastating attacks,
my precious life from these young lions.
Second Vow
18I will give thanks to you in the great assembly.
In a large crowd I will praise you.
Third Petition
19Do not let them rejoice over me—
those who are my enemies without cause.
Do not let those who hate me without reason mock me.[]
20For they do not speak for peace,
but they devise false accusations
against those who live quietly in the land.
21They also open their mouth wide against me.
They say, “Ha! Ha! We see with our own eyes.”
22 Lord, you have seen all this.
Do not be silent.
Lord, do not be far from me.
23Wake up and rise up to my defense!
My God and Lord, rise to my cause.
24Judge me according to your righteousness,
O Lord, my God.
Do not let them rejoice over me.
25Do not let them say in their hearts,
“Aha! Just what we wanted!”
Do not let them say,
“We have swallowed him.”
26May those who rejoice over my trouble
be put to shame and disgrace.
May those who exalt themselves over me
be clothed with shame and contempt.
27May those who are pleased by my acquittal
shout for joy and be glad.
May they always say, “The Lord is great.
He takes delight in the peace of his servant.”
Third Vow
28My tongue will report your righteousness
and your praise all day long.
Psalm 36
Concerning the Rebelliousness of the Wicked
For the choir director. By the servant of the Lord. By David.
1A declaration about the rebellion of the wicked is deep in my heart.[]
The Arrogance of the Wicked
There is no dread of God before his eyes,
2because he flatters himself in his own eyes
too much to notice his guilt and to hate it.
3The words from his mouth are deception and deceit.
He has given up being wise and doing good.
4He plots deception even on his bed.
He sets out on a path that is not good.
He does not reject wrong.
The Goodness of God
5 Lord, your mercy reaches to the heavens.
Your faithfulness to the skies.
6Your righteousness is as high as the mountains of God.
Your justice is as deep as the ocean.
You save both man and animal, O Lord.
7How precious is your mercy, O God!
So all people[] find refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8They are satisfied by the rich food of your house.
You let them drink from your river of delights.
9For with you is the fountain of life.
In your light we see light.
Closing Prayer
10Stretch out your mercy over those who know you,
your righteousness to the upright in heart.
11Do not let the foot of the proud trample me.
Do not let the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12There the evildoers have fallen!
They have been thrown down!
They are not able to rise!
Psalm 37
Do Not Fret Because of Evildoers
By David.
Don't Be Frustrated by the Wicked
1Do not fret because of evildoers.
Do not be envious of those who do wrong,
2for like grass they will wither quickly.
Like green plants they will wilt.
Trust in God's Goodness
3Trust in the Lord, and do good.
Dwell in the land and feed on faithfulness.[]
4Take pleasure in the Lord,
and he will grant your heart's desires.
5Commit your way to the Lord.
Trust in him, and he will act.
6He will make your righteousness shine like light,
your justice like noon.
7Be silent before the Lord. Wait patiently for him.
Do not fret when an evil man succeeds in his ways,
when he carries out his wicked schemes.
Consider the Final Destiny of the Wicked
8Let go of anger and abandon rage.
Do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9For evildoers will be cut off,
but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the earth.
10After a little while the wicked will be no more.
When you search for them at their place, they are not there.
11But the meek[] will inherit the earth.
They will enjoy plenty of peace.
12The wicked person plots against the righteous.
He gnashes his teeth at him,
13but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
because he sees that his day is coming.
14The wicked draw their sword,
and they bend their bow
to make the poor and needy fall,
to slaughter those whose ways are upright.
15Their swords will pierce their hearts,
and their bows will be broken.
Be Satisfied with God's Blessings
16Better the little that one righteous person has
than the wealth of many wicked people,
17because the arms of the wicked will be broken,
but the Lord upholds the righteous.
18The Lord knows the days of the blameless.
Their inheritance will last forever.
19They will not be ashamed in time of disaster.
In days of famine they will be full.
20Surely the wicked will perish.
The enemies of the Lord will be
like beautiful flowers in the pastures.
But they will vanish. Like smoke they will vanish.
Continue to Live a Godly Life
21The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous are gracious and give.
22So those God blesses will inherit the earth,
but those he curses will be cut off.
23By the Lord the steps of a person are made secure.
Then he will delight in his way.
24Though he falls, he will not stay down,
because the Lord holds him by his hand.
25I was a young man. Now I am old.
But I have never seen a righteous person forsaken
or his children begging for bread.
26Every day he is gracious and lends.
His children will be blessed.
27Turn back from evil and do good.
Then you will remain forever.
28For the Lord loves justice.
He will not forsake his favored ones.[]
They will be protected forever,
but the descendants of the wicked will be cut off.
29The righteous will inherit the earth.
They will dwell on it forever.
30The mouth of the righteous person utters wisdom.
His tongue speaks what is just.
31The law of his God is in his heart.
His steps do not slip.
Review of the Theme
32The wicked spy on the righteous one and seek to kill him.
33The Lord will not leave him in their hand.
He will not let him be condemned when he is put on trial.
34Wait for the Lord and keep to his way.
He will raise you up to take possession of the earth.
When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.
35I saw a wicked, ruthless man.
He was rooted like a green plant in its native soil,
36but he passed away. Just like that, he was gone!
I searched for him, but he could not be found.
37Take note of the blameless. Look at the upright.
Yes, there is a future for the man of peace,
38but rebels will be completely destroyed.
The future of the wicked will be cut off.
39The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord.
He is their stronghold in times of stress.
40The Lord helps them and delivers them.
He delivers them from the wicked.
He saves them, because they have taken refuge in him.
Psalm 38
Do Not Rebuke Me in Your Anger
A Psalm by David. To bring to remembrance.
Opening Plea
1 Lord, do not rebuke me in anger.
Do not discipline me in wrath.
The Greatness of David's Burden
2Indeed, your arrows have stuck in me.
Your hand has come down on me.
3There is no health in my flesh because of your rage.
There is no wellness in my bones because of my sin,
4because my guilt has gone over my head.
Like a heavy burden, it is too heavy for me.
5My wounds stink and ooze because of my folly.
6I am drooping. I am completely bent over.
All day long I go around mourning.
7Even my back burns with pain.[]
My whole body[] is unhealthy.
8I have become numb. I am totally crushed.
I groan loudly because of my anxious thoughts.
9Lord, all my needs lie before you.
My sighs are not hidden from you.
10My heart beats quickly. My strength leaves me.
Even the light of my eyes is gone from me.
11My loved ones and my friends stand far away
because of the blow I have suffered.
My neighbors stand at a distance.
12Those who pursue my life set traps.
Those who seek to harm me talk about my ruin.
All day long they plot deception.
13I am deaf. I cannot hear.
Like a mute person, I cannot open my mouth.
14I am like a man who cannot hear.
No response comes from his mouth.
David's Confidence of Delivery
15Yet I wait for you, Lord.
You will answer, O Lord my God.
16So I said, “Do not let them celebrate because of me.
Do not let them gloat when my foot slips.”
17Look! I am about to fall,
and I am always in pain,
18so I declare my guilt,
and I am troubled by my sin.
19My aggressive enemies are numerous.
Those who hate me for no reason are many.
20Those who repay evil for good
slander me because I pursue what is good.
Closing Plea
21Do not forsake me, O Lord.
My God, do not be far from me.
22Hurry to help me, O Lord, my salvation.
Psalm 39
Show Me My Life's End
For the choir director. For Jeduthun[]. A psalm by David.
The Psalmist's Anguish
1I said, “I will guard my ways
so that I do not sin with my tongue.
I will keep a muzzle on my mouth
as long as the wicked are confronting me.”
2I said nothing. I kept silent.
I did not even say anything good,
but my pain became worse.
3Inside me my heart grew hot.
As I fretted, the fire burned.
So I spoke with my tongue.
The Shortness of Human Life
4 Lord, help me understand my end.
What is the limit of my days?
Let me know how fleeting I am.
5See, you have cut short my days.[]
My brief time before you is like nothing.
Indeed, every person, even at his best,
is just a puff of air.[] Interlude
6A man flickers like a mirage.
He really has no more effect than a breeze.[]
He piles things up, never knowing who will get them.
The Enduring Goodness of God
7But now what do I wait for, Lord?
My hope is in you.
8Save me from all my rebellious acts.
Do not let fools scorn me.
9I said nothing.
I did not open my mouth,
because you are the one who caused this.
10Stop punching me.
By the attack of your hand I am finished.
11By your rebuke against guilt you discipline a man.
Like a moth you consume what he desires.
Indeed, every person is nothing but a puff of air. Interlude
Closing Prayer
12Hear my prayer, O Lord.
Listen to my cry.
Do not ignore my tears,
for with you I am an alien,
just a visitor, as were all my ancestors.
13Look away from me, so I can smile again
before I depart and am no more.
Psalm 40
I Desire to Do Your Will
For the choir director. By David. A psalm.
Messiah's Prayer of Thanks
1I waited and waited for the Lord.
Then he turned to me and heard my cry.
2Then he pulled me up from the deadly quicksand,
from the mud and muck.
He made my feet stand on a rock to keep my steps from slipping.
3Then he put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear.
They will trust in the Lord.
4How blessed is everyone who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud
or to those who turn aside to falsehood.
5Many are the wonders you have done, O Lord my God.
No one can explain to you all your thoughts for us.[]
If I try to speak and tell about them,
they are too many to count.
The Messiah's Willing Sacrifice
6Sacrifice and offering you did not desire.
Ears you have opened for me.[]
You did not ask for burnt offerings and sin offerings.
7Then I said, “Here I am, I have come.
The book written on a scroll tells about me.
8My God, I take pleasure in doing your will.
Your law[] is in my heart.”
Messiah's Preaching of Good News
9I preach righteousness in the great assembly.
Indeed, I do not hold back my lips, O Lord, as you know.
10I do not conceal your righteousness deep in my heart.
I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.
I do not hide your mercy and your truth from the great assembly.
Messiah's Prayer in Distress
11 Lord, you do not hold back your compassion from me.
Let your mercy and your truth always protect me,
12although troubles without number surround me.
Punishments for my guilt have smothered me, so I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head, so my courage deserts me.
13Be pleased, O Lord, to save me.
Lord, hurry to help me.
14Let all who seek to end my life be frustrated and completely confused.[]
Let everyone who desires my ruin be turned back and disgraced.
15Let those who say to me, “Aha! We got you!” be dismayed,
because they have been put to shame.
16But let all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you.
Let those who love your salvation always say,
“The Lord is great!”
17Yet I am poor and needy.
May the Lord think about me.
You are my help and my deliverer.
O my God, do not delay.
Psalm 41
Even My Friend
For the choir director. A psalm by David.
David's Confidence of Delivery
1How blessed is the person who understands the plight of the weak!
May the Lord deliver him in the day of trouble.
2May the Lord guard him and keep him alive.
May he be blessed in the land.
May you not surrender him to the desire of his enemies.
3May the Lord sustain him on his sickbed.
You raise him up from his bed.
4I said, “Lord, have mercy on me.
Heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.”
The Treachery of the Conspirators
5My enemies speak evil about me and say:
“When will he die and his name perish?”
6If one comes to see me, he speaks falsely.
In his heart he collects malicious plans.
He goes out. He speaks about them in the street.
7All who hate me whisper together against me.
They plan evil for me. They say,
8“A deadly affliction is poured out on him.
He will never get up from the place where he lies.”
9Even a man who was at peace with me,
a man whom I trusted, who ate my bread,
has raised up his heel to step on me.
Closing Prayer
10But you, Lord, have mercy on me.
Raise me up, so that I can repay them.
11From this I know that you are pleased with me:
My enemy does not triumph over me.
12As for me—in my integrity you uphold me,
and you set me up in your presence forever.
Closing Doxology
13Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from eternity to eternity.
Amen and Amen.
BOOK II: PSALMS 42-72
Psalm 42
Psalms 42 & 43
An Exile's Prayer: Why Are You Cast Down?[]
For the choir director. A maskil[] by the Sons of Korah.[]
Longing for the Temple
1As a doe pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God.
2My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and appear before God?[]
3My tears have been food for me day and night,
while people are saying to me all day,
“Where is your God?”
4I am overcome by my emotions
whenever I remember these things:
how I used to arrive with the crowd,
as I led the procession to the house of God,
with loud shouts of thanksgiving,
with the crowd celebrating the festival.
Refrain
5Why are you so depressed,[] O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I will again praise him
for salvation from his presence.[]
Remembrance of the Lord
6My God, my soul is depressed within me.
Therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan,
from the heights of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
7Deep calls to deep in the roar of your rapids.
All your breakers and your waves have swept over me.
8By day the Lord commands his mercy,
and at night his song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life.
9I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go around mourning because of oppression by the enemy?”
10It is like breaking my bones when my foes taunt me.
All day long they say to me, “Where is your God?”
Refrain
11Why are you so depressed, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I will again praise him
for my salvation from the face of my God.[]
Psalm 43
A Plea for Vindication
1Judge me justly, O God,
and plead my case against an ungodly nation.
Rescue me from the deceitful, wicked man.
2I know you are God, my stronghold.
Why have you rejected me?
Why must I go around mourning
because of oppression by the enemy?
3Send out your light and your truth.
Let them guide me.
Let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to your dwelling.
4Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and gladness.
Then I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God.
Refrain
5Why are you so depressed, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I will again praise him
for my salvation from the face of God.[]
Psalm 44
Past Victory—Present Defeat
For the choir director. By the Sons of Korah. A maskil.
Past Victory
1God, our ears have heard.
Our fathers have told us the work you performed
in their days, in days long ago.
2By your hand you drove out the nations,
but you planted your people.
You crushed the peoples,
but you sent your people forward.
3For it was not by their sword
that they took possession of the land.
It was not their arm that saved them.
It was your right hand and your arm,
and the light from your face,
because you took pleasure in them.
Present Trust
4You are the one who is my King, O God.
Command victories for Jacob.
5Through you we drive back our foes.
Through your name we trample our adversaries.
6For I do not trust in my bow,
and my sword does not save me.
7But you save us from our foes,
and you put those who hate us to shame.
8In God we make our boast all day,
and we will praise your name forever. Interlude
Present Defeat
9But now you have rejected and humbled us,
and you do not go out with our armies.
10You made us turn back before the foe,
and those who hate us have taken plunder for themselves.
11You give us up for food like sheep,
and you have scattered us among the nations.
12You sold your people for no great price,
and you have not profited from their sale.
13You have made us a reproach to our neighbors,
scorn and ridicule to those around us.
14You have made us a laughingstock among the nations,
a reason for the peoples to shake their head.
15All day my disgrace is right in front me,
and the shame on my face covers me,
16because of the voice of the slanderer and reviler,
because of the enemy and avenger.
17All this came on us, though we had not forgotten you.
We had not been false to your covenant.
18Our hearts had not turned back.
Our steps had not slipped off your path.
19But you crushed us and made us a home for jackals,
and you covered us with the shadow of death.
20If we had forgotten the name of our God
or spread out our hands to a foreign god,
21would not God have discovered this,
since he knows the secrets of the heart?
22Yet for your sake we are killed all day long.
We are considered sheep to be slaughtered.
Present Plea
23Get up! Why do you sleep, O Lord? Wake up!
Do not reject us forever.
24Why do you hide your face?
Why do you forget our misery and our oppression?
25For our souls bow down to the dust.
Our bellies cling to the earth.
26Stand up! Help us!
Redeem us because of your mercy.
Psalm 45
The Wedding of the Victorious King
For the choir director. According to “Lilies.”[]
By the Sons of Korah. A maskil. A love song.
Introduction by the Scribe
1My heart is bubbling over with a beautiful theme.
I am reciting my works for the King.
My tongue is the pen of a rapid writer.
The Glory of the Royal Groom
2You are the most beautiful of the sons of Adam.
Grace is poured out on your lips.
Therefore God has blessed you forever.
3Strap your sword on your thigh, you mighty warrior,
in your splendor and your majesty.
4In your majesty advance successfully.
Ride forward in the cause of truth, humility, and righteousness.
Let your right hand teach you awesome deeds.
5Your arrows are sharpened.
Let peoples fall beneath you.
Your arrows are in the heart of the king's enemies.
6Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of justice.
7You love righteousness and hate wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy
more than any of your companions.
8Myrrh, aloes, and cassia perfume all your garments.
From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad.
9Daughters of kings are among your honored attendants.
The royal wife[] stands at your right hand in gold from Ophir.
The Beauty of the Bride
10Hear, O daughter, look and listen.
Forget your people and your father's house,
11because the king desires your beauty.
Because he is your lord, bow down to him.
12Then the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift.
The richest people will seek your favor.
13The princess, who waits inside, is all glorious.
Her dress is interwoven with gold.
14In embroidered garments she is led to the king.
Virgins who follow her as attendants are brought to you.
15They are brought with joyful celebration.
They enter the palace of the king.
The Glory of the King's Children
16Your sons will take the place of your fathers.
You will make them princes in all the land.
17I will preserve the memory of your name through all generations.
Therefore peoples will praise you forever and ever.
Psalm 46
The King's Reign
For the choir director. By the Sons of Korah.
According to alamoth[]. A song.
The Earth Shaken
1God is our refuge and strength,
a helper who can always be found in times of trouble.
2That is why we will not fear when the earth dissolves
and when the mountains tumble into the heart of the sea.
3Its waters roar and foam.
The mountains quake when it rises. Interlude
A City Unshaken
4There is a river—its streams bring joy to the city of God,
to the holy dwelling of the Most High.
5God is in her. She will not fall.
God will help her at daybreak.
6Nations are in turmoil. Kingdoms fall.
God raises his voice. The earth melts.
7The Lord of Armies is with us.
The God of Jacob is a fortress for us. Interlude
8Come, look at the works of the Lord.
What a wasteland he has made of the earth!
9He makes wars cease to the end of the earth.
He shatters the bow. He cuts up the spear.
He burns the carts[] with fire.
10“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations.
I will be exalted on the earth.”
11The Lord of Armies is with us.
The God of Jacob is a fortress for us. Interlude
Psalm 47
The King's Empire
For the choir director. By the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
Praise the Great King of All the Earth!
1All you peoples, clap your hands!
Shout to God! Sing a loud song!
2Yes, the Lord Most High is awesome.
He is the great King over all the earth!
3He subdues peoples under us
and nations under our feet.
4He chooses our inheritance for us.
It is the pride of Jacob, whom he loves. Interlude
5God has ascended with a joyful shout.
The Lord goes up with the sound of the ram's horn.
6Make music for God! Make music!
Make music for our King! Make music!
7For God is the King of all the earth.
Make music for him with a wise song.
8God reigns as king over the nations.
God is seated on his holy throne.
9The nobles of the peoples come together
as the people of the God of Abraham.
Yes, the shields of the earth[] belong to God.
He is greatly exalted.
Psalm 48
The Security of the King's Holy City
A song. A psalm by the Sons of Korah.
Call to Praise
1The Lord is great. He deserves to be praised
in the city of our God, on his holy mountain.
2His mountain is lofty and beautiful, the joy of the whole earth.
Mount Zion, the northern mountain, is the city of the Great King.
3God is in her citadels.
He is famous as her fortress.
Defeat of the Enemies
4Look! See! The kings came together.
They advanced together.
5They saw. Yes, they were amazed.
They were terrified. They were put to flight.
6Trembling seized them there,
pain like a woman giving birth.
7You shattered them with an east wind, like ships of Tarshish.
Thanksgiving
8What we have heard, we now have also seen:
In the city of the Lord of Armies,
in the city of our God,
God establishes her forever. Interlude
9Inside your temple, O God, we meditate on your mercy.
10Your praise, O God, reaches to the ends of the earth,
just as your fame does.
Righteousness fills your right hand.
11Mount Zion rejoices.
The daughters of Judah[] celebrate because of your judgments.
12Go around Zion. Yes, go all the way around her.
Count her towers. 13Consider her rampart.[]
View her citadels,
so that you may tell the next generation about them.
14For this God is our God forever and ever.
He will guide us beyond death.[]
Psalm 49
The Fool Trusts in Riches
For the choir director. By the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
Introduction
1Hear this, all you peoples.
Pay attention, all you inhabitants of this world,
2all you children of Adam, all mankind,
rich and poor alike.
3My mouth will speak wisdom.
The meditation of my heart will give understanding.
4I will listen carefully to wise teaching.
With a lyre I will explain deep truths.
The Limitations of Riches
5Why should I fear days of trouble,
days when the wickedness of my pursuers surrounds me?[]
6They trust in their wealth.
They place their confidence in the abundance of their riches.
7But no one can by any means redeem himself.[]
He cannot give God a ransom for himself—
8(For the ransom for their souls is costly.
Any payment would fall short.)[]
9—so that he could live on forever and not see the pit.
10Yes, we can see that wise men die.
The fool and the senseless alike perish,
and they leave their wealth to others.
11They think their houses will remain forever,
their dwellings for generation after generation,[]
because they named lands after themselves.
12But man, though he has riches, does not even spend a night here.
He is like the animals that perish.
13This way of theirs is foolishness,
but their followers approve of what they say. Interlude
14They are like a flock destined for the grave.
Death will be their shepherd.
The upright will rule over them in the morning.
Their bodies will be consumed by the grave,
far from their mansions.[]
The Limitless Power of God
15But surely God will redeem my life from the power of the grave.
Yes, he will take me to himself. Interlude
Review and Conclusion
16Do not be afraid when a man grows rich,
when the glory of his house increases,
17because when he dies, he cannot take anything along.
His glory will not go down with him.
18Throughout his life he congratulates himself:
“People praise you because you have done so well for yourself.”
19He will go to the gathering place of his fathers.
They will never see the light!
20A man who has riches but does not understand
is like the animals that perish.
Psalm 50
The Folly of Formalistic Worship
A Psalm by Asaph.[]
The Summons
1God, God the Lord, has spoken.
He calls to the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2From Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shined.
3Our God comes and he will not be silent.
Fire devours in front of him.
Around him a storm rages.
4He calls to the heavens above and to the earth
to judge his people.
5“Gather to me my favored ones
who make a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
6So the heavens proclaim his righteousness,
because God himself is judge. Interlude
The Lord's Charges Against Them
7Listen, my people, and let me speak, O Israel.
Then I will testify against you:
I am God, your God.
Hypocritical Sacrifices Are Useless
8It is not because of your sacrifices that I rebuke you
or because of your burnt offerings that are always in front of me.
9I do not need to take a bull from your barn
or goats from your pens,
10because every animal in the forest is mine,
the cattle on a thousand mountains.
11I know every bird in the mountains,
and everything that moves in the field is with me.
12If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
because the world is mine, and all that fills it.
13Do I eat the flesh of bulls,
or do I drink the blood of goats?
Sincere Sacrifices Bring Blessing
14Sacrifice a thank offering to God,
and fulfill your vows to the Most High.
15Call on me in the day of distress.
I will deliver you, and you will honor me.
Treacherous Deeds Bring Destruction
16But to the wicked, God says:
What right do you have to recite my statutes
or to take up my covenant with your mouth?
17As for you—you hate discipline,
and you throw my words behind your back.
18If you see a thief, you approve of him,
and you cast your lot with adulterers.
19You devote your mouth to evil,
and your tongue weaves deceit.
20You sit and speak against your brother.
You slander your own mother's son.
The Verdict
21These things you have done, and I kept silent.
You thought I was just like you.
I will indict you and accuse you to your face.
22Now consider this, you who forget God,
or I will tear you to pieces,
and there will be no one to rescue you.
The Way to Escape
23The one who sacrifices a thank offering honors me,
and he sets up the way by which I will show him the salvation of God.
Psalm 51
Cleanse Me From My Sin
For the choir director. A psalm by David.
When Nathan the prophet came to him after he had gone to Bathsheba.[]
David's Plea for Forgiveness
1Be gracious to me, God,
according to your mercy.
Erase my acts of rebellion
according to the greatness of your compassion.
2Scrub me clean from my guilt.
Purify me from my sin.
David's Confession
3For I admit my rebellious acts.
My sin is always in front of me.
4Against you, you only, have I sinned,
and I have done this evil in your eyes.
So you are justified when you sentence me.
You are blameless when you judge.
5Certainly, I was guilty when I was born.
I was sinful when my mother conceived me.
David's Need for Renewal
6Since you desire truth on the inside,
in my hidden heart you teach me wisdom.
7Remove my sin with hyssop, and I will be clean.
Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8Let me hear joy and gladness.
Let the bones you have crushed celebrate.
9Hide your face from my sins.
Erase all my guilty deeds.
10Create in me a pure heart, O God.
Renew an unwavering spirit within me.
11Do not cast me from your presence.
Do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
12Restore to me the joy of your salvation.
Sustain me with a willing spirit.
David's Pledge of Renewed Service
13I will teach rebels your ways,
and sinners will turn to you.
14Deliver me from bloodshed, O God,
the God who saves me.
My tongue will shout for joy about your righteousness.
15Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16For you do not delight in sacrifice,
or I would give it.
You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17The sacrifices God wants are a broken spirit.
A broken and crushed heart, O God, you will not despise.
David's Prayer for the People
18As it pleases you, do good for Zion.
Build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19Then you will be pleased with righteous sacrifices,
burnt offerings and whole offerings.
Then bulls will be offered up on your altar.
Psalm 52
Your Tongue Is a Razor
For the choir director. A maskil[] by David.
When Doeg the Edomite went and informed Saul
and said to him, “David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.”[]
Doeg's Sin
1Why do you boast about evil, you hero?
The mercy of God endures all day long.
2Your tongue plans destruction.
It is like a sharpened razor, you scheming liar.
3You love evil rather than good.
You love lying rather than speaking what is right. Interlude
4You lying tongue, you love every word that devours!
Doeg's Judgment
5But God will tear you down forever.
He will grab you and pull you out of your tent.
He will uproot you from the land of the living. Interlude
6Then the righteous will see and fear.
Then they will laugh at him:
7“Look, here is the man who did not make God his stronghold,
but trusted in the greatness of his wealth.
He grew strong by his destructive deeds!”
David's Delivery
8But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God.
I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.
9I will thank you forever because you have done this.
I will hope in your name in the presence of your favored ones
because it is good.
Psalm 53
The Fool
For the choir director. According to mahalath.[] A maskil by David.
A Description of the Fool
1The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt. They commit horrible evil.
There is no one who does good.
2God looks down from heaven on all the children of Adam
to see if there is anyone who understands,
anyone who seeks God.
3Every single one has turned back.
Altogether they have become rotten.
There is no one who does good.
There is not even one.
The Final Fate of the Fool
4Don't they know, all those evildoers,
who devour my people as if they were eating bread?
They do not call on God.
5There they are, terrified, where there was nothing to fear.
For God scattered the bones of those who camped against you.
You put them to shame, because God despised them.
Closing Prayer
6Who will provide salvation for Israel from Zion?[]
When God restores his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
Psalm 54
Ruthless Men Seek My Life
For the choir director. With stringed instruments.
A maskil by David. When the Ziphites went and said to Saul, “Isn't David hiding himself with us?”[]
The Plea
1God, save me by your name.
By your power judge me justly.
2God, hear my prayer.
Turn your ear to the words of my mouth.
The Problem
3For strangers have risen up against me.
Ruthless men seek my life.
They pay no attention to God. Interlude
The Solution
4Indeed, God is my helper.
The Lord is the one who preserves my life.
5Let evil return on those who oppress me.
In your faithfulness destroy them.
The Outcome
6I will sacrifice willingly to you.
I will praise your name, O Lord, because it is good.
7Surely, from all my distress he has delivered me.
My eyes have looked down on my enemies.
Psalm 55
My Friend Betrays Me
For the choir director. With stringed instruments.
A maskil by David.
Opening Plea
1Turn your ear to my prayer, O God.
Do not hide from my plea for mercy.
2Pay attention to me and answer me.
The Problem
I am troubled in my thoughts and I groan
3because of talk from the enemy,
because of oppression from the wicked,
because they dump evil on me,
and in anger they hold a grudge against me.
4My heart is in anguish within me.
The terrors of death fall on me.
5Fear and trembling come over me.
Horror covers me.
6So I say, “I wish I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and find a place to rest.
7Yes, I would flee far away.
I would stay in the wilderness. Interlude
8I would hurry to find shelter,
far from the violent wind, far from the storm.”
9Swallow them up, O Lord.
Confuse their speech,
for I see violence and contention in the city.
10Day and night they sneak around on its walls.
Evil and trouble are in the city.
11Destruction lurks within it.
Treachery and deceit never leave its streets.
12For it is not an enemy who insults me—
I could bear that.
It is not someone who hated me who rises up against me—
I could hide from him.
13But it is you, a man who served with me,
my colleague and my associate,
14with whom I shared pleasant discussions
as we walked with the excited crowd at God's house.
Plea for Judgment
15Let deadly destruction come on them.
Let them go down to the grave alive,
because evil is at home in their hearts.
Confidence in Judgment
16As for me, I call to God,
and the Lord saves me.
17Evening, morning, and noon I cry out and I sigh,
and he hears my voice.
18In peace he redeems my life from the assault against me,
even when many are against me.
19God will hear, and he will punish them
—yes, he is seated on his throne from eternity!— Interlude
because they never change, and they do not fear God.
The Traitor's Treachery
20The traitor reaches out his hand against those at peace with him.
He breaks his agreement.[]
21His flattery is smooth as butter,
yet war is in his heart.
His words are more soothing than oil,
yet they are drawn daggers.
God's Solution
22Place your burden on the Lord,
and he will support you.
He will never allow the righteous to fall.
23But you, O God, will bring them down into the pit of destruction.
Bloody and deceitful men will not live half their days.
But as for me, I will trust in you.
Psalm 56
When I Am Afraid
For the choir director. “A Dove on Distant Oaks.”[]
By David. A miktam.[]
When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.[]
The Enemies
1Be merciful to me, O God, for a man pants as he pursues me.[]
All day long an attacker presses against me.
2Those who spy on me pant as they pursue me all day long.
Yes, many are attacking me boldly.
David's Trust
3On the day when I am afraid, I will trust in you.
4In God I praise his word.
In God I trust. I will not fear.
What can flesh do to me?
The Enemies
5All day long they hurt my cause.[]
All their thoughts against me are evil.
6They gather together. They hide.
They try to trip me by grabbing my heels
while they wait to take my life.
David's Trust
7Because of their wickedness do not let them escape.[]
In your anger bring down the peoples, O God.
8You keep a record of my tossing and turning.[]
Keep my tears in your bottle.
Aren't they all listed in your book?
9Then my enemies will turn back on the day when I call.
This is how I will know that God is for me.
10In God I praise a word.[]
In the Lord I praise a word.
11In God I trust. I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
David's Promise
12My vows to you are binding, O God.
I will complete my thank offerings to you,
13because you have delivered my life from death.
Have you not delivered my feet from stumbling
so I can walk before God in the light of life?
Psalm 57
Refuge in the Shadow of Your Wings
For the choir director. “Do Not Destroy.”[] By David. A miktam.
When he fled from Saul. In the cave.[]
The Opening Plea
1Have mercy on me, O God,
have mercy on me,
because my soul has taken refuge in you.
In the shadow of your wings I will take refuge
until destruction has passed by.
2I call to God Most High,
to God, who completes his plans for me.[]
3He will send from heaven, and he will save me.
He puts to shame the one who pants as he pursues me. Interlude
God will send his mercy and his faithfulness.
The Problem
4My life is spent among lions.
I lie down among ferocious men,
whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongue is a sharp sword.
5Be exalted above the heavens, O God.
May your glory be over all the earth.
6They spread a net for my steps.
My soul was bowed down.
They dug a pit in front of me.
They have fallen into it. Interlude
David's Confidence
7My heart is steadfast, O God.
My heart is steadfast.
I will sing and I will make music.
8Awake, my soul![]
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
9I will give thanks to you among the peoples, O Lord.
I will make music to you among the nations,[]
10because your great mercy reaches above the heavens,
and your faithfulness to the skies.
11Be exalted above the heavens, O God.
Let your glory be over all the earth.
Psalm 58
Do You Rulers Speak Justly?
For the choir director. “Do Not Destroy.”[] By David. A miktam.
Unjust Rulers
1Do you “gods” really speak righteously?[]
Do you sons of Adam judge rightly?
2No, in your heart you commit injustices.
On the earth your hands distribute violence.
3The wicked go off course already from the womb.
From the belly they go astray. They speak lies.
4Their venom is like the venom of a snake,
like a deaf cobra that has stopped its ears,
5that will not listen to the sound of the charmers,
however skillful the spellbinder may be.
The Curse on Unjust Rulers
6O God, break their teeth in their mouths.
Tear out the fangs of the young lions, Lord!
7Let them vanish like water that flows away.
When he draws his bow, let his arrows be cut off.[]
8As a slug melts away, so let him disappear.
Like a stillborn child may they not see the sun.
9Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns—
whether the thorns are green or dry—they will be swept away.[]
The Joy of the Righteous
10The righteous one will be glad when he sees vengeance.
He will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11Then people will say, “Surely there is fruit for the righteous.
Surely there is a God judging on the earth.”
Psalm 59
They Lie in Wait
For the choir director. “Do Not Destroy.”[] By David. A miktam.
When Saul had sent men, and they watched the house to kill him.[]
Opening Plea
1Deliver me from my enemies, my God.
You set me high above those who rise up against me.
2Deliver me from evildoers.
Save me from bloodthirsty men.
The Viciousness of the Enemy
3Yes, look how they lie in ambush to take my life!
Strong men gather against me,
But it is not because I have rebelled,
not because I have sinned, O Lord.
4I am not guilty,
yet they run to take up their positions against me.
Rise up to meet me and see!
5You, O Lord, God of Armies, the God of Israel,
wake up and confront all the nations.
Do not show mercy to all the wicked traitors. Interlude
6They return at evening. They growl like dogs.
They prowl around the city.
7Look, they gush from their mouths.
Their lips are swords,
so they say, “Who hears?”
Conclusion and Refrain
8But you laugh at them, Lord.
You scoff at all those nations.
9O my Strength, I watch for you,
because God is my high fortress.
Confidence
10My merciful God will go ahead of me.
God will make me look down on those who slander me.
The Judgment on the Enemies
11Do not kill them, or my people may forget.
In your might make them wander about.
Bring them down, O Lord, our shield.
12The sin of their mouth is the words of their lips,
so let them be caught in their pride,
because of the curses and lies they proclaim.
13Consume them in wrath.
Consume them till they are no more.
Then they will know to the ends of the earth
that God rules over Jacob. Interlude
14They return at evening. They growl like dogs.
They prowl around the city.
15They wander about for food.
If not satisfied, they howl.
Conclusion and Refrain
16But I will sing about your strength.
In the morning I will shout about your mercy,
because you are a high fortress for me,
a refuge in the day of my distress.
17O my Strength, to you I make music,
because God is my high fortress, my merciful God.
Psalm 60
You Have Rejected Us
For the choir director. “The Lily of Testimony.”[] A miktam by David. For teaching.
When he waged war against Aram of the Two Rivers and against Aram Zobah, and Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand men of Edom in the Valley of Salt.[]
David's Prayer
1God, you have rejected us.
You have broken us down.
You have been angry. Return to us!
2You have shaken the earth. You have torn it open.
Heal its fractures, for it is about to collapse.
3You have made your people suffer hardship.
You gave us wine to drink that makes us stagger.
4You have set up a signal flag for those who fear you,
to be raised up against the bow.[] Interlude
5Save us with your right hand and answer us,
so that those you love may be delivered.
God's Reply
6God has spoken in his holiness:[]
“I will triumph. I will distribute Shechem,
and I will measure off the Valley of Succoth.
7Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine.
Ephraim is my helmet. Judah is my scepter.
8Moab is my washbasin. On Edom I toss my sandal.
I shout aloud over Philistia.”[]
David's Prayer
9Who will bring me into the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
10God, is it not you, who have rejected us?
God, is it not you, who no longer go out with our armies?
11Give us help against the foe,
for human help is worthless.
12In God we will do mighty deeds.
He is the one who will trample our foes.
Psalm 61
A Soldier's Prayer From the End of the Earth
For the choir director. On a stringed instrument. By David.
A Prayer from the End of the Earth
1Hear my cry, O God.
Pay attention to my prayer.
2From the end of the earth I call to you
when my heart is overwhelmed.
Lead me up on to the rock that is higher than I.
3For you have been a refuge for me,
a tower of strength in the face of the enemy.
4I want to keep living in your tent forever.
I will take refuge under the cover of your wings. Interlude
5For you, God, have heard my vows.
You have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.
6Add days to the days of the king.
His years will last through all generations.
7Let him be seated in God's presence forever.
Appoint your mercy and truth to protect him.
8Then will I make music to your name forever,
to fulfill my vows day after day.
Psalm 62
My Soul Rests in God Alone
For the choir director. According to Jeduthun.[] A psalm by David.
God Alone is My Refuge
1My soul rests quietly in God alone.
My salvation is from him.
2He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress.
I will not be disturbed.
3How long will you threaten a man?
Do all of you want to murder him,
like a leaning wall, like a fence to be pushed down?
4Yes, they plan to push him down from his lofty place.
They are delighted with deceit.
With their mouths they bless,
but inside they curse. Interlude
God Alone is My Refuge
5My soul, rest quietly in God alone,
for my hope comes from him.
6He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress.
I will not be disturbed.
7My salvation and my honor depend on God, my strong rock.
My refuge is in God.
8Trust in him at all times, you people.
Pour out your hearts before him.
God is a refuge for us. Interlude
Strength in God, Not in Man
9Yes, the sons of Adam are only a breath.
The sons of man are a delusion.
On a scale they weigh nothing.
They are nothing but air.[]
10Do not trust in extortion.
Do not put empty confidence in stolen goods.
If your wealth grows, do not set your heart on it.
11One thing God has spoken,
two things that I have heard:
that God has strength
12and that you, Lord, have mercy.
Surely you will repay each person
according to what he has done.
Psalm 63
My Soul Thirsts for You
A psalm by David. When he was in the wilderness of Judah.[]
Thirsting for God
1God, you are my God. Eagerly I seek you.
My soul thirsts for you. My flesh longs for you,
in a dry and dreary land without water.
2Yes, in the sanctuary I have watched you
to see your power and your glory.
Joy Even in Adversity
3Because your mercy is better than life,
my lips will worship you.
4Yes, I will bless you as long as I live.
In your name I will lift up my hands.
5My soul will be satisfied with rich food.[]
My mouth will praise you with lips filled with songs.
6Whenever I remember you on my bed,
throughout the watches of the night I meditate on you.
7Because you are a help for me,
I sing for joy under the shade of your wings.
8My soul clings to you.
Your right hand upholds me.
Destruction for the Defiant
9But those who seek my life will go to destruction.
They will go into the depths of the earth.
10They will be given over to the power of the sword.
They will become food for foxes.[]
11But the king will rejoice in God.
All who swear by him will praise him,
but the mouth of those speaking lies will be shut.
Psalm 64
Hide Me From the Conspiracy
For the choir director. A psalm by David.
Opening Plea
1Hear my voice, O God, when I complain.
Protect my life from the terror caused by the enemy.
2Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked,
from the noisy mob of evildoers.
The Enemies' Wickedness
3They sharpen their tongues like a sword.
They shoot poison words like arrows.
4They shoot at the innocent from hiding places.
Suddenly they shoot at him. They have no fear.
5They strengthen each other in an evil plot.
They discuss where to hide snares.
They say, “Who will see them?”
6They plot evil deeds and they say,
“We have come up with a perfect plot!”
The mind and heart of man are devious!
God's Judgment
7But God will shoot them.
Suddenly they are wounded with an arrow.
8Their own tongues cause their downfall.[]
Everyone who sees them will shake his head.
The Joy of the Godly
9Then all people will be afraid.
They will proclaim the work of God.
They will consider what he has done.
10Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord
and take refuge in him.
Let all the upright in heart be confident!
Psalm 65
A Thanksgiving Psalm: You Crown the Year with Goodness
For the choir director. A psalm by David. A song.
Introduction
1Praise waits for you,[] O God, in Zion.
To you vows will be fulfilled.
2You who hear prayer, to you all mortals[] will come.
Spiritual Blessings
3The record of my guilt overpowered me.
You atone for our rebellious acts.
4How blessed is the one you choose and bring near!
He will dwell in your courtyards.
We will be satisfied by the goodness of your house,
by the holiness of your temple.
Blessings on the Nations
5In righteousness you answer us with awesome deeds,
O God who saves us.
He is trusted by all the farthest ends of the earth and the sea.
6He establishes the mountains by his power.
He has wrapped himself with strength.
7He stills the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
and the turmoil of the peoples.
8Those living at the ends of the earth fear your signs.
From sunrise to sunset you let them shout for joy.
Blessings of the Harvest
9You visit the earth and water it.
You make it very rich.
God's stream is filled with water.
You provide grain for them, just as you planned.
10You drench the land's furrows. You flatten its plowed ground.
You soften it with showers. You bless its crops.
11You crown the year with your goodness.
The tracks made by your carts overflow with riches.[]
12The pastures of the wilderness drip.
The hills are wrapped with joy.
13The meadows are clothed with flocks.
The valleys are dressed with grain.
They shout for joy. Yes! They sing.
Psalm 66
How Awesome Are Your Deeds!
For the choir director. A song. A psalm.
Introduction: The Praise of the World
1Shout praise to God, all the earth!
2Make music to the glory of his name!
Make his praise glorious!
3Say to God, “How awesome[] are your deeds!”
Because of your great power your enemies must cower before you.
4All the earth bows down to you.
They make music to you.
They make music to your name. Interlude
God's Awesome Deeds Deliver His People
5Come and see the works of God.
How awesome are his deeds for all people!
6He turned the sea into dry land.
They crossed through the river on foot.
Let us rejoice in him there.
7He rules by his power forever.
His eyes watch the nations.
Do not let the rebellious rise up against him. Interlude
8Bless our God, you peoples.
Let the sound of his praise be heard.
9He is the one who has preserved our lives.
He did not let our feet slip.
10Indeed, you tested us, God.
You refined us as silver is refined.
11You led us into a trap.
You laid a burden on our backs.
12You let men ride over our heads.
We went through fire and through water,
but you brought us out to a well-watered place.
His People's Praise
13I will come to your house with whole burnt offerings.
I will fulfill my vows to you,
14which my lips uttered,
which my mouth spoke during my trouble.
15I will offer fat animals to you as whole burnt offerings,
along with the smoke from rams.
I will offer cattle with goats. Interlude
16Come, listen, all you who fear God,
and let me tell what he has done to save my life.
17To him I cried out with my mouth.
High praise was on my tongue.
18If I had contemplated evil in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened,
19but God has surely listened.
He has paid attention to the sound of my prayer.
20Blessed be God, who has not turned aside my prayer
or turned aside his mercy from me!
Psalm 67
Your Kingdom Come
For the choir director. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.
The Prayer
1May God be gracious to us and bless us.
May his face shine on us— Interlude
2so that your way may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
3May the peoples praise you, O God.
May the peoples praise you—all of them.
4May the countries be glad and sing for joy,
because you rule the peoples with fairness,
and you guide the countries of the earth. Interlude
5May the peoples praise you, O God.
May the peoples praise you—all of them.
6The earth will yield its harvest.
God, our God, will bless us.
7God will bless us,
and all the ends of the earth will fear him.
Psalm 68
The Procession of God
For the choir director. By David. A psalm. A song.
Judgment on God's Enemies
1May God arise. May his enemies scatter.
May those who hate him flee from his presence.
2As smoke is blown away, may you blow them away.
As wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God.
Blessing on God's People
3But the righteous rejoice and celebrate in the presence of God.
They will be happy and joyful.
4Sing to God, make music to his name.
Lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts.[]
His name is the Lord.[] Celebrate before him.
5In his holy dwelling, God is a father for the fatherless
and a judge who defends widows.
6God causes the lonely to dwell together as a household.
He leads out the prisoners with music,
but the rebellious dwell in a scorched land.
God Brings His People into His Land
7God, when you went out in front of your people,
when you marched through the wasteland, Interlude
8the earth shook.
Yes, the heavens poured down rain,
before God, this one from Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.
9You dispersed plentiful showers, O God.
You strengthened your inheritance when it was weary.[]
10Your people settled in it.
In your goodness you provided for the oppressed, O God.
The Lord Defeats the Kings of the Land
11The Lord provided the message.
The women who proclaimed it were a great army:[]
12The “Kings with armies flee—they flee!”
The woman who stays home shares in the plunder.
13Even while you lie among the campfires,
the wings of a dove are sheathed with silver,
and its feathers with yellow gold.[]
14When the Almighty scattered the kings there,
it snowed on Zalmon.
The Lord Makes His Dwelling in Zion
15The mountain of Bashan is a mountain of God.
The mountain of Bashan is a mountain with many peaks.[]
16O mountains with many peaks, why do you look jealously
at the mountain God desires for his home?
Indeed, the Lord will dwell there forever.
17The chariots of God are twice ten thousand,
thousands upon thousands.
Among them the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.[]
18You ascended on high. You led captivity captive.
You received gifts among men,
so that even among the rebellious the Lord[] God might dwell.
God's Daily Care
19Blessed be the Lord.
Day by day he bears our burdens.
He is the God who saves us. Interlude
God's Future Victories
20Our God is a God who saves.
From God the Lord comes escape from death.
21Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies,
the scalps of those who walk around in their guilt.
22The Lord says, “I will bring them from Bashan.
I will bring them from the depths of the sea,
23so that you may stomp your foot in blood.
The tongues of your dogs get their share of the enemies' blood.”
God's Procession Into the Temple
24They see your processions, O God,
the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.
25The singers lead the way.
After them come the musicians.
In the middle are virgins playing hand drums.
26In the assemblies bless God, the Lord,
who is the Fountain of Israel.[]
27There is little Benjamin, leading them.
The officers of Judah are their noisy crowd.
There are the officers of Zebulun and the officers of Naphtali.
Prayer for Future Victory
28Your God commands your strength.
Show strength, O God, as you have done for us before.
God Rules the Nations
29Because of your temple at Jerusalem kings will bring tribute to you.
30Threaten the beast among the reeds,
the herd of strong bulls among the calves (that is, the peoples),
until they submit with bars of silver.[]
He scatters the peoples who delight in battles.
31Envoys[] will come from Egypt.
Cush[] will run to stretch out its hands to God.
32Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth.
Make music to the Lord, Interlude
33to him who rides in the highest heavens,
in the ancient heavens.
Yes, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
34Proclaim God's strength.
His majesty is over Israel,
and his power is in the skies.
Closing Praise
35You are awesome, O God, from your sanctuary.
The God of Israel, he is the one
who gives power and strength to the people.
Blessed be God!
Psalm 69
Prayer of an Innocent Sufferer: Save Me, O God
For the choir director. According to “Lilies.”[] By David.
Prayer of an Innocent Sufferer
1Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.
2I sink into the deep mud, where there is no place to stand.
I have entered deep waters, and the rapids rush over me.
3I am worn out from my crying. My throat is sore.
My eyes are blurry, as I wait for my God.
The Unfairness of His Enemies
4Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs on my head.
Those who want to destroy me, my lying enemies, are strong.
I must repay things I did not steal.
His Guilt and Shame
5God, you know my folly, and my guilt is not hidden from you.
6May those who place their confidence in you[]
not be put to shame because of me,
O Lord, the Lord of Armies.
May those who seek you not be disgraced because of me,
O God of Israel.
7It is for your sake that I bear scorn.
Shame covers my face.
8I have become a stranger to my brothers,
a foreigner to my mother's sons.
9Yes, zeal for your house consumes me.
The scorn of those who scorn you falls on me.
10I wept as I fasted,
but this only brought insults to me.
11When I wore sackcloth as my clothing,
I was a joke to them.
12Those who sit in the gatehouse gossip about me,
and the songs of the drunks are about me.
An Interlude of Prayer
13But I direct my prayer to you, O Lord, for a time of favor.
God, in the greatness of your mercy,
answer me with the certainty of salvation from you.
14Rescue me from the mud, so I do not sink.
Let me escape from those who hate me and from the deep waters.
15Do not let the rapids rush over me.
Do not let the deep swallow me up.
Do not let the pit close its mouth over me.
16Answer me, Lord, for your mercy is good.
According to your great compassion turn to me.
17Do not hide your face from your servant.
Because I am in distress, hurry, answer me.
18Come near. Redeem my soul.
Ransom me because of my enemies.
His Shame
19You know my disgrace, my shame, and my confusion.
All my foes are in front of you.
20Disgrace has broken my heart, and I am helpless.
I waited for sympathy, but there was none.
I waited for comforters, but I did not find any.
21Instead they put bitter poison in my food.
For my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.
His Curse
22May the table set before them become a snare.
May it be a trap to them and their allies.[]
23May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see.
Make their legs always tremble.
24Pour out your wrath on them.
Let the heat of your anger catch up with them.
25May their camp be desolate.
May there be no one dwelling in their tents.
26For they pursue those you have disciplined, O God,
and they talk about the pain of those you wound.
27Add guilt to their guilt.
Do not let them enter into your righteousness.
28May they be erased from the book of life.
May they not be listed among the righteous.
His Closing Prayer
29But I am afflicted and in pain.
O God, may salvation from you set me on high.
30I will praise God's name in song.
I will proclaim his greatness with thanksgiving.
31For the Lord this is better than an ox,
than a bull that has horns and hoofs.
32The poor will see and be glad.
You who seek God, may your hearts live!
33For the Lord listens to the needy,
and he does not despise the captives who belong to him.
34Let heaven and earth praise him,
the seas and all that move in them,
35for God will save Zion,
and he will build the cities of Judah.
Then people will settle there and possess it.
36Then the descendants of his servants will inherit it,
and those who love his name will dwell in it.
Psalm 70
Hurry to Save Me
For the choir director. By David. To bring to remembrance.
Hurry to Help Me
1Hurry, God! Rescue me!
Lord, hurry to help me!
2May those who seek my life be put to shame and disgrace.
May all who desire to harm me be turned back and disgraced.
3May those who say, “Aha! We got you!” be dismayed,
because they have been put to shame.
4But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you.
May those who love your salvation always say, “Let God be exalted!”
5Yet I am oppressed and poor.
God, hurry to me. You are my help and my deliverer.
O Lord, do not delay.
Psalm 71
Do Not Throw Me Away When I Am Old
Opening Prayer
1In you, Lord, I have taken refuge.
May I not be put to shame forever.
2In your righteousness rescue me and deliver me.
Turn your ear to me and save me.
3Be my rock and my refuge to which I can always go.
You give the command to save me,
because you are my high ridge and my stronghold.
4My God, deliver me from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of the unjust and the ruthless.
Remembrance of Past Help
5For you have been my hope, Lord God,
my confidence since my youth.
6I have depended on[] you since I was in the womb.
You separated me from my mother's body.
My praise to you is continuous.
Statement of Present Need
7I am like an evil omen to many,
but you are my strong refuge.
8My mouth is filled with praise for you
and with your splendor all day long.
Plea for Help in Present Trouble
9Do not throw me away in old age.
As my strength fails, do not forsake me.
10For my enemies speak against me,
and those who seek my life conspire together.
11They say, “God has forsaken him.
Pursue him and seize him,
because there is no one to rescue him.”
12God, do not be far from me.
My God, hurry to help me.
13Let them be ashamed.
Let my murderous accusers be consumed.
Let those who seek to harm me be covered
with shame and disgrace.
Present and Future Praise
14But as for me, I will always keep hoping.
I will keep adding to my praise for you.
15My mouth will tell about your righteousness,
about your salvation all day long
although I do not know how to tell all about it.
16I will come and tell about your mighty deeds, Lord God.
I will commemorate[] your righteousness, yours alone.
17God, you have taught me since my youth,
and even now I still declare your marvelous deeds.
18Even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me,
till I declare the strength of your arm to the next generation,
your power to all who are to come.
Closing Confidence
19Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heights.
You have done great things.
God, who is like you,
20you who have made us see many troubles and disasters?
You will give us life again.
From the depths of the earth you will bring me up again.
21You will increase my greatness and comfort me once again.
Closing Praise
22Yes, I will praise you, my God, for your faithfulness.
I will praise you with an instrument, with the harp.
I will make music to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.
23My lips will shout with joy when I make music to you.
Even my soul, which you have redeemed, will shout.
24Indeed my tongue will tell of your righteousness all day long.
How ashamed, how disgraced they are—
those who are trying to harm me.
Psalm 72
The Rule of the Righteous King
By Solomon.
The King's Justice
1God, give your authority to judge to the King.
Give your righteousness to the Son of the King.
2He will judge your people with righteousness.
He will judge your afflicted ones with justice.
3The mountains will deliver peace to the people.
The hills will produce righteousness.
4He will obtain justice for the afflicted among the people.
He will save the children of the poor,
but he will crush the oppressor.
The King's Eternal Reign
5They will fear you[] as long as the sun remains,
and as long as the moon endures, through all generations.
6He will come down like rain on a mown field,
like showers, like a downpour on the earth.
7In his days the righteous will flourish,
and peace will be plentiful till the moon is no more.
The King's Universal Reign
8He will rule[] from sea to sea
and from the River[] to the ends of the earth.
9Those who dwell in the desert will bow before him,
and his enemies will lick the dust.
10The kings of Tarshish and of the sea coasts will bring tribute.
The kings of Sheba and Seba will offer him gifts.
11All kings will bow down to him.
All nations will serve him.
The Blessings of His Rule
12He will certainly deliver the poor person who cries out,
as well as the afflicted, and the one who has no helper.
13He will take pity on the weak and the poor.
He will save the lives of the poor.
14From oppression and violence he will redeem their lives,
because their blood is precious in his sight.
A Prayer for His Blessings
15May the King live![]
May gold from Sheba be offered to him.
May people always pray for him.
May they bless him all day long.
16Let there be an abundance of grain in the land.
Let it wave on the top of the mountains.
Let its fruit trees be like the cedars of Lebanon.[]
Let people from the city flourish like the grass of the land.
17May his name endure forever.
May his name flourish as long as the sun.
All nations will be blessed through him.
They will call him blessed.
Closing Doxology
18Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,
who alone does marvelous deeds.
19Blessed be his glorious name forever.
May the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and Amen.
20This ends the prayers of David son of Jesse.

Footnotes

  • 1:2 The Hebrew torah is traditionally translated law, but the term torah also includes other types of instruction besides legal regulations, so here it is translated with the more general term teaching.
  • 1:6 Literally knows
  • 2:2 Or Messiah
  • 2:7 Or I have become your father
  • 2:10 Or receive correction
  • 3:0 See 2 Samuel 15–18.
  • 3:2 The Hebrew term selah probably indicates a musical interlude for meditation, so selah is translated interlude throughout Psalms.
  • 4:3 The Hebrew word hasid refers to someone who receives and/or gives mercy. It is the most common title for a believer in the Psalms. Many translations use generic terms like devout, godly, or faithful. This translation uses favored when hasid refers primarily to a recipient of mercy and merciful when it refers primarily to a dispenser of mercy.
  • 6:0 Sheminith seems to be derived from the Hebrew word for eight. It may refer to an eight-stringed instrument, to the bass voice, to low-pitched stringed instruments, or, most likely, to a method for tuning a stringed instrument (1 Chronicles 15:21).
  • 7:0 The Hebrew word shiggaion is a musical term of uncertain meaning. Perhaps it means an emotional song.
  • 7:6 Or command justice
  • 7:9 Literally hearts and kidneys
  • 7:12 It is not clear whether he refers to God or to the wicked.
  • 7:12 Hebrew he. The subject the Lord is supplied for clarity.
  • 7:14 Or lies
  • 8:0 Gittith means in the style of Gath. Gath is a city name. It also means winepress. The term seems to refer to a musical style associated with Gath or perhaps to the name of a melody.
  • 8:1 The grammar of the line is difficult.
  • 8:2 The Greek Old Testament and Matthew 21:16 read prepared praise.
  • 8:4 Or the Son of Man, or the Son of Adam. Hebrews 2:6 makes it clear that Jesus is the Son of Adam who fulfills this prophecy. Jesus' title, the Son of Man, however, is based on Daniel 7:13 rather than on this verse. Here and in Daniel 7:13 it seems that the term son of man is not yet a formal title. It is the poetic parallel of the term man.
  • 8:5 This very important verse is difficult and has been the subject of a number of interpretations. A literal rendering of the Hebrew reads: You made him lack—God—a little. This could be paraphrased with Luther: You let him be forsaken by God for a little while. The translation above follows Luther in understanding this as a reference to Jesus' humiliation. The Greek translation of the Old Testament interprets the Hebrew word elohim, which usually means god, as a reference to godlike beings, namely, the angels: You made him a little lower [or lower for a little while] than the angels. Hebrews 2:7 quotes this translation. In either interpretation the point is the same: Jesus endured humiliation while he was on earth acting as our Savior. The fact that he needed help from the angels is one evidence of this.
  • 9:0 This may be the name of the tune. The translation according to the death of the son is uncertain.
  • 9:14 This half-line may be taken with the preceding line rather than with the following line. Here Daughter of Zion seems to be a personification of Jerusalem.
  • 9:16 Higgaion and selah together may mean a musical interlude for meditation.
  • 10:2 Or in pride the wicked burns for [that is, he hotly pursues] the oppressed
  • 10:3 With a different punctuation and reading of the Hebrew text the robber reviles the Lord
  • 10:15 Or which he thought you would not find
  • 10:18 Or mortal man
  • 11:4 Literally his eyelids test
  • 11:4 Or sons of man, that is, all mankind
  • 11:5 Literally his soul hates
  • 11:6 The Hebrew text reads snares, fire, and sulfur. The translation follows one Greek version, which inverts two letters in one Hebrew word, changing snares to fiery coals.
  • 12:0 Sheminith is apparently derived from the Hebrew word for eight. It may refer to an eight-stringed instrument, to the bass voice, to low-pitched stringed instruments, or, most likely, to a method for tuning a stringed instrument (1 Chronicles 15:21).
  • 12:2 Literally speak with a heart and a heart
  • 12:4 Literally our lips are with us
  • 12:5 Or in the safety he desires
  • 14:7 Or Oh that salvation for Israel would come from Zion!
  • 15:5 Or perhaps excessive interest
  • 16:0 The meaning of miktam is uncertain. It may mean a golden psalm or a choice piece or a psalm inscribed on a tablet.
  • 16:2 The Hebrew of verses 2-4 is difficult and may be understood in more than one way.
  • 16:7 Literally kidneys. In Hebrew the word kidneys has some of the same connotations that heart does in English.
  • 16:9 Literally my glory. A few manuscripts read liver, which in Hebrew idiom parallels heart as a center of emotion.
  • 16:10 The Hebrew word hasid refers to a person who receives favor or distributes mercy. Here it refers to Christ, but it is not capitalized because it does not become one of his messianic titles.
  • 17:8 Traditionally the apple of your eye
  • 17:10 Literally they close their fat
  • 17:14 Many translations join verse 14b with the first part of verse 14, understanding it as an observation about the worldly prosperity of the ungodly. They translate with your treasure you fill their stomachs.
  • 18:4 Hebrew floodwaters of belial. Belial means worthless or unrestrained. It later became a name for Satan.
  • 18:7 See 2 Samuel 22:8, which reads foundations of the heavens.
  • 18:10 The cherubim are the powerful angels who serve as God's honor guard.
  • 18:11 Literally darkness of waters, clouds of a cloudy sky
  • 18:13 The Greek text does not include hail and coals of fire in this verse. It may be an accidental repetition from the preceding verse. The parallel in 2 Samuel 22:14 does not have this repetition.
  • 18:15 Sources of the sea is the reading in the parallel text in 2 Samuel 22:16.
  • 18:32 Or smooth
  • 18:50 Literally seed. The word seed connects this passage to the messianic promises given to Eve and to Abraham. By preserving David and his royal line, God carried on the messianic line that would reach its goal in Jesus.
  • 19:3 Or there is no speech or language where their voice is not heard
  • 19:4 The translation follows the Greek. The Hebrew reads their measuring line.
  • 19:7 The Hebrew term torah, traditionally translated law, includes other forms of instruction besides laws. Here it refers to God's whole word, including the gospel.
  • 19:7 Or naïve
  • 20:6 That is, the king of Israel, who as a type of Christ was called by the title the Anointed
  • 21:10 Fruit and seed refer to their descendants.
  • 21:11 Literally stretch out
  • 22:0 This may be the name of the tune. An alternate reading is help at dawn.
  • 22:2 Or I am never silent
  • 22:8 Literally roll [your troubles] to the Lord
  • 22:8 The first part of the quotation is addressed to the suffering Messiah. The second part is addressed to their fellow mockers, so they are marked as two separate quotations.
  • 22:16 The reading they have pierced is found in some Hebrew manuscripts, including one of the oldest, as well as in other ancient versions. Most Hebrew manuscripts read like a lion instead of a verb.
  • 22:21 Or answer me
  • 22:25 This verse may mean that the Son praises the Father in the great congregation (as in verse 22) or that the Father praises the Son in the great congregation. The first option seems to fit the context best.
  • 22:26 Or may your hearts live forever
  • 22:29 The ancient versions read my soul will live for him rather than my soul will not live.
  • 23:5 Scenting someone with perfumed olive oil was a part of celebrations. The verb used here is not the verb used for anointing someone to an office.
  • 23:6 Literally for length of days or for days without end
  • 24:2 Or ocean currents
  • 24:6 Literally this is the generation (or circle) of those who seek him, who seek your face Jacob. The syntax of the verse is difficult. It appears that in the Hebrew Jacob should be understood as an apposition to those who seek him. The Greek reads the generation of those who look for him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.
  • 24:6 The Hebrew selah seems to indicate a musical interlude for reflection.
  • 25:6 Or from of old
  • 25:14 The Hebrew word used here implies the kind of advice given by a close friend and confidant.
  • 25:17 Or, following an alternate reading of the Hebrew, relieve the distress of my heart
  • 27:4 The Hebrew word hekal, usually translated temple, means big house. It can refer to a palace or a temple. It can apply to the tent sanctuaries built by Moses and David and to the temple building constructed by Solomon.
  • 27:13 As it stands, the Hebrew text is an incomplete sentence which calls for a conclusion such as “I would have lost hope.” As the text stands, the construction breaks off and jumps to a positive affirmation. Some Hebrew manuscripts omit the initial word unless and have a positive statement: I am confident that I will…
  • 29:1 In this verse the Hebrew word translated God is elim rather than the usual elohim. Elim could also be translated mighty ones or heavenly beings. It seems to refer to the angels.
  • 29:6 Sirion and Mount Lebanon are names for Mount Hermon.
  • 29:9 Or makes the deer give birth. The Hebrew text provides vowels for the word as if it were the word for deer, rather than the word for oaks. Shattering oaks seems to fit the context and the parallelism better than makes the deer give birth.
  • 30:4 Or commemorate. In psalms the act of remembering God's deeds is often done in a setting of public worship, in which it becomes a testimony to others.
  • 30:12 Literally my glory. Glory here seems to refer to the heart or the soul, the inmost being.
  • 31:12 Literally from the heart
  • 31:17 Or go wailing to the grave
  • 32:0 A maskil is a type of hymn. It means a song that makes one wise or a skillful song.
  • 33:6 And/or army of angels
  • 34:0 See 1 Samuel 21.
  • 34:7 Or the Angel of the LORD, who is Christ, who led Israel through the wilderness, but it may allude to angels who camp with God's people, like the angels who came to Jacob's camp at Mahanaim (Genesis 32:1-2).
  • 34:22 Or life
  • 35:2 This may refer to two kinds of shields.
  • 35:3 Many translations read this term as the name of a weapon: a lance, javelin, or battle-ax. This reading yields a translation like: Wield spear and javelin against those who pursue me.
  • 35:10 My bones means my strongest part.
  • 35:13 Or I prayed with a bowed head. Literally my prayer returned to my lap.
  • 35:16 Literally, the Hebrew words are among the profane mockers for a cake. Because of the difficulty of making sense of this, many translations emend the text.
  • 35:19 Literally wink the eye. It is not certain what this body language means in this context.
  • 36:1 A variant found in a few Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac reads: rebellion speaks to the wicked within his heart.
  • 36:7 Or the sons of man or the sons of Adam
  • 37:3 Literally shepherd faithfulness or shepherd faithfully
  • 37:11 That is, those who quietly trust in God
  • 37:28 Or faithful ones
  • 38:7 Or my body burns with fever
  • 38:7 Literally my flesh
  • 39:0 For Jeduthun may refer to the director of music to whom David entrusted this psalm. Or, if translated according to Jeduthun, this may refer to a musical style or a melody associated with Jeduthun.
  • 39:5 Literally made them a few handbreadths. A handbreadth is about three or four inches.
  • 39:5 Or a vapor that vanishes
  • 39:6 Or he is all worked up for nothing
  • 40:5 The meaning of this line is uncertain.
  • 40:6 The Greek text of this psalm and Hebrews 10:5 read a body you have prepared for me. This seems to be an interpretive paraphrase that makes a general application (to the whole body) of the more specific point of the Hebrew (to the ears).
  • 40:8 Law here is used in its wide sense, God's whole Word.
  • 40:14 Or be ashamed and completely humiliated
  • 42:0 These two psalms are treated as a unit since they are united by a common theme, a common refrain, and a single heading.
  • 42:0 Maskil is a musical term of uncertain meaning. It may be a skillful song or a song that gives wisdom. This form is used also in Psalms 44 and 45.
  • 42:0 the Sons of Korah were a group of levitical musicians, who apparently were descendants of the Korah who rebelled against Moses. In this section of Psalms, Psalms 42–49 were written by them
  • 42:2 A different reading of the Hebrew verb yields the translation see the face of God.
  • 42:5 Literally bowed down or cast down
  • 42:5 Many translations emend this verse to agree with verses 42:11 and 43:5.
  • 42:11 Literally the salvation of my face and my God
  • 43:5 Literally the salvation of my face and my God
  • 45:0 This may be the name of the tune.
  • 45:9 This may refer to the queen mother (Song 3:11). The next section is addressed to the King's bride.
  • 46:0 Alamoth is a musical term of uncertain meaning. It probably refers to a method of tuning the instruments.
  • 46:9 Or shields. If we keep the reading carts, it refers to the two-wheeled supply carts, not to the war chariots.
  • 47:9 Or, less literally, the rulers of the earth
  • 48:11 That is, the towns around Jerusalem and their inhabitants
  • 48:13 Or moat
  • 48:14 Some Hebrew manuscripts read guide us forever.
  • 49:5 The line is unclear. The Hebrew reads the wickedness of my heels surrounds me.
  • 49:7 The translation follows a few Hebrew manuscripts. Many Hebrew manuscripts read he cannot redeem a brother.
  • 49:8 The line is cryptic: it/he ceases forever. This may mean that no payment is ever enough or that at death the man's earthly life ends forever.
  • 49:11 The translation follows the Hebrew. Ancient versions read their tombs will remain their houses forever.
  • 49:14 The Hebrew of this line reads their form for consuming of Sheol, from a lofty residence to him. The meaning is unclear.
  • 50:0 Asaph, a leading musician, was a contemporary of David.
  • 51:0 See 2 Samuel 11 and 12.
  • 52:0 A maskil is a type of hymn. It means a song that makes one wise or a skillful song. Other maskils include Psalms 53–55.
  • 52:0 See 1 Samuel 21 and 22.
  • 53:0 A musical term of uncertain meaning, most likely a melody
  • 53:6 Or O that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
  • 54:0 See 1 Samuel 23 and 26.
  • 55:20 Or violates his treaty or violates his covenant
  • 56:0 This may be the name of the tune. The translation reads the Hebrew word alm as a word which means oaks or terebinths. The standard Hebrew text reads it as a word for silent. This would result in the translation silent dove, distant ones.
  • 56:0 A miktam is a type of song. The meaning is uncertain. It may mean a golden psalm or a choice piece or a psalm inscribed on a tablet. Miktams include Psalms 57–60.
  • 56:0 See 1 Samuel 21.
  • 56:1 Or hotly pursues me. Or the verb may be a homonym that means tramples me.
  • 56:5 Or they twist my words
  • 56:7 The Hebrew reads because of wickedness, deliverance to them. This does not make sense in the context. The translation assumes there was an accidental omission of a negative. Another way to handle the problem is to make the phrase a question: because of their wickedness, will they escape?
  • 56:8 Or wandering
  • 56:10 This cryptic expression is a literal translation.
  • 57:0 This may be the name of the tune.
  • 57:0 The cave at Adullam in 1 Samuel 22 or the cave at En Gedi in 1 Samuel 24
  • 57:2 Or avenges me
  • 57:8 Literally my glory
  • 57:9 The main Hebrew text divides the word for nations into two words to create the derogatory expression non-nations.
  • 58:0 This may be the name of the tune.
  • 58:1 This translation follows a correction of the text followed by most modern versions. The Hebrew and Greek read: Do you really speak justice in silence?
  • 58:7 The text and its meaning are uncertain. Literally it seems to read: he treads his arrows like they are cut off/dry up.
  • 58:9 The meaning is uncertain. Literally it seems to read: like living, like burning anger he will sweep it away.
  • 59:0 This may be the name of the tune.
  • 59:0 See 1 Samuel 19.
  • 60:0 This may be the name of the tune.
  • 60:0 See 2 Samuel 8 and 10.
  • 60:4 The line is difficult and the meaning is uncertain.
  • 60:6 Or holy place
  • 60:8 The translation follows an alternate Hebrew reading. The main Hebrew text reads because of me, Philistia, shout aloud. These verses may be a confident assertion by David rather than a statement of the Lord.
  • 62:0 Jeduthun was one of David's directors of music. According to Jeduthun may indicate a musical style or melody associated with Jeduthun.
  • 62:9 Or vapor. Here, however, the image is light as air.
  • 63:0 This location could apply to several periods during his long flight from Saul.
  • 63:5 Literally with fat
  • 63:10 Or jackals
  • 64:8 Because of a mixture of singular and plural number, the translation is uncertain. Literally the Hebrew reads and they caused him/it to stumble, upon them, their tongue.
  • 65:1 Or praise is fitting for you or silence is before you
  • 65:2 Literally flesh
  • 65:11 Literally drip fatness
  • 66:3 Or astonishing
  • 68:4 A variant in the Targum is rides on the clouds.
  • 68:4 The Hebrew uses the short form Yah rather than the full form of the divine name, Yahweh, which is translate Lord.
  • 68:9 Or when they were weary. The land may be described as weary because of lack of rain, or it may be the people of the land who are weary.
  • 68:11 This seems to refer to the custom of women singing to greet victors returning from battle, as they did at the Red Sea (Exodus 15:20) or when David returned from victory over Goliath (1 Samuel 18:6).
  • 68:13 The meaning is cryptic. The verses seem to refer to the division of plunder. The translation is relatively literal.
  • 68:15 The meaning of several words in these verses is uncertain.
  • 68:17 The Hebrew reads the Lord [is] among them, Sinai, in holiness. The translation follows the parallel in Deuteronomy 33:2 and the sense of the psalm
  • 68:18 The Hebrew uses the short form Yah rather than Yahweh, the full form of the divine name.
  • 68:26 The grammar and syntax of the sentence are difficult.
  • 68:30 Verse 30 is cryptic. It seems to describe a threatening nation as a beast, a frequent picture in Scripture. The translation attempts to be literal.
  • 68:31 The meaning of this word is uncertain. It may refer to colored cloth or to metal vessels.
  • 68:31 The territory south of Egypt
  • 69:0 This may be the name of the tune.
  • 69:6 Or wait for you to help
  • 69:22 The translation is based on the Hebrew. The Greek reads may it be a retribution and a trap to them. The Targum reads may their fellowship offerings be a trap to them.
  • 71:6 Or been dependent on
  • 71:16 The Hebrew term often refers to an act of public proclamation, which causes others to remember God's goodness.
  • 72:5 The translation follows the Hebrew. The Greek Old Testament reads he will endure.
  • 72:8 Or may he rule. Hebrew verb forms in this section that are translated as prophecy could also be translated as prayer, for example, may he rule.
  • 72:8 That is, the Euphrates River
  • 72:15 The Hebrew has singular pronouns throughout. For clarity the implied nouns have been supplied in the translation.
  • 72:16 Hebrew let its fruit be like Lebanon