Psalms
Book 1(Psalms 1-41)
Psalm 1
1:1 How blessed is the one who does not follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand in the pathway with sinners,
or sit in the assembly of scoffers!
1:2 Instead he finds pleasure in obeying the Lord’s commands;
he meditates on his commands day and night.
1:3 He is like a tree planted by flowing streams;
it yields its fruit at the proper time,
and its leaves never fall off.
He succeeds in everything he attempts.
1:4 Not so with the wicked!
Instead they are like wind-driven chaff.
1:5 For this reason the wicked cannot withstand judgment,
nor can sinners join the assembly of the godly.
1:6 Certainly the Lord guards the way of the godly,
but the way of the wicked ends in destruction.
Psalm 2
2:1 Why do the nations rebel?
Why are the countries devising plots that will fail?
2:2 The kings of the earth form a united front;
the rulers collaborate
against the Lord and his anointed king.
2:3 They say, “Let’s tear off the shackles they’ve put on us!
Let’s free ourselves from their ropes!”
2:4 The one enthroned in heaven laughs in disgust;
the Lord taunts them.
2:5 Then he angrily speaks to them
and terrifies them in his rage, saying,
2:6 “I myself have installed my king
on Zion, my holy hill.”
2:7 The king says, “I will announce the Lord’s decree. He said to me:
‘You are my son! This very day I have become your father!
2:8 Ask me,
and I will give you the nations as your inheritance,
the ends of the earth as your personal property.
2:9 You will break them with an iron scepter;
you will smash them like a potter’s jar!’”
2:10 So now, you kings, do what is wise;
you rulers of the earth, submit to correction!
2:11 Serve the Lord in fear!
Repent in terror!
2:12 Give sincere homage!
Otherwise he will be angry,
and you will die because of your behavior,
when his anger quickly ignites.
How blessed are all who take shelter in him!
Psalm 3
A psalm of David, written when he fled from his son Absalom.
3:1 Lord, how numerous are my enemies!
Many attack me.
3:2 Many say about me,
“God will not deliver him.” (Selah)
3:3 But you, Lord, are a shield that protects me;
you are my glory and the one who restores me.
3:4 To the Lord I cried out,
and he answered me from his holy hill. (Selah)
3:5 I rested and slept;
I awoke, for the Lord protects me.
3:6 I am not afraid of the multitude of people
who attack me from all directions.
3:7 Rise up, Lord!
Deliver me, my God!
Yes, you will strike all my enemies on the jaw;
you will break the teeth of the wicked.
3:8 The Lord delivers;
you show favor to your people. (Selah)
Psalm 4
For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm of David.
4:1 When I call out, answer me,
O God who vindicates me!
Though I am hemmed in, you will lead me into a wide, open place.
Have mercy on me and respond to my prayer!
4:2 You men, how long will you try to turn my honor into shame?
How long will you love what is worthless
and search for what is deceptive? (Selah)
4:3 Realize that the Lord shows the godly special favor;
the Lord responds when I cry out to him.
4:4 Tremble with fear and do not sin!
Meditate as you lie in bed, and repent of your ways! (Selah)
4:5 Offer the prescribed sacrifices
and trust in the Lord!
4:6 Many say, “Who can show us anything good?”
Smile upon us, Lord!
4:7 You make me happier
than those who have abundant grain and wine.
4:8 I will lie down and sleep peacefully,
for you, Lord, make me safe and secure.
Psalm 5
For the music director, to be accompanied by wind instruments; a psalm of David.
5:1 Listen to what I say, Lord!
Carefully consider my complaint!
5:2 Pay attention to my cry for help,
my king and my God,
for I am praying to you!
5:3 Lord, in the morning you will hear me;
in the morning I will present my case to you and then wait expectantly for an answer.
5:4 Certainly you are not a God who approves of evil;
evil people cannot dwell with you.
5:5 Arrogant people cannot stand in your presence;
you hate all who behave wickedly.
5:6 You destroy liars;
the Lord despises violent and deceitful people.
5:7 But as for me, because of your great faithfulness I will enter your house;
I will bow down toward your holy temple as I worship you.
5:8 Lord, lead me in your righteousness
because of those who wait to ambush me,
remove the obstacles in the way in which you are guiding me!
5:9 For they do not speak the truth;
their stomachs are like the place of destruction,
their throats like an open grave,
their tongues like a steep slope leading into it.
5:10 Condemn them, O God!
May their own schemes be their downfall!
Drive them away because of their many acts of insurrection,
for they have rebelled against you.
5:11 But may all who take shelter in you be happy!
May they continually shout for joy!
Shelter them so that those who are loyal to you may rejoice!
5:12 Certainly you reward the godly, Lord.
Like a shield you protect them in your good favor.
Psalm 6
For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments, according to the sheminith style; a psalm of David.
6:1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger!
Do not discipline me in your raging fury!
6:2 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am frail!
Heal me, Lord, for my bones are shaking!
6:3 I am absolutely terrified,
and you, Lord – how long will this continue?
6:4 Relent, Lord, rescue me!
Deliver me because of your faithfulness!
6:5 For no one remembers you in the realm of death,
In Sheol who gives you thanks?
6:6 I am exhausted as I groan;
all night long I drench my bed in tears;
my tears saturate the cushion beneath me.
6:7 My eyes grow dim from suffering;
they grow weak because of all my enemies.
6:8 Turn back from me, all you who behave wickedly,
for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping!
6:9 The Lord has heard my appeal for mercy;
the Lord has accepted my prayer.
6:10 May all my enemies be humiliated and absolutely terrified!
May they turn back and be suddenly humiliated!
Psalm 7
A musical composition by David, which he sang to the Lord concerninga Benjaminite named Cush.
7:1 O Lord my God, in you I have taken shelter.
Deliver me from all who chase me! Rescue me!
7:2 Otherwise they will rip me to shreds like a lion;
they will tear me to bits and no one will be able to rescue me.
7:3 O Lord my God, if I have done what they say,
or am guilty of unjust actions,
7:4 or have wronged my ally,
or helped his lawless enemy,
7:5 may an enemy relentlessly chase me and catch me;
may he trample me to death
and leave me lying dishonored in the dust. (Selah)
7:6 Stand up angrily, Lord!
Rise up with raging fury against my enemies!
Wake up for my sake and execute the judgment you have decreed for them!
7:7 The countries are assembled all around you;
take once more your rightful place over them!
7:8 The Lord judges the nations.
Vindicate me, Lord, because I am innocent,
because I am blameless, O Exalted One!
7:9 May the evil deeds of the wicked come to an end!
But make the innocent secure,
O righteous God,
you who examine inner thoughts and motives!
7:10 The Exalted God is my shield,
the one who delivers the morally upright.
7:11 God is a just judge;
he is angry throughout the day.
7:12 If a person does not repent, God sharpens his sword
and prepares to shoot his bow.
7:13 He prepares to use deadly weapons against him;
he gets ready to shoot flaming arrows.
7:14 See the one who is pregnant with wickedness,
who conceives destructive plans,
and gives birth to harmful lies –
7:15 he digs a pit
and then falls into the hole he has made.
7:16 He becomes the victim of his own destructive plans
and the violence he intended for others falls on his own head.
7:17 I will thank the Lord for his justice;
I will sing praises to the sovereign Lord!
Psalm 8
For the music director, according to the gittith style; a psalm of David.
8:1 O Lord, our Lord,
how magnificent is your reputation throughout the earth!
You reveal your majesty in the heavens above!
8:2 From the mouths of children and nursing babies
you have ordained praise on account of your adversaries,
so that you might put an end to the vindictive enemy.
8:3 When I look up at the heavens, which your fingers made,
and see the moon and the stars, which you set in place,
8:4 Of what importance is the human race, that you should notice them?
Of what importance is mankind, that you should pay attention to them,
8:5 and make them a little less than the heavenly beings?
You grant mankind honor and majesty;
8:6 you appoint them to rule over your creation;
you have placed everything under their authority,
8:7 including all the sheep and cattle,
as well as the wild animals,
8:8 the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea
and everything that moves through the currents of the seas.
8:9 O Lord, our Lord,
how magnificent is your reputation throughout the earth!
Psalm 9
For the music director; according to the alumoth-labben style; a psalm of David.
9:1 I will thank the Lord with all my heart!
I will tell about all your amazing deeds!
9:2 I will be happy and rejoice in you!
I will sing praises to you, O sovereign One!
9:3 When my enemies turn back,
they trip and are defeated before you.
9:4 For you defended my just cause;
from your throne you pronounced a just decision.
9:5 You terrified the nations with your battle cry;
you destroyed the wicked;
you permanently wiped out all memory of them.
9:6 The enemy’s cities have been reduced to permanent ruins;
you destroyed their cities;
all memory of the enemies has perished.
9:7 But the Lord rules forever;
he reigns in a just manner.
9:8 He judges the world fairly;
he makes just legal decisions for the nations.
9:9 Consequently the Lord provides safety for the oppressed;
he provides safety in times of trouble.
9:10 Your loyal followers trust in you,
for you, Lord, do not abandon those who seek your help.
9:11 Sing praises to the Lord, who rules in Zion!
Tell the nations what he has done!
9:12 For the one who takes revenge against murderers took notice of the oppressed;
he did not overlook their cry for help
9:13 when they prayed:
“Have mercy on me, Lord!
See how I am oppressed by those who hate me,
O one who can snatch me away from the gates of death!
9:14 Then I will tell about all your praiseworthy acts;
in the gates of Daughter Zion I will rejoice because of your deliverance.”
9:15 The nations fell into the pit they had made;
their feet were caught in the net they had hidden.
9:16 The Lord revealed himself;
he accomplished justice;
the wicked were ensnared by their own actions. (Higgaion. Selah)
9:17 The wicked are turned back and sent to Sheol;
this is the destiny of all the nations that ignore God,
9:18 for the needy are not permanently ignored,
the hopes of the oppressed are not forever dashed.
9:19 Rise up, Lord!
Don’t let men be defiant!
May the nations be judged in your presence!
9:20 Terrify them, Lord!
Let the nations know they are mere mortals! (Selah)
Psalm 10
10:1 Why, Lord, do you stand far off?
Why do you pay no attention during times of trouble?
10:2 The wicked arrogantly chase the oppressed;
the oppressed are trapped by the schemes the wicked have dreamed up.
10:3 Yes, the wicked man boasts because he gets what he wants;
the one who robs others curses and rejects the Lord.
10:4 The wicked man is so arrogant he always thinks,
“God won’t hold me accountable; he doesn’t care.”
10:5 He is secure at all times.
He has no regard for your commands;
he disdains all his enemies.
10:6 He says to himself,
“I will never be upended,
because I experience no calamity.”
10:7 His mouth is full of curses and deceptive, harmful words;
his tongue injures and destroys.
10:8 He waits in ambush near the villages;
in hidden places he kills the innocent.
His eyes look for some unfortunate victim.
10:9 He lies in ambush in a hidden place, like a lion in a thicket;
he lies in ambush, waiting to catch the oppressed;
he catches the oppressed by pulling in his net.
10:10 His victims are crushed and beaten down;
they are trapped in his sturdy nets.
10:11 He says to himself,
“God overlooks it;
he does not pay attention;
he never notices.”
10:12 Rise up, Lord!
O God, strike him down!
Do not forget the oppressed!
10:13 Why does the wicked man reject God?
He says to himself, “You will not hold me accountable.”
10:14 You have taken notice,
for you always see one who inflicts pain and suffering.
The unfortunate victim entrusts his cause to you;
you deliver the fatherless.
10:15 Break the arm of the wicked and evil man!
Hold him accountable for his wicked deeds,
which he thought you would not discover.
10:16 The Lord rules forever!
The nations are driven out of his land.
10:17 Lord, you have heard the request of the oppressed;
you make them feel secure because you listen to their prayer.
10:18 You defend the fatherless and oppressed,
so that mere mortals may no longer terrorize them.
Psalm 11
For the music director; by David.
11:1 In the Lord I have taken shelter.
How can you say to me,
“Flee to a mountain like a bird!
11:2 For look, the wicked prepare their bows,
they put their arrows on the strings,
to shoot in the darkness at the morally upright.
11:3 When the foundations are destroyed,
what can the godly accomplish?”
11:4 The Lord is in his holy temple;
the Lord’s throne is in heaven.
His eyes watch;
his eyes examine all people.
11:5 The Lord approves of the godly,
but he hates the wicked and those who love to do violence.
11:6 May the Lord rain down burning coals and brimstone on the wicked!
A whirlwind is what they deserve!
11:7 Certainly the Lord is just;
he rewards godly deeds;
the upright will experience his favor.
Psalm 12
For the music director; according to the sheminith style; a psalm of David.
12:1 Deliver, Lord!
For the godly have disappeared;
people of integrity have vanished.
12:2 People lie to one another;
they flatter and deceive.
12:3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
and the tongue that boasts!
12:4 They say, “We speak persuasively;
we know how to flatter and boast.
Who is our master?”
12:5 “Because of the violence done to the oppressed,
because of the painful cries of the needy,
I will spring into action,” says the Lord.
“I will provide the safety they so desperately desire.”
12:6 The Lord’s words are absolutely reliable.
They are as untainted as silver purified in a furnace on the ground,
where it is thoroughly refined.
12:7 You, Lord, will protect them;
you will continually shelter each one from these evil people,
12:8 for the wicked seem to be everywhere,
when people promote evil.
Psalm 13
For the music director; a psalm of David.
13:1 How long, Lord, will you continue to ignore me?
How long will you pay no attention to me?
13:2 How long must I worry,
and suffer in broad daylight?
How long will my enemy gloat over me?
13:3 Look at me! Answer me, O Lord my God!
Revive me, or else I will die!
13:4 Then my enemy will say, “I have defeated him!”
Then my foes will rejoice because I am upended.
13:5 But I trust in your faithfulness.
May I rejoice because of your deliverance!
13:6 I will sing praises to the Lord
when he vindicates me.
Psalm 14
For the music director; by David.
14:1 Fools say to themselves, “There is no God.”
They sin and commit evil deeds;
none of them does what is right.
14:2 The Lord looks down from heaven at the human race,
to see if there is anyone who is wise and seeks God.
14:3 Everyone rejects God;
they are all morally corrupt.
None of them does what is right,
not even one!
14:4 All those who behave wickedly do not understand –
those who devour my people as if they were eating bread,
and do not call out to the Lord.
14:5 They are absolutely terrified,
for God defends the godly.
14:6 You want to humiliate the oppressed,
even though the Lord is their shelter.
14:7 I wish the deliverance of Israel would come from Zion!
When the Lord restores the well-being of his people,
may Jacob rejoice,
may Israel be happy!
Psalm 15
A psalm of David.
15:1 Lord, who may be a guest in your home?
Who may live on your holy hill?
15:2 Whoever lives a blameless life,
does what is right,
and speaks honestly.
15:3 He does not slander,
or do harm to others,
or insult his neighbor.
15:4 He despises a reprobate,
but honors the Lord’s loyal followers.
He makes firm commitments and does not renege on his promise.
15:5 He does not charge interest when he lends his money.
He does not take bribes to testify against the innocent.
The one who lives like this will never be upended.
Psalm 16
A prayer of David.
16:1 Protect me, O God, for I have taken shelter in you.
16:2 I say to the Lord, “You are the Lord,
my only source of well-being.”
16:3 As for God’s chosen people who are in the land,
and the leading officials I admired so much –
16:4 their troubles multiply,
they desire other gods.
I will not pour out drink offerings of blood to their gods,
nor will I make vows in the name of their gods.
16:5 Lord, you give me stability and prosperity;
you make my future secure.
16:6 It is as if I have been given fertile fields
or received a beautiful tract of land.
16:7 I will praise the Lord who guides me;
yes, during the night I reflect and learn.
16:8 I constantly trust in the Lord;
because he is at my right hand, I will not be upended.
16:9 So my heart rejoices
and I am happy;
My life is safe.
16:10 You will not abandon me to Sheol;
you will not allow your faithful follower to see the Pit.
16:11 You lead me in the path of life;
I experience absolute joy in your presence;
you always give me sheer delight.
Psalm 17
A prayer of David.
17:1 Lord, consider my just cause!
Pay attention to my cry for help!
Listen to the prayer
I sincerely offer!
17:2 Make a just decision on my behalf!
Decide what is right!
17:3 You have scrutinized my inner motives;
you have examined me during the night.
You have carefully evaluated me, but you find no sin.
I am determined I will say nothing sinful.
17:4 As for the actions of people –
just as you have commanded,
I have not followed in the footsteps of violent men.
17:5 I carefully obey your commands;
I do not deviate from them.
17:6 I call to you for you will answer me, O God.
Listen to me!
Hear what I say!
17:7 Accomplish awesome, faithful deeds,
you who powerfully deliver those who look to you for protection from their enemies.
17:8 Protect me as you would protect the pupil of your eye!
Hide me in the shadow of your wings!
17:9 Protect me from the wicked men who attack me,
my enemies who crowd around me for the kill.
17:10 They are calloused;
they speak arrogantly.
17:11 They attack me, now they surround me;
they intend to throw me to the ground.
17:12 He is like a lion that wants to tear its prey to bits,
like a young lion crouching in hidden places.
17:13 Rise up, Lord!
Confront him! Knock him down!
Use your sword to rescue me from the wicked man!
17:14 Lord, use your power to deliver me from these murderers,
from the murderers of this world!
They enjoy prosperity;
you overwhelm them with the riches they desire.
They have many children,
and leave their wealth to their offspring.
17:15 As for me, because I am innocent I will see your face;
when I awake you will reveal yourself to me.
Psalm 18
For the music director; by the Lord’s servant David, who sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord rescued him from the power of all his enemies, including Saul.
18:1 He said:
“I love you, Lord, my source of strength!
18:2 The Lord is my high ridge, my stronghold, my deliverer.
My God is my rocky summit where I take shelter,
my shield, the horn that saves me, and my refuge.
18:3 I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and I was delivered from my enemies.
18:4 The waves of death engulfed me,
the currents of chaos overwhelmed me.
18:5 The ropes of Sheol tightened around me,
the snares of death trapped me.
18:6 In my distress I called to the Lord;
I cried out to my God.
From his heavenly temple he heard my voice;
he listened to my cry for help.
18:7 The earth heaved and shook;
the roots of the mountains trembled;
they heaved because he was angry.
18:8 Smoke ascended from his nose;
fire devoured as it came from his mouth;
he hurled down fiery coals.
18:9 He made the sky sink as he descended;
a thick cloud was under his feet.
18:10 He mounted a winged angel and flew;
he glided on the wings of the wind.
18:11 He shrouded himself in darkness,
in thick rain clouds.
18:12 From the brightness in front of him came
hail and fiery coals.
18:13 The Lord thundered in the sky;
the sovereign One shouted.
18:14 He shot his arrows and scattered them,
many lightning bolts and routed them.
18:15 The depths of the sea were exposed;
the inner regions of the world were uncovered
by your battle cry, Lord,
by the powerful breath from your nose.
18:16 He reached down from above and took hold of me;
he pulled me from the surging water.
18:17 He rescued me from my strong enemy,
from those who hate me,
for they were too strong for me.
18:18 They confronted me in my day of calamity,
but the Lord helped me.
18:19 He brought me out into a wide open place;
he delivered me because he was pleased with me.
18:20 The Lord repaid me for my godly deeds;
he rewarded my blameless behavior.
18:21 For I have obeyed the Lord’s commands;
I have not rebelled against my God.
18:22 For I am aware of all his regulations,
and I do not reject his rules.
18:23 I was innocent before him,
and kept myself from sinning.
18:24 The Lord rewarded me for my godly deeds;
he took notice of my blameless behavior.
18:25 You prove to be loyal to one who is faithful;
you prove to be trustworthy to one who is innocent.
18:26 You prove to be reliable to one who is blameless,
but you prove to be deceptive to one who is perverse.
18:27 For you deliver oppressed people,
but you bring down those who have a proud look.
18:28 Indeed, you are my lamp, Lord.
My God illuminates the darkness around me.
18:29 Indeed, with your help I can charge against an army;
by my God’s power I can jump over a wall.
18:30 The one true God acts in a faithful manner;
the Lord’s promise is reliable;
he is a shield to all who take shelter in him.
18:31 Indeed, who is God besides the Lord?
Who is a protector besides our God?
18:32 The one true God gives me strength;
he removes the obstacles in my way.
18:33 He gives me the agility of a deer;
he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain.
18:34 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend even the strongest bow.
18:35 You give me your protective shield;
your right hand supports me;
your willingness to help enables me to prevail.
18:36 You widen my path;
my feet do not slip.
18:37 I chase my enemies and catch them;
I do not turn back until I wipe them out.
18:38 I beat them to death;
they fall at my feet.
18:39 You give me strength for battle;
you make my foes kneel before me.
18:40 You make my enemies retreat;
I destroy those who hate me.
18:41 They cry out, but there is no one to help them;
they cry out to the Lord, but he does not answer them.
18:42 I grind them as fine windblown dust;
I beat them underfoot like clay in the streets.
18:43 You rescue me from a hostile army;
you make me a leader of nations;
people over whom I had no authority are now my subjects.
18:44 When they hear of my exploits, they submit to me.
Foreigners are powerless before me;
18:45 foreigners lose their courage;
they shake with fear as they leave their strongholds.
18:46 The Lord is alive!
My protector is praiseworthy!
The God who delivers me is exalted as king!
18:47 The one true God completely vindicates me;
he makes nations submit to me.
18:48 He delivers me from my enemies;
you snatch me away from those who
attack me;
you rescue me from violent men.
18:49 So I will give you thanks before the nations, O Lord!
I will sing praises to you!
18:50 He gives his chosen king magnificent victories;
he is faithful to his chosen ruler,
to David and his descendants forever.”
Psalm 19
For the music director; a psalm of David.
19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the sky displays his handiwork.
19:2 Day after day it speaks out;
night after night it reveals his greatness.
19:3 There is no actual speech or word,
nor is its voice literally heard.
19:4 Yet its voice echoes throughout the earth;
its words carry to the distant horizon.
In the sky he has pitched a tent for the sun.
19:5 Like a bridegroom it emerges from its chamber;
like a strong man it enjoys running its course.
19:6 It emerges from the distant horizon,
and goes from one end of the sky to the other;
nothing can escape its heat.
19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect
and preserves one’s life.
The rules set down by the Lord are reliable
and impart wisdom to the inexperienced.
19:8 The Lord’s precepts are fair
and make one joyful.
The Lord’s commands are pure
and give insight for life.
19:9 The commands to fear the Lord are right
and endure forever.
The judgments given by the Lord are trustworthy
and absolutely just.
19:10 They are of greater value than gold,
than even a great amount of pure gold;
they bring greater delight than honey,
than even the sweetest honey from a honeycomb.
19:11 Yes, your servant finds moral guidance there;
those who obey them receive a rich reward.
19:12 Who can know all his errors?
Please do not punish me for sins I am unaware of.
19:13 Moreover, keep me from committing flagrant sins;
do not allow such sins to control me.
Then I will be blameless,
and innocent of blatant rebellion.
19:14 May my words and my thoughts
be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my sheltering rock and my redeemer.
Psalm 20
For the music director; a psalm of David.
20:1 May the Lord answer you when you are in trouble;
may the God of Jacob make you secure!
20:2 May he send you help from his temple;
from Zion may he give you support!
20:3 May he take notice of your offerings;
may he accept your burnt sacrifice! (Selah)
20:4 May he grant your heart’s desire;
may he bring all your plans to pass!
20:5 Then we will shout for joy over your victory;
we will rejoice in the name of our God!
May the Lord grant all your requests!
20:6 Now I am sure that the Lord will deliver his chosen king;
he will intervene for him from his holy heavenly temple,
and display his mighty ability to deliver.
20:7 Some trust in chariots and others in horses,
but we depend on the Lord our God.
20:8 They will fall down,
but we will stand firm.
20:9 The Lord will deliver the king;
he will answer us when we call to him for help!
Psalm 21
For the music director; a psalm of David.
21:1 O Lord, the king rejoices in the strength you give;
he takes great delight in the deliverance you provide.
21:2 You grant him his heart’s desire;
you do not refuse his request. (Selah)
21:3 For you bring him rich blessings;
you place a golden crown on his head.
21:4 He asked you to sustain his life,
and you have granted him long life and an enduring dynasty.
21:5 Your deliverance brings him great honor;
you give him majestic splendor.
21:6 For you grant him lasting blessings;
you give him great joy by allowing him into your presence.
21:7 For the king trusts in the Lord,
and because of the sovereign Lord’s faithfulness he is not upended.
21:8 You prevail over all your enemies;
your power is too great for those who hate you.
21:9 You burn them up like a fiery furnace when you appear;
the Lord angrily devours them;
the fire consumes them.
21:10 You destroy their offspring from the earth,
their descendants from among the human race.
21:11 Yes, they intend to do you harm;
they dream up a scheme, but they do not succeed.
21:12 For you make them retreat
when you shoot your arrows at them.
21:13 Rise up, O Lord, in strength!
We will sing and praise your power!
Psalm 22
For the music director; according to the tune “Morning Doe;” a psalm of David.
22:1 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
I groan in prayer, but help seems far away.
22:2 My God, I cry out during the day,
but you do not answer,
and during the night my prayers do not let up.
22:3 You are holy;
you sit as king receiving the praises of Israel.
22:4 In you our ancestors trusted;
they trusted in you and you rescued them.
22:5 To you they cried out, and they were saved;
in you they trusted and they were not disappointed.
22:6 But I am a worm, not a man;
people insult me and despise me.
22:7 All who see me taunt me;
they mock me and shake their heads.
22:8 They say,
“Commit yourself to the Lord!
Let the Lord rescue him!
Let the Lord deliver him, for he delights in him.”
22:9 Yes, you are the one who brought me out from the womb
and made me feel secure on my mother’s breasts.
22:10 I have been dependent on you since birth;
from the time I came out of my mother’s womb you have been my God.
22:11 Do not remain far away from me,
for trouble is near and I have no one to help me.
22:12 Many bulls surround me;
powerful bulls of Bashan hem me in.
22:13 They open their mouths to devour me
like a roaring lion that rips its prey.
22:14 My strength drains away like water;
all my bones are dislocated;
my heart is like wax;
it melts away inside me.
22:15 The roof of my mouth is as dry as a piece of pottery;
my tongue sticks to my gums.
You set me in the dust of death.
22:16 Yes, wild dogs surround me –
a gang of evil men crowd around me;
like a lion they pin my hands and feet.
22:17 I can count all my bones;
my enemies are gloating over me in triumph.
22:18 They are dividing up my clothes among themselves;
they are rolling dice for my garments.
22:19 But you, O Lord, do not remain far away!
You are my source of strength! Hurry and help me!
22:20 Deliver me from the sword!
Save my life from the claws of the wild dogs!
22:21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lion,
and from the horns of the wild oxen!
You have answered me!
22:22 I will declare your name to my countrymen!
In the middle of the assembly I will praise you!
22:23 You loyal followers of the Lord, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
All you descendants of Israel, stand in awe of him!
22:24 For he did not despise or detest the suffering of the oppressed;
he did not ignore him;
when he cried out to him, he responded.
22:25 You are the reason I offer praise in the great assembly;
I will fulfill my promises before the Lord’s loyal followers.
22:26 Let the oppressed eat and be filled!
Let those who seek his help praise the Lord!
May you live forever!
22:27 Let all the people of the earth acknowledge the Lord and turn to him!
Let all the nations worship you!
22:28 For the Lord is king
and rules over the nations.
22:29 All of the thriving people of the earth will join the celebration and worship;
all those who are descending into the grave will bow before him,
including those who cannot preserve their lives.
22:30 A whole generation will serve him;
they will tell the next generation about the sovereign Lord.
22:31 They will come and tell about his saving deeds;
they will tell a future generation what he has accomplished.
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
23:1 The Lord is my shepherd,
I lack nothing.
23:2 He takes me to lush pastures,
he leads me to refreshing water.
23:3 He restores my strength.
He leads me down the right paths
for the sake of his reputation.
23:4 Even when I must walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no danger,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff reassure me.
23:5 You prepare a feast before me
in plain sight of my enemies.
You refresh my head with oil;
my cup is completely full.
23:6 Surely your goodness and faithfulness will pursue me all my days,
and I will live in the Lord’s house for the rest of my life.
Psalm 24
A psalm of David.
24:1 The Lord owns the earth and all it contains,
the world and all who live in it.
24:2 For he set its foundation upon the seas,
and established it upon the ocean currents.
24:3 Who is allowed to ascend the mountain of the Lord?
Who may go up to his holy dwelling place?
24:4 The one whose deeds are blameless
and whose motives are pure,
who does not lie,
or make promises with no intention of keeping them.
24:5 Such godly people are rewarded by the Lord,
and vindicated by the God who delivers them.
24:6 Such purity characterizes the people who seek his favor,
Jacob’s descendants, who pray to him. (Selah)
24:7 Look up, you gates!
Rise up, you eternal doors!
Then the majestic king will enter!
24:8 Who is this majestic king?
The Lord who is strong and mighty!
The Lord who is mighty in battle!
24:9 Look up, you gates!
Rise up, you eternal doors!
Then the majestic king will enter!
24:10 Who is this majestic king?
The Lord who commands armies!
He is the majestic king! (Selah)
Psalm 25
By David.
25:1 O Lord, I come before you in prayer.
25:2 My God, I trust in you.
Please do not let me be humiliated;
do not let my enemies triumphantly rejoice over me!
25:3 Certainly none who rely on you will be humiliated.
Those who deal in treachery will be thwarted and humiliated.
25:4 Make me understand your ways, O Lord!
Teach me your paths!
25:5 Guide me into your truth and teach me.
For you are the God who delivers me;
on you I rely all day long.
25:6 Remember your compassionate and faithful deeds, O Lord,
for you have always acted in this manner.
25:7 Do not hold against me the sins of my youth or my rebellious acts!
Because you are faithful to me, extend to me your favor, O Lord!
25:8 The Lord is both kind and fair;
that is why he teaches sinners the right way to live.
25:9 May he show the humble what is right!
May he teach the humble his way!
25:10 The Lord always proves faithful and reliable
to those who follow the demands of his covenant.
25:11 For the sake of your reputation, O Lord,
forgive my sin, because it is great.
25:12 The Lord shows his faithful followers
the way they should live.
25:13 They experience his favor;
their descendants inherit the land.
25:14 The Lord’s loyal followers receive his guidance,
and he reveals his covenantal demands to them.
25:15 I continually look to the Lord for help,
for he will free my feet from the enemy’s net.
25:16 Turn toward me and have mercy on me,
for I am alone and oppressed!
25:17 Deliver me from my distress;
rescue me from my suffering!
25:18 See my pain and suffering!
Forgive all my sins!
25:19 Watch my enemies, for they outnumber me;
they hate me and want to harm me.
25:20 Protect me and deliver me!
Please do not let me be humiliated,
for I have taken shelter in you!
25:21 May integrity and godliness protect me,
for I rely on you!
25:22 O God, rescue Israel
from all their distress!
Psalm 26
By David.
26:1 Vindicate me, O Lord,
for I have integrity,
and I trust in the Lord without wavering.
26:2 Examine me, O Lord, and test me!
Evaluate my inner thoughts and motives!
26:3 For I am ever aware of your faithfulness,
and your loyalty continually motivates me.
26:4 I do not associate with deceitful men,
or consort with those who are dishonest.
26:5 I hate the mob of evil men,
and do not associate with the wicked.
26:6 I maintain a pure lifestyle,
so I can appear before your altar, O Lord,
26:7 to give you thanks,
and to tell about all your amazing deeds.
26:8 O Lord, I love the temple where you live,
the place where your splendor is revealed.
26:9 Do not sweep me away with sinners,
or execute me along with violent people,
26:10 who are always ready to do wrong
or offer a bribe.
26:11 But I have integrity!
Rescue me and have mercy on me!
26:12 I am safe,
and among the worshipers I will praise the Lord.
Psalm 27
By David.
27:1 The Lord delivers and vindicates me!
I fear no one!
The Lord protects my life!
I am afraid of no one!
27:2 When evil men attack me
to devour my flesh,
when my adversaries and enemies attack me,
they stumble and fall.
27:3 Even when an army is deployed against me,
I do not fear.
Even when war is imminent,
I remain confident.
27:4 I have asked the Lord for one thing –
this is what I desire!
I want to live in the Lord’s house all the days of my life,
so I can gaze at the splendor of the Lord
and contemplate in his temple.
27:5 He will surely give me shelter in the day of danger;
he will hide me in his home;
he will place me on an inaccessible rocky summit.
27:6 Now I will triumph
over my enemies who surround me!
I will offer sacrifices in his dwelling place and shout for joy!
I will sing praises to the Lord!
27:7 Hear me, O Lord, when I cry out!
Have mercy on me and answer me!
27:8 My heart tells me to pray to you,
and I do pray to you, O Lord.
27:9 Do not reject me!
Do not push your servant away in anger!
You are my deliverer!
Do not forsake or abandon me,
O God who vindicates me!
27:10 Even if my father and mother abandoned me,
the Lord would take me in.
27:11 Teach me how you want me to live;
lead me along a level path because of those who wait to ambush me!
27:12 Do not turn me over to my enemies,
for false witnesses who want to destroy me testify against me.
27:13 Where would I be if I did not believe I would experience
the Lord’s favor in the land of the living?
27:14 Rely on the Lord!
Be strong and confident!
Rely on the Lord!
Psalm 28
By David.
28:1 To you, O Lord, I cry out!
My protector, do not ignore me!
If you do not respond to me,
I will join those who are descending into the grave.
28:2 Hear my plea for mercy when I cry out to you for help,
when I lift my hands toward your holy temple!
28:3 Do not drag me away with evil men,
with those who behave wickedly,
who talk so friendly to their neighbors,
while they plan to harm them!
28:4 Pay them back for their evil deeds!
Pay them back for what they do!
Punish them!
28:5 For they do not understand the Lord’s actions,
or the way he carries out justice.
The Lord will permanently demolish them.
28:6 The Lord deserves praise,
for he has heard my plea for mercy!
28:7 The Lord strengthens and protects me;
I trust in him with all my heart.
I am rescued and my heart is full of joy;
I will sing to him in gratitude.
28:8 The Lord strengthens his people;
he protects and delivers his chosen king.
28:9 Deliver your people!
Empower the nation that belongs to you!
Care for them like a shepherd and carry them in your arms at all times!
Psalm 29
A psalm of David.
29:1 Acknowledge the Lord, you heavenly beings,
acknowledge the Lord’s majesty and power!
29:2 Acknowledge the majesty of the Lord’s reputation!
Worship the Lord in holy attire!
29:3 The Lord’s shout is heard over the water;
the majestic God thunders,
the Lord appears over the surging water.
29:4 The Lord’s shout is powerful,
the Lord’s shout is majestic.
29:5 The Lord’s shout breaks the cedars,
the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
29:6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf
and Sirion like a young ox.
29:7 The Lord’s shout strikes with flaming fire.
29:8 The Lord’s shout shakes the wilderness,
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
29:9 The Lord’s shout bends the large trees
and strips the leaves from the forests.
Everyone in his temple says, “Majestic!”
29:10 The Lord sits enthroned over the engulfing waters,
the Lord sits enthroned as the eternal king.
29:11 The Lord gives his people strength;
the Lord grants his people security.
Psalm 30
A psalm – a song used at the dedication of the temple; by David.
30:1 I will praise you, O Lord, for you lifted me up,
and did not allow my enemies to gloat over me.
30:2 O Lord my God,
I cried out to you and you healed me.
30:3 O Lord, you pulled me up from Sheol;
you rescued me from among those descending into the grave.
30:4 Sing to the Lord, you faithful followers of his;
give thanks to his holy name.
30:5 For his anger lasts only a brief moment,
and his good favor restores one’s life.
One may experience sorrow during the night,
but joy arrives in the morning.
30:6 In my self-confidence I said,
“I will never be upended.”
30:7 O Lord, in your good favor you made me secure.
Then you rejected me and I was terrified.
30:8 To you, O Lord, I cried out;
I begged the Lord for mercy:
30:9 “What profit is there in taking my life,
in my descending into the Pit?
Can the dust of the grave praise you?
Can it declare your loyalty?
30:10 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me!
O Lord, deliver me!”
30:11 Then you turned my lament into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and covered me with joy.
30:12 So now my heart will sing to you and not be silent;
O Lord my God, I will always give thanks to you.
Psalm 31
For the music director; a psalm of David.
31:1 In you, O Lord, I have taken shelter!
Never let me be humiliated!
Vindicate me by rescuing me!
31:2 Listen to me!
Quickly deliver me!
Be my protector and refuge,
a stronghold where I can be safe!
31:3 For you are my high ridge and my stronghold;
for the sake of your own reputation you lead me and guide me.
31:4 You will free me from the net they hid for me,
for you are my place of refuge.
31:5 Into your hand I entrust my life;
you will rescue me, O Lord, the faithful God.
31:6 I hate those who serve worthless idols,
but I trust in the Lord.
31:7 I will be happy and rejoice in your faithfulness,
because you notice my pain
and you are aware of how distressed I am.
31:8 You do not deliver me over to the power of the enemy;
you enable me to stand in a wide open place.
31:9 Have mercy on me, for I am in distress!
My eyes grow dim from suffering.
I have lost my strength.
31:10 For my life nears its end in pain;
my years draw to a close as I groan.
My strength fails me because of my sin,
and my bones become brittle.
31:11 Because of all my enemies, people disdain me;
my neighbors are appalled by my suffering –
those who know me are horrified by my condition;
those who see me in the street run away from me.
31:12 I am forgotten, like a dead man no one thinks about;
I am regarded as worthless, like a broken jar.
31:13 For I hear what so many are saying,
the terrifying news that comes from every direction.
When they plot together against me,
they figure out how they can take my life.
31:14 But I trust in you, O Lord!
I declare, “You are my God!”
31:15 You determine my destiny!
Rescue me from the power of my enemies and those who chase me.
31:16 Smile on your servant!
Deliver me because of your faithfulness!
31:17 O Lord, do not let me be humiliated,
for I call out to you!
May evil men be humiliated!
May they go wailing to the grave!
31:18 May lying lips be silenced –
lips that speak defiantly against the innocent
with arrogance and contempt!
31:19 How great is your favor,
which you store up for your loyal followers!
In plain sight of everyone you bestow it on those who take shelter in you.
31:20 You hide them with you, where they are safe from the attacks of men;
you conceal them in a shelter, where they are safe from slanderous attacks.
31:21 The Lord deserves praise
for he demonstrated his amazing faithfulness to me when I was besieged by enemies.
31:22 I jumped to conclusions and said,
“I am cut off from your presence!”
But you heard my plea for mercy when I cried out to you for help.
31:23 Love the Lord, all you faithful followers of his!
The Lord protects those who have integrity,
but he pays back in full the one who acts arrogantly.
31:24 Be strong and confident,
all you who wait on the Lord!
Psalm 32
By David; a well-written song.
32:1 How blessed is the one whose rebellious acts are forgiven,
whose sin is pardoned!
32:2 How blessed is the one whose wrongdoing the Lord does not punish,
in whose spirit there is no deceit.
32:3 When I refused to confess my sin,
my whole body wasted away,
while I groaned in pain all day long.
32:4 For day and night you tormented me;
you tried to destroy me in the intense heat of summer. (Selah)
32:5 Then I confessed my sin;
I no longer covered up my wrongdoing.
I said, “I will confess my rebellious acts to the Lord.”
And then you forgave my sins. (Selah)
32:6 For this reason every one of your faithful followers should pray to you
while there is a window of opportunity.
Certainly when the surging water rises,
it will not reach them.
32:7 You are my hiding place;
you protect me from distress.
You surround me with shouts of joy from those celebrating deliverance. (Selah)
32:8 I will instruct and teach you about how you should live.
I will advise you as I look you in the eye.
32:9 Do not be like an unintelligent horse or mule,
which will not obey you
unless they are controlled by a bridle and bit.
32:10 An evil person suffers much pain,
but the Lord’s faithfulness overwhelms the one who trusts in him.
32:11 Rejoice in the Lord and be happy, you who are godly!
Shout for joy, all you who are morally upright!
Psalm 33
33:1 You godly ones, shout for joy because of the Lord!
It is appropriate for the morally upright to offer him praise.
33:2 Give thanks to the Lord with the harp!
Sing to him to the accompaniment of a ten-stringed instrument!
33:3 Sing to him a new song!
Play skillfully as you shout out your praises to him!
33:4 For the Lord’s decrees are just,
and everything he does is fair.
33:5 The Lord promotes equity and justice;
the Lord’s faithfulness extends throughout the earth.
33:6 By the Lord’s decree the heavens were made;
by a mere word from his mouth all the stars in the sky were created.
33:7 He piles up the water of the sea;
he puts the oceans in storehouses.
33:8 Let the whole earth fear the Lord!
Let all who live in the world stand in awe of him!
33:9 For he spoke, and it came into existence,
he issued the decree, and it stood firm.
33:10 The Lord frustrates the decisions of the nations;
he nullifies the plans of the peoples.
33:11 The Lord’s decisions stand forever;
his plans abide throughout the ages.
33:12 How blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people whom he has chosen to be his special possession.
33:13 The Lord watches from heaven;
he sees all people.
33:14 From the place where he lives he looks carefully
at all the earth’s inhabitants.
33:15 He is the one who forms every human heart,
and takes note of all their actions.
33:16 No king is delivered by his vast army;
a warrior is not saved by his great might.
33:17 A horse disappoints those who trust in it for victory;
despite its great strength, it cannot deliver.
33:18 Look, the Lord takes notice of his loyal followers,
those who wait for him to demonstrate his faithfulness
33:19 by saving their lives from death
and sustaining them during times of famine.
33:20 We wait for the Lord;
he is our deliverer and shield.
33:21 For our hearts rejoice in him,
for we trust in his holy name.
33:22 May we experience your faithfulness, O Lord,
for we wait for you.
Psalm 34
Written by David, when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, causing the king to send him away.
34:1 I will praise the Lord at all times;
my mouth will continually praise him.
34:2 I will boast in the Lord;
let the oppressed hear and rejoice!
34:3 Magnify the Lord with me!
Let’s praise his name together!
34:4 I sought the Lord’s help and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
34:5 Those who look to him for help are happy;
their faces are not ashamed.
34:6 This oppressed man cried out and the Lord heard;
he saved him from all his troubles.
34:7 The Lord’s angel camps around
the Lord’s loyal followers and delivers them.
34:8 Taste and see that the Lord is good!
How blessed is the one who takes shelter in him!
34:9 Remain loyal to the Lord, you chosen people of his,
for his loyal followers lack nothing!
34:10 Even young lions sometimes lack food and are hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
34:11 Come children! Listen to me!
I will teach you what it means to fear the Lord.
34:12 Do you want to really live?
Would you love to live a long, happy life?
34:13 Then make sure you don’t speak evil words
or use deceptive speech!
34:14 Turn away from evil and do what is right!
Strive for peace and promote it!
34:15 The Lord pays attention to the godly
and hears their cry for help.
34:16 But the Lord opposes evildoers
and wipes out all memory of them from the earth.
34:17 The godly cry out and the Lord hears;
he saves them from all their troubles.
34:18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted;
he delivers those who are discouraged.
34:19 The godly face many dangers,
but the Lord saves them from each one of them.
34:20 He protects all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
34:21 Evil people self-destruct;
those who hate the godly are punished.
34:22 The Lord rescues his servants;
all who take shelter in him escape punishment.
Psalm 35
By David.
35:1 O Lord, fight those who fight with me!
Attack those who attack me!
35:2 Grab your small shield and large shield,
and rise up to help me!
35:3 Use your spear and lance against those who chase me!
Assure me with these words: “I am your deliverer!”
35:4 May those who seek my life be embarrassed and humiliated!
May those who plan to harm me be turned back and ashamed!
35:5 May they be like wind-driven chaff,
as the Lord’s angel attacks them!
35:6 May their path be dark and slippery,
as the Lord’s angel chases them!
35:7 I did not harm them, but they hid a net to catch me
and dug a pit to trap me.
35:8 Let destruction take them by surprise!
Let the net they hid catch them!
Let them fall into destruction!
35:9 Then I will rejoice in the Lord
and be happy because of his deliverance.
35:10 With all my strength I will say,
“O Lord, who can compare to you?
You rescue the oppressed from those who try to overpower them;
the oppressed and needy from those who try to rob them.”
35:11 Violent men perjure themselves,
and falsely accuse me.
35:12 They repay me evil for the good I have done;
I am overwhelmed with sorrow.
35:13 When they were sick, I wore sackcloth,
and refrained from eating food.
(If I am lying, may my prayers go unanswered!)
35:14 I mourned for them as I would for a friend or my brother.
I bowed down in sorrow as if I were mourning for my mother.
35:15 But when I stumbled, they rejoiced and gathered together;
they gathered together to ambush me.
They tore at me without stopping to rest.
35:16 When I tripped, they taunted me relentlessly,
and tried to bite me.
35:17 O Lord, how long are you going to just stand there and watch this?
Rescue me from their destructive attacks;
guard my life from the young lions!
35:18 Then I will give you thanks in the great assembly;
I will praise you before a large crowd of people!
35:19 Do not let those who are my enemies for no reason gloat over me!
Do not let those who hate me without cause carry out their wicked schemes!
35:20 For they do not try to make peace with others,
but plan ways to deceive those who are unsuspecting.
35:21 They are ready to devour me;
they say, “Aha! Aha! We’ve got you!”
35:22 But you take notice, Lord!
O Lord, do not remain far away from me!
35:23 Rouse yourself, wake up and vindicate me!
My God and Lord, defend my just cause!
35:24 Vindicate me by your justice, O Lord my God!
Do not let them gloat over me!
35:25 Do not let them say to themselves, “Aha! We have what we wanted!”
Do not let them say, “We have devoured him!”
35:26 May those who want to harm me be totally embarrassed and ashamed!
May those who arrogantly taunt me be covered with shame and humiliation!
35:27 May those who desire my vindication shout for joy and rejoice!
May they continually say, “May the Lord be praised, for he wants his servant to be secure.”
35:28 Then I will tell others about your justice,
and praise you all day long.
Psalm 36
For the music director; written by the Lord’s servant, David; an oracle.
36:1 An evil man is rebellious to the core.
He does not fear God,
36:2 for he is too proud
to recognize and give up his sin.
36:3 The words he speaks are sinful and deceitful;
he does not care about doing what is wise and right.
36:4 He plans ways to sin while he lies in bed;
he is committed to a sinful lifestyle;
he does not reject what is evil.
36:5 O Lord, your loyal love reaches to the sky;
your faithfulness to the clouds.
36:6 Your justice is like the highest mountains,
your fairness like the deepest sea;
you preserve mankind and the animal kingdom.
36:7 How precious is your loyal love, O God!
The human race finds shelter under your wings.
36:8 They are filled with food from your house,
and you allow them to drink from the river of your delicacies.
36:9 For you are the one who gives
and sustains life.
36:10 Extend your loyal love to your faithful followers,
and vindicate the morally upright!
36:11 Do not let arrogant men overtake me,
or let evil men make me homeless!
36:12 I can see the evildoers! They have fallen!
They have been knocked down and are unable to get up!
Psalm 37
By David.
37:1 Do not fret when wicked men seem to succeed!
Do not envy evildoers!
37:2 For they will quickly dry up like grass,
and wither away like plants.
37:3 Trust in the Lord and do what is right!
Settle in the land and maintain your integrity!
37:4 Then you will take delight in the Lord,
and he will answer your prayers.
37:5 Commit your future to the Lord!
Trust in him, and he will act on your behalf.
37:6 He will vindicate you in broad daylight,
and publicly defend your just cause.
37:7 Wait patiently for the Lord!
Wait confidently for him!
Do not fret over the apparent success of a sinner,
a man who carries out wicked schemes!
37:8 Do not be angry and frustrated!
Do not fret! That only leads to trouble!
37:9 Wicked men will be wiped out,
but those who rely on the Lord are the ones who will possess the land.
37:10 Evil men will soon disappear;
you will stare at the spot where they once were, but they will be gone.
37:11 But the oppressed will possess the land
and enjoy great prosperity.
37:12 Evil men plot against the godly
and viciously attack them.
37:13 The Lord laughs in disgust at them,
for he knows that their day is coming.
37:14 Evil men draw their swords
and prepare their bows,
to bring down the oppressed and needy,
and to slaughter those who are godly.
37:15 Their swords will pierce their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.
37:16 The little bit that a godly man owns is better than
the wealth of many evil men,
37:17 for evil men will lose their power,
but the Lord sustains the godly.
37:18 The Lord watches over the innocent day by day
and they possess a permanent inheritance.
37:19 They will not be ashamed when hard times come;
when famine comes they will have enough to eat.
37:20 But evil men will die;
the Lord’s enemies will be incinerated –
they will go up in smoke.
37:21 Evil men borrow, but do not repay their debt,
but the godly show compassion and are generous.
37:22 Surely those favored by the Lord will possess the land,
but those rejected by him will be wiped out.
37:23 The Lord grants success to the one
whose behavior he finds commendable.
37:24 Even if he trips, he will not fall headlong,
for the Lord holds his hand.
37:25 I was once young, now I am old.
I have never seen a godly man abandoned,
or his children forced to search for food.
37:26 All day long he shows compassion and lends to others,
and his children are blessed.
37:27 Turn away from evil! Do what is right!
Then you will enjoy lasting security.
37:28 For the Lord promotes justice,
and never abandons his faithful followers.
They are permanently secure,
but the children of evil men are wiped out.
37:29 The godly will possess the land
and will dwell in it permanently.
37:30 The godly speak wise words
and promote justice.
37:31 The law of their God controls their thinking;
their feet do not slip.
37:32 Evil men set an ambush for the godly
and try to kill them.
37:33 But the Lord does not surrender the godly,
or allow them to be condemned in a court of law.
37:34 Rely on the Lord! Obey his commands!
Then he will permit you to possess the land;
you will see the demise of evil men.
37:35 I have seen ruthless evil men
growing in influence, like a green tree grows in its native soil.
37:36 But then one passes by, and suddenly they have disappeared!
I looked for them, but they could not be found.
37:37 Take note of the one who has integrity! Observe the godly!
For the one who promotes peace has a future.
37:38 Sinful rebels are totally destroyed;
evil men have no future.
37:39 But the Lord delivers the godly;
he protects them in times of trouble.
37:40 The Lord helps them and rescues them;
he rescues them from evil men and delivers them,
for they seek his protection.
Psalm 38
A psalm of David, written to get God’s attention.
38:1 O Lord, do not continue to rebuke me in your anger!
Do not continue to punish me in your raging fury!
38:2 For your arrows pierce me,
and your hand presses me down.
38:3 My whole body is sick because of your judgment;
I am deprived of health because of my sin.
38:4 For my sins overwhelm me;
like a heavy load, they are too much for me to bear.
38:5 My wounds are infected and starting to smell,
because of my foolish sins.
38:6 I am dazed and completely humiliated;
all day long I walk around mourning.
38:7 For I am overcome with shame
and my whole body is sick.
38:8 I am numb with pain and severely battered;
I groan loudly because of the anxiety I feel.
38:9 O Lord, you understand my heart’s desire;
my groaning is not hidden from you.
38:10 My heart beats quickly;
my strength leaves me;
I can hardly see.
38:11 Because of my condition, even my friends and acquaintances keep their distance;
my neighbors stand far away.
38:12 Those who seek my life try to entrap me;
those who want to harm me speak destructive words;
all day long they say deceitful things.
38:13 But I am like a deaf man – I hear nothing;
I am like a mute who cannot speak.
38:14 I am like a man who cannot hear
and is incapable of arguing his defense.
38:15 Yet I wait for you, O Lord!
You will respond, O Lord, my God!
38:16 I have prayed for deliverance, because otherwise they will gloat over me;
when my foot slips they will arrogantly taunt me.
38:17 For I am about to stumble,
and I am in constant pain.
38:18 Yes, I confess my wrongdoing,
and I am concerned about my sins.
38:19 But those who are my enemies for no reason are numerous;
those who hate me without cause outnumber me.
38:20 They repay me evil for the good I have done;
though I have tried to do good to them, they hurl accusations at me.
38:21 Do not abandon me, O Lord!
My God, do not remain far away from me!
38:22 Hurry and help me, O Lord, my deliverer!
Psalm 39
For the music director, Jeduthun; a psalm of David.
39:1 I decided, “I will watch what I say
and make sure I do not sin with my tongue.
I will put a muzzle over my mouth
while in the presence of an evil man.”
39:2 I was stone silent;
I held back the urge to speak.
My frustration grew;
39:3 my anxiety intensified.
As I thought about it, I became impatient.
Finally I spoke these words:
39:4 “O Lord, help me understand my mortality
and the brevity of life!
Let me realize how quickly my life will pass!
39:5 Look, you make my days short-lived,
and my life span is nothing from your perspective.
Surely all people, even those who seem secure, are nothing but vapor.
39:6 Surely people go through life as mere ghosts.
Surely they accumulate worthless wealth
without knowing who will eventually haul it away.”
39:7 But now, O Lord, upon what am I relying?
You are my only hope!
39:8 Deliver me from all my sins of rebellion!
Do not make me the object of fools’ insults!
39:9 I am silent and cannot open my mouth
because of what you have done.
39:10 Please stop wounding me!
You have almost beaten me to death!
39:11 You severely discipline people for their sins;
like a moth you slowly devour their strength.
Surely all people are a mere vapor. (Selah)
39:12 Hear my prayer, O Lord!
Listen to my cry for help!
Do not ignore my sobbing!
For I am dependent on you, like one residing outside his native land;
I am at your mercy, just as all my ancestors were.
39:13 Turn your angry gaze away from me, so I can be happy
before I pass away.
Psalm 40
For the music director; By David, a psalm.
40:1 I relied completely on the Lord,
and he turned toward me
and heard my cry for help.
40:2 He lifted me out of the watery pit,
out of the slimy mud.
He placed my feet on a rock
and gave me secure footing.
40:3 He gave me reason to sing a new song,
praising our God.
May many see what God has done,
so that they might swear allegiance to him and trust in the Lord!
40:4 How blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord
and does not seek help from the proud or from liars!
40:5 O Lord, my God, you have accomplished many things;
you have done amazing things and carried out your purposes for us.
No one can thwart you!
I want to declare them and talk about them,
but they are too numerous to recount!
40:6 Receiving sacrifices and offerings are not your primary concern.
You make that quite clear to me!
You do not ask for burnt sacrifices and sin offerings.
40:7 Then I say,
“Look! I come!
What is written in the scroll pertains to me.
40:8 I want to do what pleases you, my God.
Your law dominates my thoughts.”
40:9 I have told the great assembly about your justice.
Look! I spare no words!
O Lord, you know this is true.
40:10 I have not failed to tell about your justice;
I spoke about your reliability and deliverance;
I have not neglected to tell the great assembly about your loyal love and faithfulness.
40:11 O Lord, you do not withhold your compassion from me.
May your loyal love and faithfulness continually protect me!
40:12 For innumerable dangers surround me.
My sins overtake me
so I am unable to see;
they outnumber the hairs of my head
so my strength fails me.
40:13 Please be willing, O Lord, to rescue me!
O Lord, hurry and help me!
40:14 May those who are trying to snatch away my life
be totally embarrassed and ashamed!
May those who want to harm me
be turned back and ashamed!
40:15 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”
be humiliated and disgraced!
40:16 May all those who seek you be happy and rejoice in you!
May those who love to experience your deliverance say continually,
“May the Lord be praised!”
40:17 I am oppressed and needy!
May the Lord pay attention to me!
You are my helper and my deliverer!
O my God, do not delay!
Psalm 41
For the music director; a psalm of David.
41:1 How blessed is the one who treats the poor properly!
When trouble comes, the Lord delivers him.
41:2 May the Lord protect him and save his life!
May he be blessed in the land!
Do not turn him over to his enemies!
41:3 The Lord supports him on his sickbed;
you completely heal him from his illness.
41:4 As for me, I said:
“O Lord, have mercy on me!
Heal me, for I have sinned against you!
41:5 My enemies ask this cruel question about me,
‘When will he finally die and be forgotten?’
41:6 When someone comes to visit, he pretends to be friendly;
he thinks of ways to defame me,
and when he leaves he slanders me.
41:7 All who hate me whisper insults about me to one another;
they plan ways to harm me.
41:8 They say,
‘An awful disease overwhelms him,
and now that he is bed-ridden he will never recover.’
41:9 Even my close friend whom I trusted,
he who shared meals with me, has turned against me.
41:10 As for you, O Lord, have mercy on me and raise me up,
so I can pay them back!”
41:11 By this I know that you are pleased with me,
for my enemy does not triumph over me.
41:12 As for me, you uphold me because of my integrity;
you allow me permanent access to your presence.
41:13 The Lord God of Israel deserves praise
in the future and forevermore!
We agree! We agree!
Book 2(Psalms 42-72)
Psalm 42
For the music director; a well-written song by the Korahites.
42:1 As a deer longs for streams of water,
so I long for you, O God!
42:2 I thirst for God,
for the living God.
I say, “When will I be able to go and appear in God’s presence?”
42:3 I cannot eat, I weep day and night;
all day long they say to me, “Where is your God?”
42:4 I will remember and weep!
For I was once walking along with the great throng to the temple of God,
shouting and giving thanks along with the crowd as we celebrated the holy festival.
42:5 Why are you depressed, O my soul?
Why are you upset?
Wait for God!
For I will again give thanks
to my God for his saving intervention.
42:6 I am depressed,
so I will pray to you while I am trapped here in the region of the upper Jordan,
from Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
42:7 One deep stream calls out to another at the sound of your waterfalls;
all your billows and waves overwhelm me.
42:8 By day the Lord decrees his loyal love,
and by night he gives me a song,
a prayer to the living God.
42:9 I will pray to God, my high ridge:
“Why do you ignore me?
Why must I walk around mourning
because my enemies oppress me?”
42:10 My enemies’ taunts cut into me to the bone,
as they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
42:11 Why are you depressed, O my soul?
Why are you upset?
Wait for God!
For I will again give thanks
to my God for his saving intervention.
Psalm 43
43:1 Vindicate me, O God!
Fight for me against an ungodly nation!
Deliver me from deceitful and evil men!
43:2 For you are the God who shelters me.
Why do you reject me?
Why must I walk around mourning
because my enemies oppress me?
43:3 Reveal your light and your faithfulness!
They will lead me,
they will escort me back to your holy hill,
and to the place where you live.
43:4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
to the God who gives me ecstatic joy,
so that I express my thanks to you, O God, my God, with a harp.
43:5 Why are you depressed, O my soul?
Why are you upset?
Wait for God!
For I will again give thanks
to my God for his saving intervention.
Psalm 44
For the music director; by the Korahites, a well-written song.
44:1 O God, we have clearly heard;
our ancestors have told us
what you did in their days,
in ancient times.
44:2 You, by your power, defeated nations and settled our fathers on their land;
you crushed the people living there and enabled our ancestors to occupy it.
44:3 For they did not conquer the land by their swords,
and they did not prevail by their strength,
but rather by your power, strength and good favor,
for you were partial to them.
44:4 You are my king, O God!
Decree Jacob’s deliverance!
44:5 By your power we will drive back our enemies;
by your strength we will trample down our foes!
44:6 For I do not trust in my bow,
and I do not prevail by my sword.
44:7 For you deliver us from our enemies;
you humiliate those who hate us.
44:8 In God I boast all day long,
and we will continually give thanks to your name. (Selah)
44:9 But you rejected and embarrassed us!
You did not go into battle with our armies.
44:10 You made us retreat from the enemy.
Those who hate us take whatever they want from us.
44:11 You handed us over like sheep to be eaten;
you scattered us among the nations.
44:12 You sold your people for a pittance;
you did not ask a high price for them.
44:13 You made us an object of disdain to our neighbors;
those who live on our borders taunt and insult us.
44:14 You made us an object of ridicule among the nations;
foreigners treat us with contempt.
44:15 All day long I feel humiliated
and am overwhelmed with shame,
44:16 before the vindictive enemy
who ridicules and insults me.
44:17 All this has happened to us, even though we have not rejected you
or violated your covenant with us.
44:18 We have not been unfaithful,
nor have we disobeyed your commands.
44:19 Yet you have battered us, leaving us a heap of ruins overrun by wild dogs;
you have covered us with darkness.
44:20 If we had rejected our God,
and spread out our hands in prayer to another god,
44:21 would not God discover it,
for he knows one’s thoughts?
44:22 Yet because of you we are killed all day long;
we are treated like sheep at the slaughtering block.
44:23 Rouse yourself! Why do you sleep, O Lord?
Wake up! Do not reject us forever!
44:24 Why do you look the other way,
and ignore the way we are oppressed and mistreated?
44:25 For we lie in the dirt,
with our bellies pressed to the ground.
44:26 Rise up and help us!
Rescue us because of your loyal love!
Psalm 45
For the music director; according to the tune of “Lilies;” by the Korahites, a well-written poem, a love song.
45:1 My heart is stirred by a beautiful song.
I say, “I have composed this special song for the king;
my tongue is as skilled as the stylus of an experienced scribe.”
45:2 You are the most handsome of all men!
You speak in an impressive and fitting manner!
For this reason God grants you continual blessings.
45:3 Strap your sword to your thigh, O warrior!
Appear in your majestic splendor!
45:4 Appear in your majesty and be victorious!
Ride forth for the sake of what is right,
on behalf of justice!
Then your right hand will accomplish mighty acts!
45:5 Your arrows are sharp
and penetrate the hearts of the king’s enemies.
Nations fall at your feet.
45:6 Your throne, O God, is permanent.
The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of justice.
45:7 You love justice and hate evil.
For this reason God, your God has anointed you
with the oil of joy, elevating you above your companions.
45:8 All your garments are perfumed with myrrh, aloes, and cassia.
From the luxurious palaces comes the music of stringed instruments that makes you happy.
45:9 Princesses are among your honored guests,
your bride stands at your right hand, wearing jewelry made with gold from Ophir.
45:10 Listen, O princess!
Observe and pay attention!
Forget your homeland and your family!
45:11 Then the king will be attracted by your beauty.
After all, he is your master! Submit to him!
45:12 Rich people from Tyre
will seek your favor by bringing a gift.
45:13 The princess looks absolutely magnificent,
decked out in pearls and clothed in a brocade trimmed with gold.
45:14 In embroidered robes she is escorted to the king.
Her attendants, the maidens of honor who follow her,
are led before you.
45:15 They are bubbling with joy as they walk in procession
and enter the royal palace.
45:16 Your sons will carry on the dynasty of your ancestors;
you will make them princes throughout the land.
45:17 I will proclaim your greatness through the coming years,
then the nations will praise you forever.
Psalm 46
For the music director; by the Korahites; according to the alamoth style; a song.
46:1 God is our strong refuge;
he is truly our helper in times of trouble.
46:2 For this reason we do not fear when the earth shakes,
and the mountains tumble into the depths of the sea,
46:3 when its waves crash and foam,
and the mountains shake before the surging sea. (Selah)
46:4 The river’s channels bring joy to the city of God,
the special, holy dwelling place of the sovereign One.
46:5 God lives within it, it cannot be moved.
God rescues it at the break of dawn.
46:6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms are overthrown.
God gives a shout, the earth dissolves.
46:7 The Lord who commands armies is on our side!
The God of Jacob is our protector! (Selah)
46:8 Come! Witness the exploits of the Lord,
who brings devastation to the earth!
46:9 He brings an end to wars throughout the earth;
he shatters the bow and breaks the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
46:10 He says, “Stop your striving and recognize that I am God!
I will be exalted over the nations! I will be exalted over the earth!”
46:11 The Lord who commands armies is on our side!
The God of Jacob is our protector! (Selah)
Psalm 47
For the music director; by the Korahites; a psalm.
47:1 All you nations, clap your hands!
Shout out to God in celebration!
47:2 For the sovereign Lord is awe-inspiring;
he is the great king who rules the whole earth!
47:3 He subdued nations beneath us
and countries under our feet.
47:4 He picked out for us a special land
to be a source of pride for Jacob, whom he loves. (Selah)
47:5 God has ascended his throne amid loud shouts;
the Lord has ascended his throne amid the blaring of ram’s horns.
47:6 Sing to God! Sing!
Sing to our king! Sing!
47:7 For God is king of the whole earth!
Sing a well-written song!
47:8 God reigns over the nations!
God sits on his holy throne!
47:9 The nobles of the nations assemble,
along with the people of the God of Abraham,
for God has authority over the rulers of the earth.
He is highly exalted!
Psalm 48
A song, a psalm by the Korahites.
48:1 The Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise
in the city of our God, his holy hill.
48:2 It is lofty and pleasing to look at,
a source of joy to the whole earth.
Mount Zion resembles the peaks of Zaphon;
it is the city of the great king.
48:3 God is in its fortresses;
he reveals himself as its defender.
48:4 For look, the kings assemble;
they advance together.
48:5 As soon as they see, they are shocked;
they are terrified, they quickly retreat.
48:6 Look at them shake uncontrollably,
like a woman writhing in childbirth.
48:7 With an east wind
you shatter the large ships.
48:8 We heard about God’s mighty deeds, now we have seen them,
in the city of the Lord, the invincible Warrior,
in the city of our God.
God makes it permanently secure. (Selah)
48:9 We reflect on your loyal love, O God,
within your temple.
48:10 The praise you receive as far away as the ends of the earth
is worthy of your reputation, O God.
You execute justice!
48:11 Mount Zion rejoices;
the towns of Judah are happy,
because of your acts of judgment.
48:12 Walk around Zion! Encircle it!
Count its towers!
48:13 Consider its defenses!
Walk through its fortresses,
so you can tell the next generation about it!
48:14 For God, our God, is our defender forever!
He guides us!
Psalm 49
For the music director, a psalm by the Korahites.
49:1 Listen to this, all you nations!
Pay attention, all you inhabitants of the world!
49:2 Pay attention, all you people,
both rich and poor!
49:3 I will declare a wise saying;
I will share my profound thoughts.
49:4 I will learn a song that imparts wisdom;
I will then sing my insightful song to the accompaniment of a harp.
49:5 Why should I be afraid in times of trouble,
when the sinful deeds of deceptive men threaten to overwhelm me?
49:6 They trust in their wealth
and boast in their great riches.
49:7 Certainly a man cannot rescue his brother;
he cannot pay God an adequate ransom price
49:8 (the ransom price for a human life is too high,
and people go to their final destiny),
49:9 so that he might continue to live forever
and not experience death.
49:10 Surely one sees that even wise people die;
fools and spiritually insensitive people all pass away
and leave their wealth to others.
49:11 Their grave becomes their permanent residence,
their eternal dwelling place.
They name their lands after themselves,
49:12 but, despite their wealth, people do not last,
they are like animals that perish.
49:13 This is the destiny of fools,
and of those who approve of their philosophy. (Selah)
49:14 They will travel to Sheol like sheep,
with death as their shepherd.
The godly will rule over them when the day of vindication dawns;
Sheol will consume their bodies and they will no longer live in impressive houses.
49:15 But God will rescue my life from the power of Sheol;
certainly he will pull me to safety. (Selah)
49:16 Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich
and his wealth multiplies!
49:17 For he will take nothing with him when he dies;
his wealth will not follow him down into the grave.
49:18 He pronounces this blessing on himself while he is alive:
“May men praise you, for you have done well!”
49:19 But he will join his ancestors;
they will never again see the light of day.
49:20 Wealthy people do not understand;
they are like animals that perish.
Psalm 50
A psalm by Asaph.
50:1 El, God, the Lord speaks,
and summons the earth to come from the east and west.
50:2 From Zion, the most beautiful of all places,
God comes in splendor.
50:3 Our God approaches and is not silent;
consuming fire goes ahead of him
and all around him a storm rages.
50:4 He summons the heavens above,
as well as the earth, so that he might judge his people.
50:5 He says:
“Assemble my covenant people before me,
those who ratified a covenant with me by sacrifice!”
50:6 The heavens declare his fairness,
for God is judge. (Selah)
50:7 He says:
“Listen my people! I am speaking!
Listen Israel! I am accusing you!
I am God, your God!
50:8 I am not condemning you because of your sacrifices,
or because of your burnt sacrifices that you continually offer me.
50:9 I do not need to take a bull from your household
or goats from your sheepfolds.
50:10 For every wild animal in the forest belongs to me,
as well as the cattle that graze on a thousand hills.
50:11 I keep track of every bird in the hills,
and the insects of the field are mine.
50:12 Even if I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for the world and all it contains belong to me.
50:13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls?
Do I drink the blood of goats?
50:14 Present to God a thank-offering!
Repay your vows to the sovereign One!
50:15 Pray to me when you are in trouble!
I will deliver you, and you will honor me!”
50:16 God says this to the evildoer:
“How can you declare my commands,
and talk about my covenant?
50:17 For you hate instruction
and reject my words.
50:18 When you see a thief, you join him;
you associate with men who are unfaithful to their wives.
50:19 You do damage with words,
and use your tongue to deceive.
50:20 You plot against your brother;
you slander your own brother.
50:21 When you did these things, I was silent,
so you thought I was exactly like you.
But now I will condemn you
and state my case against you!
50:22 Carefully consider this, you who reject God!
Otherwise I will rip you to shreds
and no one will be able to rescue you.
50:23 Whoever presents a thank-offering honors me.
To whoever obeys my commands, I will reveal my power to deliver.”
Psalm 51
For the music director; a psalm of David, written when Nathan the prophet confronted him after David’s affair with Bathsheba.
51:1 Have mercy on me, O God, because of your loyal love!
Because of your great compassion, wipe away my rebellious acts!
51:2 Wash away my wrongdoing!
Cleanse me of my sin!
51:3 For I am aware of my rebellious acts;
I am forever conscious of my sin.
51:4 Against you – you above all – I have sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
So you are just when you confront me;
you are right when you condemn me.
51:5 Look, I was guilty of sin from birth,
a sinner the moment my mother conceived me.
51:6 Look, you desire integrity in the inner man;
you want me to possess wisdom.
51:7 Sprinkle me with water and I will be pure;
wash me and I will be whiter than snow.
51:8 Grant me the ultimate joy of being forgiven!
May the bones you crushed rejoice!
51:9 Hide your face from my sins!
Wipe away all my guilt!
51:10 Create for me a pure heart, O God!
Renew a resolute spirit within me!
51:11 Do not reject me!
Do not take your Holy Spirit away from me!
51:12 Let me again experience the joy of your deliverance!
Sustain me by giving me the desire to obey!
51:13 Then I will teach rebels your merciful ways,
and sinners will turn to you.
51:14 Rescue me from the guilt of murder, O God, the God who delivers me!
Then my tongue will shout for joy because of your deliverance.
51:15 O Lord, give me the words!
Then my mouth will praise you.
51:16 Certainly you do not want a sacrifice, or else I would offer it;
you do not desire a burnt sacrifice.
51:17 The sacrifices God desires are a humble spirit –
O God, a humble and repentant heart you will not reject.
51:18 Because you favor Zion, do what is good for her!
Fortify the walls of Jerusalem!
51:19 Then you will accept the proper sacrifices, burnt sacrifices and whole offerings;
then bulls will be sacrificed on your altar.
Psalm 52
For the music director; a well-written song by David. It was written when Doeg the Edomite went and informed Saul: “David has arrived at the home of Ahimelech.”
52:1 Why do you boast about your evil plans, O powerful man?
God’s loyal love protects me all day long!
52:2 Your tongue carries out your destructive plans;
it is as effective as a sharp razor, O deceiver.
52:3 You love evil more than good,
lies more than speaking the truth. (Selah)
52:4 You love to use all the words that destroy,
and the tongue that deceives.
52:5 Yet God will make you a permanent heap of ruins.
He will scoop you up and remove you from your home;
he will uproot you from the land of the living. (Selah)
52:6 When the godly see this, they will be filled with awe,
and will mock the evildoer, saying:
52:7 “Look, here is the man who would not make God his protector!
He trusted in his great wealth
and was confident about his plans to destroy others.”
52:8 But I am like a flourishing olive tree in the house of God;
I continually trust in God’s loyal love.
52:9 I will continually thank you when you execute judgment;
I will rely on you, for your loyal followers know you are good.
Psalm 53
For the music director; according to the machalath style; a well-written song by David.
53:1 Fools say to themselves, “There is no God.”
They sin and commit evil deeds;
none of them does what is right.
53:2 God looks down from heaven at the human race,
to see if there is anyone who is wise and seeks God.
53:3 Everyone rejects God;
they are all morally corrupt.
None of them does what is right,
not even one!
53:4 All those who behave wickedly do not understand –
those who devour my people as if they were eating bread,
and do not call out to God.
53:5 They are absolutely terrified,
even by things that do not normally cause fear.
For God annihilates those who attack you.
You are able to humiliate them because God has rejected them.
53:6 I wish the deliverance of Israel would come from Zion!
When God restores the well-being of his people,
may Jacob rejoice,
may Israel be happy!
Psalm 54
For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a well-written song by David. It was written when the Ziphites came and informed Saul: “David is hiding with us.”
54:1 O God, deliver me by your name!
Vindicate me by your power!
54:2 O God, listen to my prayer!
Pay attention to what I say!
54:3 For foreigners attack me;
ruthless men, who do not respect God, seek my life. (Selah)
54:4 Look, God is my deliverer!
The Lord is among those who support me.
54:5 May those who wait to ambush me be repaid for their evil!
As a demonstration of your faithfulness, destroy them!
54:6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you!
I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good!
54:7 Surely he rescues me from all trouble,
and I triumph over my enemies.
Psalm 55
For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a well-written song by David.
55:1 Listen, O God, to my prayer!
Do not ignore my appeal for mercy!
55:2 Pay attention to me and answer me!
I am so upset and distressed, I am beside myself,
55:3 because of what the enemy says,
and because of how the wicked pressure me,
for they hurl trouble down upon me
and angrily attack me.
55:4 My heart beats violently within me;
the horrors of death overcome me.
55:5 Fear and panic overpower me;
terror overwhelms me.
55:6 I say, “I wish I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and settle in a safe place!
55:7 Look, I will escape to a distant place;
I will stay in the wilderness. (Selah)
55:8 I will hurry off to a place that is safe
from the strong wind and the gale.”
55:9 Confuse them, O Lord!
Frustrate their plans!
For I see violence and conflict in the city.
55:10 Day and night they walk around on its walls,
while wickedness and destruction are within it.
55:11 Disaster is within it;
violence and deceit do not depart from its public square.
55:12 Indeed, it is not an enemy who insults me,
or else I could bear it;
it is not one who hates me who arrogantly taunts me,
or else I could hide from him.
55:13 But it is you, a man like me,
my close friend in whom I confided.
55:14 We would share personal thoughts with each other;
in God’s temple we would walk together among the crowd.
55:15 May death destroy them!
May they go down alive into Sheol!
For evil is in their dwelling place and in their midst.
55:16 As for me, I will call out to God,
and the Lord will deliver me.
55:17 During the evening, morning, and noontime
I will lament and moan,
and he will hear me.
55:18 He will rescue me and protect me from those who attack me,
even though they greatly outnumber me.
55:19 God, the one who has reigned as king from long ago,
will hear and humiliate them. (Selah)
They refuse to change,
and do not fear God.
55:20 He attacks his friends;
he breaks his solemn promises to them.
55:21 His words are as smooth as butter,
but he harbors animosity in his heart.
His words seem softer than oil,
but they are really like sharp swords.
55:22 Throw your burden upon the Lord,
and he will sustain you.
He will never allow the godly to be upended.
55:23 But you, O God, will bring them down to the deep Pit.
Violent and deceitful people will not live even half a normal lifespan.
But as for me, I trust in you.
Psalm 56
For the music director; according to the yonath-elem-rechovim style; a prayer of David, written when the Philistines captured him in Gath.
56:1 Have mercy on me, O God, for men are attacking me!
All day long hostile enemies are tormenting me.
56:2 Those who anticipate my defeat attack me all day long.
Indeed, many are fighting against me, O Exalted One.
56:3 When I am afraid,
I trust in you.
56:4 In God – I boast in his promise –
in God I trust, I am not afraid.
What can mere men do to me?
56:5 All day long they cause me trouble;
they make a habit of plotting my demise.
56:6 They stalk and lurk;
they watch my every step,
as they prepare to take my life.
56:7 Because they are bent on violence, do not let them escape!
In your anger bring down the nations, O God!
56:8 You keep track of my misery.
Put my tears in your leather container!
Are they not recorded in your scroll?
56:9 My enemies will turn back when I cry out to you for help;
I know that God is on my side.
56:10 In God – I boast in his promise –
in the Lord – I boast in his promise –
56:11 in God I trust, I am not afraid.
What can mere men do to me?
56:12 I am obligated to fulfill the vows I made to you, O God;
I will give you the thank-offerings you deserve,
56:13 when you deliver my life from death.
You keep my feet from stumbling,
so that I might serve God as I enjoy life.
Psalm 57
For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; a prayer of David, written when he fled from Saul into the cave.
57:1 Have mercy on me, O God! Have mercy on me!
For in you I have taken shelter.
In the shadow of your wings I take shelter
until trouble passes.
57:2 I cry out for help to the sovereign God,
to the God who vindicates me.
57:3 May he send help from heaven and deliver me
from my enemies who hurl insults! (Selah)
May God send his loyal love and faithfulness!
57:4 I am surrounded by lions;
I lie down among those who want to devour me;
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are a sharp sword.
57:5 Rise up above the sky, O God!
May your splendor cover the whole earth!
57:6 They have prepared a net to trap me;
I am discouraged.
They have dug a pit for me.
They will fall into it! (Selah)
57:7 I am determined, O God! I am determined!
I will sing and praise you!
57:8 Awake, my soul!
Awake, O stringed instrument and harp!
I will wake up at dawn!
57:9 I will give you thanks before the nations, O Master!
I will sing praises to you before foreigners!
57:10 For your loyal love extends beyond the sky,
and your faithfulness reaches the clouds.
57:11 Rise up above the sky, O God!
May your splendor cover the whole earth!
Psalm 58
For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; a prayer of David.
58:1 Do you rulers really pronounce just decisions?
Do you judge people fairly?
58:2 No! You plan how to do what is unjust;
you deal out violence in the earth.
58:3 The wicked turn aside from birth;
liars go astray as soon as they are born.
58:4 Their venom is like that of a snake,
like a deaf serpent that does not hear,
58:5 that does not respond to the magicians,
or to a skilled snake-charmer.
58:6 O God, break the teeth in their mouths!
Smash the jawbones of the lions, O Lord!
58:7 Let them disappear like water that flows away!
Let them wither like grass!
58:8 Let them be like a snail that melts away as it moves along!
Let them be like stillborn babies that never see the sun!
58:9 Before the kindling is even placed under your pots,
he will sweep it away along with both the raw and cooked meat.
58:10 The godly will rejoice when they see vengeance carried out;
they will bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.
58:11 Then observers will say,
“Yes indeed, the godly are rewarded!
Yes indeed, there is a God who judges in the earth!”
Psalm 59
For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; a prayer of David, written when Saul sent men to surround his house and murder him.
59:1 Deliver me from my enemies, my God!
Protect me from those who attack me!
59:2 Deliver me from evildoers!
Rescue me from violent men!
59:3 For look, they wait to ambush me;
powerful men stalk me,
but not because I have rebelled or sinned, O Lord.
59:4 Though I have done nothing wrong, they are anxious to attack.
Spring into action and help me! Take notice of me!
59:5 You, O Lord God, the invincible warrior, the God of Israel,
rouse yourself and punish all the nations!
Have no mercy on any treacherous evildoers! (Selah)
59:6 They return in the evening;
they growl like a dog
and prowl around outside the city.
59:7 Look, they hurl insults at me
and openly threaten to kill me,
for they say,
“Who hears?”
59:8 But you, O Lord, laugh in disgust at them;
you taunt all the nations.
59:9 You are my source of strength! I will wait for you!
For God is my refuge.
59:10 The God who loves me will help me;
God will enable me to triumph over my enemies.
59:11 Do not strike them dead suddenly,
because then my people might forget the lesson.
Use your power to make them homeless vagabonds and then bring them down,
O Lord who shields us!
59:12 They speak sinful words.
So let them be trapped by their own pride
and by the curses and lies they speak!
59:13 Angrily wipe them out! Wipe them out so they vanish!
Let them know that God rules
in Jacob and to the ends of the earth! (Selah)
59:14 They return in the evening;
they growl like a dog
and prowl around outside the city.
59:15 They wander around looking for something to eat;
they refuse to sleep until they are full.
59:16 As for me, I will sing about your strength;
I will praise your loyal love in the morning.
For you are my refuge
and my place of shelter when I face trouble.
59:17 You are my source of strength! I will sing praises to you!
For God is my refuge, the God who loves me.
Psalm 60
For the music director; according to the shushan-eduth style; a prayer of David written to instruct others. It was written when he fought against Aram Naharaim and Aram-Zobah. That was when Joab turned back and struck down 12,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
60:1 O God, you have rejected us.
You suddenly turned on us in your anger.
Please restore us!
60:2 You made the earth quake; you split it open.
Repair its breaches, for it is ready to fall.
60:3 You have made your people experience hard times;
you have made us drink intoxicating wine.
60:4 You have given your loyal followers a rallying flag,
so that they might seek safety from the bow. (Selah)
60:5 Deliver by your power and answer me,
so that the ones you love may be safe.
60:6 God has spoken in his sanctuary:
“I will triumph! I will parcel out Shechem;
the Valley of Succoth I will measure off.
60:7 Gilead belongs to me,
as does Manasseh!
Ephraim is my helmet,
Judah my royal scepter.
60:8 Moab is my washbasin.
I will make Edom serve me.
I will shout in triumph over Philistia.”
60:9 Who will lead me into the fortified city?
Who will bring me to Edom?
60:10 Have you not rejected us, O God?
O God, you do not go into battle with our armies.
60:11 Give us help against the enemy,
for any help men might offer is futile.
60:12 By God’s power we will conquer;
he will trample down our enemies.
Psalm 61
For the music director; to be played on a stringed instrument; written by David.
61:1 O God, hear my cry for help!
Pay attention to my prayer!
61:2 From the most remote place on earth
I call out to you in my despair.
Lead me up to an inaccessible rocky summit!
61:3 Indeed, you are my shelter,
a strong tower that protects me from the enemy.
61:4 I will be a permanent guest in your home;
I will find shelter in the protection of your wings. (Selah)
61:5 For you, O God, hear my vows;
you grant me the reward that belongs to your loyal followers.
61:6 Give the king long life!
Make his lifetime span several generations!
61:7 May he reign forever before God!
Decree that your loyal love and faithfulness should protect him.
61:8 Then I will sing praises to your name continually,
as I fulfill my vows day after day.
Psalm 62
For the music director, Jeduthun; a psalm of David.
62:1 For God alone I patiently wait;
he is the one who delivers me.
62:2 He alone is my protector and deliverer.
He is my refuge; I will not be upended.
62:3 How long will you threaten a man?
All of you are murderers,
as dangerous as a leaning wall or an unstable fence.
62:4 They spend all their time planning how to bring him down.
They love to use deceit;
they pronounce blessings with their mouths,
but inwardly they utter curses. (Selah)
62:5 Patiently wait for God alone, my soul!
For he is the one who gives me confidence.
62:6 He alone is my protector and deliverer.
He is my refuge; I will not be upended.
62:7 God delivers me and exalts me;
God is my strong protector and my shelter.
62:8 Trust in him at all times, you people!
Pour out your hearts before him!
God is our shelter! (Selah)
62:9 Men are nothing but a mere breath;
human beings are unreliable.
When they are weighed in the scales,
all of them together are lighter than air.
62:10 Do not trust in what you can gain by oppression!
Do not put false confidence in what you can gain by robbery!
If wealth increases, do not become attached to it!
62:11 God has declared one principle;
two principles I have heard:
God is strong,
62:12 and you, O Lord, demonstrate loyal love.
For you repay men for what they do.
Psalm 63
A psalm of David, written when he was in the Judean wilderness.
63:1 O God, you are my God! I long for you!
My soul thirsts for you,
my flesh yearns for you,
in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
63:2 Yes, in the sanctuary I have seen you,
and witnessed your power and splendor.
63:3 Because experiencing your loyal love is better than life itself,
my lips will praise you.
63:4 For this reason I will praise you while I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
63:5 As if with choice meat you satisfy my soul.
My mouth joyfully praises you,
63:6 whenever I remember you on my bed,
and think about you during the nighttime hours.
63:7 For you are my deliverer;
under your wings I rejoice.
63:8 My soul pursues you;
your right hand upholds me.
63:9 Enemies seek to destroy my life,
but they will descend into the depths of the earth.
63:10 Each one will be handed over to the sword;
their corpses will be eaten by jackals.
63:11 But the king will rejoice in God;
everyone who takes oaths in his name will boast,
for the mouths of those who speak lies will be shut up.
Psalm 64
For the music director; a psalm of David.
64:1 Listen to me, O God, as I offer my lament!
Protect my life from the enemy’s terrifying attacks.
64:2 Hide me from the plots of evil men,
from the crowd of evildoers.
64:3 They sharpen their tongues like a sword;
they aim their arrow, a slanderous charge,
64:4 in order to shoot down the innocent in secluded places.
They shoot at him suddenly and are unafraid of retaliation.
64:5 They encourage one another to carry out their evil deed.
They plan how to hide snares,
and boast, “Who will see them?”
64:6 They devise unjust schemes;
they disguise a well-conceived plot.
Man’s inner thoughts cannot be discovered.
64:7 But God will shoot at them;
suddenly they will be wounded by an arrow.
64:8 Their slander will bring about their demise.
All who see them will shudder,
64:9 and all people will fear.
They will proclaim what God has done,
and reflect on his deeds.
64:10 The godly will rejoice in the Lord
and take shelter in him.
All the morally upright will boast.
Psalm 65
For the music director; a psalm of David, a song.
65:1 Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion.
Vows made to you are fulfilled.
65:2 You hear prayers;
all people approach you.
65:3 Our record of sins overwhelms me,
but you forgive our acts of rebellion.
65:4 How blessed is the one whom you choose,
and allow to live in your palace courts.
May we be satisfied with the good things of your house –
your holy palace.
65:5 You answer our prayers by performing awesome acts of deliverance,
O God, our savior.
All the ends of the earth trust in you,
as well as those living across the wide seas.
65:6 You created the mountains by your power,
and demonstrated your strength.
65:7 You calm the raging seas
and their roaring waves,
as well as the commotion made by the nations.
65:8 Even those living in the most remote areas are awestruck by your acts;
you cause those living in the east and west to praise you.
65:9 You visit the earth and give it rain;
you make it rich and fertile
with overflowing streams full of water.
You provide grain for them,
for you prepare the earth to yield its crops.
65:10 You saturate its furrows,
and soak its plowed ground.
With rain showers you soften its soil,
and make its crops grow.
65:11 You crown the year with your good blessings,
and you leave abundance in your wake.
65:12 The pastures in the wilderness glisten with moisture,
and the hills are clothed with joy.
65:13 The meadows are clothed with sheep,
and the valleys are covered with grain.
They shout joyfully, yes, they sing.
Psalm 66
For the music director; a song, a psalm.
66:1 Shout out praise to God, all the earth!
66:2 Sing praises about the majesty of his reputation!
Give him the honor he deserves!
66:3 Say to God:
“How awesome are your deeds!
Because of your great power your enemies cower in fear before you.
66:4 All the earth worships you
and sings praises to you!
They sing praises to your name!” (Selah)
66:5 Come and witness God’s exploits!
His acts on behalf of people are awesome!
66:6 He turned the sea into dry land;
they passed through the river on foot.
Let us rejoice in him there!
66:7 He rules by his power forever;
he watches the nations.
Stubborn rebels should not exalt themselves. (Selah)
66:8 Praise our God, you nations!
Loudly proclaim his praise!
66:9 He preserves our lives
and does not allow our feet to slip.
66:10 For you, O God, tested us;
you purified us like refined silver.
66:11 You led us into a trap;
you caused us to suffer.
66:12 You allowed men to ride over our heads;
we passed through fire and water,
but you brought us out into a wide open place.
66:13 I will enter your temple with burnt sacrifices;
I will fulfill the vows I made to you,
66:14 which my lips uttered
and my mouth spoke when I was in trouble.
66:15 I will offer up to you fattened animals as burnt sacrifices,
along with the smell of sacrificial rams.
I will offer cattle and goats. (Selah)
66:16 Come! Listen, all you who are loyal to God!
I will declare what he has done for me.
66:17 I cried out to him for help
and praised him with my tongue.
66:18 If I had harbored sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
66:19 However, God heard;
he listened to my prayer.
66:20 God deserves praise,
for he did not reject my prayer
or abandon his love for me!
Psalm 67
For the music director; to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm, a song.
67:1 May God show us his favor and bless us!
May he smile on us! (Selah)
67:2 Then those living on earth will know what you are like;
all nations will know how you deliver your people.
67:3 Let the nations thank you, O God!
Let all the nations thank you!
67:4 Let foreigners rejoice and celebrate!
For you execute justice among the nations,
and govern the people living on earth. (Selah)
67:5 Let the nations thank you, O God!
Let all the nations thank you!
67:6 The earth yields its crops.
May God, our God, bless us!
67:7 May God bless us!
Then all the ends of the earth will give him the honor he deserves.
Psalm 68
For the music director; by David, a psalm, a song.
68:1 God springs into action!
His enemies scatter;
his adversaries run from him.
68:2 As smoke is driven away by the wind, so you drive them away.
As wax melts before fire,
so the wicked are destroyed before God.
68:3 But the godly are happy;
they rejoice before God
and are overcome with joy.
68:4 Sing to God! Sing praises to his name!
Exalt the one who rides on the clouds!
For the Lord is his name!
Rejoice before him!
68:5 He is a father to the fatherless
and an advocate for widows.
God rules from his holy palace.
68:6 God settles those who have been deserted in their own homes;
he frees prisoners and grants them prosperity.
But sinful rebels live in the desert.
68:7 O God, when you lead your people into battle,
when you march through the desert, (Selah)
68:8 the earth shakes,
yes, the heavens pour down rain
before God, the God of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.
68:9 O God, you cause abundant showers to fall on your chosen people.
When they are tired, you sustain them,
68:10 for you live among them.
You sustain the oppressed with your good blessings, O God.
68:11 The Lord speaks;
many, many women spread the good news.
68:12 Kings leading armies run away – they run away!
The lovely lady of the house divides up the loot.
68:13 When you lie down among the sheepfolds,
the wings of the dove are covered with silver
and with glittering gold.
68:14 When the sovereign judge scatters kings,
let it snow on Zalmon!
68:15 The mountain of Bashan is a towering mountain;
the mountain of Bashan is a mountain with many peaks.
68:16 Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks,
at the mountain where God has decided to live?
Indeed the Lord will live there permanently!
68:17 God has countless chariots;
they number in the thousands.
The Lord comes from Sinai in holy splendor.
68:18 You ascend on high,
you have taken many captives.
You receive tribute from men,
including even sinful rebels.
Indeed the Lord God lives there!
68:19 The Lord deserves praise!
Day after day he carries our burden,
the God who delivers us. (Selah)
68:20 Our God is a God who delivers;
the Lord, the sovereign Lord, can rescue from death.
68:21 Indeed God strikes the heads of his enemies,
the hairy foreheads of those who persist in rebellion.
68:22 The Lord says,
“I will retrieve them from Bashan,
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
68:23 so that your feet may stomp in their blood,
and your dogs may eat their portion of the enemies’ corpses.”
68:24 They see your processions, O God –
the processions of my God, my king, who marches along in holy splendor.
68:25 Singers walk in front;
musicians follow playing their stringed instruments,
in the midst of young women playing tambourines.
68:26 In your large assemblies praise God,
the Lord, in the assemblies of Israel!
68:27 There is little Benjamin, their ruler,
and the princes of Judah in their robes,
along with the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.
68:28 God has decreed that you will be powerful.
O God, you who have acted on our behalf, demonstrate your power,
68:29 as you come out of your temple in Jerusalem!
Kings bring tribute to you.
68:30 Sound your battle cry against the wild beast of the reeds,
and the nations that assemble like a herd of calves led by bulls!
They humble themselves and offer gold and silver as tribute.
God scatters the nations that like to do battle.
68:31 They come with red cloth from Egypt,
Ethiopia voluntarily offers tribute to God.
68:32 O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God!
Sing praises to the Lord, (Selah)
68:33 to the one who rides through the sky from ancient times!
Look! He thunders loudly.
68:34 Acknowledge God’s power,
his sovereignty over Israel,
and the power he reveals in the skies!
68:35 You are awe-inspiring, O God, as you emerge from your holy temple!
It is the God of Israel who gives the people power and strength.
God deserves praise!
Psalm 69
For the music director; according to the tune of “Lilies;” by David.
69:1 Deliver me, O God,
for the water has reached my neck.
69:2 I sink into the deep mire
where there is no solid ground;
I am in deep water,
and the current overpowers me.
69:3 I am exhausted from shouting for help;
my throat is sore;
my eyes grow tired of looking for my God.
69:4 Those who hate me without cause are more numerous than the hairs of my head.
Those who want to destroy me, my enemies for no reason, outnumber me.
They make me repay what I did not steal!
69:5 O God, you are aware of my foolish sins;
my guilt is not hidden from you.
69:6 Let none who rely on you be disgraced because of me,
O sovereign Lord and king!
Let none who seek you be ashamed because of me,
O God of Israel!
69:7 For I suffer humiliation for your sake
and am thoroughly disgraced.
69:8 My own brothers treat me like a stranger;
they act as if I were a foreigner.
69:9 Certainly zeal for your house consumes me;
I endure the insults of those who insult you.
69:10 I weep and refrain from eating food,
which causes others to insult me.
69:11 I wear sackcloth
and they ridicule me.
69:12 Those who sit at the city gate gossip about me;
drunkards mock me in their songs.
69:13 O Lord, may you hear my prayer and be favorably disposed to me!
O God, because of your great loyal love,
answer me with your faithful deliverance!
69:14 Rescue me from the mud! Don’t let me sink!
Deliver me from those who hate me,
from the deep water!
69:15 Don’t let the current overpower me!
Don’t let the deep swallow me up!
Don’t let the pit devour me!
69:16 Answer me, O Lord, for your loyal love is good!
Because of your great compassion, turn toward me!
69:17 Do not ignore your servant,
for I am in trouble! Answer me right away!
69:18 Come near me and redeem me!
Because of my enemies, rescue me!
69:19 You know how I am insulted, humiliated and disgraced;
you can see all my enemies.
69:20 Their insults are painful and make me lose heart;
I look for sympathy, but receive none,
for comforters, but find none.
69:21 They put bitter poison into my food,
and to quench my thirst they give me vinegar to drink.
69:22 May their dining table become a trap before them!
May it be a snare for that group of friends!
69:23 May their eyes be blinded!
Make them shake violently!
69:24 Pour out your judgment on them!
May your raging anger overtake them!
69:25 May their camp become desolate,
their tents uninhabited!
69:26 For they harass the one whom you discipline;
they spread the news about the suffering of those whom you punish.
69:27 Hold them accountable for all their sins!
Do not vindicate them!
69:28 May their names be deleted from the scroll of the living!
Do not let their names be listed with the godly!
69:29 I am oppressed and suffering!
O God, deliver and protect me!
69:30 I will sing praises to God’s name!
I will magnify him as I give him thanks!
69:31 That will please the Lord more than an ox or a bull
with horns and hooves.
69:32 The oppressed look on – let them rejoice!
You who seek God, may you be encouraged!
69:33 For the Lord listens to the needy;
he does not despise his captive people.
69:34 Let the heavens and the earth praise him,
along with the seas and everything that swims in them!
69:35 For God will deliver Zion
and rebuild the cities of Judah,
and his people will again live in them and possess Zion.
69:36 The descendants of his servants will inherit it,
and those who are loyal to him will live in it.
Psalm 70
For the music director; by David; written to get God’s attention.
70:1 O God, please be willing to rescue me!
O Lord, hurry and help me!
70:2 May those who are trying to take my life
be embarrassed and ashamed!
May those who want to harm me
be turned back and ashamed!
70:3 May those who say, “Aha! Aha!”
be driven back and disgraced!
70:4 May all those who seek you be happy and rejoice in you!
May those who love to experience your deliverance say continually,
“May God be praised!”
70:5 I am oppressed and needy!
O God, hurry to me!
You are my helper and my deliverer!
O Lord, do not delay!
Psalm 71
71:1 In you, O Lord, I have taken shelter!
Never let me be humiliated!
71:2 Vindicate me by rescuing me!
Listen to me! Deliver me!
71:3 Be my protector and refuge,
a stronghold where I can be safe!
For you are my high ridge and my stronghold.
71:4 My God, rescue me from the power of the wicked,
from the hand of the cruel oppressor!
71:5 For you give me confidence, O Lord;
O Lord, I have trusted in you since I was young.
71:6 I have leaned on you since birth;
you pulled me from my mother’s womb.
I praise you continually.
71:7 Many are appalled when they see me,
but you are my secure shelter.
71:8 I praise you constantly
and speak of your splendor all day long.
71:9 Do not reject me in my old age!
When my strength fails, do not abandon me!
71:10 For my enemies talk about me;
those waiting for a chance to kill me plot my demise.
71:11 They say, “God has abandoned him.
Run and seize him, for there is no one who will rescue him!”
71:12 O God, do not remain far away from me!
My God, hurry and help me!
71:13 May my accusers be humiliated and defeated!
May those who want to harm me be covered with scorn and disgrace!
71:14 As for me, I will wait continually,
and will continue to praise you.
71:15 I will tell about your justice,
and all day long proclaim your salvation,
though I cannot fathom its full extent.
71:16 I will come and tell about the mighty acts of the sovereign Lord.
I will proclaim your justice – yours alone.
71:17 O God, you have taught me since I was young,
and I am still declaring your amazing deeds.
71:18 Even when I am old and gray,
O God, do not abandon me,
until I tell the next generation about your strength,
and those coming after me about your power.
71:19 Your justice, O God, extends to the skies above;
you have done great things.
O God, who can compare to you?
71:20 Though you have allowed me to experience much trouble and distress,
revive me once again!
Bring me up once again from the depths of the earth!
71:21 Raise me to a position of great honor!
Turn and comfort me!
71:22 I will express my thanks to you with a stringed instrument,
praising your faithfulness, O my God!
I will sing praises to you accompanied by a harp,
O Holy One of Israel!
71:23 My lips will shout for joy! Yes, I will sing your praises!
I will praise you when you rescue me!
71:24 All day long my tongue will also tell about your justice,
for those who want to harm me will be embarrassed and ashamed.
Psalm 72
For Solomon.
72:1 O God, grant the king the ability to make just decisions!
Grant the king’s son the ability to make fair decisions!
72:2 Then he will judge your people fairly,
and your oppressed ones equitably.
72:3 The mountains will bring news of peace to the people,
and the hills will announce justice.
72:4 He will defend the oppressed among the people;
he will deliver the children of the poor
and crush the oppressor.
72:5 People will fear you as long as the sun and moon remain in the sky,
for generation after generation.
72:6 He will descend like rain on the mown grass,
like showers that drench the earth.
72:7 During his days the godly will flourish;
peace will prevail as long as the moon remains in the sky.
72:8 May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth!
72:9 Before him the coastlands will bow down,
and his enemies will lick the dust.
72:10 The kings of Tarshish and the coastlands will offer gifts;
the kings of Sheba and Seba will bring tribute.
72:11 All kings will bow down to him;
all nations will serve him.
72:12 For he will rescue the needy when they cry out for help,
and the oppressed who have no defender.
72:13 He will take pity on the poor and needy;
the lives of the needy he will save.
72:14 From harm and violence he will defend them;
he will value their lives.
72:15 May he live! May they offer him gold from Sheba!
May they continually pray for him!
May they pronounce blessings on him all day long!
72:16 May there be an abundance of grain in the earth;
on the tops of the mountains may it sway!
May its fruit trees flourish like the forests of Lebanon!
May its crops be as abundant as the grass of the earth!
72:17 May his fame endure!
May his dynasty last as long as the sun remains in the sky!
May they use his name when they formulate their blessings!
May all nations consider him to be favored by God!
72:18 The Lord God, the God of Israel, deserves praise!
He alone accomplishes amazing things!
72:19 His glorious name deserves praise forevermore!
May his majestic splendor fill the whole earth!
We agree! We agree!
72:20 This collection of the prayers of David son of Jesse ends here.
Book 3(Psalms 73-89)
Psalm 73
A psalm by Asaph.
73:1 Certainly God is good to Israel,
and to those whose motives are pure!
73:2 But as for me, my feet almost slipped;
my feet almost slid out from under me.
73:3 For I envied those who are proud,
as I observed the prosperity of the wicked.
73:4 For they suffer no pain;
their bodies are strong and well-fed.
73:5 They are immune to the trouble common to men;
they do not suffer as other men do.
73:6 Arrogance is their necklace,
and violence their clothing.
73:7 Their prosperity causes them to do wrong;
their thoughts are sinful.
73:8 They mock and say evil things;
they proudly threaten violence.
73:9 They speak as if they rule in heaven,
and lay claim to the earth.
73:10 Therefore they have more than enough food to eat,
and even suck up the water of the sea.
73:11 They say, “How does God know what we do?
Is the sovereign one aware of what goes on?”
73:12 Take a good look! This is what the wicked are like,
those who always have it so easy and get richer and richer.
73:13 I concluded, “Surely in vain I have kept my motives pure
and maintained a pure lifestyle.
73:14 I suffer all day long,
and am punished every morning.”
73:15 If I had publicized these thoughts,
I would have betrayed your loyal followers.
73:16 When I tried to make sense of this,
it was troubling to me.
73:17 Then I entered the precincts of God’s temple,
and understood the destiny of the wicked.
73:18 Surely you put them in slippery places;
you bring them down to ruin.
73:19 How desolate they become in a mere moment!
Terrifying judgments make their demise complete!
73:20 They are like a dream after one wakes up.
O Lord, when you awake you will despise them.
73:21 Yes, my spirit was bitter,
and my insides felt sharp pain.
73:22 I was ignorant and lacked insight;
I was as senseless as an animal before you.
73:23 But I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
73:24 You guide me by your wise advice,
and then you will lead me to a position of honor.
73:25 Whom do I have in heaven but you?
I desire no one but you on earth.
73:26 My flesh and my heart may grow weak,
but God always protects my heart and gives me stability.
73:27 Yes, look! Those far from you die;
you destroy everyone who is unfaithful to you.
73:28 But as for me, God’s presence is all I need.
I have made the sovereign Lord my shelter,
as I declare all the things you have done.
Psalm 74
A well-written song by Asaph.
74:1 Why, O God, have you permanently rejected us?
Why does your anger burn against the sheep of your pasture?
74:2 Remember your people whom you acquired in ancient times,
whom you rescued so they could be your very own nation,
as well as Mount Zion, where you dwell!
74:3 Hurry and look at the permanent ruins,
and all the damage the enemy has done to the temple!
74:4 Your enemies roar in the middle of your sanctuary;
they set up their battle flags.
74:5 They invade like lumberjacks
swinging their axes in a thick forest.
74:6 And now they are tearing down all its engravings
with axes and crowbars.
74:7 They set your sanctuary on fire;
they desecrate your dwelling place by knocking it to the ground.
74:8 They say to themselves,
“We will oppress all of them.”
They burn down all the places where people worship God in the land.
74:9 We do not see any signs of God’s presence;
there are no longer any prophets
and we have no one to tell us how long this will last.
74:10 How long, O God, will the adversary hurl insults?
Will the enemy blaspheme your name forever?
74:11 Why do you remain inactive?
Intervene and destroy him!
74:12 But God has been my king from ancient times,
performing acts of deliverance on the earth.
74:13 You destroyed the sea by your strength;
you shattered the heads of the sea monster in the water.
74:14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan;
you fed him to the people who live along the coast.
74:15 You broke open the spring and the stream;
you dried up perpetually flowing rivers.
74:16 You established the cycle of day and night;
you put the moon and sun in place.
74:17 You set up all the boundaries of the earth;
you created the cycle of summer and winter.
74:18 Remember how the enemy hurls insults, O Lord,
and how a foolish nation blasphemes your name!
74:19 Do not hand the life of your dove over to a wild animal!
Do not continue to disregard the lives of your oppressed people!
74:20 Remember your covenant promises,
for the dark regions of the earth are full of places where violence rules.
74:21 Do not let the afflicted be turned back in shame!
Let the oppressed and poor praise your name!
74:22 Rise up, O God! Defend your honor!
Remember how fools insult you all day long!
74:23 Do not disregard what your enemies say,
or the unceasing shouts of those who defy you.