THE BOOK OF THE PSALMS
The Two Ways
1 *Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
3He is like a tree
planted by streams of water,
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff which the wind drives away.
5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6for the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
God’s Promise to His Anointed
2 *Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?
2The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the LORD and his anointed, saying,
3“Let us burst their bonds asunder,
and cast their cords from us.”
4He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the LORD has them in derision.
5Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6“I have set my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”
7 I will tell of the decree of the LORD:
He said to me, “You are my son,
today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
9You shall break them with a rod of iron,
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
10Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11Serve the LORD with fear,
with trembling 12rejoice,a
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way;
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
Trust in God under Adversity
A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.
3O LORD, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me;
2many are saying of me,
there is no help for him in God. Selah
3But you, O LORD, are a shield about me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head.
4I cry aloud to the LORD,
and he answers me from his holy mountain. Selah
5I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, for the LORD sustains me.
6I am not afraid of ten thousands of people
who have set themselves against me round about.
7Arise, O LORD!
Deliver me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek,
you break the teeth of the wicked.
8Deliverance belongs to the LORD;
your blessing be upon your people! Selah
Confident Plea for Deliverance from Enemies
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.
A Psalm of David.
4Answer me when I call, O God of my right!
You have given me room when I was in distress.
Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer.
2O sons of men, how long will you be dull of heart?
How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies? Selah
3But know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself;
the LORD hears when I call to him.
4 Be angry, but sin not;
commune with your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah
5Offer right sacrifices,
and put your trust in the LORD.
6There are many who say, “O that we might see some good!
Lift up the light of your countenance upon us, O LORD!”
7You have put more joy in my heart
than they have when their grain and wine abound.
8In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
Trust in God for Deliverance from Enemies
To the choirmaster: for the flutes.
A Psalm of David.
5Give ear to my words, O LORD;
give heed to my groaning.
2Listen to the sound of my cry,
my King and my God,
for to you do I pray.
3O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you, and watch.
4For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil may not sojourn with you.
5The boastful may not stand before your eyes;
you hate all evildoers.
6You destroy those who speak lies;
the LORD abhors bloodthirsty and deceitful men.
7But I through the abundance of your merciful love
will enter your house,
I will worship toward your holy temple
in the fear of you.
8Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness
because of my enemies;
make your way straight before me.
9 For there is no truth in their mouth;
their heart is destruction,
their throat is an open sepulchre,
they flatter with their tongue.
10Make them bear their guilt, O God;
let them fall by their own counsels;
because of their many transgressions cast them out,
for they have rebelled against you.
11But let all who take refuge in you rejoice,
let them ever sing for joy;
and do defend them,
that those who love your name may exult in you.
12For you bless the righteous, O LORD;
you cover him with favor as with a shield.
Prayer for Recovery from Grave Illness
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments;
according to The Sheminith.
A Psalm of David.
6O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger,
nor chasten me in your wrath.
2Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am languishing;
O LORD, heal me, for my bones are troubled.
3My soul also is sorely troubled.
But you, O LORD—how long?
4Turn, O Lord, save my life;
deliver me for the sake of your merciful love.
5For in death there is no remembrance of you;
in Sheol who can give you praise?
6I am weary with my moaning;
every night I flood my bed with tears;
I drench my couch with my weeping.
7My eye wastes away because of grief,
it grows weak because of all my foes.
8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil;
for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping.
9The LORD has heard my supplication;
the LORD accepts my prayer.
10All my enemies shall be ashamed and sorely troubled;
they shall turn back, and be put to shame in a moment.
Plea for Help against Persecution
A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD
concerning Cush a Benjaminite.
7O LORD my God, in you I take refuge;
save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me,
2lest like a lion they rend me,
dragging me away, with none to rescue.
3O LORD my God, if I have done this,
if there is wrong in my hands,
4if I have repaid my friend with evil
or plundered my enemy without cause,
5let the enemy pursue me and overtake me,
and let him trample my life to the ground,
and lay my soul in the dust. Selah
6 Arise, O LORD, in your anger,
lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;
awake, O my God;b you have appointed a judgment.
7Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you;
and over it take your seatc on high.
8The LORD judges the peoples;
judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness
and according to the integrity that is in me.
9 O let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
but establish the righteous,
you who try the minds and hearts,
O righteous God.
10My shield is with God,
who saves the upright in heart.
11God is a righteous judge,
and a God who has indignation every day.
12If a mand does not repent, Godd will whet his sword;
he has bent and strung his bow;
13he has prepared his deadly weapons,
making his arrows fiery shafts.
14Behold, the wicked man conceives evil,
and is pregnant with mischief,
and brings forth lies.
15He makes a pit, digging it out,
and falls into the hole which he has made.
16His mischief returns upon his own head,
and on his own skull his violence descends.
17I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness,
and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High.
Divine Majesty and Human Dignity
To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith.
A Psalm of David.
8*O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You whose glory above the heavens is chanted
2 by the mouth of babies and infants,
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.
3When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you have established;
4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
5Yet you have made him little less than the angels,
and you have crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
7all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
8the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the sea.
9O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
God’s Power and Justice
To the choirmaster: according to Muth-labben.
A Psalm of David.
9I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart;
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
2I will be glad and exult in you,
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
3When my enemies turned back,
they stumbled and perished before you.
4For you have maintained my just cause;
you have sat on the throne giving righteous judgment.
5You have rebuked the nations, you have destroyed the wicked;
you have blotted out their name for ever and ever.
6The enemies have vanished in everlasting ruins;
their cities you have rooted out;
the very memory of them has perished.
7But the LORD sits enthroned for ever,
he has established his throne for judgment;
8 and he judges the world with righteousness,
he judges the peoples with equity.
9The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
10And those who know your name put their trust in you,
for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.
11Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion!
Tell among the peoples his deeds!
12For he who avenges blood is mindful of them;
he does not forget the cry of the poor.
13Be gracious to me, O LORD!
Behold what I suffer from those who hate me,
O you who lift me up from the gates of death,
14that I may recount all your praises,
that in the gates of the daughter of Zion
I may rejoice in your deliverance.
15The nations have sunk in the pit which they made;
in the net which they hid has their own foot been caught.
16The LORD has made himself known, he has executed judgment;
the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion. Selah
17The wicked shall depart to Sheol,
all the nations that forget God.
18For the needy shall not always be forgotten,
and the hope of the poor shall not perish for ever.
19Arise, O LORD! Let not man prevail;
let the nations be judged before you!
20Put them in fear, O LORD!
Let the nations know that they are but men! Selah
Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies
10Why do you stand afar off, O LORD?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
2In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor;
let them be caught in the schemes which they have devised.
3For the wicked boasts of the desires of his heart,
and the man greedy for gain curses and renounces the LORD.
4In the pride of his countenance the wicked does not seek him;
all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”
5His ways prosper at all times;
your judgments are on high, out of his sight;
as for all his foes, he puffs at them.
6He thinks in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity.”
7 His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;
under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.
8He sits in ambush in the villages;
in hiding places he murders the innocent.
His eyes stealthily watch for the hapless,
9 he lurks in secret like a lion in his den;
he lurks that he may seize the poor,
he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.
10The hapless is crushed, sinks down,
and falls by his might.
11He thinks in his heart, “God has forgotten,
he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”
12Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand;
forget not the poor.
13Why does the wicked renounce God,
and say in his heart, “You will not call to account”?
14You see; yes, you note trouble and vexation,
that you may take it into your hands;
the hapless commits himself to you;
you have been the helper of the fatherless.
15Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;
seek out his wickedness till you find none.
16The LORD is king for ever and ever;
the nations shall perish from his land.
17O LORD, you will hear the desire of the meek;
you will strengthen their heart, you will incline your ear
18to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.
Song of Trust in God
To the choirmaster.Of David.
11[10]In the LORD I take refuge;
how can you say to me,
“Flee like a bird to the mountains;e
2for behold, the wicked bend the bow,
they have fitted their arrow to the string,
to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart;
3if the foundations are destroyed,
what can the righteous do?”
4The LORD is in his holy temple,
the LORD’s throne is in heaven;
his eyes behold, his eyelids test, the children of men.
5The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked,
and his soul hates him that loves violence.
6On the wicked he will rain coals of fire and brimstone;
a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.
7For the LORD is righteous, he loves righteous deeds;
the upright shall behold his face.
Plea for Help in Evil Times
To the choirmaster: according to The Sheminith.
A Psalm of David.
12[11]Help, LORD; for there is no longer any one that is godly;
for the faithful have vanished from among the sons of men.
2Every one utters lies to his neighbor;
with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.
3May the LORD cut off all flattering lips,
the tongue that makes great boasts,
4those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail,
our lips are with us; who is our master?”
5“Because the poor are despoiled, because the needy groan,
I will now arise,” says the LORD;
“I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”
6The promises of the LORD are promises that are pure,
silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
purified seven times.
7Do, O LORD, protect us,
guard us for ever from this generation.
8On every side the wicked prowl,
as vileness is exalted among the sons of men.
Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies
To the choirmaster.
A Psalm of David.
13[12]How long, O LORD? Will you forget me for ever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2How long must I bear painf in my soul,
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3Consider and answer me, O LORD my God;
lighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
4lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him”;
lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
5But I have trusted in your merciful love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6I will sing to the LORD,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.
Denunciation of Godlessness
To the choirmaster.
Of David.
14[13]1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds,
there is none that does good.
2The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
to see if there are any that act wisely,
that seek after God.
3They have all gone astray, they are all alike corrupt;
there is none that does good,
no, not one.
4Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers
who eat up my people as they eat bread,
and do not call upon the LORD?
5There they shall be in great terror,
for God is with the generation of the righteous.
6You would confound the plans of the poor,
but the LORD is his refuge.
7O that deliverance for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people,
Jacob shall rejoice, Israel shall be glad.
Who Shall Abide in God’s Sanctuary?
A Psalm of David.
15[14]O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent?
Who shall dwell on your holy mountain?
2He who walks blamelessly, and does what is right,
and speaks truth from his heart;
3who does not slander with his tongue,
and does no evil to his friend,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
4in whose eyes a reprobate is despised,
but who honors those who fear the LORD;
who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5who does not put out his money at interest,
and does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved.
Song of Trust and Security in God
A Miktam of David.
16[15]Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”g
3As for the saints in the land, they are the noble,
in whom is all my delight.
4Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows;h
their libations of blood I will not pour out
or take their names upon my lips.
5The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
6The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
yes, I have a goodly heritage.
7I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
8 I keep the LORD always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
9Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
my body also dwells secure.
10For you do not give me up to Sheol,
or let your godly one see the Pit.
11You show me the path of life;
in your presence there is fulness of joy,
in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.
Prayer for Deliverance from Persecutors
A Prayer of David.
17[16]Hear a just cause, O LORD;
attend to my cry!
Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!
2From you let my vindication come!
Let your eyes see the right!
3If you try my heart, if you visit me by night,
if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me;
my mouth does not transgress.
4With regard to the works of men, by the word of your lips
I have avoided the ways of the violent.
5My steps have held fast to your paths,
my feet have not slipped.
6I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me, hear my words.
7Wondrously show your mercies,
O savior of those who seek refuge
from their adversaries at your right hand.
8Keep me as the apple of the eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings,
9from the wicked who despoil me,
my deadly enemies who surround me.
10They close their hearts to pity;
with their mouths they speak arrogantly.
11They track me down; now they surround me;
they set their eyes to cast me to the ground.
12They are like a lion eager to tear,
as a young lion lurking in ambush.
13Arise, O LORD! confront them, overthrow them!
Deliver my life from the wicked by your sword,
14from men by your hand, O LORD,
from men whose portion in life is of the world.
May their belly be filled with what you have stored up for them;
may their children have more than enough;
may they leave something over to their babies.
15As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
when I awake, I shall be satisfied with beholding your form.
Royal Thanksgiving for Victory
To the choirmaster.
A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD,
who addressed the words of this song to the LORD
on the day when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies,
and from the hand of Saul.
He said:
18[17]*I love you, O LORD, my strength.
2The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.
4The cords of death encompassed me,
the torrents of perdition assailed me;
5the cords of Sheol entangled me,
the snares of death confronted me.
6In my distress I called upon the LORD;
to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.
7Then the earth reeled and rocked;
the foundations also of the mountains trembled
and quaked, because he was angry.
8Smoke went up from his nostrils,
and devouring fire from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
9He bowed the heavens, and came down;
thick darkness was under his feet.
10He rode on a cherub, and flew;
he came swiftly upon the wings of the wind.
11He made darkness his covering around him,
his canopy thick clouds dark with water.
12Out of the brightness before him
there broke through his clouds
hailstones and coals of fire.
13The LORD also thundered in the heavens,
and the Most High uttered his voice,
hailstones and coals of fire.
14And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them;
he flashed forth lightnings, and routed them.
15Then the channels of the sea were seen,
and the foundations of the world were laid bare,
at your rebuke, O LORD,
at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
16He reached from on high, he took me,
he drew me out of many waters.
17He delivered me from my strong enemy,
and from those who hated me;
for they were too mighty for me.
18They came upon me in the day of my calamity;
but the LORD was my stay.
19He brought me forth into a broad place;
he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
20The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me.
21For I have kept the ways of the LORD,
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22For all his ordinances were before me,
and his statutes I did not put away from me.
23I was blameless before him,
and I kept myself from guilt.
24Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
25With the loyal you show yourself loyal;
with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;
26with the pure you show yourself pure;
and with the crooked you show yourself perverse.
27For you deliver a humble people;
but the haughty eyes you bring down.
28Yes, you light my lamp;
the LORD my God lightens my darkness.
29Yes, by you I can crush a troop;
and by my God I can leap over a wall.
30This God—his way is perfect;
the promise of the LORD proves true;
he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.
31For who is God, but the LORD?
And who is a rock, except our God?—
32the God who girded me with strength,
and made my way safe.
33He made my feet like deer’s feet,
and set me secure on the heights.
34He trains my hands for war,
so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35You have given me the shield of your salvation,
and your right hand supported me,
and your helpi made me great.
36You gave a wide place for my steps under me,
and my feet did not slip.
37I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
and did not turn back till they were consumed.
38I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise;
they fell under my feet.
39For you girded me with strength for the battle;
you made my assailants sink under me.
40You made my enemies turn their backs to me,
and those who hated me I destroyed.
41They cried for help, but there was none to save,
they cried to the LORD, but he did not answer them.
42I beat them fine as dust before the wind;
I cast them out like the mire of the streets.
43You delivered me from strife with the peoples;j
you made me the head of the nations;
people whom I had not known served me.
44As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me;
foreigners came cringing to me.
45Foreigners lost heart,
and came trembling out of their strongholds.
46The LORD lives; and blessed be my rock,
and exalted be the God of my salvation,
47the God who gave me vengeance
and subdued peoples under me;
48who delivered me from my enemies;
yes, you exalted me above my adversaries;
you delivered me from men of violence.
49For this I will extol you, O LORD, among the nations,
and sing praises to your name.
50Great triumphs he gives to his king,
and shows mercy to his anointed,
to David and his descendants for ever.
God’s Glory in Creation and the Law
To the choirmaster.
A Psalm of David.
19[18]The heavens are telling the glory of God;
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
2Day to day pours forth speech,
and night to night declares knowledge.
3There is no speech, nor are there words;
their voice is not heard;
4yet their voicek goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
5which comes forth like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
6Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them;
and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple;
8the precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
9the fear of the LORD is clean,
enduring for ever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true,
and righteous altogether.
10More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
11Moreover by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12But who can discern his errors?
Clear me from hidden faults.
13Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
Prayer for Victory
To the choirmaster.
A Psalm of David.
20[19]The LORD answer you in the day of trouble!
The name of the God of Jacob protect you!
2May he send you help from the sanctuary,
and give you support from Zion!
3May he remember all your offerings,
and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah
4May he grant you your heart’s desire,
and fulfil all your plans!
5May we shout for joy over your victory,
and in the name of our God set up our banners!
May the LORD fulfil all your petitions!
6Now I know that the LORD will help his anointed;
he will answer him from his holy heaven
with mighty victories by his right hand.
7Some boast of chariots, and some of horses;
but we boast of the name of the LORD our God.
8They will collapse and fall;
but we shall rise and stand upright.
9Give victory to the king, O LORD;
answer us when we call.l
Thanksgiving for Victory
To the choirmaster.
A Psalm of David.
21[20]In your strength the king rejoices, O LORD;
and in your help how greatly he exults!
2You have given him his heart’s desire,
and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah
3For you meet him with goodly blessings;
you set a crown of fine gold upon his head.
4He asked life of you; you gave it to him,
length of days for ever and ever.
5His glory is great through your help;
splendor and majesty you bestow upon him.
6Yes, you make him most blessed for ever;
you make him glad with the joy of your face.
7For the king trusts in the LORD;
and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.
8Your hand will find out all your enemies;
your right hand will find out those who hate you.
9You will make them as a blazing oven
when you appear.
The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath;
and fire will consume them.
10You will destroy their offspring from the earth,
and their children from among the sons of men.
11If they plan evil against you,
if they devise mischief, they will not succeed.
12For you will put them to flight;
you will aim at their faces with your bows.
13Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength!
We will sing and praise your power.
Plea for Deliverance from Suffering and Hostility
To the choirmaster: according to The Hind of the Dawn.
A Psalm of David.
22[21]*My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
2O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
and by night, but find no rest.
3Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4In you our fathers trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
5To you they cried, and were saved;
in you they trusted, and were not disappointed.
6But I am a worm, and no man;
scorned by men, and despised by the people.
7All who see me mock at me,
they make mouths at me, they wag their heads;
8“He committed his cause to the LORD; let him deliver him,
let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”
9Yet you are he who took me from the womb;
you kept me safe upon my mother’s breasts.
10Upon you was I cast from my birth,
and since my mother bore me you have been my God.
11Be not far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is none to help.
12Many bulls encompass me,
strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
13they open wide their mouths at me,
like a ravening and roaring lion.
14I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax,
it is melted within my breast;
15my strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue cleaves to my jaws;
you lay me in the dust of death.
16Yes, dogs are round about me;
a company of evildoers encircle me;
they have piercedm my hands and feet—
17I can count all my bones—
they stare and gloat over me;
18they divide my garments among them,
and for my clothing they cast lots.
19But you, O LORD, be not far off!
O my help, hasten to my aid!
20Deliver my soul from the sword,
my lifen from the power of the dog!
21Save me from the mouth of the lion,
my afflicted soulo from the horns of the wild oxen!
22I will tell of your name to my brethren;
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
23You who fear the LORD, praise him!
all you sons of Jacob, glorify him,
and stand in awe of him, all you sons of Israel!
24For he has not despised or abhorred
the affliction of the afflicted;
and he has not hidden his face from him,
but has heard, when he cried to him.
25From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
my vows I will pay before those who fear him.
26The afflictedp shall eat and be satisfied;
those who seek him shall praise the LORD!
May your hearts live for ever!
27All the ends of the earth shall remember
and turn to the LORD;
and all the families of the nations
shall worship before him.q
28For dominion belongs to the LORD,
and he rules over the nations.
29Yes, to himr shall all the proud of the earth bow down;
before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
and he who cannot keep himself alive.
30Posterity shall serve him;
men shall tell of the Lord to the coming generation,
31and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,
that he has wrought it.
The Divine Shepherd
A Psalm of David.
23[22]The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want;
2 he makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters;s
3 he restores my soul.t
He leads me in paths of righteousnessu
for his name’s sake.
4Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,v
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil,
my cup overflows.
6Surelyw goodness and mercyx shall follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for ever.y
Entrance into the Temple
A Psalm of David.
24[23]The earth is the LORD’s and the fulness thereof,
the world and those who dwell therein;
2for he has founded it upon the seas,
and established it upon the rivers.
3Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
4He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to what is false,
and does not swear deceitfully.
5He will receive blessing from the LORD,
and vindication from the God of his salvation.
6Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob.z Selah
7Lift up your heads, O gates!
and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
that the King of glory may come in.
8Who is the King of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in battle!
9Lift up your heads, O gates!
and be lifted up,a O ancient doors!
that the King of glory may come in.
10Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
he is the King of glory! Selah
Prayer for Guidance and for Deliverance
A Psalm of David.
25[24]To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
2O my God, in you I trust,
let me not be put to shame;
let not my enemies exult over me.
3Yes, let none that wait for you be put to shame;
let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
4Make me to know your ways, O LORD;
teach me your paths.
5Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.
6Be mindful of your compassion, O LORD, and of your merciful love,
for they have been from of old.
7Remember not the sins of my youth, or my transgressions;
according to your mercy remember me,
for your goodness’ sake, O LORD!
8Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
10All the paths of the LORD are mercy and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
11For your name’s sake, O LORD,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
12Who is the man that fears the LORD?
Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
13He himself shall abide in prosperity,
and his children shall possess the land.
14The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him,
and he makes known to them his covenant.
15My eyes are ever toward the LORD,
for he will pluck my feet out of the net.
16Turn to me, and be gracious to me;
for I am lonely and afflicted.
17Relieve the troubles of my heart,
and bring meb out of my distresses.
18Consider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.
19Consider how many are my foes,
and with what violent hatred they hate me.
20Oh, guard my life, and deliver me;
let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
21May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
for I wait for you.
22Redeem Israel, O God,
out of all his troubles.
Plea for Justice; and Declaration of Righteousness
A Psalm of David.
26[25]Vindicate me, O LORD,
for I have walked in my integrity,
and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
2Prove me, O LORD, and try me;
test my heart and my mind.
3For your mercy is before my eyes,
and I walk in faithfulness to you.c
4I do not sit with false men,
nor do I consort with dissemblers;
5I hate the company of evildoers,
and I will not sit with the wicked.
6I wash my hands in innocence,
and go about your altar, O LORD,
7singing aloud a song of thanksgiving,
and telling all your wondrous deeds.
8O LORD, I love the habitation of your house,
and the place where your glory dwells.
9Sweep me not away with sinners,
nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
10men in whose hands are evil devices,
and whose right hands are full of bribes.
11But as for me, I walk in my integrity;
redeem me, and have mercy on me.
12My foot stands on level ground;
in the great congregation I will bless the LORD.
Triumphant Song of Confidence
A Psalm of David.
27[26]The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the strongholdd of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
2When evildoers assail me,
to devour my flesh,e
my adversaries and foes,
they shall stumble and fall.
3Though a host encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
yet I will be confident.
4One thing have I asked of the LORD,
that will I seek after;
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the LORD,
and to inquire in his temple.
5For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent,
he will set me high upon a rock.
6And now my head shall be lifted up
above my enemies round about me;
and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the LORD.
7Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud,
be gracious to me and answer me!
8You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to you,
“Your face, LORD, do I seek.”
9 Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
you who have been my help.
Cast me not off, forsake me not,
O God of my salvation!
10For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
but the LORD will take me up.
11Teach me your way, O LORD;
and lead me on a level path
because of my enemies.
12Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they breathe out violence.
13I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living!
14Wait for the LORD;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
yes, wait for the LORD!
Prayer for Help; and Thanksgiving for It
A Psalm of David.
28[27]To you, O LORD, I call;
my rock, be not deaf to me,
lest, if you be silent to me,
I become like those who go down to the Pit.
2Hear the voice of my supplication,
as I cry to you for help,
as I lift up my hands
toward your most holy sanctuary.f
3Take me not off with the wicked,
with those who are workers of evil,
who speak peace with their neighbors,
while mischief is in their hearts.
4Repay them according to their work,
and according to the evil of their deeds;
repay them according to the work of their hands;
render them their due reward.
5Because they do not regard the works of the LORD,
or the work of his hands,
he will break them down and build them up no more.
6Blessed be the LORD!
for he has heard the voice of my supplications.
7The LORD is my strength and my shield;
in him my heart trusts;
so I am helped, and my heart exults,
and with my song I give thanks to him.
8The LORD is the strength of his people,
he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
9O save your people, and bless your heritage;
be their shepherd, and carry them for ever.
The Voice of God in a Great Storm
A Psalm of David.
29[28]Ascribe to the LORD, O sons of God,g
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
2Ascribe to the LORD the glory of his name;
worship the LORD in holy attire.
3The voice of the LORD is upon the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD, upon many waters.
4The voice of the LORD is powerful,
the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
5The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars,
the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,
and Sir'ion like a young wild ox.
7The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.
8The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness,
the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9The voice of the LORD makes the oaks to whirl,h
and strips the forests bare;
and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
10The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
the LORD sits enthroned as king for ever.
11May the LORD give strength to his people!
May the LORD bless his people with peace!
Thanksgiving for Recovery from Grave Illness
A Psalm of David.
A Song at the dedication of the Temple.
30[29]I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up,
and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
2O LORD my God, I cried to you for help,
and you have healed me.
3O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol,
restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.i
4Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints,
and give thanks to his holy name.
5For his anger is but for a moment,
and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may last for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.
6As for me, I said in my prosperity,
“I shall never be moved.”
7By your favor, O LORD,
you had established me as a strong mountain;
you hid your face,
I was dismayed.
8To you, O LORD, I cried;
and to the LORD I made supplication:
9“What profit is there in my death,
if I go down to the Pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it tell of your faithfulness?
10Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me!
O LORD, be my helper!”
11You have turned my mourning into dancing;
you have loosed my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness,
12that my soulj may praise you and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you for ever.
Prayer and Praise for Deliverance from Enemies
To the choirmaster.
A Psalm of David.
31[30]In you, O LORD, I seek refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
in your righteousness deliver me!
2Incline your ear to me,
rescue me speedily!
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a strong fortress to save me!
3Yes, you are my rock and my fortress;
for your name’s sake lead me and guide me,
4take me out of the net which is hidden for me,
for you are my refuge.
5Into your hand I commit my spirit;
you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.
6You hatek those who pay regard to vain idols;
but I trust in the LORD.
7I will rejoice and be glad for your merciful love,
because you have seen my lowliness,
you have taken heed of my adversities,
8and have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
you have set my feet in a broad place.
9Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;
my eye is wasted from grief,
my soul and my body also.
10For my life is spent with sorrow,
and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my misery,l
and my bones waste away.
11I am the scorn of all my adversaries,
a horrorm to my neighbors,
an object of dread to my acquaintances;
those who see me in the street flee from me.
12I have passed out of mind like one who is dead;
I have become like a broken vessel.
13Yes, I hear the whispering of many—
terror on every side!—
as they scheme together against me,
as they plot to take my life.
14But I trust in you, O LORD,
I say, “You are my God.”
15My times are in your hand;
deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors!
16Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your merciful love!
17Let me not be put to shame, O LORD,
for I call on you;
let the wicked be put to shame,
let them go dumbfounded to Sheol.
18Let the lying lips be silent,
which speak insolently against the righteous
in pride and contempt.
19O how abundant is your goodness,
which you have laid up for those who fear you,
and wrought for those who take refuge in you,
in the sight of the sons of men!
20In the shelter of your presence you hide them
from the plots of men;
you hold them safe under your shelter
from the strife of tongues.
21Blessed be the LORD,
for he has wondrously shown me his merciful love
when I was beset as in a besieged city.
22I had said in my alarm,
“I am driven farn from your sight.”
But you heard my supplications,
when I cried to you for help.
23Love the LORD, all you his saints!
The LORD preserves the faithful,
but abundantly repays him who acts haughtily.
24Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
all you who wait for the LORD!
The Joy of Forgiveness
A Psalm of David.
A Maskil.
32[31]Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
2Blessed is the man to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3When I declared not my sin, my body wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried upo as by the heat of summer. Selah
5I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not hide my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”;
then you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
6Therefore let every one who is godly
offer prayer to you;
at a time of distress,p in the rush of great waters,
they shall not reach him.
7You are a hiding place for me,
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with deliverance.q Selah
8I will instruct you and teach you
the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
which must be curbed with bit and bridle,
else it will not keep with you.
10Many are the pangs of the wicked;
but steadfast love surrounds him who trusts in the LORD.
11Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
The Greatness and Goodness of God
33[32]Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous!
Praise befits the upright.
2Praise the LORD with the lyre,
make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!
3Sing to him a new song,
play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
4For the word of the LORD is upright;
and all his work is done in faithfulness.
5He loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of the mercy of the LORD.
6By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
and all their host by the breath of his mouth.
7He gathered the waters of the sea as in a bottle;
he put the deeps in storehouses.
8Let all the earth fear the LORD,
let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!
9For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood forth.
10The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nought;
he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
11The counsel of the LORD stands for ever,
the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
12Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!
13The LORD looks down from heaven,
he sees all the sons of men;
14from where he sits enthroned he looks forth
on all the inhabitants of the earth,
15he who fashions the hearts of them all,
and observes all their deeds.
16A king is not saved by his great army;
a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
17The war horse is a vain hope for victory,
and by its great might it cannot save.
18Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his merciful love,
19that he may deliver their soul from death,
and keep them alive in famine.
20Our soul waits for the LORD;
he is our help and shield.
21Yes, our heart is glad in him,
because we trust in his holy name.
22Let your mercy, O LORD, be upon us,
even as we hope in you.
Praise for Deliverance from Trouble
A Psalm of David, when he feigned madness before Abimelech,
so that he drove him out, and he went away.
34[33]I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3O magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
4I sought the LORD, and he answered me,
and delivered me from all my fears.
5Look to him, and be radiant;
so yourr faces shall never be ashamed.
6This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him,
and saved him out of all his troubles.
7The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
8O taste and see that the LORD is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9O fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no want!
10The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
11Come, O sons, listen to me,
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12What man is there who desires life,
and covets many days, that he may enjoy good?
13Keep your tongue from evil,
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14Depart from evil, and do good;
seek peace, and pursue it.
15The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous,
and his ears toward their cry.
16The face of the LORD is against evildoers,
to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears,
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18The LORD is near to the brokenhearted,
and saves the crushed in spirit.
19Many are the afflictions of the righteous;
but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
20He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
21Evil shall slay the wicked;
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22The LORD redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies
A Psalm of David.
35[34]Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me;
fight against those who fight against me!
2Take hold of shield and buckler,
and rise for my help!
3Draw the spear and javelin
against my pursuers!
Say to my soul,
“I am your deliverance!”
4Let them be put to shame and dishonor
who seek after my life!
Let them be turned back and confounded
who devise evil against me!
5Let them be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of the LORD driving them on!
6Let their way be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the LORD pursuing them!
7For without cause they hid their net for me;
without cause they dug a pits for my life.
8Let ruin come upon them unawares!
And let the net which they hid ensnare them;
let them fall therein to ruin!
9Then my soul shall rejoice in the LORD,
exulting in his deliverance.
10All my bones shall say,
“O LORD, who is like you,
you who deliver the weak
from him who is too strong for him,
the weak and needy from him who despoils him?”
11Malicious witnesses rise up;
they ask me of things that I do not know.
12They repay me evil for good;
my soul is forlorn.
13But I, when they were sick—
I wore sackcloth,
I afflicted myself with fasting.
I prayed with head bowedt on my bosom,
14 as though I grieved for my friend or my brother;
I went about as one who laments his mother,
bowed down and in mourning.
15But at my stumbling they gathered in glee,
they gathered together against me;
cripples whom I did not know
slandered me without ceasing;
16they impiously mocked more and more,u
gnashing at me with their teeth.
17How long, O LORD, will you look on?
Rescue me from their ravages,
my life from the lions!
18Then I will thank you in the great congregation;
in the mighty throng I will praise you.
19Let not those rejoice over me
who are wrongfully my foes,
and let not those wink the eye
who hate me without cause.
20For they do not speak peace,
but against those who are quiet in the land
they conceive words of deceit.
21They open wide their mouths against me;
they say, “Aha, Aha!
our eyes have seen it!”
22You have seen, O LORD; be not silent!
O Lord, be not far from me!
23Bestir yourself, and awake for my right,
for my cause, my God and my Lord!
24Vindicate me, O LORD, my God, according to your righteousness;
and let them not rejoice over me!
25Let them not say to themselves,
“Aha, we have our heart’s desire!”
Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”
26Let them be put to shame and confusion altogether
who rejoice at my calamity!
Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor
who magnify themselves against me!
27Let those who desire my vindication
shout for joy and be glad,
and say evermore,
“Great is the LORD,
who delights in the welfare of his servant!”
28Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness
and of your praise all the day long.
Human Wickedness and Divine Goodness
To the choirmaster.
A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD.
36[35]Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart;
there is no fear of God
before his eyes.
2For he flatters himself in his own eyes
that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
3The words of his mouth are mischief and deceit;
he has ceased to act wisely and do good.
4He plots mischief while on his bed;
he sets himself in a way that is not good;
he spurns not evil.
5Your mercy, O LORD, extends to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
6Your righteousness is like the mountains of God,
your judgments are like the great deep;
man and beast you save, O LORD.
7How precious is your mercy, O God!
The children of men take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8They feast on the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
9For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light do we see light.
10O continue your steadfast love to those who know you,
and your salvation to the upright of heart!
11Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me,
nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12There the evildoers lie prostrate,
they are thrust down, unable to rise.
Exhortation to Patience and Trust
A Psalm of David.
37[36]Do not fret because of the wicked,
be not envious of wrongdoers!
2For they will soon fade like the grass,
and wither like the green herb.
3Trust in the LORD, and do good;
so you will dwell in the land, and be nourished in safety.
4Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him, and he will act.
6He will bring forth your vindication as the light,
and your right as the noonday.
7Be still before the LORD, and wait patiently for him;
do not fret over him who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!
8Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Do not fret; it tends only to evil.
9For the wicked shall be cut off;
but those who wait for the LORD shall possess the land.
10Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look well at his place, he will not be there.
11But the meek shall possess the land,
and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.
12The wicked plots against the righteous,
and gnashes his teeth at him;
13but the LORD laughs at the wicked,
for he sees that his day is coming.
14The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows,
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those who walk uprightly;
15their sword shall enter their own heart,
and their bows shall be broken.
16Better is a little that the righteous has
than the abundance of many wicked.
17For the arms of the wicked shall be broken;
but the LORD upholds the righteous.
18The LORD knows the days of the blameless,
and their heritage will abide for ever;
19they are not put to shame in evil times,
in the days of famine they have abundance.
20But the wicked perish;
the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures,
they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.
21The wicked borrows, and cannot pay back,
but the righteous is generous and gives;
22for those blessed by the LORD shall possess the land,
but those cursed by him shall be cut off.
23The steps of a man are from the LORD,
and he establishes him in whose way he delights;
24though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
for the LORD is the stay of his hand.
25I have been young, and now am old;
yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
or his children begging bread.
26He is ever giving liberally and lending,
and his children become a blessing.
27Depart from evil, and do good;
so shall you abide for ever.
28For the LORD loves justice;
he will not forsake his saints.
The righteous shall be preserved for ever,
but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
29The righteous shall possess the land,
and dwell upon it for ever.
30The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
and his tongue speaks justice.
31The law of his God is in his heart;
his steps do not slip.
32The wicked watches the righteous,
and seeks to slay him.
33The LORD will not abandon him to his power,
or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.
34Wait for the LORD, and keep to his way,
and he will exalt you to possess the land;
you will look on the destruction of the wicked.
35I have seen a wicked man overbearing,
and towering like a cedar of Lebanon.v
36Again Iw passed by, and, behold, he was no more;
though I sought him, he could not be found.
37Mark the blameless man, and behold the upright,
for there is posterity for the man of peace.
38But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;
the posterity of the wicked shall be cut off.
39The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
he is their refuge in the time of trouble.
40The LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked, and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.
A Penitent Sufferer’s Plea for Healing
A Psalm of David, for the memorial offering.
38[37]O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger,
nor chasten me in your wrath!
2For your arrows have sunk into me,
and your hand has come down on me.
3There is no soundness in my flesh
because of your indignation;
there is no health in my bones
because of my sin.
4For my iniquities have gone over my head;
they weigh like a burden too heavy for me.
5My wounds grow foul and fester
because of my foolishness,
6I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;
all the day I go about mourning.
7For my loins are filled with burning,
and there is no soundness in my flesh.
8I am utterly spent and crushed;
I groan because of the tumult of my heart.
9Lord, all my longing is known to you,
my sighing is not hidden from you.
10My heart throbs, my strength fails me;
and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
11My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague,
and my kinsmen stand afar off.
12Those who seek my life lay their snares,
those who seek my hurt speak of ruin,
and meditate treachery all the day long.
13But I am like a deaf man, I do not hear,
like a mute man who does not open his mouth.
14Yes, I am like a man who does not hear,
and in whose mouth are no rebukes.
15But for you, O LORD, do I wait;
it is you, O LORD my God, who will answer.
16For I pray, “Only let them not rejoice over me,
who boast against me when my foot slips!”
17For I am ready to fall,
and my pain is ever with me.
18I confess my iniquity,
I am sorry for my sin.
19Those who are my foes without causex are mighty,
and many are those who hate me wrongfully.
20Those who render me evil for good
are my adversaries because I follow after good.
21Do not forsake me, O LORD!
O my God, be not far from me!
22Make haste to help me,
O Lord, my salvation!
Prayer for Wisdom and Forgiveness
To the choirmaster:to Jeduthun.
A Psalm of David.
39[38]I said, “I will guard my ways,
that I may not sin with my tongue;
I will bridley my mouth,
so long as the wicked are in my presence.”
2I was mute and silent,
I held my peace to no avail;
my distress grew worse,
3 my heart became hot within me.
As I mused, the fire burned;
then I spoke with my tongue:
4“LORD, let me know my end,
and what is the measure of my days;
let me know how fleeting my life is!
5Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,
and my lifetime is as nothing in your sight.
Surely every man stands as a mere breath! Selah
6 Surely man goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nought are they in turmoil;
man heaps up, and knows not who will gather!
7“And now, Lord, for what do I wait?
My hope is in you.
8Deliver me from all my transgressions.
Make me not the scorn of the fool!
9I am silent, I do not open my mouth;
for it is you who have done it.
10Remove your stroke from me;
I am spent by the blowsz of your hand.
11When you chasten man
with rebukes for sin,
you consume like a moth what is dear to him;
surely every man is a mere breath! Selah
12“Hear my prayer, O LORD,
and give ear to my cry;
hold not your peace at my tears!
For I am your passing guest,
a sojourner, like all my fathers.
13Look away from me, that I may know gladness,
before I depart and be no more!”
Thanksgiving for Deliverance; and Prayer for Help
To the choirmaster.
A Psalm of David.
40[39]I waited patiently for the LORD;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2He drew me up from the desolate pit,a
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
3He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the LORD.
4Blessed is the man who makes
the LORD his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after false gods!
5You have multiplied, O LORD my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
Were I to proclaim and tell of them,
they would be more than can be numbered.
6Sacrifice and offering you do not desire;
but you have given me an open ear.b
Burnt offering and sin offering
you have not required.
7Then I said, “Behold, I come;
in the roll of the book it is written of me;
8I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.”
9I have told the glad news of deliverance
in the great congregation;
behold, I have not restrained my lips,
as you know, O LORD.
10I have not hidden your saving help within my heart,
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your mercy and your faithfulness
from the great congregation.
11Do not, O LORD, withhold
your compassion from me,
let your mercy and your faithfulness
ever preserve me!
12For evils have encompassed me
without number;
my iniquities have overtaken me,
till I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head;
my heart fails me.
13Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me!
O LORD, make haste to help me!
14Let them be put to shame and confusion altogether
who seek to snatch away my life;
let them be turned back and brought to dishonor
who desire my hurt!
15Let them be appalled because of their shame
who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”
16But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
say continually, “Great is the LORD!”
17As for me, I am poor and needy;
but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
do not delay, O my God!
Assurance of God’s Help; and a Plea for Healing
To the choirmaster.
A Psalm of David.
41[40]Blessed is he who considers the poor!c
The LORD delivers him in the day of trouble;
2the LORD protects him and keeps him alive;
he is called blessed in the land;
you do not give him up to the will of his enemies.
3The LORD sustains him on his sickbed;
in his illness you heal all his infirmities.d
4As for me, I said, “O LORD, be gracious to me;
heal me, for I have sinned against you!”
5My enemies say of me in malice:
“When will he die, and his name perish?”
6And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words,
while his heart gathers mischief;
when he goes out, he tells it abroad.
7All who hate me whisper together about me;
they imagine the worst for me.
8They say, “A deadly thing has fastened upon him;
he will not rise again from where he lies.”
9Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted,
who ate of my bread, has lifted his heel against me.
10But you, O LORD, be gracious to me,
and raise me up, that I may repay them!
11By this I know that you are pleased with me,
in that my enemy has not triumphed over me.
12But you have upheld me because of my integrity,
and set me in your presence for ever.
13Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting!
Amen and Amen.