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The Ways of the Righteous and the Wicked
- nor does he stand in the way of sinners;
- nor does he sit in the assembly of mockers.
- 2 is his delight, and on his law he meditates day and night.
- 3 that gives its fruit in its season;
- its leaf also does not wither.
- Therefore all that he does prospers.
- 4 Instead, they are like the chaff that the wind scatters.
- 5 the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
- 6 the way of the righteous,[fn] but the way of the wicked will perish.
The Messiah’s Reign
- and countries plotting[fn] in vain?[fn]
- 2 The kings of the earth establish themselves, and the rulers conspire[fn] together
- against Yahweh and his anointed:
- 3 and cast their cords from us!”
- 4 He who sits enthroned in the heavens laughs. The Lord derides them.
- 5 and in his fury he terrifies them:
- 6 on Zion, my holy mountain.”
- 7 Yahweh said to me:
- “You are my son;
- today I have begotten you.
- 8 the nations your heritage, and your possession the ends of the earth.
- 9 Like a potter’s vessel you will shatter them.”
- 10 Be warned, O rulers of the earth.
- 11 and rejoice with trembling.
- 12 lest he be angry and you perish on the way,
- for his anger burns quickly.
- Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
A Call to Yahweh in Distress
- 3 many are rising against me.
- 2 are saying about my soul, “There is no deliverance for him from[fn] God. SelahNone[fn]
- 3 [fn] you, Yahweh, are a shield around me, my glory and the one who lifts up my head.
- 4 With my voice I call to Yahweh and he answers me from[fn] Selah
- 5 I woke up because Yahweh sustains me.
- 6 who all around have set themselves against me.
- 7 for you strike all my enemies on the cheek.
- The teeth of the wicked you break.
- 8 may your blessing be over your people.Selah
Safety in Yahweh
- 4 [fn] In trouble[fn]
- Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.
- 2 [fn] be a disgrace? How long will you love vanity?
- How long will you seek lies?[fn] Selah
- 3 [fn] for himself the faithful one.[fn] Yahweh hears when I call to him.
- 4 Commune in your heart[fn] on your bed and be silent. Selah
- 5 [fn] and[fn] Yahweh.
- 6 something good?” Lift up over[fn] us the light of your face, O Yahweh.
- 7 more than[fn] their grain and their wine abound.
- 8 [fn] for you alone, O Yahweh, make me dwell safely.
A Prayer for Guidance and Protection
- 5 Give heed to my sighing.[fn]
- 2 [fn] my king and my God, for to you I pray.
- 3 the morning you will hear my voice. In the morning I will set forth[fn] my case to you and I will watch.[fn]
- 4 are not a God who desires[fn] wickedness. Evil cannot dwell with you.
- 5 [fn] your eyes. You hate all evildoers.
- 6 [fn] [fn] and deceit Yahweh abhors.
- 7 [fn] through the abundance of your steadfast love[fn] I will enter your house.[fn]
- I will bow down[fn] toward [fn] in awe of you.
- 8 make straight before me your way.
- 9 anything reliable in his mouth; their inner part is destruction.[fn]
- Their throat is an open grave;
- with their tongue they speak deceit.[fn]
- 10 let them fall because of their plans.
- Because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out,
- for they have rebelled against you.
- 11 Let them ever[fn] sing for joy,
- [fn] you spread protection over them;
- And let those[fn] who love your name exult in you.
- 12 the righteous. O Yahweh, like a[fn] shield you surround him with good favor.
An Appeal for Forgiveness and Deliverance
- A psalm of David.[fn]
- 6 and do not discipline me in your wrath.
- 2 Heal me, O Yahweh, for my bones are terrified.
- 3 But you, O Yahweh, how long?
- 4 [fn] Save me for the sake of your steadfast love.[fn]
- 5 In Sheol, who will give thanks to you?
- 6 [fn] my bed every night.
- With my tears[fn] my couch.
- 7 it grows old because of all my oppressors.
- 8 for Yahweh has heard the sound of my weeping.
- 9 Yahweh has accepted my prayer.
- 10 They shall turn back; they shall suddenly be ashamed.
Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies
- on account of Cush, a Benjaminite.[fn]
- 7 Save me from all who pursue me, and deliver me.
- 2 ripping to pieces, with none to deliver.
- 3 if there is wrong in my hands,
- 4 [fn] with harm, or if I have plundered my enemy without cause,
- 5 and overtake and trample my life into the ground,
- and lay my honor in the dust.Selah
- 6 and lift yourself up against the wrath[fn] of my oppressors,
- and awake for me,
- since you have commanded judgment.
- 7 the assembly of peoples surround you, and over it return on high.
- 8 O Yahweh, vindicate me
- according to my innocence[fn] and according to my integrity within me.
- 9 but establish the righteous,
- and test the hearts and innermost being, O righteous God.
- 10 is with God who saves the upright of heart.
- 11 is a righteous judge, and a God who has indignation every day.
- 12 [fn] does not repent, he[fn] will sharpen his sword. He has bent his bow and he has[fn] it.
- 13 He has made his arrows fiery shafts.
- 14 [fn] travails with[fn] evil. He is pregnant with trouble,
- and he gives birth to deception.
- 15 then falls in the trap he has made.
- 16 and his violence comes down on his skull.
- 17 and I will sing praise to the name of Yahweh, the Most High.
Yahweh’s Glory in Creation
- 8 is your name in all the earth, who put your splendor above the heavens.
- 2 [fn] strength on account of your enemies,
- to silence the enemy and the avenger.
- 3 the moon and the stars which you set in place—
- 4 is a human being that you think of him? and a child of humankind that you care for him?
- 5 [fn] and with glory and with majesty you crowned him.
- 6 all things you have placed under his feet:
- 7 and also the wild animals of the field,
- 8 the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea, everything that passes along the paths of seas.
- 9 how majestic is your name in all of the earth!
Praise for Yahweh’s Justice
- 9 I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
- 2 I will sing the praise of your name, O Most High.
- 3 they will stumble and perish because of your presence.
- 4 you have sat on the throne judging correctly.
- 5 the nations; you have destroyed the wicked.
- Their name you have blotted out
- forever and ever.
- 6 in ruins forever, and you have uprooted their cities;
- their very memory has perished.
- 7 enthroned forever. He has established his throne for judgment.
- 8 the world with righteousness. He will judge the peoples with equity.
- 9 a stronghold in times of distress.
- 10 for you do not forsake those who seek you, O Yahweh.
- 11 praises to Yahweh who sits enthroned[fn] in Zion. Tell his deeds among the peoples,
- 12 who[fn] remembers them. He does not forget the distressed cry of the afflicted.
- 13 See my suffering from those who hate me,
- you who lift me up from the gates of death,
- 14 In the gates of the daughter of Zion
- let me rejoice in your salvation.
- 15 The nations have fallen in the pit that they made; their foot is caught in the net that they hid.
- 16 he has executed judgment.
- The wicked is snared by the work of his hands.HiggaionNone[fn]Selah
- 17 The wicked shall turn back to Sheol, all the nations forgetting God,
- 18 the needy shall not always be forgotten; the hope of the poor shall never perish.
- 19 [fn] prevail; let the nations be judged before you.
- 20 Let the nations know they are merely human.Selah
A Prayer for God to Throw down the Wicked
- Why do you hide[fn] during times of distress?
- 2 the wicked persecutes[fn] the poor. Let them be caught in the schemes that they devised,
- 3 the wicked boasts about the desire of his[fn] and the one greedy for gain curses and treats Yahweh with contempt.
- 4 [fn] the wicked will not seek God. There is no God in any of his thoughts.
- 5 [fn] endure at all times.[fn] Your judgments are aloof from him.
- As for all his enemies, he scoffs at them.
- 6 [fn] during which I will have no trouble.”
- 7 with deceits and oppression;
- under his tongue are trouble and evil.
- 8 in the hiding places he kills the innocent.
- His eyes[fn] for the helpless.
- 9 [fn] like a lion in a thicket. He lies in ambush to seize the poor;
- he seizes the poor by catching him in his net.
- 10 [fn] he is bowed down;[fn] so[fn] the helpless host[fn] falls by his [fn]
- 11 He has hidden his face.
- He never sees.”
- 12 O God, lift up your hand.
- Do not forget the afflicted.
- 13 He says in his heart, “You will not call me to account.”
- 14 But you have seen; indeed you have noted trouble and grief to take it into your hand.
- The helpless abandons himself upon you;
- you have been the helper for the orphan.
- 15 the arm of the wicked, and as for the evil man—
- seek out his wickedness until you find none.
- 16 is king forever and ever; the nations have perished from his land.
- 17 The longing of the afflicted you have heard, O Yahweh. You will make their heart secure. You will[fn]
- 18 for the fatherless and the oppressed so that a mere mortal from the earth will no longer cause terror.
Confidence in Yahweh’s Righteousness
- 11 how can you say to my soul,
- “Flee to your mountain like a bird”?
- 2 [fn] They have fitted their arrow to the string,
- to shoot from the darkness
- at the upright of heart.
- 3 what can the righteous do?[fn]
- 4 is in his holy temple; Yahweh is in the heavens on his throne.
- His eyelids see;
- they test the children of humankind.
- 5 the righteous, but the wicked and the lover of violence
- his soul hates.
- 6 [fn] on the wicked. Burning sulfur and scorching wind
- will be the portion of their cup.
- 7 is righteous; he loves righteous deeds.
- The upright shall see his face.
Human Faithlessness and God’s Faithfulness
- 12 the pious have ceased to be; for the faithful have vanished
- from among the children of humankind.
- 2 [fn] With flattering lips,
- with[fn] they speak.
- 3 the tongue speaking great boasts—
- 4 those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail. Our lips are on our side.
- Who is master over us?”
- 5 the oppression of the afflicted, because of the groaning of the poor,
- now I will rise up,” Yahweh says.
- “I shall put them in the safety for which they[fn] long.”
- 6 are pure words like silver refined in the crucible on the ground,
- refined seven times.
- 7 You will preserve him[fn]
- from this generation always.
- 8 The wicked prowl about when vileness is exalted among the children of humankind.
Trust in the Salvation of Yahweh
- 13 How long will you hide your face from me?
- 2 [fn] in my soul, and sorrow in my heart all the day?
- How long will my enemy be exalted over me?
- 3 [fn] and answer me, O Yahweh my God. Give light to my eyes
- lest I sleep the sleep of death,
- 4 and lest my enemy should say, “I have overcome him,” lest my enemies rejoice because I am shaken.
- 5 [fn] My heart will rejoice in your deliverance.
- 6 [fn] I will sing to Yahweh because he has dealt bountifully with me.
The Folly of the Godless and God’s Final Triumph
- 14 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt.
- They do abominable deeds.
- There is none who does good.
- 2 to see whether there is one who has insight,
- one who cares about God.
- 3 they are altogether corrupt.
- There is not one who does good;
- there is not even one.
- 4 they who eat my people as though they were eating bread?
- They do not call on Yahweh.
- 5 [fn] because God is with the generation of the righteous.
- 6 the plan of the poor, because[fn] Yahweh is his refuge.
- 7 [fn] would come salvation for Israel! When Yahweh returns the fortunes of his people,
- Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be happy.
A Description of Those Who May Dwell with Yahweh
- 15 Who may dwell on your holy mountain?
- 2 He who speaks honestly in his heart.
- 3 He does not harm his friend,
- nor[fn] a disgrace against his neighbor.
- 4 is contemptible, but he honors those who respect Yahweh.
- He takes an oath to his own injury and does not retract it.
- 5 and does not take a bribe against the innocent.
- He who does these things
- will never be shaken.
Confidence in Yahweh
- 16 for I take refuge in you.
- 2 Oh my soul you have said[fn] to Yahweh, “You are my Lord. I have no good apart from you.”
- 3 the saints who are in the land, they are the noble ones in whom is all my desire.
- 4 who hurry after[fn] another god increase their sorrows. I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood,
- nor take up their names on my lips.
- 5 is the portion which is my share and my cup. You hold my lot.
- 6 The measuring lines have fallen for me in pleasant places. Yes, my inheritance is delightful for me.
- 7 yes, at night my[fn] instructs me.
- 8 Because he is at my right hand I will not be shaken.
- 9 Yes, my body will dwell in safety,
- 10 you will not give your faithful one to see the grave.
- 11 the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy.
- At your right hand are pleasures forever.
Prayer for Vindication and Protection
- 17 Hear my cry; heed my prayer
- I make without deceitful lips.
- 2 let your eyes see fairness.
- 3 you have examined me by night;
- you have tested me; you found nothing.
- I have decided that my mouth will not transgress.
- 4 the works of humankind, by the word of your lips,
- I have kept from the ways of the violent.
- 5 I have held my steps in your path My feet will not slip.
- 6 because you will answer me, O God.
- Incline your ear to me.
- Hear my words.[fn]
- 7 O Savior of those who take refuge
- at your right hand[fn]
- from those who rise up against them.
- 8 [fn] Hide me in the shadow of your wings
- 9 the[fn] of the wicked who destroy me, those enemies against my life,
- they that surround me.
- 10 [fn] heart; with their mouth they speak arrogantly.
- 11 every step. They[fn]
- [fn] me to the ground.
- 12 [fn] a lion; he longs to tear apart, and like a strong lion crouching in hiding places.
- 13 [fn] Make him bow down.
- Rescue with your sword my life from the wicked,
- 14 this world. Their share is in[fn] and you fill their stomach with your treasure.
- They are satisfied with children.
- They bequeath their excess to their children.
- 15 By contrast, I in righteousness shall see your face. Upon awakening I will be satisfied seeing your form.
Praise to God for His Deliverance
- who spoke to Yahweh the words of this song
- [fn] Yahweh delivered him from the hand of all his enemies,
- and from the hand of Saul.[fn]
- 18 “I love you, O Yahweh, my strength.”
- 2 is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I have taken refuge,
- my shield and the horn of my deliverance, my stronghold.
- 3 and I was saved from my enemies.
- 4 and streams of ruin overwhelmed me.
- 5 the snares of death confronted me.
- 6 and to my God I cried for help.
- He heard my voice from his temple,
- and my cry for help
- came up before his presence into his ears.
- 7 and the foundations of the mountains trembled,
- and they staggered because he was angry.
- 8 and fire from his mouth consumed.
- Burning coals blazed from him.
- 9 the heavens and came down with a thick cloud under his feet.
- 10 and he swooped down on wings of wind.
- 11 all about him his covering
- was a darkness of waters,[fn]
- 12 his clouds passed over
- with hail and coals of fire.
- 13 and the Most High uttered his voice
- with hail and coals of fire.
- 14 [fn] and many lightning bolts and routed them.
- 15 the sea became visible, and the foundations of the world were uncovered
- by your rebuke, O Yahweh,
- by the[fn] of the wind of your nose.
- 16 [fn] from on high; he seized me. He drew me from many waters.
- 17 and from those who hated me
- because they were stronger than I.
- 18 but Yahweh was my support.
- 19 He delivered me because he delighted in me.
- 20 According to the cleanness of my hands
- he has repaid me.
- 21 and have not acted wickedly against my God,
- 22 are before me, and his statutes I have not removed from me,
- 23 and I kept myself from my guilt.
- 24 according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
- 25 the loyal you show yourself loyal. To the blameless you show yourself blameless.
- 26 the pure you show yourself pure. but to the wicked you show yourself shrewd.
- 27 but haughty eyes you humiliate.
- 28 Yahweh, my God, lights up my darkness.
- 29 and with my God I can scale a wall.
- 30 [fn] God—his way is blameless. The word of Yahweh is flawless.[fn]
- He is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.
- 31 is God apart from Yahweh, and who is a rock except our God?
- 32 with strength, and made safe[fn] my way,
- 33 and on my high places he makes me stand.
- 34 He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
- 35 and your right hand supported me,
- and your humility made me great.
- 36 and my ankles did not slip.
- 37 I did not turn back until they were finished off.
- 38 they fell under my feet.
- 39 with strength for the battle; those rising against me you made to kneel under me.
- 40 [fn] then I destroyed those who hated me.
- 41 even to Yahweh, but he did not answer them.
- 42 [fn] I emptied them[fn] out like mud of the streets.
- 43 you set me as head (over) nations.
- People I did not know served me;
- 44 [fn] they obeyed me. The children of a foreign land feigned obedience before me.
- 45 The children of a foreign land[fn] and they came trembling from their strongholds.
- 46 be my rock, and may the God of my salvation be exalted—
- 47 and subdued peoples under me,
- 48 Indeed, you exalted me higher than those who rose against me.
- You delivered me from the man of violence.
- 49 and I will sing the praise of your name:
- 50 and who shows loyal love for his anointed,
- to David and to his descendants forever.
Yahweh’s Creation and Law
- 19 are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands.
- 2 [fn] they pour forth speech, and[fn] they tell knowledge.
- 3 their sound is inaudible.
- 4 Yet in all the world their line[fn] goes out, and their words to the end of the world.
- In them[fn] he has pitched a tent for the sun,
- 5 is like a bridegroom who comes out of his bridal chamber.
- It is glad like a strong man
- to run its course.
- 6 is from one[fn] end of the heavens and its circuit to the other end[fn] of them;
- and nothing is hidden from its heat.
- 7 is perfect, reviving life.[fn] The testimony of Yahweh is firm, making wise the simple.
- 8 are right, making the heart rejoice. The command of Yahweh is pure, enlightening the eyes.
- 9 is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of Yahweh are true; they are righteous altogether,
- 10 and sweeter than honey, even honey in the comb.
- 11 is warned[fn] by them; in keeping them is great reward.
- 12 his errors? Acquit me from hidden faults.
- 13 sins;[fn] let them not rule over me.
- Then I shall be blameless,
- and I shall be innocent of great transgression.
- 14 be acceptable in your presence,
- O Yahweh, my rock and my redeemer.
God’s Blessing on the King
- 20 the day of trouble. May the name of Jacob’s God protect[fn] you.
- 2 [fn] from the sanctuary, and from Zion may he sustain you.
- 3 and your burnt offering may he[fn]
- 4 [fn] and your every plan may he fulfill.Selah
- 5 and in the name of our God may we set up banners.
- May Yahweh fulfill all your requests.
- 6 [fn] He will answer him from his holy heaven
- with the victorious power of his right hand.
- 7 [fn] but we boast in the name of Yahweh, our God.
- 8 and we will rise and stand firm.
- 9 [fn] O Yahweh. Let the king answer us when we call.
Joy in the Salvation of Yahweh
- 21 the king will rejoice in your strength, and how greatly he will delight in your help.[fn]
- 2 and have not withheld the request of his lips.Selah
- 3 with blessings of good things. You set on his head a crown of fine gold.
- 4 it to him— length of days forever and ever.
- 5 is great because of your help.[fn] Splendor and majesty you have bestowed upon him.
- 6 on him blessings forever. You make him glad with the joy of your presence.
- 7 and through the steadfast love[fn] of the Most High
- he shall not be moved.
- 8 your right hand will find those who hate you.
- 9 at the time of your appearance.
- Yahweh will swallow them in his wrath
- and fire will consume them.
- 10 [fn] from the earth, and their[fn] from among the children of humankind.
- 11 [fn] evil against you, though they have planned a scheme, they will not prevail.
- 12 [fn] you will aim arrows on your bowstrings at their faces.
- 13 and we sing and praise your power.
Suffering and Waiting for Deliverance
- 22 Why are you far from helping me, far from the words of my groaning?
- 2 and by night but I have no rest.[fn]
- 3 are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
- 4 [fn] trusted you; they trusted and you delivered them.
- 5 they trusted you and were not ashamed.
- 6 am a worm and not a man, scorned by humankind and despised by people.
- 7 who see me mock me. They open wide their lips;
- they shake the head, saying:
- 8 [fn] Let him rescue him. Let him deliver him because he delights in him.”
- 9 you took me from the belly; you made me trust while on my mother’s breasts.
- 10 the womb. From my mother’s belly you have been my God.
- 11 because trouble is near;
- because there is no helper.
- 12 mighty bulls of Bashan have surrounded me.
- 13 like a lion tearing and roaring.
- 14 and all my bones are out of joint.
- My heart is like wax;
- it is melted[fn]
- 15 and my tongue is sticking to my jaws;
- and you have placed me in the dust of death.
- 16 a gang of evildoers has encircled me.
- Like the lion[fn] they are at my hands and my feet.
- 17 they gaze, they look at me.
- 18 and for my clothing they cast lots.[fn]
- 19 O my help, hasten to help me.
- 20 the sword, my only life from the power of the dogs.[fn]
- 21 the mouth of the lion, and from the horns of the wild oxen answer me.
- 22 inside the assembly I will praise you.
- 23 Glorify him, all you seed of Jacob,
- and be in awe of him, all you seed of Israel,
- 24 the affliction of the afflicted, and has not hid his face from him;
- but he listened to him when he cried for help.
- 25 is my praise. In the great assembly,
- I will pay my vows before those who revere him.
- 26 The afflicted will eat and will be satisfied. Those who seek him will praise Yahweh.
- May your[fn] heart live forever.
- 27 the ends of the earth will remember and turn to Yahweh.
- All the families of the nations
- will worship before you.
- 28 and he rules over the nations.
- 29 the[fn] of the earth will eat and worship. Before him all of those descending into the dust will kneel,
- even he who cannot keep his soul alive.
- 30 [fn] will serve him. Regarding the Lord, it will be told to the next generation.
- 31 [fn] deeds to a people yet to be born, that he has done it.
Yahweh the Shepherd
- 23 I will not lack for anything.
- 2 by quiet waters he leads me.
- 3 [fn] He leads me in[fn]
- for the sake of his name.
- 4 because you are with me.
- Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
- 5 in the presence of my oppressors.
- You anoint my head with oil;
- my cup is overflowing.
- 6 all the days of my life,
- and I will stay[fn] in the house[fn] of Yahweh
The King of Glory
- 24 the world and those who live in it,
- 2 the seas, and has established it on the rivers.
- 3 the mountain of Yahweh? And who may stand in his holy place?
- 4 who does not lift up his soul to falseness,
- and does not swear deceitfully.
- 5 and justice[fn] from the God of his salvation.
- 6 is the sort of those who seek[fn] him, those who seek your face, even Jacob.Selah
- 7 and rise up, O ancient doorways,
- that the king of glory[fn] may enter.
- 8 is the king of glory?[fn] Yahweh, strong and mighty;
- Yahweh, mighty in war!
- 9 and lift up, O ancient doorways,
- that the king of glory[fn] may enter.
- 10 [fn] Yahweh of hosts,
- He is the king of glory![fn] Selah
A Prayer for Guidance, Deliverance, and Forgiveness
25 - 2 Do not let my enemies exult over me.
- 3 Those who betray without cause should be put to shame.
- 4 Teach me your paths.
- 5 because you are the God of my salvation.
- I await you[fn]
- 6 and your acts of loyal love,
- because they are from of old.
- 7 the sins of my youth or my transgressions.
- According to your loyal love remember me if you will,
- for the sake of your goodness, O Yahweh.
- 8 is Yahweh; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
- 9 the humble to walk in justice, and teaches the humble his way.
- 10 are loyal love and faithfulness for those who keep his covenant and statutes.[fn]
- 11 forgive my sin, because it is great.
- 12 is the man fearing Yahweh? He will instruct him in the way he should choose.
- 13 and his offspring will possess the land.
- 14 is for those who fear him, and he makes known his covenant to them.
- 15 are continually toward Yahweh, because he will take my feet from the net.
- 16 because I am lonely and afflicted.
- 17 bring me out from my distresses.
- 18 and forgive[fn] all my sins.
- 19 and they hate me with violent hatred.
- 20 Let me not be put to shame, because I take shelter in you.
- 21 because I wait for you.
- 22 from all its troubles.
A Prayer for Vindication
- 26 and I have trusted Yahweh and not wavered.
- 2 Try my[fn] and my [fn]
- 3 is before my eyes, and I walk about in your faithfulness.
- 4 nor will I go about with hypocrites.
- 5 the crowd of evildoers, and with the wicked I will not sit.
- 6 and I will walk about your altar, O Yahweh,
- 7 and tell of all your wondrous deeds.
- 8 the dwelling of your house,[fn] and[fn]
- 9 [fn] with the sinners, nor my life with men of bloodshed,
- 10 is an evil plan, and whose right hand is full of bribes.[fn]
- 11 Redeem me and be gracious to me.
- 12 In assemblies I will bless Yahweh.
A Declaration of Trust
- 27 is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
- Yahweh is the refuge of my life;
- of whom shall I be afraid?
- 2 my adversaries and my enemies who drew near to me—
- they themselves stumbled and fell.
- 3 my heart will not fear.
- Though war arise against me,
- even in this I will remain confident.
- 4 thing I have asked from Yahweh; it I will seek:
- that I may dwell in the house[fn] of Yahweh all the days of my life,
- to behold the beauty of Yahweh,
- and to consider[fn] his temple.
- 5 the day of trouble. He will conceal me in the hiding place of his tent.
- He will set me high upon a rock.
- 6 And I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy.
- I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to Yahweh.
- 7 when I call, and be gracious to me and answer me.
- 8 Your face, O Yahweh, I do seek.
- 9 do not turn your servant away in anger.
- You have been my help; do not abandon nor forsake me,
- O God of my salvation.
- 10 then Yahweh will receive me.
- 11 and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.
- 12 because false witnesses have arisen against me,
- and each breathing out violence.[fn]
- 13 [fn] I believe that I will see the goodness of Yahweh in the land of the living.
- 14 Be strong and let your heart show strength,
- and wait for Yahweh.
A Prayer for Help, and Joy in Its Answer
- 28 O my rock, do not be deaf to me.
- Or else, if you are silent to me,
- then I will become like those descending to the pit.
- 2 when I cry to you for help,
- when I lift up my hands
- toward your holy inner sanctuary.
- 3 the wicked or with the workers of evil,
- who speak of peace with their neighbors,
- while evil is in their heart.
- 4 even according to the evil of their deeds.
- Give to them according to the work of their hands;
- repay them their rightful due.
- 5 nor the work of his hands,
- he will destroy them
- and not rebuild them.
- 6 is Yahweh, because he has heard the voice of my supplications.
- 7 is my strength and my shield. My heart trusts him and I am helped.
- So my heart rejoices,
- and with my song I will give thanks to him.
- 8 is their strength, and he is the refuge for the salvation of his anointed one.
- 9 and bless your heritage.
- Shepherd them also and carry them always.
Praise to God for His Glory and Strength
- 29 [fn] ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength.
- 2 [fn] his name. Worship Yahweh in holy array.
- 3 is over the waters; the God of glory thunders.
- Yahweh is over many waters.
- 4 is powerful. The voice of Yahweh is majestic.
- 5 the cedars. Yahweh shatters even the cedars of Lebanon.
- 6 Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.
- 7 [fn] flames of fire.
- 8 the wilderness. Yahweh shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
- 9 [fn] to give birth and strips the forests bare.
- And at his temple all in it say, “Glory!”
- 10 enthroned at the flood, and Yahweh sits as king forever.
- 11 May Yahweh bless his people with peace.
Thanksgiving for Answered Prayer
- 30 because you have drawn me up,
- and have not made my enemies rejoice over me.
- 2 I cried for help to you,
- and you healed me.
- 3 You preserved me alive
- from among those going down[fn] to the pit.
- 4 and give thanks[fn]
- 5 there is a moment in his anger; there is a lifetime in his favor.
- Weeping lodges for the evening,
- but in the morning comes rejoicing.
- 6 “I shall not be moved ever.”
- 7 you caused my strong mountain to stand.
- You hid your face. I was bewildered.
- 8 and to the Lord I pleaded for grace saying,
- 9 is there in my[fn] in my going down into the pit?
- Will the dust praise you?
- Will it tell of your faithfulness?
- 10 O Yahweh, be my helper.”
- 11 You have removed my sackcloth
- and clothed me with joy
- 12 [fn] may sing praises to you and not be quiet.
- O Yahweh, my God,
- I will give thanks to you forever.
Yahweh Is a Fortress
- 31 Let me not be put to shame ever.
- Deliver me by your righteousness.
- 2 Quickly deliver me.
- Become my rock of refuge,
- [fn] to save me.
- 3 are my rock and my fortress. So, for the sake of your name,
- lead me and guide me.
- 4 the net that they have secretly set for me, for you are my refuge.
- 5 You have redeemed me, O Yahweh, faithful God.[fn]
- 6 but I trust Yahweh.
- 7 Because you have seen my misery,
- you know the distresses of my life.[fn]
- 8 into the hand of the enemy.
- You have set my feet in a broad place.
- 9 to me, O Yahweh, because I have distress.
- My eye wastes away because of vexation,
- along with my soul and my[fn]
- 10 and my years with sighing.
- My strength stumbles because of my iniquity,
- and my bones waste away.
- 11 especially to my neighbors,
- and a dread to my acquaintances.
- Those who see me in the street flee from me.
- 12 one dead, out of[fn] I am like a destroyed vessel.
- 13 the rumor of many, “Terror on every side!”
- When conspiring together against me,
- they have plotted to take my life.
- 14 I say, “You are my God.”
- 15 [fn] are in your hand. Deliver me from the hand of my enemies
- and from those who pursue me.
- 16 Save me by your loyal love.
- 17 Let the wicked be put to shame.
- Let them go silently[fn] to Sheol.
- 18 that speak against the righteous[fn] unrestrained
- with arrogance and contempt.
- 19 is your goodness that you have stored up for those who fear you,
- that you perform for those who take refuge in you
- before the children of humankind.
- 20 from the plots of man.
- You will hide them in a shelter from the strife of tongues.
- 21 is Yahweh, because he has worked marvelously his loyal love to me
- in a besieged city.
- 22 “I am cut off from before your eyes.”
- However you heard the voice of my supplications
- when I cried to you for help.
- 23 Yahweh preserves the faithful
- but repays abundantly the one who acts arrogantly.
- 24 [fn] heart show strength, all you who wait for Yahweh.
Thanksgiving for Forgiveness of Sins
- 32 is he whose transgression is taken away, whose sin is covered.
- 2 is a person to whom Yahweh does not impute iniquity and in whose spirit there is not deceit.
- 3 due to my groaning all the day.
- 4 My vigor was changed into the dry heat of summer.Selah
- 5 I said, “I will confess concerning my transgressions to Yahweh,”
- and you took away the guilt of my sin.Selah
- 6 the faithful pray to you at the time for finding you.
- Surely at the flood of many waters they will not reach him.
- 7 are my hiding place; from trouble you preserve me.
- With cries of deliverance you surround me.Selah
- 8 [fn] will instruct you and teach you in the way that you should go.
- I will advise you with my eye upon you.
- 9 or like a mule, without understanding; that needs his tackle—bridle and rein—for restraint
- or he would not come near you.
- 10 the pains of the wicked, but for the one who trusts Yahweh
- loyal love surrounds him.
- 11 you righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright of heart.
Praise to Yahweh for His Character and Creation
- for praise is fitting for the upright.
- 2 the lyre; with a harp of ten strings play to him.
- 3 play skillfully with jubilant shout.
- 4 is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.
- 5 He loves righteousness and justice. The earth is full of the loyal love of Yahweh.
- 6 the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
- 7 He gathered the waters of the sea like a heap. He put the deeps in storehouses.
- 8 Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
- 9 [fn] and it came to pass. [fn] and it stood firm.
- 10 [fn] the plan of nations; he frustrates[fn] the intents of peoples.
- 11 the intents of his heart[fn]
- 12 is the nation whose God is Yahweh, the people he has chosen for his inheritance.
- 13 he sees all the children of humankind.
- 14 [fn] he gazes on all the inhabitants of the earth,
- 15 he who understands all their works.
- 16 is not saved by the greatness of an army. The warrior is not delivered by the greatness of strength.
- 17 is a false hope for victory, nor can it save by the greatness of its power.
- 18 is on those who fear him, on those who hope[fn] for his loyal love
- 19 and to keep them alive in famine.
- 20 he is our help and our shield.
- 21 because in his holy name we trust.
- 22 [fn] we hope in you.
Thanksgiving for Yahweh’s Deliverance
- so that he drove him out, and so he departed.[fn]
- 34 his praise shall be in my mouth continually.
- 2 let the humble hear and be glad.
- 3 and let us exalt his name together.
- 4 and from all my terrors he delivered me.
- 5 and their faces shall not be ashamed.[fn]
- 6 man called and Yahweh heard, and saved him from all his troubles.
- 7 around those who fear him,
- and he rescues them.
- 8 is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
- 9 you his saints,[fn] for there is no lack for those who fear him.
- 10 The young lions are in want and suffer hunger, but those who seek Yahweh will not lack for any good thing.
- 11 you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of Yahweh.
- 12 is the man who desires life, who loves many days in order to see good?
- 13 and your lips from speaking deceit.
- 14 Seek peace and pursue it.
- 15 are toward the righteous, and his ears toward their cry for help.
- 16 is against evildoers, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
- 17 [fn] cry out and Yahweh hears and delivers them from all of their troubles.
- 18 is near to those who are heartbroken and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
- 19 are the distresses of the righteous, but Yahweh delivers him out of them all.
- 20 He protects all his bones; not one of them is broken.
- 21 the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will incur guilt.
- 22 and none who take refuge in him will incur guilt.
A Prayer for Rescue from Enemies
- 35 fight those who fight me.
- 2 and rise to my aid.
- 3 the spear and javelin to meet those who pursue me. Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”
- 4 Let those who plot calamity against me be repulsed and ashamed.
- 5 the wind, with the angel of Yahweh[fn]
- 6 with the angel of Yahweh pursuing them.
- 7 without cause they dug it for my life.
- 8 [fn] come on him, and his net that he hid, let it catch him.
- Let him fall into it in ruin.
- 9 it will rejoice in his salvation.
- 10 is like you, who delivers the poor from one stronger than he
- and the poor and needy from the one who robs him?”
- 11 they ask me concerning what I do not know.
- 12 It is bereavement to my soul.
- 13 was sackcloth. I weakened my soul with fasting,
- and my prayer[fn]
- 14 [fn] as though he were a friend or as a brother to me. As one lamenting a mother, I was bowed down in mourning.
- 15 smiters whom I did not know gathered against me.
- They tore and did not cease.
- 16 the ungodly of the mockers at feasts,[fn] they gnashed at me with their teeth.
- 17 Restore my life from their ravages,[fn]
- my only life from the young lions.
- 18 to you in the great assembly; among the mighty people I will praise you.
- 19 are wrongfully my enemies[fn] rejoice over me. Nor let those who hate me without cause wink the eye.
- 20 but against the quiet ones of the land
- they plan deceitful words.
- 21 [fn] against me. They said, “Aha! Aha!
- Our eyes have seen it.”
- 22 O Lord, do not be far from me.
- 23 for my cause, O my God and my Lord.
- 24 O Yahweh my God,
- and do not let them rejoice over me.
- 25 [fn] “Aha, our desire.” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”
- 26 who rejoice at my misfortune.
- Let them put on shame and insult,
- who magnify themselves against me.
- 27 who delight in my vindication;
- and let them say continually, “Yahweh is great,
- who delights in the welfare of his servant.”
- 28 and your praise all day.
Human Wickedness and God’s Love
- 36 in the midst of his[fn] heart.
- There is no fear of God before his eyes.
- 2 hating to detect his iniquity.[fn]
- 3 are wickedness and deceit. He has ceased to have insight and to do good.
- 4 He puts himself on a way that is not good.
- He does not reject evil.
- 5 extends into the heavens, your faithfulness unto the clouds.
- 6 is[fn] your judgments like the great deep.
- You save man and beast, O Yahweh.
- 7 is your loyal love, O God, and the children of humankind
- take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
- 8 [fn] of your house,[fn] and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
- 9 the fountain of life; in your light we see light.
- 10 and your righteousness to the upright of heart.
- 11 nor let a wicked hand make me to wander homeless.
- 12 they are thrust down and not able to rise.
The Protection of the Righteous and the Destruction of the Wicked
- 37 do not be envious of doers of wickedness.
- 2 and like green vegetation they will wither.
- 3 Abide in the land and feed on faithfulness.[fn]
- 4 and he will give to you the requests of your heart.
- 5 [fn] Yahweh your way; Trust also on him and he will act.
- 6 and your justice like the noonday.
- 7 Do not fret about one who succeeds in his way,
- about a man making plots.
- 8 Do not fret; it only brings evil.
- 9 but those who wait for Yahweh—
- they will possess the land.
- 10 [fn] yet a little while and the wicked will not be, and you will look carefully upon his place, but he will not be.
- 11 the afflicted will possess the land, and they will take pleasure in an abundance of peace.
- 12 The wicked plans evil against the righteous, and gnashes at him with his teeth.
- 13 The Lord laughs at him, for he sees that his day is coming.
- 14 The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow to throw down the poor and the needy,
- to kill those upright in their way.
- 15 own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
- 16 The little belonging to the righteous is better than the wealth of many wicked.
- 17 the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but Yahweh supports the righteous.
- 18 the days of the blameless, and their inheritance will be forever.
- 19 [fn] and in the days of famine they will be satisfied.
- 20 the wicked will perish, and the enemies of Yahweh will be like the splendor of the pastures.
- They vanish; in smoke they vanish.
- 21 The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous is gracious and gives.
- 22 by him shall possess the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off.
- 23 The steps of a man are established by Yahweh, and he takes pleasure in his way.
- 24 for Yahweh supports him with his hand.
- 25 now old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
- or his children[fn] bread.
- 26 is gracious and lends, and his children are a blessing.
- 27 and so abide forever.
- 28 and will not forsake his faithful ones.
- They are protected forever.
- But the children of the wicked will be cut off.
- 29 The righteous will possess the land and abide in it forever.
- 30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.
- 31 is in his heart. His steps will not slip.
- 32 The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to kill him.
- 33 and he will not let him be condemned when he is judged.
- 34 and he will exalt you to possess the land.
- When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.
- 35 the wicked acting violently and spreading himself out
- like a luxuriant native tree.
- 36 [fn] and behold, he was not. And I sought him, but he could not be found.
- 37 the blameless and look at the upright, for there is a future for a man of peace.
- 38 The future of the wicked shall be cut off.
- 39 [fn] the salvation of the righteous is from Yahweh, their refuge in the time of trouble.
- 40 He rescues them from the wicked and saves them,
- because they take refuge in him.
A Prayer of Repentance
- 38 or chastise me in your wrath.
- 2 and your hand has pressed down on me.
- 3 There is no health in my bones because of my sin.
- 4 like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
- 5 because of my foolishness.
- 6 All the day I go about mourning.
- 7 of burning, and there is no soundness in my flesh.
- 8 I groan because of the roaring of my heart.
- 9 and my sighing is not hidden from you.
- 10 and the light of my eyes, that also is not with me.
- 11 and my relatives stand afar off.
- 12 and those intent on my harm speak threats.
- They also plot deceit all day.
- 13 the deaf I cannot hear, and I am like the mute who cannot open his mouth.
- 14 so I am like a man who hears not, and in whose mouth there are no retorts.
- 15 You will answer, O Lord my God.
- 16 Help, lest they rejoice over me, lest they boast against me when my foot slips.”
- 17 am ready to stumble, and my pain is before me continually.
- 18 I am anxious because of my sin.
- 19 [fn] are numerous, and those who hate me wrongfully[fn] are many.
- 20 accuse me in return for my pursuing good.
- 21 O my God, do not be far from me.
- 22 O Lord, my salvation.
The Brevity of Human Life
- 39 [fn] with my tongue.
- I will keep a muzzle over my mouth
- as long as the wicked are before me.”
- 2 with silence. I was silent even from saying good things, and my pain was stirred up.
- 3 in my sighing a fire burned.
- Then I spoke with my tongue,
- 4 and what is the measure of my days.
- Let me know how transient I am.”
- 5 mere handbreadths, and my lifespan as nothing next to you.
- Surely every person standing firm is complete vanity.Selah
- 6 mere[fn] surely in vain they bustle about.
- He heaps up possessions but does not know who will gather them in.
- 7 My hope is for you.
- 8 do not make me the taunt of the fool.
- 9 for you, yourself, have done it.
- 10 By the opposition of your hand I perish.
- 11 When with rebukes you chastise a man for sin, you[fn] [fn] like a moth his delightful things.
- Surely everyone is a mere vapor.[fn] Selah
- 12 to my cry for help; do not be deaf to my tears.
- For I am an alien[fn] with you,
- a sojourner like all my ancestors.[fn]
- 13 away from me that I may be cheerful, before I depart and I am no more.
God’s Faithfulness and Deliverance
- 40 And he inclined to me
- and heard my cry for help.
- 2 so he brought me up from the roaring pit,[fn] from the miry clay.
- And he put my feet upon a rock;
- he made my steps steady.
- 3 a praise to our God.
- Many will see and fear,
- and will trust Yahweh.
- 4 is the man who makes Yahweh his trust and does not turn to the proud and to those who fall away to a lie.[fn]
- 5 your wonderful deeds and your thoughts toward us.
- There is none to compare with you.
- If I tried to proclaim and tell of them,
- they would be too numerous to count.
- 6 [fn]
- Burnt offering and sin offering you have not demanded.
- 7 In the scroll of the book
- it is written concerning me:
- 8 and your law is[fn]
- 9 of righteousness in the great congregation. Look, I have not shut my lips.
- O Yahweh,[fn]
- 10 I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation.
- I have not concealed your loyal love or your faithfulness
- from the great congregation.
- 11 Let your loyal love and your faithfulness
- continually preserve me.
- 12 My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see.
- They are more than the hairs of my head,
- and my heart fails me.
- 13 O Yahweh, hurry to help me.
- 14 who seek to take away my life.[fn]
- Let them be repulsed and humiliated
- who desire my harm.
- 15 those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”
- 16 all those who seek you.
- Let them say continually, “Yahweh is great!”
- —those who love your salvation.
- 17 am poor and needy. Let my Lord consider me.
- You are my help and my deliverer.
- O my God, do not delay.
Thanksgiving for God’s Provision in Time of Sickness
- 41 is the one who has regard for the poor; in the day of disaster, Yahweh delivers him.
- 2 he is blessed in the land,
- and you do not give him
- into the will[fn] of his enemies.
- 3 his sick bed. In his illness, you[fn]
- 4 to me. Heal me,[fn] for I have sinned against you.”
- 5 “When will he die and his name perish?”
- 6 me, he speaks falsely; his heart gathers disaster for itself.
- He goes out to the street; he speaks.
- 7 Against me they assume the[fn] for me:
- 8 and now that he lies down, he will not rise up again.”
- 9 [fn] whom I trusted, who ate my bread,
- has lifted his heel against me.
- 10 that I may repay them.
- 11 because my enemy has not shouted in triumph over me.
- 12 and you have set me in your presence forever.
- 13 be Yahweh, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.
- Amen and Amen.
Hope in God in the Midst of Despair
- 42 so my soul longs for you, O God.
- 2 the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?[fn]
- 3 while they say to me all day long,
- “Where is your God?”
- 4 that I would go with the multitude;
- I led them in procession to the house[fn] of God,
- with a voice of rejoicing and thanksgiving,
- a crowd celebrating a festival.
- 5 [fn] O my soul, and disturbed within me?
- Hope in God, because I will again praise him,
- for the salvation of his presence.
- 6 [fn] therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan
- and the heights of Hermon, from the mountain of Mizar.
- 7 is calling to deep at[fn] the thunder of your waterfalls.
- All your breakers and your waves
- have passed over me.
- 8 and in the night his song is with me,
- a prayer to the God of my life.
- 9 “Why have you forgotten me?
- Why must I walk about mourning
- because of the oppression of the enemy?”
- 10 As with a shattering in my bones my oppressors taunt me,
- while they say to me[fn]
- “Where is your God?”
- 11 [fn] O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me?
- Hope in God, because I shall again praise him,
- [fn] and my God.
A Prayer for Rescue
- against[fn] an unfaithful[fn] nation.
- From a man of deceit and wickedness rescue me,
- 2 are the God of my refuge. Why have you rejected me?
- Why must I go about mourning
- because of the oppression of the enemy?
- 3 they shall lead[fn] me.
- They shall bring me to[fn]
- and to your dwelling places.
- 4 [fn] I will go to the altar of God, to God,[fn]
- and I will praise you with lyre,
- O God, my God.
- 5 [fn] O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me?
- Hope in God, because I will again praise him,
- [fn] and my God.
Present Defeat and Past Deliverance
- 44 our ancestors[fn] have told us
- of work you worked in their days,
- in days of old.
- 2 with your hand drove out the nations, but them[fn] you planted.
- You harmed the peoples,
- but them[fn] you let spread out.
- 3 did they possess the land,
- and their arm did not give them victory.
- Rather it was your right hand and your arm
- and the light of your presence,
- because you delighted in them.
- 4 Command[fn] victories for Jacob.
- 5 by your name we tread down those who rise up against us.
- 6 and my sword cannot give me victory.
- 7 [fn] and have humiliated those who hate us.
- 8 and we will give thanks to your name forever.Selah
- 9 and have not gone out with our armies.
- 10 the enemy, and so those who hate us have plundered for themselves.
- 11 for food, and among the nations you have scattered us.
- 12 [fn] and did not profit by their price.
- 13 a derision and a scorn to those around us.
- 14 a shaking of the head among the peoples.
- 15 [fn] my disgrace is before me, and the shame of my face covers me,
- 16 the voice of the taunter and the reviler, because of the enemy and the avenger.
- 17 and we have not been false to your covenant.
- 18 and our steps have not turned aside from your way.
- 19 and have covered us with deep shadow.
- 20 or had spread out our hands in prayer to a foreign god,
- 21 for he knows the secrets of the heart?
- 22 [fn] we are accounted as sheep for slaughter.
- 23 Awake! Do not reject forever.
- 24 Have you forgotten our misery and our oppression?
- 25 Our[fn] clings to the ground.
- 26 Be a help for us, and redeem us for the sake of your loyal love.
Celebration of a Royal Wedding
- A maskil. A song of love.[fn]
- 45 with a good word; I recite my[fn] to the king.
- My tongue is the pen of a skilled scribe.
- 2 the most handsome of the sons of humankind; grace is poured out on your lips;
- therefore God has blessed you forever.
- 3 your thigh, O mighty one, in your splendor and your majesty.
- 4 in your majesty[fn] because of truth and humility and righteousness.
- And let your right hand teach you awesome deeds.
- 5 are sharp; peoples fall under you
- in the midst of the king’s enemies.
- 6 is forever and ever. A scepter of uprightness is
- the scepter of your kingdom.
- 7 Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
- from among your companions with festive oil.
- 8 are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia. From palaces of ivory stringed instruments gladden you.
- 9 are among your noble ladies. The queen stands at your right hand in gold of Ophir.
- 10 [fn] and incline your ear, and forget your people and your father’s house.
- 11 [fn] Because he is your lord, therefore[fn] bow down to him.
- 12 will come with a gift. The rich from among people will seek your[fn]
- 13 [fn] her garment is of gold embroidered cloth.
- 14 in colorful garments. The young women behind her, her attendants,
- are being brought to you.
- 15 They enter the palace of the king.
- 16 [fn] fathers will be your sons. You will make them princes in all the land.[fn]
- 17 therefore peoples will praise you forever and ever.
God Provides for and Protects His People
- According to Alamoth. A song.[fn]
- 46 is our refuge and strength, a very sufficient help in troubles.
- 2 the earth change, and though the mountains totter into the[fn] of the sea,
- 3 and foam, though mountains shake with its surging water.Selah
- 4 There is a river whose streams gladden the city of God, the holiest of the dwellings of the Most High.
- 5 is in the midst of her; she will not be made to totter.
- God will help her[fn]
- 6 he utters his voice, the earth melts.
- 7 is with us; our high stronghold is the God of Jacob.Selah
- 8 who has placed desolations on the earth.
- 9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and cuts off the spear.
- The wagons of war he burns with fire.
- 10 am God. I will be exalted among the nations;
- I will be exalted in the earth.
- 11 is with us; the God of Jacob is our high stronghold.
God Is King over All the Earth
- 47 you peoples, clap your hands.[fn] Shout to God with a voice of rejoicing.
- 2 is awesome,[fn] a great king over all the earth.
- 3 and nations under our feet.
- 4 the pride of Jacob whom he loves.
- 5 Yahweh with the sound of a trumpet.
- 6 to God, sing praises. Sing praises to our king, sing praises.
- 7 is king of all the earth. Sing praises with understanding.[fn]
- 8 God sits on his holy throne.
- 9 The princes of the peoples are gathered together with the people of Abraham’s God.
- For the shields of the earth belong to God.
- He is very exalted.
The Greatness of God in Zion
- 48 is great and very worthy of praise in the city of our God, in his[fn]
- 2 is[fn] [fn]
- the city of the great king.
- 3 is in her citadels; he is known as a high stronghold.
- 4 [fn] they advanced together.
- 5 [fn] it, so they were astonished. They were terrified; they ran off.
- 6 pain as of a woman in labor.
- 7 you shatter[fn] the ships of Tarshish.[fn]
- 8 in the city of Yahweh of hosts, in the city of our God.
- God will establish her forever.Selah
- 9 in the midst of your temple.
- 10 is your name, O God, so is your praise to the ends of the earth.
- Your right hand is full of righteousness.
- 11 [fn] rejoice; let the daughters of Judah rejoice
- because of your judgments.
- 12 count her towers.
- 13 [fn] her ramparts. Go through her citadels
- so that you can tell the next generation
- 14 is God, our God forever and ever.[fn] will guide us until death.
Wealth and the Fate of the Wicked
- 49 you peoples; give ear, all you inhabitants of the world,
- 2 rich and poor together.
- 3 and the meditation of my heart will be understanding.
- 4 I will[fn] my riddle on a lyre.
- 5 [fn] when iniquity surrounds me at my heels,
- 6 and boast about the abundance of their riches?
- 7 He cannot give to God his ransom
- 8 [fn] the redemption price for their life is costly and it always fails),
- 9 and not see the pit.
- 10 that the wise die, together with the fool and brute they perish,
- and leave their wealth to the next generation.
- 11 they think their houses are forever, their dwelling places from generation to generation.
- They[fn] their lands by their own names.
- 12 his pomp. He is like the beasts that perish.
- 13 is the journey[fn] of those who have foolish confidence, and those after them who accept their sayings.Selah
- 14 death will shepherd them.
- But the upright will rule over them in the morning,
- and their forms will be for Sheol to consume,
- far from his lofty abode.
- 15 from the[fn] of Sheol,
- because he will receive me.Selah
- 16 when the wealth[fn] of his house increases,
- 17 away any of it. His wealth will not follow down after him.
- 18 —and people will praise you when you do well for yourself—
- 19 [fn] will go to the generation of his fathers. Never will they see light.
- 20 its pomp, but does not understand, is like the beasts that perish.
An Oracle Concerning Sacrifices
- 50 and summoned the earth,
- from the rising of the sun
- to its setting.
- 2 the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.
- 3 Before him fire devours,
- and around him it is very tempestuous.
- 4 and the earth that he might judge his people:
- 5 those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
- 6 the heavens declare his righteousness, because God himself is judge.Selah
- 7 O Israel, and I will testify against you.
- I am God, your God.
- 8 a lack of your sacrifices that I rebuke you, and your burnt offerings are before me continually.
- 9 or from your stalls a he-goat,
- 10 the cattle on a thousand hills.
- 11 the mountains, and every moving creature in the field is mine.
- 12 because the world and its fullness are mine.
- 13 the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?
- 14 and pay your vows to the Most High.
- 15 the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will glorify me.”
- 16 “What right have you to recite my statutes
- and[fn]
- 17 and cast my words behind you?
- 18 and your association is with adulterers.
- 19 and you harness your tongue to deceit.
- 20 you slander your mother’s son.
- 21 things you have done, and I have been silent; You imagined that I was just like you.
- I will rebuke you and present an argument before your eyes.
- 22 lest I tear you apart, and there will be none to deliver.
- 23 and he who orders his way;
- I will show him the salvation of God.”
A Prayer of Repentance and Plea for Mercy
- When Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.[fn]
- 51 According to your abundant mercies,
- blot out my transgressions.
- 2 and from my sin cleanse me.
- 3 [fn] my transgressions,[fn] and my sin is ever before me.
- 4 and have done this evil[fn] in your eyes,
- so that you are correct when you speak,
- you are blameless when you judge.
- 5 and in sin my mother conceived me.
- 6 in truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden parts you make me to know wisdom.
- 7 Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
- 8 let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
- 9 and all my iniquities blot out.
- 10 and renew a steadfast spirit[fn]
- 11 and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
- 12 and with a willing spirit sustain me.
- 13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.
- 14 the God of my salvation;
- then my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
- 15 and my mouth will proclaim your praise.
- 16 in sacrifice or I would give it. With a burnt offering you are not pleased.
- 17 are a broken spirit; A broken and contrite heart,
- O God, you will not despise.
- 18 Build the walls of Jerusalem.
- 19 in righteous sacrifices, burnt offering and whole burnt offering.
- Then bulls will be offered on your altar.
God’s Judgment on the Wicked and Love for the Faithful
- When Doeg the Edomite came and informed Saul.
- And he said to him, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”[fn]
- 52 The loyal love of God endures[fn]
- 2 like a sharp razor, working deceit.
- 3 a lie more than speaking[fn] Selah
- 4 O deceitful tongue,
- 5 He will snatch you and tear you away from your tent,
- and he will uproot you from the land of the living.Selah
- 6 the righteous will see and fear, and will laugh at him, saying,
- 7 who would not make God his refuge, but he trusted in the greatness of his wealth;
- he took refuge in his destructiveness.”
- 8 am like an olive tree flourishing in the house[fn] of God.
- I trust the loyal love of God forever and ever.
- 9 of what you have done, and I will wait on your name, because it is good,
- in the presence of your faithful ones.
The Folly of the Godless and Salvation for Israel
- A maskil of David.[fn]
- 53 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt and they have done abominable iniquity.
- There is none who does good.
- 2 to see whether there is one who has insight,
- one who seeks God.
- 3 [fn] have turned back. They are altogether corrupt.
- There is none who does good;
- there is not even one.
- 4 they who eat my people as though they were eating bread?
- They do not call on God.
- 5 [fn] where no fear had been,
- because God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you.
- You have put them to shame, because God has rejected them.
- 6 [fn] would come salvation for Israel! When God returns the fortunes[fn] of his people,
- let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.
Answered Prayer for Deliverance from Adversaries
- A maskil of David,
- when the Ziphites went and said to Saul,
- “Is not David hiding himself among us?”[fn]
- 54 and by your power vindicate me.
- 2 heed the words of my mouth.
- 3 and ruthless men seek my life.
- They have not set God before them.Selah
- 4 is my helper; The Lord is with those who sustain my life.[fn]
- 5 [fn] my enemies for their[fn] evil; in your faithfulness destroy them.
- 6 I will give thanks to your name,
- O Yahweh, because it is good.
- 7 and my eye has looked with satisfaction on my enemies.
Betrayal of a Friend and Trust in God
- A maskil of David.[fn]
- 55 to my prayer, and do not hide yourself from my plea.
- 2 I am restless in my lamenting and I groan,
- 3 the voice of an enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked,
- because they bring down evil on me,
- and in anger they hold a grudge against me.
- 4 and deathly terrors fall on me.
- 5 and horror overwhelms me.
- 6 [fn] I had wings like a dove. I would fly away and be at rest.
- 7 I would dwell in the wilderness.Selah
- 8 from the raging wind and storm.”
- 9 because I see violence and strife in the city.
- 10 and iniquity and trouble are in its midst.
- 11 is within it, and oppression and deceit
- do not depart from its public square.
- 12 it is not an enemy that taunts me, or I could bear it.
- It is not one who hates me that magnifies himself over me,
- or I could hide myself from him.
- 13 it is you, a man my equal, my friend and confidant.
- 14 We who would take sweet counsel together; in the house[fn] of God
- we would walk with the throng.
- 15 because evil is in their home and[fn]
- 16 and Yahweh will save me.
- 17 [fn] I will lament and groan loudly, and he will hear my voice.
- 18 the battle against me,[fn] because those standing against me are among many.
- 19 [fn] he who is enthroned from of old,Selah
- Because they do not change,
- and they do not fear God.
- 20 [fn] he has defiled his covenant.
- 21 [fn] of his mouth were smooth, but there was battle in his heart.
- His words were smoother than oil,
- but they were drawn swords.
- 22 and he will sustain you.
- He will never allow the righteous to be moved.[fn]
- 23 the pit of corruption. The men of bloodshed and deceit will not live half their days,
- but I will trust you.
Prayer for Deliverance and Confidence in God
- Of David. A miktam.
- When the Philistines seized him in Gath.[fn]
- 56 fighting all the day he oppresses me.
- 2 [fn] trample all day, because many are attacking me proudly.
- 3 [fn] I fear, I trust you.
- 4 God I trust; I do not fear.
- What can mere flesh do to me?
- 5 all their thoughts are against me for evil.
- 6 [fn] they hide, they watch my [fn] as they lie in wait for my life.
- 7 In anger cast down the peoples, O God.
- 8 Put my tears in your bottle;
- are they not in your book?
- 9 [fn] I call.[fn] This I know because[fn] God is for me.
- 10 whose word I praise, Yahweh, whose word I praise,
- 11 What can mere humankind do to me?
- 12 My vows to you, O God, are binding upon me. I will pay thank offerings to you,
- 13 Have you not kept my feet from stumbling,
- that I may walk before God
- in the light of the living?
Prayer for Rescue from Enemies
- Of David. A miktam.
- When he fled from Saul into the cave.[fn]
- 57 because in you my soul takes refuge.
- In the shadow of your wings I will take refuge
- until destruction passes by.
- 2 to God who accomplishes things concerning me.
- 3 he will reproach the one who tramples me.Selah
- God will send his loyal love and his faithfulness.
- 4 is among lions. I lie down among those who devour—
- the children[fn] of humankind whose teeth are spears and arrows
- and whose tongues are sharp swords.
- 5 Let your glory be above all the earth.
- 6 my soul is bowed down.
- They have dug a pit before me;
- they have fallen into the midst of it.Selah
- 7 is steadfast, O God; My heart is steadfast.
- I will sing and give praise.
- 8 Awake, harp and lyre.
- I will awake the dawn.[fn]
- 9 I will give you praise among the nations.
- 10 is high to the heavens, and your faithfulness to the clouds.
- 11 the heavens, O God. Let your glory be above all the earth.
Judgment on the Wicked
- Of David. A miktam.[fn]
- 58 what is right when silent?[fn] Do you judge fairly the children of humankind?[fn]
- 2 your heart you plan injustices; in the land[fn] you weigh out the violence of your hands.
- 3 the womb. They go astray from the belly, speaking lies.
- 4 is like snake venom; They are like a deaf viper that closes its ear
- 5 the voice of charmers or the skilled caster of spells.
- 6 Break off the fangs of the young lions, O Yahweh.
- 7 away like water that runs off. When he bends the bow, let his arrows be as though they were cut off.[fn]
- 8 Let them be like a snail that melts away as it goes; like the stillborn of woman that do not see the sun.
- 9 the heat of a thornbush, whether green or[fn] he will sweep it away.[fn]
- 10 The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; he will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
- 11 [fn] will say, “Surely there is a[fn] for the righteous. Surely there is a God who judges in the land.”[fn]
A Prayer for Protection
- Of David. A miktam.
- When Saul dispatched men and they watched the house to kill him.[fn]
- 59 Protect[fn] me from those who rise up against me.
- 2 and from men of bloodshed save me.
- 3 [fn] The mighty attack[fn] against me,
- not because of my transgression or my sin, O Yahweh.
- 4 Awake to meet me and see.
- 5 of hosts, are the God of Israel. Rouse yourself to punish all the nations.
- Do not be gracious to any who treacherously plot evil.Selah
- 6 [fn] while they prowl the city.
- 7 talk with their mouth. Swords are on their lips,
- for they say, “Who hears?”
- 8 you will mock all the nations.
- 9 [fn] I will watch for you, because you, O God, are my (high) stronghold.
- 10 [fn] God of loyal love will meet me; God will cause me to look in triumph on my enemies.
- 11 Make them to wander by your power,
- and bring them down, O Lord, our shield.
- 12 By the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips, even in their pride, let them be trapped,
- and for the curses[fn] and lies[fn] they proclaim.
- 13 so that they may know that God is ruling in Jacob
- to the ends of the earth.Selah
- 14 [fn] while they prowl the city.
- 15 If they are not satisfied, then they continue all night.[fn]
- 16 of your strength, and I will hail your loyal love in the morning,
- because you have been my high stronghold
- and a refuge in my[fn] of trouble.
- 17 because God is my high stronghold,
- my God of loyal love.
A Lament After a Defeat and a Prayer for Restoration
- A miktam of David. To teach.
- When he fought Mesopotamia and Aram Zobah, and Joab returned and struck Edom in the Valley of Salt, twelve thousand persons.[fn]
- 60 You have been angry. Restore us!
- 2 the land quake. You have split it open. Heal its fissures, because it totters.
- 3 things; You have given us wine that staggers.
- 4 [fn] Selah
- 5 Save by your right hand and answer us.
- 6 “I will rejoice;
- I will divide up Shechem,
- and portion out the valley of Succoth.
- 7 is mine, and Manasseh is mine, and Ephraim is the[fn] my head;
- Judah is my scepter.[fn]
- 8 is my washing pot; over Edom, I will cast my sandal.
- On account of me, O Philistia, raise a shout.”
- 9 the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?
- 10 and not gone out with our armies, O God?
- 11 the adversary, for the help of humankind is futile.
- 12 [fn] and it is he who will tread down our enemies.
Confidence in God’s Protection
- 61 attend to my prayer.
- 2 [fn] I call to you when my heart grows faint.
- You will lead me to a rock that is higher than I.
- 3 a strong tower from the enemy.
- 4 Let me take refuge under the covering of your wings.Selah
- 5 You have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.
- 6 his years like those of[fn]
- 7 [fn] forever in the presence of God. Appoint loyal love and faithfulness to preserve him.
- 8 that I may fulfill[fn] my vows [fn]
Confidence in God’s Salvation
- A psalm of David.[fn]
- 62 waits in silence. From him is my salvation.
- 2 is my rock and my salvation, my high stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.
- 3 All of you will be shattered[fn]
- like a leaning wall, a tottering fence.
- 4 [fn] plan to thrust him down from his high position; they are pleased with deception.
- With their mouths[fn] they bless,
- but[fn] they curse. Selah
- 5 because my hope is from him.
- 6 is my rock and my salvation, my high stronghold; I shall not be shaken.
- 7 rests my salvation and my glory; God[fn] is my strong rock, my refuge.
- 8 pour out before him your heart.
- God is a refuge for us.Selah
- 9 [fn] are men of low degree, a deception are men of high degree.
- [fn] in a balance,
- together they are lighter than a vapor.
- 10 and do not put vain confidence in robbery.
- If wealth increases,
- do not set your heart on it.
- 11 twice I have heard this:
- that strength belongs to God.
- 12 belongs loyal love, O Lord, because you will render to each according to his work.
Longing for God
- 63 are my God; I will seek you diligently.
- My soul thirsts for you; my flesh longs for you
- as in a dry and weary land without water.
- 2 beholding your strength and glory.
- 3 is better than life, my lips will praise you.
- 4 I will lift up my[fn] in your name.
- 5 as with the best and richest food, and with joyful lips my mouth will praise.
- 6 I meditate on you in the night watches.
- 7 therefore[fn] in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
- 8 [fn] you; your right hand upholds me.
- 9 who seek my life for ruin, they will go into the depths of the earth.
- 10 who would[fn] will become a portion for jackals.
- 11 Everyone who swears an oath by him will boast,
- because the mouth of the liars will be stopped.
A Plea for Divine Retribution
- 64 Preserve my life from the fear of the enemy.
- 2 the secret plots[fn] of evildoers, from the unrest of those who do iniquity,
- 3 They bend their bow to shoot their arrows—bitter words,
- 4 [fn] their[fn] hiding places at the blameless. Suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear.
- 5 in the evil matter. They talk of secretly laying snares.
- They say, “Who will see them?”
- 6 [fn] injustices saying, “We have perfected[fn]
- Both the[fn] and heart of a man are deep.
- 7 with an arrow they will suddenly be wounded.
- 8 [fn] And they who would cause him[fn] to stumble, their own tongue will be against them.
- All who gaze on them will shake.[fn]
- 9 [fn] all men[fn] will fear, and will declare the working of God,
- and will understand his doing.
- 10 The righteous will rejoice in Yahweh and take refuge in him, and all the upright in heart will boast.
Thanksgiving for God’s Provision
- 65 and to you the vow shall be fulfilled.
- 2 you who hear prayer, to you all flesh will come.
- 3 [fn] prevail over me. As for our transgressions, you will[fn] them.
- 4 is one whom you choose and bring near, that he may abide in your courts.
- We will be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
- your holy temple.
- 5 O God of our salvation,
- you who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth
- and of the far-off seas,
- 6 who established the mountains by his strength, the one who is girded with might,
- 7 who stills the roar of the seas, the roar of their waves,
- and the commotion of the peoples,
- 8 [fn] the inhabitants of the farthest reaches are in awe of your signs. You make the dawn and sunset sing for joy.
- 9 [fn] the land[fn] and water it; you greatly enrich it.
- The stream of God is filled with waters.
- You provide their grain,
- for so you have established it.
- 10 penetrating its ridges.
- With rains you soften it;
- its growth you bless.
- 11 [fn] and your wagon paths drip with[fn]
- 12 on the pastures of the wilderness, and the hills gird themselves with joy.
- 13 The pasturelands put on flocks, and the valleys clothe themselves with grain.
- They shout in triumph;
- they even sing.
Thanksgiving to God for His Works
66 - 2 [fn]
- 3 Because of the greatness of your strength,
- your enemies will cringe before you.
- 4 and sing praise to you.
- They will sing the praise of your name.”Selah
- 5 [fn] the works of God; he is awesome in his dealings[fn] with the children of humankind.
- 6 the sea into dry ground; they passed through the river on foot.
- There we rejoiced in him.
- 7 He rules by his might forever; his eyes keep watch on the nations.
- Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves.[fn] Selah
- 8 and cause the sound of his praise to be heard,
- 9 and has not allowed our foot to slip.
- 10 you have tried us as silver is tried.
- 11 you placed a[fn] on our backs.
- 12 [fn] ride over our heads. We went through fire and through water,
- but you have brought us out to the place of abundance.[fn]
- 13 [fn] with burnt offerings. I will pay to you my vows
- 14 and my mouth spoke in my distress.
- 15 with the smoke of rams.
- I will do[fn] cattle with rams. Selah
- 16 and hear, all you God-fearers, and I will tell what he has done for me.[fn]
- 17 and he was extolled with my tongue.[fn]
- 18 the Lord would not have listened.
- 19 he has attended to the sound of my prayer.
- 20 who has not turned aside my prayer,
- or his loyal love from me.
A Prayer of Blessing
- 67 May he cause his face to shine toward us,Selah
- 2 your salvation among all nations.
- 3 let all of the peoples praise you.
- 4 because you judge the peoples with equity
- and guide the nations on the earth.Selah
- 5 the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
- 6 The earth has yielded its produce. God, our God, will bless us.
- 7 and all the ends of the earth will fear him.
Praise to God for Providing Victory
- 68 and those who hate him will flee from before him.
- 2 them off. As wax melts before fire,
- the wicked will perish before God.
- 3 the righteous will be glad; they will exalt before God, and will rejoice with joy.
- 4 Lift up a song to the rider on the clouds—his name is Yah—[fn]
- and rejoice before him.
- 5 is God in his holy habitation.
- 6 he brings prisoners out into prosperity.
- But the rebellious abide in a barren land.
- 7 when you marched through the desert,Selah
- 8 the earth shook; the heavens also dripped rain at the presence of God who was at Sinai,
- at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
- 9 When your inheritance was weary you revived it.
- 10 You provided in your goodness for the poor, O God.
- 11 the word. Great is the company of women who announce:
- 12 The kings of armies flee, they flee, and she who remains at home divides the spoil.
- 13 men lie down between the sheepfolds, you will be like the wings of a dove covered in silver
- and its pinions in yellow gold.”
- 14 on Zalmon it snowed.[fn]
- 15 [fn] is the mountain of Bashan; a mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan.
- 16 This[fn] mountain God desires for his dwelling.
- Yes, Yahweh will abide in it forever.
- 17 are twice ten thousand, with thousands doubled.
- The Lord is among them at Sinai, distinctive in victory.[fn]
- 18 You have received gifts from among humankind,
- and even from the rebellious, so that Yah[fn] God may dwell there.
- 19 with benefits,[fn] the God of our salvation.[fn] Selah
- 20 is a God of deliverances, and to the Yahweh the Lord belong escapes from death.
- 21 the hairy scalp of the one who[fn] in his guilt.
- 22 them back from Bashan; I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
- 23 them bloody for the tongues of your dogs to have their share from the enemies.”
- 24 the processions of my God, my king, distinctive in victory.[fn]
- 25 between them young women playing tambourines.
- 26 the assemblies, Yahweh from the fountain of Israel.
- 27 is little Benjamin ruling them, with the princes of Judah in their throng,
- the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.
- 28 Show yourself strong, O God, by what you perform[fn] for us.
- 29 is above Jerusalem, kings will bring tribute to you.
- 30 the beasts in[fn] the reeds, the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples,
- trampling the pieces of silver.[fn]
- Scatter the nations who delight in battles.
- 31 [fn] will come from Egypt; Cush will quickly stretch out her hands to God.
- 32 sing praise to the Lord,Selah
- 33 See, he gives forth his voice, a mighty voice.
- 34 His majesty is over Israel,
- and his strength is in the clouds.
- 35 are you, O God, from your sanctuary.[fn] The God of Israel, it is he who gives strength and might to the people.
- Blessed be God.
A Plea for Deliverance from Persecution
- 69 because waters have come up to my neck.[fn]
- 2 the mud of the deep, and there is no foothold. I have come to watery depths,
- and the torrent floods over me.
- 3 out; my throat is parched. My eyes are exhausted in my waiting for my God.
- 4 are those hating me without a cause.
- Those who are destroying me—my enemies wrongfully[fn]— are mighty.
- What I did not steal, I then must restore.
- 5 [fn] my foolishness, and my guilty deeds are not hidden from you.
- 6 O Lord Yahweh of hosts.
- Let those who seek you not be disgraced because of me,
- O God of Israel.
- 7 disgrace has covered my face.
- 8 and a foreigner to my mother’s sons,
- 9 [fn] has consumed me, and the reproaches of those reproaching you have fallen on me.
- 10 it became reproaches for me.
- 11 I became for them a byword.
- 12 the gate talk about me as also[fn] the songs of the drunkards.
- 13 is to you, O Yahweh, for a favorable time, O God, according to the abundance of your loyal love.
- Answer me with the faithfulness of your salvation.
- 14 the mud and do not let me sink. Let me be delivered from those who hate me
- and from the watery depths.
- 15 or the deep swallow me,
- or the pit close its mouth over me.
- 16 is good; according to your abundant mercies, turn to me,
- 17 Because I am in trouble, answer me quickly.
- 18 Because of my enemies, ransom me.
- 19 [fn] to you are all my adversaries.
- 20 And I hoped for sympathy, but there was none,
- and for comforters, but I found none.
- 21 [fn] and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
- 22 and their times of peace a snare.
- 23 and make their loins continually tremble.
- 24 and let your burning anger overtake them.
- 25 Let none dwell in their tents,
- 26 those whom you, yourself, have struck, and they tell of the pain of those you have wounded.
- 27 [fn] and do not let them[fn]
- 28 the book of the living, and let them not be recorded with the righteous.
- 29 though I am afflicted and pained, your salvation will protect[fn] me, O God.
- 30 and magnify him with thanksgiving.
- 31 or bull, horned and hoofed.[fn]
- 32 The afflicted will see and rejoice. O God seekers, let your heart revive,[fn]
- 33 the needy and does not despise his own who are prisoners.
- 34 the seas and all that moves in them,
- 35 and build the cities of Judah,
- that they may dwell there and possess it.
- 36 and those who love his name will abide in it.
A Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies
- 70 make haste to deliver me. O Yahweh, make haste to help me.
- 2 who seek my life.
- Let them be repulsed and humiliated
- who desire my harm.
- 3 those who say, “Aha! Aha!”
- 4 all those who seek you.
- Let them say continually, “God is great!”
- those who love your salvation.
- 5 am poor and needy; O God hasten to me.
- You are my help and my deliverer.
- O Yahweh, do not delay.
A Prayer to God the Rock of Refuge
- let me never be put to shame.
- 2 incline your ear to me and save me.
- 3 you have ordained[fn] to save me,
- because you are my rock and my fortress.
- 4 the hand of the wicked, from the[fn] of the evildoer and the oppressor,
- 5 are my hope, O Lord Yahweh, my confidence from my youth.
- 6 [fn] It was you who[fn] me from the womb of my mother.
- My praise is of you continually.
- 7 but you are my strong refuge.
- 8 with your glory all the day.
- 9 when my strength fails do not abandon me.
- 10 and those who watch for my life conspire together,
- 11 Pursue and seize him, because there is no deliverer.”
- 12 My God, hurry to help me.
- 13 who are[fn]
- Let them wrap themselves with scorn and disgrace
- who seek my harm.
- 14 and increase your praise.
- 15 your salvation[fn]
- though I do not know the full sum of them.
- 16 to tell the mighty deeds of Lord Yahweh. I will[fn] your righteousness, yours only.
- 17 and up to now I have proclaimed your wonderful deeds.
- 18 I am old and gray, O God, do not abandon me
- until I proclaim your[fn] to this generation,
- your power to every one that comes after.
- 19 is to the height of heaven. You who have done great things,
- O God, who is like you?
- 20 [fn] to see many troubles and evils, you will again revive me.[fn]
- And from the depths of the earth
- you will again bring me up.
- 21 and you will comfort me all around.[fn]
- 22 and your faithfulness, O my God.
- I will sing praises to you with a lyre,
- O Holy One of Israel.
- 23 and my soul, which you have redeemed.
- 24 will speak of your righteousness all the day,
- because they have been put to shame, because they have been humiliated
- who seek my harm.
A Prayer for the Prosperity of God’s Anointed King
- 72 the king, and your righteousness to the king’s son.
- 2 and your poor with justice.
- 3 the mountains yield prosperity[fn] for the people, and the hills in righteousness.
- 4 for the poor of the people, save the children of the needy,
- and crush the oppressor.
- 5 [fn] [fn] [fn] [fn]
- 6 like showers watering the earth.
- 7 what is right blossom in his days and an abundance of peace, until the moon is no more.
- 8 and from the River[fn] to the edges of the land.
- 9 the desert dwellers bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust.
- 10 the islands bring tribute. Let the kings of Sheba and Seba present gifts,
- 11 Let all nations serve him.
- 12 the needy who is crying for help, and the afflicted who has no helper.
- 13 the helpless and needy, and the lives of the needy he will save.
- 14 he will redeem their lives,
- and their blood will be precious in his eyes.
- 15 and may prayers be offered for him continually.
- May blessings be invoked for him[fn]
- 16 even on the top of the mountains.
- May his crop[fn] sway like the trees of Lebanon,
- and may those from the city blossom like the grass of the earth.
- 17 May his name increase[fn]
- and let them be blessed in him.
- Let all nations call him blessed.
- 18 who alone does wonderful things.
- 19 and may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
- Amen and Amen.
20
The Wicked and the Righteous Contrasted
- 73 to those pure of heart.
- 2 My steps had nearly slipped,
- 3 when I saw the well-being[fn] of the wicked.
- 4 and their bodies are[fn]
- 5 [fn] and they are not plagued as other people.[fn]
- 6 an outfit of violence covers them.
- 7 [fn] Imaginings overflow their heart.
- 8 they speak as though from on high.
- 9 and their tongue roams the earth.
- 10 [fn] and abundant waters are slurped up by them.
- 11 and, “Does the Most High have knowledge?”
- 12 are the wicked, and they increase wealth, ever carefree.
- 13 and washed my hands in innocence.
- 14 and rebuked[fn]
- 15 behold, I would have acted treacherously
- against your children’s generation.
- 16 how to understand this, it was troubling in my eyes
- 17 Then I understood their fate.
- 18 You cause them to fall onto ruin.[fn]
- 19 They come to a complete end by terrors.
- 20 when you wake up, O Lord,
- you will despise their fleeting form.[fn]
- 21 and I felt stabbed in my kidneys,
- 22 With you I was like the beasts.
- 23 am continually with you; you have hold of my right hand.
- 24 and afterward you will take me into honor.[fn]
- 25 except you? And with you I have no other desire on earth.
- 26 but God is the[fn] of my heart and my reward forever.
- 27 those distancing themselves from you will be ruined. You destroy each who abandons you for harlotry.
- 28 is for my good. I have set the Lord Yahweh as my refuge,
- in order to tell all your works.
A Lament in Time of National Defeat
- 74 us forever? Why does your anger smoke
- against the sheep of your pasture?
- 2 that you bought long ago, when you redeemed the tribe of your inheritance.
- Remember[fn] where you have dwelt.
- 3 to all that the enemy has ruined in the sanctuary.
- 4 they have set up their signs for signs.
- 5 [fn] known to be like those who[fn] axes in a thicket of trees.
- 6 [fn] its[fn] carved works altogether they have smashed with axe and hammer.
- 7 They have defiled to the ground,
- the dwelling place for your name.
- 8 “We will completely[fn] oppress them.”
- They burned all the meeting places of God in the land.
- 9 and there is no longer a prophet.
- No one with us knows how long.
- 10 the adversary taunt? Will the enemy treat your name with contempt forever?
- 11 Take it from your bosom;[fn] destroy them!
- 12 has been my king from long ago, working salvation in the midst of the earth.
- 13 the sea by your strength; You broke the heads of the sea monsters in the waters.
- 14 you gave him as food to the desert dwelling creatures.
- 15 [fn] You dried up ever-flowing rivers.
- 16 is the day, yours is the night also. You established light and the sun.
- 17 [fn] all the boundaries of the earth; Summer and winter—you formed them.
- 18 the enemy taunts, and foolish people treat your name with contempt.
- 19 do not ever forget the life of your afflicted ones.
- 20 because the dark places of the land are full of
- the haunts of violence.
- 21 the oppressed turn back humiliated; let the poor and needy praise your name.
- 22 remember the reproaching of you by the foolish[fn]
- 23 the roar of those rising up against you ascending continually.
Thanksgiving for God’s Future Help
- A psalm of Asaph. A song.[fn]
- 75 we give thanks, and your name is near.
- Your wonderful deeds are told.[fn]
- 2 I will judge fairly.[fn]
- 3 The earth and all its inhabitants are shaking;[fn] I steady[fn] its columns. Selah
- 4 and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn!
- 5 [fn] horn. Do not speak with[fn]
- 6 it is not from the east or the west and not from the south[fn] that lifting up comes,
- 7 is the judge; one he brings low, and another he lifts up.
- 8 there is a cup in the hand of Yahweh with[fn] wine that foams, fully mixed,
- and he pours out from this.
- Surely all the wicked of the land
- to its dregs[fn]
- 9 I will sing praise to the God of Jacob.
- 10 the horns of the wicked I will cut off. The horns of the righteous will be lifted up.”
Praise to God for His Rescue of Israel
- A psalm of Asaph. A song.[fn]
- 76 is known in Judah. His name is great in Israel.
- 2 [fn] has been in Salem, his lair[fn] in Zion.
- 3 the flames of the bow, the shield and sword and battle.Selah
- 4 [fn] you are, majestic, from[fn] the mountains of prey.
- 5 The stouthearted are plundered; they sleep their sleep,
- and all the able men cannot[fn] their hands.
- 6 both rider[fn] and horse slumber.
- 7 [fn] and who can stand before you
- when you are angry?[fn]
- 8 The earth feared and was still
- 9 to save all the afflicted of the land.Selah
- 10 You will put on the remnant of anger.[fn]
- 11 let all surrounding him
- bring tribute to the one to be feared.[fn]
- 12 the spirit of leaders. He is to be feared by the kings of the earth.
Remembering God’s Help for Israel
- Of Asaph. A psalm.[fn]
- 77 with my voice to God, that he may hear me.
- 2 have trouble, I seek[fn] the Lord. At night my hand stretches out[fn]
- my soul refuses to be comforted.
- 3 I meditate and my spirit grows faint.
- 4 open my eyelids. I am troubled and cannot speak.
- 5 the days from long ago, the years of ancient times.
- 6 With my heart I meditate,
- and my spirit searches to understand.
- 7 us forever, and will he never be pleased with us again?
- 8 Is his promise[fn] ended throughout generations?
- 9 Or has he closed off his mercies in anger?Selah
- 10 [fn] the right hand of the Most High has changed.”
- 11 [fn] Surely I will remember your wonders[fn] from long ago.
- 12 and meditate on your deeds.
- 13 is distinctive.[fn] Who is a great god like our God?
- 14 are the God who works wonders;[fn] you have made known your might among the peoples.
- 15 your arm you redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph.Selah
- 16 waters saw you and they trembled.
- Surely the deeps shook.
- 17 The clouds poured out water. The skies[fn]
- Your arrows also[fn]
- 18 was in the whirlwind;[fn] lightnings lit the world;
- the earth shook and quaked.
- 19 was through the sea, and your path[fn] through many waters.
- Yet your footprints were not discerned.[fn]
- 20 by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
God’s Faithfulness in Israel’s History
- 78 Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
- 2 [fn] a parable with my mouth. I will pour out riddles from long ago,
- 3 and our ancestors[fn] have told us.
- 4 them from their children,[fn] telling the next generation the praises of Yahweh,
- and his power and his wonders that he has done.
- 5 and appointed a law[fn] in Israel,
- which he commanded our ancestors[fn]
- to teach to their children,
- 6 the next generation might know— children yet to be born—
- that they might rise up and tell their children,
- 7 and not forget the deeds of God,
- but keep his commandments,
- 8 [fn] a stubborn and rebellious generation,
- a generation that did not make ready its heart,
- whose spirit was not faithful to God.
- 9 [fn] turned back on the day of battle.
- 10 and refused to go in his law.[fn]
- 11 and his wonders that he had shown them.
- 12 [fn] he did a wonder, in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan.
- 13 and he caused waters to stand like a heap.
- 14 and all night with a fiery light.
- 15 and provided drink abundantly as from the depths.
- 16 the rock and caused water to flow down like rivers.
- 17 by rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
- 18 by asking food[fn]
- 19 They said, “Is God able
- to prepare a table in the wilderness?
- 20 the rock and water flowed and streams gushed out,
- but can he also give food
- or provide meat for his people?”
- 21 and he was very angry,
- and a fire was kindled against Jacob,
- and his anger also rose up against Israel,
- 22 and they did not trust his salvation.
- 23 the skies above and opened the doors of heaven,
- 24 and gave them the grain of heaven.
- 25 the bread of[fn] He sent them food enough to be satisfied.
- 26 the east wind to blow in the heavens and drove along the south wind by his strength.
- 27 even winged birds[fn] like the sand of the seas.
- 28 them to fall in the midst of his camp, all around his dwellings.
- 29 and he brought about what they craved.
- 30 while their food was still in their mouth,
- 31 and he killed some of the stoutest of them,
- even the young men of Israel he caused to bow down in death.
- 32 and did not believe his wonders.
- 33 [fn] their years with terror.[fn]
- 34 some of them, then they sought him, and repented and earnestly sought God.
- 35 was their rock, and God Most High their redeemer.
- 36 and lied to him with their tongue.
- 37 nor were they faithful to his covenant.
- 38 was compassionate; he pardoned[fn] their guilt and did not destroy them.
- And many times he turned back his anger
- and did not stir up all his wrath,
- 39 were flesh, a passing wind that does not return.
- 40 and vexed him in the wasteland!
- 41 and distressed[fn] the Holy One of Israel.
- 42 [fn] [fn] he redeemed them from the enemy,
- 43 [fn] his signs in Egypt and his wonders in the region of Zoan,
- 44 [fn] to blood so they could not drink from their streams.
- 45 and frogs that destroyed them.
- 46 and their labor to the locust.[fn]
- 47 and their sycamore trees with sleet.[fn]
- 48 and their livestock to the lightning bolts.
- 49 rage and indignation and trouble,
- a band of[fn] angels.
- 50 He did not spare them[fn] from death
- but handed their life over to the plague.
- 51 the firstborn in Egypt, the first of their virility in the tents of Ham.
- 52 and guided them like a herd in the wilderness.
- 53 but the sea covered their enemies.
- 54 [fn] this mountain his right hand acquired.[fn]
- 55 and allocated them for an inheritance by boundary line,
- and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
- 56 and did not keep his statutes.
- 57 [fn] They twisted like a crooked[fn] bow.
- 58 and made him jealous with their images.
- 59 and rejected Israel utterly.
- 60 the tent he had placed among humankind.
- 61 and his splendor into the hand of the enemy.
- 62 and he was very angry with his inheritance.
- 63 and his young women[fn] were not praised.
- 64 and his widows did not weep.
- 65 one who had been asleep, awoke like a warrior who had been drunk with wine.[fn]
- 66 he gave them over to perpetual scorn.
- 67 and did not chose the tribe of Ephraim,
- 68 [fn] that he loved.
- 69 the heights, like the earth that he established forever.
- 70 and took him from the sheepfolds.
- 71 to shepherd Jacob, his people,
- and Israel, his inheritance.
- 72 and led them by the skillfulness of his hands.
A Lament for Jerusalem after Its Destruction
- 79 the nations have entered your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple;
- they have reduced Jerusalem to ruins.
- 2 as food for the birds of the heavens,
- the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth.
- 3 all around Jerusalem,
- and there was none to bury them.
- 4 a derision and a scorn to those around us.
- 5 Will your jealousy burn like fire?
- 6 that do not know you,
- and on the kingdoms
- that do not call on your name,
- 7 [fn] have devoured Jacob and have laid waste his habitation.
- 8 let your mercies meet us quickly
- because we are brought very low.
- 9 for the glory of your name;
- and deliver us and forgive[fn] our sins
- for the sake of your name.
- 10 “Where is their God?”
- Let it[fn] be known among the nations before our eyes,
- by the avenging of the blood of your servants
- that was poured out.
- 11 According to the greatness of your[fn]
- spare[fn] the children appointed to death.
- 12 [fn] their taunts with which they taunted you, O Lord.
- 13 we will give thanks to you forever.
- [fn]
- we will tell of your praise.
A Prayer to Restore Israel
- A testimony. Of Asaph. A psalm.[fn]
- 80 who leads Joseph like a flock.
- Shine forth, you who sits enthroned above the cherubim.
- 2 stir up your power
- and come for our salvation.
- 3 and cause your face to shine that we may be saved.
- 4 of hosts,[fn]
- against the prayer of your people?
- 5 the bread of tears; you have given them tears to drink in full measure.[fn]
- 6 an object of strife to our neighbors, and our enemies mock among themselves.
- 7 of hosts, restore us and cause your face to shine that we may be saved.
- 8 you drove out the nations and planted it.
- 9 a place before it, and[fn] and filled the land.
- 10 The mountains were covered with its shade, and the mighty cedars with its boughs.
- 11 the sea and its shoots to the river.
- 12 so that all who pass on the road pluck fruit from it?
- 13 [fn] it and creatures of the field feed on it.
- 14 of hosts. Observe from heaven and see,
- and pay attention to this vine,
- 15 the stalk that your right hand planted, and concerning the shoot[fn] you strengthened for yourself.
- 16 It is burned with fire, cut down. They perish at the rebuke of your face.
- 17 on the son of humankind whom you made strong for yourself.
- 18 Restore us to life, and we will proclaim your name.
- 19 of hosts, restore us; cause your face to shine that we may be saved.
An Appeal from God to Israel
- 81 shout joyfully to the God of Jacob.
- 2 [fn] the tambourine, the pleasant lyre, together with the harp.
- 3 the horn at new moon, at full moon, for our feast day,
- 4 is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
- 5 [fn] in Joseph when he went out against the land of Egypt,
- where I heard a language I did not know.[fn]
- 6 His hands were freed from the basket.
- 7 [fn] trouble you called, and I rescued you. Within the secret place of thunder I answered you;
- I tested you at the waters of Meribah.Selah
- 8 O Israel, if you would but listen to me.
- 9 and you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
- 10 am Yahweh your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.
- Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.
- 11 and Israel did not yield to me.
- 12 [fn] go in the stubbornness of their heart; they walked in their counsels.
- 13 that Israel would walk in my ways.
- 14 and turn my hand against their adversaries.
- 15 and their fate[fn] would be forever.
- 16 [fn] from the choicest wheat,[fn] and I would satisfy you with honey from a rock.”
God Commands Justice
- 82 [fn] he administers judgment in the midst of the gods.[fn]
- 2 and[fn] Selah
- 3 on behalf of the helpless and the orphan; provide justice to the afflicted and the poor.
- 4 the helpless and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
- 5 [fn] They go about in the darkness,
- so that all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
- 6 [fn] “You are gods, and sons of the Most High, all of you.
- 7 [fn] and you will fall like one of the princes.”
- 8 because you shall inherit[fn] all the nations.
A Request to Act against Israel’s Neighbors
- 83 silently. Do not keep silent or be still, O God.
- 2 and those who hate you have lifted their head.
- 3 [fn] against your people, and consult together against your protected ones.[fn]
- 4 being a nation, so that the name of Israel will be remembered no more.”
- 5 [fn] They have made a covenant against you:
- 6 the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites,
- 7 Philistia, with the inhabitants of Tyre.
- 8 They[fn] to the children of Lot. Selah
- 9 you did with Midian, as with Sisera, as with Jabin at the wadi of Kishon.
- 10 they became dung for the ground.
- 11 and all their chiefs like Zebah and Zalmunna,
- 12 as our possession the pastures of God.”
- 13 like the chaff before wind.
- 14 and as a flame sets afire mountains,
- 15 and terrify them with your storm.
- 16 that they may seek your name, O Yahweh.
- 17 and let them be humiliated and perish
- 18 whose name is Yahweh, you alone,
- are the Most High over the whole earth.
The Joy of Worshiping in the Temple
- Of the sons of Korah. A psalm.[fn]
- 84 are your dwelling places, O Yahweh of hosts!
- 2 for the courtyards of Yahweh.
- My heart and flesh sing for joy
- to the living God.
- 3 where she may lay her young,
- near your altars, O Yahweh of hosts,
- my king and my God.
- 4 are those who dwell in your house;[fn] they can ever praise you.Selah
- 5 is the man whose strength is in you; in their heart are the highways to Zion.
- 6 [fn] they make it a spring.
- The early rain covers it with blessings[fn] as well.
- 7 until each appears before God in Zion.[fn]
- 8 give ear, O God of Jacob.Selah
- 9 and have regard for the face of your anointed one.
- 10 is a day in your courtyards than a thousand elsewhere.
- I would rather be at the threshold of the house[fn] of my God
- than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
- 11 is a sun and a shield; Yahweh gives grace and honor.
- He does not withhold good from those who walk blamelessly.
- 12 of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts you.
Hope in God’s Future Help
- 85 You restored the fortunes[fn] of Jacob.
- 2 [fn] of your people; you covered all their sin.Selah
- 3 you turned from your burning anger.
- 4 and annul your vexation with us.
- 5 Will you prolong your anger generation after generation?
- 6 that your people might rejoice in you?
- 7 and grant us your salvation.
- 8 because he will speak peace
- to his people, even his faithful ones,[fn]
- but let them not return to folly.
- 9 is near for those who fear him, that glory may abide in our land.
- 10 [fn] will meet one another; righteousness and peace will kiss.
- 11 [fn] will sprout from the ground, and righteousness will look down from heaven.
- 12 what is good, and our land will give its produce.
- 13 and it will make his steps a pathway.
A Prayer for Help against Ruthless Men
- 86 and answer me, because I am poor and needy.
- 2 am faithful. You are my God; save your servant.
- I am the one who trusts you.
- 3 because I call to you[fn]
- 4 because[fn] O Lord.
- 5 are good and forgiving, and abundant in loyal love[fn] for all who call to you.
- 6 and attend to the voice of my supplications.
- 7 because you answer me.
- 8 and there are no works like yours.
- 9 the nations that you have made will come and bow down[fn] before you, O Lord,
- and glorify your name.
- 10 are great and doing wondrous things; you alone are God.
- 11 that I may walk in your truth.
- Unite my heart[fn] to fear your name.
- 12 and glorify your name forever,
- 13 is great toward me, and you will have delivered my life from Sheol[fn] below.
- 14 even a gang of ruthless men seek my life,
- but they do not set you before them.[fn]
- 15 are a compassionate and gracious God,[fn] and abundant in loyal love and faithfulness.
- 16 Give your strength to your servant,
- and grant victory to the son[fn] of your maidservant.
- 17 that benefits me, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame,
- because you, O Yahweh, have helped me and comforted me.
Foreign Nations Come to Worship in Jerusalem
- 87 is on the holy mountains.
- 2 more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
- 3 are spoken about[fn] you, O city of God.Selah
- 4 [fn] those who know me in Rahab[fn] and Babylon,
- behold in Philistia and Tyre with Cush,
- “This one was born there.”
- 5 “[fn] was born in her,”
- for the Most High himself will establish her.
- 6 the peoples, “This one was born there.”Selah
- 7 will sing, “All my springs are in you.”
A Prayer for Help in Despair
- For the music director; according to Mahalath Leannoth.
- A maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.[fn]
- 88 I cry out by day and through the night before you.
- 2 incline your ear to my cry.
- 3 and my life approaches Sheol.
- 4 those descending to the pit. I am like a man[fn] without strength,[fn]
- 5 [fn] among the dead, like the slain lying in the grave,
- whom you no longer remember,
- even those cut off from your hand.
- 6 the pit below, in dark places, in the depths.
- 7 and you afflict me with all your waves.Selah
- 8 You have made me detestable[fn] to them.
- I am confined and cannot go out.
- 9 I call on you, O Yahweh, every day;
- I spread out my hands[fn] to you.
- 10 [fn] for the dead? Or do the departed spirits[fn] rise up to praise you?Selah
- 11 or your faithfulness in the underworld?[fn]
- 12 [fn] known in the darkness, or your righteousness[fn] in the land of forgetfulness?
- 13 and in the morning my prayer comes before you.
- 14 Why do you hide your face from me?
- 15 am afflicted and perishing from my youth. I bear your terrors. I am distraught.[fn]
- 16 your sudden fears have destroyed me.
- 17 they circle about me altogether.
- 18 my acquaintances far from my darkness.
Remembering the Covenant with David, and Sorrow for Lost Blessings
- 89 [fn]
- I will make known your faithfulness with my mouth.
- 2 your loyal love is built up. The heavens you have established with your faithfulness in them.”
- 3 I swore an oath to David my servant:
- 4 and I will build up your throne[fn] Selah
- 5 so the heavens will praise your wonderful deed, O Yahweh, even your faithfulness, in the assembly of the holy ones.
- 6 [fn] is equal to Yahweh? Who is like Yahweh among the sons of God,
- 7 the holy ones, and awesome above all surrounding him?
- 8 of hosts, who is mighty like you, O Yah,
- with[fn] your faithfulness surrounding you?
- 9 When its waves rise,[fn] them.
- 10 [fn] Rahab like one who is slain; you scattered your enemies with your strong arm.
- 11 The heavens are yours, the earth yours as well, the world with its fullness, because you founded them.
- 12 Tabor and Hermon shout joyfully over your name.
- 13 Your hand is strong; your right hand reaches high.
- 14 are the foundation of your throne. Loyal love and faithfulness[fn] come before your face.[fn]
- 15 are the people who know the joyful shout; O Yahweh, they walk about in the light of your countenance.
- 16 and in your righteousness they rise up.
- 17 are the glory of their strength, and by your favor our horn rises up,[fn]
- 18 [fn] and our king to the Holy One of Israel.[fn]
- 19 to your faithful ones, and said,
- “I have bestowed help on a mighty man;
- I have exalted one chosen from the people.
- 20 With my holy oil I have anointed him,
- 21 Surely my arm will strengthen him.
- 22 The enemy will not deceive him, and no[fn] will afflict him.
- 23 and I will strike those who hate him.
- 24 so my faithfulness and my loyal love will be with him,
- and in my name his horn will rise up.
- 25 and his right hand on the rivers.
- 26 to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.’
- 27 the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.
- 28 and my covenant will be reliable for him.
- 29 and his throne as the days of the heavens.
- 30 and do not walk in my judgments,
- 31 [fn] my statutes and do not keep my commandments,
- 32 a rod, and their guilt with wounds.
- 33 and I will not be false against my faithfulness.
- 34 [fn] my covenant, or alter what proceeded from my lips.
- 35 [fn] I have sworn by my holiness, ‘I will surely not lie to David,
- 36 [fn] forever, and his throne as the sun before me.
- 37 the moon it will be steadfast forever, and like an enduring witness in the sky.’ ”Selah
- 38 you are very angry with your anointed one.
- 39 you have defiled[fn] his crown in[fn] the dirt.
- 40 you have made his fortifications a ruin.
- 41 the road plunder him; he has become a taunt to his neighbors.
- 42 [fn] of his adversaries. You have made all his enemies rejoice.
- 43 and have not helped him stand his ground in the battle.
- 44 and cast his throne to the ground.
- 45 you have covered him with shame.Selah
- 46 Will your wrath burn like fire forever?
- 47 is. Remember for what vanity
- you have created all the children of humankind.
- 48 on and not see death? Can he deliver his life from the[fn] of Sheol? Selah
- 49 are your former acts of loyal love, O Lord, that you swore to David by your faithfulness?
- 50 how I bear in my bosom the taunts of all the many peoples,
- 51 by which your enemies taunt, O Yahweh, by which they taunt the steps of your anointed one.
- 52 Amen and Amen.
God’s Eternity and Human Frailty
- 90 [fn] [fn]
- 2 the mountains were born and you brought forth the earth and the world,
- even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.
- 3 the dust,[fn] “Return, O sons of man.”
- 4 are like yesterday when it passes,
- or like a watch in the night.
- 5 like a flood. They fall asleep.[fn]
- In the morning they are like grass that sprouts anew.
- 6 by evening it withers and dries up.
- 7 and we hasten off[fn] by your wrath.
- 8 our hidden sins into the light of your countenance.
- 9 we complete our years like a sigh.
- 10 are seventy years or if by strength eighty years, and their pride[fn] is trouble and disaster,
- for it passes quickly and we fly away.
- 11 and your rage consistent with[fn] the fear due you?
- 12 us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
- 13 [fn] O Yahweh. How long? And have compassion on[fn] your servants.
- 14 that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
- 15 for as many years as we have seen calamity.
- 16 and your majesty to their children.
- 17 and establish for us the work of our hands,
- yes, the work of our hands, establish it.
God’s Protection in Times of Crisis
- will lodge in the shadow of Shaddai.[fn]
- 2 You are my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.”
- 3 [fn] you from the snare of the fowler, from the plague of destruction.
- 4 and under his wings you can take refuge.
- His faithfulness will be a shield and a buckler.[fn]
- 5 the terror of the night, or the arrow that flies by day,
- 6 or the plague that spreads in the darkness, or the destruction that devastates at noon.
- 7 and ten thousand at your right hand,
- but it will not come near you.
- 8 and see the punishment of the wicked.
- 9 are my refuge. You have made the Most High your dwelling place.[fn]
- 10 and no plague will come near your tent.
- 11 to watch over you in all your ways.
- 12 their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.
- 13 you will trample young lion and serpent.
- 14 I will protect[fn] him because he knows my name.
- 15 I will be with him in trouble;
- I will rescue and honor him.
- 16 With[fn] I will satisfy him, and show him my salvation.
Thanksgiving to Yahweh for Victory
- 92 It is good to give thanks to Yahweh, and to sing praise concerning your name, O Most High;
- 2 and your faithfulness in the night,
- 3 the ten string, and on the harp, with a melody on the lyre.
- 4 by the deeds of your hands I sing for joy.
- 5 how very deep are your thoughts.
- 6 The brutish man does not know, and the fool cannot understand this.
- 7 and all the workers of evil blossom,
- it is so they can be destroyed forever.
- 8 are on high forever, O Yahweh.
- 9 for behold, your enemies will perish.
- All the workers of evil will be scattered.
- 10 that of a wild ox; you have anointed me[fn] with fresh oil.
- 11 so my eye looks on my enemies.[fn] My ears hear those evildoers who rise up against me.
- 12 The righteous[fn] will flourish like the date palm. They will grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
- 13 [fn] of Yahweh, they will flourish in the courts of our God.
- 14 They will be fat and luxuriant,[fn]
- 15 is upright. He is my rock, and there is no injustice[fn] in him.
Yahweh Is King Over All the Earth
- Yahweh clothes himself; he girds himself with might.
- Yes, the world is established so that it will not be moved.
- 2 is established from of old; you are from everlasting.
- 3 The rivers have lifted up, O Yahweh; the rivers have lifted up their[fn]
- the rivers have lifted up their pounding.
- 4 Mightier than the rumblings of many waters, mightier than the mighty breakers of the sea,
- Yahweh on high is mighty.
- 5 Holiness is fitting for your house,[fn]
- O Yahweh,[fn]
A Prayer for Retribution against Oppressors
- God of vengeance, shine forth.
- 2 Repay upon the proud what is their rightful due.
- 3 will the wicked, O Yahweh, how long will the wicked exult?
- 4 [fn] unrestrained. All the evildoers boast.
- 5 they oppress your inheritance.
- 6 and they murder orphans,
- 7 [fn] they say, “Yah[fn] does not see,” and “The God of Jacob does not pay attention.”
- 8 And you fools, when you will show insight?
- 9 the one who planted the ear not hear? Will the one who formed the eye not see?
- 10 the one who instructs nations not rebuke, the one who teaches humankind knowledge?
- 11 the thoughts of humankind, that are to no purpose[fn]
- 12 is the man, O Yah, whom you instruct and teach from your law,
- 13 until a pit is dug for the wicked.
- 14 nor forsake his inheritance.
- 15 [fn] and all the upright in heart will follow after it.
- 16 the wicked? Who stood up for me against the workers of iniquity?
- 17 my soul would soon have dwelt in silence.
- 18 [fn] “My foot is slipping,” your loyal love, O Yahweh, supported me.
- 19 [fn] your consolations cheered my soul.
- 20 one that forms trouble based on statute?
- 21 the life of the righteous, and declare the blameless guilty of blood.[fn]
- 22 high stronghold, and my God has become my rock of refuge.
- 23 and by[fn] their evil he will destroy them.
- Yahweh our God will destroy them.
A Call to Worship and Obey
- let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.
- 2 with songs let us shout joyfully to him.
- 3 is the[fn] great God, and the great king over all gods,
- 4 are the unexplored places[fn] of the earth, and the heights of the mountains are his,
- 5 [fn] and the dry land that his hands formed.
- 6 let us kneel before Yahweh, our maker.
- 7 is our God, and we are the people of his pasture
- and the sheep of his hand.
- [fn] if you will hear his voice:[fn]
- 8 at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness,
- 9 [fn] tried me. They put me to the test,
- even though they had seen my work.
- 10 that generation, and said, ‘ They are a people whose heart wanders.
- And my ways they do not know.’
- 11 ‘They shall surely not enter into my rest.’ ”
Yahweh the King Comes in Judgment
- sing to[fn] Yahweh, all the earth.
- 2 [fn] Yahweh; bless his name. Announce[fn] his salvation from day to day.
- 3 his marvelous works among all the peoples.
- 4 is great and very worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.
- 5 are idols,[fn] but Yahweh made the heavens.
- 6 are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
- 7 the peoples, ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength.
- 8 bring an offering and come into his courts.
- 9 tremble before him, all the earth.
- 10 Yes, the world is established so that it will not be moved.
- He will judge the peoples fairly.”
- 11 Let the sea with[fn] its fullness roar.
- 12 the field with[fn] all that is in it exult. Then all the trees of the forests will sing for joy
- 13 for he is coming to judge the earth.
- He will judge the world with righteousness,
- and the peoples with his faithfulness.
Yahweh’s Glorious Reign
- let many coastlands be glad.
- 2 are surrounding him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
- 3 and devours his enemies round about.
- 4 the world; the earth sees and trembles.
- 5 The mountains melt like wax at the presence of Yahweh, at the presence of the Lord of all the earth.
- 6 and all the peoples see his glory.
- 7 those who boast about idols.[fn]
- Worship him, all you gods.
- 8 and the daughters of Judah rejoice
- because of your judgments, O Yahweh.
- 9 are most high over all the earth. You are highly[fn] exalted above all gods.
- 10 He protects the lives of his faithful;
- he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
- 11 is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.
- 12 you righteous, and give thanks[fn]
Praise to Yahweh for His Salvation and Judgment
- 98 [fn] Yahweh a new song, for he has done wonders. His right hand and his holy arm have secured his victory.
- 2 [fn] to the eyes of the nations he has revealed his righteousness.
- 3 to the house of Israel.
- All the ends of the earth have seen
- the salvation[fn] of our God.
- 4 Be cheerful[fn] and sing for joy and sing praises.
- 5 with lyre and melodious sound.
- 6 shout joyfully before the king, Yahweh.
- 7 [fn] its fullness roar, the world and those who live in it.
- 8 the rivers clap their hands. Let the hills sing joyfully together
- 9 he is coming to judge the earth.
- He will judge the world with righteousness
- and the peoples with equity.
Yahweh Is a Holy King
- He sits enthroned[fn] between the cherubim. Let the earth shake.
- 2 is great in Zion, and he is exalted over all the peoples.
- 3 He is holy.
- 4 the strength of the king loves justice.[fn] You have established equity;
- you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.
- 5 and worship at his footstool.
- He is holy.
- 6 were among his priests; Samuel also was among those who called on his name.
- They called to Yahweh, and he answered them.
- 7 the pillar of cloud. They kept his testimonies and the statute he gave to them.
- 8 You were a forgiving God to them,
- but an avenger of their wrong deeds.
- 9 and worship at his holy mountain,
- for Yahweh our God is holy.
Worship God with Joy
100 - 2 [fn] Yahweh with joy; come into his presence with exultation.
- 3 is God; he made us and we are his.[fn]
- We are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
- 4 his courts with praise.
- Give thanks to him; bless his name.
- 5 is good; his loyal love is forever, and his faithfulness is[fn]
A Promise to Act with Integrity
- 101 I will sing praises to you, O Yahweh.
- 2 the way of integrity. When will you come to me?
- I will walk in the integrity of my heart
- in the midst of my house.
- 3 any wicked thing.
- I hate the work of those who fall away;[fn]
- it will not cling to me.
- 4 I will not know evil.
- 5 him I will destroy.
- One haughty of eyes and[fn] of heart,
- him I will not endure.
- 6 will be on the faithful of the land, that they may live with me.
- He who walks in the way of integrity,
- he shall minister to me.
- 7 a worker of deceit.
- One who speaks lies
- will not remain[fn] before my eyes.
- 8 [fn] I will destroy all the wicked of the land,
- cutting off from the city of Yahweh all evildoers.
A Plea for Personal and National Help
- and pours out his lament before Yahweh.[fn]
- 102 and let my cry for help come to you.
- 2 in the day of my trouble.
- Incline your ear to me.
- In the day I call, answer me quickly,
- 3 and my bones are charred like a hearth.
- 4 Indeed, I forget to eat[fn] my bread.
- 5 my bones[fn] cling to my skin.[fn]
- 6 [fn] of the wilderness; I am like a little owl of the ruins.
- 7 like a lone bird on a roof.
- 8 those who mock me swear oaths against me.
- 9 and mix my drink with tears[fn]
- 10 for you have picked me up and thrown me away.
- 11 are like a lengthened shadow, and I wither like grass.
- 12 [fn] forever, and your remembrance[fn] [fn]
- 13 because it is time to favor it,
- for the appointed time has come.
- 14 and show favor to its dust.
- 15 the nations will fear the name of Yahweh, and all the kings of the earth your glory.
- 16 he will appear in his glory.
- 17 and will not despise their prayer.
- 18 the next generation, so that a people yet to be created may praise Yah,[fn]
- 19 Yahweh looked from heaven over the earth
- 20 the groaning of the prisoner, to liberate[fn]
- 21 they make known in Zion the name of Yahweh, and his praise in Jerusalem,
- 22 together with[fn] kingdoms, to serve Yahweh.
- 23 he has cut short my days.
- 24 from my life in the middle of my days.”
- Your years continue throughout all generations.
- 25 and the heavens are the work of your hands.
- 26 And like a garment they will all wear out,
- you will replace them like clothing, and they will be set aside.
- 27 are the same, and your years do not end.
- 28 and their[fn] will be established before you.
Thanksgiving for Yahweh’s Compassion
- 103 and all within me, bless his holy name.
- 2 and do not forget all his benefits:
- 3 who heals all your diseases,
- 4 the pit, who crowns you with loyal love and mercies,
- 5 so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
- 6 and judgments for all who are oppressed,
- 7 who made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the[fn] of Israel.
- 8 is compassionate and gracious,[fn] and abundant in loyal love.
- 9 nor keep his anger forever.
- 10 nor repaid us according to our iniquities.
- 11 the heavens are high above the earth, so his loyal love prevails over those who fear him.
- 12 is from west, so he has removed far from us the guilt of our transgressions.
- 13 [fn] his children, so Yahweh pities[fn] those who fear him.
- 14 [fn] He remembers that we are dust.
- 15 are like the grass. As the flower of the field, so he blossoms.
- 16 the wind passes over it, it is no more, and its place knows it no longer.
- 17 is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
- and his righteousness to their children’s children,
- 18 and remember to do his precepts.
- 19 and his kingdom rules over all.
- 20 you mighty heroes who do his word
- by[fn] the sound of his word.
- 21 you his attendants who do his will.
- 22 [fn] in all the places of his dominion.
- Bless Yahweh, O my soul.
Praise to Yahweh for His Creation and Providence
- O Yahweh my God, you are very great.
- You clothe yourself with splendor and majesty,
- 2 you who cover yourself with light as with a garment, who stretch out the heavens like a tent curtain,
- 3 for his upper chambers, who makes clouds his chariot,
- who rides[fn] on the wings of the wind,
- 4 the winds, his attendants a flame of fire.
- 5 the earth on her foundations, so that it will not be moved forever and ever.
- 6 the deep as with a garment. The waters stood above the mountains.
- 7 at the sound of your thunder they ran off.
- 8 the mountains and drained though the valleys to the place that you established[fn] for them.
- 9 so that they would not return to cover the earth.
- 10 You are the one who sends forth springs into the valleys; they flow between the mountains.
- 11 the field. The wild donkeys[fn] their thirst.
- 12 From among the branches they[fn]
- 13 You are the one who[fn] the mountains from his upper chambers.
- The earth is full[fn] with the fruit of your labors:
- 14 who causes grass to grow for the cattle and herbs for the service of humankind,
- to bring forth food from the earth,
- 15 that makes glad the heart of man, so that their faces shine from oil,
- and bread that strengthens the heart of man.
- 16 the cedars of Lebanon that he planted,
- 17 their nest. The stork has its home in the fir trees.
- 18 are for the wild goats; the cliffs are a refuge for the rock badgers.
- 19 the moon for appointed times; the sun knows its time for setting.
- 20 when[fn] all the animals of the forest creep about.
- 21 are roaring for the prey and seeking their food from God.
- 22 When the sun rises, they gather together and lie down in their dens.
- 23 and to its labor until evening.
- 24 all of them you have done in wisdom.
- The earth is full of your creatures.
- 25 is the great and[fn] sea, in which are moving animals without number,
- living things small and great.
- 26 the ships sail. Leviathan is there that you formed to play with.[fn]
- 27 to give them their food[fn]
- 28 it. You open your hand, they are filled with what is good.
- 29 You take away their breath, they die
- and return to their dust.
- 30 [fn] they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.
- 31 May Yahweh be glad in his works,
- 32 and touches the mountains and they smoke.
- 33 I will sing praise to my God while[fn]
- 34 I will be glad in Yahweh.
- 35 and the wicked[fn]
- Bless Yahweh, O my soul.
- Praise Yah.[fn]
Praise to Yahweh for His Work on Behalf of Israel
- make known his deeds among the peoples.
- 2 tell of all his wonderful works.
- 3 Let the heart of those who seek Yahweh rejoice.
- 4 seek his face continually.
- 5 his signs and the judgments of his mouth,
- 6 you descendants[fn] of Jacob, his chosen ones.
- 7 is Yahweh our God; his judgments are in all the earth.
- 8 the word that he commanded
- for a thousand generations,
- 9 and by his oath swore to Isaac.
- 10 to Israel as an everlasting covenant,
- 11 as the allotment that is your[fn] inheritance.”
- 12 [fn]— a trifle—and were sojourners in it,
- 13 [fn] from one kingdom to another people,
- 14 and he rebuked kings on account of them,
- 15 nor harm my prophets.”
- 16 he broke every[fn] of bread.
- 17 Joseph was sold as a slave.
- 18 [fn] his feet in fetters.[fn] His neck[fn] went into irons.[fn]
- 19 the time his word came about, the word of Yahweh tested[fn] him.
- 20 The king sent and he freed him; the ruler of the peoples sent and let him loose.
- 21 and ruler of all his possessions,
- 22 [fn] his officials [fn] and teach his elders wisdom.
- 23 to Egypt, and Jacob was a sojourner in the land of Ham.
- 24 [fn] made his people very fruitful. He also made them[fn] stronger than their[fn] enemies.
- 25 to deal deceitfully against his servants.
- 26 together with Aaron whom he had chosen.
- 27 and portents in the land of Ham.
- 28 it dark, and they did not rebel against his words.
- 29 and it killed their fish.
- 30 even in the chambers of their kings.
- 31 and gnats throughout all their territory.[fn]
- 32 and the fire of lightning in their land.
- 33 and shattered the trees of their territory.
- 34 and young locusts without number.
- 35 the vegetation in their land, and they ate up the fruit of their ground.
- 36 the firstborn in their land, the first of all their virility.
- 37 and there was none among his tribes who stumbled.
- 38 because the fear of them[fn] had fallen upon them.
- 39 and fire to give light at night.
- 40 [fn] asked, and he brought quail, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.
- 41 the rock and waters flowed; they coursed[fn] through the dry places like a river.
- 42 [fn] he remembered Abraham his servant.
- 43 so he brought out his people with joy, his chosen ones with rejoicing.
- 44 the lands of the nations, and they inherited the labor of the peoples,
- 45 and keep his laws.
- Praise Yah.[fn]
Praise to Yahweh for His Faithfulness in Israel’s History
- for his loyal love is forever.
- 2 or proclaim all his praise?
- 3 those who observe justice, he who does righteousness at all times.
- 4 you show favor to your people. Look after me when you deliver,
- 5 I may see the good done your chosen ones, to be glad in the joy of your nation,
- to glory together with your inheritance.
- 6 along with our ancestors.[fn] We have committed iniquity; we have incurred guilt.
- 7 [fn] in Egypt did not understand your wonderful works. They did not remember your many acts of loyal love,
- and so they rebelled by the sea at[fn]
- 8 to make known his might.
- 9 [fn] and it dried up, and he led them through the deep as through a desert.
- 10 the hand of the hater and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
- 11 not one of them survived.
- 12 they sang his praise.
- 13 they did not wait for his counsel.
- 14 [fn] in the wilderness, and tested God in the desert.
- 15 but he sent leanness into their souls.[fn]
- 16 and of Aaron, the holy one of Yahweh.
- 17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and it covered over the gang of Abiram.
- 18 the flame devoured the wicked.
- 19 and bowed down to a cast image.
- 20 so they exchanged their glory for an image of an ox that eats grass.
- 21 who had done great things in Egypt,
- 22 awesome deeds by[fn]
- 23 had not Moses, his chosen one,
- stood in the breach before him,
- to reverse his wrath from destroying them.
- 24 they did not believe his word,
- 25 They did not obey the voice of Yahweh.
- 26 [fn] against them, to make them drop in the wilderness,
- 27 [fn] their [fn] among the nations and to scatter them among the lands.
- 28 and they ate sacrifices offered to the dead.[fn]
- 29 and a plague broke out among them.
- 30 and so the plague was stopped,
- 31 [fn]
- 32 God at the waters of Meribah, and it went badly for Moses on account of them,
- 33 [fn] and he spoke thoughtlessly with his lips.
- 34 as Yahweh had commanded them,[fn]
- 35 and learned their works,
- 36 which became[fn] a snare to them.
- 37 to the demons,
- 38 the blood of their sons and daughters,
- whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,
- and so the land was defiled with the blood.[fn]
- 39 and were unfaithful in their deeds.
- 40 and he abhorred his inheritance.
- 41 the hand of the nations, and those who hated them ruled over them.
- 42 and they were subdued under their hand.
- 43 but they rebelled in their counsel,
- and were brought low by their iniquity.
- 44 when he heard their cry.
- 45 and relented based on the abundance of his loyal love.
- 46 [fn] before all their captors.
- 47 and gather us from the nations,
- so that we may give thanks to your holy name
- and boast in your praise.
- 48 is Yahweh, the God of Israel, from everlasting and to everlasting.
- And let all the people say, “Amen!”
- Praise Yah.[fn]
Thanksgiving to Yahweh for His of Deliverance
- for his loyal love is forever.
- 2 [fn] it, those whom he has redeemed from the hand of the enemy
- 3 the lands, from east and from west, from north and from south.[fn]
- 4 They could find no way[fn] to a city to inhabit.
- 5 their soul grew faint within them.
- 6 He delivered them from their distresses
- 7 to get to a city to inhabit.
- 8 and his wonderful deeds for the children of humankind,
- 9 the longing soul,[fn] and the hungry soul he fills with good.
- 10 Those who sat in darkness and gloom, prisoners of misery and iron—
- 11 and spurned the counsel of the Most High,
- 12 They stumbled and there was no helper.
- 13 he saved them from their distresses.
- 14 and tore off their bonds.
- 15 and his wonderful deeds for the children of humankind,
- 16 the doors of bronze, and cuts through the bars of iron.
- 17 and their iniquities, were afflicted.
- 18 and they approached the gates of death.
- 19 He saved them from their distresses.
- 20 and he delivered them from their pits.[fn]
- 21 and his wonderful deeds for the children of humankind,
- 22 and tell of his works with rejoicing.
- 23 Those who went down to the sea into ships, doing business on the[fn]
- 24 and his wonderful deeds in the deep.
- 25 and it whipped up its waves.
- 26 the depths. Their soul melted in their calamity.
- 27 and[fn]
- 28 and he brought them out of their distresses.
- 29 the storm be still and their waves became calm.
- 30 so he guided them to their desired harbor.
- 31 and his wonderful deeds for the children of humankind,
- 32 the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
- 33 and springs of water into thirsty ground,
- 34 because of the evil of its inhabitants.
- 35 and a dry land into springs of water.
- 36 the hungry there, so that they may establish a city to inhabit,
- 37 [fn]
- 38 and he does not let their cattle become few.
- 39 from the oppression of calamity and grief,
- 40 he pours contempt on princes and causes them to wander in a trackless waste.
- 41 [fn] the needy from misery, and he makes their families like a flock.
- 42 The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth.
- 43 is wise, then let him observe these things, and let them consider Yahweh’s acts of loyal love.
Prayer to Yahweh for Victory over Enemies
- 108 is steadfast, O God. I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.
- 2 I will awake the dawn.[fn]
- 3 I will give you praise among the nations,
- 4 is great above the heavens, and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
- 5 the heavens, O God, and let your glory be above all the earth,
- 6 Save by your right hand and answer me.
- 7 “I will exult, I will divide up Shechem,
- and portion out the valley of Succoth.
- 8 is mine. Manasseh is mine. And Ephraim is the[fn] my head.
- Judah is my scepter;[fn]
- 9 is my washing pot. Over Edom I will cast my sandal;
- Over Philistia I will shout in triumph.”
- 10 the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?
- 11 and not gone out with our armies, O God?
- 12 the enemy, for the help of humankind is futile.
- 13 [fn] and it is he who will tread down our enemies.
A Prayer for Help against Enemies
109 - 2 [fn] have opened against me.
- They speak to me with a lying tongue.
- 3 and fight me without cause.
- 4 though I am in prayer.[fn]
- 5 and hatred in return for my love.
- 6 man, and let an accuser stand at his right hand.
- 7 and let his prayer[fn] become as sin.
- 8 let another take his office.
- 9 and his wife a widow,
- 10 and let them plead from their ruins.
- 11 the creditor seize all that is his, and let strangers plunder his property.
- 12 who extend to him loyal love, nor any who pities his orphans.
- 13 [fn] be cut off. Let their name be blotted out in the next generation.
- 14 [fn] be remembered before Yahweh, and let the sin of his mother not be blotted out.
- 15 that he may cut off their[fn] memory from the earth,
- 16 but he pursued anyone,[fn] poor or needy
- or brokenhearted, to slay them.
- 17 upon him. Because he did not delight in blessing,
- let it be far from him.
- 18 let it enter[fn] like water,
- and into his bones like oil.
- 19 in which he wraps, and a belt[fn]
- 20 be the punishment for my accusers from Yahweh, even those who speak evil against my life.
- 21 deal with me for your name’s sake.
- Because your loyal love is good, deliver me,
- 22 am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
- 23 I am shaken off like a locust.
- 24 [fn] from fasting, and my body grows lean without fat.
- 25 so I am a disgrace to them; when they see me, they shake their heads.[fn]
- 26 save me according to your loyal love,
- 27 is your hand, that you, O Yahweh, you have done it.
- 28 When they arise, let them be put to shame,
- that your servant may be glad.
- 29 and let them cover themselves with their shame as with a robe.
- 30 and in the midst of many I will praise him,
- 31 the right hand of the needy, to save him from those judging his life.[fn]
Yahweh Gives Authority to His Messiah
- 110 “Sit at my right hand
- until I make your enemies your footstool.”
- 2 rule in the midst of your enemies.
- 3 [fn] in the day of your power.[fn] In holy splendor, from the womb of the dawn,
- you will have the dew of your youth.[fn]
- 4 his mind, “You are a priest forever
- according to the manner of Melchizedek.”
- 5 hand he will shatter kings in the day of his anger.
- 6 he will fill them with corpses.
- He will shatter the[fn] of many countries.
- 7 the stream by the road; therefore he will lift up his head.
Praise to God for His Work and Commands
- I will give thanks to Yahweh with all my heart,
- in the assembly of the upright and the congregation.
- 2 are great, studied[fn] by all who delight in them.
- 3 Full of splendor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever.
- 4 [fn] Yahweh is gracious and compassionate.
- 5 he remembers his covenant forever.
- 6 by giving to them the inheritance of the nations.
- 7 are faithfulness and justice; all his precepts are reliable.
- 8 They are sustained forever and ever, done with faithfulness and uprightness.
- 9 he has commanded his covenant forever;
- holy and fearful is his name.
- 10 is the beginning of wisdom; all who do them[fn] have a good understanding.
- His praise endures forever.
The Path of the Righteous and the Path of the Wicked
- Blessed is the man who fears Yahweh;
- he takes great delight in his commands.
- 2 [fn] will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
- 3 are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
- 4 His light rises in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious and compassionate and righteous.
- 5 It goes well for a man who is gracious and lends, who conducts his[fn]
- 6 the righteous[fn]
- 7 his heart is steadfast, secure[fn] in Yahweh.
- 8 is sustained; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his enemies.
- 9 [fn] to the needy; his righteousness endures forever.
- His horn rises high in honor.
- 10 The wicked[fn] sees it and is vexed. He gnashes his teeth and[fn]
- The desire of the wicked[fn] perishes.
God’s Majesty and Care for the Needy
- Praise, O servants of Yahweh,
- praise the name of Yahweh.
- 2 from now until forever.
- 3 the rising of the sun to its setting, let the name of Yahweh be blessed.
- 4 is high above all nations; his glory is above the heavens.
- 5 is like Yahweh our God, who is enthroned on high,[fn]
- 6 [fn] what is in the heavens and in the earth?
- 7 He raises the helpless from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap,
- 8 them with princes, with the princes of his people.
- 9 He causes the barren woman of the house to dwell as the happy mother of children.
- Praise Yah![fn]
Praise to God for His Works During the Exodus
- the house of Jacob from a people of a strange language,
- 2 Israel his dominion.
- 3 the Jordan turned back.
- 4 the hills like[fn]
- 5 that you fled? O Jordan, that you turned back?
- 6 that you skipped like rams? O hills, like lambs?
- 7 the Lord writhe, O earth,[fn] at the presence of the God of Jacob,
- 8 flinty stone into a spring of water.
Dead Idols and the Living God
- but to your name give glory,
- because of your loyal love,
- because of your faithfulness.
- 2 “Where,[fn] is their God?”
- 3 is in the heavens; all that he desires, he does.
- 4 are silver and gold, the work of human hands.
- 5 they have eyes, but cannot see;
- 6 they have noses, but cannot smell;
- 7 they have their hands, but they cannot feel, their feet, but they cannot walk;
- they cannot utter a sound in their throats.
- 8 Those who make them become like them, as does everyone who trusts in them.
- 9 he is their help and their shield.
- 10 he is their help and their shield.
- 11 You who fear Yahweh, trust in Yahweh; he is their help and their shield.
- 12 us. He will bless the house of Israel;
- he will bless the house of Aaron.
- 13 those who fear Yahweh, the small with the great.
- 14 you and your children.
- 15 who made heaven and earth.
- 16 are Yahweh’s heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of humankind.
- 17 [fn] nor any descending into silence.
- 18 It is we, we will bless Yah[fn] from now until forever.
- Praise Yah![fn]
Thanksgiving for God’s Deliverance
- [fn]
- 2 I will call[fn]
- 3 The ropes of death encircled me, and the distresses of Sheol found me.
- I found trouble and grief.
- 4 “O Yahweh, please save my life!”
- 5 is Yahweh and righteous, and our God is merciful.
- 6 the simple. I was brought low, but he gave me victory.
- 7 for Yahweh has dealt bountifully with you.
- 8 [fn] from death, my eyes[fn] from tears, my feet from stumbling.
- 9 in the land[fn] of the living.
- 10 “I am afflicted greatly.”
- 11 “[fn] is a liar.”
- 12 for all his benefits to me?
- 13 the cup of salvation and proclaim the name of Yahweh.
- 14 made to Yahweh in the presence of all his people.
- 15 [fn] is the death of his faithful ones.
- 16 am indeed your servant; I am your servant, the child of your maidservant.
- You have loosed my bonds.
- 17 and proclaim the name of Yahweh.
- 18 made to Yahweh in the presence of all his people,
- 19 [fn] of Yahweh, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
- Praise Yah![fn]
Let All Peoples Praise Yahweh
- extol him, all you peoples.
- 2 is mighty on our behalf, and the faithfulness of Yahweh is forever.
- Praise Yah![fn]
Praise to God for His Loyal Love
- for his loyal love is forever.
- 2 “His loyal love is forever.”
- 3 “His loyal love is forever.”
- 4 those who fear Yahweh say, “His loyal love is forever.”
- 5 my distress I called to Yah.[fn] Yah answered me, setting me in a broad place.
- 6 is for me; I do not fear. What can mere humans[fn] do to me?
- 7 is for me as my helper, and so I will look in triumph on those who hate me.
- 8 It is better to take refuge in Yahweh than to trust in humans.[fn]
- 9 It is better to take refuge in Yahweh than to trust princes.
- 10 In the name of Yahweh I opposed them indeed.
- 11 In the name of Yahweh I opposed them indeed.
- 12 they were extinguished like a fire of thorns.
- In the name of Yahweh I opposed them indeed.
- 13 [fn] to make me fall, but Yahweh helped me.
- 14 [fn] is my strength and my song,[fn] and he has become my salvation.[fn]
- 15 The sound of rejoicing and salvation[fn] is in the tents of the righteous;
- the right hand of Yahweh has done valiantly.
- 16 has exalted; the right hand of Yahweh has done valiantly.
- 17 and tell of the works of Yah.[fn]
- 18 but he did not consign[fn] me to death.
- 19 the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them
- and give thanks to Yah.[fn]
- 20 is the gate of Yahweh, through which the righteous will enter.
- 21 to you for you have answered me, and you have become my salvation.[fn]
- 22 The stone the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.
- 23 it is wonderful in our eyes.
- 24 is the day Yahweh has worked;[fn] let us rejoice and be glad in him.[fn]
- 25 O Yahweh, please grant success.
- 26 is he who comes in the name of Yahweh. We bless you[fn] from the house[fn] of Yahweh.
- 27 [fn] Bind the festal sacrifice[fn] with cords[fn]
- to the horns[fn] of the altar.
- 28 are my God, and I will give thanks to you. You are my God; I will exalt you.
- 29 he is good, for his loyal love is forever.
Aleph[fn]
- who walk in the law of Yahweh.
- 2 are those who keep his testimonies; they seek him with a whole heart.
- 3 they walk in his ways.
- 4 [fn] your precepts, that we should keep them diligently.
- 5 to keep your statutes!
- 6 when I look to all your commands.
- 7 when I learn your righteous laws.
- 8 do not utterly forsake me.
Beth
- 9 By taking heed according to your word.
- 10 do not let me stray from your commands.
- 11 [fn] so that I may not sin against you.
- 12 are you, O Yahweh. Teach me your statutes.
- 13 of all the ordinances of your mouth.
- 14 as I would over all riches.
- 15 and look at[fn] your ways.
- 16 I will not forget your word.
Gimel
- 17 and heed your word.
- 18 [fn] wonderful things from your law.
- 19 am a sojourner on the earth;[fn] do not hide your commands from me.
- 20 for your ordinances at all times.
- 21 the arrogant, the accursed, who stray from your commands.
- 22 [fn] me scorn and contempt, for I have kept your testimonies.
- 23 though princes sit and speak against me, your servant meditates on your statutes.
- 24 are my delight,[fn]
Daleth
- 25 revive me according to your word.
- 26 teach me your statutes.
- 27 that I may meditate on your wonderful things.
- 28 [fn] because of grief; strengthen me according to your word.
- 29 the deceptive way, and graciously give me your law.
- 30 the faithful way; I have set your ordinances before me.
- 31 O Yahweh, do not let me be put to shame.
- 32 for you will enlarge my heart.[fn]
Heʼ
- 33 and I will keep it to the end.
- 34 and heed it with my whole heart.
- 35 for I delight in it.
- 36 and not to dishonest gain.
- 37 what is worthless; revive me in your ways.
- 38 [fn] to your servant, which is to bring about a reverence for you.
- 39 for your ordinances are good.
- 40 revive me in your righteousness.
Waw
- 41 your salvation according to your word.[fn]
- 42 for the one who taunts me, for I trust your word.
- 43 the word of truth utterly from my mouth, for I hope in your ordinances.
- 44 forever and ever.
- 45 [fn] for I have sought your precepts.
- 46 and will not be ashamed.
- 47 which I love.
- 48 [fn] to your commands, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes.
Zayin
- 49 your word to your servant, upon which you have caused me to hope.
- 50 is my comfort in my misery: that your word[fn] preserves my life.
- 51 The arrogant utterly deride me; I have not turned aside from your law.
- 52 and I take comfort.
- 53 the wicked, those who forsake your law.
- 54 in the house of my sojourning.
- 55 and I heed your law.
- 56 that I have kept your precepts.
Heth
- 57 is my portion; I intend to heed your words.
- 58 [fn] with my whole heart; be gracious to me according to your word.[fn]
- 59 and turn my feet to your testimonies.
- 60 to heed your commands.
- 61 The cords of the wicked surround me, but I do not forget your law.
- 62 In the middle of the night I rise to give you thanks, because of your righteous ordinances.
- 63 am a companion of all who fear you and heed your precepts.
- 64 Teach me your statutes.
Teth
- 65 O Yahweh, according to your word.
- 66 for I believe your commands.
- 67 but now I heed your word.
- 68 are good and do good; teach me your statutes.
- 69 The arrogant smear me with lies;[fn] I keep your precepts with my whole heart.
- 70 is insensitive like fat;[fn] As for me, I take delight in your law.
- 71 It is good for me that I was afflicted, so that I might learn your statutes.
- 72 is better to me than thousands of gold and silver coins.
Yod
- 73 give me understanding that I may learn your commands.
- 74 because I hope in your word.
- 75 are right, and that in faithfulness you afflicted me.
- 76 according to your word[fn] to your servant.
- 77 to me, that I may live, for your law is my delight.
- 78 because they have wronged me with lies.[fn]
- As for me, I will meditate on your precepts.
- 79 even those who know[fn] your testimonies.
- 80 so that I may not be ashamed.
Kaph
- 81 I hope in your word.
- 82 [fn] your word,[fn] saying, “When will you comfort me?”
- 83 the smoke, yet I have not forgotten your statutes.
- 84 are the days of your servant? When will you execute justice against those who persecute me?
- 85 The arrogant have dug pits[fn] for me, which is not according to[fn] your law.
- 86 are faithful. They persecute me deceitfully; help me!
- 87 but I have not forsaken your precepts.
- 88 so that I may heed the testimony from your mouth.
Lamed
- 89 your word[fn] in heaven.
- 90 endures[fn] You have established the earth and it stands.
- 91 for all are your servants.
- 92 had been my delight, then I would have perished in my misery.
- 93 for by them you revive me.[fn]
- 94 am yours. Save me, for I have sought your precepts.
- 95 the wicked lie in wait to destroy me. I give attention to your testimonies.
- 96 [fn] your command is very broad.
Mem
- 97 The whole day it is my meditation.
- 98 because they[fn] are ever with me.
- 99 for your testimonies are my meditation.
- 100 the elders, for I keep your precepts.
- 101 so that I may heed your word.
- 102 for you have taught me.
- 103 [fn] are your words[fn] to my palate, more than honey in my mouth.
- 104 therefore I hate every false way.
Nun
- 105 is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
- 106 an oath and confirmed it, to heed[fn]
- 107 O Yahweh, revive me according to your word.
- 108 and teach me your ordinances.
- 109 is[fn] continually, yet I do not forget your law.
- 110 The wicked have laid a snare for me, yet I do not wander from your precepts.
- 111 for they are the joy of my heart.
- 112 forever, to the end.
Samek
- 113 [fn] but I love your law.
- 114 are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.
- 115 you evildoers, for I will keep the commands of my God.
- 116 [fn] that I may live, and do not let me be ashamed of my hope.
- 117 and have regard for your statutes continually.
- 118 who stray from your statutes, for their deceit is a breach of faith.
- 119 the earth like dross, therefore I love your testimonies.
- 120 and I am afraid of your judgments.
ʽAyin
- 121 [fn] do not leave me to my oppressors.
- 122 do not let the arrogant oppress me.
- 123 [fn] your salvation, and your righteous word.[fn]
- 124 and teach me your statutes.
- 125 am your servant; give me understanding, that I may know your statutes.
- 126 It is time for Yahweh to act,[fn] for they have broken your law.
- 127 more than gold, even fine gold.
- 128 your precepts of everything I regard as right; I hate every false way.
Pe
- 129 are miracles, therefore my soul keeps them.
- 130 giving understanding to the simple.
- 131 because I long for your commands.
- 132 as is proper for those who love your name.
- 133 [fn] and do not let any iniquity gain power over me.
- 134 the oppression of humankind, that I may heed your precepts.
- 135 and teach me your statutes.
- 136 from my eyes, because people do not heed your law.
Tsade
- 137 are righteous, O Yahweh, and your ordinances are upright.
- 138 in righteousness, and in exceeding faithfulness.
- 139 because my enemies have forgotten your words.
- 140 is very pure, and your servant loves it.
- 141 am small and despised, yet I do not forget your precepts.
- 142 is an everlasting righteousness, and your law is truth.
- 143 your commands delight me.
- 144 is forever; give me understanding that I may live.
Qoph
- 145 my whole heart; answer me, O Yahweh. I will keep your statutes.
- 146 and I will heed your testimonies.
- 147 I hope in your word.[fn]
- 148 the night watches, that I may meditate on your word.
- 149 O Yahweh, preserve my life according to your justice.
- 150 Those who pursue a wicked purpose draw near; they are far from your law.
- 151 are near, O Yahweh, and all your commands are truth.
- 152 that you have established them forever.
Resh
- 153 for I do not forget your law.
- 154 preserve my life according to your word.[fn]
- 155 is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes.
- 156 are great, O Yahweh; preserve my life according to your ordinances.
- 157 are many, yet I do not turn aside from your testimonies.
- 158 the treacherous and I feel disgust, because they do not heed your word.
- 159 [fn] that I love your precepts; O Yahweh, according to your loyal love preserve my life.
- 160 [fn] of your word is truth, and your every righteous judgment endures forever.
Sin/Shin
- 161 but my heart trembles because of your word.[fn]
- 162 am rejoicing over your word, like one who finds great spoil.
- 163 I love your law.
- 164 times in the day for your righteous ordinances.
- 165 is for those who love your law, and they do not have a cause for stumbling.
- 166 and do your commands.
- 167 and I love them exceedingly.
- 168 because all my ways are before you.
Taw
- 169 give me understanding according to your word.
- 170 Deliver me according to your word.[fn]
- 171 because you teach me your statutes.
- 172 of your word,[fn] because all your commands are right.
- 173 [fn] because I have chosen your precepts.
- 174 and your law is my delight.
- 175 [fn] live that it may praise you, and let your ordinances help me.
- 176 because I do not forget your commands.
Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies
- 120 and he answered me.
- 2 from a deceitful tongue.”
- 3 [fn] and what more shall be done to you,
- deceitful tongue?
- 4 The sharpened arrows of a warrior, with burning charcoals from broom trees.
- 5 that I dwell among the tents of Kedar.
- 6 near one who hates peace.
- 7 am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war.
Trust in God’s Protection
- 121 whence will my help come?
- 2 is from Yahweh, maker of heaven and earth.
- 3 he who protects you will not slumber.
- 4 he who protects Israel.
- 5 is your protector; Yahweh is your shade at your right hand.
- 6 nor the moon by night.
- 7 [fn] he will protect your life.
- 8 from now until forever.
Jerusalem the Site of God’s Presence
- 122 those who said to me, “Let us go to the house[fn] of Yahweh.”
- 2 within your gates, O Jerusalem—
- 3 as a city that is joined together,
- 4 the tribes go up, the tribes of Yah[fn] as a testimony for Israel,
- to give thanks to the name of Yahweh.
- 5 the thrones sit[fn] for judgment, thrones of David’s house.
- 6 [fn] for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be at ease.
- 7 security within your palaces.”
- 8 I will say, “Peace be within you.”
- 9 [fn] of Yahweh our God, I will seek your good.
Prayer for Yahweh’s Action in the Face of Scorn
- 123 the one enthroned[fn] in the heavens.
- 2 the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master,[fn]
- as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
- so our eyes look to Yahweh our God,
- until he is gracious to us.
- 3 for long enough we have had our fill of contempt.
- 4 the derision of the self-confident,
- the contempt of the arrogant.
Thanksgiving for Yahweh’s Help
- 124 it had not been Yahweh who was on our side,” do let Israel say,
- 2 it had not been Yahweh who was on our side, when men rose up against us,
- 3 when their anger was kindled against us.
- 4 the torrent would have passed over our soul.
- 5 the raging waters.”
- 6 be Yahweh, who has not made[fn] us prey for their teeth.
- 7 from the snare of fowlers.
- The snare is broken, and we have escaped.
- 8 is in the name of Yahweh, maker of heaven and earth.
Confidence in Yahweh’s Protection
- 125 are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved,
- but abides forever.
- 2 As mountains are round about Jerusalem, so Yahweh is round about his people,
- from now until forever.
- 3 on the[fn] of the righteous,
- lest the righteous stretch out
- their hands to do wickedness.[fn]
- 4 and to those upright in their hearts.
- 5 Yahweh will lead them away with the evildoers.
- Peace be upon Israel.
A Prayer for Restoration
- 126 [fn] of Zion,[fn] we were like dreamers.
- 2 and our tongue with rejoicing.
- Then they said among the nations,
- “Yahweh has done great things for these people.”
- 3 things for us; we are glad.
- 4 [fn] like the streams in the Negeb.[fn]
- 5 shall reap with rejoicing.
- 6 out with weeping, carrying the seed bag,
- shall certainly come in with rejoicing,
- carrying his sheaves.
A Prayer for Protection and Prosperity
- 127 its builders labor at it in vain.
- Unless Yahweh guards a city,
- a guard watches in vain.
- 2 It is in vain for you who rise early and sit late, eating the bread of anxious toil,
- when thus he[fn] provides[fn] for his beloved in his sleep.[fn]
- 3 [fn] are the heritage[fn] of Yahweh; the fruit of the womb is a reward.
- 4 the hand of a warrior, so are the children[fn] of one’s youth.
- 5 is the man who fills his quiver with them.[fn] They shall not be put to shame
- when they speak with enemies at the gate.
Blessed Is Everyone Who Fears Yahweh
- 128 is everyone who fears Yahweh, who walks in his ways.
- 2 you will be happy and it will be well with you.
- 3 will be like a fruitful vine[fn] your house.
- Your children[fn] will be like olive shoots
- about your table.
- 4 [fn]
- 5 that you may see the good of Jerusalem
- all the days of your life,
- 6 May peace be upon Israel.
Victory Over the Enemies of Zion
- 129 [fn] they have attacked me from my youth.” Let Israel say,
- 2 [fn] they have attacked me from my youth, yet they have not prevailed against me.
- 3 They have made their furrows[fn] long.”
- 4 is righteous. He has cut the ropes[fn] of the wicked.
- 5 who hate Zion.
- 6 the housetops, that withers before it grows up,
- 7 with which a reaper cannot fill his hand, nor the binder of sheaves his[fn]
- 8 “The blessing of Yahweh be upon you.
- We bless you in the name of Yahweh.”
Hope for the Redemption of Yahweh
- 130 the depths I call to you, O Yahweh.
- 2 Let your ears be attentive
- to the voice of my supplications.
- 3 [fn] should [fn] iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
- 4 is forgiveness, so that you may be feared.”
- 5 and I wait[fn] for his word.
- 6 waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning.
- Yes, more than watchmen for the morning.
- 7 [fn] for Yahweh. For with Yahweh there is loyal love,
- and with him there is abundant redemption.
- 8 from all its iniquities.
Calm Trust in Yahweh
- 131 [fn] And I do not[fn]
- with things too great and difficult for me.
- 2 like a weaned child with its mother,
- like the weaned child is my soul with me.
- 3 from now until forever.
Yahweh Dwells in Zion
- 132 all his affliction.[fn]
- 2 he vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:
- 3 I will not go up to the couch of my bed,
- 4 no slumber to my eyelids,
- 5 a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
- 6 we found her in the fields of Jaar.[fn]
- 7 [fn] Let us worship at his footstool.
- 8 you and your mighty ark.
- 9 and let your faithful sing for joy.
- 10 do not turn away the face of your anointed one.
- 11 in truth to David; he will not turn back from it.
- “One from the fruit of your[fn]
- I will set on your throne.
- 12 and my testimonies that I will teach them,
- their sons also forever
- will sit on your throne.”
- 13 he has desired it for his habitation.
- 14 is my resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
- 15 I will satisfy its poor with bread.
- 16 and its faithful will shout exuberantly for joy.
- 17 I will set a lamp for my anointed one.
- 18 but on him his crown will flourish.”[fn]
The People of God Dwell in Unity
- 133 it is when brothers dwell together in unity.
- 2 It is like the fragrant oil upon the head, running down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron,
- that runs down upon the edges of his robes.
- 3 It is like the dew of Hermon that runs down upon the mountains of Zion,
- because there Yahweh commanded the blessing—
- life forever.
Praising Yahweh in the Temple at Night
- 134 you the servants of Yahweh, who[fn] in the house[fn] of Yahweh by night.
- 2 the sanctuary and bless Yahweh.
- 3 he who made heaven and earth.
Praise to God for His Power and Redemption
- Praise him, O servants of Yahweh,
- 2 [fn] of Yahweh, in the courts of the house[fn] of our God.
- 3 [fn] for Yahweh is good. Sing praises concerning his name, for it is pleasant.
- 4 Israel as his special possession.
- 5 is great, and our Lord is greater than all gods.
- 6 in heaven and on earth,
- in the seas and all the depths.
- 7 He causes clouds to rise from the edge of the earth; he makes lightnings for the rain;
- he brings out the wind from his storehouses.
- 8 both of humans[fn] and animals.[fn]
- 9 against Pharaoh and all his servants.
- 10 and killed mighty kings—
- 11 and Og the king of Bashan,
- and all the kingdoms of Canaan—
- 12 an inheritance for his people Israel.
- 13 endures forever, your[fn] [fn]
- 14 the cause of his people and will have compassion on his servants.
- 15 are silver and gold, the work of the hands of humankind.
- 16 they have eyes, but cannot see;
- 17 there is not even breath in their mouths.
- 18 Those who make them become like them, as does everyone who trusts in them.
- 19 O house of Aaron, bless Yahweh.
- 20 You who fear Yahweh, bless Yahweh.
- 21 be Yahweh from Zion, who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise Yah![fn]
Praise to God for His Creation and Deliverance
- for his loyal love endures forever.
- 2 for his loyal love endures forever.
- 3 for his loyal love endures forever.
- 4 him who alone does great wonders, for his loyal love endures forever.
- 5 him who made the heavens with skill,[fn] for his loyal love endures forever.
- 6 him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his loyal love endures forever.
- 7 him who made the great lights, for his loyal love endures forever.
- 8 for his loyal love endures forever.
- 9 for his loyal love endures forever.
- 10 him who struck Egypt through their firstborn, for his loyal love endures forever.
- 11 for his loyal love endures forever.
- 12 for his loyal love endures forever.
- 13 him who divided the[fn] in two, for his loyal love endures forever.
- 14 for his loyal love endures forever.
- 15 the[fn] for his loyal love endures forever.
- 16 him who led his people through the wilderness, for his loyal love endures forever.
- 17 him who struck great kings, for his loyal love endures forever.
- 18 for his loyal love endures forever.
- 19 for his loyal love endures forever.
- 20 for his loyal love endures forever.
- 21 for his loyal love endures forever.
- 22 for his loyal love endures forever.
- 23 for his loyal love endures forever.
- 24 for his loyal love endures forever.
- 25 The one who gives food to all flesh, for his loyal love endures forever.
- 26 for his loyal love endures forever.
Lament During the Babylonian Exile
- there we sat, yes, we wept,
- when we remembered Zion.
- 2 the willows[fn] in her midst, we hung up our lyres.
- 3 words of a song,
- and our tormentors[fn] asked of us jubilation,
- “Sing for us from a song of Zion.”
- 4 in[fn]
- 5 let my right hand forget.[fn]
- 6 if I do not remember you,
- if do not I exalt Jerusalem
- above my highest joy.
- 7 the day of Jerusalem,
- the ones who said, “Lay it bare! Lay it bare
- to its foundation!”
- 8 happy shall be he who pays back to you
- [fn]
- 9 shall be he who seizes and smashes your children
- against the rock.
Thanksgiving for Yahweh’s Goodness
- 138 before the gods I sing your praise.
- 2 and give thanks to your name,
- because of your loyal love and faithfulness,
- for you have magnified your word[fn] according to all your name.[fn]
- 3 [fn] I called and you answered me, you emboldened me in my soul with strength.
- 4 the kings of the earth will praise you, O Yahweh,
- when they have heard the words[fn] of your mouth,
- 5 because Yahweh’s glory is great.
- 6 is high, yet he sees the lowly, but the proud he perceives[fn] at a distance.
- 7 you preserve me alive.
- You stretch out your hand against the anger of my enemies,
- and you save me with your right hand.
- 8 things for my benefit. O Yahweh, your loyal love endures forever;
- do not abandon the works of your hands.
The Knowledge of God
- 139 me.
- 2 You understand my thought from afar.
- 3 [fn] my wandering and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.
- 4 there is not a word yet on my tongue, but behold, O Yahweh, you know it completely.
- 5 and set your hand upon me.
- 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is set high; I cannot prevail against it.
- 7 or where can I flee from your presence?
- 8 are, and if I make my bed in Sheol, look! There you are.
- 9 the wings of the dawn, and I alight on the far side of the sea,
- 10 and your right hand would hold me fast.
- 11 and the light around me will be as night,”
- 12 the darkness is not too dark for you,[fn] and the night shines as the day—
- the darkness and the light are alike for you.
- 13 [fn] you wove me in my mother’s womb.
- 14 and wonderfully made.[fn]
- Wonderful are your works,
- and my soul knows it well.
- 15 [fn] was not hidden from you, when I was created secretly,[fn]
- and intricately woven
- in the depths of the earth.
- 16 [fn] and in your book they all were written—
- days fashioned for me when there was not one of them.
- 17 [fn] are your thoughts, O God; how vast is their sum.
- 18 they would outnumber the sand.
- I awaken, and I am still with you.
- 19 so get away from me, you[fn]
- 20 Your enemies take your name in vain.
- 21 And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
- 22 they have become my enemies.
- 23 test me and know my anxious thoughts.
- 24 there is in me[fn] and lead me in the way everlasting.
Prayer for Help in the Face of Enemies
- 140 [fn] Preserve me from violent men,
- 2 things in their heart. They stir up wars continually.
- 3 sharp as a snake’s; the venom of a viper is under their lips.Selah
- 4 the hands of the wicked. Preserve me from violent men,
- who have planned to[fn]
- 5 The proud have hidden a trap for me, and cords. They have spread out a net along the[fn] of the path.
- They have set snares for me.Selah
- 6 are my God.” Listen, O Yahweh, to the voice of my supplications.
- 7 you have covered my head in the day of battle.
- 8 the desires of the wicked. Do not allow them to attain their[fn] plan, lest they be exalted. Selah
- 9 With respect to the head of those who surround me, may the harm of their lips cover them.
- 10 let them be dropped into the fire,
- into bottomless pits from which they cannot rise.
- 11 [fn] be established in the land; as for the man of violence, let evil hunt him quickly.
- 12 [fn] that Yahweh will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the needy.
- 13 the righteous will give thanks to your name; the upright will dwell in your presence.
Prayer for God’s Help in Maintaining Integrity
- 141 Listen to my voice when I call to you.
- 2 as incense, the lifting up of my palms as the evening offering.
- 3 keep watch over the door of my lips.
- 4 to practice wicked deeds
- with men who do iniquity;
- and do not let me eat of their delicacies.
- 5 and let him chasten me.
- It is oil for my head;[fn] let not my head refuse.
- For still my prayer is against their evil deeds.
- 6 When their judges are thrown down the sides of a cliff,[fn] then they will understand that my words were pleasant.
- 7 when one plows and breaks up the earth, so our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
- 8 [fn] my eyes are toward you, O Yahweh, my Lord; I have taken refuge in you. Do not lay bare my soul.[fn]
- 9 the[fn] of the trap they have laid for me, and from the snares of evildoers.
- 10 the wicked fall into their[fn] nets, while I escape altogether.
A Prayer for Deliverance from Pursuers
- When he was in the cave. A prayer.[fn]
- 142 I implore favor with my voice to Yahweh.
- 2 I declare my trouble before him.
- 3 you know my way.
- On the path where I walk,
- they have hidden a trap for me;
- 4 my right and see. There is no one looking out for me;
- there is no escape for me;[fn]
- no one cares for my soul.[fn]
- 5 I say, “You are my refuge,
- my portion in the land of the living.”
- 6 for I am brought very low.
- Deliver me from my pursuers,
- for they are stronger than I.
- 7 [fn] out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name.
- The righteous will encircle me,
- because you will deal bountifully with me.
A Prayer for Rescue from Enemies
- 143 listen to my supplications.
- In your faithfulness answer me,
- and in your righteousness.
- 2 because no one alive is righteous before you.
- 3 the enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground.
- He has made me dwell in dark places
- like those long dead.
- 4 so my spirit grows faint within me; my heart[fn] me is desolate.
- 5 the days of long ago; I meditate on all your doings.[fn]
- I muse on the labor of your hands.
- 6 my soul longs for you like a dry land.Selah
- 7 my spirit fails.
- Do not hide your face from me,
- or I will become
- like those descending to the pit.
- 8 for I trust you.
- Cause me to know the way that I should go,
- for I lift up my soul to you.
- 9 I take refuge in you.[fn]
- 10 are my God; your Spirit is good.
- Lead me onto level ground.
- 11 in your righteousness bring me[fn] out of trouble.
- 12 and exterminate all the adversaries of my soul,
- for I am your servant.
A Prayer for National Safety
- 144 the one who trains my hands for battle,
- my fingers for war—
- 2 my stronghold and my deliverer,
- my shield, and one in whom I take refuge,
- the one who subdues peoples[fn] under me.
- 3 is humankind that you take knowledge of him, or the son of man that you take thought of him?
- 4 his days like a passing shadow.
- 5 touch the mountains so that they smoke.
- 6 dispatch your arrows and rout them.
- 7 Rescue me and deliver me from many waters,
- from the hand of foreigners,
- 8 and their right hand is a false right hand.
- 9 With a lyre of ten strings I will sing praise to you,
- 10 who rescues David his servant
- from the evil sword.
- 11 from the hand of foreigners,
- whose mouth speaks falsely,
- and whose right hand is a false right hand,
- 12 may be like plants, full grown in their youth,
- our daughters like corner pillars,
- carved in the style of a palace,
- 13 that our granaries may be full, providing produce of all kinds,[fn]
- that our sheep may produce by the thousands,
- by the tens of thousands in our open fields,
- 14 that our cattle may be pregnant; that there be no breach in our walls,
- and no going out in exile,
- and no outcry in our plazas.
- 15 are the people who have it thus. Blessed are the people whose God is Yahweh.
A Song of God’s Majesty and Love
- 145 and I will bless[fn] your name forever and ever.
- 2 and praise your name forever and ever.
- 3 is Yahweh, and very worthy of praise, and his greatness is unsearchable.
- 4 and will declare your mighty deeds.
- 5 and on your wonderful deeds, I will meditate.
- 6 [fn] and I will tell of your greatness.[fn]
- 7 [fn] the renown of your abundant goodness, and they will proclaim with joy your righteousness.
- 8 is gracious and compassionate,[fn] and great in loyal love.
- 9 is good to all, and his mercies are over all his works.
- 10 and your faithful ones will bless[fn] you.
- 11 and talk of your power,
- 12 and the glory of the majesty of his kingdom.
- 13 is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures[fn]
- 14 and raises up all who are bowed down.
- 15 The eyes of all look hopefully to you, and you give them their food in due time,
- 16 and satisfying the desire of every living creature.
- 17 is righteous in all his ways, and loyal in all his works.
- 18 is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
- 19 he also hears their cry for help, and saves them.
- 20 but all the wicked he will exterminate.
- 21 and all flesh will bless his holy name
- forever and ever.
Praise to Yahweh for His Help
- Praise Yahweh, O my soul.
- 2 I will sing praises to my God while I am still alive.
- 3 in a son of humankind with whom there is no deliverance.
- 4 [fn] on that day his plans perish.
- 5 is the one whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is on Yahweh as his God,
- 6 the sea and all that is in them,
- the one who keeps faith[fn] forever,
- 7 who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food for the hungry.
- Yahweh sets prisoners free;
- 8 the eyes of the blind; Yahweh raises up those bowed down;
- Yahweh loves the righteous;
- 9 [fn] the strangers. He helps up the orphan and the widow,
- but the way of the wicked he[fn]
- 10 Your God, O Zion,[fn]
- Praise Yah.[fn]
Praise to Yahweh for His Providence
- For it is good to sing praises to our God;
- for it is pleasant; praise is fitting.
- 2 is building Jerusalem; he gathers the scattered ones of Israel.
- 3 He is the one who heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.
- 4 He counts the number of the stars; he gives names to all of them.
- 5 is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is unlimited.
- 6 he brings the wicked down to the ground.
- 7 sing praises to our God with lyre,
- 8 the heavens with clouds, who provides rain for the earth,
- who causes grass to grow on the mountains.
- 9 He gives to the animal its food, and to the young ravens that cry.
- 10 he takes no pleasure in the legs of the man.
- 11 the ones who hope[fn] for his loyal love.
- 12 praise your God, O Zion,
- 13 He blesses your children within you;
- 14 he makes your border peaceful; he satisfies you with the[fn]
- 15 He sends out his command[fn] to the earth; his word runs swiftly.
- 16 He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes;
- 17 he throws his hail like crumbs. Who can stand before his cold?[fn]
- 18 he blows his breath, the water flows.
- 19 He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
- 20 and they do not know his ordinances.
- Praise Yah.[fn]
Let All Creation Praise Yahweh
- Praise Yahweh from the heavens;
- praise him in the heights.
- 2 praise him, all his hosts.[fn]
- 3 praise him, all stars of light.
- 4 [fn] and waters above the heavens.
- 5 because he commanded and they were created.
- 6 by a decree he gave that will not pass away.
- 7 great sea creatures and all deeps,
- 8 [fn] stormy wind doing his bidding,[fn]
- 9 fruit trees and all cedars,
- 10 [fn] creeping things and[fn]
- 11 the earth and all peoples, princes and all judges of the earth,
- 12 the old together with the young—
- 13 because his name alone is is exalted.
- His splendor is above earth and heavens.
- 14 praise for all his faithful—
- for the children of Israel,
- a people close to him.
- Praise Yah.[fn]
Praise to God for His Future Judgment
- Sing to Yahweh a new song,
- his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
- 2 let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.
- 3 let them sing praises to him with tambourine and lyre.
- 4 he glorifies the afflicted with salvation.
- 5 the faithful exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds.
- 6 be in their throat, and a double-edged sword in their hand,
- 7 and punishment on the peoples,[fn]
- 8 and their[fn] with fetters of iron,
- 9 the judgment that is decreed.[fn] This will be honor for all his faithful ones;
- Praise Yah.[fn]
Let Everything Praise Yahweh
- Praise God in his sanctuary;
- praise him in his mighty firmament.
- 2 praise him according to the abundance of his greatness.
- 3 praise him with harp and lyre.
- 4 praise him with strings and flute.
- 5 praise him with clashing cymbals.
- 6 let it praise Yah.[fn]
- Praise Yah.[fn]