The Triumphant Messiah
(Acts 4:23–31)

1Why do the nations ragea

and the peoples plot in vain?

2The kings of the earth take their stand

and the rulers gather together,

against the LORD

and against His Anointed One:b

3“Let us break Their chains

and cast away Their cords.”

4The One enthroned in heaven laughs;

the Lord taunts them.

5Then He rebukes them in His anger,

and terrifies them in His fury:

6“I have installed My King on Zion,

upon My holy mountain.”

7I will proclaim the decree

spoken to Me by the LORD:

“You are My Son;

today I have become Your Father.c

8Ask Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance,

the ends of the earth Your possession.

9You will break themd with an iron scepter;

You will shatter them like pottery.e”

10Therefore be wise, O kings;

be admonished, O judges of the earth.

11Serve the LORD with fear,

and rejoice with trembling.

12Kiss the Son, lest He be angry

and you perish in your rebellion,

when His wrath ignites in an instant.

Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.

Deliver Me, O LORD!
(2 Samuel 15:13–29)

1A Psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom.

1O LORD, how my foes have increased!

How many rise up against me!

2Many say of me,

“God will not deliver him.”

Selaha

3But You, O LORD, are a shield around me,

my glory, and the One who lifts my head.

4To the LORD I cry aloud,

and He answers me from His holy mountain.

Selah

5I lie down and sleep;

I wake again, for the LORD sustains me.

6I will not fear the myriads

set against me on every side.

7Arise, O LORD!

Save me, O my God!

Strike all my enemies on the jaw;

break the teeth of the wicked.

8Salvation belongs to the LORD;

may Your blessing be on Your people.

Selah

Answer Me When I Call!

1For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

1Answer me when I call,

O God of my righteousness!

You have relieved my distress;

show me grace and hear my prayer.

2How long, O men, will my honor be maligned?

How long will you love vanity and seek after liesa?

Selah

3Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for Himself;

the LORD hears when I call to Him.

4Be angry, yet do not sin;b

on your bed, search your heart and be still.

Selah

5Offer the sacrifices of the righteous

and trust in the LORD.

6Many ask, “Who can show us the good?”

Shine the light of Your face upon us, O LORD.

7You have filled my heart with more joy

than when grain and new wine abound.

8I will lie down and sleep in peace,

for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

Give Ear to My Words

1For the choirmaster, to be accompanied by flutes. A Psalm of David.

1Give ear to my words, O LORD;

consider my groaning.

2Attend to the sound of my cry,

my King and my God,

for to You I pray.

3In the morning, O LORD, You hear my voice;

at daybreak I lay my plea before You

and wait in expectation.

4For You are not a God who delights in wickedness;

no evil can dwell with You.

5The boastful cannot stand in Your presence;

You hate all workers of iniquity.

6You destroy those who tell lies;

the LORD abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.

7But I will enter Your house

by the abundance of Your loving devotion;a

in reverence I will bow down

toward Your holy temple.

8Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness

because of my enemies;

make straight Your way before me.

9For not a word they speak can be trusted;

destruction lies within them.

Their throats are open graves;

their tongues practice deceit.b

10Declare them guilty, O God;

let them fall by their own devices.

Drive them out for their many transgressions,

for they have rebelled against You.

11But let all who take refuge in You rejoice;

let them ever shout for joy.

May You shelter them,

that those who love Your name may rejoice in You.

12For surely You, O LORD, bless the righteous;

You surround them with the shield of Your favor.

Do Not Rebuke Me in Your Anger
(Psalm 38:1–22)

1For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments, according to Sheminith.a A Psalm of David.

1O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger

or discipline me in Your wrath.

2Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am frail;

heal me, O LORD, for my bones are in agony.

3My soul is deeply distressed.

How long, O LORD, how long?

4Turn, O LORD, and deliver my soul;

save me because of Your loving devotion.

5For there is no mention of You in death;

who can praise You from Sheol?

6I am weary from groaning;

all night I flood my bed with weeping

and drench my couch with tears.

7My eyes fail from grief;

they grow dim because of all my foes.

8Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity,

for the LORD has heard my weeping.

9The LORD has heard my cry for mercy;

the LORD accepts my prayer.

10All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed;

they will turn back in sudden disgrace.

I Take Refuge in You

1A Shiggaiona of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning the words of Cush, a Benjamite.

1O LORD my God, I take refuge in You;

save me and deliver me from all my pursuers,

2or they will shred my soul like a lion

and tear me to pieces with no one to rescue me.

3O LORD my God, if I have done this,

if injustice is on my hands,

4if I have rewarded my allyb with evil,

if I have plundered my foe without cause,

5then may my enemy pursue me and overtake me;

may he trample me to the ground

and leave my honor in the dust.

Selah

6Arise, O LORD, in Your anger;

rise up against the fury of my enemies.

Awake, my God, and ordain judgment.

7Let the assembled peoples gather around You;

take Your seat over them on high.

8The LORD judges the peoples;

vindicate me, O LORD,

according to my righteousness and integrity.

9Put an end to the evil of the wicked,

but establish the righteous,

O righteous God who searches hearts and minds.c

10My shield is with God,

who saves the upright in heart.

11God is a righteous judge

and a God who feels indignation each day.

12If one does not repent,

God will sharpen His sword;

He has bent and strung His bow.

13He has prepared His deadly weapons;

He ordains His arrows with fire.

14Behold, the wicked man travails with evil;

he conceives trouble and births falsehood.

15He has dug a hole and hollowed it out;

he has fallen into a pit of his own making.

16His trouble recoils on himself,

and his violence falls on his own head.

17I will thank the LORD for His righteousness

and sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

How Majestic Is Your Name!

1For the choirmaster. According to Gittith.a A Psalm of David.

1O LORD, our Lord,

how majestic is Your name in all the earth!

You have set Your glory

above the heavens.

2From the mouths of children and infants

You have ordained praiseb

on account of Your adversaries,

to silence the enemy and avenger.

3When I behold Your heavens,

the work of Your fingers,

the moon and the stars,

which You have set in place—

4what is man that You are mindful of him,

or the son of man that You care for him?

5You made him a little lower than the angels;c

You crowned him with glory and honor.

6You made him ruler of the works of Your hands;

You have placed everything under his feet:d

7all sheep and oxen,

and even the beasts of the field,

8the birds of the air and the fish of the sea,

all that swim the paths of the seas.

9O LORD, our Lord,

how majestic is Your name in all the earth!

I Will Give Thanks to the LORD

1For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Death of the Son.” A Psalm of David.a

1I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart;

I will recount all Your wonders.

2I will be glad and rejoice in You;

I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

3When my enemies retreat,

they stumble and perish before You.

4For You have upheld my just cause;

You sit on Your throne judging righteously.

5You have rebuked the nations;

You have destroyed the wicked;

You have erased their name forever and ever.

6The enemy has come to eternal ruin,

and You have uprooted their cities;

the very memory of them has vanished.

7But the LORD abides forever;

He has established His throne for judgment.

8He judges the world with justice;

He governs the people with equity.

9The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,

a stronghold in times of trouble.

10Those who know Your name trust in You,

for You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.

11Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion;

proclaim His deeds among the nations.

12For the Avenger of bloodshed remembers;

He does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.

13Be merciful to me, O LORD;

see how my enemies afflict me!

Lift me up from the gates of death,

14that I may declare all Your praises—

that within the gates of Daughter Zion

I may rejoice in Your salvation.

15The nations have fallen into a pit of their making;

their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.

16The LORD is known by the justice He brings;

the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.

Higgaion Selahb

17The wicked will return to Sheol—

all the nations who forget God.

18For the needy will not always be forgotten;

nor the hope of the oppressed forever dashed.

19Rise up, O LORD, do not let man prevail;

let the nations be judged in Your presence.

20Lay terror upon them, O LORD;

let the nations know they are but men.

Selah

The Perils of the Pilgrim

1Why, O LORD, do You stand far off?

Why do You hide in times of trouble?

2In pride the wicked pursue the needy;

let them be caught in the schemes they devise.

3For the wicked man boasts in the cravings of his heart;

he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.

4In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him;

in all his schemes there is no God.

5He is secure in his ways at all times;

Your lofty judgments are far from him;

he sneers at all his foes.

6He says to himself, “I will not be moved;

from age to age I am free of distress.”

7His mouth is full of cursing, deceit,a and violence;

trouble and malice are under his tongue.

8He lies in wait near the villages;

in ambush he slays the innocent;

his eyes watch in stealth for the helpless.

9He lies in wait like a lion in a thicket;

he lurks to seize the oppressed;

he catches the lowly in his net.

10They are crushed and beaten down;b

the hapless fall prey to his strength.

11He says to himself, “God has forgotten;

He hides His face and never sees.”

12Arise, O LORD! Lift up Your hand, O God!

Do not forget the helpless.

13Why has the wicked man renounced God?

He says to himself, “You will never call me to account.”

14But You have regarded trouble and grief;

You see to repay it by Your hand.

The victim entrusts himself to You;

You are the helper of the fatherless.

15Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;

call him to account for his wickedness

until none is left to be found.

16The LORD is King forever and ever;

the nations perish from His land.

17You have heard, O LORD, the desire of the humble;

You will strengthen their hearts.

You will incline Your ear,

18to vindicate the fatherless and oppressed,

that the men of the earth

may strike terror no more.

In the LORD I Take Refuge
(Habakkuk 1:12–17)

1For the choirmaster. Of David.

1In the LORD I take refuge.

How then can you say to me:

“Flee like a bird to your mountain!

2For behold, the wicked bend their bows.

They set their arrow on the string

to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.

3If the foundations are destroyed,

what can the righteous do?”

4The LORD is in His holy temple;

the LORD is on His heavenly throne.

His eyes are watching closely;

they examine the sons of men.

5The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked;

His soul hates the lover of violence.

6On the wicked He will rain down fiery coals and sulfur;

a scorching wind will be their portion.

7For the LORD is righteous; He loves justice.

The upright will see His face.

The Godly Are No More

1For the choirmaster. According to Sheminith.a A Psalm of David.

1Help, O LORD, for the godly are no more;

the faithful have vanished from among men.

2They lie to one another;

they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.

3May the LORD cut off all flattering lips

and every boastful tongue.

4They say, “With our tongues we will prevail.

We own our lips—who can be our master?”

5“For the cause of the oppressed

and for the groaning of the needy,

I will now arise,” says the LORD.

“I will bring safety to him who yearns.”

6The words of the LORD are flawless,

like silver refined in a furnace,

like gold purified sevenfold.b

7You, O LORD, will keep us;

You will forever guard us from this generation.

8The wicked wander freely,

and vileness is exalted among men.

How Long, O LORD?

1For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1How long, O LORD?

Will You forget me forever?

How long will You hide Your face from me?

2How long must I wrestle in my soul,

with sorrow in my heart each day?

How long will my enemy dominate me?

3Consider me and respond, O LORD my God.

Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death,

4lest my enemy say, “I have overcome him,”

and my foes rejoice when I fall.

5But I have trusted in Your loving devotion;

my heart will rejoice in Your salvation.

6I will sing to the LORD,

for He has been good to me.

The Fool Says There Is No God
(Psalm 53:1–6; Isaiah 59:1–17; Romans 3:9–20)

1For the choirmaster. Of David.

1The foola says in his heart,

“There is no God.”

They are corrupt; their acts are vile.

There is no one who does good.

2The LORD looks down from heaven

upon the sons of men

to see if any understand,

if any seek God.

3All have turned away,

they have together become corrupt;b

there is no one who does good,

not even one.c

4Will the workers of iniquity never learn?

They devour my people like bread;

they refuse to call upon the LORD.

5There they are, overwhelmed with dread,

for God is in the company of the righteous.

6You sinners frustrate the plans of the oppressed,

yet the LORD is their shelter.

7Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come from Zion!

When the LORD restores His captive people,

let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad!

Who May Dwell on Your Holy Mountain?

1A Psalm of David.

1O LORD, who may abide in Your tent?

Who may dwell on Your holy mountain?

2He who walks with integrity

and practices righteousness,

who speaks the truth from his heart,

3who has no slander on his tongue,

who does no harm to his neighbor,

who casts no scorn on his friend,

4who despises the vile

but honors those who fear the LORD,

who does not revise a costly oath,

5who lends his money without interest

and refuses a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things

will never be shaken.

The Presence of the LORD
(Acts 2:14–36)

1A Miktama of David.

1Preserve me, O God,

for in You I take refuge.

2I said to the LORD, “You are my Lord;

apart from You I have no good thing.”

3As for the saints in the land,

they are the excellence

in whom all my delight resides.

4Sorrows will multiply

to those who chase other gods.

I will not pour out their libations of blood,

or speak their names with my lips.

5The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;

You have made my lot secure.

6The lines of my boundary have fallen in pleasant places;

surely my inheritance is delightful.

7I will bless the LORD who counsels me;

even at night my conscience instructs me.b

8I have setc the LORD always before me.

Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

9Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;

my body also will dwell securely.d

10For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol,

nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.e

11You have made known to me the path of life;

You will fill me with joy in Your presence,f

with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.

Hear My Righteous Plea

1A prayer of David.

1Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea;

listen to my cry.

Give ear to my prayer—

it comes from lips free of deceit.

2May my vindication come from Your presence;

may Your eyes see what is right.

3You have tried my heart;

You have visited me in the night.

You have tested me and found no evil;

I have resolved not to sin with my mouth.

4As for the deeds of men—

by the word of Your lips

I have avoided the ways of the violent.

5My steps have held to Your paths;

my feet have not slipped.

6I call on You, O God,

for You will answer me.

Incline Your ear to me;

hear my words.

7Show the wonders of Your loving devotion,

You who save by Your right hand

those who seek refuge from their foes.

8Keep me as the apple ofa Your eye;

hide me in the shadow of Your wings

9from the wicked who assail me,

from my mortal enemies who surround me.

10They have closed their callous hearts;

their mouths speak with arrogance.

11They have tracked us down, and now surround us;

their eyes are set to cast us to the ground,

12like a lion greedy for prey,

like a young lion lurking in ambush.

13Arise, O LORD, confront them!

Bring them to their knees;

deliver me from the wicked by Your sword,

14from such men, O LORD, by Your hand—

from men of the world

whose portion is in this life.

May You fill the bellies of Your treasured onesb and satisfy their sons,

so they leave their abundance to their children.

15As for me, I will behold Your face in righteousness;

when I awake, I will be satisfied in Your presence.

8 a Literally as the pupil, the daughter of 
14 b Or May what You have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies 

The LORD Is My Rock
(2 Samuel 22:1–51)

1For the choirmaster. Of David the servant of the LORD, who sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:

1I love You, O LORD, my strength.

2The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer.

My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,

my shield, and the horn of my salvation,

my stronghold.

3I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;

so shall I be saved from my enemies.

4The cords of death encompassed me;

the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me.

5The cords of Sheol entangled me;

the snares of death confronted me.

6In my distress I called upon the LORD;

I cried to my God for help.

From His temple He heard my voice,

and my cry for His help reached His ears.

7Then the earth shook and quaked,

and the foundations of the mountains trembled;

they were shaken because He burned with anger.

8Smoke rose from His nostrils,

and consuming fire came from His mouth;

glowing coals blazed forth.

9He parted the heavens and came down

with dark clouds beneath His feet.

10He mounted a cherub and flew;

He soared on the wings of the wind.

11He made darkness His hiding place,

and storm clouds a canopy around Him.

12From the brightness of His presence

His clouds advanced—

hailstones and coals of fire.a

13The LORD thundered from heaven;

the voice of the Most High resounded—

hailstones and coals of fire.b

14He shot His arrows and scattered the foes;

He hurled lightning and routed them.

15The channels of the sea appeared,

and the foundations of the world were exposed,

at Your rebuke, O LORD,

at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.

16He reached down from on high and took hold of me;

He drew me out of deep waters.

17He rescued me from my powerful enemy,

from foes too mighty for me.

18They confronted me in my day of calamity,

but the LORD was my support.

19He brought me out into the open;

He rescued me because He delighted in me.

20The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness;

He has repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands.

21For I have kept the ways of the LORD

and have not wickedly departed from my God.

22For all His ordinances are before me;

I have not disregarded His statutes.

23And I have been blameless before Him

and kept myself from iniquity.

24So the LORD has repaid me according to my righteousness,

according to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.

25To the faithful You show Yourself faithful,

to the blameless You show Yourself blameless;

26to the pure You show Yourself pure,

but to the crooked You show Yourself shrewd.

27For You save an afflicted people,

but You humble those with haughty eyes.

28For You, O LORD, light my lamp;

my God lights up my darkness.

29For in You I can charge an army,

and with my God I can scale a wall.

30As for God, His way is perfect;

the word of the LORD is flawless.

He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

31For who is God besides the LORD?

And who is the Rock except our God?

32It is God who arms me with strength

and makes my way clear.

33He makes my feet like those of a deer

and stations me upon the heights.

34He trains my hands for battle;

my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

35You have given me Your shield of salvation;

Your right hand upholds me,

and Your gentleness exalts me.c

36You broaden the path beneath me

so that my ankles do not give way.

37I pursued my enemies and overtook them;

I did not turn back until they were consumed.

38I crushed them so they could not rise;

they have fallen under my feet.

39You have armed me with strength for battle;

You have subdued my foes beneath me.

40You have made my enemies retreat before me;

I put an end to those who hated me.

41They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—

to the LORD, but He did not answer.

42I ground them as dust in the face of the wind;

I trampled themd like mud in the streets.

43You have delivered me from the strife of the people;

You have made me the head of nations;

a people I had not known shall serve me.

44When they hear me, they obey me;

foreigners cower before me.

45Foreigners lose heart

and come trembling from their strongholds.

46The LORD lives, and blessed be my Rock!

And may the God of my salvation be exalted—

47the God who avenges me

and subdues nations beneath me,

48who delivers me from my enemies.

You exalt me above my foes;

You rescue me from violent men.

49Therefore I will praise You, O LORD, among the nations;

I will sing praises to Your name.e

50Great salvation He brings to His king.

He shows loving devotion to His anointed,

to David and his descendants forever.

12 a Or bolts of lightning ; also in verse 13
13 b Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts and LXX do not include —hailstones and coals of fire ; see 2 Samuel 22:14.
35 c Or and Your help exalts me  or and You stoop down to make me great 
42 d Some Hebrew manuscripts, LXX, and Syriac (see also 2 Samuel 22:43); MT I poured them out 
49 e Cited in Romans 15:9

The Heavens Declare the Glory of God

1For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of His hands.

2Day after day they pour forth speech;

night after night they reveal knowledge.

3Without speech or language,

without a sound to be heard,a

4their voiceb has gone out into all the earth,

their words to the ends of the world.c

In the heavens He has pitched

a tent for the sun.

5Like a bridegroom emerging from his chamber,

like a champion rejoicing to run his course,

6it rises at one end of the heavens

and runs its circuit to the other;

nothing is deprived of its warmth.

7The Law of the LORD is perfect,

reviving the soul;

the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy,

making wise the simple.

8The precepts of the LORD are right,

bringing joy to the heart;

the commandments of the LORD are radiant,

giving light to the eyes.

9The fear of the LORD is pure,

enduring forever;

the judgments of the LORD are true,

being altogether righteous.

10They are more precious than gold,

than much pure gold;

they are sweeter than honey,

than honey from the comb.

11By them indeed Your servant is warned;

in keeping them is great reward.

12Who can discern his own errors?

Cleanse me from my hidden faults.

13Keep Your servant also from willful sins;

may they not rule over me.

Then I will be blameless

and cleansed of great transgression.

14May the words of my mouth

and the meditation of my heart

be pleasing in Your sight,

O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

The Day of Trouble

1For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble;

may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

2May He send you help from the sanctuary

and sustain you from Zion.

3May He remember all your gifts

and look favorably on your burnt offerings.

Selah

4May He give you the desires of your heart

and make all your plans succeed.

5May we shout for joy at your victory

and raise a banner in the name of our God.

May the LORD grant all your petitions.

6Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed;

He answers him from His holy heaven

with the saving power of His right hand.

7Some trust in chariots and others in horses,

but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

8They collapse and fall,

but we rise up and stand firm.

9O LORD, savea the king.

Answer us on the day we call.

9 a Or give victory to 

After the Battle
(Proverbs 21:1–31)

1For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1O LORD, the king rejoices in Your strength.

How greatly he exults in Your salvation!

2You have granted his heart’s desire

and have not withheld the request of his lips.

Selah

3For You welcomed him with rich blessings;

You placed on his head a crown of pure gold.

4He asked You for life, and You granted it—

length of days, forever and ever.

5Great is his glory in Your salvation;

You bestow on him splendor and majesty.

6For You grant him blessings forever;

You cheer him with joy in Your presence.

7For the king trusts in the LORD;

through the loving devotion of the Most High,

he will not be shaken.

8Your hand will apprehend all Your enemies;

Your right hand will seize those who hate You.

9You will place them in a fiery furnace

at the time of Your appearing.

In His wrath the LORD will engulf them,

and the fire will consume them.

10You will wipe their descendants from the earth,

and their offspring from the sons of men.

11Though they intend You harm,

the schemes they devise will not prevail.

12For You will put them to flight

when Your bow is trained upon them.

13Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength;

we will sing and praise Your power.

The Psalm of the Cross
(Matthew 27:32–56; Mark 15:21–41; Luke 23:26–43; John 19:16–30)

1For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Doe of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David.

1My God, my God,

why have You forsaken me?a

Why are You so far from saving me,

so far from my words of groaning?

2I cry out by day, O my God,

but You do not answer,

and by night,

but I have no rest.

3Yet You are holy,

enthroned on the praises of Israel.

4In You our fathers trusted;

they trusted and You delivered them.

5They cried out to You and were set free;

they trusted in You and were not disappointed.

6But I am a worm and not a man,

scorned by men and despised by the people.

7All who see me mock me;

they sneer and shake their heads:

8“He trusts in the LORD,

let the LORD deliver him;

let the LORD rescue him,

since He delights in him.”b

9Yet You brought me forth from the womb;

You made me secure at my mother’s breast.

10From birth I was cast upon You;

from my mother’s womb You have been my God.

11Be not far from me,

for trouble is near

and there is no one to help.

12Many bulls surround me;

strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.

13They open their jaws against me

like lions that roar and maul.

14I am poured out like water,

and all my bones are disjointed.

My heart is like wax;

it melts away within me.

15My strengthc is dried up like a potsherd,

and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.

You lay me in the dust of death.

16For dogs surround me;

a band of evil men encircles me;

they have pierced my hands and feet.d

17I can count all my bones;

they stare and gloat over me.

18They divide my garments among them

and cast lots for my clothing.e

19But You, O LORD, be not far off;

O my Strength, come quickly to help me.

20Deliver my soul from the sword,

my precious life from the power of wild dogs.

21Save me from the mouth of the lion;

at the horns of the wild oxen You have answered me!

22I will proclaim Your name to my brothers;

I will praise You in the assembly.f

23You who fear the LORD, praise Him!

All descendants of Jacob, honor Him!

All offspring of Israel, revere Him!

24For He has not despised or detested

the torment of the afflicted.

He has not hidden His face from him,

but has attended to his cry for help.

25My praise for You resounds in the great assembly;

I will fulfill my vows before those who fear You.

26The poor will eat and be satisfied;

those who seek the LORD will praise Him.

May your hearts live forever!

27All the ends of the earth

will remember and turn to the LORD.

All the families of the nations

will bow down before Him.

28For dominion belongs to the LORD

and He rules over the nations.

29All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;

all who go down to the dust will kneel before Him—

even those unable to preserve their lives.

30Posterity will serve Him;

they will declare the Lord to a new generation.

31They will come and proclaim His righteousness

to a people yet unborn—

all that He has done.

The LORD Is My Shepherd
(Ezekiel 34:11–24; John 10:1–21)

1A Psalm of David.

1The LORD is my shepherd;a

I shall not want.

2He makes me lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside quiet waters.

3He restores my soul;

He guides me in the paths of righteousness

for the sake of His name.

4Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,b

I will fear no evil,

for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

5You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6Surely goodness and mercy will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD

forever.

The Earth Is the LORD’s

1A Psalm of David.

1The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof,a

the world and all who dwell therein.

2For He has founded it upon the seas

and established it upon the waters.

3Who may ascend the hill of the LORD?

Who may stand in His holy place?

4He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

who does not lift up his soul to an idolb

or swear deceitfully.

5He will receive blessing from the LORD

and vindication from the God of his salvation.

6Such is the generation of those who seek Him,

who seek Your face, O God of Jacob.c

Selah

7Lift up your heads, O gates!

Be lifted up, O ancient doors,

that the King of Glory may enter!

8Who is this King of Glory?

The LORD strong and mighty,

the LORD mighty in battle.

9Lift up your heads, O gates!

Be lifted up, O ancient doors,

that the King of Glory may enter!

10Who is He, this King of Glory?

The LORD of Hosts—

He is the King of Glory.

Selah

To You I Lift Up My Soul

1Of David.a

1To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul;

2in You, my God, I trust.

Do not let me be put to shame;

do not let my enemies exult over me.

3Surely none who wait for You will be put to shame;

but those who are faithless without cause will be disgraced.

4Show me Your ways, O LORD;

teach me Your paths.

5Guide me in Your truth and teach me,

for You are the God of my salvation;

all day long I wait for You.

6Remember, O LORD, Your compassion and loving devotion,

for they are from age to age.

7Remember not the sins of my youth,

nor my rebellious acts;

remember me according to Your loving devotion,

because of Your goodness, O LORD.

8Good and upright is the LORD;

therefore He shows sinners the way.

9He guides the humble in what is right

and teaches them His way.

10All the LORD’s ways are loving and faithful

to those who keep His covenant and His decrees.

11For the sake of Your name, O LORD,

forgive my iniquity, for it is great.

12Who is the man who fears the LORD?

He will instruct him in the path chosen for him.

13His soul will dwell in prosperity,

and his descendants will inherit the land.

14The LORD confides in those who fear Him,

and reveals His covenant to them.

15My eyes are always on the LORD,

for He will free my feet from the mesh.

16Turn to me and be gracious,

for I am lonely and afflicted.

17The troubles of my heart increase;

free me from my distress.

18Consider my affliction and trouble,

and take away all my sins.

19Consider my enemies, for they are many,

and they hate me with vicious hatred.

20Guard my soul and deliver me;

let me not be put to shame,

for I take refuge in You.

21May integrity and uprightness preserve me,

because I wait for You.b

22Redeem Israel, O God,

from all its distress.

Vindicate Me, O LORD

1Of David.

1Vindicate me, O LORD!

For I have walked with integrity;

I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.

2Test me, O LORD, and try me;

examine my hearta and mind.

3For Your loving devotion is before my eyes,

and I have walked in Your truth.

4I do not sit with deceitful men,

nor keep company with hypocrites.

5I hate the mob of evildoers,

and refuse to sit with the wicked.

6I wash my hands in innocence

that I may go about Your altar, O LORD,

7to raise my voice in thanksgiving

and declare all Your wonderful works.

8O LORD, I love the house where You dwell,

the place where Your glory resides.

9Do not take my soul away with sinners,

or my life with men of bloodshed,

10in whose hands are wicked schemes,

whose right hands are full of bribes.

11But I will walk with integrity;

redeem me and be merciful to me.

12My feet stand on level ground;

in the congregations I will bless the LORD.

The LORD Is My Salvation

1Of David.

1The LORD is my light and my salvation—

whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold of my life—

whom shall I dread?

2When the wicked came upon me to devour my flesh,

my enemies and foes stumbled and fell.

3Though an army encamps around me,

my heart will not fear;

though a war breaks out against me,

I will keep my trust.

4One thing I have asked of the LORD;

this is what I desire:

to dwell in the house of the LORD

all the days of my life,

to gaze on the beauty of the LORD

and seek Him in His temple.

5For in the day of trouble

He will hide me in His shelter;

He will conceal me under the cover of His tent;

He will set me high upon a rock.

6Then my head will be held high

above my enemies around me.

At His tabernacle I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy;

I will sing and make music to the LORD.

7Hear, O LORD, my voice when I call;

be merciful and answer me.

8My heart said, “Seek His face.”

Your face, O LORD, I will seek.

9Hide not Your face from me,

nor turn away Your servant in anger.

You have been my helper;

do not leave me or forsake me,

O God of my salvation.

10Though my father and mother forsake me,

the LORD will receive me.

11Teach me Your way, O LORD,

and lead me on a level path,

because of my oppressors.

12Do not hand me over to the will of my foes,

for false witnesses rise up against me,

breathing out violence.

13Still I am certain to see

the goodness of the LORD

in the land of the living.

14Wait patiently for the LORD;

be strong and courageous.

Wait patiently for the LORD!

The LORD Is My Strength

1Of David.

1To You, O LORD, I call;

be not deaf to me, O my Rock.

For if You remain silent,

I will be like those descending to the Pit.

2Hear my cry for mercy

when I call to You for help,

when I lift up my hands

toward Your holy sanctuary.a

3Do not drag me away with the wicked,

and with the workers of iniquity,

who speak peace to their neighbors

while malice is in their hearts.

4Repay them according to their deeds

and for their works of evil.

Repay them for what their hands have done;

bring back on them what they deserve.

5Since they show no regard for the works of the LORD

or what His hands have done,

He will tear them down

and never rebuild them.

6Blessed be the LORD,

for He has heard my cry for mercy.

7The LORD is my strength and my shield;

my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.

Therefore my heart rejoices,

and I give thanks to Him with my song.

8The LORD is the strength of His people,

a stronghold of salvation for His anointed.

9Save Your people and bless Your inheritance;

shepherd them and carry them forever.

Ascribe Glory to the LORD

1A Psalm of David.

1Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings,a

ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

2Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name;

worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness.b

3The voice of the LORD is over the waters;

the God of glory thunders;

the LORD is heard over many waters.

4The voice of the LORD is powerful;

the voice of the LORD is majestic.

5The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;

the LORD shatters the cedars of Lebanon.

6He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,

and Sirionc like a young wild ox.

7The voice of the LORD

strikes with flames of fire.

8The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;

the LORD shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.

9The voice of the LORD twists the oaksd

and strips the forests bare.

And in His temple all cry, “Glory!”

10The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;

the LORD is enthroned as King forever.

11The LORD gives His people strength;

the LORD blesses His people with peace.

You Turned My Mourning into Dancing

1A Psalm. A song for the dedication of the temple. Of David.

1I will exalt You, O LORD,

for You have lifted me up

and have not allowed my foes

to rejoice over me.

2O LORD my God, I cried to You for help,

and You healed me.

3O LORD, You pulled me up from Sheol;

You spared me from descending into the Pit.

4Sing to the LORD, O you His saints,

and praise His holy name.a

5For His anger is fleeting,

but His favor lasts a lifetime.

Weeping may stay the night,

but joy comes in the morning.

6In prosperity I said,

“I will never be shaken.”

7O LORD, You favored me;

You made my mountain stand strong.

When You hid Your face,

I was dismayed.

8To You, O LORD, I called,

and I begged my Lord for mercy:

9“What gain is there in my bloodshed,b

in my descent to the Pit?c

Will the dust praise You?

Will it proclaim Your faithfulness?

10Hear me, O LORD, and have mercy;

O LORD, be my helper.”

11You turned my mourning into dancing;

You peeled off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

12that my heart may sing Your praises and not be silent.

O LORD my God, I will give thanks forever.

Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit
(Luke 23:44–49)

1For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge;

let me never be put to shame;

save me by Your righteousness.

2Incline Your ear to me;

come quickly to my rescue.

Be my rock of refuge,

the stronghold of my deliverance.

3For You are my rock and my fortress;

lead me and guide me for the sake of Your name.

4You free me from the net laid out for me,

for You are my refuge.

5Into Your hands I commit my spirit;a

You have redeemed me, O LORD, God of truth.

6I hateb those who cling to worthless idols,

but in the LORD I trust.

7I will be glad and rejoice in Your loving devotion,

for You have seen my affliction;

You have known the anguish of my soul.

8You have not delivered me to the enemy;

You have set my feet in the open.

9Be merciful to me, O LORD,

for I am in distress;

my eyes fail from sorrow,

my soul and body as well.

10For my life is consumed with grief

and my years with groaning;

my iniquity has drained my strength,

and my bones are wasting away.

11Among all my enemies I am a disgrace,

and among my neighbors even more.

I am dreaded by my friends—

they flee when they see me on the street.

12I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind.

I am like a broken vessel.

13For I hear the slander of many;

there is terror on every side.

They conspire against me

and plot to take my life.

14But I trust in You, O LORD;

I say, “You are my God.”

15My times are in Your hands;

deliver me from my enemies

and from those who pursue me.

16Make Your face shine on Your servant;

save me by Your loving devotion.

17O LORD, let me not be ashamed,

for I have called on You.

Let the wicked be put to shame;

let them lie silent in Sheol.

18May lying lips be silenced—

lips that speak with arrogance against the righteous,

full of pride and contempt.

19How great is Your goodness

which You have laid up for those who fear You,

which You have bestowed before the sons of men

on those who take refuge in You!

20You hide them in the secret place of Your presence

from the schemes of men.

You conceal them in Your shelter

from accusing tongues.

21Blessed be the LORD,

for He has shown me His loving devotion

in a city under siege.

22In my alarm I said,

“I am cut off from Your sight!”

But You heard my plea for mercy

when I called to You for help.

23Love the LORD, all His saints.

The LORD preserves the faithful,

but fully repays the arrogant.

24Be strong and courageous,

all you who hope in the LORD.

The Joy of Forgiveness
(Romans 4:1–12)

1Of David. A Maskil.a

1Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven,

whose sins are covered.b

2Blessed is the man

whose iniquity the LORD does not count against him,c

in whose spirit there is no deceit.

3When I kept silent, my bones became brittle

from my groaning all day long.

4For day and night

Your hand was heavy upon me;

my strength was drainedd

as in the summer heat.

Selah

5Then I acknowledged my sin to You

and did not hide my iniquity.

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,”

and You forgave the guilt of my sin.

Selah

6Therefore let all the godly pray to You

while You may be found.

Surely when great waters rise,

they will not come near.

7You are my hiding place.

You protect me from trouble;

You surround me with songs of deliverance.

Selah

8I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go;

I will give you counsel and watch over you.

9Do not be like the horse or mule,

which have no understanding;

they must be controlled with bit and bridle

to make them come to you.

10Many are the sorrows of the wicked,

but loving devotion surrounds him who trusts in the LORD.

11Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous ones;

shout for joy, all you upright in heart.

Praise to the Creator
(Psalm 148:1–14)

1Rejoice in the LORD, O righteous ones;

it is fitting for the upright to praise Him.

2Praise the LORD with the harp;

make music to Him with ten strings.

3Sing to Him a new song;

play skillfully with a shout of joy.

4For the word of the LORD is upright,

and all His work is trustworthy.

5The LORD loves righteousness and justice;

the earth is full of His loving devotion.

6By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,

and all the stars by the breath of His mouth.

7He piles up the waters of the sea;

He puts the depths into storehouses.

8Let all the earth fear the LORD;

let all the people of the world revere Him.

9For He spoke, and it came to be;

He commanded, and it stood firm.

10The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations;

He thwarts the devices of the peoples.

11The counsel of the LORD stands forever,

the purposes of His heart to all generations.

12Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,

the people He has chosen as His inheritance!

13The LORD looks down from heaven;

He sees all the sons of men.

14From His dwelling place He gazes

on all who inhabit the earth.

15He shapes the hearts of each;

He considers all their works.

16No king is saved by his vast army;

no warrior is delivered by his great strength.

17A horse is a vain hope for salvation;

even its great strength cannot save.

18Surely the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear Him,

on those whose hope is in His loving devotion

19to deliver them from death

and keep them alive in famine.

20Our soul waits for the LORD;

He is our help and our shield.

21For our hearts rejoice in Him,

since we trust in His holy name.

22May Your loving devotion rest on us, O LORD,

as we put our hope in You.

Taste and See That the LORD Is Good
(1 Samuel 21:8–15)

1Of David, when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech,a so that the king drove him away.b

1I will bless the LORD at all times;

His praise will always be on my lips.

2My soul boasts in the LORD;

let the oppressed hear and rejoice.

3Magnify the LORD with me;

let us exalt His name together.

4I sought the LORD, and He answered me;

He delivered me from all my fears.

5Those who look to Him are radiant with joy;

their faces shall never be ashamed.

6This poor man called out, and the LORD heard him;

He saved him from all his troubles.

7The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him,

and he delivers them.

8Taste and see that the LORD is good;

blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

9Fear the LORD, you His saints,

for those who fear Him lack nothing.

10Young lions go lacking and hungry,

but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

11Come, children, listen to me;

I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

12Who is the man who delights in life,

who desires to see good days?

13Keep your tongue from evil

and your lips from deceitful speech.

14Turn away from evil and do good;

seek peace and pursue it.

15The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,

and His ears are inclined to their cry.c

16But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,d

to wipe out all memory of them from the earth.

17The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears;

He delivers them from all their troubles.

18The LORD is near to the brokenhearted;

He saves the contrite in spirit.

19Many are the afflictions of the righteous,

but the LORD delivers him from them all.

20He protects all his bones;

not one of them will be broken.e

21Evil will slay the wicked,

and the haters of the righteous will be condemned.

22The LORD redeems His servants,

and none who take refuge in Him will be condemned.

Contend with My Opponents, O LORD

1Of David.

1Contend with my opponents, O LORD;

fight against those who fight against me.

2Take up Your shield and buckler;

arise and come to my aid.

3Draw the spear and javelina against my pursuers;

say to my soul: “I am your salvation.”

4May those who seek my life

be disgraced and put to shame;

may those who plan to harm me

be driven back and confounded.

5May they be like chaff in the wind,

as the angel of the LORD drives them away.

6May their path be dark and slick,

as the angel of the LORD pursues.

7For without cause they laid their net for me;

without reason they dug a pit for my soul.

8May ruin befall them by surprise;

may the net they hid ensnare them;

may they fall into the hazard they created.

9Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD

and exult in His salvation.

10All my bones will exclaim,

“Who is like You, O LORD,

who delivers the afflicted from the aggressor,

the poor and needy from the robber?”

11Hostile witnesses come forward;

they make charges I know nothing about.

12They repay me evil for good,

to the bereavement of my soul.

13Yet when they were ill,

I put on sackcloth;

I humbled myself with fasting,

but my prayers returned unanswered.b

14I paced about

as for my friend or brother;

I was bowed down with grief,

like one mourning for his mother.

15But when I stumbled, they assembled in glee;

they gathered together against me.

Assailants I did not know

slandered me without ceasing.

16Like godless jesters at a feast,c

they gnashed their teeth at me.

17How long, O Lord, will You look on?

Rescue my soul from their ravages,

my precious life from these lions.

18Then I will give You thanks in the great assembly;

I will praise You among many people.

19Let not my enemies gloat over me without cause,

nor those who hate me without reason wink in malice.d

20For they do not speak peace,

but they devise deceitful schemes

against those who live quietly in the land.

21They gape at me and say,

“Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen!”

22O LORD, You have seen it; be not silent.

O Lord, be not far from me.

23Awake and rise to my defense,

to my cause, my God and my Lord!

24Vindicate me by Your righteousness, O LORD my God,

and do not let them gloat over me.

25Let them not say in their hearts,

“Aha, just what we wanted!”

Let them not say,

“We have swallowed him up!”

26May those who gloat in my distress

be ashamed and confounded;

may those who exalt themselves over me

be clothed in shame and reproach.

27May those who favor my vindication

shout for joy and gladness;

may they always say, “Exalted be the LORD

who delights in His servant’s well-being.”

28Then my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness

and Your praises all day long.

The Transgression of the Wicked

1For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD.

1An oracle is in my heart

regarding the transgression of the wicked man:

There is no fear of God

before his eyes.a

2For his eyes are too full of conceit

to detect or hate his own sin.

3The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful;

he has ceased to be wise and well-doing.

4Even on his bed he plots wickedness;

he sets himself on a path that is not good;

he fails to reject evil.

5Your loving devotion, O LORD, reaches to the heavens,

Your faithfulness to the clouds.

6Your righteousness is like the highest mountains;

Your judgments are like the deepest sea.

O LORD, You preserve man and beast.

7How precious is Your loving devotion, O God,

that the children of men take refuge

in the shadow of Your wings!

8They feast on the abundance of Your house,

and You give them drink from Your river of delights.

9For with You is the fountain of life;

in Your light we see light.

10Extend Your loving devotion to those who know You,

and Your righteousness to the upright in heart.

11Let not the foot of the proud come against me,

nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.

12There the evildoers lie fallen,

thrown down and unable to rise.

1 a Cited in Romans 3:18

Delight Yourself in the LORD
(1 Kings 2:1–9)

1Of David.a

1Do not fret over those who do evil;

do not envy those who do wrong.

2For they wither quickly like grass

and wilt like tender plants.

3Trust in the LORD and do good;

dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.

4Delight yourself in the LORD,

and He will give you the desires of your heart.

5Commit your way to the LORD;

trust in Him, and He will do it.

6He will bring forth your righteousness like the dawn,

your justice like the noonday sun.

7Be still before the LORD

and wait patiently for Him;

do not fret when men prosper in their ways,

when they carry out wicked schemes.

8Refrain from anger and abandon wrath;

do not fret—it can only bring harm.

9For the evildoers will be cut off,

but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

10Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more;

though you look for them, they will not be found.

11But the meek will inherit the landb

and delight in abundant prosperity.

12The wicked scheme against the righteous

and gnash their teeth at them,

13but the Lord laughs,

seeing that their day is coming.

14The wicked have drawn the sword

and bent the bow

to bring down the poor and needy,

to slay those whose ways are upright.

15But their swords will pierce their own hearts,

and their bows will be broken.

16Better is the little of the righteous

than the abundance of many who are wicked.

17For the arms of the wicked will be broken,

but the LORD upholds the righteous.

18The LORD knows the days of the blameless,

and their inheritance will last forever.

19In the time of evil they will not be ashamed,

and in the days of famine they will be satisfied.

20But the wicked and enemies of the LORD

will perish like the glory of the fields.

They will vanish;

like smoke they will fade away.

21The wicked borrow and do not repay,

but the righteous are gracious and giving.

22Surely those He blesses will inherit the land,

but the cursed will be destroyed.

23The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD

who takes delight in his journey.

24Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed,

for the LORD is holding his hand.c

25I once was young and now am old,

yet never have I seen the righteous abandoned

or their children begging for bread.

26They are ever generous and quick to lend,

and their children are a blessing.

27Turn away from evil and do good,

so that you will abide forever.

28For the LORD loves justice

and will not forsake His saints.

They are preserved forever,

but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off.

29The righteous will inherit the land

and dwell in it forever.

30The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom,

and his tongue speaks justice.

31The law of his God is in his heart;

his steps do not falter.

32Though the wicked lie in wait for the righteous,

and seek to slay them,

33the LORD will not leave them in their power

or let them be condemned under judgment.

34Wait for the LORD and keep His way,

and He will raise you up to inherit the land.

When the wicked are cut off,

you will see it.

35I have seen a wicked, ruthless man

flourishing like a well-rooted native tree,

36yet he passed away and was no more;

though I searched, he could not be found.

37Consider the blameless and observe the upright,

for posterity awaits the man of peace.d

38But the transgressors will all be destroyed;

the future of the wicked will be cut off.

39The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;

He is their stronghold in time of trouble.

40The LORD helps and delivers them;

He rescues and saves them from the wicked,

because they take refuge in Him.

Do Not Rebuke Me in Your Anger
(Psalm 6:1–10)

1A Psalm of David, for remembrance.

1O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger

or discipline me in Your wrath.

2For Your arrows have pierced me deeply,

and Your hand has pressed down on me.

3There is no soundness in my body

because of Your anger;

there is no rest in my bones

because of my sin.

4For my iniquities have overwhelmed me;

they are a burden too heavy to bear.

5My wounds are foul and festering

because of my sinful folly.

6I am bent and brought low;

all day long I go about mourning.

7For my loins are full of burning pain,

and no soundness remains in my body.

8I am numb and badly crushed;

I groan in anguish of heart.

9O Lord, my every desire is before You;

my groaning is not hidden from You.

10My heart pounds, my strength fails,

and even the light of my eyes has faded.

11My beloved and friends shun my disease,

and my kinsmen stand at a distance.

12Those who seek my life lay snares;

those who wish me harm speak destruction,

plotting deceit all day long.

13But like a deaf man, I do not hear;

and like a mute man, I do not open my mouth.

14I am like a man who cannot hear,

whose mouth offers no reply.

15I wait for You, O LORD;

You will answer, O Lord my God.

16For I said, “Let them not gloat over me—

those who taunt me when my foot slips.”

17For I am ready to fall,

and my pain is ever with me.

18Yes, I confess my iniquity;

I am troubled by my sin.

19Many are my enemies without cause,a

and many hate me without reason.b

20Those who repay my good with evil

attack me for pursuing the good.

21Do not forsake me, O LORD;

be not far from me, O my God.

22Come quickly to help me,

O Lord my Savior.

I Will Watch My Ways

1For the choirmaster. For Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

1I said, “I will watch my ways

so that I will not sin with my tongue;

I will guard my mouth with a muzzle

as long as the wicked are present.”

2I was speechless and still;

I remained silent, even from speaking good,

and my sorrow was stirred.

3My heart grew hot within me;

as I mused, the fire burned.

Then I spoke with my tongue:

4“Show me, O LORD, my end

and the measure of my days.

Let me know how fleeting my life is.

5You, indeed, have made my days as handbreadths,

and my lifetime as nothing before You.

Truly each man at his best

exists as but a breath.

Selah

6Surely every man goes about like a phantom;

surely he bustles in vain;

he heaps up riches

not knowing who will haul them away.

7And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?

My hope is in You.

8Deliver me from all my transgressions;

do not make me the reproach of fools.

9I have become mute;

I do not open my mouth

because of what You have done.

10Remove Your scourge from me;

I am perishing by the force of Your hand.

11You discipline and correct a man for his iniquity,

consuming like a moth what he holds dear;

surely each man is but a vapor.

Selah

12Hear my prayer, O LORD,

and give ear to my cry for help;

do not be deaf to my weeping.

For I am a foreigner dwelling with You,

a stranger like all my fathers.

13Turn Your gaze away from me,

that I may again be cheered

before I depart and am no more.”

I Waited Patiently for the LORD
(Psalm 70:1–5; Hebrews 10:1–18)

1For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1I waited patiently for the LORD;

He inclined to me and heard my cry.

2He lifted me up from the pit of despair,

out of the miry clay;

He set my feet upon a rock,

and made my footsteps firm.

3He put a new song in my mouth,

a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear

and put their trust in the LORD.

4Blessed is the man

who has made the LORD his trust,

who has not turned to the proud,

nor to those who lapse into falsehood.a

5Many, O LORD my God,

are the wonders You have done,

and the plans You have for us—

none can compare to You—

if I proclaim and declare them,

they are more than I can count.

6Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,

but my ears You have opened.b

Burnt offerings and sin offerings

You did not require.

7Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—

it is written about me in the scroll:

8I delight to do Your will, O my God;c

Your law is within my heart.”

9I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;

behold, I do not seal my lips,

as You, O LORD, do know.

10I have not covered up Your righteousness in my heart;

I have declared Your faithfulness and salvation;

I have not concealed Your loving devotion and faithfulness

from the great assembly.

11O LORD, do not withhold Your mercy from me;

Your loving devotion and faithfulness will always guard me.

12For evils without number surround me;

my sins have overtaken me, so that I cannot see.

They are more than the hairs of my head,

and my heart has failed within me.

13Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me;

hurry, O LORD, to help me.

14May those who seek my life

be ashamed and confounded;

may those who wish me harm

be repelled and humiliated.

15May those who say to me, “Aha, aha!”

be appalled at their own shame.

16May all who seek You

rejoice and be glad in You;

may those who love Your salvation

always say, “The LORD be magnified!”

17But I am poor and needy;

may the Lord think of me.

You are my helper and deliverer;

O my God, do not delay.

Victory over Betrayal
(John 13:18–30)

1For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1Blessed is the one who cares for the poor;

the LORD will deliver him in the day of trouble.

2The LORD will protect and preserve him;

He will bless him in the land

and refuse to surrender him

to the will of his foes.

3The LORD will sustain him on his bed of illness

and restore him from his bed of sickness.

4I said, “O LORD, be gracious to me;

heal me, for I have sinned against You.”

5My enemies say with malice:

“When will he die and be forgotten?”

6My visitor speaks falsehood;

he gathers slander in his heart;

he goes out and spreads it abroad.

7All who hate me whisper against me;

they imagine the worst for me:

8“A vile disease has been poured into him;

he will never get up from where he lies!”

9Even my close friend whom I trusted,

the one who shared my bread,

has lifted up his heel against me.a

10But You, O LORD, be gracious to me and raise me up,

that I may repay them.

11By this I know that You delight in me,

for my enemy does not triumph over me.

12In my integrity You uphold me

and set me in Your presence forever.

13Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,

from everlasting to everlasting.

Amen and Amen.

9 a Cited in John 13:18

BOOK II

Psalms 42–72

As the Deer Pants for the Water

1For the choirmaster. A Maskil of the sons of Korah.a

1As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul longs after You, O God.

2My soul thirsts for God, the living God.

When shall I come and appear in God’s presence?b

3My tears have been my food

both day and night,

while men ask me all day long,

“Where is your God?”

4These things come to mind as I pour out my soul:

how I walked with the multitude,

leading the procession to the house of God

with shouts of joy and praise.

5Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why the unease within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him

for the salvation of His presence.

6O my God, my soul despairs within me.

Therefore I remember You

from the land of Jordan and the peaks of Hermon—

even from Mount Mizar.

7Deep calls to deep

in the roar of Your waterfalls;

all Your breakers and waves

have rolled over me.

8The LORD decrees His loving devotion by day,

and at night His song is with me

as a prayer to the God of my life.

9I say to God my Rock,

“Why have You forgotten me?

Why must I walk in sorrow

because of the enemy’s oppression?”

10Like the crushing of my bones,

my enemies taunt me,

while they say to me all day long,

“Where is your God?”

11Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why the unease within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him,

my Savior and my God.

Send Out Your Light

1Vindicate me, O God, and plead my case

against an ungodly nation;

deliver me from deceitful and unjust men.

2For You are the God of my refuge.

Why have You rejected me?

Why must I walk in sorrow

because of the enemy’s oppression?

3Send out Your light and Your truth;

let them lead me.

Let them bring me to Your holy mountain,

and to the place where You dwell.

4Then I will go to the altar of God,

to God, my greatest joy.

I will praise You with the harp,

O God, my God.

5Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why the unease within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him,

my Savior and my God.

Redeem Us, O God
(Romans 8:35–39)

1For the choirmaster. A Maskila of the sons of Korah.

1We have heard with our ears, O God;

our fathers have told us

the work You did in their days,

in the days of old.

2With Your hand You drove out the nations

and planted our fathers there;

You crushed the peoples

and cast them out.

3For it was not by their sword that they took the land;

their arm did not bring them victory.

It was by Your right hand,

Your arm, and the light of Your face,

because You favored them.

4You are my King, O God,

who ordains victories for Jacob.

5Through You we repel our foes;

through Your name we trample our enemies.

6For I do not trust in my bow,

nor does my sword save me.b

7For You save us from our enemies;

You put those who hate us to shame.

8In God we have boasted all day long,

and Your name we will praise forever.

Selah

9But You have rejected and humbled us;

You no longer go forth with our armies.

10You have made us retreat from the foe,

and those who hate us have plundered us.

11You have given us up as sheep to be devoured;

You have scattered us among the nations.

12You sell Your people for nothing;

no profit do You gain from their sale.

13You have made us a reproach to our neighbors,

a mockery and derision to those around us.

14You have made us a byword among the nations,

a laughingstockc among the peoples.

15All day long my disgrace is before me,

and shame has covered my face,

16at the voice of the scorner and reviler,

because of the enemy, bent on revenge.

17All this has come upon us,

though we have not forgotten You

or betrayed Your covenant.

18Our hearts have not turned back;

our steps have not strayed from Your path.

19But You have crushed us in the lair of jackals;d

You have covered us with deepest darkness.

20If we had forgotten the name of our God

or spread out our hands to a foreign god,

21would not God have discovered,

since He knows the secrets of the heart?

22Yet for Your sake we face death all day long;

we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.e

23Wake up, O Lord! Why are You sleeping?

Arise! Do not reject us forever.

24Why do You hide Your face

and forget our affliction and oppression?

25For our soul has sunk to the dust;

our bodies cling to the earth.

26Rise up; be our help!

Redeem us on account of Your loving devotion.

My Heart Is Stirred by a Noble Theme
(1 Kings 3:1–15; 2 Chronicles 1:1–13; Psalm 72:1–20)

1For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Lilies.” A Maskila of the sons of Korah. A love song.

1My heart is stirred by a noble theme

as I recite my verses to the king;b

my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.

2You are the most handsome of men;

grace has anointed your lips,

since God has blessed you forever.

3Strap your sword at your side, O mighty warrior;

appear in your majesty and splendor.

4In your splendor ride forth in victory

on behalf of truth and humility and justice;

may your right hand show your awesome deeds.

5Your arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s foes;

the nations fall beneath your feet.

6Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever,

and justice is the scepter of Your kingdom.

7You have loved righteousness

and hated wickedness;

therefore God, your God, has anointed you

above your companions with the oil of joy.c

8All your garments are fragrant

with myrrh and aloes and cassia;

from palaces of ivory the harps make you glad.

9The daughters of kings are among your honored women;

the queen stands at your right hand,

adorned with the gold of Ophir.

10Listen, O daughter! Consider and incline your ear:

Forget your people and your father’s house,

11and the king will desire your beauty;

bow to him, for he is your lord.

12The Daughter of Tyre will come with a gift;

men of wealth will seek your favor.

13All glorious is the princess in her chamber;

her gown is embroidered with gold.

14In colorful garments she is led to the king;

her virgin companions are brought before you.

15They are led in with joy and gladness;

they enter the palace of the king.

16Your sons will succeed your fathers;

you will make them princes throughout the land.

17I will commemorate your name through all generations;

therefore the nations will praise you forever and ever.

1 a Maskil  is probably a musical or liturgical term; used for Psalms 32, 42, 44–45, 52–55, 74, 78, 88–89, and 142.
1 b Or King ; here and throughout Psalm 45
7 c Cited in Hebrews 1:8–9

God Is Our Refuge and Strength
(2 Kings 18:13–16; 2 Chronicles 32:1–8)

1For the choirmaster. Of the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth.a A song.

1God is our refuge and strength,

an ever-present help in times of trouble.

2Therefore we will not fear,

though the earth is transformed

and the mountains are toppled

into the depths of the seas,

3though their waters roar and foam

and the mountains quake in the surge.

Selah

4There is a river whose streams delight the city of God,

the holy place where the Most High dwells.

5God is within her; she will not be moved.

God will help her when morning dawns.

6Nations rage, kingdoms crumble;

the earth melts when He lifts His voice.

7The LORD of Hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Selah

8Come, see the works of the LORD,

who brings devastation upon the earth.

9He makes wars to cease throughout the earth;

He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;

He burns the shieldsb in the fire.

10“Be still and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted over the earth.”

11The LORD of Hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Selah

Clap Your Hands, All You Peoples

1For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

1Clap your hands, all you peoples;

shout unto God with a voice of triumph.

2How awesome is the LORD Most High,

the great King over all the earth!

3He subdues nations beneath us,

and peoples under our feet.

4He chooses our inheritance for us,

the pride of Jacob, whom He loves.

Selah

5God has ascended amid shouts of joy,

the LORD with the sound of the horn.

6Sing praises to God, sing praises;

sing praises to our King, sing praises!

7For God is King of all the earth;

sing profound praises to Him.a

8God reigns over the nations;

God is seated on His holy throne.

9The nobles of the nations have assembled

as the people of the God of Abraham;

for the shields of the earth belong to God;

He is highly exalted.

Broken Bondage

1A song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

1Great is the LORD,

and greatly to be praised

in the city of our God,

His holy mountain.

2Beautiful in loftiness,

the joy of all the earth,

like the peaks of Zaphona is Mount Zion,

the city of the great King.

3God is in her citadels;

He has shown Himself to be a fortress.

4For behold, the kings assembled;

they all advanced together.

5They saw and were astounded;

they fled in terror.

6Trembling seized them there,

anguish like a woman in labor.

7With a wind from the east

You wrecked the ships of Tarshish.b

8As we have heard, so we have seen

in the city of the LORD of Hosts,

in the city of our God:

God will establish her forever.

Selah

9Within Your temple, O God,

we contemplate Your loving devotion.

10Your name, O God, like Your praise,

reaches to the ends of the earth;

Your right hand is full of righteousness.

11Mount Zion is glad,

the daughtersc of Judah rejoice,

on account of Your judgments.

12March around Zion, encircle her,

count her towers,

13consider her ramparts, tour her citadels,

that you may tell the next generation.

14For this God is our God forever and ever;

He will be our guide even till death.d

The Evanescence of Wealth
(Ecclesiastes 5:8–20)

1For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

1Hear this, all you peoples;

listen, all inhabitants of the world,

2both low and high,

rich and poor alike.

3My mouth will impart wisdom,

and the meditation of my heart will bring understanding.

4I will incline my ear to a proverb;

I will express my riddle with the harp:

5Why should I fear in times of trouble,

when wicked usurpers surround me?

6They trust in their wealth

and boast in their great riches.

7No man can possibly redeem his brothera

or pay his ransom to God.

8For the redemption of his soul is costly,

and never can payment suffice,

9that he should live on forever

and not see decay.

10For it is clear that wise men die,

and the foolish and the senseless both perish

and leave their wealth to others.

11Their gravesb are their eternal homes—

their dwellings for endless generations—

even though their lands were their namesakes.

12But a man, despite his wealth, cannot endure;

he is like the beasts that perish.

13This is the fate of the self-confidentc

and their followers who endorse their sayings.

Selah

14Like sheep they are destined for Sheol.

Death will be their shepherd.

The upright will rule them in the morning,

and their form will decay in Sheol,

far from their lofty abode.

15But God will redeem my life from Sheol,

for He will surely take me to Himself.

Selah

16Do not be amazed when a man grows rich,

when the splendor of his house increases.

17For when he dies, he will carry nothing away;

his abundance will not follow him down.

18Though in his lifetime he blesses his soul—

and men praise you when you prosper—

19he will join the generation of his fathers,

who will never see the light of day.

20A man who has riches without understanding

is like the beasts that perish.

The Mighty One Calls

1A Psalm of Asaph.

1The Mighty One, God the LORD,

speaks and summons the earth

from where the sun rises to where it sets.

2From Zion, perfect in beauty,

God shines forth.

3Our God approaches and will not be silent!

Consuming fire precedes Him,

and a tempest rages around Him.

4He summons the heavens above,

and the earth, that He may judge His people:

5“Gather to Me My saints,

who made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”

6And the heavens proclaim His righteousness,

for God Himself is Judge.a

Selah

7“Hear, O My people, and I will speak,

O Israel, and I will testify against you:

I am God, your God.

8I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices,

and your burnt offerings are ever before Me.

9I have no need for a bull from your stall

or goats from your pens,

10for every beast of the forest is Mine—

the cattle on a thousand hills.

11I know every bird in the mountains,

and the creatures of the field are Mine.

12If I were hungry, I would not tell you,

for the world is Mine, and the fullness thereof.

13Do I eat the flesh of bulls,

or drink the blood of goats?

14Sacrifice a thank offering to God,

and fulfill your vows to the Most High.

15Call upon Me in the day of trouble;

I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.”

16To the wicked, however, God says,

“What right have you to recite My statutes

and to bear My covenant on your lips?

17For you hate My instruction

and cast My words behind you.

18When you see a thief, you befriend him,

and throw in your lot with adulterers.

19You unleash your mouth for evil

and unharness your tongue for deceit.

20You sit and malign your brother;

you slander your own mother’s son.

21You have done these things, and I kept silent;

you thought I wasb just like you.

But now I rebuke you

and accuse you to your face.c

22Now consider this, you who forget God,

lest I tear you to pieces,

with no one to rescue you:

23He who sacrifices a thank offering honors Me,

and to him who rights his way,

I will show the salvation of God.”

Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God
(2 Samuel 12:1–12)

1For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. When Nathan the prophet came to him after his adultery with Bathsheba.

1Have mercy on me,a O God,

according to Your loving devotion;

according to Your great compassion,

blot out my transgressions.

2Wash me clean of my iniquity

and cleanse me from my sin.

3For I know my transgressions,

and my sin is always before me.

4Against You, You only, have I sinned

and done what is evil in Your sight,

so that You may be proved right when You speak

and blameless when You judge.b

5Surely I was brought forth in iniquity;

I was sinful when my mother conceived me.

6Surely You desire truth in the inmost being;

You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

7Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean;

wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

8Let me hear joy and gladness;

let the bones You have crushed rejoice.

9Hide Your face from my sins

and blot out all my iniquities.

10Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and renew a right spirit within me.

11Cast me not away from Your presence;

take not Your Holy Spirit from me.

12Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,

and sustain me with a willing spirit.

13Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,

and sinners will return to You.

14Deliver me from bloodguilt, O God,

the God of my salvation,

and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.

15O Lord, open my lips,

and my mouth will declare Your praise.

16For You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;

You take no pleasure in burnt offerings.

17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

a broken and a contrite heart,

O God, You will not despise.

18In Your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper;

build up the walls of Jerusalem.

19Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices,

in whole burnt offerings;

then bulls will be offered on Your altar.

Why Do You Boast of Evil?
(1 Samuel 22:6–23)

1For the choirmaster. A Maskila of David. After Doeg the Edomite went to Saul and told him, “David has gone to the house of Ahimelech.”

1Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?

The loving devotion of God endures all day long.

2Your tongue devises destruction

like a sharpened razor,

O worker of deceit.

3You love evil more than good,

falsehood more than speaking truth.

Selah

4You love every word that devours,

O deceitful tongue.

5Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin;

He will snatch you up and tear you away from your tent;

He will uproot you from the land of the living.

Selah

6The righteous will see and fear;

they will mock the evildoer, saying,

7“Look at the man

who did not make God his refuge,

but trusted in the abundance of his wealth

and strengthened himself by destruction.”

8But I am like an olive tree

flourishing in the house of God;

I trust in the loving devotion of God

forever and ever.

9I will praise You forever,

because You have done it.

I will wait on Your name—

for it is good—

in the presence of Your saints.

1 a Maskil  is probably a musical or liturgical term; used for Psalms 32, 42, 44–45, 52–55, 74, 78, 88–89, and 142.

The Fool Says There Is No God
(Psalm 14:1–7; Isaiah 59:1–17; Romans 3:9–20)

1For the choirmaster. According to Mahalath.a A Maskilb of David.

1The fool says in his heart,

“There is no God.”

They are corrupt; their ways are vile.

There is no one who does good.

2God looks down from heaven

upon the sons of men

to see if any understand,

if any seek God.

3All have turned away,

they have together become corrupt;c

there is no one who does good,

not even one.d

4Will the workers of iniquity never learn?

They devour my people like bread;

they refuse to call upon God.

5There they are, overwhelmed with dread,

where there was nothing to fear.

For God has scattered the bones

of those who besieged you.

You put them to shame,

for God has despised them.

6Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come from Zion!

When God restores His captive people,e

let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad!

Save Me by Your Name
(1 Samuel 23:7–29)

1For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Maskila of David. When the Ziphites went to Saul and said, “Is David not hiding among us?”

1Save me, O God, by Your name,

and vindicate me by Your might!

2Hear my prayer, O God;

listen to the words of my mouth.

3For strangers rise up against me,

and ruthless men seek my life—

men with no regard for God.

Selah

4Surely God is my helper;

the Lord is the sustainer of my soul.

5He will reward my enemies with evil.

In Your faithfulness, destroy them.

6Freely I will sacrifice to You;

I will praise Your name, O LORD, for it is good.

7For He has delivered me from every trouble,

and my eyes have stared down my foes.

1 a Maskil  is probably a musical or liturgical term; used for Psalms 32, 42, 44–45, 52–55, 74, 78, 88–89, and 142.

Cast Your Burden upon the LORD
(2 Samuel 17:15–29)

1For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Maskila of David.

1Listen to my prayer, O God,

and do not ignore my plea.

2Attend to me and answer me.

I am restless in my complaint,

and distraught 3at the voice of the enemy,

at the pressure of the wicked.

For they release disaster upon me

and revile me in their anger.

4My heart murmurs within me,

and the terrors of death assail me.

5Fear and trembling grip me,

and horror has overwhelmed me.

6I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!

I would fly away and find rest.

7How far away I would flee!

In the wilderness I would remain.

Selah

8I would hurry to my shelter,

far from this raging tempest.”

9O Lord, confuse and confound their speech,

for I see violence and strife in the city.

10Day and night they encircle the walls,

while malice and trouble lie within.

11Destruction is within;

oppression and deceit never leave the streets.

12For it is not an enemy who insults me;

that I could endure.

It is not a foe who rises against me;

from him I could hide.

13But it is you, a man like myself,

my companion and close friend.

14We shared sweet fellowship together;

we walked with the crowd into the house of God.

15Let death seize them by surprise;

let them go down to Sheol alive,

for evil is with them in their homes.

16But I call to God,

and the LORD saves me.

17Morning, noon, and night, I cry out in distress,

and He hears my voice.

18He redeems my soul in peace

from the battle waged against me,

even though many oppose me.

19God will hear and humiliate them—

the One enthroned for the ages—

Selah

because they do not change

and they have no fear of God.

20My companion attacks his friends;

he violates his covenant.

21His speech is smooth as butter,

but war is in his heart.

His words are softer than oil,

yet they are swords unsheathed.

22Cast your burden upon the LORD

and He will sustain you;

He will never let the righteous be shaken.

23But You, O God, will bring them down

to the Pit of destruction;

men of bloodshed and deceit

will not live out half their days.

But I will trust in You.

1 a Maskil  is probably a musical or liturgical term; used for Psalms 32, 42, 44–45, 52–55, 74, 78, 88–89, and 142.

Be Merciful to Me, O God
(1 Samuel 21:8–15)

1For the choirmaster. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” A Miktama of David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

1Be merciful to me, O God,

for men are hounding me;

all day they press their attack.

2My enemies pursue me all day long,

for many proudly assail me.

3When I am afraid,

I put my trust in You.

4In God, whose word I praise—

in God I trust.

I will not be afraid.

What can man do to me?

5All day long they twist my words;

all their thoughts are on my demise.

6They conspire, they lurk,

they watch my steps

while they wait to take my life.

7In spite of such sin, will they escape?b

In Your anger, O God, cast down the nations.

8You have taken account of my wanderings.c

Put my tears in Your bottle—

are they not in Your book?

9Then my enemies will retreat

on the day I cry for help.

By this I will know that God is on my side.

10In God, whose word I praise,

in the LORD, whose word I praise,

11in God I trust; I will not be afraid.

What can man do to me?

12Your vows are upon me, O God;

I will render thank offerings to You.

13For You have delivered my soul from death,

and my feet from stumbling,

that I may walk before God

in the light of life.

In You My Soul Takes Refuge
(1 Samuel 22:1–5; Psalm 108:1–13; Psalm 142:1–7)

1For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktama of David, when he fled from Saul into the cave.

1Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy,

for in You my soul takes refuge.

In the shadow of Your wings I will take shelter

until the danger has passed.

2I cry out to God Most High,b

to God who fulfills His purpose for me.

3He reaches down from heaven and saves me;

He rebukes those who trample me.

Selah

God sends forth

His loving devotion and His truth.

4My soul is among the lions;

I lie down with ravenous beasts—

with men whose teeth are spears and arrows,

whose tongues are sharp swords.

5Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;

may Your glory cover all the earth.

6They spread a net for my feet;

my soul was despondent.

They dug a pit before me,

but they themselves have fallen into it!

Selah

7My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast.

I will sing and make music.

8Awake, my glory!c

Awake, O harp and lyre!

I will awaken the dawn.

9I will praise You, O Lord, among the nations;

I will sing Your praises among the peoples.

10For Your loving devotion reaches to the heavens,

and Your faithfulness to the clouds.

11Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;

may Your glory cover all the earth.

1 a Miktam  is probably a musical or liturgical term; used for Psalms 16 and 56–60.
2 b Hebrew Elohim-Elyon 
8 c Or Awake, my soul! 

God Judges the Earth

1For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktama of David.

1Do you indeed speak justly, O rulers?

Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?

2No, in your hearts you devise injustice;

with your hands you mete out violence on the earth.

3The wicked are estranged from the womb;

the liars go astray from birth.

4Their venom is like the venom of a snake,

like a cobra that shuts its ears,

5refusing to hear the tune of the charmer

who skillfully weaves his spell.

6O God, shatter their teeth in their mouths;

O LORD, tear out the fangs of the lions.

7May they vanish

like water that runs off;

when they draw the bow,

may their arrows be blunted.b

8Like a slug that dissolves in its slime,

like a woman’s stillborn child,

may they never see the sun.

9Before your pots can feel the burning thorns—

whether green or dry—

He will sweep them away.

10The righteous will rejoice

when they see they are avenged;

they will wash their feet

in the blood of the wicked.

11Then men will say,

“There is surely a reward for the righteous!

There is surely a God who judges the earth!”

1 a Miktam  is probably a musical or liturgical term; used for Psalms 16 and 56–60.
7 b Or when they are trodden down, may they wither like grass 

Deliver Me from My Enemies
(1 Samuel 19:1–24)

1For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktama of David, when Saul sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him.

1Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;

protect me from those who rise against me.

2Deliver me from workers of iniquity,

and save me from men of bloodshed.

3See how they lie in wait for me.

Fierce men conspire against me

for no transgression or sin of my own, O LORD.

4For no fault of my own,

they move swiftly to attack me.

Arise to help me, and take notice.

5O LORD God of Hosts, the God of Israel,

rouse Yourself to punish all the nations;

show no mercy to the wicked traitors.

Selah

6They return in the evening, snarling like dogs

and prowling around the city.

7See what they spew from their mouths—

sharp words from their lips:

“For who can hear us?”

8But You, O LORD, laugh at them;

You scoff at all the nations.

9I will keep watch for You, O my strength,

because You, O God, are my fortress.

10My God of loving devotion will come to meet me;

God will let me stare down my foes.

11Do not kill them,

or my people will forget.

Scatter them by Your power,

and bring them down,

O Lord, our shield.

12By the sins of their mouths

and the words of their lips,

let them be trapped in their pride,

in the curses and lies they utter.

13Consume them in wrath;

consume them till they are no more,

so it may be known to the ends of the earth

that God rules over Jacob.

Selah

14They return in the evening,

snarling like dogs

and prowling around the city.

15They scavenge for food,

and growl if they are not satisfied.

16But I will sing of Your strength

and proclaim Your loving devotion in the morning.

For You are my fortress,

my refuge in times of trouble.

17To You, O my strength, I sing praises,

for You, O God, are my fortress,

my God of loving devotion.

1 a Miktam  is probably a musical or liturgical term; used for Psalms 16 and 56–60.

Victory with God
(2 Samuel 8:1–14; 1 Chronicles 18:1–13; Psalm 108:1–13)

1For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Lily of the Covenant.” A Miktama of David for instruction. When he fought Aram-naharaimb and Aram-zobah,c and Joab returned and struck down 12,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt.

1You have rejected us, O God;

You have broken us;

You have been angry;

restore us!

2You have shaken the land

and torn it open.

Heal its fractures,

for it is quaking.

3You have shown Your people hardship;

we are staggered from the wine You made us drink.

4You have raised a banner for those who fear You,

that they may flee the bow.d

Selah

5Respond and save us with Your right hand,

that Your beloved may be delivered.

6God has spoken from His sanctuary:e

“I will triumph!

I will parcel out Shechem

and apportion the Valley of Succoth.

7Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine;

Ephraim is My helmet, Judah is My scepter.

8Moab is My washbasin;

upon Edom I toss My sandal;

over Philistia I shout in triumph.”

9Who will bring me to the fortified city?

Who will lead me to Edom?

10Have You not rejected us, O God?

Will You no longer march out, O God, with our armies?

11Give us aid against the enemy,

for the help of man is worthless.

12With God we will perform with valor,

and He will trample our enemies.

You Have Heard My Vows

1For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. Of David.

1Hear my cry, O God;

attend to my prayer.

2From the ends of the earth I call out to You

whenever my heart is faint.

Lead me to the rock

that is higher than I.

3For You have been my refuge,

a tower of strength against the enemy.

4Let me dwell in Your tent forever

and take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.

Selah

5For You have heard my vows, O God;

You have given me the inheritance

reserved for those who fear Your name.

6Increase the days of the king’s life;

may his years span many generations.

7May he sit enthroned in God’s presence forever;

appoint Your loving devotion

and Your faithfulness to guard him.

8Then I will ever sing praise to Your name

and fulfill my vows day by day.

Waiting on God

1For the choirmaster. According to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

1In God alone my soul finds rest;

my salvation comes from Him.

2He alone is my rock and my salvation.

He is my fortress;

I will never be shaken.

3How long will you threaten a man?

Will all of you throw him down

like a leaning wall

or a tottering fence?

4They fully intend to cast him down from his lofty perch;

they delight in lies;

with their mouths they bless,

but inwardly they curse.

Selah

5Rest in God alone, O my soul,

for my hope comes from Him.

6He alone is my rock and my salvation;

He is my fortress; I will not be shaken.

7My salvation and my honor rest on God, my strong rock;

my refuge is in God.

8Trust in Him at all times, O people;

pour out your hearts before Him.

God is our refuge.

Selah

9Lowborn men are but a vapor,

the exalted but a lie.

Weighed on the scale, they go up;

together they are but a vapor.

10Place no trust in extortion,

or false hope in stolen goods.

If your riches increase,

do not set your heart upon them.

11God has spoken once;

I have heard this twice:

that power belongs to God,

12and loving devotion to You, O Lord.

For You will repay each man

according to his deeds.a

12 a Cited in Romans 2:6

Thirsting for God
(2 Samuel 15:30–37)

1A Psalm of David, when he was in the Wilderness of Judah.

1O God, You are my God.

Earnestly I seek You;

my soul thirsts for You.

My body yearns for You

in a dry and weary land without water.

2So I have seen You in the sanctuary

and beheld Your power and glory.

3Because Your loving devotion is better than life,

my lips will glorify You.

4So I will bless You as long as I live;

in Your name I will lift my hands.

5My soul is satisfied as with the richest of foods;

with joyful lips my mouth will praise You.

6When I remember You on my bed,

I think of You through the watches of the night.

7For You are my help;

I will sing for joy in the shadow of Your wings.

8My soul clings to You;

Your right hand upholds me.

9But those who seek my life to destroy it

will go into the depths of the earth.

10They will fall to the power of the sword;

they will become a portion for foxes.

11But the king will rejoice in God;

all who swear by Him will exult,

for the mouths of liars will be shut.

The Hurtful Tongue
(James 3:1–12)

1For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1Hear, O God, my voice of complaint;

preserve my life from dread of the enemy.

2Hide me from the scheming of the wicked,

from the mob of workers of iniquity,

3who sharpen their tongues like swords

and aim their bitter words like arrows,

4ambushing the innocent in seclusion,

shooting suddenly, without fear.

5They hold fast to their evil purpose;

they speak of hiding their snares.

“Who will see them?” they say.

6They devise injustice and say,

“We have perfected a secret plan.”

For the inner man and the heart are mysterious.

7But God will shoot them with arrows;

suddenly they will be wounded.

8They will be made to stumble,

their own tongues turned against them.

All who see will shake their heads.

9Then all mankind will fear

and proclaim the work of God;

so they will ponder what He has done.

10Let the righteous rejoice in the LORD

and take refuge in Him;

let all the upright in heart exult.

Praise Awaits God in Zion

1For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A song.

1Praise awaits You, O God, in Zion;

to You our vows will be fulfilled.

2O You who listen to prayer,

all people will come to You.