Bible Reading Plan

Praise to the Creator and Protector.

^1 (C1)Sing for joy in the LORD, you righteous ones;
Praise is ^(C2)becoming to the upright.

² Give thanks to the LORD with the ^(C1)lyre;
Sing praises to Him with a ^(C2)harp of ten strings.

³ Sing to Him a ^(C1)new song;
Play skillfully with ^(C2)a shout of joy.

⁴ For the word of the LORD ^(C1)is right,
And all His work is done ^(C2)in faithfulness.

⁵ He ^(C1)loves righteousness and justice;
The ^(C2)earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.

⁶ By the ^(C1)word of the LORD the heavens were made,
And ^(C2)by the breath of His mouth ^(C3)all their ^(F1)lights.

⁷ He gathers the ^(C1)waters of the sea together ^(F1)as a heap;
He puts the depths in storehouses.

⁸ Let ^(C1)all the earth fear the LORD;
Let all the inhabitants of the world ^(C2)stand in awe of Him.

⁹ For ^(C1)He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it ^(F1)stood firm.

¹⁰ The LORD ^(C1)nullifies the plan of nations;
He frustrates the plans of peoples.

¹¹ The ^(C1)plan of the LORD stands forever,
The ^(C2)plans of His heart from generation to generation.

¹² Blessed is the ^(C1)nation whose God is the LORD,
The people He has ^(C2)chosen for His own inheritance.

¹³ The LORD ^(C1)looks from heaven;
He ^(C2)sees all the sons of mankind;

¹⁴ From ^(C1)His dwelling place He looks out
On all the inhabitants of the earth,

¹⁵ He who ^(C1)fashions ^(F1)the hearts of them all,
He who ^(C2)understands all their works.

^16 (C1)The king is not saved by a mighty army;
A warrior is not rescued by great strength.

¹⁷ A ^(C1)horse is a false hope for victory;
Nor does it rescue anyone by its great strength.

¹⁸ Behold, ^(C1)the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him,
On those who ^(C2)wait for His faithfulness,

¹⁹ To ^(C1)rescue their soul from death
And to keep them alive ^(C2)in famine.

²⁰ Our soul ^(C1)waits for the LORD;
He is our ^(C2)help and our shield.

²¹ For our ^(C1)heart rejoices in Him,
Because we trust in His holy name.

²² Let Your favor, LORD, be upon us,
Just as we have waited for You.

The LORD, a Provider and the One Who Rescues Me.

¹ I will ^(C1)bless the LORD at all times;
His ^(C2)praise shall continually be in my mouth.

² My soul will ^(C1)make its boast in the LORD;
The ^(C2)humble will hear it and rejoice.

^3 (C1)Exalt the LORD with me,
And let's ^(C2)exalt His name together.

⁴ I ^(C1)sought the LORD and He answered me,
And ^(C2)rescued me from all my fears.

⁵ They ^(C1)looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will ^(C2)never be ashamed.

⁶ This wretched man cried out, and ^(C1)the LORD heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.

⁷ The ^(C1)angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him,
And rescues them.

^8 (C1)Taste and see that the LORD is good;
How ^(C2)blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

⁹ Fear the LORD, you ^(C1)His saints;
For to those who fear Him there is ^(C2)no lack of anything.

¹⁰ The young lions do without and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the LORD will ^(C1)not lack any good thing.

^11 (C1)Come, you children, listen to me;
^(C2)I will teach you ^(C3)the fear of the LORD.

^12 (C1)Who is the person who desires life
And loves length of days, that he may ^(C2)see good?

¹³ Keep ^(C1)your tongue from evil
And your lips from speaking ^(C2)deceit.

^14 (C1)Turn from evil and do good;
Seek peace and ^(C2)pursue it.

¹⁵ The ^(C1)eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous,
And His ears are toward their cry for help.

¹⁶ The ^(C1)face of the LORD is against evildoers,
To ^(C2)eliminate the memory of them from the earth.

¹⁷ The righteous ^(C1)cry out, and the LORD hears
And rescues them from all their troubles.

¹⁸ The LORD ^(C1)is near to the ^(C2)brokenhearted
And saves those who are ^(F1)(C3)crushed in spirit.

^19 (C1)The ^(C2)afflictions of the righteous are many,
But the LORD ^(C3)rescues him from them all.

²⁰ He protects all his bones,
^(C1)Not one of them is broken.

^21 (C1)Evil will bring death to the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous will suffer for their guilt.

²² The LORD ^(C1)redeems the souls of His servants,
And none of those who ^(C2)take refuge in Him will suffer for their guilt.

Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.

¹ Contend, LORD, with those who ^(C1)contend with me;
Fight against those who ^(C2)fight against me.

² Take hold of ^(F1)(C1)buckler and shield
And rise up as ^(C2)my help.

³ Draw also the spear and ^(F1)the battle-axe to meet those who pursue me;
Say to my soul, "I am ^(C1)your salvation."

⁴ Let those be ^(C1)ashamed and dishonored who seek my ^(F1)life;
Let those be ^(C2)turned back and humiliated who devise evil against me.

⁵ Let them be ^(C1)like chaff before the wind,
With the angel of the LORD driving them on.

⁶ Let their way be dark and ^(C1)slippery,
With the angel of the LORD pursuing them.

⁷ For ^(C1)they ^(C2)hid their net for me without cause;
Without cause they dug a pit for my soul.

⁸ Let ^(C1)destruction come upon him when he is unaware,
And ^(C2)let the net which he hid catch him;
Let him fall into that very ^(C3)destruction.

⁹ So my soul shall ^(C1)rejoice in the LORD;
It shall ^(C2)rejoice in His salvation.

¹⁰ All my ^(C1)bones will say, "LORD, ^(C2)who is like You,
Who rescues the afflicted from one ^(C3)who is too strong for him,
And ^(C4)the afflicted and the poor from one who robs him?"

^11 (C1)Malicious witnesses rise up;
They ask me things that I do not know.

¹² They ^(C1)repay me evil for good,
To the bereavement of my soul.

¹³ But as for me, ^(C1)when they were sick, my ^(C2)clothing was sackcloth;
I ^(C3)humbled my soul with fasting,
But my ^(C4)prayer kept returning to ^(F1)me.

¹⁴ I went about as though it were my friend or brother;
I ^(C1)bowed down ^(F1)in mourning, like one who mourns for a mother.

¹⁵ But ^(C1)at my ^(F1)stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together;
The ^(F2)(C2)afflicted people whom I did not know gathered together against me,
They ^(F3)(C3)slandered me without ceasing.

¹⁶ Like godless jesters at a feast,
They ^(C1)gnashed at me with their teeth.

¹⁷ Lord, ^(C1)how long will You look on?
Rescue my soul ^(C2)from their ravages,
My ^(C3)only life from the lions.

¹⁸ I will ^(C1)give You thanks in the great congregation;
I will ^(C2)praise You among a mighty people.

^19 (C1)Do not let those who are wrongfully ^(C2)my enemies rejoice over me;
Nor let those ^(C3)who hate me for no reason ^(F1)(C4)wink maliciously.

²⁰ For they do not speak peace,
But they devise ^(C1)deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.

²¹ They ^(C1)opened their mouth wide against me;
They said, "^(C2)Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen it!"

^22 (C1)You have seen it, LORD, ^(C2)do not keep silent;
Lord, ^(C3)do not be far from me.

^23 (C1)Stir Yourself, and awake to my right
And to my cause, my God and my Lord.

^24 (C1)Judge me, LORD my God, according to Your righteousness,
And ^(C2)do not let them rejoice over me.

²⁵ Do not let them say in their heart, "^(C1)Aha, our desire!"
Do not let them say, "We have ^(C2)swallowed him up!"

²⁶ May ^(C1)those be ashamed and altogether humiliated who rejoice at my distress;
May those who ^(C2)exalt themselves over me be ^(C3)clothed with shame and dishonor.

²⁷ May those ^(C1)shout for joy and rejoice, who take delight in ^(C2)my vindication;
And ^(C3)may they say continually, "The LORD be exalted,
Who ^(C4)delights in the prosperity of His servant."

²⁸ And ^(C1)my tongue shall proclaim Your righteousness
And Your praise all day long.

Wickedness of Humanity and Goodness of God.

^1 (F1)Wrongdoing speaks to the ungodly within ^(F2)his heart;
There is ^(C1)no fear of God before his eyes.

² For it ^(C1)flatters him in his own eyes
Concerning the discovery of his wrongful deed and the hatred of it.

³ The ^(C1)words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit;
He has ^(C2)ceased to ^(F1)be wise and to do good.

⁴ He ^(C1)plans wickedness on his bed;
He sets himself on a ^(C2)path that is not good;
He ^(C3)does not reject evil.

⁵ Your ^(C1)mercy, LORD, ^(F1)extends to the heavens,
Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

⁶ Your ^(C1)righteousness is like the ^(F1)mountains of God;
Your ^(C2)judgments are like the great deep.
LORD, You ^(F2)(C3)protect mankind and animals.

⁷ How ^(C1)precious is Your mercy, God!
And the sons of mankind ^(C2)take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.

⁸ They ^(C1)drink their fill of the ^(F1)abundance of Your house;
And You allow them to drink from the ^(C2)river of Your delights.

⁹ For the ^(C1)fountain of life is with You;
In Your light we see light.

¹⁰ Prolong Your mercy to ^(C1)those who know You,
And Your ^(C2)righteousness to the upright of heart.

¹¹ May the foot of pride not come upon me,
And may the hand of the wicked not drive me away.

¹² Those who do injustice have fallen there;
They have been thrust down and ^(C1)cannot rise.

Security of Those Who Trust in the LORD, and Insecurity of the Wicked.

^1 (C1)Do not get upset because of evildoers,
Do not be ^(C2)envious of wrongdoers.

² For they will ^(C1)wither quickly like the grass,
And ^(C2)decay like the green plants.

^3 (C1)Trust in the LORD and do good;
^(C2)Live in the land and ^(F1)(C3)cultivate faithfulness.

^4 (C1)Delight yourself in the LORD;
And He will ^(C2)give you the desires of your heart.

^5 (C1)Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it.

⁶ He will bring out ^(C1)your righteousness as the light,
And your judgment ^(C2)as the noonday.

^7 (F1)Rest in the LORD and ^(C1)wait ^(F2)patiently for Him;
^(C2)Do not get upset because of one who is ^(C3)successful in his way,
Because of the person who carries out wicked schemes.

⁸ Cease from anger and ^(C1)abandon wrath;
Do not get upset; it leads only to evildoing.

⁹ For ^(C1)evildoers will be eliminated,
But those who wait for the LORD, they will ^(C2)inherit the land.

¹⁰ Yet ^(C1)a little while and the wicked person will be no more;
And you will look carefully for ^(C2)his place and he will not be there.

¹¹ But ^(C1)the humble will inherit the land
And will delight themselves in ^(C2)abundant prosperity.

¹² The wicked ^(C1)plots against the righteous,
And ^(C2)gnashes at him with his teeth.

¹³ The Lord ^(C1)laughs at him,
For He sees that ^(C2)his day is coming.

¹⁴ The wicked have drawn the sword and ^(C1)bent their bow
To take down the ^(C2)afflicted and the needy,
To ^(C3)kill off those who are upright in conduct.

¹⁵ Their sword will enter their own heart,
And their ^(C1)bows will be broken.

^16 (C1)Better is the little of the righteous
Than the abundance of many wicked.

¹⁷ For the ^(C1)arms of the wicked will be broken,
But the LORD ^(C2)sustains the righteous.

¹⁸ The LORD ^(C1)knows the days of the ^(F1)blameless,
And their ^(C2)inheritance will be forever.

¹⁹ They will not be ashamed in the time of evil,
And ^(C1)in the days of famine they will have plenty.

²⁰ But the ^(C1)wicked will perish;
And the enemies of the LORD will be like the ^(F1)glory of the pastures,
They vanish—^(C2)like smoke they vanish away.

²¹ The wicked borrows and does not pay back,
But the righteous ^(C1)is gracious and gives.

²² For ^(C1)those blessed by Him will ^(C2)inherit the land,
But those ^(C3)cursed by Him will be eliminated.

^23 (C1)The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
And He ^(C2)delights in his way.

²⁴ When ^(C1)he falls, he will not be hurled down,
Because ^(C2)the LORD is the One ^(F1)who holds his hand.

²⁵ I have been young and now I am old,
Yet ^(C1)I have not seen the righteous forsaken
Or ^(C2)his ^(F1)descendants begging for bread.

²⁶ All day long ^(C1)he is gracious and lends,
And ^(C2)his ^(F1)descendants are a blessing.

^27 (C1)Turn from evil and do good,
So that you will dwell ^(C2)forever.

²⁸ For the LORD ^(C1)loves ^(F1)justice
And ^(C2)does not abandon His godly ones;
They are ^(C3)protected forever,
But the ^(F2)(C4)descendants of the wicked will be eliminated.

²⁹ The righteous will ^(C1)inherit the land
And ^(C2)dwell in it forever.

³⁰ The mouth of the righteous ^(C1)utters wisdom,
And his tongue ^(C2)speaks justice.

³¹ The ^(C1)Law of his God is in his heart;
His ^(C2)steps do not slip.

³² The ^(C1)wicked spies upon the righteous
And ^(C2)seeks to kill him.

³³ The LORD will ^(C1)not leave him in his hand
Or ^(C2)let him be condemned when he is judged.

^34 (C1)Wait for the LORD and keep His way,
And He will exalt you to inherit the land;
When the ^(C2)wicked are eliminated, you will see it.

³⁵ I have ^(C1)seen a wicked, violent person
Spreading himself like a ^(C2)luxuriant ^(F1)tree in its native soil.

³⁶ Then he passed away, and behold, he ^(C1)was no more;
I searched for him, but he could not be found.

³⁷ Observe the ^(F1)(C1)blameless person, and look at the ^(C2)upright;
For the person of peace will have ^(C3)a future.

³⁸ But wrongdoers will altogether be ^(C1)destroyed;
The future of the wicked will be ^(C2)eliminated.

³⁹ But the ^(C1)salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
He is their strength ^(C2)in time of trouble.

^40 (C1)The LORD helps them and rescues them;
He ^(C2)rescues them from the wicked and saves them,
Because they ^(C3)take refuge in Him.

Prayer of a Suffering Penitent.

¹ LORD, ^(C1)do not rebuke me in Your wrath,
And do not punish me in Your burning anger.

² For Your ^(C1)arrows have sunk deep into me,
And ^(C2)Your hand has pressed down on me.

³ There is ^(C1)no healthy part in my flesh ^(C2)because of Your indignation;
There is no health ^(C3)in my bones because of my sin.

⁴ For my ^(C1)guilty deeds have gone over my head;
Like a heavy burden they weigh too much for me.

⁵ My ^(F1)wounds grow foul and fester
Because of ^(C1)my foolishness.

⁶ I am bent over and ^(C1)greatly bowed down;
I ^(C2)go in mourning all day long.

⁷ For my ^(F1)sides are filled with ^(C1)burning,
And there is ^(C2)no healthy part in my flesh.

⁸ I feel ^(C1)faint and ^(F1)badly crushed;
I ^(F2)(C2)groan because of the ^(F3)agitation of my heart.

⁹ Lord, all ^(C1)my desire is ^(F1)before You;
And my ^(C2)sighing is not hidden from You.

¹⁰ My heart throbs, ^(C1)my strength fails me;
And the ^(C2)light of my eyes, even ^(F1)that ^(F2)has gone from me.

¹¹ My ^(F1)(C1)loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague;
And my kinsmen ^(C2)stand far away.

¹² Those who ^(C1)seek my life ^(C2)lay snares for me;
And those who ^(C3)seek to injure me have ^(F1)threatened destruction,
And they ^(C4)plot deception all day long.

¹³ But I, like a person who is deaf, do not hear;
And I am like a ^(C1)person who cannot speak, who does not open his mouth.

¹⁴ Yes, I am like a person who does not hear,
And in whose mouth are no arguments.

¹⁵ For ^(C1)I wait for You, LORD;
You ^(C2)will answer, Lord my God.

¹⁶ For I said, "May they not rejoice over me,
Who, when my foot slips, ^(C1)would exalt themselves over me."

¹⁷ For I am ^(C1)ready to fall,
And ^(C2)my ^(F1)sorrow is continually before me.

¹⁸ For I ^(C1)admit my guilt;
I am full of ^(C2)anxiety because of my sin.

¹⁹ But my ^(C1)enemies are vigorous and ^(F1)strong,
And those who wrongfully ^(C2)hate me are many.

²⁰ And those who ^(C1)repay evil for good,
They ^(C2)become my enemies, because I follow what is good.

²¹ Do not abandon me, LORD;
My God, ^(C1)do not be far from me!

^22 (C1)Hurry to help me,
Lord, ^(C2)my salvation!

The Futility of Life.

¹ I said, "I will ^(C1)keep watch over my ways
So that I ^(C2)do not sin with my tongue;
I will keep watch over ^(C3)my mouth as with a muzzle
While the wicked are in my presence."

² I was ^(C1)mute ^(F1)and silent,
I ^(F2)refused to say even something good,
And my pain was stirred up.

³ My ^(C1)heart was hot within me,
While I was musing the fire burned;
Then I spoke with my tongue:

⁴ "LORD, let me know ^(C1)my end,
And what is the extent of my days;
Let me know how ^(C2)transient I am.

⁵ "Behold, You have made ^(C1)my days like ^(F1)hand widths,
And my ^(C2)lifetime as nothing in Your sight;
Certainly all mankind standing is ^(F2)a mere ^(C3)breath. Selah

⁶ "Certainly every person ^(C1)walks around as ^(F1)a fleeting shadow;
They certainly make an ^(C2)uproar for nothing;
He ^(C3)amasses riches and does not know who will gather them.

⁷ "And now, Lord, for what do I wait?
My ^(C1)hope is in You.

⁸ "^(C1)Save me from all my wrongdoings;
Do not make me an object of ^(C2)reproach for the foolish.

⁹ "I have become ^(C1)mute, I do not open my mouth,
Because it is ^(C2)You who have done it.

¹⁰ "^(C1)Remove Your plague from me;
Because of ^(C2)the opposition of Your hand I am ^(F1)perishing.

¹¹ "With ^(C1)rebukes You punish a person for wrongdoing;
You ^(C2)consume like a moth what is precious to him;
Certainly ^(C3)all mankind is mere breath! Selah

¹² "^(C1)Hear my prayer, LORD, and listen to my cry for help;
Do not be silent ^(C2)to my tears;
For I am ^(C3)a stranger with You,
^(C4)One who lives abroad, like all my fathers.

¹³ "^(C1)Turn Your eyes away from me, that I may become cheerful again
Before I depart and am no more."

God Sustains His Servant.

¹ I ^(C1)waited ^(F1)patiently for the LORD;
And He reached down to me and ^(C2)heard my cry.

² He brought me up out of the ^(C1)pit of ^(F1)destruction, out of the mud;
And ^(C2)He set my feet on a rock, ^(C3)making my footsteps firm.

³ He put a ^(C1)new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;
Many will ^(C2)see and fear
And will trust in the LORD.

⁴ How ^(C1)blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust,
And ^(C2)has not turned to the ^(F1)proud, nor to those who ^(C3)become involved in falsehood.

⁵ Many, LORD my God, are ^(C1)the wonders which You have done,
And Your ^(C2)thoughts toward us;
There is no one to compare with You.
If I would declare and speak of them,
They ^(C3)would be too numerous to count.

^6 (C1)You have not desired ^(F1)sacrifice and meal offering;
You have ^(F2)opened my ears;
You have not required burnt offering and sin offering.

⁷ Then I said, "Behold, I have come;
It is ^(F1)written of me in the scroll of the book.

⁸ "^(C1)I delight to do Your will, my God;
^(C2)Your Law is within my ^(F1)heart."

⁹ I have ^(C1)proclaimed good news of righteousness in the great congregation;
Behold, I will ^(C2)not restrain my lips,
LORD, ^(C3)You know.

¹⁰ I have ^(C1)not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;
I have ^(C2)spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your mercy and Your truth from the great congregation.

¹¹ You, LORD, will not withhold Your compassion from me;
^(F1)Your ^(C1)mercy and Your truth will continually watch over me.

¹² For evils beyond number have ^(C1)surrounded me;
My ^(C2)guilty deeds have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see;
They are ^(C3)more numerous than the hairs of my head,
And my ^(C4)heart has ^(F1)failed me.

^13 (C1)Be pleased, LORD, to rescue me;
^(C2)Hurry, LORD, to help me.

¹⁴ May those be ^(C1)ashamed and humiliated together
Who ^(C2)seek my ^(F1)life to destroy it;
May those be turned back and dishonored
Who delight ^(F2)in my hurt.

¹⁵ May those ^(C1)be ^(F1)appalled because of their shame
Who ^(C2)say to me, "Aha, aha!"

^16 (C1)May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
May those who love Your salvation continually ^(C2)say,
"The LORD be exalted!"

¹⁷ But ^(C1)I am afflicted and needy;
^(C2)May the Lord be mindful of me.
You are my help and my savior;
Do not delay, my God.

The Psalmist in Sickness Complains of Enemies and False Friends.

¹ Blessed is one who ^(C1)considers the ^(F1)helpless;
The LORD will save him ^(C2)on a day of ^(F2)trouble.

² The LORD will ^(C1)protect him and keep him alive,
And he will be called ^(F1)(C2)blessed upon the earth;
And ^(C3)do not turn him over to the desire of his enemies.

³ The LORD will sustain him upon his sickbed;
In his illness, You ^(F1)restore him to health.

⁴ As for me, I said, "LORD, be gracious to me;
^(C1)Heal my soul, for ^(C2)I have sinned against You."

⁵ My enemies ^(C1)speak evil against me,
"When will he die, and his name perish?"

⁶ And ^(F1)when he comes to see me, he ^(C1)speaks ^(F2)empty words;
His heart gathers wickedness to itself;
When he goes outside, he tells it.

⁷ All who hate me whisper together against me;
They ^(C1)plot my harm against me, saying,

⁸ "A wicked thing is poured out ^(F1)upon him,
So that when he lies down, he will ^(C1)not get up again."

⁹ Even my ^(F1)(C1)close friend in whom I trusted,
Who ate my bread,
Has lifted up his heel against me.

¹⁰ But You, LORD, be gracious to me and ^(C1)raise me up,
That I may repay them.

¹¹ By this I know that ^(C1)You are pleased with me,
Because ^(C2)my enemy does not shout in triumph over me.

¹² As for me, ^(C1)You uphold me in my integrity,
And You place me ^(C2)in Your presence forever.

^13 (C1)Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
From everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and Amen.

Thirsting for God in Trouble and Exile.

¹ As the deer ^(F1)pants for the water brooks,
So my soul ^(F1)(C1)pants for You, God.

² My soul ^(C1)thirsts for God, for the ^(C2)living God;
When shall I come and ^(F1)(C3)appear before God?

³ My ^(C1)tears have been my food day and night,
While they ^(C2)say to me all day long, "Where is your God?"

⁴ I remember these things and ^(C1)pour out my soul within me.
For I ^(C2)used to go over with the multitude and walk them to the house of God,
With a voice of ^(C3)joy and thanksgiving, a multitude celebrating a festival.

^5 (C1)Why are you ^(F1)(C2)in despair, my soul?
And why are you ^(C3)restless within me?
^(C4)Wait for God, for I will ^(F2)again praise ^(F3)Him
For the ^(F4)(C5)help of His ^(F5)presence, my God.

⁶ My soul is ^(F1)in despair within me;
Therefore I ^(C1)remember You from ^(C2)the land of the Jordan
And the ^(F2)peaks of ^(C3)Hermon, from Mount Mizar.

⁷ Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls;
All Your ^(C1)breakers and Your waves have passed over me.

⁸ The LORD will ^(C1)send His goodness in the daytime;
And His song will be with me ^(C2)in the night,
A prayer to ^(C3)the God of my life.

⁹ I will say to God ^(C1)my rock, "Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go about ^(C2)mourning ^(F1)because of the ^(C3)oppression of the enemy?"

¹⁰ As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries taunt me,
While they ^(C1)say to me all day long, "Where is your God?"

^11 (C1)Why are you ^(F1)in despair, my soul?
And why are you restless within me?
Wait for God, for I will again praise ^(F2)Him
For the ^(F3)help of His presence, my God.

Prayer for Help.

^1 (C1)Vindicate me, God, and ^(C2)plead my case against an ungodly nation;
^(F1)Save me from ^(C3)the deceitful and unjust person!

² For You are the ^(C1)God of my strength; why have You ^(C2)rejected me?
Why do I go about ^(C3)mourning ^(F1)because of the oppression of the enemy?

³ Send out Your ^(C1)light and Your truth, they shall lead me;
They shall bring me to Your ^(C2)holy hill
And to Your ^(C3)dwelling places.

⁴ Then I will go to ^(C1)the altar of God,
To God ^(F1)my exceeding ^(C2)joy;
And I will praise You on the ^(C3)lyre, God, my God.

^5 (C1)Why are you ^(F1)in despair, my soul?
And why are you restless within me?
Wait for God, for I will ^(F2)again praise ^(F3)Him
For the ^(F4)help of His presence, my God.

Former Times of Help and Present Troubles.

¹ God, we have heard with our ears,
Our ^(C1)fathers have told us
The ^(C2)work that You did in their days,
In the ^(C3)days of old.

² You with Your own hand ^(C1)drove out the nations;
Then You ^(C2)planted them;
You ^(C3)afflicted the peoples,
Then You ^(C4)let them go free.

³ For by their own sword they ^(C1)did not possess the land,
And their own arm did not save them,
But Your right hand and Your ^(C2)arm and the ^(C3)light of Your presence,
For You ^(C4)favored them.

⁴ You are ^(C1)my King, God;
^(C2)Command ^(F1)victories for Jacob.

⁵ Through You we will ^(C1)push back our adversaries;
Through Your name we will ^(C2)trample down those who rise up against us.

⁶ For I will ^(C1)not trust in my bow,
Nor will my sword save me.

⁷ But You ^(C1)have saved us from our adversaries,
And You have ^(C2)put to shame those who hate us.

⁸ In God we have ^(C1)boasted all day long,
And we will ^(C2)give thanks to Your name forever. Selah

⁹ Yet You ^(C1)have rejected us and brought us to ^(C2)dishonor,
And ^(C3)do not go out with our armies.

¹⁰ You cause us to ^(C1)turn back from the enemy;
And those who hate us ^(C2)have taken spoils for themselves.

¹¹ You turn us over ^(F1)to be eaten like ^(C1)sheep,
And have ^(C2)scattered us among the nations.

¹² You ^(C1)sell Your people ^(F1)cheaply,
And have not ^(F2)profited by their sale.

¹³ You make us an object of ^(C1)reproach to our neighbors,
Of scoffing and ^(C2)ridicule to those around us.

¹⁴ You make us ^(C1)a proverb among the nations,
A ^(F1)(C2)laughingstock among the peoples.

¹⁵ All day long my dishonor is before me
And ^(F1)I am covered with my ^(C1)humiliation,

¹⁶ Because of the voice of one who ^(C1)taunts and reviles,
Because of the presence of the ^(C2)enemy and the avenger.

¹⁷ All this has come upon us, but we have ^(C1)not forgotten You,
And we have not ^(C2)dealt falsely with Your covenant.

¹⁸ Our heart has not ^(C1)turned back,
And our steps ^(C2)have not deviated from Your way,

¹⁹ Yet You have ^(C1)crushed us in a place of ^(C2)jackals
And covered us with ^(F1)(C3)deep darkness.

²⁰ If we had ^(C1)forgotten the name of our God
Or extended our ^(F1)hands to ^(C2)a strange god,

²¹ Would God not ^(C1)find this out?
For He knows the secrets of the heart.

²² But ^(C1)for Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are regarded as ^(C2)sheep to be slaughtered.

^23 (C1)Wake Yourself up, why ^(C2)do You sleep, Lord?
Awake, ^(C3)do not reject us forever.

²⁴ Why do You ^(C1)hide Your face
And ^(C2)forget our affliction and oppression?

²⁵ For our ^(C1)souls have sunk down into the dust;
Our bodies cling to the earth.

^26 (C1)Rise up, be our help,
And ^(C2)redeem us because of Your mercy.

A Song Celebrating the King's Marriage.

¹ My heart is moved with a good theme;
I ^(F1)address my ^(F2)verses to the ^(F3)King;
My tongue is the pen of ^(C1)a ready writer.

² You are the most handsome of the sons of mankind;
^(C1)Grace is poured ^(F1)upon Your lips;
Therefore God has ^(C2)blessed You forever.

³ Strap ^(C1)Your sword on Your thigh, ^(F1)(C2)Mighty One,
In Your splendor and majesty!

⁴ And in Your majesty ride on victoriously,
For the cause of truth, ^(C1)humility, and righteousness;
Let Your ^(C2)right hand teach You ^(F1)awesome things.

⁵ Your ^(C1)arrows are sharp;
The ^(C2)peoples fall under You;
Your arrows are ^(C3)in the heart of the King's enemies.

^6 (C1)Your throne, God, is forever and ever;
^(C2)The scepter of Your kingdom is a scepter of justice.

⁷ You have ^(C1)loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
Therefore God, Your God, has ^(C2)anointed You
With the oil of joy above Your companions.

⁸ All Your garments are fragrant with ^(C1)myrrh, aloes, and cassia;
From ivory palaces ^(C2)stringed instruments have made You joyful.

⁹ Kings' daughters are among ^(C1)Your noble women;
At Your ^(C2)right hand stands the queen in ^(C3)gold from Ophir.

¹⁰ Listen, daughter, look and incline your ear:
^(C1)Forget your people and your father's house;

¹¹ Then the King will crave your beauty.
Because He is your ^(C1)Lord, ^(C2)bow down to Him.

¹² The daughter of ^(C1)Tyre will come with a gift;
The ^(C2)wealthy among the people will seek your favor.

¹³ The King's daughter is all glorious within;
Her clothing is ^(C1)interwoven with gold.

¹⁴ She will be ^(C1)brought to the King ^(C2)in colorful garments;
The ^(C3)virgins, her companions who follow her,
Will be brought to You.

¹⁵ They will be brought with joy and rejoicing;
They will enter into the King's palace.

¹⁶ In place of your fathers will be your sons;
You shall make them princes in all the earth.

¹⁷ I will make ^(C1)Your name known among all generations;
Therefore the peoples ^(C2)will praise You forever and ever.

God, the Refuge of His People.

¹ God is our ^(C1)refuge and strength,
A ^(F1)very ^(C2)ready help ^(C3)in ^(F2)trouble.

² Therefore we will ^(C1)not fear, though ^(C2)the earth shakes
And ^(C3)the mountains slip into the heart of the ^(F1)sea;

³ Though its ^(C1)waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah

⁴ There is a ^(C1)river whose streams make the ^(C2)city of God happy,
The holy ^(C3)dwelling places of the Most High.

⁵ God is ^(C1)in the midst of her, she will not be moved;
God will ^(C2)help her ^(F1)when morning dawns.

⁶ The ^(F1)nations ^(C1)made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered;
He ^(F2)(C2)raised His voice, the earth ^(C3)quaked.

⁷ The LORD of armies ^(C1)is with us;
The God of Jacob is ^(C2)our stronghold. Selah

⁸ Come, ^(C1)behold the works of the LORD,
^(F1)Who has inflicted ^(C2)horrific events on the earth.

⁹ He ^(C1)makes wars to cease to the end of the earth;
He ^(C2)breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He ^(C3)burns the chariots with fire.

¹⁰ "^(F1)Stop striving and ^(C1)know that I am God;
I will be ^(C2)exalted among the ^(F2)nations, I will be exalted on the earth."

¹¹ The LORD of armies is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah

God, the King of the Earth.

^1 (C1)Clap your hands, all you peoples;
^(C2)Shout to God with a voice of joy.

² For the LORD Most High is to be ^(C1)feared,
A ^(C2)great King over all the earth.

³ He ^(C1)subdues peoples under us
And nations under our feet.

⁴ He chooses our ^(C1)inheritance for us,
The ^(C2)pride of Jacob whom He loves. Selah

⁵ God has ^(C1)ascended ^(F1)with a shout,
The LORD, ^(F1)with the ^(C2)sound of a trumpet.

^6 (C1)Sing praises to God, sing praises;
Sing praises to ^(C2)our King, sing praises.

⁷ For God is the ^(C1)King of all the earth;
Sing praises ^(C2)with a psalm of wisdom.

⁸ God ^(C1)reigns over the nations,
God ^(F1)sits on ^(C2)His holy throne.

⁹ The ^(F1)(C1)princes of the people have assembled as the ^(C2)people of the God of Abraham,
For the ^(C3)shields of the earth belong to God;
He is ^(C4)highly exalted.

The Beauty and Glory of Zion.

^1 (C1)Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised
In the ^(C2)city of our God, His ^(C3)holy mountain.

^2 (C1)Beautiful in elevation, ^(C2)the joy of the whole earth,
Is Mount Zion in the far north,
The ^(C3)city of the great King.

³ In its palaces,
God has made Himself known as a ^(C1)stronghold.

⁴ For, behold, the ^(C1)kings arrived,
They passed by together.

⁵ They saw it, then they were amazed;
They were ^(C1)terrified, they fled in a hurry.

^6 (F1)Panic seized them there,
Anguish, as that of ^(C1)a woman in childbirth.

⁷ With the ^(C1)east wind
You ^(C2)smash the ^(C3)ships of Tarshish.

⁸ Just as we have heard, so have we seen
In the city of the LORD of armies, in the city of our God;
God will ^(C1)establish her forever. Selah

⁹ We have thought over ^(C1)Your goodness, God,
In the midst of Your temple.

¹⁰ As is Your ^(C1)name, God,
So is Your ^(C2)praise to the ends of the earth;
Your ^(C3)right hand is full of righteousness.

¹¹ Mount ^(C1)Zion shall be glad,
The ^(C1)daughters of Judah shall rejoice
Because of Your judgments.

¹² Walk around Zion and encircle her;
Count her ^(C1)towers;

¹³ Consider her ^(C1)ramparts;
Go through her palaces,
So that you may ^(C2)tell of her to the next generation.

¹⁴ For ^(F1)such is God,
Our God forever and ever;
He will ^(C1)lead us ^(F2)until death.

The Foolishness of Trusting in Riches.

^1 (C1)Hear this, all peoples;
Listen, all ^(C2)inhabitants of the world,

² Both ^(C1)low and high,
Rich and poor together.

³ My mouth will ^(C1)speak wisdom,
And the meditation of my heart will be ^(C2)understanding.

⁴ I will incline my ear to ^(C1)a proverb;
^(C2)I will ^(F1)express my ^(C3)riddle on the harp.

⁵ Why should I ^(C1)fear in days of adversity,
When the injustice of those who betray me surrounds me,

⁶ Those who ^(C1)trust in their wealth
And boast in the abundance of their riches?

⁷ No one can by any means ^(C1)redeem another
Or give God a ^(C2)ransom for him—

⁸ For ^(C1)the redemption of ^(F1)his soul is priceless,
And he should cease imagining forever—

⁹ That he might ^(C1)live on eternally,
That he might not ^(F1)(C2)undergo decay.

¹⁰ For he sees that even ^(C1)wise people die;
The ^(C2)foolish and the stupid alike perish
And ^(C3)leave their wealth to others.

¹¹ Their ^(F1)(C1)inner thought is that their houses ^(C2)are forever
And their dwelling places to all generations;
They have ^(C3)named their lands after their own names.

¹² But ^(C1)man in his splendor will not endure;
He is like the animals that ^(F1)perish.

¹³ This is the ^(C1)way of those who are foolish,
And of those after them who ^(C2)approve their words. Selah

¹⁴ Like sheep they sink down ^(C1)to ^(F1)Sheol;
Death will be their shepherd;
And the ^(C2)upright will rule over them in the morning,
And their form shall be for ^(F1)Sheol ^(C3)to consume
^(F2)So that they have no lofty home.

¹⁵ But God will ^(C1)redeem my soul from the ^(F1)power of ^(F2)Sheol,
For ^(C2)He will receive me. Selah

¹⁶ Do not be afraid ^(C1)when a person becomes rich,
When the splendor of his house is increased;

¹⁷ For when he dies, he will ^(C1)take nothing with him;
His ^(F1)wealth will not descend after him.

¹⁸ Though while he lives he ^(C1)congratulates ^(F1)himself—
And though people praise you when you do well for yourself—

^19 (F1)He will ^(C1)go to the generation of his fathers;
They will never see ^(C2)the light.

^20 (C1)Mankind in its splendor, yet without understanding,
Is ^(C2)like the animals that ^(F1)perish.

God, the Judge of the Righteous and the Wicked.

^1 (C1)The Mighty One, God, the LORD, has spoken
And summoned the earth, ^(C2)from ^(F1)the rising of the sun to its setting.

² Out of Zion, ^(C1)the perfection of beauty,
God ^(C2)has shone.

³ May our God ^(C1)come and not keep silent;
^(C2)Fire devours before Him,
And a storm is violently ^(C3)raging around Him.

⁴ He ^(C1)summons the heavens above,
And the earth, to judge His people:

⁵ "Gather My ^(C1)godly ones to Me,
Those who have made a ^(C2)covenant with Me by ^(C3)sacrifice."

⁶ And the ^(C1)heavens declare His righteousness,
For ^(C2)God Himself is judge. Selah

⁷ "^(C1)Hear, My people, and I will speak;
Israel, I will testify ^(F1)against you;
I am God, ^(C2)your God.

⁸ "I do ^(C1)not rebuke you for your sacrifices,
And your burnt offerings are continually before Me.

⁹ "I will not take a ^(C1)bull from your house,
Nor male goats from your folds.

¹⁰ "For ^(C1)every animal of the forest is Mine,
The cattle on a thousand hills.

¹¹ "I know every ^(C1)bird of the mountains,
And everything that moves in the field is ^(F1)Mine.

¹² "If I were hungry I would not tell you,
For the ^(C1)world is Mine, and ^(F1)everything it contains.

¹³ "Shall I eat the flesh of ^(F1)(C1)bulls
Or drink the blood of male goats?

¹⁴ "Offer God ^(C1)a sacrifice of thanksgiving
And ^(C2)pay your vows to the Most High;

^15 (C1)Call upon Me on the day of trouble;
I will ^(C2)rescue you, and you will ^(C3)honor Me."

¹⁶ But to the wicked God says,
"What right do you have to tell of My statutes
And to take ^(C1)My covenant in your mouth?

¹⁷ "For you yourself ^(C1)hate discipline,
And you ^(C2)throw My words behind you.

¹⁸ "When you see a thief, you ^(C1)become friends with him,
And ^(F1)you ^(C2)associate with adulterers.

¹⁹ "You ^(F1)(C1)let your mouth loose in evil,
And your ^(C2)tongue harnesses deceit.

²⁰ "You sit and ^(C1)speak against your brother;
You slander your own mother's son.

²¹ "These things you have done and ^(C1)I kept silent;
You thought that I was just like you;
I will ^(C2)rebuke you and present the case before your eyes.

²² "Now consider this, you who ^(C1)forget God,
Or I will ^(C2)tear you in pieces, and there will be no one to save you.

²³ "He who ^(C1)offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me;
And to him who ^(C2)sets his way properly
I will ^(C3)show the salvation of God."

A Contrite Sinner's Prayer for Pardon.

^1 (C1)Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithfulness;
According to the greatness of ^(C2)Your compassion, ^(C3)wipe out my wrongdoings.

^2 (C1)Wash me thoroughly from my guilt
And ^(C2)cleanse me from my sin.

³ For I ^(C1)know my wrongdoings,
And my sin is constantly before me.

^4 (C1)Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is ^(C2)evil in Your sight,
So that ^(C3)You ^(F1)are justified ^(F2)when You speak
And ^(F3)blameless when You judge.

⁵ Behold, I was ^(C1)brought forth in guilt,
And in sin my mother conceived me.

⁶ Behold, You desire ^(C1)truth in the ^(F1)innermost being,
And in secret You will ^(C2)make wisdom known to me.

^7 (F1)Purify me ^(C1)with hyssop, and I will be clean;
^(F2)Cleanse me, and I will be ^(C2)whiter than snow.

^8 (F1)Let me hear ^(C1)joy and gladness,
Let the ^(C2)bones You have broken rejoice.

^9 (C1)Hide Your face from my sins
And wipe out all my guilty deeds.

^10 (C1)Create ^(F1)in me a ^(C2)clean heart, God,
And renew a ^(C3)steadfast spirit within me.

^11 (C1)Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your ^(C2)Holy Spirit from me.

¹² Restore to me the ^(C1)joy of Your salvation,
And sustain me with a ^(C2)willing spirit.

¹³ Then I will ^(C1)teach wrongdoers Your ways,
And sinners will ^(F1)be ^(C2)converted to You.

¹⁴ Save me from ^(C1)the guilt of bloodshed, God, ^(C2)the God of my salvation;
Then my ^(C3)tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.

¹⁵ Lord, ^(F1)(C1)open my lips,
So that my mouth may ^(C2)declare Your praise.

¹⁶ For You ^(C1)do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You do not take pleasure in burnt offering.

¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a ^(C1)broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, God, You will not despise.

^18 (C1)By Your favor do good to Zion;
^(F1)(C2)Build the walls of Jerusalem.

¹⁹ Then You will delight in ^(F1)(C1)righteous sacrifices,
In ^(C2)burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then ^(F2)bulls will be offered on Your altar.