Bible Reading Plan

Evening Prayer of Trust in God.

^1 (C1)Answer me when ^(C2)I call, God ^(F1)of my righteousness!
You have ^(F2)(C3)relieved me in my distress;
Be ^(C4)gracious to me and ^(C5)hear my prayer.

² You sons of man, how long will ^(C1)my ^(F1)honor be treated as ^(C2)an insult?
How long will you love ^(C3)what is worthless and strive for a ^(C4)lie? Selah

³ But know that the LORD has ^(F1)(C1)set apart the ^(C2)godly person for Himself;
The LORD ^(C3)hears when I call to Him.

^4 (F1)(C1)Tremble, ^(F2)(C2)and do not sin;
^(F3)(C3)Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah

⁵ Offer ^(F1)the ^(C1)sacrifices of righteousness,
And ^(C2)trust in the LORD.

⁶ Many are saying, "^(C1)Who will show us anything good?"
^(C2)Lift up the light of Your face upon us, LORD!

⁷ You have put ^(C1)joy in my heart,
More than when their grain and new wine are abundant.

⁸ In peace I will ^(F1)both ^(C1)lie down and sleep,
For You alone, LORD, have me ^(C2)dwell in safety.

Prayer for Protection from the Wicked.

^1 (C1)Listen to my words, LORD,
Consider my ^(C2)sighing.

² Listen to ^(C1)the sound of my cry for help, ^(C2)my King and my God,
For to You I pray.

³ In the morning, LORD, ^(F1)You will hear my voice;
In the ^(C1)morning I will present my ^(F2)prayer to You and be on the ^(C2)watch.

⁴ For You are not a God ^(C1)who takes pleasure in wickedness;
^(C2)No evil can dwell with You.

⁵ The ^(C1)boastful will not ^(C2)stand before Your eyes;
You ^(C3)hate all who do injustice.

⁶ You ^(C1)destroy those who speak lies;
The LORD loathes ^(C2)the person of bloodshed and deceit.

⁷ But as for me, ^(C1)by Your abundant graciousness I will enter Your house,
^(F1)At Your holy temple I will ^(C2)bow in ^(C3)reverence for You.

⁸ LORD, ^(C1)lead me ^(C2)in Your righteousness ^(C3)because of my enemies;
Make Your way ^(F1)straight before me.

⁹ For there is ^(C1)nothing ^(F1)trustworthy in ^(F2)their mouth;
Their ^(C2)inward part is destruction itself.
Their ^(C3)throat is an open grave;
They ^(F3)flatter with their tongue.

¹⁰ Make them pay, God;
^(C1)Have them fall by their own schemes!
^(C2)Scatter them in the multitude of their wrongdoings,
For they are ^(C3)rebellious against You.

¹¹ But ^(C1)rejoice, all who ^(C2)take refuge in You,
Sing for joy forever!
And ^(F1)may You ^(C3)shelter them,
That those who ^(C4)love Your name may rejoice in You.

¹² For You ^(C1)bless the righteous person, LORD,
You ^(C2)surround him with favor as with a shield.

Prayer for Mercy in Time of Trouble.

¹ LORD, ^(C1)do not rebuke me in Your anger,
Nor discipline me in Your wrath.

² Be gracious to me, LORD, for I am ^(C1)frail;
^(C2)Heal me, LORD, for ^(C3)my bones are horrified.

³ And my ^(C1)soul is greatly horrified;
But You, LORD—^(C2)how long?

⁴ Return, LORD, ^(C1)rescue my ^(F1)soul;
Save me because of Your mercy.

⁵ For ^(C1)there is no ^(F1)mention of You in death;
In ^(F2)Sheol, who will praise You?

⁶ I am ^(C1)weary with my sighing;
Every night I make my bed swim,
I flood my couch with ^(C2)my tears.

⁷ My ^(C1)eye has wasted away with grief;
It has grown old because of all my enemies.

^8 (C1)Leave me, all you who practice injustice,
For the LORD ^(C2)has heard the sound of my weeping.

⁹ The LORD ^(C1)has heard my pleading,
The LORD ^(C2)receives my prayer.

¹⁰ All my enemies will ^(C1)be put to shame and greatly horrified;
They shall ^(F1)turn back, they will ^(C2)suddenly be put to shame.

The LORD Implored to Defend the Psalmist against the Wicked.

¹ O LORD my God, ^(C1)in You I have taken refuge;
Save me from all those who pursue me, and ^(C2)rescue me,

² Or he will tear ^(F1)my soul ^(C1)like a lion,
Dragging me away, while there is no one to rescue me.

³ O LORD my God, if I have done this,
If there is ^(C1)injustice in my hands,

⁴ If I have ^(C1)done evil to ^(F1)my friend,
Or have ^(C2)plundered ^(F2)my enemy for no reason,

⁵ Let the enemy pursue ^(F1)my soul and overtake ^(F2)it;
And let him trample my life to the ground
And lay my glory in the dust. Selah

^6 (C1)Arise, LORD, in Your anger;
^(C2)Raise Yourself against ^(C3)the rage of my enemies,
And ^(C4)stir Yourself ^(F1)for me; You have ordered judgment.

⁷ Let the assembly of the ^(C1)peoples encompass You,
And return on high over it.

⁸ The LORD ^(C1)judges the peoples;
^(F1)(C2)Vindicate me, LORD, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me.

⁹ Please let ^(C1)the evil of the wicked come to an end, but ^(C2)establish the righteous;
For the righteous God ^(C3)puts hearts and ^(F1)minds to the test.

¹⁰ My ^(C1)shield is ^(F1)with God,
Who ^(C2)saves the upright in heart.

¹¹ God is a ^(C1)righteous judge,
And a God who ^(C2)shows indignation every day.

¹² If one ^(C1)does not repent, He will ^(C2)sharpen His sword;
He has ^(C3)bent His bow and taken aim.

¹³ He has also prepared deadly weapons for Himself;
He makes His ^(C1)arrows fiery shafts.

¹⁴ Behold, an evil person is pregnant with injustice,
And he ^(C1)conceives harm and gives birth to lies.

¹⁵ He has dug a pit and hollowed it out,
And has ^(C1)fallen into the hole which he made.

¹⁶ His ^(C1)harm will return on his own head,
And his ^(C2)violence will descend on the top of his own head.

¹⁷ I will give thanks to the LORD ^(C1)according to His righteousness
And will ^(C2)sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

The LORD'S Glory and Mankind's Dignity.

¹ LORD, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth,
You who have ^(F1)(C1)displayed Your splendor above the heavens!

^2 (C1)From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have established ^(F1)(C2)strength
Because of Your enemies,
To do away with ^(C3)the enemy and the revengeful.

³ When I ^(F1)(C1)consider ^(C2)Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The ^(C3)moon and the stars, which You have set in place;

^4 (C1)What is man that You think of him,
And a son of man that You are concerned about him?

⁵ Yet You have made him a ^(C1)little lower than ^(F1)God,
And ^(C2)You crown him with ^(C3)glory and majesty!

⁶ You have him ^(C1)rule over the works of Your hands;
You have ^(C2)put everything under his feet,

⁷ All sheep and oxen,
And also the animals of the field,

⁸ The birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea,
Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

^9 (C1)LORD, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth!

Thanksgiving for God's Justice.

¹ I will give thanks to the LORD with all ^(C1)my heart;
I will ^(C2)tell of all Your ^(F1)wonders.

² I will rejoice and be ^(C1)jubilant in You;
I will ^(C2)sing praise to Your name, O ^(C3)Most High.

³ When my enemies turn back,
They stumble and ^(C1)perish before You.

⁴ For You have ^(C1)maintained ^(F1)my just cause;
You have sat on the throne ^(F2)(C2)judging righteously.

⁵ You have ^(C1)rebuked the nations, You have eliminated the wicked;
You have ^(C2)wiped out their name forever and ever.

^6 (F1)The enemy has come to an end in everlasting ruins,
And You have uprooted the cities;
The very ^(C1)memory of them has perished.

⁷ But the ^(C1)LORD ^(F1)sits as King forever;
He has established His ^(C2)throne for judgment,

⁸ And He will ^(C1)judge the world in righteousness;
He will execute judgment for the peoples fairly.

^9 (F1)The LORD will also be a ^(C1)stronghold for the oppressed,
A stronghold in times of trouble;

¹⁰ And ^(F1)those who ^(C1)know Your name will put their trust in You,
For You, LORD, have not ^(C2)abandoned those who seek You.

¹¹ Sing praises to the LORD, who ^(C1)dwells in Zion;
^(C2)Declare His deeds among the peoples.

¹² For ^(C1)He who ^(F1)requires blood remembers them;
He does not forget ^(C2)the cry of the needy.

¹³ Be gracious to me, LORD;
See my oppression from those ^(C1)who hate me,
You who ^(C2)lift me up from the gates of death,

¹⁴ So that I may tell of ^(C1)all Your praises,
That in the gates of the daughter of Zion
I may ^(C2)rejoice in Your ^(F1)salvation.

¹⁵ The nations have sunk down ^(C1)into the pit which they have made;
In the ^(C2)net which they hid, their own foot has been caught.

¹⁶ The LORD has ^(C1)made Himself known;
He has ^(C2)executed judgment.
A wicked one is ensnared in the work of his own hands. ^(F1)Higgaion Selah

¹⁷ The wicked will ^(F1)(C1)return to ^(F2)Sheol,
All the nations who ^(C2)forget God.

¹⁸ For the ^(C1)needy will not always be forgotten,
Nor the ^(C2)hope of the afflicted perish forever.

^19 (C1)Arise, LORD, do not let mankind prevail;
Let the nations be ^(C2)judged before You.

²⁰ Put them ^(C1)in fear, LORD;
Let the nations know that they are ^(C2)merely human. Selah

A Prayer for the Overthrow of the Wicked.

¹ Why ^(C1)do You stand far away, LORD?
Why ^(C2)do You hide ^(F1)Yourself in times of trouble?

² In ^(C1)arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the needy;
^(F1)Let them be ^(C2)caught in the plots which they have devised.

³ For the wicked ^(C1)boasts of his ^(C2)soul's desire,
And ^(F1)the greedy person curses and ^(C3)shows disrespect to the LORD.

⁴ The wicked, ^(F1)in his haughtiness, ^(C1)does not seek Him.
^(C2)There is no God in all his schemes.

⁵ His ways ^(C1)succeed at all times;
Yet Your judgments are on high, ^(C2)out of his sight;
As for all his enemies, he snorts at them.

⁶ He says to himself, "^(C1)I will not be moved;
^(F1)Throughout the generations ^(C2)I will not be in adversity."

⁷ His ^(C1)mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and ^(C2)oppression;
^(C3)Under his tongue is harm and injustice.

⁸ He sits in the ^(C1)lurking places of the villages;
He ^(C2)kills the innocent in the secret places;
His eyes ^(F1)surreptitiously watch for the ^(F2)(C3)unfortunate.

⁹ He lurks in secret like ^(C1)a lion in his ^(F1)lair;
He ^(C2)lurks to catch ^(C3)the needy;
He catches the needy when he pulls him into his ^(C4)net.

¹⁰ Then he crushes the needy one, who cowers;
And ^(F1)unfortunate people fall by his mighty power.

¹¹ He ^(C1)says to himself, "God has forgotten;
He has hidden His face; He will never see it."

¹² Arise, LORD; God, ^(C1)lift up Your hand.
^(C2)Do not forget the humble.

¹³ Why has the wicked ^(C1)treated God disrespectfully?
He has said to himself, "^(F1)You will not require an account."

¹⁴ You have seen it, for You have looked at ^(C1)harm and provocation to ^(F1)take it into Your hand.
The ^(F2)(C2)unfortunate commits himself to You;
You have been the ^(C3)helper of the orphan.

^15 (C1)Break the arm of the wicked and the evildoer,
^(F1)(C2)Seek out his wickedness until You find none.

¹⁶ The LORD is ^(C1)King forever and ever;
^(C2)Nations have perished from His land.

¹⁷ LORD, You have heard the ^(C1)desire of the humble;
You will ^(C2)strengthen their heart, ^(C3)You will make Your ear attentive

¹⁸ To ^(F1)vindicate the ^(C1)orphan and the ^(C2)oppressed,
So that mankind, which is of the earth, will no longer cause ^(C3)terror.

The LORD, a Refuge and Defense.

¹ In the LORD I ^(C1)take refuge;
How can you say to my soul, "Flee as a bird to your ^(C2)mountain?

² "For, behold, the wicked ^(C1)bend the bow,
They have ^(F1)(C2)set their arrow on the string
To ^(C3)shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.

³ "If the ^(C1)foundations are destroyed,
What can the righteous do?"

⁴ The LORD is in His ^(C1)holy temple; the ^(F1)LORD'S ^(C2)throne is in heaven;
His ^(C3)eyes see, His eyelids test the sons of mankind.

⁵ The LORD ^(C1)tests the righteous and ^(C2)the wicked,
And His soul hates one who loves violence.

⁶ He will ^(C1)rain ^(F1)coals of fire upon the wicked,
^(C2)And brimstone and ^(C3)burning wind will be the portion of ^(C4)their cup.

⁷ For the LORD is ^(C1)righteous, ^(C2)He loves ^(F1)righteousness;
The upright will ^(C3)see His face.

God, a Helper against the Treacherous.

¹ Help, LORD, for ^(C1)the godly person has come to an end,
For the faithful have disappeared from the sons of mankind.

² They ^(C1)speak ^(F1)lies to one another;
They speak with ^(F2)(C2)flattering lips and a double heart.

³ May the LORD cut off all ^(F1)flattering lips,
The tongue that ^(C1)speaks great things;

⁴ Who ^(C1)have said, "With our tongue we will prevail;
Our lips are ^(F1)our own; who is lord over us?"

⁵ "Because of the ^(C1)devastation of the poor, because of the groaning of the needy,
Now ^(C2)I will arise," says the LORD; "I will ^(C3)put him in the safety for which he longs."

⁶ The ^(C1)words of the LORD are pure words;
Like silver ^(C2)refined in a furnace on the ground, filtered seven times.

⁷ You, LORD, will keep them;
You will ^(C1)protect him from this generation forever.

⁸ The ^(C1)wicked strut about on every side
When ^(F1)(C2)vileness is exalted among the sons of mankind.

Prayer for Help in Trouble.

¹ How long, LORD? Will You ^(C1)forget me forever?
How long ^(C2)will You hide Your face from me?

² How long am I to ^(C1)feel anxious in my soul,
With ^(C2)grief in my heart all the day?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

^3 (C1)Consider and answer me, O LORD my God;
^(C2)Enlighten my eyes, or I will ^(C3)sleep the sleep of death,

⁴ And my enemy will ^(C1)say, "I have overcome him,"
And ^(C2)my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken.

⁵ But I have ^(C1)trusted in Your faithfulness;
My heart shall ^(C2)rejoice in Your salvation.

⁶ I will ^(C1)sing to the LORD,
Because He has ^(C2)looked after me.

Foolishness and Wickedness of People.

¹ The fool has ^(C1)said in his heart, "There is no God."
They are corrupt, they have committed detestable acts;
There is ^(C2)no one who does good.

² The LORD has ^(C1)looked down from heaven upon the sons of mankind
To see if there are any who ^(F1)(C2)understand,
Who ^(C3)seek God.

³ They have all ^(C1)turned aside, together they are corrupt;
There is ^(C2)no one who does good, not even one.

⁴ Do all the workers of injustice ^(C1)not know,
Who ^(C2)devour my people as they eat bread,
And ^(C3)do not call upon the LORD?

⁵ There they are in great dread,
For God is with a ^(C1)righteous generation.

⁶ You would put to shame the plan of the poor,
But the LORD is his ^(C1)refuge.

⁷ Oh, that ^(C1)the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
When the LORD ^(C2)restores the fortunes of His people,
Jacob will rejoice, Israel will be glad.

Description of a Citizen of Zion.

¹ LORD, who may reside ^(C1)in Your tent?
Who may settle on Your ^(C2)holy hill?

² One who ^(C1)walks with integrity, practices righteousness,
And ^(C2)speaks truth in his heart.

³ He ^(C1)does not slander ^(F1)with his tongue,
Nor ^(C2)do evil to his neighbor,
Nor ^(C3)bring shame on his friend;

⁴ A despicable person is despised in his eyes,
But he ^(C1)honors those who fear the LORD;
He ^(C2)takes an oath to his own detriment, and does not change;

⁵ He ^(C1)does not ^(F1)lend his money ^(F2)at interest,
Nor ^(C2)does he take a bribe against the innocent.
^(C3)One who does these things will never be shaken.

The LORD, the Psalmist's Portion in Life and Salvation in Death.

^1 (C1)Protect me, God, for ^(C2)I take refuge in You.

^2 (F1)I said to the LORD, "You are ^(F2)my Lord;
I ^(C1)have nothing good besides You."

³ As for the ^(F1)(C1)saints who are on the earth,
^(F2)They are the majestic ones; ^(C2)all my delight is in them.

^4 (F1)The ^(C1)pains of those who have acquired another god will be multiplied;
I will not pour out their drink offerings of ^(C2)blood,
Nor will I ^(C3)take their names upon my lips.

⁵ The LORD is the ^(C1)portion of my inheritance and my ^(C2)cup;
You support my ^(C3)lot.

⁶ The measuring ^(C1)lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
Indeed, my inheritance is ^(C2)beautiful to me.

⁷ I will bless the LORD who has ^(C1)advised me;
Indeed, my ^(F1)(C2)mind instructs me in the night.

^8 (C1)I have ^(C2)set the LORD continually before me;
Because He is ^(C3)at my right hand, ^(C4)I will not be shaken.

⁹ Therefore ^(C1)my heart is glad and ^(C2)my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will ^(C3)dwell securely.

¹⁰ For You ^(C1)will not abandon my soul to ^(F1)Sheol;
You will not ^(F2)(C2)allow Your ^(F3)Holy One to ^(F4)undergo decay.

¹¹ You will make known to me ^(C1)the way of life;
In ^(C2)Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are ^(C3)pleasures forever.

Prayer for Protection against Oppressors.

¹ Hear a ^(C1)just cause, LORD, ^(C2)give Your attention to my cry;
^(C3)Listen to my prayer, which is not from ^(C4)deceitful lips.

² Let ^(C1)my ^(F1)judgment come forth from Your presence;
Let Your eyes look with ^(C2)integrity.

³ You have ^(C1)put my heart to the test;
You have visited me by night;
You have ^(C2)sifted me and ^(C3)You find ^(F1)nothing;
My ^(C4)intent is that my mouth will not offend.

⁴ As for the works of mankind, ^(C1)by the word of Your lips
I have kept from the ^(C2)ways of the violent.

⁵ My ^(C1)steps have held to Your ^(F1)paths.
My ^(C2)feet have not slipped.

⁶ I have ^(C1)called upon You, for You will answer me, God;
^(C2)Incline Your ear to me, hear my speech.

^7 (C1)Show Your wonderful faithfulness,
^(C2)Savior of those who take refuge ^(F1)at Your right hand
From those who rise up against them.

⁸ Keep me as ^(F1)the ^(C1)apple of the eye;
Hide me ^(C2)in the shadow of Your wings

⁹ From the ^(C1)wicked who deal violently with me,
My ^(C2)deadly enemies who surround me.

¹⁰ They have ^(C1)closed their ^(F1)unfeeling hearts,
With their mouths they ^(C2)speak proudly.

¹¹ They have now ^(C1)surrounded us in our steps;
They set their eyes ^(C2)to cast us down to the ground.

¹² He is ^(C1)like a lion that is eager to tear,
And as a young lion ^(C2)lurking in secret places.

^13 (C1)Arise, LORD, confront him, ^(C2)make him bow down;
^(C3)Save my soul from the wicked with ^(C4)Your sword,

¹⁴ From people by ^(C1)Your hand, LORD,
From people ^(F1)of the world, ^(C2)whose portion is in this life,
And whose belly You ^(C3)fill with Your treasure;
They are satisfied with children,
And leave their abundance to their babies.

¹⁵ As for me, I shall ^(C1)behold Your face in righteousness;
^(C2)I shall be satisfied with Your ^(C3)likeness when I awake.

The LORD Praised for Rescuing David.

¹ "I love You, LORD, ^(C1)my strength."

² The LORD is ^(C1)my rock and ^(C2)my fortress and my ^(C3)savior,
My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;
My ^(C4)shield and the ^(C5)horn of my salvation, my ^(C6)stronghold.

³ I call upon the LORD, who is ^(C1)worthy to be praised,
And I am ^(C2)saved from my enemies.

⁴ The ^(C1)ropes of death encompassed me,
And the ^(C2)torrents of ^(F1)destruction ^(F2)terrified me.

⁵ The ^(C1)ropes of ^(F1)Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.

⁶ In my ^(C1)distress I called upon the LORD,
And cried to my God for help;
He heard my voice ^(C2)from His temple,
And my ^(C3)cry for help before Him came into His ears.

⁷ Then the ^(C1)earth shook and quaked;
And the ^(C2)foundations of the mountains were trembling
And were shaken, because He was angry.

⁸ Smoke went up ^(F1)out of His nostrils,
And ^(C1)fire from His mouth was devouring;
Coals burned from it.

⁹ He also ^(C1)bowed the heavens down low, and came down
With thick ^(C2)darkness under His feet.

¹⁰ He rode on a ^(C1)cherub and flew;
And He sped on the ^(C2)wings of the wind.

¹¹ He made ^(C1)darkness His hiding place, ^(C2)His ^(F1)canopy around Him,
Darkness of waters, thick clouds.

¹² From the ^(C1)brightness before Him passed His thick clouds,
Hailstones and ^(C2)coals of fire.

¹³ The LORD also ^(C1)thundered in the heavens,
And the Most High uttered His voice,
Hailstones and coals of fire.

¹⁴ He ^(C1)sent out His arrows, and scattered them,
And lightning flashes in abundance, and ^(F1)routed them.

¹⁵ Then the ^(C1)channels of water appeared,
And the foundations of the world were exposed
By Your ^(C2)rebuke, LORD,
At the blast of the ^(C3)breath of Your nostrils.

¹⁶ He ^(C1)sent from on high, He took me;
He drew me out of ^(C2)many waters.

¹⁷ He ^(C1)saved me from my strong enemy,
And from those who hated me, for they were ^(C2)too mighty for me.

¹⁸ They confronted me in ^(C1)the day of my disaster,
But ^(C2)the LORD was my support.

¹⁹ He also brought me out into an ^(C1)open place;
He rescued me, because ^(C2)He delighted in me.

²⁰ The LORD has ^(C1)rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the ^(C2)cleanness of my hands He has repaid me.

²¹ For I have ^(C1)kept the ways of the LORD,
And have ^(C2)not acted wickedly against my God.

²² For all ^(C1)His judgments were before me,
And I did not put away His ^(C2)statutes from me.

²³ I was also ^(F1)(C1)blameless with Him,
And I ^(C2)kept myself from my wrongdoing.

²⁴ Therefore the LORD has ^(C1)repaid me according to my righteousness,
According to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes.

²⁵ With ^(C1)the faithful You show Yourself faithful;
With the ^(F1)blameless ^(C2)You prove Yourself blameless;

²⁶ With the pure You show Yourself ^(C1)pure,
And with the crooked ^(C2)You show Yourself ^(F1)astute.

²⁷ For You ^(C1)save an afflicted people,
But You humiliate ^(C2)haughty eyes.

²⁸ For You ^(C1)light my lamp;
The LORD my God ^(C2)illumines my darkness.

²⁹ For by You I can ^(C1)run at a ^(F1)troop of warriors;
And by my God I can ^(C2)leap over a wall.

³⁰ As for God, His way is ^(F1)(C1)blameless;
The ^(C2)word of the LORD is refined;
He is a ^(C3)shield to all who take refuge in Him.

³¹ For ^(C1)who is God, but the LORD?
And who is a ^(C2)rock, except our God,

³² The God who ^(C1)encircles me with strength,
And ^(F1)makes my way ^(F2)(C2)blameless?

³³ He ^(C1)makes my feet like deer's feet,
And ^(C2)sets me up on my high places.

³⁴ He ^(C1)trains my hands for battle,
So that my arms can ^(C2)bend a bow of bronze.

³⁵ You have also given me ^(C1)the shield of Your salvation,
And Your ^(C2)right hand upholds me;
And ^(C3)Your ^(F1)gentleness makes me great.

³⁶ You ^(C1)enlarge my steps under me,
And my ^(F1)(C2)feet have not slipped.

³⁷ I ^(C1)pursued my enemies and overtook them,
And I did not turn back ^(C2)until they were consumed.

³⁸ I shattered them, so that they were ^(C1)not able to rise;
They fell ^(C2)under my feet.

³⁹ For You have ^(C1)encircled me with strength for battle;
You have forced those who rose up against me ^(C2)to bow down under me.

⁴⁰ You have also made my enemies ^(C1)turn their backs to me,
And I ^(F1)(C2)destroyed those who hated me.

⁴¹ They cried for help, but there was ^(C1)no one to save,
They cried to the LORD, but ^(C2)He did not answer them.

⁴² Then I beat them fine like the ^(C1)dust before the wind;
I emptied them out like the mud of the streets.

⁴³ You have rescued me from the ^(C1)contentions of the people;
You have placed me as ^(C2)head of the nations;
A ^(C3)people whom I have not known serve me.

⁴⁴ As soon as they hear, they obey me;
Foreigners ^(C1)pretend to obey me.

⁴⁵ Foreigners ^(C1)lose heart,
And ^(C2)come trembling out of their ^(F1)fortresses.

⁴⁶ The LORD ^(C1)lives, and blessed be ^(C2)my rock;
And exalted be ^(C3)the God of my salvation,

⁴⁷ The God who ^(C1)executes vengeance for me,
And ^(C2)subdues peoples under me.

⁴⁸ He ^(C1)rescues me from my enemies;
You indeed ^(C2)lift me above those who rise up against me;
You rescue me from a ^(C3)violent man.

⁴⁹ Therefore I will ^(C1)give thanks to You among the nations, LORD,
And I will ^(C2)sing praises to Your name.

⁵⁰ He gives great ^(F1)(C1)salvation to His king,
And shows faithfulness to ^(C2)His anointed,
To David and ^(C3)his ^(F2)descendants forever.

The Works and the Word of God.

¹ The ^(C1)heavens tell of the glory of God;
And their ^(C2)expanse declares the work of His hands.

² Day to ^(C1)day pours forth speech,
And ^(C2)night to night reveals knowledge.

³ There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.

⁴ Their ^(F1)(C1)line has gone out into all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.
In them He has ^(C2)placed a tent for the sun,

⁵ Which is like a groom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices like a strong person to run his course.

⁶ Its ^(C1)rising is from ^(F1)one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the ^(F2)other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

^7 (C1)The Law of the LORD is ^(F1)(C2)perfect, ^(C3)restoring the soul;
The testimony of the LORD is ^(C4)sure, making ^(C5)wise the simple.

⁸ The precepts of the LORD are ^(C1)right, ^(C2)rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the LORD is ^(C3)pure, ^(C4)enlightening the eyes.

⁹ The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the LORD are ^(C1)true; they are ^(C2)righteous altogether.

¹⁰ They are more desirable than ^(C1)gold, yes, than much pure gold;
^(C2)Sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.

¹¹ Moreover, ^(C1)Your servant is warned by them;
In keeping them there is great ^(C2)reward.

¹² Who can ^(C1)discern his errors? ^(C2)Acquit me of ^(C3)hidden faults.

¹³ Also keep Your servant back ^(C1)from presumptuous sins;
Let them not ^(C2)rule over me;
Then I will be ^(C3)innocent,
And I will be blameless of ^(C4)great wrongdoing.

¹⁴ May the words of my mouth and ^(C1)the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
LORD, ^(C2)my rock and my ^(C3)Redeemer.

Prayer for Victory over Enemies.

¹ May the LORD answer you ^(C1)on a day of trouble!
May the ^(C2)name of the ^(C3)God of Jacob ^(F1)protect you!

² May He send you help ^(C1)from the sanctuary,
And ^(C2)support you from Zion!

³ May He ^(C1)remember all your meal offerings
And ^(F1)(C2)accept your burnt offering! Selah

⁴ May He grant you your ^(C1)heart's desire
And ^(C2)fulfill your whole plan!

^5 (F1)We will ^(C1)sing for joy over your ^(F2)victory,
And in the name of our God we will ^(C2)set up our banners.
May the LORD ^(C3)fulfill all your desires.

⁶ Now ^(C1)I know that the LORD saves His anointed;
He will ^(C2)answer him from His holy heaven
With the ^(F1)(C3)saving strength of His right hand.

⁷ Some praise their chariots and some their ^(C1)horses,
But ^(C2)we will praise the name of the LORD, our God.

⁸ They have ^(C1)bowed down and fallen,
But we have ^(C2)risen and stood upright.

^9 (F1)(C1)Save, LORD;
May the ^(C2)King answer us on the day we call.

Praise for Salvation.

¹ LORD, in Your strength the king will ^(C1)be glad,
And in Your ^(F1)salvation how greatly he will rejoice!

² You have ^(C1)given him his heart's desire,
And You have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah

³ For You ^(C1)meet him with the blessings of good things;
You set a ^(C2)crown of pure gold on his head.

⁴ He asked for life from You,
You ^(C1)gave it to him,
^(C2)Length of days forever and ever.

⁵ His ^(C1)glory is great through Your ^(F1)salvation,
^(C2)Splendor and majesty You place upon him.

⁶ For You make him ^(F1)most ^(C1)blessed forever;
You make him joyful ^(C2)with the joy of Your presence.

⁷ For the king ^(C1)trusts in the LORD,
And through the faithfulness of the Most High ^(C2)he will not be shaken.

⁸ Your hand will ^(C1)find all your enemies;
Your right hand will find those who hate you.

⁹ You will make them ^(C1)as a fiery oven in the time ^(F1)of your anger;
The LORD will ^(C2)swallow them up in His wrath,
And ^(C3)fire will devour them.

¹⁰ You will eliminate their ^(F1)descendants from the earth,
And their ^(F2)(C1)children from among the sons of mankind.

¹¹ Though they ^(F1)(C1)intended evil against You
And ^(C2)devised a plot,
They will not succeed.

¹² For You will ^(C1)make them turn their back;
You will take aim at their faces ^(C2)with Your bowstrings.

¹³ Be exalted, LORD, in Your strength;
We will ^(C1)sing and praise Your power.

A Cry of Anguish and a Song of Praise.

^1 (C1)My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?
^(C2)Far from my ^(F1)help are the words of my ^(F2)(C3)groaning.

² My God, I ^(C1)cry out by day, but You do not answer;
And by night, but ^(F1)I have no rest.

³ Yet ^(C1)You are holy,
You who ^(F1)are enthroned upon ^(C2)the praises of Israel.

⁴ In You our fathers ^(C1)trusted;
They trusted and You ^(C2)rescued them.

⁵ To You they cried out and they fled to safety;
^(C1)In You they trusted and were not ^(F1)disappointed.

⁶ But I am a ^(C1)worm and not a person,
A ^(C2)disgrace of mankind and ^(C3)despised by the people.

⁷ All who see me ^(C1)deride me;
They ^(F1)sneer, they ^(C2)shake their heads, saying,

⁸ "^(F1)Turn ^(F2)him over to the LORD; ^(C1)let Him save him;
Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him."

⁹ Yet You are He who ^(C1)brought me forth from the womb;
You made me trust when upon my mother's breasts.

¹⁰ I was cast upon You ^(C1)from ^(F1)birth;
You have been my God from my mother's womb.

^11 (C1)Do not be far from me, for ^(F1)trouble is near;
For there is ^(C2)no one to help.

¹² Many ^(C1)bulls have surrounded me;
Strong bulls of ^(C2)Bashan have encircled me.

¹³ They ^(C1)open their mouths wide at me,
As a ravening and roaring ^(C2)lion.

¹⁴ I am ^(C1)poured out like water,
And all my ^(C2)bones are out of joint;
My ^(C3)heart is like wax;
It is melted within ^(F1)me.

¹⁵ My ^(C1)strength is dried up like a piece of pottery,
And ^(C2)my tongue clings to my jaws;
And You ^(C3)lay me ^(F1)in the dust of death.

¹⁶ For ^(C1)dogs have surrounded me;
^(F1)A band of evildoers has encompassed me;
^(F2)They ^(C2)pierced my hands and my feet.

¹⁷ I can count all my bones.
^(C1)They look, they stare at me;

¹⁸ They ^(C1)divide my garments among them,
And they cast lots for my clothing.

¹⁹ But You, LORD, ^(C1)do not be far away;
You who are my help, ^(C2)hurry to my assistance.

²⁰ Save my ^(F1)soul from ^(C1)the sword,
My ^(C2)only life from the ^(F2)power of the dog.

²¹ Save me from the ^(C1)lion's mouth;
From the horns of the ^(C2)wild oxen You ^(C3)answer me.

²² I will ^(C1)proclaim Your name to my brothers;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.

^23 (C1)You who fear the LORD, praise Him;
All you ^(F1)descendants of Jacob, ^(C2)glorify Him,
And ^(C3)stand in awe of Him, all you ^(F1)descendants of Israel.

²⁴ For He has ^(C1)not despised nor scorned the suffering of the afflicted;
Nor has He ^(C2)hidden His face from him;
But ^(C3)when he cried to Him for help, He heard.

²⁵ From You comes ^(C1)my praise in the great assembly;
I shall ^(C2)pay my vows before those who fear Him.

²⁶ The ^(F1)afflicted will eat and ^(C1)be satisfied;
Those who seek Him will ^(C2)praise the LORD.
May your ^(C3)heart live forever!

²⁷ All the ^(C1)ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD,
And all the ^(C2)families of the nations will worship before ^(F1)You.

²⁸ For the ^(C1)kingdom is the LORD'S
And He ^(C2)rules over the nations.

²⁹ All the ^(F1)(C1)prosperous of the earth will eat and worship,
All those who ^(C2)go down to the dust will kneel before Him,
Even he who ^(F2)(C3)cannot keep his soul alive.

³⁰ A ^(F1)(C1)posterity will serve Him;
It will be told of the Lord to ^(C2)the coming generation.

³¹ They will come and ^(C1)will declare His righteousness
To a people ^(C2)who will be born, that He has performed it.

The LORD, the Psalmist's Shepherd.

¹ The LORD is my ^(C1)shepherd,
I will ^(C2)not be in need.

² He lets me lie down in ^(C1)green pastures;
He ^(C2)leads me beside ^(F1)(C3)quiet waters.

³ He ^(C1)restores my soul;
He ^(C2)guides me in the ^(F1)(C3)paths of righteousness
For the sake of His name.

⁴ Even though I ^(C1)walk through the ^(F1)valley of the shadow of death,
I ^(C2)fear no ^(F2)evil, for ^(C3)You are with me;
Your ^(C4)rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

⁵ You ^(C1)prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You ^(F1)have ^(C2)anointed my head with oil;
My ^(C3)cup overflows.

^6 (F1)Certainly ^(C1)goodness and ^(F2)faithfulness will follow me all the days of my life,
And my ^(C2)dwelling will be in the house of the LORD ^(F3)forever.

The King of Glory Entering Zion.

¹ The ^(C1)earth is the LORD'S, and ^(F1)all it contains,
The ^(C2)world, and those who live in it.

² For He has ^(C1)founded it upon the seas
And established it upon the rivers.

³ Who may ^(C1)ascend onto the ^(C2)hill of the LORD?
And who may stand in His holy ^(C3)place?

⁴ One who has ^(C1)clean hands and a ^(C2)pure heart,
Who has not ^(C3)lifted up his soul to deceit
And has not ^(C4)sworn deceitfully.

⁵ He will receive a ^(C1)blessing from the LORD
And ^(F1)(C2)righteousness from the God of his salvation.

^6 (F1)This is the generation of those who ^(C1)seek Him,
Who seek Your face—even Jacob. Selah

^7 (C1)Lift up your heads, you gates,
And be lifted up, you ^(F1)ancient doors,
That the King of ^(C2)glory may come in!

⁸ Who is the King of glory?
The LORD ^(C1)strong and mighty,
The LORD ^(C2)mighty in battle.

⁹ Lift up your heads, you gates,
And lift them up, you ^(F1)ancient doors,
That the King of ^(C1)glory may come in!

¹⁰ Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of ^(C1)armies,
He is the King of glory. Selah

Prayer for Protection, Guidance, and Pardon.

¹ To You, LORD, I ^(C1)lift up my soul.

² My God, in You ^(C1)I trust,
Do not let me ^(C2)be ashamed;
Do not let my ^(C3)enemies rejoice over me.

³ Indeed, ^(C1)none of those who wait for You will be ashamed;
^(F1)Those who ^(C2)deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed.

^4 (C1)Make me know Your ways, LORD;
Teach me Your paths.

⁵ Lead me in ^(C1)Your truth and teach me,
For You are the ^(C2)God of my salvation;
For You I ^(C3)wait all the day.

^6 (C1)Remember, LORD, Your compassion and Your faithfulness,
For they have been ^(F1)(C2)from of old.

⁷ Do not remember the ^(C1)sins of my youth or my wrongdoings;
^(C2)Remember me according to Your faithfulness,
For Your ^(C3)goodness' sake, LORD.

^8 (C1)The LORD is good and ^(C2)upright;
Therefore He ^(C3)instructs sinners in the way.

⁹ He ^(C1)leads the ^(F1)humble in justice,
And He ^(C2)teaches the ^(F1)humble His way.

¹⁰ All the paths of the LORD are ^(C1)faithfulness and truth
To ^(C2)those who comply with His covenant and His testimonies.

¹¹ For the ^(C1)sake of Your name, LORD,
^(C2)Forgive my wrongdoing, for it is great.

¹² Who is the person who ^(C1)fears the LORD?
He will ^(C2)instruct him in the way he should choose.

¹³ His soul will ^(C1)dwell in ^(F1)prosperity,
And his ^(F2)descendants will ^(C2)inherit the ^(F3)land.

¹⁴ The ^(F1)(C1)secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him,
^(F2)And He will ^(C2)make them know His covenant.

¹⁵ My ^(C1)eyes are continually toward the LORD,
For He will ^(F1)(C2)rescue my feet from the net.

^16 (C1)Turn to me and be gracious to me,
For I am ^(C2)lonely and afflicted.

^17 (F1)The ^(C1)troubles of my heart are enlarged;
Bring me ^(C2)out of my distresses.

^18 (C1)Look at my misery and my trouble,
And ^(C2)forgive all my sins.

¹⁹ Look at my enemies, for they ^(C1)are many,
And they ^(C2)hate me with violent hatred.

^20 (C1)Guard my soul and save me;
Do not let me ^(C2)be ashamed, for I take refuge in You.

²¹ Let ^(C1)integrity and uprightness protect me,
For ^(C2)I wait for You.

^22 (C1)Redeem Israel, God,
From all his distress.

Protestation of Integrity and Prayer for Protection.

^1 (F1)(C1)Vindicate me, LORD, for I have ^(C2)walked in my integrity,
And I have ^(C3)trusted in the LORD ^(F2)(C4)without wavering.

^2 (C1)Examine me, LORD, and put me to the test;
^(C2)Refine my ^(F1)mind and my heart.

³ For Your ^(F1)(C1)goodness is before my eyes,
And I have ^(C2)walked in Your truth.

⁴ I do not ^(C1)sit with ^(F1)deceitful people,
Nor will I go with ^(F2)(C2)pretenders.

⁵ I ^(C1)hate the assembly of evildoers,
And I will not sit with the wicked.

⁶ I will ^(C1)wash my hands in innocence,
And I will go around ^(C2)Your altar, LORD,

⁷ That I may proclaim with the voice of ^(C1)thanksgiving
And declare all Your ^(F1)wonders.

⁸ LORD, I ^(C1)love the dwelling of Your house,
And the place ^(F1)where Your ^(C2)glory remains.

^9 (C1)Do not ^(F1)take my soul away along with sinners,
Nor my life with ^(C2)men of bloodshed,

¹⁰ In whose hands is a ^(C1)wicked scheme,
And whose right hand is full of ^(C2)bribes.

¹¹ But as for me, I will ^(C1)walk in my integrity;
^(C2)Redeem me, and be gracious to me.

^12 (C1)My foot stands on ^(C2)level ground;
In the ^(C3)congregations I will bless the LORD.

A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God.

¹ The LORD is my ^(C1)light and my ^(C2)salvation;
Whom should I fear?
The LORD is the ^(F1)(C3)defense of my life;
^(C4)Whom should I dread?

² When evildoers came upon me to ^(C1)devour my flesh,
My adversaries and my enemies, they ^(C2)stumbled and fell.

³ If an ^(C1)army encamps against me,
My heart will not fear;
If war arises against me,
In spite of this I am ^(C2)confident.

^4 (C1)One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek:
That I may ^(C2)dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
To behold ^(C3)the ^(F1)beauty of the LORD
And to ^(F2)(C4)meditate in His temple.

⁵ For on the ^(C1)day of trouble He will ^(C2)conceal me in His ^(F1)tabernacle;
He will ^(C3)hide me in the secret place of His tent;
He will ^(C4)lift me up on a rock.

⁶ And now ^(C1)my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,
And I will offer ^(C2)sacrifices in His tent ^(F1)with shouts of joy;
I will ^(C3)sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

^7 (C1)Hear, LORD, when I cry with my voice,
And be gracious to me and ^(C2)answer me.

⁸ When You said, "^(C1)Seek My face," my heart said to You,
"^(C2)I shall seek Your face, LORD."

^9 (C1)Do not hide Your face from me,
Do not turn Your servant away in ^(C2)anger;
You have been ^(C3)my help;
^(C4)Do not abandon me nor ^(C5)forsake me,
God of my salvation!

^10 (F1)For my father and ^(C1)my mother have forsaken me,
But ^(C2)the LORD will take me up.

^11 (C1)Teach me Your way, LORD,
And lead me on a ^(C2)level path
Because of my enemies.

¹² Do not turn me over to the ^(F1)(C1)desire of my enemies,
For ^(C2)false witnesses have risen against me,
And the violent ^(C3)witness.

¹³ I certainly believed that I would see the ^(C1)goodness of the LORD
In the ^(C2)land of the living.

^14 (C1)Wait for the LORD;
Be ^(C2)strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the LORD.

A Prayer for Help, and Praise for Its Answer.

¹ To You, LORD, I call;
My ^(C1)rock, do not be deaf to me,
For if You ^(C2)are silent to me,
I will become like those who ^(C3)go down to the pit.

² Hear the ^(C1)sound of my pleadings when I cry to You for help,
When I ^(C2)raise my hands ^(C3)toward ^(F1)Your holy ^(C4)sanctuary.

^3 (C1)Do not drag me away with the wicked
And with those who practice injustice,
Who ^(C2)speak peace with their neighbors,
While evil is in their hearts.

⁴ Give back to them ^(C1)according to their work and according to the evil of their practices;
Give back to them according to the work of their hands;
Repay them what is due them.

⁵ Because they ^(C1)do not regard the works of the LORD
Nor the deeds of His hands,
He will tear them down and not build them up.

⁶ Blessed be the LORD,
Because He ^(C1)has heard the sound of my pleading.

⁷ The LORD is my ^(C1)strength and my ^(C2)shield;
My heart ^(C3)trusts in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore ^(C4)my heart triumphs,
And with ^(C5)my song I shall thank Him.

⁸ The LORD is ^(F1)their ^(C1)strength,
And He is a refuge of ^(C2)salvation to His anointed.

^9 (C1)Save Your people and bless ^(C2)Your inheritance;
Be their ^(C3)shepherd also, and ^(C4)carry them forever.

The Voice of the LORD in the Storm.

^1 (C1)Ascribe to the LORD, ^(F1)sons of the mighty,
Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

² Ascribe to the LORD the glory ^(F1)due His name;
Worship the LORD ^(C1)in holy attire.

³ The ^(C1)voice of the LORD is on the waters;
The God of glory ^(C2)thunders,
The LORD is over ^(F1)(C3)many waters.

⁴ The voice of the LORD is ^(C1)powerful,
The voice of the LORD is majestic.

⁵ The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
Yes, the LORD breaks ^(C1)the cedars of Lebanon in pieces.

⁶ He makes Lebanon ^(C1)skip like a calf,
And ^(C2)Sirion like a young wild ox.

⁷ The voice of the LORD divides ^(F1)flames of fire.

⁸ The voice of the LORD ^(F1)shakes the wilderness;
The LORD shakes the wilderness of ^(C1)Kadesh.

⁹ The voice of the LORD makes ^(C1)the deer give birth
And strips the forests bare;
And ^(C2)in His temple everything says, "Glory!"

¹⁰ The LORD sat as King at the ^(C1)flood;
Yes, the LORD sits as ^(C2)King forever.

^11 (F1)The LORD will give ^(C1)strength to His people;
^(F2)The LORD will bless His people with ^(C2)peace.

Thanksgiving for Rescue from Death.

¹ I will ^(C1)exalt You, LORD, for You have ^(C2)lifted me up,
And have not let my ^(C3)enemies rejoice over me.

² LORD my God,
I ^(C1)cried to You for help, and You ^(C2)healed me.

³ LORD, You have ^(C1)brought up my soul from ^(F1)Sheol;
You have kept me alive, ^(F2)that I would not ^(C2)go down to the pit.

^4 (C1)Sing praise to the LORD, you ^(C2)His godly ones,
And ^(C3)praise the mention of His holiness.

⁵ For ^(C1)His anger is but for a moment,
His ^(C2)favor is for a lifetime;
Weeping may ^(C3)last for the night,
But a shout of joy comes in the morning.

⁶ Now as for me, I said in my prosperity,
"I will ^(C1)never be moved."

⁷ LORD, by Your favor You have made my mountain to stand strong;
You ^(C1)hid Your face, I was dismayed.

⁸ To You, LORD, I called,
And to the Lord I pleaded for compassion:

⁹ "What gain is there in my blood, if I ^(C1)go down to the pit?
Will the ^(C2)dust praise You? Will it declare Your faithfulness?

¹⁰ "^(C1)Hear, LORD, and be gracious to me;
LORD, be my ^(C2)helper."

¹¹ You have turned ^(C1)my mourning into dancing for me;
You have ^(C2)untied my sackcloth and encircled me with ^(C3)joy,

¹² That my ^(F1)(C1)soul may sing praise to You and not be silent.
LORD my God, I will ^(C2)give thanks to You forever.

A Psalm of Complaint and of Praise.

^1 (C1)In You, LORD, I have taken refuge;
Let me never ^(C2)be ^(F1)put to shame;
^(C3)In Your righteousness rescue me.

^2 (C1)Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly;
Be a ^(C2)rock of ^(F1)strength for me,
A ^(F2)stronghold to save me.

³ For You are my rock and ^(C1)my fortress;
For the ^(C2)sake of Your name You will lead me and guide me.

⁴ You will ^(C1)pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,
For You are my ^(C2)strength.

^5 (C1)Into Your hand I entrust my spirit;
You have ^(C2)redeemed me, LORD, ^(C3)God of ^(F1)truth.

⁶ I hate those who ^(C1)devote themselves to worthless ^(F1)idols,
But I ^(C2)trust in the LORD.

⁷ I will ^(C1)rejoice and be glad in Your faithfulness,
Because You have ^(C2)seen my misery;
You have known the troubles of my soul,

⁸ And You have not ^(C1)handed me over to the enemy;
You have set my feet in a large place.

⁹ Be gracious to me, LORD, for ^(C1)I am in distress;
My ^(C2)eye is wasted away from grief, ^(C3)my soul and my body too.

¹⁰ For my life is spent with ^(C1)sorrow
And my years with sighing;
My ^(C2)strength has failed because of my guilt,
And ^(C3)my ^(F1)body has wasted away.

¹¹ Because of all my adversaries, I have become a ^(C1)disgrace,
Especially to my ^(C2)neighbors,
And an object of dread to my acquaintances;
Those who see me in the street flee from me.

¹² I am ^(C1)forgotten like a dead person, out of mind;
I am like a broken vessel.

¹³ For I have heard the ^(F1)(C1)slander of many,
^(C2)Terror is on every side;
While they ^(C3)took counsel together against me,
They ^(C4)schemed to take away my life.

¹⁴ But as for me, I trust in You, LORD,
I say, "^(C1)You are my God."

¹⁵ My ^(C1)times are in Your hand;
^(C2)Rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.

¹⁶ Make Your ^(C1)face shine upon Your servant;
^(C2)Save me in Your faithfulness.

¹⁷ Let me not be ^(C1)put to shame, LORD, for I call upon You;
Let the ^(C2)wicked be put to shame, let them ^(C3)be silent in ^(F1)Sheol.

¹⁸ Let the ^(C1)lying lips be speechless,
Which ^(C2)speak arrogantly against the righteous
With pride and contempt.

¹⁹ How great is Your ^(C1)goodness,
Which You have stored up for those who fear You,
Which You have performed for those who ^(C2)take refuge in You,
^(C3)Before the sons of mankind!

²⁰ You hide them in the ^(C1)secret place of Your presence from the ^(C2)conspiracies of mankind;
You keep them secretly in a ^(F1)shelter from the ^(C3)strife of tongues.

^21 (C1)Blessed be the LORD,
For He has shown His ^(C2)marvelous faithfulness to me in a besieged ^(C3)city.

²² As for me, ^(C1)I said in my alarm,
"I am ^(C2)cut off from Your eyes";
Nevertheless You ^(C3)heard the sound of my pleadings
When I called to You for help.

²³ Love the LORD, all ^(C1)His godly ones!
The LORD ^(C2)watches over the faithful
But fully ^(C3)repays the one who acts arrogantly.

^24 (C1)Be strong and let your heart take courage,
All you who wait for the LORD.

Blessedness of Forgiveness and of Trust in God.

^1 (C1)How blessed is he whose wrongdoing is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered!

² How blessed is a person whose guilt the LORD ^(C1)does not take into account,
And in whose spirit there is ^(C2)no deceit!

³ When ^(C1)I kept silent about my sin, ^(C2)my ^(F1)body wasted away
Through my ^(F2)(C3)groaning all day long.

⁴ For day and night ^(C1)Your hand was heavy upon me;
My ^(F1)(C2)vitality failed as with the dry heat of summer. Selah

⁵ I ^(C1)acknowledged my sin to You,
And I ^(C2)did not hide my guilt;
I said, "^(C3)I will confess my wrongdoings to the LORD";
And You ^(C4)forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah

⁶ Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You ^(F1)(C1)in a time when You may be found;
Certainly ^(C2)in a flood of great waters, they will not reach him.

⁷ You are ^(C1)my hiding place; You ^(C2)keep me from trouble;
You surround me with ^(F1)(C3)songs of deliverance. Selah

⁸ I will ^(C1)instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will advise you ^(C2)with My eye upon you.

⁹ Do not be ^(C1)like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding,
Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check,
Otherwise they will not come near to you.

¹⁰ The ^(C1)sorrows of the wicked are many,
But ^(C2)the one who trusts in the LORD, goodness will surround him.

¹¹ Be ^(C1)glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are ^(C2)upright in heart.

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.

Futility of Boastful Wickedness.

¹ Why do you ^(C1)boast in evil, you mighty man?
The ^(C2)faithfulness of God endures all day long.

² Your tongue devises ^(C1)destruction,
Like a ^(C2)sharp razor, ^(C3)you worker of deceit.

³ You ^(C1)love evil more than good,
^(C2)Lies more than speaking what is right. Selah

⁴ You love all words that devour,
You ^(C1)deceitful tongue.

^5 (F1)But God will break you down forever;
He will snatch you up and ^(C1)tear you away from your tent,
And ^(C2)uproot you from the ^(C3)land of the living. Selah

⁶ The righteous will ^(C1)see and fear,
And they will ^(C2)laugh at him, saying,

⁷ "Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge,
But ^(C1)trusted in the abundance of his riches
And ^(C2)was strong in ^(F1)his evil desire."

⁸ But as for me, I am like a ^(C1)green olive tree in the house of God;
I ^(C2)trust in the faithfulness of God forever and ever.

⁹ I will ^(C1)praise You forever, because You have done it,
And I will wait on Your name, ^(C2)for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones.

Foolishness and Wickedness of People.

^1 (C1)The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God."
They are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice;
^(C2)There is no one who does good.

² God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of mankind
To see if there is ^(C1)anyone who ^(F1)understands,
Who ^(C2)seeks after God.

^3 (C1)Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt;
There is no one who does good, not even one.

⁴ Have the workers of injustice ^(C1)no knowledge,
Who eat up My people like they ate bread,
And have not called upon God?

⁵ They were in great ^(F1)fear there, ^(C1)where no ^(F1)fear had been;
For God ^(C2)scattered the bones of ^(F2)him who encamped against you;
You ^(C3)put them to shame, because ^(C4)God had rejected them.

⁶ Oh, that ^(C1)the salvation of Israel would come from Zion!
When God restores the fortunes of His people,
Jacob shall rejoice, Israel shall be glad.

Prayer for Defense against Enemies.

¹ Save me, God, by ^(C1)Your name,
And ^(F1)vindicate me by ^(C2)Your power.

^2 (C1)Hear my prayer, God;
^(C2)Listen to the words of my mouth.

³ For strangers have ^(C1)risen against me
And ^(C2)violent men have ^(C3)sought my ^(F1)life;
They have ^(C4)not set God before them. Selah

⁴ Behold, ^(C1)God is my helper;
The Lord is ^(F1)the ^(C2)sustainer of my soul.

^5 (F1)He will ^(C1)pay back the evil to my enemies;
^(F2)(C2)Destroy them ^(C3)in Your ^(F3)faithfulness.

^6 (F1)(C1)Willingly I will sacrifice to You;
I will ^(C2)praise Your name, LORD, for it is good.

⁷ For ^(F1)He has ^(C1)saved me from all ^(F2)trouble,
And my eye has ^(C2)looked with satisfaction upon my enemies.

Prayer for the Destruction of the Treacherous.

^1 (C1)Listen to my prayer, God;
And ^(C2)do not hide Yourself from my pleading.

² Give Your ^(C1)attention to me and answer me;
I am restless in my ^(C2)complaint and ^(F1)(C3)severely distracted,

³ Because of the voice of the enemy,
Because of the ^(C1)pressure of the wicked;
For they ^(C2)bring down ^(F1)trouble upon me
And in anger they ^(C3)hold a grudge against me.

⁴ My ^(C1)heart is in anguish within me,
And the terrors of ^(C2)death have fallen upon me.

⁵ Fear and ^(C1)trembling come upon me,
And ^(F1)(C2)horror has ^(F2)overwhelmed me.

⁶ I said, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and ^(F1)(C1)be at rest.

⁷ "Behold, I would flee far away,
I would ^(C1)spend my nights in the wilderness. Selah

⁸ "I would hurry to my place of refuge
From the ^(C1)stormy wind and heavy gale."

⁹ Confuse them, Lord, ^(C1)divide their tongues,
For I have seen ^(C2)violence and strife in the city.

¹⁰ Day and night they go around her upon her walls,
And evil and harm are in her midst.

^11 (C1)Destruction is in her midst;
^(C2)Oppression and deceit do not depart from her ^(F1)streets.

¹² For it is ^(C1)not an enemy who taunts me,
Then I could endure it;
Nor is it one who hates me who ^(C2)has exalted himself against me,
Then I could hide myself from him.

¹³ But it is you, a man ^(F1)my equal,
My ^(C1)companion and my ^(C2)confidant;

¹⁴ We who had sweet ^(F1)fellowship together,
^(C1)Walked in the house of God among the commotion.

¹⁵ May ^(F1)death come ^(C1)deceitfully upon them;
May they ^(C2)go down alive to ^(F2)Sheol,
For evil is in their dwelling, in their midst.

¹⁶ As for me, I shall ^(C1)call upon God,
And the LORD will save me.

^17 (C1)Evening and ^(C2)morning and at ^(C3)noon, I will complain and moan,
And He will hear my voice.

¹⁸ He will ^(C1)redeem my soul in peace ^(F1)from the battle which is against me,
For they are ^(C2)many who are aggressive toward me.

¹⁹ God will ^(C1)hear and humiliate them—
Even the One ^(C2)who ^(F1)sits enthroned from ancient times— Selah
With whom there ^(F2)is no change,
And who ^(C3)do not fear God.

²⁰ He has put forth his hands against ^(C1)those who were at peace with him;
He has ^(F1)(C2)violated his covenant.

²¹ His ^(F1)speech was ^(C1)smoother than butter,
But his heart was war;
His words were ^(C1)softer than oil,
Yet they were drawn ^(C2)swords.

^22 (C1)Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you;
^(C2)He will never allow the righteous to ^(F1)(C3)be shaken.

²³ But You, God, will bring them down to the ^(C1)pit of destruction;
^(C2)Men of bloodshed and deceit will ^(C3)not live out half their days.
But I will ^(C4)trust in You.

Pleading for Help and Grateful Trust in God.

¹ Be gracious to me, God, for a man has ^(F1)(C1)trampled upon me;
^(F2)Fighting all day long he ^(C2)oppresses me.

² My enemies have ^(C1)trampled upon me all day long,
For ^(F1)they are many who ^(C2)fight proudly against me.

^3 (F1)When I am ^(C1)afraid,
^(F2)I will ^(C2)put my trust in You.

^4 (C1)In God, whose word I praise,
In God I have put my trust;
I shall not be afraid.
^(C2)What can mere ^(F1)mortals do to me?

⁵ All day long they ^(C1)distort my words;
All their ^(F1)(C2)thoughts are against me for evil.

⁶ They ^(F1)(C1)attack, they lurk,
They ^(C2)watch my ^(F2)steps,
As they have ^(C3)waited to take my ^(F3)life.

⁷ Because of their wickedness, will there be an ^(C1)escape for them?
In anger ^(C2)make the peoples fall down, God!

⁸ You ^(C1)have taken account of my ^(F1)miseries;
Put my ^(C2)tears in Your bottle.
Are they not in ^(C3)Your book?

⁹ Then my enemies will ^(C1)turn back ^(C2)on the day when I call;
This I know, ^(F1)that ^(C3)God is for me.

¹⁰ In God, whose word I praise,
In the LORD, whose word I praise,

¹¹ In God I have put my ^(F1)trust, I shall not be afraid.
What can mankind do to me?

¹² Your ^(C1)vows are binding upon me, God;
I will render thanksgiving offerings to You.

¹³ For You have ^(C1)saved my soul from death,
^(F1)Indeed ^(C2)my feet from stumbling,
So that I may ^(C3)walk before God
In the ^(C4)light of the ^(F2)living.

Prayer for Rescue from Persecutors.

¹ Be gracious to me, God, be gracious to me,
For my soul ^(C1)takes refuge in You;
And in the ^(C2)shadow of Your wings I will take refuge
Until destruction ^(C3)passes by.

² I will cry to God Most High,
To God who ^(C1)accomplishes all things for me.

³ He will ^(C1)send from heaven and save me;
He rebukes the one who ^(F1)(C2)tramples upon me. Selah
God will send His ^(F2)(C3)favor and His truth.

⁴ My soul is among ^(C1)lions;
I must lie among those who devour,
Among sons of mankind whose ^(C2)teeth are spears and arrows,
And their ^(C3)tongue is a sharp sword.

^5 (C1)Be exalted above the heavens, God;
May Your glory be above all the earth.

⁶ They have prepared a ^(C1)net for my steps;
My soul is ^(C2)bowed down;
They ^(C3)dug a pit before me;
They themselves have ^(C4)fallen into the midst of it. Selah

^7 (C1)My ^(C2)heart is steadfast, God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises!

⁸ Awake, ^(C1)my glory!
Awake, ^(C2)harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.

^9 (C1)I will praise You, Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to You among the ^(F1)nations.

¹⁰ For Your ^(C1)goodness is great to the heavens
And Your ^(F1)truth to the clouds.

^11 (C1)Be exalted above the heavens, God;
May Your glory be above all the earth.

Prayer for the Punishment of the Wicked.

¹ Do you indeed ^(F1)speak righteousness, you ^(F2)gods?
Do you ^(C1)judge ^(F3)fairly, you sons of mankind?

² No, in heart you ^(C1)practice injustice;
On earth you ^(C2)clear a way for the violence of your hands.

³ The wicked have turned away ^(C1)from the womb;
These who speak lies ^(C2)go astray from ^(F1)birth.

⁴ They have venom like the ^(C1)venom of a serpent;
Like a deaf cobra that stops up its ear,

⁵ So that it ^(C1)does not hear the voice of ^(F1)(C2)charmers,
Or a skillful caster of spells.

⁶ God, ^(C1)shatter their teeth in their mouth;
Break out the fangs of the young lions, LORD.

⁷ May they ^(C1)flow away like water that runs off;
When he ^(F1)(C2)aims his arrows, may they be as ^(F2)headless shafts.

⁸ May they be like a snail which goes along in slime,
Like the ^(C1)miscarriage of a woman that never sees the sun.

⁹ Before your ^(C1)pots can feel the fire of thorns
He will ^(C2)sweep them away with a whirlwind, the ^(F1)green and the burning alike.

¹⁰ The ^(C1)righteous will rejoice when he ^(C2)sees vengeance;
He will ^(C3)wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.

¹¹ And people will say, "There certainly is ^(F1)(C1)a reward for the righteous;
There certainly is a God who ^(C2)judges on the earth!"

Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.

^1 (C1)Rescue me from my enemies, my God;
^(F1)(C2)Set me securely on high away from those who rise up against me.

² Rescue me from ^(C1)those who practice injustice,
And save me from ^(C2)men of bloodshed.

³ For behold, they ^(C1)have ^(F1)set an ambush for my ^(F2)life;
^(F3)Fierce men ^(C1)attack me,
^(C2)Not for my wrongdoing nor for my sin, LORD,

^4 (F1)(C1)For no guilt of mine, they run and take their stand against me.
^(C2)Stir Yourself to ^(F2)help me, and see!

⁵ You, ^(C1)LORD God of armies, the God of Israel,
Awake to ^(F1)(C2)punish all the nations;
^(C3)Do not be gracious to any who deal treacherously in wrongdoing. Selah

⁶ They ^(C1)return at evening, they howl like a ^(C2)dog,
And prowl around the city.

⁷ Behold, they ^(C1)gush forth with their mouths;
^(C2)Swords are in their lips,
For, they say, "^(C3)Who hears?"

⁸ But You, LORD, ^(C1)laugh at them;
You ^(C2)scoff at all the nations.

⁹ Because of ^(F1)his ^(C1)strength I will watch for You,
For God is my ^(C2)refuge.

^10 (F1)My God ^(C1)in His faithfulness will meet me;
God will let me ^(C2)look triumphantly upon my enemies.

¹¹ Do not kill them, ^(C1)or my people will forget;
^(F1)(C2)Scatter them by Your power and bring them down,
Lord, ^(C3)our shield.

^12 (F1)On account of the ^(C1)sin of their mouths and the words of their lips,
May they even be ^(C2)caught in their pride,
And on account of ^(C3)curses and lies which they tell.

^13 (F1)(C1)Destroy them in wrath, ^(F1)destroy them so that they will no longer exist;
So that people may ^(C2)know that God ^(F2)rules in Jacob,
To the ends of the earth. Selah

¹⁴ They ^(C1)return at evening, they howl like a dog,
And prowl around the city.

¹⁵ They ^(C1)wander about ^(F1)for food
And ^(F2)murmur if they are not satisfied.

¹⁶ But as for me, I will ^(C1)sing of Your strength;
Yes, I will ^(C2)joyfully sing of Your faithfulness in the ^(C3)morning,
For You have been my ^(C4)refuge
And a ^(C5)place of refuge on the day of my distress.

^17 (C1)My strength, I will sing praises to You;
For God is my ^(C2)refuge, the ^(F1)God who shows me favor.

Grieving over Defeat in Battle, and Prayer for Help.

¹ God, ^(C1)You have rejected us. You have ^(F1)(C2)broken us;
You have been ^(C3)angry; ^(C4)restore us!

² You have made the ^(F1)(C1)land quake, You have split it open;
^(C2)Heal its cracks, for it sways.

³ You have ^(F1)(C1)made Your people experience hardship;
You have given us ^(F2)wine to ^(C2)drink that makes us stagger.

⁴ You have given a ^(C1)banner to those who fear You,
That it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah

^5 (C1)That Your ^(C2)beloved may be rescued,
^(C3)Save us with Your right hand, and answer ^(F1)us!

⁶ God has spoken in His ^(F1)(C1)holiness:
"I will triumph, I will divide up ^(C2)Shechem, and measure out the Valley of ^(C3)Succoth.

⁷ "^(C1)Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine;
^(C2)Ephraim also is the ^(F1)helmet of My head;
Judah is My ^(C3)scepter.

⁸ "^(C1)Moab is My washbowl;
I will throw My sandal over ^(C2)Edom;
Shout loud, ^(C3)Philistia, because of Me!"

⁹ Who will bring me into the besieged city?
Who ^(F1)will lead me to Edom?

¹⁰ Have You Yourself not ^(C1)rejected us, God?
And ^(C2)will You not go out with our armies, God?

¹¹ Oh give us help against the enemy,
For ^(C1)rescue ^(F1)by man is worthless.

^12 (F1)Through God we will ^(C1)do valiantly,
And it is He who will ^(C2)trample down our enemies.

Confidence in God's Protection.

^1 (C1)Hear my cry, God;
^(C2)Give Your attention to my prayer.

² From the ^(C1)end of the earth I call to You when my heart is ^(C2)faint;
Lead me to ^(C3)the rock that is higher than I.

³ For You have been a ^(C1)refuge for me,
A ^(C2)tower of strength against the enemy.

⁴ Let me ^(F1)(C1)dwell in Your tent forever;
Let me ^(C2)take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah

⁵ For You have heard my ^(C1)vows, God;
You have given me the inheritance of those who ^(C2)fear Your name.

⁶ You will ^(F1)(C1)prolong the king's ^(F2)life;
His years will be like generations.

⁷ He will ^(F1)sit enthroned ^(C1)before God forever;
Appoint ^(C2)faithfulness and truth that they may watch over him.

⁸ So I will ^(C1)sing praise to Your name forever,
That I may ^(C2)pay my vows day by day.

God Alone a Refuge from Treachery and Oppression.

^1 (C1)My soul waits in silence for God alone;
From Him ^(C2)comes my salvation.

² He alone is my ^(C1)rock and my salvation,
My ^(C2)stronghold; I will not be greatly shaken.

³ How long will you attack a man,
That you may murder him, all of you,
Like a ^(C1)leaning wall, like a tottering fence?

⁴ They have planned only to thrust him down from his high position;
They ^(C1)delight in falsehood;
They ^(C2)bless with ^(F1)their mouth,
But inwardly they curse. Selah

⁵ My soul, ^(C1)wait in silence for God alone,
For my hope is from Him.

⁶ He alone is ^(C1)my rock and my salvation,
My refuge; I will not be shaken.

⁷ My ^(C1)salvation and my glory rest on God;
The rock of my strength, my ^(C2)refuge is in God.

^8 (C1)Trust in Him at all times, you people;
^(C2)Pour out your hearts before Him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah

⁹ People of ^(C1)low standing are only ^(C2)breath, and people of rank are a ^(C3)lie;
In the ^(C4)balances they go up.
Together they are lighter than breath.

^10 (C1)Do not trust in oppression,
And do not vainly rely on ^(C2)robbery;
If wealth increases, ^(C3)do not set your heart on it.

¹¹ God has ^(C1)spoken ^(F1)once;
^(F2)Twice I have heard this:
That ^(C2)power belongs to God;

¹² And faithfulness ^(C1)is Yours, Lord,
For You ^(C2)reward a person according to his work.

The Thirsting Soul Satisfied in God.

¹ God, ^(C1)You are my God; I shall be watching for You;
My soul ^(C2)thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You,
In a ^(C3)dry and exhausted land where there is no water.

² So have I ^(C1)seen You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and glory.

³ Because Your ^(F1)(C1)favor is better than life,
My lips will praise You.

⁴ So I will bless You ^(C1)as long as I live;
I will ^(C2)lift up my hands in Your name.

⁵ My soul is ^(C1)satisfied as with fat and fatness,
And my mouth offers ^(C2)praises with joyful lips.

⁶ When I remember You ^(C1)on my bed,
I meditate on You in the ^(C2)night watches,

⁷ For ^(C1)You have been my help,
And in the ^(C2)shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.

⁸ My soul ^(C1)clings ^(F1)to You;
Your ^(C2)right hand takes hold of me.

⁹ But those who ^(C1)seek my ^(F1)life to destroy it,
Will go into the ^(F2)(C2)depths of the earth.

^10 (F1)They will be ^(F2)(C1)turned over to the power of the sword;
They will be a ^(F3)(C2)prey for foxes.

¹¹ But the ^(C1)king will rejoice in God;
Everyone who ^(C2)swears by Him will boast,
For the ^(C3)mouths of those who speak lies will be stopped.

Prayer for Rescue from Secret Enemies.

¹ Hear my voice, God, in ^(C1)my ^(F1)complaint;
^(C2)Protect my life from dread of the enemy.

² Hide me from the ^(C1)secret discussion of evildoers,
From the restlessness of ^(C2)the workers of injustice,

³ Who ^(C1)have sharpened their tongues like a sword.
They ^(C2)aimed bitter speech as their arrows,

⁴ To ^(C1)shoot ^(F1)from concealment at the innocent;
Suddenly they shoot at him, and ^(C2)do not fear.

⁵ They make firm for themselves an evil ^(F1)purpose;
They ^(F2)talk of ^(C1)setting snares secretly;
They say, "^(C2)Who can see them?"

⁶ They ^(F1)devise injustices, saying,
"We are ^(F2)ready with a well-conceived plot";
For the ^(F3)(C1)inward thought and the heart of a person are ^(F4)deep.

⁷ But ^(C1)God ^(F1)will shoot an arrow at them;
Suddenly ^(F2)they will be wounded.

⁸ So ^(F1)they ^(F2)will ^(C1)make him stumble;
^(C2)Their own tongue is against them;
All who see them will ^(C3)shake their heads.

⁹ Then all people ^(F1)will ^(C1)fear,
And they ^(F2)will ^(C2)declare the work of God,
And ^(F3)will consider ^(F4)what He has done.

¹⁰ The righteous person will be ^(C1)glad in the LORD and ^(C2)take refuge in Him;
And all the upright in heart will boast.

God's Abundant Favor to Earth and Mankind.

¹ There will be silence ^(F1)before You, and praise in Zion, God,
And the ^(C1)vow will be fulfilled for You.

² You who hear prayer,
To You ^(C1)all ^(F1)mankind comes.

^3 (F1)(C1)Wrongdoings prevail against me;
As for our offenses, You ^(F2)(C2)forgive them.

^4 (C1)Blessed is the one You ^(C2)choose and allow to approach You;
He will dwell in Your courtyards.
We will be ^(C3)satisfied with the goodness of Your house,
Your holy temple.

⁵ By ^(C1)awesome deeds You answer us in righteousness, ^(C2)God of our salvation,
You who are the trust of all the ^(C3)ends of the earth and the farthest ^(F1)(C4)sea;

⁶ Who ^(C1)establishes the mountains by His strength,
Who is ^(C2)encircled with might;

⁷ Who ^(C1)stills the roaring of the seas,
The roaring of their waves,
And the ^(C2)turmoil of the nations.

⁸ They who dwell at the ^(C1)ends of the earth stand in awe of Your signs;
You make the ^(F1)sunrise and the sunset shout for joy.

⁹ You visit the earth and ^(C1)cause it to overflow;
You greatly ^(C2)enrich it;
The ^(F1)(C3)stream of God is full of water;
You prepare their ^(C4)grain, for so You prepare ^(F2)the earth.

¹⁰ You water its furrows abundantly,
You ^(F1)settle its ridges,
You soften it ^(C1)with showers,
You bless its growth.

¹¹ You have crowned the year ^(F1)with Your ^(C1)goodness,
And Your ^(F2)paths ^(C2)drip with fatness.

^12 (C1)The pastures of the wilderness drip,
And the ^(C2)hills encircle themselves with rejoicing.

¹³ The meadows are ^(C1)clothed with flocks
And the valleys are ^(C2)covered with grain;
They ^(C3)shout for joy, yes, they sing.

Praise for God's Mighty Deeds and for His Answer to Prayer.

^1 (C1)Shout joyfully to God, all the earth;

² Sing the ^(C1)glory of His name;
Make His ^(C2)praise glorious.

³ Say to God, "How ^(C1)awesome are Your works!
Because of the greatness of Your power Your enemies will ^(C2)pretend to obey You.

⁴ "^(C1)All the earth will worship You,
And will ^(C2)sing praises to You;
They will sing praises to Your name." Selah

^5 (C1)Come and see the works of God,
Who is ^(C2)awesome in His deeds toward the sons of mankind.

⁶ He ^(C1)turned the sea into dry land;
They passed through ^(C2)the river on foot;
Let's ^(C3)rejoice there, in Him!

⁷ He ^(C1)rules by His might forever;
His ^(C2)eyes keep watch on the nations;
The rebellious shall not ^(C3)exalt themselves! Selah

⁸ Bless our God, you peoples,
And ^(F1)(C1)sound His praise abroad,

⁹ Who ^(F1)(C1)keeps us in life,
And ^(C2)does not allow our feet to ^(F2)slip.

¹⁰ For You have ^(C1)put us to the test, God;
You have ^(C2)refined us as silver is refined.

¹¹ You ^(C1)brought us into the net;
You laid an oppressive burden upon ^(F1)us.

¹² You made men ^(C1)ride over our heads;
We went through ^(C2)fire and through water.
Yet You ^(C3)brought us out into a place of abundance.

¹³ I shall ^(C1)come into Your house with burnt offerings;
I shall ^(C2)pay You my vows,

¹⁴ Which my lips uttered
And my mouth spoke when I was ^(C1)in distress.

¹⁵ I shall ^(C1)offer to You burnt offerings of fat animals,
With the smoke of ^(C2)rams;
I shall make an offering of ^(F1)bulls with male goats. Selah

^16 (C1)Come and hear, all who ^(F1)fear God,
And I will ^(C2)tell of what He has done for my soul.

¹⁷ I cried to Him with my mouth,
And ^(F1)He was ^(C1)exalted with my tongue.

¹⁸ If I ^(F1)(C1)regard wickedness in my heart,
The ^(C2)Lord will not hear;

¹⁹ But ^(C1)God has heard;
He has given attention to the sound of my prayer.

^20 (C1)Blessed be God,
Who ^(C2)has not turned away my prayer
Nor His favor from me.

The Nations Exhorted to Praise God.

¹ God be gracious to us and ^(C1)bless us,
And ^(C2)cause His face to shine ^(F1)upon us— Selah

² That ^(C1)Your way may be known on the earth,
^(C2)Your salvation among all nations.

³ May the ^(C1)peoples praise You, God;
May all the peoples praise You.

⁴ May the ^(C1)nations be glad and sing for joy;
For You will ^(C2)judge the peoples with fairness
And ^(C3)guide the nations on the earth. Selah

⁵ May the ^(C1)peoples praise You, God;
May all the peoples praise You.

⁶ The ^(C1)earth has yielded its produce;
God, our God, ^(C2)blesses us.