Study Desk

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.

God of my praise, do not be silent.^(a)

For wicked and deceitful mouths open against me; they speak against me with lying tongues.^(b)

They surround me with hateful words and attack me without cause.^(c)

In return for my love they accuse me, but I continue to pray.^[a](d)

They repay me evil for good, and hatred for my love.^(e)

Set a wicked person over him; let an accuser^[b] stand at his right hand.^(f)

When he is judged, let him be found guilty, and let his prayer be counted as sin.^(g)

Let his days be few; let another take over his position.^(h)

Let his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.⁽ⁱ⁾

Let his children wander as beggars, searching for food far^[c] from their demolished homes.^(j)

Let a creditor seize all he has; let strangers plunder what he has worked for.^(k)

Let no one show him kindness, and let no one be gracious to his fatherless children.^(l)

Let the line of his descendants be cut off; let their name be blotted out in the next generation.^(m)

Let his ancestors' guilt be remembered before the Lord ,⁽ⁿ⁾ and do not let his mother's sin be blotted out.^(o)

Let their sins^[d] always remain before the Lord , and let Him erase^[e] all memory of them from the earth.^(p)

For he did not think to show kindness, but pursued the afflicted, poor, and brokenhearted in order to put them to death.^(q)

He loved cursing—let it fall on him; he took no delight in blessing—let it be far from him.^(r)

He wore cursing like his coat— let it enter his body like water and go into his bones like oil.^(s)

Let it be like a robe he wraps around himself, like a belt he always wears.^(t)

Let this be the Lord 's payment to my accusers, to those who speak evil against me.^(u)

But You, Yahweh my Lord, deal kindly with me because of Your name;^(v) deliver me because of the goodness of Your faithful love.^(w)

For I am afflicted and needy;^(x) my heart is wounded within me.^(y)

I fade away like a lengthening shadow;^(z) I am shaken off like a locust.

My knees are weak from fasting, and my body is emaciated.^[f](aa)

I have become an object of ridicule to my accusers;^[g] when they see me, they shake their heads in scorn.^(ab)

Help me, Lord my God; save me according to Your faithful love^(ac)

so they may know that this is Your hand and that You, Lord , have done it.^(ad)

Though they curse, You will bless. When they rise up, they will be put to shame, but Your servant will rejoice.^(ae)

My accusers will be clothed with disgrace; they will wear their shame like a cloak.^(af)

I will fervently thank the Lord with my mouth; I will praise Him in the presence of many.^(ag)

For He stands at the right hand of the needy to save him from those who would condemn him.^(ah)

A Davidic psalm.

This is the declaration of the Lord to my Lord: "Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies Your footstool."^(a)

The Lord will extend Your mighty scepter from Zion. Rule^[a] over Your surrounding^[b] enemies.^(b)

Your people will volunteer on Your day of battle.^[c](c) In holy splendor, from the womb of the dawn, the dew of Your youth belongs to You.^[d](d)

The Lord has sworn an oath and will not take it back: "Forever, You are a priest like Melchizedek."^(e)

The Lord is at Your right hand; He will crush kings on the day of His anger.^(f)

He will judge the nations, heaping up corpses;^(g) He will crush leaders over the entire world.^(h)

He will drink from the brook by the road;⁽ⁱ⁾ therefore, He will lift up His head.^(j)

Davidic.

I will give You thanks with all my heart;^(a) I will sing Your praise before the heavenly beings.^[a](b)

I will bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your constant love and truth. You have exalted Your name and Your promise above everything else.^(c)

On the day I called, You answered me; You increased strength within me.^[b](d)

All the kings on earth will give You thanks, Lord , when they hear what You have promised.^[c](e)

They will sing of the Lord 's ways, for the Lord 's glory is great.^(f)

Though the Lord is exalted, He takes note of the humble; but He knows the haughty from a distance.^(g)

If I walk into the thick of danger, You will preserve my life from the anger of my enemies.^(h) You will extend Your hand; Your right hand will save me.⁽ⁱ⁾

The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me.^(j) Lord , Your love is eternal; do not abandon the work of Your hands.^(k)