Study Desk

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.

Rescue me, Lord , from evil men. Keep me safe from violent men^(a)

who plan evil in their hearts. They stir up wars all day long.^(b)

They make their tongues as sharp as a snake's bite; viper's venom is under their lips.^(c) Selah

Protect me, Lord , from the clutches of the wicked.^(d) Keep me safe from violent men who plan to make me stumble.^[a](e)

The proud hide a trap with ropes for me; they spread a net along the path and set snares for me.^(f) Selah

I say to the Lord , "You are my God." Listen, Lord , to my cry for help.^(g)

Lord God , my strong Savior, You shield my head on the day of battle.^(h)

Lord , do not grant the desires of the wicked; do not let them achieve their goals. Otherwise, they will become proud.⁽ⁱ⁾ Selah

When those who surround me rise up,^[b] may the trouble their lips cause overwhelm them.^(j)

Let hot coals fall on them. Let them be thrown into the fire, into the abyss, never again to rise.^(k)

Do not let a slanderer stay in the land. Let evil relentlessly^[c] hunt down a violent man.^(l)

I^[d] know that the Lord upholds the just cause of the poor, justice for the needy.^(m)

Surely the righteous will praise Your name; the upright will live in Your presence.⁽ⁿ⁾

A Davidic psalm.

Lord , I call on You; hurry to help me. Listen to my voice when I call on You.^(a)

May my prayer be set before You as incense,^(b) the raising of my hands as the evening offering.^(c)

Lord , set up a guard for my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.^(d)

Do not let my heart turn to any evil thing or perform wicked acts with men who commit sin. Do not let me feast on their delicacies.^(e)

Let the righteous one strike me— it is an act of faithful love; let him rebuke me— it is oil for my head; let me^[a] not refuse it.^(f) Even now my prayer is against the evil acts of the wicked.^[b](g)

When their rulers^[c] will be thrown off the sides of a cliff, the people^[d] will listen to my words, for they are pleasing.^(h)

As when one plows and breaks up the soil, turning up rocks, so our^[e] bones have been scattered at the mouth of Sheol.⁽ⁱ⁾

But my eyes look to You, Lord God . I seek refuge in You; do not let me die.^[f](j)

Protect me from^[g] the trap they have set for me, and from the snares of evildoers.^(k)

Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by safely.^(l)

A Davidic Maskil. When he was in the cave.^(a) A prayer.

I cry aloud to the Lord ;^(b) I plead aloud to the Lord for mercy.^(c)

I pour out my complaint before Him; I reveal my trouble to Him.^(d)

Although my spirit is weak within me, You know my way.^(e) Along this path I travel they have hidden a trap for me.^(f)

Look to the right and see:^[a] no one stands up for me; there is no refuge for me; no one cares about me.^(g)

I cry to You, Lord ; I say, "You are my shelter, my portion in the land of the living."^(h)

Listen to my cry, for I am very weak.⁽ⁱ⁾ Rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me.^(j)

Free me from prison so that I can praise Your name. The righteous will gather around me because You deal generously with me.^(k)

A Davidic psalm.

Lord , hear my prayer. In Your faithfulness listen to my plea, and in Your righteousness answer me.^(a)

Do not bring Your servant into judgment,^(b) for no one alive is righteous in Your sight.^(c)

For the enemy has pursued me, crushing me to the ground, making me live in darkness like those long dead.^(d)

My spirit is weak within me; my heart is overcome with dismay.^(e)

I remember the days of old; I meditate on all You have done; I reflect on the work of Your hands.^(f)

I spread out my hands to You; I am like parched land before You.^(g) Selah

Answer me quickly, Lord ; my spirit fails.^(h) Don't hide Your face from me, or I will be like those going down to the Pit.⁽ⁱ⁾

Let me experience Your faithful love in the morning, for I trust in You.^(j) Reveal to me the way I should go because I long for You.^(k)

Rescue me from my enemies, Lord ; I come to You for protection.^[a](l)

Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God.^(m) May Your gracious Spirit lead me on level ground.⁽ⁿ⁾

Because of Your name, Yahweh, let me live. In Your righteousness deliver me from trouble,^(o)

and in Your faithful love destroy my enemies. Wipe out all those who attack me, for I am Your servant.^(p)

Davidic.

May the Lord , my rock, be praised,^(a) who trains my hands for battle and my fingers for warfare.^(b)

He is my faithful love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer. He is my shield,^(c) and I take refuge in Him;^(d) He subdues my people^[a] under me.^(e)

Lord , what is man, that You care for him, the son of man, that You think of him?^(f)

Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.^(g)

Lord , part Your heavens and come down.^(h) Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.⁽ⁱ⁾

Flash Your lightning and scatter the foe;^[b] shoot Your arrows and rout them.^(j)

Reach down^[c] from heaven;^(k) rescue me from deep water, and set me free from the grasp of foreigners^(l)

whose mouths speak lies, whose right hands are deceptive.^(m)

God, I will sing a new song to You; I will play on a ten-stringed harp for You⁽ⁿ⁾—

the One who gives victory to kings, who frees His servant David from the deadly sword.^(o)

Set me free and rescue me from the grasp of foreigners^(p) whose mouths speak lies, whose right hands are deceptive.^(q)

Then our sons will be like plants nurtured in their youth, our daughters, like corner pillars that are carved in the palace style.^(r)

Our storehouses will be full, supplying all kinds of produce;^(s) our flocks will increase by thousands and tens of thousands in our open fields.^(t)

Our cattle will be well fed.^[d] There will be no breach in the walls, no going into captivity,^[e] and no cry of lament in our public squares.^(u)

Happy are the people with such blessings. Happy are the people whose God is Yahweh.^(v)

A Davidic hymn.

I^[a] exalt You, my God the King, and praise Your name forever and ever.^(a)

I will praise You every day; I will honor Your name forever and ever.^(b)

Yahweh is great and is highly praised;^(c) His greatness is unsearchable.^(d)

One generation will declare Your works to the next and will proclaim Your mighty acts.^(e)

I^[b] will speak of Your splendor and glorious majesty and^[c] Your wonderful works.^(f)

They will proclaim the power of Your awe-inspiring acts, and I will declare Your greatness.^[d](g)

They will give a testimony of Your great goodness and will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.^(h)

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and great in faithful love.⁽ⁱ⁾

The Lord is good to everyone;^(j) His compassion rests on all He has made.^(k)

All You have made will thank You, Lord ; the^[e] godly will praise You.^(l)

They will speak of the glory of Your kingdom and will declare Your might,^(m)

informing all people of Your mighty acts and of the glorious splendor of Your^[f] kingdom.⁽ⁿ⁾

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; Your rule is for all generations.^(o) The Lord is faithful in all His words and gracious in all His actions.^[g](p)

The Lord helps all who fall; He raises up all who are oppressed.^[h](q)

All eyes look to You, and You give them their food at the proper time.^(r)

You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.^(s)

The Lord is righteous in all His ways and gracious in all His acts.^(t)

The Lord is near all who call out to Him, all who call out to Him with integrity.^(u)

He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry for help and saves them.^(v)

The Lord guards all those who love Him, but He destroys all the wicked.^(w)

My mouth will declare Yahweh's praise; let every living thing praise His holy name forever and ever.^(x)