Study Desk

A prayer of David.

Hear me,^(a) Lord , my plea is just; listen to my cry.^(b) Hear^(c) my prayer— it does not rise from deceitful lips.^(d)

Let my vindication^(e) come from you; may your eyes see what is right.^(f)

Though you probe my heart,^(g) though you examine me at night and test me,^(h) you will find that I have planned no evil;⁽ⁱ⁾ my mouth has not transgressed.^(j)

Though people tried to bribe me, I have kept myself from the ways of the violent through what your lips have commanded.

My steps have held to your paths;^(k) my feet have not stumbled.^(l)

I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;^(m) turn your ear to me⁽ⁿ⁾ and hear my prayer.^(o)

Show me the wonders of your great love,^(p) you who save by your right hand^(q) those who take refuge^(r) in you from their foes.

Keep me^(s) as the apple of your eye;^(t) hide me^(u) in the shadow of your wings^(v)

from the wicked who are out to destroy me, from my mortal enemies who surround me.^(w)

They close up their callous hearts,^(x) and their mouths speak with arrogance.^(y)

They have tracked me down, they now surround me,^(z) with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.

They are like a lion^(aa) hungry for prey,^(ab) like a fierce lion crouching in cover.

Rise up,^(ac) Lord , confront them, bring them down;^(ad) with your sword rescue me from the wicked.

By your hand save me from such people, Lord , from those of this world^(ae) whose reward is in this life.^(af) May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies; may their children gorge themselves on it, and may there be leftovers^(ag) for their little ones.

As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face; when I awake,^(ah) I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.^(ai)

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord . He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:

I love you, Lord , my strength.^(b)

The Lord is my rock,^(c) my fortress^(d) and my deliverer;^(e) my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,^(f) my shield^[b](g) and the horn^[c] of my salvation,^(h) my stronghold.

I called to the Lord , who is worthy of praise,⁽ⁱ⁾ and I have been saved from my enemies.^(j)

The cords of death^(k) entangled me; the torrents^(l) of destruction overwhelmed me.

The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death^(m) confronted me.

In my distress⁽ⁿ⁾ I called to the Lord ;^(o) I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice;^(p) my cry came^(q) before him, into his ears.

The earth trembled^(r) and quaked,^(s) and the foundations of the mountains shook;^(t) they trembled because he was angry.^(u)

Smoke rose from his nostrils;^(v) consuming fire^(w) came from his mouth, burning coals^(x) blazed out of it.

He parted the heavens and came down;^(y) dark clouds^(z) were under his feet.

He mounted the cherubim^(aa) and flew; he soared^(ab) on the wings of the wind.^(ac)

He made darkness his covering,^(ad) his canopy^(ae) around him— the dark rain clouds of the sky.

Out of the brightness of his presence^(af) clouds advanced, with hailstones^(ag) and bolts of lightning.^(ah)

The Lord thundered^(ai) from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.^[d]

He shot his arrows^(aj) and scattered the enemy, with great bolts of lightning^(ak) he routed them.^(al)

The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations^(am) of the earth laid bare at your rebuke,^(an) Lord , at the blast of breath from your nostrils.^(ao)

He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.^(ap)

He rescued me from my powerful enemy,^(aq) from my foes, who were too strong for me.^(ar)

They confronted me in the day of my disaster,^(as) but the Lord was my support.^(at)

He brought me out into a spacious place;^(au) he rescued me because he delighted in me.^(av)

The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;^(aw) according to the cleanness of my hands^(ax) he has rewarded me.^(ay)

For I have kept the ways of the Lord ;^(az) I am not guilty of turning^(ba) from my God.

All his laws are before me;^(bb) I have not turned away from his decrees.

I have been blameless^(bc) before him and have kept myself from sin.

The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,^(bd) according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

To the faithful^(be) you show yourself faithful,^(bf) to the blameless you show yourself blameless,

to the pure^(bg) you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.^(bh)

You save the humble^(bi) but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.^(bj)

You, Lord , keep my lamp^(bk) burning; my God turns my darkness into light.^(bl)

With your help^(bm) I can advance against a troop^[e]; with my God I can scale a wall.

As for God, his way is perfect:^(bn) The Lord 's word is flawless;^(bo) he shields^(bp) all who take refuge^(bq) in him.

For who is God besides the Lord ?^(br) And who is the Rock^(bs) except our God?

It is God who arms me with strength^(bt) and keeps my way secure.^(bu)

He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;^(bv) he causes me to stand on the heights.^(bw)

He trains my hands for battle;^(bx) my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

You make your saving help my shield, and your right hand sustains^(by) me; your help has made me great.

You provide a broad path^(bz) for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way.^(ca)

I pursued my enemies^(cb) and overtook them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed.

I crushed them^(cc) so that they could not rise;^(cd) they fell beneath my feet.^(ce)

You armed me with strength^(cf) for battle; you humbled my adversaries^(cg) before me.

You made my enemies turn their backs^(ch) in flight, and I destroyed^(ci) my foes.

They cried for help, but there was no one to save them^(cj)— to the Lord , but he did not answer.^(ck)

I beat them as fine as windblown dust;^(cl) I trampled them^[f] like mud in the streets.

You have delivered me from the attacks of the people; you have made me the head of nations.^(cm) People I did not know^(cn) now serve me,

foreigners^(co) cower before me; as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.

They all lose heart;^(cp) they come trembling^(cq) from their strongholds.^(cr)

The Lord lives!^(cs) Praise be to my Rock!^(ct) Exalted be God^(cu) my Savior!^(cv)

He is the God who avenges^(cw) me, who subdues nations^(cx) under me,

who saves^(cy) me from my enemies.^(cz) You exalted me above my foes; from a violent man^(da) you rescued me.

Therefore I will praise you, Lord , among the nations;^(db) I will sing^(dc) the praises of your name.^(dd)

He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing love to his anointed,^(de) to David^(df) and to his descendants forever.^(dg)

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

The heavens^(a) declare^(b) the glory of God;^(c) the skies^(d) proclaim the work of his hands.^(e)

Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.^(f)

They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them.

Yet their voice^[b] goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.^(g) In the heavens God has pitched a tent^(h) for the sun.⁽ⁱ⁾

It is like a bridegroom^(j) coming out of his chamber,^(k) like a champion^(l) rejoicing to run his course.

It rises at one end of the heavens^(m) and makes its circuit to the other;⁽ⁿ⁾ nothing is deprived of its warmth.

The law of the Lord ^(o) is perfect,^(p) refreshing the soul.^(q) The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,^(r) making wise the simple.^(s)

The precepts of the Lord are right,^(t) giving joy^(u) to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.^(v)

The fear of the Lord ^(w) is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.^(x)

They are more precious than gold,^(y) than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey,^(z) than honey from the honeycomb.^(aa)

By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults.^(ab)

Keep your servant also from willful sins;^(ac) may they not rule over me.^(ad) Then I will be blameless,^(ae) innocent of great transgression.

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing^(af) in your sight, Lord , my Rock^(ag) and my Redeemer.^(ah)

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;^(a) may the name of the God of Jacob^(b) protect you.^(c)

May he send you help^(d) from the sanctuary^(e) and grant you support^(f) from Zion.^(g)

May he remember^(h) all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings.^[b](i)

May he give you the desire of your heart^(j) and make all your plans succeed.^(k)

May we shout for joy^(l) over your victory and lift up our banners^(m) in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests.⁽ⁿ⁾

Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to his anointed.^(o) He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand.^(p)

Some trust in chariots^(q) and some in horses,^(r) but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.^(s)

They are brought to their knees and fall,^(t) but we rise up^(u) and stand firm.^(v)

Lord , give victory to the king! Answer us^(w) when we call!