Study Desk

A song. A psalm of the sons of Korah.

The Lord is great and highly praised in the city of our God.^(a) His holy mountain,

²rising splendidly, is the joy of the whole earth. Mount Zion on the slopes of the north is the city of the great King.^(b)

God is known as a stronghold in its citadels.^(c)

Look! The kings assembled; they advanced together.^(d)

They looked and froze with fear; they fled in terror.^(e)

Trembling seized them there, agony like that of a woman in labor,^(f)

as You wrecked the ships of Tarshish with the east wind.^(g)

Just as we heard, so we have seen in the city of Yahweh of Hosts, in the city of our God; God will establish it forever.^(h) Selah

God, within Your temple, we contemplate Your faithful love.⁽ⁱ⁾

Your name, God, like Your praise, reaches to the ends of the earth;^(j) Your right hand is filled with justice.^(k)

Mount Zion is glad. The towns^[a] of Judah rejoice because of Your judgments.^(l)

Go around Zion, encircle it; count its towers,

note its ramparts; tour its citadels so that you can tell a future generation:^(m)

"This God, our God forever and ever— He will always lead us."^[b](n)

For the choir director. A psalm of the sons of Korah.

Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who inhabit the world,^(a)

both low and high,^[a] rich and poor together.^(b)

My mouth speaks wisdom; my heart's meditation brings understanding.^(c)

I turn my ear to a proverb; I explain my riddle with a lyre.^(d)

Why should I fear in times of trouble? The iniquity of my foes surrounds me.^(e)

They trust in their wealth and boast of their abundant riches.^(f)

Yet these cannot redeem a person^[b] or pay his ransom to God^(g)—

since the price of redeeming him is too costly, one should forever stop trying^[c](h)—

so that he may live forever and not see the Pit.⁽ⁱ⁾

For one can see that wise men die; foolish and stupid men also pass away.^(j) Then they leave their wealth to others.^(k)

Their graves are their eternal homes,^[d] their homes from generation to generation, though they have named estates after themselves.^(l)

But despite his assets,^[e] man will not last; he is like the animals that perish.^(m)

This is the way of those who are arrogant, and of their followers, who approve of their words.^[f](n) Selah

Like sheep they are headed for Sheol; Death will shepherd them. The upright will rule over them in the morning,^(o) and their form will waste away in Sheol,^[g] far from their lofty abode.^(p)

But God will redeem my life from the power of Sheol, for He will take me.^(q) Selah

Do not be afraid when a man gets rich, when the wealth^[h] of his house increases.^(r)

For when he dies, he will take nothing at all; his wealth^[i] will not follow him down.^(s)

Though he praises himself during his lifetime— and people praise you when you do well for yourself^(t)—

he will go to the generation of his fathers; they will never see the light.^(u)

A man with valuable possessions^[j] but without understanding is like the animals that perish.^(v)

A psalm of Asaph.^(a)

Yahweh, the God of gods^[a] speaks; He summons the earth from east to west.^[b](b)

From Zion, the perfection of beauty, God appears in radiance.^[c](c)

Our God is coming; He will not be silent! Devouring fire precedes Him, and a storm rages around Him.^(d)

On high, He summons heaven and earth in order to judge His people.^(e)

"Gather My faithful ones to Me, those who made a covenant with Me by sacrifice."^(f)

The heavens proclaim His righteousness,^(g) for God is the Judge.^(h) Selah

"Listen, My people, and I will speak; I will testify against you, Israel. I am God, your God.⁽ⁱ⁾

I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices or for your burnt offerings, which are continually before Me.^(j)

I will not accept a bull from your household or male goats from your pens,^(k)

for every animal of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.

I know every bird of the mountains,^[d] and the creatures of the field are Mine.^(l)

If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and everything in it is Mine.^(m)

Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?⁽ⁿ⁾

Sacrifice a thank offering to God,^(o) and pay your vows to the Most High.^(p)

Call on Me in a day of trouble; I will rescue you, and you will honor Me."^(q)

But God says to the wicked: "What right do you have to recite My statutes and to take My covenant on your lips?^(r)

You hate instruction and turn your back on My words.^[e](s)

When you see a thief, you make friends with him, and you associate with adulterers.^(t)

You unleash your mouth for evil and harness your tongue for deceit.^(u)

You sit, maligning your brother, slandering your mother's son.^(v)

You have done these things, and I kept silent; you thought I was just like you.^(w) But I will rebuke you and lay out the case before you.^[f](x)

"Understand this, you who forget God, or I will tear you apart, and there will be no one to rescue you.^(y)

Whoever sacrifices a thank offering honors Me, and whoever orders his conduct, I will show him the salvation of God."^(z)