Study Desk

God, You have taught me from my youth, and I still proclaim Your wonderful works.^(r)

Even when I am old and gray, God, do not abandon me.^(s) Then I will^[a] proclaim Your power to another generation, Your strength to all who are to come.^(t)

Your righteousness reaches heaven, God, You who have done great things; God, who is like You?^(u)

You caused me to experience many troubles and misfortunes,^(v) but You will revive me again.^(w) You will bring me up again, even from the depths of the earth.^(x)

You will increase my honor and comfort me once again.^(y)

Therefore, I will praise You with a harp for Your faithfulness, my God; I will sing to You with a lyre, Holy One of Israel.^(z)

My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to You because You have redeemed me.^(aa)

Therefore, my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness all day long, for those who seek my harm will be disgraced and confounded.^(ab)

Solomonic.^(a)

God, give Your justice to the king and Your righteousness to the king's son.^(b)

He will judge Your people with righteousness and Your afflicted ones with justice.^(c)

May the mountains bring prosperity^[a] to the people and the hills, righteousness.^(d)

May he vindicate the afflicted among the people, help the poor, and crush the oppressor.^(e)

May he continue^[b] while the sun endures and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.^(f)

May he be like rain that falls on the cut grass, like spring showers that water the earth.^(g)

May the righteous^[c] flourish in his days and prosperity^[d] abound until the moon is no more.^(h)

May he rule from sea to sea and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth.⁽ⁱ⁾

May desert tribes kneel before him and his enemies lick the dust.^(j)

May the kings of Tarshish and the coasts and islands bring tribute, the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.^(k)

Let all kings bow down to him, all nations serve him.^(l)

For he will rescue the poor who cry out and the afflicted who have no helper.^(m)

He will have pity on the poor and helpless and save the lives of the poor.⁽ⁿ⁾

He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are^[e] precious^[f] in his sight.^(o)

May he live long! May gold from Sheba be given to him. May prayer be offered for him continually, and may he be blessed all day long.^(p)

May there be plenty of grain in the land; may it wave on the tops of the mountains. May its crops be like Lebanon. May people flourish in the cities like the grass of the field.^(q)

May his name endure forever; as long as the sun shines, may his fame increase. May all nations be blessed by him and call him blessed.^(r)

May the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does wonders, be praised.^(s)

May His glorious name be praised forever; the whole earth is filled with His glory.^(t) Amen and amen.

The prayers of David son of Jesse are concluded.^(u)

A psalm of Asaph.^(a) God is indeed good to Israel, to the pure in heart.^(b)

But as for me, my feet almost slipped; my steps nearly went astray.^(c)

For I envied the arrogant; I saw the prosperity of the wicked.^(d)

They have an easy time until they die,^[a] and their bodies are well fed.^[b](e)

They are not in trouble like others; they are not afflicted like most people.^(f)

Therefore, pride is their necklace, and violence covers them like a garment.^(g)

Their eyes bulge out from fatness; the imaginations of their hearts run wild.^(h)

They mock, and they speak maliciously; they arrogantly threaten oppression.⁽ⁱ⁾

They set their mouths against heaven, and their tongues strut across the earth.^(j)

Therefore His people turn to them^[c] and drink in their overflowing words.^[d](k)

The wicked say, "How can God know? Does the Most High know everything?"^(l)

Look at them—the wicked! They are always at ease, and they increase their wealth.^(m)

Did I purify my heart and wash my hands in innocence for nothing?⁽ⁿ⁾

For I am afflicted all day long and punished every morning.^(o)

If I had decided to say these things aloud, I would have betrayed Your people.^[e](p)

When I tried to understand all this, it seemed hopeless^[f](q)

until I entered God's sanctuary. Then I understood their destiny.^(r)

Indeed, You put them in slippery places; You make them fall into ruin.^(s)

How suddenly they become a desolation! They come to an end, swept away by terrors.^(t)

Like one waking from a dream, Lord, when arising, You will despise their image.^(u)