Psalm 51

Psalm 51

For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time Nathan the prophet came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

1 Have mercy on me, O God,

because of your unfailing love.

Because of your great compassion,

blot out the stain of my sins.

2 Wash me clean from my guilt.

Purify me from my sin.

3 For I recognize my rebellion;

it haunts me day and night.

4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;

I have done what is evil in your sight.

You will be proved right in what you say,

and your judgment against me is just.

5 For I was born a sinner—

yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.

6 But you desire honesty from the womb,

teaching me wisdom even there.

7 Purify me from my sins,  and I will be clean;

wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

8 Oh, give me back my joy again;

you have broken me—

now let me rejoice.

9 Don’t keep looking at my sins.

Remove the stain of my guilt.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.

Renew a loyal spirit within me.

11 Do not banish me from your presence,

and don’t take your Holy Spirit  from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and make me willing to obey you.

13 Then I will teach your ways to rebels,

and they will return to you.

14 Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves;

then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.

15 Unseal my lips, O Lord,

that my mouth may praise you.

16 You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.

You do not want a burnt offering.

17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.

You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

18 Look with favor on Zion and help her;

rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit—

with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings.

Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.

Psalm 50

Psalm 50

A PSALM OF ASAPH.

1 The LORD, the Mighty One, is God,
  and he has spoken;
he has summoned all humanity
  from where the sun rises to where it sets.

2 From Mount Zion, the perfection of beauty,
  God shines in glorious radiance.

3 Our God approaches,
  and he is not silent.
Fire devours everything in his way,
  and a great storm rages around him.

4 He calls on the heavens above and earth below
  to witness the judgment of his people.

5 "Bring my faithful people to me—
  those who made a covenant with me by giving sacrifices."

6 Then let the heavens proclaim his justice,
  for God himself will be the judge. 

 Interlude

7 "O my people, listen as I speak.
  Here are my charges against you, O Israel:
  I am God, your God!

8 I have no complaint about your sacrifices
  or the burnt offerings you constantly offer.

9 But I do not need the bulls from your barns
  or the goats from your pens.

10 For all the animals of the forest are mine,
  and I own the cattle on a thousand hills.

11 I know every bird on the mountains,
  and all the animals of the field are mine.

12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
  for all the world is mine and everything in it.

13 Do I eat the meat of bulls?
  Do I drink the blood of goats?

14 Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God,
  and keep the vows you made to the Most High.

15 Then call on me when you are in trouble,
  and I will rescue you,
  and you will give me glory."


16 But God says to the wicked:
"Why bother reciting my decrees
  and pretending to obey my covenant?

17 For you refuse my discipline
  and treat my words like trash.

18 When you see thieves, you approve of them,
  and you spend your time with adulterers.

19 Your mouth is filled with wickedness,
  and your tongue is full of lies.

20 You sit around and slander your brother—
  your own mother's son.

21 While you did all this, I remained silent,
  and you thought I didn't care.
But now I will rebuke you,
  listing all my charges against you.

22 Repent, all of you who forget me,
  or I will tear you apart,
  and no one will help you.

23 But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.
  If you keep to my path,
  I will reveal to you the salvation of God."

Psalm 49

Psalm 49

FOR THE CHOIR DIRECTOR: A PSALM OF THE DESCENDANTS OF KORAH.

1 Listen to this, all you people!
  Pay attention, everyone in the world!
2 High and low,
  rich and poor—listen!
3 For my words are wise,
  and my thoughts are filled with insight.
4 I listen carefully to many proverbs
  and solve riddles with inspiration from a harp.

5 Why should I fear when trouble comes,
  when enemies surround me?
6 They trust in their wealth
  and boast of great riches.
7 Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death*
  by paying a ransom to God.
8 Redemption does not come so easily,
  for no one can ever pay enough
9 to live forever
  and never see the grave.

10 Those who are wise must finally die,
  just like the foolish and senseless,
  leaving all their wealth behind.
11 The grave is their eternal home,
  where they will stay forever.
They may name their estates after themselves,
12   but their fame will not last.
  They will die, just like animals.
13 This is the fate of fools,
  though they are remembered as being wise.*   

Interlude

14 Like sheep, they are led to the grave,*
  where death will be their shepherd.
In the morning the godly will rule over them.
  Their bodies will rot in the grave,
  far from their grand estates.
15 But as for me, God will redeem my life.
  He will snatch me from the power of the grave.   

Interlude

16 So don't be dismayed when the wicked grow rich
  and their homes become ever more splendid.
17 For when they die, they take nothing with them.
  Their wealth will not follow them into the grave.
18 In this life they consider themselves fortunate
  and are applauded for their success.
19 But they will die like all before them
  and never again see the light of day.
20 People who boast of their wealth don't understand;
  they will die, just like animals.

Psalm 48

Psalm 48

A SONG. A PSALM OF THE DESCENDANTS OF KORAH.

1 How great is the LORD,
  how deserving of praise,
in the city of our God,
  which sits on his holy mountain!
2 It is high and magnificent;
  the whole earth rejoices to see it!
Mount Zion, the holy mountain,*
  is the city of the great King!
3 God himself is in Jerusalem's towers,
  revealing himself as its defender.

4 The kings of the earth joined forces
  and advanced against the city.
5 But when they saw it, they were stunned;
  they were terrified and ran away.
6 They were gripped with terror
  and writhed in pain like a woman in labor.
7 You destroyed them like the mighty ships of Tarshish
  shattered by a powerful east wind.

8 We had heard of the city's glory,
  but now we have seen it ourselves—
  the city of the LORD of Heaven's Armies.
It is the city of our God;
  he will make it safe forever.    Interlude

9 O God, we meditate on your unfailing love
  as we worship in your Temple.
10 As your name deserves, O God,
  you will be praised to the ends of the earth.
  Your strong right hand is filled with victory.
11 Let the people on Mount Zion rejoice.
  Let all the towns of Judah be glad
  because of your justice.

12 Go, inspect the city of Jerusalem.*
  Walk around and count the many towers.
13 Take note of the fortified walls,
  and tour all the citadels,
that you may describe them
  to future generations.
14 For that is what God is like.
  He is our God forever and ever,
  and he will guide us until we die.

Psalm 47

Psalm 47

FOR THE CHOIR DIRECTOR: A PSALM OF THE DESCENDANTS OF KORAH.

1 Come, everyone! Clap your hands!
  Shout to God with joyful praise!

2 For the LORD Most High is awesome.
  He is the great King of all the earth.

3 He subdues the nations before us,
  putting our enemies beneath our feet.

4 He chose the Promised Land as our inheritance,
  the proud possession of Jacob's descendants, whom he loves. 

 Interlude

5 God has ascended with a mighty shout.
  The LORD has ascended with trumpets blaring.

6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;
  sing praises to our King, sing praises!

7 For God is the King over all the earth.
  Praise him with a psalm.*

8 God reigns above the nations,
  sitting on his holy throne.

9 The rulers of the world have gathered together
  with the people of the God of Abraham.
For all the kings of the earth belong to God.
  He is highly honored everywhere.

Psalm 45

Psalm 45

FOR THE CHOIR DIRECTOR: A LOVE SONG TO BE SUNG TO THE TUNE "LILIES." A PSALM* OF THE DESCENDANTS OF KORAH.

1 Beautiful words stir my heart.
  I will recite a lovely poem about the king,
  for my tongue is like the pen of a skillful poet.

2 You are the most handsome of all.
  Gracious words stream from your lips.
  God himself has blessed you forever.

3 Put on your sword, O mighty warrior!
  You are so glorious, so majestic!

4 In your majesty, ride out to victory,
  defending truth, humility, and justice.
  Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds!

5 Your arrows are sharp, piercing your enemies' hearts.
  The nations fall beneath your feet.

6 Your throne, O God,* endures forever and ever.
  You rule with a scepter of justice.

7 You love justice and hate evil.
  Therefore God, your God, has anointed you,
  pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.

8 Myrrh, aloes, and cassia perfume your robes.
  In ivory palaces the music of strings entertains you.

9 Kings' daughters are among your noble women.
  At your right side stands the queen,
  wearing jewelry of finest gold from Ophir!

10 Listen to me, O royal daughter; take to heart what I say.
  Forget your people and your family far away.

11 For your royal husband delights in your beauty;
  honor him, for he is your lord.

12 The princess of Tyre* will shower you with gifts.
  The wealthy will beg your favor.

13 The bride, a princess, looks glorious
  in her golden gown.

14 In her beautiful robes, she is led to the king,
  accompanied by her bridesmaids.

15 What a joyful and enthusiastic procession
  as they enter the king's palace!


16 Your sons will become kings like their father.
  You will make them rulers over many lands.

17 I will bring honor to your name in every generation.
  Therefore, the nations will praise you forever and ever.

Psalm 44

Psalm 44

FOR THE CHOIR DIRECTOR: A PSALM* OF THE DESCENDANTS OF KORAH.

1 O God, we have heard it with our own ears—
  our ancestors have told us
of all you did in their day,
  in days long ago:

2 You drove out the pagan nations by your power
  and gave all the land to our ancestors.
You crushed their enemies
  and set our ancestors free.

3 They did not conquer the land with their swords;
  it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory.
It was your right hand and strong arm
  and the blinding light from your face that helped them,
  for you loved them.

4 You are my King and my God.

You command victories for Israel.*

5 Only by your power can we push back our enemies;

 only in your name can we trample our foes.

6 I do not trust in my bow;
  I do not count on my sword to save me.

7 You are the one who gives us victory over our enemies;
  you disgrace those who hate us.

8 O God, we give glory to you all day long
  and constantly praise your name.   

Interlude

9 But now you have tossed us aside in dishonor.
  You no longer lead our armies to battle.

10 You make us retreat from our enemies
  and allow those who hate us to plunder our land.

11 You have butchered us like sheep
  and scattered us among the nations.

12 You sold your precious people for a pittance,
  making nothing on the sale.

13 You let our neighbors mock us.
  We are an object of scorn and derision to those around us.

14 You have made us the butt of their jokes;
  they shake their heads at us in scorn.

15 We can't escape the constant humiliation;
  shame is written across our faces.

16 All we hear are the taunts of our mockers.
  All we see are our vengeful enemies.

17 All this has happened though we have not forgotten you.
  We have not violated your covenant.

18 Our hearts have not deserted you.
  We have not strayed from your path.

19 Yet you have crushed us in the jackal's desert home.
  You have covered us with darkness and death.

20 If we had forgotten the name of our God
  or spread our hands in prayer to foreign gods,

21 God would surely have known it,
  for he knows the secrets of every heart.

22 But for your sake we are killed every day;
  we are being slaughtered like sheep.

23 Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep?
  Get up! Do not reject us forever.

24 Why do you look the other way?
  Why do you ignore our suffering and oppression?

25 We collapse in the dust,
  lying face down in the dirt.

26 Rise up! Help us!
  Ransom us because of your unfailing love.

Psalm 43

Psalm 43

1 Declare me innocent, O God!
  Defend me against these ungodly people.
  Rescue me from these unjust liars.

2 For you are God, my only safe haven.
  Why have you tossed me aside?
Why must I wander around in grief,
  oppressed by my enemies?

3 Send out your light and your truth;
  let them guide me.
Let them lead me to your holy mountain,
  to the place where you live.

4 There I will go to the altar of God,
  to God—the source of all my joy.
I will praise you with my harp,
  O God, my God!

5 Why am I discouraged?
  Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
  I will praise him again—
  my Savior and my God!

Psalm 42

Psalm 42

For the choir director: A psalm* of the descendants of Korah.

1 As the deer longs for streams of water,
  so I long for you, O God.
2 I thirst for God, the living God.
  When can I go and stand before him?
3 Day and night I have only tears for food,
  while my enemies continually taunt me, saying,
  "Where is this God of yours?"

4 My heart is breaking
  as I remember how it used to be:
I walked among the crowds of worshipers,
  leading a great procession to the house of God,
singing for joy and giving thanks
  amid the sound of a great celebration!

5 Why am I discouraged?
  Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
  I will praise him again—
  my Savior and6 my God!

Now I am deeply discouraged,
  but I will remember you—
even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan,
  from the land of Mount Mizar.
7 I hear the tumult of the raging seas
  as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.
8 But each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me,
  and through each night I sing his songs,
  praying to God who gives me life.

9 "O God my rock," I cry,
  "Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I wander around in grief,
  oppressed by my enemies?"
10 Their taunts break my bones.
  They scoff, "Where is this God of yours?"

11 Why am I discouraged?
  Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
  I will praise him again—
  my Savior and my God!

Psalm 41

Psalm 41

FOR THE CHOIR DIRECTOR: A PSALM OF DAVID.

1 Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor!
  The LORD rescues them when they are in trouble.
2 The LORD protects them
  and keeps them alive.
He gives them prosperity in the land
  and rescues them from their enemies.
3 The LORD nurses them when they are sick
  and restores them to health.

4 "O LORD," I prayed, "have mercy on me.
  Heal me, for I have sinned against you."
5 But my enemies say nothing but evil about me.
  "How soon will he die and be forgotten?" they ask.
6 They visit me as if they were my friends,
  but all the while they gather gossip,
  and when they leave, they spread it everywhere.
7 All who hate me whisper about me,
  imagining the worst.
8 "He has some fatal disease," they say.
  "He will never get out of that bed!"
9 Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely,
  the one who shared my food, has turned against me.

10 LORD, have mercy on me.
  Make me well again, so I can pay them back!
11 I know you are pleased with me,
  for you have not let my enemies triumph over me.
12 You have preserved my life because I am innocent;
  you have brought me into your presence forever.

13 Praise the LORD, the God of Israel,
  who lives from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and amen!

Psalm 40

My Help and My Deliverer

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1 I waited patiently for the Lord;

he inclined to me and heard my cry.

2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction,

out of the miry bog,

and set my feet upon a rock,

making my steps secure.

3 He put a new song in my mouth,

a song of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear,

and put their trust in the Lord.

4 Blessed is the man who makes

the Lord his trust,

who does not turn to the proud,

to those who go astray after a lie!

5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God,

your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;

none can compare with you!

I will proclaim and tell of them,

yet they are more than can be told.

6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,

but you have given me an open ear.

Burnt offering and sin offering

you have not required.

7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;

in the scroll of the book it is written of me:

8 I delight to do your will, O my God;

your law is within my heart.”

9 I have told the glad news of deliverance

in the great congregation;

behold, I have not restrained my lips,

as you know, O Lord.

10 I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;

I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;

I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness

from the great congregation.

11 As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain

your mercy from me;

your steadfast love and your faithfulness will

ever preserve me!

12 For evils have encompassed me

beyond number;

my iniquities have overtaken me,

and I cannot see;

they are more than the hairs of my head;

my heart fails me.

13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me!

O Lord, make haste to help me!

14 Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether

who seek to snatch away my life;

let those be turned back and brought to dishonor

who delight in my hurt!

15 Let those be appalled because of their shame

who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”

16 But may all who seek you

rejoice and be glad in you;

may those who love your salvation

say continually, “Great is the Lord!”

17 As for me, I am poor and needy,

but the Lord takes thought for me.

You are my help and my deliverer;

do not delay, O my God!

Psalm 39

What Is the Measure of My Days?

To the choirmaster: to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

1 I said, “I will guard my ways,

that I may not sin with my tongue;

I will guard my mouth with a muzzle,

so long as the wicked are in my presence.”

2 I was mute and silent;

I held my peace to no avail,

and my distress grew worse.

3 My heart became hot within me.

As I mused, the fire burned;

then I spoke with my tongue:

4 “O Lord, make me know my end

and what is the measure of my days;

let me know how fleeting I am!

5 Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,

and my lifetime is as nothing before you.

Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah

6 Surely a man goes about as a shadow!

Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;

man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!

7 “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?

My hope is in you.

8 Deliver me from all my transgressions.

Do not make me the scorn of the fool!

9 I am mute; I do not open my mouth,

for it is you who have done it.

10 Remove your stroke from me;

I am spent by the hostility of your hand.

11 When you discipline a man

with rebukes for sin,

you consume like a moth what is dear to him;

surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah

12 “Hear my prayer, O Lord,

and give ear to my cry;

hold not your peace at my tears!

For I am a sojourner with you,

a guest, like all my fathers.

13 Look away from me, that I may smile again,

before I depart and am no more!”

Psalm 38

Do Not Forsake Me, O Lord

A Psalm of David, for the memorial offering.

1 O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger,

nor discipline me in your wrath!

2 For your arrows have sunk into me,

and your hand has come down on me.

3 There is no soundness in my flesh

because of your indignation;

there is no health in my bones

because of my sin.

4 For my iniquities have gone over my head;

like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

5 My wounds stink and fester

because of my foolishness,

6 I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;

all the day I go about mourning.

7 For my sides are filled with burning,

and there is no soundness in my flesh.

8 I am feeble and crushed;

I groan because of the tumult of my heart.

9 O Lord, all my longing is before you;

my sighing is not hidden from you.

10 My heart throbs; my strength fails me,

and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.

11 My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague,

and my nearest kin stand far off.

12 Those who seek my life lay their snares;

those who seek my hurt speak of ruin

and meditate treachery all day long.

13 But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear,

like a mute man who does not open his mouth.

14 I have become like a man who does not hear,

and in whose mouth are no rebukes.

15 But for you, O Lord, do I wait;

it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.

16 For I said, “Only let them not rejoice over me,

who boast against me when my foot slips!”

17 For I am ready to fall,

and my pain is ever before me.

18 I confess my iniquity;

I am sorry for my sin.

19 But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty,

and many are those who hate me wrongfully.

20 Those who render me evil for good

accuse me because I follow after good.

21 Do not forsake me, O Lord!

O my God, be not far from me!

22 Make haste to help me,

O Lord, my salvation!

Psalm 37

He Will Not Forsake His Saints

Of David.

1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers;

be not envious of wrongdoers!

2 For they will soon fade like the grass

and wither like the green herb.

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;

dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.

4 Delight yourself in the Lord,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the Lord;

trust in him, and he will act.

6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,

and your justice as the noonday.

7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;

fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,

over the man who carries out evil devices!

8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!

Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

9 For the evildoers shall be cut off,

but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

10 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more;

though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.

11 But the meek shall inherit the land

and delight themselves in abundant peace.

12 The wicked plots against the righteous

and gnashes his teeth at him,

13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,

for he sees that his day is coming.

14 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows

to bring down the poor and needy,

to slay those whose way is upright;

15 their sword shall enter their own heart,

and their bows shall be broken.

16 Better is the little that the righteous has

than the abundance of many wicked.

17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,

but the Lord upholds the righteous.

18 The Lord knows the days of the blameless,

and their heritage will remain forever;

19 they are not put to shame in evil times;

in the days of famine they have abundance.

20 But the wicked will perish;

the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures;

they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.

21 The wicked borrows but does not pay back,

but the righteous is generous and gives;

22 for those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land,

but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord,

when he delights in his way;

24 though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,

for the Lord upholds his hand.

25 I have been young, and now am old,

yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken

or his children begging for bread.

26 He is ever lending generously,

and his children become a blessing.

27 Turn away from evil and do good;

so shall you dwell forever.

28 For the Lord loves justice;

he will not forsake his saints.

They are preserved forever,

but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

29 The righteous shall inherit the land

and dwell upon it forever.

30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,

and his tongue speaks justice.

31 The law of his God is in his heart;

his steps do not slip.

32 The wicked watches for the righteous

and seeks to put him to death.

33 The Lord will not abandon him to his power

or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.

34 Wait for the Lord and keep his way,

and he will exalt you to inherit the land;

you will look on when the wicked are cut off.

35 I have seen a wicked, ruthless man,

spreading himself like a green laurel tree.

36 But he passed away, and behold, he was no more;

though I sought him, he could not be found.

37 Mark the blameless and behold the upright,

for there is a future for the man of peace.

38 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;

the future of the wicked shall be cut off.

39 The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;

he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.

40 The Lord helps them and delivers them;

he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,

because they take refuge in him.

Psalm 36

How Precious Is Your Steadfast Love

To the choirmaster. Of David, the servant of the Lord.

1 Transgression speaks to the wicked
deep in his heart;
there is no fear of God
before his eyes.

2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes
that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.

3 The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit;
he has ceased to act wisely and do good.

4 He plots trouble while on his bed;
he sets himself in a way that is not good;
he does not reject evil.

5Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.

6 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
your judgments are like the great deep;
man and beast you save, O Lord.

7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

8 They feast on the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from the river of your delights.

9 For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light do we see light.

10 Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you,
and your righteousness to the upright of heart!

11 Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me,
nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.

12 There the evildoers lie fallen;
they are thrust down, unable to rise.

Psalm 35

Psalm 35

Great Is the Lord

Of David.

1 Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me;

fight against those who fight against me!

2 Take hold of shield and buckler

and rise for my help!

3 Draw the spear and javelin

against my pursuers!

Say to my soul,

“I am your salvation!”

4 Let them be put to shame and dishonor

who seek after my life!

Let them be turned back and disappointed

who devise evil against me!

5 Let them be like chaff before the wind,

with the angel of the Lord driving them away!

6 Let their way be dark and slippery,

with the angel of the Lord pursuing them!

7 For without cause they hid their net for me;

without cause they dug a pit for my life.

8 Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it!

And let the net that he hid ensnare him;

let him fall into it—to his destruction!

9 Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord,

exulting in his salvation.

10 All my bones shall say,

“O Lord, who is like you,

delivering the poor

from him who is too strong for him,

the poor and needy from him who robs him?”

11 Malicious witnesses rise up;

they ask me of things that I do not know.

12 They repay me evil for good;

my soul is bereft.

13 But I, when they were sick—

I wore sackcloth;

I afflicted myself with fasting;

I prayed with head bowed on my chest.

14 I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother;

as one who laments his mother,

I bowed down in mourning.

15 But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered;

they gathered together against me;

wretches whom I did not know

tore at me without ceasing;

16 like profane mockers at a feast,

they gnash at me with their teeth.

17 How long, O Lord, will you look on?

Rescue me from their destruction,

my precious life from the lions!

18 I will thank you in the great congregation;

in the mighty throng I will praise you.

19 Let not those rejoice over me

who are wrongfully my foes,

and let not those wink the eye

who hate me without cause.

20 For they do not speak peace,

but against those who are quiet in the land

they devise words of deceit.

21 They open wide their mouths against me;

they say, “Aha, Aha!

Our eyes have seen it!”

22 You have seen, O Lord; be not silent!

O Lord, be not far from me!

23 Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication,

for my cause, my God and my Lord!

24 Vindicate me, O Lord, my God,

according to your righteousness,

and let them not rejoice over me!

25 Let them not say in their hearts,

“Aha, our heart’s desire!”

Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”

26 Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether

who rejoice at my calamity!

Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor

who magnify themselves against me!

27 Let those who delight in my righteousness

shout for joy and be glad

and say evermore,

“Great is the Lord,

who delights in the welfare of his servant!”

28 Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness

and of your praise all the day long.

Psalm 34

Psalm 34

Taste and See That the Lord Is Good

Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.

1 I will bless the Lord at all times;

his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;

let the humble hear and be glad.

3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,

and let us exalt his name together!

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me

and delivered me from all my fears.

5 Those who look to him are radiant,

and their faces shall never be ashamed.

6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him

and saved him out of all his troubles.

7 The angel of the Lord encamps

around those who fear him, and delivers them.

8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!

Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,

for those who fear him have no lack!

10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;

but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

11 Come, O children, listen to me;

I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

12 What man is there who desires life

and loves many days, that he may see good?

13 Keep your tongue from evil

and your lips from speaking deceit.

14 Turn away from evil and do good;

seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous

and his ears toward their cry.

16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,

to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears

and delivers them out of all their troubles.

18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted

and saves the crushed in spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,

but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

20 He keeps all his bones;

not one of them is broken.

21 Affliction will slay the wicked,

and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants;

none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Psalm 33

Psalm 33

The Steadfast Love of the Lord

1 Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous!

Praise befits the upright.

2 Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre;

make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!

3 Sing to him a new song;

play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.

4 For the word of the Lord is upright,

and all his work is done in faithfulness.

5 He loves righteousness and justice;

the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.

6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,

and by the breath of his mouth all their host.

7 He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap;

he puts the deeps in storehouses.

8 Let all the earth fear the Lord;

let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!

9 For he spoke, and it came to be;

he commanded, and it stood firm.

10 The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;

he frustrates the plans of the peoples.

11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever,

the plans of his heart to all generations.

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,

the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!

13 The Lord looks down from heaven;

he sees all the children of man;

14 from where he sits enthroned he looks out

on all the inhabitants of the earth,

15 he who fashions the hearts of them all

and observes all their deeds.

16 The king is not saved by his great army;

a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.

17 The war horse is a false hope for salvation,

and by its great might it cannot rescue.

18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,

on those who hope in his steadfast love,

19 that he may deliver their soul from death

and keep them alive in famine.

20 Our soul waits for the Lord;

he is our help and our shield.

21 For our heart is glad in him,

because we trust in his holy name.

22 Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,

even as we hope in you.

Psalm 32

Psalm 32

Blessed Are the Forgiven

A Maskil of David.

1 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,

whose sin is covered.

2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,

and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away

through my groaning all day long.

4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;

my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.

                                                                                         Selah

5 I acknowledged my sin to you,

and I did not cover my iniquity;

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”

and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. 

                                                                                         Selah

6 Therefore let everyone who is godly

offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;

surely in the rush of great waters,

they shall not reach him.

7 You are a hiding place for me;

you preserve me from trouble;

you surround me with shouts of deliverance. 

                                                                                        Selah

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,

which must be curbed with bit and bridle,

or it will not stay near you.

10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,

but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.

11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous,

and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

Psalm 31

Psalm 31

Into Your Hand I Commit My Spirit

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1 In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;

let me never be put to shame;

in your righteousness deliver me!

2 Incline your ear to me;

rescue me speedily!

Be a rock of refuge for me,

a strong fortress to save me!

3 For you are my rock and my fortress;

and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me;

4 you take me out of the net they have hidden for me,

for you are my refuge.

5 Into your hand I commit my spirit;

you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

6 I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols,

but I trust in the Lord.

7 I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love,

because you have seen my affliction;

you have known the distress of my soul,

8 and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;

you have set my feet in a broad place.

9 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;

my eye is wasted from grief;

my soul and my body also.

10 For my life is spent with sorrow,

and my years with sighing;

my strength fails because of my iniquity,

and my bones waste away

.

11 Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach,

especially to my neighbors,

and an object of dread to my acquaintances;

those who see me in the street flee from me.

12 I have been forgotten like one who is dead;

I have become like a broken vessel.

13 For I hear the whispering of many—

terror on every side!—

as they scheme together against me,

as they plot to take my life.

14 But I trust in you, O Lord;

I say, “You are my God.”

15 My times are in your hand;

rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!

16 Make your face shine on your servant;

save me in your steadfast love!

17 O Lord, let me not be put to shame,

for I call upon you;

let the wicked be put to shame;

let them go silently to Sheol.

18 Let the lying lips be mute,

which speak insolently against the righteous

in pride and contempt.

19 Oh, how abundant is your goodness,

which you have stored up for those who fear you

and worked for those who take refuge in you,

in the sight of the children of mankind!

20 In the cover of your presence you hide them

from the plots of men;

you store them in your shelter

from the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be the Lord,

for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me

when I was in a besieged city.

22 I had said in my alarm,

“I am cut off from your sight.”

But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy

when I cried to you for help.

23 Love the Lord, all you his saints!

The Lord preserves the faithful

but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.

24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage,

all you who wait for the Lord!