Psalm 1-5

English Standard Version

Book One

The Way of the Righteous and the Wicked

1 Blessed is the man^[a]
    who ^(A)walks not in ^(B)the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in ^(C)the way of sinners,
    nor ^(D)sits in ^(E)the seat of ^(F)scoffers;
²but his ^(G)delight is in the law^[b] of the Lord,
    and on his ^(H)law he meditates day and night.

³He is like ^(I)a tree
    planted by ^(J)streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
    and its ^(K)leaf does not wither.
^(L)In all that he does, he prospers.
⁴The wicked are not so,
    but are like ^(M)chaff that the wind drives away.

⁵Therefore the wicked ^(N)will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in ^(O)the congregation of the righteous;
⁶for the Lord ^(P)knows ^(Q)the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

The Reign of the Lord's Anointed

2 ^(R)Why do ^(S)the nations rage^[c]
    and the peoples plot in vain?
²The kings of the earth set themselves,
    and the rulers take counsel together,
    against the Lord and against his ^(T)Anointed, saying,
³“Let us ^(U)burst their bonds apart
    and cast away their cords from us.”

⁴He who ^(V)sits in the heavens ^(W)laughs;
    the Lord holds them in derision.
⁵Then he will speak to them in his ^(X)wrath,
    and terrify them in his fury, saying,
⁶“As for me, I have ^(Y)set my King
    on ^(Z)Zion, my ^(AA)holy hill.”

⁷I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, ^(AB)“You are my Son;
    today I have begotten you.
⁸Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
    and ^(AC)the ends of the earth your possession.
⁹You shall ^(AD)break^[d] them with ^(AE)a rod of iron
    and dash them in pieces like ^(AF)a potter's vessel.”

¹⁰Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
    be warned, O rulers of the earth.
¹¹^(AG)Serve the Lord with ^(AH)fear,
    and ^(AI)rejoice with ^(AJ)trembling.
¹²^(AK)Kiss ^(AL)the Son,
    lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
    for his ^(AM)wrath is quickly kindled.
^(AN)Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Save Me, O My God

A Psalm of David, ^(AO)when he fled from Absalom his son.

3 O Lord, ^(AP)how many are my foes!
Many are ^(AQ)rising against me;
²many are saying of my soul,
^(AR)“There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah^[e]

³But you, O Lord, are ^(AS)a shield ^(AT)about me,
my glory, and ^(AU)the lifter of my head.
⁴I ^(AV)cried aloud to the Lord,
and he ^(AW)answered me from his ^(AX)holy hill. Selah

⁵I ^(AY)lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
⁶I ^(AZ)will not be afraid of many thousands of people
who have ^(BA)set themselves against me all around.

⁷^(BB)Arise, O Lord!
Save me, O my God!
For you ^(BC)strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you ^(BD)break the teeth of the wicked.

⁸^(BE)Salvation belongs to the Lord;
your blessing be on your people! Selah

Answer Me When I Call

To the ^(BF)choirmaster: with ^(BG)stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

4 Answer me when I call, O God of my ^(BH)righteousness!
You have ^(BI)given me relief when I was in distress.
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!

²O men,^[f] how long shall my honor be turned into shame?
How long will you love vain words and seek after ^(BJ)lies? Selah
³But know that the Lord has ^(BK)set apart ^(BL)the godly for himself;
the Lord hears when I call to him.

⁴^(BM)Be angry,^[g] and do not sin;
^(BN)ponder in your own hearts ^(BO)on your beds, and be silent. Selah
⁵Offer ^(BP)right sacrifices,
and put your ^(BQ)trust in the Lord.

⁶There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?
^(BR)Lift up ^(BS)the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”
⁷You have put ^(BT)more joy in my heart
than they have when their grain and wine abound.

⁸In peace I will both ^(BU)lie down and sleep;
for you alone, O Lord, make me ^(BV)dwell in safety.

Lead Me in Your Righteousness

To the choirmaster: for the flutes. A Psalm of David.

5 Give ear to my words, O Lord;
    consider my ^(BW)groaning.
²Give attention to the sound of my cry,
    my ^(BX)King and my God,
    for ^(BY)to you do I pray.
³O Lord, in ^(BZ)the morning you hear my voice;
    in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you^[h] and ^(CA)watch.

⁴For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
    evil may not dwell with you.
⁵The ^(CB)boastful shall not ^(CC)stand before your eyes;
    you ^(CD)hate all evildoers.
⁶You destroy those who speak ^(CE)lies;
    the Lord abhors ^(CF)the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

⁷But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
    will enter your house.
I will ^(CG)bow down ^(CH)toward your ^(CI)holy temple
    in the fear of you.
⁸^(CJ)Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
    because of my enemies;
    ^(CK)make your way straight before me.

⁹For there is no truth in their mouth;
    their inmost self is ^(CL)destruction;
^(CM)their throat is ^(CN)an open grave;
    they ^(CO)flatter with their tongue.
¹⁰^(CP)Make them bear their guilt, O God;
    let them ^(CQ)fall by their own counsels;
because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out,
    for they have rebelled against you.

¹¹But let all who ^(CR)take refuge in you ^(CS)rejoice;
    let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
    that those who love your name may ^(CT)exult in you.
¹²For you ^(CU)bless the righteous, O Lord;
    you ^(CV)cover him with favor as with ^(CW)a shield.

Footnotes

Psalm 1:1 The singular Hebrew word for man (ish) is used here to portray a representative example of a godly person; see Preface
Psalm 1:2 Or instruction
Psalm 2:1 Or nations noisily assemble
Psalm 2:9 Revocalization yields (compare Septuagint) You shall rule
Psalm 3:2 The meaning of the Hebrew word Selah, used frequently in the Psalms, is uncertain. It may be a musical or liturgical direction
Psalm 4:2 Or O men of rank
Psalm 4:4 Or Be agitated
Psalm 5:3 Or I direct my prayer to you