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Psalm 68

Praise and Thanksgiving

To the leader. Of David. A Psalm. A Song.

Let God rise up; let his enemies be scattered;
    let those who hate him flee before him.(A)
As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
    as wax melts before the fire,
    let the wicked perish before God.(B)
But let the righteous be joyful;
    let them exult before God;
    let them be jubilant with joy.(C)

Sing to God; sing praises to his name;
    lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds[a]
his name is the Lord
    be exultant before him.(D)

Father of orphans and protector of widows
    is God in his holy habitation.(E)
God gives the desolate a home to live in;
    he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
    but the rebellious live in a parched land.(F)

O God, when you went out before your people,
    when you marched through the wilderness, Selah(G)
the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain
    at the presence of God, the God of Sinai,
    at the presence of God, the God of Israel.(H)
Rain in abundance, O God, you showered abroad;
    you restored your heritage when it languished;(I)
10 your flock found a dwelling in it;
    in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.(J)

11 The Lord gives the command;
    great is the company of those[b] who bore the tidings:
12     “The kings of the armies, they flee, they flee!”
The women at home divide the spoil,(K)
13     though they stay among the sheepfolds—
the wings of a dove covered with silver,
    its pinions with green gold.(L)
14 When the Almighty[c] scattered kings there,
    snow fell on Zalmon.(M)

15 O mighty mountain, mountain of Bashan;
    O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!
16 Why do you look with envy, O many-peaked mountain,
    at the mount that God desired for his abode,
    where the Lord will reside forever?(N)

17 With mighty chariotry, twice ten thousand,
    thousands upon thousands,
    the Lord came from Sinai into the holy place.[d](O)
18 You ascended the high mount,
    leading captives in your train
    and receiving gifts from people,
even from those who rebel against the Lord God’s abiding there.(P)
19 Blessed be the Lord,
    who daily bears us up;
    God is our salvation. Selah(Q)
20 Our God is a God of salvation,
    and to God, the Lord, belongs escape from death.(R)

21 But God will shatter the heads of his enemies,
    the hairy crown of those who walk in their guilty ways.(S)
22 The Lord said,
    “I will bring them back from Bashan;
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,(T)
23 so that you may bathe[e] your feet in blood,
    so that the tongues of your dogs may have their share from the foe.”(U)

24 Your solemn processions are seen,[f] O God,
    the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—(V)
25 the singers in front, the musicians last,
    between them young women playing tambourines:(W)
26 “Bless God in the great congregation,
    the Lord, O you who are of Israel’s fountain!”(X)
27 There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
    the princes of Judah in a body,
    the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.(Y)

28 Summon your might, O God;
    show your strength, O God, as you have done for us before.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem,
    kings bear gifts to you.(Z)
30 Rebuke the wild animals that live among the reeds,
    the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.
Trample[g] under foot those who lust after tribute;
    scatter the peoples who delight in war.[h](AA)
31 Let bronze be brought from Egypt;
    let Cush hasten to stretch out its hands to God.(AB)

32 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth;
    sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33 O rider in the heavens, the ancient heavens;
    listen, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.(AC)
34 Ascribe power to God,
    whose majesty is over Israel
    and whose power is in the skies.(AD)
35 Awesome is God in his[i] sanctuary,
    the God of Israel;
    he gives power and strength to his people.

Blessed be God!(AE)

Psalm 69

Prayer for Deliverance from Persecution

To the leader: according to Lilies. Of David.

Save me, O God,
    for the waters have come up to my neck.(AF)
I sink in deep mire,
    where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters,
    and the flood sweeps over me.(AG)
I am weary with my crying;
    my throat is parched.
My eyes grow dim
    with waiting for my God.(AH)

More in number than the hairs of my head
    are those who hate me without cause;
many are those who would destroy me,
    my enemies who accuse me falsely.
What I did not steal,
    must I now restore?(AI)
O God, you know my folly;
    the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.(AJ)

Do not let those who hope in you be put to shame because of me,
    O Lord God of hosts;
do not let those who seek you be dishonored because of me,
    O God of Israel.
It is for your sake that I have borne reproach,
    that shame has covered my face.(AK)
I have become a stranger to my kindred,
    an alien to my mother’s children.(AL)

It is zeal for your house that has consumed me;
    the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.(AM)
10 When I humbled my soul with fasting,[j]
    they insulted me for doing so.(AN)
11 When I made sackcloth my clothing,
    I became a byword to them.(AO)
12 I am the subject of gossip for those who sit in the gate,
    and the drunkards make songs about me.(AP)

13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord.
    At an acceptable time, O God,
    in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me.
With your faithful help(AQ) 14 rescue me
    from sinking in the mire;
let me be delivered from my enemies
    and from the deep waters.(AR)
15 Do not let the flood sweep over me
    or the deep swallow me up
    or the Pit close its mouth over me.(AS)

16 Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good;
    according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.(AT)
17 Do not hide your face from your servant,
    for I am in distress—make haste to answer me.(AU)
18 Draw near to me; redeem me;
    set me free because of my enemies.

19 You know the insults I receive
    and my shame and dishonor;
    my foes are all known to you.(AV)
20 Insults have broken my heart,
    so that I am in despair.
I looked for pity, but there was none;
    and for comforters, but I found none.(AW)
21 They gave me poison for food,
    and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.(AX)

22 Let their table be a trap for them,
    a snare for their allies.(AY)
23 Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,
    and make their loins tremble continually.(AZ)
24 Pour out your indignation upon them,
    and let your burning anger overtake them.(BA)
25 May their camp be a desolation;
    let no one live in their tents.(BB)
26 For they persecute those whom you have struck down,
    and those whom you have wounded they attack still more.[k](BC)
27 Add guilt to their guilt;
    may they have no acquittal from you.
28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living;
    let them not be enrolled among the righteous.(BD)
29 But I am lowly and in pain;
    let your salvation, O God, protect me.(BE)

30 I will praise the name of God with a song;
    I will magnify him with thanksgiving.(BF)
31 This will please the Lord more than an ox
    or a bull with horns and hoofs.(BG)
32 Let the oppressed see it and be glad;
    you who seek God, let your hearts revive.(BH)
33 For the Lord hears the needy
    and does not despise his own who are in bonds.(BI)

34 Let heaven and earth praise him,
    the seas and everything that moves in them.(BJ)
35 For God will save Zion
    and rebuild the cities of Judah,
and his servants shall live[l] there and possess it;(BK)
36     the children of his servants shall inherit it,
    and those who love his name shall live in it.(BL)

Psalm 70

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader. Of David, for the memorial offering.

Be pleased, O God, to deliver me.
    O Lord, make haste to help me!(BM)
Let those be put to shame and confusion
    who seek my life.
Let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
    who desire to hurt me.(BN)
Let those who say, “Aha, Aha!”
    turn back because of their shame.(BO)

Let all who seek you
    rejoice and be glad in you.
Let those who love your salvation
    say evermore, “God is great!”
But I am poor and needy;
    hasten to me, O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;
    O Lord, do not delay!(BP)

Psalm 71

Prayer for Lifelong Protection and Help

In you, O Lord, I take refuge;
    let me never be put to shame.(BQ)
In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
    incline your ear to me and save me.(BR)
Be to me a rock of refuge,
    a strong fortress[m] to save me,
    for you are my rock and my fortress.(BS)

Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
    from the grasp of the unjust and cruel.(BT)
For you, O Lord, are my hope,
    my trust, O Lord, from my youth.(BU)
From my birth I have leaned upon you,
    my protector since my mother’s womb.[n]
My praise is continually of you.(BV)

I have been like a portent to many,
    but you are my strong refuge.(BW)
My mouth is filled with your praise
    and with your glory all day long.(BX)
Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
    do not forsake me when my strength is spent.(BY)
10 For my enemies speak concerning me,
    and those who watch for my life consult together.(BZ)
11 They say, “Pursue and seize that person
    whom God has forsaken,
    for there is no one to deliver.”(CA)

12 O God, do not be far from me;
    O my God, make haste to help me!(CB)
13 Let my accusers be put to shame and consumed;
    let those who seek to hurt me
    be covered with scorn and disgrace.(CC)
14 But I will hope continually
    and will praise you yet more and more.
15 My mouth will tell of your righteous acts,
    of your deeds of salvation all day long,
    though their number is past my knowledge.(CD)
16 I will come praising the mighty deeds of the Lord God;
    I will praise your righteousness, yours alone.(CE)

17 O God, from my youth you have taught me,
    and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.(CF)
18 So even to old age and gray hairs,
    O God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might
    to all the generations to come.[o]
Your power(CG) 19 and your righteousness, O God,
    reach the high heavens.

You who have done great things,
    O God, who is like you?(CH)
20 You who have made me see many troubles and calamities
    will revive me again;
from the depths of the earth
    you will bring me up again.(CI)
21 You will increase my honor
    and comfort me once again.

22 I will also praise you with the harp
    for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praises to you with the lyre,
    O Holy One of Israel.(CJ)
23 My lips will shout for joy
    when I sing praises to you;
    my soul also, which you have rescued.(CK)
24 All day long my tongue will talk of your righteous help,
for those who tried to do me harm
    have been put to shame and disgraced.(CL)

Psalm 72

Prayer for Guidance and Support for the King

Of Solomon.

Give the king your justice, O God,
    and your righteousness to a king’s son.(CM)
May he judge your people with righteousness
    and your poor with justice.(CN)
May the mountains yield prosperity for the people,
    and the hills, in righteousness.(CO)
May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
    give deliverance to the needy,
    and crush the oppressor.(CP)

May he live[p] while the sun endures
    and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.(CQ)
May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass,
    like showers that water the earth.(CR)
In his days may righteousness flourish
    and peace abound, until the moon is no more.(CS)

May he have dominion from sea to sea
    and from the River to the ends of the earth.(CT)
May his foes[q] bow down before him,
    and his enemies lick the dust.(CU)
10 May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles
    render him tribute;
may the kings of Sheba and Seba
    bring gifts.(CV)
11 May all kings fall down before him,
    all nations give him service.

12 For he delivers the needy when they call,
    the poor and those who have no helper.(CW)
13 He has pity on the weak and the needy
    and saves the lives of the needy.
14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life,
    and precious is their blood in his sight.(CX)

15 Long may he live!
    May gold of Sheba be given to him.
May prayer be made for him continually
    and blessings invoked for him all day long.(CY)
16 May there be abundance of grain in the land;
    may it wave on the tops of the mountains;
    may its fruit be like Lebanon;
and may people blossom in the cities
    like the grass of the field.(CZ)
17 May his name endure forever,
    his fame continue as long as the sun.
May all nations be blessed in him;[r]
    may they pronounce him happy.(DA)

18 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
    who alone does wondrous things.(DB)
19 Blessed be his glorious name forever;
    may his glory fill the whole earth.
                Amen and Amen.(DC)

20 The prayers of David son of Jesse are ended.

Footnotes

  1. 68.4 Or cast up a highway for him who rides through the deserts
  2. 68.11 Or company of the women
  3. 68.14 Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai
  4. 68.17 Cn: Heb The Lord among them Sinai in the holy (place)
  5. 68.23 Gk Syr Tg: Heb shatter
  6. 68.24 Or have been seen
  7. 68.30 Cn: Heb Trampling
  8. 68.30 Meaning of Heb of 68.30 is uncertain
  9. 68.35 Gk: Heb from your
  10. 69.10 Gk Syr: Heb I wept, with fasting my soul, or I made my soul mourn with fasting
  11. 69.26 Gk Syr: Heb recount the pain of
  12. 69.35 Syr: Heb and they shall live
  13. 71.3 Gk: Heb to come continually you have commanded
  14. 71.6 Q ms Gk Jerome: MT from my mother’s womb you took me
  15. 71.18 Gk Compare Syr: Heb to a generation, to all who come
  16. 72.5 Gk: Heb may they fear you
  17. 72.9 Cn: Heb those who live in the wilderness
  18. 72.17 Or bless themselves by him