Psalm 27-29

Common English Bible

Psalm 27

Of David.

27 The Lord is my light and my salvation.
        Should I fear anyone?
    The Lord is a fortress protecting my life.
        Should I be frightened of anything?
²When evildoers come at me trying to eat me up—
    it’s they, my foes and my enemies,
    who stumble and fall!
³If an army camps against me,
        my heart won’t be afraid.
    If war comes up against me,
        I will continue to trust in this:
⁴    I have asked one thing from the Lord—
    it’s all I seek:
        to live in the Lord’s house all the days of my life,
        seeing the Lord’s beauty
        and constantly adoring his temple.
⁵Because he will shelter me in his own dwelling
    during troubling times;
    he will hide me in a secret place in his own tent;
        he will set me up high, safe on a rock.

⁶Now my head is higher than the enemies surrounding me,
    and I will offer sacrifices in God’s tent—
        sacrifices with shouts of joy!
    I will sing and praise the Lord.

⁷Lord, listen to my voice when I cry out—
    have mercy on me and answer me!
⁸Come, my heart says, seek God’s face.^[a]
    Lord, I do seek your face!
⁹Please don’t hide it from me!
    Don’t push your servant aside angrily—
        you have been my help!
    God who saves me,
        don’t neglect me!
        Don’t leave me all alone!
¹⁰Even if my father and mother left me all alone,
    the Lord would take me in.
¹¹Lord, teach me your way;
    because of my opponents, lead me on a good path.
¹²Don’t give me over to the desires of my enemies,
    because false witnesses and violent accusers
    have taken their stand against me.
¹³But I have sure faith
    that I will experience the Lord’s goodness
    in the land of the living!

¹⁴Hope in the Lord!
Be strong! Let your heart take courage!
Hope in the Lord!

Psalm 28

Of David.

28 I cry out to you, Lord.
    You are my rock; don’t refuse to hear me.
    If you won’t talk to me,
        I’ll be just like those going down to the pit.
²Listen to my request for mercy when I cry out to you,
    when I lift up my hands to your holy inner sanctuary.
³Don’t drag me off with the wicked and those who do evil;
    the type who talk nice to their friends
    while evil thoughts are in their hearts!
⁴Pay them back for what they’ve done!
    Pay them back for their evil deeds!
    Pay them back for their handiwork!
    Give back to them exactly what they deserve!
⁵Because they have no regard for what the Lord has done,
    no regard for his handiwork,
    God will tear them down and never rebuild!

⁶Bless the Lord
    because he has listened to my request for mercy!
⁷The Lord is my strength and my shield.
    My heart trusts him.
        I was helped, my heart rejoiced,
            and I thank him with my song.
⁸The Lord is his people’s strength;
    he is a fortress of protection for his anointed one.
⁹Save your people, God!
    Bless your possession!
    Shepherd them and carry them for all time!

Psalm 29

A psalm of David.

29 You, divine beings! Give to the Lord—
give to the Lord glory and power!
²Give to the Lord the glory due his name!
Bow down to the Lord in holy splendor!

³The Lord’s voice is over the waters;
    the glorious God thunders;
        the Lord is over the mighty waters.
⁴The Lord’s voice is strong;
    the Lord’s voice is majestic.
⁵The Lord’s voice breaks cedar trees—
    yes, the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
⁶He makes Lebanon jump around like a young bull,
    makes Sirion jump around like a young wild ox.
⁷The Lord’s voice unleashes fiery flames;
⁸    the Lord’s voice shakes the wilderness—
        yes, the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
⁹The Lord’s voice convulses the oaks,
    strips the forests bare,
        but in his temple everyone shouts, “Glory!”
¹⁰The Lord sits enthroned over the floodwaters;
    the Lord sits enthroned—king forever!