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(A psalm by David for Jeduthun, the music leader.)

A Prayer for Forgiveness

I told myself, “I'll be careful
    not to sin by what I say,
and I'll muzzle my mouth
    when evil people are near.”
I kept completely silent,
but it did no good,[a]
    and I hurt even worse.

I felt a fire burning inside,
    and the more I thought,
the more it burned,
    until at last I said:
“Please, Lord,
show me my future.
    Will I soon be gone?
You made my life short,
so brief that the time
    means nothing to you.

“Human life is but a breath,
and it disappears
    like a shadow.
Our struggles are senseless;
we store up more and more,
    without ever knowing
    who will get it all.

“What am I waiting for?
    I depend on you, Lord!
Save me from my sins.
    Don't let fools sneer at me.
You treated me like this,
and I kept silent,
    not saying a word.

10 “Won't you stop punishing me?
    You have worn me down.
11 You punish us severely
    because of our sins.
Like a moth, you destroy
what we treasure most.
    We are as frail as a breath.

12 “Listen, Lord, to my prayer!
My eyes are flooded with tears,
    as I pray to you.
I am merely a stranger
visiting in your home
    as my ancestors did.
13 Stop being angry with me
and let me smile again
    before I am dead and gone.”

(A psalm by David for the music leader.)

A Prayer for Help

I patiently waited, Lord,
    for you to hear my prayer.
You listened and pulled me
from a lonely pit
    full of mud and mire.
You let me stand on a rock
    with my feet firm,
and you gave me a new song,
    a song of praise to you.
Many will see this,
and they will honor and trust
    you, the Lord God.

You bless all of those
    who trust you, Lord,
and refuse to worship idols
    or follow false gods.
You, Lord God, have done
    many wonderful things,
and you have planned
    marvelous things for us.
No one is like you!
I would never be able to tell
    all you have done.

(A) Sacrifices and offerings
    are not what please you;
gifts and payment for sin
    are not what you demand.
But you made me willing
    to listen and obey.
And so, I said, “I am here
    to do what is written
about me in the book,
    where it says,
‘I enjoy pleasing you.
    Your Law is in my heart.’ ”

When your people worshiped,
you know I told them,
    “Our Lord always helps!”
10 When all your people met,
    I did not keep silent.
I said, “Our Lord is kind.
He is faithful and caring,
    and he saves us.”

11 You, Lord, never fail
    to have pity on me;
your love and faithfulness
    always keep me secure.

12 I have more troubles
    than I can count.
My sins are all around me,
    and I can't find my way.
My sins outnumber
the hairs on my head,
    and I feel weak.
13 Please show that you care
and come to my rescue.
    Hurry and help me!

14 Disgrace and confuse
    all who want me dead;
turn away and disgrace
    all who want to hurt me.
15 Embarrass and shame
everyone who says,
    “Just look at you now!”

16 Our Lord, let your worshipers
    rejoice and be glad.
They love you for saving them,
so let them always say,
    “The Lord is wonderful!”

17 I am poor and needy,
but, Lord God,
    you care about me,
and you come to my rescue.
    Please hurry and help.

(A psalm by David for the music leader.)

A Prayer in Time of Sickness

You, Lord God, bless everyone
    who cares for the poor,
and you rescue those people
    in times of trouble.
You protect them
    and keep them alive.
You make them happy here
    in this land,
and you don't hand them over
    to their enemies.
You always heal them
and restore their strength
    when they are sick.
I prayed, “Have pity, Lord!
Heal me, though I have sinned
    against you.”

My vicious enemies ask me,
“When will you die
    and be forgotten?”
When visitors come,
all they ever bring
    are worthless words,
and when they leave,
    they spread gossip.

My enemies whisper about me.
They think the worst,
    and they say,
“You have some fatal disease!
    You'll never get well.”
(B) My most trusted friend
has turned against me,
    though he ate at my table.

10 Have pity, Lord! Heal me,
    so I can pay them back.
11 Then my enemies
    won't defeat me,
and I will know
    that you really care.
12 You have helped me
    because I am innocent,
and you will always
    be close to my side.

13 (C) You, the Lord God of Israel,
will be praised forever!
    Amen and amen.

Footnotes

  1. 39.2 but … good: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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