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Psalm 21-25
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Psalm 21-25
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Psalm 21
The King’s Victory
For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.
1 Lord, the king finds joy in Your strength.
How greatly he rejoices in Your victory!(A)
2 You have given him his heart’s desire(B)
and have not denied the request of his lips.(C)
3 For You meet him with rich blessings;
You place a crown of pure gold on his head.(D)
4 He asked You for life, and You gave it to him—
length of days forever and ever.(E)
5 His glory is great through Your victory;
You confer majesty and splendor on him.(F)
6 You give him blessings forever;(G)
You cheer him with joy in Your presence.(H)
7 For the king relies on the Lord;
through the faithful love of the Most High
he is not shaken.(I)
8 Your hand will capture all your enemies;
your right hand will seize those who hate you.(J)
9 You will make them burn
like a fiery furnace when you appear;
the Lord will engulf them in His wrath,
and fire will devour them.(K)
10 You will wipe their descendants from the earth
and their offspring from the human race.(L)
11 Though they intend to harm[a] you
and devise a wicked plan, they will not prevail.(M)
12 Instead, you will put them to flight
when you aim your bow[b] at their faces.(N)
13 Be exalted, Lord, in Your strength;
we will sing and praise Your might.(O)
Psalm 22
From Suffering to Praise
For the choir director: according to “The Deer of the Dawn.”[c] A Davidic psalm.
1 My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?(P)
Why are You so far from my deliverance(Q)
and from my words of groaning?[d](R)
2 My God, I cry by day, but You do not answer,
by night, yet I have no rest.(S)
3 But You are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.(T)
4 Our fathers trusted in You;
they trusted, and You rescued them.(U)
5 They cried to You and were set free;
they trusted in You and were not disgraced.(V)
6 But I am a worm and not a man,(W)
scorned by men and despised by people.(X)
7 Everyone who sees me mocks me;
they sneer[e] and shake their heads:(Y)
8 “He relies on[f] the Lord;
let Him rescue him;
let the Lord[g] deliver him,
since He takes pleasure in him.”(Z)
9 You took me from the womb,
making me secure while at my mother’s breast.(AA)
10 I was given over to You at birth;[h]
You have been my God from my mother’s womb.(AB)
11 Do not be far from me, because distress is near
and there is no one to help.(AC)
12 Many bulls surround me;
strong ones of Bashan encircle me.(AD)
13 They open their mouths against me—
lions, mauling and roaring.(AE)
14 I am poured out like water,(AF)
and all my bones are disjointed;(AG)
my heart is like wax,
melting within me.(AH)
15 My strength is dried up like baked clay;(AI)
my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.(AJ)
You put me into the dust of death.(AK)
16 For dogs have surrounded me;(AL)
a gang of evildoers has closed in on me;
they pierced[i] my hands and my feet.(AM)
17 I can count all my bones;
people[j] look and stare at me.(AN)
18 They divided my garments among themselves,
and they cast lots for my clothing.(AO)
19 But You, Lord, don’t be far away.(AP)
My strength, come quickly to help me.(AQ)
20 Deliver my life from the sword,(AR)
my only life[k] from the power of these dogs.
21 Save me from the mouth of the lion!(AS)
You have rescued[l] me
from the horns of the wild oxen.
22 I will proclaim Your name to my brothers;
I will praise You in the congregation.(AT)
23 You who fear Yahweh, praise Him!(AU)
All you descendants of Jacob, honor Him!
All you descendants of Israel, revere Him!(AV)
24 For He has not despised or detested
the torment of the afflicted.(AW)
He did not hide His face from him(AX)
but listened when he cried to Him for help.(AY)
25 I will give praise[m] in the great congregation
because of You;(AZ)
I will fulfill my vows
before those who fear You.[n](BA)
26 The humble[o] will eat and be satisfied;(BB)
those who seek the Lord will praise Him.
May your hearts live forever!(BC)
27 All the ends of the earth will remember
and turn to the Lord.
All the families of the nations
will bow down before You,(BD)
28 for kingship belongs to the Lord;
He rules over the nations.(BE)
29 All who prosper on earth will eat and bow down;
all those who go down to the dust
will kneel before Him—
even the one who cannot preserve his life.(BF)
30 Their descendants will serve Him;
the next generation will be told about the Lord.(BG)
31 They will come and tell a people yet to be born
about His righteousness—
what He has done.(BH)
Psalm 23
The Good Shepherd
A Davidic psalm.
1 The Lord is my shepherd;(BI)
there is nothing I lack.(BJ)
2 He lets me lie down in green pastures;(BK)
He leads me beside quiet waters.(BL)
3 He renews my life;
He leads me along the right paths[p]
for His name’s sake.(BM)
4 Even when I go through the darkest valley,[q]
I fear no danger,
for You are with me;(BN)
Your rod and Your staff[r]—they comfort me.(BO)
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;(BP)
my cup overflows.(BQ)
6 Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me
all the days of my life,(BR)
and I will dwell in[s] the house of the Lord
as long as I live.[t](BS)
Psalm 24
The King of Glory
A Davidic psalm.
1 The earth and everything in it,
the world and its inhabitants,
belong to the Lord;(BT)
2 for He laid its foundation on the seas
and established it on the rivers.(BU)
3 Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?
Who may stand in His holy place?(BV)
4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,(BW)
who has not set his mind[u] on what is false,(BX)
and who has not sworn deceitfully.
5 He will receive blessing from the Lord,(BY)
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.(BZ)
6 Such is the generation of those who seek Him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob.[v](CA)
7 Lift up your heads, you gates!
Rise up, ancient doors!
Then the King of glory will come in.(CB)
8 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle.(CC)
9 Lift up your heads, you gates!
Rise up, ancient doors!
Then the King of glory will come in.
10 Who is He, this King of glory?
The Lord of Hosts,
He is the King of glory.(CD)
Psalm 25
Dependence on the Lord
Davidic.
1 Lord,[w] I turn to You.[x](CE)
2 My God, I trust in You.
Do not let me be disgraced;(CF)
do not let my enemies gloat over me.(CG)
3 No one who waits for You
will be disgraced;(CH)
those who act treacherously without cause
will be disgraced.(CI)
4 Make Your ways known to me, Lord;
teach me Your paths.(CJ)
5 Guide me in Your truth and teach me,(CK)
for You are the God of my salvation;(CL)
I wait for You all day long.(CM)
6 Remember, Lord, Your compassion
and Your faithful love,
for they have existed from antiquity.[y](CN)
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth(CO)
or my acts of rebellion;(CP)
in keeping with Your faithful love, remember me
because of Your goodness, Lord.(CQ)
8 The Lord is good and upright;(CR)
therefore He shows sinners the way.(CS)
9 He leads the humble in what is right(CT)
and teaches them His way.(CU)
10 All the Lord’s ways show faithful love and truth
to those who keep His covenant and decrees.(CV)
11 Because of Your name, Yahweh,
forgive my sin, for it is great.(CW)
12 Who is the man who fears the Lord?(CX)
He will show him the way he should choose.(CY)
13 He will live a good life,
and his descendants will inherit the land.[z](CZ)
14 The secret counsel of the Lord
is for those who fear Him,
and He reveals His covenant to them.(DA)
15 My eyes are always on the Lord,
for He will pull my feet out of the net.(DB)
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am alone and afflicted.(DC)
17 The distresses of my heart increase;[aa](DD)
bring me out of my sufferings.(DE)
18 Consider my affliction and trouble,(DF)
and take away all my sins.(DG)
19 Consider my enemies; they are numerous,(DH)
and they hate me violently.(DI)
20 Guard me and deliver me;(DJ)
do not let me be put to shame,
for I take refuge in You.(DK)
21 May integrity and what is right
watch over me,
for I wait for You.(DL)
22 God, redeem Israel, from all its distresses.(DM)
Footnotes
- Psalm 21:11 Lit they stretch out evil against
- Psalm 21:12 Lit aim with your bowstrings
- Psalm 22:1 Perhaps a musical term
- Psalm 22:1 Or My words of groaning are so far from delivering me
- Psalm 22:7 Lit separate with the lip
- Psalm 22:8 Or Rely on
- Psalm 22:8 Lit let Him
- Psalm 22:10 Lit was cast on You from the womb
- Psalm 22:16 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr; other Hb mss read me; like a lion
- Psalm 22:17 Lit they
- Psalm 22:20 Lit my only one
- Psalm 22:21 Lit answered
- Psalm 22:25 Lit my praise
- Psalm 22:25 Lit Him
- Psalm 22:26 Or poor, or afflicted
- Psalm 23:3 Or me in paths of righteousness
- Psalm 23:4 Or the valley of the shadow of death
- Psalm 23:4 A shepherd’s equipment
- Psalm 23:6 LXX, Sym, Syr, Tg, Vg, Jer; MT reads will return to
- Psalm 23:6 Lit Lord for length of days; traditionally Lord forever
- Psalm 24:4 Or not lifted up his soul
- Psalm 24:6 LXX; some Hb mss, Syr read seek Your face, God of Jacob; other Hb mss read seek Your face, Jacob
- Psalm 25:1 The lines of this poem form an acrostic.
- Psalm 25:1 Or To You, Lord, I lift up my soul
- Psalm 25:6 Or everlasting
- Psalm 25:13 Or earth
- Psalm 25:17 Or Relieve the distresses of my heart
Psalm 21-25
New International Version
Psalm 21-25
New International Version
Psalm 21[a]
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
2 You have granted him his heart’s desire(C)
and have not withheld the request of his lips.[b]
3 You came to greet him with rich blessings
and placed a crown of pure gold(D) on his head.(E)
4 He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—
length of days, for ever and ever.(F)
5 Through the victories(G) you gave, his glory is great;
you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.(H)
6 Surely you have granted him unending blessings
and made him glad with the joy(I) of your presence.(J)
7 For the king trusts in the Lord;(K)
through the unfailing love(L) of the Most High(M)
he will not be shaken.(N)
8 Your hand will lay hold(O) on all your enemies;
your right hand will seize your foes.
9 When you appear for battle,
you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace.
The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,
and his fire will consume them.(P)
10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
their posterity from mankind.(Q)
11 Though they plot evil(R) against you
and devise wicked schemes,(S) they cannot succeed.
12 You will make them turn their backs(T)
when you aim at them with drawn bow.
Psalm 22[c]
For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David.
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?(W)
Why are you so far(X) from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?(Y)
2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,(Z)
by night,(AA) but I find no rest.[d]
3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;(AB)
you are the one Israel praises.[e](AC)
4 In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.(AD)
5 To you they cried out(AE) and were saved;
in you they trusted(AF) and were not put to shame.(AG)
6 But I am a worm(AH) and not a man,
scorned by everyone,(AI) despised(AJ) by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;(AK)
they hurl insults,(AL) shaking their heads.(AM)
8 “He trusts in the Lord,” they say,
“let the Lord rescue him.(AN)
Let him deliver him,(AO)
since he delights(AP) in him.”
9 Yet you brought me out of the womb;(AQ)
you made me trust(AR) in you, even at my mother’s breast.
10 From birth(AS) I was cast on you;
from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
12 Many bulls(AW) surround me;(AX)
strong bulls of Bashan(AY) encircle me.
13 Roaring lions(AZ) that tear their prey(BA)
open their mouths wide(BB) against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.(BC)
My heart has turned to wax;(BD)
it has melted(BE) within me.
15 My mouth[f] is dried up like a potsherd,(BF)
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;(BG)
you lay me in the dust(BH) of death.
16 Dogs(BI) surround me,
a pack of villains encircles me;
they pierce[g](BJ) my hands and my feet.
17 All my bones are on display;
people stare(BK) and gloat over me.(BL)
18 They divide my clothes among them
and cast lots(BM) for my garment.(BN)
19 But you, Lord, do not be far from me.(BO)
You are my strength;(BP) come quickly(BQ) to help me.(BR)
20 Deliver me from the sword,(BS)
my precious life(BT) from the power of the dogs.(BU)
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;(BV)
save me from the horns of the wild oxen.(BW)
22 I will declare your name to my people;
in the assembly(BX) I will praise you.(BY)
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!(BZ)
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!(CA)
Revere him,(CB) all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not despised(CC) or scorned
the suffering of the afflicted one;(CD)
he has not hidden his face(CE) from him
but has listened to his cry for help.(CF)
25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;(CG)
before those who fear you[h] I will fulfill my vows.(CH)
26 The poor will eat(CI) and be satisfied;
those who seek the Lord will praise him—(CJ)
may your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth(CK)
will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,(CL)
28 for dominion belongs to the Lord(CM)
and he rules over the nations.
29 All the rich(CN) of the earth will feast and worship;(CO)
all who go down to the dust(CP) will kneel before him—
those who cannot keep themselves alive.(CQ)
30 Posterity(CR) will serve him;
future generations(CS) will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim his righteousness,(CT)
declaring to a people yet unborn:(CU)
He has done it!(CV)
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd,(CW) I lack nothing.(CX)
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,(CY)
3 he refreshes my soul.(CZ)
He guides me(DA) along the right paths(DB)
for his name’s sake.(DC)
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,[i](DD)
I will fear no evil,(DE)
for you are with me;(DF)
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table(DG) before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;(DH)
my cup(DI) overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love(DJ) will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
Psalm 24
Of David. A psalm.
1 The earth is the Lord’s,(DK) and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;(DL)
2 for he founded it on the seas
and established it on the waters.(DM)
3 Who may ascend the mountain(DN) of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place?(DO)
4 The one who has clean hands(DP) and a pure heart,(DQ)
who does not trust in an idol(DR)
or swear by a false god.[j]
5 They will receive blessing(DS) from the Lord
and vindication(DT) from God their Savior.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek your face,(DU) God of Jacob.[k][l]
7 Lift up your heads, you gates;(DV)
be lifted up, you ancient doors,
that the King(DW) of glory(DX) may come in.(DY)
8 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,(DZ)
the Lord mighty in battle.(EA)
9 Lift up your heads, you gates;
lift them up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory?
The Lord Almighty(EB)—
he is the King of glory.
Psalm 25[m]
Of David.
1 In you, Lord my God,
I put my trust.(EC)
2 I trust in you;(ED)
do not let me be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
3 No one who hopes in you
will ever be put to shame,(EE)
but shame will come on those
who are treacherous(EF) without cause.
4 Show me your ways, Lord,
teach me your paths.(EG)
5 Guide me in your truth(EH) and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,(EI)
and my hope is in you(EJ) all day long.
6 Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,(EK)
for they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth(EL)
and my rebellious ways;(EM)
according to your love(EN) remember me,
for you, Lord, are good.(EO)
8 Good and upright(EP) is the Lord;
therefore he instructs(EQ) sinners in his ways.
9 He guides(ER) the humble in what is right
and teaches them(ES) his way.
10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful(ET)
toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.(EU)
11 For the sake of your name,(EV) Lord,
forgive(EW) my iniquity,(EX) though it is great.
12 Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?(EY)
He will instruct them in the ways(EZ) they should choose.[n]
13 They will spend their days in prosperity,(FA)
and their descendants will inherit the land.(FB)
14 The Lord confides(FC) in those who fear him;
he makes his covenant known(FD) to them.
15 My eyes are ever on the Lord,(FE)
for only he will release my feet from the snare.(FF)
16 Turn to me(FG) and be gracious to me,(FH)
for I am lonely(FI) and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles(FJ) of my heart
and free me from my anguish.(FK)
18 Look on my affliction(FL) and my distress(FM)
and take away all my sins.(FN)
19 See how numerous are my enemies(FO)
and how fiercely they hate me!(FP)
20 Guard my life(FQ) and rescue me;(FR)
do not let me be put to shame,(FS)
for I take refuge(FT) in you.
21 May integrity(FU) and uprightness(FV) protect me,
because my hope, Lord,[o] is in you.(FW)
22 Deliver Israel,(FX) O God,
from all their troubles!
Footnotes
- Psalm 21:1 In Hebrew texts 21:1-13 is numbered 21:2-14.
- Psalm 21:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
- Psalm 22:1 In Hebrew texts 22:1-31 is numbered 22:2-32.
- Psalm 22:2 Or night, and am not silent
- Psalm 22:3 Or Yet you are holy, / enthroned on the praises of Israel
- Psalm 22:15 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text strength
- Psalm 22:16 Dead Sea Scrolls and some manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Septuagint and Syriac; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text me, / like a lion
- Psalm 22:25 Hebrew him
- Psalm 23:4 Or the valley of the shadow of death
- Psalm 24:4 Or swear falsely
- Psalm 24:6 Two Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac (see also Septuagint); most Hebrew manuscripts face, Jacob
- Psalm 24:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 10.
- Psalm 25:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
- Psalm 25:12 Or ways he chooses
- Psalm 25:21 Septuagint; Hebrew does not have Lord.
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