Prayer for Protection, Guidance, and Pardon.

A Psalm of David.

25 To You, Lord, I (A)lift up my soul.
My God, in You (B)I trust,
Do not let me (C)be ashamed;
Do not let my (D)enemies rejoice over me.
Indeed, (E)none of those who wait for You will be ashamed;
[a]Those who (F)deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed.

(G)Make me know Your ways, Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in (H)Your truth and teach me,
For You are the (I)God of my salvation;
For You I (J)wait all the day.
(K)Remember, Lord, Your compassion and Your faithfulness,
For they have been [b](L)from of old.
Do not remember the (M)sins of my youth or my wrongdoings;
(N)Remember me according to Your faithfulness,
For Your (O)goodness’ sake, Lord.

(P)The Lord is good and (Q)upright;
Therefore He (R)instructs sinners in the way.
He (S)leads the [c]humble in justice,
And He (T)teaches the [d]humble His way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are (U)faithfulness and truth
To (V)those who comply with His covenant and His testimonies.
11 For the (W)sake of Your name, Lord,
(X)Forgive my wrongdoing, for it is great.

12 Who is the person who (Y)fears the Lord?
He will (Z)instruct him in the way he should choose.
13 His soul will (AA)dwell in [e]prosperity,
And his [f]descendants will (AB)inherit the [g]land.
14 The [h](AC)secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him,
[i]And He will (AD)make them know His covenant.
15 My (AE)eyes are continually toward the Lord,
For He will [j](AF)rescue my feet from the net.

16 (AG)Turn to me and be gracious to me,
For I am (AH)lonely and afflicted.
17 [k]The (AI)troubles of my heart are enlarged;
Bring me (AJ)out of my distresses.
18 (AK)Look at my misery and my trouble,
And (AL)forgive all my sins.
19 Look at my enemies, for they (AM)are many,
And they (AN)hate me with violent hatred.
20 (AO)Guard my soul and save me;
Do not let me (AP)be ashamed, for I take refuge in You.
21 Let (AQ)integrity and uprightness protect me,
For (AR)I wait for You.
22 (AS)Redeem Israel, God,
From all his distress.

Protestation of Integrity and Prayer for Protection.

A Psalm of David.

26 [l](AT)Vindicate me, Lord, for I have (AU)walked in my integrity,
And I have (AV)trusted in the Lord [m](AW)without wavering.
(AX)Examine me, Lord, and put me to the test;
(AY)Refine my [n]mind and my heart.
For Your (AZ)[o]goodness is before my eyes,
And I have (BA)walked in Your truth.
I do not (BB)sit with [p]deceitful people,
Nor will I go with [q](BC)pretenders.
I (BD)hate the assembly of evildoers,
And I will not sit with the wicked.
I will (BE)wash my hands in innocence,
And I will go around (BF)Your altar, Lord,
That I may proclaim with the voice of (BG)thanksgiving
And declare all Your [r]wonders.

Lord, I (BH)love the dwelling of Your house,
And the place [s]where Your (BI)glory remains.
(BJ)Do not [t]take my soul away along with sinners,
Nor my life with (BK)men of bloodshed,
10 In whose hands is a (BL)wicked scheme,
And whose right hand is full of (BM)bribes.
11 But as for me, I will (BN)walk in my integrity;
(BO)Redeem me, and be gracious to me.
12 (BP)My foot stands on (BQ)level ground;
In the (BR)congregations I will bless the Lord.

A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God.

A Psalm of David.

27 The Lord is my (BS)light and my (BT)salvation;
Whom should I fear?
The Lord is the [u](BU)defense of my life;
(BV)Whom should I dread?
When evildoers came upon me to (BW)devour my flesh,
My adversaries and my enemies, they (BX)stumbled and fell.
If an (BY)army encamps against me,
My heart will not fear;
If war arises against me,
In spite of this I am (BZ)confident.

(CA)One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:
That I may (CB)dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
To behold (CC)the [v]beauty of the Lord
And to [w](CD)meditate in His temple.
For on the (CE)day of trouble He will (CF)conceal me in His [x]tabernacle;
He will (CG)hide me in the secret place of His tent;
He will (CH)lift me up on a rock.
And now (CI)my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,
And I will offer (CJ)sacrifices in His tent [y]with shouts of joy;
I will (CK)sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

(CL)Hear, Lord, when I cry with my voice,
And be gracious to me and (CM)answer me.
When You said, “(CN)Seek My face,” my heart said to You,
(CO)I shall seek Your face, Lord.”
(CP)Do not hide Your face from me,
Do not turn Your servant away in (CQ)anger;
You have been (CR)my help;
(CS)Do not abandon me nor (CT)forsake me,
God of my salvation!
10 [z]For my father and (CU)my mother have forsaken me,
But (CV)the Lord will take me up.

11 (CW)Teach me Your way, Lord,
And lead me on a (CX)level path
Because of my enemies.
12 Do not turn me over to the [aa](CY)desire of my enemies,
For (CZ)false witnesses have risen against me,
And the violent (DA)witness.
13 I certainly believed that I would see the (DB)goodness of the Lord
In the (DC)land of the living.
14 (DD)Wait for the Lord;
Be (DE)strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 25:3 Or Let those...be ashamed
  2. Psalm 25:6 Or everlasting
  3. Psalm 25:9 Or afflicted
  4. Psalm 25:9 Or afflicted
  5. Psalm 25:13 Lit good
  6. Psalm 25:13 Lit seed
  7. Psalm 25:13 Or earth
  8. Psalm 25:14 Or counsel; or intimacy
  9. Psalm 25:14 Or And His covenant, to make them know it
  10. Psalm 25:15 Lit bring out
  11. Psalm 25:17 Some commentators Relieve the troubles of my heart
  12. Psalm 26:1 Lit Judge
  13. Psalm 26:1 Lit I do not slide
  14. Psalm 26:2 Lit kidneys, figurative for inner man
  15. Psalm 26:3 Or faithfulness
  16. Psalm 26:4 Or worthless men; lit men of falsehood
  17. Psalm 26:4 Or dissemblers, hypocrites
  18. Psalm 26:7 Or miracles
  19. Psalm 26:8 Lit of the tabernacle of Your glory
  20. Psalm 26:9 Lit gather
  21. Psalm 27:1 Or refuge
  22. Psalm 27:4 Lit delightfulness
  23. Psalm 27:4 Lit inquire
  24. Psalm 27:5 Or shelter
  25. Psalm 27:6 Lit of shouts
  26. Psalm 27:10 Or If my father...forsake me, Then the Lord
  27. Psalm 27:12 Lit soul

Psalm 25[a]

Of David.

In you, Lord my God,
    I put my trust.(A)

I trust in you;(B)
    do not let me be put to shame,
    nor let my enemies triumph over me.
No one who hopes in you
    will ever be put to shame,(C)
but shame will come on those
    who are treacherous(D) without cause.

Show me your ways, Lord,
    teach me your paths.(E)
Guide me in your truth(F) and teach me,
    for you are God my Savior,(G)
    and my hope is in you(H) all day long.
Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,(I)
    for they are from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth(J)
    and my rebellious ways;(K)
according to your love(L) remember me,
    for you, Lord, are good.(M)

Good and upright(N) is the Lord;
    therefore he instructs(O) sinners in his ways.
He guides(P) the humble in what is right
    and teaches them(Q) his way.
10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful(R)
    toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.(S)
11 For the sake of your name,(T) Lord,
    forgive(U) my iniquity,(V) though it is great.

12 Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?(W)
    He will instruct them in the ways(X) they should choose.[b]
13 They will spend their days in prosperity,(Y)
    and their descendants will inherit the land.(Z)
14 The Lord confides(AA) in those who fear him;
    he makes his covenant known(AB) to them.
15 My eyes are ever on the Lord,(AC)
    for only he will release my feet from the snare.(AD)

16 Turn to me(AE) and be gracious to me,(AF)
    for I am lonely(AG) and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles(AH) of my heart
    and free me from my anguish.(AI)
18 Look on my affliction(AJ) and my distress(AK)
    and take away all my sins.(AL)
19 See how numerous are my enemies(AM)
    and how fiercely they hate me!(AN)

20 Guard my life(AO) and rescue me;(AP)
    do not let me be put to shame,(AQ)
    for I take refuge(AR) in you.
21 May integrity(AS) and uprightness(AT) protect me,
    because my hope, Lord,[c] is in you.(AU)

22 Deliver Israel,(AV) O God,
    from all their troubles!

Psalm 26

Of David.

Vindicate me,(AW) Lord,
    for I have led a blameless life;(AX)
I have trusted(AY) in the Lord
    and have not faltered.(AZ)
Test me,(BA) Lord, and try me,
    examine my heart and my mind;(BB)
for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love(BC)
    and have lived(BD) in reliance on your faithfulness.(BE)

I do not sit(BF) with the deceitful,
    nor do I associate with hypocrites.(BG)
I abhor(BH) the assembly of evildoers
    and refuse to sit with the wicked.
I wash my hands in innocence,(BI)
    and go about your altar, Lord,
proclaiming aloud your praise(BJ)
    and telling of all your wonderful deeds.(BK)

Lord, I love(BL) the house where you live,
    the place where your glory dwells.(BM)
Do not take away my soul along with sinners,
    my life with those who are bloodthirsty,(BN)
10 in whose hands are wicked schemes,(BO)
    whose right hands are full of bribes.(BP)
11 I lead a blameless life;
    deliver me(BQ) and be merciful to me.

12 My feet stand on level ground;(BR)
    in the great congregation(BS) I will praise the Lord.

Psalm 27

Of David.

The Lord is my light(BT) and my salvation(BU)
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold(BV) of my life—
    of whom shall I be afraid?(BW)

When the wicked advance against me
    to devour[d] me,
it is my enemies and my foes
    who will stumble and fall.(BX)
Though an army besiege me,
    my heart will not fear;(BY)
though war break out against me,
    even then I will be confident.(BZ)

One thing(CA) I ask from the Lord,
    this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,(CB)
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
    and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble(CC)
    he will keep me safe(CD) in his dwelling;
he will hide me(CE) in the shelter of his sacred tent
    and set me high upon a rock.(CF)

Then my head will be exalted(CG)
    above the enemies who surround me;(CH)
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice(CI) with shouts of joy;(CJ)
    I will sing(CK) and make music(CL) to the Lord.

Hear my voice(CM) when I call, Lord;
    be merciful to me and answer me.(CN)
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!(CO)
    Your face, Lord, I will seek.
Do not hide your face(CP) from me,
    do not turn your servant away in anger;(CQ)
    you have been my helper.(CR)
Do not reject me or forsake(CS) me,
    God my Savior.(CT)
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
    the Lord will receive me.
11 Teach me your way,(CU) Lord;
    lead me in a straight path(CV)
    because of my oppressors.(CW)
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
    for false witnesses(CX) rise up against me,
    spouting malicious accusations.

13 I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord(CY)
    in the land of the living.(CZ)
14 Wait(DA) for the Lord;
    be strong(DB) and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 25:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  2. Psalm 25:12 Or ways he chooses
  3. Psalm 25:21 Septuagint; Hebrew does not have Lord.
  4. Psalm 27:2 Or slander