Psalm 6

A Prayer for Mercy

For the choir director: with stringed instruments, according to Sheminith.(A) A Davidic psalm.

Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger;
do not discipline me in Your wrath.(B)
Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am weak;[a](C)
heal me,(D) Lord, for my bones are shaking;(E)
my whole being is shaken with terror.(F)
And You, Lord—how long?(G)

Turn, Lord! Rescue me;
save me because of Your faithful love.(H)
For there is no remembrance of You in death;
who can thank You in Sheol?(I)

I am weary from my groaning;(J)
with my tears I dampen my pillow[b]
and drench my bed every night.(K)
My eyes are swollen from grief;(L)
they[c] grow old because of all my enemies.

Depart from me, all evildoers,
for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.(M)
The Lord has heard my plea for help;(N)
the Lord accepts my prayer.(O)
10 All my enemies will be ashamed and shake with terror;
they will turn back(P) and suddenly be disgraced.(Q)

Psalm 7

Prayer for Justice

A Shiggaion[d] of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning the words of Cush,[e] a Benjaminite.

Yahweh my God, I seek refuge in You;(R)
save me from all my pursuers and rescue me(S)
or they[f] will tear me like a lion,
ripping me apart with no one to rescue me.[g](T)

Yahweh my God, if I have done this,
if there is injustice on my hands,(U)
if I have done harm to one at peace with me(V)
or have plundered[h] my adversary without cause,(W)
may an enemy pursue and overtake me;
may he trample me to the ground(X)
and leave my honor in the dust.(Y)Selah

Rise up, Lord, in Your anger;
lift Yourself up against the fury of my adversaries;(Z)
awake for me;[i](AA)
You have ordained[j] a judgment.(AB)
Let the assembly of peoples gather around You;(AC)
take Your seat[k] on high over it.(AD)
The Lord judges the peoples;(AE)
vindicate me, Lord,
according to my righteousness and my integrity.[l](AF)

Let the evil of the wicked come to an end,(AG)
but establish the righteous.(AH)
The One who examines the thoughts and emotions[m]
is a righteous God.(AI)
10 My shield is with[n] God,(AJ)
who saves the upright in heart.(AK)
11 God is a righteous judge
and a God who shows His wrath every day.(AL)

12 If anyone does not repent,
God[o] will sharpen His sword;(AM)
He has strung[p] His bow and made it ready.(AN)
13 He has prepared His deadly weapons;
He tips His arrows with fire.(AO)

14 See, the wicked one is pregnant with evil,
conceives trouble, and gives birth to deceit.(AP)
15 He dug a pit and hollowed it out
but fell into the hole he had made.(AQ)
16 His trouble comes back on his own head,
and his violence falls on the top of his head.(AR)

17 I will thank the Lord for His righteousness;
I will sing about the name of Yahweh the Most High.(AS)

Psalm 8

God’s Glory, Man’s Dignity

For the choir director: on the Gittith.(AT) A Davidic psalm.

Yahweh, our Lord,
how magnificent is Your name throughout the earth!(AU)

You have covered the heavens with Your majesty.[q](AV)
Because of Your adversaries,
You have established a stronghold[r]
from the mouths of children and nursing infants(AW)
to silence the enemy and the avenger.

When I observe Your heavens,
the work of Your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which You set in place,(AX)
what is man that You remember him,
the son of man that You look after him?(AY)
You made him little less than God[s][t]
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You made him lord over the works of Your hands;
You put everything under his feet:[u](AZ)
all the sheep and oxen,
as well as the animals in the wild,
the birds of the sky,
and the fish of the sea
that pass through the currents of the seas.(BA)

Yahweh, our Lord,
how magnificent is Your name throughout the earth!

Psalm 9

Celebration of God’s Justice

For the choir director: according to Muth-labben.[v] A Davidic psalm.

I will thank Yahweh with all my heart;
I will declare all Your wonderful works.(BB)
I will rejoice and boast about You;(BC)
I will sing about Your name, Most High.(BD)

When my enemies retreat,
they stumble and perish before You.(BE)
For You have upheld my just cause;[w](BF)
You are seated on Your throne as a righteous judge.(BG)
You have rebuked the nations:(BH)
You have destroyed the wicked;(BI)
You have erased their name forever and ever.(BJ)
The enemy has come to eternal ruin;
You have uprooted the cities,
and the very memory of them has perished.(BK)

But the Lord sits enthroned forever;(BL)
He has established His throne for judgment.(BM)
He judges the world with righteousness;
He executes judgment on the nations with fairness.(BN)
The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,
a refuge in times of trouble.(BO)
10 Those who know Your name trust in You
because You have not abandoned
those who seek You, Yahweh.(BP)

11 Sing to the Lord, who dwells in Zion;(BQ)
proclaim His deeds among the nations.(BR)
12 For the One who seeks an accounting
for bloodshed remembers them;(BS)
He does not forget the cry of the afflicted.(BT)

13 Be gracious to me, Lord;
consider my affliction at the hands of those who hate me.(BU)
Lift me up from the gates of death,(BV)
14 so that I may declare all Your praises.
I will rejoice in Your salvation(BW)
within the gates of Daughter Zion.

15 The nations have fallen into the pit they made;
their foot is caught in the net they have concealed.(BX)
16 The Lord has revealed Himself;
He has executed justice,(BY)
striking down[x] the wicked[y]
by the work of their hands.(BZ)Higgaion. Selah

17 The wicked will return to Sheol(CA)
all the nations that forget God.(CB)
18 For the oppressed will not always be forgotten;
the hope of the afflicted[z] will not perish forever.(CC)

19 Rise up, Lord! Do not let man prevail;
let the nations be judged in Your presence.(CD)
20 Put terror in them, Lord;(CE)
let the nations know they are only men.(CF)Selah

Psalm 10

Lord,[aa][ab] why do You stand so far away?(CG)
Why do You hide in times of trouble?(CH)
In arrogance the wicked relentlessly pursue the afflicted;
let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.(CI)

For the wicked one boasts about his own cravings;(CJ)
the one who is greedy curses[ac] and despises the Lord.(CK)
In all his scheming,
the wicked arrogantly thinks:[ad]
“There is no accountability,
since God does not exist.”(CL)
His ways are always secure;[ae]
Your lofty judgments are beyond his sight;
he scoffs at all his adversaries.(CM)
He says to himself, “I will never be moved—
from generation to generation without calamity.”(CN)
Cursing, deceit, and violence fill his mouth;
trouble and malice are under his tongue.(CO)
He waits in ambush near the villages;(CP)
he kills the innocent in secret places.
His eyes are on the lookout for the helpless;(CQ)
he lurks in secret like a lion in a thicket.
He lurks in order to seize the afflicted;
he seizes the afflicted and drags him in his net.
10 So he is oppressed and beaten down;
the helpless fall because of his strength.(CR)
11 He says to himself, “God has forgotten;
He hides His face and will never see.”(CS)

12 Rise up, Lord God! Lift up Your hand.(CT)
Do not forget the afflicted.(CU)
13 Why has the wicked person despised God?
He says to himself, “You will not demand an account.”(CV)
14 But You Yourself have seen trouble and grief,
observing it in order to take the matter into Your hands.(CW)
The helpless entrusts himself to You;
You are a helper of the fatherless.(CX)
15 Break the arm of the wicked and evil person;(CY)
call his wickedness into account
until nothing remains of it.[af](CZ)

16 The Lord is King forever and ever;(DA)
the nations will perish from His land.(DB)
17 Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble;[ag]
You will strengthen their hearts.
You will listen carefully,(DC)
18 doing justice for the fatherless and the oppressed
so that men of the earth may terrify them no more.(DD)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 6:2 Or sick
  2. Psalm 6:6 Lit bed
  3. Psalm 6:7 LXX, Aq, Sym, Jer read I
  4. Psalm 7:1 Perhaps a passionate song with rapid changes of rhythm, or a dirge
  5. Psalm 7:1 LXX, Aq, Sym, Theod, Jer read of the Cushite
  6. Psalm 7:2 Lit he
  7. Psalm 7:2 Lit ripping, and without a rescuer
  8. Psalm 7:4 Or me and have spared
  9. Psalm 7:6 LXX reads awake, Lord my God
  10. Psalm 7:6 Or me; ordain
  11. Psalm 7:7 MT reads and return
  12. Psalm 7:8 Lit integrity on me
  13. Psalm 7:9 Lit examines hearts and kidneys
  14. Psalm 7:10 Lit on
  15. Psalm 7:12 Lit He
  16. Psalm 7:12 Lit bent; that is, bent the bow to string it
  17. Psalm 8:1 Lit earth, which has set Your splendor upon the heavens
  18. Psalm 8:2 LXX reads established praise
  19. Psalm 8:5 LXX reads angels
  20. Psalm 8:5 Or gods, or a god, or heavenly beings; lit Elohim
  21. Psalm 8:6 Or authority
  22. Psalm 9:1 Perhaps a musical term
  23. Psalm 9:4 Lit my justice and my cause
  24. Psalm 9:16 Or justice, snaring
  25. Psalm 9:16 LXX, Aq, Syr, Tg read justice, the wicked is trapped
  26. Psalm 9:18 Alt Hb tradition reads humble
  27. Psalm 10:1 Some Hb mss, LXX connect Pss 9–10.
  28. Psalm 10:1 Together these 2 psalms form a partial acrostic.
  29. Psalm 10:3 Or he blesses the greedy
  30. Psalm 10:4 Lit wicked according to the height of his nose
  31. Psalm 10:5 Or prosperous
  32. Psalm 10:15 Lit account You do not find
  33. Psalm 10:17 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr read afflicted

Psalm 6[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith.[b] A psalm of David.

Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger(A)
    or discipline me in your wrath.
Have mercy on me,(B) Lord, for I am faint;(C)
    heal me,(D) Lord, for my bones are in agony.(E)
My soul is in deep anguish.(F)
    How long,(G) Lord, how long?

Turn,(H) Lord, and deliver me;
    save me because of your unfailing love.(I)
Among the dead no one proclaims your name.
    Who praises you from the grave?(J)

I am worn out(K) from my groaning.(L)

All night long I flood my bed with weeping(M)
    and drench my couch with tears.(N)
My eyes grow weak(O) with sorrow;
    they fail because of all my foes.

Away from me,(P) all you who do evil,(Q)
    for the Lord has heard my weeping.
The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;(R)
    the Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish;(S)
    they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.(T)

Psalm 7[c]

A shiggaion[d](U) of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush, a Benjamite.

Lord my God, I take refuge(V) in you;
    save and deliver me(W) from all who pursue me,(X)
or they will tear me apart like a lion(Y)
    and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue(Z) me.

Lord my God, if I have done this
    and there is guilt on my hands(AA)
if I have repaid my ally with evil
    or without cause(AB) have robbed my foe—
then let my enemy pursue and overtake(AC) me;
    let him trample my life to the ground(AD)
    and make me sleep in the dust.[e](AE)

Arise,(AF) Lord, in your anger;
    rise up against the rage of my enemies.(AG)
    Awake,(AH) my God; decree justice.
Let the assembled peoples gather around you,
    while you sit enthroned over them on high.(AI)
    Let the Lord judge(AJ) the peoples.
Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness,(AK)
    according to my integrity,(AL) O Most High.(AM)
Bring to an end the violence of the wicked
    and make the righteous secure—(AN)
you, the righteous God(AO)
    who probes minds and hearts.(AP)

10 My shield[f](AQ) is God Most High,
    who saves the upright in heart.(AR)
11 God is a righteous judge,(AS)
    a God who displays his wrath(AT) every day.
12 If he does not relent,(AU)
    he[g] will sharpen his sword;(AV)
    he will bend and string his bow.(AW)
13 He has prepared his deadly weapons;
    he makes ready his flaming arrows.(AX)

14 Whoever is pregnant with evil
    conceives trouble and gives birth(AY) to disillusionment.
15 Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out
    falls into the pit(AZ) they have made.(BA)
16 The trouble they cause recoils on them;
    their violence comes down on their own heads.

17 I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness;(BB)
    I will sing the praises(BC) of the name of the Lord Most High.(BD)

Psalm 8[h]

For the director of music. According to gittith.[i] A psalm of David.

Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name(BE) in all the earth!

You have set your glory(BF)
    in the heavens.(BG)
Through the praise of children and infants
    you have established a stronghold(BH) against your enemies,
    to silence the foe(BI) and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens,(BJ)
    the work of your fingers,(BK)
the moon and the stars,(BL)
    which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    human beings that you care for them?[j](BM)

You have made them[k] a little lower than the angels[l](BN)
    and crowned them[m] with glory and honor.(BO)
You made them rulers(BP) over the works of your hands;(BQ)
    you put everything under their[n] feet:(BR)
all flocks and herds,(BS)
    and the animals of the wild,(BT)
the birds in the sky,
    and the fish in the sea,(BU)
    all that swim the paths of the seas.

Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!(BV)

Psalm 9[o][p]

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Death of the Son.” A psalm of David.

I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;(BW)
    I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.(BX)
I will be glad and rejoice(BY) in you;
    I will sing the praises(BZ) of your name,(CA) O Most High.

My enemies turn back;
    they stumble and perish before you.
For you have upheld my right(CB) and my cause,(CC)
    sitting enthroned(CD) as the righteous judge.(CE)
You have rebuked the nations(CF) and destroyed the wicked;
    you have blotted out their name(CG) for ever and ever.
Endless ruin has overtaken my enemies,
    you have uprooted their cities;(CH)
    even the memory of them(CI) has perished.

The Lord reigns forever;(CJ)
    he has established his throne(CK) for judgment.
He rules the world in righteousness(CL)
    and judges the peoples with equity.(CM)
The Lord is a refuge(CN) for the oppressed,(CO)
    a stronghold in times of trouble.(CP)
10 Those who know your name(CQ) trust in you,
    for you, Lord, have never forsaken(CR) those who seek you.(CS)

11 Sing the praises(CT) of the Lord, enthroned in Zion;(CU)
    proclaim among the nations(CV) what he has done.(CW)
12 For he who avenges blood(CX) remembers;
    he does not ignore the cries of the afflicted.(CY)

13 Lord, see how my enemies(CZ) persecute me!
    Have mercy(DA) and lift me up from the gates of death,(DB)
14 that I may declare your praises(DC)
    in the gates of Daughter Zion,(DD)
    and there rejoice in your salvation.(DE)

15 The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug;(DF)
    their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.(DG)
16 The Lord is known by his acts of justice;
    the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.[q](DH)
17 The wicked go down to the realm of the dead,(DI)
    all the nations that forget God.(DJ)
18 But God will never forget the needy;
    the hope(DK) of the afflicted(DL) will never perish.

19 Arise,(DM) Lord, do not let mortals triumph;(DN)
    let the nations be judged(DO) in your presence.
20 Strike them with terror,(DP) Lord;
    let the nations know they are only mortal.(DQ)

Psalm 10[r]

Why, Lord, do you stand far off?(DR)
    Why do you hide yourself(DS) in times of trouble?

In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,(DT)
    who are caught in the schemes he devises.
He boasts(DU) about the cravings of his heart;
    he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord.(DV)
In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;
    in all his thoughts there is no room for God.(DW)
His ways are always prosperous;
    your laws are rejected by[s] him;
    he sneers at all his enemies.
He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.”
    He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.”(DX)

His mouth is full(DY) of lies and threats;(DZ)
    trouble and evil are under his tongue.(EA)
He lies in wait(EB) near the villages;
    from ambush he murders the innocent.(EC)
His eyes watch in secret for his victims;
    like a lion in cover he lies in wait.
He lies in wait to catch the helpless;(ED)
    he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.(EE)
10 His victims are crushed,(EF) they collapse;
    they fall under his strength.
11 He says to himself, “God will never notice;(EG)
    he covers his face and never sees.”(EH)

12 Arise,(EI) Lord! Lift up your hand,(EJ) O God.
    Do not forget the helpless.(EK)
13 Why does the wicked man revile God?(EL)
    Why does he say to himself,
    “He won’t call me to account”?(EM)
14 But you, God, see the trouble(EN) of the afflicted;
    you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;(EO)
    you are the helper(EP) of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked man;(EQ)
    call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
    that would not otherwise be found out.

16 The Lord is King for ever and ever;(ER)
    the nations(ES) will perish from his land.
17 You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;(ET)
    you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,(EU)
18 defending the fatherless(EV) and the oppressed,(EW)
    so that mere earthly mortals
    will never again strike terror.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 6:1 In Hebrew texts 6:1-10 is numbered 6:2-11.
  2. Psalm 6:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  3. Psalm 7:1 In Hebrew texts 7:1-17 is numbered 7:2-18.
  4. Psalm 7:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  5. Psalm 7:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  6. Psalm 7:10 Or sovereign
  7. Psalm 7:12 Or If anyone does not repent, / God
  8. Psalm 8:1 In Hebrew texts 8:1-9 is numbered 8:2-10.
  9. Psalm 8:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  10. Psalm 8:4 Or what is a human being that you are mindful of him, / a son of man that you care for him?
  11. Psalm 8:5 Or him
  12. Psalm 8:5 Or than God
  13. Psalm 8:5 Or him
  14. Psalm 8:6 Or made him ruler . . . ; / . . . his
  15. Psalm 9:1 Psalms 9 and 10 may originally have been a single acrostic poem in which alternating lines began with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In the Septuagint they constitute one psalm.
  16. Psalm 9:1 In Hebrew texts 9:1-20 is numbered 9:2-21.
  17. Psalm 9:16 The Hebrew has Higgaion and Selah (words of uncertain meaning) here; Selah occurs also at the end of verse 20.
  18. Psalm 10:1 Psalms 9 and 10 may originally have been a single acrostic poem in which alternating lines began with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In the Septuagint they constitute one psalm.
  19. Psalm 10:5 See Septuagint; Hebrew / they are haughty, and your laws are far from