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Confidence in God’s Protection.

To the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

61 Hear my cry, O God;
Listen to my prayer.

From the end of the earth I call to You, when my heart is overwhelmed and weak;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I [a rock that is too high to reach without Your help].

For You have been a shelter and a refuge for me,
A strong tower against the enemy.

Let me dwell in Your tent forever;
Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah.


For You have heard my vows, O God;
You have given me the inheritance of those who fear Your name [with reverence].

You will prolong the king’s life [adding days upon days];
His years will be like many generations.

He will sit enthroned forever before [the face of] God;
Appoint lovingkindness and truth to watch over and preserve him.

So I will sing praise to Your name forever,
Paying my vows day by day.

God Alone a Refuge from Treachery and Oppression.

To the Chief Musician; to Jeduthun [Ethan, the noted musician, founder of an official musical family]. A Psalm of David.

62 For God alone my soul waits in silence;
From Him comes my salvation.

He alone is my rock and my salvation,
My defense and my strong tower; I will not be shaken or disheartened.


How long will you attack a man
So that you may murder him, all of you,
Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?

They consult only to throw him down from his high position [to dishonor him];
They delight in lies.
They bless with [the words of] their mouths,
But inwardly they curse. Selah.


For God alone my soul waits in silence and quietly submits to Him,
For my hope is from Him.

He only is my rock and my salvation;
My fortress and my defense, I will not be shaken or discouraged.

On God my salvation and my glory rest;
He is my rock of [unyielding] strength, my refuge is in God.

Trust [confidently] in Him at all times, O people;
Pour out your heart before Him.
God is a refuge for us. Selah.


Men of low degree are only a breath (emptiness), and men of [high] rank are a lie (delusion).
In the balances they go up [because they have no measurable weight or value];
They are together lighter than a breath.
10 
Do not trust in oppression,
And do not vainly hope in robbery;
If riches increase, do not set your heart on them.

11 
God has spoken once,
Twice I have heard this:
That power belongs to God.
12 
Also to You, O Lord, belong lovingkindness and compassion,
For You compensate every man according to [the value of] his work.(A)

The Thirsting Soul Satisfied in God.

A Psalm of David; when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

63 O God, You are my God; with deepest longing I will seek You;
My [a]soul [my life, my very self] thirsts for You, my flesh longs and sighs for You,
In a dry and weary land where there is no water.

So I have gazed upon You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory.(B)

Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips shall praise You.

So will I bless You as long as I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name.

My [b]soul [my life, my very self] is satisfied as with marrow and fatness,
And my mouth offers praises [to You] with joyful lips.


When I remember You on my bed,
I meditate and thoughtfully focus on You in the night watches,

For You have been my help,
And in the shadow of Your wings [where I am always protected] I sing for joy.

My [c]soul [my life, my very self] clings to You;
Your right hand upholds me.


But those who seek my life to destroy it
Will [be destroyed and] go into the depths of the earth [into the underworld].
10 
They will be given over to the power of the sword;
They will be a prey for foxes.
11 
But the king will rejoice in God;
Everyone who swears by Him [honoring the true God, acknowledging His authority and majesty] will glory,
For the mouths of those who speak lies will be stopped.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 63:1 See note 42:1.
  2. Psalm 63:5 See note 42:1.
  3. Psalm 63:8 See note 42:1.

Psalm 61[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. Of David.

Hear my cry, O God;(A)
    listen to my prayer.(B)

From the ends of the earth I call to you,
    I call as my heart grows faint;(C)
    lead me to the rock(D) that is higher than I.
For you have been my refuge,(E)
    a strong tower against the foe.(F)

I long to dwell(G) in your tent forever
    and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.[b](H)
For you, God, have heard my vows;(I)
    you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.(J)

Increase the days of the king’s life,(K)
    his years for many generations.(L)
May he be enthroned in God’s presence forever;(M)
    appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.(N)

Then I will ever sing in praise of your name(O)
    and fulfill my vows day after day.(P)

Psalm 62[c]

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

Truly my soul finds rest(Q) in God;(R)
    my salvation comes from him.
Truly he is my rock(S) and my salvation;(T)
    he is my fortress,(U) I will never be shaken.(V)

How long will you assault me?
    Would all of you throw me down—
    this leaning wall,(W) this tottering fence?
Surely they intend to topple me
    from my lofty place;
    they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
    but in their hearts they curse.[d](X)

Yes, my soul, find rest in God;(Y)
    my hope comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
    he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God[e];
    he is my mighty rock, my refuge.(Z)
Trust in him at all times, you people;(AA)
    pour out your hearts to him,(AB)
    for God is our refuge.

Surely the lowborn(AC) are but a breath,(AD)
    the highborn are but a lie.
If weighed on a balance,(AE) they are nothing;
    together they are only a breath.
10 Do not trust in extortion(AF)
    or put vain hope in stolen goods;(AG)
though your riches increase,
    do not set your heart on them.(AH)

11 One thing God has spoken,
    two things I have heard:
“Power belongs to you, God,(AI)
12     and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”;(AJ)
and, “You reward everyone
    according to what they have done.”(AK)

Psalm 63[f]

A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.

You, God, are my God,
    earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,(AL)
    my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
    where there is no water.(AM)

I have seen you in the sanctuary(AN)
    and beheld your power and your glory.(AO)
Because your love is better than life,(AP)
    my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,(AQ)
    and in your name I will lift up my hands.(AR)
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;(AS)
    with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

On my bed I remember you;
    I think of you through the watches of the night.(AT)
Because you are my help,(AU)
    I sing in the shadow of your wings.(AV)
I cling to you;(AW)
    your right hand upholds me.(AX)

Those who want to kill me will be destroyed;(AY)
    they will go down to the depths of the earth.(AZ)
10 They will be given over to the sword(BA)
    and become food for jackals.(BB)

11 But the king will rejoice in God;
    all who swear by God will glory in him,(BC)
    while the mouths of liars will be silenced.(BD)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 61:1 In Hebrew texts 61:1-8 is numbered 61:2-9.
  2. Psalm 61:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  3. Psalm 62:1 In Hebrew texts 62:1-12 is numbered 62:2-13.
  4. Psalm 62:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 8.
  5. Psalm 62:7 Or / God Most High is my salvation and my honor
  6. Psalm 63:1 In Hebrew texts 63:1-11 is numbered 63:2-12.