Psalm 1-36

Contemporary English Version

^3 (A) They are like trees
    growing beside a stream,
trees that produce
fruit in season
    and always have leaves.
Those people succeed
    in everything they do.

⁴ That isn't true of those
    who are evil—
they are like straw
    blown by the wind.
⁵ Sinners won't have an excuse
    on the day of judgment,
and they won't have a place
    with the people of God.
⁶ The Lord protects everyone
    who follows him,
but the wicked follow a road
    that leads to ruin.

⁴ In heaven the Lord laughs
as he sits on his throne,
    making fun of the nations.
⁵ The Lord becomes furious
    and threatens them.
His anger terrifies them
    as he says,
⁶ “I've put my king on Zion,
    my sacred hill.”

^7 (C) I will tell the promise
    that the Lord made to me:
“You are my son, because today
    I have become your father.
⁸ Ask me for the nations,
and every nation on earth
    will belong to you.
^9 (D) You will smash them
    with an iron rod
and shatter them
    like dishes of clay.”

¹⁰ Be smart, all you rulers,
    and pay close attention.
¹¹ Serve and honor the Lord;
    be glad and tremble.
¹² Show respect to his son
    because if you don't,
the Lord might become furious
    and suddenly destroy you.^[c]
But he blesses and protects
    everyone who runs to him.

³ But you are my shield,
and you give me victory
    and great honor.
⁴ I pray to you, and you answer
    from your sacred hill.

⁵ I sleep and wake up refreshed
because you, Lord,
    protect me.
⁶ Ten thousand enemies attack
from every side,
    but I am not afraid.

⁷ Come and save me, Lord God!
Break my enemies' jaws
    and shatter their teeth,
⁸ because you protect
    and bless your people.

² How long will you people
    refuse to respect me?^[d]
You love foolish things,
and you run after
    what is worthless.^[e]

³ The Lord has chosen
    everyone who is faithful
to be his very own,^[f]
    and he answers my prayers.
^4 (F) But each of you
had better tremble
    and turn from your sins.
Silently search your heart
    as you lie in bed.
⁵ Offer the proper sacrifices
    and trust the Lord.

⁶ There are some who ask,
    “Who will be good to us?”
Let your kindness, Lord,
    shine brightly on us.
⁷ You brought me more happiness
than a rich harvest
    of grain and grapes.
⁸ I can lie down
    and sleep soundly
because you, Lord,
    will keep me safe.

⁴ You are not the kind of God
who is pleased with evil.
    Sinners can't stay with you.
⁵ No one who boasts can stand
in your presence, Lord,
    and you hate evil people.
⁶ You destroy every liar,
and you despise violence
    and deceit.

⁷ Because of your great mercy,
    I come to your house, Lord,
and I am filled with wonder
as I bow down to worship
    at your holy temple.
⁸ You do what is right,
    and I ask you to guide me.
Make your teaching clear
    because of my enemies.

^9 (G) Nothing they say is true!
    They just want to destroy.
Their words are deceitful
    like a hidden pit,
and their tongues are good
    only for telling lies.
¹⁰ Punish them, God,
and let their own plans
    bring their downfall.
Get rid of them!
They keep committing crimes
    and turning against you.

¹¹ Let all who run to you
for protection
    always sing joyful songs.
Provide shelter for those
who truly love you
    and let them rejoice.
¹² Our Lord, you bless those
    who live right,
and you shield them
    with your kindness.

⁴ Turn and come to my rescue.
Show your wonderful love
    and save me, Lord.
⁵ If I die, I cannot praise you
    or even remember you.
⁶ My groaning has worn me out.
At night my bed and pillow
    are soaked with tears.
⁷ Sorrow has made my eyes dim,
and my sight has failed
    because of my enemies.

^8 (I) You, Lord, heard my crying,
and those hateful people
    had better leave me alone.
⁹ You have answered my prayer
    and my plea for mercy.
¹⁰ My enemies will be ashamed
    and terrified,
as they quickly run away
    in complete disgrace.

³ I am innocent, Lord God!
⁴ I have not betrayed a friend
    or had pity on an enemy^[k]
    who attacks for no reason.
⁵ If I have done any of this,
then let my enemies
    chase and capture me.
Let them trample me to death
    and leave me in the dirt.

⁶ Get angry, Lord God!
    Do something!
Attack my furious enemies.
    See that justice is done.
⁷ Make the nations come to you,
as you sit on your throne^[l]
    above them all.

⁸ Our Lord, judge the nations!
Judge me and show that I
    am honest and innocent.
^9 (J) You know every heart and mind,
    and you always do right.
Now make violent people stop,
but protect all of us
    who obey you.

¹⁰ You, God, are my shield,
the protector of everyone
    whose heart is right.
¹¹ You see that justice is done,
and each day
    you take revenge.
¹² Whenever your enemies refuse
    to change their ways,
you sharpen your sword
    and string your bow.
¹³ Your deadly arrows are ready
    with flaming tips.

¹⁴ An evil person is like a woman
    about to give birth
to a hateful, deceitful,
    and rebellious child.
^15 (K) Such people dig a deep hole,
    then fall in it themselves.
¹⁶ The trouble they cause
    comes back on them,
and their heads are crushed
    by their own evil deeds.

¹⁷ I will praise you, Lord!
    You always do right.
I will sing about you,
    the Lord Most High.

³ I often think of the heavens
    your hands have made,
and of the moon and stars
    you put in place.
^4 (M) Then I ask, “Why do you care
    about us humans?
Why are you concerned
    for us weaklings?”
^5 (N) You made us a little lower
    than you yourself,^[o]
and you have crowned us
    with glory and honor.

^6 (O) You let us rule everything
    your hands have made.
And you put all of it
    under our power—
⁷ the sheep and the cattle,
    and every wild animal,
⁸ the birds in the sky,
the fish in the sea,
    and all ocean creatures.

⁹ Our Lord and Ruler,
your name is wonderful
    everywhere on earth!

³ When my enemies face you,
they run away and stumble
    and are destroyed.
⁴ You take your seat as judge,
and your fair decisions prove
    that I was in the right.
⁵ You warn the nations
    and destroy evil people;
you wipe out their names
    forever and ever.
⁶ Our enemies are destroyed
    completely for all time.
Their cities are torn down,
and they will never
    be remembered again.

⁷ You rule forever, Lord,
and you are on your throne,
    ready for judgment.
⁸ You judge the world fairly
and treat all nations
    with justice.
⁹ The poor can run to you
because you are a fortress
    in times of trouble.
¹⁰ Everyone who honors your name
    can trust you,
because you are faithful
    to all who depend on you.

¹¹ You rule from Zion, Lord,
    and we sing about you
to let the nations know
    everything you have done.
¹² You did not forget
    to punish the guilty
or listen to the cries
    of those in need.

^13 (P) Please have mercy, Lord!
    My enemies mistreat me.
Keep me from the gates
    that lead to death,
¹⁴ and I will sing about you
    at the gate to Zion.
I will be happy there
    because you rescued me.

^15 (Q) Our Lord, the nations fell
    into their own pits,
and their feet were caught
    in their own traps.
¹⁶ You showed what you are like,
and you made certain
    that justice is done,
but evil people are trapped
    by their own evil deeds.
¹⁷ The wicked will go down
    to the world of the dead
to be with those nations
    that forgot about you.

¹⁸ The poor and the homeless
won't always be forgotten
    and without hope.

¹⁹ Do something, Lord!
    Don't let the nations win.
Make them stand trial
    in your court of law.
²⁰ Make the nations afraid
and let them all discover
    just how weak they are.

³ The wicked brag about
    their deepest desires.
Those greedy people hate
    and curse you, Lord.
⁴ The wicked are too proud
to turn to you
    or even think about you.
⁵ They are always successful,
though they can't understand
    your teachings,
and they keep sneering
    at their enemies.

⁶ In their hearts they say,
    “Nothing can hurt us!
We'll always be happy
    and free from trouble.”
^7 (R) They curse and tell lies,
and all they talk about
    is how to be cruel
    or how to do wrong.

⁸ They hide outside villages,
waiting to strike and murder
    some innocent victim.
⁹ They are hungry lions
    hiding in the bushes,
hoping to catch
    some helpless passerby.
They trap the poor in nets
    and drag them away.
¹⁰ They crouch down and wait
    to grab a victim.
¹¹ They say, “God can't see!
    He's got on a blindfold.”

¹² Do something, Lord God,
and use your powerful arm
    to help those in need.
¹³ The wicked don't respect you.
In their hearts they say,
    “God won't punish us!”

¹⁴ But you see the trouble
and the distress,
    and you will do something.
The poor can count on you,
    and so can orphans.
¹⁵ Now break the power
    of all merciless people.
Punish them for doing wrong
    and make them stop.

¹⁶ Our Lord, you will always rule,
but every godless nation
    will vanish from the earth.
¹⁷ You listen to the longings
    of those who suffer.
You offer them hope,
and you pay attention
    to their cries for help.
¹⁸ You defend orphans
    and everyone else in need,
so that no one on earth
    can terrify others again.

⁴ The Lord is sitting
in his sacred temple
    on his throne in heaven.
He knows everything we do
    because he sees us all.
⁵ The Lord tests honest people,
but despises those
    who are cruel
    and love violence.
⁶ He will send fiery coals^[p]
and flaming sulfur
    down on the wicked,
and they will drink nothing
    but a scorching wind.

⁷ The Lord always does right
    and wants justice done.
Everyone who does right
    will see his face.

⁵ But you, Lord, tell them,
    “I will do something!
The poor are mistreated
and helpless people moan.
    I'll rescue all who suffer.”

⁶ Our Lord, you are true
    to your promises,
and your word is like silver
heated seven times
    in a fiery furnace.^[r]
7 You will protect us
and always keep us safe
    from those people.
⁸ But all who are wicked
    will keep on strutting,
while everyone praises
    their shameless deeds.^[s]

³ Please listen, Lord God,
    and answer my prayers.
Make my eyes sparkle again,
or else I will fall
    into the sleep of death.
⁴ My enemies will say,
    “Now we've won!”
They will be greatly pleased
    when I am defeated.

⁵ I trust your love,
and I feel like celebrating
    because you rescued me.
⁶ You have been good to me, Lord,
    and I will sing about you.

² From heaven the Lord
    looks down to see
if anyone is wise enough
    to search for him.
³ But all of them are corrupt;
    no one does right.

⁴ Won't you evil people learn?
    You refuse to pray,
and you gobble up
    the Lord's people.
⁵ But you will be frightened,
because God is on the side
    of every good person.
⁶ You may spoil the plans
of the poor,
    but the Lord protects them.

⁷ I long for someone from Zion
    to come and save Israel!
Our Lord, when you bless
    your people again,
Jacob's family will be glad,
    and Israel will celebrate.

² Only those who obey God
    and do as they should.
They speak the truth
³     and don't spread gossip;
they treat others fairly
    and don't say cruel things.

⁴ They hate worthless people,
but show respect for all
    who worship the Lord.
And they keep their promises,
    no matter what the cost.
⁵ They lend their money
    without charging interest,
and they don't take bribes
    to hurt the innocent.

Those who do these things
    will always stand firm.

³ Your people are wonderful,
    and they make me happy,^[t]
4 but worshipers of other gods
    will have much sorrow.^[u]
I refuse to offer sacrifices
of blood to those gods
    or worship in their name.

⁵ You, Lord, are all I want!
You are my choice,
    and you keep me safe.
⁶ You make my life pleasant,
    and my future is bright.

⁷ I praise you, Lord,
    for being my guide.
Even in the darkest night,
    your teachings fill my mind.
^8 (T) I will always look to you,
as you stand beside me
    and protect me from fear.
⁹ With all my heart,
I will celebrate,
    and I can safely rest.

^10 (U) I am your chosen one.
You won't leave me in the grave
    or let my body decay.
¹¹ You have shown me
    the path to life,
and you make me glad
    by being near to me.
Sitting at your right side,^[v]
    I will always be joyful.

³ You know my heart,
    and even during the night
you have tested me
    and found me innocent.
I have made up my mind
    never to tell a lie.
⁴ I don't do like others.
I obey your teachings
    and am not cruel.
⁵ I have followed you,
    without ever stumbling.

⁶ I pray to you, God,
    because you will help me.
Listen and answer my prayer!
⁷     Show your wonderful love.
Your mighty arm protects those
who run to you for safety
    from their enemies.
⁸ Protect me as you would
    your very own eyes;
hide me in the shadow
    of your wings.

⁹ Don't let my brutal enemies
attack from all sides
    and kill me.
¹⁰ They refuse to show mercy,
    and they keep bragging.

¹¹ They have caught up with me!
    My enemies are everywhere,
eagerly hoping to smear me
    in the dirt.
¹² They are like hungry lions
    hunting for food,
or like young lions
    hiding in ambush.

¹³ Do something, Lord!
    Attack and defeat them.
Take your sword and save me
    from those evil people.
¹⁴ Use your powerful arm
    and rescue me
from the hands of mere humans
    whose world won't last.^[w]

You provide food
    for those you love.
Their children have plenty,
and their grandchildren
    will have more than enough.

¹⁵ I am innocent, Lord,
    and I will see your face!
When I awake, all I want
    is to see you as you are.

³ I praise you, Lord!
I prayed, and you rescued me
    from my enemies.
⁴ Death had wrapped
    its ropes around me,
and I was almost swallowed
    by its flooding waters.

⁵ Ropes from the world
of the dead
    had coiled around me,
and death had set a trap
    in my path.
⁶ I was in terrible trouble
    when I called out to you,
but from your temple
you heard me
    and answered my prayer.

⁷ The earth shook and shivered,
and the mountains trembled
    down to their roots.
You were angry
⁸     and breathed out smoke.
Scorching heat and fiery flames
    spewed from your mouth.

⁹ You opened the heavens
    like curtains,
and you came down
with storm clouds
    under your feet.
¹⁰ You rode on the backs
    of flying creatures
and swooped down
    with the wind as wings.
¹¹ Darkness was your robe;
thunderclouds filled the sky,
    hiding you from sight.
¹² Hailstones and fiery coals
lit up the sky
    in front of you.

¹³ Lord Most High, your voice
    thundered from the heavens,
as hailstones and fiery coals
    poured down like rain.
¹⁴ You scattered your enemies
    with arrows of lightning.
¹⁵ You roared at the sea,
and its deepest channels
    could be seen.
You snorted,
and the earth shook
    to its foundations.

¹⁶ You reached down from heaven,
and you lifted me
    from deep in the ocean.
¹⁷ You rescued me from enemies,
who were hateful
    and too powerful for me.
¹⁸ On the day disaster struck,
they came and attacked,
    but you defended me.
¹⁹ When I was fenced in,
you freed and rescued me
    because you love me.

²⁰ You are good to me, Lord,
    because I do right,
and you reward me
    because I am innocent.
²¹ I do what you want
    and never turn to do evil.
²² I keep your laws in mind
and never look away
    from your teachings.
²³ I obey you completely
    and guard against sin.
²⁴ You have been good to me
    because I do right;
you have rewarded me
for being innocent
    by your standards.

²⁵ You are always loyal
    to your loyal people,
and you are faithful
    to the faithful.
²⁶ With all who are sincere,
    you are sincere,
but you treat the unfaithful
    as their deeds deserve.
²⁷ You rescue the humble,
but you put down all
    who are proud.

²⁸ You, the Lord God,
keep my lamp burning
    and turn darkness to light.
²⁹ You help me defeat armies
    and capture cities.

³⁰ Your way is perfect, Lord,
    and your word is correct.
You are a shield for those
    who run to you for help.
³¹ You alone are God!
    Only you are a mighty rock.^[z]
32 You give me strength
    and guide me right.
^33 (V) You make my feet run as fast
    as those of a deer,
and you help me stand
    on the mountains.

³⁴ You teach my hands to fight
and my arms to use
    a bow of bronze.
³⁵ You alone are my shield.
    Your right hand supports me,
and by coming to help me,
    you have made me famous.
³⁶ You clear the way for me,
    and now I won't stumble.

³⁷ I kept chasing my enemies,
until I caught them
    and destroyed them.
³⁸ I stuck my sword
    through my enemies,
and they were crushed
    under my feet.
³⁹ You helped me win victories,
and you forced my attackers
    to fall victim to me.

⁴⁰ You made my enemies run,
    and I killed them.
⁴¹ They cried out for help,
    but no one saved them;
they called out to you,
    but there was no answer.
⁴² I ground them to dust
    blown by the wind,
and I poured them out
    like mud in the streets.

⁴³ You rescued me
    from stubborn people,
and you made me the leader
of foreign nations,
    who are now my slaves.
⁴⁴ They obey and come crawling.
⁴⁵     They have lost all courage,
and from their fortresses,
    they come trembling.

⁴⁶ You are the living Lord!
    I will praise you.
You are a mighty rock.^[aa]
I will honor you
    for keeping me safe.
⁴⁷ You took revenge for me,
and you put nations
    in my power.
⁴⁸ You protected me
    from violent enemies
and made me much greater
    than all of them.

^49 (W) I will praise you, Lord,
and I will honor you
    among the nations.
⁵⁰ You give glorious victories
    to your chosen king.
Your faithful love for David
and for his descendants
    will never end.

In the heavens a tent
    is set up for the sun.
⁵ It rises like a bridegroom
and gets ready like a hero
    eager to run a race.
⁶ It travels all the way
across the sky.
    Nothing hides from its heat.

^7 (Y) The Law of the Lord is perfect;
    it gives us new life.
His teachings last forever,
and they give wisdom
    to ordinary people.
⁸ The Lord's instruction is right;
    it makes our hearts glad.
His commands shine brightly,
    and they give us light.

⁹ Worshiping the Lord is sacred;
    he will always be worshiped.
All his decisions
    are correct and fair.
¹⁰ They are worth more
    than the finest gold
and are sweeter than honey
    from a honeycomb.

¹¹ By your teachings, Lord,
    I am warned;
by obeying them,
    I am greatly rewarded.
¹² None of us know our faults.
Forgive me when I sin
    without knowing it.
¹³ Don't let me do wrong
    on purpose, Lord,
or let sin have control
    over my life.
Then I will be innocent,
and not guilty
    of some terrible fault.

¹⁴ Let my words and my thoughts
    be pleasing to you, Lord,
because you are my mighty rock^[ab]
    and my protector.

⁴ May God do what you want most
    and let all go well for you.
⁵ Then you will win victories,
    and we will celebrate,
while raising our banners
    in the name of our God.
May the Lord answer
    all your prayers!

⁶ I am certain, Lord,
that you will help
    your chosen king.
You will answer my prayers
from your holy place
    in heaven,
and you will save me
    with your mighty arm.

⁷ Some people trust the power
of chariots or horses,
    but we trust you, Lord God.
⁸ Others will stumble and fall,
but we will be strong
    and stand firm.

⁹ Give the king victory, Lord,
    and answer our prayers.^[ac]

⁵ The king is highly honored.
You have let him win victories
    that have made him famous.
⁶ You have given him blessings
    that will last forever,
and you have made him glad
    by being so near to him.
⁷ Lord Most High,
    the king trusts you,
and your kindness
    keeps him from defeat.

⁸ With your mighty arm, Lord,
you will strike down all
    of your hateful enemies.
⁹ They will be destroyed by fire
    once you are here,
and because of your anger,
    flames will swallow them.
¹⁰ You will wipe their families
from the earth,
    and they will disappear.
¹¹ All their plans to harm you
    will come to nothing.
¹² You will make them run away
by shooting your arrows
    at their faces.

¹³ Show your strength, Lord,
so that we may sing
    and praise your power.

³ Yet you are the holy God,
ruling from your throne
    and praised by Israel.
^4 (AA) Our ancestors trusted you,
    and you rescued them.
⁵ When they cried out for help,
    you saved them,
and you did not let them down
    when they depended on you.

⁶ But I am merely a worm,
    far less than human,
and I am hated and rejected
    by people everywhere.
^7 (AB) Everyone who sees me
    makes fun and sneers.
They shake their heads,
^{8     (AC)} and say, “Trust the Lord!
If you are his favorite,
let him protect you
    and keep you safe.”

⁹ You, Lord, brought me
    safely through birth,
and you protected me
when I was a baby
    at my mother's breast.
¹⁰ From the day I was born,
    I have been in your care,
and from the time of my birth,
    you have been my God.

¹¹ Don't stay far off
when I am in trouble
    with no one to help me.
¹² Enemies are all around
    like a herd of wild bulls.
Powerful bulls from Bashan^[ad]
    are everywhere.
¹³ My enemies are like lions
roaring and attacking
    with jaws open wide.

¹⁴ I have no more strength
    than a few drops of water.
All my bones are out of joint;
    my heart is like melted wax.
¹⁵ My strength has dried up
    like a broken clay pot,
and my tongue sticks
    to the roof of my mouth.
You, God, have left me
    to die in the dirt.

¹⁶ Brutal enemies attack me
    like a pack of dogs,
tearing at^[ae] my hands
    and my feet.
¹⁷ I can count all my bones,
and my enemies just stare
    and sneer at me.
^18 (AD) They took my clothes
    and gambled for them.

¹⁹ Don't stay far away, Lord!
My strength comes from you,
    so hurry and help.
²⁰ Rescue me from enemy swords
and save me from those dogs.
²¹     Don't let lions eat me.

You rescued me from the horns
    of wild bulls,
^22 (AE) and when your people meet,
    I will praise you, Lord.

²³ All who worship the Lord,
    now praise him!
You belong to Jacob's family
and to the people of Israel,
    so fear and honor the Lord!
²⁴ The Lord doesn't hate
or despise the helpless
    in all of their troubles.
When I cried out, he listened
    and did not turn away.

²⁵ When your people meet,
you will fill my heart
    with your praises, Lord,
and everyone will see me
    keep my promises to you.
²⁶ The poor will eat and be full,
and all who worship you
    will be thankful
    and live in hope.

²⁷ Everyone on this earth
    will remember you, Lord.
People all over the world
    will turn and worship you,
²⁸ because you are in control,
    the ruler of all nations.

²⁹ All who are rich
and have more than enough
    will bow down to you, Lord.
Even those who are dying
and almost in the grave
    will come and bow down.
³⁰ In the future, everyone
will worship and learn
    about you, our Lord.
³¹ People not yet born
will be told,
    “The Lord has saved us!”

You are true to your name,
and you lead me
    along the right paths.
⁴ I may walk through valleys
as dark as death,
    but I won't be afraid.
You are with me,
and your shepherd's rod^[af]
    makes me feel safe.

⁵ You treat me to a feast,
    while my enemies watch.
You honor me as your guest,
and you fill my cup
    until it overflows.
⁶ Your kindness and love
will always be with me
    each day of my life,
and I will live forever
    in your house, Lord.

³ Who may climb the Lord's hill^[ag]
    or stand in his holy temple?
^4 (AH) Only those who do right
    for the right reasons,
and don't worship idols
    or tell lies under oath.
⁵ The Lord God, who saves them,
    will bless and reward them,
⁶ because they worship and serve
    the God of Jacob.^[ah]
7 Open the ancient gates,
so that the glorious king
    may come in.

⁸ Who is this glorious king?
He is our Lord, a strong
    and mighty warrior.

⁹ Open the ancient gates,
so that the glorious king
    may come in.

¹⁰ Who is this glorious king?
He is our Lord,
    the All-Powerful!

⁶ Please, Lord, remember,
you have always
    been patient and kind.
⁷ Forget each wrong I did
    when I was young.
Show how truly kind you are
    and remember me.
⁸ You are honest and merciful,
and you teach sinners
    how to follow your path.

⁹ You lead humble people
to do what is right
    and to stay on your path.
¹⁰ In everything you do,
    you are kind and faithful
to everyone who keeps
    our agreement with you.

¹¹ Be true to your name, Lord,
by forgiving each one
    of my terrible sins.
¹² You will show the right path
    to all who worship you.
¹³ Then they will have plenty,
and their children
    will receive the land.

¹⁴ Our Lord, you are the friend
    of your worshipers,
and you make an agreement
    with all of us.
¹⁵ I always look to you,
because you rescue me
    from every trap.
¹⁶ I am lonely and troubled.
Show that you care
    and have pity on me.
¹⁷ My awful worries keep growing.
    Rescue me from sadness.
¹⁸ See my troubles and misery
    and forgive my sins.

¹⁹ Look at all my enemies!
    See how much they hate me.
²⁰ I come to you for shelter.
Protect me, keep me safe,
    and don't disappoint me.
²¹ I obey you with all my heart,
and I trust you, knowing
    that you will save me.

²² Our God, please save Israel
    from all its troubles.

⁶ I wash my hands, Lord,
    to show my innocence,
and I worship at your altar,
⁷ while gratefully singing
    about your wonders.
⁸ I love the temple
where you live, and where
    your glory shines.
⁹ Don't sweep me away,
    as you do sinners.
Don't punish me with death
as you do those people
    who are brutal
¹⁰     or full of meanness
    or who bribe others.
¹¹ I stay true to myself.
    Be kind and rescue me.

¹² Now I stand on solid ground!
And when your people meet,
    I will praise you, Lord.

⁴ I ask only one thing, Lord:
Let me live in your house
    every day of my life
to see how wonderful you are
    and to pray in your temple.

⁵ In times of trouble, Lord,
    you will protect me.
You will hide me in your tent
and keep me safe
    on top of a mighty rock.^[aj]
6 You will let me defeat
    all my enemies.
Then I will celebrate,
    as I enter your tent
with animal sacrifices
    and songs of praise.

⁷ Please listen when I pray!
    Have pity. Answer my prayer.
⁸ My heart tells me to pray.
I am eager to see your face,
⁹     so don't hide from me.
I am your servant, Lord,
and you have helped me.
    Don't turn from me in anger.
You alone keep me safe.
    Don't reject or desert me.
¹⁰ Even if my father and mother
should desert me,
    you will take care of me.

¹¹ Teach me to follow, Lord,
and lead me on the right path
    because of my enemies.
¹² Don't let them do to me
    what they want.
People tell lies about me
    and make violent threats,
¹³ but I know I will live
    to see how kind you are.

¹⁴ Trust the Lord!
Be brave and strong
    and trust the Lord.

³ Don't drag me away, Lord,
    with those cruel people,
who speak kind words,
    while planning trouble.
^4 (AI) Treat them as they deserve!
    Punish them for their sins.
⁵ They don't pay any attention
    to your wonderful deeds.
Now you will destroy them
    and leave them in ruin.

⁶ I praise you, Lord,
    for answering my prayers.
⁷ You are my strong shield,
    and I trust you completely.
You have helped me,
and I will celebrate
    and thank you in song.

⁸ You give strength
    to your people, Lord,
and you save and protect
    your chosen ones.
⁹ Come save us and bless us.
Be our shepherd and always
    carry us in your arms.

³ The voice of the Lord
    echoes over the oceans.
The glorious Lord God
thunders above the roar
    of the raging sea,
⁴ and his voice is mighty
    and marvelous.
⁵ The voice of the Lord
    destroys the cedar trees;
the Lord shatters cedars
    on Mount Lebanon.
⁶ God makes Mount Lebanon
    skip like a calf
and Mount Hermon
    jump like a wild ox.

⁷ The voice of the Lord
makes lightning flash
⁸     and the desert tremble.
And because of the Lord,
the desert near Kadesh
    shivers and shakes.

⁹ The voice of the Lord
makes deer give birth
    before their time.^[an]
Forests are stripped of leaves,
and the temple is filled
    with shouts of praise.

¹⁰ The Lord rules on his throne,
    king of the flood^[ao] forever.
¹¹ Pray that our Lord
will make us strong
    and give us peace.

⁴ Your faithful people, Lord,
will praise you with songs
    and honor your holy name.
⁵ Your anger lasts a little while,
but your kindness lasts
    for a lifetime.
At night we may cry,
but when morning comes
    we will celebrate.

⁶ I felt secure and thought,
    “I'll never be shaken!”
⁷ You, Lord, were my friend,
and you made me strong
    as a mighty mountain.
But when you hid your face,
    I was crushed.

⁸ I prayed to you, Lord,
    and in my prayer I said,
⁹ “What good will it do you
    if I am in the grave?
Once I have turned to dust,
    how can I praise you
or tell how loyal you are?
¹⁰     Have pity, Lord! Help!”

¹¹ You have turned my sorrow
    into joyful dancing.
No longer am I sad
    and wearing sackcloth.^[ap]
12 I thank you from my heart,
    and I will never stop
singing your praises,
    my Lord and my God.

³ You, Lord God,
are my mighty rock
    and my fortress.
Lead me and guide me,
so that your name
    will be honored.
⁴ Protect me from hidden traps
    and keep me safe.
^5 (AK) You are faithful,
and I trust you
    because you rescued me.

⁶ I hate the worshipers
of worthless idols,
    but I trust you, Lord.
⁷ I celebrate and shout
    because you are kind.
You saw all my suffering,
    and you cared for me.
⁸ You kept me from the hands
of my enemies,
    and you set me free.

⁹ Have pity, Lord!
I am hurting and almost blind.
    My whole body aches.
¹⁰ I have known only sorrow
all my life long, and I suffer
    year after year.
I am weak from sin,
    and my bones are limp.

¹¹ My enemies insult me.
Neighbors are even worse,
    and I disgust my friends.
People meet me on the street,
    and they turn and run.
¹² I am completely forgotten
like someone dead.
    I am merely a broken dish.
¹³ I hear the crowds whisper,
    “Everyone is afraid!”
They are plotting and scheming
    to murder me.

¹⁴ But I trust you, Lord,
    and I claim you as my God.
¹⁵ My life is in your hands.
Save me from enemies
    who hunt me down.
¹⁶ Smile on me, your servant.
    Have pity and rescue me.

¹⁷ I pray only to you.
    Don't disappoint me.
Disappoint my cruel enemies
until they lie silent
    in their graves.
¹⁸ Silence those proud liars!
Make them stop bragging
    and insulting your people.

¹⁹ You are wonderful,
    and while everyone watches,
you store up blessings for all
    who honor and trust you.
²⁰ You are their shelter
    from harmful plots,
and you are their protection
    from vicious gossip.

²¹ I will praise you, Lord,
    for showing great kindness
when I was like a city
    under attack.
²² I was terrified and thought,
“They've chased me
    far away from you!”
But you answered my prayer
    when I shouted for help.

^23 (AL) All who belong to the Lord,
    show how you love him.
The Lord protects the faithful,
but he severely punishes
    everyone who is proud.
²⁴ All who trust the Lord,
    be cheerful and strong.

³ Before I confessed my sins,
my bones felt limp,
    and I groaned all day long.
⁴ Night and day your hand
    weighed heavily on me,
and my strength was gone
    as in the summer heat.

⁵ So I confessed my sins
    and told them all to you.
I said, “I'll tell the Lord
    each one of my sins.”
Then you forgave me
    and took away my guilt.

⁶ We worship you, Lord,
    and we should always pray
whenever we find out
    that we have sinned.^[ar]
Then we won't be swept away
    by a raging flood.
⁷ You are my hiding place!
    You protect me from trouble,
and you put songs in my heart
    because you have saved me.

⁸ You said to me,
“I will point out the road
    that you should follow.
I will be your teacher
    and watch over you.
⁹ Don't be stupid
    like horses and mules
that must be led with ropes
    to make them obey.”

¹⁰ All kinds of troubles
    will strike the wicked,
but your kindness shields those
    who trust you, Lord.
¹¹ And so your good people
    should celebrate and shout.

⁴ The Lord is truthful;
    he can be trusted.
⁵ He loves justice and fairness,
and he is kind to everyone
    everywhere on earth.

⁶ The Lord made the heavens
and everything in them
    by his word.
⁷ He scooped up the ocean
    and stored the water.
⁸ Everyone in this world
should worship and honor
    the Lord!
⁹ As soon as he spoke
    the world was created;
at his command,
    the earth was formed.

¹⁰ The Lord destroys the plans
and spoils the schemes
    of the nations.
¹¹ But what the Lord has planned
will stand forever.
    His thoughts never change.
¹² The Lord blesses each nation
that worships only him.
    He blesses his chosen ones.
¹³ The Lord looks at the world
¹⁴ from his throne in heaven,
    and he watches us all.
¹⁵ The Lord gave us each a mind,
and nothing we do
    can be hidden from him.

^16 (AN) Mighty armies alone
    cannot win wars for a king;
great strength by itself
    cannot keep a soldier safe.
¹⁷ In war the strength of a horse
cannot be trusted
    to take you to safety.
¹⁸ But the Lord watches over
all
    who honor him
    and trust his kindness.
¹⁹ He protects them from death
    and starvation.

²⁰ We depend on you, Lord,
    to help and protect us.
²¹ You make our hearts glad
because we trust you,
    the only God.
²² Be kind and bless us!
    We depend on you.

⁴ I asked the Lord for help,
and he saved me
    from all my fears.
⁵ Keep your eyes on the Lord!
You will shine like the sun
    and never blush with shame.
⁶ I was a nobody, but I prayed,
and the Lord saved me
    from all my troubles.

⁷ If you honor the Lord,
    his angel will protect you.
^8 (AP) Discover for yourself
    that the Lord is kind.
Come to him for protection,
    and you will be glad.

⁹ Honor the Lord!
    You are his special people.
No one who honors the Lord
    will ever be in need.
¹⁰ Young lions^[as] may go hungry
    or even starve,
but if you trust the Lord,
you will never miss out
    on anything good.

¹¹ Come, my children, listen
as I teach you
    to respect the Lord.
^12 (AQ) Do you want to live
    and enjoy a long life?
¹³ Then don't say cruel things
    and don't tell lies.
¹⁴ Do good instead of evil
    and try to live at peace.

¹⁵ If you obey the Lord,
he will watch over you
    and answer your prayers.
¹⁶ But God despises evil people,
    and he will wipe them all
from the earth,
    till they are forgotten.
¹⁷ When his people pray for help,
he listens and rescues them
    from their troubles.
¹⁸ The Lord is there to rescue
all
    who are discouraged
    and have given up hope.

¹⁹ The Lord's people
    may suffer a lot,
but he will always
    bring them safely through.
^20 (AR) Not one of their bones
    will ever be broken.

²¹ Wicked people are killed
    by their own evil deeds,
and if you hate God's people
    you will be punished.
²² The Lord saves the lives
    of his servants.
Run to him for protection,
    and you won't be punished.

⁴ Let all who want to kill me
be disgraced
    and put to shame.
Chase away and confuse
    all who plan to harm me.
⁵ Send your angel after them
and let them be like straw
    in the wind.
⁶ Make them run in the dark
on a slippery road,
    as your angel chases them.
⁷ I did them no harm,
but they hid a net
    to trap me,
and they dug a deep pit
    to catch and kill me.
^8 (AS) Surprise them with disaster!
    Trap them in their own nets
and let them fall and rot
    in the pits they have dug.

⁹ I will celebrate and be joyful
because you, Lord,
    have saved me.
¹⁰ Every bone in my body
    will shout:
“No one is like the Lord!”
You protect the helpless
    from those in power;
you save the poor and needy
    from those who hurt them.

¹¹ Liars accuse me of crimes
    I know nothing about.
¹² They repay evil for good,
    and I feel all alone.
¹³ When they were sick,
I wore sackcloth^[at]
    and went without food.^[au]
I truly prayed for them,^[av]
14 as I would for a friend
    or a relative.
I was in sorrow and mourned,
    as I would for my mother.

¹⁵ I have stumbled,
    and worthless liars
I don't even know
    surround me and sneer.
¹⁶ Worthless people make fun^[aw]
    and never stop laughing.
¹⁷ But all you do is watch!
    When will you do something?
Save me from the attack
    of those vicious lions.
¹⁸ And when your people meet,
    I will praise you
and thank you, Lord,
    in front of them all.

^19 (AT) Don't let my brutal enemies
    be glad because of me.
They hate me for no reason.
Don't let them wink
    behind my back.
²⁰ They say hurtful things,
and they lie to people
    who want to live in peace.
²¹ They are quick to accuse me.
They say, “You did it!
    We saw you ourselves.”

²² You see everything, Lord!
Please don't keep silent
    or stay so far away.
²³ Fight to defend me, Lord God,
²⁴ and prove that I am right
    by your standards.
Don't let them laugh at me
²⁵     or say to each other,
“Now we've got what we want!
    We'll gobble him up!”

²⁶ Disappoint and confuse
all who are glad
    to see me in trouble;
disgrace and embarrass
my proud enemies who say to me,
    “You are nothing!”

²⁷ Let all who want me to win
    be happy and joyful.
From now on let them say,
    “The Lord is wonderful!
God is glad when all goes well
    for his servant.”
²⁸ Then I will shout all day,
“Praise the Lord God!
    He did what was right.”