24 1-2 God claims Earth and everything in it,
    God claims World and all who live on it.
He built it on Ocean foundations,
    laid it out on River girders.

3-4 Who can climb Mount God?
    Who can scale the holy north-face?
Only the clean-handed,
    only the pure-hearted;
Men who won’t cheat,
    women who won’t seduce.

5-6 God is at their side;
    with God’s help they make it.
This, Jacob, is what happens
    to God-seekers, God-questers.

Wake up, you sleepyhead city!
Wake up, you sleepyhead people!
    King-Glory is ready to enter.

Who is this King-Glory?
    God, armed
    and battle-ready.

Wake up, you sleepyhead city!
Wake up, you sleepyhead people!
    King-Glory is ready to enter.

10 Who is this King-Glory?
    God-of-the-Angel-Armies:
    he is King-Glory.
25 1-2 My head is high, God, held high;
I’m looking to you, God;
No hangdog skulking for me.

I’ve thrown in my lot with you;
You won’t embarrass me, will you?
Or let my enemies get the best of me?

Don’t embarrass any of us
Who went out on a limb for you.
It’s the traitors who should be humiliated.

Show me how you work, God;
School me in your ways.

Take me by the hand;
Lead me down the path of truth.
You are my Savior, aren’t you?

Mark the milestones of your mercy and love, God;
Rebuild the ancient landmarks!

Forget that I sowed wild oats;
Mark me with your sign of love.
Plan only the best for me, God!

God is fair and just;
He corrects the misdirected,
Sends them in the right direction.

He gives the rejects his hand,
And leads them step-by-step.

10 From now on every road you travel
Will take you to God.
Follow the Covenant signs;
Read the charted directions.

11 Keep up your reputation, God;
Forgive my bad life;
It’s been a very bad life.

12 My question: What are God-worshipers like?
Your answer: Arrows aimed at God’s bull’s-eye.

13 They settle down in a promising place;
Their kids inherit a prosperous farm.

14 God-friendship is for God-worshipers;
They are the ones he confides in.

15 If I keep my eyes on God,
I won’t trip over my own feet.

16 Look at me and help me!
I’m all alone and in big trouble.

17 My heart and mind are fighting each other;
Call a truce to this civil war.

18 Take a hard look at my life of hard labor,
Then lift this ton of sin.

19 Do you see how many people
Have it in for me?
How viciously they hate me?

20 Keep watch over me and keep me out of trouble;
Don’t let me down when I run to you.

21 Use all your skill to put me together;
I wait to see your finished product.

22 God, give your people a break
From this run of bad luck.
26 Clear my name, God;
    I’ve kept an honest shop.
I’ve thrown in my lot with you, God, and
    I’m not budging.

Examine me, God, from head to foot,
    order your battery of tests.
Make sure I’m fit
    inside and out

So I never lose
    sight of your love,
But keep in step with you,
    never missing a beat.

4-5 I don’t hang out with tricksters,
    I don’t pal around with thugs;
I hate that pack of gangsters,
    I don’t deal with double-dealers.

6-7 I scrub my hands with purest soap,
    then join hands with the others in the great circle,
    dancing around your altar, God,
Singing God-songs at the top of my lungs,
    telling God-stories.

8-10 God, I love living with you;
    your house glows with your glory.
When it’s time for spring cleaning,
    don’t sweep me out with the quacks and crooks,
Men with bags of dirty tricks,
    women with purses stuffed with bribe-money.

11-12 You know I’ve been aboveboard with you;
    now be aboveboard with me.
I’m on the level with you, God;
    I bless you every chance I get.

Psalm 24

Of David. A psalm.

The earth is the Lord’s,(A) and everything in it,
    the world, and all who live in it;(B)
for he founded it on the seas
    and established it on the waters.(C)

Who may ascend the mountain(D) of the Lord?
    Who may stand in his holy place?(E)
The one who has clean hands(F) and a pure heart,(G)
    who does not trust in an idol(H)
    or swear by a false god.[a]

They will receive blessing(I) from the Lord
    and vindication(J) from God their Savior.
Such is the generation of those who seek him,
    who seek your face,(K) God of Jacob.[b][c]

Lift up your heads, you gates;(L)
    be lifted up, you ancient doors,
    that the King(M) of glory(N) may come in.(O)
Who is this King of glory?
    The Lord strong and mighty,(P)
    the Lord mighty in battle.(Q)
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(R)
    he is the King of glory.

Psalm 25[d]

Of David.

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

I trust in you;(T)
    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,(U)
but shame will come on those
    who are treacherous(V) without cause.

Show me your ways, Lord,
    teach me your paths.(W)
Guide me in your truth(X) and teach me,
    for you are God my Savior,(Y)
    and my hope is in you(Z) all day long.
Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,(AA)
    for they are from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth(AB)
    and my rebellious ways;(AC)
according to your love(AD) remember me,
    for you, Lord, are good.(AE)

Good and upright(AF) is the Lord;
    therefore he instructs(AG) sinners in his ways.
He guides(AH) the humble in what is right
    and teaches them(AI) his way.
10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful(AJ)
    toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.(AK)
11 For the sake of your name,(AL) Lord,
    forgive(AM) my iniquity,(AN) though it is great.

12 Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?(AO)
    He will instruct them in the ways(AP) they should choose.[e]
13 They will spend their days in prosperity,(AQ)
    and their descendants will inherit the land.(AR)
14 The Lord confides(AS) in those who fear him;
    he makes his covenant known(AT) to them.
15 My eyes are ever on the Lord,(AU)
    for only he will release my feet from the snare.(AV)

16 Turn to me(AW) and be gracious to me,(AX)
    for I am lonely(AY) and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles(AZ) of my heart
    and free me from my anguish.(BA)
18 Look on my affliction(BB) and my distress(BC)
    and take away all my sins.(BD)
19 See how numerous are my enemies(BE)
    and how fiercely they hate me!(BF)

20 Guard my life(BG) and rescue me;(BH)
    do not let me be put to shame,(BI)
    for I take refuge(BJ) in you.
21 May integrity(BK) and uprightness(BL) protect me,
    because my hope, Lord,[f] is in you.(BM)

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

Psalm 26

Of David.

Vindicate me,(BO) Lord,
    for I have led a blameless life;(BP)
I have trusted(BQ) in the Lord
    and have not faltered.(BR)
Test me,(BS) Lord, and try me,
    examine my heart and my mind;(BT)
for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love(BU)
    and have lived(BV) in reliance on your faithfulness.(BW)

I do not sit(BX) with the deceitful,
    nor do I associate with hypocrites.(BY)
I abhor(BZ) the assembly of evildoers
    and refuse to sit with the wicked.
I wash my hands in innocence,(CA)
    and go about your altar, Lord,
proclaiming aloud your praise(CB)
    and telling of all your wonderful deeds.(CC)

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

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

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 24:4 Or swear falsely
  2. Psalm 24:6 Two Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac (see also Septuagint); most Hebrew manuscripts face, Jacob
  3. Psalm 24:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 10.
  4. Psalm 25:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  5. Psalm 25:12 Or ways he chooses
  6. Psalm 25:21 Septuagint; Hebrew does not have Lord.