Psalm 1-36

New American Standard Bible

BOOK 1

The Righteous and the Wicked Contrasted.

1 Blessed is the person who ^(A)does not walk in the ^(B)counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the ^[a]^(C)path of sinners,
Nor ^(D)sit in the seat of scoffers!
²But his ^(E)delight is ^(F)in the Law of the Lord,
And on His Law he meditates ^(G)day and ^(H)night.
³He will be like ^(I)a tree planted by ^[b]streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season,
And its ^[c]leaf does not wither;
And ^[d]in whatever he does, ^(J)he prospers.

⁴The wicked are not so,
But they are like ^(K)chaff which the wind blows away.
⁵Therefore ^(L)the wicked will not stand in the ^(M)judgment,
Nor sinners in ^(N)the assembly of the righteous.
⁶For the Lord ^[e]^(O)knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of ^(P)the wicked will perish.

The Reign of the Lord’s Anointed.

2 Why are ^(Q)the ^[f]nations restless
And the peoples ^(R)plotting in vain?
²The ^(S)kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers conspire together
^(T)Against the Lord and against His ^[g]^(U)Anointed, saying,
³“Let’s ^(V)tear their shackles apart
And throw their ropes away from us!”

⁴He who ^[h]sits in the heavens ^(W)laughs,
The Lord ^(X)scoffs at them.
⁵Then He will speak to them in His ^(Y)anger
And ^(Z)terrify them in His fury, saying,
⁶“But as for Me, I have installed ^(AA)My King
Upon Zion, ^(AB)My holy mountain.”

⁷“I will announce the ^[i]decree of the Lord:
He said to Me, ‘You are ^(AC)My Son,
Today I have fathered You.
⁸Ask it of Me, and ^(AD)I will certainly give ^(AE)the ^[j]nations as Your inheritance,
And the ^(AF)ends of the earth as Your possession.
⁹You shall ^[k]^(AG)break them with a ^[l]rod of iron,
You shall ^(AH)shatter them like ^[m]earthenware.’”

¹⁰Now then, you kings, ^(AI)use insight;
Let yourselves be instructed, you ^[n]judges of the earth.
¹¹Serve the Lord with ^[o]^(AJ)reverence
And rejoice with ^(AK)trembling.
¹²^[p]Kiss ^(AL)the Son, that He not be angry and you perish on the way,
For ^(AM)His wrath may be kindled quickly.
How blessed are all who ^(AN)take refuge in Him!

Morning Prayer of Trust in God.

A Psalm of David, when ^[q]he fled from his son Absalom.

3 Lord, how ^(AO)my enemies have increased!
Many are rising up against me.
²Many are saying of my soul,
“There is no ^(AP)salvation for him in God.” Selah

³But You, Lord, are ^(AQ)a shield around me,
My ^(AR)glory, and the One who ^(AS)lifts my head.
⁴I was crying out to the Lord with my voice,
And He ^(AT)answered me from ^(AU)His holy ^[r]mountain. Selah
⁵^[s]I ^(AV)lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the Lord sustains me.
⁶I will ^(AW)not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have ^(AX)set themselves against me all around.

⁷^(AY)Arise, Lord; ^(AZ)save me, my God!
For You ^[t]have ^(BA)struck all my enemies on the ^[u]cheek;
You ^[v]have ^(BB)shattered the teeth of the wicked.
⁸^[w]^(BC)Salvation belongs to the Lord;
May Your ^(BD)blessing ^[x]be upon Your people! Selah

Evening Prayer of Trust in God.

^[y]For the music director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

4 ^(BE)Answer me when ^(BF)I call, God ^[z]of my righteousness!
You have ^[aa]^(BG)relieved me in my distress;
Be ^(BH)gracious to me and ^(BI)hear my prayer.

²You sons of man, how long will ^(BJ)my ^[ab]honor be treated as ^(BK)an insult?
How long will you love ^(BL)what is worthless and strive for a ^(BM)lie? Selah
³But know that the Lord has ^[ac]^(BN)set apart the ^(BO)godly person for Himself;
The Lord ^(BP)hears when I call to Him.

⁴^[ad]^(BQ)Tremble, ^[ae]^(BR)and do not sin;
^[af]^(BS)Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah
⁵Offer ^[ag]the ^(BT)sacrifices of righteousness,
And ^(BU)trust in the Lord.

⁶Many are saying, “^(BV)Who will show us anything good?”
^(BW)Lift up the light of Your face upon us, Lord!
⁷You have put ^(BX)joy in my heart,
More than when their grain and new wine are abundant.
⁸In peace I will ^[ah]both ^(BY)lie down and sleep,
For You alone, Lord, have me ^(BZ)dwell in safety.

Prayer for Protection from the Wicked.

For the music director; for ^[ai]flute accompaniment. A Psalm of David.

5 ^(CA)Listen to my words, Lord,
Consider my ^(CB)sighing.
²Listen to ^(CC)the sound of my cry for help, ^(CD)my King and my God,
For to You I pray.
³In the morning, Lord, ^[aj]You will hear my voice;
In the ^(CE)morning I will present my ^[ak]prayer to You and be on the ^(CF)watch.

⁴For You are not a God ^(CG)who takes pleasure in wickedness;
^(CH)No evil can dwell with You.
⁵The ^(CI)boastful will not ^(CJ)stand before Your eyes;
You ^(CK)hate all who do injustice.
⁶You ^(CL)destroy those who speak lies;
The Lord loathes ^(CM)the person of bloodshed and deceit.
⁷But as for me, ^(CN)by Your abundant graciousness I will enter Your house,
^[al]At Your holy temple I will ^(CO)bow in ^(CP)reverence for You.

⁸Lord, ^(CQ)lead me ^(CR)in Your righteousness ^(CS)because of my enemies;
Make Your way ^[am]straight before me.
⁹For there is ^(CT)nothing ^[an]trustworthy in ^[ao]their mouth;
Their ^(CU)inward part is destruction itself.
Their ^(CV)throat is an open grave;
They ^[ap]flatter with their tongue.
¹⁰Make them pay, God;
^(CW)Have them fall by their own schemes!
^(CX)Scatter them in the multitude of their wrongdoings,
For they are ^(CY)rebellious against You.

¹¹But ^(CZ)rejoice, all who ^(DA)take refuge in You,
Sing for joy forever!
And ^[aq]may You ^(DB)shelter them,
That those who ^(DC)love Your name may rejoice in You.
¹²For You ^(DD)bless the righteous person, Lord,
You ^(DE)surround him with favor as with a shield.

Prayer for Mercy in Time of Trouble.

For the music director; with stringed instruments, ^[ar]upon an eight-string lyre. A Psalm of David.

6 Lord, ^(DF)do not rebuke me in Your anger,
Nor discipline me in Your wrath.
²Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am ^(DG)frail;
^(DH)Heal me, Lord, for ^(DI)my bones are horrified.
³And my ^(DJ)soul is greatly horrified;
But You, Lord—^(DK)how long?

⁴Return, Lord, ^(DL)rescue my ^[as]soul;
Save me because of Your mercy.
⁵For ^(DM)there is no ^[at]mention of You in death;
In ^[au]Sheol, who will praise You?

⁶I am ^(DN)weary with my sighing;
Every night I make my bed swim,
I flood my couch with ^(DO)my tears.
⁷My ^(DP)eye has wasted away with grief;
It has grown old because of all my enemies.

⁸^(DQ)Leave me, all you who practice injustice,
For the Lord ^(DR)has heard the sound of my weeping.
⁹The Lord ^(DS)has heard my pleading,
The Lord ^(DT)receives my prayer.
¹⁰All my enemies will ^(DU)be put to shame and greatly horrified;
They shall ^[av]turn back, they will ^(DV)suddenly be put to shame.

The Lord Implored to Defend the Psalmist against the Wicked.

A ^[aw]Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord ^[ax]concerning Cush, a Benjaminite.

7 O Lord my God, ^(DW)in You I have taken refuge;
Save me from all those who pursue me, and ^(DX)rescue me,
²Or he will tear ^[ay]my soul ^(DY)like a lion,
Dragging me away, while there is no one to rescue me.

³O Lord my God, if I have done this,
If there is ^(DZ)injustice in my hands,
⁴If I have ^(EA)done evil to ^[az]my friend,
Or have ^(EB)plundered ^[ba]my enemy for no reason,
⁵Let the enemy pursue ^[bb]my soul and overtake ^[bc]it;
And let him trample my life to the ground
And lay my glory in the dust. Selah

⁶^(EC)Arise, Lord, in Your anger;
^(ED)Raise Yourself against ^(EE)the rage of my enemies,
And ^(EF)stir Yourself ^[bd]for me; You have ordered judgment.
⁷Let the assembly of the ^(EG)peoples encompass You,
And return on high over it.
⁸The Lord ^(EH)judges the peoples;
^[be]^(EI)Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me.
⁹Please let ^(EJ)the evil of the wicked come to an end, but ^(EK)establish the righteous;
For the righteous God ^(EL)puts hearts and ^[bf]minds to the test.
¹⁰My ^(EM)shield is ^[bg]with God,
Who ^(EN)saves the upright in heart.
¹¹God is a ^(EO)righteous judge,
And a God who ^(EP)shows indignation every day.

¹²If one ^(EQ)does not repent, He will ^(ER)sharpen His sword;
He has ^(ES)bent His bow and taken aim.
¹³He has also prepared deadly weapons for Himself;
He makes His ^(ET)arrows fiery shafts.
¹⁴Behold, an evil person is pregnant with injustice,
And he ^(EU)conceives harm and gives birth to lies.
¹⁵He has dug a pit and hollowed it out,
And has ^(EV)fallen into the hole which he made.
¹⁶His ^(EW)harm will return on his own head,
And his ^(EX)violence will descend on the top of his own head.

¹⁷I will give thanks to the Lord ^(EY)according to His righteousness
And will ^(EZ)sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.

The Lord’s Glory and Mankind’s Dignity.

For the music director; on the Gittith. A Psalm of David.

8 Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth,
You who have ^[bh]^(FA)displayed Your splendor above the heavens!
²^(FB)From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have established ^[bi]^(FC)strength
Because of Your enemies,
To do away with ^(FD)the enemy and the revengeful.

³When I ^[bj]^(FE)consider ^(FF)Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The ^(FG)moon and the stars, which You have set in place;
⁴^(FH)What is man that You think of him,
And a son of man that You are concerned about him?
⁵Yet You have made him a ^(FI)little lower than ^[bk]God,
And ^(FJ)You crown him with ^(FK)glory and majesty!
⁶You have him ^(FL)rule over the works of Your hands;
You have ^(FM)put everything under his feet,
⁷All sheep and oxen,
And also the animals of the field,
⁸The birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea,
Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

⁹^(FN)Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth!

Thanksgiving for God’s Justice.

For the music director; on ^[bl]Muth-labben. A Psalm of David.

9 I will give thanks to the Lord with all ^(FO)my heart;
I will ^(FP)tell of all Your ^[bm]wonders.
²I will rejoice and be ^(FQ)jubilant in You;
I will ^(FR)sing praise to Your name, O ^(FS)Most High.

³When my enemies turn back,
They stumble and ^(FT)perish before You.
⁴For You have ^(FU)maintained ^[bn]my just cause;
You have sat on the throne ^[bo]^(FV)judging righteously.
⁵You have ^(FW)rebuked the nations, You have eliminated the wicked;
You have ^(FX)wiped out their name forever and ever.
⁶^[bp]The enemy has come to an end in everlasting ruins,
And You have uprooted the cities;
The very ^(FY)memory of them has perished.

⁷But the ^(FZ)Lord ^[bq]sits as King forever;
He has established His ^(GA)throne for judgment,
⁸And He will ^(GB)judge the world in righteousness;
He will execute judgment for the peoples fairly.
⁹^[br]The Lord will also be a ^(GC)stronghold for the oppressed,
A stronghold in times of trouble;
¹⁰And ^[bs]those who ^(GD)know Your name will put their trust in You,
For You, Lord, have not ^(GE)abandoned those who seek You.

¹¹Sing praises to the Lord, who ^(GF)dwells in Zion;
^(GG)Declare His deeds among the peoples.
¹²For ^(GH)He who ^[bt]requires blood remembers them;
He does not forget ^(GI)the cry of the needy.
¹³Be gracious to me, Lord;
See my oppression from those ^(GJ)who hate me,
You who ^(GK)lift me up from the gates of death,
¹⁴So that I may tell of ^(GL)all Your praises,
That in the gates of the daughter of Zion
I may ^(GM)rejoice in Your ^[bu]salvation.
¹⁵The nations have sunk down ^(GN)into the pit which they have made;
In the ^(GO)net which they hid, their own foot has been caught.
¹⁶The Lord has ^(GP)made Himself known;
He has ^(GQ)executed judgment.
A wicked one is ensnared in the work of his own hands. ^[bv]Higgaion Selah

¹⁷The wicked will ^[bw]^(GR)return to ^[bx]Sheol,
All the nations who ^(GS)forget God.
¹⁸For the ^(GT)needy will not always be forgotten,
Nor the ^(GU)hope of the afflicted perish forever.
¹⁹^(GV)Arise, Lord, do not let mankind prevail;
Let the nations be ^(GW)judged before You.
²⁰Put them ^(GX)in fear, Lord;
Let the nations know that they are ^(GY)merely human. Selah

A Prayer for the Overthrow of the Wicked.

10 Why ^(GZ)do You stand far away, Lord?
Why ^(HA)do You hide ^[by]Yourself in times of trouble?
²In ^(HB)arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the needy;
^[bz]Let them be ^(HC)caught in the plots which they have devised.

³For the wicked ^(HD)boasts of his ^(HE)soul’s desire,
And ^[ca]the greedy person curses and ^(HF)shows disrespect to the Lord.
⁴The wicked, ^[cb]in his haughtiness, ^(HG)does not seek Him.
^(HH)There is no God in all his schemes.

⁵His ways ^(HI)succeed at all times;
Yet Your judgments are on high, ^(HJ)out of his sight;
As for all his enemies, he snorts at them.
⁶He says to himself, “^(HK)I will not be moved;
^[cc]Throughout the generations ^(HL)I will not be in adversity.”
⁷His ^(HM)mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and ^(HN)oppression;
^(HO)Under his tongue is harm and injustice.
⁸He sits in the ^(HP)lurking places of the villages;
He ^(HQ)kills the innocent in the secret places;
His eyes ^[cd]surreptitiously watch for the ^[ce]^(HR)unfortunate.
⁹He lurks in secret like ^(HS)a lion in his ^[cf]lair;
He ^(HT)lurks to catch ^(HU)the needy;
He catches the needy when he pulls him into his ^(HV)net.
¹⁰Then he crushes the needy one, who cowers;
And ^[cg]unfortunate people fall by his mighty power.
¹¹He ^(HW)says to himself, “God has forgotten;
He has hidden His face; He will never see it.”

¹²Arise, Lord; God, ^(HX)lift up Your hand.
^(HY)Do not forget the humble.
¹³Why has the wicked ^(HZ)treated God disrespectfully?
He has said to himself, “^[ch]You will not require an account.”
¹⁴You have seen it, for You have looked at ^(IA)harm and provocation to ^[ci]take it into Your hand.
The ^[cj]^(IB)unfortunate commits himself to You;
You have been the ^(IC)helper of the orphan.
¹⁵^(ID)Break the arm of the wicked and the evildoer,
^[ck]^(IE)Seek out his wickedness until You find none.

¹⁶The Lord is ^(IF)King forever and ever;
^(IG)Nations have perished from His land.
¹⁷Lord, You have heard the ^(IH)desire of the humble;
You will ^(II)strengthen their heart, ^(IJ)You will make Your ear attentive
¹⁸To ^[cl]vindicate the ^(IK)orphan and the ^(IL)oppressed,
So that mankind, which is of the earth, will no longer cause ^(IM)terror.

The Lord, a Refuge and Defense.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

11 In the Lord I ^(IN)take refuge;
How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your ^(IO)mountain?
²For, behold, the wicked ^(IP)bend the bow,
They have ^[cm]^(IQ)set their arrow on the string
To ^(IR)shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.
³If the ^(IS)foundations are destroyed,
What can the righteous do?”

⁴The Lord is in His ^(IT)holy temple; the ^[cn]Lord’s ^(IU)throne is in heaven;
His ^(IV)eyes see, His eyelids test the sons of mankind.
⁵The Lord ^(IW)tests the righteous and ^(IX)the wicked,
And His soul hates one who loves violence.
⁶He will ^(IY)rain ^[co]coals of fire upon the wicked,
^(IZ)And brimstone and ^(JA)burning wind will be the portion of ^(JB)their cup.
⁷For the Lord is ^(JC)righteous, ^(JD)He loves ^[cp]righteousness;
The upright will ^(JE)see His face.

God, a Helper against the Treacherous.

For the music director; ^[cq]upon an eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm of David.

12 Help, Lord, for ^(JF)the godly person has come to an end,
For the faithful have disappeared from the sons of mankind.
²They ^(JG)speak ^[cr]lies to one another;
They speak with ^[cs]^(JH)flattering lips and a double heart.
³May the Lord cut off all ^[ct]flattering lips,
The tongue that ^(JI)speaks great things;
⁴Who ^(JJ)have said, “With our tongue we will prevail;
Our lips are ^[cu]our own; who is lord over us?”
⁵“Because of the ^(JK)devastation of the poor, because of the groaning of the needy,
Now ^(JL)I will arise,” says the Lord; “I will ^(JM)put him in the safety for which he longs.”

⁶The ^(JN)words of the Lord are pure words;
Like silver ^(JO)refined in a furnace on the ground, filtered seven times.
⁷You, Lord, will keep them;
You will ^(JP)protect him from this generation forever.
⁸The ^(JQ)wicked strut about on every side
When ^[cv]^(JR)vileness is exalted among the sons of mankind.

Prayer for Help in Trouble.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

13 How long, Lord? Will You ^(JS)forget me forever?
How long ^(JT)will You hide Your face from me?
²How long am I to ^(JU)feel anxious in my soul,
With ^(JV)grief in my heart all the day?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

³^(JW)Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
^(JX)Enlighten my eyes, or I will ^(JY)sleep the sleep of death,
⁴And my enemy will ^(JZ)say, “I have overcome him,”
And ^(KA)my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken.

⁵But I have ^(KB)trusted in Your faithfulness;
My heart shall ^(KC)rejoice in Your salvation.
⁶I will ^(KD)sing to the Lord,
Because He has ^(KE)looked after me.

Foolishness and Wickedness of People.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

14 The fool has ^(KF)said in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, they have committed detestable acts;
There is ^(KG)no one who does good.
²The Lord has ^(KH)looked down from heaven upon the sons of mankind
To see if there are any who ^[cw]^(KI)understand,
Who ^(KJ)seek God.
³They have all ^(KK)turned aside, together they are corrupt;
There is ^(KL)no one who does good, not even one.

⁴Do all the workers of injustice ^(KM)not know,
Who ^(KN)devour my people as they eat bread,
And ^(KO)do not call upon the Lord?
⁵There they are in great dread,
For God is with a ^(KP)righteous generation.
⁶You would put to shame the plan of the poor,
But the Lord is his ^(KQ)refuge.

⁷Oh, that ^(KR)the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
When the Lord ^(KS)restores the fortunes of His people,
Jacob will rejoice, Israel will be glad.

Description of a Citizen of Zion.

A Psalm of David.

15 Lord, who may reside ^(KT)in Your tent?
Who may settle on Your ^(KU)holy hill?
²One who ^(KV)walks with integrity, practices righteousness,
And ^(KW)speaks truth in his heart.
³He ^(KX)does not slander ^[cx]with his tongue,
Nor ^(KY)do evil to his neighbor,
Nor ^(KZ)bring shame on his friend;
⁴A despicable person is despised in his eyes,
But he ^(LA)honors those who fear the Lord;
He ^(LB)takes an oath to his own detriment, and does not change;
⁵He ^(LC)does not ^[cy]lend his money ^[cz]at interest,
Nor ^(LD)does he take a bribe against the innocent.
^(LE)One who does these things will never be shaken.

The Lord, the Psalmist’s Portion in Life and Salvation in Death.

A ^[da]Mikhtam of David.

16 ^(LF)Protect me, God, for ^(LG)I take refuge in You.
²^[db]I said to the Lord, “You are ^[dc]my Lord;
I ^(LH)have nothing good besides You.”
³As for the ^[dd]^(LI)saints who are on the earth,
^[de]They are the majestic ones; ^(LJ)all my delight is in them.
⁴^[df]The ^(LK)pains of those who have acquired another god will be multiplied;
I will not pour out their drink offerings of ^(LL)blood,
Nor will I ^(LM)take their names upon my lips.

⁵The Lord is the ^(LN)portion of my inheritance and my ^(LO)cup;
You support my ^(LP)lot.
⁶The measuring ^(LQ)lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
Indeed, my inheritance is ^(LR)beautiful to me.

⁷I will bless the Lord who has ^(LS)advised me;
Indeed, my ^[dg]^(LT)mind instructs me in the night.
⁸^(LU)I have ^(LV)set the Lord continually before me;
Because He is ^(LW)at my right hand, ^(LX)I will not be shaken.
⁹Therefore ^(LY)my heart is glad and ^(LZ)my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will ^(MA)dwell securely.
¹⁰For You ^(MB)will not abandon my soul to ^[dh]Sheol;
You will not ^[di]^(MC)allow Your ^[dj]Holy One to ^[dk]undergo decay.
¹¹You will make known to me ^(MD)the way of life;
In ^(ME)Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are ^(MF)pleasures forever.

Prayer for Protection against Oppressors.

A Prayer of David.

17 Hear a ^(MG)just cause, Lord, ^(MH)give Your attention to my cry;
^(MI)Listen to my prayer, which is not from ^(MJ)deceitful lips.
²Let ^(MK)my ^[dl]judgment come forth from Your presence;
Let Your eyes look with ^(ML)integrity.
³You have ^(MM)put my heart to the test;
You have visited me by night;
You have ^(MN)sifted me and ^(MO)You find ^[dm]nothing;
My ^(MP)intent is that my mouth will not offend.
⁴As for the works of mankind, ^(MQ)by the word of Your lips
I have kept from the ^(MR)ways of the violent.
⁵My ^(MS)steps have held to Your ^[dn]paths.
My ^(MT)feet have not slipped.

⁶I have ^(MU)called upon You, for You will answer me, God;
^(MV)Incline Your ear to me, hear my speech.
⁷^(MW)Show Your wonderful faithfulness,
^(MX)Savior of those who take refuge ^[do]at Your right hand
From those who rise up against them.
⁸Keep me as ^[dp]the ^(MY)apple of the eye;
Hide me ^(MZ)in the shadow of Your wings
⁹From the ^(NA)wicked who deal violently with me,
My ^(NB)deadly enemies who surround me.
¹⁰They have ^(NC)closed their ^[dq]unfeeling hearts,
With their mouths they ^(ND)speak proudly.
¹¹They have now ^(NE)surrounded us in our steps;
They set their eyes ^(NF)to cast us down to the ground.
¹²He is ^(NG)like a lion that is eager to tear,
And as a young lion ^(NH)lurking in secret places.

¹³^(NI)Arise, Lord, confront him, ^(NJ)make him bow down;
^(NK)Save my soul from the wicked with ^(NL)Your sword,
¹⁴From people by ^(NM)Your hand, Lord,
From people ^[dr]of the world, ^(NN)whose portion is in this life,
And whose belly You ^(NO)fill with Your treasure;
They are satisfied with children,
And leave their abundance to their babies.
¹⁵As for me, I shall ^(NP)behold Your face in righteousness;
^(NQ)I shall be satisfied with Your ^(NR)likeness when I awake.

The Lord Praised for Rescuing David.

For the music director. A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, ^[ds]who spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord rescued him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said,

18 “I love You, Lord, ^(NS)my strength.”
²The Lord is ^(NT)my rock and ^(NU)my fortress and my ^(NV)savior,
My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;
My ^(NW)shield and the ^(NX)horn of my salvation, my ^(NY)stronghold.
³I call upon the Lord, who is ^(NZ)worthy to be praised,
And I am ^(OA)saved from my enemies.

⁴The ^(OB)ropes of death encompassed me,
And the ^(OC)torrents of ^[dt]destruction ^[du]terrified me.
⁵The ^(OD)ropes of ^[dv]Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.
⁶In my ^(OE)distress I called upon the Lord,
And cried to my God for help;
He heard my voice ^(OF)from His temple,
And my ^(OG)cry for help before Him came into His ears.

⁷Then the ^(OH)earth shook and quaked;
And the ^(OI)foundations of the mountains were trembling
And were shaken, because He was angry.
⁸Smoke went up ^[dw]out of His nostrils,
And ^(OJ)fire from His mouth was devouring;
Coals burned from it.
⁹He also ^(OK)bowed the heavens down low, and came down
With thick ^(OL)darkness under His feet.
¹⁰He rode on a ^(OM)cherub and flew;
And He sped on the ^(ON)wings of the wind.
¹¹He made ^(OO)darkness His hiding place, ^(OP)His ^[dx]canopy around Him,
Darkness of waters, thick clouds.
¹²From the ^(OQ)brightness before Him passed His thick clouds,
Hailstones and ^(OR)coals of fire.
¹³The Lord also ^(OS)thundered in the heavens,
And the Most High uttered His voice,
Hailstones and coals of fire.
¹⁴He ^(OT)sent out His arrows, and scattered them,
And lightning flashes in abundance, and ^[dy]routed them.
¹⁵Then the ^(OU)channels of water appeared,
And the foundations of the world were exposed
By Your ^(OV)rebuke, Lord,
At the blast of the ^(OW)breath of Your nostrils.

¹⁶He ^(OX)sent from on high, He took me;
He drew me out of ^(OY)many waters.
¹⁷He ^(OZ)saved me from my strong enemy,
And from those who hated me, for they were ^(PA)too mighty for me.
¹⁸They confronted me in ^(PB)the day of my disaster,
But ^(PC)the Lord was my support.
¹⁹He also brought me out into an ^(PD)open place;
He rescued me, because ^(PE)He delighted in me.

²⁰The Lord has ^(PF)rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the ^(PG)cleanness of my hands He has repaid me.
²¹For I have ^(PH)kept the ways of the Lord,
And have ^(PI)not acted wickedly against my God.
²²For all ^(PJ)His judgments were before me,
And I did not put away His ^(PK)statutes from me.
²³I was also ^[dz]^(PL)blameless with Him,
And I ^(PM)kept myself from my wrongdoing.
²⁴Therefore the Lord has ^(PN)repaid me according to my righteousness,
According to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes.

²⁵With ^(PO)the faithful You show Yourself faithful;
With the ^[ea]blameless ^(PP)You prove Yourself blameless;
²⁶With the pure You show Yourself ^(PQ)pure,
And with the crooked ^(PR)You show Yourself ^[eb]astute.
²⁷For You ^(PS)save an afflicted people,
But You humiliate ^(PT)haughty eyes.
²⁸For You ^(PU)light my lamp;
The Lord my God ^(PV)illumines my darkness.
²⁹For by You I can ^(PW)run at a ^[ec]troop of warriors;
And by my God I can ^(PX)leap over a wall.

³⁰As for God, His way is ^[ed]^(PY)blameless;
The ^(PZ)word of the Lord is refined;
He is a ^(QA)shield to all who take refuge in Him.
³¹For ^(QB)who is God, but the Lord?
And who is a ^(QC)rock, except our God,
³²The God who ^(QD)encircles me with strength,
And ^[ee]makes my way ^[ef]^(QE)blameless?
³³He ^(QF)makes my feet like deer’s feet,
And ^(QG)sets me up on my high places.
³⁴He ^(QH)trains my hands for battle,
So that my arms can ^(QI)bend a bow of bronze.
³⁵You have also given me ^(QJ)the shield of Your salvation,
And Your ^(QK)right hand upholds me;
And ^(QL)Your ^[eg]gentleness makes me great.
³⁶You ^(QM)enlarge my steps under me,
And my ^[eh]^(QN)feet have not slipped.

³⁷I ^(QO)pursued my enemies and overtook them,
And I did not turn back ^(QP)until they were consumed.
³⁸I shattered them, so that they were ^(QQ)not able to rise;
They fell ^(QR)under my feet.
³⁹For You have ^(QS)encircled me with strength for battle;
You have forced those who rose up against me ^(QT)to bow down under me.
⁴⁰You have also made my enemies ^(QU)turn their backs to me,
And I ^[ei]^(QV)destroyed those who hated me.
⁴¹They cried for help, but there was ^(QW)no one to save,
They cried to the Lord, but ^(QX)He did not answer them.
⁴²Then I beat them fine like the ^(QY)dust before the wind;
I emptied them out like the mud of the streets.

⁴³You have rescued me from the ^(QZ)contentions of the people;
You have placed me as ^(RA)head of the nations;
A ^(RB)people whom I have not known serve me.
⁴⁴As soon as they hear, they obey me;
Foreigners ^(RC)pretend to obey me.
⁴⁵Foreigners ^(RD)lose heart,
And ^(RE)come trembling out of their ^[ej]fortresses.

⁴⁶The Lord ^(RF)lives, and blessed be ^(RG)my rock;
And exalted be ^(RH)the God of my salvation,
⁴⁷The God who ^(RI)executes vengeance for me,
And ^(RJ)subdues peoples under me.
⁴⁸He ^(RK)rescues me from my enemies;
You indeed ^(RL)lift me above those who rise up against me;
You rescue me from a ^(RM)violent man.
⁴⁹Therefore I will ^(RN)give thanks to You among the nations, Lord,
And I will ^(RO)sing praises to Your name.
⁵⁰He gives great ^[ek]^(RP)salvation to His king,
And shows faithfulness to ^(RQ)His anointed,
To David and ^(RR)his ^[el]descendants forever.

The Works and the Word of God.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

19 The ^(RS)heavens tell of the glory of God;
And their ^(RT)expanse declares the work of His hands.
²Day to ^(RU)day pours forth speech,
And ^(RV)night to night reveals knowledge.
³There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
⁴Their ^[em]^(RW)line has gone out into all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.
In them He has ^(RX)placed a tent for the sun,
⁵Which is like a groom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices like a strong person to run his course.
⁶Its ^(RY)rising is from ^[en]one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the ^[eo]other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

⁷^(RZ)The Law of the Lord is ^[ep]^(SA)perfect, ^(SB)restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is ^(SC)sure, making ^(SD)wise the simple.
⁸The precepts of the Lord are ^(SE)right, ^(SF)rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is ^(SG)pure, ^(SH)enlightening the eyes.
⁹The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are ^(SI)true; they are ^(SJ)righteous altogether.
¹⁰They are more desirable than ^(SK)gold, yes, than much pure gold;
^(SL)Sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
¹¹Moreover, ^(SM)Your servant is warned by them;
In keeping them there is great ^(SN)reward.
¹²Who can ^(SO)discern his errors? ^(SP)Acquit me of ^(SQ)hidden faults.
¹³Also keep Your servant back ^(SR)from presumptuous sins;
Let them not ^(SS)rule over me;
Then I will be ^(ST)innocent,
And I will be blameless of ^(SU)great wrongdoing.
¹⁴May the words of my mouth and ^(SV)the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
Lord, ^(SW)my rock and my ^(SX)Redeemer.

Prayer for Victory over Enemies.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

20 May the Lord answer you ^(SY)on a day of trouble!
May the ^(SZ)name of the ^(TA)God of Jacob ^[eq]protect you!
²May He send you help ^(TB)from the sanctuary,
And ^(TC)support you from Zion!
³May He ^(TD)remember all your meal offerings
And ^[er]^(TE)accept your burnt offering! Selah

⁴May He grant you your ^(TF)heart’s desire
And ^(TG)fulfill your whole plan!
⁵^[es]We will ^(TH)sing for joy over your ^[et]victory,
And in the name of our God we will ^(TI)set up our banners.
May the Lord ^(TJ)fulfill all your desires.

⁶Now ^(TK)I know that the Lord saves His anointed;
He will ^(TL)answer him from His holy heaven
With the ^[eu]^(TM)saving strength of His right hand.
⁷Some praise their chariots and some their ^(TN)horses,
But ^(TO)we will praise the name of the Lord, our God.
⁸They have ^(TP)bowed down and fallen,
But we have ^(TQ)risen and stood upright.
⁹^[ev]^(TR)Save, Lord;
May the ^(TS)King answer us on the day we call.

Praise for Salvation.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

21 Lord, in Your strength the king will ^(TT)be glad,
And in Your ^[ew]salvation how greatly he will rejoice!
²You have ^(TU)given him his heart’s desire,
And You have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah
³For You ^(TV)meet him with the blessings of good things;
You set a ^(TW)crown of pure gold on his head.
⁴He asked for life from You,
You ^(TX)gave it to him,
^(TY)Length of days forever and ever.
⁵His ^(TZ)glory is great through Your ^[ex]salvation,
^(UA)Splendor and majesty You place upon him.
⁶For You make him ^[ey]most ^(UB)blessed forever;
You make him joyful ^(UC)with the joy of Your presence.

⁷For the king ^(UD)trusts in the Lord,
And through the faithfulness of the Most High ^(UE)he will not be shaken.
⁸Your hand will ^(UF)find all your enemies;
Your right hand will find those who hate you.
⁹You will make them ^(UG)as a fiery oven in the time ^[ez]of your anger;
The Lord will ^(UH)swallow them up in His wrath,
And ^(UI)fire will devour them.
¹⁰You will eliminate their ^[fa]descendants from the earth,
And their ^[fb]^(UJ)children from among the sons of mankind.
¹¹Though they ^[fc]^(UK)intended evil against You
And ^(UL)devised a plot,
They will not succeed.
¹²For You will ^(UM)make them turn their back;
You will take aim at their faces ^(UN)with Your bowstrings.
¹³Be exalted, Lord, in Your strength;
We will ^(UO)sing and praise Your power.

A Cry of Anguish and a Song of Praise.

For the music director; upon ^[fd]Aijeleth Hashshahar. A Psalm of David.

22 ^(UP)My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?
^(UQ)Far from my ^[fe]help are the words of my ^[ff]^(UR)groaning.
²My God, I ^(US)cry out by day, but You do not answer;
And by night, but ^[fg]I have no rest.
³Yet ^(UT)You are holy,
You who ^[fh]are enthroned upon ^(UU)the praises of Israel.
⁴In You our fathers ^(UV)trusted;
They trusted and You ^(UW)rescued them.
⁵To You they cried out and they fled to safety;
^(UX)In You they trusted and were not ^[fi]disappointed.

⁶But I am a ^(UY)worm and not a person,
A ^(UZ)disgrace of mankind and ^(VA)despised by the people.
⁷All who see me ^(VB)deride me;
They ^[fj]sneer, they ^(VC)shake their heads, saying,
⁸“^[fk]Turn ^[fl]him over to the Lord; ^(VD)let Him save him;
Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him.”

⁹Yet You are He who ^(VE)brought me forth from the womb;
You made me trust when upon my mother’s breasts.
¹⁰I was cast upon You ^(VF)from ^[fm]birth;
You have been my God from my mother’s womb.

¹¹^(VG)Do not be far from me, for ^[fn]trouble is near;
For there is ^(VH)no one to help.
¹²Many ^(VI)bulls have surrounded me;
Strong bulls of ^(VJ)Bashan have encircled me.
¹³They ^(VK)open their mouths wide at me,
As a ravening and roaring ^(VL)lion.
¹⁴I am ^(VM)poured out like water,
And all my ^(VN)bones are out of joint;
My ^(VO)heart is like wax;
It is melted within ^[fo]me.
¹⁵My ^(VP)strength is dried up like a piece of pottery,
And ^(VQ)my tongue clings to my jaws;
And You ^(VR)lay me ^[fp]in the dust of death.
¹⁶For ^(VS)dogs have surrounded me;
^[fq]A band of evildoers has encompassed me;
^[fr]They ^(VT)pierced my hands and my feet.
¹⁷I can count all my bones.
^(VU)They look, they stare at me;
¹⁸They ^(VV)divide my garments among them,
And they cast lots for my clothing.

¹⁹But You, Lord, ^(VW)do not be far away;
You who are my help, ^(VX)hurry to my assistance.
²⁰Save my ^[fs]soul from ^(VY)the sword,
My ^(VZ)only life from the ^[ft]power of the dog.
²¹Save me from the ^(WA)lion’s mouth;
From the horns of the ^(WB)wild oxen You ^(WC)answer me.

²²I will ^(WD)proclaim Your name to my brothers;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
²³^(WE)You who fear the Lord, praise Him;
All you ^[fu]descendants of Jacob, ^(WF)glorify Him,
And ^(WG)stand in awe of Him, all you ^[fv]descendants of Israel.
²⁴For He has ^(WH)not despised nor scorned the suffering of the afflicted;
Nor has He ^(WI)hidden His face from him;
But ^(WJ)when he cried to Him for help, He heard.

²⁵From You comes ^(WK)my praise in the great assembly;
I shall ^(WL)pay my vows before those who fear Him.
²⁶The ^[fw]afflicted will eat and ^(WM)be satisfied;
Those who seek Him will ^(WN)praise the Lord.
May your ^(WO)heart live forever!
²⁷All the ^(WP)ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord,
And all the ^(WQ)families of the nations will worship before ^[fx]You.
²⁸For the ^(WR)kingdom is the Lord’s
And He ^(WS)rules over the nations.
²⁹All the ^[fy]^(WT)prosperous of the earth will eat and worship,
All those who ^(WU)go down to the dust will kneel before Him,
Even he who ^[fz]^(WV)cannot keep his soul alive.
³⁰A ^[ga]^(WW)posterity will serve Him;
It will be told of the Lord to ^(WX)the coming generation.
³¹They will come and ^(WY)will declare His righteousness
To a people ^(WZ)who will be born, that He has performed it.

The Lord, the Psalmist’s Shepherd.

A Psalm of David.

23 The Lord is my ^(XA)shepherd,
I will ^(XB)not be in need.
²He lets me lie down in ^(XC)green pastures;
He ^(XD)leads me beside ^[gb]^(XE)quiet waters.
³He ^(XF)restores my soul;
He ^(XG)guides me in the ^[gc]^(XH)paths of righteousness
For the sake of His name.

⁴Even though I ^(XI)walk through the ^[gd]valley of the shadow of death,
I ^(XJ)fear no ^[ge]evil, for ^(XK)You are with me;
Your ^(XL)rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
⁵You ^(XM)prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You ^[gf]have ^(XN)anointed my head with oil;
My ^(XO)cup overflows.
⁶^[gg]Certainly ^(XP)goodness and ^[gh]faithfulness will follow me all the days of my life,
And my ^(XQ)dwelling will be in the house of the Lord ^[gi]forever.

The King of Glory Entering Zion.

A Psalm of David.

24 The ^(XR)earth is the Lord’s, and ^[gj]all it contains,
The ^(XS)world, and those who live in it.
²For He has ^(XT)founded it upon the seas
And established it upon the rivers.
³Who may ^(XU)ascend onto the ^(XV)hill of the Lord?
And who may stand in His holy ^(XW)place?
⁴One who has ^(XX)clean hands and a ^(XY)pure heart,
Who has not ^(XZ)lifted up his soul to deceit
And has not ^(YA)sworn deceitfully.
⁵He will receive a ^(YB)blessing from the Lord
And ^[gk]^(YC)righteousness from the God of his salvation.
⁶^[gl]This is the generation of those who ^(YD)seek Him,
Who seek Your face—even Jacob. Selah

⁷^(YE)Lift up your heads, you gates,
And be lifted up, you ^[gm]ancient doors,
That the King of ^(YF)glory may come in!
⁸Who is the King of glory?
The Lord ^(YG)strong and mighty,
The Lord ^(YH)mighty in battle.
⁹Lift up your heads, you gates,
And lift them up, you ^[gn]ancient doors,
That the King of ^(YI)glory may come in!
¹⁰Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of ^(YJ)armies,
He is the King of glory. Selah

Prayer for Protection, Guidance, and Pardon.

A Psalm of David.

25 To You, Lord, I ^(YK)lift up my soul.
²My God, in You ^(YL)I trust,
Do not let me ^(YM)be ashamed;
Do not let my ^(YN)enemies rejoice over me.
³Indeed, ^(YO)none of those who wait for You will be ashamed;
^[go]Those who ^(YP)deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed.

⁴^(YQ)Make me know Your ways, Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
⁵Lead me in ^(YR)Your truth and teach me,
For You are the ^(YS)God of my salvation;
For You I ^(YT)wait all the day.
⁶^(YU)Remember, Lord, Your compassion and Your faithfulness,
For they have been ^[gp]^(YV)from of old.
⁷Do not remember the ^(YW)sins of my youth or my wrongdoings;
^(YX)Remember me according to Your faithfulness,
For Your ^(YY)goodness’ sake, Lord.

⁸^(YZ)The Lord is good and ^(ZA)upright;
Therefore He ^(ZB)instructs sinners in the way.
⁹He ^(ZC)leads the ^[gq]humble in justice,
And He ^(ZD)teaches the ^[gr]humble His way.
¹⁰All the paths of the Lord are ^(ZE)faithfulness and truth
To ^(ZF)those who comply with His covenant and His testimonies.
¹¹For the ^(ZG)sake of Your name, Lord,
^(ZH)Forgive my wrongdoing, for it is great.

¹²Who is the person who ^(ZI)fears the Lord?
He will ^(ZJ)instruct him in the way he should choose.
¹³His soul will ^(ZK)dwell in ^[gs]prosperity,
And his ^[gt]descendants will ^(ZL)inherit the ^[gu]land.
¹⁴The ^[gv]^(ZM)secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him,
^[gw]And He will ^(ZN)make them know His covenant.
¹⁵My ^(ZO)eyes are continually toward the Lord,
For He will ^[gx]^(ZP)rescue my feet from the net.

¹⁶^(ZQ)Turn to me and be gracious to me,
For I am ^(ZR)lonely and afflicted.
¹⁷^[gy]The ^(ZS)troubles of my heart are enlarged;
Bring me ^(ZT)out of my distresses.
¹⁸^(ZU)Look at my misery and my trouble,
And ^(ZV)forgive all my sins.
¹⁹Look at my enemies, for they ^(ZW)are many,
And they ^(ZX)hate me with violent hatred.
²⁰^(ZY)Guard my soul and save me;
Do not let me ^(ZZ)be ashamed, for I take refuge in You.
²¹Let ^(AAA)integrity and uprightness protect me,
For ^(AAB)I wait for You.
²²^(AAC)Redeem Israel, God,
From all his distress.

Protestation of Integrity and Prayer for Protection.

A Psalm of David.

26 ^[gz]^(AAD)Vindicate me, Lord, for I have ^(AAE)walked in my integrity,
And I have ^(AAF)trusted in the Lord ^[ha]^(AAG)without wavering.
²^(AAH)Examine me, Lord, and put me to the test;
^(AAI)Refine my ^[hb]mind and my heart.
³For Your ^(AAJ)^[hc]goodness is before my eyes,
And I have ^(AAK)walked in Your truth.
⁴I do not ^(AAL)sit with ^[hd]deceitful people,
Nor will I go with ^[he]^(AAM)pretenders.
⁵I ^(AAN)hate the assembly of evildoers,
And I will not sit with the wicked.
⁶I will ^(AAO)wash my hands in innocence,
And I will go around ^(AAP)Your altar, Lord,
⁷That I may proclaim with the voice of ^(AAQ)thanksgiving
And declare all Your ^[hf]wonders.

⁸Lord, I ^(AAR)love the dwelling of Your house,
And the place ^[hg]where Your ^(AAS)glory remains.
⁹^(AAT)Do not ^[hh]take my soul away along with sinners,
Nor my life with ^(AAU)men of bloodshed,
¹⁰In whose hands is a ^(AAV)wicked scheme,
And whose right hand is full of ^(AAW)bribes.
¹¹But as for me, I will ^(AAX)walk in my integrity;
^(AAY)Redeem me, and be gracious to me.
¹²^(AAZ)My foot stands on ^(ABA)level ground;
In the ^(ABB)congregations I will bless the Lord.

A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God.

A Psalm of David.

27 The Lord is my ^(ABC)light and my ^(ABD)salvation;
Whom should I fear?
The Lord is the ^[hi]^(ABE)defense of my life;
^(ABF)Whom should I dread?
²When evildoers came upon me to ^(ABG)devour my flesh,
My adversaries and my enemies, they ^(ABH)stumbled and fell.
³If an ^(ABI)army encamps against me,
My heart will not fear;
If war arises against me,
In spite of this I am ^(ABJ)confident.

⁴^(ABK)One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:
That I may ^(ABL)dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
To behold ^(ABM)the ^[hj]beauty of the Lord
And to ^[hk]^(ABN)meditate in His temple.
⁵For on the ^(ABO)day of trouble He will ^(ABP)conceal me in His ^[hl]tabernacle;
He will ^(ABQ)hide me in the secret place of His tent;
He will ^(ABR)lift me up on a rock.
⁶And now ^(ABS)my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,
And I will offer ^(ABT)sacrifices in His tent ^[hm]with shouts of joy;
I will ^(ABU)sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

⁷^(ABV)Hear, Lord, when I cry with my voice,
And be gracious to me and ^(ABW)answer me.
⁸When You said, “^(ABX)Seek My face,” my heart said to You,
“^(ABY)I shall seek Your face, Lord.”
⁹^(ABZ)Do not hide Your face from me,
Do not turn Your servant away in ^(ACA)anger;
You have been ^(ACB)my help;
^(ACC)Do not abandon me nor ^(ACD)forsake me,
God of my salvation!
¹⁰^[hn]For my father and ^(ACE)my mother have forsaken me,
But ^(ACF)the Lord will take me up.

¹¹^(ACG)Teach me Your way, Lord,
And lead me on a ^(ACH)level path
Because of my enemies.
¹²Do not turn me over to the ^[ho]^(ACI)desire of my enemies,
For ^(ACJ)false witnesses have risen against me,
And the violent ^(ACK)witness.
¹³I certainly believed that I would see the ^(ACL)goodness of the Lord
In the ^(ACM)land of the living.
¹⁴^(ACN)Wait for the Lord;
Be ^(ACO)strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the Lord.

A Prayer for Help, and Praise for Its Answer.

A Psalm of David.

28 To You, Lord, I call;
My ^(ACP)rock, do not be deaf to me,
For if You ^(ACQ)are silent to me,
I will become like those who ^(ACR)go down to the pit.
²Hear the ^(ACS)sound of my pleadings when I cry to You for help,
When I ^(ACT)raise my hands ^(ACU)toward ^[hp]Your holy ^(ACV)sanctuary.
³^(ACW)Do not drag me away with the wicked
And with those who practice injustice,
Who ^(ACX)speak peace with their neighbors,
While evil is in their hearts.
⁴Give back to them ^(ACY)according to their work and according to the evil of their practices;
Give back to them according to the work of their hands;
Repay them what is due them.
⁵Because they ^(ACZ)do not regard the works of the Lord
Nor the deeds of His hands,
He will tear them down and not build them up.

⁶Blessed be the Lord,
Because He ^(ADA)has heard the sound of my pleading.
⁷The Lord is my ^(ADB)strength and my ^(ADC)shield;
My heart ^(ADD)trusts in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore ^(ADE)my heart triumphs,
And with ^(ADF)my song I shall thank Him.
⁸The Lord is ^[hq]their ^(ADG)strength,
And He is a refuge of ^(ADH)salvation to His anointed.
⁹^(ADI)Save Your people and bless ^(ADJ)Your inheritance;
Be their ^(ADK)shepherd also, and ^(ADL)carry them forever.

The Voice of the Lord in the Storm.

A Psalm of David.

29 ^(ADM)Ascribe to the Lord, ^[hr]sons of the mighty,
Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
²Ascribe to the Lord the glory ^[hs]due His name;
Worship the Lord ^(ADN)in holy attire.

³The ^(ADO)voice of the Lord is on the waters;
The God of glory ^(ADP)thunders,
The Lord is over ^[ht]^(ADQ)many waters.
⁴The voice of the Lord is ^(ADR)powerful,
The voice of the Lord is majestic.
⁵The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
Yes, the Lord breaks ^(ADS)the cedars of Lebanon in pieces.
⁶He makes Lebanon ^(ADT)skip like a calf,
And ^(ADU)Sirion like a young wild ox.
⁷The voice of the Lord divides ^[hu]flames of fire.
⁸The voice of the Lord ^[hv]shakes the wilderness;
The Lord shakes the wilderness of ^(ADV)Kadesh.
⁹The voice of the Lord makes ^(ADW)the deer give birth
And strips the forests bare;
And ^(ADX)in His temple everything says, “Glory!”

¹⁰The Lord sat as King at the ^(ADY)flood;
Yes, the Lord sits as ^(ADZ)King forever.
¹¹^[hw]The Lord will give ^(AEA)strength to His people;
^[hx]The Lord will bless His people with ^(AEB)peace.

Thanksgiving for Rescue from Death.

A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of the House. A Psalm of David.

30 I will ^(AEC)exalt You, Lord, for You have ^(AED)lifted me up,
And have not let my ^(AEE)enemies rejoice over me.
²Lord my God,
I ^(AEF)cried to You for help, and You ^(AEG)healed me.
³Lord, You have ^(AEH)brought up my soul from ^[hy]Sheol;
You have kept me alive, ^[hz]that I would not ^(AEI)go down to the pit.
⁴^(AEJ)Sing praise to the Lord, you ^(AEK)His godly ones,
And ^(AEL)praise the mention of His holiness.
⁵For ^(AEM)His anger is but for a moment,
His ^(AEN)favor is for a lifetime;
Weeping may ^(AEO)last for the night,
But a shout of joy comes in the morning.

⁶Now as for me, I said in my prosperity,
“I will ^(AEP)never be moved.”
⁷Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain to stand strong;
You ^(AEQ)hid Your face, I was dismayed.
⁸To You, Lord, I called,
And to the Lord I pleaded for compassion:
⁹“What gain is there in my blood, if I ^(AER)go down to the pit?
Will the ^(AES)dust praise You? Will it declare Your faithfulness?

¹⁰“^(AET)Hear, Lord, and be gracious to me;
Lord, be my ^(AEU)helper.”
¹¹You have turned ^(AEV)my mourning into dancing for me;
You have ^(AEW)untied my sackcloth and encircled me with ^(AEX)joy,
¹²That my ^[ia]^(AEY)soul may sing praise to You and not be silent.
Lord my God, I will ^(AEZ)give thanks to You forever.

A Psalm of Complaint and of Praise.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

31 ^(AFA)In You, Lord, I have taken refuge;
Let me never ^(AFB)be ^[ib]put to shame;
^(AFC)In Your righteousness rescue me.
²^(AFD)Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly;
Be a ^(AFE)rock of ^[ic]strength for me,
A ^[id]stronghold to save me.
³For You are my rock and ^(AFF)my fortress;
For the ^(AFG)sake of Your name You will lead me and guide me.
⁴You will ^(AFH)pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,
For You are my ^(AFI)strength.
⁵^(AFJ)Into Your hand I entrust my spirit;
You have ^(AFK)redeemed me, Lord, ^(AFL)God of ^[ie]truth.

⁶I hate those who ^(AFM)devote themselves to worthless ^[if]idols,
But I ^(AFN)trust in the Lord.
⁷I will ^(AFO)rejoice and be glad in Your faithfulness,
Because You have ^(AFP)seen my misery;
You have known the troubles of my soul,
⁸And You have not ^(AFQ)handed me over to the enemy;
You have set my feet in a large place.

⁹Be gracious to me, Lord, for ^(AFR)I am in distress;
My ^(AFS)eye is wasted away from grief, ^(AFT)my soul and my body too.
¹⁰For my life is spent with ^(AFU)sorrow
And my years with sighing;
My ^(AFV)strength has failed because of my guilt,
And ^(AFW)my ^[ig]body has wasted away.
¹¹Because of all my adversaries, I have become a ^(AFX)disgrace,
Especially to my ^(AFY)neighbors,
And an object of dread to my acquaintances;
Those who see me in the street flee from me.
¹²I am ^(AFZ)forgotten like a dead person, out of mind;
I am like a broken vessel.
¹³For I have heard the ^[ih]^(AGA)slander of many,
^(AGB)Terror is on every side;
While they ^(AGC)took counsel together against me,
They ^(AGD)schemed to take away my life.

¹⁴But as for me, I trust in You, Lord,
I say, “^(AGE)You are my God.”
¹⁵My ^(AGF)times are in Your hand;
^(AGG)Rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.
¹⁶Make Your ^(AGH)face shine upon Your servant;
^(AGI)Save me in Your faithfulness.
¹⁷Let me not be ^(AGJ)put to shame, Lord, for I call upon You;
Let the ^(AGK)wicked be put to shame, let them ^(AGL)be silent in ^[ii]Sheol.
¹⁸Let the ^(AGM)lying lips be speechless,
Which ^(AGN)speak arrogantly against the righteous
With pride and contempt.

¹⁹How great is Your ^(AGO)goodness,
Which You have stored up for those who fear You,
Which You have performed for those who ^(AGP)take refuge in You,
^(AGQ)Before the sons of mankind!
²⁰You hide them in the ^(AGR)secret place of Your presence from the ^(AGS)conspiracies of mankind;
You keep them secretly in a ^[ij]shelter from the ^(AGT)strife of tongues.
²¹^(AGU)Blessed be the Lord,
For He has shown His ^(AGV)marvelous faithfulness to me in a besieged ^(AGW)city.
²²As for me, ^(AGX)I said in my alarm,
“I am ^(AGY)cut off from Your eyes”;
Nevertheless You ^(AGZ)heard the sound of my pleadings
When I called to You for help.

²³Love the Lord, all ^(AHA)His godly ones!
The Lord ^(AHB)watches over the faithful
But fully ^(AHC)repays the one who acts arrogantly.
²⁴^(AHD)Be strong and let your heart take courage,
All you who wait for the Lord.

Blessedness of Forgiveness and of Trust in God.

A Psalm of David. A ^[ik]Maskil.

32 ^(AHE)How blessed is he whose wrongdoing is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered!
²How blessed is a person whose guilt the Lord ^(AHF)does not take into account,
And in whose spirit there is ^(AHG)no deceit!

³When ^(AHH)I kept silent about my sin, ^(AHI)my ^[il]body wasted away
Through my ^[im]^(AHJ)groaning all day long.
⁴For day and night ^(AHK)Your hand was heavy upon me;
My ^[in]^(AHL)vitality failed as with the dry heat of summer. Selah
⁵I ^(AHM)acknowledged my sin to You,
And I ^(AHN)did not hide my guilt;
I said, “^(AHO)I will confess my wrongdoings to the Lord”;
And You ^(AHP)forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
⁶Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You ^[io]^(AHQ)in a time when You may be found;
Certainly ^(AHR)in a flood of great waters, they will not reach him.
⁷You are ^(AHS)my hiding place; You ^(AHT)keep me from trouble;
You surround me with ^[ip]^(AHU)songs of deliverance. Selah

⁸I will ^(AHV)instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will advise you ^(AHW)with My eye upon you.
⁹Do not be ^(AHX)like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding,
Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check,
Otherwise they will not come near to you.
¹⁰The ^(AHY)sorrows of the wicked are many,
But ^(AHZ)the one who trusts in the Lord, goodness will surround him.
¹¹Be ^(AIA)glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are ^(AIB)upright in heart.

Praise to the Creator and Protector.

33 ^(AIC)Sing for joy in the Lord, you righteous ones;
Praise is ^(AID)becoming to the upright.
²Give thanks to the Lord with the ^(AIE)lyre;
Sing praises to Him with a ^(AIF)harp of ten strings.
³Sing to Him a ^(AIG)new song;
Play skillfully with ^(AIH)a shout of joy.
⁴For the word of the Lord ^(AII)is right,
And all His work is done ^(AIJ)in faithfulness.
⁵He ^(AIK)loves righteousness and justice;
The ^(AIL)earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

⁶By the ^(AIM)word of the Lord the heavens were made,
And ^(AIN)by the breath of His mouth ^(AIO)all their ^[iq]lights.
⁷He gathers the ^(AIP)waters of the sea together ^[ir]as a heap;
He puts the depths in storehouses.
⁸Let ^(AIQ)all the earth fear the Lord;
Let all the inhabitants of the world ^(AIR)stand in awe of Him.
⁹For ^(AIS)He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it ^[is]stood firm.
¹⁰The Lord ^(AIT)nullifies the plan of nations;
He frustrates the plans of peoples.
¹¹The ^(AIU)plan of the Lord stands forever,
The ^(AIV)plans of His heart from generation to generation.
¹²Blessed is the ^(AIW)nation whose God is the Lord,
The people He has ^(AIX)chosen for His own inheritance.

¹³The Lord ^(AIY)looks from heaven;
He ^(AIZ)sees all the sons of mankind;
¹⁴From ^(AJA)His dwelling place He looks out
On all the inhabitants of the earth,
¹⁵He who ^(AJB)fashions ^[it]the hearts of them all,
He who ^(AJC)understands all their works.
¹⁶^(AJD)The king is not saved by a mighty army;
A warrior is not rescued by great strength.
¹⁷A ^(AJE)horse is a false hope for victory;
Nor does it rescue anyone by its great strength.

¹⁸Behold, ^(AJF)the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who ^(AJG)wait for His faithfulness,
¹⁹To ^(AJH)rescue their soul from death
And to keep them alive ^(AJI)in famine.
²⁰Our soul ^(AJJ)waits for the Lord;
He is our ^(AJK)help and our shield.
²¹For our ^(AJL)heart rejoices in Him,
Because we trust in His holy name.
²²Let Your favor, Lord, be upon us,
Just as we have waited for You.

The Lord, a Provider and the One Who Rescues Me.

A Psalm of David, when he pretended to be insane before ^[iu]Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.

34 I will ^(AJM)bless the Lord at all times;
His ^(AJN)praise shall continually be in my mouth.
²My soul will ^(AJO)make its boast in the Lord;
The ^(AJP)humble will hear it and rejoice.
³^(AJQ)Exalt the Lord with me,
And let’s ^(AJR)exalt His name together.

⁴I ^(AJS)sought the Lord and He answered me,
And ^(AJT)rescued me from all my fears.
⁵They ^(AJU)looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will ^(AJV)never be ashamed.
⁶This wretched man cried out, and ^(AJW)the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
⁷The ^(AJX)angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,
And rescues them.

⁸^(AJY)Taste and see that the Lord is good;
How ^(AJZ)blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
⁹Fear the Lord, you ^(AKA)His saints;
For to those who fear Him there is ^(AKB)no lack of anything.
¹⁰The young lions do without and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the Lord will ^(AKC)not lack any good thing.
¹¹^(AKD)Come, you children, listen to me;
^(AKE)I will teach you ^(AKF)the fear of the Lord.
¹²^(AKG)Who is the person who desires life
And loves length of days, that he may ^(AKH)see good?
¹³Keep ^(AKI)your tongue from evil
And your lips from speaking ^(AKJ)deceit.
¹⁴^(AKK)Turn from evil and do good;
Seek peace and ^(AKL)pursue it.

¹⁵The ^(AKM)eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,
And His ears are toward their cry for help.
¹⁶The ^(AKN)face of the Lord is against evildoers,
To ^(AKO)eliminate the memory of them from the earth.
¹⁷The righteous ^(AKP)cry out, and the Lord hears
And rescues them from all their troubles.
¹⁸The Lord ^(AKQ)is near to the ^(AKR)brokenhearted
And saves those who are ^[iv]^(AKS)crushed in spirit.

¹⁹^(AKT)The ^(AKU)afflictions of the righteous are many,
But the Lord ^(AKV)rescues him from them all.
²⁰He protects all his bones,
^(AKW)Not one of them is broken.
²¹^(AKX)Evil will bring death to the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous will suffer for their guilt.
²²The Lord ^(AKY)redeems the souls of His servants,
And none of those who ^(AKZ)take refuge in Him will suffer for their guilt.

Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.

A Psalm of David.

35 Contend, Lord, with those who ^(ALA)contend with me;
Fight against those who ^(ALB)fight against me.
²Take hold of ^[iw]^(ALC)buckler and shield
And rise up as ^(ALD)my help.
³Draw also the spear and ^[ix]the battle-axe to meet those who pursue me;
Say to my soul, “I am ^(ALE)your salvation.”
⁴Let those be ^(ALF)ashamed and dishonored who seek my ^[iy]life;
Let those be ^(ALG)turned back and humiliated who devise evil against me.
⁵Let them be ^(ALH)like chaff before the wind,
With the angel of the Lord driving them on.
⁶Let their way be dark and ^(ALI)slippery,
With the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
⁷For ^(ALJ)they ^(ALK)hid their net for me without cause;
Without cause they dug a pit for my soul.
⁸Let ^(ALL)destruction come upon him when he is unaware,
And ^(ALM)let the net which he hid catch him;
Let him fall into that very ^(ALN)destruction.

⁹So my soul shall ^(ALO)rejoice in the Lord;
It shall ^(ALP)rejoice in His salvation.
¹⁰All my ^(ALQ)bones will say, “Lord, ^(ALR)who is like You,
Who rescues the afflicted from one ^(ALS)who is too strong for him,
And ^(ALT)the afflicted and the poor from one who robs him?”
¹¹^(ALU)Malicious witnesses rise up;
They ask me things that I do not know.
¹²They ^(ALV)repay me evil for good,
To the bereavement of my soul.
¹³But as for me, ^(ALW)when they were sick, my ^(ALX)clothing was sackcloth;
I ^(ALY)humbled my soul with fasting,
But my ^(ALZ)prayer kept returning to ^[iz]me.
¹⁴I went about as though it were my friend or brother;
I ^(AMA)bowed down ^[ja]in mourning, like one who mourns for a mother.
¹⁵But ^(AMB)at my ^[jb]stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together;
The ^[jc]^(AMC)afflicted people whom I did not know gathered together against me,
They ^[jd]^(AMD)slandered me without ceasing.
¹⁶Like godless jesters at a feast,
They ^(AME)gnashed at me with their teeth.

¹⁷Lord, ^(AMF)how long will You look on?
Rescue my soul ^(AMG)from their ravages,
My ^(AMH)only life from the lions.
¹⁸I will ^(AMI)give You thanks in the great congregation;
I will ^(AMJ)praise You among a mighty people.
¹⁹^(AMK)Do not let those who are wrongfully ^(AML)my enemies rejoice over me;
Nor let those ^(AMM)who hate me for no reason ^[je]^(AMN)wink maliciously.
²⁰For they do not speak peace,
But they devise ^(AMO)deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.
²¹They ^(AMP)opened their mouth wide against me;
They said, “^(AMQ)Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen it!”

²²^(AMR)You have seen it, Lord, ^(AMS)do not keep silent;
Lord, ^(AMT)do not be far from me.
²³^(AMU)Stir Yourself, and awake to my right
And to my cause, my God and my Lord.
²⁴^(AMV)Judge me, Lord my God, according to Your righteousness,
And ^(AMW)do not let them rejoice over me.
²⁵Do not let them say in their heart, “^(AMX)Aha, our desire!”
Do not let them say, “We have ^(AMY)swallowed him up!”
²⁶May ^(AMZ)those be ashamed and altogether humiliated who rejoice at my distress;
May those who ^(ANA)exalt themselves over me be ^(ANB)clothed with shame and dishonor.

²⁷May those ^(ANC)shout for joy and rejoice, who take delight in ^(AND)my vindication;
And ^(ANE)may they say continually, “The Lord be exalted,
Who ^(ANF)delights in the prosperity of His servant.”
²⁸And ^(ANG)my tongue shall proclaim Your righteousness
And Your praise all day long.

Wickedness of Humanity and Goodness of God.

For the music director. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord.

36 ^[jf]Wrongdoing speaks to the ungodly within ^[jg]his heart;
There is ^(ANH)no fear of God before his eyes.

Footnotes

Psalm 1:1 Or way
Psalm 1:3 Or canals
Psalm 1:3 Or foliage
Psalm 1:3 Or all that he does prospers
Psalm 1:6 Or approves; or has regard to
Psalm 2:1 Or Gentiles
Psalm 2:2 Or Messiah
Psalm 2:4 Or is enthroned
Psalm 2:7 Or decree: The Lord said to Me
Psalm 2:8 Or Gentiles
Psalm 2:9 Another reading is rule
Psalm 2:9 Or scepter; or staff
Psalm 2:9 Lit potter’s ware
Psalm 2:10 Or leaders
Psalm 2:11 Or fear
Psalm 2:12 I.e., probably kiss the feet of the Son
Psalm 3 Title 2 Sam 15:13-17, 29
Psalm 3:4 Or hill
Psalm 3:5 Or As for me, I
Psalm 3:7 Or strike
Psalm 3:7 Or jaw
Psalm 3:7 Or shatter
Psalm 3:8 Or Deliverance
Psalm 3:8 Or is
Psalm 4 Title I.e., Belonging to the choir director’s anthology
Psalm 4:1 I.e., who maintains my right
Psalm 4:1 Lit made room for
Psalm 4:2 Or glory
Psalm 4:3 Another reading is dealt wonderfully with
Psalm 4:4 I.e., with anger or fear
Psalm 4:4 Or but
Psalm 4:4 Lit Speak
Psalm 4:5 Or righteous sacrifices
Psalm 4:8 Or at the same time
Psalm 5 Title Heb Nehiloth
Psalm 5:3 Or May You hear
Psalm 5:3 Or sacrifice
Psalm 5:7 Or Toward
Psalm 5:8 Or smooth
Psalm 5:9 Or true
Psalm 5:9 So ancient versions; MT his
Psalm 5:9 Or make their tongue smooth
Psalm 5:11 Or You shelter
Psalm 6 Title Or according to a lower octave (Heb Sheminith)
Psalm 6:4 Or life
Psalm 6:5 Or remembrance
Psalm 6:5 I.e., the netherworld
Psalm 6:10 Or again be abruptly put to shame
Psalm 7 Title I.e., Dithyrambic rhythm; or wild, passionate song
Psalm 7 Title Or concerning the words of
Psalm 7:2 Or me
Psalm 7:4 Lit him who was at peace with me
Psalm 7:4 Or him who for no reason was my enemy,
Psalm 7:5 Or me
Psalm 7:5 Or me
Psalm 7:6 One ancient version reads O my God
Psalm 7:8 Lit Judge
Psalm 7:9 Lit kidneys, figurative for inner man
Psalm 7:10 Lit upon
Psalm 8:1 Lit put
Psalm 8:2 Or a strength
Psalm 8:3 Or see
Psalm 8:5 LXX angels
Psalm 9 Title Meaning of the Heb uncertain
Psalm 9:1 Or miracles
Psalm 9:4 Lit my right and my cause
Psalm 9:4 Or a righteous Judge
Psalm 9:6 Or O enemy, desolations are finished forever; And their cities You have uprooted
Psalm 9:7 Or remains forever
Psalm 9:9 Or Let the Lord also be
Psalm 9:10 Or let those...name put
Psalm 9:12 I.e., avenges bloodshed
Psalm 9:14 Or deliverance
Psalm 9:16 Perhaps, resounding music or meditation
Psalm 9:17 Or turn
Psalm 9:17 I.e., the netherworld
Psalm 10:1 Or Your eyes
Psalm 10:2 Or They will be caught
Psalm 10:3 Or blesses the greedy man
Psalm 10:4 Lit the height of his nose
Psalm 10:6 Lit To
Psalm 10:8 Lit lie in wait
Psalm 10:8 Or poor
Psalm 10:9 Or thicket
Psalm 10:10 Or unhappy
Psalm 10:13 I.e., as though God will ignore it
Psalm 10:14 Lit put, give
Psalm 10:14 Or poor
Psalm 10:15 Or May You seek
Psalm 10:18 Lit judge
Psalm 11:2 Or fixed
Psalm 11:4 Lit Lord, His throne
Psalm 11:6 As in a Gr version; MT snares; Fire and
Psalm 11:7 Or righteous deeds
Psalm 12 Title Or according to a lower octave (Heb Sheminith)
Psalm 12:2 Lit worthless speech
Psalm 12:2 Lit a smooth lip
Psalm 12:3 Lit a smooth lip
Psalm 12:4 Lit with us
Psalm 12:8 Or worthlessness
Psalm 14:2 Or act wisely
Psalm 15:3 Lit according to
Psalm 15:5 Lit give
Psalm 15:5 I.e., to a fellow Israelite
Psalm 16 Title Possibly Epigrammatic Poem or Atonement Psalm
Psalm 16:2 Or O my soul, you said
Psalm 16:2 Or the Lord
Psalm 16:3 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
Psalm 16:3 Lit They, even the
Psalm 16:4 Lit Their pains, they who acquired
Psalm 16:7 Lit kidneys, figurative for inner man
Psalm 16:10 I.e., the netherworld
Psalm 16:10 Lit give
Psalm 16:10 Or godly one
Psalm 16:10 Or see corruption; or the pit
Psalm 17:2 I.e., vindication
Psalm 17:3 Or no shameful act in me; My mouth
Psalm 17:5 Lit tracks
Psalm 17:7 Or from those who rise up...at Your right hand
Psalm 17:8 Lit the pupil, the daughter of the eye
Psalm 17:10 Lit fat
Psalm 17:14 Or whose portion in life is of the world
Psalm 18 Title 2 Sam 22:1-51
Psalm 18:4 Or ungodliness; Heb Belial
Psalm 18:4 Or were assailing; or terrifying
Psalm 18:5 I.e., the netherworld
Psalm 18:8 Or in His wrath
Psalm 18:11 Or pavilion
Psalm 18:14 Lit confused
Psalm 18:23 Lit complete; or having integrity; or perfect
Psalm 18:25 See note v 23
Psalm 18:26 Lit twisted
Psalm 18:29 Or wall
Psalm 18:30 Or perfect
Psalm 18:32 Or has made
Psalm 18:32 Lit complete; or having integrity
Psalm 18:35 Or condescension
Psalm 18:36 Lit ankles
Psalm 18:40 Or silenced
Psalm 18:45 Or prisons
Psalm 18:50 I.e., victories; lit salvations
Psalm 18:50 Lit seed
Psalm 19:4 Another reading is sound
Psalm 19:6 Lit the end
Psalm 19:6 Lit the ends
Psalm 19:7 I.e., blameless
Psalm 20:1 Lit make you high and inaccessible
Psalm 20:3 Lit consider your...as fat
Psalm 20:5 Or Let’s sing
Psalm 20:5 Or salvation
Psalm 20:6 Or mighty deeds of the victory of His right hand
Psalm 20:9 Or O Lord, save the king; answer us
Psalm 21:1 Or victory
Psalm 21:5 Or victory
Psalm 21:6 Lit blessings
Psalm 21:9 Or of your presence
Psalm 21:10 Lit fruit
Psalm 21:10 Lit seed
Psalm 21:11 Lit stretched out
Psalm 22 Title Lit the doe of the morning
Psalm 22:1 Or deliverance
Psalm 22:1 Lit screaming
Psalm 22:2 Lit there is no silence for me
Psalm 22:3 Or inhabit the praises
Psalm 22:5 Or ashamed
Psalm 22:7 Lit open with the lip
Psalm 22:8 Lit Roll...away to
Psalm 22:8 Or it
Psalm 22:10 Lit a womb
Psalm 22:11 Or distress
Psalm 22:14 Lit my inward parts
Psalm 22:15 Lit to
Psalm 22:16 Or An assembly
Psalm 22:16 Another reading is Like a lion, my...
Psalm 22:20 Or life
Psalm 22:20 Lit paw
Psalm 22:23 Lit seed
Psalm 22:23 Lit seed
Psalm 22:26 Or poor
Psalm 22:27 Some ancient versions Him
Psalm 22:29 Lit fat ones
Psalm 22:29 Or did not
Psalm 22:30 Lit seed
Psalm 23:2 Lit waters of rest
Psalm 23:3 Lit tracks
Psalm 23:4 Or valley of deep darkness
Psalm 23:4 Or harm
Psalm 23:5 Or anoint
Psalm 23:6 Or Only
Psalm 23:6 Or mercy
Psalm 23:6 Lit for length of days
Psalm 24:1 Lit its fullness
Psalm 24:5 I.e., as vindicated
Psalm 24:6 Or Such
Psalm 24:7 Lit everlasting
Psalm 24:9 Lit everlasting
Psalm 25:3 Or Let those...be ashamed
Psalm 25:6 Or everlasting
Psalm 25:9 Or afflicted
Psalm 25:9 Or afflicted
Psalm 25:13 Lit good
Psalm 25:13 Lit seed
Psalm 25:13 Or earth
Psalm 25:14 Or counsel; or intimacy
Psalm 25:14 Or And His covenant, to make them know it
Psalm 25:15 Lit bring out
Psalm 25:17 Some commentators Relieve the troubles of my heart
Psalm 26:1 Lit Judge
Psalm 26:1 Lit I do not slide
Psalm 26:2 Lit kidneys, figurative for inner man
Psalm 26:3 Or faithfulness
Psalm 26:4 Or worthless men; lit men of falsehood
Psalm 26:4 Or dissemblers, hypocrites
Psalm 26:7 Or miracles
Psalm 26:8 Lit of the tabernacle of Your glory
Psalm 26:9 Lit gather
Psalm 27:1 Or refuge
Psalm 27:4 Lit delightfulness
Psalm 27:4 Lit inquire
Psalm 27:5 Or shelter
Psalm 27:6 Lit of shouts
Psalm 27:10 Or If my father...forsake me, Then the Lord
Psalm 27:12 Lit soul
Psalm 28:2 Lit the innermost place of Your sanctuary
Psalm 28:8 A few mss and ancient versions the strength of His people
Psalm 29:1 Lit sons of gods
Psalm 29:2 Lit of His name
Psalm 29:3 Or great
Psalm 29:7 I.e., lightning
Psalm 29:8 Or causes...to whirl
Psalm 29:11 Or May the Lord give
Psalm 29:11 Or May the Lord bless
Psalm 30:3 I.e., the netherworld
Psalm 30:3 Some mss from among those who go down
Psalm 30:12 Lit glory
Psalm 31:1 Or ashamed;
Psalm 31:2 Or refuge, protection
Psalm 31:2 Lit house of a stronghold
Psalm 31:5 Or faithfulness
Psalm 31:6 Lit futilities
Psalm 31:10 Or bones, substance
Psalm 31:13 Lit whispering
Psalm 31:17 I.e., the netherworld
Psalm 31:20 Or pavilion
Psalm 32 Title Possibly Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
Psalm 32:3 Or bones, substance
Psalm 32:3 Lit roaring
Psalm 32:4 Lit life juices were turned into the drought of summer
Psalm 32:6 Lit in a time of finding out
Psalm 32:7 Or shouts
Psalm 33:6 Lit host; i.e., sun, stars, etc.
Psalm 33:7 Some ancient versions in a water skin; i.e., container
Psalm 33:9 Or stood forth
Psalm 33:15 Or their heart together
Psalm 34 Title Possibly a title of King Achish of Gath, see 1 Sam 21:10-15
Psalm 34:18 Or contrite
Psalm 35:2 I.e., small shield
Psalm 35:3 Or close up the path against those
Psalm 35:4 Or soul
Psalm 35:13 Lit my chest
Psalm 35:14 Or dressed for mourning
Psalm 35:15 Or limping
Psalm 35:15 Or struck ones
Psalm 35:15 Lit tore
Psalm 35:19 Or wink the eye
Psalm 36:1 Or Rebellion
Psalm 36:1 Another reading is my heart

Psalm 1-20

New International Version

BOOK I

Psalms 1–41

Psalm 1

¹Blessed is the one^(A)
    who does not walk^(B) in step with the wicked^(C)
or stand in the way^(D) that sinners take^(E)
    or sit^(F) in the company of mockers,^(G)
²but whose delight^(H) is in the law of the Lord,^(I)
    and who meditates^(J) on his law day and night.
³That person is like a tree^(K) planted by streams^(L) of water,^(M)
    which yields its fruit^(N) in season
and whose leaf^(O) does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.^(P)

⁴Not so the wicked!
    They are like chaff^(Q)
    that the wind blows away.
⁵Therefore the wicked will not stand^(R) in the judgment,^(S)
    nor sinners in the assembly^(T) of the righteous.

⁶For the Lord watches over^(U) the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.^(V)

Psalm 2

¹Why do the nations conspire^[a]
    and the peoples plot^(W) in vain?
²The kings^(X) of the earth rise up
    and the rulers band together
    against the Lord and against his anointed,^(Y) saying,
³“Let us break their chains^(Z)
    and throw off their shackles.”^(AA)

⁴The One enthroned^(AB) in heaven laughs;^(AC)
    the Lord scoffs at them.
⁵He rebukes them in his anger^(AD)
    and terrifies them in his wrath,^(AE) saying,
⁶“I have installed my king^(AF)
    on Zion,^(AG) my holy mountain.^(AH)”

⁷I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:

He said to me, “You are my son;^(AI)
    today I have become your father.^(AJ)
⁸Ask me,
    and I will make the nations^(AK) your inheritance,^(AL)
    the ends of the earth^(AM) your possession.
⁹You will break them with a rod of iron^[b];^(AN)
    you will dash them to pieces^(AO) like pottery.^(AP)”

¹⁰Therefore, you kings, be wise;^(AQ)
    be warned, you rulers^(AR) of the earth.
¹¹Serve the Lord with fear^(AS)
    and celebrate his rule^(AT) with trembling.^(AU)
¹²Kiss his son,^(AV) or he will be angry
    and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath^(AW) can flare up in a moment.
    Blessed^(AX) are all who take refuge^(AY) in him.

Psalm 3^[c]

A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.^(AZ)

¹Lord, how many are my foes!
How many rise up against me!
²Many are saying of me,
“God will not deliver him.^(BA)”^[d]

³But you, Lord, are a shield^(BB) around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high.^(BC)
⁴I call out to the Lord,^(BD)
and he answers me from his holy mountain.^(BE)

⁵I lie down and sleep;^(BF)
I wake again,^(BG) because the Lord sustains me.
⁶I will not fear^(BH) though tens of thousands
assail me on every side.^(BI)

⁷Arise,^(BJ) Lord!
Deliver me,^(BK) my God!
Strike^(BL) all my enemies on the jaw;
break the teeth^(BM) of the wicked.

⁸From the Lord comes deliverance.^(BN)
May your blessing^(BO) be on your people.

Psalm 4^[e]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.

¹Answer me^(BP) when I call to you,
my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;^(BQ)
have mercy^(BR) on me and hear my prayer.^(BS)

²How long will you people turn my glory^(BT) into shame?^(BU)
How long will you love delusions and seek false gods^[f]?^[g]^(BV)
³Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant^(BW) for himself;
the Lord hears^(BX) when I call to him.

⁴Tremble and^[h] do not sin;^(BY)
    when you are on your beds,^(BZ)
    search your hearts and be silent.
⁵Offer the sacrifices of the righteous
    and trust in the Lord.^(CA)

⁶Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”
Let the light of your face shine on us.^(CB)
⁷Fill my heart^(CC) with joy^(CD)
when their grain and new wine^(CE) abound.

⁸In peace^(CF) I will lie down and sleep,^(CG)
for you alone, Lord,
make me dwell in safety.^(CH)

Psalm 5^[i]

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

¹Listen^(CI) to my words, Lord,
    consider my lament.^(CJ)
²Hear my cry for help,^(CK)
    my King and my God,^(CL)
    for to you I pray.

³In the morning,^(CM) Lord, you hear my voice;
    in the morning I lay my requests before you
    and wait expectantly.^(CN)
⁴For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
    with you, evil people^(CO) are not welcome.
⁵The arrogant^(CP) cannot stand^(CQ)
    in your presence.
You hate^(CR) all who do wrong;
⁶    you destroy those who tell lies.^(CS)
The bloodthirsty and deceitful
    you, Lord, detest.
⁷But I, by your great love,
    can come into your house;
in reverence^(CT) I bow down^(CU)
    toward your holy temple.^(CV)

⁸Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness^(CW)
    because of my enemies—
    make your way straight^(CX) before me.
⁹Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
    their heart is filled with malice.
Their throat is an open grave;^(CY)
    with their tongues they tell lies.^(CZ)
¹⁰Declare them guilty, O God!
    Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,^(DA)
    for they have rebelled^(DB) against you.
¹¹But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
    let them ever sing for joy.^(DC)
Spread your protection over them,
    that those who love your name^(DD) may rejoice in you.^(DE)

¹²Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;^(DF)
you surround them^(DG) with your favor as with a shield.^(DH)

Psalm 6^[j]

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

¹Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger^(DI)
    or discipline me in your wrath.
²Have mercy on me,^(DJ) Lord, for I am faint;^(DK)
    heal me,^(DL) Lord, for my bones are in agony.^(DM)
³My soul is in deep anguish.^(DN)
    How long,^(DO) Lord, how long?

⁴Turn,^(DP) Lord, and deliver me;
save me because of your unfailing love.^(DQ)
⁵Among the dead no one proclaims your name.
Who praises you from the grave?^(DR)

⁶I am worn out^(DS) from my groaning.^(DT)

All night long I flood my bed with weeping^(DU)
and drench my couch with tears.^(DV)
⁷My eyes grow weak^(DW) with sorrow;
they fail because of all my foes.

⁸Away from me,^(DX) all you who do evil,^(DY)
    for the Lord has heard my weeping.
⁹The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;^(DZ)
    the Lord accepts my prayer.
¹⁰All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish;^(EA)
    they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.^(EB)

Psalm 7^[l]

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

¹Lord my God, I take refuge^(ED) in you;
save and deliver me^(EE) from all who pursue me,^(EF)
²or they will tear me apart like a lion^(EG)
and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue^(EH) me.

³Lord my God, if I have done this
    and there is guilt on my hands^(EI)—
⁴if I have repaid my ally with evil
    or without cause^(EJ) have robbed my foe—
⁵then let my enemy pursue and overtake^(EK) me;
    let him trample my life to the ground^(EL)
    and make me sleep in the dust.^[n]^(EM)

⁶Arise,^(EN) Lord, in your anger;
    rise up against the rage of my enemies.^(EO)
    Awake,^(EP) my God; decree justice.
⁷Let the assembled peoples gather around you,
    while you sit enthroned over them on high.^(EQ)
⁸    Let the Lord judge^(ER) the peoples.
Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness,^(ES)
    according to my integrity,^(ET) O Most High.^(EU)
⁹Bring to an end the violence of the wicked
    and make the righteous secure—^(EV)
you, the righteous God^(EW)
    who probes minds and hearts.^(EX)

¹⁰My shield^[o]^(EY) is God Most High,
    who saves the upright in heart.^(EZ)
¹¹God is a righteous judge,^(FA)
    a God who displays his wrath^(FB) every day.
¹²If he does not relent,^(FC)
    he^[p] will sharpen his sword;^(FD)
    he will bend and string his bow.^(FE)
¹³He has prepared his deadly weapons;
    he makes ready his flaming arrows.^(FF)

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

¹⁷I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness;^(FJ)
I will sing the praises^(FK) of the name of the Lord Most High.^(FL)

Psalm 8^[q]

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

¹Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name^(FM) in all the earth!

You have set your glory^(FN)
    in the heavens.^(FO)
²Through the praise of children and infants
    you have established a stronghold^(FP) against your enemies,
    to silence the foe^(FQ) and the avenger.
³When I consider your heavens,^(FR)
    the work of your fingers,^(FS)
the moon and the stars,^(FT)
    which you have set in place,
⁴what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    human beings that you care for them?^[s]^(FU)

⁵You have made them^[t] a little lower than the angels^[u]^(FV)
    and crowned them^[v] with glory and honor.^(FW)
⁶You made them rulers^(FX) over the works of your hands;^(FY)
    you put everything under their^[w] feet:^(FZ)
⁷all flocks and herds,^(GA)
    and the animals of the wild,^(GB)
⁸the birds in the sky,
    and the fish in the sea,^(GC)
    all that swim the paths of the seas.

⁹Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!^(GD)

Psalm 9^[x]^[y]

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

¹I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;^(GE)
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.^(GF)
²I will be glad and rejoice^(GG) in you;
I will sing the praises^(GH) of your name,^(GI) O Most High.

³My enemies turn back;
    they stumble and perish before you.
⁴For you have upheld my right^(GJ) and my cause,^(GK)
    sitting enthroned^(GL) as the righteous judge.^(GM)
⁵You have rebuked the nations^(GN) and destroyed the wicked;
    you have blotted out their name^(GO) for ever and ever.
⁶Endless ruin has overtaken my enemies,
    you have uprooted their cities;^(GP)
    even the memory of them^(GQ) has perished.

⁷The Lord reigns forever;^(GR)
    he has established his throne^(GS) for judgment.
⁸He rules the world in righteousness^(GT)
    and judges the peoples with equity.^(GU)
⁹The Lord is a refuge^(GV) for the oppressed,^(GW)
    a stronghold in times of trouble.^(GX)
¹⁰Those who know your name^(GY) trust in you,
    for you, Lord, have never forsaken^(GZ) those who seek you.^(HA)

¹¹Sing the praises^(HB) of the Lord, enthroned in Zion;^(HC)
proclaim among the nations^(HD) what he has done.^(HE)
¹²For he who avenges blood^(HF) remembers;
he does not ignore the cries of the afflicted.^(HG)

¹³Lord, see how my enemies^(HH) persecute me!
    Have mercy^(HI) and lift me up from the gates of death,^(HJ)
¹⁴that I may declare your praises^(HK)
    in the gates of Daughter Zion,^(HL)
    and there rejoice in your salvation.^(HM)

¹⁵The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug;^(HN)
    their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.^(HO)
¹⁶The Lord is known by his acts of justice;
    the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.^[z]^(HP)
¹⁷The wicked go down to the realm of the dead,^(HQ)
    all the nations that forget God.^(HR)
¹⁸But God will never forget the needy;
    the hope^(HS) of the afflicted^(HT) will never perish.

¹⁹Arise,^(HU) Lord, do not let mortals triumph;^(HV)
let the nations be judged^(HW) in your presence.
²⁰Strike them with terror,^(HX) Lord;
let the nations know they are only mortal.^(HY)

Psalm 10^[aa]

¹Why, Lord, do you stand far off?^(HZ)
Why do you hide yourself^(IA) in times of trouble?

²In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,^(IB)
    who are caught in the schemes he devises.
³He boasts^(IC) about the cravings of his heart;
    he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord.^(ID)
⁴In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;
    in all his thoughts there is no room for God.^(IE)
⁵His ways are always prosperous;
    your laws are rejected by^[ab] him;
    he sneers at all his enemies.
⁶He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.”
    He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.”^(IF)

⁷His mouth is full^(IG) of lies and threats;^(IH)
    trouble and evil are under his tongue.^(II)
⁸He lies in wait^(IJ) near the villages;
    from ambush he murders the innocent.^(IK)
His eyes watch in secret for his victims;
⁹    like a lion in cover he lies in wait.
He lies in wait to catch the helpless;^(IL)
    he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.^(IM)
¹⁰His victims are crushed,^(IN) they collapse;
    they fall under his strength.
¹¹He says to himself, “God will never notice;^(IO)
    he covers his face and never sees.”^(IP)

¹²Arise,^(IQ) Lord! Lift up your hand,^(IR) O God.
    Do not forget the helpless.^(IS)
¹³Why does the wicked man revile God?^(IT)
    Why does he say to himself,
    “He won’t call me to account”?^(IU)
¹⁴But you, God, see the trouble^(IV) of the afflicted;
    you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;^(IW)
    you are the helper^(IX) of the fatherless.
¹⁵Break the arm of the wicked man;^(IY)
    call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
    that would not otherwise be found out.

¹⁶The Lord is King for ever and ever;^(IZ)
    the nations^(JA) will perish from his land.
¹⁷You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;^(JB)
    you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,^(JC)
¹⁸defending the fatherless^(JD) and the oppressed,^(JE)
    so that mere earthly mortals
    will never again strike terror.

Psalm 11

For the director of music. Of David.

¹In the Lord I take refuge.^(JF)
    How then can you say to me:
    “Flee^(JG) like a bird to your mountain.^(JH)
²For look, the wicked bend their bows;^(JI)
    they set their arrows^(JJ) against the strings
to shoot from the shadows^(JK)
    at the upright in heart.^(JL)
³When the foundations^(JM) are being destroyed,
    what can the righteous do?”

⁴The Lord is in his holy temple;^(JN)
    the Lord is on his heavenly throne.^(JO)
He observes everyone on earth;^(JP)
    his eyes examine^(JQ) them.
⁵The Lord examines the righteous,^(JR)
    but the wicked, those who love violence,
    he hates with a passion.^(JS)
⁶On the wicked he will rain
    fiery coals and burning sulfur;^(JT)
    a scorching wind^(JU) will be their lot.

⁷For the Lord is righteous,^(JV)
he loves justice;^(JW)
the upright^(JX) will see his face.^(JY)

Psalm 12^[ac]

For the director of music. According to sheminith.^[ad] A psalm of David.

¹Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore;^(JZ)
    those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.
²Everyone lies^(KA) to their neighbor;
    they flatter with their lips
    but harbor deception in their hearts.^(KB)

³May the Lord silence all flattering lips^(KC)
    and every boastful tongue—^(KD)
⁴those who say,
    “By our tongues we will prevail;^(KE)
    our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?”

⁵“Because the poor are plundered^(KF) and the needy groan,^(KG)
    I will now arise,^(KH)” says the Lord.
    “I will protect them^(KI) from those who malign them.”
⁶And the words of the Lord are flawless,^(KJ)
    like silver purified^(KK) in a crucible,^(KL)
    like gold^[ae] refined seven times.

⁷You, Lord, will keep the needy safe^(KM)
and will protect us forever from the wicked,^(KN)
⁸who freely strut^(KO) about
when what is vile is honored by the human race.

Psalm 13^[af]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹How long,^(KP) Lord? Will you forget me^(KQ) forever?
    How long will you hide your face^(KR) from me?
²How long must I wrestle with my thoughts^(KS)
    and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
    How long will my enemy triumph over me?^(KT)

³Look on me^(KU) and answer,^(KV) Lord my God.
Give light to my eyes,^(KW) or I will sleep in death,^(KX)
⁴and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,^(KY)”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.^(KZ)

⁵But I trust in your unfailing love;^(LA)
my heart rejoices in your salvation.^(LB)
⁶I will sing^(LC) the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.

Psalm 14^(LD)

For the director of music. Of David.

¹The fool^[ag] says in his heart,
“There is no God.”^(LE)
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good.

²The Lord looks down from heaven^(LF)
    on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,^(LG)
    any who seek God.^(LH)
³All have turned away,^(LI) all have become corrupt;^(LJ)
    there is no one who does good,^(LK)
    not even one.^(LL)

⁴Do all these evildoers know nothing?^(LM)

They devour my people^(LN) as though eating bread;
    they never call on the Lord.^(LO)
⁵But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
    for God is present in the company of the righteous.
⁶You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,
    but the Lord is their refuge.^(LP)

⁷Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!^(LQ)
When the Lord restores^(LR) his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Psalm 15

A psalm of David.

¹Lord, who may dwell^(LS) in your sacred tent?^(LT)
Who may live on your holy mountain?^(LU)

²The one whose walk is blameless,^(LV)
    who does what is righteous,
    who speaks the truth^(LW) from their heart;
³whose tongue utters no slander,^(LX)
    who does no wrong to a neighbor,
    and casts no slur on others;
⁴who despises a vile person
    but honors^(LY) those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath^(LZ) even when it hurts,
    and does not change their mind;
⁵who lends money to the poor without interest;^(MA)
    who does not accept a bribe^(MB) against the innocent.

Whoever does these things
will never be shaken.^(MC)

Psalm 16

A miktam^[ah] of David.

¹Keep me safe,^(MD) my God,
for in you I take refuge.^(ME)

²I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;^(MF)
    apart from you I have no good thing.”^(MG)
³I say of the holy people^(MH) who are in the land,^(MI)
    “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”
⁴Those who run after other gods^(MJ) will suffer^(MK) more and more.
    I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods
    or take up their names^(ML) on my lips.

⁵Lord, you alone are my portion^(MM) and my cup;^(MN)
    you make my lot^(MO) secure.
⁶The boundary lines^(MP) have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    surely I have a delightful inheritance.^(MQ)
⁷I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;^(MR)
    even at night^(MS) my heart instructs me.
⁸I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
    With him at my right hand,^(MT) I will not be shaken.^(MU)

⁹Therefore my heart is glad^(MV) and my tongue rejoices;
    my body also will rest secure,^(MW)
¹⁰because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,^(MX)
    nor will you let your faithful^[ai] one^(MY) see decay.^(MZ)
¹¹You make known to me the path of life;^(NA)
    you will fill me with joy in your presence,^(NB)
    with eternal pleasures^(NC) at your right hand.^(ND)

Psalm 17

A prayer of David.

¹Hear me,^(NE) Lord, my plea is just;
    listen to my cry.^(NF)
Hear^(NG) my prayer—
    it does not rise from deceitful lips.^(NH)
²Let my vindication^(NI) come from you;
    may your eyes see what is right.^(NJ)

³Though you probe my heart,^(NK)
    though you examine me at night and test me,^(NL)
you will find that I have planned no evil;^(NM)
    my mouth has not transgressed.^(NN)
⁴Though people tried to bribe me,
    I have kept myself from the ways of the violent
    through what your lips have commanded.
⁵My steps have held to your paths;^(NO)
    my feet have not stumbled.^(NP)

⁶I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;^(NQ)
    turn your ear to me^(NR) and hear my prayer.^(NS)
⁷Show me the wonders of your great love,^(NT)
    you who save by your right hand^(NU)
    those who take refuge^(NV) in you from their foes.
⁸Keep me^(NW) as the apple of your eye;^(NX)
    hide me^(NY) in the shadow of your wings^(NZ)
⁹from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
    from my mortal enemies who surround me.^(OA)

¹⁰They close up their callous hearts,^(OB)
    and their mouths speak with arrogance.^(OC)
¹¹They have tracked me down, they now surround me,^(OD)
    with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
¹²They are like a lion^(OE) hungry for prey,^(OF)
    like a fierce lion crouching in cover.

¹³Rise up,^(OG) Lord, confront them, bring them down;^(OH)
    with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
¹⁴By your hand save me from such people, Lord,
    from those of this world^(OI) whose reward is in this life.^(OJ)
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
    may their children gorge themselves on it,
    and may there be leftovers^(OK) for their little ones.

¹⁵As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
when I awake,^(OL) I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.^(OM)

Psalm 18^[aj]^(ON)

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:

¹I love you, Lord, my strength.^(OO)

²The Lord is my rock,^(OP) my fortress^(OQ) and my deliverer;^(OR)
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,^(OS)
my shield^[ak]^(OT) and the horn^[al] of my salvation,^(OU) my stronghold.

³I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,^(OV)
    and I have been saved from my enemies.^(OW)
⁴The cords of death^(OX) entangled me;
    the torrents^(OY) of destruction overwhelmed me.
⁵The cords of the grave coiled around me;
    the snares of death^(OZ) confronted me.

⁶In my distress^(PA) I called to the Lord;^(PB)
    I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;^(PC)
    my cry came^(PD) before him, into his ears.
⁷The earth trembled^(PE) and quaked,^(PF)
    and the foundations of the mountains shook;^(PG)
    they trembled because he was angry.^(PH)
⁸Smoke rose from his nostrils;^(PI)
    consuming fire^(PJ) came from his mouth,
    burning coals^(PK) blazed out of it.
⁹He parted the heavens and came down;^(PL)
    dark clouds^(PM) were under his feet.
¹⁰He mounted the cherubim^(PN) and flew;
    he soared^(PO) on the wings of the wind.^(PP)
¹¹He made darkness his covering,^(PQ) his canopy^(PR) around him—
    the dark rain clouds of the sky.
¹²Out of the brightness of his presence^(PS) clouds advanced,
    with hailstones^(PT) and bolts of lightning.^(PU)
¹³The Lord thundered^(PV) from heaven;
    the voice of the Most High resounded.^[am]
¹⁴He shot his arrows^(PW) and scattered the enemy,
    with great bolts of lightning^(PX) he routed them.^(PY)
¹⁵The valleys of the sea were exposed
    and the foundations^(PZ) of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke,^(QA) Lord,
    at the blast of breath from your nostrils.^(QB)

¹⁶He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
    he drew me out of deep waters.^(QC)
¹⁷He rescued me from my powerful enemy,^(QD)
    from my foes, who were too strong for me.^(QE)
¹⁸They confronted me in the day of my disaster,^(QF)
    but the Lord was my support.^(QG)
¹⁹He brought me out into a spacious place;^(QH)
    he rescued me because he delighted in me.^(QI)

²⁰The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;^(QJ)
    according to the cleanness of my hands^(QK) he has rewarded me.^(QL)
²¹For I have kept the ways of the Lord;^(QM)
    I am not guilty of turning^(QN) from my God.
²²All his laws are before me;^(QO)
    I have not turned away from his decrees.
²³I have been blameless^(QP) before him
    and have kept myself from sin.
²⁴The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,^(QQ)
    according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

²⁵To the faithful^(QR) you show yourself faithful,^(QS)
    to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
²⁶to the pure^(QT) you show yourself pure,
    but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.^(QU)
²⁷You save the humble^(QV)
    but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.^(QW)
²⁸You, Lord, keep my lamp^(QX) burning;
    my God turns my darkness into light.^(QY)
²⁹With your help^(QZ) I can advance against a troop^[an];
    with my God I can scale a wall.

³⁰As for God, his way is perfect:^(RA)
    The Lord’s word is flawless;^(RB)
    he shields^(RC) all who take refuge^(RD) in him.
³¹For who is God besides the Lord?^(RE)
    And who is the Rock^(RF) except our God?
³²It is God who arms me with strength^(RG)
    and keeps my way secure.^(RH)
³³He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;^(RI)
    he causes me to stand on the heights.^(RJ)
³⁴He trains my hands for battle;^(RK)
    my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
³⁵You make your saving help my shield,
    and your right hand sustains^(RL) me;
    your help has made me great.
³⁶You provide a broad path^(RM) for my feet,
    so that my ankles do not give way.^(RN)

³⁷I pursued my enemies^(RO) and overtook them;
    I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
³⁸I crushed them^(RP) so that they could not rise;^(RQ)
    they fell beneath my feet.^(RR)
³⁹You armed me with strength^(RS) for battle;
    you humbled my adversaries^(RT) before me.
⁴⁰You made my enemies turn their backs^(RU) in flight,
    and I destroyed^(RV) my foes.
⁴¹They cried for help, but there was no one to save them^(RW)—
    to the Lord, but he did not answer.^(RX)
⁴²I beat them as fine as windblown dust;^(RY)
    I trampled them^[ao] like mud in the streets.
⁴³You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
    you have made me the head of nations.^(RZ)
People I did not know^(SA) now serve me,
⁴⁴    foreigners^(SB) cower before me;
    as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
⁴⁵They all lose heart;^(SC)
    they come trembling^(SD) from their strongholds.^(SE)

⁴⁶The Lord lives!^(SF) Praise be to my Rock!^(SG)
    Exalted be God^(SH) my Savior!^(SI)
⁴⁷He is the God who avenges^(SJ) me,
    who subdues nations^(SK) under me,
⁴⁸    who saves^(SL) me from my enemies.^(SM)
You exalted me above my foes;
    from a violent man^(SN) you rescued me.
⁴⁹Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;^(SO)
    I will sing^(SP) the praises of your name.^(SQ)

⁵⁰He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing love to his anointed,^(SR)
to David^(SS) and to his descendants forever.^(ST)

Psalm 19^[ap]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹The heavens^(SU) declare^(SV) the glory of God;^(SW)
    the skies^(SX) proclaim the work of his hands.^(SY)
²Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.^(SZ)
³They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
⁴Yet their voice^[aq] goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.^(TA)
In the heavens God has pitched a tent^(TB) for the sun.^(TC)
⁵    It is like a bridegroom^(TD) coming out of his chamber,^(TE)
    like a champion^(TF) rejoicing to run his course.
⁶It rises at one end of the heavens^(TG)
    and makes its circuit to the other;^(TH)
    nothing is deprived of its warmth.

⁷The law of the Lord^(TI) is perfect,^(TJ)
    refreshing the soul.^(TK)
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,^(TL)
    making wise the simple.^(TM)
⁸The precepts of the Lord are right,^(TN)
    giving joy^(TO) to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
    giving light to the eyes.^(TP)
⁹The fear of the Lord^(TQ) is pure,
    enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
    and all of them are righteous.^(TR)

¹⁰They are more precious than gold,^(TS)
    than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,^(TT)
    than honey from the honeycomb.^(TU)
¹¹By them your servant is warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.
¹²But who can discern their own errors?
    Forgive my hidden faults.^(TV)
¹³Keep your servant also from willful sins;^(TW)
    may they not rule over me.^(TX)
Then I will be blameless,^(TY)
    innocent of great transgression.

¹⁴May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing^(TZ) in your sight,
Lord, my Rock^(UA) and my Redeemer.^(UB)

Psalm 20^[ar]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;^(UC)
    may the name of the God of Jacob^(UD) protect you.^(UE)
²May he send you help^(UF) from the sanctuary^(UG)
    and grant you support^(UH) from Zion.^(UI)
³May he remember^(UJ) all your sacrifices
    and accept your burnt offerings.^[as]^(UK)
⁴May he give you the desire of your heart^(UL)
    and make all your plans succeed.^(UM)
⁵May we shout for joy^(UN) over your victory
    and lift up our banners^(UO) in the name of our God.

May the Lord grant all your requests.^(UP)

⁶Now this I know:
    The Lord gives victory to his anointed.^(UQ)
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
    with the victorious power of his right hand.^(UR)
⁷Some trust in chariots^(US) and some in horses,^(UT)
    but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.^(UU)

Footnotes

Psalm 2:1 Hebrew; Septuagint rage
Psalm 2:9 Or will rule them with an iron scepter (see Septuagint and Syriac)
Psalm 3:1 In Hebrew texts 3:1-8 is numbered 3:2-9.
Psalm 3:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 4 and 8.
Psalm 4:1 In Hebrew texts 4:1-8 is numbered 4:2-9.
Psalm 4:2 Or seek lies
Psalm 4:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 4.
Psalm 4:4 Or In your anger (see Septuagint)
Psalm 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1-12 is numbered 5:2-13.
Psalm 6:1 In Hebrew texts 6:1-10 is numbered 6:2-11.
Psalm 6:1 Title: Probably a musical term
Psalm 7:1 In Hebrew texts 7:1-17 is numbered 7:2-18.
Psalm 7:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 7:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
Psalm 7:10 Or sovereign
Psalm 7:12 Or If anyone does not repent, / God
Psalm 8:1 In Hebrew texts 8:1-9 is numbered 8:2-10.
Psalm 8:1 Title: Probably a musical term
Psalm 8:4 Or what is a human being that you are mindful of him, / a son of man that you care for him?
Psalm 8:5 Or him
Psalm 8:5 Or than God
Psalm 8:5 Or him
Psalm 8:6 Or made him ruler . . . ; / . . . his
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.
Psalm 9:1 In Hebrew texts 9:1-20 is numbered 9:2-21.
Psalm 9:16 The Hebrew has Higgaion and Selah (words of uncertain meaning) here; Selah occurs also at the end of verse 20.
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.
Psalm 10:5 See Septuagint; Hebrew / they are haughty, and your laws are far from
Psalm 12:1 In Hebrew texts 12:1-8 is numbered 12:2-9.
Psalm 12:1 Title: Probably a musical term
Psalm 12:6 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text earth
Psalm 13:1 In Hebrew texts 13:1-6 is numbered 13:2-6.
Psalm 14:1 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Psalms denote one who is morally deficient.
Psalm 16:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 16:10 Or holy
Psalm 18:1 In Hebrew texts 18:1-50 is numbered 18:2-51.
Psalm 18:2 Or sovereign
Psalm 18:2 Horn here symbolizes strength.
Psalm 18:13 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 2 Samuel 22:14); most Hebrew manuscripts resounded, / amid hailstones and bolts of lightning
Psalm 18:29 Or can run through a barricade
Psalm 18:42 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac and Targum (see also 2 Samuel 22:43); Masoretic Text I poured them out
Psalm 19:1 In Hebrew texts 19:1-14 is numbered 19:2-15.
Psalm 19:4 Septuagint, Jerome and Syriac; Hebrew measuring line
Psalm 20:1 In Hebrew texts 20:1-9 is numbered 20:2-10.
Psalm 20:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

New American Standard Bible is made available by The Lockman Foundation

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 1-36 New American Standard Bible

BOOK 1

The Righteous and the Wicked Contrasted.

The Reign of the Lord’s Anointed.

Morning Prayer of Trust in God.

A Psalm of David, when [q]he fled from his son Absalom.

Evening Prayer of Trust in God.

[y]For the music director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

Prayer for Protection from the Wicked.

For the music director; for [ai]flute accompaniment. A Psalm of David.

Prayer for Mercy in Time of Trouble.

For the music director; with stringed instruments, [ar]upon an eight-string lyre. A Psalm of David.

The Lord Implored to Defend the Psalmist against the Wicked.

A [aw]Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord [ax]concerning Cush, a Benjaminite.

The Lord’s Glory and Mankind’s Dignity.

For the music director; on the Gittith. A Psalm of David.

Thanksgiving for God’s Justice.

For the music director; on [bl]Muth-labben. A Psalm of David.

A Prayer for the Overthrow of the Wicked.

The Lord, a Refuge and Defense.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

God, a Helper against the Treacherous.

For the music director; [cq]upon an eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm of David.

Prayer for Help in Trouble.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

Foolishness and Wickedness of People.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

Description of a Citizen of Zion.

A Psalm of David.

The Lord, the Psalmist’s Portion in Life and Salvation in Death.

A [da]Mikhtam of David.

Prayer for Protection against Oppressors.

A Prayer of David.

The Lord Praised for Rescuing David.

For the music director. A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, [ds]who spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord rescued him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said,

The Works and the Word of God.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

Prayer for Victory over Enemies.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

Praise for Salvation.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

A Cry of Anguish and a Song of Praise.

For the music director; upon [fd]Aijeleth Hashshahar. A Psalm of David.

The Lord, the Psalmist’s Shepherd.

A Psalm of David.

The King of Glory Entering Zion.

A Psalm of David.

Prayer for Protection, Guidance, and Pardon.

A Psalm of David.

Protestation of Integrity and Prayer for Protection.

A Psalm of David.

A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God.

A Psalm of David.

A Prayer for Help, and Praise for Its Answer.

A Psalm of David.

The Voice of the Lord in the Storm.

A Psalm of David.

Thanksgiving for Rescue from Death.

A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of the House. A Psalm of David.

A Psalm of Complaint and of Praise.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

Blessedness of Forgiveness and of Trust in God.

A Psalm of David. A [ik]Maskil.

Praise to the Creator and Protector.

The Lord, a Provider and the One Who Rescues Me.

A Psalm of David, when he pretended to be insane before [iu]Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.

Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.

A Psalm of David.

Wickedness of Humanity and Goodness of God.

For the music director. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord.

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 1-20 New International Version

BOOK I

Psalms 1–41

Psalm 1

Psalm 2

Psalm 3[c]

A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.(AZ)

Psalm 4[e]

Psalm 1-36

New American Standard Bible

A Psalm of David, when ^[q]he fled from his son Absalom.

^[y]For the music director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

For the music director; for ^[ai]flute accompaniment. A Psalm of David.

For the music director; with stringed instruments, ^[ar]upon an eight-string lyre. A Psalm of David.

A ^[aw]Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord ^[ax]concerning Cush, a Benjaminite.

For the music director; on ^[bl]Muth-labben. A Psalm of David.

For the music director; ^[cq]upon an eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm of David.

A ^[da]Mikhtam of David.

For the music director. A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, ^[ds]who spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord rescued him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said,

For the music director; upon ^[fd]Aijeleth Hashshahar. A Psalm of David.

A Psalm of David. A ^[ik]Maskil.

A Psalm of David, when he pretended to be insane before ^[iu]Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.

Psalm 1-20

New International Version

Psalm 3^[c]

A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.^(AZ)

Psalm 4^[e]

Psalm 5^[i]

Psalm 6^[j]

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

Psalm 7^[l]

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

Psalm 8^[q]

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

Psalm 9^[x]^[y]

Psalm 10^[aa]

Psalm 12^[ac]

For the director of music. According to sheminith.^[ad] A psalm of David.

Psalm 13^[af]

Psalm 14^(LD)

A miktam^[ah] of David.

Psalm 18^[aj]^(ON)

Psalm 19^[ap]

Psalm 20^[ar]