Book Two
Why Are You Cast Down, O My Soul?
To the choirmaster. A Maskil [1] of s the Sons of Korah.
PSALM 42 [†] t As a deer pants for flowing streams,
so pants my soul for you, O God.
2 u My soul thirsts for God,
for v the living God.
When shall I come and w appear before God? [2]
3 x My tears have been my food
day and night,
y while they say to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember,
as I z pour out my soul:
a how I would go b with the throng
and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise,
c a multitude keeping festival.
5 d Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you e in turmoil within me?
f Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation [3] 6[†]and my God.
My soul is cast down within me;
therefore I g remember you
h from the land of Jordan and of i Hermon,
from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
at the roar of your waterfalls;
j all your breakers and your k waves
have gone over me.
8 By day the LORD l commands his steadfast love,
and at m night his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God, n my rock:
“Why have you forgotten me?
o Why do I go mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10 As with a deadly wound in my bones,
my adversaries taunt me,
p while they say to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?”
11 q Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.
Send Out Your Light and Your Truth
PSALM 43 [†] r Vindicate me, O God, and s defend my cause
against an ungodly people,
from t the deceitful and unjust man
deliver me!
2 For you are u the God in whom I take refuge;
why have you v rejected me?
Why do I w go about mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?
3 x Send out your light and your truth;
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your y holy hill
and to your z dwelling!
4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God my exceeding joy,
and I will praise you with the lyre,
O God, my God.
5 a Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
b Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.
Come to Our Help
To the choirmaster. c A Maskil [1] of the Sons of Korah.
PSALM 44 [†] O God, we have heard with our ears,
d our fathers have told us,
what deeds you performed in their days,
e in the days of old:
2 you with your own hand f drove out the nations,
but g them you planted;
you afflicted the peoples,
but h them you set free;
3 for not i by their own sword did they win the land,
nor did their own arm save them,
but your right hand and your arm,
and j the light of your face,
k for you delighted in them.
4 l You are my King, O God;
m ordain salvation for Jacob!
5 Through you we n push down our foes;
through your name we o tread down those who rise up against us.
6 For not in p my bow do I trust,
nor can my sword save me.
7 But you have saved us from our foes
and have q put to shame those who hate us.
8 r In God we have boasted continually,
and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah
9[†] But you have s rejected us and disgraced us
and t have not gone out with our armies.
10 You have made us u turn back from the foe,
and those who hate us have gotten spoil.
11 You have made us like v sheep for slaughter
and have w scattered us among the nations.
12 x You have sold your people for a trifle,
demanding no high price for them.
13 You have made us y the taunt of our neighbors,
the derision and z scorn of those around us.
14 You have made us a a byword among the nations,
b a laughingstock [2] among the peoples.
15 All day long my disgrace is before me,
and c shame has covered my face
16 at the sound of the taunter and reviler,
at the sight of d the enemy and the avenger.
17[†] e All this has come upon us,
though we have not forgotten you,
and we have not been false to your covenant.
18 Our heart has not turned back,
nor have our f steps g departed from your way;
19 yet you have h broken us in the place of i jackals
and covered us with j the shadow of death.
20 If we had forgotten the name of our God
or k spread out our hands to l a foreign god,
21 m would not God discover this?
n For he knows the secrets of the heart.
22 Yet o for your sake we are killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.
23[†] p Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord?
Rouse yourself! q Do not reject us forever!
24 Why r do you hide your face?
Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?
25 For our s soul is bowed down to the dust;
our belly clings to the ground.
26 Rise up; t come to our help!
u Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!
Your Throne, O God, Is Forever
To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Maskil [1] of v the Sons of Korah; a love song.
PSALM 45 [†] My heart overflows with a pleasing theme;
I address my verses to the king;
my tongue is like the pen of w a ready scribe.
2[†] You are x the most handsome of the sons of men;
y grace is poured upon your lips;
therefore God has blessed you forever.
3 z Gird your a sword on your thigh, O b mighty one,
in c your splendor and majesty!
4 In your majesty d ride out victoriously
for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness;
let your right hand teach you e awesome deeds!
5 Your arrows are sharp
in the heart of the king’s enemies;
the peoples fall under you.
6[†] f Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
The g scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;
7 h you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.
Therefore i God, your God, has j anointed you
with the oil of k gladness l beyond your companions;
8 your robes are all fragrant with m myrrh and aloes and cassia.
From ivory palaces n stringed instruments make you glad;
9 daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor;
o at your right hand stands the queen in p gold of Ophir.
10[†] Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:
forget your people and your father’s house,
11 and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your q lord, r bow to him.
12 The people [2] of Tyre will s seek your favor with t gifts,
u the richest of the people. [3]
13 All glorious is v the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold.
14 w In many-colored robes x she is led to the king,
with her virgin companions following behind her.
15 With joy and gladness they are led along
as they enter the palace of the king.
16[†] In place of your fathers shall be your sons;
you will make them y princes in all the earth.
17 z I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations;
therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.
God Is Our Fortress
To the choirmaster. Of a the Sons of Korah. According to b Alamoth. [1] A Song.
PSALM 46 [†] God is our c refuge and strength,
a very d present [2] help in e trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear f though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into g the heart of the sea,
3 though h its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah
4 There is i a river whose streams make glad j the city of God,
the holy k habitation of the Most High.
5 l God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
6 m The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he n utters his voice, the earth o melts.
7 p The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
8[†] q Come, behold the works of the LORD,
how he has brought desolations on the earth.
9 r He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he s breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
t he burns the chariots with fire.
10 u “Be still, and know that I am God.
v I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
11 p The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
God Is King over All the Earth
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of w the Sons of Korah.
PSALM 47 [†] x Clap your hands, all peoples!
y Shout to God with loud songs of joy!
2 For the LORD, the Most High, z is to be feared,
a a great king over all the earth.
3 He b subdued peoples under us,
and nations under our feet.
4 He chose our c heritage for us,
d the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah
5[†] God e has gone up with a shout,
the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 For God is f the King of all the earth;
sing praises g with a psalm! [1]
8[†] God h reigns over the nations;
God sits on his holy throne.
9 i The princes of the peoples gather
as the people of the God of Abraham.
For j the shields of the earth belong to God;
he is highly exalted!
Zion, the City of Our God
A Song. A Psalm of k the Sons of Korah.
PSALM 48 [†] l Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised
in m the city of our God!
His n holy mountain, 2 o beautiful in elevation,
is p the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north,
q the city of the great King.
3 Within her citadels God
has made himself known as a fortress.
4 For behold, r the kings assembled;
they came on together.
5 As soon as they saw it, they were astounded;
they were in panic; they took to flight.
6 s Trembling took hold of them there,
anguish t as of a woman in labor.
7[†] By u the east wind you v shattered
the ships of w Tarshish.
8 As we have heard, so have we seen
in the city of the LORD of hosts,
in m the city of our God,
which God will x establish forever. Selah
9[†] We have thought on your y steadfast love, O God,
in the midst of your temple.
10 As your z name, O God,
so your praise reaches to a the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled with righteousness.
11 Let Mount b Zion be glad!
Let b the daughters of Judah rejoice
because of your judgments!
12[†] Walk about Zion, go around her,
number her towers,
13 consider well her c ramparts,
go through her citadels,
d that you may tell the next generation
14 that this is God,
our God forever and ever.
He will e guide us forever. [1]
Why Should I Fear in Times of Trouble?
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of f the Sons of Korah.
PSALM 49 [†] g Hear this, all peoples!
Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
2 h both low and high,
rich and poor together!
3 My mouth shall speak i wisdom;
the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to j a proverb;
I will solve my k riddle to the music of the lyre.
5[†] l Why should I fear in m times of trouble,
when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,
6 those who n trust in their wealth
and boast of the abundance of their riches?
7 Truly no man o can ransom another,
or p give to God q the price of his life,
8 for r the ransom of their life is costly
and can never suffice,
9 that he should live on forever
and s never see the pit.
10 For he sees t that even the wise die;
u the fool and the stupid alike must perish
and v leave their wealth to others.
11 Their w graves are their homes forever, [1]
their dwelling places x to all generations,
though they y called lands by their own names.
12 Man in his pomp z will not remain;
a he is like the beasts that perish.
13[†] This is the path of those who have b foolish confidence;
yet after them people approve of their boasts. [2] Selah
14 Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
death shall be their shepherd,
and the upright c shall rule over them in the morning.
d Their form shall be consumed e in Sheol, with no place to dwell.
15 But God will f ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
for he will g receive me. Selah
16 Be not afraid when a man becomes rich,
when the glory of his house increases.
17 h For when he dies he will i carry nothing away;
his glory will not go down after him.
18 For though, while he lives, he counts himself j blessed
—and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—
19 his soul will k go to the generation of his fathers,
who will never again l see light.
20 m Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
God Himself Is Judge
A Psalm of n Asaph.
PSALM 50 [†] o The Mighty One, God the LORD,
speaks and summons the earth
p from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, q the perfection of beauty,
r God shines forth.
3 Our God comes; he s does not keep silence; [1]
before him is a devouring t fire,
around him a mighty tempest.
4 u He calls to the heavens above
and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
5 “Gather to me my faithful ones,
who made v a covenant with me by sacrifice!”
6 w The heavens declare his righteousness,
for x God himself is judge! Selah
7[†] y “Hear, O my people, and I will speak;
O Israel, I will testify against you.
z I am God, your God.
8 Not for your sacrifices a do I rebuke you;
your burnt offerings are continually before me.
9 I will not accept a bull from your house
or goats from your folds.
10 For every beast of the forest is mine,
the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 b I know all the birds of the hills,
and all that moves in the field is mine.
12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
c for the world and its fullness are mine.
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls
or drink the blood of goats?
14 d Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, [2]
and e perform your vows to the Most High,
15 and f call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will g deliver you, and you shall h glorify me.”
16[†] But to the wicked God says:
“What right have you to recite my statutes
or take my covenant on your lips?
17 i For you hate discipline,
j and you cast my words behind you.
18 If you see a thief, k you are pleased with him,
l and you keep company with adulterers.
19 “You give your mouth free rein for evil,
m and your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother;
you slander your own mother’s son.
21 These things you have done, and I n have been silent;
you thought that I [3] was one like yourself.
But now I o rebuke you and p lay the charge before you.
22 “Mark this, then, you who q forget God,
lest I tear you apart, and there be r none to deliver!
23[†] The one who s offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
to one who t orders his way rightly
I will show the u salvation of God!”
Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when v Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
PSALM 51 [†] w Have mercy on me, [1] O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your x abundant mercy
y blot out my transgressions.
2 z Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and a cleanse me from my sin!
3 b For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
4[†] c Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil d in your sight,
e so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
5[†] Behold, f I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6[†] Behold, you delight in truth in g the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
7 Purge me h with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
z wash me, and I shall be i whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
j let the bones k that you have broken rejoice.
9[†] l Hide your face from my sins,
and y blot out all my iniquities.
10 m Create in me a n clean heart, O God,
and o renew a right [2] spirit within me.
11[†] p Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not q your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will r return to you.
14[†] Deliver me from s bloodguiltiness, O God,
O t God of my salvation,
and u my tongue will sing aloud of your v righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16[†] w For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are x a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
18 y Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
z build up the walls of Jerusalem;
19 then will you delight in a right sacrifices,
in burnt offerings and b whole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.
The Steadfast Love of God Endures
To the choirmaster. A Maskil [1] of David, when c Doeg, the Edomite, came and told Saul, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”
PSALM 52 [†] Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?
The steadfast love of God endures all the day.
2 Your d tongue plots destruction,
like e a sharp razor, you f worker of deceit.
3 You love evil more than good,
and g lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
4 You love all words that devour,
O deceitful tongue.
5[†] But God will break you down forever;
he will snatch and h tear you from your tent;
he will uproot you from i the land of the living. Selah
6 The righteous shall j see and fear,
and shall k laugh at him, saying,
7 “See the man who would not make
God his refuge,
but l trusted in the abundance of his riches
and sought refuge in his own destruction!” [2]
8[†] But I am like m a green olive tree
in the house of God.
I trust in the steadfast love of God
forever and ever.
9 I will thank you forever,
because you have done it.
I will wait for your name, n for it is good,
in the presence of the o godly.
There Is None Who Does Good
To the choirmaster: according to p Mahalath. A Maskil [1] of David.
PSALM 53 [†] q The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity;
there is none who does good.
2 God looks down from heaven
on the children of man
to see if there are any who understand, [2]
who seek after God.
3 They have all fallen away;
together they have become corrupt;
there is none who does good,
not even one.
4 Have those who work evil no knowledge,
who eat up my people as they eat bread,
and do not call upon God?
5 There they are, in great terror,
r where there is no terror!
For God s scatters the bones of him who encamps against you;
you put them to shame, for God has rejected them.
6 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When God restores the fortunes of his people,
let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.
The Lord Upholds My Life
To the choirmaster: with t stringed instruments. A Maskil [1] of David, u when the Ziphites went and told Saul, “Is not David hiding among us?”
PSALM 54 [†] O God, save me by your v name,
and vindicate me by your might.
2 O God, w hear my prayer;
give ear to the words of my mouth.
3[†] x For y strangers [2] have risen against me;
ruthless men z seek my life;
they do not set God before themselves. Selah
4 Behold, a God is my helper;
the Lord is the upholder of my life.
5 He will return the evil to my enemies;
in your b faithfulness c put an end to them.
6[†] With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you;
I will give thanks to your name, O LORD, d for it is good.
7 For he has delivered me from every trouble,
and my eye has e looked in triumph on my enemies.
Cast Your Burden on the LORD
To the choirmaster: with f stringed instruments. A Maskil [1] of David.
PSALM 55 [†] g Give ear to my prayer, O God,
and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!
2 Attend to me, and answer me;
I am restless h in my complaint and I i moan,
3 because of the noise of the enemy,
because of the oppression of the wicked.
For they j drop trouble upon me,
and in anger they bear a grudge against me.
4[†] My heart is in anguish within me;
k the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
5 Fear and trembling come upon me,
6 And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest;
7 n yes, I would wander far away;
I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah
8 I would hurry to find a shelter
from o the raging wind and tempest.”
9[†] Destroy, O Lord, p divide their tongues;
for I see q violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go around it
on its walls,
and r iniquity and trouble are within it;
11 ruin is in its midst;
s oppression and fraud
do not depart from its marketplace.
12[†] For it is not an enemy who taunts me—
then I could bear it;
it is not an adversary who t deals insolently with me—
then I could hide from him.
13 u But it is you, a man, my equal,
my companion, my familiar friend.
14 We used to take sweet counsel together;
within God’s house we walked in v the throng.
15 Let death steal over them;
let them go down to Sheol w alive;
for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart.
16[†] But I call to God,
and the LORD will save me.
17 x Evening and y morning and at z noon
I a utter my complaint and moan,
and he hears my voice.
18 He redeems my soul in safety
from the battle that I wage,
for b many are arrayed against me.
19 God will give ear and humble them,
he who is c enthroned from of old, Selah
because they do not d change
and do not fear God.
20[†] My companion [2] e stretched out his hand against his friends;
he violated his covenant.
21 His f speech was g smooth as butter,
yet war was in his heart;
his words were softer than oil,
yet they were h drawn swords.
22[†] i Cast your burden on the LORD,
and he will sustain you;
j he will never permit
the righteous to be moved.
23 But you, O God, k will cast them down
into l the pit of destruction;
men of m blood and treachery
shall not n live out half their days.
But I will o trust in you.
In God I Trust
To the choirmaster: according to The Dove on Far-off Terebinths. A p Miktam [1] of David, when the q Philistines seized him in Gath.
PSALM 56 [†] r Be gracious to me, O God, for man s tramples on me;
all day long an attacker oppresses me;
2 my enemies trample on me all day long,
for many attack me proudly.
3 When I am afraid,
I t put my trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; u I shall not be afraid.
What can flesh do to me?
5 All day long they injure my cause; [2]
all their thoughts are against me for evil.
6 They v stir up strife, they w lurk;
they x watch my steps,
as they have waited for my life.
7 For their crime will they escape?
y In wrath z cast down the peoples, O God!
8[†] You have kept count of my tossings; [3]
a put my tears in your bottle.
b Are they not in your book?
9 Then my enemies will turn back
c in the day when I call.
This I know, that [4] d God is for me.
10 In God, whose word I praise,
in the LORD, whose word I praise,
11 in God I trust; u I shall not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
12[†] I must perform my e vows to you, O God;
I will e render thank offerings to you.
13 f For you have delivered my soul from death,
yes, my feet from falling,
g that I may walk before God
h in the light of life.
Let Your Glory Be over All the Earth
To the choirmaster: according to i Do Not Destroy. A j Miktam [1] of David, when he fled from Saul, in k the cave.
PSALM 57 [†] l Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
for in you my soul m takes refuge;
in n the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
o till the storms of destruction pass by.
2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God who p fulfills his purpose for me.
3[†] q He will send from heaven and save me;
he will put to shame r him who tramples on me. Selah
s God will send out t his steadfast love and his faithfulness!
4 My soul is in the midst of u lions;
I lie down amid fiery beasts—
the children of man, whose v teeth are spears and arrows,
whose w tongues are sharp swords.
5 x Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!
6[†] They set y a net for my steps;
my soul was z bowed down.
They a dug a pit in my way,
but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah
7 b My heart is c steadfast, O God,
my heart is steadfast!
I will sing and make melody!
Awake, f O harp and lyre!
I will awake the dawn!
9 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
10 For your g steadfast love is great to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
11 x Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!
God Who Judges the Earth
To the choirmaster: according to h Do Not Destroy. A i Miktam [1] of David.
PSALM 58 [†] Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods? [2]
Do you judge the children of man uprightly?
2 No, in your hearts you devise wrongs;
your hands j deal out violence on earth.
3[†] The wicked are k estranged from the womb;
they go astray from birth, speaking lies.
4 l They have venom like the venom of a serpent,
like the deaf adder that stops its ear,
5 so that it m does not hear the voice of charmers
or of the cunning enchanter.
6[†] O God, n break the teeth in their mouths;
tear out the fangs of the young lions, O LORD!
7 Let them o vanish like water that runs away;
when he p aims his arrows, let them be blunted.
8 Let them be like the snail o that dissolves into slime,
like q the stillborn child who never sees the sun.
9 Sooner than your pots can feel the heat of r thorns,
whether green or ablaze, may he s sweep them away! [3]
10[†] t The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance;
he will u bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 Mankind will say, “Surely there is v a reward for the righteous;
surely there is a God who w judges on earth.”
Deliver Me from My Enemies
To the choirmaster: according to x Do Not Destroy. A y Miktam [1] of David, z when Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him.
PSALM 59 [†] a Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
b protect me from those who c rise up against me;
2 deliver me from d those who work evil,
and save me from e bloodthirsty men.
3 For behold, they f lie in wait for my life;
fierce men g stir up strife against me.
h For no transgression or sin of mine, O LORD,
4 for no fault of mine, they run and make ready.
i Awake, come to meet me, and see!
5[†] You, j LORD God of hosts, are God of Israel.
Rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. Selah
6[†] Each evening they k come back,
howling like dogs
and prowling about the city.
7 There they are, l bellowing with their mouths
with m swords in their lips—
for n “Who,” they think, [2] “will hear us?”
8 But you, O LORD, o laugh at them;
you hold all the nations in derision.
9 O my Strength, I will watch for you,
for you, O God, are p my fortress.
10 q My God in his steadfast love [3] r will meet me;
God will let me s look in triumph on my enemies.
11[†] Kill them not, lest my people forget;
make them totter [4] by your power and t bring them down,
O Lord, our u shield!
12 For v the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips,
let them be trapped in their pride.
For the cursing and lies that they utter,
13 w consume them in wrath;
consume them till they are no more,
that they may x know that God rules over Jacob
to y the ends of the earth. Selah
14 z Each evening they come back,
howling like dogs
and prowling about the city.
15 They a wander about for food
and growl if they do not get their fill.
16 But I will sing of your strength;
I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.
For you have been to me b a fortress
and c a refuge in d the day of my distress.
17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,
for you, O God, b are my fortress,
e the God who shows me steadfast love.
He Will Tread Down Our Foes
To the choirmaster: according to f Shushan Eduth. A g Miktam [1] of David; h for instruction; when he i strove with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah, and when Joab on his return struck down twelve thousand of Edom in the Valley of Salt.
PSALM 60 [†] O God, j you have rejected us, k broken our defenses;
you have been angry; l oh, restore us.
2 You have made the land to quake; you have torn it open;
m repair its breaches, for it totters.
3 n You have made your people see hard things;
o you have given us p wine to drink that made us stagger.
4 You have set up q a banner for those who fear you,
that they may flee to it r from the bow. [2] Selah
5 s That your t beloved ones may be delivered,
give salvation by your right hand and answer us!
6[†] God has spoken u in his holiness: [3]
“With exultation v I will divide up w Shechem
and portion out the Vale of x Succoth.
7 y Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;
Judah is my b scepter.
8 c Moab is my washbasin;
upon Edom I d cast my shoe;
over e Philistia I shout in triumph.” [4]
9 Who will bring me to the fortified city?
f Who will lead me to Edom?
10 Have you not g rejected us, O God?
You h do not go forth, O God, with our armies.
11 Oh, grant us help against the foe,
for i vain is the salvation of man!
12 With God we shall j do valiantly;
it is he who will k tread down our foes.
Lead Me to the Rock
To the choirmaster: with l stringed instruments. Of David.
PSALM 61 [†] Hear my cry, O God,
m listen to my prayer;
2 from the end of the earth I call to you
when my heart is n faint.
Lead me to o the rock
that is higher than I,
3 for you have been p my refuge,
a strong q tower against the enemy.
4[†] Let me r dwell in your tent forever!
Let me take refuge under s the shelter of your wings! Selah
5 For you, O God, have heard my vows;
you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.
6[†] t Prolong u the life of the king;
may his years endure to all generations!
7 May he be enthroned forever before God;
appoint v steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over him!
8 So will I ever sing praises to your name,
as I w perform my vows day after day.
My Soul Waits for God Alone
To the choirmaster: according to x Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
PSALM 62 [†] For God alone y my soul z waits in silence;
from him comes my salvation.
2 a He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my b fortress; c I shall not be greatly shaken.
3[†] How long will all of you attack a man
to batter him,
like d a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
4 They only plan to thrust him down from his e high position.
They take pleasure in falsehood.
f They bless with their mouths,
but inwardly they curse. Selah
5 For God alone, O y my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him.
6 a He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests my g salvation and my glory;
my mighty rock, h my refuge is God.
8[†] i Trust in him at all times, O people;
j pour out your heart before him;
God is h a refuge for us. Selah
9 k Those of low estate are but a breath;
those of high estate l are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
k they are together lighter than a breath.
10 Put no trust in extortion;
m set no vain hopes on robbery;
n if riches increase, set not your heart on them.
o twice have I heard this:
that p power belongs to God,
12[†] and that to you, O Lord, q belongs steadfast love.
For you will r render to a man
according to his work.
My Soul Thirsts for You
A Psalm of David, s when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
PSALM 63 [†] O God, you are my God; t earnestly I seek you;
u my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in v a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding w your power and glory.
3[†] Because your x steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
4 So I will bless you y as long as I live;
in your z name I will a lift up my hands.
5 My soul will be b satisfied as with fat and rich food,
and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
6[†] when I remember you c upon my bed,
and meditate on you in c the watches of the night;
7 for you have been my help,
and in d the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
8 My soul e clings to you;
your right hand f upholds me.
9[†] But those who seek to destroy my life
g shall go down into h the depths of the earth;
10[†] they shall be given over to the power of the sword;
they shall be a portion for jackals.
11 But i the king shall rejoice in God;
all who j swear by him shall exult,
k for the mouths of l liars will be stopped.
Hide Me from the Wicked
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
PSALM 64 [†] Hear my voice, O God, in my m complaint;
preserve my life from dread of the enemy.
2 Hide me from n the secret plots of the wicked,
from the throng of evildoers,
3 who o whet their tongues like swords,
who p aim bitter words like arrows,
4 shooting from q ambush at the blameless,
shooting at him suddenly and r without fear.
5 They s hold fast to their evil purpose;
they talk of t laying snares secretly,
thinking, u “Who can see them?”
6 They search out injustice,
saying, “We have accomplished a diligent search.”
For v the inward mind and heart of a man are deep.
7[†] w But God shoots his arrow at them;
they are wounded suddenly.
8 They are brought to ruin, with their own x tongues turned against them;
all who y see them will z wag their heads.
9 Then all mankind y fears;
they a tell what God has brought about
and ponder what he has done.
10 Let b the righteous one rejoice in the LORD
and c take refuge in him!
Let all d the upright in heart exult!
O God of Our Salvation
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A Song.
PSALM 65 [†] Praise e is due to you, [1] O God, in Zion,
and to you shall f vows be performed.
2 O you who g hear prayer,
to you h shall all flesh come.
3 When i iniquities prevail against me,
you j atone for our transgressions.
4 k Blessed is the one you choose and bring near,
to l dwell in your courts!
We shall be m satisfied with the goodness of your house,
the holiness of your temple!
5[†] By n awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness,
O God of our salvation,
the hope of all o the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas;
6 the one who by his strength established the mountains,
being p girded with might;
7 who q stills the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
r the tumult of the peoples,
8 so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs.
You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.
9[†] You visit the earth and s water it; [2]
you greatly enrich it;
t the river of God is full of water;
u you provide their grain,
for so you have prepared it.
10 You water its furrows abundantly,
settling its ridges,
softening it with v showers,
and blessing its growth.
11 You crown the year with your bounty;
your wagon tracks w overflow with abundance.
12 x The pastures of the wilderness overflow,
the hills y gird themselves with joy,
13 z the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,
the valleys deck themselves with grain,
they a shout and sing together for joy.
How Awesome Are Your Deeds
To the choirmaster. A Song. A Psalm.
PSALM 66 [†] b Shout for joy to God, all the earth;
2 sing the glory of his name;
c give to him glorious praise!
3 Say to God, d “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power that your enemies e come cringing to you.
4 f All the earth worships you
and sings praises to you;
they sing praises to your name.” Selah
5[†] g Come and see what God has done:
d he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.
6 He h turned the sea into dry land;
they i passed through the river on foot.
There did we rejoice in him,
7 who rules by his might forever,
whose j eyes keep watch on the nations—
let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah
8 Bless our God, O peoples;
let the sound of his praise be heard,
9 who has kept our soul among the living
and k has not let our feet slip.
10 For you, O God, have l tested us;
you have tried us as silver is tried.
11 You brought us into m the net;
you laid a crushing burden on our backs;
12 you let men n ride over our heads;
we went through fire and through o water;
yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.
13[†] I will come into your house with burnt offerings;
I will p perform my vows to you,
14 that which my lips uttered
and my mouth promised q when I was in trouble.
15 I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals,
with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams;
I will make an offering of bulls and goats. Selah
16[†] r Come and hear, all you who fear God,
and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
17 I cried to him with my mouth,
and high praise was on [1] my tongue. [2]
18 If I had s cherished iniquity in my heart,
t the Lord would not have listened.
19 But truly u God has listened;
he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
20 Blessed be God,
because he has not rejected my prayer
or removed his steadfast love from me!
Make Your Face Shine upon Us
To the choirmaster: with v stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song.
PSALM 67 [†] May God w be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to x shine upon us, Selah
2 that y your way may be known on earth,
your z saving power among all nations.
3 a Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!
4[†] Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you b judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
5 a Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!
6[†] The earth has c yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
7 God shall bless us;
let d all the ends of the earth fear him!
God Shall Scatter His Enemies
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A Song.
PSALM 68 [†] e God shall arise, his enemies shall be f scattered;
and those who hate him shall flee before him!
2 As g smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away;
h as wax melts before fire,
so the wicked shall perish before God!
3 But i the righteous shall be glad;
they shall exult before God;
they shall be jubilant with joy!
4[†] Sing to God, j sing praises to his name;
k lift up a song to him who l rides through m the deserts;
his name is n the LORD;
exult before him!
5 o Father of the fatherless and p protector of widows
is God in his holy habitation.
6 God q settles the solitary in a home;
he r leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
but s the rebellious dwell in t a parched land.
7[†] O God, when you u went out before your people,
v when you marched through w the wilderness, Selah
8 x the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.
9 y Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad;
you restored your inheritance as it languished;
10 your flock [1] found a dwelling in it;
in your goodness, O God, you z provided for the needy.
11[†] The Lord gives a the word;
b the women who announce the news are a great host:
12 c “The kings of the armies—they flee, they flee!”
The women at home d divide the spoil—
13 though you men lie among e the sheepfolds—
the wings of a dove covered with silver,
its pinions with shimmering gold.
14 When the Almighty scatters kings there,
let snow fall on f Zalmon.
15[†] O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan;
O many-peaked [2] mountain, mountain of Bashan!
16 Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain,
at the mount that God g desired for his abode,
yes, where the LORD will dwell forever?
17 h The chariots of God are twice ten thousand,
thousands upon thousands;
the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary.
j leading a host of captives in your train
and k receiving gifts among men,
even among l the rebellious, m that the LORD God may dwell there.
19[†] Blessed be the Lord,
who daily n bears us up;
God is our salvation. Selah
20 Our God is a God of salvation,
o and to GOD, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.
21 p But God will strike the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.
22 The Lord said,
“I will bring them back q from Bashan,
r I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23 that you may s strike your feet in their blood,
that t the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from the foe.”
24[†] Your procession is [3] seen, O God,
the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—
25 u the singers in front, v the musicians last,
between them w virgins playing tambourines:
26 x “Bless God in the great congregation,
the LORD, O you [4] who are of y Israel’s fountain!”
27 There is z Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
the princes of Judah in their throng,
the princes of a Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.
28[†] b Summon your power, O God, [5]
the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem
kings shall c bear gifts to you.
30 Rebuke d the beasts that dwell among the reeds,
the herd of e bulls with the calves of the peoples.
f Trample underfoot those who lust after tribute;
scatter the peoples who delight in war. [6]
31 Nobles shall come from g Egypt;
h Cush shall hasten to i stretch out her hands to God.
32[†] j O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;
sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33 to him k who rides in l the heavens, the ancient heavens;
behold, he m sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
34 n Ascribe power to God,
whose majesty is over Israel,
and whose o power is in p the skies.
35 q Awesome is God from his [7] r sanctuary;
the God of Israel—he is the one who gives s power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God!
Save Me, O God
To the choirmaster: according to t Lilies. Of David.
For u the waters have come up to my neck. [1]
2 I sink in deep v mire,
where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters,
and the flood w sweeps over me.
3 x I am weary with my crying out;
y my throat is parched.
z My eyes grow dim
with a waiting for my God.
4[†] b More in number than the hairs of my head
are c those who hate me d without cause;
mighty are those who would destroy me,
e those who attack me with lies.
What I did not steal
must I now restore?
5 O God, you know my folly;
the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.
6[†] Let not those who hope in you f be put to shame through me,
O Lord GOD of hosts;
let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me,
O God of Israel.
7 For it is g for your sake that I have borne reproach,
that dishonor has covered my face.
8 I have become h a stranger to my brothers,
an alien to my mother’s sons.
9[†] For i zeal for your house has consumed me,
and j the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
10 When I wept and humbled [2] my soul with fasting,
it became my reproach.
11 When I made k sackcloth my clothing,
I became l a byword to them.
12 I am the talk of those who m sit in the gate,
and the drunkards make n songs about me.
13[†] But as for me, my o prayer is to you, O LORD.
At p an acceptable time, O God,
in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.
14 Deliver me
from sinking in q the mire;
r let me be delivered from my enemies
and from s the deep waters.
15 Let not the flood sweep over me,
or the deep swallow me up,
or t the pit close u its mouth over me.
16 Answer me, O LORD, for your v steadfast love is good;
according to your abundant w mercy, x turn to me.
17 y Hide not your face from your servant;
z for I am in distress; a make haste to answer me.
18 Draw near to my soul, redeem me;
ransom me because of my enemies!
19 You know my b reproach,
and my shame and my dishonor;
my foes are all known to you.
20 b Reproaches have broken my heart,
so that I am in c despair.
I d looked for e pity, but there was none,
and for f comforters, but I found none.
21[†] They gave me g poison for food,
and for my thirst they gave me h sour wine to drink.
22[†] i Let their own j table before them become a snare;
k and when they are at peace, let it become a trap. [3]
23 l Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see,
m and make their loins tremble continually.
24 Pour out your indignation upon them,
and let your burning anger overtake them.
25[†] n May their camp be a desolation;
let no one dwell in their tents.
26 For they o persecute him whom p you have struck down,
and they recount the pain of q those you have wounded.
27 r Add to them punishment upon punishment;
may they have no acquittal from you. [4]
28 Let them be s blotted out of the book of the living;
let them not be t enrolled among the righteous.
29[†] But I am afflicted and in pain;
let your salvation, O God, u set me on high!
30 I will v praise the name of God with a song;
I will w magnify him with x thanksgiving.
31 This will y please the LORD more than an ox
or a bull z with horns and hoofs.
32 When a the humble see it they will be glad;
you who seek God, a let your hearts revive.
33 For the LORD hears the needy
and b does not despise his own people who are prisoners.
34[†] Let c heaven and earth praise him,
the seas and everything that moves in them.
35 For d God will save Zion
and build up the cities of Judah,
and people shall dwell there and possess it;
36 e the offspring of his servants shall inherit it,
and those who love his name shall dwell in it.
O LORD, Do Not Delay
To the choirmaster. Of David, f for the memorial offering.
PSALM 70 [†] g Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
O LORD, make haste to help me!
2 Let them be put to shame and confusion
who seek my life!
Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor
who delight in my hurt!
3 Let them turn back because of their shame
who say, “Aha, Aha!”
4[†] May all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you!
May those who love your salvation
say evermore, “God is great!”
5 But I am poor and needy;
h hasten to me, O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;
O LORD, do not delay!
Forsake Me Not When My Strength Is Spent
PSALM 71 [†] i In you, O LORD, do I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame!
2 In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
incline your ear to me, and save me!
3 Be to me a rock of j refuge,
to which I may continually come;
you have k given the command to save me,
for you are my l rock and my fortress.
4[†] m Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.
5[†] For you, O Lord, are my n hope,
my trust, O LORD, from my youth.
6 Upon you I have leaned o from before my birth;
you are he who p took me from my mother’s womb.
My praise is continually of you.
7 I have been as q a portent to many,
but you are my strong refuge.
8 My r mouth is filled with your praise,
and with your glory all the day.
9[†] s Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
forsake me not when my strength is spent.
10 For my enemies speak concerning me;
those who t watch for my life u consult together
11 and say, “God has forsaken him;
pursue and seize him,
for there is none to deliver him.”
12 O God, be not v far from me;
O my God, w make haste to help me!
13 May my accusers be x put to shame and consumed;
y with scorn and disgrace may they be covered
who z seek my hurt.
14[†] But I will a hope continually
and will b praise you yet more and more.
15 My c mouth will tell of your righteous acts,
of your deeds of salvation all the day,
for d their number is past my knowledge.
16 With the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD I will come;
I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.
17 O God, from my youth you have taught me,
and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
18[†] So even to e old age and gray hairs,
O God, f do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation,
your power to all those to come.
19 Your g righteousness, O God,
reaches the high heavens.
You who have done h great things,
O God, i who is like you?
20 You who have j made me see many troubles and calamities
will k revive me again;
from the depths of the earth
you will bring me up again.
21 You will increase my greatness
and comfort me again.
22[†] I will also praise you with l the harp
for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praises to you with the lyre,
O m Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will shout for joy,
when I sing praises to you;
my soul also, which you have n redeemed.
24 And my o tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,
for they have been p put to shame and disappointed
who sought to do me hurt.
Give the King Your Justice
Of q Solomon.
PSALM 72 [†] Give the king your r justice, O God,
and your righteousness to the royal son!
2 May he s judge your people with righteousness,
and your poor with justice!
3 Let the mountains bear t prosperity for the people,
and the hills, in righteousness!
4 May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
give deliverance to the children of the needy,
and crush the oppressor!
5[†] May they fear you [1] while u the sun endures,
and as long as the moon, v throughout all generations!
6 May he be like w rain that falls on x the mown grass,
like y showers that water the earth!
7 In his days may z the righteous flourish,
and a peace abound, till the moon be no more!
8[†] May he have dominion from b sea to sea,
and from b the River [2] to the c ends of the earth!
9 May desert tribes d bow down before him,
and his enemies e lick the dust!
10 May the kings of f Tarshish and of g the coastlands
render him h tribute;
may the kings of i Sheba and j Seba
bring gifts!
11 May all kings k fall down before him,
all nations serve him!
12[†] For he delivers l the needy when he calls,
the poor and him who has no helper.
13 He has pity on the weak and the needy,
and saves the lives of the needy.
14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life,
and m precious is their blood in his sight.
15 Long may he live;
may n gold of Sheba be given to him!
May prayer be made o for him continually,
and blessings invoked for him all the day!
16 May there be abundance of grain in the land;
on the tops of the mountains may it wave;
may its fruit be like Lebanon;
and may people p blossom in the cities
like the q grass of the field!
17[†] r May his name endure forever,
his fame continue as long as the sun!
s May people be blessed in him,
t all nations call him blessed!
18[†] u Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
who alone does v wondrous things.
19 Blessed be his w glorious name forever;
may x the whole earth be filled with his glory!
y Amen and Amen!