Category: Psalms

A Plea for Protection

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.

1 Lord, I seek refuge in You;

let me never be disgraced.

Save me by Your righteousness.

2 Listen closely to me; rescue me quickly.

Be a rock of refuge for me,

a mountain fortress to save me.

3 For You are my rock and my fortress;

You lead and guide me

because of Your name.

4 You will free me from the net

that is secretly set for me,

for You are my refuge.

5 Into Your hand I entrust my spirit;

You redeemme,Lord, God of truth.

6 Ihate those who are devoted to worthless idols,

but I trust in theLord.

7 I will rejoice and be glad in Your faithful love

because You have seen my affliction.

You have known the troubles of my life

8 and have not handed me over to the enemy.

You have set my feet in a spacious place.

9 Be gracious to me,Lord,

because I am in distress;

my eyes are worn out from angry sorrow —

my whole beingas well.

10 Indeed, my life is consumed with grief

and my years with groaning;

my strength has failed

because of my sinfulness,

and my bones waste away.

11 I am ridiculed by all my adversaries

and even by my neighbors.

I am dreaded by my acquaintances;

those who see me in the street run from me.

12 I am forgotten: gone from memory

like a dead person — like broken pottery.

13 I have heard the gossip of many;

terror is on every side.

When they conspired against me,

they plotted to take my life.

14 But I trust in You,Lord;

I say, “You are my God.”

15 The course of my life is in Your power;

deliver me from the power of my enemies

and from my persecutors.

16 Show Your favor to Your servant;

save me by Your faithful love.

17 Lord, do not let me be disgraced when I call on You.

Let the wicked be disgraced;

let them be silentin Sheol.

18 Let lying lips be quieted;

they speak arrogantly against the righteous

with pride and contempt.

19 How great is Your goodness

that You have stored up for those who fear You

and accomplished in the sight of everyone

for those who take refuge in You.

20 You hide them in the protection of Your presence;

You conceal them in a shelter

from the schemes of men,

from quarrelsome tongues.

21 May theLordbe praised,

for He has wonderfully shown His faithful love to me

in a city under siege.

22 In my alarm I had said,

“I am cut off from Your sight.”

But You heard the sound of my pleading

when I cried to You for help.

23 Love theLord, all His faithful ones.

TheLordprotects the loyal,

but fully repays the arrogant.

24 Be strongand courageous,

all you who put your hope in theLord.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/PSA/31-d02a974c06f5a5cf3f793c06160d845d.mp3?version_id=72—

The Joy of Forgiveness

Davidic. A Maskil.

1 How joyful is the one

whose transgression is forgiven,

whose sin is covered!

2 How joyful is the man

theLorddoes not charge with sin

and in whose spirit is no deceit!

3 When I kept silent, my bones became brittle

from my groaning all day long.

4 For day and night Your hand was heavy on me;

my strength was drained

as in the summer’s heat.Selah

5 Then I acknowledged my sin to You

and did not conceal my iniquity.

I said,

“I will confess my transgressions to theLord,”

and You took away the guilt of my sin.Selah

6 Therefore let everyone who is faithful pray to You

at a time that You may be found.

When great floodwaters come,

they will not reach him.

7 You are my hiding place;

You protect me from trouble.

You surround me with joyful shouts of deliverance.Selah

8 I will instruct you and show you the way to go;

with My eye on you, I will give counsel.

9 Do not be like a horse or mule,

without understanding,

that must be controlled with bit and bridle

or else it will not come near you.

10 Many pains come to the wicked,

but the one who trusts in theLord

will have faithful love surrounding him.

11 Be glad in theLordand rejoice,

you righteous ones;

shout for joy,

all you upright in heart.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/PSA/32-864edd6e965c6336d53dac98cf66db87.mp3?version_id=72—

Praise to the Creator

1 Rejoice in theLord, you righteous ones;

praise from the upright is beautiful.

2 Praise theLordwith the lyre;

make music to Him with a ten-stringed harp.

3 Sing a new song to Him;

play skillfully on the strings, with a joyful shout.

4 For the word of theLordis right,

and all His work is trustworthy.

5 He loves righteousness and justice;

the earth is full of theLord’s unfailing love.

6 The heavens were made by the word of theLord,

and all the stars, by the breath of His mouth.

7 He gathers the waters of the sea into a heap;

He puts the depths into storehouses.

8 Let the whole earth tremble before theLord;

let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.

9 For He spoke, and it came into being;

He commanded, and it came into existence.

10 TheLordfrustrates the counsel of the nations;

He thwarts the plans of the peoples.

11 The counsel of theLordstands forever,

the plans of His heart from generation to generation.

12 Happy is the nation whose God is Yahweh —

the people He has chosen to be His own possession!

13 TheLordlooks down from heaven;

He observes everyone.

14 He gazes on all the inhabitants of the earth

from His dwelling place.

15 He alone shapes their hearts;

He considers all their works.

16 A king is not saved by a large army;

a warrior will not be delivered by great strength.

17 The horse is a false hope for safety;

it provides no escape by its great power.

18 Now the eye of theLordis on those who fear Him —

those who depend on His faithful love

19 to deliver them from death

and to keep them alive in famine.

20 We wait for Yahweh;

He is our help and shield.

21 For our hearts rejoice in Him

because we trust in His holy name.

22 May Your faithful love rest on us, Yahweh,

for we put our hope in You.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/PSA/33-0bd0b594035e378d7a093e942276a74e.mp3?version_id=72—

The Lord Delivers the Righteous

Concerning David, when he pretended to be insane in the presence of Abimelech, who drove him out, and he departed.

1 Iwill praise theLordat all times;

His praise will always be on my lips.

2 I will boast in theLord;

the humble will hear and be glad.

3 Proclaim Yahweh’s greatness with me;

let us exalt His name together.

4 I sought theLord, and He answered me

and delivered me from all my fears.

5 Those who look to Him areradiant with joy;

their faces will never be ashamed.

6 This poor man cried, and theLordheard him

and saved him from all his troubles.

7 The Angel of theLordencamps

around those who fear Him, and rescues them.

8 Taste and see that theLordis good.

How happy is the man who takes refuge in Him!

9 You who are His holy ones, fear Yahweh,

for those who fear Him lack nothing.

10 Young lionslack food and go hungry,

but those who seek theLord

will not lack any good thing.

11 Come, children, listen to me;

I will teach you the fear of theLord.

12 Who is the man who delights in life,

loving a long life to enjoy what is good?

13 Keep your tongue from evil

and your lips from deceitful speech.

14 Turn away from evil and do what is good;

seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of theLordare on the righteous,

and His ears are open to their cry for help.

16 The face of theLordis set

against those who do what is evil,

to eraseall memory of them from the earth.

17 The righteouscry out, and theLordhears,

and delivers them from all their troubles.

18 TheLordis near the brokenhearted;

He saves those crushed in spirit.

19 Many adversities come to the one who is righteous,

but theLorddelivers him from them all.

20 He protects all his bones;

not one of them is broken.

21 Evil brings death to the wicked,

and those who hate the righteous will be punished.

22 TheLordredeems the life of His servants,

and all who take refuge in Him will not be punished.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/PSA/34-229722fb906a2f85029cb473a420f98c.mp3?version_id=72—

Prayer for Victory

Davidic.

1 Oppose my opponents,Lord;

fight those who fight me.

2 Take Your shields — large and small —

and come to my aid.

3 Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers,

and assure me: “I am your deliverance.”

4 Let those who seek to kill me

be disgraced and humiliated;

let those who plan to harm me

be turned back and ashamed.

5 Let them be like chaff in the wind,

with the angel of theLorddriving them away.

6 Let their way be dark and slippery,

with the angel of theLordpursuing them.

7 They hid their net for me without cause;

they dug a pit for me without cause.

8 Let ruin come on him unexpectedly,

and let the net that he hid ensnare him;

let him fall into it — to his ruin.

9 Then I will rejoice in theLord;

I will delight in His deliverance.

10 My very bones will say,

“Lord, who is like You,

rescuing the poor from one too strong for him,

the poor or the needy from one who robs him? ”

11 Malicious witnesses come forward;

they question me about things I do not know.

12 They repay me evil for good,

making me desolate.

13 Yet when they were sick,

my clothing was sackcloth;

I humbled myself with fasting,

and my prayer was genuine.

14 I went about grieving as if for my friend or brother;

I was bowed down with grief,

like one mourning a mother.

15 But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;

they gathered against me.

Assailants I did not know

tore at me and did not stop.

16 With godless mockery

they gnashed their teeth at me.

17 Lord, how long will You look on?

Rescue my life from their ravages,

my only one from the young lions.

18 I will praise You in the great congregation;

I will exalt You among many people.

19 Do not let my deceitful enemies rejoice over me;

do not let those who hate me without cause

look at me maliciously.

20 For they do not speak in friendly ways,

but contrive deceitful schemes

against those who live peacefully in the land.

21 They open their mouths wide against me and say,

“Aha, aha! We saw it! ”

22 You saw it,Lord; do not be silent.

Lord, do not be far from me.

23 Wake up and rise to my defense,

to my cause, my God and myLord!

24 Vindicate me,Lordmy God,

in keeping with Your righteousness,

and do not let them rejoice over me.

25 Do not let them say in their hearts,

“Aha! Just what we wanted.”

Do not let them say,

“We have swallowed him up! ”

26 Let those who rejoice at my misfortune

be disgraced and humiliated;

let those who exalt themselves over me

be clothed with shame and reproach.

27 Let those who want my vindication

shout for joy and be glad;

let them continually say,

“TheLordbe exalted.

He takes pleasure in His servant’s well-being.”

28 And my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness,

Your praise all day long.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/PSA/35-7ac486b013f67e55d395b49e500772bc.mp3?version_id=72—

Human Wickedness and God’s Love

For the choir director. A psalm of David, the Lord’s servant.

1 An oracle within my heart

concerning the transgression of the wicked person:

There is no dread of God before his eyes,

2 for in his own eyes he flatters himself too much

to discover and hate his sin.

3 The words of his mouth are malicious and deceptive;

he has stopped acting wisely and doing good.

4 Even on his bed he makes malicious plans.

He sets himself on a path that is not good

and does not reject evil.

5 Lord, Your faithful love reaches to heaven,

Your faithfulness to the clouds.

6 Your righteousness is like the highest mountains;

Your judgments, like the deepest sea.

Lord, You preserve man and beast.

7 God, Your faithful love is so valuable

that people take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.

8 They are filled from the abundance of Your house;

You let them drink from Your refreshing stream,

9 for with You is life’s fountain.

In Your light we will see light.

10 Spread Your faithful love over those who know You,

and Your righteousness over the upright in heart.

11 Do not let the foot of the arrogant man come near me

or the hand of the wicked one drive me away.

12 There the evildoers fall;

they have been thrown down and cannot rise.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/PSA/36-b700d57e2b0f9311b736147f609d2463.mp3?version_id=72—

Instruction in Wisdom

Davidic.

1 Donot be agitated by evildoers;

do not envy those who do wrong.

2 For they wither quickly like grass

and wilt like tender green plants.

3 Trust in theLordand do what is good;

dwell in the land and live securely.

4 Take delight in theLord,

and He will give you your heart’s desires.

5 Commit your way to theLord;

trust in Him, and He will act,

6 making your righteousness shine like the dawn,

your justice like the noonday.

7 Be silent before theLordand wait expectantly for Him;

do not be agitated by one who prospers in his way,

by the man who carries out evil plans.

8 Refrain from anger and give up your rage;

do not be agitated — it can only bring harm.

9 For evildoers will be destroyed,

but those who put their hope in theLord

will inherit the land.

10 A little while, and the wicked person will be no more;

though you look for him, he will not be there.

11 But the humble will inherit the land

and will enjoy abundant prosperity.

12 The wicked person schemes against the righteous

and gnashes his teeth at him.

13 The Lord laughs at him

because He sees that his day is coming.

14 The wicked have drawn the sword and strung thebow

to bring down the afflicted and needy

and to slaughter those whose way is upright.

15 Their swords will enter their own hearts,

and their bows will be broken.

16 The little that the righteous man has is better

than the abundance of many wicked people.

17 For the armsof the wicked will be broken,

but theLordsupports the righteous.

18 TheLordwatches over the blameless all their days,

and their inheritance will last forever.

19 They will not be disgraced in times of adversity;

they will be satisfied in days of hunger.

20 But the wicked will perish;

theLord’s enemies, like the glory of the pastures,

will fade away —

they will fade away like smoke.

21 The wicked man borrows and does not repay,

but the righteous one is gracious and giving.

22 Those who are blessed by Him will inherit the land,

but those cursed by Him will be destroyed.

23 A man’s steps are established by theLord,

and He takes pleasure in his way.

24 Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed,

because theLordholds his hand.

25 I have been young and now I am old,

yet I have not seen the righteous abandoned

or his children begging for bread.

26 He is always generous, always lending,

and his children are a blessing.

27 Turn away from evil and do what is good,

and dwell thereforever.

28 For theLordloves justice

and will not abandon His faithful ones.

They are kept safe forever,

but the children of the wicked will be destroyed.

29 The righteous will inherit the land

and dwell in it permanently.

30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom;

his tongue speaks what is just.

31 The instruction of his God is in his heart;

his steps do not falter.

32 The wicked one lies in wait for the righteous

and seeks to kill him;

33 theLordwill not leave him

in the power of the wicked one

or allow him to be condemned when he is judged.

34 Wait for theLordand keep His way,

and He will exalt you to inherit the land.

You will watch when the wicked are destroyed.

35 I have seen a wicked, violent man

well-rootedlike a flourishing native tree.

36 Then I passed by andnoticed he was gone;

I searched for him, but he could not be found.

37 Watch the blameless and observe the upright,

for the man of peace will have a future.

38 But transgressors will all be eliminated;

the futureof the wicked will be destroyed.

39 The salvation of the righteous is from theLord,

their refuge in a time of distress.

40 TheLordhelps and delivers them;

He will deliver them from the wicked and will save them

because they take refuge in Him.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/PSA/37-2cf9375965b56ba9bc756ecbc376876d.mp3?version_id=72—

Prayer of a Suffering Sinner

A Davidic psalm for remembrance.

1 Lord, do not punish me in Your anger

or discipline me in Your wrath.

2 For Your arrows have sunk into me,

and Your hand has pressed down on me.

3 There is no health in my body

because of Your indignation;

there is no strengthin my bones

because of my sin.

4 For my sins have flooded over my head;

they are a burden too heavy for me to bear.

5 My wounds are foul and festering

because of my foolishness.

6 I am bent over and brought low;

all day long I go around in mourning.

7 For my loins are full of burning pain,

and there is no health in my body.

8 I am faint and severely crushed;

I groan because of the anguish of my heart.

9 Lord, my every desire is known toYou;

my sighing is not hidden from You.

10 My heart races, my strength leaves me,

and even the light of my eyes has faded.

11 My loved ones and friends stand back from my affliction,

and my relatives stand at a distance.

12 Those who seek my life set traps,

and those who want to harm me threaten to destroy me;

they plot treachery all day long.

13 I am like a deaf person; I do not hear.

I am like a speechless person

who does not open his mouth.

14 I am like a man who does not hear

and has no arguments in his mouth.

15 I put my hope in You,Lord;

You will answer, Lord my God.

16 For I said, “Don’t let them rejoice over me —

those who are arrogant toward me when I stumble.”

17 For I am about to fall,

and my pain is constantly with me.

18 So I confess my guilt;

I am anxious because of my sin.

19 But my enemies are vigorous and powerful;

many hate me for no reason.

20 Those who repay evil for good

attack me for pursuing good.

21 Lord, do not abandon me;

my God, do not be far from me.

22 Hurry to help me,

Lord, my Savior.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/PSA/38-0459d93cbdf627a68f34695269375711.mp3?version_id=72—

The Fleeting Nature of Life

For the choir director, for Jeduthun. A Davidic psalm.

1 I said, “I will guard my ways

so that I may not sin with my tongue;

I will guard my mouth with a muzzle

as long as the wicked are in my presence.”

2 I was speechless and quiet;

I kept silent, even from speaking good,

and my pain intensified.

3 My heart grew hot within me;

as I mused, a fire burned.

I spoke with my tongue:

4 “Lord, reveal to me the end of my life

and the number of my days.

Let me know how short-lived I am.

5 You, indeed, have made my days short in length,

and my life span as nothing in Your sight.

Yes, every mortal man is only a vapor.Selah

6 “Certainly, man walks about like a mere shadow.

Indeed, they frantically rush around in vain,

gathering possessions

without knowing who will get them.

7 Now, Lord, what do I wait for?

My hope is in You.

8 Deliver me from all my transgressions;

do not make me the taunt of fools.

9 I am speechless; I do not open my mouth

because of what You have done.

10 Remove Your torment from me;

I fade away because of the force of Your hand.

11 You discipline a man with punishment for sin,

consuming like a moth what is precious to him;

every man is only a vapor.Selah

12 “Hear my prayer,Lord,

and listen to my cry for help;

do not be silent at my tears.

For I am a foreigner residing with You,

a temporary resident like all my fathers.

13 Turn Your angry gaze from me

so that I may be cheered up

before I die and am gone.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/PSA/39-baed4f2a7ecd2d60fd9b820962ea236d.mp3?version_id=72—

Thanksgiving and a Cry for Help

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.

1 I waited patiently for theLord,

and He turned to me and heard my cry for help.

2 He brought me up from a desolatepit,

out of the muddy clay,

and set my feet on a rock,

making my steps secure.

3 He put a new song in my mouth,

a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear

and put their trust in theLord.

4 How happy is the man

who has put his trust in theLord

and has not turned to the proud

or to those who run after lies!

5 Lordmy God, You have done many things —

Your wonderful works and Your plans for us;

none can compare with You.

If I were to report and speak of them,

they are more than can be told.

6 You do not delight in sacrifice and offering;

You open my ears to listen.

You do not ask for a whole burnt offering or a sin offering.

7 Then I said, “See, I have come;

it is written about me in the volume of the scroll.

8 I delight to do Your will, my God;

Your instruction lives within me.”

9 I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;

see, I do not keep my mouth closed—

as You know,Lord.

10 I did not hide Your righteousness in my heart;

I spoke about Your faithfulness and salvation;

I did not conceal Your constant love and truth

from the great assembly.

11 Lord, do not withhold Your compassion from me;

Your constant love and truth will always guard me.

12 For troubles without number have surrounded me;

my sins have overtaken me; I am unable to see.

They are more than the hairs of my head,

and my courage leaves me.

13 Lord, be pleased to deliver me;

hurry to help me,Lord.

14 Let those who seek to take my life

be disgraced and confounded.

Let those who wish me harm

be driven back and humiliated.

15 Let those who say to me, “Aha, aha! ”

be horrified because of their shame.

16 Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;

let those who love Your salvation continually say,

“TheLordis great! ”

17 I am afflicted and needy;

the Lord thinks of me.

You are my helper and my deliverer;

my God, do not delay.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/PSA/40-417c953698a9e3dfc64b697fcf6a4e4b.mp3?version_id=72—