Category: Psalms

Victory in Spite of Betrayal

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.

1 Happy is one who cares for the poor;

theLordwill save him in a day of adversity.

2 TheLordwill keep him and preserve him;

he will be blessed in the land.

You will not give him over to the desire of his enemies.

3 TheLordwill sustain him on his sickbed;

You will heal him on the bed where he lies.

4 I said, “Lord, be gracious to me;

heal me, for I have sinned against You.”

5 My enemies speak maliciously about me:

“When will he die and be forgotten? ”

6 When one of them comes to visit, he speaks deceitfully;

he stores up evil in his heart;

he goes out and talks.

7 All who hate me whisper together about me;

they plan to harm me.

8 “Lethal poison has been poured into him,

and he won’t rise again from where he lies! ”

9 Even my friendin whom I trusted,

one who ate my bread,

has raised his heel against me.

10 But You,Lord, be gracious to me and raise me up;

then I will repay them.

11 By this I know that You delight in me:

my enemy does not shout in triumph over me.

12 You supported me because of my integrity

and set me in Your presence forever.

13 May Yahweh, the God of Israel, be praised

from everlasting to everlasting.

Amen and amen.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/PSA/41-5b6fb66934c156e8245a9048c2ed0df2.mp3?version_id=72—

Longing for God

For the choir director. A Maskil of the sons of Korah.

1 As a deer longs for streams of water,

so I long for You, God.

2 I thirst for God, the living God.

When can I come and appear before God?

3 My tears have been my food day and night,

while all day long people say to me,

“Where is your God? ”

4 I remember this as I pour out my heart:

how I walked with many,

leading the festive procession to the house of God,

with joyful and thankful shouts.

5 Why am I so depressed?

Why this turmoil within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him,

my Savior and my God.

6 Iam deeply depressed;

therefore I remember You from the land of Jordan

and the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.

7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls;

all Your breakers and Your billows have swept over me.

8 TheLordwill send His faithful love by day;

His song will be with me in the night —

a prayer to the God of my life.

9 I will say to God, my rock,

“Why have You forgotten me?

Why must I go about in sorrow

because of the enemy’s oppression? ”

10 My adversaries taunt me,

as if crushing my bones,

while all day long they say to me,

“Where is your God? ”

11 Why am I so depressed?

Why this turmoil within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him,

my Savior and my God.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/PSA/42-a8b1e81de33eb299f45f14b73913e62d.mp3?version_id=72—

1 Vindicate me, God, and defend my cause

against an ungodly nation;

rescue me from the deceitful and unjust man.

2 For You are the God of my refuge.

Why have You rejected me?

Why must I go about in sorrow

because of the enemy’s oppression?

3 Send Your light and Your truth; let them lead me.

Let them bring me to Your holy mountain,

to Your dwelling place.

4 Then I will come to the altar of God,

to God, my greatest joy.

I will praise You with the lyre,

God, my God.

5 Why am I so depressed?

Why this turmoil within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him,

my Savior and my God.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/PSA/43-b6d421e27e1d45c82f135864a255d0ab.mp3?version_id=72—

Israel’s Complaint

For the choir director. A Maskil of the sons of Korah.

1 God, we have heard with our ears —

our ancestors have told us —

the work You accomplished in their days,

in days long ago:

2 to plant them,

You drove out the nations with Your hand;

to settle them,

You crushed the peoples.

3 For they did not take the land by their sword —

their arm did not bring them victory —

but by Your right hand, Your arm,

and the light of Your face,

for You were pleased with them.

4 You are my King, my God,

who ordainsvictories for Jacob.

5 Through You we drive back our foes;

through Your name we trample our enemies.

6 For I do not trust in my bow,

and my sword does not bring me victory.

7 But You give us victory over our foes

and let those who hate us be disgraced.

8 We boast in God all day long;

we will praise Your name forever.Selah

9 But You have rejected and humiliated us;

You do not march out with our armies.

10 You make us retreat from the foe,

and those who hate us

have taken plunder for themselves.

11 You hand us over to be eaten like sheep

and scatter us among the nations.

12 You sell Your people for nothing;

You make no profit from selling them.

13 You make us an object of reproach to our neighbors,

a source of mockery and ridicule to those around us.

14 You make us a joke among the nations,

a laughingstockamong the peoples.

15 My disgrace is before me all day long,

and shame has covered my face,

16 because of the voice of the scorner and reviler,

because of the enemy and avenger.

17 All this has happened to us,

but we have not forgotten You

or betrayed Your covenant.

18 Our hearts have not turned back;

our steps have not strayed from Your path.

19 But You have crushed us in a haunt of jackals

and have covered us with deepest darkness.

20 If we had forgotten the name of our God

and spread out our hands to a foreign god,

21 wouldn’t God have found this out,

since He knows the secrets of the heart?

22 Because of You we are slain all day long;

we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered.

23 Wake up,Lord! Why are You sleeping?

Get up! Don’t reject us forever!

24 Why do You hide Yourself

and forget our affliction and oppression?

25 For we have sunk down to the dust;

our bodies cling to the ground.

26 Rise up! Help us!

Redeem us because of Your faithful love.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/PSA/44-89bbded2b164ad2779076bb4606bda8a.mp3?version_id=72—

A Royal Wedding Song

For the choir director: according to “The Lilies.” A Maskil of the sons of Korah. A love song.

1 My heart is moved by a noble theme

as I recite my verses to the king;

my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.

2 You are the most handsome of men;

grace flows from your lips.

Therefore God has blessed you forever.

3 Mighty warrior, strap your sword at your side.

In your majesty and splendor—

4 in your splendor ride triumphantly

in the cause of truth, humility, and justice.

May your right hand show your awe-inspiring acts.

5 Your arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies;

the peoples fall under you.

6 Your throne,God, isforever and ever;

the scepter of Yourkingdom is a scepter of justice.

7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness;

therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy

more than your companions.

8 Myrrh, aloes, and cassia perfume all your garments;

from ivory palaces harps bring you joy.

9 Kings’ daughters are among your honored women;

the queen, adorned with gold from Ophir,

stands at your right hand.

10 Listen, daughter, pay attention and consider:

forget your people and your father’s house,

11 and the king will desire your beauty.

Bow down to him, for he is your lord.

12 The daughter of Tyre, the wealthy people,

will seek your favor with gifts.

13 In her chamber, the royal daughter is all glorious,

her clothing embroidered with gold.

14 In colorful garments she is led to the king;

after her, the virgins, her companions, are brought to you.

15 They are led in with gladness and rejoicing;

they enter the king’s palace.

16 Your sons will succeed your ancestors;

you will make them princes throughout the land.

17 I will cause your name to be remembered for all generations;

therefore the peoples will praise you forever and ever.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/PSA/45-5b729e5cdc1fdce3800741c5888265e1.mp3?version_id=72—

God Our Refuge

For the choir director. A song of the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth.

1 God is our refuge and strength,

a helper who is always found

in times of trouble.

2 Therefore we will not be afraid,

though the earth trembles

and the mountains topple

into the depths of the seas,

3 though its waters roar and foam

and the mountains quake with its turmoil.Selah

4 There is a river —

its streams delight the city of God,

the holy dwelling place of the Most High.

5 God is within her; she will not be toppled.

God will help her when the morning dawns.

6 Nations rage, kingdoms topple;

the earth melts when He lifts His voice.

7 TheLordof Hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our stronghold.Selah

8 Come, see the works of theLord,

who brings devastation on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease throughout the earth.

He shatters bows and cuts spears to pieces;

He burns up the chariots.

10 “Stop your fighting — and know that I am God,

exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.”

11 Yahweh of Hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our stronghold.Selah

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/PSA/46-c5cbcdb1c5dc90594bcb24c3b656edaa.mp3?version_id=72—

God Our King

For the choir director. A psalm of the sons of Korah.

1 Clap your hands, all you peoples;

shout to God with a jubilant cry.

2 For Yahweh, the Most High, is awe-inspiring,

a great King over all the earth.

3 He subdues peoples under us

and nations under our feet.

4 He chooses for us our inheritance —

the pride of Jacob, whom He loves.Selah

5 God ascends among shouts of joy,

theLord, among the sound of trumpets.

6 Sing praise to God, sing praise;

sing praise to our King, sing praise!

7 Sing a song of wisdom,

for God is King of all the earth.

8 God reigns over the nations;

God is seated on His holy throne.

9 The nobles of the peoples have assembled

with the people of the God of Abraham.

For the leadersof the earth belong to God;

He is greatly exalted.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/PSA/47-3da5e87fe3e6455e2af23f62916dc0b1.mp3?version_id=72—

Zion Exalted

A song. A psalm of the sons of Korah.

1 TheLordis great and highly praised

in the city of our God.

His holy mountain,

2 rising splendidly,

is the joy of the whole earth.

Mount Zion on the slopes of the north

is the city of the great King.

3 God is known as a stronghold

in its citadels.

4 Look! The kings assembled;

they advanced together.

5 They looked and froze with fear;

they fled in terror.

6 Trembling seized them there,

agony like that of a woman in labor,

7 as You wrecked the ships of Tarshish

with the east wind.

8 Just as we heard, so we have seen

in the city of Yahweh of Hosts,

in the city of our God;

God will establish it forever.Selah

9 God, within Your temple,

we contemplate Your faithful love.

10 Your name, God, like Your praise,

reaches to the ends of the earth;

Your right hand is filled with justice.

11 Mount Zion is glad.

The townsof Judah rejoice

because of Your judgments.

12 Go around Zion, encircle it;

count its towers,

13 note its ramparts; tour its citadels

so that you can tell a future generation:

14 “This God, our God forever and ever —

He will always lead us.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/PSA/48-248ef07f624a1c18815a003d84b9aba4.mp3?version_id=72—

Misplaced Trust in Wealth

For the choir director. A psalm of the sons of Korah.

1 Hear this, all you peoples;

listen, all who inhabit the world,

2 both low and high,

rich and poor together.

3 My mouth speaks wisdom;

my heart’s meditation brings understanding.

4 I turn my ear to a proverb;

I explain my riddle with a lyre.

5 Why should I fear in times of trouble?

The iniquity of my foes surrounds me.

6 They trust in their wealth

and boast of their abundant riches.

7 Yet these cannot redeem a person

or pay his ransom to God—

8 since the price of redeeming him is too costly,

one should forever stop trying—

9 so that he may live forever

and not see the Pit.

10 For one can see that wise men die;

foolish and stupid men also pass away.

Then they leave their wealth to others.

11 Their graves are their eternal homes,

their homes from generation to generation,

though they have named estates after themselves.

12 But despite his assets,man will not last;

he is like the animals that perish.

13 This is the way of those who are arrogant,

and of their followers,

who approve of their words.Selah

14 Like sheep they are headed for Sheol;

Death will shepherd them.

The upright will rule over them in the morning,

and their form will waste away in Sheol,

far from their lofty abode.

15 But God will redeem my life

from the power of Sheol,

for He will take me.Selah

16 Do not be afraid when a man gets rich,

when the wealthof his house increases.

17 For when he dies, he will take nothing at all;

his wealthwill not follow him down.

18 Though he praises himself during his lifetime —

and people praise you when you do well for yourself—

19 he will go to the generation of his fathers;

they will never see the light.

20 A man with valuable possessions

but without understanding

is like the animals that perish.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/PSA/49-a8ecbafa143e1f4b9b97d22b10f89216.mp3?version_id=72—

God as Judge

A psalm of Asaph.

1 Yahweh, the God of godsspeaks;

He summons the earth from east to west.

2 From Zion, the perfection of beauty,

God appears in radiance.

3 Our God is coming; He will not be silent!

Devouring fire precedes Him,

and a storm rages around Him.

4 On high, He summons heaven and earth

in order to judge His people.

5 “Gather My faithful ones to Me,

those who made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”

6 The heavens proclaim His righteousness,

for God is the Judge.Selah

7 “Listen, My people, and I will speak;

I will testify against you, Israel.

I am God, your God.

8 I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices

or for your burnt offerings,

which are continually before Me.

9 I will not accept a bull from your household

or male goats from your pens,

10 for every animal of the forest is Mine,

the cattle on a thousand hills.

11 I know every bird of the mountains,

and the creatures of the field are Mine.

12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you,

for the world and everything in it is Mine.

13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls

or drink the blood of goats?

14 Sacrifice a thank offering to God,

and pay your vows to the Most High.

15 Call on Me in a day of trouble;

I will rescue you, and you will honor Me.”

16 But God says to the wicked:

“What right do you have to recite My statutes

and to take My covenant on your lips?

17 You hate instruction

and turn your back on My words.

18 When you see a thief,

you make friends with him,

and you associate with adulterers.

19 You unleash your mouth for evil

and harness your tongue for deceit.

20 You sit, maligning your brother,

slandering your mother’s son.

21 You have done these things, and I kept silent;

you thought I was just like you.

But I will rebuke you

and lay out the case before you.

22 “Understand this, you who forget God,

or I will tear you apart,

and there will be no one to rescue you.

23 Whoever sacrifices a thank offering honors Me,

and whoever orders his conduct,

I will show him the salvation of God.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/PSA/50-7788a60d823c43f569e983c2aa910060.mp3?version_id=72—