PSALM 1 True Happiness In God's Law Happy those who do not follow the counsel of the wicked, Nor go the way of sinners, nor sit in company with scoffers. Rather, the law of the Lord is their joy; God's law they study day and night. They are like a tree planted near streams of water, that yields its fruit in season; Its leaves never wither; whatever they do prospers. But not the wicked! They are like chaff driven by the wind. Therefore the wicked will not survive judgment, nor will sinners in the assembly of the just. The Lord watches over the way of the just, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin. PSALM 2 For A Royal Coronation Why do the nations protest and the peoples grumble in vain? Kings on earth rise up and princes plot together against the Lord and his anointed: "Let us break their shackles and cast off their chains!" The one enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord derides them, Then speaks to them in anger, terrifies them in wrath: "I myself have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain." I will proclaim the decree of the Lord, who said to me, "You are my son; today I am your father. Only ask it of me, and I will make your inheritance the nations, your possession the ends of the earth. With an iron rod you shall shepherd them, like a clay pot you will shatter them." And now, kings, give heed; take warning, rulers on earth. Serve the Lord with fear; with trembling bow down in homage, Lest God be angry and you perish from the way in a sudden blaze of anger. Happy are all who take refuge in God! PSALM 3 Threatened but Trusting A psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom. How many are my foes, Lord! How many rise against me! How many say of me, "God will not save that one." But you, Lord, are a shield around me; my glory, you keep my head high. Whenever I cried out to the Lord, I was answered from the holy mountain. Whenever I lay down and slept, the Lord preserved me to rise again. I do not fear, then, thousands of people arrayed against me on every side. Arise, Lord! Save me, my God! You will shatter the jaws of all my foes; you will break the teeth of the wicked. Safety comes from the Lord! Your blessing for your people! PSALM 4 Trust in God For the leader; with stringed instruments. A psalm of David. Answer when I call, my saving God. In my troubles, you cleared a way; show me favor; hear my prayer. How long will you people mock my honor, love what is worthless, chase after lies? Know that the Lord works wonders for the faithful; the Lord hears when I call out. Tremble and do not sin; upon your beds ponder in silence. Offer fitting sacrifice and trust in the Lord. Many say, "May we see better times! Lord, show us the light of your face!" But you have given my heart more joy than they have when grain and wine abound. In peace I shall both lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me secure. PSALM 5 Prayer for Divine Help For the leader; with wind instruments. A psalm of David. Hear my words, O Lord; listen to my sighing. Hear my cry for help, my king, my God! To you I pray, O Lord; at dawn you will hear my cry; at dawn I will plead before you and wait. You are not a god who delights in evil; no wicked person finds refuge with you; the arrogant cannot stand before you. You hate all who do evil; you destroy all who speak falsely. Murderers and deceivers the Lord abhors. But I can enter your house because of your great love. I can worship in your holy temple because of my reverence for you, Lord. Guide me in your justice because of my foes; make straight your way before me. For there is no sincerity in their mouths; their hearts are corrupt. Their throats are open graves; on their tongues are subtle lies. Declare them guilty, God; make them fall by their own devices. Drive them out for their many sins; they have rebelled against you. Then all who take refuge in you will be glad and forever shout for joy. Protect them that you may be the joy of those who love your name. For you, Lord, bless the just; you surround them with favor like a shield. PSALM 6 Prayer in Distress For the leader; with stringed instruments, "upon the eighth." A psalm of David. Do not reprove me in your anger, Lord, nor punish me in your wrath. Have pity on me, Lord, for I am weak; heal me, Lord, for my bones are trembling. In utter terror is my soul - and you, Lord, how long...? Turn, Lord, save my life; in your mercy rescue me. For who among the dead remembers you? Who praises you in Sheol? I am wearied with sighing; all night long tears drench my bed; my couch is soaked with weeping. My eyes are dimmed with sorrow, worn out because of all my foes. Away from me, all who do evil! The Lord has heard my weeping. The Lord has heard my prayer; the Lord takes up my plea. My foes will be terrified and disgraced; all will fall back in sudden shame. PSALM 7 God the Vindicator A plaintive song of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush, the Benjaminite. Lord my God, in you I take refuge; rescue me; save me from all who pursue me, lest they maul me like lions, tear me to pieces with none to save. Lord my God, if I am at fault in this, if there is guilt on my hands, if I have repaid my friend with evil, I spared even those who hated me without cause. Then let my enemy pursue and overtake me, trample my life to the ground, and leave me dishonored in the dust. Rise up, Lord, in your anger; rise against the fury of my foes. Wake to judge as you have decreed. Have the assembly of the peoples gather about you; sit on your throne high above them. O Lord, judge of the nations. Grant me justice, Lord, for I am blameless, free of any guilt. Bring the malice of the wicked to an end; uphold the innocent, O God of justice, who tries hearts and minds. A shield before me is God who saves the honest heart. God is a just judge, who rebukes in anger every day. If sinners do not repent, God sharpens his sword, strings and readies the bow, prepares his deadly shafts, makes arrows blazing thunderbolts. Sinners conceive iniquity; pregnant with mischief, they give birth to failure. They open a hole and dig it deep, but fall into the pit they have dug. Their mischief comes back upon themselves; their violence falls on their own heads. I praise the justice of the Lord; I celebrate the name of the Lord Most High. PSALM 8 Divine Majesty and Human Dignity For the leader; "upon the gittith." A psalm of David. O Lord, our Lord, how awesome is your name through all the earth! You have set your majesty above the heavens! Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have drawn a defense against your foes, to silence enemy and avenger. When I see your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars that you set in place What are humans that you are mindful of them, mere mortals that you care for them? Yet you have made them little less than a god, crowned them with glory and honor. You have given them rule over the works of your hands, put all things at their feet: All sheep and oxen, even the beasts of the field, The birds of the air, the fish of the sea, and whatever swims the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, how awesome is your name through all the earth! PSALM 9 Thanksgiving for Victory and Prayer for Justice For the leader; according to Muth Labben. A psalm of David. I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will declare all your wondrous deeds. I will delight and rejoice in you; I will sing hymns to your name, Most High. For my enemies turn back; they stumble and perish before you. You upheld my right and my cause, seated on your throne, judging justly. You rebuked the nations, you destroyed the wicked; their name you blotted out for all time. The enemies have been ruined forever; you destroyed their cities; their memory has perished. The Lord rules forever, has set up a throne for judgment. It is God who governs the world with justice, who judges the peoples with fairness. The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who honor your name trust in you; you never forsake those who seek you, Lord. Sing hymns to the Lord enthroned on Zion; proclaim God's deeds among the nations! For the avenger of bloodshed remembers, does not forget the cry of the afflicted. Have mercy on me, Lord; see how my foes afflict me! You alone can raise me from the gates of death. Then I will declare all your praises, sing joyously of your salvation in the gates of daughter Zion. The nations fall into the pit they dig; in the snare they hide, their own foot is caught. The Lord is revealed in this divine rule: by the deeds they do the wicked are trapped. To Sheol the wicked will depart, all the nations that forget God. The needy will never be forgotten, nor will the hope of the afflicted ever fade. Arise, Lord, let no mortal prevail; let the nations be judged in your presence. Strike them with terror, Lord; show the nations they are mere mortals. PSALM 10 Thanksgiving for Victory and Prayer for Justice Why, Lord, do you stand at a distance and pay no heed to these troubled times? Arrogant scoundrels pursue the poor; they trap them by their cunning schemes. The wicked even boast of their greed; these robbers curse and scorn the Lord. In their insolence the wicked boast: "God doesn't care, doesn't even exist." Yet their affairs always succeed; they ignore your judgment on high; they sneer at all who oppose them. They say in their hearts, "We will never fall; never will we see misfortune." Their mouths are full of oaths, violence, and lies; discord and evil are under their tongues. They wait in ambush near towns; their eyes watch for the helpless. to murder the innocent in secret. They lurk in ambush like lions in a thicket, hide there to trap the poor, snare them and close the net. The helpless are crushed, laid low; they fall into the power of the wicked, Who say in their hearts, "God pays no attention, shows no concern, never bothers to look." Rise up, Lord God! Raise your arm! Do not forget the poor! Why should the wicked scorn God, say in their hearts, "God doesn't care"? But you do see; you do observe this misery and sorrow; you take the matter in hand. To you the helpless can entrust their cause; you are the defender of orphans. Break the arms of the wicked and depraved; make them account for their crimes; let none of them survive. The Lord is king forever; the nations have vanished from God's land. You listen, Lord, to the needs of the poor; you encourage them and hear their prayers. You win justice for the orphaned and oppressed; no one on earth will cause terror again. PSALM 11 Confidence in the Presence of God For the leader. Of David. In the Lord I take refuge; how can you say to me, "Flee like a bird to the mountains! See how the wicked string their bows, fit their arrows to the string to shoot from the shadows at the upright. When foundations are being destroyed, what can the upright do?" The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord's throne is in heaven. God's eyes keep careful watch; they test all peoples. The Lord tests the good and the bad, hates those who love violence, And rains upon the wicked fiery coals and brimstone, a scorching wind their allotted cup. The Lord is just and loves just deeds; the upright shall see his face. PSALM 12 Prayer against Evil Toungues For the leader; "upon the eighth." A psalm of David. Help, Lord, for no one loyal remains; the faithful have vanished from the human race. Those who tell lies to one another speak with deceiving lips and a double heart. May the Lord cut off all deceiving lips, and every boastful tongue. Those who say, "By our tongues we prevail; when our lips speak, who can Lord it over us?" "Because they rob the weak, and the needy groan, I will now arise," says the Lord; "I will grant safety to whoever longs for it." The promises of the Lord are sure, silver refined in a crucible, silver purified seven times. Lord, protect us always; preserve us from this generation. On every side the wicked strut; the shameless are extolled by all. PSALM 13 Prayer in Time of Illness For the leader. A psalm of David. How long, Lord? Will you utterly forget me? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I carry sorrow in my soul, grief in my heart day after day? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look upon me, answer me, Lord, my God! Give light to my eyes lest I sleep in death, Lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed," lest my foes rejoice at my downfall. I trust in your faithfulness. Grant my heart joy in your help, That I may sing of the Lord, "How good our God has been to me!" PSALM 14 A Lament over Widespread Corruption For the leader. Of David. Fools say in their hearts, "There is no God." Their deeds are loathsome and corrupt; not one does what is right. The Lord looks down from heaven upon the human race, To see if even one is wise, if even one seeks God. All have gone astray; all alike are perverse. Not one does what is right, not even one. Will these evildoers never learn? They devour my people as they devour bread; they do not call upon the Lord. They have good reason, then, to fear; God is with the company of the just. They would crush the hopes of the poor, but the poor have the Lord as their refuge. Oh, that from Zion might come the deliverance of Israel, That Jacob may rejoice, and Israel be glad when the Lord restores his people! PSALM 15 The Righteous Israelite A psalm of David. Lord, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy mountain? Whoever walks without blame, doing what is right, speaking truth from the heart; Who does not slander a neighbor, does no harm to another, never defames a friend; Who disdains the wicked, but honors those who fear the Lord; Who keeps an oath despite the cost, lends no money at interest, accepts no bribe against the innocent. Whoever acts like this shall never be shaken. PSALM 16 God the Supreme Good A miktam of David. Keep me safe, O God; in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, you are my Lord, you are my only good. Worthless are all the false gods of the land. Accursed are all who delight in them. They multiply their sorrows who court other gods. Blood libations to them I will not pour out, nor will I take their names upon my lips. Lord, my allotted portion and my cup, you have made my destiny secure. Pleasant places were measured out for me; fair to me indeed is my inheritance. I bless the Lord who counsels me; even at night my heart exhorts me. I keep the Lord always before me; with the Lord at my right, I shall never be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, my soul rejoices; my body also dwells secure. For you will not abandon me to Sheol, nor let your faithful servant see the pit. You will show me the path to life, abounding joy in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever. PSALM 17 Prayer for Rescue from Persecutors A prayer of David. Hear, Lord, my plea for justice; pay heed to my cry; Listen to my prayer spoken without guile. From you let my vindication come; your eyes see what is right. You have tested my heart, searched it in the night. You have tried me by fire, but find no malice in me. My mouth has not transgressed as humans often do. As your lips have instructed me, I have kept the way of the law. My steps have kept to your paths; my feet have not faltered. I call upon you; answer me, O God. Turn your ear to me; hear my prayer. Show your wonderful love, you who deliver with your right arm those who seek refuge from their foes. Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings from the violence of the wicked. My ravenous enemies press upon me; they close their hearts, they fill their mouths with proud roaring. Their steps even now encircle me; they watch closely, keeping low to the ground, Like lions eager for prey, like young lions lurking in ambush. Rise, O Lord, confront and cast them down; rescue me so from the wicked. Slay them with your sword; with your hand, Lord, slay them; snatch them from the world in their prime. Their bellies are being filled with your friends; their children are satisfied too, for they share what is left with their young. I am just let me see your face; when I awake, let me be filled with your presence. PSALM 18 A King's Thanksgiving for Victory For the leader. Of David, the servant of the Lord, who sang to the Lord the words of this song after the Lord had rescued him from the clutches of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love you, Lord, my strength, Lord, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, My God, my rock of refuge, my shield, my saving horn, my stronghold! Praised be the Lord, I exclaim! I have been delivered from my enemies. The breakers of death surged round about me; the menacing floods terrified me. The cords of Sheol tightened; the snares of death lay in wait for me. In my distress I called out: Lord! I cried out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry to him reached his ears. The earth rocked and shook; the foundations of the mountains trembled; they shook as his wrath flared up. Smoke rose in his nostrils, a devouring fire poured from his mouth; it kindled coals into flame. He parted the heavens and came down, a dark cloud under his feet. Mounted on a cherub he flew, borne along on the wings of the wind. He made darkness the cover about him; his canopy, heavy thunderheads. Before him scudded his clouds, hail and lightning too. The Lord thundered from heaven; the Most High made his voice resound. He let fly his arrows and scattered them; shot his lightning bolts and dispersed them. Then the bed of the sea appeared; the world's foundations lay bare, At the roar of the Lord, at the storming breath of his nostrils. He reached down from on high and seized me; drew me out of the deep waters. He rescued me from my mighty enemy, from foes too powerful for me. They attacked me on a day of distress, but the Lord came to my support. He set me free in the open; he rescued me because he loves me. The Lord acknowledged my righteousness, rewarded my clean hands. For I kept the ways of the Lord; I was not disloyal to my God. His laws were all before me, his decrees I did not cast aside. I was honest toward him; I was on guard against sin. So the Lord rewarded my righteousness, the cleanness of my hands in his sight. Toward the faithful you are faithful; to the honest you are honest. Toward the sincere, sincere; but to the perverse you are devious. Humble people you save; haughty eyes you bring low. You, Lord, give light to my lamp; my God brightens the darkness about me. With you I can rush an armed band, with my God to help I can leap a wall. God's way is unerring; the Lord's promise is tried and true; he is a shield for all who trust in him. Truly, who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is the rock? This God who girded me with might, kept my way unerring. Who made my feet swift as a deer's, set me safe on the heights, Who trained my hands for war, my arms to bend even a bow of bronze. You have given me your protecting shield; your right hand has upheld me; you stooped to make me great. You gave me room to stride; my feet never stumbled. I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back till I destroyed them. I struck them down; they could not rise; they fell dead at my feet. You girded me with strength for war, subdued adversaries at my feet. My foes you put to flight before me; those who hated me I destroyed. They cried for help, but no one saved them; cried to the Lord but got no answer. I ground them fine as dust in the wind; like mud in the streets I trampled them down. You rescued me from the strife of peoples; you made me head over nations. A people I had not known became my slaves; as soon as they heard of me they obeyed. Foreigners cringed before me; their courage failed; they came trembling from their fortresses. The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock! Exalted be God, my savior! O God who granted me vindication, made peoples subject to me, and preserved me from my enemies. Truly you have exalted me above my adversaries, from the violent you have rescued me. Thus I will proclaim you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing the praises of your name. You have given great victories to your king, and shown kindness to your anointed, to David and his posterity forever. PSALM 19 God's Glory in the Heavens and in the Law For the leader. A psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky proclaims its builder's craft. One day to the next conveys that message; one night to the next imparts that knowledge. There is no word or sound; no voice is heard. Yet their report goes forth through all the earth, their message, to the ends of the world. God has pitched there a tent for the sun; it comes forth like a bridegroom from his chamber, and like an athlete joyfully runs its course. From one end of the heavens it comes forth; its course runs through to the other; nothing escapes its heat. The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The decree of the Lord is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The command of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eye. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The statutes of the Lord are true, all of them just; more desirable than gold, than a hoard of purest gold, sweeter also than honey or drippings from the comb. By them your servant is instructed; obeying them brings much reward. Who can detect heedless failings? Cleanse me from my unknown faults. But from willful sins keep your servant; let them never control me. Then shall I be blameless, innocent of grave sin. Let the words of my mouth meet with your favor, keep the thoughts of my heart before you, Lord, my rock and my redeemer. PSALM 20 Prayer for the King in Time of War For the leader. A psalm of David. The Lord answer you in time of distress; the name of the God of Jacob defend you! May God send you help from the temple, from Zion be your support. May God remember your every offering, graciously accept your holocaust. Grant what is in your heart, fulfill your every plan. May we shout for joy at your victory, raise the banners in the name of our God. The Lord grant your every prayer! Now I know victory is given to the anointed of the Lord. God will answer him from the holy heavens with a strong arm that brings victory. Some rely on chariots, others on horses, but we on the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we stand strong and firm. Lord, grant victory to the king; answer when we call upon you PSALM 21 Thanksgiving and Assurances for the King For the leader. A psalm of David. Lord, the king finds joy in your power; in your victory how greatly he rejoices! You have granted him his heart's desire; you did not refuse the prayer of his lips. For you welcomed him with goodly blessings; you placed on his head a crown of pure gold. He asked life of you; you gave it to him, length of days forever. Great is his glory in your victory; majesty and splendor you confer upon him. You make him the pattern of blessings forever, you gladden him with the joy of your presence. For the king trusts in the Lord, stands firm through the love of the Most High. Your hand will reach all your enemies; your right hand will reach your foes! At the time of your coming you will drive them into a furnace. Then the Lord's anger will consume them, devour them with fire. Even their descendants you will wipe out from the earth, their offspring from the human race. Though they intend evil against you, devising plots, they will not succeed. For you will put them to flight; you will aim at them with your bow. Arise, Lord, in your power! We will sing and chant the praise of your might. PSALM 22 The Prayer of an Innocent Person For the leader; according to "The deer of the dawn." A psalm of David. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why so far from my call for help, from my cries of anguish? My God, I call by day, but you do not answer; by night, but I have no relief. Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the glory of Israel. In you our ancestors trusted; they trusted and you rescued them. To you they cried out and they escaped; in you they trusted and were not disappointed. But I am a worm, hardly human, scorned by everyone, despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they curl their lips and jeer; they shake their heads at me. You relied on the Lord, let him deliver you; if he loves you, let him rescue you. Yet you drew me forth from the womb, made me safe at my mother's breast. Upon you I was thrust from the womb; since birth you are my God. Do not stay far from me, for trouble is near, and there is no one to help. Many bulls surround me; fierce bulls of Bashan encircle me. They open their mouths against me, lions that rend and roar. Like water my life drains away; all my bones grow soft. My heart has become like wax, it melts away within me. As dry as a potsherd is my throat; my tongue sticks to my palate; you lay me in the dust of death. Many dogs surround me; a pack of evildoers closes in on me. So wasted are my hands and feet that I can count all my bones. They stare at me and gloat; they divide my garments among them; for my clothing they cast lots. But you, Lord, do not stay far off; my strength, come quickly to help me. Deliver me from the sword, my forlorn life from the teeth of the dog. Save me from the lion's mouth, my poor life from the horns of wild bulls. Then I will proclaim your name to the assembly; in the community I will praise you: "You who fear the Lord, give praise! All descendants of Jacob, give honor; show reverence, all descendants of Israel! For God has not spurned or disdained the misery of this poor wretch, Did not turn away from me, but heard me when I cried out. I will offer praise in the great assembly; my vows I will fulfill before those who fear him. The poor will eat their fill; those who seek the Lord will offer praise. May your hearts enjoy life forever!" All the ends of the earth will worship and turn to the Lord; all the families of nations will bow low before you. For kingship belongs to the Lord, the ruler over the nations. All who sleep in the earth will bow low before God; all who have gone down into the dust will kneel in homage. And I will live for the Lord; my descendants will serve you. The generation to come will be told of the Lord, that they may proclaim to a people yet unborn the deliverance you have brought. PSALM 23 The Lord, Shepherd and Host A psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. In green pastures you let me graze; to safe waters you lead me; you restore my strength. You guide me along the right path for the sake of your name. Even when I walk through a dark valley, I fear no harm for you are at my side; your rod and staff give me courage. You set a table before me as my enemies watch; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Only goodness and love will pursue me all the days of my life; I will dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come. PSALM 24 The Glory of God in Procession to Zion A psalm of David. The earth is the Lord's and all it holds, the world and those who live there. For God founded it on the seas, established it over the rivers. Who may go up the mountain of the Lord? Who can stand in his holy place? "The clean of hand and pure of heart, who are not devoted to idols, who have not sworn falsely. They will receive blessings from the Lord, and justice from their saving God. Such are the people that love the Lord, that seek the face of the God of Jacob." Lift up your heads, O gates; rise up, you ancient portals, that the king of glory may enter. Who is this king of glory? The Lord, a mighty warrior, the Lord, mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O gates; rise up, you ancient portals, that the king of glory may enter. Who is this king of glory? The Lord of hosts is the king of glory. PSALM 25 Confident Prayer for Forgiveness and Guidance Of David I wait for you, O Lord; I lift up my soul to my God. In you I trust; do not let me be disgraced; do not let my enemies gloat over me. No one is disgraced who waits for you, but only those who lightly break faith. Make known to me your ways, Lord; teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior. For you I wait all the long day, because of your goodness, Lord. Remember your compassion and love, O Lord; for they are ages old. Remember no more the sins of my youth; remember me only in light of your love. Good and upright is the Lord, who shows sinners the way, Guides the humble rightly, and teaches the humble the way. All the paths of the Lord are faithful love toward those who honor the covenant demands. For the sake of your name, Lord, pardon my guilt, though it is great. Who are those who fear the Lord? God shows them the way to choose. They live well and prosper, and their descendants inherit the land. The counsel of the Lord belongs to the faithful; the covenant instructs them. My eyes are ever upon the Lord, who frees my feet from the snare. Look upon me, have pity on me, for I am alone and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart; bring me out of my distress. Put an end to my affliction and suffering; take away all my sins. See how many are my enemies, see how fiercely they hate me. Preserve my life and rescue me; do not let me be disgraced, for I trust in you. Let honesty and virtue preserve me; I wait for you, O Lord. Redeem Israel, God, from all its distress! PSALM 26 Prayer of Innocence Of David Grant me justice, Lord! I have walked without blame. In the Lord I have trusted; I have not faltered. Test me, Lord, and try me; search my heart and mind. Your love is before my eyes; I walk guided by your faithfulness. I do not sit with deceivers, nor with hypocrites do I mingle. I hate the company of evildoers; with the wicked I do not sit. I will wash my hands in innocence and walk round your altar, Lord, Lifting my voice in thanks, recounting all your wondrous deeds. Lord, I love the house where you dwell, the tenting-place of your glory. Do not take me away with sinners, nor my life with the violent. Their hands carry out their schemes; their right hands are full of bribes. But I walk without blame; redeem me, be gracious to me! My foot stands on level ground; in assemblies I will bless the Lord. PSALM 27 Trust in God Of David The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom do I fear? The Lord is my life's refuge; of whom am I afraid? When evildoers come at me to devour my flesh, These my enemies and foes themselves stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart does not fear; Though war be waged against me, even then do I trust. One thing I ask of the Lord; this I seek: To dwell in the Lord's house all the days of my life, To gaze on the Lord's beauty, to visit his temple. For God will hide me in his shelter in time of trouble, Will conceal me in the cover of his tent; and set me high upon a rock. Even now my head is held high above my enemies on every side! I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and chant praise to the Lord. I Hear my voice, Lord, when I call; have mercy on me and answer me. "Come," says my heart, "seek God's face"; your face, Lord, do I seek! Do not hide your face from me; do not repel your servant in anger. You are my help; do not cast me off; do not forsake me, God my savior! Even if my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will take me in. Lord, show me your way; lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Do not abandon me to the will of my foes; malicious and lying witnesses have risen against me. But I believe I shall enjoy the Lord's goodness in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord, take courage; be stouthearted, wait for the Lord! PSALM 28 Petition and Thanksgiving Of David. To you, Lord, I call; my Rock, do not be deaf to me. If you fail to answer me, I will join those who go down to the pit. Hear the sound of my pleading when I cry to you, lifting my hands toward your holy place. Do not drag me off with the wicked, with those who do wrong, who speak peace to their neighbors though evil is in their hearts. Repay them for their deeds, for the evil that they do. For the work of their hands repay them; give them what they deserve. They pay no heed to the Lord's works, to the deeds of God's hands. God will tear them down, never to be rebuilt. Blessed be the Lord, who has heard the sound of my pleading. The Lord is my strength and my shield, in whom my heart trusted and found help. So my heart rejoices; with my song I praise my God. Lord, you are the strength of your people, the saving refuge of your anointed king. Save your people, bless your inheritance; feed and sustain them forever! PSALM 29 The Lord of Majesty Acclaimed as King of the World A psalm of David. Give to the Lord, you heavenly beings, give to the Lord glory and might; Give to the Lord the glory due God's name. Bow down before the Lord's holy splendor! The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord over the mighty waters. The voice of the Lord is power; the voice of the Lord is splendor. The voice of the Lord cracks the cedars; the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon, makes Lebanon leap like a calf and Sirion like a young bull. The voice of the Lord strikes with fiery flame; the voice of the Lord rocks the desert; the Lord rocks the desert of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. All in his palace say, "Glory!" The Lord sits enthroned above the flood! The Lord reigns as king forever! May the Lord give might to his people; may the Lord bless his people with peace! PSALM 30 Thanksgiving for Deliverance A psalm. A song for the dedication of the temple. Of David. I praise you, Lord, for you raised me up and did not let my enemies rejoice over me. O Lord, my God, I cried out to you and you healed me. Lord, you brought me up from Sheol; you kept me from going down to the pit. Sing praise to the Lord, you faithful; give thanks to God's holy name. For divine anger lasts but a moment; divine favor lasts a lifetime. At dusk weeping comes for the night; but at dawn there is rejoicing. Complacent, I once said, "I shall never be shaken." Lord, when you showed me favor I stood like the mighty mountains. But when you hid your face I was struck with terror. To you, Lord, I cried out; with the Lord I pleaded for mercy: "What gain is there from my lifeblood, from my going down to the grave? Does dust give you thanks or declare your faithfulness? Hear, O Lord, have mercy on me; Lord, be my helper." You changed my mourning into dancing; you took off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness. With my whole being I sing endless praise to you. O Lord, my God, forever will I give you thanks. PSALM 31 Prayer in Distress and Thanksgiving for Escape For the leader. A psalm of David. In you, Lord, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your justice deliver me; incline your ear to me; make haste to rescue me! Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to save me. You are my rock and my fortress; for your name's sake lead and guide me. Free me from the net they have set for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hands I commend my spirit; you will redeem me, Lord, faithful God. You hate those who serve worthless idols, but I trust in the Lord. I will rejoice and be glad in your love, once you have seen my misery, observed my distress. You will not abandon me into enemy hands, but will set my feet in a free and open space. Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am in distress; with grief my eyes are wasted, my soul and body spent. My life is worn out by sorrow, my years by sighing. My strength fails in affliction; my bones are consumed. To all my foes I am a thing of scorn, to my neighbors, a dreaded sight, a horror to my friends. When they see me in the street, they quickly shy away. I am forgotten, out of mind like the dead; I am like a shattered dish. I hear the whispers of the crowd; terrors are all around me. They conspire against me; they plot to take my life. But I trust in you, Lord; I say, "You are my God." My times are in your hands; rescue me from my enemies, from the hands of my pursuers. Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your kindness. Do not let me be put to shame, for I have called to you, Lord. Put the wicked to shame; reduce them to silence in Sheol. Strike dumb their lying lips, proud lips that attack the just in contempt and scorn. How great is your goodness, Lord, stored up for those who fear you. You display it for those who trust you, in the sight of all the people. You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from scheming enemies. You keep them in your abode, safe from plotting tongues. Blessed be the Lord, who has shown me wondrous love, and been for me a city most secure. Once I said in my anguish, "I am shut out from your sight." Yet you heard my plea, when I cried out to you. Love the Lord, all you faithful. The Lord protects the loyal, but repays the arrogant in full. Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. PSALM 32 Remission of Sin Of David. A maskil. Happy the sinner whose fault is removed, whose sin is forgiven. Happy those to whom the Lord imputes no guilt, in whose spirit is no deceit. As long as I kept silent, my bones wasted away; I groaned all the day. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength withered as in dry summer heat. Then I declared my sin to you; my guilt I did not hide. I said, "I confess my faults to the Lord," and you took away the guilt of my sin. Thus should all your faithful pray in time of distress. Though flood waters threaten, they will never reach them. You are my shelter; from distress you keep me; with safety you ring me round. I will instruct you and show you the way you should walk, give you counsel and watch over you. Do not be senseless like horses or mules; with bit and bridle their temper is curbed, else they will not come to you. Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but love surrounds those who trust in the Lord. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you just; exult, all you upright of heart. PSALM 33 Praise of God's Power and Providence Rejoice, you just, in the Lord; praise from the upright is fitting. Give thanks to the Lord on the harp; on the ten stringed lyre offer praise. Sing to God a new song; skillfully play with joyful chant. For the Lord's word is true; all his works are trustworthy. The Lord loves justice and right and fills the earth with goodness. By the Lord's word the heavens were made; by the breath of his mouth all their host. The waters of the sea were gathered as in a bowl; in cellars the deep was confined. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all who dwell in the world show reverence. For he spoke, and it came to be, commanded, and it stood in place. The Lord foils the plan of nations, frustrates the designs of peoples. But the plan of the Lord stands forever, wise designs through all generations. Happy the nation whose God is the Lord, the people chosen as his very own. From heaven the Lord looks down and observes the whole human race. Surveying from the royal throne all who dwell on earth. The one who fashioned the hearts of them all knows all their works. A king is not saved by a mighty army, nor a warrior delivered by great strength. Useless is the horse for safety; its great strength, no sure escape. But the Lord's eyes are upon the reverent, upon those who hope for his gracious help, Delivering them from death, keeping them alive in times of famine. Our soul waits for the Lord, who is our help and shield. For in God our hearts rejoice; in your holy name we trust. May your kindness, Lord, be upon us; we have put our hope in you. PSALM 34 Thanksgiving to God Who Delivers the Just Of David, when he feigned madness before Abimelech, who forced him to depart. I will bless the Lord at all times; praise shall be always in my mouth. My soul will glory in the Lord that the poor may hear and be glad. Magnify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, who answered me, delivered me from all my fears. Look to God that you may be radiant with joy and your faces may not blush for shame. In my misfortune I called, the Lord heard and saved me from all distress. The angel of the Lord, who encamps with them, delivers all who fear God. Learn to savor how good the Lord is; happy are those who take refuge in him. Fear the Lord, you holy ones; nothing is lacking to those who fear him. The powerful grow poor and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who among you loves life, takes delight in prosperous days? Keep your tongue from evil, your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The Lord has eyes for the just and ears for their cry. The Lord's face is against evildoers to wipe out their memory from the earth. When the just cry out, the Lord hears and rescues them from all distress. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, saves those whose spirit is crushed. Many are the troubles of the just, but the Lord delivers from them all. God watches over all their bones; not a one shall be broken. Evil will slay the wicked; those who hate the just are condemned. The Lord redeems loyal servants; no one is condemned whose refuge is God. PSALM 35 Prayer for Help against Unjust Enemies Of David. Oppose, Lord, those who oppose me; war upon those who make war upon me. Take up the shield and buckler; rise up in my defense. Brandish lance and battle-ax against my pursuers. Say to my heart, "I am your salvation." Let those who seek my life be put to shame and disgrace. Let those who plot evil against me be turned back and confounded. Make them like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the Lord driving them on. Make their way slippery and dark, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them. Without cause they set their snare for me; without cause they dug a pit for me. Let ruin overtake them unawares; let the snare they have set catch them; let them fall into the pit they have dug. Then I will rejoice in the Lord, exult in God's salvation. My very bones shall say, "O Lord, who is like you, Who rescue the afflicted from the powerful, the afflicted and needy from the despoiler?" Malicious witnesses come forward, accuse me of things I do not know. They repay me evil for good and I am all alone. Yet I, when they were ill, put on sackcloth, afflicted myself with fasting, sobbed my prayers upon my bosom. I went about in grief as for my brother, bent in mourning as for my mother. Yet when I stumbled they gathered with glee, gathered against me like strangers. They slandered me without ceasing; without respect they mocked me, gnashed their teeth against me. Lord, how long will you look on? Save me from roaring beasts, my precious life from lions! Then I will thank you in the great assembly; I will praise you before the mighty throng. Do not let lying foes smirk at me, my undeserved enemies wink knowingly. They speak no words of peace, but against the quiet in the land they fashion deceitful speech. They open wide their mouths against me. They say, "Aha! Good! Our eyes relish the sight!" You see this, Lord; do not be silent; Lord, do not withdraw from me. Awake, be vigilant in my defense, in my cause, my God and my Lord. Defend me because you are just, Lord; my God, do not let them gloat over me. Do not let them say in their hearts, "Aha! Just what we wanted!" Do not let them say, "We have devoured that one!" Put to shame and confound all who relish my misfortune. Clothe with shame and disgrace those who Lord it over me. But let those who favor my just cause shout for joy and be glad. May they ever say, "Exalted be the Lord who delights in the peace of his loyal servant." Then my tongue shall recount your justice, declare your praise, all the day long. PSALM 36 Human Wickedness and Divine Providence For the leader. Of David, the servant of the Lord. Sin directs the heart of the wicked; their eyes are closed to the fear of God. For they live with the delusion: their guilt will not be known and hated. Empty and false are the words of their mouth; they have ceased to be wise and do good. In their beds they hatch plots; they set out on a wicked way; they do not reject evil. Lord, your love reaches to heaven; your fidelity, to the clouds. Your justice is like the highest mountains; your judgments, like the mighty deep; all living creatures you sustain, Lord. How precious is your love, O God! We take refuge in the shadow of your wings. We feast on the rich food of your house; from your delightful stream you give us drink. For with you is the fountain of life, and in your light we see light. Continue your kindness toward your friends, your just defense of the honest heart. Do not let the foot of the proud overtake me, nor the hand of the wicked disturb me. There make the evildoers fall; thrust them down, never to rise. PSALM 37 The Fate of Sinners and the Reward of the Just Of David. Do not be provoked by evildoers; do not envy those who do wrong. Like grass they wither quickly; like green plants they wilt away. Trust in the Lord and do good that you may dwell in the land and live secure. Find your delight in the Lord who will give you your heart's desire. Commit your way to the Lord; trust that God will act and make your integrity shine like the dawn, your vindication like noonday. Be still before the Lord; wait for God. Do not be provoked by the prosperous, nor by malicious schemers. Give up your anger, abandon your wrath; do not be provoked; it brings only harm. Those who do evil will be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord will possess the land. Wait a little, and the wicked will be no more; look for them and they will not be there. But the poor will possess the land, will delight in great prosperity. The wicked plot against the just and grind their teeth at them; But the Lord laughs at them, knowing their day is coming. The wicked draw their swords; They string their bows; To fell the poor and oppressed, to slaughter those whose way is honest. Their swords will pierce their own hearts; their bows will be broken. Better the poverty of the just than the great wealth of the wicked. The arms of the wicked will be broken; the Lord will sustain the just. The Lord watches over the days of the blameless; their heritage lasts forever. They will not be disgraced when times are hard; in days of famine they will have plenty. The wicked perish, the enemies of the Lord; Like the beauty of meadows they vanish; like smoke they disappear. The wicked borrow but do not repay; the just are generous in giving. For those blessed by the Lord will possess the land, but those accursed will be cut off. Those whose steps are guided by the Lord; whose way God approves, May stumble, but they will never fall, for the Lord holds their hand. Neither in my youth, nor now in old age have I ever seen the just abandoned or their children begging bread. The just always lend generously, and their children become a blessing. Turn from evil and do good, that you may inhabit the land forever. For the Lord loves justice and does not abandon the faithful. When the unjust are destroyed and the children of the wicked cut off; the just will possess the land and live in it forever. The mouths of the just utter wisdom; their tongues speak what is right. God's teaching is in their hearts; their steps do not falter. The wicked spy on the just and seek to kill them. But the Lord does not leave the just in their power, nor let them be condemned when tried. Wait eagerly for the Lord, and keep to the way; God will raise you to possess the land; you will gloat when the wicked are cut off. I have seen ruthless scoundrels, strong as flourishing cedars. When I passed by again, they were gone; though I searched, they could not be found. Observe the honest, mark the upright; those at peace with God have a future. But all sinners will be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off. The salvation of the just is from the Lord, their refuge in time of distress. The Lord helps and rescues them, rescues and saves them from the wicked, because in God they take refuge. PSALM 38 Prayer of an Afflicted Sinner A psalm of David. For remembrance. Lord, punish me no more in your anger; in your wrath do not chastise me! Your arrows have sunk deep in me; your hand has come down upon me. My flesh is afflicted because of your anger; my frame aches because of my sin. My iniquities overwhelm me, a burden beyond my strength. Foul and festering are my sores because of my folly. I am stooped and deeply bowed; all day I go about mourning. My loins burn with fever; my flesh is afflicted. I am numb and utterly crushed; I wail with anguish of heart. My Lord, my deepest yearning is before you; my groaning is not hidden from you. My heart shudders, my strength forsakes me; the very light of my eyes has failed. Friends and companions shun my pain; my neighbors stand far off. Those who seek my life lay snares for me; they seek my misfortune, they speak of ruin; they plot treachery all the day. But I am like the deaf, hearing nothing, like the dumb, saying nothing; Like someone who does not hear, who has no answer ready. Lord, I wait for you; O Lord, my God, answer me. For I fear they will gloat, exult over me if I stumble. I am very near to falling; my pain is with me always. I acknowledge my guilt and grieve over my sin. But many are my foes without cause, a multitude of enemies without reason; Repaying me evil for good, harassing me for pursuing good. Forsake me not, O Lord; my God, be not far from me! Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my salvation! PSALM 39 The Vanity of Life For the leader, for Jeduthun. A psalm of David. I said, "I will watch my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I will set a curb on my mouth." Dumb and silent before the wicked, I refrained from any speech. But my sorrow increased; my heart smoldered within me. In my thoughts a fire blazed up, and I broke into speech: Lord, let me know my end, the number of my days, that I may learn how frail I am. You have given my days a very short span; my life is as nothing before you. All mortals are but a breath. Mere phantoms, we go our way; mere vapor, our restless pursuits; we heap up stores without knowing for whom. And now, Lord, what future do I have? You are my only hope. From all my sins deliver me; let me not be the taunt of fools. I was silent and did not open my mouth because you were the one who did this. Take your plague away from me; I am ravaged by the touch of your hand. You rebuke our guilt and chasten us; you dissolve all we prize like a cobweb. All mortals are but a breath. Listen to my prayer, Lord, hear my cry; do not be deaf to my weeping! I sojourn with you like a passing stranger, a guest, like all my ancestors. Turn your gaze from me, that I may find peace before I depart to be no more. PSALM 40 Gratitude and Prayer for Help For the leader. A psalm of David. I waited, waited for the Lord; who bent down and heard my cry, drew me out of the pit of destruction, out of the mud of the swamp, set my feet upon rock, steadied my steps, and put a new song in my mouth, a hymn to our God. Many shall look on in awe and they shall trust in the Lord. Happy those whose trust is the Lord, who turn not to idolatry or to those who stray after falsehood. How numerous, O Lord, my God, you have made your wondrous deeds! And in your plans for us there is none to equal you. Should I wish to declare or tell them, too many are they to recount. Sacrifice and offering you do not want; but ears open to obedience you gave me. Holocausts and sin offerings you do not require; so I said, "Here I am; your commands for me are written in the scroll. To do your will is my delight; my God, your law is in my heart!" I announced your deed to a great assembly; I did not restrain my lips; you, Lord, are my witness. Your deed I did not hide within my heart; your loyal deliverance I have proclaimed. I made no secret of your enduring kindness to a great assembly. Lord, do not withhold your compassion from me; may your enduring kindness ever preserve me. For all about me are evils beyond count; my sins so overcome me I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head; my courage fails me. Lord, graciously rescue me! Come quickly to help me, Lord! Put to shame and confound all who seek to take my life. Turn back in disgrace those who desire my ruin. Let those who say "Aha!" know dismay and shame. But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. May those who long for your help always say, "The Lord be glorified." Though I am afflicted and poor, the Lord keeps me in mind. You are my help and deliverer; my God, do not delay! PSALM 41 Thanksgiving after Sickness For the leader. A psalm of David. Happy those concerned for the lowly and poor; when misfortune strikes, the Lord delivers them. The Lord keeps and preserves them, makes them happy in the land, and does not betray them to their enemies. The Lord sustains them on their sickbed, allays the malady when they are ill. Once I prayed, "Lord, have mercy on me; heal me, I have sinned against you. My enemies say the worst of me: 'When will that one die and be forgotten?' When people come to visit me, they speak without sincerity. Their hearts store up malice; they leave and spread their vicious lies. My foes all whisper against me; they imagine the worst about me: I have a deadly disease, they say; I will never rise from my sickbed. Even the friend who had my trust, who shared my table, has scorned me. But you, Lord, have mercy and raise me up that I may repay them as they deserve." By this I know you are pleased with me, that my enemy no longer jeers at me. For my integrity you have supported me and let me stand in your presence forever. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from all eternity and forever. Amen. Amen.