The Ways of the Righteous and the Wicked

¹ Blessed is the man who does not walk in the advice of the wicked; nor does he stand in the way of sinners; nor does he sit in the assembly of mockers.

² Instead, in the law of Yahweh is his delight, and on his law he meditates day and night.

³ And so, he is like a tree planted by streams of water that gives its fruit in its season; its leaf also does not wither. Therefore all that he does prospers.

⁴ Not so the wicked. Instead, they are like the chaff that the wind scatters.

⁵ Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;

⁶ for Yahweh knows the way of the righteous,¹ but the way of the wicked will perish.

1. Plural

The Messiah’s Reign

¹ Why are nations in tumult, and countries plotting¹ in vain?²

1. Or “muttering”
2. Or “an empty thing”

² The kings of the earth establish themselves, and the rulers conspire¹ together against Yahweh and his anointed:

1. Or “make themselves firm”

³ “Let us tear off their bonds, and cast their cords from us!”

⁴ He who sits enthroned in the heavens laughs. The Lord derides them.

⁵ Then he speaks to them in his wrath, and in his fury he terrifies them:

⁶ “But as for me, I have set my king on Zion, my holy mountain.”

⁷ I will tell the decree; Yahweh said to me: “You are my son; today I have begotten you.

⁸ Ask from me and I will make the nations your heritage, and your possession the ends of the earth.

⁹ You will break them with an iron rod. Like a potter’s vessel you will shatter them.”

¹⁰ So then, O kings, be wise. Be warned, O rulers of the earth.

¹¹ Serve Yahweh with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

¹² Kiss the Son lest he be angry and you perish on the way, for his anger burns quickly. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

A Call to Yahweh in Distress

¹ A psalm of David at his fleeing from the presence of Absalom, his son.¹ Yahweh, how many are my enemies; many are rising against me.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² Many are saying about my soul, “There is no deliverance for him from¹ God. Selah²

1. Or “in”
2. Meaning uncertain; probably a musical or liturgical direction

³ But¹ you, Yahweh, are a shield around me, my glory and the one who lifts up my head.

1. Or “And”

⁴ With my voice I call to Yahweh and he answers me from ⌞his holy hill⌟.¹ Selah

1. Literally “the hill of his holiness”

⁵ I lay down and slept; I woke up because Yahweh sustains me.

⁶ I am not afraid of the ten thousands of people who all around have set themselves against me.

⁷ Rise up, O Yahweh; deliver me, O my God; for you strike all my enemies on the cheek. The teeth of the wicked you break.

⁸ To Yahweh belongs deliverance; may your blessing be over your people. Selah

Safety in Yahweh

¹ For the music director; with stringed instruments. A psalm of David.¹ When I call, answer me, O God of my righteousness.² In trouble ⌞deliver me⌟.³ Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
2. Or “vindication”
3. Literally “make wide for me”

² O sons of man, how long will my honor¹ be a disgrace? How long will you love vanity? How long will you seek lies?² Selah

1. Or “glory”
2. Or “falsehood”

³ But know that Yahweh has set apart¹ for himself the faithful one.² Yahweh hears when I call to him.

1. Or “treated specially”
2. Or “pious, godly one”

⁴ Be disturbed but do not sin. Commune in your heart¹ on your bed and be silent. Selah

1. That is, “think it over”

⁵ Offer correct sacrifices,¹ and ⌞trust in⌟² Yahweh.

1. Or “right sacrifices”
2. Literally “trust to”

⁶ Many are saying, “Who will show us something good?” Lift up over¹ us the light of your face, O Yahweh.

1. Or “upon”

⁷ You have put gladness in my heart more than ⌞when⌟¹ their grain and their wine abound.

1. Literally “the time of”

⁸ In peace I will lie down and sleep ⌞at once⌟,¹ for you alone, O Yahweh, make me dwell safely.

1. Literally “together”

A Prayer for Guidance and Protection

¹ For the music director; with the flutes. A psalm of David.¹ Hear my words, O Yahweh. Give heed to my sighing.²

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
2. Or “murmuring”

² Listen to the sound of my pleading,¹ my king and my God, for to you I pray.

1. Or “cry for help”

³ O Yahweh, in the morning you will hear my voice. In the morning I will set forth¹ my case to you and I will watch.²

1. Or “present”
2. Or “look expectantly”

⁴ For you are not a God who desires¹ wickedness. Evil cannot dwell with you.

1. Or “takes delight in”

⁵ The boastful do not stand before¹ your eyes. You hate all evildoers.

1. Or “in front of”

⁶ You destroy speakers of lies.¹ ⌞A man of bloodshed⌟² and deceit Yahweh abhors.

1. Hebrew “lie”
2. Literally “a man of bloods”

⁷ ⌞But as for me⌟,¹ through the abundance of your steadfast love² I will enter your house.³ I will bow down⁴ toward ⌞your holy temple⌟⁵ in awe of you.

1. Literally “And I”
2. Or “covenant love”
3. Or “temple”
4. Or “I will worship”
5. Literally “the temple of your holiness”

⁸ O Yahweh, lead me in your righteousness because of my enemies; make straight before me your way.

⁹ For there is not anything reliable in his mouth; their inner part is destruction.¹ Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit.²

1. Hebrew “destructions”
2. Or “flattery; smooth words”

¹⁰ Treat them as guilty, O God; let them fall because of their plans. Because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you.

¹¹ But let all who take shelter in you rejoice. Let them ever¹ sing for joy, ⌞because⌟² you spread protection over them; And let those³ who love your name exult in you.

1. Or “perpetually”
2. Literally “and”
3. Or “So that those”

¹² For you bless the righteous. O Yahweh, like a¹ shield you surround him with good favor.

1. Hebrew “the”

An Appeal for Forgiveness and Deliverance

¹ For the music director; with stringed instruments, on the Sheminith.¹ A psalm of David.² O Yahweh, do not rebuke me in your anger, and do not discipline me in your wrath.

1. Hebrew “upon the eighth”; meaning uncertain
2. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² Be gracious to me, O Yahweh, because I am feeble. Heal me, O Yahweh, for my bones are terrified.

³ My soul is also very terrified. But you, O Yahweh, how long?

⁴ Turn, O Yahweh; deliver my life.¹ Save me for the sake of your steadfast love.²

1. Or “my soul”; same word as in v. 3
2. Or “loyal love”

⁵ For there is no remembrance of you in death. In Sheol, who will give thanks to you?

⁶ I am weary with my groaning; ⌞I flood⌟¹ my bed every night. With my tears ⌞I drench⌟² my couch.

1. Literally “I make my bed float”
2. Literally “I cause to melt”

⁷ My eye wastes away because of vexation; it grows old because of all my oppressors.

⁸ Depart from me, all workers of evil, for Yahweh has heard the sound of my weeping.

⁹ Yahweh has heard my plea; Yahweh has accepted my prayer.

¹⁰ All my enemies shall be ashamed and shall be very terrified. They shall turn back; they shall suddenly be ashamed.

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

¹ A Shiggaion¹ of David which he sang to Yahweh on account of Cush, a Benjaminite.² O Yahweh, my God, in you I have taken refuge. Save me from all who pursue me, and deliver me.

1. Meaning uncertain; perhaps a lamentation
2. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² Or else he will tear me apart like a lion, ripping to pieces, with none to deliver.

³ O Yahweh, my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands,

⁴ if I have repaid ⌞my ally⌟¹ with harm, or if I have plundered my enemy without cause,

1. Literally “one being at peace with me”

⁵ let the enemy of my soul pursue, and overtake and trample my life into the ground, and lay my honor in the dust. Selah

⁶ Rise up, O Yahweh, in your anger, and lift yourself up against the wrath¹ of my oppressors, and awake for me, since you have commanded judgment.

1. Or “outbursts”

⁷ And let the assembly of peoples surround you, and over it return on high.

⁸ Yahweh judges the nations. O Yahweh, vindicate me according to my innocence¹ and according to my integrity within me.

1. Or “righteousness”

⁹ Let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous, and test the hearts and innermost being, O righteous God.

¹⁰ My shield is with God who saves the upright of heart.

¹¹ God is a righteous judge, and a God who has indignation every day.

¹² If he¹ does not repent, he² will sharpen his sword. He has bent his bow and he has ⌞strung⌟³ it.

1. That is, a person
2. That is, God
3. Literally “prepared”

¹³ And he has prepared for him weapons of death. He has made his arrows fiery shafts.

¹⁴ See, he¹ travails with² evil. He is pregnant with trouble, and he gives birth to deception.

1. That is, the wicked
2. Or “conceives”

¹⁵ He makes a pit and digs it out, then falls in the trap he has made.

¹⁶ His trouble comes back on his head, and his violence comes down on his skull.

¹⁷ I will thank Yahweh according to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of Yahweh, the Most High.

Yahweh’s Glory in Creation

¹ For the music director, on the Gittith.¹ A psalm of David.² Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth, who put your splendor above the heavens.

1. Meaning uncertain
2. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² From the mouth of children and infants you have founded¹ strength on account of your enemies, to silence the enemy and the avenger.

1. Or “ordained”

³ When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you set in place—

⁴ what is a human being that you think of him? and a child of humankind that you care for him?

⁵ And you made him a little lower than heavenly beings,¹ and with glory and with majesty you crowned him.

1. Or “than God”

⁶ You make him over the works of your hands; all things you have placed under his feet:

⁷ sheep and cattle, all of them, and also the wild animals of the field,

⁸ the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea, everything that passes along the paths of seas.

⁹ Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all of the earth!

Praise for Yahweh’s Justice

¹ For the music director, according to Muth-labben.¹ A psalm of David.² I will thank Yahweh with all my heart. I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.

1. Meaning uncertain
2. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² I will be glad and rejoice in you. I will sing the praise of your name, O Most High.

³ When my enemies turn back, they will stumble and perish because of your presence.

⁴ For you have maintained my just cause; you have sat on the throne judging correctly.

⁵ You have rebuked the nations; you have destroyed the wicked. Their name you have blotted out forever and ever.

⁶ The enemies are destroyed in ruins forever, and you have uprooted their cities; their very memory has perished.

⁷ But Yahweh sits enthroned forever. He has established his throne for judgment.

⁸ And he will judge the world with righteousness. He will judge the peoples with equity.

⁹ And Yahweh will be a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of distress.

¹⁰ And those who know your name will trust in you, for you do not forsake those who seek you, O Yahweh.

¹¹ Sing praises to Yahweh who sits enthroned¹ in Zion. Tell his deeds among the peoples,

1. Or “who dwells”

¹² for he who ⌞avenges bloodshed⌟¹ remembers them. He does not forget the distressed cry of the afflicted.

1. Literally “seeks bloods”

¹³ Be gracious to me, O Yahweh. See my suffering from those who hate me, you who lift me up from the gates of death,

¹⁴ so that I may tell of all your praises. In the gates of the daughter of Zion let me rejoice in your salvation.

¹⁵ The nations have fallen in the pit that they made; their foot is caught in the net that they hid.

¹⁶ Yahweh has made himself known; he has executed judgment. The wicked is snared by the work of his hands. Higgaion¹ Selah

1. Hebrew musical term

¹⁷ The wicked shall turn back to Sheol, all the nations forgetting God,

¹⁸ for the needy shall not always be forgotten; the hope of the poor shall never perish.

¹⁹ Rise up, O Yahweh, let not humans¹ prevail; let the nations be judged before you.

1. Hebrew “human”

²⁰ O Yahweh, put them in fear. Let the nations know they are merely human. Selah

A Prayer for God to Throw down the Wicked

¹ Why, O Yahweh, do you stand far off? Why do you hide¹ during times of distress?

1. Or “shut your eyes”

² In arrogance the wicked persecutes¹ the poor. Let them be caught in the schemes that they devised,

1. Or “pursues”

³ for the wicked boasts about the desire of his ⌞heart⌟,¹ and the one greedy for gain curses and treats Yahweh with contempt.

1. Literally “soul”

⁴ ⌞With bald-faced pride⌟¹ the wicked will not seek God. There is no God in any of his thoughts.

1. Literally “According to the height of his nose”

⁵ His ways¹ endure at all times.² Your judgments are aloof from him. As for all his enemies, he scoffs at them.

1. According to the reading tradition (Qere)
2. Hebrew “time”

⁶ He says in his heart, “I shall not be moved ⌞throughout all generations⌟,¹ during which I will have no trouble.”

1. Literally “for a generation and a generation”

⁷ His mouth is filled with cursing, with deceits and oppression; under his tongue are trouble and evil.

⁸ He sits in ambush in villages; in the hiding places he kills the innocent. His eyes ⌞lurk⌟¹ for the helpless.

1. Literally “lie hid”

⁹ He lies in ambush ⌞secretly,⌟¹ like a lion in a thicket. He lies in ambush to seize the poor; he seizes the poor by catching him in his net.

1. Literally “in the secret places”

¹⁰ He is crushed;¹ he is bowed down;² so³ the helpless host⁴ falls by his ⌞might⌟.⁵

1. Or “and he the wicked stoops”
2. Or “he the wicked crouches”
3. Or “and”
4. According to the reading tradition (Qere)
5. Literally “mighty ones”

¹¹ He says in his heart, “God has forgotten. He has hidden his face. He never sees.”

¹² Rise up, O Yahweh; O God, lift up your hand. Do not forget the afflicted.

¹³ Why does the wicked treat God with contempt? He says in his heart, “You will not call me to account.”

¹⁴ But you have seen; indeed you have noted trouble and grief to take it into your hand. The helpless abandons himself upon you; you have been the helper for the orphan.

¹⁵ Break the arm of the wicked, and as for the evil man— seek out his wickedness until you find none.

¹⁶ Yahweh is king forever and ever; the nations have perished from his land.

¹⁷ The longing of the afflicted you have heard, O Yahweh. You will make their heart secure. You will ⌞listen attentively⌟¹

1. Literally “cause your ear to hear”

¹⁸ to render judgment for the fatherless and the oppressed so that a mere mortal from the earth will no longer cause terror.

Confidence in Yahweh’s Righteousness

¹ For the music director. Of David.¹ In Yahweh I have taken refuge; how can you say to my soul, “Flee to your mountain like a bird”?

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm

² For look: The wicked ⌞string the bow⌟.¹ They have fitted their arrow to the string, to shoot from the darkness at the upright of heart.

1. Literally “tread the bow,” that is, placing the foot on the bow to bend and string it

³ When the foundations are destroyed what can the righteous do?¹

1. Or “what has the righteous done”

⁴ Yahweh is in his holy temple; Yahweh is in the heavens on his throne. His eyelids see; they test the children of humankind.

⁵ Yahweh tests the righteous, but the wicked and the lover of violence his soul hates.

⁶ He will rain coals¹ on the wicked. Burning sulfur and scorching wind will be the portion of their cup.

1. According to Symmachus (compare also Targum Psalms) a form slightly different from the MT’s “snares”

⁷ For Yahweh is righteous; he loves righteous deeds. The upright shall see his face.

Human Faithlessness and God’s Faithfulness

¹ For the music director; on the Sheminith.¹ A psalm of David.² Save, O Yahweh, for the pious have ceased to be; for the faithful have vanished from among the children of humankind.

1. Meaning uncertain
2. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² They speak falseness ⌞to each other⌟.¹ With flattering lips, with ⌞a double heart⌟² they speak.

1. Literally “each with his companion”
2. Literally “a heart and a heart”

³ May Yahweh cut off all flattering lips, the tongue speaking great boasts—

⁴ those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail. Our lips are on our side. Who is master over us?”

⁵ “Because of the oppression of the afflicted, because of the groaning of the poor, now I will rise up,” Yahweh says. “I shall put them in the safety for which they¹ long.”

1. Hebrew “he”

⁶ The words of Yahweh are pure words like silver refined in the crucible on the ground, refined seven times.

⁷ You, O Yahweh, will protect them. You will preserve him¹ from this generation always.

1. Or “us”

⁸ The wicked prowl about when vileness is exalted among the children of humankind.

Trust in the Salvation of Yahweh

¹ For the music director. A psalm of David.¹ How long, O Yahweh? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² How long must I take counsel¹ in my soul, and sorrow in my heart all the day? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

1. Hebrew pl.; with a slight modification of the Hebrew this reads “set pains”

³ Consider¹ and answer me, O Yahweh my God. Give light to my eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death,

1. Literally “Look”

⁴ and lest my enemy should say, “I have overcome him,” lest my enemies rejoice because I am shaken.

⁵ But as for me, I have trusted in your steadfast love.¹ My heart will rejoice in your deliverance.

1. Or, “loyal love”

^{6 1} I will sing to Yahweh because he has dealt bountifully with me.

1. In the Hebrew Bible, the previous verse continues

The Folly of the Godless and God’s Final Triumph

¹ For the music director. Of David.¹ The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt. They do abominable deeds. There is none who does good.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm

² Yahweh looks down from heaven upon the children of humankind to see whether there is one who has insight, one who cares about God.

³ All have gone astray; they are altogether corrupt. There is not one who does good; there is not even one.

⁴ All who do evil—do they not know, they who eat my people as though they were eating bread? They do not call on Yahweh.

⁵ There ⌞they are very fearful⌟¹ because God is with the generation of the righteous.

1. Literally “they feared a fear”

⁶ You would put to shame the plan of the poor, because¹ Yahweh is his refuge.

1. Or “but”

⁷ ⌞Oh that from Zion⌟¹ would come salvation for Israel! When Yahweh returns the fortunes of his people, Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be happy.

1. Literally “Who will give that from Zion”

A Description of Those Who May Dwell with Yahweh

¹ A psalm of David.¹ O Yahweh, who may reside in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy mountain?

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm

² He who walks blamelessly and does what is right. He who speaks honestly in his heart.

³ He does not slander with his tongue. He does not harm his friend, nor ⌞bring up⌟¹ a disgrace against his neighbor.

1. Literally “lift up”

⁴ In his eyes a rejected one is contemptible, but he honors those who respect Yahweh. He takes an oath to his own injury and does not retract it.

⁵ He does not lend his money at interest, and does not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.

Confidence in Yahweh

¹ A miktam¹ of David.² Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in you.

1. Meaning uncertain
2. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm

² Oh my soul you have said¹ to Yahweh, “You are my Lord. I have no good apart from you.”

1. Reading a feminine singular verb; some Hebrew manuscripts and translations read “I said”

³ With regard to the saints who are in the land, they are the noble ones in whom is all my desire.

⁴ Those who hurry after¹ another god increase their sorrows. I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood, nor take up their names on my lips.

1. Or “they who acquire”

⁵ Yahweh is the portion which is my share and my cup. You hold my lot.

⁶ The measuring lines have fallen for me in pleasant places. Yes, my inheritance is delightful for me.

⁷ I will bless Yahweh who advises me; yes, at night my ⌞innermost being⌟¹ instructs me.

1. Literally “kidneys”

⁸ I have set Yahweh before me always. Because he is at my right hand I will not be shaken.

⁹ Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices. Yes, my body will dwell in safety,

¹⁰ for you will not abandon my soul to Sheol; you will not give your faithful one to see the grave.

¹¹ You will make known to me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. At your right hand are pleasures forever.

Prayer for Vindication and Protection

¹ A prayer of David.¹ O Yahweh, hear a just cause. Hear my cry; heed my prayer I make without deceitful lips.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm

² Let my vindication come forth from you; let your eyes see fairness.

³ You have tried my heart; you have examined me by night; you have tested me; you found nothing. I have decided that my mouth will not transgress.

⁴ As for the works of humankind, by the word of your lips, I have kept from the ways of the violent.

⁵ I have held my steps in your path My feet will not slip.

⁶ As for me, I have called on you because you will answer me, O God. Incline your ear to me. Hear my words.¹

1. Hebrew “word”

⁷ Show wondrously your acts of loyal love, O Savior of those who take refuge at your right hand¹ from those who rise up against them.

1. Or “saving by your right hand those”

⁸ Keep me as ⌞the apple of your eye⌟.¹ Hide me in the shadow of your wings

1. Literally “the little man of the daughter of your eye”

⁹ from the ⌞presence⌟¹ of the wicked who destroy me, those enemies against my life, they that surround me.

1. Literally “face”

¹⁰ They have shut off their calloused¹ heart; with their mouth they speak arrogantly.

1. Or “fat”

¹¹ Now they surround us at our every step. They ⌞intend⌟¹ ⌞to pin⌟² me to the ground.

1. Literally “set their eyes”
2. Literally “to stretch”

¹² ⌞He is like⌟¹ a lion; he longs to tear apart, and like a strong lion crouching in hiding places.

1. Literally “His image”

¹³ Rise up, O Yahweh, confront ⌞him⌟.¹ Make him bow down. Rescue with your sword my life from the wicked,

1. Literally “his face”

¹⁴ from men by your hand, O Yahweh, from men of this world. Their share is in ⌞this life⌟,¹ and you fill their stomach with your treasure. They are satisfied with children. They bequeath their excess to their children.

1. Literally “the life”

¹⁵ By contrast, I in righteousness shall see your face. Upon awakening I will be satisfied seeing your form.

Praise to God for His Deliverance

¹ For the music director. Of David, the servant of Yahweh, who spoke to Yahweh the words of this song ⌞when⌟¹ Yahweh delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul.² And he said: “I love you, O Yahweh, my strength.”

1. Literally “on the day”
2. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² Yahweh is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I have taken refuge, my shield and the horn of my deliverance, my stronghold.

³ I called upon Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised, and I was saved from my enemies.

⁴ The ropes of death encircled me, and streams of ruin overwhelmed me.

⁵ The ropes of Sheol surrounded me; the snares of death confronted me.

⁶ In my trouble I called on Yahweh, and to my God I cried for help. He heard my voice from his temple, and my cry for help came up before his presence into his ears.

⁷ Then the earth shook and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains trembled, and they staggered because he was angry.

⁸ Smoke went forth from his nose, and fire from his mouth consumed. Burning coals blazed from him.

⁹ So he bowed the heavens and came down with a thick cloud under his feet.

¹⁰ And he mounted a cherub and flew, and he swooped down on wings of wind.

¹¹ He made darkness his hiding place; all about him his covering was a darkness of waters, ⌞thick clouds⌟.¹

1. Literally “clouds of clouds”

¹² From the brightness before him his clouds passed over with hail and coals of fire.

¹³ And Yahweh thundered from the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice with hail and coals of fire.

¹⁴ And he shot his arrows and scattered them,¹ and many lightning bolts and routed them.

1. That is, the enemy

¹⁵ Then the channels of the sea became visible, and the foundations of the world were uncovered by your rebuke, O Yahweh, by the ⌞blast⌟¹ of the wind of your nose.

1. Or “breath”

¹⁶ He reached¹ from on high; he seized me. He drew me from many waters.

1. Or “sent”

¹⁷ He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me because they were stronger than I.

¹⁸ They confronted me on the day of disaster, but Yahweh was my support.

¹⁹ So he brought me out to a spacious place. He delivered me because he delighted in me.

²⁰ Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands he has repaid me.

²¹ Because I have kept the ways of Yahweh, and have not acted wickedly against my God,

²² because all his ordinances are before me, and his statutes I have not removed from me,

²³ and I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from my guilt.

²⁴ Therefore Yahweh has repaid me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

²⁵ To the loyal you show yourself loyal. To the blameless you show yourself blameless.

²⁶ To the pure you show yourself pure. but to the wicked you show yourself shrewd.

²⁷ For you deliver humble people, but haughty eyes you humiliate.

²⁸ For you light my lamp; Yahweh, my God, lights up my darkness.

²⁹ For with you I can charge a troop, and with my God I can scale a wall.

³⁰ This¹ God—his way is blameless. The word of Yahweh is flawless.² He is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

1. Hebrew “The”
2. Or “refined”

³¹ For who is God apart from Yahweh, and who is a rock except our God?

³² The God who girded me with strength, and made safe¹ my way,

1. Or “blameless”

³³ he made my feet like the deer’s, and on my high places he makes me stand.

³⁴ He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

³⁵ You also gave me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your humility made me great.

³⁶ You enlarged my step under me, and my ankles did not slip.

³⁷ I chased my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back until they were finished off.

³⁸ I struck them and they were not able to stand up; they fell under my feet.

³⁹ And you girded me with strength for the battle; those rising against me you made to kneel under me.

⁴⁰ And you ⌞made my enemies turn their backs⌟,¹ then I destroyed those who hated me.

1. Literally “turned to me my enemies’ neck”

⁴¹ They cried out but there was no rescuer, even to Yahweh, but he did not answer them.

⁴² And I ground them like dust ⌞in the wind⌟,¹ I emptied them² out like mud of the streets.

1. Literally “on the face of the wind”
2. Many Hebrew manuscripts, the LXX, Syriac, and 2 Sam 22:43 read “I crushed them”

⁴³ You rescued me from strife with people; you set me as head (over) nations. People I did not know served me;

⁴⁴ as soon as ⌞they heard⌟,¹ they obeyed me. The children of a foreign land feigned obedience before me.

1. Literally “hearing of ear”

⁴⁵ The children of a foreign land ⌞lost heart⌟,¹ and they came trembling from their strongholds.

1. Literally “sunk down”

⁴⁶ Yahweh lives, and blessed be my rock, and may the God of my salvation be exalted—

⁴⁷ the God who executed vengeance for me, and subdued peoples under me,

⁴⁸ who delivered me from my enemies. Indeed, you exalted me higher than those who rose against me. You delivered me from the man of violence.

⁴⁹ Therefore I will give thanks to you among the nations, O Yahweh, and I will sing the praise of your name:

⁵⁰ the one who makes great victories for his king, and who shows loyal love for his anointed, to David and to his descendants forever.

Yahweh’s Creation and Law

¹ For the music director. A psalm of David.¹ The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² ⌞Every day⌟¹ they pour forth speech, and ⌞every night⌟² they tell knowledge.

1. Literally “day to day”
2. Literally “night to night”

³ There is no speech and there are no words; their sound is inaudible.

⁴ Yet in all the world their line¹ goes out, and their words to the end of the world. In them² he has pitched a tent for the sun,

1. LXX “line”
2. That is, the heavens

⁵ and it is like a bridegroom who comes out of his bridal chamber. It is glad like a strong man to run its course.

⁶ Its rising is from one¹ end of the heavens and its circuit to the other end² of them; and nothing is hidden from its heat.

1. Hebrew “the”
2. Hebrew “ends”

⁷ The law of Yahweh is perfect, reviving life.¹ The testimony of Yahweh is firm, making wise the simple.

1. Or “soul”

⁸ The precepts of Yahweh are right, making the heart rejoice. The command of Yahweh is pure, enlightening the eyes.

⁹ The fear of Yahweh is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of Yahweh are true; they are righteous altogether,

¹⁰ more desirable than gold, even much fine gold; and sweeter than honey, even honey in the comb.

¹¹ Moreover, your servant is warned¹ by them; in keeping them is great reward.

1. Or “illumined”

¹² Who can perceive his errors? Acquit me from hidden faults.

¹³ Also, keep back your servant from arrogant sins;¹ let them not rule over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression.

1. Usage elsewhere might suggest “arrogant people”

¹⁴ Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your presence, O Yahweh, my rock and my redeemer.

God’s Blessing on the King

¹ For the music director. A psalm of David.¹ May Yahweh answer you in the day of trouble. May the name of Jacob’s God protect² you.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
2. The sense is that of making something inaccessibly high, like a fortress

² May he send you help¹ from the sanctuary, and from Zion may he sustain you.

1. Hebrew “your help”

³ May he remember all your offerings, and your burnt offering may he ⌞regard favorably⌟.¹

1. Literally “find to be fat”

⁴ May he give to you ⌞your heart’s desire⌟,¹ and your every plan may he fulfill. Selah

1. Literally “according to your heart”

⁵ May we shout for joy over your victory, and in the name of our God may we set up banners. May Yahweh fulfill all your requests.

⁶ Now I know that Yahweh will help his anointed.¹ He will answer him from his holy heaven with the victorious power of his right hand.

1. Hebrew “messiah”

⁷ ⌞Some boast in chariots and others in horses⌟,¹ but we boast in the name of Yahweh, our God.

1. Literally “These in the chariots and those in the horses”

⁸ They will collapse and fall, and we will rise and stand firm.

⁹ Rescue,¹ O Yahweh. Let the king answer us when we call.

1. Or “Grant victory”

Joy in the Salvation of Yahweh

¹ For the music director. A psalm of David.¹ O Yahweh, the king will rejoice in your strength, and how greatly he will delight in your help.²

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
2. Or “victory”

² You have given him the desire of his heart, and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah

³ For you meet him with blessings of good things. You set on his head a crown of fine gold.

⁴ He asked life from you; you gave it to him— length of days forever and ever.

⁵ His honor is great because of your help.¹ Splendor and majesty you have bestowed upon him.

1. Or “victory”

⁶ For you set on him blessings forever. You make him glad with the joy of your presence.

⁷ Because the king trusts Yahweh, and through the steadfast love¹ of the Most High he shall not be moved.

1. Or “loyal love”

⁸ Your hand will find all your enemies; your right hand will find those who hate you.

⁹ You will make them like your fiery furnace at the time of your appearance. Yahweh will swallow them in his wrath and fire will consume them.

¹⁰ You will destroy their ⌞offspring⌟¹ from the earth, and their ⌞descendants⌟² from among the children of humankind.

1. Literally “fruit”
2. Literally “seed”

¹¹ Though they have ⌞plotted⌟¹ evil against you, though they have planned a scheme, they will not prevail.

1. Literally “spread out”

¹² For you will ⌞turn them to flight⌟;¹ you will aim arrows on your bowstrings at their faces.

1. Literally “make them a shoulder”

¹³ Be exalted, O Yahweh, in your strength, and we sing and praise your power.

Suffering and Waiting for Deliverance

¹ For the music director; according to The Doe of the Dawn. A psalm of David.¹ My God, my God why have you forsaken me? Why are you far from helping me, far from the words of my groaning?

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² O my God, I call by day and you do not answer, and by night but I have no rest.¹

1. Or “I am not silent”

³ Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.

⁴ Our ancestors¹ trusted you; they trusted and you delivered them.

1. Or “fathers”

⁵ They cried to you and were saved; they trusted you and were not ashamed.

⁶ But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by humankind and despised by people.

⁷ All who see me mock me. They open wide their lips; they shake the head, saying:

⁸ “⌞He trusts Yahweh⌟.¹ Let him rescue him. Let him deliver him because he delights in him.”

1. Literally “Commit to Yahweh”

⁹ Yet you took me from the belly; you made me trust while on my mother’s breasts.

¹⁰ On you I was cast from the womb. From my mother’s belly you have been my God.

¹¹ Do not be far from me because trouble is near; because there is no helper.

¹² Many bulls have encircled me; mighty bulls of Bashan have surrounded me.

¹³ They open their mouth against me like a lion tearing and roaring.

¹⁴ I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax; it is melted ⌞within me⌟.¹

1. Literally “in the midst of my intestines”

¹⁵ My strength is dry like a potsherd, and my tongue is sticking to my jaws; and you have placed me in the dust of death.

¹⁶ Because dogs have surrounded me; a gang of evildoers has encircled me. Like the lion¹ they are at my hands and my feet.

1. Or “they gouge out” or “they bind.” Not the same word for “lion” found in vv. 14(13), 22(21). The Hebrew text presents such problems that any interpretation must be lightly held.

¹⁷ I can count all my bones; they gaze, they look at me.

¹⁸ They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.¹

1. Hebrew “lot”

¹⁹ But you, O Yahweh, do not remain distant. O my help, hasten to help me.

²⁰ Rescue my life from the sword, my only life from the power of the dogs.¹

1. Hebrew “dog”

²¹ Save me from the mouth of the lion, and from the horns of the wild oxen answer me.

²² I will tell your name to my brothers; inside the assembly I will praise you.

²³ You who revere Yahweh, praise him! Glorify him, all you seed of Jacob, and be in awe of him, all you seed of Israel,

²⁴ because he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and has not hid his face from him; but he listened to him when he cried for help.

²⁵ From you is my praise. In the great assembly, I will pay my vows before those who revere him.

²⁶ The afflicted will eat and will be satisfied. Those who seek him will praise Yahweh. May your¹ heart live forever.

1. Plural

²⁷ All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to Yahweh. All the families of the nations will worship before you.

²⁸ Because the kingship belongs to Yahweh, and he rules over the nations.

²⁹ All the ⌞healthy ones⌟¹ of the earth will eat and worship. Before him all of those descending into the dust will kneel, even he who cannot keep his soul alive.

1. Or “prosperous”; Literally “fat ones”

³⁰ Descendants¹ will serve him. Regarding the Lord, it will be told to the next generation.

1. Hebrew “Descendant”

³¹ They will come and tell his saving¹ deeds to a people yet to be born, that he has done it.

1. Or “righteousness”

Yahweh the Shepherd

¹ A psalm of David.¹ Yahweh is my shepherd; I will not lack for anything.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm

² In grassy pastures he makes me lie down; by quiet waters he leads me.

³ He restores my life.¹ He leads me in ⌞correct paths⌟² for the sake of his name.

1. Or “my soul”
2. Literally “paths of righteousness”

⁴ Even when I walk in a dark valley, I fear no evil because you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare before me a table in the presence of my oppressors. You anoint my head with oil; my cup is overflowing.

⁶ Surely goodness and loyal love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will stay¹ in the house² of Yahweh ⌞for a very long time⌟.³

1. Hebrew “return”
2. Or “temple”
3. Literally “for length of days”

The King of Glory

¹ A psalm of David.¹ The earth is Yahweh’s, with its fullness, the world and those who live in it,

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm

² because he has founded it on the seas, and has established it on the rivers.

³ Who may ascend the mountain of Yahweh? And who may stand in his holy place?

⁴ He who is innocent of hands and pure of heart, who does not lift up his soul to falseness, and does not swear deceitfully.

⁵ He will receive blessing from Yahweh, and justice¹ from the God of his salvation.

1. Or “vindication”

⁶ Such is the sort of those who seek¹ him, those who seek your face, even Jacob. Selah

1. According to the reading tradition (Qere)

⁷ Lift up your heads, O gates, and rise up, O ancient doorways, that the king of glory¹ may enter.

1. Literally “the king of the glory”

⁸ Who is the king of glory?¹ Yahweh, strong and mighty; Yahweh, mighty in war!

1. Literally “the king of the glory”

⁹ Lift up your heads, O gates, and lift up, O ancient doorways, that the king of glory¹ may enter.

1. Literally “the king of the glory”

¹⁰ Who is the king of glory?¹ Yahweh of hosts, He is the king of glory!² Selah

1. Literally “the king of the glory”
2. Literally “the king of the glory”

A Prayer for Guidance, Deliverance, and Forgiveness

¹ Of David.¹ To you, O Yahweh, I lift up my soul.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm

² O my God, I trust you; let me not be put to shame. Do not let my enemies exult over me.

³ Indeed, none who wait for you should be put to shame. Those who betray without cause should be put to shame.

⁴ Make me know your ways, O Yahweh. Teach me your paths.

⁵ Cause me to walk in your truth and teach me, because you are the God of my salvation. I await you ⌞all day long⌟.¹

1. Literally “all of the day”

⁶ Remember your compassion, O Yahweh, and your acts of loyal love, because they are from of old.

⁷ Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions. According to your loyal love remember me if you will, for the sake of your goodness, O Yahweh.

⁸ Good and right is Yahweh; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.

⁹ He causes the humble to walk in justice, and teaches the humble his way.

¹⁰ All the paths of Yahweh are loyal love and faithfulness for those who keep his covenant and statutes.¹

1. Or “covenant statutes”

¹¹ Also, for the sake of your name, O Yahweh, forgive my sin, because it is great.

¹² Who is the man fearing Yahweh? He will instruct him in the way he should choose.

¹³ His soul will lodge in prosperity, and his offspring will possess the land.

¹⁴ Intimate fellowship with Yahweh is for those who fear him, and he makes known his covenant to them.

¹⁵ My eyes are continually toward Yahweh, because he will take my feet from the net.

¹⁶ Turn to me and have mercy on me because I am lonely and afflicted.

¹⁷ Remove the troubles of my heart; bring me out from my distresses.

¹⁸ Consider my affliction and trouble, and forgive¹ all my sins.

1. Or “take away”

¹⁹ Consider that my enemies are many, and they hate me with violent hatred.

²⁰ Protect my life and deliver me. Let me not be put to shame, because I take shelter in you.

²¹ Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, because I wait for you.

²² O God, redeem Israel from all its troubles.

A Prayer for Vindication

¹ Of David.¹ Judge me, O Yahweh, because I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted Yahweh and not wavered.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm

² Prove me, O Yahweh, and test me. Try my ⌞innermost being⌟¹ and my ⌞mind⌟.²

1. Literally “kidneys,” the locus of intense thoughts and emotions in biblical Hebrew
2. Literally “heart”

³ Because your loyal love is before my eyes, and I walk about in your faithfulness.

⁴ I do not sit with deceitful people, nor will I go about with hypocrites.

⁵ I hate the crowd of evildoers, and with the wicked I will not sit.

⁶ I will wash my hands in innocence, and I will walk about your altar, O Yahweh,

⁷ to declare with a voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all your wondrous deeds.

⁸ O Yahweh, I love the dwelling of your house,¹ and ⌞the place where your glory abides⌟.²

1. Or “temple”
2. Literally “the place of the dwelling place of your glory”

⁹ Do not destroy me¹ with the sinners, nor my life with men of bloodshed,

1. Or “gather my soul for judgment”

¹⁰ in whose hands is an evil plan, and whose right hand is full of bribes.¹

1. Hebrew “bribe”

¹¹ But as for me, I will walk in my integrity. Redeem me and be gracious to me.

¹² My foot stands on level ground. In assemblies I will bless Yahweh.

A Declaration of Trust

¹ Of David.¹ Yahweh is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? Yahweh is the refuge of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm

² When evildoers drew near against me to eat my flesh— my adversaries and my enemies who drew near to me— they themselves stumbled and fell.

³ Though an army encamp against me, my heart will not fear. Though war arise against me, even in this I will remain confident.

⁴ One thing I have asked from Yahweh; it I will seek: that I may dwell in the house¹ of Yahweh all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of Yahweh, and to consider² his temple.

1. Or “temple”
2. Or “inquire in”

⁵ Because he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble. He will conceal me in the hiding place of his tent. He will set me high upon a rock.

⁶ And now my head will be high over my enemies round about me. And I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy. I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to Yahweh.

⁷ Hear, O Yahweh, my voice when I call, and be gracious to me and answer me.

⁸ On your behalf my heart says, “Seek my face.” Your face, O Yahweh, I do seek.

⁹ Do not hide your face from me; do not turn your servant away in anger. You have been my help; do not abandon nor forsake me, O God of my salvation.

¹⁰ If my father or my mother forsake me, then Yahweh will receive me.

¹¹ Teach me, O Yahweh, your way, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.

¹² Do not give me over to the desire of my enemies, because false witnesses have arisen against me, and each breathing out violence.¹

1. Or “and each a witness of violence”

¹³ Surely¹ I believe that I will see the goodness of Yahweh in the land of the living.

1. Hebrew text is uncertain

¹⁴ Wait for Yahweh. Be strong and let your heart show strength, and wait for Yahweh.

A Prayer for Help, and Joy in Its Answer

¹ A psalm of David.¹ To you, O Yahweh, I call. O my rock, do not be deaf to me. Or else, if you are silent to me, then I will become like those descending to the pit.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm

² Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to you for help, when I lift up my hands toward your holy inner sanctuary.

³ Do not drag me away with the wicked or with the workers of evil, who speak of peace with their neighbors, while evil is in their heart.

⁴ Give to them according to their work, even according to the evil of their deeds. Give to them according to the work of their hands; repay them their rightful due.

⁵ Because they do not regard the works of Yahweh, nor the work of his hands, he will destroy them and not rebuild them.

⁶ Blessed is Yahweh, because he has heard the voice of my supplications.

⁷ Yahweh is my strength and my shield. My heart trusts him and I am helped. So my heart rejoices, and with my song I will give thanks to him.

⁸ Yahweh is their strength, and he is the refuge for the salvation of his anointed one.

⁹ Save your people and bless your heritage. Shepherd them also and carry them always.

Praise to God for His Glory and Strength

¹ A psalm of David.¹ Ascribe to Yahweh, O sons of God,² ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm
2. Or “heavenly beings”

² Ascribe to Yahweh the glory ⌞due⌟¹ his name. Worship Yahweh in holy array.

1. Literally “of”

³ The voice of Yahweh is over the waters; the God of glory thunders. Yahweh is over many waters.

⁴ The voice of Yahweh is powerful. The voice of Yahweh is majestic.

⁵ The voice of Yahweh breaks the cedars. Yahweh shatters even the cedars of Lebanon.

⁶ And he makes them skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.

⁷ The voice of Yahweh flashes¹ flames of fire.

1. Or “divides”

⁸ The voice of Yahweh shakes the wilderness. Yahweh shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

⁹ The voice of Yahweh causes deer¹ to give birth and strips the forests bare. And at his temple all in it say, “Glory!”

1. A slightly different Hebrew word here yields, “makes the oaks tremble”

¹⁰ Yahweh sits enthroned at the flood, and Yahweh sits as king forever.

¹¹ May Yahweh give strength to his people. May Yahweh bless his people with peace.

Thanksgiving for Answered Prayer

¹ A psalm; a song for the dedication of the house.¹ Of David.² I will exalt you, O Yahweh, because you have drawn me up, and have not made my enemies rejoice over me.

1. Or “temple”
2. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² O Yahweh, my God, I cried for help to you, and you healed me.

³ O Yahweh, you have brought my life up from Sheol. You preserved me alive from among those going down¹ to the pit.

1. According to the Kethib; the reading tradition (Qere) reads “so I would not go down”

⁴ Sing praises to Yahweh, you his faithful ones, and give thanks ⌞to his holy fame⌟.¹

1. Literally “to the fame of his holiness”

⁵ For there is a moment in his anger; there is a lifetime in his favor. Weeping lodges for the evening, but in the morning comes rejoicing.

⁶ But as for me, I had said in my prosperity, “I shall not be moved ever.”

⁷ O Yahweh, by your favor you caused my strong mountain to stand. You hid your face. I was bewildered.

⁸ To you, O Yahweh, I called, and to the Lord I pleaded for grace saying,

⁹ “What gain is there in my ⌞death⌟,¹ in my going down into the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness?

1. Literally “blood”

¹⁰ “O Yahweh, hear and be gracious to me. O Yahweh, be my helper.”

¹¹ You have turned my wailing into my dancing. You have removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy

¹² so that ⌞I⌟¹ may sing praises to you and not be quiet. O Yahweh, my God, I will give thanks to you forever.

1. Literally “my glory”

Yahweh Is a Fortress

¹ For the music director. A psalm of David.¹ In you, O Yahweh, I have taken refuge. Let me not be put to shame ever. Deliver me by your righteousness.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² Incline your ear to me. Quickly deliver me. Become my rock of refuge, ⌞a fortified keep⌟¹ to save me.

1. Literally “a house of strongholds”

³ For you are my rock and my fortress. So, for the sake of your name, lead me and guide me.

⁴ Bring me out of the net that they have secretly set for me, for you are my refuge.

⁵ Into your hand I commit my spirit. You have redeemed me, O Yahweh, faithful God.¹

1. Or “God of truth”

⁶ I hate those devoted to useless idols, but I trust Yahweh.

⁷ I will exult and rejoice in your loyal love. Because you have seen my misery, you know the distresses of my life.¹

1. Or “soul”

⁸ And you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy. You have set my feet in a broad place.

⁹ Be gracious to me, O Yahweh, because I have distress. My eye wastes away because of vexation, along with my soul and my ⌞body⌟.¹

1. Literally “belly”

¹⁰ For my life is at an end with sorrow, and my years with sighing. My strength stumbles because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away.

¹¹ Because of all my adversaries I have become a disgrace, especially to my neighbors, and a dread to my acquaintances. Those who see me in the street flee from me.

¹² I have become forgotten like one dead, out of ⌞mind⌟.¹ I am like a destroyed vessel.

1. Literally “heart”

¹³ For I hear the rumor of many, “Terror on every side!” When conspiring together against me, they have plotted to take my life.

¹⁴ But as for me, I trust you, O Yahweh. I say, “You are my God.”

¹⁵ My times¹ are in your hand. Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who pursue me.

1. Or “destiny”

¹⁶ Shine your face upon your servant. Save me by your loyal love.

¹⁷ O Yahweh, let me not be put to shame, for I call on you. Let the wicked be put to shame. Let them go silently¹ to Sheol.

1. Or “let them with wailing enter”

¹⁸ Let lying lips be dumb, that speak against the righteous¹ unrestrained with arrogance and contempt.

1. Or “the innocent one”

¹⁹ How abundant is your goodness that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you perform for those who take refuge in you before the children of humankind.

²⁰ You will hide them in the protection of your presence from the plots of man. You will hide them in a shelter from the strife of tongues.

²¹ Blessed is Yahweh, because he has worked marvelously his loyal love to me in a besieged city.

²² As for me, I said in my alarm, “I am cut off from before your eyes.” However you heard the voice of my supplications when I cried to you for help.

²³ Love Yahweh, all you his faithful ones. Yahweh preserves the faithful but repays abundantly the one who acts arrogantly.

²⁴ Be strong and let your¹ heart show strength, all you who wait for Yahweh.

1. Plural

Thanksgiving for Forgiveness of Sins

¹ Of David. A maskil.¹ Happy is he whose transgression is taken away, whose sin is covered.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm

² Happy is a person to whom Yahweh does not impute iniquity and in whose spirit there is not deceit.

³ When I kept silent, my bones were worn out due to my groaning all the day.

⁴ For day and night your hand was heavy upon me. My vigor was changed into the dry heat of summer. Selah

⁵ I made known my sin to you, and my iniquity I did not cover. I said, “I will confess concerning my transgressions to Yahweh,” and you took away the guilt of my sin. Selah

⁶ Therefore let all the faithful pray to you at the time for finding you. Surely at the flood of many waters they will not reach him.

⁷ You are my hiding place; from trouble you preserve me. With cries of deliverance you surround me. Selah

⁸ I¹ will instruct you and teach you in the way that you should go. I will advise you with my eye upon you.

1. Yahweh is speaking in vv. 8–9

⁹ Do not be like a horse or like a mule, without understanding; that needs his tackle—bridle and rein—for restraint or he would not come near you.

¹⁰ Many are the pains of the wicked, but for the one who trusts Yahweh loyal love surrounds him.

¹¹ Be glad in Yahweh and rejoice, you righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright of heart.

Praise to Yahweh for His Character and Creation

¹ Exult in Yahweh, O you righteous, for praise is fitting for the upright.

² Give thanks to Yahweh with the lyre; with a harp of ten strings play to him.

³ Sing to him a new song; play skillfully with jubilant shout.

⁴ For the word of Yahweh is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.

⁵ He loves righteousness and justice. The earth is full of the loyal love of Yahweh.

⁶ By the word of Yahweh the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.

⁷ He gathered the waters of the sea like a heap. He put the deeps in storehouses.

⁸ Let all the earth fear Yahweh. Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

⁹ For ⌞he himself spoke⌟¹ and it came to pass. ⌞He himself commanded⌟² and it stood firm.

1. Literally “he, he spoke”
2. Literally “He, he commanded”

¹⁰ Yahweh brings to nothing¹ the plan of nations; he frustrates² the intents of peoples.

1. Or “breaks”
2. Or “nullifies”

¹¹ The plan of Yahweh stands firm forever, the intents of his heart ⌞from one generation to the next⌟.¹

1. Literally “to a generation and a generation”

¹² Blessed is the nation whose God is Yahweh, the people he has chosen for his inheritance.

¹³ From heaven Yahweh looks; he sees all the children of humankind.

¹⁴ From his dwelling place¹ he gazes on all the inhabitants of the earth,

1. Or “the place where he sits enthroned”

¹⁵ he who fashions altogether their heart, he who understands all their works.

¹⁶ The king is not saved by the greatness of an army. The warrior is not delivered by the greatness of strength.

¹⁷ The horse is a false hope for victory, nor can it save by the greatness of its power.

¹⁸ Behold, the eye of Yahweh is on those who fear him, on those who hope¹ for his loyal love

1. Or “wait expectantly”

¹⁹ to deliver their soul from death and to keep them alive in famine.

²⁰ Our soul waits for Yahweh; he is our help and our shield.

²¹ For in him our heart rejoices because in his holy name we trust.

²² Let your loyal love, O Yahweh, be upon us, ⌞even as⌟¹ we hope in you.

1. Literally “as which”

Thanksgiving for Yahweh’s Deliverance

¹ Of David, when he ⌞pretended to be crazy⌟¹ in front of Abimelech² so that he drove him out, and so he departed.³ I will bless Yahweh at all times; his praise shall be in my mouth continually.

1. Literally “he changed his discernment”
2. Literally “my father is king” whereas 1 Sam 21:10(9) has “Achish.” “Abimelech” is perhaps an honorific title, since its literal meaning suggests a legitimate right to rule
3. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² My soul makes its boast in Yahweh; let the humble hear and be glad.

³ Magnify Yahweh with me, and let us exalt his name together.

⁴ I sought Yahweh and he answered me, and from all my terrors he delivered me.

⁵ They looked to him and were radiant, and their faces shall not be ashamed.¹

1. Or “and let not their faces be ashamed”

⁶ This poor man called and Yahweh heard, and saved him from all his troubles.

⁷ The angel of Yahweh encamps around those who fear him, and he rescues them.

⁸ Taste and see that Yahweh is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

⁹ Fear Yahweh, you his saints,¹ for there is no lack for those who fear him.

1. Or “holy ones”

¹⁰ The young lions are in want and suffer hunger, but those who seek Yahweh will not lack for any good thing.

¹¹ Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of Yahweh.

¹² Who is the man who desires life, who loves many days in order to see good?

¹³ Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.

¹⁴ Turn from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it.

¹⁵ The eyes of Yahweh are toward the righteous, and his ears toward their cry for help.

¹⁶ The face of Yahweh is against evildoers, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

¹⁷ They¹ cry out and Yahweh hears and delivers them from all of their troubles.

1. That is, the righteous

¹⁸ Yahweh is near to those who are heartbroken and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

¹⁹ Many are the distresses of the righteous, but Yahweh delivers him out of them all.

²⁰ He protects all his bones; not one of them is broken.

²¹ Evil will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will incur guilt.

²² Yahweh redeems the life of his servants, and none who take refuge in him will incur guilt.

A Prayer for Rescue from Enemies

¹ Of David.¹ Contend, O Yahweh, with my contenders; fight those who fight me.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm

² Grasp buckler and shield and rise to my aid.

³ And draw the spear and javelin to meet those who pursue me. Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”

⁴ Let those who seek my life be shamed and humiliated. Let those who plot calamity against me be repulsed and ashamed.

⁵ Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of Yahweh ⌞driving them⌟.¹

1. Literally “pushing”

⁶ Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of Yahweh pursuing them.

⁷ For without cause they secretly hide the pit with their net for me; without cause they dug it for my life.

⁸ Let ⌞unforeseen ruin⌟¹ come on him, and his net that he hid, let it catch him. Let him fall into it in ruin.

1. Literally “ruin he does not know”

⁹ Then my soul will rejoice in Yahweh; it will rejoice in his salvation.

¹⁰ All of my bones shall say, “O Yahweh, who is like you, who delivers the poor from one stronger than he and the poor and needy from the one who robs him?”

¹¹ Violent witnesses rise up; they ask me concerning what I do not know.

¹² They repay me evil in place of good. It is bereavement to my soul.

¹³ But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I weakened my soul with fasting, and my prayer ⌞returned to me unanswered⌟.¹

1. Literally “upon my lap it will return”

¹⁴ I ⌞behaved⌟¹ as though he were a friend or as a brother to me. As one lamenting a mother, I was bowed down in mourning.

1. Literally “walked about”

¹⁵ But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered together; smiters whom I did not know gathered against me. They tore and did not cease.

¹⁶ Among the ungodly of the mockers at feasts,¹ they gnashed at me with their teeth.

1. With a slight change the Hebrew might read, “The ungodly boldly mocked”

¹⁷ My Lord, how long will you watch? Restore my life from their ravages,¹ my only life from the young lions.

1. Or “roaring”

¹⁸ I will give thanks to you in the great assembly; among the mighty people I will praise you.

¹⁹ Let not those who are wrongfully my enemies¹ rejoice over me. Nor let those who hate me without cause wink the eye.

1. Or “those who oppose me with falsehood”

²⁰ For they do not speak peace, but against the quiet ones of the land they plan deceitful words.

²¹ They also made wide their mouths¹ against me. They said, “Aha! Aha! Our eyes have seen it.”

1. Hebrew “mouth”

²² You have seen, O Yahweh. Do not be deaf. O Lord, do not be far from me.

²³ Wake up and rouse yourself for my right, for my cause, O my God and my Lord.

²⁴ Vindicate me according to your righteousness, O Yahweh my God, and do not let them rejoice over me.

²⁵ Do not let them say in their hearts,¹ “Aha, our desire.” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”

1. Hebrew “heart”

²⁶ Let them be shamed and abashed altogether, who rejoice at my misfortune. Let them put on shame and insult, who magnify themselves against me.

²⁷ Let them shout for joy and be glad, who delight in my vindication; and let them say continually, “Yahweh is great, who delights in the welfare of his servant.”

²⁸ Then my tongue will proclaim your righteousness, and your praise all day.

Human Wickedness and God’s Love

¹ For the music director. Of David, the servant of Yahweh.¹ An oracle: the wicked has rebellion in the midst of his² heart. There is no fear of God before his eyes.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
2. Reading with a few Hebrew manuscripts and some versions; MT reads “my”

² For he flatters himself in his eyes, hating to detect his iniquity.¹

1. Or “when finding his iniquity and when hating”

³ The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit. He has ceased to have insight and to do good.

⁴ He plans sin on his bed. He puts himself on a way that is not good. He does not reject evil.

⁵ O Yahweh, your loyal love extends into the heavens, your faithfulness unto the clouds.

⁶ Your righteousness is ⌞like the mighty mountains⌟,¹ your judgments like the great deep. You save man and beast, O Yahweh.

1. Literally “like the mountains of God”

⁷ How precious is your loyal love, O God, and the children of humankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

⁸ They are refreshed with the ⌞fullness⌟¹ of your house,² and you give them drink from the river of your delights.

1. Literally “fatness”
2. Or “temple”

⁹ For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.

¹⁰ Prolong your loyal love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart.

¹¹ Do not let a foot of pride come against me, nor let a wicked hand make me to wander homeless.

¹² There doers of evil have fallen; they are thrust down and not able to rise.

The Protection of the Righteous and the Destruction of the Wicked

¹ Of David.¹ Do not fret because of evildoers; do not be envious of doers of wickedness.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm

² For like the grass they will dry up quickly, and like green vegetation they will wither.

³ Trust Yahweh and do good. Abide in the land and feed on faithfulness.¹

1. That is, God’s faithfulness

⁴ Take pleasure in Yahweh as well, and he will give to you the requests of your heart.

⁵ ⌞Commit to⌟¹ Yahweh your way; Trust also on him and he will act.

1. Literally “Roll upon”

⁶ Then he will bring forth your righteousness like the light, and your justice like the noonday.

⁷ Be quiet before Yahweh and wait for him. Do not fret about one who succeeds in his way, about a man making plots.

⁸ Refrain from anger and forsake wrath. Do not fret; it only brings evil.

⁹ For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for Yahweh— they will possess the land.

¹⁰ And¹ yet a little while and the wicked will not be, and you will look carefully upon his place, but he will not be.

1. Or “But”

¹¹ But the afflicted will possess the land, and they will take pleasure in an abundance of peace.

¹² The wicked plans evil against the righteous, and gnashes at him with his teeth.

¹³ The Lord laughs at him, for he sees that his day is coming.

¹⁴ The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow to throw down the poor and the needy, to kill those upright in their way.

¹⁵ Their sword will enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

¹⁶ The little belonging to the righteous is better than the wealth of many wicked.

¹⁷ For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but Yahweh supports the righteous.

¹⁸ Yahweh knows the days of the blameless, and their inheritance will be forever.

¹⁹ They will not be put to shame in distressing times,¹ and in the days of famine they will be satisfied.

1. Hebrew “time”

²⁰ But the wicked will perish, and the enemies of Yahweh will be like the splendor of the pastures. They vanish; in smoke they vanish.

²¹ The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous is gracious and gives.

²² For those blessed by him shall possess the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

²³ The steps of a man are established by Yahweh, and he takes pleasure in his way.

²⁴ Though he fall, he will not be cast headlong, for Yahweh supports him with his hand.

²⁵ I was a youth, but I am now old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children ⌞begging for⌟¹ bread.

1. Literally “searching”

²⁶ All the day he is gracious and lends, and his children are a blessing.

²⁷ Turn aside from evil and do good and so abide forever.

²⁸ For Yahweh loves justice and will not forsake his faithful ones. They are protected forever. But the children of the wicked will be cut off.

²⁹ The righteous will possess the land and abide in it forever.

³⁰ The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.

³¹ The law of his God is in his heart. His steps will not slip.

³² The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to kill him.

³³ Yahweh will not abandon him into his hand, and he will not let him be condemned when he is judged.

³⁴ Wait for Yahweh and keep his way, and he will exalt you to possess the land. When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

³⁵ I have seen the wicked acting violently and spreading himself out like a luxuriant native tree.

³⁶ Then he passed on¹ and behold, he was not. And I sought him, but he could not be found.

1. Dead Sea Scrolls and the versions read “I passed by”

³⁷ Observe the blameless and look at the upright, for there is a future for a man of peace.

³⁸ But transgressors shall be destroyed altogether. The future of the wicked shall be cut off.

³⁹ And¹ the salvation of the righteous is from Yahweh, their refuge in the time of trouble.

1. Some manuscripts omit “and,” preserving the acrostic

⁴⁰ And Yahweh helps them and he rescues them. He rescues them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

A Prayer of Repentance

¹ A psalm of David. To bring to remembrance.¹ O Yahweh, do not rebuke me in your anger or chastise me in your wrath.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² For your arrows have sunk into me, and your hand has pressed down on me.

³ There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation. There is no health in my bones because of my sin.

⁴ For my iniquities have passed over my head; like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

⁵ My wounds start to stink; they rot because of my foolishness.

⁶ I am bowed down; I am bent over greatly. All the day I go about mourning.

⁷ For my loins are full of burning, and there is no soundness in my flesh.

⁸ I am faint and crushed greatly; I groan because of the roaring of my heart.

⁹ O Lord, all my longing is before you, and my sighing is not hidden from you.

¹⁰ My heart throbs violently, my strength leaves me; and the light of my eyes, that also is not with me.

¹¹ My friends and companions stand aloof from my affliction, and my relatives stand afar off.

¹² Those who seek my life lay snares as well, and those intent on my harm speak threats. They also plot deceit all day.

¹³ But as for me, like the deaf I cannot hear, and I am like the mute who cannot open his mouth.

¹⁴ And so I am like a man who hears not, and in whose mouth there are no retorts.

¹⁵ Rather for you I wait, O Yahweh. You will answer, O Lord my God.

¹⁶ For I said, “Help, lest they rejoice over me, lest they boast against me when my foot slips.”

¹⁷ For I am ready to stumble, and my pain is before me continually.

¹⁸ For my iniquity I confess; I am anxious because of my sin.

¹⁹ And my enemies without cause¹ are numerous, and those who hate me wrongfully² are many.

1. Or “vigorous”
2. Or “those who hate me with falsehood”

²⁰ And those who repay evil in return for good accuse me in return for my pursuing good.

²¹ Do not forsake me, O Yahweh. O my God, do not be far from me.

²² Hurry to help me, O Lord, my salvation.

The Brevity of Human Life

¹ For the music director. For Jeduthun.¹ A psalm of David.² I said, “I will guard my ways ⌞that I may not sin⌟³ with my tongue. I will keep a muzzle over my mouth as long as the wicked are before me.”

1. One of David’s musicians (1 Chr 16:41)
2. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
3. Literally “from sinning”

² I was mute with silence. I was silent even from saying good things, and my pain was stirred up.

³ My heart grew hot inside me; in my sighing a fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue,

⁴ “Let me know, O Yahweh, my end, and what is the measure of my days. Let me know how transient I am.”

⁵ Look, you have made my days mere handbreadths, and my lifespan as nothing next to you. Surely every person standing firm is complete vanity. Selah

⁶ Surely a man walks about as a mere ⌞shadow⌟;¹ surely in vain they bustle about. He heaps up possessions but does not know who will gather them in.

1. Literally “image”

⁷ And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is for you.

⁸ From all my transgressions deliver me; do not make me the taunt of the fool.

⁹ I am mute. I do not open my mouth, for you, yourself, have done it.

¹⁰ Remove from me your affliction. By the opposition of your hand I perish.

¹¹ When with rebukes you chastise a man for sin, you¹ ⌞consume⌟² like a moth his delightful things. Surely everyone is a mere vapor.³ Selah

1. Hebrew “and/then you”
2. Literally “cause to melt”
3. The word translated “vanity” in vv. 6, 7

¹² Hear my prayer, O Yahweh, and listen to my cry for help; do not be deaf to my tears. For I am an alien¹ with you, a sojourner like all my ancestors.²

1. Or “stranger”
2. Or “fathers”

¹³ Look away from me that I may be cheerful, before I depart and I am no more.

God’s Faithfulness and Deliverance

¹ For the music director. Of David. A psalm.¹ I waited patiently for Yahweh, And he inclined to me and heard my cry for help.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² And so he brought me up from the roaring pit,¹ from the miry clay. And he put my feet upon a rock; he made my steps steady.

1. Some read “pit of destruction”

³ Then he put a new song in my mouth, a praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and will trust Yahweh.

⁴ Blessed is the man who makes Yahweh his trust and does not turn to the proud and to those who fall away to a lie.¹

1. Or “false god”

⁵ Many things, O Yahweh my God, you have done— your wonderful deeds and your thoughts toward us. There is none to compare with you. If I tried to proclaim and tell of them, they would be too numerous to count.

⁶ A sacrifice and offering you do not desire. ⌞My ears you have opened⌟.¹ Burnt offering and sin offering you have not demanded.

1. Literally “Ears you have dug for me.”

⁷ Then I said, “Look, I come. In the scroll of the book it is written concerning me:

⁸ ‘I delight to do your will, O my God, and your law is ⌞deep within me⌟.’ ”¹

1. Literally “in the midst of my intestines”

⁹ I have brought good tidings of righteousness in the great congregation. Look, I have not shut my lips. O Yahweh, ⌞you surely know that⌟.¹

1. Literally “you, you know”

¹⁰ Your righteousness I have not hidden in the midst of my heart. I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation. I have not concealed your loyal love or your faithfulness from the great congregation.

¹¹ As for you, O Yahweh, do not withhold your mercies from me. Let your loyal love and your faithfulness continually preserve me.

¹² For evils without number have encompassed me. My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails me.

¹³ Be pleased, O Yahweh, to deliver me. O Yahweh, hurry to help me.

¹⁴ Let them be shamed and abashed altogether who seek to take away my life.¹ Let them be repulsed and humiliated who desire my harm.

1. Or “soul”

¹⁵ Let them be appalled because of their shame, those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”

¹⁶ Let them rejoice and be glad in you, all those who seek you. Let them say continually, “Yahweh is great!” —those who love your salvation.

¹⁷ But I am poor and needy. Let my Lord consider me. You are my help and my deliverer. O my God, do not delay.

Thanksgiving for God’s Provision in Time of Sickness

¹ For the music director. A psalm of David.¹ Blessed is the one who has regard for the poor; in the day of disaster, Yahweh delivers him.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² Yahweh protects him and keeps him alive; he is blessed in the land, and you do not give him into the will¹ of his enemies.

1. Hebrew “soul”

³ Yahweh sustains him on his sick bed. In his illness, you ⌞restore to health⌟.¹

1. Literally “his every bed you change”

⁴ As for me, I said, “O Yahweh, be gracious to me. Heal me,¹ for I have sinned against you.”

1. Or “my soul”

⁵ My enemies speak evil about me, “When will he die and his name perish?”

⁶ And when one comes to see me, he speaks falsely; his heart gathers disaster for itself. He goes out to the street; he speaks.

⁷ All who hate me speak together against me. Against me they assume the ⌞worst⌟¹ for me:

1. Literally “evil”

⁸ “A ruinous thing is poured out on him, and now that he lies down, he will not rise up again.”

⁹ Even ⌞my close friend⌟,¹ whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.

1. Literally “the man of my peace”

¹⁰ But you, O Yahweh, be gracious to me and raise me up that I may repay them.

¹¹ By this I know that you delight in me: because my enemy has not shouted in triumph over me.

¹² As for me, you have upheld me in my integrity, and you have set me in your presence forever.

¹³ Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.

Hope in God in the Midst of Despair

¹ For the music director. A maskil of the sons of Korah.¹ As a deer longs for streams of water, so my soul longs for you, O God.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?¹

1. Some Hebrew manuscripts and versions read “and see the face of God?”

³ My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”

⁴ These I remember and I pour out my soul within me: that I would go with the multitude; I led them in procession to the house¹ of God, with a voice of rejoicing and thanksgiving, a crowd celebrating a festival.

1. Or “temple”

⁵ Why are you ⌞in despair⌟,¹ O my soul, and disturbed within me? Hope in God, because I will again praise him, for the salvation of his presence.

1. Literally “bowed down”

⁶ O my God, within me my soul is ⌞in despair⌟;¹ therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and the heights of Hermon, from the mountain of Mizar.

1. Literally “bowed down”

⁷ Deep is calling to deep at¹ the thunder of your waterfalls. All your breakers and your waves have passed over me.

1. Or “to”

⁸ By day Yahweh commands his loyal love, and in the night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.

⁹ I say to God, my rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I walk about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”

¹⁰ As with a shattering in my bones my oppressors taunt me, while they say to me ⌞all day⌟,¹ “Where is your God?”

1. Literally “all the day”

¹¹ Why are you ⌞in despair⌟,¹ O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, because I shall again praise him, ⌞my salvation⌟² and my God.

1. Literally “bowed down”
2. Literally “the salvation of my face”

A Prayer for Rescue

¹ Judge me, O God, and plead my case against¹ an unfaithful² nation. From a man of deceit and wickedness rescue me,

1. Or “because of”
2. Or “disloyal”

² because you are the God of my refuge. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

³ Send your light and your truth; they shall lead¹ me. They shall bring me to ⌞your holy mountain⌟² and to your dwelling places.

1. Or “let them lead”
2. Literally “the mountain of your holiness”

⁴ Then¹ I will go to the altar of God, to God, ⌞my surpassing joy⌟,² and I will praise you with lyre, O God, my God.

1. Or “And”
2. Literally “the joy of my gladness”

⁵ Why are you ⌞in despair⌟,¹ O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, because I will again praise him, ⌞my salvation⌟² and my God.

1. Literally “bowed down”
2. Hebrew “the salvation of my face”

Present Defeat and Past Deliverance

¹ For the music director. Of the sons of Korah. A maskil.¹ O God, we have heard with our ears; our ancestors² have told us of work you worked in their days, in days of old.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
2. Or “fathers”

² You with your hand drove out the nations, but them¹ you planted. You harmed the peoples, but them² you let spread out.

1. That is, Israel
2. That is, Israel

³ For not with their sword did they possess the land, and their arm did not give them victory. Rather it was your right hand and your arm and the light of your presence, because you delighted in them.

⁴ You are my king, O God. Command¹ victories for Jacob.

1. Or “who commands,” see LXX

⁵ By you we push down our enemies; by your name we tread down those who rise up against us.

⁶ For I do not trust my bow, and my sword cannot give me victory.

⁷ Rather you have saved us from our enemies,¹ and have humiliated those who hate us.

1. Or “made us victorious over our enemies”

⁸ In God we boast all the day, and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah

⁹ Surely you have rejected and disgraced us, and have not gone out with our armies.

¹⁰ You have caused us to pull back from the enemy, and so those who hate us have plundered for themselves.

¹¹ You have given us as sheep for food, and among the nations you have scattered us.

¹² You have sold your people ⌞cheaply⌟,¹ and did not profit by their price.

1. Literally “for what is not wealth”

¹³ You have made us a taunt to our neighbors, a derision and a scorn to those around us.

¹⁴ You have made us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples.

¹⁵ ⌞All day long⌟¹ my disgrace is before me, and the shame of my face covers me,

1. Literally “All of the day”

¹⁶ because of the voice of the taunter and the reviler, because of the enemy and the avenger.

¹⁷ All this has befallen us, though we have not forgotten you, and we have not been false to your covenant.

¹⁸ Our heart has not turned back, and our steps have not turned aside from your way.

¹⁹ But you have crushed us in a place of jackals, and have covered us with deep shadow.

²⁰ If we had forgotten the name of our God, or had spread out our hands in prayer to a foreign god,

²¹ would not God discover this, for he knows the secrets of the heart?

²² Rather, on account of you we are killed ⌞all day long⌟;¹ we are accounted as sheep for slaughter.

1. Literally “all of the day”

²³ Wake up! Why do you sleep, O Lord? Awake! Do not reject forever.

²⁴ Why do you hide your face? Have you forgotten our misery and our oppression?

²⁵ For our soul is bowed down to the dust. Our ⌞body⌟¹ clings to the ground.

1. Literally “belly”

²⁶ Rise up! Be a help for us, and redeem us for the sake of your loyal love.

Celebration of a Royal Wedding

¹ For the music director; according to The Lilies. Of the sons of Korah. A maskil. A song of love.¹ My heart is moved with a good word; I recite my ⌞compositions⌟² to the king. My tongue is the pen of a skilled scribe.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
2. Literally “works,” that is, the song he has composed

² You are the most handsome of the sons of humankind; grace is poured out on your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever.

³ Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one, in your splendor and your majesty.

⁴ And in your majesty ⌞ride victoriously⌟,¹ because of truth and humility and righteousness. And let your right hand teach you awesome deeds.

1. Literally “Succeed! Ride!”

⁵ Your arrows are sharp; peoples fall under you in the midst of the king’s enemies.

⁶ Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.

⁷ You love righteousness and hate wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you from among your companions with festive oil.

⁸ All your robes are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia. From palaces of ivory stringed instruments gladden you.

⁹ Kings’ daughters are among your noble ladies. The queen stands at your right hand in gold of Ophir.

¹⁰ Hear, O daughter, and ⌞discern⌟¹ and incline your ear, and forget your people and your father’s house.

1. Literally “see”

¹¹ Let the king desire your beauty.¹ Because he is your lord, therefore² bow down to him.

1. Or “Should the king desire … then bow down …”
2. Hebrew “and”

¹² Even the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift. The rich from among people will seek your ⌞favor⌟.¹

1. Literally “face”

¹³ The king’s daughter is all glorious within;¹ her garment is of gold embroidered cloth.

1. That is, within her bridal chamber

¹⁴ She is brought to the king in colorful garments. The young women behind her, her attendants, are being brought to you.

¹⁵ They are led with joy and gladness. They enter the palace of the king.

¹⁶ In place of your¹ fathers will be your sons. You will make them princes in all the land.²

1. The pronouns and verbal forms are masculine in this verse
2. Or “earth”

¹⁷ I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore peoples will praise you forever and ever.

God Provides for and Protects His People

¹ For the music director. Of the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A song.¹ God is our refuge and strength, a very sufficient help in troubles.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² Therefore we will not fear though the earth change, and though the mountains totter into the ⌞midst⌟¹ of the sea,

1. Literally “heart”

³ though its waters roar and foam, though mountains shake with its surging water. Selah

⁴ There is a river whose streams gladden the city of God, the holiest of the dwellings of the Most High.

⁵ God is in the midst of her; she will not be made to totter. God will help her ⌞at daybreak⌟.¹

1. Literally “at the turning of the morning”

⁶ Nations roar, kingdoms shake; he utters his voice, the earth melts.

⁷ Yahweh of hosts is with us; our high stronghold is the God of Jacob. Selah

⁸ Come, see the works of Yahweh, who has placed desolations on the earth.

⁹ He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and cuts off the spear. The wagons of war he burns with fire.

¹⁰ Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.

¹¹ Yahweh of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our high stronghold.

God Is King over All the Earth

¹ For the music director. Of the sons of Korah. A psalm.¹ All you peoples, clap your hands.² Shout to God with a voice of rejoicing.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
2. Hebrew “hand”

² For Yahweh Most High is awesome,¹ a great king over all the earth.

1. Or “to be feared”

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.

⁵ God has gone up with a shout, Yahweh with the sound of a trumpet.

⁶ Sing praises to God, sing praises. Sing praises to our king, sing praises.

⁷ For God is king of all the earth. Sing praises with understanding.¹

1. Or “sing a maskil”

⁸ God reigns over nations; God sits on his holy throne.

⁹ The princes of the peoples are gathered together with the people of Abraham’s God. For the shields of the earth belong to God. He is very exalted.

The Greatness of God in Zion

¹ A song. A psalm of the sons of Korah.¹ Yahweh is great and very worthy of praise in the city of our God, in his ⌞holy mountain⌟.²

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
2. Literally “mountain of holiness”

² Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is ⌞Mount Zion⌟,¹ ⌞in the far north⌟,² the city of the great king.

1. Literally “the mountain of Zion”
2. Literally “far of north”; the word translated “north” could refer to Mount Zaphon

³ God is in her citadels; he is known as a high stronghold.

⁴ For see, the kings assembled;¹ they advanced together.

1. That is, preparing for battle

⁵ ⌞They themselves saw⌟¹ it, so they were astonished. They were terrified; they ran off.

1. Literally “They, they saw”

⁶ Trembling seized them there— pain as of a woman in labor.

⁷ With an east wind you shatter¹ the ships of Tarshish.²

1. A few Hebrew manuscripts read “like an east wind that shatters”
2. That is, ships that can sail to Tarshish, i.e. well built, able to traverse great distances

⁸ As we have heard, so we have seen in the city of Yahweh of hosts, in the city of our God. God will establish her forever. Selah

⁹ We have pondered your loyal love, O God, in the midst of your temple.

¹⁰ As is your name, O God, so is your praise to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is full of righteousness.

¹¹ Let ⌞Mount Zion⌟¹ rejoice; let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of your judgments.

1. Literally “the mountain of Zion”

¹² Walk about Zion and circle it; count her towers.

¹³ ⌞Consider well⌟¹ her ramparts. Go through her citadels so that you can tell the next generation

1. Literally “Set your heart to”

¹⁴ that this is God, our God forever and ever. ⌞He himself⌟¹ will guide us until death.

1. Literally “he, he will …”

Wealth and the Fate of the Wicked

¹ For the music director. Of the sons of Korah. A psalm.¹ Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all you inhabitants of the world,

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² both low and high, rich and poor together.

³ My mouth will speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will be understanding.

⁴ I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will ⌞propound⌟¹ my riddle on a lyre.

1. Literally “open”

⁵ Why should I fear in ⌞times of calamity⌟,¹ when iniquity surrounds me at my heels,

1. Literally “the days of evil”

⁶ those who trust their wealth and boast about the abundance of their riches?

⁷ Surely a man cannot redeem a brother. He cannot give to God his ransom

⁸ (since¹ the redemption price for their life is costly and it always fails),

1. Hebrew “and”

⁹ so that he may stay alive forever and not see the pit.

¹⁰ For he sees that the wise die, together with the fool and brute they perish, and leave their wealth to the next generation.

¹¹ Within them they think their houses are forever, their dwelling places from generation to generation. They ⌞name⌟¹ their lands by their own names.

1. Literally “call”

¹² But man cannot continue in his pomp. He is like the beasts that perish.

¹³ This is the journey¹ of those who have foolish confidence, and those after them who accept their sayings. Selah

1. Hebrew “way”

¹⁴ Like sheep they are destined to Sheol; death will shepherd them. But the upright will rule over them in the morning, and their forms will be for Sheol to consume, far from his lofty abode.

¹⁵ Surely God will ransom my life from the ⌞power⌟¹ of Sheol, because he will receive me. Selah

1. Literally “hand”

¹⁶ Do not fear when a man becomes rich, when the wealth¹ of his house increases,

1. Or “honor”

¹⁷ because when he dies he will not take away any of it. His wealth will not follow down after him.

¹⁸ Though he congratulated his soul while he was living —and people will praise you when you do well for yourself—

¹⁹ it¹ will go to the generation of his fathers. Never will they see light.

1. That is, his soul

²⁰ Humankind in its pomp, but does not understand, is like the beasts that perish.

An Oracle Concerning Sacrifices

¹ A psalm of Asaph.¹ The Supreme God, God, Yahweh, has spoken and summoned the earth, from the rising of the sun to its setting.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm

² From Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.

³ Our God comes and he is not silent. Before him fire devours, and around him it is very tempestuous.

⁴ He summons the heavens above and the earth that he might judge his people:

⁵ “Gather to me my loyal ones, those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”

⁶ And the heavens declare his righteousness, because God himself is judge. Selah

⁷ “Hear, O my people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you. I am God, your God.

⁸ It is not concerning a lack of your sacrifices that I rebuke you, and your burnt offerings are before me continually.

⁹ I will not take from your house a bull or from your stalls a he-goat,

¹⁰ because every animal of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.

¹¹ I know every bird of the mountains, and every moving creature in the field is mine.

¹² If I were hungry I would not tell you, because the world and its fullness are mine.

¹³ Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?

¹⁴ Offer to God a thank offering and pay your vows to the Most High.

¹⁵ And call me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will glorify me.”

¹⁶ But to the wicked God says, “What right have you to recite my statutes and ⌞mention my covenant with your mouth⌟,¹

1. Literally “take my covenant on your mouth”

¹⁷ while you yourself hate discipline, and cast my words behind you?

¹⁸ When you see a thief, then you are pleased with him, and your association is with adulterers.

¹⁹ You give your mouth free rein for evil, and you harness your tongue to deceit.

²⁰ You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your mother’s son.

²¹ These things you have done, and I have been silent; You imagined that I was just like you. I will rebuke you and present an argument before your eyes.

²² Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there will be none to deliver.

²³ He who sacrifices a thank offering honors me, and he who orders his way; I will show him the salvation of God.”

A Prayer of Repentance and Plea for Mercy

¹ For the music director. A psalm of David. When Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.¹ Be gracious to me, O God, according to your loyal love. According to your abundant mercies, blot out my transgressions.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first two verses of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by two

² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and from my sin cleanse me.

³ For ⌞I myself know⌟¹ my transgressions,² and my sin is ever before me.

1. Literally “I, I know”
2. Or “rebellions”

⁴ Against you, only you, I have sinned and have done this evil¹ in your eyes, so that you are correct when you speak, you are blameless when you judge.

1. Hebrew “the evil”

⁵ Behold, in iniquity I was born, and in sin my mother conceived me.

⁶ Behold, you delight in truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden parts you make me to know wisdom.

⁷ Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

⁸ Make me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

⁹ Hide your face from my sins, and all my iniquities blot out.

¹⁰ Create a clean heart for me, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit ⌞within me⌟.¹

1. Literally “in my inner parts”

¹¹ Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.

¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and with a willing spirit sustain me.

¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.

¹⁴ Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation; then my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.

¹⁵ O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will proclaim your praise.

¹⁶ For you do not delight in sacrifice or I would give it. With a burnt offering you are not pleased.

¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

¹⁸ Do good in your favor toward Zion. Build the walls of Jerusalem.

¹⁹ Then you will delight in righteous sacrifices, burnt offering and whole burnt offering. Then bulls will be offered on your altar.

God’s Judgment on the Wicked and Love for the Faithful

¹ For the music director. A maskil of David. When Doeg the Edomite came and informed Saul. And he said to him, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”¹ Why do you boast about evil, O mighty man? The loyal love of God endures ⌞continually⌟.²

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first two verses of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by two
2. Literally “all the day”

² Your tongue plans destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceit.

³ You love evil more than good, a lie more than speaking ⌞what is right⌟.¹ Selah

1. Literally “righteousness”

⁴ You love all devouring words, O deceitful tongue,

⁵ but God will pull you down forever. He will snatch you and tear you away from your tent, and he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah

⁶ And the righteous will see and fear, and will laugh at him, saying,

⁷ “Look, the man who would not make God his refuge, but he trusted in the greatness of his wealth; he took refuge in his destructiveness.”

⁸ But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house¹ of God. I trust the loyal love of God forever and ever.

1. Or “temple”

⁹ I will give thanks to you forever, because of what you have done, and I will wait on your name, because it is good, in the presence of your faithful ones.

The Folly of the Godless and Salvation for Israel

¹ For the music director, according to Mahalath. A maskil of David.¹ The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt and they have done abominable iniquity. There is none who does good.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² God looks down from heaven upon the children of humankind to see whether there is one who has insight, one who seeks God.

³ ⌞All of them⌟¹ have turned back. They are altogether corrupt. There is none who does good; there is not even one.

1. Literally “The whole of it,” i.e. all of humankind

⁴ Do not evildoers know, they who eat my people as though they were eating bread? They do not call on God.

⁵ There ⌞they are very fearful⌟¹ where no fear had been, because God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you. You have put them to shame, because God has rejected them.

1. Literally “they feared a fear”

⁶ ⌞Oh, that from Zion⌟¹ would come salvation for Israel! When God returns the fortunes² of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

1. Literally “Who will give that from Zion”
2. Or “captivity”

Answered Prayer for Deliverance from Adversaries

¹ For the music director, with stringed instruments. A maskil of David, when the Ziphites went and said to Saul, “Is not David hiding himself among us?”¹ O God, by your name save me, and by your power vindicate me.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² O God, hear my prayer; heed the words of my mouth.

³ For foreigners have risen against me, and ruthless men seek my life. They have not set God before them. Selah

⁴ See, God is my helper; The Lord is with those who sustain my life.¹

1. Or “The Lord is the sustainer of my life.”

⁵ He will repay¹ my enemies for their² evil; in your faithfulness destroy them.

1. According to the reading tradition (Qere)
2. Hebrew “the”

⁶ I will freely sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O Yahweh, because it is good.

⁷ Because he has delivered me from all trouble, and my eye has looked with satisfaction on my enemies.

Betrayal of a Friend and Trust in God

¹ For the music director, with stringed instruments. A maskil of David.¹ Give ear, O God, to my prayer, and do not hide yourself from my plea.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² Attend to me and answer me. I am restless in my lamenting and I groan,

³ because of the voice of an enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked, because they bring down evil on me, and in anger they hold a grudge against me.

⁴ My heart trembles within me, and deathly terrors fall on me.

⁵ Fear and trembling come on me, and horror overwhelms me.

⁶ So I say, “⌞Oh, that⌟¹ I had wings like a dove. I would fly away and be at rest.

1. Literally “Who will give that”

⁷ Look, I would flee far away. I would dwell in the wilderness. Selah

⁸ I would hurry to my refuge from the raging wind and storm.”

⁹ Confuse, O Lord; divide their speech, because I see violence and strife in the city.

¹⁰ Day and night they go around it on its walls, and iniquity and trouble are in its midst.

¹¹ Destruction is within it, and oppression and deceit do not depart from its public square.

¹² For it is not an enemy that taunts me, or I could bear it. It is not one who hates me that magnifies himself over me, or I could hide myself from him.

¹³ But it is you, a man my equal, my friend and confidant.

¹⁴ We who would take sweet counsel together; in the house¹ of God we would walk with the throng.

1. Or “temple”

¹⁵ Let death deceive them. May they descend to Sheol alive, because evil is in their home and ⌞heart⌟.¹

1. Literally “inward part”

¹⁶ As for me, I will call to God, and Yahweh will save me.

¹⁷ ⌞Morning, noon and night⌟¹ I will lament and groan loudly, and he will hear my voice.

1. Literally “evening and morning and noon”

¹⁸ He safely redeems my life from the battle against me,¹ because those standing against me are among many.

1. Or “my battle”

¹⁹ God will hear and answer them,¹ he who is enthroned from of old, Selah Because they do not change, and they do not fear God.

1. Or “and humble them”

²⁰ He has put forth his hands against ⌞his friends⌟;¹ he has defiled his covenant.

1. Literally “those at peace with him”

²¹ The ⌞buttery words⌟¹ of his mouth were smooth, but there was battle in his heart. His words were smoother than oil, but they were drawn swords.

1. Literally “butter”

²² Cast your burden on Yahweh, and he will sustain you. He will never allow the righteous to be moved.¹

1. Or “shaken”

²³ But you, O God, you will bring them down to the pit of corruption. The men of bloodshed and deceit will not live half their days, but I will trust you.

Prayer for Deliverance and Confidence in God

¹ For the music director, according to The Silent Dove of Distant Lands. Of David. A miktam. When the Philistines seized him in Gath.¹ Be gracious to me, O God, because humankind has trampled me; fighting all the day he oppresses me.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² My enemies¹ trample all day, because many are attacking me proudly.

1. Or “lurking foes”

³ ⌞When⌟¹ I fear, I trust you.

1. Literally “The day”

⁴ God, whose word I praise, God I trust; I do not fear. What can mere flesh do to me?

⁵ All day they twist my words; all their thoughts are against me for evil.

⁶ They attack,¹ they hide, they watch my ⌞steps⌟,² as they lie in wait for my life.

1. Or “they stir up strife”
2. Literally “heels”

⁷ Because of iniquity will they escape? In anger cast down the peoples, O God.

⁸ You have kept count of my wonderings. Put my tears in your bottle; are they not in your book?

⁹ Then my enemies will turn back ⌞when⌟¹ I call.² This I know because³ God is for me.

1. Literally “in the day”
2. i.e., call on God
3. Or “that”

¹⁰ God, whose word I praise, Yahweh, whose word I praise,

¹¹ God I trust; I do not fear. What can mere humankind do to me?

¹² My vows to you, O God, are binding upon me. I will pay thank offerings to you,

¹³ because you have delivered my soul from death. Have you not kept my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

Prayer for Rescue from Enemies

¹ For the music director, according to Do Not Destroy. Of David. A miktam. When he fled from Saul into the cave.¹ Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, because in you my soul takes refuge. In the shadow of your wings I will take refuge until destruction passes by.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² I will call to God Most High, to God who accomplishes things concerning me.

³ He will send from heaven and save me; he will reproach the one who tramples me. Selah God will send his loyal love and his faithfulness.

⁴ My soul is among lions. I lie down among those who devour— the children¹ of humankind whose teeth are spears and arrows and whose tongues are sharp swords.

1. Or “sons”

⁵ Be exalted above the heavens, O God. Let your glory be above all the earth.

⁶ They have set a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down. They have dug a pit before me; they have fallen into the midst of it. Selah

⁷ My heart is steadfast, O God; My heart is steadfast. I will sing and give praise.

⁸ Awake, my glory; Awake, harp and lyre. I will awake the dawn.¹

1. Or “at dawn”

⁹ I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord; I will give you praise among the nations.

¹⁰ Because your loyal love is high to the heavens, and your faithfulness to the clouds.

¹¹ Be exalted above the heavens, O God. Let your glory be above all the earth.

Judgment on the Wicked

¹ For the music director, according to Do not Destroy. Of David. A miktam.¹ Do you really speak what is right when silent?² Do you judge fairly the children of humankind?³

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
2. A slight emendation of the Hebrew text yields “what is right, O gods,” or “O mighty ones”
3. Or “Do you judge fairly, O sons of humankind?”

² No, in your heart you plan injustices; in the land¹ you weigh out the violence of your hands.

1. Or “on the earth”

³ The wicked are estranged from the womb. They go astray from the belly, speaking lies.

⁴ Their venom is like snake venom; They are like a deaf viper that closes its ear

⁵ so that it does not hear the voice of charmers or the skilled caster of spells.

⁶ O God, break their teeth in their mouth. Break off the fangs of the young lions, O Yahweh.

⁷ Let them run away like water that runs off. When he bends the bow, let his arrows be as though they were cut off.¹

1. Or “as though they were withered stalks”

⁸ Let them be like a snail that melts away as it goes; like the stillborn of woman that do not see the sun.

⁹ Before your pots can feel the heat of a thornbush, whether green or ⌞dry⌟,¹ he will sweep it away.²

1. Literally “burning”
2. The Hebrew of this verse is difficult to interpret

¹⁰ The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; he will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.

¹¹ And people¹ will say, “Surely there is a ⌞reward⌟² for the righteous. Surely there is a God who judges in the land.”³

1. Hebrew “a person”
2. Literally “fruit”
3. Or “on the earth”

A Prayer for Protection

¹ For the music director, according to Do Not Destroy. Of David. A miktam. When Saul dispatched men and they watched the house to kill him.¹ Deliver me from my enemies, O my God. Protect² me from those who rise up against me.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
2. The sense is that of making something inaccessibly high, like a fortress

² Deliver me from workers of iniquity, and from men of bloodshed save me.

³ For look, they lie in wait for my life.¹ The mighty attack² against me, not because of my transgression or my sin, O Yahweh.

1. Hebrew “soul”
2. Or “stir up strife”

⁴ Without guilt on my part they run and ready themselves. Awake to meet me and see.

⁵ And you, Yahweh, God of hosts, are the God of Israel. Rouse yourself to punish all the nations. Do not be gracious to any who treacherously plot evil. Selah

⁶ They return at evening; they howl like dogs¹ while they prowl the city.

1. Hebrew “dog”

⁷ Look, they pour out talk with their mouth. Swords are on their lips, for they say, “Who hears?”

⁸ But you, O Yahweh, will laugh at them; you will mock all the nations.

⁹ O my strength,¹ I will watch for you, because you, O God, are my (high) stronghold.

1. Reading with a few Hebrew manuscripts and the LXX, Targum and v. 17

¹⁰ My¹ God of loyal love will meet me; God will cause me to look in triumph on my enemies.

1. According to the reading tradition (Qere), some Hebrew manuscripts and the LXX

¹¹ Do not kill them, lest my people forget. Make them to wander by your power, and bring them down, O Lord, our shield.

¹² By the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips, even in their pride, let them be trapped, and for the curses¹ and lies² they proclaim.

1. Hebrew “curse”
2. Hebrew “lie”

¹³ Destroy in anger; destroy so they are no more, so that they may know that God is ruling in Jacob to the ends of the earth. Selah

¹⁴ They return at evening; they howl like dogs¹ while they prowl the city.

1. Hebrew “dog”

¹⁵ As for them, they wander for food. If they are not satisfied, then they continue all night.¹

1. Or “then they growl”

¹⁶ But as for me, I will sing of your strength, and I will hail your loyal love in the morning, because you have been my high stronghold and a refuge in my ⌞time⌟¹ of trouble.

1. Literally “day”

¹⁷ O my strength, to you I will give praise, because God is my high stronghold, my God of loyal love.

A Lament After a Defeat and a Prayer for Restoration

¹ For the music director, according to Shushan Eduth.¹ A miktam of David. To teach. When he fought Mesopotamia and Aram Zobah, and Joab returned and struck Edom in the Valley of Salt, twelve thousand persons.² O God, you have rejected us. You have broken us. You have been angry. Restore us!

1. Perhaps “The Lily of Testimony”
2. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first two verses of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by two

² You have made the land quake. You have split it open. Heal its fissures, because it totters.

³ You have shown your people hard things; You have given us wine that staggers.

⁴ You have rallied those who fear you round a banner ⌞out of bowshot⌟,¹ Selah

1. Literally “from the presence of the bow”

⁵ so that your beloved ones may be rescued. Save by your right hand and answer us.

⁶ God has spoken in his holiness, “I will rejoice; I will divide up Shechem, and portion out the valley of Succoth.

⁷ Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine, and Ephraim is the ⌞helmet for⌟¹ my head; Judah is my scepter.²

1. Literally “protection of”
2. Or “commander’s rod”

⁸ Moab is my washing pot; over Edom, I will cast my sandal. On account of me, O Philistia, raise a shout.”

⁹ Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?

¹⁰ Have not you yourself rejected us, O God, and not gone out with our armies, O God?

¹¹ Give us help against the adversary, for the help of humankind is futile.

¹² Through God we will do ⌞valiantly⌟,¹ and it is he who will tread down our enemies.

1. Literally “might”

Confidence in God’s Protection

¹ For the music director, upon stringed instruments.¹ Of David.² Hear, O God, my cry; attend to my prayer.

1. Reading with many Hebrew manuscripts and several translations
2. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² From the end of the earth¹ I call to you when my heart grows faint. You will lead me to a rock that is higher than I.

1. Or “the far reaches of the land”

³ For you have been my refuge, a strong tower from the enemy.

⁴ Let me reside in your tent forever. Let me take refuge under the covering of your wings. Selah

⁵ For you, O God, you have heard my vows. You have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

⁶ You will add days to the days of the king, his years like those of ⌞many generations⌟.¹

1. Literally “a generation and a generation”

⁷ May he live¹ forever in the presence of God. Appoint loyal love and faithfulness to preserve him.

1. Or “be enthroned”

⁸ So I will sing the praise of your name forever, that I may fulfill¹ my vows ⌞daily⌟.²

1. Or “pay”
2. Literally “day, day”

Confidence in God’s Salvation

¹ For the music director, on Jeduthun.¹ A psalm of David.² Only for God my soul waits in silence. From him is my salvation.

1. One of David’s musicians (1 Chr 16:41)
2. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² Only he is my rock and my salvation, my high stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.

³ How long will you attack a man? All of you will be shattered¹ like a leaning wall, a tottering fence.

1. Or “All of you shatter him”

⁴ They only¹ plan to thrust him down from his high position; they are pleased with deception. With their mouths² they bless, but ⌞inwardly⌟³ they curse. Selah

1. This word appears first in the Hebrew verse.
2. Hebrew “his mouth”
3. Literally “in the midst of them”

⁵ Only for God wait in silence, O my soul, because my hope is from him.

⁶ Only he is my rock and my salvation, my high stronghold; I shall not be shaken.

⁷ On God rests my salvation and my glory; God¹ is my strong rock, my refuge.

1. Or “In God”

⁸ Trust him at all times, O people; pour out before him your heart. God is a refuge for us. Selah

⁹ Only a vapor¹ are men of low degree, a deception are men of high degree. ⌞Weighed⌟² in a balance, together they are lighter than a vapor.

1. Or “breath”
2. Literally “To go up”

¹⁰ Do not trust in extortion, and do not put vain confidence in robbery. If wealth increases, do not set your heart on it.

¹¹ Once God has spoken; twice I have heard this: that strength belongs to God.

¹² And to you belongs loyal love, O Lord, because you will render to each according to his work.

Longing for God

¹ A psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.¹ O God, you are my God; I will seek you diligently. My soul thirsts for you; my flesh longs for you as in a dry and weary land without water.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² Thus I have seen you in the sanctuary, beholding your strength and glory.

³ Because your loyal love is better than life, my lips will praise you.

⁴ So I will bless you while I live. I will lift up my ⌞hands⌟¹ in your name.

1. Hebrew “palms”

⁵ My soul will be satisfied as with the best and richest food, and with joyful lips my mouth will praise.

⁶ When I remember you on my bed, I meditate on you in the night watches.

⁷ Because you have been my help, therefore¹ in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.

1. Hebrew “and”

⁸ My soul clings to¹ you; your right hand upholds me.

1. Or “follows hard after”

⁹ But as for them who seek my life for ruin, they will go into the depths of the earth.

¹⁰ They who would ⌞deliver him to the sword⌟¹ will become a portion for jackals.

1. Literally “pour him out to the hands of the sword”

¹¹ However, the king will rejoice in God. Everyone who swears an oath by him will boast, because the mouth of the liars will be stopped.

A Plea for Divine Retribution

¹ For the music director. A psalm of David.¹ Hear my voice, O God, in my lamenting. Preserve my life from the fear of the enemy.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² Hide me from the secret plots¹ of evildoers, from the unrest of those who do iniquity,

1. Hebrew “plot”

³ who sharpen their tongue like a sword. They bend their bow to shoot their arrows—bitter words,

⁴ to shoot from¹ their² hiding places at the blameless. Suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear.

1. Hebrew “in”
2. Hebrew “the”

⁵ They encourage themselves in the evil matter. They talk of secretly laying snares. They say, “Who will see them?”

⁶ ⌞They carefully plot⌟¹ injustices saying, “We have perfected ⌞the perfect plot⌟!”² Both the ⌞inner thought⌟³ and heart of a man are deep.

1. Literally “They search out”
2. Literally “a plotted plot”
3. Literally “inward part”

⁷ But God will shoot them; with an arrow they will suddenly be wounded.

^{8 1} And they who would cause him² to stumble, their own tongue will be against them. All who gaze on them will shake.³

1. The Hebrew of this verse is very difficult
2. That is, the psalmist
3. Perhaps a shaking of the head; a similar Hebrew form could be translated “will flee”

⁹ And then¹ all men² will fear, and will declare the working of God, and will understand his doing.

1. Hebrew “and”
2. Hebrew “man”

¹⁰ The righteous will rejoice in Yahweh and take refuge in him, and all the upright in heart will boast.

Thanksgiving for God’s Provision

¹ For the music director. A psalm of David. A song.¹ Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion, and to you the vow shall be fulfilled.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² O you who hear prayer, to you all flesh will come.

³ Iniquities¹ prevail over me. As for our transgressions, you will ⌞forgive⌟² them.

1. Hebrew “matters of iniquities”
2. Literally “provide atonement for”

⁴ Blessed is one whom you choose and bring near, that he may abide in your courts. We will be satisfied with the goodness of your house, your holy temple.

⁵ By awesome deeds in righteousness you will answer us, O God of our salvation, you who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth and of the far-off seas,

⁶ who established the mountains by his strength, the one who is girded with might,

⁷ who stills the roar of the seas, the roar of their waves, and the commotion of the peoples,

⁸ so that¹ the inhabitants of the farthest reaches are in awe of your signs. You make the dawn and sunset sing for joy.

1. Hebrew “and”

⁹ You care for¹ the land² and water it; you greatly enrich it. The stream of God is filled with waters. You provide their grain, for so you have established it.

1. Or “visit”
2. Or “earth”

¹⁰ You drench its furrows, penetrating its ridges. With rains you soften it; its growth you bless.

¹¹ You crown the year with your ⌞bounty⌟,¹ and your wagon paths drip with ⌞richness⌟.²

1. Literally “goodness”
2. Literally “fatness”

¹² They drop on the pastures of the wilderness, and the hills gird themselves with joy.

¹³ The pasturelands put on flocks, and the valleys clothe themselves with grain. They shout in triumph; they even sing.

Thanksgiving to God for His Works

¹ For the music director. A song. A psalm.¹ Shout joyfully to God, all the earth.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm

² Sing the glory of his name. ⌞Set forth his glorious praise⌟.¹

1. Literally “set for glory—his praise”

³ Say to God, “How awesome are your works! Because of the greatness of your strength, your enemies will cringe before you.

⁴ All the earth will bow in worship to you, and sing praise to you. They will sing the praise of your name.” Selah

⁵ Come and ⌞consider⌟¹ the works of God; he is awesome in his dealings² with the children of humankind.

1. Literally “see”
2. Hebrew “dealing”

⁶ He turned the sea into dry ground; they passed through the river on foot. There we rejoiced in him.

⁷ He rules by his might forever; his eyes keep watch on the nations. Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves.¹ Selah

1. According to the reading tradition (Qere)

⁸ Bless our God, O peoples, and cause the sound of his praise to be heard,

⁹ the one who has kept our soul among the living, and has not allowed our foot to slip.

¹⁰ For you have tested us, O God; you have tried us as silver is tried.

¹¹ You brought us into the net; you placed a ⌞heavy burden⌟¹ on our backs.

1. Literally “oppression”

¹² You let men¹ ride over our heads. We went through fire and through water, but you have brought us out to the place of abundance.²

1. Hebrew “man”
2. A slightly different Hebrew word yields “a broad place”

¹³ I will come into your house¹ with burnt offerings. I will pay to you my vows

1. Or “temple”

¹⁴ that my lips uttered, and my mouth spoke in my distress.

¹⁵ Burnt offerings of fat animals I will offer to you, with the smoke of rams. I will do¹ cattle with rams. Selah

1. That is, “offer”

¹⁶ Come and hear, all you God-fearers, and I will tell what he has done for me.¹

1. Hebrew “my soul”

¹⁷ I called to him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.¹

1. A slightly different Hebrew word yields “his exaltation was under my tongue”

¹⁸ If I had considered evil in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

¹⁹ However, God has listened; he has attended to the sound of my prayer.

²⁰ Blessed be God, who has not turned aside my prayer, or his loyal love from me.

A Prayer of Blessing

¹ For the music director, with stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.¹ May God be gracious to us and bless us. May he cause his face to shine toward us, Selah

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² that your way may be known on the earth, your salvation among all nations.

³ Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all of the peoples praise you.

⁴ Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, because you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations on the earth. Selah

⁵ Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.

⁶ The earth has yielded its produce. God, our God, will bless us.

⁷ God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him.

Praise to God for Providing Victory

¹ For the music director. Of David. A psalm. A song.¹ God will arise; his enemies will be scattered, and those who hate him will flee from before him.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² As smoke is driven off, you will drive them off. As wax melts before fire, the wicked will perish before God.

³ But the righteous will be glad; they will exalt before God, and will rejoice with joy.

⁴ Sing to God, sing praises to his name. Lift up a song to the rider on the clouds—his name is Yah—¹ and rejoice before him.

1. A shortened form of “Yahweh”

⁵ A father to orphans and a judge for widows is God in his holy habitation.

⁶ God settles the lonely in a home; he brings prisoners out into prosperity. But the rebellious abide in a barren land.

⁷ O God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the desert, Selah

⁸ the earth shook; the heavens also dripped rain at the presence of God who was at Sinai, at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

⁹ You caused abundant rain to fall, O God. When your inheritance was weary you revived it.

¹⁰ Your community dwelled in it. You provided in your goodness for the poor, O God.

¹¹ The Lord gives the word. Great is the company of women who announce:

¹² “The kings of armies flee, they flee, and she who remains at home divides the spoil.

¹³ Though you men lie down between the sheepfolds, you will be like the wings of a dove covered in silver and its pinions in yellow gold.”

¹⁴ When Shaddai scattered kings on it, on Zalmon it snowed.¹

1. Or “you caused it to snow on”

¹⁵ A mountain of God¹ is the mountain of Bashan; a mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan.

1. Or “A mighty mountain”

¹⁶ Why do you look with hostility, O many-peaked mountains? This¹ mountain God desires for his dwelling. Yes, Yahweh will abide in it forever.

1. Hebrew “The”

¹⁷ The chariots of God are twice ten thousand, with thousands doubled. The Lord is among them at Sinai, distinctive in victory.¹

1. Or “as at Sinai, in the sanctuary”

¹⁸ You have ascended on high; you have led away captives. You have received gifts from among humankind, and even from the rebellious, so that Yah¹ God may dwell there.

1. A shortened form of “Yahweh”

¹⁹ Blessed be the Lord. Daily he loads us with benefits,¹ the God of our salvation.² Selah

1. Or “daily carries our burden”
2. Or “victory”

²⁰ Our God is a God of deliverances, and to the Yahweh the Lord belong escapes from death.

²¹ But God will shatter the head of his enemies, the hairy scalp of the one who ⌞continues on⌟¹ in his guilt.

1. Literally “is walking about”

²² The Lord said, “I will bring them back from Bashan; I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,

²³ so that your foot may shatter them bloody for the tongues of your dogs to have their share from the enemies.”

²⁴ They have seen your processions, O God, the processions of my God, my king, distinctive in victory.¹

1. Or “into the sanctuary”

²⁵ Singers went up front, those playing stringed instruments last, between them young women playing tambourines.

²⁶ Bless God in the assemblies, Yahweh from the fountain of Israel.

²⁷ There is little Benjamin ruling them, with the princes of Judah in their throng, the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.

²⁸ Your God has commanded your strength. Show yourself strong, O God, by what you perform¹ for us.

1. Or “you who have worked”

²⁹ Because your temple is above Jerusalem, kings will bring tribute to you.

³⁰ Rebuke the beasts in¹ the reeds, the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples, trampling the pieces of silver.² Scatter the nations who delight in battles.

1. Hebrew “of”
2. Or “until each humbles himself by offering pieces of silver”

³¹ Ambassadors¹ will come from Egypt; Cush will quickly stretch out her hands to God.

1. Reading with the LXX; meaning uncertain

³² O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praise to the Lord, Selah

³³ to the one who rides in the highest heavens of old. See, he gives forth his voice, a mighty voice.

³⁴ Ascribe strength to God. His majesty is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds.

³⁵ Awesome are you, O God, from your sanctuary.¹ The God of Israel, it is he who gives strength and might to the people. Blessed be God.

1. Hebrew “sanctuaries”

A Plea for Deliverance from Persecution

¹ For the music director, according to The Lilies. Of David.¹ Save me, O God, because waters have come up to my neck.²

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
2. Hebrew “soul” or “life”

² I sink in the mud of the deep, and there is no foothold. I have come to watery depths, and the torrent floods over me.

³ I am weary with my calling out; my throat is parched. My eyes are exhausted in my waiting for my God.

⁴ More numerous than the hairs of my head are those hating me without a cause. Those who are destroying me—my enemies wrongfully¹— are mighty. What I did not steal, I then must restore.

1. Or, “those who oppose me with falsehood”

⁵ O God, ⌞you yourself know⌟¹ my foolishness, and my guilty deeds are not hidden from you.

1. Literally “you, you know”

⁶ Let those who wait for you not be put to shame because of me, O Lord Yahweh of hosts. Let those who seek you not be disgraced because of me, O God of Israel.

⁷ Because on account of you I have borne reproach; disgrace has covered my face.

⁸ I have become a stranger to my brothers and a foreigner to my mother’s sons,

⁹ because the zeal for your house¹ has consumed me, and the reproaches of those reproaching you have fallen on me.

1. Or “temple”

¹⁰ When I wept in the fasting of my soul, it became reproaches for me.

¹¹ When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became for them a byword.

¹² Those sitting at the gate talk about me as also¹ the songs of the drunkards.

1. Hebrew “and”

¹³ But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Yahweh, for a favorable time, O God, according to the abundance of your loyal love. Answer me with the faithfulness of your salvation.

¹⁴ Deliver me from the mud and do not let me sink. Let me be delivered from those who hate me and from the watery depths.

¹⁵ Do not let the torrent of waters flood over me, or the deep swallow me, or the pit close its mouth over me.

¹⁶ Answer me, O Yahweh, because your loyal love is good; according to your abundant mercies, turn to me,

¹⁷ and do not hide your face from your servant. Because I am in trouble, answer me quickly.

¹⁸ Draw near to my soul; redeem it. Because of my enemies, ransom me.

¹⁹ You know my reproach, my shame and my disgrace. ⌞Fully known⌟¹ to you are all my adversaries.

1. Literally “right in front of”

²⁰ Reproach has broken my heart and I am sick. And I hoped for sympathy, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none.

²¹ They also gave me gall for food,¹ and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

1. Or “they put poison in my food”

²² Let their table before them be a trap, and their times of peace a snare.

²³ Let their eyes be dark so they cannot see, and make their loins continually tremble.

²⁴ Pour out your indignation on them, and let your burning anger overtake them.

²⁵ Let their camp be desolate. Let none dwell in their tents,

²⁶ because they persecute those whom you, yourself, have struck, and they tell of the pain of those you have wounded.

²⁷ ⌞Add guilt on top of their guilt⌟,¹ and do not let them ⌞be acquitted⌟.²

1. Literally “Give guilt on their guilt”
2. Literally “come into your righteousness”

²⁸ Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and let them not be recorded with the righteous.

²⁹ But as for me, though I am afflicted and pained, your salvation will protect¹ me, O God.

1. The sense is that of making something inaccessibly high, like a fortress

³⁰ I will praise the name of God in song, and magnify him with thanksgiving.

³¹ For Yahweh it will be better than an ox or bull, horned and hoofed.¹

1. That is, mature and ritually clean

³² The afflicted will see and rejoice. O God seekers, let your heart revive,¹

1. Or “live”

³³ because Yahweh hears the needy and does not despise his own who are prisoners.

³⁴ Let heavens and earth praise him, the seas and all that moves in them,

³⁵ because God will save Zion and build the cities of Judah, that they may dwell there and possess it.

³⁶ And the offspring of his servants will inherit it, and those who love his name will abide in it.

A Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

¹ For the music director. Of David. To bring to remembrance.¹ O God, make haste to deliver me. O Yahweh, make haste to help me.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² Let them be ashamed and abashed who seek my life. Let them be repulsed and humiliated who desire my harm.

³ let them turn back because of their shame, those who say, “Aha! Aha!”

⁴ Let them rejoice and be glad in you, all those who seek you. Let them say continually, “God is great!” those who love your salvation.

⁵ But I am poor and needy; O God hasten to me. You are my help and my deliverer. O Yahweh, do not delay.

A Prayer to God the Rock of Refuge

¹ In you, O Yahweh, I have taken 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 for me a rock of refuge to resort to always; you have ordained¹ to save me, because you are my rock and my fortress.

1. Or “commanded”

⁴ My God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked, from the ⌞grasp⌟¹ of the evildoer and the oppressor,

1. Literally “palm”

⁵ because you are my hope, O Lord Yahweh, my confidence from my youth.

⁶ Upon you I have leaned ⌞from birth⌟.¹ It was you who ⌞took⌟² me from the womb of my mother. My praise is of you continually.

1. Literally “from the belly”
2. Literally “cut,” that is, the umbilical cord

⁷ I have become a wonder to many, but you are my strong refuge.

⁸ My mouth is filled with your praise, with your glory all the day.

⁹ Do not cast me away in the time of old age; when my strength fails do not abandon me.

¹⁰ For my enemies talk concerning me, and those who watch for my life conspire together,

¹¹ saying, “His God has abandoned him. Pursue and seize him, because there is no deliverer.”

¹² O God, do not be far from me. My God, hurry to help me.

¹³ Let them be ashamed; let them perish who are ⌞my adversaries⌟.¹ Let them wrap themselves with scorn and disgrace who seek my harm.

1. Literally “adversaries of my soul”

¹⁴ But as for me, I will hope continually and increase your praise.

¹⁵ My mouth will tell of your righteousness, your salvation ⌞all day long⌟,¹ though I do not know the full sum of them.

1. Literally “all the day”

¹⁶ I will come in to tell the mighty deeds of Lord Yahweh. I will ⌞make known⌟¹ your righteousness, yours only.

1. Literally “bring to remembrance”

¹⁷ O God, you have taught me from my youth, and up to now I have proclaimed your wonderful deeds.

¹⁸ And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not abandon me until I proclaim your ⌞strength⌟¹ to this generation, your power to every one that comes after.

1. Literally “arm”

¹⁹ And your righteousness, O God, is to the height of heaven. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you?

²⁰ You who have caused me¹ to see many troubles and evils, you will again revive me.² And from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up.

1. According to the reading tradition (Qere)
2. According to the reading tradition (Qere)

²¹ You will increase my greatness, and you will comfort me all around.¹

1. A slightly different vocalization yields, “… comfort me again”; compare the LXX.

²² On my part, I will praise you with a stringed instrument, and your faithfulness, O my God. I will sing praises to you with a lyre, O Holy One of Israel.

²³ My lips will sing for joy when I sing praises to you, and my soul, which you have redeemed.

²⁴ My tongue also will speak of your righteousness all the day, because they have been put to shame, because they have been humiliated who seek my harm.

A Prayer for the Prosperity of God’s Anointed King

¹ Of Solomon.¹ O God, give your judgments to the king, and your righteousness to the king’s son.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm

² May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice.

³ Let the mountains yield prosperity¹ for the people, and the hills in righteousness.

1. Or “peace”

⁴ May he provide justice for the poor of the people, save the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor.

⁵ May he live long¹ ⌞while the sun endures⌟² ⌞as long as the moon⌟³ ⌞for all generations⌟.⁴

1. This presupposes the reading, suggested by the LXX, that might indicate that two of the Hebrew root letters have been inverted. The Hebrew reads “They will/Let them fear”
2. Literally “with the sun”
3. Literally “in the presence of the moon”
4. Literally “generation of generations”

⁶ May he descend like rain on mown grass, like showers watering the earth.

⁷ May what is right blossom in his days and an abundance of peace, until the moon is no more.

⁸ And may he rule from sea up to sea, and from the River¹ to the edges of the land.

1. That is, the Euphrates

⁹ Let the desert dwellers bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust.

¹⁰ Let the kings of Tarshish and the islands bring tribute. Let the kings of Sheba and Seba present gifts,

¹¹ and let all kings bow down to him. Let all nations serve him.

¹² Indeed he will deliver the needy who is crying for help, and the afflicted who has no helper.

¹³ He will take pity on the helpless and needy, and the lives of the needy he will save.

¹⁴ From oppression and from violence he will redeem their lives, and their blood will be precious in his eyes.

¹⁵ So may he live, and may gold from Sheba be given to him, and may prayers be offered for him continually. May blessings be invoked for him ⌞all day long⌟.¹

1. Literally “all the day”

¹⁶ May there be an abundance of grain in the land even on the top of the mountains. May his crop¹ sway like the trees of Lebanon, and may those from the city blossom like the grass of the earth.

1. Or “May his descendants”

¹⁷ May his name endure forever. May his name increase ⌞as long as the sun shines⌟,¹ and let them be blessed in him. Let all nations call him blessed.

1. Literally “in the presence of the sun”

¹⁸ Blessed be Yahweh God, the God of Israel, who alone does wonderful things.

¹⁹ And blessed be his glorious name forever, and may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.

²⁰ The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are completed.

The Wicked and the Righteous Contrasted

¹ A song of Asaph.¹ Surely God is good to Israel, to those pure of heart.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm

² But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled. My steps had nearly slipped,

³ because I envied the boastful when I saw the well-being¹ of the wicked.

1. Or “peace” or “prosperity”

⁴ For there are no pains up to their death, and their bodies are ⌞healthy⌟.¹

1. Literally “fat”

⁵ They do not have ⌞ordinary trouble⌟,¹ and they are not plagued as other people.²

1. Literally “the trouble of man”
2. Hebrew “humankind”

⁶ Therefore pride is their necklace; an outfit of violence covers them.

⁷ Their eye bulges from fat.¹ Imaginings overflow their heart.

1. A slightly different Hebrew reading might be reflected in the LXX’s “their iniquity comes out of fatness”

⁸ They mock and speak maliciously of oppression; they speak as though from on high.

⁹ They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue roams the earth.

¹⁰ Therefore his people turn there,¹ and abundant waters are slurped up by them.

1. That is, toward the wicked

¹¹ And they say, “How does God know?” and, “Does the Most High have knowledge?”

¹² See, these are the wicked, and they increase wealth, ever carefree.

¹³ Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure, and washed my hands in innocence.

¹⁴ And I have been plagued all day and rebuked ⌞every morning⌟.¹

1. Literally “to the mornings”

¹⁵ If I had said, “I will speak thus,” behold, I would have acted treacherously against your children’s generation.

¹⁶ When I thought about how to understand this, it was troubling in my eyes

¹⁷ until I went into the sanctuary of God. Then I understood their fate.

¹⁸ Surely you set them on slippery places. You cause them to fall onto ruin.¹

1. Or “fall for deceptions”

¹⁹ How they become a desolation in a moment! They come to a complete end by terrors.

²⁰ Like a dream upon awakening, when you wake up, O Lord, you will despise their fleeting form.¹

1. Or “image”

²¹ When my heart was embittered and I felt stabbed in my kidneys,

²² then I was brutish and ignorant. With you I was like the beasts.

²³ But I am continually with you; you have hold of my right hand.

²⁴ You will guide me with your advice, and afterward you will take me into honor.¹

1. Or “to glory”

²⁵ Whom do I have in the heavens except you? And with you I have no other desire on earth.

²⁶ My flesh and heart failed, but God is the ⌞strength⌟¹ of my heart and my reward forever.

1. Literally “rock”

²⁷ For indeed, those distancing themselves from you will be ruined. You destroy each who abandons you for harlotry.

²⁸ But as for me, the approach to God is for my good. I have set the Lord Yahweh as my refuge, in order to tell all your works.

A Lament in Time of National Defeat

¹ A maskil of Asaph.¹ Why, O God, have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm

² Remember your congregation that you bought long ago, when you redeemed the tribe of your inheritance. Remember ⌞Mount Zion⌟¹ where you have dwelt.

1. Literally “the mountain of Zion”

³ Lift your steps to the perpetual ruins, to all that the enemy has ruined in the sanctuary.

⁴ Your enemies have roared in the midst of your meeting place; they have set up their signs for signs.

⁵ They are¹ known to be like those who ⌞wield⌟² axes in a thicket of trees.

1. Hebrew “He is”
2. Literally “lift up”

⁶ And now¹ its² carved works altogether they have smashed with axe and hammer.

1. According to the reading tradition (Qere)
2. That is, the temple’s

⁷ They have set fire to your sanctuary. They have defiled to the ground, the dwelling place for your name.

⁸ They have said in their heart, “We will completely¹ oppress them.” They burned all the meeting places of God in the land.

1. Hebrew “altogether”

⁹ We do not see our signs, and there is no longer a prophet. No one with us knows how long.

¹⁰ How long, O God, will the adversary taunt? Will the enemy treat your name with contempt forever?

¹¹ Why do you draw back your hand, even your right hand? Take it from your bosom;¹ destroy them!

1. According to the reading tradition (Qere)

¹² But God has been my king from long ago, working salvation in the midst of the earth.

¹³ You split open the sea by your strength; You broke the heads of the sea monsters in the waters.

¹⁴ You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you gave him as food to the desert dwelling creatures.

¹⁵ You split open spring and wadi.¹ You dried up ever-flowing rivers.

1. A seasonal stream that is often dry

¹⁶ Yours is the day, yours is the night also. You established light and the sun.

¹⁷ You defined¹ all the boundaries of the earth; Summer and winter—you formed them.

1. Or “set”

¹⁸ O Yahweh, remember this: the enemy taunts, and foolish people treat your name with contempt.

¹⁹ Do not give to beasts the life of your dove; do not ever forget the life of your afflicted ones.

²⁰ Have regard for the covenant, because the dark places of the land are full of the haunts of violence.

²¹ Do not let the oppressed turn back humiliated; let the poor and needy praise your name.

²² Rise up, O God, plead your cause; remember the reproaching of you by the foolish ⌞all day long⌟.¹

1. Literally “all the day”

²³ Do not forget the sound of your adversaries, the roar of those rising up against you ascending continually.

Thanksgiving for God’s Future Help

¹ For the music director, according to Do Not Destroy. A psalm of Asaph. A song.¹ We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, and your name is near. Your wonderful deeds are told.²

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
2. Hebrew “They tell your wonderful deeds”

² “I will indeed set an appointed time; I will judge fairly.¹

1. Hebrew “I, I will judge” might be emphatic

³ The earth and all its inhabitants are shaking;¹ I steady² its columns. Selah

1. Or “melting away”
2. Hebrew “I, I steady” might be emphatic

⁴ I say to the boastful, ‘Do not boast!’ and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn!

⁵ Do not lift up high your¹ horn. Do not speak with ⌞arrogant pride⌟.’ ”²

1. Plural
2. Hebrew “an unrestrained neck”

⁶ For it is not from the east or the west and not from the south¹ that lifting up comes,

1. Hebrew “wilderness”

⁷ rather God is the judge; one he brings low, and another he lifts up.

⁸ For there is a cup in the hand of Yahweh with¹ wine that foams, fully mixed, and he pours out from this. Surely all the wicked of the land ⌞will quaff it down to its dregs⌟.²

1. Hebrew “and”
2. Literally “they will drain, they will drink its dregs”

⁹ But as for me, I will proclaim forever; I will sing praise to the God of Jacob.

¹⁰ “And all the horns of the wicked I will cut off. The horns of the righteous will be lifted up.”

Praise to God for His Rescue of Israel

¹ For the music director, with stringed instruments. A psalm of Asaph. A song.¹ God is known in Judah. His name is great in Israel.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² His den¹ has been in Salem, his lair² in Zion.

1. Or “shelter”; but the image of the lion appears in view
2. Or “refuge”

³ There he broke the flames of the bow, the shield and sword and battle. Selah

⁴ Radiant¹ you are, majestic, from² the mountains of prey.

1. A possible change in the Hebrew text yields, “You are feared, majestic …” a form found in vv. 8(7), 13(12). This is possibly reflected in the reading of Theodotian
2. Or “more than”

⁵ The stouthearted are plundered; they sleep their sleep, and all the able men cannot ⌞use⌟¹ their hands.

1. Literally “find”

⁶ At your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both rider¹ and horse slumber.

1. Hebrew “chariot,” that is, charioteer

⁷ ⌞You, indeed, are to be feared⌟,¹ and who can stand before you when you are angry?²

1. Literally “You, feared you are”
2. A slight change in the vocalization of the MT yields, “from the strength of your anger”

⁸ From heaven you proclaimed judgment. The earth feared and was still

⁹ when God rose for justice, to save all the afflicted of the land. Selah

¹⁰ For the anger of humankind will praise you. You will put on the remnant of anger.¹

1. Hebrew “angers”

¹¹ Make vows and fulfill them to Yahweh, your God; let all surrounding him bring tribute to the one to be feared.¹

1. Hebrew “to the fear”

¹² He cuts off the spirit of leaders. He is to be feared by the kings of the earth.

Remembering God’s Help for Israel

¹ For the music director, on Jeduthun.¹ Of Asaph. A psalm.² I cry out with my voice to God; with my voice to God, that he may hear me.

1. One of David’s musicians (1 Chr 16:41)
2. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² In the day I have trouble, I seek¹ the Lord. At night my hand stretches out ⌞continually⌟;² my soul refuses to be comforted.

1. Or “make supplication to”
2. Literally “it does not grow weary”

³ I remember God and I groan loudly; I meditate and my spirit grows faint.

⁴ You hold open my eyelids. I am troubled and cannot speak.

⁵ I think about the days from long ago, the years of ancient times.

⁶ I remember my song in the night. With my heart I meditate, and my spirit searches to understand.

⁷ Will the Lord reject us forever, and will he never be pleased with us again?

⁸ Has his loyal love ceased forever? Is his promise¹ ended throughout generations?

1. Hebrew “word”

⁹ Has God forgotten to have compassion? Or has he closed off his mercies in anger? Selah

¹⁰ So I said, “This pierces me—¹ the right hand of the Most High has changed.”

1. Or “this is my sickness”

¹¹ I will remember the deeds of Yah.¹ Surely I will remember your wonders² from long ago.

1. A shortened form of “Yahweh”
2. Hebrew “wonder”

¹² I will also muse on all your work, and meditate on your deeds.

¹³ O God, your way is distinctive.¹ Who is a great god like our God?

1. Or “holy” or “set apart”

¹⁴ You are the God who works wonders;¹ you have made known your might among the peoples.

1. Hebrew “wonder”

¹⁵ With your arm you redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah

¹⁶ Waters saw you, O God; waters saw you and they trembled. Surely the deeps shook.

¹⁷ The clouds poured out water. The skies ⌞thundered⌟.¹ Your arrows also ⌞flew about⌟.²

1. Literally “gave voice”
2. Literally “walked back and forth”

¹⁸ The sound of your thunder was in the whirlwind;¹ lightnings lit the world; the earth shook and quaked.

1. Or “in your chariot wheel”

¹⁹ Your way was through the sea, and your path¹ through many waters. Yet your footprints were not discerned.²

1. According to the reading tradition (Qere)
2. Hebrew “were not known”

²⁰ You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

God’s Faithfulness in Israel’s History

¹ A maskil of Asaph.¹ Listen, O my people, to my teaching. Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm

² I will offer¹ a parable with my mouth. I will pour out riddles from long ago,

1. Hebrew “open”