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”