Psalm 73

A psalm of Asaph.
 ¹ Surely God is good to Israel,
   to those who are pure in heart.
 ² But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
   I had nearly lost my foothold.
³ For I envied the arrogant
   when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
 ⁴ They have no struggles;
   their bodies are healthy and strong.
⁵ They are free from the burdens common to man;
   they are not plagued by human ills.
⁶ Therefore pride is their necklace;
   they clothe themselves with violence.
⁷ From their callous hearts comes iniquity;
   the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.
⁸ They scoff, and speak with malice;
   in their arrogance they threaten oppression.
⁹ Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
   and their tongues take possession of the earth.
¹⁰ Therefore their people turn to them
   and drink up waters in abundance.
¹¹ They say, “How can God know?
   Does the Most High have knowledge?”
 ¹² This is what the wicked are like—
   always carefree, they increase in wealth.
 ¹³ Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure;
   in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.
¹⁴ All day long I have been plagued;
   I have been punished every morning.
 ¹⁵ If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
   I would have betrayed your children.
¹⁶ When I tried to understand all this,
   it was oppressive to me
¹⁷ till I entered the sanctuary of God;
   then I understood their final destiny.
 ¹⁸ Surely you place them on slippery ground;
   you cast them down to ruin.
¹⁹ How suddenly are they destroyed,
   completely swept away by terrors!
²⁰ As a dream when one awakes,
   so when you arise, O Lord,
   you will despise them as fantasies.
 ²¹ When my heart was grieved
   and my spirit embittered,
²² I was senseless and ignorant;
   I was a brute beast before you.
 ²³ Yet I am always with you;
   you hold me by my right hand.
²⁴ You guide me with your counsel,
   and afterward you will take me into glory.
²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?
   And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
²⁶ My flesh and my heart may fail,
   but God is the strength of my heart
   and my portion forever.
 ²⁷ Those who are far from you will perish;
   you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
²⁸ But as for me, it is good to be near God.
   I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
   I will tell of all your deeds.

Psalm 72

 ¹ Endow the king with your justice, O God,
   the royal son with your righteousness.
² He will judge your people in righteousness,
   your afflicted ones with justice.
³ The mountains will bring prosperity to the people,
   the hills the fruit of righteousness.
⁴ He will defend the afflicted among the people
   and save the children of the needy;
   he will crush the oppressor.
 ⁵ He will endure as long as the sun,
   as long as the moon, through all generations.
⁶ He will be like rain falling on a mown field,
   like showers watering the earth.
⁷ In his days the righteous will flourish;
   prosperity will abound till the moon is no more.
 ⁸ He will rule from sea to sea
   and from the River to the ends of the earth.
⁹ The desert tribes will bow before him
   and his enemies will lick the dust.
¹⁰ The kings of Tarshish and of distant shores
   will bring tribute to him;
the kings of Sheba and Seba
   will present him gifts.
¹¹ All kings will bow down to him
   and all nations will serve him.
 ¹² For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
   the afflicted who have no one to help.
¹³ He will take pity on the weak and the needy
   and save the needy from death.
¹⁴ He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
   for precious is their blood in his sight.
 ¹⁵ Long may he live!
   May gold from Sheba be given him.
May people ever pray for him
   and bless him all day long.
¹⁶ Let grain abound throughout the land;
   on the tops of the hills may it sway.
Let its fruit flourish like Lebanon;
   let it thrive like the grass of the field.
¹⁷ May his name endure forever;
   may it continue as long as the sun.
   All nations will be blessed through him,
   and they will call him blessed.
¹⁸ Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel,
   who alone does marvelous deeds.
¹⁹ Praise be to his glorious name forever;
   may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
            Amen and Amen.
²⁰ This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.

Psalm 71

¹ In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge;
   let me never be put to shame.
² Rescue me and deliver me in your righteousness;
   turn your ear to me and save me.
³ Be my rock of refuge,
   to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
   for you are my rock and my fortress.
⁴ Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
   from the grasp of evil and cruel men.
 ⁵ For you have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD,
   my confidence since my youth.
⁶ From birth I have relied on you;
   you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.
   I will ever praise you.
⁷ I have become like a portent to many,
   but you are my strong refuge.
⁸ My mouth is filled with your praise,
   declaring your splendor all day long.
 ⁹ Do not cast me away when I am old;
   do not forsake me when my strength is gone.
¹⁰ For my enemies speak against me;
   those who wait to kill me conspire together.
¹¹ They say, “God has forsaken him;
   pursue him and seize him,
   for no one will rescue him.”
¹² Be not far from me, O God;
   come quickly, O my God, to help me.
¹³ May my accusers perish in shame;
   may those who want to harm me
   be covered with scorn and disgrace.
 ¹⁴ But as for me, I will always have hope;
   I will praise you more and more.
¹⁵ My mouth will tell of your righteousness,
   of your salvation all day long,
   though I know not its measure.
¹⁶ I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign LORD;
   I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone.
¹⁷ Since my youth, O God, you have taught me,
   and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
¹⁸ Even when I am old and gray,
   do not forsake me, O God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
   your might to all who are to come.
 ¹⁹ Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God,
   you who have done great things.
   Who, O God, is like you?
²⁰ Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter,
   you will restore my life again;
from the depths of the earth
   you will again bring me up.
²¹ You will increase my honor
   and comfort me once again.
 ²² I will praise you with the harp
   for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praise to you with the lyre,
   O Holy One of Israel.
²³ My lips will shout for joy
   when I sing praise to you—
   I, whom you have redeemed.
²⁴ My tongue will tell of your righteous acts
   all day long,
for those who wanted to harm me
   have been put to shame and confusion.

Psalm 70

For the choir director: A psalm of David, asking God to remember him.

 ¹ Please, God, rescue me!
      Come quickly, Lord, and help me.
 ² May those who try to kill me
      be humiliated and put to shame.
   May those who take delight in my trouble
      be turned back in disgrace.
 ³ Let them be horrified by their shame,
      for they said, “Aha! We’ve got him now!”
 ⁴ But may all who search for you
      be filled with joy and gladness in you.
   May those who love your salvation
      repeatedly shout, “God is great!”
 ⁵ But as for me, I am poor and needy;
      please hurry to my aid, O God.
   You are my helper and my savior;
      O Lord, do not delay.

Psalm 69

For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be sung to the tune “Lilies.”

 ¹ Save me, O God,
      for the floodwaters are up to my neck.
 ² Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire;
      I can’t find a foothold.
   I am in deep water,
      and the floods overwhelm me.
 ³ I am exhausted from crying for help;
      my throat is parched.
   My eyes are swollen with weeping,
      waiting for my God to help me.
 ⁴ Those who hate me without cause
      outnumber the hairs on my head.
   Many enemies try to destroy me with lies,
      demanding that I give back what I didn’t steal. ⁵ O God, you know how foolish I am;
      my sins cannot be hidden from you.
 ⁶ Don’t let those who trust in you be ashamed because of me,
      O Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
   Don’t let me cause them to be humiliated,
      O God of Israel.
 ⁷ For I endure insults for your sake;
      humiliation is written all over my face.
 ⁸ Even my own brothers pretend they don’t know me;
      they treat me like a stranger.
 ⁹ Passion for your house has consumed me,
      and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.
 ¹⁰ When I weep and fast,
      they scoff at me.
 ¹¹ When I dress in burlap to show sorrow,
      they make fun of me.
 ¹² I am the favorite topic of town gossip,
      and all the drunks sing about me.
 ¹³ But I keep praying to you, Lord,
      hoping this time you will show me favor.
   In your unfailing love, O God,
      answer my prayer with your sure salvation.
 ¹⁴ Rescue me from the mud;
      don’t let me sink any deeper!
   Save me from those who hate me,
      and pull me from these deep waters.
 ¹⁵ Don’t let the floods overwhelm me,
      or the deep waters swallow me,
      or the pit of death devour me.
 ¹⁶ Answer my prayers, O Lord,
      for your unfailing love is wonderful.
   Take care of me,
      for your mercy is so plentiful.
 ¹⁷ Don’t hide from your servant;
      answer me quickly, for I am in deep trouble!
 ¹⁸ Come and redeem me;
      free me from my enemies.
 ¹⁹ You know of my shame, scorn, and disgrace.
      You see all that my enemies are doing.
 ²⁰ Their insults have broken my heart,
      and I am in despair.
   If only one person would show some pity;
      if only one would turn and comfort me.
 ²¹ But instead, they give me poison for food;
      they offer me sour wine for my thirst.
 ²² Let the bountiful table set before them become a snare
      and their prosperity become a trap.
 ²³ Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see,
      and make their bodies shake continually
 ²⁴ Pour out your fury on them;
      consume them with your burning anger.
 ²⁵ Let their homes become desolate
      and their tents be deserted.
 ²⁶ To the one you have punished, they add insult to injury;
      they add to the pain of those you have hurt.
 ²⁷ Pile their sins up high,
      and don’t let them go free.
 ²⁸ Erase their names from the Book of Life;
      don’t let them be counted among the righteous.
 ²⁹ I am suffering and in pain.
      Rescue me, O God, by your saving power.
 ³⁰ Then I will praise God’s name with singing,
      and I will honor him with thanksgiving.
 ³¹ For this will please the Lord more than sacrificing cattle,
      more than presenting a bull with its horns and hooves.
 ³² The humble will see their God at work and be glad.
      Let all who seek God’s help be encouraged.
 ³³ For the Lord hears the cries of the needy;
      he does not despise his imprisoned people.
 ³⁴ Praise him, O heaven and earth,
      the seas and all that move in them.
 ³⁵ For God will save Jerusalem
      and rebuild the towns of Judah.
   His people will live there
      and settle in their own land.
 ³⁶ The descendants of those who obey him will inherit the land,
      and those who love him will live there in safety.

Psalm 68

¹ Rise up, O God, and scatter your enemies.
      Let those who hate God run for their lives.
 ² Blow them away like smoke.
      Melt them like wax in a fire.
      Let the wicked perish in the presence of God.
 ³ But let the godly rejoice.
      Let them be glad in God’s presence.
      Let them be filled with joy.
 ⁴ Sing praises to God and to his name!
      Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds.
   His name is the Lord—
      rejoice in his presence!
 ⁵ Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—
      this is God, whose dwelling is holy.
 ⁶ God places the lonely in families;
      he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy.
   But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
 ⁷ O God, when you led your people out from Egypt,
      when you marched through the dry wasteland,
                         Interlude

 ⁸ the earth trembled, and the heavens poured down rain
      before you, the God of Sinai,
      before God, the God of Israel.
 ⁹ You sent abundant rain, O God,
      to refresh the weary land.
 ¹⁰ There your people finally settled,
      and with a bountiful harvest, O God,
      you provided for your needy people.
 ¹¹ The Lord gives the word,
      and a great army brings the good news.
 ¹² Enemy kings and their armies flee,
      while the women of Israel divide the plunder.
 ¹³ Even those who lived among the sheepfolds found treasures—
      doves with wings of silver
      and feathers of gold.
 ¹⁴ The Almighty scattered the enemy kings
      like a blowing snowstorm on Mount Zalmon.
 ¹⁵ The mountains of Bashan are majestic,
      with many peaks stretching high into the sky.
 ¹⁶ Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountains,
      at Mount Zion, where God has chosen to live,
      where the Lord himself will live forever?
 ¹⁷ Surrounded by unnumbered thousands of chariots,
      the Lord came from Mount Sinai into his sanctuary.
 ¹⁸ When you ascended to the heights,
      you led a crowd of captives.
   You received gifts from the people,
      even from those who rebelled against you.
      Now the Lord God will live among us there.
 ¹⁹ Praise the Lord; praise God our savior!
      For each day he carries us in his arms.
                         Interlude

 ²⁰ Our God is a God who saves!
      The Sovereign Lord rescues us from death.
 ²¹ But God will smash the heads of his enemies,
      crushing the skulls of those who love their guilty ways.
 ²² The Lord says, “I will bring my enemies down from Bashan;
      I will bring them up from the depths of the sea.
 ²³ You, my people, will wash your feet in their blood,
      and even your dogs will get their share!”
 ²⁴ Your procession has come into view, O God—
      the procession of my God and King as he goes into the sanctuary.
 ²⁵ Singers are in front, musicians behind;
      between them are young women playing tambourines.
 ²⁶ Praise God, all you people of Israel;
      praise the Lord, the source of Israel’s life.
 ²⁷ Look, the little tribe of Benjamin leads the way.
      Then comes a great throng of rulers from Judah
      and all the rulers of Zebulun and Naphtali.
 ²⁸ Summon your might, O God.
      Display your power, O God, as you have in the past.
 ²⁹ The kings of the earth are bringing tribute
      to your Temple in Jerusalem.
 ³⁰ Rebuke these enemy nations—
      these wild animals lurking in the reeds,
      this herd of bulls among the weaker calves.
   Make them bring bars of silver in humble tribute.
      Scatter the nations that delight in war.
 ³¹ Let Egypt come with gifts of precious metals;
      let Ethiopia bow in submission to God.
 ³² Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth.
      Sing praises to the Lord.
                         Interlude

 ³³ Sing to the one who rides across the ancient heavens,
      his mighty voice thundering from the sky.
 ³⁴ Tell everyone about God’s power.
      His majesty shines down on Israel;
      his strength is mighty in the heavens.
 ³⁵ God is awesome in his sanctuary.
      The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.
   Praise be to God!

Psalm 67

<sup>New International Version

1</sup> May God be merciful and bless us.
      May his face smile with favor on us.
                         Interlude
 ² May your ways be known throughout the earth,
      your saving power among people everywhere.
 ³ May the nations praise you, O God.
      Yes, may all the nations praise you.
 ⁴ Let the whole world sing for joy,
      because you govern the nations with justice
      and guide the people of the whole world.
                         Interlude
 ⁵ May the nations praise you, O God.
      Yes, may all the nations praise you.
 ⁶ Then the earth will yield its harvests,
      and God, our God, will richly bless us.
 ⁷ Yes, God will bless us,
      and people all over the world will fear him.

Psalm 66

1 For the choir director: A psalm. A song. Shout joyful praises to God, all the earth! 2 Sing about the glory of his name! Tell the world how glorious he is. 3 Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds! Your enemies cringe before your mighty power. 4 Everything on earth will worship you; they will sing your praises, shouting your name in glorious songs." Interlude 5 Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he does for his people! 6 He made a dry path through the Red Sea, and his people went across on foot. Come, let us rejoice in who he is. 7 For by his great power he rules forever. He watches every movement of the nations; let no rebel rise in defiance. Interlude 8 Let the whole world bless our God and sing aloud his praises. 9 Our lives are in his hands, and he keeps our feet from stumbling. 10 You have tested us, O God; you have purified us like silver melted in a crucible. 11 You captured us in your net and laid the burden of slavery on our backs. 12 You sent troops to ride across our broken bodies. We went through fire and flood. But you brought us to a place of great abundance. 13 Now I come to your Temple with burnt offerings to fulfill the vows I made to you -- 14 yes, the sacred vows you heard me make when I was in deep trouble. 15 That is why I am sacrificing burnt offerings to you -- the best of my rams as a pleasing aroma. And I will sacrifice bulls and goats. Interlude 16 Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me. 17 For I cried out to him for help, praising him as I spoke. 18 If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, my Lord would not have listened. 19 But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer. 20 Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer and did not withdraw his unfailing love from me.

Psalm 65

New Living Translation

 ¹ What mighty praise, O God,
      belongs to you in Zion.
   We will fulfill our vows to you,
    ² for you answer our prayers.
      All of us must come to you.
 ³ Though we are overwhelmed by our sins,
      you forgive them all.
 ⁴ What joy for those you choose to bring near,
      those who live in your holy courts.
   What festivities await us
      inside your holy Temple.
 ⁵ You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds,
      O God our savior.
   You are the hope of everyone on earth,
      even those who sail on distant seas.
 ⁶ You formed the mountains by your power
      and armed yourself with mighty strength.
 ⁷ You quieted the raging oceans
      with their pounding waves
      and silenced the shouting of the nations.
 ⁸ Those who live at the ends of the earth
      stand in awe of your wonders.
   From where the sun rises to where it sets,
      you inspire shouts of joy.
 ⁹ You take care of the earth and water it,
      making it rich and fertile.
   The river of God has plenty of water;
      it provides a bountiful harvest of grain,
      for you have ordered it so.
 ¹⁰ You drench the plowed ground with rain,
      melting the clods and leveling the ridges.
   You soften the earth with showers
      and bless its abundant crops.
 ¹¹ You crown the year with a bountiful harvest;
      even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.
 ¹² The grasslands of the wilderness become a lush pasture,
      and the hillsides blossom with joy.
 ¹³ The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep,
      and the valleys are carpeted with grain.
      They all shout and sing for joy!

Psalm 64

New Living Translation

¹ O God, listen to my complaint.
      Protect my life from my enemies’ threats.
 ² Hide me from the plots of this evil mob,
      from this gang of wrongdoers.
 ³ They sharpen their tongues like swords
      and aim their bitter words like arrows.
 ⁴ They shoot from ambush at the innocent,
      attacking suddenly and fearlessly.
 ⁵ They encourage each other to do evil
      and plan how to set their traps in secret.
      “Who will ever notice?” they ask.
 ⁶ As they plot their crimes, they say,
      “We have devised the perfect plan!”
      Yes, the human heart and mind are cunning.
 ⁷ But God himself will shoot them with his arrows,
      suddenly striking them down.
 ⁸ Their own tongues will ruin them,
      and all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.
 ⁹ Then everyone will be afraid;
      they will proclaim the mighty acts of God
      and realize all the amazing things he does.
 ¹⁰ The godly will rejoice in the Lord
      and find shelter in him.
   And those who do what is right
      will praise him.

Psalm 63

New Living Translation

 ¹ O God, you are my God;
      I earnestly search for you.
   My soul thirsts for you;
      my whole body longs for you
   in this parched and weary land
      where there is no water.
 ² I have seen you in your sanctuary
      and gazed upon your power and glory.
 ³ Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
      how I praise you!
 ⁴ I will praise you as long as I live,
      lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
 ⁵ You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
      I will praise you with songs of joy.
 ⁶ I lie awake thinking of you,
      meditating on you through the night.
 ⁷ Because you are my helper,
      I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
 ⁸ I cling to you;
      your strong right hand holds me securely.
 ⁹ But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin.
      They will go down into the depths of the earth.
 ¹⁰ They will die by the sword
      and become the food of jackals.
 ¹¹ But the king will rejoice in God.
      All who trust in him will praise him,
      while liars will be silenced.

Psalm 62

New Living Translation

 ¹ I wait quietly before God,
      for my victory comes from him.
 ² He alone is my rock and my salvation,
      my fortress where I will never be shaken.
 ³ So many enemies against one man—
      all of them trying to kill me.
   To them I’m just a broken-down wall
      or a tottering fence.
 ⁴ They plan to topple me from my high position.
      They delight in telling lies about me.
   They praise me to my face
      but curse me in their hearts.
                         Interlude
 ⁵ Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
      for my hope is in him.
 ⁶ He alone is my rock and my salvation,
      my fortress where I will not be shaken.
 ⁷ My victory and honor come from God alone.
      He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.
 ⁸ O my people, trust in him at all times.
      Pour out your heart to him,
      for God is our refuge.
                         Interlude
 ⁹ Common people are as worthless as a puff of wind,
      and the powerful are not what they appear to be.
   If you weigh them on the scales,
      together they are lighter than a breath of air.
 ¹⁰ Don’t make your living by extortion
      or put your hope in stealing.
   And if your wealth increases,
      don’t make it the center of your life.
 ¹¹ God has spoken plainly,
      and I have heard it many times:
   Power, O God, belongs to you;
¹² unfailing love, O Lord, is yours.
   Surely you repay all people
      according to what they have done.

Psalm 61

New Living Translation

¹ O God, listen to my cry!
      Hear my prayer!
 ² From the ends of the earth,
      I cry to you for help
      when my heart is overwhelmed.
   Lead me to the towering rock of safety,
    ³ for you are my safe refuge,
      a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me.
 ⁴ Let me live forever in your sanctuary,
      safe beneath the shelter of your wings!
                         Interlude
 ⁵ For you have heard my vows, O God.
      You have given me an inheritance reserved for those who fear your name.
 ⁶ Add many years to the life of the king!
      May his years span the generations!
 ⁷ May he reign under God’s protection forever.
      May your unfailing love and faithfulness watch over him.
 ⁸ Then I will sing praises to your name forever
      as I fulfill my vows each day.

Psalm 60

The New International Version

¹ You have rejected us, God, and burst upon us;
   you have been angry—now restore us!
² You have shaken the land and torn it open;
   mend its fractures, for it is quaking.
³ You have shown your people desperate times;
   you have given us wine that makes us stagger.
⁴ But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner
   to be unfurled against the bow.
 ⁵ Save us and help us with your right hand,
   that those you love may be delivered.
⁶ God has spoken from his sanctuary:
   “In triumph I will parcel out Shechem
   and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.
⁷ Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine;
   Ephraim is my helmet,
   Judah is my scepter.
⁸ Moab is my washbasin,
   on Edom I toss my sandal;
   over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
 ⁹ Who will bring me to the fortified city?
   Who will lead me to Edom?
¹⁰ Is it not you, God, you who have now rejected us
   and no longer go out with our armies?
¹¹ Give us aid against the enemy,
   for human help is worthless.
¹² With God we will gain the victory,
   and he will trample down our enemies.

Psalm 59

The New International Version

¹ Deliver me from my enemies, O God;
   be my fortress against those who are attacking me.
² Deliver me from evildoers
   and save me from those who are after my blood.
 ³ See how they lie in wait for me!
   Fierce men conspire against me
   for no offense or sin of mine, LORD.
⁴ I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.
   Arise to help me; look on my plight!
⁵ You, LORD God Almighty,
   you who are the God of Israel,
rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
   show no mercy to wicked traitors.
⁶ They return at evening,
   snarling like dogs,
   and prowl about the city.
⁷ See what they spew from their mouths—
   the words from their lips are sharp as swords,
   and they think, “Who can hear us?”
⁸ But you laugh at them, LORD;
   you scoff at all those nations.
 ⁹ You are my strength, I watch for you;
   you, God, are my fortress,
 ¹⁰ my God on whom I can rely.
   God will go before me
   and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
¹¹ But do not kill them, Lord our shield,
   or my people will forget.
In your might uproot them
   and bring them down.
¹² For the sins of their mouths,
   for the words of their lips,
   let them be caught in their pride.
For the curses and lies they utter,
 ¹³ consume them in your wrath,
   consume them till they are no more.
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
   that God rules over Jacob.
 ¹⁴ They return at evening,
   snarling like dogs,
   and prowl about the city.
¹⁵ They wander about for food
   and howl if not satisfied.
¹⁶ But I will sing of your strength,
   in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress,
   my refuge in times of trouble.
 ¹⁷ You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
   you, God, are my fortress,
   my God on whom I can rely.

Psalm 58

The Message

^1-2 Is this any way to run a country? Is there an honest politician in the house?
   Behind the scenes you brew cauldrons of evil,
      behind closed doors you make deals with demons.

 ^3-5 The wicked crawl from the wrong side of the cradle;
      their first words out of the womb are lies.
   Poison, lethal rattlesnake poison,
      drips from their forked tongues—
   Deaf to threats, deaf to charm,
      decades of wax built up in their ears.

 ^6-9 God, smash their teeth to bits,
      leave them toothless tigers.
   Let their lives be buckets of water spilled,
      all that's left, a damp stain in the sand.
   Let them be trampled grass
      worn smooth by the traffic.
   Let them dissolve into snail slime,
      be a miscarried fetus that never sees sunlight.
   Before what they cook up is half-done, God,
      throw it out with the garbage!

 ^10-11 The righteous will call up their friends
      when they see the wicked get their reward,
   Serve up their blood in goblets
      as they toast one another,
   Everyone cheering, "It's worth it to play by the rules!
      God's handing out trophies and tending the earth!"

Psalm 57

The New International Version

¹ Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
   for in you I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
   until the disaster has passed.
 ² I cry out to God Most High,
   to God, who vindicates me.
³ He sends from heaven and saves me,
   rebuking those who hotly pursue me—
   God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.
 ⁴ I am in the midst of lions;
   I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
   whose tongues are sharp swords.
 ⁵ Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
   let your glory be over all the earth.
 ⁶ They spread a net for my feet—
   I was bowed down in distress.
They dug a pit in my path—
   but they have fallen into it themselves.
 ⁷ My heart, O God, is steadfast,
   my heart is steadfast;
   I will sing and make music.
⁸ Awake, my soul!
   Awake, harp and lyre!
   I will awaken the dawn.
 ⁹ I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
   I will sing of you among the peoples.
¹⁰ For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
   your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
 ¹¹ Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
   let your glory be over all the earth.

Psalm 56

The New Living Translation

1 For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time the Philistines seized him in Gath. To be sung to the tune "Dove on Distant Oaks." O God, have mercy on me. The enemy troops press in on me. My foes attack me all day long.
2 My slanderers hound me constantly, and many are boldly attacking me. 3 But when I am afraid, I put my trust in you. 4 O God, I praise your word. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? 5 They are always twisting what I say; they spend their days plotting ways to harm me. 6 They come together to spy on me -- watching my every step, eager to kill me. 7 Don't let them get away with their wickedness; in your anger, O God, throw them to the ground. 8 You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. 9 On the very day I call to you for help, my enemies will retreat. This I know: God is on my side. 10 O God, I praise your word. Yes, LORD, I praise your word. 11 I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? 12 I will fulfill my vows to you, O God, and offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help. 13 For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life-giving light.

Psalm 55

The New International Version

1 Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; 2 hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught 3 at the voice of the enemy, at the stares of the wicked; for they bring down suffering upon me and revile me in their anger. 4 My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me. 5 Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me. 6 I said, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest-- 7 I would flee far away and stay in the desert; "Selah" 8 I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm." 9 Confuse the wicked, O Lord, confound their speech, for I see violence and strife in the city. 10 Day and night they prowl about on its walls; malice and abuse are within it. 11 Destructive forces are at work in the city; threats and lies never leave its streets. 12 If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. 13 But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, 14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God. 15 Let death take my enemies by surprise; let them go down alive to the grave, for evil finds lodging among them. 16 But I call to God, and the LORD saves me. 17 Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. 18 He ransoms me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me. 19 God, who is enthroned forever, will hear them and afflict them-- "Selah" men who never change their ways and have no fear of God. 20 My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant. 21 His speech is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords. 22 Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. 23 But you, O God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of corruption; bloodthirsty and deceitful men will not live out half their days. But as for me, I trust in you.

Psalm 54

New Living Translation

1 For the choir director: A meditation of David, regarding the time the Ziphites came and said to Saul, "We know where David is hiding." To be accompanied by stringed instruments. Come with great power, O God, and rescue me! Defend me with your might. 2 O God, listen to my prayer. Pay attention to my plea. 3 For strangers are attacking me; violent men are trying to kill me. They care nothing for God. Interlude 4 But God is my helper. The Lord is the one who keeps me alive! 5 May my enemies' plans for evil be turned against them. Do as you promised and put an end to them. 6 I will sacrifice a voluntary offering to you; I will praise your name, O LORD, for it is good. 7 For you will rescue me from my troubles and help me to triumph over my enemies.

Psalm 53

New International Version

1 The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good. 2 God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. 3 Everyone has turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. 4 Will the evildoers never learn-- those who devour my people as men eat bread and who do not call on God? 5 There they were, overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to dread. God scattered the bones of those who attacked you; you put them to shame, for God despised them. 6 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When God restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Psalm 52

New Living Translation

1 For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time Doeg the Edomite told Saul that Ahimelech had given refuge to David. You call yourself a hero, do you? Why boast about this crime of yours, you who have disgraced God's people? 2 All day long you plot destruction. Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor; you're an expert at telling lies. 3 You love evil more than good and lies more than truth. Interlude 4 You love to say things that harm others, you liar! 5 But God will strike you down once and for all. He will pull you from your home and drag you from the land of the living. Interlude 6 The righteous will see it and be amazed. They will laugh and say, 7 "Look what happens to mighty warriors who do not trust in God. They trust their wealth instead and grow more and more bold in their wickedness." 8 But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I trust in God's unfailing love forever and ever. 9 I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done. I will wait for your mercies in the presence of your people.

Psalm 51

The New International Version

For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. 5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. 7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. 10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. 13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. 14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. 15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. 16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. 18 In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Psalm 50

The New International Version

A psalm of Asaph.

1 The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets. 2 From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth. 3 Our God comes and will not be silent; a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages. 4 He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people: 5 "Gather to me my consecrated ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice." 6 And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for 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 I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings, which are ever before me. 9 I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, 10 for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. 11 I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. 12 If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. 13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? 14 Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, 15 and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me." 16 But to the wicked, God says: "What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? 17 You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you. 18 When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers. 19 You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit. 20 You speak continually against your brother and slander your own mother's son. 21 These things you have done and I kept silent; you thought I was altogether like you. But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face. 22 "Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue: 23 He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God."

Psalm 49

The New International Version

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

1 Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world, 2 both low and high, rich and poor alike: 3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the utterance from my heart will give understanding. 4 I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle: 5 Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me-- 6 those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches? 7 No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him-- 8 the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough-- 9 that he should live on forever and not see decay. 10 For all can see that wise men die; the foolish and the senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others. 11 Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves. 12 But man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish. 13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. "Selah" 14 Like sheep they are destined for the grave, and death will feed on them. The upright will rule over them in the morning; their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions. 15 But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself. "Selah" 16 Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases; 17 for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him. 18 Though while he lived he counted himself blessed-- and men praise you when you prosper-- 19 he will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light [of life]. 20 A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.

Psalm 48

The New International Version

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah.

1 Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain. 2 It is beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth. Like the utmost heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the Great King. 3 God is in her citadels; he has shown himself to be her fortress. 4 When the kings joined forces, when they advanced together, 5 they saw [her] and were astounded; they fled in terror. 6 Trembling seized them there, pain like that of a woman in labor. 7 You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish shattered by an east wind. 8 As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD Almighty, in the city of our God: God makes her secure forever. "Selah" 9 Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love. 10 Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness. 11 Mount Zion rejoices, the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments. 12 Walk about Zion, go around her, count her towers, 13 consider well her ramparts, view her citadels, that you may tell of them to the next generation. 14 For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.

Psalm 47

The New International Version

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

1 Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. 2 How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth! 3 He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet. 4 He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved. "Selah" 5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets. 6 Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. 7 For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise. 8 God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne. 9 The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted.

Psalm 46

The New International Version

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to "alamoth." A song.

1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. "Selah" 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. 5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. 6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. 7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. "Selah" 8 Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields 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 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. "Selah"