Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. Colossians 3:16 NLT

Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. Colossians 3:16 NLT

Monday, July 11, 2011

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.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

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.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

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.