PSALM 52

Futility of Boastful Wickedness.

For the choir director. A †Maskil of David, •when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul and said to him, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”

1 Why do you aboast in evil, O mighty man?

The blovingkindness of God endures all day long.

2 Your tongue devises adestruction,

Like a bsharp razor, cO worker of deceit.

3 You alove evil more than good,

bFalsehood more than speaking what is right.

1Selah.

4 You love all words that devour,

O adeceitful tongue.

5 1But God will break you down forever;

He will snatch you up and atear you away from your tent,

And buproot you from the cland of the living.

Selah.

6 The righteous will asee and fear,

And will blaugh at him, saying,

7 “Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge,

But atrusted in the abundance of his riches

And bwas strong in 1his evil desire.”

8 But as for me, I am like a agreen olive tree in the house of God;

I btrust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever.

9 I will agive You thanks forever, because You have done it,

And I will wait on Your name, bfor it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones.

PSALM 16

The Lord the Psalmist’s Portion in Life and Deliverer in Death.

A †Mikhtam of David.

1 aPreserve me, O God, for bI take refuge in You.

2 1I said to the Lord, “You are 2my Lord;

I ahave no good besides You.”

3 As for the 1asaints who are in the earth,

2They are the majestic ones bin whom is all my delight.

4 The 1asorrows of those who have 2bartered for another god will be multiplied;

I shall not pour out their drink offerings of bblood,

Nor will I ctake their names upon my lips.

5 The Lord is the aportion of my inheritance and my bcup;

You support my clot.

6 The alines have fallen to me in pleasant places;

Indeed, my heritage is bbeautiful to me.

7 I will bless the Lord who has acounseled me;

Indeed, my 1bmind instructs me in the night.

8 aI have bset the Lord continually before me;

Because He is cat my right hand, dI will not be shaken.

9 Therefore amy heart is glad and bmy glory rejoices;

My flesh also will cdwell securely.

10 For You awill not abandon my soul to 1Sheol;

Nor will You 2ballow Your 3Holy One to 4undergo decay.

11 You will make known to me athe path of life;

In bYour presence is fullness of joy;

In Your right hand there are cpleasures forever.

PSALM 17

Prayer for Protection against Oppressors.

A Prayer of David.

1 Hear a ajust cause, O Lord, bgive heed to my cry;

cGive ear to my prayer, which is not from ddeceitful lips.

2 Let amy 1judgment come forth from Your presence;

Let Your eyes look with bequity.

3 You have atried my heart;

You have visited me by night;

You have btested me and cYou find 1nothing;

I have dpurposed that my mouth will not transgress.

4 As for the deeds of men, aby the word of Your lips

I have kept from the bpaths of the violent.

5 My asteps have held fast to Your 1paths.

My bfeet have not slipped.

6 I have acalled upon You, for You will answer me, O God;

bIncline Your ear to me, hear my speech.

7 aWondrously show Your lovingkindness,

O bSavior of those who take refuge 1at Your right hand

From those who rise up against them.

8 Keep me as 1the aapple of the eye;

Hide me bin the shadow of Your wings

9 From the awicked who despoil me,

My bdeadly enemies who surround me.

10 They have aclosed their 1unfeeling heart,

With their mouth they bspeak proudly.

11 They have now asurrounded us in our steps;

They set their eyes bto cast us down to the ground.

12 He is alike a lion that is eager to tear,

And as a young lion blurking in hiding places.

13 aArise, O Lord, confront him, bbring him low;

cDeliver my soul from the wicked with dYour sword,

14 From men with aYour hand, O Lord,

From men 1of the world, bwhose portion is in this life,

And whose belly You cfill with Your treasure;

They are satisfied with children,

And leave their abundance to their babes.

15 As for me, I shall abehold Your face in righteousness;

bI will be satisfied 1with Your clikeness when I awake.