Book Four: Psalms 90–106

Psalm 90

The Eternity of God, and Man’s Frailty

A Prayer aOf Moses the Man of God.

1 Lord, bYou have been our 1dwelling place in all generations.

2 cBefore the mountains were brought forth,

Or ever You 2had formed the earth and the world,

Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

3 You turn man to destruction,

And say, d“Return, O children of men.”

4 eFor a thousand years in Your sight

Are like yesterday when it is past,

And like a watch in the night.

5 You carry them away like a flood;

fThey are like a sleep.

In the morning gthey are like grass which grows up:

6 In the morning it flourishes and grows up;

In the evening it is cut down and withers.

7 For we have been consumed by Your anger,

And by Your wrath we are terrified.

8 hYou have set our iniquities before You,

Our isecret sins in the light of Your countenance.

9 For all our days have passed away in Your wrath;

We finish our years like a sigh.

10 The days of our lives are seventy years;

And if by reason of strength they are eighty years,

Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow;

For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

11 Who knows the power of Your anger?

For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath.

12 jSo teach us to number our days,

That we may gain a heart of wisdom.

13 Return, O Lord!

How long?

And khave compassion on Your servants.

14 Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy,

lThat we may rejoice and be glad all our days!

15 Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us,

The years in which we have seen evil.

16 Let mYour work appear to Your servants,

And Your glory to their children.

17 nAnd let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,

And oestablish the work of our hands for us;

Yes, establish the work of our hands.

Psalm 25

A Plea for Deliverance and Forgiveness

A Psalm of David.

1 To aYou, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

2  O my God, I btrust in You;

Let me not be ashamed;

cLet not my enemies triumph over me.

3 Indeed, let no one who 1waits on You be ashamed;

Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.

4 dShow me Your ways, O Lord;

Teach me Your paths.

5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me,

For You are the God of my salvation;

On You I wait all the day.

6 Remember, O Lord, eYour tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses,

For they are from of old.

7 Do not remember fthe sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;

gAccording to Your mercy remember me,

For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.

8 Good and upright is the Lord;

Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.

9 The humble He guides in justice,

And the humble He teaches His way.

10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth,

To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.

11 hFor Your name’s sake, O Lord,

Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

12 Who is the man that fears the Lord?

iHim shall 2He teach in the way 2He chooses.

13 jHe himself shall dwell in 3prosperity,

And khis descendants shall inherit the earth.

14 lThe secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him,

And He will show them His covenant.

15 mMy eyes are ever toward the Lord,

For He shall 4pluck my feet out of the net.

16 nTurn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me,

For I am 5desolate and afflicted.

17 The troubles of my heart have enlarged;

Bring me out of my distresses!

18 oLook on my affliction and my pain,

And forgive all my sins.

19 Consider my enemies, for they are many;

And they hate me with 6cruel hatred.

20 Keep my soul, and deliver me;

Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You.

21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,

For I wait for You.

22 pRedeem Israel, O God,

Out of all their troubles!

Psalm 26

A Prayer for Divine Scrutiny and Redemption

A Psalm of David.

1 Vindicate ame, O Lord,

For I have bwalked in my integrity.

cI have also trusted in the Lord;

I shall not slip.

2 dExamine me, O Lord, and 1prove me;

Try my mind and my heart.

3 For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes,

And eI have walked in Your truth.

4 I have not fsat with idolatrous mortals,

Nor will I go in with hypocrites.

5 I have ghated the assembly of evildoers,

And will not sit with the wicked.

6 I will wash my hands in innocence;

So I will go about Your altar, O Lord,

7 That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving,

And tell of all Your wondrous works.

8 Lord, hI have loved the habitation of Your house,

And the place 2where Your glory dwells.

9 iDo 3not gather my soul with sinners,

Nor my life with bloodthirsty men,

10 In whose hands is a sinister scheme,

And whose right hand is full of jbribes.

11 But as for me, I will walk in my integrity;

Redeem me and be merciful to me.

12 kMy foot stands in an even place;

In the congregations I will bless the Lord.

Psalm 27

An Exuberant Declaration of Faith

A Psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my alight and my salvation;

Whom shall I fear?

The bLord is the strength of my life;

Of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When the wicked came against me

To ceat 1up my flesh,

My enemies and foes,

They stumbled and fell.

3 dThough an army may encamp against me,

My heart shall not fear;

Though war may rise against me,

In this I will be confident.

4 eOne thing I have desired of the Lord,

That will I seek:

That I may fdwell in the house of the Lord

All the days of my life,

To behold the 2beauty of the Lord,

And to inquire in His temple.

5 For gin the time of trouble

He shall hide me in His pavilion;

In the secret place of His tabernacle

He shall hide me;

He shall hset me high upon a rock.

6 And now imy head shall be 3lifted up above my enemies all around me;

Therefore I will offer sacrifices of 4joy in His tabernacle;

I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice!

Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

8 When You said, “Seek My face,”

My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”

9 jDo not hide Your face from me;

Do not turn Your servant away in anger;

You have been my help;

Do not leave me nor forsake me,

O God of my salvation.

10 kWhen my father and my mother forsake me,

Then the Lord will take care of me.

11 lTeach me Your way, O Lord,

And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.

12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;

For mfalse witnesses have risen against me,

And such as breathe out violence.

13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed

That I would see the goodness of the Lord

nIn the land of the living.

14 oWait 5on the Lord;

Be of good courage,

And He shall strengthen your heart;

Wait, I say, on the Lord!