PSALM 21

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1 In thy strength the king rejoices, O Lord;

and in thy help how greatly he exults!

2 Thou hast given him his heart’s desire,

and hast not withheld the request of his lips. [Selah]

3 For thou dost meet him with goodly blessings;

thou dost set a crown of fine gold upon his head.

4 He asked life of thee; thou gavest it to him,

length of days for ever and ever.

5 His glory is great through thy help;

splendor and majesty thou dost bestow upon him.

6 Yea, thou dost make him most blessed for ever;

thou dost make him glad with the joy of thy presence.

7 For the king trusts in the Lord;

and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.

8 Your hand will find out all your enemies;

your right hand will find out those who hate you.

9 You will make them as a blazing oven

when you appear.

The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath;

and fire will consume them.

10 You will destroy their offspring from the earth,

and their children from among the sons of men.

11 If they plan evil against you,

if they devise mischief, they will not succeed.

12 For you will put them to flight;

you will aim at their faces with your bows.

13 Be exalted, O Lord, in thy strength!

We will sing and praise thy power.

PSALM 26

A Psalm of David.

1 Vindicate me, O Lord,

for I have walked in my integrity,

and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.

2 Prove me, O Lord, and try me;

test my heart and my mind.

3 For thy steadfast love is before my eyes,

and I walk in faithfulness to thee.c

4 I do not sit with false men,

nor do I consort with dissemblers;

5 I hate the company of evildoers,

and I will not sit with the wicked.

6 I wash my hands in innocence,

and go about thy altar, O Lord,

7 singing aloud a song of thanksgiving,

and telling all thy wondrous deeds.

8 O Lord, I love the habitation of thy house,

and the place where thy glory dwells.

9 Sweep me not away with sinners,

nor my life with bloodthirsty men,

10 men in whose hands are evil devices,

and whose right hands are full of bribes.

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

redeem me, and be gracious to me.

12 My foot stands on level ground;

in the great congregation I will bless the Lord.

PSALM 27

A Psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation;

whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the strongholdd of my life;

of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When evildoers assail me,

uttering slanders against me,e

my adversaries and foes,

they shall stumble and fall.

3 Though a host encamp against me,

my heart shall not fear;

though war arise against me,

yet I will be confident.

4 One thing have I asked of the Lord,

that will I seek after;

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord

all the days of my life,

to behold the beauty of the Lord,

and to inquire in his temple.

5 For he will hide me in his shelter

in the day of trouble;

he will conceal me under the cover of his tent,

he will set me high upon a rock.

6 And now my head shall be lifted up

above my enemies round about me;

and I will offer in his tent

sacrifices with shouts of joy;

I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud,

be gracious to me and answer me!

8 Thou hast said, “Seek ye my face.”

My heart says to thee,

“Thy face, Lord, do I seek.”

9 Hide not thy face from me.

Turn not thy servant away in anger,

thou who hast been my help.

Cast me not off, forsake me not,

O God of my salvation!

10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,

but the Lord will take me up.

11 Teach me thy way, O Lord;

and lead me on a level path

because of my enemies.

12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;

for false witnesses have risen against me,

and they breathe out violence.

13 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord

in the land of the living!

14 Wait for the Lord;

be strong, and let your heart take courage;

yea, wait for the Lord!

PSALM 28

A Psalm of David.

1 To thee, O Lord, I call;

my rock, be not deaf to me,

lest, if thou be silent to me,

I become like those who go down to the Pit.

2 Hear the voice of my supplication,

as I cry to thee for help,

as I lift up my hands

toward thy most holy sanctuary.f

3 Take me not off with the wicked,

with those who are workers of evil,

who speak peace with their neighbors,

while mischief is in their hearts.

4 Requite them according to their work,

and according to the evil of their deeds;

requite them according to the work of their hands;

render them their due reward.

5 Because they do not regard the works of the Lord,

or the work of his hands,

he will break them down and build them up no more.

6 Blessed be the Lord!

for he has heard the voice of my supplications.

7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;

in him my heart trusts;

so I am helped, and my heart exults,

and with my song I give thanks to him.

8 The Lord is the strength of his people,

he is the saving refuge of his anointed.

9 O save thy people, and bless thy heritage;

be thou their shepherd, and carry them for ever.