PSALM 103

A Psalm of David.

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul;

and all that is within me, bless his holy name!

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits,

3 who forgives all your iniquity,

who heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your life from the Pit,

who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

5 who satisfies you with good as long as you live*

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

6 The Lord works vindication

and justice for all who are oppressed.

7 He made known his ways to Moses,

his acts to the people of Israel.

8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

9 He will not always chide,

nor will he keep his anger for ever.

10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,

nor requite us according to our iniquities.

11 For as the heavens are high above the earth,

so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

12 as far as the east is from the west,

so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

13 As a father pities his children,

so the Lord pities those who fear him.

14 For he knows our frame;

he remembers that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are like grass;

he flourishes like a flower of the field;

16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,

and its place knows it no more.

17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting

upon those who fear him,

and his righteousness to children’s children,

18 to those who keep his covenant

and remember to do his commandments.

19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,

and his kingdom rules over all.

20 Bless the Lord, O you his angels,

you mighty ones who do his word,

hearkening to the voice of his word!

21 Bless the Lord, all his hosts,

his ministers that do his will!

22 Bless the Lord, all his works,

in all places of his dominion.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!

PSALM 29

A Psalm of David.

1 Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,g

ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;

worship the Lord in holy array.

3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;

the God of glory thunders,

the Lord, upon many waters.

4 The voice of the Lord is powerful,

the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars,

the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.

6 He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,

and Sirion like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.

8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness,

the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

9 The voice of the Lord makes the oaks to whirl,h

and strips the forests bare;

and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;

the Lord sits enthroned as king for ever.

11 May the Lord give strength to his people!

May the Lord bless his people with peace!

PSALM 30

A Psalm of David. A Song at the dedication of the Temple.

1 I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast drawn me up,

and hast not let my foes rejoice over me.

2 O Lord my God, I cried to thee for help,

and thou hast healed me.

3 O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from Sheol,

restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.i

4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,

and give thanks to his holy name.

5 For his anger is but for a moment,

and his favor is for a lifetime.

Weeping may tarry for the night,

but joy comes with the morning.

6 As for me, I said in my prosperity,

“I shall never be moved.”

7 By thy favor, O Lord,

thou hadst established me as a strong mountain;

thou didst hide thy face,

I was dismayed.

8 To thee, O Lord, I cried;

and to the Lord I made supplication:

9 “What profit is there in my death,

if I go down to the Pit?

Will the dust praise thee?

Will it tell of thy faithfulness?

10 Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me!

O Lord, be thou my helper!”

11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing;

thou hast loosed my sackcloth

and girded me with gladness,

12 that my soulj may praise thee and not be silent.

O Lord my God, I will give thanks to thee for ever.

PSALM 31

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1 In thee, O Lord, do I seek refuge;

let me never be put to shame;

in thy righteousness deliver me!

2 Incline thy ear to me,

rescue me speedily!

Be thou a rock of refuge for me,

a strong fortress to save me!

3 Yea, thou art my rock and my fortress;

for thy name’s sake lead me and guide me,

4 take me out of the net which is hidden for me,

for thou art my refuge.

5 Into thy hand I commit my spirit;

thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

6 Thou hatest* those who pay regard to vain idols;

but I trust in the Lord.

7 I will rejoice and be glad for thy steadfast love,

because thou hast seen my affliction,

thou hast taken heed of my adversities,

8 and hast not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;

thou hast set my feet in a broad place.

9 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;

my eye is wasted from grief,

my soul and my body also.

10 For my life is spent with sorrow,

and my years with sighing;

my strength fails because of my misery,l

and my bones waste away.

11 I am the scorn of all my adversaries,

a horrorm to my neighbors,

an object of dread to my acquaintances;

those who see me in the street flee from me.

12 I have passed out of mind like one who is dead;

I have become like a broken vessel.

13 Yea, I hear the whispering of many—

terror on every side!—

as they scheme together against me,

as they plot to take my life.

14 But I trust in thee, O Lord,

I say, “Thou art my God.”

15 My times are in thy hand;

deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors!

16 Let thy face shine on thy servant;

save me in thy steadfast love!

17 Let me not be put to shame, O Lord,

for I call on thee;

let the wicked be put to shame,

let them go dumbfounded to Sheol.

18 Let the lying lips be dumb,

which speak insolently against the righteous

in pride and contempt.

19 O how abundant is thy goodness,

which thou hast laid up for those who fear thee,

and wrought for those who take refuge in thee,

in the sight of the sons of men!

20 In the covert of thy presence thou hidest them

from the plots of men;

thou holdest them safe under thy shelter

from the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be the Lord,

for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me

when I was beset as in a besieged city.

22 I had said in my alarm,

“I am driven farn from thy sight.”

But thou didst hear my supplications,

when I cried to thee for help.

23 Love the Lord, all you his saints!

The Lord preserves the faithful,

but abundantly requites him who acts haughtily.

24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage,

all you who wait for the Lord!