Psalm 26–28

Psalm 26

PRAYER FOR VINDICATION

Of David.

¹Vindicate me, Lord,

because I have lived with integrity

and have trusted in the Lord without wavering.^e

²Test me, Lord, and try me;

examine my heart and mind.^f

³For your faithful love guides me,^C

and I live by your truth.^g

⁴I do not sit with the worthless

or associate with hypocrites.

⁵I hate a crowd of evildoers,

and I do not sit with the wicked.^h

⁶I wash my hands in innocenceⁱ

and go around your altar, Lord,^j

⁷raising my voice in thanksgiving^k

and telling about your wondrous works.^l

⁸Lord, I love the house where you dwell,

the place where your glory resides.^m

⁹Do not destroy me along with sinners,

or my life along with men of bloodshedⁿ

¹⁰in whose hands are evil schemes

and whose right hands are filled with bribes.^o

¹¹But I live with integrity;

redeem me and be gracious to me.^p

¹²My foot stands on level ground;^q

I will bless the Lord in the assemblies.^r

Psalm 27

MY STRONGHOLD

Of David.

¹The Lord is my light and my salvation—

whom should I fear?^s

The Lord is the stronghold of my life—

whom should I dread?^t

²When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh,^u

my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell.^v

³Though an army deploys against me,

my heart will not be afraid;

though a war breaks out against me,

I will still be confident.^w

⁴I have asked one thing from the Lord;

it is what I desire:

to dwell in the house of the Lord

all the days of my life,^x

gazing on the beauty of the Lord^y

and seeking him in his temple.^z

⁵For he will conceal me in his shelter

in the day of adversity;

he will hide me under the cover of his tent;

he will set me high on a rock.^aa

⁶Then my head will be high

above my enemies around me;^ab

I will offer sacrifices in his tent with shouts of joy.^ac

I will sing and make music to the Lord.^ad

⁷Lord, hear my voice when I call;

be gracious to me and answer me.^ae

⁸My heart says this about you:

“Seek^A his face.”

Lord, I will seek your face.^af

⁹Do not hide your face from me;^ag

do not turn your servant away in anger.^ah

You have been my helper;^ai

do not leave me or abandon me,

God of my salvation.

¹⁰Even if my father and mother abandon me,

the Lord cares for me.^aj

¹¹Because of my adversaries,

show me your way, Lord,

and lead me on a level path.^ak

¹²Do not give me over to the will of my foes,

for false witnesses rise up against me,

breathing violence.^al

¹³I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness

in the land of the living.^a

¹⁴Wait for the Lord;

be strong, and let your heart be courageous.^b

Wait for the Lord.^c

Psalm 28

MY STRENGTH

Of David.

¹Lord, I call to you;

my rock, do not be deaf to me.^d

If you remain silent to me,

I will be like those going down to the Pit.^e

²Listen to the sound of my pleading

when I cry to you for help,

when I lift up my hands

toward your holy sanctuary.^f

³Do not drag me away with the wicked,

with the evildoers,

who speak in friendly ways with their neighbors

while malice is in their hearts.^g

⁴Repay them according to what they have done—

according to the evil of their deeds.

Repay them according to the work of their hands;

give them back what they deserve.^h

⁵Because they do not consider

what the Lord has done

or the work of his hands,

he will tear them down and not rebuild them.ⁱ

⁶Blessed be the Lord,

for he has heard the sound of my pleading.^j

⁷The Lord is my strength and my shield;

my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.^k

Therefore my heart celebrates,

and I give thanks to him with my song.^l

⁸The Lord is the strength of his people;^A

he is a stronghold of salvation for his anointed.^m

⁹Save your people, bless your possession,

shepherd them, and carry them forever.ⁿ