Psalm 4–6

Psalm 4

A NIGHT PRAYER

For the choir director: with stringed instruments.^g A psalm of David.

¹Answer me when I call,

God, who vindicates me.^Ch

You freed me from affliction;ⁱ

be gracious to me and hear my prayer.

²How long, exalted ones,^D will my honor be insulted?^j

How long will you love what is worthless^k

and pursue a lie?

Selah

³Know that the Lord has set apart

the faithful for himself;

the Lord will hear when I call to him.

⁴Be angry^E and do not sin;^l

reflect in your heart while on your bed and be silent.^m

Selah

⁵Offer sacrifices in righteousness^Fn

and trust in the Lord.^o

⁶Many are asking, “Who can show us anything good?”

Let the light of your face shine on us, Lord.^p

⁷You have put more joy in my heart

than they have when their grain and new wine abound.^q

⁸I will both lie down and sleep in peace,^r

for you alone, Lord, make me live in safety.^s

Psalm 5

THE REFUGE OF THE RIGHTEOUS

For the choir director: with the flutes. A psalm of David.

¹Listen to my words, Lord;

consider my sighing.^t

²Pay attention to the sound of my cry,^u

my King and my God,^v

for I pray to you.

³In the morning,^w Lord, you hear my voice;

in the morning I plead my case to you^x and watch expectantly.

⁴For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;

evil cannot dwell with you.^y

⁵The boastful cannot stand in your sight;^z

you hate all evildoers.^aa

⁶You destroy those who tell lies;^ab

the Lord abhors violent and treacherous people.^ac

⁷But I enter your house

by the abundance of your faithful love;^ad

I bow down toward your holy temple

in reverential awe of you.^ae

⁸Lord, lead me in your righteousness^af

because of my adversaries;

make your way straight before me.^ag

⁹For there is nothing reliable in what they say;^ah

destruction is within them;

their throat is an open grave;

they flatter with their tongues.^ai

¹⁰Punish them, God;

let them fall by their own schemes.^aj

Drive them out^ak because of their many crimes,

for they rebel against you.^al

¹¹But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;^am

let them shout for joy forever.

May you shelter them,^an

and may those who love your name boast about you.^ao

¹²For you, Lord, bless the righteous one;

you surround him with favor like a shield.^ap

Psalm 6

A PRAYER FOR MERCY

For the choir director: with stringed instruments, according to Sheminith.^a A psalm of David.

¹Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger;

do not discipline me in your wrath.^b

²Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am weak;^Ac

heal me,^d Lord, for my bones are shaking;^e

³my whole being is shaken with terror.^f

And you, Lord—how long?^g

⁴Turn, Lord! Rescue me;

save me because of your faithful love.^h

⁵For there is no remembrance of you in death;

who can thank you in Sheol?ⁱ

⁶I am weary from my groaning;^j

with my tears I dampen my bed

and drench my couch every night.^k

⁷My eyes are swollen from grief;^l

they grow old because of all my enemies.

⁸Depart from me, all evildoers,

for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.^m

⁹The Lord has heard my plea for help;ⁿ

the Lord accepts my prayer.^o

¹⁰All my enemies will be ashamed and shake with terror;

they will turn back^p and suddenly be disgraced.^q