Psalm 26–28

Psalm 26

By David. 

¹Judge me favorably, O Lord, 

because I have walked with integrity 

and I have trusted you without wavering. 

²Examine me, O Lord, and test me. 

Look closely into my heart and mind. 

³I see your mercy in front of me. 

I walk in the light of your truth. 

⁴I did not sit with liars, 

and I will not be found among hypocrites. 

⁵I have hated the mob of evildoers 

and will not sit with wicked people. 

⁶I will wash my hands in innocence. 

I will walk around your altar, O Lord, 

⁷so that I may loudly sing a hymn of thanksgiving 

and tell about all your miracles. 

⁸O Lord, I love the house where you live, 

the place where your glory dwells. 

⁹Do not sweep away my soul along with hardened sinners 

or my life along with bloodthirsty people. 

¹⁰Evil schemes are in their hands. 

Their right hands are full of bribes. 

¹¹But I walk with integrity. 

Rescue me, and have pity on me. 

¹²My feet stand on level ground. 

I will praise the Lord with the choirs in worship. 

Psalm 27

By David. 

¹The Lord is my light and my salvation. 

Who is there to fear? 

The Lord is my life’s fortress. 

Who is there to be afraid of? 

²Evildoers closed in on me to tear me to pieces. 

My opponents and enemies stumbled and fell. 

³Even though an army sets up camp against me, 

my heart will not be afraid. 

Even though a war breaks out against me, 

I will still have confidence ⸤in the Lord⸥. 

⁴I have asked one thing from the Lord. 

This I will seek: 

to remain in the Lord’s house all the days of my life 

in order to gaze at the Lord’s beauty 

and to search for an answer in his temple. 

⁵He hides me in his shelter when there is trouble. 

He keeps me hidden in his tent. 

He sets me high on a rock. 

⁶Now my head will be raised above my enemies who surround me. 

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

I will sing and make music to praise the Lord. 

⁷Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud. 

Have pity on me, and answer me. 

⁸⸤When you said,⸥ 

“Seek my face,” 

my heart said to you, 

“O Lord, I will seek your face.”^a

⁹Do not hide your face from me. 

Do not angrily turn me away. 

You have been my help. 

Do not leave me! 

Do not abandon me, O God, my savior! 

¹⁰Even if my father and mother abandon me, 

the Lord will take care of me. 

¹¹Teach me your way, O Lord. 

Lead me on a level path 

because I have enemies who spy on me. 

¹²Do not surrender me to the will of my opponents. 

False witnesses have risen against me. 

They breathe out violence. 

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

in this world of the living. 

¹⁴Wait with hope for the Lord. 

Be strong, and let your heart be courageous. 

Yes, wait with hope for the Lord. 

Psalm 28

By David. 

¹O Lord, I call to you. 

O my rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me. 

If you remain silent, 

I will be like those who go into the pit. 

²Hear my prayer for mercy when I call to you for help, 

when I lift my hands toward your most holy place. 

³Do not drag me away with wicked people, 

with troublemakers who speak of peace with their neighbors 

but have evil in their hearts. 

⁴Pay them back for what they have done, 

for their evil deeds. 

Pay them back for what their hands have done, 

and give them what they deserve. 

⁵The Lord will tear them down and never build them up again, 

because they never consider what he has done 

or what his hands have made. 

⁶Thank the Lord! 

He has heard my prayer for mercy! 

⁷The Lord is my strength and my shield. 

My heart trusted him, so I received help. 

My heart is triumphant; I give thanks to him with my song. 

⁸The Lord is the strength of his people 

and a fortress for the victory of his Messiah.^a

⁹Save your people, and bless those who belong to you. 

Be their shepherd, and carry them forever.