Psalm 4–6

Psalm 4

A Night Prayer

For the choir director: with stringed instruments. ^kA Davidic psalm.

¹Answer me when I call,

God, who vindicates me. ^lm

You freed me from affliction; ⁿ

be gracious to me and hear my prayer.

²How long, exalted men, will my honor be insulted? ^o

How long will you love what is worthless ^p

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 ^qand do not sin; ^r

on your bed, reflect in your heart and be still. ^sSelah

⁵Offer sacrifices in righteousness ^tu

and trust in the Lord. ^v

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

Look on us with favor, Lord. ^w

⁷You have put more joy in my heart

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

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

for You alone, Lord, make me live in safety. ^z

Psalm 5

The Refuge of the Righteous

For the choir director: with the flutes. A Davidic psalm.

¹Listen to my words, Lord;

consider my sighing. ^a

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

my King and my God, ^c

for I pray to You.

³At daybreak, ^dLord, You hear my voice;

at daybreak I plead my case to You ^eand watch expectantly.

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

evil cannot dwell with You. ^f

⁵The boastful cannot stand in Your presence; ^g

You hate all evildoers. ^h

⁶You destroy those who tell lies; ⁱ

the Lord abhors a man of bloodshed and treachery. ^j

⁷But I enter Your house

by the abundance of Your faithful love; ^k

I bow down toward Your holy temple

in reverential awe of You. ^l

⁸Lord, lead me in Your righteousness ^m

because of my adversaries; ⁿ

make Your way straight before me. ^o

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

destruction is within them;

their throat is an open grave;

they flatter with their tongues. ^r

¹⁰Punish them, God;

let them fall by their own schemes. ^s

Drive them out ^tbecause of their many crimes,

for they rebel against You. ^u

¹¹But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; ^v

let them shout for joy forever.

May You shelter them, ^w

and may those who love Your name boast about You. ^x

¹²For You, Lord, bless the righteous one;

You surround him with favor like a shield. ^y

Psalm 6

A Prayer for Mercy

For the choir director: with stringed instruments, according to Sheminith. ^zA Davidic psalm.

¹Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger;

do not discipline me in Your wrath. ^a

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

heal me, ^dLord, 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 pillow ^k

and drench my bed every night. ^l

⁷My eyes are swollen from grief; ^m

they ⁿgrow old because of all my enemies.

⁸Depart from me, all evildoers,

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

⁹The Lord has heard my plea for help; ^p

the Lord accepts my prayer. ^q

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

they will turn back ^rand suddenly be disgraced. ^s