Psalm 15:1–25:1
1 O Yahweh, who may reside in your tent?
Who may dwell on your holy mountain?
2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right.
He who speaks honestly in his heart.
3 He does not slander with his tongue.
He does not harm his friend,
nor ⌊bring up⌋b a disgrace against his neighbor.
4 In his eyes a rejected one is contemptible,
but he honors those who respect Yahweh.
He takes an oath to his own injury and does not retract it.
5 He does not lend his money at interest,
and does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
will never be shaken.
for I take refuge in you.
2 Oh my soul you have saidc to Yahweh, “You are my Lord.
I have no good apart from you.”
3 With regard to the saints who are in the land,
they are the noble ones in whom is all my desire.
4 Those who hurry afterd another god increase their sorrows.
I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood,
nor take up their names on my lips.
5 Yahweh is the portion which is my share and my cup.
You hold my lot.
6 The measuring lines have fallen for me in pleasant places.
Yes, my inheritance is delightful for me.
7 I will bless Yahweh who advises me;
yes, at night my ⌊innermost being⌋e instructs me.
8 I have set Yahweh before me always.
Because he is at my right hand I will not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my gloryf rejoices.
Yes, my body will dwell in safety,
10 for you will not abandon my soul to Sheol;
you will not give your faithful one to see the grave.
11 You will make known to me the path of life.
In your presence is fullness of joy.
At your right hand are pleasures forever.
Prayer for Vindication and Protection
17 A prayer of David.a
1 O Yahweh, hear a just cause.
Hear my cry; heed my prayer
I make without deceitful lips.
2 Let my vindication come forth from you;
let your eyes see fairness.
you have examined me by night;
you have tested me; you found nothing.
I have decided that my mouth will not transgress.
4 As for the works of humankind,
by the word of your lips,
I have kept from the ways of the violent.
5 I have held my steps in your path
My feet will not slip.
6 As for me, I have called on you
because you will answer me, O God.
Incline your ear to me.
Hear my words.b
7 Show wondrously your acts of loyal love,
O Savior of those who take refuge
at your right handc
from those who rise up against them.
8 Keep me as ⌊the apple of your eye⌋.d
Hide me in the shadow of your wings
9 from the ⌊presence⌋e of the wicked who destroy me,
those enemies against my life,
they that surround me.
10 They have shut off their callousedf heart;
with their mouth they speak arrogantly.
11 Now they surround us at our every step.
They ⌊intend⌋g
⌊to pin⌋h me to the ground.
12 ⌊He is like⌋i a lion; he longs to tear apart,
and like a strong lion crouching in hiding places.
13 Rise up, O Yahweh, confront ⌊him⌋.j
Make him bow down.
Rescue with your sword my life from the wicked,
14 from men by your hand, O Yahweh, from men of this world.
Their share is in ⌊this life⌋,k and you fill their stomach with your treasure.
They are satisfied with children.
They bequeath their excess to their children.
15 By contrast, I in righteousness shall see your face.
Upon awakening I will be satisfied seeing your form.
Praise to God for His Deliverance
18 For the music director. Of David, the servant of Yahweh,
who spoke to Yahweh the words of this song
⌊when⌋a Yahweh delivered him from the hand of all his enemies,
and from the hand of Saul.b
“I love you, O Yahweh, my strength.”
2 Yahweh is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock in whom I have taken refuge,
my shield and the horn of my deliverance, my stronghold.
3 I called upon Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised,
and I was saved from my enemies.
4 The ropes of death encircled me,
and streams of ruin overwhelmed me.
5 The ropes of Sheol surrounded me;
the snares of death confronted me.
6 In my trouble I called on Yahweh,
and to my God I cried for help.
He heard my voice from his temple,
and my cry for help
came up before his presence into his ears.
7 Then the earth shook and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains trembled,
and they staggered because he was angry.
8 Smoke went forth from his nose,
and fire from his mouth consumed.
Burning coals blazed from him.
9 So he bowed the heavens and came down
with a thick cloud under his feet.
10 And he mounted a cherub and flew,
and he swooped down on wings of wind.
11 He made darkness his hiding place;
all about him his covering
was a darkness of waters, ⌊thick clouds⌋.c
12 From the brightness before him
his clouds passed over
with hail and coals of fire.
13 And Yahweh thundered from the heavens,
and the Most High uttered his voice
with hail and coals of fire.
14 And he shot his arrows and scattered them,d
and many lightning bolts and routed them.
15 Then the channels of the sea became visible,
and the foundations of the world were uncovered
by your rebuke, O Yahweh,
by the ⌊blast⌋e of the wind of your nose.
16 He reachedf from on high; he seized me.
He drew me from many waters.
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy,
and from those who hated me
because they were stronger than I.
18 They confronted me on the day of disaster,
but Yahweh was my support.
19 So he brought me out to a spacious place.
He delivered me because he delighted in me.
20 Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the cleanness of my hands
he has repaid me.
21 Because I have kept the ways of Yahweh,
and have not acted wickedly against my God,
22 because all his ordinances are before me,
and his statutes I have not removed from me,
23 and I was blameless before him,
and I kept myself from my guilt.
24 Therefore Yahweh has repaid me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
25 To the loyal you show yourself loyal.
To the blameless you show yourself blameless.
26 To the pure you show yourself pure.
but to the wicked you show yourself shrewd.
27 For you deliver humble people,
but haughty eyes you humiliate.
Yahweh, my God, lights up my darkness.
29 For with you I can charge a troop,
and with my God I can scale a wall.
30 Thisg God—his way is blameless.
The word of Yahweh is flawless.h
He is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.
31 For who is God apart from Yahweh,
and who is a rock except our God?
32 The God who girded me with strength,
and made safei my way,
33 he made my feet like the deer’s,
and on my high places he makes me stand.
34 He trains my hands for war,
so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You also gave me the shield of your salvation,
and your right hand supported me,
and your humility made me great.
36 You enlarged my step under me,
and my ankles did not slip.
37 I chased my enemies and overtook them;
I did not turn back until they were finished off.
38 I struck them and they were not able to stand up;
they fell under my feet.
39 And you girded me with strength for the battle;
those rising against me you made to kneel under me.
40 And you ⌊made my enemies turn their backs⌋,j
then I destroyed those who hated me.
41 They cried out but there was no rescuer,
even to Yahweh, but he did not answer them.
42 And I ground them like dust ⌊in the wind⌋,k
I emptied theml out like mud of the streets.
43 You rescued me from strife with people;
you set me as head (over) nations.
People I did not know served me;
44 as soon as ⌊they heard⌋,m they obeyed me.
The children of a foreign land feigned obedience before me.
45 The children of a foreign land ⌊lost heart⌋,n
and they came trembling from their strongholds.
46 Yahweh lives, and blessed be my rock,
and may the God of my salvation be exalted—
47 the God who executed vengeance for me,
and subdued peoples under me,
48 who delivered me from my enemies.
Indeed, you exalted me higher than those who rose against me.
You delivered me from the man of violence.
49 Therefore I will give thanks to you among the nations, O Yahweh,
and I will sing the praise of your name:
50 the one who makes great victories for his king,
and who shows loyal love for his anointed,
to David and to his descendants forever.
19 For the music director. A psalm of David.a
1 The heavens are telling the glory of God,
and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands.
2 ⌊Every day⌋b they pour forth speech,
and ⌊every night⌋c they tell knowledge.
3 There is no speech and there are no words;
their sound is inaudible.
4 Yet in all the world their lined goes out,
and their words to the end of the world.
In theme he has pitched a tent for the sun,
who comes out of his bridal chamber.
It is glad like a strong man
to run its course.
6 Its rising is from onef end of the heavens
and its circuit to the other endg of them;
and nothing is hidden from its heat.
7 The law of Yahweh is perfect, reviving life.h
The testimony of Yahweh is firm, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of Yahweh are right, making the heart rejoice.
The command of Yahweh is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of Yahweh is pure, enduring forever.
The ordinances of Yahweh are true; they are righteous altogether,
10 more desirable than gold, even much fine gold;
and sweeter than honey, even honey in the comb.
11 Moreover, your servant is warnedi by them;
in keeping them is great reward.
12 Who can perceive his errors?
Acquit me from hidden faults.
13 Also, keep back your servant from arrogant sins;j
let them not rule over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
and I shall be innocent of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your presence,
O Yahweh, my rock and my redeemer.
20 For the music director. A psalm of David.a
1 May Yahweh answer you in the day of trouble.
May the name of Jacob’s God protectb you.
2 May he send you helpc from the sanctuary,
and from …