Psalm 64–65

A Plea for Divine Retribution

64For the music director. A psalm of David.^a

¹Hear my voice, O God, in my lamenting.

Preserve my life from the fear of the enemy.

²Hide me from the secret plots^b of evildoers,

from the unrest of those who do iniquity,

³who sharpen their tongue like a sword.

They bend their bow to shoot their arrows—bitter words,

⁴to shoot from^c their^d hiding places at the blameless.

Suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear.

⁵They encourage themselves in the evil matter.

They talk of secretly laying snares.

They say, “Who will see them?”

⁶They carefully plot^e injustices saying,

“We have perfected the perfect plot!”^f

Both the inner thought^g and heart of a man are deep.

⁷But God will shoot them;

with an arrow they will suddenly be wounded.

^8h And they who would cause himⁱ to stumble,

their own tongue will be against them.

All who gaze on them will shake.^j

⁹And then^k all men^l will fear,

and will declare the working of God,

and will understand his doing.

¹⁰The righteous will rejoice in Yahweh and take refuge in him,

and all the upright in heart will boast.

Thanksgiving for God’s Provision

65For the music director. A psalm of David. A song.^a

¹Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion,

and to you the vow shall be fulfilled.

²O you who hear prayer,

to you all flesh will come.

³Iniquities^b prevail over me.

As for our transgressions, you will forgive^c them.

⁴Blessed is one whom you choose and bring near,

that he may abide in your courts.

We will be satisfied with the goodness of your house,

your holy temple.

⁵By awesome deeds in righteousness you will answer us,

O God of our salvation,

you who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth

and of the far-off seas,

⁶who established the mountains by his strength,

the one who is girded with might,

⁷who stills the roar of the seas,

the roar of their waves,

and the commotion of the peoples,

⁸so that^d the inhabitants of the farthest reaches are in awe of your signs.

You make the dawn and sunset sing for joy.

⁹You care for^e the land^f and water it;

you greatly enrich it.

The stream of God is filled with waters.

You provide their grain,

for so you have established it.

¹⁰You drench its furrows,

penetrating its ridges.

With rains you soften it;

its growth you bless.

¹¹You crown the year with your bounty,^g

and your wagon paths drip with richness.^h

¹²They drop on the pastures of the wilderness,

and the hills gird themselves with joy.

¹³The pasturelands put on flocks,

and the valleys clothe themselves with grain.

They shout in triumph;

they even sing.