Psalm 3–5

PSALM 3

Morning Prayer of Trust in God.

A Psalm of David, when ^†he fled from Absalom his son.

¹O Lord, how ^amy adversaries have increased!

Many are rising up against me.

²Many are saying ¹of my soul,

“There is no ^2adeliverance for him in God.”

³Selah.

³But You, O Lord, are ^aa shield about me,

My ^bglory, and the One who ^clifts my head.

⁴I was crying to the Lord with my voice,

And He ^aanswered me from ^bHis holy ¹mountain.

Selah.

⁵¹I ^alay down and slept;

I awoke, for the Lord sustains me.

⁶I will ^anot be afraid of ten thousands of people

Who have ^bset themselves against me round about.

^7aArise, O Lord; ^bsave me, O my God!

For You ¹have ^csmitten all my enemies on the ²cheek;

You ³have ^dshattered the teeth of the wicked.

^81aSalvation belongs to the Lord;

Your ^bblessing ²be upon Your people!

Selah.

PSALM 4

Evening Prayer of Trust in God.

^†For the choir director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

^1aAnswer me when ^bI call, O God ¹of my righteousness!

You have ^2crelieved me in my distress;

Be ^dgracious to me and ^ehear my prayer.

²O sons of men, how long will ^amy ¹honor become ^ba reproach?

How long will you love ^cwhat is worthless and aim at ^ddeception?

²Selah.

³But know that the Lord has ^1aset apart the ^bgodly man for Himself;

The Lord ^chears when I call to Him.

^41aTremble, ^2band do not sin;

^3cMeditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still.

Selah.

⁵Offer ¹the ^asacrifices of righteousness,

And ^btrust in the Lord.

⁶Many are saying, “^aWho will show us any good?”

^bLift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O Lord!

⁷You have put ^agladness in my heart,

More than when their grain and new wine abound.

⁸In peace I will ¹both ^alie down and sleep,

For You alone, O Lord, make me to ^bdwell in safety.

PSALM 5

Prayer for Protection from the Wicked.

For the choir director; for ^†flute accompaniment. A Psalm of David.

^1aGive ear to my words, O Lord,

Consider my ^1bgroaning.

²Heed ^athe sound of my cry for help, ^bmy King and my God,

For to You I pray.

³In the morning, O Lord, ¹You will hear my voice;

In the ^amorning I will order my ²prayer to You and eagerly ^bwatch.

⁴For You are not a God ^awho takes pleasure in wickedness;

^bNo evil ¹dwells with You.

⁵The ^aboastful shall not ^bstand before Your eyes;

You ^chate all who do iniquity.

⁶You ^adestroy those who speak falsehood;

The Lord abhors ^bthe man of bloodshed and deceit.

⁷But as for me, ^aby Your abundant lovingkindness I will enter Your house,

¹At Your holy temple I will ^bbow in ^creverence for You.

⁸O Lord, ^alead me ^bin Your righteousness ^cbecause of ¹my foes;

Make Your way ²straight before me.

⁹There is ^anothing ¹reliable in ²what they say;

Their ^binward part is destruction itself.

Their ^cthroat is an open grave;

They ³flatter with their tongue.

¹⁰Hold them guilty, O God;

^aBy their own devices let them fall!

In the multitude of their transgressions ^bthrust them out,

For they are ^crebellious against You.

¹¹But let all who ^atake refuge in You ^bbe glad,

Let them ever sing for joy;

And ¹may You ^cshelter them,

That those who ^dlove Your name may exult in You.

¹²For it is You who ^ablesses the righteous man, O Lord,

You ^bsurround him with favor as with a shield.