Psalm 4–6

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.

PSALM 6

Prayer for Mercy in Time of Trouble.

For the choir director; with stringed instruments, ^†upon an eight-string lyre. A Psalm of David.

¹O Lord, ^ado not rebuke me in Your anger,

Nor chasten me in Your wrath.

²Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am ^apining away;

^bHeal me, O Lord, for ^cmy bones are dismayed.

³And my ^asoul is greatly dismayed;

But You, O Lord—^bhow long?

⁴Return, O Lord, ^arescue my ¹soul;

Save me because of Your lovingkindness.

⁵For ^athere is no ¹mention of You in death;

In ²Sheol who will give You thanks?

⁶I am ^aweary with my sighing;

Every night I make my bed swim,

I dissolve my couch with ^bmy tears.

⁷My ^aeye has wasted away with grief;

It has become old because of all my adversaries.

^8aDepart from me, all you who do iniquity,

For the Lord ^bhas heard the voice of my weeping.

⁹The Lord ^ahas heard my supplication,

The Lord ^breceives my prayer.

¹⁰All my enemies will ^abe ashamed and greatly dismayed;

They shall ¹turn back, they will ^bsuddenly be ashamed.