Psalm 22:1–32:11

¹My God, my God, why have you deserted me?

Why do you seem to be so far away when I need you to save me?

Why do you seem to be so far away that you can’t hear my groans?

²My God, I cry out in the daytime. But you don’t answer.

I cry out at night. I can’t keep quiet.

³But you rule from your throne as the Holy One.

You are the God Israel praises.

⁴Our people of long ago put their trust in you.

They trusted in you, and you saved them.

⁵They cried out to you and were saved.

They trusted in you, and you didn’t let them down.

⁶People treat me like a worm and not a man.

They hate me and look down on me.

⁷All those who see me laugh at me.

They shout at me and make fun of me.

They shake their heads at me.

⁸They say, “He trusts in the Lord.

Let the Lord help him.

If the Lord is pleased with him,

let him save him.”

⁹But you brought me out of my mother’s body.

You made me trust in you

even when I was at my mother’s breast.

¹⁰From the time I was born, you took good care of me.

Ever since I came out of my mother’s body, you have been my God.

¹¹Don’t be far away from me.

Trouble is near,

and there is no one to help me.

¹²Many enemies are all around me.

They are like strong bulls from the land of Bashan.

¹³They are like roaring lions that tear to pieces what they kill.

They open their mouths wide to attack me.

¹⁴My strength is like water that is poured out on the ground.

I feel as if my bones aren’t connected.

My heart has turned to wax.

It has melted away inside me.

¹⁵My strength is dried up like a piece of broken pottery.

My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.

You bring me down to the edge of the grave.

¹⁶A group of sinful people has closed in on me.

They are all around me like a pack of dogs.

They have pierced my hands and my feet.

¹⁷I can see all of my bones right through my skin.

People stare at me. They laugh when I suffer.

¹⁸They divide up my clothes among them.

They cast lots for what I am wearing.

¹⁹Lord, don’t be so far away.

You give me strength. Come quickly to help me.

²⁰Save me from the sword.

Save the only life I have. Save me from the power of those dogs.

²¹Save me from the mouths of those lions.

Save me from the horns of those wild oxen.

²²I will announce your name to my brothers and sisters.

I will praise you among those who worship you.

²³You who have respect for the Lord, praise him!

All you people of Jacob, honor him!

All you people of Israel, worship him!

²⁴He has not forgotten the one who is hurting.

He has not turned away from his suffering.

He has not turned his face away from him.

He has listened to his cry for help.

²⁵Because of what you have done,

I will praise you in the whole community of those who worship you.

In front of those who respect you,

I will keep my promises.

²⁶Those who are poor will eat and be satisfied.

Those who look to the Lord will praise him.

May their hearts be filled with new hope!

²⁷People from one end of the earth to the other

will remember and turn to the Lord.

The people of all the nations

will bow down before him.

²⁸The Lord is King.

He rules over the nations.

²⁹All the rich people of the earth will worship God and take part in his feasts.

All those who go down to the edge of the grave will fall on their knees in front of him.

I’m talking about those who can hardly keep themselves alive.

³⁰Those who are not yet born will serve him.

Those who are born later will be told about the Lord.

³¹And they will tell people who have not yet been born

that he has done what is right.

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

¹The Lord is my shepherd. He gives me everything I need.

²He lets me lie down in fields of green grass.

He leads me beside quiet waters.

³He gives me new strength.

He guides me in the right paths

for the honor of his name.

⁴Even though I walk

through the darkest valley,

I will not be afraid.

You are with me.

Your shepherd’s rod and staff

comfort me.

⁵You prepare a feast for me

right in front of my enemies.

You pour oil on my head.

My cup runs over.

⁶I am sure that your goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life.

And I will live in the house of the Lord

forever.

Psalm 24

A psalm of David.

¹The earth belongs to the Lord. And so does everything in it.

The world belongs to him. And so do all those who live in it.

²He set it firmly on the oceans.

He made it secure on the waters.

³Who can go up to the temple on the hill of the Lord?

Who can stand in his holy place?

⁴Anyone who has clean hands and a pure heart.

He does not worship the statue of a god.

He doesn’t use the name of that god when he makes a promise.

⁵People like that will receive the Lord’s blessing.

When God their Savior hands down his sentence, it will be in their favor.

⁶The people who look to God are like that.

God of Jacob, they look to you. Selah

⁷Open wide, you gates.

Open up, you age-old doors.

Then the King of glory will come in.

⁸Who is the King of glory?

The Lord, who is strong and mighty.

The Lord, who is mighty in battle.

⁹Open wide, you gates.

Open wide, you age-old doors.

Then the King of glory will come in.

¹⁰Who is he, this King of glory?

The Lord who rules over all.

He is the King of glory. Selah

Psalm 25

A psalm of David.

¹Lord, I worship you.

²My God, I trust in you.

Don’t let me be put to shame.

Don’t let my enemies win the battle over me.

³Those who put their hope in you

will never be put to shame.

But those who can’t be trusted

will be put to shame. They have no excuse.

⁴Lord, show me your ways.

Teach me how to follow you.

⁵Guide me in your truth. Teach me.

You are God my Savior.

I put my hope in you all day long.

⁶Lord, remember your great mercy and love.

You have shown them to your people for a long time.

⁷Don’t remember the sins I committed when I was young.

Don’t remember how often I refused to obey you.

Remember me because you love me.

Lord, you are good.

⁸The Lord is honest and good.

He teaches sinners to walk in his ways.

⁹He shows those who aren’t proud how to do what is right.

He teaches them his ways.

¹⁰All of the Lord’s ways are loving and faithful

for those who obey what his covenant commands.

¹¹Lord, be true to your name.

Forgive my sin, even though it is great.

¹²Who is the man who has respect for the Lord?

God will teach him the way he has chosen for him.

¹³Things will always go well for him.

His children will be given the land.

¹⁴The Lord shares his plans with those who have respect for him.

He makes his covenant known to them.

¹⁵My eyes always look to the Lord.

He alone can set my feet free from the trap.

¹⁶Turn to me and show me your favor.

I am lonely and hurting.

¹⁷The troubles of my heart have increased.

Set me free from my great pain.

¹⁸Look at how I’m hurting! See how much I suffer!

Take away all of my sins.

¹⁹Look at how many enemies I have!

See how terrible their hatred is for me!

²⁰Guard my life. Save me.

Don’t let me be put to shame.

I go to you for safety.

²¹May my honest and good life keep me safe.

I have put my hope in you.

²²God, set Israel free

from all of their troubles!

Psalm 26

A psalm of David.

¹Lord, when you hand down your sentence, let it be in my favor.

I have lived without blame.

I have trusted in the Lord.

I have never doubted him.

²Lord, test me. Try me out.

Look deep down into my heart and mind.

³Your love is always with me.

I have always lived by your truth.

⁴I don’t spend time with people who tell lies.

I don’t keep company with pretenders.

⁵I hate to be with a group of sinful people.

I refuse to spend time with those who are evil.

⁶I wash my hands to show that I’m not guilty.

Lord, I come near your altar.

⁷I shout my praise to you.

I tell about all the wonderful things you have done.

⁸Lord, I love the house where you live.

I love the place where your glory is.

⁹Don’t destroy me together with sinners.

Don’t take my life away along with murderers.

¹⁰Their hands are always planning to do evil.

Their right hands are full of money that bought them off.

¹¹But I live without blame.

Set me free and show me your favor.

¹²My feet stand on level ground.

In the whole community I will praise the Lord.

Psalm 27

A psalm of David.

¹The Lord gives me light and saves me.

Why should I fear anyone?

The Lord is my place of safety.

Why should I be afraid?

²My enemies are evil.

They will trip and fall

when they attack me

and try to eat me alive.

³Even if an army attacks me,

my heart will not be afraid.

Even if war breaks out against me,

I will still trust in God.

⁴I’m asking the Lord for only one thing.

Here is what I want.

I want to live in the house of the Lord

all the days of my life.

I want to look at the beauty of the Lord.

I want to worship him in his temple.

⁵When I’m in trouble,

he will keep me safe in his house.

He will hide me in the safety of his holy tent.

He will put me on a rock that is very high.

⁶Then I will win the battle

over my enemies who are all around me.

At his holy tent I will offer my sacrifice with shouts of joy.

I will sing and make music to the Lord.

⁷Lord, hear my voice when I call out to you.

Show me your favor and answer me.

⁸My heart says, “Look to him!”

Lord, I will look to you.

⁹Don’t turn your face away from me.

Don’t turn me away because you are angry.

You have helped me.

God my Savior, don’t say no to me.

Don’t desert me.

¹⁰My father and mother may desert me,

but the Lord will accept me.

¹¹Lord, teach me your ways.

Lead me along a straight path.

There are many people who beat me down.

¹²My enemies want to harm me. So don’t turn me over to them.

Witnesses who tell lies are rising up against me.

They are trying to destroy me.

¹³Here is something I am still sure of.

I will see the Lord’s goodness

while I’m still alive.

¹⁴Wait for the Lord.

Be strong and don’t lose hope.

Wait for the Lord.

Psalm 28

A psalm of David.

¹Lord, my Rock, I call out to you.

Pay attention to me.

If you remain silent, I will die.

I will be like those who have gone down into the grave.

²Hear my cry for your favor

when I call out to you for help.

Hear me when I lift up my hands in prayer

toward your Most Holy Room.

³Don’t drag me away with sinners.

Don’t…