Psalm 25–27

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.