Psalm 27:1–28:9

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 drag me away with those who do evil.

They speak in a friendly way to their neighbors.

But their hearts are full of hatred.

⁴Pay them back for their evil actions.

Pay them back for what their hands have done.

Give them exactly what they should get.

⁵They don’t care about the Lord’s mighty acts.

They don’t care about what his hands have done.

So he will tear them down.

He will never build them up again.

⁶Give praise to the Lord.

He has heard my cry for his favor.

⁷The Lord gives me strength. He is like a shield that keeps me safe.

My heart trusts in him, and he helps me.

My heart jumps for joy.

I will sing and give thanks to him.

⁸The Lord gives strength to his people.

He guards and saves his anointed king.

⁹Save your people. Bless those who belong to you.

Be their shepherd. Take care of them forever.