Psalm 11–15

Psalm 11

For the director of music. Of David.

1 In the Lord I take refuge.f

How then can you say to me:

“Fleeg like a bird to your mountain.h

2 For look, the wicked bend their bows;i

they set their arrowsj against the strings

to shoot from the shadowsk

at the upright in heart.l

3 When the foundationsm are being destroyed,

what can the righteous do?”

4 The Lord is in his holy temple;n

the Lord is on his heavenly throne.o

He observes everyone on earth;p

his eyes examineq them.

5 The Lord examines the righteous,r

but the wicked, those who love violence,

he hates with a passion.s

6 On the wicked he will rain

fiery coals and burning sulfur;t

a scorching windu will be their lot.

7 For the Lord is righteous,v

he loves justice;w

the uprightx will see his face.y

Psalm 12a

For the director of music. According to sheminith.b A psalm of David.

1 Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore;z

those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.

2 Everyone liesa to their neighbor;

they flatter with their lips

but harbor deception in their hearts.b

3 May the Lord silence all flattering lipsc

and every boastful tongue—d

4 those who say,

“By our tongues we will prevail;e

our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?”

5 “Because the poor are plunderedf and the needy groan,g

I will now arise,h” says the Lord.

“I will protect themi from those who malign them.”

6 And the words of the Lord are flawless,j

like silver purifiedk in a crucible,l

like goldc refined seven times.

7 You, Lord, will keep the needy safem

and will protect us forever from the wicked,n

8 who freely struto about

when what is vile is honored by the human race.

Psalm 13a

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1 How long,p Lord? Will you forget meq forever?

How long will you hide your facer from me?

2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughtss

and day after day have sorrow in my heart?

How long will my enemy triumph over me?t

3 Look on meu and answer,v Lord my God.

Give light to my eyes,w or I will sleep in death,x

4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,y”

and my foes will rejoice when I fall.z

5 But I trust in your unfailing love;a

my heart rejoices in your salvation.b

6 I will singc the Lord’s praise,

for he has been good to me.

Psalm 14

14:1–7pp—Ps 53:1–6

For the director of music. Of David.

1 The foola says in his heart,

“There is no God.”d

They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;

there is no one who does good.

2 The Lord looks down from heavene

on all mankind

to see if there are any who understand,f

any who seek God.g

3 All have turned away,h all have become corrupt;i

there is no one who does good,j

not even one.k

4 Do all these evildoers know nothing?l

They devour my peoplem as though eating bread;

they never call on the Lord.n

5 But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,

for God is present in the company of the righteous.

6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,

but the Lord is their refuge.o

7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!p

When the Lord restoresq his people,

let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Psalm 15

A psalm of David.

1 Lord, who may dwellr in your sacred tent?s

Who may live on your holy mountain?t

2 The one whose walk is blameless,u

who does what is righteous,

who speaks the truthv from their heart;

3 whose tongue utters no slander,w

who does no wrong to a neighbor,

and casts no slur on others;

4 who despises a vile person

but honorsx those who fear the Lord;

who keeps an oathy even when it hurts,

and does not change their mind;

5 who lends money to the poor without interest;z

who does not accept a bribea against the innocent.

Whoever does these things

will never be shaken.b