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 5a

For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.

1 Listeni to my words, Lord,

consider my lament.j

2 Hear my cry for help,k

my King and my God,l

for to you I pray.

3 In the morning,m Lord, you hear my voice;

in the morning I lay my requests before you

and wait expectantly.n

4 For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;

with you, evil peopleo are not welcome.

5 The arrogantp cannot standq

in your presence.

You hater all who do wrong;

6 you destroy those who tell lies.s

The bloodthirsty and deceitful

you, Lord, detest.

7 But I, by your great love,

can come into your house;

in reverencet I bow downu

toward your holy temple.v

8 Lead me, Lord, in your righteousnessw

because of my enemies—

make your way straightx before me.

9 Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;

their heart is filled with malice.

Their throat is an open grave;y

with their tongues they tell lies.z

10 Declare them guilty, O God!

Let their intrigues be their downfall.

Banish them for their many sins,a

for they have rebelledb against you.

11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad;

let them ever sing for joy.c

Spread your protection over them,

that those who love your named may rejoice in you.e

12 Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;f

you surround themg with your favor as with a shield.h

Psalm 6a

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

1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your angeri

or discipline me in your wrath.

2 Have mercy on me,j Lord, for I am faint;k

heal me,l Lord, for my bones are in agony.m

3 My soul is in deep anguish.n

How long,o Lord, how long?

4 Turn,p Lord, and deliver me;

save me because of your unfailing love.q

5 Among the dead no one proclaims your name.

Who praises you from the grave?r

6 I am worn outs from my groaning.t

All night long I flood my bed with weepingu

and drench my couch with tears.v

7 My eyes grow weakw with sorrow;

they fail because of all my foes.

8 Away from me,x all you who do evil,y

for the Lord has heard my weeping.

9 The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;z

the Lord accepts my prayer.

10 All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish;a

they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.b

Psalm 7a

A shiggaionb c of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush, a Benjamite.

1 Lord my God, I take refuged in you;

save and deliver mee from all who pursue me,f

2 or they will tear me apart like a liong

and rip me to pieces with no one to rescueh me.

3 Lord my God, if I have done this

and there is guilt on my handsi—

4 if I have repaid my ally with evil

or without causej have robbed my foe—

5 then let my enemy pursue and overtakek me;

let him trample my life to the groundl

and make me sleep in the dust.c m

6 Arise,n Lord, in your anger;

rise up against the rage of my enemies.o

Awake,p my God; decree justice.

7 Let the assembled peoples gather around you,

while you sit enthroned over them on high.q

8 Let the Lord judger the peoples.

Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness,s

according to my integrity,t O Most High.u

9 Bring to an end the violence of the wicked

and make the righteous secure—v

you, the righteous Godw

who probes minds and hearts.x

10 My shieldd y is God Most High,

who saves the upright in heart.z

11 God is a righteous judge,a

a God who displays his wrathb every day.

12 If

Psalm 5a

For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.

1 Listeni to my words, Lord,

consider my lament.j

2 Hear my cry for help,k

my King and my God,l

for to you I pray.

3 In the morning,m Lord, you hear my voice;

in the morning I lay my requests before you

and wait expectantly.n

4 For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;

with you, evil peopleo are not welcome.

5 The arrogantp cannot standq

in your presence.

You hater all who do wrong;

6 you destroy those who tell lies.s

The bloodthirsty and deceitful

you, Lord, detest.

7 But I, by your great love,

can come into your house;

in reverencet I bow downu

toward your holy temple.v

8 Lead me, Lord, in your righteousnessw

because of my enemies—

make your way straightx before me.

9 Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;

their heart is filled with malice.

Their throat is an open grave;y

with their tongues they tell lies.z

10 Declare them guilty, O God!

Let their intrigues be their downfall.

Banish them for their many sins,a

for they have rebelledb against you.

11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad;

let them ever sing for joy.c

Spread your protection over them,

that those who love your named may rejoice in you.e

12 Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;f

you surround themg with your favor as with a shield.h