Psalm 26–28

Psalm 26

Of David.

¹Vindicate me,^v Lord,

for I have led a blameless life;^w

I have trusted^x in the Lord

and have not faltered.^y

²Test me,^z Lord, and try me,

examine my heart and my mind;^a

³for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love^b

and have lived^c in reliance on your faithfulness.^d

⁴I do not sit^e with the deceitful,

nor do I associate with hypocrites.^f

⁵I abhor^g the assembly of evildoers

and refuse to sit with the wicked.

⁶I wash my hands in innocence,^h

and go about your altar, Lord,

⁷proclaiming aloud your praiseⁱ

and telling of all your wonderful deeds.^j

⁸Lord, I love^k the house where you live,

the place where your glory dwells.^l

⁹Do not take away my soul along with sinners,

my life with those who are bloodthirsty,^m

¹⁰in whose hands are wicked schemes,ⁿ

whose right hands are full of bribes.^o

¹¹I lead a blameless life;

deliver me^p and be merciful to me.

¹²My feet stand on level ground;^q

in the great congregation^r I will praise the Lord.

Psalm 27

Of David.

¹The Lord is my light^s and my salvation^t—

whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold^u of my life—

of whom shall I be afraid?^v

²When the wicked advance against me

to devour^a me,

it is my enemies and my foes

who will stumble and fall.^w

³Though an army besiege me,

my heart will not fear;^x

though war break out against me,

even then I will be confident.^y

⁴One thing^z I ask from the Lord,

this only do I seek:

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord

all the days of my life,^a

to gaze on the beauty of the Lord

and to seek him in his temple.

⁵For in the day of trouble^b

he will keep me safe^c in his dwelling;

he will hide me^d in the shelter of his sacred tent

and set me high upon a rock.^e

⁶Then my head will be exalted^f

above the enemies who surround me;^g

at his sacred tent I will sacrifice^h with shouts of joy;ⁱ

I will sing^j and make music^k to the Lord.

⁷Hear my voice^l when I call, Lord;

be merciful to me and answer me.^m

⁸My heart says of you, “Seek his face!ⁿ”

Your face, Lord, I will seek.

⁹Do not hide your face^o from me,

do not turn your servant away in anger;^p

you have been my helper.^q

Do not reject me or forsake^r me,

God my Savior.^s

¹⁰Though my father and mother forsake me,

the Lord will receive me.

¹¹Teach me your way,^t Lord;

lead me in a straight path^u

because of my oppressors.^v

¹²Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,

for false witnesses^w rise up against me,

spouting malicious accusations.

¹³I remain confident of this:

I will see the goodness of the Lord^x

in the land of the living.^y

¹⁴Wait^z for the Lord;

be strong^a and take heart

and wait for the Lord.

Psalm 28

Of David.

¹To you, Lord, I call;

you are my Rock,

do not turn a deaf ear^b to me.

For if you remain silent,^c

I will be like those who go down to the pit.^d

²Hear my cry for mercy^e

as I call to you for help,

as I lift up my hands^f

toward your Most Holy Place.^g

³Do not drag me away with the wicked,

with those who do evil,

who speak cordially with their neighbors

but harbor malice in their hearts.^h

⁴Repay them for their deeds

and for their evil work;

repay them for what their hands have doneⁱ

and bring back on them what they deserve.^j

⁵Because they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord

and what his hands have done,^k

he will tear them down

and never build them up again.

⁶Praise be to the Lord,^l

for he has heard my cry for mercy.^m

⁷The Lord is my strengthⁿ and my shield;

my heart trusts^o in him, and he helps me.

My heart leaps for joy,^p

and with my song I praise him.^q

⁸The Lord is the strength^r of his people,

a fortress of salvation^s for his anointed one.^t

⁹Save your people^u and bless your inheritance;^v

be their shepherd^w and carry them^x forever.