Psalm 40
Psalm 40a
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
1 I waited patientlyc for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.d
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,e
and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new songj in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lordk
and put their trustl in him.
4 Blessed is the onem
who trusts in the Lord,n
who does not look to the proud,o
to those who turn aside to false gods.b p
are the wondersq you have done,
the things you planned for us.
None can comparer with you;
were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
they would be too manys to declare.
6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—t
but my ears you have openedc—u
burnt offeringsv and sin offeringsd you did not require.
7 Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
it is written about me in the scroll.e w
8 I desire to do your will,x my God;y
your law is within my heart.”z
9 I proclaim your saving actsa in the great assembly;b
I do not seal my lips, Lord,
as you know.c
10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulnessd and your saving help.
I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness
from the great assembly.e
11 Do not withhold your mercyf from me, Lord;
may your loveg and faithfulnessh always protecti me.
12 For troublesj without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.k
They are more than the hairs of my head,l
and my heart failsm within me.
13 Be pleased to save me, Lord;
come quickly, Lord, to help me.n
14 May all who want to take my lifeo
be put to shame and confusion;p
may all who desire my ruinq
be turned back in disgrace.
15 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”r
be appalled at their own shame.
16 But may all who seek yous
rejoice and be gladt in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
“The Lord is great!”u
17 But as for me, I am poor and needy;v
may the Lord thinkw of me.
You are my helpx and my deliverer;y
you are my God, do not delay.z
Psalm 17–40
1 Hear me,d Lord, my plea is just;
listen to my cry.e
Hearf my prayer—
it does not rise from deceitful lips.g
2 Let my vindicationh come from you;
may your eyes see what is right.i
3 Though you probe my heart,j
though you examine me at night and test me,k
you will find that I have planned no evil;l
my mouth has not transgressed.m
4 Though people tried to bribe me,
I have kept myself from the ways of the violent
through what your lips have commanded.
5 My steps have held to your paths;n
my feet have not stumbled.o
6 I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;p
turn your ear to meq and hear my prayer.r
7 Show me the wonders of your great love,s
you who save by your right handt
those who take refugeu in you from their foes.
8 Keep mev as the apple of your eye;w
hide mex in the shadow of your wingsy
9 from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
from my mortal enemies who surround me.z
10 They close up their callous hearts,a
and their mouths speak with arrogance.b
11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me,c
with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like a liond hungry for prey,e
like a fierce lion crouching in cover.
13 Rise up,f Lord, confront them, bring them down;g
with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
14 By your hand save me from such people, Lord,
from those of this worldh whose reward is in this life.i
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
may their children gorge themselves on it,
and may there be leftoversj for their little ones.
15 As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
when I awake,k I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.l
Psalm 18a
For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:
1 I love you, Lord, my strength.m
2 The Lord is my rock,n my fortresso and my deliverer;p
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,q
my shieldb r and the hornc of my salvation,s my stronghold.
3 I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,t
and I have been saved from my enemies.u
4 The cords of deathv entangled me;
the torrentsw of destruction overwhelmed me.
5 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of deathx confronted me.
6 In my distressy I called to the Lord;z
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;a
my cry cameb before him, into his ears.
7 The earth trembledc and quaked,d
and the foundations of the mountains shook;e
they trembled because he was angry.f
8 Smoke rose from his nostrils;g
consuming fireh came from his mouth,
burning coalsi blazed out of it.
9 He parted the heavens and came down;j
dark cloudsk were under his feet.
10 He mounted the cherubiml and flew;
he soaredm on the wings of the wind.n
11 He made darkness his covering,o his canopyp around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.
12 Out of the brightness of his presenceq clouds advanced,
with hailstonesr and bolts of lightning.s
13 The Lord thunderedt from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.d
14 He shot his arrowsu and scattered the enemy,
with great bolts of lightningv he routed them.w
15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundationsx of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke,y Lord,
at the…
Psalm 17
1 Hear me,d Lord, my plea is just;
listen to my cry.e
Hearf my prayer—
it does not rise from deceitful lips.g
2 Let my vindicationh come from you;
may your eyes see what is right.i
3 Though you probe my heart,j
though you examine me at night and test me,k
you will find that I have planned no evil;l
my mouth has not transgressed.m
4 Though people tried to bribe me,
I have kept myself from the ways of the violent
through what your lips have commanded.
5 My steps have held to your paths;n
my feet have not stumbled.o
6 I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;p
turn your ear to meq and hear my prayer.r
7 Show me the wonders of your great love,s
you who save by your right handt
those who take refugeu in you from their foes.
8 Keep mev as the apple of your eye;w
hide mex in the shadow of your wingsy
9 from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
from my mortal enemies who surround me.z
10 They close up their callous hearts,a
and their mouths speak with arrogance.b
11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me,c
with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like a liond hungry for prey,e
like a fierce lion crouching in cover.
13 Rise up,f Lord, confront them, bring them down;g
with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
14 By your hand save me from such people, Lord,
from those of this worldh whose reward is in this life.i
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
may their children gorge themselves on it,
and may there be leftoversj for their little ones.
15 As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
when I awake,k I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.l