Psalm 40–45

Psalm 40a

40:13–17pp—Ps 70:1–5

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

out of the mudf and mire;g

he set my feeth on a rocki

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

5 Many, Lord my God,

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 41a

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1 Blesseda are those who have regard for the weak;b

the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.c

2 The Lord protectsd and preserves them—e

they are counted among the blessed in the land—f

he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.g

3 The Lord sustains them on their sickbedh

and restores them from their bed of illness.i

4 I said, “Have mercyj on me, Lord;

healk me, for I have sinnedl against you.”

5 My enemies say of me in malice,

“When will he die and his name perish?m”

6 When one of them comes to see me,

he speaks falsely,n while his heart gathers slander;o

then he goes out and spreadsp it around.

7 All my enemies whisper togetherq against me;

they imagine the worst for me, saying,

8 “A vile disease has afflicted him;

he will never get upr from the place where he lies.”

9 Even my close friend,s

someone I trusted,

one who shared my bread,

has turnedb against me.t

10 But may you have mercyu on me, Lord;

raise me up,v that I may repayw them.

11 I know that you are pleased with me,x

for my enemy does not triumph over me.y

12 Because of my integrityz you uphold mea

and set me in your presence forever.b

13 Praisec be to the Lord, the God of Israel,d

from everlasting to everlasting.

Amen and Amen.e

BOOK II

Psalms 42–72

Psalm 42a,b

For the director of music. A maskilc of the Sons of Korah.

1 As the deerf pants for streams of water,g

so my soul pantsh for you, my God.

2 My soul thirstsi for God, for the living God.j

When can I gok and meet with God?

3 My tearsl have been my food

day and night,

while people say to me all day long,

“Where is your God?”m

4 These things I remember

as I pour out my soul:n

how I used to go to the house of Godo

under the protection of the Mighty Oned

with shouts of joyp and praiseq

among the festive throng.r

5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?s

Why so disturbedt within me?

Put your hope in God,u

for I will yet praisev him,

my Saviorw and my God.x

6 My soul is downcast within me;

therefore I will remembery you

from the land of the Jordan,z

the heights of Hermona—from Mount Mizar.

7 Deep calls to deepb

in the roar of your waterfalls;

all your waves and breakers

have swept over me.c

8 By day the Lord directs his love,d

at nighte his songf is with me—

a prayer to the God of my life.g

9 I say to God my Rock,h

“Why have you forgotteni me?

Why must I go about mourning,j

oppressedk by the enemy?”l

10 My bones suffer mortal agonym

as my foes tauntn me,

saying to me all day long,

“Where is your God?”o

11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Savior and my God.p

Psalm 43a

1 Vindicate me, my God,

and plead my causeq

against an unfaithful nation.

Rescue mer from those who are

deceitful and wicked.s

2 You are God my stronghold.

Why have you rejectedt me?

Why must I go about mourning,u

oppressed by the enemy?v

3 Send me your lightw and your faithful care,x

let them lead me;y

let them bring me to your holy mountain,z

to the place where you dwell.a

4 Then I will gob to the altarc of God,

to God, my joyd and my delight.e

I will praise you with the lyre,f

O God, my God.

5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Savior and my God.g

Psalm 44a

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.b

1 We have heard it with our ears,h O God;

our ancestors have told usi

what you did in their days,

in days long ago.j

2 With your hand you drove outk the nations

and plantedl our ancestors;

you crushedm the peoples

and made our ancestors flourish.n

3 It was not by their swordo that they won the land,

nor did their arm bring them victory;

it was your right hand,p your arm,q

and the lightr of your face, for you loveds them.

4 You are my Kingt and my God,u

who decreesc victoriesv for Jacob.

5 Through you we push backw our enemies;

through your name we tramplex our foes.

6 I put no trust in my bow,y

my sword does not bring me victory;

7 but you give us victoryz over our enemies,

you put our adversaries to shame.a

8 In God we make our boastb all day long,c

and we will praise your name forever.d d

9 But now you have rejectede and humbled us;f

you no longer go out with our armies.g

10 You made us retreath before the enemy,

and our adversaries have plunderedi us.

11 You gave us up to be devoured like sheepj

and have scattered us among the nations.k

12 You sold your people for a pittance,l

gaining nothing from their sale.

13 You have made us a reproachm to our neighbors,n

the scorno and derisionp of those around us.

14 You have made us a bywordq among the nations;

the peoples shake their headsr at us.

15 I live in disgraces all day long,

and my face is covered with shamet

16 at the tauntsu of those who reproach and revilev me,

because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge.w

17 All this came upon us,

though we had not forgottenx you;

we had not been false to your covenant.

18 Our hearts had not turnedy back;

our feet had not strayed from your path.

19 But you crushedz us and made us a haunt for jackals;a

you covered us over with deep darkness.b

20 If we had forgottenc the name of our God

or spread out our hands to a foreign god,d

21 would not God have discovered it,

since he knows the secrets of the heart?e

22 Yet for your sake we face death all day long;

we are considered as sheepf to be slaughtered.g

23 Awake,h Lord! Why do you sleep?i

Rouse yourself!j Do not reject us forever.k

24 Why do you hide your facel

and forgetm our misery and oppression?n

25 We are brought down to the dust;o

our bodies cling to the ground.

26 Rise upp and help us;

rescueq us because of your unfailing love.r

Psalm 45a

For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.b A wedding song.s

1 My heart is stirred by a noble theme

as I recite my verses for the king;

my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.

2 You are the most excellent of men

and your lips have been anointed with grace,t

since God has blessed you forever.u

3 Gird your swordv on your side, you mighty one;w

clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.x

4 In your majesty ride forth victoriouslyy

in the cause of truth, humility and justice;z

let your right handa achieve awesome deeds.b

5 Let your sharp arrowsc pierce the heartsd of the king’s enemies;e

let the nations fall beneath your feet.

6 Your throne, O God,c will last for ever and ever;f

a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.

7 You love righteousnessg and hate wickedness;h

therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions

by anointingi you with the oil of joy.j

8 All your robes are fragrantk with myrrhl and aloesm and cassia;n

from palaces adorned with ivoryo

the music of the stringsp makes you glad.

9 Daughters of kingsq are among your honored women;

at your right handr is the royal brides in gold of Ophir.t

10 Listen, daughter,u and pay careful attention:v

Forget your peoplew and your father’s house.

11 Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;x

honory him, for he is your lord.z

12 The city of Tyrea will come with a gift,d b

people of wealth will seek your favor.

13 All gloriousc is the princess within her chamber;

her gown is interwoven with gold.d

14 In embroidered garmentse she is led to the king;f

her virgin companionsg follow her—

those brought to be with her.

15 Led in with joy and gladness,h

they enter the palace of the king.

16 Your sons will take the place of your fathers;

you will make them princesi throughout the land.

17 I will perpetuate your memory through all generations;j

therefore the nations will praise youk for ever and ever.l