Psalm 61–66

Psalm 61a

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. Of David.

1 Hear my cry, O God;b

listen to my prayer.c

2 From the ends of the earth I call to you,

I call as my heart grows faint;d

lead me to the rocke that is higher than I.

3 For you have been my refuge,f

a strong tower against the foe.g

4 I long to dwellh in your tent forever

and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.b i

5 For you, God, have heard my vows;j

you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.k

6 Increase the days of the king’s life,l

his years for many generations.m

7 May he be enthroned in God’s presence forever;n

appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.o

8 Then I will ever sing in praise of your namep

and fulfill my vows day after day.q

Psalm 62a

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

1 Truly my soul finds restr in God;s

my salvation comes from him.

2 Truly he is my rockt and my salvation;u

he is my fortress,v I will never be shaken.w

3 How long will you assault me?

Would all of you throw me down—

this leaning wall,x this tottering fence?

4 Surely they intend to topple me

from my lofty place;

they take delight in lies.

With their mouths they bless,

but in their hearts they curse.b y

5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God;z

my hope comes from him.

6 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;

he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

7 My salvation and my honor depend on Godc;

he is my mighty rock, my refuge.a

8 Trust in him at all times, you people;b

pour out your hearts to him,c

for God is our refuge.

9 Surely the lowbornd are but a breath,e

the highborn are but a lie.

If weighed on a balance,f they are nothing;

together they are only a breath.

10 Do not trust in extortiong

or put vain hope in stolen goods;h

though your riches increase,

do not set your heart on them.i

11 One thing God has spoken,

two things I have heard:

“Power belongs to you, God,j

12 and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”;k

and, “You reward everyone

according to what they have done.”l

Psalm 63a

A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.

1 You, God, are my God,

earnestly I seek you;

I thirst for you,m

my whole being longs for you,

in a dry and parched land

where there is no water.n

2 I have seen you in the sanctuaryo

and beheld your power and your glory.p

3 Because your love is better than life,q

my lips will glorify you.

4 I will praise you as long as I live,r

and in your name I will lift up my hands.s

5 I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;t

with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

6 On my bed I remember you;

I think of you through the watches of the night.u

7 Because you are my help,v

I sing in the shadow of your wings.w

8 I cling to you;x

your right hand upholds me.y

9 Those who want to kill me will be destroyed;z

they will go down to the depths of the earth.a

10 They will be given over to the swordb

and become food for jackals.c

11 But the king will rejoice in God;

all who swear by God will glory in him,d

while the mouths of liars will be silenced.e

Psalm 64a

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1 Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint;f

protect my life from the threat of the enemy.g

2 Hide me from the conspiracyh of the wicked,i

from the plots of evildoers.

3 They sharpen their tongues like swordsj

and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.k

4 They shoot from ambush at the innocent;l

they shoot suddenly, without fear.m

5 They encourage each other in evil plans,

they talk about hiding their snares;n

they say, “Who will see itb?”o

6 They plot injustice and say,

“We have devised a perfect plan!”

Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.

7 But God will shoot them with his arrows;

they will suddenly be struck down.

8 He will turn their own tongues against themp

and bring them to ruin;

all who see them will shake their headsq in scorn.r

9 All people will fear;s

they will proclaim the works of God

and ponder what he has done.t

10 The righteous will rejoice in the Lordu

and take refuge in him;v

all the upright in heart will glory in him!w

Psalm 65a

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

1 Praise awaitsb you, our God, in Zion;x

to you our vows will be fulfilled.y

2 You who answer prayer,

to you all people will come.z

3 When we were overwhelmed by sins,a

you forgavec our transgressions.b

4 Blessed are those you choosec

and bring neard to live in your courts!

We are filled with the good things of your house,e

of your holy temple.

5 You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,f

God our Savior,g

the hope of all the ends of the earthh

and of the farthest seas,i

6 who formed the mountainsj by your power,

having armed yourself with strength,k

7 who stilled the roaring of the seas,l

the roaring of their waves,

and the turmoil of the nations.m

8 The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;

where morning dawns, where evening fades,

you call forth songs of joy.n

9 You care for the land and water it;o

you enrich it abundantly.p

The streams of God are filled with water

to provide the people with grain,q

for so you have ordained it.d

10 You drench its furrows and level its ridges;

you soften it with showersr and bless its crops.

11 You crown the year with your bounty,s

and your carts overflow with abundance.t

12 The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;u

the hills are clothed with gladness.v

13 The meadows are covered with flocksw

and the valleys are mantled with grain;x

they shout for joy and sing.y

Psalm 66

For the director of music. A song. A psalm.

1 Shout for joy to God, all the earth!z

2 Sing the glory of his name;a

make his praise glorious.b

3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!c

So great is your power

that your enemies cringed before you.

4 All the earth bows downe to you;

they sing praisef to you,

they sing the praises of your name.”a

5 Come and see what God has done,

his awesome deedsg for mankind!

6 He turned the sea into dry land,h

they passed throughi the waters on foot—

come, let us rejoicej in him.

7 He rules foreverk by his power,

his eyes watchl the nations—

let not the rebelliousm rise up against him.

8 Praisen our God, all peoples,

let the sound of his praise be heard;

9 he has preserved our liveso

and kept our feet from slipping.p

10 For you, God, testedq us;

you refined us like silver.r

11 You brought us into prisons

and laid burdenst on our backs.

12 You let people ride over our heads;u

we went through fire and water,

but you brought us to a place of abundance.v

13 I will come to your temple with burnt offeringsw

and fulfill my vowsx to you—

14 vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke

when I was in trouble.

15 I will sacrifice fat animals to you

and an offering of rams;

I will offer bulls and goats.y

16 Come and hear,z all you who fear God;

let me tella you what he has done for me.

17 I cried out to him with my mouth;

his praise was on my tongue.

18 If I had cherished sin in my heart,

the Lord would not have listened;b

19 but God has surely listened

and has heardc my prayer.

20 Praise be to God,

who has not rejectedd my prayer

or withheld his love from me!