Psalm 64–65

Psalm 64

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

¹O God, listen to my complaint.

Protect my life from my enemies’ threats.

²Hide me from the plots of this evil mob,

from this gang of wrongdoers.

³They sharpen their tongues like swords

and aim their bitter words like arrows.

⁴They shoot from ambush at the innocent,

attacking suddenly and fearlessly.

⁵They encourage each other to do evil

and plan how to set their traps in secret.

“Who will ever notice?” they ask.

⁶As they plot their crimes, they say,

“We have devised the perfect plan!”

Yes, the human heart and mind are cunning.

⁷But God himself will shoot them with his arrows,

suddenly striking them down.

⁸Their own tongues will ruin them,

and all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.

⁹Then everyone will be afraid;

they will proclaim the mighty acts of God

and realize all the amazing things he does.

¹⁰The godly will rejoice in the Lord

and find shelter in him.

And those who do what is right

will praise him.

Psalm 65

For the choir director: A song. A psalm of David.

¹What mighty praise, O God,

belongs to you in Zion.

We will fulfill our vows to you,

²for you answer our prayers.

All of us must come to you.

³Though we are overwhelmed by our sins,

you forgive them all.

⁴What joy for those you choose to bring near,

those who live in your holy courts.

What festivities await us

inside your holy Temple.

⁵You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds,

O God our savior.

You are the hope of everyone on earth,

even those who sail on distant seas.

⁶You formed the mountains by your power

and armed yourself with mighty strength.

⁷You quieted the raging oceans

with their pounding waves

and silenced the shouting of the nations.

⁸Those who live at the ends of the earth

stand in awe of your wonders.

From where the sun rises to where it sets,

you inspire shouts of joy.

⁹You take care of the earth and water it,

making it rich and fertile.

The river of God has plenty of water;

it provides a bountiful harvest of grain,

for you have ordered it so.

¹⁰You drench the plowed ground with rain,

melting the clods and leveling the ridges.

You soften the earth with showers

and bless its abundant crops.

¹¹You crown the year with a bountiful harvest;

even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.

¹²The grasslands of the wilderness become a lush pasture,

and the hillsides blossom with joy.

¹³The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep,

and the valleys are carpeted with grain.

They all shout and sing for joy!