PSALM 131

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

1 O Lord, my heart is not lifted up,

my eyes are not raised too high;

I do not occupy myself with things

too great and too marvelous for me.

2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul,

like a child quieted at its mother’s breast;

like a child that is quieted is my soul.

3 O Israel, hope in the Lord

from this time forth and for evermore.

PSALM 11

To the choirmaster. Of David.

1 In the Lord I take refuge; how can you say to me,

“Flee like a bird to the mountains;*

2 for lo, the wicked bend the bow,

they have fitted their arrow to the string,

to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart;

3 if the foundations are destroyed,

what can the righteous do”?

4 The Lord is in his holy temple,

the Lord’s throne is in heaven;

his eyes behold, his eyelids test, the children of men.

5 The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked,

and his soul hates him that loves violence.

6 On the wicked he will rain coals of fire and brimstone;

a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.

7 For the Lord is righteous, he loves righteous deeds;

the upright shall behold his face.

PSALM 12

To the choirmaster: according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David.

1 Help, Lord; for there is no longer any that is godly;

for the faithful have vanished from among the sons of men.

2 Every one utters lies to his neighbor;

with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,

the tongue that makes great boasts,

4 those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail,

our lips are with us; who is our master?”

5 “Because the poor are despoiled, because the needy groan,

I will now arise,” says the Lord;

“I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”

6 The promises of the Lord are promises that are pure,

silver refined in a furnace on the ground,

purified seven times.

7 Do thou, O Lord, protect us,

guard us ever from this generation.

8 On every side the wicked prowl,

as vileness is exalted among the sons of men.

PSALM 13

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1 How long, O Lord? Wilt thou forget me for ever?

How long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

2 How long must I bear pain* in my soul,

and have sorrow in my heart all the day?

How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;

lighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him”;

lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

5 But I have trusted in thy steadfast love;

my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

6 I will sing to the Lord,

because he has dealt bountifully with me.

PSALM 14

To the choirmaster. Of David.

1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds,

there is none that does good.

2 The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men,

to see if there are any that act wisely,

that seek after God.

3 They have all gone astray, they are all alike corrupt;

there is none that does good,

no, not one.

4 Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers

who eat up my people as they eat bread,

and do not call upon the Lord?

5 There they shall be in great terror,

for God is with the generation of the righteous.

6 You would confound the plans of the poor,

but the Lord is his refuge.

7 O that deliverance for Israel would come out of Zion!

When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,

Jacob shall rejoice, Israel shall be glad.