17 A prayer of David.
Lord, consider my just cause! 1
Pay attention to my cry for help!
Listen to the prayer
I sincerely offer! 2
2 Make a just decision on my behalf! 3
Decide what is right! 4
3 You have scrutinized my inner motives; 5
you have examined me during the night. 6
You have carefully evaluated me, but you find no sin.
I am determined I will say nothing sinful. 7
4 As for the actions of people 8 –
just as you have commanded,
I have not followed in the footsteps of violent men. 9
5 I carefully obey your commands; 10
I do not deviate from them. 11
6 I call to you for you will answer me, O God.
Listen to me! 12
Hear what I say! 13
7 Accomplish awesome, faithful deeds, 14
you who powerfully deliver those who look to you for protection from their enemies. 15
8 Protect me as you would protect the pupil of your eye! 16
Hide me in the shadow of your wings! 17
9 Protect me from 18 the wicked men who attack 19 me,
my enemies who crowd around me for the kill. 20
10 They are calloused; 21
they speak arrogantly. 22
11 They attack me, now they surround me; 23
they intend to throw me to the ground. 24
12 He 25 is like a lion 26 that wants to tear its prey to bits, 27
like a young lion crouching 28 in hidden places.
13 Rise up, Lord!
Confront him! 29 Knock him down! 30
Use your sword to rescue me from the wicked man! 31
14 Lord, use your power to deliver me from these murderers, 32
from the murderers of this world! 33
They enjoy prosperity; 34
you overwhelm them with the riches they desire. 35
They have many children,
and leave their wealth to their offspring. 36
15 As for me, because I am innocent I will see your face; 37
when I awake you will reveal yourself to me. 38
18 For the music director; by the Lord’s servant David, who sang 1 to the Lord the words of this song when 2 the Lord rescued him from the power 3 of all his enemies, including Saul. 4
He said: 5
“I love 6 you, Lord, my source of strength! 7
2 The Lord is my high ridge, 8 my stronghold, 9 my deliverer.
My God is my rocky summit where 10 I take shelter, 11
my shield, the horn that saves me, 12 and my refuge. 13
3 I called 14 to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, 15
and I was delivered from my enemies.
4 The waves 16 of death engulfed me,
the currents 17 of chaos 18 overwhelmed me. 19
5 The ropes of Sheol tightened around me, 20
the snares of death trapped me. 21
6 In my distress I called to the Lord;
I cried out to my God. 22
From his heavenly temple 23 he heard my voice;
he listened to my cry for help. 24
7 The earth heaved and shook; 25
the roots of the mountains 26 trembled; 27
they heaved because he was angry.
8 Smoke ascended from 28 his nose; 29
fire devoured as it came from his mouth; 30
he hurled down fiery coals. 31
9 He made the sky sink 32 as he descended;
a thick cloud was under his feet.
10 He mounted 33 a winged angel 34 and flew;
he glided 35 on the wings of the wind. 36
11 He shrouded himself in darkness, 37
in thick rain clouds. 38
12 From the brightness in front of him came
hail and fiery coals. 39
13 The Lord thundered 40 in 41 the sky;
the sovereign One 42 shouted. 43
14 He shot his 44 arrows and scattered them, 45
many lightning bolts 46 and routed them. 47
15 The depths 48 of the sea 49 were exposed;
the inner regions 50 of the world were uncovered
by 51 your battle cry, 52 Lord,
by the powerful breath from your nose. 53
16 He reached down 54 from above and took hold of me;
he pulled me from the surging water. 55
17 He rescued me from my strong enemy, 56
from those who hate me,
for they were too strong for me.
18 They confronted 57 me in my day of calamity,
but the Lord helped me. 58
19 He brought me out into a wide open place;
he delivered me because he was pleased with me. 59
20 The Lord repaid 60 me for my godly deeds; 61
he rewarded 62 my blameless behavior. 63
21 For I have obeyed the Lord’s commands; 64
I have not rebelled against my God. 65
22 For I am aware of all his regulations, 66
and I do not reject his rules. 67
23 I was innocent before him,
and kept myself from sinning. 68
24 The Lord rewarded me for my godly deeds; 69
he took notice of my blameless behavior. 70
25 You prove to be loyal 71 to one who is faithful; 72
you prove to be trustworthy 73 to one who is innocent. 74
26 You prove to be reliable 75 to one who is blameless,
but you prove to be deceptive 76 to one who is perverse. 77
27 For you deliver oppressed 78 people,
but you bring down those who have a proud look. 79
28 Indeed, 80 you are my lamp, Lord. 81
My God 82 illuminates the darkness around me. 83
29 Indeed, 84 with your help 85 I can charge against 86 an army; 87
by my God’s power 88 I can jump over a wall. 89
30 The one true God acts in a faithful manner; 90
the Lord’s promise 91 is reliable; 92
he is a shield to all who take shelter 93 in him.
31 Indeed, 94 who is God besides the Lord?
Who is a protector 95 besides our God? 96
32 The one true God 97 gives 98 me strength; 99
he removes 100 the obstacles in my way. 101
33 He gives me the agility of a deer; 102
he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain. 103
34 He trains my hands for battle; 104
my arms can bend even the strongest bow. 105
35 You give me your protective shield; 106
your right hand supports me; 107
your willingness to help 108 enables me to prevail. 109
36 You widen my path; 110
my feet 111 do not slip.
37 I chase my enemies and catch 112 them;
I do not turn back until I wipe them out.
38 I beat them 113 to death; 114
they fall at my feet. 115
39 You give me strength 116 for battle;
you make my foes kneel before me. 117
40 You make my enemies retreat; 118
I destroy those who hate me. 119
41 They cry out, but there is no one to help them; 120
they cry out to the Lord, 121 but he does not answer them.
42 I grind them as fine windblown dust; 122
I beat them underfoot 123 like clay 124 in the streets.
43 You rescue me from a hostile army; 125
you make me 126 a leader of nations;
people over whom I had no authority are now my subjects. 127
44 When they hear of my exploits, they submit to me. 128
Foreigners are powerless 129 before me;
45 foreigners lose their courage; 130
they shake with fear 131 as they leave 132 their strongholds. 133
46 The Lord is alive! 134
My protector 135 is praiseworthy! 136
The God who delivers me 137 is exalted as king! 138
47 The one true God 139 completely vindicates me; 140
he makes nations submit to me. 141
48 He delivers me 142 from my enemies;
you snatch me away 143 from those who attack me; 144
you rescue me from violent men.
49 So I will give you thanks before the nations, 145 O Lord!
I will sing praises to you! 146
50 He 147 gives his chosen king magnificent victories; 148
he is faithful 149 to his chosen ruler, 150
to David and his descendants 151 forever.” 152
19 For the music director; a psalm of David.
The heavens declare the glory of God; 1
the sky displays his handiwork. 2
2 Day after day it speaks out; 3
night after night it reveals his greatness. 4
3 There is no actual speech or word,
nor is its 5 voice literally heard.
4 Yet its voice 6 echoes 7 throughout the earth;
its 8 words carry 9 to the distant horizon. 10
In the sky 11 he has pitched a tent for the sun. 12
5 Like a bridegroom it emerges 13 from its chamber; 14
like a strong man it enjoys 15 running its course. 16
6 It emerges from the distant horizon, 17
and goes from one end of the sky to the other; 18
nothing can escape 19 its heat.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect
and preserves one’s life. 20
The rules set down by the Lord 21 are reliable 22
and impart wisdom to the inexperienced. 23
8 The Lord’s precepts are fair 24
and make one joyful. 25
The Lord’s commands 26 are pure 27
and give insight for life. 28
9 The commands to fear the Lord are right 29
and endure forever. 30
The judgments given by the Lord are trustworthy
and absolutely just. 31
10 They are of greater value 32 than gold,
than even a great amount of pure gold;
they bring greater delight 33 than honey,
than even the sweetest honey from a honeycomb.
11 Yes, your servant finds moral guidance there; 34
those who obey them receive a rich reward. 35
12 Who can know all his errors? 36
Please do not punish me for sins I am unaware of. 37
13 Moreover, keep me from committing flagrant 38 sins;
do not allow such sins to control me. 39
Then I will be blameless,
and innocent of blatant 40 rebellion.
14 May my words and my thoughts
be acceptable in your sight, 41
O Lord, my sheltering rock 42 and my redeemer. 43
