Bible in 90 Days
Chapter 42
1 Then Job answered the Lord and said:
2 I know that you can do all things,[a]
and that no purpose of yours can be hindered.
3 “Who is this who obscures counsel with ignorance?”
I have spoken but did not understand;
things too marvelous for me, which I did not know.(A)
4 “Listen, and I will speak;
I will question you, and you tell me the answers.”
5 By hearsay I had heard of you,
but now my eye has seen you.[b]
6 Therefore I disown what I have said,
and repent in dust and ashes.[c]
IX. Epilogue
Job’s Restoration. 7 And after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My anger blazes against you and your two friends![d] You have not spoken rightly concerning me, as has my servant Job. 8 So now take seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves, and let my servant Job pray for you.[e] To him I will show favor, and not punish your folly, for you have not spoken rightly concerning me, as has my servant Job.” 9 Then Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, went and did as the Lord had commanded them. The Lord showed favor to Job.
10 The Lord also restored the prosperity of Job, after he had prayed for his friends; the Lord even gave to Job twice[f] as much as he had before. 11 Then all his brothers and sisters came to him, and all his former acquaintances, and they dined with him in his house. They consoled and comforted him for all the evil the Lord had brought upon him, and each one gave him a piece of money[g] and a gold ring.
12 (B)Thus the Lord blessed the later days of Job more than his earlier ones. Now he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she-donkeys. 13 He also had seven sons and three daughters: 14 the first daughter he called Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch.[h] 15 In all the land no other women were as beautiful as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them an inheritance[i] among their brothers.
16 After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; and he saw his children, his grandchildren, and even his great-grandchildren.(C) 17 Then Job died, old and full of years.
First Book—Psalms 1–41
Psalm 1[j]
True Happiness in God’s Law
I
1 Blessed is the man who does not walk
in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the way[k] of sinners,
nor sit in company with scoffers.(D)
2 Rather, the law of the Lord[l] is his joy;
and on his law he meditates day and night.(E)
3 He is like a tree(F)
planted near streams of water,
that yields its fruit in season;
Its leaves never wither;
whatever he does prospers.
II
4 But not so are the wicked,[m] not so!
They are like chaff driven by the wind.(G)
5 Therefore the wicked will not arise at the judgment,
nor will sinners in the assembly of the just.
6 Because the Lord knows the way of the just,(H)
but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.
Psalm 2[n]
A Psalm for a Royal Coronation
1 Why do the nations protest
and the peoples conspire in vain?(I)
2 Kings on earth rise up
and princes plot together
against the Lord and against his anointed one:[o](J)
3 “Let us break their shackles
and cast off their chains from us!”(K)
4 The one enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord derides them,(L)
5 Then he speaks to them in his anger,
in his wrath he terrifies them:
6 “I myself have installed my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”
7 I will proclaim the decree of the Lord,
he said to me, “You are my son;
today I have begotten you.(M)
8 Ask it of me,
and I will give you the nations as your inheritance,
and, as your possession, the ends of the earth.
9 With an iron rod you will shepherd them,
like a potter’s vessel you will shatter them.”(N)
10 And now, kings, give heed;
take warning, judges on earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear;
exult with trembling,
Accept correction
lest he become angry and you perish along the way
when his anger suddenly blazes up.(O)
Blessed are all who take refuge in him!
Psalm 3[p]
Threatened but Trusting
1 A psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom.[q](P)
I
2 How many are my foes, Lord!
How many rise against me!
3 [r]How many say of me,
“There is no salvation for him in God.”(Q)
Selah
4 But you, Lord, are a shield around me;
my glory, you keep my head high.(R)
II
5 With my own voice I will call out to the Lord,
and he will answer me from his holy mountain.
Selah
6 I lie down and I fall asleep,
[and] I will wake up, for the Lord sustains me.(S)
7 I do not fear, then, thousands of people
arrayed against me on every side.
III
8 Arise, Lord! Save me, my God!
For you strike the cheekbone of all my foes;
you break the teeth of the wicked.(T)
9 Salvation is from the Lord!
May your blessing be upon your people!(U)
Selah
Psalm 4[s]
Trust in God
1 For the leader;[t] with stringed instruments. A psalm of David.
I
2 Answer me when I call, my saving God.
When troubles hem me in, set me free;
take pity on me, hear my prayer.(V)
II
3 How long, O people, will you be hard of heart?
Why do you love what is worthless, chase after lies?[u](W)
Selah
4 Know that the Lord works wonders for his faithful one;
the Lord hears when I call out to him.
5 Tremble[v] and sin no more;
weep bitterly within your hearts,
wail upon your beds,(X)
6 Offer fitting sacrifices
and trust in the Lord.(Y)
III
7 Many say, “May we see better times!
Lord, show us the light of your face!”(Z)
Selah
8 But you have given my heart more joy
than they have when grain and wine abound.
9 (AA)[w]In peace I will lie down and fall asleep,
for you alone, Lord, make me secure.
Psalm 5[x]
Prayer for Divine Help
1 For the leader; with wind instruments. A psalm of David.
I
2 Give ear to my words, O Lord;
understand my sighing.(AB)
3 Attend to the sound of my cry,
my king and my God!
For to you I will pray, Lord;
4 in the morning you will hear my voice;
in the morning I will plead before you and wait.(AC)
II
5 You are not a god who delights in evil;
no wicked person finds refuge with you;
6 the arrogant cannot stand before your eyes.
You hate all who do evil;
7 you destroy those who speak falsely.(AD)
A bloody and fraudulent man
the Lord abhors.
III
8 But I, through the abundance of your mercy,[y]
will enter into your house.
I will bow down toward your holy sanctuary
out of fear of you.(AE)
9 Lord, guide me in your justice because of my foes;
make straight your way before me.(AF)
IV
10 For there is no sincerity in their mouth;
their heart is corrupt.
Their throat[z] is an open grave;(AG)
on their tongue are subtle lies.
11 Declare them guilty, God;
make them fall by their own devices.(AH)
Drive them out for their many sins;
for they have rebelled against you.
V
12 Then all who trust in you will be glad
and forever shout for joy.(AI)
You will protect them and those will rejoice in you
who love your name.
13 For you, Lord, bless the just one;
you surround him with favor like a shield.
Psalm 6[aa]
Prayer in Distress
1 For the leader; with stringed instruments, “upon the eighth.”[ab]
A psalm of David.
I
2 Do not reprove me in your anger, Lord,
nor punish me in your wrath.(AJ)
3 Have pity on me, Lord, for I am weak;
heal me, Lord, for my bones are shuddering.(AK)
4 My soul too is shuddering greatly—
and you, Lord, how long…?[ac](AL)
5 Turn back, Lord, rescue my soul;
save me because of your mercy.
6 For in death there is no remembrance of you.
Who praises you in Sheol?[ad](AM)
II
7 I am wearied with sighing;
all night long I drench my bed with tears;
I soak my couch with weeping.
8 My eyes are dimmed with sorrow,
worn out because of all my foes.(AN)
III
9 Away from me, all who do evil!(AO)
The Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
10 The Lord has heard my plea;
the Lord will receive my prayer.
11 My foes will all be disgraced and will shudder greatly;
they will turn back in sudden disgrace.(AP)
Psalm 7[ae]
God the Vindicator
1 A plaintive song of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush, the Benjaminite.
I
2 Lord my God, in you I trusted;
save me; rescue me from all who pursue me,(AQ)
3 Lest someone maul me like a lion,
tear my soul apart with no one to deliver.
II
4 Lord my God, if I have done this,[af]
if there is guilt on my hands,
5 If I have maltreated someone treating me equitably—
or even despoiled my oppressor without cause—
6 Then let my enemy pursue and overtake my soul,
trample my life to the ground,
and lay my honor in the dust.(AR)
Selah
III
7 Rise up, Lord, in your anger;
be aroused against the outrages of my oppressors.(AS)
Stir up the justice, my God, you have commanded.
8 Have the assembly of the peoples gather about you;
and return on high above them,
9 the Lord will pass judgment on the peoples.
Judge me, Lord, according to my righteousness,
and my integrity.
10 Let the malice of the wicked end.
Uphold the just one,
O just God,(AT)
who tries hearts and minds.
IV
11 God is a shield above me
saving the upright of heart.(AU)
12 God is a just judge, powerful and patient,[ag]
not exercising anger every day.
13 If one does not repent,
God sharpens his sword,
strings and readies the bow,(AV)
14 Prepares his deadly shafts,
makes arrows blazing thunderbolts.(AW)
V
15 Consider how one conceives iniquity;
is pregnant with mischief,
and gives birth to deception.(AX)
16 He digs a hole and bores it deep,
but he falls into the pit he has made.(AY)
17 His malice turns back upon his head;
his violence falls on his own skull.
VI
18 I will thank the Lord in accordance with his justice;
I will sing the name of the Lord Most High.(AZ)
Psalm 8[ah]
Divine Majesty and Human Dignity
1 For the leader; “upon the gittith.”[ai] A psalm of David.
2 O Lord, our Lord,
how awesome is your name through all the earth!
I will sing of your majesty above the heavens
3 with the mouths of babes(BA) and infants.[aj]
You have established a bulwark against your foes,
to silence enemy and avenger.
4 When I see your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and stars that you set in place—
5 [ak]What is man that you are mindful of him,(BB)
and a son of man that you care for him?(BC)
6 Yet you have made him little less than a god,[al]
crowned him with glory and honor.
7 You have given him rule over the works of your hands,(BD)
put all things at his feet:
8 All sheep and oxen,
even the beasts of the field,
9 The birds of the air, the fish of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
10 O Lord, our Lord,
how awesome is your name through all the earth!
Psalm 9[am]
Thanksgiving for Victory and Prayer for Justice
1 For the leader; according to Muth Labben.[an] A psalm of David.
I
2 I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
I will declare all your wondrous deeds.
3 I will delight and rejoice in you;
I will sing hymns to your name, Most High.
4 When my enemies turn back,
they stumble and perish before you.
II
5 For you upheld my right and my cause,
seated on your throne, judging justly.
6 You rebuked the nations, you destroyed the wicked;
their name you blotted out for all time.(BE)
7 The enemies have been ruined forever;
you destroyed their cities;
their memory has perished.
III
8 The Lord rules forever,
has set up his throne for judgment.
9 It is he who judges the world with justice,(BF)
who judges the peoples with fairness.
10 The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.(BG)
11 Those who know your name trust in you;
you never forsake those who seek you, Lord.
IV
12 Sing hymns to the Lord enthroned on Zion;
proclaim his deeds among the nations!
13 For the avenger of bloodshed remembers,
does not forget the cry of the afflicted.(BH)
V
14 Be gracious to me, Lord;
see how my foes afflict me!
You alone can raise me from the gates of death.(BI)
15 Then I will declare all your praises,
sing joyously of your salvation
in the gates of daughter Zion.[ao]
VI
16 The nations fall into the pit they dig;
in the snare they hide, their own foot is caught.
17 [ap]The Lord is revealed in making judgments:
by the deeds they do the wicked are trapped.(BJ)
Higgaion. Selah
VII
18 To Sheol the wicked will depart,
all the nations that forget God.
19 For the needy will never be forgotten,
nor will the hope of the afflicted ever fade.(BK)
20 Arise, Lord, let no mortal prevail;
let the nations be judged in your presence.
21 Strike them with terror, Lord;
show the nations they are only human.
Selah
Psalm 10
I
1 Why, Lord, do you stand afar
and pay no heed in times of trouble?
2 Arrogant scoundrels pursue the poor;
they trap them by their cunning schemes.(BL)
II
3 The wicked even boast of their greed;
these robbers curse and scorn the Lord.(BM)
4 In their insolence the wicked boast:
“God does not care; there is no God.”(BN)
5 Yet their affairs always succeed;
they ignore your judgment on high;
they sneer at all who oppose them.
6 They say in their hearts, “We will never fall;
never will we see misfortune.”
7 Their mouths are full of oaths, violence, and lies;
discord and evil are under their tongues.(BO)
8 They wait in ambush near towns;
their eyes watch for the helpless
to murder the innocent in secret.(BP)
9 They lurk in ambush like lions in a thicket,
hide there to trap the poor,
snare them and close the net.(BQ)
10 The helpless are crushed, laid low;
they fall into the power of the wicked,
11 Who say in their hearts, “God has forgotten,
shows no concern, never bothers to look.”(BR)
III
12 Rise up, Lord! God, lift up your hand!
Do not forget the poor!
13 Why should the wicked scorn God,
say in their hearts, “God does not care”?
14 But you do see;
you take note of misery and sorrow;(BS)
you take the matter in hand.
To you the helpless can entrust their cause;
you are the defender of orphans.(BT)
15 Break the arm of the wicked and depraved;
make them account for their crimes;
let none of them survive.
IV
16 The Lord is king forever;(BU)
the nations have vanished from his land.
17 You listen, Lord, to the needs of the poor;
you strengthen their heart and incline your ear.
18 You win justice for the orphaned and oppressed;(BV)
no one on earth will cause terror again.
Psalm 11[aq]
Confidence in the Presence of God
1 For the leader. Of David.
I
In the Lord I take refuge;
how can you say to me,
“Flee like a bird to the mountains!(BW)
2 See how the wicked string their bows,
fit their arrows to the string
to shoot from the shadows at the upright of heart.(BX)
3 [ar]If foundations are destroyed,
what can the just one do?”
II
4 The Lord is in his holy temple;
the Lord’s throne is in heaven.(BY)
God’s eyes keep careful watch;
they test the children of Adam.
5 The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked,
hates those who love violence,
6 And rains upon the wicked
fiery coals and brimstone,
a scorching wind their allotted cup.[as](BZ)
7 The Lord is just and loves just deeds;
the upright will see his face.
Psalm 12[at]
Prayer Against Evil Tongues
1 For the leader; “upon the eighth.” A psalm of David.
I
2 Help, Lord, for no one loyal remains;
the faithful have vanished from the children of men.(CA)
3 They tell lies to one another,
speak with deceiving lips and a double heart.(CB)
II
4 May the Lord cut off all deceiving lips,
and every boastful tongue,
5 Those who say, “By our tongues we prevail;
when our lips speak, who can lord it over us?”(CC)
III
6 “Because they rob the weak, and the needy groan,
I will now arise,” says the Lord;
“I will grant safety to whoever longs for it.”(CD)
IV
7 The promises of the Lord are sure,
silver refined in a crucible,[au]
silver purified seven times.(CE)
8 You, O Lord, protect us always;
preserve us from this generation.
9 On every side the wicked roam;
the shameless are extolled by the children of men.
Psalm 13[av]
Prayer for Help
1 For the leader. A psalm of David.
I
2 How long, Lord? Will you utterly forget me?
How long will you hide your face from me?(CF)
3 How long must I carry sorrow in my soul,
grief in my heart day after day?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
II
4 Look upon me, answer me, Lord, my God!
Give light to my eyes lest I sleep in death,
5 Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed,”
lest my foes rejoice at my downfall.(CG)
III
6 But I trust in your mercy.
Grant my heart joy in your salvation,
I will sing to the Lord,
for he has dealt bountifully with me!(CH)
Psalm 14[aw]
A Lament over Widespread Corruption
1 For the leader. Of David.
I
The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.”
Their deeds are loathsome and corrupt;
not one does what is good.(CI)
2 The Lord looks down from heaven
upon the children of men,(CJ)
To see if even one is wise,
if even one seeks God.(CK)
3 All have gone astray;
all alike are perverse.
Not one does what is good,
not even one.(CL)
II
4 Will these evildoers never learn?
They devour my people as they devour bread;(CM)
they do not call upon the Lord.(CN)
5 They have good reason, then, to fear;
God is with the company of the just.
6 They would crush the hopes of the poor,
but the poor have the Lord as their refuge.
III
7 (CO)Oh, that from Zion might come
the salvation of Israel!
Jacob would rejoice, and Israel be glad
when the Lord restores his people![ax]
Psalm 15[ay]
The Righteous Israelite
1 (CP)A psalm of David.
I
Lord, who may abide in your tent?[az]
Who may dwell on your holy mountain?
II
2 Whoever walks without blame,(CQ)
doing what is right,
speaking truth from the heart;
3 Who does not slander with his tongue,
does no harm to a friend,
never defames a neighbor;
4 Who disdains the wicked,
but honors those who fear the Lord;
Who keeps an oath despite the cost,
5 lends no money at interest,[ba]
accepts no bribe against the innocent.(CR)
III
Whoever acts like this
shall never be shaken.
Psalm 16[bb]
God the Supreme Good
I
Keep me safe, O God;
in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the Lord,
you are my Lord,
you are my only good.
3 As for the holy ones who are in the land,
they are noble,
in whom is all my delight.
4 [bd]They multiply their sorrows
who court other gods.
Blood libations to them I will not pour out,
nor will I take their names upon my lips.
5 Lord, my allotted portion and my cup,
you have made my destiny secure.(CT)
6 [be]Pleasant places were measured out for me;
fair to me indeed is my inheritance.
II
7 I bless the Lord who counsels me;
even at night my heart exhorts me.
8 I keep the Lord always before me;
with him at my right hand, I shall never be shaken.(CU)
9 Therefore my heart is glad, my soul rejoices;
my body also dwells secure,
10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
nor let your devout one see the pit.[bf](CV)
11 You will show me the path to life,
abounding joy in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
Psalm 17[bg]
Prayer for Rescue from Persecutors
1 A prayer of David.
I
Hear, Lord, my plea for justice;
pay heed to my cry;
Listen to my prayer
from lips without guile.
2 From you let my vindication come;
your eyes see what is right.
3 You have tested my heart,
searched it in the night.(CW)
You have tried me by fire,
but find no malice in me.
My mouth has not transgressed
4 as others often do.
As your lips have instructed me,
I have kept from the way of the lawless.
5 My steps have kept to your paths;
my feet have not faltered.(CX)
II
6 I call upon you; answer me, O God.
Turn your ear to me; hear my speech.
7 Show your wonderful mercy,
you who deliver with your right arm
those who seek refuge from their foes.
8 [bh]Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings
9 from the wicked who despoil me.(CY)
III
My ravenous enemies press upon me;(CZ)
10 [bi]they close their hearts,
they fill their mouths with proud roaring.
11 Their steps even now encircle me;
they watch closely, keeping low to the ground,
12 Like lions eager for prey,
like a young lion lurking in ambush.
13 Rise, O Lord, confront and cast them down;
rescue my soul from the wicked.
14 Slay them with your sword;
with your hand, Lord, slay them;
snatch them from the world in their prime.
Their bellies are being filled with your friends;
their children are satisfied too,
for they share what is left with their young.
15 I am just—let me see your face;
when I awake, let me be filled with your presence.(DA)
Psalm 18[bj]
A King’s Thanksgiving for Victory
1 For the leader. Of David, the servant of the Lord, who sang to the Lord the words of this song after the Lord had rescued him from the clutches of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. 2 He said:(DB)
I
I love you, Lord, my strength,
3 Lord, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer,
My God, my rock of refuge,
my shield, my saving horn,[bk] my stronghold!(DC)
4 Praised be the Lord, I exclaim!
I have been delivered from my enemies.
II
5 The cords of death encompassed me;
the torrents of destruction terrified me.
6 The cords[bl] of Sheol encircled me;
the snares of death lay in wait for me.(DD)
7 In my distress I called out: Lord!
I cried out to my God.(DE)
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry to him reached his ears.
8 [bm]The earth rocked and shook;
the foundations of the mountains trembled;
they shook as his wrath flared up.(DF)
9 Smoke rose from his nostrils,
a devouring fire from his mouth;
it kindled coals into flame.
10 He parted the heavens and came down,
a dark cloud under his feet.(DG)
11 Mounted on a cherub[bn] he flew,
borne along on the wings of the wind.
12 He made darkness his cloak around him;
his canopy, water-darkened stormclouds.
13 From the gleam before him, his clouds passed,
hail and coals of fire.(DH)
14 The Lord thundered from heaven;
the Most High made his voice resound.(DI)
15 He let fly his arrows[bo] and scattered them;
shot his lightning bolts and dispersed them.(DJ)
16 Then the bed of the sea appeared;
the world’s foundations lay bare,(DK)
At your rebuke, O Lord,
at the storming breath of your nostrils.
17 He reached down from on high and seized me;
drew me out of the deep waters.(DL)
18 He rescued me from my mighty enemy,
from foes too powerful for me.
19 They attacked me on my day of distress,
but the Lord was my support.
20 He set me free in the open;
he rescued me because he loves me.
III
21 The Lord acknowledged my righteousness,
rewarded my clean hands.(DM)
22 For I kept the ways of the Lord;
I was not disloyal to my God.
23 For his laws were all before me,
his decrees I did not cast aside.
24 I was honest toward him;
I was on guard against sin.
25 So the Lord rewarded my righteousness,
the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
26 Toward the faithful you are faithful;
to the honest man you are honest;(DN)
27 Toward the pure, you are pure;
but to the perverse you are devious.
28 For humble people you save;
haughty eyes you bring low.(DO)
29 For you, Lord, give light to my lamp;
my God brightens my darkness.(DP)
30 With you I can rush an armed band,
with my God to help I can leap a wall.
31 God’s way is unerring;
the Lord’s promise is refined;
he is a shield for all who take refuge in him.(DQ)
IV
32 Truly, who is God except the Lord?
Who but our God is the rock?(DR)
33 This God who girded me with might,
kept my way unerring,
34 Who made my feet like a deer’s,
and set me on the heights,(DS)
35 Who trained my hands for war,
my arms to string a bow of bronze.[bp](DT)
V
36 You have given me your saving shield;
your right hand has upheld me;
your favor made me great.
37 You made room for my steps beneath me;
my ankles never twisted.(DU)
38 I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
I did not turn back till I destroyed them.
39 I decimated them; they could not rise;
they fell at my feet.
40 You girded me with valor for war,
subjugated my opponents beneath me.
41 You made my foes expose their necks to me;
those who hated me I silenced.
42 They cried for help, but no one saved them;
cried to the Lord but received no answer.
43 I ground them to dust before the wind;
I left them like mud in the streets.
44 You rescued me from the strife of peoples;
you made me head over nations.
A people I had not known served me;
45 as soon as they heard of me they obeyed.
Foreigners submitted before me;
46 foreigners cringed;
they came cowering from their dungeons.(DV)
VI
47 The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock!(DW)
Exalted be God, my savior!
48 O God who granted me vengeance,
made peoples subject to me,(DX)
49 and saved me from my enemies,
Truly you have elevated me above my opponents,
from a man of lawlessness you have rescued me.
50 Thus I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing praises to your name.(DY)
51 You have given great victories to your king,
and shown mercy to his anointed,
to David and his posterity forever.(DZ)
Psalm 19[bq]
God’s Glory in the Heavens and in the Law
1 For the leader. A psalm of David.
I
2 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the firmament proclaims the works of his hands.(EA)
3 Day unto day pours forth speech;
night unto night whispers knowledge.
4 [br]There is no speech, no words;
their voice is not heard;
5 A report goes forth through all the earth,
their messages, to the ends of the world.
He has pitched in them a tent for the sun;[bs]
6 it comes forth like a bridegroom from his canopy,
and like a hero joyfully runs its course.
7 From one end of the heavens it comes forth;
its course runs through to the other;
nothing escapes its heat.
II
8 The law of the Lord is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The decree of the Lord is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.(EB)
9 The precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart.
The command of the Lord is clear,
enlightening the eye.
10 The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
The statutes of the Lord are true,
all of them just;
11 More desirable than gold,
than a hoard of purest gold,
Sweeter also than honey
or drippings from the comb.(EC)
12 By them your servant is warned;[bt]
obeying them brings much reward.
III
13 Who can detect trespasses?
Cleanse me from my inadvertent sins.
14 Also from arrogant ones restrain your servant;
let them never control me.
Then shall I be blameless,
innocent of grave sin.
15 Let the words of my mouth be acceptable,
the thoughts of my heart before you,
Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Psalm 20[bu]
Prayer for the King in Time of War
1 For the leader. A psalm of David.
I
2 The Lord answer you in time of distress;
the name of the God of Jacob defend you!
3 May he send you help from the sanctuary,
from Zion be your support.(ED)
4 May he remember[bv] your every offering,
graciously accept your burnt offering,
Selah
5 Grant what is in your heart,
fulfill your every plan.
6 May we shout for joy at your victory,[bw]
raise the banners in the name of our God.
The Lord grant your every petition!
II
7 Now I know the Lord gives victory
to his anointed.(EE)
He will answer him from the holy heavens
with a strong arm that brings victory.
8 Some rely on chariots, others on horses,
but we on the name of the Lord our God.(EF)
9 They collapse and fall,
but we stand strong and firm.(EG)
10 Lord, grant victory to the king;
answer when we call upon you.
Psalm 21[bx]
Thanksgiving and Assurances for the King
1 For the leader. A psalm of David.
I
2 Lord, the king finds joy in your power;(EH)
in your victory how greatly he rejoices!
3 You have granted him his heart’s desire;
you did not refuse the request of his lips.
Selah
4 For you welcomed him with goodly blessings;
you placed on his head a crown of pure gold.
5 He asked life of you;
you gave it to him,
length of days forever.(EI)
6 Great is his glory in your victory;
majesty and splendor you confer upon him.
7 You make him the pattern of blessings forever,
you gladden him with the joy of your face.
8 For the king trusts in the Lord,
stands firm through the mercy of the Most High.
II
9 Your hand will find all your enemies;
your right hand will find your foes!
10 At the time of your coming
you will make them a fiery furnace.
Then the Lord in his anger will consume them,
devour them with fire.
11 Even their descendants you will wipe out from the earth,
their offspring from the human race.
12 Though they intend evil against you,
devising plots, they will not succeed,
13 For you will put them to flight;
you will aim at their faces with your bow.
III
14 Arise, Lord, in your power!(EJ)
We will sing and chant the praise of your might.
Psalm 22[by]
The Prayer of an Innocent Person
1 For the leader; according to “The deer of the dawn.”[bz] A psalm of David.
I
2 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Why so far from my call for help,
from my cries of anguish?(EK)
3 My God, I call by day, but you do not answer;
by night, but I have no relief.(EL)
4 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the glory of Israel.(EM)
5 In you our fathers trusted;
they trusted and you rescued them.
6 To you they cried out and they escaped;
in you they trusted and were not disappointed.(EN)
7 [ca]But I am a worm, not a man,
scorned by men, despised by the people.(EO)
8 All who see me mock me;
they curl their lips and jeer;
they shake their heads at me:(EP)
9 “He relied on the Lord—let him deliver him;
if he loves him, let him rescue him.”(EQ)
10 For you drew me forth from the womb,
made me safe at my mother’s breasts.
11 Upon you I was thrust from the womb;
since my mother bore me you are my God.(ER)
12 Do not stay far from me,
for trouble is near,
and there is no one to help.(ES)
II
13 Many bulls[cb] surround me;
fierce bulls of Bashan encircle me.
14 They open their mouths against me,
lions that rend and roar.(ET)
15 Like water my life drains away;
all my bones are disjointed.
My heart has become like wax,
it melts away within me.
16 As dry as a potsherd is my throat;
my tongue cleaves to my palate;
you lay me in the dust of death.[cc]
17 Dogs surround me;
a pack of evildoers closes in on me.
They have pierced my hands and my feet
18 I can count all my bones.(EU)
They stare at me and gloat;
19 they divide my garments among them;
for my clothing they cast lots.(EV)
20 But you, Lord, do not stay far off;
my strength, come quickly to help me.
21 Deliver my soul from the sword,
my life from the grip of the dog.
22 Save me from the lion’s mouth,
my poor life from the horns of wild bulls.(EW)
III
23 Then I will proclaim your name to my brethren;
in the assembly I will praise you:[cd](EX)
24 “You who fear the Lord, give praise!
All descendants of Jacob, give honor;
show reverence, all descendants of Israel!
25 For he has not spurned or disdained
the misery of this poor wretch,
Did not turn away[ce] from me,
but heard me when I cried out.
26 I will offer praise in the great assembly;
my vows I will fulfill before those who fear him.
27 The poor[cf] will eat their fill;
those who seek the Lord will offer praise.
May your hearts enjoy life forever!”(EY)
IV
28 All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the Lord;
All the families of nations
will bow low before him.(EZ)
29 For kingship belongs to the Lord,
the ruler over the nations.(FA)
30 [cg]All who sleep in the earth
will bow low before God;
All who have gone down into the dust
will kneel in homage.
31 And I will live for the Lord;
my descendants will serve you.
32 The generation to come will be told of the Lord,
that they may proclaim to a people yet unborn
the deliverance you have brought.(FB)
Psalm 23[ch]
The Lord, Shepherd and Host
1 A psalm of David.
I
The Lord is my shepherd;[ci]
there is nothing I lack.(FC)
2 In green pastures he makes me lie down;
to still waters he leads me;
3 (FD)he restores my soul.
He guides me along right paths[cj]
for the sake of his name.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,(FE)
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff comfort me.
II
5 [ck]You set a table before me
in front of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;(FF)
my cup overflows.(FG)
6 Indeed, goodness and mercy[cl] will pursue me
all the days of my life;
I will dwell in the house of the Lord(FH)
for endless days.
Psalm 24[cm]
The Glory of God in Procession to Zion
1 A psalm of David.
I
The earth is the Lord’s and all it holds,(FI)
the world and those who dwell in it.
2 For he founded it on the seas,
established it over the rivers.(FJ)
II
3 Who may go up the mountain of the Lord?(FK)
Who can stand in his holy place?
4 [cn]“The clean of hand and pure of heart,
who has not given his soul to useless things,
what is vain.
5 He will receive blessings from the Lord,
and justice from his saving God.
6 Such is the generation that seeks him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.”
Selah
III
7 Lift up your heads, O gates;[co]
be lifted, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may enter.(FL)
8 Who is this king of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in war.
9 Lift up your heads, O gates;
rise up, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may enter.
10 Who is this king of glory?
The Lord of hosts, he is the king of glory.
Selah
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.