Psalms 4-12
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 4
1 Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Be gracious to me and hear my prayer. 2You sons of man, how long will my honor be treated as an insult? How long will you love what is worthless and strive for a lie? Selah 3But know that the Lord has set apart the godly person for Himself; The Lord hears when I call to Him. 4 Tremble, and do not sin; Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah 5Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And trust in the Lord. 6Many are saying, 'Who will show us anything good?' Lift up the light of Your face upon us, Lord! 7You have put joy in my heart, More than when their grain and new wine are abundant. 8In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, Lord, have me dwell in safety.Chapter 5
1 Listen to my words, Lord, Consider my sighing. 2Listen to the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God, For to You I pray. 3In the morning, Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will present my prayer to You and be on the watch. 4For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; No evil can dwell with You. 5The boastful will not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do injustice. 6You destroy those who speak lies; The Lord loathes the person of bloodshed and deceit. 7But as for me, by Your abundant graciousness I will enter Your house, At Your holy temple I will bow in reverence for You. 8Lord, lead me in Your righteousness because of my enemies; Make Your way straight before me. 9For there is nothing trustworthy in their mouth; Their inward part is destruction itself. Their throat is an open grave; They flatter with their tongue. 10Make them pay, God; Have them fall by their own schemes! Scatter them in the multitude of their wrongdoings, For they are rebellious against You. 11But rejoice, all who take refuge in You, Sing for joy forever! And may You shelter them, That those who love Your name may rejoice in You. 12For You bless the righteous person, Lord, You surround him with favor as with a shield.Chapter 6
1 Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger, Nor discipline me in Your wrath. 2Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am frail; Heal me, Lord, for my bones are horrified. 3And my soul is greatly horrified; But You, Lord—how long? 4Return, Lord, rescue my soul; Save me because of Your mercy. 5For there is no mention of You in death; In Sheol, who will praise You? 6I am weary with my sighing; Every night I make my bed swim, I flood my couch with my tears. 7My eye has wasted away with grief; It has grown old because of all my enemies. 8Leave me, all you who practice injustice, For the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping. 9The Lord has heard my pleading, The Lord receives my prayer. 10All my enemies will be put to shame and greatly horrified; They shall turn back, they will suddenly be put to shame.Chapter 7
1O Lord my God, in You I have taken refuge; Save me from all those who pursue me, and rescue me, 2Or he will tear my soul like a lion, Dragging me away, while there is no one to rescue me. 3O Lord my God, if I have done this, If there is injustice in my hands, 4If I have done evil to my friend, Or have plundered my enemy for no reason, 5Let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it; And let him trample my life to the ground And lay my glory in the dust. Selah 6Arise, Lord, in Your anger; Raise Yourself against the rage of my enemies, And stir Yourself for me; You have ordered judgment. 7Let the assembly of the peoples encompass You, And return on high over it. 8The Lord judges the peoples; Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me. 9Please let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous; For the righteous God puts hearts and minds to the test. 10My shield is with God, Who saves the upright in heart. 11God is a righteous judge, And a God who shows indignation every day. 12If one does not repent, He will sharpen His sword; He has bent His bow and taken aim. 13He has also prepared deadly weapons for Himself; He makes His arrows fiery shafts. 14Behold, an evil person is pregnant with injustice, And he conceives harm and gives birth to lies. 15He has dug a pit and hollowed it out, And has fallen into the hole which he made. 16His harm will return on his own head, And his violence will descend on the top of his own head. 17I will give thanks to the Lord according to His righteousness And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.Chapter 8
1Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, You who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens! 2From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have established strength Because of Your enemies, To do away with the enemy and the revengeful. 3When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have set in place; 4What is man that You think of him, And a son of man that You are concerned about him? 5Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty! 6You have him rule over the works of Your hands; You have put everything under his feet, 7All sheep and oxen, And also the animals of the field, 8The birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the paths of the seas. 9Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth!Chapter 9
1 I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders. 2I will rejoice and be jubilant in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High. 3When my enemies turn back, They stumble and perish before You. 4For You have maintained my just cause; You have sat on the throne judging righteously. 5You have rebuked the nations, You have eliminated the wicked; You have wiped out their name forever and ever. 6 The enemy has come to an end in everlasting ruins, And You have uprooted the cities; The very memory of them has perished. 7But the Lord sits as King forever; He has established His throne for judgment, 8And He will judge the world in righteousness; He will execute judgment for the peoples fairly. 9 The Lord will also be a stronghold for the oppressed, A stronghold in times of trouble; 10And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, Lord, have not abandoned those who seek You. 11Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion; Declare His deeds among the peoples. 12For He who requires blood remembers them; He does not forget the cry of the needy. 13Be gracious to me, Lord; See my oppression from those who hate me, You who lift me up from the gates of death, 14So that I may tell of all Your praises, That in the gates of the daughter of Zion I may rejoice in Your salvation. 15The nations have sunk down into the pit which they have made; In the net which they hid, their own foot has been caught. 16The Lord has made Himself known; He has executed judgment. A wicked one is ensnared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion Selah 17The wicked will return to Sheol, All the nations who forget God. 18For the needy will not always be forgotten, Nor the hope of the afflicted perish forever. 19Arise, Lord, do not let mankind prevail; Let the nations be judged before You. 20Put them in fear, Lord; Let the nations know that they are merely human. SelahChapter 10
1Why do You stand far away, Lord? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble? 2In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the needy; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised. 3For the wicked boasts of his soul’s desire, And the greedy person curses and shows disrespect to the Lord. 4The wicked, in his haughtiness, does not seek Him. There is no God in all his schemes. 5His ways succeed at all times; Yet Your judgments are on high, out of his sight; As for all his enemies, he snorts at them. 6He says to himself, 'I will not be moved; Throughout the generations I will not be in adversity.' 7His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression; Under his tongue is harm and injustice. 8He sits in the lurking places of the villages; He kills the innocent in the secret places; His eyes surreptitiously watch for the unfortunate. 9He lurks in secret like a lion in his lair; He lurks to catch the needy; He catches the needy when he pulls him into his net. 10Then he crushes the needy one, who cowers; And unfortunate people fall by his mighty power. 11He says to himself, 'God has forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see it.' 12Arise, Lord; God, lift up Your hand. Do not forget the humble. 13Why has the wicked treated God disrespectfully? He has said to himself, 'You will not require an account.' 14You have seen it, for You have looked at harm and provocation to take it into Your hand. The unfortunate commits himself to You; You have been the helper of the orphan. 15Break the arm of the wicked and the evildoer, Seek out his wickedness until You find none. 16The Lord is King forever and ever; Nations have perished from His land. 17Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will make Your ear attentive 18To vindicate the orphan and the oppressed, So that mankind, which is of the earth, will no longer cause terror.Chapter 11
1In the Lord I take refuge; How can you say to my soul, 'Flee as a bird to your mountain? 2For, behold, the wicked bend the bow, They have set their arrow on the string To shoot in darkness at the upright in heart. 3If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?' 4The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord’S throne is in heaven; His eyes see, His eyelids test the sons of mankind. 5The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked, And His soul hates one who loves violence. 6He will rain coals of fire upon the wicked, And brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup. 7For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; The upright will see His face.Chapter 12
1 Help, Lord, for the godly person has come to an end, For the faithful have disappeared from the sons of mankind. 2They speak lies to one another; They speak with flattering lips and a double heart. 3May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, The tongue that speaks great things; 4Who have said, 'With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; who is lord over us?' 5'Because of the devastation of the poor, because of the groaning of the needy, Now I will arise,' says the Lord; 'I will put him in the safety for which he longs.' 6The words of the Lord are pure words; Like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, filtered seven times. 7You, Lord, will keep them; You will protect him from this generation forever. 8The wicked strut about on every side When vileness is exalted among the sons of mankind.King James Version
7Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.
8The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
Christian Standard Bible
2How long, exalted ones, will my honor be insulted? How long will you love what is worthless and pursue a lie? Selah
3Know that the Lord has set apart the faithful for himself; the Lord will hear when I call to him.
6Many are asking, "Who can show us anything good?" Let the light of your face shine on us, Lord.
7You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and new wine abound.
8I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, Lord, make me live in safety.
3In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you and watch expectantly.
4For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil cannot dwell with you.
5The boastful cannot stand in your sight; you hate all evildoers.
6You destroy those who tell lies; the Lord abhors violent and treacherous people.
7But I enter your house by the abundance of your faithful love; I bow down toward your holy temple in reverential awe of you.
8 Lord, lead me in your righteousness because of my adversaries; make your way straight before me.
9For there is nothing reliable in what they say; destruction is within them; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongues.
10Punish them, God; let them fall by their own schemes. Drive them out because of their many crimes, for they rebel against you.
11But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them shout for joy forever. May you shelter them, and may those who love your name boast about you.
12For you, Lord, bless the righteous one; you surround him with favor like a shield.
Chapter 6
1For the choir director: with stringed instruments, according to Sheminith. A psalm of David. Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger; do not discipline me in your wrath. 2Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am weak; heal me, Lord, for my bones are shaking;
3my whole being is shaken with terror. And you, Lord —how long?
4Turn, Lord! Rescue me; save me because of your faithful love.
5For there is no remembrance of you in death; who can thank you in Sheol?
6I am weary from my groaning; with my tears I dampen my bed and drench my couch every night.
7My eyes are swollen from grief; they grow old because of all my enemies.
8Depart from me, all evildoers, for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
9The Lord has heard my plea for help; the Lord accepts my prayer.
10All my enemies will be ashamed and shake with terror; they will turn back and suddenly be disgraced.
2or they will tear me like a lion, ripping me apart with no one to rescue me.
3 Lord my God, if I have done this, if there is injustice on my hands,
4if I have done harm to one at peace with me or have plundered my adversary without cause,
5may an enemy pursue and overtake me; may he trample me to the ground and leave my honor in the dust. Selah
6Rise up, Lord, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my adversaries; awake for me; you have ordained a judgment.
7Let the assembly of peoples gather around you; take your seat on high over it.
8The Lord judges the peoples; vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness and my integrity.
9Let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous. The one who examines the thoughts and emotions is a righteous God.
10My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.
11God is a righteous judge and a God who shows his wrath every day.
12If anyone does not repent, he will sharpen his sword; he has strung his bow and made it ready.
13He has prepared his deadly weapons; he tips his arrows with fire.
14See, the wicked one is pregnant with evil, conceives trouble, and gives birth to deceit.
15He dug a pit and hollowed it out but fell into the hole he had made.
16His trouble comes back on his own head; his own violence comes down on top of his head.
17I will thank the Lord for his righteousness; I will sing about the name of the Lord Most High.
2From the mouths of infants and nursing babies, you have established a stronghold on account of your adversaries in order to silence the enemy and the avenger.
3When I observe your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you set in place,
4what is a human being that you remember him, a son of man that you look after him?
5You made him little less than God and crowned him with glory and honor.
6You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet:
7all the sheep and oxen, as well as the animals in the wild,
8the birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea that pass through the currents of the seas.
9 Lord, our Lord, how magnificent is your name throughout the earth!
2I will rejoice and boast about you; I will sing about your name, Most High.
3When my enemies retreat, they stumble and perish before you.
4For you have upheld my just cause; you are seated on your throne as a righteous judge.
5You have rebuked the nations: You have destroyed the wicked; you have erased their name forever and ever.
6The enemy has come to eternal ruin. You have uprooted the cities, and the very memory of them has perished.
7But the Lord sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for judgment.
8And he judges the world with righteousness; he executes judgment on the nations with fairness.
9The Lord is a refuge for the persecuted, a refuge in times of trouble.
10Those who know your name trust in you because you have not abandoned those who seek you, Lord.
11Sing to the Lord, who dwells in Zion; proclaim his deeds among the nations.
12For the one who seeks an accounting for bloodshed remembers them; he does not forget the cry of the oppressed.
13Be gracious to me, Lord; consider my affliction at the hands of those who hate me. Lift me up from the gates of death,
14so that I may declare all your praises. I will rejoice in your salvation within the gates of Daughter Zion.
15The nations have fallen into the pit they made; their foot is caught in the net they have concealed.
16The Lord has made himself known; he has executed justice, snaring the wicked by the work of their hands. Higgaion. Selah
17The wicked will return to Sheol — all the nations that forget God.
18For the needy will not always be forgotten; the hope of the oppressed will not perish forever.
19Rise up, Lord! Do not let mere humans prevail; let the nations be judged in your presence.
2In arrogance the wicked relentlessly pursue their victims; let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.
3For the wicked one boasts about his own cravings; the one who is greedy curses and despises the Lord.
4In all his scheming, the wicked person arrogantly thinks, "There’s no accountability, since there’s no God."
5His ways are always secure; your lofty judgments have no effect on him; he scoffs at all his adversaries.
6He says to himself, "I will never be moved— from generation to generation without calamity."
7Cursing, deceit, and violence fill his mouth; trouble and malice are under his tongue.
8He waits in ambush near settlements; he kills the innocent in secret places. His eyes are on the lookout for the helpless;
9he lurks in secret like a lion in a thicket. He lurks in order to seize a victim; he seizes a victim and drags him in his net.
10So he is oppressed and beaten down; helpless people fall because of the wicked one’s strength.
11He says to himself, "God has forgotten; he hides his face and will never see."
12Rise up, Lord God! Lift up your hand. Do not forget the oppressed.
13Why has the wicked person despised God? He says to himself, "You will not demand an account."
14But you yourself have seen trouble and grief, observing it in order to take the matter into your hands. The helpless one entrusts himself to you; you are a helper of the fatherless.
15Break the arm of the wicked, evil person, until you look for his wickedness, but it can’t be found.
16The Lord is King forever and ever; the nations will perish from his land.
17 Lord, you have heard the desire of the humble; you will strengthen their hearts. You will listen carefully,
18doing justice for the fatherless and the oppressed so that mere humans from the earth may terrify them no more.
Chapter 11
1For the choir director. Of David. I have taken refuge in the Lord. How can you say to me, "Escape to the mountains like a bird! 2For look, the wicked string bows; they put their arrows on bowstrings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.
3When the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?"
4The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord—his throne is in heaven. His eyes watch; his gaze examines everyone.
5The Lord examines the righteous, but he hates the wicked and those who love violence.
6Let him rain burning coals and sulfur on the wicked; let a scorching wind be the portion in their cup.
7For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds. The upright will see his face.
Chapter 12
1For the choir director: according to Sheminith . A psalm of David. Help, Lord, for no faithful one remains; the loyal have disappeared from the human race. 2They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and deceptive hearts. 3May the Lord cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaks boastfully.New Living Translation
2How long will you people ruin my reputation? How long will you make groundless accusations? How long will you continue your lies? Interlude
3You can be sure of this: The Lord set apart the godly for himself. The Lord will answer when I call to him.
4Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent. Interlude
5Offer sacrifices in the right spirit, and trust the Lord.
6Many people say, 'Who will show us better times?' Let your face smile on us, Lord.
7You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.
8In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.
Chapter 5
1O Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. 2Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you. 3Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.
4O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness; you cannot tolerate the sins of the wicked.
5Therefore, the proud may not stand in your presence, for you hate all who do evil.
6You will destroy those who tell lies. The Lord detests murderers and deceivers.
7Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house; I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe.
8Lead me in the right path, O Lord, or my enemies will conquer me. Make your way plain for me to follow.
9My enemies cannot speak a truthful word. Their deepest desire is to destroy others. Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with flattery.
10O God, declare them guilty. Let them be caught in their own traps. Drive them away because of their many sins, for they have rebelled against you.
11But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread your protection over them, that all who love your name may be filled with joy.
12For you bless the godly, O Lord; you surround them with your shield of love.
Chapter 6
1 O Lord, don’t rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your rage. 2Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak. Heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony. 3I am sick at heart. How long, O Lord, until you restore me?
4Return, O Lord, and rescue me. Save me because of your unfailing love.
5For the dead do not remember you. Who can praise you from the grave?
6I am worn out from sobbing. All night I flood my bed with weeping, drenching it with my tears.
7My vision is blurred by grief; my eyes are worn out because of all my enemies.
8Go away, all you who do evil, for the Lord has heard my weeping.
9The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord will answer my prayer.
10May all my enemies be disgraced and terrified. May they suddenly turn back in shame.
Chapter 7
1 I come to you for protection, O Lord my God. Save me from my persecutors — rescue me! 2If you don’t, they will maul me like a lion, tearing me to pieces with no one to rescue me. 3O Lord my God, if I have done wrong or am guilty of injustice, 4if I have betrayed a friend or plundered my enemy without cause,
6Arise, O Lord, in anger! Stand up against the fury of my enemies! Wake up, my God, and bring justice!
7Gather the nations before you. Rule over them from on high.
8The Lord judges the nations. Declare me righteous, O Lord, for I am innocent, O Most High!
9End the evil of those who are wicked, and defend the righteous. For you look deep within the mind and heart, O righteous God.
10God is my shield, saving those whose hearts are true and right.
11God is an honest judge. He is angry with the wicked every day.
12If a person does not repent, God will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow.
13He will prepare his deadly weapons and shoot his flaming arrows.
14The wicked conceive evil; they are pregnant with trouble and give birth to lies.
15They dig a deep pit to trap others, then fall into it themselves.
16The trouble they make for others backfires on them. The violence they plan falls on their own heads.
Chapter 8
1 O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! Your glory is higher than the heavens. 2You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength, silencing your enemies and all who oppose you.
3When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers — the moon and the stars you set in place —
4what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?
5Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor.
6You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority —
7the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals,
8the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents.
Chapter 9
1I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done. 2I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High.
3My enemies retreated; they staggered and died when you appeared.
4For you have judged in my favor; from your throne you have judged with fairness.
5You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; you have erased their names forever.
6The enemy is finished, in endless ruins; the cities you uprooted are now forgotten.
7But the Lord reigns forever, executing judgment from his throne.
8He will judge the world with justice and rule the nations with fairness.
9The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.
10Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.
11Sing praises to the Lord who reigns in Jerusalem. Tell the world about his unforgettable deeds.
12For he who avenges murder cares for the helpless. He does not ignore the cries of those who suffer.
13Lord, have mercy on me. See how my enemies torment me. Snatch me back from the jaws of death.
14Save me so I can praise you publicly at Jerusalem’s gates, so I can rejoice that you have rescued me.
17The wicked will go down to the grave. This is the fate of all the nations who ignore God.
18But the needy will not be ignored forever; the hopes of the poor will not always be crushed.
Chapter 10
1O Lord, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide when I am in trouble? 2The wicked arrogantly hunt down the poor. Let them be caught in the evil they plan for others. 3For they brag about their evil desires; they praise the greedy and curse the Lord.
4The wicked are too proud to seek God. They seem to think that God is dead.
5Yet they succeed in everything they do. They do not see your punishment awaiting them. They sneer at all their enemies.
6They think, 'Nothing bad will ever happen to us! We will be free of trouble forever!'
7Their mouths are full of cursing, lies, and threats. Trouble and evil are on the tips of their tongues.
8They lurk in ambush in the villages, waiting to murder innocent people. They are always searching for helpless victims.
9Like lions crouched in hiding, they wait to pounce on the helpless. Like hunters they capture the helpless and drag them away in nets.
10Their helpless victims are crushed; they fall beneath the strength of the wicked.
11The wicked think, 'God isn’t watching us! He has closed his eyes and won’t even see what we do!'
12Arise, O Lord! Punish the wicked, O God! Do not ignore the helpless!
13Why do the wicked get away with despising God? They think, 'God will never call us to account.'
14But you see the trouble and grief they cause. You take note of it and punish them. The helpless put their trust in you. You defend the orphans.
15Break the arms of these wicked, evil people! Go after them until the last one is destroyed.
16The Lord is king forever and ever! The godless nations will vanish from the land.
17Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.
18You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so mere people can no longer terrify them.
Chapter 11
1I trust in the Lord for protection. So why do you say to me, 'Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety! 2The wicked are stringing their bows and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings. They shoot from the shadows at those whose hearts are right. 3The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?'
4But the Lord is in his holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth.
5The Lord examines both the righteous and the wicked. He hates those who love violence.
6He will rain down blazing coals and burning sulfur on the wicked, punishing them with scorching winds.
7For the righteous Lord loves justice. The virtuous will see his face.
Chapter 12
1 Help, O Lord, for the godly are fast disappearing! The faithful have vanished from the earth! 2Neighbors lie to each other, speaking with flattering lips and deceitful hearts. 3May the Lord cut off their flattering lips and silence their boastful tongues. 4They say, 'We will lie to our hearts’ content. Our lips are our own — who can stop us?'
5The Lord replies, 'I have seen violence done to the helpless, and I have heard the groans of the poor. Now I will rise up to rescue them, as they have longed for me to do.'
6The Lord’s promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over.
7Therefore, Lord, we know you will protect the oppressed, preserving them forever from this lying generation,
8even though the wicked strut about, and evil is praised throughout the land.
English Standard Version
Chapter 4
1Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! 2O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah 3But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him. 4 Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah 5Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord. 6There are many who say, "Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!" 7You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. 8In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.Chapter 5
1Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my groaning. 2Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray. 3O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch. 4For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. 5The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. 6You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. 7But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you. 8 Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me. 9For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue. 10 Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you. 11But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. 12For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield.Chapter 6
1O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath. 2Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled. 3My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O Lord — how long? 4Turn, O Lord, deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love. 5For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will give you praise? 6I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping. 7My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows weak because of all my foes. 8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping. 9The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord accepts my prayer. 10All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled; they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment.Chapter 7
1O Lord my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and deliver me, 2lest like a lion they tear my soul apart, rending it in pieces, with none to deliver. 3O Lord my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands, 4if I have repaid my friend with evil or plundered my enemy without cause, 5let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it, and let him trample my life to the ground and lay my glory in the dust. Selah 6 Arise, O Lord, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies; awake for me; you have appointed a judgment. 7Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you; over it return on high. 8The Lord judges the peoples; judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me. 9Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end, and may you establish the righteous — you who test the minds and hearts, O righteous God! 10My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart. 11God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day. 12If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword; he has bent and readied his bow; 13he has prepared for him his deadly weapons, making his arrows fiery shafts. 14Behold, the wicked man conceives evil and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies. 15He makes a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole that he has made. 16His mischief returns upon his own head, and on his own skull his violence descends. 17I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.Chapter 8
1O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. 2 Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. 3When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? 5Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. 6You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, 7all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, 8the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. 9O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!Chapter 9
1I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. 2I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. 3When my enemies turn back, they stumble and perish before your presence. 4For you have maintained my just cause; you have sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment. 5You have rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish; you have blotted out their name forever and ever. 6The enemy came to an end in everlasting ruins; their cities you rooted out; the very memory of them has perished. 7But the Lord sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice, 8and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness. 9The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. 10And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you. 11Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds! 12For he who avenges blood is mindful of them; he does not forget the cry of the afflicted. 13 Be gracious to me, O Lord! See my affliction from those who hate me, O you who lift me up from the gates of death, 14that I may recount all your praises, that in the gates of the daughter of Zion I may rejoice in your salvation. 15The nations have sunk in the pit that they made; in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught. 16The Lord has made himself known; he has executed judgment; the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion. Selah 17The wicked shall return to Sheol, all the nations that forget God. 18For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever. 19 Arise, O Lord! Let not man prevail; let the nations be judged before you! 20Put them in fear, O Lord! Let the nations know that they are but men! SelahChapter 10
1Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? 2In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised. 3For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord. 4In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, "There is no God." 5His ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them. 6He says in his heart, "I shall not be moved; throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity." 7 His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity. 8He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places he murders the innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless; 9he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket; he lurks that he may seize the poor; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net. 10The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might. 11He says in his heart, "God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it." 12 Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted. 13Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart, "You will not call to account"? 14But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands; to you the helpless commits himself; you have been the helper of the fatherless. 15 Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call his wickedness to account till you find none. 16 The Lord is king forever and ever; the nations perish from his land. 17O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear 18to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.Chapter 11
1In the Lord I take refuge; how can you say to my soul, "Flee like a bird to your mountain, 2for behold, the wicked bend the bow; they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart; 3if 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 see, his eyelids test the children of man. 5The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence. 6Let him rain coals on the wicked; fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup. 7For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.Chapter 12
1 Save, O Lord, for the godly one is gone; for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man. 2Everyone utters lies to his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak. 3May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts, 4those who say, "With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over us?" 5"Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise," says the Lord; "I will place him in the safety for which he longs." 6 The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times. 7You, O Lord, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever. 8On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the children of man.New International Version
Chapter 4
1For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David. Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer. 2How long will you people turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods
3Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.
4Tremble and do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.
5Offer the sacrifices of the righteous and trust in the Lord.
6Many, Lord, are asking, "Who will bring us prosperity?" Let the light of your face shine on us.
7Fill my heart with joy when their grain and new wine abound.
8In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.
2Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.
3In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.
4For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness; with you, evil people are not welcome.
5The arrogant cannot stand in your presence. You hate all who do wrong;
6you destroy those who tell lies. The bloodthirsty and deceitful you, Lord, detest.
7But I, by your great love, can come into your house; in reverence I bow down toward your holy temple.
8Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies— make your way straight before me.
9Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with malice. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongues they tell lies.
10Declare them guilty, O God! Let their intrigues be their downfall. Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against you.
11But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
12Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
Chapter 6
1For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith. A psalm of David. Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. 2Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint; heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.
3My soul is in deep anguish. How long, Lord, how long?
4Turn, Lord, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.
7My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes.
8Away from me, all you who do evil, for the Lord has heard my weeping.
9The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer.
10All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish; they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.
2or they will tear me apart like a lion and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.
3 Lord my God, if I have done this and there is guilt on my hands—
4if I have repaid my ally with evil or without cause have robbed my foe—
5then let my enemy pursue and overtake me; let him trample my life to the ground and make me sleep in the dust.
6Arise, Lord, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies. Awake, my God; decree justice.
7Let the assembled peoples gather around you, while you sit enthroned over them on high.
8Let the Lord judge the peoples. Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High.
9Bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure— you, the righteous God who probes minds and hearts.
10My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.
11God is a righteous judge, a God who displays his wrath every day.
12If he does not relent, he will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow.
13He has prepared his deadly weapons; he makes ready his flaming arrows.
14Whoever is pregnant with evil conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment.
15Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit they have made.
16The trouble they cause recoils on them; their violence comes down on their own heads.
17I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.
Chapter 8
1For the director of music. According to gittith. A psalm of David. Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. 2Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. 3When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
4what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?
5You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.
6You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet:
7all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild,
8the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.
9 Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
2I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.
3My enemies turn back; they stumble and perish before you.
4For you have upheld my right and my cause, sitting enthroned as the righteous judge.
5You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; you have blotted out their name for ever and ever.
6Endless ruin has overtaken my enemies, you have uprooted their cities; even the memory of them has perished.
7The Lord reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment.
8He rules the world in righteousness and judges the peoples with equity.
9The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
10Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.
11Sing the praises of the Lord, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what he has done.
12For he who avenges blood remembers; he does not ignore the cries of the afflicted.
13 Lord, see how my enemies persecute me! Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death,
14that I may declare your praises in the gates of Daughter Zion, and there rejoice in your salvation.
15The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug; their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.
16The Lord is known by his acts of justice; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.
17The wicked go down to the realm of the dead, all the nations that forget God.
18But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish.
19Arise, Lord, do not let mortals triumph; let the nations be judged in your presence.
20Strike them with terror, Lord; let the nations know they are only mortal.
Chapter 10
1Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? 2In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises. 3He boasts about the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord. 4In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. 5His ways are always prosperous; your laws are rejected by him; he sneers at all his enemies.
6He says to himself, "Nothing will ever shake me." He swears, "No one will ever do me harm."
7His mouth is full of lies and threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue.
8He lies in wait near the villages; from ambush he murders the innocent. His eyes watch in secret for his victims;
9like a lion in cover he lies in wait. He lies in wait to catch the helpless; he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.
10His victims are crushed, they collapse; they fall under his strength.
11He says to himself, "God will never notice; he covers his face and never sees."
12Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless.
13Why does the wicked man revile God? Why does he say to himself, "He won’t call me to account"?
14But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.
15Break the arm of the wicked man; call the evildoer to account for his wickedness that would not otherwise be found out.
16The Lord is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land.
17You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
18defending the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.
Chapter 11
1For the director of music. Of David. In the Lord I take refuge. How then can you say to me: "Flee like a bird to your mountain. 2For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.
3When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?"
4The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne. He observes everyone on earth; his eyes examine them.
5The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion.
6On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot.
7For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face.
2Everyone lies to their neighbor; they flatter with their lips but harbor deception in their hearts.
3May the Lord silence all flattering lips and every boastful tongue—
New King James Version
5Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in the Lord.
6 There are many who say, “Who will show us any good?” Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.
7You have put gladness in my heart, More than in the season that their grain and wine increased.
8 I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Chapter 5
1{To the Chief Musician. With flutes. A Psalm of David.} Give ear to my words, O Lord, Consider my meditation. 2Give heed to the voice of my cry, My King and my God, For to You I will pray. 3My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up. 4For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, Nor shall evil dwell with You. 5The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity. 6You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. 7But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple. 8 Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; Make Your way straight before my face. 9For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; Their inward part is destruction; Their throat is an open tomb; They flatter with their tongue. 10Pronounce them guilty, O God! Let them fall by their own counsels; Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions, For they have rebelled against You. 11But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You. 12For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield.Chapter 6
1{To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. On an eight-stringed harp. A Psalm of David.} O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger, Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure. 2Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled. 3My soul also is greatly troubled; But You, O Lord—how long? 4Return, O Lord, deliver me! Oh, save me for Your mercies’ sake! 5 For in death there is no remembrance of You; In the grave who will give You thanks? 6I am weary with my groaning; All night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears. 7 My eye wastes away because of grief; It grows old because of all my enemies. 8 Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity; For the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping. 9The Lord has heard my supplication; The Lord will receive my prayer. 10Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled; Let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly.Chapter 7
1{A Meditation of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning the words of Cush, a Benjamite.} O Lord my God, in You I put my trust; Save me from all those who persecute me; And deliver me, 2 Lest they tear me like a lion, Rending me in pieces, while there is none to deliver. 3O Lord my God, if I have done this: If there is iniquity in my hands, 4If I have repaid evil to him who was at peace with me, Or have plundered my enemy without cause,
6Arise, O Lord, in Your anger; Lift Yourself up because of the rage of my enemies; Rise up for me to the judgment You have commanded!
7So the congregation of the peoples shall surround You; For their sakes, therefore, return on high.
8The Lord shall judge the peoples; Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, And according to my integrity within me.
9Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, But establish the just; For the righteous God tests the hearts and minds.
10My defense is of God, Who saves the upright in heart.
11God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day.
12If he does not turn back, He will sharpen His sword; He bends His bow and makes it ready.
13He also prepares for Himself instruments of death; He makes His arrows into fiery shafts.
14 Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity; Yes, he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood.
15He made a pit and dug it out, And has fallen into the ditch which he made.
16 His trouble shall return upon his own head, And his violent dealing shall come down on his own crown.
17I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness, And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.
Chapter 8
1{To the Chief Musician. On the instrument of Gath. A Psalm of David.} O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens! 2 Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, Because of Your enemies, That You may silence the enemy and the avenger. 3When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, 4 What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? 5For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, 7All sheep and oxen— Even the beasts of the field, 8The birds of the air, And the fish of the sea That pass through the paths of the seas. 9 O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth!Chapter 9
1{To the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Death of the Son.” A Psalm of David.} I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works. 2I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High. 3When my enemies turn back, They shall fall and perish at Your presence. 4For You have maintained my right and my cause; You sat on the throne judging in righteousness. 5You have rebuked the nations, You have destroyed the wicked; You have blotted out their name forever and ever. 6O enemy, destructions are finished forever! And you have destroyed cities; Even their memory has perished. 7 But the Lord shall endure forever; He has prepared His throne for judgment. 8 He shall judge the world in righteousness, And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness. 9The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble. 10And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You. 11Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion! Declare His deeds among the people. 12 When He avenges blood, He remembers them; He does not forget the cry of the humble. 13Have mercy on me, O Lord! Consider my trouble from those who hate me, You who lift me up from the gates of death, 14That I may tell of all Your praise In the gates of the daughter of Zion. I will rejoice in Your salvation. 15 The nations have sunk down in the pit which they made; In the net which they hid, their own foot is caught.
17The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the nations that forget God.
18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten; The expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.
19Arise, O Lord, Do not let man prevail; Let the nations be judged in Your sight.
