Book 2
(Psalms 42-72)
For the music director; a well-written song by the Korahites.
42:1 As a deer longs for streams of water,
so I long for you, O God!
42:2 I thirst for God,
for the living God.
I say, “When will I be able to go and appear in God’s presence?”
42:3 I cannot eat, I weep day and night;
all day long they say to me, “Where is your God?”
42:4 I will remember and weep!
For I was once walking along with the great throng to the temple of God,
shouting and giving thanks along with the crowd as we celebrated the holy festival.
42:5 Why are you depressed, O my soul?
Why are you upset?
Wait for God!
For I will again give thanks
to my God for his saving intervention.
42:6 I am depressed,
so I will pray to you while I am trapped here in the region of the upper Jordan,
from Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
42:7 One deep stream calls out to another at the sound of your waterfalls;
all your billows and waves overwhelm me.
42:8 By day the Lord decrees his loyal love,
and by night he gives me a song,
a prayer to the living God.
42:9 I will pray to God, my high ridge:
“Why do you ignore me?
Why must I walk around mourning
because my enemies oppress me?”
42:10 My enemies’ taunts cut into me to the bone,
as they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
42:11 Why are you depressed, O my soul?
Why are you upset?
Wait for God!
For I will again give thanks
to my God for his saving intervention.
43:1 Vindicate me, O God!
Fight for me against an ungodly nation!
Deliver me from deceitful and evil men!
43:2 For you are the God who shelters me.
Why do you reject me?
Why must I walk around mourning
because my enemies oppress me?
43:3 Reveal your light and your faithfulness!
They will lead me,
they will escort me back to your holy hill,
and to the place where you live.
43:4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
to the God who gives me ecstatic joy,
so that I express my thanks to you, O God, my God, with a harp.
43:5 Why are you depressed, O my soul?
Why are you upset?
Wait for God!
For I will again give thanks
to my God for his saving intervention.
For the music director; by the Korahites, a well-written song.
44:1 O God, we have clearly heard;
our ancestors have told us
what you did in their days,
in ancient times.
44:2 You, by your power, defeated nations and settled our fathers on their land;
you crushed the people living there and enabled our ancestors to occupy it.
44:3 For they did not conquer the land by their swords,
and they did not prevail by their strength,
but rather by your power, strength and good favor,
for you were partial to them.
44:4 You are my king, O God!
Decree Jacob’s deliverance!
44:5 By your power we will drive back our enemies;
by your strength we will trample down our foes!
44:6 For I do not trust in my bow,
and I do not prevail by my sword.
44:7 For you deliver us from our enemies;
you humiliate those who hate us.
44:8 In God I boast all day long,
and we will continually give thanks to your name. (Selah)
44:9 But you rejected and embarrassed us!
You did not go into battle with our armies.
44:10 You made us retreat from the enemy.
Those who hate us take whatever they want from us.
44:11 You handed us over like sheep to be eaten;
you scattered us among the nations.
44:12 You sold your people for a pittance;
you did not ask a high price for them.
44:13 You made us an object of disdain to our neighbors;
those who live on our borders taunt and insult us.
44:14 You made us an object of ridicule among the nations;
foreigners treat us with contempt.
44:15 All day long I feel humiliated
and am overwhelmed with shame,
44:16 before the vindictive enemy
who ridicules and insults me.
44:17 All this has happened to us, even though we have not rejected you
or violated your covenant with us.
44:18 We have not been unfaithful,
nor have we disobeyed your commands.
44:19 Yet you have battered us, leaving us a heap of ruins overrun by wild dogs;
you have covered us with darkness.
44:20 If we had rejected our God,
and spread out our hands in prayer to another god,
44:21 would not God discover it,
for he knows one’s thoughts?
44:22 Yet because of you we are killed all day long;
we are treated like sheep at the slaughtering block.
44:23 Rouse yourself! Why do you sleep, O Lord?
Wake up! Do not reject us forever!
44:24 Why do you look the other way,
and ignore the way we are oppressed and mistreated?
44:25 For we lie in the dirt,
with our bellies pressed to the ground.
44:26 Rise up and help us!
Rescue us because of your loyal love!
For the music director; according to the tune of “Lilies;” by the Korahites, a well-written poem, a love song.
45:1 My heart is stirred by a beautiful song.
I say, “I have composed this special song for the king;
my tongue is as skilled as the stylus of an experienced scribe.”
45:2 You are the most handsome of all men!
You speak in an impressive and fitting manner!
For this reason God grants you continual blessings.
45:3 Strap your sword to your thigh, O warrior!
Appear in your majestic splendor!
45:4 Appear in your majesty and be victorious!
Ride forth for the sake of what is right,
on behalf of justice!
Then your right hand will accomplish mighty acts!
45:5 Your arrows are sharp
and penetrate the hearts of the king’s enemies.
Nations fall at your feet.
45:6 Your throne, O God, is permanent.
The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of justice.
45:7 You love justice and hate evil.
For this reason God, your God has anointed you
with the oil of joy, elevating you above your companions.
45:8 All your garments are perfumed with myrrh, aloes, and cassia.
From the luxurious palaces comes the music of stringed instruments that makes you happy.
45:9 Princesses are among your honored guests,
your bride stands at your right hand, wearing jewelry made with gold from Ophir.
45:10 Listen, O princess!
Observe and pay attention!
Forget your homeland and your family!
45:11 Then the king will be attracted by your beauty.
After all, he is your master! Submit to him!
45:12 Rich people from Tyre
will seek your favor by bringing a gift.
45:13 The princess looks absolutely magnificent,
decked out in pearls and clothed in a brocade trimmed with gold.
45:14 In embroidered robes she is escorted to the king.
Her attendants, the maidens of honor who follow her,
are led before you.
45:15 They are bubbling with joy as they walk in procession
and enter the royal palace.
45:16 Your sons will carry on the dynasty of your ancestors;
you will make them princes throughout the land.
45:17 I will proclaim your greatness through the coming years,
then the nations will praise you forever.
For the music director; by the Korahites; according to the alamoth style; a song.
46:1 God is our strong refuge;
he is truly our helper in times of trouble.
46:2 For this reason we do not fear when the earth shakes,
and the mountains tumble into the depths of the sea,
46:3 when its waves crash and foam,
and the mountains shake before the surging sea. (Selah)
46:4 The river’s channels bring joy to the city of God,
the special, holy dwelling place of the sovereign One.
46:5 God lives within it, it cannot be moved.
God rescues it at the break of dawn.
46:6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms are overthrown.
God gives a shout, the earth dissolves.
46:7 The Lord who commands armies is on our side!
The God of Jacob is our protector! (Selah)
46:8 Come! Witness the exploits of the Lord,
who brings devastation to the earth!
46:9 He brings an end to wars throughout the earth;
he shatters the bow and breaks the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
46:10 He says, “Stop your striving and recognize that I am God!
I will be exalted over the nations! I will be exalted over the earth!”
46:11 The Lord who commands armies is on our side!
The God of Jacob is our protector! (Selah)
For the music director; by the Korahites; a psalm.
47:1 All you nations, clap your hands!
Shout out to God in celebration!
47:2 For the sovereign Lord is awe-inspiring;
he is the great king who rules the whole earth!
47:3 He subdued nations beneath us
and countries under our feet.
47:4 He picked out for us a special land
to be a source of pride for Jacob, whom he loves. (Selah)
47:5 God has ascended his throne amid loud shouts;
the Lord has ascended his throne amid the blaring of ram’s horns.
47:6 Sing to God! Sing!
Sing to our king! Sing!
47:7 For God is king of the whole earth!
Sing a well-written song!
47:8 God reigns over the nations!
God sits on his holy throne!
47:9 The nobles of the nations assemble,
along with the people of the God of Abraham,
for God has authority over the rulers of the earth.
He is highly exalted!
A song, a psalm by the Korahites.
48:1 The Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise
in the city of our God, his holy hill.
48:2 It is lofty and pleasing to look at,
a source of joy to the whole earth.
Mount Zion resembles the peaks of Zaphon;
it is the city of the great king.
48:3 God is in its fortresses;
he reveals himself as its defender.
48:4 For look, the kings assemble;
they advance together.
48:5 As soon as they see, they are shocked;
they are terrified, they quickly retreat.
48:6 Look at them shake uncontrollably,
like a woman writhing in childbirth.
48:7 With an east wind
you shatter the large ships.
48:8 We heard about God’s mighty deeds, now we have seen them,
in the city of the Lord, the invincible Warrior,
in the city of our God.
God makes it permanently secure. (Selah)
48:9 We reflect on your loyal love, O God,
within your temple.
48:10 The praise you receive as far away as the ends of the earth
is worthy of your reputation, O God.
You execute justice!
48:11 Mount Zion rejoices;
the towns of Judah are happy,
because of your acts of judgment.
48:12 Walk around Zion! Encircle it!
Count its towers!
48:13 Consider its defenses!
Walk through its fortresses,
so you can tell the next generation about it!
48:14 For God, our God, is our defender forever!
He guides us!
For the music director, a psalm by the Korahites.
49:1 Listen to this, all you nations!
Pay attention, all you inhabitants of the world!
49:2 Pay attention, all you people,
both rich and poor!
49:3 I will declare a wise saying;
I will share my profound thoughts.
49:4 I will learn a song that imparts wisdom;
I will then sing my insightful song to the accompaniment of a harp.
49:5 Why should I be afraid in times of trouble,
when the sinful deeds of deceptive men threaten to overwhelm me?
49:6 They trust in their wealth
and boast in their great riches.
49:7 Certainly a man cannot rescue his brother;
he cannot pay God an adequate ransom price
49:8 (the ransom price for a human life is too high,
and people go to their final destiny),
49:9 so that he might continue to live forever
and not experience death.
49:10 Surely one sees that even wise people die;
fools and spiritually insensitive people all pass away
and leave their wealth to others.
49:11 Their grave becomes their permanent residence,
their eternal dwelling place.
They name their lands after themselves,
49:12 but, despite their wealth, people do not last,
they are like animals that perish.
49:13 This is the destiny of fools,
and of those who approve of their philosophy. (Selah)
49:14 They will travel to Sheol like sheep,
with death as their shepherd.
The godly will rule over them when the day of vindication dawns;
Sheol will consume their bodies and they will no longer live in impressive houses.
49:15 But God will rescue my life from the power of Sheol;
certainly he will pull me to safety. (Selah)
49:16 Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich
and his wealth multiplies!
49:17 For he will take nothing with him when he dies;
his wealth will not follow him down into the grave.
49:18 He pronounces this blessing on himself while he is alive:
“May men praise you, for you have done well!”
49:19 But he will join his ancestors;
they will never again see the light of day.
49:20 Wealthy people do not understand;
they are like animals that perish.
A psalm by Asaph.
50:1 El, God, the Lord speaks,
and summons the earth to come from the east and west.
50:2 From Zion, the most beautiful of all places,
God comes in splendor.
50:3 Our God approaches and is not silent;
consuming fire goes ahead of him
and all around him a storm rages.
50:4 He summons the heavens above,
as well as the earth, so that he might judge his people.
50:5 He says:
“Assemble my covenant people before me,
those who ratified a covenant with me by sacrifice!”
50:6 The heavens declare his fairness,
for God is judge. (Selah)
50:7 He says:
“Listen my people! I am speaking!
Listen Israel! I am accusing you!
I am God, your God!
50:8 I am not condemning you because of your sacrifices,
or because of your burnt sacrifices that you continually offer me.
50:9 I do not need to take a bull from your household
or goats from your sheepfolds.
50:10 For every wild animal in the forest belongs to me,
as well as the cattle that graze on a thousand hills.
50:11 I keep track of every bird in the hills,
and the insects of the field are mine.
50:12 Even if I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for the world and all it contains belong to me.
50:13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls?
Do I drink the blood of goats?
50:14 Present to God a thank-offering!
Repay your vows to the sovereign One!
50:15 Pray to me when you are in trouble!
I will deliver you, and you will honor me!”
50:16 God says this to the evildoer:
“How can you declare my commands,
and talk about my covenant?
50:17 For you hate instruction
and reject my words.
50:18 When you see a thief, you join him;
you associate with men who are unfaithful to their wives.
50:19 You do damage with words,
and use your tongue to deceive.
50:20 You plot against your brother;
you slander your own brother.
50:21 When you did these things, I was silent,
so you thought I was exactly like you.
But now I will condemn you
and state my case against you!
50:22 Carefully consider this, you who reject God!
Otherwise I will rip you to shreds
and no one will be able to rescue you.
50:23 Whoever presents a thank-offering honors me.
To whoever obeys my commands, I will reveal my power to deliver.”
For the music director; a psalm of David, written when Nathan the prophet confronted him after David’s affair with Bathsheba.
51:1 Have mercy on me, O God, because of your loyal love!
Because of your great compassion, wipe away my rebellious acts!
51:2 Wash away my wrongdoing!
Cleanse me of my sin!
51:3 For I am aware of my rebellious acts;
I am forever conscious of my sin.
51:4 Against you – you above all – I have sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
So you are just when you confront me;
you are right when you condemn me.
51:5 Look, I was guilty of sin from birth,
a sinner the moment my mother conceived me.
51:6 Look, you desire integrity in the inner man;
you want me to possess wisdom.
51:7 Sprinkle me with water and I will be pure;
wash me and I will be whiter than snow.
51:8 Grant me the ultimate joy of being forgiven!
May the bones you crushed rejoice!
51:9 Hide your face from my sins!
Wipe away all my guilt!
51:10 Create for me a pure heart, O God!
Renew a resolute spirit within me!
51:11 Do not reject me!
Do not take your Holy Spirit away from me!
51:12 Let me again experience the joy of your deliverance!
Sustain me by giving me the desire to obey!
51:13 Then I will teach rebels your merciful ways,
and sinners will turn to you.
51:14 Rescue me from the guilt of murder, O God, the God who delivers me!
Then my tongue will shout for joy because of your deliverance.
51:15 O Lord, give me the words!
Then my mouth will praise you.
51:16 Certainly you do not want a sacrifice, or else I would offer it;
you do not desire a burnt sacrifice.
51:17 The sacrifices God desires are a humble spirit –
O God, a humble and repentant heart you will not reject.
51:18 Because you favor Zion, do what is good for her!
Fortify the walls of Jerusalem!
51:19 Then you will accept the proper sacrifices, burnt sacrifices and whole offerings;
then bulls will be sacrificed on your altar.
For the music director; a well-written song by David. It was written when Doeg the Edomite went and informed Saul: “David has arrived at the home of Ahimelech.”
52:1 Why do you boast about your evil plans, O powerful man?
God’s loyal love protects me all day long!
52:2 Your tongue carries out your destructive plans;
it is as effective as a sharp razor, O deceiver.
52:3 You love evil more than good,
lies more than speaking the truth. (Selah)
52:4 You love to use all the words that destroy,
and the tongue that deceives.
52:5 Yet God will make you a permanent heap of ruins.
He will scoop you up and remove you from your home;
he will uproot you from the land of the living. (Selah)
52:6 When the godly see this, they will be filled with awe,
and will mock the evildoer, saying:
52:7 “Look, here is the man who would not make God his protector!
He trusted in his great wealth
and was confident about his plans to destroy others.”
52:8 But I am like a flourishing olive tree in the house of God;
I continually trust in God’s loyal love.
52:9 I will continually thank you when you execute judgment;
I will rely on you, for your loyal followers know you are good.
For the music director; according to the machalath style; a well-written song by David.
53:1 Fools say to themselves, “There is no God.”
They sin and commit evil deeds;
none of them does what is right.
53:2 God looks down from heaven at the human race,
to see if there is anyone who is wise and seeks God.
53:3 Everyone rejects God;
they are all morally corrupt.
None of them does what is right,
not even one!
53:4 All those who behave wickedly do not understand –
those who devour my people as if they were eating bread,
and do not call out to God.
53:5 They are absolutely terrified,
even by things that do not normally cause fear.
For God annihilates those who attack you.
You are able to humiliate them because God has rejected them.
53:6 I wish the deliverance of Israel would come from Zion!
When God restores the well-being of his people,
may Jacob rejoice,
may Israel be happy!
For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a well-written song by David. It was written when the Ziphites came and informed Saul: “David is hiding with us.”
54:1 O God, deliver me by your name!
Vindicate me by your power!
54:2 O God, listen to my prayer!
Pay attention to what I say!
54:3 For foreigners attack me;
ruthless men, who do not respect God, seek my life. (Selah)
54:4 Look, God is my deliverer!
The Lord is among those who support me.
54:5 May those who wait to ambush me be repaid for their evil!
As a demonstration of your faithfulness, destroy them!
54:6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you!
I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good!
54:7 Surely he rescues me from all trouble,
and I triumph over my enemies.
For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a well-written song by David.
55:1 Listen, O God, to my prayer!
Do not ignore my appeal for mercy!
55:2 Pay attention to me and answer me!
I am so upset and distressed, I am beside myself,
55:3 because of what the enemy says,
and because of how the wicked pressure me,
for they hurl trouble down upon me
and angrily attack me.
55:4 My heart beats violently within me;
the horrors of death overcome me.
55:5 Fear and panic overpower me;
terror overwhelms me.
55:6 I say, “I wish I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and settle in a safe place!
55:7 Look, I will escape to a distant place;
I will stay in the wilderness. (Selah)
55:8 I will hurry off to a place that is safe
from the strong wind and the gale.”
55:9 Confuse them, O Lord!
Frustrate their plans!
For I see violence and conflict in the city.
55:10 Day and night they walk around on its walls,
while wickedness and destruction are within it.
55:11 Disaster is within it;
violence and deceit do not depart from its public square.
55:12 Indeed, it is not an enemy who insults me,
or else I could bear it;
it is not one who hates me who arrogantly taunts me,
or else I could hide from him.
55:13 But it is you, a man like me,
my close friend in whom I confided.
55:14 We would share personal thoughts with each other;
in God’s temple we would walk together among the crowd.
55:15 May death destroy them!
May they go down alive into Sheol!
For evil is in their dwelling place and in their midst.
55:16 As for me, I will call out to God,
and the Lord will deliver me.
55:17 During the evening, morning, and noontime
I will lament and moan,
and he will hear me.
55:18 He will rescue me and protect me from those who attack me,
even though they greatly outnumber me.
55:19 God, the one who has reigned as king from long ago,
will hear and humiliate them. (Selah)
They refuse to change,
and do not fear God.
55:20 He attacks his friends;
he breaks his solemn promises to them.
55:21 His words are as smooth as butter,
but he harbors animosity in his heart.
His words seem softer than oil,
but they are really like sharp swords.
55:22 Throw your burden upon the Lord,
and he will sustain you.
He will never allow the godly to be upended.
55:23 But you, O God, will bring them down to the deep Pit.
Violent and deceitful people will not live even half a normal lifespan.
But as for me, I trust in you.
For the music director; according to the yonath-elem-rechovim style; a prayer of David, written when the Philistines captured him in Gath.
56:1 Have mercy on me, O God, for men are attacking me!
All day long hostile enemies are tormenting me.
56:2 Those who anticipate my defeat attack me all day long.
Indeed, many are fighting against me, O Exalted One.
56:3 When I am afraid,
I trust in you.
56:4 In God – I boast in his promise –
in God I trust, I am not afraid.
What can mere men do to me?
56:5 All day long they cause me trouble;
they make a habit of plotting my demise.
56:6 They stalk and lurk;
they watch my every step,
as they prepare to take my life.
56:7 Because they are bent on violence, do not let them escape!
In your anger bring down the nations, O God!
56:8 You keep track of my misery.
Put my tears in your leather container!
Are they not recorded in your scroll?
56:9 My enemies will turn back when I cry out to you for help;
I know that God is on my side.
56:10 In God – I boast in his promise –
in the Lord – I boast in his promise –
56:11 in God I trust, I am not afraid.
What can mere men do to me?
56:12 I am obligated to fulfill the vows I made to you, O God;
I will give you the thank-offerings you deserve,
56:13 when you deliver my life from death.
You keep my feet from stumbling,
so that I might serve God as I enjoy life.
For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; a prayer of David, written when he fled from Saul into the cave.
57:1 Have mercy on me, O God! Have mercy on me!
For in you I have taken shelter.
In the shadow of your wings I take shelter
until trouble passes.
57:2 I cry out for help to the sovereign God,
to the God who vindicates me.
57:3 May he send help from heaven and deliver me
from my enemies who hurl insults! (Selah)
May God send his loyal love and faithfulness!
57:4 I am surrounded by lions;
I lie down among those who want to devour me;
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are a sharp sword.
57:5 Rise up above the sky, O God!
May your splendor cover the whole earth!
57:6 They have prepared a net to trap me;
I am discouraged.
They have dug a pit for me.
They will fall into it! (Selah)
57:7 I am determined, O God! I am determined!
I will sing and praise you!
57:8 Awake, my soul!
Awake, O stringed instrument and harp!
I will wake up at dawn!
57:9 I will give you thanks before the nations, O Master!
I will sing praises to you before foreigners!
57:10 For your loyal love extends beyond the sky,
and your faithfulness reaches the clouds.
57:11 Rise up above the sky, O God!
May your splendor cover the whole earth!
For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; a prayer of David.
58:1 Do you rulers really pronounce just decisions?
Do you judge people fairly?
58:2 No! You plan how to do what is unjust;
you deal out violence in the earth.
58:3 The wicked turn aside from birth;
liars go astray as soon as they are born.
58:4 Their venom is like that of a snake,
like a deaf serpent that does not hear,
58:5 that does not respond to the magicians,
or to a skilled snake-charmer.
58:6 O God, break the teeth in their mouths!
Smash the jawbones of the lions, O Lord!
58:7 Let them disappear like water that flows away!
Let them wither like grass!
58:8 Let them be like a snail that melts away as it moves along!
Let them be like stillborn babies that never see the sun!
58:9 Before the kindling is even placed under your pots,
he will sweep it away along with both the raw and cooked meat.
58:10 The godly will rejoice when they see vengeance carried out;
they will bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.
58:11 Then observers will say,
“Yes indeed, the godly are rewarded!
Yes indeed, there is a God who judges in the earth!”
For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; a prayer of David, written when Saul sent men to surround his house and murder him.
59:1 Deliver me from my enemies, my God!
Protect me from those who attack me!
59:2 Deliver me from evildoers!
Rescue me from violent men!
59:3 For look, they wait to ambush me;
powerful men stalk me,
but not because I have rebelled or sinned, O Lord.
59:4 Though I have done nothing wrong, they are anxious to attack.
Spring into action and help me! Take notice of me!
59:5 You, O Lord God, the invincible warrior, the God of Israel,
rouse yourself and punish all the nations!
Have no mercy on any treacherous evildoers! (Selah)
59:6 They return in the evening;
they growl like a dog
and prowl around outside the city.
59:7 Look, they hurl insults at me
and openly threaten to kill me,
for they say,
“Who hears?”
59:8 But you, O Lord, laugh in disgust at them;
you taunt all the nations.
59:9 You are my source of strength! I will wait for you!
For God is my refuge.
59:10 The God who loves me will help me;
God will enable me to triumph over my enemies.
59:11 Do not strike them dead suddenly,
because then my people might forget the lesson.
Use your power to make them homeless vagabonds and then bring them down,
O Lord who shields us!
59:12 They speak sinful words.
So let them be trapped by their own pride
and by the curses and lies they speak!
59:13 Angrily wipe them out! Wipe them out so they vanish!
Let them know that God rules
in Jacob and to the ends of the earth! (Selah)
59:14 They return in the evening;
they growl like a dog
and prowl around outside the city.
59:15 They wander around looking for something to eat;
they refuse to sleep until they are full.
59:16 As for me, I will sing about your strength;
I will praise your loyal love in the morning.
For you are my refuge
and my place of shelter when I face trouble.
59:17 You are my source of strength! I will sing praises to you!
For God is my refuge, the God who loves me.
For the music director; according to the shushan-eduth style; a prayer of David written to instruct others. It was written when he fought against Aram Naharaim and Aram-Zobah. That was when Joab turned back and struck down 12,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
60:1 O God, you have rejected us.
You suddenly turned on us in your anger.
Please restore us!
60:2 You made the earth quake; you split it open.
Repair its breaches, for it is ready to fall.
60:3 You have made your people experience hard times;
you have made us drink intoxicating wine.
60:4 You have given your loyal followers a rallying flag,
so that they might seek safety from the bow. (Selah)
60:5 Deliver by your power and answer me,
so that the ones you love may be safe.
60:6 God has spoken in his sanctuary:
“I will triumph! I will parcel out Shechem;
the Valley of Succoth I will measure off.
60:7 Gilead belongs to me,
as does Manasseh!
Ephraim is my helmet,
Judah my royal scepter.
60:8 Moab is my washbasin.
I will make Edom serve me.
I will shout in triumph over Philistia.”
60:9 Who will lead me into the fortified city?
Who will bring me to Edom?
60:10 Have you not rejected us, O God?
O God, you do not go into battle with our armies.
60:11 Give us help against the enemy,
for any help men might offer is futile.
60:12 By God’s power we will conquer;
he will trample down our enemies.
For the music director; to be played on a stringed instrument; written by David.
61:1 O God, hear my cry for help!
Pay attention to my prayer!
61:2 From the most remote place on earth
I call out to you in my despair.
Lead me up to an inaccessible rocky summit!
61:3 Indeed, you are my shelter,
a strong tower that protects me from the enemy.
61:4 I will be a permanent guest in your home;
I will find shelter in the protection of your wings. (Selah)
61:5 For you, O God, hear my vows;
you grant me the reward that belongs to your loyal followers.
61:6 Give the king long life!
Make his lifetime span several generations!
61:7 May he reign forever before God!
Decree that your loyal love and faithfulness should protect him.
61:8 Then I will sing praises to your name continually,
as I fulfill my vows day after day.
For the music director, Jeduthun; a psalm of David.
62:1 For God alone I patiently wait;
he is the one who delivers me.
62:2 He alone is my protector and deliverer.
He is my refuge; I will not be upended.
62:3 How long will you threaten a man?
All of you are murderers,
as dangerous as a leaning wall or an unstable fence.
62:4 They spend all their time planning how to bring him down.
They love to use deceit;
they pronounce blessings with their mouths,
but inwardly they utter curses. (Selah)
62:5 Patiently wait for God alone, my soul!
For he is the one who gives me confidence.
62:6 He alone is my protector and deliverer.
He is my refuge; I will not be upended.
62:7 God delivers me and exalts me;
God is my strong protector and my shelter.
62:8 Trust in him at all times, you people!
Pour out your hearts before him!
God is our shelter! (Selah)
62:9 Men are nothing but a mere breath;
human beings are unreliable.
When they are weighed in the scales,
all of them together are lighter than air.
62:10 Do not trust in what you can gain by oppression!
Do not put false confidence in what you can gain by robbery!
If wealth increases, do not become attached to it!
62:11 God has declared one principle;
two principles I have heard:
God is strong,
62:12 and you, O Lord, demonstrate loyal love.
For you repay men for what they do.
A psalm of David, written when he was in the Judean wilderness.
63:1 O God, you are my God! I long for you!
My soul thirsts for you,
my flesh yearns for you,
in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
63:2 Yes, in the sanctuary I have seen you,
and witnessed your power and splendor.
63:3 Because experiencing your loyal love is better than life itself,
my lips will praise you.
63:4 For this reason I will praise you while I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
63:5 As if with choice meat you satisfy my soul.
My mouth joyfully praises you,
63:6 whenever I remember you on my bed,
and think about you during the nighttime hours.
63:7 For you are my deliverer;
under your wings I rejoice.
63:8 My soul pursues you;
your right hand upholds me.
63:9 Enemies seek to destroy my life,
but they will descend into the depths of the earth.
63:10 Each one will be handed over to the sword;
their corpses will be eaten by jackals.
63:11 But the king will rejoice in God;
everyone who takes oaths in his name will boast,
for the mouths of those who speak lies will be shut up.
For the music director; a psalm of David.
64:1 Listen to me, O God, as I offer my lament!
Protect my life from the enemy’s terrifying attacks.
64:2 Hide me from the plots of evil men,
from the crowd of evildoers.
64:3 They sharpen their tongues like a sword;
they aim their arrow, a slanderous charge,
64:4 in order to shoot down the innocent in secluded places.
They shoot at him suddenly and are unafraid of retaliation.
64:5 They encourage one another to carry out their evil deed.
They plan how to hide snares,
and boast, “Who will see them?”
64:6 They devise unjust schemes;
they disguise a well-conceived plot.
Man’s inner thoughts cannot be discovered.
64:7 But God will shoot at them;
suddenly they will be wounded by an arrow.
64:8 Their slander will bring about their demise.
All who see them will shudder,
64:9 and all people will fear.
They will proclaim what God has done,
and reflect on his deeds.
64:10 The godly will rejoice in the Lord
and take shelter in him.
All the morally upright will boast.
For the music director; a psalm of David, a song.
65:1 Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion.
Vows made to you are fulfilled.
65:2 You hear prayers;
all people approach you.
65:3 Our record of sins overwhelms me,
but you forgive our acts of rebellion.
65:4 How blessed is the one whom you choose,
and allow to live in your palace courts.
May we be satisfied with the good things of your house –
your holy palace.
65:5 You answer our prayers by performing awesome acts of deliverance,
O God, our savior.
All the ends of the earth trust in you,
as well as those living across the wide seas.
65:6 You created the mountains by your power,
and demonstrated your strength.
65:7 You calm the raging seas
and their roaring waves,
as well as the commotion made by the nations.
65:8 Even those living in the most remote areas are awestruck by your acts;
you cause those living in the east and west to praise you.
65:9 You visit the earth and give it rain;
you make it rich and fertile
with overflowing streams full of water.
You provide grain for them,
for you prepare the earth to yield its crops.
65:10 You saturate its furrows,
and soak its plowed ground.
With rain showers you soften its soil,
and make its crops grow.
65:11 You crown the year with your good blessings,
and you leave abundance in your wake.
65:12 The pastures in the wilderness glisten with moisture,
and the hills are clothed with joy.
65:13 The meadows are clothed with sheep,
and the valleys are covered with grain.
They shout joyfully, yes, they sing.
For the music director; a song, a psalm.
66:1 Shout out praise to God, all the earth!
66:2 Sing praises about the majesty of his reputation!
Give him the honor he deserves!
66:3 Say to God:
“How awesome are your deeds!
Because of your great power your enemies cower in fear before you.
66:4 All the earth worships you
and sings praises to you!
They sing praises to your name!” (Selah)
66:5 Come and witness God’s exploits!
His acts on behalf of people are awesome!
66:6 He turned the sea into dry land;
they passed through the river on foot.
Let us rejoice in him there!
66:7 He rules by his power forever;
he watches the nations.
Stubborn rebels should not exalt themselves. (Selah)
66:8 Praise our God, you nations!
Loudly proclaim his praise!
66:9 He preserves our lives
and does not allow our feet to slip.
66:10 For you, O God, tested us;
you purified us like refined silver.
66:11 You led us into a trap;
you caused us to suffer.
66:12 You allowed men to ride over our heads;
we passed through fire and water,
but you brought us out into a wide open place.
66:13 I will enter your temple with burnt sacrifices;
I will fulfill the vows I made to you,
66:14 which my lips uttered
and my mouth spoke when I was in trouble.
66:15 I will offer up to you fattened animals as burnt sacrifices,
along with the smell of sacrificial rams.
I will offer cattle and goats. (Selah)
66:16 Come! Listen, all you who are loyal to God!
I will declare what he has done for me.
66:17 I cried out to him for help
and praised him with my tongue.
66:18 If I had harbored sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
66:19 However, God heard;
he listened to my prayer.
66:20 God deserves praise,
for he did not reject my prayer
or abandon his love for me!
For the music director; to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm, a song.
67:1 May God show us his favor and bless us!
May he smile on us! (Selah)
67:2 Then those living on earth will know what you are like;
all nations will know how you deliver your people.
67:3 Let the nations thank you, O God!
Let all the nations thank you!
67:4 Let foreigners rejoice and celebrate!
For you execute justice among the nations,
and govern the people living on earth. (Selah)
67:5 Let the nations thank you, O God!
Let all the nations thank you!
67:6 The earth yields its crops.
May God, our God, bless us!
67:7 May God bless us!
Then all the ends of the earth will give him the honor he deserves.
For the music director; by David, a psalm, a song.
68:1 God springs into action!
His enemies scatter;
his adversaries run from him.
68:2 As smoke is driven away by the wind, so you drive them away.
As wax melts before fire,
so the wicked are destroyed before God.
68:3 But the godly are happy;
they rejoice before God
and are overcome with joy.
68:4 Sing to God! Sing praises to his name!
Exalt the one who rides on the clouds!
For the Lord is his name!
Rejoice before him!
68:5 He is a father to the fatherless
and an advocate for widows.
God rules from his holy palace.
68:6 God settles those who have been deserted in their own homes;
he frees prisoners and grants them prosperity.
But sinful rebels live in the desert.
68:7 O God, when you lead your people into battle,
when you march through the desert, (Selah)
68:8 the earth shakes,
yes, the heavens pour down rain
before God, the God of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.
68:9 O God, you cause abundant showers to fall on your chosen people.
When they are tired, you sustain them,
68:10 for you live among them.
You sustain the oppressed with your good blessings, O God.
68:11 The Lord speaks;
many, many women spread the good news.
68:12 Kings leading armies run away – they run away!
The lovely lady of the house divides up the loot.
68:13 When you lie down among the sheepfolds,
the wings of the dove are covered with silver
and with glittering gold.
68:14 When the sovereign judge scatters kings,
let it snow on Zalmon!
68:15 The mountain of Bashan is a towering mountain;
the mountain of Bashan is a mountain with many peaks.
68:16 Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks,
at the mountain where God has decided to live?
Indeed the Lord will live there permanently!
68:17 God has countless chariots;
they number in the thousands.
The Lord comes from Sinai in holy splendor.
68:18 You ascend on high,
you have taken many captives.
You receive tribute from men,
including even sinful rebels.
Indeed the Lord God lives there!
68:19 The Lord deserves praise!
Day after day he carries our burden,
the God who delivers us. (Selah)
68:20 Our God is a God who delivers;
the Lord, the sovereign Lord, can rescue from death.
68:21 Indeed God strikes the heads of his enemies,
the hairy foreheads of those who persist in rebellion.
68:22 The Lord says,
“I will retrieve them from Bashan,
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
68:23 so that your feet may stomp in their blood,
and your dogs may eat their portion of the enemies’ corpses.”
68:24 They see your processions, O God –
the processions of my God, my king, who marches along in holy splendor.
68:25 Singers walk in front;
musicians follow playing their stringed instruments,
in the midst of young women playing tambourines.
68:26 In your large assemblies praise God,
the Lord, in the assemblies of Israel!
68:27 There is little Benjamin, their ruler,
and the princes of Judah in their robes,
along with the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.
68:28 God has decreed that you will be powerful.
O God, you who have acted on our behalf, demonstrate your power,
68:29 as you come out of your temple in Jerusalem!
Kings bring tribute to you.
68:30 Sound your battle cry against the wild beast of the reeds,
and the nations that assemble like a herd of calves led by bulls!
They humble themselves and offer gold and silver as tribute.
God scatters the nations that like to do battle.
68:31 They come with red cloth from Egypt,
Ethiopia voluntarily offers tribute to God.
68:32 O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God!
Sing praises to the Lord, (Selah)
68:33 to the one who rides through the sky from ancient times!
Look! He thunders loudly.
68:34 Acknowledge God’s power,
his sovereignty over Israel,
and the power he reveals in the skies!
68:35 You are awe-inspiring, O God, as you emerge from your holy temple!
It is the God of Israel who gives the people power and strength.
God deserves praise!
For the music director; according to the tune of “Lilies;” by David.
69:1 Deliver me, O God,
for the water has reached my neck.
69:2 I sink into the deep mire
where there is no solid ground;
I am in deep water,
and the current overpowers me.
69:3 I am exhausted from shouting for help;
my throat is sore;
my eyes grow tired of looking for my God.
69:4 Those who hate me without cause are more numerous than the hairs of my head.
Those who want to destroy me, my enemies for no reason, outnumber me.
They make me repay what I did not steal!
69:5 O God, you are aware of my foolish sins;
my guilt is not hidden from you.
69:6 Let none who rely on you be disgraced because of me,
O sovereign Lord and king!
Let none who seek you be ashamed because of me,
O God of Israel!
69:7 For I suffer humiliation for your sake
and am thoroughly disgraced.
69:8 My own brothers treat me like a stranger;
they act as if I were a foreigner.
69:9 Certainly zeal for your house consumes me;
I endure the insults of those who insult you.
69:10 I weep and refrain from eating food,
which causes others to insult me.
69:11 I wear sackcloth
and they ridicule me.
69:12 Those who sit at the city gate gossip about me;
drunkards mock me in their songs.
69:13 O Lord, may you hear my prayer and be favorably disposed to me!
O God, because of your great loyal love,
answer me with your faithful deliverance!
69:14 Rescue me from the mud! Don’t let me sink!
Deliver me from those who hate me,
from the deep water!
69:15 Don’t let the current overpower me!
Don’t let the deep swallow me up!
Don’t let the pit devour me!
69:16 Answer me, O Lord, for your loyal love is good!
Because of your great compassion, turn toward me!
69:17 Do not ignore your servant,
for I am in trouble! Answer me right away!
69:18 Come near me and redeem me!
Because of my enemies, rescue me!
69:19 You know how I am insulted, humiliated and disgraced;
you can see all my enemies.
69:20 Their insults are painful and make me lose heart;
I look for sympathy, but receive none,
for comforters, but find none.
69:21 They put bitter poison into my food,
and to quench my thirst they give me vinegar to drink.
69:22 May their dining table become a trap before them!
May it be a snare for that group of friends!
69:23 May their eyes be blinded!
Make them shake violently!
69:24 Pour out your judgment on them!
May your raging anger overtake them!
69:25 May their camp become desolate,
their tents uninhabited!
69:26 For they harass the one whom you discipline;
they spread the news about the suffering of those whom you punish.
69:27 Hold them accountable for all their sins!
Do not vindicate them!
69:28 May their names be deleted from the scroll of the living!
Do not let their names be listed with the godly!
69:29 I am oppressed and suffering!
O God, deliver and protect me!
69:30 I will sing praises to God’s name!
I will magnify him as I give him thanks!
69:31 That will please the Lord more than an ox or a bull
with horns and hooves.
69:32 The oppressed look on – let them rejoice!
You who seek God, may you be encouraged!
69:33 For the Lord listens to the needy;
he does not despise his captive people.
69:34 Let the heavens and the earth praise him,
along with the seas and everything that swims in them!
69:35 For God will deliver Zion
and rebuild the cities of Judah,
and his people will again live in them and possess Zion.
69:36 The descendants of his servants will inherit it,
and those who are loyal to him will live in it.
For the music director; by David; written to get God’s attention.
70:1 O God, please be willing to rescue me!
O Lord, hurry and help me!
70:2 May those who are trying to take my life
be embarrassed and ashamed!
May those who want to harm me
be turned back and ashamed!
70:3 May those who say, “Aha! Aha!”
be driven back and disgraced!
70:4 May all those who seek you be happy and rejoice in you!
May those who love to experience your deliverance say continually,
“May God be praised!”
70:5 I am oppressed and needy!
O God, hurry to me!
You are my helper and my deliverer!
O Lord, do not delay!
71:1 In you, O Lord, I have taken shelter!
Never let me be humiliated!
71:2 Vindicate me by rescuing me!
Listen to me! Deliver me!
71:3 Be my protector and refuge,
a stronghold where I can be safe!
For you are my high ridge and my stronghold.
71:4 My God, rescue me from the power of the wicked,
from the hand of the cruel oppressor!
71:5 For you give me confidence, O Lord;
O Lord, I have trusted in you since I was young.
71:6 I have leaned on you since birth;
you pulled me from my mother’s womb.
I praise you continually.
71:7 Many are appalled when they see me,
but you are my secure shelter.
71:8 I praise you constantly
and speak of your splendor all day long.
71:9 Do not reject me in my old age!
When my strength fails, do not abandon me!
71:10 For my enemies talk about me;
those waiting for a chance to kill me plot my demise.
71:11 They say, “God has abandoned him.
Run and seize him, for there is no one who will rescue him!”
71:12 O God, do not remain far away from me!
My God, hurry and help me!
71:13 May my accusers be humiliated and defeated!
May those who want to harm me be covered with scorn and disgrace!
71:14 As for me, I will wait continually,
and will continue to praise you.
71:15 I will tell about your justice,
and all day long proclaim your salvation,
though I cannot fathom its full extent.
71:16 I will come and tell about the mighty acts of the sovereign Lord.
I will proclaim your justice – yours alone.
71:17 O God, you have taught me since I was young,
and I am still declaring your amazing deeds.
71:18 Even when I am old and gray,
O God, do not abandon me,
until I tell the next generation about your strength,
and those coming after me about your power.
71:19 Your justice, O God, extends to the skies above;
you have done great things.
O God, who can compare to you?
71:20 Though you have allowed me to experience much trouble and distress,
revive me once again!
Bring me up once again from the depths of the earth!
71:21 Raise me to a position of great honor!
Turn and comfort me!
71:22 I will express my thanks to you with a stringed instrument,
praising your faithfulness, O my God!
I will sing praises to you accompanied by a harp,
O Holy One of Israel!
71:23 My lips will shout for joy! Yes, I will sing your praises!
I will praise you when you rescue me!
71:24 All day long my tongue will also tell about your justice,
for those who want to harm me will be embarrassed and ashamed.
For Solomon.
72:1 O God, grant the king the ability to make just decisions!
Grant the king’s son the ability to make fair decisions!
72:2 Then he will judge your people fairly,
and your oppressed ones equitably.
72:3 The mountains will bring news of peace to the people,
and the hills will announce justice.
72:4 He will defend the oppressed among the people;
he will deliver the children of the poor
and crush the oppressor.
72:5 People will fear you as long as the sun and moon remain in the sky,
for generation after generation.
72:6 He will descend like rain on the mown grass,
like showers that drench the earth.
72:7 During his days the godly will flourish;
peace will prevail as long as the moon remains in the sky.
72:8 May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth!
72:9 Before him the coastlands will bow down,
and his enemies will lick the dust.
72:10 The kings of Tarshish and the coastlands will offer gifts;
the kings of Sheba and Seba will bring tribute.
72:11 All kings will bow down to him;
all nations will serve him.
72:12 For he will rescue the needy when they cry out for help,
and the oppressed who have no defender.
72:13 He will take pity on the poor and needy;
the lives of the needy he will save.
72:14 From harm and violence he will defend them;
he will value their lives.
72:15 May he live! May they offer him gold from Sheba!
May they continually pray for him!
May they pronounce blessings on him all day long!
72:16 May there be an abundance of grain in the earth;
on the tops of the mountains may it sway!
May its fruit trees flourish like the forests of Lebanon!
May its crops be as abundant as the grass of the earth!
72:17 May his fame endure!
May his dynasty last as long as the sun remains in the sky!
May they use his name when they formulate their blessings!
May all nations consider him to be favored by God!
72:18 The Lord God, the God of Israel, deserves praise!
He alone accomplishes amazing things!
72:19 His glorious name deserves praise forevermore!
May his majestic splendor fill the whole earth!
We agree! We agree!
72:20 This collection of the prayers of David son of Jesse ends here.
Book 3
(Psalms 73-89)
A psalm by Asaph.
73:1 Certainly God is good to Israel,
and to those whose motives are pure!
73:2 But as for me, my feet almost slipped;
my feet almost slid out from under me.
73:3 For I envied those who are proud,
as I observed the prosperity of the wicked.
73:4 For they suffer no pain;
their bodies are strong and well-fed.
73:5 They are immune to the trouble common to men;
they do not suffer as other men do.
73:6 Arrogance is their necklace,
and violence their clothing.
73:7 Their prosperity causes them to do wrong;
their thoughts are sinful.
73:8 They mock and say evil things;
they proudly threaten violence.
73:9 They speak as if they rule in heaven,
and lay claim to the earth.
73:10 Therefore they have more than enough food to eat,
and even suck up the water of the sea.
73:11 They say, “How does God know what we do?
Is the sovereign one aware of what goes on?”
73:12 Take a good look! This is what the wicked are like,
those who always have it so easy and get richer and richer.
73:13 I concluded, “Surely in vain I have kept my motives pure
and maintained a pure lifestyle.
73:14 I suffer all day long,
and am punished every morning.”
73:15 If I had publicized these thoughts,
I would have betrayed your loyal followers.
73:16 When I tried to make sense of this,
it was troubling to me.
73:17 Then I entered the precincts of God’s temple,
and understood the destiny of the wicked.
73:18 Surely you put them in slippery places;
you bring them down to ruin.
73:19 How desolate they become in a mere moment!
Terrifying judgments make their demise complete!
73:20 They are like a dream after one wakes up.
O Lord, when you awake you will despise them.
73:21 Yes, my spirit was bitter,
and my insides felt sharp pain.
73:22 I was ignorant and lacked insight;
I was as senseless as an animal before you.
73:23 But I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
73:24 You guide me by your wise advice,
and then you will lead me to a position of honor.
73:25 Whom do I have in heaven but you?
I desire no one but you on earth.
73:26 My flesh and my heart may grow weak,
but God always protects my heart and gives me stability.
73:27 Yes, look! Those far from you die;
you destroy everyone who is unfaithful to you.
73:28 But as for me, God’s presence is all I need.
I have made the sovereign Lord my shelter,
as I declare all the things you have done.
A well-written song by Asaph.
74:1 Why, O God, have you permanently rejected us?
Why does your anger burn against the sheep of your pasture?
74:2 Remember your people whom you acquired in ancient times,
whom you rescued so they could be your very own nation,
as well as Mount Zion, where you dwell!
74:3 Hurry and look at the permanent ruins,
and all the damage the enemy has done to the temple!
74:4 Your enemies roar in the middle of your sanctuary;
they set up their battle flags.
74:5 They invade like lumberjacks
swinging their axes in a thick forest.
74:6 And now they are tearing down all its engravings
with axes and crowbars.
74:7 They set your sanctuary on fire;
they desecrate your dwelling place by knocking it to the ground.
74:8 They say to themselves,
“We will oppress all of them.”
They burn down all the places where people worship God in the land.
74:9 We do not see any signs of God’s presence;
there are no longer any prophets
and we have no one to tell us how long this will last.
74:10 How long, O God, will the adversary hurl insults?
Will the enemy blaspheme your name forever?
74:11 Why do you remain inactive?
Intervene and destroy him!
74:12 But God has been my king from ancient times,
performing acts of deliverance on the earth.
74:13 You destroyed the sea by your strength;
you shattered the heads of the sea monster in the water.
74:14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan;
you fed him to the people who live along the coast.
74:15 You broke open the spring and the stream;
you dried up perpetually flowing rivers.
74:16 You established the cycle of day and night;
you put the moon and sun in place.
74:17 You set up all the boundaries of the earth;
you created the cycle of summer and winter.
74:18 Remember how the enemy hurls insults, O Lord,
and how a foolish nation blasphemes your name!
74:19 Do not hand the life of your dove over to a wild animal!
Do not continue to disregard the lives of your oppressed people!
74:20 Remember your covenant promises,
for the dark regions of the earth are full of places where violence rules.
74:21 Do not let the afflicted be turned back in shame!
Let the oppressed and poor praise your name!
74:22 Rise up, O God! Defend your honor!
Remember how fools insult you all day long!
74:23 Do not disregard what your enemies say,
or the unceasing shouts of those who defy you.
For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; a psalm of Asaph; a song.
75:1 We give thanks to you, O God! We give thanks!
You reveal your presence;
people tell about your amazing deeds.
75:2 God says,
“At the appointed times,
I judge fairly.
75:3 When the earth and all its inhabitants dissolve in fear,
I make its pillars secure.” (Selah)
75:4 I say to the proud, “Do not be proud,”
and to the wicked, “Do not be so confident of victory!
75:5 Do not be so certain you have won!
Do not speak with your head held so high!
75:6 For victory does not come from the east or west,
or from the wilderness.
75:7 For God is the judge!
He brings one down and exalts another.
75:8 For the Lord holds in his hand a cup full
of foaming wine mixed with spices,
and pours it out.
Surely all the wicked of the earth
will slurp it up and drink it to its very last drop.”
75:9 As for me, I will continually tell what you have done;
I will sing praises to the God of Jacob!
75:10 God says,
“I will bring down all the power of the wicked;
the godly will be victorious.”
For the music director; to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm of Asaph, a song.
76:1 God has revealed himself in Judah;
in Israel his reputation is great.
76:2 He lives in Salem;
he dwells in Zion.
76:3 There he shattered the arrows,
the shield, the sword, and the rest of the weapons of war. (Selah)
76:4 You shine brightly and reveal your majesty,
as you descend from the hills where you killed your prey.
76:5 The bravehearted were plundered;
they “fell asleep.”
All the warriors were helpless.
76:6 At the sound of your battle cry, O God of Jacob,
both rider and horse “fell asleep.”
76:7 You are awesome! Yes, you!
Who can withstand your intense anger?
76:8 From heaven you announced what their punishment would be.
The earth was afraid and silent
76:9 when God arose to execute judgment,
and to deliver all the oppressed of the earth. (Selah)
76:10 Certainly your angry judgment upon men will bring you praise;
you reveal your anger in full measure.
76:11 Make vows to the Lord your God and repay them!
Let all those who surround him bring tribute to the awesome one!
76:12 He humbles princes;
the kings of the earth regard him as awesome.
For the music director, Jeduthun; a psalm of Asaph.
77:1 I will cry out to God and call for help!
I will cry out to God and he will pay attention to me.
77:2 In my time of trouble I sought the Lord.
I kept my hand raised in prayer throughout the night.
I refused to be comforted.
77:3 I said, “I will remember God while I groan;
I will think about him while my strength leaves me.” (Selah)
77:4 You held my eyelids open;
I was troubled and could not speak.
77:5 I thought about the days of old,
about ancient times.
77:6 I said, “During the night I will remember the song I once sang;
I will think very carefully.”
I tried to make sense of what was happening.
77:7 I asked, “Will the Lord reject me forever?
Will he never again show me his favor?
77:8 Has his loyal love disappeared forever?
Has his promise failed forever?
77:9 Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has his anger stifled his compassion?”
77:10 Then I said, “I am sickened by the thought
that the sovereign One might become inactive.
77:11 I will remember the works of the Lord.
Yes, I will remember the amazing things you did long ago!
77:12 I will think about all you have done;
I will reflect upon your deeds!”
77:13 O God, your deeds are extraordinary!
What god can compare to our great God?
77:14 You are the God who does amazing things;
you have revealed your strength among the nations.
77:15 You delivered your people by your strength –
the children of Jacob and Joseph. (Selah)
77:16 The waters saw you, O God,
the waters saw you and trembled.
Yes, the depths of the sea shook with fear.
77:17 The clouds poured down rain;
the skies thundered.
Yes, your arrows flashed about.
77:18 Your thunderous voice was heard in the wind;
the lightning bolts lit up the world;
the earth trembled and shook.
77:19 You walked through the sea;
you passed through the surging waters,
but left no footprints.
77:20 You led your people like a flock of sheep,
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
A well-written song by Asaph.
78:1 Pay attention, my people, to my instruction!
Listen to the words I speak!
78:2 I will sing a song that imparts wisdom;
I will make insightful observations about the past.
78:3 What we have heard and learned –
that which our ancestors have told us –
78:4 we will not hide from their descendants.
We will tell the next generation
about the Lord’s praiseworthy acts,
about his strength and the amazing things he has done.
78:5 He established a rule in Jacob;
he set up a law in Israel.
He commanded our ancestors
to make his deeds known to their descendants,
78:6 so that the next generation, children yet to be born,
might know about them.
They will grow up and tell their descendants about them.
78:7 Then they will place their confidence in God.
They will not forget the works of God,
and they will obey his commands.
78:8 Then they will not be like their ancestors,
who were a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation that was not committed
and faithful to God.
78:9 The Ephraimites were armed with bows,
but they retreated in the day of battle.
78:10 They did not keep their covenant with God,
and they refused to obey his law.
78:11 They forgot what he had done,
the amazing things he had shown them.
78:12 He did amazing things in the sight of their ancestors,
in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan.
78:13 He divided the sea and led them across it;
he made the water stand in a heap.
78:14 He led them with a cloud by day,
and with the light of a fire all night long.
78:15 He broke open rocks in the wilderness,
and gave them enough water to fill the depths of the sea.
78:16 He caused streams to flow from the rock,
and made the water flow like rivers.
78:17 Yet they continued to sin against him,
and rebelled against the sovereign One in the desert.
78:18 They willfully challenged God
by asking for food to satisfy their appetite.
78:19 They insulted God, saying,
“Is God really able to give us food in the wilderness?
78:20 Yes, he struck a rock and water flowed out,
streams gushed forth.
But can he also give us food?
Will he provide meat for his people?”
78:21 When the Lord heard this, he was furious.
A fire broke out against Jacob,
and his anger flared up against Israel,
78:22 because they did not have faith in God,
and did not trust his ability to deliver them.
78:23 He gave a command to the clouds above,
and opened the doors in the sky.
78:24 He rained down manna for them to eat;
he gave them the grain of heaven.
78:25 Man ate the food of the mighty ones.
He sent them more than enough to eat.
78:26 He brought the east wind through the sky,
and by his strength led forth the south wind.
78:27 He rained down meat on them like dust,
birds as numerous as the sand on the seashores.
78:28 He caused them to fall right in the middle of their camp,
all around their homes.
78:29 They ate until they were stuffed;
he gave them what they desired.
78:30 They were not yet filled up,
their food was still in their mouths,
78:31 when the anger of God flared up against them.
He killed some of the strongest of them;
he brought the young men of Israel to their knees.
78:32 Despite all this, they continued to sin,
and did not trust him to do amazing things.
78:33 So he caused them to die unsatisfied
and filled with terror.
78:34 When he struck them down, they sought his favor;
they turned back and longed for God.
78:35 They remembered that God was their protector,
and that the sovereign God was their deliverer.
78:36 But they deceived him with their words,
and lied to him.
78:37 They were not really committed to him,
and they were unfaithful to his covenant.
78:38 Yet he is compassionate.
He forgives sin and does not destroy.
He often holds back his anger,
and does not stir up his fury.
78:39 He remembered that they were made of flesh,
and were like a wind that blows past and does not return.
78:40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness,
and insulted him in the desert!
78:41 They again challenged God,
and offended the Holy One of Israel.
78:42 They did not remember what he had done,
how he delivered them from the enemy,
78:43 when he performed his awesome deeds in Egypt,
and his acts of judgment in the region of Zoan.
78:44 He turned their rivers into blood,
and they could not drink from their streams.
78:45 He sent swarms of biting insects against them,
as well as frogs that overran their land.
78:46 He gave their crops to the grasshopper,
the fruit of their labor to the locust.
78:47 He destroyed their vines with hail,
and their sycamore-fig trees with driving rain.
78:48 He rained hail down on their cattle,
and hurled lightning bolts down on their livestock.
78:49 His raging anger lashed out against them,
He sent fury, rage, and trouble
as messengers who bring disaster.
78:50 He sent his anger in full force;
he did not spare them from death;
he handed their lives over to destruction.
78:51 He struck down all the firstborn in Egypt,
the firstfruits of their reproductive power in the tents of Ham.
78:52 Yet he brought out his people like sheep;
he led them through the wilderness like a flock.
78:53 He guided them safely along,
while the sea covered their enemies.
78:54 He brought them to the border of his holy land,
to this mountainous land which his right hand acquired.
78:55 He drove the nations out from before them;
he assigned them their tribal allotments
and allowed the tribes of Israel to settle down.
78:56 Yet they challenged and defied the sovereign God,
and did not obey his commands.
78:57 They were unfaithful and acted as treacherously as their ancestors;
they were as unreliable as a malfunctioning bow.
78:58 They made him angry with their pagan shrines,
and made him jealous with their idols.
78:59 God heard and was angry;
he completely rejected Israel.
78:60 He abandoned the sanctuary at Shiloh,
the tent where he lived among men.
78:61 He allowed the symbol of his strong presence to be captured;
he gave the symbol of his splendor into the hand of the enemy.
78:62 He delivered his people over to the sword,
and was angry with his chosen nation.
78:63 Fire consumed their young men,
and their virgins remained unmarried.
78:64 Their priests fell by the sword,
but their widows did not weep.
78:65 But then the Lord awoke from his sleep;
he was like a warrior in a drunken rage.
78:66 He drove his enemies back;
he made them a permanent target for insults.
78:67 He rejected the tent of Joseph;
he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.
78:68 He chose the tribe of Judah,
and Mount Zion, which he loves.
78:69 He made his sanctuary as enduring as the heavens above;
as secure as the earth, which he established permanently.
78:70 He chose David, his servant,
and took him from the sheepfolds.
78:71 He took him away from following the mother sheep,
and made him the shepherd of Jacob, his people,
and of Israel, his chosen nation.
78:72 David cared for them with pure motives;
he led them with skill.
A psalm of Asaph.
79:1 O God, foreigners have invaded your chosen land;
they have polluted your holy temple
and turned Jerusalem into a heap of ruins.
79:2 They have given the corpses of your servants
to the birds of the sky;
the flesh of your loyal followers
to the beasts of the earth.
79:3 They have made their blood flow like water
all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury them.
79:4 We have become an object of disdain to our neighbors;
those who live on our borders taunt and insult us.
79:5 How long will this go on, O Lord?
Will you stay angry forever?
How long will your rage burn like fire?
79:6 Pour out your anger on the nations that do not acknowledge you,
on the kingdoms that do not pray to you!
79:7 For they have devoured Jacob
and destroyed his home.
79:8 Do not hold us accountable for the sins of earlier generations!
Quickly send your compassion our way,
for we are in serious trouble!
79:9 Help us, O God, our deliverer!
For the sake of your glorious reputation, rescue us!
Forgive our sins for the sake of your reputation!
79:10 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”
Before our very eyes may the shed blood of your servants
be avenged among the nations!
79:11 Listen to the painful cries of the prisoners!
Use your great strength to set free those condemned to die!
79:12 Pay back our neighbors in full!
May they be insulted the same way they insulted you, O Lord!
79:13 Then we, your people, the sheep of your pasture,
will continually thank you.
We will tell coming generations of your praiseworthy acts.
For the music director; according to the shushan-eduth style; a psalm of Asaph.
80:1 O shepherd of Israel, pay attention,
you who lead Joseph like a flock of sheep!
You who sit enthroned above the winged angels, reveal your splendor!
80:2 In the sight of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh reveal your power!
Come and deliver us!
80:3 O God, restore us!
Smile on us! Then we will be delivered!
80:4 O Lord God, invincible warrior!
How long will you remain angry at your people while they pray to you?
80:5 You have given them tears as food;
you have made them drink tears by the measure.
80:6 You have made our neighbors dislike us,
and our enemies insult us.
80:7 O God, invincible warrior, restore us!
Smile on us! Then we will be delivered!
80:8 You uprooted a vine from Egypt;
you drove out nations and transplanted it.
80:9 You cleared the ground for it;
it took root,
and filled the land.
80:10 The mountains were covered by its shadow,
the highest cedars by its branches.
80:11 Its branches reached the Mediterranean Sea,
and its shoots the Euphrates River.
80:12 Why did you break down its walls,
so that all who pass by pluck its fruit?
80:13 The wild boars of the forest ruin it;
the insects of the field feed on it.
80:14 O God, invincible warrior, come back!
Look down from heaven and take notice!
Take care of this vine,
80:15 the root your right hand planted,
the shoot you made to grow!
80:16 It is burned and cut down.
They die because you are displeased with them.
80:17 May you give support to the one you have chosen,
to the one whom you raised up for yourself!
80:18 Then we will not turn away from you.
Revive us and we will pray to you!
80:19 O Lord God, invincible warrior, restore us!
Smile on us! Then we will be delivered!
For the music director; according to the gittith style; by Asaph.
81:1 Shout for joy to God, our source of strength!
Shout out to the God of Jacob!
81:2 Sing a song and play the tambourine,
the pleasant sounding harp, and the ten-stringed instrument!
81:3 Sound the ram’s horn on the day of the new moon,
and on the day of the full moon when our festival begins.
81:4 For observing the festival is a requirement for Israel;
it is an ordinance given by the God of Jacob.
81:5 He decreed it as a regulation in Joseph,
when he attacked the land of Egypt.
I heard a voice I did not recognize.
81:6 It said: “I removed the burden from his shoulder;
his hands were released from holding the basket.
81:7 In your distress you called out and I rescued you.
I answered you from a dark thundercloud.
I tested you at the waters of Meribah. (Selah)
81:8 I said, ‘Listen, my people!
I will warn you!
O Israel, if only you would obey me!
81:9 There must be no other god among you.
You must not worship a foreign god.
81:10 I am the Lord, your God,
the one who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide and I will fill it!’
81:11 But my people did not obey me;
Israel did not submit to me.
81:12 I gave them over to their stubborn desires;
they did what seemed right to them.
81:13 If only my people would obey me!
If only Israel would keep my commands!
81:14 Then I would quickly subdue their enemies,
and attack their adversaries.”
81:15 (May those who hate the Lord cower in fear before him!
May they be permanently humiliated!)
81:16 “I would feed Israel the best wheat,
and would satisfy your appetite with honey from the rocky cliffs.”
A psalm of Asaph.
82:1 God stands in the assembly of El;
in the midst of the gods he renders judgment.
82:2 He says, “How long will you make unjust legal decisions
and show favoritism to the wicked? (Selah)
82:3 Defend the cause of the poor and the fatherless!
Vindicate the oppressed and suffering!
82:4 Rescue the poor and needy!
Deliver them from the power of the wicked!
82:5 They neither know nor understand.
They stumble around in the dark,
while all the foundations of the earth crumble.
82:6 I thought, ‘You are gods;
all of you are sons of the Most High.’
82:7 Yet you will die like mortals;
you will fall like all the other rulers.”
82:8 Rise up, O God, and execute judgment on the earth!
For you own all the nations.
A song, a psalm of Asaph.
83:1 O God, do not be silent!
Do not ignore us! Do not be inactive, O God!
83:2 For look, your enemies are making a commotion;
those who hate you are hostile.
83:3 They carefully plot against your people,
and make plans to harm the ones you cherish.
83:4 They say, “Come on, let’s annihilate them so they are no longer a nation!
Then the name of Israel will be remembered no more.”
83:5 Yes, they devise a unified strategy;
they form an alliance against you.
83:6 It includes the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
Moab and the Hagrites,
83:7 Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek,
Philistia and the inhabitants of Tyre.
83:8 Even Assyria has allied with them,
lending its strength to the descendants of Lot. (Selah)
83:9 Do to them as you did to Midian –
as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River!
83:10 They were destroyed at Endor;
their corpses were like manure on the ground.
83:11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
and all their rulers like Zebah and Zalmunna,
83:12 who said, “Let’s take over the pastures of God!”
83:13 O my God, make them like dead thistles,
like dead weeds blown away by the wind!
83:14 Like the fire that burns down the forest,
or the flames that consume the mountainsides,
83:15 chase them with your gale winds,
and terrify them with your windstorm.
83:16 Cover their faces with shame,
so they might seek you, O Lord.
83:17 May they be humiliated and continually terrified!
May they die in shame!
83:18 Then they will know that you alone are the Lord,
the sovereign king over all the earth.