Sermon Central
Psalm 27-57
Psalm 27 1Of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?
2When the wicked advance against me to devour
3Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.
4One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.
5For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.
6Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD .
7Hear my voice when I call, LORD ; be merciful to me and answer me.
8My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek.
9Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior.
10Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.
11Teach me your way, LORD ; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.
12Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, spouting malicious accusations.
13I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14Wait for the LORD ; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD .
Psalm 28 1Of David. To you, LORD, I call; you are my Rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who go down to the pit.
2Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.
3Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil, who speak cordially with their neighbors but harbor malice in their hearts.
4Repay them for their deeds and for their evil work; repay them for what their hands have done and bring back on them what they deserve.
5Because they have no regard for the deeds of the LORD and what his hands have done, he will tear them down and never build them up again.
6Praise be to the LORD, for he has heard my cry for mercy.
7The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.
8The LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one. 9Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever.
Psalm 29 1A psalm of David. Ascribe to the LORD, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
2Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his
3The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.
4The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic.
5The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
6He makes Lebanon leap like a calf, Sirion
7The voice of the LORD strikes with flashes of lightning.
8The voice of the LORD shakes the desert; the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
9The voice of the LORD twists the oaks
10The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever. 11The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.
Psalm 30
2LORD my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me.
3You, LORD, brought me up from the realm of the dead; you spared me from going down to the pit.
4Sing the praises of the LORD, you his faithful people; praise his holy name.
5For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
6When I felt secure, I said, “I will never be shaken.”
7LORD, when you favored me, you made my royal mountain
8To you, LORD, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy:
9“What is gained if I am silenced, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
10Hear, LORD, and be merciful to me; LORD, be my help.”
11You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, 12that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. LORD my God, I will praise you forever.
Psalm 31
2Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.
3Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
4Keep me free from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge.
5Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, LORD, my faithful God.
6I hate those who cling to worthless idols; as for me, I trust in the LORD .
7I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul.
8You have not given me into the hands of the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place.
9Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief.
10My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction,
11Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors and an object of dread to my closest friends— those who see me on the street flee from me.
12I am forgotten as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery.
13For I hear many whispering, “Terror on every side!” They conspire against me and plot to take my life.
14But I trust in you, LORD ; I say, “You are my God.”
15My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me.
16Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love.
17Let me not be put to shame, LORD, for I have cried out to you; but let the wicked be put to shame and be silent in the realm of the dead.
18Let their lying lips be silenced, for with pride and contempt they speak arrogantly against the righteous.
19How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you.
20In the shelter of your presence you hide them from all human intrigues; you keep them safe in your dwelling from accusing tongues.
21Praise be to the LORD, for he showed me the wonders of his love when I was in a city under siege.
22In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from your sight!” Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help.
23Love the LORD, all his faithful people! The LORD preserves those who are true to him, but the proud he pays back in full. 24Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD .
Psalm 32
1Of David. A maskil.
2Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
4For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.
5Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD .” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.
6Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them.
7You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.
8I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
9Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.
10Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD ’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him. 11Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!
Psalm 33 1Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
2Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
3Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.
4For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.
5The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.
6By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
7He gathers the waters of the sea into jars
8Let all the earth fear the LORD ; let all the people of the world revere him.
9For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.
10The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
11But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.
12Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.
13From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind;
14from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth—
15he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.
16No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.
17A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.
18But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
19to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.
20We wait in hope for the LORD ; he is our help and our shield.
21In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. 22May your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our hope in you.
Psalm 34
2I will glory in the LORD ; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.
4I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.
5Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
6This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.
7The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.
8Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
9Fear the LORD, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing.
10The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
11Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD .
12Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,
13keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.
14Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
15The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry;
16but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth.
17The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.
18The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all;
20he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.
21Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned. 22The LORD will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.
Psalm 35 1Of David. Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me.
2Take up shield and armor; arise and come to my aid.
3Brandish spear and javelin
4May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plot my ruin be turned back in dismay.
5May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away;
6may their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.
7Since they hid their net for me without cause and without cause dug a pit for me,
8may ruin overtake them by surprise— may the net they hid entangle them, may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.
9Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and delight in his salvation.
10My whole being will exclaim, “Who is like you, LORD ? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them.”
11Ruthless witnesses come forward; they question me on things I know nothing about.
12They repay me evil for good and leave me like one bereaved.
13Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
14I went about mourning as though for my friend or brother. I bowed my head in grief as though weeping for my mother.
15But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee; assailants gathered against me without my knowledge. They slandered me without ceasing.
16Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;
17How long, Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their ravages, my precious life from these lions.
18I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among the throngs I will praise you.
19Do not let those gloat over me who are my enemies without cause; do not let those who hate me without reason maliciously wink the eye.
20They do not speak peaceably, but devise false accusations against those who live quietly in the land.
21They sneer at me and say, “Aha! Aha! With our own eyes we have seen it.”
22LORD, you have seen this; do not be silent. Do not be far from me, Lord.
23Awake, and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my God and Lord.
24Vindicate me in your righteousness, LORD my God; do not let them gloat over me.
25Do not let them think, “Aha, just what we wanted!” or say, “We have swallowed him up.”
26May all who gloat over my distress be put to shame and confusion; may all who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and disgrace.
27May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, “The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant.” 28My tongue will proclaim your righteousness, your praises all day long.
Psalm 36
2In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin.
3The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful; they fail to act wisely or do good.
4Even on their beds they plot evil; they commit themselves to a sinful course and do not reject what is wrong.
5Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.
6Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, LORD, preserve both people and animals.
7How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights.
9For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.
10Continue your love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart.
11May the foot of the proud not come against me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away. 12See how the evildoers lie fallen— thrown down, not able to rise!
Psalm 37
2for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
3Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5Commit your way to the LORD ; trust in him and he will do this:
6He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.
7Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
8Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
10A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.
11But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.
12The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them;
13but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.
14The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.
15But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.
16Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked;
17for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.
18The blameless spend their days under the LORD ’s care, and their inheritance will endure forever.
19In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.
20But the wicked will perish: Though the LORD ’s enemies are like the flowers of the field, they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.
21The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously;
22those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be destroyed.
23The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him;
24though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
25I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
26They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing.
27Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.
28For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed
29The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.
30The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just.
31The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip.
32The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, intent on putting them to death;
33but the LORD will not leave them in the power of the wicked or let them be condemned when brought to trial.
34Hope in the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.
35I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a luxuriant native tree,
36but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found.
37Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace.
38But all sinners will be destroyed; there will be no future
39The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD ; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. 40The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.
Psalm 38
2Your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down on me.
3Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; there is no soundness in my bones because of my sin.
4My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.
5My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly.
6I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning.
7My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body.
8I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart.
9All my longings lie open before you, Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you.
10My heart pounds, my strength fails me; even the light has gone from my eyes.
11My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds; my neighbors stay far away.
12Those who want to kill me set their traps, those who would harm me talk of my ruin; all day long they scheme and lie.
13I am like the deaf, who cannot hear, like the mute, who cannot speak;
14I have become like one who does not hear, whose mouth can offer no reply.
15LORD, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God.
16For I said, “Do not let them gloat or exalt themselves over me when my feet slip.”
17For I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me.
18I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin.
19Many have become my enemies without cause
20Those who repay my good with evil lodge accusations against me, though I seek only to do what is good.
21LORD, do not forsake me; do not be far from me, my God. 22Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Savior.
Psalm 39
2So I remained utterly silent, not even saying anything good. But my anguish increased;
3my heart grew hot within me. While I meditated, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue:
4“Show me, LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is.
5You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure.
6“Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be.
7“But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.
8Save me from all my transgressions; do not make me the scorn of fools.
9I was silent; I would not open my mouth, for you are the one who has done this.
10Remove your scourge from me; I am overcome by the blow of your hand.
11When you rebuke and discipline anyone for their sin, you consume their wealth like a moth— surely everyone is but a breath.
12“Hear my prayer, LORD, listen to my cry for help; do not be deaf to my weeping. I dwell with you as a foreigner, a stranger, as all my ancestors were. 13Look away from me, that I may enjoy life again before I depart and am no more.”
Psalm 40
2He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
3He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in him.
4Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.
5Many, LORD my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.
6Sacrifice and offering you did not desire— but my ears you have opened
7Then I said, “Here I am, I have come— it is written about me in the scroll.
8I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.”
9I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, LORD, as you know.
10I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help. I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness from the great assembly.
11Do not withhold your mercy from me, LORD ; may your love and faithfulness always protect me.
12For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me.
13Be pleased to save me, LORD ; come quickly, LORD, to help me.
14May all who want to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.
15May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!” be appalled at their own shame.
16But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who long for your saving help always say, “The LORD is great!” 17But as for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; you are my God, do not delay.
Psalm 41
2The LORD protects and preserves them— they are counted among the blessed in the land— he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.
3The LORD sustains them on their sickbed and restores them from their bed of illness.
4I said, “Have mercy on me, LORD ; heal me, for I have sinned against you.”
5My enemies say of me in malice, “When will he die and his name perish?”
6When one of them comes to see me, he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander; then he goes out and spreads it around.
7All my enemies whisper together against me; they imagine the worst for me, saying,
8“A vile disease has afflicted him; he will never get up from the place where he lies.”
9Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned
10But may you have mercy on me, LORD ; raise me up, that I may repay them.
11I know that you are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me.
12Because of my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever. 13Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.
BOOK II Psalm 42
2My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
3My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
4These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One
5Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
6My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
7Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.
8By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.
9I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?”
10My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, “Where is your God?” 11Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
Psalm 43
2You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?
3Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.
4Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. 5Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
Psalm 44
2With your hand you drove out the nations and planted our ancestors; you crushed the peoples and made our ancestors flourish.
3It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them.
4You are my King and my God, who decrees
5Through you we push back our enemies; through your name we trample our foes.
6I put no trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory;
7but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame.
8In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever.
9But now you have rejected and humbled us; you no longer go out with our armies.
10You made us retreat before the enemy, and our adversaries have plundered us.
11You gave us up to be devoured like sheep and have scattered us among the nations.
12You sold your people for a pittance, gaining nothing from their sale.
13You have made us a reproach to our neighbors, the scorn and derision of those around us.
14You have made us a byword among the nations; the peoples shake their heads at us.
15I live in disgrace all day long, and my face is covered with shame
16at the taunts of those who reproach and revile me, because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge.
17All this came upon us, though we had not forgotten you; we had not been false to your covenant.
18Our hearts had not turned back; our feet had not strayed from your path.
19But you crushed us and made us a haunt for jackals; you covered us over with deep darkness.
20If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god,
21would not God have discovered it, since he knows the secrets of the heart?
22Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.
23Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever.
24Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression?
25We are brought down to the dust; our bodies cling to the ground. 26Rise up and help us; rescue us because of your unfailing love.
Psalm 45
2You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever.
3Gird your sword on your side, you mighty one; clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.
4In your majesty ride forth victoriously in the cause of truth, humility and justice; let your right hand achieve awesome deeds.
5Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies; let the nations fall beneath your feet.
6Your throne, O God,
7You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.
8All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; from palaces adorned with ivory the music of the strings makes you glad.
9Daughters of kings are among your honored women; at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir.
10Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention: Forget your people and your father’s house.
11Let the king be enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord.
12The city of Tyre will come with a gift,
13All glorious is the princess within her chamber; her gown is interwoven with gold.
14In embroidered garments she is led to the king; her virgin companions follow her— those brought to be with her.
15Led in with joy and gladness, they enter the palace of the king.
16Your sons will take the place of your fathers; you will make them princes throughout the land. 17I will perpetuate your memory through all generations; therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.
Psalm 46
2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
4There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
6Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8Come and see what the LORD has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields
10He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” 11The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Psalm 47
2For the LORD Most High is awesome, the great King over all the earth.
3He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet.
4He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
5God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.
6Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise.
8God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne.
9The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings
Psalm 48
2Beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth, like the heights of Zaphon
3God is in her citadels; he has shown himself to be her fortress.
4When the kings joined forces, when they advanced together,
5they saw her and were astounded; they fled in terror.
6Trembling seized them there, pain like that of a woman in labor.
7You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish shattered by an east wind.
8As we have heard, so we have seen in the city of the LORD Almighty, in the city of our God: God makes her secure forever.
9Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.
10Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness.
11Mount Zion rejoices, the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments.
12Walk about Zion, go around her, count her towers,
13consider well her ramparts, view her citadels, that you may tell of them to the next generation. 14For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.
Psalm 49
2both low and high, rich and poor alike:
3My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.
4I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle:
5Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me—
6those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?
7No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them—
8the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—
9so that they should live on forever and not see decay.
10For all can see that the wise die, that the foolish and the senseless also perish, leaving their wealth to others.
11Their tombs will remain their houses
12People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish.
13This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings.
14They are like sheep and are destined to die; death will be their shepherd (but the upright will prevail over them in the morning). Their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions.
15But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.
16Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases;
17for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them.
18Though while they live they count themselves blessed— and people praise you when you prosper—
19they will join those who have gone before them, who will never again see the light of life. 20People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish.
Psalm 50 1A psalm of Asaph. The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets.
2From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth.
3Our God comes and will not be silent; a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages.
4He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people:
5“Gather to me this consecrated people, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
6And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for he is a God of justice.
7“Listen, my people, and I will speak; I will testify against you, Israel: I am God, your God.
8I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me.
9I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens,
10for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.
11I know every bird in the mountains, and the insects in the fields are mine.
12If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it.
13Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?
14“Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High,
15and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”
16But to the wicked person, God says: “What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips?
17You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you.
18When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers.
19You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit.
20You sit and testify against your brother and slander your own mother’s son.
21When you did these things and I kept silent, you thought I was exactly
22“Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you:
23Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless
Psalm 51
2Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
3For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
4Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.
5Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
7Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
10Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.
14Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise.
16You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17My sacrifice, O God, is
18May it please you to prosper Zion, to build up the walls of Jerusalem. 19Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous, in burnt offerings offered whole; then bulls will be offered on your altar.
Psalm 52
2You who practice deceit, your tongue plots destruction; it is like a sharpened razor.
3You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth.
4You love every harmful word, you deceitful tongue!
5Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin: He will snatch you up and pluck you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living.
6The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh at you, saying,
7“Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!”
8But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. 9For what you have done I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people. And I will hope in your name, for your name is good.
Psalm 53
2God looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.
3Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.
4Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on God.
5But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to dread. God scattered the bones of those who attacked you; you put them to shame, for God despised them. 6Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When God restores his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
Psalm 54
2Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth.
3Arrogant foes are attacking me; ruthless people are trying to kill me— people without regard for God.
4Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.
5Let evil recoil on those who slander me; in your faithfulness destroy them.
6I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, LORD, for it is good. 7You have delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.
Psalm 55
2hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught
3because of what my enemy is saying, because of the threats of the wicked; for they bring down suffering on me and assail me in their anger.
4My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen on me.
5Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me.
6I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.
7I would flee far away and stay in the desert;
8I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm.”
9Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words, for I see violence and strife in the city.
10Day and night they prowl about on its walls; malice and abuse are within it.
11Destructive forces are at work in the city; threats and lies never leave its streets.
12If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were rising against me, I could hide.
13But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend,
14with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship at the house of God, as we walked about among the worshipers.
15Let death take my enemies by surprise; let them go down alive to the realm of the dead, for evil finds lodging among them.
16As for me, I call to God, and the LORD saves me.
17Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.
18He rescues me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me.
19God, who is enthroned from of old, who does not change— he will hear them and humble them, because they have no fear of God.
20My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant.
21His talk is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords.
22Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. 23But you, God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of decay; the bloodthirsty and deceitful will not live out half their days. But as for me, I trust in you.
Psalm 56
2My adversaries pursue me all day long; in their pride many are attacking me.
3When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
4In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?
5All day long they twist my words; all their schemes are for my ruin.
6They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps, hoping to take my life.
7Because of their wickedness do not
8Record my misery; list my tears on your scroll
9Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that God is for me.
10In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise—
11in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?
12I am under vows to you, my God; I will present my thank offerings to you. 13For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.
Psalm 57
2I cry out to God Most High, to God, who vindicates me.
3He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly pursue me—
4I am in the midst of lions; I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts— men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.
5Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.
6They spread a net for my feet— I was bowed down in distress. They dug a pit in my path— but they have fallen into it themselves.
7My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.
8Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.
9I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.
10For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. 11Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.