Sermon Central
Psalm 35-39
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.”