Psalm 101:1-103:22

Psalm 101 1Of David. A psalm. I will sing of your love and justice; to you, LORD, I will sing praise.

2I will be careful to lead a blameless life— when will you come to me? I will conduct the affairs of my house with a blameless heart.

3I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it.

4The perverse of heart shall be far from me; I will have nothing to do with what is evil.

5Whoever slanders their neighbor in secret, I will put to silence; whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, I will not tolerate.

6My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; the one whose walk is blameless will minister to me.

7No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence. 8Every morning I will put to silence all the wicked in the land; I will cut off every evildoer from the city of the LORD .

Psalm 102In Hebrew texts 102:1-28 is numbered 102:2-29. 1A prayer of an afflicted person who has grown weak and pours out a lament before the LORD . Hear my prayer, LORD ; let my cry for help come to you.

2Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly.

3For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers.

4My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food.

5In my distress I groan aloud and am reduced to skin and bones.

6I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins.

7I lie awake; I have become like a bird alone on a roof.

8All day long my enemies taunt me; those who rail against me use my name as a curse.

9For I eat ashes as my food and mingle my drink with tears

10because of your great wrath, for you have taken me up and thrown me aside.

11My days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass.

12But you, LORD, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations.

13You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come.

14For her stones are dear to your servants; her very dust moves them to pity.

15The nations will fear the name of the LORD, all the kings of the earth will revere your glory.

16For the LORD will rebuild Zion and appear in his glory.

17He will respond to the prayer of the destitute; he will not despise their plea.

18Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the LORD :

19“The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth,

20to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death.”

21So the name of the LORD will be declared in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem

22when the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to worship the LORD .

23In the course of my life Or By his power he broke my strength; he cut short my days.

24So I said: “Do not take me away, my God, in the midst of my days; your years go on through all generations.

25In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.

26They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded.

27But you remain the same, and your years will never end. 28The children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you.”

Psalm 103 1Of David. Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

2Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—

3who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,

4who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,

5who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

6The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.

7He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel:

8The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

9He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;

10he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.

11For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;

12as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

13As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

14for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.

15The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field;

16the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.

17But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD ’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—

18with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.

19The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.

20Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.

21Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. 22Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the LORD, my soul.