Psalm 34:8-37:4

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 Or and block the way against those who pursue me. Say to me, “I am your salvation.”

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; Septuagint; Hebrew may mean Like an ungodly circle of mockers, they gnashed their teeth at me.

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 36In Hebrew texts 36:1-12 is numbered 36:2-13. 1For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD . I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: Or A message from God: The transgression of the wicked / resides in their hearts. There is no fear of God before their eyes.

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 37This psalm is an acrostic poem, the stanzas of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. 1Of David. Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong;

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.