Psalm 64:1-72:1

Psalm 64In Hebrew texts 64:1-10 is numbered 64:2-11. 1For the director of music. A psalm of David. Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint; protect my life from the threat of the enemy.

2Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, from the plots of evildoers.

3They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.

4They shoot from ambush at the innocent; they shoot suddenly, without fear.

5They encourage each other in evil plans, they talk about hiding their snares; they say, “Who will see it Or us ?”

6They plot injustice and say, “We have devised a perfect plan!” Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.

7But God will shoot them with his arrows; they will suddenly be struck down.

8He will turn their own tongues against them and bring them to ruin; all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.

9All people will fear; they will proclaim the works of God and ponder what he has done. 10The righteous will rejoice in the LORD and take refuge in him; all the upright in heart will glory in him!

Psalm 65In Hebrew texts 65:1-13 is numbered 65:2-14. 1For the director of music. A psalm of David. A song. Praise awaits Or befits; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain. you, our God, in Zion; to you our vows will be fulfilled.

2You who answer prayer, to you all people will come.

3When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave Or made atonement for our transgressions.

4Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple.

5You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas,

6who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength,

7who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations.

8The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.

9You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. Or for that is how you prepare the land

10You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops.

11You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance.

12The grasslands of the wilderness overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness. 13The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing.

Psalm 66 1For the director of music. A song. A psalm. Shout for joy to God, all the earth!

2Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious.

3Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you.

4All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing the praises of your name.” The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 7 and 15.

5Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind!

6He turned the sea into dry land, they passed through the waters on foot— come, let us rejoice in him.

7He rules forever by his power, his eyes watch the nations— let not the rebellious rise up against him.

8Praise our God, all peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard;

9he has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping.

10For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver.

11You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs.

12You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.

13I will come to your temple with burnt offerings and fulfill my vows to you—

14vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke when I was in trouble.

15I will sacrifice fat animals to you and an offering of rams; I will offer bulls and goats.

16Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me.

17I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue.

18If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;

19but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. 20Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!

Psalm 67In Hebrew texts 67:1-7 is numbered 67:2-8. 1For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song. May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us— The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 4.

2so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.

3May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you.

4May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples with equity and guide the nations of the earth.

5May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you.

6The land yields its harvest; God, our God, blesses us. 7May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.

Psalm 68In Hebrew texts 68:1-35 is numbered 68:2-36. 1For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song. May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him.

2May you blow them away like smoke— as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God.

3But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.

4Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds Or name, / prepare the way for him who rides through the deserts ; rejoice before him—his name is the LORD .

5A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.

6God sets the lonely in families, Or the desolate in a homeland he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

7When you, God, went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 19 and 32.

8the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.

9You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance.

10Your people settled in it, and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor.

11The Lord announces the word, and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng:

12“Kings and armies flee in haste; the women at home divide the plunder.

13Even while you sleep among the sheep pens, Or the campfires; or the saddlebags the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver, its feathers with shining gold.”

14When the Almighty Hebrew Shaddai scattered the kings in the land, it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon.

15Mount Bashan, majestic mountain, Mount Bashan, rugged mountain,

16why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain, at the mountain where God chooses to reign, where the LORD himself will dwell forever?

17The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands; the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary. Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text Lord is among them at Sinai in holiness

18When you ascended on high, you took many captives; you received gifts from people, even from Or gifts for people, / even the rebellious— that you, Or they LORD God, might dwell there.

19Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.

20Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death.

21Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies, the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.

22The Lord says, “I will bring them from Bashan; I will bring them from the depths of the sea,

23that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes, while the tongues of your dogs have their share.”

24Your procession, God, has come into view, the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.

25In front are the singers, after them the musicians; with them are the young women playing the timbrels.

26Praise God in the great congregation; praise the LORD in the assembly of Israel.

27There is the little tribe of Benjamin, leading them, there the great throng of Judah’s princes, and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.

28Summon your power, God Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts Your God has summoned power for you ; show us your strength, our God, as you have done before.

29Because of your temple at Jerusalem kings will bring you gifts.

30Rebuke the beast among the reeds, the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations. Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war.

31Envoys will come from Egypt; Cush That is, the upper Nile region will submit herself to God.

32Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth, sing praise to the Lord,

33to him who rides across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens, who thunders with mighty voice.

34Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the heavens. 35You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!

Psalm 69In Hebrew texts 69:1-36 is numbered 69:2-37. 1For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of David. Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.

2I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me.

3I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God.

4Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy me. I am forced to restore what I did not steal.

5You, God, know my folly; my guilt is not hidden from you.

6Lord, the LORD Almighty, may those who hope in you not be disgraced because of me; God of Israel, may those who seek you not be put to shame because of me.

7For I endure scorn for your sake, and shame covers my face.

8I am a foreigner to my own family, a stranger to my own mother’s children;

9for zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.

10When I weep and fast, I must endure scorn;

11when I put on sackcloth, people make sport of me.

12Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of the drunkards.

13But I pray to you, LORD, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation.

14Rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink; deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters.

15Do not let the floodwaters engulf me or the depths swallow me up or the pit close its mouth over me.

16Answer me, LORD, out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me.

17Do not hide your face from your servant; answer me quickly, for I am in trouble.

18Come near and rescue me; deliver me because of my foes.

19You know how I am scorned, disgraced and shamed; all my enemies are before you.

20Scorn has broken my heart and has left me helpless; I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found none.

21They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.

22May the table set before them become a snare; may it become retribution and Or snare / and their fellowship become a trap.

23May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.

24Pour out your wrath on them; let your fierce anger overtake them.

25May their place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in their tents.

26For they persecute those you wound and talk about the pain of those you hurt.

27Charge them with crime upon crime; do not let them share in your salvation.

28May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous.

29But as for me, afflicted and in pain— may your salvation, God, protect me.

30I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.

31This will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hooves.

32The poor will see and be glad— you who seek God, may your hearts live!

33The LORD hears the needy and does not despise his captive people.

34Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and all that move in them,

35for God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah. Then people will settle there and possess it; 36the children of his servants will inherit it, and those who love his name will dwell there.

Psalm 70In Hebrew texts 70:1-5 is numbered 70:2-6. 1For the director of music. Of David. A petition. Hasten, O God, to save me; come quickly, LORD, to help me.

2May those who want to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.

3May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!” turn back because of their shame.

4But 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!” 5But as for me, I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; LORD, do not delay.

Psalm 71 1In you, LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame.

2In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me; turn your ear to me and save me.

3Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

4Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.

5For you have been my hope, Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth.

6From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb. I will ever praise you.

7I have become a sign to many; you are my strong refuge.

8My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.

9Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone.

10For my enemies speak against me; those who wait to kill me conspire together.

11They say, “God has forsaken him; pursue him and seize him, for no one will rescue him.”

12Do not be far from me, my God; come quickly, God, to help me.

13May my accusers perish in shame; may those who want to harm me be covered with scorn and disgrace.

14As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.

15My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long— though I know not how to relate them all.

16I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign LORD ; I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.

17Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.

18Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.

19Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens, you who have done great things. Who is like you, God?

20Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up.

21You will increase my honor and comfort me once more.

22I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel.

23My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you— I whom you have delivered. 24My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion.

Psalm 72 1Of Solomon. Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness.