The Holy Bible

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

[22:1] My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?

[22:2] O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.

[22:3] Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.

[22:4] In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.

[22:5] To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

[22:6] But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people.

[22:7] All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;

[22:8] “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

[22:9] Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts.

[22:10] On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

[22:11] Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help.

[22:12] Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me;

[22:13] they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.

[22:14] I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast;

[22:15] my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.

[22:16] For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet —

[22:17] I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me;

[22:18] they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

[22:19] But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid!

[22:20] Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog!

[22:21] Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!

[22:22] I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:

[22:23] You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!

[22:24] For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.

[22:25] From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him.

[22:26] The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever!

[22:27] All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.

[22:28] For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.

[22:29] All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive.

[22:30] Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;

[22:31] they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.

To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. A Psalm of David.

[23:1] The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

[23:2] He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

[23:3] He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

[23:4] Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

[23:5] You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

[23:6] Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

A Psalm of David.

[24:1] The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,

[24:2] for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.

[24:3] Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place?

[24:4] He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.

[24:5] He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

[24:6] Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah

[24:7] Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.

[24:8] Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle!

[24:9] Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.

[24:10] Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah

A Psalm of David.

[25:1] To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

[25:2] O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me.

[25:3] Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

[25:4] Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.

[25:5] Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.

[25:6] Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.

[25:7] Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!

[25:8] Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.

[25:9] He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.

[25:10] All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

[25:11] For your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great.

[25:12] Who is the man who fears the Lord? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.

[25:13] His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land.

[25:14] The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.

[25:15] My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

[25:16] Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.

[25:17] The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses.

[25:18] Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.

[25:19] Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they hate me.

[25:20] Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me! Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.

[25:21] May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.

[25:22] Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.

Of David.

[26:1] Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.

[26:2] Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind.

[26:3] For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness.

[26:4] I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites.

[26:5] I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked.

[26:6] I wash my hands in innocence and go around your altar, O Lord,

[26:7] proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling all your wondrous deeds.

[26:8] O Lord, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells.

[26:9] Do not sweep my soul away with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men,

[26:10] in whose hands are evil devices, and whose right hands are full of bribes.

[26:11] But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me.

[26:12] My foot stands on level ground; in the great assembly I will bless the Lord.

Of David.

[27:1] 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?

[27:2] When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.

[27:3] Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.

[27:4] One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.

[27:5] For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.

[27:6] And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

[27:7] Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me!

[27:8] You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”

[27:9] Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation!

[27:10] For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in.

[27:11] Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.

[27:12] Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence.

[27:13] I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!

[27:14] Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

Of David.

[28:1] To you, O Lord, I call; my rock, be not deaf to me, lest, if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit.

[28:2] Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to you for help, when I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.

[28:3] Do not drag me off with the wicked, with the workers of evil, who speak peace with their neighbors while evil is in their hearts.

[28:4] Give to them according to their work and according to the evil of their deeds; give to them according to the work of their hands; render them their due reward.

[28:5] Because they do not regard the works of the Lord or the work of his hands, he will tear them down and build them up no more.

[28:6] Blessed be the Lord! For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.

[28:7] The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.

[28:8] The Lord is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed.

[28:9] Oh, save your people and bless your heritage! Be their shepherd and carry them forever.

Of David.

[29:1] Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

[29:2] Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.

[29:3] The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over many waters.

[29:4] The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

[29:5] The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.

[29:6] He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox.

[29:7] The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.

[29:8] The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

[29:9] The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth and strips the forests bare, and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

[29:10] The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.

[29:11] May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!

A Psalm of David.

[30:1] I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me.

[30:2] O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.

[30:3] O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.

[30:4] Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.

[30:5] For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

[30:6] As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.”

[30:7] By your favor, O Lord, you made my mountain stand strong; you hid your face; I was dismayed.

[30:8] To you, O Lord, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy:

[30:9] “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness?

[30:10] Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me! O Lord, be my helper!”

[30:11] You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,

[30:12] that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

A Psalm of David. A song at the dedication of the temple.

[31:1] In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me!

[31:2] Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me!

[31:3] For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me;

[31:4] you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge.

[31:5] Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

[31:6] I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols, but I trust in the Lord.

[31:7] I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul,

[31:8] and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; you have set my feet in a broad place.

[31:9] Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also.

[31:10] For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away.

[31:11] Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach, especially to my neighbors, and an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me.

[31:12] I have been forgotten like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel.

[31:13] For I hear the whispering of many— terror on every side!— as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life.

[31:14] But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.”

[31:15] My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!

[31:16] Make your face shine on your servant; save me in your steadfast love!

[31:17] O Lord, let me not be put to shame, for I call upon you; let the wicked be put to shame; let them go silently to Sheol.

[31:18] Let the lying lips be mute, which speak insolently against the righteous in pride and contempt.

[31:19] Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!

[31:20] In the cover of your presence you hide them from the plots of men; you store them in your shelter from the strife of tongues.

[31:21] Blessed be the Lord, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city.

[31:22] I had said in my alarm, “I am cut off from your sight.” But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to you for help.

[31:23] Love the Lord, all you his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.

[31:24] Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!