Psalm 1

English Standard Version

Book One

The Way of the Righteous and the Wicked

1 Blessed is the man^[a]
    who ^(A)walks not in ^(B)the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in ^(C)the way of sinners,
    nor ^(D)sits in ^(E)the seat of ^(F)scoffers;
²but his ^(G)delight is in the law^[b] of the Lord,
    and on his ^(H)law he meditates day and night.

³He is like ^(I)a tree
    planted by ^(J)streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
    and its ^(K)leaf does not wither.
^(L)In all that he does, he prospers.
⁴The wicked are not so,
    but are like ^(M)chaff that the wind drives away.

⁵Therefore the wicked ^(N)will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in ^(O)the congregation of the righteous;
⁶for the Lord ^(P)knows ^(Q)the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

Footnotes

Psalm 1:1 The singular Hebrew word for man (ish) is used here to portray a representative example of a godly person; see Preface
Psalm 1:2 Or instruction

Psalm 13-15

English Standard Version

How Long, O Lord?

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

13 ^(A)How long, O Lord? Will you ^(B)forget me forever?
How long will you ^(C)hide your face from me?
²How long must I take ^(D)counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

³^(E)Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
^(F)light up my eyes, lest ^(G)I sleep the sleep of death,
⁴^(H)lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
lest my foes rejoice because I am ^(I)shaken.

⁵But I have ^(J)trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall ^(K)rejoice in your salvation.
⁶I will sing to the Lord,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.

The Fool Says, There Is No God

To the choirmaster. Of David.

14 ^(L)The ^(M)fool says in his heart, ^(N)“There is no God.”
They are ^(O)corrupt, they do abominable deeds;
^(P)there is none who does good.

²The Lord ^(Q)looks down from heaven on the children of man,
to see if there are any who understand,^[a]
who ^(R)seek after God.

³They have all turned aside; together they have become ^(S)corrupt;
there is none who does good,
not even one.

⁴Have they no ^(T)knowledge, all the evildoers
who ^(U)eat up my people as they eat bread
and ^(V)do not call upon the Lord?

⁵There they are in great terror,
for God is with ^(W)the generation of the righteous.
⁶You would shame the plans of the poor,
but^[b] the Lord is his ^(X)refuge.

⁷Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the Lord ^(Y)restores the fortunes of his people,
let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

Who Shall Dwell on Your Holy Hill?

A Psalm of David.

15 O Lord, ^(Z)who shall sojourn in your ^(AA)tent?
Who shall dwell on your ^(AB)holy hill?

²He who ^(AC)walks blamelessly and ^(AD)does what is right
    and ^(AE)speaks truth in his heart;
³who ^(AF)does not slander with his tongue
    and does no evil to his neighbor,
    nor ^(AG)takes up a reproach against his friend;
⁴^(AH)in whose eyes a vile person is despised,
    but who honors those who fear the Lord;
who ^(AI)swears to his own hurt and does not change;
⁵who ^(AJ)does not put out his money at interest
    and ^(AK)does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be ^(AL)moved.