Psalm 28-30

New International Reader's Version

A psalm of David.

28 Lord, my Rock, I call out to you.
    Pay attention to me.
If you remain silent, I will die.
    I will be like those who go down into the grave.
²Hear my cry for your favor
    when I call out to you for help.
Hear me when I lift up my hands in prayer
    toward your Most Holy Room.

³Don’t drag me away with sinners.
    Don’t drag me away with those who do evil.
They speak in a friendly way to their neighbors.
    But their hearts are full of hate.
⁴Pay them back for their evil actions.
    Pay them back for what their hands have done.
    Give them exactly what they should get.
⁵They don’t care about the Lord’s mighty acts.
    They don’t care about what his hands have done.
So he will tear them down.
    He will never build them up again.

⁶Give praise to the Lord.
    He has heard my cry for his favor.
⁷The Lord gives me strength. He is like a shield that keeps me safe.
    My heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart jumps for joy.
    With my song I praise him.

⁸The Lord gives strength to his people.
He guards and saves his anointed king.
⁹Save your people. Bless those who belong to you.
Be their shepherd. Take care of them forever.

A psalm of David.

29 Praise the Lord, you angels in heaven.
Praise the Lord for his glory and strength.
²Praise the Lord for the glory that belongs to him.
Worship the Lord because of his beauty and holiness.

³The voice of the Lord is heard over the waters.
    The God of glory thunders.
    The Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
⁴The voice of the Lord is powerful.
    The voice of the Lord is majestic.
⁵The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees.
    The Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon into pieces.
⁶He makes the mountains of Lebanon leap like a calf.
    He makes Mount Hermon jump like a young wild ox.
⁷The voice of the Lord strikes
    with flashes of lightning.
⁸The voice of the Lord shakes the desert.
    The Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
⁹The voice of the Lord twists the oak trees.
    It strips the forests bare.
    And in his temple everyone cries out, “Glory!”

¹⁰The Lord on his throne rules over the flood.
The Lord rules from his throne as King forever.
¹¹The Lord gives strength to his people.
The Lord blesses his people with peace.

A psalm of David. A song for setting apart the completed temple to God.

30 Lord, I will give you honor.
    You brought me out of deep trouble.
    You didn’t give my enemies the joy of seeing me die.
²Lord my God, I called out to you for help.
    And you healed me.
³Lord, you brought me up from the place of the dead.
    You kept me from going down into the pit.

⁴Sing the praises of the Lord, you who are faithful to him.
    Praise him, because his name is holy.
⁵His anger lasts for only a moment.
    But his favor lasts for a person’s whole life.
Weeping can stay for the night.
    But joy comes in the morning.

⁶When I felt safe, I said,
    “I will always be secure.”
⁷Lord, when you gave me your help,
    you made Mount Zion stand firm.
But when you took away your help,
    I was terrified.

⁸Lord, I called out to you.
    I cried to you for mercy.
⁹I said, “What good will come if I become silent in death?
    What good will come if I go down into the grave?
Can the dust of my dead body praise you?
    Can it tell how faithful you are?
¹⁰Lord, hear me. Have mercy on me.
    Lord, help me.”

¹¹You turned my loud crying into dancing.
You removed my clothes of sadness and dressed me with joy.
¹²So my heart will sing your praises. I can’t keep silent.
Lord, my God, I will praise you forever.