Psalm 4-6

New American Standard Bible

Evening Prayer of Trust in God.

^[a]For the music director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

4 ^(A)Answer me when ^(B)I call, God ^[b]of my righteousness!
You have ^[c]^(C)relieved me in my distress;
Be ^(D)gracious to me and ^(E)hear my prayer.

²You sons of man, how long will ^(F)my ^[d]honor be treated as ^(G)an insult?
How long will you love ^(H)what is worthless and strive for a ^(I)lie? Selah
³But know that the Lord has ^[e]^(J)set apart the ^(K)godly person for Himself;
The Lord ^(L)hears when I call to Him.

⁴^[f]^(M)Tremble, ^[g]^(N)and do not sin;
^[h]^(O)Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah
⁵Offer ^[i]the ^(P)sacrifices of righteousness,
And ^(Q)trust in the Lord.

⁶Many are saying, “^(R)Who will show us anything good?”
^(S)Lift up the light of Your face upon us, Lord!
⁷You have put ^(T)joy in my heart,
More than when their grain and new wine are abundant.
⁸In peace I will ^[j]both ^(U)lie down and sleep,
For You alone, Lord, have me ^(V)dwell in safety.

Prayer for Protection from the Wicked.

For the music director; for ^[k]flute accompaniment. A Psalm of David.

5 ^(W)Listen to my words, Lord,
Consider my ^(X)sighing.
²Listen to ^(Y)the sound of my cry for help, ^(Z)my King and my God,
For to You I pray.
³In the morning, Lord, ^[l]You will hear my voice;
In the ^(AA)morning I will present my ^[m]prayer to You and be on the ^(AB)watch.

⁴For You are not a God ^(AC)who takes pleasure in wickedness;
^(AD)No evil can dwell with You.
⁵The ^(AE)boastful will not ^(AF)stand before Your eyes;
You ^(AG)hate all who do injustice.
⁶You ^(AH)destroy those who speak lies;
The Lord loathes ^(AI)the person of bloodshed and deceit.
⁷But as for me, ^(AJ)by Your abundant graciousness I will enter Your house,
^[n]At Your holy temple I will ^(AK)bow in ^(AL)reverence for You.

⁸Lord, ^(AM)lead me ^(AN)in Your righteousness ^(AO)because of my enemies;
Make Your way ^[o]straight before me.
⁹For there is ^(AP)nothing ^[p]trustworthy in ^[q]their mouth;
Their ^(AQ)inward part is destruction itself.
Their ^(AR)throat is an open grave;
They ^[r]flatter with their tongue.
¹⁰Make them pay, God;
^(AS)Have them fall by their own schemes!
^(AT)Scatter them in the multitude of their wrongdoings,
For they are ^(AU)rebellious against You.

¹¹But ^(AV)rejoice, all who ^(AW)take refuge in You,
Sing for joy forever!
And ^[s]may You ^(AX)shelter them,
That those who ^(AY)love Your name may rejoice in You.
¹²For You ^(AZ)bless the righteous person, Lord,
You ^(BA)surround him with favor as with a shield.

Prayer for Mercy in Time of Trouble.

For the music director; with stringed instruments, ^[t]upon an eight-string lyre. A Psalm of David.

6 Lord, ^(BB)do not rebuke me in Your anger,
Nor discipline me in Your wrath.
²Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am ^(BC)frail;
^(BD)Heal me, Lord, for ^(BE)my bones are horrified.
³And my ^(BF)soul is greatly horrified;
But You, Lord—^(BG)how long?

⁴Return, Lord, ^(BH)rescue my ^[u]soul;
Save me because of Your mercy.
⁵For ^(BI)there is no ^[v]mention of You in death;
In ^[w]Sheol, who will praise You?

⁶I am ^(BJ)weary with my sighing;
Every night I make my bed swim,
I flood my couch with ^(BK)my tears.
⁷My ^(BL)eye has wasted away with grief;
It has grown old because of all my enemies.

⁸^(BM)Leave me, all you who practice injustice,
For the Lord ^(BN)has heard the sound of my weeping.
⁹The Lord ^(BO)has heard my pleading,
The Lord ^(BP)receives my prayer.
¹⁰All my enemies will ^(BQ)be put to shame and greatly horrified;
They shall ^[x]turn back, they will ^(BR)suddenly be put to shame.

Footnotes

Psalm 4 Title I.e., Belonging to the choir director’s anthology
Psalm 4:1 I.e., who maintains my right
Psalm 4:1 Lit made room for
Psalm 4:2 Or glory
Psalm 4:3 Another reading is dealt wonderfully with
Psalm 4:4 I.e., with anger or fear
Psalm 4:4 Or but
Psalm 4:4 Lit Speak
Psalm 4:5 Or righteous sacrifices
Psalm 4:8 Or at the same time
Psalm 5 Title Heb Nehiloth
Psalm 5:3 Or May You hear
Psalm 5:3 Or sacrifice
Psalm 5:7 Or Toward
Psalm 5:8 Or smooth
Psalm 5:9 Or true
Psalm 5:9 So ancient versions; MT his
Psalm 5:9 Or make their tongue smooth
Psalm 5:11 Or You shelter
Psalm 6 Title Or according to a lower octave (Heb Sheminith)
Psalm 6:4 Or life
Psalm 6:5 Or remembrance
Psalm 6:5 I.e., the netherworld
Psalm 6:10 Or again be abruptly put to shame

Psalm 4-6

New International Version

Psalm 4^[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.

¹Answer me^(A) when I call to you,
my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;^(B)
have mercy^(C) on me and hear my prayer.^(D)

²How long will you people turn my glory^(E) into shame?^(F)
How long will you love delusions and seek false gods^[b]?^[c]^(G)
³Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant^(H) for himself;
the Lord hears^(I) when I call to him.

⁴Tremble and^[d] do not sin;^(J)
    when you are on your beds,^(K)
    search your hearts and be silent.
⁵Offer the sacrifices of the righteous
    and trust in the Lord.^(L)

⁶Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”
Let the light of your face shine on us.^(M)
⁷Fill my heart^(N) with joy^(O)
when their grain and new wine^(P) abound.

⁸In peace^(Q) I will lie down and sleep,^(R)
for you alone, Lord,
make me dwell in safety.^(S)

Psalm 5^[e]

For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.

¹Listen^(T) to my words, Lord,
    consider my lament.^(U)
²Hear my cry for help,^(V)
    my King and my God,^(W)
    for to you I pray.

³In the morning,^(X) Lord, you hear my voice;
    in the morning I lay my requests before you
    and wait expectantly.^(Y)
⁴For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
    with you, evil people^(Z) are not welcome.
⁵The arrogant^(AA) cannot stand^(AB)
    in your presence.
You hate^(AC) all who do wrong;
⁶    you destroy those who tell lies.^(AD)
The bloodthirsty and deceitful
    you, Lord, detest.
⁷But I, by your great love,
    can come into your house;
in reverence^(AE) I bow down^(AF)
    toward your holy temple.^(AG)

⁸Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness^(AH)
    because of my enemies—
    make your way straight^(AI) before me.
⁹Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
    their heart is filled with malice.
Their throat is an open grave;^(AJ)
    with their tongues they tell lies.^(AK)
¹⁰Declare them guilty, O God!
    Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,^(AL)
    for they have rebelled^(AM) against you.
¹¹But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
    let them ever sing for joy.^(AN)
Spread your protection over them,
    that those who love your name^(AO) may rejoice in you.^(AP)

¹²Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;^(AQ)
you surround them^(AR) with your favor as with a shield.^(AS)

Psalm 6^[f]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith.^[g] A psalm of David.

¹Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger^(AT)
    or discipline me in your wrath.
²Have mercy on me,^(AU) Lord, for I am faint;^(AV)
    heal me,^(AW) Lord, for my bones are in agony.^(AX)
³My soul is in deep anguish.^(AY)
    How long,^(AZ) Lord, how long?

⁴Turn,^(BA) Lord, and deliver me;
save me because of your unfailing love.^(BB)
⁵Among the dead no one proclaims your name.
Who praises you from the grave?^(BC)

⁶I am worn out^(BD) from my groaning.^(BE)

All night long I flood my bed with weeping^(BF)
and drench my couch with tears.^(BG)
⁷My eyes grow weak^(BH) with sorrow;
they fail because of all my foes.

⁸Away from me,^(BI) all you who do evil,^(BJ)
    for the Lord has heard my weeping.
⁹The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;^(BK)
    the Lord accepts my prayer.
¹⁰All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish;^(BL)
    they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.^(BM)

Footnotes

Psalm 4:1 In Hebrew texts 4:1-8 is numbered 4:2-9.
Psalm 4:2 Or seek lies
Psalm 4:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 4.
Psalm 4:4 Or In your anger (see Septuagint)
Psalm 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1-12 is numbered 5:2-13.
Psalm 6:1 In Hebrew texts 6:1-10 is numbered 6:2-11.
Psalm 6:1 Title: Probably a musical term

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

New American Standard Bible is made available by The Lockman Foundation

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 4-6

New American Standard Bible

Evening Prayer of Trust in God.

^[a]For the music director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

Prayer for Protection from the Wicked.

For the music director; for ^[k]flute accompaniment. A Psalm of David.

Prayer for Mercy in Time of Trouble.

For the music director; with stringed instruments, ^[t]upon an eight-string lyre. A Psalm of David.

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 4-6

New International Version

Psalm 4^[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.

Psalm 5^[e]

For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.

Psalm 6^[f]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith.^[g] A psalm of David.

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 4-6 New American Standard Bible

Evening Prayer of Trust in God.

[a]For the music director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

Prayer for Protection from the Wicked.

For the music director; for [k]flute accompaniment. A Psalm of David.

Prayer for Mercy in Time of Trouble.

For the music director; with stringed instruments, [t]upon an eight-string lyre. A Psalm of David.

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 4-6 New International Version

Psalm 4[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.

Psalm 5[e]

For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.

Psalm 6[f]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith.[g] A psalm of David.

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 4-6

New American Standard Bible

^[a]For the music director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

For the music director; for ^[k]flute accompaniment. A Psalm of David.

For the music director; with stringed instruments, ^[t]upon an eight-string lyre. A Psalm of David.

Psalm 4-6

New International Version

Psalm 4^[a]

Psalm 5^[e]

Psalm 6^[f]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith.^[g] A psalm of David.