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 1

New International Version

BOOK I

Psalms 1–41

Psalm 1

¹Blessed is the one^(A)
    who does not walk^(B) in step with the wicked^(C)
or stand in the way^(D) that sinners take^(E)
    or sit^(F) in the company of mockers,^(G)
²but whose delight^(H) is in the law of the Lord,^(I)
    and who meditates^(J) on his law day and night.
³That person is like a tree^(K) planted by streams^(L) of water,^(M)
    which yields its fruit^(N) in season
and whose leaf^(O) does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.^(P)

⁴Not so the wicked!
    They are like chaff^(Q)
    that the wind blows away.
⁵Therefore the wicked will not stand^(R) in the judgment,^(S)
    nor sinners in the assembly^(T) of the righteous.

⁶For the Lord watches over^(U) the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.^(V)

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.

Footnotes

Psalm 14:2 Or that act wisely
Psalm 14:6 Or for

Psalm 13-15

New International Version

Psalm 13^[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹How long,^(A) Lord? Will you forget me^(B) forever?
    How long will you hide your face^(C) from me?
²How long must I wrestle with my thoughts^(D)
    and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
    How long will my enemy triumph over me?^(E)

³Look on me^(F) and answer,^(G) Lord my God.
Give light to my eyes,^(H) or I will sleep in death,^(I)
⁴and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,^(J)”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.^(K)

⁵But I trust in your unfailing love;^(L)
my heart rejoices in your salvation.^(M)
⁶I will sing^(N) the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.

Psalm 14^(O)

For the director of music. Of David.

¹The fool^[b] says in his heart,
“There is no God.”^(P)
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good.

²The Lord looks down from heaven^(Q)
    on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,^(R)
    any who seek God.^(S)
³All have turned away,^(T) all have become corrupt;^(U)
    there is no one who does good,^(V)
    not even one.^(W)

⁴Do all these evildoers know nothing?^(X)

They devour my people^(Y) as though eating bread;
    they never call on the Lord.^(Z)
⁵But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
    for God is present in the company of the righteous.
⁶You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,
    but the Lord is their refuge.^(AA)

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

Psalm 15

A psalm of David.

¹Lord, who may dwell^(AD) in your sacred tent?^(AE)
Who may live on your holy mountain?^(AF)

²The one whose walk is blameless,^(AG)
    who does what is righteous,
    who speaks the truth^(AH) from their heart;
³whose tongue utters no slander,^(AI)
    who does no wrong to a neighbor,
    and casts no slur on others;
⁴who despises a vile person
    but honors^(AJ) those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath^(AK) even when it hurts,
    and does not change their mind;
⁵who lends money to the poor without interest;^(AL)
    who does not accept a bribe^(AM) against the innocent.

Whoever does these things
will never be shaken.^(AN)

Footnotes

Psalm 13:1 In Hebrew texts 13:1-6 is numbered 13:2-6.
Psalm 14:1 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Psalms denote one who is morally deficient.

English Standard Version (ESV)

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 1

English Standard Version

Book One

The Way of the Righteous and the Wicked

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 1

New International Version

BOOK I

Psalms 1–41

Psalm 1

Cross references

Psalm 13-15

English Standard Version

How Long, O Lord?

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

The Fool Says, There Is No God

To the choirmaster. Of David.

Who Shall Dwell on Your Holy Hill?

A Psalm of David.

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 13-15

New International Version

Psalm 13^[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Psalm 14^(O)

For the director of music. Of David.

Psalm 15

A psalm of David.

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 1 English Standard Version

Book One

The Way of the Righteous and the Wicked

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 1 New International Version

BOOK I

Psalms 1–41

Psalm 1

Cross references

Psalm 13-15 English Standard Version

How Long, O Lord?

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

The Fool Says, There Is No God

To the choirmaster. Of David.

Who Shall Dwell on Your Holy Hill?

A Psalm of David.

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 13-15 New International Version

Psalm 13[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Psalm 14(O)

For the director of music. Of David.

Psalm 15

A psalm of David.

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 1

English Standard Version

Psalm 1

New International Version

Psalm 13-15

English Standard Version

Psalm 13-15

New International Version

Psalm 13^[a]

Psalm 14^(O)