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(By David.)

A Prayer for Guidance and Help

I offer you my heart, Lord God,
    and I trust you.
Don't make me ashamed
    or let enemies defeat me.
Don't disappoint any
    of your worshipers,
but disappoint all
    deceitful liars.
Show me your paths
    and teach me to follow;
guide me by your truth
    and instruct me.
You keep me safe,
    and I always trust you.

Please, Lord, remember,
you have always
    been patient and kind.
Forget each wrong I did
    when I was young.
Show how truly kind you are
    and remember me.
You are honest and merciful,
and you teach sinners
    how to follow your path.

You lead humble people
to do what is right
    and to stay on your path.
10 In everything you do,
    you are kind and faithful
to everyone who keeps
    our agreement with you.

11 Be true to your name, Lord,
by forgiving each one
    of my terrible sins.
12 You will show the right path
    to all who worship you.
13 Then they will have plenty,
and their children
    will receive the land.

14 Our Lord, you are the friend
    of your worshipers,
and you make an agreement
    with all of us.
15 I always look to you,
because you rescue me
    from every trap.
16 I am lonely and troubled.
Show that you care
    and have pity on me.
17 My awful worries keep growing.
    Rescue me from sadness.
18 See my troubles and misery
    and forgive my sins.

19 Look at all my enemies!
    See how much they hate me.
20 I come to you for shelter.
Protect me, keep me safe,
    and don't disappoint me.
21 I obey you with all my heart,
and I trust you, knowing
    that you will save me.

22 Our God, please save Israel
    from all its troubles.

(By David.)

The Prayer of an Innocent Person

Show that I am right, Lord!
    I stay true to myself,
and I have trusted you
    without doubting.
Test my thoughts and find out
    what I am like.
I never forget your kindness,
and I am always faithful
    to you.[a]
I don't spend my time
with worthless liars
    or go with evil crowds.

I wash my hands, Lord,
    to show my innocence,
and I worship at your altar,
while gratefully singing
    about your wonders.
I love the temple
where you live, and where
    your glory shines.
Don't sweep me away,
    as you do sinners.
Don't punish me with death
as you do those people
    who are brutal
10     or full of meanness
    or who bribe others.
11 I stay true to myself.
    Be kind and rescue me.

12 Now I stand on solid ground!
And when your people meet,
    I will praise you, Lord.

(By David.)

A Prayer of Praise

You, Lord, are the light
    that keeps me safe.
I am not afraid of anyone.
You protect me,
    and I have no fears.
Brutal people may attack
and try to kill me,
    but they will stumble.
Fierce enemies may attack,
    but they will fall.
Armies may surround me,
    but I won't be afraid;
war may break out,
    but I will trust you.

I ask only one thing, Lord:
Let me live in your house
    every day of my life
to see how wonderful you are
    and to pray in your temple.

In times of trouble, Lord,
    you will protect me.
You will hide me in your tent
and keep me safe
    on top of a mighty rock.[b]
You will let me defeat
    all my enemies.
Then I will celebrate,
    as I enter your tent
with animal sacrifices
    and songs of praise.

Please listen when I pray!
    Have pity. Answer my prayer.
My heart tells me to pray.
I am eager to see your face,
    so don't hide from me.
I am your servant, Lord,
and you have helped me.
    Don't turn from me in anger.
You alone keep me safe.
    Don't reject or desert me.
10 Even if my father and mother
should desert me,
    you will take care of me.

11 Teach me to follow, Lord,
and lead me on the right path
    because of my enemies.
12 Don't let them do to me
    what they want.
People tell lies about me
    and make violent threats,
13 but I know I will live
    to see how kind you are.

14 Trust the Lord!
Be brave and strong
    and trust the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. 26.3 I am … to you: Or “I trust your faithfulness.”
  2. 27.5 mighty rock: See the note at 18.2.

Psalm 25[a]

Of David.

In you, Lord my God,
    I put my trust.(A)

I trust in you;(B)
    do not let me be put to shame,
    nor let my enemies triumph over me.
No one who hopes in you
    will ever be put to shame,(C)
but shame will come on those
    who are treacherous(D) without cause.

Show me your ways, Lord,
    teach me your paths.(E)
Guide me in your truth(F) and teach me,
    for you are God my Savior,(G)
    and my hope is in you(H) all day long.
Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,(I)
    for they are from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth(J)
    and my rebellious ways;(K)
according to your love(L) remember me,
    for you, Lord, are good.(M)

Good and upright(N) is the Lord;
    therefore he instructs(O) sinners in his ways.
He guides(P) the humble in what is right
    and teaches them(Q) his way.
10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful(R)
    toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.(S)
11 For the sake of your name,(T) Lord,
    forgive(U) my iniquity,(V) though it is great.

12 Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?(W)
    He will instruct them in the ways(X) they should choose.[b]
13 They will spend their days in prosperity,(Y)
    and their descendants will inherit the land.(Z)
14 The Lord confides(AA) in those who fear him;
    he makes his covenant known(AB) to them.
15 My eyes are ever on the Lord,(AC)
    for only he will release my feet from the snare.(AD)

16 Turn to me(AE) and be gracious to me,(AF)
    for I am lonely(AG) and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles(AH) of my heart
    and free me from my anguish.(AI)
18 Look on my affliction(AJ) and my distress(AK)
    and take away all my sins.(AL)
19 See how numerous are my enemies(AM)
    and how fiercely they hate me!(AN)

20 Guard my life(AO) and rescue me;(AP)
    do not let me be put to shame,(AQ)
    for I take refuge(AR) in you.
21 May integrity(AS) and uprightness(AT) protect me,
    because my hope, Lord,[c] is in you.(AU)

22 Deliver Israel,(AV) O God,
    from all their troubles!

Psalm 26

Of David.

Vindicate me,(AW) Lord,
    for I have led a blameless life;(AX)
I have trusted(AY) in the Lord
    and have not faltered.(AZ)
Test me,(BA) Lord, and try me,
    examine my heart and my mind;(BB)
for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love(BC)
    and have lived(BD) in reliance on your faithfulness.(BE)

I do not sit(BF) with the deceitful,
    nor do I associate with hypocrites.(BG)
I abhor(BH) the assembly of evildoers
    and refuse to sit with the wicked.
I wash my hands in innocence,(BI)
    and go about your altar, Lord,
proclaiming aloud your praise(BJ)
    and telling of all your wonderful deeds.(BK)

Lord, I love(BL) the house where you live,
    the place where your glory dwells.(BM)
Do not take away my soul along with sinners,
    my life with those who are bloodthirsty,(BN)
10 in whose hands are wicked schemes,(BO)
    whose right hands are full of bribes.(BP)
11 I lead a blameless life;
    deliver me(BQ) and be merciful to me.

12 My feet stand on level ground;(BR)
    in the great congregation(BS) I will praise the Lord.

Psalm 27

Of David.

The Lord is my light(BT) and my salvation(BU)
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold(BV) of my life—
    of whom shall I be afraid?(BW)

When the wicked advance against me
    to devour[d] me,
it is my enemies and my foes
    who will stumble and fall.(BX)
Though an army besiege me,
    my heart will not fear;(BY)
though war break out against me,
    even then I will be confident.(BZ)

One thing(CA) I ask from the Lord,
    this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,(CB)
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
    and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble(CC)
    he will keep me safe(CD) in his dwelling;
he will hide me(CE) in the shelter of his sacred tent
    and set me high upon a rock.(CF)

Then my head will be exalted(CG)
    above the enemies who surround me;(CH)
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice(CI) with shouts of joy;(CJ)
    I will sing(CK) and make music(CL) to the Lord.

Hear my voice(CM) when I call, Lord;
    be merciful to me and answer me.(CN)
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!(CO)
    Your face, Lord, I will seek.
Do not hide your face(CP) from me,
    do not turn your servant away in anger;(CQ)
    you have been my helper.(CR)
Do not reject me or forsake(CS) me,
    God my Savior.(CT)
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
    the Lord will receive me.
11 Teach me your way,(CU) Lord;
    lead me in a straight path(CV)
    because of my oppressors.(CW)
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
    for false witnesses(CX) rise up against me,
    spouting malicious accusations.

13 I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord(CY)
    in the land of the living.(CZ)
14 Wait(DA) for the Lord;
    be strong(DB) and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 25:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  2. Psalm 25:12 Or ways he chooses
  3. Psalm 25:21 Septuagint; Hebrew does not have Lord.
  4. Psalm 27:2 Or slander