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Prayer for a Safe Place

64 O God, hear my voice when I complain. Keep my life safe from the fear of those who hate me. Hide me from the secret plans of the sinful and from the noise of those who do bad things. They have made their tongues sharp like a sword. They use poison words like arrows. They shoot at the man without blame from their hiding place. They are quick to shoot at him and are not afraid. They talk each other into doing sinful things. They talk about setting hidden traps. They say, “Who will see them?” They think of ways to do bad things, and say, “We have made a perfect plan!” For the inside thoughts and the heart of a man are deep.

But God will shoot at them with an arrow. They will be hurt very soon. They will be made to trip and fall. Their own tongue is against them. All who see them will shake their heads. Then all men will be afraid. They will tell about the work of God. And they will think about what He has done. 10 The man who is right and good will be glad in the Lord and go to Him to be safe. All those whose hearts are right will give Him praise.

God’s Favor to Earth and Man

65 All will be quiet before You, and praise belongs to You, O God, in Zion. And our promise to You will be kept. O You Who hears prayer, to You all men come. My sins are strong against me. But You forgive our sins. Happy is the man You choose and bring near to You to live in Your holy place. We will be filled with the good things of Your house, Your holy house.

O God Who saves us, You answer us in the way that is right and good by Your great works that make people stand in fear. You are the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas. You have built the mountains by Your strength. You are dressed with power. You quiet the storm of the seas, the sound of their waves, and the noise of the people. Those who live far away are afraid of Your great works. You make morning and evening call out for joy.

You visit the earth and water it. You make it very rich. The river of God is full of water. You give the people grain when You have made the earth ready. 10 You water where the plow has been used. You cover the seeds with earth. You make it soft with rain. And You make the plants grow well. 11 You crown the year with Your good gifts. There is more than enough where You have been. 12 The fields of the desert are filled with water. And the hills dress themselves with joy. 13 The grass lands are covered with birds. And the valleys are covered with grain. They call out for joy and sing.

Song of Praise and Thanks to God

66 Raise the voice of joy to God, all the earth! Sing out the honor of His name! Make His praise great! Say to God, “How Your great works make those who hate You afraid! They will have to obey You because of Your great power. All the earth will worship You and sing praises to You. They will sing praises to Your name.”

Come and see what God has done. There is much fear because of His great works toward the children of men. He changed the sea into dry land. They passed through the river on foot. There we were full of joy in Him. He rules forever by His power. His eyes keep watch over the nations. Do not let those who do not obey You honor themselves.

Give honor and thanks to God, O people, and let all hear how great He is! He keeps us alive, and does not let our feet go out from under us. 10 For You have tested us, O God. You have made us pure like silver is made pure. 11 You brought us into the net. And You laid a heavy load on our back. 12 You made men travel over our heads. We went through fire and through water. But You brought us out into a place where we have much more than we need. 13 I will come into Your house with burnt gifts. I will give You what I promised, 14 promises made by my lips and spoken by my mouth when I was in trouble. 15 I will give You burnt gifts of fat animals with the smoke of rams. I will give You bulls with male goats.

16 Come and hear, all who fear God, and I will tell you what He has done for me. 17 I cried to Him with my mouth and praised Him with my tongue. 18 The Lord will not hear me if I hold on to sin in my heart. 19 But it is sure that God has heard. He has listened to the voice of my prayer. 20 Honor and thanks be to God! He has not turned away from my prayer or held His loving-kindness from me.

Psalm 64[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint;(A)
    protect my life from the threat of the enemy.(B)

Hide me from the conspiracy(C) of the wicked,(D)
    from the plots of evildoers.
They sharpen their tongues like swords(E)
    and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.(F)
They shoot from ambush at the innocent;(G)
    they shoot suddenly, without fear.(H)

They encourage each other in evil plans,
    they talk about hiding their snares;(I)
    they say, “Who will see it[b]?”(J)
They plot injustice and say,
    “We have devised a perfect plan!”
    Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.

But God will shoot them with his arrows;
    they will suddenly be struck down.
He will turn their own tongues against them(K)
    and bring them to ruin;
    all who see them will shake their heads(L) in scorn.(M)
All people will fear;(N)
    they will proclaim the works of God
    and ponder what he has done.(O)

10 The righteous will rejoice in the Lord(P)
    and take refuge in him;(Q)
    all the upright in heart will glory in him!(R)

Psalm 65[c]

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

Praise awaits[d] you, our God, in Zion;(S)
    to you our vows will be fulfilled.(T)
You who answer prayer,
    to you all people will come.(U)
When we were overwhelmed by sins,(V)
    you forgave[e] our transgressions.(W)
Blessed are those you choose(X)
    and bring near(Y) to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,(Z)
    of your holy temple.

You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,(AA)
    God our Savior,(AB)
the hope of all the ends of the earth(AC)
    and of the farthest seas,(AD)
who formed the mountains(AE) by your power,
    having armed yourself with strength,(AF)
who stilled the roaring of the seas,(AG)
    the roaring of their waves,
    and the turmoil of the nations.(AH)
The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
    where morning dawns, where evening fades,
    you call forth songs of joy.(AI)

You care for the land and water it;(AJ)
    you enrich it abundantly.(AK)
The streams of God are filled with water
    to provide the people with grain,(AL)
    for so you have ordained it.[f]
10 You drench its furrows and level its ridges;
    you soften it with showers(AM) and bless its crops.
11 You crown the year with your bounty,(AN)
    and your carts overflow with abundance.(AO)
12 The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;(AP)
    the hills are clothed with gladness.(AQ)
13 The meadows are covered with flocks(AR)
    and the valleys are mantled with grain;(AS)
    they shout for joy and sing.(AT)

Psalm 66

For the director of music. A song. A psalm.

Shout for joy to God, all the earth!(AU)
    Sing the glory of his name;(AV)
    make his praise glorious.(AW)
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!(AX)
    So great is your power
    that your enemies cringe(AY) before you.
All the earth bows down(AZ) to you;
    they sing praise(BA) to you,
    they sing the praises of your name.”[g]

Come and see what God has done,
    his awesome deeds(BB) for mankind!
He turned the sea into dry land,(BC)
    they passed through(BD) the waters on foot—
    come, let us rejoice(BE) in him.
He rules forever(BF) by his power,
    his eyes watch(BG) the nations—
    let not the rebellious(BH) rise up against him.

Praise(BI) our God, all peoples,
    let the sound of his praise be heard;
he has preserved our lives(BJ)
    and kept our feet from slipping.(BK)
10 For you, God, tested(BL) us;
    you refined us like silver.(BM)
11 You brought us into prison(BN)
    and laid burdens(BO) on our backs.
12 You let people ride over our heads;(BP)
    we went through fire and water,
    but you brought us to a place of abundance.(BQ)

13 I will come to your temple with burnt offerings(BR)
    and fulfill my vows(BS) to you—
14 vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke
    when I was in trouble.
15 I will sacrifice fat animals to you
    and an offering of rams;
    I will offer bulls and goats.(BT)

16 Come and hear,(BU) all you who fear God;
    let me tell(BV) you what he has done for me.
17 I cried out to him with my mouth;
    his praise was on my tongue.
18 If I had cherished sin in my heart,
    the Lord would not have listened;(BW)
19 but God has surely listened
    and has heard(BX) my prayer.
20 Praise be to God,
    who has not rejected(BY) my prayer
    or withheld his love from me!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 64:1 In Hebrew texts 64:1-10 is numbered 64:2-11.
  2. Psalm 64:5 Or us
  3. Psalm 65:1 In Hebrew texts 65:1-13 is numbered 65:2-14.
  4. Psalm 65:1 Or befits; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  5. Psalm 65:3 Or made atonement for
  6. Psalm 65:9 Or for that is how you prepare the land
  7. Psalm 66:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 7 and 15.