Psalm 27-32

New International Version

² When the wicked advance against me
    to devour^[a] me,
it is my enemies and my foes
    who will stumble and fall.^(E)
3 Though an army besiege me,
    my heart will not fear;^(F)
though war break out against me,
    even then I will be confident.^(G)

⁴ One thing^(H) 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,^(I)
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
    and to seek him in his temple.
⁵ For in the day of trouble^(J)
    he will keep me safe^(K) in his dwelling;
he will hide me^(L) in the shelter of his sacred tent
    and set me high upon a rock.^(M)

⁶ Then my head will be exalted^(N)
    above the enemies who surround me;^(O)
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice^(P) with shouts of joy;^(Q)
    I will sing^(R) and make music^(S) to the Lord.

⁷ Hear my voice^(T) when I call, Lord;
    be merciful to me and answer me.^(U)
8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face!^(V)”
    Your face, Lord, I will seek.
⁹ Do not hide your face^(W) from me,
    do not turn your servant away in anger;^(X)
    you have been my helper.^(Y)
Do not reject me or forsake^(Z) me,
    God my Savior.^(AA)
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
    the Lord will receive me.
¹¹ Teach me your way,^(AB) Lord;
    lead me in a straight path^(AC)
    because of my oppressors.^(AD)
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
    for false witnesses^(AE) rise up against me,
    spouting malicious accusations.

¹³ I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord^(AF)
    in the land of the living.^(AG)
14 Wait^(AH) for the Lord;
    be strong^(AI) and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.

³ Do not drag me away with the wicked,
    with those who do evil,
who speak cordially with their neighbors
    but harbor malice in their hearts.^(AP)
4 Repay them for their deeds
    and for their evil work;
repay them for what their hands have done^(AQ)
    and bring back on them what they deserve.^(AR)

⁵ Because they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord
    and what his hands have done,^(AS)
he will tear them down
    and never build them up again.

⁶ Praise be to the Lord,^(AT)
    for he has heard my cry for mercy.^(AU)
7 The Lord is my strength^(AV) and my shield;
    my heart trusts^(AW) in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,^(AX)
    and with my song I praise him.^(AY)

⁸ The Lord is the strength^(AZ) of his people,
    a fortress of salvation^(BA) for his anointed one.^(BB)
9 Save your people^(BC) and bless your inheritance;^(BD)
    be their shepherd^(BE) and carry them^(BF) forever.

³ The voice^(BK) of the Lord is over the waters;
    the God of glory^(BL) thunders,^(BM)
    the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.^(BN)
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;^(BO)
    the voice of the Lord is majestic.
⁵ The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
    the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.^(BP)
6 He makes Lebanon leap^(BQ) like a calf,
    Sirion^[c](BR) like a young wild ox.^(BS)
7 The voice of the Lord strikes
    with flashes of lightning.^(BT)
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;
    the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.^(BU)
9 The voice of the Lord twists the oaks^[d](BV)
    and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”^(BW)

¹⁰ The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;^(BX)
    the Lord is enthroned as King forever.^(BY)
11 The Lord gives strength to his people;^(BZ)
    the Lord blesses his people with peace.^(CA)

⁴ Sing^(CI) the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people;^(CJ)
    praise his holy name.^(CK)
5 For his anger^(CL) lasts only a moment,^(CM)
    but his favor lasts a lifetime;^(CN)
weeping^(CO) may stay for the night,
    but rejoicing comes in the morning.^(CP)

⁶ When I felt secure, I said,
    “I will never be shaken.”^(CQ)
7 Lord, when you favored me,
    you made my royal mountain^[g] stand firm;
but when you hid your face,^(CR)
    I was dismayed.

⁸ To you, Lord, I called;
    to the Lord I cried for mercy:
⁹ “What is gained if I am silenced,
    if I go down to the pit?^(CS)
Will the dust praise you?
    Will it proclaim your faithfulness?^(CT)
10 Hear,^(CU) Lord, and be merciful to me;^(CV)
    Lord, be my help.^(CW)”

¹¹ You turned my wailing^(CX) into dancing;^(CY)
    you removed my sackcloth^(CZ) and clothed me with joy,^(DA)
12 that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
    Lord my God, I will praise^(DB) you forever.^(DC)

⁶ I hate those who cling to worthless idols;^(DP)
    as for me, I trust in the Lord.^(DQ)
7 I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
    for you saw my affliction^(DR)
    and knew the anguish^(DS) of my soul.
⁸ You have not given me into the hands^(DT) of the enemy
    but have set my feet in a spacious place.^(DU)

⁹ Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress;^(DV)
    my eyes grow weak with sorrow,^(DW)
    my soul and body^(DX) with grief.
¹⁰ My life is consumed by anguish^(DY)
    and my years by groaning;^(DZ)
my strength fails^(EA) because of my affliction,^[i](EB)
    and my bones grow weak.^(EC)
11 Because of all my enemies,^(ED)
    I am the utter contempt^(EE) of my neighbors^(EF)
and an object of dread to my closest friends—
    those who see me on the street flee from me.
¹² I am forgotten as though I were dead;^(EG)
    I have become like broken pottery.
¹³ For I hear many whispering,^(EH)
    “Terror on every side!”^(EI)
They conspire against me^(EJ)
    and plot to take my life.^(EK)

¹⁴ But I trust^(EL) in you, Lord;
    I say, “You are my God.”
¹⁵ My times^(EM) are in your hands;
    deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
    from those who pursue me.
¹⁶ Let your face shine^(EN) on your servant;
    save me in your unfailing love.^(EO)
17 Let me not be put to shame,^(EP) Lord,
    for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
    and be silent^(EQ) in the realm of the dead.
¹⁸ Let their lying lips^(ER) be silenced,
    for with pride and contempt
    they speak arrogantly^(ES) against the righteous.

¹⁹ How abundant are the good things^(ET)
    that you have stored up for those who fear you,
that you bestow in the sight of all,^(EU)
    on those who take refuge^(EV) in you.
²⁰ In the shelter^(EW) of your presence you hide^(EX) them
    from all human intrigues;^(EY)
you keep them safe in your dwelling
    from accusing tongues.

²¹ Praise be to the Lord,^(EZ)
    for he showed me the wonders of his love^(FA)
    when I was in a city under siege.^(FB)
22 In my alarm^(FC) I said,
    “I am cut off^(FD) from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cry^(FE) for mercy
    when I called to you for help.

²³ Love the Lord, all his faithful people!^(FF)
    The Lord preserves those who are true to him,^(FG)
    but the proud he pays back^(FH) in full.
²⁴ Be strong and take heart,^(FI)
    all you who hope in the Lord.

³ When I kept silent,^(FM)
    my bones wasted away^(FN)
    through my groaning^(FO) all day long.
⁴ For day and night
    your hand was heavy^(FP) on me;
my strength was sapped^(FQ)
    as in the heat of summer.^[k]

⁵ Then I acknowledged my sin to you
    and did not cover up my iniquity.^(FR)
I said, “I will confess^(FS)
    my transgressions^(FT) to the Lord.”
And you forgave
    the guilt of my sin.^(FU)

⁶ Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
    while you may be found;^(FV)
surely the rising^(FW) of the mighty waters^(FX)
    will not reach them.^(FY)
7 You are my hiding place;^(FZ)
    you will protect me from trouble^(GA)
    and surround me with songs of deliverance.^(GB)

⁸ I will instruct^(GC) you and teach you^(GD) in the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my loving eye on^(GE) you.
⁹ Do not be like the horse or the mule,
    which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle^(GF)
    or they will not come to you.
¹⁰ Many are the woes of the wicked,^(GG)
    but the Lord’s unfailing love
    surrounds the one who trusts^(GH) in him.

¹¹ Rejoice in the Lord^(GI) and be glad, you righteous;
    sing, all you who are upright in heart!