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Psalm 17

Prayer for Deliverance from Persecutors

A Prayer of David.

Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry;
    give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit.
From you let my vindication come;
    let your eyes see the right.

If you try my heart, if you visit me by night,
    if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me;
    my mouth does not transgress.(A)
As for what others do, by the word of your lips
    I have avoided the ways of the violent.(B)
My steps have held fast to your paths;
    my feet have not slipped.(C)

I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
    incline your ear to me; hear my words.(D)
Wondrously show your steadfast love,
    O savior of those who seek refuge
    from their adversaries at your right hand.(E)

Guard me as the apple of the eye;
    hide me in the shadow of your wings,(F)
from the wicked who despoil me,
    my deadly enemies who surround me.
10 They close their hearts to pity;
    with their mouths they speak arrogantly.(G)
11 They flush me out;[a] now they surround me;
    they set their eyes to cast me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion eager to tear,
    like a young lion lurking in ambush.(H)

13 Rise up, O Lord, confront them, overthrow them!
    By your sword deliver my life from the wicked,(I)
14 from mortals—by your hand, O Lord
    from mortals whose portion in life is in this world.
May their bellies be filled with what you have stored up for them;
    may their children have more than enough;
    may they leave something over to their little ones.(J)

15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
    when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.(K)

Footnotes

  1. 17.11 Q ms Gk: MT Our steps

Psalm 17

A prayer of David.

Hear me,(A) Lord, my plea is just;
    listen to my cry.(B)
Hear(C) my prayer—
    it does not rise from deceitful lips.(D)
Let my vindication(E) come from you;
    may your eyes see what is right.(F)

Though you probe my heart,(G)
    though you examine me at night and test me,(H)
you will find that I have planned no evil;(I)
    my mouth has not transgressed.(J)
Though people tried to bribe me,
    I have kept myself from the ways of the violent
    through what your lips have commanded.
My steps have held to your paths;(K)
    my feet have not stumbled.(L)

I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;(M)
    turn your ear to me(N) and hear my prayer.(O)
Show me the wonders of your great love,(P)
    you who save by your right hand(Q)
    those who take refuge(R) in you from their foes.
Keep me(S) as the apple of your eye;(T)
    hide me(U) in the shadow of your wings(V)
from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
    from my mortal enemies who surround me.(W)

10 They close up their callous hearts,(X)
    and their mouths speak with arrogance.(Y)
11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me,(Z)
    with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion(AA) hungry for prey,(AB)
    like a fierce lion crouching in cover.

13 Rise up,(AC) Lord, confront them, bring them down;(AD)
    with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
14 By your hand save me from such people, Lord,
    from those of this world(AE) whose reward is in this life.(AF)
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
    may their children gorge themselves on it,
    and may there be leftovers(AG) for their little ones.

15 As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
    when I awake,(AH) I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.(AI)

Psalm 18

Royal Thanksgiving for Victory

To the leader. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord, who addressed the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:

I love you, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer,
    my God, my rock in whom I take refuge,
    my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.(A)
I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
    so I shall be saved from my enemies.(B)

The cords of death encompassed me;
    the torrents of perdition assailed me;(C)
the cords of Sheol entangled me;
    the snares of death confronted me.(D)

In my distress I called upon the Lord;
    to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
    and my cry to him reached his ears.(E)

Then the earth reeled and rocked;
    the foundations also of the mountains trembled
    and reeled because he was angry.(F)
Smoke went up from his nostrils
    and devouring fire from his mouth;
    glowing coals flamed forth from him.
He bowed the heavens and came down;
    thick darkness was under his feet.(G)
10 He rode on a cherub and flew;
    he came swiftly upon the wings of the wind.(H)
11 He made darkness his covering around him,
    his canopy thick clouds dark with water.(I)
12 Out of the brightness before him
    there broke through his clouds
    hailstones and coals of fire.(J)
13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens,
    and the Most High uttered his voice.[a](K)
14 And he sent out his arrows and scattered them;
    he flashed forth lightnings and routed them.(L)
15 Then the channels of the sea were seen,
    and the foundations of the world were laid bare
at your rebuke, O Lord,
    at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.(M)

16 He reached down from on high; he took me;
    he drew me out of mighty waters.(N)
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy
    and from those who hated me,
    for they were too mighty for me.(O)
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
    but the Lord was my support.
19 He brought me out into a broad place;
    he delivered me because he delighted in me.(P)

20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;
    according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me.(Q)
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord
    and have not wickedly departed from my God.(R)
22 For all his ordinances were before me,
    and his statutes I did not put away from me.(S)
23 I was blameless before him,
    and I kept myself from guilt.
24 Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
    according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.(T)

25 With the loyal you show yourself loyal;
    with the blameless you show yourself blameless;(U)
26 with the pure you show yourself pure;
    and with the crooked you show yourself shrewd.(V)
27 For you deliver a humble people,
    but the haughty eyes you bring down.(W)
28 It is you who light my lamp;
    the Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.(X)
29 By you I can outrun a troop,
    and by my God I can leap over a wall.(Y)
30 This God—his way is perfect;
    the promise of the Lord proves true;
    he is a shield for all who take refuge in him.(Z)

31 For who is God except the Lord?
    And who is a rock besides our God?(AA)
32 The God who has girded me with strength
    and made my way safe.[b]
33 He made my feet like the feet of a deer
    and set me secure on the heights.(AB)
34 He trains my hands for war,
    so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.(AC)
35 You have given me the shield of your salvation,
    and your right hand has supported me;
    your help[c] has made me great.
36 You gave me a wide place for my steps under me,
    and my feet did not slip.
37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them
    and did not turn back until they were consumed.(AD)
38 I struck them down so that they were unable to rise;
    they fell under my feet.(AE)
39 For you girded me with strength for the battle;
    you made my assailants sink under me.(AF)
40 You made my enemies turn their backs to me,
    and those who hated me I destroyed.(AG)
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them;
    they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.(AH)
42 I beat them fine, like dust before the wind;
    I cast them out like the mire of the streets.(AI)

43 You delivered me from strife with the peoples;[d]
    you made me head of the nations;
    people whom I had not known served me.(AJ)
44 As soon as they heard of me, they obeyed me;
    foreigners came cringing to me.
45 Foreigners lost heart
    and came trembling out of their strongholds.(AK)

46 The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock,
    and exalted be the God of my salvation,(AL)
47 the God who gave me vengeance
    and subdued peoples under me,(AM)
48 who delivered me from my enemies;
    indeed, you exalted me above my adversaries;
    you delivered me from the violent.(AN)

49 For this I will extol you, O Lord, among the nations
    and sing praises to your name.(AO)
50 Great triumphs he gives to his king
    and shows steadfast love to his anointed,
    to David and his descendants forever.(AP)

Footnotes

  1. 18.13 Gk: Heb adds hailstones and coals of fire
  2. 18.32 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  3. 18.35 Or gentleness
  4. 18.43 Gk Tg: Heb people

Psalm 18[a](A)

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:

I love you, Lord, my strength.(B)

The Lord is my rock,(C) my fortress(D) and my deliverer;(E)
    my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,(F)
    my shield[b](G) and the horn[c] of my salvation,(H) my stronghold.

I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,(I)
    and I have been saved from my enemies.(J)
The cords of death(K) entangled me;
    the torrents(L) of destruction overwhelmed me.
The cords of the grave coiled around me;
    the snares of death(M) confronted me.

In my distress(N) I called to the Lord;(O)
    I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;(P)
    my cry came(Q) before him, into his ears.
The earth trembled(R) and quaked,(S)
    and the foundations of the mountains shook;(T)
    they trembled because he was angry.(U)
Smoke rose from his nostrils;(V)
    consuming fire(W) came from his mouth,
    burning coals(X) blazed out of it.
He parted the heavens and came down;(Y)
    dark clouds(Z) were under his feet.
10 He mounted the cherubim(AA) and flew;
    he soared(AB) on the wings of the wind.(AC)
11 He made darkness his covering,(AD) his canopy(AE) around him—
    the dark rain clouds of the sky.
12 Out of the brightness of his presence(AF) clouds advanced,
    with hailstones(AG) and bolts of lightning.(AH)
13 The Lord thundered(AI) from heaven;
    the voice of the Most High resounded.[d]
14 He shot his arrows(AJ) and scattered the enemy,
    with great bolts of lightning(AK) he routed them.(AL)
15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
    and the foundations(AM) of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke,(AN) Lord,
    at the blast of breath from your nostrils.(AO)

16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
    he drew me out of deep waters.(AP)
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,(AQ)
    from my foes, who were too strong for me.(AR)
18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,(AS)
    but the Lord was my support.(AT)
19 He brought me out into a spacious place;(AU)
    he rescued me because he delighted in me.(AV)

20 The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;(AW)
    according to the cleanness of my hands(AX) he has rewarded me.(AY)
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;(AZ)
    I am not guilty of turning(BA) from my God.
22 All his laws are before me;(BB)
    I have not turned away from his decrees.
23 I have been blameless(BC) before him
    and have kept myself from sin.
24 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,(BD)
    according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

25 To the faithful(BE) you show yourself faithful,(BF)
    to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
26 to the pure(BG) you show yourself pure,
    but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.(BH)
27 You save the humble(BI)
    but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.(BJ)
28 You, Lord, keep my lamp(BK) burning;
    my God turns my darkness into light.(BL)
29 With your help(BM) I can advance against a troop[e];
    with my God I can scale a wall.

30 As for God, his way is perfect:(BN)
    The Lord’s word is flawless;(BO)
    he shields(BP) all who take refuge(BQ) in him.
31 For who is God besides the Lord?(BR)
    And who is the Rock(BS) except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength(BT)
    and keeps my way secure.(BU)
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;(BV)
    he causes me to stand on the heights.(BW)
34 He trains my hands for battle;(BX)
    my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
    and your right hand sustains(BY) me;
    your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path(BZ) for my feet,
    so that my ankles do not give way.(CA)

37 I pursued my enemies(CB) and overtook them;
    I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
38 I crushed them(CC) so that they could not rise;(CD)
    they fell beneath my feet.(CE)
39 You armed me with strength(CF) for battle;
    you humbled my adversaries(CG) before me.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs(CH) in flight,
    and I destroyed(CI) my foes.
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them(CJ)
    to the Lord, but he did not answer.(CK)
42 I beat them as fine as windblown dust;(CL)
    I trampled them[f] like mud in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
    you have made me the head of nations.(CM)
People I did not know(CN) now serve me,
44     foreigners(CO) cower before me;
    as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
45 They all lose heart;(CP)
    they come trembling(CQ) from their strongholds.(CR)

46 The Lord lives!(CS) Praise be to my Rock!(CT)
    Exalted be God(CU) my Savior!(CV)
47 He is the God who avenges(CW) me,
    who subdues nations(CX) under me,
48     who saves(CY) me from my enemies.(CZ)
You exalted me above my foes;
    from a violent man(DA) you rescued me.
49 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;(DB)
    I will sing(DC) the praises of your name.(DD)

50 He gives his king great victories;
    he shows unfailing love to his anointed,(DE)
    to David(DF) and to his descendants forever.(DG)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 18:1 In Hebrew texts 18:1-50 is numbered 18:2-51.
  2. Psalm 18:2 Or sovereign
  3. Psalm 18:2 Horn here symbolizes strength.
  4. Psalm 18:13 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 2 Samuel 22:14); most Hebrew manuscripts resounded, / amid hailstones and bolts of lightning
  5. Psalm 18:29 Or can run through a barricade
  6. Psalm 18:42 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac and Targum (see also 2 Samuel 22:43); Masoretic Text I poured them out

Psalm 19

God’s Glory in Creation and the Law

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

The heavens are telling the glory of God,
    and the firmament[a] proclaims his handiwork.(A)
Day to day pours forth speech,
    and night to night declares knowledge.(B)
There is no speech, nor are there words;
    their voice is not heard;
yet their voice[b] goes out through all the earth
    and their words to the end of the world.

In the heavens[c] he has set a tent for the sun,(C)
which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,
    and like a strong man runs its course with joy.(D)
Its rising is from the end of the heavens
    and its circuit to the end of them,
    and nothing is hid from its heat.(E)

The law of the Lord is perfect,
    reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
    making wise the simple;(F)
the precepts of the Lord are right,
    rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear,
    enlightening the eyes;(G)
the fear of the Lord is pure,
    enduring forever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true
    and righteous altogether.(H)
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
    even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
    and drippings of the honeycomb.(I)

11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.(J)
12 But who can detect one’s own errors?
    Clear me from hidden faults.(K)
13 Keep back your servant also from the insolent;[d]
    do not let them have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless
    and innocent of great transgression.(L)

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
    be acceptable to you,
    O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.(M)

Footnotes

  1. 19.1 Or dome
  2. 19.4 Gk Jerome Compare Syr: Heb line
  3. 19.4 Heb In them
  4. 19.13 Or from proud thoughts

Psalm 19[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

The heavens(A) declare(B) the glory of God;(C)
    the skies(D) proclaim the work of his hands.(E)
Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.(F)
They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice[b] goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.(G)
In the heavens God has pitched a tent(H) for the sun.(I)
    It is like a bridegroom(J) coming out of his chamber,(K)
    like a champion(L) rejoicing to run his course.
It rises at one end of the heavens(M)
    and makes its circuit to the other;(N)
    nothing is deprived of its warmth.

The law of the Lord(O) is perfect,(P)
    refreshing the soul.(Q)
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,(R)
    making wise the simple.(S)
The precepts of the Lord are right,(T)
    giving joy(U) to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
    giving light to the eyes.(V)
The fear of the Lord(W) is pure,
    enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
    and all of them are righteous.(X)

10 They are more precious than gold,(Y)
    than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,(Z)
    than honey from the honeycomb.(AA)
11 By them your servant is warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can discern their own errors?
    Forgive my hidden faults.(AB)
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;(AC)
    may they not rule over me.(AD)
Then I will be blameless,(AE)
    innocent of great transgression.

14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
    be pleasing(AF) in your sight,
    Lord, my Rock(AG) and my Redeemer.(AH)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 19:1 In Hebrew texts 19:1-14 is numbered 19:2-15.
  2. Psalm 19:4 Septuagint, Jerome and Syriac; Hebrew measuring line