Psalm 34:17-43:1

English Standard Version

^19 (D)Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
    ^(E)but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
²⁰ He keeps all his bones;
    ^(F)not one of them is broken.
^21 (G)Affliction will slay the wicked,
    and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
²² The Lord ^(H)redeems the life of his servants;
    none of those who take refuge in him will be ^(I)condemned.

^4 (M)Let them be ^(N)put to shame and dishonor
    who seek after my life!
Let them be ^(O)turned back and disappointed
    who devise evil against me!
⁵ Let them be like ^(P)chaff before the wind,
    with the angel of the Lord driving them away!
⁶ Let their way be dark and ^(Q)slippery,
    with the angel of the Lord pursuing them!

⁷ For ^(R)without cause ^(S)they hid their net for me;
    without cause they dug ^(T)a pit for my life.^[b]
8 Let ^(U)destruction come upon him ^(V)when he does not know it!
And let the net that he hid ensnare him;
    let him fall into it—to his destruction!

⁹ Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord,
    ^(W)exulting in his salvation.
¹⁰ All my ^(X)bones shall say,
    “O Lord, ^(Y)who is like you,
delivering the poor
    from him who is too strong for him,
    the poor and needy from him who robs him?”

^11 (Z)Malicious^[c] witnesses rise up;
    they ask me of things that I do not know.
^12 (AA)They repay me evil for good;
    my soul is bereft.^[d]
13 But I, ^(AB)when they were sick—
    I ^(AC)wore sackcloth;
    I ^(AD)afflicted myself with fasting;
I prayed ^(AE)with head bowed^[e] on my chest.
¹⁴     I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother;
as one who laments his mother,
    I ^(AF)bowed down in mourning.

¹⁵ But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered;
    they gathered together against me;
^(AG)wretches whom I did not know
    tore at me without ceasing;
¹⁶ like profane mockers at a feast,^[f]
    they ^(AH)gnash at me with their teeth.

¹⁷ How long, O Lord, will you ^(AI)look on?
    Rescue me from their destruction,
    ^(AJ)my precious life from the lions!
¹⁸ I will thank you in ^(AK)the great congregation;
    in the mighty throng I will praise you.

^19 (AL)Let not those rejoice over me
    who are ^(AM)wrongfully my foes,
and let not those ^(AN)wink the eye
    who ^(AO)hate me ^(AP)without cause.
²⁰ For they do not speak peace,
    but against those who are quiet in the land
    they devise words of deceit.
²¹ They ^(AQ)open wide their mouths against me;
    they say, ^(AR)“Aha, Aha!
    Our eyes have seen it!”

^22 (AS)You have seen, O Lord; ^(AT)be not silent!
    O Lord, ^(AU)be not far from me!
²³ Awake and ^(AV)rouse yourself for ^(AW)my vindication,
    for my cause, my God and my Lord!
^24 (AX)Vindicate me, O Lord, my God,
    according to your righteousness,
    and ^(AY)let them not rejoice over me!
²⁵ Let them not say in their hearts,
    ^(AZ)“Aha, our heart's desire!”
Let them not say, ^(BA)“We have swallowed him up.”

²⁶ Let them be ^(BB)put to shame and disappointed altogether
    who rejoice at my calamity!
Let them be ^(BC)clothed with shame and dishonor
    who ^(BD)magnify themselves against me!

²⁷ Let those who delight in my righteousness
    shout for joy and be glad
    ^(BE)and say evermore,
^(BF)“Great is the Lord,
    who ^(BG)delights in the welfare of his servant!”
²⁸ Then my ^(BH)tongue shall tell of your righteousness
    and of your praise all the day long.

⁵ Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
    your faithfulness to the clouds.
^6 (BR)Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
    ^(BS)your judgments are like the great deep;
    man and beast you ^(BT)save, O Lord.

^7 (BU)How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
    The children of mankind take refuge ^(BV)in the shadow of your wings.
⁸ They feast on ^(BW)the abundance of your house,
    and you give them drink from ^(BX)the river of ^(BY)your delights.
⁹ For with you is ^(BZ)the fountain of life;
    ^(CA)in your light do we see light.

¹⁰ Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who ^(CB)know you,
    and your righteousness to ^(CC)the upright of heart!
¹¹ Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me,
    nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
¹² There ^(CD)the evildoers lie fallen;
    they are thrust down, ^(CE)unable to rise.

^3 (CK)Trust in the Lord, and do good;
    ^(CL)dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.^[i]
4 (CM)Delight yourself in the Lord,
    and he will ^(CN)give you the desires of your heart.

^5 (CO)Commit your way to the Lord;
    ^(CP)trust in him, and he will act.
^6 (CQ)He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
    and your justice as ^(CR)the noonday.

^7 (CS)Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
    ^(CT)fret not yourself over the one who ^(CU)prospers in his way,
    over the man who carries out evil devices!

^8 (CV)Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
    ^(CW)Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
^9 (CX)For the evildoers shall be cut off,
    but those who wait for the Lord shall ^(CY)inherit the land.

¹⁰ In ^(CZ)just a little while, the wicked will be no more;
    though you look carefully at ^(DA)his place, he will not be there.
¹¹ But ^(DB)the meek shall inherit the land
    and delight themselves in ^(DC)abundant peace.

¹² The wicked ^(DD)plots against the righteous
    and ^(DE)gnashes his teeth at him,
¹³ but the Lord ^(DF)laughs at the wicked,
    for he sees that his ^(DG)day is coming.

¹⁴ The wicked draw the sword and ^(DH)bend their bows
    to bring down the poor and needy,
    to slay those whose ^(DI)way is upright;
¹⁵ their sword shall enter their own heart,
    and their ^(DJ)bows shall be broken.

^16 (DK)Better is the little that the righteous has
    than the abundance of many wicked.
¹⁷ For ^(DL)the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
    but the Lord ^(DM)upholds the righteous.

¹⁸ The Lord ^(DN)knows the days of the blameless,
    and their ^(DO)heritage will remain forever;
¹⁹ they are not put to shame in evil times;
    in ^(DP)the days of famine they have abundance.

²⁰ But the wicked will perish;
    the enemies of the Lord are like ^(DQ)the glory of the pastures;
    they vanish—like ^(DR)smoke they vanish away.

²¹ The wicked borrows but does not pay back,
    but the righteous ^(DS)is generous and gives;
²² for those blessed by the Lord^[j] shall ^(DT)inherit the land,
    but those cursed by him ^(DU)shall be cut off.

²³ The ^(DV)steps of a man are ^(DW)established by the Lord,
    when he delights in his way;
^24 (DX)though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
    for the Lord ^(DY)upholds his hand.

²⁵ I have been young, and now am old,
    yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
    or his children ^(DZ)begging for bread.
²⁶ He is ever ^(EA)lending generously,
    and his children become a blessing.

^27 (EB)Turn away from evil and do good;
    so shall you ^(EC)dwell forever.
²⁸ For the Lord ^(ED)loves justice;
    he will not forsake his ^(EE)saints.
They are preserved forever,
    but the children of the wicked shall be ^(EF)cut off.
²⁹ The righteous shall inherit the land
    and ^(EG)dwell upon it forever.

³⁰ The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
    and his tongue speaks justice.
^31 (EH)The law of his God is in his heart;
    his ^(EI)steps do not slip.

³² The wicked ^(EJ)watches for the righteous
    and seeks to put him to death.
³³ The Lord will not ^(EK)abandon him to his power
    or let him ^(EL)be condemned when he is brought to trial.

^34 (EM)Wait for the Lord and keep his way,
    and he will exalt you to inherit the land;
    you will look on ^(EN)when the wicked are cut off.

^35 (EO)I have seen a wicked, ruthless man,
    spreading himself like ^(EP)a green laurel tree.^[k]
36 But he passed away,^[l] and behold, ^(EQ)he was no more;
    though I sought him, he could not be found.

³⁷ Mark the blameless and behold the upright,
    for there is a future for the man of ^(ER)peace.
³⁸ But ^(ES)transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;
    the future of the wicked ^(ET)shall be cut off.

^39 (EU)The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
    he is their stronghold in ^(EV)the time of trouble.
⁴⁰ The Lord helps them and ^(EW)delivers them;
    ^(EX)he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
    because they ^(EY)take refuge in him.

³ There is ^(FD)no soundness in my flesh
    because of your indignation;
there is no health in my ^(FE)bones
    because of my sin.
⁴ For my ^(FF)iniquities have gone over my head;
    like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

⁵ My wounds stink and fester
    because of my foolishness,
⁶ I am ^(FG)utterly bowed down and ^(FH)prostrate;
    all the day I ^(FI)go about mourning.
⁷ For my sides are filled with burning,
    and there is ^(FJ)no soundness in my flesh.
⁸ I am feeble and crushed;
    I ^(FK)groan because of the tumult of my heart.

⁹ O Lord, all my longing is before you;
    my ^(FL)sighing is not hidden from you.
¹⁰ My heart throbs; my strength fails me,
    and ^(FM)the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
¹¹ My ^(FN)friends and companions ^(FO)stand aloof from my ^(FP)plague,
    and my nearest kin ^(FQ)stand far off.

¹² Those who seek my life ^(FR)lay their snares;
    those who seek my hurt ^(FS)speak of ruin
    and meditate ^(FT)treachery all day long.

¹³ But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear,
    like ^(FU)a mute man who does not open his mouth.
¹⁴ I have become like a man who does not hear,
    and in whose mouth are no ^(FV)rebukes.

¹⁵ But for ^(FW)you, O Lord, do I wait;
    it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.
¹⁶ For I said, “Only ^(FX)let them not rejoice over me,
    who ^(FY)boast against me when my ^(FZ)foot slips!”

¹⁷ For I am ^(GA)ready to fall,
    and my pain is ever before me.
¹⁸ I ^(GB)confess my iniquity;
    I am ^(GC)sorry for my sin.
¹⁹ But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty,
    and many are those who hate me ^(GD)wrongfully.
²⁰ Those who ^(GE)render me evil for good
    ^(GF)accuse me because I ^(GG)follow after good.

²¹ Do not forsake me, O Lord!
    O my God, be not ^(GH)far from me!
^22 (GI)Make haste to help me,
    O Lord, my ^(GJ)salvation!

⁴ “O Lord, ^(GQ)make me know my end
    and what is the measure of my days;
    let me know how fleeting I am!
⁵ Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,
    and ^(GR)my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely ^(GS)all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah
⁶     Surely a man ^(GT)goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nothing^[m] they are in turmoil;
    man ^(GU)heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!

⁷ “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?
    ^(GV)My hope is in you.
⁸ Deliver me from all my transgressions.
    ^(GW)Do not make me the scorn of the fool!
^9 (GX)I am mute; I do not open my mouth,
    ^(GY)for it is you who have done it.
^10 (GZ)Remove your stroke from me;
    I am spent by the hostility of your hand.
¹¹ When you discipline a man
    with ^(HA)rebukes for sin,
you ^(HB)consume like a ^(HC)moth what is dear to him;
    ^(HD)surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah

^12 (HE)“Hear my prayer, O Lord,
    and give ear to my cry;
    hold not your peace at my tears!
For I am ^(HF)a sojourner with you,
    ^(HG)a guest, like all my fathers.
^13 (HH)Look away from me, that I may smile again,
    ^(HI)before I depart and ^(HJ)am no more!”

⁴ Blessed is the man who ^(HS)makes
    the Lord his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
    to those who ^(HT)go astray after a lie!
⁵ You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
    your ^(HU)wondrous deeds and your ^(HV)thoughts toward us;
    none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
    yet they are ^(HW)more than can be told.

^6 (HX)In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,
    but you have given me an open ^(HY)ear.^[n]
Burnt offering and sin offering
    you have not required.
⁷ Then I said, “Behold, I have come;
    in the scroll of the book it is written ^(HZ)of me:
^8 (IA)I delight to do your will, O my God;
    your law is ^(IB)within my heart.”

⁹ I have told the glad news of deliverance^[o]
    in ^(IC)the great congregation;
behold, I have not ^(ID)restrained my lips,
    ^(IE)as you know, O Lord.
¹⁰ I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;
    I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
    from the great congregation.

¹¹ As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain
    your mercy from me;
your ^(IF)steadfast love and your faithfulness will
    ever preserve me!
¹² For evils have ^(IG)encompassed me
    beyond number;
my ^(IH)iniquities have overtaken me,
    and I cannot ^(II)see;
they are ^(IJ)more than the hairs of my head;
    my heart ^(IK)fails me.

^13 (IL)Be pleased, O Lord, to ^(IM)deliver me!
    O Lord, ^(IN)make haste to help me!
^14 (IO)Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether
    who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be ^(IP)turned back and brought to dishonor
    who delight in my hurt!
¹⁵ Let those be appalled because of their shame
    who ^(IQ)say to me, “Aha, Aha!”

¹⁶ But may all who seek you
    rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
    ^(IR)say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
¹⁷ As for me, I am ^(IS)poor and needy,
    but ^(IT)the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
    do not delay, O my God!

⁴ As for me, I said, “O Lord, ^(IX)be gracious to me;
    ^(IY)heal me,^[r] for I have sinned against you!”
⁵ My enemies say of me in malice,
    “When will he die, and his name perish?”
⁶ And when one comes to see me, ^(IZ)he utters empty words,
    while his heart gathers iniquity;
    when he goes out, he tells it abroad.
⁷ All who hate me whisper together about me;
    they imagine the worst for me.^[s]

⁸ They say, “A deadly thing is poured out^[t] on him;
    he will not rise again from where he lies.”
⁹ Even my ^(JA)close friend in whom I trusted,
    who ^(JB)ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.
¹⁰ But you, O Lord, be gracious to me,
    and raise me up, that I may repay them!

¹¹ By this I know that ^(JC)you delight in me:
    my enemy will not shout in triumph over me.
¹² But ^(JD)you have upheld me because of ^(JE)my integrity,
    and ^(JF)set me in your presence ^(JG)forever.

^13 (JH)Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting!
Amen and Amen.

^5 (JT)Why are you cast down, O my soul,
    and why are you ^(JU)in turmoil within me?
^(JV)Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
    my salvation^{[w] 6} and my God.

My soul is cast down within me;
    therefore I ^(JW)remember you
^(JX)from the land of Jordan and of ^(JY)Hermon,
    from Mount Mizar.
⁷ Deep calls to deep
    at the roar of your waterfalls;
^(JZ)all your breakers and your ^(KA)waves
    have gone over me.
⁸ By day the Lord ^(KB)commands his steadfast love,
    and at ^(KC)night his song is with me,
    a prayer to the God of my life.
⁹ I say to God, ^(KD)my rock:
    “Why have you forgotten me?
^(KE)Why do I go mourning
    because of the oppression of the enemy?”
¹⁰ As with a deadly wound in my bones,
    my adversaries taunt me,
^(KF)while they say to me all the day long,
    “Where is your God?”

^11 (KG)Why are you cast down, O my soul,
    and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
    my salvation and my God.