The Book of Psalms Chapter 1 Blessed is a man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in a season. His leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth. shall prosper. The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners, in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish. Chapter 2 Why do the heathen rage? And the people imagine a vain thing. The kings of the earth seth themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against His anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh. The Lord shall have them into rusion, then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, infect them in his sword as pleasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree the Lord has set unto me. Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron. Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Be wise now, therefore, O ye kings. Be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss a son lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. Chapter 3 Lord, how art they increase that trouble me? Many are they that rise up against me, many there be which say of my soul, there is no hell for him in God. Selah, but thou, O Lord, art a shield for me, my glory and a lifter up of mine head. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah, I laid me down and slept, I awaked, for the Lord sustain me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about. Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God, for Thou hast smitten all my enemies upon the cheekbone. Thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord. Thy blessings is upon Thy people. Selah Chapter 4 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness. Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress. Have mercy upon me and hear my prayer. O ye sons of men, how long will you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love vanity and seek after leasing? Selah But know that the Lord has set apart him that is godly for himself. The Lord will hear when I call unto Him. Stand in awe, and sin not. Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord. There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. I will both lay me down in peace and sleep, for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety. Chapter 5 Give ear to my words, O Lord. Consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for unto Thee will I pray. My voice shall thou hear in the morning, O Lord. In the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up. For thou art not a god that has pleasure in wickedness. Neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight. Thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing. The Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy, and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple. Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies. Make thy way straight before my face, for there is no faithfulness in their mouth. Their inward part is very wickedness, their throat As an open sepulcher, they flatter with their tongue. Destroy thou them, O God! Let them fall by their own counsels. Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions, for they have rebelled against thee. But let all those who put their trust in thee rejoice. Let them never shout for joy, because thou defendest them. Let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. For thou, Lord, wilt bless a righteous with favor, wilt thou encompass him as with a shield. Chapter 6 O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. Have mercy upon me, O Lord. For I am weak. O Lord, heal me, for my bones are vexed. My soul is also sore-vexed. But thou, O Lord, how long? Return, O Lord, deliver my soul. O save me for thy mercy's sake. For in death there is no remembrance of thee. In the grave, who shall give thee thanks? I am weary with my groaning. All the night make I my bed to swim. I water my couch with my tears. Mine eye is consumed because of grief. It waxes old because of all mine enemies. Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. For the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord hath heard my supplication. The Lord will receive my prayer. Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore-faxed. Let them return and be ashamed suddenly. Chapter 7 O LORD my God, in Thee do I put my trust. Save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me, lest ye tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver. O LORD my God, if I have done this, if there be iniquity in my hands, if I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me. Yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy. Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it. Yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honor in the dust. Selah. Arise, O LORD, in thine anger. Lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies. and awake for me to the judgment that thou hast commanded. So shall the congregation of the people compathy about. For their sakes, therefore, return thou on high. The Lord shall judge the people. Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me. O let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end. but establisheth just. For the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins. My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart. God judges the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. If he turn not, he will wet his sword. He has bent his bow and made it ready. He has also prepared for him the instruments of death. He ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors. Behold, he traveleth with iniquity, and has conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. He made a pit, and digged it, and has fallen into the ditch which he made. His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate. I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. Chapter 8 O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth, who has set Thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest steal the enemy and the avenger. When I consider thy heavens the work of thy fingers the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained. What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And a son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands. Thou hast put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field, the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth. Chapter 9 I will praise Thee, O Lord, with my whole heart. I will show forth all Thy marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee. I will sing praise to thy name, O thou Most High. When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence. For thou hast maintained my right and my cause. Thou hast set us in the throne judging right. Thou hast rebuked a heathen. Thou hast destroyed the wicked. Thou hast put out their name forever and ever. O thou enemy! Destructions are come to a perpetual end, and thou hast destroyed cities. Their memorial is perished with them. But the Lord shall endure forever. He has prepared a throne for judgment, and He shall judge the world in righteousness. He shall minister judgment to the people in a brightness. The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee, for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them to seek thee. Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion. Declare among the people his doings, when he maketh inquisition for blood. He remembereth them, he forgetteth not to cry unto humble. Have mercy upon me, O Lord. Consider my trouble, which I suffer of them that hate me. Thou that liftest me up from the gates of death, that I may show forth all thy praises in the gates of the daughter of Zion. I will rejoice in thy salvation. The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made, and the net which they hid is their own foot taken. The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth. The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Hegeon, Selah, the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God For the needy shall not always be forgotten. The expectation of the poor shall not perish forever. Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail. Let the heathen be judged in thy sight. Put them in fear, O Lord, that the nations may know themselves to be but men. X. Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? Why hottest thou thyself in times of trouble? The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor. Let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. For the wicked boasteth of his own harsh desire, and blesseth the covetous whom the Lord abhorreth. The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God. God is not in all his thoughts. His ways are always grievous. Thy judgments are far above, out of his sight. It's for all his enemies. He puffeth at them. He has said in his heart, I shall not be moved, for I shall never be in adversity. His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud. Under his tongue is mischief and vanity. He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages. In the secret places doth he murder the innocent. His eyes are privily set against the poor. He lieth and waits secretly as a lion in his den. He lieth and wait to catch the poor. He doth catch the poor. When he draweth them into his net, he croucheth and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones. He has said in his heart, God hath forgotten. He hideth his face. He will never see it. Arise, O Lord, O God. Lift up thine hand. Forget not to humble. Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? He has said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it. Thou hast seen it, for Thou beholdest mischief and spite. To requite it with thy hand, the poor committeth himself unto thee. Thou art the helper of the fatherless. Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man. Seek out his wickedness till thou find none. The Lord is King forever and ever. The heathen are perished out of his land. Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble. Thou wilt prepare their heart. Thou wilt cause thine ear to hear. To judge the fatherless and the oppressed. That the men of the earth may no more oppress. Chapter 11 and the Lord put on my trust. How say ye to myself, flee as a bird to your mountain? For lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven, his eyes behold, his eyelids dry, the children of men. The Lord trieth the righteous, but the wicked in him that loveth violence his soul hateth. Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire, and brimstone, and in horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their cup. For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness, his countenance doth behold thee upright. CHAPTER TWELVE Help, Lord! for the godly man seetheth, for the faithful fell among the children of men. Do ye speak vanity every one with his neighbour? With flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things. Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail, Our lips are our own, Who is lord over us? For the oppression of the poor, For the sign of the needy, Now will I arise, saith the Lord. I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him. The words of the Lord are pure words. He is silver-tried in the furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord. Thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever. The wicked walk on every side when the vilest men are exalted. Chapter 13 How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? Forever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul? Having sorrow in my heart daily, How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, O Lord my God. Lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep to sleep of death. Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him, and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved. But I have trusted in thy mercy. My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me. Chapter 14. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt. They have done abominable works. There is none that doeth good. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and see God. Dare all gone aside. Dare all together become filthy. There is none that doeth good. No, not one. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? Who eat of my people as they eat bread? And call not upon the Lord? Dare, were they in great fear? For God is in the generation of the righteous. Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the Lord is his refuge. Oh, that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When the Lord bringeth back to captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad. Chapter 15 LORD Who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour, in whose eyes a vile person is contemned, but he honoureth them to fear the Lord, he that sweareth to his own hurt, and changes not. He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent, he that doeth thee things shall never be moved. Chapter 16 Preserve me, O God, for in thee do I put my trust. O my soul! Thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord. My goodness extendeth not to thee, but to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. Their sorrows shall be multiplied and hasten after another god. Their drink-offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips. The Lord is a portion of mine inheritance and of my cup. Thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places. Yea, I have a goodly heritage. I will bless the Lord, who has given me counsel. My reigns also instruct me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me, because He is at my right hand. I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth. My flesh also shall rest in hope, for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life, and thy presence is fullness of joy. In thy right hand are pleasures for evermore. Chapter 17 Hear the right, O Lord. Attend unto my cry. Give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of faint lips. Let my sentence come forth from thy presence. Let thine eyes behold the things that are equal. Thou hast proved my heart. Thou hast visited me in the night. Thou hast tried me. and shall find nothing. I am purpose that my mouth shall not transgress. Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer. Hold up my goings in thy path, that my footsteps slip not. I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God. Incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech. Show thy marvelous lovingkindness. O Thou that savest by Thy right hand them that put their trust in Thee, from those that rise up against them, keep me as the apple of Thy eye, hide me under the shadow of Thy wings, from the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies who compass me about, here enclosed in their own fat. With their mouth they speak proudly. They have now compassed us in our steps. They have set their eyes bowing down to the earth. like as a lion that is greedy of its prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places. Arise, O Lord, disappoint him, cast him down, deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword, from men which are thy hand, O Lord. from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure, dear full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness, I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness. Chapter 18 I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust, my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised. So shall I be saved from mine enemies. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. The sorrows of hell compassed me about. The snares of death prevented me. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God. He heard my voice out of His temple, and my cry came before Him. even into his ears, and the earth shook and trembled. The foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, And fire out of his mouth devoured. Coals were kindled by it. He bowed to heavens also and came down, And darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub and did fly, Yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness his secret place. His pavilion round about him were dark waters, And thick clouds of the skies. at the brightness that was before him as thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire. The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the highest gave his voice, hailstones and coals of fire. Yea, he sent out his arrows and scattered them, and he shot out lightnings and discomfited them. Then the channels of water were seen. And the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. He sent from above. He took me. He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me, for they were too strong for me. He prevented me in a day of my calamity, but the Lord was my stay. He brought me forth also into a large place. He delivered me, because He delighted in me. The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me, for I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all his judgments were before me, and I had not put away his statues from me. I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity. Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands and his eyesight. With a merciful, thou wilt show thyself merciful. With an upright man, thou wilt show thyself upright. With a pure, thou wilt show thyself pure. And with the forward, thou wilt show thyself forward. For thou wilt save the afflicted people, but wilt bring down high looks. For thou wilt light my candle. The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. For by thee have I run through a troop. and by my God have I leaped over a wall. As for God, His way is perfect. The word of the Lord is tried. He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him. For who is God, save the Lord? For who is a rock, save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength and maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hind feet. and setteth me upon my high places. He teaches my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation. And a right hand hath holden me up, a gentleness hath made me great. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip. I pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them, neither did I turn again till they were consumed. I have wounded them, that they were not able to rise. They are fallen under my feet, for thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle. Thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me.' They cried, but there was none to save them, even unto the Lord. But he answered them not. Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind, and he cast them out as the dirt on the streets. Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people, and Thou hast made me the head of the heathen. A people whom I have not known shall serve me. As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me. The strangers shall submit themselves unto me. The strangers shall fade away and be afraid out of their closed places. The Lord liveth, and blessed be my rock. and let the God of my salvation be exalted. It is God that avenges me, and subdueth the people under me. He delivereth me from mine enemies. Yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me. Thou hast delivered me from the violent man. Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name. Great deliverance giveth he to his king, and showeth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed forevermore. CHAPTER 19 THE HEAVENS DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD, AND THE FIRMAMENT SHOWETH HIS HANDIWORK. DAY INTO DAY UTTERETH SPEECH, AND NIGHT INTO NIGHT SHOWETH KNOWLEDGE. THERE IS NO SPEECH NOR LANGUAGE WHERE THEIR VOICE IS NOT HEARD. THEIR LINE IS GONE OUT TO ALL THE EARTH, AND THEIR WORDS TO THE END OF THE WORLD. AND THEM HATH HE SET A TABERNACLE FOR THE SUN, WHICH IS AS A BRIDEGROOM COMING OUT OF HIS CHAMBER. and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it, and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold. Sweeter also than honey in the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is thy servant warned, and in keeping of them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins. Let him not have dominion over me. Then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. Chapter 20 THE LORD HEAR THEE IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE THE NAME OF THE GOD OF JACOB DEFEND THEE. SEND THEE HELP FROM THE SANCTUARY AND STRENGTHEN THEE OUT OF ZION. REMEMBER ALL THY OFFERINGS AND ACCEPT THY BURNT SACRIFICE. SELAH. Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfill all thy counsel, for rejoice in thy salvation. And in the name of our God we will set up our banners, to Lord fulfill all thy petitions. Now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed. He will hear him from his holy heaven, with the saving strength of his right hand. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. You are brought down and fallen, but we are risen and stand upright. Save, Lord, let the King hear us when we call.