ASV - Psalms 13 to 17

Psalm 13

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

¹How long, O Jehovah? wilt thou forget me for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? ²How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? ³Consider and answer me, O Jehovah my God: Lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; ⁴Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; Lest mine adversaries rejoice when I am moved. ⁵But I have trusted in thy lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. ⁶I will sing unto Jehovah, Because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

Psalm 14 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

¹The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works; There is none that doeth good. ²Jehovah looked down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there were any that did understand, That did seek after God. ³They are all gone aside; they are together become filthy; There is none that doeth good, no, not one. ⁴Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, Who eat up my people as they eat bread, And call not upon Jehovah? ⁵There were they in great fear; For God is in the generation of the righteous. ⁶Ye put to shame the counsel of the poor, Because Jehovah is his refuge. ⁷Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When Jehovah bringeth back the captivity of his people, Then shall Jacob rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

Psalm 15 A Psalm of David.

¹Jehovah, who shall sojourn in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? ²He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, And speaketh truth in his heart; ³He that slandereth not with his tongue, Nor doeth evil to his friend, Nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor; ⁴In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honoreth them that fear Jehovah; He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not; ⁵He that putteth not out his money to interest, Nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

Psalm 16 Michtam of David.

¹Preserve me, O God; for in thee do I take refuge. ²O my soul, thou hast said unto Jehovah, Thou art my Lord: I have no good beyond thee. ³As for the saints that are in the earth, They are the excellent in whom is all my delight. ⁴Their sorrows shall be multiplied that give gifts for another god: Their drink-offerings of blood will I not offer, Nor take their names upon my lips. ⁵Jehovah is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: Thou maintainest my lot. ⁶The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; Yea, I have a goodly heritage. ⁷I will bless Jehovah, who hath given me counsel; Yea, my heart instructeth me in the night seasons. ⁸I have set Jehovah always before me: Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. ⁹Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth; My flesh also shall dwell in safety. ¹⁰For thou wilt not leave my soul to Sheol; Neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption. ¹¹Thou wilt show me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; In thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Psalm 17 A Prayer of David.

¹Hear the right, O Jehovah, attend unto my cry; Give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips. ²Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; Let thine eyes look upon equity. ³Thou hast proved my heart; thou hast visited me in the night; Thou hast tried me, and findest nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. ⁴As for the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the ways of the violent. ⁵My steps have held fast to thy paths, My feet have not slipped. ⁶I have called upon thee, for thou wilt answer me, O God: Incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech. ⁷Show thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them that take refuge in thee From those that rise up against them. ⁸Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me under the shadow of thy wings, ⁹From the wicked that oppress me, My deadly enemies, that compass me about. ¹⁰They are inclosed in their own fat: With their mouth they speak proudly. ¹¹They have now compassed us in our steps; They set their eyes to cast us down to the earth. ¹²He is like a lion that is greedy of his prey, And as it were a young lion lurking in secret places. ¹³Arise, O Jehovah, Confront him, cast him down: Deliver my soul from the wicked by thy sword; ¹⁴From men by thy hand, O Jehovah, From men of the world, whose portion is in this life, And whose belly thou fillest with thy treasure: They are satisfied with children, And leave the rest of their substance to their babes. ¹⁵As for me, I shall behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with beholding thy form.