Psalms 13 to 17 : Easy-to-Read Version  | SearchSearch | Next Version | Previous Page | Next Page |

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Psalm 13

To the director.* A song of David.*

1How long will you forget me, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you refuse to accept me?* 2How long must I wonder if you have forgotten me? How long must I feel this sadness in my heart? How long will my enemy win against me? 3Lord my God, look at me! Answer my question! Let me know the answer or I will die! 4If that happens, my enemy will say “I beat him!” My enemy would be happy if he defeated me.  5Lord, I trusted in your love to help me. You saved me and made me happy! 6I sing a happy song to the Lord because he did good things for me.

director Or, “performer.” David’s {song} Or “Dedicated to David”  refuse to accept me Literally, “hide your face from me.”


Psalm 14

To the director.* David’s {song}*

1A foolish person* says in his heart, “There is no God.” Foolish people do terrible, rotten things. Not even one of them does good. 2The Lord looked down from heaven to see if there were any wise people. (Wise people turn to God for help.) 3But every person had turned away from God. All people had become bad. Not even one person was doing good! 4Bad people have destroyed my people. And those bad people don’t know God. Bad people have plenty of food to eat.* And they don’t even worship the Lord. 5–6Those bad people didn’t want to listen to advice from a poor man. Why? Because that poor man depended on God. But God is with his good people. So bad people have plenty to fear. 7Who on Zion* saves Israel? {It is the Lord who saves Israel!} The Lord’s people were taken away and forced to be prisoners. But the Lord will bring his people back. Then Jacob (Israel) will be very happy.

director Or, “performer.” David’s {song} Or “Dedicated to David”  foolish person Here this means a person who does not follow God and his teachings.  eat In Hebrew the word “eat” is like the word “destroyed.” This word play shows that the bad people hurt God’s followers and still received good things. This confused the writer. Zion The southeast part of the mountain Jerusalem is built on. Sometimes it means the people of God living in Jerusalem.  


Psalm 15

A song of David.*

1Lord, who can live in your Holy Tent?* Who can live on your holy mountain?* 2Only a person who lives a pure life, and does good things, and speaks truth from the heart {can live on your mountain}. 3That kind of person doesn’t say bad things about other people. That person doesn’t do bad things to his neighbors. That person doesn’t tell shameful things about his own family. 4That person doesn’t respect the people that hate God. But that person shows honor to all the people who serve the Lord. If he makes a promise to his neighbor, then he does what he promised to do.* 5If that person gives money to someone, he will not charge interest on that loan. And that person will not take money to do bad things to innocent people. If a person lives like that good man, then he will always be near God.*

A song of David Or, “A song dedicated to David.” Holy Tent The special tent where the people of Israel worshiped God. Here, it is probably the temple in Jerusalem. holy mountain Zion, the mountain Jerusalem is built on. If he … promised to do Or, “That person promised not to do bad things. And he does not do bad things.” he … near God Literally, “that person will never be moved.”


Psalm 16

A miktam of David.*

1Protect me, God, because I depend on you. 2I said to the Lord, “Lord, you are my Master. Every good thing I have comes from you.”* 3The Lord does wonderful things for his followers on earth. The Lord shows he truly loves them. 4But people who run to worship other gods will have much pain. I will not share in their gifts of blood that they offer to those idols. I will not even say the names of those idols. 5No, my share and my cup come only from the Lord. Lord, you support me. You give me my share.  6My share* is very wonderful. My inheritance* is very beautiful. 7I praise the Lord because he taught me well. Even at night, he put his instructions deep inside my mind.* 8I keep the Lord before me always. And I will never leave his right side. 9So my heart and soul will be very happy. Even my body will live in safety. 10Why? Because, Lord, you will not leave my soul in the place of death. You will not let your faithful one rot in the grave.* 11You will teach me the right way to live. Just being with you, Lord, will bring complete happiness. Being at your right side will bring happiness forever.

A miktam of David The exact meaning of “miktam” is not clear. It might mean “a well-arranged song.” This song was either written by David or dedicated to him. I said … from you Or, “I said to the Lord my Master, ‘You are my goodness. There is none but you.’” share Or, “section of land.” inheritance Here, this probably means the land that each Jew received as his part of the country that God gave his family.Literally, “my kidneys.” mind Literally, “my kidneys.” rot … grave Literally, “see decay.”


Psalm 17

A prayer of David.*

1Lord, hear my prayer for fairness. I am calling loudly to you. And I am being honest in the things I say. So, please listen to my prayer. 2You will make the right decision about me. You can see the truth. 3You have looked deep into my heart. You were with me all night. You questioned me and found nothing wrong. I didn’t plan any bad thing. 4I have tried as hard as humanly possible to obey your commands. 5I have followed your paths. My feet never left your way of living. 6Every time I called to you, God, you answered me. So listen to me now. 7God, you help people who trust you—those people stand by your right side. So listen to this prayer from one of your followers. 8Protect me like the pupil* of your eye. Hide me in the shadow of your wings. 9Lord, save me from the bad people who are trying to ruin me. Protect me from the people around me who are trying to hurt me. 10Those bad people have become too proud {to listen to God}. And they brag about themselves. 11Those people chased me. Now they are all around me. And they are ready to attack.* 12Those bad people are like lions waiting to kill and eat another animal. They hide like lions, ready to attack. 13Lord, get up* and go to the enemy. Make them surrender. Use your sword and save me from the bad people. 14Lord, use your power and remove bad people from the {land of} the living. Lord, many people come to you for help. Those people don’t have much in this life. Give those people plenty of food. Give their children all they want. Give the children so much that they will have food left over for their children. 15{I prayed for} fairness. So I will see your face, Lord. And seeing you, Lord,* I will be fully satisfied.

A prayer of David Or, “A prayer dedicated to David.” pupil The center of the eye, which everyone wants to protect. they are ready to attack Or, “They decided to lie on the ground.” Lord, get up The people said this when they lifted the Box of the Agreement and took it into battle with them. This showed that God was with them. See Num. 10:35,36. you, Lord Literally, “your likeness.”

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