Psalm 25*

David’s {song}*

¹Lord, I give myself to you.* ²My God, I trust you, and I will not be disappointed. My enemies will not laugh at me. ³If a person trusts you, he will not be disappointed. But traitors* will be disappointed. They will get nothing. ⁴Lord, help me learn your ways. Teach me your ways. ⁵Guide me and teach me your truths. You are my God, my Savior. I trust you every day. ⁶Remember to be kind to me, Lord. Show me the tender love that you have always had. ⁷Don’t remember the sins and bad things that I did when I was young. For your good name, Lord, remember me with love. ⁸The Lord is truly good. He teaches sinners the right way to live. ⁹He teaches humble people his ways. He leads them with fairness. ¹⁰The Lord is kind and true to people who follow his Agreement and promises.* ¹¹Lord, I have done many wrong things. But, to show your goodness, you forgave me for everything I did. ¹²If a person chooses to follow the Lord, then God will show that person the best way to live. ¹³That person will enjoy good things, and his children will keep the land {God promised to give him}. ¹⁴The Lord tells his secrets to his followers. He teaches his Agreement* to them. ¹⁵I am always looking to the Lord for help. He always frees me from my troubles.* ¹⁶Lord, I am hurt and lonely. Turn to me and show me mercy. ¹⁷Free me from my troubles. Help me solve my problems. ¹⁸Lord, look at my trials and troubles. Forgive me for all the sins I have done. ¹⁹Look at all the enemies I have. They hate me and want to hurt me. ²⁰God, protect me and save me. I trust you, so don’t disappoint me. ²¹God, you are truly good. I trust you, so protect me. ²²God, save the people of Israel from all of their enemies.

Psalm 25 In Hebrew, each verse in this psalm begins with the next letter of the alphabet. David’s {song} Or “{Dedicated} to David” I give myself to you Literally, “I lift my soul to you.” traitors People who turn against their country, friends, or family and do bad things to them. Agreement and promises This is probably the Law of Moses, the Agreement that God made with the people of Israel. Agreement Literally, “Proof.” The flat stones with the Ten Commandments written on them were proof of the Agreement between God and Israel. He … troubles Literally, “He removes my feet from the net.”

Psalm 26

David’s {song}*

¹Lord, judge me. Prove that I have lived a pure life. I never stopped trusting the Lord. ²Lord, try me and test me. Look closely into my heart and mind. ³I always see your tender love. I live by your truths. ⁴I am not one of those worthless people. ⁵I hate those evil gangs. I won’t join those gangs of crooks. ⁶Lord, I wash my hands to show that I am pure so I may come to your altar.* ⁷Lord, I sing songs of praise to you. I sing about the wonderful things you have done. ⁸Lord, I love your temple.* I love your glorious tent.* ⁹Lord, don’t group me with those sinners. Don’t kill me with those murderers. ¹⁰Those people might cheat other people. They might take money to do bad things. ¹¹But I am innocent. So, God, be kind to me and save me. ¹²I am safe from all dangers. Lord, I praise you as I stand among those who are calling your people to the assembly.*

David’s {song} Or “{Dedicated} to David” so I … altar Or “so I might march around your altar.” This would probably mean that the person singing this song was a priest or a Levite preparing himself to serve in the temple. temple The special building in Jerusalem for Jewish worship. tent The temple in Jerusalem or the Holy Tent where the people worshiped God before the temple was built. I am safe … assembly Or “I stand on level ground, praising the Lord when your followers come together.” This probably carries the double meaning of being safe from danger and being on the platform with the other priests and levites calling the people to come together and worship God.

Psalm 27

David’s {song}*

¹Lord, you are my Light and my Savior. I should not be afraid of anyone! The Lord is the place of safety for my life. So I will not be afraid of any person. ²Evil people might attack me. They might try to destroy my body. My enemies might try to attack and destroy me. ³But even if an army is all around me, I will not be afraid. Even if people attack me in war, {I will not be afraid}. Why? Because I trust the Lord. ⁴I ask only one thing from the Lord: “Let me sit in his temple* all my life, so I can see the Lord’s beauty and visit his palace.*” ⁵The Lord will protect me when I am in danger. He will hide me in his tent.* He will take me up to his place of safety. ⁶My enemies have surrounded me. But the Lord will help me defeat them! Then I will offer sacrifices* in his tent.* I will give the sacrifices with shouts of joy. I will sing and play songs to honor the Lord. ⁷Lord, hear my voice. Answer me. Be kind to me. ⁸Lord, I want to talk with you. I want to speak to you from my heart. I come before you to speak with you. ⁹Lord, don’t turn away from your servant. Help me! Don’t push me away! Don’t leave me! My God, you are my Savior. ¹⁰My mother and my father left me. But the Lord took me and made me his. ¹¹I have enemies, Lord. So teach me your ways. Teach me to do the right things. ¹²My enemies have attacked me. They have told lies about me. They have told lies to hurt me. ¹³I truly believe that I will see the Lord’s goodness before I die.* ¹⁴Wait for the Lord’s help! Be strong and brave, and wait for the Lord’s help!

David’s {song} Or “{Dedicated} to David” temple The special building in Jerusalem for Jewish worship. palace A large house built for a king. Here, it is the temple. tent The temple in Jerusalem or the Holy Tent where the people worshiped God before the temple was built. sacrifice(s) A sacrifice was a gift to God. Usually, it was a special animal that was killed and burned on an altar. before I die Literally, “in the land of the living.”

Psalm 28

A song of David.*

¹Lord, you are my Rock,* I am calling to you for help. Don’t close your ears to my prayers. If you don’t answer my calls for help, then people will think I am no better than the dead people in the grave. ²{Lord,} I raise my arms and pray toward your Most Holy Place.* Hear me when I call to you. Show mercy to me. ³Lord, don’t think of me as one of those bad people Those people greet their neighbors with the word “Shalom.”* But in their hearts they are planning bad things against their neighbors. ⁴Lord, those people do bad things to other people. So make bad things happen to them. Give them the punishment they deserve. ⁵Bad people don’t understand the good things the Lord does. They don’t see the good things God does. No, they don’t understand; they only try to destroy. ⁶Praise the Lord! He heard my prayer for mercy. ⁷The Lord is my strength. He is my shield. I trusted him. And he helped me. I am very happy! And I sing songs of praise to him. ⁸The Lord protects his chosen one.* The Lord saves him. The Lord is his strength. ⁹God, save your people. Bless the people who belong to you. Lead them and honor them* forever!

A song of David Or, “A song dedicated to David.” Rock A name for God to show he is a strong place of safety. Most HolyPlace The most important room in the Holy Tent or the temple, where the Box of the Agreement was kept. It was like a throne where God sat as king of Israel. Shalom This word means “peace.” It was used as a greeting like “hello” and “goodbye.” chosen one Or, “anointed one.” This might be any person that God has chosen in a special way, but it is usually his king. honor them Or, “forgive them.” Literally, “lift them up.”

Psalm 29

A song of David.*

¹Sons of God,* praise the Lord! Praise his glory and power. ²Praise the Lord and honor his name! Worship him in your special clothes.* ³The Lord raises his voice at the sea. The voice of the glorious God is like thunder over the great ocean. ⁴The Lord’s voice shows his power. His voice shows his glory. ⁵The Lord’s voice breaks great cedar trees into little pieces. The Lord breaks the great cedar trees of Lebanon. ⁶The Lord shakes Lebanon. It looks like a young calf dancing. Sirion* shakes. It looks like a young goat jumping. ⁷The Lord’s voice cuts {the air} with flashes of lightning. ⁸The Lord’s voice shakes the desert. Kadesh Desert* trembles at the Lord’s voice. ⁹The Lord’s voice makes the deer* afraid. The Lord destroys the forests. But in his palace,* people sing of his glory. ¹⁰The Lord was the King during the flood. And the Lord will be the king forever. ¹¹May the Lord protect his people. May the Lord bless his people with peace.

A song of David Or, “A song dedicated to David.” Sons of God Or, “Sons of gods.” This probably means God’s angels who were like priests worshiping God in heaven. special clothes The special clothes that people wore when they went to the temple to worship God. Sirion Or, “Mount Hermon.” Kadesh Desert A desert in Syria. This might also mean “the holy desert.” deer Or, “oak trees.” palace A large house built for a king. Here, it is the temple.