The Way of the Righteous and the Wicked

1:1 Blessed is the man[1] who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; ²but his delight is in the law[2] of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

³He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. ⁴The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

⁵Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; ⁶for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

[1] The singular Hebrew word for man (ish) is used here to portray a representative example of a godly person; see preface [2] Or instruction

Psalm 2

The Reign of the Lord’s Anointed

2:1 Why do the nations rage[3] and the peoples plot in vain? ²The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, ³“Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”

⁴He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. ⁵Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, ⁶“As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”

⁷I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. ⁸Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. ⁹You shall break[4] them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

¹⁰Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. ¹¹Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. ¹²Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

[3] Or nations noisily assemble [4] Revocalization yields (compare Septuagint) You shall rule

Psalm 3

Save Me, O My God

A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.

3:1 O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; ²many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God. Selah^[5]

³But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. ⁴I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah

⁵I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. ⁶I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.

⁷Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked.

⁸Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! Selah

[5] The meaning of the Hebrew word Selah, used frequently in the Psalms, is uncertain. It may be a musical or liturgical direction

Psalm 4

Answer Me When I Call

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

4:1 Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!

²O men,[6] how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah ³But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.

⁴Be angry,[7] and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah ⁵Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord.

⁶There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!” ⁷You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.

⁸In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

[6] Or O men of rank [7] Or Be agitated

Psalm 5

Lead Me in Your Righteousness

To the choirmaster: for the flutes. A Psalm of David.

5:1 Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my groaning. ²Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray. ³O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you[8] and watch.

⁴For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. ⁵The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. ⁶You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

⁷But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you. ⁸Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.

⁹For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue. ¹⁰Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you.

¹¹But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. ¹²For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield.

[8] Or I direct my prayer to you

Psalm 6

O Lord, Deliver My Life

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments; according to The Sheminith.[9] A Psalm of David.

6:1 O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath. ²Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled. ³My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O Lord—how long?

⁴Turn, O Lord, deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love. ⁵For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will give you praise?

⁶I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping. ⁷My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows weak because of all my foes.

⁸Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping. ⁹The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord accepts my prayer. ¹⁰All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled; they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment.

[9] Probably a musical or liturgical term