Psalm 25

Teach Me Your Paths

^[1]Of David.

25:1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. ²O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. ³Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

⁴Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. ⁵Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.

⁶Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. ⁷Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!

⁸Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. ⁹He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. ¹⁰All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

¹¹For your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great. ¹²Who is the man who fears the Lord? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose. ¹³His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land. ¹⁴The friendship[2] of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant. ¹⁵My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

¹⁶Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. ¹⁷The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. ¹⁸Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.

¹⁹Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they hate me. ²⁰Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me! Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. ²¹May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.

²²Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.

[1] This psalm is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet [2] Or The secret counsel [3] Hebrew test my kidneys and my heart

Psalm 26

I Will Bless the Lord

Of David.

26:1 Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. ²Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind. 3] ³For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness.

⁴I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites. ⁵I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked.

⁶I wash my hands in innocence and go around your altar, O Lord, ⁷proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling all your wondrous deeds.

⁸O Lord, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells. ⁹Do not sweep my soul away with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men, ¹⁰in whose hands are evil devices, and whose right hands are full of bribes.

¹¹But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me. ¹²My foot stands on level ground; in the great assembly I will bless the Lord.

Psalm 27

The Lord Is My Light and My Salvation

Of David.

27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold[4] of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

²When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.

³Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet[5] I will be confident.

⁴One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire^[6]in his temple.

⁵For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.

⁶And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

⁷Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! ⁸You have said, “Seek[7] my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”^[8]⁹ Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation! ¹⁰For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in.

¹¹Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. ¹²Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence.

¹³I believe[9] that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! ¹⁴Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

[4] Or refuge [5] Or in this [6] Or meditate [7] The command (seek) is addressed to more than one person [8] The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain [9] Other Hebrew manuscripts Oh! Had I not believed

Psalm 28

The Lord Is My Strength and My Shield

Of David.

28:1 To you, O Lord, I call; my rock, be not deaf to me, lest, if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. ²Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to you for help, when I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.^[10]

³Do not drag me off with the wicked, with the workers of evil, who speak peace with their neighbors while evil is in their hearts. ⁴Give to them according to their work and according to the evil of their deeds; give to them according to the work of their hands; render them their due reward. ⁵Because they do not regard the works of the Lord or the work of his hands, he will tear them down and build them up no more.

⁶Blessed be the Lord! for he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy. ⁷The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.

⁸The Lord is the strength of his people;[11] he is the saving refuge of his anointed. ⁹Oh, save your people and bless your heritage! Be their shepherd and carry them forever.

[10] Hebrew your innermost sanctuary [11] Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts is their strength

Psalm 29

Ascribe to the Lord Glory

A Psalm of David.

29:1 Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,[12] ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. ²Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.^[13]

³The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over many waters. ⁴The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

⁵The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon. ⁶He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox.

⁷The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire. ⁸The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

⁹The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth[14] and strips the forests bare, and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

¹⁰The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king forever. ¹¹May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless[15] his people with peace!

[12] Hebrew sons of God, or sons of might [13] Or in holy attire [14] Revocalization yields makes the oaks to shake [15] Or The Lord will give . . . The Lord will bless