NAS - Psalms 57 to 61

Psalm 57

Prayer for Rescue from Persecutors.

For the choir director; set to Al-tashheth. A Mikhtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.

¹Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, For my soul takes refuge in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge Until destruction passes by. ²I will cry to God Most High, To God who accomplishes all things for me. ³He will send from heaven and save me; He reproaches him who tramples upon me. Selah. God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth.

⁴My soul is among lions; I must lie among those who breathe forth fire, Even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows And their tongue a sharp sword. ⁵Be exalted above the heavens, O God; Let Your glory be above all the earth. ⁶ They have prepared a net for my steps; My soul is bowed down; They dug a pit before me; They themselves have fallen into the midst of it. Selah.

⁷My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises! ⁸ Awake, my glory! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. ⁹ I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to You among the nations. ¹⁰ For Your lovingkindness is great to the heavens And Your truth to the clouds. ¹¹ Be exalted above the heavens, O God; Let Your glory be above all the earth.

Psalm 58

Prayer for the Punishment of the Wicked.

For the choir director; set to Al-tashheth. A Mikhtam of David.

¹Do you indeed speak righteousness, O gods? Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men? ² No, in heart you work unrighteousness; On earth you weigh out the violence of your hands. ³ The wicked are estranged from the womb; These who speak lies go astray from birth. ⁴ They have venom like the venom of a serpent; Like a deaf cobra that stops up its ear, ⁵ So that it does not hear the voice of charmers, Or a skillful caster of spells.

⁶O God, shatter their teeth in their mouth; Break out the fangs of the young lions, O LORD. ⁷ Let them flow away like water that runs off; When he aims his arrows, let them be as headless shafts. ⁸ Let them be as a snail which melts away as it goes along, Like the miscarriages of a woman which never see the sun. ⁹Before your pots can feel the fire of thorns He will sweep them away with a whirlwind, the green and the burning alike.

¹⁰The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; He will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. ¹¹ And men will say, "Surely there is a reward for the righteous; Surely there is a God who judges on earth!"

Psalm 59

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies.

For the choir director; set to Al-tashheth. A Mikhtam of David, when Saul sent men and they watched the house in order to kill him.

¹Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; Set me securely on high away from those who rise up against me. ² Deliver me from those who do iniquity And save me from men of bloodshed. ³ For behold, they have set an ambush for my life; Fierce men launch an attack against me, Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O LORD, ⁴ For no guilt of mine, they run and set themselves against me. Arouse Yourself to help me, and see! ⁵ You, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, Awake to punish all the nations; Do not be gracious to any who are treacherous in iniquity. Selah. ⁶ They return at evening, they howl like a dog, And go around the city. ⁷ Behold, they belch forth with their mouth; Swords are in their lips, For, they say, "Who hears?" ⁸But You, O LORD, laugh at them; You scoff at all the nations.

⁹Because of his strength I will watch for You, For God is my stronghold. ¹⁰My God in His lovingkindness will meet me; God will let me look triumphantly upon my foes. ¹¹ Do not slay them, or my people will forget; Scatter them by Your power, and bring them down, O Lord, our shield. ¹²On account of the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips, Let them even be caught in their pride, And on account of curses and lies which they utter. ¹³ Destroy them in wrath, destroy them that they may be no more; That men may know that God rules in Jacob To the ends of the earth. Selah. ¹⁴ They return at evening, they howl like a dog, And go around the city. ¹⁵ They wander about for food And growl if they are not satisfied.

¹⁶But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength; Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning, For You have been my stronghold And a refuge in the day of my distress. ¹⁷O my strength, I will sing praises to You; For God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness.

Psalm 60

Lament over Defeat in Battle, and Prayer for Help.

For the choir director; according to Shushan Eduth. A Mikhtam of David, to teach; when he struggled with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah, and Joab returned, and smote twelve thousand of Edom in the Valley of Salt.

¹O God, You have rejected us. You have broken us; You have been angry; O, restore us. ² You have made the land quake, You have split it open; Heal its breaches, for it totters. ³ You have made Your people experience hardship; You have given us wine to drink that makes us stagger. ⁴ You have given a banner to those who fear You, That it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah. ⁵ That Your beloved may be delivered, Save with Your right hand, and answer us!

⁶God has spoken in His holiness: "I will exult, I will portion out Shechem and measure out the valley of Succoth. ⁷ "Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim also is the helmet of My head; Judah is My scepter. ⁸"Moab is My washbowl; Over Edom I shall throw My shoe; Shout loud, O Philistia, because of Me!"

⁹Who will bring me into the besieged city? Who will lead me to Edom? ¹⁰Have not You Yourself, O God, rejected us? And will You not go forth with our armies, O God? ¹¹ O give us help against the adversary, For deliverance by man is in vain. ¹² Through God we shall do valiantly, And it is He who will tread down our adversaries.

Psalm 61

Confidence in God's Protection.

For the choir director; on a stringed instrument. A Psalm of David.

¹Hear my cry, O God; Give heed to my prayer. ² From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. ³ For You have been a refuge for me, A tower of strength against the enemy. ⁴ Let me dwell in Your tent forever; Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah.

⁵For You have heard my vows, O God; You have given me the inheritance of those who fear Your name. ⁶ You will prolong the king's life; His years will be as many generations. ⁷ He will abide before God forever; Appoint lovingkindness and truth that they may preserve him. ⁸ So I will sing praise to Your name forever, That I may pay my vows day by day.