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The Law of the LORD Is Perfect

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1  The heavens declare the glory of God,
    and the sky above ^{1 19:1 Hebrew the expanse; compare Genesis 1:68} proclaims his handiwork.
2  Day to day pours out speech,
    and night to night reveals knowledge.
3  There is no speech, nor are there words,
    whose voice is not heard.
4  Their voice ^{2 19:4 Or Their measuring line} goes out through all the earth,
    and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
5      which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
    and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
6  Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
    and its circuit to the end of them,
    and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

7  The law of the LORD is perfect, ^{3 19:7 Or blameless}
    reviving the soul;
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
    making wise the simple;
8  the precepts of the LORD are right,
    rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is pure,
    enlightening the eyes;
9  the fear of the LORD is clean,
    enduring forever;
the rules ^{4 19:9 Or just decrees} of the LORD are true,
    and righteous altogether.
10  More to be desired are they than gold,
    even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
    and drippings of the honeycomb.
11  Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.

12  Who can discern his errors?
    Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
13  Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
    let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
    and innocent of great transgression.

14  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
    be acceptable in your sight,
    O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

Trust in the Name of the LORD Our God

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1  May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble!
    May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!
2  May he send you help from the sanctuary
    and give you support from Zion!
3  May he remember all your offerings
    and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah

4  May he grant you your heart's desire
    and fulfill all your plans!
5  May we shout for joy over your salvation,
    and in the name of our God set up our banners!
May the LORD fulfill all your petitions!

6  Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;
    he will answer him from his holy heaven
    with the saving might of his right hand.
7  Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
    but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
8  They collapse and fall,
    but we rise and stand upright.

9  O LORD, save the king!
    May he answer us when we call.

The King Rejoices in the LORD's Strength

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1  O LORD, in your strength the king rejoices,
    and in your salvation how greatly he exults!
2  You have given him his heart's desire
    and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah
3  For you meet him with rich blessings;
    you set a crown of fine gold upon his head.
4  He asked life of you; you gave it to him,
    length of days forever and ever.
5  His glory is great through your salvation;
    splendor and majesty you bestow on him.
6  For you make him most blessed forever; ^{5 21:6 Or make him a source of blessing forever}
    you make him glad with the joy of your presence.
7  For the king trusts in the LORD,
    and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.

8  Your hand will find out all your enemies;
    your right hand will find out those who hate you.
9  You will make them as a blazing oven
    when you appear.
The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath,
    and fire will consume them.
10  You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
    and their offspring from among the children of man.
11  Though they plan evil against you,
    though they devise mischief, they will not succeed.
12  For you will put them to flight;
    you will aim at their faces with your bows.

13  Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength!
    We will sing and praise your power.

Why Have You Forsaken Me?

To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. A Psalm of David.

1  My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
2  O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
    and by night, but I find no rest.

3  Yet you are holy,
    enthroned on the praises ^{6 22:3 Or dwelling in the praises} of Israel.
4  In you our fathers trusted;
    they trusted, and you delivered them.
5  To you they cried and were rescued;
    in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

6  But I am a worm and not a man,
    scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
7  All who see me mock me;
    they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
8  “He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him;
    let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

9  Yet you are he who took me from the womb;
    you made me trust you at my mother's breasts.
10  On you was I cast from my birth,
    and from my mother's womb you have been my God.
11  Be not far from me,
    for trouble is near,
    and there is none to help.

12  Many bulls encompass me;
    strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
13  they open wide their mouths at me,
    like a ravening and roaring lion.

14  I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
    it is melted within my breast;
15  my strength is dried up like a potsherd,
    and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
    you lay me in the dust of death.

16  For dogs encompass me;
    a company of evildoers encircles me;
they have pierced my hands and feet ^{7 22:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts like a lion [they are at] my hands and feet} —
17  I can count all my bones—
they stare and gloat over me;
18  they divide my garments among them,
    and for my clothing they cast lots.

19  But you, O LORD, do not be far off!
    O you my help, come quickly to my aid!
20  Deliver my soul from the sword,
    my precious life from the power of the dog!
21      Save me from the mouth of the lion!
You have rescued ^{8 22:21 Hebrew answered} me from the horns of the wild oxen!

22  I will tell of your name to my brothers;
    in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
23  You who fear the LORD, praise him!
    All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him,
    and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
24  For he has not despised or abhorred
    the affliction of the afflicted,
and he has not hidden his face from him,
    but has heard, when he cried to him.

25  From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
    my vows I will perform before those who fear him.
26  The afflicted ^{9 22:26 Or The meek} shall eat and be satisfied;
    those who seek him shall praise the LORD!
    May your hearts live forever!

27  All the ends of the earth shall remember
    and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations
    shall worship before you.
28  For kingship belongs to the LORD,
    and he rules over the nations.

29  All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship;
    before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
    even the one who could not keep himself alive.
30  Posterity shall serve him;
    it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;
31  they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn,
    that he has done it.

The LORD Is My Shepherd

A Psalm of David.

1  The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2      He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters. ^{10 23:2 Hebrew beside waters of rest}
3      He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness ^{11 23:3 Or in right paths}
    for his name's sake.

4  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, ^{12 23:4 Or the valley of deep darkness}
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

5  You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
6  Surely ^{13 23:6 Or Only} goodness and mercy ^{14 23:6 Or steadfast love} shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell ^{15 23:6 Or shall return to dwell} in the house of the LORD
    forever. ^{16 23:6 Hebrew for length of days}

The King of Glory

A Psalm of David.

1  The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof, ^{17 24:1 Or and all that fills it}
    the world and those who dwell therein,
2  for he has founded it upon the seas
    and established it upon the rivers.

3  Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD?
    And who shall stand in his holy place?
4  He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
    who does not lift up his soul to what is false
    and does not swear deceitfully.
5  He will receive blessing from the LORD
    and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6  Such is the generation of those who seek him,
    who seek the face of the God of Jacob. ^{18 24:6 Septuagint, Syriac, and two Hebrew manuscripts; Masoretic Text who seek your face, Jacob} Selah

7  Lift up your heads, O gates!
    And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
8  Who is this King of glory?
    The LORD, strong and mighty,
    the LORD, mighty in battle!
9  Lift up your heads, O gates!
    And lift them up, O ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
10  Who is this King of glory?
    The LORD of hosts,
    he is the King of glory! Selah