Psalms 15 - 28
15
O LORD, who may lodge in thy tabernacle?
Who may dwell on thy holy mountain?
The man of blameless life, who does what is right
and speaks the truth from his heart;
who has no malice on his tongue,
and never wrongs a friend
and tells no tales against his neighbour;
the man who shows his scorn for the worthless
and honours all who fear the LORD;
who swear to his
16
Keep me, O God, for in thee have I found refuge.
I have said to the LORD,
'Thou, Lord, art my felicity.'
The gods whom earth holds sacred are worthless,
and cursed are all who make them their delight;
those who run after them find trouble without end.
I will not offer them libations of blood
nor take their names upon my lips.
Thou, LORD, my allotted portion, thou my cup,
thou dost enlarge my boundaries:
the lines fall for me in pleasant places,
indeed I am well content with my inheritance.
I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel:
in the night-time wisdom comes to me in my inward parts.
I have set the LORD continually before me:
with him at my right hand I cannot be shaken.
Therefore my heart exults
and my spirit rejoices,
my body too rests unafraid;
for thou wilt not abandon me to Sheol
nor suffer thy faithful servant to see the pit.
Thou wilt show me the path of life;
in thy presence is the fullness of joy,
in thy right hand pleasures for evermore.
17
Hear,Lord, my plea for justice,
give my cry a hearing,
listen to my prayer,
for it is innocent of all deceit.
Let judgement in my cause issue from thy lips,
let thine eyes be fixed on justice.
Thou hast tested my heart and watch me all night long;
thou hast assayed me and found in me no mind to evil.
I will not speak of the deeds of men;
I have taken good note of all thy sayings.
I have not strayed from the course of duty;
I have followed thy path and never stumbled.
I call upon thee, O God, for thou wilt answer me.
Bend down thy ear to me, listen to my words.
Show me how marvellous thy true love can be,
who with thy hand dost save
all who seek sanctuary from their enemies.
Keep me like the apple of thine eye;
hide me in the shadow of thy wings
from the wicked who obstruct me,
from deadly foes who throng round me.
They have stifled all compassion;
their mouths are full of pride;
they press me hard, now they hem me in,
on the watch to bring me to the ground.
The enemy is like a lion eager for prey,
like a young lion crouching in ambush.
Arise, LORD, meet him face to face and bring him down.
Save my life from the wicked;
make an end of them with thy sword.
With thy hand, O LORD, make an end of them;
thrust them out of this world in the prime of their life,
gorged as they are with thy good things,
blest with many sons
and leaving their children wealth in plenty.
But my plea is just: I shall see thy face,
and be blest with a vision of thee when I awake.
18
I love thee, O LORD my strength.
The LORD is my stronghold, my fortress and my champion,
my God, my rock where I find safety,
my shield, my mountain refuge, my strong tower.
I will call on the LORD to whom all praise is due,
and I shall be delivered from my enemies.
When the bonds of death held me fast,
destructive torrents overtook me,
the bonds of Sheol tightened round me,
the snares of death were set to catch me;
then in anguish heart I cried to the LORD,
I called for help to my God;
he heard me from his temple,
and my cry reached his ears.
The earth heaved and quaked,
the foundations of the mountains shook;
they heaved, because he was angry.
Smoke rose from his nostrils,
devouring fire came out of his mouth,
glowing coals and searing heat.
He swept the skies aside as he descended,
thick darkness lay under his feet.
He rode a cherub, he flew through the air;
he swooped on the wings of the wind.
He made darkness around him his hiding-place
and dense vapour his canopy.
Thick clouds came out of the radiance before him,
hailstones and glowing coals.
The LORD thundered from the heavens
and the voice of the Most High spoke out.
He loosed his arrows, he sped them far and wide,
he shot forth lightning shafts and sent them echoing.
The channels of the sea-bed were revealed,
the foundations of the earth laid bare
at the LORD's rebuke,
at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.
He reached down from the height and took me,
he drew me out of mighty waters,
he rescued me from my enemies, strong as they were,
from my foes when they grew too powerful for me.
They confronted me in the hour of my peril,
but the LORD was my buttress.
He brought me out into an open place,
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
The LORD rewarded me as my righteousness deserved;
my hands were clean, and he requited me.
For I have followed the ways of the LORD
and have not turned wickedly from my God;
all his laws are before my eyes,
I have not failed to follow his decrees.
In his sight I was blameless
and kept myself from wilful sin;
the LORD requited me as my righteousness deserved
and the purity of my life in his eyes.
With the loyal thou showest thyself loyal
and with the blameless man blameless.
With the savage man thou showest thyself savage,
and tortuous and perverse.
Thou deliverest humble folk,
and bringest proud looks down to earth.
Thou, LORD, dost make my lamp burn bright,
and my God will lighten my darkness.
With thy help I leap over a bank,
by God's aid I spring over a wall.
The way of God is perfect,
The LORD's word has stood the test;
he is the shield of all who take refuge in him.
What god is there but the LORD?
What rock but our God?——
the God who girds me with strength
and makes my way blameless,
who makes me swift as a hind
and sets me secure on the mountains;
who trains my hands for battle,
and my arms aim an arrow tipped with bronze.
Thou hast given me my shield of thy salvation,
thy hand sustains me, thy providence makes me great.
Thou givest me room for my steps,
my feet have not faltered.
I pursue my enemies and overtake them,
I do not return until I have made an end of them.
I strike them down and they will never rise again;
they fall beneath my feet.
Thou dost arm me with strength for the battle
and dost subdue my foes before me.
Thou settest my foot on my enemies' necks,
and I bring to nothing those that hate me.
They cry out and there is no one to help them,
they cry to the LORD and he does not answer.
I will pound them fine as dust before the wind,
like mud in the streets will I trample them.
Thou dost deliver me from the clamour of the people,
and makest me master of the nations.
A people I never knew shall be my subjects;
as soon as they hear tell of me, they shall obey me,
and foreigners shall come cringing to me.
Foreigners shall be brought captive to me,
and emerge from their strongholds.
The LORD lives, blessed is my rock,
high above all is God who saves me.
O God, who grantest me vengeance,
who layest nations prostrate at my feet,
who dost rescue me from my foes and set me over my enemies,
thou dost deliver me from the violent men.
Therefore, LORD, I will praise thee among the nations
and sing psalms to thy name,
to one who gives his king great victories
and in all his acts keeps faith with his anointed king,
with David and his descendants for ever.
19
The heavens tell out the glory of God,
the vault of heaven reveals his handiwork.
One day speaks to another,
night with night shares its knowledge,
and this without speech or language
or sound of any voice.
Their music goes out through all the earth,
their words reach to the end of the world.
In them a tent is fixed for the sun,
who comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,
rejoicing like a strong man to run his race.
His rising is at one end of the heavens,
his circuit touches their farthest ends;
and nothing is hidden from his heat.
The law of the LORD is perfect and revives the soul.
The LORD's instruction never fails,
and makes the simple wise.
The precepts of the LORD are right and rejoice the heart.
The commandment of the LORD shines clear
and gives light to the eyes.
The fear of he LORD is pure and abides for ever.
The LORD's decrees are true and righteous every one,
more to be desired than gold, pure gold in plenty,
sweeter than syrup or honey from the comb.
It is these that give thy servant warning,
and he who keeps them wins a great reward.
Who is aware of his unwitting sins?
Cleanse me of any secret fault.
Hold back thy servant also from the sin of self-will,
lest they get the better of me.
Then I shall be blameless
and innocent of any great transgression.
May all that I say and think be acceptable to thee,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer!
20
May the LORD answer you in the hour of trouble!
The name of Jacob's God be your tower of strength,
give you help from the sanctuary
and send you support from Zion!
May he remember all your offerings
and look with favour on your rich sacrifices,
give you your heart's desire
and grant success to all your plans!
Let us sing aloud in praise of your victory,
let us do homage to the name of our God!
The LORD grant all you ask!
Now I know
that the LORD has given victory to his anointed king:
he wil answer him from his holy heaven
with the victorious might of his right hand.
Some boast of chariots and some of horses,
but our boast is the name of he LORD our God.
They totter and fall,
but we rise up and are full of courage.
O LORD, save the king,
and answer us in the hour of our calling.
21
The king rejoices in thy might, O LORD:
well may he exult in thy victory,
for thou hast given him his heart's desire
and hast not refused him what he asked.
Thou dost welcome him with blessings and prosperity
and set a crown of fine gold upon his head.
He asked of thee life, and thou didst give it him,
length of days for ever and ever.
Thy salvation has brought him great glory;
thou dost invest him with majesty and honour,
for thou bestowest blessings on him for evermore
and dost make him glad with joy in thy presence.
The king puts his trust in the LORD;
the loving care of the Most High holds him unshaken.
Your hand shall reach all your enemies:
your right hand shall reach those who hate you;
at your coming you shall plunge them into a fiery furnace;
the LORD in his anger will strike them down,
and fire shall consume them.
It will exterminate their offspring from the earth
and rid mankind of their posterity.
For they have aimed wicked blows at you,
they have plotted mischief but could not prevail;
but you will catch them round the shoulders
and will aim with your bow-strings at their faces.
Be exalted, O LORD, in thy might;
we will sing a psalm of praise to thy power.
22
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me
and art so far from saving me, from heeding my groans?
O my God, I cry in the day-time but thou dost not answer,
in the night I cry but get no respite.
And yet thou art enthroned in holiness,
thou art he whose praises Israel sings.
In thee our fathers put their trust;
they trusted, and thou didst rescue them.
Unto thee they cried and were delivered;
in thee they trusted and were not put to shame.
But I am a worm, not a man,
abused by all men, scorned by all people.
All who see me jeer at me,
make mouths at me and wag their heads:
'He threw himself on the LORD for rescue;
let the LORD deliver him, for he holds him dear!'
But thou art he who drew me from the womb,
who laid me at my mother's breast.
Upon thee was I cast at birth;
from my mother's womb thou hast been my God.
Be not far from me,
for trouble is near, and I have no helper.
A herd of bulls surrounds me,
great bulls of Bashan beset me.
Ravening and roaring lions
open their mouths wide against me.
My strength drains away like water
and all my bones are loose.
My heart has turned to wax and melts within me.
My mouth is dry as a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to my jaw;
I am laid low in the dust of death.
The huntsmen are all about me;
a band of ruffians rings me round,
and they have hacked off my hands and my feet.
I tell my tale of misery,
while they look on and gloat.
They share out my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothes.
But do not remain so far away, O LORD;
O my help, hasten to my aid.
Deliver my very self from the sword,
my precious life from the axe.
Save me from the lion's mouth,
my poor body from the horns of the wild ox.
I will declare thy fame to my brethren;
I will praise thee in the midst of the assembly.
Praise him, you who fear the LORD;
all you sons of Jacob, do him honour;
stand in awe of him, all sons of Israel.
For he has not scorned the downtrodden,
nor shrunk in loathing from his plight,
nor hidden his face from him,
but gave heed to him when he cried out.
Thou dost inspire my praise in the full assembly;
and I will pay my vows before all who fear thee.
Let the humble eat and be satisfied.
Let those who seek the LORD praise him
and be in good heart for ever.
Let all the ends of the earth remember and turn again to the
LORD;
let all the families of the nations bow down before him.
For kingly power belongs to the LORD,
and dominion over the nations is his.
How can those buried in the earth do him homage,
how can those who go down to the grave bow before him?
But I shall live for his sake,
my posterity shall serve him.
This shall be told of the LORD to future generations;
and they shall justify him,
declaring to a people yet unborn
that this was his doing.
23
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall want nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
and leads me beside the waters of peace;
he renews life within me,
and for his name's sake guides me in the right path.
Even though I walk through a valley dark as death
I fear no evil, for thou art with me,
thy staff and thy crook are my comfort.
Thou spreadest a table for me in the sight of my enemies;
thou hast richly bathed my head with oil,
and my cup runs over.
Goodness and love unfailing, these will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
my whole life long.
24
The earth s the LORD's and all that is in it,
the world and those who dwell therein.
For it was he who founded it upon the seas
and planted it firm upon the waters beneath.
Who may go up the mountain of the LORD?
And who may stand in his holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who has not set his mind on falsehood,
and has not committed perjury.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
and justice from God his saviour.
Such is the fortune of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Lift up your heads, you gates,
lift yourselves up, you everlasting doors,
that the king of glory may come in.
Who is the king of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
the LORD mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, you gates,
lift them up, you everlasting doors,
that the king of glory may come in.
Who then is the king of glory?
The king of glory is the LORD of Hosts.
25
Unto thee, O LORD my God, I lift up my heart.
In thee I trust: do not put me to shame,
let not my enemies exult over me.
No man who hopes in thee is put to shame;
but shame comes to all who break faith without cause.
Make thy paths known to me, O LORD;
teach me thy ways.
Lead me in thy truth and teach me;
thou art God my saviour.
For thee I have waited all the day long,
for the coming of thy goodness, LORD.
Remember, LORD, thy tender care and thy love unfailing,
shown from ages past.
Do not remember the sins and offences of my youth,
but remember me in thy unfailing love.
The LORD is good and upright;
therefore he teaches sinners the way they should go.
He guides the humble man in doing right,
he teaches the humble his ways.
All the ways of the LORD are loving and sure
to men who keep his covenant and his charge.
For the honour of thy name, O LORD,
forgive my wickedness, great as it is.
If there is any man who fears the LORD,
he shall be shown the path that he should choose;
he shall enjoy lasting prosperity,
and his children after him shall inherit the land.
The LORD confides his purposes to those who fear him,
and his covenant is theirs to know.
My eyes are ever on the LORD,
who alone can free my feet from the net.
Turn to me and show me thy favour,
for I am lonely and oppressed.
Relieve the sorrow of my heart
and bring me out of my distress.
Look at my misery and my trouble
and forgive me every sin.
Look at my enemies, see how many they are
and how violent their hatred for me.
Defend me and deliver me,
do not put me to shame when I take refuge in thee.
Let integrity and uprightness protect me,
for I have waited for thee, O LORD.
O God, redeem Israel from all his sorrows.
26
Give me justice, O LORD,
for I have lived my life without reproach,
and put unfaltering trust in the LORD.
Test me, O LORD, and try me;
put m heart and mind to the proof.
For thy constant love is before my eyes,
and I live in thy truth.
I have not sat among worthless men,
nor do I mix with hypocrites;
I hate the company of evildoers
and will not sit among the ungodly.
I wash my hands in innocence
to join in procession round thy altar, O LORD,
singing of thy marvellous acts,
recounting them all with thankful voice.
O LORD, I love the beauty of thy house,
the place where thy glory dwells.
Do not sweep me away with sinners,
nor cast me out with men who thirst for blood,
whose fingers are active in mischief,
and their hands are full of bribes.
But I live my life without reproach;
redeem me, O LORD, and show me thy favour.
When once my feet are planted on firm ground,
I will bless the LORD in he full assembly.
27
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is the refuge of my life;
of whom then should go in dread?
When evildoers close in on me to devour me,
it is my enemies, my assailants,
who stumble and fall.
If and army should encamp against me,
my heart would feel no fear;
if armed men should fall upon me,
even then should I be undismayed.
One thing I ask of the LORD,
one thing I seek:
that I may be constant in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.
For he will keep me safe beneath his roof
in the day of misfortune;
he will hide me under the cover of his tent;
he will raise me beyond reach of distress.
Now I can raise my head high
above the enemy all about me;
so I will acclaim him with sacrifice before his tent
and sing a palm of praise to the LORD.
Hear, O LORD, when I call aloud;
show me favour and answer me.
'Come,' my heart has said,
'seek his face.'
I will seek thy face, O LORD;
do not hide it fro me,
nor in thy anger turn away thy servant,
whose help thou hast been;
do not cast me off or forsake me, O God my saviour.
Though my father and my mother forsake me,
the LORD will take me into his care.
Teach me thy ways, O LORD;
do not give me up to the greed of my enemies;
lead me by a level path
to escape my watchful foes;
liars stand up to give evidence against me,
breathing malice.
Well I know that I shall see the goodness of he LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD; be strong, take courage,
and wait for the LORD.
28
To thee, O LORD, I call;
O my Rock, be not deaf to my cry,
lest, if thou answer me with silence,
I become like those who go down to the abyss.
Hear my cry for mercy
when I call to thee for help,
when I lift my hands to thy holy shrine.
Do not drag me away with the ungodly, with evildoers,
who speak civilly to neighbours, with malice in their hearts.
Reward them for their works, their evil deeds;
reward them for what their hands have done;
give them their deserts.
Because they paid no heed to the works of the LORD
or to what his hands have done,
may he tear them down and never build them up!
Blessed be the LORD,
for he has heard my cry for mercy.
The LORD is my strength, my shield,
in him my heart trusts;
so I am sustained, and my heart leaps for joy,
and I praise him with my whole body.
The LORD is strength to his people,
a safe refuge for his anointed king.
O save thy people and bless thy own,
shepherd them, carry them for ever.
The New English Bible (with Apocrypha)
Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, 1970
Posted Jun 25, 2019, 11:16 PM UTC
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