Psalms To Pray For Guidance And Success

A Poem by David. Preserve me, God, for I take refuge in you.

My soul, you have said to the LORD, “You are my Lord. Apart from you I have no good thing.”

As for the saints who are in the earth, they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.

Their sorrows shall be multiplied who give gifts to another god. Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, nor take their names on my lips.

The LORD assigned my portion and my cup. You made my lot secure.

The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. Yes, I have a good inheritance.

I will bless the LORD, who has given me counsel. Yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons.

I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices. My body shall also dwell in safety.

For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption.

You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. The heavens declare the glory of God. The expanse shows his handiwork.

Day after day they pour out speech, and night after night they display knowledge.

There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard.

Their voice has gone out through all the earth, their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun,

which is as a bridegroom coming out of his room, like a strong man rejoicing to run his course.

His going out is from the end of the heavens, his circuit to its ends. There is nothing hidden from its heat.

The LORD’s law is perfect, restoring the soul. The LORD’s covenant is sure, making wise the simple.

The LORD’s precepts are right, rejoicing the heart. The LORD’s commandment is pure, enlightening the eyes.

The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever. The LORD’s ordinances are true, and righteous altogether.

They are more to be desired than gold, yes, than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the extract of the honeycomb.

Moreover your servant is warned by them. In keeping them there is great reward.

Who can discern his errors? Forgive me from hidden errors.

Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Then I will be upright. I will be blameless and innocent of great transgression.

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

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave. Be merciful to me, God, be merciful to me, for my soul takes refuge in you. Yes, in the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge, until disaster has passed.

I cry out to God Most High, to God who accomplishes my requests for me.

He will send from heaven, and save me, he rebukes the one who is pursuing me. Selah. God will send out his loving kindness and his truth.

My soul is among lions. I lie among those who are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

Be exalted, God, above the heavens! Let your glory be above all the earth!

They have prepared a net for my steps. My soul is bowed down. They dig a pit before me. They fall into the middle of it themselves. Selah.

My heart is steadfast, God. My heart is steadfast. I will sing, yes, I will sing praises.

Wake up, my glory! Wake up, lute and harp! I will wake up the dawn.

I will give thanks to you, Lord, among the peoples. I will sing praises to you among the nations.

For your great loving kindness reaches to the heavens, and your truth to the skies.

Be exalted, God, above the heavens. Let your glory be over all the earth.

A Psalm by Asaph. God presides in the great assembly. He judges among the gods.

“How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked?” Selah.

“Defend the weak, the poor, and the fatherless. Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.

Rescue the weak and needy. Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.”

They don’t know, neither do they understand. They walk back and forth in darkness. All the foundations of the earth are shaken.

I said, “You are gods, all of you are sons of the Most High.

Nevertheless you shall die like men, and fall like one of the rulers.”

Arise, God, judge the earth, for you inherit all of the nations.

A Song. A Psalm by David. My heart is steadfast, God. I will sing and I will make music with my soul.

Wake up, harp and lyre! I will wake up the dawn.

I will give thanks to you, LORD, among the nations. I will sing praises to you among the peoples.

For your loving kindness is great above the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Be exalted, God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth.

That your beloved may be delivered, save with your right hand, and answer us.

God has spoken from his sanctuary: “In triumph, I will divide Shechem, and measure out the valley of Succoth.

Gilead is mine. Manasseh is mine. Ephraim also is my helmet. Judah is my scepter.

Moab is my wash pot. I will toss my sandal on Edom. I will shout over Philistia.”

Who will bring me into the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?

Haven’t you rejected us, God? You don’t go out, God, with our armies.

Give us help against the enemy, for the help of man is vain.

Through God, we will do valiantly, for it is he who will tread down our enemies.

Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who delights greatly in his commandments.

His offspring will be mighty in the land. The generation of the upright will be blessed.

Wealth and riches are in his house. His righteousness endures forever.

Light dawns in the darkness for the upright, gracious, merciful, and righteous.

It is well with the man who deals graciously and lends. He will maintain his cause in judgment.

For he will never be shaken. The righteous will be remembered forever.

He will not be afraid of evil news. His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.

His heart is established. He will not be afraid in the end when he sees his adversaries.

He has dispersed, he has given to the poor. His righteousness endures forever. His horn will be exalted with honor.

The wicked will see it, and be grieved. He shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away. The desire of the wicked will perish.

A Song of Ascents. By David. I was glad when they said to me, “Let’s go to the LORD’s house!”

Our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem!

Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together,

where the tribes go up, even the LORD’s tribes, according to an ordinance for Israel, to give thanks to the LORD’s name.

For there are set thrones for judgment, the thrones of David’s house.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Those who love you will prosper.

Peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces.

For my brothers’ and companions’ sakes, I will now say, “Peace be within you.”

For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. LORD, you have searched me, and you know me.

You know my sitting down and my rising up. You perceive my thoughts from afar.

You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.

For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, LORD, you know it altogether.

You hem me in behind and before. You laid your hand on me.

This knowledge is beyond me. It’s lofty. I can’t attain it.

Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence?

If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there!

If I take the wings of the dawn, and settle in the uttermost parts of the sea,

even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will hold me.

If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me. The light around me will be night,”

even the darkness doesn’t hide from you, but the night shines as the day. The darkness is like light to you.

For you formed my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. My soul knows that very well.

My frame wasn’t hidden from you, when I was made in secret, woven together in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my body. In your book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there were none of them.

How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is their sum!

If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I wake up, I am still with you.

If only you, God, would kill the wicked. Get away from me, you bloodthirsty men!

For they speak against you wickedly. Your enemies take your name in vain.

LORD, don’t I hate those who hate you? Am I not grieved with those who rise up against you?

I hate them with perfect hatred. They have become my enemies.

Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts.

See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.