Psalms for Troubled Times

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. May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble. May the name of the God of Jacob set you up on high,

send you help from the sanctuary, grant you support from Zion,

remember all your offerings, and accept your burned sacrifice. Selah.

May he grant you your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your counsel.

We will triumph in your salvation. In the name of our God, we will set up our banners. May the LORD grant all your requests.

Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed. He will answer him from his holy heaven, with the saving strength of his right hand.

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

They are bowed down and fallen, but we rise up, and stand upright.

Save, LORD! Let the King answer us when we call!

By David. To you, LORD, I lift up my soul.

My God, I have trusted in you. Don’t let me be shamed. Don’t let my enemies triumph over me.

Yes, no one who waits for you will be shamed. They will be shamed who deal treacherously without cause.

Show me your ways, LORD. Teach me your paths.

Guide me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation. I wait for you all day long.

LORD, remember your tender mercies and your loving kindness, for they are from old times.

Don’t remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. Remember me according to your loving kindness, for your goodness’ sake, LORD.

Good and upright is the LORD, therefore he will instruct sinners in the way.

He will guide the humble in justice. He will teach the humble his way.

All the paths of the LORD are loving kindness and truth to such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

For your name’s sake, LORD, pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

What man is he who fears the LORD? He shall instruct him in the way that he shall choose.

His soul will dwell at ease. His offspring will inherit the land.

The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him. He will show them his covenant.

My eyes are ever on the LORD, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

Turn to me, and have mercy on me, for I am desolate and afflicted.

The troubles of my heart are enlarged. Oh bring me out of my distresses.

Consider my affliction and my travail. Forgive all my sins.

Consider my enemies, for they are many. They hate me with cruel hatred.

Oh keep my soul, and deliver me. Let me not be disappointed, for I take refuge in you.

Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.

God, redeem Israel out of all his troubles.

By David. Judge me, LORD, for I have walked in my integrity. I have trusted also in the LORD without wavering.

Examine me, LORD, and prove me. Try my heart and my mind.

For your loving kindness is before my eyes. I have walked in your truth.

I have not sat with deceitful men, neither will I go in with hypocrites.

I hate the assembly of evildoers, and will not sit with the wicked.

I will wash my hands in innocence, so I will go about your altar, LORD,

that I may make the voice of thanksgiving to be heard and tell of all your wondrous deeds.

LORD, I love the habitation of your house, the place where your glory dwells.

Don’t gather my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men

in whose hands is wickedness; their right hand is full of bribes.

But as for me, I will walk in my integrity. Redeem me, and be merciful to me.

My foot stands in an even place. In the congregations I will bless the LORD.

A Psalm by David, for a memorial. LORD, don’t rebuke me in your wrath, neither chasten me in your hot displeasure.

For your arrows have pierced me, your hand presses hard on me.

There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation, neither is there any health in my bones because of my sin.

For my iniquities have gone over my head. As a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

My wounds are loathsome and corrupt because of my foolishness.

I am in pain and bowed down greatly. I go mourning all day long.

For my waist is filled with burning. There is no soundness in my flesh.

I am faint and severely bruised. I have groaned by reason of the anguish of my heart.

Lord, all my desire is before you. My groaning is not hidden from you.

My heart throbs. My strength fails me. As for the light of my eyes, it has also left me.

My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my plague. My kinsmen stand far away.

They also who seek after my life lay snares. Those who seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and meditate deceits all day long.

But I, as a deaf man, don’t hear. I am as a mute man who doesn’t open his mouth.

Yes, I am as a man who doesn’t hear, in whose mouth are no reproofs.

For I hope in you, LORD. You will answer, Lord my God.

For I said, “Don’t let them gloat over me, or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips.”

For I am ready to fall. My pain is continually before me.

For I will declare my iniquity. I will be sorry for my sin.

But my enemies are vigorous and many. Those who hate me without reason are numerous.

They who give evil for good are also adversaries to me, because I follow what is good.

Don’t forsake me, LORD. My God, don’t be far from me.

Hurry to help me, Lord, my salvation.

For the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A contemplation by David, when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, “Isn’t David hiding himself among us?” Save me, God, by your name. Vindicate me in your might.

Hear my prayer, God. Listen to the words of my mouth.

For strangers have risen up against me. Violent men have sought after my soul. They haven’t set God before them. Selah.

Behold, God is my helper. The Lord is the one who sustains my soul.

He will repay the evil to my enemies. Destroy them in your truth.

With a free will offering, I will sacrifice to you. I will give thanks to your name, LORD, for it is good.

For he has delivered me out of all trouble. My eye has seen triumph over my enemies.

For the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. By Asaph. Sing aloud to God, our strength! Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob!

Raise a song, and bring here the tambourine, the pleasant lyre with the harp.

Blow the trumpet at the New Moon, at the full moon, on our feast day.

For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.

He appointed it in Joseph for a covenant, when he went out over the land of Egypt, I heard a language that I didn’t know.

“I removed his shoulder from the burden. His hands were freed from the basket.

You called in trouble, and I delivered you. I answered you in the secret place of thunder. I tested you at the waters of Meribah.” Selah.

“Hear, my people, and I will testify to you, Israel, if you would listen to me!

There shall be no strange god in you, neither shall you worship any foreign god.

I am the LORD, your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

But my people didn’t listen to my voice. Israel desired none of me.

So I let them go after the stubbornness of their hearts, that they might walk in their own counsels.

Oh that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!

I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their adversaries.

The haters of the LORD would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever.

But he would have also fed them with the finest of the wheat. I will satisfy you with honey out of the rock.”

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. LORD, you have been favorable to your land. You have restored the fortunes of Jacob.

You have forgiven the iniquity of your people. You have covered all their sin. Selah.

You have taken away all your wrath. You have turned from the fierceness of your anger.

Turn us, God of our salvation, and cause your indignation toward us to cease.

Will you be angry with us forever? Will you draw out your anger to all generations?

Won’t you revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?

Show us your loving kindness, LORD. Grant us your salvation.

I will hear what God, the LORD, will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, his saints; but let them not turn again to folly.

Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.

Mercy and truth meet together. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

Truth springs out of the earth. Righteousness has looked down from heaven.

Yes, the LORD will give that which is good. Our land will yield its increase.

Righteousness goes before him, and prepares the way for his steps.

A Prayer by David. Hear, LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.

Preserve my soul, for I am godly. You, my God, save your servant who trusts in you.

Be merciful to me, Lord, for I call to you all day long.

Bring joy to the soul of your servant, for to you, Lord, do I lift up my soul.

For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on you.

Hear, LORD, my prayer. Listen to the voice of my petitions.

In the day of my trouble I will call on you, for you will answer me.

There is no one like you among the gods, Lord, nor any deeds like your deeds.

All nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord. They shall glorify your name.

For you are great, and do wondrous things. You are God alone.

Teach me your way, LORD. I will walk in your truth. Make my heart undivided to fear your name.

I will praise you, Lord my God, with my whole heart. I will glorify your name forever more.

For your loving kindness is great toward me. You have delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol.

God, the proud have risen up against me. A company of violent men have sought after my soul, and they don’t hold regard for you before them.

But you, Lord, are a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth.

Turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give your strength to your servant. Save the son of your servant.

Show me a sign of your goodness, that those who hate me may see it, and be shamed, because you, LORD, have helped me, and comforted me.

A Psalm by the sons of Korah; a Song. His foundation is in the holy mountains.

The LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

Glorious things are spoken about you, city of God. Selah.

I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me. Behold, Philistia, Tyre, and also Ethiopia: “This one was born there.”

Yes, of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one was born in her;” the Most High himself will establish her.

The LORD will count, when he writes up the peoples, “This one was born there.” Selah.

Those who sing as well as those who dance say, “All my springs are in you.”

A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the LORD. Hear my prayer, LORD! Let my cry come to you.

Don’t hide your face from me in the day of my distress. Turn your ear to me. Answer me quickly in the day when I call.

For my days consume away like smoke. My bones are burned as a torch.

My heart is blighted like grass, and withered, for I forget to eat my bread.

By reason of the voice of my groaning, my bones stick to my skin.

I am like a pelican of the wilderness. I have become as an owl of the waste places.

I watch, and have become like a sparrow that is alone on the housetop.

My enemies reproach me all day. Those who are mad at me use my name as a curse.

For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mixed my drink with tears,

because of your indignation and your wrath; for you have taken me up and thrown me away.

My days are like a long shadow. I have withered like grass.

But you, LORD, will remain forever; your renown endures to all generations.

You will arise and have mercy on Zion, for it is time to have pity on her. Yes, the set time has come.

For your servants take pleasure in her stones, and have pity on her dust.

So the nations will fear the LORD’s name, all the kings of the earth your glory.

For the LORD has built up Zion. He has appeared in his glory.

He has responded to the prayer of the destitute, and has not despised their prayer.

This will be written for the generation to come. A people which will be created will praise the LORD,

for he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary. From heaven, the LORD saw the earth,

to hear the groans of the prisoner, to free those who are condemned to death,

that men may declare the LORD’s name in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem,

when the peoples are gathered together, the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

He weakened my strength along the course. He shortened my days.

I said, “My God, don’t take me away in the middle of my days. Your years are throughout all generations.

Of old, you laid the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the work of your hands.

They will perish, but you will endure. Yes, all of them will wear out like a garment. You will change them like a cloak, and they will be changed.

But you are the same. Your years will have no end.

The children of your servants will continue. Their offspring will be established before you.”

A Song of Ascents. Out of the depths I have cried to you, LORD.

Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my petitions.

If you, LORD, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?

But there is forgiveness with you, therefore you are feared.

I wait for the LORD. My soul waits. I hope in his word.

My soul longs for the Lord more than watchmen long for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.

Israel, hope in the LORD, for there is loving kindness with the LORD. Abundant redemption is with him.

He will redeem Israel from all their sins.

A contemplation by David, when he was in the cave. A Prayer. I cry with my voice to the LORD. With my voice, I ask the LORD for mercy.

I pour out my complaint before him. I tell him my troubles.

When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, you knew my route. On the path in which I walk, they have hidden a snare for me.

Look on my right, and see; for there is no one who is concerned for me. Refuge has fled from me. No one cares for my soul.

I cried to you, LORD. I said, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”

Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need. Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me.

Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name. The righteous will surround me, for you will be good to me.