Psalms 17; Psalms 18; Psalms 19; Psalms 20

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Psalms 17

1 Listen to what's right, LORD; pay attention to my cry! Listen closely to my prayer; it's spoken by lips that don't lie!

2 My justice comes from you; let your eyes see what is right!

3 You have examined my heart, testing me at night. You've looked me over closely, but haven't found anything wrong. My mouth doesn't sin.

4 But these other people's deeds? I have avoided such violent ways by the command from your lips.

5 My steps are set firmly on your paths; my feet haven't slipped.

6 I cry out to you because you answer me. So tilt your ears toward me now— listen to what I'm saying!

7 Manifest your faithful love in amazing ways because you are the one who saves those who take refuge in you, saving them from their attackers by your strong hand.

8 Watch me with the very pupil of your eye! Hide me in the protection of your wings,

9 away from the wicked who are out to get me, away from my deadly enemies who are all around me!

10 They have no pity; their mouths speak arrogantly.

11 They track me down— suddenly, they surround me! They make their plans to put me in the dirt.

12 They are like a lion eager to rip its prey; they are like a strong young lion lying in wait.

13 Get up, LORD! Confront them! Bring them down! Rescue my life from the wicked— use your sword!

14 Rescue me from these people— use your own hands, LORD! Rescue me from these people whose only possession is their fleeting life. But fill the stomachs of your cherished ones; let their children be filled full so that they have leftovers enough for their babies.

15 But me? I will see your face in righteousness; when I awake, I will be filled full by seeing your image.

Psalms 18

1 He said: I love you, LORD, my strength.

2 The LORD is my solid rock, my fortress, my rescuer. My God is my rock— I take refuge in him!— he's my shield, my salvation's strength, my place of safety.

3 Because he is praiseworthy, I cried out to the LORD, and I was saved from my enemies.

4 Death's cords were wrapped around me; rivers of wickedness terrified me.

5 The cords of the grave surrounded me; death's traps held me tight.

6 In my distress I cried out to the LORD; I called to my God for help. God heard my voice from his temple; I called to him for help, and my call reached his ears.

7 The earth rocked and shook; the bases of the mountains trembled and reeled because of God's anger.

8 Smoke went up from God's nostrils; out of his mouth came a devouring fire; flaming coals blazed out in front of him!

9 God parted the skies and came down; thick darkness was beneath his feet.

10 God mounted the heavenly creatures and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind.

11 God made darkness cloak him; his covering was dark water and dense cloud.

12 God's clouds went ahead of the brightness before him; hail and coals of fire went too.

13 The LORD thundered in heaven; the Most High made his voice heard with hail and coals of fire.

14 God shot his arrows, scattering the enemy; he sent the lightning and threw them into confusion.

15 The seabeds were exposed; the earth's foundations were laid bare at your rebuke, LORD, at the angry blast of air coming from your nostrils.

16 From on high God reached down and grabbed me; he took me out of all that water.

17 God saved me from my powerful enemy, saved me from my foes, who were too much for me.

18 They came at me on the very day of my distress, but the LORD was my support.

19 He brought me out to wide-open spaces; he pulled me out safe because he is pleased with me.

20 The LORD rewarded me for my righteousness; he restored me because my hands are clean,

21 because I have kept the LORD's ways. I haven't acted wickedly against my God.

22 All his rules are right in front of me; I haven't turned away from any of his laws.

23 I have lived with integrity before him; I've kept myself from wrongdoing.

24 And so the LORD restored me for my righteousness because my hands are clean in his eyes.

25 You deal faithfully with the faithful; you show integrity toward the one who has integrity.

26 You are pure toward the pure, but toward the crooked, you are tricky.

27 You are the one who saves people who suffer and brings down those with proud eyes.

28 You are the one who lights my lamp— the LORD my God illumines my darkness.

29 With you I can charge into battle; with my God I can leap over a wall.

30 God! His way is perfect; the LORD's word is tried and true. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

31 Now really, who is divine except the LORD? And who is a rock but our God?

32 Only God! The God who equips me with strength and makes my way perfect,

33 who makes my step as sure as the deer's, who lets me stand securely on the heights,

34 who trains my hands for war so my arms can bend a bronze bow.

35 You've given me the shield of your salvation; your strong hand has supported me; your help has made me great.

36 You've let me walk fast and safe, without even twisting an ankle.

37 I chased my enemies and caught them! I didn't come home until I finished them off.

38 I struck them down; they couldn't get up again; they fell under my feet.

39 You equipped me with strength for war; you brought my adversaries down underneath me.

40 You made my enemies turn tail from me; I destroyed my foes.

41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them. They cried for help to the LORD, but he wouldn't answer them.

42 I crushed them like dust blown away by the wind; I threw them out like mud dumped in the streets.

43 You delivered me from struggles with many people; you appointed me the leader of many nations. Strangers come to serve me.

44 After hearing about me, they obey me; foreigners grovel before me.

45 Foreigners lose their nerve; they come trembling out of their fortresses.

46 The LORD lives! Bless God, my rock! Let the God of my salvation be lifted high!

47 This is the God who avenges on my behalf, who subdues people before me,

48 who delivers me from my enemies. Yes, you lifted me high above my adversaries; you delivered me from violent people.

49 That's why I thank you, LORD, in the presence of the nations. That's why I sing praises to your name.

50 You are the one who gives great victories to your king, who shows faithful love to your anointed one— to David and to his descendants forever.

Psalms 19

1 Heaven is declaring God's glory; the sky is proclaiming his handiwork.

2 One day gushes the news to the next, and one night informs another what needs to be known.

3 Of course, there's no speech, no words— their voices can't be heard—

4 but their sound extends throughout the world; their words reach the ends of the earth. God has made a tent in heaven for the sun.

5 The sun is like a groom coming out of his honeymoon suite; like a warrior, it thrills at running its course.

6 It rises in one end of the sky; its circuit is complete at the other. Nothing escapes its heat.

7 The LORD's Instruction is perfect, reviving one's very being. The LORD's laws are faithful, making naive people wise.

8 The LORD's regulations are right, gladdening the heart. The LORD's commands are pure, giving light to the eyes.

9 Honoring the LORD is correct, lasting forever. The LORD's judgments are true. All of these are righteous!

10 They are more desirable than gold— than tons of pure gold! They are sweeter than honey— even dripping off the honeycomb!

11 No doubt about it: your servant is enlightened by them; there is great reward in keeping them.

12 But can anyone know what they've accidentally done wrong? Clear me of any unknown sin

13 and save your servant from willful sins. Don't let them rule me. Then I'll be completely blameless; I'll be innocent of great wrongdoing.

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to you, LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

Psalms 20

1 I pray that the LORD answers you whenever you are in trouble. Let the name of Jacob's God protect you.

2 Let God send help to you from the sanctuary and support you from Zion.

3 Let God recall your many grain offerings; let him savor your entirely burned offerings. Selah

4 Let God grant what is in your heart and fulfill all your plans.

5 Then we will rejoice that you've been helped. We will fly our flags in the name of our God. Let the LORD fulfill all your requests!

6 Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed one; God answers his anointed one from his heavenly sanctuary, answering with mighty acts of salvation achieved by his strong hand.

7 Some people trust in chariots, others in horses; but we praise the LORD's name.

8 They will collapse and fall, but we will stand up straight and strong.

9 LORD, save the king! Let him answer us when we cry out!