Psalms 26; Psalms 27; Psalms 28; Psalms 29; Psalms 30; Psalms 31

1 Judge me favorably, O LORD, because I have walked with integrity and I have trusted you without wavering.

2 Examine me, O LORD, and test me. Look closely into my heart and mind.

3 I see your mercy in front of me. I walk in the light of your truth.

4 I did not sit with liars, and I will not be found among hypocrites.

5 I have hated the mob of evildoers and will not sit with wicked people.

6 I will wash my hands in innocence. I will walk around your altar, O LORD,

7 so that I may loudly sing a hymn of thanksgiving and tell about all your miracles.

8 O LORD, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory dwells.

9 Do not sweep away my soul along with hardened sinners or my life along with bloodthirsty people.

10 Evil schemes are in their hands. Their right hands are full of bribes.

11 But I walk with integrity. Rescue me, and have pity on me.

12 My feet stand on level ground. I will praise the LORD with the choirs in worship.

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation. Who is there to fear? The LORD is my life's fortress. Who is there to be afraid of?

2 Evildoers closed in on me to tear me to pieces. My opponents and enemies stumbled and fell.

3 Even though an army sets up camp against me, my heart will not be afraid. Even though a war breaks out against me, I will still have confidence [in the LORD].

4 I have asked one thing from the LORD. This I will seek: to remain in the LORD's house all the days of my life in order to gaze at the LORD's beauty and to search for an answer in his temple.

5 He hides me in his shelter when there is trouble. He keeps me hidden in his tent. He sets me high on a rock.

6 Now my head will be raised above my enemies who surround me. I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy in his tent. I will sing and make music to praise the LORD.

7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud. Have pity on me, and answer me.

8 [When you said,] "Seek my face," my heart said to you, "O LORD, I will seek your face."

9 Do not hide your face from me. Do not angrily turn me away. You have been my help. Do not leave me! Do not abandon me, O God, my savior!

10 Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will take care of me.

11 Teach me your way, O LORD. Lead me on a level path because I have enemies who spy on me.

12 Do not surrender me to the will of my opponents. False witnesses have risen against me. They breathe out violence.

13 I believe that I will see the goodness of the LORD in this world of the living.

14 Wait with hope for the LORD. Be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Yes, wait with hope for the LORD.

1 O LORD, I call to you. O my rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me. If you remain silent, I will be like those who go into the pit.

2 Hear my prayer for mercy when I call to you for help, when I lift my hands toward your most holy place.

3 Do not drag me away with wicked people, with troublemakers who speak of peace with their neighbors but have evil in their hearts.

4 Pay them back for what they have done, for their evil deeds. Pay them back for what their hands have done, and give them what they deserve.

5 The LORD will tear them down and never build them up again, because they never consider what he has done or what his hands have made.

6 Thank the LORD! He has heard my prayer for mercy!

7 The LORD is my strength and my shield. My heart trusted him, so I received help. My heart is triumphant; I give thanks to him with my song.

8 The LORD is the strength of his people and a fortress for the victory of his Messiah.

9 Save your people, and bless those who belong to you. Be their shepherd, and carry them forever.

1 Give to the LORD, you heavenly beings. Give to the LORD glory and power.

2 Give to the LORD the glory his name deserves. Worship the LORD in [his] holy splendor.

3 The voice of the LORD rolls over the water. The God of glory thunders. The LORD shouts over raging water.

4 The voice of the LORD is powerful. The voice of the LORD is majestic.

5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars. The LORD splinters the cedars of Lebanon.

6 He makes Lebanon skip along like a calf and Mount Sirion like a wild ox.

7 The voice of the LORD strikes with flashes of lightning.

8 The voice of the LORD makes the wilderness tremble. The LORD makes the wilderness of Kadesh tremble.

9 The voice of the LORD splits the oaks and strips [the trees of] the forests bare. Everyone in his temple is saying, "Glory!"

10 The LORD sat enthroned over the flood. The LORD sits enthroned as king forever.

11 The LORD will give power to his people. The LORD will bless his people with peace.

1 I will honor you highly, O LORD, because you have pulled me out [of the pit] and have not let my enemies rejoice over me.

2 O LORD my God, I cried out to you for help, and you healed me.

3 O LORD, you brought me up from the grave. You called me back to life from among those who had gone into the pit.

4 Make music to praise the LORD, you faithful people who belong to him. Remember his holiness by giving thanks.

5 His anger lasts only a moment. His favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may last for the night, but there is a song of joy in the morning.

6 When all was well with me, I said, "I will never be shaken."

7 O LORD, by your favor you have made my mountain stand firm. When you hid your face, I was terrified.

8 I will cry out to you, O LORD. I will plead to the Lord for mercy:

9 "How will you profit if my blood is shed, if I go into the pit? Will the dust [of my body] give thanks to you? Will it tell about your truth?"

10 Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me! O LORD, be my helper!

11 You have changed my sobbing into dancing. You have removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy

12 so that my soul may praise you with music and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever.

1 I have taken refuge in you, O LORD. Never let me be put to shame. Save me because of your righteousness.

2 Turn your ear toward me. Rescue me quickly. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me.

3 Indeed, you are my rock and my fortress. For the sake of your name, lead me and guide me.

4 You are my refuge, so pull me out of the net that they have secretly laid for me.

5 Into your hands I entrust my spirit. You have rescued me, O LORD, God of truth.

6 I hate those who cling to false gods, but I trust the LORD.

7 I will rejoice and be glad because of your mercy. You have seen my misery. You have known the troubles in my soul.

8 You have not handed me over to the enemy. You have set my feet in a place where I can move freely.

9 Have pity on me, O LORD, because I am in distress. My eyes, my soul, and my body waste away from grief.

10 My life is exhausted from sorrow, my years from groaning. My strength staggers under [the weight of] my guilt, and my bones waste away.

11 I have become a disgrace because of all my opponents. I have become someone dreaded by my friends, even by my neighbors. Those who see me on the street run away from me.

12 I have faded from memory as if I were dead and have become like a piece of broken pottery.

13 I have heard the whispering of many people-- terror on every side-- while they made plans together against me. They were plotting to take my life.

14 I trust you, O LORD. I said, "You are my God."

15 My future is in your hands. Rescue me from my enemies, from those who persecute me.

16 Smile on me. Save me with your mercy.

17 O LORD, I have called on you, so do not let me be put to shame, Let wicked people be put to shame. Let them be silent in the grave.

18 Let [their] lying lips be speechless, since they speak against righteous people with arrogance and contempt.

19 Your kindness is so great! You reserve it for those who fear you. Adam's descendants watch as you show it to those who take refuge in you.

20 You hide them in the secret place of your presence from those who scheme against them. You keep them in a shelter, safe from quarrelsome tongues.

21 Thank the LORD! He has shown me the miracle of his mercy in a city under attack.

22 When I was panic-stricken, I said, "I have been cut off from your sight." But you heard my pleas for mercy when I cried out to you for help.

23 Love the LORD, all you godly ones! The LORD protects faithful people, but he pays back in full those who act arrogantly.

24 Be strong, all who wait with hope for the LORD, and let your heart be courageous.