54

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?”

1Save me, God, by your name.

Vindicate me in your might.

2Hear my prayer, God.

Listen to the words of my mouth.

3For strangers have risen up against me.

Violent men have sought after my soul.

They haven’t set God before them. Selah.

4Behold, God is my helper.

The Lord is the one who sustains my soul.

5He will repay the evil to my enemies.

Destroy them in your truth.

6With a free will offering, I will sacrifice to you.

I will give thanks to your name, Yahweh, for it is good.

7For he has delivered me out of all trouble.

My eye has seen triumph over my enemies.

55

For the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A contemplation by David.

1Listen to my prayer, God.

Don’t hide yourself from my supplication.

2Attend to me, and answer me.

I am restless in my complaint,

and moan 3because of the voice of the enemy,

because of the oppression of the wicked.

For they bring suffering on me.

In anger they hold a grudge against me.

4My heart is severely pained within me.

The terrors of death have fallen on me.

5Fearfulness and trembling have come on me.

Horror has overwhelmed me.

6I said, “Oh that I had wings like a dove!

Then I would fly away, and be at rest.

7Behold, then I would wander far off.

I would lodge in the wilderness.” Selah.

8“I would hurry to a shelter from the stormy wind and storm.”

9Confuse them, Lord, and confound their language,

for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

10Day and night they prowl around on its walls.

Malice and abuse are also within her.

11Destructive forces are within her.

Threats and lies don’t depart from her streets.

12For it was not an enemy who insulted me,

then I could have endured it.

Neither was it he who hated me who raised himself up against me,

then I would have hidden myself from him.

13But it was you, a man like me,

my companion, and my familiar friend.

14We took sweet fellowship together.

We walked in God’s house with company.

15Let death come suddenly on them.

Let them go down alive into Sheol.

For wickedness is among them, in their dwelling.

16As for me, I will call on God.

Yahweh will save me.

17Evening, morning, and at noon, I will cry out in distress.

He will hear my voice.

18He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me,

although there are many who oppose me.

19God, who is enthroned forever,

will hear and answer them. Selah.

They never change

and don’t fear God.

20He raises his hands against his friends.

He has violated his covenant.

21His mouth was smooth as butter,

but his heart was war.

His words were softer than oil,

yet they were drawn swords.

22Cast your burden on Yahweh and he will sustain you.

He will never allow the righteous to be moved.

23But you, God, will bring them down into the pit of destruction.

Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days,

but I will trust in you.

56

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Silent Dove in Distant Lands.” A poem by David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

1Be merciful to me, God, for man wants to swallow me up.

All day long, he attacks and oppresses me.

2My enemies want to swallow me up all day long,

for they are many who fight proudly against me.

3When I am afraid,

I will put my trust in you.

4In God, I praise his word.

In God, I put my trust.

I will not be afraid.

What can flesh do to me?

5All day long they twist my words.

All their thoughts are against me for evil.

6They conspire and lurk,

watching my steps.

They are eager to take my life.

7Shall they escape by iniquity?

In anger cast down the peoples, God.

8You count my wanderings.

You put my tears into your container.

Aren’t they in your book?

9Then my enemies shall turn back in the day that I call.

I know this: that God is for me.

10In God, I will praise his word.

In Yahweh, I will praise his word.

11I have put my trust in God.

I will not be afraid.

What can man do to me?

12Your vows are on me, God.

I will give thank offerings to you.

13For you have delivered my soul from death,

and prevented my feet from falling,

that I may walk before God in the light of the living.

57

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave.

1Be 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.

2I cry out to God Most High,

to God who accomplishes my requests for me.

3He 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.

4My 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.

5Be exalted, God, above the heavens!

Let your glory be above all the earth!

6They 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.

7My heart is steadfast, God.

My heart is steadfast.

I will sing, yes, I will sing praises.

8Wake up, my glory! Wake up, lute and harp!

I will wake up the dawn.

9I will give thanks to you, Lord, among the peoples.

I will sing praises to you among the nations.

10For your great loving kindness reaches to the heavens,

and your truth to the skies.

11Be exalted, God, above the heavens.

Let your glory be over all the earth.

58

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David.

1Do you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones?

Do you judge blamelessly, you sons of men?

2No, in your heart you plot injustice.

You measure out the violence of your hands in the earth.

3The wicked go astray from the womb.

They are wayward as soon as they are born, speaking lies.

4Their poison is like the poison of a snake,

like a deaf cobra that stops its ear,

5which doesn’t listen to the voice of charmers,

no matter how skillful the charmer may be.

6Break their teeth, God, in their mouth.

Break out the great teeth of the young lions, Yahweh.

7Let them vanish like water that flows away.

When they draw the bow, let their arrows be made blunt.

8Let them be like a snail which melts and passes away,

like the stillborn child, who has not seen the sun.

9Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns,

he will sweep away the green and the burning alike.

10The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance.

He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked,

11so that men shall say, “Most certainly there is a reward for the righteous.

Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth.”

59

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David, when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him.

1Deliver me from my enemies, my God.

Set me on high from those who rise up against me.

2Deliver me from the workers of iniquity.

Save me from the bloodthirsty men.

3For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul.

The mighty gather themselves together against me,

not for my disobedience, nor for my sin, Yahweh.

4I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.

Rise up, behold, and help me!

5You, Yahweh God of Armies, the God of Israel,

rouse yourself to punish the nations.

Show no mercy to the wicked traitors. Selah.

6They return at evening, howling like dogs,

and prowl around the city.

7Behold, they spew with their mouth.

Swords are in their lips,

“For”, they say, “who hears us?”

8But you, Yahweh, laugh at them.

You scoff at all the nations.

9Oh, my Strength, I watch for you,

for God is my high tower.

10My God will go before me with his loving kindness.

God will let me look at my enemies in triumph.

11Don’t kill them, or my people may forget.

Scatter them by your power, and bring them down, Lord our shield.

12For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips,

let them be caught in their pride,

for the curses and lies which they utter.

13Consume them in wrath.

Consume them, and they will be no more.

Let them know that God rules in Jacob,

to the ends of the earth. Selah.

14At evening let them return.

Let them howl like a dog, and go around the city.

15They shall wander up and down for food,

and wait all night if they aren’t satisfied.

16But I will sing of your strength.

Yes, I will sing aloud of your loving kindness in the morning.

For you have been my high tower,

a refuge in the day of my distress.

17To you, my strength, I will sing praises.

For God is my high tower, the God of my mercy.

60

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “The Lily of the Covenant.” A teaching poem by David, when he fought with Aram Naharaim and with Aram Zobah, and Joab returned, and killed twelve thousand of Edom in the Valley of Salt.

1God, you have rejected us.

You have broken us down.

You have been angry.

Restore us, again.

2You have made the land tremble.

You have torn it.

Mend its fractures,

for it quakes.

3You have shown your people hard things.

You have made us drink the wine that makes us stagger.

4You have given a banner to those who fear you,

that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.

5So that your beloved may be delivered,

save with your right hand, and answer us.

6God has spoken from his sanctuary:

“I will triumph.

I will divide Shechem,

and measure out the valley of Succoth.

7Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine.

Ephraim also is the defense of my head.

Judah is my scepter.

8Moab is my wash basin.

I will throw my sandal on Edom.

I shout in triumph over Philistia.”

9Who will bring me into the strong city?

Who has led me to Edom?

10Haven’t you, God, rejected us?

You don’t go out with our armies, God.

11Give us help against the adversary,

for the help of man is vain.

12Through God we will do valiantly,

for it is he who will tread down our adversaries.

61

For the Chief Musician. For a stringed instrument. By David.

1Hear my cry, God.

Listen to my prayer.

2From the end of the earth, I will call to you when my heart is overwhelmed.

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

3For you have been a refuge for me,

a strong tower from the enemy.

4I will dwell in your tent forever.

I will take refuge in the shelter of your wings. Selah.

5For you, God, have heard my vows.

You have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

6You will prolong the king’s life.

His years will be for generations.

7He shall be enthroned in God’s presence forever.

Appoint your loving kindness and truth, that they may preserve him.

8So I will sing praise to your name forever,

that I may fulfill my vows daily.