79

A Psalm by Asaph.

1God, the nations have come into your inheritance.

They have defiled your holy temple.

They have laid Jerusalem in heaps.

2They have given the dead bodies of your servants to be food for the birds of the sky,

the flesh of your saints to the animals of the earth.

3They have shed their blood like water around Jerusalem.

There was no one to bury them.

4We have become a reproach to our neighbors,

a scoffing and derision to those who are around us.

5How long, Yahweh?

Will you be angry forever?

Will your jealousy burn like fire?

6Pour out your wrath on the nations that don’t know you,

on the kingdoms that don’t call on your name,

7for they have devoured Jacob,

and destroyed his homeland.

8Don’t hold the iniquities of our forefathers against us.

Let your tender mercies speedily meet us,

for we are in desperate need.

9Help us, God of our salvation, for the glory of your name.

Deliver us, and forgive our sins, for your name’s sake.

10Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”

Let it be known among the nations, before our eyes,

that vengeance for your servants’ blood is being poured out.

11Let the sighing of the prisoner come before you.

According to the greatness of your power, preserve those who are sentenced to death.

12Pay back to our neighbors seven times into their bosom

their reproach with which they have reproached you, Lord.

13So we, your people and sheep of your pasture,

will give you thanks forever.

We will praise you forever, to all generations.

80

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” A Psalm by Asaph.

1Hear us, Shepherd of Israel,

you who lead Joseph like a flock,

you who sit above the cherubim, shine out.

2Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, stir up your might!

Come to save us!

3Turn us again, God.

Cause your face to shine,

and we will be saved.

4Yahweh God of Armies,

how long will you be angry against the prayer of your people?

5You have fed them with the bread of tears,

and given them tears to drink in large measure.

6You make us a source of contention to our neighbors.

Our enemies laugh among themselves.

7Turn us again, God of Armies.

Cause your face to shine,

and we will be saved.

8You brought a vine out of Egypt.

You drove out the nations, and planted it.

9You cleared the ground for it.

It took deep root, and filled the land.

10The mountains were covered with its shadow.

Its boughs were like God’s cedars.

11It sent out its branches to the sea,

its shoots to the River.

12Why have you broken down its walls,

so that all those who pass by the way pluck it?

13The boar out of the wood ravages it.

The wild animals of the field feed on it.

14Turn again, we beg you, God of Armies.

Look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vine,

15the stock which your right hand planted,

the branch that you made strong for yourself.

16It’s burned with fire.

It’s cut down.

They perish at your rebuke.

17Let your hand be on the man of your right hand,

on the son of man whom you made strong for yourself.

18So we will not turn away from you.

Revive us, and we will call on your name.

19Turn us again, Yahweh God of Armies.

Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved.

81

For the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. By Asaph.

1Sing aloud to God, our strength!

Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob!

2Raise a song, and bring here the tambourine,

the pleasant lyre with the harp.

3Blow the trumpet at the New Moon,

at the full moon, on our feast day.

4For it is a statute for Israel,

an ordinance of the God of Jacob.

5He 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.

6“I removed his shoulder from the burden.

His hands were freed from the basket.

7You 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.

8“Hear, my people, and I will testify to you,

Israel, if you would listen to me!

9There shall be no strange god in you,

neither shall you worship any foreign god.

10I am Yahweh, your God,

who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.

Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

11But my people didn’t listen to my voice.

Israel desired none of me.

12So I let them go after the stubbornness of their hearts,

that they might walk in their own counsels.

13Oh that my people would listen to me,

that Israel would walk in my ways!

14I would soon subdue their enemies,

and turn my hand against their adversaries.

15The haters of Yahweh would cringe before him,

and their punishment would last forever.

16But he would have also fed them with the finest of the wheat.

I will satisfy you with honey out of the rock.”

82

A Psalm by Asaph.

1God presides in the great assembly.

He judges among the gods.

2“How long will you judge unjustly,

and show partiality to the wicked?” Selah.

3“Defend the weak, the poor, and the fatherless.

Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.

4Rescue the weak and needy.

Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.”

5They don’t know, neither do they understand.

They walk back and forth in darkness.

All the foundations of the earth are shaken.

6I said, “You are gods,

all of you are sons of the Most High.

7Nevertheless you shall die like men,

and fall like one of the rulers.”

8Arise, God, judge the earth,

for you inherit all of the nations.

83

A song. A Psalm by Asaph.

1God, don’t keep silent.

Don’t keep silent,

and don’t be still, God.

2For, behold, your enemies are stirred up.

Those who hate you have lifted up their heads.

3They conspire with cunning against your people.

They plot against your cherished ones.

4“Come,” they say, “let’s destroy them as a nation,

that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”

5For they have conspired together with one mind.

They form an alliance against you.

6The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites;

Moab, and the Hagrites;

7Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek;

Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;

8Assyria also is joined with them.

They have helped the children of Lot. Selah.

9Do to them as you did to Midian,

as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the river Kishon;

10who perished at Endor,

who became as dung for the earth.

11Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,

yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,

12who said, “Let’s take possession of God’s pasture lands.”

13My God, make them like tumbleweed,

like chaff before the wind.

14As the fire that burns the forest,

as the flame that sets the mountains on fire,

15so pursue them with your tempest,

and terrify them with your storm.

16Fill their faces with confusion,

that they may seek your name, Yahweh.

17Let them be disappointed and dismayed forever.

Yes, let them be confounded and perish;

18that they may know that you alone, whose name is Yahweh,

are the Most High over all the earth.

84

For the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. A Psalm by the sons of Korah.

1How lovely are your dwellings,

Yahweh of Armies!

2My soul longs, and even faints for the courts of Yahweh.

My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

3Yes, the sparrow has found a home,

and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young,

near your altars, Yahweh of Armies, my King, and my God.

4Blessed are those who dwell in your house.

They are always praising you. Selah.

5Blessed are those whose strength is in you,

who have set their hearts on a pilgrimage.

6Passing through the valley of Weeping, they make it a place of springs.

Yes, the autumn rain covers it with blessings.

7They go from strength to strength.

Every one of them appears before God in Zion.

8Yahweh, God of Armies, hear my prayer.

Listen, God of Jacob. Selah.

9Behold, God our shield,

look at the face of your anointed.

10For a day in your courts is better than a thousand.

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God,

than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

11For Yahweh God is a sun and a shield.

Yahweh will give grace and glory.

He withholds no good thing from those who walk blamelessly.

12Yahweh of Armies,

blessed is the man who trusts in you.

85

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah.

1Yahweh, you have been favorable to your land.

You have restored the fortunes of Jacob.

2You have forgiven the iniquity of your people.

You have covered all their sin. Selah.

3You have taken away all your wrath.

You have turned from the fierceness of your anger.

4Turn us, God of our salvation,

and cause your indignation toward us to cease.

5Will you be angry with us forever?

Will you draw out your anger to all generations?

6Won’t you revive us again,

that your people may rejoice in you?

7Show us your loving kindness, Yahweh.

Grant us your salvation.

8I will hear what God, Yahweh, will speak,

for he will speak peace to his people, his saints;

but let them not turn again to folly.

9Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,

that glory may dwell in our land.

10Mercy and truth meet together.

Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

11Truth springs out of the earth.

Righteousness has looked down from heaven.

12Yes, Yahweh will give that which is good.

Our land will yield its increase.

13Righteousness goes before him,

and prepares the way for his steps.

86

A Prayer by David.

1Hear, Yahweh, and answer me,

for I am poor and needy.

2Preserve my soul, for I am godly.

You, my God, save your servant who trusts in you.

3Be merciful to me, Lord,

for I call to you all day long.

4Bring joy to the soul of your servant,

for to you, Lord, do I lift up my soul.

5For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,

abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on you.

6Hear, Yahweh, my prayer.

Listen to the voice of my petitions.

7In the day of my trouble I will call on you,

for you will answer me.

8There is no one like you among the gods, Lord,

nor any deeds like your deeds.

9All nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord.

They shall glorify your name.

10For you are great, and do wondrous things.

You are God alone.

11Teach me your way, Yahweh.

I will walk in your truth.

Make my heart undivided to fear your name.

12I will praise you, Lord my God, with my whole heart.

I will glorify your name forever more.

13For your loving kindness is great toward me.

You have delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol.

14God, 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.

15But you, Lord, are a merciful and gracious God,

slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth.

16Turn to me, and have mercy on me!

Give your strength to your servant.

Save the son of your servant.

17Show me a sign of your goodness,

that those who hate me may see it, and be shamed,

because you, Yahweh, have helped me, and comforted me.