Psalms 1; Psalms 2; Psalms 3; Psalms 4; Psalms 5; Psalms 6; Psalms 7; Psalms 8

Psalms 1

1 The truly happy person doesn't follow wicked advice, doesn't stand on the road of sinners, and doesn't sit with the disrespectful.

2 Instead of doing those things, these persons love the LORD's Instruction, and they recite God's Instruction day and night!

3 They are like a tree replanted by streams of water, which bears fruit at just the right time and whose leaves don't fade. Whatever they do succeeds.

4 That's not true for the wicked! They are like dust that the wind blows away.

5 And that's why the wicked will have no standing in the court of justice— neither will sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6 The LORD is intimately acquainted with the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked is destroyed.

Psalms 2

1 Why do the nations rant? Why do the peoples rave uselessly?

2 The earth's rulers take their stand; the leaders scheme together against the LORD and against his anointed one.

3 "Come!" they say. "We will tear off their ropes and throw off their chains!"

4 The one who rules in heaven laughs; my Lord makes fun of them.

5 But then God speaks to them angrily; then he terrifies them with his fury:

6 "I hereby appoint my king on Zion, my holy mountain!"

7 I will announce the LORD's decision: He said to me, "You are my son, today I have become your father.

8 Just ask me, and I will make the nations your possession; the far corners of the earth will be your property.

9 You will smash them with an iron rod; you will shatter them like a pottery jar."

10 So kings, wise up! Be warned, you rulers of the earth!

11 Serve the LORD reverently— trembling,

12 kiss his feet or else he will become angry, and your way will be destroyed because his anger ignites in an instant. But all who take refuge in the LORD are truly happy!

Psalms 3

1 LORD, I have so many enemies! So many are standing against me.

2 So many are talking about me: "Even God won't help him." Selah

3 But you, LORD, are my shield! You are my glory! You are the one who restores me.

4 I cry out loud to the LORD, and he answers me from his holy mountain. Selah

5 I lie down, sleep, and wake up because the LORD helps me.

6 I won't be afraid of thousands of people surrounding me on all sides.

7 Stand up, LORD! Save me, my God! In fact, hit all my enemies on the jaw; shatter the teeth of the wicked!

8 Rescue comes from the LORD! May your blessing be on your people! Selah

Psalms 4

1 Answer me when I cry out, my righteous God! Set me free from my troubles! Have mercy on me! Listen to my prayer!

2 How long, you people, will my reputation be insulted? How long will you continue to love what is worthless and go after lies? Selah

3 Know this: the LORD takes personal care of the faithful. The LORD will hear me when I cry out to him.

4 So be afraid, and don't sin! Think hard about it in your bed and weep over it! Selah

5 Bring righteous offerings, and trust the LORD!

6 Many people say, "We can't find goodness anywhere. The light of your face has left us, LORD!"

7 But you have filled my heart with more joy than when their wheat and wine are everywhere!

8 I will lie down and fall asleep in peace because you alone, LORD, let me live in safety.

Psalms 5

1 Hear my words, LORD! Consider my groans!

2 Pay attention to the sound of my cries, my king and my God, because I am praying to you!

3 LORD, in the morning you hear my voice. In the morning I lay it all out before you. Then I wait expectantly.

4 Because you aren't a God who enjoys wickedness; evil doesn't live with you.

5 Arrogant people won't last long in your sight; you hate all evildoers;

6 you destroy liars. The LORD despises people who are violent and dishonest.

7 But me? I will enter your house because of your abundant, faithful love; I will bow down at your holy temple, honoring you.

8 LORD, because of many enemies, please lead me in your righteousness. Make your way clear, right in front of me.

9 Because there's no truth in my enemies' mouths, all they have inside them is destruction. Their throats are open graves; their tongues slick with talk.

10 Condemn them, God! Let them fail by their own plans. Throw them out for their many sins because they've rebelled against you.

11 But let all who take refuge in you celebrate. Let them sing out loud forever! Protect them so that all who love your name can rejoice in you.

12 Because you, LORD, bless the righteous. You cover them with favor like a shield.

Psalms 6

1 Please, LORD, don't punish me when you are angry; don't discipline me when you are furious.

2 Have mercy on me, LORD, because I'm frail. Heal me, LORD, because my bones are shaking in terror!

3 My whole body is completely terrified! But you, LORD! How long will this last?

4 Come back to me, LORD! Deliver me! Save me for the sake of your faithful love!

5 No one is going to praise you when they are dead. Who gives you thanks from the grave?

6 I'm worn out from groaning. Every night, I drench my bed with tears; I soak my couch all the way through.

7 My vision fails because of my grief; it's weak because of all my distress.

8 Get away from me, all you evildoers, because the LORD has heard me crying!

9 The LORD has listened to my request. The LORD accepts my prayer.

10 All my enemies will be ashamed and completely terrified; they will be defeated and ashamed instantly.

Psalms 7

1 I take refuge in you, LORD, my God. Save me from all who chase me! Rescue me!

2 Otherwise, they will rip me apart, dragging me off with no chance of rescue.

3 LORD, my God, if I have done this— if my hands have done anything wrong,

4 if I have repaid a friend with evil or oppressed a foe for no reason—

5 then let my enemy not only chase but catch me, trampling my life into the ground, laying my reputation in the dirt. Selah

6 Get up, LORD; get angry! Stand up against the fury of my foes! Wake up, my God; you command that justice be done!

7 Let the assembled peoples surround you. Rule them from on high!

8 The LORD will judge the peoples. Establish justice for me, LORD, according to my righteousness and according to my integrity.

9 Please let the evil of the wicked be over, but set the righteous firmly in place because you, the righteous God, are the one who examines hearts and minds.

10 God is my shield; he saves those whose heart is right.

11 God is a righteous judge, a God who is angry at evil every single day.

12 If someone doesn't change their ways, God will sharpen his sword, will bend his bow, will string an arrow.

13 God has deadly weapons in store for those who won't change; he gets his flaming arrows ready!

14 But look how the wicked hatch evil, conceive trouble, give birth to lies!

15 They make a pit, dig it all out, and then fall right into the hole that they've made!

16 The trouble they cause will come back on their own heads; the violence they commit will come down on their own skulls.

17 But I will thank the LORD for his righteousness; I will sing praises to the name of the LORD Most High.

Psalms 8

1 LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name throughout the earth! You made your glory higher than heaven!

2 From the mouths of nursing babies you have laid a strong foundation because of your foes, in order to stop vengeful enemies.

3 When I look up at your skies, at what your fingers made— the moon and the stars that you set firmly in place—

4 what are human beings that you think about them; what are human beings that you pay attention to them?

5 You've made them only slightly less than divine, crowning them with glory and grandeur.

6 You've let them rule over your handiwork, putting everything under their feet—

7 all sheep and all cattle, the wild animals too,

8 the birds in the sky, the fish of the ocean, everything that travels the pathways of the sea.

9 LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name throughout the earth!