Psalms 70; Psalms 71; Psalms 72; Psalms 73

Psalms 70

1 God, come quickly and save me. Lord, hurry to help me.

2 Let those who are trying to kill me be ashamed and disgraced. Let those who want to hurt me run away in disgrace.

3 Let those who make fun of me stop because of their shame.

4 But let all those who worship you rejoice and be glad. Let those who love your salvation always say, "Praise the greatness of God."

5 I am poor and helpless; God, hurry to me. You help me and save me. Lord, do not wait.

Psalms 71

1 In you, Lord, is my protection. Never let me be ashamed.

2 Because you do what is right, save and rescue me; listen to me and save me.

3 Be my place of safety where I can always come. Give the command to save me, because you are my rock and my strong, walled city.

4 My God, save me from the power of the wicked and from the hold of evil and cruel people.

5 Lord, you are my hope. Lord, I have trusted you since I was young.

6 I have depended on you since I was born; you helped me even on the day of my birth. I will always praise you.

7 I am an example to many people, because you are my strong protection.

8 I am always praising you; all day long I honor you.

9 Do not reject me when I am old; do not leave me when my strength is gone.

10 My enemies make plans against me, and they meet together to kill me.

11 They say, "God has left him. Go after him and take him, because no one will save him."

12 God, don't be far off. My God, hurry to help me.

13 Let those who accuse me be ashamed and destroyed. Let those who are trying to hurt me be covered with shame and disgrace.

14 But I will always have hope and will praise you more and more.

15 I will tell how you do what is right. I will tell about your salvation all day long, even though it is more than I can tell.

16 I will come and tell about your powerful works, Lord God. I will remind people that only you do what is right.

17 God, you have taught me since I was young. To this day I tell about the miracles you do.

18 Even though I am old and gray, do not leave me, God. I will tell the children about your power; I will tell those who live after me about your might.

19 God, your justice reaches to the skies. You have done great things; God, there is no one like you.

20 You have given me many troubles and bad times, but you will give me life again. When I am almost dead, you will keep me alive.

21 You will make me greater than ever, and you will comfort me again.

22 I will praise you with the harp. I trust you, my God. I will sing to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel.

23 I will shout for joy when I sing praises to you. You have saved me.

24 I will tell about your justice all day long. And those who want to hurt me will be ashamed and disgraced. Of Solomon.

Psalms 72

1 God, give the king your good judgment and the king's son your goodness.

2 Help him judge your people fairly and decide what is right for the poor.

3 Let there be peace on the mountains and goodness on the hills for the people.

4 Help him be fair to the poor and save the needy and punish those who hurt them.

5 May they respect you as long as the sun shines and as long as the moon glows.

6 Let him be like rain on the grass, like showers that water the earth.

7 Let goodness be plentiful while he lives. Let peace continue as long as there is a moon.

8 Let his kingdom go from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.

9 Let the people of the desert bow down to him, and make his enemies lick the dust.

10 Let the kings of Tarshish and the faraway lands bring him gifts. bring their presents to him.

11 Let all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him.

12 He will help the poor when they cry out and will save the needy when no one else will help.

13 He will be kind to the weak and poor, and he will save their lives.

14 He will save them from cruel people who try to hurt them, because their lives are precious to him.

15 Long live the king! Let him receive gold from Sheba. Let people always pray for him and bless him all day long.

16 Let the fields grow plenty of grain and the hills be covered with crops. Let the land be as fertile as Lebanon, and let the cities grow like the grass in a field.

17 Let the king be famous forever; let him be remembered as long as the sun shines. Let the nations be blessed because of him, and may they all bless him.

18 Praise the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does such miracles.

19 Praise his glorious name forever. Let his glory fill the whole world. Amen and amen.

20 This ends the prayers of David son of Jesse.

Psalms 73

1 God is truly good to Israel, to those who have pure hearts.

2 But I had almost stopped believing; I had almost lost my faith

3 because I was jealous of proud people. I saw wicked people doing well.

4 They are not suffering; they are healthy and strong.

5 They don't have troubles like the rest of us; they don't have problems like other people.

6 They wear pride like a necklace and put on violence as their clothing.

7 They are looking for profits and do not control their selfish desires.

8 They make fun of others and speak evil; proudly they speak of hurting others.

9 They brag to the sky. They say that they own the earth.

10 So their people turn to them and give them whatever they want.

11 They say, "How can God know?

12 These people are wicked, always at ease, and getting richer.

13 So why have I kept my heart pure? Why have I kept my hands from doing wrong?

14 I have suffered all day long; I have been punished every morning.

15 God, if I had decided to talk like this, I would have let your people down.

16 I tried to understand all this, but it was too hard for me to see

17 until I went to the Temple of God. Then I understood what will happen to them.

18 You have put them in danger; you cause them to be destroyed.

19 They are destroyed in a moment; they are swept away by terrors.

20 It will be like waking from a dream. Lord, when you rise up, they will disappear.

21 When my heart was sad and I was angry,

22 I was senseless and stupid. I acted like an animal toward you.

23 But I am always with you; you have held my hand.

24 You guide me with your advice, and later you will receive me in honor.

25 I have no one in heaven but you; I want nothing on earth besides you.

26 My body and my mind may become weak, but God is my strength. He is mine forever.

27 Those who are far from God will die; you destroy those who are unfaithful.

28 But I am close to God, and that is good. The Lord God is my protection. I will tell all that you have done. A maskil of Asaph.