Psalms 17; Psalms 35; Psalms 54; Psalms 63

1 Hear my plea for justice, O LORD. Pay attention to my cry. Open your ears to my prayer, [which comes] from lips free from deceit.

2 Let the verdict of my innocence come directly from you. Let your eyes observe what is fair.

3 You have probed my heart. You have confronted me at night. You have tested me like silver, but you found nothing wrong. I have determined that my mouth will not sin.

4 I have avoided cruelty because of your word. In spite of what others have done,

5 my steps have remained firmly in your paths. My feet have not slipped.

6 I have called on you because you answer me, O God. Turn your ear toward me. Hear what I have to say.

7 Reveal your miraculous deeds of mercy, O Savior of those who find refuge by your side from those who attack them.

8 Guard me as if I were the pupil in your eye. Hide me in the shadow of your wings.

9 Hide me from wicked people who violently attack me, from my deadly enemies who surround me.

10 They have shut out all feeling. Their mouths have spoken arrogantly.

11 They have tracked me down. They have surrounded me. They have focused their attention on throwing me to the ground.

12 Each one of them is like a lion eager to tear [its prey] apart and like a young lion crouching in hiding places.

13 Arise, O LORD; confront them! Bring them to their knees! With your sword rescue my life from wicked people.

14 With your power rescue me from mortals, O LORD, from mortals who enjoy their inheritance only in this life. You fill their bellies with your treasure. Their children are satisfied [with it], and they leave what remains to their children.

15 I will see your face when I am declared innocent. When I wake up, I will be satisfied [with seeing] you.

1 O LORD, attack those who attack me. Fight against those who fight against me.

2 Use your shields, [both] small and large. Arise to help me.

3 Hold your spear to block the way of those who pursue me. Say to my soul, "I am your savior."

4 Let those who seek my life be put to shame and disgraced. Let those who plan my downfall be turned back in confusion.

5 Let them be like husks blown by the wind as the Messenger of the LORD chases them.

6 Let their path be dark and slippery as the Messenger of the LORD pursues them.

7 For no reason they hid their net in a pit. For no reason they dug the pit [to trap me].

8 Let destruction surprise them. Let the net that they hid catch them. Let them fall into their own pit and be destroyed.

9 My soul will find joy in the LORD and be joyful about his salvation.

10 All my bones will say, "O LORD, who can compare with you? You rescue the weak person from the one who is too strong for him and weak and needy people from the one who robs them."

11 Malicious people bring charges against me. They ask me things I know nothing about.

12 I am devastated because they pay me back with evil instead of good.

13 But when they were sick, I wore sackcloth. I humbled myself with fasting. When my prayer returned unanswered,

14 I walked around as if I were mourning for my friend or my brother. I was bent over as if I were mourning for my mother.

15 Yet, when I stumbled, they rejoiced and gathered together. They gathered together against me. Unknown attackers tore me apart without stopping.

16 With crude and abusive mockers, they grit their teeth at me.

17 O Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue me from their attacks. Rescue my precious life from the lions.

18 I will give you thanks in a large gathering. I will praise you in a crowd [of worshipers].

19 Do not let my treacherous enemies gloat over me. Do not let those who hate me for no reason wink [at me].

20 They do not talk about peace. Instead, they scheme against the peaceful people in the land.

21 They open their big mouths and say about me, "Aha! Aha! Our own eyes have seen it."

22 You have seen it, O LORD. Do not remain silent. O Lord, do not be so far away from me.

23 Wake up, and rise to my defense. Plead my case, O my God and my Lord.

24 Judge me by your righteousness, O LORD my God. Do not let them gloat over me

25 or think, "Aha, just what we wanted!" Do not let them say, "We have swallowed him up."

26 Let those who gloat over my downfall be thoroughly put to shame and confused. Let those who promote themselves at my expense be clothed with shame and disgrace.

27 Let those who are happy when I am declared innocent joyfully sing and rejoice. Let them continually say, "The LORD is great. He is happy when his servant has peace."

28 Then my tongue will tell about your righteousness, about your praise all day long.

1 O God, save me by your name, and defend me with your might.

2 O God, hear my prayer, and open your ears to the words from my mouth.

3 Strangers have attacked me. Ruthless people seek my life. They do not think about God. Selah

4 God is my helper! The Lord is the provider for my life.

5 My enemies spy on me. Pay them back with evil. Destroy them with your truth!

6 I will make a sacrifice to you along with a freewill offering. I will give thanks to your good name, O LORD.

7 Your name rescues me from every trouble. My eyes will gloat over my enemies.

1 O God, you are my God. At dawn I search for you. My soul thirsts for you. My body longs for you in a dry, parched land where there is no water.

2 So I look for you in the holy place to see your power and your glory.

3 My lips will praise you because your mercy is better than life [itself].

4 So I will thank you as long as I live. I will lift up my hands [to pray] in your name.

5 You satisfy my soul with the richest foods. My mouth will sing [your] praise with joyful lips.

6 As I lie on my bed, I remember you. Through the long hours of the night, I think about you.

7 You have been my help. In the shadow of your wings, I sing joyfully.

8 My soul clings to you. Your right hand supports me.

9 But those who try to destroy my life will go into the depths of the earth.

10 They will be cut down by swords. Their dead bodies will be left as food for jackals.

11 But the king will find joy in God. Everyone who takes an oath by God will brag, but the mouths of liars will be shut.