Psalms 32; Psalms 33; Psalms 34; Psalms 35

Psalms 32

1 The one whose wrongdoing is forgiven, whose sin is covered over, is truly happy!

2 The one the LORD doesn't consider guilty— in whose spirit there is no dishonesty— that one is truly happy!

3 When I kept quiet, my bones wore out; I was groaning all day long— every day, every night!—

4 because your hand was heavy upon me. My energy was sapped as if in a summer drought. Selah

5 So I admitted my sin to you; I didn't conceal my guilt. "I'll confess my sins to the LORD, " is what I said. Then you removed the guilt of my sin. Selah

6 That's why all the faithful should pray to you during troubled times, so that a great flood of water won't reach them.

7 You are my secret hideout! You protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of rescue! Selah

8 I will instruct you and teach you about the direction you should go. I'll advise you and keep my eye on you.

9 Don't be like some senseless horse or mule, whose movement must be controlled with a bit and a bridle. Don't be anything like that!

10 The pain of the wicked is severe, but faithful love surrounds the one who trusts the LORD.

11 You who are righteous, rejoice in the LORD and be glad! All you whose hearts are right, sing out in joy!

Psalms 33

1 All you who are righteous, shout joyfully to the LORD! It's right for those who do right to praise God.

2 Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre! Sing praises to him with the ten-stringed harp!

3 Sing to him a new song! Play your best with joyful shouts!

4 Because the LORD's word is right, his every act is done in good faith.

5 He loves righteousness and justice; the LORD's faithful love fills the whole earth.

6 The skies were made by the LORD's word, all their starry multitude by the breath of his mouth.

7 He gathered the ocean waters into a heap; he put the deep seas into storerooms.

8 All the earth honors the LORD; all the earth's inhabitants stand in awe of him.

9 Because when he spoke, it happened! When he commanded, there it was!

10 The LORD overrules what the nations plan; he frustrates what the peoples intend to do.

11 But the LORD's plan stands forever; what he intends to do lasts from one generation to the next.

12 The nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom God has chosen as his possession, is truly happy!

13 The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees every human being.

14 From his dwelling place God observes all who live on earth.

15 God is the one who made all their hearts, the one who knows everything they do.

16 Kings aren't saved by the strength of their armies; warriors aren't rescued by how much power they have.

17 A warhorse is a bad bet for victory; it can't save despite its great strength.

18 But look here: the LORD's eyes watch all who honor him, all who wait for his faithful love,

19 to deliver their lives from death and keep them alive during a famine.

20 We put our hope in the LORD. He is our help and our shield.

21 Our heart rejoices in God because we trust his holy name.

22 LORD, let your faithful love surround us because we wait for you.

Psalms 34

1 I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise will always be in my mouth.

2 I praise the LORD— let the suffering listen and rejoice.

3 Magnify the LORD with me! Together let us lift his name up high!

4 I sought the LORD and he answered me. He delivered me from all my fears.

5 Those who look to God will shine; their faces are never ashamed.

6 This suffering person cried out: the LORD listened and saved him from every trouble.

7 On every side, the LORD's messenger protects those who honor God; and he delivers them.

8 Taste and see how good the LORD is! The one who takes refuge in him is truly happy!

9 You who are the LORD's holy ones, honor him, because those who honor him don't lack a thing.

10 Even strong young lions go without and get hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

11 Come, children, listen to me. Let me teach you how to honor the LORD:

12 Do you love life; do you relish the chance to enjoy good things?

13 Then you must keep your tongue from evil and keep your lips from speaking lies!

14 Turn away from evil! Do good! Seek peace and go after it!

15 The LORD's eyes watch the righteous, his ears listen to their cries for help.

16 But the LORD's face is set against those who do evil, to eliminate even the memory of them from the earth.

17 When the righteous cry out, the LORD listens; he delivers them from all their troubles.

18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he saves those whose spirits are crushed.

19 The righteous have many problems, but the LORD delivers them from every one.

20 He protects all their bones; not even one will be broken.

21 But just one problem will kill the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be held responsible.

22 The LORD saves his servants' lives; all those who take refuge in him won't be held responsible for anything.

Psalms 35

1 LORD, argue with those who argue with me; fight with those who fight against me!

2 Grab a shield and armor; stand up and help me!

3 Use your spear and ax against those who are out to get me! Say to me:"I'm your salvation!"

4 Let those who want me dead be humiliated and put to shame. Let those who intend to hurt me be thoroughly frustrated and disgraced.

5 Let them be like dust on the wind— and let the LORD's messenger be the one who does the blowing!

6 Let their path be dark and slippery— and let the LORD's messenger be the one who does the chasing!

7 Because they hid their net for me for no reason, they dug a pit for me for no reason.

8 Let disaster come to them when they don't suspect it. Let the net they hid catch them instead! Let them fall into it—to their disaster!

9 But I will rejoice in the LORD; I will celebrate his salvation.

10 All my bones will say, "LORD, who could compare to you? You rescue the weak from those who overpower them; you rescue the weak and the needy from those who plunder them."

11 Violent witnesses stand up. They question me about things I know nothing about.

12 They pay me back evil for good, leaving me stricken with grief.

13 But when they were sick, I wore clothes for grieving, and I kept a strict fast. When my prayer came back unanswered,

14 I would wander around like I was grieving a friend or a brother. I was weighed down, sad, like I was a mother in mourning.

15 But when I stumbled, they celebrated and gathered together— they gathered together against me! Strangers I didn't know tore me to pieces and wouldn't quit.

16 They ridiculed me over and over again, like godless people would do, grinding their teeth at me.

17 How long, my Lord, will you watch this happen? Rescue me from their attacks; rescue my precious life from these predatory lions!

18 Then I will thank you in the great assembly; I will praise you in a huge crowd of people.

19 Don't let those who are my enemies without cause celebrate over me; don't let those who hate me for no reason wink at my demise.

20 They don't speak the truth; instead, they plot false accusations against innocent people in the land.

21 They speak out against me, saying, "Yes! Oh, yes! We've seen it with our own eyes!"

22 But you've seen it too, LORD. Don't keep quiet about it. Please don't be far from me, my Lord.

23 Wake up! Get up and do justice for me; argue my case, my Lord and my God!

24 Establish justice for me according to your righteousness, LORD, my God. Don't let them celebrate over me.

25 Don't let them say to themselves, Yes! Exactly what we wanted! Don't let them say, "We ate him up!"

26 Let all those who celebrate my misfortune be disgraced and put to shame! Let those who exalt themselves over me be dressed up in shame and dishonor!

27 But let those who want things to be set right for me shout for joy and celebrate! Let them constantly say, "The LORD is great— God wants his servant to be at peace."

28 Then my tongue will talk all about your righteousness; it will talk about your praise all day long.