Psalms 3; Psalms 4; Psalms 12; Psalms 13; Psalms 28; Psalms 55

Psalms 3

1 Lord, I have so many enemies! So many people are rising up against me!

2 Many are saying about me, "God will not save him." "Selah"

3 Lord, you are like a shield that keeps me safe. You honor me. You help me win the battle.

4 I call out to the Lord. He answers me from his holy hill. "Selah"

5 I lie down and sleep. I wake up again, because the LORD takes care of me.

6 I won't be afraid of the tens of thousands who are lined up against me on every side.

7 Lord, rise up! My God, save me! Strike all my enemies in the face. Break the teeth of sinful people.

8 Lord, you are the one who saves. May your blessing be on your people. "Selah"

Psalms 4

1 My faithful God, answer me when I call out to you. Give me rest from my trouble. Show me your favor. Hear my prayer.

2 How long will you people turn my glory into shame? How long will you love what will certainly fail you? How long will you pray to statues of gods? "Selah"

3 Remember that the LORD has set his faithful people apart for himself. The LORD will hear me when I call out to him.

4 When you are angry, do not sin. When you are in bed, look deep down inside you and be silent. "Selah"

5 Offer sacrifices to the LORD in the right way. Trust in him.

6 Many are asking, "Who can show us anything good?" Lord, let us see your face smiling on us with favor.

7 You have filled my heart with great joy. It is greater than the joy of people who have lots of grain and fresh wine.

8 I will lie down and sleep in peace. Lord, you alone keep me safe.

Psalms 12

1 Help, Lord! Those who do what is right are gone. Those who are faithful have disappeared from the earth.

2 Everyone tells lies to his neighbors. With his lips he praises others, but he doesn't really mean it.

3 May the LORD cut off all lips that don't mean what they say. May he cut out every tongue that brags.

4 They say, "We will win the battle with our tongues. Our lips belong to us. No one else is in charge of us."

5 The LORD says, "The weak are beaten down. Those who are in need groan. So I will stand up to help them. I will keep them safe from those who tell lies about them."

6 The words of the LORD are perfect. They are like silver made pure in a clay furnace. They are like silver made pure seven times over.

7 Lord, you will keep us safe. You will always keep sinners from hurting us.

8 Proud and sinful people walk around openly when the evil they do is praised by others.

Psalms 13

1 Lord, how long must I wait? Will you forget me forever? How long will you turn your face away from me?

2 How long must I struggle with my thoughts? How long must my heart be sad day after day? How long will my enemies keep winning the battle over me?

3 LORD my God, look at me and answer me. Give me new life, or I will die.

4 Then my enemies will say, "We have beaten him." They will be filled with joy when I die.

5 But I trust in your faithful love. My heart is filled with joy because you will save me.

6 I will sing to the Lord. He has been so good to me.

Psalms 28

1 Lord, my Rock, I call out to you. Pay attention to me. If you remain silent, I will die. I will be like those who have gone down into the grave.

2 Hear my cry for your favor when I call out to you for help. Hear me when I lift up my hands in prayer toward your Most Holy Room.

3 Don't drag me away with sinners. Don't drag me away with those who do evil. They speak in a friendly way to their neighbors. But their hearts are full of hatred.

4 Pay them back for their evil actions. Pay them back for what their hands have done. Give them exactly what they should get.

5 They don't care about the Lord's mighty acts. They don't care about what his hands have done. So he will tear them down. He will never build them up again.

6 Give praise to the Lord. He has heard my cry for his favor.

7 The LORD gives me strength. He is like a shield that keeps me safe. My heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart jumps for joy. I will sing and give thanks to him.

8 The LORD gives strength to his people. He guards and saves his anointed king.

9 Save your people. Bless those who belong to you. Be their shepherd. Take care of them forever.

Psalms 55

1 God, listen to my prayer. Pay attention to my cry for help.

2 Hear me and answer me. My thoughts upset me. I'm very troubled.

3 I'm troubled by what my enemies say about me. I'm upset because sinful people stare at me. They cause me all kinds of suffering. When they are angry, they attack me with their words.

4 I feel great pain deep down inside me. The terrors of death are crushing me.

5 Fear and trembling have taken hold of me. Panic has overpowered me.

6 I said, "I wish I had wings like a dove! Then I would fly away and be at rest.

7 I would escape to a place far away. I would stay out in the desert. "Selah"

8 I would hurry to my place of safety. It would be far away from the winds and storms I'm facing."

9 Lord, destroy the plans of sinners. Keep them from understanding one another. I see people destroying things and fighting in the city.

10 Day and night they prowl around on top of its walls. The city is full of crime and trouble.

11 Forces that destroy are at work inside it. Its streets are full of people who cheat others and take advantage of them.

12 If an enemy were making fun of me, I could stand it. If he were looking down on me, I could hide from him.

13 But it's you, someone like myself. It's my companion, my close friend.

14 We used to enjoy good friendship as we walked with the crowds at the house of God.

15 Let death take my enemies by surprise. Let them be buried alive, because their hearts and homes are full of evil.

16 But I call out to God. And the LORD saves me.

17 Evening, morning and noon I groan and cry out. And he hears my voice.

18 Even though many enemies are fighting against me, he brings me safely back from the battle.

19 God sits on his throne forever. He hears my prayers and makes my enemies suffer. "Selah" They never change their ways. They don't have any respect for God.

20 My companion attacks his friends. He breaks his promise.

21 His talk is as smooth as butter. But he has war in his heart. His words flow like olive oil. But they are like swords ready for battle.

22 Turn your worries over to the Lord. He will keep you going. He will never let godly people fall.

23 God, you will bring sinners down to the grave. Murderers and liars won't live out even half of their lives. But I trust in you.