Psalms 33; Psalms 34; Psalms 35; Psalms 36

Psalms 33

1 Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.

2 Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.

3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.

4 For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.

5 The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.

6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.

7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars ; he puts the deep into storehouses.

8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him.

9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.

10 The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.

11 But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.

13 From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind;

14 from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth—

15 he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.

16 No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.

17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.

18 But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,

19 to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.

20 We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.

21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.

22 May your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our hope in you.

Psalms 34

1 I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.

2 I will glory in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

3 Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.

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

5 Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.

6 This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.

7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.

8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

9 Fear the LORD, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing.

10 The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

11 Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

12 Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,

13 keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.

14 Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry;

16 but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth.

17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.

18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

19 The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all;

20 he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.

21 Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned.

22 The LORD will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

Psalms 35

1 Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me.

2 Take up shield and armor; arise and come to my aid.

3 Brandish spear and javelinagainst those who pursue me. Say to me, “I am your salvation.”

4 May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plot my ruin be turned back in dismay.

5 May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away;

6 may their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.

7 Since they hid their net for me without cause and without cause dug a pit for me,

8 may ruin overtake them by surprise— may the net they hid entangle them, may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.

9 Then my soul will rejoice in the LORDand delight in his salvation.

10 My whole being will exclaim, “Who is like you, LORD? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them.”

11 Ruthless witnesses come forward; they question me on things I know nothing about.

12 They repay me evil for good and leave me like one bereaved.

13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. When my prayers returned to me unanswered,

14 I went about mourning as though for my friend or brother. I bowed my head in grief as though weeping for my mother.

15 But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee; assailants gathered against me without my knowledge. They slandered me without ceasing.

16 Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;they gnashed their teeth at me.

17 How long, Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their ravages, my precious life from these lions.

18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among the throngs I will praise you.

19 Do not let those gloat over me who are my enemies without cause; do not let those who hate me without reason maliciously wink the eye.

20 They do not speak peaceably, but devise false accusations against those who live quietly in the land.

21 They sneer at me and say, “Aha! Aha! With our own eyes we have seen it.”

22 LORD, you have seen this; do not be silent. Do not be far from me, Lord.

23 Awake, and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my God and Lord.

24 Vindicate me in your righteousness, LORD my God; do not let them gloat over me.

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

26 May all who gloat over my distress be put to shame and confusion; may all who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and disgrace.

27 May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, “The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant.”

28 My tongue will proclaim your righteousness, your praises all day long.

Psalms 36

1 I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:There is no fear of God before their eyes.

2 In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin.

3 The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful; they fail to act wisely or do good.

4 Even on their beds they plot evil; they commit themselves to a sinful course and do not reject what is wrong.

5 Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.

6 Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, LORD, preserve both people and animals.

7 How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

8 They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights.

9 For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.

10 Continue your love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart.

11 May the foot of the proud not come against me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.

12 See how the evildoers lie fallen— thrown down, not able to rise!