Psalms 26; Psalms 27; Psalms 28; Psalms 29; Psalms 30; Psalms 31

1 Declare me innocent, O Lord, because I do what is right and trust you completely.

2 Examine me and test me, Lord; judge my desires and thoughts.

3 Your constant love is my guide; your faithfulness always leads me.

4 I do not keep company with worthless people; I have nothing to do with hypocrites.

5 I hate the company of the evil and avoid the wicked.

6 Lord, I wash my hands to show that I am innocent and march in worship around your altar.

7 I sing a hymn of thanksgiving and tell of all your wonderful deeds.

8 I love the house where you live, O Lord, the place where your glory dwells.

9 Do not destroy me with the sinners; spare me from the fate of murderers -

10 those who do evil all the time and are always ready to take bribes.

11 As for me, I do what is right; be merciful to me and save me!

12 I am safe from all dangers; in the assembly of his people I praise the Lord.

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; I will fear no one. The Lord protects me from all danger; I will never be afraid.

2 When evil people attack me and try to kill me, they stumble and fall.

3 Even if a whole army surrounds me, I will not be afraid; even if enemies attack me, I will still trust God.

4 I have asked the Lord for one thing; one thing only do I want: to live in the Lord's house all my life, to marvel there at his goodness, and to ask for his guidance.

5 In times of trouble he will shelter me; he will keep me safe in his Temple and make me secure on a high rock.

6 So I will triumph over my enemies around me. With shouts of joy I will offer sacrifices in his Temple; I will sing, I will praise the Lord.

7 Hear me, Lord, when I call to you! Be merciful and answer me!

8 When you said, "Come worship me," I answered, "I will come, Lord."

9 Don't hide yourself from me! Don't be angry with me; don't turn your servant away. You have been my help; don't leave me, don't abandon me, O God, my savior.

10 My father and mother may abandon me, but the Lord will take care of me.

11 Teach me, Lord, what you want me to do, and lead me along a safe path, because I have many enemies.

12 Don't abandon me to my enemies, who attack me with lies and threats.

13 I know that I will live to see the Lord's goodness in this present life.

14 Trust in the Lord. Have faith, do not despair. Trust in the Lord.

1 O Lord, my defender, I call to you. Listen to my cry! If you do not answer me, I will be among those who go down to the world of the dead.

2 Hear me when I cry to you for help, when I lift my hands toward your holy Temple.

3 Do not condemn me with the wicked, with those who do evil - those whose words are friendly, but who have hatred in their hearts.

4 Punish them for what they have done, for the evil they have committed. Punish them for all their deeds; give them what they deserve!

5 They take no notice of what the Lord has done or of what he has made; so he will punish them and destroy them forever.

6 Give praise to the Lord; he has heard my cry for help.

7 The Lord protects and defends me; I trust in him. He gives me help and makes me glad; I praise him with joyful songs.

8 The Lord protects his people; he defends and saves his chosen king.

9 Save your people, Lord, and bless those who are yours. Be their shepherd, and take care of them forever.

1 Praise the Lord, you heavenly beings; praise his glory and power.

2 Praise the Lord's glorious name; bow down before the Holy One when he appears.

3 The voice of the Lord is heard on the seas; the glorious God thunders, and his voice echoes over the ocean.

4 The voice of the Lord is heard in all its might and majesty.

5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars, even the cedars of Lebanon.

6 He makes the mountains of Lebanon jump like calves and makes Mount Hermon leap like a young bull.

7 The voice of the Lord makes the lightning flash.

8 His voice makes the desert shake; he shakes the desert of Kadesh.

9 The Lord's voice shakes the oaks and strips the leaves from the trees while everyone in his Temple shouts, "Glory to God!"

10 The Lord rules over the deep waters; he rules as king forever.

11 The Lord gives strength to his people and blesses them with peace.

1 I praise you, Lord, because you have saved me and kept my enemies from gloating over me.

2 I cried to you for help, O Lord my God, and you healed me;

3 you kept me from the grave. I was on my way to the depths below, but you restored my life.

4 Sing praise to the Lord, all his faithful people! Remember what the Holy One has done, and give him thanks!

5 His anger lasts only a moment, his goodness for a lifetime. Tears may flow in the night, but joy comes in the morning.

6 I felt secure and said to myself, "I will never be defeated."

7 You were good to me, Lord; you protected me like a mountain fortress. But then you hid yourself from me, and I was afraid.

8 I called to you, Lord; I begged for your help:

9 "What will you gain from my death? What profit from my going to the grave? Are dead people able to praise you? Can they proclaim your unfailing goodness?

10 Hear me, Lord, and be merciful! Help me, Lord!"

11 You have changed my sadness into a joyful dance; you have taken away my sorrow and surrounded me with joy.

12 So I will not be silent; I will sing praise to you. Lord, you are my God; I will give you thanks forever.

1 I come to you, Lord, for protection; never let me be defeated. You are a righteous God; save me, I pray!

2 Hear me! Save me now! Be my refuge to protect me; my defense to save me.

3 You are my refuge and defense; guide me and lead me as you have promised.

4 Keep me safe from the trap that has been set for me; shelter me from danger.

5 I place myself in your care. You will save me, Lord; you are a faithful God.

6 You hate those who worship false gods, but I trust in you.

7 I will be glad and rejoice because of your constant love. You see my suffering; you know my trouble.

8 You have not let my enemies capture me; you have given me freedom to go where I wish.

9 Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in trouble; my eyes are tired from so much crying; I am completely worn out.

10 I am exhausted by sorrow, and weeping has shortened my life. I am weak from all my troubles; even my bones are wasting away.

11 All my enemies, and especially my neighbors, treat me with contempt. Those who know me are afraid of me; when they see me in the street, they run away.

12 Everyone has forgotten me, as though I were dead; I am like something thrown away.

13 I hear many enemies whispering; terror is all around me. They are making plans against me, plotting to kill me.

14 But my trust is in you, O Lord; you are my God.

15 I am always in your care; save me from my enemies, from those who persecute me.

16 Look on your servant with kindness; save me in your constant love.

17 I call to you, Lord; don't let me be disgraced. May the wicked be disgraced; may they go silently down to the world of the dead.

18 Silence those liars - all the proud and arrogant who speak with contempt about the righteous.

19 How wonderful are the good things you keep for those who honor you! Everyone knows how good you are, how securely you protect those who trust you.

20 You hide them in the safety of your presence from the plots of others; in a safe shelter you hide them from the insults of their enemies.

21 Praise the Lord! How wonderfully he showed his love for me when I was surrounded and attacked!

22 I was afraid and thought that he had driven me out of his presence. But he heard my cry, when I called to him for help.

23 Love the Lord, all his faithful people. The Lord protects the faithful, but punishes the proud as they deserve.

24 Be strong, be courageous, all you that hope in the Lord.