Psalms 78:1

Psalm 78

A well-written song by Asaph.

78:1 Pay attention, my people, to my instruction!

Listen to the words I speak!

Psalms 33:1-22

Psalm 33

33:1 You godly ones, shout for joy because of the Lord!

It is appropriate for the morally upright to offer him praise.

33:2 Give thanks to the Lord with the harp!

Sing to him to the accompaniment of a ten-stringed instrument!

33:3 Sing to him a new song!

Play skillfully as you shout out your praises to him!

33:4 For the Lord’s decrees are just,

and everything he does is fair.

33:5 The Lord promotes equity and justice;

the Lord’s faithfulness extends throughout the earth.

33:6 By the Lord’s decree the heavens were made;

by a mere word from his mouth all the stars in the sky were created.

33:7 He piles up the water of the sea;

he puts the oceans in storehouses.

33:8 Let the whole earth fear the Lord!

Let all who live in the world stand in awe of him!

33:9 For he spoke, and it came into existence,

he issued the decree, and it stood firm.

33:10 The Lord frustrates the decisions of the nations;

he nullifies the plans of the peoples.

33:11 The Lord’s decisions stand forever;

his plans abide throughout the ages.

33:12 How blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,

the people whom he has chosen to be his special possession.

33:13 The Lord watches from heaven;

he sees all people.

33:14 From the place where he lives he looks carefully

at all the earth’s inhabitants.

33:15 He is the one who forms every human heart,

and takes note of all their actions.

33:16 No king is delivered by his vast army;

a warrior is not saved by his great might.

33:17 A horse disappoints those who trust in it for victory;

despite its great strength, it cannot deliver.

33:18 Look, the Lord takes notice of his loyal followers,

those who wait for him to demonstrate his faithfulness

33:19 by saving their lives from death

and sustaining them during times of famine.

33:20 We wait for the Lord;

he is our deliverer and shield.

33:21 For our hearts rejoice in him,

for we trust in his holy name.

33:22 May we experience your faithfulness, O Lord,

for we wait for you.

Psalms 40:1-17

Psalm 40

For the music director; By David, a psalm.

40:1 I relied completely on the Lord,

and he turned toward me

and heard my cry for help.

40:2 He lifted me out of the watery pit,

out of the slimy mud.

He placed my feet on a rock

and gave me secure footing.

40:3 He gave me reason to sing a new song,

praising our God.

May many see what God has done,

so that they might swear allegiance to him and trust in the Lord!

40:4 How blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord

and does not seek help from the proud or from liars!

40:5 O Lord, my God, you have accomplished many things;

you have done amazing things and carried out your purposes for us.

No one can thwart you!

I want to declare them and talk about them,

but they are too numerous to recount!

40:6 Receiving sacrifices and offerings are not your primary concern.

You make that quite clear to me!

You do not ask for burnt sacrifices and sin offerings.

40:7 Then I say,

“Look! I come!

What is written in the scroll pertains to me.

40:8 I want to do what pleases you, my God.

Your law dominates my thoughts.”

40:9 I have told the great assembly about your justice.

Look! I spare no words!

O Lord, you know this is true.

40:10 I have not failed to tell about your justice;

I spoke about your reliability and deliverance;

I have not neglected to tell the great assembly about your loyal love and faithfulness.

40:11 O Lord, you do not withhold your compassion from me.

May your loyal love and faithfulness continually protect me!

40:12 For innumerable dangers surround me.

My sins overtake me

so I am unable to see;

they outnumber the hairs of my head

so my strength fails me.

40:13 Please be willing, O Lord, to rescue me!

O Lord, hurry and help me!

40:14 May those who are trying to snatch away my life

be totally embarrassed and ashamed!

May those who want to harm me

be turned back and ashamed!

40:15 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”

be humiliated and disgraced!

40:16 May all those who seek you be happy and rejoice in you!

May those who love to experience your deliverance say continually,

“May the Lord be praised!”

40:17 I am oppressed and needy!

May the Lord pay attention to me!

You are my helper and my deliverer!

O my God, do not delay!