Psalms 5:1--8:9

Psalm 5

For the music director, to be accompanied by wind instruments; a psalm of David.

5:1 Listen to what I say, Lord!

Carefully consider my complaint!

5:2 Pay attention to my cry for help,

my king and my God,

for I am praying to you!

5:3 Lord, in the morning you will hear me;

in the morning I will present my case to you and then wait expectantly for an answer.

5:4 Certainly you are not a God who approves of evil;

evil people cannot dwell with you.

5:5 Arrogant people cannot stand in your presence;

you hate all who behave wickedly.

5:6 You destroy liars;

the Lord despises violent and deceitful people.

5:7 But as for me, because of your great faithfulness I will enter your house;

I will bow down toward your holy temple as I worship you.

5:8 Lord, lead me in your righteousness

because of those who wait to ambush me,

remove the obstacles in the way in which you are guiding me!

5:9 For they do not speak the truth;

their stomachs are like the place of destruction,

their throats like an open grave,

their tongues like a steep slope leading into it.

5:10 Condemn them, O God!

May their own schemes be their downfall!

Drive them away because of their many acts of insurrection,

for they have rebelled against you.

5:11 But may all who take shelter in you be happy!

May they continually shout for joy!

Shelter them so that those who are loyal to you may rejoice!

5:12 Certainly you reward the godly, Lord.

Like a shield you protect them in your good favor.

Psalm 6

For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments, according to the sheminith style; a psalm of David.

6:1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger!

Do not discipline me in your raging fury!

6:2 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am frail!

Heal me, Lord, for my bones are shaking!

6:3 I am absolutely terrified,

and you, Lord – how long will this continue?

6:4 Relent, Lord, rescue me!

Deliver me because of your faithfulness!

6:5 For no one remembers you in the realm of death,

In Sheol who gives you thanks?

6:6 I am exhausted as I groan;

all night long I drench my bed in tears;

my tears saturate the cushion beneath me.

6:7 My eyes grow dim from suffering;

they grow weak because of all my enemies.

6:8 Turn back from me, all you who behave wickedly,

for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping!

6:9 The Lord has heard my appeal for mercy;

the Lord has accepted my prayer.

6:10 May all my enemies be humiliated and absolutely terrified!

May they turn back and be suddenly humiliated!

Psalm 7

A musical composition by David, which he sang to the Lord concerning a Benjaminite named Cush.

7:1 O Lord my God, in you I have taken shelter.

Deliver me from all who chase me! Rescue me!

7:2 Otherwise they will rip me to shreds like a lion;

they will tear me to bits and no one will be able to rescue me.

7:3 O Lord my God, if I have done what they say,

or am guilty of unjust actions,

7:4 or have wronged my ally,

or helped his lawless enemy,

7:5 may an enemy relentlessly chase me and catch me;

may he trample me to death

and leave me lying dishonored in the dust. (Selah)

7:6 Stand up angrily, Lord!

Rise up with raging fury against my enemies!

Wake up for my sake and execute the judgment you have decreed for them!

7:7 The countries are assembled all around you;

take once more your rightful place over them!

7:8 The Lord judges the nations.

Vindicate me, Lord, because I am innocent,

because I am blameless, O Exalted One!

7:9 May the evil deeds of the wicked come to an end!

But make the innocent secure,

O righteous God,

you who examine inner thoughts and motives!

7:10 The Exalted God is my shield,

the one who delivers the morally upright.

7:11 God is a just judge;

he is angry throughout the day.

7:12 If a person does not repent, God sharpens his sword

and prepares to shoot his bow.

7:13 He prepares to use deadly weapons against him;

he gets ready to shoot flaming arrows.

7:14 See the one who is pregnant with wickedness,

who conceives destructive plans,

and gives birth to harmful lies –

7:15 he digs a pit

and then falls into the hole he has made.

7:16 He becomes the victim of his own destructive plans

and the violence he intended for others falls on his own head.

7:17 I will thank the Lord for his justice;

I will sing praises to the sovereign Lord!

Psalm 8

For the music director, according to the gittith style; a psalm of David.

8:1 O Lord, our Lord,

how magnificent is your reputation throughout the earth!

You reveal your majesty in the heavens above!

8:2 From the mouths of children and nursing babies

you have ordained praise on account of your adversaries,

so that you might put an end to the vindictive enemy.

8:3 When I look up at the heavens, which your fingers made,

and see the moon and the stars, which you set in place,

8:4 Of what importance is the human race, that you should notice them?

Of what importance is mankind, that you should pay attention to them,

8:5 and make them a little less than the heavenly beings?

You grant mankind honor and majesty;

8:6 you appoint them to rule over your creation;

you have placed everything under their authority,

8:7 including all the sheep and cattle,

as well as the wild animals,

8:8 the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea

and everything that moves through the currents of the seas.

8:9 O Lord, our Lord,

how magnificent is your reputation throughout the earth!