so that mankind ¹  might acknowledge your mighty acts, and the majestic splendor of your kingdom.

For the music director; by David. In the Lord I have taken shelter. ²  How can you say to me, ³  “Flee to a mountain like a bird! ⁴ 

For the music director; by David. Fools say to themselves, ²  “There is no God.” ³  They sin and commit evil deeds; ⁴  none of them does what is right. ⁵ 

You rescue me from a hostile army; ¹  you make me ²  a leader of nations; people over whom I had no authority are now my subjects. ³ 

Against you – you above all ¹  – I have sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. So ²  you are just when you confront me; ³  you are right when you condemn me. ⁴ 

Let them be ¹  like a snail that melts away as it moves along! ²  Let them be like ³  stillborn babies ⁴  that never see the sun!

I desperately want to be ¹  in the courts of the Lord’s temple. ²  My heart and my entire being ³  shout for joy to the living God.

The Lord reigns! He is robed in majesty, the Lord is robed, he wears strength around his waist. ²  Indeed, the world is established, it cannot be moved.

May sinners disappear ¹  from the earth, and the wicked vanish! Praise the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!

Look to the right and see! No one cares about me. ¹  I have nowhere to run; ²  no one is concerned about my life. ³ 

Hear my prayer, O Lord! Listen to my cry for help! Do not ignore my sobbing! ¹  For I am dependent on you, like one residing outside his native land; I am at your mercy, just as all my ancestors were. ² 

O Lord, my God, you have accomplished many things; you have done amazing things and carried out your purposes for us. ¹  No one can thwart you! ²  I want to declare them and talk about them, but they are too numerous to recount! ³ 

For the music director; according to the machalath style; ²  a well-written song ³  by David. Fools say to themselves, ⁴  “There is no God.” ⁵  They sin and commit evil deeds; ⁶  none of them does what is right. ⁷ 

You visit the earth and give it rain; ¹  you make it rich and fertile ²  with overflowing streams full of water. ³  You provide grain for them, ⁴  for you prepare the earth to yield its crops. ⁵ 

You ascend on high, ¹  you have taken many captives. ²  You receive tribute ³  from ⁴  men, including even sinful rebels. Indeed the Lord God lives there! ⁵ 

O Lord, may you hear my prayer and be favorably disposed to me! ¹  O God, because of your great loyal love, answer me with your faithful deliverance! ² 

A song of ascents, ²  by Solomon. If the Lord does not build a house, ³  then those who build it work in vain. If the Lord does not guard a city, ⁴  then the watchman stands guard in vain.

For the music director; according to the tune of “Lilies;” ²  by the Korahites, a well-written poem, ³  a love song. My heart is stirred by a beautiful song. ⁴  I say, “I have composed this special song ⁵  for the king; my tongue is as skilled as the stylus of an experienced scribe.” ⁶