Jun 13 - Psalms 17-19
Psalms
1Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!2From your presence let my vindication come! Let your eyes behold the right!3You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night, you have tested me, and you will find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.4With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent.5My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.6I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words.7Wondrously show your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand.8Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings,9from the wicked who do me violence, my deadly enemies who surround me.10They close their hearts to pity; with their mouths they speak arrogantly.11They have now surrounded our steps; they set their eyes to cast us to the ground.12He is like a lion eager to tear, as a young lion lurking in ambush.13Arise, O LORD! Confront him, subdue him! Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,14from men by your hand, O LORD, from men of the world whose portion is in this life. You fill their womb with treasure; they are satisfied with children, and they leave their abundance to their infants.15As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.
1I love you, O LORD, my strength.2The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.3I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.4The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me;5the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.6In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.7Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry.8Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him.9He bowed the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under his feet.10He rode on a cherub and flew; he came swiftly on the wings of the wind.11He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him, thick clouds dark with water.12Out of the brightness before him hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.13The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice, hailstones and coals of fire.14And he sent out his arrows and scattered them; he flashed forth lightnings and routed them.15Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.16He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters.17He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.18They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support.19He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.20The LORD dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.21For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.22For all his rules were before me, and his statutes I did not put away from me.23I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from my guilt.24So the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.25With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;26with the purified you show yourself pure; and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.27For you save a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring down.28For it is you who light my lamp; the LORD my God lightens my darkness.29For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall.30This God--his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.31For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?--32the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless.33He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights.34He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.35You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great.36You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip.37I pursued my enemies and overtook them, and did not turn back till they were consumed.38I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise; they fell under my feet.39For you equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me.40You made my enemies turn their backs to me, and those who hated me I destroyed.41They cried for help, but there was none to save; they cried to the LORD, but he did not answer them.42I beat them fine as dust before the wind; I cast them out like the mire of the streets.43You delivered me from strife with the people; you made me the head of the nations; people whom I had not known served me.44As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me; foreigners came cringing to me.45Foreigners lost heart and came trembling out of their fortresses.46The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation--47the God who gave me vengeance and subdued peoples under me,48who delivered me from my enemies; yes, you exalted me above those who rose against me; you rescued me from the man of violence.49For this I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations, and sing to your name.50Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever.
1The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.2Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.3There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.4Their measuring line goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun,5which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.6Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat.7The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;8the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;9the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.10More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.11Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.12Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults.13Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.