Jun 17 - Psalms 35-37
Psalms
1Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!2Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help!3Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, "I am your salvation!"4Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life! Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me!5Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away!6Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them!7For without cause they hid their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life.8Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it! And let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it--to his destruction!9Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD, exulting in his salvation.10All my bones shall say, "O LORD, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?"11Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know.12They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft.13But I, when they were sick--I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest.14I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning.15But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered; they gathered together against me; wretches whom I did not know tore at me without ceasing;16like profane mockers at a feast, they gnash at me with their teeth.17How long, O Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their destruction, my precious life from the lions!18I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you.19Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause.20For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words of deceit.21They open wide their mouths against me; they say, "Aha, Aha! our eyes have seen it!"22You have seen, O LORD; be not silent! O Lord, be not far from me!23Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord!24Vindicate me, O LORD, my God, according to your righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me!25Let them not say in their hearts, "Aha, our heart's desire!" Let them not say, "We have swallowed him up."26Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether who rejoice at my calamity! Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me!27Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, "Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of his servant!"28Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.
1Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes.2For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.3The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely and do good.4He plots trouble while on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not reject evil.5Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.6Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O LORD.7How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.8They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights.9For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.10Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart!11Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.12There the evildoers lie fallen; they are thrust down, unable to rise.
1Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!2For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.3Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.4Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.5Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.6He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.7Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!8Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.9For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.10In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.11But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.12The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him,13but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming.14The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright;15their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.16Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.17For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.18The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever;19they are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance.20But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish--like smoke they vanish away.21The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives;22for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off.23The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way;24though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand.25I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.26He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.27Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever.28For the LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.29The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever.30The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.31The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.32The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death.33The LORD will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.34Wait for the LORD and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.35I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree.36But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found.37Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.38But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off.39The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.40The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.