Psalm 67

May the Nations Praise God

For the choir director: A song. A psalm, to be accompanied by stringed instruments.

1May God be merciful and bless us.

May his face smile with favor on us.

Interlude

2May your ways be known throughout the earth,

your saving power among people everywhere.

3May the nations praise you, O God.

Yes, may all the nations praise you.

4Let the whole world sing for joy,

because you govern the nations with justice

and guide the people of the whole world.

Interlude

5May the nations praise you, O God.

Yes, may all the nations praise you.

6Then the earth will yield its harvests,

and God, our God, will richly bless us.

7Yes, God will bless us,

and people all over the world will fear him.

Psalm 57

A Confident Prayer for Protection

For the choir director: A psalm*57: title Hebrew miktam. This may be a literary or musical term. of David, regarding the time he fled from Saul and went into the cave. To be sung to the tune “Do Not Destroy!”

1Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy!

I look to you for protection.

I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings

until the danger passes by.

2I cry out to God Most High,*57:2 Hebrew Elohim-Elyon.

to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.

3He will send help from heaven to rescue me,

disgracing those who hound me.

Interlude

My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness.

4I am surrounded by fierce lions

who greedily devour human prey—

whose teeth pierce like spears and arrows,

and whose tongues cut like swords.

5Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens!

May your glory shine over all the earth.

6My enemies have set a trap for me.

I am weary from distress.

They have dug a deep pit in my path,

but they themselves have fallen into it.

Interlude

7My heart is confident in you, O God;

my heart is confident.

No wonder I can sing your praises!

8Wake up, my heart!

Wake up, O lyre and harp!

I will wake the dawn with my song.

9I will thank you, Lord, among all the people.

I will sing your praises among the nations.

10For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens.

Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

11Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.

May your glory shine over all the earth.

Psalm 101

Promises of a Godly Ruler

A psalm of David.

1I will sing of your love and justice, Lord.

I will praise you with songs.

2I will be careful to live a blameless life—

when will you come to help me?

I will lead a life of integrity

in my own home.

3I will refuse to look at

anything vile and vulgar.

I hate all who deal crookedly;

I will have nothing to do with them.

4I will reject perverse ideas

and stay away from every evil.

5I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors.

I will not endure conceit and pride.

6I will search for faithful people

to be my companions.

Only those who are above reproach

will be allowed to serve me.

7I will not allow deceivers to serve in my house,

and liars will not stay in my presence.

8My daily task will be to ferret out the wicked

and free the city of the Lord from their grip.

Psalm 146

The Lord’s Care for the Lowly

1Praise the Lord!

Let all that I am praise the Lord.

2I will praise the Lord as long as I live.

I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.

3Don’t put your confidence in powerful people;

there is no help for you there.

4When they breathe their last, they return to the earth,

and all their plans die with them.

5But joyful are those who have the God of Israel*146:5 Hebrew of Jacob. See note on 44:4. as their helper,

whose hope is in the Lord their God.

6He made heaven and earth,

the sea, and everything in them.

He keeps every promise forever.

7He gives justice to the oppressed

and food to the hungry.

The Lord frees the prisoners.

8The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.

The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down.

The Lord loves the godly.

9The Lord protects the foreigners among us.

He cares for the orphans and widows,

but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.

10The Lord will reign forever.

He will be your God, O Jerusalem,*146:10 Hebrew Zion. throughout the generations.

Praise the Lord!