Psalm 95

A Call to Praise and Listen to the Lord

1Come, let us sing to the Lord!

Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.

2Let us come to him with thanksgiving.

Let us sing psalms of praise to him.

3For the Lord is a great God,

a great King above all gods.

4He holds in his hands the depths of the earth

and the mightiest mountains.

5The sea belongs to him, for he made it.

His hands formed the dry land, too.

6Come, let us worship and bow down.

Let us kneel before the Lord our maker,

7for he is our God.

We are the people he watches over,

the flock under his care.

If only you would listen to his voice today!

8The Lord says, “Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah,

as they did at Massah in the wilderness.

9For there your ancestors tested and tried my patience,

even though they saw everything I did.

10For forty years I was angry with them, and I said,

‘They are a people whose hearts turn away from me.

They refuse to do what I tell them.’

11So in my anger I took an oath:

‘They will never enter my place of rest.’”

Book One (Psalms 1–41)

Psalm 1

The Two Paths

1Oh, the joys of those who do not

follow the advice of the wicked,

or stand around with sinners,

or join in with mockers.

2But they delight in the law of the Lord,

meditating on it day and night.

3They are like trees planted along the riverbank,

bearing fruit each season.

Their leaves never wither,

and they prosper in all they do.

4But not the wicked!

They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.

5They will be condemned at the time of judgment.

Sinners will have no place among the godly.

6For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,

but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

Psalm 2

God’s Son Will Rule the Earth

1Why are the nations so angry?

Why do they waste their time with futile plans?

2The kings of the earth prepare for battle;

the rulers plot together

against the Lord

and against his anointed one.

3“Let us break their chains,” they cry,

“and free ourselves from slavery to God.”

4But the one who rules in heaven laughs.

The Lord scoffs at them.

5Then in anger he rebukes them,

terrifying them with his fierce fury.

6For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne

in Jerusalem,*2:6 Hebrew on Zion. on my holy mountain.”

7The king proclaims the Lord’s decree:

“The Lord said to me, ‘You are my son.*2:7a Or Son; also in 2:12.

Today I have become your Father.*2:7b Or Today I reveal you as my son.

8Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance,

the whole earth as your possession.

9You will break*2:9 Greek version reads rule. Compare Rev 2:27. them with an iron rod

and smash them like clay pots.’”

10Now then, you kings, act wisely!

Be warned, you rulers of the earth!

11Serve the Lord with reverent fear,

and rejoice with trembling.

12Submit to God’s royal son,*2:12 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. or he will become angry,

and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities—

for his anger flares up in an instant.

But what joy for all who take refuge in him!

Psalm 3

A Confident Prayer for Rescue

A psalm of David, regarding the time David fled from his son Absalom.

1O Lord, I have so many enemies;

so many are against me.

2So many are saying,

“God will never rescue him!”

Interlude*3:2 Hebrew Selah. The meaning of this word is uncertain, though it is probably a musical or literary term. It is rendered Interlude throughout the Psalms.

3But you, O Lord, are a shield around me;

you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.

4I cried out to the Lord,

and he answered me from his holy mountain.

Interlude

5I lay down and slept,

yet I woke up in safety,

for the Lord was watching over me.

6I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies

who surround me on every side.

7Arise, O Lord!

Rescue me, my God!

Slap all my enemies in the face!

Shatter the teeth of the wicked!

8Victory comes from you, O Lord.

May you bless your people.

Interlude

Psalm 119*119 This psalm is a Hebrew acrostic poem; there are twenty-two stanzas, one for each successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Each of the eight verses within each stanza begins with the Hebrew letter named in its heading.

Love for the Lord’s Instructions

Aleph

1Joyful are people of integrity,

who follow the instructions of the Lord.

2Joyful are those who obey his laws

and search for him with all their hearts.

3They do not compromise with evil,

and they walk only in his paths.

4You have charged us

to keep your commandments carefully.

5Oh, that my actions would consistently

reflect your decrees!

6Then I will not be ashamed

when I compare my life with your commands.

7As I learn your righteous regulations,

I will thank you by living as I should!

8I will obey your decrees.

Please don’t give up on me!

Psalm 16

Hope for a Wonderful Inheritance

A psalm*16: title Hebrew miktam. This may be a literary or musical term. of David.

1Keep me safe, O God,

for I have come to you for refuge.

2I said to the Lord, “You are my Master!

Every good thing I have comes from you.”

3The godly people in the land

are my true heroes!

I take pleasure in them!

4Troubles multiply for those who chase after other gods.

I will not take part in their sacrifices of blood

or even speak the names of their gods.

5Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing.

You guard all that is mine.

6The land you have given me is a pleasant land.

What a wonderful inheritance!

7I will bless the Lord who guides me;

even at night my heart instructs me.

8I know the Lord is always with me.

I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

9No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.*16:9 Greek version reads and my tongue shouts his praises. Compare Acts 2:26.

My body rests in safety.

10For you will not leave my soul among the dead*16:10a Hebrew in Sheol.

or allow your holy one*16:10b Or your Holy One. to rot in the grave.

11You will show me the way of life,

granting me the joy of your presence

and the pleasures of living with you forever.*16:11 Greek version reads You have shown me the way of life, / and you will fill me with the joy of your presence. Compare Acts 2:28.

Psalm 18

A Testimony of God’s Salvation

For the choir director: A psalm of David, the servant of the Lord. He sang this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul. He sang:

1I love you, Lord;

you are my strength.

2The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;

my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.

He is my shield, the power that saves me,

and my place of safety.

3I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,

and he saved me from my enemies.

4The ropes of death entangled me;

floods of destruction swept over me.

5The grave*18:5 Hebrew Sheol. wrapped its ropes around me;

death laid a trap in my path.

6But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;

yes, I prayed to my God for help.

He heard me from his sanctuary;

my cry to him reached his ears.

7Then the earth quaked and trembled.

The foundations of the mountains shook;

they quaked because of his anger.

8Smoke poured from his nostrils;

fierce flames leaped from his mouth.

Glowing coals blazed forth from him.

9He opened the heavens and came down;

dark storm clouds were beneath his feet.

10Mounted on a mighty angelic being,*18:10 Hebrew a cherub. he flew,

soaring on the wings of the wind.

11He shrouded himself in darkness,

veiling his approach with dark rain clouds.

12Thick clouds shielded the brightness around him

and rained down hail and burning coals.*18:12 Or and lightning bolts; also in 18:13.

13The Lord thundered from heaven;

the voice of the Most High resounded

amid the hail and burning coals.

14He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies;

great bolts of lightning flashed, and they were confused.

15Then at your command, O Lord,

at the blast of your breath,

the bottom of the sea could be seen,

and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.

16He reached down from heaven and rescued me;

he drew me out of deep waters.

17He rescued me from my powerful enemies,

from those who hated me and were too strong for me.

18They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress,

but the Lord supported me.

19He led me to a place of safety;

he rescued me because he delights in me.

20The Lord rewarded me for doing right;

he restored me because of my innocence.

21For I have kept the ways of the Lord;

I have not turned from my God to follow evil.

22I have followed all his regulations;

I have never abandoned his decrees.

23I am blameless before God;

I have kept myself from sin.

24The Lord rewarded me for doing right.

He has seen my innocence.

25To the faithful you show yourself faithful;

to those with integrity you show integrity.

26To the pure you show yourself pure,

but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.

27You rescue the humble,

but you humiliate the proud.

28You light a lamp for me.

The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.

29In your strength I can crush an army;

with my God I can scale any wall.

30God’s way is perfect.

All the Lord’s promises prove true.

He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.

31For who is God except the Lord?

Who but our God is a solid rock?

32God arms me with strength,

and he makes my way perfect.

33He makes me as surefooted as a deer,

enabling me to stand on mountain heights.

34He trains my hands for battle;

he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.

35You have given me your shield of victory.

Your right hand supports me;

your help*18:35 Hebrew your humility; compare 2 Sam 22:36. has made me great.

36You have made a wide path for my feet

to keep them from slipping.

37I chased my enemies and caught them;

I did not stop until they were conquered.

38I struck them down so they could not get up;

they fell beneath my feet.

39You have armed me with strength for the battle;

you have subdued my enemies under my feet.

40You placed my foot on their necks.

I have destroyed all who hated me.

41They called for help, but no one came to their rescue.

They even cried to the Lord, but he refused to answer.

42I ground them as fine as dust in the wind.

I swept them into the gutter like dirt.

43You gave me victory over my accusers.

You appointed me ruler over nations;

people I don’t even know now serve me.

44As soon as they hear of me, they submit;

foreign nations cringe before me.

45They all lose their courage

and come trembling from their strongholds.

46The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock!

May the God of my salvation be exalted!

47He is the God who pays back those who harm me;

he subdues the nations under me

48and rescues me from my enemies.

You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies;

you save me from violent opponents.

49For this, O Lord, I will praise you among the nations;

I will sing praises to your name.

50You give great victories to your king;

you show unfailing love to your anointed,

to David and all his descendants forever.

Beth

9How can a young person stay pure?

By obeying your word.

10I have tried hard to find you—

don’t let me wander from your commands.

11I have hidden your word in my heart,

that I might not sin against you.

12I praise you, O Lord;

teach me your decrees.

13I have recited aloud

all the regulations you have given us.

14I have rejoiced in your laws

as much as in riches.

15I will study your commandments

and reflect on your ways.

16I will delight in your decrees

and not forget your word.