A Davidic Psalm.

Oppose those who oppose me, Adonai,

fight with those who fight me.

Gather up Your shield and buckler,

rise up to my aid.

Raise Your spear and ax

against those who pursue me.

Assure my soul “I’m your salvation.”

Let those who want to kill me

be disgraced and ashamed.

Let those who plot evil against me

be turned away in humiliation.

Let them be like windborne chaff;

driven away by the angel of Adonai.

Let their path be slippery and dark

and the angel of Adonai chasing them.

They laid a trap for me without reason,

and without reason

they dug a pit for my soul.

Let ruin overtake them

when they least expect it.

Let the trap they laid for me

ensnare them instead!

Let them fall into their trap to their ruin.

Then my soul will delight in Adonai

and rejoice in Adonai’s deliverance.

Even my bones will exclaim

“Who is like You, Adonai,

rescuing the lowly

from those who overpower them,

the lowly from robbers?”

Violent witnesses come forth,

they challenge me about things

I don’t know.

They return my good with evil,

grieving my soul.

Yet I wore sackcloth when they were ill

and humbled my soul with fasting.

When my prayers were unanswered,

I mourned as for my friend or relative.

I was bent in grief

as for my own parent.

But when I stumbled

they gleefully gathered against me.

Malicious strangers rose against me,

clawing at me without end.

They mocked me like the godless do,

grinding their teeth.

My Lord, how long will you watch this happen?

Deliver me from their assaults,

my lonely life from these lions.

I will praise You before the great assembly,

exulting You among the crowds.

Don’t let my enemies gloat over me

without reason

or let those who hate me

wink with derision.

For they don’t speak peacefully,

rather they speak lies

about those who live quietly here.

They jeer against me saying

“Yes, yes, we’ve seen it for ourselves!”

Adonai, You’ve noticed it,

don’t be silent.

Adonai, stay close to me.

Awaken and arise to defend me and my cause,

my Adonai and my God!

Prove my innocence, Adonai, my God,

in accordance with Your righteousness

and don’t allow them to gloat over me.

Don’t let them think to themselves

“Yes, we got what we wanted!

We gobbled him up!”

Let those who celebrate my misfortune

be humiliated and filled with shame.

Let those who

puff themselves up over me

wear the rags of shame and disgrace.

May those who seek my vindication

shout out with joy and gladness.

May such people forever say

“May Adonai be exalted,

Who delights in the peace of Adonai’s servant.”

Then my tongue will openly proclaim

Your justice

and praise You all day long.

About David, when he pretended

to be insane before Abimelech,

who banished him and he left.

I will at all times praise Adonai.

My mouth is always full of praise for Adonai.

I will boast in Adonai.

Let those who are humble

hear and be glad.

Proclaim Adonai’s greatness with me,

together let us lift Adonai’s Name up.

I searched for Adonai,

and Adonai replied to me,

removing all my fears.

The faces of those who look to Adonai

are lit up with joy,

their faces will never show shame.

This poor person called out,

and Adonai heard,

saved them from all their distress.

Adonai‘s angel encamps around those

who are reverent to Adonai

and rescues them.

Taste and see that Adonai is good.

The one who takes refuge in Adonai is blessed.

Show reverence to Adonai,

you who are Adonai’s holy ones,

for those who do

have all they need.

Even young lions may go without and go hungry,

but those who seek Adonai

never want for good things.

Come, children, and listen:

I will teach you to honor Adonai.

Does life delight you?

Do you want to see many good days?

Then don’t say evil or deceitful things.

Walk away from evil

and do what is right.

Seek peace and run after it.

Adonai’s eyes are on the righteous,

Adonai’s ears are open to their cries.

But Adonai’s face is turned away

from those who do evil,

to blot out the memory of them

from the Earth.

When the righteous cry out,

Adonai hears and rescues them

from all their woes.

Adonai is near

to those who are brokenhearted

and rescues those

whose spirits are crushed.

Those who are righteous have many troubles,

but Adonai rescues them from them all.

Adonai protects all of their bones

– they remain whole.

Evil slays the wicked,

and those who hate righteous people

will be condemned.

Adonai rescues the souls

of those who serve Adonai,

those who take refuge in Adonai

will never be held guilty.

Refuge/Sukkah/shelter.

For the music director: a psalm of David.

I have taken refuge in You, Adonai,

please never let me be disgraced,

let Your righteousness be my deliverance.

Listen to me and quickly rescue me.

Be my safe refuge of rock,

a fortress for my deliverance.

Because You are my rock and fortress,

You guide me for the sake of Your name.

Free me from the hidden trap

others have laid for me,

because You are my stronghold.

I entrust my soul into Your hands.

You have saved me, Adonai,

God of faithfulness.

I detest those

who put their faith in worthless idols;

as for me, I rely on Adonai.

I will gladly rejoice in Your lovingkindness,

for You have beheld my affliction.

You know my soul‘s anguish

and did not turn me over to my enemies hands.

Instead, You placed me in wide-open spaces.

Show mercy to me, Adonai

because I am distressed.

My eyes are weak with grief

so too my soul and body.

My life is consumed with grief

and my years with groaning,

my anguish causes my strength to fail

and my bones to crumble.

My neighbors sneer at me

and my friends fear me

because of all my enemies.

My allies run away

when they see me on the street.

I am as forgotten as a corpse,

I am like a broken vase.

I’ve heard the many rumors

– there is terror all around

as they conspire to plot to kill me.

But I trust in You, Adonai,

saying You are my God.

My life‘s path is in Your hands,

steer me away from my enemies,

and those who chase me.

Look favorably upon me,

save me with Your mercy.

I have called upon You, Adonai,

let me not be disgraced, instead,

let the wicked feel disgrace

and be silent in the grave.

Let those who lie be silenced

for they speak against the righteous arrogantly,

with pride and contempt.

How vast is the goodness

that You have set aside

for those who revere You,

which You have openly bestowed

on those who take refuge in You.

You keep them in Your presence,

safe from people’s schemes.

You shelter them

from quarrelsome tongues.

Blessed be Adonai,

for God has shown me

God‘s wonderful love when I was

in a city under siege.

I said “I’ve been cut off, You can’t see me!”

But when I called for a help,

You heard my pleas.

All faithful people, love God!

God preserves all who are faithful,

but the arrogant are repaid in full.

Courage!

Let Your heart be strengthened,

all You who put Your hope in Adonai.

Let your heart take courage.

Of David.

Adonai is my light and my deliverance.

Who should I be afraid of?

Adonai is my life‘s fortress

who should cause me dread?

When the wicked drew near to gobble me up

– those who fight and conspire against me

– they tripped and fell.

Even if an army wages war against me,

my heart will be at peace.

Even if I am besieged,

I will be full of trust.

I have asked my only one thing of Adonai,

only one thing do I seek:

to live in Adonai‘s House every day of my life,

to admire the beauty of Adonai

and meditate in the Temple.

For when trouble comes,

Adonai will hide me in Adonai’s sukkah,

keep me safe in Adonai‘s own tent

and place me high upon a rock.

Then my head will be far above

all my foes around me.

With shouts of joy I will offer sacrifices in Adonai‘s shelter.

Truly, I will sing praises to Adonai.

Adonai, hear me when I call to You,

be compassionate, and answer me.

My heart tells me to seek Your face Adonai,

I seek Your face.

Do not turn away Your face from me.

Don’t push me away in anger.

You have always been my help.

Do not reject or abandoned me,

oh God my rescuer.

Even if my parents abandon me,

Adonai will take me in.

Because I have enemies,

teach me Your way, Adonai,

and guide me on a level path.

Don’t give me over to the desires of my enemies.

Liars rise up against me,

exhaling violence.

I am confident that I will see

the goodness of Adonai in this life.

Wait for Adonai.

Be strong.

Let your heart be encouraged,

and wait for Adonai.