A psalm of Asaph.

Adonai, the God of gods

speaks and summons the Earth

from where the sun rises to where it sets.

God shines forth out of Zion

 – the perfection of beauty.

Our God comes and is not silent.

A devouring fire is before God

and it rages mightily around God.

God calls to heaven above and earth below

to judge God’s people:

 “Gather my holy ones to Me,

those who make made a covenant with Me with a sacrifice.”

The heavens declare God’s righteousness,

because God alone is judge.

Selah.

“Listen, my people, and I will speak,

I will testify against you, Israel:

I am God, your God.

I don’t rebuke you for your sacrifices

or your burnt offerings, which are always before Me.

I don’t need a bowl from your household

or goats from your pens

because every forest animal is Mine,

along with the cattle on a thousand hills.

I know every bird in the mountains

 and all the creatures in the field are Mine.

I wouldn’t tell you if I were hungry

because the world and all it contains is Mine!

Do I eat the meat from bulls or drink goat’s blood?

Sacrifice thank offerings to God,

then honor your vows to the Most High.

Call upon me on a day of trouble

– I will rescue you and you will honor Me.”

However, God says to the wicked

“Why are you reciting My laws

and talking about My covenant?

You hate discipline

and throw My words behind you.

You are pleased when you see a thief

and you hang out with adulterers.

You use your mouth to unleash evil,

and you have harnessed your tongue to deceit.

You sit and testify against your sibling,

slandering your own mother’s child.

Should I keep silent about what you have done?

You thought I was the same as you

– but I rebuke you

and lay out the case before your eyes.

You who forgot God – consider this,

or I will tear you to shreds

with nobody to save you.

A sacrifice of praise gives honor,

and whoever is disciplined in this way

will be shown My salvation.”

To the music director: a psalm of Korah’s sons.

Listen, all you peoples.

Give ear, all you who inhabit the world,

both high and low,

poor and rich together.

My mouth speaks words of wisdom;

the meditation of my heart brings understanding.

I will pay close attention to a proverb;

I will speak my riddle with a harp.

Why should I feel fear in evil days?

When the evil of my foes surrounds me?

Or those who trust in their wealth boasting

 about how rich they are?

Nobody can redeem another person

or pay a ransom for them to God.

The cost to redeem a soul is too high

so you should quit trying forever.

Will they live forever and never see the Pit?

Surely they must see it, for even wise people die.

Foolish and senseless people similarly die,

leaving their wealth to the living.

Inwardly, they think their houses are eternal,

their homes throughout the generations,

they even name their lands after themselves.

But a pompous man will not endure.

He is like the animals that perish.

This is the way of those who trust in themselves,

and of their followers who approve of what they say.

Selah.

They are like sheep destined for Sheol.

Death will shepherd them

and the upright will rule over them

when morning comes.

Their image will waste away in Sheol

far from their lofty palaces.

But God redeems my soul from Sheol’s power

– God draws me in.

Selah.

Don’t be concerned when a person grows rich,

or the splendor of their house increases,

for they will take nothing with them when they die,

their splendor will not follow them down.

Even though they congratulate themselves

during their lives

– and people praise you when you prosper –

they will still join their ancestor’s company

who will never again see light.

A pompous, clueless person is like the animals that perish.

A song, a psalm of Korah’s sons.

Great is Adonai,

and most worthy of praise in God’s city,

God‘s holy mountain.

Mount Zion is beautiful in its height,

the joy of the whole world,

to the north of the great Ruler’s city.

God is a stronghold in her palaces.

Behold! When the king assembled they marched together.

When they looked,

they were astounded and ran away in terror.

There they were seized with trembling and pain

like a woman in labor.

God broke the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.

Just as we have heard,

so have we seen in the city

of the Ruler of heavenly armies,

in the city of our God.

God will establish the city forever.

Selah.

In the midst of Your Temple

we have meditated on Your loving-kindness.

Like Your name, O God,

Your praise goes to the end of the earth.

Righteousness fills Your right hand.

Mount Zion is glad and the daughters of Judah rejoice

because of Your decrees.

Walk about Zion, encircle her.

Count her towers, consider her ramparts

and stroll through her palaces

so that you may tell a future generation

“This God is our God for all of eternity

and will always guide us.”

For the music director, a psalm of the son of Korah.

All you nations, clap your hands!

Shout with joy to God!

For the Most High is awesome,

a great Ruler over all the world.

God subdues people under us

and puts nations under our feet.

God selects our inheritance for us

– the pride of Jacob, who God loved.

Selah.

God rises up amidst shouts of joy,

Adonai is amidst the sound of the shofar.

Sing praises to God, sing!

Sing praises to our Ruler, sing!

For God is the ruler of all the world.

Sing well a song of praise.

God rules over the nations.

God sits upon God‘s holy throne.

The nobles of the peoples have gathered together

with the people of the God of Abraham.

For the shields of the world belong to God

– God is greatly exalted!

For the music director, according to Alamoth,

a song of the sons of Korah.

God is our strength and refuge,

an ever-present help in times of trouble,

therefore, we won’t be afraid,

even if the Earth trembles

or the mountains crumble into the ocean depths,

or if the sea waters roar and foam

or if the mountain shake with their turmoil.

Selah.

There is a river whose streams bring gladness

to the city of God – the holy home of the Most High.

God is in the midst of her, she won’t be shaken.

God will aid her at the break of day

when nations rage and kingdoms topple.

God speaks, and the Earth melts!

Adonai, the master of holy armies is with us.

The God of Jacob is our fortress.

Selah.

Come and see what Adonai has done,

the One who brings devastation to the Earth.

Adonai makes wars end all over the world.

Adonai breaks the bow and shatters the spear.

Adonai sets chariots ablaze.

“Be still, and know that I am God,

exalted among the nations

and throughout the world.”

Adonai, the master of holy armies is with us.

The God of Jacob is our fortress.

Selah.

Prove my case, my God,

and defend my cause

against a nation that is unfaithful.

Deliver me from those who are unjust and deceitful!

You are my God, my refuge.

Why have You turned away from me?

Why must I go about in gloom

because my enemy oppresses me?

Send Your light and Your truth

so they may lead me to Your holy mountain

and Your dwelling places.

Then I will come to the altar of God,

to the God of my unending joy,

to praise You with my harp, O God, my God.

Why are You so glum, my soul?

Why do You murmur within me?

Put Your hope in God,

for I will still give God praise,

my salvation and my God.

For the music director: this is a maskil,

(a contemplative song) of Korah’s sons.

Just as the deer longs for running water,

my soul longs for You, O God.

My soul thirsts for the living God.

When will I be able to stand before God?

All day and night,

my tears are my only food,

while all day people say to me,

“Where is Your God?”

I remember these things

while I pour out my heart:

how I walked with the festive crowds

to the House of God,

calling out with shouts of joy and thanksgiving.

I ask my soul why it is so downcast

– why is it so disturbed?

Put your hope in God

– for even now

I will give praise to my Savior and my God.

Because my soul is disheartened

I will remember You from the land of Jordan

and the peaks of Hermon, and also Mount Mizar.

Deep calls to deep

in the roar of Your waterfalls

– all of Your breakers and waves

have swept over me.

The Lord sends out love to the faithful daily

while at night the Lord’s song is with me

– a prayer to the God of my life.

I will say to God, my Rock:

“Why have You forgotten me?

Why must I go about mourning,

oppressed by the enemy?”

My foes taunt me all day long,

saying “Where is Your God?”

It feels like they are crushing my bones.

I ask my soul why it is so downcast

– why is it so disturbed?

Put your hope in God

– for even now

I will give praise to my Savior and my God.

For the music director: a psalm of David.

Those who take care of the wretched

are blessed because Adonai will save them

when the day is evil.

Adonai will shelter and sustain them

– they will be numbered along the land’s blessed

– they will not be given over

to the whims of their enemies.

Adonai will give them strength

when they are lying on their sickbed

and will heal them where they lay.

I said “Have mercy on me, Adonai.

Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.”

My enemies maliciously talk about me,

saying “When will he die and his name be forgotten?”

If one of them comes to visit me,

he lies and he stores up slander in his heart

then he goes out and gossips.

Those who hate me whisper together against me,

they dream up torments for me, saying

“An evil potion was poured into him.

He won’t rise again from his sickbed.”

Even my trusted friend,

one who shared my bread

has lifted up his heel against me.

But You, Adonai, show me mercy,

and raise me up, so I can repay them.

By this I know that You are pleased with me:

my enemy does not defeat me.

You uphold me because of my integrity

and place me right in front of You forever.

May Adonai, the God of Israel,

be praised for all eternity.

Amen and amen!