For the music director: to the tune “Do Not Destroy”, a miktam of David, when Saul sent men to watch David’s house to kill him.

Rescue me from my enemies, my God!

Lift me high up,

far away from those who rise up against me.

Deliver me from those who do evil.

Rescue me from those who thirst for blood.

Look – they lie in wait for me.

Powerful men conspire against me

– not because of any transgression

or sin I committed, Adonai.

I’ve done nothing wrong

yet they run to set up traps for me.

Wake up!

Come to my aid!

Look!

For you are Adonai,

the Ruler of heavenly armies, the God of Israel!

Rise up to punish the nations.

Show no mercy to wicked traitors.

Selah

At evening they return,

snarling like a dog,

and prowl around the city.

See what their mouths spew,

with words like swords in their lips,

saying “After all, who is listening?”

But You, Adonai, laugh at them.

You ridicule all the nations.

I watch for You, O my strength,

because God is my fortress.

God will go before me in lovingkindness.

God will let me gloat over my foes.

But don’t kill them, or my people will forget.

Instead, shake them

and bring them down

with Your power,

O Adonai our shield.

Their mouth’s sin is their lip’s words.

Let them be caught in their pride,

for uttering curses and lies.

Devour them in rage,

gobble them completely up.

Then let it be known

to the ends of the Earth

that God rules over Jacob.

Selah

At evening they return,

snarling like a dog,

and prowl around the city,

scavenging for food.

If they are not satisfied they stay up until dawn.

But as for me, I sing of Your strength!

In the morning, I sing loudly of Your lovingkindness.

For You have been my stronghold,

my refuge in times of trouble.

To You, I sing praises, O my strength,

because God is my fortress

– my God of merciful compassion.

For the music director: to the tune “Do Not Destroy”, a miktam of David.

Do your “gods” really speak of justice?

Do your sons of man judge fairly?

No, you plot injustice in your hearts.

Your hands measure out violence on the world.

From the womb, the wicked are strangers.

From birth they go astray and speak lies.

Their venom is like that of a snake,

like a cobra, deaf to the voice of its charmers,

or those who skillfully weave spells.

God, break their teeth!

Tear out young lion’s fangs, Adonai!

Let them vanish like water flowing away.

When they bend their bow let the arrows break.

Let them melt away like a slug

moving along in slime,

like a woman’s miscarried child

let them never see the light of day.

Even before your pots can feel a thorn

– whether they are green or dry

– Adonai will sweep away the wicked.

The righteous one will rejoice

when they are avenged,

when they wash their feet

in the blood of the wicked.

Then they will say

“Truly there is a reward for the righteous,

truly there is a God who judges on earth!”

For the director of music: according to the tune,

“Do Not Destroy”. A Davidic miktam when he ran away

from Saul and hid in a cave.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy

for my soul takes refuge in You.

I take refuge in the shadow of Your wings

until destruction has passed.

I will cry out to God the Most High,

to the One who accomplishes it for me.

God will reach down from heaven and rescue me.

God rebukes those who trample on me.

Selah

God sends out mercy and truth.

My soul is surrounded by lions.

I lie among those who breathe fire

– people with teeth like spears and arrows,

with tongues like sharp swords.

God, be exalted over the heavens,

 let Your glory cover over all the Earth!

They spread out a net for my feet,

my soul is brought low.

They dug a pit in my path

– but they fell into it instead.

Selah

My heart, O God, is steadfast,

my heart is confident.

I will sing and even make music.

Glory, awaken!

Harp and lyre, awaken!

I will awaken the dawn.

I will praise You, Adonai,

among the nations and the peoples

because Your lovingkindness

reaches up to the heavens,

and Your truth reaches up to the skies.

God, be exalted above everything,

let Your glory cover the entire world!

For the music director, to the tune

“A Silent Dove Far Away.”

A miktam of David,

when he was seized by the Philistines in Gath.

Show mercy to me, O God,

for man has trampled me,

they fight all day and oppress me.

My enemies trample me all day long.

Many people arrogantly fight me.

When I am afraid I will place my trust in You.

I keep praising God‘s word

– I trust in God and will not fear.

What can mere mortals do, really?

They twist my words all day.

All their thoughts are evil

and turned against me.

They stir up trouble and lie in wait.

They watch my steps,

eager to pounce on my soul.

Will they escape in spite of their great sins?

O God, cast down such people in fierce anger!

You have taken a note of my wanderings,

You placed my tears in Your bottle.

Did You not write it all down in Your book?

Then my foes will retreat when I call for help.

I know this for certain – God is on my side.

In God, – whose word I forever praise.

In Adonai– whose word I forever praise.

In God I trust; I will not fear.

What can mere mortals do to me, really?

Your vows are on me, O God.

I will make thank offerings to You.

You have delivered my soul from mortal danger

and prevented my feet from stumbling

so that I may walk before God in the light of life.

For the music director: with stringed instruments,

a maskil of David.

Oh God, listen to my prayer

and don’t ignore my plea for help.

Hear me and answer me.

I moan and I’m restless because of my complaint

– because of the voice of my adversary

because of the oppression of the wicked.

They throw trouble at me

and angrily bear a grudge against me.

Deep within me, my heart shudders,

and the terrors of death wash over me,

and I am overwhelmed by horror.

I said “Oh if only I had wings like a dove!

I would then fly away and find peace.

Surely I would fly far away and stay in the wilderness.

Selah

I would scramble to my shelter

away from the rushing storm winds.”

Lord, mix up their speech,

because I see strife and violence in the city.

All day and all night they prowl her walls.

Mischief and iniquity are within her too.

In her midst are ruins.

Deceit and oppression are camped in her square.

If it were an enemy taunting me,

I could bear it.

If my enemy was raising himself up over me

I could just hide myself from him.

But no, it is a man like me

 – my friend and close companion!

We enjoyed a great fellowship together.

We used to walk with the crowds in the House of God.

Let desolation surround them,

let them get dragged alive down into Sheol

because they dwell in evil.

As for me, I call upon God

and Adonai saves me.

All day long I moan and complain,

then God hears my voice.

God will rescue my soul in shalom

from the battle waged against me.

Many foes fight against me.

God will listen and make them humble

– yes the One enthroned from long ago.

Selah

Nothing changes because they don’t fear God.

My companion raised his hands

against his allies and violates his covenant.

His speech was smoother than butter,

but his heart was filled with war.

Softer than oil were his words,

but really they were like drawn swords.

Place your burdens on Adonai

and Adonai will sustain you.

Adonai won’t ever let the righteous be shaken.

Instead, God will bring them down

to the Pit of destruction.

Bloodthirsty, treacherous people

will have their lifespan cut in half.

But as for me – I will trust in You.

For the music director: with stringed instruments.

A maskil of David, when the Ziphites asked Saul

“Isn’t David hiding amongst us?”

God, save me by Your Name

and vindicate me with Your might.

God, hear my prayer

and listen to the words from my mouth.

Strangers have risen up against me.

Ruthless people seek my soul.

They don’t set God before them.

Selah

God is my helper, surely.

Adonai supports my soul.

Let evil recoil on my foes.

Shut their mouths with Your truth!

I will offer a freewill sacrifice to You.

Because it is good I will praise Your Name, Adonai.

For Adonai has delivered me from every trouble

and my eyes have gazed in triumph on my enemies.

For the music, Director: on Mahalath,

a maskil of David.

In his heart, a fool says

“There is no God.”

They are corrupt and do vile deeds,

none of them do good.

God looks down from heaven on humankind

to see if anyone understands, anyone who seeks God.

Everyone has turned away

 – they have all become corrupt.

Not a single person does good!

Will evildoers never learn?

They devour my people just like bread

and never call upon God.

They live in terror even when

there is nothing to be afraid of.

God has scattered the bones of your foes.

You will put them to shame

because God has rejected them.

Who will bring salvation to Israel from Zion?

When God restores God’s people who are captive,

let Jacob rejoice

let Israel be glad!

For the music director: a maskil (contemplative song)

of David, when Doeg the Edomite reported to Saul

that David went to the house of Ahimalek.

Why do you brag about evil, mighty hero?

God’s merciful compassion is constant.

Like a sharp razor, your tongue plots destruction,

practicing deceit.

You love evil rather than good,

lying instead of speaking correctly.

Selah.

You love only harmful words

– treacherous tongue!

God will forever pull you down,

snatching you right out of your tent,

and uprooting you from the land of the living.

Selah.

Then those who are righteous will see and fear,

and ridicule him: “Here is the man who trusted

in his great riches instead of making God his stronghold

– his strength was in his evil desire.”

But I – I am flourishing

like an olive tree in the house of God.

I will forever trust in God‘s lovingkindness.

I will forever praise You for what You have done.

In the presence of Your faithful people

I will put my hope in Your Name for it is good.

For the director of music: a psalm of David,

when the prophet Nathan approached him

after David committed adultery with Bathsheba.

Have mercy on me, O God,

according to Your mercy.

According to Your abundant compassion

wipe away my transgressions.

Thoroughly wash away all my iniquity

and cleanse me from my sin.

I know my sin and iniquity is always in front of me.

I have sinned against You, and You alone,

and I’ve done what is evil in Your sight.

You are justified when You pass sentence

and blameless when You judge.

Behold, I was conceived and born

in guilt and sin.

Surely You desire truth to the core,

make me understand wisdom inwardly.

If You cleanse me with hyssop, I will be clean.

If You wash me, I will be whiter than snow.

Make my ears hear joy and gladness

so the bones You have crushed will feel joy.

Look away from my sins

and wipe away all my mistakes.

Oh God, create a clean heart in me

and restore in me a steadfast spirit.

Don’t turn me away from Your presence

or take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore the joy of Your salvation to me

and preserve me with a willing spirit.

Then I will teach the rebellious Your ways

so that they may return to You.

Save me from the guilt of shedding blood, O God

– God of my salvation.

Then my tongue will joyfully sing

of Your righteousness.

Oh Lord, open my lips,

so my mouth can declare Your praise.

You don’t want sacrifice – or I would give it –

nor are You pleased with burnt offerings.

What God wants for sacrifice is a broken spirit.

God will not despise a broken and contrite heart.

May it please You to make Zion prosper.

Build up Jerusalem‘s walls.

Then You will delight in sacrifices that are righteous

as well as whole burnt offerings.

Then bulls will be offered up on Your altar.

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.”