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PSALMS 36--66

PSALM 36

To the Chief Musician. Of the servant of Jehovah, [even] of David

1 Ungodliness saith to the wicked man in the midst of my heart, There is no fear of God before his eyes.

2 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, Until his iniquity be found to be hateful.

3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit, He teaseth to understand that he may do good.

4 Iniquity he meditates upon his bed; He setteth himself in a way not good; Evil he doth not abhor.

5 O Jehovah! unto the heavens is thy mercy, Thy truth even unto the clouds.

6 Thy justice is like the great mountains, Thy judgments are a great deep. Man and beast, thou preservest, O Jehovah!

7 How precious is thy loving-kindness, O God! Therefore the sons of men in the shadow of thy wings shall trust.

8 They shall be fully satisfied with the fatness of thy house; And of the river of thy pleasures thou shalt cause them to drink.

9 For with thee is the fountain of life, And in thy light shall we see light.

10 Extend thy mercy to those who know thee, And thy righteousness to the upright in heart.

11 Let not the foot of pride come upon me; And the hand of the ungodly let it not remove me.

12 There fallen are the workers of iniquity; They are thrust down and shall not be able to stand.1

PSALM 37

Of David

1 Vex not thyself because of the wicked, Nor be envious on account of the workers of iniquity.

2 For like the grass quickly shall they be cut down; And as the green herb they shall wither.

3 Trust thou in Jehovah, and do good; Dwell in the land, and be fed in truth.

4 And delight in Jehovah, And he will grant thee the request of thy heart.

5 Devolve upon Jehovah thy ways, And trust in him, and he will bring it to pass.

6 And he will bring forth as the light thy righteousness, And thy judgments as the noonday.

7 Be silent to Jehovah, and wait for him; Vex not thyself at him who prospereth in his way, At the man who committeth wickedness.

8 Cease from anger, forsake wrath, Vex not thyself so as to commit sin.

9 For the wicked shall be cut off; But those who wait for Jehovah shall inherit the earth.

10 Yet a little while, and the ungodly shall not be; And thou shalt give attention to his place, and shalt not find him.

11 But the meek ones shall inherit the earth, And shall be delighted in the abundance of peace.

12 Plot doth the ungodly against the righteous, And gnasheth against him with his teeth.

13 The Lord shall laugh at him, For he seeth that coming is his day.

14 Their sword draw do the ungodly, And their bow they bend, To lay prostrate the poor and needy, To slay those who are upright in the way.

15 But their sword shall enter into their own heart, And their bow shall be broken.

16 Better is a little to the righteous man, Than the wealth of the ungodly who are great.

17 For the arms of the ungodly shall be broken; But Jehovah sustaineth the righteous.

18 Know doth Jehovah the days of the upright, And their inheritance for ever shall be.

19 They shall not be put to shame in the time of adversity; And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

20 For the ungodly shall perish, And the enemies of Jehovah like the fattest of lambs shall be consumed; Into smoke they shall be consumed.;

21 Borrow doth the ungodly man, and doth not repay; But the righteous man is compassionate and giveth.

22 For those who are blessed of him shall inherit the earth, And those who are cursed of him shall be cut off.

23 By Jehovah the steps of a man are directed, And his way he will love.

24 When he shall fall he shall not be bruised, For Jehovah putteth under [him] his hand.

25 Young I have been, I have also grown old; And yet I have not seen the righteous man forsaken, Nor his seed begging for bread.

26 Daily he is compassionate and lendeth, And his seed is for blessing.

27 Depart from evil and do good, And dwell for ever.

28 For Jehovah loveth judgment, And doth not forsake his meek ones; For ever shall they be preserved: And the seed of the ungodly shall be cut off.

29 The righteous shall inherit the earth, And shall dwell for ever upon it.

30 The mouth of the righteous shall speak wisdom;

31 The law of his God is in his heart; Slide not shall his steps.

32 Watch doth the ungodly the righteous man, And seeketh to put him to death.

33 Jehovah will not leave him in his hand, Nor condemn him when he is judged.

34 Wait for Jehovah, and keep his way, And he shall exalt thee to inherit the earth: When the ungodly shall be cut off thou shalt see it.

35 I have seen the ungodly man robust,2 And spreading himself like a green bay tree;

36 And he passed away, and to I he was not; And I sought for his place, and he was not found.

37 Mark the perfect man, and consider the upright; For the end of such a man is peace.

38 But transgressors shall be destroyed together: The end of the ungodly shall be cut off.

39 But the salvation of the righteous is from Jehovah: He will be their strength in the time of trouble.

40 And help them shall Jehovah, and deliver them: He shall deliver them from the wicked: He shall save them, because they trust in him.

PSALM 38

A Psalm of David: to bring to remembrance

1 O Jehovah! do not in thy fury rebuke me, And in thy wrath do not chasten me.

2 For thy arrows go down in me, And descend upon me doth thy hand.

3 There is no soundness in my flesh, because of thy wrath, Nor peace in my bones because of my sin.

4 For my iniquities have passed over my head, Like a burden that is weighty, they are too heavy for me.

5 Putrid [and] corrupt have my wounds become, Because of my foolishness.

6 I am bowed down, I am brought low exceedingly; Day by day a mourner I do walk:

7 For my reins are filled with a burning heat; Nor is there soundness in my flesh.

8 I am enfeebled and broken exceedingly: I have roared through the disquietude of my heart.

9 O Lord! before thee is all my desire, And my groaning from thee is not hidden,

10 My heart hath throbbed, forsaken me hath my strength; And the light of my eyes, it also is gone from me.

11 My friends and my companions aloof from my stroke have stood, And my kinsmen afar off have stood.

12 And they have laid snares who sought for my soul; Arid those who sought my hurt have threatened mischiefs; And deceits daily do they meditate.

13 But as for me, like a deaf man I hear not; And I am like a dumb man who openeth not his mouth.

14 And I was as a man who doth not hear, And in whose mouth there are no reproofs.

15 For on thee, O Jehovah! do I wait: Thou wilt answer me, O Lord, my God!

16 For I said, "Lest they should rejoice over me: " At the slipping of my foot against me they magnified themselves,

17 Surely as for me I am ready to halt; And my sorrow is before me continually.

18 Surely my iniquity I declare; I am in consternation because of my sin.

19 But my enemies are living;3 they are strong; And those are become mighty who hate me wrongfully.

20 And they who requite me evil for good are against me, Because I follow [what is] good.

21 Forsake me not, O Jehovah, my God! Be not far from me.

22 Hasten to my help, O Lord, my salvation!

PSALM 39

To the Chief Musician, Jeduthun. A Psalm of David

1 I said "I will take heed to my ways, "That I sin not with my tongue: "I will keep my mouth with a muzzle, "While the ungodly man standeth before me."

2 I was dumb not uttering a word; I held my peace [even] from good; And my sorrow was stirred.

3 My heart became hot within me; In my musing a fire did burn; I spake with my tongue.

4 Cause me to know, O Jehovah! my end, And the number of my days, That I may know of what duration I am.

5 Behold! as an handbreadth thou hast made my days, And my duration is as nothing before thee: Surely altogether vanity is every mart while he standeth.

6 Surely in a shadow man walketh; [Selah. Surely in vain is he disquieted: They heap together, and know not who shall gather.

7 And now what do I wait for, O Lord? My hope is towards thee.

8 From all my sins deliver thou me: The reproach of the foolish make me not.

9 I was dumb; I will not open my mouth, Because thou hast done it.

10 Remove from me thy stroke: By the blow of thy hand I have failed.

11 With rebukes for iniquity thou chastisest man; And causest to waste away as a moth his beauty: Surely vanity is every man. Selah.

12 Hear my prayer, O Jehovah! And to my cry give ear; At my tears be not silent; For a stranger am I before thee, A sojourner like all my fathers.

13 Let me alone, that I may recover strength, Before I depart and be no more.

PSALM 40

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David

1 I have patiently waited for Jehovah, And he inclined to me, and heard my cry.

2 And he drew me out of the roaring pit, Out of the mire of clay, And set upon a rock my feet; He hath established my steps.

3 And he hath put in my mouth a song [that is] new, Even praise to our God: See shall many and shall fear, And shall trust in Jehovah.

4 Blessed is the man who maketh Jehovah his confidence, And hath not respected the proud, Nor those who turn aside to lying.

5 Many, O Jehovah, my God! are thy wonderful works which thou hast done; And thy thoughts towards us it is impossible to reckon up in order to thee: I will declare and speak [of them;] [But] they are more than can be told.

6 Sacrifice and oblation thou hast not taken pleasure in: But my ears hast thou made fit: 4 Burnt-offering and sin-offering thou hast not required.

7 Then I said, "Behold! I come; "In the volume of the book it is written of me,

8 "That I may do thy pleasure, O my God! "I have desired to do it, "And thy law is in the midst of my bowels."

9 I have proclaimed thy righteousness in the assembly great: Behold my lips I will not restrain; O Jehovah! thou knowest it.

10 Thy righteousness I have not hidden within my heart; Thy truth and thy salvation I have declared: I have not concealed thy goodness and thy truth in the assembly great.

11 O thou, Jehovah! withhold not thy compassions from me; Let thy goodness and thy truth continually preserve me.

12 For encompassed me have evils innumerable; Laid hold upon me have my iniquities, yea in so great number that I cannot see them: They are more in number than the hairs of my head; And my heart hath failed me.

13 Let it please thee, O Jehovah! to deliver me; O Jehovah! to my aid make haste.

14 Let them be put to shame and confounded together Who seek after my soul to destroy it; Let them be turned backward and put to shame Who seek after my hurt.

15 Let them be destroyed for a reward of their shame, Who have said to me, "Aha! aha!"

16 Let all those exult and rejoice in thee who seek thee; And let those say continually, "May Jehovah be magnified" -- "Those who love thy salvation.

17 But as for me I am poor and needy. Jehovah hath regarded me; My help and my deliverer art thou: O thou, my God! delay not.

PSALM 41

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David

1 Blessed is he who judgeth wisely of the poor: In the day of evil Jehovah will deliver him.

2 Jehovah will keep him, and preserve him alive: He shall be blessed upon the earth: And thou will not give him up to the desire of his enemies.

3 Jehovah will support him upon the bed of sorrow: All his bed thou hast turned in his sickness.

4 I have said, "O Jehovah! have mercy upon me; "Heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee."

5 My enemies have spoken evil of me, "When will he die, and perish shall his name? "

6 And if he come to see me falsely doth he speak; His heart gathereth iniquity to itself': When he goeth abroad he speaketh [it.]

7 Together against me do all my haters whisper; Against me do they devise evil for me, [saying,]

8 "An evil deed of Belial cleaveth fast to him; "And he who lieth shall not rise again."

9 Even the man of my peace in whom I trusted, Who eateth of my bread, hath lifted up against me the heel.

10 Do thou then, O Jehovah! have mercy upon me; Raise me up, and I will recompense them.

11 By this I have known that I have been acceptable to thee, Because my enemy shall not triumph over me.

12 And as for me, in my integrity thou wilt uphold me, And wilt establish me before thy face for ever.

13 Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, For ever and ever. Amen and Amen.

PART SECOND.5

PSALM 42

To the Chief Musician. A lesson of instruction to the Sons of Korah

1 As the hart crieth for the fountains of waters, So my soul crieth for thee, O God!

2 Thirsted hath my soul for God, for the living God: When shall I come to appear before the face of God?

3 To me have my tears been for bread, by day and night, While it is said to me daily, "Where is thy God? "

4 When these things I remember, I pour out within me my soul, Because I had gone with the procession, Leading them even to the house of God, With the voice of exultation and praise, -- The multitude dancing for joy.

5 'Why art thou cast down, O my soul! And why art thou disquieted within me? Wait thou for God; for I shall yet give him thanks, [For] the salvations of his countenance.

6 O my God! my soul within me is cast down, When I remember thee from the land of Jordan and of Hermonim, From the mountain Mizar.

7 Deep unto deep calleth at the noise of thy waterspouts: All thy waves and all thy billows over me have gone.

8 By day command will Jehovah his loving-kindness, And by night his song shall be with me, And prayer to the God of my life.

9 I will say to God, my Rock, "Why hast thou forgotten me? "Why mourning do I go because of the oppression of my enemy?"

10 [It is as] a wound in my bones when my enemies reproach me, Saying to me daily, "Where is thy God? "

11 'Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet give thanks to him, The salvations of my countenance, and my God.

PSALM 43

1 Judge me, O God! and plead my cause: From a people without mercy, from a man deceitful and wicked deliver me.

2 For thou art the God of my strength; Why art thou estranged from me? Why mourning do I go because of the oppression of the enemy?

3 Send forth thy light and thy truth; Let them direct me, let them conduct me, To the mountain of thy holiness, and to thy tabernacles.

4 And I will go to the altar of God, To the God of the joy of my rejoicing; And I will celebrate thee upon the harp, O God, my God!

5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul! And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet celebrate him, Who is the salvation of my countenance and my God.

PSALM 44

To the Chief Musician. Of the sons of Korah. Giving instruction

1 O God! with our ears we have heard, Our fathers have told us, The work which thou hast done in their days, In the days of old.

2 Thou with thy hand hast expelled the heathen, and planted them: Thou hast wasted the peoples and multiplied them:

3 For not by their own sword acquired they the land, And their own arm did not save them; But thy right hand and thy arm, and the light of thy countenance, Because thou wast favorable to them.

4 Thou, even thou, art my King; O God! command salvations for Jacob.

5 Through thee our adversaries with the horn we have pushed; In thy name we have trampled under foot those who rise up against us.

6 For not in my bow will I trust, And my sword will not save me.

7 Surely thou hast saved us from our enemies, And our haters thou hast put to shame.

8 In God we will boast all the day, And thy name for ever shall we praise. Selah.

9 Nevertheless thou hast abhorred us and put us to shame, And thou goest not forth any more with our armies.

10 Thou hast made us to turn back from him that afflicteth us, And our haters have spoiled us for themselves.

11 Thou hast given us as sheep for food; And among the heathen thou hast scattered us.

12 Thou hast sold thy people, and not become rich, And thou hast not increased the price of them.

13 Thou hast made us a reproach to our neighbors, A scorn and derision to those who are round about us.

14 Thou hast made us a byword among the heathen, A shaking of the head among the peoples.

15 Daily is my reproach before me, And the shame of my face hath quite covered me,

16 Because of the voice of him who reproacheth and revileth, Because of the face of the adversary and avenger.

17 All this is come upon us, and we have not forgotten thee, Nor dealt perfidiously in thy covenant;

18 Not turned back hath our heart, Nor declined have our steps from thy path.

19 Although thou hast crushed us in the place of dragons, And covered us with the shadow of death.

20 If we have forgotten the name of our God, And have spread forth our hands to a God that is strange;

21 Shall not God search out this? For he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

22 Surely for thy sake we are killed daily; We are accounted as sheep [appointed] for slaughter.

23 Arise, why sleepest thou, O Lord? Awake, do not forget us for ever.

24 Wherefore thy face dost thou hide? Wilt thou forget our misery and our affliction?

25 For humbled to the dust is our soul; Cleave to the earth doth our belly.

26 Arise for our help, And redeem us for the sake of thy loving-kindness.

PSALM 45

To the Chief Musician. Upon the lilies. Of the sons of Korah. Giving instruction. A Song of loves

1 Boiling over is my heart to speak a goodly theme, Speak shall I myself of my works concerning the King: My tongue is as the pen of a swift writer.

2 Thou art fair above the sons of men; Diffused is grace on thy lips; Because God hath blessed thee for ever.

3 Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O mighty one! With majesty and glory.

4 And in thy majesty prosper thou; Ride forth upon the word of truth, and meekness and righteousness; And thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things:

5 Thy arrows are sharp (so that the people fall under thee) In the hearts of the enemies of the king.

6 Thy throne, O God! is for ever and ever; The scepter of rectitude is the scepter of thy kingdom.

7 Thou lovest righteousness and hatest impiety; Because anointed thee hath God, thy God, With the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

8 Myrrh, and aloes and cassia [are] in all thy garments, Out of the ivory palaces, whence they have made thee glad.

9 The daughters of kings [were] among thy maids of honor; Stand did thy consort at thy right hand in gold of Ophir.

10 Hearken, O daughter! and consider and incline thy ear; And forget thy people, and the house of thy father.

11 And enamored shall be the King with thy beauty; For he is thy Lord, and thou shalt worship him.

12 And the daughter of Tyre [shall come] with a present; Thy favor entreat shall the rich among the people.

13 All glorious is the daughter of the King within; Of garments embroidered with gold is her clothing.

14 In raiment of needle-work she shall be brought to the King; Her virgins that follow her, her companions shall be brought to thee.

15 They shall be brought with joy and exultation; They shall enter into the palace of the King.

16 Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children; Thou shalt make them princes in all the earth.

17 I will make thy name to be remembered throughout all generation; Therefore celebrate thee shall the peoples for ever and ever.

PSALM 46

To the Chief Musician. Of the sons of Korah. Upon Alamoth. A Song

1 God is to us a protection and strength; A help in troubles he is found exceedingly.

2 Therefore we will not fear when moved shall be the earth, And fall shall the mountains into the heart of the sea.

3 [When] roar and rage tempestuously shall the waters thereof; [When] shake shall the mountains with the swelling thereof. Selah.

4 The streams of her river shall make glad the city of God, The Sanctuary of the tabernacles of the Most High.

5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: Help her will God at the dawn of the morning.

6 Rage did the peoples, moved were the kingdoms: He uttered his voice, melt did the earth.

7 Jehovah of armies is with us; A fortress for us is the God of Jacob. Selah.

8 Come ye, consider the works of Jehovah, What desolations he hath wrought in the earth.

9 He maketh to cease battles, even to the ends of the earth; He breaketh the bow, he shattereth in pieces the arms; The chariot he burneth with fire.

10 Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen; I will be exalted in the earth.

11 Jehovah of armies is with us; A fortress for us is the God of Jacob. Selah.

PSALM 47

To the Chief Musician. Of the sons of Korah. Upon Alamoth. A Song

1 O all ye peoples! clap the hand; Shout unto God with the voice of exultation;

2 For Jehovah is high, terrible, A great king over all the earth.

3 He hath put in order the people under us, And the nations under our feet.

4 He hath chosen for us our inheritance, The glory of Jacob, whom he hath loved. Selah.

5 Gone up is God with a shout, Jehovah with the sound of a trumpet.

6 Sing psalms to God, sing psalms; Sing psalms to our King, sing psalms;

7 For king of all the earth is God; Sing praises, all ye who understand!

8 The kingdom he hath obtained over the heathen; God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.

9 The princes of the peoples are assembled together To the people of the God of Abraham: For to God belong the shields of the earth: He is greatly exalted.

PSALM 48

A Song of a Psalm. Of the sons of Korah

1 Great is Jehovah and to be praised greatly In the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.

2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, The mountain of Zion, on the sides of the north, The city of the great King.

3 God in her palaces is known for a defense.

4 For behold! the kings assembled, They passed away together.

5 They themselves saw, so they marveled; They were frightened, they fled precipitately,

6 Fear seized upon them there, Pain as of one in travail.

7 By the east wind thou breakest in pieces the ships of Tarshish.

8 As we have heard, so have we seen In the city of Jehovah of Hosts, In the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah

9 We have waited, O God! for thy mercy In the midst of thy temple,

10 As is thy name, O God! So is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: Of righteousness full is thy right hand.

11 Rejoice shall Mount Zion, Exult shall the daughters of Judah, Because of thy judgments.

12 Encompass Zion, and walk round about her. Number the towers thereof,

13 Set your heart to her walls, Exalt her towers, That ye may make report to the generations to come.

14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death.

PSALM 49

To the Chief Musician. Of the sons of Korah. A Psalm

1 Hear this all ye peoples; Give ear all ye inhabitants of the world:

2 Both ye sons of Adam, and ye sons of men, Rich and poor together.

3 My mouth shall speak of wisdoms, And the meditation of my heart is of understanding.

4 I will incline to a parable my ear: I will open upon the harp my enigma.

5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil? The iniquity of my heel shall compass me about.

6 They trust in their wealth, And in the multitude of their riches do glory.

7 The brother shall not be able to redeem; None shall give to God the price of his redemption.

8 And precious shall be the redemption of their soul, And their continuance for ever:

9 That he should still live for ever, And not see the grave.

10 For he shall see that wise men die, Together the fool and the brutish person shall perish, And leave to strangers their wealth.

11 Their inward thought is [how to make] their houses [to continue] for ever, Their dwelling-places from generation to generation: They have called out their names upon the earth.

12 And man in honor shall not abide; He hath become like the beasts: they perish.

13 This their way is foolishness in them, And their posterity in their saying will acquiesce. Selah.

14 Like sleep in the grave they are laid; Death shall feed them; And have dominion over them shall the upright in the morning, And their strength shall wax old; The grave shall receive them from their dwelling.

15 But God shall redeem my soul from the hand of the grave; For he hath taken me up. Selah.

16 Be not thou afraid when a man shall become rich, When increased shall be the glory of his house;

17 For he shall not at his death carry all away: Descend not after him shall his glory:

18 For his soul in his lifetime he will bless, And they shall praise thee when thou doest well to thyself.

19 He shall come to the age of his fathers, Even for ever he shall not see the light.

20 Man is in honor, and will not understand: He hath become like the beasts: they shall perish.

PSALM 50

A Song, of Asaph

1 The God of gods, Jehovah hath spoken, And called the earth From the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.

2 Out of Zion, the Perfection of beauty, God hath shined.

3 Come shall our God, and shall not keep silence; A fire before him shall devour, And round about him a tempest shall rage exceedingly.

4 He shall call to the heavens from above, And to the earth, to judge his people.

5 "Gather together to me my meek ones, (will he say), "Those who strike a covenant with me over sacrifices."

6 And declare shall the heavens his righteousness: For God is judge himself. Selah.

7 "Hear, O my people! and I will speak; "O Israel! and I will announce to thee: "God, [even] thy God am I.

8 "Not for thy sacrifices will I reprove thee; "And thy burnt-offerings are before me continually.

9 "I will not take out of thy house a calf, "Nor out of thy folds he-goats:

10 "For mine are all the beasts of the forest, "The cattle upon a thousand hills.

11 "I know all the birds of the mountains; "And the wild beasts of the field are at my command.

12 "If I am hungry, I will not tell thee: "For mine is the world and the fullness thereof.

13 "Will I eat the flesh of bulls, "And the blood of goats will I drink?

14 "Sacrifice unto God praise, "And pay unto the Most High thy vows.

15 "Call upon me in the day of trouble; "I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

16 "But unto the wicked said hath God, "What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, "[Or] that thou shouldest take my covenant into thy lips?

17 "Also thou hatest correction, "And castest my words behind thee.

18 "If thou seest a thief, thou wilt run with him, "And with adulterers is thy portion.

19 "Thy mouth thou puttest forth to evil, "And thy tongue frameth deceit,

20 "Thou wilt sit against thy brother; "Thou wilt speak against the sons of thy mother; "Thou wilt set forth slander.

21 "These things thou hast done, and I kept silence; "Thou thoughtest that I would be like thyself': "I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.

22 "Now consider this, ye who forget God, "Lest I seize upon you and there be none to deliver.

23 "He who sacrificeth praise will glorify me: "And he who ordereth his way to him will I show the salvation of God."

PSALM 51

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David, when Xathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba

1 Have pity upon me, O God! according to thy mercy; According to the multitude of thy compassions blot out my iniquities.

2 Multiply to wash me from my sin, And from my wickedness do thou cleanse me.

3 For my sins I know, And my wickedness is before me continually.

4 Against thee, against thee only, have I sinned, And that which was displeasing in thy sight have I done; That thou mayest be justified when thou speakest, And be pure in giving judgment.

5 Behold in iniquity I was born, And in sin conceive me did my mother.

6 Behold, truth thou hast loved in the inmost parts, And in secret, wisdom thou hast made me know.

7 Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; And exult shall the bones which thou hast broken.

9 Hide thy face from my sins, And all my iniquities blot out.

10 A heart [that is] clean create in me, O God! And a spirit [that is] right renew in my inward parts.

11 Cast me not away from thy face, And the Spirit of thy holiness take not from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, And with a free spirit uphold me.

13 I will teach transgressors thy ways, the ungodly to time shall be converted.

14 Deliver me from bloods, O God! O God of my salvation! And sing aloud shall my tongue of thy righteousness.

15 O Lord! my lips do thou open, And my mouth shall show forth thy praise.

16 For thou wilt not accept a sacrifice; Though I should give a burnt-offering, it would not please thee.

17 The sacrifices of God are an afflicted spirit: A heart afflicted and contrite, O God! thou wilt not despise.

18 Do good in thy good pleasure to Zion; Build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then shalt thou accept the sacrifices of righteousness, The burnt-offering and oblation;6 Then shall come upon thy altar calves.

PSALM 52

To the Chief Musician. A lesson of instruction of David: when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said to him, that David had come into the house of Abimelech

1 Why dost thou glory in thy wickedness, O mighty man? The goodness of God continueth daily.

2 Thy tongue reckoneth up mischiefs, Like a razor [that is] sharp working deceitfully.

3 Thou lovest wickedness more than goodness; Falsehood more than to speak righteousness. Selah.

4 Thou lovest all words of deceit, O thou tongue of guilefulness!

5 Likewise God shall destroy thee for ever: He shall lay hold on thee and pluck thee out of thy tabernacle, And root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.

6 See it also shall the righteous ones, and shall fear, And at him they shall laugh.

7 Behold! the man who made not God his strength; And trusted in the abundance of his riches, And was strong in his wickedness.

8 But as for me I shall be like an olive-tree [that is] green in the house of God: I have trusted in the goodness of God for ever and ever.

9 I will celebrate thee for ever, because thou hast done [it:] 7 I will wait on thy name, For it is good in the presence of thy meek ones.

PSALM 53

To the Chief Musician, upon Mahalath. A lesson of instruction ofDavid

1 The fool hath said in his heart, "There is not a God:" They have corrupted [all good order,] they have done abominable work: There is none who doeth good.

2 God from heaven looked down upon the sons of men, To see if there was any who did understand, Who did seek after God.

3 Every one of them hath gone back; They have all together become corrupt: There is none that doeth good, not even one.

4 Have they no knowledge, all these workers of iniquity? Eating my people [as] they eat bread: Upon Jehovah they have not called.

5 There were they afraid with fear, where there was not fear; For scattered hath Jehovah the bones of him that encampeth against thee: Thou hast put them to shame because God hath despised them.

6 Who shall give out of Zion deliverance to Israel? When bring back shall God the captivity of his people, Rejoice shall Jacob, exult shall Israel.

PSALM 54

To the Chief Musician, on Neginoth. A lesson of instruction of David. When the Ziphims came and said to Saul, "Doth not David hide himself with us?"

1 O God! by thy name save me, And by thy strength judge me.

2 O God! hear my prayer, Give ear to the words of my mouth.

3 For strangers have risen up against me, And terrible ones have sought after my soul: They have not set God before them. Selah.

4 Behold! God is a helper to me; The Lord is with those who uphold my soul.

5 He shall repay evil to my adversaries: In thy truth cut them off.

6 Willingly will I sacrifice to thee; I will celebrate thy name, O Jehovah! for it is good.

7 For out of all trouble he hath delivered me; And [punishment] upon my adversaries mine eye hath seen.

PSALM 55

To the Chief Musician on Neginoth. A lesson of instruction of David

1 Give ear, O God! to my prayer, And hide not thyself from my supplication.

2 Attend to me, and answer me: I will wail in my address, and will become tumultuous.

3 By reason of the voice of the enemy -- Under the oppression of the ungodly; For they cast upon me iniquity, In wrath they set themselves against me.

4 My heart trembleth within me, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.

5 Fear and trembling are come upon me, And horror hath overwhelmed me.

6 And I said, "Who will give me wings like a dove? "I will fly away and be at rest.

7 "Lo! I will flee far away, "I will repose in the desert. Selah.

8 "I will hasten my escape from the tempestuous whirlwind."

9 Destroy, O Lord! divide their tongue: For I have seen oppression and strife in the city.

10 By day and night they go round it upon the walls thereof: And labor and sorrow are in the midst of it.

11 Wickedness 8 is in the midst of it; And fraud and deceit depart not from the streets thereof.

12 Truly it was not an enemy who reproached me, For [then] I could have borne [it:] It was not an adversary who magnified himself against me, For [then] I would have hid himself from him.

13 But thou, a man according to my own rank, My guide, and my familiar friend.

14 We sweetly exchanged our secret thoughts; Into the house of God we walked in company.

15 Let death seize upon them, Let them descend into the grave alive; For wickedness 9 is I, their dwelling, in the midst of them.

16 As for me, to God; will I cry, And Jehovah shall save me.

17 In the evening, and the morning, and at noonday Will I pray, and cry aloud; And he shall hear my voice.

18 He hath redeemed into peace my soul From the battle which was against me: For many were with me.

19 Hear shall God, and shall afflict them, Even he who sitteth from ancient time. Selah. Because they have no changes, And fear not God.

20 He hath set his hands against those who were at peace with him: He hath broken his covenant.

21 Smoother than butter are the words of his mouth, And in his heart is war; Softer are his words than oil, And [yet] they are darts.

22 Cast upon Jehovah whatever blessings thou askest from him,10 And he shall feed thee; He shall not suffer for ever the righteous man to stagger.

23 Thou, O God! shalt cast them into the pit of corruption: The men of blood and deceit shall not live out half their days: But as for me, I will hope in thee.

PSALM 56

To the Chief Musician upon, the silent dove in distant places. Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath

1 Have mercy upon me, O God, For swallow me up doth man; He daily assaulting doth oppress me.

2 Swallow me up do my enemies daily: Truly many strive to oppress me, O Jehovah, Most High!

3 In the day when I was afraid, I in thee did trust.

4 In God I will praise his word; In God have I trusted; I will not fear what flesh can do to me.

5 Every day my words disquiet me; Against me are all their thoughts for evil.

6 They assemble together, they hide themselves, My heels they watch, Because they desire my soul.

7 In their iniquity they think there is escape for them: In thy wrath the peoples thou wilt cast down, O God!

8 My wanderings thou numbereth, even thou: Put my tears into thy bottle; Are they not in thy register?

9 Then my enemies shall be turned back in the day when I cry: This I know, because God is with me.

10 In God will I praise [his] word; In Jehovah will I praise [his] word.

11 In God have I trusted; I will not fear what man can do to me.

12 Upon me, O God! are thy vows, I will render praises to thee.

13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death: Hast thou not also delivered my feet from falling? That I may walk before God in the light of the living.

PSALM 57

To the Chief Musician. Destroy not. Michtam of David. When he fled from the face of Saul in the cave

1 Have mercy upon me, O God! have mercy upon me; For in thee my soul doth trust; And in the shadow of thy wings will I hope, Until iniquity pass away.

2 I will cry to God Most High, Who perfecteth [his work] towards me.

3 He shall send from Heaven, And shall save me from the reproach of him who swalloweth me up: Send forth shall God his mercy and his truth.

4 My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie among those who are set on fire, -- Among the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, And their tongue a sword [that is] sharp.

5 Be thou exalted above the heavens, O God! Above all the earth thy glory.

6 A net they have prepared for my steps: Bowed down is my soul: They have digged before me a pit, But they have fallen into it. Selah

7 Prepared is my heart, O God! prepared is my heart: I will sing, and chant psalms.

8 Awake my tongue, awake nablum 11 and harp: I will awake at dawn of day.

9 I will celebrate thee, among the peoples, O Lord! I will sing psalms to thee among the nation:

10 For great unto the heavens is thy goodness, And unto the clouds thy truth.

11 Be thou exalted, above the heavens, O God! Above all the earth thy glory.

PSALM 58

To the Chief Musician. Destroy not. Michtam of David

1 Do ye indeed, O ye congregation! speak righteousness? Uprightly do ye judge? O ye sons of men!

2 Yea rather in your heart wickedness ye plot, On the earth violence your hands weigh out.

3 Estranged are the ungodly from the womb, They have gone astray from their birth speaking falsehood.

4 They have poison like the poison of a serpent, [They are] like the deaf adder which stoppeth her ear;

5 Which listeneth not to the voice of the enchanter, -- Of him who exerciseth enchantment skillfully.

6 O God! break their teeth in their mouth: The jawbones of the lions break, O Jehovah!

7 Let them melt away like water, let them be gone: Let them bend their bow, and let their arrows be as if broken.

8 Like a snail which melteth away let them vanish; Like the untimely birth of a woman which doth not see the sun.

9 Before your pots can feel the fire of the bramble, Like flesh yet raw as a whirlwind he shall carry him away.

10 Rejoice shall the righteous when he seeth the vengeance; His hands he shall wash in the blood of the ungodly.

11 And men 12 shall say, "Truly there is fruit for the righteous, "Truly there is a God who judgeth in the earth."

PSALM 59

To the Chief Musician. Destroy not. Michtam of David. When Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him

1 Deliver me from my enemies, O my God! from those who rise up against me set me on high.

2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, And from men of bloods save me:

3 For lo! they have laid snares for my soul; Gathered together against me have the strong men; Not [for] my sin, nor [for] my wickedness, O Jehovah!

4 Without any iniquity of mine they have run and prepared themselves. Awake and come to meet me, and behold.

5 And thou, O Jehovah, God of armies! the God of Israel! Awake to visit all the nations; Do not have compassion upon any who transgress wickedly. Selah.

6 They will return at evening; They will make a noise like a dog, And go round about the city.

7 Behold they will prate with their mouth; Swords are in their lips; "For who," say they, "will hear?"

8 But thou, O Jehovah! shalt laugh at them; Thou shalt hold in derision all the nations.

9 His strength with thee I will put in trust; For God is my fortress.

10 The God of my mercy shall prevent me; God will make me see my desire upon my enemies.

11 Slay them not, lest my people should forget; Make them to wander by thy power; And bring them down, O Lord, our shield!

12 The sin of their mouth, the words of their lips: Let them be taken in their pride: of cursing and lying let them speak.

13 Consume, in thy fury consume them, that they may be no more; And let men know that God ruleth in Jacob, Even to the ends of the earth. Selah.13

14 And they will return at evening; They will bark like a dog, And go round about the city.

15 They will wander up and down for food; If they be not satisfied they will even stay all night.

16 But as for me, I will sing of thy strength, I will praise in the morning thy mercy; For thou hast been a fortress to me, And a refuge in the day of my trouble.

17 My strength is with thee, I will sing psalms; For God is my fortress, the God of my mercy.

PSALM 60

To the Chief Musician upon Shushan Eduth. Michtam of David to teach. When he fought against the Syrians of Mesopotamia and against the Syrians of Zobah; and when Joab, having returned, smote of the Edomites in the Valley of Salt twelve thousand

1 O God! thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us; Thou hast been angry, O return to us!

2 To tremble thou hast made the earth; Thou hast caused it to open wide; Heal the breaches thereof for it shaketh.

3 Thou hast showed to thy people a hard thing, Thou hast made us drunk with the wine of stupefaction.

4 Thou hast given to those who fear thee a banner, That it may be displayed before thy truth. Selah.

5 That thy beloved ones may be delivered, Save with thy right hand and hear me.

6 God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice: I will divide Shechem, And the valley of Succoth I will measure.

7 Mine shall be Gilead, and mine shall be Manasseh; And Ephraim shall be the strength of my head; Judah, my lawgiver.

8 Moab shall be the pot for my washing; Over Edom will I cast my shoe; O Palestina! triumph thou over me.

9 Who will bring me into the city fortified? Who will lead me into Edom?

10 Wilt not thou, O God! who hadst cast us off? [thou] O God! [who] didst not go forth with our armies?

11 Grant us relief from trouble, For vain is the help of man.

12 Through God we shall do valiantly: And he it is who shall tread down our adversaries.

PSALM 61

To the Chief Musician upon Neginoth. A Psalm of David

1 Hear, O God! my cry, Attend to my prayer.

2 From the end of the earth to thee will I cry, when vexed is my heart: To the rock which is higher than I thou shalt lead me.

3 For thou hast been a hope to me, A tower of strength from the face of the enemy.

4 I will dwell in thy tabernacle for ever; I will be safe under the covert of thy wings. Selah.

5 For thou, O God! hast heard my vows: Thou hast given an inheritance to those who fear thy name.

6 Days upon days to the king thou shalt add, His years shall be as many generations.

7 He shall dwell for ever in the presence of God: Mercy and truth do thou prepare: thou shalt preserve him.

8 So will I sing unto thy name for ever, That I may perform my vows every day.

PSALM 62

To the Chief Musician upon Jeduthun. A Psalm of David

1 Nevertheless towards God silent is my soul: From him is my salvation.

2 Nevertheless he is my reek and my salvation, My fortress: therefore I shall not be moved greatly.

3 How long will ye continue to lay snares against a man? Ye shall be slain all of you: As an inclining wall shall ye be, and a fence that is shaken.

4 Yet from his elevation they consult to east him down: They delight in falsehood: With their mouth they bless, And in their hearts they curse. Selah. Nevertheless towards God be thou silent O my soul: For from him is my expectation.

6 Nevertheless he only is my rock, and my salvation: My fortress; I shall not fall.

7 In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength; my hope is in God.

8 Hope in him at all times, O ye people! Pour out before his face your hearts: God is our hope. Selah.

9 Nevertheless vanity are the sons of Adam; A lie the sons of men: When put all together in a balance they are found lighter than vanity itself.14

10 Trust not in oppression and robbery; be not vain: [Upon] riches if they abound set not your heart.

11 Once God hath spoken; Twice this I have heard, "That power belongeth to God; " And to thee, O Lord! belongeth mercy; Truly thou wilt render to every man according to his work.

PSALM 63

A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judea

1 O God! my God art thou; Early will I seek thee: Thirsted for thee hath my soul, Longed for thee hath my flesh, In this land [that is] inhospitable and dry, without water.

2 Thus in the sanctuary have I beheld thee, To see thy power and thy glory.

3 Because better is thy mercy than life, My lips shall praise thee.

4 Thus will I bless thee in my life; In thy name I will lift up my hands.

5 As with marrow and farness satisfied shall be my soul, And with lips of rejoicing shall my mouth praise thee.

6 Surely I will remember thee upon my bed; In the watches of the night I will meditate upon thee;

7 Because thou hast been a help to me: And in the shadow of thy wings I will shout for joy.

8 Cleaved hath my soul to [literally after] thee; Sustain me shall thy right hand.

9 And they whilst they seek to destroy my soul, Shall go into the lowest parts of the earth.

10 They shall east him down to the edge of the sword: The portion of foxes they shall be.

11 But the king shall rejoice in God, And glory shall every one who sweareth by him: For stopped shall be the mouth of those who speak falsehood.

PSALM 64

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David

1 Hear, O God! my voice in my prayer: From fear of the enemy preserve my life.

2 Hide me from the counsel of malignant men -- From the assembly of tire workers of iniquity.

3 For they have sharpened as a sword their tongue; They have directed for their arrow a bitter word.

4 To shoot in secret at the innocent man: Suddenly they will shoot and not fear.

5 They encourage themselves in an impious action; They talk together of secretly laying snares; They say, "Who shall see them?"

6 They have searched out iniquities, They have accomplished a searching search: And the inward part of each of them and the heart [is] deep.

7 But God shall shoot at them an arrow; Suddenly shall they be wounded.

8 And they shall make their own tongue fall upon themselves, And flee away shall all who see them.

9 And see shall all men, and shall declare the work of God, And his doing they shall understand.

10 Rejoice shall the righteous in Jehovah, and they shall hope in him; And glory shall all the upright in heart.

PSALM 65

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. A Song

1 For thee waiteth praise, O God! in Zion; And to thee performed shall be the vow.

2 O thou who hearest prayer! To thee shall all flesh come.

3 Words of iniquity 15 have prevailed against me: Our crimes thou shalt expiate.

4 Blessed is he whom thou wilt choose, and cause to approach to thee; He shall dwell in thy courts: We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house -- Of the sanctuary of thy palace.

5 Terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation! The hope of all the ends of the earth, And of the far off places of the sea.

6 Establishing the mountains by his power, 16 Being girded with might.

7 Stilling the noise of the seas, And the noise of their waves, the tumults of the nations.

8 And afraid shall be the dwellers in the ends of the earth at thy signs; The outgoings of the morning and evening thou shalt make to shout for joy.

9 Thou hast visited the earth, and watered her; Thou hast abundantly enriched her: The river of God is full of waters: Thou wilt prepare their corn, For so thou hast prepared her.

10 Her furrows thou dost saturate, Thou makest the rain to fall into her ridges, With showers thou dost moisten her, Her buddings thou dost bless.

11 Thou crownest the year with thy beneficence, And thy paths will drop fatness.

12 They drop upon the dwellings of the wilderness; And with gladness the hills shall be girded.

13 Clothed are the pastures with flocks; And the valleys are covered with corn; They shout for joy, they also sing.

PSALM 66

To the Chief Justice,. A Song of a Psalm

1 Shout joyfully to God all the earth,

2 Sing the glory of his name, Make glorious his praise.

3 Say unto God: "How terrible art thou in thy works! "Through the greatness of thy power shall thy enemies feign submission unto thee.

4 "All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing to thee, "They shall hymn thy name." Selah.

5 Come ye, and see the works of God: He is terrible in his doing towards the sons of men.

6 He turned the sea into dry land; Through the river 17 they passed on foot; There we were glad in him.

7 He ruleth by his might over the world; 18 His eyes upon the nations are fixed: The rebels shall not exalt themselves. Selah.

8 Bless, O ye people! our God, And resound the voice of his praise.

9 Who hath brought our souls into life, And hath not suffered our feet to fall.

10 For thou hast proved us, O God! Thou hast tried us as silver is tried:

11 Thou hast brought us into the net Thou hast laid restraint upon our loins;

12 Thou hast made man to ride over our heads; We have come into fire and water; And thou hast brought us into a place of abundance.

13 I will come into thy house with burnt-offerings; I will pay thee my vows,

14 Which my lips have uttered, And my mouth hath spoken in my affliction.

15 Burnt-offerings of fat lambs I will offer to thee with incense of rams; I will bring bullocks with goats. Selah.

16 Come, hear, and I will tell all you who fear God, What he hath done for my soul.

17 To him with my mouth I cried, And I have exalted him with my tongue.

18 If I have regarded iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear me.

19 But truly heard me hath God; He hath attended to the voice of my prayer.

20 Blessed be God who hath not turned away my prayer, Nor his mercy from me.


1 In the French version it is "rise."

2 In French version the word is "terrible," which is the idea of the original Hebrew term.

3 Calvin has inadvertently omitted in his Latin version to translate the word Myyx "living." But he translates it in his French version.

4 In the Latin version it is "aptasti;" and in the French, "tu as perce."

5 According to the Hebrew division, Part 2 extends from Psalm 42 to Psalm 72 inclusive.

6 In the French Version it is "the whole oblation."

7 In the French Version it is "because thou shalt have executed this vengeance."

8 Literally, "wickedness."

9 Ibid

10 A free translation is here given. See the Commentary for the literal rendering.

11 "Psaltery" in the French version.

12 Literally "man."

13 In the French version the reading is --

"And let men know even unto the ends of the earth,
That God ruleth in Jacob. Selah."

14 The free translation of the French version is here adopted. The literal rendering of the Hebrew text is, "In the scales in going up they [are lighter] than vanity together." To this Calvin strictly adheres in his Latin version.

15 Literally, "iniquities."

16 In the French version it is "by the power."

17 That is, the Jordan. See Joshua 4:23

18 Dominatur seculo. -- Lat. "Il domine sur le monde." -- Fr.

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