Psalm 132

A song of ascents.
 ¹ O LORD, remember David
   and all the hardships he endured.
 ² He swore an oath to the LORD
   and made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:
³ “I will not enter my house
   or go to my bed—
⁴ I will allow no sleep to my eyes,
   no slumber to my eyelids,
⁵ till I find a place for the LORD,
   a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
 ⁶ We heard it in Ephrathah,
   we came upon it in the fields of Jaar^[a]:^[b]
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place;
   let us worship at his footstool—
⁸ arise, O LORD, and come to your resting place,
   you and the ark of your might.
⁹ May your priests be clothed with righteousness;
   may your saints sing for joy.”
 ¹⁰ For the sake of David your servant,
   do not reject your anointed one.
 ¹¹ The LORD swore an oath to David,
   a sure oath that he will not revoke:
“One of your own descendants
   I will place on your throne—
¹² if your sons keep my covenant
   and the statutes I teach them,
then their sons will sit
   on your throne for ever and ever.”
 ¹³ For the LORD has chosen Zion,
   he has desired it for his dwelling:
¹⁴ “This is my resting place for ever and ever;
   here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it—
¹⁵ I will bless her with abundant provisions;
   her poor will I satisfy with food.
¹⁶ I will clothe her priests with salvation,
   and her saints will ever sing for joy.
 ¹⁷ “Here I will make a horn^[c] grow for David
   and set up a lamp for my anointed one.
¹⁸ I will clothe his enemies with shame,
   but the crown on his head will be resplendent.”

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 132:6 That is, Kiriath Jearim
2. Psalm 132:6 Or heard of it in Ephrathah, / we found it in the fields of Jaar. (And no quotes around verses 7-9)
3. Psalm 132:17 Horn here symbolizes strong one, that is, king.

Psalm 127

    A song of ascents. Of Solomon.
 ¹ Unless the LORD builds the house,
   its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
   the watchmen stand guard in vain.
² In vain you rise early
   and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
   for he grants sleep to^[a] those he loves.
 ³ Sons are a heritage from the LORD,
   children a reward from him.
⁴ Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
   are sons born in one’s youth.
⁵ Blessed is the man
   whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
   when they contend with their enemies in the gate.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 127:2 Or eat— / for while they sleep he provides for

Psalm 99

 ¹ The LORD reigns,
   let the nations tremble;
he sits enthroned between the cherubim,
   let the earth shake.
² Great is the LORD in Zion;
   he is exalted over all the nations.
³ Let them praise your great and awesome name—
   he is holy.
 ⁴ The King is mighty, he loves justice—
   you have established equity;
in Jacob you have done
   what is just and right.
⁵ Exalt the LORD our God
   and worship at his footstool;
   he is holy.
 ⁶ Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
   Samuel was among those who called on his name;
they called on the LORD
   and he answered them.
⁷ He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud;
   they kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them.
 ⁸ O LORD our God,
   you answered them;
you were to Israel^[a] a forgiving God,
   though you punished their misdeeds.^[b]
9 Exalt the LORD our God
   and worship at his holy mountain,
   for the LORD our God is holy.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 99:8 Hebrew them
2. Psalm 99:8 Or / an avenger of the wrongs done to them

Psalm 4

   For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.
 ¹ Answer me when I call to you,
   O my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
   be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
 ² How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame^[a]?
   How long will you love delusions and seek false gods^[b]?
                         Selah

³ Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself;
   the LORD will hear when I call to him.
 ⁴ In your anger do not sin;
   when you are on your beds,
   search your hearts and be silent.
                         Selah

⁵ Offer right sacrifices
   and trust in the LORD.
 ⁶ Many are asking, “Who can show us any good?”
   Let the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD.
⁷ You have filled my heart with greater joy
   than when their grain and new wine abound.
⁸ I will lie down and sleep in peace,
   for you alone, O LORD,
   make me dwell in safety.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 4:2 Or you dishonor my Glorious One
2. Psalm 4:2 Or seek lies

Psalm 25

    Of David.
 ¹ To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;
 ² in you I trust, O my God.
Do not let me be put to shame,
   nor let my enemies triumph over me.
³ No one whose hope is in you
   will ever be put to shame,
but they will be put to shame
   who are treacherous without excuse.
 ⁴ Show me your ways, O LORD,
   teach me your paths;
⁵ guide me in your truth and teach me,
   for you are God my Savior,
   and my hope is in you all day long.
⁶ Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love,
   for they are from of old.
⁷ Remember not the sins of my youth
   and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
   for you are good, O LORD.
 ⁸ Good and upright is the LORD;
   therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
⁹ He guides the humble in what is right
   and teaches them his way.
¹⁰ All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful
   for those who keep the demands of his covenant.
¹¹ For the sake of your name, O LORD,
   forgive my iniquity, though it is great.
¹² Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD?
   He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.
¹³ He will spend his days in prosperity,
   and his descendants will inherit the land.
¹⁴ The LORD confides in those who fear him;
   he makes his covenant known to them.
¹⁵ My eyes are ever on the LORD,
   for only he will release my feet from the snare.
 ¹⁶ Turn to me and be gracious to me,
   for I am lonely and afflicted.
¹⁷ The troubles of my heart have multiplied;
   free me from my anguish.
¹⁸ Look upon my affliction and my distress
   and take away all my sins.
¹⁹ See how my enemies have increased
   and how fiercely they hate me!
²⁰ Guard my life and rescue me;
   let me not be put to shame,
   for I take refuge in you.
²¹ May integrity and uprightness protect me,
   because my hope is in you.
 ²² Redeem Israel, O God,
   from all their troubles!

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 25:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

Psalm 53

    For the director of music. According to mahalath.^[a] A maskil^[b] of David.
 ¹ The fool says in his heart,
   “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and their ways are vile;
   there is no one who does good.
 ² God looks down from heaven
   on the sons of men
to see if there are any who understand,
   any who seek God.
³ Everyone has turned away,
   they have together become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
   not even one.
 ⁴ Will the evildoers never learn—
   those who devour my people as men eat bread
   and who do not call on God?
⁵ There they were, overwhelmed with dread,
   where there was nothing to dread.
God scattered the bones of those who attacked you;
   you put them to shame, for God despised them.
 ⁶ Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
   When God restores the fortunes of his people,
   let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 53:1 Title: Probably a musical term
2. Psalm 53:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term

Psalm 59

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.^[a] When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him.
 ¹ Deliver me from my enemies, O God;
   protect me from those who rise up against me.
² Deliver me from evildoers
   and save me from bloodthirsty men.
 ³ See how they lie in wait for me!
   Fierce men conspire against me
   for no offense or sin of mine, O LORD.
⁴ I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.
   Arise to help me; look on my plight!
⁵ O LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel,
   rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
   show no mercy to wicked traitors.
                         Selah
 ⁶ They return at evening,
   snarling like dogs,
   and prowl about the city.
⁷ See what they spew from their mouths—
   they spew out swords from their lips,
   and they say, “Who can hear us?”
⁸ But you, O LORD, laugh at them;
   you scoff at all those nations.
 ⁹ O my Strength, I watch for you;
   you, O God, are my fortress, ¹⁰ my loving God.
   God will go before me
   and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
¹¹ But do not kill them, O Lord our shield,^[b]
   or my people will forget.
In your might make them wander about,
   and bring them down.
¹² For the sins of their mouths,
   for the words of their lips,
   let them be caught in their pride.
For the curses and lies they utter,
 ¹³ consume them in wrath,
   consume them till they are no more.
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
   that God rules over Jacob.
                         Selah
 ¹⁴ They return at evening,
   snarling like dogs,
   and prowl about the city.
¹⁵ They wander about for food
   and howl if not satisfied.
¹⁶ But I will sing of your strength,
   in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress,
   my refuge in times of trouble.
 ¹⁷ O my Strength, I sing praise to you;
   you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 59:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
2. Psalm 59:11 Or sovereign