Study Desk

When they are diminished and are humbled by cruel oppression and sorrow,^(an)

He pours contempt on nobles^(ao) and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.^(ap)

But He lifts the needy out of their suffering^(aq) and makes their families multiply like flocks.^(ar)

The upright see it and rejoice,^(as) and all injustice shuts its mouth.^(at)

Let whoever is wise pay attention to these things and consider^[l] the Lord 's acts of faithful love.^(au)

A song. A Davidic psalm.

My heart is confident, God;^[a] I will sing; I will sing praises with the whole of my being.^[b](a)

Wake up, harp and lyre! I will wake up the dawn.^(b)

I will praise You, Lord , among the peoples; I will sing praises to You among the nations.^(c)

For Your faithful love is higher than the heavens, and Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.^(d)

God, be exalted above the heavens,^(e) and let Your glory be over the whole earth.^(f)

Save with Your right hand and answer me so that those You love may be rescued.^(g)

God has spoken in His sanctuary:^[c] "I will triumph! I will divide up Shechem.^(h) I will apportion the Valley of Succoth.⁽ⁱ⁾

Gilead is Mine, Manasseh is Mine, and Ephraim is My helmet;^(j) Judah is My scepter.^(k)

Moab is My washbasin;^(l) I throw My sandal on Edom.^(m) I shout in triumph over Philistia."⁽ⁿ⁾

Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?^(o)

God, haven't You rejected us? God, You do not march out with our armies.^(p)

Give us aid against the foe, for human help is worthless.^(q)

With God we will perform valiantly;^(r) He will trample our foes.^(s)

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.

God of my praise, do not be silent.^(a)

For wicked and deceitful mouths open against me; they speak against me with lying tongues.^(b)

They surround me with hateful words and attack me without cause.^(c)

In return for my love they accuse me, but I continue to pray.^[a](d)

They repay me evil for good, and hatred for my love.^(e)

Set a wicked person over him; let an accuser^[b] stand at his right hand.^(f)

When he is judged, let him be found guilty, and let his prayer be counted as sin.^(g)

Let his days be few; let another take over his position.^(h)

Let his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.⁽ⁱ⁾

Let his children wander as beggars, searching for food far^[c] from their demolished homes.^(j)

Let a creditor seize all he has; let strangers plunder what he has worked for.^(k)

Let no one show him kindness, and let no one be gracious to his fatherless children.^(l)

Let the line of his descendants be cut off; let their name be blotted out in the next generation.^(m)

Let his ancestors' guilt be remembered before the Lord ,⁽ⁿ⁾ and do not let his mother's sin be blotted out.^(o)

Let their sins^[d] always remain before the Lord , and let Him erase^[e] all memory of them from the earth.^(p)

For he did not think to show kindness, but pursued the afflicted, poor, and brokenhearted in order to put them to death.^(q)

He loved cursing—let it fall on him; he took no delight in blessing—let it be far from him.^(r)

He wore cursing like his coat— let it enter his body like water and go into his bones like oil.^(s)

Let it be like a robe he wraps around himself, like a belt he always wears.^(t)

Let this be the Lord 's payment to my accusers, to those who speak evil against me.^(u)

But You, Yahweh my Lord, deal kindly with me because of Your name;^(v) deliver me because of the goodness of Your faithful love.^(w)

For I am afflicted and needy;^(x) my heart is wounded within me.^(y)

I fade away like a lengthening shadow;^(z) I am shaken off like a locust.

My knees are weak from fasting, and my body is emaciated.^[f](aa)

I have become an object of ridicule to my accusers;^[g] when they see me, they shake their heads in scorn.^(ab)

Help me, Lord my God; save me according to Your faithful love^(ac)

so they may know that this is Your hand and that You, Lord , have done it.^(ad)

Though they curse, You will bless. When they rise up, they will be put to shame, but Your servant will rejoice.^(ae)

My accusers will be clothed with disgrace; they will wear their shame like a cloak.^(af)

I will fervently thank the Lord with my mouth; I will praise Him in the presence of many.^(ag)

For He stands at the right hand of the needy to save him from those who would condemn him.^(ah)