Study Desk

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm, when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had gone to Bathsheba.^(a)

Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithful love; according to Your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion.^(b)

Wash away my guilt and cleanse me from my sin.^(c)

For I am conscious of my rebellion, and my sin is always before me.^(d)

Against You—You alone—I have sinned and done this evil in Your sight.^(e) So You are right when You pass sentence; You are blameless when You judge.^(f)

Indeed, I was guilty when I was born; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.^(g)

Surely You desire integrity in the inner self, and You teach me wisdom deep within.^(h)

Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.⁽ⁱ⁾

Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice.^(j)

Turn Your face away^[a] from my sins and blot out all my guilt.^(k)

God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast^[b] spirit within me.^(l)

Do not banish me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me.^(m)

Restore the joy of Your salvation to me, and give me a willing spirit.^[c](n)

Then I will teach the rebellious Your ways, and sinners will return to You.^(o)

Save me from the guilt of bloodshed, God,^(p) the God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.^(q)

Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise.^(r)

You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it; You are not pleased with a burnt offering.^(s)

The sacrifice pleasing to God is^[d] a broken spirit. God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart.^(t)

In Your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper; build^[e] the walls of Jerusalem.^(u)

Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on Your altar.^(v)

For the choir director. A Davidic Maskil. When Doeg the Edomite went and reported to Saul, telling him, "David went to Ahimelech's house."^(a)

Why brag about evil, you hero!^(b) God's faithful love is constant.^(c)

Like a sharpened razor, your tongue devises destruction, working treachery.^(d)

You love evil instead of good, lying instead of speaking truthfully.^(e) Selah

You love any words that destroy, you treacherous tongue!^(f)

This is why God will bring you down forever. He will take you, ripping you out of your tent; He will uproot you from the land of the living.^(g) Selah

The righteous will look on with awe and will ridicule him:^(h)

"Here is the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, taking refuge in his destructive behavior."^[a](i)

But I am like a flourishing olive tree in the house of God;^(j) I trust in God's faithful love forever and ever.^(k)

I will praise You forever for what You have done. In the presence of Your faithful people, I will put my hope in Your name, for it is good.^(l)

For the choir director: on Mahalath.^[a](a) A Davidic Maskil.

The fool says in his heart, "God does not exist." They are corrupt, and they do vile deeds. There is no one who does good.^(b)

God looks down from heaven on the human race to see if there is one who is wise, one who seeks God.^(c)

All have turned away; all alike have become corrupt. There is no one who does good, not even one.^(d)

Will evildoers never understand? They consume My people as they consume bread;^(e) they do not call on God.^(f)

Then they will be filled with terror— terror like no other^(g)— because God will scatter the bones of those who besiege you.^(h) You will put them to shame, for God has rejected them.⁽ⁱ⁾

Oh, that Israel's deliverance would come from Zion! When God restores the fortunes of His people,^[b] Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.^(j)

For the choir director: with stringed instruments. A Davidic Maskil. When the Ziphites went and said to Saul, "Is David not hiding among us?"^(a)

God, save me by Your name, and vindicate me by Your might!^(b)

God, hear my prayer; listen to the words of my mouth.^(c)

For strangers rise up against me, and violent men seek my life. They have no regard for God.^[a](d) Selah

God is my helper; the Lord is the sustainer of my life.^[b](e)

He will repay my adversaries for their evil. Because of Your faithfulness, annihilate them.^(f)

I will sacrifice a freewill offering to You.^(g) I will praise Your name, Yahweh, because it is good.^(h)

For He has delivered me from every trouble, and my eye has looked down on my enemies.⁽ⁱ⁾

For the choir director: with stringed instruments. A Davidic Maskil.

God, listen to my prayer and do not ignore^[a] my plea for help.^(a)

Pay attention to me and answer me.^(b) I am restless and in turmoil with my complaint,^(c)

because of the enemy's voice, because of the pressure^[b] of the wicked. For they bring down disaster on me^[c] and harass me in anger.^(d)

My heart shudders within me;^(e) terrors of death sweep over me.

Fear and trembling grip me; horror has overwhelmed me.^(f)

I said, "If only I had^[d] wings like a dove! I would fly away and find rest.^(g)

How far away I would flee; I would stay in the wilderness.^(h) Selah

I would hurry to my shelter from the raging wind and the storm."⁽ⁱ⁾

Lord, confuse^[e] and confound their speech,^[f](j) for I see violence and strife in the city;

day and night they make the rounds on its walls. Crime and trouble are within it;^(k)

destruction is inside it; oppression and deceit never leave its marketplace.^(l)

Now it is not an enemy who insults me— otherwise I could bear it; it is not a foe who rises up against me— otherwise I could hide from him.

But it is you, a man who is my peer, my companion and good friend!^(m)

We used to have close fellowship; we walked with the crowd into the house of God.⁽ⁿ⁾

Let death take them by surprise;^(o) let them go down to Sheol alive, because evil is in their homes and within them.^(p)

But I call to God, and the Lord will save me.^(q)

I complain and groan morning, noon, and night,^(r) and He hears my voice.^(s)

Though many are against me, He will redeem me from my battle unharmed.^(t)

God, the One enthroned from long ago,^(u) will hear and will humiliate them Selah because they do not change and do not fear God.^(v)

My friend^(w) acts violently against those at peace with him;^(x) he violates his covenant.^(y)

His buttery words are smooth,^[g] but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, but they are drawn swords.^(z)

Cast your burden on the Lord , and He will sustain you;^(aa) He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.^(ab)

God, You will bring them down to the Pit of destruction;^(ac) men of bloodshed and treachery will not live out half their days.^(ad) But I will trust in You.^(ae)

For the choir director: according to "A Silent Dove Far Away."^[a] A Davidic Miktam. When the Philistines seized him in Gath.^(a)

Be gracious to me, God, for man tramples me; he fights and oppresses me all day long.

My adversaries trample me all day, for many arrogantly fight against me.^[b](b)

When I am afraid, I will trust in You.^(c)

In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not fear. What can man do to me?^(d)

They twist my words all day long; all their thoughts against me are evil.^(e)

They stir up strife,^[c] they lurk; they watch my steps while they wait to take my life.^(f)

Will they escape in spite of such sin? God, bring down the nations in wrath.^(g)

You Yourself have recorded my wanderings.^[d] Put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your records?^(h)

Then my enemies will retreat on the day when I call.⁽ⁱ⁾ This I know: God is for me.^(j)

In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord , whose word I praise,

in God I trust; I will not fear. What can man do to me?^(k)

I am obligated by vows^[e] to You, God; I will make my thank offerings to You.^(l)

For You delivered me from death, even my feet from stumbling, to walk before God in the light of life.^(m)

For the choir director: "Do Not Destroy."^[a] A Davidic Miktam. When he fled before Saul into the cave.^(a)

Be gracious to me, God, be gracious to me, for I take refuge in You. I will seek refuge in the shadow of Your wings until danger passes.^(b)

I call to God Most High, to God who fulfills His purpose for me.^[b](c)

He reaches down from heaven and saves me, challenging the one who tramples me.^(d) Selah God sends His faithful love and truth.^(e)

I am surrounded by lions; I lie down with those who devour men. Their teeth are spears and arrows; their tongues are sharp swords.^(f)

God, be exalted above the heavens; let Your glory be over the whole earth.^(g)

They prepared a net for my steps; I was despondent. They dug a pit ahead of me, but they fell into it!^(h) Selah

My heart is confident, God, my heart is confident. I will sing; I will sing praises.⁽ⁱ⁾

Wake up, my soul!^[c] Wake up, harp and lyre! I will wake up the dawn.^(j)

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

For Your faithful love is as high as the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches the clouds.^(l)

God, be exalted above the heavens;^(m) let Your glory be over the whole earth.⁽ⁿ⁾