Study Desk

For the director of music. To the tune of "The Lilies of the Covenant." Of Asaph. A psalm.

Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock.^(a) You who sit enthroned between the cherubim,^(b) shine forth

²before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.^(c) Awaken^(d) your might; come and save us.^(e)

Restore^(f) us,^(g) O God; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.^(h)

How long,⁽ⁱ⁾ Lord God Almighty, will your anger smolder^(j) against the prayers of your people?

You have fed them with the bread of tears;^(k) you have made them drink tears by the bowlful.^(l)

You have made us an object of derision^[b] to our neighbors, and our enemies mock us.^(m)

Restore us, God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.⁽ⁿ⁾

You transplanted a vine^(o) from Egypt; you drove out^(p) the nations and planted^(q) it.

You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land.

The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches.

Its branches reached as far as the Sea,^[c] its shoots as far as the River.^[d](r)

Why have you broken down its walls^(s) so that all who pass by pick its grapes?

Boars from the forest ravage^(t) it, and insects from the fields feed on it.

Return to us, God Almighty! Look down from heaven and see!^(u) Watch over this vine,

the root your right hand has planted, the son^[e] you have raised up for yourself.

Your vine is cut down, it is burned with fire;^(v) at your rebuke^(w) your people perish.

Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the son of man^(x) you have raised up for yourself.

Then we will not turn away from you; revive^(y) us, and we will call on your name.

Restore us, Lord God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.

For the director of music. According to gittith.^[b] Of Asaph.

Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to the God of Jacob!^(a)

Begin the music, strike the timbrel,^(b) play the melodious harp^(c) and lyre.^(d)

Sound the ram's horn^(e) at the New Moon,^(f) and when the moon is full, on the day of our festival;

this is a decree for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.^(g)

When God went out against Egypt,^(h) he established it as a statute for Joseph. I heard an unknown voice say:⁽ⁱ⁾

"I removed the burden^(j) from their shoulders;^(k) their hands were set free from the basket.

In your distress you called^(l) and I rescued you, I answered^(m) you out of a thundercloud; I tested you at the waters of Meribah.^[c](n)

Hear me, my people,^(o) and I will warn you— if you would only listen to me, Israel!

You shall have no foreign god^(p) among you; you shall not worship any god other than me.

I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt.^(q) Open^(r) wide your mouth and I will fill^(s) it.

"But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me.^(t)

So I gave them over^(u) to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.

"If my people would only listen to me,^(v) if Israel would only follow my ways,

how quickly I would subdue^(w) their enemies and turn my hand against^(x) their foes!

Those who hate the Lord would cringe^(y) before him, and their punishment would last forever.

But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;^(z) with honey from the rock I would satisfy you."

A psalm of Asaph.

God presides in the great assembly; he renders judgment^(a) among the "gods":^(b)

"How long will you^[a] defend the unjust and show partiality^(c) to the wicked?^[b](d)

Defend the weak and the fatherless;^(e) uphold the cause of the poor^(f) and the oppressed.

Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

"The ‘gods' know nothing, they understand nothing.^(g) They walk about in darkness;^(h) all the foundations⁽ⁱ⁾ of the earth are shaken.

"I said, ‘You are "gods";^(j) you are all sons of the Most High.'

But you will die^(k) like mere mortals; you will fall like every other ruler."

Rise up,^(l) O God, judge^(m) the earth, for all the nations are your inheritance.⁽ⁿ⁾

A song. A psalm of Asaph.

O God, do not remain silent;^(a) do not turn a deaf ear, do not stand aloof, O God.

See how your enemies growl,^(b) how your foes rear their heads.^(c)

With cunning they conspire^(d) against your people; they plot against those you cherish.^(e)

"Come," they say, "let us destroy^(f) them as a nation,^(g) so that Israel's name is remembered^(h) no more."

With one mind they plot together;⁽ⁱ⁾ they form an alliance against you—

the tents of Edom^(j) and the Ishmaelites, of Moab^(k) and the Hagrites,^(l)

Byblos,^(m) Ammon⁽ⁿ⁾ and Amalek,^(o) Philistia,^(p) with the people of Tyre.^(q)

Even Assyria^(r) has joined them to reinforce Lot's descendants.^[b](s)

Do to them as you did to Midian,^(t) as you did to Sisera^(u) and Jabin^(v) at the river Kishon,^(w)

who perished at Endor^(x) and became like dung^(y) on the ground.

Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,^(z) all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,^(aa)

who said, "Let us take possession^(ab) of the pasturelands of God."

Make them like tumbleweed, my God, like chaff^(ac) before the wind.

As fire consumes the forest or a flame sets the mountains ablaze,^(ad)

so pursue them with your tempest^(ae) and terrify them with your storm.^(af)

Cover their faces with shame,^(ag) Lord , so that they will seek your name.

May they ever be ashamed and dismayed;^(ah) may they perish in disgrace.^(ai)

Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord ^(aj)— that you alone are the Most High^(ak) over all the earth.^(al)

For the director of music. According to gittith.^[b] Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

How lovely is your dwelling place,^(a) Lord Almighty!

My soul yearns,^(b) even faints, for the courts of the Lord ; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.^(c)

Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young— a place near your altar,^(d) Lord Almighty,^(e) my King^(f) and my God.^(g)

Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.^[c]

Blessed are those whose strength^(h) is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.⁽ⁱ⁾

As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs;^(j) the autumn^(k) rains also cover it with pools.^[d]

They go from strength to strength,^(l) till each appears^(m) before God in Zion.⁽ⁿ⁾

Hear my prayer,^(o) Lord God Almighty; listen to me, God of Jacob.

Look on our shield,^[e](p) O God; look with favor on your anointed one.^(q)

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper^(r) in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

For the Lord God is a sun^(s) and shield;^(t) the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold^(u) from those whose walk is blameless.

Lord Almighty, blessed^(v) is the one who trusts in you.

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

You, Lord , showed favor to your land; you restored the fortunes^(a) of Jacob.

You forgave^(b) the iniquity^(c) of your people and covered all their sins.^[b]

You set aside all your wrath^(d) and turned from your fierce anger.^(e)

Restore^(f) us again, God our Savior,^(g) and put away your displeasure toward us.

Will you be angry with us forever?^(h) Will you prolong your anger through all generations?

Will you not revive⁽ⁱ⁾ us again, that your people may rejoice^(j) in you?

Show us your unfailing love,^(k) Lord , and grant us your salvation.^(l)

I will listen to what God the Lord says; he promises peace^(m) to his people, his faithful servants— but let them not turn to folly.⁽ⁿ⁾

Surely his salvation^(o) is near those who fear him, that his glory^(p) may dwell in our land.

Love and faithfulness^(q) meet together; righteousness^(r) and peace kiss each other.

Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness^(s) looks down from heaven.

The Lord will indeed give what is good,^(t) and our land will yield^(u) its harvest.

Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps.