Study Desk

For the choir director: on the Gittith. Of Asaph.^(a)

Sing for joy to God our strength; shout in triumph to the God of Jacob.^(b)

Lift up a song—play the tambourine, the melodious lyre, and the harp.^(c)

Blow the horn on the day of our feasts^[a][b] during the new moon^(d) and during the full moon.

For this is a statute for Israel, a judgment of the God of Jacob.^(e)

He set it up as an ordinance for Joseph when He went throughout^[c] the land of Egypt.^(f) I heard an unfamiliar language:

"I relieved his shoulder from the burden; his hands were freed from carrying the basket.^(g)

You called out in distress, and I rescued you; I answered you from the thundercloud.^(h) I tested you at the waters of Meribah.⁽ⁱ⁾ Selah

Listen, My people, and I will admonish you. Israel, if you would only listen to Me!^(j)

There must not be a strange god among you; you must not bow down to a foreign god.^(k)

I am Yahweh your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.^(l) Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.^(m)

"But My people did not listen to Me; Israel did not obey Me.⁽ⁿ⁾

So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own plans.^(o)

If only My people would listen to Me and Israel would follow My ways,^(p)

I would quickly subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their foes."^(q)

Those who hate the Lord would pretend submission to Him;^(r) their doom would last forever.^(s)

But He would feed Israel^[d] with the best wheat. "I would satisfy you with honey from the rock."^(t)

A psalm of Asaph.^(a)

God has taken His place in the divine assembly; He judges among the gods:^[a](b)

"How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked?^(c) Selah

Provide justice for the needy and the fatherless; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.^(d)

Rescue the poor and needy; save them from the power of the wicked."^(e)

They do not know or understand; they wander in darkness.^(f) All the foundations of the earth are shaken.^(g)

I said, "You are gods;^(h) you are all sons of the Most High.⁽ⁱ⁾

However, you will die like men and fall like any other ruler."^(j)

Rise up, God, judge the earth, for all the nations belong to You.^(k)

A song. A psalm of Asaph.^(a)

God, do not keep silent. Do not be deaf, God; do not be idle.^(b)

See how Your enemies make an uproar; those who hate You have acted arrogantly.^[a](c)

They devise clever schemes against Your people; they conspire against Your treasured ones.^(d)

They say, "Come, let us wipe them out as a nation so that Israel's name will no longer be remembered."^(e)

For they have conspired with one mind; they form an alliance^[b] against You^(f)—

the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,^(g) Moab and the Hagrites,^(h)

Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek,⁽ⁱ⁾ Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre.^(j)

Even Assyria has joined them; they lend support^[c] to the sons of Lot.^[d](k) Selah

Deal with them as You did with Midian,^(l) as You did with Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River.^(m)

They were destroyed at En-dor; they became manure for the ground.⁽ⁿ⁾

Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,^(o) and all their tribal leaders like Zebah and Zalmunna,^(p)

who said, "Let us seize God's pastures for ourselves."^(q)

Make them like tumbleweed, my God, like straw before the wind.^(r)

As fire burns a forest, as a flame blazes through mountains,^(s)

so pursue them with Your tempest and terrify them with Your storm.^(t)

Cover their faces with shame so that they will seek Your name Yahweh.^(u)

Let them be put to shame and terrified forever; let them perish in disgrace.^(v)

May they know that You alone— whose name is Yahweh— are the Most High over all the earth.^(w)