Day 138 - Psalm 26; Psalm 40; Psalm 58; Psalm 61-62; Psalm 64

Psalm 26

Of David.

¹ Vindicate me, O LORD,
for I have led a blameless life;
I have trusted in the LORD
without wavering.

² Test me, O LORD, and try me,
examine my heart and my mind;

³ for your love is ever before me,
and I walk continually in your truth.

⁴ I do not sit with deceitful men,
nor do I consort with hypocrites;

⁵ I abhor the assembly of evildoers
and refuse to sit with the wicked.

⁶ I wash my hands in innocence,
and go about your altar, O LORD,

⁷ proclaiming aloud your praise
and telling of all your wonderful deeds.

⁸ I love the house where you live, O LORD,
the place where your glory dwells.

⁹ Do not take away my soul along with sinners,
my life with bloodthirsty men,

¹⁰ in whose hands are wicked schemes,
whose right hands are full of bribes.

¹¹ But I lead a blameless life;
redeem me and be merciful to me.

¹² My feet stand on level ground;
in the great assembly I will praise the LORD.

Psalm 40

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

¹ I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.

² He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.

³ He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the LORD.

⁴ Blessed is the man
who makes the LORD his trust,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods. ^a]">[a]

⁵ Many, O LORD my God,
are the wonders you have done.
The things you planned for us
no one can recount to you;
were I to speak and tell of them,
they would be too many to declare.

⁶ Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but my ears you have pierced ^b]">[b] , ^c]">[c] ;
burnt offerings and sin offerings
you did not require.

⁷ Then I said, "Here I am, I have come—
it is written about me in the scroll. ^d]">[d]

⁸ I desire to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart."

⁹ I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips,
as you know, O LORD.

¹⁰ I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.
I do not conceal your love and your truth
from the great assembly.

¹¹ Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD;
may your love and your truth always protect me.

¹² For troubles without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails within me.

¹³ Be pleased, O LORD, to save me;
O LORD, come quickly to help me.

¹⁴ May all who seek to take my life
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
be turned back in disgrace.

¹⁵ May those who say to me, "Aha! Aha!"
be appalled at their own shame.

¹⁶ But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation always say,
"The LORD be exalted!"

¹⁷ Yet I am poor and needy;
may the Lord think of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
O my God, do not delay.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 40:4 Or to falsehood
2. Psalm 40:6 Hebrew; Septuagint but a body you have prepared for me (see also Symmachus and Theodotion)
3. Psalm 40:6 Or opened
4. Psalm 40:7 Or come / with the scroll written for me

Psalm 58

For the director of music. To the tune of "Do Not Destroy." Of David. A miktam . ^a]">[a]

¹ Do you rulers indeed speak justly?
Do you judge uprightly among men?

² No, in your heart you devise injustice,
and your hands mete out violence on the earth.

³ Even from birth the wicked go astray;
from the womb they are wayward and speak lies.

⁴ Their venom is like the venom of a snake,
like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,

⁵ that will not heed the tune of the charmer,
however skillful the enchanter may be.

⁶ Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;
tear out, O LORD, the fangs of the lions!

⁷ Let them vanish like water that flows away;
when they draw the bow, let their arrows be blunted.

⁸ Like a slug melting away as it moves along,
like a stillborn child, may they not see the sun.

⁹ Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns—
whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away. ^b]">[b]

¹⁰ The righteous will be glad when they are avenged,
when they bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.

¹¹ Then men will say,
"Surely the righteous still are rewarded;
surely there is a God who judges the earth."

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 58:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
2. Psalm 58:9 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.

Psalm 61

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. Of David.

¹ Hear my cry, O God;
listen to my prayer.

² From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

³ For you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the foe.

⁴ I long to dwell in your tent forever
and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
Selah

⁵ For you have heard my vows, O God;
you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

⁶ Increase the days of the king's life,
his years for many generations.

⁷ May he be enthroned in God's presence forever;
appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.

⁸ Then will I ever sing praise to your name
and fulfill my vows day after day.

Psalm 62

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

¹ My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.

² He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

³ How long will you assault a man?
Would all of you throw him down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?

⁴ They fully intend to topple him
from his lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their hearts they curse.
Selah

⁵ Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.

⁶ He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

⁷ My salvation and my honor depend on God ^a]">[a] ;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

⁸ Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
Selah

⁹ Lowborn men are but a breath,
the highborn are but a lie;
if weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
together they are only a breath.

¹⁰ Do not trust in extortion
or take pride in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
do not set your heart on them.

¹¹ One thing God has spoken,
two things have I heard:
that you, O God, are strong,

¹² and that you, O Lord, are loving.
Surely you will reward each person
according to what he has done.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 62:7 Or / God Most High is my salvation and my honor

Psalm 64

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹ Hear me, O God, as I voice my complaint;
protect my life from the threat of the enemy.

² Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked,
from that noisy crowd of evildoers.

³ They sharpen their tongues like swords
and aim their words like deadly arrows.

⁴ They shoot from ambush at the innocent man;
they shoot at him suddenly, without fear.

⁵ They encourage each other in evil plans,
they talk about hiding their snares;
they say, "Who will see them ^a]">[a] ?"

⁶ They plot injustice and say,
"We have devised a perfect plan!"
Surely the mind and heart of man are cunning.

⁷ But God will shoot them with arrows;
suddenly they will be struck down.

⁸ He will turn their own tongues against them
and bring them to ruin;
all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.

⁹ All mankind will fear;
they will proclaim the works of God
and ponder what he has done.

¹⁰ Let the righteous rejoice in the LORD
and take refuge in him;
let all the upright in heart praise him!

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 64:5 Or us