Prayer for Victory over Enemies.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

20 May the Lord answer you (A)on a day of trouble!
May the (B)name of the (C)God of Jacob [a]protect you!
May He send you help (D)from the sanctuary,
And (E)support you from Zion!
May He (F)remember all your meal offerings
And [b](G)accept your burnt offering! Selah

May He grant you your (H)heart’s desire
And (I)fulfill your whole plan!
[c]We will (J)sing for joy over your [d]victory,
And in the name of our God we will (K)set up our banners.
May the Lord (L)fulfill all your desires.

Now (M)I know that the Lord saves His anointed;
He will (N)answer him from His holy heaven
With the [e](O)saving strength of His right hand.
Some praise their chariots and some their (P)horses,
But (Q)we will praise the name of the Lord, our God.
They have (R)bowed down and fallen,
But we have (S)risen and stood upright.
[f](T)Save, Lord;
May the (U)King answer us on the day we call.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 20:1 Lit make you high and inaccessible
  2. Psalm 20:3 Lit consider your...as fat
  3. Psalm 20:5 Or Let’s sing
  4. Psalm 20:5 Or salvation
  5. Psalm 20:6 Or mighty deeds of the victory of His right hand
  6. Psalm 20:9 Or O Lord, save the king; answer us

Psalm 20[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;(A)
    may the name of the God of Jacob(B) protect you.(C)
May he send you help(D) from the sanctuary(E)
    and grant you support(F) from Zion.(G)
May he remember(H) all your sacrifices
    and accept your burnt offerings.[b](I)
May he give you the desire of your heart(J)
    and make all your plans succeed.(K)
May we shout for joy(L) over your victory
    and lift up our banners(M) in the name of our God.

May the Lord grant all your requests.(N)

Now this I know:
    The Lord gives victory to his anointed.(O)
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
    with the victorious power of his right hand.(P)
Some trust in chariots(Q) and some in horses,(R)
    but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.(S)
They are brought to their knees and fall,(T)
    but we rise up(U) and stand firm.(V)
Lord, give victory to the king!
    Answer us(W) when we call!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 20:1 In Hebrew texts 20:1-9 is numbered 20:2-10.
  2. Psalm 20:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

Praise for Salvation.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

21 Lord, in Your strength the king will (A)be glad,
And in Your [a]salvation how greatly he will rejoice!
You have (B)given him his heart’s desire,
And You have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah
For You (C)meet him with the blessings of good things;
You set a (D)crown of pure gold on his head.
He asked for life from You,
You (E)gave it to him,
(F)Length of days forever and ever.
His (G)glory is great through Your [b]salvation,
(H)Splendor and majesty You place upon him.
For You make him [c]most (I)blessed forever;
You make him joyful (J)with the joy of Your presence.

For the king (K)trusts in the Lord,
And through the faithfulness of the Most High (L)he will not be shaken.
Your hand will (M)find all your enemies;
Your right hand will find those who hate you.
You will make them (N)as a fiery oven in the time [d]of your anger;
The Lord will (O)swallow them up in His wrath,
And (P)fire will devour them.
10 You will eliminate their [e]descendants from the earth,
And their [f](Q)children from among the sons of mankind.
11 Though they [g](R)intended evil against You
And (S)devised a plot,
They will not succeed.
12 For You will (T)make them turn their back;
You will take aim at their faces (U)with Your bowstrings.
13 Be exalted, Lord, in Your strength;
We will (V)sing and praise Your power.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 21:1 Or victory
  2. Psalm 21:5 Or victory
  3. Psalm 21:6 Lit blessings
  4. Psalm 21:9 Or of your presence
  5. Psalm 21:10 Lit fruit
  6. Psalm 21:10 Lit seed
  7. Psalm 21:11 Lit stretched out

Psalm 21[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

The king rejoices in your strength, Lord.(A)
    How great is his joy in the victories you give!(B)

You have granted him his heart’s desire(C)
    and have not withheld the request of his lips.[b]
You came to greet him with rich blessings
    and placed a crown of pure gold(D) on his head.(E)
He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—
    length of days, for ever and ever.(F)
Through the victories(G) you gave, his glory is great;
    you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.(H)
Surely you have granted him unending blessings
    and made him glad with the joy(I) of your presence.(J)
For the king trusts in the Lord;(K)
    through the unfailing love(L) of the Most High(M)
    he will not be shaken.(N)

Your hand will lay hold(O) on all your enemies;
    your right hand will seize your foes.
When you appear for battle,
    you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace.
The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,
    and his fire will consume them.(P)
10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
    their posterity from mankind.(Q)
11 Though they plot evil(R) against you
    and devise wicked schemes,(S) they cannot succeed.
12 You will make them turn their backs(T)
    when you aim at them with drawn bow.

13 Be exalted(U) in your strength, Lord;(V)
    we will sing and praise your might.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 21:1 In Hebrew texts 21:1-13 is numbered 21:2-14.
  2. Psalm 21:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

A Cry of Anguish and a Song of Praise.

For the music director; upon [a]Aijeleth Hashshahar. A Psalm of David.

22 (A)My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?
(B)Far from my [b]help are the words of my [c](C)groaning.
My God, I (D)cry out by day, but You do not answer;
And by night, but [d]I have no rest.
Yet (E)You are holy,
You who [e]are enthroned upon (F)the praises of Israel.
In You our fathers (G)trusted;
They trusted and You (H)rescued them.
To You they cried out and they fled to safety;
(I)In You they trusted and were not [f]disappointed.

But I am a (J)worm and not a person,
A (K)disgrace of mankind and (L)despised by the people.
All who see me (M)deride me;
They [g]sneer, they (N)shake their heads, saying,
[h]Turn [i]him over to the Lord; (O)let Him save him;
Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him.”

Yet You are He who (P)brought me forth from the womb;
You made me trust when upon my mother’s breasts.
10 I was cast upon You (Q)from [j]birth;
You have been my God from my mother’s womb.

11 (R)Do not be far from me, for [k]trouble is near;
For there is (S)no one to help.
12 Many (T)bulls have surrounded me;
Strong bulls of (U)Bashan have encircled me.
13 They (V)open their mouths wide at me,
As a ravening and roaring (W)lion.
14 I am (X)poured out like water,
And all my (Y)bones are out of joint;
My (Z)heart is like wax;
It is melted within [l]me.
15 My (AA)strength is dried up like a piece of pottery,
And (AB)my tongue clings to my jaws;
And You (AC)lay me [m]in the dust of death.
16 For (AD)dogs have surrounded me;
[n]A band of evildoers has encompassed me;
[o]They (AE)pierced my hands and my feet.
17 I can count all my bones.
(AF)They look, they stare at me;
18 They (AG)divide my garments among them,
And they cast lots for my clothing.

19 But You, Lord, (AH)do not be far away;
You who are my help, (AI)hurry to my assistance.
20 Save my [p]soul from (AJ)the sword,
My (AK)only life from the [q]power of the dog.
21 Save me from the (AL)lion’s mouth;
From the horns of the (AM)wild oxen You (AN)answer me.

22 I will (AO)proclaim Your name to my brothers;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
23 (AP)You who fear the Lord, praise Him;
All you [r]descendants of Jacob, (AQ)glorify Him,
And (AR)stand in awe of Him, all you [s]descendants of Israel.
24 For He has (AS)not despised nor scorned the suffering of the afflicted;
Nor has He (AT)hidden His face from him;
But (AU)when he cried to Him for help, He heard.

25 From You comes (AV)my praise in the great assembly;
I shall (AW)pay my vows before those who fear Him.
26 The [t]afflicted will eat and (AX)be satisfied;
Those who seek Him will (AY)praise the Lord.
May your (AZ)heart live forever!
27 All the (BA)ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord,
And all the (BB)families of the nations will worship before [u]You.
28 For the (BC)kingdom is the Lords
And He (BD)rules over the nations.
29 All the [v](BE)prosperous of the earth will eat and worship,
All those who (BF)go down to the dust will kneel before Him,
Even he who [w](BG)cannot keep his soul alive.
30 A [x](BH)posterity will serve Him;
It will be told of the Lord to (BI)the coming generation.
31 They will come and (BJ)will declare His righteousness
To a people (BK)who will be born, that He has performed it.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 22 Title Lit the doe of the morning
  2. Psalm 22:1 Or deliverance
  3. Psalm 22:1 Lit screaming
  4. Psalm 22:2 Lit there is no silence for me
  5. Psalm 22:3 Or inhabit the praises
  6. Psalm 22:5 Or ashamed
  7. Psalm 22:7 Lit open with the lip
  8. Psalm 22:8 Lit Roll...away to
  9. Psalm 22:8 Or it
  10. Psalm 22:10 Lit a womb
  11. Psalm 22:11 Or distress
  12. Psalm 22:14 Lit my inward parts
  13. Psalm 22:15 Lit to
  14. Psalm 22:16 Or An assembly
  15. Psalm 22:16 Another reading is Like a lion, my...
  16. Psalm 22:20 Or life
  17. Psalm 22:20 Lit paw
  18. Psalm 22:23 Lit seed
  19. Psalm 22:23 Lit seed
  20. Psalm 22:26 Or poor
  21. Psalm 22:27 Some ancient versions Him
  22. Psalm 22:29 Lit fat ones
  23. Psalm 22:29 Or did not
  24. Psalm 22:30 Lit seed

Psalm 22[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?(A)
    Why are you so far(B) from saving me,
    so far from my cries of anguish?(C)
My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,(D)
    by night,(E) but I find no rest.[b]

Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;(F)
    you are the one Israel praises.[c](G)
In you our ancestors put their trust;
    they trusted and you delivered them.(H)
To you they cried out(I) and were saved;
    in you they trusted(J) and were not put to shame.(K)

But I am a worm(L) and not a man,
    scorned by everyone,(M) despised(N) by the people.
All who see me mock me;(O)
    they hurl insults,(P) shaking their heads.(Q)
“He trusts in the Lord,” they say,
    “let the Lord rescue him.(R)
Let him deliver him,(S)
    since he delights(T) in him.”

Yet you brought me out of the womb;(U)
    you made me trust(V) in you, even at my mother’s breast.
10 From birth(W) I was cast on you;
    from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

11 Do not be far from me,(X)
    for trouble is near(Y)
    and there is no one to help.(Z)

12 Many bulls(AA) surround me;(AB)
    strong bulls of Bashan(AC) encircle me.
13 Roaring lions(AD) that tear their prey(AE)
    open their mouths wide(AF) against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint.(AG)
My heart has turned to wax;(AH)
    it has melted(AI) within me.
15 My mouth[d] is dried up like a potsherd,(AJ)
    and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;(AK)
    you lay me in the dust(AL) of death.

16 Dogs(AM) surround me,
    a pack of villains encircles me;
    they pierce[e](AN) my hands and my feet.
17 All my bones are on display;
    people stare(AO) and gloat over me.(AP)
18 They divide my clothes among them
    and cast lots(AQ) for my garment.(AR)

19 But you, Lord, do not be far from me.(AS)
    You are my strength;(AT) come quickly(AU) to help me.(AV)
20 Deliver me from the sword,(AW)
    my precious life(AX) from the power of the dogs.(AY)
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;(AZ)
    save me from the horns of the wild oxen.(BA)

22 I will declare your name to my people;
    in the assembly(BB) I will praise you.(BC)
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!(BD)
    All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!(BE)
    Revere him,(BF) all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not despised(BG) or scorned
    the suffering of the afflicted one;(BH)
he has not hidden his face(BI) from him
    but has listened to his cry for help.(BJ)

25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;(BK)
    before those who fear you[f] I will fulfill my vows.(BL)
26 The poor will eat(BM) and be satisfied;
    those who seek the Lord will praise him—(BN)
    may your hearts live forever!

27 All the ends of the earth(BO)
    will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
    will bow down before him,(BP)
28 for dominion belongs to the Lord(BQ)
    and he rules over the nations.

29 All the rich(BR) of the earth will feast and worship;(BS)
    all who go down to the dust(BT) will kneel before him—
    those who cannot keep themselves alive.(BU)
30 Posterity(BV) will serve him;
    future generations(BW) will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim his righteousness,(BX)
    declaring to a people yet unborn:(BY)
    He has done it!(BZ)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 22:1 In Hebrew texts 22:1-31 is numbered 22:2-32.
  2. Psalm 22:2 Or night, and am not silent
  3. Psalm 22:3 Or Yet you are holy, / enthroned on the praises of Israel
  4. Psalm 22:15 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text strength
  5. Psalm 22:16 Dead Sea Scrolls and some manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Septuagint and Syriac; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text me, / like a lion
  6. Psalm 22:25 Hebrew him

The Lord, the Psalmist’s Shepherd.

A Psalm of David.

23 The Lord is my (A)shepherd,
I will (B)not be in need.
He lets me lie down in (C)green pastures;
He (D)leads me beside [a](E)quiet waters.
He (F)restores my soul;
He (G)guides me in the [b](H)paths of righteousness
For the sake of His name.

Even though I (I)walk through the [c]valley of the shadow of death,
I (J)fear no [d]evil, for (K)You are with me;
Your (L)rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You (M)prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You [e]have (N)anointed my head with oil;
My (O)cup overflows.
[f]Certainly (P)goodness and [g]faithfulness will follow me all the days of my life,
And my (Q)dwelling will be in the house of the Lord [h]forever.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 23:2 Lit waters of rest
  2. Psalm 23:3 Lit tracks
  3. Psalm 23:4 Or valley of deep darkness
  4. Psalm 23:4 Or harm
  5. Psalm 23:5 Or anoint
  6. Psalm 23:6 Or Only
  7. Psalm 23:6 Or mercy
  8. Psalm 23:6 Lit for length of days

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd,(A) I lack nothing.(B)
    He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,(C)
    he refreshes my soul.(D)
He guides me(E) along the right paths(F)
    for his name’s sake.(G)
Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,[a](H)
I will fear no evil,(I)
    for you are with me;(J)
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

You prepare a table(K) before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;(L)
    my cup(M) overflows.
Surely your goodness and love(N) will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 23:4 Or the valley of the shadow of death