Psalm 26-28

English Standard Version

⁴ I do not ^(I)sit with men of ^(J)falsehood,
    nor do I consort with hypocrites.
⁵ I ^(K)hate the assembly of evildoers,
    and I will not sit with the wicked.

⁶ I ^(L)wash my hands in innocence
    and go around your altar, O Lord,
⁷ proclaiming thanksgiving aloud,
    and telling all your ^(M)wondrous deeds.

⁸ O Lord, I ^(N)love the habitation of your house
    and the place where your glory dwells.
^9 (O)Do not sweep my soul away with sinners,
    nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
¹⁰ in whose hands are evil devices,
    and whose right hands are full of ^(P)bribes.

¹¹ But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;
    redeem me, and be gracious to me.
¹² My foot stands on ^(Q)level ground;
    in ^(R)the great assembly I will bless the Lord.

² When evildoers assail me
    to ^(V)eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
    it is they who stumble and fall.

^3 (W)Though an army encamp against me,
    my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
    yet^[c] I will be confident.

^4 (X)One thing have I asked of the Lord,
    that will I seek after:
that I may ^(Y)dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze upon ^(Z)the beauty of the Lord
    and to inquire^[d] in his temple.

⁵ For he will ^(AA)hide me in his shelter
    in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
    he will ^(AB)lift me high upon a rock.

⁶ And now my ^(AC)head shall be lifted up
    above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
    sacrifices with shouts of ^(AD)joy;
^(AE)I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

^7 (AF)Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
    be gracious to me and answer me!
⁸ You have said, ^(AG)“Seek^[e] my face.”
My heart says to you,
    “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”^{[f]
9     (AH)}Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
    O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
    ^(AI)O God of my salvation!
¹⁰ For ^(AJ)my father and my mother have forsaken me,
    but the Lord will ^(AK)take me in.

^11 (AL)Teach me your way, O Lord,
    and lead me on ^(AM)a level path
    because of my enemies.
^12 (AN)Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
    for ^(AO)false witnesses have risen against me,
    and they ^(AP)breathe out violence.

¹³ I believe that I shall look^[g] upon ^(AQ)the goodness of the Lord
    in ^(AR)the land of the living!
^14 (AS)Wait for the Lord;
    ^(AT)be strong, and let your heart take courage;
    wait for the Lord!

³ Do not ^(BA)drag me off with the wicked,
    with the workers of evil,
^(BB)who speak peace with their neighbors
    while evil is in their hearts.
^4 (BC)Give to them according to their work
    and according to the evil of their deeds;
give to them according to the work of their hands;
    ^(BD)render them their due reward.
⁵ Because they ^(BE)do not regard the works of the Lord
    or the work of his hands,
he will tear them down and build them up no more.

⁶ Blessed be the Lord!
    For he has ^(BF)heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
⁷ The Lord is my strength and ^(BG)my shield;
    in him my heart ^(BH)trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
    and with my ^(BI)song I give thanks to him.

⁸ The Lord is the strength of his people;^[i]
    he is ^(BJ)the saving refuge of his anointed.
⁹ Oh, save your people and bless ^(BK)your heritage!
    ^(BL)Be their shepherd and ^(BM)carry them forever.