God’s Goodness and Israel’s Waywardness.

For the music director; [a]on the Gittith. A Psalm of Asaph.

81 (A)Sing for joy to God our (B)strength;
Shout (C)joyfully to the (D)God of Jacob.
Raise a song, strike (E)the tambourine,
The sweet sounding (F)lyre with the (G)harp.
Blow the trumpet at the (H)new moon,
At the full moon, on our (I)feast day.
For it is a statute for Israel,
An ordinance of the God of Jacob.
He established it as a testimony in Joseph
When he [b](J)went throughout the land of Egypt.
I heard a (K)language I did not know:

“I [c](L)relieved his shoulder of the burden,
His hands were freed from the [d]basket.
You (M)called in trouble and I rescued you;
I (N)answered you in the hiding place of thunder;
I put you to the test at the (O)waters of Meribah. Selah
(P)Hear, My people, and I will admonish you;
Israel, if you (Q)would listen to Me!
There shall be no (R)strange god among you;
Nor shall you worship a foreign god.
10 (S)I, the Lord, am your God,
Who brought you up from the land of Egypt;
(T)Open your mouth wide and I will (U)fill it.

11 “But My people (V)did not listen to My voice,
And Israel did not [e]obey Me.
12 So I (W)gave [f]them over to the stubbornness of their heart,
To walk by their own plans.
13 Oh that My people (X)would listen to Me,
That Israel would (Y)walk in My ways!
14 I would quickly (Z)subdue their enemies
And (AA)turn My hand against their adversaries.
15 (AB)Those who hate the Lord would (AC)pretend to obey Him,
And their time of punishment would be forever.
16 [g]But I would feed you with the [h](AD)finest of the wheat,
And with (AE)honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 81 Title Or according to
  2. Psalm 81:5 Lit went out over
  3. Psalm 81:6 Lit removed his shoulder from
  4. Psalm 81:6 Or brick load
  5. Psalm 81:11 Lit yield to
  6. Psalm 81:12 Lit him
  7. Psalm 81:16 Lit He would feed him
  8. Psalm 81:16 Lit fat

Psalm 81[a]

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.
10 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.

11 “But my people would not listen to me;
    Israel would not submit to me.(T)
12 So I gave them over(U) to their stubborn hearts
    to follow their own devices.

13 “If my people would only listen to me,(V)
    if Israel would only follow my ways,
14 how quickly I would subdue(W) their enemies
    and turn my hand against(X) their foes!
15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe(Y) before him,
    and their punishment would last forever.
16 But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;(Z)
    with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 81:1 In Hebrew texts 81:1-16 is numbered 81:2-17.
  2. Psalm 81:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  3. Psalm 81:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

A Petition to Be Saved from Death.

A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. For the music director; according to Mahalath Leannoth. A [a]Maskil of Heman [b]the Ezrahite.

88 Lord, the (A)God of my salvation,
I have (B)cried out by day and in the night before You.
Let my prayer (C)come before You;
(D)Incline Your ear to my cry!
For my (E)soul has [c]had enough troubles,
And (F)my life has approached [d]Sheol.
I am counted among those who (G)go down to the pit;
I have become like a man (H)without strength,
[e]Abandoned (I)among the dead,
Like the slain who lie in the grave,
Whom You no longer remember,
And they are (J)cut off from Your hand.
You have put me in (K)the lowest pit,
In (L)dark places, in the (M)depths.
Your wrath (N)has rested upon me,
And You have afflicted me with (O)all Your waves. Selah
You have removed (P)my acquaintances far from me;
You have made me an [f](Q)object of loathing to them;
I am (R)shut up and cannot go out.
My (S)eye grows dim from misery;
I have (T)called upon You every day, Lord;
I have (U)spread out my [g]hands to You.

10 Will You perform wonders for the dead?
Or will (V)the departed spirits rise and praise You? Selah
11 Will Your graciousness be declared in the grave,
Your faithfulness in [h]Abaddon?
12 Will Your wonders be made known in the (W)darkness?
And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

13 But I, Lord, have cried out (X)to You for help,
And (Y)in the morning my prayer comes before You.
14 Lord, why (Z)do You reject my soul?
Why do You (AA)hide Your face from me?
15 I was miserable and (AB)about to die from my youth on;
I suffer (AC)Your terrors; I grow weary.
16 Your (AD)burning anger has passed over me;
Your terrors have [i](AE)destroyed me.
17 They have (AF)surrounded me (AG)like water all day long;
They have (AH)encircled me altogether.
18 You have removed (AI)lover and friend far from me;
My acquaintances are in a hiding place.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 88 Title Possibly, Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
  2. Psalm 88 Title 1 Kin 4:31; 1 Chr 2:6; Ps 89: title
  3. Psalm 88:3 Or been satisfied with
  4. Psalm 88:3 I.e., the netherworld
  5. Psalm 88:5 Lit A freed one among the dead
  6. Psalm 88:8 Lit abomination to them
  7. Psalm 88:9 Lit palms
  8. Psalm 88:11 I.e., place of destruction
  9. Psalm 88:16 Or silenced

Psalm 88[a]

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth.[b] A maskil[c] of Heman the Ezrahite.

Lord, you are the God who saves me;(A)
    day and night I cry out(B) to you.
May my prayer come before you;
    turn your ear to my cry.

I am overwhelmed with troubles(C)
    and my life draws near to death.(D)
I am counted among those who go down to the pit;(E)
    I am like one without strength.(F)
I am set apart with the dead,
    like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
    who are cut off(G) from your care.

You have put me in the lowest pit,
    in the darkest depths.(H)
Your wrath(I) lies heavily on me;
    you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.[d](J)
You have taken from me my closest friends(K)
    and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined(L) and cannot escape;(M)
    my eyes(N) are dim with grief.

I call(O) to you, Lord, every day;
    I spread out my hands(P) to you.
10 Do you show your wonders to the dead?
    Do their spirits rise up and praise you?(Q)
11 Is your love declared in the grave,
    your faithfulness(R) in Destruction[e]?
12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
    or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?

13 But I cry to you for help,(S) Lord;
    in the morning(T) my prayer comes before you.(U)
14 Why, Lord, do you reject(V) me
    and hide your face(W) from me?

15 From my youth(X) I have suffered(Y) and been close to death;
    I have borne your terrors(Z) and am in despair.(AA)
16 Your wrath(AB) has swept over me;
    your terrors(AC) have destroyed me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood;(AD)
    they have completely engulfed me.
18 You have taken from me friend(AE) and neighbor—
    darkness is my closest friend.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 88:1 In Hebrew texts 88:1-18 is numbered 88:2-19.
  2. Psalm 88:1 Title: Possibly a tune, “The Suffering of Affliction”
  3. Psalm 88:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  4. Psalm 88:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 10.
  5. Psalm 88:11 Hebrew Abaddon

Praise for the Lords Goodness.

A Psalm, a Song for the Sabbath day.

92 It is (A)good to give thanks to the Lord
And to (B)sing praises to Your name, Most High;
To (C)declare Your goodness in the morning
And Your (D)faithfulness by [a]night,
[b]With the (E)ten-stringed lute and [c]with the (F)harp,
[d]With resounding music on the (G)lyre.
For You, Lord, have made me joyful by [e]what You (H)have done,
I will (I)sing for joy over the (J)works of Your hands.

How (K)great are Your works, Lord!
Your [f](L)thoughts are very (M)deep.
A (N)stupid person has no knowledge,
Nor does a (O)foolish person understand this:
When the wicked (P)sprouted up like grass
And all (Q)who did injustice flourished,
It was only that they might be (R)destroyed forevermore.
But You, Lord, are (S)on high forever.
For, behold, Your enemies, Lord,
For, behold, (T)Your enemies will perish;
All who do injustice will be (U)scattered.

10 But You have exalted my (V)horn like that of the wild ox;
I have [g]been (W)anointed with fresh oil.
11 And my eye has (X)looked at my enemies,
My ears hear of the evildoers who rise up against me.
12 The (Y)righteous person will [h]flourish like the palm tree,
He will grow like a (Z)cedar in Lebanon.
13 (AA)Planted in the house of the Lord,
They will flourish (AB)in the courtyards of our God.
14 They will still [i](AC)yield fruit in advanced age;
They will be [j]full of sap and very green,
15 To [k]declare that (AD)the Lord is just;
He is my (AE)rock, and there is (AF)no malice in Him.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 92:2 Lit nights
  2. Psalm 92:3 Lit Upon
  3. Psalm 92:3 Lit Upon
  4. Psalm 92:3 Lit Upon
  5. Psalm 92:4 Lit Your working
  6. Psalm 92:5 Or purposes
  7. Psalm 92:10 Or become moist
  8. Psalm 92:12 Lit sprout
  9. Psalm 92:14 Or thrive in
  10. Psalm 92:14 Lit fat and
  11. Psalm 92:15 Or show forth

Psalm 92[a]

A psalm. A song. For the Sabbath day.

It is good to praise the Lord
    and make music(A) to your name,(B) O Most High,(C)
proclaiming your love in the morning(D)
    and your faithfulness at night,
to the music of the ten-stringed lyre(E)
    and the melody of the harp.(F)

For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord;
    I sing for joy(G) at what your hands have done.(H)
How great are your works,(I) Lord,
    how profound your thoughts!(J)
Senseless people(K) do not know,
    fools do not understand,
that though the wicked spring up like grass
    and all evildoers flourish,
    they will be destroyed forever.(L)

But you, Lord, are forever exalted.

For surely your enemies(M), Lord,
    surely your enemies will perish;
    all evildoers will be scattered.(N)
10 You have exalted my horn[b](O) like that of a wild ox;(P)
    fine oils(Q) have been poured on me.
11 My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries;
    my ears have heard the rout of my wicked foes.(R)

12 The righteous will flourish(S) like a palm tree,
    they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;(T)
13 planted in the house of the Lord,
    they will flourish in the courts of our God.(U)
14 They will still bear fruit(V) in old age,
    they will stay fresh and green,
15 proclaiming, “The Lord is upright;
    he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.(W)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 92:1 In Hebrew texts 92:1-15 is numbered 92:2-16.
  2. Psalm 92:10 Horn here symbolizes strength.

The Majesty of the Lord.

93 (A)The Lord [a]reigns, He is (B)clothed with majesty;
The Lord has (C)clothed and encircled Himself with strength.
Indeed, the (D)world is firmly established; it will not be moved.
Your (E)throne is established from of old;
You (F)are from eternity.

The (G)floods have lifted up, Lord,
The floods have lifted up their voice,
The floods lift up their pounding waves.
More than the sounds of many waters,
Than the mighty breakers of the sea,
The Lord (H)on high is mighty.
Your (I)testimonies are fully confirmed;
(J)Holiness is pleasing to Your house,
Lord, [b]forevermore.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 93:1 Or has assumed kingship
  2. Psalm 93:5 Lit for length of days

Psalm 93

The Lord reigns,(A) he is robed in majesty;(B)
    the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength;(C)
    indeed, the world is established,(D) firm and secure.(E)
Your throne was established(F) long ago;
    you are from all eternity.(G)

The seas(H) have lifted up, Lord,
    the seas have lifted up their voice;(I)
    the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.(J)
Mightier than the thunder(K) of the great waters,
    mightier than the breakers(L) of the sea—
    the Lord on high is mighty.(M)

Your statutes, Lord, stand firm;
    holiness(N) adorns your house(O)
    for endless days.