THE GOD OF ISRAEL

       May GOD arise, may HIS enemies be scattered;
          may HIS foes flee before HIM.
       As smoke is blown away by the wind,
          may YOU blow them away;
       as wax melts before the fire,
          may the wicked perish before GOD.
       But may the righteous be glad
          and rejoice before GOD;
          may they be happy and joyful.

       Sing to GOD, sing praise to HIS name,
          extol HIM who rides on the clouds--
       HIS name is THE LORD--
          and rejoice before HIM.
       A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
          is GOD in HIS holy dwelling.
       GOD sets the lonely in families,
          HE leads forth the prisoners with singing;
          but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

       When YOU went out before YOUR people, O GOD,
          when YOU marched through the wasteland,
       the earth shook,
          the heavens poured down rain,
       before GOD, THE ONE OF SINAI,
          before GOD, THE GOD OF ISRAEL.
       YOU gave abundant showers, O GOD;
          YOU refreshed YOUR weary inheritance.
       YOUR people settled in it,
          and from YOUR bounty, O GOD, YOU provided for the poor.

       THE LORD announced the word,
          and great was the company of those who proclaimed it:
       "Kings and armies flee in haste;
          in the camps men divide the plunder.
       Even while you sleep among the campfires,
          the wings of MY dove are sheathed with silver,
          its feathers with shining gold."
       When THE ALMIGHTY scattered the kings in the land,
          it was like snow fallen on Zalmon.

       The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains;
          rugged are the mountains of Bashan.
       Why gaze in envy, O rugged mountains,
          at the mountain where GOD chooses to reign,
          where THE LORD HIMSELF will dwell forever?
       The chariots of GOD are tens of thousands
          and thousands of thousands;
          THE LORD has come from Sinai into HIS sanctuary.
       When YOU ascended on high,
          YOU led captives in YOUR train;
          YOU received gifts from men,
       even from the rebellious--
          that YOU, O LORD GOD, might dwell there.

       Praise be to THE LORD, to GOD our Savior,
          who daily bears our burdens.
       Our GOD is a GOD who saves;
          from THE SOVEREIGN LORD comes escape from death.

       Surely GOD will crush the heads of HIS enemies,
          the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.
       THE LORD says, "I will bring them from Bashan;
          I will bring them from the depths of the sea,
       that you may plunge your feet in the blood of your foes,
          while the tongues of your dogs have their share."

       YOUR procession has come into view, O GOD,
          the procession of my GOD and KING into the sanctuary.
       In front are the singers, after them the musicians;
          with them are the maidens playing tambourines.
       Praise GOD in the great congregation;
          praise THE LORD in the assembly of Israel.
       There is the little tribe of Benjamin, leading them,
          there the great throng of Judah's princes,
          and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.

       Summon YOUR power, O GOD;
          show us YOUR strength, O GOD, as YOU have done before.
       Because of your temple at Jerusalem
          kings will bring YOU gifts.
       Rebuke the beast among the reeds,
          the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations.
       Humbled, may it bring bars of silver.
          Scatter the nations who delight in war.
       Envoys will come from Egypt;
          Cush will submit herself to GOD.

       Sing to GOD, O kingdoms of the earth,
          sing praise to THE LORD,
       to HIM who rides the ancient skies above,
          who thunders with mighty voice.
       Proclaim the power of GOD,
          whose majesty is over Israel,
          whose power is in the skies.
       YOU are awesome, O GOD, in YOUR sanctuary;
          THE GOD OF ISRAEL gives power and strength to HIS people.

       Praise be to GOD!


The Book of Psalms: Psalm 68

Prayer of David

       Save me, O GOD,
          for the waters have come up to my neck.
       I sink in the miry depths,
          where there is no foothold.
       I have come into the deep waters;
          the floods engulf me.
       I am worn out calling for help;
          my throat is parched.
       My eyes fail,
          looking for my GOD.
       Those who hate me without reason
          outnumbered the hairs of my head;
       many are my enemies without cause,
          those who seek to destroy me.
       I am forced to restore
          what I did not steal.

       YOU know my folly, O GOD;
          my guilt is not hidden from YOU.

       May those who hope in YOU
          not be disgraced because of me,
          O LORD, THE LORD ALMIGHTY;
       may those who seek YOU
          not be put to shame because of me,
          O GOD OF ISRAEL.
       For I endure scorn for YOUR sake,
          and shame covers my face.
       I am a stranger to my brothers,        
          an alien to my own mother's sons;
       for zeal for YOUR house consumes me,
          and the insults of those who insult YOU fall on me.
       When I weep and fast,
          I must endure scorn;
       when I put on sackcloth,
          people make sport of me.
       Those who sit at the gate mock me,
          and I am the song of the drunkards.

       But I pray to YOU, O LORD,
          in the time of YOUR favor;
       in YOUR great love, O GOD,
          answer me with YOUR sure salvation.
       Rescue me from the mire,
          do not let me sink;
       deliver me from those who hate me,
          from the deep waters.
       Do not let the floodwaters engulf me
          or the depths swallow me up
          or the pit close its mouth over me.
       Answer me, O LORD, out of the goodness of YOUR love;
          in YOUR great mercy turn to me.
       Do not hide YOUR face from YOUR servant;
          answer me quickly, for I am in trouble.
       Come near and rescue me;
          redeem me because of my foes.

       YOU know how I am scorned, disgraced and shamed;
          all my enemies are before YOU.
       Scorn has broken my heart
          and has left me helpless;
       I looked for sympathy, but there was none,
          for comforters, but I found none.
       They put gall in my food
          and gave me vinegar for my thirst.

       May the table set before them become a snare;
          may it become retribution and a trap.
       May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
          and their backs be bent forever.
       Pour out YOUR wrath on them;
          let YOUR fierce anger overtake them.
       May their place be deserted;
          let there be no one to dwell in their tents.
       For they persecute those YOU wound
          and talk about the pain of those YOU hurt.
       Charge them with crime upon crime;
          do not let them share in YOUR salvation.
       May they be blotted out of the book of life
          and not be listed with the righteous.

       I am in pain and distress;
          may YOUR salvation, O GOD, protect me.

       I will praise GOD'S name in song
          and glorify HIM with thanksgiving.
       This will please THE LORD more than an ox,
          more than a bull with its horns and hoofs.
       The poor will see and be glad--
          you who seek GOD, may your hearts live!
       THE LORD hears the needy
          and does not despise HIS captive people.

       Let heaven and earth praise HIM,
          the seas and all that move in them,
       for GOD will save Zion
          and rebuild the cities of Judah.
       Then people will settle there and possess it;
          the children of HIS servants will inherit it,
          and those who love HIS name will dwell there.


The Book of Psalms: Psalm 69

Come Quickly, O GOD

       Hasten, O GOD, to save me;
          O LORD, come quickly to help me.
       May those who seek my life
          be put to shame and confusion;
       may all who desire my ruin
          be turned back in disgrace.
       May those who say to me, "Aha! Aha!"
          turn back because of their shame.
       But may all who seek YOU
          rejoice and be glad in YOU;
       may those who love YOUR salvation always say,
          "Let GOD be exalted!"

       Yet I am poor and needy;
          come quickly to me, O GOD.
       YOU are my help and my deliverer;
          O LORD, do not delay.


The Book of Psalms: Psalm 70

THE LORD Is My Refuge

       In YOU, O LORD, I have taken refuge;
          let me never be put to shame.
       Rescue me and deliver me in YOUR righteousness;
          turn YOUR ear to me and save me.
       Be my rock of refuge,
          to which I can always go;
       give the command to save me,
          for YOU are my rock and my fortress.
       Deliver me, O my GOD, from the hand of the wicked,
          from the grasp of evil and cruel men.

       For YOU have been my hope, O SOVEREIGN LORD,
          my confidence since my youth.
       From birth I have relied on YOU;
          YOU brought me forth from my mother's womb.
          I will ever praise YOU.
       I have become like a portent to many,
          but YOU are my strong refuge.
       My mouth is filled with YOUR praise,
          declaring YOUR splendor all day long.

      Do not cast me away when I am old;
         do not forsake me when my strength is gone.
      For my enemies speak against me;
          those who wait to kill me conspire together.
       They say, "GOD has forsaken him;
          pursue him and seize him,
          for no one will rescue him."
       Be not far from me, O GOD;
          come quickly, O my GOD, to help me.
       May my accusers perish in shame;
          may those who want to harm me
          be covered with scorn and disgrace.

       But as for me, I will always have hope;
          I will praise YOU more and more.
       My mouth will tell of YOUR righteousness,
          of YOUR salvation all day long,
          though I know not its measure.
       I will come and proclaim YOUR mighty acts, O SOVEREIGN LORD;
          I will proclaim YOUR righteousness, YOURS alone.
       Since my youth, O GOD, YOU have taught me,
          and to this day I declare YOUR marvelous deeds.
       Even when I am old and gray,
          do not forsake me, O GOD,
       till I declare YOUR power to the next generation,
          YOUR might to all who are to come.

       YOUR righteousness reaches to the skies, O GOD,
          YOU who have done great things.
          Who, O GOD, is like YOU?
       Though YOU have made me see troubles, many and bitter,
          YOU will restore my life again;
       from the depths of the earth
          YOU will again bring me up.
       YOU will increase my honor
          and comfort me once again.

       I will praise YOU with the harp
          for YOUR faithfulness, O my GOD;
       I will sing praise to YOU with the lyre,
          O HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL.

       My lips will shout for joy
          when I sing praise to YOU--
          I, whom YOU have redeemed.
       My tongue will tell of YOUR righteous acts
          all day long,
       for those who wanted to harm me
          have been put to shame and confusion.


The Book of Psalms: Psalm 71

Prayer of Solomon

       Endow the king with YOUR justice, O GOD,
          the royal son with YOUR righteousness.
       He will judge YOUR people in righteousness,
          YOUR afflicted ones with justice.
       The mountains will bring prosperity to the people,
          the hills the fruit of righteousness.
       He will defend the afflicted among the people
          and save the children of the needy;
          he will crush the oppressor.

       He will endure as long as the sun,
          as long as the moon, through all generations.
       He will be like rain falling on a mown field,
          like showers watering the earth.
       In his days the righteous will flourish;
          prosperity will abound till the moon is no more.

       He will rule from sea to sea
          and from the River to the ends of the earth.
       The desert tribes will bow before him
          and his enemies will lick the dust.
       The kings of Tarshish and of distant shores
          will bring tribute to him;
       the kings of Sheba and Seba
          will present him gifts.
       All kings will bow down to him
          and all nations will serve him.

       For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
          the afflicted who have no one to help.
       He will take pity on the weak and the needy
          and save the needy from death.
       He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
          for precious is their blood in his sight.

       Long may he live!
          May gold from Sheba be given him.
       May people ever pray for him
          and bless him all day long.
       Let grain abound throughout the land;
          on the tops of the hills may it sway.
       Let its fruit flourish like Lebanon;
          let it thrive like the grass of the field.
       May his name endure forever;
          may it continue as long as the sun.

       All nations will be blessed through him,
          and they will call him blessed.

       Praise be to THE LORD GOD, THE GOD OF ISRAEL,
          who alone does marvelous deeds.
       Praise be to HIS glorious name forever;
          may the whole earth be filled with HIS glory.
                                   Amen and Amen.

       This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.


The Book of Psalms: Psalm 72

GOD Is My Portion

       Surely GOD is good to Israel,
          to those who are pure in heart.

       But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
          I had nearly lost my foothold.
       For I envied the arrogant
          when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

       They have no struggles;
          their bodies are healthy and strong.
       They are free from the burdens common to man;
          they are not plagued by human ills.
       Therefore pride is their necklace;
          they clothe themselves with violence.
       From their callous hearts comes iniquity;
          the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.
       They scoff, and speak with malice;
          in their arrogance they threaten oppression.
       Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
          and their tongues take possession of the earth.
       Therefore their people turn to them
          and drink up waters in abundance.
       They say, "How can GOD know?
          Does THE MOST HIGH have knowledge?"

       This is what the wicked are like--
          always carefree, they increase in wealth.

       Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure;
          in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.
       All day long I have been plagued;
          I have been punished every morning.

       If I had said, "I will speak thus,"
          I would have betrayed YOUR children.
       When I tried to understand all this,
          it was oppressive to me
       till I entered the sanctuary of GOD;
          then I understood their final destiny.

      Surely YOU place them on slippery ground;
          YOU cast them down to ruin.
       How suddenly are they destroyed,
          completely swept away by terrors!
       As a dream when one awakes,
          so when YOU arise, O LORD,
          YOU will despise them as fantasies.

       When my heart was grieved
          and my spirit embittered,
       I was senseless and ignorant;
          I was a brute beast before YOU.

       Yet I am always with YOU;
          YOU hold me by my right hand.
       YOU guide me with YOUR counsel,
          and afterward YOU will take me into glory.
       Whom have I in heaven but YOU?
         And earth has nothing I desire besides YOU.
       My flesh and my heart may fail,
          but GOD is the strength of my heart
          and my portion forever.

       Those who are far from YOU will perish;
          YOU destroy all who are unfaithful to YOU.
       But as for me, it is good to be near GOD.
          I have made THE SOVEREIGN LORD my refuge;
          I will tell of all YOUR deeds.


The Book of Psalms: Psalm 73

Rise Up, O GOD

       Why have YOU rejected us forever, O GOD?
          Why does YOUR anger smolder against the sheep of YOUR pasture?
       Remember the people YOU purchased of old,
          the tribe of YOUR inheritance, whom YOU redeemed--
          Mount Zion, where YOU dwelt.
       Turn YOUR steps toward these everlasting ruins,
          all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary.

       YOUR foes roared in the place where YOU met with us;
          they set up their standards as signs.
       They behaved like men wielding axes
          to cut through a thicket of trees.
       They smashed all the carved paneling
          with their axes and hatchets.
       They burned YOUR sanctuary to the ground;
          they defiled the dwelling place of YOUR Name.
       They said in their hearts, "We will crush them completely!"
          They burned every place where GOD was worshiped in the land.
       We are given no miraculous signs;
          no prophets are left,
          and none of us knows how long this will be.

       How long will the enemy mock YOU, O GOD?
          Will the foe revile YOUR name forever?
       Why do YOU hold back YOUR hand, YOUR right hand?
          Take it from the folds of YOUR garment and destroy them!

       But YOU, O GOD, are my king from of old;
          YOU bring salvation upon earth.
       It was YOU who split open the sea by YOUR power;
          YOU broke the heads of the monster in the waters.
       It was YOU who crushed the heads of Leviathan
          and gave him as food to the creatures of the desert.
       It was YOU who opened up springs and streams;
          YOU dried up the ever flowing rivers.
       The day is YOURS, and YOURS also the night;
          YOU established the sun and moon.
       It was YOU who set all the boundaries of the earth;
          YOU made both summer and winter.

       Remember how the enemy has mocked YOU, O LORD,
          how foolish people have reviled YOUR name.
       Do not hand over the life of YOUR dove to wild beasts;
          do not forget the lives of YOUR afflicted people forever.
       Have regard for YOUR covenant,
          because haunts of violence fill the dark places of the land.
       Do not let the oppressed retreat in disgrace;
          may the poor and needy praise YOUR name.

       Rise up, O GOD, and defend YOUR cause;
          remember how fools mock YOU all day long.
       Do not ignore the clamor of YOUR adversaries,
          the uproar of YOUR enemies, which rises continually.


The Book of Psalms: Psalm 74

GOD is The Judge

       We give thanks to YOU, O GOD,
          we give thanks, for YOUR Name is near;
          men tell of YOUR wonderful deeds.

       YOU say, "I choose the appointed time;
          it is I who judge uprightly.
       When the earth and all its people quake,
          it is I who hold its pillars firm.
       To the arrogant I say, 'Boast no more,'
          and to the wicked, 'Do not lift up your horns.
       Do not lift your horns against heaven;
          do not speak with outstretched neck.' "

       No one from the east or the west
          or from the desert can exalt a man.
       But it is GOD who judges:
          HE brings one down, HE exalts another.
       In the hand of THE LORD is a cup
          full of foaming wine mixed with spices;
       HE pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth
          drink it down to its very dregs.

       As for me, I will declare this forever;
          I will sing praise to THE GOD OF JACOB.
       I will cut off the horns of all the wicked,
          but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up.


The Book of Psalms: Psalm 75