Archive for April, 2009

Psalm 13, 14 & 15

Psalm 13 (A Chapter a Day)

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1 How long, O LORD ? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and every day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?

3 Look on me and answer, O LORD my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;

4 my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

5 But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.

6 I will sing to the LORD,
for he has been good to me.

Psalm 14 (A Chapter a Day)

For the director of music. Of David.

1 The fool [a] says in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good.2 The LORD looks down from heaven
on the sons of men
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.

3 All have turned aside,
they have together become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.

4 Will evildoers never learn—
those who devour my people as men eat bread
and who do not call on the LORD ?

5 There they are, overwhelmed with dread,
for God is present in the company of the righteous.

6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,
but the LORD is their refuge.

7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 14:1 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Psalms denote one who is morally deficient.

Psalm 15 (A Chapter a Day)

A psalm of David.

1 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?2 He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart

3 and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,

4 who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the LORD,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,

5 who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
will never be shaken.

New International Version (NIV)Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

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Psalm 11 & 12

Psalm 11 (A Chapter a Day)

For the director of music. Of David.

1 In the LORD I take refuge.
How then can you say to me:
“Flee like a bird to your mountain.

2 For look, the wicked bend their bows;
they set their arrows against the strings
to shoot from the shadows
at the upright in heart.

3 When the foundations are being destroyed,
what can the righteous do [a] ?”

4 The LORD is in his holy temple;
the LORD is on his heavenly throne.
He observes the sons of men;
his eyes examine them.

5 The LORD examines the righteous,
but the wicked [b] and those who love violence
his soul hates.

6 On the wicked he will rain
fiery coals and burning sulfur;
a scorching wind will be their lot.

7 For the LORD is righteous,
he loves justice;
upright men will see his face.

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 11:3 Or what is the Righteous One doing
  2. Psalm 11:5 Or The LORD , the Righteous One, examines the wicked,

Psalm 12 (A Chapter a Day)

For the director of music. According to sheminith . A psalm of David. [a]

1 Help, LORD, for the godly are no more;
the faithful have vanished from among men.2 Everyone lies to his neighbor;
their flattering lips speak with deception.

3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips
and every boastful tongue

4 that says, “We will triumph with our tongues;
we own our lips [b] —who is our master?”

5 “Because of the oppression of the weak
and the groaning of the needy,
I will now arise,” says the LORD.
“I will protect them from those who malign them.”

6 And the words of the LORD are flawless,
like silver refined in a furnace of clay,
purified seven times.

7 O LORD, you will keep us safe
and protect us from such people forever.

8 The wicked freely strut about
when what is vile is honored among men.

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 12:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  2. Psalm 12:4 Or / our lips are our plowshares

New International Version (NIV)Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

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