Psalm 1

William Helder, ©

How blessed is the man whose walk is not
In evil counsel which the wicked plot,
Who does not stand where sin its pleasure offers
And will not take his seat among the scoffers;
But his delight is in God’s cov’nant law:
By night and day he ponders it with awe.
Behold, the righteous man is like a tree
Which by the streams yields fruit abundantly,
Whose leaves are green and shall not fade or perish;
In all he does, the righteous one shall flourish.
But wicked men are not like him, for they
Resemble chaff that winds will drive away.
Their downfall and destruction is at hand:
The wicked shall not in the judgment stand,
Nor sinners in the righteous congregation.
The LORD our God shall judge their generation;
He watches o’er the way of righteous men,
But doomed forever is the way of sin.

Psalm 1

David Koyzis

How blest are they who keep from evil ways,
Who heed not sinful counsel all their days,
Nor seek the company of wicked scoffers,
But take delight in all the Lord God offers
Within the statutes of His holy Law:
Both day and night they ponder it with awe.
They are like trees that grow beside the stream,
Whose fruitful limbs with ripened bounty teem,
Whose verdant leaves will fade and wither never;
All that they undertake in faith will ever
Be blessed by God with great prosperity.
But wicked ones a different lot shall see.
For they, like chaff, before the wind are blown
And will not last before the judgment throne,
Nnor will they stand in council of the holy.
But God protects all those who follow solely
The paths of virtue and of righteousness,
While death shall stalk the ways of wickedness.

Psalm 1 (literal)

David Koyzis

How blest the man who keeps from evil ways,
Who heeds not sinful counsel all his days,
Nor seeks the company of wicked scoffers,
But takes delight in all the Lord God offers
Within the statutes of his holy Law:
Both day and night he ponders it with awe.
He's like a tree that grows beside the stream,
Whose fruitful limbs with ripened bounty teem,
Whose verdant leaves will fade and wither never;
All that he undertakes in faith will ever
Be blessed by God with great prosperity.
But wicked ones a different lot shall see.
For they, like chaff, before the wind are blown
And will not last before the judgment throne,
Nor will they stand in council of the holy.
But God protects all those who follow solely
The paths of virtue and of righteousness,
While death shall stalk the ways of wickedness.

Psalm 1

William Helder © 1980, 2000

How blest is he who shuns the path of sin
And does not heed advice of wicked men.
He will not seek the company of scoffers;
To him their sneering pride no pleasure offers.
But in the law of God is his delight;
He meditates on it both day and night.
Those who the precepts of the LORD obey
And from His good commandments do not stray
Are like a tree which, planted by a river,
Is lush and green: its leaves will never wither,
And it in season yields abundant fruit.
So they will thrive, whatever their pursuit.
Not so the wicked! For like chaff are they—
Like worthless chaff. The wind blows it away.
When judgment comes, they’ll stand condemned and humbled,
Cast out from where God’s people are assembled.
The LORD will guard the pathway of the just;
The way of sinners leads to death and dust.

Psalm 2

William Helder, 1980 ©

Why do the restless heathen madly rage?
What haughty schemes are they in vain contriving?
The kings and rulers of the earth engage
In rash attempts to plot their empty striving.
They stand prepared, they all conspire together
Against the LORD and His anointed King.
“Let us,” they say, “tear loose and break their fetters,
Cast off their chains, their shackles from us fling.”
Though proudly now they raise their battle cry,
How vain is all their frenzied opposition!
The LORD, who sits enthroned in heaven on high,
Laughs them to scorn: He has them in derision.
Then He will speak in wrath and indignation
And all their host will He with terror fill:
“I’ve set My King,” so runs His proclamation,
“Upon mount Zion, on My holy hill.”
O peoples, listen to the LORD’s decree,
For unto Me He made this declaration:
“Thou art My Son, I have begotten Thee
This very day. To Thee I’ll give the nations.
Ask what Thou wilt: Thy heritage I’ll make them;
Their lands shalt Thou possess, both near and far.
Lo, with a rod of iron shalt Thou break them,
Dash them in pieces like a potter’s jar.”
Take heed, O rulers of the earth, and hear;
Be wise, O kings, and let His edict warn you.
Rejoice with trembling, serve the LORD with fear.
Now kiss the Son, lest He in fury scorn you,
Lest in His wrath the LORD cause you to perish,
For quickly kindled is His anger’s blaze.
But all who trust in Him the LORD will cherish;
He will defend and bless them all their days.

Psalm 2

Douglas Wilson, 2000©

Why do the heathen nations vainly rage?
What prideful schemes are they in vain devising?
The kings of earth and rulers all engage
In evil plots, and in their sin contriving,
They take their stand against our God’s Messiah;
They claim they will not keep His binding chains.
The one enthroned in highest heaven, higher,
Mocks them to scorn, on them derision rains.
He speaks to them in righteous, holy wrath;
God vexes them and shows His great displeasure.
“Yet have I set My King upon the path
That upward winds to Zion, My own treasure.”
“‘You are My Son, today You are begotten,’
– I will declare what God has said to Me–
‘And not one tribe will ever be forgotten.
You will receive the world, just ask of Me.’”
“‘The nations come; You are the only Heir,
The ends of earth will be Your own possession
And broken with a rod of iron there,
Rebellious pottery comes to destruction.’”
Now serve the LORD, with fear and gladness trembling,
And therefore, O ye kings, seek wisdom here.
How blessed are those who trust without dissembling,
Who kiss the Son and bow in reverent fear.

Psalm 2

William Helder © 1980, 2000

Why do the restless heathen madly rage?
What haughty schemes are they in vain contriving?
The kings and rulers of the earth engage
In rash attempts to plot their empty striving.
They stand prepared, they all conspire together
Against the LORD and His anointed King.
“Let us,” they say, “tear loose and break their fetters,
Cast off their chains, their shackles from us fling.”
Though proudly now they raise their battle cry,
How vain is all their frenzied opposition!
The LORD, who sits enthroned in heaven on high,
Laughs them to scorn: He holds them in derision.
Then He will speak in wrath and indignation
And all their host will He with terror fill:
“I’ve set my King,” so runs His proclamation,
“Upon mount Zion, on My holy hill.”
O peoples, listen to the LORD’S decree.
I will repeat His public declaration:
“Your Father I become this very day;
You are my Son. To You I give the nations.
Ask what You will: Your heritage I’ll make them;
Their lands You will possess, both near and far,
For with a rod of iron You shall break them,
Dash them to pieces, like a potter’s jar.”
Take heed, O rulers of the earth, and hear.
Be wise, O kings, and let His edict warn you.
Rejoice with trembling; serve the LORD with fear.
Now kiss the Son, lest He in fury scorn you,
Lest in His wrath the LORD cause you to perish,
For quickly kindled is His anger’s blaze.
But all who trust in Him the LORD will cherish;
He will defend and bless them all their days.

Psalm 3

Dewey Westra, 1931

O LORD, how swiftly grows
The number of my foes
Who wantonly oppress me!
Yes, multiplied are they
That rise to my dismay,
And day by day distress me.
Though heavy my despair,
They scornfully declare
To my humiliation,
That Thou, O God, no more
Canst help me as before
Or come to my salvation.
But Thou, LORD, always art
A shield about my heart,
My hope and sure reliance.
Thou, in the hour of dread,
Dost lift my weary head,
And biddest them defiance.
Whene’er to God I cried,
He hastened to my side
In all my tribulations;
From Zion’s mountain fair
He looked on my despair
And heard my supplications.
When I lay down, I slept;
I woke, for I was kept
In His divine protection.
The LORD was at my side,
My safety He supplied,
Whatever my affliction.
Defended by His hand,
I shall undaunted stand
While thousands surge about me;
Though furious foemen wage
Their war with mighty rage,
I know they shall not rout me.
Arise and save me, LORD,
For Thou hast smitten hard
The jaws of them that hate me;
Yes, Thou didst fiercely break
For me Thy servant’s sake
The teeth of the ungodly.
I shall not suffer long,
For my salvation strong
Thou, O my LORD, providest.
Thy people all will rest
By Thee so richly blest,
Since Thou with them abidest.

Psalm 3

Paul Shuart, 1982

O LORD, my enemies rise up to conquer me;
They shower me with taunting.
From every side they say that God has gone away
While troubles still are mounting.
But God is still my shield: He helps me on the field;
God gives me back my glory.
All through the long dark night my God takes up the fight,
Holds back my foes before me.
When I cry out to pray, God hears each word I say;
He answers from his mountain.
I rest and go to sleep and rise, for God will keep
His own in his protection.
Why should I ever fear the thousands who appear
With evil to surround me?
Why should I be afraid when God is still my aid
To conquer those around me?
Arise, O God, arise! I know you hear my cries,
For all my foes are flying.
Deliver me, O LORD; give them their sure reward
For all their fierce defying.
You strike those on the cheek who war against the meek,
With hate and hurt oppressing.
The godless are destroyed; your help alone has stood.
O grant us, LORD, your blessing.

Psalm 3

William Helder © 2000, 2005

How countless are my foes!
O LORD, how many those
Who rise up to accuse me,
Who point at me and shout,
“God will not help him out!”
They with their taunts abuse me.
But You, O LORD, will be
A shield to cover me
When I am faint and weary,
For when you hear me sigh,
You lift my head up high;
You are my power and glory.
I cry to God, and He
From Zion answers me,
Not leaving me forsaken.
In Him I put my trust:
I go to sleep, and rest
Until at dawn I waken.
By thousands I’m beset,
But God will not forget
To be my strength and tower.
Though foes in fierce array
Encircle me as prey,
I do not fear their power.
Arise, O God of might,
And put my foes to flight.
Let all their host be scattered!
For You uphold my cause:
You strike them on the jaws
And leave their teeth all shattered.
The LORD will ever be
The one who sets us free
When enemies oppress us.
O God in whom we trust,
In You shall we find rest.
May You forever bless us.

Psalm 4

William Helder, 1980 ©

God of my right, show me Thy answer
When I in prayer cry out to Thee!
Thou hast in sorrow and privation
Bestowed relief and consolation.
Be gracious now and hear my plea.
O man, how long will you continue
To turn my honor into shame?
How long yet will you seek and follow
All things deceitful, vain, and hollow?
How long will you revile my Name?
Know that the LORD in His good pleasure
Has set the righteous ones apart
To be His own, His chosen nation.
He therefore hears my supplication;
He takes my misery to heart.
Be angry, but refrain from evil;
Commune within your heart, be still.
At all times bring right sacrifices.
Rely not on your own devices:
Trust in the LORD and heed His will.
How many sigh with heartfelt longing,
“If only we some good might see!”
O LORD, reveal Thy light and splendor
And show Thyself the strong Defender
Of all who put their trust in Thee!
More joy hast Thou to me imparted
Than others have whose goods increase,
Who in their grain and wine take pleasure.
Thee do I as my refuge treasure:
I will lie down and sleep in peace.

Psalm 4

William Helder © 1980, 2001

O righteous God of my salvation,
Be merciful and hear my plea!
In times of trouble or oppression
You sent me help and consolation.
Be gracious now and answer me!
How long, O men, will you bring sorrow
And turn my honor into shame?
How long yet will you love and follow
Lies and illusions, vain and hollow?
How long will you revile my name?
Know that the LORD in His good pleasure
Has set the righteous ones apart:
He claims me as His own, His treasure.
In mercy great beyond all measure,
He takes my misery to heart.
Do not let wrath breed sin and violence.
Restrain your anger and be still;
Lie down to meditate in silence.
Place in the LORD your sole reliance.
Bring Him your off’rings. Do His will.
So many sigh, “O who will ever
Show any good to us again?”
O LORD whose mercy fails us never,
Bestow on us Your love, Your favour,
And cause Your face on us to shine.
More joy and gladness You have sent me
Than all the joy of those who feast
On grain and wine in days of plenty.
LORD, in the safety that You grant me,
I sleep in peace, from cares released.

Psalm 5

W. van der Kamp, 1972

O listen to my words, I pray Thee,
And to my groaning, LORD, give heed.
Hear Thou my cry and know my need,
My King and God; my foes dismay me.
Come Thou and stay me!
LORD, in the morning Thou shalt hear me;
I bring my prayer to Thee and wait.
Against all evil burns Thy hate;
The ills of men who do not fear Thee
Shall not stay near Thee.
The boastful shall not stand before Thee;
All evil men Thou dost despise.
And Thou destroyest him who lies;
Thou hatest sinners who ignore Thee,
O God of glory!
Thy steadfast love shall fail me never.
Through its abundance I’ll appear
In Thy great house with holy fear
To worship there, for none shall ever,
Us from Thee sever.
In fear of Thee I come before Thee.
LORD, lead me in Thy righteousness
Because of all who me oppress;
Make Thou the way, I do implore Thee,
Then straight before me.
There is no truth in all their chatter;
Destruction, death, is what they crave.
Their throat is like an open grave,
And with their tongue they fawn and flatter
While lies they scatter.
Declare them guilty who deride me!
By their own counsel let them fall.
All their transgressions, LORD, recall,
Cast out those who will not abide Thee,
But have defied Thee.
Let all who cling to Thee delight us
With joyous songs that never end;
LORD, those who love Thy Name defend.
Thou with Thy shield, though foes may fight us,
Dost save the righteous.

Psalm 5

David Koyzis ©

Lord, let my words receive a hearing,
And think upon my restless sighs;
My God and King, attend my cries.
Lord, as the day breaks I implore You
And pray before You.
You, God, do not delight in evil;
With You the wicked find no place,
Boasters are banished from Your face.
You put an end to the deceitful,
Spurning the hateful.
But through the fullness of Your mercy,
I enter in Your dwelling place
And worship You before Your face.
In righteous ways, O Lord, now guide me,
And stand beside me.
The wicked's lies cannot be trusted;
Their thoughts are as an open tomb,
Their tongues are filled with words of doom.
May their intrigues recoil upon them,
Their guilt be on them.
Let all exult who seek Your shelter;
Joyfully may they ever sing.
Shield them with Your protecting wing.
To all the righteous You show favor,
You are their Savior.

Psalm 6

W. W. J. VanOene, 1972, rev.

Chide me, O LORD, no longer,
Nor chasten me in anger.
In mercy hear my groans;
O LORD, see how I languish.
Heal Thou my bitter anguish,
For troubled are my bones.
My soul is troubled greatly.
O hasten Thou to aid me.
Why dost Thou tarry, LORD?
Turn back and show Thy favor;
Me in Thy love deliver,
According to Thy word!
How can the dead adore Thee
Or bring their thanks before Thee,
Or praise Thy holy Name?
I’m weary with my moaning,
Worn out with constant groaning
And overcome with shame.
All night, instead of sleeping,
I drench my couch with weeping.
With grief my eyes grow weak,
Since foes with hate surround me
And without ceasing hound me;
My ruin they all seek.
Depart from me, transgressors.
Flee now, all you oppressors:
The LORD did heed my cry!
He heard my supplication,
My plea for consolation,
And with His help is nigh.
The LORD heard when I pleaded
And my appeals He heeded.
My foes shall be ashamed,
For sudden fear shall shake them,
And panic overtake them.
Their doom has He proclaimed.

Psalm 6

David Koyzis ©

O Lord, do not chastise me,
Nor in Your wrath despise me.
Be merciful, O Lord.
My strength is slowly failing,
My bones within are wailing:
How long, how long, O Lord?
Turn to me, Lord, and save me;
Rescue me in Your mercy,
And show Your loving ways.
In death who will remember?
For in its endless slumber
No one can sing Your praise.
Weary am I with groaning;
Through many nights of moaning
I drench my bed with tears.
My eyes are sore from grieving,
Since foes who are deceiving
Have preyed upon my fears.
Out of my sight, transgressors!
Fly from me, cruel oppressors!
The Lord has heard my cries.
He's answered my petitions;
My enemies' ambitions
Have met their sure demise.

Psalm 6

Clarence Walhout, 1982

LORD, chasten not in anger,
Nor in your wrath rebuke me.
Give me your healing word.
My soul and body languish;
I wait for you in anguish.
How long, how long, O LORD?
Turn to me now, uphold me;
For your love’s sake restore me.
O save me by your grace.
For death ends all remembrance;
It wraps the tongue in silence.
How can the dead sing praise?
Pain and distress o’erwhelm me,
I cry all night for mercy,
My bed is wet with tears.
My eyes can weep no longer;
My enemies seem stronger,
My awful foes and fears.
All who love evil, leave me,
For God has heard my weeping:
My foes are put to shame.
Turned back, no more to grieve me,
They suddenly shall leave me.
All glory to his name!

Psalm 6

Edward Collier, 1911

No longer, Lord, despise me,
Nor in Thy wrath chastise me;
Thy mercy I implore.
How long Thine anger cherish?
Consumed thereby I perish;
My soul is troubled sore.
To me, O Lord, returning,
Save Thou, with pity yearning.
Shall death Thy memory keep?
Or shall the grave confess Thee?
Or I give thanks and bless Thee
While day and night I weep?
The Lord my God will hear me,
And when I pray be near me,
To put my foes to shame;
Turned back, no more to grieve me,
They suddenly shall leave me.
All glory to His Name!

Psalm 7

W. van der Kamp, 1972

Thou art my refuge; LORD, defend me.
Come, lest my foes like lions rend me,
And drag me off, a helpless prey.
If I did good with ill repay,
If sin, O God, my hands has blighted,
And I in plunder have delighted,
Let me then by my foe be found,
And let him tread me to the ground.
Rise in Thy anger, LORD, and hasten
The fury of my foes to chasten.
My God, awake! Appoint Thy day,
Put all the peoples in array;
Ascend Thy throne and judge the nations,
Do right unto their generations;
Judge me, O LORD, for I profess
Integrity and righteousness.
Ward off those who Thy people ravish;
The just and righteous, LORD, establish,
O Thou who triest heart and mind,
Our God in righteousness enshrined.
My shield Thou art; Thy help Thou gavest
And men of upright heart Thou savest.
O righteous Judge, Thy anger’s sway
Subdues the wicked every day.
If any man shows no repentance,
Our God will whet His sword with vengeance.
For those who to withstand have dared
His bow is braced, His shafts prepared.
For barbed with fire are all His arrows
When He in ire the wicked harrows.
And never will my foe achieve
The evil which he did conceive.
With evil pregnant he will hound me;
He brings forth falsehood to confound me.
For others he prepares a pit,
But he himself falls into it.
His mischief, on his head returning,
Repays him who with hate was burning.
God’s righteousness I’ll glorify.
I praise the Name of God Most High!

Psalm 8

W. W. J. VanOene, 1972 & William Helder, 1980

O LORD, our Lord, Thou God of our salvation,
How glorious is Thy Name in all creation!
Thou who hast set Thy majesty on high
Beyond the skies for man to glorify.
Out of the mouth of infants praise is sounded,
And so a mighty bulwark Thou hast founded.
Thus breakest Thou the adversary’s force
And thwartest Thou the evildoer’s course.
When I behold the skies Thou hast created,
The moon and stars which Thou hast generated,
O what is man that Thou wilt think of him,
The son of man that Thou dost care for him?
Yet, little less than God — so hast Thou made him,
And Thou with glorious honor hast arrayed him,
That over Thy creation he might reign;
Thou hast assigned all things as man’s domain.
Thou hast appointed him as lord and master
Of bird and beast in forest, field, and pasture;
He also rules the creatures of the sea.
O LORD, how great is Thy Name’s majesty.

Psalm 8

David Koyzis ©

O Lord, our Lord, Your name excels creation!
Your glory far surpasses every nation.
Out of the mouths of children flows Your praise
To silence rebels who forsake Your ways.
When I behold the works Your hands have molded--
Sun, moon and stars across the sky unfolded--
What can we be that You a thought should spare,
We creatures frail that we should own Your care?
Yet You have made us to reflect Your splendor,
Crowned us with glory and with highest honor,
Placed us as stewards over all You've made;
Beneath our feet your earthly realm is laid.
Earth's flocks and herds your people you have given,
Beasts wild and tame, and birds that soar through heaven;
Fish in the sea you've given us to claim,
O Lord, our Lord, how excellent Your name!

Psalm 8 (literal)

David Koyzis ©

O Lord, our Lord, Your name excels creation!
Your glory far surpasses every nation.
Out of the mouths of children flows Your praise
To silence rebels who forsake Your ways.
When I behold the works Your hands have molded--
Sun, moon and stars across the sky unfolded--
What is a man that You a thought should spare,
The son of man that he should own Your care?
Yet You have made him to reflect Your splendor,
Crowned him with glory and with highest honor,
Placed him as steward over all You've made;
Beneath his feet Your earthly realm is laid.
Earth's flocks and herds in grace to him You've given,
Beasts wild and tame, and birds that soar through heaven;
Fish in the sea You've given him to claim,
O Lord, our Lord, how excellent Your name!

Psalm 9

W. van der Kamp, 1967

With all my heart I thank Thee, LORD;
Thy wondrous deeds I will record.
Thou art my joy, in Thee I’ll glory.
With Psalm s, Most High, I will adore Thee.
See how my enemies retreat;
They stumble, perish in defeat.
For my just cause hast Thou contended,
And from Thy throne my right defended.
The nations’ pride hast Thou made void,
My wicked foes hast Thou destroyed,
Their name wiped out, their memory banished.
Their cities, rooted out, have vanished.
For ever reigns the LORD alone;
For judgment He set up His throne.
The world hears rulings, just and righteous,
By God, whose equity delights us.
God is a stronghold for the oppressed,
Their refuge when they are distressed.
Those seeking Thee are not forsaken,
Those trusting Thee shall not be shaken.
Praise Him who does in Zion dwell,
His deeds among the peoples tell.
He who avenges blood is near us,
And when we cry our God shall hear us.
Have pity, LORD, my suffering see,
Thou who from death’s gate savest me,
That I, Thy praise and mercy voicing,
In Zion’s gate may find rejoicing.
My foes fell in the pit they made,
Their feet caught in the snares they laid.
The LORD has in His justice spoken;
By their own guile my foes are broken.
The wicked down to Sheol go
And dwell amid the gloom below
With all the godless, proud and greedy.
But God shall not forget the needy.
Arise, LORD, let not men prevail;
Let them in fear and terror wail.
Judge Thou the nations, God of glory;
Show them they are but men before Thee.

Psalm 9

David Koyzis ©

Wholehearted thanks I give you, Lord,
I will tell of your wondrous deeds.
In you will I exult and be glad;
O Most High, I will sing your praises.
When all my foes were in retreat,
Stumbling, perishing at your sight,
You did defend me and uphold me,
Upon your throne You gave me justice.
All wicked nations you rebuke,
Evermore blotting out their names.
Their cities vanished--ruined for good;
Their memory never will survive them.
See that the Lord reigns evermore,
He sets up His majestic throne;
With righteousness He judges the world,
He rules all people with His justice.
God is a stronghold for the weak
And a refuge in troubled times.
Called by your name, our trust is in you,
You've not forsaken those who seek You.
Sing songs of praise to Zion's Lord,
Tell the nations of all his works.
He who avenges will remember,
He is not deaf to the afflicted.
Pity me, Lord, look on my plight,
Bring me back from the gates of death
That in the gates of Zion's daughters
I might rejoice in your salvation.
The nations sink into the pit,
Caught in snares they themselves have laid.
The Lord pronounces judgment on them,
He traps the wicked with their own works.
May all the wicked come to grief!
Godless nations shall be brought down.
But those in need are not forgotten,
The poor man's hope will never perish.
Rise, Lord, let not mere men prevail,
For all nations must come to trial.
Into their hearts strike terror, O Lord,
Let nations know they are but mortal.

Psalm 10

W. van der Kamp, 1972

Why dost Thou stand far off? O LORD, arise!
Why dost Thou hide Thy self in troubled days?
Dost Thou not hear it when the poor man cries?
For on Thy poor the wicked sinner preys,
His heart with heated arrogance ablaze.
Let them be caught in schemes of their own making
With all who in their evil are partaking.
The wicked man boasts of his heart’s desire,
And blesses them whose greed the LORD does spurn,
And in his pride the wicked scorns Thy ire.
“There is no God who shall our ill return,”
Such are his thoughts, his heart knows no concern;
He prospers and his foes dare not disturb him;
Thy laws on high do not restrain or curb him.
He proudly thinks: “I shall for ever stand:
Throughout all generations I’ll not meet
Adversity or chastening by God’s hand.”
His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit:
His tongue is full of mischief and conceit.
Iniquity and mischief does he cherish,
And in his snares the innocent will perish.
He sits in ambush waiting for his prey,
And kills the meek not of his wiles aware;
His eyes search out the hapless on their way;
He is a lion lurking in his lair,
And in his nets he does the poor ensnare.
He thinks deep in his heart, “God does not see it;
Why fear His wrath? We do not have to flee it.”
Arise, O LORD! O God, lift up Thy hand;
Forget not the afflicted, be Thou near.
Why do the wicked still so proudly stand
Renouncing God, while in their hearts they sneer,
“He will not punish; why then should we fear?
He does not care; why should His wrath delay us?
Who calls us to account or shall repay us?”
But Thou dost see our troubles and our woes
And Thou shalt take our cause into Thy hand.
The hapless flee to Thee; Thou shalt oppose
The evildoers’ proud and wicked band,
For Thou hast been the orphans’ help and stand.
Break Thou the arm of him who evil cherished,
Seek out his wickedness till he has perished.
The LORD is King, He reigns for evermore;
The heathen soon shall perish from the land.
Thou wilt incline Thy ear and wilt restore
The weak and weary by Thy mighty hand.
The orphaned and oppressed shalt Thou defend,
That mortal man, aroused by hate and error,
No more may strike the earth with fear and terror.

Psalm 10

Douglas Wilson, 2000 ©

Why do you stand far off, O God, my LORD?
And why in times of trouble do You hide?
The wicked in their hate cannot afford
To spare the poor from persecuting pride.
Let them be caught as all their schemes collide.
He boasts of lust which from his heart arises;
He blesses greedy men, and God despises.
The wicked gloat, and in their pride of face,
Will not seek after God or think of Him.
Their ways are always grievous to His grace,
And all His judgments seen as blurred and dim.
They scoff at coming dangers fell and grim,
As in their hearts they say they can’t be shaken,
And claim they cannot be in troubles taken.
Their mouths are full of cursing and deceit,
And under their vain tongues is mischief wrought.
Their words seek ways soon to defraud and cheat;
They lurked from alleys and from hiding sought
The blood of innocents; the poor are caught.
They lie in wait; their nets are laid down slowly;
They set their traps; they scheme to catch the lowly.
They crouch beside their traps and are disgraced.
They wait to catch the poor by their own hand,
And say within their hearts, “God hides His face,
He has forgotten us; our schemes will stand.
For God will never see what we have planned.”
Arise, our LORD and God, bring your salvation
And save the humble from humiliation.
Why do the wicked thus condemn the LORD?
Why do they think He will not judge their sin?
Our God has seen it all and lifts His sword;
God marks the mischief and the spite within
Their evil hearts– His judgments soon begin.
O God, the wicked scorn all true repentance.
The fatherless rely upon your sentence.
O God, come down and break their evil arms.
Seek out their sins and chase them all away.
The LORD is King, and freed from all alarms
We rest in Him; the heathen fade away.
O LORD, You always hear the humble pray
As You prepare their hearts for Your own blessing.
You hear their cry and judge all vain oppressing.

Psalm 11

W. van der Kamp, 1972

In God I take my refuge. Why then say you,
“Flee like a bird that to the mountains wings.
For, lo, the wicked bend the bow to slay you;
They fit their sharpened arrows to the strings;
They shoot in secret those who rightness cherish.
What can the righteous who to justice clings
Still do if the foundations fall and perish?”
The LORD does from His holy temple see this,
And from His throne He judges wrong and right;
All men will hear then what His just decree is.
God hates those who in violence delight.
Their lot is storm and brimstone fiercely burning.
The righteous LORD shall favor the upright;
They shall see Him for whom their heart is yearning.

Psalm 12

W. van der Kamp, 1972

Help us, O LORD, the godly all have vanished;
Gone are the faithful who Thy judgments seek.
Men lie to one another, truth is banished;
With flatt’ring lips and double heart they speak.
O may the LORD cut off the lips that flatter,
And those who say, “Our tongue makes us succeed!”
Hear how in vanity they proudly chatter,
“Our lips are ours, what master do we need?”
Because they all despoil the poor and needy
I will arise and right My people’s wrong;
I hear their groans and will destroy the greedy,
And grant My own the rest for which they long.
The words of promise which the LORD has spoken
Are purest silver seven times refined.
His covenant stands from age to age unbroken;
He is our God, in truth and faith enshrined.
O LORD, protect us from this generation;
Forever save us from their ways of sin.
They strut about, and vileness in the nation
Do they exalt among the sons of men.

Psalm 12

David Koyzis ©

Help us, O Lord, for none remain that love You;
Truth has departed from humanity.
Speaking deceitfully to one another,
False people utter words of vanity.
Ruin awaits the tongue that smoothly flatters
And all whose mouths are filled with insolence.
Those who in haughty words seek their protection
Find that their boasts afford them no defense.
"For all the weak who suffer from oppression,
For those whose need is great I will arise."
Thus says the Lord, "My safety will I grant them
And ease the burden of their mournful sighs."
God's holy Word is sure and ever steadfast,
Faithful His cov'nant to all humankind;
His promises are pure as finest silver,
Unalloyed silver seven times refined.
Maintain us, Lord, forever in Your keeping;
Guard and defend us from this evil horde.
On every side the wicked seek to harm us,
While roguish men are held in high regard.

Psalm 12

Marie J Post, 1983

Help, LORD, for those who love your truth have vanished.
Are there trustworthy persons far or near?
It seems that all speak lies and flatter neighbors.
No one these days is honest or sincere.
Do not deal gently with such lying people.
Destroy all those who boast and have no shame,
whose bragging lips reflect a heart of evil.
“No one can stop our speech,” these liars claim.
God knows the poor have been oppressed and ruined.
God knows the needy groan and gives them care:
“Now I will grant the safety that they long for.”
Our God will hear and answer every prayer.
The promises of God are pure as silver—
As pure as silver seven times refined.
Though all the wicked flourish and be honored,
God will protect his own; the LORD is kind.

Psalm 12

Douglas Wilson, 2000 ©

Help, LORD, Your law the godly cease to savor,
The faithful fail among the sons of men.
Men all speak vanity each to his neighbor,
With flattering lips and double hearts they sin.
The LORD will judge all tongues that love to flatter,
And He will sever every prideful lip.
Judge those who think to triumph through their chatter,
Who say they have no lord and cannot slip.
The poor are pressed and struggle in their sighing.
Our LORD will rise and bring them safely through.
The wicked press and crowd, the poor are crying.
Our LORD will save; His promises are true.
The words of God are pure, like silver tested,
Refined in fire and tested seven-fold.
You keep Your saints, they cannot be molested.
The wicked strut when godliness grows old.

Psalm 13

W. van der Kamp, 1972

How long, O LORD, wilt Thou forget?
Far from Thy face I wait and fret.
How long yet must I bear my sorrow?
My heart longs for Thy mercy’s morrow.
Why am I still with foes beset?
Look, LORD my God, and answer me;
Grant that my eyes Thy light may see,
Lest, when the light of life shall fail me,
When foes with joy and pride assail me,
My fall delight my enemy.
Thy steadfast love has been my stay;
My heart shall praise Thee night and day
And shall rejoice in Thy salvation,
And I will praise with jubilation
Thy bounty, LORD Most High, for aye!

Psalm 13

Douglas Wilson, 2000 ©

How long, O LORD, will You forget?
I lift my prayer to You and yet
You do not hear my meditation;
You still refuse my supplication.
I live in sorrow and regret.
How long will all my foes exult?
Why must they taunt and still insult?
O LORD, my God, my prayer consider,
Sustain my eyes, my cry consider,
Lest I come down to death’s cold vault.
Why should my foes my fortress scale?
Why do You let them still assail?
But I have trusted Your salvation,
And I rejoice with exultation;
I sing; God’s bounty will prevail.

Psalm 14

W. van der Kamp, 1972; rev.

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, their horrid deeds they cherish;
Not one of them does good, and just men perish.
None calls upon the LORD, none sings His laud
Or fears His rod.
The LORD looks down from heaven’s holy throne
To see if there are any that act wisely.
O God, not one seeks Thee; they all despise Thee:
See how the sons of men, to evil prone,
Thy law disown.
Will evildoers never understand?
As though they ate their bread, so those who hate Thee
Eat up my helpless people, who await Thee.
They do not pray, but evil they have planned
Throughout the land.
See how they tremble, how they cringe with fear,
For God is with the just in love unbounded.
They wish to see the poor man’s hope confounded,
But when he cries, however loud they jeer,
The LORD shall hear.
O Israel, you people of God’s choice,
That out of Zion might come your salvation!
When from their bondage God shall free His nation,
Let Jacob sing and Israel rejoice
With happy voice.

Psalm 15

W. W. J. VanOene, 1972, & William Helder, 1980

LORD, who shall sojourn in Thy tent
And have mount Zion for his dwelling?
He who does what is good and right,
Whose walk is blameless in Thy sight,
In truth and equity excelling.
His tongue is from all slander free;
He does not wrong or harm those near him;
He scorns those acting wickedly,
But honors the integrity
Of all who serve the LORD and fear Him.
He keeps an oath that may bring pain,
And takes no interest for his lending;
He will not, moved by thought of gain,
Against the innocent complain.
He’ll firmly stand through time unending.

Psalm 16

G. VanDooren, 1961, rev.

Preserve me, God, I put my trust in Thee.
I say to Thee, “Thou art my faithful Savior;
Thou art my LORD, I need Thee constantly.
Apart from Thee I can expect no favor.”
I love Thy saints, with them I am united,
And in their midst my soul will be delighted.
Those choosing other gods instead of Thee
Increase their sorrows, and their deeds will shame them.
Their blood libations I keep far from me
And I shall never lend my lips to name them.
The LORD is good; I shall forsake Him never;
He is my cup and portion now and ever.
My happy lot wilt Thou maintain, O LORD;
The lines have fallen in most pleasant places.
A goodly heritage didst Thou award;
In beauty it excels earth’s choicest spaces.
Thy measuring-rod gave unto me for ever
A place from which no power can me sever.
I praise the LORD and bless Him all the day
For what He by His counsel has provided;
E’en in the night my heart expounds the way
That I should go; thus I am safely guided.
I worship Him with joy and adoration;
None can deprive me of His preservation.
Therefore I now rejoice with heart and soul;
My flesh shall rest secure in Thy protection.
Thou wilt not leave me down in dark Sheol,
Nor let Thy Holy One there see corruption.
With Thee full joy and bliss are ever present;
The fullness of Thy right hand is most pleasant.

Psalm 17

William Helder, 1980 ©

O LORD, hear Thou my righteous cause;
I come with fervent pleas before Thee.
With blameless lips do I implore Thee
To rescue one who loves Thy laws.
I look to Thee for vindication;
Show forth Thy judgment, heed my plight,
And let Thine eye see what is right.
O listen to my supplication!
LORD, Thou hast probed and tried my heart,
And Thou by night dost test and weigh me.
Thou findest when Thou dost as say me
That I in evil take no part;
My mouth does not commit transgression.
As for the works of wick ed men,
Thy word has kept me far from sin,
From ways of violence and oppression.
I took the paths marked out by Thee
So that I would not slip or waver.
I call on Thee, I seek Thy favor,
For Thou, O God, wilt answer me;
Incline Thy ear to me and hear me.
Show forth, O LORD, from heaven above,
The wonders of Thy steadfast love,
Thou Shield of all who trust and fear Thee.
LORD, as the apple of Thine eye
Keep Thou me, with Thy care provide me.
Beneath Thy wings, O Savior, hide me
From deadly foes when they draw nigh.
They close their hearts to all compassion
And utter boastful vanity.
They track me down, surrounding me
Till I should yield to their oppression.
They like the lion crave their prey.
Arise, O LORD! Thy power show them
And draw Thy sword to overthrow them;
With Thy right hand snatch me away.
Save me from those whose only measure
Is this life’s portion, nothing more.
O gorge them with Thy ample store
And let their offspring share such treasure.
But I, when I awake, shall see
Thy face in righteousness and glory;
O with Thy likeness then before me,
How rich and full my joy shall be!

Psalm 17

William Helder © 1980, 2004

LORD, hear me plead a righteous cause;
With blameless lips I come before You
And with my bitter cries implore You
To rescue one who loves Your laws.
LORD, silence every accusation
Of those who in my harm delight
And fix Your eyes on what is right.
I look to You for vindication.
If in the night You probe my mind
And test my inner thoughts and feelings,
All that my heart may be concealing,
You will in me no evil find.
My mouth does not commit transgression.
As for the works of wicked men,
Your word has kept me far from sin,
From ways of violent oppression.
Your paths I took to travel by,
And never did I slip or waver.
I call on You, I seek Your favor,
For You will answer from on high.
LORD, show Your mercy never-ending
And hear my prayer from heaven above.
Display the wonders of Your love,
O shield of those on You depending.
LORD, as the apple of Your eye
Protect me; with Your care provide me.
Beneath Your wings, O Savior, hide me:
My deadly foes in ambush lie.
They close their hearts to all compassion
And utter boastful vanity.
They track me down, surrounding me
To make me yield to their oppression.
They like a lion crave their prey;
Me they are seeking to devour.
Rise up, O LORD! Show them Your power
And with Your hand snatch me away.
Save me from those whose only pleasure
Is this life’s portion, nothing more.
O gorge them with the wealth they store
And let their offspring share such treasure.
But I, when I awake, shall see
Your face in righteousness and glory.
LORD, with Your likeness then before me,
How rich and full my joy shall be.

Psalm 18

W. van der Kamp, 1972

Thee, LORD, I love; Thou art my strength and power.
My fortress is the LORD, my rock and tower;
He, my Deliverer, to Him I flee,
My shield, my Helper, who will rescue me.
My stronghold and the horn of my salvation,
To Him I bring my praise and adoration.
I call upon the LORD; He hears my pleas,
And I am saved from all my enemies.
Death bound me with its dreaded cords and racked me;
The roaring floods of wickedness attacked me.
I lay in death’s entangling cords ensnared;
The grave confronted me and I despaired.
I called upon the LORD my God to save me;
He saw my plight, His mighty help He gave me.
He from His temple heard my voice and cry;
They reached His ears, He answered from on high.
Then reeled the earth, its pillars rocked and quavered;
The deep foundations of the mountains wavered.
Because the LORD was angry, they did quake;
They trembled when they saw His wrath awake.
The smoke rose from His nostrils, black and frightening,
And from His mouth flashed scorching fire and lightning.
He bowed the heavens in His anger’s heat,
While clouds of darkness swirled around His feet.
He rode upon a cherub bright and splendid;
On wings of storm and wind the LORD descended.
With darkness covered was His majesty;
Clouds dark with water were His canopy.
Light was His crown and brightness went before Him,
Red fire and hail broke through the clouds that bore Him.
His thunder roared and echoed through the sky;
His mighty voice shook vale and mountain high.
The LORD did speak, the heavens heard His thunder;
His mighty voice tore clouds and sky asunder.
He sent His arrows, scattered all His foes;
His lightnings flashed, none dared His wrath oppose.
The ocean’s deep, the bedrock of creation,
Lay bare and dry, revealing earth’s foundation.
At Thy rebuke, O LORD, all stood aghast
Before Thy nostrils’ angry breath and blast.
From His high heavens He reached down to take me
Out of the waters — He did not forsake me!
He saved me from my fiercest enemy
And from my haters much too strong for me.
In my calamity they came upon me;
But for the LORD, their onslaught had undone me.
He came to rescue and to set me free,
For He, the LORD my God, delights in me.
The LORD rewarded me, He saved and stayed me,
According to my righteousness repaid me;
For my clean hands and for my innocence.
He did with gifts and grace me recompense.
I’ve kept His ways, He therefore did restore me;
His statutes and His laws have stood before me.
I kept myself from all iniquity;
For this the LORD has now rewarded me.
Yea, mercy to the merciful Thou showest,
And just to him whose justice well Thou knowest
Art Thou, O LORD, whose wrath none can endure,
And with the pure Thou showest Thyself pure.
The cunning man shalt Thou outdo in cunning,
For with Thy bounties shall be overrunning
The cup of those who humbly fear Thy Name,
But haughty eyes Thou bringest down to shame.
Yea, Thou dost light my lamp, Thou shalt restore me;
The LORD my God makes bright the dark before me.
With Thee I crush a troop and conquer all,
And with my God I scale the highest wall.
The way of God is perfect, truth availing,
His word is tried and proven, never failing.
A shield for those who with Him refuge take
Is He, our God, whose power none can shake.
Who but our God is Lord of all creation?
And who but He, the rock of our salvation?
He who with strength and power girded me
Made safe my way; my haters cringe and flee.
Exult in songs, praise Him with harp and cymbal;
He made my feet like hinds’ feet, swift and nimble.
God is with me, my enemies He smites;
I am secure, He puts me on the heights.
O LORD, Thy hand and power shall sustain me,
And for the day of battle Thou dost train me
So that my arms can bend the strongest bow;
With Thee my enemies I’ll overthrow.
Thou gavest me the shield of Thy salvation,
And Thy right hand upheld my place and station;
Thy help has made me glorious and great;
I did not slip; my path was wide and straight.
LORD, when I met my enemies in battle
I drove them off, they fled like frightened cattle.
In my pursuit I overtook them all;
I routed them, delighting in their fall.
I thrust them through, they staggered and they stumbled;
Beneath my feet they lay, prostrate and humbled.
Me Thou didst gird with strength my foes to meet,
Made my assailants sink beneath my feet.
Thou makest all my enemies to leave me;
I have destroyed the men who hate and grieve me
And all who for my doom and downfall crave.
They cried for help, but there was none to save.
I beat them fine, to wind-blown dust I pounded
The men who without cause my life have hounded.
Gone is their pride, their boast, and their conceit;
I cast them out like refuse of the streets.
Me hast Thou saved from strife and provocations
And made the head of other tribes and nations.
I’m served by people whom I’ve never known,
And foreigners came cringing to my throne,
For when they heard of me, they all obeyed me
Because Thou with Thy glory hast arrayed me.
Strange nations left their strongholds, weak with fear,
And trembling they before my throne appear.
The LORD does live, I bless Him with elation;
Exalted be the rock of my salvation,
The God who gave me vengeance, who subdued
The peoples under me in servitude.
Thou didst exalt me when my foes disgraced me;
Above my adversaries hast Thou placed me.
From men of violence and cruelty,
From all my foes didst Thou deliver me.
For this, O LORD, I will among the nations
Extol Thy Name and bring Thee my oblations,
And praises to Thy Name I gladly sing:
Great triumphs He has given to His king.
His steadfast love He shows to His anointed,
To David, now to Israel’s throne appointed.
To all his generations without end
Shall He, the LORD, His faithfulness extend.

Psalm 19

W. W. J. VanOene, 1972; revised

The spacious heavens laud
The glory of our God
With full majestic praise.
The soaring firmament
Unmeasured in extent
His handiwork displays.
Day pours forth speech to day,
Night will to night convey
The knowledge of creation.
There is no speech nor word,
Their voices are not heard;
Yet they reach every nation.
In this wide firmament
God gave the sun a tent
From which to start its run.
Just as a joyful groom
Emerges from his room,
So comes the radiant sun.
And as a man of force
Rejoicing runs his course,
So from the end of heaven
The sun its path completes,
And from its burning heat
Can nothing remain hidden.
The law of God is whole
And it revives the soul
By bidding it to rise.
His testimony sure
Forever shall endure:
It makes the simple wise.
The precepts of the LORD,
Which are His perfect Word,
With joy our hearts do brighten;
While His commandments sure,
Which are both true and pure,
The eyes of man enlighten.
The fear of God is clean;
A fountain most serene
It will forever be.
His ordinances, too,
Are righteous and are true,
For everyone to see,
To be desired far more
Than gold, much fine gold, or
What can be bought for money.
They are far sweeter than
Whatever sweetness man
Receives from combs with honey.
More over, they forewarn
Thy servant that he scorn
All evil ways, O LORD.
He who with faith in Thee
Keeps them obediently
Will reap a great reward.
But, LORD, who is the man
Who with precision can
Discern his every error?
To Thee I humbly pray,
Forgive and clear away
My hidden faults forever.
Keep Thou me all my days,
O LORD, from evil ways;
Wilt Thou their sway prevent.
Then blameless I shall be,
From great transgressions free,
Before Thee innocent.
That every word I say
And all my heart’s thoughts may
Be proof of pure demeanor —
All this Thy servant prays
Of Thee who scanst his ways,
My Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19

Helen Otte, 1987

The spacious heavens tell
The glory of the LORD;
He skies his work proclaim.
Each day and night is heard
Their voice in all the earth;
They glorify God’s name.
Each day the mighty sun
Rejoices in its run,
Arising in the morning—
A bridegroom coming forth,
A runner on the course—
Bright shining in its glory.
God’s perfect law is good,
For it revives the soul
And makes the simple wise.
The precepts of the LORD
Give joy unto the heart
And light unto the eyes.
All God’s commands are sure—
The fear of God is pure,
Forevermore enduring—
More precious the pure gold
Or honey from the comb;
To keep them is rewarding.
Who can discern their wrongs?
Forgive my hidden faults.
Keep me from willful sins.
May they not rule my life;
Then I will blameless be,
Not guilty of great sin.
All of these words and thoughts,
Reflections of my heart,
In praise to you I offer.
May this, my sacrifice,
Be pleasing in your sight,
My Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19

Dewey Westra, 1931

The spacious heavens laud
The glory of our God
With full, majestic praise;
The open firmament,
Unmeasured in extent,
His handiwork displays.
Day will to day proclaim
His sovereignty and fame
With joyful exultation;
Night will to reveal to night
Jehovah’s boundless might
And thoughtful ministration.
The fear of God is clean,
A fountain of serene
And everlasting bliss;
The judgments of the Lord,
Which purest light afford,
Are truth and righteousness.
More to be sought are they
Than gold and silver, yea,
More precious far than money;
In sweetness they excel
The sweetnesses that well
From honeycomb and honey.
God’s law, a perfect whole,
Is saving to the soul,
And every secret tries.
His testimony sure,
Which ever shall endure,
Will make the simple wise.
His statutes, right and true,
Rejoice the heart anew
And show the Lord’s salvation;
His pure commands have lent
Mine eyes enlightenment
In all my meditation.
Moreover, they forewarn
Thy servant that he scorn
All evil ways, O Lord.
He that, in faith on Thee,
Observes them piously
Shall reap a great reward.
But, Lord, where is the man
Who with precision can
Discern his every error?
Thou Fount of joy divine,
O clear this heart of mine
From secret faults forever!

Psalm 19

William Helder © 2002, 2005

The spacious heav’ns declare
God’s glory everywhere;
The skies proclaim His might.
The knowledge they display
Day echoes forth to day
And night makes known to night.
They use no speech or word,
Yet everywhere is heard
The voice of all creation.
The truth that it expounds
Throughout the world resounds
And reaches every nation.
God in the firmament
Pitched for the sun a tent,
The canopy of night.
From there it like a groom
With great rejoicing comes
Arrayed in glorious light.
Like one who runs a race
With strong and eager pace,
Across the vault of heaven
The sun its path completes.
So piercing is its heat
That it leaves nothing hidden.
God’s law is sound and whole;
It will revive the soul,
For it new strength supplies.
His testimony sure,
Trustworthy evermore,
Will make the simple wise.
His precepts plainly show
How right they are, and so
The heart they cheer and brighten.
The LORD’S commandments pure
Shine forth with radiance clear
And so the eyes enlighten.
The fear of God is clean
And, free from sin and stain,
Forever will endure.
His judgments all express
Unfailing righteousness;
The LORD’S decrees are sure.
They far exceed in worth
The finest gold on earth:
His precious testimony!
It sweeter is by far
Than all that’s sweet and pure
In combs that drip with honey.
Your servant, who has heard
The warnings of Your word,
To them pays heed, O LORD.
Those walking in Your way,
Who Your commands obey,
Will win a great reward.
But, LORD, who can perceive
What errors one may have
Unwittingly committed?
O cleanse me! Let me be
Of secret failings free,
Of hidden faults acquitted.
O LORD, from wilful ways
Preserve me all my days:
The rule of sin prevent.
Then I shall blameless be,
From grave offences free,
And wholly innocent.
O hear me as I pray:
Let what my tongue may say
And what my heart may ponder
Be pleasing in Your sight,
O LORD so great in might,
My rock and my defender.

Psalm 20

W. van der Kamp, 1972

O may the LORD in days of trouble
From Zion hear your cry,
Protect you, scattering like stubble
Those who His Name deny.
May He recall your gifts of spices,
And from His sanctuary
With favor see your sacrifices
And quell your adversary.
May all your heart’s desire be granted
And God fulfill your plans!
May we the victory you wanted
Extol with song and dance.
He made your way and war victorious,
And we, His Name professing,
Will set up banners great and glorious.
God crown your prayers with blessing.
I know now that the LORD’s anointed
Will with His help be blessed.
The LORD hears whom He has appointed
And grants him his request.
Yes, from His heaven high and holy
His right hand strong and mighty
Shall stay the proud, exalt the lowly,
And with great deeds delight me.
Some boast of chariots, some of horses,
But we boast in the Name
Of Him who rules all heaven’s forces,
Our LORD so great in fame.
They will collapse and fall before us,
But we shall rise undaunted.
O LORD, make Thou the king victorious,
That so our prayers be granted.

Psalm 21

W. W. J. VanOene, 1972; rev

LORD, in Thy strength the king exults;
Thou richly dost support him.
His wish Thou dost accord him
By granting him Thy blest results.
Thy power he a vowed,
Thou hast his prayer allowed.
His blessings from Thee are untold;
Prosperity Thou grantest.
Upon his head Thou plantest
A precious crown of finest gold.
The life he asked of Thee
Thou gavest, endlessly.
Great through Thy help his splendor is;
Thou crownest him with glory
And majesty before Thee.
Thou grantest him abundant bliss.
And, since Thou present art,
Great joy fills all his heart.
The king does on the LORD rely,
His faithfulness believing;
And, steadfast love receiving,
He, through the grace of the Most High,
Is from his place not moved
Which was by God approved.
Your hand will find your enemy,
Your right hand all that hate you;
With fear they must await you:
A blazing oven they will see;
By fire they are destroyed
For evil they employed.
The LORD will swallow them in ire,
And fire will soon consume them.
Yes, with their seed, you’ll doom them
And cause them wholly to expire.
Though mischief they may plot,
Successful they are not.
For you will put them all to flight.
Your arrows they’ll be facing
When you your bow are bracing.
LORD, be exalted in Thy might.
Thy praises we will voice,
And in Thy power rejoice.

Psalm 22

W. W. J. VanOene, 1972

My God, O why hast Thou forsaken me?
Why dost Thou not, while unto Thee I flee,
Grant any help, but seemest not to see
My tribulation?
I groan by day, but Thou art far from heeding
The mournful cries that I have been repeating;
By night also Thou dost not hear my pleading.
I find no rest.
Yet Thou art holy, God of Israel!
Enthroned on high, Thou dost midst praises dwell.
Whatever to our fathers once befell,
In Thee they trusted.
This trust in Thee hast Thou with grace rewarded:
Thou hast to them deliverance accorded
And safety by Thy strong right hand afforded
Whene’er they cried!
But I, I am a worm, and not a man.
I am despised and scorned by everyone.
They stare and mock at me; whoever can
Shows his derision.
“From God the LORD his cause he would not sever;
Let then the LORD,” they say, “be his Deliverer
And rescue him, if truly He did ever
Delight in him!”
Yet from the womb Thou, LORD, hast been my rest,
And kept me safe upon my mother’s breast;
Upon Thee, from my birth on, I was cast,
My God and Keeper!
Thou ever since the day my mother bore me
Hast been my God. O wilt Thou then restore me
And in all trouble be my help before me:
None else can help!
Bulls that encompass me to kill, abound.
Strong bulls of Bashan me, in rage, surround.
They open wide their mouth at me and sound
Like roaring lions.
See how like water all my strength is going;
My bones are out of joint, my heart (fear showing)
Like melted wax within my body flowing
Is sore distressed.
My strength is also withered and thereby
My tongue from lack of moisture is parched dry.
The dust of death has now come very nigh;
Yea, dogs surround me.
I suffer from the evildoers’ smiting;
They pierced my hands and feet; they gloat and, chiding,
Among themselves my garments are dividing
By casting lots.
But Thou, my LORD, O be not far away
And to my help do hasten, be my stay,
That from the deadly sword my soul now may
Soon be delivered!
Save, LORD, my soul from dogs and from their power,
From lions’ mouths, O Thou my Strength and Tower,
And from wild oxen’s horns do Thou allow her
Deliverance.
I to my brethren of Thy Name will tell,
And praise Thee in the midst of Israel.
From him who fears the LORD let praises swell
In the assembly.
Let all the sons of Jacob sing Thy glory,
And let all Israel stand in awe before Thee,
For Thou hast not despised me nor abhorred me
In my distress.
O LORD, Thou hast not hid from me Thy face,
But when I cried hast shown to me Thy grace.
So hast Thou given ample room for praise
Among Thy people.
My vows I pay before all those who fear Him,
For the afflicted eats since God did hear him.
All those that seek Him surely shall revere Him
And live for aye.
The ends of all the earth recall His grace
And, turning to the LORD, will seek His face.
All families from every tribe and race
Shall bow before Him.
The kingdoms are the LORD’s own habitations
And He alone rules over all the nations;
The proud of heart shall offer invocations
And to Him bow.
Both high and low before His majesty,
All those that turn to dust, will bow the knee;
And he whose own strength cannot keep him free
From death and ruin.
A seed shall serve Him, and each generation
In time to come shall hear of His salvation;
The unborn, too, will hear the proclamation
Of what He wrought.

Psalm 23

William Helder, 1980 ©

The LORD my Shepherd in His love defends me.
I shall not want; in pastures green He tends me,
Makes me lie down, His care and mercy showing;
Leads me where peaceful streams are gently flowing.
He for His Name’s sake surely will restore me;
In paths of righteousness He goes before me.
Though in death’s valley, lonely and forsaken,
I am by gloom and shadows overtaken,
I fear no evil: Thou art ever near me
And in my grief and sorrow Thou dost hear me.
Thy rod and staff, O God of my salvation,
Shall comfort me in all my tribulation.
Thy bounteous table Thou dost spread before me;
My foes look on while Thou dost so restore me.
My head Thou hast with soothing oil anointed;
My cup runs over, for Thou hast appointed
Goodness and mercy to forsake me never,
And in Thy house, LORD, I shall dwell forever.

Psalm 23

David Koyzis ©

The Lord's my shepherd, close to me abiding.
I nothing lack, for he is yet providing.
In pastures green he lets me lie at leisure,
By quiet waters leads me at his pleasure;
There in his love he graciously revives me.
For his name's sake in righteous ways he guides me.
Though I be stalked by shadows fast approaching,
Or valleys walk while darkness is encroaching,
I will not fear, for evil cannot touch me;
With you beside me foes may never crush me.
Your rod and staff are there for my protection,
They comfort me and offer sure direction.
You spread your table richly to receive me
Before my foes, who vainly would deceive me.
Your precious oil anoints my head with kindness;
My cup flows over with a heart of gladness.
Goodness and mercy will forsake me never,
And I will dwell in God's own house for ever.

Psalm 23

William Helder © 1980, 2004

The LORD my shepherd in His love defends me;
I shall not want. In pastures green He tends me,
Makes me lie down, His care and mercy showing;
Leads me where peaceful streams are gently flowing.
He for His name’s sake surely will restore me;
In paths of righteousness He goes before me.
Though in death’s valley, lonely and forsaken,
I am by gloom and shadows overtaken,
I fear no evil, for You are beside me;
Through all the depths of sorrow You will guide me.
You comfort me, O God of my salvation;
Your rod and staff, they are my consolation.
Your bounteous table You prepare before me,
And all my foes look on while You restore me.
My head You have with soothing oil anointed;
My cup runs over, for You have appointed
Goodness and mercy to forsake me never,
And in Your house, LORD, I shall dwell forever.

Psalm 24

W. van der Kamp, 1967; rev.

The LORD is King of earth’s domain,
The world and all that dwell therein.
Rejoice, O Zion’s sons and daughters,
For it stands firm by His decrees;
He founded it upon the seas,
Established it upon the waters.
Who shall ascend the hill of God,
Stand in His holy place, and laud
The LORD, who lives and reigns forever?
He who withstands the wicked’s lure,
Who has clean hands, whose heart is pure,
Who keeps his oaths and does not waver.
Rich blessings shall be his reward,
And vindication from the LORD,
Who is the Rock of his salvation.
Such are the men who seek the face
Of Jacob’s God, so rich in grace.
From Him is all their expectation.
Lift up your heads, you arch and gate;
O ancient doors, rise up and wait;
Let Him come in, the King of glory.
Who is that King of glorious fame?
The LORD Almighty is His Name,
He who in battle goes be fore me.
Lift up your heads, you arch and gate;
O ancient doors, rise up and wait;
Let Him come in, the King of glory.
Who is that King, in glory great?
The LORD of hosts, Him we await.
The LORD, He is the King of glory!

Psalm 24

David Koyzis ©

The earth belongs to the Lord God,
The world and all that dwell therein;
He founded it upon the ocean,
Resting it firm on the waters.
Who may ascend to Zion's hill,
Or stand upon God's holy mountain?
Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,
Who do not worship idol gods
Or falsely swear, may come before Him.
They will receive the Lord's blessing
And vindication from their God.
Such is the lot of all who seek Him.
Lift up your heads, O you portals!
Be lifted up, you ancient doors,
So that our glorious King may enter.
Who is this King of all glory?
The Lord, so full of power and might,
For he is strong to win the battle.
Lift up your heads, O you portals!
Be lifted up, you ancient doors,
So that our glorious King may enter.
Who is this King of all glory?
The Lord with all his heav'nly host,
The ever-reigning King of glory.

Psalm 25

Samuel G. Brondsema, 1931; rev.

Unto Thee, O LORD, my Savior,
I lift up my waiting soul.
O my God, in Thee I trusted;
Let no shame now o’er me roll.
On my enemies be shame,
Oft without a cause transgressing;
But all those who trust Thy Name
Honor with abundant blessing.
Show Thou unto me, Thy servant,
All Thy ways and teach Thou me,
So that, by Thy Spirit guided,
Clearly I Thy paths may see.
In Thy truth wilt Thou me guide,
Teach me, God of my salvation;
All the day for Thee I bide,
LORD, with eager expectation.
Wilt Thou then, I pray, be mindful
Of Thy mercies manifold,
Of Thy care and loving-kindness
Which have ever been of old.
Sins of youth remember not,
Nor recall my hid transgression;
For Thy goodness’ sake, O God,
Think of me in Thy compassion.
He, the LORD, is good and upright
In His dealings evermore.
Sinners are by Him instructed
In the way untrod before.
He will ever guide the meek
In His judgments true and holy,
Teach His ways to those who seek
With a contrite heart and lowly.
All the paths the LORD has chosen
Speak of truth and mercies pure
Unto such as keep His covenant
And His testimony sure.
For the glory of Thy Name,
Pardon, LORD, my evildoing;
Grievous though my sin and shame,
Hear my cry, Thy love renewing.
Who, then, fears the LORD sincerely
Walking with Him day by day?
God will lead him safely onward,
Guide him in the chosen way.
Then at ease his soul shall rest,
In the LORD his God confiding;
And his children shall be blest,
Safely in the land abiding.
To His people, who revere Him,
Has the LORD His friendship shown,
And He will to all who fear Him
Make His steadfast covenant known.
With a confidence complete,
Toward the LORD my eyes are turning.
From the net He’ll pluck my feet;
He will not despise my yearning.
Turn to me and show Thy favor;
I am lonely and distressed.
From my troubles me deliver;
Save me, for I am oppressed.
Heal the sorrows of my heart
And regard my life as precious.
Thou who my Deliverer art,
Bring me out of my distresses.
Look up on my great affliction
And my troubles, LORD, behold;
Grant me full and free remission
Of my trespasses untold.
See my enemies, for great
Is the number that upbraid me;
Who, in their consuming hate,
With their cruel scorn have flayed me.
Guard my life, O gracious Savior;
Come, I pray, deliver me,
Lest my head with shame be covered,
For my refuge is in Thee.
Trusting in Thy power supreme,
LORD, I wait for Thy salvation;
God, come quickly to redeem
Israel from tribulation.

Psalm 25

Stanley Wiersma, 1980

LORD, to you my soul is lifted.
Let me never be ashamed
That I trust in you to keep me
Though I seem to wait in vain.
LORD, remember all your love;
In your holy will instruct me.
LORD, do not remember sins
Of those younger years behind me.
LORD of covenant and goodness,
Pardon and correct my sin.
They who worship you and fear you
Choose the paths you choose for them.
They and all their family
Shall possess the earth forever.
You, O LORD, will be their friend.
From the snare you will deliver.
Turn to me in grace and mercy,
As I suffer all alone.
Take away my sin and sadness,
All the trouble I have known.
May my fierce and spiteful foes
Not succeed to harm and curse me.
In your faithfulness I hope.
On your people, LORD, have mercy.

Psalm 26

W. van der Kamp, 1972

O vindicate me, LORD;
Deceit I have abhorred;
I’ve walked in my integrity.
Thy law and word I favor;
I did not halt or waver
But constantly have trusted Thee.
O LORD, in truth enshrined,
Test Thou my heart and mind,
Prove all my ways, examine me.
Let me not fall and perish;
Thy steadfast love I cherish,
I walk in faithfulness to Thee.
With fools I do not sit,
I hate the hypocrite
And evildoers’ company.
My seat I’ve never taken
With men who have forsaken
The path of truth, made known by Thee.
I, from all sin apart,
In innocence of heart
Will wash my hands and take my place.
Around Thy altar singing,
My voice with rapture ringing,
I laud Thy wondrous deeds and grace.
Thy praise I will record.
I love Thy house, O LORD,
The place where all Thy glories dwell.
O let my voice not falter
When I before Thy altar
The wonders of Thy might retell.
Sweep Thou me not away
With those who disobey
Thy holy law of truth and light,
With men of blood and scoffers
And with the man who offers
His bribes to lure the weak from right.
But I shall walk with Thee
Who vindicatest me.
My foot stands firm on level ground;
In the great congregation
I bless the LORD’s salvation;
In praise of Him I shall abound.

Psalm 27

William Helder, 1980 ©

God is my light, my refuge, my salvation.
Whom shall I fear? The LORD comes to my aid.
He is my strength in all my tribulation.
Of whom shall I then ever be afraid?
When foes who seek my life close in on me,
They all shall stumble and in anguish flee;
And though their armies should in war draw near,
I’ll put my trust in Him; I will not fear.
One thing have I desired of God as favor,
That I may always in His temple dwell
To view the beauty of the LORD my Savior
And in His house to seek His holy will.
For in the day of trouble and of strife
He in His shelter will preserve my life.
With in His tent He’ll keep me at His side;
High on a rock He safety will pro vide.
My head shall I lift up now with rejoicing
Above the hostile forces round about,
And in His tent, my jubilation voicing,
My sacrifice I’ll bring with joyful shouts.
I will extol the steadfast love of God
And with melodious hymns His mercy laud.
O hear me, LORD, when I cry out to Thee;
Show me Thy grace and favor, answer me!
“Seek ye My face.” O LORD, so Thou hast spoken,
And in response my heart says unto Thee,
“Thy count’nance do I seek in prayer unbroken.”
Do not, O LORD, now hide Thy face from me.
In anger turn Thy servant not away,
Thou who hast ever been my help and stay.
Forsake me not, for I on Thee rely;
O God of my salvation, hear my cry!
My father and my mother may forsake me:
The LORD is faithful and His help is sure.
Teach me Thy way. O LORD and Savior, take me,
Lead me on pathways level and secure,
For evildoers lie in wait for me.
Hand me not over to their tyranny.
False witnesses against me still arise;
They breathe out malice and abusive lies.
How I would have despaired in my affliction
If I had not believed that in this life
The LORD would show His goodness, His protection;
I would have perished in my tears and strife.
Wait for the LORD; be strong and undismayed.
The LORD is faithful. Why then be afraid?
Take courage, for His steadfast love is sure.
Wait for the LORD; His mercy shall endure.

Psalm 27

Marie J. Post, 1980

The LORD God is my light and my salvation—
Whom shall I fear? He is my sheltering wall.
When enemies arise and turn against me,
They stumble on their slippery paths and fall.
I will not fear though enemies assault;
My confidence in God erases doubt.
Though battles rage, the LORD will keep me near;
I trust in him and I shall never fear.
One thing I ask my loving LORD to grant me:
That I may dwell forever in his house,
To gaze upon the beauty of the LORD God,
To seek him in his holy dwelling place.
For in the day of trouble and of strife,
God in his shelter will preserve my life.
High on a rock I’ll lift my voice and sing;
With shouts of joy my praises I will bring.
Hear me, O LORD, when I in desperation
Cry out for help; be merciful to me.
LORD, hear my cry and heed my supplication;
O answer, gracious LORD, this urgent plea.
The LORD to me has spoken, “Seek my face.”
My heart says, “Yes, LORD, I will seek your face.”
Remember me, your servant; do not hide.
Do not be angry, LORD; stay at my side.
Do not desert me, LORD of my salvation,
Although my mother and my father do.
Teach me your way of truth, O LORD, and lead me
To walk the level paths I long to know.
False witnesses arise to block my ways,
But I am confident and trust your grace,
That I will see the goodness of the LORD.
Hope in the LORD! Be strong and trust his word.

Psalm 27

William Helder © 1980, 2005

God is my light, my refuge, my salvation.
Whom shall I fear? The LORD comes to my aid.
He is my strength in all my tribulation.
Of whom shall I then ever be afraid?
When foes who seek my life close in on me,
They all shall stumble and in anguish flee;
And though an army should in war draw near,
I will be confident; I will not fear.
One thing have I desired of God as favor,
That I may always in His temple dwell
To view the beauty of the LORD my Savior
And in His house to seek His holy will.
For in the day of trouble and of strife
He in His shelter will preserve my life.
Within His tent He’ll keep me at His side;
High on a rock He safety will provide.
My head shall I lift up now with rejoicing
Above the hostile forces round about,
And in His tent, my jubilation voicing,
My sacrifice I’ll bring with joyful shouts.
I will extol the steadfast love of God
And with melodious hymns His mercy laud.
LORD, hear me when I call and answer me.
Show me your favor. Listen to my plea.
“Come, seek My face.” O LORD, so You have spoken,
And in response my heart says earnestly:
“Your count’nance I will seek in prayer unbroken.”
LORD, hear me! Do not hide Your face from me,
Nor thrust Your servant angrily aside,
For You have ever been my help and guide.
Do not forsake me. Listen to my cry.
On You, O God my Savior, I rely.
My father and my mother may forsake me:
The LORD is faithful and His help is sure.
Teach me Your way. O LORD and Savior, take me,
Lead me on pathways level and secure,
For evildoers lie in wait for me.
Hand me not over to their tyranny.
False witnesses against me still arise;
They breathe out malice and abusive lies.
How I would have despaired in my affliction
If I had not believed that in this life
The LORD would show His goodness, His protection;
I would have perished in my tears and strife.
Wait for the LORD; be strong and undismayed.
The LORD is faithful. Why then be afraid?
Take courage, for His steadfast love is sure.
Wait for the LORD; His mercy shall endure.

Psalm 28

W. van der Kamp, 1972

To Thee, O LORD, I call in anguish;
My Rock, in fear of death I languish.
Be Thou not deaf, but hear my crying
Lest I become in all my sighing
Like those who go down to the Pit.
Be Thou not silent; answer it.
Take me not off with those who hate Thee,
Who with their treachery await me,
My enemies who boast and bluster
When for their evil works they muster.
To neighbors words of peace they feign,
But in their hearts their misdeeds reign.
According to their works requite them,
According to their evils blight them.
Give them their due reward and render
His handiwork to the offender.
The works of God those foes ignore;
He’ll break them down, build them no more.
Blest be the LORD of my salvation,
For He has heard my supplication.
He is my strength, my shield forever;
I trust in Him, He fails me never.
So I am helped. Exult, my heart,
To Him your joyful songs impart.
The LORD shall be our strength and power;
A saving refuge and a tower
Is He for whom He has anointed
And for those as His heirs appointed.
Be Thou their Shepherd and their Ward,
And carry them forever, LORD.

Psalm 29

W. van der Kamp, 1967

O you mighty, give the LORD
Strength and praise with one accord;
Sing His glory and His fame,
Worship in His courts His Name.
O’er the waters rolls His thunder,
Lightning tears the clouds asunder.
Hear, God’s voice is full of splendor;
Earth, to Him your praises render.
Cedars shatter, forests fall,
Mountains shudder at His call.
Like a calf leaps Lebanon,
Like a wild ox Sirion.
God’s voice, flames from heaven flashing,
And His thunders loudly crashing
Shake the wilderness, and broken
Lie its oaks when He has spoken.
God’s voice strips the forest bare.
In His temple they all cry:
“Glory to the LORD on high!”
He for whom the nations shiver
Founds His throne on flood and river.
May the LORD give strength and power,
Peace upon His people shower.

Psalm 29

David Koyzis ©

Angels, give the Lord your praise;
Glory in His mighty ways!
Give the glory due His name,
And adore Him for His fame.
God's voice echoes o'er the ocean,
Breaking waves in loud commotion.
Our Lord's voice is like the thunder
In its power and its splendor.
Cedars topple to the ground
At his voice's fearful sound.
Like the startled calf in flight,
Mountains tremble at his might.
God's voice like the lightning flashes,
With a thunderclap it crashes.
God's voice sets the desert quaking,
And the wilderness to shaking.
Woodlands quake to hear the Lord,
Oak trees tumble at His word.
All within His temple cry:
"Glory to the Lord on high!"
God sits throned as king for ever,
Throned above the raging river.
Our Lord strengthens us His people
And gives peace amid upheaval.

Psalm 30

W. van der Kamp, 1967; rev.

I will extol Thee, LORD; Thy might
Has raised me up to life and light.
My foes rejoice not over me.
O LORD my God, I cried to Thee,
And Thou hast healed me, my Defender.
To Thee my thanks and praise I render.
O LORD, Thou hast brought up my soul
From death’s abode, from dark Sheol.
My life from failing Thou didst keep,
Saved from the Pit, the lightless deep.
Give thanks, you saints, lift up your faces,
Bring to His holy Name your praises.
His anger will not long endure,
His favor all your life is sure.
Though there be weeping for a night,
Joy comes to greet the morning light.
The LORD will change the dark of sorrow
To song and laughter on the morrow.
In my prosperity I thought
My work would never come to nought,
Unmindful that but by Thy grace
I like a mountain held my place.
When Thou didst hide Thy face I stumbled;
I was dismayed, by troubles humbled.
LORD, unto Thee I called in prayer,
Well of my foolish pride aware;
I cried, “Of what avail is it
If I go down into the Pit?
Shall ever dust with songs adore Thee,
Declare Thy faithfulness and glory?
“Hear Thou me as I seek Thy face;
LORD, be my Helper, grant Thy grace.”
My grief hast Thou to dancing turned.
The sackcloth that my pride had earned
Hast Thou put off; Thou dost with gladness
Now gird me after days of sadness.
Now shall my heart sing praise to Thee:
Gone is the grief that silenced me.
I may, delivered from despair,
Now laud Thy Name in song and prayer.
Forever, LORD, my God and Savior,
Will I give thanks for Thy great favor.

Psalm 31

W. van der Kamp, 1967; rev.

In Thee, O LORD, I’ve taken refuge.
Let shame not cover me;
I put my trust in Thee.
Come in Thy righteousness and save me
From those who do not fear Thee;
My God and Helper, hear me.
O LORD, come quickly to my rescue;
Be Thou my rock and tower.
To save me show Thy power;
Thou art my rock and mighty fortress.
Be Thou my Guide and heed me,
And for Thy Name’s sake lead me.
Out of the net that they have hidden
Set Thou me free, I pray.
O LORD, do not delay.
Into Thy hands I give my spirit;
I’m ransomed by Thy favor,
LORD, God of truth, my Savior!
I hate all those by whom vain idols
Are worshipped and adored,
For I trust in the LORD.
I will be glad and sing Thy praises,
My exultation voicing
While in Thy love rejoicing.
Thou, seeing my distress and anguish,
Hast come to set me free,
Didst not deliver me
Into the hands of those who hate me.
Thou hast set, LORD so gracious,
My feet in spacious places.
In my affliction, LORD, show mercy.
My eyes are dimmed with grief;
My soul yearns for relief;
My life is spent in pain and sorrow.
See how my strength is failing,
For I am weak and ailing.
I am the scorn of all my haters;
My neighbors jest and jeer;
Friends flee from me in fear.
I have become a broken vessel;
I’m like the dead, neglected,
Forgotten and rejected.
I hear the slander all around me;
Fear stands on every side,
And many me deride.
Against my life they are conspiring;
Their hatred is unbounded.
By plots I am surrounded.
But yet in Thee, O LORD, I’ve trusted;
With Thee, my God, I’ll stand.
My times are in Thy hand;
Deliver me from all my haters.
Let me no longer languish
In my distress and anguish.
Make Thou Thy face to shine upon me;
Let me not suffer shame,
For I call on Thy Name.
But let my foes with shame be covered;
Let those who me surrounded
Go to the grave dumbfounded.
Let lying lips be dumb and speechless,
For with contempt and pride
Thy servant they deride.
Hear how my haters, bold and haughty,
With joy to evil pander,
How they the righteous slander!
O how abundant is Thy goodness,
Which is reserved for all
Who fear Thee and recall
What Thou hast done for those who serve Thee,
And all who have oppressed them
Shall see that Thou hast blessed them.
Thou in the shelter of Thy presence
Securely hidest them
From the intrigues of men;
They find a refuge in Thy dwelling
Far from all strife and slander,
For Thou art their Defender.
I praise Thee, LORD, for all Thy mercy,
Thy wondrous love for me.
I felt cut off from Thee
When foes besieged me like a city,
But Thou in tribulation
Didst hear my supplication.
O love the LORD, all you His people!
The faithful He will spare,
The proud He’ll give their share.
Be strong and let your heart take courage.
His own He will deliver;
He will forsake you never.

Psalm 32

William Helder, 1980 ©

Blest is the man whose trespass is forgiven,
Whose sins are covered in the sight of heaven.
Blest is the man against whom, LORD, Thou wilt
Not count all his iniquity and guilt.
How happy he, contrite of heart and lowly,
Who has confessed his sins, O LORD most holy;
Who does not secretly Thy laws transgress,
Whose spirit harbors no deceitfulness.
When I kept silent, sinful ways condoning,
I pined away through my incessant groaning.
Thy hand weighed down on me in my deceit;
My strength was sapped as by the summer’s heat.
To Thee, O God of justice and compassion,
I then at last acknowledged my transgression.
I said, “I will confess my sins to Thee,”
And all my guilt Thou hast forgiven me.
Let all the godly when they grieve and suffer
To Thee, O LORD, their supplications offer.
Surely when floods of mighty waters rise,
They shall not reach him who on Thee relies.
Thou art a hiding-place for those who serve Thee;
Thou, mighty God, from trouble dost preserve me.
Songs of deliv’rance everywhere resound:
Thou me with great rejoicing dost surround.
I will instruct you, with my aid provide you,
And in the way that you should go will guide you.
My counsel will be ever at your side,
And, keeping watch, I will with you abide.
Be not a fool, who has no understanding;
Do not behave like horse or mule, depending
On bit and bridle to control their course;
They disobey unless restrained by force.
With many woes the wicked are afflicted,
But he who trusts in God is well protected;
Him will the LORD with steadfast love surround.
Those who revere Him are with mercy crowned.
Be glad, O righteous, in the LORD rejoicing;
Exult in Him, your jubilation voicing,
For light and life He will to you impart.
Now shout for joy, you men of upright heart.

Psalm 32

William Helder © 1980, 2004

Blest is the man whose trespass is forgiven,
Whose sins are covered in the sight of heaven;
Against whom You, O LORD, will graciously
Not count his guilt and his iniquity.
Blest he who with a heart contrite and lowly
Confesses all his sins, O LORD most holy;
Who does not secretly Your laws transgress,
Whose spirit harbors no deceitfulness.
When I kept silent, sinful ways condoning,
I pined away through my incessant groaning.
Your hand weighed down on me in my deceit;
My strength was sapped as by the summer’s heat.
To You, O God of justice and compassion,
I then at last acknowledged my transgression.
I said, “My misdeeds I to You confess,”
And You forgave my guilt and sinfulness.
Let all the godly when they grieve or suffer
To You their prayers and supplications offer.
When roaring floods of mighty waters rise,
They shall not reach him who on You relies.
O LORD, You are my shelter; You protect me.
You are my shield, whatever may afflict me.
Songs of deliv’rance echo all around;
You cheer my spirit with their joyful sound.
I will instruct you, with my aid provide you,
And in the way that you should go will guide you.
My counsel will be ever at your side,
And, keeping watch, I will with you abide.
Be not a fool, who has no understanding;
Do not behave like horse or mule, depending
On bit and bridle to control their course;
They disobey unless restrained by force.
With many woes the wicked are afflicted,
But those who trust in God are well protected;
Them will the LORD with steadfast love surround.
Those who revere Him are with mercy crowned.
Be glad, You righteous, in the LORD rejoicing;
Exult in Him, your jubilation voicing.
All you of upright heart, with joyful shout
Now let the praises of the LORD ring out.

Psalm 33

W. van der Kamp, 1972, & William Helder, 1980

Rejoice ye in the LORD, O righteous,
And let a new song fill the air.
Praise is becoming to the up right;
With harp and lyre His fame declare.
For the LORD has spoken
Words of truth unbroken;
He is faithful still.
Righteousness He treasures;
Earth is with the measures
Of His good ness filled.
He by His word has made the heavens;
Their host appeared by His decree.
He gathered in His storehouse chambers
The waters of the deepest sea.
Let the earth revere Him,
And its peoples fear Him.
God spoke, and ‘twas done.
He set all creation
Firm on its foundation.
Praise Him, everyone!
God brings to nought the nations’ counsel;
He frustrates all the peoples’ plans.
The LORD is steadfast in His purpose;
For evermore His counsel stands.
Blessed with His salvation
Is His chosen nation,
For He is their LORD.
Freed from all oppression,
They are His possession.
Let Him be adored!
The LORD looks from His heavenly dwelling
And He beholds the human race;
The earth and all its population
He sees from that exalted place.
He knows every nation;
All are His creation,
And their hearts He molds.
‘Tis the LORD who ever
Sees all their endeavor;
He their works beholds.
No king is saved by his great army;
By strength the mighty are not freed.
A horse of war will bring no victory;
In vain the warrior trusts his steed.
But the LORD our Savior
Looks on those with favor
Who His mercy trust.
Yea, though famine grieve them,
He will never leave them
Prey to death and dust.
Our soul awaits the great Redeemer;
Our help and shield, Him we acclaim.
Our hearts rejoice in Him and glory,
For we trust in His holy Name.
So we humbly pray Thee,
Let Thy steadfast mercy,
LORD, upon us be,
And in love deliver
Us, Thy flock, forever,
As we hope in Thee.

Psalm 33

Marie J. Post, 1980

Rejoice! Sing praise to your Creator,
For it is good to praise the LORD.
Make music with guitar and trumpet;
Blend skillfully each note and word.
All God’s words are truthful.
All his works are faithful
He loves righteousness.
To the earth and heavens
Constant care is given
With unfailing love.
God spoke his word to make the heavens;
His spirit gave the stars their birth.
He gathers all the oceans’ waters
In storehouses around the earth.
Who should not adore him,
Stand in awe before him?
What he spoke was done:
Place and life were given
To seas, earth, and heaven.
Let all fear the LORD!
The LORD upsets the plans of nations;
He frustrates all that they devise.
But God’s own plans stand firm forever,
And all his purposes are wise.
Blessed is that nation,
Every generation
For whom God is LORD.
Bound to him forever,
Nothing now can sever
God from those he chose.
The LORD on high looks down from heaven;
He sees all people he has made.
No king is saved by might or army;
A warrior’s horse will not give aid.
Our LORD sees with favor
Those who love their Savior—
Keeps his eye on them.
Death’s bonds he will sever,
Save their lives forever—
God will save from death.
Our souls wait for the LORD, our keeper;
He is our help, he is our shield.
Shout loudly, praise the LORD, and trust him
Who has our life and future sealed.
God, our loving Savior,
Keeps us safe forever.
Holy is his name!
God the LORD is loving,
Always, all ways proving
Hope is in the LORD.

Psalm 34

William Helder, 1980 ©

The LORD I will extol,
At all times bless His holy Name.
I will not cease to sing His praise;
His goodness I proclaim.
I glory in the LORD;
Let the afflicted hear my voice.
O magnify the LORD with me!
With me in Him rejoice.
I sought the LORD in prayer;
He heard my cry and answered me.
From all my worries and my fears
The LORD has set me free.
Those who on Him rely
Will never hang their heads in shame.
When this poor man implored His aid,
The LORD delivered him.
The Angel of the LORD
Always encamps around all those
Who fear Him and exalt His Name;
God saves them from their woes.
O come, then, taste and see
That He, the LORD, is good and just.
Blest is the man who turns to Him
And puts in Him his trust.
All you who are His saints,
Revere the LORD and worship Him,
For those who fear Him have no want;
He richly blesses them.
Though lions may grow faint
And pangs of hunger may endure,
Those seeking Him lack no good thing;
In Him they rest secure.
Come, children, hear my voice;
You I will teach to fear the LORD.
Who is the man desiring life,
Its pleasures and rewards?
Keep then your tongue from wrong
And let your lips no falsehood speak.
Depart from evil and do good;
True peace and concord seek.
The LORD from heaven above
Regards the righteous with His eyes,
And when they call on Him, His ears
Are open to their cries.
But evildoers all
The anger of the LORD must face;
He cuts them off, and from the earth
Their name He will erase.
But when the righteous cry,
The LORD in mercy hears their pleas;
He graciously delivers them
From all their miseries.
The LORD is always near;
The broken-hearted He will heal.
Those crushed in spirit He will save,
To them His love re veal.
The righteous man may grieve;
He many troubles may endure.
The LORD will free him from them all;
His help is ever sure.
Why should he then despair?
God keeps his bones from injury;
Not one of them will come to harm,
For great and good is He!
Their countless evil deeds
Will slay the wicked in the end.
All those who hate the righteous ones
He’ll to perdition send.
The LORD redeems the life
Of those who serve and honor Him;
All who in Him their refuge take
He never will condemn.

Psalm 34

William Helder © 1980, 2006

The LORD I will extol,
At all times bless His holy name.
I will not cease to sing His praise;
His goodness I proclaim.
I glory in the LORD;
Let the afflicted hear my voice.
O magnify the LORD with me!
With me in Him rejoice.
I sought the LORD in prayer;
He heard my plea and answered me.
From all my worries and my fears
The LORD has set me free.
Those who on Him rely
Will never hang their heads in shame.
When this poor man cried out for help,
The LORD delivered him.
The Angel of the LORD
Ever encamps around all those
Who fear him and exalt His name;
God saves them from their woes.
O come, then, taste and see
That He, the LORD, is good and just.
Blest is the man who turns to Him
And puts in Him his trust.
All you who are His saints,
Revere the LORD and worship Him,
For those who fear Him have no want;
He richly blesses them.
Though lions may grow faint
And pangs of hunger may endure,
Those seeking Him lack no good thing;
In Him they rest secure.
Come, children, hear my voice;
You I will teach to fear the LORD.
Who is the man desiring life,
Its pleasures and rewards?
Keep then Your tongue from wrong
And let your lips no falsehood speak.
Depart from evil and do good;
True peace and concord seek.
The LORD from heaven above
Regards the righteous with His eyes,
And when they call on Him, His ears
Are open to their cries.
But evildoers all
The anger of the LORD must face;
He cuts them off, and from the earth
Their name He will erase.
But when the righteous cry,
The LORD in mercy hears their pleas;
He graciously delivers them
From all their miseries.
The LORD is always near;
The brokenhearted He will heal.
Those crushed in spirit He will save,
To them His love reveal.
The righteous man may grieve;
He many troubles may endure.
The LORD will free him from them all;
His help is ever sure.
Why should he then despair?
God keeps his bones from injury;
Not one of them will come to harm,
For great and good is He!
Their countless evil deeds
Will slay the wicked in the end.
All those who hate the righteous ones
He’ll to perdition send.
The LORD redeems the life
Of those who serve and honour Him;
All who in Him their refuge take
He never will condemn.

Psalm 35

W. van der Kamp, 1967

Strive, LORD, with those who strive with me,
Fight Thou my fight and set me free.
Take shield and buckler, rise in splendor,
Stand up in glory, my Defender.
Draw out the spear and bar the way
Of those who want me for their prey;
Say to my soul, “Be still and know,
I shall to you salvation show.”
Let them be put to scorn and shame
Who seek my life and me defame.
Let them be turned back and confounded
Who harass me, by whom I’m hounded.
Foiled be the mischief they intend.
Be they like chaff before the wind,
And let the Angel of the LORD
Pursue them with His glittering sword.
Their way be slippery, dark with woe,
The Angel of the LORD their foe.
A net to snare me they had hidden.
Hadst Thou not, LORD, their ruse forbidden,
They would have caught me in their pit.
May they themselves fall into it.
Let ruin seize them unawares;
May their own net themselves ensnare.
Then shall my soul in God rejoice,
And praise Him with a thankful voice.
I shall delight with exultation
In His deliverance and salvation.
I shall exclaim, “Who is like Thee,
O LORD, who dost deliver me,
With all the weak and those in need,
From our oppressor’s strength and greed?”
Malicious witnesses arise;
They question me and utter lies.
With evil they for good repay me;
I am perplexed. They seek to slay me.
Yet I was grieved when they were sick;
Their sorrows hurt me to the quick.
I went in sackcloth, I did fast;
I bowed in prayer, with eyes downcast.
My heart was sad as for a friend,
I mourned, my mantle I did rend
As one who sorrows for a brother,
And who with grief laments his mother.
But when I stumbled they rejoiced;
They gathered, all their hate they voiced,
And wretches whom I did not know
Mocked me and gloried in my woe.
My honor is their scoff and jeer;
They gnash their teeth, they laugh and sneer.
Come, LORD, how long yet shall this rabble
Abuse me with their godless babble?
Save from these raging beasts my soul;
Then shall my voice Thy strength extol.
The great assembly will then hear
How I thy mighty Name revere.
O LORD, let not my lying foes
Wink at each other o’er my woes.
Wrong is the hatred which they cherish
; Let them before Thy presence perish.
They speak no peace, deceit they’ve planned
Against the quiet in the land.
They open wide their mouth and lie.
“Our eyes have seen it all,” they cry.
O LORD, Thou hast observed this all;
Be Thou not silent, heed my call.
Stand not afar, be my Defender.
Bestir Thyself, wake up and render
Unto my haters sevenfold
Their evil and the lies they told.
LORD, vindicate me, grant redress
According to Thy righteousness.
Let them not say, “Yes, we have won,
We’ve swallowed him, he is undone!”
Let shame and great confusion humble
Those who are happy when I stumble,
And make dishonor the reward
Of those who rise against Thee, LORD.
Before Thee let not those abide
Who boast against me in their pride.
Let those rejoice with shout and song
Who for my vindication long,
And let them praise with happy voices
The LORD, who in my good rejoices.
Then shall my tongue, saved from distress,
Tell of Thy faithful righteousness;
Then shall I laud with word and song
Thy praise and justice all day long.

Psalm 36

W. van der Kamp, 1972

He who in evil does rejoice
Hears in his heart a wicked voice;
It whispers and it flatters.
It lures him on, and he obeys
Till from Thy fear, O LORD, he strays
And him Thy anger shatters.
His words are lies, his wisdom gone;
All his transgressions urge him on,
He does their will with pleasure.
Upon his bed he plans deceit,
On ways of sin he sets his feet,
His evil is his treasure.
Thy love and faithfulness extend
Wherever Thou to heaven’s end
Thy righteous scepter wieldest.
Thy judgment is a secret deep,
Thy justice like God’s mountains steep,
And man and beast Thou shieldest.
Of Thy great mercy heaven sings
For in the shadow of Thy wings
No son of man shall perish.
Thou shalt them to Thy feasts invite,
They drink from streams of Thy delight,
Thy precious love they cherish.
Life’s fountain is, O LORD, with Thee
, And in Thy light the light we see;
Let right and mercy tarry
With them who fear Thy faithful Name;
Put Thou the enemies to shame,
Let all their schemes miscarry.
Save Thou me for Thy mercy’s sake,
Let not the proud me overtake,
Nor from Thy covenant sever.
O people, praise your God and see
The workers of iniquity
Who are cast down forever!

Psalm 37

Dewey Westra, 1972, & William Helder, 1980

Fret not yourself be cause of evildoers
Nor envy them whose wicked deeds you see.
They soon will fade like grass before the viewer,
And like green herbs they’ll wither presently.
Do good! And trust in God as your Renewer.
Dwell in the land, enjoy security.
Delight yourself in God and He’ll deliver
All your desires as from His holy height.
Commit your ways to Him. The LORD will ever
Bring forth your vindication as the light;
He will reward all your upright endeavor
And, as the noonday, let your cause shine bright.
Rest in the LORD with patient expectation;
Envy not him who prospers in his way,
Whose evil schemes have gained him wealth and station.
Yield never to resentment and dismay;
Forsake your wrath, refrain from all vexation,
Lest sin and evil in your life hold sway.
All those who hope in God shall with elation
Possess the land. He is their help and stay.
The evildoer, to his consternation,
Shall be cut off; the LORD will not delay.
If you should seek his former habitation,
You’ll find no more than ashes and decay.
The humble shall possess the land forever,
Delighting in the peace within their gates.
The wicked may pursue with bow and quiver
Or gnash their teeth at them in angry hate.
The LORD sees them and laughs at their endeavor,
For He has set the day of their defeat.
The wicked draw the broad sword of oppression
And bend their bows to bring the needy down,
To slay the upright by their bold aggression,
But they will merely hurt themselves alone.
Their bows are broken by God’s intercession,
Their base designs completely overthrown.
The little that the just possess in token
Exceeds the wealth of evil men who stray.
The arms of all the wicked shall be broken
But God upholds the blameless in their way.
He knows their days and verily has spoken,
Awarding them their heritage for aye.
They are not put to shame in time of trouble
And in the days of famine they shall eat.
But, be assured, the ruthless and ignoble,
All who oppose the LORD, shall see defeat
And fade away as smoke of burning stubble,
Consumed before His anger’s flaming heat.
When in his steps he falters and is shaken,
The LORD Himself will grasp him by the hand.
I once was young, age no its toll has taken,
But always God the righteous did defend.
Indeed, I’ve never seen him left forsaken
Nor his descendants begging in the land.
Day in, day out, he’s bountiful in lending;
His children, too, have many goods in store.
Depart, then, from the paths to evil tending;
So you will dwell in peace for evermore.
But our just LORD, His godly ones defending,
Upon the seed of foes His wrath will pour.
The righteous man to wisdom gives expression;
His tongue speaks justice, showing what is right.
Within his heart, God’s law is his possession.
His walk will never wander from its light
Though evil men may aim at his oppression;
They seek to slay the righteous day and night.
The LORD His upright servant will deliver,
Not let him by his judges be condemned.
Wait for the LORD and keep His way with fervor;
He will exalt you to possess the land.
The wicked you will see cut off for ever
Because their sure destruction is at hand.
I’ve seen a wicked man, in all his power,
Spread out his branches like a native tree.
But then he fell as grass before the mower
And soon no trace of him was left to see.
Although I tried to find this evildoer,
I searched in vain: forever gone was he.
Observe the upright and the just consider;
There is a future for the man of peace.
Transgressors shall be wiped out altogether;
The line of their posterity shall cease.
Then shall the just rejoice with one another
And sing for their abundance of increase.
The LORD salvation on the just will shower;
He is their shelter in the time of stress.
He will preserve them by His strength and power,
Protect them from the hosts of wickedness.
Beneath His wings they refuge will discover,
For they rely on Him to save and bless.

Psalm 38

William Helder, 1980 ©

LORD, rebuke me not in anger,
And no longer
Let Thy wrath on me descend.
Thou hast pierced me with Thy arrows,
Brought me sorrows,
Bowed me down with Thy own hand.
Thou hast of all strength bereft me;
Health has left me,
And Thy wrath is my despair;
My iniquities distress me
And oppress me;
They are more than I can bear.
All my wounds are foul and reeking;
Ever weakening,
I am utterly bowed down.
Bitter fruits of folly reaping,
I go weeping,
For my vigor is all gone.
I am crushed and numb with anguish
As I languish,
And I groan in misery.
Thou dost hear my mournful crying,
And my sighing
Is not hidden, LORD, from Thee.
How my pounding heart is straining;
Strength is waning,
And my eyes are failing me.
I am by my friends neglected
And rejected;
Kinsmen see my plague and flee.
Those who lie in wait to snare me
Will not spare me
All the mischief they devise.
Seeming deaf and dumb before them,
I ignore them
And I offer no replies.
Thou, O LORD my God, wilt hear me
And be near me;
Thou, O LORD, wilt heed my voice.
Though my foot may slip and waver,
Show Thy favor
And let not my foes rejoice.
I am prone to fall or stumble,
And I tremble,
Thinking of my grief and pain.
I acknowledge my transgression
In confession,
Deeply troubled by my sin.
Countless mighty foes berate me,
Fiercely hate me;
Without cause I am oppressed.
Ill for good they always render;
Me they slander
Since I strive for what is best.
LORD, forsake me not but hear me;
Be Thou near me
As my help and shield, I pray.
Hasten to my aid, O Savior;
Show Thy favor.
O my God, do not delay.

Psalm 38

Book of Psalms for Singing, 1973

LORD, do not in indignation
Chide and chasten,
Nor Your hot displeasure show.
Deeply have Your arrows pierced me.
Down upon me
Your hand pressed and crushed me low.
Filled with sickness is my body
‘Neath Your fury;
Sin has kept my bones from rest.
My iniquities rise o’er me,
High and heavy;
Under their great weight I’m pressed.
Loathsome wounds infect my body;
By my folly
I am bent and bowed down low.
All day long I go on mourn-ing,
Filled with burning,
My whole body sick with woe.
I am bruised, benumbed, and dying,
Weak from sighing
At the murm’ring of my heart.
O Lord, You know all my longing,
All my sighing;
No groan kept from You apart.
Fearful now my heart throbs wildly;
My strength leaves me;
All the light of my eyes fails.
Friends and loved ones act offended;
All my kindred
Stand off while my plague prevails.
Foes are seeking to ensnare me;
They would kill me.
They plot treachery all day.
As though deaf, I do not listen.
I say nothing,
Never argue, silent stay.
LORD, You are the One I wait for.
You will answer!
Lord, my God, my hope abide.
Keep them from rejoicing o’er me
Arrogantly;
Let none gloat when my feet slide.
Always I’m about to stumble,
Grieving, humble.
I confess iniquity;
I distressed am from my error.
Foes have vigor;
Many hate me wrongfully.
For my good they evil pay me,
Hostile toward me.
O forsake me not, O LORD!
O my God, be not far from me;
Haste to help me!
Be my sure salvation, Lord.

Psalm 38

William Helder © 1980, 2005

LORD, rebuke me not in anger,
And no longer
Let Your wrath on me descend.
You have pierced me with Your arrows,
Brought me sorrows,
Bowed me down with Your own hand.
You have of all strength bereft me;
Health has left me,
And Your wrath is my despair.
My iniquities distress me
And oppress me;
They are more than I can bear.
All my wounds are foul and reeking;
Ever weakening,
I am utterly bowed down.
Bitter fruits of folly reaping,
I go weeping,
For my vigor is all gone.
I am crushed and numb with anguish
As I languish,
And in misery I groan.
LORD, to You my mournful crying
And my sighing
Are not hidden or unknown.
How my pounding heart is straining;
Strength is waning,
And my eyes are failing me.
I am by my friends neglected
And rejected;
Kinsmen see my plagues and flee.
Those who lie in wait to snare me
Will not spare me
All the mischief they devise.
Seeming deaf and dumb before them,
I ignore them
And I offer no replies.
You, O LORD my God, will hear me
And be near me;
You, O LORD, will heed my voice.
Though my foot may slip and waver,
Show Your favor;
Do not let my foes rejoice.
I am prone to fall or stumble,
And I tremble,
Thinking of my grief and pain.
I acknowledge my transgression
In confession,
Deeply troubled by my sin.
Countless mighty foes berate me,
Fiercely hate me;
Without cause I am oppressed.
Ill for good they always render;
Me they slander
Since I strive for what is best.
LORD, forsake me not but hear me
And stay near me;
Be my help and shield, I pray.
Hasten to my aid, O Savior;
Show Your favor.
O my God, do not delay.

Psalm 39

William Helder, 1980 ©

I said that I would closely guard my ways
And keep from sinning with my tongue,
That on my mouth a muzzle I would place
While evildoers round me throng.
When, dumb and silent, I then held my peace,
My grief and woe did but increase.
Then did my heart grow hot with fiery blaze.
I cried, “Make me to know my end:
O LORD, reveal the measure of my days.
Thou as mere handbreadths didst extend
My span of fleeting days, so frail and light.
It is as nothing in Thy sight.
“Surely a man is nothing but a breath;
He as a shadow goes his way.
Surely in vain he struggles till his death:
He piles up riches while he may,
Not knowing who will later gather them.
His striving will not profit him.
”What is it that I now shall wait for, LORD?
In Thee I’ve put my hope and trust.
From all my sins deliverance afford,
And let me not by scorn be crushed.
I’m dumb, and open not my mouth:
I see It is Thy hand that chastens me.
“Remove from me the chastisement I fear,
Lest I should perish through Thy wrath.
At Thy rebukes, that which a man holds dear
Will fade and shrivel like a moth.
For man is merely breath and vanity;
Yea, like a puff of wind is he.
“Hear Thou my cry, give ear to my request;
O LORD, do not my tears ignore.
For I with Thee am but a passing guest,
As all my fathers were before.
O turn away from me Thy watchful eye,
And give me joy before I die.”

Psalm 40

W. van der Kamp, 1972; rev.

I waited and I waited for the LORD.
Then from the pit He lifted me,
From clay and mire He set me free:
The LORD bent down to me; my cry He heard.
Upon a rock He brought me;
I sing the song He taught me,
A ne song to His laud.
No many shall come near
To see it and to fear,
And put their trust in God.
Blest is the man who makes the LORD his trust,
Who does not turn to men of pride,
To those who in false gods confide,
But clings to Him, our God so great and just.
Thy mighty deeds so wondrous
And all Thy thoughts toward us
Thou, LORD, hast multiplied.
None can with Thee compare,
Nor all Thy works declare,
Nor count them, though he tried.
No sacrifice didst Thou, O LORD, require;
Thou gavest me an open ear.
Then I said, “Lo, I now appear;
To do Thy will, O God, is my desire.
Take Thou my life and mould it.
I come, the book foretold it;
‘Tis written in its roll.
Thy will is my delight;
I cherish day and night
Thy law in heart and soul.”
Before the congregation I profess
The love and truth Thou hast revealed;
My lips, O LORD, I have not sealed;
My heart did not conceal Thy righteousness.
For everywhere I’ve spoken,
Of faithfulness unbroken,
Of blessings from above.
The great assembly heard
Of Thy trustworthy word
And of Thy steadfast love.
Do not withhold Thy mercy and Thy grace;
Preserve me by Thy steadfast love
And let Thy truth, shown from above,
Uphold me ever, LORD, before Thy face.
For evils do surround me;
My many misdeeds hound me
Till I no more can see.
My sins, I do confess,
Are almost numberless;
My heart is failing me.
O be Thou pleased, LORD, to deliver me!
O LORD, come to my help, make haste!
Let those be stricken and disgraced
Who seek my life and have forgotten Thee.
Let those, dismayed, desert me
Who seek to harm and hurt me;
May they forsaken be
Because of their own shame.
Dishonor Thou the name
Of those who jeer at me!
May those who seek Thee in Thy love rejoice
And may they all be glad in Thee.
Yes, may they say continually,
“Great is the LORD,” praise Him with heart and voice.
I may be poor and needy,
But yet my God will heed me;
The LORD takes thought for me.
Thou art my help and stay;
My God do not delay.
I put my trust in Thee!

Psalm 41

W. van der Kamp, 1972, rev.

How blest is he who will regard the poor:
He shall forever stand.
In troubled days the LORD makes him endure:
Blest is he in the land.
His enemies demand his life in vain,
Though he be near death’s door.
The LORD sustains him on his bed of pain:
His health Thou shalt restore.
I said, “O LORD, be gracious unto me,
Heal me, my sins are great.”
In malice speak my enemies of me,
And for my death they wait.
My visitor says empty words, O God,
With mischief in his heart.
When he goes out, he tells it all abroad,
Rejoicing when I smart.
My enemies, with hatred fierce and grim,
All whisper in disdain,
“A deadly thing has gotten hold of him,
He will not rise again.”
See how my bosom friend, whom I did trust,
With whom I shared my bread,
Has turned against me, showing his disgust,
And slanderous tales has spread.
But Thou, O LORD, be gracious unto me;
Let me their ill requite.
By this I know that Thou art pleased with me:
My foes are put to flight.
Forever in Thy presence I shall dwell,
Upheld by Thee again.
Blest be the LORD, the God of Israel,
From age to age! Amen.

Psalm 41

David Koyzis ©

Happy are those who tend the poor and weak,
For in adversity
The Lord will come to help and to their land
Will grant prosperity.
He will not give them over to their foes
But keep them in His care;
When they are sick He will remember them
And see their health repair.
"O Lord," I said, "be merciful to me,
For I have surely sinned."
With hateful hearts my enemies all say,
"When will he reach his end?"
They come to me and utter hollow words
And plan for my demise;
They spread the word abroad to one and all
That death will close my eyes.
Those who detest me speak in whispered tones
And gloat triumphantly:
A deadly plague, they say, will keep me down
And put an end to me.
Even the friend with whom I shared my bread,
To whom my trust I vowed,
Has turned away and, fleeing from my face,
Has joined the mocking crowd.
But you, O Lord, be merciful to me,
My health again restore,
That I may righteously call to account
Those who my life abhor.
Thus I will know Your favor rests on me
If You my life defend.
Praise to the Lord, the God of Is-ra-el
For evermore. Amen.

Psalm 42

Dewey Westra, 1931, rev.

As the hart, about to falter,
In its trembling agony,
Longs for flowing streams of water,
So, O God, I long for Thee.
Yes, athirst for Thee I cry;
God of life, O when shall I
Come again to stand before Thee
In Thy temple, and adore Thee?
Bitter tears of lamentation
Are my food by night and day.
In my deep humiliation
“Where is now your God?” they say.
Oh, my soul’s poured out in me,
When I bring to memory
How the throngs I would assemble,
Shouting praises in Thy temple.
O my soul, why are you grieving,
Why disquieted in me?
Hope in God, your faith retrieving:
He will still your refuge be.
I again shall laud His grace
For the comfort of His face:
He will show His help and favor,
For He is my God and Savior.
From the land beyond the Jordan,
With my soul cast down in me,
From Mount Mizar and Mount Hermon
I will yet remember Thee.
As the waters plunge and leap,
Deep reechoes unto deep;
All Thy waves and billows roaring
O’er my troubled soul are pouring.
But the LORD will send salvation,
And by day His love provide.
He shall be my exultation,
And my song at eventide.
On His praise e’en in the night
I will ponder with delight,
And in prayer, transcending distance,
Seek the God of my existence.
I will say to God, my fortress,
“Why hast Thou forgotten me?
Why must I proceed in sadness,
Hounded by the enemy?”
Their rebukes and scoffing words
Pierce my bones like pointed swords,
As they say with proud defiance,
“Where is God, your firm reliance?”
O my soul, why are you grieving,
Why disquieted in me?
Hope in God, your faith retrieving:
He will still your refuge be.
I again shall laud His grace
For the comfort of His face:
He will show His help and favor,
For He is my God and Savior.

Psalms 42 & 43

Psalter Hymnal, 1987

As a deer in want of water,
So I long for you, O LORD.
All my heart and being falter,
Thirsting for your living word.
When shall I behold your face?
When shall I receive your grace?
When shall I, your praises voicing,
Come before you with rejoicing?
Bitter tears of lamentation
Are my food by night and day.
In my deep humiliation
“Where is now your God?” they say.
When my sorrows weigh on me,
Then I bring to memory
How with throngs I would assemble,
Shouting praises in your temple.
O my soul, why are you grieving,
Why disquieted in me?
Put your hope in God, believing
He will still your refuge be.
I again shall praise his grace
For the comfort of his face;
He will show his help and favor,
For he is my God and Savior.
From the land beyond the Jordan,
In my grief I think of you;
From the foothills of Mount Hermon
I will still remember you.
As the waters plunge and leap,
Stormy troubles o’er me sweep.
Day and night God’s song is with me
As a prayer to him who loves me.
I will say to God, my fortress,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I proceed in sadness,
Hounded by the enemy?
Their rebukes and scoffing words
Pierce my bones like pointed swords,
As they say with proud defiance,
“Where is God, your firm reliance?”
O my soul, why are you grieving,
Why disquieted in me?
Put your hope in God, believing
He will still your refuge be.
I again shall praise his grace
For the comfort of his face;
He will show his help and favor,
For he is my God and Savior.
Vindicate me, God, my Father,
Come and plead my urgent cause,
For my enemies forever
Threaten me and flout your laws.
I am safe with you alone;
Why do you reject your own?
LORD, I need your help and blessing;
Keep me safe from this oppressing.
Send your light and truth to lead me:
Send them forth to be my guide.
To your mountain let them bring me,
To the place where you reside.
Then, O God, I will come near
And before your throne appear,
To my Savior praises bringing
With the harp and joyful singing.
O my soul, why are you grieving,
Why disquieted in me?
Put your hope in God, believing
He will still your refuge be.
I again shall praise his grace
For the comfort of his face;
He will show his help and favor,
For he is my God and Savior.

Psalms 42 & 43

David Koyzis ©

As the deer seeks flowing rivers,
So I long for You, O God.
How my soul longs for His presence,
For the ever-living God.
When shall I behold His face
In His holy dwelling place?
Now I feed on tears from weeping,
While they say, "Is your God sleeping?"
All these things I call to memory
And I ponder in my heart:
How I streamed with throngs rejoicing
To his temple's sacred court.
Why, my soul, be in despair;
Why this worry and this care?
Hope in God, my soul's salvation;
Him I'll praise with jubilation.
When my heart despairs within me,
Then will I recall once more,
As the headwaters of Jordan
From the Mount of Herman pour.
Deep to deep roars out its sound,
Waves and rapids surging round.
In the day God's love comes freely,
And at night His song is with me.
To my God, my Rock, I murmur,
"How could you forget me? how?"
All my foes oppress and taunt me:
"Where's your God?" they ask me now.
Why, my soul, be in despair;
Why this worry and this care?
Hope in God, my soul's salvation;
Him I'll praise with jubilation.
O my God, bring vindication
And defend my worthy cause
From the godless and deceitful
Who defy Your holy laws.
For You are my refuge strong;
Why now let them do me wrong?
Why must I continue grieving
While my foes keep on deceiving?
Send Your light and truth to guide me
To Your holy dwelling place.
Then will I approach Your altar,
Singing songs of joyful praise.
Why, my soul, be in despair;
Why this worry and this care?
Hope in God, my soul's salvation;
Him I'll praise with jubilation.

Psalm 43

William Kuipers, 1931, et alv

O judge me, God of my salvation,
Plead Thou my cause, defending me
Against a cruel, ungodly nation;
From a deceitful generation
O save Thou me and set me free,
That I may honor Thee.
Thou art my stronghold from oppression,
O why then hast Thou cast me off?
Why let my foes with their aggression
Cause me such mourning and depression?
See how they gather round to scoff
And at my woes to laugh.
Send forth, O LORD of my salvation,
Thy light and truth to be my guide;
O let their rays, in my privation,
Lead me unto Thy habitation,
Where ‘neath Thy wing I’ll be supplied
With grace Thou wilt provide.
Then, at Thy sacred altar bending,
My heart to God in prayer I’ll raise.
With harp and voice, in worship blending,
Thy courts resound; while Psalms, ascending
To God my highest joy, bring praise
For all His wondrous ways.
My soul, why are you sad and grieving,
Why so oppressed with anxious care?
Hope yet in God, His Word believing;
For, light and joy from Him receiving,
I’ll praise His Name again and laud
My Helper and my God.

Psalm 43

Marie J. Post, 1981

Defend me, LORD, from those who charge me
With shameful insults, lies, and slurs.
Come, save your servant from evil ones.
In you alone I can find refuge.
Why are you deaf to all my pleas
About my enemies?
Send out your light and truth to lead me,
To bring me to your holy hill.
I come to stand before you with joy,
To bring the songs of my thanksgiving.
To you, my LORD, I bring my praise
For all your saving ways.
My soul, why are you weak and downcast,
Why do you weep, why beg for aid?
Why so disquieted, so disturbed?
Go to the LORD of your salvation.
Put all your hope in God and praise
Him for his saving grace.

Psalm 44

W. van der Kamp, 1967

Our ears have heard it, God of glory;
We marveled at our fathers’ story
Of all Thy deeds in days of old.
Thou didst up root the nations bold,
But Thy own people Thou didst plant
And Thou didst make them thrive and flourish,
For not their sword did win the land,
Nor did their arm make them victorious;
But Thy right hand, Thy arm so mighty,
The radiance of Thy face that brightly
Shines on the race of Thy delight.
Thou art my King, my God, whose might
No foes of Jacob can oppose.
Thou art our God, Thou shalt not fail us;
Through Thee we overwhelm our foes
And trample down all who assail us.
I do not trust in bow or bravery,
My sword will from defeat not save me,
But Thou hast saved us from our foes,
And them hast Thou beset with woes.
Our boast was always in our God,
And we shall thank Thy Name forever.
Thy faithful love our songs will laud:
Thy cov’nant stands and falters never.
Yet Thou hast cast off and abased us,
In battle have our foes disgraced us.
We go to war, but without Thee,
And from our foes we shrink and flee.
Our enemies spoil us with mirth;
Thou madest us like sheep for slaughter,
And hast dispersed us o’er the earth.
O LORD, we are poured out like water.
O LORD, Thou dost no more uphold us,
And for a trifle Thou hast sold us.
Thou madest us our neighbors’ taunt,
Who us with scorn and mockery haunt.
O God, we are in this our fall
A byword now among the nations,
The laughingstock of peoples all,
A shame among our generations.
O LORD, why are we thus forsaken?
When shalt Thou to my help awaken?
For all day long I know disgrace,
And shame has covered, LORD, my face.
By day and night I have to hear
The voice of taunter and of scoffer;
My foe and my avenger sneer
And scorn and insult do they offer.
All this reviling, LORD, befell us,
Though in Thy service we were zealous.
True to Thy covenant are we
And we have not forgotten Thee.
Our heart turned not from Thy command,
Our steps did from Thy ways not wander.
But Thou hast crushed us by Thy hand
And covered us with gloom and slander.
Had we the Name of God neglected
And statues for strange gods erected,
God would have seen it long ago.
There are no thoughts He does not know.
O LORD, for Thy sake we are slain;
We are like sheep, prepared for slaughter,
And all day long we call in vain;
Thy haters ravish Zion’s daughter!
Why dost Thou sleep and hearest never?
Wake up! Reject us not forever!
LORD, rouse Thyself, hide not Thy face.
Hast Thou forgotten our disgrace?
Our soul is bowed down to the dust;
We lie abased; why dost Thou break us?
Rise up and help! In Thee we trust;
Let not Thy steadfast love forsake us.

Psalm 45

W. van der Kamp, 1972

With noble themes my heart and mouth are ringing,
And to the honor of the king I’m singing.
Into a hymn of praise my thoughts are strung,
And nimble as a scribe’s pen is my tongue.
In beauty you surpass all men around you;
With glory, O our king, the LORD has crowned you.
Your lips are graced, your wisdom we adore;
So you are blest by God for evermore.
O mighty one, our hero and defender,
Gird on your sword, ride forth in pomp and splendor
To execute true sentence and to speak
Just judgment, shielding all the poor and weak.
Let your right hand teach you dread deeds of power:
Sharp are your arrows, humbled nations cower
Beneath your feet; they fear your terror’s sway,
The courage of the king’s foes melts away.
Your throne is like God’s throne; it stands forever.
Your scepter is a righteous scepter ever.
You love the right and hate all wickedness.
Hence God, your God, with oil of happiness
Has you above all other kings anointed,
Myrrh and sweet spices for your robes appointed.
Hear! From a palace walled in ivory
Stringed instruments greet you with melody.
The queen, arrayed in Ophir’s gold, is seated
At your right hand, by noble women greeted.
O daughter, hear the words my mouth avows:
Forget your people and your father’s house;
So will the king desire your beauty’s splendor.
He is your lord, to him your homage render.
The men of Tyre, your favor coveting,
Shall with the richest men gifts to you bring.
In the king’s palace honor shall await her,
The daughter of a king; her maids arrayed her
In cloth-of-gold and rich embroidery
To meet the king in glorious pageantry;
And greeted with the noise of great rejoicing,
Her train of virgins joy and gladness voicing
As they are entering the palace gate,
Her escort leads her to the king in state.
You shall have sons, O king, and you shall call them
In place of their forefathers to install them,
To hand to them your scepter’s might and worth,
To make them rulers over all the earth.
Your name I will make known among the nations
And celebrated in all generations;
They will remember you and sing your praise
Forever and forever, all their days.

Psalm 46

W. van der Kamp, 1961

God is our refuge; He will shield us
And to our foes He will not yield us.
He is our strength, in troubles nigh;
Our help is He, the LORD Most High.
The earth may shake in great commotion,
The mountains plunge into the ocean,
The seas may roar and rock the hills,
The LORD is near; our fears He stills.
There is a river which is bringing
To God’s own city joy and singing.
The holy house of God Most High
Is in her midst; He hears her cry.
In her the LORD His place has taken;
Therefore she never will be shaken.
At early dawn her God will hear
And to her help He will appear.
The nations rage, the kingdoms tremble,
The heathen who for war assemble.
When God but speaks, gone is their worth;
His fearful anger melts the earth.
By mighty enemies assaulted,
We trust in Him, so high exalted.
The LORD of hosts is on our side:
With Jacob’s God we safely hide.
Come, see the works which all around us
The LORD has done and which astound us:
The desolations He has wrought,
The victories His arm has brought.
The bows He breaks, the spear He shatters;
Their shields on fire, our foes are scattered.
The proudest kings He overturns;
With fire He all their chariots burns.
“Be still and know, all you who bide Me,
That I am God, and none beside Me.
I am exalted, and My might
Makes haughty nations flee in fright
. In all the earth I am exalted;
By Me your enemies are halted!”
The LORD of hosts is on our side:
With Jacob’s God we safely hide.

Psalm 46

David Koyzis ©

God is our refuge and salvation,
Our present help in tribulation.
We will not fear though earth may shake,
For God will keep us mid the quake.
Mountains may fall into the ocean,
But we will not fear such commotion.
With us the Lord of Hosts shall dwell,
The mighty God of Is-ra-el.
Within the city flows a river
Into God's dwelling place for ever.
He stands within the city's wall,
And with Him there she cannot fall.
Nations may seek to cause affliction;
One word from God is our protection.
With us the Lord of Hosts shall dwell,
The mighty God of Is-ra-el.
Come, see the works of His creation,
God's marvels plain to every nation.
He does away with deeds of war
That all may live in peace once more.
Know he is God--be still and ponder--
He is exalted in His splendor.
With us the Lord of Hosts shall dwell,
The mighty God of Israel.

Psalm 47

Dewey Westra, 1931

Praise the LORD, ye lands! Nations clap your hands,
Shout aloud to God, Spread His fame abroad.
Praise Him loud and long With a triumph song;
Bow as ye draw nigh, for the LORD Most High,
Terrible is He in His dignity;
And His kingdom’s girth circles all the earth.
God has gone on high with a joyful cry;
Hosts with trumpet sound make His praise abound.
Sing ye praise to God, tell His fame abroad,
Take a Psalm and shout, let His praise ring out,
Lift your voice and sing glory to our King;
He is Lord of earth, magnify His worth.
Praise His majesty understandingly;
God is King alone on His holy throne,
Issues His commands to all heathen lands.
Lo, their princes all gather at His call:
His the shields of earth, His the power, the worth;
He, the God on high, is our Helper nigh.

Psalm 47

Psalter Hymnal, 1987

Nations, clap your hands; Shout with joy, you lands!
Awesome is the LORD; Spread his fame abroad
He rules every land With a mighty hand.
God brings nations low; He subdues each foe.
From his mighty throne God protects his own.
Our inheritance Is our sure defense.
God goes up on high With a joyful cry,
With a mighty shout; People sing it out!
Let your voices bring Praises to our King.
Praise him with a song; Praise with heart and tongue;
Praise with every skill; Praise with mind and will.
God rules all the earth; Magnify his worth.
God reigns over all Rulers great and small.
Leaders of the world, Servants of the LORD,
Rally round his throne; He is God alone.
Sing before him now, In his presence bow.
God of Abraham! God of every land!
Worship and adore God forevermore.

Psalm 47

Joy F. Patterson, 1990 ©

Peoples, clap your hands! Shout to God with joy!
King of all the earth is the Lord Most High;
All humanity stands in awe of God.
With a mighty hand God brings nations low,
And beneath our feet casts down every foe;
Our inheritance comes from God the Lord.
God ascends the throne with a joyful cry,
And with trumpet sound has gone up on high;
Sing your praise to God, sing with joyful voice!
Rulers, peoples, now join to serve the Lord,
For earth’s mighty ones all belong to God,
Who exalted reigns; now with Psalm s rejoice!

Psalm 47

David Koyzis ©

Clap your hands, all you peoples of the earth,
Shout to God with a song of joyful mirth!
Hold the Most High our Lord in reverent awe.
Our great King rules the peoples with his law;
He has put all the nations in their place;
He has chosen us, Jacob, in his grace.
God ascends amid great resounding cries,
With the blast of the trumpet see Him rise!
Sing to God, all your praises to Him sing,
Let your praises be rendered to our King!
For our God is the Ruler of the earth;
Sing His praise, sing to Him with Psalms of mirth!
God reigns over the nations here below,
From His throne His decrees down to them flow.
Princes gather from earth's remote extent
With God's people of Abraham's descent.
All the shields of the earth to God belong;
Let us highly exalt Him with our song!

Psalm 47

William Helder © 2003

Peoples of all lands, come and clap your hands!
Raise a joyful cry to the LORD Most High.
Awesome King is He, great in majesty.
Nations He brought low, humbling every foe.
By His mighty hand, He gave us our land—
Sign to Jacob of God’s electing love.
God went up on high with a joyful cry,
And the trumpet’s sound echoed all around.
Now with loud acclaim, magnify His name.
Play the harp and sing. Praise the LORD our King.
He rules all the earth: shout His glory forth.
Let your praise abound! Let the music sound!
Glorious is God’s reign; great is His domain.
He rules all the lands, issues His commands.
Kings and princes all gather at His call;
They with gladness join those of Abr’ham’s line,
For God from His throne claims them as His own.
Let Him be adored as our sovereign Lord!

Psalm 48

W. van der Kamp, 1972; rev.

Great is the LORD! Him greatly laud
Within the city of our God!
To Him your thankful praises render.
His holy mountain soars in splendor.
Joy and pride of all the earth,
She proclaims her Maker’s worth.
In the north the city towers;
There the great King shows His powers.
He, her sure defense, will ever
Be her strength, forsake her never.
Like lions, sharpening their claws,
Her mighty foes made common cause.
But when those kings her walls surrounded
They stood aghast and were astounded.
Stunned and shaken by the sight,
They in panic took to flight,
And the pain that made them tremble
Throes of travail did resemble.
Ships of Tarshish Thou hast scattered:
By the east wind they were shattered.
As we have heard, so have we seen
Here in the city, God’s domain,
Which He establishes forever.
The LORD of hosts forsakes it never.
In Thy temple we have thought
On the peace Thy hand has brought,
And Thy steadfast love we ponder.
As Thy Name, O God of wonder,
So Thy praise, Thy exaltation,
Reaches earth’s remotest nation.
Thy right hand holds the victory;
Let Zion’s mount be glad in Thee!
Let Judah’s daughters with rejoicing
Thy judgments and Thy truth be voicing.
Walk around her citadels,
Count her towers and crenelles,
See her walls, her strong foundations,
Tell the coming generations:
This is God, who leaves us never;
He will be our Guide forever.

Psalm 49

William Helder, 1980 ©

Come, hear my words, you peoples ev’rywhere,
And be attentive to what I declare.
All you who dwell throughout the earth, draw near;
Let high and low, and rich and poor, give ear.
My mouth to you great wisdom will impart,
For thoughtful and discerning is my heart.
My ear now to a parable inclining,
I with the harp will show my riddle’s meaning.
In evil days why should my courage fail,
Though wicked men against me may prevail —
Those who in their possessions place their trust,
Who with their own great riches are impressed?
None for his brother’s life can pay the price,
Nor give to God a ransom to suffice.
From death’s decay man’s wealth can save him never,
And it will not let him live on forever.
He surely sees that even wise men die,
That foolish men cannot death’s power defy.
The grave’s dark pit will ever be their home,
Their dwelling for all ages yet to come.
Although to great estates they give their name,
They leave their wealth for other men to claim.
For man, despite the riches he may cherish,
Cannot abide but, like the beasts, will perish.
Such is the fate of proud and foolish men,
The end of those who praise them for their sin.
Into Sheol like sheep they headlong run;
Their shepherd, Death, stands by to urge them on.
They all go down directly to the grave;
From death’s corruption no one them can save.
But God will pay my ransom and not leave me,
For He into His glory will receive me.
When any man grows rich, be not afraid,
Nor let his glory render you dismayed.
He will not take it with him when he dies;
On his possessions he in vain relies.
Though he may here enjoy the praise of men,
He will not see the light of life again.
For man, despite the riches he may cherish,
Cannot abide but, like the beasts, will perish.

Psalm 50

W. van der Kamp, 1972

The Mighty One, the LORD, proclaims His Word;
God speaks, and ev’ry where His voice is heard,
And from the rising to the setting sun
His summons stands, His high command is done.
Out of His Zion God shines forth in splendor;
Men to her perfect beauty homage render.
Our God will not keep silent but speak out;
Devouring fire puts all His foes to rout.
A mighty tempest round about Him swirls
When He His summons at creation hurls.
The heav’ns above, the earth below shall hear Him
When He gives judgment to all those who fear Him.
“Go out and gather at My high decree
My servants, who by sacrifice to Me
Have made with Me a steadfast covenant;
Those faithful ones, whom I My help shall grant.”
The heav’ns declare Thy justice with elation,
For God Himself is Judge and rules His nation.
“My people, I will speak, and hear Me well.
I testify against you, Israel.
I am the LORD, your God, whom you exalt.
With all your sacrifice I find no fault;
Your offerings are day and night before Me.
I hear when you with songs of praise adore Me.
“The bulls which you to Me, your God, devote
I do not need; I do not want your goats.
The forest and its beasts are Mine alone,
The cattle on a thousand hills I own;
All birds I know, I give them life and feed them.
Could I not take all creatures, should I need them?
“If I were hungry, why should you be told?
Mine are the earth, the sea, and all they hold.
Shall I then eat your herds, your cattle’s flesh,
Or drink the blood of goats which you possess?
Am I a man to ask your bread and water?
Must I be nourished with the beasts you slaughter?
“Bring God your sacrifices in His house,
And pay to Him, the LORD Most High, your vows.
If days of trouble or distress come near;
Then call on Me, for all your prayers I’ll hear
And will deliver you, My hand will save you,
And you shall praise Me for the help I gave you.”
God says to those who hold Him not in awe:
“What right have you still to recite My law,
The words which you about My covenant say,
You wicked men, who thro My words away?
When I rebuke you and of sin remind you,
Then you cast all My warning words behind you.
”You meet a thief and choose him for your friend,
And with adulterers your days are spent.
You give your mouth free rein for wickedness,
Your tongue is eager slander to profess.
You sit and speak but ill against your brother,
And you malign the son of your own mother.
“These things you’ve done, and when I yet kept still
You thought I was like you, in love with ill,
But no I will rebuke you to your face,
And you will feel the sting of My disgrace.
Mark this, you who forget all that God gave you,
Or I will rend you, and not one will save you.
“Blest is the man whom sin cannot entice,
Who brings thanksgiving as his sacrifice
Unto My house, that I his faith may see.
That man is righteous, thus he honors Me;
To him who shuns the wrong ways of temptation,
That upright man I will show God’s salvation!”

Psalm 51

W. W. J. VanOene, 1972; rev.

God, hear my plea, be merciful to me;
Treat me according to Thy loving-kindness.
Blot out my misdeeds, done in sinful blindness,
So that again Thy mercy I may see.
All my offences in Thy grace forgive,
And wash away the guilt of my transgression,
That I may free from taint of evil live;
LORD, from my sin cleanse me in Thy compassion.
All my transgressions do I know within,
And all my sin is constantly before me.
Let Thy abundant mercy then restore me;
Against Thee, LORD, Thee only, did I sin.
I have committed evil in Thy sight;
I know that Thou art righteous in Thy dealings.
Thy sentence, LORD, is wholly justified,
Thy judgment blameless, righteousness revealing.
Behold, I was in sinfulness conceived,
And in iniquity my mother bore me.
Thou dost desire that I should walk before Thee
And in my inmost heart Thy truth receive.
Purge me with hyssop: clean shall I then be;
Wash me to whiteness snow can never capture.
Grant joy and gladness so that unto Thee
Bones Thou hast broken shout again with rapture.
O God, hide Thou Thy face from all my sins,
Blot out all my iniquities that grieve Thee.
Create in me a clean heart; do not leave me.
Renew my spirit, make it strong again.
O from Thy presence cast me not away;
Let nought me from Thy Holy Spirit sever.
Let joy of Thy salvation with me stay,
Uphold me with a willing spirit ever.
Then to transgressors I will teach Thy ways,
And sinners will return to seek Thy favor.
O LORD, me from bloodguiltiness deliver,
That I may sing aloud unto Thy praise.
Then unto Thee shall I my tribute bring,
O God of my salvation, my Deliv’rer.
LORD, open Thou my lips, and I shall sing
My songs of praise to Thee, salvation’s Giver.
Thou, LORD, in sacrifice hast no delight;
If I should with oblations try to please Thee,
With my burnt off’rings seeking to appease Thee,
Then I would find no favor in Thy sight.
One gift alone is pleasing in God’s eyes:
The contrite heart of one who has repented.
A broken spirit Thou wilt not despise
When as a sacrifice to Thee presented.
O God, behold Thy city from above;
Make Zion prosper, LORD, in Thy good pleasure.
Safeguard Jerusalem, Thy pride and treasure,
And build its walls in Thy unfailing love.
Then off’rings will find favor in Thy sight;
Thou wilt be pleased with sacrifices proffered.
In whole burnt off’rings Thou wilt then delight;
Then on Thy altar bullocks will be offered.

Psalm 51

Stanley Wiersma, 1980

Be merciful, be merciful, O God.
According to your steadfast love, have mercy.
Blot out my sin in your abundant mercy.
Wash all my sin away and make me clean.
I know my sin; it will not leave my mind.
Against you, only you, I have been sinning.
So you are just in judging what I did.
Even before my birth my life was tainted.
You want me truthful in my inmost heart;
You teach me in my secret heart your wisdom.
To wash me clean again, purge me with hyssop
And make me whiter than new-fallen snow.
Fill me with joy and gladness, make me sing,
And let the bones you broke begin their dancing.
O hide your face from sins that cause me shame.
Blot out the stain of all my foul transgressions.
Create in me, O God, a new, clean heart
And make my spirit pure and right within me.
O do not cast me helpless from your presence.
Your Holy Spirit must not go from me.
Restore to me the joy of being yours.
Uphold me with a free and willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors of your ways.
Then sinners will return again to serve you.
Deliver me from guilt of blood, O God.
O God, you are the God of my salvation.
My tongue will sing then that I am delivered.
Open my lips, O Lord, to sing your praise.
For you take no delight in sacrifice.
You take no pleasure in the gifts I offer.
A broken spirit is acceptable.
You will not scorn a heart contrite and broken.
Be good to Zion; LORD, in mercy hear.
The walls around Jerusalem lie broken.
Rebuild the walls, LORD: help us to rebuild them.
Be good to Zion; LORD, in mercy hear.
Then you will take delight in us again,
In gifts we bring to lay upon your altar.
Then you will take delight in us again,
In proper sacrifice and righteous service.

Psalm 51

David Koyzis ©

O gracious God, be merciful to me,
According to Your love that lasts forever.
In Your compassion You have failed me never;
Now blot out every foul iniquity.
For well aware am I of my great shame;
These evil deeds upon my heart are weighing.
Thus have I erred and now deserve Your blame,
Since Your commands I have not been obeying.
Your righteous judgment I have surely earned,
Nor could I hope to flee your harshest sentence.
Guilty from birth and needful of repentance,
I to my sins have constantly returned.
Yet You desire that I Your truth should know;
Teach me Your wisdom that I may live rightly.
Make me as pure as freshly fallen snow,
Cleanse me with hyssop that I may shine brightly.
Fill me with joy and gladness once again,
Let all these bones sing forth in jubilation.
Look not upon the deeds of my transgression,
But rather cancel out my debt of sin.
Create in me a heart of purity,
Breathe into me a new and constant spirit.
Do not deprive me of Your company,
Nor in Your wrath withdraw Your Holy Spirit.
Restore to me salvation's joyfulness,
Uphold in me a heart willing to serve You.
So shall I teach transgressors to revere You,
That they might once more know Your faithfulness.
Save me from death, O God--this is my plea--
And in Your goodness I shall be rejoicing.
Open my lips, O Lord, that thankfully
Your godly praise my mouth may soon be voicing.
You do not ask for pointless sacrifice;
Nor would you that I offer such a token.
My gift is this: a spirit that is broken.
The contrite heart, O God, You'll not despise.
Prosper your people with Your bounteous grace,
Rebuild the walls around Your holy city,
That we may offer you before Your face
Right sacrifice, as is our proper duty.

Psalm 51

William Helder © 2003, 2006

O gracious God, be merciful to me,
And in Your love, Your infinite compassion,
Blot out my sins, remove all my transgressions.
O God, have mercy. Listen to my plea!
From every taint of evil wash me clean,
And from my guilt and misery relieve me.
For I am deeply conscious of my sin,
And all day long my misdeeds haunt and grieve me.
God, You have I offended, You alone.
In mercy hear my sorrowful confession.
How evil in Your sight is my transgression!
You rightfully condemn what I have done;
Just is, O God, the sentence I received.
I have from birth been guilty, ever sinning;
In my iniquity was I conceived,
Tainted with sin right from my life’s beginning.
You teach me all the wisdom I must know,
For You want truth to dwell and rule within me.
Purge me with hyssop. Wash and fully clean me
Till I am whiter than the whitest snow.
Let me hear shouts of happiness and joy,
And let the bones You crushed leap up in dances.
From my transgressions turn Your face away.
Blot out my guilt; erase all my offences.
Create in me a pure, clean heart, I pray,
And put a steadfast spirit deep within me;
Give me new life to strengthen and sustain me.
God, from Your presence cast me not away.
Show me Your mercy. Do not take from me
Your Holy Spirit. Let me, O my Savior,
Again the joy of Your salvation see,
And make me willing to obey You ever.
Then to transgressors I will teach Your ways,
And sinners will return to seek Your favor.
O God, from guilt of bloodshed me deliver;
Then shall my tongue Your saving justice praise.
I will aloud Your righteousness proclaim;
You are, O God, the God of my salvation.
Lord, open then my lips to praise Your name
And let me sing my songs of jubilation.
Lord, You do not in sacrifice delight,
Or else I would with off’rings try to please You.
How could I ever with my gifts appease You?
Burnt off’rings find no favor in Your sight.
One gift alone is pleasing in God’s eyes:
The contrite heart of one who has repented.
A broken spirit You will not despise
When humbly as a sacrifice presented.
In Your good pleasure, bless Jerusalem;
Cause her to thrive, and shield her with Your power.
Build Zion’s walls, O God. Uphold her towers;
Safeguard her citadels and strengthen them.
In sacrifices You will then delight,
In bullocks rightly offered on Your altar;
Burnt off’rings will be pleasing in Your sight.
Your love and mercy will not fail or falter.

Psalm 52

W. van der Kamp, 1972

Why do you boast, O man so mighty,
Of all your wickedness?
For all day long you plan to blight me
While feigning righteousness.
Your treacherous tongue is razor-sharp;
The truth you twist and warp.
For you love evil more than merit
And lies more than the truth.
Sweet sounds your voice to all who hear it,
But though your tongue is smooth,
You love those words that will destroy,
And falsehood is your joy.
But God will break you down forever
And tear you from your tent.
He will uproot all your endeavor;
Your cloak of lies He’ll rend.
Alive He’ll snatch you from the land
For all the ill you planned.
The just shall see it and respect it,
And they shall laugh and say,
“So this is he who has rejected
God as his strength and stay.
In vain he sought in wealth a hold
And trusted in his gold!”
But like an olive tree I’m growing,
Safe in God’s house and care.
His steadfast love He is bestowing
On all who sojourn there.
I trust in Him for evermore;
His greatness I adore.
Forever I will thank and praise Thee;
It is Thy doing, LORD.
Upon a rock Thy hand has raised me;
Thy glory I record.
Among the godly I’ll proclaim:
Good is Thy wondrous Name!

Psalm 53

W. van der Kamp, 1972; rev.

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, their horrid deeds they cherish;
Not one of them does good, and just men perish.
None calls upon the LORD, none sings His laud
Or fears His rod.
The LORD looks down from heaven’s holy throne
To see if there are any that act wisely.
O God, not one seeks Thee; they all despise Thee:
See how the sons of men, to evil prone,
Thy law disown.
Will evildoers never understand?
As though they ate their bread, so those who hate Thee
Eat up my helpless people, who await Thee.
They do not pray, but evil they have planned
Throughout the land.
See how they trembled, overwhelmed with fear;
They panicked and their terror was unbounded.
Their bones God scattered; they were left confounded,
For He despised them. When they boast and jeer,
The LORD does hear.
O Israel, you people of God’s choice,
That out of Zion might come your salvation!
When from their bondage God shall free His nation,
Let Jacob sing and Israel rejoice
With happy voice.

Psalm 54

W. W. J. Van Oene, 1972

O God, save Thou me by Thy Name,
And by Thy power vindicate me.
I am beset by those who hate me;
Hear Thou my prayer: Thy help I claim.
Against me haughty men did rise
And ruthless foes are out to slay me:
Be Thou my help to save and stay me;
All fear of God those foes despise.
Behold, God is my Helper strong,
He will sustain my life and hear me
And will not let their sword come near me
But will, in grace, my days prolong.
Upon my foes will soon descend
The evil which God will re pay them.
LORD, in Thy faithfulness do slay them;
Let all their schemes come to an end.
To Thee an off’ring I will bring,
A freewill sacrifice to laud Thee;
With songs of joy I will applaud Thee;
Thy Name is good: to Thee I sing.
For my Deliv’rer Thou hast been
From all the trouble round about me
And from my foes who hunt and flout me:
Triumphantly their fall I’ve seen.

Psalm 54

David Koyzis ©

Save me, O God, by Your great name,
And by Your power vindicate me;
Now hear my plea, O God, I pray You,
And listen to the words I speak!
Insolent men are hounding me;
Those of a ruthless disposition
All seek to put an end to my life,
Such people give no thought to God.
Surely will God come to my aid;
The Lord sustains me in his mercy.
May evil plots recoil on my foes;
Be faithful, put an end to them.
Gladly I sacrifice to You
And praise Your name, so full of kindness;
From every trouble You deliver,
My eyes shall see the victory.

Psalm 55

W. van der Kamp, 1972; rev.

Give ear and listen to my pleading;
Hide not Thyself, O God, not heeding
My fervent prayer, my supplications!
Attend to me, and answer me;
I am beset by infamy
And overcome by tribulations.
The shoutings of my foes distress me,
My wicked enemies oppress me;
They bring me trouble and they cherish
In angry hate their enmity.
My heart is faint with misery;
In dread of death and grave I perish.
Dismay and trembling come upon me,
And fear and terror have undone me;
I am alone, by all forsaken.
Were I a dove, with pinions blest,
I would fly off and be at rest,
No more by threats and terrors shaken.
Yes, I would flee to distant places;
I would escape, would leave no traces,
And seek, far from my adversary,
A shelter in the wilderness:
Where raging winds cause no distress
Nor storms can shake my sanctuary.
Destroy their plans; LORD, show no pity;
Confuse their tongues, for in the city
I notice violence and oppression.
Both day and night their vice abounds
When on the walls they make their rounds.
The market place teems with transgression.
It is no foe who comes with taunting,
For then I could endure his flaunting.
It is not that an adversary
Treats me with insolence and pride,
For then from him I still could hide
And I would be on guard and wary.
No, it is you who have betrayed me
And who with ill for good repaid me,
My friend in whom I once confided,
With whom I kept sweet company
And walked in God’s house pleasantly,
But who no with my foes has sided.
Let death strike them till they have perished,
Those whom I as my equals cherished;
Let them be caught in their own error;
Let them who no against me strive
Go down into Sheol alive,
Descend into their graves in terror.
I cry to God; the LORD will save me.
I trust the promise which He gave me.
At noon, at evening, in the morning
I utter my complaint and moan,
And He will hear me as I groan,
When traitors strike me without warning.
He saves me, though my foes are raging,
Out of the battle I am waging.
God will give ear, them He will humble;
He, high enthroned from days of old,
Will break my haters’ strangling hold;
Because they keep no law, they’ll stumble.
My friend appears now as a traitor,
A sleek-tongued covenant violator.
His speech was smoother still than butter,
Yet war was in his heart and mind;
His words were swords, though soft and kind;
It was all feigned what he did utter.
Cast on the LORD the cares that grieve you;
He takes your burden and relieves you.
He will sustain you and will humble
The liar and the hypocrite.
Your downfall He will not permit;
The righteous man will never stumble.
But Thou, O God, wilt vindicate us;
Thou wilt cast down the ones who hate us.
And in the lowest pit shall perish
The men of blood and treacherous ways.
They shall not live out half their days.
I trust in Thee, Thy Word I cherish.

Psalm 56

W. van der Kamp, 1972

Be gracious, O my God, to whom I flee.
I am oppressed, strong is my enemy,
And all day long assailants harass me;
They fight against me proudly.
When I’m afraid, when fears of death enshroud me,
I trust in God, who never disavowed me;
His word I praise, He has with grace endowed me.
What can flesh do to me?
They seek to harm my just cause all day long,
And in their thoughts intend to do me wrong.
They band together in an evil throng;
They watch my steps and hound me.
As they have waited for my life and bound me,
So recompense those foemen who surround me;
In wrath cast down the peoples who confound me,
O God, my Helper strong.
My woes and wand’rings Thou dost count and see;
Put Thou my tears, O God to whom I flee,
Into Thy bottle and remember me
When foes oppress and grieve me.
Are all my ills, the sorrows that bereave me,
Not in Thy book and shalt Thou not relieve me?
My enemies are put to flight and leave me
The day I cry to Thee.
For this I know, that God is at my side.
In Him, whose word I praise, I do confide;
He heard my voice when in my fears I cried.
The LORD is my Defender.
In God I trust, to Him my praise I render.
I do not fear, I trust His mercies tender.
My foes shall flee when He appears in splendor.
Why fear then human pride?
I must perform to Thee, O God, my vow;
Before Thy throne with grateful gifts I bow,
Thank-offerings I bring and I avow
That Thou from death didst save me,
For in the book of life Thou didst engrave me.
Thou hast upheld me, foes could not enslave me,
So that I in the light of life God gave me
May walk before Him now.

Psalm 57

Dewey Westra, 1961, & William Helder, 1980

Be merciful, be merciful to me,
O God, for I my refuge take in Thee.
Beneath Thy mighty wings I’ll seek protection
Until the storms pass by. To God I flee
To God Most High who charts my life’s direction.
He’ll send from heav’n and save me as before,
Frustrating those who hound me evermore.
His steadfast love will comfort me in sorrows
Though I lie down amid the lions’ roar,
Mid enemies with teeth like spears and arrows.
O God, exalt Thyself above the skies!
Let over all the earth Thy glory rise!
My soul was grieved: where’er my way I wended
They set a snare, but to their great surprise
They fell into the pit for me in tended.
See how my heart is steadfast, O my God;
I’ll make a melody unto Thy laud.
Awake, O harp and lyre! Awake, my spirit!
I’ll rise at dawn Thy mercy to applaud,
To sing Thy praise that all mankind may hear it.
Among the nations I will sing Thy praise
And give Thee thanks, for wondrous are Thy ways.
Unto the clouds extends Thy love unfailing;
Thy faithfulness outdistances our gaze.
Shine forth Thy glory, everywhere prevailing!

Psalm 58

W. van der Kamp, 1972

Do you indeed, you men so mighty,
Decree in justice what is right?
Are all your verdicts truth and light,
And do you judge all men uprightly?
No, in your hearts you wrongs devise:
You deal out violence and lies.
Right from their birth the wicked wander,
And from the womb they go astray;
Deceit and falsehood mark their way.
Like serpent’s venom is their slander;
They’re deaf like snakes that stop the ear
Lest they the charmer’s voice should hear.
God, break the teeth of those that slaughter;
Repay them with their victims’ pangs;
Tear out their savage lion fangs.
O let them vanish like the waters
That over rocks and gravel pass;
Cause them to wither as the grass.
Let them to ruin be surrendered
Like snails that turn to slime and die;
As to untimely births, deny
To them the gift of sunlight’s splendor.
Let them like thorns be swept away;
Destroy them, LORD, without delay.
Then will the righteous with rejoicing
Look on when God His vengeance shows;
They’ll bathe their feet in blood of foes,
And men will say, their gladness voicing,
“The righteous their reward will see:
There is a God of equity.”

Psalm 59

W. van der Kamp, 1972

Deliver me, O God, I pray Thee,
From ruthless foes who seek to slay me;
Protect me, rescue me again,
And save me from bloodthirsty men.
They lie in wait and will not spare me;
Fierce men are plotting to ensnare me.
For no trespass of mine, or fault,
They run to plan their dark assault.
Arouse Thyself and come to save me,
LORD God of hosts, lest they enslave me,
For Thou art God of Israel,
Our stronghold and our citadel.
Awake to punish all the nations
That taunt Thee with their provocations;
Spare none of those who treacherously
Plot evil and iniquity.
Like packs of savage dogs that howling
Through all the city’s streets are prowling,
My enemies each night return,
And for my life they lust and yearn.
Lo, there they are, their mouths are growling,
Their lips shriek hate, their mien is scowling,
For, “Who,” they think, “will hear and stay
Our hands stretched out to seize our prey?”
But Thou, O LORD, dost laugh; Thy power
Derides the nations till they cower.
My Strength, I will sing praise to Thee,
My Fortress, to Thy strength I flee.
My God in steadfast love will meet me,
And with His help and mercies greet me.
In triumph He will let me see
The downfall of my enemy.
Slay them not yet, lest those who hear me,
My people, should forget to fear Thee.
O God of power and great renown,
Cause them to totter, bring them down.
Let them be humbled and be broken
For all the sins their mouths have spoken.
O LORD, our Shield, with whom we hide,
Let them be trapped in their own pride!
For all their lies, their evil cursing,
And for the hatred they are nursing,
O God, consume them, I implore,
Consume them till they are no more.
Show them Thy anger, let them cower
Before Thy great and righteous power,
That men may know that God does reign
O’er Jacob and all earth’s domain.
Each evening they, like dogs that howling
Through street and market place are prowling,
Return and look about for prey,
And everywhere they seek and stray.
They roam for food about the city;
Their ravenous hunger knows no pity.
They bark and bellow, loud and shrill,
And growl unless they get their fill.
But I will sing, my haters scorning,
Thy steadfast mercies in the morning.
A fortress hast Thou been to me.
My Refuge, to Thy rock I flee
Whene’er my haters’ anger blazes.
My Strength, to Thee I will sing praises,
For God has heard me from above,
The God who shows me steadfast love.

Psalm 60

William Helder, 1972

Thou hast rejected us, O God,
And scattered our defense abroad;
Thou hast to us Thy anger shown.
O now restore us as Thy own.
The earth was rent, the ground did shake,
For Thou didst cause the land to quake.
God, put an end to tribulation;
Deliver us, Thy holy nation.
Afflicted with adversity,
We turn again, O God, to Thee.
Thou gavest us a cup of wrath
That sent us reeling on our path.
Yet Thou didst raise a banner high
For those who on Thy help rely.
No rescue Thy beloved nation.
O God, reply! Send us salvation.
The LORD spoke in His holiness
And gave these steadfast promises:
“Shechem and Succoth I’ll subdue,
Moab and Edom conquer too.
Manasseh’s tribe belongs to me,
While Ephraim shall my helmet be,
And Judah is my scepter glorious;
In Palestine I’ll be victorious.”
Who will to me the stronghold show
And help me into Edom go?
Are we cast off because of sin?
When wilt Thou lead our host again?
LORD, guide us as none other can,
For worthless is the aid of man.
With God we’ll rise to bold endeavor,
For He will crush our foes forever.

Psalm 60

William Helder © 2005

O God, You have rejected us
And left Your people powerless.
Too long we’ve seen Your anger burn.
Restore us now! To us return!
You made our land convulse and shake;
We saw it crack and split and quake.
Now cause its breaches to be mended;
No longer leave us undefended.
God, You have made Your people see
Times of extreme adversity.
Our life became one harsh ordeal;
You gave us wine that made us reel.
But You have raised a banner high
For those who on Your help rely.
Now show Your might and save Your nation;
To those You love, grant liberation.
Our mighty King, the God of grace,
Has spoken in His holy place:
“All Succoth’s vale and Shechem’s land
I will divide as I have planned.
All Gilead belongs to Me;
Manasseh is My property.
My helmet: Ephr’im, strong defender.
My scepter: Judah, firm commander.
“My foes I with My taunting sting:
At Edom I My sandal fling;
I Moab as My washbowl claim.
In Palestine I shout my fame.”
God, who but You can be our guide
To Edom, so well fortified?
But You have cast us off in anger
And with our armies march no longer.
To us again Your favor show;
Grant us Your aid against the foe.
Uphold us as none other can,
For worthless is the help of man.
Our God will crush the enemy;
With Him, we’ll gain the victory.
Our proud oppressors He will humble,
Tread on their necks and make them tremble.

Psalm 61

W. van der Kamp, 1967

Listen to my cry, and hear me,
Be Thou near me;
O my I God, heed Thou my plaint;
From the ends of earth I call Thee;
Woes befall me,
And my heart is weak and faint.
Lead Thou me, for I abide Thee;
Come and guide me
To the rock for me too high;
Thou my refuge, great in power,
Art my tower
When the enemy is nigh.
Keep me in Thy tent forever!
Leave me never!
Of Thy faithfulness I sing.
Oh, to be where Thou me shieldest,
Where Thou yieldest
Me the shelter of Thy wings!
Thou hast heard all that I vowed Thee
And endowed me
With the heritage of those
Who revere Thy Name and glory
And before Thee
In Thy steadfast love repose.
May the king’s life, by Thee strengthened,
LORD, be lengthened;
Of his reign no end be known.
Bless, O God, all his endeavor;
May he ever
Sit before Thee on his throne.
Be, O God of truth and splendor,
His Defender;
Make Thy steadfast love his stay!
So will I, Thy Name professing,
For Thy blessing
Pay my vows day after day.

Psalm 62

W. van der Kamp, 1967; rev.

In God alone my soul finds rest,
For in His faithfulness I trust;
From Him, my God, comes my salvation.
He only is my rock, my stay,
My fortress and my help for aye,
And none shall move my place and station.
How long will you, my haters all,
As though I were a leaning wall,
A tott’ring fence, beset and press me?
They plan to thrust me down to earth;
Their falsehood gives them joy and mirth.
Their hearts curse, though their lips may bless me.
In silence bide I God alone
And He shall hear me from His throne;
He is my hope and my salvation.
He only is my rock and stay,
My fortress and my help for aye,
And none shall shake my place and station.
On God rests my deliverance,
For He my honor will enhance.
He is my mighty rock, my Savior.
O people, trust this God of grace,
Pour out your heart before His face
And hope at all times for His favor.
Mere breath are men of low estate,
And a delusion are the great;
They rise when in the scales you weigh them;
Together lighter than a breath
Are they, the prey of doom and death.
Their sudden downfall will dismay them.
Do in extortion not confide;
In stolen goods do not take pride;
Set no vain hopes on theft and plunder.
Put not in growing wealth your trust;
The greatest riches are but dust;
Set not your heart on earthly splendor.
God once has spoken, twice I’ve heard
His sure and nevershaken word:
To God belong the power and glory,
And steadfast love is Thine, O LORD,
For Thou dost every man reward
According to his work before Thee.

Psalm 62

David Koyzis ©

My soul finds rest in the Lord God,
From Him alone my safety comes.
He is my Rock and my salvation.
He is my strength and my fortress,
Within His arms I rest secure,
Not to be moved nor to be shaken.
How long will you rush in fury
And set upon the helpless one
To topple like the leaning rampart?
Their sole delight is deception:
Though blessings be upon their lips,
Their inward thoughts are filled with curses.
Seek rest, my soul, in the Lord God,
For all my hope is found in Him.
He is my rock and my salvation.
I rest secure in His fortress.
My life depends on God alone:
He is my rock, He is my refuge.
You people, trust Him for ever;
Pour out your troubled hearts to him,
Who is a fortress strong to save us.
People, both noble and common,
Are but a fleeting breath of air,
Weighing but little in the balance.
Look not to ill-gotten riches
Nor set your heart on wealth accrued.
God speaks to me and I have heard him:
All strength is found in the Lord God;
In You alone is steadfast love.
As we deserve will You reward us.

Psalm 63

William Helder, 1980 ©

Thou art my God, I seek Thy face.
O God, for Thee I thirst and languish;
For Thee my flesh grows faint with anguish
Here in this dry and weary place.
When I stood in Thy sanctuary,
Where Thou art worshipped and adored,
I there beheld Thy greatness, LORD,
And marvelled at Thy power and glory.
Thy steadfast love is better far
Than life itself, O God my Savior.
Thy faithfulness will never waver;
My lips Thy praises will declare.
With joyful singing I will bless Thee
And all my life Thy love proclaim.
With hands uplifted in Thy Name,
I will in thankful prayer address Thee.
In Thy rich blessings I delight
As in a lavish feast before me.
In meditation I adore Thee
Throughout the watches of the night.
I cling to Thee, my strong Deliverer,
And in the shadow of Thy wings
My mouth for joy Thy praises sings,
For Thy right hand upholds me ever.
When foes Thy servant seek to slay,
Earth’s deep abysses shall receive them.
The sword’s dread power shall harm and grieve them;
They shall become the jackal’s prey.
The king then in his God shall glory
With all who swear by His great Name,
For liars He will put to shame
And silence every adversary.

Psalm 63

William Helder © 1980, 2006

You are my God; I seek Your face.
O God, for You I thirst and languish;
For You my flesh grows faint with anguish
As in a dry and weary place.
When I stood in Your sanctuary,
Where You are worshipped and adored,
I there beheld Your greatness, Lord,
And marveled at Your power and glory.
Your steadfast love is better far
Than life itself, O God my Savior.
Your faithfulness will never waver;
My lips Your praises will declare.
With joyful singing I will bless You
And all my life Your love proclaim.
With hands uplifted in Your name,
I will in thankful prayer address You.
You fill my soul with rich delight
As with the joys of lavish feasting,
And as I meditate while resting,
I think of You throughout the night.
I cling to You, my strong Deliv’rer,
And in the shadow of Your wings
My joyful praise I shout and sing,
For Your right hand upholds me ever.
When foes Your servant seek to slay,
Death’s deep abyss will soon receive them.
The sharpened sword will sorely grieve them;
They shall become the jackal’s prey.
But then the king in God shall glory
With all who swear by His great name,
For liars He will put to shame
And silence every adversary.

Psalm 64

W. van der Kamp, 1972, & William Helder, 1980

Heed my complaint, O God, and hear me;
Regard my voice, protect my life.
I am beset by threats and strife.
Save me from those who do not fear Thee,
And be Thou near me.
From wicked plots and scheming hide me,
From those who whet their tongues like swords.
Like deadly arrows are their words.
Hear how those noisy crowds deride me
And taunt and chide me.
The wicked with their plots confound me,
Hide me from their conspiracy.
They shoot from ambush suddenly,
And without fear their mobs surround me
To vex and hound me.
The secret plans they hatch are clever;
They talk of laying snares for me
And say, “Not one is there to see,”
For cunningly devised as ever
Is man’s endeavor.
But God, my enemies pursuing,
Shoots arrows from which none can flee.
They will be struck down suddenly,
And their own tongues, disaster wooing,
Are their undoing.
Then all will see God’s works and fear Him
And shake their heads when He has brought
The works of evil men to nought.
They join in praise with those who hear Him
And who revere Him.
LORD, let the righteous all adore Thee
And take their refuge in Thy might.
Thy victory is their delight.
Let men of upright heart no glory
In joy before Thee.

Psalm 65

William Kuipers, 1931, & William Helder, 1980

Forth from Thy courts Thy sacred dwelling,
In jubilant accord,
We hear sweet strains of praises swelling,
O Israel’s mighty Lord!
To God, who hears our supplication,
We come to pay our vow;
Soon men from ev’ry tribe and nation
Before our God shall bow.
Our countless misdeeds and transgressions
Prevail from day to day;
But Thou, O God, in great compassion,
Wilt purge our guilt away.
Blest is the man whom Thou hast chosen,
And bringest nigh to Thee,
That in Thy courts, in Thee reposing,
His dwelling place may be.
There, in Thy holy habitation,
Thou wilt Thy saints provide
With every blessing of salvation,
Till all are satisfied.
By awesome deeds, so just and mighty,
God saves us from all woe;
To those who walk with Him uprightly
He will salvation show.
Thou art the hope of distant nations;
Thou hast by Thy great power
Set mountain peaks on firm foundations
And stilled the sea’s loud roar.
Those who in far off lands are dwelling
All tremble at the sight;
Both dawn and dusk, in praise excelling,
With joy acclaim Thy might.
Thou to the earth dost show Thy favor,
The bounty of Thy hand,
For Thou with water from Thy river
Enrichest all the land.
The furrows, softened by Thy showers,
Are blest with springing grain.
How great, O God, Thy love and power
Throughout Thy vast domain!
The year is crowned, O Fount of blessing,
With gifts to cheer the land;
Thy goodness fills the earth, expressing
The wonders of Thy hand.
The hills rejoice; the pastures, teeming
With flocks that skip and spring,
The golden grain, in valleys gleaming —
They shout for joy and sing.

Psalm 65

Stanley Wiersma, 1980

Praise is your right, O God, in Zion.
To you we pay our vows.
When we your people pray, you hear us.
All flesh to you will bow.
When our transgressions overwhelm us,
You graciously forgive.
How satisfied your chosen servants;
Within your courts they live.
Your mighty acts work our salvation.
All earth waits hopefully.
You have the strength to make the mountains,
To calm the stormy sea.
You calm the tumult of the people.
Such awesome signs you do
That earth, from sunrise to the sunset,
For joy cries out to you.
You bless the earth with streams and rivers
And with the gentle rain.
You settle ridges, soften furrows,
And bless the sprouting grain.
You crown the year with ample harvest;
A rich abundance springs.
All flocks and grains and hills and meadows—
Yes, all creation sings.

Psalm 65

David Koyzis ©

Your people's songs of praise await You,
O God, on Zion's hill.
To you who hear our supplications
Our vows we will fulfill.
All flesh shall kneel before Your splendor,
Acknowledging their blame;
Though all our sins may overwhelm us,
Yet mercy we may claim.
Happy are those whom You have chosen
Within your courts to dwell.
Out of the storehouse of Your temple,
Our needs you will dispel.
Your righteous works fill us with wonder,
O God of saving grace.
You are the hope of all the peoples
Of every distant place.
Your mighty arm upholds the mountains--
Thus is your power displayed.
You calm the raging of the ocean;
Its billows You have stayed.
The distant nations are astounded
At glorious deeds You've done;
Your wonders merit joyful singing
From dawn to setting sun.
You send Your rain upon the dry earth,
Whose bounties overflow.
Your rivers fill the land with water,
Causing the grain to grow.
For thus have You provided for us
By watering the soil,
By pouring out life-giving showers
To bless the fruits of toil.
You crown our year with rich abundance
And grant prosperity.
Even the grasslands yield a harvest
And grow luxuriantly.
The hills adorn themselves with gladness,
The meadows with their herds.
The valleys with their grain are covered;
They sing with joyful words.

Psalm 66

William Helder, 1980 ©

Let all the earth with loud rejoicing
The greatness of our God acclaim.
With shouts of praise let all adore Him,
Sing to the glory of His Name.
Let all then say, “How awe-inspiring
Are all Thy works, how great Thy power;
Before Thy strength, O God almighty,
Thy enemies all cringe and cower.
“All peoples, bowing down before Thee,
Sing praises to Thy glorious Name;
To Thee, O God, they all pay homage,
With hymns of joy declare Thy fame.”
O come and see with reverent wonder
The awesome deeds which God has done,
His mighty works among the nations,
The victories His hand has won.
His strength to Israel revealing,
He turned the sea to arid land,
And they on foot passed through the river;
The waters heeded His command.
We sang His praise, in Him rejoicing
Who by His might rules without end;
His eyes keep watch on every nation.
Let rebels not His power withstand.
Come, bless our God with joyful voices;
All nations, let His praise resound,
For He has kept our feet from stumbling;
In Him we have a refuge found.
Thy people Thou, O God, hast tested
As ore is in the furnace tried;
We in the fire of Thy refining
Have been, like silver, purified.
Into the net Thou, God, hast brought us;
Thou heavy burdens didst impose.
Thou didst let man upon us trample;
We have been humbled by our foes.
We went through fire, we went through water,
Yet Thou didst show Thy power and grace.
Thou hast delivered us, Thy people,
And brought us to a spacious place.
Thy holy temple I shall enter
And there my thanks to Thee express.
I shall fulfill what I have promised
In days of trouble and distress.
Burnt sacrifices I shall offer,
With choicest fatlings pay my vows.
With smoke of rams, with goats and bullocks
I shall adore Thee in Thy house.
Come and be to my words attentive,
All you who the Almighty fear.
Let me declare how He has helped me,
How in my troubles He drew near.
I cried to God in my affliction,
And He in mercy heard my voice;
I sang His praise with exultation.
In His compassion I rejoice.
If I had cherished any evil,
The LORD would not have heeded me.
I know that God indeed has heard me;
He has attended to my plea.
Forever blest be God, my Savior,
Who has not turned away my prayer,
Nor has withheld from me His mercy,
His never-failing love and care.

Psalm 66

William Helder © 1980, 2006

Let all the earth with loud rejoicing
The greatness of our God acclaim.
With shouts of praise let all adore Him,
Sing to the glory of His name.
Let all then say, “How awe-inspiring
Are all Your works, how great Your power;
Before Your strength, O God almighty,
Your enemies all cringe and cower.
“All peoples, bowing down before You,
Sing praises to Your glorious name;
To You, O God, they all pay homage,
With hymns of joy declare Your fame.”
O come and see with reverent wonder
The awesome deeds that God has done,
His mighty works among the nations,
The victories His hand has won.
His strength to Israel revealing,
He turned the sea to arid land,
And they on foot passed through the river;
The waters heeded His command.
We sang His praise, in Him rejoicing
Who by His might rules without end;
His eyes keep watch on every nation.
Let rebels not His power withstand.
Come, bless our God with joyful voices;
All nations, let His praise resound,
For He has kept our feet from stumbling;
In Him we have a refuge found.
Your people You, O God, have tested
As ore is in the furnace tried;
We in the fire of Your refining
Have been, like silver, purified.
Into the net, O God, You brought us,
Laid heavy burdens on our backs.
Foes drove right over us in chariots;
You humbled us by their attacks.
We went through fire, we went through water,
But You then showed Your power and grace,
For You delivered us, Your people,
And brought us to a spacious place.
Your holy temple I shall enter
And there my thanks to You express,
I shall fulfill the vows I promised
In days of trouble and distress.
Burnt sacrifices I shall offer,
With choicest fatlings pay my vows,
With smoke of rams, with goats and bullocks
I shall adore You in Your house.
Come and be to my words attentive,
All You who the Almighty fear.
Let me declare how He has helped me,
How in my troubles He drew near.
I cried to God in my affliction,
And He in mercy heard my voice;
My tongue with songs of praise extolled Him.
In His compassion I rejoice.
If I had cherished any evil,
The Lord would not have heeded me.
I know that God indeed has heard me;
He has attended to my plea.
Forever blest be God my Savior,
Who has not turned away my prayer,
Nor has withheld from me His mercy,
His never-failing love and care.

Psalm 67

William Helder, 1980 ©

May God be merciful and bless us,
Illumine us with light divine;
May He to us be ever gracious
And cause His face on us to shine.
May He to all nations
Show His revelation
And His way unfold.
Great is God our Savior;
Let all see His favor
And His power behold.
Let all the peoples come before Thee
To sing their praises to Thy Name;
Let all the heathen tribes adore Thee
With joy Thy mighty deeds proclaim.
Thou dost rule the nations,
Judge their populations,
Showing equity.
Justice Thou providest;
Thou all peoples guidest.
Let them honor Thee.
O God, let every tribe and nation
Shout forth Thy praises far and wide.
Let all men come with jubilation:
The earth its harvest did provide.
God is good and gracious;
Richly did He bless us —
He, our God and King.
Let all peoples fear Him,
All the earth revere Him,
Of His glory sing.

Psalm 67

David Koyzis ©

May God be merciful and gracious,
And on us may He shine His face.
Let all the earth come to acknowledge
Your wondrous and life-giving ways.
May each pagan nation
Learn of Your salvation.
Let the peoples praise,
Praise with jubilation.
May all sound Your praises
From every nation.
Let all the peoples raise their voices
And shout aloud with joyful songs;
For You are judge among the nations
And justly set aright all wrongs.
You rule all creation,
Every distant nation.
Let the peoples praise,
Praise with jubilation.
May all sound your praises
From every nation.
The soil has yielded up its harvest,
And God, our God, has blessed our land.
May God bestow on us His blessings
And grant us bounty from His hand.
Let earth fall before Him,
Fear Him and adore Him.
Let the peoples praise,
Praise with jubilation.
May all sound your praises
From every nation.

Psalm 67

William Helder © 1980, 2005

May God be merciful and bless us,
And cause His face on us to shine;
May He to us be ever gracious,
Illumine us with light divine.
May He to all nations
Show His revelation
And His ways unfold.
Great is God our Savior;
May all see His favor
And His power behold.
Let all the peoples come before You
To sing their praises to Your name;
Let all the heathen tribes adore You,
With joy Your mighty deeds proclaim,
For You judge the nations,
Rule their populations,
Leading them as guide.
You as their defender
To all peoples render
Justice far and wide.
O God, let every tribe and nation
Praise You with shouts of thankfulness.
Let them all come with jubilation:
The land has yielded its increase.
God is good and gracious;
He shall richly bless us—
He, our God and King.
Let all peoples fear Him,
All the earth revere Him,
Of His glory sing.

Psalm 68

W. W. J. VanOene, 1972

God shall arise, and by His might
Put all His enemies to flight;
In conquest shall He quell them.
Let those who hate Him, scattered, flee
Before His glorious majesty,
For God Himself shall fell them.
Just as the wind drives smoke away,
So God will scatter the array
Of those who evil cherish.
As wax that melts before the fire,
So vanquished by God’s dreadful ire,
Shall all the wicked perish.
But let the just with joyful voice
In God’s victorious might rejoice;
Let them exult before Him!
O sing to God, His praise proclaim
And raise a Psalm unto His Name;
In joyful songs adore Him.
Lift up your voice and sing aloud
To Him who rides upon the clouds
High in the spacious heavens.
The LORD, that is His glorious Name.
Sing unto Him with loud acclaim;
To Him be glory given.
The Father to the fatherless,
Defense of widows in distress,
Is in His habitation.
He in the goodness of His grace
Gives lonely ones a dwelling-place;
He grants them consolation.
He leads the captive out to see
The joys of newfound liberty,
For bounteous is God’s mercy.
But who against Him dare rebel
Most certainly with famine dwell:
Their land is dry and thirsty.
When through the desert’s solitude
Thou to Thy people’s multitude
Didst show a path to travel,
The rain poured down, the earth did quake,
Yes, even Sinai’s base did shake
Before the God of Israel.
Rain in abundance Thou, O God,
Upon Thy host didst shed abroad,
Thy heritage reviving.
Thy flock has found a dwelling there:
Thou to Thy poor didst show Thy care,
For all their needs providing.
When God but speaks His mighty word,
Great is the host whose shouts are heard:
“The kings have fled like cattle!”
The women who at home abide,
Yes, even they the spoil divide,
Gained by their men in battle.
See here the wealth which they did bring:
Now silver decks a pigeon’s wings
And glistening gold its feathers.
Before the LORD the kings all fled
As snow is on Mount Zalmon spread
By blasts of stormy weather.
O mount of Bashan, massive height,
Far higher than all peaks in sight,
So great and elevated!
O you, whose tops are seen from far,
Whose peaks so high and numerous are,
So glorious and elated!
Why do you still with envy look
At Zion’s mount, which God once took
And made His throne’s location?
God has desired this mountain fair
For His abode, and always there
Will have His habitation.
With mighty chariotry untold,
His host ten thousand thousand-fold,
The LORD came to His nation.
From Sinai’s mount He made His way
To Zion, which He made for aye
His holy habitation.
Thou didst, O LORD, ascend again,
With many captives in Thy train
And gifts from men obtaining,
From even those who did rebel,
That here the LORD our God may dwell,
Here evermore remaining.
Blest be the LORD, who on our way
Provides for us, and day by day
Upholds us by His power.
God of Salvation is His Name;
This glorious Name shall we proclaim.
He is our shield and tower.
Our God, the LORD, is strong to save
From mortal danger, from the grave
And every cruel oppression.
But God will crush the head of foes,
The hairy crown of him who goes
In ways of foul transgression.
The LORD has said, “From where they are,
Yes even though it be from far,
From Bashan I will guide them
And bring them back by My own hand,
Returning them from distant lands,
Though ocean depths should hide them,
That you may bathe your feet in blood
Of those who bear the wrath of God
For all their sinful actions;
In blood of foes, whom none can save,
Your dogs their eager tongues will lave
Unto their satisfaction.
Thy solemn throngs are gathered here;
To God, my King, do they draw near.
They come with sounding cymbals:
The singers first, the minstrels last;
And in among them, filing past,
The maidens play their timbrels.
In this great congregation’s throng
Bless all the LORD in joyful song,
O Jacob’s generation!
See, Benjamin, though least, leads on
The chiefs of Judah and Zebulun
And Naphtali’s whole nation.
To Thee Thy strength has glory brought.
Show now Thy might, Thou who hast wrought
For us so great a treasure!
Because of Thy great temple here
Kings in Jerusalem appear
With bounties in great measure.
Rebuke the beasts among the reeds,
Both bulls and calves, those filled with greed,
All that in wars take pleasure.
Let bronze be brought from Egypt’s land;
To God let Ethiopia’s hand
Stretch out to give its treasure.
Praise God and magnify His worth,
O kings and kingdoms of the earth!
Unto the LORD sing praises,
To Him who in the heavens rides,
Who in the ancient skies resides,
From whence His voice He raises.
Ascribe then strength to God alone,
Whose glory is in Israel known,
Whose might is in the heavens.
He from His temple terror sows,
But on His people strength bestows.
To God let praise be given.

Psalm 68

Benjamin Essenburg, 1931

God shall arise and by His might
Put all His enemies to flight
With shame and consternation.
His haters, haughty though they be,
Shall at His august presence flee
In utter desolation;
For when Jehovah shall appear,
He shall consume, afar and near,
All those that evil cherish.
As smoke before His dreadful ire,
As wax is molten by the fire,
So shall the wicked perish.
But let the righteous, blessed of yore,
Joy in their God as ne’er before,
Faith’s victory achieving.
Their joy shall then unbounded be
Who see God’s face eternally,
Their heart’s desire receiving.
Exalt, exalt the Name of God;
Sing ye His royal fame abroad
With fervent exultation;
Cast up a highway smooth and wide
That through the deserts He may ride,
Jehovah our salvation.
Sing praise, thou chosen Israel,
Who with the folds of sheep dost dwell;
Thou art God’s joy and treasure,
Like doves on golden-feathered wing,
In holy beauty thou shalt bring
Thy praise to God with pleasure.
Jehovah scattered kings and foes,
Redeeming thee from grievous woes;
Praise is thy holy duty.
For God did choose a mount so fair
That Bashan’s height cannot compare
With Zion’s fame and beauty.
The Lord is great, His might untold,
His chariots thousand thousand fold,
His armies ne’er confounded.
Among them God with joy displays
The glory that in Moses’ days
Mount Sinai surrounded.
When Thou, O Lord, in glory bright,
Ascendedst in the heavenly height
Our captive-bonds to sever,
Rich gifts from those who did rebel
Thou didst receive, that men might dwell
With Thee, O Lord, forever.
Let God be praised with reverence deep;
He daily comes our lives to steep
In bounties freely given.
God cares for us, our God is He;
Who would not fear His majesty
In earth as well as heaven?
Our God upholds us in the strife;
To us He grants eternal life,
And saves from desolation.
He hears the needy when they cry,
He saves their souls when death draws nigh,
This God is our salvation.
Ye kings and kingdoms of the earth,
Extol Jehovah’s matchless worth
With Psalm s of adoration.
Praise Him whose glory rides on high,
Whose thunders roll through clouded sky
With mighty intonation.
Ascribe ye strength to God alone,
Whose worth in Israel is known,
For whom the heavens tremble.
O Lord, our strength, to Thee we bow,
For great and terrible art Thou
Out of Thy holy temple.

Psalm 68

Psalter Hymnal, 1987

Let God arise and by his might
Put all his enemies to flight
With shame and consternation.
For when the LORD God shall appear,
He will consume, afar and near,
With fire and desolation.
As smoke before his dreadful ire,
As wax is molten by the fire,
So shall the wicked perish.
But let the righteous, blest of old,
Joy in their God and now behold
The victory they cherish.
Exalt, exalt the name of God!
Sing, sing his royal fame abroad
With fervent exaltation.
Cast up a highway smooth and wide,
That through the deserts he may ride;
The LORD is our salvation.
God’s mighty power sets prisoners free;
His arm of strength gains victory,
To rebels shows no pity.
The father of the fatherless
And help for widows in distress
Is God in Zion’s city.
LORD, when you led us on our march,
The rain poured down from heaven’s arch
And earth shook with the thunder.
Mount Sinai quaked before the LORD,
And heaven answered Israel’s God;
All trembled at the wonder.
Abundant showers blessed the way,
Refreshed your people every day
And lifted up their spirit.
You brought them to the promised land,
You poured forth bounty from your hand;
A home they did inherit.
God gives commands—a mighty host
Of messengers brings back this boast:
“God’s enemies are fleeing!
Both kings and armies flee away
Before the LORD, who wins the day,
God’s cause and ours agreeing!”
At home, mid common daily toil,
Our people sort the foreign spoil,
New wealth from God receiving.
When God Almighty scatters foes,
His glory shines like mountain snows
And kings stop their rebelling.
Proud Bashan, mount of many peaks,
Not from your summit our Lord speaks,
Nor makes you his own dwelling.
Our Lord with captives in his train
From Sinai to Mount Zion came
With chariot host excelling.
Ten thousand times ten thousand strong,
Arrayed in light and armed with song,
They shamed the noise of thunder.
His glory filled the holy place,
And even rebels knew his grace;
They brought him gifts and plunder.
Give praise to God with reverence deep;
He daily comes our lives to keep
And kindly bears our burdens.
Our God upholds us in the strife;
To us he grants eternal life
And saves from all that threatens.
God crushes heads of enemies;
He brings them back from farthest seas
For Israel’s jubilation.
He hears the needy when they cry;
He saves their souls when death draws nigh:
This God is our salvation.
Processions come with God the King;
With shouts of joy the portals ring
As God comes to his temple.
With harps and timbrels, choirs sing,
And maidens dance before their King,
While all Mount Zion trembles.
Praise God, praise God, you holy throng,
With praises lift his name in song;
Bless God, O congregation.
Here Benjamin, the least, leads on;
There Judah’s princes, Zebulun,
And Naphtali—one nation.
Show us your strength, O LORD of hosts,
So every king who comes to boast
Will honor and obey you.
LORD, for your temple’s sake make right
Those wasteland lives now filled with blight;
Stop those who would defy you.
Trample to dust beneath your feet
Those who delight in war’s deceit,
All those who lust for plunder.
Let plunderers bring their ill-gained hoard;
Let every nation praise the LORD,
Lift up their hands in wonder.
All nations of the earth, exult,
Raise Psalm s of praise to heaven’s vault,
God’s ancient throne and dwelling.
God rides his chariot in the height,
He thunders forth his royal right;
God reigns, all kings excelling.
Proclaim the awesome power of God,
Make known his might deeds abroad;
All Israel shall extol him.
For he is powerful and great:
All earth and skies are his estate;
His majesty excels them.

Psalm 69

W. van der Kamp, 1972; rev.

Save me, O God! The waters rise and leap
Up to my neck; the roaring floods surround me.
There is no foothold, deadly dangers hound me;
I’ve come into the waters of the deep.
I am engulfed by floods for me too great;
My throat is parched, I’m weary with my crying.
My eyes grow dim while for my God I wait.
O LORD, give ear and listen to my crying.
More numerous than the hairs upon my head
Are those who without cause or reason scorn me.
Too strong for me are those whose hate has torn me;
Those who attack me with their lies I dread.
Must I restore now what I did not steal?
I know I’ve done the things Thou hast forbidden.
O God, my folly I did not conceal;
From Thee my wrongs and misdeeds are not hidden.
Let not all those who put their hope in Thee
Be put to shame through me and be forsaken;
Let those who seek Thee not be overtaken
By slander and disgrace because of me.
O God of Israel, taunts and shame I’ve borne,
And for Thy sake I am to friend and brother
A stranger whom they disavow and scorn,
An alien to the children of my mother.
For Thy great house I am consumed with zeal,
And on me fall the taunts of those who taunt Thee.
And when I weep and fast my haters hound me;
Reproach and insult now to me they deal.
And when of sackcloth I my clothing made,
A byword I became to all who flout me.
I am the talk of idlers in the gate;
The drunkards make their mocking songs about me.
But as for me, my prayer is, LORD, to Thee.
At Thy own time, O God my Helper, hear me,
And with Thy great and steadfast love be near me;
From sinking in the mire do rescue me.
Deliver me from foes and waters deep;
Incline Thy ear, O God, show me Thy favor,
And draw me from the current’s mighty sweep.
Let death not close its mouth on me, my Savior.
LORD, answer me: good is Thy steadfast love;
O turn to me in Thy abundant mercy.
Hide not Thy face, know how my haters curse me;
I’m in distress, O hear me from above.
Make haste to answer me, draw near to me,
Redeem me, come and save Thy faithful servant;
To Thee I call, O come and set me free
From enemies and haters fierce and fervent.
Thou knowest my reproach, the shame I bear;
Thou seest how my enemies disgrace me,
For known to Thee are all those who abase me.
Taunts broke my heart, and I am in despair.
I looked for pity, but I found deceit,
And for consolers, but they did desert me.
They also gave me gall as food to eat
And vinegar as drink when I was thirsty.
Let their own table be their snare, and make
Their feasts of sacrifice a trap to slay them.
Their eyes be dimmed, that blindness may repay them,
And let their loins and limbs convulse and shake.
Pour out Thy anger, let it not abate,
And in Thy burning fury overtake them.
Let their encampments be left desolate;
Leave Thou their tents forgotten, and forsake them.
They persecute him whom Thy hand did smite;
The pains of him Thou woundest, they increase them.
Charge them with sin on sin, do not release them,
And grant them no acquittal in Thy sight.
Blot Thou their names out of the book of life
And with Thy just decree, O God, delight us.
Remember Thou their hearts with evil rife;
Let them not be enrolled among the righteous.
Regard me in my pain and poverty.
I am afflicted; LORD, let Thy salvation
Set me on high. Restore my place and station.
Hear me, O God, I put my trust in Thee.
I will exalt the Name of God in song:
He will strike down the sinners who defy Him.
With harp and hymn I shall His praise prolong;
With my thanksgiving I will magnify Him.
More than a sacrificial ox or bull
My songs of praise and thankfulness will please Him.
Let the oppressed be glad: God will release him,
For He, my help, is great and merciful.
You who seek God, now let your hearts revive;
Rejoice and sing, the LORD will hear the needy.
His captive people He will cause to thrive.
Since He does not despise us, He will heed me.
Let heav’n and earth praise Him with grateful songs,
The seas and all that stirs in them adore Him,
His people come with shouts of joy before Him,
For God shall save His Zion from her wrongs
And Judah’s cities will the LORD rebuild.
There will His servants be, in praise excelling.
With their descendants will the land be filled;
And those who love His Name find there a dwelling.

Psalm 70

Dewey Westra, 1961; rev.

Be pleased to save me, God, I pray;
Make haste and come to my deliverance.
O LORD, confound those with Thy presence
Who seek to take my life away.
Let them turn back and be embarrassed
Whose joy it is to do me harm.
Cause them to tremble with alarm
Who say, “Aha!” when I am harassed.
May all then yet rejoice in Thee
Who seek Thy face with supplication;
May those who love Thy great salvation
Say, “God be praised!” and sing with me.
But I, O God, am poor and needy;
Come, then, to my assistance now,
My help and my Deliverer Thou.
O LORD, do not delay to heed me.

Psalm 71

W. van der Kamp, 1972; rev.

In Thee, O LORD, do I take refuge;
I trust in Thy great Name,
Lest I be put to shame.
Me in Thy righteousness deliver;
Incline Thy ear and hear me;
With saving help be near me.
Be Thou to me a rock of refuge,
A fortress steep and strong.
To save me from their wrong,
God, rescue me from all the wicked,
From men unjust and savage,
Who me surround and ravage.
Thou, from my youth my trust and Helper,
My hope, I praise Thy worth;
I’ve leaned on Thee from birth.
Yes, from the womb, LORD, of my mother
Art Thou the One who took me,
And never yet forsook me.
A portent I have been to many,
But Thou art, O my LORD,
My refuge, my reward.
My mouth is filled with praise and homage,
And with Thy wondrous glory.
Hear Thou me, and restore me.
Do not in my old age forsake me
When all my strength is spent.
Hear how my foes consent
In plans to watch me and to seize me;
They say, “God does not see him,
And there is none to free him.”
O God, my Rock, be not far from me;
Come to my help, make haste,
And may those be disgraced
Who seek my hurt and who accuse me.
May my oppressors suffer
The scorn and shame they offer.
But I will hope in Thee forever,
And praise Thee more and more;
My life Thou shalt restore.
My mouth will tell of all Thy doings,
Of all Thy acts so righteous
That to Thy praise incite us.
The wondrous deeds of Thy salvation
Shall I praise all day long
With joyful Psalm and song.
Their number, LORD, is past my knowledge.
I’ll show Thy deeds so mighty;
Thy righteousness delights me.
Thou from my youth, O God, hast taught me,
And I do still proclaim
Thy wondrous deeds, Thy fame.
Now that I’m old, LORD, and gray-headed,
Do not forsake and leave me
When foes and haters grieve me.
To all the coming generations
I will proclaim Thy might,
Thy justice and Thy right.
Thy righteousness, Thy power and splendor
Reach unto highest heaven.
To Thee all praise be given.
Thou who hast done great things and glorious,
O God, who is like Thee?
Thou, who hast burdened me
With bitter troubles, wilt revive me.
Out of the depths yet bring me,
With fame and comfort ring me.
LORD, with the harp I’ll also praise Thee
For Thy great faithfulness,
And with the lyre I’ll bless,
O Israel’s Holy One, Thy glory.
My lips will shout for glad ness;
I shall no more know sad ness.
My soul also, which Thou hast rescued,
My tongue, with Psalm and lay,
Will sing of Thee all day.
I’ll praise Thy righteous help and greatness;
Thou who didst not desert me
Hast shamed who sought to hurt me.

Psalm 72

W. van der Kamp, 1972, & William Helder, 1980

O God, give to the king Thy justice,
His son Thy righteousness.
Thou art the God in whom our trust is;
Thy hand alone can bless.
May he, the royal son, be reigning
With judgments true and sure,
To all Thy people right ordaining
And justice to Thy poor.
May for the people hill and mountain
Bring forth the peace they seek,
And justice, gushing like a fountain,
Restore the faint and meek.
May he defend the poor and needy,
May he their children save,
And crush oppressors, proud and greedy,
Who for their downfall crave.
May he, so high above the nations,
Live while the sun endures,
He, who throughout all generations
Our joy and peace ensures;
And may he be like rain that drenches
The meadows parched and pale,
Like showers whose abundance quenches
The thirst of hill and vale.
May in his days Thy justice flourish,
The earth with peace abound,
Thy righteousness the people nourish,
And evil not be found.
Long may he live, and rule our nation
While sun and moon endure;
May he in every generation
Their peace and joy ensure.
For evermore may his dominion
From sea to sea extend,
And from the River to the regions
Of earth’s remotest ends.
May every tribe and tongue adore him,
And may from east and west
His foes all come to bow before him,
His haters lick the dust.
May princes, moved by awe and wonder,
Then travel miles on miles,
That they may him the tribute render
Of Tarshish and the isles.
May Sheba’s king with gifts adore him,
And Seba treasures bring.
May rulers all fall down before him
And serve him as their king.
The helpless poor he will deliver
And hear them when they call,
For he, the great and gracious giver,
Has pity on them all.
He saves them from oppressors greedy
And hears their anguished cries;
The blood of all the poor and needy
Is precious in his eyes.
Long may he live, and may they render
Him Sheba’s choicest gold!
Long may his arm in light and splendor
God’s right and might uphold.
For him the prayers shall without ceasing
Ascend to heaven’s throne;
All day we shall, our songs increasing,
Praise him with joyful tone.
May in the land the grain be growing
From plain to mountain top,
Like Lebanon, with riches glowing
A rustling, bounteous crop.
May in the cities people flower
Like hillsides in the spring;
May all the earth acclaim his power,
His glory’s fullness sing.
The king, whose name we are professing,
Shall like the sun endure.
In him all nations find their blessing;
Make Thou his throne secure!
Blest be the LORD, for He so glorious
Alone does wondrous things.
O God, in all the earth our chorus
With “Amen, Amen” rings.

Psalm 72

David Koyzis ©

God, give Your righteousness to the king,
Your justice to His Son,
That He may rightly judge Your people
And each afflicted one.
Let mountains echo with the message
Of righteousness and peace,
For he defends the poor and needy
And makes oppression cease.
Long as the sun and moon shall endure,
From age to age He lives;
Like welcome rain upon the dry land,
Prosperity He gives.
Until the moon from heaven vanish
Shall peace and justice reign.
From sea to sea extends His kingdom,
Strong shall His rule remain.
Ungodly nations fall at His feet,
His foes before Him bow.
Tribute from Tarshish and the islands
Into His presence flow.
The kings of Sheba and of Seba
Bear precious gifts in hand.
All earthly monarchs do Him homage
And serve at His command.
When needy people call upon Him,
Their cause He will defend.
He pities all the weak and helpless,
The poor He will befriend.
He sets them free from all oppression,
Their lives are in His care.
May Sheba's gold be offered to Him;
"Long live!" be every prayer.
May bounteous grain envelop the land,
Even the mountain tops;
Let sheaves be numberless as the grass,
Like Leb'non's fruitful crops.
O may His Name live on for ever,
Long lasting as the sun.
For every people shall find blessing
Through Him, the kingly One.
Praise to the Lord, the God of Israel;
Wonders he works alone.
Praised be his glorious name for ever;
His name through earth be known.

Psalm 73

William Helder, 1980 ©

How truly God His goodness shows,
Bestowing favor on all those
Who are in Israel pure-hearted
And have not from His ways departed.
But as for me, I slipped almost,
For when I heard the foolish boast
Of those who pay no heed to Thee,
I envied their prosperity.
No suff’ring lies in store for them;
They all are sleek and sound of limb.
They do not share our pain and anguish;
No troubles ever make them languish.
Pride is their necklace, and they dare
Make violence the robe they wear.
Their hearts with follies overflow,
And in their minds illusions grow.
They speak with scorn and haughtiness;
They scoff, and threaten to oppress.
Their mouth lays claim to heaven’s regions,
Their tongue demands the earth’s allegiance.
So people turn to praise these men
And they can find no fault in them.
“God does not see it,” they declare;
“The Most High does not know or care.”
Such are the wicked: they’re secure;
Their wealth increases evermore.
Surely in vain I’ve been purehearted
And have not from God’s laws departed,
And I in vain have washed my hands
In purity and innocence.
For all day long I suffer here,
And with new grief each dawn draws near.
If I had spoken this way too,
How should I then have been untrue
To all the present generation,
The children of Thy holy nation.
I tried to probe the mystery
But found it was too much for me
Till, entering God’s holy place,
I saw the destiny they face.
For surely Thou dost set them all
On slippery ground to make them fall.
They headlong to their ruin tumble
When Thou, O God, dost make them stumble.
How suddenly destroyed are they,
By terrors wholly swept away.
They’re like a dream; when Thou dost rise
Thou wilt their phantom form despise.
When I was bitter in my heart,
And when with pangs my soul did smart,
Then in my folly I ignored Thee;
I was a brutish beast before Thee.
Yet I am always, LORD, with Thee;
By my right hand Thou holdest me.
Thy counsel guides me all my days,
And me Thou wilt to glory raise.
Whom do I have in heav’n but Thee?
Who shall on earth my refuge be?
Since I have Thee as rock and Savior,
I seek no further wealth or favor.
Although my flesh and heart may fail,
God is my strength, I shall prevail,
For He, whose steadfast love is sure,
Will be my portion evermore.
All who from Thee have gone astray
Shall perish in their evil way.
Thou wilt destroy those who, false-hearted,
From Thy commandments have departed.
But as for me, I will not fear:
How good it is that God is near.
Thee have I made my refuge, LORD,
That all Thy deeds I may record.

Psalm 73

William Kuipers, 1931

O Israel’s God, how good Thou art
To all the true and pure of heart!
Though paths of saints are fraught with evil,
Thou showest favor to Thy people.
While faith sank low, I hardly knew
That thou are Israel’s Keeper true;
When in my grief I nurtured doubt,
I well-nigh slipped from ways devout.
Yet in my care, my grief and pain,
I ever, Lord, with Thee remain;
My hand is clasped by Thine forever,
And held by love that faileth never.
On all my ways thy wise decree,
Through gloomy vale and windswept lea,
Will ever guide my faltering feet,
Till we at last in glory meet.
Whom have I, Lord, but thee on high?
None else on earth can satisfy
But thou, O God, my soul’s deep yearning;
For Thee my troubled heart is burning.
Though flesh should faint and heart should break,
Thou art my rock that naught can shake;
In life, in death, Thou art my stay,
My strength, my portion, Lord for aye.
All they who wander far from Thee
Will perish in their misery;
Thou hast destroyed the carnal-hearted,
Who from Thy covenant-ways departed.
But unto Thee, my God on high,
‘Tis good for me that I draw nigh;
I’ll trust Thee, Lord, through all my days,
And publish all Thy works and ways.

Psalm 73

William Helder © 1972, 2006

How truly God His goodness shows,
Bestowing favor on all those
Who are in Israel pure-hearted
And have not from His ways departed.
But, as for me, I slipped almost,
For when the arrogant would boast
Of earthly wealth and luxury,
I envied their prosperity.
No suff’ring lies in store for them;
They all are sleek and sound of limb.
They do not share our pain and anguish;
No troubles ever make them languish.
Pride is their necklace, and they dare
Make violence the robe they wear.
Their hearts with follies overflow,
And in their hearts illusions grow.
They speak with scorn and haughtiness;
They scoff, and threaten to oppress.
Their mouth lays claim to heaven’s regions;
Their tongue demands the earth’s allegiance.
So people turn to praise these men,
And they can find no fault with them.
“God does not see it,” they declare.
“The Most High does not know or care.”
Such are the wicked—they’re secure;
Their wealth increases evermore.
Surely in vain I’ve been pure-hearted
And have not from God’s laws departed,
And I in vain have washed my hands
In purity and innocence.
For all day long I suffer here,
And with new grief each dawn draws near.
If I had spoken this way too,
I surely would have been untrue
To all the present generation,
The children of Your holy nation.
I tried to probe the mystery
But found it was too much for me
Till, ent’ring then God’s holy place,
I saw the destiny they face.
O Lord, You surely set them all
On slippery ground to make them fall.
You cause the arrogant to stumble;
They headlong to their ruin tumble.
How suddenly destroyed are they,
By terrors wholly swept away!
They’re like a dream that, when You rise,
You as mere fantasies despise.
When envy caused me great distress
And filled my heart with bitterness,
I in my folly would ignore You;
I was a brutish beast before You.
In spite of my shortsightedness
I am your servant none the less.
I will be with You to the end,
For You will hold me by my hand.
Your counsel guides me all my days,
And You will me to glory raise.
Whom do I have in heaven, O Savior,
But You whose love endures forever?
Only Your presence I desire;
To nothing earthly I aspire.
Although my flesh and heart may fail,
God is my strength: He shall prevail.
Those who from You have gone astray
Shall perish in their evil way.
You will destroy all who, false-hearted,
From Your commandments have departed.
But as for me, in God I trust,
For with His nearness I am blest.
My refuge is the LORD alone;
I will proclaim all He has done.

Psalm 74

W. W. J. VanOene, 1972; rev.

O God, why dost Thou cast us off for aye?
Why does Thy anger smoke in indignation
Against Thy sheep? O come with Thy salvation!
Bestow Thy grace on them and be their stay.
Remember Thou Thy people in Thy love,
Thy heritage, of old by Thee selected,
The congregation which Thou hast elected
In Thy good pleasure, shown from heaven above.
Remember Zion’s mount, where Thou hast dwelt,
And see Thou its perpetual desolations.
See the destruction which the hostile nations
Brought to the place where once Thy children knelt.
Within Thy holy place Thy foes did roar
And in Thy temple they set up their banners;
They broke it down with hatchets and with hammers
And smashed the carvings that were there before.
They boldly set Thy holy shrine ablaze,
Defiled the dwelling of Thy Name so glorious.
They boasted that their might would be victorious;
Each place of worship they did burn and raze.
We do not see our signs not one is left
And by no prophet is Thy word now spoken.
Is then the bond with Thee forever broken?
How long shall we of com fort be bereft?
How long, O God, is still our foe to scoff?
Shall the reviling of Thy Name cease never?
Wilt Thou hold back Thy strong right hand forever?
Withdraw it from Thy bosom! Cut him off!
Yet God, my King, is God and King of old
And Thou throughout the earth hast worked salvation.
The sea Thou hast divided for Thy nation
And broken heads of dragons fierce and bold.
Thou, LORD, Leviathan’s proud heads hast crushed,
Its flesh as food on desert beasts bestowing.
Thou didst cleave open fountains ever-flowing
And dry up streams where mighty waters rushed.
Thine is the day, Thine also is the night;
Sun, moon, and stars hast Thou set in the heavens.
To all the earth Thou boundaries hast given;
The seasons were established by Thy might.
Remember, LORD, the scoffing of our foes;
Hear how Thy Name is taunted by the wicked!
Yield not Thy dove to beast from field and thicket,
Do not forget Thy children in their woes.
Now for Thy cov’nant have, O LORD, regard,
For terror reigns in all the land’s dark places.
Put not to shame but safeguard from disgraces
Thy poor and needy. Let them praise Thee, LORD!
Rise up, O God, rise and defend Thy cause:
Do not forget the sneers of all Thy scoffers,
The clamor which is all the godless offer,
The uproar which Thy foes make without pause.

Psalm 75

W. van der Kamp, 1972, et al.

Thee, O God, yes, Thee we praise,
And we give Thee thanks, O LORD,
For the proud get their reward
And the wicked Thou shalt raze,
But we laud Thy mercy’s fount,
And Thy wonders we recount.
When the~appointed time is there,
I My judgment will reveal.
Totter may the earth and reel,
When it has My wrath to bear;
I did fashion it of old
And its pillars I uphold.
To the proud and bold I say,
“Let Me no more hear your boast.”
I tell them and all their host
To forsake their wicked way:
“Do not lift your horn on high,
Nor with outstretched neck draw nigh.”
Helpers will not from the east
And not from the west appear
To exalt and to revere
Him whom God makes last and least.
He, the Judge of great renown,
Will lift up and will bring down.
For the LORD has filled a bowl
With wine foaming, spiced, and strong;
All the wicked and the wrong,
All who hound His servant’s soul,
Shun this cup of wrath in vain;
E’en the dregs they have to drain.
Psalms I sing and praise I shout;
I will pay my vows to God.
I shall ever heed His rod;
Jacob’s God, my joy rings out:
All the wicked feel Thy scorn,
But Thou shalt exalt our horn!

Psalm 76

William Helder, 1972 ©

In Judah’s land prevails God’s fame,
And great in Israel is His Name.
In Salem stands His tent of praise;
In Zion is His dwelling-place.
There shield and sword no longer rattle:
He broke all weapons used in battle.
Thy glory longer shall endure
Than mountain heights that stand secure!
Stouthearted men, deprived of spoil,
Sank in to sleep and ceased their toil;
And men of might became weak-handed
Once Thou their downfall hadst commanded.
O God of Jacob, by Thy will
Both horse and rider now lie still.
But Thou, God, terrible art Thou!
For who can stand before Thee now
And face Thy angry indignation
As it resounds through all creation?
The earth in silence, struck with fear,
Did from above Thy verdict hear.
For God arose and judgment gave,
That the afflicted He might save.
Thou from men’s wrath Thy praise ordainest;
Thy further anger Thou restrainest.
Then let all men in worship bow
And pay unto the LORD their vow.
Let all present Him gifts of worth,
For He does awesome deeds on earth.
He stops the breath of kings and princes
And sweeps away their proud pretences.

Psalm 76

William Helder © 1972, 2006

God has in Judah spread His fame;
Great is in Israel His name.
In Salem stands His tent of praise;
In Zion is His dwelling place.
There shield and sword no longer rattle:
He broke the weapons used in battle.
O God, more glorious is Your might
Than awe-inspiring mountain heights.
Men bold and warlike, stripped of spoil,
Sank into sleep and ceased their toil.
None of the valiant and stouthearted
Could lift a hand; their plans were thwarted.
O Jacob’s God, at Your rebuke
Our enemies were terror-struck;
Stunned lay both horse and charioteer.
You, You alone, evoke such fear.
Who does not stand in trepidation
Before Your wrath and indignation?
In fearful silence, all the earth
Heard how Your verdict thundered forth
When You, O God, in judgment rose
To save the humble from their foes.
All merely human wrath and fury
Will but increase Your praise and glory.
Come, honor and revere the LORD;
Make vows to God and keep your word.
Let all the nations tribute bring
And fear Him as almighty King,
For He cuts off the breath of princes
And sweeps away their proud pretences.

Psalm 77

W. van der Kamp, 1972, rev.

I cry out, that God may hear me
And with help be ever near me.
To the LORD I cry aloud
By a weight of troubles bowed.
I stretch out my hands to reach Him;
Day and night my prayers beseech Him.
To my God my grief I told;
I refuse to be consoled.
I remember God with weeping.
Thou dost keep my eyes from sleeping.
With a spirit faint and weak,
So distressed I cannot speak,
Days and years of old I ponder.
In the dark of night I wonder,
And my spirit finds no rest:
“Where is God, who once us blessed?”
“Will the LORD spurn us forever
And us from His covenant sever?
Why is He, our God, displeased?
Has His steadfast love now ceased
And the promises He made us?
Will the LORD forget to aid us?
Does He in His wrath withhold
All His mercies from of old?”
And I say, “This grief besets me,
That the God Most High forgets me
And His right hand now has changed,
That I am from Him estranged.”
LORD, I will recall Thy wonders;
On Thy deeds of old I ponder,
On Thy works I meditate,
Musing on Thy deeds so great.
O my God, Thy way is holy;
For Thy greatness we extol Thee.
What god is there, strong and great
Like our God, so high in state?
For Thou art the God whose glory
Makes the peoples bow before Thee.
Thy strong arm redeemed and freed
Jacob’s sons and Joseph’s seed.
When the waters, all assembled,
Saw Thee, God, they writhed and trembled.
Fear convulsed their mighty sweep,
Terror shook the hidden deep.
Clouds poured rain, with thunders crashing,
On all sides Thy arrows flashing.
When Thy hand its lightnings hurled,
Thou didst rock and shake the world.
Through the sea Thy way did lead Thee;
Wind and tossing waves did heed Thee.
Mighty waters fled in awe,
Yet no man Thy footprints saw.
LORD, Thy people Thou hast guided,
Shepherds for Thy flock provided:
Moses, Aaron, by their hand
Led them to the promised land.

Psalm 77

William Kuipers, 1931

In my grievous tribulation,
Hear my cry and supplication;
O my God, who hearest prayer,
Look on me in all my care.
Day and night in my complaining,
Ne’er my mournful voice restraining,
I in vain with tearful eye
Sought relief with Thee, Most High.
Will the Lord cast off forever,
Ties of covenant friendship sever?
Will He show His face no more
As He did in days of yore?
Will the word, to Israel spoken
By our fathers’ God, be broken?
Must we in our grief complain
That His promises are vain?
Shall His wrath, my way attending,
So I asked in sorrow bending,
Ever stem His wondrous grace,
And conceal His kindly face?
Then my faith, by sorrow chastened,
Cast out fear and doubt, and hastened
To reply in nobler strain:
God will send me joy for pain.
I’ll remember, O my Savior,
How the years of joy and favor,
Like the dew on arid land,
Came to me from Thy right hand.
I’ll recall, Thy works confessing,
All the wonders of Thy blessing;
With my mouth will I proclaim:
Great and glorious is Thy Name.
Holy in Thy habitation
Are Thy ways, Lord of creation.
There’s no god, O God, like Thee,
Clothed with strength and majesty.
Thou eternal art and glorious,
All Thy wondrous works victorious;
Let the nations, spread abroad,
Know that Thou alone art God.

Psalm 77

Helen Otte, 1985

I cried out to God to help me:
In distress and sorrow, hear me.
Day and night I sought in vain
Joy for sorrow, ease for pain.
I stretched out my hands to reach him;
Day and night my prayers beseeched him.
I was sleepless through the night,
Silent in the morning light.
I was anxious and bewildered
As, in sorrow, I remembered
Former days of peace and light;
I recalled songs in the night.
I with doubts and questions wondered,
Am I from God’s mercy severed?
Are his promises in vain?
Will he show his love again?
In my grief I will remember;
LORD, your right hand changes never.
I will think and meditate
On your mighty deeds so great.
All your ways, O God, are holy;
Nations see your power and glory.
You redeemed your chosen folk
Out of Egypt’s iron yoke.
Through the sea a path lay open
When your mighty word was spoken.
Clouds poured water, lightning flashed;
Earth then trembled, thunder crashed.
At your word the sea provided
Paths your unseen footprints guided.
You your people safely keep,
Mighty Shepherd of your sheep.

Psalm 78

W. van der Kamp, 1972, rev.

Give ear, my people, listen to my teaching;
Incline your ear, and let my words be reaching
Your heart and mind, and with their truth impress you;
The parable in which I speak shall bless you.
My mouth will voice dark sayings from of old,
Things we have heard, which us our fathers told.
Such things we’ll tell, not from their children hide them,
That those accounts of olden days may guide them,
And we will tell the coming generation
How God has dealt with Israel, His nation —
The glorious deeds the LORD for them has wrought,
The wonders which His mighty hand them brought.
A testimony He in Jacob founded,
In Israel He had His law expounded,
And to our fathers He, the LORD, commanded
That all His words from kin to kin be handed,
That children yet unborn once might arise
And teach their seed these laws so good and wise.
So would their hope in God alone be founded;
Then they would not forget all He propounded,
Nor come to share their fathers’ condemnation,
That stubborn and rebellious generation,
Those wayward men, who felt His anger’s rod,
Whose spirit was not faithful to their God.
The Ephraimites with bows for war assembled;
Yet they in battle all turned back and trembled.
They did not keep God’s covenant or fear Him,
But they defied His law and did not hear Him,
Forgot His deeds for Israel, His own,
The miracles that He to them had shown.
God wrought great marvels and their fathers saw them;
In Egypt and in Zoan wonders awed them.
There they beheld how He the sea divided
And through the sea His people Israel guided.
He made the waters stand up like a heap;
His mighty hand restrained the roaring deep.
By day He gave a cloud to lead and guide them;
With fiery light He did at night provide them.
He cleft the rocks, and founts sprang up to save them;
Abundant drink as from the deep He gave them.
Out of the barren rock fresh water burst,
And rivers flowed to quench His people’s thirst.
Yet more they sinned against Him in rebelling
When in His care they were in deserts dwelling.
Against the LORD, the Most High, they contested,
And in their evil hearts their God they tested.
In stubborn pride defiantly they raved,
Demanding from His hand the food they craved.
They spoke against their God, “Will He be able
To spread us in the wilderness a table?
He smote the rock, we saw the fountains gushing
And streams of water through the desert rushing,
But can He also give His people bread
And bring us meat so that we may be fed.
Therefore the LORD, who heard their provocation,
Was full of wrath against His chosen nation,
A fiery rage against all Israel mounted;
His anger rose, for never they recounted
What He had done to help them in their plight;
They did not trust His saving power and might.
Yet He commanded then the skies to heed them,
And heaven’s doors He opened wide to feed them,
With bounteous rain of manna them endowing
And heaven’s grain to Israel allowing.
The food of angels gave He them for bread;
Abundantly were Jacob’s children fed.
The east wind He called up from heaven’s borders;
The south wind He led out to do His orders,
And on their wings they brought what God had given,
For flesh, like dust that by the storm is driven,
Rained down upon them from the darkened sky;
With quails the LORD did Israel supply.
They ate and were well filled with flesh He granted;
He gave them all the food they craved and wanted,
But then, before their craving had been sated,
The food still in their mouth, their lust elated,
God’s anger rose against them, and they died;
He slew their strongest men, their flower and pride.
In spite of this, they still with sins did grieve Him;
Despite His wonders they did not believe Him.
So like a breath He made their days to vanish;
Their years went by in terror and in anguish,
But when He slew them, then their eyes did see;
They turned to God and sought Him earnestly.
Then they remembered God, their rock and Savior,
The Most High God, who in redeeming favor
Had brought them out of Egypt that enslaved them.
They flattered Him, yet thought that He would save them.
Though with their lips they might fine words express,
They scorned His cov’nant in their faithlessness.
Yet He in pity and in loving-kindness
Forgave them their iniquity and blindness,
Did not destroy them when His wrath was burning,
But He restrained the anger they were earning,
Rememb’ring that they were but flesh, and vain,
A wind gone by that will not come again.
How often did they all rebel and leave Him,
And with their evil in the desert grieve Him!
They tested Him, always His word decrying,
The Holy One of Israel denying,
And they for got how He His might did show
That day when He redeemed them from their foe.
Through wondrous deeds His Israel He delivered;
He turned to blood all Egypt’s mighty rivers,
And swarms of flies He on their fields did shower,
Frogs which destroyed them showed His anger’s power.
To caterpillars crops and grass He gave;
From hungry locusts none their fruits could save.
With hail and frost their trees and vines He shattered;
Their flocks and herds with thunderbolts were scattered.
He loosed on them His wrath and indignation;
It caused distress and widespread devastation.
Destroying angels He among them sent,
Who brought great ruin everywhere they went.
Free rein He gave His fury to ensnare them;
From death and grave His anger did not spare them.
He gave their lives to plague and devastation;
And heavy was His hand on Pharaoh’s nation.
Their firstborn everywhere His hand did smite;
Death came to all Ham’s dwellings overnight.
Then He led forth His people, and He guided
Like sheep His children who in Him confided.
He led their flock, and without fear they followed,
For all their enemies the sea had swallowed.
And to His holy land He brought His own,
Unto the mount which His right hand had won.
The LORD drove out before them heathen nations,
Apportioned to the tribes their habitations,
And in their tents they safely found a dwelling;
Yet they, against the Most High God rebelling,
Turned traitors, for His laws were not observed,
And, like their fathers, from God’s ways they swerved.
They twisted like deceitful bows and braces;
His anger they provoked with their high places,
For in their idols’ service they were zealous,
And with their images they made Him jealous;
Great was God’s wrath when He saw them rebel.
He utterly rejected Israel.
The tent at Shiloh, where He had been dwelling,
He left when He His people heard rebelling;
To enemies His power He did surrender,
Into their hands the ark with all its splendor.
He gave His people over to the sword,
In anger that His word had been ignored.
Then did the raging flames their youths devour;
Their maidens had no bridal song or bower;
Their priests fell by the sword of heathen nations,
Their widows made for them no lamentations.
The land which God once to their fathers gave
The peoples round about did now enslave.
The LORD then as from slumber did awaken;
He saw how enemies His land had taken,
And like a warrior, swords and arrows flouting,
Who, flushed with wine, his joy is boldly shouting,
So God stood up, to Israel’s help He came,
And put their foes to everlasting shame.
The tent of Joseph’s children He rejected,
In Ephraim His house was not erected;
He chose the tribe of Judah for His nation,
Mount Zion, which He loves as habitation.
He like the heavens built His sanctuary,
And like the earth, to last eternally.
He chose His servant David, and He crowned him,
He took him from the sheepfold where He found him;
From tending ewes and newborn lambs He brought him;
To make him Jacob’s shepherd God had sought him.
With upright heart did David tend the land
And guided Israel with skilful hand.

Psalm 79

William Helder, 1972 ©

Thy land, O God, the gentiles have invaded;
By heathen hordes Thy heritage was raided.
Look how they have, without restraint or pity,
Defiled Thy temple and destroyed Thy city.
To carrion bird and beast
They offered as a feast
The saints whom they did slaughter;
Around Jerusalem,
With none to bury them,
Their blood was poured like water.
We are a taunt to those around us dwelling.
When wilt Thou come, the enemy expelling?
O hear us, LORD! Wilt Thou extinguish never
Thy jealous anger? Will it burn forever?
Thy wrath, O LORD, pour out
On all who Thy Name flout;
Consume the godless nations.
For greedily did they
Seize Jacob as their prey
And raze his habitations.
Remember not the misdeeds of our fathers;
Hold not their guilt against us, LORD, but rather
Show Thy compassion to Thy humbled nation.
O come with haste, Thou God of our salvation!
LORD, so increase Thy fame,
The glory of Thy Name.
Free Thou us from oppression.
For Thy Name’s sake we thus
Pray Thee to rescue us
And pardon our transgression.
Why should the heathen, Israel deriding,
Ask in contempt, “Where may their God be hiding?”
Arise, O LORD! Strike in retaliation;
The blood of saints avenge before the nations!
LORD, on Thy holy throne
Hear Thou the prisoner’s groan.
Thy greatness manifesting,
Preserve us as of old;
Repay them sevenfold
Who taunt Thee with their jesting.
We shall forever joyful praises render
To Thee, our Shepherd and our great Defender.
We as Thy flock, Thy chosen congregation,
Shall give Thee thanks through every generation.

Psalm 79

William Kuipers, 1931

Thy land, O Lord, the heathen have invaded;
Thy holy heritage they have degraded.
Jerusalem, the temple and its altars
Are ruthlessly defiled by the assaulters.
Thy land in ruin lies,
And cries for vengeance rise
To heaven for all this evil.
Our foes have given to beast
And vulture, for a feast,
The bodies of Thy people.
Recall no more the sins we have committed,
But may they all in pity be remitted.
O Lord, make haste; O may Thy mercy tender
Now strength and help unto Thy people render!
To us salvation show
In all our grief and woe,
O God, forsake us never!
Free from the tyrant’s chain,
Purge from all sin and stain,
For Thy Name’s sake deliver.
Incline Thine ear to all in bondage sighing;
Those doomed to death, on Thee alone relying,
Preserve, O God! Lift by Thy mighty power
The awful scourge of this relentless hour. . .
O Lord, our foes restrain,
Avenge Thy servants slain,
Thou Lord of all creation.
By those within Thy fold
Thy Name will be extolled,
Through every generation.

Psalm 79

William Helder © 1972, 2006

Your land, O God, the gentiles have invaded;
By heathen hordes Your heritage was raided.
Look how they have, without restraint or pity,
Defiled Your temple and destroyed Your city.
To carrion bird and beast
They offered as a feast
The saints whom they did slaughter;
Around Jerusalem,
With none to bury them,
Their blood was poured like water.
We are a taunt to those around us dwelling.
When will You come, the enemy expelling?
O hear us, LORD! Will You extinguish never
Your jealous anger? Will it burn forever?
Your wrath, O LORD, pour out
On all who Your name flout;
Consume the godless nations,
For greedily have they
Seized Jacob as their prey
And razed his habitation.
Remember not the misdeeds of our fathers;
Hold not their guilt against us, LORD, but rather
Show Your compassion to Your humbled nation
And come with haste, O God of our salvation!
O LORD, increase Your fame,
The glory of Your name;
Free us from all oppression.
True to Your promises,
Hear us in our distress
And pardon our transgressions.
Why should the heathen, Israel deriding,
Ask in contempt, “Where may their God be hiding?”
Arise, O Lord! Strike in retaliation;
The blood of saints avenge before the nations!
And may You from Your throne
Hear how the prisoners groan.
Your greatness manifesting,
Preserve us as of old;
Repay them sevenfold
Who taunt You with their jesting.
We shall forever joyful praises render
To You, O LORD, our shepherd and defender.
We as Your flock, Your chosen congregation,
Shall give You thanks through every generation.

Psalm 80

W. W. J. VanOene & William Helder, 1972

O Israel’s Shepherd, hear our pleading,
O Thou who Joseph’s flock art leading,
Enthroned above the cherubim!
Shine forth before Thy Ephraim,
Show Benjamin, Manasseh light!
Come, save us, God! Stir up Thy might!
How long wilt Thou with indignation
Ignore Thy people’s supplication?
Tears are the bread of Israel;
Thou givest tears to drink as well.
Thou makest us to suffer scorn;
Our neighbors’ jeering we have borne.
LORD God of hosts, wilt Thou restore us;
Cause then Thy face to shine before us.
From servitude in Egypt’s land
Didst Thou bring out a vine to plant.
Where other nations dwelt before
Thou plantedst it for evermore.
Thou didst prepare the ground for planting;
Thy vine took root and, nothing wanting,
It filled the land so that its shade
A shelter for the mountains made;
It overspread the mighty trees,
Right to the River and the Sea.
Why didst Thou break its walls asunder?
All who pass by its fruit can plunder.
Thy vine is ravaged by the boar,
And other beasts devour still more.
Turn Thou, O God, and show Thy face;
Look down upon Thy vine in grace.
O God of hosts, grant preservation;
Protect Thy vine from devastation.
For they with fire have burned the vine
And cut it down, though it was Thine.
O let them perish in their fear
When Thou dost with rebuke appear.
But let Thy hand, so full of power,
Thy aid and favor freely shower
Upon the man of Thy right hand;
Help Thou the son of man to stand,
For Thou didst cause him to be Thine.
Upon him cause Thy face to shine.
From Thee we then shall turn back never;
Revive us and we shall for ever
Call on Thy Name, before Thee bow.
LORD God of hosts, restore us now.
Upon us cause Thy face to shine,
And save us, LORD, for we are Thine.

Psalm 81

William Helder, 1972 ©

Sing a Psalm of joy,
Shout with holy fervor.
All your skills employ;
With your heart and soul
Jacob’s God extol.
He is our Preserver.
O all Israel,
Voice your jubilation.
Let your music swell;
Harp and timbrel play.
Show in every way
Joy and exultation.
With the trumpet’s tune
Herald, in due season,
Feast-days of the moon:
Let its echo sound.
To let joy abound
God gives every reason.
Keep by God’s command
Your commemoration:
When in Egypt’s land
Captive Israel
Did in bondage dwell,
He gave liberation.
“When you served as slaves
Of the ruthless Pharaoh,
I, the God who saves,
Listened to your plea
And I set you free
From distress and sorrow.
“In the worst of plights
Comfort I provided.
On Mount Sinai’s heights
Did I give My law.
You at Meribah
Tested were and guided.
“Israel, draw nigh.
O My people, hear Me
While I testify
And admonish you.
O in all you do,
Would you but revere Me!
“Never shall you praise
Gods of heathen nations.
Never all your days
To the idols go;
Them you shall not show
Any veneration.
”Sing to Me your laud.
Out of Egypt’s power
I, the LORD your God,
Rescued Israel;
So on you as well
Blessings I will shower.
“By their willful choice
They My love rejected;
They ignored My voice.
Israel did not
Heed what they were taught.
They My law neglected.
“To their stubborn way
Them I did surrender.
Would they but obey
And return to Me!
O then I would be
Israel’s Defender!
“Then I would in haste
Israel deliver.
I would soon lay waste
The oppressor’s land
And with mighty hand
Thwart the foe’s endeavor.
“As their just reward,
All the hostile nations
Who despise the LORD
Would before His face
Cringe in their disgrace
And humiliation.
“With abundance I
Israel would nourish.
You I would supply
With the finest wheat,
Honey pure and sweet.
Israel would flourish!”

Psalm 81

Benjamin Essenburg, 1931

Now to God our King,
Joy and strength of Israel,
Lofty anthems sing;
Glorious are His ways,
To His name give praise
With the harp and timbrel.
This our festal day
Jacob’s God has given;
Solemn joy display
Throughout all the land;
This is the command
Of the God of heaven.
“Hear, my children, hear,”
Saith the Lord who bore thee;
“Never serve nor fear
Gods of wood or stone;
I am God alone,
Worship and adore Me.”
“Open,” saith the Lord,
“Wide thy mouth, believing
This My covenant-word:
‘I will, if thou plead,
Fill thine every need,
All thy want relieving.’”
“O that to My voice
Israel would hearken!
Then they would rejoice,
Walking in My ways,
Bright and joyous days
Ne’er a foe would darken.”
“Most abundant good,
—If thou wouldst but prove Me—
E’en the choicest food,
Honey from the comb,
Wheat the finest known,
I would pour upon thee.”

Psalm 81

Benjamin Essenburg, 1931© 1934 CRC Publications

Unto God, our King,
Joy and strength of Israel,
Lofty anthems sing;
Glorious are Thy ways,
To His Name give praise
With the harp and timbrel.
This our festal day
Jacob’s God has given;
Solemn joy display
Throughout all the land;
This is the command
Of the God of Heaven.
“Hear, my children, hear,”
Saith the Lord Who bore thee;
“Never serve nor fear
Gods of wood or stone;
I am God alone,
Worship and adore Me.”
“Open,” saith the Lord,
“Wide thy mouth, believing
This My cov’nant-word:
‘I will, if thou plead,
Fill thine every need,
All thy wants relieving.’”
“O that to My voice
Israel would hearken!
Then they would rejoice,
Walking in My ways,
Bright and glorious days
Ne’er a foe would darken.”
“Most abundant good,
-If thou wouldst but prove me-
E’en the choicest food,
Honey from the comb,
Wheat the finest known,
I would pour upon thee.”

Psalm 81

Marie J. Post, 1984

Sing a Psalm of joy!
Shout in celebration.
Let the tambourine
And the trumpet bring
Praises to our King
For his great salvation.
Sound the festal horn,
Your thanksgiving voicing.
Praise the LORD your God,
As he did command
When from Egypt’s land
You came forth rejoicing.
When in need you cried,
I was near and saved you.
From the cloud I spoke,
Answered your request—
Meribah the test—
I did not forsake you.
O my people, hear;
When I call you, listen.
Choose no foreign god—
Listen to my plea.
Have no god but me;
Come and be forgiven.
I, the LORD your God,
Brought you out of Egypt.
I removed your yoke,
All your needs supplied.
Open your mouth wide:
Surely I will fill it.
Oh, that Israel
Would but hear my pleading!
Oh, that they would turn,
Walk upon my path;
I would pour my wrath
On their foes unheeding.
With the finest wheat
I, your LORD, would feed you.
Honey from the rock
I would gladly give
That you all might live.
Hear me, O my people.

Psalm 81

William Helder © 1972, 2006

Sing a Psalm of joy;
Shout with holy fervor.
All your skills employ;
With your heart and soul
Jacob’s God extol.
He is our preserver.
O all Israel,
Voice your jubilation.
Let your music swell;
Harp and timbrel play.
Show in every way
Joy and exultation.
With the trumpet’s tune
Herald, in due season,
Feast-days of the moon:
Let its echo sound.
To let joy abound
God gives every reason.
Keep by God’s command
Your commemoration:
When in Egypt’s land
Captive Israel
Did in bondage dwell,
He gave liberation.
“When you served as slaves
Of the ruthless Pharaoh,
I, the God who saves,
Listened to your plea
And I set you free
From distress and sorrow.
“In the worst of plights
Comfort I provided.
On Mount Sinai’s heights
I gave you My law.
You at Meribah
Tested were and guided.
O my people, hear!
Let my warnings reach you.
My commands revere.
Would you but obey,
Not to evil stray.
Listen as I teach you.
“Never shall you have
Gods of heathen nations.
To no idols give
What is Mine alone.
To no god of stone
Bow in adoration.
“I, the LORD, am He
Who from Egypt freed you.
Place your trust in Me;
Open your mouth wide;
I will food provide,
To rich pastures lead you.
“By their willful choice
They my love rejected;
They ignored My voice.
Israel did not
Heed what they were taught.
They My law neglected.
“To their stubborn way
I let them surrender.
Would they but obey
And return to Me!
O then I would be
Israel’s defender!
“Then I would in haste
Israel deliver.
I would soon lay waste
The oppressor’s land
And with mighty hand
Thwart the foe’s endeavor.
“As their just reward,
All the hostile nations
Who despise the LORD
Would before His face
Cringe in their disgrace
And humiliation.
“With abundance I
Israel would nourish.
You I would supply
With the finest wheat,
Honey pure and sweet.
Israel would flourish!”

Psalm 82

W. van der Kamp, 1972; rev.

In solemn courts the gods assemble;
Before the LORD they stand and tremble,
For in their midst He took His place,
And all that live His judgment face.
“How long yet will you disobey Me?
You judge unjustly and dismay Me,
For you show partiality
To wicked men whose sins you see.
“Give justice to the weak and heed them;
Grant rights to orphans when they need them;
Maintain the cause of sick and poor;
Make the afflicted one secure.
Withstand the clamor of the greedy;
Rescue the weak, be with the needy,
And free them from the wicked’s hand;
Ward off the evils he has planned.”
They have no wit or understanding,
And knowledge they are not demanding;
The justice of the LORD they flout;
In darkness deep they walk about.
The order of the world is shaken,
For evil counsels they have taken;
Since they unjust decrees unfold,
All earth’s foundations no more hold.
I say to you, “As gods I crowned you;
As sons of the Most High I count you.
Yet, since all justice you defy,
Like other men, you too shall die.
You’ll fall like any other princes
And rulers with their proud pretences.”
Arise, O God, the earth now judge:
All nations are Thy heritage.

Psalm 82

David Koyzis ©

Judging among divine pretenders,
In council God his verdict renders:
"How long," says he, "shall wickedness
Be favoured over righteousness?
Give justice to the poor and needy,
Rescue the helpless from the greedy.
Treat widows as is right and fair,
Defend all orphans in your care.
"Blindly you grope about and stumble,
While earth's foundations start to crumble.
Gods you may think yourselves to be,
Yet you shall taste mortality.
Like earthly kings whose days are numbered,
Death's claim on you will not be cumbered."
Rise up, O God, and judge the earth,
To you the nations owe their birth.

Psalm 83

W. van der Kamp, 1972; rev.

Do not keep silence, O my God;
Be not unmoved, lift up Thy rod.
For, lo, Thy foes prepare for fighting;
They raise their heads, for war uniting.
The flames of hatred they are fanning,
The downfall of Thy loved ones planning.
They say, “Come let us wipe them out;
Let Israel be put to rout.
Burn down its towns to ash and ember;
Let none that nation’s name remember.”
With one accord they are conspiring,
The fall of Israel desiring.
Yea, Edom and the Ishmaelites,
The Hagarenes and Moabites,
All the Philistines and the Tyrians
Join Ammon’s tribe and the Assyrians.
Gebal confers with Agag’s remnants;
They all give aid to Lot’s descendants.
Treat them as Thou didst Midian,
As Sisera, a fleeing man
Slain by the woman he relied on,
As Jabin’s army at the Kishon.
His warriors, stripped of all their splendor,
Are dung noon the fields of En Dor.
Bring Thou their nobles’ pride to nought,
Like Midian’s kings, whom Gideon caught.
The sword repaid them their transgression
When they said, “Let us take possession
Of God’s own green and fertile regions.”
Destroy our foes and all their legions.
My God, make them like whirling dust,
Like chaff before a sudden gust.
As fire throughout the forest blazing,
As flames the hills and mountains razing,
So with Thy tempest, LORD, pursue them,
With terrifying storms subdue them.
Fill Thou their faces, LORD, with shame,
That they may seek Thy glorious Name;
O cast them down, dismayed forever,
And let them know that all endeavor
Is vain, if not due praise is given
To Thee, Most High in earth and heaven.

Psalm 84

William Kuipers, 1931, & William Helder, 1980

O LORD of hosts, O God of grace,
How lovely is Thy holy place,
How good and pleasant is Thy dwelling!
O how my soul longs earnestly,
Yea, faints Thy holy courts to see
Mid festal throngs and music swelling.
My heart and flesh cry out to God;
To Him I spread my hands abroad.
The sparrow finds a home to rest;
The swallow deftly builds her nest
And has her young beside Thy altar.
So, LORD of hosts, my God, my King,
I seek the shelter of Thy wings;
Thou wilt not let me slip and falter.
How blest are those who dwell with Thee
And praise Thy Name unceasingly.
How blest are those whose strength Thou art,
Who on Thy ways have set their heart —
The highways to Thy habitation.
For them refreshing fountains flow
When they through Baca’s valley go,
A land of drought and desolation.
The wilderness, with showers blest,
Becomes for them a vale of rest.
From strength to strength God’s people go,
And He to them His face will show
In Zion’s courts, His holy dwelling.
O LORD, Thou God of hosts, give ear;
O Jacob’s God, in mercy hear,
Thy steadfast promises fulfilling.
O God, our king and shield behold;
To him Thy power and love unfold.
Lo, one day in Thy house of praise
Is better than a thousand days
Outside the courts of Thy salvation.
As one who fears and serves the LORD,
I would much rather stand and guard
The threshold of His habitation
Than, far from God, to dwell within
The tents of wickedness and sin.
The LORD His goodness has revealed:
He is to us a sun and shield,
For He bestows renown and favor.
And when the upright seek His face,
The LORD will not withhold His grace;
His faithfulness endures forever.
O LORD of hosts, how blest is he
Who puts his hope and trust in Thee.

Psalm 84

William Helder © 2003

O LORD of hosts, almighty King,
The praises of Your house I sing.
How lovely is Your habitation!
Your holy courts I yearn to see;
Faint with desire, I long to be
Where pilgrims join in celebration.
My heart and flesh with joyful shout
To You, the living God, cry out.
The sparrow finds a place to rest;
The swallow builds herself a nest
To rear her young beside Your altar.
Your temple is their safe abode,
O LORD of hosts, my King, my God.
How blest are those who there find shelter.
Your house, O LORD, is their delight;
They sing Your praises day and night.
How blest are those whose strength You are,
Who seek the ways that from afar
Lead them to Zion’s holy places.
As they through Baca’s valley pass,
They make that barren wilderness
A place of springs, a lush oasis;
The early rain on it descends,
And pools refresh the desert sands.
They make their way from strength to strength
Until in Zion they at length
Appear before their God and Savior.
LORD God Almighty, hear my plea;
O God of Jacob, answer me.
Bestow on me Your grace and favor.
O God, our shield, from heaven above
Bless Your anointed with Your love.
LORD, one day in Your dwelling place
Is better than a thousand days
Outside the courts of Your salvation.
Yes, nothing gives me joy so great.
Only to stand there at the gate,
The entrance to Your habitation,
Is better than to dwell within
The tents of wickedness and sin.
The LORD His goodness has revealed:
He is to us a sun and shield.
With grace and honor He delights us.
He shows His mercy, as of old,
And no good gift will He withhold
From those whose walk is just and righteous.
O LORD whose word is firm and true,
How blest are those who trust in You.

Psalm 85

William Helder, 1972 ©

Thou hast shown favor to Thy land, O LORD,
And Jacob’s fortunes were by Thee restored.
Thy people Thou hast from their guilt set free;
Thou didst forgive all their iniquity.
Thy fury and displeasure have now passed;
The flames of anger Thou hast quenched at last.
O God our Savior, hear us as we pray;
Restore us now and take Thy wrath a way.
LORD, will Thy blazing anger never cease
And will Thy wrath for evermore increase?
Wilt Thou not give new life and set us free,
That all Thy people may rejoice in Thee?
O LORD, Thy steadfast love and mercy show
And Thy salvation on us now bestow.
To us Thy lasting faithfulness unfold,
Thy loving-kindness as in days of old.
Let me now hear what God the LORD will speak,
For to His saints who in their hearts Him seek
He will proclaim His steadfast words of peace.
From chains of bondage He will grant release.
For surely His salvation is at hand,
Prepared for those who honor His command.
Then in our land may radiant glory dwell,
Which on the earth shall have no parallel.
Then faithfulness and steadfast love will meet;
Then righteousness and peace each other greet.
Then faithfulness will spring up from the ground,
And from the sky will righteousness abound.
The LORD our God will add prosperity;
Our land will yield its crops abundantly.
Before Him justice will its banners sway
And make the footsteps of the LORD a way.

Psalm 85

William Helder © 1972, 2006

You showed Your favor to Your land, O LORD;
You Jacob’s fortunes graciously restored.
Your people You then from their guilt set free,
For You forgave all their iniquity.
You did not let Your indignation last;
Your fury and displeasure quickly passed.
Now, God our Savior, hear us as we pray:
Again restore us! Take Your wrath away.
LORD, will your blazing anger never cease?
Will it go on forever and increase?
Will You not once again our strength renew,
That all Your people may rejoice in You?
Your never-failing love and mercy show
And Your salvation, LORD, on us bestow.
To us Your constant faithfulness unfold,
Your lovingkindness as in days of old.
Let me now hear what God the LORD will speak,
For to His saints who Him sincerely seek
He will proclaim His peace and righteousness—
But let them not to foolish ways regress.
He surely with His saving help is near
To those who serve Him and His name revere,
That in our land His glory may prevail
And He may there among His people dwell.
Unfailing love meets constant faithfulness,
While righteousness and peace embrace and kiss.
Up from the ground fidelity sprouts forth;
Down from the heavens justice views the earth.
Rich blessings will the LORD on us bestow;
With plenteous crops our land will overflow.
Before Him justice will its banner sway
When for His footsteps it prepares the way.

Psalm 86

W. van der Kamp, 1967; rev.

Turn Thy ear, O LORD, and heed me;
Answer me, I’m poor and needy.
I, who serve Thee constantly,
Trust that Thou wilt rescue me.
Thou, LORD, art my God and Savior;
Show to me Thy grace and favor.
Cheer Thy servant, glad den me:
I lift up my soul to Thee.
Thou art good, Thy grace astounding,
And in steadfast love abounding.
When we call, O LORD, be nigh;
Listen to my troubled cry.
Thee I call, for Thou art near me;
None among the gods will hear me
Or is like Thee, LORD benign,
And no works compare with Thine.
All the nations will adore Thee;
They shall come and bow before Thee
And shall glorify Thy Name,
For none equals Thee in fame.
Great and wondrous things Thou doest,
And my spirit Thou renewest.
Glorious art Thou on Thy throne.
Thou, O LORD, art God alone.
Guide my feet, O LORD, and teach me,
Be my Helper, I beseech Thee,
And unite my heart and aim
In Thy truth, to fear Thy Name.
Great Thou art, Thou shalt reward me
In Thy steadfast love toward me.
In Thy mercy Thou didst save
Me, Thy servant, from the grave.
LORD, the proud rose up around me;
Ruthless foes pursue and hound me,
And to Thee they pay no heed
In their arrogance and greed.
But Thou, God of grace and favor,
Slow to anger, faithful ever,
Dost in steadfast love abound.
With Thy mercy me surround.
Grant Thy strength in my affliction;
Give Thy servant Thy protection,
Rescue me, Thy handmaid’s son.
Let Thy might my haters stun.
Give me proof of Thy great favor:
Show my foes Thou art my Savior.
Shame them all and let them see
Thou didst help and comfort me.

Psalm 87

William Kuipers, 1931; rev.

Our gracious God has laid His firm foundations
On Zion’s mount, the courts of His delight;
Her gates of splendor, bathed in heavenly light,
He loves far more than Jacob’s habitations.
What glorious things, O city of God’s favor,
Are spoken in melodious tones of you!
Rahab will I include, and Babel too,
With those who know Me as their LORD and Savior.
The Moor with the Philistine and the Tyrian
Shall soon, O Zion, throng your holy gate;
In songs of joy I’ll hear her sons relate:
“These all were born within the walls of Zion.”
God will Himself confirm it with His blessing,
And on the roll of nations He will count
All these as born on Zion’s holy mount,
In many tongues one God, one faith confessing.
Then shall God’s Name with holy adoration
And joyful tones be praised by Israel’s throng;
Both harp and voice will blend in swelling song:
“In Zion are the founts of my salvation.”

Psalm 87

David Koyzis ©

God placed his city on his holy mountain;
Our Lord so loves the gates of Zion's town
More than all other towns in Jacob's land.
City of God, great things of you are spoken.
"I will record from every pagan nation
(Even from Babylon and Egypt's land,
Philistia, Tyre and Ethiopia)
All who, though far from home, are born in Zion."
The Most High will establish Zion's people
And guard her citizens in every land.
All whom he loves he counts as native born;
Singing for joy, they draw on Zion's wellsprings.

Psalm 88

W. van der Kamp, 1972

O God, I call for help by day;
I cry out in the night before Thee.
LORD, let my prayer then come be fore Thee,
In cline Thy ear, do not delay.
My soul is full of troubles. Hear me:
The darkness of Sheol draws near me.
I am as one down in the Pit,
Like one among the dead forsaken.
My strength and comfort Thou hast taken;
LORD, hear my prayer and answer it.
Cut off, as from Thy presence banished,
I have from Thy remembrance vanished.
I’m plunged into the lowest grave;
In regions dark and deep I languish.
Thy wrath weighs on me in my anguish;
I’m overwhelmed by all Thy waves.
And of my friends Thou hast bereft me;
They shunned me and in horror left me.
Imprisoned, I can’t break away;
My eyes grow dim, Thou hast undone me.
All day I call, O LORD, upon Thee,
Spread out my hands to Thee and pray.
Will in the grave Thy wonders face me?
And do the dead rise up to praise Thee?
Shall death Thy steadfast grace profess?
And does Abaddon sing Thy glory?
Shall for Thy faithfulness adore Thee
The dim land of forgetfulness?
Are there Thy wonders known and greeted?
Is there Thy saving help entreated?
But as for me, I cry to Thee;
My prayer I offer in the morning.
O LORD my God, why art Thou scorning
My anguish and my fervent plea?
Why dost Thou cast me off and leave me?
Why dost Thou hide Thy face to grieve me?
I am afflicted, close to death,
And by Thy anger overtaken.
I’m helpless and by terrors shaken;
My life is but a feeble breath.
Thy fury has swept down upon me;
Thy dread assaults have overrun me.
Thy terrors hunt me all day long,
And like a flood Thy threats surround me.
They all close in on me and hound me;
I’m crushed by haters fierce and strong.
Of friend and kin Thou hast bereft me,
And only darkness Thou hast left me.

Psalm 89

W. van der Kamp, 1972; rev.

I will extol Thee, LORD, Thy mercies I will praise,
And of Thy steadfast love I’ll sing through all my days.
LORD, with my mouth I will to ev’ry generation
Proclaim Thy faithfulness with joyful adoration.
Thy steadfast love Thou hast established, LORD, forever;
Thy faithfulness is firm, Thy cov’nant changes never.
LORD, Thou hast said, “I’ve made a steady covenant
With him, My chosen one, that I will not recant.
To David as My servant I did once assever,
‘I will establish your descendants’ reign forever;
Your kingdom will endure, for I laid its foundations,
And I will build your throne throughout all generations.’“
The heavens praise, O LORD, Thy wonders all their days;
The holy ones in their assembly sing Thy praise.
Thy faithfulness they laud when they, O LORD, adore Thee,
For who in all the skies can proudly stand before Thee?
And who can be compared to Thee, our strength and tower?
Among the sons of God none equals Thee in power.
The holy ones in council fear Thy majesty;
Thou art far greater, LORD, than those surrounding Thee,
For who among the ones that near Thy throne assemble
Does not, LORD God of hosts, before Thee quake and tremble?
Who equals Thee in strength, and who would dare to flout Thee?
Thy faithfulness and truth stand radiant round about Thee.
O LORD, Thy hand does rule the raging of the sea;
Its mighty waves may roar, they all are stilled by Thee.
Proud Rahab Thou didst crush, its carcass Thou hast shattered,
And by Thy mighty arm Thy enemies were scattered.
Thine are the heav’ns and earth; Thy power is unbounded;
The world and all that is hast Thou in wisdom founded.
The farthest north and south didst Thou create and frame;
Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon praise Thy holy Name,
For mighty is Thy arm; Thy hand, endued with power,
Thy right hand, so exalted, makes the nations cower.
On justice stands Thy throne, on righteousness and glory;
Thy steadfast love goes with Thy faithfulness before Thee.
Blest are the people who acclaim Thee as their King,
Who know the festal shout and of Thy mercies sing.
They see Thy holy face and walk in light before Thee,
Exulting all the day in Thy great Name and glory.
Thy wondrous grace they laud, Thy righteousness recalling;
They go their way with joy, Thy steadfast love extolling.
Thou art their strength and glory; all their foes they scorn,
For Thou hast favored us: exalted is our horn.
Our shield belongs to Thee, our King so great in power;
Upon Thy faithful ones Thou strength and joy didst shower.
High praises we will sing, and homage we will render
To Israel’s Holy One, our King and our Defender.
Of old Thou, LORD, didst speak in visions true and sure
To him, Thy faithful one, whose kingdom shall endure,
“I’ve set the crown upon a man upright and mighty;
I have exalted him, whose loyalty delights Me,
One chosen from the people as their king appointed:
My servant David, with My holy oil anointed.
“My right hand shall not fail, but will abide with him;
Forever shall My arm uphold and strengthen him.
No foe shall him outwit, no wicked man him humble;
His haters I’ll strike down, his foes shall reel and stumble,
For by My steadfast love his enemies are halted,
And in My faithful Name his horn shall be exalted.
“Yes, I, the LORD, will set his hand upon the sea,
His right hand on the rivers. He shall cry to Me,
‘My Father and my God, the Rock of my salvation!’
And him I’ll make among the princes of the nation
My firstborn son, the highest of all kings around him;
On him My eye shall be. My wonders shall astound him.
“Forever I will keep him in My steadfast love,
My covenant confirm with blessings from above.
His line will last, I will establish it forever;
Enduring as the heav’ns, his throne shall vanish never.
My promise I uphold, the oath to David spoken
I always will maintain; My word cannot be broken.
“But if his children ever will forsake My law,
Not keep all that I have ordained with proper awe,
And if they violate the statutes which I founded,
No longer keep the just commandments I expounded,
Then, surely, with My rod I’ll punish their transgression
And their iniquities with scourges and oppression.
“But from him I’ll not take My steadfast love away,
Nor will I ever My own faithfulness betray;
I will not violate the cov’nant they have broken,
Nor will I alter what I once for all have spoken,
For by My holiness I’ve sworn and I change never.
I will not lie; My word to David stands forever.
“His royal line will thus continue evermore,
And, like the sun, his throne before Me shall endure.
His kingdom will not fail, by foes or famine ravished,
For like the moon it shall for ever be established.
As long as over earth and sea the skies are vaulted,
His reign will be secure, his crown will be exalted.”
But now Thou hast withdrawn Thy hand, and him hast spurned;
Thy wrath hast Thou against Thy own anointed turned.
Thou hast renounced the cov’nant once with him erected;
His crown lies in the dust, his prayers Thou hast rejected.
Thou hast breached all his walls by Thy great anger’s power;
His strongholds Thou hast razed, in ruins lie his towers.
All who pass by despoil him, smitten and forlorn.
He, once so high, has now become his neighbors’ scorn.
The right hand of his foes hast Thou, O God, exalted.
They triumphed and rejoiced when they Thy king assaulted.
Yes, Thou didst blunt his sword; his enemies have felled him,
And in his many battles Thou hast not upheld him.
Thou hast, O LORD, removed the scepter from his hand,
Cast to the ground his throne, him from Thy presence banned.
His days of youth and strength hast Thou cut short and taken,
And, covered with his shame, he is by Thee forsaken.
How long, O LORD? Wilt Thou then hide Thyself forever?
Thy wrath like fire is burning; wilt Thou quench it never?
Remember Thou, O LORD, life’s short and fleeting span
And for what vanity Thou hast created man.
For who can live and see the light of day forever,
Who can escape Sheol and meet its terrors never?
What man can save himself? Who is there to release us
From gaping grave and death that soon will grasp and seize us?
O LORD our God, where is Thy steadfast love of old,
The oath to David sworn with promises untold?
Remember how I hear the taunts of all the nations,
The insults of Thy foes, their countless provocations;
For mocking Thy anointed is their sole endeavor.
Yes, amen, amen! Blessed be the LORD for ever!

Psalm 89

William Kuipers, 1931

My mouth shall sing for aye Thy tender mercies, Lord,
To every age will I Thy faithfulness record;
I know how firm and sure Thy wondrous grace is founded,
Established in the skies by love that is unbounded,
As Thy celestial throne shall never sway, no never,
So shall Thy truth endure forever and forever.
“With My on chosen one, e’en David,” God affirmed,
“I’ve made a covenant, with sacred oath confirmed;
I’ve sworn in truth to him, My servant: ‘I will surely
Build up thy lustrous throne through every age securely;
Forever will thy seed, in spite of degradation,
Endure upon thy throne through every generation.’”
The heavens praise, O Lord, Thy wonders day and night;
Thy saints on earth extol Thy faithfulness and might;
Exultingly they ask: “Who, Lord, within Thy dwelling,
Who of the kings of earth, in carnal strength excelling,
Can be compared with Thee, Jehovah great and glorious,
In all Thy wise designs triumphant and victorious?”
The hosts of heaven, O God, acclaim Thee Lord alone,
And greatly fear Thy Name ‘bove all around Thy throne.
Who is there like to Thee, throughout this vast creation,
Jehovah, Lord of hosts, the God of our salvation,
Arrayed like Thee with power and faithfulness astounding,
Constraining saints to praise Thy wondrous grace abounding?
How blessed, Lord, are they who know the joyful sound,
Who, when they hear Thy voice, in happiness abound!
With stedfast step they walk, their countenances beaming
With brightness of the light that from Thy face is streaming;
Exalted by Thy might from depths of desolation,
They praise fore’er Thy Name, Thy justice and salvation.
Thou art, O God, our boast, the glory of our power;
Thy sovereign grace is e’er our fortress and our tower.
We lift our heads aloft, for God, our shield, is o’er us;
Through Him, through Him alone, whose presence goes before us,
We’ll wear the victor’s crown, no more by foes assaulted,
We’ll triumph through our King, by Israel’s God exalted.
As long as heaven stands on pillars firm and sure,
So long shall David’s seed through endless years endure.
But if his children e’er forsake My law appointed,
And walk not in the ways decreed by Mine Anointed,
Then truly will I come in holy indignation,
And chastise them with rods for all their provocation.
Remember, Lord, how frail I am, how few my years;
My life is like a cloud that comes and disappears;
Has man, then, lived in vain? Who can, in death’s dark hour,
Escape the dismal grave with all its ruinous power?
O Lord, recall Thy love, Thy words to David spoken,
Sustain us as of yore by covenant-oaths unbroken.

Psalm 89

Psalter Hymnal, 1987

Forever I will sing of your great love, O LORD,
To every changing age your faithfulness to record.
I will declare how firm your steadfast love is founded,
Established in the skies with faithfulness unbounded.
You promised David that his throne would last forever.
Your covenant with him no power on earth can sever.
The heavens praise, O LORD, your wonders day and night.
The angel hosts on high all tremble at your might.
Almighty God, your faithfulness stands round about you.
You rule the raging seas; no evil foes can rout you.
The heavens and earth are yours; your power is unbounded.
In faithfulness and might the whole wide world is founded.
Your faithfulness and righteousness forever stand.
Your justice and your love reach out to all the land.
You bathe in love and power the people who adore you.
Most blest are those, O LORD, who shout their praise before you,
Who walk in paths of light, enjoying your protection;
Their shield is Israel’s God, the God of all perfection.
Of old your vision came to David, as you said:
“I offer him the crown, my oil upon his head.
I will abide with him; my hand will not forsake him.
His enemies will fear; their armies will not break him.
My steadfast love and power will go with him forever.
I’ll set his hand on every sea and every river.”
“You are my God and Rock,” my chosen one will cry.
Among the kings he’ll reign, the highest of the high.
Although his children stray, I’ll fix his throne forever.
My covenant made with David’s line I will not sever.
As long as sun and moon shine faithfully before me,
From his established throne King David will adore me.
But now, O LORD, in wrath you turn against your own.
You have removed his crown, cast down his royal throne.
His enemies rejoice, with scornful laughter greet him.
Their armies lay him low; in battle they defeat him.
You turned his scepter and his throne to desolation;
His joy and youth are changed to shame and violation.
How long, O LORD, how long? Forever will you hide?
How long before your raging flames of wrath subside?
Whose life is more than dust? Is death not at the portal?
Who can outwit the grave or claim to be immortal?
LORD, note how foes now scorn the king you once appointed.
Restore your covenant vows to David, your anointed.
Doxology:
Sing praises to the LORD, sing amen and amen!
The praise we sing on earth, heaven echoes back again.
Your faithfulness we see in mighty acts of wonder.
Blest are all those, O LORD, whose praises rise like thunder.
Your steadfast love goes on and on—it ceases never.
We sing, “Blest be the LORD forever and forever.”

Psalm 90

W. van der Kamp, 1972; rev.

LORD, Thou hast been since Thou didst shape creation
Our dwelling place in ev’ry generation.
Before the mountains were brought forth and grounded,
And Thou the earth and world hadst formed and founded,
From everlasting stands Thy holy throne;
To everlasting Thou art God a lone.
What is our worth when Thou Thy help delayest?
Thou turnest man back to the dust and sayest,
“Turn back, O sons of man,” and thus we perish.
Brief is our life, and vain the things we cherish.
A thousand of our years are in Thy sight
A day gone by, a watch gone with the night.
Thou sweepest men away, vain in their glory,
For they are like a fleeting dream before Thee,
Like grass which springs up in the early morning,
Like flowers for a while the earth adorning
That with the dawn unfold on hill and glade:
By evening time they wither and they fade.
For we are all consumed by Thy great anger,
And in dismay we’ve seen Thy fury linger.
Thou settest our iniquities before Thee.
Thy light reveals our secret sins most surely,
For in Thy wrath do all our days go by;
Our years come to their ending with a sigh.
Three score and ten are all the years allowed us,
And fourscore when Thou hast with strength endowed us.
Soon they are gone, their best is toil and trouble.
We fly away, our labors worthless stubble.
Who understands the power of Thy wrath,
When Thy great vengeance meets us on our path?
Who understands the woes of all who fear Thee?
Why burns Thy wrath against those who revere Thee?
We pass our years in fear and fitful slumber;
Teach us that we our span of days may number,
So that our hearts gain wisdom. LORD, return!
How long? Have pity! For Thy love we yearn.
LORD, in the morning come and satisfy us,
With steadfast love and with Thy blessings ply us
So that we may rejoice and sing with gladness
As many days as we have mourned in sadness,
As many years as evil we have seen,
That after grief we times of joy may glean.
Show forth Thy work to all who serve before Thee,
And to Thy children show Thy power and glory.
May He, the LORD, our gracious God and Savior,
Shed on us all the riches of His favor.
Establish Thou the labors of our hand;
Establish them, that to Thy praise they stand.

Psalm 90

David Koyzis ©

Lord, from all ages you were our salvation.
Before you formed the hills and all creation,
You still are God from always and for ever.
Man is returned to dust at Your good pleasure.
To you a thousand years are but as one,
A night now past is as an hour once gone.
Like fleeting dreams You sweep away all people;
They are like grass: their lives--so brief and feeble-
Blossom at dawn, by nightfall are no longer.
We are consumed and frightened by Your anger,
For you have brought our faults before Your sight,
Our darkest sins are held up to Your light.
Under Your wrath our days are quickly passing,
And all the years that we have been amassing.
Seventy years are all we are allotted--
Eighty perhaps, provided strength be granted--
Yet even these are filled with sore distress,
For who can bear Your fearful righteousness?
Teach us to know the few days we are given,
Grant us the wisdom you bestow from heaven.
Relent, O Lord! How long shall we be moaning?
Pity your servants; listen to our groaning.
Each day fill us with Your abundant grace
That we may sing for joy before Your face.
Let all our coming days be filled with laughter;
Put our past woes away for ever after.
So let your servants see Your deeds of wonder,
And may our children know Your mighty splendor.
May Your good favor rest upon our days,
And let our transient works proclaim Your praise.

Psalm 91

Dewey Westra, 1961, & William Helder, 1972

Those dwelling in the hiding place
Of God Most High shall tarry
Beneath the shadows of His grace;
His goodness will not vary.
My Fortress when I am beset,
My Rock: I trust Him ever,
For He will from the fowler’s net
His faithful ones deliver.
He’ll save you from the pestilence,
His wings as shelter lending.
His pinions are your sure defense,
His truth a shield unbending.
At night you will not fear the gloom,
Nor, during day, the arrow,
Nor havoc that may spread at noon,
Nor nights of plagues and sorrow.
A thousand at your side may fall,
But you’ll be safely guarded;
When tens of thousands die in all,
You’ll see the foe rewarded.
Since you the LORD your refuge made,
Your rock and habitation,
No evil shall your tents invade,
Nor plague and tribulation.
His hosts of angels God commands
For evermore to serve you.
They will support you on their hands
And from all danger swerve you,
Lest ever you your foot should dash
Against a stone, or stumble.
The deadly serpent you will crush;
The lion you will humble.
“Because he on My love relies,
I surely will defend him.
He knows My Name; thus, when he cries,
My answer I will send him.
I’ll come with rescue in the strife;
To him is honor owing.
I’ll bless him with great length of life,
To him salvation showing.”

Psalm 92

David Koyzis ©

All those who in the Most High dwell,
Who find their shelter in His shade,
Will say to God, "You are my strength,
My refuge whom I trust to aid."
‘Tis He who frees you from the snare
Of those who would afflict you;
Beneath His pinions you may hide,
His folding wings protect you.
The fears of night you need not dread,
Nor flying arrows by the day,
Nor plague that stalks at eventide,
Nor scourge amid the sun's bright ray.
Though thousands may beside you fall,
Ten thousand all around you,
Throughout you will remain unharmed:
His kindness will surround you.
Your eyes have only to behold
To see the wicked's recompense;
The Lord you claim as citadel,
The Most High as your firm defense.
No evil shall upon you fall,
No plague may dare come near you;
For He has put you in the charge
Of angels who will spare you.
Aloft they rest you in their arms
Lest you should stumble unaware;
On beasts and serpents you will tread
And walk atop the dragon's lair.
"I rescue all who cling to me,
Free them from tribulation;
For when they call upon My name,
I grant to them salvation."

Psalm 92

William Helder, 1972 ©

‘Tis good with jubilation to sing and glorify
Thy Name, O LORD Most High, and thank Thee for salvation,
At dawn in Thee rejoicing and in Thy steadfast love,
At night the praises of Thy bound less mercy voicing.
With song and music blending, I will Thy praise recite;
Let harp and lute unite in harmony unending.
My thankfulness expressing, I’ll praise Thy deeds of might;
I’ll sing of my delight, Thy faithfulness confessing.
Thy works are great and splendid! O how profound Thy thought!
The senseless fool cannot begin to understand it.
Though evil men may flourish, though like the grass they sprout,
LORD, Thou shalt root them out; they shall forever perish.
Thou art on high forever. Thou, LORD, shalt overthrow
The proud and godless foe, and topple his endeavor.
My horn Thou hast appointed to match the bull’s in height,
To equal his in might. By Thee I’ve been anointed.
My foes’ defeat and anguish I did myself behold,
And also I’ve been told that all their host is vanquished.
The just Thou wilt remember, to them Thy favor show;
They like the palm tree grow, like Lebanon’s fine timber.
Those whom the LORD will cherish, within His house He put;
There planted, they took root and in His courts they flourish.
Their fruit in old age bearing, they’re vigorous and green.
Yes, now my Rock I’ve seen, His righteousness, His caring.

Psalm 92

David Koyzis ©

It is so good to give thanks and praises to the Lord,
And to play music to the honor of the Most High;
To tell his love at daybreak, his faithfulness at night,
By music of the harp and to the strains of zither.
My heart is happy, O Lord, at what Your hands have done,
And I will joyfully acclaim Your great achievements.
How great Your works, O Lord! how profound Your every thought!
The foolish do not know, for they lack understanding.
Like grass the wicked may grow and evildoers thrive,
But though they flourish now, they soon will meet destruction.
Lord, You are high exalted and rule for evermore.
Your enemies shall flee, the wicked shall be scattered.
You have exalted my strength and made me like the ox;
You have anointed me with oil upon my forehead.
Now I have seen and heard of my enemies' defeat.
The righteous stand like palms; they grow as tall as cedars.
Planted within the Lord's house, they flourish in his courts.
They still are green and yet bear fruit though they be aged.
We joyfully proclaim that the Lord is ever just.
In him who is our Rock there is no trace of evil.

Psalm 92

William Helder © 1972, 2005

It’s good with jubilation to praise and glorify
Your name, O LORD Most High, and thank You for salvation,
At dawn in You rejoicing and in Your steadfast love,
At night the praises of Your boundless mercy voicing.
With song and music blending, let me Your praise recite;
Let harp and lute unite in harmony unending.
My thankfulness expressing, I praise Your deeds of might;
I sing of my delight, Your faithfulness confessing.
Your works are great and splendid. O how profound Your thought!
The senseless fool cannot begin to understand it.
Though evil men may flourish, though like the grass they sprout,
LORD, You shall root them out. They shall forever perish.
You are supreme forever. Doomed is Your enemy.
LORD, see the wicked flee, by none to be delivered!
With such great strength You bless me that, like the wild ox, I
Lift up my horn on high. The finest oils refresh me.
I have been vindicated! As my own eyes have seen,
My foes, to their chagrin, lie humbled and defeated.
The LORD is my salvation; their downfall is assured.
With my own ears I’ve heard their cries of desperation.
The just will He remember, to them His favor show:
They like the palm tree grow, like Lebanon’s fine timber.
Those whom the LORD will cherish within His house He plants.
There God His blessing grants: within His courts they flourish.
Still fruit in old age bearing, they fresh and green remain.
Their witness makes it plain: the LORD is just and caring.
His righteousness and favor they shall proclaim in song:
“In Him there is no wrong. He is my rock forever.”

Psalm 93

W. van der Kamp, 1972

The LORD is King, enrobed with majesty;
He girds Himself with strength and equity.
Therefore the world, established by His hand,
Can not be moved, but shall forever stand.
Firm from of old has stood, O LORD, Thy throne;
From everlasting art Thou God alone.
Thy mighty floods have lifted up their voice,
The waves that roar and in their strength rejoice.
But mighty though the thund’ring floods may be,
More glorious than the rolling of the sea
Is He, the LORD, in majesty on high.
For evermore Thy Name we glorify.
Thy word is sure, in Thy decrees we trust;
Thy law is right, Thy testimony just,
And holiness, O LORD whom we adore,
Is fitting to Thy house for evermore.

Psalm 94

W. van der Kamp, 1967

O LORD of vengeance, show Thy glory;
Judge of the earth, call all before Thee.
Rise up, reveal Thy justice, LORD,
And give the proud their just reward!
Thine is the vengeance, Thine the might;
Put Thou my enemies to flight.
How long yet shall the wicked flourish,
The godless all their evil nourish?
They bluster and they boast aloud;
Of all their misdeeds they are proud.
They crush Thy people in their rage,
And they afflict Thy heritage.
They slay the widow, and they curse me;
They kill the alien without mercy
And put to death the fatherless.
All those who trust Thee they oppress;
They say, “The LORD, He does not see;
The God of Jacob, where is He?”
O dullest of the people, mark this,
You fools whose mind perverse and dark is.
Shall He who made the ear not hear,
And shall He not in wrath appear?
Shall He who formed the eye not see
And fight for us and set us free?
Shall He who chastens all the nations
Forget your sins and provocations?
Shall He who teaches men not know
The hidden thoughts of friend and foe?
The LORD knows that the thoughts of man
Are but a breath and short of span.
Blest is the man whom Thou dost chasten:
To soothe his anguish Thou shalt hasten.
Blest he whom Thou dost teach Thy ways
To give relief from troubled days,
Till for the wicked, one and all,
A pit is dug in which they fall.
God’s people will not be forsaken;
His heritage cannot be shaken,
For to the righteous will return
The equity for which they yearn.
The light of justice will be lit;
All upright men will follow it.
Who will, when wicked men attack me,
Be on my side, stand up and back me?
Who will defend me when my foes
Delight in my distress and woes?
Had not the LORD my cause upheld,
In silence would I soon have dwelt.
O LORD, with songs of praise I hail Thee,
For when I thought, “My feet will fail me,”
Didst Thou stretch out Thy mighty hand,
And by Thy stead fast love I stand.
‘Tis God who in my cares and fears
My soul with consolation cheers.
Can wicked rulers share Thy favor
And be Thy allies, O my Savior?
They frame their mischief by decree;
They band together and agree.
To kill the just is their intent,
And they condemn the innocent.
The LORD has been my strong Defender;
God is my rock, to Him I render
My thankful praise, my triumph songs.
He will repay them for their wrongs,
And all the wicked He shall rout.
The LORD our God will wipe them out.

Psalm 95

W. van der Kamp, 1967

The LORD be praised; come, let us sing,
And let our voice with rapture ring
To hail the rock of our salvation.
Before our God with strength endued
We’ll come with shouts of gratitude,
With Psalms and songs of adoration.
The LORD our God is good and great;
None is like Him in royal state.
No god, O God, shall stand before Thee.
The depths of earth are in His hand;
He formed the mountains, shaped the land;
The sea is His. All show His glory!
Come, let us worship and bow down
Before this God of great renown.
Our Maker, Him our thanks we render:
He led us by His mighty hand
To pastures in a verdant land.
He is our Shepherd, our Defender.
Would that today you heard His voice!
Do not renew your fathers’ choice;
Meribah, Massah saw them chastened.
With hardened hearts they tested Me;
They disobeyed though they could see
How to their aid I always hastened.
For forty years I bore their ill.
I said, “They err in heart and will
And from My ways they stray forever.”
Then in My anger I did swear,
“My heritage they shall not share;
Into My rest they’ll enter never.”

Psalm 95

Book of Psalms for Singing, 1973

Come let us sing unto the LORD!
Let us in honor shout for joy
To Him, the Rock of our salvation.
O let us enter His presence
With thanksgiving, with joyful song.
O let us sing with Psalm s unto Him.
Because the LORD is a great God,
A mighty King above all gods.
The depths of earth are at His fingers;
He owns the highest of the mountains.
The sea is His for He made it.
His hands have fashioned all the dry land.
Come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us before our Maker kneel,
Before the LORD, for He is our God.
We people are of His pasture,
The chosen flock He tends with care.
Oh, if today you would hear His voice!
God’s voice says, “Don’t stiffen your heart
The way you did at Meribah,
A time of testing in the desert.
Your fathers tested my patience;
They tried Me with their discontent,
Though witnessing the wonders I did.”
“I grieved with that generation;
They forty years disgusted Me.
I said ‘They are a folk whose heart strays,
Who have no knowledge of My ways.’
I therefore promised in My wrath,
‘These shall not ever enter My rest.’”

Psalm 95

David Koyzis ©

Come, praise the Lord and be joyful,
Acclaiming our salvation's Rock,
And come before Him with thanksgiving.
Praise Him with jubilant music,
For God is King above all gods;
His rule is over all creation.
He holds earth's depths in His own hand;
The mountain peaks above our heads
Belong to him, for He has made them.
The restless sea He created,
And all the land below our feet
Our gracious God has wisely fashioned.
Come, let us bow down before Him
And kneel before the mighty God,
Who is our Maker and Sustainer.
For God alone is our Father;
We are the people whom He guides,
The flock that He for ever pastures.
If only you would attend Him:
"O harden not your stubborn hearts
As once you did within the desert.
That day your unfaithful forbears
Rebelled and put Me to the test,
Though they had seen My many wonders.
"Through forty years of rebellion
These people would not know My ways;
Their hearts away from Me would wander.
So then I swore in My anger
That none of this rebellious lot
Would reach My restful habitation.

Psalm 96

William Helder, 1972 ©

Sing to the LORD with exultation.
O sing a new song, all creation.
Sing to the LORD and bless His Name;
Day after day with joy proclaim
The wondrous deeds of His salvation.
Declare His glory to the nations;
Make known to all their populations
His marvelous works, for He, the LORD,
Is to be worshipped and adored.
To Him alone show veneration.
The peoples’ gods are man’s invention:
Mere idols, lacking comprehension.
The LORD made all the heavens’ extent.
Lo, splendor dwells within His tent;
With awe His majesty be mentioned.
Glory and strength, O tribes and nations,
Ascribe to God with exultation,
And render to the LORD’s great Name
The glory to which He lays claim.
Sing praise to Him with jubilation.
With off’rings in His courts assemble.
Let all the earth before Him tremble;
In your array of holiness
Worship the LORD. Let all confess:
He reigns and none can Him resemble.
O let His praises be resounded.
By Him the world was firmly founded;
It shall endure. The people He
Will govern by His just decree;
He’ll judge with equity unbounded.
Your joy display, O glorious heavens.
Let earth, be glad, to rapture driven.
Rejoice, O roaring sea’s domain;
Exult, O fields of golden grain.
By rustling woods let praise be given.
Sing to the LORD with exultation,
For He is King of all creation.
Behold, He comes! Your joy express!
He comes with truth and righteousness
To judge the earth and rule its nations.

Psalm 96

David Koyzis ©

Sing to the Lord, O sing a new song!
Sing, all the earth, and praise the Lord's name!
Tell his salvation day to day;
Let all the world his glories know;
His marvels tell among the peoples.
Great is the Lord and worthy of praise.
Above all gods he is to be feared;
For idol gods are without power.
The skies were made by God alone;
Splendor and glory are before him.
Give to the Lord, you clans of the earth--
Our Lord who reigns in glory and power--
Give him the honor due his name.
Bring your oblation to his throne.
O earth, before his presence tremble.
The Lord is King! Tell every nation!
He made the earth; it cannot be moved.
His justice flows to all the earth.
Let heav'n rejoice, the earth be glad!
Let ocean thunder forth his praises!
Let all the fields exult in their Lord!
Let all the woodlands sing out his praise!
Sing to the Lord, for he will come
To judge the world with equity
And every nation with his justice.

Psalm 96

William Helder © 1972, 2006

Sing to the LORD with exultation.
O sing a new song, all creation.
Sing to the LORD and bless His name.
Day after day with joy proclaim
The wondrous deeds of His salvation.
Make known His glory to the nations;
Declare to all their populations
His marvelous works, for He, the LORD,
Is to be worshipped and adored.
Praise Him with joyful exclamations.
All gods revered by other nations
Are merely idols, man’s creation.
Our God made all the heav’ns’ extent,
And glory dwells within His tent.
Before Him kneel in adoration.
Glory and strength, O tribes and nations,
Ascribe to God with exultation.
His power and majesty acclaim;
Extol His great and glorious name.
Sing praise to Him with jubilation.
To Him, the LORD, your off’rings render
And worship Him in holy splendor.
O all you nations, far and near,
Tremble before Him, quake with fear.
Bow down to Him in awe and wonder.
Herald abroad as proclamation:
“The LORD is King of all creation.”
The world is firmly set in place;
None can His handiwork erase.
He will with justice rule the nations.
Your joy display, O glorious heavens.
Let earth, be glad, to rapture driven.
Rejoice, O roaring sea’s domain;
Exult, O fields of golden grain.
By rustling woods let praise be given.
Shout forth your gladness, all creation!
Sing to the LORD with exultation.
Behold, He comes! Your joy express!
He comes in truth and righteousness
To judge the earth and rule the nations.

Psalm 97

Dewey Westra, 1931; rev.

The LORD our God is King!
O earth, rejoice in Him!
All islands, coasts, and ocean,
Break forth in glad devotion.
Dark clouds of secrecy
Enfold His majesty.
The pillars of His throne
Are righteousness alone
And perfect equity.
Consuming flames deploy
Before Him, to destroy
His foemen round about Him
Who vainly seek to flout Him.
His lightning bolts, when hurled,
Enlighten all the world;
Earth sees and quakes with fear
To see His wrath appear
And thunderous clouds unfurled.
The hills, as wax by fire,
All melt before His ire,
When God on His creation
Pours flaming indignation.
The heavens in awe express
His perfect righteousness.
Let all the nations see
His glorious majesty,
His royal power confess.
To shame are put all they
Who in their folly pray
To idols, man’s creation,
And worthless for salvation.
The LORD we bring our laud,
For He alone is God!
Come, all you gods, draw near,
Bow down to Him in fear,
By His dominion awed.
O Zion, lift your voice,
Within your gates rejoice!
Thy judgments, LORD, so glorious,
Made Judah all victorious.
Her daughters sing with mirth,
For high above the earth,
Thou, who art God alone,
Hast made Thyself a throne
And magnified Thy worth.
The LORD shows love to him
Who hates and flees from sin.
His saints the LORD will ever
From wicked men deliver.
Behold, both joy and light
Will dawn for the upright.
Thank Him with heart and voice,
In His great Name rejoice,
And glory in His might.

Psalm 97

Marie J. Post, 1981

God reigns: let earth rejoice!
Sing praise with one great voice.
All shores, with sea surrounding,
Praise with your voice resounding.
Dark clouds of mystery
Proclaim his majesty.
Firm founded is God’s throne
On righteousness alone
Through all eternity.
Fire goes before his path,
Consuming in his wrath
All those who seek out evil.
Storms flash and shake and rumble.
Great mountains melt like wax.
Before the LORD’s attacks.
His heavens, stretched above,
Proclaim God’s truth and love.
Glorious are all his acts.
Those worshippers, unwise,
Who bow to cults and lies
Provoke God’s indignation.
They cannot gain salvation.
Now all in Judah praise
Their LORD’s most righteous ways,
And Zion praises God
Most high above all gods—
Our God of love and grace.
God sends deliverance
To rescue all his saints;
He keeps them safe from evil.
God truly loves believers.
Light dawns for all his own;
True joy is theirs alone.
Redeemed, with heart and voice,
Before the LORD rejoice.
Praise him before his throne.

Psalm 98

Dewey Westra, 1931; rev.

Sing to the LORD, a new song voicing,
For mighty wonders He has done.
His right hand and His arm most holy
The victory for Him have won.
The LORD displayed His just salvation;
His vindication He has shown,
Revealing to the heathen nations
That judgment issues from His throne.
He has remembered all His mercy,
His faithfulness to Israel.
The ends of earth have seen His glory;
In victory did He excel.
Now make a joyful noise before Him;
O all the earth, His praises sing!
With loud acclaim let all adore Him
And let the joyful anthems ring!
Join to the harp your glad rejoicing;
A Psalm of adoration sing,
With trumpet and with cornet voicing
Your joyful praise to God the King.
Let oceans roar with all their fullness,
The world and all that dwell therein.
Acclaim the LORD’s great power with boldness;
Exalt Him ever and again.
Let all the streams in joyous union
Now clap their hands and praise accord,
The mountains join in glad communion
And leap with joy before the LORD.
He comes, He comes to judge the peoples
In righteousness and equity;
He will redeem the world from evil
And righteous shall His judgment be!

Psalm 98

Erik Routley, 1972, alt. 1984 © Hope Publishing

New songs of celebration render
To God who has great wonders done;
Love sits enthroned in ageless splendor;
Come and adore the mighty One.
God has made known the great salvation
Which all the saints with joy confess.
God has revealed to every nation
Truth and unending righteousness.
Joyfully, heartily resounding,
Let every instrument and voice
Peal out the praise of grace abounding,
Calling the whole world to rejoice.
Trumpets and organs, set in motion
Such sounds as make the heavens ring;
All things that live in earth and ocean,
Sound forth the song, your praises bring.
Rivers and seas and torrent roaring,
Honor the Lord with wild acclaim;
Mountains and stones, look up adoring,
And find a voice to praise God’s name.
Righteous, commanding, ever glorious,
Praises be sung that never cease:
Just is our God, whose truth victorious
Establishes the world in peace.

Psalm 98

David Koyzis ©

Sing to the Lord, O sing a new song
For all the marvels He has done;
He with His arm so strong and holy
Salvation's victory has won.
The Lord reveals to all the peoples
His saving power and righteousness;
To all the chosen house of Israel
He shows His love and faithfulness.
To every corner of creation
God's saving power is manifest;
All earthly creatures, praise the Lord God
And sing for joy at His behest.
Shout to the Lord with joyful music,
Upon the harp His praises sing;
With horn and trumpet loudly blasting,
Lift voices to the Lord your King.
Let ocean thunder forth His praises
And all who dwell upon the earth;
Let rivers clap in jubilation
And mountains shout aloud with mirth.
Sing to the Lord, for He is coming
To judge the world with equity;
To every nation flows His justice,
On them His righteousness shall be.

Psalm 99

D. van der Boom, 1972, & William Helder, 1980

God, the LORD, is King,
Throned on cherubim.
Let the peoples quake,
Earth’s foundations shake,
For in Zion He
Shows His majesty
And His exaltation
Over ev’ry nation.
Let them spread the fame
Of His awesome Name;
Holy is the LORD
And to be adored.
Let them praise their King,
Of His justice sing.
Worship Him uprightly;
He, the King, is mighty.
Thou in Jacob’s land
Hast by Thy own hand
Right and truth maintained,
Equity ordained.
At His footstool bow
And revere Him now.
Praise Him, high and lowly,
For the LORD is holy.
Moses to Him prayed,
Aaron sought His aid;
Later Samuel
Called on Him as well.
They cried out to Him,
And He answered them;
He in tribulation
Heard their supplication.
He to Israel spoke
In a cloud of smoke;
They His glory saw,
Worshipped Him with awe.
He, the LORD, their Guide,
Statutes did provide
Which His chosen nation
Kept with dedication.
When they called on Thee,
Thou didst hear their plea;
Thou didst pardon them,
Though avenging sin.
Come to Zion’s hill
And perform God’s will;
Praise Him, high and lowly,
For the LORD is holy.

Psalm 99

Samuel G. Brondsema, 1931

God Jehovah reigns,
His are all domains;
Tremble at His Word.
Peoples who have heard
Of the power of Him
Who ‘mid cherubim
His great throne has taken;
Let the earth be shaken.
God Who rules in state
Is in Zion great;
He excels in worth
All that dwell on earth.
Honor and acclaim
His exalted Name,
All ye high and lowly;
He alone is holy.
For God’s royal might
Serves His truth and right;
Justice He maintains,
Righteously He reigns.
Manifesting grace
To His chosen race,
Jacob’s seed he’ll never
From His cov’nant sever.
Then let all accord
Honor to the Lord;
At His footstool bow,
Seek His favor now.
Worship and acclaim
His exalted Name,
All ye high and lowly;
God alone is holy.

Psalm 100

William Helder, © 1980

You lands and peoples of the earth,
Before the LORD your joy shout forth.
Serve Him with gladness all your days;
Come unto Him with songs of praise.
Know that the LORD is God alone;
He made us, and we are His own,
His people, who extol His ways,
The sheep that in His pastures graze.
Come, enter then His gates with praise
And in His courts your voices raise.
Give thanks to Him and bless His Name;
Within His house your joy proclaim.
The LORD is good, and evermore
His love and mercy will endure.
All generations He will bless
In His unchanging faithfulness.

Psalm 100

William Kethe, 1560

All people that on earth do dwell,
Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice,
Him serve with mirth, His praise forthtell,
Come ye before Him and rejoice.
Know that the Lord is God indeed;
Without our aid He did us make;
We are His folk, He doth us feed,
And for His sheep He doth us take.
O enter then His gates with praise,
Approach with joy His courts unto;
Praise, laud, and bless His name al-ways,
For it is seemly so to do.
And why? The Lord our God is good,
His mercy is forever sure;
His truth at all times firmly stood,
And shall from age to age endure.

Psalm 100

William Helder © 1980, 2006

You lands and peoples of the earth,
Before the LORD your joy shout forth.
Serve Him with gladness all Your days;
Come unto Him with songs of praise.
Know that the LORD is God alone;
He made us, and we are His own,
His people, who extol His ways,
The sheep that in His pasture graze.
Come, enter then His gates with praise
And in His courts your voices raise.
Give thanks to Him and bless His name;
Within His house your joy proclaim.
The LORD is good, and evermore
His love and mercy will endure.
All generations He will bless
In His unchanging faithfulness.

Psalm 101

Dewey Westra, 1961, & William Helder, 1980

LORD, I will sing, the praise of justice voicing;
Uprightness is the theme of my rejoicing.
A song of loyalty and blameless ways
To Thee I’ll raise.
I’ll wisely tread the pathway of perfection.
When wilt Thou come, O LORD, for my direction?
I’ll walk within my house with blameless heart,
From sin apart.
No base and worthless thing will I have near me,
And all apostasy I hate sincerely.
Those who in secret other men defame
I’ll put to shame.
The proud of eye and heart I will not suffer,
But to the faithful I will friendship offer.
The man who walks in all integrity
Shall wait on me.
Deceitful men shall from my presence vanish,
For liars I will from my household banish,
And those who spread their tales of slander shall
Not with me dwell.
To all the nation I will justice render;
I will destroy the criminal offender,
And every day Thy city’s peace, O LORD,
Will I safeguard.

Psalm 101

Dewey Westra, 1931

Lord, I will sing with rapturous rejoicing,
Thy justice and Thy lovingkindness voicing;
A joyful Psalm, Jehovah, I will raise
Unto Thy praise.
I’ll wisely tread the pathway of perfection;
When wilt Thou come, O Lord, for my direction?
I’ll walk within my house with perfect heart,
From sin apart.
No wicked thing or slanderous accusation
Shall stand before mine eyes with approbation;
No hateful doings of apostasy
Shall cleave to me.
The forward heart will I not suffer near me,
All evil things will I abhor sincerely;
All who in secret at their neighbors scoff
Will I cut off.

Psalm 101

Bert Witvoet, 1985

I praise your justice, LORD, with my thanksgiving;
Your mercy and your love guide all my living.
I will obey you, live in purity.
Stay close to me.
I hate the deeds of faithless men and women;
I shrink from those who twist the truth within them.
All those who slander, those who proudly scoff
I will cut off.
I will regard the faithful in your nation,
That they may share my place of habitation.
Then people who avoid all treachery
Will serve with me.
All evildoers from my house I banish;
From God’s own city wicked ones will vanish.
May every shrewd deceiver be undone:
Let God’s rule come.

Psalm 101

William Helder © 2003

LORD, I will worship You with great rejoicing,
My praise of righteousness and mercy voicing.
Of steadfast love and justice I will sing
To You, my king.
The path of blameless living I will ponder.
When will You come to me, lest I should wander?
I’ll walk within my house from sin apart,
With upright heart.
Things base and worthless I will not have near me.
The faithless and their deeds I hate sincerely.
I shun all evil. No disloyalty
Shall cling to me.
If one should secretly his neighbour slander,
I will not fail to silence the offender.
Proud hearts and haughty eyes I cannot bear
And will not spare.
Those who are faithful, without guile or malice,
I will appoint to serve me in my palace.
No liar and no scandalmonger shall
In my house dwell.
The wicked I will punish without pity,
Of evildoers rid God’s holy city,
And each new day those who still jeer and scoff
I will cut off.

Psalm 102

Author Unknown, 1972; rev.

Heed my prayer, O LORD, be near me;
O incline Thy ear to hear me.
Let my cry come unto Thee;
Do not hide Thy face from me.
When I pray in grief and worry,
LORD, to me Thy answer hurry.
Listen to my supplication;
Quickly come with consolation.
For my days, like smoke, are fleeting;
Each goes by without repeating.
Like a hearth my bones do burn,
While I for Thy answer yearn.
For my heart is so dejected
That my bread I have neglected.
Skin and bones, together cleaving,
Are the outcome of my grieving.
While I lie awake in sorrow,
I am like a lonely sparrow
Perching on the housetop high.
Like the pelican am I,
And the owl; in desolation
Have such birds their habitation.
In my loneliness I languish,
For I suffer constant anguish.
All day long my foes deride me;
They with curses have defied me.
I no longer eat my bread,
But with ashes I am fed;
With my drink my tears are blended,
For Thy wrath has not yet ended.
Thou didst in Thy anger take me
And an outcast Thou didst make me.
Like an evening shadow, fleeting,
Soon in night its span completing,
So my days do quickly pass,
For I wither as the grass.
But, O LORD, Thou changest never,
For Thou art enthroned forever.
Thy great Name and revelation
Last through every generation.
LORD, Thou wilt arise in pity
On Thy house and holy city.
It is time to show Thy face,
The appointed time for grace.
Thou wilt hear our supplication
When we pray for restoration.
Those who serve Thee, LORD, sincerely,
Love the stones of Zion dearly.
All the nations shall revere Thee;
All the kings of earth shall fear Thee,
For Thou shalt Thy city build,
To be with Thy glory filled.
Thou shalt set Thy congregation
Firm on Zion’s strong foundation.
When we pray, LORD, Thou shalt hear us;
When we suffer, Thou art near us.
God be praised with adoration
By each passing generation.
He looked down from heav’n on high
To release those doomed to die;
From His holy height He sees us,
From captivity He frees us,
That His people Him may worship,
And all kingdoms praise His lordship.
God has tried me in His rigor,
And He broke my strength and vigor.
“O my God, my God,” I pray,
“Do not yet take me away.
Thou whose years endure forever,
Do not yet my life-thread sever.
LORD of every generation,
Answer Thou my supplication.”
Thou didst lay the earth’s foundation,
Mighty God of all creation.
Thou didst frame the vast extent
Of the lofty firmament.
But they both shall fall and tumble;
What may seem secure shall crumble.
Like a garment one may cherish,
So will they wear out and perish.
Like a cloak, Thy whole creation,
From the skies to earth’s foundation,
Thou dost change; it fades away,
But Thou art the same for aye.
LORD, the children of Thy servants,
All the line of their descendants,
Shall in safety dwell before Thee,
For Thy steadfast love adore Thee.

Psalm 103

William Helder, 1972

O bless the LORD, my soul, bless your Preserver;
Let all within me praise His Name with fervor.
My soul, forget not all His benefits;
O bless the LORD, who pardons your transgression,
Who heals your illnesses in His compassion,
Who saves you and redeems you from the Pit.
Bless Him who with His steadfast mercy crowns you,
Who with His love and faithfulness surrounds you,
Who grants His bounteous gifts your whole life through.
To Him who shows His righteousness sing praises;
From their affliction He His people raises.
Your youth He, like the eagle’s, will renew.
To the oppressed His justice He discloses.
His glorious ways He once made known to Moses;
The LORD revealed His deeds to Israel.
He will not always chide, but, mercy showing,
His steadfast cov’nant love on us bestowing,
He’ll stay His wrath; the LORD is merciful.
The LORD has dealt with us in great compassion,
Not punished us according to transgression.
High as the soaring heavens, without end,
So great His mercy is to those who fear Him,
And He the sins of all those who revere Him
Removes as far as east from west extends.
A father with his children sympathizes;
Likewise for us God’s pity swiftly rises.
Let all who fear Him in His mercy trust.
He knows our frame, that it is weak and humble;
He keeps in mind how prone we are to stumble.
The LORD recalls that we are only dust.
The life of man is fleeting like the grasses,
And like a flower, when the storm-wind passes,
It soon is gone: its place knows it no more.
But God’s unfailing love shall never perish,
For everlastingly the LORD will cherish
Those who revere Him and His Name adore.
For children’s children, through the generations,
The LORD shall work His glorious vindication,
His righteousness revealing, as of yore,
To those who keep His precepts in obedience
And to His cov’nant show their full allegiance,
His steadfast love endures for evermore.
God has His throne high in the heavens founded;
He governs all, by angel-hosts surrounded.
You mighty servants, all His ways extol!
O bless the LORD, created works in union,
Throughout all places of His vast dominion.
Extol the LORD and bless Him, O my soul.

Psalm 103

Dewey Westra, 1931

O bless the Lord, my soul, with all thy power!
Exalt the God who is thy strength and tower;
Let all within me bless His holy Name.
Bless Him who heareth all thy supplication;
Forget not thou His kindly ministration,
But all His gracious benefits proclaim.
O bless the Lord, who all thy need supplieth!
Thy soul with good He fully satisfieth,
And, like the eagle’s, He renews thy youth.
Jehovah doeth right, for He is holy;
His judgments for the sore oppressed and lowly
Are done in perfect righteousness and truth.
He spake to Moses from the midst of thunder,
He brake the bonds of Israel asunder,
And showed to them his mighty works and ways.
The Lord is gracious and of kind compassion,
He saved His own in truly wondrous fashion,
To anger slow, He loved them all their days.
Jehovah will not chide with us forever
Nor always keep His anger, but deliver
His people from their sorrows and distress.
He has not crushed the flock of His possession,
Nor dealt with us according to transgression;
He chastens, but with love and tenderness.
Like as a father looketh with compassion
Upon his children, lo, in such a fashion
The Lord doth look on them that fear and trust.
He knoweth that our frame is weak and humble;
How void of strength, how prone we are to stumble!
And He is mindful that we are but dust.
Lo, as for man, his days are like a shadow,
Like tender grass and flowers of the meadow,
Whose morning beauty fadeth with the day;
For when the wind but lightly passeth o’er it
‘Tis gone anon and nothing can restore it;
‘Tis found no more, it vanisheth for aye.
Jehovah’s mercy floweth, like a river,
From everlasting, and abideth ever
On those that love and worship Him with awe.
His righteousness shall bless the habitations
Of children’s children through the generations
That keep His covenant and obey His law.
High in the heavens has Jehovah founded
His lofty throne, by cherubim surrounded;
And lo, His kingdom ruleth over all!
O bless the Lord, ye angels full of glory,
Ye mighty heroes, famed in sacred glory,
Ye mighty heroes, famed in sacred story,
That do His word, obedient to His call!
Bless Him, ye hosts, in praises without measure,
Ye ministers of His that do His pleasure;
Exalt His Name, His majesty extol.
Bless ye Jehovah, all His works in union,
In all the places of His wide dominion;
Yea, bless the Lord with joy, O thou, my soul!

Psalm 103

Helen Otte, 1986

Come, praise the LORD, my soul, and all within me,
Praise His most holy Name; bring Him the glory.
Forget not all His benefits toward you.
He is forgiving, heals all your diseases,
Redeems your life, so satisfies and pleases
That, like the eagle’s, he renews your youth.
To all the needy God is just and faithful.
He showed His deed to Moses and his people.
The LORD is gracious, rich in steadfast love.
He is compassionate and slow to anger.
He will not keep His wrath on us forever.
He does not treat us as our sins deserve.
High as the heavens above, so great God loves us.
So far has He moved our transgressions from us—
As far removed as east is from the west.
As parents have compassion on their children,
God is compassionate to those who fear Him;
He knows our frame, remembers we are dust.
Our days are gone as quickly as a flower;
Like grass, we flourish for the briefest hour.
But God’s love is forevermore the same;
From everlasting unto everlasting,
To children’s children, human love surpassing,
His love remains with all who fear His name.
God in His kingdom over all is ruling.
Praise Him, you angels, you who do his bidding,
You mighty servants who obey his word.
Come, praise the LORD, all works of His creation.
Praise God in every part of His dominion.
Come, O my soul, forever praise the LORD.

Psalm 103

O bless the LORD, my soul, bless your preserver!
My inmost being, praise His name with fervour.
Do not forget His deeds of love and grace.
O bless the LORD, who pardons your transgressions,
Who heals your illnesses in His compassion,
And who redeems your life from death’s abyss.
O bless the LORD, who with His mercy crowns you,
Who with His love and faithfulness surrounds you,
Who grants His bounteous gifts your whole life through.
To Him who shows His righteousness, sing praises;
From their affliction He His people raises.
Your youth He, like the eagle’s, will renew.
To the oppressed His justice He discloses.
He long ago revealed His ways to Moses,
Made known His mighty deeds to Israel.
His love abounds; the LORD is slow to anger.
He will not let His wrath forever linger;
His chiding He’ll not endlessly recall.
The LORD has dealt with us in great compassion,
Not punished us according to transgression.
High as the vault of heaven, without end,
So great His mercy is to those who fear Him;
He sweeps the sins of all those who revere Him
As far away as east from west extends.
In tender mercy, like that of a father
Who has compassion on his sons and daughters,
God looks on those who put in Him their trust.
To all who fear Him, He will show compassion,
For well He knows how we were formed and fashioned;
The LORD remembers we are only dust.
Life is like grass, so quick to fade and perish,
And like a flow’r that will but briefly flourish,
Only to sear and wither in the wind;
It soon is gone, not leaving any traces.
But God is ever merciful and gracious:
His love stands firm, abiding without end.
God’s mercy, everlasting and unfailing,
His righteousness, for evermore prevailing,
Will rest on those who fear Him all their days.
God will be faithful through the generations
To children’s children who with dedication
Uphold His cov’nant and His laws obey.
His holy throne the LORD in heav’n has founded;
From there He rules with sovereign power unbounded,
For all the universe is His domain.
Praise Him, you angels, great in might and splendor.
You loyal servants, in your awe and wonder
Shout forth the praise of His eternal reign!
You host of angels, worship and adore Him.
All you who serve and minister before Him,
His justice and His majesty extol!
Let all created things in glad communion
Exalt His name throughout His vast dominion.
Come, praise the LORD and bless Him, O my soul!

Psalm 104

W. van der Kamp, 1972; rev.

O bless the LORD, my soul, and praise His Name.
LORD God, how great Thou art, how bright Thy fame!
Thou, who art clothed with majesty and glory,
Thou, robed in light, we honor and adore Thee.
The heavens Thou hast stretched out like a tent,
Thy dwelling founded on the firmament.
Clouds are Thy chariot, storms lend Thee their pinions;
Winds are Thy heralds, fire and flame Thy minions.
The earth, which Thou hast founded, none can shake.
The raging deep Thou as its cloak didst make,
And even mountains were concealed there-under.
Waves rushed and fled at Thy rebuke, Thy thunder;
Hills then sprang up, while valleys sank and drowned.
To mighty oceans Thou didst set a bound;
Thou didst appoint a place for them, that never
Their roaring floods the earth again might cover.
Thou makest springs gush forth in vales and dells.
Between the hills, brooks flow from sparkling wells
And quench the thirst of beasts in field and forest;
Wild asses drink the waters which Thou pourest.
There birds of heaven dwell in shrub and tree;
They sing among the branches, praising Thee.
Hills drenchest Thou from heaven, where Thou livest;
The earth is satisfied with all Thou givest.
Thou madest grass for cattle and wild beasts,
And plants for man, who on Thy bounties feasts.
Oil makes his face to shine when he rejoices
In bread and wine and then Thy praises voices.
Well-watered are God’s trees; it rains upon
His cedars planted throughout Lebanon.
There in the treetops are the storks residing;
Goats roam the crags where badgers find a hiding.
To mark the months Thou, LORD, hast made the moon.
At Thy command the sun turns dusk to noon,
And when Thy day by night is overtaken,
Then in the forest all the beasts awaken.
Young lions roar and ask from God their prey,
But when the dawn appears they steal away
And lie down in their dens, the sunlight scorning.
Then man awakes and greets the dewy morning.
Man goes forth to his work when morning calls
And labors till the evening shadow falls.
O LORD, Thy many glorious works astound us;
In wisdom hast Thou made them all around us.
Of Thy great riches Thy creation sings.
Thy ocean teems with countless living things;
It is for ships a place to make their way in,
And for Leviathan a place to play in.
All look to Thee, a countless multitude,
That in due time Thou mayest give them food.
Now filled with the good things that Thou providest,
They are dismayed when Thou Thy count’nance hidest.
When Thou dost take a way their breath, they die;
They are created when Thou, from on high
Thy Spirit sending, them with life enduest.
The face of all the earth Thou, LORD, renewest.
The glory of the LORD forever stands;
May He rejoice in all that He commands.
He looks on earth and makes creation shiver;
He touches mountains and they smoke and quiver.
I’ll sing to God as long as I shall live;
May to the LORD my worship pleasure give.
But may all sinners from the earth be driven.
Bless God, my soul! To Him all praise be given.

Psalm 105

W. van der Kamp, 1972; rev.

O thank the LORD with great rejoicing,
His deeds among the peoples voicing!
Praise Him, His wondrous works proclaim
And glory in His holy Name.
Let those who seek Him praise the LORD,
Their hearts exulting in His word.
Turn to the LORD, who fails us never,
And seek His face, His strength, forever.
Recall the wonders He has wrought,
The righteous judgments He has taught.
Remember these, you chosen ones,
O Abraham’s offspring, Jacob’s sons!
He is the LORD, our God unfailing,
His judgments everywhere prevailing.
He will remember and uphold
His covenant made in days of old.
The steadfast words He did command
A thousand generations stand.
Firm stands His word to Abraham spoken,
His oath to Isaac, never broken.
His everlasting covenant
With Israel God will not recant.
He said, “To you this land I give,
That as My heirs you there may live.”
When few in number and neglected
They by the nations were rejected,
And when they wandered far and wide,
The LORD remained their faithful Guide.
So none His people could oppress;
Kings could not curse when God did bless.
He said, “Touch not whom I anointed,
Nor harm the prophets I appointed.”
When famine came on God’s command
And hunger ravaged Canaan’s land
In breaking every staff of bread,
The LORD had sent a man ahead.
Sold as a slave and torn by anguish
Did Joseph far in Egypt languish;
Forgotten and with irons chained,
There in a prison he remained
Until the king about him knew,
And then the LORD’s word proved him true.
The king called Joseph and released him,
His prophecies and counsels pleased him;
He made him master of the land,
Gave all he had into his hand,
To guide his princes on their course,
To show his elders wisdom’s source.
Then Israel with kin and cattle
Went down to Egypt there to settle.
Rich blessings did the LORD bestow;
He made them stronger than their foe,
Whose hearts He turned till they did treat
His chosen servants with deceit.
The LORD sent Moses as their savior
With Aaron, whom He chose to favor,
And through their words He wrought for them
Great wonders in the land of Ham.
Deep darkness covered it by day,
Yet they did not God’s word obey.
He turned to blood both stream and river.
To frogs did He their land deliver;
They into inner chambers went.
Then swarming flies and gnats He sent.
Their fields and orchards hailstorms lashed;
Throughout the land the lightning flashed.
Their fig trees and their vines were shattered,
Their fields by swarms of locusts battered,
Devouring fruit and foliage green
Till there was nothing left to glean.
The LORD in anger raised His hand
And smote the firstborn in the land.
With silver and with gold provided,
They went, by God their Shepherd guided.
How glad was Egypt when they left;
Of all its pride it was bereft.
God spread a cloud and gave a light
To point the way by day and night.
The winds brought quails when they did crave them;
Abundant bread from heav’n He gave them.
Out of the rock God’s mighty hand
Made rivers flow in desert land;
His promise, made to Abraham,
He kept and safely guided them.
God led them forth with joy and singing,
Their voices with His praises ringing;
He gave to them the nations’ land,
Filled with their fruit His people’s hand,
That they might serve Him all their days.
O Israel, to the LORD give praise!

Psalm 105

Samuel G. Brondsema, 1931

Unto the Lord lift thankful voices,
Come, worship while your soul rejoices;
Make known His doings far and near
That peoples all His Name may fear,
And tell, in many a joyful lay,
Of all His wonders day by day.
In joyful song your hearts uniting,
His works most marvelous reciting,
Now glory in His holy Name;
Let those that seek Him spread His fame,
Incline their hearts to sing His praise,
And unto Him their anthems raise.
Seek ye Jehovah and His power,
Seek ye His presence every hour.
His works, so marvelous and great,
Remember still, and meditate
Upon the wonders of His hands,
The judgments which His mouth commands.
Ye seed from Abraham descended,
To whom His favors were extended,
And Jacob’s children, whom the Lord
Has chosen, hearken to His word.
He is the Lord, our Judge divine;
In all the earth his glories shine.
Jehovah’s truth will stand forever,
His covenant-bonds He will not sever;
The word of grace which he commands
To thousand generations stands;
The covenant made in days of old
With Abraham He doth uphold.
The Lord His covenant people planted
In lands of nations which he granted,
That they his statutes might observe,
Nor from his laws might ever swerve.
Let songs of praise to Him ascend,
And hallelujahs without end.

Psalm 105

Calvin Seerveld, 1983

Trumpet the Name! Praise be to our LORD!
Cry out the good news of his great deeds.
Sing from your hearts, play songs for him.
Chant through the world God’s acts of might.
Let all who seek the LORD rejoice,
Give thanks to God with heart and voice.
Look to the LORD’s almighty power;
Remember his sure testimonies.
Think on surprising wonders done,
His miracles, his judgments won,
All followers of Abraham
Are children of the great “I AM.”
The LORD our God rules all creation
As covenant LORD, forever faithful,
Keeping his word to Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob—Israel
And generations yet to come:
“I’ll lead you to a promised home.”
When Abraham searched for the new place
Which God had said he would inherit,
He wandered far, tossed back and forth
Threatened with wrong, yet never hurt.
God ordered kings to do no harm,
Kept all his children in his arm.
All Jacob’s family lodged in Canaan;
God changed their lives there with a famine.
Joseph had been sold off, a slave,
Jailed falsely maligned, lost for years,
Until God providentially
Made Pharaoh set poor Joseph free.
The king of Egypt leaned on God’s slave,
Made Joseph chief lord of his nation!
Princes were bound by his decree,
Wise men agreed—what irony!
God’s people lived as welcomed guests,
Thrived better than their gentile hosts.
* But unleashed hate pressed down the LORD’s folk;
Moses and Aaron then were chosen
To execute most fearful plagues,
Pitch dark, and water turned to blood,
Fish dead and frogs in Pharaoh’s bed.
God spoke, and horseflies swarmed ahead!
Hail raining down instead of bread,
Grasshoppers hopped, increasing dread;
God killed their firstborn sons all dead;
God rescued Israel from the foe;
Egypt was glad to see them go.
God hung a cloud to lead them safely;
His fiery pillar guided nightly.
When they complained, he dropped them quail,
Water gushed out from solid rock!
His manna answered desert prayers:
God kept his oath to faithful heirs.
Exodus meant pure celebration:
The LORD’s elect gained liberation!
God gave his folk rich heathen lands,
Put treasures in his people’s hands,
That they might demonstrate God’s grace
Alive before his steadfast face.

*Stanza 7 may be sung either with or without the list of plagues.
When singing the entire text, repeat the fourth melodic phrase six times.

Psalm 106

W. van der Kamp, 1972; rev.

O thank the LORD, bring Him your praise,
Extol His goodness all your days;
His steadfast love endures forever.
Who can His mighty deeds profess?
Blest those who right and truth endeavor,
Who at all times do righteousness!
Remember me, O LORD, when Thou
Thy own with favor dost endow;
When Thou dost save them, me deliver,
That with Thy flock I may engage
In praising Thee, O gracious Giver,
And glory with Thy heritage.
Both we and all our fathers, LORD,
Have done the sins by Thee abhorred;
Iniquity we have committed
And we have acted wickedly;
Yet often hast Thou us acquitted
Though we did not remember Thee.
Our fathers, failing to recall
God’s wondrous works for Israel,
How He with blessings would provide them,
Did His abounding love deny;
They at the Red Sea shore defied Him,
Rebelled against the LORD Most High.
Yet for the sake of His great Name,
His mighty power to proclaim,
The roaring waves He then divided.
At His rebuke the Red Sea fled;
As through a desert they were guided,
And through the deep they went ahead.
Their enemy God put to rout;
He set them free and led them out.
Before His ire all Egypt cowered;
Not one escaped His anger’s blaze.
His people’s foes the sea devoured.
Then they believed and sang His praise.
His works and words they soon forgot;
Against His counsel they did plot,
And Him with lustful cravings taunted.
They put their Savior to the test,
And when He gave them all they wanted,
He scourged them with a deadly pest.
When jealous men in envy rose
God’s chosen leaders to oppose,
The earth beneath them split, and swallowed
Those who with Dathan did conspire,
And who Abiram’s lead had followed.
The wicked perished in the fire.
At Horeb’s mount a calf they made
And to a molten image prayed.
They had for it exchanged God’s splendor,
The glory nothing can surpass.
They, scorning God, their great Defender,
Revered a bullock eating grass.
Their God and Savior they forgot,
He who had changed their dreary lot,
Who showed to Egypt all His power,
His wondrous works and majesty,
Who made the land of Ham to cower
With dreadful things at the Red Sea.
There fore He said He would wipe out
His people who His will did flout.
But Moses, whom He had elected,
Stood in the breach God’s wrath to stem,
That Israel might be protected
Against the anger threatening them.
Then they despised the pleasant land
And trusted not His mighty hand.
His steadfast promise not believing,
They sulked and grumbled in their tents.
The LORD with disobedience grieving,
His word and will they did resent.
He swore that He would slay them all,
That in the desert they would fall
Because of all their provocations,
And that their sons at His command
Would be dispersed among the nations,
And scattered over all the lands.
By Baal Peor’s lure misled,
They ate from offers for the dead,
Provoked the LORD, who never wronged them.
He saw their deeds, His wrath arose;
A deadly plague broke out among them,
Because they Midian’s idol chose.
Then Phin’has rose to intervene;
The plague was stayed when God had seen
How he denounced their provocations
And chastised them for wickedness.
It has been through all generations
Accounted him for righteousness.
At Meribah they spurned God’s will,
And there with Moses it went ill.
Embittered by their profanations,
God’s envious wrath he did provoke
When, roused by burning indignation,
With rashness angry words he spoke.
They disobeyed the LORD’s command
To slay the peoples of the land,
But there they mingled with the nations.
They learned how in their sins to share,
Served Canaan’s vain abominations;
Its gods became for them a snare.
God saw how they, to sin enticed,
Their sons and daughters sacrificed,
Their own to evil demons offered,
How they the blood of innocents
To evil gods of Canaan proffered
And paid to idols reverence.
To Canaan’s idols, gods of vice,
They gave their sons as sacrifice;
The land was with their blood polluted;
By unclean acts for all to see,
God’s cov’nant bond they prostituted
And played the harlot openly.
Then did the LORD stand up in rage
And He abhorred His heritage;
Surrend’ring Israel to the nations,
The LORD to slavery did condemn
Those who had roused His indignation.
Their enemies ruled over them.
Time after time He set them free,
Though they did never bend their knee
But were rebellious and defied Him.
They sank into iniquity;
God made their enemies deride them
Till they lamented bitterly.
Then He regarded their distress,
He heard their cry and gave redress;
God in His steadfast love relented.
No longer did He those condemn
Who of their evils had repented.
He caused their foes to pity them.
Save us, O LORD our God, we pray,
Bring back Thy people gone astray,
And take them from among the nations,
That to Thy great and holy Name
We may give thanks with jubilation
And glory in Thy wondrous fame.
Blest be the God of Israel
Whose deeds in majesty excel;
From age to age praise Him forever.
Let all the people “Amen!” say,
Extol His Name, who fails us never.
Praise Him, the LORD our God, for aye!

Psalm 107

W. van der Kamp, 1972; & William Helder, 1980

Give thanks to God, rejoicing
Because the LORD is good.
Bless Him with anthems voicing
Your love and gratitude.
He who our peace ensures
Forsakes His promise never.
His steadfast love endures,
And we are His forever.
Let His redeemed now say this —
Those whom the LORD set free —
For He their strength and stay is;
Gone is their enemy.
Let all then praise His Name!
In far-off lands He sought them.
From east and west they came;
From north and south He brought them.
Some, wand’ring in waste places,
Found nowhere they could stay.
God heard them and was gracious;
He led them on their way.
With thirst and hunger weak,
They cried to God to save them
From deserts dry and bleak.
A place of rest He gave them.
God led them to a city
Where they could safely dwell;
He showed them love and pity.
Let them His wonders tell,
And let their anthems rise.
His steadfast love relieves them.
Their thirst He satisfies;
No more their hunger grieves them.
Some chained in gloomy prisons
Endured His anger’s rod.
They had rebelled and risen
Against the words of God.
His counsel they had spurned,
The Most High’s voice neglected.
In vain for help they yearned;
They were by all rejected.
They cried to God to save them;
He broke their shackles all
And liberty He gave them;
The gloom did He dispel.
Let them God’s love adore
And at His marvels wonder;
He shatters great bronze doors,
Snaps iron bars asunder.
Some were with illness stricken
Through sinful ways and guilt.
All food caused them to sicken;
They were with loathing filled.
Close to death’s gate they came,
And there were none to cheer them.
Then in their grief and shame
They cried, and God did hear them.
To them His word revealing,
He came with power to save,
Stretched out His hand of healing
And snatched them from the grave.
Let them all thank the LORD,
Their sacrifices bringing,
And His great deeds record
With joyful shouts and singing.
Some who in ships were sailing
The ocean’s mighty sweep
Saw there God’s power prevailing
In wonders of the deep.
The tempest, when He spoke,
Caused waves to rise like mountains
That roared and fell and broke
Into wild, foaming fountains.
They were distressed and humbled,
Their soul did melt away;
Like drunken men they stumbled
In terror and dismay.
The LORD saw their despair,
And when to Him they shouted,
He heard their fervent prayer;
The raging storm He routed.
The LORD, their fears allaying,
Bade storm and wind be still;
Hushed were the waves, obeying
Their Maker’s word and will.
How happy were the men
When He the calm provided
And He their ship again
To longed-for havens guided.
Let all then thank their Savior
And sing their songs of praise;
He showed them love and favor
In many wondrous ways.
Let them exalt His fame
Within their congregation;
Let elders praise His Name
In solemn convocation.
Into dry land He changes
The fields where streams abound.
Clear springs and verdant ranges
He turns to thirsty ground.
To salty wastes He turned
A land of fruit and flower,
Because its people spurned
His Word of truth and power.
Into cool streams He changes
A thirsty desert land;
In parched and barren ranges
Flow springs at His command.
There He reveals His grace,
Shows hungry ones His pity,
Allows them in that place
To build themselves a city.
He grants them fields for sowing
And vineyards to prepare;
In harvests overflowing
They see God’s wondrous care.
His favor does not cease;
Their garners they replenish.
In numbers they increase;
Their herds do not diminish.
God pours contempt on princes
When they His own oppress,
Drives them with their pretences
Into the wilderness.
He, lifting them from woe,
His people does remember;
Like flocks their families grow,
For He adds to their number.
The upright with elation
God’s mighty works acclaim;
The wicked of all nations,
Struck dumb, are put to shame.
Let wise men then regard
All this with awe and wonder,
And, turning to the LORD,
Let them His mercy ponder.

Psalm 107

David J. Diephouse, 1985

“Thanks be to God our Saviour,”
Let his redeemed ones say.
“He shows us boundless favor;
His love is sure each day.”
From earth’s remotest lands
A chosen folk he raises,
Ransomed from tyrants’ hands;
Join now to sound his praises.
Strangers without a city,
Some roamed the wilderness,
Finding no food or pity,
No hope in their distress.
Then, when they sought God’s name,
He made their pathways flourish.
Bless him, his love proclaim:
The hungry he will nourish.
Some groaned in bitter anguish,
Foes of the Most High’s claims,
Helpless, condemned to languish,
Captives in iron chains.
Then, when they sought God’s name,
He loosened all their fetters.
Bless him, his love proclaim:
The prison bars he shatters.
Slaves to profane ambition,
By evil led astray,
Some learned to know affliction,
Suffered, and pined away.
Then, when they sought God’s name,
He brought them restoration.
Bless him, his love proclaim;
Bring thanks and adoration.
Storms thundered forth his power
To those who sailed the seas.
Winds lashed them hour by hour;
Waves dashed them to their knees.
Then, when they sought God’s name,
He calmed the raging weather.
Bless him, his love proclaim
Where all his people gather.
His word brings desolation
Where evil deeds abound,
But for his faithful nation
Springs flow from barren ground.
Bounty he sends the meek;
The mighty prince he plunders.
His loving-kindness seek;
Consider all his wonders.

Psalm 108

Dewey Westra, 1961, & William Helder, 1972

My heart is steadfast, O my God,
And I will sing unto Thy laud,
Yes, I will make a melody
And give my thanks, O LORD, to Thee.
Awake, O harp and lyre, a wake!
For I will urge the dawn to break.
I’ll sing Thy glory to the nations,
Thy praise among their populations.
Great is, O God, Thy steadfast love
Right to the heavens and above;
Thy faithfulness soars to the skies.
Let over earth Thy glory rise;
Let, reaching to the clouds, Thy praise
Transcend our earthly human ways.
Now rescue Thy beloved nation.
O God, reply! Send us salvation!
The LORD spoke in His holiness
And gave these steadfast promises:
“Shechem and Succoth I’ll subdue,
Moab and Edom conquer too.
Manasseh’s tribe belongs to me,
While Ephraim shall my helmet be,
And Judah is my scepter glorious;
In Palestine I’ll be victorious.”
Who will to me the stronghold show
And help me into Edom go?
Are we cast off because of sin?
When wilt Thou lead our host again?
LORD, guide us as none other can,
For worthless is the aid of man.
With God we’ll rise to bold endeavor,
For He will crush our foes forever.

Psalm 108

My heart is steadfast, O my God.
Your mercy I will ever laud;
Your name I will in song extol,
Make melody with all my soul.
Awake, O harp and lyre, awake,
For I will urge the dawn to break.
I’ll sing Your glory to the nations,
Your praise among their populations.
Great is, O God, Your steadfast love,
Far higher than the heav’ns above.
Your faithfulness soars to the skies.
O God, above the heav’ns now rise;
Reveal Your splendour and shine forth
Your glory over all the earth.
Now show Your might and save Your nation;
To those You love, grant liberation.
Our mighty King, the God of grace,
Has spoken in His holy place:
“All Succoth’s vale and Shechem’s land
I will divide as I have planned.
All Gilead belongs to Me;
Manasseh is My property.
My helmet: Ephr’im, strong defender.
My scepter: Judah, firm commander.
“My foes I with My taunting sting:
At Edom I My sandal fling;
I Moab as My washbowl claim.
In Palestine I shout my fame.”
God, who but You can be our guide
To Edom, so well fortified?
But You have cast us off in anger
And with our armies march no longer.
To us again Your favor show;
Grant us Your aid against the foe.
Uphold us as none other can,
For worthless is the help of man.
Our God will crush the enemy;
With Him, we’ll gain the victory.
Our proud oppressors He will humble,
Tread on their necks and make them tremble.

Psalm 109

W. van der Kamp, 1972; rev.

O be not silent, heed and hear me;
God of my praise, art Thou not near me?
For wicked mouths, Thy word defying,
Frame with their tongues deceit and lying.
Though not deserving ill or threat,
I am with words of hate beset.
They rave and without cause abuse me
And in return for love accuse me.
I pray for those who have abhorred me;
With evil they for good reward me.
LORD, Thou dost see it from above;
With hatred they repay my love.
Appoint a wicked man to seize him.
Let his accuser not release him;
To him be guilt and blame awarded.
His prayers be all as sin regarded!
His days be few, his life distressed,
His goods by other men possessed.
Waifs be the sons he has begotten;
His wife be widowed and forgotten.
And when they beg, let nought be given;
They from their ruined homes be driven.
May creditors seize all he won,
His work by strangers be undone!
May he be banished from the city,
None show his children any pity.
May his posterity be banished,
Cut off, until his name has vanished!
Let men his father’s sins record,
His mother’s guilt before the LORD.
May it be always recollected
That he mistreated the afflicted,
That to the destitute he never
Showed any kindness, any favor;
The poor and brokenhearted he
Chased to their death, relentlessly.
He loved to curse, may curses press him!
He scoffed at blessings, may none bless him!
He as a garment wore his cursing,
His evil and his hatred nursing.
May all the ills he did and spoke
Like oil into his body soak.
His cursing be a cloak around him,
A belt that with his guilt has bound him.
May all who without cause accuse me
And speak their evil to abuse me
Receive all these things from the LORD
As their appropriate reward.
But Thou, O God my LORD and Savior,
For Thy Name’s sake show me Thy favor!
Thy steadfast love is good; O heed me,
Come to my help, I’m poor and needy.
Deliver me and set me free,
For stricken is my heart in me.
An evening shadow, soon departed,
A locust, shaken off, discarded —
These do I in my woe resemble.
My knees, through fasting weakened, tremble;
My body gaunt, all strength has fled,
And my accusers wag their head.
Help me, O LORD my God, and hear me.
In Thy unfailing love be near me!
Do justice to Thy foes who shun it
And let them know that Thou hast done it.
LORD, let them curse, but do Thou bless,
And save me in Thy righteousness.
Put Thou to shame those who attack me
And with their taunts torment and rack me;
But may Thy servant sing with gladness,
Saved by Thy hand from grief and sadness.
Dishonor all who me accuse;
Clothe them with shame and with abuse!
I’ll thank the LORD for His salvation
And praise Him in the congregation,
For at the right hand of the needy
Stands He who in His love shall heed me.
Though foes the poor man may condemn,
The LORD Himself saves him from them.

Psalm 110

W. W. J. VanOene, 1972

The LORD unto my Lord these words has spoken:
“Sit Thou up on the throne at My right hand
Till I the power of Thy foes have broken,
And Thou upon his neck Thy foot shall plant.”
To Thee the LORD will send forth out of Zion
The scepter of authority and might.
Amidst Thy enemies show Thy dominion
And rule them by Thy own God-given right.
Thy people will be wholly glad and willing
When Thou to Thy great battle callest them.
Thy youth will come, as dew when day is dawning;
Arrayed in holiness are Thy young men.
The LORD has made an oath He will not sever:
“After the order of Melchizedek
Thou art a Priest, a Priest to Me for ever.”
This He has sworn; He will not take it back.
The LORD is at Thy right hand; He will shatter
The kings when He comes on the day of wrath,
And all the nations He will judge and slaughter;
He crushes those who stand up in Thy path.
Brooks by the way refresh Him with their water;
He will in His campaign not faint or fall.
He will not waver in His steps nor falter,
But will lift up His head and rule o’er all.

Psalm 111

Dewey Westra, 1961, & William Helder, 1972

Praised be the LORD! I shall impart
My thanks to Him with all my heart
Among the righteous congregation.
Great are the doings of the LORD,
And all to whom they joy afford
Will study them with dedication.
In majesty and glory stand
The works of His almighty hand.
His righteousness endures forever.
He caused His wondrous acts to be
Preserved in thought and memory.
The steadfast love of God fails never.
The LORD upholds with open hand
All those who honor His command:
He keeps His covenant obligations.
His mighty deeds has He made known:
He gave His people, as their own,
The heritage of heathen nations.
The wondrous works His hands have done
Are just and faithful: everyone
Can put his trust in God’s direction.
The LORD’s decrees are firm and sure;
They shall eternally endure,
Performed by Him in true perfection.
To Israel He redemption sent;
Eternal is God’s covenant.
His holy Name is all-surpassing!
The fear of God is wisdom’s source,
A light to all who walk its course.
O LORD, Thy praise is everlasting!

Psalm 112

Come, praise the LORD; let all revere Him.
Blest is the man who loves and fears Him,
Who takes delight in His commandments.
Blest shall be also his descendants;
They shall be mighty in the nation,
For blest shall be their generation.
The just shall thrive in all endeavor;
His righteousness endures forever.
He is compassionate and gracious.
Behold how light the gloom displaces:
In darkest night it for him rises
Who fair is in his enterprises.
While generosity revealing,
He justice shows in all his dealings.
He stands upon a firm foundation;
Unending is his name’s duration.
The righteous, in the LORD confiding,
Is not afraid of evil tidings.
His gifts he on the needy showers;
Behold his honor, fame, and power.
His enemy looks in vexation
Upon his courage and elation,
But though he plots, provoked and jealous,
To nought shall come the wicked’s malice.

Psalm 112

Come, praise the LORD! Let all revere Him.
How blessed is the man who fears Him,
Who in the LORD’S commands takes pleasure.
His offspring, blest in equal measure,
Will be the mighty in the nation,
A truly upright generation.
Abundant riches fill his dwelling;
Firm stands his justice, never failing.
As after night comes morning brightness,
Light dawns for him who loves uprightness;
All gloom and darkness it displaces
For the compassionate and gracious.
All’s well with him whose generous lending
Gives joy to those on him depending;
Who, his trustworthiness revealing,
Lets justice govern all his dealings.
The righteous one shall never waver;
His praises will be sung forever.
With steadfast heart in God confiding,
He has no fear of evil tidings;
He in the end with exultation
Will greet his foe’s humiliation.
His gifts he on the poor will shower;
Great are his honor and his power.
The just will thrive in his endeavors;
His righteousness endures forever.
The wicked sees it with vexation;
His teeth he gnashes in frustration.
The schemes and hopes that he may cherish
Are sure to fail and doomed to perish.

Psalm 113

Come, praise the LORD, His might acclaim!
Let all His servants praise His Name;
From now forevermore adore Him.
From where the sun begins to rise
To where it sets in western skies,
Let all with praises come before Him.
God far above all nations dwells;
His glory heav’nly heights excels,
For who compares in might and splendor
With Him, the LORD, who from His throne
On earth and on the heav’ns looks down?
Let all to Him their praises render.
God saves the needy from disgrace
And lifts them to an honored place
Among the princes of His nation.
His favor makes the barren spouse
A joyful mother in her house.
Praised be the LORD with exultation.

Psalm 113

Come, praise the LORD! His might acclaim!
Let all His servants praise His name,
Both now and evermore adore Him.
From where the sun begins to rise
To where it sets in western skies,
Let all with praises come before Him.
God far above all nations dwells;
His glory heav’nly heights excels,
For who compares in might and splendor
With Him, the LORD, who from His throne
On earth and on the heav’ns looks down?
Let all to Him their praises render.
God saves the needy from disgrace
And lifts them to an honored place
Among the princes of His nation.
His favor makes the barren spouse
A joyful mother in her house.
Praised be the LORD with exultation.

Psalm 114

W. van der Kamp, 1961

When Israel escaped from Egypt’s reach,
And Jacob’s house from people of strange speech,
The earth in terror trembled.
God’s sanctuary Judah then became
And Israel His dominion, in the Name
Of Him, their LORD, assembled.
The waves rolled back, the sea fled at the sight,
The Jordan turned its waters back in fright;
Dread came on all creation.
The mountains shook and skipped like frightened rams;
The hills were tottering and hid like lambs
In fear and consternation.
Why so afraid, why do you run, O sea?
And Jordan, why do you turn back and flee
At Israel’s vindication?
Why, mountains, do you skip like frightened rams?
Why, hills, are you upset like shivering lambs
In fear and desolation?
Tremble, O earth, before the LORD, and fear,
For Jacob’s God in glory did appear
On Horeb’s holy mountain.
He turns the rock into a sparkling stream;
The granite cliffs He makes with cascades gleam
From newborn spring and fountain.

Psalm 115

W. van der Kamp, 1972; rev.

Not unto us, but only to Thy Name,
O LORD our God, so great in power and fame,
Ascribe and give the glory.
Thy steadfast love and faithfulness we laud!
Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”
And heathen men ignore Thee?
Our God in heav’n, enthroned midst cherubim,
Will bring to pass whatever pleases Him.
The idols of the nations,
Though skilful works of silver and of gold,
Are merely things that hands of men did mold
Into abominations.
Though they have mouths, they do not shout or speak;
Their staring eyes are lifeless, blind and bleak,
And see no sacrifices.
They may have ears, but they can never hear;
Their nostrils cannot smell though men draw near
With frankincense and spices.
Men have made gods with hands that cannot feel,
And at dead feet do their adorers kneel.
Though precious stones encrust them,
Yet from their mouths a sound can never come.
Their makers will, like them, grow deaf and dumb,
And so will all who trust them.
O Israel, trust in your mighty LORD!
Praise Him, your help and shield, with one accord;
His power will protect you.
O house of Aaron, put in God your trust;
All you who fear Him, in the LORD find rest
When troubles may afflict you.
The LORD will not forget us but will bless
His people who their faith in Him confess
With thanks for all He gave them.
On Aaron’s house and on His Israel,
On all who fear Him shall His blessings dwell;
Both small and great, He saves them.
May He, the LORD, give you a rich increase,
You and your children with His bounties please;
May you be blessed from heaven
By Him who heav’n’s and earth’s foundations laid.
His are the heavens, but the earth He made
The LORD to man has given.
The dead cannot in God the LORD rejoice;
Those who go down to silence cannot voice
A new song to revere Him.
But we will bless the LORD for evermore,
From this time forth and always Him adore.
Praise then the LORD and fear Him.

Psalm 116

William Kuipers, 1931; rev.

I love the LORD, the fount of life and grace;
He heard my voice, my cry and supplication,
Inclined His ear, gave strength and consolation;
In life, in death, my heart will seek His face.
The cords of death held me in deep despair;
The terrors of the grave caused me to languish.
I suffered untold grief and bitter anguish;
In my distress I turned to God in prayer.
I cried to Him, “Oh, I beseech Thee, LORD,
Preserve my life and prove Thyself my Savior!”
The LORD is just and He shows grace and favor;
In boundless mercy He fulfils His word.
The LORD preserves the helpless graciously;
For, when brought low, in Him I found salvation.
Come, O my soul, relieved from tribulation,
Turn to your rest; the LORD has favored me.
O righteous LORD, Thou in Thy sovereign grace
Hast saved my soul from death and woe appalling,
Dried all my tears and kept my feet from falling,
That I may live and walk before Thy face.
I have believed, and therefore did I speak
When I was made to suffer tribulation;
I said in haste and bitter consternation:
All men are false, and guileful ways they seek.
What shall I render to my Savior now
For all the riches of His consolation?
With joy I’ll take the cup of His salvation,
And call upon His Name with thankful vow.
In all His people’s presence I will pay
My vows to Him, the LORD so good and gracious.
To God the death of all His saints is precious;
In times of grief He is their help and stay.
I am, O LORD, Thy servant, bound yet free,
Thy handmaid’s son, whose shackles Thou hast broken.
Redeemed by grace, I’ll render as a token
Of gratitude my constant praise to Thee.
Jerusalem! Within your courts I’ll praise
The LORD’s great Name, and with a spirit lowly
Pay all my vows. O Zion, fair and holy,
Come join with me and bless Him all your days!

Psalm 116

Helen Otte, 1980

I love the LORD, for he has heard my voice.
He turned to me and heard my cry for mercy.
Anguished by death and overcome by sorrow,
I turned in my distress to God in prayer.
Our God is gracious, merciful, and just.
He watches over all the simple-hearted.
Rest, O my soul, and trust him for salvation.
Remember all his goodness shown to you.
For you, O LORD, have saved my soul from death.
You kept my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
I kept my faith, though I was much afflicted.
Dismayed, I said, “All people are untrue.”
How can I pay the LORD for all his gifts?
I will lift up the cup of full salvation.
I will fulfill my vows to God my Savior.
With all his saints I’ll call upon his name.
Precious to God the dying of his saints.
I am your faithful servant, freed from bondage.
I’ll pay my vows and, with your people, thank you.
Come to his house, O people, praise the LORD!

Psalm 117

William Helder, 1980

Come, all you nations, praise the LORD!
Extol Him all with one accord.
Great is His steadfast love toward us;
Enduring is His faithfulness.
All peoples, in the LORD rejoice
And praise His Name with heart and voice.

Psalm 118

O come with thanks, God’s goodness praising;
His firm and steadfast love endures.
Let Israel and the house of Aaron
Proclaim His love forever sure.
Let all who come to Him in worship
Be in His steadfast love secure.
Come to the LORD with your thanksgiving;
His everlasting love endures.
I cried to God in my affliction;
He answered me and set me free.
The LORD Himself is my protection.
What can a man then do to me?
On all my foes I look in triumph;
With God I face them fearlessly.
I’ll put no confidence in princes;
The LORD, He shall my refuge be.
I was surrounded by all nations,
But I subdued them in His Name;
And though they swarmed like bees around me,
I beat them down like thorns aflame.
I was hard-pressed and close to falling;
To my support the LORD then came.
He is my song and my salvation;
His strength is evermore the same.
Hear in the dwelling of the righteous
Their joyful songs of victory:
“The LORD’s right hand is high exalted,
The LORD’s right hand does valiantly!”
I shall not die, but live, and praise Him;
In song His deeds my theme shall be.
Although the LORD has sorely chastened,
He has from death delivered me.
I’ll thank the LORD; now let me enter.
Unlock the gates of righteousness.
The righteous shall here be admitted,
For this indeed the LORD’s gate is.
I thank Thee, LORD, that Thou hast heard me
And rescued me from my distress.
Thou hast become, LORD, my salvation;
All those who seek Thee wilt Thou bless.
The stone the builders had rejected
Was chosen as the cornerstone.
This marvelous act, most unexpected,
The doing is of God alone.
This is the day the LORD created;
Now let us sing with joyful tones.
Grant us prosperity, we pray Thee;
O LORD, save those who are Thy own.
Blest he who in the LORD’s Name enters!
We bless you from the house of God.
He is our strength and our salvation;
The LORD has shed His light abroad.
Bind festal off’rings to the altar;
With sacrifices bring Him laud.
Shout forth your joy within His temple.
O praise the LORD, for He is God.
Thou art my God; I will extol Thee.
Thou, mighty LORD, hast rescued me.
For Thy unfailing love and mercy
I offer now my thanks to Thee.
O thank the LORD for all His goodness,
For most compassionate is He.
His steadfast grace and loving-kindness
Endure through all eternity.

Psalm 118

Dewey Westra, 1931

Let all exalt Jehovah’s goodness,
For most compassionate is He;
His mercy, excellent in fullness,
Endureth to eternity.
Let Israel praise Jehovah’s goodness,
And say, Exalt His majesty;
His mercy, excellent in fullness,
Endureth to eternity.
Jehovah is my strength and tower;
He is my happiness and song;
He saved me in the trying hour, . . .
Hence shall my mouth His praise prolong.
The voice of gladness and salvation
Is in the tents of righteousness;
There do they sing with adoration;
The Lord’s right hand is strong to bless.
The Lord’s right hand is high exalted,
Jehovah’s strong and mighty hand;
The vaunting enemy He halted,
And made His chosen ones to stand.
I shall not die, but live before Him,
And all His mighty works declare,
That all may joyfully adore Him
Who in His lovingkindess share.
In truth, the Lord has sorely chastened,
But not to death delivered me;
In His paternal love He hastened
To mitigate my misery.
Now open at my salutation
The gates of truth and righteousness,
And I will enter with elation,
There to proclaim my thankfulness.
The stone the builders had rejected,
And in contempt refused to own,
To their dismay has been selected
To be the foremost cornerstone.
This thing is from the Lord Almighty,
It is a marvel in our eyes;
Man cannot understand it rightly
Nor fathom it in any wise.
This is the day of full salvation
That God has made and sanctified;
Come, let us voice our jubilation,
And triumph in the grace supplied.
Save, O Jehovah, we implore Thee,
Save now Thy people, e’en today;
Prosperity send Thou in mercy,
And favor us upon our way.
Now blessed be the King of Glory,
That cometh in Jehovah’s Name;
Out of His temple we adore Thee,
And all Thy blessedness proclaim.
The Lord is mighty; He provideth
A light for us when sore afraid;
Then be our thankful sacrifices
Upon the sacred altar laid.
Thou art my God, I will extol Thee,
And magnify Thy majesty;
My God, in glory none excel Thee,
Thy praise be to eternity.
Let all exalt Jehovah’s goodness,
For most compassionate is He;
His mercy, excellent in fullness,
Endureth to eternity.

Psalm 118

Stanley Wiersma, 1982

Give thanks to God for all his goodness:
“His love forever is the same.”
Give thanks to God, O holy nation:
“His love forever is the same.”
Give thanks to God, O holy priesthood:
“His love forever is the same.”
Give thanks to God, all those who fear Him:
“His love forever is the same.”
Brought low, I cried to God; he heard me.
He answered me and set me free.
The LORD with me, no one can hurt me.
He is my strength, my victory.
Put not your confidence in princes.
When enemies against me came,
God’s strength provided my salvation:
“His love forever is the same!”
Hark! Righteous and victorious singing:
“The LORD’s right hand does valiantly.”
For life restored my praises bringing:
“The LORD’s right hand does valiantly.”
When gates of righteousness stand open,
I enter and I praise God’s name.
This is God’s gate; the righteous enter.
“His love forever is the same.”
The stone the builders had rejected
Is now the foremost cornerstone.
The LORD has done it, we have seen it—
His ways confound what we had known.
This is the day of days: God made it!
And we are glad, we praise his name:
“Save us and let us know your blessing.
Your love forever is the same.”
Our voices join in glad confession;
“God’s love forever is the same.”
Most blest is he in our procession
Who comes triumphant in God’s name.
Let branches mark the way before him,
And at the altar hail his fame.
“You are my God and I will praise you:
Your love forever is the same!”

Psalm 118

Come, thank the LORD, His goodness praising;
His firm and steadfast love endures.
O Israel, O house of Aaron,
Proclaim His love forever sure.
Let all who come to Him in worship
Be in His steadfast love secure.
Come to the LORD with your thanksgiving;
For evermore His love endures.
To God I cried in my affliction;
He answered me and set me free.
The LORD Himself is my protection;
What can mere mortals do to me?
On all my foes I look in triumph;
With God I face them fearlessly.
I put no confidence in princes;
The LORD, He shall my refuge be.
I was surrounded by all nations,
But I subdued them in His name;
And though they swarmed like bees around me,
I beat them down like thorns aflame.
I nearly fell when they attacked me;
To my support the LORD then came.
He is my song and my salvation;
His strength is evermore the same.
Hear in the dwellings of the righteous
Their shouts of joy and victory:
“The LORD’S right hand is strong and mighty;
He lifts it up triumphantly.”
I shall not die, but live and praise Him;
In song His deeds my theme shall be.
He, though He punished me severely,
Has not to death surrendered me.
Let me now thank the LORD my Savior;
Unlock the gates of righteousness,
For this is where the righteous enter;
The gateway to the LORD it is.
I thank You, LORD, for You have heard me
And answered me in my distress.
You are the rock of my salvation;
With all my heart Your name I bless.
The stone the builders had rejected
Was chosen as the cornerstone.
To us a marvel unexpected,
It is the work of God alone.
This is the day He has created;
Now let us sing with joyful tone.
Hosanna, LORD! Grant us Your blessings.
LORD, prosper those who are Your own.
Blest He who in the LORD’S name enters;
We bless you from His dwelling place.
The LORD is God; He shines upon us
The glorious brightness of His face.
Come, join the jubilant procession;
With boughs in hand, your voices raise.
Bind festal off’rings to the altar
And worship Him with shouts of praise.
You are my God, and I will praise You,
My rock and refuge, firm and sure.
You are my God; I will extol You,
For in Your love I am secure.
Come to the LORD with your thanksgiving;
With joyful anthems Him adore.
O thank the LORD for all His goodness;
His love endures for evermore.

Psalm 119

How blessed are those upright in their way,
Who keep the LORD’s decrees with dedication
And in their walk of life His law obey.
How blest are those who with determination,
Wholeheartedly, seek Him by night and day
And look to Him for guidance and salvation.
How blest are they who shun iniquities,
Thy holy law with diligence observing.
Thou hast laid down Thy statutes and decrees,
To be obeyed in faithfulness unswerving.
O may I but submit myself to these
And so go forth, a steady course preserving.
I know that I shall not be put to shame
If I but with attention undivided
Heed the commands which Thou, LORD, didst proclaim.
I thank Thee for the law Thou hast provided;
I worship Thee and praise Thy holy Name.
Forsake me not; by Thee let me be guided.
How can a youth preserve his way, O LORD,
And keep it free of evil and transgression?
By guarding it according to Thy word:
O let my heart be wholly Thy possession,
That by Thy servant sin may be abhorred.
Let me not stray, denying my confession.
Thy words I have laid up within my heart;
I keep Thy faithful promise as my treasure,
Lest I should ever from Thy ways depart.
O LORD, how blest Thou art beyond all measure.
Thy statutes and decrees to me impart,
For in Thy law I find my greatest pleasure.
In Thy commandments I take great delight;
They are the subject of my meditation.
The path marked by Thy law I’ll keep in sight
And guard myself against all deviation.
Thy holy word I’ll not neglect or slight;
Thy statutes are the cause of my elation.
Grant the desire that in my heart arose,
That I may keep Thy precepts while surviving.
Remove my blindness and to me expose
The marvels from Thy ord’nances deriving.
To me, a stranger here, Thy law disclose,
Thy servant not of Thy commands depriving.
By night and day for Thy decrees I long;
My soul consumes itself in constant yearning.
Thou dost rebuke the proud for all their wrongs —
Those who, accursed, from Thy commands are turning.
LORD, set me free from their insulting tongues;
I’ve kept Thy law, Thy holy will discerning.
Though princes may together scheme and plot,
Against me their conspiracies devising,
I’ll contemplate the precepts Thou hast taught;
I’ll study them, Thy testimonies prizing.
In Thy instruction my delight I’ve sought,
And in the counsel from Thy law arising.
Behold, my soul is cleaving to the dust;
Revive me as Thou in Thy word hast stated.
All I have done I have to Thee confessed,
And Thou to me Thy answer hast related.
Teach me Thy statutes, excellent and just;
Then may Thy wondrous works be contemplated.
LORD, comfort me as I in sorrow weep;
According to Thy faithful word, restore me.
Thy servant far from ways of falsehood keep;
Grant me by grace Thy law and testimony.
With vigor on the way of truth I’ll leap;
Thy sacred ord’nances I’ve set before me.
See how I to Thy testimonies cling;
Do not subject me to humiliation.
Thy precepts are my guide in everything;
I’ll run the course marked out by Thy dictation,
For from Thy holy law true joy does spring;
It is the source of all my exultation.
Teach me, O LORD, the way set out by Thee,
And I will keep Thy statutes to the finish.
Bless me with insight so that constantly
I may with all my heart Thy precepts cherish.
Reveal the path of Thy decrees to me,
For Thy commandments joy and pleasure furnish.
Unto Thy word of law incline my heart,
That all Thy precepts I may search and ponder.
From Thy commandments let me not depart;
To thoughts of gain let not my spirit wander.
Restrain me lest I wistful glances dart
At vanities. O LORD, let me not flounder.
Keep me from sin and give me life instead.
Fulfill the promise made to those who fear Thee.
Turn Thou away the censure which I dread,
For Thy decrees are good. How I sincerely
Long for Thy law, by which I may be led!
O righteous LORD, grant life, for I revere Thee.
May Thy unfailing mercy come to me;
As Thou hast promised, show me Thy salvation.
Then if I meet with scorn and mockery,
I’ll give my answer without hesitation,
For I have put my confidence in Thee;
LORD, Thou hast sworn to grant me liberation.
O let Thy servant speak the truthful word;
Let nothing me from Thy commandments sever.
Thy ordinances hope to me afford;
I vow to keep them always and forever.
Then shall I walk in liberty, O LORD;
I’ve sought Thy law as guide in all endeavor.
Undaunted I will kings and princes face;
I will before them speak of Thy salvation
And not be put to shame or be disgraced.
Thy law I love and hold in veneration.
Thy precepts I revere; their path I’ll trace.
I will attend to them in meditation.
Be mindful of Thy servant and recall
The steadfast word which Thou, O LORD, hast spoken.
Though troubles and affliction me befall,
Thy statutes do Thy faithfulness betoken;
I have gained life through Thy commandments all:
Thy holy promise never shall be broken!
The proud have treated me with utter scorn,
Yet from Thy law I have not deviated.
I am consoled. Why should I sit and mourn?
I keep in view what Thou of old hast stated.
By gusts of flaming anger I am torn
When evil men forsake Thy law and hate it.
Thy statutes are the theme of all my songs
Wherever here on earth I may be dwelling.
All through the night Thy praise do I prolong
Within my heart, as from a fountain welling.
I’ve kept Thy law, I sing with joyful tongue:
Thy precepts are a blessing all-excelling.
O LORD, Thou art my portion and my lot,
And to Thy words I am by vow committed.
With all my heart Thy favor I have sought;
Recall Thy promise, LORD, and grace exhibit.
Whenever to Thy ways I turned in thought,
To Thy instruction always I’ve submitted.
With haste I act and ever am prepared
To honor Thy commands without postponing.
Though foes may for Thy servant set a snare,
I’ve kept Thy law, no negligence condoning.
At midnight I my thanks to Thee declare;
I praise Thy just decrees, a Psalm intoning.
With all who fear Thee I keep company —
Those for Thy precepts veneration showing.
Thy mercy is poured forth abundantly,
And with Thy love the earth is overflowing.
O LORD, reveal Thy statutes all to me
And so unfold the knowledge most worth knowing.
To me Thy servant, Thou hast kind ness shown,
Thy mercy with thy promise underpinning.
Instruct me, LORD, for it is Thou alone
Who art of all true knowledge the beginning.
Before I was afflicted, I will own,
I went astray, but now refrain from sinning.
O Thou art good and, LORD, Thou doest good.
Teach me; by Thy commands let me be guided.
My name is smeared by false men, proud and rude,
But with Thy law wholeheartedly I’ve sided.
They in their godless hearts are gross and crude,
But as for me, Thy words have joy provided.
How good it is that I have suffered pain,
For thus in all Thy statutes Thou didst school me.
Thy holy law, which Thou, LORD, didst ordain,
Is better far than wealth; O let it rule me.
Thy ordinances are my greatest gain,
For gold and silver can no longer fool me.
LORD, Thou hast fashioned me with Thy own hands;
By Thee I once was molded and created.
Give me then insight into Thy commands,
That to Thy law I may be dedicated.
Those who revere Thee shall acclaim my stand.
Thy word I’ve trusted; hence they are elated.
I know, O LORD, Thy judgments all are just;
In faithfulness Thou’st brought me tribulation.
As Thou hast promised — and Thy word I trust —
Thy steadfast love shall be my consolation.
In Thy compassion grant me life and rest:
Thy law is my delight and exultation.
Let proud and godless men be put to shame;
My cause they have deceitfully distorted.
But Thy decrees I’ll ponder and proclaim.
Let by my words the faithful be exhorted.
May in Thy law my heart be free from blame;
I’ll not be shamed when by the LORD supported.
LORD, how I long for Thee to set me free,
But in Thy word I hope despite my anguish.
To Thee I cry, “When wilt Thou comfort me?”
With failing eyes I for Thy promise languish.
A wineskin in the smoke I seem to be;
Yet Thy commandments I will not relinquish.
Thy testimony I do not forget,
The holy law which Thou hast instituted.
O how long must Thy servant suffer yet?
Judge Thou the proud by whom I’m persecuted.
Their pits they dig and me with snares beset;
They flout Thy word and wickedly refute it.
All Thy commandments shall forever stand;
Help Thou me, for by falsehood I am hounded.
The godless almost swept me from the land,
But I have kept Thy law, in which I’m grounded.
In Thy unfailing love my life defend,
That I may heed what Thou, LORD, hast expounded.
Thy word is in the heavens fixed for aye;
Eternal are Thy faithfulness and mercy.
When Thou didst Thy creative might display,
The earth was set immovable before Thee.
By Thy decree, LORD, they stand firm today,
For all things are Thy servants and adore Thee.
If Thy commands had not been my delight,
I should have perished in my great affliction.
Thy precepts I will not forget or slight,
For Thou hast shown me life by their direction.
Thy statutes I have pondered day and night.
Since I am Thine, LORD, grant me Thy protection.
Though evil men may lie in wait for me,
I will give thought to Thy divine instruction.
All things, however perfect they may be,
Are marred with flaws and headed for destruction,
But the commandments once proclaimed by Thee
Are unsurpassed, unequalled in perfection.
O how I love the precepts of Thy law!
I pore forever o’er its hallowed pages.
Since all the day I ponder it with awe,
I’m wiser than my foes and all their sages.
The insight which from Thy decrees I draw
Excels that of my teachers and the aged.
In understanding I surpass the old;
I heed Thy law, Thee, LORD, with fervor serving.
From evil courses, I my feet withhold,
In faithfulness Thy holy word observing.
Thou didst instruct me and Thy law unfold;
Thus I have kept Thy precepts without swerving.
How pleasing are Thy promises, O LORD;
Far sweeter than is honey to my palate.
Thy testimonies true delight afford;
Through them I gain the wisdom ever valid.
Thus every path of falsehood I’ve abhorred;
I shun deceit and from my ways repel it.
Thy word is as a lamp unto my feet,
A lantern shining on the path before me.
I’ve sworn an oath and here my vow repeat:
I’ll keep Thy just decrees, LORD, and adore Thee.
I suffer in affliction and defeat;
Recall Thy steadfast promise and restore me.
Accept, O LORD, my offerings of praise;
Teach me the words that of Thy grace are token.
Though I may live in danger all my days,
Thy law shall by Thy servant not be broken;
And though my foe his snares and pitfalls lays,
I do not stray from all that Thou hast spoken.
Thy testimonies are forever mine:
My heritage and permanent possession,
My joy, which I shall in my heart enshrine:
And to their praise I ever give expression.
My heart to Thy commandments I incline,
Unto the end refraining from transgression.
I hate the fickle and divided heart;
I love Thy law. On Thee I am dependent;
O LORD, my hiding-place and shield Thou art.
I trust Thy word and hope in its fulfillment.
You evildoers, all from me depart,
That I may ever keep my God’s commandments.
Uphold me, LORD, lest I should hope in vain,
For on Thy word I base my expectation.
Fulfill Thy promise and my life sustain;
I look to Thee for refuge and salvation.
O LORD, enable Thou me to maintain
Thy statutes; let them be my meditation.
All those who from Thy precepts go astray
Thou dost reject; in vain do they dissemble.
The wicked Thou as dross wilt cast away;
I therefore love Thy law. Let me not stumble.
I quake when Thou Thy judgments dost display;
In awe of Thee, O LORD, I fear and tremble.
I’ve kept Thy law; I’ve done what’s just and right.
O LORD, to my oppressors do not leave me.
Be surety for my welfare, God of might;
Let not my haughty foes oppress and grieve me.
My eyes grow dim with watching day and night
For Thee to keep Thy promise and relieve me.
Be mindful of Thy steadfast love, and deal
With me in grace and mercy, I beseech Thee.
O LORD, Thy statutes and decrees reveal,
And all Thy wondrous testimonies teach me.
Give me discernment and my blindness heal;
Let all my pleas for understanding reach Thee.
‘Tis time for Thee to act, O LORD. Behold,
By evil men Thy law is violated.
I prize it more than all the finest gold;
My love for Thy commands is unabated.
My steps from ways of falsehood I withhold,
For by Thy law my course is regulated.
How wondrous are Thy testimonies,
LORD; I keep them, for they truly are astounding.
Thou dost reveal and open up Thy word,
Thus shedding light into my dark surroundings.
Thou insight to the simple doest afford,
For Thy decrees shine forth with light abounding.
For all Thy law I long wholeheartedly;
I pant and thirst, for all Thy statutes yearning.
As is Thy way with those who honor Thee,
Be gracious, LORD, Thy face towards me turning.
Let works of evil get no hold on me;
LORD, guide my steps, Thy promises confirming.
Save me from man’s iniquitous designs,
That by Thy precepts I may be directed.
LORD, let Thy face upon Thy servant shine;
Teach me Thy law and let my life reflect it.
While shedding countless tears, I grieve and pine.
Because Thy law is not at all respected.
LORD, Thou art righteous and Thy law is just;
Thy judgments Thou on righteousness hast founded.
In all Thy statutes I have put my trust,
For they in faithfulness are firmly grounded.
By zeal consumed, I’m speechless with disgust
When foes ignore what Thou, LORD, hast expounded.
Thy promise is well-tried and stands secure;
Thy pledge I love, in Thee, O LORD, confiding.
Though I’m of no account, despised and poor,
I’ll not forget Thy precepts and Thy guiding.
Thy righteousness for ever shall endure;
Thy law is truth, eternally abiding.
Though now I suffer anguish and distress,
Thy law is my delight and consolation.
For everlasting is Thy righteousness,
And faithful are Thy words of revelation.
Thy servant, LORD, with understanding bless,
That I may live, that I may see salvation.
With all my heart, O LORD, I cry to Thee.
Show me Thy answer to my supplication.
Thy statutes I will keep unceasingly.
I call on Thee and pray for preservation.
Save me, O LORD, and listen to my plea,
That I may keep Thy law with veneration.
I cry for help before the break of day;
I trust Thy promise. Thy decrees I ponder;
I’ve waited for the night so that I may
Upon thy words reflect in awe and wonder.
LORD, hear me in Thy steadfast love, I pray;
The proud are set on tearing me asunder.
My foes draw near and mal ice they intend;
Far from Thy law are those by whom I’m hounded.
But Thou art near; on Thee, LORD, I depend.
Thy words are true; by them I am surrounded.
As I’ve long known, Thy statutes have no end;
For ever are Thy testimonies founded.
See my affliction, LORD, and set me free;
I keep Thy law and ever shall retain it.
Plead Thou my cause and win release for me;
Recall Thy promise, for I then shall gain it.
But far from those who seek not Thy decree
Is Thy salvation; they shall not attain it.
Great is, O LORD, Thy mercy in distress;
Grant me the life by Thy decree awarded.
Though countless foes Thy servant may oppress,
Against departing from Thy law I’ve guarded.
O how I loathe the traitor’s faithlessness;
I grieve when Thy commands are disregarded.
Behold, O LORD, Thy precepts I revere;
I love Thy law, I scorn the wicked’s railing.
Preserve my life, O LORD, and persevere
According to Thy mercy never-failing.
The sum of all Thy word is truth most clear,
And each decree shall ever be prevailing.
By princes I am hounded without cause,
Yet I stand awed before Thy revelation.
And I rejoice at Thy commands and laws;
They, like great spoil, rouse me to jubilation.
I loathe all vain deceit that ever was;
I love Thy law but spurn abomination.
O LORD, I praise Thee seven times a day,
For righteous is the law Thou hast provided.
Great peace is theirs who honor and obey
Thy precepts and who by Thy word are guided.
No snares or pitfalls shall beset the way
Of those who in Thy justice have confided.
I hope in Thee, for me Thou wilt preserve;
I do Thy will and keep Thy law before me.
I heed Thy word and Thy commands observe,
For peace and consolation they afford me.
I do not from Thy testimonies swerve,
For all my ways are plain, O LORD, before Thee.
Incline Thy ear and listen to my cry;
According to Thy word hear Thou my sighing
And give me understanding in reply,
To me Thy testimonies not denying.
On Thee I for deliverance rely;
LORD, rescue me, Thy promised aid supplying.
O let my lips run over with Thy praise,
For Thy decrees Thou hast in me implanted.
My tongue will sing, a joyful anthem raise,
For in Thy statutes justice is presented.
Let Thy hand help me when Thy servant strays:
I’ve chosen, LORD, the precepts Thou hast granted.
I long for Thy salvation night and day,
And Thy commandments my delight awaken.
O let me live to praise Thy Name for aye;
Let Thy decrees lend me support unshaken.
I wander like a sheep that’s gone astray:
O seek me, LORD; Thy law I’ve not forsaken.

Psalm 119

Clarence Walhout, 1980

Blessed are those who heed the law of God,
Who seek to do no evil or injustice.
They are the LORD’s who walk in all his ways.
O help us, LORD, to follow your commandments.
With upright hearts we strive to do your will.
Forsake us not; we want to learn your precepts.
How can the youthful keep their actions pure?
By taking care to honor all your statutes.
I will not wander from the ways of God.
With all my heart I seek your truth and justice.
I always keep your word within my heart;
I meditate upon your perfect goodness.
Open my eyes that I may see your law.
Your faithful truths are all that I delight in;
O do not hide them from my sight, O God.
I do but wander if you do not guide me;
My soul is longing for your righteousness.
LORD, be my counselor and patient teacher.
Protect me from the arrogant and proud;
They scorn and laugh at those who seek your pleasure.
Sometimes I am depressed and sad at heart;
Revive my soul according to your precepts.
Melt sorrow; put false ways far from my path.
Give me again your gracious understanding.
Teach me, O LORD, the way that I should go;
I will obey and to the end be faithful.
Incline my heart to trust your promises.
Renew my life and turn my eyes from evil.
Keep me from selfish gain and vanity.
I find delight in keeping your commandments.
Let steadfast love come ever, LORD, to me;
Send your salvation even as you promised.
Then I can answer those who challenge me.
I speak the truth when I uphold your precepts;
Your word gives confidence and liberty.
I’m not ashamed to cherish your commandments.
Your word renews my life and gives me hope;
It offers strength and comfort in affliction.
I shall not turn my heart against your will.
Hot indignation seizes my emotions
When I see those who scorn your ancient laws.
Your statutes fill my pilgrimage with singing.
You are my portion, LORD; I come to you
With firm obedience and with bold entreaties:
Be merciful according to your word.
I hasten and do not delay my footsteps.
Though wicked bind with ropes, I will obey.
I join with those who know your love and goodness.
You have dealt well with me, your servant, LORD;
Now give me wisdom to respond uprightly.
I went astray but now would keep your law.
The godless smear my name with lies and slander.
Hearts filled with hate, their words are edged with gold.
Better by far are all your words and statutes.
Your hands have made and fashioned me, O LORD.
Let those who fear you see in me your goodness,
For I have put my trust in your commands.
When I have suffered, you have not been absent.
Your faithfulness is my delight and stay.
Let all who seek you heed your testimonies.
My soul grows faint—when will you comfort me?
My eyes are tired from looking for your mercy.
I am a useless wineskin in the smoke.
How long before you punish those who harm me?
Save me, O God, from those who seek my life,
For even in distress I love your precepts.
Your word, O LORD, is firmly fixed in heaven.
Your faithfulness endures through generations.
You made the earth; it waits upon your will.
If I had not acknowledged your commandments,
The wicked surely would have cut me off.
I ponder all your good and perfect precepts.
Oh, how I love your law, my God and King!
By day and night it is my meditation.
It makes me wise, it is my constant friend.
Sweeter than honey are your words and precepts;
Sweet to my taste the laws that you have made—
They give new joy and turn me from false pathways.
Your statutes are a lamp to guide my feet,
Your righteous laws a light upon my pathway.
Illumine me according to your word.
Accept my praise, O LORD; teach me your precepts.
Though wicked foes set snares to catch my feet,
May your word be my heritage forever.
I hate, O LORD, all those with double minds,
But love your law and know it will uphold me.
You are my hiding place and my defense.
Depart from me, you cunning evildoers;
You are as dross in God’s refining fire.
He treasures those who follow his commandments.
What I have done is just and right, O God.
Do not abandon me to my oppressors;
Be to your servant certainty for good.
Act now against all those who break your statutes.
I hate the paths of those who shun the truth;
More than fine gold I cherish your commandments.
Your law, O LORD, gives light and life to all,
And to the simple it gives understanding.
With open mouth I pant for your commands.
Keep my pace steady; shine your eyes upon me.
Teach me your law; be gracious unto me.
My eyes shed tears because your law is broken.
Righteous and just are all your statutes, LORD;
Your promises have all been proven faithful.
I am distressed when foes forget your law.
I am despised and lowly, full of anguish;
Yet I do not forget your righteousness.
Grant me the grace to stand and walk uprightly.
With my whole heart I call to you, O LORD;
Answer me, save me, hear my voice of weeping.
I rise before the dawn and cry for help.
I meditate throughout the long night watches.
LORD, in your gracious judgment quicken me,
For your commands are light and truth forever.
From my affliction, LORD, deliver me;
Defend my cause and save me from destruction.
Renew my life according to your word.
Salvation is denied to those who hate you,
But those who seek your justice will be blest.
LORD, grant me mercy, for I love your precepts.
When rulers persecute without a cause,
My heart remembers all your words of promise,
As one who, finding treasure, stands amazed.
Seven times a day I praise you for your justice.
Great peace have those who love your law, O God;
They cannot stumble if they do your bidding.
O let my cry be heard by you, O LORD.
My lips will speak your praise and sing your goodness.
Be ready with your hand to strengthen me.
Like a lost sheep I long for restoration.
O let me live to sing your praises, LORD.
Your law delights me; LORD, be my salvation.

Psalm 119

Dewey Westra 1931

How blessed are the perfect in the way
Who, walking in Jehovah’s law with pleasure,
Preserve their piety from day to day.
How blest are they who make His Word their treasure,
Who keep His testimonies and display
Their love for Him whose goodness none can measure.
O let Thy Spirit be my constant aid,
That all my ways may ever be directed
To keep Thy statutes, so to be obeyed,
That from all error I may be protected.
I shall not be ashamed then or afraid,
When Thy commandments I have e’er respected.
O Lord, how shall a youth preserve his way,
At every turn by vanity surrounded?
In truth, if he Thy statutes will obey,
If on Thy Word his attitudes are founded.
Thou whom I’ve sought, O let me never stray
From Thy commandments, lest I be confounded.
Thy precepts have I hid within my heart,
Lest I should stray and fall into transgression;
O teach Thou me and unto me impart
Thy statutes for a permanent possession.
In all Thy judgments Thou most righteous art;
Thy truth I praise in rapturous confession.
O teach me, Lord, the way that I should go;
Then shall Thy servant walk therein forever.
Give understanding all Thy paths to know;
Then shall I keep Thy law with zealous fervor.
Instruct me in Thy perfect will and, lo,
I shall observe it with my whole endeavor.
O Lord, Thou art my portion and my lot;
I said that I would keep Thy Word forever,
Though to my sorrow I have oft forgot.
With all my heart I now entreat Thy favor:
Be merciful to me and chasten not;
According to Thy Word be Thou my Savior.
O how I love Thy law! Yea, Thou canst see
Through all the day it is my meditation;
By Thy commandments, Lord, Thou madest me
More wise than all who seek my ruination.
Thy testimonies evermore shall be
The perfect source of all my inspiration.
Thy Word is as a lamp unto my feet,
A light upon my pathway unto heaven;
I’ve sworn an oath, which gladly I repeat,
That I shall keep, as always I have striven,
Thy righteous judgments, holy and complete,
When unto me Thy helping grace is given.
Great peace have they who love Thy perfect law;
They shall not swerve from paths of consecration;
Their happiness shall be without a flaw.
Lord, I have ever hoped for Thy salvation;
All Thy commandments I have kept with awe;
Thy precepts are my daily meditation.
Grant life unto my soul, O Lord, I pray;
Shed still the brightness of Thy presence o’er me;
Then shall I praise Thee in a perfect way,
Yea, let Thy judgments quicken and restore me.
Thy servant like a sheep has gone astray,
Yet Thy commandments I will keep before me.

Psalm 119

How blessèd are those upright in their way,
Who keep the LORD’S decrees with dedication
And in their walk of life His law obey.
How blest are those who with determination,
Wholeheartedly, seek Him by night and day
And look to Him for guidance and salvation.
How blest are they who shun iniquities,
Your holy law with diligence observing.
You have laid down Your statutes and decrees,
To be obeyed in faithfulness unswerving.
O may I but submit myself to these
And so go forth, a steady course preserving.
I know that I shall not be put to shame
If only with attention undivided
I heed Your laws and fix my gaze on them.
I truly thank You for the grace provided
When I am taught the judgments You proclaim.
Do not forsake me, leaving me unguided.
How can a youth preserve his way, O LORD,
And keep it free of evil and transgression?
By living in accordance with Your word.
O let my heart be wholly Your possession.
Help me against all sin to be on guard
Let me not stray, denying my confession.
Your words have I laid up within my heart;
I keep Your faithful promise as my treasure,
Lest I should ever from Your ways depart.
O LORD, how blest You are beyond all measure.
Your statutes and decrees to me impart,
For in Your law I find my greatest pleasure.
In Your commandments I take great delight;
I turn to them in thoughtful meditation.
The path marked by Your law I keep in sight
To guard myself against all deviation.
Your statutes I will not neglect or slight;
Your word I praise with joy and exultation.
Do good to me so that my life may be
Devoted to Your words in all their splendor.
Open my eyes that I may clearly see
Your perfect law and gaze upon its wonders.
Do not, O LORD, hide Your commands from me
Who here on earth but as a pilgrim wander.
By night and day for Your decrees I long;
My aching heart consumes itself with yearning.
The haughty You rebuke for all their wrongs—
Those cursèd ones: Your laws they keep on spurning.
LORD, set me free from their insulting tongues,
For I have kept Your law, Your will discerning.
Though princes may together scheme and plot,
Against me their conspiracies devising,
I contemplate the precepts You have taught;
I study them, Your testimonies prizing.
In Your instruction my delight I’ve sought,
And in the counsel from Your law arising.
See how my soul is cleaving to the dust:
Renew my life and grant me restoration.
I told You of my ways, for You I trust;
You in Your mercy heard my supplication.
Teach me Your statutes, excellent and just;
Then shall Your wonders be my meditation.
My weary soul in sorrow pines away;
True to Your promise, comfort and restore me.
LORD, let me not in ways of falsehood stray
But through Your precepts of Your love assure me.
Your statutes I have chosen to obey;
Your righteous judgments I have set before me.
In Your decrees I place my steadfast hope;
I cling to them, on Your great love depending.
LORD, put me not to shame but lift me up,
To me in grief Your gracious hand extending.
Along the path of truth I run and leap,
For Your commands enlarge my understanding.
Teach me Your statutes, LORD, and to the end
I will obey them in complete submission.
Grant insight, that with all my heart and mind
I may observe Your laws without transgression.
Direct me in the path of Your commands,
For I delight in them as my possession.
To Your decrees and statutes turn my heart,
That all Your words of wisdom I may ponder.
O LORD, let me not from Your laws depart,
Nor to the love of selfish gain surrender.
Restrain me lest I wistful glances dart
At vanities and yearn for earthly splendor.
LORD, keep Your word! Come to Your servant’s aid.
Then all will stand in fear and awe before You.
Avert from me the taunting that I dread.
Good are Your laws, acclaimed by all who fear You.
I long for them. Your justice makes me glad;
Through it revive me, LORD, for I revere You.
May Your unfailing mercy come to me;
As You have promised, show me Your salvation.
All those who taunt me with their mockery
I then will answer without hesitation.
LORD, I have put my trust in Your decrees,
For You have sworn to grant me liberation.
LORD, do not rob me of Your truthful word;
Let nothing me from Your commandments sever.
Your ordinances hope to me afford;
I vow to keep them always and forever.
Then shall I walk in liberty, O LORD:
Your laws I’ve sought, and they shall fail me never.
Undaunted I will kings and princes face
To speak of Your decrees, Your revelation,
And not be put to shame or fear disgrace:
Your laws I love and hold in veneration.
I reach out for Your statutes and rejoice
As I reflect on them in meditation.
Remember in Your steadfast faithfulness
Your word of hope, once to Your servant spoken.
O LORD, in my affliction and distress
You comfort me with promises unbroken.
Through them have I gained life and happiness,
For of Your love they are a precious token.
Although the proud may scorn me utterly,
No path of evil have I ever taken.
When I recall Your laws, they comfort me,
For they from days of old have stood unshaken.
Hot indignation grips me when I see
How wicked men your precepts have forsaken.
Your statutes are the theme of all my songs
Wherever here on earth I make my dwelling.
Your name, LORD, I remember all night long;
Your precepts I obey, my vow fulfilling.
I’ve kept Your laws, resisting sin and wrong;
This proved to be a blessing all-excelling.
You are my portion, LORD whom I adore;
I have resolved to let Your words direct me.
With all my heart Your favor I implore;
O LORD, show mercy and do not reject me.
I’ve thought about my ways, and all the more
I turn to You to let Your laws instruct me.
I will make haste in doing what is right,
By Your commandments guided and instructed.
Though with their ropes the wicked bind me tight,
Your statutes I will never leave neglected.
I praise You in the middle of the night
For all the righteous laws You have enacted.
With all who fear You I keep company,
To those who heed Your laws my friendship showing.
Your mercy is poured forth abundantly,
And with Your love the earth is overflowing.
O LORD, reveal Your statutes all to me
And so unfold the knowledge most worth knowing.
To me, Your servant, You have kindness shown,
Your mercy with Your promise underpinning.
Instruct me, LORD, for it is You alone
Who are of all true knowledge the beginning.
I went astray, but as I wandered on,
You humbled me, and now I keep from sinning.
LORD, You are good, and what You do is good.
Teach me, and by Your truth let me be guided.
My name is smeared by false men, proud and rude,
Yet wholly with Your precepts I have sided.
They in their godless hearts are dull and crude,
But in Your law I am with joy provided.
How good it was for me to suffer pain
So that in all Your statutes You might school me.
The perfect law that You, O LORD, ordain
Exceeds all earthly riches. Let it rule me!
Your ordinances are my greatest gain,
For gold and silver can no longer fool me.
LORD, You have fashioned me with Your own hands;
By You was I once molded and created.
Give me then insight into Your commands,
That to Your law I may be dedicated.
All those who fear You shall applaud my stand;
Since in Your word I trust, they are elated.
I know, O LORD, Your judgments all are just;
In faithfulness You brought me tribulation.
As You have promised—and Your word I trust—
Now let your mercy be my consolation.
In Your compassion grant me life and rest:
Your law is my delight and exultation.
Let proud and godless men be put to shame,
For me they have with crafty guile subverted;
But Your decrees I’ll ponder and proclaim.
May by my words the faithful be supported.
May I obey Your statutes without blame,
That far from me all shame may be averted.
With longing I Your saving power invoke;
Your word gives hope that nothing can extinguish.
With failing eyes I for Your promise look:
When will You comfort me and heal my anguish?
Though I’m a wineskin shriveled in the smoke,
I’ll not forget Your laws as here I languish.
LORD, how long does Your servant have to wait?
When will I see Your punishment inflicted
On those who persecute me in their hate,
Whose wickedness seems to go undetected?
See how the proud for me their snares have set.
They flout Your law; Your word they have rejected.
All Your commandments shall securely stand;
LORD, help me, for by liars I am hounded.
Though they have almost swept me from the land,
I’ve kept Your law, in which my hope is founded.
In Your unfailing love my life defend,
That I may heed what You, LORD, have expounded.
Fixed in the heav’ns is Your eternal word;
Firm is Your promise through the generations.
The earth, by You established, has endured;
You are the faithful God of my salvation.
By Your appointment all stands firm, O LORD,
For You are served by all of Your creation.
If Your commands had not been my delight,
I would have perished here in my affliction.
Your precepts I will not forget or slight:
You have renewed my life by their direction.
LORD, I am Yours. Come, save me by Your might.
Your laws have I sought out for my instruction.
Though wicked men in ambush lie concealed
And are intent on plotting my destruction,
I will reflect on what You have revealed.
I see a limit set to all perfection;
But Your commands, which ever have prevailed,
Are boundless—without end, without restriction.
Oh, how I love the teachings of Your law!
I ponder them, all day in study spending.
Your precepts make me wiser than my foe,
For the support they give is never-ending.
Through them, I far more than my teachers know:
I have surpassed them all in understanding.
I have more insight than the old and gray,
All owing to the laws I am observing.
I keep my feet from every evil way
To honor Your commandments without swerving.
LORD, You Yourself have taught me not to stray;
So I walk on, a steady course preserving.
O LORD, how pleasing is Your steadfast word.
Sweet are Your promises of grace and favor;
Yes, nothing greater sweetness can afford—
Not even honey, sweet though be its savor.
Your statutes grant me wisdom as reward;
I therefore hate false ways and shun them ever.
Your word is as a lamp unto my feet,
A lantern shining on the path before me.
I’ve sworn an oath and never will forget
Your righteous laws that of Your love assure me.
I am by grief and misery beset;
True to Your promise, comfort and restore me.
Accept, O LORD, my offerings of praise.
And let me by Your statutes be instructed.
Though I have been in danger countless days,
Your laws I’ve not forgotten or rejected.
My foe for me his snares and pitfalls lays,
But Your commandments I have not neglected.
Your testimonies are forever mine—
My heritage and permanent possession,
The joy that I shall in my heart enshrine—
And to their praise I ever give expression.
My heart to Your commandments I incline,
Right to the end upholding my confession.
I hate the fickle and divided heart;
I love Your law and praise it with elation.
You are my shield, my refuge, my support;
Your word shall be my hope and expectation.
You evildoers, all from me depart,
That I may serve the God of my salvation.
Uphold me, LORD, and so my life sustain;
True to Your promise, grant me preservation.
Let me not hope and trust in You in vain,
For I rely on You for liberation.
Your statutes I will evermore maintain;
I turn to them in reverent meditation.
All those who from Your statutes go astray
You will reject. In vain do they dissemble.
Like worthless dross You cast them all away;
The wicked You will put to shame and humble.
I fear the righteous judgments You display;
The dread of You, LORD, makes my body tremble.
See how what I have done is just and right;
O LORD, to my oppressors do not leave me.
Ensure Your servant’s welfare, God of might;
Let not the arrogant oppress and grieve me.
My eyes grow dim with watching day and night
For You to keep Your promise and relieve me.
Treat me according to Your love and grace
And guide me to the truth for which I’m yearning.
Help me gain insight into Your decrees
And teach Your servant what is most worth learning.
To let me grasp the justice of Your ways,
Open my eyes and make me more discerning.
It’s time for You to act, LORD, and be bold;
Your holy law is being violated.
I prize it more than all the finest gold;
My love for Your commands is unabated.
In all my ways Your precepts I uphold;
The paths of falsehood I have ever hated.
How wonderful are Your decrees, O LORD;
I gladly keep them, for they are astounding.
As You unfold and open up Your word,
It shines Your light into my dark surroundings;
It even to the simple will award
Gifts of discernment and of understanding.
With open mouth I pant for Your commands
And to my deepest longing give expression.
To those who love Your name You grace extend;
Turn, then, to me as well in Your compassion.
Direct my footsteps. Help me to withstand
The power of sin and keep me from transgression.
Free me from man’s iniquitous designs,
That I may serve You, by Your laws directed.
LORD, make Your face upon Your servant shine,
And by Your statutes let me be instructed.
While shedding streams of tears, I grieve and pine,
For Your commands are utterly neglected.
LORD, You are upright and Your laws are just;
Your judgments You on righteousness have founded.
In Your decrees have I placed all my trust,
For they in faithfulness are firmly grounded.
My zeal consumes me, and I am distressed
When foes ignore the truth You have expounded.
Your promise is well tested and secure;
I cherish it as token of Your favor.
Though I’m of no account, despised and poor,
I love Your precepts and forget them never.
Your justice will eternally endure;
Your law is true and shall abide forever.
Though I encounter anguish and distress,
Your laws are my delight and consolation.
Ever enduring is Your righteousness,
And everlasting is Your revelation.
Your servant, LORD, with understanding bless,
That I may live, rejoicing in salvation.
To You, O LORD, I cry with all my heart;
Be merciful and hear my supplication.
From Your commandments I will not depart.
I call on You and plead for preservation.
Save me, O LORD, and come to my support,
That I may keep Your laws with dedication.
Before the break of day I cry to You;
Your word I trust, for You are my defender.
I even lie awake the whole night through,
That I Your steadfast promises may ponder.
LORD, in Your righteousness my life renew;
Hear me and show Your love and mercy tender.
My foes draw near and malice they intend;
Far from Your laws are those by whom I’m hounded.
But You are near, and I on You depend,
For true are all the words You have commanded.
Long have I known that they are without end:
All Your decrees You have forever founded.
See my affliction, LORD, and set me free,
For Your commandments I obey and cherish.
Defend my cause and win release for me.
As You have sworn, allow my life to flourish.
But far removed shall all salvation be
From those who spurn Your statutes: they shall perish.
Great is, O LORD, the mercy You have shown;
Grant me the life by Your decree awarded.
Though countless foes may seek to hunt me down,
Your laws I’ve not forgotten or discarded.
I loathe the faithless for the wrong they’ve done;
Your word have they defied and disregarded.
See how I love and cherish Your commands;
I follow them in all that I endeavor.
Preserve my life by Your almighty hand;
O LORD, be mindful of Your love and favor.
In all Your words I see Your truth maintained;
Each one of Your decrees endures forever.
Though kings and princes hound me without cause,
I stand in awe before Your revelation.
LORD, I rejoice at all Your promises;
They like great spoil rouse me to jubilation.
All falsehood and deception l despise;
Your laws I love and hold in veneration.
O LORD, I praise You seven times a day,
For righteous are the laws You have provided.
Great peace is theirs who cherish and obey
All Your commands and by Your word are guided.
No stumbling-block or snare besets the way
Of those who in Your justice have confided.
For Your salvation, LORD, I hope and pray,
And Your commandments I fulfil sincerely.
I follow Your decrees and will not stray,
For all Your testimonies I love dearly.
Your precepts and Your statutes I obey,
For You know all my ways and see them clearly.
May all my pleading reach Your holy throne;
Remember me in pity and compassion.
Bless me with insight, for I am Your own.
Draw near, O LORD, and answer my petition.
According to the mercy You have shown,
Deliver me from evil and oppression.
Now let my lips run over with Your praise,
For Your decrees You have in me implanted.
My tongue shall sing, a joyful anthem raise,
For in Your statutes justice is presented.
Let Your hand help me when Your servant strays;
I’ve chosen, LORD, the precepts You have granted.
I long for Your salvation night and day,
And Your commandments my delight awaken.
O let me live, that I may praise Your ways;
Let Your decrees lend me support unshaken.
I wander like a sheep that’s gone astray:
Come, seek me, LORD! Your laws I’ve not forsaken.

Psalm 120

I seek the LORD in my affliction
And cry to Him for my protection:
“O save me, LORD, from lips that slander,
From tongues that will to falsehood pander.”
Deceitful tongue, what shall He grant you,
And with what more shall He present you?
Sharp arrows from a warrior’s bow
And burning charcoal’s red-hot glow!
Woe me! Behold my tribulation,
For Meshech is my habitation;
Near Kedar’s tents I’m forced to wander,
Where treacherous tribesmen kill and plunder.
Too long I have with those resided
Who hate all peace and who deride it.
I am for peace, which they abhor;
Thus when I speak, they are for war!

Psalm 121

Dewey Westra, 1931; rev.

Unto the hills I lift my eyes.
From where comes all my aid
When troubled or afraid?
The LORD shall to my help arise,
He who made earth and heaven:
His aid is freely given.
Your Keeper slumbers not, nor shall
He cause your foot to fail
When dangers you assail
Lo, he who keeps His Israel
Will neither sleep nor slumber:
Nought shall your life encumber.
The LORD your Keeper is for aye,
A shade on your right hand:
You shall securely stand.
The moon by night, the sun by day
Shall not afflict or smite you,
But with their radiance light you.
The LORD will guard and keep you when
You meet with harm or strife:
He will preserve your life.
When going out or coming in,
The LORD will you deliver
From this time forth, for ever.

Psalm 121

I lift my eyes unto the hills.
In all my grief and fear,
From where will help appear?
The LORD His promises fulfils—
He who made earth and heaven;
His help is freely given.
He will not let you slip or fall,
For He is at your side
And will support provide.
The keeper of all Israel
Will guide and guard you ever;
He'll sleep or slumber never.
He is your shelter on the way,
The shade at your right hand
In a forsaken land.
The moon by night, the sun by day
Will never harm or hurt you;
The LORD will not desert you.
All evil strikes at you in vain;
The LORD will keep your life
Secure in woes and strife.
When you go out, when you come in,
The LORD will fail you never
But keep you safe forever.

Psalm 122

Dewey Westra, 1931; rev.

How glad I was when unto me
They said, “Let us with one accord
Go to the temple of the LORD,
There to adore His majesty.”
Jerusalem, where blessing waits,
Our feet are standing in your gates;
Here shall we bring our supplication.
Jerusalem is built so well:
It is the pride of Israel;
Securely knit are its foundations.
As was decreed for Israel,
The tribes assemble from abroad
With thanks unto the Name of God,
For there His holy presence dwells.
The seats for judgment are therein,
The thrones of David’s royal kin;
There sit the rulers of the nation.
Prosperity be unto them
That love you, O Jerusalem,
Who make your peace their supplication.
Let peace be found within your walls
And in your palaces repose;
May blessings be conferred on those
Who dwell within your favored halls.
For friends and brethren I will say,
“Let peace abide in you for aye;
May nought disturb you now or ever.”
By reason of God’s temple fair
And for the mercy proffered there,
I will invoke your good for ever.

Psalm 122

My heart exulted. I was glad
When I heard eager voices call,
“Come, let us go now, one and all,
To Zion, to the house of God.”
Our journey has been richly blest,
For, O Jerusalem, at last
Our feet within your gates are standing!
Jerusalem! We stood in awe
When we your strength and beauty saw
While to your citadels ascending.
Jerusalem, designed so well,
Is built as close-knit unity;
There flock together joyfully
The tribes and clans of Israel.
They to Jerusalem ascend,
According to the LORD’S command,
To thank Him with their adoration.
For there are set the royal thrones
Of David’s house, and there his sons
With righteous judgments rule the nation.
Pray that Jerusalem be blest:
“May peace prevail within your walls,
And safety in your citadels.
May those who love you there find rest.”
Now for the sake of friends and kin,
Jerusalem, I say again:
“May lasting peace be yours to cherish.”
And mindful that the God of grace
Has in your midst His dwelling place,
I pray that you may thrive and flourish.

Psalm 123

Dewey Westra, 1931; rev.

To Thee, O LORD who dwellest in the height,
My eyes look up for light.
Lo, as the eyes of servants, when neglected,
Are to their lord directed,
And as a maiden’s glance for favor lingers
Upon her mistress’ fingers,
Thus, too, our eyes look to our Master’s face
Till He provide us grace.
O LORD, our God, grant us Thy grace again,
Grant us Thy grace again,
For, lo, our ears are full of man’s derision
At our estranged condition;
Our soul is sated with the scorn and chiding
Of those at ease abiding,
And of the proud who in their vanity
Regard us haughtily.

Psalm 124

Author Unknown; rev.

Let Israel now say in thankfulness
That if the LORD had not our right maintained
And if the LORD had not with us remained,
When cruél men against us rose to strive,
We’d surely have been swallowed up alive.
Yea, when their wrath against us fiercely rose,
Then would the tide o’er us have spread its wave;
The raging stream would have become our grave;
The surging flood, in proudly swelling roll,
Most surely would have overwhelmed us all.
Blest be the LORD who made us not their prey;
As from the fowler’s net a bird may flee,
So from their broken snare did we go free.
Our only help is in God’s holy Name;
He made the earth and all the heavenly frame.

Psalm 124

The Psalter, 1912

Now Israel may say, and that in truth:
If that the Lord had not our right maintained,
If that the Lord had not with us remained
When cruel foes against us rose to strive,
We surely had been swallowed up alive.
Yea, when their wrath against us fiercely rose,
The swelling tide had o’er us spread its wave,
The raging stream had then become our grave,
The surging flood, in proudly swelling roll,
Most surely then had overwhelmed our soul.
Blest be the Lord, Who made us not their prey;
As from the snare, a bird escapeth free,
Their net is rent and so escaped are we;
Our only help is in God’s holy Name,
Who made the earth and all the heav’nly frame.

Psalm 124

Calvin Seerveld, 1981

If God the LORD were not our constant help—
If God the LORD would leave us all alone—
Then angry foes would swallow us alive!
Engulfed by hate, we would be tossed and drowned!
Yes, without God we would be sure to die.
Praise to the LORD God, who did not forsake—
We slipped like birds free from the hunter’s trap!
God did not let their teeth tear us like prey—
The trap is smashed! Yes, we alone escaped!
Our help is in the name of God the LORD.

Psalm 125

W. van der Kamp, 1972; rev.

Those who trust in the LORD resemble
Mount Zion, firm and sure,
Which ever will endure;
It stands unmoved and will not tremble.
So Israel will not be shaken
Or be forsaken.
Jerusalem! The hills surround her
And mountains stand on guard
To keep her peace unmarred
When threats of enemies confound her.
So guards the LORD His own who hear Him
And praise and fear Him.
The wicked’s scepter shall not humble
The land He did entrust
To people right and just,
Lest they, enticed by evil, stumble,
And they their hands to wrong be turning,
God’s counsel spurning.
Do good, O LORD, to those who hear Thee,
To men good in Thy sight
And in their hearts upright.
Let in Thy Israel that fears Thee,
When sinners to their doom are driven,
Thy peace be given.

Psalm 126

Dewey Westra, 1967, & William Helder, 1980

When Zion was at last restored,
Brought out of bondage by the LORD,
It seemed a dream to us, and we
All laughed and shouted joyfully.
Then it was said among the nations,
“To them the LORD gave restoration.”
The LORD has done great things for us;
With joy and thanks His Name we bless.
Restore our fortunes by Thy hand,
O LORD, like streams in desert land.
Grant those who sow their seed in tears
A golden harvest through the years.
The sower bearing grain in sadness
Shall certainly come home with gladness
When, at the harvest, he retrieves
The increase in abundant sheaves.

Psalm 126

When Zion was at last restored,
Brought back from exile by the LORD,
It seemed to us as if we dreamed.
How glad were those He had redeemed!
Our mouths were filled with loud rejoicing;
We laughed and cheered, our rapture voicing.
Then other nations, too, confessed,
“The LORD His own has greatly blessed.”
In His enduring faithfulness
The LORD did wondrous things for us.
With shouts of gladness and delight
We gloried in His deeds of might.
Again, LORD, grant us restoration,
As in the Negev’s desolation
The rain-filled streams turn arid sand
Into a green and pleasant land.
Let those who sow their seed in tears,
Beset by anxious cares and fears,
At harvest time no longer weep,
Rejoicing in the crops they reap.
The sower going forth in sorrow
To carry seed to field and furrow
Will with his sheaves come home again,
Exulting in the golden grain.

Psalm 127

Dewey Westra, 1961

Unless the LORD will build the house,
Its builders toil in use less pain;
The city’s keepers watch in vain
Unless the LORD its cause espouse.
No enterprise can have success
Unless the LORD decides to bless.
‘Tis vain to waken in the dark
To start one’s daily enterprise
And slave till night to realize
One’s sustenance by endless work.
For God His gifts on us will heap:
To His beloved He gives sleep.
Lo, sons are precious gifts from Him,
The body’s fruit His blest reward.
The sons of youth like arrows guard
The man whose quiver’s full of them.
He shall be mighty in the gate:
No foes shall enter his estate.

Psalm 128

W. W. J. VanOene, 1972

Blest is the man who always
Reveres and serves the LORD,
Who, walking in His pathways,
Obeys and keeps His Word.
The fruit of all your labor
As your reward you’ll eat
And, blest by His great favor,
You’ll have what you may need.
Your wife a vine resembles,
Fruitful within your house.
Like olive shoots assemble
The children God allows.
Around your table sitting,
They are a rich reward,
A blessing great and fitting
For him who fears the LORD.
From Zion come your blessing;
May you see Salem’s peace
And happiness progressing
Until your days will cease.
May you through life’s duration
Know that your seed is well
And see their generations.
Peace be on Israel!

Psalm 128

Calvin Seerveld, 1981

How blest are all the people who fear and trust the LORD.
Your faithful work will bring you rich fruit as your reward.
Rich as a budding vineyard your wife will grace the home;
Like olive shoots your children will grow both wise and strong.
Yes, God will bless the people who gladly serve the LORD.
From heaven may he prosper your days with rich reward,
So that your happy eyes see the new Jerusalem
And see your children’s children! Shalom be rich on them.

Psalm 129

W. van der Kamp, 1972

“They have oppressed me sorely from my youth.”
O Israel, make this your song forever;
“They have oppressed me sorely from my youth,”
Yet they have not prevailed against me ever.
“They ploughed my back as if they ploughed a field;
Long furrows drew those enemies who hound me.”
The LORD is righteous; He, my strength and shield,
Has cut the cords with which the wicked bound me.
May all those who hate Zion be brought low.
Put them to shame, LORD. Crush them by Thy power.
Make them like weeds that on the housetops grow,
That, dry and withered, die before they flower.
No reaper gathers those to have them threshed;
Such worthless grass no binder cares to rescue.
Those passing by will never say, “Be blessed!”
And, “In the Name of the LORD God we bless you!”

Psalm 130

Dewey Westra, 1931; rev.

Out of the depths of sadness,
O LORD, I cried to Thee;
Thou who canst fill with gladness,
Lend now Thy ear to me.
O Fount of consolation,
Attend unto my cry;
Hear Thou my supplication
And to my help draw nigh.
If, showing no compassion,
Thou shouldst our sins record
And mark all our transgressions,
Who then could stand, O LORD?
But Thou dost pardon fully
All our iniquity,
That we may serve Thee truly
And fear Thy majesty.
I wait for God to hide me;
My soul, with longing stirred,
Shall hope, whate’er betide me,
In His unfailing word.
For Thee, LORD, I am yearning
With more intense desire
Than watchers for the morning
To dawn of day aspire.
Hope in the LORD, O nation!
With Him is steadfast love;
His plenteous salvation
He’ll send you from above.
He will redeem His people,
His chosen Israel,
From all their sin and evil,
That they His praise may tell.

Psalm 130

Robert Swets, 1981

Out of the depths I cry, LORD.
O Lord, please hear my call.
Let your ears be attentive;
I beg for mercy, LORD.
If you marked our offenses,
O Lord, who then could stand?
But you grant us forgiveness;
Therefore we stand in awe
My hope is in the LORD’s word,
And for the Lord I wait
More eagerly than watchmen
Yearn for the morning light.
Hope in the LORD, O people,
In his unfailing love.
With him is full redemption;
He will redeem his own.

Psalm 131

W. van der Kamp, 1967; rev.

O LORD in whom I do abide,
My heart and eyes are free from pride.
I shun great matters, and I flee
From things too marvelous for me.
But I have set my soul at rest.
As, sheltered at its mother’s breast,
A child may linger quietly,
My soul is quieted in me.
Hope in the LORD, O Israel;
The just shall in His presence dwell.
Trust in His mercy, Him adore
From this time forth and evermore.

Psalm 132

W. van der Kamp, 1972

Remember, LORD, how war and strife
And hardships burdened David’s life;
Recall his days with troubles rife;
How to the LORD He swore aloud,
To Jacob’s Mighty One he vowed.
“I will not enter my own house,
Or get into my bed, or drowse,
Or sleep till I have paid my vows,
Till I find for the LORD a place,
For Jacob’s God a dwelling-place.”
In Ephratah the news we heard,
In Jaar’s fields our hearts were stirred:
We found the ark and spread the word,
“Let us go to His dwelling-place
And worship there before His face!”
O LORD, go to Thy place of rest,
Thou and the ark, with power blessed,
And let Thy faithful priests be dressed
In holiness, and so proclaim
Thy righteousness and wondrous fame.
Let shouts of praise the heavens shake,
Thy saints their joyful anthems make;
And for Thy servant David’s sake,
LORD, do not turn away Thy face
From him, anointed by Thy grace.
The LORD has once to David sworn
An oath He never will bemourn:
“There will to you a child be born,
A son shall from your body spring
Whom on your throne I’ll set as king.
“Your sons, if they My covenant hold
And hear when I My law unfold
Which I revealed in days of old,
They also shall forever own
Your kingdom and your glorious throne.”
For Zion, by all men admired,
The LORD has chosen and acquired
And for His resting-place desired.
“Jerusalem is founded well;
For evermore I here will dwell.
“On her I will my blessings shed.
Abundantly will she be fed;
I’ll satisfy her poor with bread.
Her priests I’ll with salvation dress;
Her saints will shout in happiness.
“There I will cause, in David’s line,
A horn to sprout, a lamp to shine
For My anointed as a sign.
His enemies I’ll clothe with shame,
But deck his crown with lustrous fame.”

Psalm 133

Dewey Westra, 1931; rev.

Behold, how good, how pleasant is the union
When brothers live together in communion!
‘Tis like the oil on Aaron’s head
That, running down, upon his beard does spread,
The oil that, flowing down his priestly dress,
Anoints him unto holiness.
‘Tis as the dew on Hermon’s brow descending,
The dew that falls where Zion’s slopes are bending,
And makes their vintage overflow.
So they who dwell in peace no want shall know,
For there the LORD their God His blessing sends
And grants the life that never ends.

Psalm 133

Bert Polman, 1986

Behold, how good, how pleasant is the union
When brothers, sisters live in sweet communion
And serve the LORD in cheerfulness.
It is like precious oil on Aaron’s head,
Which on his beard and priestly robe would spread,
Anointing him to holiness.
It is as if refreshing dew from Hermon
Were falling like a rain upon Mount Zion,
When God his benediction sends.
The LORD his bounteous blessings will release
On those who live in unity and peace;
God gives them life that never ends.

Psalm 134

Lambertus J. Lamberts, 1928

Come, bless the LORD with one accord,
You faithful servants of the LORD,
Who in His house do stand by night;
And praise Him there with all your might.
Lift up your hands, in prayer draw nigh
Unto His sanctuary high;
O bless the LORD, kneel at His feet,
And worship Him with reverence meet.
The LORD now bless you from above,
From Zion in His boundless love;
Our God, who heaven and earth did frame,
Blest be His great and holy Name.

Psalm 134

Calvin Seerveld, 1981

You servants of the LORD our God
Who work and pray both day and night,
In God’s own house lift up your hands
And praise the LORD with all your might.
The LORD God bless you from his throne,
The LORD show you his gracious face.
He who created heaven and earth
Give you his everlasting peace.

Psalm 135

Hallelujah! Praise the LORD
And extol His holy Name.
You that stand within His house,
Praise His greatness, voice His fame.
You His servants, shout His laud
In the temple courts of God.
Praise the LORD, for He is good;
Sing your praise to Him alone.
He chose Jacob for Himself;
Israel He made His own.
Far above all gods is He,
Great in power and majesty.
He does all that pleases Him;
Heaven, earth, the deepest sea
Do His bidding, heed His will;
Clouds rise up at His decree.
With the rain He lightning sends;
Winds and tempests He commands.
Egypt’s firstborn He destroyed;
Man and beast He both did smite.
He His signs and wonders sent
And so humbled Egypt’s might,
Showing Pharaoh and his court
That no man His will can thwart.
Many nations He struck down,
Kings and princes great in might:
Og, the king of Bashan’s hills,
Sihon of the Amorites.
He smote Canaan’s kingdoms all,
Gave their land to Israel.
Thy exalted Name, O LORD,
Will stand firm for evermore;
Thy great glory and renown
Through all ages will endure.
For the LORD will vindicate
All who for His mercy wait.
Idols are but precious ore,
Fashioned by the hands of men.
They have eyes but cannot see;
Nations worship them in vain.
They have mouths, but cannot speak.
Why should men their favor seek?
They have ears, but cannot hear;
Nothing can they understand.
In their mouths there is no breath,
And their makers, in the end,
Like their idols will become;
So will all who trust in them.
Come, O house of Israel,
Sing the praises of the LORD.
Come, O Aaron’s priestly house,
Bless His Name with one accord.
Levi’s house, your voices raise.
You that fear Him, sing His praise.
Blest from Zion be the LORD,
Who dwells in Jerusalem.
Let His people all rejoice;
Let them praise and worship Him.
Hallelujah! Praise the LORD!
Bless His Name with one accord.

Psalm 135

Hallelujah! Praise the LORD
And exalt His holy name.
You that stand within His house,
Praise His greatness, voice His fame.
You His servants, shout His laud
In the temple courts of God.
Praise the LORD, for He is good;
Sing your praise to Him alone.
He chose Jacob for Himself;
Israel He made His own.
Far above all gods is He,
Great in power and majesty.
He does all that pleases Him;
Heaven, earth, the deepest sea
Do His bidding, heed His will;
Clouds rise up at His decree.
With the rain He lightning sends;
Winds and tempests He commands.
Egypt’s firstborn He destroyed,
Striking down both man and beast.
He His signs and wonders sent;
Egypt’s kingdom He laid waste,
Showing Pharaoh and his court
That no man His will can thwart.
Many nations He struck down,
Kings and princes great in might:
Og, the king of Bashan’s hills,
Sihon of the Amorites.
He smote Canaan’s kingdoms all,
Gave their land to Israel.
Your exalted name, O LORD,
Will stand firm for evermore;
Your great glory and renown
Through all ages will endure.
For the LORD will vindicate
All who for his mercy wait.
Idols are but precious ore,
Fashioned by the hands of men.
They have eyes, but cannot see;
Nations worship them in vain.
They have mouths, but cannot speak.
Why should men their favor seek?
They have ears, but cannot hear;
Nothing can they understand.
In their mouths there is no breath,
And their makers, in the end,
Like their idols will become;
So will all who trust in them.
Come, O house of Israel,
Sing the praises of the LORD.
Come, O Aaron’s priestly house,
Bless His name with one accord.
Levi’s house, your voices raise.
You that fear Him, sing His praise.
Blest from Zion be the LORD,
Who dwells in Jerusalem.
Let His people all rejoice;
Let them praise and worship Him.
Hallelujah! Praise the LORD!
Bless His name with one accord.

Psalm 136

Author Unknown, adapted G VanDooren, 1961, 1972

O give thanks unto the LORD,
God of gods, with one accord,
For His steadfast love is sure;
It shall evermore endure.
Praise the mighty King of kings
Who alone does wondrous things,
For His steadfast love is sure;
It shall evermore endure.
He by wisdom framed the skies,
Made the earth from ocean rise,
For His steadfast love is sure;
It shall evermore endure.
He by day gave sun for light,
Moon and stars to rule the night,
For His steadfast love is sure;
It shall evermore endure.
He made Egypt’s greatness vain,
Caused their firstborn to be slain,
For His steadfast love is sure;
It shall evermore endure.
He stretched out His mighty hand,
Brought out Israel from that land,
For His steadfast love is sure;
It shall evermore endure.
God divided the Red Sea,
Led His people through it, free,
For His steadfast love is sure;
It shall evermore endure.
Pharaoh’s host was overthrown,
God through deserts led His own,
For His steadfast love is sure;
It shall evermore endure.
Mighty kings of famous name
He destroyed and put to shame,
For His steadfast love is sure;
It shall evermore endure.
Sihon, king of the Amorites,
Og of Bashan by His might,
For His steadfast love is sure;
It shall evermore endure.
As a heritage, their land
He gave into Israel’s hand,
For His steadfast love is sure;
It shall evermore endure.
He remembered all our woes
And redeemed us from our foes,
For His steadfast love is sure;
It shall evermore endure.
Food to all does He supply.
Praise our God, enthroned on high,
For His steadfast love is sure;
It shall evermore endure.

Psalm 136

John Milton, 1623, rev Marie J. Post, 1985

Let us with a gladsome mind
Praise the LORD, for He is kind.
Sound again His name abroad,
For of gods He is the God.
Lord of lords He rules above,
Showing us His power and love:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.
Heavens and earth with seas He made;
Still His wonders are displayed.
He, with all-commanding might,
Filled His new-made world with light—
Sun to stride across the day,
Moon and stars in vast array:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.
He with thunder-clasping hand
Smote the sons of Egypt land,
Split the Red Sea floods in two,
Guided Israel safely through.
He brought walls of water down,
Made the hosts of Pharaoh drown:
For his mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.
Flowing springs and manna blessed
Israel in the wilderness.
Og and Sihon, heathen kings,
Found what wicked action brings.
Then the land of heavy yoke
God gave to His chosen folk:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.
He remembered us when low,
Rescued us from every foe.
His love feeds all living things,
Shelters them beneath His wings.
Let us, then, with thankful mind,
Praise the LORD, for He is kind:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

Psalm 137

W. van der Kamp, 1972

Along the streams of Babylon, in sadness
We sat and wept, rememb’ring Zion’s gladness,
And on the willows there we hung our lyre,
For there our captors did our songs require;
While we lamented, joy and mirth they wanted.
“Sing for us one of Zion’s songs!” they taunted.
How shall we sing the LORD’s song in our anguish
When in a foreign land we mourn and languish?
Jerusalem, for love of you I cry;
My right hand wither if I you deny.
My mouth be dumb if ever I forget you,
If not above my highest joy I set you!
Remember, LORD, how Edom showed no pity
That day when Babylon razed Zion’s city,
How Esau’s sons rejoiced and said to them,
“Tear down, tear down all of Jerusalem.
Destroy and raze it down to its foundations!”
O God, do not forget their provocations.
O Babylon, destroyer, God shall smite you!
How happy he, appointed to requite you
With all the evil you to us have done!
May all mankind your lonely ruins shun.
How happy he who shall, devoid of pity,
Dash on the rocks the children of your city!

Psalm 138

Dewey Westra, 1931; rev.

With all my heart will I record
Thy praise, O LORD, and exaltation.
Before the gods with joyful song
Will I prolong my adoration.
I bow down toward Thy holy place
And for Thy grace and truth extol Thee.
Thou like Thy Name, O LORD Most High,
Didst magnify Thy Word so holy.
O God, whene’er I cried to Thee
Thou heardest me and didst deliver;
For by Thy strength, when sore afraid,
My soul was stayed, O gracious Giver.
The kings of earth in one accord
Shall thank Thee, LORD, with praise unbroken,
When over all the earth is heard
The wondrous Word which Thou hast spoken.
They all shall sing in joyful lays
And laud Thy ways with jubilation,
For great is God in majesty,
The LORD is He of all creation.
Our covenant God looks from on high
With kindly eye upon the lowly,
But He knows those from far who hide,
In sinful pride, their ways unholy.
LORD, though I walk ‘mid troubles sore,
Thou wilt restore my faltering spirit;
Though angry foes my soul alarm,
Thy mighty arm will save and cheer it.
Yea, Thou wilt finish perfectly
What Thou for me hast undertaken;
May not Thy works, in mercy wrought,
E’er come to nought, or be forsaken.

Psalm 138

With all my heart, O LORD, I praise
Your glorious ways, Your exaltation.
Before the gods Your name I bless
In thankfulness and adoration.
I bow down toward Your holy place
And laud Your grace, Your love unfailing,
For You have shown Your word and name
To be supreme and all-excelling.
You answered me the day I called;
You made me bold and valiant-hearted.
You heard me in my darkest hour
And by Your power was I supported.
Let then the kings of all the earth
In awe shout forth their praise unbroken,
For peoples everywhere, O LORD,
Have heard the words that You have spoken.
Now let all kings with one accord
Extol the LORD in joyful chorus.
Let them all praise God’s majesty,
For great is He: His ways are glorious.
Though high-enthroned, He from above
Looks down in love upon the lowly,
But from afar the proud He knows
And will expose their ways unholy.
LORD, You will to my rescue come
When troubles loom from all directions.
Though enemies around me swarm,
Your mighty arm is my protection.
Your pledge to me You shall fulfil;
By nothing will Your love be shaken.
You are the ever-faithful one:
Let all You’ve done not be forsaken!

Psalm 138

Stanley Wiersma, 1981

With all my heart I thank you, LORD.
I worship you with song and praising.
Before the “gods” I bless your name
And praise you for your love unfailing.
Your steadfast love, your faithfulness,
Your name, your word are high exalted.
The day I cried, you answered me.
Your strength has made my soul undaunted.
The kings of earth shall praise you, LORD.
They all have heard your wondrous story.
Now they will sing what they have heard:
“Great is the LORD and great his glory.”
The LORD is high in majesty,
Yet he respects the meek and lowly.
The LORD is high in majesty;
He keeps his distance from the haughty.
When I must walk a troubled way,
When I am weak, O LORD, revive me.
Stretch out your hand against all hate.
From sin and all things harmful save me.
Your right hand gives me victory.
Work in my life your full intention.
Your steadfast love can never die.
Bring what you started to perfection.

Psalm 139

W. van der Kamp, 1972

O LORD my God, Thou searchest me;
My heart and mind are known to Thee!
No things are hidden from Thine eyes
When I sit down and when I rise,
And from afar Thou art discerning
My thoughts and hopes, my secret yearning.
Thou knowest all and Thou dost trace
My journey and my resting-place.
The ways I go are clear to Thee,
And all my doings Thou dost see.
My tongue, though silent, is revealing
The inmost thoughts I am concealing.
Thou art before me and behind
And Thou hast probed my heart and mind;
Upon me Thou hast laid Thy hand.
O LORD, how could I understand
Thy wondrous knowledge or explain it,
So high that I cannot attain it!
Where can I from Thy Spirit flee?
Where do I find escape from Thee?
If I to heaven’s height ascend,
Then I shall there before Thee stand.
The grave can from Thy eyes not hide me,
For even there Thou art beside me.
If at the break of dawn I wake
And then the wings of morning take
To fly into the farthest sea,
And dwell there, far away from Thee,
Then even there Thy hand shall lead me
And Thy right hand shall hold and heed me.
If I say, “Let the gloom of night
Surround me, hide me, from Thy sight,”
Then darkness is not dark to Thee;
Through blackest night Thou seest me.
With Thee the night is never lightless;
Before Thy eyes the dark is brightness.
My inward parts were formed by Thee,
For Thou, my God, didst fashion me
When in my mother’s womb I grew
And neither light nor darkness knew.
With awe, with reverent admiration,
I praise Thy wonderful creation.
My frame was not concealed from Thee
When I was fashioned secretly,
Wrought in the hidden depths of earth.
Before my mother gave me birth,
Thy eyes did in the womb behold me;
Thou didst with love and care enfold me.
My unformed substance Thou didst see,
And all the days allotted me —
When of them there as yet was none —
Thou hast recorded, every one.
Their number, LORD, Thou hast decided
And in Thy book for me provided.
How precious are Thy thoughts to me,
How vast their sum, their mystery.
If I would count them they are more
Than all the sand upon the shore.
Thou art my God, Thy hand is with me;
When I awake I still am with Thee.
O God, if only Thou wouldst slay
The wicked, in their pride astray.
O let them all from me depart,
Those men of blood and evil heart,
Men who maliciously defy Thee,
Who plan rebellion and deny Thee.
Do I not hate those who hate Thee?
O LORD my God, Thou knowest me;
Those who in pride against Thee rise,
Thy enemies, I do despise.
With perfect hatred do I hate them;
May woes and misery await them!
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
See if I from Thy ways depart.
Try me and judge my inmost thought,
And let me by Thy Word be taught.
Keep me from wicked ways and heed me;
In everlasting ways do lead me.

Psalm 140

W. van der Kamp, 1972; rev.

LORD, rescue me from foes, I pray Thee;
From all their fury, save my life.
Their hearts plan evil to betray me;
They daily stir up war and strife.
Their tongues are sharpened with their slander
So that their words like serpents sting;
Their poisoned lips to evil pander,
And they like vipers ruin bring.
LORD, from the hands of foes protect me
And keep me safe from violent men,
Those who are plotting to obstruct me.
Grant me Thy help and grace again.
Men proud of deeds by Thee forbidden
In stealth their traps for me prepare.
To catch me they their net have hidden;
They in my path have laid their snare.
Give ear, LORD, to my supplication.
I say to Thee, Thou art my God.
O LORD, my Helper, my salvation,
Shield me in battle with Thy rod.
Grant not what foes may be desiring;
Let not their evil plots succeed!
Those who around me are conspiring
Lift up their heads in pride and greed.
For all their misdeeds, proud and vicious,
Grant their own mischief as reward.
Let them be cast into abysses;
With burning coals repay them, LORD.
Let slanderers not be established
Where all the righteous honor Thee;
Let men of violence all be banished
And hunted down in infamy.
I know the LORD upholds the needy;
With Him their cause will be secure.
He saves them from the proud and greedy;
Our God shows justice to the poor.
Surely the righteous will adore Thee
And give their thanks to Thy great Name;
The upright all will dwell before Thee
And there Thy faithfulness proclaim.

Psalm 141

W. van der Kamp, 1967

I call, beset by wicked scoffing,
On Thee, O LORD; make haste to me!
O let my prayer like incense be,
My lifted hands like evening off’rings.
Set Thou a guard, O LORD, I pray Thee,
To keep my mouth from evil’s lure,
The doorway of my lips secure.
Hear Thou my voice and come to stay me.
Let none to evil deeds incite me.
Keep Thou me from the company
Of those who work iniquity,
And let their dainties not delight me.
In kindness let a good man scold me
Or strike me, but let not instead
Oil of the wicked touch my head;
Let not their evil deeds enfold me.
When to their judges they are given
They shall, condemned, their misdeeds rue
And learn, LORD, that Thy word is true.
Against Thee they in vain have striven.
For as a rock, all cleft and broken,
So shall their bones, O LORD, be strewn
There where the grave for them is hewn,
When Thou in Thy great wrath hast spoken.
O LORD my God, my eyes are toward Thee;
I seek my refuge, LORD, in Thee,
Make haste to come, to set me free,
And let Thy might defend and guard me.
Destroy their trap, LORD, do not fail me,
And of my perils be aware!
Let them be caught in their own snare,
While I escape to praise and hail Thee.

Psalm 142

Author Unknown, rev.

With all my voice to God I cry;
I call upon the LORD Most High.
Before His face my grief I show
And tell my trouble and my woe.
To Thee I pour out my complaint,
For I am weak, my spirit faint.
When cares with gloom encompass me,
The path I take is known to Thee.
They in my way have laid a snare.
I look, but none sees my despair;
I find no place of refuge near,
No friend to whom my life is dear.
O LORD, my Savior, unto Thee,
Without a hope besides, I flee;
Thou art my shelter from the strife,
My portion in the land of life.
Be Thou my help when troubles throng,
For I am weak and foes are strong;
Thy servant out of prison bring,
And thankful praises I will sing.
The righteous then shall gather round
To share the blessings I have found,
Their hearts made glad because they see
How richly Thou hast dealt with me.

Psalm 143

Dewey Westra, 1967; rev.

Hear Thou, O LORD, my supplication,
My fervent plea for Thy salvation;
LORD, answer me with truth and right.
Withhold from me Thy condemnation,
For none is perfect in Thy sight.
My bitter foe has long pursued me;
Unto the ground he has subdued me,
And into darkness I’ve been led;
He made me sit where light eludes me,
Where I am left like those long dead.
My soul is drained of expectation;
My heart is numb with consternation.
When I remember former days
I muse on all Thy preservation
And ponder all Thy works and ways.
LORD, see my hands to Thee extending,
My soul athirst for Thy defending.
My spirit faints. O haste to save
Lest I become as those descending
Down to the darkness of the grave.
At dawn reveal to me Thy goodness,
For I confide in Thee, my fortress.
Cause me to see and know in full
The way in which I should make progress,
For, LORD, to Thee I lift my soul.
From all my foes me now deliver,
For I have fled to Thee for cover.
Teach me Thy will, I Thee entreat,
For Thou hast been my God forever.
Let Thy good Spirit guide my feet.
Revive me, LORD, to Thy Name’s glory;
In righteousness relieve my worry;
In steadfast love, as with a sword
Cut off my enemies before me,
For I am still Thy servant, LORD.

Psalm 143

James Vanden Bosch, 1981

LORD, hear my prayer, my supplication;
In truth and righteousness, now answer.
But do not judge your servant, LORD,
For who could stand before your judgment?
No one is righteous in your sight.
O LORD, the enemy pursues me;
My life lies broken where I’ve fallen.
I know the darkness of the grave.
Therefore my spirit faints within me;
My heart within me is dismayed.
When I remember days of old, LORD,
I meditate on all your doings,
On all the works your hands have wrought.
I stretch my hands out to implore you:
My soul thirsts like a desert land.
Make haste, O LORD, and give your answer.
My spirit fails; do not forsake me,
Or I will be like those who die.
Let morning bring your lovingkindness,
For I have put my trust in you.
Teach me to walk where you have led me,
For I lay all my cares before you.
Deliver me from all my foes,
For I have fled to you for refuge.
You are my God: teach me your will.
May your good Spirit lead me safely.
For your name’s sake, O LORD, protect me;
In righteousness preserve my life.
In love destroy all those who hate me:
I am a servant of the LORD.

Psalm 144

W. van der Kamp, 1972

Blest be the LORD, my rock, He who sustains me.
My hands are strong, my God for battle trains me;
My fortress and my rock to whom I flee,
He is my strong hold and delivers me.
God is my shield when enemies surround me,
And in Him I take refuge when they hound me.
Praise Him who dwells between the cherubim,
And who subdues the peoples under Him.
O LORD, what is a man that Thou dost heed him,
The son of man that Thou wilt help and lead him,
That Thou dost think of coming to his aid?
Man is like breath, his days a passing shade.
LORD, bow Thy heavens, see my foes assemble;
Come, touch the mountains, that they smoke and tremble!
Flash forth Thy lightnings and fight Thou our fight;
Send out Thy arrows, rout them in their flight!
Stretch from on high Thy hand toward those who hound me
And draw me from the waters all around me.
O rescue me from my despair and woes;
Deliver me from hands of alien foes,
Whose mouths are filled with slander and with lying,
Whose right hand carries falsehood. Hear my crying;
See how their might will overpower me.
Come to my help: whom have I, LORD, but Thee?
O God, to Thee a new song I’ll be singing:
My ten-stringed harp will with Thy praise be ringing,
For unto kings Thou givest victory;
Thy servant David Thou dost help and free.
Save me from swords that for my life are vying,
From alien foes, whose mouth is full of lying,
Whose right hand is the right hand of deceit.
Turn Thou their pride to shame and to defeat.
May in their youth our sons like saplings flourish,
Like plants full-grown which Thou with rain dost nourish,
Our daughters with their beauty us enthrall
Like graceful columns in a palace hall;
And may our garners all be overflowing,
On us their fruit of every kind bestowing.
May in our fields our sheep so multiply
That their ten thousands every count defy.
May all those blessings to Thy praise incite us,
Our cattle, heavy with their young, delight us,
Untimely birth and mischance not be known,
No locusts raze the crops our hands have sown.
May in our streets no anguished cry distress us.
Remember Thou Thy people’s prayer and bless us.
How happy those who reap such rich reward!
Yes, happy those whose king is God the LORD!

Psalm 145

Dewey Westra, 1961; rev.

I will exalt Thee, O my God and King,
And bless Thy Name forever as I sing;
Yes, daily blessing Thee, I will adore
And praise Thy holy Name for evermore.
Great is the LORD and worthy of all honor;
His greatness is unsearchable for wonder.
His acts are praised by ev’ry generation,
His handiworks acclaimed with veneration.
LORD, the majestic glories of Thy state
And all Thy doings I will contemplate;
Yes, of Thy greatness I will tell at length
And speak about Thy awesome acts of strength,
Till men shall bring Thy goodness to remembrance,
Sing of Thy righteousness with joyful reverence.
Thou, LORD, art gracious, boundless in compassion;
Slow is Thy wrath in dealing with transgression.
LORD, Thou art good to all that dwell below;
Thou in Thy works Thy steadfast love dost show.
They all present to Thee their thankful praise;
Thy saints shall bless Thee to the end of days.
They shall recount Thy kingdom’s exaltation
And praise Thy wondrous acts with veneration,
That men may for Thy mighty deeds adore Thee,
For they unfold Thy kingdom’s radiant glory.
Thy kingdom shall continue without end,
Thy sovereignty from age to age extend.
Thou art a help and stay to those who fall;
The lowly ones Thou liftest when they call.
The eyes of all look unto Thee with reason,
For Thou preparest food for them in season;
Thou openest Thy hand in gracious giving
To satisfy the needs of all things living.
The LORD is just in all His will and way,
And all His works His steadfast love portray.
All men who seek His mercy find Him near;
He satisfies all those who Him revere.
He hears the cry of those who seek Him truly
But shall destroy the wicked and unruly.
My mouth to Him its praises shall deliver
And all flesh bless His holy Name forever.

Psalm 146

W. van der Kamp, 1967; rev.

Praise the LORD, who reigns forever!
O my soul, bring Him your praise.
I will bless my God and Maker
And exalt Him all my days.
Praises to my God I’ll sing;
While I live, I’ll laud my King.
Put no trust in prince or ruler,
In a man however wise:
In him is no help or power;
When his breath departs he dies,
And his plans that very day
Waste when he returns to clay.
Blest is he who has as helper
Him who listens to his pleas,
Jacob’s God, the LORD so faithful;
He made heav’n and earth, the seas,
And all creatures of the deep;
He forever faith shall keep.
The oppressed will see God’s justice,
For the captives He sets free.
He, the LORD, will feed the hungry
And will make the blind to see.
He lifts up all those bowed down;
Them will He with mercy crown.
He, the LORD, protects the strangers;
Waifs and widows He sustains,
Thwarting those whose way is evil.
Praise Him who forever reigns.
Zion’s children, sing His laud.
Hallelujah, praise your God.

Psalm 147

Come, praise the LORD! ‘Tis good and pleasant
To praise His mercy ever-present.
Sing to the LORD, our God and Savior,
Who shows His steadfast love and favor.
He builds Jerusalem’s foundations
And reunites His scattered nation.
The LORD heals all the brokenhearted,
For He binds up the wounds that smarted.
He counts the stars and knows their number;
Each one He will by name remember.
Our LORD is great, in power excelling,
His understanding past all telling.
The LORD lifts up the poor and humble,
But causes wicked men to stumble.
O come in thankfulness before Him;
With harp and joyful song adore Him.
With clouds He covers all the heavens;
Rain for the earth by Him is given.
The LORD makes grass on hillsides flourish;
All beasts and ravens He will nourish.
His joy could never have its sources
In warriors’ legs or strength of horses:
In those who fear Him He takes pleasure,
Who make His steadfast love their treasure.
Jerusalem, now praise your Savior!
O Zion, thank Him for His favor!
Your gates He strengthens by His power;
His blessings on your sons He’ll shower.
Within your walls in peace He leads you
And with the finest wheat He feeds you.
He swiftly from His habitation
Sends forth His word and proclamation.
When He the wintry cold increases,
He spreads the snow like woolly fleeces;
Like ashes He the hoarfrost scatters,
And hailstones on the earth He clatters.
Before His cold the water freezes
Till He the icy bonds releases:
He sends His word, and winds start blowing;
He melts the ice, and streams are flowing!
By Him Jerusalem is guided;
The LORD His statutes has provided,
His steadfast love to Jacob showing,
His word on Israel bestowing.
He dealt thus with no other nation;
They did not know His revelation.
Praise then the LORD, your gladness voicing
And in His steadfast love rejoicing!

Psalm 147

Come, praise the LORD! It’s good and pleasant
To praise His mercy ever-present.
Sing to the LORD, our God and Savior,
Who shows His steadfast love and favor.
He builds Jerusalem’s foundations
And re-unites His scattered nation.
The brokenhearted He grants healing,
Binds up their wounds, His love revealing.
He counts the stars and knows their number;
Each one He will by name remember.
Our Lord is great, in power excelling,
His understanding past all telling.
The LORD lifts up the poor and humble
But causes wicked men to stumble.
O come in thankfulness before Him;
With harp and joyful song adore Him.
With clouds He covers all the heavens;
Rain for the earth by Him is given.
The LORD makes grass on hillsides flourish;
The beasts and ravens He will nourish.
In strength of steeds is not His pleasure,
Nor is men’s fleetness what He treasures.
But He delights in those who fear Him,
Who for His constant love revere Him.
Jerusalem, now praise your Savior!
O Zion, thank Him for His favor.
Your gates He strengthens by His power;
His gifts He on your children showers.
Within your walls in peace He leads you
And with the finest wheat He feeds you.
To all the earth He issues orders
That swiftly reach its farthest borders.
When He the wintry cold increases,
He spreads the snow like woolly fleeces;
Like ashes He the hoarfrost scatters,
And hailstones on the earth He clatters.
Before His cold the water freezes
Till He the icy bonds releases:
He sends His word, and winds start blowing;
He melts the ice, and streams are flowing!
By Him Jerusalem is guided;
The LORD His statutes has provided,
His steadfast love to Jacob showing,
His word on Israel bestowing.
He dealt thus with no other nation;
They do not know His revelation.
Come, praise the LORD, your gladness voicing
And in His steadfast love rejoicing.

Psalm 148

Dewey Westra, 1961, & William Helder, 1980

All praise the LORD, O sons of light!
Extol Him in the highest height.
Praise Him, His angels; from your post
Praise God with all the heavenly host.
You sun and moon, for seasons given,
You shining stars aglow in heaven,
You highest heights and cloudy sky,
All praise the Name of God Most High.
Let them with praise before Him stand,
For they came forth at His command.
By His decree, which will endure,
He fixed their place for evermore.
On earth praise God with great devotion,
You creatures of the deepest ocean,
You frost and snow, you fire and hail,
And storm-winds that perform His will.
Praise Him, you hills and mountains all,
You fruit trees and you cedars tall;
Wild beasts and cattle, creeping things,
Praise Him with every bird that sings.
Kings of the earth, with all its people,
Princes and judges, strong and feeble,
Young men and maidens, old and young,
Come, praise the LORD with joyful song.
Let them extol and magnify
The LORD, whose Name alone is high,
Whose honor earth and skies adorn.
He has raised up His people’s horn
And praise for Israel, His nation,
Who worship Him with veneration,
The flock He led from days of yore!
Praise, praise the LORD for evermore!

Psalm 148

O praise the LORD! His name exalt!
Praise Him from highest heaven’s vault.
You angels, from your lofty post
Praise Him with all the heavenly host.
You sun and moon, you constellations,
Shine forth your light in adoration;
Join with the clouds as they ascend
In praise and worship without end.
Let them extol the LORD, for He
Created them by His decree,
And by a law that will endure
He fixed their bounds for evermore.
Let earth as well show Him devotion:
Praise Him, you monsters in the oceans,
You frost and snow, you fire and hail;
Praise Him, you storms that do His will.
Praise Him, you hills and mountains all,
You fruit trees and you cedars tall;
Wild beasts and cattle, creeping things,
Praise Him with every bird that sings.
You kings and princes, all the nations,
You rulers of their populations,
Young men and maidens, old and young,
Come, praise the LORD with joyful song.
Let all creation praise His name,
Extol His all-surpassing fame.
His glory covers earth and sky.
He raised His people’s horn on high;
His saints He blessed with praise and splendor,
Showed Israel His mercy tender.
Close to His heart He keeps His own.
O praise the LORD! Praise Him alone!

Psalm 149

W. van der Kamp, 1972

The LORD be praised! Come and adore Him
By singing your new song before Him;
Let all the faithful with rejoicing
His praises now be voicing!
Be glad in Him, O Israel!
Your mighty Maker’s greatness tell.
Let Zion’s sons to God, their King,
Their jubil’nt homage bring.
Let them proclaim His Name with dancing,
With harp and song His praise advancing,
For in His people God takes pleasure;
They are His joy and treasure.
The humble ones who to Him flee
The LORD adorns with victory.
Let all the just their glory voice
And in their God rejoice.
Let them kneel down and sing God’s praises
While their right hand in vengeance raises
A sword to end the profanations
Of wayward heathen nations,
To bring the peoples chastisement
Because they God’s command resent,
To bind their kings with iron chains
Until no foe remains.
Their kings and nobles will be smitten
To execute the judgment written.
God’s enemies who scorn repentance
Receive now their just sentence.
The verdict which His haters stuns
Is glory to His faithful ones.
Sing, all you saints, with one accord
God’s greatness. Praise the LORD!

Psalm 150

Dewey Westra, 1931; rev.

Hallelujah! Praise the LORD!
In His house, with one accord!
Praise Him in the wide extent
Of His spacious firmament;
Sing and shout His praise uprightly.
His unbounded greatness praise
And extol His wondrous ways;
Praise Him for His deeds so mighty.
Praise Him with the trumpet sound;
Let His glorious praise abound.
Praise Him with the psaltery,
With the harp His majesty;
Praise Him with the pipe and timbrel.
Praise Him with stringed instruments,
With the flute His excellence;
Praise Him with the sounding cymbal.
Let the clashing cymbals ring
To the praise of God the King.
Praise Him with a mighty sound;
Let your voices shake the ground.
Sing His praises with rejoicing.
All that breathe, exalt the LORD;
Let all men His fame record:
Sing His praises! Hallelujah!

Psalm 150

Calvin Seerveld, 1981

Hallelu the LORD our God!
Praise him in his holy place.
Praise him in the skies he rules;
Praise him for his sovereignty;
Praise his overwhelming grandeur.
Every creature far and near,
Make your joyful noise and cheer:
Honor, glory, praise the LORD God!
Praise God with the trumpet blast!
Crash your cymbals, laugh with dance!
Praise with flute, with drums and strings!
Every creature that has breath,
Celebrate until the earth rings:
Hallelu the great I AM!
Hallelu the worthy Lamb!
Hallelu the LORD our Savior!

The Decalogue

Hear how the LORD on Sinai’s mountain
Addressed the people of His choice;
With them His covenant He established.
They in the thunder heard His voice.
“I am the LORD, your God and Savior,
Who out of bondage set you free,
Who brought you from the land of Egypt.
Have, then, no other gods but Me.
“You shall not serve a graven image:
A jealous God am I, the LORD,
Who punish evildoers’ offspring
But cherish those who heed My Word.
“Invoke the LORD with fear and reverence;
You shall not take His Name in vain.
The LORD your God will not hold guiltless
Those who His holy Name profane.
“Observe the Sabbath, keep it holy;
You and your house that day shall rest.
On six days only shall you labor;
The seventh day the LORD has blessed.
“Honor your father and your mother;
Then shall the LORD your days extend
And bless you in the land He gives you.
Obey the LORD your God’s command.
“You shall not kill or hate your neighbor;
Adult’ry you shall not commit.
You shall not steal, nor bear false witness,
But love the truth and honor it.
“Your neighbor’s goods you shall not covet,
And everything he calls his own:
His wife, his house, his fields and cattle:
You shall respect as his alone.”
O LORD, let Thy commandments teach us
Our sins and misery to see,
That we, delivered from all evil,
May live in thankfulness to Thee.

The Song of Simeon

O Lord and Master, Thou
Dost let Thy servant now
Depart in exultation;
Thy promise is fulfilled,
For now have I beheld
Thy wonderful salvation:
Thou didst, O Lord, prepare
For peoples everywhere
A light for revelation,
And radiant glory shall
The gloom of death dispel
For Israel, Thy nation.

The Magnificat

W.W.J. VanOene, 1966, alt.

My soul does magnify
The Lord, for He Most High
Has shown to me His favor.
I praise Him with my voice;
My spirit does rejoice
In Him, my God and Savior.
For He did contemplate
His handmaid’s low estate.
Behold, all generations
Will call me ever blest,
For, at the Lord’s behest,
Great is my exaltation.
How holy is His Name!
Let everyone proclaim
This Name with veneration.
His mercy is on them
That fear and honor Him
Through every generation.
He showed His mighty arm
In scatt’ring all those charmed
By their imagination.
He humbled mighty men,
But He has honored them
That lacked all estimation.
With good things He supplied
The hungry, and denied
Them not His gracious blessing.
The rich did nought receive
That could their want relieve
Or even hunger lessen.
His servant Israel,
As He did oft foretell,
He graciously delivered –
Rememb’ring evermore
What He to Abram swore
And to his seed forever.