A Protestation of Integrity

26¹ Declare me innocent, O Lord, for I have acted with integrity; I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. ² Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart. ³ For I am always aware of your unfailing love, and I have lived according to your truth. ⁴ I do not spend time with liars or go along with hypocrites. ⁵ I hate the gatherings of those who do evil, and I refuse to join in with the wicked.

⁶ I wash my hands to declare my innocence. I come to your altar, O Lord, ⁷ singing a song of thanksgiving and telling of all your wonders. ⁸ I love your sanctuary, Lord, the place where your glorious presence dwells. ⁹ Don't let me suffer the fate of sinners. Don't condemn me along with murderers. ¹⁰ Their hands are dirty with evil schemes, and they constantly take bribes. ¹¹ But I am not like that; I live with integrity. So redeem me and show me mercy. ¹² Now I stand on solid ground, and I will publicly praise the Lord .

Praise for Deliverance

40¹ I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. ² He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. ³ He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord . ⁴ Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord, who have no confidence in the proud or in those who worship idols. ⁵ O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them.

⁶ You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings. Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand - you don't require burnt offerings or sin offerings. ⁷ Then I said, "Look, I have come. As is written about me in the Scriptures: ⁸ I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart." ⁹ I have told all your people about your justice. I have not been afraid to speak out, as you, O Lord, well know. ¹⁰ I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart; I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power. I have told everyone in the great assembly of your unfailing love and faithfulness.

¹¹ Lord, don't hold back your tender mercies from me. Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me. ¹² For troubles surround me- too many to count! My sins pile up so high I can't see my way out. They outnumber the hairs on my head. I have lost all courage. ¹³ Please, Lord, rescue me! Come quickly, Lord, and help me. ¹⁴ May those who try to destroy me be humiliated and put to shame. May those who take delight in my trouble be turned back in disgrace. ¹⁵ Let them be horrified by their shame, for they said, "Aha! We've got him now!" ¹⁶ But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, "The Lord is great!" ¹⁷ As for me, since I am poor and needy, let the Lord keep me in his thoughts. You are my helper and my savior. O my God, do not delay.

A Prayer for the Punishment of the Wicked

58¹ Justice-do you rulers know the meaning of the word? Do you judge the people fairly? ² No! You plot injustice in your hearts. You spread violence throughout the land. ³ These wicked people are born sinners; even from birth they have lied and gone their own way. ⁴ They spit venom like deadly snakes; they are like cobras that refuse to listen, ⁵ ignoring the tunes of the snake charmers, no matter how skillfully they play.

⁶ Break off their fangs, O God! Smash the jaws of these lions, O Lord ! ⁷ May they disappear like water into thirsty ground. Make their weapons useless in their hands. ⁸ May they be like snails that dissolve into slime, like a stillborn child who will never see the sun. ⁹ God will sweep them away, both young and old, faster than a pot heats over burning thorns. ¹⁰ The godly will rejoice when they see injustice avenged. They will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked. ¹¹ Then at last everyone will say, "There truly is a reward for those who live for God; surely there is a God who judges justly here on earth."

Confidence in God's Protection

61¹ O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! ² From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, ³ for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. ⁴ Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings! Interlude

⁵ For you have heard my vows, O God. You have given me an inheritance reserved for those who fear your name. ⁶ Add many years to the life of the king! May his years span the generations! ⁷ May he reign under God's protection forever. May your unfailing love and faithfulness watch over him. ⁸ Then I will sing praises to your name forever as I fulfill my vows each day.

God the Only Refuge

62¹ I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. ² He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken. ³ So many enemies against one man- all of them trying to kill me. To them I'm just a broken-down wall or a tottering fence. ⁴ They plan to topple me from my high position. They delight in telling lies about me. They praise me to my face but curse me in their hearts. Interlude ⁵ Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. ⁶ He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. ⁷ My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.

⁸ O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge. Interlude ⁹ Common people are as worthless as a puff of wind, and the powerful are not what they appear to be. If you weigh them on the scales, together they are lighter than a breath of air. ¹⁰ Don't make your living by extortion or put your hope in stealing. And if your wealth increases, don't make it the center of your life. ¹¹ God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times: Power, O God, belongs to you; ¹² unfailing love, O Lord, is yours. Surely you repay all people according to what they have done.

A Prayer for Protection from Hidden Enemies

64¹ O God, listen to my complaint. Protect my life from my enemies' threats. ² Hide me from the plots of this evil mob, from this gang of wrongdoers. ³ They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows. ⁴ They shoot from ambush at the innocent, attacking suddenly and fearlessly. ⁵ They encourage each other to do evil and plan how to set their traps in secret. "Who will ever notice?" they ask. ⁶ As they plot their crimes, they say, "We have devised the perfect plan!" Yes, the human heart and mind are cunning.

⁷ But God himself will shoot them with his arrows, suddenly striking them down. ⁸ Their own tongues will ruin them, and all who see them will shake their heads in scorn. ⁹ Then everyone will be afraid; they will proclaim the mighty acts of God and realize all the amazing things he does. ¹⁰ The godly will rejoice in the Lord and find shelter in him. And those who do what is right will praise him.