A Protestation of Integrity

261 Judge me, Yahweh, for I have walked in my integrity.
I have trusted also in Yahweh without wavering. 2 Examine me, Yahweh, and prove me.
Try my heart and my mind. 3 For your loving kindness is before my eyes.
I have walked in your truth. 4 I have not sat with deceitful men,
neither will I go in with hypocrites. 5 I hate the assembly of evildoers,
and will not sit with the wicked.

6 I will wash my hands in innocence,
so I will go about your altar, Yahweh; 7 that I may make the voice of thanksgiving to be heard,
and tell of all your wondrous works. 8 Yahweh, I love the habitation of your house,
the place where your glory dwells. 9 Don’t gather my soul with sinners,
nor my life with bloodthirsty men; 10 in whose hands is wickedness,
their right hand is full of bribes. 11 But as for me, I will walk in my integrity.
Redeem me, and be merciful to me. 12 My foot stands in an even place.
In the congregations I will bless Yahweh.

Praise for Deliverance

401 I waited patiently for Yahweh.
He turned to me, and heard my cry. 2 He brought me up also out of a horrible pit,
out of the miry clay.
He set my feet on a rock,
and gave me a firm place to stand. 3 He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God.
Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in Yahweh. 4 Blessed is the man who makes Yahweh his trust,
and doesn’t respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. 5 Many, Yahweh, my God, are the wonderful works which you have done,
and your thoughts which are toward us.
They can’t be declared back to you.
If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

6 Sacrifice and offering you didn’t desire.
You have opened my ears.
You have not required burnt offering and sin offering. 7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come.
It is written about me in the book in the scroll. 8 I delight to do your will, my God.
Yes, your law is within my heart.” 9 I have proclaimed glad news of righteousness in the great assembly.
Behold, I will not seal my lips, Yahweh, you know. 10 I have not hidden your righteousness within my heart.
I have declared your faithfulness and your salvation.
I have not concealed your loving kindness and your truth from the great assembly.

11 Don’t withhold your tender mercies from me, Yahweh.
Let your loving kindness and your truth continually preserve me. 12 For innumerable evils have surrounded me.
My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up.
They are more than the hairs of my head.
My heart has failed me. 13 Be pleased, Yahweh, to deliver me.
Hurry to help me, Yahweh. 14 Let them be disappointed and confounded together who seek after my soul to destroy it.
Let them be turned backward and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt. 15 Let them be desolate by reason of their shame that tell me, “Aha! Aha!” 16 Let all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you.
Let such as love your salvation say continually, “Let Yahweh be exalted!” 17 But I am poor and needy.
May the Lord think about me.
You are my help and my deliverer.
Don’t delay, my God.

A Prayer for the Punishment of the Wicked

581 Do you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones?
Do you judge blamelessly, you sons of men? 2 No, in your heart you plot injustice.
You measure out the violence of your hands in the earth. 3 The wicked go astray from the womb.
They are wayward as soon as they are born, speaking lies. 4 Their poison is like the poison of a snake;
like a deaf cobra that stops its ear, 5 which doesn’t listen to the voice of charmers,
no matter how skillful the charmer may be.

6 Break their teeth, God, in their mouth.
Break out the great teeth of the young lions, Yahweh. 7 Let them vanish as water that flows away.
When they draw the bow, let their arrows be made blunt. 8 Let them be like a snail which melts and passes away,
like the stillborn child, who has not seen the sun. 9 Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns,
he will sweep away the green and the burning alike. 10 The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance.
He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked; 11 so that men shall say, “Most certainly there is a reward for the righteous.
Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth.”

Confidence in God's Protection

611 Hear my cry, God.
Listen to my prayer. 2 From the end of the earth, I will call to you, when my heart is overwhelmed.
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 3 For you have been a refuge for me,
a strong tower from the enemy. 4 I will dwell in your tent forever.
I will take refuge in the shelter of your wings. Selah.

5 For you, God, have heard my vows.
You have given me the heritage of those who fear your name. 6 You will prolong the king’s life;
his years shall be for generations. 7 He shall be enthroned in God’s presence forever.
Appoint your loving kindness and truth, that they may preserve him. 8 So I will sing praise to your name forever,
that I may fulfill my vows daily.

God the Only Refuge

621 My soul rests in God alone.
My salvation is from him. 2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress—
I will never be greatly shaken. 3 How long will you assault a man,
would all of you throw him down,
Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence? 4 They fully intend to throw him down from his lofty place.
They delight in lies.
They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah. 5 My soul, wait in silence for God alone,
for my expectation is from him. 6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress.
I will not be shaken. 7 With God is my salvation and my honor.
The rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

8 Trust in him at all times, you people.
Pour out your heart before him.
God is a refuge for us. Selah. 9 Surely men of low degree are just a breath,
and men of high degree are a lie.
In the balances they will go up.
They are together lighter than a breath. 10 Don’t trust in oppression.
Don’t become vain in robbery.
If riches increase,
don’t set your heart on them. 11 God has spoken once;
twice I have heard this,
that power belongs to God. 12 Also to you, Lord, belongs loving kindness,
for you reward every man according to his work.

A Prayer for Protection from Hidden Enemies

641 Hear my voice, God, in my complaint.
Preserve my life from fear of the enemy. 2 Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked,
from the noisy crowd of the ones doing evil; 3 who sharpen their tongue like a sword,
and aim their arrows, deadly words, 4 to shoot innocent men from ambushes.
They shoot at him suddenly and fearlessly. 5 They encourage themselves in evil plans.
They talk about laying snares secretly.
They say, “Who will see them?” 6 They plot injustice, saying, “We have made a perfect plan!”
Surely man’s mind and heart are cunning.

7 But God will shoot at them.
They will be suddenly struck down with an arrow. 8 Their own tongues shall ruin them.
All who see them will shake their heads. 9 All mankind shall be afraid.
They shall declare the work of God,
and shall wisely ponder what he has done. 10 The righteous shall be glad in Yahweh,
and shall take refuge in him.
All the upright in heart shall praise him!