A Prayer for Mercy in Time of Trouble

61 Yahweh, don’t rebuke me in your anger,
neither discipline me in your wrath. 2 Have mercy on me, Yahweh, for I am faint.
Yahweh, heal me, for my bones are troubled. 3 My soul is also in great anguish.
But you, Yahweh—how long? 4 Return, Yahweh. Deliver my soul,
and save me for your loving kindness’ sake. 5 For in death there is no memory of you.
In Sheol, who shall give you thanks? 6 I am weary with my groaning.
Every night I flood my bed.
I drench my couch with my tears. 7 My eye wastes away because of grief.
It grows old because of all my adversaries.

8 Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity,
for Yahweh has heard the voice of my weeping. 9 Yahweh has heard my supplication.
Yahweh accepts my prayer. 10 May all my enemies be ashamed and dismayed.
They shall turn back, they shall be disgraced suddenly.

God's Glory and Man's Honor

81 Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth,
who has set your glory above the heavens! 2 From the lips of babes and infants you have established strength,
because of your adversaries, that you might silence the enemy and the avenger.

3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have ordained; 4 what is man, that you think of him?
What is the son of man, that you care for him? 5 For you have made him a little lower than God, [1]
and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You make him ruler over the works of your hands.
You have put all things under his feet: 7 All sheep and cattle,
yes, and the animals of the field, 8 The birds of the sky, the fish of the sea,
and whatever passes through the paths of the seas. 9 Yahweh, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Thanksgiving for God's Justice

91 I will give thanks to Yahweh with my whole heart.
I will tell of all your marvelous works. 2 I will be glad and rejoice in you.
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. 3 When my enemies turn back,
they stumble and perish in your presence. 4 For you have maintained my just cause.
You sit on the throne judging righteously. 5 You have rebuked the nations.
You have destroyed the wicked.
You have blotted out their name forever and ever. 6 The enemy is overtaken by endless ruin.
The very memory of the cities which you have overthrown has perished. 7 But Yahweh reigns forever.
He has prepared his throne for judgment. 8 He will judge the world in righteousness.
He will administer judgment to the peoples in uprightness. 9 Yahweh will also be a high tower for the oppressed;
a high tower in times of trouble. 10 Those who know your name will put their trust in you,
for you, Yahweh, have not forsaken those who seek you.

11 Sing praises to Yahweh, who dwells in Zion,
and declare among the people what he has done. 12 For he who avenges blood remembers them.
He doesn’t forget the cry of the afflicted. 13 Have mercy on me, Yahweh.
See my affliction by those who hate me,
and lift me up from the gates of death; 14 that I may show forth all your praise.
In the gates of the daughter of Zion, I will rejoice in your salvation. 15 The nations have sunk down in the pit that they made.
In the net which they hid, their own foot is taken. 16 Yahweh has made himself known.
He has executed judgment.
The wicked is snared by the work of his own hands.
Meditation. Selah. 17 The wicked shall be turned back to Sheol,
even all the nations that forget God. 18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten,
nor the hope of the poor perish forever. 19 Arise, Yahweh! Don’t let man prevail.
Let the nations be judged in your sight. 20 Put them in fear, Yahweh.
Let the nations know that they are only men. Selah.

A Prayer for the Overthrow of the Wicked

101 Why do you stand far off, Yahweh?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? 2 In arrogance, the wicked hunt down the weak.
They are caught in the schemes that they devise. 3 For the wicked boasts of his heart’s cravings.
He blesses the greedy, and condemns Yahweh. 4 The wicked, in the pride of his face,
has no room in his thoughts for God. 5 His ways are prosperous at all times.
He is haughty, and your laws are far from his sight.
As for all his adversaries, he sneers at them. 6 He says in his heart, “I shall not be shaken.
For generations I shall have no trouble.” 7 His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression.
Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity. 8 He lies in wait near the villages.
From ambushes, he murders the innocent.
His eyes are secretly set against the helpless. 9 He lurks in secret as a lion in his ambush.
He lies in wait to catch the helpless.
He catches the helpless, when he draws him in his net. 10 The helpless are crushed.
They collapse.
They fall under his strength. 11 He says in his heart, “God has forgotten.
He hides his face.
He will never see it.”

12 Arise, Yahweh!
God, lift up your hand!
Don’t forget the helpless. 13 Why does the wicked person condemn God,
and say in his heart, “God won’t call me into account?” 14 But you do see trouble and grief.
You consider it to take it into your hand.
You help the victim and the fatherless. 15 Break the arm of the wicked.
As for the evil man, seek out his wickedness until you find none. 16 Yahweh is King forever and ever!
The nations will perish out of his land. 17 Yahweh, you have heard the desire of the humble.
You will prepare their heart.
You will cause your ear to hear, 18 to judge the fatherless and the oppressed,
that man who is of the earth may terrify no more.

The Folly and Wickedness of Men

141 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt.
They have done abominable works.
There is none who does good. 2 Yahweh looked down from heaven on the children of men,
to see if there were any who did understand,
who did seek after God. 3 They have all gone aside.
They have together become corrupt.
There is none who does good, no, not one.

4 Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge,
who eat up my people as they eat bread,
and don’t call on Yahweh? 5 There they were in great fear,
for God is in the generation of the righteous. 6 You frustrate the plan of the poor,
because Yahweh is his refuge. 7 Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
When Yahweh restores the fortunes of his people,
then Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

A Goodly Heritage

161 Preserve me, God, for in you do I take refuge. 2 My soul, you have said to Yahweh, “You are my Lord.
Apart from you I have no good thing.” 3 As for the saints who are in the earth,
they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight. 4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied who give gifts to another god.
Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer,
nor take their names on my lips. 5 Yahweh assigned my portion and my cup.
You made my lot secure. 6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places.
Yes, I have a good inheritance. 7 I will bless Yahweh, who has given me counsel.
Yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons.

8 I have set Yahweh always before me.
Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices.
My body shall also dwell in safety. 10 For you will not leave my soul in Sheol,
neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption. 11 You will show me the path of life.
In your presence is fullness of joy.
In your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

The Works and Word of God

191 The heavens declare the glory of God.
The expanse shows his handiwork. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech,
and night after night they display knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language,
where their voice is not heard. 4 Their voice has gone out through all the earth,
their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun, 5 which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
like a strong man rejoicing to run his course. 6 His going forth is from the end of the heavens,
his circuit to its ends;
There is nothing hidden from its heat.

7 Yahweh’s law is perfect, restoring the soul.
Yahweh’s testimony is sure, making wise the simple. 8 Yahweh’s precepts are right, rejoicing the heart.
Yahweh’s commandment is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of Yahweh is clean, enduring forever.
Yahweh’s ordinances are true, and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey and the extract of the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them is your servant warned.
In keeping them there is great reward. 12 Who can discern his errors?
Forgive me from hidden errors. 13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins.
Let them not have dominion over me.
Then I will be upright.
I will be blameless and innocent of great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
Yahweh, my rock, and my redeemer.

Praise for Deliverance from the Enemy

211 The king rejoices in your strength, Yahweh!
How greatly he rejoices in your salvation! 2 You have given him his heart’s desire,
and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah. 3 For you meet him with the blessings of goodness.
You set a crown of fine gold on his head. 4 He asked life of you, you gave it to him,
even length of days forever and ever. 5 His glory is great in your salvation.
You lay honor and majesty on him. 6 For you make him most blessed forever.
You make him glad with joy in your presence.

7 For the king trusts in Yahweh.
Through the loving kindness of the Most High, he shall not be moved. 8 Your hand will find out all of your enemies.
Your right hand will find out those who hate you. 9 You will make them as a fiery furnace in the time of your anger.
Yahweh will swallow them up in his wrath.
The fire shall devour them. 10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
their posterity from among the children of men. 11 For they intended evil against you.
They plotted evil against you which cannot succeed. 12 For you will make them turn their back,
when you aim drawn bows at their face. 13 Be exalted, Yahweh, in your strength,
so we will sing and praise your power.