A Prayer for Vindication

71 'The Erring One,' by David, that he sung to Jehovah concerning the words of Cush a Benjamite. O Jehovah, my God, in Thee I have trusted, Save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me. 2 Lest he tear as a lion my soul, Rending, and there is no deliverer. 3 O Jehovah, my God, if I have done this, If there is iniquity in my hands, 4 If I have done my well-wisher evil, And draw mine adversary without cause, 5 An enemy pursueth my soul, and overtaketh, And treadeth down to the earth my life, And my honour placeth in the dust. Selah. 6 Rise, O Jehovah, in Thine anger, Be lifted up at the wrath of mine adversaries, And awake Thou for me: Judgment Thou hast commanded: 7 And a company of peoples compass Thee, And over it on high turn Thou back, 8 Jehovah doth judge the peoples; Judge me, O Jehovah, According to my righteousness, And according to mine integrity on me, 9 Let, I pray Thee be ended the evil of the wicked, And establish Thou the righteous, And a trier of hearts and reins is the righteous God.

10 My shield 'is' on God, Saviour of the upright in heart! 11 God 'is' a righteous judge, And He is not angry at all times. 12 If 'one' turn not, His sword he sharpeneth, His bow he hath trodden—He prepareth it, 13 Yea, for him He hath prepared Instruments of death, His arrows for burning pursuers He maketh. 14 Lo, he travaileth 'with' iniquity, And he hath conceived perverseness, And hath brought forth falsehood. 15 A pit he hath prepared, and he diggeth it, And he falleth into a ditch he maketh. 16 Return doth his perverseness on his head, And on his crown his violence cometh down. 17 I thank Jehovah, According to His righteousness, And praise the name of Jehovah Most High!

The LORD Is My Light and My Salvation

271 By David. Jehovah 'is' my light and my salvation, Whom do I fear? Jehovah 'is' the strength of my life, Of whom am I afraid? 2 When evil doers come near to me to eat my flesh, My adversaries and mine enemies to me, They have stumbled and fallen. 3 Though a host doth encamp against me, My heart doth not fear, Though war riseth up against me, In this I 'am' confident. 4 One 'thing' I asked of Jehovah—it I seek. My dwelling in the house of Jehovah, All the days of my life, To look on the pleasantness of Jehovah, And to inquire in His temple. 5 For He hideth me in a tabernacle in the day of evil, He hideth me in a secret place of His tent, On a rock he raiseth me up. 6 And now, lifted up is my head, Above my enemies—my surrounders, And I sacrifice in His tent sacrifices of shouting, I sing, yea, I sing praise to Jehovah.

7 Hear, O Jehovah, my voice—I call, And favour me, and answer me. 8 To Thee said my heart 'They sought my face, Thy face, O Jehovah, I seek.' 9 Hide not Thy face from me, Turn not aside in anger Thy servant, My help Thou hast been. Leave me not, nor forsake me, O God of my salvation. 10 When my father and my mother Have forsaken me, then doth Jehovah gather me. 11 Shew me, O Jehovah, Thy way, And lead me in a path of uprightness, For the sake of my beholders. 12 Give me not to the will of my adversaries, For risen against me have false witnesses, And they breathe out violence to me. 13 I had not believed to look on the goodness of Jehovah In the land of the living! 14 Look unto Jehovah—be strong, And He doth strengthen thy heart, Yea, look unto Jehovah!

A Profession of Trust

311 In Thee, O Jehovah, I have trusted, Let me not be ashamed to the age, In Thy righteousness deliver me. 2 Incline unto me Thine ear hastily, deliver me, Be to me for a strong rock, For a house of bulwarks to save me. 3 For my rock and my bulwark 'art' Thou, For Thy name's sake lead me and tend me. 4 Bring me out from the net that they hid for me, For Thou 'art' my strength. 5 Into Thy hand I commit my spirit, Thou hast redeemed me, Jehovah God of truth. 6 I have hated the observers of lying vanities, And I toward Jehovah have been confident. 7 I rejoice, and am glad in Thy kindness, In that Thou hast seen mine affliction, Thou hast known in adversities my soul. 8 And Thou hast not shut me up, Into the hand of an enemy, Thou hast caused my feet to stand in a broad place.

9 Favour me, O Jehovah, for distress 'is' to me, Mine eye, my soul, and my body Have become old by provocation. 10 For my life hath been consumed in sorrow And my years in sighing. Feeble because of mine iniquity hath been my strength, And my bones have become old. 11 Among all mine adversaries I have been a reproach, And to my neighbours exceedingly, And a fear to mine acquaintances, Those seeing me without—fled from me. 12 I have been forgotten as dead out of mind, I have been as a perishing vessel. 13 For I have heard an evil account of many, Fear 'is' round about. In their being united against me, To take my life they have devised, 14 And I on Thee—I have trusted, O Jehovah, I have said, 'Thou 'art' my God.' 15 In Thy hand 'are' my times, Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from my pursuers. 16 Cause Thy face to shine on Thy servant, Save me in Thy kindness. 17 O Jehovah, let me not be ashamed, For I have called Thee, let the wicked be ashamed, Let them become silent to Sheol. 18 Let lips of falsehood become dumb, That are speaking against the righteous, Ancient sayings, in pride and contempt.

19 How abundant is Thy goodness, That Thou hast laid up for those fearing Thee, 20 Thou hast wrought for those trusting in Thee, Before sons of men. Thou hidest them in the secret place of Thy presence, From artifices of man, Thou concealest them in a tabernacle, From the strife of tongues. 21 Blessed 'is' Jehovah, For He hath made marvellous His kindness To me in a city of bulwarks. 22 And I—I have said in my haste, 'I have been cut off from before Thine eyes,' But Thou hast heard the voice of my supplications, In my crying unto Thee. 23 Love Jehovah, all ye His saints, Jehovah is keeping the faithful, And recompensing abundantly a proud doer. 24 Be strong, and He strengtheneth your heart, All ye who are waiting for Jehovah!

Praise for Deliverance from Troubles

341 By David, in his changing his behaviour before Abimelech, and he driveth him away, and he goeth. I do bless Jehovah at all times, Continually His praise 'is' in my mouth. 2 In Jehovah doth my soul boast herself, Hear do the humble and rejoice. 3 Ascribe ye greatness to Jehovah with me, And we exalt His name together. 4 I sought Jehovah, and He answered me, And from all my fears did deliver me. 5 They looked expectingly unto Him, And they became bright, And their faces are not ashamed. 6 This poor 'one' called, and Jehovah heard, And from all his distresses saved him. 7 A messenger of Jehovah is encamping, Round about those who fear Him, And He armeth them. 8 Taste ye and see that Jehovah 'is' good, O the happiness of the man who trusteth in Him. 9 Fear Jehovah, ye His holy ones, For there is no lack to those fearing Him. 10 Young lions have lacked and been hungry, And those seeking Jehovah lack not any good,

11 Come ye, children, hearken to me, The fear of Jehovah I do teach you. 12 Who 'is' the man that is desiring life? Loving days to see good? 13 Keep thy tongue from evil, And thy lips from speaking deceit. 14 Turn aside from evil and do good, Seek peace and pursue it. 15 The eyes of Jehovah 'are' unto the righteous, And His ears unto their cry. 16 (The face of Jehovah 'is' on doers of evil, To cut off from earth their memorial.) 17 They cried, and Jehovah heard, And from all their distresses delivered them. 18 Near 'is' Jehovah to the broken of heart, And the bruised of spirit He saveth. 19 Many 'are' the evils of the righteous, Out of them all doth Jehovah deliver him. 20 He is keeping all his bones, One of them hath not been broken. 21 Evil doth put to death the wicked, And those hating the righteous are desolate. 22 Jehovah redeemeth the soul of His servants, And none trusting in Him are desolate!

The Futility of Boastful Wickedness

521 To the Overseer.—An instruction, by David, in the coming in of Doeg the Edomite, and he declareth to Saul, and saith to him, 'David came in unto the house of Ahimelech.' What, boasteth thou in evil, O mighty one? The kindness of God 'is' all the day. 2 Mischiefs doth thy tongue devise, Like a sharp razor, working deceit. 3 Thou hast loved evil rather than good, Lying, than speaking righteousness. Selah. 4 Thou hast loved all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue. 5 Also—God doth break thee down for ever, Taketh thee, and pulleth thee out of the tent, And He hath uprooted thee Out of the land of the living. Selah.

6 And the righteous see, And fear, and laugh at him. 7 'Lo, the man who maketh not God his strong place, And trusteth in the abundance of his riches, He is strong in his mischiefs.' 8 And I, as a green olive in the house of God, I have trusted in the kindness of God, To the age and for ever, 9 I thank Thee to the age, because Thou hast done 'it', And I wait 'on' Thy name for 'it is' good before Thy saints!