Psalm 58-65

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."

A Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

59¹ Rescue me from my enemies, O God. Protect me from those who have come to destroy me. ² Rescue me from these criminals; save me from these murderers. ³ They have set an ambush for me. Fierce enemies are out there waiting, Lord, though I have not sinned or offended them. ⁴ I have done nothing wrong, yet they prepare to attack me. Wake up! See what is happening and help me! ⁵ O Lord God of Heaven's Armies, the God of Israel, wake up and punish those hostile nations. Show no mercy to wicked traitors. Interlude ⁶ They come out at night, snarling like vicious dogs as they prowl the streets. ⁷ Listen to the filth that comes from their mouths; their words cut like swords. "After all, who can hear us?" they sneer.

⁸ But Lord, you laugh at them. You scoff at all the hostile nations. ⁹ You are my strength; I wait for you to rescue me, for you, O God, are my fortress. ¹⁰ In his unfailing love, my God will stand with me. He will let me look down in triumph on all my enemies. ¹¹ Don't kill them, for my people soon forget such lessons; stagger them with your power, and bring them to their knees, O Lord our shield. ¹² Because of the sinful things they say, because of the evil that is on their lips, let them be captured by their pride, their curses, and their lies. ¹³ Destroy them in your anger! Wipe them out completely! Then the whole world will know that God reigns in Israel. Interlude ¹⁴ My enemies come out at night, snarling like vicious dogs as they prowl the streets. ¹⁵ They scavenge for food but go to sleep unsatisfied. ¹⁶ But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress. ¹⁷ O my Strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love.

A Prayer for Help against the Foe

60¹ You have rejected us, O God, and broken our defenses. You have been angry with us; now restore us to your favor. ² You have shaken our land and split it open. Seal the cracks, for the land trembles. ³ You have been very hard on us, making us drink wine that sent us reeling. ⁴ But you have raised a banner for those who fear you- a rallying point in the face of attack. Interlude ⁵ Now rescue your beloved people. Answer and save us by your power.

⁶ God has promised this by his holiness : "I will divide up Shechem with joy. I will measure out the valley of Succoth. ⁷ Gilead is mine, and Manasseh, too. Ephraim, my helmet, will produce my warriors, and Judah, my scepter, will produce my kings. ⁸ But Moab, my washbasin, will become my servant, and I will wipe my feet on Edom and shout in triumph over Philistia." ⁹ Who will bring me into the fortified city? Who will bring me victory over Edom? ¹⁰ Have you rejected us, O God? Will you no longer march with our armies? ¹¹ Oh, please help us against our enemies, for all human help is useless. ¹² With God's help we will do mighty things, for he will trample down our foes.

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.

God Satisfies the Thirsting Soul

63¹ O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. ² I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory.

³ Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! ⁴ I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. ⁵ You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy. ⁶ I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night.

⁷ Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings. ⁸ I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely. ⁹ But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin. They will go down into the depths of the earth. ¹⁰ They will die by the sword and become the food of jackals. ¹¹ But the king will rejoice in God. All who swear to tell the truth will praise him, while liars will be silenced.

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.

Praise for God's Bounty in Nature

65¹ What mighty praise, O God, belongs to you in Zion. We will fulfill our vows to you, ² for you answer our prayers. All of us must come to you. ³ Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all. ⁴ What joy for those you choose to bring near, those who live in your holy courts. What festivities await us inside your holy Temple. ⁵ You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior. You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those who sail on distant seas.

⁶ You formed the mountains by your power and armed yourself with mighty strength. ⁷ You quieted the raging oceans with their pounding waves and silenced the shouting of the nations. ⁸ Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders. From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy. ⁹ You take care of the earth and water it, making it rich and fertile. The river of God has plenty of water; it provides a bountiful harvest of grain, for you have ordered it so. ¹⁰ You drench the plowed ground with rain, melting the clods and leveling the ridges. You soften the earth with showers and bless its abundant crops. ¹¹ You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance. ¹² The grasslands of the wilderness become a lush pasture, and the hillsides blossom with joy. ¹³ The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep, and the valleys are carpeted with grain. They all shout and sing for joy!