A Prayer for Help against the Foe

601 To the choirmaster: according to Shushan Eduth. A Miktam of David; for instruction; when he strove with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah, and when Joab on his return killed twelve thousand of Edom in the Valley of Salt. O God, thou hast rejected us, broken our defenses; thou hast been angry; oh, restore us. 2 Thou hast made the land to quake, thou hast rent it open; repair its breaches, for it totters. 3 Thou hast made thy people suffer hard things; thou hast given us wine to drink that made us reel. 4 Thou hast set up a banner for those who fear thee, to rally to it from the bow. [Selah] 5 That thy beloved may be delivered, give victory by thy right hand and answer us!

6 God has spoken in his sanctuary: "With exultation I will divide up Shechem and portion out the Vale of Succoth. 7 Gilead is mine; Manas'seh is mine; E'phraim is my helmet; Judah is my scepter. 8 Moab is my washbasin; upon Edom I cast my shoe; over Philistia I shout in triumph." 9 Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom? 10 Hast thou not rejected us, O God? Thou dost not go forth, O God, with our armies. 11 O grant us help against the foe, for vain is the help of man! 12 With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.

A Morning Prayer of Trust in God

31 A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; 2 many are saying of me, there is no help for him in God. [Selah] 3 But thou, O Lord, art a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.

4 I cry aloud to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy hill. [Selah] 5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the Lord sustains me. 6 I am not afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me round about. 7 Arise, O Lord! Deliver me, O my God! For thou dost smite all my enemies on the cheek, thou dost break the teeth of the wicked. 8 Deliverance belongs to the Lord; thy blessing be upon thy people! [Selah]