A Prayer for Protection against Oppressors

171 Hear a just cause , O Lord , give heed to my cry ; Give ear to my prayer , which is not from deceitful lips . 2 Let my judgment come forth from Your presence ; Let Your eyes look with equity . 3 You have tried my heart ; You have visited me by night ; You have tested me and You find nothing ; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress . 4 As for the deeds of men , by the word of Your lips I have kept from the paths of the violent . 5 My steps have held fast to Your paths . My feet have not slipped . 6 I have called upon You, for You will answer me, O God ; Incline Your ear to me, hear my speech . 7 Wondrously show Your lovingkindness , O Savior of those who take refuge at Your right hand From those who rise up against them.

8 Keep me as the apple of the eye ; Hide me in the shadow of Your wings 9 From the wicked who despoil me, My deadly enemies who surround me. 10 They have closed their unfeeling heart, With their mouth they speak proudly . 11 They have now surrounded us in our steps ; They set their eyes to cast us down to the ground . 12 He is like a lion that is eager to tear , And as a young lion lurking in hiding places . 13 Arise , O Lord , confront him, bring him low ; Deliver my soul from the wicked with Your sword , 14 From men with Your hand , O Lord , From men of the world , whose portion is in this life , And whose belly You fill with Your treasure ; They are satisfied with children , And leave their abundance to their babes . 15 As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness ; I will be satisfied with Your likeness when I awake .

Thanksgiving for Deliverance

181 "I love You, O Lord , my strength ." 2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer , My God , my rock , in whom I take refuge ; My shield and the horn of my salvation , my stronghold . 3 I call upon the Lord , who is worthy to be praised , And I am saved from my enemies . 4 The cords of death encompassed me, And the torrents of ungodliness terrified me. 5 The cords of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. 6 In my distress I called upon the Lord , And cried to my God for help ; He heard my voice out of His temple , And my cry for help before Him came into His ears . 7 Then the earth shook and quaked ; And the foundations of the mountains were trembling And were shaken , because He was angry . 8 Smoke went up out of His nostrils , And fire from His mouth devoured ; Coals were kindled by it. 9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down With thick darkness under His feet . 10 He rode upon a cherub and flew ; And He sped upon the wings of the wind . 11 He made darkness His hiding place , His canopy around Him, Darkness of waters , thick clouds of the skies . 12 From the brightness before Him passed His thick clouds , Hailstones and coals of fire . 13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens , And the Most High uttered His voice , Hailstones and coals of fire . 14 He sent out His arrows , and scattered them, And lightning flashes in abundance , and routed them. 15 Then the channels of water appeared , And the foundations of the world were laid bare At Your rebuke , O Lord , At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils . 16 He sent from on high , He took me; He drew me out of many waters . 17 He delivered me from my strong enemy , And from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. 18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity , But the Lord was my stay . 19 He brought me forth also into a broad place ; He rescued me, because He delighted in me.

20 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness ; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. 21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord , And have not wickedly departed from my God . 22 For all His ordinances were before me, And I did not put away His statutes from me. 23 I was also blameless with Him, And I kept myself from my iniquity . 24 Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness , According to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes . 25 With the kind You show Yourself kind ; With the blameless You show Yourself blameless ; 26 With the pure You show Yourself pure , And with the crooked You show Yourself astute . 27 For You save an afflicted people , But haughty eyes You abase . 28 For You light my lamp ; The Lord my God illumines my darkness .

29 For by You I can run upon a troop ; And by my God I can leap over a wall . 30 As for God , His way is blameless ; The word of the Lord is tried ; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him. 31 For who is God , but the Lord ? And who is a rock , except our God , 32 The God who girds me with strength And makes my way blameless ? 33 He makes my feet like hinds' feet, And sets me upon my high places . 34 He trains my hands for battle , So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze . 35 You have also given me the shield of Your salvation , And Your right hand upholds me; And Your gentleness makes me great . 36 You enlarge my steps under me, And my feet have not slipped . 37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them, And I did not turn back until they were consumed . 38 I shattered them, so that they were not able to rise ; They fell under my feet . 39 For You have girded me with strength for battle ; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me. 40 You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, And I destroyed those who hated me. 41 They cried for help , but there was none to save , Even to the Lord , but He did not answer them. 42 Then I beat them fine as the dust before e the wind ; I emptied them out as the mire of the streets . 43 You have delivered me from the contentions of the people ; You have placed me as head of the nations ; A people whom I have not known serve me. 44 As soon as they hear e , they obey me; Foreigners e submit to me. 45 Foreigners e fade away , And come trembling out of their fortresses . 46 The Lord lives , and blessed be my rock ; And exalted be the God of my salvation , 47 The God who executes vengeance for me, And subdues peoples under me. 48 He delivers me from my enemies ; Surely You lift me above those who rise up against me; You rescue me from the violent man . 49 Therefore e I will give thanks to You among the nations , O Lord , And I will sing praises to Your name . 50 He gives great deliverance to His king , And shows lovingkindness to His anointed , To David and his descendants forever e .

The Works and Word of God

191 The heavens are telling of the glory of God ; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands . 2 Day to day pours forth speech , And night to night reveals knowledge . 3 There is no speech , nor are there words ; Their voice is not heard . 4 Their line has gone out through all the earth , And their utterances to the end of the world . In them He has placed a tent for the sun , 5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber ; It rejoices as a strong man to run his course . 6 Its rising is from one end of the heavens , And its circuit to the other end of them; And there is nothing hidden from its heat .

7 The law of the Lord is perfect , restoring the soul ; The testimony of the Lord is sure , making wise the simple . 8 The precepts of the Lord are right , rejoicing the heart ; The commandment of the Lord is pure , enlightening the eyes . 9 The fear of the Lord is clean , enduring forever ; The judgments of the Lord are true ; they are righteous altogether . 10 They are more desirable than gold , yes, than much fine gold ; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb . 11 Moreover , by them Your servant is warned ; In keeping them there is great reward . 12 Who can discern his errors ? Acquit me of hidden faults. 13 Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me; Then I will be blameless , And I shall be acquitted of great transgression . 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight , O Lord , my rock and my Redeemer .

A Prayer for Victory

201 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble ! May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high ! 2 May He send you help from the sanctuary And support you from Zion ! 3 May He remember all your meal offerings And find your burnt offering acceptable ! Selah . 4 May He grant you your heart's desire And fulfill all your counsel ! 5 We will sing for joy over your victory , And in the name of our God we will set up our banners . May the Lord fulfill all your petitions .

6 Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed ; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand . 7 Some boast in chariots and some in horses , But we will boast in the name of the Lord , our God . 8 They have bowed down and fallen , But we have risen and stood upright . 9 Save , O Lord ; May the King answer us in the day we call .