O Lord, You have been our refuge in every generation.
Before the mountains came into being,
  before You brought forth the earth and the world,
  from century to eternity You are God.

You return man to dust;
  You decreed, "Return you mortals!"
For in Your sight a thousand years
  are like yesterday that has past,
  like a watch of the night.
You engulf men in sleep;
  at daybreak they are like grass that renews itself;
  at daybreak it flourishes anew;
  by dusk it withers and dries up.
So we are consumed by Your anger,
  terror-struck by Your fury.
You have set our iniquities before You,
  our hidden sins in the light of Your face.
All our days pass away in Your wrath;
  we spend our years like a sigh.
The span of our life is seventy years,
  or, given the strength, eighty years;
  but the best of them are trouble and sorrow.
They pass by speedily, and we are in darkness.
  Who can know Your furious anger?
Your wrath matches the fear of You.
Teach us to count our days rightly,
  that we may obtain a wise heart.

  Turn, O LORD!
How long?
Show mercy to Your servants.
  Satisfy us at daybreak with Your steadfast love
  That we may sing for joy all our days.
Give us joy for as long as You have afflicted us,
  for the years we have suffered misfortune.
Let Your deeds be seen by Your servants,
  Your glory by their children.
May the favor of the LORD, our God, be upon us;
  let the work of our hands prosper,
  O prosper the work of our hands!

91

O you who dwell in the shelter of the Most High
  and abide in the protection of Shaddai —
  I say of the LORD, my refuge and stronghold,
  my God in whom I trust,
  that He will save you from the fowler’s trap,
  from the destructive plague.
He will cover you with His pinions:
  you will find refuge under His wings;
  His fidelity is an encircling shield.
You need not fear the terror by night,
  or the arrow that flies by day,
  the plague that stalks in the darkness,
  or the scourge that ravages at noon.
A thousand may fall at your left side,
  ten thousand at your right,
  but it shall not reach you.
You will see it with your eyes,
  you will witness the punishment of the wicked.
Because you took the LORD — my refuge,
  the Most High — as your haven,
  no harm will befall you,
  no disease touch your tent
For He will order His angels
  to guard you wherever you go.
They will carry you in their hands
  lest you hurt your foot on a stone.
You will tread on cubs and vipers;
  you will trample lions and asps.

"Because he is devoted to Me I will deliver him;
  I will keep him safe, for he knows My name.
When he calls on Me, I will answer him;
  I will be with him in distress;
  I will rescue him and make him honored;
  I will let him live to a ripe old age,
  and show him My salvation."

29
A Psalm of David

Ascribe to the LORD, O divine beings,
  ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory of His name;
  bow down to the LORD, majestic in holiness.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
  the God of glory thunders,
  the LORD, over the mighty waters.
The voice of the LORD is power;
  the voice of the LORD is majesty;
  the voice of the LORD breaks cedars;
  the LORD shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
  Sirion, like a young wild ox.
The voice of the LORD kindles flames of fire;
  the voice of the LORD convulses the wilderness:
  the LORD convulses the wilderness of Kadesh;
the voice of the LORD causes hinds to calve,
  and strips forest bare;
  while in His temple all say "Glory!"
The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood;
  the LORD sits enthroned, king forever.

May the LORD grant strength to His people;
  may the LORD bestow on His people wellbeing.

67
For The Leader; with Instrumental Music. A Psalm. A Song.

May God be gracious to us and bless us;
  may He show us favor,
  that Your way be known on earth,
  Your deliverance among all nations.

Peoples will praise You, O God;
  all peoples will praise You.
Nations will exult and shout for joy,
  for You rule the peoples with equity,
  You guide the nations of the earth.
The peoples will praise You, O God;
  all peoples will praise You.

May the earth yield its produce;
  may God, our God, bless us.
May God bless us,
  And be revered to the ends of the earth.

23
A Psalm of David

The LORD is my shepherd;
  I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
  He leads me to water in places of repose;
  He renews my life;
  He guides me in right paths
  as befits His name.
Though I walk through a valley of deepest darkness,
  I fear no harm, for You are with me;
  Your rod and Your staff — they comfort me.

You spread a table for me in full view of my enemies;
  You anoint my head with oil;
  My drink is abundant.
Only goodness and steadfast love shall pursue me
  All the days of my life,
  And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
  For many long years.

121
A Song for Ascents

I turn my eyes to the mountains;
  from where will my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
  maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot give way;
  your guardian will not slumber;
See, the guardian of Israel
  neither slumbers nor sleeps!
The LORD is your guardian,
  the LORD is your protection
  at your right hand.
By day the sun will not strike you,
  nor the moon by night.
The LORD will guard you from all harm;
  He will guard your life.
The LORD will guard your going and coming
  now and forever.

25
Of David.

O LORD, I set my hope on You;
  my God, in You I trust;
  may I not be disappointed,
  may my enemies not exult over me.
O let none who look to You be disappointed;
  let the faithless be disappointed, empty-handed.
Let me know Your paths, O LORD;
  teach me Your ways;
  guide me in Your true way and teach me,
  for You are God, my deliverer;
  it is You I look to at all times.
O LORD, be mindful of Your compassion
  and Your faithfulness;
  they are old as time.
Be not mindful of my youthful sins and transgressions;
  in keeping with Your faithfulness consider what is in my
  favor,
  as befits Your goodness, O LORD.
Good and upright is the LORD;
  therefore He shows sinners the way.
He guided the lowly in the right path,
  and teaches the lowly His way.
All the LORD’S paths are steadfast love
  for those who keep the decrees of His covenant
As befits Your name, O LORD,
  pardon my iniquity though it be great.
Whoever fears the LORD,
  pardon my iniquity though it be great.
Whoever fears the LORD,
  he shall be shown what path to choose.
He shall live a happy life,
  and his children shall inherit the land
The counsel of the LORD is for those who fear Him;
  to them He makes known His covenant.
My eyes are ever toward the LORD,
  for He will loose my feet from the net.
Turn to me, have mercy on me,
  for I am alone and afflicted.
  My deep distress increases;
  deliver me from my straits.
Look at my affliction and suffering,
and forgive all my sins.
See how numerous my enemies are,
and how unjustly they hate me!
Protect me and save me;
  let me not be disappointed,
  for I have sought refuge in You.
May integrity and uprightness watch over me,
  for I look to You.
O God, redeem Israel
  from all its distress.

19
For The Leader. A Psalm of David.

The heavens declare the glory of God,
  the sky proclaims His handiwork.
Day to day makes utterance,
  night to night speaks out.
There is no utterance,
  there are no words,
  whose sound goes unheard.
Their voice carries throughout the earth,
  their words to the end of the world.
He placed in them a tent for the sun,
  who is like a groom coming forth from the chamber,
  like a hero, eager to run his course.
His rising-place is at one end of heaven,
  and his circuit reaches the other;
  nothing escapes his heat.

The teaching of the LORD is perfect,
  renewing life;
  the decrees of the LORD are enduring,
  making the simple wise;
The precepts of the LORD are just,
rejoicing the heart;
the instruction of the LORD is lucid,
making the eyes light up.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
  abiding forever;
  the judgments of the LORD are true,
  righteous altogether,
  more desirable than gold,
  than much fine gold;
  sweeter than honey,
  than drippings of the comb.
Your servant pays them heed;
  in obeying them there is much reward.
Who can be aware of errors?
Clear me of unperceived guilt,
  and from willful sins keep Your servant;
  let them not dominate me;
  then shall I be blameless
  and clear of grave offense.
May the words of my mouth
  and the prayer of my heart
  be acceptable to You,
  O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

86
A Prayer of David.

Incline Your ear, O LORD,
  answer me,
  For I am poor and needy.
Preserve my life, for I am steadfast;
  O You, my God,
  deliver Your servant who trusts in You.
Have mercy on me, O LORD,
  for I call to You all day long;
  bring joy to Your servant’s life,
  for on You, LORD, I set my hope.
For You, LORD, are good and forgiving.
  abounding in steadfast love to all who call on You.
Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer;
  heed my plea for mercy.
In my time of trouble I call You,
  for You will answer me.

There is none like You among the gods, O LORD,
  and there are no deeds like Yours.
All the nations You have made
  will come to bow down before You, O LORD,
and they will pay honor to Your name.
For You are great and perform wonders;
  You alone are God.
Teach me Your way, O LORD;
  I will walk in Your truth;
  let my heart be undivided in reverence for Your name
I will praise You, O LORD, my God, with all my heart
and pay honor to Your name forever.
For Your steadfast love toward me is great;
  You have saved me from the depths of Sheol.

O God, arrogant men have risen against me;
  a band of ruthless men seek my life;
  they are not mindful of You.
But You, O LORD, are a God
  compassionate and merciful,
  slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
Turn to me and have mercy on me;
  grant Your strength to Your servant
  and deliver the son of Your maidservant.
Show me a sign of Your favor,
  that my enemies may see and be frustrated
  Because You, O LORD, have given me aid and comfort.

145
A Song of Praise. Of David.

I will extol You, my God and king,
  and bless Your name forever and ever.
Every day will I bless You
  and praise Your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD and much acclaimed;
  His greatness cannot be fathomed.
One generation shall laud Your works to another
and declare Your mighty acts.
The glorious majesty of Your splendor
  and Your wondrous acts will I recite.
Men shall talk of the might of Your awesome deeds,
  and I will recount Your greatness.
They shall celebrate Your abundant goodness,
  and sing joyously of Your beneficence.
The LORD is gracious and compassionate,
  slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
The LORD is good to all,
  and His mercy is upon all His works.
All You works shall praise You, O LORD,
  and Your faithful ones shall bless You.
They shall talk of the majesty of Your kingship,
  and speak of Your might,
  to make His mighty acts known among men
and the majestic glory of His kingship
Your kingship is an eternal kingship;
  Your dominion is for all generations.
The LORD supports all who stumble,
  and makes all who are bent stand straight
The eyes of all look to You expectantly,
  And You give them their food when it is due.
You give it openhandedly,
  feeding every creature to its heart’s content.
The LORD is beneficent in all His ways
  and faithful in all His works.
The LORD is near to all who call Him,
  to all who call Him with sincerity.
He fulfills the wishes of those who fear Him;
  He hears their cry and delivers them.
The LORD watches over all who love Him,
  but all the wicked He will destroy.
My mouth shall utter the praise of the LORD,
  And all creatures shall bless His holy name forever and ever.




Copyright © 1985 by the Jewish Publication Society

From Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures: The New Jewish Publication Society Translation according to the Masoretic Text (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1985). Used by arrangement with the Jewish Publication Society.