Psalm 17; Psalm 35; Psalm 54; Psalm 63

1Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea; listen to my cry. Give ear to my prayer— it comes from lips free of deceit.

2May my vindication come from Your presence; may Your eyes see what is right.

3You have tried my heart; You have visited me in the night. You have tested me and found no evil; I have resolved not to sin with my mouth.

4As for the deeds of men— by the word of Your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent.

5My steps have held to Your paths; my feet have not slipped.

6I call on You, O God, for You will answer me. Incline Your ear to me; hear my words.

7Show the wonders of Your loving devotion, You who save by Your right hand those who seek refuge from their foes.

8Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings

9from the wicked who assail me, from my mortal enemies who surround me.

10They have closed their callous hearts; their mouths speak with arrogance.

11They have tracked us down, and now surround us; their eyes are set to cast us to the ground,

12like a lion greedy for prey, like a young lion lurking in ambush.

13Arise, O LORD, confront them! Bring them to their knees; deliver me from the wicked by Your sword,

14from such men, O LORD, by Your hand— from men of the world whose portion is in this life. May You fill the bellies of Your treasured ones and satisfy their sons, so they leave their abundance to their children.

15As for me, I will behold Your face in righteousness; when I awake, I will be satisfied in Your presence.

1Contend with my opponents, O LORD; fight against those who fight against me.

2Take up Your shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid.

3Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers; say to my soul: “I am your salvation.”

4May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plan to harm me be driven back and confounded.

5May they be like chaff in the wind, as the angel of the LORD drives them away.

6May their path be dark and slick, as the angel of the LORD pursues.

7For without cause they laid their net for me; without reason they dug a pit for my soul.

8May ruin befall them by surprise; may the net they hid ensnare them; may they fall into the hazard they created.

9Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and exult in His salvation.

10All my bones will exclaim, “Who is like You, O LORD, who delivers the afflicted from the aggressor, the poor and needy from the robber?”

11Hostile witnesses come forward; they make charges I know nothing about.

12They repay me evil for good, to the bereavement of my soul.

13Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered.

14I paced about as for my friend or brother; I was bowed down with grief, like one mourning for his mother.

15But when I stumbled, they assembled in glee; they gathered together against me. Assailants I did not know slandered me without ceasing.

16Like godless jesters at a feast, they gnashed their teeth at me.

17How long, O Lord, will You look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages, my precious life from these lions.

18Then I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.

19Let not my enemies gloat over me without cause, nor those who hate me without reason wink in malice.

20For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful schemes against those who live quietly in the land.

21They gape at me and say, “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen!”

22O LORD, You have seen it; be not silent. O Lord, be not far from me.

23Awake and rise to my defense, to my cause, my God and my Lord!

24Vindicate me by Your righteousness, O LORD my God, and do not let them gloat over me.

25Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, just what we wanted!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up!”

26May those who gloat in my distress be ashamed and confounded; may those who exalt themselves over me be clothed in shame and reproach.

27May those who favor my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, “Exalted be the LORD who delights in His servant’s well-being.”

28Then my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness and Your praises all day long.

1Save me, O God, by Your name, and vindicate me by Your might!

2Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth.

3For strangers rise up against me, and ruthless men seek my life— men with no regard for God. Selah

4Surely God is my helper; the Lord is the sustainer of my soul.

5He will reward my enemies with evil. In Your faithfulness, destroy them.

6Freely I will sacrifice to You; I will praise Your name, O LORD, for it is good.

7For He has delivered me from every trouble, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.

1O God, You are my God. Earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You. My body yearns for You in a dry and weary land without water.

2So I have seen You in the sanctuary and beheld Your power and glory.

3Because Your loving devotion is better than life, my lips will glorify You.

4So I will bless You as long as I live; in Your name I will lift my hands.

5My soul is satisfied as with the richest of foods; with joyful lips my mouth will praise You.

6When I remember You on my bed, I think of You through the watches of the night.

7For You are my help; I will sing for joy in the shadow of Your wings.

8My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.

9But those who seek my life to destroy it will go into the depths of the earth.

10They will fall to the power of the sword; they will become a portion for foxes.

11But the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by Him will exult, for the mouths of liars will be shut.