God Judges the Earth

¹Do you indeed speak justly, O rulers?Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?

²No, in your hearts you devise injustice;with your hands you mete out violence on the earth.

³The wicked are estranged from the womb;the liars go astray from birth.

⁴Their venom is like the venom of a snake,like a cobra that shuts its ears,

⁵refusing to hear the tune of the charmerwho skillfully weaves his spell.

⁶O God, shatter their teeth in their mouths;O LORD, tear out the fangs of the lions.

⁷May they vanishlike water that runs off;when they draw the bow,may their arrows be blunted.

⁸Like a slug that dissolves in its slime,like a woman’s stillborn child,may they never see the sun.

⁹Before your pots can feel the burning thorns—whether green or dry—He will sweep them away.

¹⁰The righteous will rejoicewhen they see they are avenged;they will wash their feetin the blood of the wicked.

¹¹Then men will say,“There is surely a reward for the righteous!There is surely a God who judges the earth!”

Deliver Me, O LORD!

¹O LORD, how my foes have increased!How many rise up against me!

²Many say of me,“God will not deliver him.”Selah

³But You, O LORD, are a shield around me,my glory, and the One who lifts my head.

⁴To the LORD I cry aloud,and He answers me from His holy mountain.Selah

⁵I lie down and sleep;I wake again, for the LORD sustains me.

⁶I will not fear the myriadsset against me on every side.

⁷Arise, O LORD!Save me, O my God!Strike all my enemies on the jaw;break the teeth of the wicked.

⁸Salvation belongs to the LORD;may Your blessing be on Your people.Selah

You Turned My Mourning into Dancing

¹I will exalt You, O LORD,for You have lifted me upand have not allowed my foesto rejoice over me.

²O LORD my God, I cried to You for help,and You healed me.

³O LORD, You pulled me up from Sheol;You spared me from descending into the Pit.

⁴Sing to the LORD, O you His saints,and praise His holy name.

⁵For His anger is fleeting,but His favor lasts a lifetime.Weeping may stay the night,but joy comes in the morning.

⁶In prosperity I said,“I will never be shaken.”

⁷O LORD, You favored me;You made my mountain stand strong.When You hid Your face,I was dismayed.

⁸To You, O LORD, I called,and I begged my Lord for mercy:

⁹“What gain is there in my bloodshed,in my descent to the Pit?Will the dust praise You?Will it proclaim Your faithfulness?

¹⁰Hear me, O LORD, and have mercy;O LORD, be my helper.”

¹¹You turned my mourning into dancing;You peeled off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

¹²that my heart may sing Your praises and not be silent.O LORD my God, I will give thanks forever.

I Lift My Voice to the LORD

¹I cry aloud to the LORD;I lift my voice to the LORD for mercy.

²I pour out my complaint before Him;I reveal my trouble to Him.

³Although my spirit grows faint within me,You know my way.Along the path I travelthey have hidden a snare for me.

⁴Look to my right and see;no one attends to me.There is no refuge for me;no one cares for my soul.

⁵I cry to You, O LORD: “You are my refuge,my portion in the land of the living.”

⁶Listen to my cry,for I am brought quite low.Rescue me from my pursuers,for they are too strong for me.

⁷Free my soul from prison,that I may praise Your name.The righteous will gather around mebecause of Your goodness to me.