From the Greek Septuagint text as was used by First Century Christians

NOTE: You will see that we have translated the Psalms in a poetic fashion, making minor changes to provide meaning and cadence. Why have we done this? Well, recognize that the book of Psalms was the IsraElite songbook, so each Psalm originally had meaning and cadence, which we have tried to restore. This requires substituting with synonyms and adding or deleting extraneous words to allow for language differences, while attempting to maintain the integrity of the original meanings. And by so doing, it becomes easy to see where errors and changes may have crept in due to translating or scribal errors. For, some Psalms appear to have suffered obvious losses (see Psalm 11), while others are beautifully written and follow the rules of Hebrew songs and poetry precisely.

Psalm 1

NOTE: Why Psalm and not Psalms? Recognize that Psalms was the book of IsraElite hymns, and each of the following Psalms is just a song (not songs) in that book. So, it is a book of Psalms (songs), but each Chapter is just a Psalm (or song).

¹ Blest is the man who ignores the disrespectful, and not taken the position of sinners, or sat in a chair among the disgusting, ² but who wants to do the will of Jehovah, and considers His Laws day and night. ³ For, he'll be like a tree placed near water. He will bear fruit every season… his leaves will not drop and he'll thrive.

⁴ But, for the disrespectful this won't be so, for they're like the dust that's blown 'cross the earth. ⁵ So they won't be raised in the Judgment, nor will sinners see the outcome of the righteous; ⁶ for Jehovah knows what the righteous have done, but the ways of the impious will perish.

Psalm 2

A Psalm of David.

NOTE: Superscriptions such as the one above are notes to show who wrote the song, or who it was written for, or what inspired its writing, or the occasions on which it is to be sung, or how it is to be sung.

¹ Why do the nations and why do the peoples, think about things that are worthless? ² For the rulers of the land and their kings, are against Jehovah and His anointed. ³ They say, 'We should tear off their bondage, and throw off all their yokes.' ⁴ But He in the heavens is laughing… at them Jehovah is laughing.

⁵ Then in His anger He'll speak, and in His rage He'll disturb them, ⁶ saying: 'I've placed My king on Mount Zion, as the ruler of My Holy Place.' ⁷ Then this decree the Lord spoke to me: 'You are My son, and I am your Father today. ⁸ Just ask and I'll give you the nations, as an inheritance to the ends of the earth. ⁹ With a rod of iron you'll shepherd them, and break them as pots of clay.'

¹⁰ O kings of the earth, pay attention! And those judging the lands should now learn! ¹¹ Serve Jehovah in fear; all should tremble and praise Him.

¹² Give ear to all these instructions, so you don't provoke Him to rage. Apart from the righteous you'll perish, if you should kindle His rage. Yet, those yielding to Him will be blest.

Psalm 3

A Psalm of David when he was running from his son AbSalom.

¹ O Jehovah; Why are so many against me, and why are so many attacking? ² They speak of my soul, and say that my God will not save me. ³ But you are my shield, O Jehovah; my glory who raises my head. ⁴ For, with my voice I've called to the Lord, and from His holy mountain He listened.

⁵ Then I went to bed and I slept, and God helped me when I awoke. ⁶ So, I won't fear tens of thousands, who have me surrounded and [plan to] attack.

⁷ Stand up and act, O Jehovah; deliver me please, O my God! You've cut down those with no reason to hate me, and You've broken the teeth of the sinners.

⁸ Salvation comes from Jehovah, and it's He who blesses His people.

Psalm 4

To the music director; a Psalm of David.

¹ When I called to my God in very hard times, He felt pity and listened to my prayer.

² O sons of men; How long will you stay so hardhearted? Why do you love whatever is foolish, and always search for the lie?

³ You are aware of the wonders, which God has performed for His clean one; for He listened to me when I called Him.

⁴ So be angry with me, but don't sin… complain as you pray in your beds. ⁵ Offer Him righteous sacrifices, and then put your trust in Jehovah.

⁶ Many have asked: 'Who will show us such good things? Who's shown us the light from God's face?'

⁷ [O God]; You've put joy into my heart… You've filled it with fruit, grain, and oil.

⁸ So I'll sleep in peace in that place, O Jehovah, for You have filled me with hope.

Psalm 5

To the music director; a Psalm of David to his heir.

¹ Lend me an ear, O Jehovah, and pay attention to my call… ² hear my voice, and to the things for which I am begging… I pray to Jehovah, my King and my God!

³ Listen to my voice in the morning… as I pray, stand by me and watch me. ⁴ For, You aren't a God who approves of lawbreaking, nor may the wicked travel with You.

⁵ O Jehovah; You won't put up with lawbreakers, and before Your face the lawless won't stand. ⁶ For, You will destroy all the liars, and You hate men of blood and deceit.

⁷ Because of Your mercy, I'll enter Your House… toward Your Most Holy I'll bow, and always [show that] I fear You.

⁸ O Jehovah; Before all of my enemies, lead me in ways that are righteous. Straighten out all of my paths, as they are seen before You. ⁹ Because, there's no truth in their mouths, and foolishness is bound in their hearts. Their throats are like open tombs, and they've used their tongues to deceive. ¹⁰ So, bring Your judgment upon them, O God, and cause their council to fail. For their irreverence, drive them away, since they're in rebellion against You.

¹¹ All can be glad, who've put trust in You; may they cry out and loudly shout cheers! For, among them You'll dwell in Your Tent, and those loving Your Name will boast about You.

You will bless the righteous, O Lord; You've crowned us with the goodness of Your shield.

Psalm 6

To the music director: a psalm of David for the eight-string lyre.

¹ O Jehovah; Don't discipline me in Your rage, nor correct me in anger. ² Show mercy on me for I'm weak, O my God; my bones are shaking, so heal me, O Lord.

³ The man that I am is deeply disturbed! So, where are You, O my God; how long will You stay away? ⁴ Return to me… please save me! Deliver me please in Your mercy! ⁵ For, the dead cannot worship You, and in the place of the dead who can praise You?

⁶ I am so tired of moaning… each night I soak my bed with my tears. ⁷ For my eyes are very disturbed, by all the troubles they see.

Because of my enemies I have grown old. ⁸ So, remove all of the lawless from me, and hear the sounds of my weeping, O God.

⁹ Jehovah has heard what I've begged for… in favor, my God heard my prayers! ¹⁰ Now, may all who hate me be shamed and disturbed; may my enemies all be dishonored.

Psalm 7

A Psalm of David that he sang to Jehovah because of the things that were said by Cush [of the tribe] of BenJamin.

¹ O Jehovah my God; In You I've put all my trust, so rescue me from my pursuers; ² may my life not be snatched by the lions, when there's no one to ransom or save me!

³ O Jehovah my God; If I have done many bad things, and if in my hands there's injustice; ⁴ if I've repaid bad to those who've done good, may I fall to my enemies with nothing. ⁵ May my enemies chase me and catch me, and trample my soul to the ground, where it will camp in the dust.

⁶ O Jehovah; In Your rage now arise… before Your enemies stand tall! Awaken, Jehovah my God, and give the order to attack! ⁷ Many peoples have [me] surrounded, so now's the time to stand tall. ⁸ Judge all those people Jehovah, and find me guiltless and righteous.

⁹ O God; Bring an end to the wickedness of sinners, and straighten out all of the righteous… check their hearts and their kidneys. ¹⁰ For, help comes from my God, and He saves all those with straight hearts.

¹¹ My God is just, forgiving, and strong… He's not angry each day. ¹² But if you turn against Him, He'll shine His sword, and His bow He'll prepare and stretch tight. ¹³ That's how He prepares the weapons of death… it's how He prepares flaming arrows.

¹⁴ See how the wicked is a slave to his sins, for in misery he was conceived. To lawlessness he's given birth, ¹⁵ and though he has dug out a pit, he'll fall into the cesspool he's made; yes into the pit that he's dug.

¹⁶ May his misery come on his own head, and his unrighteousness fall down upon him. ¹⁷ But I will acknowledge God's righteous ways, and strum to His holy Name.

Psalm 8

To the director over the wine vats; a Psalm of David.

¹ O Jehovah our Lord; How great is Your Name in the earth… Your majesty has risen high in the skies. ² From the mouths of infants and babies comes praise, for [our] enemies and avengers You've removed.

³ I see in the sky the works of Your hands… the moon and the stars that You've founded. ⁴ So, what is man that You'd think of him, or a son of man that You'd visit?

⁵ A bit less than Your messengers You've made him, then crowned him with glory and honor. ⁶ You placed him over the works of Your hands, and put it all under his feet.

⁷ You put sheep and oxen together, and all the cattle that live in the plains. ⁸ [You put] flying things in the sky, and fish in the water treading paths through the seas.

⁹ O Jehovah our Lord; How wonderful is Your Name in all the earth.

Psalm 9

To director; A private Psalm of David to his son.

¹ O Jehovah; I'll praise You with my whole heart, and I'll describe all Your wonders. ² O Highest One; In You I'll be glad and take joy, and I will strum to Your Name.

³ You've turned my enemies and made them retreat… before Your face they are weak and destroyed. ⁴ You've made my case and my cause; from Your throne You've judged righteously.

⁵ You have scolded the nations, and wiped the irreverent away; through the age and through ages of ages, You've wiped away all their names. ⁶ My enemy's swords have ended and failed; memory of them and their cities, has now all been [erased].

⁷ Jehovah lives through the ages, and He's ready to judge from His throne. ⁸ In justice He'll judge man's habitation; He'll judge the people uprightly.

⁹ Jehovah is a refuge to the needy, and a helper in times of oppression. ¹⁰ Those who know You trust in Your Name, for You don't abandon those searching for You.

¹¹ Strum to Jehovah, O you who are living in Zion; proclaim His deeds to the nations! ¹² For, He remembers whose blood is required, as well as the cries of the needy.

¹³ Show mercy on me, O Jehovah; raise me up from death's gate, ¹⁴ so I can shout about Your saving ways, and I can praise You before Zion's gates.

¹⁵ In their corruption the nations are mired, and in their own snares their feet have been caught. ¹⁶ For Jehovah is known as He who brings justice, and sinners are snared by the deeds of their hands.

¹⁷ Please bring Your vengeance to the sinners. And send those who hate You away to their graves. ¹⁸ Do not forget those in need, nor allow the hopes of the poor to be crushed.

¹⁹ Arise, O Jehovah, and may no man ever beat You! Stand the nations before You in judgment; ²⁰ appoint over them one who makes laws, and of their mortality remind them.

Psalm 10

¹ O Jehovah; Why have You stayed far away? Why have You left us, for we need You now!

² Because of their wickedness and pride, the Godless have been in pursuit of the poor. So, may the proud become trapped, by the results of their slander.

³ The sinners are blessing themselves, with all the things they desire… that's how the unrighteous get their praise.

⁴ The sinner provokes God to rage, because he won't seek Jehovah; with him God never walks, ⁵ because his ways are disgusting. You do not give Your decisions to him, so among his enemies he rules. ⁶ For he said in his heart, I'll never be shaken… through generations I'll never see bad.

⁷ Bitterness and cursing are what fill his mouth; toil, misery, and treachery comes from his tongue. ⁸ With the rich he lies waiting in ambush, to watch for and kill the innocent and poor. ⁹ He lies and waits in concealment, like a lion that's inside his lair. He lies in wait to capture the poor, in order to take them away, and keep them under his power. ¹⁰ But his domination of the needy, is what will lead to his downfall. ¹¹ For he's said in his heart, God's forgotten… He's turned his face and He'll never see. ¹² So arise, O Jehovah my God! Raise your hand high, and forget not the poor!

¹³ Why do the irreverent make our God mad? Because they've said in their hearts, There will never be an accounting. ¹⁴ But You can see the misery they bring; so in Your rage don't forget them, and then lead them into Your hands!

Why, the poor and the orphans have all been abandoned… their only helper is You. ¹⁵ Please break the arms of the wicked and sinners… when we search for them, may they not be found!

¹⁶ Jehovah is king through the age, and into the ages of ages. O you nations; from His land you'll be wiped away, ¹⁷ for He's heard the cries of the poor.

O Jehovah; You have heard with Your ears, the things that they say in their hearts. ¹⁸ Bring justice to the orphans and humble, so man has no reason to brag of his ways!

Psalm 11

For the director; A Psalm of David.

¹ To Jehovah I have submitted.

² How can you say to my soul, 'Fly to the mountains like a sparrow?' ³ {Look!} Sinners have stretched tight their bows, and prepared arrows for the quiver, to shoot at my heart in the moonlight.

⁴ Whatever You've built they've demolished; O where are the righteous and what did they do?

⁵ Jehovah is in His holy [Temple], yet His throne is high in the heavens. His eyes pay attention to those who're in need, and to their sons needs His eyelids [are open].

⁶ About the righteous, Jehovah inquires, but those loving injustice He hates to the core.

⁷ Upon the unrighteous He'll rain snares of fire… they'll get sulfur and wind in their cup. ⁸ For, Jehovah is just and the things that He loves, are justice and honest replies, which He can see face-to-face.

Psalm 12

To the director; the eighth Psalm of David.

¹ O Jehovah, please save me, for all the holy have failed, and few among men tell the truth. ² Each man to his neighbor speaks foolish things, and each from his heart speaks deceit and wrong.

³ May Jehovah destroy the lips of the lying, and the tongues that boast of great things… ⁴ those who say 'We'll make our tongues great, and ask with our lips, Who's Jehovah?'

⁵ So, because of the misery of the poor, and the moaning cries of the needy, I'll arise and bring safety to them… to them I'll openly speak.

⁶ As the finest of silver are Jehovah's wise words… their wisdom is refined seven times in a fire.

O Jehovah; In Your heights You stand tall, yet the sons of men You still watch. ⁷ So, please guard us and keep us, from this generation and age, ⁸ for the Godless have us surrounded… around us they walk everywhere.

Psalm 13

To director; A Psalm of David.

¹ For how long, O Jehovah, will You forget me… how long will You keep Your face turned… will it be clear to the end?

² How long must my life endure grief, and plan for it both night and day in my heart… how long will my enemies be stronger?

³ Listen to me, O Jehovah! O my God, please look upon me! Brighten my eyes so I won't sleep in death, ⁴ and my enemies not say that they've won. For, those who oppress me will cheer if I fall.

⁵ I've put all my hope in Your mercy; Your salvation brings joy to my heart. ⁶ So, I'll sing to Jehovah who's blest me, and I'll strum to the Name of [my God] in the heights.

Psalm 14

To the director; A Psalm of David.

¹ There is no God, says the fool in his heart, and what they do is corrupt and disgusting… no one is doing what's good!

² From the heavens Jehovah looked down, to see if men's sons were looking to God. ³ But all have turned and made themselves useless; none are doing good… no not one! Their throats are like open tombs, and the tongues in their throats are used to deceive. Under their lips is the poison of asps, and with what's bitter their mouths are filled. Their feet are in a great hurry, to shed blood and destroy… there is misery in all of their ways. The road to peace they've not known… there's no fear of Jehovah in their eyes.

⁴ Those who break laws don't understand, for they swallow people down as though bread. They haven't called on Jehovah, ⁵ so now they're afraid when there's nothing to fear.

God is with generations of the righteous, ⁶ but many look down on wise words of the poor, who've maintained their hope in Jehovah.

⁷ O that IsraEl would gain its salvation from Zion, and Jehovah would return His captive peoples. Then Jacob would cry out in joy, and IsraEl would have reasons for gladness.

Psalm 15

A Psalm of David.

¹ O Jehovah; Who will You allow to visit Your Tent, and on Your Holy Mount who may camp? ² Just the flawless who chase after justice, and those who speak truth in their hearts… ³ those with no treachery on their tongues; those who don't harm their neighbors. They haven't looked down on those who live near them, ⁴ nor are they found with the wicked. They praise all those who fear Jehovah, and speak well of those who do as they say. ⁵ They don't lend money for interest, nor ask the innocent for bribes; so, they won't be shaken through the age.

Psalm 16

An inscription by David.

¹ Guard me, O Jehovah, because in You I've put hope. ² I've said to Jehovah, 'You are my Lord, and other than You I have nothing else good.'

³ The holy in His land are in awe of the Lord, as are those who willingly serve Him. ⁴ Yet, there are those who give way to weakness, and hurry to search for bad things. With such ones I will not gather, [to shed innocent] blood, nor will I mention their names with my lips.

⁵ O Jehovah, You are my lot, and the portion within my cup; for You've restored my inheritance to me. ⁶ Its borders have fallen across the best places, and the most choice is my lot.

⁷ I'll praise Jehovah who gives me direction, and who corrects my kidneys at night. ⁸ I'll look to the Lord in all of my ways; He's at my right hand, so I'll not be shaken. ⁹ For this, my heart will always be glad, and on my tongue there'll always be praise.

Upon You my flesh camps in hope, ¹⁰ for You haven't abandoned my life in the grave, nor allowed Your holy one to rot.

¹¹ The ways of life You have shown me, and before Your face You've filled me with joy. So to my delight, at Your right hand I'll sit in perfection.

Psalm 17

A prayer of David.

¹ Listen, O Jehovah, to my cries, and pay attention to the things that I ask. Please give attention to my prayers, for my words are not being spoken, with lips that try to deceive.

² From Your presence may I receive justice, and may my eyes behold Your uprightness. ³ For, You've tried my heart in Your visits at night; You've [tried] me by fire but not found injustice, which would prevent me from speaking [to You].

⁴ Concerning the hard ways of men; Your lips have been my protection. ⁵ Into Your ways mold my footsteps, so that my feet may not stumble.

⁶ I called out to You and You heard me, O God; You've listened to my words with Your ears.

⁷ O You who [bring us] salvation; show the wonders of Your mercies, to those putting trust in Your right hand.

⁸ Guard me, O [Jehovah, my God], as though I were the pupil of Your eye. Take me under the protection of Your wings, and provide a shelter for me.

⁹ From the faces of the Godless, protect me; the ones bringing misery to me. For my enemies have me surrounded… ¹⁰ they speak with mouths filled with pride, as they are wrapped in their fat.

¹¹ They've driven me out and now they surround me; their eyes have plans to cut me to the ground. ¹² I've been treated as a lion prepared for the hunt… as a cub that must live in hiding.

¹³ Arise, O Jehovah; cut them off and then knock them down! With Your sword save my life from the godless. ¹⁴ Use Your hand, O Jehovah, to cut all my enemies down. Cut their bodies into pieces, and leave them there on the ground!

Fill the bellies [of Your righteous] with good things, which they can then feed their children, and give what is left to their babies. ¹⁵ May Your righteous one be seen once again, and may I be filled with Your glory.

Psalm 18

To the director; A Psalm of Jehovah's servant David, which he sang to Jehovah on the day that God rescued him from his enemies and from the hand of Saul.

¹ O Jehovah; With all of my strength I'll [show that] I love You, ² for my Lord is real to me… He's my refuge and savior. My helper is God, so I'll trust in Him… ³ He's my defender and protector, and the horn of my salvation.

³ When it comes to praise, I'll call on Jehovah, and from my enemies I will be saved. ⁴ For, the pangs of death had me surrounded, and under attack by floods of lawbreakers. ⁵ I was filled with the fear of the place of the dead, as I expected all of death's snares.

⁶ Then in my distress I called to my God. I shouted, and He heard me from His Home… my cries before Him entered His ears. ⁷ Then the ground shook and it trembled; the foundations of the mountains were disturbed, for my God shook them in rage.

⁸ The smoke of His rage, and the fire that was coming from Him, ignited coals all around Him. ⁹ Then He leaned from the heavens and descended, and darkness was under His feet. ¹⁰ He arrived riding on cherubs, with their wings spread out on the winds.

¹¹ For concealment, He made all things dark; He was wrapped in His tent of dark fog. ¹² The radiance of His presence was covered by clouds… by hail and [by bolts] of fire.

¹³ Jehovah thundered from out of the sky, and the Most High spoke with His voice. ¹⁴ He shot His arrows all around, and disturbed them with [skies] filled with lightning. ¹⁵ Then springs of water were opened, and foundations of houses were seen.

O Jehovah; This all came from Your scolding, and from the blast of the Spirit of Your rage.

¹⁶ Down from the heights He then came… He took me and saved me from floods. ¹⁷ So, from mighty enemies He'll save me… from those stronger than I who detest me.

¹⁸ They came on the day when I was mistreated, but Jehovah became my support. ¹⁹ Then He carried me to a great spacious land; and because I was desired by Him, He became my salvation.

²⁰ Jehovah will reward my righteous ways… for my clean hands He'll repay me, ²¹ because I have guarded the ways of the Lord… unlike the irreverent, I've never left God.

²² All His decisions are here before me, and His Laws have never departed from me. ²³ So, flawless I'll stand here before Him, as I guard against all Law breaking. ²⁴ Then Jehovah will repay my righteous ways, and the cleanliness of my hands He'll see with His eyes.

²⁵ We must be holy to the holy, and blameless to those free from blame. ²⁶ Then with the chosen we'll be selected, but we'll be turned away if we're crooked. ²⁷ You people must save all the humble, and humble the eyes of the proud.

²⁸ Light my lamp, O Jehovah my God; please light my way in the darkness. ²⁹ From bands of marauders You'll save me… by my God I'll pass over the wall.

³⁰ The ways of my God are flawless, and His words are all tried by fire… He's the defender of those who put trust in Him. ³¹ So, who is God but Jehovah? Is there any god like our God?

³² He's the God who wrapped me in power, and directs me in flawless ways. ³³ He's readied my feet like those of a stag, and He's put me up on high places. ³⁴ He has taught my hands ways of war, and turned my arms into bows made of brass.

³⁵ You've prepared a shield to protect me; You've taken me in Your right hand. You'll make me stand again in the end, and with Your instructions You'll teach me.

³⁶ You've widened the path underneath me, and You've given me strength. ³⁷ So, I'll chase my enemies and catch them, and not return 'til I'm done. ³⁸ I'll squeeze them 'til they're unable to stand, and they'll all fall at my feet.

³⁹ You've wrapped me in the power of war; You've tied my enemies both hands and feet. ⁴⁰ You've shown me the backs of those who oppose me, and destroyed all those who detest me.

⁴¹ They shouted, but no one could save them; they called to the Lord, but He didn't hear. ⁴² So, I'll grind them to powder and throw them away, like the dust in city squares that's blown in the wind.

⁴³ You'll rescue me from people's disputes, and place me as the head over nations. Then unknown nations will all come to serve me; ⁴⁴ they'll hear my voice and obey. Then those foreigner's sons who have lied, ⁴⁵ will grow old and lame in [life's] paths.

⁴⁶ Jehovah lives; so, may [He] be praised! May [the Name] of the God who saves me be raised… ⁴⁷ the God who handles my vengeance, and makes all the peoples submit. ⁴⁸ From all my enemies He's saved me; those who opposed and attacked me.

You've raised me above the unrighteous, and rushed to my aid in order to save me. ⁴⁹ So, I'll praise You before all the nations; O Jehovah, I'll strum to Your Name. ⁵⁰ For, You've shown all the ways You can save the king… You've shown mercy upon Your anointed… to David and his seed through the ages.

Psalm 19

For the director; A Psalm of David.

¹ The heavens describe the glory of God, and space tells of what He has made with His hands. ² Day after day His words bubble up, and night after night there's more knowledge.

³ For, there's neither speaking nor words, and you can't hear the sounds of their voices. ⁴ But throughout the earth their knell has gone out, and their words reach the ends of man's habitation, that He's pitched His Tent on the sun.

⁵ Like a groom coming out on his [wedding night], He shouts like the mighty in His journey. ⁶ He leaves from one end of the sky, then returns from the other side of heaven; and none can hide from His heat.

⁷ The Law of Jehovah is perfect, and brings changes to lives; trustworthy is God's testimony, for, to even the young it brings wisdom. ⁸ Jehovah's rules are all straight, and they bring joy to the heart. The Commandments of the Lord radiate, providing light for everyone's eyes.

⁹ The fear of Jehovah is pure, for it lasts through the ages, and then through the ages of ages. The judgments of the Lord are all true, for they bring the very same justice. ¹⁰ It is better than gems or gold, and it's sweeter than honey it its comb. ¹¹ For, when His servants obey them, they receive grand rewards.

¹² But, who pays attention to his own sins? So, from my private sins, please cleanse me. ¹³ Protect Your servant from foreign peoples, for if they can't control me I'll stay unblemished, and I can be cleansed of great errors. ¹⁴ Then prophecies of good will flow from my mouth, and the thoughts of my heart will be of Jehovah; for, You are always my helper.

Psalm 20

To the director; A Psalm of David.

¹ In times of trouble, turn to Jehovah. Let the Name of Jacob's God be your shield. ² For, from His Holy Place He'll send help… from Zion He'll send you assistance.

³ May He remember all you've sacrificed… all of your fattened burnt offerings. ⁴ May God give you all your heart craves, and fulfill whatever you've planned. ⁵ Then each one will shout about his salvation, and praise the Name of our God… may Jehovah grant all that you ask.

⁶ Now, I have [seen] Jehovah's salvation, for He's heard His anointed from His holy heavens. He takes control and with His right hand He saves us, ⁷ from those who attack with chariots and horses. For, when I called on the Name of [my] God, ⁸ they fell and were bound hand and foot… as we arose and stood firm.

⁹ O Jehovah; please save the king, and pay close attention when we're calling to You.

Psalm 21

A Psalm of David.

¹ O Jehovah: The king gladly submits to Your might, and for Your salvation he joyfully cries. ² You have given him all that his heart desires, and not deprived him of that for which he has begged. ³ Why, before he even asked, You [poured] great blessings upon him, and placed a gemmed crown on his head. ⁴ When he asked for life, You gave him long days, into the ages of ages. ⁵ Through Your salvation You glorified him, placing gracious majesty upon him. ⁶ Through the age You have blessed him, and made him glad with the joy of Your face.

⁷ The king has put his hope in Jehovah, and he'll not [lose faith in] the mercy from above. ⁸ So, may all Your enemies be found in Your hands; may all those who hate You be found in Your right hand, ⁹ which will throw them in an oven in Your Day. In Your rage You'll disturb them, and then You'll destroy them in fire. ¹⁰ You'll destroy their fruit from the earth, and their seed from among sons of men.

¹¹ For, their purpose toward You was just to do bad, and they argued over plans that were never fulfilled. ¹² So, throw them away along with Your garbage, and prepare their faces for this. ¹³ May Your might be raised, O Jehovah, then we'll sing and strum about Your mighty deeds.

Psalm 22

To the director; for help in the early morning. A Psalm of David.

¹ O God, my God, please hear me! Why have I been abandoned by You? Are words about all my errors, keeping me from Your salvation? ² For, all day long I call out to You; but, O my God, You don't listen; so don't think that I'm thoughtless at night.

³ You dwell there within Your Holy Place, as the One who brings IsraEl blessings. ⁴ In You our fathers put hope, and You then brought them salvation. ⁵ They called out to You as their hope, and they were never disgraced.

⁶ But I'm [viewed] as a maggot, not a man; the scorn and contempt of my people. ⁷ Those who see me [are laughing]… they shake their heads and they say, ⁸ 'He has put his trust in Jehovah; but if He wants him, let Him come save him!'

⁹ It was You who pulled me from [my mother's] womb… You were my hope when I sucked at her breasts. ¹⁰ By You I was thrust from the womb; from the belly of my mother You've been my God. ¹¹ So, don't leave me now that trouble is near, for there's no one else who can help me.

¹² I'm surrounded by great herds of cattle, and many strong bulls are around me. ¹³ Like lions they've opened their mouths against me… as those who roar and drag off [as prey].

¹⁴ My bones have become just like water, and my heart in my chest has melted like wax. ¹⁵ My strength has been dried like a clay pot, and my tongue is stuck to my throat; for, You've led me to the dust of death.

¹⁶ Many dogs now have me surrounded, and the wicked ones gather around me. They're cutting into my hands and my feet; ¹⁷ they count all my bones as they watch me and think. ¹⁸ They've divided my garments among them, and thrown dice for the clothes that I wear.

¹⁹ O Jehovah, Your help is not far, for You'll notice and come to my aid. ²⁰ Please rescue my soul from the broadsword… [Your] one-and-only son from the hands of the dogs.

²¹ Save me from the mouth of the lion; may I not be disgraced on rhinoceros horns. ²² Then I'll speak of Your fame to my brothers, and in the midst of the gathering I'll praise You.

²³ Praise Jehovah, all you who fear Him! Give glory to Him, you seed of Jacob… fear Him, O IsraEl's seed! ²⁴ For, He hasn't looked on you with contempt, or loathed the prayers of the poor. And from me He's not turned His face; for, when I called Him He listened.

²⁵ So, before the great gathering I'll offer praise, and make confessions before all. I'll also pay all my vows, in the presence of all those who fear Him. ²⁶ Then the stomachs of poor will be filled, and those who are seeking Jehovah, will offer Him praise from their hearts, through the age and through ages of ages.

²⁷ Turn back and remember Jehovah, all you to the ends of the earth. All families of the nations, bow before Him, ²⁸ for the Kingship is His… He's the [true] ruler of the nations. ²⁹ All the mighty of the earth will then eat, if they'll just bow down before Him, as will those going into the ground.

With my whole soul I'm living for Him, ³⁰ and my seed will serve Him alone. They'll proclaim Him to future generations, ³¹ and they'll speak of His justice to those yet unborn.

Psalm 23

A Psalm of David.

¹ Jehovah provides, so I need nothing more. ² He has placed my camp in green pastures, and He feeds me near restful waters. ³ By Him, my life has been restored; and He guides me in ways that are righteous, for the sake of His Name. ⁴ So, should I travel through the valley of death's shadow, nothing bad will I fear; for, I know that You'll always be with me, and I'll find comfort in your Your scepter and staff.

⁵ You've prepared before me a table, far away from those who oppress me. My head You've anointed with oil, and Your wonderful cup makes me high. ⁶ Your mercies have pursued me throughout my life, so I'll stay in Your House for as long as I live.

Psalm 24

A Psalm of David [to be sung] on the Sabbath.

¹ To Jehovah belongs the earth and its goodness… the arrangement and all who live in it. ² It was He who prepared the rivers, and He who founded the seas.

³ Who can ascend Jehovah's mountain; who can stand in His Holy Place? ⁴ Just those with innocent hands, and those with hearts that are pure, who've not claimed what's foolish for their souls, nor sworn treacherous things against neighbors. ⁵ Only these are blest by Jehovah, and get charity from their Savior, God.

⁶ This generation is seeking Jehovah; they're seeking the face of Jacob's God. ⁷ So, open the gates of your rulers… open the gates of the ages, so your Glorious King may now enter. ⁸ Who is this glorious King? It is Jehovah the Strong One; our Lord who is the great warrior. ⁹ Yes, open the gates of your rulers… open the gates of the ages, so your glorious King may now enter. ¹⁰ And who is this glorious King? It's the God of armies, Jehovah. Yes, He is the glorious King.

Psalm 25

A Psalm of David.

¹ I've lifted my life up to You, O Jehovah, ² for You are my God to whom I submit. So, through the age may I not be disgraced, nor may my enemies make sport of me. ³ Don't disgrace those clinging to You, but shame those who rebel for no reason.

⁴ O Jehovah; You have shown me Your ways, now teach me to walk in Your paths! ⁵ Guide me in ways of truth, and teach me that You're My Savior and God; for, I've waited on You all my days.

⁶ Remember Your compassions, O Lord, for You've shown mercy through the ages. ⁷ Please forget the sins of my youth… don't remember what I've ignorantly done. Speak in mercy of me to Yourself, and be kind, O Jehovah.

⁸ Jehovah is upright and kind, but He upholds His Laws against sinners. ⁹ He guides the meek ones toward justice, and teaches the gentle His ways. ¹⁰ For, merciful are all [God's] ways, and to those listening to His words He sends truth… to those who [honor] His Sacred Agreement. ¹¹ Because of Your Name, O Jehovah, please cover my sins because they are great.

¹² Who's the man that's fearing Jehovah? He'll give him His laws in his chosen path. ¹³ Then he'll lodge his soul among good things, and his seed will inherit the land. ¹⁴ For, Jehovah's a fort for all those who fear Him, and with them He has made an Agreement.

¹⁵ My eyes always look to Jehovah, for He pulls the snares from under my feet. ¹⁶ O look upon me and have mercy, for I am a poor only child, ¹⁷ whose pain of heart keeps on growing; so lead me toward the things that I need! ¹⁸ Look upon my humiliation; see what I've done and forgive all my sins!

¹⁹ See how my enemies keep growing in numbers, and how the unrighteous both hate and detest me. ²⁰ O guard my life and save me; may I not be disgraced, for in You I have hoped.

²¹ The guileless and upright have stayed close to me, because I stuck with You, O Jehovah. ²² So, O IsraEl's God; ransom us from our afflictions.

Psalm 26

A Psalm of David.

¹ Please give me justice, O God, for I have walked blamelessly, and I've put my trust in Jehovah. ² My Lord; I will not weaken, so please test me and try me… set my heart and my kidneys on fire.

³ Before my eyes are Your merciful ways, and I'm well pleased with Your truth. ⁴ I've not sat in high courts of fools, nor do I hang with those who break laws.

⁵ I've detested the gatherings of bad men, and with the irreverent I'll never sit. ⁶ So, in innocence I'll wash my hands, as I walk 'round Your Altar, O Lord.

⁷ Hear my voice singing praises of You, and talking about all Your wonders. ⁸ O Jehovah; I've loved the beauty of Your House; the place where You Tent in glory.

⁹ Don't destroy my life with the Godless, nor with men of blood end my life… ¹⁰ those whose hands are filled with lawless deeds, and whose right hands are filled up with bribes.

¹¹ Ransom me, for I am not guilty! Please show mercy upon me! ¹² For, with my feet I've walked a straight path, and I'll praise You among the gathering, O Lord.

Psalm 27

A Psalm of David before his anointing.

¹ Jehovah is my light and my savior, so whom should I ever fear? The Lord is my life's defender, so before whom should I ever be shy?

² Those who attacked to bring evil, and wished to devour my flesh… those enemies of mine who've oppressed me, have all become weak and have fallen.

³ Should they set up camps against me, and should they attack me in war, my hope is that my heart won't show fear.

⁴ One thing I have asked of Jehovah, is to dwell in His House all my days. I wish to consider all [His] delights, and visit His Holy House.

⁵ Inside His Tent He hides me, whenever evil arrives, and during bad days He's my shelter. He conceals me inside His Tent; He sets me high on a rock.

⁶ Now, look how He's lifted my head, over all of my enemies. So, around His Tent I've walked and brought gifts. A sacrifice of praise I've also offered, as I shouted aloud, sang praises, and strummed.

⁷ Listen, O Lord, to my voice as I cry. Show mercy upon me and hear me! ⁸ For, my heart says to You, 'I'll search for the Lord. My face keeps searching for You, and Your face, O God, I will seek.' ⁹ So, away from me don't turn Your face, O my God… don't turn from Your servant in anger, for in Your aid [I have trusted]… do not curse me by staying away; don't overlook me or leave me abandoned.

¹⁰ My father and mother have left me, but as His own, Jehovah has claimed me. ¹¹ So, give me Your Laws, O Jehovah, and teach me to walk in Your ways. Because I have many [who hate me], guide me in paths that are straight. ¹² Don't hand me over to those who oppress me, for witnesses have opposed me and lied, and injustice has lied to herself.

¹³ I trust that from God I'll see good things, while I'm still in the land of the living. ¹⁴ So, wait on Jehovah… act like a man. Wait on the Lord and make your heart strong!

Psalm 28

A Psalm of David.

¹ I'll call out to You, O Jehovah… my God, I won't remain silent, so You'll never be silent with me, and make me like those who enter the pit. ² Listen, O Lord, to my voice as I beg, and lift my arms toward Your Holy House.

³ Don't draw me together with sinners, nor destroy me with the unjust. For, although they speak of peace to their neighbors, there is evil inside their hearts.

⁴ O Jehovah; Repay them for the things that they do, and for all of their wicked deeds. Return upon them the things they have done; give them a just compensation.

⁵ O Jehovah; They haven't noticed the things You've accomplished… all the works that You've done with Your hands. So, You will wipe them away, and never rebuild them again.

⁶ Praise Jehovah, for He's heard my prayer! ⁷ He's my helper and defender, and upon Him my heart has hoped. Because He's helped me, my flesh has done well, so to Him I'll sing praises.

⁸ Jehovah is the fort of His people; the defender and savior of His anointed. ⁹ So, bless Your inheritance and save Your people; through the ages, tend them and lift them.

Psalm 29

A Psalm of David for when the Tent was being transported.

¹ O sons of God, bring your things to Jehovah… the offspring of rams, offer to God. Offer to Jehovah glory and honor… ² [speak] to the Lord of the glory of His Name, and bow before Him in His courtyard.

³ Upon the waters is the voice of Jehovah. The glory of God causes thunder, and Jehovah is [over the rain]. ⁴ The voice of Jehovah is strong, and of His great majesty speaks.

⁵ The voice of Jehovah breaks [trees]… even Lebanon's great cedars. ⁶ He thins them out like Lebanon's calves… those as loved as rhinoceros young.

⁷ Like [lightning] the voice of Jehovah cuts through… ⁸ the voice of the Lord shakes the desert. Desert of Kadesh trembles before Him, ⁹ for the voice of our [God] fashioned hinds.

He tears down all sacred poles, and carries to His House those giving Him glory.

¹⁰ Jehovah brings calmness to storms, and seats His king through the ages.

¹¹ Jehovah shows His strength for His people; Our Lord will bless them with peace.

Psalm 30

A Psalm for the dedication of David's palace.

¹ O Jehovah; I praise You for lifting me high, and not making my enemies glad. ² For, I called out to You, O my God, and You brought healing to me.

³ O Jehovah; You saved my life from the grave… from those going down to the pit. ⁴ So, holy ones; play music to Him… remember and acknowledge His pureness.

⁵ For, while there's wrath in His rage, there's also life in His Will. So while weeping may come in the evening, in the morning there'll be great rejoicing.

⁶ In prosperous times I once said, 'There's no way I'll be shaken through the ages. ⁷ O Jehovah, it was Your Will, to give me good looks and power. Then from me You turned away, and I became very disturbed.

⁸ O Jehovah, I cried out to You… my God I was beseeching. ⁹ What value has my blood if I die, and I rot away under the ground? Will there be knowledge of You in the dust, and will dirt testify to Your trueness?'

¹⁰ Jehovah then heard and showed mercy on me… He was my helper [once more]. ¹¹ So, my [heart] that once beat in fear, has now returned to rejoicing.

¹² You tore off my sackcloth and wrapped me in joy, so I'll strum to You in my glory. And O Jehovah my God; there's no way that I'll ever be angry [with You], but though the ages I'll sing in Your praise.

Psalm 31

To the director; A Psalm of David about his change of state.

¹ In You, O Jehovah, I've placed my hope. May I not be disgraced through the age. Rescue me in Your justice, and take me away from this place. ² Incline Your ear and listen to me… hurry and take me away!

Become to me a God of defense, and make Your House a refuge to save me. ³ For, You are my fort and my refuge, and for the sake of Your Name You'll lead me and feed me.

⁴ O lead me from these hidden traps, for You're my defender, Jehovah. ⁵ I've entrusted my breath to Your hands, and You've paid my ransom, O God of truth.

⁶ You've detested the foolish who are wasting their time, but I've put my hope in Jehovah. ⁷ So, I'll shout in praise and be glad for Your mercy. You've witnessed my humiliation, and delivered my soul from the wants of my needs. ⁸ You've taken me out of my enemies' hands, and set my feet where there's plenty of room.

⁹ Show mercy on me O Jehovah, for I am in great distress. My eyes are disturbed and enraged, as are my soul and my belly.

¹⁰ My life has been wasted in grief, and my years have been spent in much moaning. My strength has been weakened by poorness, and all of my bones are now aching.

¹¹ I'm the scorn of my enemies, and even more by neighbors. Those who know me now fear me, and the others outside have all run away.

¹² I'm forgotten like one of the dead, and my heart is like a pot that's been broken. ¹³ I've heard the complaints of those traveling about, as they all gather against me. They're meeting together to kill me, ¹⁴ but I've put my trust in Jehovah. I said to You, ¹⁵ 'You are my God. So, into You hands I've entrusted my lot.'

Please rescue me from my enemies' hands, and from all those who chase me. ¹⁶ Please show Your face to your servant, and in Your great mercy please save me!

¹⁷ O Jehovah; may I not meet with disgrace, for upon You I am calling. May the irreverent be shamed, and then be led to their graves. ¹⁸ May the lips of the deceivers be speechless, as well as those condemning the just, in contempt and in proud lawless ways.

¹⁹ How kind are Your ways, O Jehovah, which are hidden to those who don't fear You. [In the sight] of all sons of men, You come to the aid of the faithful. ²⁰ You hide them in the concealment of Your face, from the disturbance of evil men. You shelter them inside Your Tent, away from their scolding tongues.

²¹ May Jehovah be praised for His mercy… for sending His miracles to a city under siege.

²² I said, when I saw things changed, 'He's thrown me away from His eyes.' But because of this, You listened to me, and heard what I said when I called out to You.

²³ O love Jehovah, you holy ones, for trueness is required by our God. He also will bring retribution, upon those who have too much pride.

So, act like men and strengthen your hearts, all you who trust in Jehovah.

Psalm 32

A Psalm of David for understanding.

¹ Blest are those who've been forgiven
For breaking [God's] Laws,
Because they've not hidden their sins.
² And blest is the man God counts not a sinner,
Nor has He found treachery in his mouth.

³ I've become more quiet as my bones have aged;
I no longer call out all day long.
⁴ For, Your hand pressed upon me both day and night,
And in misery I writhed as though stabbed by a thorn.

⁵ I've admitted to You all my lawless deeds,
And my sins I've not tried to hide.
I've openly declared to Jehovah,
All of my lawless ways,'
And then You forgave the Godlessness in my heart.

⁶ For this, the holy should pray at right times
So the flood will never approach them:
⁷ 'You're my refuge from the troubles around me;
You've provided my ransom from those who surround me.'

⁸ [And in response He'll reply],
'I'll bring understanding to you,
Teach you the ways you should go,
And always keep My eyes upon you.

⁹ So, do not act like horses or mules,
Who have to be bridled and don't understand…
And whose jaws must be squeezed to approach you.'

¹⁰ Sinners have be whipped many times,
But mercy surrounds those who trust in the Lord.
¹¹ So, find joy in Jehovah;
Yes, shout in joy all you just ones,
And boast of Him from you hearts.

Psalm 33

A Psalm of David.

¹ O righteous ones, rejoice in Jehovah, for to the upright He praises. ² Play to Jehovah on your harps; strum to Him on your lutes with ten strings. ³ O sing to Him a new song. Play shouting loudly and cheering!

⁴ The words of Jehovah are righteous, so trust in the things that He does. ⁵ Charity and equity are things loved by God, and the earth is filled with His mercy.

⁶ By the word of Jehovah the skies came to be, and the Breath from His mouth formed their powers. ⁷ They were pulled together as a leather water bag, and seawater He placed in the treasuries of the deep.

⁸ So fear Jehovah, those living on earth; let everyone stand in awe. ⁹ Why, He just spoke and it all came to be; He gave the order and it was created.

¹⁰ He wipes away plans of the nations; He annuls the devices and designs of their kings. ¹¹ But the will of Jehovah lasts through ages; from generation to generation are the things in His heart.

¹² Blest is the nation whose God is Jehovah; those whom He's chosen to inherit.

¹³ From out of the sky Jehovah looks down, as He watches the things the sons of men do. ¹⁴ From the home that He has prepared, He watches those dwelling on earth. ¹⁵ He alone shaped their hearts, and He sees all that they have done.

¹⁶ Kings won't be saved with large armies, and giants won't be saved by their strength. ¹⁷ It's foolish to place your salvation in horses, for even with their power you may lose.

¹⁸ {Look!} The eyes of Jehovah are upon all those fearing Him… those who trust in His mercy. ¹⁹ Only He can rescue their lives from death, and feed them in times of great famine.

²⁰ So, with our whole lives we must wait on Jehovah, for He's our defender and helper. ²¹ Take joy in Him with your whole hearts, and in His Holy Name put your hope.

²² O bring Your mercy upon us, Jehovah, for in You we've put all our hope.

Psalm 34

A Psalm of David of when his view of AbiMelech changed and he sent him away.

¹ I'll praise Jehovah throughout all time… His praises will stay my mouth. ² I'll praise Jehovah with my whole life, so listen you meek and be glad. ³ Glorify Jehovah with me; we'll praise His great Name together.

⁴ I searched for the Lord and He listened to me. He rescued me during my travels. ⁵ So, come to Him… be enlightened, and then your faces won't ever be shamed.

⁶ A poor man called to God and He heard him, then He rescued him from all his problems. ⁷ God's messengers camped all around him, and He saved the one who feared His Name.

⁸ Taste and see that our God is good! The man who trusts Him will always be blest! ⁹ Fear Jehovah, His holy, for those fearing Him will lack nothing. ¹⁰ Though the rich may go hungry and poor, those seeking God won't lack for what's good.

¹¹ Come to me, children, and listen, and I'll teach you the fear of Jehovah! ¹² Who is the man that doesn't want life, or to see days that are good? ¹³ So, remove from your tongue all that's evil; take treachery away from your lips. ¹⁴ Turn away from the bad and do good! Search for peace and pursue it! ¹⁵ For, Jehovah keeps His eyes on the righteous, and His ears hear the things that they ask. ¹⁶ But the face of Jehovah opposes the bad, and He'll destroy their memory from the earth.

¹⁷ The righteous called out and God listened, then He rescued them from their problems. ¹⁸ For, to those with broken hearts God is near, and those humble in spirit He rescues.

¹⁹ Though the righteous will have many problems, God will save them from all. ²⁰ Jehovah watches over their bones, and not a single one will be broken.

²¹ In sadness the sinners will be brought to their end, and those hating the righteous are condemned. ²² But Jehovah will ransom the lives of His servants, and no way will He harm those trusting in Him.

Psalm 35

A Psalm of David.

¹ O Jehovah; Pass judgment on those who are doing me wrong! Wage war on those waging war! ² Take up Your weapon and shield; arise and come to my aid, O God!

³ Swing Your sword at those who pursue me… say You'll deliver my life! ⁴ May those seeking my life feel shame and remorse… may those wishing me bad retreat in disgrace.

⁵ May they become as dust in the wind… may God's messenger squeeze them all dry. ⁶ May their road become slippery and dark, and may they be chased by God's angel.

⁷ For no just reason have they hidden away, the snares of all their corruption, as about my soul they speak badly. ⁸ Let them be caught in a snare they don't see; may the snare that they hunt with catch them, and may they fall in the traps that they set.

⁹ With my whole life I'll praise Jehovah, and [shout] in praise about His salvation. ¹⁰ With all my bones I'll say to Jehovah: 'O Lord, who can be likened to You? For You rescue the poor with a hand that's more solid, than those who tear the needy in pieces… ¹¹ those who sent witnesses to lie against me, and asked questions I didn't understand. ¹² They've repaid bad for the good that I've done, and left my life without children. ¹³ Because of their trouble I've put on sackcloth, and humbled my life by fasting. Then the prayer in my [heart], was that I might soon be returned.

¹⁴ As neighbors and brothers they once were so pleasing, so in mourning and sadness I humbled myself. ¹⁵ But they were happy and gathered against me, and weren't sad when they cut me with whips. ¹⁶ They tried me and then they made fun… against me they ground their teeth. ¹⁷ O Jehovah; How long will You allow this to happen? Rescue my life from their evil deeds!

¹⁸ [You said], 'My only child; from the lions I'll save you; to the whole assembly I'll praise you, and before those bad people, exalt you!'

¹⁹ So, may those who hate me for no reason, not [be allowed to] rejoice… those who detest me without any charge… those who shun me with their eyes. ²⁰ For, though to me they once spoke of peace, in anger and treachery they've plotted against me. ²¹ Then they opened their mouths wide against me and said, 'Well done, well done. Now we've seen it with our eyes.'

²² You have witnessed it all, O Jehovah! So, don't remain silent or leave me. ²³ Awake, O Jehovah… pay attention to my case! Take notice of my cause, O my God. ²⁴ Judge me, O Lord, and show me Your justice… my God, don't let them rejoice! ²⁵ Don't allow then to say of our lives in their hearts, 'Well done; yes, it's well done.' Nor allow them to say, 'We have swallowed him down.'

²⁶ May those who've rejoiced at my harm feel ashamed, and those speaking against me feel remorse. ²⁷ But, may those who seek justice, shout in joy and be glad, then say: 'Praise Jehovah for bringing peace to His servant!' ²⁸ Then with my tongue I'll speak of Your justice, and sing in Your praise all my days.

Psalm 36

To the director; to the servant of Jehovah, David.

¹ About his sins the lawbreaker says: 'There is no God to fear in my eyes.' ² So before Him he acts treacherously… but [God] will expose his disgusting lawbreaking. ³ His mouth speaks treachery and lawlessness, and he has no desire to know what is good, ⁴ so he dreams of crimes as he lies in his bed. He does nothing at all that's worthwhile, and he does not hate any evil.

⁵ O Jehovah who lives in the heavens; Your mercy and truth arise to the clouds. ⁶ Your justice is like the mountain of God, and Your judgments are like an abyss, preserving both men and cattle. ⁷ O God; How many ways Your mercies are shown, for in the protection of Your wings, the sons of men put their hope. ⁸ They'll feast on the fatness of Your House, and You'll delight them with water from Your stream. ⁹ For, the spring of life comes from You, and from Your light we'll see light. ¹⁰ So, extend Your mercy to all those who know You, and Your justice to those with straight hearts.

¹¹ May the feet of the proud not kick me, nor may I be shaken by sinner's hands. ¹² May all who work at lawlessness fall, rejected and unable to stand.

Psalm 37

A Psalm of David.

¹ Don't be jealous of the wicked, nor envy those who break laws. ² For, like grass they'll quickly be dried, and they'll wilt away like young shoots.

³ Put your hope in Jehovah, and act in very kind ways. Live off the ground and its riches will serve you. ⁴ Find delight in Jehovah, and He will provide all the things in your heart.

⁵ Open your ways to Jehovah; put trust in Him and He'll act. ⁶ He'll bring to light your righteous deeds, and the things you do will shine as at noon.

⁷ Put your trust in Jehovah… yes to Him you should pray. Don't be jealous of those who prosper from crime. ⁸ Stop being angry and abandon your rage. Don't allow zeal to make you act wicked. ⁹ For, those who are wicked will soon be destroyed, but those waiting on Jehovah will inherit the earth.

¹⁰ In just a short time the sinners will be gone; you'll look where he was and not find him. ¹¹ But the meek will inherit the earth, and find great delight in the abundance of peace.

¹² Sinners keep their eyes on the righteous, and grind their teeth as they look upon them. ¹³ But Jehovah is laughing at them, for He sees what will happen in His Day.

¹⁴ Sinners have withdrawn their broadswords, and stretched their bows very tight, to attack the needy and poor, and to kill the ones with straight hearts. ¹⁵ But, may their swords strike their own hearts, and may their bows be broken in pieces. ¹⁶ For, a little is better to the righteous, than great wealth is to those who are sinners.

¹⁷ The arms of sinners will be broken, but the Lord will support all the just. ¹⁸ He knows the ways of the flawless, and their inheritance will last through the ages. ¹⁹ They won't be disgraced in hard times, and in days of famine they'll be filled.

²⁰ For, the sinners will all be destroyed. And at the same time, the enemies of God, though they're glorified and exalted, will vanish away just like smoke.

²¹ The sinner borrows and doesn't repay, but the righteous feel mercy and give. ²² Then those who bless him will inherit the earth, but those who curse him will be wiped away.

²³ Jehovah straightens the footsteps of man, and all should wish [to walk in] His ways. ²⁴ Then if he should fall he won't break, for the Lord will be holding his hand.

²⁵ I was once young and now I've grown old, and I've never seen the righteous abandoned, or his seed ever begging for bread. ²⁶ Each day he shows mercy and lends to the righteous, thus his seed will always be blest.

²⁷ So, turn from evil… do good, and live through ages of ages! ²⁸ For, Jehovah loves justice, and through ages won't leave holy ones. The righteous will always be guarded, as the lawless are driven away.

The seed of the Godless will perish, ²⁹ but the righteous will inherit the land, and camp upon it through ages of ages.

³⁰ The mouths of the just think first and speak wisely… they talk of equity and justice. ³¹ And because God's Law is within their hearts, they will not stumble and fall.

³² The sinner thinks of the righteous, and searches for ways to kill them. ³³ But Jehovah won't abandon them into his hands, nor judge them in condemnation.

³⁴ Wait on Jehovah and follow His ways, and He'll exalt you to inherit the land. Then you will see the sinners destroyed, ³⁵ and they'll see you lifted high, just like Lebanon's cedars.

³⁶ I went by, and look… he was not! I searched in his place and he's gone!

³⁷ So, guard your honesty and innocence, for, the peaceable ones are those who'll survive. ³⁸ The lawless will all be destroyed, along with any godless that might still remain. ³⁹ But Jehovah will save all the righteous; He'll defend them in times of oppression. ⁴⁰ Jehovah will help them and save them; He'll take them away from the sinners. Yes, He will deliver and save them, because in Him they've put trust.

Psalm 38

A Psalm of David to be remembered on the Sabbath.

¹ O Jehovah; Don't discipline me in Your rage, nor in Your anger correct me. ² For Your arrows have already struck me, and Your hand has been heavy upon me. ³ My flesh has not healed from the rage of Your face, and there is no peace in my bones for my sins. ⁴ All my bad deeds hang over my head… they oppress me and weigh me down.

⁵ The stripes of my foolishness fester and smell, ⁶ and in misery and sadness I walk through the day. ⁷ My flanks have been filled mockery, and there's no healing in my flesh.

⁸ I've been humbled and afflicted with evil. I have roared from the moaning in my heart: ⁹ 'O Jehovah; before You are all the things I desire, and my moaning to You can't be hidden.'

¹⁰ My heart is disturbed, for my strength is all gone, and even my eyes do not work. ¹¹ My friends and my neighbors oppose me; they approach me, but stand at a distance.

¹² Those seeking my life and wishing for bad, speak foolish and plan deceit all day long. ¹³ But I pretend to not hear like someone who's deaf, and like someone who's mute, I won't open my mouth. ¹⁴ I became like a man with no hearing, and with nothing to say in reply. ¹⁵ For I've put my trust in You, O Jehovah… I've hoped that You would listen, my God. ¹⁶ I said, 'May my enemies find no joy at my fall, nor may my legs shake as they're speaking against me.

¹⁷ I'm ready for all of their whips… I'm prepared and ready to suffer. ¹⁸ I'm willing to admit all my lawless deeds, and I'm anxious about all my sins.

¹⁹ But my enemies have camped all around me, as have those who detest me unjustly. ²⁰ They've repaid my good things with bad, and lied when I was on trial.

²¹ Oh, do not leave me, Jehovah! Yes, my God, don't desert me! ²² Hear my pleas for help, O my God; O Jehovah, please bring me salvation!

Psalm 39

To the director; an ode of David to IdiThun.

¹ I promised to guard all my ways, and not to sin with my tongue. I've put a lock on my mouth, whenever sinners are standing before Me.

² I was mute, humbled, and spoke no good words, as my pain was renewed. ³ My heart became hot within me, burning away all my thoughts. Then I spoke with my tongue and I said: ⁴ 'O Jehovah, show me my limits, and the number of days I will live, so I can come to know what I lack. ⁵ {Look!} The days of a palm You've given to me, yet I am nothing before You; for, foolish are the ways of all men.'

⁶ When men travel, they may carry an idol along, for they put their trust in what's foolish; they also carry their treasures along, but they know not why they collect them.

⁷ So, how then can I endure, if not with the aid of Jehovah? ⁸ O save me from my lawless ways, for the scorn of fools You've [heaped upon] me.

⁹ I became mute and I would not open my mouth, for all of this came from You. ¹⁰ Please bring an end to Your whippings, for I have failed in the strength of Your hands.

¹¹ With the discipline of the lawless You correct men, and like spiders their lives waste away… this is the folly of all men.

¹² Hear my prayer, O Jehovah! Give ear as I beg in my tears! Don't stay silent, for I've traveled with You, as did all of my fathers.

¹³ O refresh and spare me before I must leave… before I no longer exist.

Psalm 40

To the director; A Psalm of David.

¹ I persevered and upon Jehovah I waited; then He noticed and listened to my prayers. ² He led me from the misery of the pit, and pulled me from mud and slime. Then He stood my feet on a rock, and straightened the way that I walk. ³ He put a new song in my mouth… He gave me a sacred hymn to our God.

Many will know fear and then put trust their in Jehovah. ⁴ Blest are those putting hope in God's Name… those who don't search for what's foolish, and those who do not act rashly.

⁵ O Jehovah; There are so many things that You've done, and Your ways are wondrous, my God. For, there are none others like You. So, I'll speak and tell of Your ways, since they keep growing unnumbered.

⁶ A sacrifice and offering You did not want, but You prepared a body for me… You did not seek whole burnt offerings, nor sacrifices for [the covering of] sins.

⁷ So I said, 'Look I have come… in the scroll of the Psalms it was written about me. ⁸ I've came to do Your Will, O my God, for Your Law lies deep in my [heart].'

⁹ 'I've announced the righteous good news, among the great assembly. Look, O Jehovah; I will not hold back my lips! ¹⁰ I did not hide the righteousness in my heart, and I spoke of Your truth or salvation… I did not hide Your mercy and truth, from before the whole congregation.

¹¹ O Jehovah; Don't keep Your compassions from me… may Your mercy and truth hold me fast, ¹² for innumerable bad things surround me. My lawless deeds overtook me, and I am unable to see. Like the hairs on my head they've multiplied, and by my heart I'm abandoned.

¹³ Think well of me and save me, O God… O Jehovah, pay attention and help me! ¹⁴ May those who are seeking my life (those who wish to lift it away), together feel shame and disgrace.

May those who wish to do evil, feel shame and be forced to retreat. ¹⁵ Let them feel their shame right away… those saying of me, 'Well done, well done.'

¹⁶ O Jehovah; May those seeking You be glad and shout in joy… may all those who love Your salvation, always shout aloud, 'Praise Jehovah!'

¹⁷ I am poor and in need, so remember me, O my God. For, You're my defender and helper… O my God, don't wait or delay!

Psalm 41

To the director; A Psalm of David.

¹ Blest is he who pays attention, to those who are poor and in need, for in the bad day God will save him. ² May Jehovah bless him and guard him, and keep him alive in the land, and not put him into his enemy's hands. ³ May God give him aid in his bed of grief, and turn his bed when he's ill.

⁴ I said, 'O Lord, show mercy on me. Heal my soul, for I've sinned against You.' ⁵ Yet, my enemies said bad things about me, asking: 'When will he be dead and gone?'

⁶ Foolishness once came to see me, and he spoke from his heart. He also brought the lawless along, and all went outside to talk. ⁷ To each other, my enemies whispered, and developed a plot against me. ⁸ Their plan was something illegal… they said, 'He'll go to bed but never arise.' ⁹ And a man with whom I had peace (one on whom I'd always relied)… a man who ate bread at my table, spoke against me plans of deceit.

¹⁰ But You, O Lord, showed mercy on me. You lifted me up and repaid them. ¹¹ By this I knew that you [loved] me, and my enemies will not rejoice over me.

¹² You helped me because I'm not guilty, and through ages stood me strong there before You. ¹³ Praise Jehovah, IsraEl's God, through the age and into the age of the ages.

May it be so, amen.

Psalm 42

To the director; the contemplation of the sons of KorAh.

¹ As a stag desires springs of water, that's how my heart longs for You, O my God… ² my soul thirsts for the mighty living God. So, when may I come and stand before You?

³ My tears have become my bread day and night; each day they ask, 'So now, where is your God?' ⁴ I think of such things and then, I pour out my soul [before You].

I'll go to Your wonderful Tent… I'll go to the House of my God. I'll go shouting aloud and praising… making sounds of a day that is holy.

⁵ O man within; Why are you dejected… why do you disturb me so much? You must put your trust in our God… sing in praise of the ways that He's saved me!

⁶ O my God; I am so bothered within, and You are the reason for this. I think about You, here in the land of the Jordan, and on little Mount Herman.

⁷ At the roar of the deep abyss floods, I have cried out [in fear]; for, Your crests and Your waves have passed over me. ⁸ By day, Jehovah tells of His mercy, and at night I pray that He'll bring it; this God [who keeps watches on] my life.

⁹ I'll say to God, 'You're my shield. So, why have You overlooked me? Why must I always look downcast, and squeeze past my enemies?' ¹⁰ They berate me as they're breaking my bones, and afflict me each day as they ask, 'So now, where is your God?'

¹¹ O man within; Why are you so very dejected, and why do you bother me so? Put all of your hope in our God. Then I will praise my salvation, as well as [the Name] of my God.

Psalm 43

A Psalm of David.

¹ Judge me, O God… try my case, among an unholy nation. From the unjust and deceitful please save me!

² You're my God and my fortress, so why have you thrust me away? Why must I be so downhearted, and by my enemies be so oppressed?

³ Send Your light and Your truth as my guide, to Your Tent and Your Holy Mountain. ⁴ Then I'll go to the Altar of God… to the God of my youth, who back then brought me joy.

⁵ Why have You rejected my soul, and allowed me to be so upset? But I'll put hope in my God, and I'll sing praises to Him. Please save my life, O my God!

Psalm 44

To the director; a Contemplation of the sons of KorAh.

¹ O God; With our ears we've all heard about them, for our fathers told us about them… the deeds that You did in their days long ago. ² How, with Your hand You planted nations, and of how You also destroyed them… how You oppressed people and then drove them out. ³ For, they couldn't inherit land with their swords, nor could they be saved by their arms… just with Your right hand and arm, and by the light of Your face (if You liked them).

⁴ You are He, my King and my God, who gave the instructions for Jacob's salvation. ⁵ So, [we'll trust] that our enemies will be gored, and that in Your great Name, all rising against us will be treated with contempt. ⁶ So, I won't put trust in my bow, nor in my broadsword to save me, ⁷ but in He who saved us from those who oppressed us, and who disgraced the ones that detest us. ⁸ We will praise God every day, and through the ages speak well of His Name.

⁹ But now You've pushed us away in disgrace, and You, O God, do not lead our armies. ¹⁰ From our enemies You forced us to flee… You've given us as plunder to all those who hate us. ¹¹ Like sheep, You gave us as food, and You scattered us among nations. ¹² You treated Your people as worthless, and placed them as having no value. ¹³ You've made us the scorn of our neighbors, to be taunted and sneered at by all those around us. ¹⁴ You've made us a parable to the nations… as those at whom they just shake their heads.

¹⁵ All day long my shame stands before me, and I'm covered with the shame of my face. ¹⁶ I hear the voice of berating and disrespect, from our enemies who have carried us off. ¹⁷ Yet, though all these things have happened to us, we haven't forgotten our God, nor have we broken our Agreement with You. ¹⁸ We've not left our hearts in the rear, nor turned from the paths of Your Ways.

¹⁹ You've humbled us here in this place of oppression, and covered us in the shadow of death. ²⁰ Yet, if we'd forgotten the Name of our God, and fell into the hands of foreign gods, ²¹ shouldn't we have expected such things? For, He knows the secrets in our hearts.

²² Because of You we're killed all day long, and considered as sheep for the slaughter. ²³ So, wake up… why do You sleep, O Jehovah? Stand up… don't push us away 'til the end. ²⁴ O why have You turned Your face away, and forgotten our misery and affliction? ²⁵ For, our lives have been humbled to dust, and our bellies have been forced to the ground. ²⁶ So arise, O Jehovah, and help us! Ransom us for the sake of Your Name!

Psalm 45

To the director: Regarding the changes. An ode of contemplation of the loved one by the sons of KorAh.

¹ My heart has thrust out good words, and quickly I write my work to the king; for my tongue has become like a reed pen, as held in the hands of a scribe.

² More beautiful than the children of men, is the favor that pours from your lips. ³ And for this, may our God always be praised, into the ages of ages.

³ Strap your sword to your thigh in your beauty! ⁴ O mighty one; stretch tight your bow in fineness! Bless us and rule us in truth; in gentleness as well as in justice… with your wonderful right hand, direct us!

⁵ Sharpen your arrows, O mighty one. For, the peoples beneath you must fall… all enemies in the heart of the king.

⁶ Your throne, O [great one], is through ages of ages, and your Kingdom is led with your scepter so straight.

⁷ For, you've loved what is right and hated law breaking. And for this, The God who's your God, has anointed you with the oil, and praised you above all your peers.

⁸ Your clothes smell of myrrh, balsam, and fruit, that comes from palaces of ivory, ⁹ and the daughters of kings delight in your honor. Your queen stands at your right hand, in clothes embroidered with gold.

¹⁰ Hear O daughter and behold! Incline your ear and forget your own people… those in the house of your father. ¹¹ For the king has desired your beauty, and he is your [sovereign] lord.

¹² So bow low before him, you daughters of Tyre. And you who are rich, bring gifts to curry his favor.

¹³ The king's daughter is glorious within, and she's wrapped in clothes embroidered with gold.

¹⁴ Then all the virgins who follow in her train, (those closest to her) will be carried to you. ¹⁵ They will be carried in gladness and praising, and led to the king's Holy Abode.

¹⁶ In place of your fathers sons will be born, and you'll appoint them as rulers upon the whole earth.

¹⁷ From one generation to another, all will remember your name. All the peoples will praise you, through the age and the age of the ages.

Psalm 46

To the director; by sons of KorAh regarding secret things

¹ Our God is our refuge and powerful aid, against the many problems that come upon us. ² Because of this we won't be afraid, when the earth is disturbed and the mountains fall into the seas.

³ By His force the waters have roared, and all the mountains were bothered. ⁴ A river brings joy to the city of God… to the holy habitation of God. ⁵ God is in here, so she will not fall; for, morning-by-morning God brings her His aid.

⁶ Kingdoms were tilted and nations vibrated… the Most High shouted and the earth shook. ⁷ For, Jehovah of armies is with us; the God of Jacob is our shield.

⁸ Come and see the works of our God… the miracles that He's brought to our land! ⁹ For, He takes away wars to the ends of the earth… He destroys all of the bows, and burns all the weapons and shields in a fire.

¹⁰ 'Relax and know that I'm God. Among the nations I'll be raised high… I'll be raised high over the earth.'

¹¹ Yes, Jehovah of Armies is with us; the God of Jacob is our shield!

Psalm 47

For the director; by the sons of KorAh

¹ Clap your hands, all you nations; with a joyful cry, call out to our God! ² Fear Jehovah the Most High, because He's the King of the earth. ³ He has caused all the peoples to submit; He's put all the nations under our feet. ⁴ As His inheritance He chose us, for He loves the beauty of Jacob.

⁵ God ascended with a shout; from Jehovah the sound of the trumpet was heard. ⁶ So, play your music to our God; strum [your harps] to our King.

⁷ God is the King of the earth, so to God play your instruments well. ⁸ For, God rules over all nations; from His holy throne He is reigning.

⁹ Under AbraHam's God, the rulers of the peoples are gathered; for, He owns all kings of the earth, and by them He's greatly respected.

Psalm 48

A Psalm; an ode by the sons of KorAh for the second Sabbath.

¹ O how great is Jehovah… may He be praised in the city… our God on His Holy Mountain. ² Leap for joy, all you on the earth, for on the north side of Mount Zion, is the city of the great king. ³ In her palatial estates God is well known, for it is He who comes to her aid.

⁴ Look! The kings of the earth have assembled; they've come to this very same place! ⁵ When they saw this, they were amazed… they were shaken and disturbed. ⁶ Then they started to tremble, as with the pains of a woman giving birth.

⁷ With a violent wind, You'll break all the boats of Tarshish. ⁸ And just as we've heard, we will see, that the city of Jehovah Almighty (because it's the city of our God), has been founded by Him [to last] through the age.

⁹ We've received Your mercy, O God, as among Your people we stood. ¹⁰ O God, may Your Name be praised, to the ends of the earth; for, from Your right hand comes justice.

¹¹ O Mount Zion, be joyful; yes, shout in joy, you daughters of Judea, over the judgments of God. ¹² Encircle Zion and grab hold of her; describe all of her towers. ¹³ Keep her armies within Your Heart, and make her palaces strong, so they may be shown to future generations.

¹⁴ This is our God through the age, and into the ages of ages. For, into the age He'll watch over us.

Psalm 49

To the director; by the sons of KorAh.

¹ Listen to this, all you nations; give ear, all you who dwell in the land; ² you earth-born ones and sons of men, both the rich and the poor. ³ For, my mouth will now speak of wisdom, and the thoughts that my heart comprehended. ⁴ I will turn my ear to a proverb, and explain my riddle in song.

⁵ Why do I fear that wicked day, when the lawless are at my heels and surround me… ⁶ those who enforce their own power, and brag of their wealth before all?

⁷ May a brother serve as a man's ransom? Why, he can't pay God for even himself! ⁸ For, if he tries to ransom himself, through the age he'll grow weary of trying. ⁹ Thus, may he live 'till the end, so his body will not see corruption.

¹⁰ Whenever a wise man has died, with the foolish and mindless he passes away, and the wealth that he leaves is passed on to strangers. ¹¹ Thereafter, his home is his tomb… it's his tent from generation to generation. They may call their land by his name, ¹² but none [in the grave] see the honor in that.

[This man] is then like the cattle, for like them he thinks not at all. ¹³ This is the snare in their path, for they take pleasure in the things that they say, ¹⁴ but they go down to their graves just like sheep, and there they are tended by death. In that morning [when they awaken], they will be ruled by the upright, who're no help to them now in their graves, where they and their glory are banished. ¹⁵ For, only God can ransom our lives, from the hand of the grave, whenever He chooses to take us [from there].

¹⁶ So, be not in fear of those who grow rich, or those whose houses get glory. ¹⁷ For, when they die they take nothing along, and all of their glory goes with them. ¹⁸ Yet, while they live they think their lives blest, and men have given them praise.

¹⁹ But from one generation to another, they'll go down to their fathers, and through the ages they'll never see light. ²⁰ For a man of honor doesn't know, that he resembles the unthinking cattle, and [his end] is also like theirs.

Psalm 50

A Psalm of Asaph.

¹ Jehovah is the God of all gods, for He speaks and calls the sun from the east, where it crosses the earth to where it descends.

² It's from Zion that His beauty shines. ³ [From there] our God's coming will be seen, and He'll not be silent thereafter. For, a fire will go before Him and burn, and a gale will blow all around Him. ⁴ He'll call to the earth from the heavens above, and separate all of His people.

⁵ He'll gather His holy ones to Him (those who sacrifice to His Sacred Agreement), ⁶ then He'll announce His judgments 'cross the skies, for God is always our judge. ⁷ He'll say, 'Listen, O My people, and I'll speak; Hear, O IsraEl, and I'll testify; for I am God… I'm your God. ⁸ I'll not discipline you for your sacrifices, because whole burnt-offerings have always been there. ⁹ But I didn't want to take calves from your homes, nor your flocks or winter yearlings. ¹⁰ For, the beasts in the fields are already Mine, as are the cattle and oxen in the hills, ¹¹ and the winged creatures of the skies. Why, the beauty of the fields come from Me!

¹² 'If I would get hungry I'd not tell you, for all things in man's habitation are Mine. ¹³ Should I [wish to] eat the meat of bulls, or drink the blood of male goats? ¹⁴ Why not sacrifice to God an offering of praise, and render your vows to the Most High? ¹⁵ Then you'll call upon Me in the day of affliction, and I will [be there to] save you… and you will speak of My glory.'

¹⁶ But to the sinner God asked: 'Why do you take up My Laws, and speak with your mouth of My Sacred Agreement, ¹⁷ when you've hated all My instructions, and behind you thrown all My words? ¹⁸ Why, if you saw a thief you'd run with him, and you've cast your lot with those committing adultery. ¹⁹ Your mouth is filled with what's bad, and your tongue is twisted in lies. ²⁰ Against your own brother you sit and say bad things… you set snares for the son of your mother!

²¹ 'Then, because I didn't speak when you broke My Laws, you thought that I was like you. But I will soon discipline you… I'll stand in your face for your sins! ²² So notice, all you who've forgotten your God; for the time will come when He'll snatch you away, and no one will then come to save you. ²³ So, though you may offer Me glory, with sacrifices of praise, there's no way that I'll be there to save you.'

Psalm 51

To the director; A Psalm of David when the Prophet Nathan came to him over his taking BathSheba the wife of UriAh.

¹ Show mercy upon me O God, in Your abundant compassions. Wipe away my violation of Your Law; ² wash all my lawlessness away, and cleanse me of all my sins. ³ For I know all the laws I have broken, and my sin is ever before me.

⁴ Against You alone I have sinned, and it's a wicked thing that I've done. So, Your words against me are righteous, and I should be humble when I'm being judged.

⁵ Look! In lawlessness I was conceived, and in the strange food of sin, which I [learned to] crave from my mother.

⁶ {Look!} You've loved [exposing] the truth, about all things that are hidden, and the wisdom of what's hidden You've shown me. ⁷ So, sprinkle me now with branches of hyssop, so I can then become cleansed; wash me with the snow from above, so I can also be whitened.

⁸ Allow me to hear cheering and gladness, and my humbled bones will be joyful again. ⁹ Turn Your face away from my sins, and wipe all my lawlessness away!

¹⁰ O God; Create in me a heart that is clean, and renew me inside with a spirit that's upright. ¹¹ Don't reel and turn Your face in disgust, nor remove [from me] Your Holy Breath.

¹² Return to me the joy of salvation. Support me and give me Your Breath to rule [well]. ¹³ Then I will teach the lawless Your ways, and turn the irreverent back to You.

¹⁴ O, my Savior, God; From the guilt of this blood please save me, ³¹ then my tongue will shout in praise of Your justice. ¹⁵ O Jehovah; Then to You I'll open my lips, and with my mouth I will praise You.

¹⁶ If You wanted a sacrifice, I'd give it, but You don't think well of burnt offerings. ¹⁷ The sacrifice God wants is a spirit that's broken… He doesn't look down on a heart that's been humbled.

¹⁸ O Jehovah; In Your good will, do the best thing for Zion, and allow JeruSalem's walls to be built. ¹⁹ Think well of righteous sacrifices, then they'll bring burnt offerings to Your Altar.

Psalm 52

To the director; A Psalm of David's contemplation, regarding the time when DoEg the Idumean went to Saul to tell him that David had gone to the house of AbiMelek.

¹ O mighty one; Why do you boast of your evil, and your lawless ways throughout the day? ² Unrighteousness thinks of your tongue, as treacherous as the strap for a razor. ³ For, you've preferred evil to goodness, and what is unrighteous to telling the truth. ⁴ You have loved words that drown, as well as the tongue of deceit.

⁵ For this, our God will destroy you. He'll pluck you out of your tent, and [pull] your root from the land of the living. ⁶ Then of the righteous you will know fear, for they'll laugh and then say, ⁷ 'Look at that man, who didn't choose God as his helper, but rather put hope in his wealth, and in his foolish ways he felt strong.'

⁸ But in the House of my God, I'm like a tree of ripe olives. For, through the ages I've hoped in His mercy; through the ages I've hoped in my God. ⁹ Yes, through the ages I'll praise You, for You've finally brought me results. And I will trust in Your Name; because You provide for Your holy ones.

Psalm 53

To the director; A Psalm for the harp. A contemplation of David.

¹ 'There is no God,' says the fool in his heart. So, they're corrupt and disgusting, for they're [involved in] lawbreaking, and none of them do what is good!

² God looks down from His place in the sky, and watches men's sons to see if they notice, or if any are searching for Him.

³ They've all turned away and are useless; not one does good… not one! ⁴ Don't they know (those acting without law, those eating My people like bread) that they should call to Jehovah?

⁵ They're afraid when there's nothing to fear. And God scatters the bones, of those who try to please men. They live their lives in disgrace, for God then treats them all with contempt.

⁶ Who will be appointed from Zion, to become IsraEl's savior? Then God will return the captives of His people, as Jacob calls out in joy, and IsraEl [has reasons for] gladness.

Psalm 54

To the director; one of the hymns of contemplation by David, regarding the time when the Ziphites said to Saul, '{Look!} Isn't David hiding among us?'

¹ O God; For the sake of Your Name, please save me, and use Your power to judge me. ² O God, please hear my prayer, and listen to the words from my mouth. ³ For strangers have risen against me, and the strong who don't know You are seeking my life.

⁴ But look! God came and He helped me; Jehovah has shielded my life! ⁵ He returned what's bad to my enemies, and He used the truth to destroy them.

⁶ So, freely I'll offer sacrifices to You, and I will praise Your good Name. ⁷ For, from great danger You've saved me, and my eyes have seen the fulfillment of my prayers.

Psalm 55

To the director; one of the hymns of contemplation of Asaph.

¹ Give ear, O God, to my prayer; do not overlook the things for which I beg. ² Please pay attention and listen!

I was worried in my meditations; at the voice of my enemy I was disturbed, ³ and by the oppression of sinners. For, lawlessly they've turned against me, and in anger they've shown their rage.

⁴ My heart was pounding within me, and the fear of death came upon me… ⁵ I feared; I was shaking and covered by darkness. ⁶ So I begged, '{Please] give me the wings of a dove, so I can spread them and go find some rest!'

⁷ {Look!} I was far off and driven to exile… I was forced to live in the desert, ⁸ as I waited for someone to save me, from my own fears and the storm. ⁹ O Jehovah, please sink them! Make them speak different tongues! For I have seen how lawless they are, and I've heard their disputes in the city.

¹⁰ Day and night He'll encircle her walls, for lawlessness and misery dwell in her midst. ¹¹ There's always injustice within her squares, as well as treachery and high-interest loans.

¹² Had I been slandered by my enemy, I would just have endured it. And if someone who detests me had spoken great words, I would have just hidden from him. ¹³ But it's you, O man, someone like me… a leader of mine and a Seer! ¹⁴ It was you who once sweetened our food, and we lived in one house altogether!

¹⁵ May death come to them all, and may they go alive into their graves. For, wickedness travels among them, and it lives in their midst.

¹⁶ I cried out to God, and He heard me. ¹⁷ So at morning, noon, and at night, I'll tell Him the things that I want, and He'll listen to the things I request. ¹⁸ For peaceful things He will ransom my life… from those who were once on my side, but who now come and attack me. ¹⁹ God will listen and humiliate them (He who exists through the ages). There'll be none who can bargain with Him, since they've failed to show fear of God.

²⁰ He stretched out His hand and repaid, all those who've profaned His Sacred Agreement. ²¹ With the rage of His face He'll cut them to shreds, and then He will snatch out their hearts. For, though His words are as soft as olive oil, He can also use them like arrows.

²² Upon Jehovah throw all your worries, and He'll nourish and take care of you. For, He won't allow ages to pass, while the righteous are tossed all about.

²³ But You, O God, will lead those men of blood and deception, into the well of corruption. There's no way they will live even half of their days; for Jehovah, I'm trusting in You.

Psalm 56

To the director; for the people, from the holy things of David, for An inscription, [about the time] when the Philistines held him at Gath.

¹ Show mercy upon me O God, for a man has trampled on me all day long, and oppressed me in a great war. ² By my enemies I've been beaten all day; they've warred with me from the heights. ³ But I will not fear the day, for in You I'll [put all my] trust. ⁴ I'll praise God with my words all day long… I've put all my hope in [my] God, so I will not fear what flesh can do.

⁵ They've hated my words all day long, and just think of the bad they can do. ⁶ They run and hide and watch for my heel, as they patiently wait for my life. ⁷ Yet, You will not bring them salvation, and You will destroy all their rage.

⁸ O God; My whole life I've given to You, and You've noticed my tears as You promised. ⁹ So, on the day that I call out, You'll make my enemies retreat.

{Look!} I have known that you are my God, ¹⁰ so I will praise the council of God… I'll praise the words of Jehovah. ¹¹ I have put all my hope in my God, so I will not fear what men can do.

¹² Inside me, O God, are the vows that I've made to Your praise; ¹³ for, from death You've saved my life. So, in my eyes there are tears, since You didn't allow my feet to be tripped. Thus, in the light of the living, I can keep pleasing Jehovah.

Psalm 57

To the director; 'Do not Destroy,' by David. For an inscription on a monument regarding the time he ran away from Saul [and hid in] a cave.

¹ O God, show mercy on me… please show mercy on me! For, to You I have given my life, and in the shadow of Your wings I've put hope. Until this lawlessness has passed me by, ² I will call to God the Most High; the One by whom I am blest.

³ From heaven He's sent me protection; God heaped scorn on those walking on me. God sent His mercy and truth, ⁴ and saved my life from young lions.

Whenever I went to bed, by the sons of men I was troubled. For, their teeth are just like their weapons, and their arrows are as sharpened swords. ⁵ So, O God; Above the heavens may You be raised; lift Your glory above the whole earth.

⁶ They have set snares for my feet, and my soul they've brought to the ground. They've dug a cesspool in front of my face, but they are the ones who fell in it.

⁷ My heart is ready O God, and I'll sing and strum to You in my glory. ⁸ So, awaken my glory and wake up my harp, when I arise at the dawning. ⁹ Then among the peoples I'll praise You, O Lord, and among all the nations I'll strum to [Your Name]. ¹⁰ For, above the skies Your mercy is raised, and Your Truth is above all the clouds. ¹¹ So, above the heavens may You be raised… O God, may Your glory [shine] over the land.

Psalm 58

To the director; 'Do Not Destroy,' by David. An inscription on a monument.

¹ In righteousness will you not speak? Won't you righteously judge sons of men? ² From your hearts you've brought lawlessness into the land, and your hands are wrapped in injustice!

³ Sinners are [daily] born from the womb, and wander from the belly speaking lies. ⁴ Their rage is like that of snakes; and as asps that can't speak, they've plugged up their ears, ⁵ so they don't hear the sounds of [snake] charmers, [as they strike] with the potions of witches. ⁶ So, God has broken the teeth in their mouths… their molars of lions He's broken to bits.

⁷ He treats them with contempt, as though water… He'll stretch tight His bow 'til they're beaten. ⁸ They'll be removed like beeswax that melts… His fire will strike and they'll not see the sun. ⁹ As white-thorned shrubs He views their thorn-bushes, so He'll swallow them down still alive in His rage.

¹⁰ All will rejoice when they see how they're punished, for, in the blood of those sinners He'll wash His hands. ¹¹ And each man will then be forced to declare, that this the fruitage of justice; for, there's a God who brings justice to the land.'

Psalm 59

To the director; 'Do Not Corrupt' by David. An inscription on a monument about the time when Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him.

¹ From my enemies, save me! O God, ransom me from those who attack. ² Deliver me from those without law, and save me from men of blood.

³ {Look!} For my life they've been hunting… they've sent their mighty against me. And it's not because I've been lawless, O Lord, nor is it due to my sins! ⁴ Although I have broken no laws, from them I've had to flee… so, awaken to meet me and see!

⁵ O God, Jehovah of armies… O God of IsraEl, take notice… come and visit the nations! Don't pity those who are lawless… ⁶ may they come back starved in the evening, and like dogs may they roam through the town.

⁷ They shout with their swords to their lips, as they ask: 'Who is paying attention?' ⁸ But You, O Lord, should be laughing out loud, and treating those nations with contempt.

⁹ With all my might, You'll be my God, for You are my shield [and protector]. ¹⁰ The mercy of God goes before me, and He'll bring what I wish for my enemies.

¹¹ Don't kill them, so Your Laws will not be forgotten, but scatter them with Your great power. O my defender, Jehovah; have them be led far away! ¹² For the sins of their mouths and the words on their lips, let them be taken as captives… may they be cursed for their pride and their lies. ¹³ In Your rage, please consume them, so they no longer exist. Then they'll know Jacob's Master is God, to the ends of the earth.

¹⁴ When they return in the evening, may they all come back starving, and like dogs may they roam through the town. ¹⁵ May they be scattered to search for their food, and when they're not filled let them grumble.

¹⁶ I'll sing of all Your great power, and I'll praise Your mercies each morning; for, You are my shield and my refuge, in my day of distress.

¹⁷ You are my helper, so I'll strum to You; yes, to You, for You are my God. O God, You are my shield, and to me You've shown mercy.

Psalm 60

To the director; 'The Changings.' For an inscription on a monument by David, as a lesson about when he set the MesoPotamians of the Syrian [army] under SoBal, and when JoAb returned and cut down twelve thousand of Edom in the Salt Valley.

¹ O God; You've demolished and thrust us away, but though You were mad You felt pity. ² You have shaken the land and disturbed it, so now please heal the cracks that resulted.

³ You have taught Your people hard lessons; You have melted us down with the wine of Your rage. ⁴ But You've given a signal to those fearing You, to flee from the face of the bow. ⁵ You saved all those whom You love, so hear me and save me with Your hands!

⁶ From His Holy Place our God spoke, He said: 'I'll shout and then divide SheChem… the Valley of Tents I'll divide. ⁷ Gilead is Mine and ManasSeh is Mine; Ephraim is the fort of My head, and Judah is the place of My king. ⁸ And over Idumea He said: Moab is the kettle of My hope; for I will stretch out My sandal, and make the Philistines surrender.'

⁹ Who can bring me to the city's citadel, and who can guide Me to Idumea? ¹⁰ Wasn't it You, O God, who thrust us away? O God; won't You travel with our army?

¹¹ O help us in our affliction, for the salvation of man is in vain. ¹² Only by God do we have any might… He can treat with contempt all those who oppress us.

Psalm 61

To the director; one of the hymns of David. A Psalm.

¹ Listen, O God, to the things that I beg… please pay attention to my prayer. ² From the ends of the earth I called out to You, when my heart was discouraged at the Rock; then You lifted me high and gave me direction.

³ When faced by my enemies, You were my hope; You were my tower and strength. ⁴ So, I'll go to Your Tent through the ages; I'll seek shelter in the protection of Your wings. ⁵ For You, O God, have heard what I vowed, and an inheritance You'll give to those fearing Your Name.

⁶ Day after day, add life to the king, into generations of generations. ⁷ Through the ages, may he live before God, and search for His truth and His mercy. ⁸ Then through the ages I'll sing to Your Name, and render my vows every day.

Psalm 62

To the director; for IdiThun. A Psalm by David.

¹ Shouldn't my life be given to God? In His salvation shouldn't I trust? ² For, He is my God and my Savior… He is my shield, so I'll not fear [when I fight] larger armies.

³ How long will You pile so much upon man? For, we are all like leaning walls, or fences that have many gaps… and then You bring death to each one.

⁴ They've conspired to remove all my honor, so from them I ran away. For, though they blest with their mouths, in their hearts they just cursed me.

⁵ But I have submitted my soul to my God, and trusted in Him to survive. ⁶ He is my God and my Savior; He's my shield, so I'll never leave Him. ⁷ God's my salvation and glory… He's my hope, so I'll trust in Him.

⁸ You of the gathering should put hope in Him… He is you helper, so [to Him] pour out your hearts. ⁹ In the sons of men put no hope, for they are all like false weights, which are used to cheat you on scales… to mislead and do you wrong. ¹⁰ And don't put your hope in what is unrighteousness… don't long for things you can steal; or should great wealth stand before you, don't let it enter your hearts.

¹¹ God once spoke, and I heard Him say these two things: 'Might comes from God… ¹² from Jehovah comes mercy; and He pays back each one back for the things that he does.'

Psalm 63

A Psalm by David about the time he spent in the desert of Idumea.

¹ O God (my God), I rise early for You, because my soul thirsts for You. How often has my flesh longed for You, in a land that is barren, unwalked, and dry. ² So, to Your Holy Place I have come, to behold Your power and glory; ³ for Your mercy is better than life, so my lips will [sing to Your Name].

⁴ With my whole life I will praise You, and Your Name I will lift with my hands. ⁵ May my life become filled with the fatness of fat, and with lips of joy may my mouth offer praise.

⁶ I'm thinking of You as I lie on my bed… meditating of You at dawn's breaking. ⁷ Because You're my helper, I shout in joy, as I lie in the protection of Your wings.

⁸ To You my soul will stick closely, and I will grab hold of Your right hand; ⁹ for, there are those who are seeking my life. So, to the depths of the ground may they go. ¹⁰ May they be given to the hands of the sword… the reward of the foxes may they receive.

¹¹ But the king will find joy in [his] God, and swear an oath unto Him; for He has stopped up the mouths, of those who speak unrighteous things.

Psalm 64

To the director; A Psalm by David.

¹ O God; please hear my voice, for I am begging before You. Of my enemies I am afraid, so please come save my life! ² From the conspiracy of the wicked give me shelter… from the crowd of all the unrighteous. ³ For, they've sharpened their tongues just like broadswords, and in bitterness stretched tight their bows, ⁴ to shoot from hiding at the unblemished… they'll shoot at him and not fear.

⁵ They've decided to do something evil; they've described how to hide all their snares; and then they asked, 'Who will see them?' ⁶ Lawless ways they've searched out, but they have failed in their search; for, not a single man would come forward, who had any depth in his heart.

⁷ Yes, may God be praised; for, the inexperienced ways of [their bowmen], is what brought calamity upon them. ⁸ Though they spoke in contempt with their tongues, and all who viewed them were frightened… ⁹ of the works of my God their men were in awe, once they saw that He [truly was with me].

¹⁰ May the upright find joy in Jehovah, and in Him put all their trust, for He blesses those with straight hearts.

Psalm 65

To the director; A Psalm of David.

¹ From Zion I'm sending this hymn, O God; from JeruSalem I'm sending this vow; ² so please hear this prayer [that I offer]; for, before You all flesh must come.

³ Though we've been overcome by the words of the lawless, our irreverence You've still covered over. ⁴ Blest are those whom You've chosen and claimed, for, in Your courtyards they'll camp. And there we'll be filled with good things, from Your House and Your Holy Tent.

⁵ Your righteousness leaves us in awe, so hear us our Savior, O God! ⁶ You're the hope of all to the ends of the earth, and the ones far away on the sea. It was You who made mighty mountains, ⁷ and it's You who brings disturbance to the seas… O who can stand at the sound of their waves? ⁸ But that's how nations will soon be disturbed, and those dwelling at the ends [of the earth] will know fear.

⁹ Your signs bless the comings of mornings and evenings; You've made the earth drunk with Your visits. From the river of God You've enriched it; You've nourished it with water that You have prepared.

¹⁰ You've sent [much water to the ground], to saturate the rows and make them produce. You've sent her drops to make everything grow, and there's joy in watching them spring from the ground.

¹¹ You graciously bless the crown of the year, when Your plains are filled up with fatness. ¹² The beautiful mountains will also be fat, and this will be true of the desert. Then wrapped [in green] the hills will become; ¹³ there'll be wool on the rams and the sheep, and in the valleys much grain will then grow, so they'll cry out to You and sing praises.

Psalm 66

To the director; a Psalm of awakening.

¹ Shout to Jehovah, all you on the earth; ² play [a song] to His Name! Shout in praise of His Glory! ³ Say to God, 'Your works must be feared. In the magnitude of Your power, may all Your enemies lie. ⁴ May the whole earth bow down before You, and strum [songs] to You in the heights.'

⁵ Come witness the works of our God! They're more to be feared than decisions of men. ⁶ For, He changed the sea to dry land, and the river they crossed on their feet.

In Him all should find joy, ⁷ for He's the master in His domain. His eyes have watched the nations for ages; so, may those who enrage Him not set themselves high.

⁸ Praise our God, O you nations… shouts of praise let everyone hear! ⁹ For, He's the One who gave my soul life, and allowed nothing to be thrown [to stumble] my feet.

¹⁰ You have tried us, O God; You have refined us like silver. ¹¹ You've led us into the snare, and upon our backs laid oppression. ¹² Over our heads You've put men; but through fire and water You led us to rest.

¹³ So, with whole burnt offerings I'll go to Your House, and render to You all my vows… ¹⁴ those things that my lips have opened to say; the words my mouth said in affliction.

¹⁵ Burnt offerings filled with marrow and incense I'll bring, along with rams, winter yearlings, and oxen. ¹⁶ Come listen to me and I'll tell you, of my fear of my God, and the things He has done for my life.

¹⁷ To Him my mouth has cried out, and with my tongue I said this: ¹⁸ 'If in my heart You've found injustice, don't listen to me, O Jehovah.' ¹⁹ And then He listened to me… He heard the voice of my prayers! ²⁰ So, may God be praised, for He didn't ignore the things that I prayed, and for not removing His mercy.

Psalm 67

To the director; A Psalm of David from among the hymns.

¹ O God, feel pity and bless us; show mercy and shine Your face upon us.

² Throughout the whole earth may Your ways be made known, and may all nations know how You save… ³ may all peoples come to know You, O God; may everyone know of Your [fame].

⁴ O nations be glad and cry out, for You'll judge the peoples in straightness… the nations of the earth You will guide.

⁵ May all the peoples come to know You, O God; may everyone know of Your [fame].

⁶ The earth has given her fruit; so, bless us O God, our God. ⁷ May God give us His blessings, and may He be feared to the ends of the earth.

Psalm 68

To the director; a Psalm of David.

¹ May God arise and scatter all His enemies; may those who detest Him flee from His face. ² Like smoke may they just blow away, and melt like beeswax in fire.

That's how the sinners will all be destroyed, before the face of our God. ³ But the righteous have reason for gladness, so, may they shout in joy in the presence of God… may they be happy and blest!

⁴ Sing to God! Strum to His Name! Open the way to the One riding west… Jehovah is His [great] Name! May all shout before Him in joy, and before His face may all be disturbed. ⁵ For, He is a Father to orphans, and He provides justice to widows… such is our God in His Holy Place.

⁶ God settles common people in their homes, and leads out prisoners bound in shackles. He does the same for those who are bitter, and those who are dwelling in tombs.

⁷ O God, as You passed by Your people, and as You were crossing the desert, ⁸ the earth shook and skies dripped with water, before the face of the God of Sinai… before the face of IsraEl's God.

⁹ O God; Upon Your inheritance You chose to send rain; though there was little, You chose to restore it. ¹⁰ Why, by it You give life to beasts, and Your kindness provides for the poor.

¹¹ The Great God Jehovah will speak, and announce good news to our army. ¹² Then the king of the armies of His loved ones, will divide the spoils in his palace.

¹³ Although you may camp between ash heaps, you will still sleep amidst doves… those with silver wings, and green and gold on their backs.

¹⁴ The Heavenly One scatters kings, and makes them like snow on Mount Selmon… ¹⁵ the mountain of God and Hill of BaShan; the fourth great mountain of provision. ¹⁶ O mountains; why would God choose to dwell upon you, for Jehovah camps at the extremes, ¹⁷ and the chariots of God number in the millions. Yet, from His Holy Place on Mount Sinai, the Lord sends His provisions.

¹⁸ He stepped up to the highest place, and carried off captivity as a captive; then he gave gifts to the men, and he camped among all who resisted. ¹⁹ So, praise Jehovah our God! Praise Jehovah each day! For, You are He who has blest us, O God; yes, You are our Savior.

²⁰ Our God is the God of salvation… from the brink of death He has saved [us]! ²¹ But God will shatter His enemies' heads… the tops of hairy heads of those walking in sin.

²² Jehovah spoke and He said: 'From BaShan I will return them; I'll bring them back from the depths of the sea. ²³ Then your feet will be dipped in your enemy's blood, and stain the tongues of your dogs.'

²⁴ O God; From Your Holy Place Your travels are seen; the goings of my God the King. ²⁵ Rulers have traveled before You, followed by women playing harps and tambourines. ²⁶ May God be praised in the gathering, all the way to IsraEl's springs. ²⁷ Astonishingly, young BenJamin was the ruler, of the princes of Judah and their governors, and the rulers of ZebuLun and NaphTali.

²⁸ Give orders, O God, to Your power; make stronger the things that You do among us; ²⁹ then, the kings [of the earth] will bring gifts to You… to Your Holy Place in JeruSalem. ³⁰ Scold the wild beasts that live in the reeds, and the bulls that are scattered among heifers. Lock up the people who by silver are seduced, and scatter the nations… all those that want war.

³¹ Ambassadors are coming from Egypt, and Ethiopians will lead them with their hands out to God. ³² O you kingdoms of the earth; sing before God and play music; ³³ strum to Jehovah who lives in the sky… in the heavens above in the east. {Look} He will shout in a powerful voice! ³⁴ So give glory to IsraEl's God, for His majesty and power [can be seen] in the clouds.

³⁵ God's wonders are in His most Sacred Place; it's where IsraEl's God sends His power; it's where He fortifies His people… praise God!

Psalm 69

To the director; for the changes. A Psalm of David.

¹ Save me please, O my God, for my soul [is drowning] in water. It's deep and slimy, and I have no support… ² I've gone down in the depths of the sea, for the winds of a gale have sunk me.

³ From shouting I've become very tired, and my throat is now very sore. And though my eyes have too failed me, I have put trust in my God. ⁴ For, my enemies number more than the hairs on my head… they are those who detest me. My foes are now very strong… those driving me out unjustly. And things that I took not by force, I'm now required to repay.

⁵ O God; You know all my foolishness and sins; from You they are never concealed. ⁶ So, may those who are trusting in You O God, never be ashamed over me. O Jehovah of armies; may they not be ashamed over me… all those who seek IsraEl's God.

⁷ Because of You I am scorned, and my face has been covered in shame. ⁸ I've been driven away from my brothers… I'm a stranger to the sons of my mother. ⁹ Although zeal for Your House has consumed me, the scorn of blasphemers has fallen upon me. ¹⁰ My life is now wrapped up in fasting, and this gives them reason to laugh. ¹¹ For, when I was covered in sackcloth, I became like a parable among them.

¹² Those sitting at the gates are pondering me, and even the drunks sing about me. ¹³ But to You, O Jehovah, I will cry out in prayer… O God, I'll await Your chosen time, when in Your mercy You'll heed me, and show them the truth of Your saving power.

¹⁴ O save me, so I don't stay stuck in this mud! Pull me from the waters of those who detest me! ¹⁵ May the gale not sink me in water, nor swallow me down in the mouth of its well. ¹⁶ Listen to me, O Jehovah, for Your mercies are all very kind. In Your compassion, look down upon me! ¹⁷ Don't turn Your face from Your servant; in my affliction please heed me! ¹⁸ Give attention to my soul and pay my ransom; because of my enemies, save me!

¹⁹ You know of my scorn, my shame, and remorse. For, before You those hating me look on in scorn. ²⁰ In the misery of my life I thought others would grieve, but they didn't exist or bring comfort. ²¹ As food they offered me bile, and vinegar they offered to quench my thirst. ²² But, may their table become their own snare; in repayment, may it stand in their way. ²³ May their eyes become dark and not see, and their backs be bent over double. ²⁴ Pour out Your anger upon them; may they be caught in Your rage. ²⁵ May the houses they own become empty, and may no one live in their tents. ²⁶ For, they've chased the one that You struck, and added to the pain of my wounds. ²⁷ For their lawless ways, may they see lawless ways; may they not enter Your justice. ²⁸ From the Scroll of the Living may their names be erased, and may their names not be written with the righteous.

²⁹ I stand in Your presence, poor and in pain; O God, take hold of me please. ³⁰ I'll praise the Name of my God… with a song I will sing of His glory. ³¹ Then, God above will be pleased, with a hoofed calf sprouting horns. ³² Let all the poor people see it, and let them also rejoice.

Inquire of God and your soul will then live, ³³ for Jehovah hears those who're in need, as well as those wearing shackles… He'll never treat you with contempt. ³⁴ So, praise Him you heavens, you earth, and you sea, and all the things that might crawl there, ³⁵ for Zion will be saved by our God; the cities of Judah will be rebuilt; and the people will inherit and live there. ³⁶ The seed of Your servants will own it, and those loving Your Name will encamp there.

Psalm 70

To the director; A Psalm of David in remembrance of his being saved by Jehovah.

¹ O God, please hear me and help me; O Jehovah, rush to my aid! ² May those seeking my life feel shame and remorse; may those wishing to harm me retreat in disgrace. ³ May those saying of me, 'Well done, well done,' turn back and then be ashamed. ⁴ May those who seek You be glad and rejoice; may those loving Your salvation praise Jehovah. ⁵ Help me, O God, for I'm poor and in need… You're my helper and Savior, so please do not delay!

Psalm 71

A Psalm of David that was sung by the sons of JoNadab who were the first to be carried off as captives.

¹ Upon You, O Jehovah, I've put my hope, so may I not be disgraced through the age. ² In Your justice, please save me and take me. Incline Your ear and deliver! ³ Become to me a God of defense, and carry me to a fortified place. To me You're real, so please save me; for You are truly my refuge.

⁴ From the hands of sinners God saves me… from the lawless and those doing wrong. ⁵ O Jehovah, You're my endurance… the One whom I've trusted since I was young. ⁶ I have stayed with You from the womb; from the belly of my mother You've been my shelter, so to You I will always sing praises.

⁷ A miracle You've become to so many, and You are my helper and fortress. ⁸ So, may my mouth sing in praise of Your glory, and Your majesty throughout the whole day. ⁹ When I grow old don't toss me away; don't abandon me when my strength has failed.

¹⁰ My enemies all met and against me they spoke; together those seeking my life laid their plots, ¹¹ saying; 'God's left him, so let's chase him and catch him; for, there's no one to come to his aid.'

¹² O my God, don't stay far away; my God, pay attention and help me! ¹³ May those who slander my soul fail in shame. May those wishing me bad feel shame and remorse.

¹⁴ In You I will always put trust; in addition to this, I will praise You. ¹⁵ My mouth will speak of Your justice all day, and I'll proclaim Your salvation in writing.

¹⁶ I will walk in the might of Jehovah. O Lord, I will speak of Your justice. ¹⁷ O God, from my youth You have taught me, and now I'll speak of Your wonders.

¹⁸ O my God; When I'm old and grey don't forsake me, 'til I've spoken of Your mighty arm, to all the coming generations. ¹⁹ I'll tell of Your justice and might, O my God, and of the magnificent things You have done. O God; Who can be likened to You?

²⁰ You've shown me bad times and affliction, and then You turned and gave back my life. From the abyss You brought me back; out of the ground You have led me.

²¹ With the abundance of Your greatness You blest me… You returned to offer me comfort. And then You led me from the abyss… You led me up out of the ground.

²² O Jehovah; I'll praise You among all the peoples; I'll play songs to Your truth, O my God. O Holy One of all IsraEl; To You I'll strum on my harp. ²³ I'll shout in praise as I strum before You, for You have ransomed my life. ²⁴ With my tongue I'll speak of Your justice, when those doing bad are shamed and remorseful.

Psalm 72

For Solomon; A Psalm of David.

¹ O God, give Your judgments to the king, and to the king's son teach justice, ² so Your people will be judged in justice, and the poor will be treated in fairness.

³ Let the mountains be lifted in peace to Your people, and may the hills also offer them justice. ⁴ May he give justice to the poor; may he save the sons of the needy, and humble those who'd extort them.

⁵ As long as the sun, may he live… for generations of generations like the moon. ⁶ May he be like rain upon fleece, and as raindrops that fall to the ground.

⁷ May his days stand for justice and peace, until the moon is no more. ⁸ From sea to sea may he rule, and from river to the ends of [our] habitation.

⁹ Before him may the Ethiopians fall; may his enemies all lick the dust. ¹⁰ May Kings of Tharsis and the islands bring presents; may kings of Saba and Arabia offer gifts. ¹¹ May the kings of the earth bow low before him… may all the nations give service to him. ¹² Because he'll save the poor from the mighty, as well as the needy, who have no one else to give them aid.

¹³ May he spare the poor and the needy; may he save the lives of those without much. ¹⁴ From interest and injustice he'll ransom their souls, and his name will be valued among them.

¹⁵ Long may he live, and may he be given Arabian gold. May he always be prayed for; may his name be praised every day. ¹⁶ Let grain abound throughout the land; on the tops of the hills may it sway. Let its fruit flourish like Lebanon's trees; let it thrive like the grass of the fields. ¹⁷ May his name be praised through the ages; may his name endure [as long as] the sun. May the tribes of the earth praise his name; may all the nations call him blest.

¹⁸ Praise Jehovah, IsraEl's God, for it's He alone who does wonders! ¹⁹ Praise His Name and glory through the ages, and through the age of the ages! May all the earth be filled with His glory… amen, amen, may it be.

²⁰ This is the end of the hymns of David, the son of Jesse.

Psalm 73

A Psalm of Asaph.

¹ O how good is IsraEl's God, to those who have hearts that are straight!

² Once my feet were unsteady, and I slipped and fell in my tracks. ³ For, I became jealous for things that are wrong, as I noticed the peace of the wicked. ⁴ Why, they have no fear of death, nor is there proof that they've ever been whipped. ⁵ They never work hard as other men do, nor like them are they beaten.

⁶ Because of this, they are proud to the end; in injustice and irreverence they wrap themselves. ⁷ Their injustice pours from their fatness, as they follow the ways of their hearts.

⁸ First they think, then they speak wicked things; in their pride they speak of injustice. ⁹ They set heaven against their own mouths, as their tongues go down under the ground.

¹⁰ Yet, my people will return despite all of this, and then full days will they find. ¹¹ But they will ask, 'Doesn't God know? Isn't this all known above? ¹² Look! The sinners continue to prosper, and through the ages hold onto their wealth!'

¹³ My heart's justified foolish things… in innocent things I've washed my hands. ¹⁴ So, I deserve whippings all through the day, and to be scolded each morning.'

¹⁵ I said: 'This is the way and now I'll describe it… Look! With Your sons I've broken the contract! ¹⁶ But I've reconsidered, and now it weighs heavy upon me, ¹⁷ so I'll go to God's [Tent] to see the results.

¹⁸ For their deceits He's appointed them bad things… He's thrown them down from exalted positions. ¹⁹ How far they've come to meet destruction… because they are lawless, they're suddenly gone.

²⁰ O Jehovah; While I was awake I dreamed of Your city, and I saw how You'll treat them contemptuously. ²¹ Then my heart came on fire and my kidneys were changed. ²² For, I was the one deserving contempt… an unthinking brute I'd become.

²³ But, despite all I've done, You never left me… You held me by my right hand. ²⁴ You gave me correction and led me, then received me back in Your glory.

²⁵ Now, what do I have in the heavens, and (other than You) what needs do I have on this earth? ²⁶ O God; My heart and my flesh have both failed… now, through the age You're my portion and strength.

²⁷ {Look!} All those will perish who stay far from You… those unfaithful to You You'll destroy. ²⁸ But stay with me, O my God, for it's good that I trust in Jehovah. May I ever sing in Your praise at the gates, before the daughters of Zion.

Psalm 74

A Psalm of contemplation by Asaph.

¹ O God; Why have You pushed us away to the end? Why are You angry with the sheep in Your pasture? ² Remember the gathering You acquired at the start – the rod of Your inheritance and those whom You ransomed – when You first camped on Mount Zion.

³ Turn Your steps to these ruins… see what the enemy did to Your Holy Place. ⁴ For, those who hate You now feel they can brag, and on Your Holy Day claim success as their sign.

⁵ They do not know that this came from above, so they went to the woods and cut down the trees, ⁶ then with axes and chisels they broke down our gates; ⁷ then they burned Your [Tent] to the ground. They've profaned the Tent of Your Name, ⁸ and said in their hearts to their brothers: 'Let's drive God's Holy Days from the land; ⁹ for, they've not seen signs, nor have they a Prophet, and God knows them not anymore.'

¹⁰ How long, O God, will our enemies be allowed to berate us? Will they oppose Your Name through the age? ¹¹ O why have You taken Your right hand away, and held Your hand to Your chest?

¹² Yet, our God the King lives through ages, and He brings salvation to our land. ¹³ Why, You held back the sea with Your power, and broke the heads of the dragons in the water. ¹⁴ You fractured the head of the beast, and fed him to the black peoples. ¹⁵ You tore open their rivers and springs, and dried their creeks that always held water.

¹⁶ The days are all Yours, and so are the nights; for it's You who created the sun and the moon. ¹⁷ It's You who set the earth's boundaries, and it's You who made summer and spring. ¹⁸ So, remember all of this, Your creation!

An enemy is berating Jehovah, and the foolish are provoking His Name. ¹⁹ Don't leave the praise of Your Name to wild beasts, and don't forget those in need to the end.

²⁰ Yes, they've overlooked Your Sacred Agreement, and the whole land is now darkened, by homes of lawbreakers. ²¹ But don't turn from those who are humbled and disgraced, for the poor and needy still praise Your Name.

²² Stand up, O God, and judge Your great cause… remember those fools who ridicule You! ²³ And do not forget the voice of Your servants, or the pride of all those who hate You, that ascends throughout the whole day.

Psalm 75

To the director; Do Not Destroy. A Psalm of Asaph.

¹ I will praise You, O God; of You I will speak and I'll call on Your Name. I will describe all Your wonders, ² and at the right time [You'll] bring righteous judgment. ³ For the land has just melted away, as have all who live on it, though You are the One who made its columns strong.

⁴ I have spoken to all the unrighteous, and told them not to break laws. And to the sinners I said: 'Don't raise your [battle] horns high. ⁵ Do not raise your horns to the heights, or speak unrighteously of God. ⁶ For, you cannot escape to the valleys, or into the deserts or mountains. ⁷ Because God is our judge, He humbles one while raising another.'

⁸ A cup is in the hand of Jehovah, that's filled with wine that is pure. Though He leans it this way and that, the wine and its dregs never spill… and from it the sinners must soon drink their fill.

⁹ Through the age I'll shout in praise to Jehovah; to the God of Jacob I'll strum. ¹⁰ For, the trumpets of the sinners He'll shatter, and the horns of the righteous He'll raise.

Psalm 76

To the director; one of the Psalms of Asaph. An ode about Assyria.

¹ God is made known in Judea, and in IsraEl His Name is now great. ² His home is in Zion, so His place now knows peace. ³ It's here that He broke the bows, shields, and broadswords, and brought an [end] to the war.

⁴ From the mountain of ages You sent forth the light, ⁵ and disturbed all those with senseless hearts.

All wealthy men went to sleep, and then in their hands they found nothing. ⁶ The men riding horses slept also, and You laughed at them, God of Jacob. ⁷ For, You are to be feared and none can oppose You; so, how much longer will Your rage continue?

⁸ From the heavens Your decisions were heard, as the land was still and in fear. ⁹ But then You stood up in justice, O God, to save the meek of the land. ¹⁰ So the thoughts inside men give You praise, and what's left in their minds celebrate You.

¹¹ Make a vow and then pay it to Jehovah… all you who live near, bring Him gifts! ¹² Of Him [you must] be in fear, for He breaks the spirits of rulers… so of Him all kings are in terror.

Psalm 77

To the director; a Psalm of Asaph for IdiThun.

¹ With my voice I called to Jehovah… I shouted to God [in hope] that He'd hear. ² In the day of attack I begged to my God… my hands were [folded] before Him all night. I could not [find any comfort], and my soul refused to find rest, ³ for I thought of my God and was bothered. And when I thought, my spirit grew faint. ⁴ Then, when I closed my eyes, all I could see was those who oppose me… which disturbed me so much that I couldn't speak.

⁵ So, I reasoned about days of old, and remembered the years of the ages. ⁶ In my heart I gave it much thought; then I remembered my songs in the night, and my breath became still. ⁷ Will God reject me through the ages? Will the Lord care about me no more? ⁸ Through the age will His mercy be gone? Through generations will He not reply? ⁹ Will God forget to show pity? In His rage, will He forget His compassions?

¹⁰ Then I said, 'I'll make a change… and perhaps there'll be a change in His right hand. ¹¹ I'll remember the works of Jehovah, and think of how all His wonders began. ¹² On the things He has done I'll meditate… I'll contemplate all His works.'

¹³ O God; Your ways can be found in Your [Tent], for what God is as great as our God? ¹⁴ You are the God who does wonders… among all mankind Your powers are known. ¹⁵ With Your arm You've ransomed Your people… the sons of Jacob and JoSeph.

¹⁶ O God, the waters beheld You; they looked at You and their depths were in fear. ¹⁷ Rain and thunder came from the clouds, and Your arrows shot near and far. ¹⁸ From the thundering of Your wheels there came lightning, which trembled and shook all of man's habitation.

¹⁹ Your ways can be found in the seas, and Your roads are [covered by] rivers, so Your footsteps can never be known. ²⁰ But You guided Your people like sheep, through the hands of Moses and Aaron.

Psalm 78

A contemplation of Asaph.

¹ O my people; Pay attention to my law! Lean your ears to the words from my mouth. ² For, my mouth will now speak illustrations; I'll talk in riddles from the start.

³ We've heard of it so many times, for our fathers told us about them. ⁴ From their children they didn't hide it, for they told it to each generation… [they spoke] in praise of Jehovah and His rule, and of all the wondrous things He has done.

⁵ He has provided a witness in Jacob; in IsraEl He put law. He gave orders to the fathers to teach it to their sons, ⁶ so each generation would know, and the sons being born would pass it along, ⁷ so that all would put trust in God, and never forget the things He has done, or to inquire about His Commandments, ⁸ so they'll not be crooked like those who came before. They were a crooked and a bitter generation, which did not straighten their hearts, and had a spirit that God didn't trust.

⁹ Sons of Ephraim stretched their bows and they shot, and saved in the day of the battle. ¹⁰ But they failed to keep their Agreement with God, and His Laws they wished not to follow. ¹¹ They forgot all the good things He's done, and all the wonders He'd shown them; ¹² the wonders He showed to their fathers in Egypt, as well as in the Plains of Tanis, ¹³ when He tore open the sea and led them on through it, and stood up the waters as though in a bag. ¹⁴ He led them with a cloud throughout the day, and by the light of a fire through each night. ¹⁵ Then He split the rock in the desert, and from a deep abyss gave them something to drink. ¹⁶ For, He brought water from a stone, and a river thereafter flowed from it.

¹⁷ But then they turned and sinned against Him; they embittered the Most High at Horeb. ¹⁸ They put God to the test in their hearts, when they demanded the food their souls craved. ¹⁹ They spoke ill of God when they asked, 'Can't God set a table in the desert?'

²⁰ Yet, He struck the rock and from it flowed water; a stream poured across the whole land. So, how could they ask if He'd provide bread, or prepare a table for His people? ²¹ Then Jehovah heard all of this, which made Him angry with them. Thus, He lit a fire within Jacob, and brought His rage upon IsraEl. ²² For they failed to put trust in their God, and in His power to save them.

²³ Then He gave orders to the clouds far above, and the doors of the heavens were opened. ²⁴ Manna rained down for them to consume; the bread of heaven He gave them. ²⁵ So, the bread of angels men ate, and He sent them enough to make them full. ²⁶ Thereafter, He sent the wind from the sky; by His power He brought the winds from the south, ²⁷ and it rained meat upon them like dust; winged feathered creatures as the sands of the sea. ²⁸ They fell in the midst of their camp, and around all of their tents. ²⁹ So they ate and became very full… He brought them all they desired. ³⁰ They weren't deprived of the things that they wished; but while the food was still in their mouths, ³¹ the anger of God came upon them.

There amid plenty He killed them; the chosen of IsraEl He had pushed back. ³² For, in all these things they had sinned, since they didn't trust in His wonders. ³³ So, they ended their days there in folly, and their years concluded too soon. ³⁴ Then after He killed, they turned back to seek Him; they arose early to search for their God. ³⁵ They remembered that God was their helper; it was the Most High God who'd redeemed them.

³⁶ And though with their mouths they told how they loved Him, with their tongues they also told lies. ³⁷ With Him their hearts were not straight, nor did they trust His Agreement. ³⁸ Yet, He felt pity and covered their sins; He did not destroy and show them His rage, or allow His anger to blaze. ³⁹ He remembered that they are just flesh; like winds that blow by and never return.

⁴⁰ They made Him bitter in the desert, and provoked Him to anger in a waterless land. ⁴¹ Then they turned and put God to the test; the Holy One of IsraEl they enraged. ⁴² They did not remember His hand on that day, when He used it to ransom them from their oppression; ⁴³ or of how He brought the signs upon Egypt, and in the Plain of Tanis brought miracles; ⁴⁴ of how He turned their rain and rivers to blood, so they were unable to drink it. ⁴⁵ Then He sent fleas among them to bite them, followed by frogs which brought ruin. ⁴⁶ Thereafter, He appointed blight on their fruit, and sent them the misery of locusts. ⁴⁷ He killed their grapevines with hail, and their sycamore trees with cold frost. ⁴⁸ He brought down the hail on their cattle, and burned their possessions in fire.

⁴⁹ Then He sent them the anger of His rage, by commissioning wicked angels against them… ⁵⁰ He opened the road of His anger, and spared not their lives from death. And even the lives of their cattle, were also consigned then to death.

⁵¹ He struck all the firstborn in Egypt; He brought misery upon tents of Ham. ⁵² Then He parted His people like sheep, and like flocks He led them into the desert. ⁵³ They weren't afraid, so He led them, then their enemies He covered in the sea. ⁵⁴ To His Holy Mountain He brought them; those whom He had repurchased, with His mighty right hand. ⁵⁵ Before His face He drove away nations, creating an inheritance for them. Then He allowed them to set up their camps… the tents of IsraEl's tribes.

⁵⁶ But they tested and embittered God the Most High, and His [Laws] they would not keep. ⁵⁷ They turned and annulled their [Agreement with Him], and became crooked bows like their fathers. ⁵⁸ In their hills they provoked Him to rage, and made Him jealous with things they'd carved [with their hands].

⁵⁹ God heard what they'd done, so He turned away, and treated IsraEl with contempt. ⁶⁰ The Tent in Shiloh He pushed away; the Tent where He camped among men. ⁶¹ Then into captivity He handed their strength… their beauty to their enemy's hands. ⁶² He handed His people to broadswords… His inheritance He overlooked. ⁶³ Their young men were burned up in fires, and their virgins were never mourned. ⁶⁴ Their Priests all fell by the sword, and no one wept for their widows.

⁶⁵ Then Jehovah awakened from sleep, as a Mighty One dizzy from wine. ⁶⁶ He struck His enemies and made them retreat, and appointed them scorn through the ages. ⁶⁷ But the tent of JoSeph He rejected, and the tribe of Ephraim He didn't choose. ⁶⁸ The tribe of Judah He chose on Mount Zion, which was the place that He loved, ⁶⁹ and there He built His Holy Place… He laid its foundation out on the ground, [as something to last] through the ages. ⁷⁰ Then He chose David His servant, and took him away from his flocks. ⁷¹ He left [sheep] giving birth to tend Jacob… God's servant IsraEl (His inheritance). ⁷² He cared for them with an innocent heart, and he guided them with skillful hands.

Psalm 79

A Psalm of Asaph.

¹ O God; To Your inheritance the nations have come… they've defiled Your House in JeruSalem. Why, they've turned it into a storehouse for fruit!

² The decaying flesh of Your servants, has become food for birds in the sky… Your holy ones are food for the beasts of the earth.

³ In JeruSalem their blood has been poured out like water, and their bodies have been left unburied. ⁴ We've become an object of scorn to our neighbors; to be sneered at and taunted by those round about.

⁵ How long, O Jehovah, will You allow this? Will You be angry forever? Will Your zeal keep burning like fire?

⁶ Pour out Your rage on the nations instead… on those who don't know You and don't bear Your Name. ⁷ For, they have swallowed down Jacob, and turned his place into ruins.

⁸ Forget our past lawless deeds; send Your compassions, for we [need Your aid]! ⁹ Help us, O God our Savior, for the sake of Your glorious Name!

O Jehovah; For the sake of Your Name [come and] save us, and cover over our sins, ¹⁰ so the nations may never have reason to ask, 'So then, where is your God?'

To the nations before us, make [Your Name] known; bring vengeance for the blood of Your servants! ¹¹ Bring an end to the moans of the shackled; by the might of Your arm protect them from slaughter!

¹² O Lord; Repay our neighbors seven times, for scorning and speaking badly of You. ¹³ O God; We're Your people and the sheep of Your pasture, and through the age we'll confess You… for generations and generations we'll praise You.

Psalm 80

To the director; for the changings. A testimony of Asaph. A Psalm about the Assyrians.

¹ Pay attention, O You who tend IsraEl; Appear, O You, who sends cherubs to guide JoSeph's sheep! ² Awaken before Ephraim, BenJamin, and ManasSeh, and use Your great might to save us! ³ O God, please return once again! Show Your face and then we'll be saved. ⁴ O Jehovah, God of armies; How long will the prayers of Your servants bring rage?

⁵ The bread of tears You have fed us… a measure of tears we've been given to drink. ⁶ You've brought us war with our neighbors, and allowed our enemies to sneer in disgust. ⁷ O Jehovah, God of armies; Turn back Your face and we will be saved!

⁸ You removed Your grapevine from Egypt, and drove nations away in order to plant her. ⁹ You opened the way before her, then You planted her roots in the ground. ¹⁰ With mountains You provided her shade, and God's cedars covered her tendrils. ¹¹ To the sea she stretched out her branches, and she stretched her shoots toward the rivers. ¹² So, why have You torn down her fences, and given her fruit to all who pass by? ¹³ She's being destroyed by boars in the woods… You're allowing pigs to feed upon her!

¹⁴ O God of armies, turn back… look down from heaven and visit this grapevine! ¹⁵ Ready the one by whom Your right hand was planted; the son of man You've made strong for Yourself.

¹⁶ She's been set on fire and dug up; by the reproach of Your face she's being destroyed. ¹⁷ Extend Your hand toward Your men… Your right hand to sons of men; those whom You once had made strong. ¹⁸ Don't allow this separation from You. Give us back life and we'll call on Your Name. ¹⁹ O Jehovah, God of armies; Turn back Your face and we will be saved!

Psalm 81

To the director; for the wine vats. A Psalm of Asaph.

¹ Shout in joy to our helper God; call out to Jacob's Lord. ² Sing and play on tambourines; make beautiful music on harps.

³ Blow trumpets on the New Moons! Yes, trumpet, for this is your holy day, ⁴ because it is an order to IsraEl… it's the decision of Jacob's God. ⁵ As a witness He sent this to Joseph, when he went down into Egypt, where he heard a tongue that he didn't know. ⁶ There [I] removed from your backs heavy taxes, and freed your hands from serving as slaves, who had to tote [heavy] baskets.

⁷ You called upon Me, and from oppression I saved you. When you hid from the storm I heard you, then I tested you at the Waters of Dispute.

⁸ Listen to Me O my people, for I will now testify. Listen O IsraEl and hear Me! ⁹ There cannot be new gods among you, nor may you bow to the god of another. ¹⁰ For, I am Jehovah your God; the One who led you from Egypt. So, widen your mouth and I'll fill it!

¹¹ Yet, My people wouldn't listen to My voice; IsraEl paid no attention to Me. ¹² So I drove them away for the things they had done, and for the things that they [thought] in their hearts. ¹³ If only My people would have listened; if IsraEl had followed My ways, ¹⁴ by their enemies they wouldn't be humbled; against those oppressing them I'd have stretched out My hand.

¹⁵ Jehovah's enemies have all lied before Him, and their time will come in the age. ¹⁶ But He fed them on the fatness of wheat, and out of the rock provided them honey.

Psalm 82

A Psalm of Asaph.

¹ Our God has stood in the gathering of gods, and in the midst of the gods He judges. ² So, how long will it be 'til You judge the unrighteous; how long will You allow the sinners to exist?

³ Give justice to the orphans and poor! Make right decisions for the humble and needy! ⁴ Rescue the poor and the needy… from the hands of sinners come save them!

⁵ They did not know and didn't perceive, because they're walking in darkness, that the earth will be shaken to its foundation.

⁶ I said 'You are gods… of the Most High you're sons! ⁷ But like men you will die, and like their rulers you'll fall.'

⁸ O God; Appoint judges to judge the whole earth, for the nations are all Your possession.

Psalm 83

An ode. A Psalm of Asaph.

¹ O God; To whom can You be compared? O God; Don't stay silent or quiet. ² For {Look!} Your enemies have shouted their [battle] cries, and those who hate You have lifted their heads. ³ Treacherous plans they've made 'gainst Your people… they're meeting against Your holy ones. ⁴ They're saying, 'Come let's destroy them, so they are no longer a nation… may IsraEl's name be remembered no more.'

⁵ Against You they met and conspired, and then they reached an agreement… ⁶ those in the tents of Idumea, and the IshmaElites of Moab; those of Hagar, ⁷ Gebal, and Ammon, as well as Amalec and Philistines, and the peoples of Tyre. ⁸ Even Assyria joined in, and to the sons of Lot they gave aid. ⁹ So, do to them as [You once did], to Midian, Sisera, and Jabin, at the Wadi Kishon. ¹⁰ For, they were destroyed at EnDor, and became as manure on the ground.

¹¹ Make their rulers like Oreb and Zeb, as well as ZebeE and Salmana, ¹² who said 'We'll inherit God's Holy Place.'

¹³ Make them like a whirlwind, O God… like stubble that's blown in the wind… ¹⁴ like fire that burns up a woods… like flames that burn on the mountains. ¹⁵ Chase them away with Your storm; disturb them with Your great rage; ¹⁶ fill their faces with dishonor, then they will search for Your Name.

¹⁷ O Jehovah, make them ashamed; through ages of ages, disturb them. May they be made to feel shame, just before they're destroyed. ¹⁸ Make them know that Your Name is Jehovah, and You alone are the Most High of earth.

Psalm 84

To the director; for the wine vats. By the sons of KorAh.

¹ O Jehovah of armies; How much Your Tent should be loved; ² How I long for courtyards of Jehovah, and my flesh shouts in joy about the living God. ³ For, by Him the sparrows find homes, and the doves find nests for their young.

O Jehovah of armies; [How much I long for] Your Altar, for You are my King and my God. ⁴ Blest are those who stay in Your [House]; for, through the ages they'll praise You.

⁵ Blest is the man who trusts in Your aid, for You will bring joy to his heart. ⁶ And when he must enter the valley of tears, he is in line for a blessing, from He who gave him His Laws.

⁷ They may go from army to army, but Zion is [the home of] the God of all gods. ⁸ O Jehovah, God of armies; Please hear the things that I'm praying… ⁹ see me, our God and defender! Look into the face of Your anointed! ¹⁰ For, better is a day that's spent in Your courtyards, than thousands [of days] spent elsewhere.

I'd rather be rejected in the House of my God, than to live among tents of the sinners. ¹¹ For, Jehovah is a lover of truth, and mercy comes from our Lord… God cares and He will give glory… to the innocent He will bring good things.

¹² O Jehovah, God of armies; Blest is the man who puts trust in You.

Psalm 85

To the director; for the sons of KorAh.

¹ O Jehovah; You have thought well of Your land, for You have returned the captives of Jacob… ² You've forgiven the lawless deeds of Your people, and all of their sins You have covered. ³ You've allowed Your anger to rest… You've turned away from Your rage. ⁴ Now turn toward us, O God of salvation! Turn away Your anger and rage!

⁵ Will Your anger against us last through the age? From generation to generation will it extend? ⁶ O God; When You return You'll make us alive, for Your people will then all be joyful.

⁷ O Jehovah, show us Your mercy, and bring to us Your salvation. ⁸ O Jehovah, I'll hear whatever You say, for God will speak peace to His people… to those who truly are holy, and wish to return to Him with whole hearts. ⁹ For, He is close to all those who fear Him… He saves, so in glory we'll camp in our land.

¹⁰ Mercy and truth have been joined, and justice and peace have now kissed. ¹¹ Truth has arisen throughout all the land, and justice is peeking from heaven. ¹² Because Jehovah gives kindly, fruit will [grow] in our land once again. ¹³ Then from Him justice will flow, and in His footsteps we'll follow.

Psalm 86

A prayer of David.

¹ Incline Your ear to hear me, Jehovah, for I am poor and in need. ² Watch over my life because I am pure; O God, save Your servant who's put trust in You!

³ Show mercy on me, O Jehovah, for I'll call out to You all day long. ⁴ Bring great joy to the life of Your servant, for to You I have lifted my soul. ⁵ You're my provider, O Lord… You're merciful and patient to all who call upon You. ⁶ Give ear to my prayer, O Jehovah, and heed my voice as I beg. ⁷ In the day of distress I called out to You, and to me You've paid close attention.

⁸ O Jehovah; Among all the gods there's no other like You… there are none that can do what You do. ⁹ You'll make all the nations come bow before You. And Lord; They will glorify Your Name. ¹⁰ For, You are great and You perform wonders… You are the only [true] God.

¹¹ Guide me, O Jehovah, in [all of] Your ways, and I will walk in Your truth. Let my heart rejoice, O God, for Your Name I will fear [through the age]. ¹² O Jehovah my God, I will praise You; I'll glorify Your Name with my heart through the age. ¹³ For Your mercy toward me has been great… You have rescued my life from the depths of the grave.

¹⁴ The lawless have risen against me, O God… they've ignored You and gathered to kill me. ¹⁵ But You are patient, Jehovah my God… You show mercy, pity, and truth. ¹⁶ So, look upon me… show mercy! Give Your might to Your child; save the son of your slave girl… ¹⁷ give me a sign that [You're with] me… and let those who hate me see it in shame. For You, O Jehovah, have helped me, and You have provided me comfort.

Psalm 87

To the sons of KorAh; a Psalm of an ode.

¹ Upon the Holy Mountain [His House] has been placed. ² For, Zion's gates are more loved by the Lord, than all of Jacob's other tents. ³ Glorious things have been said about you, O holy city of God. ⁴ To Babylon and RaHab I'll speak, as well as to all those who know me. {Look!} To the Philistines and peoples of Tyre I will speak , and to Ethiopian peoples I'll say: ⁵ 'A man will call Zion his mother, for a man who was born there founded her heights. ⁶ Jehovah described it in the writings of men, who told of the kings that were born there.' ⁷ For all these reasons, rejoice, all those who are dwelling within you!

Psalm 88

For the director; an ode. A Psalm by the sons of KorAh to be played on the harp. The contemplation about Heman the IsraElite.

¹ O Jehovah my Savior and God, during the night I'm calling to You. ² My prayer is ascending to You, so give ear to the things that I beg.

³ My soul is filled with all kinds of trouble, and my life is approaching the grave. ⁴ I've been counted among those in the pit; a man without cure I've become. ⁵ I am free like one of the dead… like one who's been killed and tossed in a tomb. I'm one who's been forgotten by You; from Your hand they took me and threw me away.

⁶ They've put me into the lowest of pits, into a place that is dark… it's like the shadow of death. ⁷ For, upon me Your anger's remained, and I've received all Your rage. ⁸ You've driven away those who know me, and made me disgusting to them. From them I've been taken away, and no other place can I go.

⁹ My eyes are all sore from crying, as I call out to You through the day. To You I have opened my arms; toward You they are now opened wide.

¹⁰ Will You bring wonders to those who are dead? Will doctors then stand up and praise You? ¹¹ Will those in the tomb speak of Your mercy, and will the destroyed [speak of] Your truth? ¹² Can Your wonders be known in the darkness, and Your justice be known in forgotten lands?

¹³ O Jehovah; I cried out to You in the morning, and You knew my prayer before it was said. ¹⁴ So why, O Lord, have You pushed me away? When will You turn Your face toward my soul?

¹⁵ I've been poor and troubled since youth; I was humbled and left with nothing at all. ¹⁶ Upon me You've poured out Your rage, and sent frightful things to disturb me. ¹⁷ They surround me like water all through the day, and now they have me encircled. ¹⁸ You've driven away all my dear friends, and because of my miserable condition, they [pretend that] they no longer know me.

Psalm 89

A Psalm of contemplation by Ethan the IsraElite.

¹ Your mercies, O Lord, last through the ages, so through generations I'll sing about them, and I'll report Your truths with my mouth. ² Through the ages Your mercy will grow, and Your truth will rise to the heavens. ³ 'A sacred agreement I've made with My chosen; I've sworn an oath to My servant David, ⁴ that I'll prepare his seed for generations, and from generation to generation I'll build on his throne.'

⁵ So the heavens will praise all your wonders, O lord, and to the holy assembly they'll praise your truth. ⁶ For, who in the clouds is equal to [you], and which of God's sons are quite like you?

⁷ The council of the holy glorifies God; He's great and fearful to all who are near. ⁸ Who is like You, O God of armies? You are mighty, O Jehovah, and You are surrounded in truth.

⁹ Of the might of the seas You're the Master, for You can calm waves when they rise. ¹⁰ You've humbled and killed those who were proud, and with the might of Your arm routed enemies.

¹¹ Yours is the heavens and Yours is the earth; You've founded man's home and its fullness. ¹² The north and the west are Your creations, so Tabor and Herman will shout to Your Name.

¹³ You dominate all with Your arm, so make Your hand strong and raise it high. ¹⁴ For justice and fairness come from Your throne; mercy and truth come from Your face.

¹⁵ Blest are the people who know cries of joy. O Jehovah; In the light of Your face they will go. ¹⁶ They'll shout in joy of Your Name every day, for in Your justice they're uplifted. ¹⁷ You are the power in which they can boast, and by Your goodness we've raised our trumpets. ¹⁸ For, Jehovah is our helper… the Holy One of IsraEl is our King.

¹⁹ In a vision You spoke to Your sons and You said: 'I've given you help through the great one I've raised… he whom I chose from My people. ²⁰ I found David My servant, and anointed his head with My holy oil. ²¹ So, with My hand I will help him, and I'll make him strong with My arm. ²² His enemies will take nothing from him, and the lawless will do him no harm. ²³ His enemies I'll cut down before him, and I'll chase those who hate him away. ²⁴ For, My truth and My mercy are with him, and he'll raise his trumpet high in My Name.

²⁵ 'I'll set his hand on the sea, and his right hand on the rivers. ²⁶ He'll call upon Me and he'll say, Father, You are my God… You're my Savior and shield. ²⁷ Then I'll appoint him to be my firstborn, and put him above the kings of the earth. ²⁸ In mercy I'll guard him throughout the age, and he can trust in the agreement I've made.

²⁹ 'I'll establish his seed throughout the ages, and his throne as the days of the sky. ³⁰ But if his sons should abandon My Law, and choose not to walk in My ways; ³¹ and if My rules they choose to profane, and My Commandments they choose not to keep; ³² for their lawless ways I'll bring them My rod, and whip them for all of their sins. ³³ But in mercy, I will not wipe them away, nor will I do wrong to My truth. ³⁴ To My agreements I'll always be true, and I won't annul the things that I've said. ³⁵ For, once that I've sworn by an oath, could My holiness lie before David?

³⁶ 'His seed will last through the ages, and his throne will stand as the sun… ³⁷ like the moon that's been prepared through eons; a trustworthy witness in the sky.'

³⁸ But now You've thrust him away in contempt; against Your anointed You've raised [Your hand]. ³⁹ You have wiped away the agreement You made, and defiled his safe places throughout the land. ⁴⁰ You've demolished the barriers around him; You've turned his forts into something to fear. ⁴¹ Those walking the roads have taken what's his, and he's become the scorn of his neighbors. ⁴² You've raised the hands of those who oppress him, and made all his enemies glad. ⁴³ You've turned Your help from his broadsword, and refused to assist him in war.⁴⁴ You've desisted from making him clean, and torn his throne to the ground. ⁴⁵ You've shortened the days of his throne, and poured out shame upon him.

⁴⁶ How long, O Jehovah, will You turn away? Will Your rage keep burning like fire? ⁴⁷ Remember the facts of my situation, for in folly You made sons of men. ⁴⁸ Why, which man that lives will never see death? Can he save his own life from the grave? ⁴⁹ Where is Your mercy, O ancient Jehovah? When You swore to David, were You telling the truth? ⁵⁰ Remember the scorn that Your servant endured, which came on my bosom from many nations, ⁵¹ when Your enemies [laughed], O Jehovah, at he who is Your anointed.

⁵² Praise Jehovah into the age… amen, amen, may it be.

Psalm 90

A prayer of Moses, the man of God.

¹ O Jehovah, You've been our refuge, from one generation to another. ² Before the mountains and the earth took their shape… before there was a dwelling of man, through the ages You have existed. ³ So, don't turn from men in our wretched state, for it was You who once said, 'Return [to Me], O sons of men!'

⁴ Why, a thousand years in Your eyes, O Jehovah, are like yesterday when they are gone, and as a watch in the night. ⁵ The years [of man] are looked on in scorn; they pass like sprouts in the morning. ⁶ For, in the morning they blossom [and grow], and in the evening they dry up and fall.

⁷ We have failed in the face of Your rage, and we've been disturbed by Your anger. ⁸ For, the Laws we have broken all stand before You, there in the brightness of Your face.

⁹ Why, all of our days have been failures, and we've even failed when it comes to Your rage. Our years are as brief as the time that it takes, for a spider to think [of catching its prey]. ¹⁰ Our days might last for seventy years, or if You command, until eighty. But they're mostly spent in misery and toil, until we mellow and accept [Your] correction.

¹¹ Who knows the power of Your rage? And because of the fear of Your anger, how can we number our days? ¹² So, expose Your right hand to me, and send Your wisdom into my heart, so that I may accept Your correction.

¹³ How long, O Jehovah, until You return? Please send comfort to Your servants. ¹⁴ For in the morning, O Lord, we were filled with Your mercy, so we shouted in joy and were glad every day. ¹⁵ We were grateful for even the days we were humbled, after years of seeing the bad.

¹⁶ So, look down on Your servants (Your works), and send guidance to all of our sons. ¹⁷ Send us the light of Jehovah our God, and bless the works of our hands… yes, bless the works of our hands!

Psalm 91

A Psalm of Praise by David.

¹ He who lives in the care of the Most High, and lodges in the God of heaven's protection, ² will say to the Lord, 'You're my refuge and shield; You're my God and in You I will trust.'

³ He will save you from the snares of the hunters, and rescue you from all your problems. ⁴ He will shield you with the shadow of His back, and under His wings you will hide, as in His truth He surrounds you. ⁵ You won't be afraid of things in the night; of arrows that fly in the daytime; ⁶ of things that happen unplanned; of things that travel in darkness, or of the demon at noon. ⁷ A thousand will fall at your side, and ten thousands you'll hold in your right hand. ⁸ You'll see it all with your eyes and then think, for you'll see the outcome of sinners. ⁹ Yes, O Jehovah, You are the One that I trust.

If you make the Most High your refuge, ¹⁰ nothing bad will ever approach you, and the whip will not enter your tent. ¹¹ For, to His angels He will give orders, to keep watch over all of your ways. ¹² With their hands they will lift you, so a rock won't stumble your feet. ¹³ You can step on an asp or a cobra, and trample on lions and beasts.

¹⁴ [For, God says]: 'Because he trusts Me, I'll save him… I'll be his shelter, for he knows My Name. ¹⁵ He'll cry out to Me and I'll listen… during hard times I will be there. I'll save and I'll glorify him… ¹⁶ I'll extend the days of his life, and show him how I can save.'

Psalm 92

A Psalm for the Sabbath Day.

¹ It's good to praise You, Jehovah the Most High, and to strum to Your Name; ² to [sing] of Your mercies each morning, and about Your truth every night, ³ as [I strum] on my lute of ten-strings… as [I play] a song on the harp.

⁴ O Jehovah; You make me glad with the things that You do, so I'll shout in praise of the works of Your hands. ⁵ How great are Your deeds, O Jehovah, and how deep are Your thoughts.

⁶ A foolish man will not know, and such things the senseless won't comprehend: ⁷ Though the sinners keep rising like grass, and the lawless keep on increasing, through ages of ages they'll be destroyed.

⁸ But You're the Most High of ages, Jehovah! ⁹ Behold Your enemies, O Lord! Look! They will perish… they'll be dispersed; all those who work at doing what's bad. ¹⁰ So, as a rhinoceros I'll raise my horn high, and in my old age bring plenty of oil.

¹¹ Upon my enemies my eyes have gazed (on those who are rising against me), and my ears still hear of the wicked. ¹² But the righteous will blossom like palm trees; they'll grow like Lebanon's cedars. ¹³ Yes, those planted in the House of Jehovah… those in God's courtyard will bloom. ¹⁴ They'll grow old and have plenty, and take much pleasure in proclaiming, ¹⁵ that our God Jehovah is righteous, and there is no injustice in Him.

Psalm 93

For the Sabbath Day, after being resettled in the land. A song of praise by David.

¹ Jehovah reigns and brings beauty; He has wrapped Himself in great power. Man's home He's made steady and firm, ² and your throne He's prepared through the ages.

³ O Jehovah, the rivers have raised… the rivers have lifted their voices. ⁴ But the rivers will be taken away… by the sounds of many waters You'll wear them away. How wonderful are the tides of the sea, and the high places of [God].

⁵ The witness You give is very trustworthy, and to Your House will come what is clean, for the rest of the days.

Psalm 94

A Psalm of David for the fourth Sabbath.

¹ Jehovah is a God who seeks vengeance, and this God who seeks vengeance has spoken. ² Arise, O He who judges the earth, and pay what is due to the proud!

³ O Jehovah; How much longer will sinners remain… how long will sinners keep boasting? ⁴ For, when they speak they do so unjustly, then those who break Laws [love to] brag.

⁵ O Jehovah; They are mistreating Your people… to Your inheritance they're doing what's bad. ⁶ They kill the widows and orphans, and foreign sojourners they murder. ⁷ They've said, 'Jehovah can't see, so the God of Jacob won't know it.'

⁸ Look, you fools among [men]… you fools should now stop and think! ⁹ Can't the ears of He who planted not hear… is He who shaped the eye unable to think? ¹⁰ Won't He who corrects all the nations, and teaches knowledge to man, also provide him the discipline he needs?

¹¹ Jehovah knows the ways that men think, and that the things we think of are foolish. ¹² O blest is the man who's corrected by You; O Lord, teach him Your Laws, ¹³ to calm him from his evil days, and then he'll dig pits for the sinners. ¹⁴ For, Jehovah won't push His people away… His inheritance He'll never abandon.

¹⁵ How long until righteous judgments return… until those with straight hearts receive [what they're due]? ¹⁶ Who will oppose the wicked for me… who will stand with me in opposing the lawless? ¹⁷ If it weren't for the help of Jehovah, my soul would soon go to the place of the dead.

¹⁸ Did I ask for my feet to start shaking? O Jehovah, show mercy and help me! ¹⁹ Despite all the grief in my heart, You've brought comfort and love into my life.

²⁰ Will the thrones of the lawless stay with You… those who turn order into trouble? ²¹ Will they keep hunting for the lives of the righteous, and on the blood of innocents bring condemnation?

²² But Jehovah has become a refuge to me… my God is my helper and hope. ²³ He'll give the lawless what they deserve, and remove them from view for their badness.

Psalm 95

A song of praise by David.

¹ Come and shout praise to Jehovah… to God our Savior we'll shout! ² We should stand in His presence and praise Him… to Him we should sing sacred hymns! ³ For, God Jehovah is great… He's the great King of the earth.

⁴ Why, the ends of the earth are held in His hands, as are the peaks of the mountains. ⁵ His are the seas, for He made them; and His hands shaped the dry land. ⁶ So, come and let's bow to our faces before Him… because He's our Creator let's weep before Him. ⁷ He is our God, and we're the sheep of His pasture… the sheep that He keeps in His hand.

⁸ If today you'd hear His voice, do not harden your hearts… do not be bitter as they were in that day, when they put Him to test in the desert. ⁹ 'For, there I was tested and tried by your fathers, though they had seen all the things that I did. ¹⁰ So I came to loathe that generation, and for forty years they then wandered. In their hearts they knew not My ways, ¹¹ so I swore this oath in My rage: They will not enter My rest.'

Psalm 96

¹ Sing a new song to Jehovah! Sing to the Lord of the earth! ² Sing to Jehovah… shout in praise of His Name! Proclaim the good news every day… the news about His salvation. ³ To all the nations tell of His glory, and speak of His wonders to others.

⁴ Jehovah is great and worthy of praise; He's more to be feared than all other gods. ⁵ For, the gods of the nations are all demons, but it's Jehovah who created the heavens. ⁶ Before Him are beauty and praises; clean and majestic is His Holy Place.

⁷ O families of nations, carry [gifts] to Jehovah; to the Lord bring glory and honor. ⁸ Bring glory to Jehovah for the sake of His Name; bring offerings to His holy courtyard, and before Jehovah bow low there.

⁹ May His face shake the whole earth! ¹⁰ Tell all the nations, 'Jehovah is King! It is He who established man's home, so it will never be shaken. For, He'll judge the peoples in justice!'

¹¹ Be glad you heavens, and earth shout in joy! May the seas and what's in them be shaken. ¹² Rejoice, O you fields and everything on them, and the trees in the forests should cry out in joy, ¹³ before the face of the Lord. For, He's coming to judge the whole earth; man's habitation He'll righteously judge… with His truth He will judge many peoples.

Psalm 97

A Psalm of David for when his [kingdom] was established.

¹ Jehovah reigns… shout in joy, O you earth! Let all of the islands be glad!

² He's surrounded by darkness and clouds; on justice and judgments He's founded His throne. ³ Flames shoot out from before Him, to burn His enemies in the fire.

⁴ The lightning that He sent was seen by [all men]. They saw it, and it shook the whole earth. ⁵ Mountains melt like wax at His face, and from His face the earth [melts away].

⁶ The heavens speak of His justice, and His glory is seen by all peoples. ⁷ Those bowing to carvings are shamed, as are all those who brag of their idols. So you, His angels, bow low before Him!

⁸ Zion is happy and daughters of Judea are shouting in joy, because of Your judgments, O Lord. ⁹ For, You're the Most High of the whole earth; above all other gods You are raised.

¹⁰ All you who are loving Jehovah; [learn] to hate what is bad! For, Jehovah guards the lives of the clean, and from the hands of sinners protects them.

¹¹ Upon the righteous light shines, and those with straight hearts are now happy. ¹² You righteous, take joy in Jehovah… remember and praise His holy ways.

Psalm 98

A Psalm of David.

¹ Sing a new song to Jehovah, of the wonderful things He has done. For, He brings salvation with His holy right arm.

² Jehovah's made known to the nations, how He saves and how He brings justice. ³ He's remembered His mercy to Jacob… His truth to IsraEl's house. To the ends of the earth they've seen His salvation, and of how our God can deliver!

⁴ Shout to God all the earth! Sing, cry out, and strum! ⁵ Play to Jehovah with harps! Along with the harp, sing psalms! ⁶ With brass trumpets and the blowing of horns, shout before Jehovah our King!

⁷ Roar, O seas, and everything in them… man's habitation and all those who live there! ⁸ Clap your hands, O rivers, and mountains cry out in joy at His face. ⁹ For, He's coming to judge the whole earth… in fairness and justice He'll judge, man's home and all of its its people.

Psalm 99

A Psalm of David.

¹ Because Jehovah now reigns, may all the peoples be angry. For, He who is sitting on cherubs, will soon come to shake the whole earth.

² Great is Jehovah on Zion, for He is above all the peoples. ³ So, may they all praise His Name, because He is fearsome and holy.

⁴ Our Mighty King is a lover of justice, So He has prepared righteous judgments… yes, He has brought justice to Jacob.

⁵ May our God Jehovah be raised… because He is holy, all bow at His feet!

⁶ Among His Priests numbered Moses and Aaron, and Samuel is one who called on His Name. They called on Jehovah and He heard them, ⁷ then He spoke to them from a column of clouds. For, they had guarded His Proofs, and they obeyed the orders He gave.

⁸ O Jehovah, You heard them! O God, You became their provider, and You punished them for the bad things they did. ⁹ So our God, Jehovah, should be raised high, and before His holy Mountain all should bow; for, Jehovah is our most holy God.

Psalm 100

A Psalm of praise by David.

¹ Shout to God, all the earth! ² Serve Jehovah in joy! Go before Him with happy shouts! ³ Know that Jehovah's our God!

We didn't do it… He made us! We are His people… the sheep of His pasture. ⁴ So, go to His gates with praises, and enter His courtyard with hymns. Go praising His Name and confessing; ⁵ for, through the age He gives mercy, and His truth is from generation to generation.

Psalm 101

A Psalm of David.

¹ O Jehovah; I'll sing of Your justice and mercy… ² of Your perfect ways I will strum.

How long will it be until You return, for in my home there's an innocent heart. ³ I've not set my eyes on things that are bad, and illegal things I have hated. ⁴ Toward things that are crooked my heart has not led me, and men that are bad I reject and don't know. ⁵ Those who privately speak ill of friends, I have driven away. I won't eat with those of proud eyes, or those with dissatisfied hearts. ⁶ For, my eyes are on the trustworthy, and they are the ones with whom I will sit. They are the [men] who walk in pure ways, and they're those who share in my rule. ⁷ For, no one with pride can live in my house, and before my eyes the unrighteous can't stand.

⁸ In the morning I killed all the sinners in the land, and I destroyed all the lawless from the city of [God].

Psalm 102

A prayer for the poor when they are discouraged and come before Jehovah to pour out their requests.

¹ Please hear my prayer, O Jehovah, and to my cries as I come before You. ² Don't turn Your face in the day that I need You. Incline Your ear closer to me, and whenever I call [please] quickly respond. ³ For, my days have passed by like smoke, and my bones are parched like dry sticks. ⁴ I've been mowed like grass that is dry, and my heart forgets to eat bread. ⁵ My bones stick out from my flesh, and they're [tired] of the sounds of my groans. ⁶ Like a pelican I [travel] alone; I've become like the owl in its range. ⁷ Sleepless [I lie throughout the whole night], and I live like a sparrow alone on the roof. ⁸ My enemies berate me throughout the day, and those who once praised me now swear oaths against me.

⁹ Ashes I've eaten like bread, and my drink has become my own tears. ¹⁰ For, with of the anger and rage of Your face, You raised me and then broke me down. ¹¹ So, like shadows my days have declined, and I have dried up like grass. ¹² But you, O Lord, live through the ages; from generation to generation You're remembered. ¹³ So, please arise and feel pity for Zion, since the time for its pity is due. ¹⁴ To Your servants her stones are so dear, and over her dust they feel sorrow.

(NOTE: Some of the following verses are applied to Jesus at Hebrews 1:10-12, so the words we have translated as 'the Lord' in several of these verses may not be referring to The God. And where we suspect this to be true, we have not capitalized the personal pronouns). For more information, see subheading The Question Raised at Hebrews 1:10-12 in the linked document 'Jehovah.'

¹⁵ Nations fear Your Name, O Jehovah, and the kings of the earth tell of Your glory. ¹⁶ For, the Lord will build up Zion once more, where he will appear in his glory. ¹⁷ He looks down [and hears] the prayers of the humble, and has no contempt for the things they request. ¹⁸ Let this be written for each generation, so those born anew will all praise the Lord.

¹⁹ The Lord looks down from his home in the heights; he looks at the earth from the heavens. ²⁰ He hears the moans of the shackled, and unties the sons of the condemned.

²¹ In Zion announce the name of the Lord… in JeruSalem shout in his praise! ²² For, the gatherings of peoples and their kings, will all then be serving the Lord. ²³ And in his strong way he'll reply… he'll tell me how few of my days yet remain. ²⁴ O don't lead me away through just half of my days, for your years are through generations.

²⁵ In the beginning you founded the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hands. ²⁶ Yet, they will pass by while you live, and like clothes (an old robe) they'll grow old. Then you'll wrap them up and they will be changed. ²⁷ But you are always the same, and your years will never expire. ²⁸ Yet, the sons of your servants will live in [your] camp, and through ages their seed will remain.

Psalm 103

A Psalm of David.

¹ Praise Jehovah, my soul; with all that is in me, I'll praise His Most Holy Name! ² Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all of His blessings. ³ For, He covers the sins of our law breaking, and He cures us of all our ills. ⁴ He ransoms us from life's corruptions, and then He crowns us with mercy. ⁵ He fills our desires with good things, and renews our youth as though eagles.

⁶ Jehovah's the one who freely provides… He brings justice to those who've been wronged. ⁷ To Moses His ways were revealed, and to the sons of IsraEl He showed His desires.

⁸ Jehovah feels pity and mercy; He's forgiving and filled with compassion. ⁹ Until the end you won't make Him mad, nor through the ages will He cherish wrath. ¹⁰ For our lawlessness deeds He hasn't repaid us, nor has He held an accounting for our sins. ¹¹ As high as the heavens are over the earth, Jehovah's shown mercy to all those who fear Him. ¹² As far as the distance from east to the west, He has set us apart from the laws that we break. ¹³ Just as a father shows mercy to his sons, Jehovah feels mercy toward all those who fear Him. ¹⁴ For, He remembers how we were formed; He doesn't forget that we are just dust ¹⁵ and that the days of a man are like grass; for he blooms like a flower in a field, ¹⁶ then when the wind blows he passes away, and his place is remembered no more. ¹⁷ He shows ages of mercy to those fearing Him, and His justice is upon the sons of their sons… ¹⁸ on all those who guard His Sacred Agreement, and on those who obey His Commands.

¹⁹ Jehovah has prepared His throne in the skies, and in His Kingdom He's Master of all. ²⁰ So praise Jehovah, you angels, for He shows His might and His strength, to those who pay attention to His words. ²¹ Yes, praise Jehovah, all His armies… all His servant who are doing His will. ²² Praise Jehovah, all you His works… every place within in His dominion. Yes, praise Jehovah, O my soul!

Psalm 104

A Psalm of David

¹ O my soul, praise the Lord! Yes, praise Jehovah my God! You've made Yourself great and praiseworthy, and clothed Yourself in great beauty. ² You wrap Yourself up in light like a robe, and stretch out the heavens like leather. ³ With water You've filled its roof and upper rooms, and as Your chariot You made the clouds, which You ride on the wings of the winds. ⁴ Your angels You've made like the winds, and Your servants are like flames of fire.

⁵ The foundation of the earth You laid and made stable, so through ages of ages they will not fail. ⁶ The depths [of the seas] are Your wrap, and You heap water [as snow] on the mountains. ⁷ But at Your reproach they will all pass away, and they'll quake at the sound of Your thunder.

⁸ The water then pours down the mountains, descending into the plains, to the places You've set for them to go. ⁹ You've set limits that they cannot pass, so they may not cover the land. ¹⁰ You send them as springs to the valleys… from the mist of the mountains pours rivers, ¹¹ to water wild beasts that live in fields (wild burros that use it to satisfy thirst), ¹² and to winged creatures that live in the skies, which build their nests between rocks, where they then sound out their calls.

¹³ From upper rooms You send water to the mountains, to fill the earth with the fruit of Your works… ¹⁴ to make the grasses grow for cattle to eat, and young sprouts to bring bread from the ground. ¹⁵ [You give] wine to men to make their hearts cheerful, and to bless their faces, olive oil. Then for their hearts You provide them bread.

¹⁶ You have filled the plains with [many trees], and the cedars of Lebanon were Your planting. ¹⁷ It's there that sparrows build nests, until herons take over their dwellings. ¹⁸ [You created] high mountains for wild goats to roam; You made rocks as the refuge for badgers. ¹⁹ You made the moon to show seasons, as well as the sun, which knows when to set.

²⁰ You made the darkness of night, when beasts in the woods roam about; ²¹ it's when lion cubs roar and attack, seeking by God to find themselves food. ²² But when the sun rises they assemble, and return to their dens to lie down. ²³ That's when man arises to go to work, and continues his toil until dusk.

²⁴ How great are Your works, O Jehovah; in Your great wisdom You've made it all… You've filled the whole earth with creations. ²⁵ You made vast lands and great seas, where animals that slither may live. There's no way to count Your creatures great and small… ²⁶ why, boats pass over even [other] wild beasts, which You created in fun. ²⁷ Yet, they all expect to be nourished by You, and to receive it at the right time. ²⁸ So, when You provide they receive it… You open Your hand and they're filled with what's good. ²⁹ But if You turn Your face, they'll be upset; if you take their breath they'll expire, then back to the dust they will go. ³⁰ Yet, if You send Your Breath they're created, and You renew the face of the land.

³¹ May the glory of Jehovah last through the ages. May He be glad for the things He has made. ³² He looks down on the earth and it trembles; He just touches the mountains and they smoke. ³³ So, with my whole soul I'll sing to Jehovah; as long as I live, I'll strum to my God. ³⁴ May He find my verses delightful… may they make Jehovah's heart glad. ³⁵ May all the sinners expire from the earth, and all the lawless cease to exist.

Praise Jehovah, O my soul!

Psalm 105

¹ Praise Jehovah… call on His Name! Tell all the nations of the things He has done! ² Sing to Him… yes strum! Describe all of His wonders! ³ Applaud to His most holy Name!

May the hearts of those seeking Jehovah be glad. ⁴ Seek Jehovah and grow strong! Always search for His face. ⁵ Don't forget the wonders He's done… the miracles and judgments that come from His mouth.

⁶ You seed of AbraHam… His servants; you sons of Jacob… His chosen; ⁷ He is Jehovah our God; His decisions are [seen] throughout the whole earth.

⁸ He's remembered His Agreement through the ages… His promise through a thousand generations… ⁹ the Agreement He made with AbraHam, and the oath that He spoke of to IsaAc. ¹⁰ It was with Jacob that He set the rules, for IsraEl [to follow] through the ages, ¹¹ saying; 'To you I will give CanaAn's land… your inheritance is a measured piece of ground.'

¹² [Back then] our numbers were few; not many were visiting [the land]. ¹³ And they traveled from nation to nation… from one kingdom on to another. ¹⁴ But He didn't allow any to harm them, for He sent warnings to their kings that said: ¹⁵ 'Do not touch My anointed, and to My Prophets don't do any wrong.'

¹⁶ Then He brought famine to their land, so they could not trust in their bread. ¹⁷ And to a man named JoSeph He sent them… a slave who'd been purchased [with money]. ¹⁸ For, though he'd been humbled with shackles on his feet, and his soul had been pierced through with iron; ¹⁹ when the word was finally spoken, the omens of the Lord purified him. ²⁰ Then the king sent word to untie him… a ruler of the peoples set him free. ²¹ He made him the master of his whole house, and in charge of all his possessions. ²² So, he appointed rulers, as he saw fit, and he sought the aid of elders for wisdom.

²³ Then IsraEl traveled to Egypt… the land of Ham was visited by Jacob. ²⁴ And his people grew great in numbers… and mightier than their enemies [God] made them. ²⁵ He changed their hearts so they'd hate His people, and deal treacherously with His servants. ²⁶ Then He sent His servants, Moses and Aaron (those whom He chose for Himself), ²⁷ and He sent the [Egyptians] His signs… to the land of Ham He sent miracles.

²⁸ He sent darkness and everything was dark, but against His words they still rebelled. ²⁹ He changed their waters into blood, and killed off all of their fish. ³⁰ Then frogs crawled onto the land, and into the closets of kings. ³¹ He spoke, and stable flies came, followed by fleas through their borders. ³² Into hail and fire He turned their rain, which burned throughout the whole land. ³³ Then He struck their grapevines and figs… He broke every tree in their land. ³⁴ He spoke, bringing grasshoppers and locust… so many that they couldn't be counted, ³⁵ who devoured all the grass and the fruit in their land. ³⁶ Then throughout the land He struck all the firstborn; the first-fruit of all they'd accomplished. ³⁷ And with silver and gold He led them away, for none in their tribes were then weak.

³⁸ Egypt was happy to just see them go, for they were overcome with great fear. ³⁹ Then He opened and spread out a cloud to protect them, and He sent fire as their light through the night. ⁴⁰ They asked Him for [meat] and He sent quail, and with the bread of heaven they were filled. ⁴¹ He tore open the rock and water flowed from it, so through the desert ran a river. ⁴² For, His Holy Word He remembered… what He'd spoken to His servant, AbraHam. ⁴³ So He led out His people shouting in joy… those whom He chose left there happy. ⁴⁴ Then He gave them the lands of great nations, and they inherited the things they had worked for.

⁴⁵ So, they should now guard His decisions, and always search for His Laws.

Psalm 106

¹ Praise Jehovah, for He's our provider, and His mercies last through the ages. ² Who will tell of His mighty deeds, and speak out loud in His praise?

³ Blest are those who are honest, and do what's righteous each season. ⁴ O Jehovah, please don't forget us, or the kindness You've shown to Your people. Visit us with Your salvation!

⁵ Your elected ones should find joy, in seeing all that is good, and Your people should also applaud, the inheritance You've assigned them by lots. ⁶ But we and our fathers have sinned… we've broken [Your] Laws and done wrong! ⁷ Why, even our fathers in Egypt, did not understand all Your wonders, nor did they remember Your mercy; Why, they were even guilty of rebellion, while going into the Red Sea. ⁸ Yet, You saved them because of Your Name, and to make known Your power. ⁹ You scolded the Red Sea and it dried, then You guided them through the abyss, [and led them] into the desert. ¹⁰ You saved them from those by whom they were hated… You ransomed them from their enemy's hands. ¹¹ Then those who oppressed them You covered with water, and there wasn't a single survivor.

¹² When they trusted Your Word they were blest, ¹³ but they quickly forgot what You'd done, and they failed to await Your instructions. ¹⁴ They desired the things that they wished for, so they tested God in the desert.

¹⁵ Then He gave them the things for which they asked… He sent them enough to satisfy their souls. ¹⁶ But they provoked Moses to rage in the camp, as well as [God's] holy one, Aaron. ¹⁷ So He opened the earth and it swallowed Dathan, and covered the gathering of AbiRon. ¹⁸ A fire then blazed in the midst of their group, and flames consumed all the sinners.

¹⁹ They made a calf there in that dry place, and to that carving they bowed. ²⁰ They changed [God's] Glory to a calf that eats grass, ²¹ forgetting their God (He who'd saved them), the One who did great things in Egypt, ²² with the wonders [He'd performed] in Ham's land, and the awesome things at the Red Sea. ²³ So He spoke and said He'd destroy them; but Moses His chosen still stood among them… those whom He wished to destroy. [Then Moses] approached Him to turn back His rage, so He would not wipe them away.

²⁴ Yet, they looked with contempt on the desirable land, and didn't trust what He said. ²⁵ So they stood in their tents and they grumbled, refusing to hear the voice of the Lord. ²⁶ Thus He lifted His hand up against them, to throw them down in the desert… ²⁷ to send their seed to the nations, and scatter them to many places.

²⁸ Then they [bowed to] BaAl of Peor, and sacrifices they ate to the dead. ²⁹ They did all they could to provoke Him, and to bring more blows on themselves. ³⁰ Yet, PhineHas stood and offered atonement, and abated [God's plans of] destruction. ³¹ As the result, he was thought of as righteous, for generations and generations through the ages.

³² They made Him angry once more, at the Waters of Dispute, where a bad thing happened to Moses. ³³ For, they caused his spirit to grow bitter, and then he drew open his lips.

³⁴ Thereafter, they didn't destroy all the nations, as Jehovah had instructed… ³⁵ they mixed with the nations and learned of their ways. ³⁶ The idols [of the nations] they served to offend Him, ³⁷ and to demons they offered their sons and their daughters. ³⁸ Yes, innocent blood they poured out… the blood of their own sons and daughters. To the carvings of CanaAn they sacrificed them, and polluted the land with murder and blood. ³⁹ [So the land] was defiled by the things they had done, and they became just practicing whores. ⁴⁰ Thus, Jehovah was enraged with His people… His inheritance He started to hate.

⁴¹ Then He gave them into their enemies' hands… those who hated and ruled over them. ⁴² He allowed their enemies to oppress them, and humble them under their hands. ⁴³ And though time and again He came to save them, they kept on making Him angry. All they did was talk back, so they were humbled for the bad things they'd done

⁴⁴ Yet, when He saw how they were afflicted, He listened to the things that they begged for. ⁴⁵ He remembered His Sacred Agreement, and mercifully turned back to them once again… ⁴⁶ before all those by whom they'd been captured, He showed great compassion for them.

⁴⁷ O Jehovah our God, please save us, and gather us back from the nations, so we may praise Your Holy Name, and boast about You once more! ⁴⁸ O praise Jehovah through ages of ages! To this all should shout, 'May it be!'

Psalm 107

Praise Jah!

¹ Praise Jehovah, because He provides; His mercy endures through the ages. ² About Jehovah this has been said, by those whom He saved from their enemies' hands… ³ from the places from which He had gathered them back… from the north, south, east, and the sea. ⁴ They wandered the desert without water, and no town could they find as their home. ⁵ Their lives were failing from hunger and thirst, ⁶ so in great distress they called to the Lord, and He rescued them from their condition. ⁷ He guided them in a straight path, to a city that they could call home.

⁸ So, let them give praise to Jehovah, for the mercy [He's shown], and the wonders He brings to sons of men. ⁹ For, to empty lives He brings fulfillment, and He fills the hungry with good things… ¹⁰ even those who sit in the shadow of death, and the poor who are shacked in irons.

¹¹ Then against the word of our God they rebelled, and counsel from above they rejected. ¹² So, their hearts were made humble and troubled; they were weakened and no one came to their aid. ¹³ Then, in their affliction they called to Jehovah, and He saved them from their distress. ¹⁴ He led them from the shadow of death, and He ripped open their shackles.

¹⁵ So, let them praise [God] for His mercy, and the wonders He brings upon sons of men. ¹⁶ For, He broke down the brass gates, and smashed iron bars into pieces.

¹⁷ He removed from them their lawless ways… He humbled them because they were lawless. ¹⁸ So they could not eat their own food, and they were approaching death's gates. ¹⁹ But, in their affliction they cried to the Lord, and He saved them from their distress… ²⁰ He sent forth His word and it healed them, and saved them from their corruption. ²¹ May they praise Jehovah for His mercy, and the wonders He brings to sons of men. ²² They should offer to Him a sacrifice of praise, and joyfully shout of the things that He did for them!

²³ The men who go down to the sea in their boats, and work throughout many waters, ²⁴ have beheld the works of Jehovah, and His many wonders in the depths. ²⁵ He spoke and established the winds and the gales, which raise and create high waves. ²⁶ They rise high into the skies, then to the abyss they descend… and this melts away the bad in their lives. ²⁷ This upsets them and shakes them, and they swallow their wisdom like drunks. ²⁸ Then in their affliction they call to the Lord, and He leads them from their distress… ²⁹ He sends His orders to the gale, and it becomes a breeze to quiet the waves. ³⁰ Then, when it's stilled they are joyful, and He guides them toward the harbor they seek.

³¹ So, let them praise [God] for His mercy, and the wonders He brings to sons of men. ³² Before gatherings of people they should praise Him, and before the seats of the elders.

³³ Though He brought a river to the desert, and to a thirsty land springs of water, ³⁴ the ground still brought forth bad fruit, because of the evil in those who lived there… ³⁵ He turned a desert into water-filled lakes, and into dry ground [He put] springs. ³⁶ There He settled the hungry, and brought them to cities where they could live. ³⁷ Then they planted vineyards and they sowed fields, which brought the produce of fruit. ³⁸ He blest them and they grew into many (and not very few were their cattle), ³⁹ after they'd been decreased and mistreated… afflicted with evil and grief. ⁴⁰ Contempt had been poured on their rulers, and they'd wandered in places without any roads. ⁴¹ He removed poor conditions from the needy, and treated their families like flocks. ⁴² Then all the upright were joyful, but the mouths of the lawless were blocked.

⁴³ O who is wise and [will do what is right], to see the mercies of Jehovah?

Psalm 108

A Psalm of David.

¹ My heart is prepared, O my God… in my glory I'll now sing and to play! ² Awaken my glory, my lute, and my harp, when I awaken at dawn.

³ O Jehovah; I'll praise You among all the peoples; about You I'll strum to the nations. ⁴ For Your mercy is greater and higher than the sky, and Your truth reaches into the clouds.

⁵ May Your glory become higher than the sky, O God, and far above the whole earth. ⁶ Bring salvation to Your loved ones… please hear me and save with Your right hand!

⁷ In Holiness our God has spoken and said, '[My Name] will now be raised high. I will subdivide SheChem, and I'll lay out tents in its valley. ⁸ Gilead is Mine, ManasSeh is Mine, and EphraIm is the pillow for My head. ⁹ Judah's My king, and Moab is the kettle of My hope for Idumea. I'll stick out My shoe [and step down], and to Me the Philistines will submit. ¹⁰ Can they take their fortified cities from Me? Can they serve as My guide to Idumea?'

¹¹ Isn't it You, O God, who pushed us away? And will not You, O Lord, send Your armies? ¹² Send us some help in our time of oppression, for the salvation of man has no value. ¹³ Only through God will we have any strength; only He can treat our enemies with contempt.

Psalm 109

To the director; A Psalm of David.

¹ O God of my praise, don't be silent, ² for sinners and liars have spoken against me. They speak against me with tongues of deceit, ³ and with hateful words they surround me. ⁴ They war against me for no reason. Instead of love they send slander; yet to You I continue to pray. ⁵ Instead of good they've brought bad, and shown hatred [in return for] my love.

⁶ Set him among all the sinners; put the Slanderer at his right hand. ⁷ When he's judged, may he leave as condemned, and may his prayers be considered as sins. ⁸ May his days not become many, and may others take his position. ⁹ May all his sons become orphans, and may his wife be a widow. ¹⁰ Let his sons wander and beg. May they be driven away from their homes. ¹¹ May bankers search for all his possessions, and strangers loot the things he has worked for. ¹² Let there be no one to shield him; may no one pity his orphans. ¹³ May his children be wiped away; may his name be gone in one generation. ¹⁴ May Jehovah remember the sins of his father; may the sins of his mother not be erased. ¹⁵ May they stand [in judgment] before You, O Lord, and may his memory be gone from the land.

¹⁶ Because he forgot to show mercy, he pursued a man who is needy and poor, and sought to kill one who was broken in heart. ¹⁷ Since he loved curses, let him receive them; since he offered no blessings, may they stay far from him. ¹⁸ Cursing he wore like a robe; they poured like water from within, and became like oil in his bones. ¹⁹ So, as his robe may he wear them… as a belt that he wraps 'round his waist. ²⁰ May this be Jehovah's reward, for all those [guilty of] slander, and those who say evil things of my soul.

²¹ O Lord Jehovah, please help me, for the sake of Your Name and Your mercy. ²² Rescue me, for I'm poor and in need, and my heart is deeply disturbed. ²³ Like a shadow that passes I've been removed; I've been [eaten] away as by locusts. ²⁴ My knees are now weakened from fasting, and for lack of oil my flesh has been changed. ²⁵ To them I'm someone to laugh at; they look at me and just shake their heads.

²⁶ Help me, Jehovah my God; do so in Your great mercy! ²⁷ Then let them know that it's Your hand… that it's You, O Jehovah, who did it! ²⁸ Upon themselves may they bring their curses, as You [my God] bring [me] blessings. May those who rise against me be shamed, but may Your servant be joyful. ²⁹ On those who slander bring shame, and wrap them in their shame as though clothes. ³⁰ Then I will offer to You praise, O Lord… with my mouth I'll praise You to many. ³¹ [God] stands at the right of this needy one, to save me from those who are chasing my soul.

Psalm 110

A Psalm of David.

¹ Jehovah said this to my Lord: 'Sit here at my right hand, 'til I make your enemies a footstool. ² A strong scepter the Lord will send you from Zion, and in the midst of your enemies you'll rule. ³ In that mighty day you'll be sovereign, and in the brightness of your holy ones you'll shine. For, since the time that you came from the womb, I made you the [bright] morning star.'

⁴ An oath was sworn by Jehovah, for which He will never repent. He said, 'You're a Priest through the ages, as in the order of MelchiZedek, ⁵ and at My right hand you will sit.'

In the day of his rage he'll shatter kings; ⁶ among the nations he'll be the judge; then he'll fill their [lands] up with corpses, and he'll shatter many heads on the earth. ⁷ From the [Kidron] Wadi he'll drink, and he will raise his head high.

Psalm 111

Praise Jah!

¹ I'll praise You Jehovah with my whole heart; Your instructions [I'll share with] the righteous.

² The deeds of Jehovah are great, and He searches for those whom He desires. ³ Majestic and worthy are the things that He does, and His justice endures through ages of ages.

⁴ He's made His wonders to be remembered, and Jehovah shows pity and empathy. ⁵ He nourishes all those who fear Him, and through ages remembers His Sacred Agreement.

⁶ His powerful deeds He's announced to His people, for He's given them the nations to inherit. ⁷ The works of His hands are just and true, and His Commandments can always be trusted.

⁸ Truth and uprightness are fixed, so they'll last through ages of ages. ⁹ He'll pay the ransom for His people, and through the ages He'll give instructions, about His Holy Sacred Agreement, and of how His Name should be feared.

¹⁰ Wisdom starts with the fear of Jehovah, and those who learn this will understand and be good. They will be praised through the age, and on through the age of the ages.

Psalm 112

Praise Jah.

¹ Blest is the man who fears Jehovah, and greatly desires His Commandments. ² His seed will grow strong on the earth… for generations of the just will be blest. ³ Glory and wealth will be in his house, and his righteous ways will endure, through the age of the ages. ⁴ He sheds light in the dark for the upright, ⁵ and shows pity and mercy to the righteous.

⁵ A kind man feels compassion and lends, and he manages his matters in justice. ⁶ So, through the age he'll not be shaken, for the righteous are remembered through the ages. ⁷ Then he won't be in fear when hearing bad news, for he's readied his heart to trust in the Lord. ⁸ His heart is sure, so he won't be afraid, even before enemies.

⁹ He has contributed to those who are needy, and he's been just through the ages, so his trumpet will be lifted in glory. ¹⁰ Then the sinner will see this and he will be mad; he'll grind his teeth then just melt away… all that the sinner has desired will be gone.

Psalm 113

Praise Jah.

¹ Praise Jehovah, His servants; praise the Name of the Lord. ² May the Name Jehovah be praised, right now and on through the age.

³ From the sun's dawning until it descends, it praises the Name of the Lord. ⁴ For, Jehovah is high above all the nations, since His glory exists in the heavens.

⁵ Who is like Jehovah our God, He who lives in high places? ⁶ To the humble He pays attention… those in heaven and those on the earth.

⁷ He raises the poor from the ground, and the needy from out of manure, ⁸ to set them next to the rulers… the rulers who are over His people.

⁹ For childless women He provides homes, as well as houses for those who have many.

Psalm 114

Praise Jah.

¹ After the IsraEl left Egypt (when the house of Jacob left barbaric peoples), ² Judea became His Holy Place, and IsraEl was His power to accomplish.

³ The sea beheld and then moved away; the Jordan turned around and flowed backward; ⁴ the mountains started leaping like rams, and the hills acted like lambs. What is it with you, O sea; why did you turn and move away? And you, O Jordan; why did you run backward? ⁶ Mountains; why are you leaping like rams? And hills; why are you acting like lambs?

⁷ In the presence of Jehovah the whole earth is shaken… yes in the presence of Jacob's God. ⁸ For, He turned a rock into a lake… from stone He chiseled out springs. ⁹ But not for us, O Jehovah… no, not for our sake, but in order to glorify Your Name, and because of Your mercy and truth, ¹⁰ so the nations won't ask, 'Where's your God?'

¹¹ Our God lives in the heavens, and He does as He wishes on the earth. ¹² But the nations worship idols of silver and gold… things that are made by men's hands. ¹³ These idols have mouths, but they cannot speak; eyes they have, but they cannot see; ¹⁴ ears they have, but they cannot hear… they also have noses which cannot smell. ¹⁵ Though they have hands, they are unable to grab things; and though they have feet, they can't walk… nor can they speak with their throats. ¹⁶ Let the people who made them become just like them, as well as those bowing before them.

¹⁷ The house of IsraEl puts its hope in Jehovah; He's their defender and helper. ¹⁸ The Aaron's house puts its hope in Jehovah; He's their defender and helper. ¹⁹ All those who are fearing Jehovah, are those who trust in the Lord, for He's their defender and helper.

²⁰ Jehovah remembered and blest us; the house of IsraEl He has blest, and the house of Aaron He's blest; ²¹ He has blest those fearing the Lord great and small.

²² May the Lord provide for you and your sons… ²³ may you be blest by Jehovah… He who created the heavens and earth. ²⁴ For, the heavens belong to Jehovah, but to the sons of men He gave the earth.

²⁵ The dead will not praise You, Jehovah, nor will those going down to the grave. ²⁶ It is we the living who offer You praise, both now and into the ages.

Psalm 115

Praise Jah.

¹ I love it that Jehovah is willing to listen, to the sounds of the things for which I beg. ² He has leaned His ear down to hear me, and I'll call upon Him all my days.

³ By the pangs of death I've been encircled… dangers of the grave are now all around me, and I know affliction and grief. ⁴ So, I'll call on the Name the Lord: 'O Jehovah, please save my life!'

⁵ Merciful and just is Jehovah, for our God is He who shows mercy. ⁶ He's the One that guards infants; yes by this Lord I've been humbled and saved.

⁷ O my soul, return to your rest, for Jehovah has watched over you. ⁸ My life He has rescued from death; my eyes [He has saved] from [many] tears; and [He has kept] my feet from wrong steps.

⁹ To Jehovah I wish to be pleasing, and to be found in the place of the living.

Psalm 116

Praise Jah.

¹ I was proud and that's why I spoke, but I was exceedingly humbled. ² For, in ecstasy I had once said, 'Every man is a liar.'

³ With what can I repay Jehovah, for all that He's done for me? ⁴ I will accept His cup of salvation, and on the Name of the Lord I will call. ⁵ My vows to Jehovah I'll render, there before all His people. ⁶ Yes, there before all His holy, I'll show my regard for Jehovah.

⁷ O Jehovah, I am Your servant; the son of Your female slave. It is You who tore off my bonds, ⁸ so a sacrifice of praise I will offer, and on the Lord's Name I will call.

⁹ I'll pay my vows to Jehovah, there in front of of His people, ¹⁰ in the courtyard of [His] House… within JeruSalem's midst.

Psalm 117

Praise Jah.

¹ Praise Jehovah, you nations. May He be praised by you all, ² for His mercy upon us is strong, and the truth of Jehovah lasts through the age.

Psalm 118

Praise Jah.

¹ Praise Jehovah because He is good, and His mercy endures through the ages. ² May the house of IsraEl say, 'He is good, and His mercy endures through the ages.' ³ May Aaron's house say 'He is good, and His mercy endures through the ages.' ⁴ May those fearing Jehovah say 'He is good, and His mercy endures through the ages.'

⁵ In my affliction I called to Jehovah, and He answered my prayers in a great way. ⁶ Jehovah's my helper, so I will not fear, whatever things that men can do. ⁷ And because Jehovah's my helper, my enemies will be inspected by me.

⁸ It is better to yield to Jehovah, than to give in to men. ⁹ It is better to hope in Jehovah, than to put trust in rulers.

¹⁰ All the nations once had me surrounded, but in the Name of the Lord I pushed them away. ¹¹ They once had me encircled, but though I was surrounded by them, in the Name of the Lord I pushed them away. ¹² As bees on a comb I was covered, but they were consumed like burning thorn-bushes… in the Name of the Lord I pushed them away.

¹³ I was stabbed through and fell flat on the ground, when Jehovah took hold of my [hand]. ¹⁴ Jehovah's my strength and my song of praise… He has become my Salvation. ¹⁵ He's the voice of shouting in joy, and a Savior in the tents of the righteous.

Jehovah's right hand showed its power, ¹⁶ and by His right hand I was lifted… Jehovah's right hand showed its might. ¹⁷ So, I will not die, I'll live! And I will describe the works of the Lord. ¹⁸ By Jehovah I was corrected, and to death He did not hand me over. ¹⁹ The gates of justice opened before me, so through them I'll walk and confess to the Lord. ²⁰ For, this is the gate of Jehovah, which all the righteous pass through.

²¹ Because You heard me, I will confess… yes, because You're my Savior. ²² The stone that the builders rejected, has become the chief cornerstone… ²³ it is by Jehovah that this came to pass, and it's a wonderful thing in our eyes.

²⁴ This is the day that was made by Jehovah, and for it we'll cry out in joy: ²⁵ 'O Jehovah, please save us! O Lord, please bless our way! ²⁶ Blest is he who comes in God's Name… from the House of Jehovah we'll praise you!'

²⁷ Jehovah is God and He's shining upon us, so come gather for a great holiday… come with many sacrifices, to offer on the horns of the Altar.

²⁸ You are my God, so to You I'll confess. You are my God, so I'll hold You high. I'll confess that You have listened to me, and that You are my Savior. ²⁹ Because He is good, I'll confess to the Lord, and His mercy endures through the ages.

Psalm 119

Praise Jah.

¹ Those who are spotless are blest… those who follow the Law of Jehovah. ² Those searching for His proofs are blest also… those who seek Him with their whole hearts. ³ But those who keep breaking His Laws, will never walk His ways.

⁴ You've told us to follow Your orders, ⁵ so straighten my ways to follow Your Laws. ⁶ Thus I will never be shamed, by failing to keep Your Commandments.

⁷ To You I'll confess with a pure heart, and I'll learn of Your judgments and justice. ⁸ I'll follow all of Your Laws, so please don't ever leave me!

⁹ How can a young man keep his ways straight? By obeying Your Word with his whole heart. ¹⁰ With all my heart I've inquired of You, so from Your Commandments don't push me away.

¹¹ Your prophecies I've hidden away in my heart, so against You I will not sin. ¹² May You be praised, O Jehovah; please teach me [all of] Your ways.

¹³ With my lips I'll declare the decisions, which have come from Your mouth. ¹⁴ I've found delight in the things that You've said, and I've placed them higher than riches.

¹⁵ Upon Your Commandments I'll meditate, and I'll contemplate all of Your ways. ¹⁶ I'll also think of Your Laws, and never forget the things that You've said.

¹⁷ Bless and invigorate Your servant, and I will do as You've said. ¹⁸ Uncover my eyes and I'll contemplate, the wonders of all Your Laws.

¹⁹ I'm just a visitor to this land, but do not hide Your Commandments from me. ²⁰ My soul has longed for Your judgments… they've been my desire on every occasion.

²¹ You have scolded the proud, and those who reject Your Commandments are cursed. ²² So, remove from me all the scorn and contempt; for, I've examined the proofs that You sent.

²³ Against Your servant even rulers speak ill, but Your servant has thought of Your righteous ways. ²⁴ On the witness you gave I contemplate, and Your Laws have been my advice.

²⁵ My soul is stuck to the floor, but Your Word is giving me life. ²⁶ I've openly told of my [foolish] ways, and You have heard [all my prayers]. Teach me Your rules ²⁷ and show Me Your Laws. Bring understanding to me, and I'll meditate on Your wonders.

²⁸ My soul was asleep and indifferent, so make me firm in Your words. ²⁹ Remove from me the ways of injustice, and by Your Law show mercy on me.

³⁰ The way of truth I have chosen, and Your decisions I haven't forgotten. ³¹ I've stuck by all Your just ways, so Lord, don't put me to shame.

³² In the way of Your Commandments I've run, from the time that You widened my heart. ³³ So, establish for me the way of Your Laws, and I'll always seek them, Jehovah.

³⁴ Bring understanding to me, and Your Laws I'll search for and guard with my heart. ³⁵ On the road of Your Commandments please guide me, for that is what I've desired.

³⁶ Lean my heart toward Your righteous ways, not toward the desire for wealth. ³⁷ Please give direction to my eyes, so I'll never look at what's foolish.

Make me alive in Your ways! ³⁸ Give Your servant an omen to fear You! ³⁹ Remove all the scorn and the things that I dread, for Your decisions are kind.

⁴⁰ Your Commandments I've always desired, so make me alive in the ways of Your justice. ⁴¹ Bring Your mercy upon me, O Lord, and save me as You once promised. ⁴² Then I can give a reply, to those who speak ill of me, and I can put faith in Your words.

⁴³ Don't remove Your words of truth from my mouth, for I've raised much hope through Your judgments. ⁴⁴ I'll guard Your Law through the ages, and into the age of the ages.

⁴⁵ Because I have searched Your Commandments, my life has now become greater. ⁴⁶ I've spoken of Your ways before kings, and I was never ashamed.

⁴⁷ Upon Your Commandments I've meditated, and them I've come to love dearly. ⁴⁸ I've raised my hands to Your orders; I've loved and thought of Your rules.

⁴⁹ Remember Your words to Your servant, which have raised my hopes high. ⁵⁰ They comforted me through times of shame, and Your omens gave me back life.

⁵¹ The proud have been very unjust, but I've not turned from Your Laws. ⁵² Through the age I've remembered Your decisions, and Jehovah, they've brought me much comfort.

⁵³ Because of the sinners I was depressed… those who've abandoned Your Laws. ⁵⁴ Your rules are like chords of music to me; for, wherever I go [they are with me].

⁵⁵ During the night I think of Your Name; O Jehovah, I've followed Your Laws. ⁵⁶ All the [good] that has happened to me, came because I've searched for Your ways.

⁵⁷ O Jehovah; You are the share I was given, and of guarding Your Law I have spoken. ⁵⁸ With my whole heart I've begged to Your face, so show mercy on me as You promised.

⁵⁹ Oh, I have argued Your ways, and I've turned my feet toward Your proofs. ⁶⁰ I've prepared myself to keep Your Commandments, so by them I'm not disturbed.

⁶¹ By the cords of sinners I've been twisted, but I've not forgotten Your Laws. ⁶² At midnight I wake up to thank You, for Your decisions and justice.

⁶³ I'm a partner to all those who fear You… those who keep Your commandments. ⁶⁴ The land is filled with Your mercy, for I've been taught by Your rules.

⁶⁵ You've used Your servant to do what is good, according to Your word, O Jehovah. ⁶⁶ Instruct me in the knowledge of good, for in Your Commandments I've trusted.

⁶⁷ Before I was humbled I'd sinned, and since then I've guarded Your omens. ⁶⁸ You provide kindly Jehovah, so in kindness teach me Your Laws.

⁶⁹ The injustice of the proud is a burden to me, but with my whole heart I'll seek Your Commandments. ⁷⁰ Like [spoiled] milk, their hearts have been curdled, but I have thought of Your Laws.

⁷¹ It's good that I have been humbled by You, so I would learn of Your rules. ⁷² For me, the Laws that come from Your mouth, are worth more than silver and gold.

⁷³ It was Your hands that made me and shaped me, so bring understanding to me, and I will learn Your Commandments.

⁷⁴ Those who fear You rejoice when they see me, for I've raised their hopes through Your words. ⁷⁵ O Jehovah; I've seen the just ways of Your judgments, and with Your truth I've been humbled.

⁷⁶ May Your mercy bring comfort to me, as You revealed to Your servant in signs. ⁷⁷ Show compassion to me and I'll live, for Your Law is all that I contemplate.

⁷⁸ May the proud be ashamed of the bad ways they treat me, for without law they have acted, while I've remembered Your Commandments.

⁷⁹ May those who fear You turn toward me… those who've seen all Your proofs. ⁸⁰ Make my heart [pure] in Your rules, so I will never be shamed. ⁸¹ My soul longs for salvation from You, so in Your words I've raised hopes.

⁸² My eyes have failed as I've searched for Your signs; O when will You bring me some comfort? ⁸³ For, I'm like a leather bag in the frost, yet Your rules I haven't forgotten.

⁸⁴ How many are the days of Your servant? When will You bring judgment on those who pursue me? ⁸⁵ Lawbreakers have thought and plotted against me, but not by Your Law, O Jehovah.

⁸⁶ All Your Commandments are true, but unjustly they've chased me and I need Your help. ⁸⁷ Soon they'd have wiped me away from the land, yet I've never left Your Commandments. ⁸⁸ In Your mercy, please strengthen my life, and I'll guard the words that come from Your mouth.

⁸⁹ Through the ages, O [God], Your word exists in the heavens. ⁹⁰ From one generation to another, Your truth has always [been found] there… You laid the foundations of the earth, and it continues to be. ⁹¹ It's at Your choosing that each day arrives, for all things are under Your power.

⁹² Had I not thought of Your Law, in shame I'd have been destroyed. ⁹³ May I not forget Your rules through the age, since they have given me life.

⁹⁴ Because I'm Yours, please save me, for I have searched for Your rules! ⁹⁵ Sinners have stayed to destroy me, because I've paid attention to Your ways.

⁹⁶ When I thought that I saw the end, Your Commandments provided [more] time. ⁹⁷ So I've loved Your Law, O Jehovah; through the whole day it stays on my mind.

⁹⁸ You've made me wiser than those who oppose me, and Your Commandments are mine through the age. ⁹⁹ I've seen more than all those who taught me, because I've obeyed Your instructions. ¹⁰⁰ I see more than even the elders, because I have searched Your Commandments.

¹⁰¹ I've restrained my feet from what's evil, so I can guard all Your words. ¹⁰² From Your judgments I've not turned aside, for You have established my laws.

¹⁰³ How sweet to my throat are the things that You say; they're like honey inside my mouth. ¹⁰⁴ From Your Commandments I've learned, and I've hated the ways of injustice.

¹⁰⁵ Your Law is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my paths. ¹⁰⁶ I have stood and sworn with an oath, to guard Your justice and judgments.

¹⁰⁷ O Jehovah, I've been pushed down, so enliven me as You promised. ¹⁰⁸ Voluntary offerings that come from my mouth, bring me much pleasure, O Lord; so teach me all Your decisions.

¹⁰⁹ O Lord, my life's in Your hands, and Your Laws I have not forgotten. ¹¹⁰ Though sinners have set snares in my paths, from Your Commandments I've never strayed.

¹¹¹ I've inherited Your proofs through the age, and they make my heart leap for joy. ¹¹² I've inclined my heart to follow Your rules, through the age in repayment [for Your goodness].

¹¹³ Those who break laws I've detested, for I have loved all Your rules. ¹¹⁴ You are my helper and shield, and by Your words I've raised hopes.

¹¹⁵ Turn me from all the wicked, for I'll search the Commandments of God. ¹¹⁶ Take hold of me [as You showed] in Your sign; make me strong and don't shame my hopes.

¹¹⁷ Send me help and I will be saved, then I'll always think of Your rules. ¹¹⁸ But those who turned from me in contempt, have broken Your rules with unrighteous thoughts. ¹¹⁹ The sinners in the land are breaking Your Laws, but I have loved all Your proofs.

¹²⁰ They nailed up my flesh without fear of You; but I was in fear of Your judgments. ¹²¹ I have brought judgments and justice, so do not save those who've wronged me.

¹²² Keep an eye on Your servant for good; don't allow the proud extort me. ¹²³ My eyes await Your salvation, and the sacred words of Your justice.

¹²⁴ Deal with Your servant in mercy, and teach me Your righteous ways. ¹²⁵ Help me to know, for I am Your slave, and I will make known Your proofs.

¹²⁶ It's time to act, O Jehovah, for they've wiped away all Your Laws. ¹²⁷ But I have loved Your Commandments, more so than topaz or gold.

¹²⁸ For this, I've followed Your Laws, and detested the ways of the unrighteous. ¹²⁹ Wondrous are the proofs that You've shown, and for them I'll search with my whole life.

¹³⁰ Manifestations of Your words shed much light, and bring understanding to the simple.

¹³¹ I've opened my mouth and I've sighed, because Your Commandments I've longed for. ¹³² Look upon me and show mercy; show mercy to those loving Your Name.

¹³³ Please straighten my steps toward ways I should walk; by Your promise, may what's lawless not rule me. ¹³⁴ From the extortion of men please ransom me, and I will keep Your Commandments.

¹³⁵ Show Your face to Your servant, and teach me all of Your rules. ¹³⁶ For, streams of water flow from my eyes, whenever I've broken Your Laws.

¹³⁷ You are righteous, Jehovah, and all Your decisions are straight. ¹³⁸ You've told us [that we must be] just, and true are the things that You say.

¹³⁹ For You, my zeal has been longing, but my enemies have forgotten Your words. ¹⁴⁰ The signs that You sent are like blazing fire; Your servant loves them in truth.

¹⁴¹ Because I'm young they treat me with contempt, but Your rules I haven't forgotten. ¹⁴² Through the ages Your justice proves righteous, and true are all of Your Laws.

¹⁴³ Distress and afflictions have found me, but upon Your Commandments I still meditate. ¹⁴⁴ Your proofs have proven just through the ages… so help me to understand them, that I may continue to live.

¹⁴⁵ With my whole heart I've cried, 'Hear me, O Lord, and I'll search for Your rules.' ¹⁴⁶ To You I called out, 'Please save me; and Your righteous ways I will follow.'

¹⁴⁷ Sometime before midnight I called out [to You], and in Your words I put hope. ¹⁴⁸ Then as my eyes opened at dawn, I thought about all Your signs.

¹⁴⁹ Hear my voice in Your mercy, Jehovah. In Your justice, make me alive. ¹⁵⁰ Draw in all those who lawlessly chase me, because they are far from Your Laws.

¹⁵¹ You are near, O Jehovah, and truthful are all of Your ways. ¹⁵² From the beginning I've known of Your proofs, and that they've been established though the ages.

¹⁵³ See and save me from my humiliation, for I've not forgotten Your Law. ¹⁵⁴ Judge my case and [give justice]; for the sake of Your Word, make me alive.

¹⁵⁵ O take me away from the sinners, for they haven't searched for Your rules. ¹⁵⁶ You are filled with compassion, O Lord; save my life with Your righteous decisions.

¹⁵⁷ Many are those who are driving me out… many are those who oppress me; yet, I've not turned from Your proofs. ¹⁵⁸ I've seen others who are lacking good sense, and because they don't follow Your words, they are just wasting away.

¹⁵⁹ See how I've loved Your Commandments, O Lord! So in mercy, please grant me life! ¹⁶⁰ Your words have been true from the start, and Your justice and judgments abide through the ages.

¹⁶¹ Without a charge I'm being pursued, and my heart is in dread of Your words. ¹⁶² But I'll shout in praise of the signs that You sent, as one who has found great plunder.

¹⁶³ I've detested and abhorred all injustice, and Your Law I always have loved. ¹⁶⁴ Seven times each day I've praised Your decisions, as well as all of Your justice.

¹⁶⁵ Peace comes to those who love Your Law, and nothing can stand in their way. ¹⁶⁶ O Jehovah; Your salvation I've been expecting, because I have loved Your Commandments.

¹⁶⁷ My soul has guarded Your proofs; it has shown how I truly love them. ¹⁶⁸ I have kept Your words and Commandments… O Jehovah, all my ways are before You.

¹⁶⁹ O Lord, please hear what I'm begging, and help me understand all Your signs. ¹⁷⁰ If I'm worthy, O Lord, let me approach You, and then rescue me as You showed in Your signs.

¹⁷¹ From my lips I sang out a hymn, whenever You taught me Your rules. ¹⁷² With my tongue may I sing of Your signs, for all Your Commandments are righteous.

¹⁷³ Send Your hand down to save me, for all Your Commandments I've adopted. ¹⁷⁴ Your salvation is what I have longed for, O Lord, and Your Law is all that I think of.

¹⁷⁵ If You'll allow me to live, I will [continue to] praise You, and Your decisions will serve as my guide. ¹⁷⁶ I've wandered as a sheep that would perish alone, so please come and search for Your servant, because Your Commandments I've never forgotten.

Psalm 120

A song [to be sung] while ascending [to the Temple on Mount MoriAh].

¹ In my despair I called to Jehovah, and to [my prayer] He then listened. ² [I said]: 'From the lips of unrighteous ones save me, O Lord. [Save me] from those with deceitful tongues.

³ 'What can I give and what can I add, to those with tongues that are lying? ⁴ For, all the arrows of the mighty, are now being sharpened in coals.

⁵ 'Oh, I have traveled so far, and I've camped in [the Valley of] Cedars. ⁶ My soul has traveled to get far away, from all of those who hate peace. ⁷ Though I spoke to them in peaceable ways, they waged war with me for no reason.'

Psalm 121

A song [to be sung] while ascending [to the Temple on Mount MoriAh].

¹ I've lifted my eyes toward the Mountain, from which comes all my help. ² For, my help comes from Jehovah… He who made the heavens and earth. ³ In Him your feet will not stumble, for He who guards doesn't slumber; ⁴ He does not slumber or sleep… He who is IsraEl's guard.

⁵ Jehovah's your guard and He's your protection; He's always at your right hand. ⁶ So by day the sun will not strike you, nor will the moon in the night. ⁷ Jehovah will guard you from evil… the Lord watches over your soul. ⁸ Jehovah will guard your comings and goings, from now and into the ages.

Psalm 122

A song [to be sung] while ascending [to the Temple on Mount MoriAh].

¹ I'm overjoyed whenever they tell me, 'To the house of Jehovah we'll go, ² where we'll stand within JeruSalem's gates.'

³ JeruSalem was built as a city, which we can all share together. ⁴ The tribes of Jehovah go up there, as is required by IsraEl's Law. ⁵ For, there sits the throne from which come the judgments… the thrones of the house of [King] David. ⁶ And there you can [pray] for JeruSalem's peace, and prosperity for all those you love.

⁷ [Pray], 'Let there be peace for our army, and prosperity for our fortified towers. ⁸ On behalf of my brothers and neighbors, I have asked for peace upon them… ⁹ I've come to the [House] of Jehovah our God, to ask for good things [to happen].'

Psalm 123

A song [to be sung] while ascending [to the Temple on Mount MoriAh].

¹ I have lifted my eyes, to He who lives in the heavens. ² {Look!} As the eyes of a slave look to the hands of his master, and as a handmaid's eyes look to the hands of her lady, our eyes look to Jehovah our God, until He takes pity on us.

³ Show mercy on us, O Jehovah; show mercy on us, for with contempt we've been treated… ⁴ our lives have been filled with the scorn of the rich, and the contempt of those who are proud.

Psalm 124

A song [to be sung] while ascending [to the Temple on Mount MoriAh].

¹ Unless Jehovah was with us… ² Say it IsraEl!

³ Unless Jehovah was with us, the men who attacked would have swallowed us down. ⁴ In their rage we would have been drowned, and the streams would have taken our lives… ⁵ their raging waters would have taken our lives.

⁶ Praise Jehovah, for He has provided… we weren't given as game for their teeth. ⁷ Our lives have been rescued like sparrows, from the traps of the men hunting them. But now their snares have been broken, and from them we have been rescued. ⁸ In the Name of the Lord we looked for our aid… He who made the heavens and earth.

Psalm 125

A song [to be sung] while ascending [to the Temple on Mount MoriAh].

¹ Those who trust in Jehovah, are like those [who live on] Mount Zion. Since those who live in JeruSalem, will not be shaken through the age. ² As she is surrounded by mountains, Jehovah has surrounded His people, both now and into the age.

³ He won't allow whips of sinners, to [fall on the backs] of the righteous. They won't be stretched out before them, or by their hands be mistreated.

⁴ O Jehovah; do good for those who do good; [do good] for those with straight hearts. ⁵ But remove those turning toward badness… take them away with the lawless, O Lord.

Peace to IsraEl!

Psalm 126

A song [to be sung] while ascending [to the Temple on Mount MoriAh].

¹ When Jehovah returns Zion's captives, it will bring us great comfort. ² With joyful [cries] our mouths will be filled, and with our tongues we'll shout cheers. Then those of the nations will say, 'Jehovah has made Himself great, in the way that He's dealing with them.' ³ Yes, He has made Himself great, in the way that He's dealing with us, for He has made us all joyful.

⁴ O Jehovah, return all our captives, as water returns to the streams in the south. ⁵ Then those who are planting with tears, will harvest with cries that are joyful. ⁶ For, the ones who were taken are gone, and those scattering seeds do so with tears. But when they return we'll be shouting in joy, as we carry our sheaves.

Psalm 127

A song [to be sung] while ascending [to the Temple on Mount MoriAh].

¹ If the house isn't built by Jehovah, its builders have [worked hard] in vain. And if the Lord is not guarding the city, it's in vain to stay awake and keep watch… ² yes, though you rise early and go to bed late, it will all be in vain. O you who must eat bread of grief; He will bring rest to those whom He loves.

³ {Look!} The inheritance of Jehovah is sons; they're the wage and the fruit of the womb. ⁴ The sons born to you are like arrows, within the hands of the mighty. ⁵ So, those filling their [quivers] with [sons] are the blest, for they will not be disgraced, when they must speak to their enemies, who have arrived at their gates.

Psalm 128

A song [to be sung] while ascending [to the Temple on Mount MoriAh].

¹ Blest are those who fear Jehovah… those who walk in His ways. ² For, from the works of your hands you will eat… you'll be blest and things will go well. ³ Your wives will prosper like grapevines, which grow on the walls of your homes, and your sons will be like new-planted olives, as they sit at your table.

⁴ {Look!} The man who fears Jehovah is blest… ⁵ so may He bless you from Zion. The good things of JeruSalem may you then see, all the days of your life. ⁶ May you live to see the sons of your sons, along with peace upon IsraEl!

Psalm 129

A song [to be sung] while ascending [to the Temple on Mount MoriAh].

¹ Many times they've waged war against me, since the time of my youth… Say it IsraEl!

² Many times they've waged war against me, since the time of my youth, yet they were unable to beat me.

³ Behind my back the sinners conspired, and continued in their lawless ways. ⁴ But [our God Jehovah] is righteous, for He has chopped off their necks.

⁵ Let them be shamed and forced to retreat… all those detesting Mount Zion. ⁶ Let them become like the grass on the roofs, after it's pulled up and dried.

⁷ Why hasn't the harvester filled up his hands, or collected the sheaves to his bosom? ⁸ Because those who passed by, did not offer this blessing: 'We bless you in the Name of the Lord.'

Psalm 130

A song [to be sung] while ascending [to the Temple on Mount MoriAh].

¹ I cried to You from the depths, O Lord: ² 'O Jehovah, please hear my voice! May Your ears hear the words of my prayers. ³ If You look upon our lawless ways; O Lord, who'll be able to stand? ⁴ But though we have reason to fear You, You have covered our sins.

Because of Your Name I've waited for You… ⁵ O Jehovah; My soul has awaited Your word. ⁶ My soul has put hope in the Lord, from the early-morning watch until late at night.

⁷ Let IsraEl put hope in Jehovah, for He brings mercy and He pays our ransom… ⁸ He'll redeem IsraEl from their lawless ways.

Psalm 131

A song [to be sung] while ascending [to the Temple on Mount MoriAh].

¹ O Jehovah; I have not exalted my heart, nor have my eyes been too lofty. I haven't traveled among great ones, nor in the wonders above me.

² I'll have sinned if I hadn't been humble, but now my life has been raised, as one who's been weaned from his mother. So please, will You ransom my soul?

³ In Jehovah let IsraEl put all their hope, both now and into the age.

Psalm 132

A song [to be sung] while ascending [to the Temple on Mount MoriAh].

¹ O Jehovah; Remember [King] David and his gentle ways. ² For, he swore an oath to Jehovah… to the God of Jacob he made a vow. (He said), ³ 'Should I enter my house and go to bed… ⁴ will I allow my eyes to fall asleep, and my eyelids to slumber and rest in my home, ⁵ before I find a place for Jehovah… a Temple for Jacob's God?'

⁶ Look! We've heard that it was in EphRatha, and found it in the plains among groves. ⁷ So, we'll go to His Tent and we'll bow there, in this place that's the stool for His feet.

⁸ Arise from Your rest, O Jehovah, and [come to] the Chest in Your Holy Place. ⁹ Then Your Priests will make themselves righteous, and Your holy ones will cry out in joy.

¹⁰ Because of David Your servant; from Your anointed don't turn away. ¹¹ For, the Lord swore this oath to David in truth, and He will never annul it: 'Upon your throne I'll establish the fruit of your belly. ¹² And if your sons guard My Sacred Agreement, and obey all the rules that I'll teach them; through ages their sons will sit on your throne.'

¹³ For, Jehovah has chosen [Mount] Zion; He chose it as His place to dwell. (He said), ¹⁴ 'Here I will rest for ages of ages; it's [the place] I've selected and where I will dwell.

¹⁵ 'I will bless the good among her wild beasts, and her poor I'll fill up with bread. ¹⁶ Her Priests I'll clothe with salvation, and [I'll bless] her holy with cheers.

¹⁷ 'There David's trumpet I'll raise; for My anointed I'll ready a lamp. ¹⁸ I'll clothe his enemies with shame, but on him I'll make holiness bloom.'

Psalm 133

A song [to be sung] while ascending [to the Temple on Mount MoriAh].

¹ {Look!} How good and delightful it is, when brothers all live together. ² It's like perfumed oil that runs down the beard… upon Aaron's beard and then down his clothes. ³ It's like the dew on [Mount] Hermon, that runs to the mountains of Zion. For it's there that Jehovah gave [meaning], to the blessing of ages of life.

Psalm 134

A song [to be sung] while ascending [to the Temple on Mount MoriAh].

¹ Praise Jehovah, all His servants… those standing in the House of the Lord… those who stand in the courtyards, of the House of our God through the night. ² Raise your hands to His Holy Place, and then give praise to the Lord. ³ May Jehovah bless you from Zion… He who made the lands and the skies.

Psalm 135

Praise Jah.

¹ Praise the Name of the Lord; Praise Jehovah, His servants… ² you who stand in His House… in the courtyards of the House of our God. ³ Praise Jehovah, because He is good. Play music to His good Name. ⁴ For, He chose Jacob as His own… as a prized possession of IsraEl's Lord

⁵ I know that Jehovah is great, and our Lord is above other gods. ⁶ He has done all He wills in the skies and the lands, as well as in the seas and their depths. ⁷ He leads the clouds from the ends of the earth; He made the lightning and rain, and He brings the wind from His storehouse.

⁸ He struck the firstborn of Egypt… all those from men to their beasts. ⁹ Signs and wonders He sent throughout Egypt… upon PharaOh and all of his servants.

¹⁰ It is He who struck many nations, and brought death to many strong kings. ¹¹ There was Seon the Amorite king, as well as Og, king of BaShan, and all the kingdoms of CanaAn. ¹² He gave us their lands to inherit… for IsraEl (His people) to own.

¹³ O Jehovah; Your fame [will last] through the age; from generation to generation it's how You are known. ¹⁴ Jehovah will judge all His people, and His people will bring Him much comfort.

¹⁵ The idols of the nations are silver and gold… they are the works of men's hands. ¹⁶ A mouth they have, but they cannot speak; eyes they have, but they cannot see; ¹⁷ ears they have, but they cannot hear, nor have they breath in their mouths. ¹⁸ May those who made them become just like them, as well as all those who serve them.

¹⁹ O house of IsraEl, praise Jehovah! O house of Aaron, praise Jehovah! ²⁰ O house of Levi, praise Jehovah! All those fearing the Lord, praise Jehovah! ²¹ May Jehovah be praised within Zion… He who dwells within JeruSalem.

Psalm 136

Praise Jah.

¹ Let's confess to Jehovah because He is good, and His mercy endures through the ages. ² Let's confess to the God of all gods, for His mercy endures through the ages. ³ Let's confess to the Lord of all lords, for His mercy endures through the ages. ⁴ Only He does things that are wondrous and great, and His mercy endures through the ages.

⁵ He crafted the sky with great skill, and His mercy endures through the ages. ⁶ Over water He raised solid ground, and His mercy endures through the ages. ⁷ He alone made lights [in the sky], and His mercy endures through the ages. ⁸ He made the sun the ruler of day, and His mercy endures through the ages. ⁹ He made the moon and stars the rulers of night, and His mercy endures through the ages.

¹⁰ It was He who struck the firstborn of Egypt, and His mercy endures through the ages; ¹¹ then from their midst He led IsraEl, for His mercy endures through the ages, ¹² with His arm raised high and His strong hand, for His mercy endures through the ages. ¹³ Then He divided in two the Red Sea, for His mercy endures through the ages; ¹⁴ and IsraEl He led through its midst, for His mercy endures through the ages. ¹⁵ He shook PharaOh and his army into the sea, for His mercy endures through the ages.

¹⁶ He led His people into the desert, for His mercy endures through the ages; ¹⁷ and there great kings He struck down, for His mercy endures through the ages… ¹⁸ yes many strong kings He then killed, for His mercy endures through the ages, ¹⁹ such as Seon the Amorite king, for His mercy is into the ages, ²⁰ as well as Og, king of Bashan, for His mercy endures through the ages. ²¹ Then as our inheritance He gave us their land, for His mercy endures through the ages… ²² an inheritance to IsraEl His servant, for His mercy endures through the ages.

²³ When we were shamed He didn't forget us, for His mercy endures through the ages; ²⁴ He ransomed us from our enemies' hands, for His mercy endures through the ages. ²⁵ Then nourishment for our flesh He provided, for His mercy endures through the ages. ²⁶ So confess to God, O you heavens, for His mercy endures through the ages.

Psalm 137

A Psalm of David through JeremiAh.

¹ At Babylon's rivers we sat, and wept remembering Zion… ² and there in [Babylon's] midst, we hung our instruments on willows. ³ For, there our captors had asked us, to sing them the words of our psalms… yes, those who took us away had asked: 'From the odes of Zion, please sing us a song.'

⁴ How can we sing the songs of Jehovah, within an alien land? ⁵ O JeruSalem, should I ever forget you, may I also forget my right hand. ⁶ May my tongue stick to my throat, should I ever fail to remember, and prefer [the city of] JeruSalem, and the joy [I once had] long ago.

⁷ Remember the sons of Edom, O Lord, when it is JeruSalem's day… those who said 'Make it empty… cut it down to its very foundations!'

⁸ O you miserable daughters of Babylon; blest are those who'll repay you, with the same sort of payment that you brought on us… ⁹ yes, blest is the one who'll grab hold of you, and dash your infants on rocks!

Psalm 138

A Psalm for David, by HagGai and ZachariAh.

¹ With my whole heart I thank You, Jehovah; I'll sing Your psalms before angels, so You'll hear all the words from my mouth. ² Toward Your Holy House I will bow, and I'll give thanks to Your Name, because of Your mercy and truth… yes Your Holy Name that You've raised above all.

³ In whatever day that I call upon You, please quickly answer my prayer, and give my soul the strength to endure. ⁴ Let all the kings of the earth give You thanks, for they've heard the words that come from Your mouth. ⁵ Then let them sing of the ways of the Lord, for the glory of Jehovah is great. ⁶ Although Jehovah is high, He still cares about lowly ones, while the haughty He sees from afar.

⁷ Though I should walk through the midst of hard times, You will give me back strength. Against my enemy's rage, You have lifted Your hands, and with Your right hand You saved me.

⁸ O Jehovah; please repay them for me; for Your mercy, O Lord, lasts through the age. Don't overlook the works of Your hands!

Psalm 139

To the director; A Psalm.

¹ O Jehovah, You've tried me and known me. ² You know when I rise and when I sit down, and from far away You've known all my thoughts. ³ You've traced out my path through bent grass, and looked ahead to the ways that I'll go, ⁴ so You know that I have no deceit in my tongue.

Look, O Jehovah… there's nothing that You do not know… ⁵ both the things that have past and the things that will be. It was You who shaped me and made me, and then laid me out on Your hand. ⁶ So the knowledge of You brings me wonder and strength, though in no way can I comprehend it.

⁷ Where could I go [to hide] from Your Breath, and where could I flee from Your presence? ⁸ If I [flew] to the sky You would be there, and You'd be at hand if I went to the grave. ⁹ If I could take wings [and fly to] the dawn, or should I camp at the ends of the seas, ¹⁰ Your hand would be there to guide me, and in Your right hand You'd hold me.

¹¹ I said: 'I'll surely be trampled by darkness, and around me the light will turn into night. ¹² But dark isn't darkness to You; night is as day and darkness as light. ¹³ Why, You [have examined] my kidneys… it was You who took me from my mother's womb, ¹⁴ so I will offer You praise. The wonders of Your works I've thought of in fear… and the man within me knows this is true.

¹⁵ Even my bones weren't hidden from You, when You made me in secret… when I was conceived on the earth. ¹⁶ Your eyes saw me before I was finished, for the days of all men are written in Your scroll… on the day they are formed and alone.

¹⁷ How precious are Your thoughts, O my God; they've been mighty from the beginning. ¹⁸ And if I were able to count them, they'd be more than the sands [of the seas]; yet, when I awake You're still with me.

¹⁹ Please destroy the sinners, O God… turn away from all men of blood! ²⁰ For, concerning their thoughts You have said, 'They've acted like fools in My [land].'

²¹ O Jehovah; Don't I detest those who hate You, and against Your enemies shown zeal? ²² In perfect hatred I've learned to detest them, and they are my enemies also.

²³ So, try me, O God, and examine my heart… examine me and know all my paths. ²⁴ See if lawless ways are within me, then guide me in the ways of the ages.

Psalm 140

To the director; A Psalm of David.

¹ Take me away, O Jehovah, from all of those wicked men… save me from unrighteous men… ² those whose hearts are unrighteous all day, and are always ready for war! ³ For, like snakes they have sharpened their tongues, and the poison of asps is under their lips.

⁴ From the hands of sinners please guard me, O Lord… remove me from the unrighteous… those who've laid plans to stumble my feet. ⁵ For, against me the proud have hidden their snares; lines they've extended to trip me, and obstacles they've placed near the road.

⁶ I said to Jehovah, 'You are my God; O Lord, give ear to the voice of my prayers! ⁷ O my Lord who has the power to save; overshadow my head in the day of the war.'

⁸ O Jehovah; Don't grant [the wicked] the things that they want… those sinners who are railing against me. And do not leave me, lest at any time, they should gain the upper hand. ⁹ Bring trouble to the heads of those by whom I'm surrounded, and then cover over their lips. ¹⁰ Into coals of fire may they fall… throw them into a place of misery, and may they not rise again! ¹¹ May those who slander not prosper; may the unrighteous hunt them like prey, and search for ways to do them harm.

¹² I know that Jehovah keeps watch on the poor, and defends the cause of the needy. ¹³ So, may the righteous sing praise to Your Name; may the upright dwell in [the light] of Your face.

Psalm 141

A Psalm of David.

¹ O Jehovah, I've cried out to You. Hear and pay attention to my prayers as I call. ² May my prayers rise before You like incense, and the raising of my hands as an evening sacrifice.

³ O Jehovah, set a watch for my mouth, and a fortress door for my lips. ⁴ Don't allow wicked words to enter my heart, or to make excuses for the deeds of the lawless. I'll have nothing to do with things that they take. ⁵ So, may the righteous correct and rebuke me; may my head not be anointed by the wicked; may my prayers be against the things that would please them.

⁶ It was near the Rock that their mighty were swallowed, so they'd like to hear me speak sweet words. ⁷ For, the thick ground ripped wide open, and spewed their bones into their graves.

⁸ In You, O Jehovah my Lord, my eyes have trusted in hope, that my life You won't take away. ⁹ Keep me from the snares they've concocted… from the obstacles of lawless ones.

¹⁰ May the sinners be caught in their own nets, and remain there until I've passed by.

Psalm 142

A Psalm of contemplation by David about the time when he was in the cave praying.

¹ With my voice I cried to Jehovah, and to Him I was begging. ² I'll pour out before Him the things that I need, and tell Him of how I'm oppressed.

³ You know that my breath has failed me, and they've hidden their snares on the roads that I walk. ⁴ I looked to the right and observed, there was no one around whom I knew… there was also nowhere to run, and about my life no one worried. ⁵ So, I cried out to You, 'O Jehovah! I'm calling to You, for You are my hope… You're my portion in the land of the living. ⁶ So, please hear the things that I beg, for I've been made very humble. Rescue me from those who pursue me, because they are stronger than I. ⁷ Lead my soul from this prison, so I may keep praising Your Name. Then the righteous will be gathered to me, because of Your goodness to me.

Psalm 143

A Psalm of David about when his son was pursuing him.

¹ Please hear my prayer, O Jehovah. In Your truth, hear the things that I beg! Listen to me in Your justice, ² and don't pass judgment on me. For, I know that none of the living, can be found righteous before You.

³ My enemy has chased me and humbled my soul; my life has been cut to the ground. Through the rest of the age he has placed me, in the darkness reserved for the dead.

⁴ The spirit within me was troubled, and my heart was very disturbed. ⁵ Then days of old I remembered; I thought of the things You have done… on the works of Your hands I thought deeply.

⁶ I opened my [arms] and spread them before You, for my life has become like a desert. ⁷ But quickly You heard me, Jehovah, [before] I gave up my breath.

From me, do not turn Your face, so I won't be as those going into the pit. ⁸ May I be heard in the morning again, for I have put hope in Your mercy.

O Jehovah; Please show me the way I should go, for to You I have lifted my soul. ⁹ From those who hate me please save me, O Lord, for I've taken refuge in You.

¹⁰ You are my God, so teach me Your will. Your Spirit is good and will guide me, in the paths that are straight.

¹¹ Because of Your Name, O Jehovah, You will allow me to live, and Your justice will lead me away, from this pain in my life.

¹² Upon my enemies bring destruction… show mercy on me, and wipe out those who are trying to kill me, because I am [truly] Your servant.

Psalm 144

A Psalm of David to GoliAth.

¹ Praise Jehovah my God, who teaching my hands to fight battles, and the arts of war to my fingers. ² He's my mercy, my refuge, and shield. He's my Defender and Savior; so in Him I have put all my hope, for He made my people obey me.

³ O Jehovah, what is man, that to him You'd make Yourself known, or the son of man that You'd think about him? ⁴ For man is is without any value, and his days pass by like a shadow.

⁵ O Jehovah; Lean from Your heavens and come here… touch the mountains and they'll smoke. ⁶ Send down Your arrows and You will disturb them… flash lightning and You'll drive them away.

⁷ Send down Your hand from the heights. Grab hold and pull me from waters… from sons of strangers please save me! ⁸ For, with their mouths they say foolish things, and their right hands are unrighteous.

⁹ O God; To You I will sing a new song, which I'll play on a harp with ten strings. ¹⁰ For, salvation You brought to a king…Your servant David You saved from the sword!

¹¹ From the hands of sons of strangers please save me. For, with their mouths they say foolish things, and their right hands are unrighteous.

¹² Whose sons are these… they're like new-planted seeds, which feel secure in their youth. Their daughters are well dressed and brightly adorned… as sumptuously as you'd see in a temple. ¹³ Their storerooms are filled to overflowing; their sheep are very prolific, and in the streets they multiply; ¹⁴ their oxen have grown thick [and strong]. There are no broken fences [in their land]; none of their streams are [befouled]; and no crying is heard in their city squares.

¹⁵ Declare them blest of whom such is true… blest are the people whose God is Jehovah.

Psalm 145

A praise of David.

¹ I'll raise Your [Name] high, my God and my King… through the age I will praise You, and into the age of the ages. ² I'll praise Your Name every day. I'll praise Your Name through the age, and into the age of the ages.

³ Jehovah is great and very praiseworthy… there is no end to His greatness. ⁴ From generation to generation I'll praise Your works, and I will report of Your power. ⁵ Of Your majesty I'll speak, and about Your holiness and glory; then I will describe all Your wonders.

⁶ They'll speak of the power of Your fearful acts, and they will describe all Your greatness.⁷ The memory of all the kindness You've shown, will keep overflowing [among them], and of Your justice they'll shout: ⁸ 'Jehovah is very forgiving… He is full of kindness and mercy. ⁹ The Lord is benevolent also… He shows compassion in all that He does.'

¹⁰ May all Your works praise You, Jehovah… may all of Your holy ones praise You. ¹¹ They'll tell of the glory of Your Kingdom, and speak of the realm of Your rule.

¹² To the sons of men may Your rule be made known, and the glory of the majesty of Your Kingdom. ¹³ Your Kingdom is a kingdom of the ages, and your authority is through generations.

Trustworthy is Jehovah in all that He says, and His works are all very holy. ¹⁴ He supports all those who have fallen, and re-erects all the broken.

¹⁵ To You the eyes of all look in hope, and You nourish them at the right time… ¹⁶ You just open Your hand, and all living things are then filled.

¹⁷ Jehovah is righteous in all of His ways, and His works are all holy. ¹⁸ Jehovah is near to all those who call… to those calling upon Him in truth.

¹⁹ He'll do the will of those fearing Him; He'll hear their prayers and He'll save them. ²⁰ Jehovah is the guard of all those who love Him, but all the sinners He'll destroy.

²¹ So my mouth will speak in praise of the Lord… may all flesh speak of His Holy Name. Praise Him throughout this age, and into the age of the ages!

Psalm 146

Praise Jah. A Psalm of HagGai and ZachariAh.

¹ O my soul, praise Jehovah. ² With my whole life I'll praise the Lord… I'll strum to my God for as long as I live!

³ Do not rely upon rulers… sons of men who have no salvation. ⁴ For his breath goes out and he's gone from his land, and in that day his thoughts pass away.

⁵ He who has Jacob's God as his helper is blest… he who trusts in Jehovah his God… ⁶ the One who made the heavens and earth, as well as the sea and everything in it. It is He who guards truth through the age, ⁷ bringing justice to those who've been wronged, and nourishes those who are hungry.

The Lord unties all the shackled, ⁸ and it's He who gives wisdom to the blind. Those who've been broken, Jehovah restores, and He loves all of the righteous.

⁹ The Lord guards foreigners, orphans, and widows, but the ways of sinners He wipes away. ¹⁰ O Zion; Jehovah reigns through the age… for generations and generations He's your God!

Psalm 147

Praise Jah. A Psalm of HagGai and ZechariAh.

¹ Praise Jehovah, for our God is good. May praising Him be delightful! ² The Lord will rebuild JeruSalem, and His scattered people He'll gather.

³ It is He who heals broken hearts, and binds up those who are shattered. ⁴ He has counted all of the stars, and calls each one by its name.

⁵ Great is our Lord and great is His strength; there's no way to count the things that He knows. ⁶ Jehovah watches over the meek, but sinners He humbles to the ground.

⁷ Take the lead in praising Jehovah! Strum to our God on the harp! ⁸ For He made the clouds to cover the skies, and it's He who made the earth's rain, to cause grass to grow on the mountains, and shoots to sprout for men's needs. ⁹ He provides cattle with the nourishment they need, as well as the young of the crows… to all that are calling upon Him.

¹⁰ He needs not the strength of a horse, nor has He use for the legs of a man. ¹¹ Jehovah thinks well of those fearing Him, and those who put hope in His mercy.

¹² Praise Jehovah, JeruSalem! Praise your God, O Zion! ¹³ For it's He who strengthened the bars of your gates, and it's He who allowed you to bless all your sons. ¹⁴ It's He who brings peace to your borders, and the fatness of wheat in order to fill you. ¹⁵ He sends His signs to the earth, and the things that He says happen quickly. ¹⁶ He sends His snow as though it were wool, and He strews the fog as though ashes. ¹⁷ He scatters His ice like breadcrumbs, and who can stand in the presence of His chill? ¹⁸ But He'll send His word and He'll melt them; He'll blow with His breath and water will flow.

¹⁹ It is He who gives signs to Jacob… His rules and decisions to IsraEl. ²⁰ He's done this for no other nation, nor has He shown them His decisions.

Praise Him!

Psalm 148

Praise Jah. A Psalm of HagGai and ZechariAh.

¹ From the heavens give praise to Jehovah… yes, praise Him in highest places. ² All His angels should praise Him; yes praise Him all you His armies! ³ Praise Him, O sun and moon; praise Him, all stars and lights! ⁴ Praise Him, O heavens of heavens, and the waters that cover the skies!

⁵ Praise the Name of the Lord, for He just spoke and they came to be… He gave the instructions and they were created… ⁶ He established them into the ages, and into the age of the ages. Since it is He who gave the order, they will not pass away.

⁷ Praise Jehovah from earth, O you beasts, as well as those in the abysses. ⁸ Fire, hail, and snow… ice and wind blasts; all these things come about by His Word.

⁹ The mountains and hills, the trees bearing fruit, as well as all of the cedars; ¹⁰ all the wild beasts and slithering things, as well as winged creatures with feathers; ¹¹ the kings of the earth and their subjects, the rulers and all of the judges; ¹² young men and virgins, old men and kids; ¹³ let them praise the Name of the Lord! His Name alone is the highest, so hold Him higher than heaven and earth. ¹⁴ For His people He'll raise the trumpets, as a hymn to His holy ones… to IsraEl's sons, a people who are dear.

Psalm 149

Praise Jah.

¹ Sing a new song to Jehovah; in the gathering of the holy, sing His praises. ² Let IsraEl rejoice about He who made them, as well as all sons of Zion. Let them shout in joy for their King, ³ and praise His Name, [sacred] dancers… those who [dance] with tambourines, and strum to Him on their lutes.

⁴ Jehovah finds pleasure in His people, and the meek He'll lift up and save. ⁵ Then the holy will boast in their glory, and shout in joy from their beds.

⁶ There is praising of God in their throats, and double-edged swords in their hands, ⁷ for they're coming to punish the nations, and scold them for the bad things they've done.

⁸ They'll tie up their kings and put them in shackles, and put manacles of iron on their nobles. ⁹ They're coming to bring execution, for the all judgments about which He's written, and to give glory to His holy ones.

Psalm 150

Praise Jah.

¹ In His Holy Place, praise our God… throughout all space praise His power. ² In all His dominions shout in His praise; praise the expanse of His greatness. ³ Praise Him with the sounding of trumpets; praise Him with lutes and with harps. ⁴ Praise Him also with tambourines, [played] by the company of dancers. Praise Him with the strings of the lyre, and with the sounds of woodwinds. ⁵ Praise Him with clashing cymbals, and along with the cymbals, add shouts. ⁶ May all that breathe praise Jehovah!

Notes

Soul

The Greek word psyche (as in psychology) has been translated many ways, including soul, life, etc. However, psyche actually means something that breathes. It is used in the Bible to describe both breathing animals and breathing humans. So by definition, a soul cannot leave the body, because a soul is what the living body (whether human or animal) is (see Genesis 2:7).

In ancient Greece, philosophers eventually added another meaning to psyche: The inner person (as opposed to the person that others see and come to know). And with time, the pagan religion of Greece started to teach that this inner person is its own entity and can never die (is immortal). Over the centuries, this pagan Greek doctrine thereafter crept into the Christian religions. Please see the Wikipedia definition Soul for more history of the word.

However, such Greek philosophical thought never influenced Jesus and his Apostles. So, they consistently used psyche to indicate a living person or animal. Therefore, the later teaching that the soul is immortal stands in direct conflict with Jesus' promise of a resurrection, because, if a person is immortal (can never die) he/she can never be resurrected (brought back to life).

In addition, the teaching of the immortality of the human soul is totally without support from the Bible. For the word immortal(ity) (Gr: athanasia or undying) is only mentioned in the Bible in two places, and it isn't used with or applied to the word soul in either case. Both of these scriptures show that immortality is only given by God as a reward for righteousness. And as EzekiEl 18:4 says, 'The person (gr. psyche or soul) that is sinning will die (gr. apothaneitai).'

Of course, there are places in the Bible where the word soul means more than just a living, fleshly body. For example, God is recorded to have spoken of 'My Soul' in several places. Obviously, God is much more than just a 'soul' as most people think of that term, and He surely wasn't talking about His having a human body. So we must conclude that what He was referring to is His life or His person.

Then there are Jesus' words found at Matthew 10:28, which read, 'Don't be afraid of those who kill the body but can't kill the person (psyche or soul). Rather, be afraid of him who can destroy both the person (soul) and the body in the garbage dump.' Here, Jesus is using the word psyche (soul) to refer to the value of life that remains with God until the resurrection. And he obviously isn't referring the soul as immortal in this instance, because he says God will destroy (gr. apolesai) the [unrighteous] soul or person.

Unfortunately, no single word can be used to translate psyche in every possible Bible application, so various terms are used herein, depending on the circumstances, but always in an attempt to harmonize with the meaning.

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Satan, Slanderer, Lucifer, Beelzebub

It is appropriate that the heavenly name of the great Opposer and Slanderer of God is never given in the Bible. However, several terms (and one mistakenly) have been used to describe him. Here is a list of those descriptions:

· Satan: This is a Hebrew word meaning, opposer, resistor, and a wily person who does things just to serve his own interests. It was applied to the Evil One, because of his opposition to God. And so, to keep from misleading people into thinking of Satan as a name, it is translated as 'the Opposer' herein.

· Devil: This is the only Greek word (Diabolos) used in the Bible to describe the evil one. The first part of the word, dia, means through, and bolos means throw (it's where we get the English words ball and bowl). So, Devil means one who throws through, which amounts to being a slanderer (using the Greek colloquialism), so that's the way it's translated herein.

· Lucifer: Lucifer is commonly thought of as another name for the Biblical Opposer. However, this word doesn't appear as a name in most translations of the Bible. It does appear once in the King James Version, at Isaiah 14:12, in which the King of Babylon is referred to as Lucifer, Son of the Morning. However, the original Hebrew words were: Helel ben Shahar or, Day/star, son/of the/dawn. So, there is no direct link in the Bible between the entity known in Hebrew as Satan to Lucifer. Changing the description day star son of the dawn into a name (Lucifer) was done by Augustine, when he was translating the text in IsaiAh from the original Hebrew into Latin.

· BeelZebub: There are eight references in the Bible to this Hebrew noun, and it does refer to the Slanderer. However, once again, this is not a proper name. It appears to be a title. Beel (like Baal) means Lord, and Zebub appears to refer to flies (the insects). So, BeelZebub likely means Lord of Flies.

Is the Opposer (Slanderer or BeelZebub) a real person? All one has to do is look at the titles he was given above to realize that he is. To deny his existence negates the rest of the Bible. For example, when dealing with Adam's sin, why did God adhere so closely to a law, when other options were available to Him? Why didn't he just destroy rebellious Adam and create another man?

The fact is, He created men and His spirit sons (messengers or angels with the ability to choose whether to serve Him or not; so none are automatons. And as a man failed in the Paradise of Pleasure, we can assume (and as the Scriptures support) that there were failures (and rebels) in the heavens also. This is the reason why it became necessary to have a law that clearly outlined what rebellion against God constituted, and what the consequences for violating that law would be. It was obviously for the sake of the millions of millions of heavenly spirit (breath) creatures that the issue of rebellion here on the earth had to be resolved by legal means, and in a way that demonstrated the love and loyalty of God's first-born son, which resulted in the painful need for a 'ransom' (Jesus' death).

The idea (which some religions have promoted) that the Slanderer isn't real, but only a state of mind, creates some conundrums. For example:

· When Jesus was being tempted in the desert, was he simply struggling with the bad within himself rather than against a real, evil personality? If so, we would have to conclude that there was bad in Jesus.

· Is the battle in heaven that is spoken of at Revelation the Twelfth Chapter to be just figurative, and not a real war against the Opposer and his messengers? If so, then in what sense would 'the Opposer' and his 'messengers' lose the battle and be confined to the earth? Also, why would this entity, if just internal evil be 'angry' in knowing that he just has 'a short period of time left?'

· And lastly, when the Opposer entered God's presence and spoke to Him (as spoken of in Job the First Chapter), could we assume that this inherent evil was found in God? That isn't likely.

However, there is some question as to the use of the Greek word Diabolos found at 1 Chronicles 21:1 (in the Greek Septuagint), where 'a slanderer' had urged King David to take a census of Israel. Since Diabolos is a Greek word and First Chronicles was written in Hebrew, we would assume that Diabolos (Slanderer) was substituted for the Hebrew word Satan (Opposer) when the Bible was first translated into Greek. But the text seems to imply that a slanderer, not the Slanderer, had come to David. So, we don't really know if the text implies that the Evil One came to him personally, if it was just an evil spirit that came over or to him, or if some bad human had urged David to defy God and take a census of IsraEl.

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Bless or Praise?

This is a tough one, and we won't say that our position on the translation of this word can't be changed. The Greek word that we are struggling with is eulogetos. The first part of the word eu, is Greek for good. The last part of the word, logetos, means words (or expressions). So, a literal translation of eulogetos is good words. And our question is: Is this all that a blessing amounts to?

Yes, we know that eulogetos has been translated as bless, blest, and blessing in other Bibles. So why rock the boat? Because these translators have simply found too many errors in a lot of commonly-accepted renderings. And here, for example, if eulogetos is properly translated as blessing each time (which carries the English nuance, 'causing good things to happen'), then, how can humans 'bless God?' We do know that we can praise God, however.

Eulogetos is the word that we derive the English word eulogy from… that is, the kind words that are said of the deceased at a funeral. Such words are never said as a blessing (it's a bit late for that); they are said in praise of the deceased individual. However, there are definitely places where eulogetos can't be translated as praise or praising.

So, perhaps the real meaning is (or is at least is similar to) praise. And when praises come from God, this means blessings to humans.

This isn't the same word that we have rendered as blest in other portions of this translation (for an example, see Matthew 5:5). The word in question there is makarios, which is rendered as happy in certain other Bibles. However, we believe that blest is the proper way to translate that Greek word.

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The Heavens or Sky, the Earth or the Land?

In both the Ancient Scriptures of IsraEl (OT) and the Christian Era Scriptures (NT), we find all the realm of non-living creation divided into just three entities; the heavens (or sky), the earth (the land or ground), and the seas (or the waters) and rivers.

Now, in contemporary English, we understand that there is a difference between the heavens and the sky, the earth and the land (or ground), and the seas and waters. However, in both Hebrew and Greek, these fine distinctions that we accept because of our modern technology, can't be found. So, Genesis 1:1 is literally translated herein as, 'In the beginning, The God created the skies and the lands.' This is very accurate, because it was man's view of creation from the earth. There was just the land that he stood on, the sky above him, and the waters or seas over there. He had no technical understanding of the earth as a planet, because men had never seen the earth as a globe in space, as most of us have done today. However, because of these distinctions that we are aware of, translators must choose the proper words to provide the right nuances in English, in order for readers to grasp the proper meaning of each text. And as you will see, something as simple as selecting another synonym can give us a quite different view of the meanings of some common verses.

The Greek word ourano(n), for example, can be correctly translated as heaven, heavens, sky, and skies, depending on the context and tense. But if the translator should choose the wrong word, people will reach very different (and often wrong) conclusions, because of the nuances implied in English.

Likewise, the Greek words ge, ges, and gen can be translated as earth, earths, ground, grounds, land, or lands, depending on the context and tense. So, the symbolic words at 2 Peter 3:5, 6, for example, are translated herein as, 'The thing that they don't want to understand is this: That the ancient skies and land were out of the water, but (in obedience to God's instructions) they stood together between the waters.' (For an example of the problems created by the wrong use of the words ge, ges, and gen, see the linked document Isaiah 24 - Is It Speaking of Armageddon?).

Notice that the 'skies and land' were located 'between the water.' So, although other Bibles translated this verse as speaking of the 'heavens and earth,' the reference is to the portion of the heavens that are close to the earth… to the skies.

The same is true of the famous words of Jesus at Matthew 5:5, which read in Greek: 'Makarioi oi praeis hoti outoi kleronomesousin ten gen,' or, Blest the gentle for they will/inherit the (earth, ground, or land).' Notice that in some Bibles Jesus is recorded as saying, 'The meek will inherit the earth;' while in others he said, 'The meek will inherit the land.' Do you see the difference in nuances implied here? Yet, both word choices are equally correct.

And finally, when it comes to the seas (gr. tas thalassan), there are already distinctions as to different types of waters in the Greek text. For instance, seas are called thalassan and rivers are called potamos (or 'flowing'). However, notice (in Revelation 20: 13) how the resurrection of the dead is divided between those who died on land and those who were lost in the water; 'The sea gave up its dead, death and the grave gave up those dead in them, and they were all judged by the things that they did.'

We again find all three of these realms of creation brought together symbolically at Revelation 21:1, whIch we have translated as saying, 'Then I saw new skies and new lands, because the previous sky and land had disappeared, as did the sea.' So, did John see 'a new heavens and a new earth,' as some translate his words, or did he see 'new skies and new lands,' as we have quoted him? The Greek words that are used in the beginning of this verse are both in the plural tense, but in the singular tense in the latter half of the verse. So, what John says that he saw was 'new skies and new lands' which took the place of the old 'sky, land, and sea' that had just disappeared before him (he didn't see the globe and the realm of God disappear).

Also, in the case of where EliJah was taken away in a celestial chariot; most people think he was taken (as their Bibles put it) 'to heaven,' where he went to live with God. This isn't true, because King JehoRam later received a letter from Elijah (see 2 Chronicles 21:12). So, God had apparently used the celestial chariot to take him into 'the sky' (the proper translation here), where he was then sent to another place here on the earth. For more information on this, see the linked document, The Hereafter.

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Hades: Hell or the Grave?

The Greek word Hades (the Greeks pronounced it hah-dess) has been translated both as Hell (which many today think of as a place of torture) and as the Grave in other Bible versions (such as the King James). Since one word can't mean two very different things, which translation is correct?

Hades (like the English word Hell) actually means the place of the dead. However, as pagan Greek philosophy started to develop and creep into Christianity, the later-day Greek view of Hades (a place of torture) was applied to it. Was this a correct application?

An insight into how the ancient Hebrews and the early Christians understood the word can be gained from looking at how it was applied in the Greek Septuagint translation of the Ancient Scriptures of IsraEl (the 'Old Testament' Bible of Jesus' day). There, the Hebrew word Sheol is translated into Greek as Hades in every instance; yet in each case, these are obvious references to the grave (the place of the dead), not to a place of conscious torture (see Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10).

Another revealing application of the word Hades is found at Revelation the 20:13. It says there, 'The sea (gr. he thalassa) gave up its dead, death and the grave (gr. thanatos kai ho hades) gave up those dead in them, and they were all judged by the things that they did.'

So, notice that those who die at sea are differentiated from those who are buried in graves (Hades) and in other places (thanatos). Therefore, Hades is better translated as grave, and even better translated as the place of the dead.

In the book of Job, another word that is used once in the Christian-era Scriptures and often translated as Hell, is found twice. That Greek word is Tartarus, which refers to the place where evil gods or angels are sent. For more information on this and other words that are translated as Hell, see the linked document, Is There a Burning Hell?

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Blest or Happy?

There is quite a debate as to whether the Greek word makarios found in many places throughout the Bible should be translated as blessed or happy.

Notice that we have chosen to translate it as blest, which is an older spelling of the word blessed, to get rid the affected pronunciation that was likely introduced by early preachers (bless-ed).

According to Zodhiates' Complete Word Study Dictionary, the word should never translated as happy, because happy is derived from the words happen, happening, or happenstance (luck). His reasoning (which we agree with) is that, when someone suffers for the sake of righteous principles, his/her reward isn't just happiness (which can come from any source of good luck or fortune), but rather, it is a joy that comes from gaining a better relationship with God.

In other words, there is no exact word in English to use here, but blest seems to be a closer alternative than happy.

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Judgment Day

Throughout the Bible, we read of a Judgment Day. Does this refer to some random time in the future when individuals will meet their own judgment, or to a specific 'day' (or period) when all will be judged?

At Matthew 10:15, for example, Jesus spoke of the 'hemera chriseos' (Day of Judgment or Crisis) and each of the succeeding references seems to be talking about this same 'day' or time. When will that period start? Well, it must be sometime after the 'great time of difficulty' (see Matthew 24:21), and following 'the war of the great day of the Almighty God' (see Revelation 16:14), because Jesus spoke of people being resurrected when he talked about the Judgment Day.

However, although Psalm 1:1 tells us that the irreverent, impious, or ungodly (gr. asebe) won't be raised in the Judgment, Paul said (at Acts 24:15) that both the righteous and the unrighteous will be resurrected. So, how can we resolve this discrepancy?

Remember that the word unrighteous doesn't necessarily refer to those who are deliberately bad, but to those who simply aren't righteous. On the other hand, the irreverent are those who know of God and simply choose to disobey Him; and apparently, this is the reason why they are found unworthy of a resurrection. For more information, see the linked document What is Righteousness?

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How David Pictured Jesus

You can see proof of the Bible's inspiration by God and of some of its prophetic significances in the songs of King David, as found in the book of Psalms. For, there are numerous verses in the Psalms that exactly mirror the words and actions of Jesus, as well as of many of the things that happened to him. Take for example, what David wrote at Psalm 22:16-18, 'Many dogs now have me surrounded, and the wicked are gathering around me. They're cutting into my hands and my feet; they count all my bones as they watch me and think. They've divided my garments among them, and thrown dice for the clothes that I wear.'

Also, notice David's words at Psalm 22:20, where he said, 'O rescue my life from the broadsword… [Your] one-and-only son from the hands of the dogs.'

The words found here are exactly the same as those found at Luke 7:12, 8:42, 9:38, John 1:14, 18, 3:16, 18, Hebrews 11:17, and 1 John 4:9. In Greek, the word we have translated as 'one-and-only son' is monogenea… only fathered, or one-and-only. And in the Bible, this word is just used to describe Jesus, who was in fact God's only fathered (or one-and-only) son.

As you can see, many of the words of this Psalm tell exactly what would happen at the time of Jesus' death. So, look for the many parallels and prophecies as you read the book of Psalms.

One Psalm in particular appears to have been written by David under inspiration with Jesus in mind… Psalm 110. Jesus applied this scripture to himself at Matthew 22:43-45, as did Peter at Acts 2:35, and as did Paul at 1 Corinthians 15:25 and several times more in book of Hebrews. So, there is no question that this Psalm specifically referred to the coming of Jesus.

And did you notice that David referred to himself several times as the Christ? You may not have, for we translated the Greek word christon (christ) as anointed in each place where it was found. Yet, David could truly refer to himself as the christ, because, he (like Jesus) had been anointed to be the king of all IsraEl by God.

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Space, Expanse, or Firmament?

The Greek word that we have translated as space several times in the First Chapter of Genesis and in the Psalms is stereoma. We are sure that many readers will recognize this as the root word for stereophonic and for stereo (3-D) photography. It means something that has depth, and is often used to describe something solid. This is why stereoma has often been translated as firmament in other Bibles. Firmament is an English word that was likely made up by early people to describe something they didn't understand, the depth of space. However, the earliest Bible writers used the right word to describe the sky and all that is above it.

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The Meaning of Psalm 45

The wording of this Psalm is particularly difficult and our choice of words could be proven wrong. However, the superscription indicates that this is a psalm about 'the loved one,' whom we would assume to be the hoped-for Messiah. And for that reason, we have adapted certain words to meet this understanding. The Psalm obviously isn't speaking of King David, but of some future great king and his queen.

Notice in verse five, that this person starts out by conquering his enemies, for we read: 'Sharpen your arrows, O mighty one. For the peoples beneath you must fall; all enemies in the heart of the king.'

Then in verse six we read, 'Your throne, O great one, lasts through ages of ages. And your Kingdom is led with your scepter so straight.'

You will notice that the words we inserted (great one) were translated from the Greek word theos, or god. So the natural assumption is that this king is God. Yet, notice the verse that follows (7), 'For, you've loved righteousness and hated law breaking. And for this, God anointed you with oil, and praised you above all your fellow partakers.'

So, we must assume that theos in this case didn't refer to The God, but to a great or mighty one whom God chooses or anoints; for the word theos in Greek can also refer to one lesser than The God (for more information, see the Note from John 1:1, Is Jesus God?).

Also, notice that this one was chosen over his 'fellow partakers,' because he 'loved righteousness and hated law breaking.' And this may give us some insight as to why he was chosen by God to be born on earth as a human.

Further insights may be gained by looking at verses 14-16, where we read, 'Then all the virgins who follow in her train, those nearest to her will be carried to you. They will be carried in gladness and praising, and led to the king's Holy Abode. Instead of your fathers sons will be born, and on the whole earth you'll appoint them as rulers.'

This mention of virgins being carried to the king exactly reflects the words of Revelation 14:1-4, where we read of 144,000 'virgins' who will be 'bought from the earth' and then taken to heaven as 'the bride of the Lamb.'

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Zeal

At Psalm 37:8 we read, 'Stop being angry and abandon your rage. Don't allow zeal to make you act wicked' (yes, we know, the word should be wickedly, but this is poetic license). However, those words could also be translated as, 'Do not allow jealously to cause you to act wickedly,' because the Greek word zelos can either be translated as zealous or as jealous, depending on the circumstances, for both words mean the same thing. Yet, the two words imply different things in English.

Zeal is usually thought of as something good… something that all Christians should have, as in zeal for God and righteousness. And jealously is thought of as something bad… as wanting something that belongs to someone else. Yet, God may be spoken of as being jealous over His Name and His position as God, so jealously isn't always a bad thing. And we can have zeal for things that are ours and we are proud of (which is not bad), and be jealous for things that belong to others (which is bad). So, the same Greek word (zelos) may be correctly translated as zeal in one place, and as jealously in another, depending on the context.

Then, is it proper for a man to be jealous of his wife, or for a wife to be jealous of her husband? No, we should never be jealous of each other, but rather, for each other. We shouldn't want what the other has, but we should have a burning zeal for each other. So, if one has good reason to worry about losing the love of the other, that is zeal. However, if such concern is baseless, that is wicked suspicion, not jealously.

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Dragon

That the Bible speaks about what is translated as dragons several times, raises some interesting questions. The dragon (although supposedly a mythical animal) is one of the world's most widely recognized creatures. It is highly regarded in the Buddhist religion and is seen in ancient religious carvings from around the world. This testifies that people have believed in the existence of dragons for as far back as human records go. Why?

Note that dragons are thought of as animals with the bodies of snakes (gr. orphis), but they also have feet and legs. However, other Bible references seem to imply that the ancient use of the term dragon (gr. drakonta) and its apparent Hebrew counterparts, leviathan or behemoth, described any sort of fearsome wild beast.

What was the dragon? Revelation 12:9 tells us, when it says, 'So, the huge dragon was thrown out. He is the first snake, the one who is called the Slanderer and Opposer, who is misleading the whole earth.'

So from the above, we see that this vision in Revelation identifies the dragon as 'the Opposer' and 'the Slanderer,' and it says that he was the first snake, the one who seduced Eve in the 'Paradise of Delights' (see Genesis 3:2).

The fact that the dragon is viewed as a snake with legs in religious legends throughout the world, testifies to the fact that people everywhere once believed in the Bible account in Genesis, and they also believed that when God cursed the snake to 'travel on its chest and belly,' it lost its legs.

It is interesting that dragons are also part of the folklore of Europe, for who hasn't heard the story of St. George and the dragon. Yet, if you read that story, you'll see that it is actually an allegory about man's fight against sin and the Slanderer. So in that case, it refers to the original dragon, or the first creature of terror.

Notice that faithful Job asked God (at Job 7:12), 'Am I the sea or the dragon that guards it?' This view that a dragon guarded the edges of the seas was common throughout Europe until after the Sixteenth Century, for dragons were usually drawn at the edges of maps of seas during that time. Yet, the actual original reference may have been to animals and fish that men feared and didn't understand (fearsome beasts), not to snakes with legs.

However, notice how vividly Job described the Slanderer as the dragon at Job 26:12, 13, where we read, 'By His strength He has settled the sea in its bed, and in His wisdom He's filled it with whales. The bolts from the skies stand in awe, and He's ordered the death of the dragon that rebelled.'

We find a whole Chapter in Job (Chapter 41) that is obviously a description of the evil one, but has gone mistranslated for centuries, simply because its meaning has been misunderstood. Other Bibles speak of a leviathan or a behemoth here, and some of a crocodile. However, in the Septuagint, we find no name at all or any explanation, leaving us to guess what is being described.

It is unusual that some translators have thought that this creature was a crocodile, for crocodile is a Greek word that is easily recognized, since it is spelled almost the same as in English. There is one place where that word is found in the Law of Moses, at Leviticus 11:25, when listing animals that shouldn't be eaten, and in that place, most Bibles also translate the word crocodile wrong.

Yet, if you read the text of Job 41, you'll see an obvious reference to a fire-breathing dragon. For notice how verses 18-21 describe it: 'His sneezing brings about brightness, and his eyes are like the morning star. From out of his mouth comes burning lamps, like the scattered grates of a fire. From out of his nostrils comes the smoke of a furnace, burning with the fire from coals. His life is much like live coals, and flames shoot from his mouth.'

At this point, critics could say the Bible was talking about a mythical dragon, and others would say that God is describing a wild ox. Yet, notice the further description in verses 31, 32: 'He breaks from the abyss as though a brass cauldron; he thinks of the sea as his own ointment jar, and the abyss of Tartarus as his captive. For, to him the abyss just a promenade.'

If you examine these verses, you'll see that God is using cryptic text to explain to Job just who is to blame for his problems. Yet, the word Tartarus (the place where evil gods are sent) isn't found again in the Bible until the reference at 2 Peter 2:4, and the only mention of his coming out of his prison (pit or abyss) is found at Revelation 20:7.

Clearly, this second-to-the-last Chapter in Job, as in any good writing, brings back into play all the characters that the book started with.

Then, why did Jewish scribes and translators have so much trouble understanding this Chapter, so that there are obvious deletions? There are four likely reasons:

· They didn't believe in fire-breathing dragons

· They didn't know that the Slanderer was the dragon

· They didn't know of the Slanderer's position in Tartarus or the pit

· A correct understanding would have linked the Book of Job to the Scriptures of the Christian era.

It is interesting that we again find mention of a dragon at Isaiah 27:1, where we read: 'In that day, God will bring His great, holy, and strong sword against the dragon – the crooked and fleeing snake – and He will do away with the dragon, the one in the sea.' This is an obvious reference to the destruction of the same dragon mentioned at Revelation 12:9 above, but it goes unnoticed in Hebrew texts, where the word leviathan is once more misunderstood. Of course, the word dragon is of Greek origin, so its use came after the Hebrew text was written; and regardless of popular (mis)conceptions, leviathan is probably its Hebrew equivalent.

What is particularly interesting about this scripture, is that it speaks of the dragon from the sea in the same words as found at EzekiEl 32:2, where the reference is obviously to the land of Egypt and to its destruction. And you will also find references to the land of Egypt in this song (Isaiah Chapters 26 and 27). However, notice that the song seems to speak of some future time when God's people (IsraEl) are released from a symbolic Egypt at Armageddon, for notice the words of the prophecy (Isaiah 26:19-21), which say:

'We will not fall, though others will fall,
But the dead will be raised from their tombs.
Then all on the earth will be joyful,
For, as dew You'll send them a cure,
While the lands of the godless will fall.

'Proceed, O my people, to enter your bedrooms…
Go inside and lock your doors,
Then hide in there for a while!
Because this will happen, then that;
And the rage of Jehovah will pass.

'{Look!} From His Holy Place Jehovah sends rage,
Upon those who live in the land.
Then the ground won't cover all of the blood,
Nor [the bodies] of those He destroys.'

So, Egypt seems to be used here as a symbol of the godless nations that are destroyed in the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:16) and the dragon that represents them, appears to be the Opposer.

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Scroll or Book of Life

The first place in the Bible that speaks of the Scroll of Life (in those words specifically) is found in one of the songs of King David (Psalm 69:28), where he wrote, 'From the Scroll of the Living may their names be erased, and among the righteous may their names not be written.' However, the first actual mention of such a scroll timewise, is found in Exodus 32:33, where God said to Moses, 'I'm going to erase [the names] of all those who have sinned against Me from My scroll.'

So, we must assume that as early as the early fifteenth Century B.C.E., God's faithful worshipers had some concept of a record that God keeps of people whom He counts as being 'the living.' And as God Himself pointed out, their names can also be erased from His scroll after they had been written there (so much for the concept of once-saved, always-saved).

What is this Scroll, how does a person get his or her name written in it, and what does this mean for them?

Although God surely needs no actual written record to remember His faithful ones, the phrase 'the Scroll of Life' is mentioned enough times in the Bible to assume that God does remember (or record) the names of those righteous whom He counts among 'the living,' as opposed to those whom He numbers among 'the dead.'

Who are 'the living?' They are likely the same as the ones of whom Jesus spoke at John 5:24, when he said, 'I tell you the truth; He who hears what I say and believes in the One that sent me, will have age-long life… he won't have to be judged, for he has crossed over from death to life!'

So, we must assume that some conscious act of faith by each individual causes him or her to cross over 'from death to life,' and that is likely the time when a person's name is written in the Scroll of Life. Then, as Jesus said, 'He won't have to be judged' thereafter, when he (or she) is resurrected.

What is this act of faith? Today, it would surely be the conscious act of choosing to be baptized. However, since baptism wasn't practiced during the time of David, it appears as though all IsraEl had their names written in that Scroll when they were born into that nation which was chosen by God; and their names remained there for as long as they were faithful. Notice how this concept fits into David's words about their names being erased.

Then at Revelation 20:11, 12, we read of several 'scrolls' being opened and of the 'dead' being judged by the things that are written in those scrolls. Who are these 'dead?' Well, remember that those whose names are written in the Scroll of Life will not be judged, so they aren't the dead. And that (following the order of the series of events described here), all the resurrections will already have taken place before these scrolls are opened (see Revelation 20:4-6); so these dead individuals aren't physically dead any longer, for they are seen to be standing. As the result, this must mean that; Although they are no longer literally dead, they are still counted as dead (or dying). And so they must be judged before their names can be written in the Scroll of Life.

So with this understanding, notice again the exact words of Revelation 20:12: 'Then I saw the dead – the great and the small – standing before the throne, and several scrolls were opened. Then another scroll was opened, which was the Scroll of Life. And the dead were then judged by the things that were written in the scrolls, according to the things that they did.'

Therefore, we must assume that those who remain faithful worshipers of God have their names permanently sealed in God's Scroll of Life upon their deaths and are considered 'the living' by Him. Then, when they are resurrected, there is no need for them to be judged thereafter.

As for 'the dead' whom the Revelation says are 'judged by the things written in the scrolls;' this likely means that they too will be resurrected, but they will be judged by the things they do after the resurrection and during the thousand-year period that the Slanderer is bound and in the pit (See Revelation 20:2-6).

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Gods

At Psalm 82:1 we read, 'Our God has stood in the gathering of gods, and in the midst of the gods He judges.'

This verse – in fact, this entire Chapter – is usually not (or is only vaguely) understood. Who are the 'gods' that God meets with and judges? Psalm 82:6 tells us, 'I said You are gods; of the Most High you're sons.' So, these words seem to apply to individuals who were created directly by God… His messengers (angels), and what became known as the demons (spirits who had receive God's adverse judgment).

The usual explanation of Psalm 82:6 is that God was speaking to humans, for Jesus quoted this scripture at John 10:34-36, when he said, 'Isn't it written in your Law, I say that you are gods? If He called those who were spoken against in God's Word gods (and you can't void the Scriptures), how can you tell me (one who was made holy and sent into the world by the Father) that I blaspheme because I say I'm God's Son?'

However, notice that Jesus wasn't saying that his listeners were gods; he was saying that those who God met with and judged (as mentioned in the Psalms) were called gods. And these were not only God's sons (direct creations of God), but they lived in 'dark places' or Tartarus (see Psalm 82:5).

God has not come and met with gatherings of men, but He has met with all His spirit creation, as Job 1:6 tells us. So from the context, we must assume that God was calling His wicked spirit sons gods, and He was warning them that when the old 'lands and skies' pass away (see 2 Peter 3:12, 13), they too will be destroyed.

Notice that at Exodus 7:1 God told Moses, 'Look! I've made you a god to PharaOh, and your brother Aaron is your Prophet.' So, was Moses literally turned into a god? Yes he was, if you understand what the word really means.

We recognize that this concept may be a bit difficult to grasp for people who were raised in a monotheistic society where the word god refers to just one individual. However, remember that the Greeks (whose language we are translating) were a polytheistic society (they worshiped many gods), and to them the word theos (god) referred to a large group of individuals who were more powerful than men. So in Greek, theos just means powerful one, not Creator (which is what the Hebrew Name Jehovah implies – He who causes to be).

Also, notice how God again used the word gods at Exodus 22:28 to refer to men. In Greek this verse reads, 'theous ou logeseis,' or, 'of/gods not speak/badly.' But if you read the context, you will see that God was telling the IsraElites not to speak badly of powerful humans here.'

Therefore, recognize that the terms god and gods just refer to the powerful. And even men can be gods… that is, in the truest sense of the word's meaning (powerful ones). So a word-for-word literal translation of John 1:1 (for example) can read, 'In the beginning was the Word; and the Word was toward the Powerful One; and powerful was the Word.'

Then, why did we use the term God, rather than Powerful One at John 1:1 to describe The God? We've left the first term (God) in place, because that's what people call the Divine One today.

So, is the Logos the God or just god (powerful)? From the context of John 1:1, it appears as though Jesus (the Logos) is theos – powerful – but not The God (gr. ton Theon). For, notice that Jesus described himself as simply God's son (gr. Uios tou Theou eimi) at John 10:36.

Also, notice that at John 1:1, the words Logos (λογος) and Theon (θεον) are both preceded by the definite article the (ο λογος and τον θεον), except in the case where the Logos is referred to simply as theos (θεος). By employing such wording, John was obviously differentiating Jesus from The God. You can clearly see the differences in the words when you read John 1:1, 2, which says in Greek: 'Eν αρχη ην ο λογος, και ο λογος ην προς τον θεον, και θεος ην ο λογος. Oυτος ην εν αρχη προς τον θεον.'

That the early Christians didn't view Jesus as The God is supported by the fact that Christians still worshiped at the Temple of Jehovah in JeruSalem until shortly before it was destroyed in 70-C.E. (see Acts 3:1-3). This is because Christian Jews didn't consider Christianity to be a new religion with a new god, but rather, that it was the natural outgrowth of the old, and Jesus was the promised 'Messiah' or 'Anointed One of God' who was to assume 'the throne of David his father.'

As you can see, Jesus (who is referred to as 'the Word' here) was called 'powerful' (or godlike), but the following verses show that he wasn't 'The powerful one' (The God). Rather, he was just powerful like (but greater than) Moses. It is the same as in the case of God's words to Moses at Exodus 7:1, where He said that Moses was to be PharaOh's god. Moses was given a position of power over PharaOh.

For more information, see the document, Who Was Jesus?

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Anointing

At Exodus 29:29 we find that Aaron and his sons were to be 'anointed' as Priests to Jehovah, and that this action would make them 'holy' or clean. It also signified that they had been chosen to this office by God. And in Leviticus, when we read of the 'anointed' Priest, the reference seems to be to one of the Priests who has been chosen for the special office of what later became known as the High Priest.

The Greek word that we have translated as anointed here, is chriseis, which can also be translated as Christ (it's just a conjugation of Christos), since christ and anointed both come from the same root, which is Greek for olive oil. So, Jesus wasn't the first or the only one to be correctly referred to as a christ.

Why olive oil? Because, that substance was traditionally poured over the heads of those whom God chose to be Priests and kings over IsraEl. However, at least in the case of Aaron and his sons, fragrant herbs were added to the oil to give it a pleasing odor. This is implied at Exodus 25:7, where the IsraElites were asked to donate 'fragrances for anointing oil.' And we find the exact formula for the anointing oil at Exodus 30:34, where we read that it was to be made from 'sixteen pounds of choice myrrh flowers, eight pounds of sweet-smelling cinnamon, eight pounds of sweet-smelling calamus, sixteen pounds of cassia (for the Holy Place), and a gallon of olive oil.'

The physical anointing with oil also appears to have pictured their receiving God's Holy Breath, making them 'holy,' which was an appropriate description for Jesus years later. And remember that both the 'anointed' priests and the kings pictured Jesus. So, the term christ, when referring to them, is apropos.

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The Day of the Lord

Throughout the Bible, we find references to 'the Day of Jehovah,' and 'the Day of the Lord' (Jesus). Are both of these references to the same time, and if so, how do we know?

There is no conflict between the two Days; in fact, they appear to be the same. Notice what we are told in the Revelation, when it is speaking of the beginning of that Day (at Revelation 12:10), 'Now it has come to pass; the salvation, the power, the Kingdom of our God, and the empowerment of His Anointed One!'

As you can see, the purposes of that Day are tied together. For, the establishment of God's Kingdom (with the battle in heaven and the ouster of the Opposer and his messengers) and the empowerment for Jesus (the Lord) to begin his rule, appear to begin at the same time.

So, does the Lord's Day begin when the things spoken of in the Revelation start to happen? It appears to be so, because it starts out with John's words (at Revelation 1:10), 'Through the Breath [of God] I found myself in the Lord's Day.'

What are some of the features of that Day? Well, they appear to start with the ouster of the Opposer and his messengers from heaven (See Revelation 12), which is followed by the destruction of 'The Great Babylon' (See Revelation 17, 18). Then in rapid succession there comes the 'marriage of the Lamb,' the Battle of Armageddon, tossing the Opposer and his messengers into the abyss, and the resurrection (see Revelation 19, 20). And finally, the Opposer is released for a short time, which precipitates the battle against Gog of Magog , and is thereafter followed by the descent of 'New JeruSalem' to the earth and the making of the 'new earth and sky' (see Revelation 21).

Also, in the prophecy found at Joel 2:1-12, 'the Day of the Lord' appears to start with the destruction of JeruSalem by worldly armies, and this is followed by the destruction of the worldly armies (see Joel Chapter Three). Then, in between these two events, we read of the marvelous outpouring of God's Breath upon His faithful servants (Joel 2:28-32).

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Age, Eternal, Perpetual, Everlasting, Immortal, or Forever?

Two words imply infinite states in the Bible; one is the Greek word athanasia (undying), which is only found in two places, 1 Corinthians 15:53, where it mentions resurrected ones as clothing themselves with immortality, and at 1 Timothy 6:16, where Paul speaks of Jesus alone as having it. The other Greek word is aidios, which is used at Romans 1:20 to describe God's Power and Might as eternal, and at Jude 6 when speaking of the perpetual state of gloomy darkness that rebellious angels have been confined to.

However, the Greek word aionos, which is used throughout the Bible in various conjugated forms and is often translated as eternal and forever, is what the English word eon is derived from. It means an indefinite period, and there is no exact English word to translate it. The best equivalents are age or era.

Where the singular form (aionos) is used, this appears to mean a period such as a lifetime, generation, or era. And where the plural form of the word (aiōnōn) is used, it refers to a longer time… at least multiple generations. Also, where the term ages of the ages is used (such as at Ephesians 3:21), which is usually said in reference to The God, we would assume that this truly means forever.

It is noteworthy that aionos is the word that is used in the Greek Septuagint in place of the Hebrew word ohlam, which is also translated as forever and time indefinite in popular versions of the Ancient Scriptures of IsraEl. So, this one word (aionos) is translated as forever, everlasting, eternal, system of things, time indefinite, [end of] the world, long ago, from of old, etc. Obviously, something is very wrong here, because the word can't mean a period having a definite end in one place and infinity in another.

Take for example, the unique way that aionos is used in the question that Jesus' Apostles asked him, which is found at Matthew 24:3: 'Tell us; When will these things happen… what will be the signs when you are to arrive and this age will come to its conclusion?' Notice that aionos is also translated as world here in many Bibles, such as the KJ, and as system of things in other Bibles, such as the NWT. However, if the Apostles had meant any of those things, they would have used the Greek word cosmos (world or arrangement), not aionos.

You can see that aionos obviously doesn't mean forever, everlasting, or eternal in this case, nor did it mean world or system of things. It simply meant the age, or, the time before the end would come. And for them, that meant the age when God's Temple in JeruSalem would be destroyed, because that's what Jesus was explaining to them.

Yet, there are instances when some forms of the word could imply forever, such as when we find it in the form aiōniŏn. This is an adjective in the singular case, which, when combined with the Greek word zoe (in its various forms) is usually translated in other Bibles as everlasting life. However, that isn't a totally-accurate description.

In the past, we had tried to reconcile the words zoe aiōniŏn as meaning, life in the age. However, the word age in this instance would not be an adjective, so we have recently chosen, in most cases where we find this word combination, to translate them more accurately as age-long life, which we will agree could mean everlasting life.

For more information, see the linked Scriptural Commentary, Does the Bible Promise Everlasting Life?

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Messengers

Most Bible translations render the Greek word aggelos (pronounced ahn-gel-ose – with a hard g) as angel wherever it is found. However, aggelos is just the Greek word for messenger. True, in most cases where the Bible speaks of angels, it is referring to spirit messengers from God. However, this may not be the meaning in every instance, and always translating it as angel may distort what was meant.

For example, consider the words at Acts 12:15, where Peter had just been released from prison and came to the door of some faithful Christians. Here the housemaid told the people inside that Peter was outside. And according to many other Bibles, they thought that it was 'his angel' at the door. However, this rendering doesn't sound reasonable, for it would have been unusual for Christians to assume that an angel from God (who looked like Peter) was standing and knocking at their door. Rather, the rendering we have used herein makes more sense, 'So they said, It's his messenger.'

Another good example of why aggelos shouldn't always be translated as angel can be found at Genesis 32:3, which reads in Greek, 'Apasteile de Iakob aggelous emprosthen autou pros Hesau ton adelphon autou' or, 'Sent of Jacob angels(?) ahead of/him toward Esau the brother of/him.' Here Jacob was obviously sending human messengers to his brother, not heavenly ones (angels).

And consider the words at Numbers 20:14, where we read that Moses sent messengers (gr. aggelous – messengers, plural) from Cades to the king of Edom.' Then in verse 16, it says that 'Jehovah … heard our voice and sent His messenger (gr. aggelon – messenger, singular) who brought us out of Egypt.'

Obviously, the same word (with only conjugated variations) is used there to speak of two different types of messengers… those who were human and the one who was sent from heaven by God. And in this case, most Bibles translate the first instance as messengers, but the second as angel. We have not chosen to make this distinction, however, for the readers should be able to discern from the context which ones are human and which ones are spirit by themselves. And when there is some question, each person should keep an open mind.

Consider the words of Haggai 1:13, where we read: 'Then the Messenger (or angel) of Jehovah, Haggai, one of the messengers (or angels) of Jehovah, said to the people: Jehovah says, I am with you!'

Yet, Haggai was just a man, not a spirit. So, there may be other cases in the Bible where some translations have presumptuously written angel, when the one that God sent was a human messenger!

Also consider that; Translating aggelos as messenger when it is truly speaking of a spirit from God, helps to provide readers a better, deeper understanding of the actual role that such sons of God play in His dealings with mankind… and that the term angel isn't a type of creature or a heavenly rank (as most think), but an assignment that may even be temporary. It also helps us to understand why the Bible never speaks of female or baby angels (because dead men, dead women, and dead babies don't become angels, since heavenly spirits are direct creations by God).

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Breath

The Greek word pneuma (as in pneumonia, a breathing disease) means breath or wind – the movement of air. In other Bible translations, this word is often translated as spirit or ghost, as in Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost. However, spirit is just a shortened form of the Latin word spiritu, which just means breath in Latin. And ghost conveys another meaning altogether.

In the Bible, the most common use of the word pneuma is to convey the idea of a force that can't be seen, such as breath or wind. And the problem with translating it as spirit or ghost, is that those words have been given religious meanings that aren't implied by the Greek texts.

Therefore, to prevent confusion, the Greek word pneuma is frequently translated as breath herein. However, there are exceptions, as in instances where the Bible refers to demons as 'spirits.' Translating pneuma as breath in these cases, although correct, might just be confusing. There are also places where we have left pneuma translated as spirit, when the word implies a person's tendency (or spirit). And, since the nuance implied by the word spirit in the English language (an unseen power) is correct, we recently changed back to translating pneuma as spirit in several places, when referring to God's Holy Spirit. However, recognize that pneuma is often best defined by calling it [God's] Holy Breath. For an example, see the Note Worshiping God In Spirit and Truth.

Another important use of the word pneuma is in the phrase, 'Breath of Life.' This phrase appears to mean more than just breathing, for it seems to refer to the entire mechanics of life itself. It's the unseen force of life for all creatures… it's what makes each cell alive. However, nowhere does the Bible describe the 'pneuma' as immortal, nor is it the same as the soul (a breathing thing), so it can (figuratively) 'return to God' at death,' because all hope of future life depends on God and His promise of a resurrection.

Note in particular how the term Breath is used at Job 27:3, where Job spoke of God's Breath or Spirit. For there he asked, 'Does the Breath of the Divine One remain in my nose?' As you can see from his application of this word, pneuma obviously referred to God's Breath, not to a person or to an unseen force. He was talking about that which comes from God and which caused him (Job) to breathe… the Breath of Life.

It is interesting that at Genesis 6:3, God said concerning the wicked people on earth before the Downpour: 'I won't allow My Breath to stay with these men through the age, for they are fleshly.' In Greek that reads, 'Ou me katameine to pneuma mou en tois anthropois toutoiseis ton aiona, dia ai einai autous sarka,' or, 'Not not should stay the Breath Mine with these men the age through, their being flesh.'

While the words Breath Mine (pneuma mou) here can refer to God's Holy Breath, it seems more likely that He is referring to the breath of life that He gave to Adam. So it appears as though what God was saying here, is that the breath of life (of the people of that age) would be removed prematurely. However, since God referred to it as 'My Breath,' there may be a link implied between God's Holy Breath and the breath of life.
For more information, see the linked document, 'The Powers of God's Holy Spirit.'

However, when Jesus died (as the words recorded at John 19:30 say), 'he hung his head and gave up the breath' (gr. kai klinas ten kephalen paredoken to pneuma, or, and inclined his head giving/up the breath). In this case, the obvious reference is to 'the breath of life,' or that force which gave him life as a human.

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The Morning Star?

Admittedly, our rendering of Psalm 110:3, which reads, 'For, since the time that you came from the womb, I made you to be the [bright] morning star,' could be wrong, because it differs from the Hebrew text and other translations of the Septuagint. The Greek word in question here is eosphorou, which some translate as dawn. However, others argue that the word should be translated as morning star, and we find this logical, because Jesus referred to himself as the morning star at Revelation 2:28, and again at Revelation 22:16. So, this would explain what scripture Jesus was quoting when he used that term.

Notice that this rendering is also more in harmony with the principles of Hebrew poetry, for it better reflects the thought of the previous verse, 'In that mighty day you'll be the sovereign, and in the brightness of your holy ones you will shine.' It also just makes more sense than the Hebrew words, 'in the splendors of holiness from the womb of the dawn,' which don't appear to mean very much, and which don't tie into other prophesies.

Revelation 2:28 says, 'I'll also give him the morning star.' Notice the explanation that the Bible itself provides (at Revelation 22:16) of who this morning star is: 'I (Jesus) sent my messenger to you [so you would] bring this testimony against the congregations. I'm the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.'

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Cosmos or World?

In Jesus' discussion about the sheep and goats, found at Matthew 25:34, he said, 'Then the king will tell those on his right, Come, you who've been praised by my Father, inherit the Kingdom that's been prepared for you from the founding of the arrangement.'

In Greek, the words we have translated as founding of the arrangement are katabole kosmou. You may recognize that the English word cosmos is a derivative of kosmou. And cosmos is the word that modern peoples usually use when referring to the universe today. So, why have we translated it as arrangement, and what is meant by the term, founding of the arrangement?

Actually, the closest English meaning of Greek word kosmos is arrangement. For example, when Paul urged Christian women to dress modestly, he used the word kosmos to describe well-arranged clothing. However, in other Bibles kosmos is usually translated as world.

Although it has been said that the word world doesn't appear at all in the Hebrew texts of the Ancient Scriptures of IsraEl (OT), the word kosmos does appear there several times in the Greek Septuagint. The reason why some say that world (or kosmos) doesn't appear there, is because the equivalent Hebrew word (te·vel) is often translated (in different Bibles and in different places) as arrangement, ornamentation, honor, delight, universe, earth, army, etc. Yet, in the Christian Era Scriptures (NT), where kosmos appears several times, it is usually translated as world… as in the world of Noah, the light of the world, the field is the world, etc. However, there are some fifteen definitions given to the word world in English dictionaries, and most don't carry the same meaning as the Greek word. So, world is a poor choice when translating kosmos. For example: kosmos never seems to apply to the earth (which is how we often think of it). Rather, it often applies to the arrangement or situation of human society… system of things might be a better word choice.

Actually, two different Greek words are often translated as world in the Septuagint, kosmos and oichonomeo; and oichonomeo does appear to refer to the earth, because it means the habitation, or, the place where [man] dwells. So the Greek text clearly delineates the two meanings, which are both commonly translated as world in other Bibles.

Notice how the word kosmos was used by Paul at Romans 5:12, 'Sin entered the arrangement (kosmos) through one man, and this sin resulted in death. So, death spread to all men and everyone has sinned.'

Thus, it seems likely that the arrangement we call 'the world' started around the time of Adam's sin in Paradise, when man created for himself (and for all life on earth) a new arrangement or set of circumstances… which was something other than what God had planned. We have come to this conclusion based on the many scriptures that refer to the world (or kosmos) in a negative context, and that it (the current set of negative circumstances) will soon be done away with.

Yet, the Scriptures also indicate that the present worldly arrangement or system of things began after the Downpour of Noah's day, and that Noah had inherited the arrangement prior to that time. For, notice what we are told at Hebrews 11:7: 'Because of his faith, Noah (after being given a divine warning of things he hadn't seen yet) trusted in God and built a large chest to save his family. And due to this righteous faith, he condemned the arrangement (or world) and became its heir.'

Also notice what was said at 2 Peter 2:4, 5: 'Why, God didn't spare the messengers who sinned, but by threw them into the dark pits of Tartarus, where they are awaiting His justice. And He didn't spare the first arrangement. Yet, He guarded Noah (who was a preacher of righteousness) along with seven others, when He brought a downpour on a system (kosmos or world) of godless people.'

So, apparently there have been at least two different worlds or arrangements; the one that Noah inherited and which started before the Downpour, followed by the second arrangement or system of things that we are now living in, which will also be destroyed. For, we read at 1 John 2:17, 'The system (kosmos) with all its desires is passing away, but he who does God's Will lives for the age.' And Romans 4:13 says, 'AbraHam and his seed weren't given the promise of inheriting the arrangement because of the Law, but because of his righteousness, which came from his faith!'

Thus (from the above), we may conclude that: What Jesus said about the Kingdom having been prepared for the sheep since the founding of the arrangement could mean that the Kingdom was God’s plan for the righteous since at least the time of the Downpour, and possibly since the time of Adam’s sin in Paradise.

However, the words of Revelation 13:8 could indicated that a third world began with the death of Jesus. For, there it says concerning him: 'he who had been slaughtered from the founding of the arrangement' (gr. esphagmenou apo kataboles kosmou or, who/was/slaughtered from foundation – or down-throw – cosmos). Therefore, we could be living in an entirely new world, arrangement, or system of things since the time of Jesus' death. And if so, then what Jesus may have been foretelling at Matthew 25:34, is that people would start being selected as 'Kingdom inheritors' after his death, or after the latest 'founding (or down-throwing) of the world.'

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Captives and Gifts

At Ephesians 4:8, Paul (quoting the words of Psalm 68:18), wrote: 'He stepped up into the highest place, and carried off captivity as a captive; then he gave gifts to the men.'

This has been a very difficult verse to translate in both places (Ephesians and Psalms), for the OT and NT texts don't agree with each other, and neither appears to make any sense in the original language. The Greek text of Ephesians 4:8 literally reads: 'anabas eis hypsos echmaloteusen aichmalosian kai edokendomata tois anthropois,' or, 'through/which he/is/saying Having/stepped/up into height he/led/captive captivity and gave gifts to/the men.'

Whereas the Septuagint shows Psalm 68:18 as saying, 'You/ascended into the/height you/captured captivity you/received gifts by (or in) men.'

And the Hebrew text at Psalm 68:19 reads literally, 'you/ascended to/the/height you/led captive you/received gifts from/the man.'

As you can see, the meanings differ widely, for the NT text says that Jesus GAVE the gifts, while both OT texts say that he RECEIVED the gifts. So it is obvious that there are errors in at least two of the texts, and perhaps in all three. Which is the correct rendering?

Since he had God's Holy Breath, and because he was using older OT texts than we have today, we are going to trust that Paul came the closest to quoting what the Psalm originally said. And to be sure; when attempting to arrive at the proper translation of a scripture, it helps to take a look at what the preceding and following verses have to say, to see if the words being translated harmonize with the context.

Notice the context of Ephesians 4:8 from the preceding verse (7). There it says: 'Now, the amount of caring that was shown to each of us depends on how much of the Gift the Anointed One measured out to us.' So, the scripture Paul quotes in the following verse was used to show that the Gifts were being measured out to men in the congregation. Therefore, from the context, we must assume that the words of Paul are correct, and that Jesus gives Gifts (of the Spirit) to righteous men.

But, what about the words of verse eleven where Paul said, 'kai autos edoken tous men apostolous tous de prophetas,' or, 'and to/them he/gave those indeed apostles, those but prophets,' or as we rendered it, 'Then he gave them those who are Apostles, those who are Prophets,' (etc.)? Whereas some Bible translators have assumed that men with special gifts were being given as gifts to the congregations, the rest of the context shows that all in the congregation were given (at least one) of these Gifts, and together they make up one body. Therefore, it appears as though the reference at Ephesians 4:8 is to the Gifts of the Spirit that Jesus gave to the men, which made them Apostles, Prophets, etc. So we have translated the verses as shown above.

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