PSALM 14 (15)

Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent,
who shall dwell on your holy mountain?

They who walk immaculately and do justice,
who speak truth in their hearts,
and have no slander on their tongues;
who do no evil to their friends
nor take up reproach against their neighbors;
who despise reprobates,
but honor those who fear the Lord;
who stand by their oaths and do not renege,
who do not lend money at interest,
nor accept bribes against the innocent.

Those who do these things
shall not be moved forever.

Translation © 2015 by Donald C. Traxler

PSALM 13 (14)

The fool says in his heart:
"There is no God."
They are corrupt,
their actions abominable,
there is none who does good.

The Lord looks down from heaven
upon the sons of men,
to see whether there is anyone
who understands and seeks God.
All have turned aside and are depraved.
There is no one who does good,
not even one.
Will they never learn,
those who do injustice,
who devour my people
as they would bread,
and do not call upon the Lord?

There they will tremble with fear,
for God is with a righteous generation.

You confound the plans of the poor,
but the Lord is their refuge.

May the deliverance of Israel come out from Zion!

When the Lord overturns the captivity of his people,
Jacob will exult, and Israel will rejoice.

Translation © 2015 by Donald C. Traxler

PSALM 12 (13)

How long, O Lord, will you completely forget me?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long will I bear pain in my soul,
and grief every day in my heart?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?
Look at me, answer me, O Lord, my God!

Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep unto death,
and my enemy say "I have prevailed over him,"
and my foes rejoice when I have been shaken.

But I have trusted in your mercy,
my heart will rejoice in your deliverance.
I will sing to the Lord, who has been good to me.

Translation © 2015 by Donald C. Traxler

PSALM 8

O Lord, our Lord,
how great is your name
throughout the earth,
you who have spread
your majesty
above the heavens.

Out of the mouths of infants
and nursing babies, you
have prepared songs of praise
against your enemies,
that all foes be put down.

When I look at the heavens,
the work of your hands,
the moon and stars
that you established,
what is man, that you
remember him,
or the son of man,
that you care for him?

You have made him
a little less
than the angels,
with honor and glory
you have crowned him.
You have given him power
over the works of your hands,
you have laid all things
under his feet:
all sheep and cattle,
and all beasts of the field,
the birds of the sky
and the fish of the sea:
whatever travels
the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our Lord,
how great is your name
through all the earth!

Translation © 2015 by Donald C. Traxler

PSALM 7

I take refuge in you,
O Lord my God,
save me from all those
who persecute me,
liberate me,
lest they seize me
as would a lion,
tearing me apart,
with no one
to rescue me.

O Lord my God,
if I did this,
if there is injustice
on my hands,
if I repaid my friend
with evil, then may I
be ineffective against
my foes, and may they
overtake me, trample
my life to the ground,
and lay my honor
in the dust.

Rise up in your wrath,
O Lord, stand against
the fury of my oppressors.
Stand up for me in the
judgment you've decreed,
let the assembly of nations
surround you, and you sit
on high above them.
The Lord is the judge
of the peoples.
Judge me, O Lord,
according to my justice,
according to the innocence
that is in me.

Let the evil of sinners end,
and confirm the righteous,
you who inspect
hearts and minds,
O righteous God.

My shield is God
who saves the upright
in heart.
God is a just judge
who rages every day.
If one does not turn back,
he will sharpen his sword,
bend his bow,
and aim it.
He will prepare
missiles of death,
his arrows fiery shafts.

Behold, the wicked one
conceives injustice,
is pregnant with evil,
and brings forth deceit.
He has dug a pit, but
he has fallen into it.
His malice falls back
on his own head,
his violence returns
there too.

But I will praise the Lord
on account of his justice,
and will make music
to the name
of the most high Lord.

Translation © 2015 by Donald C. Traxler

PSALM 6

Do not rebuke me,
O Lord,
in your anger,
or sweep me away
in your fury.
Have mercy on me,
O Lord,
for I am weak.
Heal me, O Lord,
for my bones are troubled
and my soul is sorely
distressed.
But you, O Lord--
how long?

Turn to me, O Lord,
snatch up my soul,
save me in your mercy,
for who remembers you
in death,
or praises you
in Sheol?

Nightly I water
my bed with my weeping,
I drench the bedclothes
with my tears.
My eyes are dark
from bitterness,
aged by my enemies.

Away from me
all who work injustice,
for the Lord has heard
the sound of my weeping.
The Lord has heard
my petition,
The Lord has accepted
my prayer.
May my enemies blush
and be much disturbed,
quickly retreating
in their shame.

Translation © 2015 by Donald C. Traxler

PSALM 5

Hear my words, O Lord,
give heed to my cry,
hear the sound of my prayer,
my King and my God,
for it is to you
that I pray.

In the morning you hear
my voice, O Lord,
at daybreak I plead
my case, and wait.

For you are not a God
who is pleased by iniquity,
nor can evildoers
dwell with you,
nor the impious
stand in your sight.
You have hated all
who practice injustice,
you doom those who lie.
The Lord abhors
the bloodthirsty and
the deceitful.

But I, by your great grace,
will enter your house,
I will prostrate myself
toward your holy temple,
in awe of you, O Lord.
Lead me in your righteousness
because of my enemies,
and make straight your way
before me.

For in the mouth of these
there is no sincerity,
their heart is full of malice,
their throat is an open grave,
with their tongue they practice deceit.

Punish them O God,
let them fall by their own counsels.
Drive them out for their many crimes,
for against you
they have rebelled.

But let all those rejoice
who take refuge in you,
may they be forever joyful.
Protect and give joy
to those who love
your name.
For you bless the just, O Lord,
you surround them
with your favor
like a shield.

Translation © 2015 by Donald C. Traxler