Psalms for Israel

A song, a psalm of Asaph.
O God, do not be silent;
do not hold aloof;
do not be quiet, O God! For Your enemies rage,
Your foes assert themselves.^-a They plot craftily against Your people,
take counsel against Your treasured ones. They say, “Let us wipe them out as a nation;
Israel’s name will be mentioned no more.” Unanimous in their counsel
they have made an alliance against You— the clans of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
Moab and the Hagrites, Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek,
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assyria too joins forces with them;
they give support to the sons of Lot. Selah.
Deal with them as You did with Midian,
with Sisera, with Jabin,
at the brook Kishon— who were destroyed at En-dor,
who became dung for the field. Treat their great men like Oreb and Zeeb,
all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna, who said, “Let us take the meadows of God as our possession.” O my God, make them like thistledown,
like stubble driven by the wind. As a fire burns a forest,
as flames scorch the hills, pursue them with Your tempest,
terrify them with Your storm. Cover their faces with shame
so that they seek Your name, O LORD. May they be frustrated and terrified,
disgraced and doomed forever. May they know
that Your name, Yours alone, is the LORD,
supreme over all the earth.

(1) A maskil of David, while he was in the cave.aCf. 1 Sam. 24.3–4. A prayer.
(2) I cry aloud to the LORD;
I appeal to the LORD loudly for mercy. (3) I pour out my complaint before Him;
I lay my trouble before Him (4) when my spirit fails within me.
You know my course;
they have laid a trap in the path I walk. (5) Look at my right and see—
I have no friend;
there is nowhere I can flee,
no one cares about me. (6) So I cry to You, O LORD;
I say, “You are my refuge,
all I have in the land of the living.” (7) Listen to my cry, for I have been brought very low;
save me from my pursuers,
for they are too strong for me. (8) Free me from prison,
that I may praise Your name.
The righteous bMeaning of Heb. uncertain.shall glory in me-b
for Your gracious dealings with me.

(1) A psalm of David.

O LORD, hear my prayer;
give ear to my plea, as You are faithful;
answer me, as You are beneficent. (2) Do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
for before You no creature is in the right.
(3) My foe hounded me;
he crushed me to the ground;
he made me dwell in darkness
like those long dead. (4) My spirit failed within me;
my mind was numbed with horror. (5) Then I thought of the days of old;
I rehearsed all Your deeds,
recounted the work of Your hands. (6) I stretched out my hands to You,
longing for You like thirsty earth. Selah.
(7) Answer me quickly, O LORD;
my spirit can endure no more.
Do not hide Your face from me,
or I shall become like those who descend into the Pit. (8) Let me learn of Your faithfulness by daybreak,
for in You I trust;
let me know the road I must take,
for on You I have set my hope. (9) Save me from my foes, O LORD;
aMeaning of Heb. uncertain.to You I look for cover.-a (10) Teach me to do Your will,
for You are my God.
Let Your gracious spirit lead me
on level ground. (11) For the sake of Your name, O LORD, preserve me;
as You are beneficent, free me from distress. (12) As You are faithful, put an end to my foes;
destroy all my mortal enemies,
for I am Your servant.