Psalms 3-4; Psalms 12-13; Psalms 28; Psalms 55

Psalms 3

3[A psalm of David, regarding the time David fled from his son Absalom.] O LORD, I have so many enemies; so many are against me.H4210H1732H1272H6440H53H1121H3068H7231H6862H7227H6965 2So many are saying, "God will never rescue him!" Interlude

H7227H559H5315H3444H430H5542 3But you, O LORD, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.H3068H4043H3519H7311H7218 4I cried out to the LORD, and he answered me from his holy mountain. InterludeH7121H3068H6963H6030H6944H2022H5542 5I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the LORD was watching over me.H7901H3462H6974H3068H5564 6I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies who surround me on every side.H3372H7233H5971H7896H5439 7Arise, O LORD! Rescue me, my God! Slap all my enemies in the face! Shatter the teeth of the wicked!H6965H3068H3467H430H5221H341H3895H7665H8127H7563 8Victory comes from you, O LORD. May you bless your people. InterludeH3444H3068H1293H5971H5542

Psalms 4

4[For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by stringed instruments.] Answer me when I call to you, O God who declares me innocent. Free me from my troubles. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.H5329H5058H4210H1732H6030H7121H430H6664H7337H6862H2603H8085H86052How long will you people ruin my reputation? How long will you make groundless accusations? How long will you continue your lies? InterludeH1121H376H5704H3519H3639H157H7385H1245H3577H55423You can be sure of this. The LORD set apart the godly for himself. The LORD will answer when I call to him.H3045H3068H6395H2623H3068H8085H71214Don't sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent. InterludeH7264H2398H559H3824H4904H1826H55425Offer sacrifices in the right spirit, and trust the LORD.H2076H2077H6664H982H30686Many people say, "Who will show us better times?" Let your face smile on us, LORD.H7227H559H7200H2896H3068H5375H216H64407You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.H5414H8057H3820H6256H1715H8492H72318In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe.H3162H7901H7965H3462H3068H910H3427H983

Psalms 12

12[For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by an eight-stringed instrument

.] Help, O LORD, for the godly are fast disappearing! The faithful have vanished from the earth!H5329H8067H4210H1732H3467H3068H2623H1584H539H6461H1121H120 2Neighbors lie to each other, speaking with flattering lips and deceitful hearts.H1696H7723H376H7453H2513H8193H3820H3820H1696 3May the LORD cut off their flattering lips and silence their boastful tongues.H3068H3772H2513H8193H3956H1696H1419 4They say, "We will lie to our hearts' content. Our lips are our own—who can stop us?"H559H3956H1396H8193H113 5The LORD replies, "I have seen violence done to the helpless, and I have heard the groans of the poor. Now I will rise up to rescue them, as they have longed for me to do."H7701H6041H603H34H6965H559H3068H7896H3468H6315 6The LORD's promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over.H565H3068H2889H565H3701H6884H5948H776H2212H7659 7Therefore, LORD, we know you will protect the oppressed, preserving them forever from this lying generation,H8104H3068H5341H2098H1755H5769 8even though the wicked strut about, and evil is praised throughout the land.H7563H1980H5439H2149H1121H120H7311

Psalms 13

13[For the choir director: A psalm of David.] O LORD, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way?H5329H4210H1732H7911H3068H5331H5641H6440 2How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand?H7896H6098H5315H3015H3824H3119H341H7311 3Turn and answer me, O LORD my God! Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.H5027H6030H3068H430H215H5869H3462H4194 4Don't let my enemies gloat, saying, "We have defeated him!" Don't let them rejoice at my downfall.H341H559H3201H6862H1523H4131 5But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me.H982H2617H3820H1523H3444 6I will sing to the LORD because he is good to me.H7891H3068H1580

Psalms 28

28[A psalm of David.] I pray to you, O LORD, my rock. Do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you are silent, I might as well give up and die.H1732H7121H3068H6697H2814H2790H4911H3381H953 2Listen to my prayer for mercy as I cry out to you for help, as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary.H8085H6963H8469H7768H5375H3027H6944H1687 3Do not drag me away with the wicked—with those who do evil—those who speak friendly words to their neighbors while planning evil in their hearts.H4900H7563H6466H205H1696H7965H7453H7451H3824 4Give them the punishment they so richly deserve! Measure it out in proportion to their wickedness. Pay them back for all their evil deeds! Give them a taste of what they have done to others.H5414H6467H7455H4611H5414H4639H3027H7725H1576 5They care nothing for what the LORD has done or for what his hands have made. So he will tear them down, and they will never be rebuilt!H995H6468H3068H4639H3027H2040H1129 6Praise the LORD! For he has heard my cry for mercy.H1288H3068H8085H6963H8469 7The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.H3068H5797H4043H3820H982H5826H3820H5937H7892H3034 8The LORD gives his people strength. He is a safe fortress for his anointed king.H3068H5797H3444H4581H4899 9Save your people! Bless Israel, your special possession

. Lead them like a shepherd, and carry them in your arms forever.H3467H5971H1288H5159H7462H5375H5769

Psalms 55

55[For the choir director: A psalm

of David, to be accompanied by stringed instruments.] Listen to my prayer, O God. Do not ignore my cry for help!H5329H5058H4905H1732H238H8605H430H5956H84672Please listen and answer me, for I am overwhelmed by my troubles.H7181H6030H7300H7879H19493My enemies shout at me, making loud and wicked threats. They bring trouble on me and angrily hunt me down.H6963H341H6440H6125H7563H4131H205H639H78524My heart pounds in my chest. The terror of death assaults me.H3820H2342H7130H367H4194H53075Fear and trembling overwhelm me, and I can’t stop shaking.H3374H7461H935H6427H36806Oh, that I had wings like a dove; then I would fly away and rest!H559H5414H83H3123H5774H79317I would fly far away to the quiet of the wilderness. InterludeH5074H7368H3885H4057H55428How quickly I would escape—far from this wild storm of hatred.H2363H4655H7307H5584H55919Confuse them, Lord, and frustrate their plans, for I see violence and conflict in the city.H1104H136H6385H3956H7200H2555H7379H589210Its walls are patrolled day and night against invaders, but the real danger is wickedness within the city.H3119H3915H5437H2346H205H5999H713011Everything is falling apart; threats and cheating are rampant in the streets.H1942H7130H8496H4820H4185H733912It is not an enemy who taunts me—I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me—I could have hidden from them.H341H2778H5375H8130H1431H564113Instead, it is you—my equal, my companion and close friend.H582H6187H441H304514What good fellowship we once enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God.H4985H5475H3162H1980H1004H430H728515Let death stalk my enemies; let the grave

swallow them alive, for evil makes its home within them.H4194H5377H3451H3381H2416H7585H7451H4033H713016But I will call on God, and the Lord will rescue me.H7121H430H3068H346717Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice.H6153H1242H6672H7878H1993H8085H696318He ransoms me and keeps me safe from the battle waged against me, though many still oppose me.H6299H5315H7965H7128H722719God, who has ruled forever, will hear me and humble them. Interlude For my enemies refuse to change their ways; they do not fear God.H410H8085H6030H3427H6924H5542H2487H3372H43020As for my companion, he betrayed his friends; he broke his promises.H7971H3027H7965H2490H128521His words are as smooth as butter, but in his heart is war. His words are as soothing as lotion, but underneath are daggers!H6310H2505H4260H7128H3820H1697H7401H8081H660922Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.H7993H3053H3068H3557H5769H5414H6662H413123But you, O God, will send the wicked down to the pit of destruction. Murderers and liars will die young, but I am trusting you to save me.H430H3381H875H7845H1818H4820H582H2673H3117H982