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Psalms 34-37

Psalms 34

1I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

2My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.

3O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.

4I sought the LORD, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.

5Look to him, and be radiant; so your faces shall never be ashamed.

6This poor soul cried, and was heard by the LORD, and was saved from every trouble.

7The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

8O taste and see that the LORD is good; happy are those who take refuge in him.

9O fear the LORD, you his holy ones, for those who fear him have no want.

10The young lions suffer want and hunger, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

11Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

12Which of you desires life, and covets many days to enjoy good?

13Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.

14Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

15The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry.

16The face of the LORD is against evildoers, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

17When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.

18The LORD is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.

19Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD rescues them from them all.

20He keeps all their bones; not one of them will be broken.

21Evil brings death to the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

22The LORD redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Psalms 35

1Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!

2Take hold of shield and buckler, and rise up to help me!

3Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers; say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”

4Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life. Let them be turned back and confounded who devise evil against me.

5Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them on.

6Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.

7For without cause they hid their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life.

8Let ruin come on them unawares. And let the net that they hid ensnare them; let them fall in it — to their ruin.

9Then my soul shall rejoice in the LORD, exulting in his deliverance.

10All my bones shall say, “O LORD, who is like you? You deliver the weak from those too strong for them, the weak and needy from those who despoil them.”

11Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me about things I do not know.

12They repay me evil for good; my soul is forlorn.

13But as for me, when they were sick, I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting. I prayed with head bowed on my bosom,

14as though I grieved for a friend or a brother; I went about as one who laments for a mother, bowed down and in mourning.

15But at my stumbling they gathered in glee, they gathered together against me; ruffians whom I did not know tore at me without ceasing;

16they impiously mocked more and more, gnashing at me with their teeth.

17How long, O LORD, will you look on? Rescue me from their ravages, my life from the lions!

18Then I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you.

19Do not let my treacherous enemies rejoice over me, or those who hate me without cause wink the eye.

20For they do not speak peace, but they conceive deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.

21They open wide their mouths against me; they say, “Aha, Aha, our eyes have seen it.”

22You have seen, O LORD; do not be silent! O Lord, do not be far from me!

23Wake up! Bestir yourself for my defense, for my cause, my God and my Lord!

24Vindicate me, O LORD, my God, according to your righteousness, and do not let them rejoice over me.

25Do not let them say to themselves, “Aha, we have our heart’s desire.” Do not let them say, “We have swallowed you up.”

26Let all those who rejoice at my calamity be put to shame and confusion; let those who exalt themselves against me be clothed with shame and dishonor.

27Let those who desire my vindication shout for joy and be glad, and say evermore, “Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of his servant.”

28Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all day long.

Psalms 36

1Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in their hearts; there is no fear of God before their eyes.

2For they flatter themselves in their own eyes that their iniquity cannot be found out and hated.

3The words of their mouths are mischief and deceit; they have ceased to act wisely and do good.

4They plot mischief while on their beds; they are set on a way that is not good; they do not reject evil.

5Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.

6Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgments are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O LORD.

7How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

8They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights.

9For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.

10O continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your salvation to the upright of heart!

11Do not let the foot of the arrogant tread on me, or the hand of the wicked drive me away.

12There the evildoers lie prostrate; they are thrust down, unable to rise.

Psalms 37

1Do not fret because of the wicked; do not be envious of wrongdoers,

2for they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb.

3Trust in the LORD, and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.

4Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.

6He will make your vindication shine like the light, and the justice of your cause like the noonday.

7Be still before the LORD, and wait patiently for him; do not fret over those who prosper in their way, over those who carry out evil devices.

8Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret — it leads only to evil.

9For the wicked shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.

10Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look diligently for their place, they will not be there.

11But the meek shall inherit the land, and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.

12The wicked plot against the righteous, and gnash their teeth at them;

13but the LORD laughs at the wicked, for he sees that their day is coming.

14The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to kill those who walk uprightly;

15their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

16Better is a little that the righteous person has than the abundance of many wicked.

17For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.

18The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will abide forever;

19they are not put to shame in evil times, in the days of famine they have abundance.

20But the wicked perish, and the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish — like smoke they vanish away.

21The wicked borrow, and do not pay back, but the righteous are generous and keep giving;

22for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

23Our steps are made firm by the LORD, when he delights in our way;

24though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, for the LORD holds us by the hand.

25I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.

26They are ever giving liberally and lending, and their children become a blessing.

27Depart from evil, and do good; so you shall abide forever.

28For the LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his faithful ones. The righteous shall be kept safe forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

29The righteous shall inherit the land, and live in it forever.

30The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak justice.

31The law of their God is in their hearts; their steps do not slip.

32The wicked watch for the righteous, and seek to kill them.

33The LORD will not abandon them to their power, or let them be condemned when they are brought to trial.

34Wait for the LORD, and keep to his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on the destruction of the wicked.

35I have seen the wicked oppressing, and towering like a cedar of Lebanon.

36Again I passed by, and they were no more; though I sought them, they could not be found.

37Mark the blameless, and behold the upright, for there is posterity for the peaceable.

38But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the posterity of the wicked shall be cut off.

39The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; he is their refuge in the time of trouble.

40The LORD helps them and rescues them; he rescues them from the wicked, and saves them, because they take refuge in him.