Psalms

¹ A of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning the words of Cush, a Benjaminite. LORD my God, I seek refuge in you; save me from all my pursuers and rescue me

² or they will tear me like a lion, ripping me apart with no one to rescue me.

³ LORD my God, if I have done this, if there is injustice on my hands,

⁴ if I have done harm to one at peace with me or have plundered my adversary without cause,

⁵ may an enemy pursue and overtake me; may he trample me to the ground and leave my honor in the dust. Selah

⁶ Rise up, LORD, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my adversaries; awake for me; you have ordained a judgment.

⁷ Let the assembly of peoples gather around you; take your seat on high over it.

⁸ The LORD judges the peoples; vindicate me, LORD, according to my righteousness and my integrity.

⁹ Let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous. The one who examines the thoughts and emotions is a righteous God.

¹⁰ My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.

¹¹ God is a righteous judge and a God who shows his wrath every day.

¹² If anyone does not repent, he will sharpen his sword; he has strung his bow and made it ready.

¹³ He has prepared his deadly weapons; he tips his arrows with fire.

¹⁴ See, the wicked one is pregnant with evil, conceives trouble, and gives birth to deceit.

¹⁵ He dug a pit and hollowed it out but fell into the hole he had made.

¹⁶ His trouble comes back on his own head; his own violence comes down on top of his head.

¹⁷ I will thank the LORD for his righteousness; I will sing about the name of the LORD Most High.