The Book of Psalms.
Vol. 44, pp. 168-179 of The Harvard
Classics
The songs of David pleased King Saul,
but when David became too popular with the people, the king feared
for his throne and banished him.
Book I
XXIII
Jehovah the Psalmist’s
Shepherd
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JEHOVAH is my shepherd; I shall not want.
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He maketh me
to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside
still 1 waters.
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He restoreth my soul: He guideth me in the
paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
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Yea, though I walk through the
valley of the 2 shadow
of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; Thy
rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
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Thou preparest a table before me in the presence
of mine enemies: Thou hast anointed my head with oil; My
cup runneth over.
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Surely 3 goodness
and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life; And
I shall dwell in the house of Jehovah for 4 ever.
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Note 1. Heb.
waters of rest.
Note 2. Or,
deep
darkness (and so elsewhere).
Note 3. Or,
Only.
Note 4. Heb. for
length of days.
XXIV
The King of Glory Entering Zion
A Psalm of David.
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THE EARTH is Jehovah’s, and the
fulness thereof; The world, and they that dwell therein.
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For he hath founded it upon the seas, And established it
upon the floods.
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Who shall ascend into the hill of Jehovah? And who shall
stand in his holy place?
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He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; Who hath not
lifted up his soul unto falsehood, And hath not sworn
deceitfully.
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He shall receive a blessing from Jehovah, And righteousness
from the God of his salvation.
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This is the generation of them that seek after him, That
seek thy face, even Jacob. [Selah
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Lift up your heads, O ye gates; And be
ye lifted up, ye everlasting 1 doors: And
the King of glory will come in.
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Who is the King of glory? Jehovah strong and
mighty, Jehovah mighty in battle.
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Lift up your heads, O ye gates; Yea,
lift them up, ye everlasting 2 doors: And
the King of glory will come in.
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Who is this King of glory? Jehovah of hosts, He is the
King of glory. [Selah
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Note 1. Or,
ancient.
Note 2. Or, ancient.
XXV
Prayer for Protection, Guidance, and Pardon
A Psalm of David.
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UNTO thee, O Jehovah, do I lift up my
soul.
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O my God, in thee have I trusted, Let me not be put to
shame; Let not mine enemies triumph over me.
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Yea, none that wait for thee shall be put to shame: They
shall be put to shame that deal treacherously without cause.
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Show me thy ways, O Jehovah; Teach me thy paths.
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Guide me in thy truth, and teach me; For thou art the God
of my salvation; For thee do I wait all the day.
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Remember, O Jehovah, thy tender mercies and thy loving
kindnesses; For they have been ever of old.
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Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my
transgressions: According to thy loving kindness remember thou
me, For thy goodness’ sake, O Jehovah.
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Good and upright is Jehovah: Therefore will he instruct
sinners in the way.
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The meek will he guide in justice; And the meek will he
teach his way.
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All the paths of Jehovah are loving kindness and truth Unto
such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
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For thy name’s sake, O Jehovah, Pardon mine iniquity, for
it is great.
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What man is he that feareth Jehovah? Him shall he instruct
in the way that he shall choose.
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His soul shall dwell at ease; And his seed shall inherit
the land.
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The friendship 1 of
Jehovah is with them that fear him; And 2 he
will show them his covenant.
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Mine eyes are ever toward Jehovah; For he will pluck my
feet out of the net.
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Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; For I am
desolate and afflicted.
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The troubles of my heart
are 3 enlarged: Oh bring thou me out of
my distresses.
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Consider mine affliction and my travail; And forgive all my
sins.
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Consider mine enemies, for they are many; And they hate me
with cruel hatred.
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Oh keep my soul, and deliver me: Let me not be put to
shame, for I take refuge in thee.
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Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for
thee.
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Redeem Israel, O God, Out of all his troubles.
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Note 1. Or,
counsel.Or,
secret.
Note 2. Or,
And his
covenant, to make them know it.
Note 3. Or, as
otherwise read, relieve thou, And bring me &c.
XXVI
Protestation of
Integrity, and Prayer for Protection
A Psalm of David.
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JUDGE me, O
Jehovah, for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted
also in Jehovah without 1 wavering.
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Examine me, O Jehovah, and prove me; Try
my heart 2 and my mind.
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For thy loving kindness is before mine eyes; And I have
walked in thy truth.
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I have not sat with men of falsehood; Neither will I go in
with dissemblers.
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I hate the assembly of evildoers, And will not sit with the
wicked.
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I will wash my hands in innocency: So will I compass thine
altar, O Jehovah;
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That I may make 3 the
voice of thanksgiving to be heard, And tell of all thy
wondrous works.
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Jehovah, I love the habitation of thy
house, And the place where 4 thy glory
dwelleth.
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Gather 5 not my soul
with sinners, Nor my life with men of blood;
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In whose hands is wickedness, And their right hand is full
of bribes.
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But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: Redeem me,
and be merciful unto me.
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My foot standeth in an even place: In the congregations
will I bless Jehovah.
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Note 1. Or,
I shall not slide.
Note 2. Heb.
reins.
Note 3. Or,
publish
with the voice of thanksgiving.
Note 4. Heb.
of the
tabernacle of thy glory.
Note 5. Or, Take
not away.
XXVII
A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God
A Psalm of David.
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JEHOVAH is my
light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? Jehovah is the
strength 1 of my life; Of whom shall I be
afraid?
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When evil-doers came upon me to eat up my flesh, Even mine
adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell.
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Though a host should encamp against me, My
heart shall not fear: Though war should rise against
me, Even 2 then will I be confident.
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One thing have I asked
of Jehovah, that will I seek after: That I may dwell in the
house of Jehovah all the days of my life, To behold
the 3 beauty of Jehovah, And to
inquire 4 in his temple.
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For in the day of trouble he will keep me
secretly in his pavilion: In the covert of his
tabernacle 5 will he hide me; He will
lift me up upon a rock.
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And now shall my head be
lifted up above mine enemies round about me; And I will offer
in his tabernacle 6 sacrifices of joy; 7 I
will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto Jehovah.
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Hear, O Jehovah, when I cry with my voice: Have mercy also
upon me, and answer me.
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When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said
unto thee, Thy face, Jehovah, will I seek.
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Hide not thy face from me; Put not thy servant away in
anger: Thou hast been my help; Cast me not off, neither
forsake me, O God of my salvation.
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When 8 my father and
my mother forsake me, Then Jehovah will take me up.
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Teach me thy way, O Jehovah; And lead me
in a plain path, Because of mine 9 enemies.
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Deliver me not over unto the will of mine adversaries: For
false witnesses are risen up against me, And such as breathe
out cruelty.
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I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the
goodness of Jehovah In the land of the living.
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Wait for Jehovah: Be strong, and let thy heart take
courage; Yea, wait thou for Jehovah.
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Note 1. Or,
stronghold.
Note 2. Or,
In
this.
Note 3. Or,
the
pleasantness.
Note 4. Or,
consider
his temple.
Note 5. Heb.
tent.
Note 6. Heb.
tent.
Note
7. Or,
shouting.Or,
trumpet-sound.
Note 8. Or,
For my
father and my mother have forsaken me, But Jehovah &c.
Note 9. Or, them
that lie in wait for me.
XXVIII
A Prayer for Help, and Praise for Its Answer
A Psalm of David.
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UNTO thee, O Jehovah, will I call: My
rock, be not thou deaf unto me; Lest, if thou be silent unto
me, I become like them that go down into the pit.
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Hear the voice of my supplications, when I
cry unto thee, When I lift up my hands toward 1 thy
holy oracle.
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Draw me not away with the wicked, And with the workers of
iniquity; That speak peace with their neighbors, But
mischief is in their hearts.
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Give them according to their work, and according to the
wickedness of their doings: Give them after the operation of
their hands; Render to them their desert.
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Because they regard not the works of Jehovah, Nor the
operation of his hands, He will break them down and not build
them up.
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Blessed be Jehovah, Because he hath heard the voice of my
supplications.
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Jehovah is my strength and my shield; My heart hath trusted
in him, and I am helped: Therefore my heart greatly
rejoiceth; And with my song will I praise him.
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Jehovah is their strength, And he is a stronghold of
salvation to his anointed. Save thy people, and bless thine
inheritance: Be their shepherd also, and bear them up for
ever.
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Note 1. Or, toward
the innermost place of thy sanctuary.
XXIX
The Voice of Jehovah in the Storm
A Psalm of David.
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ASCRIBE unto
Jehovah, O ye sons 1 of the
mighty, 2 Ascribe unto Jehovah glory and
strength.
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Ascribe unto Jehovah the glory due unto
his name; Worship Jehovah in 3 holy
array.
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The voice of Jehovah is upon the
waters: The God of glory thundereth, Even Jehovah upon
many 4 waters.
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The voice of Jehovah is powerful; The voice of Jehovah is
full of majesty.
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The voice of Jehovah breaketh the cedars; Yea, Jehovah
breaketh in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
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He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion
like a young wild-ox.
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The voice of Jehovah cleaveth 5 the
flames of fire.
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The voice of Jehovah shaketh the wilderness; Jehovah
shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.
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The voice of Jehovah maketh the hinds to calve, And
strippeth the forests bare: And in his temple everything
saith, Glory.
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Jehovah sat as King at the Flood; Yea,
Jehovah sitteth as King for ever.
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Jehovah will give strength unto his people; Jehovah will
bless his people with peace.
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Note 1. Or,
sons of God.
Note 2. Or,
gods. See
Ex. 15. 11.
Note 3. Or,
in the
beauty of holiness.
Note 4. Or,
great.
Note 5. Or, heweth,
out flames of fire.
XXX
Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death
A Psalm; a Song at the
Dedication of the House. A Psalm of David.
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I WILL extol
thee, O Jehovah; for thou hast raised 1 me
up, And hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.
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O Jehovah my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed
me.
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O Jehovah, thou hast brought up my soul
from Sheol; Thou hast kept me alive, that 2 I
should not go down to the pit.
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Sing praise unto Jehovah, O ye saints of his, And give
thanks to his holy memorial name.
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For his anger is but
for a moment; His 3 favor is for a
life-time: Weeping may 4 tarry for the
night, But joy cometh in the morning.
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As for me, I said in my prosperity, I shall never be moved.
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Thou, Jehovah, of thy favor hadst made my mountain to stand
strong: Thou didst hide thy face; I was troubled.
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I cried to thee, O Jehovah; And unto Jehovah I made
supplication:
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What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the
pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?
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Hear, O Jehovah, and have mercy upon me: Jehovah, be thou
my helper.
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Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; Thou hast
loosed my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;
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To the end that my glory may sing praise to
thee, and not be silent. O Jehovah my God, I will give thanks
unto thee for ever.
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Note 1. Or,
drawn.
Note 2. Another reading
is,
from among them that go down to the pit.
Note 3. Or,
In his
favor is life.
Note 4. Heb. may
come in to lodge at even.
XXXI
A Psalm of Complaint and of Praise
For the Chief Musician. A
Psalm of David.
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IN thee, O Jehovah, do I take
refuge; Let me never be put to shame: Deliver me in thy
righteousness.
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Bow down thine ear unto me; deliver me
speedily: Be thou to me a strong rock, A house of
defence 1 to save me.
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For thou art my rock and my fortress; Therefore for thy
name’s sake lead me and guide me.
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Pluck me out of the net that they have laid privily for
me; For thou art my stronghold.
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Into thy hand I commend my spirit: Thou hast redeemed me, O
Jehovah, thou God of truth.
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I hate them that regard lying vanities; But I trust in
Jehovah.
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I will be glad and rejoice in thy
lovingkindness; For thou hast seen my affliction: Thou hast
known my 2 soul in adversities;
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And thou hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy; Thou
hast set my feet in a large place.
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Have mercy upon me, O Jehovah, for I am in distress: Mine
eye wasteth away with grief, yea, my soul and my
body.
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For my life is spent with sorrow, And my years with
sighing: My strength faileth because of mine iniquity, And
my bones are wasted away.
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Because of all mine adversaries I am become a reproach, Yea,
unto my neighbors exceedingly, And a fear to mine
acquaintance: They that did see me without fled from me.
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I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a
broken vessel.
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For I have heard the defaming of many, Terror on every
side: While they took counsel together against me, They
devised to take away my life.
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But I trusted in thee, O Jehovah: I said, Thou art my God.
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My times are in thy hand: Deliver me from the hand of mine
enemies, and from them that persecute me.
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Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: Save me in thy
lovingkindness.
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Let me not be put to shame, O Jehovah; for I have called upon
thee: Let the wicked be put to shame, let them be silent in
Sheol.
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Let the lying lips be dumb, Which speak against the
righteous insolently, With pride and contempt.
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Oh how great is thy goodness, Which thou hast laid up for
them that fear thee, Which thou hast wrought for them that
take refuge in thee, Before the sons of men!
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In the covert of thy presence wilt thou hide them from the
plottings of man: Thou wilt keep them secretly in a pavilion
from the strife of tongues.
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Blessed be Jehovah; For he hath showed me his marvellous
lovingkindness in a strong city.
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As for me, I said in my haste, 3 I
am cut off from before thine eyes: Nevertheless thou heardest
the voice of my supplications, When I cried unto thee.
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Oh love Jehovah, all ye his
saints: Jehovah preserveth the 4 faithful, And
plentifully rewardeth him that dealeth proudly.
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Be strong, and let your heart take
courage, All ye that hope 5 in Jehovah.
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Note 1. Heb.
fortresses.
Note 2. Or,
the
adversities of my soul.
Note 3. Or,
alarm.
Note 4. Or,
faithfulness.
Note 5. Or, wait
for.
XXXII
Blessedness of Forgiveness and of Trust in God
A Psalm of David.
Maschil.
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BLESSED is he whose transgression is
forgiven, Whose sin is covered.
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Blessed is the man unto whom Jehovah imputeth not
iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no guile.
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When I kept silence, my bones wasted
away Through my groaning 1 all the day
long.
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For day and night thy hand was heavy upon
me: My moisture was changed as 2 with
the drought of summer. [Selah
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I acknowledged my sin unto thee, And mine iniquity did I
not hide: I said, I will confess my transgressions unto
Jehovah; And thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. [Selah
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For this let every one that is godly pray
unto thee in 3 a time when thou mayest be
found: Surely when the great waters overflow they shall not
reach unto him.
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Thou art my hiding-place; thou wilt preserve me from
trouble; Thou wilt compass me about with songs of
deliverance. [Selah
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I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou
shalt go: I will counsel thee with mine eye upon thee.
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Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule,
which have no understanding; Whose trappings must be bit and
bridle to hold them in, Else 4 they
will not come near unto thee.
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Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; But he that trusteth
in Jehovah, lovingkindness shall compass him about.
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Be glad in Jehovah, and rejoice, ye righteous; And shout
for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.
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Note 1. Heb.
roaring.
Note 2. Or,
into
the.
Note 3. Or,
in the
time of finding out sin.
Note 4. Or, That
they come not near.
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