Psalms 63-65

Psalm 63

¹A Psalm by David, when he was in the desert of Judah. God, you are my God. I will earnestly seek you. My soul thirsts for you. My flesh longs for you, in a dry and weary land, where there is no water.

²So I have seen you in the sanctuary, watching your power and your glory.

³Because your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise you.

⁴So I will bless you while I live. I will lift up my hands in your name.

⁵My soul shall be satisfied as with the richest food. My mouth shall praise you with joyful lips,

⁶when I remember you on my bed, and think about you in the night watches.

⁷For you have been my help. I will rejoice in the shadow of your wings.

⁸My soul stays close to you. Your right hand holds me up.

⁹But those who seek my soul to destroy it shall go into the lower parts of the earth.

¹⁰They shall be given over to the power of the sword. They shall be jackal food.

¹¹But the king shall rejoice in God. Everyone who swears by him will praise him, for the mouth of those who speak lies shall be silenced.

Psalm 64

¹For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. Hear my voice, God, in my complaint. Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

²Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, from the noisy crowd of the ones doing evil;

³who sharpen their tongue like a sword, and aim their arrows, deadly words,

⁴to shoot innocent men from ambushes. They shoot at him suddenly and fearlessly.

⁵They encourage themselves in evil plans. They talk about laying snares secretly. They say, “Who will see them?”

⁶They plot injustice, saying, “We have made a perfect plan!” Surely man’s mind and heart are cunning.

⁷But God will shoot at them. They will be suddenly struck down with an arrow.

⁸Their own tongues shall ruin them. All who see them will shake their heads.

⁹All mankind shall be afraid. They shall declare the work of God, and shall wisely ponder what he has done.

¹⁰The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall take refuge in him. All the upright in heart shall praise him!

Psalm 65

¹For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. A song. Praise waits for you, God, in Zion. Vows shall be performed to you.

²You who hear prayer, all men will come to you.

³Sins overwhelmed me, but you atoned for our transgressions.

⁴Blessed is the one whom you choose and cause to come near, that he may live in your courts. We will be filled with the goodness of your house, your holy temple.

⁵By awesome deeds of righteousness, you answer us, God of our salvation. You who are the hope of all the ends of the earth, of those who are far away on the sea.

⁶By your power, you form the mountains, having armed yourself with strength.

⁷You still the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations.

⁸They also who dwell in faraway places are afraid at your wonders. You call the morning’s dawn and the evening with songs of joy.

⁹You visit the earth, and water it. You greatly enrich it. The river of God is full of water. You provide them grain, for so you have ordained it.

¹⁰You drench its furrows. You level its ridges. You soften it with showers. You bless it with a crop.

¹¹You crown the year with your bounty. Your carts overflow with abundance.

¹²The wilderness grasslands overflow. The hills are clothed with gladness.

¹³The pastures are covered with flocks. The valleys also are clothed with grain. They shout for joy! They also sing.