Psalms 41-50

Psalm 41

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

Blessed is he who considers the poor.: Yahweh will deliver him in the day of evil.
Yahweh will preserve him, and keep him alive.: He shall be blessed on the earth,; and he will not surrender him to the will of his enemies.
Yahweh will sustain him on his sickbed,: and restore him from his bed of illness.
I said, “Yahweh, have mercy on me!: Heal me, for I have sinned against you.”
My enemies speak evil against me:: “When will he die, and his name perish?”
If he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood.: His heart gathers iniquity to itself.; When he goes abroad, he tells it.
All who hate me whisper together against me.: They imagine the worst for me.
“An evil disease,” they say, “has afflicted him.: Now that he lies he shall rise up no more.”
Yes, my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted,: who ate bread with me,; has lifted up his heel against me.

But you, Yahweh, have mercy on me, and raise me up,: that I may repay them.
By this I know that you delight in me,: because my enemy doesn’t triumph over me.
As for me, you uphold me in my integrity,: and set me in your presence forever.

Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel,: from everlasting and to everlasting!
Amen and amen.

BOOK II

Psalm 42

For the Chief Musician. A contemplation by the sons of Korah.

As the deer pants for the water brooks,: so my soul pants after you, God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.: When shall I come and appear before God?
My tears have been my food day and night,: while they continually ask me, “Where is your God?”
These things I remember, and pour out my soul within me,: how I used to go with the crowd, and led them to the house of God,; with the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping a holy day.
Why are you in despair, my soul?: Why are you disturbed within me?
Hope in God!: For I shall still praise him for the saving help of his presence.
My God, my soul is in despair within me.: Therefore I remember you from the land of the Jordan,; the heights of Hermon, from the hill Mizar.
Deep calls to deep at the noise of your waterfalls.: All your waves and your billows have swept over me.

Yahweh will command his loving kindness in the daytime.: In the night his song shall be with me:; a prayer to the God of my life.
I will ask God, my rock, “Why have you forgotten me?: Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
As with a sword in my bones, my adversaries reproach me,: while they continually ask me, “Where is your God?”
Why are you in despair, my soul?: Why are you disturbed within me?
Hope in God! For I shall still praise him,: the saving help of my countenance, and my God.
Psalm 43

Vindicate me, God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation.: Oh, deliver me from deceitful and wicked men.
For you are the God of my strength. Why have you rejected me?: Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
Oh, send out your light and your truth.: Let them lead me.; Let them bring me to your holy hill,; To your tents.
Then I will go to the altar of God,: to God, my exceeding joy.
I will praise you on the harp, God, my God.
Why are you in despair, my soul?: Why are you disturbed within me?
Hope in God!: For I shall still praise him:; my Savior, my helper, and my God.

Psalm 44

For the Chief Musician. By the sons of Korah. A contemplative psalm.

We have heard with our ears, God;: our fathers have told us,; what work you did in their days,; in the days of old.
You drove out the nations with your hand,: but you planted them.
You afflicted the peoples,: but you spread them abroad.
For they didn’t get the land in possession by their own sword,: neither did their own arm save them;
but your right hand, and your arm, and the light of your face,: because you were favorable to them.
You are my King, God.: Command victories for Jacob!
Through you, will we push down our adversaries.: Through your name, will we tread them under who rise up against us.
For I will not trust in my bow,: neither shall my sword save me.
But you have saved us from our adversaries,: and have shamed those who hate us.
In God we have made our boast all day long,: we will give thanks to your name forever.
Selah.

But now you rejected us, and brought us to dishonor,: and don’t go out with our armies.
You make us turn back from the adversary.: Those who hate us take spoil for themselves.
You have made us like sheep for food,: and have scattered us among the nations.
You sell your people for nothing,: and have gained nothing from their sale.
You make us a reproach to our neighbors,: a scoffing and a derision to those who are around us.
You make us a byword among the nations,: a shaking of the head among the peoples.
All day long my dishonor is before me,: and shame covers my face,; At the taunt of one who reproaches and verbally abuses,; because of the enemy and the avenger.
All this has come on us,: yet have we not forgotten you,; Neither have we been false to your covenant.
Our heart has not turned back,: neither have our steps strayed from your path,; Though you have crushed us in the haunt of jackals,; and covered us with the shadow of death.
If we have forgotten the name of our God,: or spread forth our hands to a strange god;; won’t God search this out?; For he knows the secrets of the heart.
Yes, for your sake we are killed all day long.: We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter.
Wake up!: Why do you sleep, Lord?
Arise!: Don’t reject us forever.
Why do you hide your face,: and forget our affliction and our oppression?
For our soul is bowed down to the dust.: Our body clings to the earth.
Rise up to help us.: Redeem us for your loving kindness’ sake.

Psalm 45

For the Chief Musician. Set to “The Lilies.” A contemplation by the sons of Korah. A wedding song.

My heart overflows with a noble theme.: I recite my verses for the king.; My tongue is like the pen of a skillful writer.
You are the most excellent of the sons of men.: Grace has anointed your lips,; therefore God has blessed you forever.
Strap your sword on your thigh, mighty one:: your splendor and your majesty.
In your majesty ride on victoriously on behalf of truth, humility, and righteousness.: Let your right hand display awesome deeds.
Your arrows are sharp.: The nations fall under you, with arrows in the heart of the king’s enemies.
Your throne, God, is forever and ever.: A scepter of equity is the scepter of your kingdom.
You have loved righteousness, and hated wickedness.: Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.
All your garments smell like myrrh, aloes, and cassia.: Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made you glad.
Kings’ daughters are among your honorable women.: At your right hand the queen stands in gold of Ophir.
Listen, daughter, consider, and turn your ear.: Forget your own people, and also your father’s house.; So the king will desire your beauty,; honor him, for he is your lord.
The daughter of Tyre comes with a gift.: The rich among the people entreat your favor.
The princess inside is all glorious.: Her clothing is interwoven with gold.
She shall be led to the king in embroidered work.: The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to you.
With gladness and rejoicing they shall be led.: They shall enter into the king’s palace.
Your sons will take the place of your fathers.: You shall make them princes in all the earth.
I will make your name to be remembered in all generations.: Therefore the peoples shall give you thanks forever and ever.

Psalm 46

For the Chief Musician. By the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth.

God is our refuge and strength,: a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we won’t be afraid, though the earth changes,: though the mountains are shaken into the heart of the seas;; though its waters roar and are troubled,; though the mountains tremble with their swelling.
Selah.

There is a river, the streams of which make the city of God glad,: the holy place of the tents of the Most High.
God is in her midst. She shall not be moved.: God will help her at dawn.
The nations raged. The kingdoms were moved.: He lifted his voice, and the earth melted.
Yahweh of Armies is with us.: The God of Jacob is our refuge.
Selah.

Come, see Yahweh’s works,: what desolations he has made in the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth.: He breaks the bow, and shatters the spear.; He burns the chariots in the fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God.: I will be exalted among the nations.; I will be exalted in the earth.”
Yahweh of Armies is with us.: The God of Jacob is our refuge.
Selah.

Psalm 47

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah.

Oh clap your hands, all you nations.: Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
For Yahweh Most High is awesome.: He is a great King over all the earth.
He subdues nations under us,: and peoples under our feet.
He chooses our inheritance for us,: the glory of Jacob whom he loved.
Selah.
God has gone up with a shout,: Yahweh with the sound of a trumpet.
Sing praise to God, sing praises.: Sing praises to our King, sing praises.
For God is the King of all the earth.: Sing praises with understanding.
God reigns over the nations.: God sits on his holy throne.
The princes of the peoples are gathered together,
the people of the God of Abraham.: For the shields of the earth belong to God.; He is greatly exalted!

Psalm 48

A Song. A Psalm by the sons of Korah.

Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised,: in the city of our God, in his holy mountain.
Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth,: is Mount Zion, on the north sides,; the city of the great King.
God has shown himself in her citadels as a refuge.
For, behold, the kings assembled themselves,: they passed by together.
They saw it, then they were amazed.: They were dismayed.; They hurried away.
Trembling took hold of them there,: pain, as of a woman in travail.
With the east wind, you break the ships of Tarshish.
As we have heard, so we have seen,: in the city of Yahweh of Armies, in the city of our God.
God will establish it forever.
Selah.
We have thought about your loving kindness, God,: in the midst of your temple.
As is your name, God,: so is your praise to the ends of the earth.; Your right hand is full of righteousness.
Let Mount Zion be glad!: Let the daughters of Judah rejoice,; Because of your judgments.
Walk about Zion, and go around her.: Number its towers.
Mark well her bulwarks.: Consider her palaces,; that you may tell it to the next generation.
For this God is our God forever and ever.: He will be our guide even to death.

Psalm 49

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah.

Hear this, all you peoples.: Listen, all you inhabitants of the world,; both low and high,; rich and poor together.
My mouth will speak words of wisdom.: My heart shall utter understanding.
I will incline my ear to a proverb.: I will open my riddle on the harp.
Why should I fear in the days of evil,: when iniquity at my heels surrounds me?
Those who trust in their wealth,: and boast in the multitude of their riches—; none of them can by any means redeem his brother,; nor give God a ransom for him.
For the redemption of their life is costly,: no payment is ever enough,; That he should live on forever,; that he should not see corruption.
For he sees that wise men die;: likewise the fool and the senseless perish,; and leave their wealth to others.
Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever,: and their dwelling places to all generations.; They name their lands after themselves.
But man, despite his riches, doesn’t endure.: He is like the animals that perish.

This is the destiny of those who are foolish,: and of those who approve their sayings.
Selah.
They are appointed as a flock for Sheol.: Death shall be their shepherd.
The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning.: Their beauty shall decay in Sheol,; far from their mansion.
But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol,: for he will receive me.
Selah.
Don’t be afraid when a man is made rich,: when the glory of his house is increased.
For when he dies he shall carry nothing away.: His glory shall not descend after him.
Though while he lived he blessed his soul—: and men praise you when you do well for yourself—; he shall go to the generation of his fathers.; They shall never see the light.
A man who has riches without understanding,: is like the animals that perish.

Psalm 50

A Psalm by Asaph.

The Mighty One, God, Yahweh, speaks,

and calls the earth from sunrise to sunset.

Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,

God shines forth.

Our God comes, and does not keep silent.

A fire devours before him.

It is very stormy around him.

He calls to the heavens above,

to the earth, that he may judge his people:

“Gather my saints together to me,

those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”

The heavens shall declare his righteousness,

for God himself is judge.

Selah.

“Hear, my people, and I will speak;

Israel, and I will testify against you.

I am God, your God.

I don’t rebuke you for your sacrifices.

Your burnt offerings are continually before me.

I have no need for a bull from your stall,

nor male goats from your pens.

For every animal of the forest is mine,

and the livestock on a thousand hills.

I know all the birds of the mountains.

The wild animals of the field are mine.

If I were hungry, I would not tell you,

for the world is mine, and all that is in it.

Will I eat the flesh of bulls,

or drink the blood of goats?

Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving.

Pay your vows to the Most High.

Call on me in the day of trouble.

I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”

But to the wicked God says,

“What right do you have to declare my statutes,

that you have taken my covenant on your lips,

since you hate instruction,

and throw my words behind you?

When you saw a thief, you consented with him,

and have participated with adulterers.

“You give your mouth to evil.

Your tongue frames deceit.

You sit and speak against your brother.

You slander your own mother’s son.

You have done these things, and I kept silent.

You thought that I was just like you.

I will rebuke you, and accuse you in front of your eyes.

“Now consider this, you who forget God,

lest I tear you into pieces, and there be none to deliver.

Whoever offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies me,

and prepares his way so that I will show God’s salvation to him.”

Last updated: December 31, 1969

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