The Texts of Psalms 1 to 25
with brief introductory comments
Translation: The New Jerusalem Bible
The Spoken Word Set 10
Psalms for Every Day
Psalms 1 to 78
Volumes 25 to 27
The recording of the Psalms (Set 10)
read by David Guthrie
may be purchased and downloaded digitally from Naxos at
Classics Online (click here)
and streamed from the Naxos Spoken Word Library (click here)
Psalm 1
The two paths
The collection of psalms opens with a classic piece of Hebrew wisdom. There are two paths open to us: the way of righteousness and the way of wickedness, each with its appropriate outcome.How blessed is anyone who rejects the advice of the wicked
and does not take a stand in the path that sinners tread,
nor a seat in company with cynics,
but who delights in the law of Yahweh
and murmurs his law day and night.
Such a one is like a tree planted near streams;
it bears fruit in season
and its leaves never wither,
and every project succeeds.
How different the wicked, how different!
the wicked will not stand firm at the Judgement
nor sinners in the gathering of the upright.
For Yahweh watches over the path of the upright,
but the path of the wicked is doomed.
Psalm 2
The messianic drama
Christians find an echo of this psalm in the stories of Jesus' baptism and transfiguration and traditionally saw this as a messianic psalm. Sometimes, though, traditional interpretation can act as a blindfold preventing us from seeing other dimensions of meaning. Israel's faith-struggle was played out on the stage of international geo-politics. Its faith lay constantly in the hands of non-Hebrew kings and governors. This psalm proclaims that the politics of all nations are conducted before God and it is God’s power that is the real ultimate. Judah may appear to the kings to be an insignificant squirt of a nation, to be trampled upon in their ambitions for power – but they must beware!Why this uproar among the nations,
this impotent muttering of the peoples?
Kings of the earth take up position,
princes plot together
against Yahweh and his anointed,
“Now let us break their fetters!
Now let us throw off their bonds!”
He who is enthroned in the heavens laughs,
Yahweh makes a mockery of them,
then in his anger rebukes them,
in his rage he strikes them with terror.
“I myself have anointed my king
on Zion my holy mountain.”
I will proclaim the decree of Yahweh:
He said to me, “You are my son,
today have I fathered you.
Ask of me, and I shall give you the nations as your birthright,
the whole wide world as your possession.
With an iron sceptre you will break them,
shatter them like so many pots.”
So now, you kings, come to your senses,
you earthly rulers, learn your lesson!
In fear be submissive to Yahweh;
with trembling kiss his feet, lest he be angry and your way come to nothing,
for his fury flares up in a moment.
Psalm 3
Morning prayer of the upright in persecution
For the original writer of the psalm, the experience of being surrounded by multitudes that rejected and mocked his faith may have been literally true. The 7th century Judeans thought themselves impregnable to conquest because their God would protect them. When that belief proved futile and the nation was annihilated there would have been many would mocked them, saying, "Where now is your God"?This psalm is an affirmation of faith into the face of all the circumstances that seemed to shout that faith in God is useless delusion. What non-faith can never understand is how faith can eliminate fear and produce a quiet spirit when such should be impossible.
Yahweh, how countless are my enemies,
how countless those who rise up against me,
how countless those who say of me,
“No salvation for him from his God!”
But you, Yahweh, the shield at my side,
my glory, you hold my head high.
I cry out to Yahweh;
he answers from his holy mountain.
As for me, if I lie down and sleep,
I shall awake, for Yahweh sustains me.
I have no fear of people in their thousands upon thousands,
who range themselves against me wherever I turn.
You strike all my foes across the face,
you break the teeth of the wicked.
In Yahweh is salvation,
on your people, your blessing!
Psalm 4
Evening Prayer
This is another classic piece of wisdom spirituality. Despite the enigmatic opening sentence that indicates distress, the psalm seems to emerge from a place of reflection and communion with God. The wise counsellor offers advice on how to live in this state of peace.When I call, answer me, God, upholder of my right.
In my distress you have set me at large;
take pity on me and hear my prayer!
Children, how long will you be heavy of heart,
why love what is vain and chase after illusions?
Realise that Yahweh performs wonders for his faithful,
Yahweh listens when I call to him.
Be careful not to sin,
speak in your hearts, and on your beds keep silence.
Loyally offer sacrifices, and trust in Yahweh.
Many keep saying, “Who will put happiness before our eyes?”
Let the light of your face shine on us.
Yahweh, to my heart you are a richer joy
than all their corn and new wine.
In peace I lie down and at once fall asleep,
for it is you and none other, Yahweh, who make me rest secure.
Psalm 5
Morning prayer
The power of the psalms lies in their timeless appeal because they are rooted in the experience of being human. Many a person could recite this psalm on getting up in the morning, confronting going to work and an environment that tests faith, integrity and patience to the limit. Even the opening words, wondering whether God hears, notices and cares, convey a universal experience even for the most faithful. “God, protect me and give me peace and joy in the middle of this hell-hole I've got to face today.”Give ear to my words, Yahweh,
spare a thought for my sighing.
Listen to my cry for help,
my King and my God!
To you I pray, Yahweh.
At daybreak you hear my voice;
at daybreak I lay my case before you
and fix my eyes on you.
You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil,
no sinner can be your guest.
Boasters cannot stand their ground
under your gaze.
You hate evil-doers,
liars you destroy;
the violent and deceitful
Yahweh detests.
But, so great is your faithful love,
I may come into your house,
and before your holy temple
bow down in reverence of you.
In your saving justice, Yahweh, lead me,
because of those who lie in wait for me;
make your way plain before me.
Not a word from their lips can be trusted,
through and through they are destruction,
their throats are wide-open graves,
their tongues seductive.
Lay the guilt on them, God,
make their intrigues their own downfall;
for their countless offences, thrust them from you,
since they have rebelled against you.
But joy for all who take refuge in you,
endless songs of gladness!
You shelter them, they rejoice in you,
those who love your name.
It is you who bless the upright, Yahweh,
you surround them with favour as with a shield.
Psalm 6
Supplication in time of trial
How often do we find ourselves in situations of intense frustration, powerlessness and anger at the seemingly unconquerable forces of oppression – and God seems far away. The struggle of faith to fight through the sense of helplessness to an affirmation of confidence is captured in this psalm.Yahweh, let your rebuke to me not be in anger,
your punishment not in the heat of wrath.
Have pity on me, Yahweh, for I am fading away.
Heal me, Yahweh, my bones are shaken,
my spirit is shaken to its very depths.
But you, Yahweh . . . how long?
Yahweh, relent and save my life;
rescue me because of your faithful love,
for in death there is no remembrance of you;
who could sing your praises in Sheol?
I am worn out with groaning,
every night I drench my pillow
and soak my bed with tears.
My eyes waste away with vexation.
Arrogance from all my foes!
Away from me, all evil-doers!
For Yahweh has heard the sound of my weeping,
Yahweh has heard my pleading.
Yahweh will accept my prayer.
Let all my enemies be put to confusion, shaken to their depths,
let them retreat in sudden confusion.
Psalm 7
Prayer of the upright in persecution
The theme of Psalm 7 is the same as Psalm 6 but illustrates the wide range of conditions that give rise to various psalms. Psalm 6 was generated out of a passionate struggle of faith and feeling. Psalm 7, also relating to oppression and helplessness, arose from the reflectiveness of the wisdom tradition. Here the poet thinks of the heavenly court before which all the nations are assembled and the judge – God – appears ‘on high’ (as on any judge’s bench in a court). The plaintiff (the psalmist) is confident in the rightness of his cause against his oppressor and that the judge, who is upright, will deliver a verdict that will bring justice to the situation.Yahweh my God, I take refuge in you,
save me from all my pursuers and rescue me,
or he will savage me like a lion,
carry me off with no one to rescue me.
Yahweh my God, if I have done this:
if injustice has stained my hands,
if I have repaid my ally with treachery
or spared one who attacked me unprovoked,
may an enemy hunt me down and catch me,
may he trample my life into the ground
and crush my vital parts into the dust.
Arise, Yahweh, in your anger,
rise up against the arrogance of my foes.
Awake, my God,
you demand judgement.
Let the assembly of nations gather round you;
return above it on high!
Judge me, Yahweh, as my uprightness
and my integrity deserve.
Put an end to the malice of the wicked,
make the upright stand firm,
you who discern hearts and minds
God the upright.
God is a shield that protects me,
saving the honest of heart.
God is an upright judge,
slow to anger,
but a God at all times threatening
for those who will not repent.
Let the enemy whet his sword,
draw his bow and make ready;
but he is making ready instruments of death for himself
and tipping his arrows with fire;
look at him: pregnant with malice,
conceiving spite, he gives birth to treachery.
He digs a trap, scoops it out,
but he falls into the snare he made himself.
His spite recoils on his own head,
his brutality falls back on his own skull.
I thank Yahweh for his saving justice.
I sing to the name of the Most High.
Psalm 8
The power of God’s name
A profound wisdom reflection on the nature of the universe, this psalm exalts God as Lord of all creation and that those who acknowledge this Lordship are under the God’s protection. The wonder is increased when we contemplate that this species of ours is appointed by the Lord as steward of his entire estate, responsible for the well-being of the whole earth. It does lead us to reflect on how well we are exercising this stewardship!Yahweh our Lord,
how majestic is your name throughout the world!
Whoever keeps singing of your majesty higher than the heavens,
even through the mouths of children, or of babes in arms,
you make him a fortress, firm against your foes,
to subdue the enemy and the rebel.
I look up at your heavens, shaped by your fingers,
at the moon and the stars you set firm --
what are human beings that you spare a thought for them,
or the child of Adam that you care for him?
Yet you have made him little less than a god,
you have crowned him with glory and beauty,
made him lord of the works of your hands,
put all things under his feet,
sheep and cattle, all of them,
and even the wild beasts,
birds in the sky, fish in the sea,
when he makes his way across the ocean.
Yahweh our Lord,
how majestic your name throughout the world!
Psalm 9 and 10
God strikes the wicked and saves the humble
Psalms 9 and 10 (originally a single psalm) were written in a Hebrew poetic convention for reflective verses. Each verse is four lines and each begins with a new letter of the Hebrew alphabet in sequence. Furthermore, each second line reflects the first as in a mirror. So we do not listen to this psalm as if its thought moves dynamically from beginning to end. Each verse says the same thing, variously expressed.Encapsulated here is the touchstone of ethical vision, universal for every age and culture. God is just and seeks justice; the entire weight of the spiritual universe is on the side of the weak, the defenceless, the poor and the powerless and against those who would wield power for their own ends and interests.
I thank you, Yahweh, with my whole heart,
I recount all your wonders,
I rejoice and delight in you,
I sing to your name, Most High.
My enemies are in retreat,
they stumble and perish at your presence,
for you have given fair judgement in my favour,
seated on your throne as upright judge.
You have rebuked the nations, destroyed the wicked,
blotted out their name for ever and ever;
the enemy is wiped out -- mere ruins for ever --
you have annihilated their cities, their memory has perished.
See, Yahweh is enthroned for ever,
keeping his throne firm for judgement;
he will himself judge the world in uprightness,
will give a true verdict on the nations.
May Yahweh be a stronghold for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble!
Those who revere your name can rely on you,
you never desert those who seek you, Yahweh.
Sing to Yahweh who dwells in Zion,
tell the nations his mighty deeds,
for the avenger of blood does not forget them,
he does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.
Have pity on me, Yahweh, see my affliction,
pull me back from the gates of death,
that I may recount all your praises at the gates of the daughter of Zion
and rejoice in your salvation.
The nations have fallen into the trap they made,
their feet caught in the snare they laid.
Yahweh has made himself known, given judgement,
he has ensnared the wicked in the work of their own hands.
May the wicked turn away to Sheol,
all the nations forgetful of God.
For the needy is not forgotten for ever,
not for ever does the hope of the poor come to nothing.
Arise, Yahweh; human strength shall not prevail.
The nations shall stand trial before you.
Strike them with terror, Yahweh;
the nations shall know that they are no more than human!
Why, Yahweh, do you keep so distant,
stay hidden in times of trouble?
In his pride the wicked hunts down the weak,
who is caught in the schemes he devises.
The wicked is proud of his inmost desires,
by his blasphemies the grasping spurns Yahweh,
the wicked in his arrogance does not look very far;
“There is no God,” is his only thought.
In all circumstances his step is assured;
your judgements are above his head.
His rivals? He scoffs at them all.
He says in his heart, “I shall never be shaken,”
free of trouble himself, he wishes it on others.
His speech is full of lies and browbeating,
under his tongue lurk spite and wickedness.
In the undergrowth he lies in ambush,
in his hiding-place he murders the innocent.
He watches intently for the downtrodden,
lurking unseen like a lion in his lair,
lurking to pounce on the poor;
he pounces on him and drags him off in his net.
He keeps watch, crouching down low,
the poor wretch falls into his clutches;
he says in his heart, “God forgets,
he has turned away his face to avoid seeing the end.”
Rise, Yahweh! God, raise your hand,
do not forget the afflicted!
Why should the wicked spurn God,
assuring himself you will never follow it up?
You have seen for yourself the trouble and vexation,
you watch so as to take it in hand.
The oppressed relies on you;
you are the only recourse of the orphan.
Break the arm of the wicked and evil,
seek out wickedness till there is none left to be found.
Yahweh is king for ever and ever,
the heathen has vanished from his country.
Yahweh, you listen to the laments of the poor,
you give them courage, you grant them a hearing,
to give judgement for the orphaned and exploited,
so that earthborn humans may strike terror no more.
Psalm 11
The confidence of the upright
Here is a classic wisdom psalm with an ambiguous division between 'the wicked' and 'the upright'. If we apply this wisdom literally to our everyday experience we confront the insuperable problem of both the ambiguity of just who falls into what part of the division, and the reality that reward and retribution do not work out at all obviously in this life. This is language at the limit of human experience, rooted in the everyday yet 'beyond' the everyday.In Yahweh I have found refuge.
How can you say to me,
“Bird, flee to your mountain?
“For look, the wicked are drawing their bows,
fitting their arrows to the string
to shoot honest men from the shadows.
If the foundations fall to ruin, what can the upright do?”
Yahweh in his holy temple!
Yahweh, his throne is in heaven;
his eyes watch over the world,
his gaze scrutinises the children of Adam.
Yahweh examines the upright and the wicked,
the lover of violence he detests.
He will rain down red-hot coals,
fire and sulphur on the wicked,
a scorching wind will be their lot.
For Yahweh is upright and loves uprightness,
the honest will ever see his face.
Psalm 12
Against a treacherous world
This psalm appears to be directed inwardly upon the spiritual community itself, not primarily against external oppression. The community is betraying its own self and nature by forgetting compassion and concern for the needy and the poor.Help, Yahweh! No one loyal is left,
the faithful have vanished from among the children of Adam.
Friend tells lies to friend,
and, smooth-tongued, speaks from an insincere heart.
May Yahweh cut away every smooth lip,
every boastful tongue,
those who say, “In our tongue lies our strength,
our lips are our allies; who can master us?”
“For the poor who are plundered, the needy who groan,
now will I act,” says Yahweh,
“I will grant salvation to those who sigh for it.”
Yahweh's promises are promises unalloyed,
natural silver which comes from the earth seven times refined.
You, Yahweh, will watch over them,
you will protect them from that brood for ever.
The wicked will scatter in every direction,
as the height of depravity among the children of Adam.
Psalm 13
A confident appeal
The New Jerusalem Bible headlines this psalm, A confident appeal, but that is quite the opposite of the nuance that I hear from this psalm. Against the background of the opening words, the concluding appeal communicates a radical uncertainty. It is this factor, though, that enables the psalms to communicate so deeply with our humanity. Who, even among the saints, has not had times when the angst of these words does not capture how we feel and our basic spiritual uncertainty?How long, Yahweh, will you forget me? For ever?
How long will you turn away your face from me?
How long must I nurse rebellion in my soul,
sorrow in my heart day and night?
How long is the enemy to domineer over me?
Look down, answer me, Yahweh my God!
Give light to my eyes or I shall fall into the sleep of death.
Or my foe will boast, “I have overpowered him,”
and my enemy have the joy of seeing me stumble.
As for me, I trust in your faithful love, Yahweh.
Let my heart delight in your saving help,
let me sing to Yahweh for his generosity to me, l
et me sing to the name of Yahweh the Most High!
Psalm 14
The fate of the godless
This psalm would appear to have been written during the exile in Babylon, judging by the last verse. The poet sees his tiny community of faithful Hebrews in their agonising state of exile. All normal wisdom would say that this exile was permanent and that any return to Judah was out of the question. What had happened to that Hebrew community during in their decades in exile, however, was their discovery of a faith in God as Lord of the nations and a confidence that God would bring them back to Palestine. The psalmist looks outside the community and sees only evil and seemingly indestructible imperial power. He asserts in the face of this that God is on the side of the community of faith and the day would come – and history vindicated this confidence – when terror would overwhelm the Babylonian oppressors.The fool has said in his heart,
“There is no God.”
Their deeds are corrupt and vile,
not one of them does right.
Yahweh looks down from heaven
at the children of Adam.
To see if a single one is wise,
a single one seeks God.
All have turned away,
all alike turned sour,
not one of them does right,
not a single one.
Are they not aware, all these evil-doers?
They are devouring my people,
this is the bread they eat,
and they never call to Yahweh.
They will be gripped with fear,
where there is no need for fear,
for God takes the side of the upright;
you may mock the plans of the poor,
but Yahweh is their refuge.
Who will bring from Zion salvation for Israel?
When Yahweh brings his people home,
what joy for Jacob, what happiness for Israel!
Psalm 15
The guest of Yahweh
This is an almost archetypical wisdom statement; yet it is also this wisdom that the author of the Book of Job is challenging. As Job portrays, there may be truth here – but also untruths, and the psalm provides a good example of a need to take any part of scripture and read it against the whole. Paul, in the Letter to the Romans, provides another challenge to the wisdom-perspective of the psalm, recognising that none of us can rely on our ethical purity as the basis for our standing before God.Yahweh, who can find a home in your tent,
who can dwell on your holy mountain?
Whoever lives blamelessly,
who acts uprightly,
who speaks the truth from the heart,
who keeps the tongue under control,
who does not wrong a comrade,
who casts no discredit on a neighbour,
who looks with scorn on the vile,
but honours those who fear Yahweh,
who stands by an oath at any cost,
who asks no interest on loans,
who takes no bribe to harm the innocent.
No one who so acts can ever be shaken.
Psalm 16
Yahweh my heritage
We may see our spiritual life as a whole as life lived in the presence of God, in the sight of God. This psalm gives expression to this thought. We can focus on what the poet is saying if we imagine other 'ultimate' options before which to live our lives – investors, political leaders, even our spouse/partner/friend! Only before God can we be totally open, and then only because we know we are forgiven and loved without qualification.Protect me, O God, in you is my refuge.
To Yahweh I say, “You are my Lord,
my happiness is in none of the sacred spirits of the earth.”
They only take advantage of all who love them.
People flock to their teeming idols.
Never shall I pour libations to them!
Never take their names on my lips.
My birthright, my cup is Yahweh;
you, you alone, hold my lot secure.
The measuring-line marks out for me a delightful place,
my birthright is all I could wish.
I bless Yahweh who is my counsellor,
even at night my heart instructs me.
I keep Yahweh before me always,
for with him at my right hand, nothing can shake me.
So my heart rejoices, my soul delights,
my body too will rest secure,
for you will not abandon me to Sheol,
you cannot allow your faithful servant to see the abyss.
You will teach me the path of life,
unbounded joy in your presence,
at your right hand delight for ever.
Psalm 17
The plea of the innocent
How does the Christian read this psalm? Our spiritual perception does not allow us to identify with the self-righteousness of the poet. There are two avenues through which we can approach these words. The first is to identify these words of the sinless Jesus in Gethsemane. Another approach is to speak the words out of the grace of absolution; in the sight of God we are absolutely without sin, perfectly innocent – but by grace, not effort. Then the psalm rises to the ultimate expression of the meaning of our whole lives.Listen, Yahweh, to an upright cause,
pay attention to my cry,
lend an ear to my prayer,
my lips free from deceit.
From your presence will issue my vindication,
your eyes fixed on what is right.
You probe my heart, examine me at night,
you test me by fire and find no evil.
I have not sinned with my mouth as most people do.
I have treasured the word from your lips,
my steps never stray from the paths you lay down,
from your tracks; so my feet never stumble.
I call upon you, God, for you answer me;
turn your ear to me, hear what I say.
Show the evidence of your faithful love,
saviour of those who hope in your strength against attack.
Guard me as the pupil of an eye,
shelter me in the shadow of your wings
from the presence of the wicked who would maltreat me;
deadly enemies are closing in on me.
Engrossed in themselves
they are mouthing arrogant words.
They are advancing against me, now they are closing in,
watching for the chance to hurl me to the ground,
like a lion preparing to pounce,
like a young lion crouching in ambush.
Arise, Yahweh, confront him and bring him down,
with your sword save my life from the wicked,
Yahweh, from mortals, by your hand,
from mortals whose part in life is in this world.
You fill their bellies from your store,
their children will have all they desire,
and leave their surplus to their children.
But I in my uprightness will see your face,
and when I awake I shall be filled with the vision of you.
Psalm 18
A king’s thanksgving
This psalm would have been written after the return from exile. Its context was the effort to establish in the rebuilt Jerusalem and Judah a model of the kind of society the exilic reformers envisaged as right for the people of God. One key to this reconstruction was the political leadership, and for this was developed the story of David as the ideal king, the model for all subsequent kings. This psalm projects thoughts and feelings of such a model king. The intent of the psalm is to set up a standard against which the community’s current and future leaders could measure themselves.We can usefully spiritualise the psalm into a model of the life of discipleship, recognising that the ideal expressed here falls short of the nature of discipleship as called by Jesus.
I love you, Yahweh, my strength.
Yahweh is my rock and my fortress,
my deliverer is my God.
I take refuge in him, my rock,
my shield, my saving strength,
my stronghold, my place of refuge.
I call to Yahweh who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my foes.
With Death's breakers closing in on me,
Belial's torrents ready to swallow me,
Sheol's snares every side of me,
Death's traps lying ahead of me,
I called to Yahweh in my anguish,
I cried for help to my God;
from his Temple he heard my voice,
my cry came to his ears.
Then the earth quaked and rocked,
the mountains' foundations shuddered,
they quaked at his blazing anger.
Smoke rose from his nostrils,
from his mouth devouring fire.
He parted the heavens and came down,
a storm-cloud underneath his feet;
riding one of the winged creatures, he flew,
soaring on the wings of the wind.
His covering he made the darkness,
his pavilion dark waters and dense cloud.
A brightness lit up before him,
hail and blazing fire.
Yahweh thundered from the heavens,
the Most High made his voice heard.
He shot his arrows and scattered them,
he hurled his lightning and routed them.
The very springs of ocean were exposed,
the world's foundations were laid bare,
at your roaring, Yahweh,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils!
He reached down from on high, snatched me up,
pulled me from the watery depths,
rescued me from my mighty foe,
from my enemies who were stronger than I.
They assailed me on my day of disaster
but Yahweh was there to support me;
he freed me, set me at large,
he rescued me because he loves me.
Yahweh rewards me for my uprightness,
as my hands are pure, so he repays me,
since I have kept the ways of Yahweh,
and not fallen away from my God.
His judgements are all before me,
his statutes I have not put away from me.
I am blameless before him,
I keep myself clear of evil.
So Yahweh repaid me for acting uprightly
because he could see I was pure.
You are faithful to the faithful,
blameless with the blameless,
sincere to the sincere,
but cunning to the crafty,
you save a people that is humble
and humiliate those with haughty looks.
Yahweh, you yourself are my lamp,
my God lights up my darkness;
with you I storm the rampart,
with my God I can scale any wall.
This God, his way is blameless;
the word of Yahweh is refined in the furnace,
for he alone is the shield
of all who take refuge in him.
For who is God but Yahweh,
who is a rock but our God?
This God who girds me with strength,
who makes my way free from blame,
who makes me as swift as a deer
and sets me firmly on the heights,
who trains my hands for battle,
my arms to bend a bow of bronze.
You give me your invincible shield
you never cease to listen to me,
you give me the strides of a giant,
give me ankles that never weaken.
I pursue my enemies and overtake them,
not turning back till they are annihilated;
I strike them down and they cannot rise,
they fall, they are under my feet.
You have girded me with strength for the fight,
bent down my assailants beneath me,
made my enemies retreat before me;
and those who hate me I destroy.
They cry out, there is no one to save;
to Yahweh, but no answer comes.
I crumble them like dust before the wind,
trample them like the mud of the streets.
You free me from the quarrels of my people,
you place me at the head of the nations,
a people I did not know are now my servants;
foreigners come wooing my favour,
no sooner do they hear than they obey me;
foreigners grow faint of heart,
they come trembling out of their fastnesses.
Life to Yahweh! Blessed be my rock!
Exalted be the God of my salvation,
the God who gives me vengeance,
and subjects whole peoples to me,
who rescues me from my raging enemies.
You lift me high above those who attack me,
you deliver me from the man of violence.
For this I will praise you, Yahweh, among the nations,
and sing praise to your name.
He saves his king time after time,
displays his faithful love for his anointed,
for David and his heirs for ever.
Psalm 19
Yahweh, sun of saving justice
The two halves of this psalm are so different it is probable that they were originally separate, but joined here to provide contrasting expressions of the theme of God’s perfection. The two parts together are a profound meditation.The heavens declare the glory of God,
the vault of heaven proclaims his handiwork,
day discourses of it to day,
night to night hands on the knowledge.
No utterance at all, no speech,
not a sound to be heard,
but from the entire earth the design stands out,
this message reaches the whole world.
High above, he pitched a tent for the sun,
who comes forth from his pavilion like a bridegroom,
delights like a champion in the course to be run.
Rising on the one horizon
he runs his circuit to the other,
and nothing can escape his heat.
The Law of Yahweh is perfect,
refreshment to the soul;
the decree of Yahweh is trustworthy,
wisdom for the simple.
The precepts of Yahweh are honest,
joy for the heart;
the commandment of Yahweh is pure,
light for the eyes.
The fear of Yahweh is pure,
lasting for ever;
the judgements of Yahweh are true,
upright, every one,
more desirable than gold,
even than the finest gold;
his words are sweeter than honey,
that drips from the comb.
Thus your servant is formed by them;
observing them brings great reward.
But who can detect his own failings?
Wash away my hidden faults.
And from pride preserve your servant,
never let it be my master.
So shall I be above reproach,
free from grave sin.
May the words of my mouth always find favour,
and the whispering of my heart,
in your presence, Yahweh,
my rock, my redeemer.
Psalm 20
Prayer for the king
This psalm was probably recited at the coronation of a king. As Christians we can recite this as a celebration of Christ's ascension. We can also interpret it through the concept of the Christian community as a 'royal priesthood'.May Yahweh answer you in time of trouble,
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you!
May he send you help from the sanctuary,
give you support from Zion!
May he remember all your sacrifices
and delight in your burnt offerings!
May he grant you your heart's desire
and crown all your plans with success!
So that with joy we can hail your victory
and draw up our ranks in the name of our God.
May Yahweh grant all your petitions.
Now I know that Yahweh
gives victory to his anointed.
He will respond from his holy heavens
with great deeds of victory from his right hand.
Some call on chariots, some on horses,
but we on the name of Yahweh our God.
They will crumple and fall,
while we stand upright and firm.
Yahweh, save the king,
answer us when we call.
Psalm 21
For a coronation ceremony
The approach to this psalm and can be as for Psalm 20. We may have difficulties with the verses celebrating violence and usually omitted when the psalm is read liturgically. Other than eliminating these verses of violence how do we deal with them?One level of response is to recognise that this is a very human reaction to oppression and cruelty. Only in the light of emotions such as these can we understand acts like the obliteration of Dresden or the bombing of Hiroshima. It does not excuse the reaction but the recognition roots the psalm in real-time humanity.
The other level of response that can be constructive is to spiritualise the words into the complete victory won by Christ in the battle with all the forces of evil through his death on the cross.
Yahweh, the king rejoices in your power;
How your saving help fills him with joy!
You have granted him his heart's desire,
not denied him the prayer of his lips.
For you come to meet him with blessings of prosperity,
put a crown of pure gold on his head.
He has asked for life, you have given it him,
length of days for ever and ever.
Great his glory through your saving help;
you invest him with splendour and majesty.
You confer on him everlasting blessings,
you gladden him with the joy of your presence.
For the king puts his trust in Yahweh;
the faithful love of the Most High will keep him from falling.
They have devised evil against you
but, plot as they may, they will not succeed,
since you will make them turn tail,
by shooting your arrows in their faces.
Rise, Yahweh, in your power!
We will sing and make music in honour of your strength.
Psalm 22
The suffering and hopes of the upright
This is the preeminent psalm of the passion of Jesus and exercised a profound influence upon the thought of the first Christians as they grappled with their memory of the crucifixion. The Markan tradition places the words of the psalm directly in Jesus’ mouth when on the cross so that we can imagine him reciting the psalm in his suffering, working through the agony to the vision of triumph, transforming the faith of the community. Although John does not follow Mark with respect to the opening words, he echoes it first in the description of the division of the clothes but, more potently, he effectively speaks the end of the psalm and its triumphal conclusion when he makes Jesus' last words be, "It is fulfilled".My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
The words of my groaning do nothing to save me.
My God, I call by day but you do not answer,
at night, but I find no respite.
Yet you, the Holy One,
who make your home in the praises of Israel,
in you our ancestors put their trust,
they trusted and you set them free.
To you they called for help and were delivered;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
But I am a worm, less than human,
scorn of mankind, contempt of the people;
all who see me jeer at me,
they sneer and wag their heads,
“He trusted himself to Yahweh, let Yahweh set him free!
Let him deliver him, as he took such delight in him.”
It was you who drew me from the womb
and soothed me on my mother's breast.
On you was I cast from my birth,
from the womb I have belonged to you.
Do not hold aloof, for trouble is upon me,
and no one to help me!
Many bulls are encircling me,
wild bulls of Bashan closing in on me.
Lions ravening and roaring
open their jaws at me.
My strength is trickling away,
my bones are all disjointed,
my heart has turned to wax,
melting inside me.
My mouth is dry as earthenware,
my tongue sticks to my jaw.
You lay me down in the dust of death.
A pack of dogs surrounds me,
a gang of villains closing in on me
as if to hack off my hands and my feet.
I can count every one of my bones,
while they look on and gloat;
they divide my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing.
Yahweh, do not hold aloof!
My strength, come quickly to my help,
rescue my soul from the sword,
the one life I have from the grasp of the dog!
Save me from the lion's mouth,
my poor life from the wild bulls' horns!
I shall proclaim your name to my brothers,
praise you in full assembly:
“You who fear Yahweh, praise him!
All the race of Jacob, honour him!
Revere him, all the race of Israel!”
For he has not despised
nor disregarded the poverty of the poor,
has not turned away his face,
but has listened to the cry for help.
Of you is my praise in the thronged assembly,
I will perform my vows before all who fear him.
The poor will eat and be filled,
those who seek Yahweh will praise him,
“May your heart live for ever.”
The whole wide world will remember and return to Yahweh,
all the families of nations bow down before him.
For to Yahweh, ruler of the nations, belongs kingly power!
All who prosper on earth will bow before him,
all who go down to the dust will do reverence before him.
And those who are dead, their descendants will serve him,
will proclaim his name to generations still to come;
and these will tell of his saving justice to a people yet unborn:
he has fulfilled it.
Psalm 23
The good Shepherd
No psalm so interpenetrates Christian spirituality as does the 23rd psalm and so familiar is it that when presented in a less familiar translation we can experience difficulty relating to it. Yet familiar words and phrases can hide meanings and depths from us that reveal themselves when the themes are spoken in fresh language.What can anyone add to the depth of meaning already inhabiting these words for us? I can only add a personal note: when, a few years ago, I thought I faced imminent death from cancer, the only words that I could find were, "The Lord is my Shepherd: I lack nothing".
Yahweh is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
In grassy meadows he lets me lie.
By tranquil streams he leads me
to restore my spirit.
He guides me in paths of saving justice
as befits his name.
Even were I to walk in a ravine as dark as death
I should fear no danger, for you are at my side.
Your staff and your crook are there to soothe me.
You prepare a table for me
under the eyes of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup brims over.
Kindness and faithful love pursue me
every day of my life.
I make my home in the house of Yahweh
for all time to come.
Psalm 24
For a solemn entry into the sanctuary
As suggested by the New Jerusalem Bible title for the psalm, it is an archetype of the liturgical introit hymn. Christian liturgical practice is equally explicit that no one may dare approach the sanctuary of God without a clean conscience. Unlike the psalmist, we dare not claim this for ourselves except as repentant and absolved – perfection given, not gained by moral effort, however strenuous. For the clean of conscience, though, the approach to the altar is an exultant experience.To Yahweh belong the earth and all it contains,
the world and all who live there;
it is he who laid its foundations on the seas,
on the flowing waters fixed it firm.
Who shall go up to the mountain of Yahweh?
Who shall take a stand in his holy place?
The clean of hands and pure of heart,
whose heart is not set on vanities,
who does not swear an oath in order to deceive.
Such a one will receive blessing from Yahweh,
saving justice from the God of his salvation.
Such is the people that seeks him,
that seeks your presence, God of Jacob.
Gates, lift high your heads,
raise high the ancient gateways,
and the king of glory shall enter!
Who is he, this king of glory?
It is Yahweh, strong and valiant,
Yahweh valiant in battle.
Gates, lift high your heads,
raise high the ancient gateways,
and the king of glory shall enter!
Who is he, this king of glory?
Yahweh Sabaoth,
he is the king of glory.
Psalm 25
Prayer in danger
This is another of the psalms that follows a Hebrew convention of starting each verse with the next letter of the alphabet. Each pair of lines is complete unto itself: the thought does not progress from verse to verse nor is there a continuity of imagery. Taken as a whole, this is a meditation upon the encouragement that comes to us constantly from grace, especially in times of stress and danger.ADORATION I offer, Yahweh,
to you, my God.
BUT in my trust in you do not put me to shame,
let not my enemies gloat over me.
CALLING to you, none shall ever be put to shame,
but shame is theirs who groundlessly break faith.
DIRECT me in your ways,
Yahweh, and teach me your paths.
ENCOURAGE me to walk in your truth and teach me
since you are the God who saves me.
FOR my hope is in you all day long --
such is your generosity, Yahweh.
GOODNESS and faithful love have been yours for ever,
Yahweh, do not forget them.
HOLD not my youthful sins against me,
but remember me as your faithful love dictates.
INTEGRITY and generosity are marks of Yahweh
for he brings sinners back to the path.
JUDICIOUSLY he guides the humble,
instructing the poor in his way.
KINDNESS unfailing and constancy mark all Yahweh's paths,
for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
LET my sin, great though it is, be forgiven,
Yahweh, for the sake of your name.
MEN who respect Yahweh, what of them?
He teaches them the way they must choose.
NEIGHBOURS to happiness will they live,
and their children inherit the land.
ONLY those who fear Yahweh
have his secret and his covenant, for their understanding.
PERMANENTLY my eyes are on Yahweh,
for he will free my feet from the snare.
QUICK, turn to me, pity me,
alone and wretched as I am!
RELIEVE the distress of my heart,
bring me out of my constraint.
SPARE a glance for my misery and pain,
take all my sins away.
TAKE note how countless are my enemies,
how violent their hatred for me.
UNLESS you guard me and rescue me
I shall be put to shame, for you are my refuge.
VIRTUE and integrity be my protection,
for my hope, Yahweh, is in you.
Ransom Israel, O God,
from all its troubles.
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