Selected Psalms

God Our Refuge

Psalm 4 Cum invocarem.

HEAR me when I call, O God of my righteousness: * thou hast set me at liberty when I was in trouble; have mercy upon me, and hearken unto my prayer.

2O ye sons of men, how long will ye blaspheme mine honour, * and have such pleasure in vanity, and seek after falsehood?

3Know this also, that the LORD hath chosen to himself the man that is godly; * when I call upon the LORD he will hear me.

4Stand in awe, and sin not; * commune with your own heart, and in your chamber, and be still.

5Offer the sacrifice of righteousness, * and put your trust in the LORD.

6There be many that say, * Who will show us any good?

7Lord, lift thou up * the light of thy countenance upon us.

8Thou hast put gladness in my heart; * yea, more than when their corn and wine and oil increase.

9I will lay me down in peace, and take my rest; * for it is thou, LORD, only, that makest me dwell in safety.

Psalm 17 Exaudi, Domine.

HEAR the right, O LORD, consider my complaint, * and hearken unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.

2Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; * and let thine eyes look upon the thing that is equal.

3Thou hast proved and visited mine heart in the night season; thou hast tried me, and shalt find no wickedness in me; * for I am utterly purposed that my mouth shall not offend.

4As for the works of men, * by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the ways of the destroyer.

5O hold thou up my goings in thy paths, * that my footsteps slip not.

6I have called upon thee, O God, for thou shalt hear me: * incline thine ear to me, and hearken unto my words.

7Show thy marvellous loving-kindness, thou that art the Saviour of them which put their trust in thee, * from such as resist thy right hand.

8Keep me as the apple of an eye; * hide me under the shadow of thy wings,

9From the ungodly, that trouble me; * mine enemies compass me round about, to take away my soul.

10They are inclosed in their own fat, * and their mouth speaketh proud things.

11They lie waiting in our way on every side, * watching to cast us down to the ground;

12Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, * and as it were a lion's whelp lurking in secret places.

13Up, LORD, disappoint him, and cast him down; * deliver my soul from the ungodly, by thine own sword;

14Yea, by thy hand, O LORD; from the men of the evil world; * which have their portion in this life, whose bellies thou fillest with thy hid treasure.

15They have children at their desire, * and leave the rest of their substance for their babes.

16But as for me, I shall behold thy presence in righteousness; * and when I awake up after thy likeness, I shall be satisfied.

Psalm 20 Exaudiat te Dominus.

THE LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; * the Name of the God of Jacob defend thee:

2Send thee help from the sanctuary, * and strengthen thee out of Sion:

3Remember all thy offerings, * and accept thy burnt-sacrifice:

4Grant thee thy heart’s desire, * and fulfil all thy mind.

5We will rejoice in thy salvation, and triumph in the Name of the LORD our God: * the LORD perform all thy petitions.

6Now know I that the LORD helpeth his anointed, and will hear him from his holy heaven, * even with the wholesome strength of his right hand.

7Some put their trust in chariots, and some in horses; * but we will remember the Name of the LORD our God.

8They are brought down and fallen; * but we are risen and stand upright.

9Save, LORD; and hear us, O King of heaven, * when we call upon thee.

Psalm 37 Noli aemulari.

FRET not thyself because of the ungodly; * neither be thou envious against the evil doers.

2For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, * and be withered even as the green herb.

3Put thou thy trust in the LORD, and be doing good; * dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

4Delight thou in the LORD, * and he shall give thee thy heart's desire.

5Commit thy way unto the LORD, and put thy trust in him, * and he shall bring it to pass.

6He shall make thy righteousness as clear as the light, * and thy just dealing as the noon-day.

7Hold thee still in the LORD, and abide patiently upon him: * but grieve not thyself at him whose way doth prosper, against the man that doeth after evil counsels.

8Leave off from wrath, and let go displeasure: * fret not thyself, else shalt thou be moved to do evil.

9Wicked doers shall be rooted out; * and they that patiently abide the LORD, those shall inherit the land.

10Yet a little while, and the ungodly shall be clean gone: * thou shalt look after his place, and he shall be away.

11But the meek-spirited shall possess the earth, * and shall be refreshed in the multitude of peace.

12The ungodly seeketh counsel against the just, * and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

13The Lord shall laugh him to scorn; * for he hath seen that his day is coming.

14The ungodly have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, * to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be upright in their ways.

15Their sword shall go through their own heart, * and their bow shall be broken.

16A small thing that the righteous hath, * is better than great riches of the ungodly.

17For the arms of the ungodly shall be broken, * and the LORD upholdeth the righteous.

18The LORD knoweth the days of the godly; * and their inheritance shall endure for ever.

19They shall not be confounded in the perilous time; * and in the days of dearth they shall have enough.

20As for the ungodly, they shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall consume as the fat of lambs: * yea, even as the smoke shall they consume away.

21The ungodly borroweth, and payeth not again; * but the righteous is merciful and liberal.

22Such as are blessed of God, shall possess the land; * and they that are cursed of him, shall be rooted out.

23The LORD ordereth a good man's going, * and maketh his way acceptable to himself.

24Though he fall, he shall not be cast away; * for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

25I have been young, and now am old; * and yet saw I never the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread.

26The righteous is ever merciful, and lendeth; * and his seed is blessed.

27Flee from evil, and do the thing that is good; * and dwell for evermore.

28For the LORD loveth the thing that is right; * he forsaketh not his that be godly, but they are preserved for ever.

29The unrighteous shall be punished; * as for the seed of the ungodly, it shall be rooted out.

30The righteous shall inherit the land, * and dwell therein for ever.

31The mouth of the righteous is exercised in wisdom, * and his tongue will be talking of judgment.

32The law of his God is in his heart, * and his goings shall not slide.

33The ungodly watcheth the righteous, * and seeketh occasion to slay him.

34The LORD will not leave him in his hand, * nor condemn him when he is judged.

35Hope thou in the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall promote thee, that thou shalt possess the land: * when the ungodly shall perish, thou shalt see it.

36I myself have seen the ungodly in great power, * and flourishing like a green bay-tree.

37I went by, and lo, he was gone: * I sought him, but his place could no where be found.

38Keep innocency, and take heed unto the thing that is right; * for that shall bring a man peace at the last.

39As for the transgressors, they shall perish together; * and the end of the ungodly is, they shall be rooted out at the last.

40But the salvation of the righteous cometh of the LORD; * who is also their strength in the time of trouble.

41And the LORD shall stand by them, and save them: * he shall deliver them from the ungodly, and shall save them, because they put their trust in him.

Psalm 46 Deus noster refugium.

GOD is our hope and strength, * a very present help in trouble.

2Therefore will we not fear, though the earth be moved, * and though the hills be carried into the midst of the sea;

3Though the waters thereof rage and swell, * and though the mountains shake at the tempest of the same.

4There is a river, the streams whereof make glad the city of God; * the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most Highest.

5God is in the midst of her, therefore shall she not be removed; * God shall help her, and that right early.

6The nations make much ado, and the kingdoms are moved; * but God hath showed his voice, and the earth shall melt away.

7The LORD of hosts is with us; * the God of Jacob is our refuge.

8O come hither, and behold the works of the LORD, * what destruction he hath brought upon the earth.

9He maketh wars to cease in all the world; * he breaketh the bow, and knappeth the spear in sunder, and burneth the chariots in the fire.

10Be still then, and know that I am God: * I will be exalted among the nations, and I will be exalted in the earth.

11The LORD of hosts is with us; * the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Psalm 49 Audite haec, omnes.

O hear ye this, all ye people; * ponder it with your ears, all ye that dwell in the world;

2High and low, rich and poor, * one with another.

3My mouth shall speak of wisdom, * and my heart shall muse of understanding.

4I will incline mine ear to the parable, * and show my dark speech upon the harp.

5Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, * when wickedness at my heels compasseth me round about?

6There be some that put their trust in their goods, * and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches.

7But no man may deliver his brother, * nor give a ransom unto God for him,

8(For it cost more to redeem their souls, * so that he must let that alone for ever;)

9That he shall live alway, * and not see the grave.

10For he seeth that wise men also die and perish together, * as well as the ignorant and foolish, and leave their riches for other.

11And yet they think that their houses shall continue for ever, and that their dwelling-places shall endure from one generation to another; * and call the lands after their own names.

12Nevertheless, man being in honour abideth not, * seeing he may be compared unto the beasts that perish;

13This their way is very foolishness; * yet their posterity praise their saying.

14They lie in the grave like sheep; death is their shepherd; and the righteous shall have dominion over them in the morning: * their beauty shall consume in the sepulchre, and have no abiding.

15But God hath delivered my soul from the power of the grave; * for he shall receive me.

16Be not thou afraid, though one be made rich, * or if the glory of his house be increased;

17For he shall carry nothing away with him when he dieth, * neither shall his pomp follow him.

18For while he lived, he counted himself an happy man; * and so long as thou doest well unto thyself, men will speak good of thee.

19He shall follow the generation of his fathers, * and shall never see light.

20Man that is in honour but hath no understanding * is compared unto the beasts that perish.

Psalm 54 Deus, in Nomine.

SAVE me, O God, for thy Name's sake, * and avenge me in thy strength.

2Hear my prayer, O God, * and hearken unto the words of my mouth.

3For strangers are risen up against me; * and tyrants, which have not God before their eyes, seek after my soul.

4Behold, God is my helper; * the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.

5He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: * destroy thou them in thy truth.

6An offering of a free heart will I give thee, and praise thy Name, O LORD; * because it is so comfortable.

7For he hath delivered me out of all my trouble; * and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.

Psalm 61 Exaudi, Deus.

HEAR my crying, O God, * give ear unto my prayer.

2From the ends of the earth will I call upon thee, * when my heart is in heaviness.

3O set me up upon the rock that is higher than I; * for thou hast been my hope, and a strong tower for me against the enemy.

4I will dwell in thy tabernacle for ever, * and my trust shall be under the covering of thy wings.

5For thou, O Lord, hast heard my desires, * and hast given an heritage unto those that fear thy Name.

6Thou shalt grant the King a long life, * that his years may endure throughout all generations.

7He shall dwell before God for ever: * O prepare thy loving mercy and faithfulness, that they may preserve him.

8So will I alway sing praise unto thy Name, * that I may daily perform my vows.

Psalm 71 In te, Domine, speravi.

IN thee, O LORD, have I put my trust; let me never be put to confusion, * but rid me and deliver me in thy righteousness; incline thine ear unto me, and save me.

2Be thou my stronghold, whereunto I may alway resort: * thou hast promised to help me, for thou art my house of defence, and my castle.

3Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the ungodly, * out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

4For thou, O Lord GOD, art the thing that I long for: * thou art my hope, even from my youth.

5Through thee have I been holden up ever since I was born: * thou art he that took me out of my mother's womb: my praise shall be alway of thee.

6I am become as it were a monster unto many, * but my sure trust is in thee.

7O let my mouth be filled with thy praise, * that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long.

8Cast me not away in the time of age; * forsake me not when my strength faileth me.

9For mine enemies speak against me; * and they that lay wait for my soul take their counsel together, saying,

10God hath forsaken him; * persecute him, and take him, for there is none to deliver him.

11Go not far from me, O God; * my God, haste thee to help me.

12Let them be confounded and perish that are against my soul; * let them be covered with shame and dishonour that seek to do me evil.

13As for me, I will patiently abide alway, * and will praise thee more and more.

14My mouth shall daily speak of thy righteousness and salvation; * for I know no end thereof.

15I will go forth in the strength of the Lord GOD, * and will make mention of thy righteousness only.

16Thou, O God, hast taught me from my youth up until now; * therefore will I tell of thy wondrous works.

17Forsake me not, O God, in mine old age, when I am gray-headed, * until I have showed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to all them that are yet for to come.

18Thy righteousness, O God, is very high, * and great things are they that thou hast done: O God, who is like unto thee!

19O what great troubles and adversities hast thou showed me ! and yet didst thou turn and refresh me; * yea, and broughtest me from the deep of the earth again.

20Thou hast brought me to great honour, * and comforted me on every side:

21Therefore will I praise thee, and thy faithfulness, O God, playing upon an instrument of music: * unto thee will I sing upon the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.

22My lips will be glad when I sing unto thee; * and so will my soul whom thou hast delivered.

23My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long; * for they are confounded and brought unto shame that seek to do me evil.

Psalm 91 Qui habitat.

WHOSO dwelleth under the defence of the Most High, * shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2I will say unto the LORD, Thou art my hope, and my stronghold; * my God, in him will I trust.

3For he shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter, * and from the noisome pestilence.

4He shall defend thee under his wings, and thou shalt be safe under his feathers; * his faithfulness and truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

5Thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night, * nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

6For the pestilence that walketh in darkness, * nor for the sickness that destroyeth in the noon-day.

7A thousand shall fall beside thee, and ten thousand at thy right hand; * but it shall not come nigh thee.

8Yea, with thine eyes shalt thou behold, * and see the reward of the ungodly.

9For thou, LORD, art my hope; * thou hast set thine house of defence very high.

10There shall no evil happen unto thee, * neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

11For he shall give his angels charge over thee, * to keep thee in all thy ways.

12They shall bear thee in their hands, * that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone.

13Thou shalt go upon the lion and adder: * the young lion and the dragon shalt thou tread under thy feet.

14Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him; * I will set him up, because he hath known my Name.

15He shall call upon me, and I will hear him; * yea, I am with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and bring him to honour.

16With long life will I satisfy him, * and show him my salvation.

Psalm 103 Benedic, anima mea.

PRAISE the LORD, O my soul; * and all that is within me, praise his holy Name.

2Praise the LORD, O my soul, * and forget not all his benefits:

3Who forgiveth all thy sin, * and healeth all thine infirmities;

4Who saveth thy life from destruction, * and crowneth thee with mercy and loving-kindness;

5Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, * making thee young and lusty as an eagle.

6The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment * for all them that are oppressed with wrong.

7He showed his ways unto Moses, * his works unto the children of Israel.

8The LORD is full of compassion and mercy, * long-suffering, and of great goodness.

9He will not alway be chiding; * neither keepeth he his anger for ever.

10He hath not dealt with us after our sins; * nor rewarded us according to our wickednesses.

11For look how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth; * so great is his mercy also toward them that fear him.

12Look how wide also the east is from the west; * so far hath he set our sins from us.

13Yea, like as a father pitieth his own children; * even so is the LORD merciful unto them that fear him.

14For he knoweth whereof we are made; * he remembereth that we are but dust.

15The days of man are but as grass; * for he flourisheth as a flower of the field.

16For as soon as the wind goeth over it, it is gone; * and the place thereof shall know it no more.

17But the merciful goodness of the LORD endureth for ever and ever upon them that fear him; * and his righteousness upon children's children;

18Even upon such as keep his covenant, * and think upon his commandments to do them.

19The LORD hath prepared his seat in heaven, * and his kingdom ruleth over all.

20O praise the LORD, ye angels of his, ye that excel in strength; * ye that fulfil his commandment, and hearken unto the voice of his word.

21O praise the LORD, all ye his hosts; * ye servants of his that do his pleasure.

22O speak good of the LORD, all ye works of his, in all places of his dominion: * praise thou the LORD, O my soul.

Psalm 121 Levavi oculos

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills; * from whence cometh my help?

2My help cometh even from the LORD, * who hath made heaven and earth.

3He will not suffer thy foot to be moved; * and he that keepeth thee will not sleep.

4Behold, he that keepeth Israel * shall neither slumber nor sleep.

5The LORD himself is thy keeper; * the LORD is thy defence upon thy right hand;

6So that the sun shall not burn thee by day, * neither the moon by night.

7The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil; * yea, it is even he that shall keep thy soul.

8The LORD shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in, * from this time forth for evermore.

Psalm 146 Lauda, anima mea.

PRAISE the LORD, O my soul: while I live, will I praise the LORD; * yea, as long as I have any being, I will sing praises unto my God.

2O put not your trust in princes, nor in any child of man; * for there is no help in them.

3For when the breath of man goeth forth, he shall turn again to his earth, * and then all his thoughts perish.

4Blessed is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, * and whose hope is in the LORD his God:

5Who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that therein is; * who keepeth his promise for ever;

6Who helpeth them to right that suffer wrong; * who feedeth the hungry.

7The LORD looseth men out of prison; * the LORD giveth sight to the blind.

8The LORD helpeth them that are fallen; * the LORD careth for the righteous.

9The LORD careth for the strangers; he defendeth the fatherless and widow: * as for the way of the ungodly, he turneth it upside down.

10The LORD thy God, O Sion, shall be King for evermore, * and throughout all generations.