Selected Psalms

Providence Of God

Psalm 23 Dominus regit me.

THE LORD is my shepherd; * therefore can I lack nothing.

2He shall feed me in a green pasture, * and lead me forth beside the waters of comfort.

3He shall convert my soul, * and bring me forth in the paths of righteousness for his Name’s sake.

4Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; * for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff comfort me.

5Thou shalt prepare a table before me in the presence of them that trouble me; * thou hast anointed my head with oil, and my cup shall be full.

6Surely thy loving-kindness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; * and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Psalm 26 Judica me, Domine.

BE thou my Judge, O LORD, for I have walked innocently: * my trust hath been also in the LORD, therefore shall I not fall.

2Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; * try out my reins and my heart.

3For thy loving-kindness is ever before mine eyes; * and I will walk in thy truth.

4I have not dwelt with vain persons; * neither will I have fellowship with the deceitful.

5I have hated the congregation of the wicked; * and will not sit among the ungodly.

6I will wash my hands in innocency, O LORD; * and so will I go to thine altar;

7That I may show the voice of thanksgiving, * and tell of all thy wondrous works.

8LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, * and the place where thine honour dwelleth.

9O shut not up my soul with the sinners, * nor my life with the blood-thirsty;

10In whose hands is wickedness, * and their right hand is full of gifts.

11But as for me, I will walk innocently: * O deliver me, and be merciful unto me.

12My foot standeth right: * I will praise the LORD in the congregations.

Psalm 33 Exultate, justi.

REJOICE in the LORD, O ye righteous; * for it becometh well the just to be thankful.

2Praise the LORD with harp; * sing praises unto him with the lute, and instrument of ten strings.

3Sing unto the LORD a new song; * sing praises lustily unto him with a good courage.

4For the word of the LORD is true; * and all his works are faithful.

5He loveth righteousness and judgment; * the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.

6By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; * and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

7He gathereth the waters of the sea together, as it were upon an heap; * and layeth up the deep, as in a treasure-house.

8Let all the earth fear the LORD: * stand in awe of him, all ye that dwell in the world.

9For he spake, and it was done; * he commanded, and it stood fast.

10The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought, * and maketh the devices of the people to be of none effect, and casteth out the counsels of princes.

11The counsel of the LORD shall endure for ever, * and the thoughts of his heart from generation to generation.

12Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord JEHOVAH; * and blessed are the folk that he hath chosen to him, to be his inheritance.

13The LORD looketh down from heaven, and beholdeth all the children of men; * from the habitation of his dwelling, he considereth all them that dwell on the earth.

14He fashioneth all the hearts of them, * and understandeth all their works.

15There is no king that can be saved by the multitude of an host; * neither is any mighty man delivered by much strength.

16A horse is counted but a vain thing to save a man; * neither shall he deliver any man by his great strength.

17Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, * and upon them that put their trust in his mercy;

18To deliver their soul from death, * and to feed them in the time of dearth.

19Our soul hath patiently tarried for the LORD; * for he is our help and our shield.

20For our heart shall rejoice in him; * because we have hoped in his holy Name.

21Let thy merciful kindness, O LORD, be upon us, * like as we do put our trust in thee.

Psalm 34 Benedicam Dominum.

I will alway give thanks unto the LORD; * his praise shall ever be in my mouth.

2My soul shall make her boast in the LORD; * the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.

3O praise the LORD with me, * and let us magnify his Name together.

4I sought the LORD, and he heard me; * yea, he delivered me out of all my fear.

5They had an eye unto him, and were lightened; * and their faces were not ashamed.

6Lo, the poor crieth, and the LORD heareth him; * yea, and saveth him out of all his troubles.

7The angel of the LORD tarrieth round about them that fear him, * and delivereth them.

8O taste, and see, how gracious the LORD is: * blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

9O fear the LORD, ye that are his saints; * for they that fear him lack nothing.

10The lions do lack, and suffer hunger; * but they who seek the LORD shall want no manner of thing that is good.

11Come, ye children, and hearken unto me; * I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

12What man is he that lusteth to live, * and would fain see good days?

13Keep thy tongue from evil, * and thy lips, that they speak no guile.

14Eschew evil, and do good; * seek peace, and ensue it.

15The eyes of the LORD are over the righteous, * and his ears are open unto their prayers.

16The countenance of the LORD is against them that do evil, * to root out the remembrance of them from the earth.

17The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth them, * and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

18The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart, * and will save such as be of an humble spirit.

19Great are the troubles of the righteous; * but the LORD delivereth him out of all.

20He keepeth all his bones, * so that not one of them is broken.

21But misfortune shall slay the ungodly; * and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.

22The LORD delivereth the souls of his servants; * and all they that put their trust in him shall not be destitute.

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 89 Misericordias Domini.

MY song shall be alway of the loving-kindness of the LORD; * with my mouth will I ever be showing thy truth from one generation to another.

2For I have said, Mercy shall be set up for ever; * thy truth shalt thou stablish in the heavens.

3I have made a covenant with my chosen; * I have sworn unto David my servant:

4Thy seed will I stablish for ever, * and set up thy throne from one generation to another.

5O LORD, the very heavens shall praise thy wondrous works; * and thy truth in the congregation of the saints.

6For who is he among the clouds, * that shall be compared unto the LORD?

7And what is he among the gods, * that shall be like unto the LORD?

8God is very greatly to be feared in the council of the saints, * and to be had in reverence of all them that are round about him.

9O Lord God of hosts, who is like unto thee? * thy truth, most mighty LORD, is on every side.

10Thou rulest the raging of the sea; * thou stillest the waves thereof when they arise.

11Thou hast subdued Egypt, and destroyed it; * thou hast scattered thine enemies abroad with thy mighty arm.

12The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine; * thou hast laid the foundation of the round world, and all that therein is.

13Thou hast made the north and the south; * Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy Name.

14Thou hast a mighty arm; * strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.

15Righteousness and equity are the habitation of thy seat; * mercy and truth shall go before thy face.

16Blessed is the people, O LORD, that can rejoice in thee; * they shall walk in the light of thy countenance.

17Their delight shall be daily in thy Name; * and in thy righteousness shall they make their boast.

18For thou art the glory of their strength, * and in thy loving-kindness thou shalt lift up our horns.

19For the LORD is our defence; * the Holy One of Israel is our King.

20Thou spakest sometime in visions unto thy saints, and saidst, * I have laid help upon one that is mighty, I have exalted one chosen out of the people.

21I have found David my servant; * with my holy oil have I anointed him.

22My hand shall hold him fast, * and my arm shall strengthen him.

23The enemy shall not be able to do him violence; * the son of wickedness shall not hurt him.

24I will smite down his foes before his face, * and plague them that hate him.

25My truth also and my mercy shall be with him; * and in my Name shall his horn be exalted.

26I will set his dominion also in the sea, * and his right hand in the floods.

27He shall call me, Thou art my Father, * my God, and my strong salvation.

28And I will make him my firstborn, * higher than the kings of the earth.

29My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, * and my covenant shall stand fast with him.

30His seed also will I make to endure for ever, * and his throne as the days of heaven.

31But if his children forsake my law, * and walk not in my judgments;

32If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; * I will visit their offences with the rod, and their sin with scourges.

33Nevertheless, my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him, * nor suffer my truth to fail.

34My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips: * I have sworn once by my holiness, that I will not fail David.

35His seed shall endure for ever, * and his throne is like as the sun before me.

36He shall stand fast for evermore as the moon, * and as the faithful witness in heaven.

37But thou hast abhorred and forsaken thine anointed, * and art displeased at him.

38Thou hast broken the covenant of thy servant, * and cast his crown to the ground.

39Thou hast overthrown all his hedges, * and broken down his strongholds.

40All they that go by spoil him, * and he is become a reproach to his neighbours.

41Thou hast set up the right hand of his enemies, * and made all his adversaries to rejoice.

42Thou hast taken away the edge of his sword, * and givest him not victory in the battle.

43Thou hast put out his glory, * and cast his throne down to the ground.

44The days of his youth hast thou shortened, * and covered him with dishonour.

45LORD, how long wilt thou hide thyself? for ever? * and shall thy wrath burn like fire?

46O remember how short my time is; * wherefore hast thou made all men for nought?

47What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? * and shall he deliver his soul from the power of the grave?

48Lord, where are thy old loving-kindnesses, * which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?

49Remember, Lord, the rebuke that thy servants have, * and how I do bear in my bosom the rebukes of many people;

50Wherewith thine enemies have blasphemed thee, * and slandered the footsteps of thine anointed.

51Praised be the LORD for evermore. * Amen, and Amen.

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 124 Nisi quia Dominus

IF the LORD himself had not been on our side, now may Israel say; * if the LORD himself had not been on our side, when men rose up against us;

2They had swallowed us up alive; * when they were so wrathfully displeased at us.

3Yea, the waters had drowned us, * and the stream had gone over our soul.

4The deep waters of the proud * had gone even over our soul.

5But praised be the LORD, * who hath not given us over for a prey unto their teeth.

6Our soul is escaped even as a bird out of the snare of the fowler; * the snare is broken, and we are delivered.

7Our help standeth in the Name of the LORD, * who hath made heaven and earth.

Psalm 139 Domine, probasti.

O LORD, thou hast searched me out, and known me. * Thou knowest my down-sitting, and mine uprising; thou understandest my thoughts long before.

2Thou art about my path, and about my bed; * and art acquainted with all my ways.

3For lo, there is not a word in my tongue, * but thou, O LORD, knowest it altogether.

4Thou hast beset me behind and before, * and laid thine hand upon me.

5Such knowledge is too wonderful and excellent for me; * I cannot attain unto it.

6Whither shall I go then from thy Spirit? * or whither shall I go then from thy presence?

7If I climb up into heaven, thou art there; * if I go down to hell, thou art there also.

8If I take the wings of the morning, * and remain in the uttermost parts of the sea;

9Even there also shall thy hand lead me, * and thy right hand shall hold me.

10If I say, Peradventure the darkness shall cover me; * then shall my night be turned to day.

11Yea, the darkness is no darkness with thee, but the night is as clear as the day; * the darkness and light to thee are both alike.

12For my reins are thine; * thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

13I will give thanks unto thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: * marvellous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well.

14My bones are not hid from thee, * though I be made secretly, and fashioned beneath in the earth.

15Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect; * and in thy book were all my members written;

16Which day by day were fashioned, * when as yet there was none of them.

17How dear are thy counsels unto me, O God; * O how great is the sum of them!

18If I tell them, they are more in number than the sand: * when I wake up, I am present with thee.

19Wilt thou not slay the wicked, O God? * Depart from me, ye blood-thirsty men.

20For they speak unrighteously against thee; * and thine enemies take thy Name in vain.

21Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? * and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

22Yea, I hate them right sore; * even as though they were mine enemies.

23Try me, O God, and seek the ground of my heart; * prove me, and examine my thoughts.

24Look well if there be any way of wickedness in me; * and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 145 Exaltabo te, Deus.

I will magnify thee, O God, my King; * and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever.

2Every day will I give thanks unto thee; * and praise thy Name for ever and ever.

3Great is the LORD, and marvellous worthy to be praised; * there is no end of his greatness.

4One generation shall praise thy works unto another, * and declare thy power.

5As for me, I will be talking of thy worship, * thy glory, thy praise, and wondrous works;

6So that men shall speak of the might of thy marvellous acts; * and I will also tell of thy greatness.

7The memorial of thine abundant kindness shall be showed; * and men shall sing of thy righteousness.

8The LORD is gracious and merciful; * long-suffering, and of great goodness.

9The LORD is loving unto every man; * and his mercy is over all his works.

10All thy works praise thee, O LORD; * and thy saints give thanks unto thee.

11They show the glory of thy kingdom, * and talk of thy power;

12That thy power, thy glory, and mightiness of thy kingdom, * might be known unto men.

13Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, * and thy dominion endureth throughout all ages.

14The LORD upholdeth all such as fall, * and lifteth up all those that are down.

15The eyes of all wait upon thee, O Lord; * and thou givest them their meat in due season.

16Thou openest thine hand, * and fillest all things living with plenteousness.

17The LORD is righteous in all his ways, * and holy in all his works.

18The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him; * yea, all such as call upon him faithfully.

19He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him; * he also will hear their cry, and will help them.

20The LORD preserveth all them that love him; * but scattereth abroad all the ungodly.

21My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD; * and let all flesh give thanks unto his holy Name for ever and ever.