Psalms 56-61 - Prayer Tents

Psalms 56

56[For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time the Philistines seized him in Gath. To be sung to the tune “Dove on Distant Oaks.”] O God, have mercy on me, for people are hounding me. My foes attack me all day long.H5329H3128H4387H1732H6430H270H1661H2603H430H582H7602H3898H3117H39052I am constantly hounded by those who slander me, and many are boldly attacking me.H8324H3117H7602H7227H3898H47913But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.H3117H3372H9824I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?H430H1984H1697H430H982H3372H1320H62135They are always twisting what I say; they spend their days plotting to harm me.H3117H6087H1697H4284H74516They come together to spy on me—watching my every step, eager to kill me.H1481H6845H6845H8104H6119H6960H53157Don’t let them get away with their wickedness; in your anger, O God, bring them down.H6405H205H639H3381H5971H4308You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.H5608H5112H7760H1832H4997H56129My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help. This I know: God is on my side!H3117H7121H341H7725H268H3045H43010I praise God for what he has promised; Yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised.H430H1984H1697H3068H1984H169711I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?H430H982H3372H120H621312I will fulfill my vows to you, O God, and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help.H5088H430H7999H842613For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life-giving light.H5337H5315H4194H7272H1762H1980H6440H430H216H2416

Psalms 57

57[For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time he fled from Saul and went into the cave. To be sung to the tune “Do Not Destroy!”] Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by.H5329H516H4387H1732H1272H6440H7586H4631H2603H430H2603H5315H2620H6738H3671H2620H1942H56742I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.H7121H430H5945H410H15843He will send help from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me. Interlude My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness.H7971H8064H3467H2778H7602H5542H430H7971H2617H5714I am surrounded by fierce lions who greedily devour human prey—whose teeth pierce like spears and arrows, and whose tongues cut like swords.H5315H8432H3833H7901H3857H1121H120H8127H2595H2671H3956H2299H27195Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens! May your glory shine over all the earth.H7311H430H8064H3519H7766My enemies have set a trap for me. I am weary from distress. They have dug a deep pit in my path, but they themselves have fallen into it. InterludeH3559H7568H6471H5315H3721H3738H7882H6440H8432H5307H55427My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises!H3820H3559H430H3820H3559H7891H21678Wake up, my heart! Wake up, O lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song.H5782H3519H5782H5035H3658H5782H78379I will thank you, Lord, among all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations.H3034H136H5971H2167H381610For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.H2617H1419H8064H571H783411Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth.H7311H430H8064H3519H776

Psalms 58

58[For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be sung to the tune “Do Not Destroy!”] Justice—do you rulers know the meaning of the word? Do you judge the people fairly?H5329H516H4387H1732H552H1696H6664H482H8199H4339H1121H1202No! You plot injustice in your hearts. You spread violence throughout the land.H3820H6466H5766H6424H2555H3027H7763These wicked people are born sinners; even from birth they have lied and gone their own way.H7563H2114H7358H8582H990H1696H35774They spit venom like deadly snakes; they are like cobras that refuse to listen,H2534H1823H2534H5175H2795H6620H331H2415ignoring the tunes of the snake charmers, no matter how skillfully they play.H8085H6963H3907H2266H2267H24496Break off their fangs, O God! Smash the jaws of these lions, O Lord!H2040H8127H430H6310H5422H4459H3715H30687May they disappear like water into thirsty ground. Make their weapons useless in their hands.H3988H4325H1980H1869H2671H41358May they be like snails that dissolve into slime, like a stillborn child who will never see the sun.H7642H8557H1980H5309H802H2372H81219God will sweep them away, both young and old, faster than a pot heats over burning thorns.H5518H995H329H8175H2416H274010The godly will rejoice when they see injustice avenged. They will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.H6662H8055H2372H5359H7364H6471H1818H756311Then at last everyone will say, “There truly is a reward for those who live for God; surely there is a God who judges justly here on earth.”H120H559H6529H6662H3426H430H8199H776

Psalms 59

59[For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time Saul sent soldiers to watch David’s house in order to kill him. To be sung to the tune “Do Not Destroy!”] Rescue me from my enemies, O God. Protect me from those who have come to destroy me.H5329H516H4387H1732H7586H7971H8104H1004H4191H5337H341H430H7682H6965 2Rescue me from these criminals; save me from these murderers.H5337H6466H205H3467H1818H582 3They have set an ambush for me. Fierce enemies are out there waiting, Lord, though I have not sinned or offended them.H693H5315H5794H1481H6588H2403H3068 4I have done nothing wrong, yet they prepare to attack me. Wake up! See what is happening and help me!H7323H3559H5771H5782H7125H7200 5O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, wake up and punish those hostile nations. Show no mercy to wicked traitors. InterludeH3068H430H6635H430H3478H6974H6485H1471H2603H205H898H5542 6They come out at night, snarling like vicious dogs as they prowl the streets.H7725H6153H1993H3611H5437H5892 7Listen to the filth that comes from their mouths; their words cut like swords. “After all, who can hear us?” they sneer.H5042H6310H2719H8193H8085 8But Lord, you laugh at them. You scoff at all the hostile nations.H3068H7832H1471H3932 9You are my strength; I wait for you to rescue me, for you, O God, are my fortress.H5797H8104H430H4869 10In his unfailing love, my God will stand with me. He will let me look down in triumph on all my enemies.H430H2617H6923H430H7200H8324 11Don’t kill them, for my people soon forget such lessons; stagger them with your power, and bring them to their knees, O Lord our shield.H2026H5971H7911H5128H2428H3381H136H4043 12Because of the sinful things they say, because of the evil that is on their lips, let them be captured by their pride, their curses, and their lies.H2403H6310H1697H8193H3920H1347H423H3585H5608 13Destroy them in your anger! Wipe them out completely! Then the whole world will know that God reigns in Israel. InterludeH3615H2534H3615H3045H430H4910H3290H657H776H5542 14My enemies come out at night, snarling like vicious dogs as they prowl the streets.H6153H7725H1993H3611H5437H5892 15They scavenge for food but go to sleep unsatisfied.H5128H5128H398H3885H7646 16But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress.H7891H5797H7442H2617H1242H4869H4498H3117H6862 17O my Strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love.H5797H2167H430H4869H430H2617

Psalms 60

60[For the choir director: A psalm of David useful for teaching, regarding the time David fought Aram-naharaim and Aram-zobah, and Joab returned and killed 12,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. To be sung to the tune “Lily of the Testimony.”] You have rejected us, O God, and broken our defenses. You have been angry with us; now restore us to your favor.H5329H7802H4387H1732H3925H5327H763H5104H760H3097H7725H5221H123H1516H4417H8147H6240H505H430H2186H6555H599H77252You have shaken our land and split it open. Seal the cracks, for the land trembles.H776H7493H6480H7495H7667H41313You have been very hard on us, making us drink wine that sent us reeling.H7200H5971H7186H8248H3196H86534But you have raised a banner for those who fear you—a rallying point in the face of attack. InterludeH5414H5251H3373H5127H6440H7189H55425Now rescue your beloved people. Answer and save us by your power.H3039H2502H3467H3225H60306God has promised this by his holiness. “I will divide up Shechem with joy. I will measure out the valley of Succoth.H430H1696H6944H5937H2505H7927H4058H6010H55237Gilead is mine, and Manasseh, too. Ephraim, my helmet, will produce my warriors, and Judah, my scepter, will produce my kings.H1568H4519H669H4581H7218H3063H27108But Moab, my washbasin, will become my servant, and I will wipe my feet on Edom and shout in triumph over Philistia.”H4124H5518H7366H123H7993H5275H6429H73219Who will bring me into the fortified city? Who will bring me victory over Edom?H2986H4692H5892H5148H12310Have you rejected us, O God? Will you no longer march with our armies?H430H2186H430H3318H663511Oh, please help us against our enemies, for all human help is useless.H3051H5833H6862H7723H8668H12012With God’s help we will do mighty things, for he will trample down our foes.H430H6213H2428H947H6862

Psalms 61

61[For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by stringed instruments.] O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer!H5329H5058H1732H8085H7440H430H7181H8605 2From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety,H7097H776H7121H3820H5848H5148H6697H7311 3for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me.H4268H5797H4026H6440H341 4Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings! InterludeH1481H168H5769H2620H5643H3671H5542 5For you have heard my vows, O God. You have given me an inheritance reserved for those who fear your name.H430H8085H5088H5414H3425H3373H8034 6Add many years to the life of the king! May his years span the generations!H3254H4428H3117H3117H8141H1755H1755 7May he reign under God’s protection forever. May your unfailing love and faithfulness watch over him.H3427H6440H430H5769H4487H2617H571H5341 8Then I will sing praises to your name forever as I fulfill my vows each day.H2167H8034H5703H3117H3117H7999H5088