Psalm 26

PRAYER FOR VINDICATION

Of David.

1 Vindicate me, Lord,

because I have lived with integrity

and have trusted in the Lord without wavering.e

2 Test me, Lord, and try me;

examine my heart and mind.f

3 For your faithful love guides me,C

and I live by your truth.g

4 I do not sit with the worthless

or associate with hypocrites.

5 I hate a crowd of evildoers,

and I do not sit with the wicked.h

6 I wash my hands in innocencei

and go around your altar, Lord,j

7 raising my voice in thanksgivingk

and telling about your wondrous works.l

8 Lord, I love the house where you dwell,

the place where your glory resides.m

9 Do not destroy me along with sinners,

or my life along with men of bloodshedn

10 in whose hands are evil schemes

and whose right hands are filled with bribes.o

11 But I live with integrity;

redeem me and be gracious to me.p

12 My foot stands on level ground;q

I will bless the Lord in the assemblies.r

Psalm 27

MY STRONGHOLD

Of David.

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation—

whom should I fear?s

The Lord is the stronghold of my life—

whom should I dread?t

2 When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh,u

my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell.v

3 Though an army deploys against me,

my heart will not be afraid;

though a war breaks out against me,

I will still be confident.w

4 I have asked one thing from the Lord;

it is what I desire:

to dwell in the house of the Lord

all the days of my life,x

gazing on the beauty of the Lordy

and seeking him in his temple.z

5 For he will conceal me in his shelter

in the day of adversity;

he will hide me under the cover of his tent;

he will set me high on a rock.aa

6 Then my head will be high

above my enemies around me;ab

I will offer sacrifices in his tent with shouts of joy.ac

I will sing and make music to the Lord.ad

7 Lord, hear my voice when I call;

be gracious to me and answer me.ae

8 My heart says this about you:

“SeekA his face.”

Lord, I will seek your face.af

9 Do not hide your face from me;ag

do not turn your servant away in anger.ah

You have been my helper;ai

do not leave me or abandon me,

God of my salvation.

10 Even if my father and mother abandon me,

the Lord cares for me.aj

11 Because of my adversaries,

show me your way, Lord,

and lead me on a level path.ak

12 Do not give me over to the will of my foes,

for false witnesses rise up against me,

breathing violence.al

13 I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness

in the land of the living.a

14 Wait for the Lord;

be strong, and let your heart be courageous.b

Wait for the Lord.c

Psalm 28

MY STRENGTH

Of David.

1 Lord, I call to you;

my rock, do not be deaf to me.d

If you remain silent to me,

I will be like those going down to the Pit.e

2 Listen to the sound of my pleading

when I cry to you for help,

when I lift up my hands

toward your holy sanctuary.f

3 Do not drag me away with the wicked,

with the evildoers,

who speak in friendly ways with their neighbors

while malice is in their hearts.g

4 Repay them according to what they have done—

according to the evil of their deeds.

Repay them according to the work of their hands;

give them back what they deserve.h

5 Because they do not consider

what the Lord has done

or the work of his hands,

he will tear them down and not rebuild them.i

6 Blessed be the Lord,

for he has heard the sound of my pleading.j

7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;

my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.k

Therefore my heart celebrates,

and I give thanks to him with my song.l

8 The Lord is the strength of his people;A

he is a stronghold of salvation for his anointed.m

9 Save your people, bless your possession,

shepherd them, and carry them forever.n