Psalm 12a

For the director of music. According to sheminith.b A psalm of David.

1 Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore;z

those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.

2 Everyone liesa to their neighbor;

they flatter with their lips

but harbor deception in their hearts.b

3 May the Lord silence all flattering lipsc

and every boastful tongue—d

4 those who say,

“By our tongues we will prevail;e

our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?”

5 “Because the poor are plunderedf and the needy groan,g

I will now arise,h” says the Lord.

“I will protect themi from those who malign them.”

6 And the words of the Lord are flawless,j

like silver purifiedk in a crucible,l

like goldc refined seven times.

7 You, Lord, will keep the needy safem

and will protect us forever from the wicked,n

8 who freely struto about

when what is vile is honored by the human race.

Psalm 13a

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1 How long,p Lord? Will you forget meq forever?

How long will you hide your facer from me?

2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughtss

and day after day have sorrow in my heart?

How long will my enemy triumph over me?t

3 Look on meu and answer,v Lord my God.

Give light to my eyes,w or I will sleep in death,x

4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,y”

and my foes will rejoice when I fall.z

5 But I trust in your unfailing love;a

my heart rejoices in your salvation.b

6 I will singc the Lord’s praise,

for he has been good to me.

Psalm 14

14:1–7pp—Ps 53:1–6

For the director of music. Of David.

1 The foola says in his heart,

“There is no God.”d

They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;

there is no one who does good.

2 The Lord looks down from heavene

on all mankind

to see if there are any who understand,f

any who seek God.g

3 All have turned away,h all have become corrupt;i

there is no one who does good,j

not even one.k

4 Do all these evildoers know nothing?l

They devour my peoplem as though eating bread;

they never call on the Lord.n

5 But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,

for God is present in the company of the righteous.

6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,

but the Lord is their refuge.o

7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!p

When the Lord restoresq his people,

let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Psalm 15

A psalm of David.

1 Lord, who may dwellr in your sacred tent?s

Who may live on your holy mountain?t

2 The one whose walk is blameless,u

who does what is righteous,

who speaks the truthv from their heart;

3 whose tongue utters no slander,w

who does no wrong to a neighbor,

and casts no slur on others;

4 who despises a vile person

but honorsx those who fear the Lord;

who keeps an oathy even when it hurts,

and does not change their mind;

5 who lends money to the poor without interest;z

who does not accept a bribea against the innocent.

Whoever does these things

will never be shaken.b

Psalm 16

A miktama of David.

1 Keep me safe,c my God,

for in you I take refuge.d

2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;e

apart from you I have no good thing.”f

3 I say of the holy peopleg who are in the land,h

“They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”

4 Those who run after other godsi will sufferj more and more.

I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods

or take up their namesk on my lips.

5 Lord, you alone are my portionl and my cup;m

you make my lotn secure.

6 The boundary lineso have fallen for me in pleasant places;

surely I have a delightful inheritance.p

7 I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;q

even at nightr my heart instructs me.

8 I keep my eyes always on the Lord.

With him at my right hand,s I will not be shaken.t

9 Therefore my heart is gladu and my tongue rejoices;

my body also will rest secure,v

10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,w

nor will you let your faithfulb onex see decay.y

11 You make known to me the path of life;z

you will fill me with joy in your presence,a

with eternal pleasuresb at your right hand.c