Psalms:73-89

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* Truly God is good to Israel , To such as are pure in heart . * But as for me , my feet had almost stumbled ; My steps had nearly slipped . * For I was envious of the boastful , When I saw the prosperity of the wicked . * For there are no pangs in their death , But their strength is firm . * They are not in trouble as other men , Nor are they plagued like other men . * Therefore pride serves as their necklace ; Violence covers them like a garment . * Their eyes bulge with abundance ; They have more than heart could wish . * They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression ; They speak loftily . * They set their mouth against the heavens , And their tongue walks through the earth . * Therefore his people return here , And waters of a full cup are drained by them . * And they say , "How does God know ? And is there knowledge in the Most High ?" * Behold , these are the ungodly , Who are always at ease ; They increase in riches . * Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain , And washed my hands in innocence . * For all day long I have been plagued , And chastened every morning . * If I had said , "I will speak thus ," Behold , I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children . * When I thought how to understand this , It was too painful for me -- * Until I went into the sanctuary of God ; Then I understood their end . * Surely You set them in slippery places ; You cast them down to destruction . * Oh , how they are brought to desolation , as in a moment ! They are utterly consumed with terrors . * As a dream when one awakes , So , Lord , when You awake , You shall despise their image . * Thus my heart was grieved , And I was vexed in my mind . * I was so foolish and ignorant ; I was like a beast before You . * Nevertheless I am continually with You ; You hold me by my right hand . * You will guide me with Your counsel , And afterward receive me to glory . * Whom have I in heaven but You ? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You . * My flesh and my heart fail ; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever . * For indeed , those who are far from You shall perish ; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry . * But it is good for me to draw near to God ; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD , That I may declare all Your works . * O God , why have You cast us off forever ? Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture ? * Remember Your congregation , which You have purchased of old , The tribe of Your inheritance , which You have redeemed -- This Mount Zion where You have dwelt . * Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations . The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary . * Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place ; They set up their banners for signs . * They seem like men who lift up Axes among the thick trees . * And now they break down its carved work , all at once , With axes and hammers . * They have set fire to Your sanctuary ; They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground . * They said in their hearts , "Let us destroy them altogether ." They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land . * We do not see our signs ; There is no longer any prophet ; Nor is there any among us who knows how long . * O God , how long will the adversary reproach ? Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever ? * Why do You withdraw Your hand , even Your right hand ? Take it out of Your bosom and destroy them . * For God is my King from of old , Working salvation in the midst of the earth . * You divided the sea by Your strength ; You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters . * You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces , And gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness . * You broke open the fountain and the flood ; You dried up mighty rivers . * The day is Yours , the night also is Yours ; You have prepared the light and the sun . * You have set all the borders of the earth ; You have made summer and winter . * Remember this , that the enemy has reproached , O LORD , And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name . * Oh , do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast ! Do not forget the life of Your poor forever . * Have respect to the covenant ; For the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty . * Oh , do not let the oppressed return ashamed ! Let the poor and needy praise Your name . * Arise , O God , plead Your own cause ; Remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily . * Do not forget the voice of Your enemies ; The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually . * We give thanks to You , O God , we give thanks ! For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near . * "When I choose the proper time , I will judge uprightly . * The earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved ; I set up its pillars firmly .Selah * "I said to the boastful , "Do not deal boastfully ,' And to the wicked , "Do not lift up the horn . * Do not lift up your horn on high ; Do not speak with a stiff neck ."' * For exaltation comes neither from the east Nor from the west nor from the south . * But God is the Judge : He puts down one , And exalts another . * For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup , And the wine is red ; It is fully mixed , and He pours it out ; Surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth Drain and drink down . * But I will declare forever , I will sing praises to the God of Jacob . * "All the horns of the wicked I will also cut off , But the horns of the righteous shall be exalted ." * In Judah God is known ; His name is great in Israel . * In Salem also is His tabernacle , And His dwelling place in Zion . * There He broke the arrows of the bow , The shield and sword of battle .Selah * You are more glorious and excellent Than the mountains of prey . * The stouthearted were plundered ; They have sunk into their sleep ; And none of the mighty men have found the use of their hands . * At Your rebuke , O God of Jacob , Both the chariot and horse were cast into a dead sleep . * You , Yourself , are to be feared ; And who may stand in Your presence When once You are angry ? * You caused judgment to be heard from heaven ; The earth feared and was still , * When God arose to judgment , To deliver all the oppressed of the earth .Selah * Surely the wrath of man shall praise You ; With the remainder of wrath You shall gird Yourself . * Make vows to the LORD your God , and pay them ; Let all who are around Him bring presents to Him who ought to be feared . * He shall cut off the spirit of princes ; He is awesome to the kings of the earth . * I cried out to God with my voice -- To God with my voice ; And He gave ear to me . * In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord ; My hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing ; My soul refused to be comforted . * I remembered God , and was troubled ; I complained , and my spirit was overwhelmed .Selah * You hold my eyelids open ; I am so troubled that I cannot speak . * I have considered the days of old , The years of ancient times . * I call to remembrance my song in the night ; I meditate within my heart , And my spirit makes diligent search . * Will the Lord cast off forever ? And will He be favorable no more ? * Has His mercy ceased forever ? Has His promise failed forevermore ? * Has God forgotten to be gracious ? Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies ?Selah * And I said , "This is my anguish ; But I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High ." * I will remember the works of the LORD ; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old . * I will also meditate on all Your work , And talk of Your deeds . * Your way , O God , is in the sanctuary ; Who is so great a God as our God ? * You are the God who does wonders ; You have declared Your strength among the peoples . * You have with Your arm redeemed Your people , The sons of Jacob and Joseph .Selah * The waters saw You , O God ; The waters saw You , they were afraid ; The depths also trembled . * The clouds poured out water ; The skies sent out a sound ; Your arrows also flashed about . * The voice of Your thunder was in the whirlwind ; The lightnings lit up the world ; The earth trembled and shook . * Your way was in the sea , Your path in the great waters , And Your footsteps were not known . * You led Your people like a flock By the hand of Moses and Aaron . * Give ear , O my people , to my law ; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth . * I will open my mouth in a parable ; I will utter dark sayings of old , * Which we have heard and known , And our fathers have told us . * We will not hide them from their children , Telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD , And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done . * For He established a testimony in Jacob , And appointed a law in Israel , Which He commanded our fathers , That they should make them known to their children ; * That the generation to come might know them , The children who would be born , That they may arise and declare them to their children , * That they may set their hope in God , And not forget the works of God , But keep His commandments ; * And may not be like their fathers , A stubborn and rebellious generation , A generation that did not set its heart aright , And whose spirit was not faithful to God . * The children of Ephraim , being armed and carrying bows , Turned back in the day of battle . * They did not keep the covenant of God ; They refused to walk in His law , * And forgot His works And His wonders that He had shown them . * Marvelous things He did in the sight of their fathers , In the land of Egypt , in the field of Zoan . * He divided the sea and caused them to pass through ; And He made the waters stand up like a heap . * In the daytime also He led them with the cloud , And all the night with a light of fire . * He split the rocks in the wilderness , And gave them drink in abundance like the depths . * He also brought streams out of the rock , And caused waters to run down like rivers . * But they sinned even more against Him By rebelling against the Most High in the wilderness . * And they tested God in their heart By asking for the food of their fancy . * Yes , they spoke against God : They said , "Can God prepare a table in the wilderness ? * Behold , He struck the rock , So that the waters gushed out , And the streams overflowed . Can He give bread also ? Can He provide meat for His people ? * Therefore the LORD heard this and was furious ; So a fire was kindled against Jacob , And anger also came up against Israel , * Because they did not believe in God , And did not trust in His salvation . * Yet He had commanded the clouds above , And opened the doors of heaven , * Had rained down manna on them to eat , And given them of the bread of heaven . * Men ate angels ' food ; He sent them food to the full . * He caused an east wind to blow in the heavens ; And by His power He brought in the south wind . * He also rained meat on them like the dust , Feathered fowl like the sand of the seas ; * And He let them fall in the midst of their camp , All around their dwellings . * So they ate and were well filled , For He gave them their own desire . * They were not deprived of their craving ; But while their food was still in their mouths , * The wrath of God came against them , And slew the stoutest of them , And struck down the choice men of Israel . * In spite of this they still sinned , And did not believe in His wondrous works . * Therefore their days He consumed in futility , And their years in fear . * When He slew them , then they sought Him ; And they returned and sought earnestly for God . * Then they remembered that God was their rock , And the Most High God their Redeemer . * Nevertheless they flattered Him with their mouth , And they lied to Him with their tongue ; * For their heart was not steadfast with Him , Nor were they faithful in His covenant . * But He , being full of compassion , forgave their iniquity , And did not destroy them . Yes , many a time He turned His anger away , And did not stir up all His wrath ; * For He remembered that they were but flesh , A breath that passes away and does not come again . * How often they provoked Him in the wilderness , And grieved Him in the desert ! * Yes , again and again they tempted God , And limited the Holy One of Israel . * They did not remember His power : The day when He redeemed them from the enemy , * When He worked His signs in Egypt , And His wonders in the field of Zoan ; * Turned their rivers into blood , And their streams , that they could not drink . * He sent swarms of flies among them , which devoured them , And frogs , which destroyed them . * He also gave their crops to the caterpillar , And their labor to the locust . * He destroyed their vines with hail , And their sycamore trees with frost . * He also gave up their cattle to the hail , And their flocks to fiery lightning . * He cast on them the fierceness of His anger , Wrath , indignation , and trouble , By sending angels of destruction among them . * He made a path for His anger ; He did not spare their soul from death , But gave their life over to the plague , * And destroyed all the firstborn in Egypt , The first of their strength in the tents of Ham . * But He made His own people go forth like sheep , And guided them in the wilderness like a flock ; * And He led them on safely , so that they did not fear ; But the sea overwhelmed their enemies . * And He brought them to His holy border , This mountain which His right hand had acquired . * He also drove out the nations before them , Allotted them an inheritance by survey , And made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents . * Yet they tested and provoked the Most High God , And did not keep His testimonies , * But turned back and acted unfaithfully like their fathers ; They were turned aside like a deceitful bow . * For they provoked Him to anger with their high places , And moved Him to jealousy with their carved images . * When God heard this , He was furious , And greatly abhorred Israel , * So that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh , The tent He had placed among men , * And delivered His strength into captivity , And His glory into the enemy 's hand . * He also gave His people over to the sword , And was furious with His inheritance . * The fire consumed their young men , And their maidens were not given in marriage . * Their priests fell by the sword , And their widows made no lamentation . * Then the Lord awoke as from sleep , Like a mighty man who shouts because of wine . * And He beat back His enemies ; He put them to a perpetual reproach . * Moreover He rejected the tent of Joseph , And did not choose the tribe of Ephraim , * But chose the tribe of Judah , Mount Zion which He loved . * And He built His sanctuary like the heights , Like the earth which He has established forever . * He also chose David His servant , And took him from the sheepfolds ; * From following the ewes that had young He brought him , To shepherd Jacob His people , And Israel His inheritance . * So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart , And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands . * O God , the nations have come into Your inheritance ; Your holy temple they have defiled ; They have laid Jerusalem in heaps . * The dead bodies of Your servants They have given as food for the birds of the heavens , The flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth . * Their blood they have shed like water all around Jerusalem , And there was no one to bury them . * We have become a reproach to our neighbors , A scorn and derision to those who are around us . * How long , LORD ? Will You be angry forever ? Will Your jealousy burn like fire ? * Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not know You , And on the kingdoms that do not call on Your name . * For they have devoured Jacob , And laid waste his dwelling place . * Oh , do not remember former iniquities against us ! Let Your tender mercies come speedily to meet us , For we have been brought very low . * Help us , O God of our salvation , For the glory of Your name ; And deliver us , and provide atonement for our sins , For Your name 's sake ! * Why should the nations say , "Where is their God ?" Let there be known among the nations in our sight The avenging of the blood of Your servants which has been shed . * Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You ; According to the greatness of Your power Preserve those who are appointed to die ; * And return to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom Their reproach with which they have reproached You , O Lord . * So we , Your people and sheep of Your pasture , Will give You thanks forever ; We will show forth Your praise to all generations . * Give ear , O Shepherd of Israel , You who lead Joseph like a flock ; You who dwell between the cherubim , shine forth ! * Before Ephraim , Benjamin , and Manasseh , Stir up Your strength , And come and save us ! * Restore us , O God ; Cause Your face to shine , And we shall be saved ! * O LORD God of hosts , How long will You be angry Against the prayer of Your people ? * You have fed them with the bread of tears , And given them tears to drink in great measure . * You have made us a strife to our neighbors , And our enemies laugh among themselves . * Restore us , O God of hosts ; Cause Your face to shine , And we shall be saved ! * You have brought a vine out of Egypt ; You have cast out the nations , and planted it . * You prepared room for it , And caused it to take deep root , And it filled the land . * The hills were covered with its shadow , And the mighty cedars with its boughs . * She sent out her boughs to the Sea , And her branches to the River . * Why have You broken down her hedges , So that all who pass by the way pluck her fruit ? * The boar out of the woods uproots it , And the wild beast of the field devours it . * Return , we beseech You , O God of hosts ; Look down from heaven and see , And visit this vine * And the vineyard which Your right hand has planted , And the branch that You made strong for Yourself . * It is burned with fire , it is cut down ; They perish at the rebuke of Your countenance . * Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand , Upon the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself . * Then we will not turn back from You ; Revive us , and we will call upon Your name . * Restore us , O LORD God of hosts ; Cause Your face to shine , And we shall be saved ! * Sing aloud to God our strength ; Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob . * Raise a song and strike the timbrel , The pleasant harp with the lute . * Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon , At the full moon , on our solemn feast day . * For this is a statute for Israel , A law of the God of Jacob . * This He established in Joseph as a testimony , When He went throughout the land of Egypt , Where I heard a language I did not understand . * "I removed his shoulder from the burden ; His hands were freed from the baskets . * You called in trouble , and I delivered you ; I answered you in the secret place of thunder ; I tested you at the waters of Meribah .Selah * "Hear , O My people , and I will admonish you ! O Israel , if you will listen to Me ! * There shall be no foreign god among you ; Nor shall you worship any foreign god . * I am the LORD your God , Who brought you out of the land of Egypt ; Open your mouth wide , and I will fill it . * "But My people would not heed My voice , And Israel would have none of Me . * So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart , To walk in their own counsels . * "Oh , that My people would listen to Me , That Israel would walk in My ways ! * I would soon subdue their enemies , And turn My hand against their adversaries . * The haters of the LORD would pretend submission to Him , But their fate would endure forever . * He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat ; And with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you ." * God stands in the congregation of the mighty ; He judges among the gods . * How long will you judge unjustly , And show partiality to the wicked ?Selah * Defend the poor and fatherless ; Do justice to the afflicted and needy . * Deliver the poor and needy ; Free them from the hand of the wicked . * They do not know , nor do they understand ; They walk about in darkness ; All the foundations of the earth are unstable . * I said , "You are gods , And all of you are children of the Most High . * But you shall die like men , And fall like one of the princes ." * Arise , O God , judge the earth ; For You shall inherit all nations . * Do not keep silent , O God ! Do not hold Your peace , And do not be still , O God ! * For behold , Your enemies make a tumult ; And those who hate You have lifted up their head . * They have taken crafty counsel against Your people , And consulted together against Your sheltered ones . * They have said , "Come , and let us cut them off from being a nation , That the name of Israel may be remembered no more ." * For they have consulted together with one consent ; They form a confederacy against You : * The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites ; Moab and the Hagrites ; * Gebal , Ammon , and Amalek ; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre ; * Assyria also has joined with them ; They have helped the children of Lot .Selah * Deal with them as with Midian , As with Sisera , As with Jabin at the Brook Kishon , * Who perished at En Dor , Who became as refuse on the earth . * Make their nobles like Oreb and like Zeeb , Yes , all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna , * Who said , "Let us take for ourselves The pastures of God for a possession ." * O my God , make them like the whirling dust , Like the chaff before the wind ! * As the fire burns the woods , And as the flame sets the mountains on fire , * So pursue them with Your tempest , And frighten them with Your storm . * Fill their faces with shame , That they may seek Your name , O LORD . * Let them be confounded and dismayed forever ; Yes , let them be put to shame and perish , * That they may know that You , whose name alone is the LORD , Are the Most High over all the earth . * How lovely is Your tabernacle , O LORD of hosts ! * My soul longs , yes , even faints For the courts of the LORD ; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God . * Even the sparrow has found a home , And the swallow a nest for herself , Where she may lay her young -- Even Your altars , O LORD of hosts , My King and my God . * Blessed are those who dwell in Your house ; They will still be praising You .Selah * Blessed is the man whose strength is in You , Whose heart is set on pilgrimage . * As they pass through the Valley of Baca , They make it a spring ; The rain also covers it with pools . * They go from strength to strength ; Each one appears before God in Zion . * O LORD God of hosts , hear my prayer ; Give ear , O God of Jacob !Selah * O God , behold our shield , And look upon the face of Your anointed . * For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand . I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness . * For the LORD God is a sun and shield ; The LORD will give grace and glory ; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly . * O LORD of hosts , Blessed is the man who trusts in You ! * LORD , You have been favorable to Your land ; You have brought back the captivity of Jacob . * You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people ; You have covered all their sin .Selah * You have taken away all Your wrath ; You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger . * Restore us , O God of our salvation , And cause Your anger toward us to cease . * Will You be angry with us forever ? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations ? * Will You not revive us again , That Your people may rejoice in You ? * Show us Your mercy , LORD , And grant us Your salvation . * I will hear what God the LORD will speak , For He will speak peace To His people and to His saints ; But let them not turn back to folly . * Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him , That glory may dwell in our land . * Mercy and truth have met together ; Righteousness and peace have kissed . * Truth shall spring out of the earth , And righteousness shall look down from heaven . * Yes , the LORD will give what is good ; And our land will yield its increase . * Righteousness will go before Him , And shall make His footsteps our pathway . * Bow down Your ear , O LORD , hear me ; For I am poor and needy . * Preserve my life , for I am holy ; You are my God ; Save Your servant who trusts in You ! * Be merciful to me , O Lord , For I cry to You all day long . * Rejoice the soul of Your servant , For to You , O Lord , I lift up my soul . * For You , Lord , are good , and ready to forgive , And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You . * Give ear , O LORD , to my prayer ; And attend to the voice of my supplications . * In the day of my trouble I will call upon You , For You will answer me . * Among the gods there is none like You , O Lord ; Nor are there any works like Your works . * All nations whom You have made Shall come and worship before You , O Lord , And shall glorify Your name . * For You are great , and do wondrous things ; You alone are God . * Teach me Your way , O LORD ; I will walk in Your truth ; Unite my heart to fear Your name . * I will praise You , O Lord my God , with all my heart , And I will glorify Your name forevermore . * For great is Your mercy toward me , And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol . * O God , the proud have risen against me , And a mob of violent men have sought my life , And have not set You before them . * But You , O Lord , are a God full of compassion , and gracious , Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth . * Oh , turn to me , and have mercy on me ! Give Your strength to Your servant , And save the son of Your maidservant . * Show me a sign for good , That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed , Because You , LORD , have helped me and comforted me . * His foundation is in the holy mountains . * The LORD loves the gates of Zion More than all the dwellings of Jacob . * Glorious things are spoken of you , O city of God !Selah * "I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to those who know Me ; Behold , O Philistia and Tyre , with Ethiopia : "This one was born there .' * And of Zion it will be said , "This one and that one were born in her ; And the Most High Himself shall establish her ." * The LORD will record , When He registers the peoples : "This one was born there ."Selah * Both the singers and the players on instruments say , "All my springs are in you ." * O LORD , God of my salvation , I have cried out day and night before You . * Let my prayer come before You ; Incline Your ear to my cry . * For my soul is full of troubles , And my life draws near to the grave . * I am counted with those who go down to the pit ; I am like a man who has no strength , * Adrift among the dead , Like the slain who lie in the grave , Whom You remember no more , And who are cut off from Your hand . * You have laid me in the lowest pit , In darkness , in the depths . * Your wrath lies heavy upon me , And You have afflicted me with all Your waves .Selah * You have put away my acquaintances far from me ; You have made me an abomination to them ; I am shut up , and I cannot get out ; * My eye wastes away because of affliction . LORD , I have called daily upon You ; I have stretched out my hands to You . * Will You work wonders for the dead ? Shall the dead arise and praise You ?Selah * Shall Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave ? Or Your faithfulness in the place of destruction ? * Shall Your wonders be known in the dark ? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness ? * But to You I have cried out , O LORD , And in the morning my prayer comes before You . * LORD , why do You cast off my soul ? Why do You hide Your face from me ? * I have been afflicted and ready to die from my youth ; I suffer Your terrors ; I am distraught . * Your fierce wrath has gone over me ; Your terrors have cut me off . * They came around me all day long like water ; They engulfed me altogether . * Loved one and friend You have put far from me , And my acquaintances into darkness . * I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever ; With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations . * For I have said , "Mercy shall be built up forever ; Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens ." * "I have made a covenant with My chosen , I have sworn to My servant David : * "Your seed I will establish forever , And build up your throne to all generations ."'Selah * And the heavens will praise Your wonders , O LORD ; Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints . * For who in the heavens can be compared to the LORD ? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the LORD ? * God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints , And to be held in reverence by all those around Him . * O LORD God of hosts , Who is mighty like You , O LORD ? Your faithfulness also surrounds You . * You rule the raging of the sea ; When its waves rise , You still them . * You have broken Rahab in pieces , as one who is slain ; You have scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm . * The heavens are Yours , the earth also is Yours ; The world and all its fullness , You have founded them . * The north and the south , You have created them ; Tabor and Hermon rejoice in Your name . * You have a mighty arm ; Strong is Your hand , and high is Your right hand . * Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne ; Mercy and truth go before Your face . * Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound ! They walk , O LORD , in the light of Your countenance . * In Your name they rejoice all day long , And in Your righteousness they are exalted . * For You are the glory of their strength , And in Your favor our horn is exalted . * For our shield belongs to the LORD , And our king to the Holy One of Israel . * Then You spoke in a vision to Your holy one , And said : "I have given help to one who is mighty ; I have exalted one chosen from the people . * I have found My servant David ; With My holy oil I have anointed him , * With whom My hand shall be established ; Also My arm shall strengthen him . * The enemy shall not outwit him , Nor the son of wickedness afflict him . * I will beat down his foes before his face , And plague those who hate him . * "But My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him , And in My name his horn shall be exalted . * Also I will set his hand over the sea , And his right hand over the rivers . * He shall cry to Me , "You are my Father , My God , and the rock of my salvation .' * Also I will make him My firstborn , The highest of the kings of the earth . * My mercy I will keep for him forever , And My covenant shall stand firm with him . * His seed also I will make to endure forever , And his throne as the days of heaven . * "If his sons forsake My law And do not walk in My judgments , * If they break My statutes And do not keep My commandments , * Then I will punish their transgression with the rod , And their iniquity with stripes . * Nevertheless My lovingkindness I will not utterly take from him , Nor allow My faithfulness to fail . * My covenant I will not break , Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips . * Once I have sworn by My holiness ; I will not lie to David : * His seed shall endure forever , And his throne as the sun before Me ; * It shall be established forever like the moon , Even like the faithful witness in the sky ."Selah * But You have cast off and abhorred , You have been furious with Your anointed . * You have renounced the covenant of Your servant ; You have profaned his crown by casting it to the ground . * You have broken down all his hedges ; You have brought his strongholds to ruin . * All who pass by the way plunder him ; He is a reproach to his neighbors . * You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries ; You have made all his enemies rejoice . * You have also turned back the edge of his sword , And have not sustained him in the battle . * You have made his glory cease , And cast his throne down to the ground . * The days of his youth You have shortened ; You have covered him with shame .Selah * How long , LORD ? Will You hide Yourself forever ? Will Your wrath burn like fire ? * Remember how short my time is ; For what futility have You created all the children of men ? * What man can live and not see death ? Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave ?Selah * Lord , where are Your former lovingkindnesses , Which You swore to David in Your truth ? * Remember , Lord , the reproach of Your servants -- How I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples , * With which Your enemies have reproached , O LORD , With which they have reproached the footsteps of Your anointed . * Blessed be the LORD forevermore ! Amen and Amen . * Lord , You have been our dwelling place in all generations .

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