Psalms

23: 1-6

Blessed is the man who does not walk

in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the way* of sinners,

nor sit in company with scoffers.a

Rather, the law of the LORD* is his joy;

and on his law he meditates day and night.b

He is like a treec

planted near streams of water,

that yields its fruit in season;

Its leaves never wither;

whatever he does prospers.

But not so are the wicked,* not so!

They are like chaff driven by the wind.d

Therefore the wicked will not arise at the judgment,

nor will sinners in the assembly of the just.

Because the LORD knows the way of the just,e

but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.

25: 6-7, 17-18, 20-21

Remember your compassion and your mercy, O LORD,

for they are ages old.

Remember no more the sins of my youth;

remember me according to your mercy,

because of your goodness, LORD.

Relieve the troubles of my heart;

bring me out of my distress.

Look upon my affliction and suffering;

take away all my sins.

Preserve my soul and rescue me;

do not let me be disgraced, for in you I seek refuge.

Let integrity and uprightness preserve me;

I wait for you, O LORD.

27: 1, 4-5, 8-9, 13-14

The LORD is my light and my salvation;

whom should I fear?

The LORD is my life’s refuge;

of whom should I be afraid?

One thing I ask of the LORD;

this I seek:

To dwell in the LORD’s house

all the days of my life,

To gaze on the LORD’s beauty,

to visit his temple.

For God will hide me in his shelter

in time of trouble,

He will conceal me in the cover of his tent;

and set me high upon a rock.

I believe I shall see the LORD’s goodness

in the land of the living.

Wait for the LORD, take courage;

be stouthearted, wait for the LORD!

42: 2, 3, 5; 43: 3-5

As the deer longs for streams of water,

so my soul longs for you, O God.

My soul thirsts for God, the living God.

When can I enter and see the face of God?

Those times I recall

as I pour out my soul,

When I would cross over to the shrine of the Mighty One,

to the house of God,

Amid loud cries of thanksgiving,

with the multitude keeping festival.

Send your light and your fidelity,

that they may be my guide;

Let them bring me to your holy mountain,

to the place of your dwelling,

That I may come to the altar of God,

to God, my joy, my delight.

Then I will praise you with the harp,

O God, my God.

Why are you downcast, my soul?

Why do you groan within me?

Wait for God, for I shall again praise him,

my savior and my God.

63: 2-6, 8-9

O God, you are my God—

it is you I seek!

For you my body yearns;

for you my soul thirsts,

In a land parched, lifeless,

and without water.

I look to you in the sanctuary

to see your power and glory.

For your love is better than life;

my lips shall ever praise you!

I will bless you as long as I live;

I will lift up my hands, calling on your name.

My soul shall be sated as with choice food,

with joyous lips my mouth shall praise you!

You indeed are my savior,

and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.

My soul clings fast to you;

your right hand upholds me.

103: 8, 10, 13-18

Merciful and gracious is the LORD,

slow to anger, abounding in mercy.

He has not dealt with us as our sins merit,

nor requited us as our wrongs deserve.

As a father has compassion on his children,

so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.

For he knows how we are formed,

remembers that we are dust.

As for man, his days are like the grass;

he blossoms like a flower in the field.

A wind sweeps over it and it is gone;

its place knows it no more.

But the LORD’s mercy is from age to age,

toward those who fear him.

His salvation is for the children’s children

of those who keep his covenant,

and remember to carry out his precepts.

116: 5-6, 10-11, 15-16

Gracious is the LORD and righteous;

yes, our God is merciful.

The LORD protects the simple;

I was helpless, but he saved me.

I kept faith, even when I said,

“I am greatly afflicted!”

I said in my alarm,

“All men are liars!”

Dear in the eyes of the LORD

is the death of his devoted.

LORD, I am your servant,

your servant, the child of your maidservant;

you have loosed my bonds.

122: 1-2, 4-9

I rejoiced when they said to me,

“Let us go to the house of the LORD.”

And now our feet are standing

within your gates, Jerusalem.

There the tribes go up,

the tribes of the LORD,

As it was decreed for Israel,

to give thanks to the name of the LORD.

There are the thrones of justice,

the thrones of the house of David.

For the peace of Jerusalem pray:

“May those who love you prosper!

May peace be within your ramparts,

prosperity within your towers.

For the sake of my brothers and friends I say,

“Peace be with you.”

For the sake of the house of the LORD, our God,

I pray for your good.

130: 1-8

Out of the depths* I call to you, LORD;

Lord, hear my cry!

May your ears be attentive

to my cry for mercy.

If you, LORD, keep account of sins,

Lord, who can stand?

But with you is forgiveness

and so you are revered.

I wait for the LORD,

my soul waits

and I hope for his word.

My soul looks for the Lord

more than sentinels for daybreak.

More than sentinels for daybreak,

let Israel hope in the LORD,

For with the LORD is mercy,

with him is plenteous redemption,

And he will redeem Israel

from all its sins

143: 1-2, 5-6, 7, 8, 10

LORD, hear my prayer;

in your faithfulness listen to my pleading;

answer me in your righteousness.

Do not enter into judgment with your servant;

before you no one can be just.

I remember the days of old;

I ponder all your deeds;

the works of your hands I recall.

I stretch out my hands toward you,

my soul to you like a parched land.

Hasten to answer me, LORD;

for my spirit fails me.

Do not hide your face from me,

lest I become like those descending to the pit.

In the morning let me hear of your mercy,

for in you I trust.

Show me the path I should walk,

for I entrust my life to you.

Teach me to do your will,

for you are my God.

May your kind spirit guide me

on ground that is level.