An Instruction of David, a Prayer when he is in the cave. My voice is unto Jehovah, I cry, My voice is unto Jehovah, I entreat grace.

Looking on the right hand -- and seeing, And I have none recognizing; Perished hath refuge from me, There is none inquiring for my soul.

And enter not into judgment with Thy servant, For no one living is justified before Thee.

For an enemy hath pursued my soul, He hath bruised to the earth my life, He hath caused me to dwell in dark places, As the dead of old.

And my spirit in me is become feeble, Within me is my heart become desolate.

I have spread forth my hands unto Thee, My soul is as a weary land for Thee. Selah.

Teach me to do Thy good pleasure, For Thou art my God -- Thy Spirit is good, Lead me into a land of uprightness.

By David. Blessed is Jehovah my rock, who is teaching My hands for war, my fingers for battle.

My kind one, and my bulwark, My tower, and my deliverer, My shield, and in whom I have trusted, Who is subduing my people under me!

Jehovah, what is man that Thou knowest him? Son of man, that Thou esteemest him?

Man to vanity hath been like, His days are as a shadow passing by.

Because their mouth hath spoken vanity, And their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

Who is giving deliverance to kings, Who is freeing David His servant from the sword of evil.

Free me, and deliver me From the hand of sons of a stranger, Because their mouth hath spoken vanity, And their right hand is a right hand of falsehood,

Because our sons are as plants, Becoming great in their youth, Our daughters as hewn stones, Polished -- the likeness of a palace,

Our oxen are carrying, there is no breach, And there is no outgoing, And there is no crying in our broad places.

O the happiness of the people that is thus, O the happiness of the people whose God is Jehovah!

Great is Jehovah, and praised greatly, And of His greatness there is no searching.

Gracious and merciful is Jehovah, Slow to anger, and great in kindness.

Good is Jehovah to all, And His mercies are over all His works.

Thy kingdom is a kingdom of all ages, And Thy dominion is in all generations.

Jehovah is supporting all who are falling, And raising up all who are bowed down.

Righteous is Jehovah in all His ways, And kind in all His works.

Near is Jehovah to all those calling Him, To all who call Him in truth.

O the happiness of him Who hath the God of Jacob for his help, His hope is on Jehovah his God,

Making the heavens and earth, The sea and all that is in them, Who is keeping truth to the age,

Jehovah is loosing the prisoners, Jehovah is opening (the eyes of) the blind, Jehovah is raising the bowed down, Jehovah is loving the righteous,

Jehovah is preserving the strangers, The fatherless and widow He causeth to stand, And the way of the wicked He turneth upside down.

Praise ye Jah! For it is good to praise our God, For pleasant -- comely is praise.

Building Jerusalem is Jehovah, The driven away of Israel He gathereth.

Who is giving healing to the broken of heart, And is binding up their griefs.

Great is our Lord, and abundant in power, Of His understanding there is no narration.

Jehovah is causing the meek to stand, Making low the wicked unto the earth.

Who is covering the heavens with clouds, Who is preparing for the earth rain, Who is causing grass to spring up on mountains,

Not in the might of the horse doth He delight, Not in the legs of a man is He pleased.

Jehovah is pleased with those fearing Him, With those waiting for His kindness.

Who is making thy border peace, With the fat of wheat He satisfieth Thee.

Who is sending forth His saying on earth, Very speedily doth His word run.

Who is giving snow like wool, Hoar-frost as ashes He scattereth.

Casting forth His ice like morsels, Before His cold who doth stand?

He hath not done so to any nation, As to judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye Jah!

They praise the name of Jehovah, For His name alone hath been set on high, His honour is above earth and heavens.

For Jehovah is pleased with His people, He beautifieth the humble with salvation.

The exaltation of God is in their throat, And a two-edged sword in their hand.

To do among them the judgment written, An honour it is for all his saints. Praise ye Jah!

(The wise doth hear and increaseth learning, And the intelligent doth obtain counsels.)

For understanding a proverb and its sweetness, Words of the wise and their acute sayings.

Fear of Jehovah is a beginning of knowledge, Wisdom and instruction fools have despised!

If they say, 'Come with us, we lay wait for blood, We watch secretly for the innocent without cause,

We swallow them as Sheol -- alive, And whole -- as those going down to the pit,

Thy lot thou dost cast among us, One purse is -- to all of us.'

Surely in vain is the net spread out before the eyes of any bird.

Because I have called, and ye refuse, I stretched out my hand, and none is attending,

When your fear cometh as destruction, And your calamity as a hurricane doth come, When on you come adversity and distress.

And whoso is hearkening to me dwelleth confidently, And is quiet from fear of evil!'

If thou dost seek her as silver, And as hid treasures searchest for her,

For wisdom cometh into thy heart, And knowledge to thy soul is pleasant,

Whose paths are crooked, Yea, they are perverted in their ways.

Who is forsaking the guide of her youth, And the covenant of her God hath forgotten.

Be not wise in thine own eyes, Fear Jehovah, and turn aside from evil.

Healing it is to thy navel, And moistening to thy bones.

For whom Jehovah loveth He reproveth, Even as a father the son He is pleased with.

For better is her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold -- her increase.

Precious she is above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to her.

Length of days is in her right hand, In her left are wealth and honour.

A tree of life she is to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her is happy.

For Jehovah is at thy side, And He hath kept thy foot from capture.

Withhold not good from its owners, When thy hand is toward God to do it.

For an abomination to Jehovah is the perverted, And with the upright is His secret counsel.

The curse of Jehovah is in the house of the wicked. And the habitation of the righteous He blesseth.

Honour do the wise inherit, And fools are bearing away shame!

The first thing is wisdom -- get wisdom, And with all thy getting get understanding.

In thy walking thy step is not straitened, And if thou runnest, thou stumblest not.

Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she is thy life.

And the path of the righteous is as a shining light, Going and brightening till the day is established,

The way of the wicked is as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.

For the lips of a strange woman drop honey, And smoother than oil is her mouth,

And her latter end is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a sword with mouths.

As a little thing I have been all evil, In the midst of an assembly and a company.

For over-against the eyes of Jehovah are the ways of each, And all his paths He is pondering.

His own iniquities do capture the wicked, And with the ropes of his sin he is holden.

Be delivered as a roe from the hand, And as a bird from the hand of a fowler.

Go unto the ant, O slothful one, See her ways and be wise;

And thy poverty hath come as a traveller, And thy want as an armed man.

Frowardness is in his heart, devising evil at all times, Contentions he sendeth forth.

Therefore suddenly cometh his calamity, Instantly he is broken -- and no healing.

For a lamp is the command, And the law a light, And a way of life are reproofs of instruction,

So is he who hath gone in unto the wife of his neighbour, None who doth touch her is innocent.

They do not despise the thief, When he stealeth to fill his soul when he is hungry,

He who committeth adultery with a woman lacketh heart, He is destroying his soul who doth it.

A stroke and shame he doth find, And his reproach is not wiped away,

For jealousy is the fury of a man, And he doth not spare in a day of vengeance.

Keep my commands, and live, And my law as the pupil of thine eye.

Noisy she is, and stubborn, In her house her feet rest not.

For the man is not in his house, He hath gone on a long journey.

He is going after her straightway, As an ox unto the slaughter he cometh, And as a fetter unto the chastisement of a fool,

Till an arrow doth split his liver, As a bird hath hastened unto a snare, And hath not known that it is for its life.

Unto you, O men, I call, And my voice is unto the sons of men.

Hearken, for noble things I speak, And the opening of my lips is uprightness.

For truth doth my mouth utter, And an abomination to my lips is wickedness.