But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night.

The wicked [those who live in disobedience to God’s law] are not so,
But they are like the chaff [worthless and without substance] which the wind blows away.

Therefore the wicked will not stand [unpunished] in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

“I will declare the decree of the Lord:
He said to Me, ‘You are My Son;
This day [I proclaim] I have begotten You.

Kiss (pay respect to) the Son, so that He does not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled and set aflame.
How blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] are all those who take refuge in Him!

O Lord, how my enemies have increased!
Many are rising up against me.

Many are saying of me,
“There is no help [no salvation] for him in God.” Selah.

But You, O Lord, are a shield for me,
My glory [and my honor], and the One who lifts my head.

For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness;
No evil [person] dwells with You.

Have mercy on me and be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am weak (faint, frail);
Heal me, O Lord, for my bones are dismayed and anguished.

Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous [those in right standing with You];
For the righteous God tries the hearts and minds.

What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of [earthborn] man that You care for him?

The Lord has made Himself known;
He executes judgment;
The wicked are trapped by the work of their own hands. Higgaion (meditation) Selah.

The wicked will turn to Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead),
Even all the nations who forget God.

The wicked, in the haughtiness of his face, will not seek nor inquire for Him;
All his thoughts are, “There is no God [so there is no accountability or punishment].”

His ways prosper at all times;
Your judgments [Lord] are on high, out of his sight [so he never thinks about them];
As for all his enemies, he sneers at them.

His mouth is full of curses and deceit (fraud) and oppression;
Under his tongue is mischief and wickedness [injustice and sin].

You have seen it, for You have noted mischief and vexation (irritation) to take it into Your hand.
The unfortunate commits himself to You;
You are the helper of the fatherless.

For look, the wicked are bending the bow;
They take aim with their arrow on the string
To shoot [by stealth] in darkness at the upright in heart.

“If the foundations [of a godly society] are destroyed,
What can the righteous do?”

Save and help and rescue, Lord, for godly people cease to be,
For the faithful vanish from among the sons of men.

Who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail;
Our lips are our own; who is lord and master over us?”

“Because of the devastation of the afflicted, because of the groaning of the needy,
Now I will arise,” says the Lord; “I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”

The words and promises of the Lord are pure words,
Like silver refined in an earthen furnace, purified seven times.

The [spiritually ignorant] fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, they have committed repulsive and unspeakable deeds;
There is no one who does good.

They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt;
There is no one who does good, not even one.

I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good besides You.”

As for the saints (godly people) who are in the land,
They are the majestic and the noble and the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.

You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

Let my verdict of vindication come from Your presence;
May Your eyes look with equity and behold things that are just.

They have closed their unfeeling heart [to kindness and compassion];
With their mouths they speak proudly and make presumptuous claims.

From men with Your hand, O Lord,
From men of the world [these moths of the night] whose portion [of enjoyment] is in this life—idle and vain,
And whose belly You fill with Your treasure;
They are satisfied with children,
And they leave what they have left [of wealth] to their children.

The precepts of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true, they are righteous altogether.

They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.

They have bowed down and fallen,
But we have risen and stood upright.

For they planned evil against You;
They devised a [malevolent] plot
And they will not succeed.

My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?
Why are You so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?

But You are holy,
O You who are enthroned in [the holy place where] the praises of Israel [are offered].

Yet You are He who pulled me out of the womb;
You made me trust when on my mother’s breasts.

I am poured out like water,
And all my bones are out of joint.
My heart is like wax;
It is melted [by anguish] within me.

For the kingship and the kingdom are the Lord’s
And He rules over the nations.

Even though I walk through the [sunless] valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort and console me.

Guide me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
For You [and only You] I wait [expectantly] all the day long.

All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and goodness and truth and faithfulness
To those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.

For Your name’s sake, O Lord,
Pardon my wickedness and my guilt, for they are great.

My eyes are continually toward the Lord,
For He will bring my feet out of the net.

The troubles of my heart are multiplied;
Bring me out of my distresses.

Guard my soul and rescue me;
Do not let me be ashamed or disappointed,
For I have taken refuge in You.

In whose hands is a wicked scheme,
And whose right hand is full of bribes.

Do not drag me away with the wicked
And with those who do evil,
Who speak peace with their neighbors,
While malice and mischief are in their hearts.

Yes, You are my rock and my fortress;
For Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me.

You will draw me out of the net that they have secretly laid for me,
For You are my strength and my stronghold.

But as for me, I trust [confidently] in You and Your greatness, O Lord;
I said, “You are my God.”

My times are in Your hands;
Rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from those who pursue and persecute me.

You are my hiding place; You, Lord, protect me from trouble;
You surround me with songs and shouts of deliverance. Selah.

Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
But he who trusts in and relies on the Lord shall be surrounded with compassion and lovingkindness.

Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous [who actively seek right standing with Him];
Shout for joy, all you upright in heart.

Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming and appropriate for those who are upright [in heart—those with moral integrity and godly character].

The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous [those with moral courage and spiritual integrity]
And His ears are open to their cry.

The Lord is near to the heartbroken
And He saves those who are crushed in spirit (contrite in heart, truly sorry for their sin).

Do not let those who are wrongfully my enemies rejoice over me;
Nor let those who hate me without cause wink their eye [maliciously].

For they do not speak peace,
But they devise deceitful words [half-truths and lies] against those who are quiet in the land.

The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful;
He has ceased to be wise and to do good.

Your righteousness is like the mountains of God,
Your judgments are like the great deep.
O Lord, You preserve man and beast.

There those who [are perverse and] do evil have fallen;
They have been thrust down and cannot rise.

Better is the little of the righteous [who seek the will of God]
Than the abundance (riches) of many wicked (godless).

The wicked borrows and does not pay back,
But the righteous is gracious and kind and gives.

For those blessed by God will [at last] inherit the land,
But those cursed by Him will be cut off.

The steps of a [good and righteous] man are directed and established by the Lord,
And He delights in his way [and blesses his path].

All day long he is gracious and lends,
And his descendants are a blessing.

For the Lord delights in justice
And does not abandon His saints (faithful ones);
They are preserved forever,
But the descendants of the wicked will [in time] be cut off.

The Lord will not leave him in his hand
Or let him be condemned when he is judged.

Wait for and expect the Lord and keep His way,
And He will exalt you to inherit the land;
[In the end] when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

My wounds are loathsome and foul
Because of my foolishness.

For my sides are filled with burning,
And there is no health in my flesh.

Yes, I am like a man who does not hear,
In whose mouth are no arguments.

For I am ready to fall;
My sorrow is continually before me.

But my [numerous] enemies are vigorous and strong,
And those who hate me without cause are many.

They repay evil for good, they attack and try to kill me,
Because I follow what is good.

I said, “I will guard my ways
That I may not sin with my tongue;
I will muzzle my mouth
While the wicked are in my presence.”

“And now, Lord, for what do I expectantly wait?
My hope [my confident expectation] is in You.

Many, O Lord my God, are the wonderful works which You have done,
And Your thoughts toward us;
There is none to compare with You.
If I would declare and speak of your wonders,
They would be too many to count.

For innumerable evils have encompassed me;
My sins have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see.
They are more numerous than the hairs of my head,
And my heart has failed me.

Even though I am afflicted and needy,
Still the Lord takes thought and is mindful of me.
You are my help and my rescuer.
O my God, do not delay.

Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become restless and disturbed within me?
Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall again praise Him
For the help of His presence.

Why are you in despair, O my soul?
Why have you become restless and disquieted within me?
Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.

For You are the God of my strength [my stronghold—in whom I take refuge]; why have You rejected me?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why are you restless and disturbed within me?
Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall again praise Him,
The help of my [sad] countenance and my God.

You are my King, O God;
Command victories and deliverance for Jacob (Israel).

You have made us the reproach and taunt of our neighbors,
A scoffing and a derision to those around us.

Our heart has not turned back,
Nor have our steps wandered from Your path,

But for Your sake we are killed all the day long;
We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.

For our life has melted away into the dust;
Our body clings to the ground.

You are fairer than the sons of men;
Graciousness is poured upon Your lips;
Therefore God has blessed You forever.

Your arrows are sharp;
The peoples (nations) fall under You;
Your arrows pierce the hearts of the King’s enemies.

All Your garments are fragrant with myrrh, aloes and cassia;
From ivory palaces stringed instruments have made You glad.

Kings’ daughters are among Your noble ladies;
At Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir.

The princes of the people have gathered together as the people of the God of Abraham,
For the shields of the earth belong to God;
He is highly exalted.

This is the fate of those who are foolishly confident,
And of those after them who approve [and are influenced by] their words. Selah.