For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm of David. When I call out, answer me, O God who vindicates me! Though I am hemmed in, you will lead me into a wide, open place. Have mercy on me and respond to my prayer!

You men, how long will you try to turn my honor into shame? How long will you love what is worthless and search for what is deceptive? (Selah)

For they do not speak the truth; their stomachs are like the place of destruction, their throats like an open grave, their tongues like a steep slope leading into it.

he digs a pit and then falls into the hole he has made.

The nations fell into the pit they had made; their feet were caught in the net they had hidden.

"Because of the violence done to the oppressed, because of the painful cries of the needy, I will spring into action," says the Lord. "I will provide the safety they so desperately desire."

He brought me out into a wide open place; he delivered me because he was pleased with me.

For you grant him lasting blessings; you give him great joy by allowing him into your presence.

All of the thriving people of the earth will join the celebration and worship; all those who are descending into the grave will bow before him, including those who cannot preserve their lives.

Guide me into your truth and teach me. For you are the God who delivers me; on you I rely all day long.

By David. To you, O Lord, I cry out! My protector, do not ignore me! If you do not respond to me, I will join those who are descending into the grave.

O Lord, you pulled me up from Sheol; you rescued me from among those descending into the grave.

"What profit is there in taking my life, in my descending into the Pit? Can the dust of the grave praise you? Can it declare your loyalty?

Then you turned my lament into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and covered me with joy.

Into your hand I entrust my life; you will rescue me, O Lord, the faithful God.

For he spoke, and it came into existence, he issued the decree, and it stood firm.

Let destruction take them by surprise! Let the net they hid catch them! Let them fall into destruction!

My enemies' taunts cut into me to the bone, as they say to me all day long, "Where is your God?"

But you rejected and embarrassed us! You did not go into battle with our armies.

For this reason we do not fear when the earth shakes, and the mountains tumble into the depths of the sea,

For he will take nothing with him when he dies; his wealth will not follow him down into the grave.

May death destroy them! May they go down alive into Sheol! For evil is in their dwelling place and in their midst.

For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; a prayer of David, written when he fled from Saul into the cave. Have mercy on me, O God! Have mercy on me! For in you I have taken shelter. In the shadow of your wings I take shelter until trouble passes.

They have prepared a net to trap me; I am discouraged. They have dug a pit for me. They will fall into it! (Selah)

Though I have done nothing wrong, they are anxious to attack. Spring into action and help me! Take notice of me!

Who will lead me into the fortified city? Who will bring me to Edom?

Have you not rejected us, O God? O God, you do not go into battle with our armies.

Enemies seek to destroy my life, but they will descend into the depths of the earth.

He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. Let us rejoice in him there!

You led us into a trap; you caused us to suffer.

You allowed men to ride over our heads; we passed through fire and water, but you brought us out into a wide open place.

For the music director; by David, a psalm, a song. God springs into action! His enemies scatter; his adversaries run from him.

O God, when you lead your people into battle, when you march through the desert, (Selah)

I sink into the deep mire where there is no solid ground; I am in deep water, and the current overpowers me.

They put bitter poison into my food, and to quench my thirst they give me vinegar to drink.

He turned their rivers into blood, and they could not drink from their streams.

He allowed the symbol of his strong presence to be captured; he gave the symbol of his splendor into the hand of the enemy.

A psalm of Asaph. O God, foreigners have invaded your chosen land; they have polluted your holy temple and turned Jerusalem into a heap of ruins.

They treat me like those who descend into the grave. I am like a helpless man,

Even before the mountains came into existence, or you brought the world into being, you were the eternal God.

So I made a vow in my anger, 'They will never enter into the resting place I had set aside for them.'"

He turns springs into streams; they flow between the mountains.

He turned their water into blood, and killed their fish.

Their land was overrun by frogs, which even got into the rooms of their kings.

They reached up to the sky, then dropped into the depths. The sailors' strength left them because the danger was so great.

He turned streams into a desert, springs of water into arid land,

and a fruitful land into a barren place, because of the sin of its inhabitants.

As for his people, he turned a desert into a pool of water, and a dry land into springs of water.

Who will lead me into the fortified city? Who will bring me to Edom?

Have you not rejected us, O God? O God, you do not go into battle with our armies.

He made cursing a way of life, so curses poured into his stomach like water and seeped into his bones like oil.

I am so starved my knees shake; I have turned into skin and bones.

Your people willingly follow you when you go into battle. On the holy hills at sunrise the dew of your youth belongs to you.

who turned a rock into a pool of water, a hard rock into springs of water!

The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any of those who descend into the silence of death.

He said, "I will not enter my own home, or get into my bed.

and tossed Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea, for his loyal love endures,

Your eyes saw me when I was inside the womb. All the days ordained for me were recorded in your scroll before one of them came into existence.

May he rain down fiery coals upon them! May he throw them into the fire! From bottomless pits they will not escape.

Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I escape.

Certainly my enemies chase me. They smash me into the ground. They force me to live in dark regions, like those who have been dead for ages.

Answer me quickly, Lord! My strength is fading. Do not reject me, or I will join those descending into the grave.

Teach me to do what pleases you, for you are my God. May your kind presence lead me into a level land.

Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he gave the command and they came into existence.