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

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

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.

He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to what is false,
Nor has sworn [oaths] deceitfully.

He leads the humble in justice,
And He teaches the humble His way.

I would have despaired had I not believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.

Repay them according to their work and according to the evil of their practices;
Repay them according to the deeds of their hands;
Repay them what they deserve.

“What profit is there in my blood (death), if I go down to the pit (grave)?
Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your faithfulness [to man]?

Who is the man who desires life
And loves many days, that he may see good?

Do not let them say in their heart, “Aha, that is what we wanted!”
Do not let them say, “We have swallowed him up and destroyed him.”

“Lord, let me know my [life’s] end
And [to appreciate] the extent of my days;
Let me know how frail I am [how transient is my stay here].

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

“With rebukes You discipline man for sin;
You consume like a moth what is precious to him;
Surely every man is a mere breath [a wisp of smoke, a vapor that vanishes]. Selah.

We have heard with our ears, O God,
Our fathers have told us
The work You did in their days,
In the days of old.

But to the wicked God says:
“What right have you to recite My statutes
Or to take My covenant on your lips?

When I am afraid,
I will put my trust and faith in You.

In God, whose word I praise;
In God I have put my trust;
I shall not fear.
What can mere man do to me?

In God have I put my trust and confident reliance; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?

Come and hear, all who fear God [and worship Him with awe-inspired reverence and obedience],
And I will tell what He has done for me.

Your God has commanded your strength [your power in His service and your resistance to temptation];
Show Yourself strong, O God, who acted on our behalf.

Those who hate me without cause are more than the hairs of my head;
Those who would destroy me are powerful, being my enemies wrongfully;
I am forced to restore what I did not steal.

So they ate and were well filled,
He gave them what they craved.

You have forgiven the wickedness of Your people;
You have covered all their sin. Selah.

I will hear [with expectant hope] what God the Lord will say,
For He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones—
But let them not turn again to folly.

Indeed, the Lord will give what is good,
And our land will yield its produce.

Glorious things are spoken of you,
O city of God [Jerusalem]. Selah.

Remember how fleeting my lifetime is;
For what vanity, [for what emptiness, for what futility, for what wisp of smoke] You have created all the sons of men!

What man can live and not see death?
Can he rescue his soul from the [powerful] hand of Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead)? Selah.

What ails you, O sea, that you flee?
O Jordan, that you turn back?

What will I give to the Lord [in return]
For all His benefits toward me?
[How can I repay Him for His precious blessings?]

The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.
What can [mere] man do to me?

What shall be given to you, and what more shall be done to you,
You deceitful tongue?—

But there is forgiveness with You,
That You may be feared and worshiped [with submissive wonder].

Lord, what is man that You take notice of him?
Or the son of man that You think of him?