They shed innocent blood -- the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan. The land was polluted by bloodshed.

So the Lord was angry with his people and despised the people who belong to him.

He handed them over to the nations, and those who hated them ruled over them.

Let those delivered by the Lord speak out, those whom he delivered from the power of the enemy,

For he has satisfied those who thirst, and those who hunger he has filled with food.

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

For the music director, a psalm of David. O God whom I praise, do not ignore me!

May the Lord repay my accusers in this way, those who say evil things about me!

because he stands at the right hand of the needy, to deliver him from those who threaten his life.

The Lord's deeds are great, eagerly awaited by all who desire them.

To obey the Lord is the fundamental principle for wise living; all who carry out his precepts acquire good moral insight. He will receive praise forever.

Praise the Lord! How blessed is the one who obeys the Lord, who takes great delight in keeping his commands.

In the darkness a light shines for the godly, for each one who is merciful, compassionate, and just.

It goes well for the one who generously lends money, and conducts his business honestly.

For he will never be upended; others will always remember one who is just.

Who can compare to the Lord our God, who sits on a high throne?

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

Those who make them will end up like them, as will everyone who trusts in them.

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

The Lord is on my side as my helper. I look in triumph on those who hate me.

May the one who comes in the name of the Lord be blessed! We will pronounce blessings on you in the Lord's temple.

(Alef) How blessed are those whose actions are blameless, who obey the law of the Lord.

How blessed are those who observe his rules, and seek him with all their heart,

who, moreover, do no wrong, but follow in his footsteps.

You reprimand arrogant people. Those who stray from your commands are doomed.

Confirm to your servant your promise, which you made to the one who honors you.

Then I will have a reply for the one who insults me, for I trust in your word.

Rage takes hold of me because of the wicked, those who reject your law.

I am a friend to all your loyal followers, and to those who keep your precepts.

May your loyal followers turn to me, those who know your rules.

How long must your servant endure this? When will you judge those who pursue me?

You despise all who stray from your statutes, for they are deceptive and unreliable.

Those who are eager to do wrong draw near; they are far from your law.

The enemies who chase me are numerous. Yet I do not turn aside from your rules.

I rejoice in your instructions, like one who finds much plunder.

Those who love your law are completely secure; nothing causes them to stumble.

I said, "O Lord, rescue me from those who lie with their lips and those who deceive with their tongue.

For too long I have had to reside with those who hate peace.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May those who love her prosper!

A song of ascents. Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion; it cannot be upended and will endure forever.

Do good, O Lord, to those who are good, to the morally upright!

As for those who are bent on traveling a sinful path, may the Lord remove them, along with those who behave wickedly! May Israel experience peace!

Those who shed tears as they plant will shout for joy when they reap the harvest.

The one who weeps as he walks along, carrying his bag of seed, will certainly come in with a shout of joy, carrying his sheaves of grain.

A song of ascents, by Solomon. If the Lord does not build a house, then those who build it work in vain. If the Lord does not guard a city, then the watchman stands guard in vain.

It is vain for you to rise early, come home late, and work so hard for your food. Yes, he can provide for those whom he loves even when they sleep.

How blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! They will not be put to shame when they confront enemies at the city gate.

A song of ascents. How blessed is every one of the Lord's loyal followers, each one who keeps his commands!

Yes indeed, the man who fears the Lord will be blessed in this way.

May all who hate Zion be humiliated and turned back!

which cannot fill the reaper's hand, or the lap of the one who gathers the grain!

Those who pass by will not say, "May you experience the Lord's blessing! We pronounce a blessing on you in the name of the Lord."

If you, O Lord, were to keep track of sins, O Lord, who could stand before you?

A song of ascents. Attention! Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who serve in the Lord's temple during the night.

who serve in the Lord's temple, in the courts of the temple of our God.

Those who make them will end up like them, as will everyone who trusts in them.

The Lord deserves praise in Zion -- he who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!

to the one who performs magnificent, amazing deeds all by himself, for his loyal love endures,

to the one who used wisdom to make the heavens, for his loyal love endures,

to the one who spread out the earth over the water, for his loyal love endures,

to the one who made the great lights, for his loyal love endures,

to the one who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his loyal love endures,

to the one who divided the Red Sea in two, for his loyal love endures,

to the one who led his people through the wilderness, for his loyal love endures,

to the one who struck down great kings, for his loyal love endures,

to the one who remembered us when we were down, for his loyal love endures,

to the one who gives food to all living things, for his loyal love endures.

for there our captors ask us to compose songs; those who mock us demand that we be happy, saying: "Sing for us a song about Zion!"

O daughter Babylon, soon to be devastated! How blessed will be the one who repays you for what you dished out to us!

How blessed will be the one who grabs your babies and smashes them on a rock!

The Lord avenges me. O Lord, your loyal love endures. Do not abandon those whom you have made!

O Lord, do I not hate those who hate you, and despise those who oppose you?

who plan ways to harm me. All day long they stir up conflict.

O Lord, shelter me from the power of the wicked! Protect me from violent men, who plan to knock me over.

As for the heads of those who surround me -- may the harm done by their lips overwhelm them!

Do not let me have evil desires, or participate in sinful activities with men who behave wickedly. I will not eat their delicacies.

Listen to my cry for help, for I am in serious trouble! Rescue me from those who chase me, for they are stronger than I am.

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.

As a demonstration of your loyal love, destroy my enemies! Annihilate all who threaten my life, for I am your servant.

By David. The Lord, my protector, deserves praise -- the one who trains my hands for battle, and my fingers for war,

who loves me and is my stronghold, my refuge and my deliverer, my shield and the one in whom I take shelter, who makes nations submit to me.

who speak lies, and make false promises.

the one who delivers kings, and rescued David his servant from a deadly sword.

Grab me and rescue me from the power of foreigners, who speak lies, and make false promises.

How blessed are the people who experience these things! How blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!

The Lord supports all who fall, and lifts up all who are bent over.

The Lord is near all who cry out to him, all who cry out to him sincerely.

The Lord protects those who love him, but he destroys all the wicked.

My mouth will praise the Lord. Let all who live praise his holy name forever!

Do not trust in princes, or in human beings, who cannot deliver!

the one who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who remains forever faithful,

The Lord gives sight to the blind. The Lord lifts up all who are bent over. The Lord loves the godly.

The Lord takes delight in his faithful followers, and in those who wait for his loyal love.

He throws his hailstones like crumbs. Who can withstand the cold wind he sends?

He has made his people victorious, and given all his loyal followers reason to praise -- the Israelites, the people who are close to him. Praise the Lord!

Such are the ways of all who gain profit unjustly; it takes away the life of those who obtain it!

But the one who listens to me will live in security, and will be at ease from the dread of harm.

He stores up effective counsel for the upright, and is like a shield for those who live with integrity,

who leave the upright paths to walk on the dark ways,

who delight in doing evil, they rejoice in perverse evil;