I do not need to take a bull from your household or goats from your sheepfolds.

For every wild animal in the forest belongs to me, as well as the cattle that graze on a thousand hills.

Even if I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and all it contains belong to me.

Do I eat the flesh of bulls? Do I drink the blood of goats?

Present to God a thank-offering! Repay your vows to the sovereign One!

Pray to me when you are in trouble! I will deliver you, and you will honor me!"

God says this to the evildoer: "How can you declare my commands, and talk about my covenant?

When you see a thief, you join him; you associate with men who are unfaithful to their wives.

You do damage with words, and use your tongue to deceive.

Carefully consider this, you who reject God! Otherwise I will rip you to shreds and no one will be able to rescue you.

Whoever presents a thank-offering honors me. To whoever obeys my commands, I will reveal my power to deliver."

Look, you desire integrity in the inner man; you want me to possess wisdom.

Do not reject me! Do not take your Holy Spirit away from me!

Let me again experience the joy of your deliverance! Sustain me by giving me the desire to obey!

Then I will teach rebels your merciful ways, and sinners will turn to you.

Certainly you do not want a sacrifice, or else I would offer it; you do not desire a burnt sacrifice.

Because you favor Zion, do what is good for her! Fortify the walls of Jerusalem!

For the music director; a well-written song by David. It was written when Doeg the Edomite went and informed Saul: "David has arrived at the home of Ahimelech." Why do you boast about your evil plans, O powerful man? God's loyal love protects me all day long!

You love to use all the words that destroy, and the tongue that deceives.

"Look, here is the man who would not make God his protector! He trusted in his great wealth and was confident about his plans to destroy others."

For the music director; according to the machalath style; a well-written song by David. Fools say to themselves, "There is no God." They sin and commit evil deeds; none of them does what is right.

God looks down from heaven at the human race, to see if there is anyone who is wise and seeks God.

All those who behave wickedly do not understand -- those who devour my people as if they were eating bread, and do not call out to God.

They are absolutely terrified, even by things that do not normally cause fear. For God annihilates those who attack you. You are able to humiliate them because God has rejected them.

For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a well-written song by David. It was written when the Ziphites came and informed Saul: "David is hiding with us." O God, deliver me by your name! Vindicate me by your power!

O God, listen to my prayer! Pay attention to what I say!

For foreigners attack me; ruthless men, who do not respect God, seek my life. (Selah)

May those who wait to ambush me be repaid for their evil! As a demonstration of your faithfulness, destroy them!

With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you! I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good!

For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a well-written song by David. Listen, O God, to my prayer! Do not ignore my appeal for mercy!

Pay attention to me and answer me! I am so upset and distressed, I am beside myself,

Look, I will escape to a distant place; I will stay in the wilderness. (Selah)

I will hurry off to a place that is safe from the strong wind and the gale."

Day and night they walk around on its walls, while wickedness and destruction are within it.

Disaster is within it; violence and deceit do not depart from its public square.

As for me, I will call out to God, and the Lord will deliver me.

God, the one who has reigned as king from long ago, will hear and humiliate them. (Selah) They refuse to change, and do not fear God.

He attacks his friends; he breaks his solemn promises to them.

Throw your burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain you. He will never allow the godly to be upended.

But you, O God, will bring them down to the deep Pit. Violent and deceitful people will not live even half a normal lifespan. But as for me, I trust in you.

For the music director; according to the yonath-elem-rechovim style; a prayer of David, written when the Philistines captured him in Gath. Have mercy on me, O God, for men are attacking me! All day long hostile enemies are tormenting me.

Those who anticipate my defeat attack me all day long. Indeed, many are fighting against me, O Exalted One.

In God -- I boast in his promise -- in God I trust, I am not afraid. What can mere men do to me?

All day long they cause me trouble; they make a habit of plotting my demise.

They stalk and lurk; they watch my every step, as they prepare to take my life.

Because they are bent on violence, do not let them escape! In your anger bring down the nations, O God!

My enemies will turn back when I cry out to you for help; I know that God is on my side.

in God I trust, I am not afraid. What can mere men do to me?

I am obligated to fulfill the vows I made to you, O God; I will give you the thank-offerings you deserve,

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.

I cry out for help to the sovereign God, to the God who vindicates me.

I am surrounded by lions; I lie down among those who want to devour me; men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are a sharp sword.

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

I will give you thanks before the nations, O Master! I will sing praises to you before foreigners!

For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; a prayer of David. Do you rulers really pronounce just decisions? Do you judge people fairly?

No! You plan how to do what is unjust; you deal out violence in the earth.

that does not respond to the magicians, or to a skilled snake-charmer.

For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; a prayer of David, written when Saul sent men to surround his house and murder him. Deliver me from my enemies, my God! Protect me from those who attack me!

For look, they wait to ambush me; powerful men stalk me, but not because I have rebelled or sinned, O Lord.

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

Look, they hurl insults at me and openly threaten to kill me, for they say, "Who hears?"

The God who loves me will help me; God will enable me to triumph over my enemies.

Do not strike them dead suddenly, because then my people might forget the lesson. Use your power to make them homeless vagabonds and then bring them down, O Lord who shields us!

Angrily wipe them out! Wipe them out so they vanish! Let them know that God rules in Jacob and to the ends of the earth! (Selah)

They wander around looking for something to eat; they refuse to sleep until they are full.

You are my source of strength! I will sing praises to you! For God is my refuge, the God who loves me.

For the music director; according to the shushan-eduth style; a prayer of David written to instruct others. It was written when he fought against Aram Naharaim and Aram-Zobah. That was when Joab turned back and struck down 12,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. O God, you have rejected us. You suddenly turned on us in your anger. Please restore us!

You made the earth quake; you split it open. Repair its breaches, for it is ready to fall.

Gilead belongs to me, as does Manasseh! Ephraim is my helmet, Judah my royal scepter.

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.

For the music director; to be played on a stringed instrument; written by David. O God, hear my cry for help! Pay attention to my prayer!

From the most remote place on earth I call out to you in my despair. Lead me up to an inaccessible rocky summit!

For you, O God, hear my vows; you grant me the reward that belongs to your loyal followers.

Then I will sing praises to your name continually, as I fulfill my vows day after day.

They spend all their time planning how to bring him down. They love to use deceit; they pronounce blessings with their mouths, but inwardly they utter curses. (Selah)

Do not trust in what you can gain by oppression! Do not put false confidence in what you can gain by robbery! If wealth increases, do not become attached to it!

God has declared one principle; two principles I have heard: God is strong,

and you, O Lord, demonstrate loyal love. For you repay men for what they do.

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

Each one will be handed over to the sword; their corpses will be eaten by jackals.

For the music director; a psalm of David. Listen to me, O God, as I offer my lament! Protect my life from the enemy's terrifying attacks.

in order to shoot down the innocent in secluded places. They shoot at him suddenly and are unafraid of retaliation.

They encourage one another to carry out their evil deed. They plan how to hide snares, and boast, "Who will see them?"

For the music director; a psalm of David, a song. Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion. Vows made to you are fulfilled.

How blessed is the one whom you choose, and allow to live in your palace courts. May we be satisfied with the good things of your house -- your holy palace.

Even those living in the most remote areas are awestruck by your acts; you cause those living in the east and west to praise you.

You visit the earth and give it rain; you make it rich and fertile with overflowing streams full of water. You provide grain for them, for you prepare the earth to yield its crops.

For the music director; a song, a psalm. Shout out praise to God, all the earth!

Say to God: "How awesome are your deeds! Because of your great power your enemies cower in fear before you.

All the earth worships you and sings praises to you! They sing praises to your name!" (Selah)

He preserves our lives and does not allow our feet to slip.

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.

I will enter your temple with burnt sacrifices; I will fulfill the vows I made to you,

I will offer up to you fattened animals as burnt sacrifices, along with the smell of sacrificial rams. I will offer cattle and goats. (Selah)

Come! Listen, all you who are loyal to God! I will declare what he has done for me.

I cried out to him for help and praised him with my tongue.

However, God heard; he listened to my prayer.

For the music director; to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm, a song. May God show us his favor and bless us! May he smile on us! (Selah)