The rules you set down are completely reliable. Holiness aptly adorns your house, O Lord, forever.

The Lord knows that peoples' thoughts are morally bankrupt.

in order to protect him from times of trouble, until the wicked are destroyed.

Cruel rulers are not your allies, those who make oppressive laws.

The depths of the earth are in his hand, and the mountain peaks belong to him.

For he is our God; we are the people of his pasture, the sheep he owns. Today, if only you would obey him!

For all the gods of the nations are worthless, but the Lord made the sky.

Dark clouds surround him; equity and justice are the foundation of his throne.

All who worship idols are ashamed, those who boast about worthless idols. All the gods bow down before him.

Zion hears and rejoices, the towns of Judah are happy, because of your judgments, O Lord.

For you, O Lord, are the sovereign king over the whole earth; you are elevated high above all gods.

Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us and we belong to him; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

For my days go up in smoke, and my bones are charred like a fireplace.

My days are coming to an end, and I am withered like grass.

In earlier times you established the earth; the skies are your handiwork.

For as the skies are high above the earth, so his loyal love towers over his faithful followers.

For he knows what we are made of; he realizes we are made of clay.

to those who keep his covenant, who are careful to obey his commands.

Praise the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, you are magnificent. You are robed in splendor and majesty.

You give food to them and they receive it; you open your hand and they are filled with food.

When you send your life-giving breath, they are created, and you replenish the surface of the ground.

How blessed are those who promote justice, and do what is right all the time!

Help me, O Lord my God! Because you are faithful to me, deliver me!

The Lord makes this promise on oath and will not revoke it: "You are an eternal priest after the pattern of Melchizedek."

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

His acts are characterized by faithfulness and justice; all his precepts are reliable.

They are forever firm, and should be faithfully and properly carried out.

Their idols are made of silver and gold -- they are man-made.

I rashly declared, "All men are liars."

You are my God and I will give you thanks! You are my God and I will praise you!

(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,

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

Take away the insults that I dread! Indeed, your regulations are good.

(Tet) You are good to your servant, O Lord, just as you promised.

You are good and you do good. Teach me your statutes!

Their hearts are calloused, but I find delight in your law.

I know, Lord, that your regulations are just. You disciplined me because of your faithful devotion to me.

All your commands are reliable. I am pursued without reason. Help me!

Today they stand firm by your decrees, for all things are your servants.

I realize that everything has its limits, but your commands are beyond full comprehension.

Your words are sweeter in my mouth than honey!

You are my hiding place and my shield. I find hope in your word.

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

(Pe) Your rules are marvelous. Therefore I observe them.

Your instructions are a doorway through which light shines. They give insight to the untrained.

(Tsade) You are just, O Lord, and your judgments are fair.

The rules you impose are just, and absolutely reliable.

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

You are near, O Lord, and all your commands are reliable.

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

Your instructions are totally reliable; all your just regulations endure.

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

I keep your precepts and rules, for you are aware of everything I do.

May my tongue sing about your instructions, for all your commands are just.

Our feet are standing inside your gates, O Jerusalem.

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!

O Lord, restore our well-being, just as the streams in the arid south are replenished.

Yes, sons are a gift from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward.

Sons born during one's youth are like arrows in a warrior's hand.

But you are willing to forgive, so that you might be honored.

A song of ascents, by David. O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor do I have a haughty look. I do not have great aspirations, or concern myself with things that are beyond me.

The nations' idols are made of silver and gold, they are man-made.

You carefully observe me when I travel or when I lie down to rest; you are aware of everything I do.

even the darkness is not too dark for you to see, and the night is as bright as day; darkness and light are the same to you.

I will give you thanks because your deeds are awesome and amazing. You knew me thoroughly;

I say to the Lord, "You are my God." O Lord, pay attention to my plea for mercy!

They will be thrown down the side of a cliff by their judges. They will listen to my words, for they are pleasant.

As when one plows and breaks up the soil, so our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.

I cry out to you, O Lord; I say, "You are my shelter, my security in the land of the living."

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.

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

People are like a vapor, their days like a shadow that disappears.

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

He has not done so with any other nation; they are not aware of his regulations. Praise the Lord!

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!

for they are eager to inflict harm, and they hasten to shed blood.

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

whose paths are morally crooked, and who are devious in their ways;

Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.

Her ways are very pleasant, and all her paths are peaceful.

Do not enter the path of the wicked or walk in the way of those who are evil.

For they cannot sleep unless they cause harm; they are robbed of sleep until they make someone stumble.

for they are life to those who find them and healing to one's entire body.

Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it are the sources of life.

For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey, and her seductive words are smoother than olive oil,

Lest she should make level the path leading to life, her paths are unstable but she does not know it.

And at the end of your life you will groan when your flesh and your body are wasted away.

For the ways of a person are in front of the Lord's eyes, and the Lord weighs all that person's paths.

There are six things that the Lord hates, even seven things that are an abomination to him:

a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift to run to evil,

For the commandments are like a lamp, instruction is like a light, and rebukes of discipline are like the road leading to life,

Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," and call understanding a close relative,

for she has brought down many fatally wounded, and all those she has slain are many.

You who are naive, discern wisdom! And you fools, understand discernment!

All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing in them twisted or crooked.