ISV(i)
1 To the Director: On a stringed instrument. A Davidic Psalm.
Divine Glory and Human Dignity LORD, our Lord, how excellent is your name in all the earth! You set your glory above the heavens!
2 Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have established strength on account of your adversaries, in order to silence the enemy and vengeful foe.
3 When I look at the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you established—
4 what is man that you take notice of him, or the son of man that you pay attention to him?
5 You made him a little less than divine, but you crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You gave him dominion over the work of your hands, you put all things under his feet:
7 Sheep and cattle—all of them, wild creatures of the field,
8 birds in the sky, fish in the sea— whatever moves through the currents of the oceans.
9 LORD, our Lord, how excellent is your name in all the earth!
9 1To the Director: Accompanied by female voices. A Davidic Psalm.
A Cry for God’s Justice I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart, I will declare all your wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praises to your name, Most High!
3 When my enemies turn back, they will stumble and perish before you.
4 For you have brought about justice for me and my cause; you sit on the throne judging righteously.
5 You rebuked the nations, you destroyed the wicked, you wiped out their name forever and ever.
6 The enemy has perished, reduced to ruins forever. You uprooted their cities, the very memory of them vanished.
7 But the LORD sits on his throne forever; his throne is established for judgment.
8 He will judge the world righteously and make just decisions for the people.
9 The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of distress.
10 Those who know your name will trust you, for you have not forsaken those who seek you, LORD.
11 Sing praises to the LORD who dwells in Zion; declare his mighty deeds among the peoples.
12 As an avenger of blood, he remembers them; he has not forgotten the cry of the afflicted.
13 Be gracious to me, LORD, take note of my affliction, because of those who hate me. You snatch me away from the gates of death,
14 so I may declare everything for which you should be praised in the gates of the daughter of Zion, so I will rejoice in your deliverance.
15 The nations have sunk down into the pit they made, their feet are ensnared in the trap they set.
16 The LORD has made himself known, executing judgment. The wicked are ensnared by what their hands have made. Interlude
17 The wicked will turn back to where the dead are— all the nations that have forgotten God.
18 For he will not always overlook the plight of the poor, nor will the hope of the afflicted perish forever.
19 Rise up, LORD, do not let man prevail! The nations will be judged in your presence.
20 Make them afraid, LORD, Let the nations know that they are only human. Interlude
10 1A Prayer for Judging the Wicked Why do you stand far away, LORD? Why do you hide in times of distress?
2 The wicked one arrogantly pursues the afflicted, who are trapped in the schemes he devises.
3 For the wicked one boasts about his own desire; he blesses the greedy and despises the LORD.
4 With haughty arrogance, the wicked thinks, “God will not seek justice.” He always presumes “There is no God.”
5 Their ways always seem prosperous. Your judgments are on high, far away from them. They scoff at all their enemies.
6 They say to themselves, “We will not be moved throughout all time, and we will not experience adversity.”
7 Their mouth is full of curses, lies, and oppression, their tongues spread trouble and iniquity.
8 They wait in ambush in the villages, they kill the innocent in secret.
9 Their eyes secretly watch the helpless, lying in wait like a lion in his den. They lie in wait to catch the afflicted. They catch the afflicted when they pull him into their net.
10 The victim is crushed, and he sinks down; the helpless fall by their might.
11 The wicked say to themselves, “God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”
12 Rise up, LORD! Raise your hand, God. Don’t forget the afflicted!
13 Why do the wicked despise God and say to themselves, “God will not seek justice.”?
14 But you do see! You take note of trouble and grief in order to take the matter into your own hand. The helpless one commits himself to you; you have been the orphan’s helper.
15 Break the arm of the wicked and evil man; so that when you seek out his wickedness
Divine Glory and Human Dignity
9 1
A Cry for God’s Justice
10 1