Psalm 31
Lord, I trust in you. Let me never be disgraced. Save me because you do what is right. Listen to me. Save me quickly. Be my rock of protection, a strong city to save me. You are my rock and my protection. For the good of your name, lead me and guide me. Set me free from the trap they set for me. You are my protection. I give you my life. Save me, Lord, God of truth. I hate those who worship false gods. I trust only in the Lord. I will be glad because of your love. You saw my troubles. You have not let my evemies defeat me. You have set me in a safe place. Lord, have mercy. I am in misery. My eyes are weak from so mush crying. My whole being is tired from grief. My life is ending in sadness. My years are spent in crying. My troubles are using up my strength. My bones are getting weaker. Because of all my troubles, my enemies hate me. Even my neighbors look down on me. When my friends see me, they are afraid and run. I am like a piece of broken pot. I am forgotten as if I were dead. I have heard many insults. Terror is all around me. They make plans against me. They want to kill me. Lord, I trust you. I have said, "You are my God." My life is in your hands. Save me from me enemies' grasp. Save me from those who are chasing me. Show your kindness to me, your sevant. Save me because of your love. Lord, I called to you. So do not let me be disgraced. Let the wicked be disgraced. Let them lie silent in the grave. With pride and gatred they speak against the righteous. So shut their lying lips. How great is your goodness! You have stored it up for those who fear you. You do good things for those who trust you. You do this for all to see. You protect them by your presence from what people plan against them. You keep them safe in your shelter from evil words. Praise the Lord. His love to me was wonderful when my city was attacked. In my distress, I said, "God cannot see me!" But you heard my prayer when I cried out to you for help. Love the Lord, all you who ceing to him. The Lord protects those who truly believe. But he punishes the proud as much as they have sinned. All you who put your hope in the Lord be strong and brave.
Psalm 32
Happy is the person whose sins are for forgiven, whose wrongs are pardonded. Happy is the person whom the Lord does not consider guilty. In that person ther is nothing false. When I kept things to myself, I felt weak deep inside me. I moane all day long. Day and night you punished me. My strength was gone as in the summer heat. Then I confessed my sins to you. I didn't hide my guilt. I said, "I will confess my sins to the Lord." And you forgave my guilt. For this reaon, all who obey you sould pray to you while they still can. When troubles rise like a flood, they will not reach them. You are my hiding place. You protect me from my troubles. You fill me with songs of salvation. The Lord says, "I will make you wise. I will show you where to go. I will guide you and watch ove you. So don't be like a horse or donkey. They don't understand. They must be led with bits and reins, or they will not come near you." Wicked people have many troubles. But hte Lord's love surrounds those who trust him. Good people, rejoice and be happy in the Lord. All you whose hearts are right, sing.
Psalm 33
Sing to the Lord, you who do what is right. Honest peole should praise him. Praise the Lord on the harp. Make music for him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing a new song to him. Play well and joyfully. God's word is true. Everything he does is right. He loves what is right and fair. The Lord's love fills the earth. The sky was made at the Lord's command. By the breath from his mouth, he made all the stars. He gathered the water in the sea into a heap. He made the great ocean stay in its place. All the earth should worship the Lord. The whole world should fear him. He spoke, and it happened. He commanded, and it appeared. The Lord upsets the placs of nations. He ruins all their plans. But the Lord's plans will stand forever. His ideas will last from now on. Happy is the cation whose God is the Lord. Happy are the people he chose for his very own. The Lord looks down from heaven. He sees every person. From his throne he watches everyone who lives on earth. He made their hearts. He understands everything they do. No king is aved by his great army. No warrior escapes by his great strength. Horses can't bring victory. They can't save by their strength. But the Lord looks after those who fear him. He watches over those who put their hope in his love. He saves them from death. He spares their lives in times of hunger. So our hope is in the Lod. He is our help, our shield to protect us. We rejoice in him. We trust his holy name. Lord, show your love to us as we put our hope in you.
Psalm 34
I will praise the Lord at all times. His praise is always on my lips. My whole being praises the Lord. The poor will hear and be glad. Tell the greatness of the Lord with me. Let us praise his name together. I asked the Lord for help, and he answered me. He saved me from all that I feared. Those who go to him for help are happy. They are never disgraced. This poor man called, and the Lord heard him. The Lord saved him from all his troubles. The Lord saves those who fear him. His angel camps around them. Examine and see how good the Lord is. Happy is the person who trusts the Lord. People who belong to the Lord, fear him! Those who fear him will have everything they need. Even lions may become weak and hungry. But those people who go to the Lord for help will have every good thing. Children, come and listen to me. I will teach you to worship the Lord. You must do these things to enjoy life and have many happy days. You must not say evil things. You must not tell lies. Stop being evil and do good. Look for peace and work for it. The Lord sees the good people. He listens to their prayers. But the Lord is against those who do evil. He makes the world forget them. The Lord hears good people when they cry out to him. He saves them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. He saves those whose spirits have been crushed. People who do what is right may have many problems. But the Lord will solve them all. He will protect their very bones. Not one of them will be broken. Evil will kill the wicked people. Those who hate good people will be judged guilty. But the Lord saves his servants' lives. No one who trusts him will be judged guilty.
Psalm 35
Lord, battle with those who battle with me. Fight against those who fight against me. Pick up the shield and armor. Rise up and help me. Lift up your spears, both large and small, against those who chase me. Tell me, "I will save you." Make those who want to kill me be ashamed and disgraced. Make those who plan to harm me turn back and run away. Make them like chaff blown by the wind. Let the angel of the Lord chase them away. Let their road be dark and slippery as the angel of the Lord chases them. For no reason they spread out their net to trap me. For no reaon they dug a pit for me. So let ruin strike them suddenly. Let them be caught in thier own nets. Let them fall into the pit and die. Then I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be happy when he saves me. Even my bones will say. "Lord, who is like you? You save the weak from the strong. You save the weak and poor from robbers." Men without mercy stand up to testify. They ask me things I do not know. They repay me with evil for the good I have done. They make me very sad. Yet when they were sick, I put on rough cloth to show my sadness. I showed my sorrow by going without food. But my prayers were not answered. I acted as if they were not answered. I acted as if they were my friends or brothers. I bowed in sadness as if I were crying for my mother. But when I was in trouble, they gathered and laughed. They gathered to attack before I knew it. They insulted me without stopping. They made fun of me and were cruel to me. They ground their teeth at me in anger. Lord, how long will you watch this happen? Save my life from their attacks. Save me from these people who are like lions. I will praise you among crowds of people. Do not let my enemies laugh at me. They hate me for no reason. Do not let them make fun of me. They have no reason to hate me. Their words are not friendly. They think up lies about peace-loving people. They speak against me. They say,"Aha! We saw what you did!" Lord, you have been watching. Do not keep quiet. Lord, do not leave me alone. Wake up! Come and defend me! My God and Lord, fight for me! Lord my God, defend me with your justice. Don't let them laugh at me. Don't let them think, "Aha! We got what we wanted!" Don't let them say, "We destroyed him." Let them be ashamed and embarrassed. They were happy when I hurt. Cover them with shame and disgrace. They thought they were better than I was. May my friends sing and shout for joy. May they always say,"Praise the greatness of the Lord. He loves to see his servants do well." I will tell of your goodness. I will praise you every day.
