Behold the power of God in the Psalms!

Psalm 11:

Song of Trust in God

Of David.

11 In the Lord I take refuge;

how can you say to me,

“Flee like a bird to the mountains;[a]

2 for lo, the wicked bend the bow,

they have fitted their arrow to the string,

to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart;

3 if the foundations are destroyed,

what can the righteous do”?

4 The Lord is in his holy temple,

the Lord’s throne is in heaven;

his eyes behold, his eyelids test, the children of men.

5 The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked,

and his soul hates him that loves violence.

6 On the wicked he will rain coals of fire and brimstone;

a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.

7 For the Lord is righteous, he loves righteous deeds;

the upright shall behold his face.

Behold the power of God in the Psalms!

Psalm 12:

Plea for Help in Evil Times

A Psalm of David.

12 Help, Lord; for there is no longer any that is godly;

for the faithful have vanished from among the sons of men.

2 Every one utters lies to his neighbor;

with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,

the tongue that makes great boasts,

4 those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail,

our lips are with us; who is our master?”

5 “Because the poor are despoiled, because the needy groan,

I will now arise,” says the Lord;

“I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”

6 The promises of the Lord are promises that are pure,

silver refined in a furnace on the ground,

purified seven times.

7 Do thou, O Lord, protect us,

guard us ever from this generation.

8 On every side the wicked prowl,

as vileness is exalted among the sons of men.

Behold the power of God in the Psalms!

Psalm 13:

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

A Psalm of David.

13 How long, O Lord? Wilt thou forget me for ever?

How long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

2 How long must I bear pain[a] in my soul,

and have sorrow in my heart all the day?

How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;

lighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him”;

lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

5 But I have trusted in thy steadfast love;

my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

6 I will sing to the Lord,

because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Behold the power of God in the Psalms!

Psalm 14:

Denunciation of Godlessness

Of David.

14 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds,

there is none that does good.

2 The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men,

to see if there are any that act wisely,

that seek after God.

3 They have all gone astray, they are all alike corrupt;

there is none that does good,

no, not one.

4 Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers

who eat up my people as they eat bread,

and do not call upon the Lord?

5 There they shall be in great terror,

for God is with the generation of the righteous.

6 You would confound the plans of the poor,

but the Lord is his refuge.

7 O that deliverance for Israel would come out of Zion!

When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,

Jacob shall rejoice, Israel shall be glad.

Behold the power of God in the Psalms!

Psalm 15:

Who Shall Abide in God’s Sanctuary?

A Psalm of David.

15 O Lord, who shall sojourn in thy tent?

Who shall dwell on thy holy hill?

2 He who walks blamelessly, and does what is right,

and speaks truth from his heart;

3 who does not slander with his tongue,

and does no evil to his friend,

nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;

4 in whose eyes a reprobate is despised,

but who honors those who fear the Lord;

who swears to his own hurt and does not change;

5 who does not put out his money at interest,

and does not take a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things shall never be moved.