Day 31 of 31

¹Lord, I have called on you. Come to me quickly! Listen to my voice when I call to you.

²Let my prayer be set before you like incense; the lifting up of my hands like the evening sacrifice.

³Set a watch, Lord, before my mouth. Keep the door of my lips.

⁴Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice deeds of wickedness with men who work iniquity. Do not let me eat of their delicacies.

⁵Let the righteous strike me, it is kindness; let him reprove me, it is like oil on the head; do not let my head refuse it; Yet my prayer is always against evil deeds.

⁶Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock. They will hear my words, for they are well spoken.

⁷"As when one plows and breaks up the earth, our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol."

⁸For my eyes are on you, Lord, the Lord. In you, I take refuge. Do not leave my soul destitute.

⁹Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, from the traps of the workers of iniquity.

¹⁰Let the wicked fall together into their own nets, while I pass by.

¹I cry with my voice to the Lord. With my voice, I ask the Lord for mercy.

²I pour out my complaint before him. I tell him my troubles.

³When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, you knew my path. In the way in which I walk, they have hidden a snare for me.

⁴Look on my right, and see; for there is no one who is concerned for me. Refuge has fled from me. No one cares for my soul.

⁵I cried to you, Lord. I said, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living."

⁶Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need. Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than me.

⁷Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name. The righteous will surround me, for you will be good to me.

¹Hear my prayer, Lord. Listen to my petitions. In your faithfulness and righteousness, relieve me.

²Do not enter into judgment with your servant, for in your sight no man living is righteous.

³For the enemy pursues my soul. He has struck my life down to the ground. He has made me live in dark places, as those who have been long dead.

⁴Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me. My heart within me is desolate.

⁵I remember the days of old. I meditate on all your doings. I contemplate the work of your hands.

⁶I spread forth my hands to you. My soul thirsts for you, like a parched land. Selah.

⁷Hurry to answer me, Lord. My spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me, so that I do not become like those who go down into the pit.

⁸Cause me to hear your loving kindness in the morning, for I trust in you. Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to you.

⁹Deliver me, Lord, from my enemies. I flee to you to hide me.

¹⁰Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness.

¹¹Revive me, Lord, for your name's sake. In your righteousness, bring my soul out of trouble.

¹²In your loving kindness, cut off my enemies, and destroy all those who afflict my soul, For I am your servant.

¹Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who teaches my hands to war, and my fingers to battle:

²my loving kindness, my fortress, my high tower, my deliverer, my shield, and he in whom I take refuge; who subdues my people under me.

³Lord, what is man, that you care for him? Or the son of man, that you think of him?

⁴Man is like a breath. His days are like a shadow that passes away.

⁵Part your heavens, Lord, and come down. Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.

⁶Throw out lightning, and scatter them. Send out your arrows, and rout them.

⁷Stretch out your hand from above, rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters, out of the hands of foreigners;

⁸whose mouths speak deceit, Whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

⁹I will sing a new song to you, God. On a ten-stringed lyre, I will sing praises to you.

¹⁰You are he who gives salvation to kings, who rescues David, his servant, from the deadly sword.

¹¹Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hands of foreigners, whose mouths speak deceit, whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

¹²Then our sons will be like well-nurtured plants, our daughters like pillars carved to adorn a palace.

¹³Our barns are full, filled with all kinds of provision. Our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields.

¹⁴Our oxen will pull heavy loads. There is no breaking in, and no going away, and no outcry in our streets.

¹⁵Happy are the people who are in such a situation. Happy are the people whose God is the Lord.

¹ALEPH I will exalt you, my God, the King. I will praise your name forever and ever.

²Every day I will praise you. I will extol your name forever and ever.

³Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised! His greatness is unsearchable.

⁴One generation will commend your works to another, and will declare your mighty acts.

⁵Of the glorious majesty of your honor, of your wondrous works, I will meditate.

⁶Men will speak of the might of your awesome acts. I will declare your greatness.

⁷They will utter the memory of your great goodness, and will sing of your righteousness.

⁸The Lord is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving kindness.

⁹The Lord is good to all. His tender mercies are over all his works.

¹⁰All your works will give thanks to you, Lord. Your holy ones will extol you.

¹¹They will speak of the glory of your kingdom, and talk about your power;

¹²to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, the glory of the majesty of his kingdom.

¹³Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. Your dominion endures throughout all generations. the Lord is faithful in all his words, and loving in all his deeds.

¹⁴The Lord upholds all who fall, and raises up all those who are bowed down.

¹⁵The eyes of all wait for you. You give them their food in due season.

¹⁶You open your hand, and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

¹⁷The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and gracious in all his works.

¹⁸The Lord is near to all those who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

¹⁹He will fulfill the desire of those who fear him. He also will hear their cry, and will save them.

²⁰The Lord preserves all those who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.

²¹My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord. Let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

¹Praise Yah! Praise the Lord, my soul.

²While I live, I will praise the Lord. I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist.

³Do not put your trust in princes, each a son of man in whom there is no help.

⁴His spirit departs, and he returns to the earth. In that very day, his thoughts perish.

⁵Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord, his God:

⁶who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps truth forever;

⁷who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The Lord frees the prisoners.

⁸The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord raises up those who are bowed down. The Lord loves the righteous.

⁹The Lord preserves the foreigners. He upholds the fatherless and widow, but the way of the wicked he turns upside down.

¹⁰The Lord will reign forever; your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise Yah!

¹Praise Yah, for it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant and fitting to praise him.

²The Lord builds up Jerusalem. He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.

³He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.

⁴He counts the number of the stars. He calls them all by their names.

⁵Great is our Lord, and mighty in power. His understanding is infinite.

⁶The Lord upholds the humble. He brings the wicked down to the ground.

⁷Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving. Sing praises on the harp to our God,

⁸who covers the sky with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass grow on the mountains.

⁹He provides food for the livestock, and for the young ravens when they call.

¹⁰He doesn't delight in the strength of the horse. He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.

¹¹The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his loving kindness.

¹²Praise the Lord, Jerusalem! Praise your God, Zion!

¹³For he has strengthened the bars of your gates. He has blessed your children within you.

¹⁴He makes peace in your borders. He fills you with the finest of the wheat.

¹⁵He sends out his commandment to the earth. His word runs very swiftly.

¹⁶He gives snow like wool, and scatters frost like ashes.

¹⁷He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can stand before his cold?

¹⁸He sends out his word, and melts them. He causes his wind to blow, and the waters flow.

¹⁹He shows his word to Jacob; his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.

²⁰He has not done this for just any nation. They do not know his ordinances. Praise Yah!

¹Praise Yah! Praise the Lord from the heavens! Praise him in the heights!

²Praise him, all his angels! Praise him, all his army!

³Praise him, sun and moon! Praise him, all you shining stars!

⁴Praise him, you heavens of heavens, You waters that are above the heavens.

⁵Let them praise the name of the Lord, For he commanded, and they were created.

⁶He has also established them forever and ever. He has made a decree which will not pass away.

⁷Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures, and all depths!

⁸Lightning and hail, snow and clouds; stormy wind, fulfilling his word;

⁹mountains and all hills; fruit trees and all cedars;

¹⁰wild animals and all livestock; small creatures and flying birds;

¹¹kings of the earth and all peoples; princes and all judges of the earth;

¹²both young men and maidens; old men and children:

¹³let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted. His glory is above the earth and the heavens.

¹⁴He has lifted up the horn of his people, the praise of all his holy ones; even of the children of Israel, a people near to him. Praise Yah!

¹Praise Yah! Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the holy ones.

²Let Israel rejoice in him who made them. Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.

³Let them praise his name in the dance! Let them sing praises to him with tambourine and harp!

⁴For the Lord takes pleasure in his people. He crowns the humble with salvation.

⁵Let the holy ones rejoice in honor. Let them sing for joy on their beds.

⁶May the high praises of God be in their mouths, and a two-edged sword in their hand;

⁷To execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples;

⁸To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;

⁹to execute on them the written judgment. All his holy ones have this honor. Praise Yah!

¹Praise Yah! Praise God in his sanctuary! Praise him in his heavens for his acts of power!

²Praise him for his mighty acts! Praise him according to his excellent greatness!

³Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet! Praise him with harp and lyre!

⁴Praise him with tambourine and dancing! Praise him with stringed instruments and flute!

⁵Praise him with loud cymbals! Praise him with resounding cymbals!

⁶Let everything that has breath praise Yah! Praise Yah!

¹The words of king Lemuel; the oracle which his mother taught him.

²"Oh, my son! Oh, son of my womb! Oh, son of my vows!

³Do not give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings.

⁴It is not for kings, Lemuel; it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes to say, 'Where is strong drink?'

⁵lest they drink, and forget the decree, and pervert the justice due to anyone who is afflicted.

⁶Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish; and wine to the bitter in soul:

⁷Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

⁸Open your mouth for the mute, in the cause of all who are left desolate.

⁹Open your mouth, judge righteously, and serve justice to the poor and needy."

¹⁰Who can find a worthy woman? For her price is far above rubies.

¹¹The heart of her husband trusts in her. He shall have no lack of gain.

¹²She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.

¹³She seeks wool and flax, and works eagerly with her hands.

¹⁴She is like the merchant ships. She brings her bread from afar.

¹⁵She rises also while it is yet night, gives food to her household, and portions for her servant girls.

¹⁶She considers a field, and buys it. With the fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard.

¹⁷She girds her waist with strength, and makes her arms strong.

¹⁸She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp doesn't go out by night.

¹⁹She lays her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.

²⁰She opens her arms to the poor; yes, she extends her hands to the needy.

²¹She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

²²She makes for herself carpets of tapestry. Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

²³Her husband is respected in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.

²⁴She makes linen garments and sells them, and delivers sashes to the merchant.

²⁵Strength and dignity are her clothing. She laughs at the time to come.

²⁶She opens her mouth with wisdom. Faithful instruction is on her tongue.

²⁷She looks well to the ways of her household, and doesn't eat the bread of idleness.

²⁸Her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also praises her:

²⁹"Many women do noble things, but you excel them all."

³⁰Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.

³¹Give her of the fruit of her hands! Let her works praise her in the gates!