Contents
- Psalm 95
A prayer of praise to the Creator of heaven and earth
- Psalm 51
A plea of the humble man for forgiveness of his sins
- Psalm 131
A prayer of childlike trust in God
- Psalm 91
Thoughts of one who commends himself to God's loving protection
- Psalm 42
A prayer of yearning to see the face of God
- Psalm 130
A cry from the depths of man's soul
- Psalm 121
A prayer of trust in the Lord who watches over his people
- Psalm 84
A prayer of longing for the house of the Lord
- Psalm 100
A song of thanksgiving to the God of eternal love
- Psalm 103
A prayer of blessing for the steadfastness of God's love
- Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd
- Psalm 139
A reflection on the power of the creator in the life of man
- Psalm 27
An upright man's prayer of trust in the Lord
- Psalm 8
Acknowledging the greatness of God and the dignity of man
- Psalm 16
A faithful man's prayer of trust in God
- Psalm 90
A reflection on human frailty and the shortness of life
- Psalm 86
A prayer of a poor man in distress
- Psalm 145
A song in praise of God's greatness and love
- Magnificat
The Virgin's song of praise for the favor of the Lord
- The Prayer of Zechariah
Zechariah's song of praise for the coming of the Messiah
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Psalm 95
A prayer of praise to the Creator of heaven and earth
Come, let us sing to the Lord,
And shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving,
And sing joyful songs to the Lord.
The Lord is God, the mighty God,
The great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth,
And the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him,
The dry land too, for it was formed by his hands.
Come then, let us bow down and worship,
Bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people,
The flock he shepherds.
Today, listen to the voice of the Lord.
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
In the wilderness,
When at Meriba and Massah
They challenged me and provoked me,
Although they had seen all of my works.
Forty years I endured that generation.
I said, "They are a people whose hearts go astray,
And they do not know my ways."
So I swore in my anger,
"They shall not enter into my rest."
Psalm 51
A plea of the humble man for forgiveness of his sins
Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.
In your compassion blot out my offense.
O wash me more and more from my guilt,
And cleanse me from my sin.
My offenses truly I know them;
My sin is always before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned;
What is evil in your sight I have done.
That you may be justified when you punish,
And be without reproach when you judge.
O see, in guilt I was born,
A sinner was I conceived.
Indeed you love truth in the heart;
In the secret of my heart teach me wisdom.
O purify me, then I shall be clean;
O wash me, I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me hear rejoicing and gladness,
That the bones you have crushed may revive.
From my sins turn away your face,
And blot out all my guilt.
A pure heart create for me, O God,
Put a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
Nor deprive me of your holy spirit.
Give me again the joy of your help;
With a spirit of fervor sustain me,
That I may teach transgressors your ways,
And sinners may return to you.
O rescue me, God, my helper,
And my tongue shall ring out your goodness.
O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall declare your praise.
For in sacrifice you take no delight,
Burnt offering from me you would refuse.
My sacrifice, a contrite spirit.
A humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn.
In your goodness show favor to Zion:
Rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Then you will be pleased with lawful sacrifice,
Holocausts offered on your altar.
(Read a reflection on Psalm 51)
Psalm 131
A prayer of childlike trust in God
O Lord, my heart is not proud
Nor haughty my eyes.
I have not gone after things too great
Nor marvels beyond me.
Truly I have set my soul
In silence and peace.
As a child has rest in its mother's arms,
Even so my soul.
O Israel, hope in the Lord
Both now and forever.
Psalm 91
Thoughts of one who commends himself to God's loving protection
You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
Who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
Say to the Lord, "My refuge and fortress,
My God in whom I trust."
God will rescue you from the fowler's snare,
From the destroying plague,
Will shelter you with pinions,
Spread wings that you may take refuge;
God's faithfulness is a protecting shield.
You shall not fear the terror of the night
Nor the arrow that flies by day,
Nor the pestilence that roams in darkness,
Nor the plague that ravages at noon.
Though a thousand fall at your side,
Ten thousand at your right hand,
Near you it shall not come.
You need simply watch;
The punishment of the wicked you will see.
You have the Lord for your refuge;
You have made the Most High your stronghold.
No evil shall befall you,
No affliction come near your tent.
For God commands the angels
To guard you in all your ways.
With their hands they shall support you,
Lest you strike your foot against a stone.
You shall tread upon the asp and the viper,
Trample the lion and the dragon.
"Whoever clings to me I will deliver;
Whoever knows my name I will set on high.
All who call upon me I will answer;
I will be with them in distress;
I will deliver them and give them honor.
With length of days I will satisfy them
And show them my saving power."
Psalm 42
A prayer of yearning to see the face of God
Like the deer that yearns
For running streams,
So my soul is yearning
For you, my God.
My soul is thirsting for God,
The God of my life.
When can I enter and see
The face of God?
My tears have become my bread,
By night, by day,
As I hear it said all the day long:
"Where is your God?"
These things will I remember
As I pour out my soul:
How I would lead the rejoicing crowd
Into the house of God,
Amid cries of gladness and thanksgiving,
The throng wild with joy.
Why are you cast down, my soul,
Why groan within me?
Hope in God; I will praise him still,
My savior and my God.
My soul is cast down within me
As I think of you,
From the country of Jordan
And Mount Hermon,
From the hill of Mizar.
Deep is calling on deep,
In the roar of waters:
Your torrents and all your waves
Swept over me.
By day the Lord will send
His loving kindness;
By night I will sing to him,
Praise the God of my life.
I will say to God, my rock:
"Why have you forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning,
Oppressed by the foe?"
With cries that pierce me to the heart,
My enemies revile me,
Saying to me all the day long:
"Where is your God?"
Why are you cast down, my soul,
Why groan within me?
Hope in God; I will praise him still,
My savior and my God.
Psalm 130
A cry from the depths of man's soul
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord,
Lord, hear my voice!
O let your ears be attentive
To the voice of my pleading.
If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt,
Lord, who would survive?
But with you is found forgiveness.
For this we revere you.
My soul is waiting for the Lord.
I count on his word.
My soul is longing for the Lord
More than watchmen for daybreak.
Let the watchman count on daybreak
And Israel on the Lord.
Because with the Lord there is mercy
And fullness of redemption,
Israel indeed he will redeem
From all its iniquity.
Psalm 121
A prayer of trust in the Lord who watches over his people
I lift up my eyes to the mountains.
From where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the Lord
Who made heaven and earth.
May he never allow you to stumble.
Let him sleep not, your guard.
No, he sleeps not nor slumbers,
Israel's guard.
At your right side he stands.
By day the sun shall not smite you
Nor the moon in the night.
The Lord will guard you from evil,
He will guard your soul.
The Lord will guard your going and coming
Both now and forever.
Psalm 84
A prayer of longing for the house of the Lord
How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord, God of hosts.
My soul is longing and yearning,
Is yearning for the courts of the Lord.
My heart and my soul ring out their joy
To God, the living God.
The sparrow herself finds a home
And the swallow a nest for her brood.
She lays her young by your altars,
Lord of hosts, my king and my God.
They are happy who dwell in your house,
Forever singing your praise.
They are happy whose strength is in you,
In whose hearts are the roads to Zion.
As they go through the Bitter Valley
They make it a place of springs,
The autumn rain covers it with blessings.
They walk with ever growing strength,
They will see the God of gods in Zion.
O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer,
Give ear, O God of Jacob.
Turn your eyes, O God, our shield,
Look on the face of your anointed.
One day within your courts
Is better than a thousand elsewhere.
The threshold of the house of God
I prefer to the dwellings of the wicked.
For the Lord God is a rampart, a shield.
He will give us his favor and glory.
The Lord will not refuse any good
To those who walk without blame.
Lord, God of hosts,
Happy the man who trusts in you!
Psalm 100
A song of thanksgiving to the God of eternal love
Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing for joy.
Know that he the Lord is God.
He made us, we belong to him.
We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
Go within his gates giving thanks.
Enter his courts with songs of praise.
Give thanks to him and bless his name.
Indeed, how good is the Lord,
Eternal his merciful love.
He is faithful from age to age.
Psalm 103
A prayer of blessing for the steadfastness of God's love
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all his benefits.
He pardons all your iniquities,
He heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
He crowns you with kindness and compassion.
He fills your lifetime with good;
Your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The Lord secures justice
And the rights of all the oppressed.
He has made known his ways to Moses,
And his deeds to the children of Israel.
Merciful and gracious is the Lord,
Slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
He will not always chide,
Nor does he keep his wrath forever.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
Nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
So far has he put our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
So the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
For he knows how we are formed;
He remembers that we are dust.
Man's days are like those of grass;
Like a flower of the field he blooms;
The wind sweeps over him and he is gone,
And his place knows him no more.
But the kindness of the Lord is from eternity
To eternity toward those who fear him,
And his justice toward children's children
Among those who keep his covenant
And remember to fulfill his precepts.
The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
And his kingdom rules over all.
Bless the Lord, all you his angels,
You mighty in strength, who do his bidding,
Obeying his spoken word.
Bless the Lord, all you his hosts,
His ministers, who do his will.
Bless the Lord, all his works,
Everywhere in his domain.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Psalm 23
"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want"
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
In green pastures he gives me rest.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths,
For his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the dark valley,
I fear no evil,
For you are with me.
Your rod and staff give me courage.
You prepare a table before me
In the sight of my foes.
You anoint my head with oil,
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and kindness
Will follow me
All the days of my life.
I will dwell in the house of the Lord
For years to come.
Psalm 139
A reflection on the power of the creator in the life of man
Lord, you have probed me, you know me:
You know when I sit and stand;
You understand my thoughts from afar.
My travels and my rest you mark;
With all my ways you are familiar.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
Lord, you know it all.
Behind and before you encircle me
And rest your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is beyond me,
Far too lofty for me to reach.
Where can I hide from your spirit?
From your presence, where can I flee?
If I ascend to the heavens, you are there;
If I lie down in Sheol, you are there too.
If I fly with the wings of dawn
And alight beyond the sea,
Even there your hand will guide me,
Your right hand hold me fast.
If I say, "Surely darkness shall hide me,
And night shall be my light"-
Darkness is not dark for you,
And night shines as the day.
Darkness and light are but one.
You formed my inmost being;
You knit me in my mother's womb.
I praise you, so wonderfully you made me;
Wonderful are your works!
My very self you knew;
My bones were not hidden from you,
When I was being made in secret,
Fashioned as in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes foresaw my actions;
In your book all are written down;
My days were shaped before one came to be.
How precious to me are your designs, O God;
How vast the sum of them!
Were I to count, they would outnumber the sands;
To finish, I would need eternity.
If only you would destroy the wicked, O God,
And the bloodthirsty would depart from me!
Deceitfully they invoke your name;
Your foes swear faithless oaths.
Do I not hate, Lord, those who hate you?
Those who rise against you, do I not loathe?
With fierce hatred I hate them,
Enemies I count as my own.
Probe me, God, know my heart;
Try me, know my concerns.
See if my way is crooked,
Then lead me in the ancient paths.
Psalm 27
An upright man's prayer of trust in the Lord
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
When evildoers assail me
to devour my flesh -
My adversaries and foes -
They shall stumble and fall.
Though an army encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war be waged against me,
Even then will I trust.
One thing I ask of the Lord;
This I seek:
To dwell in the house of the Lord,
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord,
To worship in his temple.
For he will hide me in his shelter
In the day of trouble;
He will conceal me in his tent,
And set me high upon a rock.
Even now my head is held high
Above my enemies on every side.
I will offer in his tent
Sacrifices with shouts of joy.
I will sing praise to the Lord.
Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud,
Have mercy on me and answer me.
"Come," says my heart, "seek his face."
Your face, Lord, I seek.
Do not hide your face from me.
Do not turn your servant away in anger.
You are my help; do not cast me off.
Do not forsake me, God my Savior.
Even if my father and mother forsake me,
The Lord will take me in.
Teach me your way, O Lord,
And lead me on a straight path.
Do not abandon me to the will of my foes,
For false witnesses rise against me.
I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord, take courage.
Be stouthearted; wait for the Lord.
Psalm 8
Acknowledging the greatness of God and the dignity of man
O Lord our God,
How great is your name through all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
From the mouths of infants and children
You have found praise to subdue your enemies,
To silence the foe and the rebel.
When I see the heavens, the work of your hands,
The moon and the stars that you set in place,
What is man that you are mindful of him,
Mortal man that you care for him?
Yet you made him little less than a god;
With glory and honor you crowned him.
You gave him dominion over the works of your hands.
You have put all things under him:
All sheep and oxen,
Even the beasts of the fields,
The birds of the air, the fish of the sea,
All that swim the paths of the sea.
O Lord our God,
How great is your name through all the earth!
Psalm 16
A faithful man's prayer of trust in God
Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the Lord, "You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you."
I delight in the holy ones in the land,
But they who choose other gods multiply their sorrows.
I will not pour out blood offerings to them,
Nor take their names upon my lips.
Lord, you are my allotted portion and my cup;
You have made me secure.
You have measured out pleasant places for me;
Fair to me indeed is my inheritance.
I bless the Lord who guides me;
Even at night my heart exhorts me.
I keep the lord always before me;
With the Lord at my side I shall never be shaken.
My heart is glad, my soul rejoices;
My body also rests secure.
For you will not abandon me to Sheol,
Nor let your faithful one see the Pit.
You show me the path to life,
The fullness of joy in your presence,
And delights at your right hand forever.
Psalm 90
A reflection on human frailty and the shortness of life
Lord, you have been our refuge
through all generations.
Before the mountains were formed,
or the earth and the world brought forth,
you are God without beginning or end.
You turn men back to dust,
and say, "Go back, sons of men."
A thousand years in your eyes
are like yesterday, come and gone,
or like a watch in the night.
You sweep men away like a dream,
like grass that is refreshed in the morning.
In the morning it springs up and is refreshed;
by evening it withers and fades.
For we are consumed by your anger,
by your wrath we are overwhelmed.
Our guilt lies open before you,
our secret sins exposed in your sight.
All our days pass away in your anger,
our years come to an end like a sigh.
The days of our life are seventy years,
or eighty if we are strong.
And most of them are only toil and trouble;
they pass swiftly and we are gone.
Who considers the fierceness of your anger,
and fears the force of your wrath?
Teach us to count our days,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Lord, relent! Is your wrath forever?
Have pity on your servants.
Fill us at daybreak with your love,
that we may rejoice all our days.
Give us joy to balance our affliction,
for all the years when we were troubled.
Show your deeds to your servants,
and your glory to their children.
May the favor of the Lord be upon us.
Prosper the work of our hands.
Prosper the work of our hands.
Psalm 86
A prayer of a poor man in distress
Hear me, O Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
Preserve my life, for I am faithful;
save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God, have mercy on me, Lord;
I cry out to you all the day long.
Give joy to the soul of your servant;
to you, Lord, I lift up my soul.
O Lord, you are good and forgiving,
full of love to all who call on you.
O Lord, hear my prayer;
listen to my cry for help.
In the day of distress I call on you,
for you will answer me.
Among the gods is none like you, O Lord,
nor works to compare with yours.
All the nations you have made shall come
and bow down before you, O Lord,
and give honor to your name.
For you are great and do wondrous deeds;
you alone are God.
Show me, Lord, your way,
that I may walk in your truth.
Guide my heart to revere your name.
I will praise you with all my heart,
and glorify your name forever, O Lord my God.
Great is your steadfast love for me;
you have saved me from the depths of Sheol.
The proud have risen against me,
ruthless men seek my life;
to you they pay no heed.
But you, Lord, are a merciful and gracious God,
slow to anger and abounding
in steadfast love and faithfulness.
Turn to me, have pity on me.
Give your strength to your servant;
save this child of your handmaid.
Show me a sign of your favor
that my foes may see to their shame
that you, Lord, have helped and comforted me.
Psalm 145
A song in praise of God's greatness and love
I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your name forever.
Every day I will bless you,
and praise your name forever.
The Lord is great, highly to be praised,
his greatness is beyond measure.
One generation praises your deeds to the next,
and proclaims your mighty works.
They speak of your splendor and glory,
and tell of your wonderful deeds.
They speak of your fearsome power,
and attest to your great deeds.
They proclaim your abundant goodness,
and joyfully sing of your justice.
The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in love.
The Lord is good to all,
compassionate to all he has made.
All your works give you thanks, O Lord,
and your faithful bless you.
They speak of the glory of your reign,
and tell of your mighty deeds,
to make known to all your great power,
and the glorious splendor of your reign.
Your reign is a reign for all ages,
your dominion for all generations.
The Lord is faithful in all his words,
and gracious in all his deeds.
The Lord supports all who fall,
and raises all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you,
you give them their food in due time.
You open wide your hand,
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
The Lord is just in all his ways,
and gracious in all his deeds.
The Lord is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
He satisfies the desire of all who fear him,
he hears their cry and saves them.
The Lord protects all who love him,
but the wicked he will destroy.
My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord.
All flesh will bless his holy name forever.
The Magnificat
The Virgin's song of praise for the favor of the Lord
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
My spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
For he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed.
The Almighty has done great things for me,
And holy is his name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
In every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
He has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
And has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
For he has remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers,
To Abraham and his children forever.
The Prayer of Zechariah
Zechariah's song of praise for the coming of the Messiah
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel.
He has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
Born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old
That he would save us from our enemies,
From the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
And to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
To set us free from the hands of our enemies,
Free to worship him without fear,
Holy and righteous in his sight
All the days of our life.
You my child shall be called the prophet of the Most High.
For you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
To give his people knowledge of salvation
By the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
The dawn from on high shall break upon us,
To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
And to guide our feet into the way of peace.
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