said, “Against myself I will confess my iniquity to the Lord.”
Thus you forgave the wickedness
of my heart.
6. Because of this, every pious person shall pray to you in due season,
even a deluge of many waters would not approach him.
7. You are my refuge from the affliction which encircles me,
my joy, to redeem me from those who encompass me.
8. I will instruct you and guide you in the way you should go;
I will steadfastly fix my eyes upon you.
9. Be not like horse and mule,
which have no understanding,
whose mouths you must restrain with bridle and bit,
when they do not respond to you.
10. Many are the scourges of the sinner,
but mercy will encompass the one who trusts in the Lord.
11. Be glad in the Lord and exult you righteous,
and glory all you who are upright
of heart.
Psalm 34
1. Judge them, O Lord, those who wrong me.
Fight against those who are at war
with me.
2. Grab shield and buckler,
and rise to my defense.
3. Wield a sword and fend off
my pursuers;
say to my soul, I am your deliverance.
4. Let those who seek my life be ashamed and confounded;
let those who devise evils against me be thwarted and put to shame.
5. Let them be like dust before the wind,
with an angel of the Lord
afflicting them.
6. Let their path be dark and slippery,
with an angel of the Lord pursuing them.
7. For without cause they have hid their destructive snare for me,
and without basis they have reproached my soul.
8. Let a snare which they see
not catch them,
and the trap which they have
hidden snap;
and by that very snare let them
fall victim.
9. But my soul shall exult in the Lord,
and take delight in his salvation.
10. All my bones shall declare,
O Lord, who is like you!
Delivering the poor from the hand which is stronger,
the poor and needy from their despoilers.
11. Unjust witnesses arose,
and charged me with things I knew not.
12. They paid me back evil for good,
even bereavement to my soul.
13. But I, when they troubled me,
clothed myself in sackcloth,
and humbled my soul with fasting,
and my prayer shall be directed
to my bosom.
14. I behaved kindly towards them,
as to one of our neighbors or to
a brother.
I humbled myself as one mourning,
as one sad of countenance.
15. But they rejoiced over me gathering together,
scourges were brought against me, and I didn’t know it.
They were scattered, but they felt no compunction.
16. They tested and tortured me,
they sneered at me most contemptuously,
they gnashed their teeth at me.
17. O Lord, when will you look down upon me?
Deliver my soul from their malice,
my only-begotten from the lions.
18. I will give you thanks in the great assembly,
amid vast throngs I will praise you.
19. Let not those who are my enemies for no reason,
rejoice over me;
those who hate me without cause,
who wink at each other.
20. For indeed in my presence they spoke peaceably,
but with rage they were weaving plots.
21. Then their mouths opened wide against me,
blurting, “Aha! Aha! Our own eyes have seen it!”
22. You, O Lord have seen!
Do not remain silent!
O Lord, do not draw away from me!
23. Rise up, O Lord, and attend
to my trial,
O my God and my Lord, for the sake of my cause.
24. Judge me, O Lord,
according to your righteousness,
O Lord my God;
and let them not rejoice on
