Day Twenty-Three Reading – Psalms 57-59
Psalms 57 ASV
1 For the Chief Musician; set to Al-tash-heth. A Psalm of David. Michtam; when he fled from Saul, in the cave. Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me; For my soul taketh refuge in thee: Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I take refuge, Until these calamities be overpast.
2 I will cry unto God Most High, Unto God that performeth all things for me.
3 He will send from heaven, and save me, When he that would swallow me up reproacheth; Selah God will send forth his lovingkindness and his truth.
4 My soul is among lions; I lie among them that are set on fire, Even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, And their tongue a sharp sword.
5 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; Let thy glory be above all the earth.
6 They have prepared a net for my steps; My soul is bowed down: They have digged a pit before me; They are fallen into the midst thereof themselves. Selah
7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing, yea, I will sing praises.
8 Awake up, my glory; Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will Awake right early.
9 I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the peoples: I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.
10 For thy lovingkindness is great unto the heavens, And thy truth unto the skies.
11 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; Let thy glory be above all the earth.
Psalms 58
1 For the Chief Musician; set to Al-tashheth. A Psalm of David. Michtam. Do ye indeed in silence speak righteousness? Do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?
2 Nay, in heart ye work wickedness; Ye weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth.
3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.
4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: They are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear,
5 Which hearkeneth not to the voice of charmers, Charming never so wisely.
6 Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: Break out the great teeth of the young lions, O Jehovah.
7 Let them melt away as water that runneth apace: When he aimeth his arrows, let them be as though they were cut off.
8 Let them be as a snail which melteth and passeth away, Like the untimely birth of a woman, that hath not seen the sun.
9 Before your pots can feel the thorns, He will take them away with a whirlwind, the green and the burning alike.
10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked;
11 So that men shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: Verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth.
Psalms 59
1 For the Chief Musician; set to Al-tashheth. A Psalm of David. Michtam; when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him. Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: Set me on high from them that rise up against me.
2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, And save me from the bloodthirsty men.
3 For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul; The mighty gather themselves together against me: Not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Jehovah.
4 They run and prepare themselves without my fault: Awake thou to help me, and behold.
5 Even thou, O Jehovah God of hosts, the God of Israel, Arise to visit all the nations: Be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah
6 They return at evening, they howl like a dog, And go round about the city.
7 Behold, they belch out with their mouth; Swords are in their lips: For who, say they, doth hear?
8 But thou, O Jehovah, wilt laugh at them; Thou wilt have all the nations in derision.
9 Because of his strength I will give heed unto thee; For God is my high tower.
10 My God with his lovingkindness will meet me: God will let me see my desire upon mine enemies.
11 Slay them not, lest my people forget: Scatter them by thy power, and bring them down, O Lord our shield.
12 For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips, Let them even be taken in their pride, And for cursing and lying which they speak.
13 Consume them in wrath, consume them, so that they shall be no more: And let them know that God ruleth in Jacob, Unto the ends of the earth. Selah
14 And at evening let them return, let them howl like a dog, And go round about the city.
15 They shall wander up and down for food, And tarry all night if they be not satisfied.
16 But I will sing of thy strength; Yea, I will sing aloud of thy lovingkindness in the morning: For thou hast been my high tower, And a refuge in the day of my distress.
17 Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing praises: For God is my high tower, the God of my mercy.
American Standard Version (ASV): Public Domain