Psalm 31

A David Psalm

1 I run to you, God; I run for dear life. Don't let me down! Take me seriously this time!2 Get down on my level and listen, and please-no procrastination! Your granite cave a hiding place, your high cliff aerie a place of safety.

3 You're my cave to hide in, my cliff to climb. Be my safe leader, be my true mountain guide.4 Free me from hidden traps; I want to hide in you.5 I've put my life in your hands. You won't drop me, you'll never let me down.

6 I hate all this silly religion, but you, God, I trust.7 I'm leaping and singing in the circle of your love; you saw my pain, you disarmed my tormentors,8 You didn't leave me in their clutches but gave me room to breathe.9 Be kind to me, God-I'm in deep, deep trouble again. I've cried my eyes out; I feel hollow inside.10 My life leaks away, groan by groan; my years fade out in sighs. My troubles have worn me out, turned my bones to powder.11 To my enemies I'm a monster; I'm ridiculed by the neighbors. My friends are horrified; they cross the street to avoid me.12 They want to blot me from memory, forget me like a corpse in a grave, discard me like a broken dish in the trash.13 The street-talk gossip has me "criminally insane"! Behind locked doors they plot how to ruin me for good.

14 Desperate, I throw myself on you: you are my God!15 Hour by hour I place my days in your hand, safe from the hands out to get me.16 Warm me, your servant, with a smile; save me because you love me.17 Don't embarrass me by not showing up; I've given you plenty of notice. Embarrass the wicked, stand them up, leave them stupidly shaking their heads as they drift down to hell.18 Gag those loudmouthed liars who heckle me, your follower, with jeers and catcalls.

19 What a stack of blessing you have piled up for those who worship you, Ready and waiting for all who run to you to escape an unkind world.20 You hide them safely away from the opposition. As you slam the door on those oily, mocking faces, you silence the poisonous gossip.21 Blessed God! His love is the wonder of the world.22 I panicked. "Out of sight, out of mind," I said. But you heard me say it, you heard and listened.

23 Love God, all you saints; God takes care of all who stay close to him, But he pays back in full those arrogant enough to go it alone.

24 Be brave. Be strong. Don't give up. Expect God to get here soon.

Psalm 32

A David Psalm

1 Count yourself lucky, how happy you must be-you get a fresh start, your slate's wiped clean.

2 Count yourself lucky-God holds nothing against you and you're holding nothing back from him.

3 When I kept it all inside, my bones turned to powder, my words became daylong groans.

4 The pressure never let up; all the juices of my life dried up.

5 Then I let it all out; I said, "I'll make a clean breast of my failures to God." Suddenly the pressure was gone-my guilt dissolved, my sin disappeared.

6 These things add up. Every one of us needs to pray; when all hell breaks loose and the dam bursts we'll be on high ground, untouched.

7 God's my island hideaway, keeps danger far from the shore, throws garlands of hosannas around my neck.

8 Let me give you some good advice; I'm looking you in the eye and giving it to you straight:

9 "Don't be ornery like a horse or mule that needs bit and bridle to stay on track."

10 God-defiers are always in trouble; God-affirmers find themselves loved every time they turn around.

11 Celebrate God. Sing together-everyone! All you honest hearts, raise the roof!

Psalm 33

1 Good people, cheer God! Right-living people sound best when praising.2 Use guitars to reinforce your Hallelujahs! Play his praise on a grand piano!3 Invent your own new song to him; give him a trumpet fanfare.

4 For God's Word is solid to the core; everything he makes is sound inside and out.5 He loves it when everything fits, when his world is in plumb-line true. Earth is drenched in God's affectionate satisfaction.

6 The skies were made by God's command; he breathed the word and the stars popped out.7 He scooped Sea into his jug, put Ocean in his keg.

8 Earth-creatures, bow before God; world-dwellers-down on your knees!9 Here's why: he spoke and there it was, in place the moment he said so.

10 God takes the wind out of Babel pretense, he shoots down the world's power-schemes.11 God's plan for the world stands up, all his designs are made to last.12 Blessed is the country with God for God; blessed are the people he's put in his will.

13 From high in the skies God looks around, he sees all Adam's brood.14 From where he sits he overlooks all us earth-dwellers.15 He has shaped each person in turn; now he watches everything we do.

16 No king succeeds with a big army alone, no warrior wins by brute strength.17 Horsepower is not the answer; no one gets by on muscle alone.

18 Watch this: God's eye is on those who respect him, the ones who are looking for his love.19 He's ready to come to their rescue in bad times; in lean times he keeps body and soul together.

20 We're depending on God; he's everything we need.21 What's more, our hearts brim with joy since we've taken for our own his holy name.22 Love us, God, with all you've got-that's what we're depending on.