Psalm 5

1 Listen to my words, Lord,
consider my lament.

2 Hear my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.

3 In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait expectantly.

4 For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
with you, evil people are not welcome.

5 The arrogant cannot stand
in your presence.
You hate all who do wrong;

6 you destroy those who tell lies.
The bloodthirsty and deceitful
you, Lord, detest.

7 But I, by your great love,
can come into your house;
in reverence I bow down
toward your holy temple.

8 Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness
because of my enemies—
make your way straight before me.

9 Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
their heart is filled with malice.
Their throat is an open grave;
with their tongues they tell lies.

10 Declare them guilty, O God!
Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,
for they have rebelled against you.

11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

12 Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;
you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

Psalm 6

1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.

2 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint;
heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.

3 My soul is in deep anguish.
How long, Lord, how long?

4 Turn, Lord, and deliver me;
save me because of your unfailing love.

5 Among the dead no one proclaims your name.
Who praises you from the grave?

6 I am worn out from my groaning.
All night long I flood my bed with weeping
and drench my couch with tears.

7 My eyes grow weak with sorrow;
they fail because of all my foes.

8 Away from me, all you who do evil,
for the Lord has heard my weeping.

9 The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;
the Lord accepts my prayer.

10 All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish;
they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.

Psalm 7

1 Lord my God, I take refuge in you;
save and deliver me from all who pursue me,

2 or they will tear me apart like a lion
and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.

3 Lord my God, if I have done this
and there is guilt on my hands—

4 if I have repaid my ally with evil
or without cause have robbed my foe—

5 then let my enemy pursue and overtake me;
let him trample my life to the ground
and make me sleep in the dust.t

6 Arise, Lord, in your anger;
rise up against the rage of my enemies.
Awake, my God; decree justice.

7 Let the assembled peoples gather around you,
while you sit enthroned over them on high.

8 Let the Lord judge the peoples.
Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness,
according to my integrity, O Most High.

9 Bring to an end the violence of the wicked
and make the righteous secure—
you, the righteous God
who probes minds and hearts.

10 My shieldt is God Most High,
who saves the upright in heart.

11 God is a righteous judge,
a God who displays his wrath every day.

12 If he does not relent,
het will sharpen his sword;
he will bend and string his bow.

13 He has prepared his deadly weapons;
he makes ready his flaming arrows.

14 Whoever is pregnant with evil
conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment.

15 Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out
falls into the pit they have made.

16 The trouble they cause recoils on them;
their violence comes down on their own heads.

17 I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness;
I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.