[Verse 1]
Blessed is the one who does not walk
In step with the wicked souls, yeah
Or stand in the way that sinners take
But they take delight
In the law of the Lord
They meditate day and night

[Chorus]
Like a tree by streams of water (oh yeah)
Bearing fruit in its season
Leaf does not wither
They'll prosper all year long

[Verse 2]
Not so the wicked, they are like chaff
Blown by winds, they are scattered far away, oh
The way of the righteous is watched by the Lord
The way of the wicked leads to destruction
But the blessed one stands firm
Meditates day and night

[Chorus]
Like a tree by streams of water (oh yeah)
Bearing fruit in its season
Leaf does not wither
They'll prosper all year long

[Bridge]
The Lord watches over the way, the way
The way of the righteous soul, yeah
But the wicked will perish
They will perish on their own

[Chorus]
Like a tree by streams of water (oh yeah)
Bearing fruit in its season
Leaf does not wither
They'll prosper all year long

[Verse]

Answer me oh Lord

When I call to you

Give me relief

Hear my prayer

[Verse 2]

How long oh men

Turn my glory to shame

Love delusions

Seek false gods

[Chorus]

Tremble and sin not

On your bed be still

Offer right sacrifices

Trust in the Lord

[Verse]

Many ask who

Can show us good

Let your face

Shine upon us

[Bridge]

Fill my heart Lord

With joy anew

More than grain

Or new wine

[Chorus]

Tremble and sin not

On your bed be still

Offer right sacrifices

Trust in the Lord

Lyrics:

Give ear to my words, O Lord;

give heed to my groaning.

Hearken to the sound of my cry,

my King and my God,

for to thee do I pray.

O Lord, in the morning thou dost hear my voice;

in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for thee, and watch.

For thou art not a God who delights in wickedness;

evil may not sojourn with thee.

The boastful may not stand before thy eyes;

thou hatest all evildoers.

Thou destroyest those who speak lies;

the Lord abhors bloodthirsty and deceitful men.

But I through the abundance of thy steadfast love

will enter thy house,

I will worship toward thy holy temple

in the fear of thee.

Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness

because of my enemies;

make thy way straight before me.

For there is no truth in their mouth;

their heart is destruction,

their throat is an open sepulchre;

they flatter with their tongue.

Make them bear their guilt, O God;

let them fall by their own counsels;

because of their many transgressions cast them out,

for they have rebelled against thee.

But let all who take refuge in thee rejoice,

let them ever sing for joy;

and do thou defend them,

that those who love thy name may exult in thee.

For thou dost bless the righteous, O Lord;

thou dost cover him with favor as with a shield.

, A new song we will sing

מזמור קודש זה

This holy psalm

[בית א]
אל ה' בצרתי קראתי,

To the Lord in my distress I called,

ויענני

And He answered me.

ה' הציל נפשי משפת שקר

The Lord saved my soul from lying l

מלשון רמייה,

From a deceitful tongue.

מה תיתן לך

What will it give you,

ומה יוסיף לך, לשון רמייה?

And what will it add to you, deceitful tongue?

חיצי גיבור שנונים עם גחלי רתמים

Sharp arrows of the mighty with coals of broom.

[פזמון]
שיר חדש נשיר,

A new song we will sing,

מזמור קודש זה

This holy psalm

[בית ב]
אוי לי כי גרתי משך

Woe is me, for I have sojourned in

Meshech,

שכנתי עם אהלי קדר

I have dwelt among the tents of Kedar.

רבת שכנה נפשי

My soul has long dwelt

לשנא שלום, אני שלום

With those who hate peace. I am for peace,

וכי אדבר המה למלחמה

But when I speak, they are for war.

[פזמון]
שיר חדש נשיר

, A new song we will sing,

מזמור קודש זה

This holy psalm

[ברידג']
קולי אשמיע בתפילה

My voice I will raise in prayer,

ליבי יזעק בשירה

My heart will cry out in song,

התקוה שלי תאיר

My hope will shine,

ובאמונה אביט

And in faith I will gaze.

Psalm 120 A song of ascents.

1

I call on the LORD in my distress, and he answers me.

2

Save me, O LORD, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues.

3

What will he do to you, and what more besides, O deceitful tongue?

4

He will punish you with a warrior's sharp arrows, with burning coals of the broom tree.

5

Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar!

6

Too long have I lived among those who hate peace.

7

I am a man of peace; but when I speak, they are for war.

Lyrics:

1

The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.

2

Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity.

3

The seas have lifted up, O LORD, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.

4

Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea-- the LORD on high is mighty.

5

Your statutes stand firm; holiness adorns your house for endless days, O LORD.

Psalm 149

1. Praise the LORD. [1] Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints.

2. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King.

3. Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp.

4. For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation.

5. Let the saints rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds.

6. May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands,

7. to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples,

8. to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron,

9. to carry out the sentence written against them. This is the glory of all his saints. Praise the LORD.

[1] Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 9

Mes pieds déjà sont entrés
My feet have already entered

Jérusalem, beaux sont tes murs
Jerusalem, beautiful are your walls

Lieu des tribus, cœur des jours purs
Place of the tribes, heart of pure days

Où les trônes siègent en paix
Where the thrones sit in peace

Pour rendre à Dieu grâces sans fin
To give thanks to God endlessly

[Refrain]
[Chorus]
Que la paix soit
May there be peace

Ouh ouh ouh
Ooh ooh ooh

[Couplet 2]
[Verse 2]
Priez pour la paix de Sion
Pray for the peace of Zion

Que prospèrent ceux qui t’aiment
May those who love you prosper

Le bonheur soit dans tes murs
May happiness be within your walls

La sérénité dans tes tours
Serenity within your towers

Pour l'amour de mes frères et amis
For the love of my brothers and friends

Je dirai : "Paix sur toi, Sion"
I will say: "Peace be upon you, Zion"

[Refrain]
[Chorus]
Que la paix soit
May there be peace

Ouh ouh ouh
Ooh ooh ooh

[Pont]
[Bridge]
Pour la maison de l’Éternel
For the house of the Eternal

Je cherche ton bien Jérusalem
I seek your well-being, Jerusalem

[Refrain]
[Chorus]
Que la paix soit
May there be peace

Ouh ouh ouh
Ooh ooh ooh

[Verse 1]
Oh, lift our eyes
to You enthroned above
Oh, we look to You
For mercy and grace
For we are Your servants
Bound by Your love

[Chorus]
Lift us up, lift us high
Your kindness we seek
Our hearts are calling
To You, hear our plea

[Verse 2]
Just as eyes watch
the hands of their master
So our gaze is fixed
On You, divine Savior
Have mercy on us
We wait in Your favor

[Chorus]
Lift us up, lift us high
Your kindness we seek
Our hearts are calling
To You, hear our plea

[Bridge]
We've faced enough contempt
Mocked by those at ease
Our souls are weary
Oh Lord, send us peace

[Chorus]
Lift us up, lift us high
Your kindness we seek
Our hearts are calling
To You, hear our plea

[Verse 1]
(If it weren't for you)
O Lord, where would we be?
Enemies would have swallowed us whole, oh
With the waters rushing over our soul, oh
Blessed be the Lord, whose help sets us free
He breaks the snare and gives us peace, oh

[Chorus]

Our help is in the name (of the Lord)
Who made heaven and earth (oh Lord)
Our help is in the name (of the Lord)
O Lord, you give us worth

[Verse 2]
(When the mighty storm)
Came to take us away
With the flood we faced, so fierce each day, oh
But our God, he made a way, oh
He didn’t let their teeth tear us apart
Set us free, blessed be his heart, oh

[Chorus]

Our help is in the name (of the Lord)
Who made heaven and earth (oh Lord)
Our help is in the name (of the Lord)
O Lord, you give us worth

[Bridge]

Oh, saved from the snare
Blessed be his care
Like a bird set free
He's watched over thee

[Chorus]

Our help is in the name (of the Lord)
Who made heaven and earth (oh Lord)
Our help is in the name (of the Lord)
O Lord, you give us worth
Accordions play, fiddles join in
Dancing feet, where do we begin?

[Chorus]

Our help is in the name (of the Lord)
Who made heaven and earth (oh Lord)
Our help is in the name (of the Lord)
O Lord, you give us worth

[Verse 1]
(Praise the Lord, praise God in His sanctuary)
Let the trumpets sound
(Praise Him in His mighty heavens)
Feel the joy all around
(Praise Him for His acts of power)
Lift your voice, shout His praise
(Praise Him for His surpassing greatness)
Sing Hosanna, our hands we raise

[Chorus]
(Praise Him)
With the clash of cymbals
(Praise Him)
With tambourine and dance

[Verse 2]
(Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet)
Let the music fill the air
(Praise Him with the harp and lyre)
God’s love is everywhere
(Praise Him with the timbrel and dance)
With every breath, we'll sing
(Praise Him with the strings and pipe)
Lift up His holy name, let it ring

[Chorus]
(Praise Him)
With the clash of cymbals
(Praise Him)
With tambourine and dance

[Bridge]
(Praise the Lord, let everything that has breath)
Praise the Lord, forever sing
(Praise the Lord, let everything that has breath)
Praise the Lord, our mighty King

[Chorus]
(Praise Him)
With the clash of cymbals
(Praise Him)
With tambourine and dance

揺るがない城
Yuruganai shiro
An unshakable fortress

エルサレムの谷 깊く
Erusaremu no tani fukaku
The valley of Jerusalem, deeply

ずっと保たれる
Zutto tamotareru
Forever preserved

[Verse 2]
正しい者の道よ
Tadashii mono no michi yo
O path of the righteous

悪の杖が触れない
Aku no tsue ga furenai
The rod of wickedness will not touch

地の産物 美味しい
Chi no sanbutsu oishii
The produce of the earth, delicious

力ある者に与えられる
Chikara aru mono ni ataerareru
Is given to the strong

(Note here it seems like the AI might be trying

to express this thought:

The scepter of the wicked will not remain over the land allotted to the righteous, for then the righteous might use their hands to do evil.

[Chorus]
信じる者は山のよう
Shinjiru mono wa yama no you
Those who believe are like the mountain

エルサレムの山に
Erusaremu no yama ni
On the mountain of Jerusalem

守られる 永遠に
Mamorareru eien ni
Protected forever

愛の手がそこにある
Ai no te ga soko ni aru
The hand of love is there

[Verse 3]
正義と平和の家よ
Seigi to heiwa no ie yo
O house of justice and peace

心の中の道
Kokoro no naka no michi
The path within the heart

神の御手が守る
Kami no mite ga mamoru
God's hand protects

彼らは揺るがない
Karera wa yuruganai
They are unshakable

[Bridge]
悪しき者の道を去り
Ashiki mono no michi o sari
Depart from the path of the wicked

正しい心持つ者よ
Tadashii kokoro motsu mono yo
O those who hold a righteous heart

すべての苦しみから
Subete no kurushimi kara
From all suffering

光見える日が来る
Hikari mieru hi ga kuru
The day when light is seen will come

[Verse 4]
信じる者の上に
Shinjiru mono no ue ni
Upon those who believe

神の慈愛光る
Kami no jiai hikaru
God's merciful love shines

農家の手に実る
Nouka no te ni minoru
It bears fruit in the hands of the farmer

地の優れたもの
Chi no sugureta mono
The excellent things of the earth

1

Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.

2

As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people both now and forevermore.

3

The scepter of the wicked will not remain over the land allotted to the righteous, for then the righteous might use their hands to do evil.

4

Do good, O LORD, to those who are good, to those who are upright in heart.

5

But those who turn to crooked ways the LORD will banish with the evildoers. Peace be upon Israel.

[Verse 1]
עבָּר בהמותַּי במִדבָּר
Avar b'hemotai bamidbar
My cattle passed through the desert

מול מים זורם
Mul mayim zorem
Facing flowing water

אֶדָעָה כלָּה
Ed'ah kallah
I will know completeness

הִמָצֵא נַתוּן
Himatzeh natun
Found to be given

[Chorus]
אָדנַי רוֹעִי
Adonai ro'i
The Lord is my shepherd

לא אחְסָר
Lo echsar
I shall not lack

בִּמִנחֹותַ ענעֵני
B'menuchot anehni
He leads me in peaceful pastures

נֻחֶנִי
Nuheni
He guides me

[Verse 2]
גוֹמֵל מתי מלאֵכָי
Gomel motai mal'achai
He rewards my departed ones, my angels

להַרְשוֹת לי לַנְועַ
Leharshot li lanu'a
To allow me to move

בְּרִיתעו הַר בְּעוּוד
B'rita'o har b'ud
In His covenant, the mountain is with me
בִּמקִלי ידני
Bimkli yadni
With my staff in my hand

[Chorus]
אָדנַי רוֹעִי
Adonai ro'i
The Lord is my shepherd

לא אחְסָר
Lo echsar
I shall not lack
בִּמִנחֹותַ ענעֵני
B'menuchot anehni
He leads me in peaceful pastures
נֻחֶנִי
Nuheni
He guides me

[Bridge]
צל מִות לא אפַחד
Tzel mavet lo efchad
I will not fear the shadow of death

אֶהֵי כִִַמְנוּכָּה
Eheyeh kimnuchah
I will be like a resting place

רֹשִי שִמֶןֵ אֵלֵיךָ
Roshi shemen eilecha
My head anointed with oil for You

בֵלִבי עִמוקַה
Belibi amukah
In my deep heart

[Chorus]
אָדנַי רוֹעִי
Adonai ro'i
The Lord is my shepherd

לא אחְסָר
Lo echsar
I shall not lack

בִּמִנחֹותַ ענעֵני
B'menuchot anehni
He leads me in peaceful pastures

נֻחֶנִי
Nuheni
He guides me

[Verse 1]
When the Lord restored Zion's pursue
We felt like we were dreamin' true
Our laughter was our joy, so bright
And all the songs we sang at night
Among the nations, said clear
The Lord has done great things here

[Chorus]
The Lord has done great things
We are filled with joy
The Lord has done great things
We are filled with joy

[Verse 2]
Restore our fortunes back, oh Lord
Like streams renew the desert floor
Those who weep will harvest, come
With songs of joy and bounty won
Carrying sheaves of golden light
Rejoicing in the morning bright

[Chorus]
The Lord has done great things
We are filled with joy
The Lord has done great things
We are filled with joy

[Bridge]
We were like those who dreamed
Our mouths with laughter beamed
Songs of joy filled our hearts
The Lord lights up our paths

[Chorus]
The Lord has done great things
We are filled with joy
The Lord has done great things
We are filled with joy

Hear the Chat GPT summary read aloud read here

Here is the entire exposition read aloud.

Here is a link to where one can hear read aloud Augustine's entire commentary on Psalm 3

Here is the entire exposition.

Here is the entire commentary read aloud.

[Verse 1]
When the Lord restored
Zion's fortunes we were like
Those who dreamed with laughter and
Our hearts filled with joy
We sang praises to our God
Proclaimed to all nations

[Chorus]
The Lord has done great things
The Lord has done great things
For us, brings joy again
The Lord has done great things

[Verse 2]
Let our fortunes be
Restored, streams in the desert
Like those who sow in sorrow
Reap in songs of joy
Carrying sheaves of gladness
Brought back home once more

[Chorus]
The Lord has done great things
The Lord has done great things
For us, brings joy again
The Lord has done great things

[Bridge]
Tears may-nightly fall
But morning brings joy
Harvest from each toil
The Lord has done great things

[Chorus]
The Lord has done great things
The Lord has done great things
For us, brings joy again
The Lord has done great things

Psalm 126 A song of ascents.

1

When the LORD brought back the captives to ^[1] Zion, we were like men who dreamed. ^[2]

2

Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them."

3

The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

4

Restore our fortunes, ^[3] O LORD, like streams in the Negev.

5

Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.

6

He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.

1. [1] Or LORD restored the fortunes of

2. [1] Or men restored to health

3. [4] Or Bring back our captives

Overview of Psalm 126

Psalm 126 is a psalm of thanksgiving and hope, celebrating the return of the Israelites from captivity and expressing confidence in God’s continued blessings. It is often associated with the return from the Babylonian exile, but Augustine interprets it with a broader spiritual application, particularly in relation to the Christian experience.

Augustine’s Key Themes and Interpretation

1. Joyful Restoration:

   • Augustine begins by reflecting on the opening verse, which describes the joy of the Israelites when the Lord restored their fortunes. He interprets this restoration as symbolic of spiritual renewal and salvation, which brings great joy to those who experience it.

   • He likens the return from exile to the spiritual awakening that occurs when a person turns back to God after being in the captivity of sin. The joy described is not just historical but also representative of the joy of salvation in Christ.

     
     

2. The Dream-like Nature of Salvation:

   • The psalm describes the restoration as being like a dream. Augustine interprets this as expressing the overwhelming, almost unbelievable joy that comes with divine intervention. Just as a dream can seem too good to be true, so too does the salvation and restoration provided by God exceed all expectations.

   • Augustine emphasizes that God’s works often surpass human understanding and imagination, filling believers with awe and gratitude.

     
     

3. Sowing in Tears, Reaping in Joy:

   • A key theme in Psalm 126 is the contrast between the sorrow of sowing and the joy of reaping. Augustine interprets this as a metaphor for the Christian life, where hardships and trials (sowing in tears) lead to eventual blessings and joy (reaping in joy).

   • Augustine sees this as an encouragement to persevere in faith and righteousness, even when the present circumstances are difficult, trusting that God will bring about a fruitful and joyful outcome.

     
     

4. The Collective Experience of Restoration:

   • Augustine notes that the psalm speaks in collective terms, reflecting the communal nature of the Israelites’ experience. He extends this to the Church, emphasizing that the restoration and joy of God’s people are shared experiences.

   • This communal aspect is important in Augustine’s theology, where the Church is seen as the body of Christ, and the joys and sufferings of individual members are interconnected.

     
     

5. The Future Hope of Full Restoration:

   • While the psalm celebrates a past act of restoration, Augustine also sees it as expressing hope for future and complete restoration. He interprets this in the context of the Christian hope for the final resurrection and the full realization of God’s kingdom.

   • Augustine emphasizes that the current joy and blessings are a foretaste of the ultimate restoration that will come when Christ returns, and all things are made new.

     
     

6. God’s Faithfulness:

   • Augustine underscores the faithfulness of God in bringing about restoration and fulfilling His promises. The psalm’s confidence in God’s ability to turn sorrow into joy reflects a deep trust in God’s providence.

   • This trust in God’s faithfulness is central to Augustine’s interpretation, encouraging believers to remain hopeful and steadfast, knowing that God will fulfill His promises.

     
     

Conclusion

Augustine’s exposition of Psalm 126 focuses on the themes of joy, restoration, and hope, interpreting the psalm as a powerful reminder of God’s ability to bring about transformation and renewal. He sees the psalm as both a historical reflection on the Israelites’ return from exile and a spiritual allegory for the Christian experience of salvation. The psalm’s message is one of encouragement, urging believers to trust in God’s faithfulness, persevere through hardships, and look forward to the ultimate joy of full restoration in God’s kingdom.

Overview of Psalm 125

Psalm 125 is a Song of Ascents, expressing confidence in God's protection of His people and the security of those who trust in Him. It contrasts the steadfastness of the righteous with the eventual downfall of the wicked.

Augustine’s Key Themes and Interpretation

1. The Stability of the Righteous:

   • Augustine reflects on the opening verse, "Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever." He interprets this as an assurance of the unshakeable stability and security of those who place their trust in God.

   • Augustine compares Mount Zion to the Church and individual believers, emphasizing that just as the mountain stands firm, so too will the faith of the righteous remain strong and enduring, sustained by God’s protection.

     
     

2. God’s Protection Surrounding the Righteous:

   • The psalm speaks of God surrounding His people as the mountains surround Jerusalem. Augustine sees this as a metaphor for God’s encompassing protection over His Church and the faithful.

   • He interprets this divine protection as not only physical but also spiritual, guarding believers from spiritual dangers and the influence of evil.

     
     

3. The Fate of the Wicked:

   • Augustine discusses the verse that says, "The scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous." He interprets this as a promise that while the wicked may temporarily seem to have power, their influence will not endure over the righteous.

   • Augustine emphasizes that the rule of the wicked is temporary and that God will ensure that the righteous are not overwhelmed by evil. This reflects his belief in the ultimate triumph of good over evil.

     
     

4. The Importance of Righteousness:

   • The psalm distinguishes between the righteous and those who turn aside to crooked ways. Augustine interprets this as a warning to remain steadfast in righteousness and not to be led astray by the deceitfulness of sin.

   • He stresses that those who deviate from the path of righteousness will face the consequences of their actions, while those who remain faithful will be rewarded with God’s peace.

     
     

5. Peace for the Faithful:

   • The psalm concludes with a prayer for peace upon Israel. Augustine interprets this peace as the inner tranquility and spiritual well-being that comes from living in alignment with God’s will.

   • Augustine connects this peace with the presence of God in the lives of believers, suggesting that true peace is found only in trusting God and following His ways.

     
     

Conclusion

Augustine’s exposition of Psalm 125 presents it as a powerful affirmation of the security and stability that comes from trusting in God. He interprets the psalm as a promise of divine protection for the righteous and a warning against the fleeting power of the wicked. Augustine emphasizes the importance of maintaining righteousness and trusting in God’s enduring presence and protection. The psalm encourages believers to remain firm in their faith, assured that God’s peace and security will surround them, just as the mountains surround Jerusalem.

[Verse 1]
Give ear to my words, O Lord,
Consider my meditation,
Hearken unto the voice of my cry,
My King and my God.
For unto thee will I pray,
Unto thee will I pray.

[Chorus]
In the morning, Lord, my voice you shall hear,
In the morning, Lord, my prayer I direct to thee.
In the morning, Lord, I'll look up and see,
I'll look up and see.

[Verse 2]
For thou art not a God
That hath pleasure in wickedness;
Neither shall evil dwell with thee.
The foolish shall not stand.
In thy sight, O Lord,
In thy sight, O Lord.

[Chorus]
In the morning, Lord, my voice you shall hear,
In the morning, Lord, my prayer I direct to thee.
In the morning, Lord, I'll look up and see,
I'll look up and see.

[Bridge]
But as for me, I will come,
Into thy house in abundance of thy mercy;
And in thy fear, Lord, I will,
Worship towards thy holy temple.

[Chorus]
In the morning, Lord, my voice you shall hear,
In the morning, Lord, my prayer I direct to thee.
In the morning, Lord, I'll look up and see,
I'll look up and see.

Lyrics:

[Verse]

O Lord rebuke me not in anger

Nor chasten me in wrath

Have mercy Lord I am weak

Heal me for my bones are vexed

[Verse 2]

My soul is troubled greatly

O Lord how long

Return O Lord deliver my soul

Save me for Thy mercy's sake

[Chorus]

In death there's no remembrance

In the grave who shall give Thee thanks

I am weary with my groaning

All night I make my bed to swim

[Verse 3]

Mine eye is wasted with grief

It grows old because of foes

Depart from me all workers of iniquity

The Lord has heard my weeping

[Final Verse]

The Lord has heard my supplication

The Lord will receive my prayer

Let my enemies be ashamed and vexed

Let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly

[Chorus]

In death there's no remembrance

In the grave who shall give Thee thanks

I am weary with my groaning

All night I make my bed to swim

[Verse 1]
Answer me when I call (Answer me when I call)
O God of my righteousness (O God of my righteousness)
You have given me relief (You have given me relief)
When I was in distress (When I was in distress)
Be gracious to me (Be gracious to me)
And hear my prayer (And hear my prayer)

[Chorus]
For the Lord hears me (For the Lord hears me)
For the Lord hears me (For the Lord hears me)

[Verse 2]
O men, how long shall my honor (O men, how long shall my honor)
Be turned into shame? (Be turned into shame?)
How long will you love vain words (How long will you love vain words)
And seek after lies? (And seek after lies?)
But know that the Lord has set apart (But know that the Lord has set apart)
The godly for himself (The godly for himself)

[Chorus]
For the Lord hears me (For the Lord hears me)
For the Lord hears me (For the Lord hears me)

[Bridge]
In peace I will both lie down (In peace I will both lie down)
And sleep, for you alone (And sleep, for you alone)
O Lord, make me dwell in safety (O Lord, make me dwell in safety)
In peace I lie down (In peace I lie down)

[Chorus]
For the Lord hears me (For the Lord hears me)
For the Lord hears me (For the Lord hears me)

Hear read aloud here.

Full text of Augustine's Commentary on Psalm 2 read aloud is here.

O Lord In thy wrath rebuke me not

Nor in thy anger chide

My bones they are troubled and fraught

In thee my soul reside

[Verse 2]

Mercy O Lord for I am weak

My wearied frame so frail

With weary sighs my heart does speak

As twilight paints the vale

[Chorus]

Return O Lord deliver me

Save for thy mercy's sake

In death no more thy face we'll see

Nor songs of life partake

[Verse 3]

I'm weary with my groaning voice

Each night bedims my sight

My tears they drench my resting place

Till dawn's reluctant light

[Verse 4]

Depart from me ye workers ill

The Lord has heard my plea

With trembling hands

My cup he fills from sorrow sets me free

[Chorus]

Return O Lord deliver me

Save for thy mercy's sake

In death no more thy face we'll see

Nor songs of life partake

Here is the entire exposition

[Chorus]
I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart
I'll tell of all your wonders
I'll be glad, and rejoice in you
I'll sing the praises of your name

[Verse 1]
Enemies turn back, they stumble, then they perish
You upheld my right, sat on your throne
Rebuked the nations, destroyed the wicked
Blotted out their names, for ever and ever

[Chorus]
I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart
I'll tell of all your wonders
I'll be glad, and rejoice in you
I'll sing the praises of your name

[Verse 2]
Endless ruin, the enemy is overthrown
Uprooted cities, memory has perished
The Lord reigns forever, established his throne
Judges the world, with justice and truth

[Chorus]
I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart
I'll tell of all your wonders
I'll be glad, and rejoice in you
I'll sing the praises of your name

[Bridge]
The Lord is a refuge, in times of trouble
He never forsakes, those who seek him
Sing the praises, to the Lord enthroned
Proclaim among nations, what he's done

[Chorus]
I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart
I'll tell of all your wonders
I'll be glad, and rejoice in you
I'll sing the praises of your name

[Verse 1]
I will praise You, Lord, with all my heart
I will tell of all Your marvelous works
I will be glad and rejoice in You (You)
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High
When my enemies turn back, they shall fall
And perish at Your presence (Your presence)

[Chorus]
O Lord, our refuge
Justice will reign true
Your name I will carry
O Most High, I will sing

[Verse 2]
You have rebuked the nations, destroyed the wicked
Blotted out their name forever and ever
The enemy has come to an end (come to an end)
Their cities destroyed, memorials perished
But the Lord shall endure forever
He has prepared His throne for judgment (judgment)

[Chorus]
O Lord, our refuge
Justice will reign true
Your name I will carry
O Most High, I will sing

[Bridge]
The Lord will be a refuge for the oppressed
A refuge in times of trouble (trouble)
And they that know Your name will trust in You
For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You

[Chorus]
O Lord, our refuge
Justice will reign true
Your name I will carry
O Most High, I will sing
[Outro]
The nations have sunk down in the pit they made
In the net which they hid, their own foot is caught
Though the wicked return to the depths of Sheol
The hope of the needy will not be forgotten
Join the chorus, raise voices high
For the harmony of justice we'll unify
Under the shadow of celestial light
O Most High, in Your truth we'll abide

[Chorus]
O Lord, our refuge
Justice will reign true

1. Praise and Thanksgiving to God:

• Augustine begins by emphasizing the psalmist’s commitment to praising God with his whole heart. He sees this as an expression of sincere devotion and gratitude for God’s past deeds, particularly for deliverance from enemies. Augustine encourages believers to adopt this attitude of continual praise, recognizing God’s works in their lives.

2. God as the Righteous Judge:

• A central theme in Psalm 9 is the portrayal of God as the righteous judge who upholds justice. Augustine interprets this as a reassurance that God will ultimately bring justice to the world, punishing the wicked and vindicating the righteous. He views God’s judgments as both a present reality and a future promise, emphasizing the certainty of divine justice.

  
  

3. The Destruction of the Wicked:

• Augustine reflects on the psalm’s depiction of the destruction of the wicked and the erasure of their memory. He interprets this as symbolic of the ultimate defeat of evil and sin. Augustine suggests that the wicked, who live without regard for God, will face consequences that will obliterate their legacy, whereas the righteous will be remembered and honored by God.

  
  

4. The Refuge for the Oppressed:

• The psalm describes God as a refuge for the oppressed and those who know His name. Augustine interprets this as a promise of God’s protection and support for those who seek Him, particularly in times of trouble. He encourages believers to trust in God’s provision and care, especially when facing adversity.

  
  

5. The Role of Prayer:

• Augustine emphasizes the importance of prayer in the life of the believer, as the psalmist calls on God to arise and not let man prevail. He sees this as a model for how Christians should respond to challenges, by turning to God in prayer, confident that He will act on their behalf.

6. The Universal Judgment:

• Augustine discusses the psalm’s reference to God judging the world in righteousness. He interprets this as pointing to the final judgment, where God will judge all people according to their deeds. Augustine underscores the importance of living a righteous life in anticipation of this ultimate judgment, where God’s justice will be fully realized.

  
  

7. The Hope of the Righteous:

• Despite the psalm’s focus on judgment, Augustine highlights the hope that it offers to the righteous. He interprets the psalmist’s confidence in God’s enduring kingship and His commitment to justice as a source of hope for believers. Augustine encourages Christians to remain steadfast in their faith, trusting that God will ultimately vindicate them.

  
  

Conclusion:

Augustine’s exposition of Psalm 9 presents it as a powerful affirmation of God’s justice and the hope that it brings to the righteous. He interprets the psalm as both a song of praise for God’s past deliverances and a prophetic declaration of God’s future victories over evil. Augustine encourages believers to live lives of praise, prayer, and righteousness, confident in the knowledge that God is a just judge who will ultimately defeat wickedness and uphold those who trust in Him.

[Verse]
Θα σε δοξάσω, Θεέ μου, στο σούρουπο και το πρωί
Tha se doxasō, Thee mou, sto souroupo kai to proi
(I will praise You, my God, at dusk and dawn)

και τα θαυμάσια έργα σου θα λέω σε κάθε σημείο
kai ta thavmasia erga sou tha leo se kathe simeio
(and Your wondrous works I will tell at every place)

Ο Θεός που για μας νοιάζεται, προστάτης πάντα
O Theos pou gia mas niazete, prostatis panta
(The God who cares for us, always protector)

η ανάμνηση των θαυμαστών πράξεων Σου
i anamnesi tōn thavmastōn prakseōn Sou
(the remembrance of Your wondrous deeds)

σε κάθε γωνιά της γης, ο φόβος Σου κυριαρχεί
se kathe gonia tis gis, o fovos Sou kyriarchei
(in every corner of the earth, Your fear reigns)

[Chorus]
Από τις κορυφές έως τα βάθη
Apo tis koryfes eōs ta vathi
(From the peaks to the depths)

η δικαιοσύνη Σου απλώνεται
i dikaiosyni Sou aplōnetai
(Your justice spreads)

Δίνεις στο καθένα ό,τι του ανήκει
Dineis sto kathena o,ti tou anikei
(You give to each what is theirs)

Είσαι ο Μόνος που ορίζει
Eisai o Monos pou orizei
(You are the Only One who decides)

[Verse 1]
Θα διηγηθούμε τη σου ευχαριστία
Tha diigithoume ti Sou efcharistia
(We will recount Your thanksgiving)

και πάντα το όνομα Σου θα υμνούμε
kai panta to onoma Sou tha ymnoume
(and always Your name we will praise)

Ο Θεός μας είναι κοντά, προστάτης μας
O Theos mas einai konta, prostatis mas
(Our God is near, our protector)

η υπενθύμιση των θαυμαστών έργων Σου
i ypenthymisi tōn thavmastōn ergōn Sou
(the reminder of Your wondrous works)

Όπου κι αν βρίσκονται θνητοί
Opou ki an vriskontai thnitoi
(Wherever mortals are found)

Την κρίση Σου πάντα φοβούνται
Tēn krisi Sou panta fovountai
(Your judgment they always fear)

[Chorus]
Από τις κορυφές έως τα βάθη
Apo tis koryfes eōs ta vathi
(From the peaks to the depths)

η δικαιοσύνη Σου απλώνεται
i dikaiosyni Sou aplōnetai
(Your justice spreads)

Δίνεις στο καθένα ό,τι του ανήκει
Dineis sto kathena o,ti tou anikei
(You give to each what is theirs)

Είσαι ο Μόνος που ορίζει
Eisai o Monos pou orizei
(You are the Only One who decides)

[Verse 2]
Ο Θεός την αμαρτία τιμώρησε
O Theos tēn amartia timōrise
(God punished sin)

σκορπίζοντας καυγάδες παντού
skorpizontas kavgades pantou
(by spreading quarrels everywhere)

Οι καυχασίες των υπερήφανων κάνουν
Oi kauxasies tōn yperīfanōn kanoun
(The boasts of the proud make)

όλους όσους με τα όπλα τους εξουθενώνουν
olous osous me ta opla tous exouthenōnoun
(all who with their weapons oppress)

Ο Κύριος είναι αυτός που υψώνει
O Kyrios einai autos pou ypsōnei
(The Lord is the one who exalts)

Και αυτούς που ταπεινώνει
Kai autous pou tapeinōnei
(And those He humbles)

[Chorus]
Από τις κορυφές έως τα βάθη
Apo tis koryfes eōs ta vathi
(From the peaks to the depths)

η δικαιοσύνη Σου απλώνεται
i dikaiosyni Sou aplōnetai
(Your justice spreads)

Δίνεις στο καθένα ό,τι του ανήκει
Dineis sto kathena o,ti tou anikei
(You give to each what is theirs)

Είσαι ο Μόνος που ορίζει
Eisai o Monos pou orizei
(You are the Only One who decides)

[Bridge]
Ευχαριστώ Κύριε για την αγάπη Σου
Efcharistō Kyrie gia tēn agapi Sou
(Thank you, Lord, for Your love)

Εγώ θα διαλαλήσω τις θαυμάσιες πράξεις
Egō tha dialalisō tis thavmasies prakseis
(I will proclaim Your wondrous deeds)

θα ψάλλω για πάντα τη δόξα Σου
tha psallō gia panta tē doxa Sou
(I will sing forever Your glory)

Και ο κόσμος θα Σε δοξάσει
Kai o kosmos tha Se doxasei
(And the world will praise You)

[Chorus]
Από τις κορυφές έως τα βάθη
Apo tis koryfes eōs ta vathi
(From the peaks to the depths)

η δικαιοσύνη Σου απλώνεται
i dikaiosyni Sou aplōnetai
(Your justice spreads)

Δίνεις στο καθένα ό,τι του ανήκει
Dineis sto kathena o,ti tou anikei
(You give to each what is theirs)

Είσαι ο Μόνος που ορίζει
Eisai o Monos pou orizei
(You are the Only One who decides)

[Verse 3]
Χαιρετίζω, Κύριε, τη σοφία Σου
Chairetizō, Kyrie, tē sofia Sou
(I greet, Lord, Your wisdom)

με φωνή δυνατή, δοξάζω τη δικαιοσύνη
me fōnē dynatē, doxazō tē dikaiosynē
(with a strong voice, I praise justice)

Αναβλύζει από την καρδιά μου όπως ρυάκι
Anavlyzei apo tēn kardia mou opōs ryaki
(It flows from my heart like a stream)

Η αλήθεια Σου αιώνια, ευλογημένη
I alētheia Sou aiōnia, evlogēmenē
(Your truth eternal, blessed)

Όσο υπάρχουμε, εσύ θα μας οδηγείς
Oso yparchoume, esy tha mas odigeis
(As long as we exist, You will guide us)

το ατελείωτο φως Σου θα μας φωτίζει
to ateliōto fōs Sou tha mas fōtizei
(Your endless light will illuminate us)

[Chorus]
Από τις κορυφές έως τα βάθη
Apo tis koryfes eōs ta vathi
(From the peaks to the depths)

η δικαιοσύνη Σου απλώνεται
^{i dikaiosyni Sou aplōnetai}
(Your justice spreads)

Δίνεις στο καθένα ό,τι του ανήκει
Dineis sto kathena o,ti tou anikei
(You give to each what is theirs)

Είσαι ο Μόνος που ορίζει
Eisai o Monos pou orizei
(You are the Only One who decides)

[Outro]
Μέχρι που ο χρόνος σταματήσει
Mechri pou o chronos stamatēsei
(Until time stops)

οι ψυχές μας πάντα θα δοξάζουν
oi psyches mas panta tha doxazoun
(our souls will always praise)

Την αγιότητα Σου δεν θα παραβλέψουμε
Tēn agiotēta Sou den tha paravlepse
(Your holiness we will not overlook)

Ο Θεός μας πάντα μάς προστατεύει
O Theos mas panta mas prostatevei
(Our God always protects us)

Ας ανυψώσουμε τις φωνές μας στον Κύριο
As anypsōsoume tis fōnes mas ston Kyrio
(Let us raise our voices to the Lord)

και τη δόξα και το έλεος Του ας υμνούμε
kai tē doxa kai to eleos Tou as ymnoume
(and His glory and mercy let us praise)

[Chorus]
Από τις κορυφές έως τα βάθη
Apo tis koryfes eōs ta vathi
(From the peaks to the depths)

η δικαιοσύνη Σου απλώνεται
i dikaiosyni Sou aplōnetai
(Your justice spreads)

Δίνεις στο καθένα ό,τι του ανήκει
Dineis sto kathena o,ti tou anikei
(You give to each what is theirs)

Είσαι ο Μόνος που ορίζει
Eisai o Monos pou orizei
(You are the Only One who decides)

For over the forty years (off and on) I have attempted to set the Psalms to music and using various approaches, aids (e.g. Band In A Box), styles, and with varying success, where eventually I had covered all one hundred and fifty of the Psalms with at lest one version.

e.g. see for my (Mostly) non AI Homespun Psalms and Gospel Songs.

And with the recent debut of high quality AI generated music I also begin experimenting with that as well which has led to this Padelt Virtual Corkboard here.

Initially this AI generated music was a bit more varying in its quality but lately (especially with the advent of SUNO V4) it has gotten to the point where it typically sounds very good, and in fact so good that it has exceeded my own abilities of song writing and recording.

Thus just as AI might soon replace many human jobs it seems now is replacing my job as a composer and performer as well, where my role now is more of a producer.

But that change suits me well in that I like being the producer and did the other two roles more out of necessity than choice.

That said, the AI music has it limits for sure, but so does my compositions as well.

And with each new version of SUNO, UDIO, and Sonauto (et al) the AI music algorithms seems to make advancements that keeps making them better while I have largely plateaued in my own music development (if not loss ground as I get ever older).

So in summary I am quite happy to be (largely) replaced by AI as a composer and performer and am quite happy serving the role of a producer, that suits me quite well!

The other thing that is amazing is the speed that AI can do the composing and performing where I have worked at this over 40 years but in a few days have used the AI to produce more than half of all the Psalms.

In fact most of my time now is spent doing the fine tunning and curating of what the AI produces where it only takes minutes to create and entire new song and the rest of my time is spent doing saving, naming, and fine tunning the piece.

Thus I can quickly try out a number of different versions and then pick the one I like the best.

And lastly, one might argue that AI music looses any human aspects.

But the AI has been trained on what humans have made and so in many ways it expands the human aspect from being just limited to me to include all the material it has been trained on and thus imbuing it with the human qualities of those human created source material.

Finally, these too are studies in the Psalms and not meant to be used in a liturgical setting, though I suppose one could do that as well if one so elected to do so, maybe with some modifications. But even their one could use the AI to make their own versions or as an idea generated for helping one get over the blank sheet of paper barrier to getting stated on a new project.

So it will be interesting to see where all this new fangled AI leads, just as it is amazing to see the things it can already now do as well.

So it seems we all need to buckle our seat belts for we all are off to a wild ride, but maybe a good one, or at least hopefully that will (by in large) prove to be the case!

One last comment here on gender. The singers are singing a Psalm and not necessarily singing about themselves but about what the psalm is all about.

Thus whether it is a male or female voice, or both I left mostly to the AI to choose and thus it does not have any meaning other than the AI algorithm picked it. And in regard to pronouns, I am not changing them to reflect the gender of the singer but leaving them as in the text for the Psalm.

I might also comment here on my choice of translations and am (mostly using the RSV here and used (mostly) the NIV on my homespun Psalms just to keep things simple.

Blessed are all who fear the Lord
Who walk in obedience to Him
You will eat the fruit of your labor
Blessings and prosperity will be yours

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
Within your house, your children like olive shoots
Around your table, yes indeed
This is the blessing for the man who fears the Lord

[Verse 1]
Why do nations rage, people plot in vain?
Kings of the earth rise up, they set their hearts aflame
Breaking their chains, casting away
God laughs from heaven, sees their dismay
His wrath is burning, His word declared
I've set my King, on Zion's hill prepared

[Chorus]
You are my Son, today I've begotten thee
Ask and I'll give, nations as your decree
Serve the Lord, with reverent fear, take heed
Blessed are all, who take refuge in thee

[Verse 2]
Be wise, oh kings, heed the warning call
Tremble with joy, before you fall
Kiss the Son, lest He be angry still
His wrath ignites, for those who will
Find your refuge, in His embrace
For His mercy, covers all in grace

[Chorus]
You are my Son, today I've begotten thee
Ask and I'll give, nations as your decree
Serve the Lord, with reverent fear, take heed
Blessed are all, who take refuge in thee

[Bridge]
His Spirit guides, the path so clear
In His love, there's no more fear
Trust in Him, every day
He is the truth, light, and way

[Chorus]
You are my Son, today I've begotten thee
Ask and I'll give, nations as your decree
Serve the Lord, with reverent fear, take heed
Blessed are all, who take refuge in thee

Why do the nations conspire,

and the peoples plot in vain?

The kings of the earth set themselves,

and the rulers take counsel together,

against the Lord and his anointed, saying,

“Let us burst their bonds asunder,

and cast their cords from us.”

He who sits in the heavens laughs;

the Lord has them in derision.

Then he will speak to them in his wrath,

and terrify them in his fury, saying,

“I have set my king

on Zion, my holy hill.”

I will tell of the decree of the Lord:

He said to me, “You are my son,

today I have begotten you.

Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,

and the ends of the earth your possession.

You shall break them with a rod of iron,

and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”

Now therefore, O kings, be wise;

be warned, O rulers of the earth.

Serve the Lord with fear,

with trembling kiss his feet,

lest he be angry, and you perish in the way;

for his wrath is quickly kindled.

Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

And since many of the Psalms were penned by David, who we read above was a man after God's own heart, it seems that the Psalms deal with the heart, both the heart of God and the human heart, the former totally pure but not so the later. For even though David is said by God to be a man after His own heart we see that David was far from perfect.

Thus even though the Psalms are part of the Bible (which, as such, many take to be the inspired word of God and as such are infallible), that does not mean that every word or thought expressed in the Psalms reflects what God thinks or feels per se about that subject but may at times simply reflect the thoughts and feelings of the Psalmist, which, as such, may or may not be in perfect agreement or accurately reflect what God thinks and feels about the subject but rather what the Psalmist feels and thinks about that subject.

Thus the Psalms shows us that we can be real with God and tell Him just what we think or feel (even if those thoughts and feelings may not be all that great or even quite bad). They also show us how God deals with such thoughts and feelings.

And as such the psalms seem to deal with all aspects of humanity, the good and the bad, and even the really bad, in that they deal with real life (as it is lived) and not some Hallmark Movie or fairy tale version of life, the joyous as well as the painful, the hopes as well as disappointments, the past, the present, and the future, those who do good and those who do evil, and how God sees as well as deals with all of these.

That may take the form of encouragement, correction, elaboration or a dialog or even sometimes out right silence, though through such silence God may speak sometimes the loudest.

BTW, here is a YouTube video that speaks to this.

Finally, the intent with these musical settings of the Psalms is not to create music suited for a liturgical setting (though perhaps some of it might be so suitable) but to act as a study aid in delving into both the heart of God and that of man as well, through the use of music. So hopefully, these can serve as aids to do that and can help the hearer better see and understand both what the Psalmist is trying to say as well as what God is trying to say through the psalmist to use who read, hear, and madidate on these Psalms and how that might direct our own hearts to be more like the one whose heart is perfect, Christ our savior and rightful king!

O Lord, how many are my foes!

Many are rising against me;

many are saying of me,

there is no help for him in God.

But thou, O Lord, art a shield about me,

my glory, and the lifter of my head.

I cry aloud to the Lord,

and he answers me from his holy hill.

I lie down and sleep;

I wake again, for the Lord sustains me.

I am not afraid of ten thousands of people

who have set themselves against me round about.

Arise, O Lord! Deliver me, O my God!

For thou dost smite all my enemies on the cheek,

thou dost break the teeth of the wicked.

Deliverance belongs to the Lord;

thy blessing be upon thy people.

And the entire commentary on Psalm 7 can be hear read aloud here.

Save me, O LORD, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues.

What will he do to you, and what more besides, O deceitful tongue?

O Lord, our Lord,

how majestic is thy name in all the earth!

Thou whose glory above the heavens is chanted

by the mouth of babes and infants,

thou hast founded a bulwark because of thy foes,

to still the enemy and the avenger.

When I look at thy heavens,

the work of thy fingers,

the moon and the stars which thou hast established;

what is man that thou art mindful of him,

and the son of man that thou dost care for him?

Yet thou hast made him little less than God,

and dost crown him with glory and honor.

Thou hast given him dominion

over the works of thy hands;

thou hast put all things under his feet,

all sheep and oxen,

and also the beasts of the field,

the birds of the air,

and the fish of the sea,

whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our Lord,

how majestic is thy name in all the earth!

Why dost thou stand afar off, O Lord?

Why dost thou hide thyself in times of trouble?

In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor;

let them be caught in the schemes which they have devised.

For the wicked boasts of the desires of his heart,

and the man greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord.

In the pride of his countenance the wicked does not seek him;

all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”

His ways prosper at all times;

thy judgments are on high, out of his sight;

as for all his foes, he puffs at them.

He thinks in his heart, “I shall not be moved;

throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity.”

His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;

under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.

He sits in ambush in the villages;

in hiding places he murders the innocent.

His eyes stealthily watch for the hapless,

he lurks in secret like a lion in his covert;

he lurks that he may seize the poor,

he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.

The hapless is crushed, sinks down,

and falls by his might.

He thinks in his heart, “God has forgotten,

he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”

forget not the afflicted.

Why does the wicked renounce God,

and say in his heart, “Thou wilt not call to account”?

Thou dost see; yea, thou dost note trouble and vexation,

that thou mayst take it into thy hands;

the hapless commits himself to thee;

thou hast been the helper of the fatherless.

Break thou the arm of the wicked and evildoer;

seek out his wickedness till thou find none.

The Lord is king for ever and ever;

the nations shall perish from his land.

O Lord, thou wilt hear the desire of the meek;

thou wilt strengthen their heart,

thou wilt incline thy ear to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,

so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.

First let me clarify the distinction from first principles because it matters for psalm selection:

Cajun — French Acadian exile music, primarily white Creole tradition, fiddle-centered, waltzes and two-steps, melancholy underneath even the danceable pieces, the sound of people who lost their homeland and built a new one in the bayou. We just used it perfectly for Psalm 88's exile and darkness.

Zydeco — African American Creole tradition, rubboard and accordion centered, absorbs R&B, blues, and soul into the Cajun framework, significantly more rhythmically aggressive, the syncopation is physical and insistent, harder driving beat, sweatier and more urgent than Cajun, the music of house dances and juke joints rather than the bayou at night. Clifton Chenier is its king.

It can be joyful, defiant, accusatory, celebratory — but it is almost never passive. Zydeco music has opinions and it expresses them physically.

What that means for psalm selection:

Where Cajun suited a psalm of passive suffering and unanswered prayer, zydeco suits a psalm with:

• Physical urgency and forward momentum

• Defiance mixed with faith

• Community rather than solitude

• Complaint that expects an answer

• Rhythm as theology — the body insisting on response

• Joy that has come through something hard rather than joy that never left

  
  

The three movement structure maps perfectly onto zydeco's natural energy arc:

Movement 1 — The four How Longs (verses 1-2) — this is the rubboard opening, aggressive and rhythmically insistent, the complaint coming in hard from the first beat, no gentle introduction, the music already moving at full speed because the question has been building for a long time before the song starts

Movement 2 — The petition (verses 3-4) — slightly more urgent, the accordion driving underneath the vocal plea, the rhythm section leaning forward, the enemy's mockery given a brief musical representation before being defiantly dismissed

Movement 3 — The defiant praise (verses 5-6) — the key change moment, the whole ensemble lifting, the rubboard in full flight, the community joining the soloist because this praise is not private, it is the whole house dance turning toward God together

The zydeco instrumentation is physically specific and each instrument has a theological role:

Rubboard (frottoir) — the scraped metal body percussion, the most physically immediate instrument in any ensemble, played on the chest of the musician, literally the heartbeat made audible, perfectly suited to the psalm's physical urgency

Piano accordion — the harmonic engine, fatter and more blues-inflected than the Cajun diatonic accordion, carries the emotional weight between the vocal lines

Electric bass — zydeco's R&B inheritance, the groove that makes the body move involuntarily, the insistence underneath the complaint

Drums — full kit unlike Cajun's more sparse percussion, driving the syncopated second line rhythm

Electric guitar — optional but adds the R&B and blues color that distinguishes zydeco from Cajun

Vocals — zydeco vocalists project, they testify, they call and the community responds, this is not intimate bayou singing but juke joint preaching

Notes on the listener text:

"— the music turns —" appears between movements 1 and 2

— signaling to the listener that the psalm is shifting from complaint to petition, the musical energy tightening before the key change

"— the key changes —" is the most important marker in the whole piece

— it tells the listener exactly where to feel the theological pivot, the moment where "how long" becomes "but I have trusted."

In zydeco that key change is physical

— the body feels it before the mind registers it

"The whole house dances" closes the listener text the same way "The fiddle continues alone" closed Psalm 88

— a final image that tells the listener what the music is doing and gives them permission to be in it fully rather than waiting for it to end

The contrast with Psalm 88 is now complete:

Psalm 88

— The fiddle continues alone

— one man in the dark, the music fading into silence, no resolution, no community, no answer

Psalm 13 — The whole house dances

— the community in full celebration, the music driving at full energy into the fade, the answer arriving not as divine speech but as defiant human joy that refuses to be extinguished

Same Louisiana roots.

Completely opposite spiritual destinations. The Cajun fiddle weeps alone.

The zydeco rubboard fills the house.

David wrote both of them. That is why the Psalter needs 150.

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds,

there is none that does good.

The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men,

to see if there are any that act wisely,

that seek after God.

They have all gone astray, they are all alike corrupt;

there is none that does good, no, not one.

Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers

who eat up my people as they eat bread,

and do not call upon the Lord?

There they shall be in great terror,

for God is with the generation of the righteous.

You would confound the plans of the poor,

but the Lord is his refuge.

O that deliverance for Israel would come out of Zion!

The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof,

the world and those who dwell therein;

for he has founded it upon the seas,

and established it upon the rivers.

Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?

And who shall stand in his holy place?

He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

who does not lift up his soul to what is false,

and does not swear deceitfully.

He will receive blessing from the Lord,

and vindication from the God of his salvation.

Such is the generation of those who seek him,

who seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Lift up your heads, O gates!

And be lifted up, O ancient doors!

That the King of glory may come in.

Who is the King of glory?

The Lord, strong and mighty,

the Lord, mighty in battle!

Lift up your heads, O gates!

And be lifted up, O ancient doors!

That the King of glory may come in.

Who is this King of glory?

The Lord of hosts,

he is the King of glory!

To thee, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

O my God, in thee I trust, let me not be put to shame;

let not my enemies exult over me.

Yea, let none that wait for thee be put to shame;

let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

Make me to know thy ways, O Lord;

teach me thy paths.

Lead me in thy truth, and teach me,

for thou art the God of my salvation;

for thee I wait all the day long.

Be mindful of thy mercy, O Lord,

and of thy steadfast love,

for they have been from of old.

Remember not the sins of my youth, or my transgressions;

according to thy steadfast love remember me,

for thy goodness’ sake, O Lord!

Good and upright is the Lord;

therefore he instructs sinners in the way.

He leads the humble in what is right,

and teaches the humble his way.

All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,

for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

For thy name’s sake, O Lord,

pardon my guilt, for it is great.

Who is the man that fears the Lord?

Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.

He himself shall abide in prosperity,

and his children shall possess the land.

The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,

and he makes known to them his covenant.

My eyes are ever toward the Lord,

for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

Turn thou to me, and be gracious to me;

for I am lonely and afflicted.

Relieve the troubles of my heart,

and bring me out of my distresses.

Consider my affliction and my trouble,

and forgive all my sins.

Consider how many are my foes,

and with what violent hatred they hate me.

O guard my life, and deliver me;

let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in thee.

May integrity and uprightness preserve me,

for I wait for thee.

Redeem Israel, O God,

out of all his troubles.

With the loyal thou dost show thyself loyal;

with the blameless man thou dost show thyself blameless;

with the pure thou dost show thyself pure;

and with the crooked thou dost show thyself perverse.

For thou dost deliver a humble people;

but the haughty eyes thou dost bring down.

Yea, thou dost light my lamp;

the Lord my God lightens my darkness.

Yea, by thee I can crush a troop;

and by my God I can leap over a wall.

This God—his way is perfect;

the promise of the Lord proves true;

he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

For who is God, but the Lord?

And who is a rock, except our God?—

the God who girded me with strength,

and made my way safe.

He made my feet like hinds’ feet,

and set me secure on the heights.

He trains my hands for war,

so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation,

and thy right hand supported me,

and thy help made me great.

Thou didst give a wide place for my steps under me,

and my feet did not slip.

I pursued my enemies and overtook them;

and did not turn back till they were consumed.

I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise;

they fell under my feet.

For thou didst gird me with strength for the battle;

thou didst make my assailants sink under me.

Thou didst make my enemies turn their backs to me,

and those who hated me I destroyed.

They cried for help, but there was none to save,

they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.

I beat them fine as dust before the wind;

I cast them out like the mire of the streets.

With the loyal thou dost show thyself loyal;

with the blameless man thou dost show thyself blameless;

with the pure thou dost show thyself pure;

and with the crooked thou dost show thyself perverse.

For thou dost deliver a humble people;

but the haughty eyes thou dost bring down.

Yea, thou dost light my lamp;

the Lord my God lightens my darkness.

Yea, by thee I can crush a troop;

and by my God I can leap over a wall.

This God—his way is perfect;

the promise of the Lord proves true;

he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

For who is God, but the Lord?

And who is a rock, except our God?—

the God who girded me with strength,

and made my way safe.

He made my feet like hinds’ feet,

and set me secure on the heights.

He trains my hands for war,

so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation,

and thy right hand supported me,

and thy help made me great.

Thou didst give a wide place for my steps under me,

and my feet did not slip.

I pursued my enemies

Thou didst deliver me from strife with the peoples;

thou didst make me the head of the nations;

people whom I had not known served me.

As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me;

foreigners came cringing to me.

Foreigners lost heart,

and came trembling out of their fastnesses.

The Lord lives; and blessed be my rock,

and exalted be the God of my salvation,

the God who gave me vengeance

and subdued peoples under me;

who delivered me from my enemies;

yea, thou didst exalt me above my adversaries;

thou didst deliver me from men of violence.

For this I will extol thee, O Lord, among the nations,

and sing praises to thy name.

Great triumphs he gives to his king,

and shows steadfast love to his anointed,

to David and his descendants for ever.

In thy strength the king rejoices, O Lord;

and in thy help how greatly he exults!

Thou hast given him his heart’s desire,

and hast not withheld the request of his lips.

For thou dost meet him with goodly blessings;

thou dost set a crown of fine gold upon his head.

He asked life of thee; thou gavest it to him,

length of days for ever and ever.

His glory is great through thy help;

splendor and majesty thou dost bestow upon him.

Yea, thou dost make him most blessed for ever;

thou dost make him glad with the joy of thy presence.

For the king trusts in the Lord;

and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.

Thy hand will find out all thy enemies;

thy right hand will find out those who hate thee.

Thou wilt make them as a blazing oven

when thou dost appear.

The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath;

and fire will consume them.

Thou wilt destroy their offspring from the earth,

and their children from among the sons of men.

If they plan evil against thee,

if they devise mischief, they will not succeed.

For thou wilt put them to flight;

thou wilt aim at their faces with thy bows.

Be exalted, O Lord, in thy strength!

We will sing and praise thy power.

My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Why art thou so far from helping me,

from the words of my groaning?

O my God, I cry by day, but thou dost not answer;

and by night, but find no rest.

Yet thou art holy,

enthroned on the praises of Israel.

In thee our fathers trusted;

they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.

To thee they cried, and were saved;

in thee they trusted, and were not disappointed.

But I am a worm, and no man;

scorned by men, and despised by the people.

All who see me mock at me,

they make mouths at me, they wag their heads;

“He committed his cause to the Lord; let him deliver him,

let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

Yet thou art he who took me from the womb;

thou didst keep me safe upon my mother’s breasts.

Upon thee was I cast from my birth,

and since my mother bore me thou hast been my God.

Be not far from me,

for trouble is near

and there is none to help

strong bulls of Bashan surround me;

they open wide their mouths at me,

like a ravening and roaring lion.

I am poured out like water,

and all my bones are out of joint;

my heart is like wax,

it is melted within my breast;

my strength is dried up like a potsherd,

and my tongue cleaves to my jaws;

thou dost lay me in the dust of death.

Yea, dogs are round about me;

a company of evildoers encircle me;

they have pierced my hands and feet—

I can count all my bones—

they stare and gloat over me;

they divide my garments among them,

and for my raiment they cast lots.

But thou, O Lord, be not far off!

O thou my help, hasten to my aid!

Deliver my soul from the sword,

my life from the power of the dog!

Save me from the mouth of the lion,

my afflicted soul from the horns of the wild oxen!

I will tell of thy name to my brethren;

in the midst of the congregation I will praise thee:

You who fear the Lord, praise him!

All you sons of Jacob, glorify him,

and stand in awe of him, all you sons of Israel!

For he has not despised or abhorred

the affliction of the afflicted;

and he has not hidden his face from him,

but has heard, when he cried to him.

my vows I will pay before those who fear him.

The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied;

those who seek him shall praise the Lord!

May your hearts live for ever!

All the ends of the earth shall remember

and turn to the Lord;

and all the families of the nations

shall worship before him.

For dominion belongs to the Lord,

and he rules over the nations.

Yea, to him shall all the proud of the earth bow down;

before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,

and he who cannot keep himself alive.

Posterity shall serve him;

men shall tell of the Lord to the coming generation,

and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,

that he has wrought it.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want;

he makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters;

he restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I fear no evil;

for thou art with me;

thy rod and thy staff,

they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

thou anointest my head with oil,

my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life;

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord

for ever.

Vindicate me, O Lord,

for I have walked in my integrity,

and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.

Prove me, O Lord, and try me;

test my heart and my mind.

For thy steadfast love is before my eyes,

and I walk in faithfulness to thee.

I do not sit with false men,

nor do I consort with dissemblers;

I hate the company of evildoers,

and I will not sit with the wicked.

I wash my hands in innocence,

and go about thy altar, O Lord,

singing aloud a song of thanksgiving,

and telling all thy wondrous deeds.

O Lord, I love the habitation of thy house,

and the place where thy glory dwells.

Sweep me not away with sinners,

nor my life with bloodthirsty men,

men in whose hands are evil devices,

and whose right hands are full of bribes.

But as for me, I walk in my integrity;

redeem me, and be gracious to me.

My foot stands on level ground;

in the great congregation I will bless 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 a host encamp against me, my heart shall not fear;

though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.

One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after;

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,

to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.

For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble;

he will conceal me under the cover of his tent, he will set me high upon a rock.

And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies round about me;

and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;

I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud,

be gracious to me and answer me!

Thou hast said, “Seek ye my face.”

My heart says to thee, “Thy face, Lord, do I seek.”

Hide not thy face from me.

Turn not thy servant away in anger,

thou who hast been my help.

Cast me not off, forsake me not,

O God of my salvation!

For my father and my mother have forsaken me,

but the Lord will take me up.

Teach me thy way, O Lord;

and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.

Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;

for false witnesses have risen against me,

and they breathe out violence.

I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord

in the land of the living.

Wait for the Lord;

be strong, and let your heart take courage;

yea, wait for the Lord!

my rock, be not deaf to me,

lest, if thou be silent to me,

I become like those who go down to the Pit.

Hear the voice of my supplication,

as I cry to thee for help,

as I lift up my hands

toward thy most holy sanctuary.

Take me not off with the wicked,

with those who are workers of evil,

who speak peace with their neighbors,

while mischief is in their hearts.

Requite them according to their work,

and according to the evil of their deeds;

requite them according to the work of their hands;

render to them their due reward.

Because they do not regard the works of the Lord,

or the work of his hands,

he will break them down and build them up no more.

Blessed be the Lord!

For he has heard the voice of my supplications.

The Lord is my strength and my shield;

in him my heart trusts;

so I am helped, and my heart exults,

and with my song I give thanks to him.

The Lord is the strength of his people,

he is the saving refuge of his anointed.

O save thy people, and bless thy heritage;

be thou their shepherd, and carry them for ever.

Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,

ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;

worship the Lord in holy array.

The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;

the God of glory thunders,

the Lord, upon many waters.

The voice of the Lord is powerful,

the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars,

the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.

He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,

and Sirion like a young wild ox.

The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.

The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness,

the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of the Lord makes the oaks to whirl,

and strips the forests bare;

and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;

the Lord sits enthroned as king for ever.

May the Lord give strength to his people!

May the Lord bless his people with peace!

Why Psalm 30 next:

We just did the deepest possible inward stillness

— the quieted soul, the weaned child, ma and silence and breath. Psalm 30 is the great eruption of joy after darkness

— weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning

— and moving from Psalm 131's shakuhachi whisper to Psalm 30's sanshin celebration is itself a musical theological statement.

The stillness was preparation. Now the dancing.

The historical deep dive on Okinawan music before we write:

Okinawa's musical identity is one of the most remarkable stories in world music history and it is inseparable from the theology of Psalm 30.

The Ryūkyū Kingdom existed as an independent nation from approximately 1429 to 1879

— four and a half centuries of distinct cultural development absorbing influences from China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia into something entirely its own.

The kingdom was a major maritime trading power, its ships connecting the entire Asia-Pacific region, and its music reflected that cosmopolitan character

— Chinese melodic sensibility, Japanese structural influence, Southeast Asian rhythmic energy, all fused into the Ryūkyū sound.

Then in 1609 the Satsuma domain of Japan invaded and effectively made Okinawa a tributary state while allowing it to maintain nominal independence for diplomatic reasons

— Japan needed Okinawa's China trade connections. The kingdom survived but wounded, its culture preserved partly as a survival strategy — maintaining distinct identity under occupation.

Then in 1879 Japan formally annexed Okinawa, abolished the kingdom, and began aggressive assimilation policies — suppressing the Ryūkyū language, culture, and music.

Okinawans were pressured to become Japanese and to forget they had ever been anything else.

Then came 1945 — the Battle of Okinawa, one of the most devastating battles of the Pacific War.

Approximately one third of the entire civilian population of Okinawa died

— somewhere between 94,000 and 150,000 civilians killed in 82 days of fighting.

The island was physically destroyed. Ancient cultural sites, musical traditions, family lineages

— vast amounts of irreplaceable Okinawan heritage simply ceased to exist.

And yet

— the sanshin survived. The music survived.

The language survived. The nankuru naisa philosophy survived

— things will work out somehow, not as naive optimism but as the hard-won conviction of a people who have been through everything and are still here, still singing, still dancing.

That is Psalm 30 from the inside.

Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing.

The Okinawan people did not just set that text to music

— they lived it across five centuries of occupation, suppression, and catastrophic war.

The sanshin playing Psalm 30 is not a stylistic choice. It is a testimony.

The sanshin instrument: The sanshin (三線)

— literally three strings

— is the ancestor of the Japanese shamisen, brought to Okinawa from China via the instrument called sanxian sometime in the 14th or 15th century.

Where the mainland shamisen uses cat or dog skin for the body membrane, the traditional sanshin uses Burmese python snakeskin

— producing a brighter, more percussive, slightly rougher tone than the shamisen's more refined sound.

The neck is unfretted, the strings tuned to an open tuning, played with a large plectrum called a bachi or with fingernails.

The characteristic Okinawan scale

— called ryūkyū-chō

— is a pentatonic scale with a raised fourth and raised seventh, giving it a brighter more open quality than the Japanese in scale.

To Western ears it sounds simultaneously ancient and sunny — not the dark pentatonic of blues or the contemplative pentatonic of shakuhachi but something more like light on water, the sound of an island people who lived between the sea and the sky.

The eisa tradition is the community dance form using sanshin, taiko drums, and voice

— performed at the Obon festival when the spirits of the ancestors return to visit the living.

The community dances to welcome the dead and to send them back.

It is simultaneously celebratory and deeply aware of mortality

— which is exactly Psalm 30's emotional register. I will praise thee for thou hast heard me and become my salvation — sung by someone who has stood at the edge of the pit and been pulled back.

The full text of Psalm 30:

I will extol thee O Lord ... To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee and not be silent O Lord my God I will give thanks unto thee for ever

The dramatic architecture:

This psalm has one of the most extraordinary emotional arcs in the entire Psalter

— five distinct movements:

Movement 1

— Pure testimony, the praise of someone who has already come through

— thou hast lifted me up, thou hast healed me, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave.

This is the sanshin opening, bright and driving, the community already celebrating before the story is told.

Movement 2

— The theological principle stated

— weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning.

This is the central verse of the entire psalm and deserves a musical moment of its own

— perhaps a brief pause before the sanshin drives back in on joy cometh in the morning.

Movement 3

— The confession of the crisis that preceded the deliverance

— in my prosperity I said I shall never be moved, thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled. The music pulls back here, the sanshin becoming sparse, the memory of the darkness briefly present before the prayer that ended it.

Movement 4

— The crisis prayer reconstructed

— what profit is there in my blood when I go down to the pit, shall the dust praise thee.

The rhetorical questions of someone genuinely terrified, making the only argument available

— if I die you lose a worshipper.

Movement 5

— The answer and the final praise

— thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing, thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness.

The sanshin at full energy, the eisa drums joining, the community dancing because one of their own came back from the edge.

The Japanese backing vocals:

For Psalm 30 the backing vocals should reflect the eisa festival tradition

— communal, rhythmically engaged, calling the ancestors and the living together.

The Japanese words I will use:

Yorokobi (喜び)

— joy, rejoicing Asa (朝)

— morning Odori (踊り)

— dancing Inochi (命)

— life Kansha (感謝)

— gratitude, thanksgiving Yomigaeru (よみがえる)

— to be resurrected, to come back to life

— this word is remarkable because it is the standard Japanese word used for resurrection in biblical translation Nankuru naisa (なんくるないさ)

— things will work out somehow — the Okinawan philosophy itself as backing vocal text.

The structural pivot worth watching for:

The single most important moment in this entire arrangement is the isolated line

— weeping may endure for a night

— followed by silence and a single sanshin note, followed by but joy cometh in the morning

— followed by the taiko driving back in.

That gap between the night and the morning is where the whole psalm lives.

Everything before it is testimony about what happened. Everything after it is the celebration of what the morning brought.

The silence IS the night.

The sanshin note IS the dawn breaking.

The Okinawan people know that silence.

They have lived that night.

Nankuru naisa.

In thee, O Lord, do I seek refuge;

let me never be put to shame;

in thy righteousness deliver me!

Incline thy ear to me,

rescue me speedily!

Be thou a rock of refuge for me,

a strong fortress to save me!

Yea, thou art my rock and my fortress;

for thy name’s sake lead me and guide me,

take me out of the net which is hidden for me,

for thou art my refuge.

Into thy hand I commit my spirit;

thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

Thou hatest those who pay regard to vain idols;

but I trust in the Lord.

I will rejoice and be glad for thy steadfast love,

because thou hast seen my affliction,

thou hast taken heed of my adversities,

and hast not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;

thou hast set my feet in a broad place.

Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;

my eye is wasted from grief,

my soul and my body also.

For my life is spent with sorrow,

and my years with sighing;

my strength fails because of my misery,

and my bones waste away.

I am the scorn of all my adversaries,

a horror to my neighbors,

an object of dread to my acquaintances;

those who see me in the street flee from me.

I have passed out of mind like one who is dead;

I have become like a broken vessel.

Yea, I hear the whispering of many—

terror on every side!—

as they scheme together against me,

as they plot to take my life.

In thee, O Lord, do I seek refuge;

let me never be put to shame;

in thy righteousness deliver me!

Incline thy ear to me,

rescue me speedily!

Be thou a rock of refuge for me,

a strong fortress to save me!

Yea, thou art my rock and my fortress;

for thy name’s sake lead me and guide me,

take me out of the net which is hidden for me,

for thou art my refuge.

Into thy hand I commit my spirit;

thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

Thou hatest those who pay regard to vain idols;

but I trust in the Lord.

I will rejoice and be glad for thy steadfast love,

because thou hast seen my affliction,

thou hast taken heed of my adversities,

and hast not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;

thou hast set my feet in a broad place.

Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;

my eye is wasted from grief,

my soul and my body also.

For my life is spent with sorrow,

and my years with sighing;

my strength fails because of my misery,

and my bones waste away.

I am the scorn of all my adversaries,

a horror to my neighbors,

an object of dread to my acquaintances;

those who see me in the street flee from me.

I have passed out of mind like one who is dead;

I have become like a broken vessel.

Yea, I hear the whispering of many—

terror on every side!—

as they scheme together against me,

as they plot to take my life.

But I trust in thee, O Lord,

I say, “Thou art my God.”

My times are in thy hand;

deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors!

Let thy face shine on thy servant;

save me in thy steadfast love!

Let me not be put to shame, O Lord,

for I call on thee;

let the wicked be put to shame,

let them go dumbfounded to Sheol.

Let the lying lips be dumb,

which speak insolently against the righteous

in pride and contempt.

O how abundant is thy goodness,

which thou hast laid up for those who fear thee,

and wrought for those who take refuge in thee,

in the sight of the sons of men!

In the covert of thy presence thou hidest them

from the plots of men;

thou holdest them safe under thy shelter

from the strife of tongues.

Blessed be the Lord,

for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me

when I was beset as in a besieged city.

I had said in my alarm,

“I am driven far from thy sight.”

But thou didst hear my supplications,

when I cried to thee for help.

Love the Lord, all you his saints!

The Lord preserves the faithful,

but abundantly requites him who acts haughtily.

Be strong, and let your heart take courage,

all you who wait for the Lord!

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,

whose sin is covered.

Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity,

and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

When I declared not my sin,

my body wasted away

through my groaning all day long.

For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me;

my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.

I acknowledged my sin to thee,

and I did not hide my iniquity;

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”;

then thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin.

Therefore let everyone who is godly

offer prayer to thee;

at a time of distress, in the rush of great waters,

they shall not reach him.

Thou art a hiding place for me,

thou preservest me from trouble;

thou dost encompass me with deliverance.

I will instruct you and teach you

the way you should go;

I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,

which must be curbed with bit and bridle,

else it will not keep with you.

Many are the pangs of the wicked;

but steadfast love surrounds him who trusts in the Lord.

Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous,

and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!.

Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous!

Praise befits the upright.

Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre;

make melody to him with the harp of ten strings.

Sing to him a new song,

play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.

For the word of the Lord is upright,

and all his work is done in faithfulness.

He loves righteousness and justice;

the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,

and all their host by the breath of his mouth.

He gathered the waters of the sea as in a bottle;

he put the deeps in storehouses.

Let all the earth fear the Lord,

let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!

For he spoke, and it came to be;

he commanded, and it stood forth.

The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to naught;

he frustrates the plans of the peoples.

The counsel of the Lord stands forever,

the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,

the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!

The Lord looks down from heaven,

he sees all the sons of men;

from where he sits enthroned he looks forth

on all the inhabitants of the earth,

he who fashions the hearts of them all,

and observes all their deeds.

A king is not saved by his great army;

a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.

The war horse is a vain hope for victory,

and by its great might it cannot save.

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,

on those who hope in his steadfast love,

that he may deliver their soul from death,

and keep them alive in famine.

Our soul waits for the Lord;

he is our help and shield.

Yea, our heart is glad in him,

because we trust in his holy name.

Let thy steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,

even as we hope in thee.

I will bless the Lord at all times;

his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul makes its boast in the Lord;

let the afflicted hear and be glad.

O magnify the Lord with me,

and let us exalt his name together!

I sought the Lord, and he answered me,

and delivered me from all my fears.

Look to him, and be radiant;

so your faces shall never be ashamed.

This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him,

and saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the Lord encamps

around those who fear him, and delivers them.

O taste and see that the Lord is good!

Happy is the man who takes refuge in him!

O fear the Lord, you his saints,

for those who fear him have no want!

The young lions suffer want and hunger;

but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

Come, O sons, listen to me,

I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

What man is there who desires life,

and covets many days, that he may enjoy good?

Keep your tongue from evil,

and your lips from speaking deceit.

Depart from evil, and do good;

seek peace, and pursue it.

The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,

and his ears toward their cry.

The face of the Lord is against evildoers,

to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears,

and delivers them out of all their troubles.

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted,

and saves the crushed in spirit.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous;

but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

He keeps all his bones;

not one of them is broken.

Evil shall slay the wicked;

and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

The Lord redeems the life of his servants;

none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me;

fight against those who fight against me!

Take hold of shield and buckler,

and rise for my help!

Draw the spear and javelin

against my pursuers;

say to my soul,

“I am your deliverance!”

Let them be put to shame and dishonor

who seek after my life!

Let them be turned back and confounded

who devise evil against me!

Let them be like chaff before the wind,

with the angel of the Lord driving them on!

Let their way be dark and slippery,

with the angel of the Lord pursuing them!

For without cause they hid their net for me;

without cause they dug a pit for my life.

Let ruin come upon them unawares!

And let the net which they hid ensnare them;

let them fall therein to their ruin!

Then my soul shall rejoice in the Lord,

exulting in his deliverance.

All my bones shall say,

“O Lord, who is like thee,

thou who deliverest the weak

from him who is too strong for him,

the weak and needy from him who despoils him?”

Malicious witnesses rise up;

they ask me of things that I know not.

They requite me evil for good;

my soul is forlorn.

But I, when they were sick—

I wore sackcloth,

I afflicted myself with fasting.

I prayed with head bowed on my bosom,

as though I grieved for my friend or my brother;

I went about as one who laments his mother,

bowed down and in mourning.

But at my stumbling they gathered in glee,

they gathered together against me;

cripples whom I did not know

slandered me without ceasing;

they impiously mocked more and more,

gnashing at me with their teeth.

How long, O Lord, wilt thou look on?

Rescue me from their ravages,

my life from the lions!

Then I will thank thee in the great congregation;

in the mighty throng I will praise thee.

Let not those rejoice over me

who are wrongfully my foes,

and let not those wink the eye

who hate me without cause.

For they do not speak peace,

but against those who are quiet in the land

they conceive words of deceit.

They open wide their mouths against me;

they say, “Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!”

Thou hast seen, O Lord; be not silent!

O Lord, be not far from me!

Bestir thyself, and awake for my right,

for my cause, my God and my Lord!

Vindicate me, O Lord, my God,

according to thy righteousness;

and let them not rejoice over me!

Let them not say to themselves,

“Aha, we have our heart’s desire!”

Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”

Let them be put to shame and confusion altogether

who rejoice at my calamity!

Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor

who magnify themselves against me!

Let those who delight in my vindication

shout for joy and be glad,

and say evermore,

“Great is the Lord,

who delights in the welfare of his servant!”

Then my tongue shall tell of thy righteousness

and of thy praise all the day long.

Transgression speaks to the wicked

deep in his heart;

there is no fear of God

before his eyes.

For he flatters himself in his own eyes

that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.

The words of his mouth are mischief and deceit;

he has ceased to act wisely and do good.

He plots mischief while on his bed;

he sets himself in a way that is not good;

he spurns not evil.

Thy steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,

thy faithfulness to the clouds.

Thy righteousness is like the mountains of God,

thy judgments are like the great deep;

man and beast thou savest, O Lord.

How precious is thy steadfast love, O God!

The children of men take refuge

in the shadow of thy wings.

They feast on the abundance of thy house,

and thou givest them drink

from the river of thy delights.

For with thee is the fountain of life;

in thy light do we see light.

O continue thy steadfast love to those who know thee,

and thy salvation to the upright of heart!

Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me,

nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.

There the evildoers lie prostrate,

they are thrust down, unable to rise.

Fret not yourself because of the wicked,

be not envious of wrongdoers!

For they will soon fade like the grass,

and wither like the green herb.

Trust in the Lord, and do good;

so you will dwell in the land, and enjoy security.

Take delight in the Lord,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord;

trust in him, and he will act.

He will bring forth your vindication as the light,

and your right as the noonday.

Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him;

fret not yourself over him who prospers in his way,

over the man who carries out evil devices!

Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!

Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

For the wicked shall be cut off;

but those who wait for the Lord shall possess the land.

Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more;

though you look well at his place, he will not be there.

But the meek shall possess the land,

and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.

and gnashes his teeth at him;

but the Lord laughs at the wicked,

for he sees that his day is coming.

The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows,

to bring down the poor and needy,

to slay those who walk uprightly;

their sword shall enter their own heart,

and their bows shall be broken.

Better is a little that the righteous has

than the abundance of many wicked.

For the arms of the wicked shall be broken;

but the Lord upholds the righteous.

The Lord knows the days of the blameless,

and their heritage will abide forever;

they are not put to shame in evil times,

in the days of famine they have abundance.

But the wicked perish;

the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures,

they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.

The wicked borrows, and cannot pay back,

but the righteous is generous and gives;

for those blessed by the Lord shall possess the land,

but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

The steps of a man are from the Lord,

and he establishes him in whose way he delights;

though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,

for the Lord is the stay of his hand.

yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken

or his children begging bread.

He is ever giving liberally and lending,

and his children become a blessing.

Depart from evil, and do good;

so shall you abide forever.

For the Lord loves justice;

he will not forsake his saints.

The righteous shall be preserved forever,

but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

The righteous shall possess the land,

and dwell upon it forever.

The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,

and his tongue speaks justice.

The law of his God is in his heart;

his steps do not slip.

The wicked watches the righteous,

and seeks to slay him.

The Lord will not abandon him to his power,

or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.

Wait for the Lord, and keep to his way,

and he will exalt you to possess the land;

you will look on the destruction of the wicked.

I have seen a wicked man overbearing,

and towering like a cedar of Lebanon.

Again I passed by, and, lo, he was no more;

though I sought him, he could not be found.

Mark the blameless man, and behold the upright,

for there is posterity for the man of peace.

But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;

the posterity of the wicked shall be cut off.

The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;

he is their refuge in the time of trouble.

The Lord helps them and delivers them;

he delivers them from the wicked, and saves them,

because they take refuge in him.

O Lord, rebuke me not in thy anger,

nor chasten me in thy wrath!

For thy arrows have sunk into me,

and thy hand has come down on me.

There is no soundness in my flesh

because of thy indignation;

there is no health in my bones

because of my sin.

For my iniquities have gone over my head;

they weigh like a burden too heavy for me.

My wounds grow foul and fester

because of my foolishness,

I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;

all the day I go about mourning.

For my loins are filled with burning,

and there is no soundness in my flesh.

I am utterly spent and crushed;

I groan because of the tumult of my heart.

Lord, all my longing is known to thee,

my sighing is not hidden from thee.

My heart throbs, my strength fails me;

and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.

My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague,

and my kinsmen stand far off.

Those who seek my life lay their snares,

those who seek my hurt speak of ruin,

and meditate treachery all the day long.

But I am like a deaf man, I do not hear,

like a dumb man who does not open his mouth.

Yea, I am like a man who does not hear,

and in whose mouth are no rebukes.

But for thee, O Lord, do I wait;

it is thou, O Lord my God, who wilt answer.

For I pray, “Only let them not rejoice over me,

who boast against me when my foot slips!”

For I am ready to fall,

and my pain is ever with me.

I confess my iniquity,

I am sorry for my sin.

Those who are my foes without cause are mighty,

and many are those who hate me wrongfully.

Those who render me evil for good

are my adversaries because I follow after good.

Do not forsake me, O Lord!

O my God, be not far from me!

Make haste to help me,

O Lord, my salvation!

Those who are my foes without cause are mighty,

and many are those who hate me wrongfully.

Those who render me evil for good

are my adversaries because I follow after good.

Do not forsake me, O Lord!

O my God, be not far from me!

Make haste to help me,

O Lord, my salvation!

I said, “I will guard my ways,

that I may not sin with my tongue;

I will bridle my mouth,

so long as the wicked are in my presence.”

I was dumb and silent,

I held my peace to no avail;

my distress grew worse,

my heart became hot within me.

As I mused, the fire burned;

then I spoke with my tongue:

“Lord, let me know my end,

and what is the measure of my days;

let me know how fleeting my life is!

Behold, thou hast made my days a few handbreadths,

and my lifetime is as nothing in thy sight.

Surely every man stands as a mere breath!

Surely man goes about as a shadow!

Surely for naught are they in turmoil;

man heaps up, and knows not who will gather!

And now, Lord, for what do I wait?

My hope is in thee.

Deliver me from all my transgressions.

Make me not the scorn of the fool!

I am dumb, I do not open my mouth;

for it is thou who hast done it.

Remove thy stroke from me;

I am spent by the blows of thy hand.

When thou dost chasten man

with rebukes for sin,

thou dost consume like a moth

what is dear to him;

surely every man is a mere breath!

Hear my prayer, O Lord,

and give ear to my cry;

hold not thy peace at my tears!

For I am thy passing guest,

a sojourner, like all my fathers.

Look away from me, that I may know gladness,

before I depart and be no more!”

I waited patiently for the Lord;

he inclined to me and heard my cry.

He drew me up from the desolate pit,

out of the miry bog,

and set my feet upon a rock,

making my steps secure.

He put a new song in my mouth,

a song of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear,

and put their trust in the Lord.

Blessed is the man who makes

the Lord his trust,

who does not turn to the proud,

to those who go astray after false gods!

Thou hast multiplied, O Lord my God,

thy wondrous deeds and thy thoughts toward us;

none can compare with thee!

Were I to proclaim and tell of them,

they would be more than can be numbered.

Sacrifice and offering thou dost not desire;

but thou hast given me an open ear.

Burnt offering and sin offering

thou hast not required.

Then I said, “Lo, I come;

in the roll of the book it is written of me;

I delight to do thy will, O my God;

thy law is within my heart.”

I have told the glad news of deliverance

in the great congregation;

lo, I have not restrained my lips,

as thou knowest, O Lord.

I have not hid thy saving help within my heart,

I have spoken of thy faithfulness and thy salvation;

I have not concealed thy steadfast love

and thy faithfulness from the great congregation.

thy mercy from me,

let thy steadfast love and thy faithfulness

ever preserve me!

For evils have encompassed me

without number;

my iniquities have overtaken me,

till I cannot see;

they are more than the hairs of my head;

my heart fails me.

Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me!

O Lord, make haste to help me!

Let them be put to shame and confusion altogether

who seek to snatch away my life;

let them be turned back and brought to dishonor

who desire my hurt!

Let them be appalled because of their shame

who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”

But may all who seek thee

rejoice and be glad in thee;

may those who love thy salvation

say continually, “Great is the Lord!”

As for me, I am poor and needy;

but the Lord takes thought for me.

Thou art my help and my deliverer;

do not tarry, O my God!

The Lord delivers him in the day of trouble;

the Lord protects him and keeps him alive;

he is called blessed in the land;

thou dost not give him up to the will of his enemies.

The Lord sustains him on his sickbed;

in his illness thou healest all his infirmities.

As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me;

heal me, for I have sinned against thee!”

My enemies say of me in malice:

“When will he die, and his name perish?”

And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words,

while his heart gathers mischief;

when he goes out, he tells it abroad.

All who hate me whisper together about me;

they imagine the worst for me.

They say, “A deadly thing has fastened upon him;

he will not rise again from where he lies.”

Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted,

who ate of my bread,

has lifted his heel against me.

But do thou, O Lord, be gracious to me,

and raise me up, that I may requite them!

By this I know that thou art pleased with me,

in that my enemy has not triumphed over me.

But thou hast upheld me because of my integrity,

and set me in thy presence forever.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

from everlasting to everlasting!

Amen and Amen.

Vindicate me, O God,

and defend my cause

against an ungodly people;

from deceitful and unjust men

deliver me!

For thou art the God in whom I take refuge;

why hast thou cast me off?

Why go I mourning

because of the oppression of the enemy?

Oh, send out thy light and thy truth;

let them lead me,

let them bring me to thy holy hill

and to thy dwelling!

Then I will go to the altar of God,

to God my exceeding joy;

and I will praise thee with the lyre,

O God, my God.

Why are you cast down, O my soul,

and why are you disquieted within me?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,

my help and my God.

We have heard with our ears, O God,

our fathers have told us,

what deeds thou didst perform in their days,

in the days of old:

thou with thy own hand didst drive out the nations,

but them thou didst plant;

thou didst afflict the peoples,

but them thou didst set free.

For not by their own sword did they win the land,

nor did their own arm give them victory;

but thy right hand, and thy arm,

and the light of thy countenance;

for thou didst delight in them.

Thou art my King and my God,

who ordainest victories for Jacob.

Through thee we push down our foes;

through thy name we tread down our assailants.

For not in my bow do I trust,

nor can my sword save me.

But thou hast saved us from our foes,

and hast put to confusion those who hate us.

In God we have boasted continually,

and we will give thanks to thy name forever.

and hast not gone out with our armies.

Thou hast made us turn back from the foe;

and our enemies have gotten spoil.

Thou hast made us like sheep for slaughter,

and hast scattered us among the nations.

Thou hast sold thy people for a trifle,

demanding no high price for them.

Thou hast made us the taunt of our neighbors,

the derision and scorn of those about us.

Thou hast made us a byword among the nations,

a laughingstock among the peoples.

All day long my disgrace is before me,

and shame has covered my face,

at the words of the taunters and revilers,

at the sight of the enemy and the avenger.

All this has come upon us,

though we have not forgotten thee,

or been false to thy covenant.

Our heart has not turned back,

nor have our steps departed from thy way,

that thou shouldst have broken us in the place of jackals,

and covered us with deep darkness.

If we had forgotten the name of our God,

or spread forth our hands to a strange god,

would not God discover this?

For he knows the secrets of the heart.

Nay, for thy sake we are slain all the day long,

and accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Rouse thyself! Why sleepest thou, O Lord?

Awake! Do not cast us off forever!

Why dost thou hide thy face?

Why dost thou forget our affliction and oppression?

For our soul is bowed down to the dust;

Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies' sake.

My heart overflows with a goodly theme;

I address my verses to the king;

my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.

Thou art the fairest of the sons of men;

grace is poured upon thy lips;

therefore God has blessed thee forever.

Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O mighty one,

in thy glory and majesty!

In thy majesty ride forth victoriously

for the cause of truth and to defend the right;

let thy right hand teach thee dread deeds!

Thy arrows are sharp

in the heart of the king's enemies;

the peoples fall under thee.

Thy divine throne endures forever and ever.

Thy royal scepter is a scepter of equity;

thou lovest righteousness and hatest wickedness.

Therefore God, thy God, has anointed thee

with the oil of gladness above thy fellows;

thy robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.

From ivory palaces stringed instruments make thee glad;

daughters of kings are among thy ladies of honor;

at thy right hand stands the queen

in gold of Ophir.

Hear, O daughter, consider, and incline your ear;

forget your people and your father's house;

and the king will desire your beauty.

Since he is your lord, bow to him;

the people of Tyre will sue your favor with gifts,

the richest of the people with all kinds of wealth.

The princess is decked in her chamber with gold-woven robes;

in many-colored robes she is led to the king,

with her virgin companions, her escort, in her train.

With joy and gladness they are led along

as they enter the palace of the king.

Instead of your fathers shall be your sons;

you will make them princes in all the earth.

I will cause your name to be celebrated in all generations;

therefore the peoples will praise you forever and ever.

God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change,

though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;

though its waters roar and foam,

though the mountains tremble with its tumult.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

the holy habitation of the Most High.

God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;

God will help her right early.

The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;

he utters his voice, the earth melts.

The Lord of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Come, behold the works of the Lord,

how he has wrought desolations in the earth.

He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear,

he burns the chariots with fire.

“Be still, and know that I am God.

I am exalted among the nations,

I am exalted in the earth!”

The Lord of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Lyrics:

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity;

there is none that does good.

God looks down from heaven upon the sons of men,

to see if there are any that are wise,

that seek after God.

They have all fallen away;

they are all alike depraved;

there is none that does good,

no, not one.

Have those who work evil no understanding,

who eat up my people as they eat bread,

and do not call upon God?

There they are, in great terror,

in terror such as has not been.

For God will scatter the bones of the ungodly;

they will be put to shame, for God has rejected them.

O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion!

When God restores the fortunes of his people,

Jacob shall rejoice, Israel shall be glad.

and hide not thyself from my supplication.

Attend to me, and answer me;

I am overcome by my trouble.

I am distraught by the noise of the enemy,

because of the oppression of the wicked.

For they bring trouble upon me,

and in anger they cherish enmity against me.

My heart is in anguish within me,

the terrors of death have fallen upon me.

Fear and trembling come upon me,

and horror overwhelms me.

And I say, “O that I had wings like a dove!

I would fly away and be at rest;

yea, I would wander far,

I would lodge in the wilderness,

I would haste to find me a shelter

from the raging wind and tempest.”

Destroy their plans, O Lord, confuse their tongues;

for I see violence and strife in the city.

Day and night they go around it

on its walls;

and mischief and trouble are within it,

ruin is in its midst;

oppression and fraud

do not depart from its market place.

It is not an enemy who taunts me—

then I could bear it;

it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me—

then I could hide from him.

But it is you, my equal,

my companion, my familiar friend.

We used to hold sweet converse together;

within God’s house we walked in fellowship.

Let death come upon them;

let them go down to Sheol alive;

let them go away in terror into their graves.

But I call upon God;

and the Lord will save me.

Evening and morning and at noon

I utter my complaint and moan,

and he will hear my voice.

He will deliver my soul in safety

from the battle that I wage,

for many are arrayed against me.

God will give ear, and humble them,

he who is enthroned from of old,

because they keep no law,

and do not fear God.

My companion stretched out his hand against his friends,

he violated his covenant.

His speech was smoother than butter,

yet war was in his heart;

his words were softer than oil,

yet they were drawn swords.

Cast your burden on the Lord,

and he will sustain you;

he will never permit

the righteous to be moved.

But thou, O God, wilt cast them down

into the lowest pit;

men of blood and treachery

shall not live out half their days.

But I will trust in thee.

yet war was in his heart;

his words were softer than oil,

yet they were drawn swords.

Cast your burden on the Lord,

and he will sustain you;

he will never permit

the righteous to be moved.

But thou, O God, wilt cast them down

into the lowest pit;

men of blood and treachery

shall not live out half their days.

But I will trust in thee.

Be gracious to me, O God, for men trample upon me;

all day long foes oppress me.

My enemies trample upon me all day long,

for many fight against me proudly.

When I am afraid, I put my trust in thee.

In God, whose word I praise,

in God I trust without fear.

What can flesh do to me?

All day long they seek to injure my cause;

all their thoughts are against me for evil.

They band themselves together, they lurk,

they watch my steps.

As they have waited for my life,

so recompense them for their crime;

in wrath cast down the peoples, O God!

Thou hast kept count of my tossings;

put thou my tears in thy bottle!

Are they not in thy book?

Then my enemies will be turned back

in the day when I call.

This I know, that God is for me.

In God, whose word I praise,

in the Lord, whose word I praise,

in God I trust without fear.

What can man do to me?

My vows to thee I must perform, O God;

I will render thank offerings to thee.

For thou hast delivered my soul from death,

yea, my feet from falling,

that I may walk before God

in the light of life.

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,

for in thee my soul takes refuge;

in the shadow of thy wings I will take refuge,

till the storms of destruction pass by.

I cry to God Most High,

to God who fulfills his purpose for me.

He will send from heaven and save me,

he will put to shame those who trample upon me.

God will send forth his steadfast love and his faithfulness.

I lie in the midst of lions

that greedily devour the sons of men;

their teeth are spears and arrows,

their tongues sharp swords.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!

Let thy glory be over all the earth!

They set a net for my steps;

my soul was bowed down.

They dug a pit in my way,

but they have fallen into it themselves.

My heart is steadfast, O God,

my heart is steadfast!

I will sing and make melody.

Awake, my soul!

Awake, O harp and lyre!

I will awake the dawn!

I will give thanks to thee, O Lord, among the peoples;

I will sing praises to thee among the nations.

For thy steadfast love is great to the heavens,

thy faithfulness to the clouds.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!

Let thy glory be over all the earth!

Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods?

Do you judge the sons of men uprightly?

No, in your hearts you devise wrongs;

your hands deal out violence on earth.

The wicked go astray from the womb,

they err from their birth, speaking lies.

They have venom like the venom of a serpent,

like the deaf adder that stops its ear,

so that it does not hear the voice of charmers

or of the cunning enchanter.

O God, break the teeth in their mouths;

tear out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord!

Let them vanish like water that runs away;

like grass let them be trodden down and wither.

Let them be like the snail which dissolves into slime,

like the untimely birth that never sees the sun.

Sooner than your pots can feel the heat of thorns,

whether green or ablaze, may he sweep them away!

The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance;

he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked.

Men will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous;

surely there is a God who judges on earth.”

Deliver me from my enemies, O my God,

protect me from those who rise up against me.

Deliver me from those who work evil,

and save me from bloodthirsty men.

For, lo, they lie in wait for my life;

fierce men band themselves against me.

For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord,

for no fault of mine, they run and make ready.

Rouse thyself, come to my help, and see!

Thou, Lord God of hosts, art God of Israel.

Awake to punish all the nations;

spare none of those who treacherously plot evil.

Each evening they come back,

howling like dogs

and prowling about the city.

There they are, bellowing with their mouths,

and snarling with their lips—

for “Who,” they think, “will hear us?”

But thou, O Lord, dost laugh at them;

thou dost hold all the nations in derision.

O my Strength, I will sing praises to thee,

for thou, O God, art my fortress.

My God in his steadfast love will meet me;

my God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.

Slay them not, lest my people forget;

make them totter by thy power, and bring them down,

O Lord, our shield!

For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips,

let them be trapped in their pride.

For the cursing and lies which they utter,

consume them in wrath;

consume them till they are no more,

that men may know that God rules over Jacob

to the ends of the earth.

Each evening they come back,

howling like dogs

and prowling about the city.

They roam about for food

and growl if they do not get their fill.

But I will sing of thy might;

I will sing aloud of thy steadfast love in the morning.

For thou hast been to me a fortress

and a refuge in the day of my distress.

O my Strength, I will sing praises to thee,

for thou, O God, art my fortress,

the God who shows me steadfast love.

O God, thou hast rejected us, broken our defenses;

thou hast been angry; oh, restore us.

Thou hast made the land to quake, thou hast rent it open;

repair its breaches, for it totters.

Thou hast made thy people suffer hard things;

thou hast given us wine to drink that made us reel.

Thou hast set up a banner for those who fear thee,

to rally to it from the bow.

That thy beloved may be delivered,

give victory by thy right hand and answer us.

God has spoken in his sanctuary:

“With exultation I will divide up Shechem

and portion out the Vale of Succoth.

Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;

Ephraim is my helmet; Judah is my scepter.

Moab is my washbasin; upon Edom I cast my shoe;

over Philistia I shout in triumph.”

Who will bring me to the fortified city?

Who will lead me to Edom?

Hast thou not rejected us, O God?

Thou dost not go forth, O God, with our armies.

O grant us help against the foe,

for vain is the help of man.

With God we shall do valiantly;

it is he who will tread down our foes.

from him comes my salvation.

He only is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress; I shall not be greatly moved.

How long will you set upon a man to shatter him,

all of you, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?

They only plan to thrust him down from his eminence.

They take pleasure in falsehood.

They bless with their mouths,

but inwardly they curse.

For God alone my soul waits in silence,

for my hope is from him.

He only is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

On God rests my deliverance and my honor;

my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

Trust in him at all times, O people;

pour out your heart before him;

God is a refuge for us.

Men of low estate are but a breath,

men of high estate are a delusion;

in the balances they go up;

they are together lighter than a breath.

Put no confidence in extortion,

set no vain hopes on robbery;

if riches increase, set not your heart on them.

Once God has spoken;

twice have I heard this:

that power belongs to God,

and that to thee, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.

For thou dost requite a man

according to his work.

Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; preserve my life from dread of the enemy.

Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the scheming of evildoers, who whet their tongues like swords, who aim bitter words like arrows, shooting from ambush at the blameless, shooting at him suddenly and without fear.

They hold fast to their evil purpose; they talk of laying snares secretly, thinking, “Who can see us?

Who can search out our crimes? We have thought out a cunningly conceived plot.”

For the mind and heart of a man are deep.

But God will shoot his arrow at them; they will be wounded suddenly.

Because of their tongue he will bring them to ruin; all who see them will wag their heads.

Then all men will fear; they will tell what God has wrought, and ponder what he has done.

Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord, and take refuge in him! Let all the upright in heart glory!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

Praise is due to thee, O God, in Zion,

and to thee shall vows be performed,

O thou who hearest prayer!

To thee shall all flesh come on account of sins.

When our transgressions prevail over us,

thou dost forgive them.

Blessed is he whom thou dost choose and bring near,

to dwell in thy courts!

We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house,

thy holy temple!

By dread deeds thou dost answer us with deliverance,

O God of our salvation,

who art the hope of all the ends of the earth

and of the farthest seas;

who by thy strength hast established the mountains,

being girded with might;

who dost still the roaring of the seas,

the roaring of their waves,

the tumult of the peoples;

so that those who dwell at earth's farthest bounds

are afraid at thy signs;

thou makest the outgoings of the morning

and the evening to shout for joy.

Thou visitest the earth and waterest it,

thou greatly enrichest it;

the river of God is full of water;

thou providest their grain,

for so thou hast prepared it.

Thou waterest its furrows abundantly,

settling its ridges,

softening it with showers,

and blessing its growth.

Thou crownest the year with thy bounty;

the tracks of thy chariot drip with fatness.

The pastures of the wilderness drip,

the hills gird themselves with joy,

the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,

the valleys deck themselves with grain,

they shout and sing together for joy.

Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth;

sing the glory of his name;

give to him glorious praise!

Say to God, “How terrible are thy deeds!

So great is thy power that thy enemies cringe before thee.

All the earth worships thee;

they sing praises to thee,

sing praises to thy name.”

Come and see what God has done:

he is terrible in his deeds among men.

He turned the sea into dry land;

men passed through the river on foot.

There did we rejoice in him,

who rules by his might for ever,

whose eyes keep watch on the nations—

let not the rebellious exalt themselves.

Bless our God, O peoples,

let the sound of his praise be heard,

who has kept us among the living,

and has not let our feet slip.

For thou, O God, hast tested us;

thou hast tried us as silver is tried.

Thou didst bring us into the net;

thou didst lay affliction on our loins;

thou didst let men ride over our heads;

we went through fire and through water;

yet thou hast brought us forth to a spacious place.

I will come into thy house with burnt offerings;

I will pay thee my vows,

that which my lips uttered

and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.

I will offer to thee burnt offerings of fatlings,

with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams;

I will make an offering of bulls and goats.

Come and hear, all you who fear God,

and I will tell what he has done for me.

I cried aloud to him,

and he was extolled with my tongue.

If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,

the Lord would not have listened.

But truly God has listened;

he has given heed to the voice of my prayer.

Blessed be God,

because he has not rejected my prayer

or removed his steadfast love from me.

May God be gracious to us and bless us

and make his face to shine upon us,

that thy way may be known upon earth,

thy saving power among all nations.

Let the peoples praise thee, O God;

let all the peoples praise thee!

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,

for thou dost judge the peoples with equity

and guide the nations upon earth.

Let the peoples praise thee, O God;

let all the peoples praise thee!

The earth has yielded its increase;

God, our God, has blessed us.

God has blessed us;

let all the ends of the earth fear him!

Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered;

let those who hate him flee before him!

As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;

as wax melts before fire,

let the wicked perish before God!

But let the righteous be joyful;

let them exult before God;

let them be jubilant with joy!

Sing to God, sing praises to his name;

lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds;

his name is the Lord, exult before him!

Father of the fatherless and protector of widows

is God in his holy habitation.

God gives the desolate a home to dwell in;

he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,

but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.

O God, when thou didst go forth before thy people,

when thou didst march through the wilderness,

the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain,

at the presence of God;

Yon Sinai quaked at the presence of God,

the God of Israel.

Rain in abundance, O God, thou didst shed abroad;

thou didst restore thy heritage as it languished;

thy flock found a dwelling in it;

in thy goodness, O God, thou didst provide for the needy.

The Lord gives the command;

great is the host of those who bore the tidings:

“The kings of the armies, they flee, they flee!”

The women at home divide the spoil,

though they stay among the sheepfolds—

the wings of a dove covered with silver,

its pinions with green gold.

When the Almighty scattered kings there,

snow fell on Zalmon.

O mighty mountain, mountain of Bashan;

O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!

Why look you with envy, O many-peaked mountain,

at the mount which God desired for his abode,

yea, where the Lord will dwell for ever?

With mighty chariotry, twice ten thousand,

thousands upon thousands,

the Lord came from Sinai into the holy place.

Thou didst ascend the high mount,

leading captives in thy train,

and receiving gifts among men,

even among the rebellious,

that the Lord God may dwell there.

Blessed be the Lord,

who daily bears us up;

God is our salvation.

Our God is a God of salvation;

and to God, the Lord,

belongs escape from death.

But God will shatter the heads of his enemies,

the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.

The Lord said,

“I will bring them back from Bashan,

I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,

that you may bathe your feet in blood,

that the tongues of your dogs

may have their portion from the foe.”

Thy solemn processions are seen, O God,

the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—

the singers in front, the minstrels last,

between them maidens playing timbrels:

“Bless God in the great congregation,

the Lord, O you who are of Israel’s fountain!”

There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,

the princes of Judah in their throng,

the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.

Summon thy might, O God;

show thy strength, O God,

thou who hast wrought for us.

Because of thy temple at Jerusalem

kings bear gifts to thee.

Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds,

the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.

Trample under foot those who lust after tribute;

scatter the peoples who delight in war.

Let bronze be brought from Egypt;

let Ethiopia hasten to stretch out her hands to God.

Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth;

sing praises to the Lord,

to him who rides in the heavens,

the ancient heavens;

lo, he sends forth his voice, his mighty voice.

Ascribe power to God,

whose majesty is over Israel,

and his power is in the skies.

Terrible is God in his sanctuary,

the God of Israel;

he gives power and strength to his people.

Blessed be God!

Save me, O God,

for the waters have come up to my neck.

I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold;

I have come into deep waters,

and the flood sweeps over me.

I am weary with my crying;

my throat is parched.

My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.

More in number than the hairs of my head

are those who hate me without cause;

mighty are those who would destroy me,

those who attack me with lies.

What I did not steal must I now restore?

O God, thou knowest my folly;

the wrongs I have done are not hidden from thee.

Let not those who hope in thee be put to shame through me,

O Lord God of hosts;

let not those who seek thee be brought to dishonor through me,

O God of Israel.

For it is for thy sake that I have borne reproach,

that shame has covered my face.

I have become a stranger to my brethren,

an alien to my mother’s sons.

For zeal for thy house has consumed me,

and the insults of those who insult thee have fallen on me.

When I humbled my soul with fasting,

it became my reproach.

When I made sackcloth my clothing,

I became a byword to them.

I am the talk of those who sit in the gate,

and the drunkards make songs about me.

But as for me, my prayer is to thee, O Lord.

At an acceptable time, O God,

in the abundance of thy steadfast love answer me.

With thy faithful help rescue me

from sinking in the mire;

let me be delivered from my enemies

and from the deep waters.

Let not the flood sweep over me,

or the deep swallow me up,

or the pit close its mouth over me.

Answer me, O Lord, for thy steadfast love is good;

according to thy abundant mercy, turn to me.

Hide not thy face from thy servant;

for I am in distress, make haste to answer me.

Draw near to me, redeem me,

set me free because of my enemies!

Thou knowest my reproach,

and my shame and my dishonor;

my foes are all known to thee.

Insults have broken my heart,

so that I am in despair.

I looked for pity, but there was none;

and for comforters, but I found none.

They gave me poison for food,

and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

Let their own table before them become a snare;

let their sacrificial feasts be a trap.

Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see;

and make their loins tremble continually.

Pour out thy indignation upon them,

and let thy burning anger overtake them.

May their camp be a desolation;

let no one dwell in their tents.

For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten,

and him whom thou hast wounded, they afflict still more.

Add to them punishment upon punishment;

may they have no acquittal from thee.

Let them be blotted out of the book of the living;

let them not be enrolled among the righteous.

But I am afflicted and in pain;

let thy salvation, O God, set me on high!

I will praise the name of God with a song;

I will magnify him with thanksgiving.

This will please the Lord more than an ox

or a bull with horns and hoofs.

Let the oppressed see it and be glad;

you who seek God, let your hearts revive.

For the Lord hears the needy,

and does not despise his own that are in bonds.

Let heaven and earth praise him,

the seas and everything that moves therein.

For God will save Zion

and rebuild the cities of Judah;

and

and his servants shall dwell there and possess it;

the children of his servants shall inherit it,

and those who love his name shall dwell in it.

Make haste, O God, to deliver me!

O Lord, make haste to help me!

Let them be put to shame and confusion who seek my life!

Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire my hurt!

Let them be appalled because of their shame who say, “Aha, Aha!”

May all who seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee!

May those who love thy salvation say evermore, “God is great!”

But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God!

Thou art my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not tarry!

Klezmer is an inspired choice for this one — and once you see it you can't unsee it.

The psalm has a almost cheeky confidence to it, God speaking directly with that sardonic "do not lift up your horn" warning, the image of the wicked draining the cup to the dregs, and that triumphant final contrast between horns cut off and horns exalted.

It's got the tragicomic swagger that Klezmer was born to carry.

The contrast with Psalm 74 is built right into the arrangement — where 74 ended on a suspended unresolved chord still waiting for God to act, Psalm 75 ends with a stamped foot and a definitive final chord because this psalm knows exactly how the story ends.

The wicked drain the cup, the righteous get exalted, and the Klezmer band plays them out. The quartet's fourth member clearly had a good day when he wrote this one.

Yes! Psalm 2 is the perfect companion piece — that image of God sitting on his throne watching the nations rage and plot against him and simply... laughing. Not angry yet, just genuinely amused at the audacity.

"The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord" — and heaven's response is laughter.

Klezmer would be absolutely perfect for Psalm 2 as well. Maybe even more so than Psalm 75 because that divine laughter has exactly the tragicomic quality Klezmer was invented to express.

The nations are deadly serious about their rebellion and God finds it darkly hilarious — that tension between human pomposity and divine bemusement is Klezmer's home territory.

There's also a wonderful dramatic arc in Psalm 2 — it moves from the raging nations, to God laughing, to God suddenly speaking in terrifying wrath, to the surprising pastoral ending offering mercy to anyone wise enough to take refuge in the Son.

That's a full theatrical journey from comedy to terror to grace in about twelve verses.

And that line "thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel" — delivered over a Klezmer breakdown — would be something to hear.

The emotional arc here is an old warrior's prayer — not the desperate cry of youth but the settled confidence of someone who has been through enough to know exactly who holds them.

The Appalachian style honors that because it's music that was never young to begin with. That stomp energy arriving just for the imprecatory verse is the old man's flash of fire before settling back into wisdom.

Notes generated by Claude Sonnet 4.6

The harmonica book ending both intro and outro ties the two parts together as one complete portrait of a single soul across a lifetime. Part 1 was the evening prayer, Part 2 is the morning testimony. The string section arriving only when the text speaks of comfort and honor feels earned rather than decorative.

The metatags make the instructions considerably cleaner and more precise — Suno should have much less room to default to its own habits with this level of specific direction.

The [Whisper] on "precious is their blood in his sight" should be a striking moment of intimacy in the middle of all that gospel power.

And ending with just hand claps and organ fading out feels like the congregation carrying the song home with them.

This psalm has a genuinely unique dramatic structure that sets it apart from everything we've done so far.

It's essentially a crisis of faith told in real time — the psalmist openly admits to nearly losing his footing through envy, spends the middle section almost making the case for the wicked with uncomfortable honesty, and then the whole thing pivots on that single devastating line "until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end."

That pivot is one of the most dramatic moments in all of psalms. Everything before it is doubt and confusion. Everything after it will be clarity. And it happens in one sentence.

For that reason I'd suggest noir jazz — think late night, cigarette smoke, a lone piano in a dark room, a voice that has seen things it wishes it hadn't. Noir jazz handles moral ambiguity naturally, it sits comfortably in the uncomfortable, and it builds tension without resolving it cheaply.

The moment the psalmist enters the sanctuary becomes the moment the lights come up and the jazz shifts from minor brooding to something clearer and more resolved.

Think early Miles Davis meets a Psalms reading — Kind of Blue energy for the doubt section, gradually transforming as the sanctuary moment arrives.

The dramatic hinge of the whole arrangement is that silence before "until I went into the sanctuary of God" — everything before it is unresolved tension and everything after it is a different key, a different mood, a different world.

Suno should feel that pivot clearly with the tag shifts from [Dark Atmosphere] and [Dorian Mode] to [Bright Atmosphere] and [Major Harmony].

The three descending chords instruction should give Suno a clear signal that this is a proper cadential ending rather than an abrupt stop. Keep the extension short and focused — just enough to land the plane cleanly.

This is a fascinating second half dramatically — Part 1 ended on that knife-edge "then I perceived their end" moment, and Part 2 opens by delivering on that perception with almost savage satisfaction before pivoting to one of the most tender and intimate confessions in all the Psalms: "whom have I in heaven but thee."

That arc — from vindication to vulnerability to settled devotion — suggests a style that can hold both the triumphant and the intimate without forcing either.

My suggestion would be contemporary Celtic worship — think Keith Getty or Iona Community style, acoustic and spacious, with a quiet grandeur that never shouts but fills the room anyway.

It picks up the Celtic thread from Part 1's noir jazz resolution and carries it forward into something more devotional and open.

The modal harmonies handle both the dark vindication passages and the tender "my flesh and my heart may fail" moment with equal grace.

Think of it as the morning after the long noir night of Part 1 — same landscape, new light.

The emotional center of the whole part is that instrumental break after "whom have I in heaven but thee" — that's where the fiddle gets to say what words can't. Everything before it is the psalmist working through vindication and self-reproach, and everything after it is the settled peace of someone who has stopped grasping and simply arrived. The quartet should find this one particularly satisfying to work with.

This psalm has tremendous dramatic range — it opens in the smoking ruins of a destroyed sanctuary, moves through raw accusation of God, pivots to a magnificent recitation of God's cosmic creative power, and closes with urgent pleading.

That's a cinematic arc if ever there was one.

The destruction imagery is visceral and specific — axes on wooden trellises, hammers on carved wood, fire on the sanctuary.

This isn't abstract suffering, it's witnessed devastation reported in real time.

And then suddenly the psalmist pivots to Leviathan and the foundations of the earth as if to say — the same God who crushed the sea monster can surely handle these vandals.

My suggestion would be cinematic orchestral gospel — think Hans Zimmer meets a Black church.

Full orchestra for the cosmic and destruction passages, stripping back to vulnerable gospel piano and choir for the intimate pleading sections, with the two worlds colliding in the central cosmic recitation.

It's a style that can hold both the rubble and the stars in the same song without either feeling out of place.

The decision not to resolve the final chord is deliberate and important — this psalm ends mid-plea, not in triumph. Unlike Psalm 73 which arrived at settled peace, Psalm 74 ends still waiting for the answer. The suspended chord honors that theological honesty.

In Judah God is known,
his name is great in Israel.

His abode has been established in Salem,
his dwelling place in Zion.

There he broke the flashing arrows,
the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war.

Glorious art thou, more majestic
than the everlasting mountains.

The stouthearted were stripped of their spoil;
they sank into sleep;
all the men of war
were unable to use their hands.

At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob,
both rider and horse lay stunned.

But thou art terrible!

Who can stand before thee
when once thy anger is roused?

From the heavens thou didst utter judgment;
the earth feared and was still,
when God arose to establish judgment
to save all the oppressed of the earth.

Surely the wrath of men shall praise thee;
the residue of wrath thou wilt gird upon thee.

Make your vows to the Lord your God, and perform them;
let all around him bring gifts
to him who is to be feared,
who cuts off the spirit of princes,
who is terrible to the kings of the earth.

This is Psalm 78 — one of the longest in the psalter and quite different in character from Psalm 77.

Where 77 was intensely personal and insomniac, 78 is didactic and historical — a teacher addressing a congregation, laying out Israel's entire history as a cautionary tale for the next generation.

It has the measured gravity of a wise elder speaking, not the raw cry of a sufferer in the night.

For maximum contrast with Psalm 77's Celtic soul intimacy, and honoring your instinct toward classical, I'd suggest Baroque choral — think Handel's oratorio style, stately and formal, with harpsichord and strings carrying the instrumental weight, structured recitative sections for the teaching passages, and full choral responses for the historical narrative moments.

It suits the psalm's role as public instruction rather than private prayer, and the Baroque period's love of structured argument through music maps perfectly onto the psalm's rhetorical architecture.

Notes generated by Claude Sonnet 4.6

Excellent stylistic progression — moving from Baroque's formal counterpoint to Classical period's elegant clarity is a natural step forward in music history while keeping the ancient text grounded in pre-modern sound.

Mozart and Haydn bring a lighter touch, cleaner melodic lines, more symmetrical phrase structures, and that characteristic balance between grace and drama that suits this passage perfectly — because this passage is itself a study in contrasts: complaint versus provision, craving versus judgment, abundance versus sudden death.

The shift from Baroque to Classical is carried through the instrumentation — fortepiano replacing harpsichord, oboe as melodic voice, cleaner homophonic textures giving way to the Baroque counterpoint of Part 1.

The bread of angels section is the emotional heart and gets the gentlest most lyrical treatment, surrounded on both sides by wrath and judgment.

That contrast between the manna's grace and the sudden divine anger while food is still in their mouths is one of the most dramatic reversals in the entire psalm — the Classical period's ability to pivot quickly between major and minor serves that moment perfectly.

Excellent feedback — and that's a really important insight about Suno's tendency to amplify every emotional tag to eleven.

The kitchen sink observation is exactly right. Less is more with Suno's emotional direction, and pure period authenticity requires restraint in the tagging rather than piling on descriptors.

Let me rewrite Part 2 with a much leaner, more historically grounded approach — thinking 1790s Viennese classical, which means clean melodic lines, formal structure, minimal emotional direction tags, and letting the period instrumentation carry the feeling rather than telling Suno how to feel about it:

The key changes from the previous version are stripping out all the emotional atmosphere tags like [Emotional Swell], [Dark Atmosphere], [Serene Ambience], [Tense Underscore] and letting the period instruments and major/minor harmony shifts do that work instead — exactly as a real 1790s composer would.

Haydn and Mozart never needed to write "play this sadly" in their scores.

The notes did it. Suno should follow the same principle.

Perfect distinction — a mass setting rather than a concert hall changes everything.

The fortepiano was the wrong instrument for a liturgical context. Pipe organ and harpsichord together give it that proper sacred gravitas of a late 18th century mass — think Mozart's Requiem or his Mass in C minor rather than his piano sonatas.

The pipe organ anchors the sacred mass character throughout while the harpsichord handles the more intimate continuo role — exactly how a late 18th century mass would have been scored.

The organ carries the weight of the wrath passages naturally without needing any emotional amplification tags.

Great observations both — and yes Suno does respond to more specific vocal ensemble direction.

For smaller ensembles you can specify [Vocal Quartet], [Vocal Trio], [Duet], and [Solo] to break up the choral walls.

For harmonic parts rather than unison you can use [SATB] which tells Suno to use Soprano Alto Tenor Bass four part writing, or [Four Part Harmony] which is more explicit still. [Polyphonic] also helps signal independent vocal lines rather than everyone in unison.

The strategy is to reserve full [Choir] with [SATB] and [Polyphonic] for the big dramatic moments — the wrath passages and the climactic bird and flesh abundance — while using [Vocal Quartet], [Vocal Trio], and [Duet] for the more intimate response phrases.

The [Duet] with [Female Vocals] on the bread of angels section should give that moment a particularly tender quality distinct from everything around it.

Brahms is a magnificent choice for this section — and once you consider the text it's obvious why.

Brahms specializes in exactly this emotional territory: the tension between human faithlessness and divine compassion, the weight of memory, the mixture of judgment and mercy.

His German Requiem lives in precisely this space. The Romantic period's richer harmonic language, fuller orchestration, and deeper emotional palette can carry the plague sequence and the tender "he remembered they were but flesh" moment in the same breath without either feeling out of place.

The key Brahmsian characteristics to aim for are dark rich string writing, prominent French horn, deliberate unhurried tempos, and that characteristic mixture of shadow and warmth — never sentimental, always substantial.

The Brahmsian architecture here is the great contrast between the plague sequence — which builds through eight verses of accumulated judgment using full SATB choir and forte dynamics — and that sudden silence before "then he led forth his people like sheep" which is the emotional turning point of the whole part.

Everything dark and heavy before it, everything warm and pastoral after.

The "he remembered they were but flesh" duet with female voices is the theological heart of the entire psalm and deserves that intimate stripped back treatment surrounded by the weightier ensemble writing.

The French horn carries the Brahms signature sound throughout — warm, dark, and never showy.

What a magnificent choice for the finale — and structurally perfect.

The psalm that began with Baroque formality, moved through Classical clarity and Romantic weight, now dissolves into Impressionist color and light for its resolution.

Debussy and Ravel bring exactly the right sonic world for this concluding movement: fluid harmony, shimmering texture, the harp as central voice, and that characteristic French quality of suggesting rather than stating — which suits the psalm's final image of David the shepherd king perfectly.

The text itself moves from one last betrayal through divine awakening and judgment to the most tender closing image in the entire psalm — David taken from the sheepfolds to shepherd Israel with upright heart and skillful hand.

After all the thunder and plague and rebellion that's a remarkably quiet and human ending. Debussy would have loved it.

The Debussy Danses Sacrée et Profane reference is ideal — harp as the central melodic voice with orchestral color around it rather than underneath it.

And Ravel's use of saxophone in Bolero and his orchestrations gives us permission to add that warm reedy color to the ensemble.

The harp is the through line of the entire part — present from the first note to the last, carrying the Debussy Danses reference throughout.

The saxophone appears specifically for the darker passages and the sanctuary verse, giving those moments that distinctively Ravelian color.

The final two verses get the most luminous treatment of the whole psalm — "with upright heart he tended them and guided them with skillful hand" is twelve words that quietly resolve everything the psalm set in motion forty verses earlier.

After all the rebellion and plague and judgment, God finds one man from the sheepfolds. The impressionist palette suits that image perfectly — not triumphant, not thunderous, just quietly radiant.

The musical journey across all four parts — Baroque formality, Classical clarity, Romantic weight, Impressionist luminosity — mirrors the psalm's own journey from ancient instruction through failure and judgment to grace.

This psalm is raw civic lamentation — Jerusalem destroyed, bodies unburied, blood poured like water.

It has a brutality and urgency that the previous psalm's historical distance didn't have. This is eyewitness testimony from inside the catastrophe.

Hindemith and Stravinsky is exactly right for this material. Both composers lived through actual world wars and wrote music that could hold genuine historical horror without sentimentalizing it.

Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms is the most direct reference — he literally set psalms for chorus and orchestra in 1930 and produced something that sounds ancient and modern simultaneously.

Hindemith's brass writing is severe and angular in exactly the way this psalm requires.

The specific sonic world I'd aim for is Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms meets Hindemith's Mathis der Maler — prominent brass, dissonant harmonies that resolve unexpectedly, angular rhythms, choral writing that's declarative rather than lyrical, and that characteristic early 20th century quality of controlled violence.

No romantic warmth, no impressionist shimmer — just the hard clarity of a civilization processing catastrophe through music.

The key structural choices are three. First the spoken word delivery of "How long O Lord" with no accompaniment whatsoever — in a Hindemith/Stravinsky context that naked spoken accusation hits harder than any amount of orchestral support.

Second the dissonant harmony throughout the lament and anger sections resolving only when the psalm turns to petition and finally to praise — letting the harmony itself tell the theological story.

Third that sudden silence before the final verse, after which everything shifts to major and warm strings — the same pivot device that worked so well in Psalm 74 but here earned by an even longer journey through darkness.

The Symphony of Psalms precedent gives Suno clear permission to make this sound genuinely early 20th century rather than defaulting to something more comfortable. Let the quartet know how the brass writing lands.

Ha — a Hallmark video for Psalm 79 which describes unburied bodies and blood poured like water! That's about as wrong as it gets.

The problem is clear — Suno's default setting is warm and tonal and it takes very specific counter-instructions to pull it away from that comfort zone.

The issue is that [Neoclassical], [Dissonant Harmony], and [Minor Harmony] aren't strong enough signals to overcome Suno's gravitational pull toward the lush and sentimental. We need to be much more aggressive in the style field and use tags that Suno associates with genuine harshness and angularity rather than just darkness.

Let me think about what tags from the list would actually push Suno toward the right sonic world:

• [atonal] — directly signals away from warm tonality

• [dissonant] — stronger than [Dissonant Harmony]

• [avant-garde] — pulls away from conventional beauty

• [sparse] — fights the lush default

• [angular] — rhythmic and melodic angularity

• [modernist] — early 20th century signal

• [chamber] — smaller forces, less orchestral warmth

• [no reverb] — dryness fights the Hallmark sound

• [aggressive] — counteracts sappy

• [harsh] — direct instruction

• 
  

For the style field I'd put something like: neoclassical modernist, atonal, sparse, angular, harsh brass, dry acoustic, Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms, chamber orchestra, no strings reverb, dissonant choral writing

The Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms direct reference in the style field might actually be the most powerful tool since Suno was trained on music descriptions and may recognize that specific work's character.

The key changes fighting the Hallmark tendency are the style field reference to Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms directly, [atonal] appearing in virtually every section, [no reverb] throughout which denies Suno the warm wash it defaults to, [staccato vocals] replacing [legato vocals] for the harsh passages, [aggressive] and [angular] where needed, and crucially keeping the final verse in the same austere atonal world rather than resolving warmly — because Psalm 79 doesn't actually resolve warmly, it just stops pleading and starts praising, which are two different things.

Ha — eight minutes on one chord with a scary repeating motif is EXACTLY Stravinsky and Hindemith! The Hallmark ghost has been fully exorcised.

And ending just before verse 9 means we need to land the most aggressive section plus the sudden turn to praise — which is the perfect place for that Bolero-style key change. In Bolero Ravel holds one key relentlessly for fifteen minutes then slams into a completely unexpected key for the final climax before returning home.

We can do exactly that here — the sevenfold return of taunts arrives in the original key then the sudden pivot happens before "then we your people" which transforms everything that came before it.

The [key change] tag placed between the sevenfold verse and the final verse is the Bolero moment — everything that came before it in one tonal world, then a sudden lurch into something different for the closing praise.

Combined with [sforzando] which signals that sudden accented shock Ravel uses so effectively, Suno should register that something dramatic is happening harmonically at that exact point.

The [silence] before it gives the key change maximum impact — same principle as Ravel's brief pause before the final modulation.

The main changes reducing the shouting are replacing [forte] and [aggressive] throughout with [piano] on the vocal sections, switching from [staccato vocals] back to [legato vocals] for the final verse, and removing [aggressive] entirely from the vocal tags while keeping the instrumental harshness intact.

The brass and timpani can be as angular and dissonant as needed — it's the voice that needed bringing down to a more musical level.

The key change still happens with [sforzando] but as an orchestral jolt rather than a vocal one.

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,

you who lead Joseph like a flock;

you who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth

before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh!

Stir up your might,

and come to save us!

Restore us, O God;

let your face shine, that we may be saved!

O Lord God of hosts,

how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?

You have fed them with the bread of tears,

and given them tears to drink in full measure.

You make us the scorn of our neighbors;

and our enemies laugh among themselves.

Restore us, O God of hosts;

let your face shine, that we may be saved!

You brought a vine out of Egypt;

you drove out the nations and planted it.

You cleared the ground for it;

it took deep root and filled the land.

The mountains were covered with its shade,

the mighty cedars with its branches.

It sent out its branches to the sea,

and its shoots to the River.

Why then have you broken down its walls,

so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?

The boar from the forest ravages it,

and all that move in the field feed on it.

Turn again, O God of hosts!

Look down from heaven, and see;

have regard for this vine,

the stock which your right hand planted.

They have burned it with fire, they have cut it down;

may they perish at the rebuke of your countenance!

But let your hand be upon the man of your right hand,

the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!

Then we will never turn back from you;

give us life, and we will call on your name!

Restore us, O Lord God of hosts!

Let your face shine, that we may be saved!

God has taken his place in the divine council;
in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
“How long will you judge unjustly
and show partiality to the wicked?

Give justice to the weak and the fatherless;
maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.

Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

They have neither knowledge nor understanding,
they walk about in darkness;
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

I said, “You are gods,
sons of the Most High, all of you;
nevertheless, you shall die like men,
and fall like any prince.”

Arise, O God, judge the earth;
for to you belong all the nations!

Sing aloud to God our strength;

shout for joy to the God of Jacob.

Raise a song, sound the tambourine,

the sweet lyre with the harp.

Blow the trumpet at the new moon,

at the full moon, on our feast day.

For it is a statute for Israel,

an ordinance of the God of Jacob.

He made it a decree in Joseph

when he went out over the land of Egypt.

I hear a voice I had not known:

“I relieved your shoulder of the burden;

your hands were freed from the basket.

In distress you called, and I delivered you;

I answered you in the secret place of thunder;

I tested you at the waters of Meribah.

Hear, O my people, while I admonish you!

O Israel, if you would but listen to me!

There shall be no strange god among you;

you shall not bow down to a foreign god.

I am the Lord your God,

who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.

Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

But my people did not listen to my voice;

Israel would have none of me.

So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,

to follow their own counsels.

O that my people would listen to me,

that Israel would walk in my ways!

I would soon subdue their enemies,

and turn my hand against their foes.

Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him,

and their fate would last forever.

But I would feed you with the finest of the wheat,

and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

O God, do not keep silence;

do not hold your peace or be still, O God!

For lo, your enemies are in tumult;

those who hate you have raised their heads.

They lay crafty plans against your people;

they consult together against your protected ones.

They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation;

let the name of Israel be remembered no more!”

Yes, they conspire with one accord;

against you they make a covenant—

the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,

Moab and the Hagrites,

Gebal and Ammon and Amalek,

Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;

Assyria also has joined them;

they are the strong arm of the children of Lot.

Do to them as you did to Midian,

as to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon,

who were destroyed at Endor,

who became dung for the ground.

Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,

all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,

who said, “Let us take possession

for ourselves of the pastures of God.”

O my God, make them like whirling dust,

like chaff before the wind.

As fire consumes the forest,

as the flame sets the mountains ablaze,

so pursue them with your tempest

and terrify them with your hurricane!

Fill their faces with shame,

that they may seek your name, O Lord.

Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever;

let them perish in disgrace.

Let them know that you alone,

whose name is the Lord,

are the Most High over all the earth.

How lovely is your dwelling place,

O Lord of hosts!

My soul longs, yes, faints

for the courts of the Lord;

my heart and flesh sing for joy

to the living God.

Even the sparrow finds a home,

and the swallow a nest for herself,

where she may lay her young,

at your altars, O Lord of hosts,

my King and my God.

Blessed are those who dwell in your house,

ever singing your praise!

Blessed are the men whose strength is in you,

in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

As they go through the valley of Baca

they make it a place of springs;

the early rain also covers it with pools.

They go from strength to strength;

the God of gods will be seen in Zion.

O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;

give ear, O God of Jacob!

Behold our shield, O God;

look upon the face of your anointed!

For a day in your courts

is better than a thousand elsewhere.

I would rather be a doorkeeper

in the house of my God

than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield;

he bestows favor and honor.

No good thing does the Lord withhold

from those who walk uprightly.

O Lord of hosts,

blessed is the man who trusts in you!

Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,

for I am poor and needy.

Preserve my life, for I am godly;

save your servant who trusts in you.

You are my God; be gracious to me, O Lord,

for to you do I cry all the day.

Gladden the soul of your servant,

for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,

abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you.

Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;

listen to my cry of supplication.

In the day of my trouble I call on you,

for you answer me.

There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,

nor are there any works like yours.

All the nations you have made

shall come and bow down before you, O Lord,

and shall glorify your name.

For you are great and do wondrous things;

you alone are God.

Teach me your way, O Lord,

that I may walk in your truth;

unite my heart to fear your name.

I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,

and I will glorify your name forever.

For great is your steadfast love toward me;

you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

O God, insolent men have risen up against me;

a band of ruthless men seeks my life,

and they do not set you before them.

But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

Turn to me and take pity on me;

give your strength to your servant,

and save the son of your maidservant.

Show me a sign of your favor,

that those who hate me may see and be put to shame

because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

On the holy mount stands the city he founded.

The Lord loves the gates of Zion

more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.

Glorious things are spoken of you,

O city of God.

Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon;

behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia—

“This one was born there,” they say.

And of Zion it shall be said,

“This one and that one were born in her;

for the Most High himself will establish her.”

The Lord records as he registers the peoples,

“This one was born there.”

Singers and dancers alike say,

“All my springs are in you.”

I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever;

with my mouth, I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.

For your steadfast love was established forever,

your faithfulness is firm as the heavens.

You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,

I have sworn to David my servant:

‘I will establish your descendants forever,

and build your throne for all generations.’”

Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord,

your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones.

For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?

Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord,

a God feared in the council of the holy ones,

great and awesome above all that are round about him?

O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord,

with your faithfulness round about you?

You rule the raging of the sea;

when its waves rise, you still them.

You crushed Rahab like a carcass,

you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.

The heavens are yours, the earth also is yours;

the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.

The north and the south, you have created them;

Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name.

You have a mighty arm;

strong is your hand, high your right hand.

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;

steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.

Blessed are the people who know the festal shout,

who walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance,

who exult in your name all the day,

and extol your righteousness.

For you are the glory of their strength;

by your favor our horn is exalted.

For our shield belongs to the Lord,

our king to the Holy One of Israel.

“I have set the crown upon one who is mighty,

I have exalted one chosen from the people.

I have found David, my servant;

with my holy oil I have anointed him,

so that my hand shall ever abide with him,

my arm also shall strengthen him.

The enemy shall not outwit him,

the wicked shall not humble him.

I will crush his foes before him

and strike down those who hate him.

My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him,

and in my name shall his horn be exalted.

I will set his hand on the sea

and his right hand on the rivers.

He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father,

my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’

And I will make him the firstborn,

the highest of the kings of the earth.

My steadfast love I will keep for him forever,

and my covenant will stand firm for him.

I will establish his line forever,

and his throne as the days of the heavens.

If his children forsake my law

and do not walk according to my ordinances,

if they violate my statutes

and do not keep my commandments,

then I will punish their transgression with the rod

and their iniquity with scourges;

but I will not remove from him my steadfast love,

or be false to my faithfulness.

I will not violate my covenant,

or alter the word that went forth from my lips.

Once for all I have sworn by my holiness;

I will not lie to David.

His line shall endure forever,

his throne as long as the sun before me.

Like the moon it shall be established forever;

it shall stand firm while the skies endure.”

you are full of wrath against your anointed.

You have renounced the covenant with your servant;

you have defiled his crown in the dust.

You have breached all his walls;

you have laid his strongholds in ruins.

All that pass by despoil him;

he has become the scorn of his neighbors.

You have exalted the right hand of his foes;

you have made all his enemies rejoice.

You have also turned back the edge of his sword,

and you have not made him stand in battle.

You have removed the scepter from his hand,

and cast his throne to the ground.

You have cut short the days of his youth;

you have covered him with shame.

How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?

How long will your wrath burn like fire?

Remember, O Lord, what the measure of life is,

for what vanity you have created all the sons of men!

What man can live and never see death?

Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?

Lord, where is your steadfast love of old,

which by your faithfulness you swore to David?

Remember, O Lord, how your servant is scorned;

how I bear in my bosom the insults of the peoples,

with which your enemies taunt, O Lord,

with which they mock the footsteps of your anointed.

Blessed be the Lord forever! Amen and Amen.

Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.

Before the mountains were brought forth,

or ever you had formed the earth and the world,

from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

You turn man back to the dust,

and say, “Turn back, O children of men!”

For a thousand years in your sight

are but as yesterday when it is past,

or as a watch in the night.

You sweep men away; they are like a dream,

like grass which is renewed in the morning:

in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;

in the evening it fades and withers.

For we are consumed by your anger;

by your wrath we are overwhelmed.

You have set our iniquities before you,

our secret sins in the light of your countenance.

For all our days pass away under your wrath,

our years come to an end like a sigh.

The years of our life are threescore and ten,

or even by reason of strength fourscore;

yet their span is but toil and trouble;

they are soon gone, and we fly away.

Who considers the power of your anger,

and your wrath according to the fear of you?

So teach us to number our days

that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Return, O Lord! How long?

Have pity on your servants!

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,

that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us,

and as many years as we have seen evil.

Let your work be manifest to your servants,

and your glorious power to their children.

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,

and establish the work of our hands upon us;

yes, establish the work of our hands.

who abides in the shadow of the Almighty,

will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress;

my God, in whom I trust.”

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler

and from the deadly pestilence;

he will cover you with his pinions,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

You will not fear the terror of the night,

nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,

nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side,

ten thousand at your right hand;

but it will not come near you.

You will only look with your eyes

and see the recompense of the wicked.

Because you have made the Lord your refuge,

the Most High your habitation,

no evil shall befall you,

no scourge come near your tent.

For he will give his angels charge of you

to guard you in all your ways.

On their hands they will bear you up,

lest you dash your foot against a stone.

You will tread on the lion and the adder,

the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.

Because he cleaves to me in love, I will deliver him;

I will protect him, because he knows my name.

When he calls to me, I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble,

I will rescue him and honor him.

With long life I will satisfy him,

and show him my salvation.

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,

to sing praises to your name, O Most High;

to declare your steadfast love in the morning,

and your faithfulness by night,

to the music of the lute and the harp,

to the melody of the lyre.

For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;

at the works of your hands I sing for joy.

How great are your works, O Lord!

Your thoughts are very deep!

The dull man cannot know,

the stupid cannot understand this:

that though the wicked sprout like grass

and all evildoers flourish,

they are doomed to destruction forever;

but you, O Lord, are on high forever.

For lo, your enemies, O Lord,

for lo, your enemies shall perish;

all evildoers shall be scattered.

But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;

you have poured over me fresh oil.

My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies,

my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.

The righteous flourish like the palm tree,

and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

They are planted in the house of the Lord,

they flourish in the courts of our God.

They still bring forth fruit in old age,

they are ever full of sap and green,

to show that the Lord is upright;

he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

O Lord, you God of vengeance,

you God of vengeance, shine forth!

Rise up, O judge of the earth;

render to the proud their deserts!

O Lord, how long shall the wicked,

how long shall the wicked exult?

They pour out their arrogant words,

they boast, all the evildoers.

They crush your people, O Lord,

and afflict your heritage.

They slay the widow and the sojourner,

and murder the fatherless;

and they say, “The Lord does not see;

the God of Jacob does not perceive.”

Understand, O dullest of the people!

Fools, when will you be wise?

He who planted the ear, does he not hear?

He who formed the eye, does he not see?

He who chastens the nations, does he not chastise?