Psalms

Two paths: the righteous delight in God’s law and prosper like watered trees; the wicked are chaff blown away and perish.

Nations rebel against the LORD and His Anointed, but God installs His King on Zion; wise kings submit lest they perish.

Fleeing Absalom, David trusts God as shield, sleeps unafraid, and awakes delivered while foes are struck on the jaw.

Evening psalm: David pleads for mercy, urges sinners to trust God, and lies down in peace with joy deeper than grain and wine.

Morning prayer: David seeks God’s guidance, denounces deceitful foes, and rejoices that the righteous are shielded with favor.

Penitent cry amid sickness: David begs for healing, weeps through the night, confident enemies will retreat in shame.

David, falsely accused, appeals to God’s righteous judgment; the wicked dig their own pit while God is praised for justice.

Creation hymn: God’s majesty crowns humble humanity with dominion over earth and heavens, eliciting wonder and praise.

Thanksgiving for victory: God judges nations, is refuge for the oppressed; the wicked fall into their own snare.

Why do the wicked prosper? The psalmist pleads for God to act; the LORD sees injustice and defends the helpless.

When advised to flee, David trusts the LORD on His heavenly throne who tests the righteous and hates violent men.

Faithless society: flattering lips abound; the LORD guards the poor and preserves His pure words forever.

How long, LORD? Feeling forgotten, David petitions, regains trust, and ends by singing of God’s salvation.

The fool denies God; corruption universal, yet the LORD is with the righteous and will restore Zion.

Who may dwell with God? The blameless person who speaks truth, rejects bribes, and keeps oaths stands secure.

Confident hope: the LORD is David’s portion; He will not abandon him to Sheol but grant eternal joy.

Prayer for vindication: David claims integrity, seeks shelter under God’s wing, satisfied by beholding His face.

Royal thanksgiving: David recounts dramatic rescue from enemies, God’s lightning wrath, and grants triumph to His anointed.

Two revelations: heavens declare God’s glory; His flawless law revives the soul; prayer for acceptable words.

Prayer before battle: may the LORD support the king; some trust chariots, we trust God who grants victory.

Post-battle praise: God gives the king life, glory, and triumph; His right hand will consume enemies.

Messianic lament: “My God, why have You forsaken me?” moves from abandonment to global praise after deliverance.

Shepherd psalm: the LORD provides green pastures, guides through dark valleys, and hosts an everlasting banquet.

The earth is the LORD’s; pure-hearted seekers ascend His hill; gates lift for the King of glory.

Acrostic plea for guidance and forgiveness; David trusts covenant love while enemies watch.

David appeals for vindication and integrity, loves God’s house, and asks to stand with the righteous.

Confidence and petition: the LORD is light; one desire—to dwell in His house; waits courageously amid foes.

Cry for help lest he be dragged off with wicked; ends with blessing the shepherd-king who carries His people.

Sevenfold “voice of the LORD” shatters cedars and shakes deserts; He enthrones over the flood and blesses with peace.

Dedication of the house: God lifts David from Sheol; mourning turns to dancing, joy replaces sackcloth.

Into Your hands I commit my spirit: plea for refuge, acknowledgment of distress, ending in praise for steadfast love.

Beatitude of the forgiven: confession brings relief; God is hiding-place, instructing and surrounding with songs of deliverance.

Call to rejoice: God’s word made heavens, plans stand forever; He watches mankind and saves those who fear Him.

Acrostic thanksgiving from Abimelech escape: taste and see the LORD’s goodness; He delivers the broken-hearted.

Imprecatory plea: LORD, fight persecutors; false witnesses repay evil for good; promise to praise God publicly.

Contrast: wicked hearts plot evil; God’s love reaches heavens; in His light we see light and find refuge.

Wisdom psalm: don’t fret over evildoers; trust, delight, commit, wait—the meek inherit; wicked fade like grass.

Penitential psalm: sin-induced sickness, isolated from friends, surrounded by foes; waits in sorrowful silence for God.

Fleeting life metaphor: man a breath; David restrains tongue, asks God to relent and grant brief relief.

New song: rescued from miry pit, delighting in God’s will; yet petitions for help against innumerable troubles.

Blessed who considers poor; betrayal by close friend; David prays for healing and extols the eternal LORD.

“As the deer pants” exile lament: soul thirsty, remembers former worship, hopes in God amid downcast turmoil.

Supplement to 42: plea for vindication, request for God’s light to lead to the altar, ending in hopeful praise.

Communal lament: past victories recalled, present defeat confessed, crying “Awake, LORD!” for covenant faithfulness.

Royal wedding song: king fair and victorious, bride adorned; messianic hints of an eternal throne.

God our refuge: though earth shakes, a river gladdens His city; “Be still” amid wars He ends.

Universal applause: God ascends as King over nations; princes gather to exalt Abraham’s God.

Zion hymn: great King in the city; kings flee in fear; future generations walk her ramparts.

Wisdom on wealth: rich and poor alike die; only God can ransom a soul, so don’t envy prosperity.

God summons covenant court: outward sacrifices without gratitude condemned; call to thanksgiving and obedience.

David’s penitential prayer after Bathsheba: “Create in me a clean heart,” sincere sacrifice is broken spirit.

Against Doeg: God will uproot deceitful tongue; righteous will laugh, flourishing like green olive tree.

Repeat of Psalm 14: corruption universal; God seeks but finds none righteous; salvation comes from Zion.

When Ziphites betrayed David: God is helper; enemies will be repaid; thankful freewill offering vowed.

Betrayal lament: desire to fly away; friend’s treachery hurts most; cast burdens on the sustaining Lord.

When Philistines seized David: trust amid fear; tears kept in God’s bottle; vows of praise upon deliverance.

In cave: refuge under God’s wings; steadfast heart sings while foes fall into their own pit.

Denunciation of unjust rulers: venomous, deaf adders; God shatters their teeth—righteous rejoice in vengeance.

Saul’s men watch house: God my fortress; dogs howl at night but I sing of steadfast love.

After military setback: God seems to reject but grants banner; plea for help, confidence God will tread down foes.

Ends of earth cry: lead me to higher rock; vows to king day after day under God’s wings.

Silence before God: He alone rock and salvation; trust Him, not riches—power and love belong to God.

Wilderness thirst for God; His love better than life; soul satisfied as with marrow; enemies fall by sword.

Secret plotters shoot words like arrows; God shoots them suddenly; righteous rejoice in His justice.

Harvest praise: God answers prayer, stills seas, crowns year with bounty, valleys shout for joy.

Invitation to see God’s deeds: Red Sea crossing remembered; refined by fire, then blessed; pays vows publicly.

Missionary prayer: God bless us so nations know salvation; peoples praise, earth yields harvest.

Processional hymn: God arises, foes scatter; Sinai to Zion ascent, daily benefits, victory parade receiving gifts.

Messianic suffering: waters to neck, zeal for house; reproach, vinegar to drink; ends in praise and Zion’s hope.

Urgent reprise of 40:13-17: “Hasten, O God, help me”; may seekers rejoice, foes ashamed.

Aged psalmist seeks continual refuge; recalls youth deliverances, prays for strength to proclaim God’s power.

Solomonic/Messianic: ideal king brings justice, global dominion, compassion for poor; concludes Book II with doxology.

Asaph wrestles with wicked prosperity, until sanctuary reveals their slippery end; God his portion forever.

Temple desolation lament: enemies burned sanctuary; plea for God to remember covenant and crush Leviathan.

God the judge exalts and abases; wicked drink foaming cup; psalmist declares the horns of righteous lifted.

God feared in Judah; He shatters weapons; humble fear vows, proud spirits restrained.

In distress remembers God’s deeds; waters saw You at Red Sea; path through sea unseen.

Historical recitation: Israel’s repeated rebellion, God’s patience, wilderness miracles, choosing David and Zion.

After Jerusalem’s devastation: nations defiled temple; plea for vengeance and forgiveness; flock will give thanks.

Shepherd of Israel, shine and restore; vine from Egypt now ravaged; let Your right-hand man revive us.

Festival exhortation: God rescued from Egypt, but Israel would not listen; obedience would bring finest wheat.

Divine council rebuke: “gods” judged for injustice; plea for God to arise and inherit nations.

Coalition of nations seeks Israel’s annihilation; ask God to rout them as in past, that they may know His name.

Yearning for courts of the LORD; blessed pilgrims, doorkeeper envy; God sun and shield, withholds no good.

Restoration prayer: past favor remembered, plea for renewed revival; righteousness and peace kiss.

Davidic prayer: incline ear, teach Your way; united heart praises; show sign of Your favor.

Zion’s glory: born there counts Rahab, Babylon, Philistia; singers proclaim all springs in you.

Darkest lament (Heman): cries from youth, friends shunned, darkness closest companion.

Ethan’s covenant psalm: praises God’s promises to David yet laments current disgrace; ends Book III with doxology.

Moses: God eternal, man dust; teach us to number days; satisfy us with steadfast love.

Shelter of Most High: plague and lions won’t harm; angels guard; long life to one who trusts.

Sabbath praise: righteous flourish like palm; senseless unaware; God’s deeds make psalmist sing.

The LORD reigns, robed in majesty; floods lift voice but God’s statutes firm, house holy.

God of vengeance, rise; teaches man knowledge; blessed disciplined one; LORD my stronghold.

Call to worship, then warning: today hear His voice, don’t harden hearts as at Meribah.

New song: declare glory among nations; idols worthless; trees and seas rejoice before judging LORD.

LORD reigns: fire and lightning announce; Zion hears and glad; lovers of LORD hate evil.

New song for marvelous salvation; all earth shout; rivers clap, hills sing before righteous Judge.

Exalt LORD on Zion’s holy hill; Moses, Aaron, Samuel called; holy yet forgiving and avenging.

Thanksgiving psalm: joyful noise, know LORD made us; enter gates with praise, His love endures.

David vows blameless life, purge city of deceit, morning justice on wicked.

Afflicted pours out lament; life like smoke, but God enthroned forever will rebuild Zion; heaven and earth wear out but He remains.

Bless the LORD: forgives, heals, crowns; compassion as father; frail men vs steadfast love; angels commanded to praise.

Hymn to Creator: robe of light, water boundaries, seasons, leviathan; creatures depend on breath of God.

Rehearses Abraham to Exodus to Canaan: covenant faithfulness, Joseph, plagues, desert care.

Confession of repeated rebellions from Red Sea to Baal-peor, yet God saves; plea for gathered praise.

Four deliverances: desert wanderers, prisoners, sick, storm-tossed; refrain “give thanks for steadfast love.”

Composite from 57 & 60: steadfast heart; God exalted; plea for victory over Edom with His help.

Imprecation against deceitful accusers; may curses return; yet psalmist praises the saving LORD.

Messianic oracle: LORD says to my Lord, sit at right hand; priest forever like Melchizedek; shatters kings.

Acrostic hallelujah: great works, lasting righteousness, covenant remembered; fear of LORD is wisdom.

Blessed man who fears LORD: offspring mighty, wealth, steady heart; wicked see and gnash teeth.

From sunrise to sunset, LORD exalted; raises poor from dust; grants barren woman a home.

Exodus miracle: sea fled, Jordan turned, mountains skipped; earth tremble before God who turns rock to pool.

Not to us but Your glory; idols powerless; Israel trust; heavens LORD’s, earth to men; living praise.

Loved because God heard; death cords snapped; return to rest; cup of salvation vowed publicly.

Shortest psalm: all nations praise LORD for steadfast love and faithfulness.

Processional thanksgiving: His love endures; stone rejected becomes cornerstone; blessed in LORD’s name.

Alphabetic meditation on Torah (22×8): word lamp to feet, hidden in heart, sweeter than honey.

Song of Ascents: distress among lying lips of Meshech and Kedar.

Eyes to hills—help from Maker; keeper never slumbers; sun nor moon strike; guards forever.

Joy entering Jerusalem; pray for peace of the city for brethren’s sake.

Lift eyes to enthroned God; plea for mercy amid contempt of proud.

If LORD not on our side, flood would swallow; help in maker of heaven and earth.

Mount-like security for trusters; wicked scepter removed; peace on Israel.

Restoration like dream; tears sowing, joy reaping, sheaves carried home.

Unless LORD builds, labor vain; children heritage like arrows in warrior’s hand.

Blessed who fear LORD: fruitful vine wife, olive-shoot children, see Jerusalem’s peace.

Greatly afflicted from youth, yet not prevailed; may Zion haters wither like rooftop grass.

Out of depths cry; wait more than watchmen; with LORD is redemption.

Calmed soul like weaned child; hope in LORD now and forever.

David’s oath to find rest for Ark; LORD swears eternal lamp for David; Zion chosen forever.

Brothers dwelling in unity like precious oil and Mount Hermon dew; LORD commands blessing.

Night-shift servants bless LORD; LORD bless from Zion maker of heaven and earth.

Praise for wondrous deeds: idols mute; house of Israel bless LORD.

His love endures forever refrain: creation, Exodus, conquest, daily provision.

By Babylon rivers mourn, refuse songs; remember Jerusalem; imprecation on Edom and Babylon.

David thanks for answered prayer; kings will praise; LORD perfects concerning him.

God’s omniscience and omnipresence; knit in womb; search me, lead everlasting way.

Deliver from violent men; snake-tongues; LORD maintains cause of needy.

Prayer like incense; set guard on mouth; keep from traps; bones scattered yet eyes on LORD.

Cave complaint: no refuge but God; bring out of prison to thank Your name.

Persecuted soul seeks guidance; teach me to do Your will; revive me for name’s sake.

Blessed be LORD my rock; what is man? Prosper the nation whose God is LORD.

Acrostic praise: gracious, merciful, opens hand; near to all who call; flesh blesses holy name.

Don’t trust princes; happy whose help God of Jacob; LORD frees prisoners, loves righteous.

Praise: counts stars, lifts humble, sends snow, gives word; shows statutes to Israel.

Everything praise: angels, sun, moon, kings, young and old; His glory above earth and heaven.

New song in assembly; Israel rejoice; two-edged sword executes judgment on nations.

Final doxology: praise God in sanctuary with every instrument; let everything that has breath praise the LORD.