Lord, how many adversaries I have!
how many there are who rise up against me!
how many there are who say of me,
“There is no help for him in his God.”
But you, O Lord, are a shield about me;
you are my glory, the one who lifts up my head.

I call aloud upon the Lord,
and he answers me from his holy hill;
I lie down and go to sleep;
I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
I do not fear the multitudes of people
who set themselves against me all around.

Rise up, O Lord; set me free, O my God;
surely, you will strike all my enemies across the face,
you will break the teeth of the wicked.
Deliverance belongs to the Lord.
Your blessing be upon your people!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Redeemer of the nations, come;
reveal yourself by virgin birth.
Let every age with wonder know
that such a birth befits our God.

Conceived not from the seed of man
but by the Spirit’s wondrous breath,
the Word of God comes in the flesh,
as Mary’s womb brings forth its fruit.

The Virgin’s womb grows great with child,
this cloister is for ever pure;
the banners of her virtues gleam,
for in this temple God resides.

From bridal chamber let him come,
from royal Virgin, palace chaste,
with twofold nature God and man,
a champion swift to run his course.

The eternal Father’s equal, come,
bind on the trophy of our flesh;
and strengthen with your lasting power
the weakness of our mortal frame.

Your manger now with splendor shines
and night breaths forth new radiant light,
which no night may corrupt or dim:
so let it shine through constant faith.

To you, O Christ, most loving King,
and to the Father, glory be,
one with the Spirit Paraclete
for endless ages evermore. Amen.

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved,
and though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea;
though its waters rage and foam,
and though the mountains tremble at its tumult.

The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

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 overthrown;
God shall help her at the break of day.
The nations make much ado, and the kingdoms are shaken;
God has spoken, and the earth shall melt away.

The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

Come now and look upon the works of the Lord,
what awesome things he has done on earth.
It is he who makes war to cease in all the world;
he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear,
and burns the shields with fire.
“Be still, then, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations;
I will be exalted in the earth.”

The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Clap your hands, all you peoples;
shout to God with a cry of joy.
For the Lord Most High is to be feared;
he is the great King over all the earth.

He subdues the peoples under us,
and the nations under our feet.
He chooses our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob whom he loves.

God has gone up with a shout,
the Lord with the sound of the ram’s-horn.
Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.

For God is King of all the earth;
sing praises with all your skill.
God reigns over the nations;
God sits upon his holy throne.

The nobles of the peoples have gathered together
with the people of the God of Abraham.
The rulers of the earth belong to God,
and he is highly exalted.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised;
in the city of our God is his holy hill.
Beautiful and lofty, the joy of all the earth, is the hill of Zion,
the very center of the world and the city of the great King.
God is in her citadels;
he is known to be her sure refuge.

Behold, the kings of the earth assembled
and marched forward together.
They looked and were astounded;
they retreated and fled in terror.

Trembling seized them there;
they writhed like a woman in childbirth,
like ships of the sea when the east wind shatters them.

As we have heard, so have we seen,
in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God;
God has established her for ever.

We have waited in silence on your loving-kindness, O God,
in the midst of your temple.
Your praise, like your Name, O God, reaches to the world’s end;
your right hand is full of justice.

Let Mount Zion be glad
and the cities of Judah rejoice,
because of your judgments.

Make the circuit of Zion;
walk round about her;
count the number of her towers.

Consider well her bulwarks;
examine her strongholds;
that you may tell those who come after.
This God is our God for ever and ever;
he shall be our guide for evermore.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Hear this, all you peoples;
hearken, all you who dwell in the world,
you of high degree and low, rich and poor together.

My mouth shall speak of wisdom,
and my heart shall meditate on understanding.
I will incline my ear to a proverb
and set forth my riddle upon the harp.

Why should I be afraid in evil days,
when the wickedness of those at my heels surrounds me.
The wickedness of those who put their trust in their goods,
and boast of their great riches?

We can never ransom ourselves,
or deliver to God the price of our life;
For the ransom of our life is so great,
that we should never have enough to pay it,
In order to live for ever and ever,
and never see the grave.

For we see that the wise die also;
like the dull and stupid they perish
and leave their wealth to those who come after them.

Their graves shall be their homes for ever,
their dwelling places from generation to generation,
though they call the lands after their own names.

Even though honored, they cannot live for ever;
they are like the beasts that perish.

Such is the way of those who foolishly trust in themselves,
and the end of those who delight in their own words.
Like a flock of sheep they are destined to die;
Death is their shepherd;
they go down straightway to the grave.

Their form shall waste away,
and the land of the dead shall be their home.
But God will ransom my life;
he will snatch me from the grasp of death.

Do not be envious when some become rich,
or when the grandeur of their house increases;
For they will carry nothing away at their death,
nor will their grandeur follow them.

Though they thought highly of themselves while they lived,
and were praised for their success,
They shall join the company of their forebears,
who will never see the light again.

Those who are honored, but have no understanding,
are like the beasts that perish.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

The Lord, the God of gods, has spoken;
he has called the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Out of Zion, perfect in its beauty,
God reveals himself in glory.

Our God will come and will not keep silence;
before him there is a consuming flame,
and round about him a raging storm.
He calls the heavens and the earth from above
to witness the judgment of his people.

“Gather before me my loyal followers,
those who have made a covenant with me
and sealed it with sacrifice.”
Let the heavens declare the rightness of his cause;
for God himself is judge.

Hear, O my people, and I will speak:
“O Israel, I will bear witness against you;
for I am God, your God.

“I do not accuse you because of your sacrifices;
your offerings are always before me.
I will take no bull-calf from your stalls,
nor he-goats out of your pens;

“For all the beasts of the forest are mine,
the herds in their thousands upon the hills.
I know every bird in the sky,
and the creatures of the fields are in my sight.

“If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for the whole world is mine and all that is in it.
Do you think I eat the flesh of bulls,
or drink the blood of goats?

“Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving
and make good your vows to the Most High.
Call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you and you shall honor me.”

But to the wicked God says:
“Why do you recite my statutes,
and take my covenant upon your lips;
Since you refuse discipline,
and toss my words behind your back?

“When you see a thief, you make him your friend,
and you cast in your lot with adulterers.
You have loosed your lips for evil,
and harnessed your tongue to a lie.
You are always speaking evil of your brother
and slandering your own mother’s son.

“These things you have done, and I kept still,
and you thought that I am like you.”

“I have made my accusation;
I have put my case in order before your eyes.
Consider this well, you who forget God,
lest I rend you and there be none to deliver you.
Whoever offers me the sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me;
but to those who keep in my way will I show the salvation of God.”

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

You tyrant, why do you boast of wickedness
against the godly all day long?
You plot ruin;
your tongue is like a sharpened razor,
O worker of deception.

You love evil more than good
and lying more than speaking the truth.
You love all words that hurt,
O you deceitful tongue.

Oh, that God would demolish you utterly,
topple you, and snatch you from your dwelling,
and root you out of the land of the living!

The righteous shall see and tremble,
and they shall laugh at him, saying,
“This is the one who did not take God for a refuge,
but trusted in great wealth
and relied upon wickedness.”

But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God;
I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.

I will give you thanks for what you have done
and declare the goodness of your Name in the presence of the godly.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”
All are corrupt and commit abominable acts;
there is none who does any good.

God looks down from heaven upon us all,
to see if there is any who is wise,
if there is one who seeks after God.

Every one has proved faithless;
all alike have turned bad;
there is none who does good; no, not one.

Have they no knowledge, those evildoers
who eat up my people like bread
and do not call upon God?

See how greatly they tremble,
such trembling as never was;
for God has scattered the bones of the enemy;
they are put to shame, because God has rejected them.

Oh, that Israel’s deliverance would come out of Zion!
when God restores the fortunes of his people
Jacob will rejoice and Israel be glad.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Save me, O God, by your Name;
in your might, defend my cause.
Hear my prayer, O God;
give ear to the words of my mouth.

For the arrogant have risen up against me,
and the ruthless have sought my life,
those who have no regard for God.

Behold, God is my helper;
it is the Lord who sustains my life.
Render evil to those who spy on me;
in your faithfulness, destroy them.

I will offer you a freewill sacrifice
and praise your Name, O Lord, for it is good.
For you have rescued me from every trouble,
and my eye has seen the ruin of my foes.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Hear my prayer, O God;
do not hide yourself from my petition.
Listen to me and answer me;
I have no peace, because of my cares.

I am shaken by the noise of the enemy
and by the pressure of the wicked;
for they have cast an evil spell upon me
and are set against me in fury.

My heart quakes within me,
and the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
Fear and trembling have come over me,
and horror overwhelms me.

And I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest.
I would flee to a far-off place
and make my lodging in the wilderness.
I would hasten to escape
from the stormy wind and tempest.”

Swallow them up, O Lord;
confound their speech;
for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
Day and night the watchmen make their rounds upon her walls,
but trouble and misery are in the midst of her.

There is corruption at her heart;
her streets are never free of oppression and deceit.

For had it been an adversary who taunted me,
then I could have borne it;
or had it been an enemy who vaunted himself against me,
then I could have hidden from him.

But it was you, a man after my own heart,
my companion, my own familiar friend.
We took sweet counsel together,
and walked with the throng in the house of God.

Let death come upon them suddenly;
let them go down alive into the grave;
for wickedness is in their dwellings, in their very midst.

But I will call upon God,
and the Lord will deliver me.
In the evening, in the morning, and at noonday,
I will complain and lament,
and he will hear my voice.

He will bring me safely back from the battle waged against me;
for there are many who fight me.

God, who is enthroned of old, will hear me and bring them down;
they never change; they do not fear God.

My companion stretched forth his hand against his comrade;
he has broken his covenant.
His speech is softer than butter,
but war is in his heart.
His words are smoother than oil,
but they are drawn swords.

Cast your burden upon the Lord,
and he will sustain you;
he will never let the righteous stumble.

For you will bring the bloodthirsty and deceitful
down to the pit of destruction, O God.
They shall not live out half their days,
but I will put my trust in you.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Have mercy on me, O God,
for my enemies are hounding me;
all day long they assault and oppress me.
They hound me all the day long;
truly there are many who fight against me, O Most High.

Whenever I am afraid,
I will put my trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust and will not be afraid,
for what can flesh do to me?

All day long they damage my cause;
their only thought is to do me evil.
They band together; they lie in wait;
they spy upon my footsteps;
because they seek my life.

Shall they escape despite their wickedness?
O God, in your anger, cast down the peoples.
You have noted my lamentation;
put my tears into your bottle;
are they not recorded in your book?

Whenever I call upon you, my enemies will be put to flight;
this I know, for God is on my side.
In God the Lord, whose word I praise,
in God I trust and will not be afraid,
for what can mortals do to me?

I am bound by the vow I made to you, O God;
I will present to you thank-offerings;
for you have rescued my soul from death and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God in the light of the living.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Do you indeed decree righteousness, you rulers?
do you judge the peoples with equity?
No; you devise evil in your hearts,
and your hands deal out violence in the land.

The wicked are perverse from the womb;
liars go astray from their birth.
They are as venomous as a serpent,
they are like the deaf adder which stops its ears,
Which does not heed the voice of the charmer,
no matter how skillful his charming.

O God, break their teeth in their mouths;
pull the fangs of the young lions, O Lord.
Let them vanish like water that runs off;
let them wither like trodden grass.
Let them be like the snail that melts away,
like a stillborn child that never sees the sun.

Before they bear fruit, let them be cut down like a brier;
like thorns and thistles let them be swept away.
The righteous will be glad when they see the vengeance;
they will bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.
And they will say,
“Surely, there is a reward for the righteous;
surely, there is a God who rules in the earth.”

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Rescue me from my enemies, O God;
protect me from those who rise up against me.
Rescue me from evildoers
and save me from those who thirst for my blood.

See how they lie in wait for my life,
how the mighty gather together against me;
not for any offense or fault of mine, O Lord.
Not because of any guilt of mine
they run and prepare themselves for battle.

Rouse yourself, come to my side, and see;
for you, Lord God of hosts, are Israel’s God.
Awake, and punish all the ungodly;
show no mercy to those who are faithless and evil.
They go to and fro in the evening;
they snarl like dogs and run about the city.

Behold, they boast with their mouths,
and taunts are on their lips;
“For who,” they say, “will hear us?”
But you, O Lord, you laugh at them;
you laugh all the ungodly to scorn.

My eyes are fixed on you, O my Strength;
for you, O God, are my stronghold.

My merciful God comes to meet me;
God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.
Slay them, O God, lest my people forget;
send them reeling by your might
and put them down, O Lord, our shield.

For the sins of their mouths, for the words of their lips,
for the cursing and lies that they utter,
let them be caught in their pride.

Make an end of them in your wrath;
make an end of them, and they shall be no more.
Let everyone know that God rules in Jacob,
and to the ends of the earth.

They go to and fro in the evening;
they snarl like dogs and run about the city.
They forage for food,
and if they are not filled, they howl.

For my part, I will sing of your strength;
I will celebrate your love in the morning;
For you have become my stronghold,
a refuge in the day of my trouble.

To you, O my Strength, will I sing;
for you, O God, are my stronghold and my merciful God.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.