Samekh I hate the double-minded, but I love your law.
Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commandments of my God.
All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross, therefore I love your testimonies.
Give your servant a pledge of good; let not the insolent oppress me.
My eyes long for your salvation and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise.
It is time for the Lord to act, for your law has been broken.
The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.
My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise.
Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes.
I look at the faithless with disgust, because they do not keep your commands.
The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.
A Song of Ascents. In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me.
A warrior's sharp arrows, with glowing coals of the broom tree!
Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
A Song of Ascents. I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.
The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.
A Song of Ascents. Of David. I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”
to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.
There thrones for judgment were set, the thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! “May they be secure who love you!
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.
A Song of Ascents. To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he has mercy upon us.
Our soul has had more than enough of the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud.
A Song of Ascents. Of David. If it had not been the Lord who was on our side— let Israel now say—
if it had not been the Lord who was on our side when people rose up against us,
then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us;
then over us would have gone the raging waters.
Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth!
We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped!
Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
A Song of Ascents. Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore.
For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous, lest the righteous stretch out their hands to do wrong.
But those who turn aside to their crooked ways the Lord will lead away with evildoers! Peace be upon Israel!
A Song of Ascents. When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.
Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negeb!
He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth.
Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
A Song of Ascents. Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways!
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