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Psalm 53

Denunciation of Godlessness

To the leader: according to Mahalath. A Maskil of David.
¹ Fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.’
   They are corrupt, they commit abominable acts;
   there is no one who does good.

² God looks down from heaven on humankind
   to see if there are any who are wise,
   who seek after God.

³ They have all fallen away, they are all alike perverse;
   there is no one who does good,
   no, not one.

⁴ Have they no knowledge, those evildoers,
   who eat up my people as they eat bread,
   and do not call upon God?

⁵ There they shall be 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.

⁶ O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion!
   When God restores the fortunes of his people,
   Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.

Psalm 54

Prayer for Vindication

To the leader: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David, when the Ziphites went and told Saul, ‘David is in hiding among us.’
¹ Save me, O God, by your name,
   and vindicate me by your might.
² Hear my prayer, O God;
   give ear to the words of my mouth.

³ For the insolent have risen against me,
   the ruthless seek my life;
   they do not set God before them.
          Selah

⁴ But surely, God is my helper;
   the Lord is the upholder of^* my life.
⁵ He will repay my enemies for their evil.
   In your faithfulness, put an end to them.

⁶ With a freewill-offering I will sacrifice to you;
   I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good.
⁷ For he has delivered me from every trouble,
   and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.

Psalm 60

Prayer for National Victory after Defeat

To the leader: according to The Lily of the Covenant. A Miktam of David; for instruction; when he struggled with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah, and when Joab on his return killed twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
¹ O God, you have rejected us, broken our defences;
   you have been angry; now restore us!
² You have caused the land to quake; you have torn it open;
   repair the cracks in it, for it is tottering.
³ You have made your people suffer hard things;
   you have given us wine to drink that made us reel.

⁴ You have set up a banner for those who fear you,
   to rally to it out of bowshot.^*
          Selah
⁵ Give victory with your right hand, and answer us,^*
   so that those whom you love may be rescued.

⁶ God has promised in his sanctuary:^*
   ‘With exultation I will divide up Shechem,
   and portion out the Vale of Succoth.
⁷ Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine;
   Ephraim is my helmet;
   Judah is my sceptre.
⁸ Moab is my wash-basin;
   on Edom I hurl my shoe;
   over Philistia I shout in triumph.’

⁹ Who will bring me to the fortified city?
   Who will lead me to Edom?
¹⁰ Have you not rejected us, O God?
   You do not go out, O God, with our armies.
¹¹ O grant us help against the foe,
   for human help is worthless.
¹² With God we shall do valiantly;
   it is he who will tread down our foes.