1 <To the chief music-maker. A Psalm. Of David.> Happy is the man who gives thought to the poor; the Lord will be his saviour in the time of trouble.
2 The Lord will keep him safe, and give him life; the Lord will let him be a blessing on the earth, and will not give him into the hand of his haters.
3 The Lord will be his support on his bed of pain: by you will all his grief be turned to strength.
4 I said, Lord, have mercy on me; make my soul well, because my faith is in you.
5 My haters say evil against me, When will he be dead, and his name come to an end?
6 If one comes to see me, deceit is in his heart; he keeps a store of evil, which he makes public in every place.
7 All my haters are talking secretly together against me; they are designing my downfall.
8 They say, He has an evil disease, which will not let him go: and now that he is down he will not get up again.
9 Even my dearest friend, in whom I had faith, who took bread with me, is turned against me.
10 But you, O Lord, have mercy on me, lifting me up, so that I may give them their punishment.
11 By this I see that you have pleasure in me, because my hater does not overcome me.
12 And as for me, you are my support in my righteousness, giving me a place before your face for ever.
13 May the Lord God of Israel be praised, through eternal days and for ever. So be it. So be it.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Today's Verse
For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do that which is evil in the sight of Jehovah, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.
Verse Of The DayHe describes the sharpest pain as betrayal: "mine own familiar friend...hath lifted up his heel against me," even as enemies whisper for his death. The chapter closes book one of Psalms with a doxology; its opening blessing parallels Proverbs 19:17, and the story continues in Psalms 42.
