Day 12 of the 30-day Psalter: Morning and Evening

For God alone my soul in silence waits; *

from him comes my salvation.

He alone is my rock and my salvation, *

my stronghold, so that I shall not be greatly shaken.

How long will you assail me to crush me,

all of you together, *

as if you were a leaning fence, a toppling wall?

They seek only to bring me down from my place of honor; *

lies are their chief delight.

They bless with their lips, *

but in their hearts they curse.

For God alone my soul in silence waits; *

truly, my hope is in him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation, *

my stronghold, so that I shall not be shaken.

In God is my safety and my honor; *

God is my strong rock and my refuge.

Put your trust in him always, O people, *

pour out your hearts before him, for God is our refuge.

Those of high degree are but a fleeting breath, *

even those of low estate cannot be trusted.

On the scales they are lighter than a breath, *

all of them together.

Put no trust in extortion;

in robbery take no empty pride; *

though wealth increase, set not your heart upon it.

God has spoken once, twice have I heard it, *

that power belongs to God.

Steadfast love is yours, O Lord, *

for you repay everyone according to his deeds.

O God, you are my God; eagerly I seek you; *

my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for you,

as in a barren and dry land where there is no water.

Therefore I have gazed upon you in your holy place, *

that I might behold your power and your glory.

For your loving-kindness is better than life itself; *

my lips shall give you praise.

So will I bless you as long as I live *

and lift up my hands in your Name.

My soul is content, as with marrow and fatness, *

and my mouth praises you with joyful lips,

When I remember you upon my bed, *

and meditate on you in the night watches.

For you have been my helper, *

and under the shadow of your wings I will rejoice.

My soul clings to you; *

your right hand holds me fast.

May those who seek my life to destroy it *

go down into the depths of the earth;

Let them fall upon the edge of the sword, *

and let them be food for jackals.

But the king will rejoice in God;

all those who swear by him will be glad; *

for the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.

Hear my voice, O God, when I complain; *

protect my life from fear of the enemy.

Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, *

from the mob of evildoers.

They sharpen their tongue like a sword, *

and aim their bitter words like arrows,

That they may shoot down the blameless from ambush; *

they shoot without warning and are not afraid.

They hold fast to their evil course; *

they plan how they may hide their snares.

They say, "Who will see us?

who will find out our crimes? *

we have thought out a perfect plot."

The human mind and heart are a mystery; *

but God will loose an arrow at them,

and suddenly they will be wounded.

He will make them trip over their tongues, *

and all who see them will shake their heads.

Everyone will stand in awe and declare God's deeds; *

they will recognize his works.

The righteous will rejoice in the LORD and put their trust in him, *

and all who are true of heart will glory.

You are to be praised, O God, in Zion; *

to you shall vows be performed in Jerusalem.

To you that hear prayer shall all flesh come, *

because of their transgressions.

Our sins are stronger than we are, *

but you will blot them out.

Happy are they whom you choose

and draw to your courts to dwell there! *

they will be satisfied by the beauty of your house,

by the holiness of your temple.

Awesome things will you show us in your righteousness,

O God of our salvation, *

O Hope of all the ends of the earth

and of the seas that are far away.

You make fast the mountains by your power; *

they are girded about with might.

You still the roaring of the seas, *

the roaring of their waves,

and the clamor of the peoples.

Those who dwell at the ends of the earth will tremble at your marvelous signs; *

you make the dawn and the dusk to sing for joy.

You visit the earth and water it abundantly;

you make it very plenteous; *

the river of God is full of water.

You prepare the grain, *

for so you provide for the earth.

You drench the furrows and smooth out the ridges; *

with heavy rain you soften the ground and bless its increase.

You crown the year with your goodness, *

and your paths overflow with plenty.

May the fields of the wilderness be rich for grazing, *

and the hills be clothed with joy.

May the meadows cover themselves with flocks,

and the valleys cloak themselves with grain; *

let them shout for joy and sing.

Be joyful in God, all you lands; *

sing the glory of his Name;

sing the glory of his praise.

Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds! *

because of your great strength your enemies cringe before you.

All the earth bows down before you, *

sings to you, sings out your Name."

Come now and see the works of God, *

how wonderful he is in his doing toward all people.

He turned the sea into dry land,

so that they went through the water on foot, *

and there we rejoiced in him.

In his might he rules for ever;

his eyes keep watch over the nations; *

let no rebel rise up against him.

Bless our God, you peoples; *

make the voice of his praise to be heard;

Who holds our souls in life, *

and will not allow our feet to slip.

For you, O God, have proved us; *

you have tried us just as silver is tried.

You brought us into the snare; *

you laid heavy burdens upon our backs.

You let enemies ride over our heads;

we went through fire and water; *

but you brought us out into a place of refreshment.

I will enter your house with burnt-offerings

and will pay you my vows, *

which I promised with my lips

and spoke with my mouth when I was in trouble.

I will offer you sacrifices of fat beasts

with the smoke of rams; *

I will give you oxen and goats.

Come and listen, all you who fear God, *

and I will tell you what he has done for me.

I called out to him with my mouth, *

and his praise was on my tongue.

If I had found evil in my heart, *

the Lord would not have heard me;

But in truth God has heard me; *

he has attended to the voice of my prayer.

Blessed be God, who has not rejected my prayer, *

nor withheld his love from me.

May God be merciful to us and bless us, *

show us the light of his countenance and come to us.

Let your ways be known upon earth, *

your saving health among all nations.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; *

let all the peoples praise you.

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, *

for you judge the peoples with equity

and guide all the nations upon earth.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; *

let all the peoples praise you.

The earth has brought forth her increase; *

may God, our own God, give us his blessing.

May God give us his blessing, *

and may all the ends of the earth stand in awe of him.