25:1 By David.

O Lord, I come before you in prayer.

2 My God, I trust in you.

Please do not let me be humiliated;

do not let my enemies triumphantly rejoice over me.

3 Certainly none who rely on you will be humiliated.

Those who deal in treachery will be thwarted and humiliated.

4 Make me understand your ways, O Lord.

Teach me your paths.

5 Guide me into your truth and teach me.

For you are the God who delivers me;

on you I rely all day long.

6 Remember your compassionate and faithful deeds, O Lord,

for you have always acted in this manner.

7 Do not hold against me the sins of my youth or my rebellious acts.

Because you are faithful to me, extend to me your favor, O Lord.

8 The Lord is both kind and fair;

that is why he teaches sinners the right way to live.

9 May he show the humble what is right.

May he teach the humble his way.

10 The Lord always proves faithful and reliable

to those who follow the demands of his covenant.

11 For the sake of your reputation, O Lord,

forgive my sin, because it is great.

12 The Lord shows his faithful followers

the way they should live.

13 They experience his favor;

their descendants inherit the land.

14 The Lord’s loyal followers receive his guidance,

and he reveals his covenantal demands to them.

15 I continually look to the Lord for help,

for he will free my feet from the enemy’s net.

16 Turn toward me and have mercy on me,

for I am alone and oppressed.

17 Deliver me from my distress;

rescue me from my suffering.

18 See my pain and suffering.

Forgive all my sins.

19 Watch my enemies, for they outnumber me;

they hate me and want to harm me.

20 Protect me and deliver me!

Please do not let me be humiliated,

for I have taken shelter in you.

21 May integrity and godliness protect me,

for I rely on you.

22 O God, rescue Israel

from all their distress!

26:1 By David.

Vindicate me, O Lord,

for I have integrity,

and I trust in the Lord without wavering.

2 Examine me, O Lord, and test me.

Evaluate my inner thoughts and motives.

3 For I am ever aware of your faithfulness,

and your loyalty continually motivates me.

4 I do not associate with deceitful men,

or consort with those who are dishonest.

5 I hate the mob of evil men,

and do not associate with the wicked.

6 I maintain a pure lifestyle,

so I can appear before your altar, O Lord,

7 to give you thanks,

and to tell about all your amazing deeds.

8 O Lord, I love the temple where you live,

the place where your splendor is revealed.

9 Do not sweep me away with sinners,

or execute me along with violent people,

10 who are always ready to do wrong

or offer a bribe.

11 But I have integrity.

Rescue me and have mercy on me!

12 I am safe,

and among the worshipers I will praise the Lord.

27:1 By David.

The Lord is my light and my salvation.

I fear no one.

The Lord protects my life.

I am afraid of no one.

2 When evil men attack me

to devour my flesh,

when my adversaries and enemies attack me,

they stumble and fall.

3 Even when an army is deployed against me,

I do not fear.

Even when war is imminent,

I remain confident.

4 I have asked the Lord for one thing—

this is what I desire!

I want to live in the Lord’s house all the days of my life,

so I can gaze at the splendor of the Lord

and contemplate in his temple.

5 He will surely give me shelter in the day of danger;

he will hide me in his home.

He will place me on an inaccessible rocky summit.

6 Now I will triumph

over my enemies who surround me.

I will offer sacrifices in his dwelling place and shout for joy.

I will sing praises to the Lord.

7 Hear me, O Lord, when I cry out.

Have mercy on me and answer me.

8 My heart tells me to pray to you,

and I do pray to you, O Lord.

9 Do not reject me.

Do not push your servant away in anger.

You are my deliverer.

Do not forsake or abandon me,

O God who vindicates me.

10 Even if my father and mother abandoned me,

the Lord would take me in.

11 Teach me how you want me to live, Lord;

lead me along a level path because of those who wait to ambush me.

12 Do not turn me over to my enemies,

for false witnesses who want to destroy me testify against me.

13 Where would I be if I did not believe I would experience

the Lord’s favor in the land of the living?

14 Rely on the Lord!

Be strong and confident!

Rely on the Lord!

The Scriptures quoted are from the NET Bible® copyright © 1996, 2019, used with permission from Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.