Psalms 24-26

Psalm 24

¹A Psalm. Of David. The earth is the Lord's, with all its wealth; the world and all the people living in it.

²For by him it was based on the seas, and made strong on the deep rivers.

³Who may go up into the hill of the Lord? and who may come into his holy place?

⁴He who has clean hands and a true heart; whose desire has not gone out to foolish things, who has not taken a false oath.

⁵He will have blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

⁶This is the generation of those whose hearts are turned to you, even to your face, O God of Jacob. (Selah.)

⁷Let your heads be lifted up, O doors; be lifted up, O you eternal doors: that the King of glory may come in.

⁸Who is the King of glory? The Lord of strength and power, the Lord strong in war.

⁹Let your heads be lifted up, O doors; let them be lifted up, O you eternal doors: that the King of glory may come in.

¹⁰Who is the King of glory? The Lord of armies, he is the King of glory. (Selah.)

Psalm 25

¹Of David. To you, O Lord, my soul is lifted up.

²O my God, I have put my faith in you, let me not be shamed; let not my haters be glorying over me.

³Let no servant of yours be put to shame; may those be shamed who are false without cause.

⁴Make your steps clear to me, O Lord; give me knowledge of your ways.

⁵Be my guide and teacher in the true way; for you are the God of my salvation; I am waiting for your word all the day.

⁶O Lord, keep in mind your pity and your mercies; for they have been from the earliest times.

⁷Do not keep in mind my sins when I was young, or my wrongdoing: let your memory of me be full of mercy, O Lord, because of your righteousness.

⁸Good and upright is the Lord: so he will be the teacher of sinners in the way.

⁹He will be an upright guide to the poor in spirit: he will make his way clear to them.

¹⁰All the ways of the Lord are mercy and good faith for those who keep his agreement and his witness.

¹¹Because of your name, O Lord, let me have forgiveness for my sin, which is very great.

¹²If a man has the fear of the Lord, the Lord will be his teacher in the way of his pleasure.

¹³His soul will be full of good things, and his seed will have the earth for its heritage.

¹⁴The secret of the Lord is with those in whose hearts is the fear of him; he will make his agreement clear to them.

¹⁵My eyes are turned to the Lord at all times; for he will take my feet out of the net.

¹⁶Be turned to me, and have mercy on me; for I am troubled and have no helper.

¹⁷The troubles of my heart are increased: O take me out of my sorrows.

¹⁸Give thought to my grief and my pain; and take away all my sins.

¹⁹See how those who are against me are increased, for bitter is their hate of me.

²⁰O keep my soul, and take me out of danger: let me not be shamed, for I have put my faith in you.

²¹For my clean and upright ways keep me safe, because my hope is in you.

²²Give Israel salvation, O God, out of all his troubles.

Psalm 26

¹Of David. O Lord, be my judge, for my behaviour has been upright: I have put my faith in the Lord, I am not in danger of slipping.

²Put me in the scales, O Lord, so that I may be tested; let the fire make clean my thoughts and my heart.

³For your mercy is before my eyes; and I have gone in the way of your good faith.

⁴I have not taken my seat with foolish persons, and I do not go with false men.

⁵I have been a hater of the band of wrongdoers, and I will not be seated among sinners.

⁶I will make my hands clean from sin; so will I go round your altar, O Lord;

⁷That I may give out the voice of praise, and make public all the wonders which you have done.

⁸Lord, your house has been dear to me, and the resting-place of your glory.

⁹Let not my soul be numbered among sinners, or my life among men of blood;

¹⁰In whose hands are evil designs, and whose right hands take money for judging falsely.

¹¹But as for me, I will go on in my upright ways: be my saviour, and have mercy on me.

¹²I have a safe resting-place for my feet; I will give praise to the Lord in the meetings of the people.