³ Set a guard over my mouth, Lord;
    keep watch over the door of my lips.
⁴ Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil
    so that I take part in wicked deeds
   along with those who are evildoers;
    do not let me eat their delicacies.

⁵ Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness;
    let him rebuke me—that is oil on my head.
   My head will not refuse it,
    for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.

⁶ Their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs,
    and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.
⁷ They will say, “As one plows and breaks up the earth,
    so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of the grave.”

⁸ But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign Lord;
    in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death.
⁹ Keep me safe from the traps set by evildoers,
    from the snares they have laid for me.
¹⁰ Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
    while I pass by in safety.

⁴ Keep me safe, Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
    protect me from the violent,
    who devise ways to trip my feet.
⁵ The arrogant have hidden a snare for me;
    they have spread out the cords of their net
    and have set traps for me along my path.

⁶ I say to the Lord, “You are my God.”
    Hear, Lord, my cry for mercy.
⁷ Sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer,
    you shield my head in the day of battle.
⁸ Do not grant the wicked their desires, Lord;
    do not let their plans succeed.

⁹ Those who surround me proudly rear their heads;
    may the mischief of their lips engulf them.
¹⁰ May burning coals fall on them;
    may they be thrown into the fire,
    into miry pits, never to rise.
¹¹ May slanderers not be established in the land;
    may disaster hunt down the violent.

¹² I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor
    and upholds the cause of the needy.
¹³ Surely the righteous will praise your name,
    and the upright will live in your presence.

² It is like precious oil poured on the head,
    running down on the beard,
   running down on Aaron’s beard,
    down on the collar of his robe.
³ It is as if the dew of Hermon
    were falling on Mount Zion.
   For there the Lord bestows his blessing,
    even life forevermore.

² He swore an oath to the Lord,
    he made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:
³ “I will not enter my house
    or go to my bed,
⁴ I will allow no sleep to my eyes
    or slumber to my eyelids,
⁵ till I find a place for the Lord,
    a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

⁶ We heard it in Ephrathah,
    we came upon it in the fields of Jaar:
⁷ “Let us go to his dwelling place,
    let us worship at his footstool, saying,
⁸ ‘Arise, Lord, and come to your resting place,
    you and the ark of your might.
⁹ May your priests be clothed with your righteousness;
    may your faithful people sing for joy.’”

¹⁰ For the sake of your servant David,
    do not reject your anointed one.

¹¹ The Lord swore an oath to David,
    a sure oath he will not revoke:
   “One of your own descendants
    I will place on your throne.
¹² If your sons keep my covenant
    and the statutes I teach them,
   then their sons will sit
    on your throne for ever and ever.”

¹³ For the Lord has chosen Zion,
    he has desired it for his dwelling, saying,
¹⁴ “This is my resting place for ever and ever;
    here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it.
¹⁵ I will bless her with abundant provisions;
    her poor I will satisfy with food.
¹⁶ I will clothe her priests with salvation,
    and her faithful people will ever sing for joy.

¹⁷ “Here I will make a horn grow for David
    and set up a lamp for my anointed one.
¹⁸ I will clothe his enemies with shame,
    but his head will be adorned with a radiant crown.”

³ Children are a heritage from the Lord,
    offspring a reward from him.
⁴ Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
    are children born in one’s youth.
⁵ Blessed is the man
    whose quiver is full of them.
   They will not be put to shame
    when they contend with their opponents in court.

⁴ Restore our fortunes, Lord,
    like streams in the Negev.
⁵ Those who sow with tears
    will reap with songs of joy.
⁶ Those who go out weeping,
    carrying seed to sow,
   will return with songs of joy,
    carrying sheaves with them.