Bible Reading Plan

³ When I kept silent,^(d)
     my bones wasted away^(e)
     through my groaning^(f) all day long.
⁴ For day and night
     your hand was heavy^(g) on me;
my strength was sapped^(h)
     as in the heat of summer.^[b]

⁵ Then I acknowledged my sin to you
     and did not cover up my iniquity.⁽ⁱ⁾
I said, "I will confess^(j)
     my transgressions^(k) to the Lord ."
And you forgave
     the guilt of my sin.^(l)

⁶ Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
     while you may be found;^(m)
surely the rising⁽ⁿ⁾ of the mighty waters^(o)
     will not reach them.^(p)
7 You are my hiding place;^(q)
     you will protect me from trouble^(r)
     and surround me with songs of deliverance.^(s)

⁸ I will instruct^(t) you and teach you^(u) in the way you should go;
     I will counsel you with my loving eye on^(v) you.
⁹ Do not be like the horse or the mule,
     which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle^(w)
     or they will not come to you.
¹⁰ Many are the woes of the wicked,^(x)
     but the Lord 's unfailing love
     surrounds the one who trusts^(y) in him.

¹¹ Rejoice in the Lord ^(z) and be glad, you righteous;
     sing, all you who are upright in heart!

⁴ For the word of the Lord is right^(h) and true;⁽ⁱ⁾
     he is faithful^(j) in all he does.
⁵ The Lord loves righteousness and justice;^(k)
     the earth is full of his unfailing love.^(l)

⁶ By the word^(m) of the Lord the heavens were made,⁽ⁿ⁾
     their starry host^(o) by the breath of his mouth.
⁷ He gathers the waters^(p) of the sea into jars^[a];^(q)
     he puts the deep into storehouses.
⁸ Let all the earth fear the Lord ;^(r)
     let all the people of the world^(s) revere him.^(t)
9 For he spoke, and it came to be;
     he commanded,^(u) and it stood firm.

¹⁰ The Lord foils^(v) the plans^(w) of the nations;^(x)
     he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
¹¹ But the plans of the Lord stand firm^(y) forever,
     the purposes^(z) of his heart through all generations.

¹² Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord ,^(aa)
     the people he chose^(ab) for his inheritance.^(ac)
13 From heaven the Lord looks down^(ad)
     and sees all mankind;^(ae)
14 from his dwelling place^(af) he watches
     all who live on earth—
¹⁵ he who forms^(ag) the hearts of all,
     who considers everything they do.^(ah)

¹⁶ No king is saved by the size of his army;^(ai)
     no warrior escapes by his great strength.
¹⁷ A horse^(aj) is a vain hope for deliverance;
     despite all its great strength it cannot save.
¹⁸ But the eyes^(ak) of the Lord are on those who fear him,
     on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,^(al)
19 to deliver them from death^(am)
     and keep them alive in famine.^(an)

²⁰ We wait^(ao) in hope for the Lord ;
     he is our help and our shield.
²¹ In him our hearts rejoice,^(ap)
     for we trust in his holy name.^(aq)
22 May your unfailing love^(ar) be with us, Lord ,
     even as we put our hope in you.

⁴ I sought the Lord ,^(g) and he answered me;
     he delivered^(h) me from all my fears.
⁵ Those who look to him are radiant;⁽ⁱ⁾
     their faces are never covered with shame.^(j)
6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
     he saved him out of all his troubles.^(k)
7 The angel of the Lord ^(l) encamps around those who fear him,
     and he delivers^(m) them.

⁸ Taste and see that the Lord is good;⁽ⁿ⁾
     blessed is the one who takes refuge^(o) in him.
⁹ Fear the Lord ,^(p) you his holy people,
     for those who fear him lack nothing.^(q)
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
     but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.^(r)
11 Come, my children, listen^(s) to me;
     I will teach you^(t) the fear of the Lord .^(u)
12 Whoever of you loves life^(v)
     and desires to see many good days,
¹³ keep your tongue^(w) from evil
     and your lips from telling lies.^(x)
14 Turn from evil and do good;^(y)
     seek peace^(z) and pursue it.

¹⁵ The eyes of the Lord ^(aa) are on the righteous,^(ab)
     and his ears are attentive^(ac) to their cry;
¹⁶ but the face of the Lord is against^(ad) those who do evil,^(ae)
     to blot out their name^(af) from the earth.

¹⁷ The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears^(ag) them;
     he delivers them from all their troubles.
¹⁸ The Lord is close^(ah) to the brokenhearted^(ai)
     and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

¹⁹ The righteous person may have many troubles,^(aj)
     but the Lord delivers him from them all;^(ak)
20 he protects all his bones,
     not one of them will be broken.^(al)

²¹ Evil will slay the wicked;^(am)
     the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
²² The Lord will rescue^(an) his servants;
     no one who takes refuge^(ao) in him will be condemned.

⁴ May those who seek my life⁽ⁱ⁾
     be disgraced^(j) and put to shame;^(k)
may those who plot my ruin
     be turned back^(l) in dismay.
⁵ May they be like chaff^(m) before the wind,
     with the angel of the Lord ⁽ⁿ⁾ driving them away;
⁶ may their path be dark and slippery,
     with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

⁷ Since they hid their net^(o) for me without cause^(p)
     and without cause dug a pit^(q) for me,
⁸ may ruin overtake them by surprise—^(r)
     may the net they hid entangle them,
     may they fall into the pit,^(s) to their ruin.
⁹ Then my soul will rejoice^(t) in the Lord
     and delight in his salvation.^(u)
10 My whole being will exclaim,
     "Who is like you,^(v) Lord ?
You rescue the poor from those too strong^(w) for them,
     the poor and needy^(x) from those who rob them."

¹¹ Ruthless witnesses^(y) come forward;
     they question me on things I know nothing about.
¹² They repay me evil for good^(z)
     and leave me like one bereaved.
¹³ Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth^(aa)
     and humbled myself with fasting.^(ab)
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
¹⁴       I went about mourning^(ac)
     as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
     as though weeping for my mother.
¹⁵ But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;^(ad)
     assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
     They slandered^(ae) me without ceasing.
¹⁶ Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;^[b](af)
     they gnashed their teeth^(ag) at me.

¹⁷ How long,^(ah) Lord, will you look on?
     Rescue me from their ravages,
     my precious life^(ai) from these lions.^(aj)
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly;^(ak)
     among the throngs^(al) I will praise you.^(am)
19 Do not let those gloat over me
     who are my enemies^(an) without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason^(ao)
     maliciously wink the eye.^(ap)
20 They do not speak peaceably,
     but devise false accusations^(aq)
     against those who live quietly in the land.
²¹ They sneer^(ar) at me and say, "Aha! Aha!^(as)
     With our own eyes we have seen it."

²²  Lord , you have seen^(at) this; do not be silent.
     Do not be far^(au) from me, Lord.
²³ Awake,^(av) and rise^(aw) to my defense!
     Contend^(ax) for me, my God and Lord.
²⁴ Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God;
     do not let them gloat^(ay) over me.
²⁵ Do not let them think, "Aha,^(az) just what we wanted!"
     or say, "We have swallowed him up."^(ba)

²⁶ May all who gloat^(bb) over my distress^(bc)
     be put to shame^(bd) and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me^(be)
     be clothed with shame and disgrace.
²⁷ May those who delight in my vindication^(bf)
     shout for joy^(bg) and gladness;
may they always say, "The Lord be exalted,
     who delights^(bh) in the well-being of his servant."^(bi)

²⁸ My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,^(bj)
     your praises all day long.^(bk)