Study Desk

I said, "I will ^(C1)keep watch over my ways So that I ^(C2)do not sin with my tongue; I will keep watch over ^(C3)my mouth as with a muzzle While the wicked are in my presence."

I was ^(C1)mute ^(F1)and silent, I ^(F2)refused to say even something good, And my pain was stirred up.

My ^(C1)heart was hot within me, While I was musing the fire burned; Then I spoke with my tongue:

"LORD, let me know ^(C1)my end, And what is the extent of my days; Let me know how ^(C2)transient I am.

-"Behold, You have made ^(C1)my days like ^(F1)hand widths, And my ^(C2)lifetime as nothing in Your sight; Certainly all mankind standing is ^(F2)a mere ^(C3)breath. Selah

-"Certainly every person ^(C1)walks around as ^(F1)a fleeting shadow; They certainly make an ^(C2)uproar for nothing; He ^(C3)amasses riches and does not know who will gather them.

"And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My ^(C1)hope is in You.

-"^(C1)Save me from all my wrongdoings; Do not make me an object of ^(C2)reproach for the foolish.

-"I have become ^(C1)mute, I do not open my mouth, Because it is ^(C2)You who have done it.

-"^(C1)Remove Your plague from me; Because of ^(C2)the opposition of Your hand I am ^(F1)perishing.

-"With ^(C1)rebukes You punish a person for wrongdoing; You ^(C2)consume like a moth what is precious to him; Certainly ^(C3)all mankind is mere breath! Selah

"^(C1)Hear my prayer, LORD, and listen to my cry for help; Do not be silent ^(C2)to my tears; For I am ^(C3)a stranger with You, ^(C4)One who lives abroad, like all my fathers.

-"^(C1)Turn Your eyes away from me, that I may become cheerful again Before I depart and am no more."

I ^(C1)waited ^(F1)patiently for the LORD; And He reached down to me and ^(C2)heard my cry.

He brought me up out of the ^(C1)pit of ^(F1)destruction, out of the mud; And ^(C2)He set my feet on a rock, ^(C3)making my footsteps firm.

He put a ^(C1)new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will ^(C2)see and fear And will trust in the LORD.

How ^(C1)blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust, And ^(C2)has not turned to the ^(F1)proud, nor to those who ^(C3)become involved in falsehood.

Many, LORD my God, are ^(C1)the wonders which You have done, And Your ^(C2)thoughts toward us; There is no one to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, They ^(C3)would be too numerous to count.

^(C1)You have not desired ^(F1)sacrifice and meal offering; You have ^(F2)opened my ears; You have not required burnt offering and sin offering.

Then I said, "Behold, I have come; It is ^(F1)written of me in the scroll of the book.

-"^(C1)I delight to do Your will, my God; ^(C2)Your Law is within my ^(F1)heart."

I have ^(C1)proclaimed good news of righteousness in the great congregation; Behold, I will ^(C2)not restrain my lips, LORD, ^(C3)You know.

I have ^(C1)not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have ^(C2)spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your mercy and Your truth from the great congregation.

You, LORD, will not withhold Your compassion from me; ^(F1)Your ^(C1)mercy and Your truth will continually watch over me.

For evils beyond number have ^(C1)surrounded me; My ^(C2)guilty deeds have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see; They are ^(C3)more numerous than the hairs of my head, And my ^(C4)heart has ^(F1)failed me.

^(C1)Be pleased, LORD, to rescue me; ^(C2)Hurry, LORD, to help me.

May those be ^(C1)ashamed and humiliated together Who ^(C2)seek my ^(F1)life to destroy it; May those be turned back and dishonored Who delight ^(F2)in my hurt.

May those ^(C1)be ^(F1)appalled because of their shame Who ^(C2)say to me, "Aha, aha!"

^(C1)May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; May those who love Your salvation continually ^(C2)say, "The LORD be exalted!"

But ^(C1)I am afflicted and needy; ^(C2)May the Lord be mindful of me. You are my help and my savior; Do not delay, my God.

Blessed is one who ^(C1)considers the ^(F1)helpless; The LORD will save him ^(C2)on a day of ^(F2)trouble.

The LORD will ^(C1)protect him and keep him alive, And he will be called ^(F1)(C2)blessed upon the earth; And ^(C3)do not turn him over to the desire of his enemies.

The LORD will sustain him upon his sickbed; In his illness, You ^(F1)restore him to health.

As for me, I said, "LORD, be gracious to me; ^(C1)Heal my soul, for ^(C2)I have sinned against You."

My enemies ^(C1)speak evil against me, "When will he die, and his name perish?"

And ^(F1)when he comes to see me, he ^(C1)speaks ^(F2)empty words; His heart gathers wickedness to itself; When he goes outside, he tells it.

All who hate me whisper together against me; They ^(C1)plot my harm against me, saying,

"A wicked thing is poured out ^(F1)upon him, So that when he lies down, he will ^(C1)not get up again."

Even my ^(F1)(C1)close friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me.

But You, LORD, be gracious to me and ^(C1)raise me up, That I may repay them.

By this I know that ^(C1)You are pleased with me, Because ^(C2)my enemy does not shout in triumph over me.

As for me, ^(C1)You uphold me in my integrity, And You place me ^(C2)in Your presence forever.

^(C1)Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, From everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.