1  I said, “I will guard my ways,

that I may not sin with my tongue;

I will ^oguard my mouth with a muzzle,

so long as the wicked are in my presence.”

2  I was ^pmute and silent;

I held my peace to no avail,

and my distress grew worse.

3  My heart became hot within me.

As I mused, the fire burned;

then I spoke with my tongue:

4  “O Lord, ^qmake me know my end

and what is the measure of my days;

let me know how fleeting I am!

5  ^rBehold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,

and my lifetime is as nothing ^sbefore you.

Surely all mankind stands as a mere ^tbreath! Selah

6  Surely a man goes about as a ^ushadow!

Surely for nothing¹ they are in turmoil;

^vman heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!

7  “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?

My hope is in you.

8  Deliver me from all my transgressions.

Do not make me the scorn of the fool!

9  I am mute; I do not open my mouth,

for it is you who have done it.

10  Remove your stroke from me;

I am spent by the hostility of your hand.

11  When you discipline a man

with rebukes for sin,

you consume like a moth what is dear to him;

surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah

12  “Hear my prayer, O Lord,

and give ear to my cry;

^whold not your peace at my tears!

For I am a ^xsojourner with you,

a guest, like all my fathers.

13  Look away from me, that I may smile again,

before I depart and am no more!”

1  ^qFor God alone my soul waits ^rin silence;

from him comes my salvation.

2  He alone is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

3  How long will all of you attack a man

to batter him,

like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?

4  They only plan to thrust him down from his high position.

They take pleasure in falsehood.

They bless with their mouths,

^sbut inwardly they curse. Selah

5  ^tFor God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,

for my hope is from him.

6  He only is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

7  On God rests my salvation and my glory;

my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

8  ^uTrust in him at all times, O people;

^vpour out your heart before him;

God is a refuge for us. Selah

9  Those of ^wlow estate are but a breath;

those of high estate are a delusion;

in the balances they go up;

they are together lighter than a breath.

10  Put no ^xtrust in extortion;

set no vain hopes on robbery;

^yif riches increase, set not your heart on them.

11  Once God has spoken;

twice have I heard this:

that power belongs to God,

12  and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.

For you will render to a man

^zaccording to his work.

1  I ^wcry aloud to God,

aloud to God, and he will hear me.

2  In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;

in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;

my soul refuses to be comforted.

3  When I remember God, I moan;

when I meditate, ^xmy spirit faints. Selah

4  You hold my eyelids open;

I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

5  I consider the ^ydays of old,

the years long ago.

6  I said,¹ “Let me remember my song in the ^znight;

let me meditate in my heart.”

Then my spirit made a diligent search:

7  “Will the Lord spurn forever,

and never again be favorable?

8  Has his steadfast love forever ceased?

Are his promises at an end for all time?

9  Has God forgotten to be gracious?

Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah

10  Then I said, “I will appeal to this,

to ^athe years of the right hand of the Most High.”²

11  I will ^bremember the deeds of the Lord;

yes, I will remember your wonders of old.

12  I will ponder all your work,

and ^cmeditate on your mighty deeds.

13  Your way, O God, is holy.

^dWhat god is great like our God?

14  You are the God who works wonders;

you have ^emade known your might among the peoples.

15  You with your arm ^fredeemed your people,

the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah

16  ^gWhen the waters ^hsaw you, O God,

when the waters saw you, they were afraid;

indeed, the deep trembled.

17  ⁱThe clouds poured out water;

the skies gave forth thunder;

your ^jarrows flashed on every side.

18  The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;

your lightnings lighted up the world;

^kthe earth trembled and shook.

19  Your ^lway was through the sea,

your path through the great waters;

yet your footprints were unseen.³

20  You ^mled your people like a ⁿflock

by the hand of Moses and Aaron.