¹God, you are my righteousness, my Champion Defender.

Answer me when I cry for help!

Whenever I was in distress, you enlarged me.

I’m being squeezed again—I need your kindness right away!

Grant me your grace, hear my prayer, and set me free!

²Listen to me, you elite among men:

How long will you defame my honor

and drag it down into shame?

Will you ever stop insulting me?

How long will you set your heart on shadows,

chasing your lies and delusions?

³May we never forget that Yahweh works wonders[#4:3 There is considerable variation in possible translations from different manuscripts. Some manuscripts read “ sets apart a faithful one for himself.” Another possible translation is “ has revealed to me his marvelous love.”]

for every one of his devoted lovers.

And this is how I know that he will answer my every prayer.

⁴Tremble in awe before the Lord, and do not sin against him.

Be still upon your bed and search your heart before him.

⁵Bring to Yahweh the sacrifice of righteousness and put your trust in him.

⁶Lord, prove them wrong when they say, “God can’t help you!”

Let the light of your radiant face

break through and shine upon us!

⁷The intense pleasure you give me

surpasses the gladness of harvest time,

even more than when the harvesters

gaze upon their ripened grain

and when their new wine overflows.

⁸Now, because of you, Lord, I will lie down in peace and sleep comes at once,

for no matter what happens, I will live unafraid!