He makes them drink from a cup filled with scorching wind.

7 Yahweh is righteous.

He loves a righteous way of life.

Decent people will see his face.

Psalm 12 For the choir director; on the sheminith; a psalm by David.

1 Help, O Yahweh.

No godly person is left.

Faithful people have vanished from among Adam's descendants!

2 All people speak foolishly.

They speak with flattering lips. They say one thing but mean another.

3 May Yahweh cut off every flattering lip and every bragging tongue 4 that has said, "We will overcome with our tongues.

With lips such as ours, who can be our master?"

5 "Because oppressed people are robbed and needy people groan, I will now arise," says Yahweh.

"I will provide safety for those who long for it."

6 The promises of Yahweh are pure, like silver refined in a furnacea and purified seven times.

7 O Yahweh , you will protect them.

You will keep each one safe from those people forever.

8 Wicked people parade around when immorality increases among Adam's descendants.

Psalm 13 For the choir director; a psalm by David.

1 How long, O Yahweh? Will you forget me forever?

How long will you hide your face from me?

2 How long must I make decisions alone with sorrow in my heart day after day?

How long will my enemy triumph over me?

3 Look at me! Answer me, O Yahweh my Elohim !

Light up my eyes, or else I will die 4 and my enemy will say, "I have overpowered him."

My opponents will rejoice because I have been shaken.

5 But I trust your mercy.

My heart finds joy in your salvation.

6 I will sing to Yahweh because he has been good to me.

Psalm 14a For the choir director; by David.

1 Godless fools say in their hearts, "There is no Elohim."

They are corrupt.

They do disgusting things.

There is no one who does good things.

2 Yahweh looks down from heaven on Adam's descendants to see if there is anyone who acts wisely, if there is anyone who seeks help from Elohim.

3 Everyone has turned away.

Together they have become rotten to the core.

No one, not even one person, does good things.

4 Are all those troublemakers, those who devour my people as if they were devouring food, so ignorant that they do not call on Yahweh?

5 There they are-panic-stricken because Elohim is with the person who is righteous.

6 They put the advice of oppressed people to shame because Yahweh is their Machseh .

7 If only salvation for Israel would come from Zion!

When Yahweh restores the fortunes of his people, Jacob will rejoice.

Israel will be glad.

Psalm 15 A psalm by David.

1 O Yahweh, who may stay in your tent?

Who may live on your holy mountain?

2 The one who walks with integrity, does what is righteous, and speaks the truth within his heart.

3 The one who does not slander with his tongue, do evil to a friend, or bring disgrace on his neighbor.

4 The one who despises those rejected by Yahweh but honors those who fear Yahweh .

The one who makes a promise and does not break it, even though he is hurt by it.

5 The one who does not collect interest on a loan or take a bribe against an innocent person.

Whoever does these things will never be shaken.

Psalm 16 A miktama by David.

1 Protect me, O El , because I take refuge in you.

2 I said to Yahweh, "You are my Adonay . Without you, I have nothing good."

3 Those who lead holy lives on earth are the noble ones who fill me with joy.b 4 Those who quickly chase after other gods multiply their sorrows.

I will not pour out their sacrificial offerings of blood or use my lips to speak their names.

5 Yahweh is my inheritance and my cup.

You are the one who determines my destiny.

6 Your boundary lines mark out pleasant places for me.

Indeed, my inheritance is something beautiful.

7 I will praise Yahweh, who advises me.

My conscience warns me at night.

8 I always keep Yahweh in front of me.

When he is by my side, I cannot be moved.

9 That is why my heart is glad and my soul rejoices.

My body rests securely 10 because you do not abandon my soul to the grave or allow your holy one to decay.

11 You make the path of life known to me.

Complete joy is in your presence.

Pleasures are by your side forever.

Psalm 17 A prayer by David.

1 Hear my plea for justice, O Yahweh.

Pay attention to my cry.

Open your ears to my prayer, which comes from lips free from deceit.

2 Let the verdict of my innocence come directly from you.

Let your eyes observe what is fair.

3 You have probed my heart.

You have confronted me at night.

You have tested me like silver, but you found nothing wrong.

I have determined that my mouth will not sin.

4 I have avoided cruelty because of your word.

In spite of what others have done, 5 my steps have remained firmly in your paths.

My feet have not slipped.

6 I have called on you because you answer me, O El .

Turn your ear toward me.

Hear what I have to say.

7 Reveal your miraculous deeds of mercy, O Savior of those who find refuge by your side from those who attack them.

8 Guard me as if I were the pupil in your eye.

Hide me in the shadow of your wings.

9 Hide me from wicked people who violently attack me, from my deadly enemies who surround me.

10 They have shut out all feeling.a Their mouths have spoken arrogantly.

11 They have tracked me down.

They have surrounded me.

They have focused their attention on throwing me to the ground.

12 Each one of them is like a lion eager to tear its prey apart and like a young lion crouching in hiding places.

13 Arise, O Yahweh; confront them!

Bring them to their knees!

With your sword rescue my life from wicked people.

14 With your power rescue me from mortals, O Yahweh , from mortals who enjoy their inheritance only in this life.