Psalm 146

Praise the LORD!
I will praise the Lord while I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Do not trust in princes,
In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.
His spirit departs, he returns to the earth;
In that very day his thoughts perish.
How blessed is he whose help is in the God of Jacob,
Whose hope is in the LORD his God;
Who made heaven and earth,
The sea and all that is in them;
Who keeps faith forever;
Who executes justice for the oppressed;
Who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets prisoners free.

The LORD opens the eyes of the blind;
The LORD raises up those who are bowed down;
The LORD loves the righteous;
The LORD protects the strangers;
He supports the fatherless and the widow;
But He thwarts the way of the wicked.
The LORD will reign forever,
Thy God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord!

~Psalm 146 (NASB 1977)

Psalm 41

How blessed is he who considers the helpless;
The LORD will deliver him in a day of trouble.
The LORD will protect him, and keep him alive,
And he shall be called blessed upon the earth;
And do not give him over to the desire of his enemies.
The LORD will sustain him upon his sickbed;
In his illness, Thou dost restore him to health.

As for me, I said, “O LORD, be gracious to me;
Heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee.”
My enemies speak evil against me,
“When will he die, and his name perish?”
And when he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood;
His heart gathers wickedness to itself;
When he goes outside, he tells it.
All who hate me whisper together against me;
Against me they devise hurt, saying,
“A wicked thing is poured out upon him,
That when he lies down, he will not rise up again.”
Even my close friend, in whom I trusted,
Who ate my bread,
Has lifted up his heel against me.

But Thou, O LORD, be gracious to me, and raise me up,
That I may repay them.
By this I know that Thou art pleased with me,
Because my enemy does not shout in triumph over me.
As for me, Thou uphold me in my integrity,
And Thou dost set me in Thy presence forever.

Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
From everlasting to everlasting.
Amen, and amen.

~Psalm 41 (NASB 1977)

Psalm 17

Hear a just cause, O Lord, give heed to my cry;
Give ear to my prayer, which is not from deceitful lips.
Let my judgment come forth from Thy presence;
Let Thine eyes look with equity.
Thou hast tried my heart;
Thou hast visited me by night;
Thou hast tested me and dost find nothing;
I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.
As for the deeds of men, by the word of Thy lips
I have kept from the paths of the violent.
My steps have held fast to Thy paths.
My feet have not slipped.

I have called upon Thee, for Thou wilt answer me, O God;
Incline Thine ear to me, hear my speech.
Wondrously show Thy lovingkindness,
O Savior of those who take refuge at Thy right hand
From those who rise up against them.
Keep me as the apple of Thy eye;
Hide me in the shadow of Thy wings,
From the wicked who despoil me,
My deadly enemies, who surround me.
They have closed their unfeeling heart.
With their mouth they speak proudly.
They have now surrounded us in our steps;
They set their eyes to cast us down to the ground.
He is like a lion that is eager to tear,
And as a young lion lurking in hiding places.

Arise, O Lord, confront him, bring him low;
Deliver my soul from the wicked with Thy sword,
From men with Thy hand, O Lord,
From men of the world, whose portion is in this life;
And whose belly Thou dost fill with Thy treasure;
They are satisfied with children,
And leave their abundance to their babes.
As for me, I shall behold Thy face in righteousness;
I will be satisfied with Thy likeness when I awake.

~Psalm 17 (NASB 1977)