Day 9: Psalms 25-27

Psalm 25

1	To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul; my God, I put my trust in you; *     let me not be humiliated,     nor let my enemies triumph over me.
2	Let none who look to you be put to shame; *     let the treacherous be disappointed in their schemes.
3	Show me your ways, O LORD, *     and teach me your paths.
4	Lead me in your truth and teach me, *     for you are the God of my salvation;     in you have I trusted all the day long.
5	Remember, O LORD, your compassion and love, *     for they are from everlasting.

6	Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions;  remember me according to your love     and for the sake of your goodness, O LORD.
7	Gracious and upright is the LORD; *     therefore he teaches sinners in his way.
8	He guides the humble in doing right *     and teaches his way to the lowly.
9	All the paths of the LORD are love and faithfulness *     to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
10	For your Name's sake, O LORD, *     forgive my sin, for it is great.
11	Who are they who fear the LORD? *     he will teach them the way that they should choose.
12	They shall dwell in prosperity, *     and their offspring shall inherit the land.
13	The LORD is a friend to those who fear him *     and will show them his covenant.
14	My eyes are ever looking to the LORD, *     for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
15	Turn to me and have pity on me, *     for I am left alone and in misery.
16	The sorrows of my heart have increased; *     bring me out of my troubles.
17	Look upon my adversity and misery *     and forgive me all my sin.
18	Look upon my enemies, for they are many, *     and they bear a violent hatred against me. 19  Protect my life and deliver me; *     let me not be put to shame, for I have trusted in you. 20  Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, *     for my hope has been in you. 21 Deliver Israel, O God, *     out of all his troubles.   Another woe is me psalm.  "Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions…"  I am 53.  I am still a youth!   Psalm 26 1 Give judgment for me, O LORD, for I have lived with integrity; *     I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered. 2 Test me, O LORD, and try me; *     examine my heart and my mind. 3 For your love is before my eyes; *     I have walked faithfully with you. 4 I have not sat with the worthless, *     nor do I consort with the deceitful. 5 I have hated the company of evildoers; *     I will not sit down with the wicked. 6 I will wash my hands in innocence, O LORD, *     that I may go in procession round your altar, 7 Singing aloud a song of thanksgiving *     and recounting all your wonderful deeds. 8 LORD, I love the house in which you dwell *     and the place where your glory abides. 9 Do not sweep me away with sinners, *     nor my life with those who thirst for blood, 10 Whose hands are full of evil plots, *     and their right hand full of bribes. 11 As for me, I will live with integrity; *     redeem me, O LORD, and have pity on me. 12 My foot stands on level ground; *     in the full assembly I will bless the LORD. The psalmist is making a list of why he is worthy of God's help.  See how good I've been?  I don't think that's how it works.    Psalm 27 1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom then shall I fear? *     the LORD is the strength of my life;     of whom then shall I be afraid? 2 When evildoers came upon me to eat up my flesh, *     it was they, my foes and my adversaries, who                               stumbled and fell. 3 Though an army should encamp against me, *     yet my heart shall not be afraid; 4 And though war should rise up against me, *     yet will I put my trust in him. 5 One thing have I asked of the LORD; one thing I seek; *     that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days                               of my life; 6 To behold the fair beauty of the LORD *     and to seek him in his temple. 7 For in the day of trouble he shall keep me safe                                in his shelter; *     he shall hide me in the secrecy of his dwelling     and set me high upon a rock. 8 Even now he lifts up my head *     above my enemies round about me. 9 Therefore I will offer in his dwelling an oblation with sounds of great gladness; *     I will sing and make music to the LORD. 10 Hearken to my voice, O LORD, when I call; *     have mercy on me and answer me. 11 You speak in my heart and say, "Seek my face." *     Your face, LORD, will I seek. 12 Hide not your face from me, *     nor turn away your servant in displeasure. 13 You have been my helper; cast me not away; *     do not forsake me, O God of my salvation. 14 Though my father and my mother forsake me, *     the LORD will sustain me. 15 Show me your way, O LORD; *     lead me on a level path, because of my enemies. 16 Deliver me not into the hand of my adversaries, *     for false witnesses have risen up against me,     and also those who speak malice. 17 What if I had not believed that I should see the goodness of the LORD *     in the land of the living! 18 O tarry and await the LORD'S pleasure; be strong, and he shall comfort your heart; *     wait patiently for the LORD. This one starts off strong. The psalmist asks for nothing.  He gives simple statements of fact.  Then we veer into the cries for help against the enemies.  Who are these enemies?  Neighbors?  Armies?  Nature?  Self?    We sing a song at church based on the first two verses.   I don't know HTML.  Often when I copy the psalm from the online Book of Common Prayer, the formatting is thrown off.  I'm not sure how to fix it, but as long as all the words are there, I'll just go with it.