Category / Psalms a Tempo

by jdansmall

Psalm 91

angels

I’m dwelling in the shelter of El Elyon
Abiding in the shadow of Shaddai
‘Tis Adonai I gladly call my Refuge
My Fortress and my God, in whom I trust.

For He alone can rescue from the hunter
And shield you from the deadly pestilence
Take refuge ‘neath His wings and He will hide you
His faithfulness a shield which you can trust.

So do not fear the terrors of the nighttime
Don’t worry ‘bout the arrows as they fly
Nor dread the plague that stalks you in the darkness
He will protect from trouble at high noon.

Just watch as ‘round you thousands fall defeated
As you stand there and look you will be safe
The wicked will receive the judgment due them
But you, all evil plagues will overcome.

Since Adonai, the Most High, is your refuge
The One to Whom you run when troubles come
You need not live in fear of some disaster
He will not let the plague come near your tent.

His angels will He send to watch and keep you
They’ll carry you and guard you on your way
Your feet won’t trip or stumble as you’re walking
Instead you’ll crush the lion and the snake.

“Because you love Me I will surely save you
Because you know My name I will protect
I’ll answer every time you call upon Me
And will be by your side when times are hard.

“My promise is to rescue and reward you
With honor and long life since you are Mine
Just call on Me and you will see salvation
This is the way that I bless all who trust.”

© 2014 J Dan Small

by jdansmall

Psalm 90

Calendar PagesFrom everlasting You are God and our abiding place
Before the mountains came to be or earth was set in space
E’en into future days unknown You will as God remain
Oe’r every generation, Lord, ‘tis You alone who reign.

As for the children of the earth You turn them back to dust
At Your command they disappear, their souls to You entrust
In Your sight, Lord, a thousand years are but a passing night
Like grass they flourish then they fade and quickly take their flight.

But in Your fury ‘gainst our sins our lives have been consumed
You have exposed our secret sins which means that we are doomed
Our days decline, pass like a sigh, with pain and trouble filled
At best we’re given eighty years before our breath is stilled.

Who comprehends Your wrath, O Lord, the fear we ought to know?
Teach us to number all our days, a heart of wisdom show.
Return, O Lord! Your servants need Your pity and Your grace
Make our hearts glad as many days as evils we have faced.

Let morning bring news of Your love, Your wondrous saving ways
Then we will sing and dance for joy before You all our days
And to our children favor show, Your faithfulness ensure
The works of our hands do confirm and cause them to endure.

© 2014 J Dan Small

by jdansmall

Psalm 89

David anointed

Your mercies, O Lord, are the theme of my song
Your faithfulness I will declare
Forever Your mercy and grace will endure
I will sing of them all the day long.

“I’ve chosen My servant, a covenant made
Your seed I establish your throne will not fade
My promise to David forever will stand
Descendants shall reign evermore in this land.”

Behold, how the heavens Your wonders declare
Your faithfulness saints also tell
For who in the heavens is like unto Thee?
Not an angel or god can compare.

Indeed, all around You in reverence bow
The Lord God of hosts is supreme
More awesome than all who around Him do dwell
Your faithfulness all must avow.

By Your mighty arm all Your enemies flee
The sea in its raging is stilled
The sea monster, Rahab, You’ve crushed and destroyed
O Lord, there is no one like Thee.

The heavens are Yours and the earth You have made
The world and its fullness You formed
From north unto south all the mountains rejoice
Your great name like a banner displayed.

Your powerful hand is exalted on high
Before You dwell mercy and truth
With justice and righteousness You rule o’er all
On Your faithfulness all can rely.

How blest are the people who shout the glad sound
Who walk in the light of Your face
In Your holy name they rejoice all the day
For Your righteousness praises abound.

For You are our glory and strength, Adonai
By Your favor, exalted, we rule
Our king is from You, our protection and shield
All we need Your great hand doth supply.

In a vision You spoke to our fathers before
“I have raised up a warrior for you
‘Tis My servant David, anointed with oil
Upon him My great strength I’ll pour.”

“The wicked who hate him will never prevail
His foes I will fight and destroy
In My name he’ll conquer and crush enemies
And My covenant never will fail.”

“With My help his rule will extend far and wide
I will make him My cherished firstborn
He’ll call Me his Father, his God, and his Rock
In My love I’ll uphold and provide.”

“His reign I’ll establish, His throne keep secure
All the kings of the earth will bow down
Exalted, victorious, his kingdom remains
As long as the heavens endure.”

“And if his descendants My Law should forsake
I’ll punish their guilt with a rod
I’ll discipline soundly with firmness and wrath
The ones whom My statutes would break.”

“But I will not withdraw My love even then
My promises still I will keep
As sure as the sun and the moon in the sky
Forever his throne shall endure.”

But, Lord, Your anointed You’ve spurned in Your rage
The covenant has been forgot
His crown lies in dust, his walls broken down
He’s defeated by all who engage.

Our lives are cut short and we’re covered with shame
How long will You hide from our plight?
How long will Your anger consume us as fire
While enemies mock and defame?

Remember, O Lord, that our lives are so short
How fragile we are without You
How futile our efforts to live and not die
And the pow’r of the grave to abort.

O Adonai, where is Your former great love
Your acts of deliv’rance and might?
To David You swore Your allegiance and help
Your assistance from heaven above.

Remember, O Lord, the reproach that we bear
How our enemies hold us in scorn
Every step that we take they are there to oppose
Leaving us in deep shame and despair.

In conclusion we praise Him again and again
As we say, “Bless the Lord evermore”
You are faithful and true and worthy of trust
Bless the Lord, Amen and amen.

© 2014 J Dan Small

by jdansmall

Psalm 88

Sarah_Trumbull_on_Her_Deathbed_by_John_Trumbull_1824Day and night, O Lord my God, I cry out in my grief
Please hear my prayer, incline Your ear, when will You send relief?

Behold how many troubles, Lord, my soul has had to bear
I feel the pangs of death draw near, it leads me to despair.

“It is too late,” I hear them say, “she’s on the brink of death”
As good as dead, I’m all alone and wait my final breath.

O God, this sickness is from You, You’ve laid me in this pit
I lay in darkness ‘neath Your wrath, afflictions You permit.

Even my friends abandoned me, they cannot bear to see
Shut up alone I waste away and lift my hands to Thee.

I’ve called upon You every day, O Lord when will You save?
What praise or glory can You get once I am in the grave?

Do dead perceive Your wondrous works or spirits rise to praise?
Can one declare Your faithfulness who in Abaddon lays?

Time and again I’ve cried for help, You’ve heard my morning prayer
Why do You hide Your face from me, reject, refuse to care?

E’en from my youth I’ve suffered thus, terrors like waters flow
You’ve caused my loved ones to depart, darkness is all I know.

© 2014 J Dan Small

by jdansmall

Psalm 87

JerusalemThe city of our God she is, raised up on Judah’s heights
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, so precious in His sight
Such glorious things are said of you He made you His delight.

People from every nation are drawn to Zion’s halls
All seek the Most High’s blessing that rests within her walls
And the glory of this city all her citizens enthrall.

The Lord notes in His records, strike up the royal band
“This one was born in Zion established by My hand”
Singers and dancers celebrate, “Our life comes from this land.”

© 2014 J Dan Small

by jdansmall

Psalm 86

FoxholesI am poor and needy, O Lord please hear my prayer
I trust in You to save me, believing that You care
In faithfulness I’ve served You, now hear my constant plea
And fill my heart with joy, Lord, I lift my soul to Thee.

I know that You are good, Lord, forgiving, full of grace
And all who call upon You, in mercy You embrace
Now heed my supplication, in trouble I cry out
I know that You will answer, I trust and will not doubt.

There is no one like You, Lord, among the many gods
All nations bow in worship, Your wondrous deeds applaud
Your works are great and awesome, with none they can compare
For You alone are God, ‘tis Your glory we declare.

Teach me all Your ways, Lord, give me a single heart
So that I may fear You, from Your truth ne’er depart
With all my heart I thank You and glorify Your name
You’ve saved my soul from Sheol, from depths of endless shame.

A ruthless gang of rebels has risen against me
In pride they seek to kill me but give no thought to Thee
Now in Your faithful mercies fresh strength and grace I seek
Look down, God of compassion, your servant is so weak.

O God, so slow to anger and filled with loving grace
Give me a sign of favor against these foes I face
O Lord, You are my comfort, my help in time of need
And all my foes reduced to shame because to You I plead.

© 2014 J Dan Small

by jdansmall

Psalm 85

Ps 85O Adonai, such grace You’ve shown
The captives are set free
You covered all Your people’s sins
Forgave iniquity.

For You withdrew Your wrath toward us
Your anger turned away
Restore us as the God who saves
Your anger don’t display.

Must every generation feel
Your anger and Your wrath?
Would You revive us once again
Restore us to Your path?

Show us Your lovingkindness, Lord
And Your salvation bring
For then Your people will rejoice
Your praises we will sing.

Now heed the voice of God, the Lord
To you He will speak peace
He saves all those who fear His name
Who from their follies cease.

For grace and truth have met in Him
Justice and peace embraced
The glory of the Lord now dwells
With those who seek His face.

Truth springs afresh across the earth
And justice from the skies
Indeed, our Lord gives what is good
What blessings He supplies.

When the Lord reigns goodness abounds
Abundance everywhere
Justice a pathway makes for Him
The course has been prepared.

© 2014 J Dan Small

by jdansmall

Psalm 84

BirdsO how I love Your dwelling-place
And for its courts I long
My soul, my heart, my flesh rejoice
And burst forth into song.

O Lord of hosts what glory dwells
Among Your altars fair
My King, my God, how blest are those
Who make their dwelling there.

O that I might be like the birds
Whose house is nestled near
And like them lift a song of praise
To You throughout the year.

What joy as pilgrims make their way
Toward Zion’s holy hill
The desert pathways become springs
Their souls Your strength doth fill.

From strength to strength till they appear
Before God’s holy mount
Their heart a highway to His courts
To the life-giving fount.

O Lord of hosts, now hear my prayer
O God of Jacob, heed
Bestow Your favor on the king
Look on our face, we plead.

A single day spent in Your courts
Thousands elsewhere exceeds
I’d rather stand inside Your door
Than dwell ‘mongst evil deeds.

From Adonai, our sun, our shield
Glory and grace unfold
From those who walk in righteousness
No good will He withhold.

O Lord of hosts, You are so good
Truly the man is blest
Who puts his trust in You alone
And finds in You his rest.

© 2014 J Dan Small

by jdansmall

Psalm 83

Jerusalem-70-ADO God, do not in silence wait
While enemies throng at the gate
Do not be deaf to battle cries
As many ‘gainst us now arise.

In arrogance we hear them shout
“Come, allies, let us wipe them out
The name of Israel will be gone
Fore’er forgot, the curtain drawn.”

O God, see how they rant and rage
The nations gather to engage
They plot their schemes to us undo
Their covenant is against You.

So do to them like Midian
Like Sisera and King Jabin
Destroy them like our enemies
Who in the past our land did seize.

O God, like chaff, blow them away
Like raging fire consume, we pray
With storm and tempest put to shame
Until they bow before Your name.

O Adonai, they must be stilled
For all the blood that they have spilled
In their disgrace they all must die
And learn that You are Lord Most High.

O’er all the earth You reign supreme
And bring to naught the wicked scheme
With truth and justice You prevail
Until all nations Your name hail.

© 2014 J Dan Small

by jdansmall

Psalm 82

CourtroomAll rise, Elohim the great Judge,
Has arrived to hold court with mankind
He calls to the stand elohim*
To declare what has been on His mind.

“Your judgments unjust I deplore
You are partial to wicked and vile
How long must injustice prevail
And a mockery make of each trial?

“Give justice to orphans and weak
While the rights of oppressed you defend
They in ignorance wander about
When the moorings of truth break and bend.

“Hear My verdict now, you elohim*
Though I made you all sons of Most High
Like the princes of earth you will fall
And as mortals are condemned to die.”

Rise up, Elohim, take Your bench
In righteousness judge the whole world
For to You all the nations belong
Let the banner of truth be unfurled.

© 2014 J Dan Small

*In Scripture the Hebrew word elohim when accompanied by singular verbs refers to God. In plural context it can mean gods (pagan deities), magistrates (judges), or powers (authorities). The Psalmist here makes full use of the term to distinguish earthly rulers from the Ruler of the earth while, at the same time, suggesting a unique god-likeness infused into humanity.