What the Bible Says About the Meaning of Selah in Tamil

“Selah” (சேலா) is a term found in the Psalms that signifies a pause or a reflection, often marking a musical interlude or highlighting the importance of the preceding verses. It serves as a prompt for meditation and contemplation on the message conveyed in the scripture.

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Scripture

1 O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me;
2 Many are saying of my soul,
“There is no salvation for him in God.”
3 But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head.
4 I cried aloud to the Lord,
and he answered me from his holy hill.
5 I lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.
7 Arise, O Lord!
Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked.
8 Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people!

Psalms 3:1-8

Selah: Biblical Meaning in Tamil

“Selah” (சேலா) appears frequently in the Psalms, particularly in the Hebrew Bible. While its exact meaning is debated, it is generally understood to be a directive for the reader or listener to pause and reflect on the preceding text. This concept aligns with the nature of Psalms as poetry and music, designed to evoke emotions and prompt deeper understanding. For instance, in Psalms 3:4, where the psalmist calls upon the Lord for help, the word “Selah” encourages the faithful to pause and contemplate the weight of God’s protection and deliverance, thus deepening their connection with the divine.

In Tamil culture, reflecting on “Selah” invites believers to pause within their spiritual practices, encouraging a moment of introspection and prayer. This notion of meditative pause is mirrored in Psalms 46:10, where it states, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Here, the act of being still is akin to the reflection that “Selah” prompts—encouraging individuals to absorb the truths of God’s sovereignty and presence in their lives. Therefore, “Selah” embodies a broader spiritual call to not merely read or recite scripture, but to engage deeply with it, allowing it to resonate in the heart and inspire a more profound walk of faith.

The concept of “Selah” extends beyond mere textual pauses, emphasizing a holistic approach to understanding scripture that partners contemplation with worship. In the Tamil context, this profound invitation embodies a rhythm within worship services where phrases from the Psalms are sung or recited, followed by moments of silence. These silences allow congregations to internalize the messages conveyed, serving as a reminder of God’s majesty, grace, and faithfulness. This practice transforms the act of reading into a dynamic experience that fosters an intimate connection with the divine, as worshippers take this time to reflect on their own lives in relation to the teachings of the psalmist.

Moreover, the term “Selah” can also be interpreted as a call to action, prompting believers to not only meditate but also to respond in life-altering ways. For instance, after moments of reflection, individuals may feel compelled to engage in acts of service or share their revelations with others, creating a ripple effect of faith and community. In Tamil congregations, such reflections can lead to powerful testimonies that inspire collective worship and communal prayer, tangibly manifesting the essence of “Selah.” Thus, the inclusion of this term in worship and personal devotion serves as an encouragement to embrace stillness, allowing the profound truths of scripture to impact not only individual lives but also the broader community of faith.

சிந்தனை மற்றும் தியானம்

“Selah” என்ற சொல், பைபிளில் உள்ள பாடல்களில், குறிப்பாக சாலமோனின் பாடல்களில், ஒரு முக்கியமான இடத்தை வகிக்கிறது. இது வாசகங்களை வாசிக்கும் போது, அந்த இடத்தில் நின்று சிந்திக்க அல்லது தியானிக்க வேண்டிய நேரம் என்பதை குறிக்கிறது. இது, வாசகர்களுக்கு அல்லது கேட்போருக்கு, அந்த செய்தியின் ஆழத்தை உணர்ந்து கொள்ள உதவுகிறது.

இசை மற்றும் தாளம்

“Selah” என்பது இசையின் ஒரு பகுதியாகவும் கருதப்படுகிறது. இது பாடலின் ஒரு பகுதியின் முடிவில் அல்லது மாற்றத்தில், இசையின் தாளத்தை மாற்றுவதற்கான இடமாக இருக்கலாம். இதன் மூலம், பாடலின் உணர்வுகளை மேலும் வலுப்படுத்துவதற்கான வாய்ப்பு உருவாகிறது, மேலும் கேட்போரின் கவனத்தை ஈர்க்கிறது.

ஆன்மிகம் மற்றும் வழிகாட்டுதல்

“Selah” என்பது ஆன்மிகமான ஒரு அழைப்பு என்றும் கருதப்படுகிறது. இது, கடவுளின் வார்த்தைகளை அல்லது செய்திகளை மனதில் கொள்ளவும், அவற்றின் முக்கியத்துவத்தை உணரவும் உதவுகிறது. இது, நம்மை ஆன்மிகமாக முன்னேற்றுவதற்கான ஒரு வழிகாட்டியாக செயல்படுகிறது, மேலும் நம்மை கடவுளின் அருகில் கொண்டு செல்லும் ஒரு வாய்ப்பாக இருக்கிறது.

How to Embrace Silence for Spiritual Growth in Worship

Embracing silence in your worship can be a transformative experience that deepens your relationship with God. In our fast-paced world, it’s easy to get caught up in the noise of life, but carving out moments of stillness allows us to truly listen for His voice. Start by setting aside a few minutes during your prayer or worship time to simply sit in silence, letting go of distractions and expectations. Use this time to reflect on Scripture, meditate on God’s goodness, or just be present with Him. You might find that in the quiet, your heart becomes more attuned to His whispers, revealing insights and peace that you might have missed in the busyness. Remember, as Psalm 46:10 reminds us, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Embracing silence is not just about the absence of sound; it’s about creating space for God to speak into your life, guiding you toward deeper faith and understanding.

Bible References to Selah Meaning in Tamil:

Psalms 4:1-8: 1 Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!
2 O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame?
How long will you love vain words and seek after lies?
3 But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.
4 Be angry, and do not sin;
ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah
5 Offer right sacrifices,
and put your trust in the Lord.
6 There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”
7 You have put more joy in my heart
than they have when their grain and wine abound.
8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Psalms 9:1-20: 1 I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
3 When my enemies turn back,
they stumble and perish before your presence.
4 For you have maintained my just cause;
you have sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment.
5 You have rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish; you have blotted out their name forever and ever.
6 The enemy came to an end in everlasting ruins; their cities you rooted out; the very memory of them has perished.
7 But the Lord sits enthroned forever;
he has established his throne for justice,
8 And he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness.
9 The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
10 And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.
11 Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds!
12 For he who avenges blood is mindful of them;
he does not forget the cry of the afflicted.
13 Be gracious to me, O Lord! See my affliction from those who hate me, O you who lift me up from the gates of death,
14 that I may recount all your praises,
that in the gates of the daughter of Zion
I may rejoice in your salvation.
15 The nations have sunk in the pit that they made;
in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught.
16 The Lord has made himself known; he has executed judgment; the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion. Selah
17 The wicked shall return to Sheol,
all the nations that forget God.
18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.
19 Arise, O Lord! Let not man prevail; let the nations be judged before you!
20 Put them in fear, O Lord! Let the nations know that they are but men!

Psalms 24:1-10: 1 The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof,
the world and those who dwell therein,
2 for he has founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to what is false
and does not swear deceitfully.
5 He will receive blessing from the Lord
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob. (Psalms 24:6, ESV)
7 Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory!

Psalms 32:1-11: 1 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah.
5 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
6 Therefore let everyone who is godly
offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;
7 You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you.
10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

Psalms 46:1-11: 1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
how he has brought desolations on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Psalms 52:1-9: 1 Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?
The steadfast love of God endures all the day.
2 Your tongue plots destruction,
like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.
3 You love evil more than good,
and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
4 You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.
5 But God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living.
6 The righteous shall see and fear,
and shall laugh at him, saying,
7 “See the man who would not make God his refuge,
but trusted in the abundance of his riches
and sought refuge in his own destruction!”
8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God.
9 I will thank you forever, because you have done it.
I will wait for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly.

Psalms 54:1-7: 1 O God, save me by your name,
and vindicate me by your might.
2 O God, hear my prayer; give ear to the words of my mouth.
3 For strangers have risen against me; ruthless men seek my life; they do not set God before themselves.
4 Behold, God is my helper;
the Lord is the upholder of my life.
5 He will return the evil to my enemies; in your faithfulness put an end to them.
6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you;
7 For he has delivered me from every trouble,
and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.

Psalms 55:1-23: 1 Give ear to my prayer, O God,
and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!
2 Attend to me, and answer me;
I am restless in my complaint and I moan,
3 Because of the noise of the enemy,
because of the oppression of the wicked.
4 My heart is in anguish within me;
the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
5 Fear and trembling come upon me,
and horror overwhelms me.
6 And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest;
7 “Behold, I would wander far away;
I would lodge in the wilderness;”
8 I would hurry to find a shelter
from the raging wind and tempest.
9 Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues; for I see violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go around it on its walls,
and iniquity and trouble are within it;
11 ruin is in its midst;
oppression and fraud do not depart from its marketplace.
12 For it is not an enemy who taunts me—
then I could bear it;
it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me—
then I could hide from him.
13 But it was you, a man, my equal,
my companion, my familiar friend.
14 We used to take sweet counsel together;
within God’s house we walked in the throng.
15 Let death steal over them; let them go down to Sheol alive; for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart.
16 But I call to God, and the Lord will save me.
17 Evening and morning and at noon
I utter my complaint and moan,
and he hears my voice.
18 He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me.
19 God will give ear and humble them,
he who is enthroned from of old,
Selah
because they do not change
and do not fear God.
20 My companion stretched out his hand against his friends; he violated his covenant.
21 His speech was smooth as butter,
yet war was in his heart;
his words were softer than oil,
yet they were drawn swords.
22 Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.
23 But you, O God, will cast them down into the pit of destruction; men of blood and treachery shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in you.

Psalms 57:1-11: 1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.
2 I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.
3 He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!
4 My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down amid fiery beasts— the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.
5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!
6 They set a net for my steps;
my soul was bowed down.
They dug a pit in my way,
but they have fallen into it themselves. (ESV)
7 My heart is steadfast, O God,
my heart is steadfast!
I will sing and make melody!
8 Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn.
9 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.
10 For your steadfast love is great to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!

Psalms 59:1-17: 1 Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; protect me from those who rise up against me;
2 Deliver me from those who work evil,
and save me from bloodthirsty men.
3 For behold, they lie in wait for my life;
fierce men stir up strife against me.
For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord,
4 For no fault of mine, they run and make ready. Awake, come to meet me, and see!
5 You, Lord God of hosts, are God of Israel.
6 Each evening they come back,
howling like dogs
and prowling about the city.
7 Behold, they belch out with their mouths; swords are in their lips,
for “Who,” they think, “will hear us?”
8 But you, O Lord, laugh at them;
you hold all the nations in derision.
9 O my Strength, I will watch for you,
for you, O God, are my fortress.
10 My God in his steadfast love will meet me; God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.
11 Kill them not, lest my people forget; make them totter by your power and bring them down, O Lord, our shield!
12 For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips, let them be trapped in their pride. And for the cursing and lies that they utter,
13 Kill them not, lest my people forget; make them totter by your power and bring them down, O Lord, our shield!
14 And at evening let them return,
let them howl like a dog
and go around the city.
15 They wander about for food
and growl if they do not get their fill.
16 But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.
17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,
for you, O God, are my fortress,
the God who shows me steadfast love.

Psalms 61:1-8: 1 Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer;
2 From the end of the earth I call to you
when my heart is faint.
3 for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.
4 Let me dwell in your tent forever! Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings!
5 For you, O God, have heard my vows; you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.
6 Prolong the life of the king; may his years endure to all generations!
7 He shall abide before God forever;
appoint steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over him!
8 So will I ever sing praises to your name, as I perform my vows day after day.

Psalms 62:1-12: 1 For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.
3 How long will all of you attack a man
to batter him,
like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
4 They only plan to thrust him down from his high position. They take pleasure in falsehood. With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse. Selah.
5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.
9 Those of low estate are but a breath;
those of high estate are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
they are together lighter than a breath.
10 Put no trust in extortion;
set no vain hopes on robbery;
if riches increase, set not your heart on them.
11 Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God.
12 and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. For you will render to a man according to his work.

Psalms 66:1-20: 1 Shout for joy to God, all the earth;
2 Sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise!
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.
4 All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.” Selah
5 Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.
6 He turned the sea into dry land;
they passed through the river on foot.
There did we rejoice in him,
7 who rules by his might forever,
whose eyes keep watch on the nations—
let not the rebellious exalt themselves.
8 Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard,
9 who has kept our soul among the living
and has not let our feet slip.
10 For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried.
11 You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs;
12 You let men ride over our heads;
we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.
13 I will come into your house with burnt offerings; I will perform my vows to you,
14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and perform your vows to the Most High,
15 I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals, with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams; I will make an offering of bulls and goats.
16 Come and hear, all you who fear God,
and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
17 I cried to him with my mouth,
and high praise was on my tongue.
18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
19 but truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
20 Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!

Psalms 67:1-7: 1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
2 that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!
4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth.
5 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!
6 The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us.
7 God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!

Psalms 68:1-35: 1 God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered; and those who hate him shall flee before him!
2 As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away; as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God!
3 But the righteous shall be glad;
they shall exult before God;
they shall be jubilant with joy.
4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts; his name is the Lord; exult before him!
5 Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
is God in his holy habitation.
6 God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.
7 O God, when you went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness, Selah
8 the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.
9 Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad; you restored your inheritance as it languished;
10 Your flock found a dwelling in it; in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.
11 The Lord gives the word; the women who announce the news are a great host:
12 “The kings of the armies, they flee, they flee!”
13 though you men lie among the sheepfolds—
the wings of a dove covered with silver,
its pinions with shimmering gold.
14 When the Almighty scatters kings there, let snow fall on Zalmon.
15 O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan;
O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!
16 Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountains,
at the mount that God desired for his abode,
yes, where the Lord will dwell forever?
17 The chariots of God are twice ten thousand,
thousands upon thousands;
the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary.
18 You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious, that the Lord God may dwell there.
19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation.
20 Our God is a God of salvation,
and to God, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.
21 But God will strike the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.
22 The Lord said, “I will bring them back from Bashan,
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23 that you may strike your feet in their blood, that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from the foe.”
24 Your procession is seen, O God, the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—
25 The singers in front, the musicians last,
between them virgins playing tambourines.
26 Bless God in the great congregation,
the Lord, O you who are of Israel’s fountain!
27 There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead, the princes of Judah in their throng, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.
28 Summon your power, O God, the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem
kings shall bear gifts to you.
30 Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds,
the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.
Trample underfoot those who lust after tribute;
scatter the peoples who delight in war.
31 Nobles shall come from Egypt; Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God.
32 O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33 to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
34 Ascribe power to God,
whose majesty is over Israel,
and whose power is in the skies.
35 Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!

Psalms 75:1-10: 1 We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds.
2 “At the set time that I appoint
I will judge with equity.”
3 When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants, it is I who keep steady its pillars. Selah
4 I say to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’
and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn;
5 do not lift up your horn on high or speak with haughty neck.
6 For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up,
7 but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.
8 For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed, and he pours out from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs.
9 But I will declare it forever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
10 “All the horns of the wicked I will cut off,
but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.”

Psalms 76:1-12: 1 In Judah God is known;
his name is great in Israel.
2 His abode has been established in Salem,
his dwelling place in Zion.
3 There he broke the flashing arrows, the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war.
4 Glorious are you, more majestic than the mountains full of prey.
5 The stouthearted were stripped of their spoil; they sank into sleep; all the men of war were unable to use their hands.
6 At your rebuke, O God of Jacob,
both rider and horse lay stunned.
7 But you, you are to be feared!
Who can stand before you when once your anger is roused?
8 From the heavens you uttered judgment; the earth feared and was still,
9 when God arose to establish judgment,
to save all the humble of the earth.
10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise you; the remnant of wrath you will put on like a belt.
11 Make your vows to the Lord your God and perform them; let all around him bring gifts to him who is to be feared,
12 he cuts off the spirit of princes;
he is to be feared by the kings of the earth.

Psalms 77:1-20: 1 I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me.
2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.
3 When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah.
4 You hold my eyelids open;
I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I consider the days of old,
the years long ago.
6 I said, “Let me remember my song in the night;
let me meditate in my heart.”
Then my spirit made a diligent search:
7 “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable?”
8 Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
Are his promises at an end for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has he in anger shut up his compassion?”
10 Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.”
11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
12 I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders;
you have made known your might among the peoples.
15 You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph. (ESV)
16 When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; indeed, the deep trembled.
17 The clouds poured out water;
the skies gave forth thunder;
your arrows flashed on every side.
18 Your thunder was in the whirlwind;
your lightnings lighted up the world;
the earth trembled and shook.
19 Your way was through the sea,
your path through the great waters;
yet your footprints were unseen.
20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Psalms 81:1-16: 1 Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob!
2 Raise a song; sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp.
3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day.
4 For it is a statute for Israel, a rule of the God of Jacob.
5 He made it a decree in Joseph
when he went out over the land of Egypt.
6 “I relieved your shoulder of the burden;
your hands were freed from the basket.
7 In distress you called, and I delivered you;
I answered you in the secret place of thunder;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.
8 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9 There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
10 I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
11 “But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel would not submit to me.
12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.
13 Oh, that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!
14 I would soon subdue their enemies
and turn my hand against their foes.
15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him,
and their fate would last forever.
16 But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

Psalms 82:1-8: 1 God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
2 “How long will you judge unjustly
and show partiality to the wicked? Selah”
3 Give justice to the weak and the fatherless;
maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
5 They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 I said, “You are gods,
sons of the Most High, all of you;
7 Nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.
8 Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations!

Psalms 83:1-18: 1 O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God!
2 For behold, your enemies make an uproar;
those who hate you have raised their heads.
3 They lay crafty plans against your people;
they consult together against your treasured ones.
4 They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!”
5 For they conspire with one accord;
against you they make a covenant—
6 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
Moab and the Hagrites,
7 Gebal and Ammon and Amalek,
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 Asshur also has joined them; they are the strong arm of the children of Lot.
9 Do to them as you did to Midian,
as to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon,
10 who were destroyed at En-dor,
who became dung for the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 who said, “Let us take possession of the pastures of God.”
13 O my God, make them like whirling dust,
like chaff before the wind.
14 As fire consumes the forest, as the flame sets the mountains ablaze,
15 so may you pursue them with your tempest
and terrify them with your hurricane!
16 Fill their faces with shame,
that they may seek your name, O Lord.
17 Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace,
18 that they may know that you alone,
whose name is the Lord,
are the Most High over all the earth.

Psalms 84:1-12: 1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul longs, yes, faints
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy
to the living God.
3 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house,
ever singing your praise!
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
6 As they go through the Valley of Baca
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion.
8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
9 Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed!
10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.
12 O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!

Psalms 85:1-13: 1 Lord, you were favorable to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You forgave the iniquity of your people;
you covered all their sin. Selah
3 You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger.
4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
and put away your indignation toward us!
5 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;
but let them not turn back to folly.
6 Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
and grant us your salvation.
8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;
but let them not turn back to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.
10 Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky.
12 Yes, the Lord will give what is good,
and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before him
and make his footsteps a way.

Psalms 87:1-7: 1 On the holy mount stands the city he founded;
2 The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
3 Glorious things of you are spoken, O city of God.
4 Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon;
behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Cush—
“This one was born there,” they say.
5 And of Zion it shall be said, “This one and that one were born in her”; for the Most High himself will establish her.
6 The Lord records as he registers the peoples,
“This one was born there.”
7 As they make music they will sing, “All my fountains are in you.”

Psalms 88:1-18: 1 O Lord, God of my salvation;
I cry out day and night before you.
2 Let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry!
3 For my soul is full of troubles,
and my life draws near to Sheol.
4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a man who has no strength,
5 like one set loose among the dead,
like the slain that lie in the grave,
like those whom you remember no more,
for they are cut off from your hand.
6 You have put me in the depths of the pit,
in the regions dark and deep.
7 Your wrath lies heavy upon me,
and you overwhelm me with all your waves.
8 You have caused my companions to shun me; you have made me a horror to them. I am shut in so that I cannot escape;
9 my eye grows dim through sorrow.
10 Do you work wonders for the dead?
Do the departed rise up to praise you?
11 Is your steadfast love declared in the grave,
or your faithfulness in Abaddon?
12 Are your wonders known in the darkness,
or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But I, O Lord, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 O Lord, why do you cast my soul away? Why do you hide your face from me?
15 Afflicted and close to death from my youth up,
I suffer your terrors; I am helpless.
16 Your wrath has swept over me; your dreadful assaults destroy me.
17 They surround me like a flood all day long; they close in on me together.
18 You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me; my companions have become darkness.

Psalms 89:1-52: 1 I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever;
with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
2 For I have said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”
3 You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant:
4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever,
and build your throne for all generations.’”
5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!
6 For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?
Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord,
7 a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him.
8 O Lord God of hosts,
who is mighty as you are, O Lord,
with your faithfulness all around you?
9 You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them.
10 You crushed Rahab like a carcass; you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11 The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.
12 The north and the south, you have created them;
Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name.
13 You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand.
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
15 Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face,
16 In your name they exult all day long
and in your righteousness they are exalted.
17 For you are the glory of their strength; by your favor our horn is exalted.
18 For our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel.
19 Of old you spoke in a vision to your godly one, and said: “I have granted help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people.
20 I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him,
21 so that my hand shall be established with him; my arm also shall strengthen him.
22 The enemy shall not outwit him; the wicked shall not humble him.
23 I will crush his foes before him
and strike down those who hate him.
24 My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him,
and in my name shall his horn be exalted.
25 I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers.
26 He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father,
my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’
27 And I will make him the firstborn,
the highest of the kings of the earth.
28 My steadfast love I will keep for him forever,
and my covenant will stand firm for him.
29 I will establish his offspring forever and his throne as the days of the heavens.
30 If his children forsake my law
and do not walk according to my rules,
31 if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments,
32 then I will punish their transgression with the rod
and their iniquity with stripes,
33 but I will not remove from him my steadfast love or be false to my faithfulness.
34 I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips.
35 Once for all I have sworn by my holiness;
I will not lie to David.
36 His offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before me.
37 Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies.”
38 But now you have cast off and rejected; you are full of wrath against your anointed.
39 You have renounced the covenant with your servant; you have defiled his crown in the dust.
40 You have breached all his walls;
you have laid his strongholds in ruins.
41 All who pass by plunder him;
he has become the scorn of his neighbors.
42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes;
you have made all his enemies rejoice.
43 You have also turned back the edge of his sword,
and you have not made him stand in battle.
44 You have made his splendor to cease and cast his throne to the ground.
45 You have cut short the days of his youth;
you have covered him with shame. Selah
46 How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?
How long will your wrath burn like fire?
47 Remember how short my time is!
For what vanity you have created all the children of man!
48 What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?
49 Lord, where is your steadfast love of old,
which by your faithfulness you swore to David?
50 Remember, O Lord, how your servants are mocked,
and how I bear in my heart the insults of all the many nations,
51 with which your enemies taunt, O Lord,
with which they mock the footsteps of your anointed.
52 Blessed be the Lord forever! Amen and Amen.

Psalms 140:1-13: 1 Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men;
preserve me from violent men,
2 who plan evil things in their heart
and stir up wars continually.
3 They make their tongue sharp as a serpent’s,
and under their lips is the venom of asps.
4 Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from violent men, who have planned to trip up my feet.
5 The arrogant have hidden a trap for me,
and with cords they have spread a net;
beside the way they have set snares for me.
6 I say to the Lord, You are my God; give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O Lord!
7 O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, you have covered my head in the day of battle.
8 Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked; do not further their evil plot, or they will be exalted! Selah.
9 As for the head of those who surround me,
let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!
10 Let burning coals fall upon them! Let them be cast into fire, into miry pits, no more to rise!
11 Let not the slanderer be established in the land; let evil hunt down the violent man speedily.
12 I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
and will execute justice for the needy.
13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name; the upright shall dwell in your presence.

Psalms 143:1-12: 1 Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness, answer me in your righteousness!
2 Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you.
3 For the enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
4 Therefore my spirit faints within me;
my heart within me is appalled.
5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands.
6 I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.
7 Answer me quickly, O Lord!
My spirit fails!
Hide not your face from me,
lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.
9 Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord! I have fled to you for refuge.
10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!
11 For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.
12 And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies,
and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul,
for I am your servant.

Habakkuk 3:1-19: 1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth:
2 O Lord, I have heard the report of you,
and your work, O Lord, do I fear.
In the midst of the years revive it;
in the midst of the years make it known;
in wrath remember mercy.
3 God came from Teman,
and the Holy One from Mount Paran.
4 His brightness was like the light;
rays flashed from his hand;
and there he veiled his power.
5 Before him went pestilence,
and plague followed at his heels.
6 He stood and measured the earth; he looked and shook the nations; then the eternal mountains were scattered; the everlasting hills sank low. His were the everlasting ways.
7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.
8 Was your wrath against the rivers, O Lord?
Was your anger against the rivers,
or your indignation against the sea
when you rode on your horses,
on your chariot of salvation?
9 You stripped the sheath from your bow, calling for many arrows. Selah.
10 The mountains saw you and writhed;
the raging waters swept on;
the deep gave forth its voice;
it lifted its hands on high.
11 The sun and moon stood still in their place at the light of your arrows as they sped, at the flash of your glittering spear.
12 You marched through the earth in fury; you threshed the nations in anger.
13 You went out for the salvation of your people,
for the salvation of your anointed.
You crushed the head of the house of the wicked,
laying him bare from thigh to neck.
14 You pierced with his own arrows the heads of his warriors, who came like a whirlwind to scatter me, rejoicing as if to devour the poor in secret.
15 You trampled the sea with your horses, the surging of mighty waters.
16 I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us.
17 Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
19 God, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like the deer’s;
he makes me tread on my high places.