Becker Bible Teacher Resources

The foolishness of men

1 <<To the chief Musician upon Mahalath, Maschil, [A Psalm] of David.>> The fool hath said in his heart, [There is] no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: [there is] none that doeth good. 2 God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were [any] that did understand, that did seek God. 3 Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; [there is] none that doeth good, no, not one. 4 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people [as] they eat bread: they have not called upon God. 5 There were they in great fear, [where] no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth [against] thee: thou hast put [them] to shame, because God hath despised them. 6 Oh that the salvation of Israel [were come] out of Zion! When God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, [and] Israel shall be glad. (Psalm 53:1-6 AV)

A prayer for protection

1 <<To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, [A Psalm] of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?>> Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength. 2 Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. 3 For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.

4 Behold, God [is] mine helper: the Lord [is] with them that uphold my soul. 5 He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth. 6 I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for [it is] good. 7 For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen [his desire] upon mine enemies. (Psalm 54:1-7 AV)

A cry against deceitful friends

1 <<To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, [A Psalm] of David.>> Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication. 2 Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise; 3 Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me. 4 My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me. 5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me. 6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! [for then] would I fly away, and be at rest. 7 Lo, [then] would I wander far off, [and] remain in the wilderness. Selah. 8 I would hasten my escape from the windy storm [and] tempest.

9 Destroy, O Lord, [and] divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city. 10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow [are] in the midst of it. 11 Wickedness [is] in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets. 12 For [it was] not an enemy [that] reproached me; then I could have borne [it]: neither [was it] he that hated me [that] did magnify [himself] against me; then I would have hid myself from him: 13 But [it was] thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. 14 We took sweet counsel together, [and] walked unto the house of God in company. 15 Let death seize upon them, [and] let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness [is] in their dwellings, [and] among them.

16 As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. 17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. 18 He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle [that was] against me: for there were many with me. 19 God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God. 20 He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant. 21 [The words] of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war [was] in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet [were] they drawn swords. 22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. 23 But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee. (Psalm 55:1-23 AV)
 

A confident prayer for help

1 <<To the chief Musician upon Jonathelemrechokim, Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath.>> Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me. 2 Mine enemies would daily swallow [me] up: for [they be] many that fight against me, O thou most High. 3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. 4 In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. 5 Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts [are] against me for evil. 6 They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul. 7 Shall they escape by iniquity? in [thine] anger cast down the people, O God.

8 Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: [are they] not in thy book? 9 When I cry [unto thee], then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God [is] for me. 10 In God will I praise [his] word: in the LORD will I praise [his] word. 11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. 12 Thy vows [are] upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee. 13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death: [wilt] not [thou deliver] my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living? (Psalm 56:1-13 AV)

Prayers in the midst of perils

1 <<To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.>> Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until [these] calamities be overpast. 2 I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth [all things] for me. 3 He shall send from heaven, and save me [from] the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. 4 My soul [is] among lions: [and] I lie [even among] them that are set on fire, [even] the sons of men, whose teeth [are] spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. 5 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; [let] thy glory [be] above all the earth. 6 They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen [themselves]. Selah.

7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. 8 Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I [myself] will awake early. 9 I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. 10 For thy mercy [is] great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. 11 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: [let] thy glory [be] above all the earth. (Psalm 57:1-11 AV)

Wicked judges will be judged

1 <<To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David.>> Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men? 2 Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth. 3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. 4 Their poison [is] like the poison of a serpent: [they are] like the deaf adder [that] stoppeth her ear; 5 Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.

6 Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD. 7 Let them melt away as waters [which] run continually: [when] he bendeth [his bow to shoot] his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces. 8 As a snail [which] melteth, let [every one of them] pass away: [like] the untimely birth of a woman, [that] they may not see the sun. 9 Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in [his] wrath. 10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. 11 So that a man shall say, Verily [there is] a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth. (Psalm 58:1-11 AV)
 

A prayer for deliverance

1 <<To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David; when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him.>> Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me. 2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men. 3 For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not [for] my transgression, nor [for] my sin, O LORD. 4 They run and prepare themselves without [my] fault: awake to help me, and behold. 5 Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah. 6 They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. 7 Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords [are] in their lips: for who, [say they], doth hear?

8 But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision. 9 [Because of] his strength will I wait upon thee: for God [is] my defence. 10 The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see [my desire] upon mine enemies. 11 Slay them not, lest my people forget: scatter them by thy power; and bring them down, O Lord our shield. 12 [For] the sin of their mouth [and] the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying [which] they speak. 13 Consume [them] in wrath, consume [them], that they [may] not [be]: and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah. 14 And at evening let them return; [and] let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. 15 Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied. 16 But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble. 17 Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God [is] my defence, [and] the God of my mercy. (Psalm 59:1-17 AV)
 

A prayer for deliverance of a nation

1 <<To the chief Musician upon Shushaneduth, Michtam of David, to teach; when he strove with Aramnaharaim and with Aramzobah, when Joab returned, and smote of Edom in the valley of salt twelve thousand.>> O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again. 2 Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh. 3 Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment. 4 Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah. 5 That thy beloved may be delivered; save [with] thy right hand, and hear me.

6 God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. 7 Gilead [is] mine, and Manasseh [is] mine; Ephraim also [is] the strength of mine head; Judah [is] my lawgiver; 8 Moab [is] my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumph thou because of me. 9 Who will bring me [into] the strong city? who will lead me into Edom? 10 [Wilt] not thou, O God, [which] hadst cast us off? and [thou], O God, [which] didst not go out with our armies? 11 Give us help from trouble: for vain [is] the help of man. 12 Through God we shall do valiantly: for he [it is that] shall tread down our enemies. (Psalm 60:1-12 AV)
 

A prayer when overwhelmed

1 <<To the chief Musician upon Neginah, [A Psalm] of David.>> Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. 2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock [that] is higher than I. 3 For thou hast been a shelter for me, [and] a strong tower from the enemy. 4 I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.

5 For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given [me] the heritage of those that fear thy name. 6 Thou wilt prolong the king's life: [and] his years as many generations. 7 He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, [which] may preserve him. 8 So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows. (Psalm 61:1-8 AV)

God only is my rock and my salvation

1 <<To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David.>> Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him [cometh] my salvation. 2 He only [is] my rock and my salvation; [he is] my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. 3 How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall [shall ye be, and as] a tottering fence. 4 They only consult to cast [him] down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah. 5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation [is] from him. 6 He only [is] my rock and my salvation: [he is] my defence; I shall not be moved. 7 In God [is] my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, [and] my refuge, [is] in God.

8 Trust in him at all times; [ye] people, pour out your heart before him: God [is] a refuge for us. Selah. 9 Surely men of low degree [are] vanity, [and] men of high degree [are] a lie: to be laid in the balance, they [are] altogether [lighter] than vanity. 10 Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart [upon them]. 11 God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power [belongeth] unto God. 12 Also unto thee, O Lord, [belongeth] mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work. (Psalm 62:1-12 AV)