For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

1How blessed is he who considers the helpless;
         The LORD will deliver him in a day of trouble.

2The 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.

3The LORD will sustain him upon his sickbed;
         In his illness, You restore him to health.

4As for me, I said, “O LORD, be gracious to me;
         Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.”

5My enemies speak evil against me,
         “When will he die, and his name perish?”

6And when he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood;
         His heart gathers wickedness to itself;
         When he goes outside, he tells it.

7All who hate me whisper together against me;
         Against me they devise my hurt, saying,

8“A wicked thing is poured out upon him,
         That when he lies down, he will not rise up again.”

9Even my close friend in whom I trusted,
         Who ate my bread,
         Has lifted up his heel against me.

10But You, O LORD, be gracious to me and raise me up,
         That I may repay them.

11By this I know that You are pleased with me,
         Because my enemy does not shout in triumph over me.

12As for me, You uphold me in my integrity,
         And You set me in Your presence forever.

13Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
         From everlasting to everlasting.
         Amen and Amen.

NASB ©1995