Psalm 23

The Passion Translation

The Good Shepherd

David’s poetic praise to God

23 Yahweh is my best friend and my shepherd.[a]

I always have more than enough.[b]

2 He offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love.[c]

His tracks take me to an oasis of peace near the quiet brook of bliss.[d]

3 That’s where he restores and revives my life.[e]

He opens before me the right path

and leads me along in his footsteps of righteousness[f]

so that I can bring honor to his name.

4 Even when your path takes me through

the valley of deepest darkness,

fear will never conquer me, for you already have!

Your authority is my strength and my peace.[g]

The comfort of your love takes away my fear.

I’ll never be lonely, for you are near.

5 You become my delicious feast

even when my enemies dare to fight.

You anoint me with the fragrance of your Holy Spirit;[h]

you give me all I can drink of you until my cup overflows.[i]

6 So why would I fear the future?

Only goodness and tender love pursue me all the days of my life.

Then afterward, when my life is through,

I’ll return to your glorious presence[j] to be forever with you!

Psalm 91

The Passion Translation

Safe and Secure

91 When you abide under the shadow of Shaddai,[a]

you are hidden[b] in the strength of God Most High.

2 He’s the hope that holds me and the stronghold to shelter me,

the only God for me, and my great confidence.

3 He will rescue you from every hidden trap of the enemy,[c]

and he will protect you from false accusation

and any deadly curse.[d]

4 His massive arms[e] are wrapped around you, protecting you.

You can run under his covering of majesty and hide.

His arms of faithfulness are a shield keeping you from harm.

5 You will never worry about an attack of demonic forces at night

nor have to fear a spirit of darkness coming against you.

6 Don’t fear a thing!

Whether by night or by day, demonic danger will not trouble you,[f]

nor will the powers of evil be launched against you.

7 Even in a time of disaster, with thousands and thousands being killed,

you will remain unscathed and unharmed.

8 You will be a spectator as the wicked perish in judgment,

for they will be paid back for what they have done!

9–10 When we live our lives within the shadow of God Most High,

our secret hiding place, we will always be shielded from harm.

How then could evil prevail against us or disease infect us?

11 God sends angels with special orders to protect you wherever you go,

defending you from all harm.

12 If you walk into a trap, they’ll be there for you

and keep you from stumbling.

13 You’ll even walk unharmed among the fiercest powers of darkness,[g]

trampling every one of them beneath your feet!

14 For here is what the Lord has spoken to me:

“Because you loved me, delighted in me, and have been loyal to my name,

I will greatly protect you.

15 I will answer your cry for help every time you pray,

and you will feel my presence

in your time of trouble.

I will deliver you and bring you honor.

16 I will satisfy you with a full life and with all that I do for you.

For you will enjoy the fullness of my salvation!”

Psalm 90

The Passion Translation

Book 4

The Numbers Psalms

Psalms of our pilgrimage on earth

God, the Eternal

A prayer of Moses, God’s prophet

90 Lord, you have always been our eternal home,

our hiding place from generation to generation.

2 Long before you gave birth to the earth

and before the mountains were born,

you have been from everlasting to everlasting,[a]

the one and only true God.

3 When you speak the words “Life, return to me!”

man turns back to dust.

4 One thousand years pass before your eyes

like yesterday that quickly faded away,

like a night’s sleep soon forgotten.[b]

5–6 One day we will each be swept away into the sleep of death.

We glide along through the tides of time—

so quickly gone, like a dream that fades at dawn,[c]

like glistening grass that springs up one day

and is dry and withered the next, ready to be cut down!

7 Terrified by your anger, confined beneath the curse,

we live our lives knowing your wrath.[d]

8 For all of our faults and flaws are in full view to you.[e]

Everything we want to hide, you search out

and expose by the radiance of your face.

9 We are banished to live in the shadow of your anger.

Our days soon become years until our lifetime comes to an end,

finished with nothing but a sigh.[f]

10 You’ve limited our life span to a mere seventy years,

yet some you give grace to live still longer.[g]

But even the best of years are marred by tears and toils

and in the end are nothing more than a gravestone in a graveyard![h]

We’re gone so quickly, so swiftly;

we pass away and simply disappear.

11 Lord, who fully knows the power of your passion

and the intensity of your emotions?[i]

12 Help us to remember that our days are numbered,

and help us to interpret our lives correctly.

Set your wisdom deeply in our hearts

so that we may accept your correction.[j]

13 Return to us again, O God!

How much longer will it take until you show us

your abundant compassion?

14 Let the sunrise of your love end our dark night.

Break through our clouded dawn again!

Only you can satisfy our hearts,

filling us with songs of joy to the end of our days.

15 We’ve been overwhelmed with grief;

come now and overwhelm us with gladness.

Replace our years of trouble with decades of delight.

16 Let us see your miracles again, and let the rising generation

see the glorious wonders you’re famous for.

17 O Lord our God, let your sweet beauty[k] rest upon us.

Come work with us, and then our works will endure;

you will give us success in all we do.

Psalm 40

The Passion Translation

A Joyful Salvation

For the Pure and Shining One

A song of poetic praise by King David

40 I waited and waited and waited some more,

patiently, knowing God would come through for me.

Then, at last, he bent down and listened to my cry.

2 He stooped down to lift me out of danger

from the desolate pit I was in,

out of the muddy mess I had fallen into.

Now he’s lifted me up into a firm, secure place

and steadied me while I walk along his ascending path.

3 A new song for a new day rises up in me

every time I think about how he breaks through for me!

Ecstatic praise pours out of my mouth until

everyone hears how God has set me free.

Many will see his miracles;

they’ll stand in awe of God and fall in love with him!

4 Blessing after blessing comes to those who love and trust the Lord.

They will not fall away,

for they refuse to listen to the lies of the proud.

5 O Lord, our God, no one can compare with you.

Such wonderful works and miracles are all found with you!

And you think of us all the time

with your countless expressions of love—

far exceeding our expectations!

6 It’s not sacrifices that really move your heart.

Burnt offerings, sin offerings—those aren’t what bring you joy.

But when you open my ears and speak to me,

I become your willing servant, your prisoner of love for life.[a]

7 So I said, “Here I am! I’m coming to you as a sacrifice,[b]

for in the prophetic scrolls of your book

you have written about me.

8 I delight to fulfill your will, my God,

for your living words are written upon the pages of my heart.”

9 I tell everyone everywhere the truth of your righteousness.

And you know I haven’t held back in telling the message to all.

10 I don’t keep it a secret or hide the truth.

I preach of your faithfulness and kindness,

proclaiming your extravagant love to the largest crowd I can find!

11 So Lord, don’t hold back your love or withhold

your tender mercies from me.

Keep me in your truth and let your compassion overflow to me

no matter what I face.

12 Evil surrounds me; problems greater than I can solve

come one after another.

Without you, I know I can’t make it.

My sins are so many!

I’m so ashamed to lift my face to you.

For my guilt grabs me and stings my soul

until I am weakened and spent.

13 Please, Lord! Come quickly and rescue me!

Take pleasure in showing me your favor and restore me.

14 Let all who seek my life be humiliated!

Let them be confused and ashamed, God.

Scatter those who wish me evil; they just want me dead.

15 Scoff at every scoffer and cause them all to be utter failures.

Let them be ashamed and horrified by their complete defeat.

16 But let all who passionately seek you

erupt with excitement and joy over what you’ve done!

Let all your devoted lovers rejoice continually in the Savior,[c] saying,

“How great and glorious is our God!”

17 Lord, in my place of weakness and need, I ask again:

Will you come and help me?

I know I’m always in your thoughts.

You are my true Savior and hero,

so don’t delay to deliver me now, for you are my God.