Psalm 129
A Song of Ascents.
1Many times they have afflicted me from my youth up.
Let Israel now say:
2many times they have afflicted me from my youth up,
yet they have not prevailed against me.
3The plowers plowed on my back.
They made their furrows long.
4The LORD is righteous.
He has cut apart the cords of the wicked.
5Let them be disappointed and turned backward,
all those who hate Zion.
6Let them be as the grass on the housetops,
which withers before it grows up,
7with which the reaper doesn’t fill his hand,
nor he who binds sheaves, his bosom.
8Neither do those who go by say,
“The blessing of the LORD be on you.
We bless you in the LORD’s name.”
Psalm 130
A Song of Ascents.
1Out of the depths I have cried to you, LORD.
2Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my petitions.
3If you, LORD, kept a record of sins,
Lord, who could stand?
4But there is forgiveness with you,
therefore you are feared.
5I wait for the LORD.
My soul waits.
I hope in his word.
6My soul longs for the Lord more than watchmen long for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
7Israel, hope in the LORD,
for there is loving kindness with the LORD.
Abundant redemption is with him.
8He will redeem Israel from all their sins.
Psalm 131
A Song of Ascents. By David.
1LORD, my heart isn’t arrogant, nor my eyes lofty;
nor do I concern myself with great matters,
or things too wonderful for me.
2Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with his mother,
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
3Israel, hope in the LORD,
from this time forward and forever more.
Psalm 132
A Song of Ascents.
1LORD, remember David and all his affliction,
2how he swore to the LORD,
and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:
3“Surely I will not come into the structure of my house,
nor go up into my bed;
4I will not give sleep to my eyes,
or slumber to my eyelids,
5until I find out a place for the LORD,
a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah.
We found it in the field of Jaar.
7“We will go into his dwelling place.
We will worship at his footstool.”
8Arise, LORD, into your resting place,
you, and the ark of your strength.
9Let your priests be clothed with righteousness.
Let your saints shout for joy!
10For your servant David’s sake,
don’t turn away the face of your anointed one.
11The LORD has sworn to David in truth.
He will not turn from it:
“I will set the fruit of your body on your throne.
12If your children will keep my covenant,
my testimony that I will teach them,
their children also will sit on your throne forever more.”
13For the LORD has chosen Zion.
He has desired it for his habitation.
14“This is my resting place forever.
I will live here, for I have desired it.
15I will abundantly bless her provision.
I will satisfy her poor with bread.
16I will also clothe her priests with salvation.
Her saints will shout aloud for joy.
17I will make the horn of David to bud there.
I have ordained a lamp for my anointed.
18I will clothe his enemies with shame,
but on himself, his crown will shine.”
Psalm 133
A Song of Ascents. By David.
1See how good and how pleasant it is
for brothers to live together in unity!
2It is like the precious oil on the head,
that ran down on the beard,
even Aaron’s beard,
that came down on the edge of his robes,
3like the dew of Hermon,
that comes down on the hills of Zion;
for there the LORD gives the blessing,
even life forever more.
Psalm 134
A Song of Ascents.
1Look! Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD,
who stand by night in the LORD’s house!
2Lift up your hands in the sanctuary.
Praise the LORD!
3May the LORD bless you from Zion,
even he who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 135
1Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD’s name!
Praise him, you servants of the LORD,
2you who stand in the LORD’s house,
in the courts of our God’s house.
3Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good.
Sing praises to his name, for that is pleasant.
4For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel for his own possession.
5For I know that the LORD is great,
that our Lord is above all gods.
6Whatever the LORD pleased, that he has done,
in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.
7He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth.
He makes lightnings with the rain.
He brings the wind out of his treasuries.
8He struck the firstborn of Egypt,
both of man and animal.
9He sent signs and wonders into the middle of you, Egypt,
on Pharaoh, and on all his servants.
10He struck many nations,
and killed mighty kings—
11Sihon king of the Amorites,
Og king of Bashan,
and all the kingdoms of Canaan—
12and gave their land for a heritage,
a heritage to Israel, his people.
13Your name, LORD, endures forever;
your renown, LORD, throughout all generations.
14For the LORD will judge his people
and have compassion on his servants.
The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
the work of men’s hands.
16They have mouths, but they can’t speak.
They have eyes, but they can’t see.
17They have ears, but they can’t hear,
neither is there any breath in their mouths.
18Those who make them will be like them,
yes, everyone who trusts in them.
19House of Israel, praise the LORD!
House of Aaron, praise the LORD!
20House of Levi, praise the LORD!
You who fear the LORD, praise the LORD!
21Blessed be the LORD from Zion,
who dwells in Jerusalem.
Praise the LORD!
Psalm 136
1Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his loving kindness endures forever.
2Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his loving kindness endures forever.
3Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his loving kindness endures forever;
4to him who alone does great wonders,
for his loving kindness endures forever;
5to him who by understanding made the heavens,
for his loving kindness endures forever;
6to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
for his loving kindness endures forever;
7to him who made the great lights,
for his loving kindness endures forever;
8the sun to rule by day,
for his loving kindness endures forever;
9the moon and stars to rule by night,
for his loving kindness endures forever;
10to him who struck down the Egyptian firstborn,
for his loving kindness endures forever;
11and brought out Israel from among them,
for his loving kindness endures forever;
12with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm,
for his loving kindness endures forever;
13to him who divided the Red Sea apart,
for his loving kindness endures forever;
14and made Israel to pass through the middle of it,
for his loving kindness endures forever;
15but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,
for his loving kindness endures forever;
16to him who led his people through the wilderness,
for his loving kindness endures forever;
17to him who struck great kings,
for his loving kindness endures forever;
18and killed mighty kings,
for his loving kindness endures forever;
19Sihon king of the Amorites,
for his loving kindness endures forever;
20Og king of Bashan,
for his loving kindness endures forever;
21and gave their land as an inheritance,
for his loving kindness endures forever;
22even a heritage to Israel his servant,
for his loving kindness endures forever;
23who remembered us in our low estate,
for his loving kindness endures forever;
24and has delivered us from our adversaries,
for his loving kindness endures forever;
25who gives food to every creature,
for his loving kindness endures forever.
26Oh give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his loving kindness endures forever.
Psalm 137
1By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down.
Yes, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
2On the willows in that land,
we hung up our harps.
3For there, those who led us captive asked us for songs.
Those who tormented us demanded songs of joy:
“Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
4How can we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land?
5If I forget you, Jerusalem,
let my right hand forget its skill.
6Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you,
if I don’t prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy.
7Remember, LORD, against the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem,
who said, “Raze it!
Raze it even to its foundation!”
8Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction,
he will be happy who repays you,
as you have done to us.
9Happy shall he be,
who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock.
Psalm 138
By David.
1I will give you thanks with my whole heart.
Before the gods, I will sing praises to you.
2I will bow down toward your holy temple,
and give thanks to your Name for your loving kindness and for your truth;
for you have exalted your Name and your Word above all.
3In the day that I called, you answered me.
You encouraged me with strength in my soul.
4All the kings of the earth will give you thanks, LORD,
for they have heard the words of your mouth.
5Yes, they will sing of the ways of the LORD,
for the LORD’s glory is great!
6For though the LORD is high, yet he looks after the lowly;
but he knows the proud from afar.
7Though I walk in the middle of trouble, you will revive me.
You will stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies.
Your right hand will save me.
8The LORD will fulfill that which concerns me.
Your loving kindness, LORD, endures forever.
Don’t forsake the works of your own hands.
Psalm 139
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.
1LORD, you have searched me,
and you know me.
2You know my sitting down and my rising up.
You perceive my thoughts from afar.
3You search out my path and my lying down,
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4For there is not a word on my tongue,
but behold, LORD, you know it altogether.
5You hem me in behind and before.
You laid your hand on me.
6This knowledge is beyond me.
It’s lofty.
I can’t attain it.
7Where could I go from your Spirit?
Or where could I flee from your presence?
8If I ascend up into heaven, you are there.
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there!
9If I take the wings of the dawn,
and settle in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10even there your hand will lead me,
and your right hand will hold me.
11If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me.
The light around me will be night,”
12even the darkness doesn’t hide from you,
but the night shines as the day.
The darkness is like light to you.
13For you formed my inmost being.
You knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14I will give thanks to you,
for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Your works are wonderful.
My soul knows that very well.
15My frame wasn’t hidden from you,
when I was made in secret,
woven together in the depths of the earth.
16Your eyes saw my body.
In your book they were all written,
the days that were ordained for me,
when as yet there were none of them.
17How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is their sum!
18If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand.
When I wake up, I am still with you.
19If only you, God, would kill the wicked.
Get away from me, you bloodthirsty men!
20For they speak against you wickedly.
Your enemies take your name in vain.
21LORD, don’t I hate those who hate you?
Am I not grieved with those who rise up against you?
22I hate them with perfect hatred.
They have become my enemies.
23Search me, God, and know my heart.
Try me, and know my thoughts.
24See if there is any wicked way in me,
and lead me in the everlasting way.
Psalm 140
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.
1Deliver me, LORD, from evil men.
Preserve me from violent men:
2those who devise mischief in their hearts.
They continually gather themselves together for war.
3They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent.
Viper’s poison is under their lips. Selah.
4LORD, keep me from the hands of the wicked.
Preserve me from the violent men who have determined to trip my feet.
5The proud have hidden a snare for me,
they have spread the cords of a net by the path.
They have set traps for me. Selah.
6I said to the LORD, “You are my God.”
Listen to the cry of my petitions, LORD.
7LORD, the Lord, the strength of my salvation,
you have covered my head in the day of battle.
8LORD, don’t grant the desires of the wicked.
Don’t let their evil plans succeed, or they will become proud. Selah.
9As for the head of those who surround me,
let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
10Let burning coals fall on them.
Let them be thrown into the fire,
into miry pits, from where they never rise.
11An evil speaker won’t be established on the earth.
Evil will hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
12I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
and justice for the needy.
13Surely the righteous will give thanks to your name.
The upright will dwell in your presence.