Psalms 136 -150
136
It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
for his love endures for ever.
Give thanks to the God of gods;
his love endures for ever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords;
his love endures for ever.
Alone he works great marvels;
his love endures for ever.
In wisdom he made the heavens;
his love endures for ever.
He laid the earth upon the waters;
his love endures for ever.
He made the great lights,
his love endures for ever,
the sun to rule by day,
his love endures for ever,
the moon and the stars to rule by night;
his love endures for ever.
He struck down the first-born of the Egyptians,
his love endures for ever,
he brought Israel among them;
his love endures for ever.
With strong hand and outstretched arm,
his love endures for ever,
he divided the Red Sea in two,
his love endure for ever,
and made Israel pass through it,
his love endures for ever.
He led his people through the wilderness;
his love endures for ever.
He struck down great kings;
his love endures for ever.
He slew mighty kings,
his love endures for ever,
Sihon king of the Amorites,
his love endures for ever,
and Og the king of Bashan;
his love endures for ever.
He gave their land to Israel,
his love endures for ever,
to Israel his servants as their patrimony;
his love endures for ever.
He remembered us when we were cast down,
his love endures for ever,
and rescued us from our enemies;
his love endures for ever.
He gives food to all his creatures;
his love endures for ever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his love endures for ever.
137
By the rivers of Babylon we sat down and wept
when we remembered Zion.
There on the willow-trees
we hung up our harps,
for there those who carried us off
demanded music and singing,
and our captors called on us to be merry:
'Sing us one of the songs of Zion.'
How could we sing the LORD's song
in a foreign land?
If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
let my right hand wither away;
let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth
if I do not remember you,
if I do not set Jerusalem
above my highest joy.
Remember, O LORD, against the people of Edom
the day of Jerusalem's fall,
when they said, 'Down with it, down with it,
down to its very foundations!'
O Babylon, Babylon the destroyer,
happy the man who repays you
for all you did to us!
Happy is he who shall seize your children
and dash them against the rock.
138
I will praise thee, O LORD, with all my heart;
boldly, O God, will I sing psalms to thee.
I will bow down towards thy holy temple,
for love and faithfulness I will praise thy name;
for thou hast made thy promise wide as the heavens.
When I called to thee thou didst answer me
and make me bold and valiant-hearted.
Let all the kings of the earth praise thee, O LORD,
when they hear the words thou hast spoken;
and let them sing of the LORD's ways,
for great is the glory of the LORD.
For the LORD, high as he is, cares for the lowly,
and from afar he humbles the proud.
Though I walk among foes thou dost preserve my life,
exerting thy power against the rage of my enemies,
and with thy right hand thou savest me.
The LORD will accomplish his purpose for me.
Thy true love, O LORD, endures for ever;
leave not thy work unfinished.
139
LORD, thou hast examined me and knowest me.
Thou knowest all, whether I sit down or rise up;
thou hast discerned my thoughts from afar.
Thou hast traced my journey and my resting places,
and art familiar with all my paths.
For there is not a word on my tongue
but thou, LORD, knowest them all.
Thou hast kept close guard before me and behind
and hast spread thy hand over me.
Such knowledge is beyond my understanding,
so high that I cannot reach it.
Where can I escape from thy spirit?
Where can I flee from thy presence?
If i climb up to heaven, thou art there;
if I make my bed is Sheol, again I find thee.
If I take my flight to the frontiers of the morning
or dwell at the limit of the western sea,
even there thy hand will meet me
and thy right hand will hold me fast.
If I say , 'Surely darkness will steal over me,
night will close around me',
darkness is no darkness for thee
and night is luminous as day;
to thee both dark and light are one.
Thou it was who didst fashion my inward parts;
thou didst knit me together in my mother's womb.
I will praise thee, for thou dost fill me with awe;
wonderful thou art, and wonderful thy works.
Thou knowest me through and through:
my body is no mystery to thee,
how I was secretly kneaded into shape
and patterned in the depths of the earth.
Thou didst see my limbs unformed in the womb,
and in thy book they are all recorded;
day by day they were fashioned,
not one of them was late in growing.
How deep I find thy thoughts, O God,
how inexhaustible their themes!
Can I count them? They outnumber the grains of sand;
to finish the count, my years must equal thine.
O God, if thou only wouldst slay the wicked
If those men of blood would but leave me in peace——
those who provoke thee with deliberate evil
and rise in vicious rebellion against thee!
How I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee!
I am cut to the quick when they oppose thee;
I hate them with undying hatred;
I hold them all my enemies.
Examine me, O God, and know my thoughts;
test me, and understand my misgivings.
Watch lest I follow any path that grieves thee;
guide me in the ancient ways.
140
Rescue me, O LORD, from evil men;
keep me safe from violent men,
whose heads are full of wicked schemes,
who stir up contention day after day.
Their tongues are sharp as serpents' fangs;
on their lips is spiders' poison.
Guard me, O LORD, from wicked men;
keep me safe from violent men,
who plan to thrust me out of the way.
Arrogant men set hidden traps for me,
rogues spread their nets
and lay snares for me along the path.
I said, 'O LORD, thou art my God;
O LORD, hear my plea for mercy.
O LORD God, stronghold of my safety,
thou hast shielded my head in the day of battle.
Frustrate, O LORD, their designs against me;
never let the wicked gain their purpose.
If any of those at my table rise against me,
let their own conspiracies be their undoing.
Let burning coals be tipped upon them;
let them be plunged into the miry depths,
never to rise again.
Slander shall find no home in the land;
evil and violence shall be hounded to destruction.'
I know that the LORD will give their due to the needy
and justice to the downtrodden.
Righteous men will surely give thanks to thy name;
the upright will worship in thy presence.
141
O LORD, I call to thee, come quickly to my aid;
listen to my cry when I call to thee.
Let my prayer be like incense duly set before thee
and my raised hands like the evening sacrifice.
Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;
keep watch over the door of my lips.
Turn not my heart to sinful thought
nor to any pursuit of evil courses.
The evildoers appal me;
not for me the delights of their table.
I would rather be buffeted by the righteous
and reproved by good men.
My head shall not be anointed with the oil of wicked men,
for that would make me a party to their crimes.
They shall founder on the rock of justice
and learn how acceptable my words are.
Their bones shall be scattered at the mouth of Sheol,
like splinters of wood or stone on the ground.
But my eyes are fixed on thee, O LORD God;
thou art my refuge; leave me not unprotected.
Keep me from the trap which they have sent for me,
from the snares of evildoers.
Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
whilst I pass in safety, all alone.
142
I cry aloud to the LORD;
to the LORD I plead aloud for mercy.
I pour out my complaint before him
and tell over my troubles in his presence.
When my spirit is faint within me,
thou art there to watch over my steps.
In the path that I should take
they have hidden a snare.
I look to my right hand,
I find no friend by my side;
no way of escape is in sight,
no one comes to rescue me.
I cry to thee, O LORD,
and say, 'Thou art my refuge;
thou art all I have
in the land of the living.
Give me a hearing when I cry,
for I am brought very low;
save me from my pursuers,
for they are too strong for me.
Set me free from my prison,
so that I may praise thy name.'
The righteous shall crown me with garlands,
when thou givest me my due reward.
143
LORD, hear my prayer;
be true to thyself, and listen to my pleading;
then in thy righteousness answer me.
Bring not thy servant to trial before thee;
against thee no man on earth can be right.
An enemy has hunted me down,
has ground my living body under foot
and plunged me into darkness like a man long dead,
so that my spirit fails me
and my heart is dazed with despair.
I dwell upon the years long past,
upon the memory of all that thou hast done;
the wonders of thy creation fill my mind.
To thee I lift my outspread hands,
athirst for thee in a thirty land.
LORD, make haste to answer,
for my spirit faints.
Do not hide thy face from me
or I shall be like those who go down to the abyss.
In the morning let me know thy true love;
I have put my trust in thee.
Show me the way that I must take;
to thee I offer all my heart.
Deliver me, LORD, from my enemies,
for with thee have I sought refuge.
Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God;
in thy gracious kindness, show me the level road.
Keep me safe, O LORD, for the honour of thy name
and, as thou art just, release me from my distress.
In thy love for me, reduce my enemies to silence
and bring destruction to all who oppress me;
for I am thy servant.
144
Blessed is the LORD, my rock,
who trains my hand for war,
my fingers for battle;
my help that never fails, my fortress,
my strong tower and my refuge,
my shield in which I trust,
he who puts nations under my feet.
O LORD, what is man that thou carest for him?
What is mankind? Why give a thought to them?
Man is more than a puff of wind,
his days a passing shadow.
If thou, LORD, but tilt the heavens, down they come;
touch the mountains, and they smoke.
Shoot forth thy lightning flashes, far and wide,
and send thy arrows whistling.
Stretch out thy hands from on high to rescue me
and snatch me from great waters.
I will sing a new song to thee, O God,
psalms to the music of a ten-stringed lute.
O God who gavest victory to kings
and deliverance to thy servant David,
rescue me from the cruel sword;
snatch me from the power of foreign foes,
whose every word is false
and all their oaths are perjury.
Happy are we whose sons in their early prime
stand like tall towers,
our daughters like sculptured pillars
at the corners of a palace.
Our barns are full and furnish plentiful provision;
our sheep bear lambs in thousands upon thousands;
the oxen in our fields are fat and sleek;
there is no miscarriage or untimely birth,
no cries of distress in our public places.
Happy are the people in such cases as ours;
happy the people who have the LORD for their God.
145
I will extol thee, O God my king,
and bless thy name for ever and ever.
Every day will I bless thee
and praise thy name for ever and ever.
Great is the LORD and worthy of all praise;
his greatness is unfathomable.
One generation shall commend thy works to another
and set forth thy mighty deeds.
My theme shall be thy marvellous works.
the glorious splendour of thy majesty.
Men shall declare thy mighty acts with awe
and tell of thy great deeds.
They shall recite the story of thy abounding goodness
and sing of thy righteousness with joy.
The LORD is gracious and compassionate,
forbearing, and constant in his love.
The LORD is good to all men,
and his tender care rests upon all his creatures.
All thy creatures praise thee, LORD,
and thy servants bless thee.
They talk of the glory of thy kingdom
and tell of thy might,
they proclaim to their fellows how mighty are thy deeds,
how glorious the majesty of thy kingdom.
Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and thy dominion stands for all generations.
In all his promises the LORD keeps faith,
he is unchanging in all his works;
the LORD holds up those who stumble
and straightens backs which are bent.
The eyes of all are lifted to thee in hope,
and thou givest them their food when it is due;
with open and bountiful hand
thou givest what they desire to every living creature.
The LORD is righteous in all his ways,
unchanging in all that he does;
very near is the LORD to those who call to him,
who call to him in singleness of heart.
He fulfils their desire if only they fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
The LORD watches over all who love him
but sends the wicked to their doom.
My tongue shall speak out the praises of the LORD,
and all creatures shall bless his holy name
for ever and ever.
146
O praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD, my soul.
As long as I live I will praise the LORD;
I will sing psalms to my God all my life long.
Put no faith in princes,
in any man, who has no power to save.
He breathes his last breath,
he returns to the dust;
and in that same hour all his thinking ends.
Happy the man whose helper is the God of Jacob,
whose hopes are in the LORD his God,
maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them;
who serves wrongdoers as he has sworn
and deals out justice to the oppressed.
The LORD feeds the hungry
and sets the prisoner free.
The LORD restores sight to the blind
and straightens backs which are bent;
the LORD gives heart to the orphan and widow
but turns the course of the wicked to their ruin.
The LORD shall reign for ever,
thy God, O Zion, for all generations.
O praise the LORD.
147
O praise the LORD.
How good it is to sing psalms to our God!
How pleasant to praise him!
The LORD is rebuilding Jerusalem;
he gathers in the scattered sons of Israel.
It is he who heals the broken spirit
and binds up their wounds,
he who numbers the stars one by one
and names them one and all.
Mighty is our Lord and great his power,
and his wisdom beyond all telling.
The LORD gives new heart to the humble
and brings evildoers down to the dust.
Sing to the LORD a song of thanksgiving,
sing psalms to the harp in honour of our God.
He veils the sky in clouds
and prepares rain for the earth;
he clothes the hills with grass
and green plants for the use of man.
He gives the cattle their food
and the young ravens all that they gather.
The LORD sets no store by the strength of a horse
and takes no pleasure in a runner's legs;
his pleasure is in those who fear him,
who wait for his true love.
Sing to the LORD, Jerusalem;
O Zion, praise your God,
for he has put new bars in your gates;
he has blessed your children within them.
He has brought peace to your realm
and given you fine wheat in plenty.
He sends his commands to the ends of the earth,
and his word runs swiftly .
He showers down snow, white as wool,
and sprinkles hoar-frost thick as ashes;
crystals of ice he scatters like bread-crumbs;
he sends the cold, and the water stands frozen,
he utters his words, and the ice is melted;
he blows with his wind and the waters flow.
To Jacob he makes his word known,
his statutes and decrees to Israel;
he has not done this for any other nation,
nor taught them his decrees.
O praise the LORD.
148
O praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD out of heaven;
praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his host.
Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars;
praise him, heaven of heavens,
and you waters above the heavens.
Let them all praise the name of the LORD,
for he spoke the word and they were created;
he established them for ever and ever
by ordinance which shall never pass away.
Praise the LORD from the earth,
you water-spouts and ocean-depths;
fire and hail, snow and ice,
gales of wind obeying his voice;
all mountains and hills;
all fruit-trees and all cedars;
wild beasts and cattle,
creeping things and winged birds;
kings and all earthly rulers,
princes and judges over the whole earth;
young men and maidens,
old men and young together.
Let all praise the name of the LORD,
for his name is high above all others,
and his mercy above earth and heaven;
he has exalted his people in the pride of power
and crowned with praise his loyal servants,
all Israel, the people nearest him.
O praise the LORD.
149
O praise the LORD.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
sing his praise in the assembly of the faithful;
let Israel rejoice in his maker
and the sons of Zion exult in their king.
Let them praise his name in the dance,
and sing him psalms with tambourine and harp.
For the LORD accepts the service of his people;
he crowns his humble folk with victory.
Let his faithful servants exult in triumph;
let them shout for joy as they kneel before him.
Let the high praises of God be on their lips
and a two-edged sword in their hand,
to wreak vengeance on the nations
and to chastise the heathen;
to load their kings with chains
and put their nobles in irons;
to execute the judgement decreed against them——
this is the glory of all his faithful servants.
O praise the LORD.
150
O praise the LORD.
O praise God in his holy place,
praise him in the vault of heaven, the vault of his power;
praise him for his mighty works,
praise him for his immeasurable greatness.
Praise him with fanfare and with trumpets,
praise him with flute and strings;
praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with triumphant cymbals;
let everything that has breath praise the LORD!
O praise the LORD.
The New English Bible (with Apocrypha)
Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, 1970
Posted Jul 9, 2019, 1:16 PM UTC
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