Psalm 115-118

New International Version

² Why do the nations say,
    “Where is their God?”^(D)
3 Our God is in heaven;^(E)
    he does whatever pleases him.^(F)
4 But their idols are silver and gold,^(G)
    made by human hands.^(H)
5 They have mouths, but cannot speak,^(I)
    eyes, but cannot see.
⁶ They have ears, but cannot hear,
    noses, but cannot smell.
⁷ They have hands, but cannot feel,
    feet, but cannot walk,
    nor can they utter a sound with their throats.
⁸ Those who make them will be like them,
    and so will all who trust in them.

⁹ All you Israelites, trust^(J) in the Lord—
    he is their help and shield.
¹⁰ House of Aaron,^(K) trust in the Lord—
    he is their help and shield.
¹¹ You who fear him,^(L) trust in the Lord—
    he is their help and shield.

¹² The Lord remembers^(M) us and will bless us:^(N)
    He will bless his people Israel,
    he will bless the house of Aaron,
¹³ he will bless those who fear^(O) the Lord—
    small and great alike.

¹⁴ May the Lord cause you to flourish,^(P)
    both you and your children.
¹⁵ May you be blessed by the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven^(Q) and earth.

¹⁶ The highest heavens belong to the Lord,^(R)
    but the earth he has given^(S) to mankind.
¹⁷ It is not the dead^(T) who praise the Lord,
    those who go down to the place of silence;
¹⁸ it is we who extol the Lord,^(U)
    both now and forevermore.^(V)

Praise the Lord.^[a](W)

³ The cords of death^(AB) entangled me,
    the anguish of the grave came over me;
    I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
⁴ Then I called on the name^(AC) of the Lord:
    “Lord, save me!^(AD)”

⁵ The Lord is gracious and righteous;^(AE)
    our God is full of compassion.^(AF)
6 The Lord protects the unwary;
    when I was brought low,^(AG) he saved me.^(AH)

⁷ Return to your rest,^(AI) my soul,
    for the Lord has been good^(AJ) to you.

⁸ For you, Lord, have delivered me^(AK) from death,
    my eyes from tears,
    my feet from stumbling,
⁹ that I may walk before the Lord^(AL)
    in the land of the living.^(AM)

¹⁰ I trusted^(AN) in the Lord when I said,
    “I am greatly afflicted”;^(AO)
11 in my alarm I said,
    “Everyone is a liar.”^(AP)

¹² What shall I return to the Lord
    for all his goodness^(AQ) to me?

¹³ I will lift up the cup of salvation
    and call on the name^(AR) of the Lord.
¹⁴ I will fulfill my vows^(AS) to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people.

¹⁵ Precious in the sight^(AT) of the Lord
    is the death of his faithful servants.^(AU)
16 Truly I am your servant, Lord;^(AV)
    I serve you just as my mother did;^(AW)
    you have freed me from my chains.^(AX)

¹⁷ I will sacrifice a thank offering^(AY) to you
    and call on the name of the Lord.
¹⁸ I will fulfill my vows^(AZ) to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people,
¹⁹ in the courts^(BA) of the house of the Lord—
    in your midst, Jerusalem.^(BB)

Praise the Lord.^[b]

Praise the Lord.^[c]

² Let Israel say:^(BJ)
    “His love endures forever.”^(BK)
3 Let the house of Aaron say:^(BL)
    “His love endures forever.”
⁴ Let those who fear the Lord^(BM) say:
    “His love endures forever.”

⁵ When hard pressed,^(BN) I cried to the Lord;
    he brought me into a spacious place.^(BO)
6 The Lord is with me;^(BP) I will not be afraid.
    What can mere mortals do to me?^(BQ)
7 The Lord is with me; he is my helper.^(BR)
    I look in triumph on my enemies.^(BS)

⁸ It is better to take refuge in the Lord^(BT)
    than to trust in humans.^(BU)
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
    than to trust in princes.^(BV)
10 All the nations surrounded me,
    but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.^(BW)
11 They surrounded me^(BX) on every side,^(BY)
    but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
¹² They swarmed around me like bees,^(BZ)
    but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;^(CA)
    in the name of the Lord I cut them down.^(CB)
13 I was pushed back and about to fall,
    but the Lord helped me.^(CC)
14 The Lord is my strength^(CD) and my defense^[d];
    he has become my salvation.^(CE)

¹⁵ Shouts of joy^(CF) and victory
    resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand^(CG) has done mighty things!^(CH)
16     The Lord’s right hand is lifted high;
    the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”
¹⁷ I will not die^(CI) but live,
    and will proclaim^(CJ) what the Lord has done.
¹⁸ The Lord has chastened^(CK) me severely,
    but he has not given me over to death.^(CL)
19 Open for me the gates^(CM) of the righteous;
    I will enter^(CN) and give thanks to the Lord.
²⁰ This is the gate of the Lord^(CO)
    through which the righteous may enter.^(CP)
21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me;^(CQ)
    you have become my salvation.^(CR)

²² The stone^(CS) the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;^(CT)
23 the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous^(CU) in our eyes.
²⁴ The Lord has done it this very day;
    let us rejoice today and be glad.^(CV)

²⁵ Lord, save us!^(CW)
    Lord, grant us success!

²⁶ Blessed is he who comes^(CX) in the name of the Lord.
    From the house of the Lord we bless you.^[e](CY)
27 The Lord is God,^(CZ)
    and he has made his light shine^(DA) on us.
With boughs in hand,^(DB) join in the festal procession
    up^[f] to the horns of the altar.^(DC)

²⁸ You are my God, and I will praise you;
    you are my God,^(DD) and I will exalt^(DE) you.

²⁹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.