Psalm 136-138

New International Reader's Version

136 Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good.
His faithful love continues forever.
² Give thanks to the greatest God of all.
His faithful love continues forever.
³ Give thanks to the most powerful Lord of all.
His faithful love continues forever.

⁴ Give thanks to the only one who can do great miracles.
His faithful love continues forever.
⁵ By his understanding he made the heavens.
His faithful love continues forever.
⁶ He spread out the earth on the waters.
His faithful love continues forever.
⁷ He made the great lights in the sky.
His faithful love continues forever.
⁸ He made the sun to rule over the day.
His faithful love continues forever.
⁹ He made the moon and stars to rule over the night.
His faithful love continues forever.

¹⁰ Give thanks to the God who killed the oldest son of each family in Egypt.
His faithful love continues forever.
¹¹ He brought the people of Israel out of Egypt.
His faithful love continues forever.
¹² He did it by reaching out his mighty hand and powerful arm.
His faithful love continues forever.

¹³ Give thanks to the God who parted the waters of the Red Sea.
His faithful love continues forever.
¹⁴ He brought Israel through the middle of it.
His faithful love continues forever.
¹⁵ But he swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.
His faithful love continues forever.

¹⁶ Give thanks to the God who led his people through the desert.
His faithful love continues forever.
¹⁷ He killed great kings.
His faithful love continues forever.
¹⁸ He struck down mighty kings.
His faithful love continues forever.
¹⁹ He killed Sihon, the king of the Amorites.
His faithful love continues forever.
²⁰ He killed Og, the king of Bashan.
His faithful love continues forever.
²¹ He gave their land as a gift.
His faithful love continues forever.
²² He gave it as a gift to his servant Israel.
His faithful love continues forever.

²³ Give thanks to the God who remembered us when things were going badly.
His faithful love continues forever.
²⁴ He set us free from our enemies.
His faithful love continues forever.
²⁵ He gives food to every creature.
His faithful love continues forever.

²⁶ Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His faithful love continues forever.

137 We were sitting by the rivers of Babylon.
    We wept when we remembered what had happened to Zion.
² On the nearby poplar trees
    we hung up our harps.
³ Those who held us as prisoners asked us to sing.
    Those who enjoyed hurting us ordered us to sing joyful songs.
    They said, “Sing one of the songs of Zion to us!”

⁴ How can we sing the songs of the Lord
    while we are in another land?
⁵ Jerusalem, if I forget you,
    may my right hand never be able to play the harp again.
⁶ If I don’t remember you,
    may my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth so I can’t sing.
May it happen if I don’t consider Jerusalem
    to be my greatest joy.

⁷ Lord, remember what the people of Edom did
    on the day Jerusalem fell.
“Tear it down!” they cried.
    “Tear it down to the ground!”

⁸ People of Babylon, you are sentenced to be destroyed.
    Happy is the person who pays you back
    according to what you have done to us.
⁹ Happy is the person who grabs your babies
    and smashes them against the rocks.

⁴ Lord, may all the kings on earth praise you
    when they hear about what you have decided.
⁵ Lord, may they sing about what you have done,
    because your glory is great.

⁶ Though the Lord is high above all, he cares for the lowly.
    Though he is in heaven above, he sees them on earth below.
⁷ Trouble is all around me,
    but you keep me alive.
You reach out your hand to put a stop to the anger of my enemies.
    With your powerful right hand you save me.
⁸ Lord, you will show that I was right to trust you.
    Lord, your faithful love continues forever.
    You have done so much for us, so don’t stop now.