BOOK FIVE

Psalms 107–150

Thanksgiving to the Lord for His Great Works of Deliverance

107 Oh, (A)give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His [a]mercy endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,
And (B)gathered out of the lands,
From the east and from the west,
From the north and from the south.

They wandered in (C)the wilderness in a desolate way;
They found no city to dwell in.
Hungry and thirsty,
Their soul fainted in them.
(D)Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He delivered them out of their distresses.
And He led them forth by the (E)right way,
That they might go to a city for a dwelling place.
(F)Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
For (G)He satisfies the longing soul,
And fills the hungry soul with goodness.

10 Those who (H)sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
(I)Bound[b] in affliction and irons—
11 Because they (J)rebelled against the words of God,
And [c]despised (K)the counsel of the Most High,
12 Therefore He brought down their heart with labor;
They fell down, and there was (L)none to help.
13 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
14 (M)He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
And broke their chains in pieces.
15 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
16 For He has (N)broken the gates of bronze,
And cut the bars of iron in two.

17 Fools, (O)because of their transgression,
And because of their iniquities, were afflicted.
18 (P)Their soul abhorred all manner of food,
And they (Q)drew near to the gates of death.
19 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
20 (R)He sent His word and (S)healed them,
And (T)delivered them from their destructions.
21 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
22 (U)Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And (V)declare His works with [d]rejoicing.

23 Those who go down to the sea in ships,
Who do business on great waters,
24 They see the works of the Lord,
And His wonders in the deep.
25 For He commands and (W)raises the stormy wind,
Which lifts up the waves of the sea.
26 They mount up to the heavens,
They go down again to the depths;
(X)Their soul melts because of trouble.
27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man,
And [e]are at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He brings them out of their distresses.
29 (Y)He calms the storm,
So that its waves are still.
30 Then they are glad because they are quiet;
So He guides them to their desired haven.
31 (Z)Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
32 Let them exalt Him also (AA)in the assembly of the people,
And praise Him in the company of the elders.

33 He (AB)turns rivers into a wilderness,
And the watersprings into dry ground;
34 A (AC)fruitful land into [f]barrenness,
For the wickedness of those who dwell in it.
35 (AD)He turns a wilderness into pools of water,
And dry land into watersprings.
36 There He makes the hungry dwell,
That they may establish a city for a dwelling place,
37 And sow fields and plant vineyards,
That they may yield a fruitful harvest.
38 (AE)He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly;
And He does not let their cattle (AF)decrease.

39 When they are (AG)diminished and brought low
Through oppression, affliction, and sorrow,
40 (AH)He pours contempt on princes,
And causes them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way;
41 (AI)Yet He sets the poor on high, far from affliction,
And (AJ)makes their families like a flock.
42 (AK)The righteous see it and rejoice,
And all (AL)iniquity stops its mouth.

43 (AM)Whoever is wise will observe these things,
And they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.

Assurance of God’s Victory over Enemies(AN)

A Song. A Psalm of David.

108 O (AO)God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.
(AP)Awake, lute and harp!
I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples,
And I will sing praises to You among the nations.
For Your mercy is great above the [g]heavens,
And Your truth reaches to the clouds.

(AQ)Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,
And Your glory above all the earth;
(AR)That Your beloved may be delivered,
Save with Your right hand, and [h]hear me.

God has spoken in His holiness:
“I will rejoice;
I will divide Shechem
And measure out the Valley of Succoth.
Gilead is Mine; Manasseh is Mine;
Ephraim also is the [i]helmet for My head;
(AS)Judah is My lawgiver.
Moab is My washpot;
Over Edom I will cast My shoe;
Over Philistia I will triumph.”

10 (AT)Who will bring me into the strong city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
11 Is it not You, O God, who cast us off?
And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies?
12 Give us help from trouble,
For the help of man is useless.
13 (AU)Through God we will do valiantly,
For it is He who shall tread down our enemies.

Plea for Judgment of False Accusers

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

109 Do(AV) not keep silent,
O God of my praise!
For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful
Have opened against me;
They have spoken against me with a (AW)lying tongue.
They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,
And fought against me (AX)without a cause.
In return for my love they are my accusers,
But I give myself to prayer.
Thus (AY)they have rewarded me evil for good,
And hatred for my love.

Set a wicked man over him,
And let (AZ)an [j]accuser stand at his right hand.
When he is judged, let him be found guilty,
And (BA)let his prayer become sin.
Let his days be (BB)few,
And (BC)let another take his office.
(BD)Let his children be fatherless,
And his wife a widow.
10 Let his children [k]continually be vagabonds, and beg;
Let them [l]seek their bread also from their desolate places.
11 (BE)Let the creditor seize all that he has,
And let strangers plunder his labor.
12 Let there be none to extend mercy to him,
Nor let there be any to favor his fatherless children.
13 (BF)Let his [m]posterity be cut off,
And in the generation following let their (BG)name be blotted out.

14 (BH)Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord,
And let not the sin of his mother (BI)be blotted out.
15 Let them be continually before the Lord,
That He may (BJ)cut off the memory of them from the earth;
16 Because he did not remember to show mercy,
But persecuted the poor and needy man,
That he might even slay the (BK)broken in heart.
17 (BL)As he loved cursing, so let it come to him;
As he did not delight in blessing, so let it be far from him.
18 As he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment,
So let it (BM)enter his body like water,
And like oil into his bones.
19 Let it be to him like the garment which covers him,
And for a belt with which he girds himself continually.
20 Let this be the Lord’s reward to my accusers,
And to those who speak evil against my person.

21 But You, O God the Lord,
Deal with me for Your name’s sake;
Because Your mercy is good, deliver me.
22 For I am poor and needy,
And my heart is wounded within me.
23 I am gone (BN)like a shadow when it lengthens;
I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My (BO)knees are weak through fasting,
And my flesh is feeble from lack of fatness.
25 I also have become (BP)a reproach to them;
When they look at me, (BQ)they shake their heads.

26 Help me, O Lord my God!
Oh, save me according to Your mercy,
27 (BR)That they may know that this is Your hand—
That You, Lord, have done it!
28 (BS)Let them curse, but You bless;
When they arise, let them be ashamed,
But let (BT)Your servant rejoice.
29 (BU)Let my accusers be clothed with shame,
And let them cover themselves with their own disgrace as with a mantle.

30 I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth;
Yes, (BV)I will praise Him among the multitude.
31 For (BW)He shall stand at the right hand of the poor,
To save him from those [n]who condemn him.

Announcement of the Messiah’s Reign(BX)

A Psalm of David.

110 The (BY)Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your (BZ)footstool.”
The Lord shall send the rod of Your strength (CA)out of Zion.
(CB)Rule in the midst of Your enemies!

(CC)Your people shall be volunteers
In the day of Your power;
(CD)In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning,
You have the dew of Your youth.
The Lord has sworn
And (CE)will not relent,
“You are a (CF)priest forever
According to the order of (CG)Melchizedek.”

The Lord is (CH)at Your right hand;
He shall [o]execute kings (CI)in the day of His wrath.
He shall judge among the nations,
He shall fill the places with dead bodies,
(CJ)He shall [p]execute the heads of many countries.
He shall drink of the brook by the wayside;
(CK)Therefore He shall lift up the head.

Praise to God for His Faithfulness and Justice

111 Praise[q] the Lord!

(CL)I will praise the Lord with my whole heart,
In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.

(CM)The works of the Lord are great,
(CN)Studied by all who have pleasure in them.
His work is (CO)honorable and glorious,
And His righteousness endures forever.
He has made His wonderful works to be remembered;
(CP)The Lord is gracious and full of compassion.
He has given food to those who fear Him;
He will ever be mindful of His covenant.
He has declared to His people the power of His works,
In giving them the [r]heritage of the nations.

The works of His hands are (CQ)verity[s] and justice;
All His precepts are sure.
(CR)They stand fast forever and ever,
And are (CS)done in truth and uprightness.
(CT)He has sent redemption to His people;
He has commanded His covenant forever:
(CU)Holy and awesome is His name.

10 (CV)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
A good understanding have all those who do His commandments.
His praise endures forever.

The Blessed State of the Righteous

112 Praise[t] the Lord!

Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
Who (CW)delights greatly in His commandments.

(CX)His descendants will be mighty on earth;
The generation of the upright will be blessed.
(CY)Wealth and riches will be in his house,
And his righteousness [u]endures forever.
(CZ)Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness;
He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
(DA)A good man deals graciously and lends;
He will guide his affairs (DB)with discretion.
Surely he will never be shaken;
(DC)The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance.
(DD)He will not be afraid of evil tidings;
His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
His (DE)heart is established;
(DF)He will not be afraid,
Until he (DG)sees his desire upon his enemies.

He has dispersed abroad,
He has given to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever;
His [v]horn will be exalted with honor.
10 The wicked will see it and be grieved;
He will gnash his teeth and melt away;
The desire of the wicked shall perish.

The Majesty and Condescension of God

113 Praise[w] the Lord!

(DH)Praise, O servants of the Lord,
Praise the name of the Lord!
(DI)Blessed be the name of the Lord
From this time forth and forevermore!
(DJ)From the rising of the sun to its going down
The Lord’s name is to be praised.

The Lord is (DK)high above all nations,
(DL)His glory above the heavens.
(DM)Who is like the Lord our God,
Who dwells on high,
(DN)Who humbles Himself to behold
The things that are in the heavens and in the earth?

(DO)He raises the poor out of the dust,
And lifts the (DP)needy out of the ash heap,
That He may (DQ)seat him with princes—
With the princes of His people.
(DR)He grants the [x]barren woman a home,
Like a joyful mother of children.

Praise the Lord!

The Power of God in His Deliverance of Israel(DS)

114 When (DT)Israel went out of Egypt,
The house of Jacob (DU)from a people [y]of strange language,
(DV)Judah became His sanctuary,
And Israel His dominion.

(DW)The sea saw it and fled;
(DX)Jordan turned back.
(DY)The mountains skipped like rams,
The little hills like lambs.
(DZ)What ails you, O sea, that you fled?
O Jordan, that you turned back?
O mountains, that you skipped like rams?
O little hills, like lambs?

Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
At the presence of the God of Jacob,
(EA)Who turned the rock into a pool of water,
The flint into a fountain of waters.

The Futility of Idols and the Trustworthiness of God

115 Not (EB)unto us, O Lord, not unto us,
But to Your name give glory,
Because of Your mercy,
Because of Your truth.
Why should the [z]Gentiles say,
(EC)“So where is their God?”

(ED)But our God is in heaven;
He does whatever He pleases.
(EE)Their idols are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands.
They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
They have ears, but they do not hear;
Noses they have, but they do not smell;
They have hands, but they do not handle;
Feet they have, but they do not walk;
Nor do they mutter through their throat.
(EF)Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.

(EG)O Israel, trust in the Lord;
(EH)He is their help and their shield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.

12 The Lord [aa]has been mindful of us;
He will bless us;
He will bless the house of Israel;
He will bless the house of Aaron.
13 (EI)He will bless those who fear the Lord,
Both small and great.

14 May the Lord give you increase more and more,
You and your children.
15 May you be (EJ)blessed by the Lord,
(EK)Who made heaven and earth.

16 The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s;
But the earth He has given to the children of men.
17 (EL)The dead do not praise the Lord,
Nor any who go down into silence.
18 (EM)But we will bless the Lord
From this time forth and forevermore.

Praise the Lord!

Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death

116 I (EN)love the Lord, because He has heard
My voice and my supplications.
Because He has inclined His ear to me,
Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.

(EO)The [ab]pains of death surrounded me,
And the [ac]pangs of Sheol [ad]laid hold of me;
I found trouble and sorrow.
Then I called upon the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul!”

(EP)Gracious is the Lord, and (EQ)righteous;
Yes, our God is merciful.
The Lord preserves the simple;
I was brought low, and He saved me.
Return to your (ER)rest, O my soul,
For (ES)the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

(ET)For You have delivered my soul from death,
My eyes from tears,
And my feet from falling.
I will walk before the Lord
(EU)In the land of the living.
10 (EV)I believed, therefore I spoke,
“I am greatly afflicted.”
11 (EW)I said in my haste,
(EX)“All men are liars.”

12 What shall I render to the Lord
For all His benefits toward me?
13 I will take up the cup of salvation,
And call upon the name of the Lord.
14 (EY)I will pay my vows to the Lord
Now in the presence of all His people.

15 (EZ)Precious in the sight of the Lord
Is the death of His saints.

16 O Lord, truly (FA)I am Your servant;
I am Your servant, (FB)the son of Your maidservant;
You have loosed my bonds.
17 I will offer to You (FC)the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
And will call upon the name of the Lord.

18 I will pay my vows to the Lord
Now in the presence of all His people,
19 In the (FD)courts of the Lord’s house,
In the midst of you, O Jerusalem.

[ae]Praise the Lord!

Let All Peoples Praise the Lord

117 Praise (FE)the Lord, all you Gentiles!
[af]Laud Him, all you peoples!
For His merciful kindness is great toward us,
And (FF)the truth of the Lord endures forever.

Praise the Lord!

Praise to God for His Everlasting Mercy

118 Oh, (FG)give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
(FH)For His mercy endures forever.

(FI)Let Israel now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let those who fear the Lord now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”

(FJ)I called on the Lord in distress;
The Lord answered me and (FK)set me in a broad place.
(FL)The Lord is on my side;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
(FM)The Lord is for me among those who help me;
Therefore (FN)I shall see my desire on those who hate me.
(FO)It is better to trust in the Lord
Than to put confidence in man.
(FP)It is better to trust in the Lord
Than to put confidence in princes.

10 All nations surrounded me,
But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
11 They (FQ)surrounded me,
Yes, they surrounded me;
But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
12 They surrounded me (FR)like bees;
They were quenched (FS)like a fire of thorns;
For in the name of the Lord I will [ag]destroy them.
13 You pushed me violently, that I might fall,
But the Lord helped me.
14 (FT)The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.

15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation
Is in the tents of the righteous;
The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
16 (FU)The right hand of the Lord is exalted;
The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
17 (FV)I shall not die, but live,
And (FW)declare the works of the Lord.
18 The Lord has (FX)chastened[ah] me severely,
But He has not given me over to death.

19 (FY)Open to me the gates of righteousness;
I will go through them,
And I will praise the Lord.
20 (FZ)This is the gate of the Lord,
(GA)Through which the righteous shall enter.

21 I will praise You,
For You have (GB)answered me,
And have become my salvation.

22 (GC)The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
23 [ai]This was the Lord’s doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Save now, I pray, O Lord;
O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity.
26 (GD)Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
We have blessed you from the house of the Lord.
27 God is the Lord,
And He has given us (GE)light;
Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise You;
(GF)You are my God, I will exalt You.

29 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.

Meditations on the Excellencies of the Word of God

א ALEPH

119 Blessed are the [aj]undefiled in the way,
(GG)Who walk in the law of the Lord!
Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
Who seek Him with the (GH)whole heart!
(GI)They also do no iniquity;
They walk in His ways.
You have commanded us
To keep Your precepts diligently.
Oh, that my ways were directed
To keep Your statutes!
(GJ)Then I would not be ashamed,
When I look into all Your commandments.
I will praise You with uprightness of heart,
When I learn Your righteous judgments.
I will keep Your statutes;
Oh, do not forsake me utterly!

ב BETH

How can a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed according to Your word.
10 With my whole heart I have (GK)sought You;
Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
11 (GL)Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.
12 Blessed are You, O Lord!
Teach me Your statutes.
13 With my lips I have (GM)declared
All the judgments of Your mouth.
14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
As much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on Your precepts,
And [ak]contemplate Your ways.
16 I will (GN)delight myself in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your word.

ג GIMEL

17 (GO)Deal bountifully with Your servant,
That I may live and keep Your word.
18 Open my eyes, that I may see
Wondrous things from Your law.
19 (GP)I am a stranger in the earth;
Do not hide Your commandments from me.
20 (GQ)My soul [al]breaks with longing
For Your judgments at all times.
21 You rebuke the proud—the cursed,
Who stray from Your commandments.
22 (GR)Remove from me reproach and contempt,
For I have kept Your testimonies.
23 Princes also sit and speak against me,
But Your servant meditates on Your statutes.
24 Your testimonies also are my delight
And my counselors.

ד DALETH

25 (GS)My soul clings to the dust;
(GT)Revive me according to Your word.
26 I have declared my ways, and You answered me;
(GU)Teach me Your statutes.
27 Make me understand the way of Your precepts;
So (GV)shall I meditate on Your wonderful works.
28 (GW)My soul [am]melts from [an]heaviness;
Strengthen me according to Your word.
29 Remove from me the way of lying,
And grant me Your law graciously.
30 I have chosen the way of truth;
Your judgments I have laid before me.
31 I cling to Your testimonies;
O Lord, do not put me to shame!
32 I will run the course of Your commandments,
For You shall (GX)enlarge my heart.

ה HE

33 (GY)Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes,
And I shall keep it to the end.
34 (GZ)Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law;
Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
35 Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,
For I delight in it.
36 [ao]Incline my heart to Your testimonies,
And not to (HA)covetousness.
37 (HB)Turn[ap] away my eyes from (HC)looking at worthless things,
And revive me in [aq]Your way.
38 (HD)Establish Your word to Your servant,
Who is devoted to fearing You.
39 Turn away my reproach which I dread,
For Your judgments are good.
40 Behold, I long for Your precepts;
Revive me in Your righteousness.

ו WAW

41 Let Your mercies come also to me, O Lord
Your salvation according to Your word.
42 So shall I have an answer for him who [ar]reproaches me,
For I trust in Your word.
43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
For I have hoped in Your ordinances.
44 So shall I keep Your law continually,
Forever and ever.
45 And I will walk [as]at (HE)liberty,
For I seek Your precepts.
46 (HF)I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings,
And will not be ashamed.
47 And I will delight myself in Your commandments,
Which I love.
48 My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments,
Which I love,
And I will meditate on Your statutes.

ז ZAYIN

49 Remember the word to Your servant,
Upon which You have caused me to hope.
50 This is my (HG)comfort in my affliction,
For Your word has given me life.
51 The proud have me in great derision,
Yet I do not turn aside from Your law.
52 I remembered Your judgments of old, O Lord,
And have comforted myself.
53 (HH)Indignation has taken hold of me
Because of the wicked, who forsake Your law.
54 Your statutes have been my songs
In the house of my pilgrimage.
55 (HI)I remember Your name in the night, O Lord,
And I keep Your law.
56 This has become mine,
Because I kept Your precepts.

ח HETH

57 (HJ)You are my portion, O Lord;
I have said that I would keep Your words.
58 I entreated Your favor with my whole heart;
Be merciful to me according to Your word.
59 I (HK)thought about my ways,
And turned my feet to Your testimonies.
60 I made haste, and did not delay
To keep Your commandments.
61 The cords of the wicked have bound me,
But I have not forgotten Your law.
62 (HL)At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You,
Because of Your righteous judgments.
63 I am a companion of all who fear You,
And of those who keep Your precepts.
64 (HM)The earth, O Lord, is full of Your mercy;
Teach me Your statutes.

ט TETH

65 You have dealt well with Your servant,
O Lord, according to Your word.
66 Teach me good judgment and (HN)knowledge,
For I believe Your commandments.
67 Before I was (HO)afflicted I went astray,
But now I keep Your word.
68 You are (HP)good, and do good;
Teach me Your statutes.
69 The proud have (HQ)forged[at] a lie against me,
But I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart.
70 (HR)Their heart is [au]as fat as grease,
But I delight in Your law.
71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
That I may learn Your statutes.
72 (HS)The law of Your mouth is better to me
Than thousands of coins of gold and silver.

י YOD

73 (HT)Your hands have made me and fashioned me;
Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
74 (HU)Those who fear You will be glad when they see me,
Because I have hoped in Your word.
75 I know, O Lord, (HV)that Your judgments are [av]right,
And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.
76 Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort,
According to Your word to Your servant.
77 Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live;
For Your law is my delight.
78 Let the proud (HW)be ashamed,
For they treated me wrongfully with falsehood;
But I will meditate on Your precepts.
79 Let those who fear You turn to me,
Those who know Your testimonies.
80 Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes,
That I may not be ashamed.

כ KAPH

81 (HX)My soul faints for Your salvation,
But I hope in Your word.
82 My eyes fail from searching Your word,
Saying, “When will You comfort me?”
83 For (HY)I have become like a wineskin in smoke,
Yet I do not forget Your statutes.
84 (HZ)How many are the days of Your servant?
(IA)When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?
85 (IB)The proud have dug pits for me,
Which is not according to Your law.
86 All Your commandments are faithful;
They persecute me (IC)wrongfully;
Help me!
87 They almost made an end of me on earth,
But I did not forsake Your precepts.
88 Revive me according to Your lovingkindness,
So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.

ל LAMED

89 (ID)Forever, O Lord,
Your word [aw]is settled in heaven.
90 Your faithfulness endures to all generations;
You established the earth, and it [ax]abides.
91 They continue this day according to (IE)Your ordinances,
For all are Your servants.
92 Unless Your law had been my delight,
I would then have perished in my affliction.
93 I will never forget Your precepts,
For by them You have given me life.
94 I am Yours, save me;
For I have sought Your precepts.
95 The wicked wait for me to destroy me,
But I will [ay]consider Your testimonies.
96 (IF)I have seen the consummation of all perfection,
But Your commandment is exceedingly broad.

מ MEM

97 Oh, how I love Your law!
(IG)It is my meditation all the day.
98 You, through Your commandments, make me (IH)wiser than my enemies;
For they are ever with me.
99 I have more understanding than all my teachers,
(II)For Your testimonies are my meditation.
100 (IJ)I understand more than the [az]ancients,
Because I keep Your precepts.
101 I have restrained my feet from every evil way,
That I may keep Your word.
102 I have not departed from Your judgments,
For You Yourself have taught me.
103 (IK)How sweet are Your words to my taste,
Sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 Through Your precepts I get understanding;
Therefore I hate every false way.

נ NUN

105 (IL)Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.
106 (IM)I have sworn and confirmed
That I will keep Your righteous judgments.
107 I am afflicted very much;
Revive me, O Lord, according to Your word.
108 Accept, I pray, (IN)the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord,
And teach me Your judgments.
109 (IO)My life is continually [ba]in my hand,
Yet I do not forget Your law.
110 (IP)The wicked have laid a snare for me,
Yet I have not strayed from Your precepts.
111 (IQ)Your testimonies I have taken as a [bb]heritage forever,
For they are the rejoicing of my heart.
112 I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes
Forever, to the very end.

ס SAMEK

113 I hate the [bc]double-minded,
But I love Your law.
114 (IR)You are my hiding place and my shield;
I hope in Your word.
115 (IS)Depart from me, you evildoers,
For I will keep the commandments of my God!
116 Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live;
And do not let me (IT)be ashamed of my hope.
117 [bd]Hold me up, and I shall be safe,
And I shall observe Your statutes continually.
118 You reject all those who stray from Your statutes,
For their deceit is falsehood.
119 You [be]put away all the wicked of the earth (IU)like [bf]dross;
Therefore I love Your testimonies.
120 (IV)My flesh trembles for fear of You,
And I am afraid of Your judgments.

ע AYIN

121 I have done justice and righteousness;
Do not leave me to my oppressors.
122 Be (IW)surety[bg] for Your servant for good;
Do not let the proud oppress me.
123 My eyes fail from seeking Your salvation
And Your righteous word.
124 Deal with Your servant according to Your mercy,
And teach me Your statutes.
125 (IX)I am Your servant;
Give me understanding,
That I may know Your testimonies.
126 It is time for You to act, O Lord,
For they have [bh]regarded Your law as void.
127 (IY)Therefore I love Your commandments
More than gold, yes, than fine gold!
128 Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things
I consider to be right;
I hate every false way.

פ PE

129 Your testimonies are wonderful;
Therefore my soul keeps them.
130 The entrance of Your words gives light;
(IZ)It gives understanding to the (JA)simple.
131 I opened my mouth and (JB)panted,
For I longed for Your commandments.
132 (JC)Look upon me and be merciful to me,
(JD)As Your custom is toward those who love Your name.
133 (JE)Direct my steps by Your word,
And (JF)let no iniquity have dominion over me.
134 (JG)Redeem me from the oppression of man,
That I may keep Your precepts.
135 (JH)Make Your face shine upon Your servant,
And teach me Your statutes.
136 (JI)Rivers of water run down from my eyes,
Because men do not keep Your law.

צ TSADDE

137 (JJ)Righteous are You, O Lord,
And upright are Your judgments.
138 (JK)Your testimonies, which You have commanded,
Are righteous and very faithful.
139 (JL)My zeal has [bi]consumed me,
Because my enemies have forgotten Your words.
140 (JM)Your word is very [bj]pure;
Therefore Your servant loves it.
141 I am small and despised,
Yet I do not forget Your precepts.
142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
And Your law is (JN)truth.
143 Trouble and anguish have [bk]overtaken me,
Yet Your commandments are my delights.
144 The righteousness of Your testimonies is everlasting;
Give me understanding, and I shall live.

ק QOPH

145 I cry out with my whole heart;
Hear me, O Lord!
I will keep Your statutes.
146 I cry out to You;
Save me, and I will keep Your testimonies.
147 (JO)I rise before the dawning of the morning,
And cry for help;
I hope in Your word.
148 (JP)My eyes are awake through the night watches,
That I may meditate on Your word.
149 Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness;
O Lord, revive me according to Your justice.
150 They draw near who follow after wickedness;
They are far from Your law.
151 You are (JQ)near, O Lord,
And all Your commandments are truth.
152 Concerning Your testimonies,
I have known of old that You have founded them (JR)forever.

ר RESH

153 (JS)Consider my affliction and deliver me,
For I do not forget Your law.
154 (JT)Plead my cause and redeem me;
Revive me according to Your word.
155 Salvation is far from the wicked,
For they do not seek Your statutes.
156 [bl]Great are Your tender mercies, O Lord;
Revive me according to Your judgments.
157 Many are my persecutors and my enemies,
Yet I do not (JU)turn from Your testimonies.
158 I see the treacherous, and (JV)am disgusted,
Because they do not keep Your word.
159 Consider how I love Your precepts;
Revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness.
160 The entirety of Your word is truth,
And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.

ש SHIN

161 (JW)Princes persecute me without a cause,
But my heart stands in awe of Your word.
162 I rejoice at Your word
As one who finds great treasure.
163 I hate and abhor lying,
But I love Your law.
164 Seven times a day I praise You,
Because of Your righteous judgments.
165 (JX)Great peace have those who love Your law,
And [bm]nothing causes them to stumble.
166 (JY)Lord, I hope for Your salvation,
And I do Your commandments.
167 My soul keeps Your testimonies,
And I love them exceedingly.
168 I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies,
(JZ)For all my ways are before You.

ת TAU

169 Let my cry come before You, O Lord;
(KA)Give me understanding according to Your word.
170 Let my [bn]supplication come before You;
Deliver me according to Your word.
171 (KB)My lips shall utter praise,
For You teach me Your statutes.
172 My tongue shall speak of Your word,
For all Your commandments are righteousness.
173 Let Your hand become my help,
For (KC)I have chosen Your precepts.
174 (KD)I long for Your salvation, O Lord,
And (KE)Your law is my delight.
175 Let my soul live, and it shall praise You;
And let Your judgments help me.
176 (KF)I have gone astray like a lost sheep;
Seek Your servant,
For I do not forget Your commandments.

Plea for Relief from Bitter Foes

A Song of Ascents.

120 In (KG)my distress I cried to the Lord,
And He heard me.
Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips
And from a deceitful tongue.

What shall be given to you,
Or what shall be done to you,
You false tongue?
Sharp arrows of the [bo]warrior,
With coals of the broom tree!

Woe is me, that I dwell in (KH)Meshech,
(KI)That I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
My soul has dwelt too long
With one who hates peace.
I am for peace;
But when I speak, they are for war.

God the Help of Those Who Seek Him

A Song of Ascents.

121 I (KJ)will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
(KK)My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.

(KL)He will not allow your foot to [bp]be moved;
(KM)He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your [bq]keeper;
The Lord is (KN)your shade (KO)at your right hand.
(KP)The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.

The Lord shall [br]preserve you from all evil;
He shall (KQ)preserve your soul.
The Lord shall (KR)preserve[bs] your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.

The Joy of Going to the House of the Lord

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

122 I was glad when they said to me,
(KS)“Let us go into the house of the Lord.”
Our feet have been standing
Within your gates, O Jerusalem!

Jerusalem is built
As a city that is (KT)compact together,
(KU)Where the tribes go up,
The tribes of the Lord,
[bt]To (KV)the Testimony of Israel,
To give thanks to the name of the Lord.
(KW)For thrones are set there for judgment,
The thrones of the house of David.

(KX)Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls,
Prosperity within your palaces.”
For the sake of my brethren and companions,
I will now say, “Peace be within you.”
Because of the house of the Lord our God
I will (KY)seek your good.

Prayer for Relief from Contempt

A Song of Ascents.

123 Unto You (KZ)I lift up my eyes,
O You (LA)who dwell in the heavens.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters,
As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
(LB)So our eyes look to the Lord our God,
Until He has mercy on us.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!
For we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
Our soul is exceedingly filled
With the scorn of those who are at ease,
With the contempt of the proud.

The Lord the Defense of His People

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

124 “If it had not been the Lord who was on our (LC)side,”
(LD)Let Israel now say—
“If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,
When men rose up against us,
Then they would have (LE)swallowed us alive,
When their wrath was kindled against us;
Then the waters would have overwhelmed us,
The stream would have [bu]gone over our soul;
Then the swollen waters
Would have [bv]gone over our soul.”

Blessed be the Lord,
Who has not given us as prey to their teeth.
(LF)Our soul has escaped (LG)as a bird from the snare of the [bw]fowlers;
The snare is broken, and we have escaped.
(LH)Our help is in the name of the Lord,
(LI)Who made heaven and earth.

The Lord the Strength of His People

A Song of Ascents.

125 Those who trust in the Lord
Are like Mount Zion,
Which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
So the Lord surrounds His people
From this time forth and forever.

For (LJ)the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
On the land allotted to the righteous,
Lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity.

Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
And to those who are upright in their hearts.

As for such as turn aside to their (LK)crooked ways,
The Lord shall lead them away
With the workers of iniquity.

(LL)Peace be upon Israel!

A Joyful Return to Zion

A Song of Ascents.

126 When (LM)the Lord brought back [bx]the captivity of Zion,
(LN)We were like those who dream.
Then (LO)our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with singing.
Then they said among the [by]nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us,
And we are glad.

Bring back our captivity, O Lord,
As the streams in the South.

(LP)Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.
He who continually goes [bz]forth weeping,
Bearing [ca]seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again [cb]with (LQ)rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him.

Laboring and Prospering with the Lord

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

127 Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless (LR)the Lord guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late,
To (LS)eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep.

Behold, (LT)children are a heritage from the Lord,
(LU)The fruit of the womb is a (LV)reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
(LW)Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;
(LX)They shall not be ashamed,
But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

Blessings of Those Who Fear the Lord

A Song of Ascents.

128 Blessed (LY)is every one who fears the Lord,
Who walks in His ways.

(LZ)When you eat the [cc]labor of your hands,
You shall be happy, and it shall be (MA)well with you.
Your wife shall be (MB)like a fruitful vine
In the very heart of your house,
Your (MC)children (MD)like olive plants
All around your table.
Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
Who fears the Lord.

(ME)The Lord bless you out of Zion,
And may you see the good of Jerusalem
All the days of your life.
Yes, may you (MF)see your children’s children.

(MG)Peace be upon Israel!

Song of Victory over Zion’s Enemies

A Song of Ascents.

129 “Many a time they have (MH)afflicted[cd] me from (MI)my youth,”
(MJ)Let Israel now say—
“Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth;
Yet they have not prevailed against me.
The plowers plowed on my back;
They made their furrows long.”
The Lord is righteous;
He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked.

Let all those who hate Zion
Be put to shame and turned back.
Let them be as the (MK)grass on the housetops,
Which withers before it grows up,
With which the reaper does not fill his hand,
Nor he who binds sheaves, his [ce]arms.
Neither let those who pass by them say,
(ML)“The blessing of the Lord be upon you;
We bless you in the name of the Lord!”

Waiting for the Redemption of the Lord

A Song of Ascents.

130 Out (MM)of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord;
Lord, hear my voice!
Let Your ears be attentive
To the voice of my supplications.

(MN)If You, Lord, should [cf]mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could (MO)stand?
But there is (MP)forgiveness with You,
That (MQ)You may be feared.

(MR)I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
And (MS)in His word I do hope.
(MT)My soul waits for the Lord
More than those who watch for the morning—
Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.

(MU)O Israel, hope in the Lord;
For (MV)with the Lord there is mercy,
And with Him is abundant redemption.
And (MW)He shall redeem Israel
From all his iniquities.

Simple Trust in the Lord

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

131 Lord, my heart is not [cg]haughty,
Nor my eyes [ch]lofty.
(MX)Neither do I [ci]concern myself with great matters,
Nor with things too [cj]profound for me.

Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul,
(MY)Like a weaned child with his mother;
Like a weaned child is my soul within me.

(MZ)O Israel, hope in the Lord
From this time forth and forever.

The Eternal Dwelling of God in Zion

A Song of Ascents.

132 Lord, remember David
And all his afflictions;
How he swore to the Lord,
(NA)And vowed to (NB)the Mighty One of Jacob:
“Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house,
Or go up to the comfort of my bed;
I will (NC)not give sleep to my eyes
Or slumber to my eyelids,
Until I (ND)find a place for the Lord,
A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

Behold, we heard of it (NE)in Ephrathah;
(NF)We found it (NG)in the fields of [ck]the woods.
Let us go into His tabernacle;
(NH)Let us worship at His footstool.
(NI)Arise, O Lord, to Your resting place,
You and (NJ)the ark of Your strength.
Let Your priests (NK)be clothed with righteousness,
And let Your saints shout for joy.

10 For Your servant David’s sake,
Do not turn away the face of Your [cl]Anointed.

11 (NL)The Lord has sworn in truth to David;
He will not turn from it:
“I will set upon your throne (NM)the [cm]fruit of your body.
12 If your sons will keep My covenant
And My testimony which I shall teach them,
Their sons also shall sit upon your throne forevermore.”

13 (NN)For the Lord has chosen Zion;
He has desired it for His [cn]dwelling place:
14 “This(NO) is My resting place forever;
Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
15 (NP)I will abundantly bless her [co]provision;
I will satisfy her poor with bread.
16 (NQ)I will also clothe her priests with salvation,
(NR)And her saints shall shout aloud for joy.
17 (NS)There I will make the [cp]horn of David grow;
(NT)I will prepare a lamp for My [cq]Anointed.
18 His enemies I will (NU)clothe with shame,
But upon Himself His crown shall flourish.”

Blessed Unity of the People of God

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

133 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For (NV)brethren to dwell together in unity!

It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Running down on the beard,
The beard of Aaron,
Running down on the edge of his garments.
It is like the dew of (NW)Hermon,
Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
For (NX)there the Lord commanded the blessing—
Life forevermore.

Praising the Lord in His House at Night

A Song of Ascents.

134 Behold, bless the Lord,
All you servants of the Lord,
Who by night stand in the house of the Lord!
(NY)Lift up your hands in the sanctuary,
And bless the Lord.

The Lord who made heaven and earth
Bless you from Zion!

Praise to God in Creation and Redemption

135 Praise the Lord!

Praise the name of the Lord;
(NZ)Praise Him, O you servants of the Lord!
(OA)You who stand in the house of the Lord,
In (OB)the courts of the house of our God,
Praise the Lord, for (OC)the Lord is good;
Sing praises to His name, (OD)for it is pleasant.
For (OE)the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself,
Israel for His [cr]special treasure.

For I know that (OF)the Lord is great,
And our Lord is above all gods.
(OG)Whatever the Lord pleases He does,
In heaven and in earth,
In the seas and in all deep places.
(OH)He causes the [cs]vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth;
(OI)He makes lightning for the rain;
He brings the wind out of His (OJ)treasuries.

(OK)He [ct]destroyed the firstborn of Egypt,
[cu]Both of man and beast.
(OL)He sent signs and wonders into the midst of you, O Egypt,
(OM)Upon Pharaoh and all his servants.
10 (ON)He defeated many nations
And slew mighty kings—
11 Sihon king of the Amorites,
Og king of Bashan,
And (OO)all the kingdoms of Canaan—
12 (OP)And gave their land as a [cv]heritage,
A heritage to Israel His people.

13 (OQ)Your name, O Lord, endures forever,
Your fame, O Lord, throughout all generations.
14 (OR)For the Lord will judge His people,
And He will have compassion on His servants.

15 (OS)The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands.
16 They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
17 They have ears, but they do not hear;
Nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.

19 (OT)Bless the Lord, O house of Israel!
Bless the Lord, O house of Aaron!
20 Bless the Lord, O house of Levi!
You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!
21 Blessed be the Lord (OU)out of Zion,
Who dwells in Jerusalem!

Praise the Lord!

Thanksgiving to God for His Enduring Mercy

136 Oh, (OV)give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
(OW)For His mercy endures forever.
Oh, give thanks to (OX)the God of gods!
For His mercy endures forever.
Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!
For His mercy endures forever:

To Him (OY)who alone does great wonders,
For His mercy endures forever;
(OZ)To Him who by wisdom made the heavens,
For His mercy endures forever;
(PA)To Him who laid out the earth above the waters,
For His mercy endures forever;
(PB)To Him who made great lights,
For His mercy endures forever—
(PC)The sun to rule by day,
For His mercy endures forever;
The moon and stars to rule by night,
For His mercy endures forever.

10 (PD)To Him who struck Egypt in their firstborn,
For His mercy endures forever;
11 (PE)And brought out Israel from among them,
For His mercy endures forever;
12 (PF)With a strong hand, and with [cw]an outstretched arm,
For His mercy endures forever;
13 (PG)To Him who divided the Red Sea in two,
For His mercy endures forever;
14 And made Israel pass through the midst of it,
For His mercy endures forever;
15 (PH)But overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,
For His mercy endures forever;
16 (PI)To Him who led His people through the wilderness,
For His mercy endures forever;
17 (PJ)To Him who struck down great kings,
For His mercy endures forever;
18 (PK)And slew famous kings,
For His mercy endures forever—
19 (PL)Sihon king of the Amorites,
For His mercy endures forever;
20 (PM)And Og king of Bashan,
For His mercy endures forever—
21 (PN)And gave their land as a [cx]heritage,
For His mercy endures forever;
22 A heritage to Israel His servant,
For His mercy endures forever.

23 Who (PO)remembered us in our lowly state,
For His mercy endures forever;
24 And (PP)rescued us from our enemies,
For His mercy endures forever;
25 (PQ)Who gives food to all flesh,
For His mercy endures forever.

26 Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven!
For His mercy endures forever.

Longing for Zion in a Foreign Land

137 By the rivers of Babylon,
There we sat down, yea, we wept
When we remembered Zion.
We hung our harps
Upon the willows in the midst of it.
For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song,
And those who (PR)plundered us requested mirth,
Saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

How shall we sing the Lord’s song
In a foreign land?
If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
Let my right hand forget its skill!
If I do not remember you,
Let my (PS)tongue cling to the roof of my mouth—
If I do not exalt Jerusalem
Above my chief joy.

Remember, O Lord, against (PT)the sons of Edom
The day of Jerusalem,
Who said, [cy]“Raze it, raze it,
To its very foundation!”

O daughter of Babylon, (PU)who are to be destroyed,
Happy the one (PV)who repays you as you have served us!
Happy the one who takes and (PW)dashes
Your little ones against the rock!

The Lord’s Goodness to the Faithful

A Psalm of David.

138 I will praise You with my whole heart;
(PX)Before the gods I will sing praises to You.
(PY)I will worship (PZ)toward Your holy temple,
And praise Your name
For Your lovingkindness and Your truth;
For You have (QA)magnified Your word above all Your name.
In the day when I cried out, You answered me,
And made me bold with strength in my soul.

(QB)All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O Lord,
When they hear the words of Your mouth.
Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
For great is the glory of the Lord.
(QC)Though the Lord is on high,
Yet (QD)He regards the lowly;
But the proud He knows from afar.

(QE)Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
You will stretch out Your hand
Against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me.
(QF)The Lord will [cz]perfect that which concerns me;
Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever;
(QG)Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

God’s Perfect Knowledge of Man

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

139 O Lord, (QH)You have searched me and known me.
(QI)You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You (QJ)understand my thought afar off.
(QK)You [da]comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, (QL)You know it altogether.
You have [db]hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
(QM)Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.

(QN)Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
(QO)If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
(QP)If I make my bed in [dc]hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall [dd]fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
12 Indeed, (QQ)the darkness [de]shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

13 For You formed my inward parts;
You [df]covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You, for [dg]I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
15 (QR)My [dh]frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.

17 (QS)How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.

19 Oh, that You would (QT)slay the wicked, O God!
(QU)Depart from me, therefore, you [di]bloodthirsty men.
20 For they (QV)speak against You wickedly;
[dj]Your enemies take Your name in vain.
21 (QW)Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
22 I hate them with [dk]perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.

23 (QX)Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And (QY)lead me in the way everlasting.

Prayer for Deliverance from Evil Men

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

140 Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men;
Preserve me from violent men,
Who plan evil things in their hearts;
(QZ)They continually gather together for war.
They sharpen their tongues like a serpent;
The (RA)poison of asps is under their lips. Selah

(RB)Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
Preserve me from violent men,
Who have purposed to make my steps stumble.
The proud have hidden a (RC)snare for me, and cords;
They have spread a net by the wayside;
They have set traps for me. Selah

I said to the Lord: “You are my God;
Hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.
O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation,
You have [dl]covered my head in the day of battle.
Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;
Do not further his wicked scheme,
(RD)Lest they be exalted. Selah

As for the head of those who surround me,
Let the evil of their lips cover them;
10 (RE)Let burning coals fall upon them;
Let them be cast into the fire,
Into deep pits, that they rise not up again.
11 Let not a slanderer be established in the earth;
Let evil hunt the violent man to overthrow him.

12 I know that the Lord will (RF)maintain
The cause of the afflicted,
And justice for the poor.
13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name;
The upright shall dwell in Your presence.

Prayer for Safekeeping from Wickedness

A Psalm of David.

141 Lord, I cry out to You;
Make haste to me!
Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You.
Let my prayer be set before You (RG)as incense,
(RH)The lifting up of my hands as (RI)the evening sacrifice.

Set a guard, O Lord, over my (RJ)mouth;
Keep watch over the door of my lips.
Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,
To practice wicked works
With men who work iniquity;
(RK)And do not let me eat of their delicacies.

(RL)Let the righteous strike me;
It shall be a kindness.
And let him rebuke me;
It shall be as excellent oil;
Let my head not refuse it.

For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked.
Their judges are overthrown by the sides of the [dm]cliff,
And they hear my words, for they are sweet.
Our bones are scattered at the mouth of the grave,
As when one plows and breaks up the earth.

But (RM)my eyes are upon You, O God the Lord;
In You I take refuge;
[dn]Do not leave my soul destitute.
Keep me from (RN)the snares they have laid for me,
And from the traps of the workers of iniquity.
10 (RO)Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
While I escape safely.

A Plea for Relief from Persecutors

A (RP)Contemplation[do] of David. A Prayer (RQ)when he was in the cave.

142 I cry out to the Lord with my voice;
With my voice to the Lord I make my supplication.
I pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare before Him my trouble.

When my spirit [dp]was (RR)overwhelmed within me,
Then You knew my path.
In the way in which I walk
They have secretly (RS)set a snare for me.
Look on my right hand and see,
For there is no one who acknowledges me;
Refuge has failed me;
No one cares for my soul.

I cried out to You, O Lord:
I said, “You are my refuge,
My portion in the land of the living.
[dq]Attend to my cry,
For I am brought very low;
Deliver me from my persecutors,
For they are stronger than I.
Bring my soul out of prison,
That I may (RT)praise Your name;
The righteous shall surround me,
For You shall deal bountifully with me.”

An Earnest Appeal for Guidance and Deliverance

A Psalm of David.

143 Hear my prayer, O Lord,
Give ear to my supplications!
In Your faithfulness answer me,
And in Your righteousness.
Do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
(RU)For in Your sight no one living is righteous.

For the enemy has persecuted my soul;
He has crushed my life to the ground;
He has made me dwell in [dr]darkness,
Like those who have long been dead.
(RV)Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;
My heart within me is distressed.

(RW)I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all Your works;
I [ds]muse on the work of Your hands.
I spread out my hands to You;
(RX)My soul longs for You like a thirsty land. Selah

Answer me speedily, O Lord;
My spirit fails!
Do not hide Your face from me,
(RY)Lest I [dt]be like those who [du]go down into the pit.
Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness (RZ)in the morning,
For in You do I trust;
(SA)Cause me to know the way in which I should walk,
For (SB)I lift up my soul to You.

Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies;
[dv]In You I take shelter.
10 (SC)Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
(SD)Your Spirit is good.
Lead me in (SE)the land of uprightness.

11 (SF)Revive me, O Lord, for Your name’s sake!
For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.
12 In Your mercy (SG)cut[dw] off my enemies,
And destroy all those who afflict my soul;
For I am Your servant.

A Song to the Lord Who Preserves and Prospers His People

A Psalm of David.

144 Blessed be the Lord my Rock,
(SH)Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle—
My lovingkindness and my fortress,
My high tower and my deliverer,
My shield and the One in whom I take refuge,
Who subdues [dx]my people under me.

(SI)Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?
Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?
(SJ)Man is like a breath;
(SK)His days are like a passing shadow.

(SL)Bow down Your heavens, O Lord, and come down;
(SM)Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
(SN)Flash forth lightning and scatter them;
Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them.
Stretch out Your hand from above;
Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters,
From the hand of foreigners,
Whose mouth (SO)speaks [dy]lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

I will (SP)sing a new song to You, O God;
On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
10 The One who gives [dz]salvation to kings,
(SQ)Who delivers David His servant
From the deadly sword.

11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners,
Whose mouth speaks lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood—
12 That our sons may be (SR)as plants grown up in their youth;
That our daughters may be as [ea]pillars,
Sculptured in palace style;
13 That our barns may be full,
Supplying all kinds of produce;
That our sheep may bring forth thousands
And ten thousands in our fields;
14 That our oxen may be well laden;
That there be no [eb]breaking in or going out;
That there be no outcry in our streets.
15 (SS)Happy are the people who are in such a state;
Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!

A Song of God’s Majesty and Love

(ST)A Praise of David.

145 I will [ec]extol You, my God, O King;
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
(SU)Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
And (SV)His greatness is [ed]unsearchable.

(SW)One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
[ee]I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
And [ef]on Your wondrous works.
Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,
And I will declare Your greatness.
They shall [eg]utter the memory of Your great goodness,
And shall sing of Your righteousness.

(SX)The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.
(SY)The Lord is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works.

10 (SZ)All Your works shall praise You, O Lord,
And Your saints shall bless You.
11 They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,
And talk of Your power,
12 To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,
And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
13 (TA)Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all [eh]generations.

14 The Lord upholds all who fall,
And (TB)raises up all who are bowed down.
15 (TC)The eyes of all look expectantly to You,
And (TD)You give them their food in due season.
16 You open Your hand
(TE)And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

17 The Lord is righteous in all His ways,
Gracious in all His works.
18 (TF)The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him (TG)in truth.
19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He also will hear their cry and save them.
20 (TH)The Lord preserves all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord,
And all flesh shall bless His holy name
Forever and ever.

The Happiness of Those Whose Help Is the Lord

146 Praise[ei] the Lord!

(TI)Praise the Lord, O my soul!
(TJ)While I live I will praise the Lord;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

(TK)Do not put your trust in princes,
Nor in [ej]a son of man, in whom there is no [ek]help.
(TL)His spirit departs, he returns to his earth;
In that very day (TM)his plans perish.

(TN)Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,
Whose hope is in the Lord his God,
(TO)Who made heaven and earth,
The sea, and all that is in them;
Who keeps truth forever,
(TP)Who executes justice for the oppressed,
(TQ)Who gives food to the hungry.
(TR)The Lord gives freedom to the prisoners.

(TS)The Lord opens the eyes of the blind;
(TT)The Lord raises those who are bowed down;
The Lord loves the righteous.
(TU)The Lord watches over the strangers;
He relieves the fatherless and widow;
(TV)But the way of the wicked He [el]turns upside down.

10 (TW)The Lord shall reign forever—
Your God, O Zion, to all generations.

Praise the Lord!

Praise to God for His Word and Providence

147 Praise[em] the Lord!
For (TX)it is good to sing praises to our God;
(TY)For it is pleasant, and (TZ)praise is beautiful.

The Lord (UA)builds up Jerusalem;
(UB)He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.
(UC)He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their [en]wounds.
(UD)He counts the number of the stars;
He calls them all by name.
(UE)Great is our Lord, and (UF)mighty in power;
(UG)His understanding is infinite.
(UH)The Lord lifts up the humble;
He casts the wicked down to the ground.

Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
Sing praises on the harp to our God,
(UI)Who covers the heavens with clouds,
Who prepares rain for the earth,
Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.
(UJ)He gives to the beast its food,
And (UK)to the young ravens that cry.

10 (UL)He does not delight in the strength of the horse;
He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
11 The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
In those who hope in His mercy.

12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For He has strengthened the bars of your gates;
He has blessed your children within you.
14 (UM)He makes peace in your borders,
And (UN)fills you with [eo]the finest wheat.

15 (UO)He sends out His command to the earth;
His word runs very swiftly.
16 (UP)He gives snow like wool;
He scatters the frost like ashes;
17 He casts out His hail like [ep]morsels;
Who can stand before His cold?
18 (UQ)He sends out His word and melts them;
He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow.

19 (UR)He declares His word to Jacob,
(US)His statutes and His judgments to Israel.
20 (UT)He has not dealt thus with any nation;
And as for His judgments, they have not known them.

[eq]Praise the Lord!

Praise to the Lord from Creation

148 Praise[er] the Lord!

Praise the Lord from the heavens;
Praise Him in the heights!
Praise Him, all His angels;
Praise Him, all His hosts!
Praise Him, sun and moon;
Praise Him, all you stars of light!
Praise Him, (UU)you heavens of heavens,
And (UV)you waters above the heavens!

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
For (UW)He commanded and they were created.
(UX)He also established them forever and ever;
He made a decree which shall not pass away.

Praise the Lord from the earth,
(UY)You great sea creatures and all the depths;
Fire and hail, snow and clouds;
Stormy wind, fulfilling His word;
(UZ)Mountains and all hills;
Fruitful trees and all cedars;
10 Beasts and all cattle;
Creeping things and flying fowl;
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples;
Princes and all judges of the earth;
12 Both young men and maidens;
Old men and children.

13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
For His (VA)name alone is exalted;
His glory is above the earth and heaven.
14 And He (VB)has exalted the [es]horn of His people,
The praise of (VC)all His saints—
Of the children of Israel,
(VD)A people near to Him.

[et]Praise the Lord!

Praise to God for His Salvation and Judgment

149 Praise[eu] the Lord!

(VE)Sing to the Lord a new song,
And His praise in the assembly of saints.

Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;
Let the children of Zion be joyful in their (VF)King.
(VG)Let them praise His name with the dance;
Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp.
For (VH)the Lord takes pleasure in His people;
(VI)He will beautify the [ev]humble with salvation.

Let the saints be joyful in glory;
Let them (VJ)sing aloud on their beds.
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,
And (VK)a two-edged sword in their hand,
To execute vengeance on the nations,
And punishments on the peoples;
To bind their kings with chains,
And their nobles with fetters of iron;
(VL)To execute on them the written judgment—
(VM)This honor have all His saints.

[ew]Praise the Lord!

Let All Things Praise the Lord

150 Praise(VN)[ex] the Lord!

Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty [ey]firmament!

Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent (VO)greatness!

Praise Him with the sound of the [ez]trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

[fa]Praise the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 107:1 Heb. same as goodness, vv. 8, 15, 21, 31, and lovingkindness, v. 43
  2. Psalm 107:10 Prisoners
  3. Psalm 107:11 scorned
  4. Psalm 107:22 joyful singing
  5. Psalm 107:27 Lit. all their wisdom is swallowed up
  6. Psalm 107:34 Lit. a salty waste
  7. Psalm 108:4 skies
  8. Psalm 108:6 Lit. answer
  9. Psalm 108:8 Lit. protection
  10. Psalm 109:6 Heb. satan
  11. Psalm 109:10 wander continuously
  12. Psalm 109:10 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Vg. be cast out
  13. Psalm 109:13 descendants be destroyed
  14. Psalm 109:31 Lit. judging his soul
  15. Psalm 110:5 Lit. break kings in pieces
  16. Psalm 110:6 Lit. break in pieces
  17. Psalm 111:1 Heb. Hallelujah
  18. Psalm 111:6 inheritance
  19. Psalm 111:7 truth
  20. Psalm 112:1 Heb. Hallelujah
  21. Psalm 112:3 stands
  22. Psalm 112:9 Strength
  23. Psalm 113:1 Heb. Hallelujah
  24. Psalm 113:9 childless
  25. Psalm 114:1 who spoke unintelligibly
  26. Psalm 115:2 nations
  27. Psalm 115:12 has remembered us
  28. Psalm 116:3 Lit. cords
  29. Psalm 116:3 distresses
  30. Psalm 116:3 Lit. found me
  31. Psalm 116:19 Heb. Hallelujah
  32. Psalm 117:1 Praise
  33. Psalm 118:12 cut them off
  34. Psalm 118:18 disciplined
  35. Psalm 118:23 Lit. This is from the Lord
  36. Psalm 119:1 blameless
  37. Psalm 119:15 look into
  38. Psalm 119:20 is crushed
  39. Psalm 119:28 Lit. drops
  40. Psalm 119:28 grief
  41. Psalm 119:36 Cause me to long for
  42. Psalm 119:37 Lit. Cause my eyes to pass away from
  43. Psalm 119:37 So with MT, LXX, Vg.; Tg. Your words
  44. Psalm 119:42 taunts
  45. Psalm 119:45 Lit. in a wide place
  46. Psalm 119:69 Lit. smeared me with a lie
  47. Psalm 119:70 Insensible
  48. Psalm 119:75 Lit. righteous
  49. Psalm 119:89 Lit. stands firm
  50. Psalm 119:90 Lit. stands
  51. Psalm 119:95 give attention to
  52. Psalm 119:100 aged
  53. Psalm 119:109 In danger
  54. Psalm 119:111 inheritance
  55. Psalm 119:113 Lit. divided in heart or mind
  56. Psalm 119:117 Uphold me
  57. Psalm 119:119 destroy, lit. cause to cease
  58. Psalm 119:119 slag or refuse
  59. Psalm 119:122 guaranty
  60. Psalm 119:126 broken Your law
  61. Psalm 119:139 put an end to
  62. Psalm 119:140 Lit. refined or tried
  63. Psalm 119:143 Lit. found
  64. Psalm 119:156 Or Many
  65. Psalm 119:165 Lit. they have no stumbling block
  66. Psalm 119:170 Prayer of supplication
  67. Psalm 120:4 mighty one
  68. Psalm 121:3 slip
  69. Psalm 121:5 protector
  70. Psalm 121:7 keep
  71. Psalm 121:8 keep
  72. Psalm 122:4 Or As a testimony to
  73. Psalm 124:4 swept over
  74. Psalm 124:5 swept over
  75. Psalm 124:7 Persons who catch birds in a trap or snare
  76. Psalm 126:1 Those of the captivity
  77. Psalm 126:2 Gentiles
  78. Psalm 126:6 to and fro
  79. Psalm 126:6 Lit. a bag of seed for sowing
  80. Psalm 126:6 with shouts of joy
  81. Psalm 128:2 Fruit of the labor
  82. Psalm 129:1 persecuted
  83. Psalm 129:7 armsful, lit. bosom
  84. Psalm 130:3 take note of
  85. Psalm 131:1 Proud
  86. Psalm 131:1 Arrogant
  87. Psalm 131:1 Lit. walk in
  88. Psalm 131:1 difficult
  89. Psalm 132:6 Heb. Jaar, lit. Woods
  90. Psalm 132:10 Commissioned One, Heb. Messiah
  91. Psalm 132:11 offspring
  92. Psalm 132:13 home
  93. Psalm 132:15 supply of food
  94. Psalm 132:17 Government
  95. Psalm 132:17 Heb. Messiah
  96. Psalm 135:4 precious possession
  97. Psalm 135:7 Water vapor
  98. Psalm 135:8 Lit. struck down
  99. Psalm 135:8 Lit. From man to beast
  100. Psalm 135:12 inheritance
  101. Psalm 136:12 Mighty power
  102. Psalm 136:21 inheritance
  103. Psalm 137:7 Lit. Make bare
  104. Psalm 138:8 complete
  105. Psalm 139:3 Lit. winnow
  106. Psalm 139:5 enclosed
  107. Psalm 139:8 Or Sheol
  108. Psalm 139:11 Vg., Symmachus cover
  109. Psalm 139:12 Lit. is not dark
  110. Psalm 139:13 wove
  111. Psalm 139:14 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr., Vg. You are fearfully wonderful
  112. Psalm 139:15 Lit. bones were
  113. Psalm 139:19 Lit. men of bloodshed
  114. Psalm 139:20 LXX, Vg. They take Your cities in vain
  115. Psalm 139:22 complete
  116. Psalm 140:7 sheltered
  117. Psalm 141:6 rock
  118. Psalm 141:8 Lit. Do not make my soul bare
  119. Psalm 142:1 Heb. Maschil
  120. Psalm 142:3 Lit. fainted
  121. Psalm 142:6 Give heed
  122. Psalm 143:3 dark places
  123. Psalm 143:5 ponder
  124. Psalm 143:7 become
  125. Psalm 143:7 Die
  126. Psalm 143:9 LXX, Vg. To You I flee
  127. Psalm 143:12 put an end to
  128. Psalm 144:2 So with MT, LXX, Vg.; Syr., Tg. the peoples (cf. 18:47)
  129. Psalm 144:8 empty or worthless
  130. Psalm 144:10 deliverance
  131. Psalm 144:12 corner pillars
  132. Psalm 144:14 Lit. breach
  133. Psalm 145:1 praise
  134. Psalm 145:3 Beyond our understanding
  135. Psalm 145:5 So with MT, Tg.; DSS, LXX, Syr., Vg. They
  136. Psalm 145:5 Lit. on the words of Your wondrous works
  137. Psalm 145:7 eagerly utter, lit. bubble forth
  138. Psalm 145:13 So with MT, Tg.; DSS, LXX, Syr., Vg. add The Lord is faithful in all His words, And holy in all His works
  139. Psalm 146:1 Heb. Hallelujah
  140. Psalm 146:3 A human being
  141. Psalm 146:3 salvation
  142. Psalm 146:9 Lit. makes crooked
  143. Psalm 147:1 Heb. Hallelujah
  144. Psalm 147:3 Lit. sorrows
  145. Psalm 147:14 Lit. fat of wheat
  146. Psalm 147:17 fragments of food
  147. Psalm 147:20 Heb. Hallelujah
  148. Psalm 148:1 Heb. Hallelujah
  149. Psalm 148:14 Strength or dominion
  150. Psalm 148:14 Heb. Hallelujah
  151. Psalm 149:1 Heb. Hallelujah
  152. Psalm 149:4 meek
  153. Psalm 149:9 Heb. Hallelujah
  154. Psalm 150:1 Heb. Hallelujah
  155. Psalm 150:1 expanse of heaven
  156. Psalm 150:3 cornet
  157. Psalm 150:6 Heb. Hallelujah

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