Psalm 133-139

New International Version

Psalm 133

A song of ascents. Of David.

¹How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together^(A) in unity!^(B)

²It is like precious oil poured on the head,^(C)
    running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
    down on the collar of his robe.
³It is as if the dew^(D) of Hermon^(E)
    were falling on Mount Zion.^(F)
For there the Lord bestows his blessing,^(G)
    even life forevermore.^(H)

Psalm 134

A song of ascents.

¹Praise the Lord, all you servants^(I) of the Lord
who minister^(J) by night^(K) in the house of the Lord.
²Lift up your hands^(L) in the sanctuary^(M)
and praise the Lord.^(N)

³May the Lord bless you from Zion,^(O)
he who is the Maker of heaven^(P) and earth.

Psalm 135^(Q)

¹Praise the Lord.^[a]

Praise the name of the Lord;
praise him, you servants^(R) of the Lord,
²you who minister in the house^(S) of the Lord,
in the courts^(T) of the house of our God.

³Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;^(U)
sing praise to his name,^(V) for that is pleasant.^(W)
⁴For the Lord has chosen Jacob^(X) to be his own,
Israel to be his treasured possession.^(Y)

⁵I know that the Lord is great,^(Z)
    that our Lord is greater than all gods.^(AA)
⁶The Lord does whatever pleases him,^(AB)
    in the heavens and on the earth,^(AC)
    in the seas and all their depths.
⁷He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth;
    he sends lightning with the rain^(AD)
    and brings out the wind^(AE) from his storehouses.^(AF)

⁸He struck down the firstborn^(AG) of Egypt,
    the firstborn of people and animals.
⁹He sent his signs^(AH) and wonders into your midst, Egypt,
    against Pharaoh and all his servants.^(AI)
¹⁰He struck down many^(AJ) nations
    and killed mighty kings—
¹¹Sihon^(AK) king of the Amorites,^(AL)
    Og king of Bashan,^(AM)
    and all the kings of Canaan^(AN)—
¹²and he gave their land as an inheritance,^(AO)
    an inheritance to his people Israel.

¹³Your name, Lord, endures forever,^(AP)
your renown,^(AQ) Lord, through all generations.
¹⁴For the Lord will vindicate his people^(AR)
and have compassion on his servants.^(AS)

¹⁵The idols of the nations^(AT) are silver and gold,
    made by human hands.^(AU)
¹⁶They have mouths, but cannot speak,^(AV)
    eyes, but cannot see.
¹⁷They have ears, but cannot hear,
    nor is there breath^(AW) in their mouths.
¹⁸Those who make them will be like them,
    and so will all who trust in them.

¹⁹All you Israelites, praise the Lord;^(AX)
    house of Aaron, praise the Lord;
²⁰house of Levi, praise the Lord;
    you who fear him, praise the Lord.
²¹Praise be to the Lord from Zion,^(AY)
    to him who dwells in Jerusalem.^(AZ)

Praise the Lord.

Psalm 136

¹Give thanks^(BA) to the Lord, for he is good.^(BB)
His love endures forever.^(BC)
²Give thanks^(BD) to the God of gods.^(BE)
His love endures forever.
³Give thanks^(BF) to the Lord of lords:^(BG)
His love endures forever.

⁴to him who alone does great wonders,^(BH)
His love endures forever.
⁵who by his understanding^(BI) made the heavens,^(BJ)
His love endures forever.
⁶who spread out the earth^(BK) upon the waters,^(BL)
His love endures forever.
⁷who made the great lights^(BM)—
His love endures forever.
⁸the sun to govern^(BN) the day,
His love endures forever.
⁹the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.

¹⁰to him who struck down the firstborn^(BO) of Egypt
His love endures forever.
¹¹and brought Israel out^(BP) from among them
His love endures forever.
¹²with a mighty hand^(BQ) and outstretched arm;^(BR)
His love endures forever.

¹³to him who divided the Red Sea^[b]^(BS) asunder
His love endures forever.
¹⁴and brought Israel through^(BT) the midst of it,
His love endures forever.
¹⁵but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;^(BU)
His love endures forever.

¹⁶to him who led his people through the wilderness;^(BV)
His love endures forever.

¹⁷to him who struck down great kings,^(BW)
His love endures forever.
¹⁸and killed mighty kings^(BX)—
His love endures forever.
¹⁹Sihon king of the Amorites^(BY)
His love endures forever.
²⁰and Og king of Bashan^(BZ)—
His love endures forever.
²¹and gave their land^(CA) as an inheritance,^(CB)
His love endures forever.
²²an inheritance^(CC) to his servant Israel.^(CD)
His love endures forever.

²³He remembered us^(CE) in our low estate
His love endures forever.
²⁴and freed us^(CF) from our enemies.^(CG)
His love endures forever.
²⁵He gives food^(CH) to every creature.
His love endures forever.

²⁶Give thanks^(CI) to the God of heaven.^(CJ)
His love endures forever.^(CK)

Psalm 137

¹By the rivers of Babylon^(CL) we sat and wept^(CM)
    when we remembered Zion.^(CN)
²There on the poplars^(CO)
    we hung our harps,^(CP)
³for there our captors^(CQ) asked us for songs,
    our tormentors demanded^(CR) songs of joy;
    they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”^(CS)

⁴How can we sing the songs of the Lord^(CT)
    while in a foreign land?
⁵If I forget you,^(CU) Jerusalem,
    may my right hand forget its skill.
⁶May my tongue cling to the roof^(CV) of my mouth
    if I do not remember^(CW) you,
if I do not consider Jerusalem^(CX)
    my highest joy.

⁷Remember, Lord, what the Edomites^(CY) did
    on the day Jerusalem fell.^(CZ)
“Tear it down,” they cried,
    “tear it down to its foundations!”^(DA)
⁸Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction,^(DB)
    happy is the one who repays you
    according to what you have done to us.
⁹Happy is the one who seizes your infants
    and dashes them^(DC) against the rocks.

Psalm 138

Of David.

¹I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
    before the “gods”^(DD) I will sing^(DE) your praise.
²I will bow down toward your holy temple^(DF)
    and will praise your name^(DG)
    for your unfailing love and your faithfulness,^(DH)
for you have so exalted your solemn decree
    that it surpasses your fame.^(DI)
³When I called,^(DJ) you answered me;^(DK)
    you greatly emboldened^(DL) me.

⁴May all the kings of the earth^(DM) praise you, Lord,
when they hear what you have decreed.
⁵May they sing^(DN) of the ways of the Lord,
for the glory of the Lord^(DO) is great.

⁶Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;^(DP)
    though lofty, he sees them^(DQ) from afar.
⁷Though I walk^(DR) in the midst of trouble,
    you preserve my life.^(DS)
You stretch out your hand^(DT) against the anger of my foes;^(DU)
    with your right hand^(DV) you save me.^(DW)
⁸The Lord will vindicate^(DX) me;
    your love, Lord, endures forever^(DY)—
    do not abandon^(DZ) the works of your hands.^(EA)

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

¹You have searched me,^(EB) Lord,
    and you know^(EC) me.
²You know when I sit and when I rise;^(ED)
    you perceive my thoughts^(EE) from afar.
³You discern my going out^(EF) and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.^(EG)
⁴Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.^(EH)
⁵You hem me in^(EI) behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,^(EJ)
    too lofty^(EK) for me to attain.

⁷Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee^(EL) from your presence?
⁸If I go up to the heavens,^(EM) you are there;
    if I make my bed^(EN) in the depths, you are there.
⁹If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰even there your hand will guide me,^(EO)
    your right hand^(EP) will hold me fast.
¹¹If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
¹²even the darkness will not be dark^(EQ) to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

¹³For you created my inmost being;^(ER)
    you knit me together^(ES) in my mother’s womb.^(ET)
¹⁴I praise you^(EU) because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,^(EV)
    I know that full well.
¹⁵My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made^(EW) in the secret place,
    when I was woven together^(EX) in the depths of the earth.^(EY)
¹⁶Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained^(EZ) for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
¹⁷How precious to me are your thoughts,^[c]^(FA) God!^(FB)
    How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸Were I to count them,^(FC)
    they would outnumber the grains of sand^(FD)—
    when I awake,^(FE) I am still with you.

¹⁹If only you, God, would slay the wicked!^(FF)
    Away from me,^(FG) you who are bloodthirsty!^(FH)
²⁰They speak of you with evil intent;
    your adversaries^(FI) misuse your name.^(FJ)
²¹Do I not hate those^(FK) who hate you, Lord,
    and abhor^(FL) those who are in rebellion against you?
²²I have nothing but hatred for them;
    I count them my enemies.^(FM)
²³Search me,^(FN) God, and know my heart;^(FO)
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴See if there is any offensive way^(FP) in me,
    and lead me^(FQ) in the way everlasting.