Historical
Psalm 115[a]
The Greatness of the True God
I
1 Not to us, Lord, not to us
but to your name give glory
because of your mercy and faithfulness.(A)
2 Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”[b](B)
3 Our God is in heaven
and does whatever he wills.(C)
II
4 Their idols are silver and gold,(D)
the work of human hands.(E)
5 They have mouths but do not speak,
eyes but do not see.
6 They have ears but do not hear,
noses but do not smell.
7 They have hands but do not feel,
feet but do not walk;
they produce no sound from their throats.
8 Their makers will be like them,
and anyone who trusts in them.
III
9 [c]The house of Israel trusts in the Lord,(F)
who is their help and shield.(G)
10 The house of Aaron trusts in the Lord,
who is their help and shield.
11 Those who fear the Lord trust in the Lord,
who is their help and shield.
12 The Lord remembers us and will bless us,
will bless the house of Israel,
will bless the house of Aaron,
13 Will bless those who fear the Lord,
small and great alike.
14 May the Lord increase your number,
yours and your descendants.
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
maker of heaven and earth.
16 [d]The heavens belong to the Lord,
but he has given the earth to the children of Adam.(H)
17 [e]The dead do not praise the Lord,
not all those go down into silence.(I)
18 It is we who bless the Lord,
both now and forever.
Hallelujah!
Psalm 116[f]
Thanksgiving to God Who Saves from Death
I
1 I love the Lord, who listened
to my voice in supplication,
2 Who turned an ear to me
on the day I called.
3 I was caught by the cords of death;[g](J)
the snares of Sheol had seized me;
I felt agony and dread.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord,
“O Lord, save my life!”
II
5 Gracious is the Lord and righteous;
yes, our God is merciful.(K)
6 The Lord protects the simple;
I was helpless, but he saved me.
7 Return, my soul, to your rest;
the Lord has been very good to you.(L)
8 For my soul has been freed from death,
my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.(M)
9 I shall walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.[h](N)
III
10 [i]I kept faith, even when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted!”(O)
11 I said in my alarm,
“All men are liars!”(P)
12 How can I repay the Lord
for all the great good done for me?
13 I will raise the cup of salvation[j]
and call on the name of the Lord.
14 I will pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.
15 [k]Dear in the eyes of the Lord
is the death of his devoted.(Q)
16 Lord, I am your servant,
your servant, the child of your maidservant;(R)
you have loosed my bonds.
17 I will offer a sacrifice of praise
and call on the name of the Lord.(S)
18 I will pay my vows to the Lord(T)
in the presence of all his people,
19 In the courts of the house of the Lord,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Hallelujah!
Psalm 117[l]
The Nations Called to Praise
1 Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Extol him, all you peoples!(U)
2 His mercy for us is strong;
the faithfulness of the Lord is forever.
Hallelujah!
Psalm 118[m]
Hymn of Thanksgiving
I
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,(V)
his mercy endures forever.
2 Let Israel say:
his mercy endures forever.
3 Let the house of Aaron say,
his mercy endures forever.
4 Let those who fear the Lord say,(W)
his mercy endures forever.
II
5 In danger I called on the Lord;
the Lord answered me and set me free.
6 The Lord is with me; I am not afraid;
what can mortals do against me?(X)
7 The Lord is with me as my helper;
I shall look in triumph on my foes.
8 Better to take refuge in the Lord(Y)
than to put one’s trust in mortals.
9 Better to take refuge in the Lord
than to put one’s trust in princes.
III
10 All the nations surrounded me;
in the Lord’s name I cut them off.
11 They surrounded me on every side;
in the Lord’s name I cut them off.
12 They surrounded me like bees;(Z)
they burned up like fire among thorns;
in the Lord’s name I cut them off.
13 I was hard pressed and falling,
but the Lord came to my help.(AA)
14 The Lord, my strength and might,
has become my savior.(AB)
IV
15 The joyful shout of deliverance
is heard in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand works valiantly;
16 the Lord’s right hand is raised;
the Lord’s right hand works valiantly.”
17 I shall not die but live
and declare the deeds of the Lord.
18 The Lord chastised me harshly,
but did not hand me over to death.
V
19 Open the gates of righteousness;
I will enter and thank the Lord.(AC)
20 This is the Lord’s own gate,
through it the righteous enter.
21 I thank you for you answered me;
you have been my savior.
22 [n]The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.(AD)
23 By the Lord has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
24 This is the day the Lord has made;
let us rejoice in it and be glad.
25 Lord, grant salvation![o]
Lord, grant good fortune!
VI
26 Blessed is he
who comes in the name of the Lord.(AE)
We bless you from the house of the Lord.
27 The Lord is God and has enlightened us.
Join in procession with leafy branches
up to the horns of the altar.
VII
28 You are my God, I give you thanks;
my God, I offer you praise.
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
his mercy endures forever.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.