א (Alef)
119:1 How blessed are those whose actions are blameless,
who obey the law of the Lord.
119:2 How blessed are those who observe his rules,
and seek him with all their heart,
119:3 who, moreover, do no wrong,
but follow in his footsteps.
119:4 You demand that your precepts
be carefully kept.
119:5 If only I were predisposed
to keep your statutes!
119:6 Then I would not be ashamed,
if I were focused on all your commands.
119:7 I will give you sincere thanks,
when I learn your just regulations.
119:8 I will keep your statutes.
Do not completely abandon me!
ב (Bet)
119:9 How can a young person maintain a pure life?
By guarding it according to your instructions!
119:10 With all my heart I seek you.
Do not allow me to stray from your commands!
119:11 In my heart I store up your words,
so I might not sin against you.
119:12 You deserve praise, O Lord!
Teach me your statutes!
119:13 With my lips I proclaim
all the regulations you have revealed.
119:14 I rejoice in the lifestyle prescribed by your rules
as if they were riches of all kinds.
119:15 I will meditate on your precepts
and focus on your behavior.
119:16 I find delight in your statutes;
I do not forget your instructions.
ג (Gimel)
119:17 Be kind to your servant!
Then I will live and keep your instructions.
119:18 Open my eyes so I can truly see
the marvelous things in your law!
119:19 I am like a foreigner in this land.
Do not hide your commands from me!
119:20 I desperately long to know
your regulations at all times.
119:21 You reprimand arrogant people.
Those who stray from your commands are doomed.
119:22 Spare me shame and humiliation,
for I observe your rules.
119:23 Though rulers plot and slander me,
your servant meditates on your statutes.
119:24 Yes, I find delight in your rules;
they give me guidance.
ד (Dalet)
119:25 I collapse in the dirt.
Revive me with your word!
119:26 I told you about my ways and you answered me.
Teach me your statutes!
119:27 Help me to understand what your precepts mean!
Then I can meditate on your marvelous teachings.
119:28 I collapse from grief.
Sustain me by your word!
119:29 Remove me from the path of deceit!
Graciously give me your law!
119:30 I choose the path of faithfulness;
I am committed to your regulations.
119:31 I hold fast to your rules.
O Lord, do not let me be ashamed!
119:32 I run along the path of your commands,
for you enable me to do so.
ה (He)
119:33 Teach me, O Lord, the lifestyle prescribed by your statutes,
so that I might observe it continually.
119:34 Give me understanding so that I might observe your law,
and keep it with all my heart.
119:35 Guide me in the path of your commands,
for I delight to walk in it.
119:36 Give me a desire for your rules,
rather than for wealth gained unjustly.
119:37 Turn my eyes away from what is worthless!
Revive me with your word!
119:38 Confirm to your servant your promise,
which you made to the one who honors you.
119:39 Take away the insults that I dread!
Indeed, your regulations are good.
119:40 Look, I long for your precepts.
Revive me with your deliverance!
ו (Vav)
119:41 May I experience your loyal love, O Lord,
and your deliverance, as you promised.
119:42 Then I will have a reply for the one who insults me,
for I trust in your word.
119:43 Do not completely deprive me of a truthful testimony,
for I await your justice.
119:44 Then I will keep your law continually
now and for all time.
119:45 I will be secure,
for I seek your precepts.
119:46 I will speak about your regulations before kings
and not be ashamed.
119:47 I will find delight in your commands,
which I love.
119:48 I will lift my hands to your commands,
which I love,
and I will meditate on your statutes.
ז (Zayin)
119:49 Remember your word to your servant,
for you have given me hope.
119:50 This is what comforts me in my trouble,
for your promise revives me.
119:51 Arrogant people do nothing but scoff at me.
Yet I do not turn aside from your law.
119:52 I remember your ancient regulations,
O Lord, and console myself.
119:53 Rage takes hold of me because of the wicked,
those who reject your law.
119:54 Your statutes have been my songs
in the house where I live.
119:55 I remember your name during the night, O Lord,
and I will keep your law.
119:56 This has been my practice,
for I observe your precepts.
ח (Khet)
119:57 The Lord is my source of security.
I have determined to follow your instructions.
119:58 I seek your favor with all my heart.
Have mercy on me as you promised!
119:59 I consider my actions
and follow your rules.
119:60 I keep your commands
eagerly and without delay.
119:61 The ropes of the wicked tighten around me,
but I do not forget your law.
119:62 In the middle of the night I arise to thank you
for your just regulations.
119:63 I am a friend to all your loyal followers,
and to those who keep your precepts.
119:64 O Lord, your loyal love fills the earth.
Teach me your statutes!
ט (Tet)
119:65 You are good to your servant,
O Lord, just as you promised.
119:66 Teach me proper discernment and understanding!
For I consider your commands to be reliable.
119:67 Before I was afflicted I used to stray off,
but now I keep your instructions.
119:68 You are good and you do good.
Teach me your statutes!
119:69 Arrogant people smear my reputation with lies,
but I observe your precepts with all my heart.
119:70 Their hearts are calloused,
but I find delight in your law.
119:71 It was good for me to suffer,
so that I might learn your statutes.
119:72 The law you have revealed is more important to me
than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.
י (Yod)
119:73 Your hands made me and formed me.
Give me understanding so that I might learn your commands.
119:74 Your loyal followers will be glad when they see me,
for I find hope in your word.
119:75 I know, Lord, that your regulations are just.
You disciplined me because of your faithful devotion to me.
119:76 May your loyal love console me,
as you promised your servant.
119:77 May I experience your compassion, so I might live!
For I find delight in your law.
119:78 May the arrogant be humiliated, for they have slandered me!
But I meditate on your precepts.
119:79 May your loyal followers turn to me,
those who know your rules.
119:80 May I be fully committed to your statutes,
so that I might not be ashamed.
כ (Kaf)
119:81 I desperately long for your deliverance.
I find hope in your word.
119:82 My eyes grow tired as I wait for your promise to be fulfilled.
I say, “When will you comfort me?”
119:83 For I am like a wineskin dried up in smoke.
I do not forget your statutes.
119:84 How long must your servant endure this?
When will you judge those who pursue me?
119:85 The arrogant dig pits to trap me,
which violates your law.
119:86 All your commands are reliable.
I am pursued without reason. Help me!
119:87 They have almost destroyed me here on the earth,
but I do not reject your precepts.
119:88 Revive me with your loyal love,
that I might keep the rules you have revealed.
ל (Lamed)
119:89 O Lord, your instructions endure;
they stand secure in heaven.
119:90 You demonstrate your faithfulness to all generations.
You established the earth and it stood firm.
119:91 Today they stand firm by your decrees,
for all things are your servants.
119:92 If I had not found encouragement in your law,
I would have died in my sorrow.
119:93 I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have revived me.
119:94 I belong to you. Deliver me!
For I seek your precepts.
119:95 The wicked prepare to kill me,
yet I concentrate on your rules.
119:96 I realize that everything has its limits,
but your commands are beyond full comprehension.
מ (Mem)
119:97 O how I love your law!
All day long I meditate on it.
119:98 Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,
for I am always aware of them.
119:99 I have more insight than all my teachers,
for I meditate on your rules.
119:100 I am more discerning than those older than I,
for I observe your precepts.
119:101 I stay away from the evil path,
so that I might keep your instructions.
119:102 I do not turn aside from your regulations,
for you teach me.
119:103 Your words are sweeter
in my mouth than honey!
119:104 Your precepts give me discernment.
Therefore I hate all deceitful actions.
נ (Nun)
119:105 Your word is a lamp to walk by,
and a light to illumine my path.
119:106 I have vowed and solemnly sworn
to keep your just regulations.
119:107 I am suffering terribly.
O Lord, revive me with your word!
119:108 O Lord, please accept the freewill offerings of my praise!
Teach me your regulations!
119:109 My life is in continual danger,
but I do not forget your law.
119:110 The wicked lay a trap for me,
but I do not wander from your precepts.
119:111 I claim your rules as my permanent possession,
for they give me joy.
119:112 I am determined to obey your statutes
at all times, to the very end.
ס (Samek)
119:113 I hate people with divided loyalties,
but I love your law.
119:114 You are my hiding place and my shield.
I find hope in your word.
119:115 Turn away from me, you evil men,
so that I can observe the commands of my God.
119:116 Sustain me as you promised, so that I will live.
Do not disappoint me!
119:117 Support me, so that I will be delivered.
Then I will focus on your statutes continually.
119:118 You despise all who stray from your statutes,
for they are deceptive and unreliable.
119:119 You remove all the wicked of the earth like slag.
Therefore I love your rules.
119:120 My body trembles because I fear you;
I am afraid of your judgments.
ע (Ayin)
119:121 I do what is fair and right.
Do not abandon me to my oppressors!
119:122 Guarantee the welfare of your servant!
Do not let the arrogant oppress me!
119:123 My eyes grow tired as I wait for your deliverance,
for your reliable promise to be fulfilled.
119:124 Show your servant your loyal love!
Teach me your statutes!
119:125 I am your servant. Give me insight,
so that I can understand your rules.
119:126 It is time for the Lord to act –
they break your law!
119:127 For this reason I love your commands
more than gold, even purest gold.
119:128 For this reason I carefully follow all your precepts.
I hate all deceitful actions.
פ (Pe)
119:129 Your rules are marvelous.
Therefore I observe them.
119:130 Your instructions are a doorway through which light shines.
They give insight to the untrained.
119:131 I open my mouth and pant,
because I long for your commands.
119:132 Turn toward me and extend mercy to me,
as you typically do to your loyal followers.
119:133 Direct my steps by your word!
Do not let any sin dominate me!
119:134 Deliver me from oppressive men,
so that I can keep your precepts.
119:135 Smile on your servant!
Teach me your statutes!
119:136 Tears stream down from my eyes,
because people do not keep your law.
צ (Tsade)
119:137 You are just, O Lord,
and your judgments are fair.
119:138 The rules you impose are just,
and absolutely reliable.
119:139 My zeal consumes me,
for my enemies forget your instructions.
119:140 Your word is absolutely pure,
and your servant loves it!
119:141 I am insignificant and despised,
yet I do not forget your precepts.
119:142 Your justice endures,
and your law is reliable.
119:143 Distress and hardship confront me,
yet I find delight in your commands.
119:144 Your rules remain just.
Give me insight so that I can live.
ק (Qof)
119:145 I cried out with all my heart, “Answer me, O Lord!
I will observe your statutes.”
119:146 I cried out to you, “Deliver me,
so that I can keep your rules.”
119:147 I am up before dawn crying for help.
I find hope in your word.
119:148 My eyes anticipate the nighttime hours,
so that I can meditate on your word.
119:149 Listen to me because of your loyal love!
O Lord, revive me, as you typically do!
119:150 Those who are eager to do wrong draw near;
they are far from your law.
119:151 You are near, O Lord,
and all your commands are reliable.
119:152 I learned long ago that
you ordained your rules to last.
ר (Resh)
119:153 See my pain and rescue me!
For I do not forget your law.
119:154 Fight for me and defend me!
Revive me with your word!
119:155 The wicked have no chance for deliverance,
for they do not seek your statutes.
119:156 Your compassion is great, O Lord.
Revive me, as you typically do!
119:157 The enemies who chase me are numerous.
Yet I do not turn aside from your rules.
119:158 I take note of the treacherous and despise them,
because they do not keep your instructions.
119:159 See how I love your precepts!
O Lord, revive me with your loyal love!
119:160 Your instructions are totally reliable;
all your just regulations endure.
שׂ/שׁ (Sin/Shin)
119:161 Rulers pursue me for no reason,
yet I am more afraid of disobeying your instructions.
119:162 I rejoice in your instructions,
like one who finds much plunder.
119:163 I hate and despise deceit;
I love your law.
119:164 Seven times a day I praise you
because of your just regulations.
119:165 Those who love your law are completely secure;
nothing causes them to stumble.
119:166 I hope for your deliverance, O Lord,
and I obey your commands.
119:167 I keep your rules;
I love them greatly.
119:168 I keep your precepts and rules,
for you are aware of everything I do.
ת (Tav)
119:169 Listen to my cry for help, O Lord!
Give me insight by your word!
119:170 Listen to my appeal for mercy!
Deliver me, as you promised.
119:171 May praise flow freely from my lips,
for you teach me your statutes.
119:172 May my tongue sing about your instructions,
for all your commands are just.
119:173 May your hand help me,
for I choose to obey your precepts.
119:174 I long for your deliverance, O Lord;
I find delight in your law.
119:175 May I live and praise you!
May your regulations help me!
119:176 I have wandered off like a lost sheep.
Come looking for your servant,
for I do not forget your commands.
A song of ascents.
120:1 In my distress I cried out
to the Lord and he answered me.
120:2 I said, “O Lord, rescue me
from those who lie with their lips
and those who deceive with their tongue.
120:3 How will he severely punish you,
you deceptive talker?
120:4 Here’s how! With the sharp arrows of warriors,
with arrowheads forged over the hot coals.
120:5 How miserable I am!
For I have lived temporarily in Meshech;
I have resided among the tents of Kedar.
120:6 For too long I have had to reside
with those who hate peace.
120:7 I am committed to peace,
but when I speak, they want to make war.
A song of ascents.
121:1 I look up toward the hills.
From where does my help come?
121:2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Creator of heaven and earth!
121:3 May he not allow your foot to slip!
May your protector not sleep!
121:4 Look! Israel’s protector
does not sleep or slumber!
121:5 The Lord is your protector;
the Lord is the shade at your right hand.
121:6 The sun will not harm you by day,
or the moon by night.
121:7 The Lord will protect you from all harm;
he will protect your life.
121:8 The Lord will protect you in all you do,
now and forevermore.
A song of ascents, by David.
122:1 I was glad because they said to me,
“We will go to the Lord’s temple.”
122:2 Our feet are standing
inside your gates, O Jerusalem.
122:3 Jerusalem is a city designed
to accommodate an assembly.
122:4 The tribes go up there,
the tribes of the Lord,
where it is required that Israel
give thanks to the name of the Lord.
122:5 Indeed, the leaders sit there on thrones and make legal decisions,
on the thrones of the house of David.
122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
May those who love her prosper!
122:7 May there be peace inside your defenses,
and prosperity inside your fortresses!
122:8 For the sake of my brothers and my neighbors
I will say, “May there be peace in you!”
122:9 For the sake of the temple of the Lord our God
I will pray for you to prosper.
A song of ascents.
123:1 I look up toward you,
the one enthroned in heaven.
123:2 Look, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a female servant look to the hand of her mistress,
so my eyes will look to the Lord, our God, until he shows us favor.
123:3 Show us favor, O Lord, show us favor!
For we have had our fill of humiliation, and then some.
123:4 We have had our fill
of the taunts of the self-assured,
of the contempt of the proud.
A song of ascents, by David.
124:1 “If the Lord had not been on our side” –
let Israel say this! –
124:2 if the Lord had not been on our side,
when men attacked us,
124:3 they would have swallowed us alive,
when their anger raged against us.
124:4 The water would have overpowered us;
the current would have overwhelmed us.
124:5 The raging water
would have overwhelmed us.
124:6 The Lord deserves praise,
for he did not hand us over as prey to their teeth.
124:7 We escaped with our lives, like a bird from a hunter’s snare.
The snare broke, and we escaped.
124:8 Our deliverer is the Lord,
the Creator of heaven and earth.
A song of ascents.
125:1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion;
it cannot be upended and will endure forever.
125:2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the Lord surrounds his people,
now and forevermore.
125:3 Indeed, the scepter of a wicked king will not settle
upon the allotted land of the godly.
Otherwise the godly might
do what is wrong.
125:4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
to the morally upright!
125:5 As for those who are bent on traveling a sinful path,
may the Lord remove them, along with those who behave wickedly!
May Israel experience peace!
A song of ascents.
126:1 When the Lord restored the well-being of Zion,
we thought we were dreaming.
126:2 At that time we laughed loudly
and shouted for joy.
At that time the nations said,
“The Lord has accomplished great things for these people.”
126:3 The Lord did indeed accomplish great things for us.
We were happy.
126:4 O Lord, restore our well-being,
just as the streams in the arid south are replenished.
126:5 Those who shed tears as they plant
will shout for joy when they reap the harvest.
126:6 The one who weeps as he walks along, carrying his bag of seed,
will certainly come in with a shout of joy, carrying his sheaves of grain.
A song of ascents, by Solomon.
127:1 If the Lord does not build a house,
then those who build it work in vain.
If the Lord does not guard a city,
then the watchman stands guard in vain.
127:2 It is vain for you to rise early, come home late,
and work so hard for your food.
Yes, he can provide for those whom he loves even when they sleep.
127:3 Yes, sons are a gift from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb is a reward.
127:4 Sons born during one’s youth
are like arrows in a warrior’s hand.
127:5 How blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!
They will not be put to shame when they confront enemies at the city gate.
A song of ascents.
128:1 How blessed is every one of the Lord’s loyal followers,
each one who keeps his commands!
128:2 You will eat what you worked so hard to grow.
You will be blessed and secure.
128:3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
in the inner rooms of your house;
your children will be like olive branches,
as they sit all around your table.
128:4 Yes indeed, the man who fears the Lord
will be blessed in this way.
128:5 May the Lord bless you from Zion,
that you might see Jerusalem prosper
all the days of your life,
128:6 and that you might see your grandchildren.
May Israel experience peace!
A song of ascents.
129:1 “Since my youth they have often attacked me,”
let Israel say.
129:2 “Since my youth they have often attacked me,
but they have not defeated me.
129:3 The plowers plowed my back;
they made their furrows long.
129:4 The Lord is just;
he cut the ropes of the wicked.”
129:5 May all who hate Zion
be humiliated and turned back!
129:6 May they be like the grass on the rooftops
which withers before one can even pull it up,
129:7 which cannot fill the reaper’s hand,
or the lap of the one who gathers the grain!
129:8 Those who pass by will not say,
“May you experience the Lord’s blessing!
We pronounce a blessing on you in the name of the Lord.”
A song of ascents.
130:1 From the deep water I cry out to you, O Lord.
130:2 O Lord, listen to me!
Pay attention to my plea for mercy!
130:3 If you, O Lord, were to keep track of sins,
O Lord, who could stand before you?
130:4 But you are willing to forgive,
so that you might be honored.
130:5 I rely on the Lord,
I rely on him with my whole being;
I wait for his assuring word.
130:6 I yearn for the Lord,
more than watchmen do for the morning,
yes, more than watchmen do for the morning.
130:7 O Israel, hope in the Lord,
for the Lord exhibits loyal love,
and is more than willing to deliver.
130:8 He will deliver Israel
from all the consequences of their sins.
A song of ascents, by David.
131:1 O Lord, my heart is not proud,
nor do I have a haughty look.
I do not have great aspirations,
or concern myself with things that are beyond me.
131:2 Indeed I am composed and quiet,
like a young child carried by its mother;
I am content like the young child I carry.
131:3 O Israel, hope in the Lord
now and forevermore!
A song of ascents.
132:1 O Lord, for David’s sake remember
all his strenuous effort,
132:2 and how he made a vow to the Lord,
and swore an oath to the powerful ruler of Jacob.
132:3 He said, “I will not enter my own home,
or get into my bed.
132:4 I will not allow my eyes to sleep,
or my eyelids to slumber,
132:5 until I find a place for the Lord,
a fine dwelling place for the powerful ruler of Jacob.”
132:6 Look, we heard about it in Ephrathah,
we found it in the territory of Jaar.
132:7 Let us go to his dwelling place!
Let us worship before his footstool!
132:8 Ascend, O Lord, to your resting place,
you and the ark of your strength!
132:9 May your priests be clothed with integrity!
May your loyal followers shout for joy!
132:10 For the sake of David, your servant,
do not reject your chosen king!
132:11 The Lord made a reliable promise to David;
he will not go back on his word.
He said, “I will place one of your descendants on your throne.
132:12 If your sons keep my covenant
and the rules I teach them,
their sons will also sit on your throne forever.”
132:13 Certainly the Lord has chosen Zion;
he decided to make it his home.
132:14 He said, “This will be my resting place forever;
I will live here, for I have chosen it.
132:15 I will abundantly supply what she needs;
I will give her poor all the food they need.
132:16 I will protect her priests,
and her godly people will shout exuberantly.
132:17 There I will make David strong;
I have determined that my chosen king’s dynasty will continue.
132:18 I will humiliate his enemies,
and his crown will shine.
A song of ascents, by David.
133:1 Look! How good and how pleasant it is
when brothers live together!
133:2 It is like fine oil poured on the head
which flows down the beard –
Aaron’s beard,
and then flows down his garments.
133:3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
which flows down upon the hills of Zion.
Indeed that is where the Lord has decreed
a blessing will be available – eternal life.
A song of ascents.
134:1 Attention! Praise the Lord,
all you servants of the Lord,
who serve in the Lord’s temple during the night.
134:2 Lift your hands toward the sanctuary
and praise the Lord!
134:3 May the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth,
bless you from Zion!
135:1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord!
Offer praise, you servants of the Lord,
135:2 who serve in the Lord’s temple,
in the courts of the temple of our God.
135:3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good!
Sing praises to his name, for it is pleasant!
135:4 Indeed, the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel to be his special possession.
135:5 Yes, I know the Lord is great,
and our Lord is superior to all gods.
135:6 He does whatever he pleases
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all the ocean depths.
135:7 He causes the clouds to arise from the end of the earth,
makes lightning bolts accompany the rain,
and brings the wind out of his storehouses.
135:8 He struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
including both men and animals.
135:9 He performed awesome deeds and acts of judgment
in your midst, O Egypt,
against Pharaoh and all his servants.
135:10 He defeated many nations,
and killed mighty kings –
135:11 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
and Og, king of Bashan,
and all the kingdoms of Canaan.
135:12 He gave their land as an inheritance,
as an inheritance to Israel his people.
135:13 O Lord, your name endures,
your reputation, O Lord, lasts.
135:14 For the Lord vindicates his people,
and has compassion on his servants.
135:15 The nations’ idols are made of silver and gold,
they are man-made.
135:16 They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see,
135:17 and ears, but cannot hear.
Indeed, they cannot breathe.
135:18 Those who make them will end up like them,
as will everyone who trusts in them.
135:19 O family of Israel, praise the Lord!
O family of Aaron, praise the Lord!
135:20 O family of Levi, praise the Lord!
You loyal followers of the Lord, praise the Lord!
135:21 The Lord deserves praise in Zion –
he who dwells in Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord!
136:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his loyal love endures.
136:2 Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his loyal love endures.
136:3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his loyal love endures,
136:4 to the one who performs magnificent, amazing deeds all by himself,
for his loyal love endures,
136:5 to the one who used wisdom to make the heavens,
for his loyal love endures,
136:6 to the one who spread out the earth over the water,
for his loyal love endures,
136:7 to the one who made the great lights,
for his loyal love endures,
136:8 the sun to rule by day,
for his loyal love endures,
136:9 the moon and stars to rule by night,
for his loyal love endures,
136:10 to the one who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
for his loyal love endures,
136:11 and led Israel out from their midst,
for his loyal love endures,
136:12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his loyal love endures,
136:13 to the one who divided the Red Sea in two,
for his loyal love endures,
136:14 and led Israel through its midst,
for his loyal love endures,
136:15 and tossed Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea,
for his loyal love endures,
136:16 to the one who led his people through the wilderness,
for his loyal love endures,
136:17 to the one who struck down great kings,
for his loyal love endures,
136:18 and killed powerful kings,
for his loyal love endures,
136:19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for his loyal love endures,
136:20 Og, king of Bashan,
for his loyal love endures,
136:21 and gave their land as an inheritance,
for his loyal love endures,
136:22 as an inheritance to Israel his servant,
for his loyal love endures,
136:23 to the one who remembered us when we were down,
for his loyal love endures,
136:24 and snatched us away from our enemies,
for his loyal love endures,
136:25 to the one who gives food to all living things,
for his loyal love endures.
136:26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his loyal love endures!
137:1 By the rivers of Babylon
we sit down and weep
when we remember Zion.
137:2 On the poplars in her midst
we hang our harps,
137:3 for there our captors ask us to compose songs;
those who mock us demand that we be happy, saying:
“Sing for us a song about Zion!”
137:4 How can we sing a song to the Lord
in a foreign land?
137:5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
may my right hand be crippled!
137:6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth,
if I do not remember you,
and do not give Jerusalem priority
over whatever gives me the most joy.
137:7 Remember, O Lord, what the Edomites did
on the day Jerusalem fell.
They said, “Tear it down, tear it down,
right to its very foundation!”
137:8 O daughter Babylon, soon to be devastated!
How blessed will be the one who repays you
for what you dished out to us!
137:9 How blessed will be the one who grabs your babies
and smashes them on a rock!
By David.
138:1 I will give you thanks with all my heart;
before the heavenly assembly I will sing praises to you.
138:2 I will bow down toward your holy temple,
and give thanks to your name,
because of your loyal love and faithfulness,
for you have exalted your promise above the entire sky.
138:3 When I cried out for help, you answered me.
You made me bold and energized me.
138:4 Let all the kings of the earth give thanks to you, O Lord,
when they hear the words you speak.
138:5 Let them sing about the Lord’s deeds,
for the Lord’s splendor is magnificent.
138:6 Though the Lord is exalted, he takes note of the lowly,
and recognizes the proud from far away.
138:7 Even when I must walk in the midst of danger, you revive me.
You oppose my angry enemies,
and your right hand delivers me.
138:8 The Lord avenges me.
O Lord, your loyal love endures.
Do not abandon those whom you have made!
For the music director, a psalm of David.
139:1 O Lord, you examine me and know.
139:2 You know when I sit down and when I get up;
even from far away you understand my motives.
139:3 You carefully observe me when I travel or when I lie down to rest;
you are aware of everything I do.
139:4 Certainly my tongue does not frame a word
without you, O Lord, being thoroughly aware of it.
139:5 You squeeze me in from behind and in front;
you place your hand on me.
139:6 Your knowledge is beyond my comprehension;
it is so far beyond me, I am unable to fathom it.
139:7 Where can I go to escape your spirit?
Where can I flee to escape your presence?
139:8 If I were to ascend to heaven, you would be there.
If I were to sprawl out in Sheol, there you would be.
139:9 If I were to fly away on the wings of the dawn,
and settle down on the other side of the sea,
139:10 even there your hand would guide me,
your right hand would grab hold of me.
139:11 If I were to say, “Certainly the darkness will cover me,
and the light will turn to night all around me,”
139:12 even the darkness is not too dark for you to see,
and the night is as bright as day;
darkness and light are the same to you.
139:13 Certainly you made my mind and heart;
you wove me together in my mother’s womb.
139:14 I will give you thanks because your deeds are awesome and amazing.
You knew me thoroughly;
139:15 my bones were not hidden from you,
when I was made in secret
and sewed together in the depths of the earth.
139:16 Your eyes saw me when I was inside the womb.
All the days ordained for me
were recorded in your scroll
before one of them came into existence.
139:17 How difficult it is for me to fathom your thoughts about me, O God!
How vast is their sum total!
139:18 If I tried to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
Even if I finished counting them,
I would still have to contend with you.
139:19 If only you would kill the wicked, O God!
Get away from me, you violent men!
139:20 They rebel against you and act deceitfully;
your enemies lie.
139:21 O Lord, do I not hate those who hate you,
and despise those who oppose you?
139:22 I absolutely hate them,
they have become my enemies!
139:23 Examine me, and probe my thoughts!
Test me, and know my concerns!
139:24 See if there is any idolatrous tendency in me,
and lead me in the reliable ancient path!
For the music director; a psalm of David.
140:1 O Lord, rescue me from wicked men!
Protect me from violent men,
140:2 who plan ways to harm me.
All day long they stir up conflict.
140:3 Their tongues wound like a serpent;
a viper’s venom is behind their lips. (Selah)
140:4 O Lord, shelter me from the power of the wicked!
Protect me from violent men,
who plan to knock me over.
140:5 Proud men hide a snare for me;
evil men spread a net by the path;
they set traps for me. (Selah)
140:6 I say to the Lord, “You are my God.”
O Lord, pay attention to my plea for mercy!
140:7 O sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer,
you shield my head in the day of battle.
140:8 O Lord, do not let the wicked have their way!
Do not allow their plan to succeed when they attack! (Selah)
140:9 As for the heads of those who surround me –
may the harm done by their lips overwhelm them!
140:10 May he rain down fiery coals upon them!
May he throw them into the fire!
From bottomless pits they will not escape.
140:11 A slanderer will not endure on the earth;
calamity will hunt down a violent man and strike him down.
140:12 I know that the Lord defends the cause of the oppressed
and vindicates the poor.
140:13 Certainly the godly will give thanks to your name;
the morally upright will live in your presence.
A psalm of David.
141:1 O Lord, I cry out to you. Come quickly to me!
Pay attention to me when I cry out to you!
141:2 May you accept my prayer like incense,
my uplifted hands like the evening offering!
141:3 O Lord, place a guard on my mouth!
Protect the opening of my lips!
141:4 Do not let me have evil desires,
or participate in sinful activities
with men who behave wickedly.
I will not eat their delicacies.
141:5 May the godly strike me in love and correct me!
May my head not refuse choice oil!
Indeed, my prayer is a witness against their evil deeds.
141:6 They will be thrown down the side of a cliff by their judges.
They will listen to my words, for they are pleasant.
141:7 As when one plows and breaks up the soil,
so our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
141:8 Surely I am looking to you, O sovereign Lord.
In you I take shelter.
Do not expose me to danger!
141:9 Protect me from the snare they have laid for me,
and the traps the evildoers have set.
141:10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
while I escape.
A well-written song by David, when he was in the cave; a prayer.
142:1 To the Lord I cry out;
to the Lord I plead for mercy.
142:2 I pour out my lament before him;
I tell him about my troubles.
142:3 Even when my strength leaves me,
you watch my footsteps.
In the path where I walk
they have hidden a trap for me.
142:4 Look to the right and see!
No one cares about me.
I have nowhere to run;
no one is concerned about my life.
142:5 I cry out to you, O Lord;
I say, “You are my shelter,
my security in the land of the living.”
142:6 Listen to my cry for help,
for I am in serious trouble!
Rescue me from those who chase me,
for they are stronger than I am.
142:7 Free me from prison,
that I may give thanks to your name.
Because of me the godly will assemble,
for you will vindicate me.
A psalm of David.
143:1 O Lord, hear my prayer!
Pay attention to my plea for help!
Because of your faithfulness and justice, answer me!
143:2 Do not sit in judgment on your servant,
for no one alive is innocent before you.
143:3 Certainly my enemies chase me.
They smash me into the ground.
They force me to live in dark regions,
like those who have been dead for ages.
143:4 My strength leaves me;
I am absolutely shocked.
143:5 I recall the old days;
I meditate on all you have done;
I reflect on your accomplishments.
143:6 I spread my hands out to you in prayer;
my soul thirsts for you in a parched land.
143:7 Answer me quickly, Lord!
My strength is fading.
Do not reject me,
or I will join those descending into the grave.
143:8 May I hear about your loyal love in the morning,
for I trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
because I long for you.
143:9 Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord!
I run to you for protection.
143:10 Teach me to do what pleases you,
for you are my God.
May your kind presence
lead me into a level land.
143:11 O Lord, for the sake of your reputation, revive me!
Because of your justice, rescue me from trouble!
143:12 As a demonstration of your loyal love, destroy my enemies!
Annihilate all who threaten my life,
for I am your servant.
By David.
144:1 The Lord, my protector, deserves praise –
the one who trains my hands for battle,
and my fingers for war,
144:2 who loves me and is my stronghold,
my refuge and my deliverer,
my shield and the one in whom I take shelter,
who makes nations submit to me.
144:3 O Lord, of what importance is the human race, that you should notice them?
Of what importance is mankind, that you should be concerned about them?
144:4 People are like a vapor,
their days like a shadow that disappears.
144:5 O Lord, make the sky sink and come down!
Touch the mountains and make them smolder!
144:6 Hurl lightning bolts and scatter them!
Shoot your arrows and rout them!
144:7 Reach down from above!
Grab me and rescue me from the surging water,
from the power of foreigners,
144:8 who speak lies,
and make false promises.
144:9 O God, I will sing a new song to you!
Accompanied by a ten-stringed instrument, I will sing praises to you,
144:10 the one who delivers kings,
and rescued David his servant from a deadly sword.
144:11 Grab me and rescue me from the power of foreigners,
who speak lies,
and make false promises.
144:12 Then our sons will be like plants,
that quickly grow to full size.
Our daughters will be like corner pillars,
carved like those in a palace.
144:13 Our storehouses will be full,
providing all kinds of food.
Our sheep will multiply by the thousands
and fill our pastures.
144:14 Our cattle will be weighted down with produce.
No one will break through our walls,
no one will be taken captive,
and there will be no terrified cries in our city squares.
144:15 How blessed are the people who experience these things!
How blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!
A psalm of praise, by David.
145:1 I will extol you, my God, O king!
I will praise your name continually!
145:2 Every day I will praise you!
I will praise your name continually!
145:3 The Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise!
No one can fathom his greatness!
145:4 One generation will praise your deeds to another,
and tell about your mighty acts!
145:5 I will focus on your honor and majestic splendor,
and your amazing deeds!
145:6 They will proclaim the power of your awesome acts!
I will declare your great deeds!
145:7 They will talk about the fame of your great kindness,
and sing about your justice.
145:8 The Lord is merciful and compassionate;
he is patient and demonstrates great loyal love.
145:9 The Lord is good to all,
and has compassion on all he has made.
145:10 All he has made will give thanks to the Lord.
Your loyal followers will praise you.
145:11 They will proclaim the splendor of your kingdom;
they will tell about your power,
145:12 so that mankind might acknowledge your mighty acts,
and the majestic splendor of your kingdom.
145:13 Your kingdom is an eternal kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
145:14 The Lord supports all who fall,
and lifts up all who are bent over.
145:15 Everything looks to you in anticipation,
and you provide them with food on a regular basis.
145:16 You open your hand,
and fill every living thing with the food they desire.
145:17 The Lord is just in all his actions,
and exhibits love in all he does.
145:18 The Lord is near all who cry out to him,
all who cry out to him sincerely.
145:19 He satisfies the desire of his loyal followers;
he hears their cry for help and delivers them.
145:20 The Lord protects those who love him,
but he destroys all the wicked.
145:21 My mouth will praise the Lord.
Let all who live praise his holy name forever!
146:1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
146:2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live!
I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist!
146:3 Do not trust in princes,
or in human beings, who cannot deliver!
146:4 Their life’s breath departs, they return to the ground;
on that day their plans die.
146:5 How blessed is the one whose helper is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
146:6 the one who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who remains forever faithful,
146:7 vindicates the oppressed,
and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord releases the imprisoned.
146:8 The Lord gives sight to the blind.
The Lord lifts up all who are bent over.
The Lord loves the godly.
146:9 The Lord protects those residing outside their native land;
he lifts up the fatherless and the widow,
but he opposes the wicked.
146:10 The Lord rules forever,
your God, O Zion, throughout the generations to come!
Praise the Lord!
147:1 Praise the Lord,
for it is good to sing praises to our God!
Yes, praise is pleasant and appropriate!
147:2 The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem,
and gathers the exiles of Israel.
147:3 He heals the brokenhearted,
and bandages their wounds.
147:4 He counts the number of the stars;
he names all of them.
147:5 Our Lord is great and has awesome power;
there is no limit to his wisdom.
147:6 The Lord lifts up the oppressed,
but knocks the wicked to the ground.
147:7 Offer to the Lord a song of thanks!
Sing praises to our God to the accompaniment of a harp!
147:8 He covers the sky with clouds,
provides the earth with rain,
and causes grass to grow on the hillsides.
147:9 He gives food to the animals,
and to the young ravens when they chirp.
147:10 He is not enamored with the strength of a horse,
nor is he impressed by the warrior’s strong legs.
147:11 The Lord takes delight in his faithful followers,
and in those who wait for his loyal love.
147:12 Extol the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
147:13 For he makes the bars of your gates strong.
He blesses your children within you.
147:14 He brings peace to your territory.
He abundantly provides for you the best grain.
147:15 He sends his command through the earth;
swiftly his order reaches its destination.
147:16 He sends the snow that is white like wool;
he spreads the frost that is white like ashes.
147:17 He throws his hailstones like crumbs.
Who can withstand the cold wind he sends?
147:18 He then orders it all to melt;
he breathes on it, and the water flows.
147:19 He proclaims his word to Jacob,
his statutes and regulations to Israel.
147:20 He has not done so with any other nation;
they are not aware of his regulations.
Praise the Lord!