BOOK FIVE
Psalms 107—150
Thanksgiving to the LORD for His Great Works of Deliverance
1Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
2Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,
3And gathered out of the lands,
From the east and from the west,
From the north and from the south.
4They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way;
They found no city to dwell in.
5Hungry and thirsty,
Their soul fainted in them.
6Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
And He delivered them out of their distresses.
7And He led them forth by the right way,
That they might go to a city for a dwelling place.
8Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
9For He satisfies the longing soul,
And fills the hungry soul with goodness.
10Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
Bound in affliction and irons—
11Because they rebelled against the words of God,
And despised the counsel of the Most High,
12Therefore He brought down their heart with labor;
They fell down, and there was none to help.
13Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
14He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
And broke their chains in pieces.
15Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
16For He has broken the gates of bronze,
And cut the bars of iron in two.
17Fools, because of their transgression,
And because of their iniquities, were afflicted.
18Their soul abhorred all manner of food,
And they drew near to the gates of death.
19Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
20He sent His word and healed them,
And delivered them from their destructions.
21Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
22Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And declare His works with rejoicing.
23Those who go down to the sea in ships,
Who do business on great waters,
24They see the works of the LORD,
And His wonders in the deep.
25For He commands and raises the stormy wind,
Which lifts up the waves of the sea.
26They mount up to the heavens,
They go down again to the depths;
Their soul melts because of trouble.
27They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man,
And are at their wits’ end.
28Then they cry out to the LORD in their trouble,
And He brings them out of their distresses.
29He calms the storm,
So that its waves are still.
30Then they are glad because they are quiet;
So He guides them to their desired haven.
31Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
32Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people,
And praise Him in the company of the elders.
33He turns rivers into a wilderness,
And the watersprings into dry ground;
34A fruitful land into barrenness,
For the wickedness of those who dwell in it.
35He turns a wilderness into pools of water,
And dry land into watersprings.
36There He makes the hungry dwell,
That they may establish a city for a dwelling place,
37And sow fields and plant vineyards,
That they may yield a fruitful harvest.
38He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly;
And He does not let their cattle decrease.
39When they are diminished and brought low
Through oppression, affliction, and sorrow,
40He pours contempt on princes,
And causes them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way;
41Yet He sets the poor on high, far from affliction,
And makes their families like a flock.
42The righteous see it and rejoice,
And all iniquity stops its mouth.
43Whoever is wise will observe these things,
And they will understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.
Assurance of God’s Victory over Enemies
A Song. A Psalm of David.
1O GOD, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.
2Awake, lute and harp!
I will awaken the dawn.
3I will praise You, O LORD, among the peoples,
And I will sing praises to You among the nations.
4For Your mercy is great above the heavens,
And Your truth reaches to the clouds.
5Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,
And Your glory above all the earth;
6That Your beloved may be delivered,
Save with Your right hand, and hear me.
7God has spoken in His holiness:
“I will rejoice;
I will divide Shechem
And measure out the Valley of Succoth.
8Gilead is Mine; Manasseh is Mine;
Ephraim also is the helmet for My head;
Judah is My lawgiver.
9Moab is My washpot;
Over Edom I will cast My shoe;
Over Philistia I will triumph.”
10Who will bring me into the strong city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
11Is it not You, O God, who cast us off?
And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies?
12Give us help from trouble,
For the help of man is useless.
13Through God we will do valiantly,
For it is He who shall tread down our enemies.a
Plea for Judgment of False Accusers
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
1Do not keep silent,
O God of my praise!
2For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful
Have opened against me;
They have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
3They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,
And fought against me without a cause.
4In return for my love they are my accusers,
But I give myself to prayer.
5Thus they have rewarded me evil for good,
And hatred for my love.
6Set a wicked man over him,
And let an accusera stand at his right hand.
7When he is judged, let him be found guilty,
And let his prayer become sin.
8Let his days be few,
And let another take his office.
9Let his children be fatherless,
And his wife a widow.
10Let his children continually be vagabonds, and beg;
Let them seek their breadb also from their desolate places.
11Let the creditor seize all that he has,
And let strangers plunder his labor.
12Let there be none to extend mercy to him,
Nor let there be any to favor his fatherless children.
13Let his posterity be cut off,
And in the generation following let their name be blotted out.
14Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD,
And let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.
15Let them be continually before the LORD,
That He may cut off the memory of them from the earth;
16Because he did not remember to show mercy,
But persecuted the poor and needy man,
That he might even slay the broken in heart.
17As he loved cursing, so let it come to him;
As he did not delight in blessing, so let it be far from him.
18As he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment,
So let it enter his body like water,
And like oil into his bones.
19Let it be to him like the garment which covers him,
And for a belt with which he girds himself continually.
20Let this be the LORD’s reward to my accusers,
And to those who speak evil against my person.
21But You, O GOD the Lord,
Deal with me for Your name’s sake;
Because Your mercy is good, deliver me.
22For I am poor and needy,
And my heart is wounded within me.
23I am gone like a shadow when it lengthens;
I am shaken off like a locust.
24My knees are weak through fasting,
And my flesh is feeble from lack of fatness.
25I also have become a reproach to them;
When they look at me, they shake their heads.
26Help me, O LORD my God!
Oh, save me according to Your mercy,
27That they may know that this is Your hand—
That You, LORD, have done it!
28Let them curse, but You bless;
When they arise, let them be ashamed,
But let Your servant rejoice.
29Let my accusers be clothed with shame,
And let them cover themselves with their own disgrace as with a mantle.
30I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth;
Yes, I will praise Him among the multitude.
31For He shall stand at the right hand of the poor,
To save him from those who condemn him.
Announcement of the Messiah’s Reign
A Psalm of David.
1The LORD said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”
2The LORD shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion.
Rule in the midst of Your enemies!
3Your people shall be volunteers
In the day of Your power;
In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning,
You have the dew of Your youth.
4The LORD has sworn
And will not relent,
“You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek.”
5The Lord is at Your right hand;
He shall execute kings in the day of His wrath.
6He shall judge among the nations,
He shall fill the places with dead bodies,
He shall execute the heads of many countries.
7He shall drink of the brook by the wayside;
Therefore He shall lift up the head.
Praise to God for His Faithfulness and Justice
1Praise the LORD!
I will praise the LORD with my whole heart,
In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.
2The works of the LORD are great,
Studied by all who have pleasure in them.
3His work is honorable and glorious,
And His righteousness endures forever.
4He has made His wonderful works to be remembered;
The LORD is gracious and full of compassion.
5He has given food to those who fear Him;
He will ever be mindful of His covenant.
6He has declared to His people the power of His works,
In giving them the heritage of the nations.
7The works of His hands are verity and justice;
All His precepts are sure.
8They stand fast forever and ever,
And are done in truth and uprightness.
9He has sent redemption to His people;
He has commanded His covenant forever:
Holy and awesome is His name.
10The 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
1Praise the LORD!
Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
Who delights greatly in His commandments.
2His descendants will be mighty on earth;
The generation of the upright will be blessed.
3Wealth and riches will be in his house,
And his righteousness endures forever.
4Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness;
He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
5A good man deals graciously and lends;
He will guide his affairs with discretion.
6Surely he will never be shaken;
The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance.
7He will not be afraid of evil tidings;
His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
8His heart is established;
He will not be afraid,
Until he sees his desire upon his enemies.
9He has dispersed abroad,
He has given to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever;
His horn will be exalted with honor.
10The 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
1Praise the LORD!
Praise, O servants of the LORD,
Praise the name of the LORD!
2Blessed be the name of the LORD
From this time forth and forevermore!
3From the rising of the sun to its going down
The LORD’s name is to be praised.
4The LORD is high above all nations,
His glory above the heavens.
5Who is like the LORD our God,
Who dwells on high,
6Who humbles Himself to behold
The things that are in the heavens and in the earth?
7He raises the poor out of the dust,
And lifts the needy out of the ash heap,
8That He may seat him with princes—
With the princes of His people.
9He grants the barren woman a home,
Like a joyful mother of children.
Praise the LORD!
The Power of God in His Deliverance of Israel
1When Israel went out of Egypt,
The house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
2Judah became His sanctuary,
And Israel His dominion.
3The sea saw it and fled;
Jordan turned back.
4The mountains skipped like rams,
The little hills like lambs.
5What ails you, O sea, that you fled?
O Jordan, that you turned back?
6O mountains, that you skipped like rams?
O little hills, like lambs?
7Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
At the presence of the God of Jacob,
8Who turned the rock into a pool of water,
The flint into a fountain of waters.
The Futility of Idols and the Trustworthiness of God
1Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us,
But to Your name give glory,
Because of Your mercy,
Because of Your truth.
2Why should the Gentiles say,
“So where is their God?”
3But our God is in heaven;
He does whatever He pleases.
4Their idols are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands.
5They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
6They have ears, but they do not hear;
Noses they have, but they do not smell;
7They have hands, but they do not handle;
Feet they have, but they do not walk;
Nor do they mutter through their throat.
8Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.
9O Israel, trust in the LORD;
He is their help and their shield.
10O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD;
He is their help and their shield.
11You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD;
He is their help and their shield.
12The LORD has been mindful of us;
He will bless us;
He will bless the house of Israel;
He will bless the house of Aaron.
13He will bless those who fear the LORD,
Both small and great.
14May the LORD give you increase more and more,
You and your children.
15May you be blessed by the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
16The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’s;
But the earth He has given to the children of men.
17The dead do not praise the LORD,
Nor any who go down into silence.
18But we will bless the LORD
From this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the LORD!
Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death
1I LOVE the LORD, because He has heard
My voice and my supplications.
2Because He has inclined His ear to me,
Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.
3The pains of death surrounded me,
And the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me;
I found trouble and sorrow.
4Then I called upon the name of the LORD:
“O LORD, I implore You, deliver my soul!”
5Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;
Yes, our God is merciful.
6The LORD preserves the simple;
I was brought low, and He saved me.
7Return to your rest, O my soul,
For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.
8For You have delivered my soul from death,
My eyes from tears,
And my feet from falling.
9I will walk before the LORD
In the land of the living.
10I believed, therefore I spoke,
“I am greatly afflicted.”
11I said in my haste,
“All men are liars.”
12What shall I render to the LORD
For all His benefits toward me?
13I will take up the cup of salvation,
And call upon the name of the LORD.
14I will pay my vows to the LORD
Now in the presence of all His people.
15Precious in the sight of the LORD
Is the death of His saints.
16O LORD, truly I am Your servant;
I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant;
You have loosed my bonds.
17I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
And will call upon the name of the LORD.
18I will pay my vows to the LORD
Now in the presence of all His people,
19In the courts of the LORD’s house,
In the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
Praise the LORD!
Let All Peoples Praise the LORD
1Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles!
Laud Him, all you peoples!
2For His merciful kindness is great toward us,
And the truth of the LORD endures forever.
Praise the LORD!
Praise to God for His Everlasting Mercy
1Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
2Let Israel now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
3Let the house of Aaron now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
4Let those who fear the LORD now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
5I called on the LORD in distress;
The LORD answered me and set me in a broad place.
6The LORD is on my side;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
7The LORD is for me among those who help me;
Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me.
8It is better to trust in the LORD
Than to put confidence in man.
9It is better to trust in the LORD
Than to put confidence in princes.
10All nations surrounded me,
But in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
11They surrounded me,
Yes, they surrounded me;
But in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
12They surrounded me like bees;
They were quenched like a fire of thorns;
For in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
13You pushed me violently, that I might fall,
But the LORD helped me.
14The LORD is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.a
15The voice of rejoicing and salvation
Is in the tents of the righteous;
The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.
16The right hand of the LORD is exalted;
The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.
17I shall not die, but live,
And declare the works of the LORD.
18The LORD has chastened me severely,
But He has not given me over to death.
19Open to me the gates of righteousness;
I will go through them,
And I will praise the LORD.
20This is the gate of the LORD,
Through which the righteous shall enter.
21I will praise You,
For You have answered me,
And have become my salvation.
22The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
23This was the LORD’s doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
24This is the day the LORD has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it. Beautiful Word
25Save now, I pray, O LORD;
O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity.
26Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!
We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.
27God is the LORD,
And He has given us light;
Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
28You are my God, and I will praise You;
You are my God, I will exalt You.
29Oh, 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
1Blessed are the undefiled in the way,
Who walk in the law of the LORD!
2Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
Who seek Him with the whole heart!
3They also do no iniquity;
They walk in His ways.
4You have commanded us
To keep Your precepts diligently.
5Oh, that my ways were directed
To keep Your statutes!
6Then I would not be ashamed,
When I look into all Your commandments.
7I will praise You with uprightness of heart,
When I learn Your righteous judgments.
8I will keep Your statutes;
Oh, do not forsake me utterly!
ב BETH
9How can a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed according to Your word.
10With my whole heart I have sought You;
Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
11Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.
12Blessed are You, O LORD!
Teach me Your statutes.
13With my lips I have declared
All the judgments of Your mouth.
14I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
As much as in all riches.
15I will meditate on Your precepts,
And contemplate Your ways.
16I will delight myself in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your word.
ג GIMEL
17Deal bountifully with Your servant,
That I may live and keep Your word.
18Open my eyes, that I may see
Wondrous things from Your law.
19I am a stranger in the earth;
Do not hide Your commandments from me.
20My soul breaks with longing
For Your judgments at all times.
21You rebuke the proud—the cursed,
Who stray from Your commandments.
22Remove from me reproach and contempt,
For I have kept Your testimonies.
23Princes also sit and speak against me,
But Your servant meditates on Your statutes.
24Your testimonies also are my delight
And my counselors.
ד DALETH
25My soul clings to the dust;
Revive me according to Your word.
26I have declared my ways, and You answered me;
Teach me Your statutes.
27Make me understand the way of Your precepts;
So shall I meditate on Your wonderful works.
28My soul melts from heaviness;
Strengthen me according to Your word.
29Remove from me the way of lying,
And grant me Your law graciously.
30I have chosen the way of truth;
Your judgments I have laid before me.
31I cling to Your testimonies;
O LORD, do not put me to shame!
32I will run the course of Your commandments,
For You shall enlarge my heart.
ה HE
33Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes,
And I shall keep it to the end.
34Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law;
Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
35Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,
For I delight in it.
36Incline my heart to Your testimonies,
And not to covetousness.
37Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things,
And revive me in Your way.a
38Establish Your word to Your servant,
Who is devoted to fearing You.
39Turn away my reproach which I dread,
For Your judgments are good.
40Behold, I long for Your precepts;
Revive me in Your righteousness.
ו WAW
41Let Your mercies come also to me, O LORD—
Your salvation according to Your word.
42So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me,
For I trust in Your word.
43And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
For I have hoped in Your ordinances.
44So shall I keep Your law continually,
Forever and ever.
45And I will walk at liberty,
For I seek Your precepts.
46I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings,
And will not be ashamed.
47And I will delight myself in Your commandments,
Which I love.
48My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments,
Which I love,
And I will meditate on Your statutes.
ז ZAYIN
49Remember the word to Your servant,
Upon which You have caused me to hope.
50This is my comfort in my affliction,
For Your word has given me life.
51The proud have me in great derision,
Yet I do not turn aside from Your law.
52I remembered Your judgments of old, O LORD,
And have comforted myself.
53Indignation has taken hold of me
Because of the wicked, who forsake Your law.
54Your statutes have been my songs
In the house of my pilgrimage.
55I remember Your name in the night, O LORD,
And I keep Your law.
56This has become mine,
Because I kept Your precepts.
ח HETH
57You are my portion, O LORD;
I have said that I would keep Your words.
58I entreated Your favor with my whole heart;
Be merciful to me according to Your word.
59I thought about my ways,
And turned my feet to Your testimonies.
60I made haste, and did not delay
To keep Your commandments.
61The cords of the wicked have bound me,
But I have not forgotten Your law.
62At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You,
Because of Your righteous judgments.
63I am a companion of all who fear You,
And of those who keep Your precepts.
64The earth, O LORD, is full of Your mercy;
Teach me Your statutes.
ט TETH
65You have dealt well with Your servant,
O LORD, according to Your word.
66Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
For I believe Your commandments.
67Before I was afflicted I went astray,
But now I keep Your word.
68You are good, and do good;
Teach me Your statutes.
69The proud have forged a lie against me,
But I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart.
70Their heart is as fat as grease,
But I delight in Your law.
71It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
That I may learn Your statutes.
72The law of Your mouth is better to me
Than thousands of coins of gold and silver.
י YOD
73Your hands have made me and fashioned me;
Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
74Those who fear You will be glad when they see me,
Because I have hoped in Your word.
75I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are right,
And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.
76Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort,
According to Your word to Your servant.
77Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live;
For Your law is my delight.
78Let the proud be ashamed,
For they treated me wrongfully with falsehood;
But I will meditate on Your precepts.
79Let those who fear You turn to me,
Those who know Your testimonies.
80Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes,
That I may not be ashamed.
כ KAPH
81My soul faints for Your salvation,
But I hope in Your word.
82My eyes fail from searching Your word,
Saying, “When will You comfort me?”
83For I have become like a wineskin in smoke,
Yet I do not forget Your statutes.
84How many are the days of Your servant?
When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?
85The proud have dug pits for me,
Which is not according to Your law.
86All Your commandments are faithful;
They persecute me wrongfully;
Help me!
87They almost made an end of me on earth,
But I did not forsake Your precepts.
88Revive me according to Your lovingkindness,
So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.
ל LAMED
89Forever, O LORD,
Your word is settled in heaven.
90Your faithfulness endures to all generations;
You established the earth, and it abides.
91They continue this day according to Your ordinances,
For all are Your servants.
92Unless Your law had been my delight,
I would then have perished in my affliction.
93I will never forget Your precepts,
For by them You have given me life.
94I am Yours, save me;
For I have sought Your precepts.
95The wicked wait for me to destroy me,
But I will consider Your testimonies.
96I have seen the consummation of all perfection,
But Your commandment is exceedingly broad.
מ MEM
97Oh, how I love Your law!
It is my meditation all the day.
98You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies;
For they are ever with me.
99I have more understanding than all my teachers,
For Your testimonies are my meditation.
100I understand more than the ancients,
Because I keep Your precepts.
101I have restrained my feet from every evil way,
That I may keep Your word.
102I have not departed from Your judgments,
For You Yourself have taught me.
103How sweet are Your words to my taste,
Sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104Through Your precepts I get understanding;
Therefore I hate every false way.
נ NUN
105Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path. Beautiful Word
106I have sworn and confirmed
That I will keep Your righteous judgments.
107I am afflicted very much;
Revive me, O LORD, according to Your word.
108Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD,
And teach me Your judgments.
109My life is continually in my hand,
Yet I do not forget Your law.
110The wicked have laid a snare for me,
Yet I have not strayed from Your precepts.
111Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever,
For they are the rejoicing of my heart.
112I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes
Forever, to the very end.
ס SAMEK
113I hate the double-minded,
But I love Your law.
114You are my hiding place and my shield;
I hope in Your word.
115Depart from me, you evildoers,
For I will keep the commandments of my God!
116Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live;
And do not let me be ashamed of my hope.
117Hold me up, and I shall be safe,
And I shall observe Your statutes continually.
118You reject all those who stray from Your statutes,
For their deceit is falsehood.
119You put away all the wicked of the earth like dross;
Therefore I love Your testimonies.
120My flesh trembles for fear of You,
And I am afraid of Your judgments.
ע AYIN
121I have done justice and righteousness;
Do not leave me to my oppressors.
122Be surety for Your servant for good;
Do not let the proud oppress me.
123My eyes fail from seeking Your salvation
And Your righteous word.
124Deal with Your servant according to Your mercy,
And teach me Your statutes.
125I am Your servant;
Give me understanding,
That I may know Your testimonies.
126It is time for You to act, O LORD,
For they have regarded Your law as void.
127Therefore I love Your commandments
More than gold, yes, than fine gold!
128Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things
I consider to be right;
I hate every false way.
פ PE
129Your testimonies are wonderful;
Therefore my soul keeps them.
130The entrance of Your words gives light;
It gives understanding to the simple.
131I opened my mouth and panted,
For I longed for Your commandments.
132Look upon me and be merciful to me,
As Your custom is toward those who love Your name.
133Direct my steps by Your word,
And let no iniquity have dominion over me.
134Redeem me from the oppression of man,
That I may keep Your precepts.
135Make Your face shine upon Your servant,
And teach me Your statutes.
136Rivers of water run down from my eyes,
Because men do not keep Your law.
צ TSADDE
137Righteous are You, O LORD,
And upright are Your judgments.
138Your testimonies, which You have commanded,
Are righteous and very faithful.
139My zeal has consumed me,
Because my enemies have forgotten Your words.
140Your word is very pure;
Therefore Your servant loves it.
141I am small and despised,
Yet I do not forget Your precepts.
142Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
And Your law is truth.
143Trouble and anguish have overtaken me,
Yet Your commandments are my delights.
144The righteousness of Your testimonies is everlasting;
Give me understanding, and I shall live.
ק QOPH
145I cry out with my whole heart;
Hear me, O LORD!
I will keep Your statutes.
146I cry out to You;
Save me, and I will keep Your testimonies.
147I rise before the dawning of the morning,
And cry for help;
I hope in Your word.
148My eyes are awake through the night watches,
That I may meditate on Your word.
149Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness;
O LORD, revive me according to Your justice.
150They draw near who follow after wickedness;
They are far from Your law.
151You are near, O LORD,
And all Your commandments are truth.
152Concerning Your testimonies,
I have known of old that You have founded them forever.
ר RESH
153Consider my affliction and deliver me,
For I do not forget Your law.
154Plead my cause and redeem me;
Revive me according to Your word.
155Salvation is far from the wicked,
For they do not seek Your statutes.
156Great are Your tender mercies, O LORD;
Revive me according to Your judgments.
157Many are my persecutors and my enemies,
Yet I do not turn from Your testimonies.
158I see the treacherous, and am disgusted,
Because they do not keep Your word.
159Consider how I love Your precepts;
Revive me, O LORD, according to Your lovingkindness.
160The entirety of Your word is truth,
And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.
שׁ SHIN
161Princes persecute me without a cause,
But my heart stands in awe of Your word.
162I rejoice at Your word
As one who finds great treasure.
163I hate and abhor lying,
But I love Your law.
164Seven times a day I praise You,
Because of Your righteous judgments.
165Great peace have those who love Your law,
And nothing causes them to stumble.
166LORD, I hope for Your salvation,
And I do Your commandments.
167My soul keeps Your testimonies,
And I love them exceedingly.
168I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies,
For all my ways are before You.
ת TAU
169Let my cry come before You, O LORD;
Give me understanding according to Your word.
170Let my supplication come before You;
Deliver me according to Your word.
171My lips shall utter praise,
For You teach me Your statutes.
172My tongue shall speak of Your word,
For all Your commandments are righteousness.
173Let Your hand become my help,
For I have chosen Your precepts.
174I long for Your salvation, O LORD,
And Your law is my delight.
175Let my soul live, and it shall praise You;
And let Your judgments help me.
176I 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.
1In my distress I cried to the LORD,
And He heard me.
2Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips
And from a deceitful tongue.
3What shall be given to you,
Or what shall be done to you,
You false tongue?
4Sharp arrows of the warrior,
With coals of the broom tree!
5Woe is me, that I dwell in Meshech,
That I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
6My soul has dwelt too long
With one who hates peace.
7I am for peace;
But when I speak, they are for war.
God the Help of Those Who Seek Him
A Song of Ascents.
1I WILL lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help? Beautiful Word
2My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
3He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
4Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5The LORD is your keeper;
The LORD is your shade at your right hand.
6The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
7The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
8The LORD shall preserve 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.
1I WAS glad when they said to me,
“Let us go into the house of the LORD.”
2Our feet have been standing
Within your gates, O Jerusalem!
3Jerusalem is built
As a city that is compact together,
4Where the tribes go up,
The tribes of the LORD,
To the Testimony of Israel,
To give thanks to the name of the LORD.
5For thrones are set there for judgment,
The thrones of the house of David.
6Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you.
7Peace be within your walls,
Prosperity within your palaces.”
8For the sake of my brethren and companions,
I will now say, “Peace be within you.”
9Because of the house of the LORD our God
I will seek your good.
Prayer for Relief from Contempt
A Song of Ascents.
1Unto You I lift up my eyes,
O You who dwell in the heavens.
2Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters,
As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
So our eyes look to the LORD our God,
Until He has mercy on us.
3Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy on us!
For we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
4Our 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.
1“IF it had not been the LORD who was on our side,”
Let Israel now say—
2“If it had not been the LORD who was on our side,
When men rose up against us,
3Then they would have swallowed us alive,
When their wrath was kindled against us;
4Then the waters would have overwhelmed us,
The stream would have gone over our soul;
5Then the swollen waters
Would have gone over our soul.”
6Blessed be the LORD,
Who has not given us as prey to their teeth.
7Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers;a
The snare is broken, and we have escaped.
8Our help is in the name of the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
The LORD the Strength of His People
A Song of Ascents.
1Those who trust in the LORD
Are like Mount Zion,
Which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
2As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
So the LORD surrounds His people
From this time forth and forever.
3For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
On the land allotted to the righteous,
Lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity.
4Do good, O LORD, to those who are good,
And to those who are upright in their hearts.
5As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways,
The LORD shall lead them away
With the workers of iniquity.
Peace be upon Israel!
A Joyful Return to Zion
A Song of Ascents.
1When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion,
We were like those who dream.
2Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with singing.
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
3The LORD has done great things for us,
And we are glad.
4Bring back our captivity, O LORD,
As the streams in the South.
5Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.
6He who continually goes forth weeping,
Bearing seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him.
Laboring and Prospering with the LORD
A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.
1Unless the LORD builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the LORD guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
2It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late,
To eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep.
3Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
The fruit of the womb is a reward. Beautiful Word
4Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
5Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;
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.
1Blessed is every one who fears the LORD,
Who walks in His ways.
2When you eat the labor of your hands,
You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.
3Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
In the very heart of your house,
Your children like olive plants
All around your table.
4Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
Who fears the LORD.
5The LORD bless you out of Zion,
And may you see the good of Jerusalem
All the days of your life.
6Yes, may you see your children’s children.
Peace be upon Israel!
Song of Victory over Zion’s Enemies
A Song of Ascents.
1“MANY a time they have afflicted me from my youth,”
Let Israel now say—
2“Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth;
Yet they have not prevailed against me.
3The plowers plowed on my back;
They made their furrows long.”
4The LORD is righteous;
He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked.
5Let all those who hate Zion
Be put to shame and turned back.
6Let them be as the grass on the housetops,
Which withers before it grows up,
7With which the reaper does not fill his hand,
Nor he who binds sheaves, his arms.
8Neither let those who pass by them say,
“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.
1Out of the depths I have cried to You, O LORD;
2Lord, hear my voice!
Let Your ears be attentive
To the voice of my supplications.
3If You, LORD, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4But there is forgiveness with You,
That You may be feared.
5I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
And in His word I do hope.
6My soul waits for the Lord
More than those who watch for the morning—
Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.
7O Israel, hope in the LORD;
For with the LORD there is mercy,
And with Him is abundant redemption.
8And He shall redeem Israel
From all his iniquities.
Simple Trust in the LORD
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
1LORD, my heart is not haughty,
Nor my eyes lofty.
Neither do I concern myself with great matters,
Nor with things too profound for me.
2Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul,
Like a weaned child with his mother;
Like a weaned child is my soul within me.
3O Israel, hope in the LORD
From this time forth and forever.
The Eternal Dwelling of God in Zion
A Song of Ascents.
1LORD, remember David
And all his afflictions;
2How he swore to the LORD,
And vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:
3“Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house,
Or go up to the comfort of my bed;
4I will not give sleep to my eyes
Or slumber to my eyelids,
5Until I find a place for the LORD,
A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
We found it in the fields of the woods.a
7Let us go into His tabernacle;
Let us worship at His footstool.
8Arise, O LORD, to Your resting place,
You and the ark of Your strength.
9Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness,
And let Your saints shout for joy.
10For Your servant David’s sake,
Do not turn away the face of Your Anointed.
11The LORD has sworn in truth to David;
He will not turn from it:
“I will set upon your throne the fruit of your body.
12If your sons will keep My covenant
And My testimony which I shall teach them,
Their sons also shall sit upon your throne forevermore.”
13For the LORD has chosen Zion;
He has desired it for His dwelling place:
14“This is My resting place forever;
Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
15I will abundantly bless her provision;
I will satisfy her poor with bread.
16I will also clothe her priests with salvation,
And her saints shall shout aloud for joy.
17There I will make the horn of David grow;
I will prepare a lamp for My Anointed.
18His enemies I will clothe with shame,
But upon Himself His crown shall flourish.”
Blessed Unity of the People of God
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
1Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity! Beautiful Word
2It 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.
3It is like the dew of Hermon,
Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the LORD commanded the blessing—
Life forevermore.
Praising the LORD in His House at Night
A Song of Ascents.
1Behold, bless the LORD,
All you servants of the LORD,
Who by night stand in the house of the LORD!
2Lift up your hands in the sanctuary,
And bless the LORD.
3The LORD who made heaven and earth
Bless you from Zion!
Praise to God in Creation and Redemption
1Praise the LORD!
Praise the name of the LORD;
Praise Him, O you servants of the LORD!
2You who stand in the house of the LORD,
In the courts of the house of our God,
3Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good;
Sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant.
4For the LORD has chosen Jacob for Himself,
Israel for His special treasure.
5For I know that the LORD is great,
And our Lord is above all gods.
6Whatever the LORD pleases He does,
In heaven and in earth,
In the seas and in all deep places.
7He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth;
He makes lightning for the rain;
He brings the wind out of His treasuries.
8He destroyed the firstborn of Egypt,
Both of man and beast.
9He sent signs and wonders into the midst of you, O Egypt,
Upon Pharaoh and all his servants.
10He defeated many nations
And slew mighty kings—
11Sihon king of the Amorites,
Og king of Bashan,
And all the kingdoms of Canaan—
12And gave their land as a heritage,
A heritage to Israel His people.
13Your name, O LORD, endures forever,
Your fame, O LORD, throughout all generations.
14For the LORD will judge His people,
And He will have compassion on His servants.
15The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands.
16They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
17They have ears, but they do not hear;
Nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.
19Bless the LORD, O house of Israel!
Bless the LORD, O house of Aaron!
20Bless the LORD, O house of Levi!
You who fear the LORD, bless the LORD!
21Blessed be the LORD out of Zion,
Who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise the LORD!
Thanksgiving to God for His Enduring Mercy
1Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
2Oh, give thanks to the God of gods!
For His mercy endures forever.
3Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!
For His mercy endures forever:
4To Him who alone does great wonders,
For His mercy endures forever;
5To Him who by wisdom made the heavens,
For His mercy endures forever;
6To Him who laid out the earth above the waters,
For His mercy endures forever;
7To Him who made great lights,
For His mercy endures forever—
8The sun to rule by day,
For His mercy endures forever;
9The moon and stars to rule by night,
For His mercy endures forever.
10To Him who struck Egypt in their firstborn,
For His mercy endures forever;
11And brought out Israel from among them,
For His mercy endures forever;
12With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm,
For His mercy endures forever;
13To Him who divided the Red Sea in two,
For His mercy endures forever;
14And made Israel pass through the midst of it,
For His mercy endures forever;
15But overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,
For His mercy endures forever;
16To Him who led His people through the wilderness,
For His mercy endures forever;
17To Him who struck down great kings,
For His mercy endures forever;
18And slew famous kings,
For His mercy endures forever—
19Sihon king of the Amorites,
For His mercy endures forever;
20And Og king of Bashan,
For His mercy endures forever—
21And gave their land as a heritage,
For His mercy endures forever;
22A heritage to Israel His servant,
For His mercy endures forever.
23Who remembered us in our lowly state,
For His mercy endures forever;
24And rescued us from our enemies,
For His mercy endures forever;
25Who gives food to all flesh,
For His mercy endures forever.
26Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven!
For His mercy endures forever.
Longing for Zion in a Foreign Land
1By the rivers of Babylon,
There we sat down, yea, we wept
When we remembered Zion.
2We hung our harps
Upon the willows in the midst of it.
3For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song,
And those who plundered us requested mirth,
Saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
4How shall we sing the LORD’s song
In a foreign land?
5If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
Let my right hand forget its skill!
6If I do not remember you,
Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth—
If I do not exalt Jerusalem
Above my chief joy.
7Remember, O LORD, against the sons of Edom
The day of Jerusalem,
Who said, “Raze it, raze it,
To its very foundation!”
8O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed,
Happy the one who repays you as you have served us!
9Happy the one who takes and dashes
Your little ones against the rock!
The LORD’s Goodness to the Faithful
A Psalm of David.
1I WILL praise You with my whole heart;
Before the gods I will sing praises to You.
2I will worship toward Your holy temple,
And praise Your name
For Your lovingkindness and Your truth;
For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.
3In the day when I cried out, You answered me,
And made me bold with strength in my soul.
4All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O LORD,
When they hear the words of Your mouth.
5Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the LORD,
For great is the glory of the LORD.
6Though the LORD is on high,
Yet He regards the lowly;
But the proud He knows from afar.
7Though 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.
8The LORD will perfect that which concerns me;
Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands. Beautiful Word
God’s Perfect Knowledge of Man
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
1O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
2You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
3You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
4For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
5You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.
7Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
9If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
11If I say, “Surely the darkness shall falla on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
12Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
13For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
14I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;b
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well. Beautiful Word
15My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16Your 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.
17How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
18If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.
19Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!
Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.
20For they speak against You wickedly;
Your enemies take Your name in vain.c
21Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
22I hate them with perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.
23Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
24And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
Prayer for Deliverance from Evil Men
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
1Deliver me, O LORD, from evil men;
Preserve me from violent men,
2Who plan evil things in their hearts;
They continually gather together for war.
3They sharpen their tongues like a serpent;
The poison of asps is under their lips. Selah
4Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked;
Preserve me from violent men,
Who have purposed to make my steps stumble.
5The proud have hidden a snare for me, and cords;
They have spread a net by the wayside;
They have set traps for me. Selah
6I said to the LORD: “You are my God;
Hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.
7O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation,
You have covered my head in the day of battle.
8Do not grant, O LORD, the desires of the wicked;
Do not further his wicked scheme,
Lest they be exalted. Selah
9“As for the head of those who surround me,
Let the evil of their lips cover them;
10Let burning coals fall upon them;
Let them be cast into the fire,
Into deep pits, that they rise not up again.
11Let not a slanderer be established in the earth;
Let evil hunt the violent man to overthrow him.”
12I know that the LORD will maintain
The cause of the afflicted,
And justice for the poor. Beautiful Word
13Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name;
The upright shall dwell in Your presence.
Prayer for Safekeeping from Wickedness
A Psalm of David.
1LORD, I cry out to You;
Make haste to me!
Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You.
2Let my prayer be set before You as incense,
The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
3Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;
Keep watch over the door of my lips.
4Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,
To practice wicked works
With men who work iniquity;
And do not let me eat of their delicacies.
5Let 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.
6Their judges are overthrown by the sides of the cliff,
And they hear my words, for they are sweet.
7Our bones are scattered at the mouth of the grave,
As when one plows and breaks up the earth.
8But my eyes are upon You, O GOD the Lord;
In You I take refuge;
Do not leave my soul destitute.
9Keep me from the snares they have laid for me,
And from the traps of the workers of iniquity.
10Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
While I escape safely.
A Plea for Relief from Persecutors
A Contemplationa of David. A Prayer when he was in the cave.
1I CRY out to the LORD with my voice;
With my voice to the LORD I make my supplication.
2I pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare before Him my trouble.
3When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,
Then You knew my path.
In the way in which I walk
They have secretly set a snare for me.
4Look on my right hand and see,
For there is no one who acknowledges me;
Refuge has failed me;
No one cares for my soul.
5I cried out to You, O LORD:
I said, “You are my refuge,
My portion in the land of the living.
6Attend to my cry,
For I am brought very low;
Deliver me from my persecutors,
For they are stronger than I.
7Bring my soul out of prison,
That I may 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.
1Hear my prayer, O LORD,
Give ear to my supplications!
In Your faithfulness answer me,
And in Your righteousness.
2Do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
For in Your sight no one living is righteous.
3For the enemy has persecuted my soul;
He has crushed my life to the ground;
He has made me dwell in darkness,
Like those who have long been dead.
4Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;
My heart within me is distressed.
5I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all Your works;
I muse on the work of Your hands.
6I spread out my hands to You;
My soul longs for You like a thirsty land. Selah
7Answer me speedily, O LORD;
My spirit fails!
Do not hide Your face from me,
Lest I be like those who go down into the pit.
8Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning,
For in You do I trust;
Cause me to know the way in which I should walk,
For I lift up my soul to You. Beautiful Word
9Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies;
In You I take shelter.a
10Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
Your Spirit is good.
Lead me in the land of uprightness.
11Revive me, O LORD, for Your name’s sake!
For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.
12In Your mercy cut 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.
1Blessed be the LORD my Rock,
Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle—
2My lovingkindness and my fortress,
My high tower and my deliverer,
My shield and the One in whom I take refuge,
Who subdues my peoplea under me.
3LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?
Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?
4Man is like a breath;
His days are like a passing shadow.
5Bow down Your heavens, O LORD, and come down;
Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
6Flash forth lightning and scatter them;
Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them.
7Stretch out Your hand from above;
Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters,
From the hand of foreigners,
8Whose mouth speaks lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
9I will sing a new song to You, O God;
On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
10The One who gives salvation to kings,
Who delivers David His servant
From the deadly sword.
11Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners,
Whose mouth speaks lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood—
12That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth;
That our daughters may be as pillars,
Sculptured in palace style;
13That our barns may be full,
Supplying all kinds of produce;
That our sheep may bring forth thousands
And ten thousands in our fields;
14That our oxen may be well laden;
That there be no breaking in or going out;
That there be no outcry in our streets.
15Happy 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
A Praise of David.
1I WILL extol You, my God, O King;
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
2Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
3Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
And His greatness is unsearchable.
4One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
5Ia will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
And on Your wondrous works.b
6Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,
And I will declare Your greatness.
7They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness,
And shall sing of Your righteousness.
8The LORD is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.
9The LORD is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works.
10All Your works shall praise You, O LORD,
And Your saints shall bless You.
11They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,
And talk of Your power,
12To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,
And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
13Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.c
14The LORD upholds all who fall,
And raises up all who are bowed down.
15The eyes of all look expectantly to You,
And You give them their food in due season.
16You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17The LORD is righteous in all His ways,
Gracious in all His works.
18The LORD is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
19He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He also will hear their cry and save them.
20The LORD preserves all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
21My 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
1Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD, O my soul!
2While I live I will praise the LORD;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
3Do not put your trust in princes,
Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help.
4His spirit departs, he returns to his earth;
In that very day his plans perish.
5Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,
Whose hope is in the LORD his God,
6Who made heaven and earth,
The sea, and all that is in them;
Who keeps truth forever,
7Who executes justice for the oppressed,
Who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners.
8The LORD opens the eyes of the blind;
The LORD raises those who are bowed down;
The LORD loves the righteous.
9The LORD watches over the strangers;
He relieves the fatherless and widow;
But the way of the wicked He turns upside down.
10The LORD shall reign forever—
Your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the LORD!
Praise to God for His Word and Providence
1Praise the LORD!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.
2The LORD builds up Jerusalem;
He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.
3He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds. Beautiful Word
4He counts the number of the stars;
He calls them all by name.
5Great is our Lord, and mighty in power;
His understanding is infinite.
6The LORD lifts up the humble;
He casts the wicked down to the ground.
7Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;
Sing praises on the harp to our God,
8Who covers the heavens with clouds,
Who prepares rain for the earth,
Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.
9He gives to the beast its food,
And to the young ravens that cry.
10He does not delight in the strength of the horse;
He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
11The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
In those who hope in His mercy.
12Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
13For He has strengthened the bars of your gates;
He has blessed your children within you.
14He makes peace in your borders,
And fills you with the finest wheat.
15He sends out His command to the earth;
His word runs very swiftly.
16He gives snow like wool;
He scatters the frost like ashes;
17He casts out His hail like morsels;
Who can stand before His cold?
18He sends out His word and melts them;
He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow.
19He declares His word to Jacob,
His statutes and His judgments to Israel.
20He has not dealt thus with any nation;
And as for His judgments, they have not known them.
Praise the LORD!
Praise to the LORD from Creation
1Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
Praise Him in the heights!
2Praise Him, all His angels;
Praise Him, all His hosts!
3Praise Him, sun and moon;
Praise Him, all you stars of light!
4Praise Him, you heavens of heavens,
And you waters above the heavens!
5Let them praise the name of the LORD,
For He commanded and they were created.
6He also established them forever and ever;
He made a decree which shall not pass away.
7Praise the LORD from the earth,
You great sea creatures and all the depths;
8Fire and hail, snow and clouds;
Stormy wind, fulfilling His word;
9Mountains and all hills;
Fruitful trees and all cedars;
10Beasts and all cattle;
Creeping things and flying fowl;
11Kings of the earth and all peoples;
Princes and all judges of the earth;
12Both young men and maidens;
Old men and children.
13Let them praise the name of the LORD,
For His name alone is exalted;
His glory is above the earth and heaven.
14And He has exalted the horn of His people,
The praise of all His saints—
Of the children of Israel,
A people near to Him.
Praise the LORD!
Praise to God for His Salvation and Judgment
1Praise the LORD!
Sing to the LORD a new song,
And His praise in the assembly of saints.
2Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;
Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
3Let them praise His name with the dance;
Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp.
4For the LORD takes pleasure in His people;
He will beautify the humble with salvation.
5Let the saints be joyful in glory;
Let them sing aloud on their beds.
6Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,
And a two-edged sword in their hand,
7To execute vengeance on the nations,
And punishments on the peoples;
8To bind their kings with chains,
And their nobles with fetters of iron;
9To execute on them the written judgment—
This honor have all His saints.
Praise the LORD!
Let All Things Praise the LORD
1Praise the LORD!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
2Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
3Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
4Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
5Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!
6Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD! Beautiful Word