1 Oh kgive thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Let lthe redeemed of the Lord say so,
whom he has mredeemed from trouble1
3 and ngathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.
4 Some owandered in desert wastes,
finding no way to a city to dwell in;
5 hungry and thirsty,
their soul fainted within them.
6 pThen they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
7 He led them by a straight way
till they reached a city to dwell in.
8 qLet them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
9 For he rsatisfies the longing soul,
and sthe hungry soul he fills with good things.
10 Some tsat in udarkness and in the shadow of death,
prisoners in affliction and in irons,
11 for they had rebelled against the words of God,
and spurned the vcounsel of the Most High.
12 So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor;
they fell down, with wnone to help.
13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
and burst their bonds apart.
15 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
16 For he xshatters the doors of bronze
and cuts in two the bars of iron.
17 Some were fools through their sinful ways,
and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;
18 they yloathed any kind of food,
and they drew near to the gates of death.
19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
20 He sent out his word and healed them,
and delivered them from their destruction.
21 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
22 And let them offer zsacrifices of thanksgiving,
and atell of his deeds in songs of joy!
23 Some went down to the sea in ships,
doing business on the great waters;
24 they saw the deeds of the Lord,
his wondrous works in the deep.
25 For bhe commanded and raised the stormy wind,
which lifted up the waves of the sea.
26 They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;
ctheir courage melted away in their evil plight;
27 they reeled and staggered like drunken men
and were at their wits’ end.2
28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
29 dHe made the estorm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 Then they were glad that the waters3 were quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
31 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,
and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
33 He turns rivers into a desert,
springs of water into thirsty ground,
34 a fruitful land into a salty waste,
because of the evil of its inhabitants.
35 He turns a desert into pools of water,
a parched land into springs of water.
36 And there he lets the hungry dwell,
and they establish a city to live in;
37 they sow fields and plant vineyards
and get a fruitful yield.
38 By his fblessing they multiply greatly,
and he does not let their livestock diminish.
39 When they are diminished and brought low
through oppression, evil, and sorrow,
40 ghe pours contempt on princes
and hmakes them wander in trackless wastes;
41 but he raises up the needy out of affliction
and makes their families like flocks.
42 iThe upright see it and are glad,
and jall wickedness shuts its mouth.
43 Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;
let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
A Song. A Psalm of David.
1 kMy heart is steadfast, O God!
lI will sing and make melody with all my being!4
2 Awake, O harp and lyre!
I will awake the dawn!
3 mI will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
4 For your steadfast love is great nabove the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
5 oBe exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!
6 pThat your beloved ones may be delivered,
give salvation by your right hand and answer me!
7 God has promised in his holiness:5
“With exultation I will divide up Shechem
and portion out the Valley of Succoth.
8 Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim is my helmet,
Judah my qscepter.
9 Moab is my washbasin;
upon Edom I cast my shoe;
over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
10 Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
11 Have you not rrejected us, O God?
sYou do not go out, O God, with our armies.
12 Oh grant us help against the foe,
for vain is the salvation of man!
13 With God we shall do valiantly;
it is he who will tread down our foes.
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
1 Be not tsilent, O God uof my praise!
2 For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me,
speaking against me with lying tongues.
3 They encircle me with words of hate,
and attack me without cause.
4 In return for my love they accuse me,
vbut I give myself to prayer.6
5 So they wreward me evil for good,
and hatred for my love.
6 Appoint a wicked man against him;
let an accuser stand xat his right hand.
7 When he is tried, let him come forth guilty;
let his yprayer be counted as sin!
8 May his days be few;
zmay another take his office!
9 aMay his children be fatherless
and his wife a widow!
10 May his children bwander about and beg,
seeking food far from the ruins they inhabit!
11 May the creditor seize all that he has;
may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil!
12 Let there be none to extend kindness to him,
nor any to pity his fatherless children!
13 May his posterity be cut off;
may his name be blotted out in the second generation!
14 cMay the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord,
and let not the sin of his mother be dblotted out!
15 Let them be before the Lord continually,
that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth!
16 For he did not remember to show kindness,
but pursued the poor and needy
and the brokenhearted, to put them to death.
17 He loved to curse; let curses come7 upon him!
He did not delight in blessing; may it be far8 from him!
18 He clothed himself with cursing eas his coat;
may it soak9 into his body like water,
like oil into his bones!
19 May it be like a garment that he wraps around him,
like a belt that he puts on every day!
20 May this be the reward of my accusers from the Lord,
of those who speak evil against my life!
21 But you, O God my Lord,
deal on my behalf ffor your name’s sake;
gbecause your steadfast love is good, deliver me!
22 hFor I am poor and needy,
and my heart is stricken within me.
23 I am gone like a ishadow at evening;
I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees are weak through jfasting;
my body has become kgaunt, with no fat.
25 I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
when they see me, they lwag their heads.
26 mHelp me, O Lord my God!
Save me according to your steadfast love!
27 Let them know that this is your hand;
you, O Lord, have done it!
28 Let them curse, but you will bless!
They arise and are put to shame, but your servant will be glad!
29 May my accusers be nclothed with dishonor;
may they be owrapped in their own shame as in a cloak!
30 With my mouth pI will give great thanks to the Lord;
I will praise him in the midst of the throng.
31 For he stands qat the right hand of the needy one,
rto save him from those who condemn his soul to death.
A Psalm of David.
1 sThe Lord says to my Lord:
t“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.”
2 The Lord sends forth from Zion
your mighty scepter.
uRule in the midst of your enemies!
3 Your people will offer themselves vfreely
on the day of your power,10
in holy garments;11
from the womb of the morning,
the dew of your youth will be yours.12
4 wThe Lord has sworn
and xwill not change his mind,
after the order of aMelchizedek.”
5 The Lord is bat your right hand;
he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.
6 He will execute cjudgment among the nations,
filling them with corpses;
over the wide earth.
7 He will drink from the brook by the way;
therefore he will lift up his head.
1 14 Praise the Lord!
eI will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
2 Great are the works of the Lord,
fstudied by all who gdelight in them.
3 Full of splendor and majesty is his work,
and hhis righteousness endures forever.
4 He has caused his wondrous works to be iremembered;
the Lord is jgracious and merciful.
5 He provides food for those who fear him;
he kremembers his covenant forever.
6 He has shown his people the power of his works,
in giving them the inheritance of the nations.
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy;
8 they are established forever and ever,
to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
9 He sent lredemption to his people;
he has commanded his covenant forever.
mHoly and awesome is his name!
10 nThe fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
all those who practice it have a good understanding.
His praise endures forever!
1 15 Praise the Lord!
oBlessed is the man who fears the Lord,
who greatly pdelights in his commandments!
2 qHis offspring will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house,
and rhis righteousness endures forever.
4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5 It is well with the man who deals generously and slends;
who conducts his affairs with justice.
6 For tthe righteous will never be moved;
uhe will be remembered forever.
7 vHe is not afraid of bad news;
his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
8 His heart is steady;16 he will not be afraid,
until he wlooks in triumph on his adversaries.
9 xHe has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever;
his horn is exalted in honor.
10 The wicked man sees it and is angry;
he gnashes his teeth and melts away;
ythe desire of the wicked will perish!
1 Praise the Lord!
zPraise, O servants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord!
2 aBlessed be the name of the Lord
bfrom this time forth and forevermore!
3 cFrom the rising of the sun to its setting,
the name of the Lord is to be praised!
4 The Lord is high dabove all nations,
and ehis glory above the heavens!
5 fWho is like the Lord our God,
who is seated on high,
6 who looks far down
on the heavens and the earth?
7 gHe raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 to make them sit with princes,
with the princes of his people.
9 hHe gives the barren woman a home,
imaking her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the Lord!
1 jWhen Israel went out from Egypt,
the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
2 kJudah became his sanctuary,
Israel his dominion.
3 lThe sea looked and fled;
mJordan turned back.
4 The mountains nskipped like rams,
the hills like lambs.
5 What ails you, O sea, that you flee?
O Jordan, that you turn back?
6 O mountains, that you skip like rams?
O hills, like lambs?
7 oTremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Jacob,
8 pwho turns the rock into a pool of water,
the qflint into a spring of water.
1 rNot to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,
sfor the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
2 Why should the nations say,
t“Where is their God?”
3 Our God is in the heavens;
uhe does all that he pleases.
4 vTheir idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
5 wThey have mouths, but do not speak;
eyes, but do not see.
6 They have ears, but do not hear;
noses, but do not smell.
7 They have hands, but do not feel;
feet, but do not walk;
and they do not make a sound in their throat.
8 xThose who make them become like them;
so do all who trust in them.
9 O Israel,17 ytrust zin the Lord!
He is their help and their ashield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
12 The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us;
he will bless the house of Israel;
he will bless the house of Aaron;
13 he will bbless those who fear the Lord,
cboth the small and the great.
14 May the Lord dgive you increase,
you and your children!
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!
16 The heavens are the Lord’s heavens,
but the earth he has given to the children of man.
17 eThe dead do not praise the Lord,
nor do any who go down into silence.
18 But we will bless the Lord
ffrom this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the Lord!
1 I love the Lord, because he has heard
my voice and my pleas for mercy.
2 Because he inclined his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
3 The gsnares of death encompassed me;
the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
I suffered distress and anguish.
4 Then I hcalled on the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!”
5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
our God is merciful.
6 The Lord preserves the simple;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
7 Return, O my soul, to your irest;
for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
8 For you have jdelivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling;
9 I will kwalk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
10 lI believed, even when18 I spoke:
“I am greatly afflicted”;
11 mI said in my alarm,
“All mankind are liars.”
12 What shall I render to the Lord
for all his benefits to me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord,
14 I will pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.
15 nPrecious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his saints.
16 O Lord, I am your servant;
I am oyour servant, the son of your maidservant.
You have loosed my bonds.
17 I will offer to you the psacrifice of thanksgiving
and call on the name of the Lord.
18 I will pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts of the house of the Lord,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord!
1 qPraise the Lord, all nations!
Extol him, rall peoples!
2 For sgreat is his steadfast love toward us,
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord!
1 Oh tgive thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 uLet Israel say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the Lord say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
5 vOut of my distress I called on the Lord;
the Lord answered me and set me free.
6 wThe Lord is xon my side; yI will not fear.
What can man do to me?
7 The Lord is on my side as my helper;
I shall zlook in triumph on those who hate me.
8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in man.
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
athan to trust in princes.
10 All nations surrounded me;
in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
11 They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;
in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
12 They surrounded me blike bees;
they went out like a fire among thorns;
in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
13 I was pushed hard,19 so that I was falling,
but the Lord helped me.
14 cThe Lord is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.
15 Glad songs of salvation
are in the tents of the righteous:
“The right hand of the Lord does valiantly,
16 the right hand of the Lord exalts,
the right hand of the Lord does valiantly!”
17 dI shall not die, but I shall live,
and erecount the deeds of the Lord.
18 The Lord has fdisciplined me severely,
but he has not given me over to death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them
and ggive thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord;
the righteous shall enter through it.
21 hI thank you that you have answered me
and have become my salvation.
22 iThe stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.20
23 This is the Lord’s doing;
it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25 jSave us, we pray, O Lord!
O Lord, we pray, give us success!
26 kBlessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
We bless you from the house of the Lord.
27 The Lord is God,
and he has lmade his light to shine upon us.
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
up to the horns of the altar!
28 You are my God, and mI will give thanks to you;
nyou are my God; I will extol you.
29 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Aleph
1 21 oBlessed are those whose way is blameless,
who pwalk in the law of the Lord!
2 Blessed are those who qkeep his testimonies,
who rseek him with their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways!
4 You have commanded your precepts
5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast
in ukeeping your statutes!
6 Then I shall vnot be put to shame,
having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart,
when I learn your righteous rules.22
8 I will keep your statutes;
wdo not utterly forsake me!
Beth
9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
10 With my whole heart I seek you;
let me not xwander from your commandments!
11 I have ystored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, O Lord;
zteach me your statutes!
13 With my lips I declare
all the rules23 of your mouth.
14 In the way of your testimonies I adelight
as much as in all briches.
15 I will cmeditate on your precepts
and fix my eyes on your ways.
16 I will ddelight in your statutes;
I will not eforget your word.
Gimel
17 fDeal bountifully with your servant,
gthat I may live and hkeep your word.
18 Open my eyes, that I may behold
iwondrous things out of your law.
19 I am a jsojourner on the earth;
hide not your commandments from me!
20 My soul is consumed with klonging
for your rules24 at all times.
21 You rebuke the linsolent, accursed ones,
who wander from your commandments.
22 Take away from me scorn and contempt,
for I have kept your testimonies.
23 Even though mprinces sit plotting against me,
your servant will meditate on your statutes.
24 Your testimonies are my delight;
they are my ncounselors.
Daleth
25 oMy soul clings to the dust;
pgive me life qaccording to your word!
26 When I told of my ways, you answered me;
teach me your statutes!
27 rMake me understand the way of your precepts,
and I will meditate son your wondrous works.
28 My soul melts away for sorrow;
strengthen me according to your word!
29 Put false ways far from me
and graciously teach me your law!
30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
I set your rules before me.
31 I cling to your testimonies, O Lord;
tlet me not be put to shame!
32 I will run in the way of your commandments
when you enlarge my heart!25
He
33 uTeach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes;
and I will keep it to the end.26
34 Give me understanding, that I may keep your law
and vobserve it with my whole heart.
35 wLead me in the path of your commandments,
for I xdelight in it.
36 yIncline my heart to your testimonies,
and not to selfish gain!
37 Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
and give me life in your ways.
38 Confirm to your servant your promise,
that you may be feared.
39 Turn away the reproach that I dread,
for your rules are good.
40 Behold, I zlong for your precepts;
in your righteousness give me life!
Waw
41 aLet your steadfast love come to me, O Lord,
your bsalvation caccording to your promise;
42 then shall I have an danswer for him who taunts me,
for I trust in your word.
43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
for my ehope is in your rules.
44 I will keep your law continually,
forever and ever,
45 and I shall walk in a wide place,
for I have sought your precepts.
46 I will also speak of your testimonies before kings
and shall not be put to shame,
47 for I find my delight in your commandments,
which I flove.
48 I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love,
and I will meditate on your statutes.
Zayin
49 Remember your word to your servant,
gin which you have made me hope.
50 This is my comfort in my affliction,
that your promise gives me life.
51 The insolent utterly deride me,
but I do not turn away from your law.
52 When I think of your rules from of old,
I take comfort, O Lord.
53 Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked,
who forsake your law.
54 Your statutes have been my songs
in the house of my sojourning.
55 I remember your name hin the night, O Lord,
and keep your law.
56 This blessing has fallen to me,
that I have ikept your precepts.
Heth
57 The Lord is jmy portion;
I promise to keep your words.
58 I entreat your favor with all my heart;
be gracious to me according to your promise.
59 When I think on my ways,
I turn my feet to your testimonies;
60 I hasten and do not delay
to keep your commandments.
61 Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me,
I do not forget your law.
62 At midnight I rise to praise you,
because of your righteous rules.
63 I am a kcompanion of all who fear you,
of those who keep your precepts.
64 lThe earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love;
teach me your statutes!
Teth
65 You have dealt well with your servant,
O Lord, according to your word.
66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
for I believe in your commandments.
67 Before I was mafflicted I went astray,
but now I nkeep your word.
68 You are good and do good;
teach me your statutes.
69 The insolent smear me owith lies,
but with my whole heart I keep your precepts;
70 their heart is unfeeling like pfat,
but I delight in your law.
71 It is good for me that I was afflicted,
that I might learn your statutes.
72 The law of your mouth is better to me
than thousands of qgold and silver pieces.
Yodh
73 rYour hands have made and fashioned me;
give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.
74 Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice,
because I have hoped in your word.
75 I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous,
and that in sfaithfulness you have afflicted me.
76 Let your steadfast love comfort me
according to your promise to your servant.
77 tLet your mercy come to me, that I may live;
for your law is my delight.
78 uLet the insolent be put to shame,
because they have wronged me vwith falsehood;
as for me, I will meditate on your precepts.
79 Let those who fear you turn to me,
that they may know your testimonies.
80 May my heart be blameless in your statutes,
that I may not be put to shame!
Kaph
81 My soul longs for your salvation;
I hope in your word.
82 My eyes long for your promise;
I ask, “When will you comfort me?”
83 For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke,
yet I have not forgotten your statutes.
84 wHow long must your servant endure?27
When will you judge those who persecute me?
85 The insolent have xdug pitfalls for me;
they do not live according to your law.
86 All your commandments are sure;
they persecute me with falsehood; yhelp me!
87 They have almost made an end of me on earth,
but I have not forsaken your precepts.
88 In your steadfast love give me life,
that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth.
Lamedh
89 Forever, O Lord, zyour word
is firmly fixed in the heavens.
90 Your faithfulness endures to all generations;
ayou have established the earth, and it stands fast.
91 By your appointment they stand this day,
for all things are your servants.
92 bIf your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction.
93 I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have given me life.
94 I am yours; csave me,
for I have sought your precepts.
95 The wicked lie in wait to destroy me,
but I consider your testimonies.
96 I have seen a limit to all perfection,
but your commandment is exceedingly broad.
Mem
97 Oh how I love your law!
It is my meditation all the day.
98 Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies,
for it is ever with me.
99 I have more understanding than all my teachers,
for your testimonies are my meditation.
100 I understand more than the aged,28
for I keep your precepts.
101 I dhold back my feet from every evil way,
in order to keep your word.
102 I do not eturn aside from your rules,
for you have taught me.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste,
fsweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 Through your precepts I get understanding;
therefore I ghate every false way.
Nun
105 Your word is a hlamp to my feet
and a light to my path.
106 I have sworn an oath and confirmed it,
to keep your righteous rules.
107 I am severely afflicted;
give me life, O Lord, iaccording to your word!
108 Accept my freewill offerings of praise, O Lord,
and teach me your rules.
109 I hold my life in my hand continually,
but I do not forget your law.
110 The wicked have laid a snare for me,
but I do not stray from your precepts.
111 Your testimonies are my jheritage forever,
for they are the kjoy of my heart.
112 I lincline my heart to perform your statutes
forever, to the end.29
Samekh
113 mI hate the double-minded,
but I love your law.
114 You are my nhiding place and my oshield;
I hope in your word.
115 pDepart from me, you evildoers,
that I may qkeep the commandments of my God.
116 Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live,
and rlet me not be put to shame sin my thope!
117 Hold me up, that I may be safe
and have regard for your statutes continually!
118 You spurn all who ugo astray from your statutes,
for their cunning is in vain.
119 All the wicked of the earth you discard like vdross,
therefore I love your testimonies.
120 My flesh trembles for fear of you,
and I am afraid of your judgments.
Ayin
121 I have done what is just and right;
do not leave me to my oppressors.
122 Give your servant a pledge of good;
let not the insolent oppress me.
123 My weyes long for your salvation
and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise.
124 Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love,
and teach me your statutes.
125 I am your servant; give me understanding,
that I may know your testimonies!
126 It is time for the Lord to act,
for your law has been broken.
127 Therefore I love your commandments
above xgold, above fine gold.
128 Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right;
I hate every false way.
Pe
129 Your testimonies are ywonderful;
therefore my soul keeps them.
130 The unfolding of your words gives light;
it zimparts understanding to the simple.
131 I open my mouth and pant,
because I along for your commandments.
132 bTurn to me and be gracious to me,
as is your way with those who love your name.
133 Keep steady my steps according to your promise,
and let no iniquity get cdominion over me.
134 Redeem me from man’s doppression,
that I may keep your precepts.
135 eMake your face shine upon your servant,
and teach me your statutes.
136 fMy eyes shed streams of tears,
because people do not keep your law.
Tsadhe
137 Righteous are you, O Lord,
and right are your rules.
138 You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness
and in all faithfulness.
139 My zeal consumes me,
because my foes forget your words.
140 gYour promise is well tried,
and your servant loves it.
141 I am small and despised,
yet I do not forget your precepts.
142 Your righteousness is righteous forever,
and your law is htrue.
143 Trouble and anguish have found me out,
but your commandments are my delight.
144 Your testimonies are righteous forever;
give me understanding that I may live.
Qoph
145 With my whole heart I cry; ianswer me, O Lord!
I will jkeep your statutes.
146 I call to you; ksave me,
that I may lobserve your testimonies.
147 I rise before dawn and cry for help;
I hope in your words.
148 My eyes are awake before the mwatches of the night,
that I may meditate on your promise.
149 Hear my voice according to your steadfast love;
O Lord, according to your justice give me life.
150 They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose;
they are far from your law.
151 But you are nnear, O Lord,
and all your commandments are true.
152 Long have I known from your testimonies
that you have founded them oforever.
Resh
153 Look on my affliction and deliver me,
for I do not forget your law.
154 pPlead my cause and redeem me;
give me life according to your promise!
155 qSalvation is far from the wicked,
for they do not seek your statutes.
156 rGreat is your mercy, O Lord;
give me life according to your rules.
157 Many are my persecutors and my adversaries,
but I do not swerve from your testimonies.
158 I look at the faithless with disgust,
because they do not keep your commands.
159 Consider how I love your precepts!
Give me life, O Lord, according to your steadfast love.
160 The sum of your word is truth,
and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.
Sin and Shin
161 sPrinces persecute me without cause,
but my heart stands in awe of your words.
162 I trejoice at your word
like one who finds great spoil.
163 I hate and abhor falsehood,
but I love your law.
164 Seven times a day I praise you
for your righteous rules.
165 Great upeace have those who love your law;
nothing can make them stumble.
166 vI hope for your salvation, O Lord,
and I do your commandments.
167 My soul keeps your testimonies;
I love them exceedingly.
168 I keep your precepts and testimonies,
for wall my ways are before you.
Taw
169 Let my cry come before you, O Lord;
give me understanding xaccording to your word!
170 Let my plea come before you;
deliver me according to your word.
171 My ylips will zpour forth praise,
for you teach me your statutes.
172 My tongue will sing of your word,
for all your commandments are right.
173 Let your hand be ready to help me,
for I have chosen your precepts.
174 I along for your salvation, O Lord,
and your law is my delight.
175 Let my soul live and praise you,
and let your rules help me.
176 I have gone astray like a blost sheep; cseek your servant,
for dI do not forget your commandments.
A Song of Ascents.
1 eIn my fdistress I called to the Lord,
and ghe answered me.
2 Deliver me, O Lord,
from lying lips,
from a deceitful tongue.
3 What shall be given to you,
and what more shall be done to you,
you deceitful tongue?
4 A warrior’s sharp arrows,
with hglowing coals of the broom tree!
5 Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech,
that I dwell among the itents of Kedar!
6 Too long have I had my dwelling
among those who hate peace.
7 I am for peace,
but when I speak, they are for war!
A Song of Ascents.
1 jI lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
2 kMy lhelp comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot mbe moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your nkeeper;
the Lord is your oshade pon your right hand.
6 The qsun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all evil;
he will rkeep your life.
8 sThe Lord will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
1 I was glad when they said to me,
t“Let us go to the house of the Lord!”
2 Our feet have been standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem!
3 uJerusalem—built as a city
that is vbound firmly together,
4 to which the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord,
to give thanks to the name of the Lord.
5 There thrones for judgment were set,
the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
“May they be secure who love you!
7 Peace be within your walls
and security within your towers!”
8 For my brothers and companions’ sake
I will say, “Peace be within you!”
9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek your good.
A Song of Ascents.
1 To you xI lift up my eyes,
O you who are yenthroned in the heavens!
2 Behold, as the eyes of servants
look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maidservant
to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
till he has mercy upon us.
3 zHave mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
for we have had more than enough of contempt.
4 Our soul has had more than enough
of the scorn of athose who are at ease,
of the contempt of the proud.
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
1 bIf it had not been the Lord who was con our side—
dlet Israel now say—
2 if it had not been the Lord who was on our side
when people rose up against us,
3 then they would have swallowed us up alive,
when their anger was kindled against us;
4 then the eflood would have swept us away,
the torrent would have gone over us;
5 then over us would have gone
the raging waters.
6 Blessed be the Lord,
who has not given us
as prey to their teeth!
7 We have escaped like a bird
from the snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken,
and we have escaped!
8 fOur help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
A Song of Ascents.
1 Those who gtrust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the Lord hsurrounds his people,
from this time forth and forevermore.
3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
on the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous stretch out
their hands to do wrong.
4 iDo good, O Lord, to those who are good,
and to those who are upright in their hearts!
5 But those who turn aside to their crooked ways
the Lord will lead away with evildoers!
jPeace be upon Israel!
A Song of Ascents.
1 When the Lord krestored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was lfilled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
m“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us;
we are glad.
4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like streams in the Negeb!
5 nThose who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy!
6 He who goes out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.
A Song of Ascents. oOf Solomon.
1 Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
2 It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of panxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.
3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children31 of one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!
He shall qnot be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.32
A Song of Ascents.
1 rBlessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
who swalks in his ways!
2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be blessed, and tit shall be well with you.
3 Your wife will be ulike a fruitful vine
within your house;
vyour children will be wlike olive shoots
around your table.
4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
who fears the Lord.
5 xThe Lord bless you from Zion!
May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life!
6 May you ysee your children’s children!
zPeace be upon Israel!
A Song of Ascents.
1 “Greatly33 have they afflicted me from my ayouth”—
blet Israel now say—
2 “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth,
yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 The plowers plowed upon my back;
they made long their furrows.”
4 The Lord is righteous;
he has cut the cords of the wicked.
5 cMay all who hate Zion
be put to shame and turned backward!
6 Let them be dlike the grass on the housetops,
which withers before it grows up,
7 with which the reaper does not fill his hand
nor the binder of sheaves his arms,
8 nor do those who pass by say,
e“The blessing of the Lord be upon you!
We bless you in the name of the Lord!”
A Song of Ascents.
1 Out of the fdepths I cry to you, O Lord!
2 O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be gattentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!
3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, hwho could stand?
4 But with you there is iforgiveness,
jthat you may be feared.
5 I kwait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and lin his word I hope;
6 mmy soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
7 nO Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is osteadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will predeem Israel
from all his iniquities.
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
1 O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and qtoo marvelous for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
3 rO Israel, hope in the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore.
A Song of Ascents.
1 Remember, O Lord, in David’s favor,
all the hardships he endured,
2 show he swore to the Lord
and vowed to tthe Mighty One of Jacob,
3 “I will not enter my house
or get into my bed,
4 I will unot give sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
5 until I find a place for the Lord,
6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
xwe found it in the fields of Jaar.
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place;
let us yworship at his footstool!”
8 zArise, O Lord, and go to your resting place,
you and the ark of your amight.
9 Let your priests be bclothed with righteousness,
and let your saints shout for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David,
11 The Lord eswore to David a sure oath
from which he will not turn back:
“One of the sons of your body34
I will set on your fthrone.
12 If your sons keep my covenant
and my testimonies that I shall teach them,
their sons also forever
shall sit on your throne.”
13 For gthe Lord has hchosen 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.
15 I will abundantly bless her provisions;
I will isatisfy her poor with bread.
16 jHer priests I will kclothe with salvation,
and her saints will shout for joy.
17 There lI will make a horn to sprout for David;
I have prepared a mlamp for my anointed.
18 His enemies I will nclothe with shame,
but on him his crown will shine.”
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
1 Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers odwell in unity!35
2 It is like the precious poil on the head,
running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down on the collar of his qrobes!
3 It is rlike the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there sthe Lord has commanded the blessing,
life forevermore.
A Song of Ascents.
1 tCome, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
uwho stand by night in the house of the Lord!
2 vLift up your hands to the holy place
and bless the Lord!
3 wMay the Lord bless you from Zion,
he who made heaven and earth!
1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord,
xgive praise, O servants of the Lord,
2 ywho stand in the house of the Lord,
in the courts of the house of our God!
3 Praise the Lord, zfor the Lord is good;
asing to his name, bfor it is pleasant!36
4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel as chis own possession.
5 For I know that dthe Lord is great,
and that our Lord is eabove all gods.
6 fWhatever the Lord pleases, he does,
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all deeps.
7 He it is who gmakes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,
who makes lightnings for the rain
and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.
8 hHe it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
both of man and of beast;
9 who in your midst, O Egypt,
sent isigns and wonders
against Pharaoh and all his servants;
10 jwho struck down many nations
and killed mighty kings,
11 kSihon, king of the Amorites,
and lOg, king of Bashan,
and mall the kingdoms of Canaan,
12 and gave their land as a heritage,
a heritage to his people Israel.
13 nYour name, O Lord, endures forever,
your renown,37 O Lord, throughout all ages.
14 For othe Lord will vindicate his people
and have compassion on his servants.
15 pThe idols of the nations are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
16 qThey have mouths, but do not speak;
they have eyes, but do not see;
17 they have ears, but do not hear,
rnor is there any breath in their mouths.
18 sThose who make them become like them;
so do all who trust in them.
19 O house of Israel, bless the Lord!
O house of Aaron, bless the Lord!
20 O house of Levi, bless the Lord!
You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!
21 Blessed be the Lord from Zion,
he who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise the Lord!
1 tGive thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for uhis steadfast love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the vGod of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the wLord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
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