136.

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.

2 Give thanks to the God of gods. His faithful love endures forever.

3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords. His faithful love endures forever.

4 Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles. His faithful love endures forever.

5 Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully. His faithful love endures forever.

6 Give thanks to him who placed the earth among the waters. His faithful love endures forever.

7 Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights - His faithful love endures forever.

8 the sun to rule the day, His faithful love endures forever.

9 and the moon and stars to rule the night. His faithful love endures forever.

10 Give thanks to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt. His faithful love endures forever.

11 He brought Israel out of Egypt. His faithful love endures forever.

12 He acted with a strong hand and powerful arm. His faithful love endures forever.

13 Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea. His faithful love endures forever.

14 He led Israel safely through, His faithful love endures forever.

15 but he hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea. His faithful love endures forever.

16 Give thanks to him who led his people through the wilderness. His faithful love endures forever.

17 Give thanks to him who struck down mighty kings. His faithful love endures forever.

18 He killed powerful kings - His faithful love endures forever.

19 Sihon king of the Amorites, His faithful love endures forever.

20 and Og king of Bashan. His faithful love endures forever.

21 God gave the land of these kings as an inheritance - His faithful love endures forever.

22 a special possession to his servant Israel. His faithful love endures forever.

23 He remembered us in our weakness. His faithful love endures forever.

24 He saved us from our enemies. His faithful love endures forever.

25 He gives food to every living thing. His faithful love endures forever.

26 Give thanks to the God of heaven. His faithful love endures forever.

 

 

137.

1 Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept as we thought of Jerusalem.

2 We put away our harps, hanging them on the branches of poplar trees.

3 For our captors demanded a song from us. Our tormentors insisted on a joyful hymn. "Sing us one of those songs of Jerusalem!"

4 But how can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a pagan land?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget how to play the harp.

6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I fail to remember you, if I don't make Jerusalem my greatest joy.

7 O Lord, remember what the Edomites did on the day the armies of Babylon captured Jerusalem. "Destroy it!" they yelled. "Level it to the ground!"

8 O Babylon, you will be destroyed. Happy is the one who pays you back for what you have done to us.

9 Happy is the one who takes your babies and smashes them against the rocks!

 

 

138.

1 [A psalm of David.] I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods.

2 I bow before your holy Temple as I worship. I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.

3 As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength.

4 Every king in all the earth will thank you, Lord, for all of them will hear your words.

5 Yes, they will sing about the Lord's ways, for the glory of the Lord is very great.

6 Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud.

7 Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out your hand, and the power of your right hand saves me.

8 The Lord will work out his plans for my life - for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don't abandon me, for you made me.

 

 

139.

1 [For the choir director： A psalm of David.] O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.

2 You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I'm far away.

3 You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.

4 You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.

5 You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!

7 I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!

8 If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there.

9 If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans,

10 even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.

11 I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night -

12 but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous - how well I know it.

15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!

18 I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!

19 O God, if only you would destroy the wicked! Get out of my life, you murderers!

20 They blaspheme you; your enemies misuse your name.

21 O Lord, shouldn't I hate those who hate you? Shouldn't I despise those who oppose you?

22 Yes, I hate them with total hatred, for your enemies are my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24 Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

 

 

140.

1 [For the choir director： A psalm of David.] O Lord, rescue me from evil people. Protect me from those who are violent,

2 those who plot evil in their hearts and stir up trouble all day long.

3 Their tongues sting like a snake; the venom of a viper drips from their lips. Interlude

4 O Lord, keep me out of the hands of the wicked. Protect me from those who are violent, for they are plotting against me.

5 The proud have set a trap to catch me; they have stretched out a net; they have placed traps all along the way. Interlude

6 I said to the Lord, "You are my God!" Listen, O Lord, to my cries for mercy!

7 O Sovereign Lord, the strong one who rescued me, you protected me on the day of battle.

8 Lord, do not let evil people have their way. Do not let their evil schemes succeed, or they will become proud. Interlude

9 Let my enemies be destroyed by the very evil they have planned for me.

10 Let burning coals fall down on their heads. Let them be thrown into the fire or into watery pits from which they can't escape.

11 Don't let liars prosper here in our land. Cause great disasters to fall on the violent.

12 But I know the Lord will help those they persecute; he will give justice to the poor.

13 Surely righteous people are praising your name; the godly will live in your presence.

 

 

141.

1 [A psalm of David.] O Lord, I am calling to you. Please hurry! Listen when I cry to you for help!

2 Accept my prayer as incense offered to you, and my upraised hands as an evening offering.

3 Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips.

4 Don't let me drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness. Don't let me share in the delicacies of those who do wrong.

5 Let the godly strike me! It will be a kindness! If they correct me, it is soothing medicine. Don't let me refuse it. But I pray constantly against the wicked and their deeds.

6 When their leaders are thrown down from a cliff, the wicked will listen to my words and find them true.

7 Like rocks brought up by a plow, the bones of the wicked will lie scattered without burial.

8 I look to you for help, O Sovereign Lord. You are my refuge; don't them kill me.

9 Keep me from the traps they have set for me, from the snares of those who do wrong.

10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, but let me escape.

 

 

142.

1 [A psalm of David, regarding his experience in the cave. A prayer.] I cry out to the Lord; I plead for the Lord's mercy.

2 I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles.

3 When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn. Wherever I go, my enemies have set traps for me.

4 I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought! No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me.

5 Then I pray to you, O Lord. I say, "You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life.

6 Hear my cry, for I am very low. Rescue me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me.

7 Bring me out of prison so I can thank you. The godly will crowd around me, for you are good to me."

 

 

143.

1 [A psalm of David.] Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my plea! Answer me because you are faithful and righteous.

2 Don't put your servant on trial, for no one is innocent before you.

3 My enemy has chased me. He has knocked me to the ground and forces me to live in darkness like those in the grave.

4 I am losing all hope; I am paralyzed with fear.

5 I remember the days of old. I ponder all your great works and think about what you have done.

6 I lift my hands to you in prayer. I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain. Interlude

7 Come quickly, Lord, and answer me, for my depression deepens. Don't turn away from me, or I will die.

8 Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.

9 Rescue me from my enemies, Lord; I run to you to hide me.

10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.

11 For the glory of your name, O Lord, preserve my life. Because of your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress.

12 In your unfailing love, silence all my enemies and destroy all my foes, for I am your servant.