Psalms 138:1-150:6

ISV(i) 1 Thanksgiving to God LORD, I thank you with all of my heart; because you heard the words that I spoke, I will sing your praise before the heavenly beings. 2 I will bow down in worship toward your holy Temple and give thanks to your name for your gracious love and truth, for you have done great things to carry out your word consistent with your name. 3 When I called out, you answered me; you strengthened me. 4 LORD, all the kings of the earth will give you thanks, for they have heard what you have spoken. 5 They will sing about the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD! 6 Though the LORD is highly exalted, yet he pays attention to those who are lowly regarded, but he is aware of the arrogant from afar. 7 Though I walk straight into trouble, you preserve my life, stretching out your hand to fight the vehemence of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me. 8 The LORD will complete what his purpose is for me. LORD, your gracious love is eternal; do not abandon your personal work in me.
139 1 To the Music Director: A Davidic Song
God’s Knowledge and Presence LORD, you have examined me; you have known me. 2 You know when I rest and when I am active. You understand what I am thinking when I am distant from you. 3 You scrutinize my life and my rest; you are familiar with all of my ways. 4 Even before I have formed a word with my tongue, you, LORD, know it completely! 5 You encircle me from back to front, placing your hand upon me. 6 Knowledge like this is too amazing for me. It is beyond my reach, and I cannot fathom it.
7 The Magnitude of GodWhere can I flee from your spirit? Or where will I run from your presence? 8 If I rise to heaven, there you are! If I lay down with the dead, there you are! 9 If I take wings with the dawn and settle down on the western horizon 10 your hand will guide me there, too, while your right hand keeps a firm grip on me. 11 If I say, “Darkness will surely conceal me, and the light around me will become night,” 12 even darkness isn’t dark to you, darkness and light are the same to you. 13 It was you who formed my internal organs, fashioning me within my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you, because you are fearful and wondrous! Your work is wonderful, and I am fully aware of it. 15 My frame was not hidden from you while I was being crafted in a hidden place, knit together in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes looked upon my embryo, and everything was recorded in your book. The days scheduled for my formation were inscribed, even though not one of them had come yet. 17 How deep are your thoughts, God! How great is their number! 18 Were I to count them, they would number more than the sand. When I awake, I will be with you. 19 God, if only you would execute the wicked, so that the men guilty of bloodshed would get away from me, 20 who speak against you with evil motives, your enemies who are acting in vain. 21 I hate those who hate you, LORD, do I not? I loathe those who rebel against you, do I not ? 22 With consummate hatred I hate them; I consider them my enemies. 23 Examine me, God, and know my mind, test me, and know my thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive tendency in me, and lead me in the eternal way.
140 1 To the Music Director: A Davidic Song
A Prayer for Deliverance Deliver me, LORD, from evil people, preserve me from violent men, 2 who craft evil plans in their minds, inciting wars every day. 3 They sharpen their tongues like a serpent; the venom of vipers is on their lips. Interlude 4 Protect me, LORD, from the control of evil people, from violent men who have planned to trip me. 5 The arrogant have laid a trap for me; they have spread a net with ropes, lining it with snares along the way. Interlude 6 So I say to the LORD, “You are my God; listen to my voice as I plead for mercy, LORD. 7 LORD, my Lord, my strong deliverer, you have protected my head in the time of battle. 8 Never grant, LORD, the desires of the wicked; never condone their plans so they cannot exalt themselves. Interlude 9 May those who surround me discover that the trouble they talk about falls on their own head! 10 May burning coals fall on them; may they be cast into fire, and into miry pits, never to rise again. 11 Let not the slanderer become established in the land. May evil quickly hunt down the violent man. 12 I know that the LORD will act on behalf of the tormented, providing justice for the needy. 13 Surely the righteous will give thanks to your name, while the upright live in your presence.
141 1 A Davidic Song
A Prayer for Maturity LORD, I call to you, be quick to listen to me when I cry out! 2 Let my prayer be like incense offered before you, and my uplifted hands like the evening sacrifice. 3 LORD, set a guard over my mouth; keep watch over the door to my lips. 4 Don’t let my heart turn toward evil or involve itself in wicked activities with men who practice iniquity. Let me not feast on their delicacies. 5 Let one who is righteous strike me; It is an act of gracious love. Let him rebuke me, because it is oil for my head; do not let my head refuse it. My prayers continuously will be against their wicked activities. 6 When their judges are thrown off the cliff, the people will hear my words, for they are appropriate. 7 Just as one plows and breaks up the earth, our bones are scattered near the entrance to the place of the dead. 8 Nevertheless, my eyes are on you, Lord GOD, as I seek protection in you. Don’t leave me defenseless! 9 Protect me from the trap laid for me and from the snares of those who practice evil. 10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I come through.
142 1 A Davidic Song, when he was in the cave. A prayer.
A Call to God for Help My voice cries out to the LORD; my voice pleads for mercy to the LORD. 2 I pour out my complaint to him, telling him all of my troubles. 3 Though my spirit grows faint within me, you are aware of my path. Wherever I go, they have hidden a trap for me. 4 I look to my right and observe— no one is concerned about me. There is nowhere I can go for refuge, and no one cares for me. 5 So I cry to you, Lord, declaring, “You are my refuge, my only possession while I am on this earth.” 6 Pay attention to my cry, for I have been brought very low. Deliver me from my tormentors, for they are far too strong for me. 7 Break me out of this prison, so I can give thanks to your name. The righteous will surround me, for you will deal generously with me.
143 1 A Davidic Song
Longing for God LORD, hear my prayer; pay attention to my request, because you are faithful; answer me in your righteousness. 2 Do not enter into judgment with your servant, for no living person is righteous in your sight. 3 For those who oppose me are pursuing my life, crushing me to the ground, making me sit in darkness like those who died long ago. 4 As a result, my spirit is desolate within me, and my mind within me is appalled. 5 I remember the former times, meditating on everything you have done. I think about the work of your hands. 6 I stretch out my hands toward you, longing for you like a parched land. Interlude 7 Answer me quickly, LORD; my spirit is failing. Do not hide your face from me; otherwise, I will become like those who descend to the Pit, 8 In the morning let me hear of your gracious love, for in you I trust. Cause me to know the way I should take, because I have set my hope on you. 9 Deliver me from my enemies, LORD. I have taken refuge in you. 10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground. 11 For the sake of your name, LORD, preserve my life. Because you are righteous, bring me out of trouble. 12 Because of your gracious love, you will cut off my enemies. You will destroy all who oppose me, for I am your servant.
144 1 Davidic
A Song for God’s Provision Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for battle and my fingers for warfare, 2 he is my gracious love and my fortress, my strong tower and my deliverer, my shield and the one in whom I find refuge, who subdues peoples under me. 3 LORD, what are human beings, that you should care about them, or mortal man, that you should think about him? 4 The human person is a mere empty breath; his days are like a fading shadow. 5 Bow your heavens, LORD, and descend; touch the mountains, and they will smolder. 6 Send forth lightning and scatter the enemy, shoot your arrows and confuse them. 7 Reach down your hand from your high place; rescue me and deliver me from mighty waters, from the control of foreigners. 8 Their mouths speak lies, and their right hand deceives, 9 God, I will sing a new song to you. On a harp of ten strings I will play to you— 10 to you who gives victory to kings, rescuing his servant David from cruel swords. 11 Rescue me and deliver me from the control of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies, and whose right hand deceives. 12 May our sons in their youth be like full-grown plants, and our daughters like pillars destined to decorate a palace. 13 May our granaries be filled, storing produce in abundance; may our sheep bring forth thousands, even tens of thousands in our fields. 14 May our cattle grow heavy with young, with no damage or loss. May there be no cry of anguish in our streets! 15 Happy are the people to whom these things come; happy are the people whose God is the LORD.
145 1 A Davidic Psalm
Praising God for His Works I will speak highly of you, my God and King, and I will bless your name forever and ever. 2 I will bless you every day and I will praise your name forever and ever. 3 The LORD is great, and to be praised highly, though his greatness is indescribable. 4 One generation will acclaim your works to another and will describe your mighty actions. 5 I will speak about the glorious splendor of your majesty as well as your awesome actions. 6 People will speak about the might of your great deeds, and I will announce your greatness. 7 They will extol the fame of your abundant goodness, and will sing out loud about your righteousness. 8 Gracious and merciful is the LORD, slow to become angry, and overflowing with gracious love. 9 The LORD is good to everyone and his mercies extend to everything he does. 10 LORD, everything you have done will praise you, and your holy ones will bless you. 11 They will speak about the glory of your kingdom, and they will talk about your might, 12 in order to make known your mighty acts to mankind as well as the majestic splendor of your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your authority endures from one generation to another. 13bGod is faithful about everything he says and merciful in everything he does. 14 The LORD supports everyone who falls and raises up those who are bowed down. 15 Everyone’s eyes are on you, as you give them their food in due time. 16 You open your hand and keep on satisfying the desire of every living thing. 17 The LORD is righteous in all of his ways and graciously loving in all of his activities. 18 The LORD remains near to all who call out to him, to everyone who calls out to him sincerely. 19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him, hearing their cry and saving them. 20 The LORD preserves everyone who loves him, but he will destroy all of the wicked. 21 My mouth will praise the LORD, and all creatures will bless his holy name forever and ever.
146 1 Praise to God the Help of Israel Hallelujah! Praise the LORD, my soul! 2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live, singing praises to my God while I exist. 3 Do not look to nobles, nor to mere human beings who cannot save. 4 When they stop breathing, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans evaporate! 5 Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, 6 maker of heaven and earth, the seas and everything in them, forever the guardian of truth, 7 who brings justice for the oppressed, and who gives food to the hungry. The LORD frees the prisoners; 8 the LORD gives sight to the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are weighed down. The LORD loves the righteous. 9 The LORD stands guard over the stranger; he supports both widows and orphans, but makes the path of the wicked slippery. 10 The LORD will reign forever, your God, Zion, for all generations! Hallelujah!
147 1 Praise for God’s Provision Hallelujah! It is good to sing praise to our God, and it is fitting to sing glorious praise. 2 The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem; he gathers together the outcasts of Israel. 3 He heals the brokenhearted, binding up their injuries. 4 He keeps track of the number of stars, assigning names to all of them. 5 Our Lord is great, and rich in power; his understanding has no limitation. 6 The LORD supports the afflicted while he casts the wicked to the ground. 7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving, and compose music to our God with the lyre. 8 He shields the heavens with clouds, preparing rain for the earth and making grass grow on the hills. 9 He gives wild animals their food, including the young ravens when they cry. 10 He takes no delight in the strength of a horse, and gains no pleasure in the runner’s swiftness. 11 But the LORD is pleased with those who fear him, with those who depend on his gracious love. 12 Glorify the LORD, Jerusalem! Praise your God, Zion! 13 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates, blessing your children within you. 14 He grants peace within your borders, satisfying you with the finest of wheat. 15 He sends out his command to the earth, making his word go forth quickly. 16 He supplies snow like wool, scattering frost like ashes. 17 He casts down his ice crystals like bread fragments. Who can endure his freezing cold? 18 He sends out his word and melts them. He makes his wind blow and the water flows. 19 He declares his words to Jacob, his statutes and decrees to Israel. 20 He has not dealt with any other nation like this; they never knew his decrees. Hallelujah!
148 1 Let All the Earth Praise the LORD Hallelujah! Praise the LORD from heaven; praise him in the highest places. 2 Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his armies! 3 Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars. 4 Praise him, you heaven of heavens, and you waters above the heavens. 5 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for he himself gave the command that they be created. 6 He set them in place to last forever and ever; he gave the command and will not rescind it. 7 Praise the LORD, you from the earth, you creatures of the sea and all you depths, 8 fire, hail, snow, fog, and wind storm that carry out his command, 9 mountains and every hill, fruit trees and cedars, 10 living creatures and livestock, insects and flying birds, 11 earthly kings and all peoples, nobles and all court officials of the earth, 12 young men and young women alike, along with older people and children. 13 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is lifted up; his majesty transcends earth and heaven. 14 He has raised up a source of strength for his people, an object of praise for all of his holy ones, that is, for the people of Israel who are near him. Hallelujah!
149 1 A Song About Rejoicing in God Hallelujah! Sing a new song to the LORD, praising him where the godly gather together. 2 May Israel rejoice in its Maker, and Zion’s descendants in their King! 3 May they praise his name with dancing, chanting songs to him with tambourines and lyres. 4 For the LORD is pleased with his people; he beautifies the afflicted with salvation. 5 May those he loves be exalted, singing for joy on their couches. 6 Let high praises to God be heard in their throats, while they wield two-edged swords in their hands 7 as they bring retribution to nations and punishment to peoples, 8 binding their kings with chains, their officials with iron bands, 9 and executing the judgment written against them. This is honor for all the ones he loves. Hallelujah!
150 1 A Psalm of Praise Hallelujah! Praise God in his Holy Place. Praise him in his great expanse. 2 Praise him for his mighty works. Praise him according to his excellent greatness. 3 Praise him with trumpet sounding. Praise him with stringed instrument and harp. 4 Praise him with tambourine and dancing. Praise him with stringed and wind instruments. 5 Praise him with loud cymbals. Praise him with reverberating cymbals. 6 Let everyone who breathes praise the LORD. Hallelujah!