136

1Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good,

for his loving kindness endures forever.

2Give thanks to the God of gods,

for his loving kindness endures forever.

3Give thanks to the Lord of lords,

for his loving kindness endures forever;

4to him who alone does great wonders,

for his loving kindness endures forever;

5to him who by understanding made the heavens,

for his loving kindness endures forever;

6to him who spread out the earth above the waters,

for his loving kindness endures forever;

7to him who made the great lights,

for his loving kindness endures forever;

8the sun to rule by day,

for his loving kindness endures forever;

9the moon and stars to rule by night,

for his loving kindness endures forever;

10to him who struck down the Egyptian firstborn,

for his loving kindness endures forever;

11and brought out Israel from among them,

for his loving kindness endures forever;

12with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm,

for his loving kindness endures forever;

13to him who divided the Red Sea apart,

for his loving kindness endures forever;

14and made Israel to pass through the middle of it,

for his loving kindness endures forever;

15but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,

for his loving kindness endures forever;

16to him who led his people through the wilderness,

for his loving kindness endures forever;

17to him who struck great kings,

for his loving kindness endures forever;

18and killed mighty kings,

for his loving kindness endures forever;

19Sihon king of the Amorites,

for his loving kindness endures forever;

20Og king of Bashan,

for his loving kindness endures forever;

21and gave their land as an inheritance,

for his loving kindness endures forever;

22even a heritage to Israel his servant,

for his loving kindness endures forever;

23who remembered us in our low estate,

for his loving kindness endures forever;

24and has delivered us from our adversaries,

for his loving kindness endures forever;

25who gives food to every creature,

for his loving kindness endures forever.

26Oh give thanks to the God of heaven,

for his loving kindness endures forever.

137

1By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down.

Yes, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

2On the willows in that land,

we hung up our harps.

3For there, those who led us captive asked us for songs.

Those who tormented us demanded songs of joy:

“Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

4How can we sing Yahweh’s song in a foreign land?

5If I forget you, Jerusalem,

let my right hand forget its skill.

6Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you,

if I don’t prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy.

7Remember, Yahweh, against the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem,

who said, “Raze it!

Raze it even to its foundation!”

8Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction,

he will be happy who repays you,

as you have done to us.

9Happy shall he be,

who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock.

138

By David.

1I will give you thanks with my whole heart.

Before the gods, I will sing praises to you.

2I will bow down toward your holy temple,

and give thanks to your Name for your loving kindness and for your truth;

for you have exalted your Name and your Word above all.

3In the day that I called, you answered me.

You encouraged me with strength in my soul.

4All the kings of the earth will give you thanks, Yahweh,

for they have heard the words of your mouth.

5Yes, they will sing of the ways of Yahweh,

for Yahweh’s glory is great!

6For though Yahweh is high, yet he looks after the lowly;

but he knows the proud from afar.

7Though I walk in the middle of trouble, you will revive me.

You will stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies.

Your right hand will save me.

8Yahweh will fulfill that which concerns me.

Your loving kindness, Yahweh, endures forever.

Don’t forsake the works of your own hands.

139

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

1Yahweh, you have searched me,

and you know me.

2You know my sitting down and my rising up.

You perceive my thoughts from afar.

3You search out my path and my lying down,

and are acquainted with all my ways.

4For there is not a word on my tongue,

but behold, Yahweh, you know it altogether.

5You hem me in behind and before.

You laid your hand on me.

6This knowledge is beyond me.

It’s lofty.

I can’t attain it.

7Where could I go from your Spirit?

Or where could I flee from your presence?

8If I ascend up into heaven, you are there.

If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there!

9If I take the wings of the dawn,

and settle in the uttermost parts of the sea,

10even there your hand will lead me,

and your right hand will hold me.

11If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me.

The light around me will be night,”

12even the darkness doesn’t hide from you,

but the night shines as the day.

The darkness is like light to you.

13For you formed my inmost being.

You knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14I will give thanks to you,

for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Your works are wonderful.

My soul knows that very well.

15My frame wasn’t hidden from you,

when I was made in secret,

woven together in the depths of the earth.

16Your eyes saw my body.

In your book they were all written,

the days that were ordained for me,

when as yet there were none of them.

17How precious to me are your thoughts, God!

How vast is their sum!

18If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand.

When I wake up, I am still with you.

19If only you, God, would kill the wicked.

Get away from me, you bloodthirsty men!

20For they speak against you wickedly.

Your enemies take your name in vain.

21Yahweh, don’t I hate those who hate you?

Am I not grieved with those who rise up against you?

22I hate them with perfect hatred.

They have become my enemies.

23Search me, God, and know my heart.

Try me, and know my thoughts.

24See if there is any wicked way in me,

and lead me in the everlasting way.

140

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

1Deliver me, Yahweh, from evil men.

Preserve me from violent men:

2those who devise mischief in their hearts.

They continually gather themselves together for war.

3They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent.

Viper’s poison is under their lips. Selah.

4Yahweh, keep me from the hands of the wicked.

Preserve me from the violent men who have determined to trip my feet.

5The proud have hidden a snare for me,

they have spread the cords of a net by the path.

They have set traps for me. Selah.

6I said to Yahweh, “You are my God.”

Listen to the cry of my petitions, Yahweh.

7Yahweh, the Lord, the strength of my salvation,

you have covered my head in the day of battle.

8Yahweh, don’t grant the desires of the wicked.

Don’t let their evil plans succeed, or they will become proud. Selah.

9As for the head of those who surround me,

let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

10Let burning coals fall on them.

Let them be thrown into the fire,

into miry pits, from where they never rise.

11An evil speaker won’t be established in the earth.

Evil will hunt the violent man to overthrow him.

12I know that Yahweh will maintain the cause of the afflicted,

and justice for the needy.

13Surely the righteous will give thanks to your name.

The upright will dwell in your presence.

141

A Psalm by David.

1Yahweh, I have called on you.

Come to me quickly!

Listen to my voice when I call to you.

2Let my prayer be set before you like incense;

the lifting up of my hands like the evening sacrifice.

3Set a watch, Yahweh, before my mouth.

Keep the door of my lips.

4Don’t incline my heart to any evil thing,

to practice deeds of wickedness with men who work iniquity.

Don’t let me eat of their delicacies.

5Let the righteous strike me, it is kindness;

let him reprove me, it is like oil on the head;

don’t let my head refuse it;

Yet my prayer is always against evil deeds.

6Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock.

They will hear my words, for they are well spoken.

7“As when one plows and breaks up the earth,

our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.”

8For my eyes are on you, Yahweh, the Lord.

I take refuge in you.

Don’t leave my soul destitute.

9Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me,

from the traps of the workers of iniquity.

10Let the wicked fall together into their own nets

while I pass by.

142

A contemplation by David, when he was in the cave. A Prayer.

1I cry with my voice to Yahweh.

With my voice, I ask Yahweh for mercy.

2I pour out my complaint before him.

I tell him my troubles.

3When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,

you knew my route.

On the path in which I walk,

they have hidden a snare for me.

4Look on my right, and see;

for there is no one who is concerned for me.

Refuge has fled from me.

No one cares for my soul.

5I cried to you, Yahweh.

I said, “You are my refuge,

my portion in the land of the living.”

6Listen to my cry,

for I am in desperate need.

Deliver me from my persecutors,

for they are too strong for me.

7Bring my soul out of prison,

that I may give thanks to your name.

The righteous will surround me,

for you will be good to me.