PSALM 118

1 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

his steadfast love endures for ever!

2 Let Israel say,

“His steadfast love endures for ever.”

3 Let the house of Aaron say,

“His steadfast love endures for ever.”

4 Let those who fear the Lord say,

“His steadfast love endures for ever.”

5 Out of my distress I called on the Lord;

the Lord answered me and set me free.

6 With the Lord on my side I do not fear.

What can man do to me?

7 The Lord is on my side to help me;

I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.

8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord

than to put confidence in man.

9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord

than to put confidence 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 like bees,

they blazedi like a fire of thorns;

in the name of the Lord I cut them off!

13 I was pushed hard,* so that I was falling,

but the Lord helped me.

14 The Lord is my strength and my song;

he has become my salvation.

15 Hark, glad songs of victory

in the tents of the righteous:

“The right hand of the Lord does valiantly,

16 the right hand of the Lord is exalted,

the right hand of the Lord does valiantly!”

17 I shall not die, but I shall live,

and recount the deeds of the Lord.

18 The Lord has chastened me sorely,

but he has not given me over to death.

19 Open to me the gates of righteousness,

that I may enter through them

and give thanks to the Lord.

20 This is the gate of the Lord;

the righteous shall enter through it.

21 I thank thee that thou hast answered me

and hast become my salvation.

22 The stone which the builders rejected

has become the head of the corner.

23 This is the Lord’s doing;

it is marvelous in our eyes.

24 This is the day which the Lord has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Save us, we beseech thee, O Lord!

O Lord, we beseech thee, give us success!

26 Blessed be he who enters in the name of the Lord!

We bless you from the house of the Lord.

27 The Lord is God,

and he has given us light.

Bind the festal procession with branches,

up to the horns of the altar!

28 Thou art my God, and I will give thanks to thee;

thou art my God, I will extol thee.

29 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

for his steadfast love endures for ever!

PSALM 76

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

1 In Judah God is known,

his name is great in Israel.

2 His abode has been established in Salem,

his dwelling place in Zion.

3 There he broke the flashing arrows,

the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war. [Selah]

4 Glorious art thou, more majestic

than the everlasting mountains.g

5 The stouthearted were stripped of their spoil;

they sank into sleep;

all the men of war

were unable to use their hands.

6 At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob,

both rider and horse lay stunned.

7 But thou, terrible art thou!

Who can stand before thee

when once thy anger is roused?

8 From the heavens thou didst utter judgment;

the earth feared and was still,

9 when God arose to establish judgment

to save all the oppressed of the earth. [Selah]

10 Surely the wrath of men shall praise thee;

the residue of wrath thou wilt gird upon thee.

11 Make your vows to the Lord your God, and perform them;

let all around him bring gifts

to him who is to be feared,

12 who cuts off the spirit of princes,

who is terrible to the kings of the earth.

PSALM 77

To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.

1 I cry aloud to God,

aloud to God, that he may hear me.

2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;

in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;

my soul refuses to be comforted.

3 I think of God, and I moan;

I meditate, and my spirit faints. [Selah]

4 Thou dost hold my eyelids from closing;

I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

5 I consider the days of old,

I remember the years long ago.

6 I communeh with my heart in the night;

I meditate and search my spirit:i

7 “Will the Lord spurn for ever,

and never again be favorable?

8 Has his steadfast love for ever ceased?

Are his promises at an end for all time?

9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?

Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” [Selah]

10 And I say, “It is my grief

that the right hand of the Most High has changed.”

11 I will call to mind the deeds of the Lord;

yea, I will remember thy wonders of old.

12 I will meditate on all thy work,

and muse on thy mighty deeds.

13 Thy way, O God, is holy.

What god is great like our God?

14 Thou art the God who workest wonders,

who hast manifested thy might among the peoples.

15 Thou didst with thy arm redeem thy people,

the sons of Jacob and Joseph. [Selah]

16 When the waters saw thee, O God,

when the waters saw thee, they were afraid,

yea, the deep trembled.

17 The clouds poured out water;

the skies gave forth thunder;

thy arrows flashed on every side.

18 The crash of thy thunder was in the whirlwind;

thy lightnings lighted up the world;

the earth trembled and shook.

19 Thy way was through the sea,

thy path through the great waters;

yet thy footprints were unseen.

20 Thou didst lead thy people like a flock

by the hand of Moses and Aaron.