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 93

1 The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty;

the Lord is robed, he is girded with strength.

Yea, the world is established; it shall never be moved;

2 thy throne is established from of old;

thou art from everlasting.

3 The floods have lifted up, O Lord,

the floods have lifted up their voice,

the floods lift up their roaring.

4 Mightier than the thunders of many waters,

mightier than the waves* of the sea,

the Lord on high is mighty!

5 Thy decrees are very sure;

holiness befits thy house,

O Lord, for evermore.

PSALM 94

1 O Lord, thou God of vengeance,

thou God of vengeance, shine forth!

2 Rise up, O judge of the earth;

render to the proud their deserts!

3 O Lord, how long shall the wicked,

how long shall the wicked exult?

4 They pour out their arrogant words,

they boast, all the evildoers.

5 They crush thy people, O Lord,

and afflict thy heritage.

6 They slay the widow and the sojourner,

and murder the fatherless;

7 and they say, “The Lord does not see;

the God of Jacob does not perceive.”

8 Understand, O dullest of the people!

Fools, when will you be wise?

9 He who planted the ear, does he not hear?

He who formed the eye, does he not see?

10 He who chastens the nations, does he not chastise?

He who teaches men knowledge,

11 the Lord, knows the thoughts of man,

that they are but a breath.

12 Blessed is the man whom thou dost chasten, O Lord,

and whom thou dost teach out of thy law

13 to give him respite from days of trouble,

until a pit is dug for the wicked.

14 For the Lord will not forsake his people;

he will not abandon his heritage;

15 for justice will return to the righteous,

and all the upright in heart will follow it.

16 Who rises up for me against the wicked?

Who stands up for me against evildoers?

17 If the Lord had not been my help,

my soul would soon have dwelt in the land of silence.

18 When I thought, “My foot slips,”

thy steadfast love, O Lord, held me up.

19 When the cares of my heart are many,

thy consolations cheer my soul.

20 Can wicked rulers be allied with thee,

who frame mischief by statute?

21 They band together against the life of the righteous,

and condemn the innocent to death.

22 But the Lord has become my stronghold,

and my God the rock of my refuge.

23 He will bring back on them their iniquity

and wipe them out for their wickedness;

the Lord our God will wipe them out.