Psalm 137

Longing for Zion in a Foreign Land

1 By the rivers of Babylon,

There we sat down, yea, we wept

When we remembered Zion.

2 We hung our harps

Upon the willows in the midst of it.

3 For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song,

And those who aplundered us requested mirth,

Saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

4 How shall we sing the Lord’s song

In a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

Let my right hand forget its skill!

6 If I do not remember you,

Let my btongue cling to the roof of my mouth—

If I do not exalt Jerusalem

Above my chief joy.

7 Remember, O Lord, against cthe sons of Edom

The day of Jerusalem,

Who said, 1“Raze it, raze it,

To its very foundation!”

8 O daughter of Babylon, dwho are to be destroyed,

Happy the one ewho repays you as you have served us!

9 Happy the one who takes and fdashes

Your little ones against the rock!

Psalm 138

The Lord’s Goodness to the Faithful

A Psalm of David.

1 I will praise You with my whole heart;

aBefore the gods I will sing praises to You.

2 bI will worship ctoward Your holy temple,

And praise Your name

For Your lovingkindness and Your truth;

For You have dmagnified Your word above all Your name.

3 In the day when I cried out, You answered me,

And made me bold with strength in my soul.

4 eAll the kings of the earth shall praise You, O Lord,

When they hear the words of Your mouth.

5 Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,

For great is the glory of the Lord.

6 fThough the Lord is on high,

Yet gHe regards the lowly;

But the proud He knows from afar.

7 hThough I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;

You will stretch out Your hand

Against the wrath of my enemies,

And Your right hand will save me.

8 iThe Lord will 1perfect that which concerns me;

Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever;

jDo not forsake the works of Your hands.

Psalm 139

God’s Perfect Knowledge of Man

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

1 O Lord, aYou have searched me and known me.

2 bYou know my sitting down and my rising up;

You cunderstand my thought afar off.

3 dYou 1comprehend my path and my lying down,

And are acquainted with all my ways.

4 For there is not a word on my tongue,

But behold, O Lord, eYou know it altogether.

5 You have 2hedged me behind and before,

And laid Your hand upon me.

6 fSuch knowledge is too wonderful for me;

It is high, I cannot attain it.

7 gWhere can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

8 hIf I ascend into heaven, You are there;

iIf I make my bed in 3hell, behold, You are there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning,

And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,

And Your right hand shall hold me.

11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall 4fall on me,”

Even the night shall be light about me;

12 Indeed, jthe darkness 5shall not hide from You,

But the night shines as the day;

The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

13 For You formed my inward parts;

You 6covered me in my mother’s womb.

14 I will praise You, for 7I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Marvelous are Your works,

And that my soul knows very well.

15 kMy 8frame was not hidden from You,

When I was made in secret,

And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.

And in Your book they all were written,

The days fashioned for me,

When as yet there were none of them.

17 lHow precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!

How great is the sum of them!

18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;

When I awake, I am still with You.

19 Oh, that You would mslay the wicked, O God!

nDepart from me, therefore, you 9bloodthirsty men.

20 For they ospeak against You wickedly;

1Your enemies take Your name in vain.

21 pDo I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You?

And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?

22 I hate them with 2perfect hatred;

I count them my enemies.

23 qSearch me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my anxieties;

24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,

And rlead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 140

Prayer for Deliverance from Evil Men

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

1 Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men;

Preserve me from violent men,

2 Who plan evil things in their hearts;

aThey continually gather together for war.

3 They sharpen their tongues like a serpent;

The bpoison of asps is under their lips.

Selah

4 cKeep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;

Preserve me from violent men,

Who have purposed to make my steps stumble.

5 The proud have hidden a dsnare for me, and cords;

They have spread a net by the wayside;

They have set traps for me.

Selah

6 I said to the Lord: “You are my God;

Hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.

7 O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation,

You have 1covered my head in the day of battle.

8 Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;

Do not further his wicked scheme,

eLest they be exalted.

Selah

9 “As for the head of those who surround me,

Let the evil of their lips cover them;

10 fLet burning coals fall upon them;

Let them be cast into the fire,

Into deep pits, that they rise not up again.

11 Let not a slanderer be established in the earth;

Let evil hunt the violent man to overthrow him.”

12 I know that the Lord will gmaintain

The cause of the afflicted,

And justice for the poor.

13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name;

The upright shall dwell in Your presence.

Psalm 141

Prayer for Safekeeping from Wickedness

A Psalm of David.

1 Lord, I cry out to You;

Make haste to me!

Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You.

2 Let my prayer be set before You aas incense,

bThe lifting up of my hands as cthe evening sacrifice.

3 Set a guard, O Lord, over my dmouth;

Keep watch over the door of my lips.

4 Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,

To practice wicked works

With men who work iniquity;

eAnd do not let me eat of their delicacies.

5 fLet the righteous strike me;

It shall be a kindness.

And let him rebuke me;

It shall be as excellent oil;

Let my head not refuse it.

For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked.

6 Their judges are overthrown by the sides of the 1cliff,

And they hear my words, for they are sweet.

7 Our bones are scattered at the mouth of the grave,

As when one plows and breaks up the earth.

8 But gmy eyes are upon You, O God the Lord;

In You I take refuge;

2Do not leave my soul destitute.

9 Keep me from hthe snares they have laid for me,

And from the traps of the workers of iniquity.

10 iLet the wicked fall into their own nets,

While I escape safely.

Psalm 142

A Plea for Relief from Persecutors

A aContemplation 1Of David. A Prayer bWhen He Was in the Cave.

1 I cry out to the Lord with my voice;

With my voice to the Lord I make my supplication.

2 I pour out my complaint before Him;

I declare before Him my trouble.

3 When my spirit 2was coverwhelmed within me,

Then You knew my path.

In the way in which I walk

They have secretly dset a snare for me.

4 Look on my right hand and see,

For there is no one who acknowledges me;

Refuge has failed me;

No one cares for my soul.

5 I cried out to You, O Lord:

I said, “You are my refuge,

My portion in the land of the living.

6 3Attend to my cry,

For I am brought very low;

Deliver me from my persecutors,

For they are stronger than I.

7 Bring my soul out of prison,

That I may epraise Your name;

The righteous shall surround me,

For You shall deal bountifully with me.”

Psalm 143

An Earnest Appeal for Guidance and Deliverance

A Psalm of David.

1 Hear my prayer, O Lord,

Give ear to my supplications!

In Your faithfulness answer me,

And in Your righteousness.

2 Do not enter into judgment with Your servant,

aFor in Your sight no one living is righteous.

3 For the enemy has persecuted my soul;

He has crushed my life to the ground;

He has made me dwell in 1darkness,

Like those who have long been dead.

4 bTherefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;

My heart within me is distressed.

5 cI remember the days of old;

I meditate on all Your works;

I 2muse on the work of Your hands.

6 I spread out my hands to You;

dMy soul longs for You like a thirsty land.

Selah

7 Answer me speedily, O Lord;

My spirit fails!

Do not hide Your face from me,

eLest I 3be like those who 4go down into the pit.

8 Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness fin the morning,

For in You do I trust;

gCause me to know the way in which I should walk,

For hI lift up my soul to You.

9 Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies;

5In You I take shelter.

10 iTeach me to do Your will,

For You are my God;

jYour Spirit is good.

Lead me in kthe land of uprightness.

11 lRevive me, O Lord, for Your name’s sake!

For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.

12 In Your mercy mcut 6off my enemies,

And destroy all those who afflict my soul;

For I am Your servant.