Psalm 133–139
Blessed Unity of the People of God
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For abrethren to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Running down on the beard,
The beard of Aaron,
Running down on the edge of his garments.
3 It is like the dew of bHermon,
Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
For cthere the Lord commanded the blessing—
Life forevermore.
Praising the Lord In His House at Night
A Song of Ascents.
All you servants of the Lord,
Who by night stand in the house of the Lord!
2 aLift up your hands in the sanctuary,
And bless the Lord.
3 The Lord who made heaven and earth
Bless you from Zion!
Praise to God in Creation and Redemption
1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord;
aPraise Him, O you servants of the Lord!
2 bYou who stand in the house of the Lord,
In cthe courts of the house of our God,
3 Praise the Lord, for dthe Lord is good;
Sing praises to His name, efor it is pleasant.
4 For fthe Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself,
Israel for His 1special treasure.
5 For I know that gthe Lord is great,
And our Lord is above all gods.
6 hWhatever the Lord pleases He does,
In heaven and in earth,
In the seas and in all deep places.
7 iHe causes the 2vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth;
jHe makes lightning for the rain;
He brings the wind out of His ktreasuries.
8 lHe 3destroyed the firstborn of Egypt,
4Both of man and beast.
9 mHe sent signs and wonders into the midst of you, O Egypt,
nUpon Pharaoh and all his servants.
10 oHe defeated many nations
And slew mighty kings—
11 Sihon king of the Amorites,
Og king of Bashan,
And pall the kingdoms of Canaan—
12 qAnd gave their land as a 5heritage,
A heritage to Israel His people.
13 rYour name, O Lord, endures forever,
Your fame, O Lord, throughout all generations.
14 sFor the Lord will judge His people,
And He will have compassion on His servants.
15 tThe idols of the nations are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands.
16 They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
17 They have ears, but they do not hear;
Nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.
19 uBless the Lord, O house of Israel!
Bless the Lord, O house of Aaron!
20 Bless the Lord, O house of Levi!
You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!
21 Blessed be the Lord vout of Zion,
Who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise the Lord!
Thanksgiving to God for His Enduring Mercy
1 Oh, agive thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
bFor His mercy endures forever.
2 Oh, give thanks to cthe God of gods!
For His mercy endures forever.
3 Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!
For His mercy endures forever:
4 To Him dwho alone does great wonders,
For His mercy endures forever;
5 eTo Him who by wisdom made the heavens,
For His mercy endures forever;
6 fTo Him who laid out the earth above the waters,
For His mercy endures forever;
7 gTo Him who made great lights,
For His mercy endures forever—
8 hThe sun to rule by day,
For His mercy endures forever;
9 The moon and stars to rule by night,
For His mercy endures forever.
10 iTo Him who struck Egypt in their firstborn,
For His mercy endures forever;
11 jAnd brought out Israel from among them,
For His mercy endures forever;
12 kWith a strong hand, and with 1an outstretched arm,
For His mercy endures forever;
13 lTo Him who divided the Red Sea in two,
For His mercy endures forever;
14 And made Israel pass through the midst of it,
For His mercy endures forever;
15 mBut overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,
For His mercy endures forever;
16 nTo Him who led His people through the wilderness,
For His mercy endures forever;
17 oTo Him who struck down great kings,
For His mercy endures forever;
18 pAnd slew famous kings,
For His mercy endures forever—
19 qSihon king of the Amorites,
For His mercy endures forever;
20 rAnd Og king of Bashan,
For His mercy endures forever—
21 sAnd gave their land as a 2heritage,
For His mercy endures forever;
22 A heritage to Israel His servant,
For His mercy endures forever.
23 Who tremembered us in our lowly state,
For His mercy endures forever;
24 And urescued us from our enemies,
For His mercy endures forever;
25 vWho gives food to all flesh,
For His mercy endures forever.
26 Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven!
For His mercy endures forever.
Longing for Zion in a Foreign Land
1 By the rivers of Babylon,
There we sat down, yea, we wept
When we remembered Zion.
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!
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!
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.
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.