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 129

A Song of Ascents.

1 “Sorely have they afflicted me from my youth,”

let Israel now say—

2 “Sorely have they afflicted me from my youth,

yet they have not prevailed against me.

3 The plowers plowed upon my back;

they made long their furrows.”

4 The Lord is righteous;

he has cut the cords of the wicked.

5 May all who hate Zion

be put to shame and turned backward!

6 Let them be like the grass on the housetops,

which withers before it grows up,

7 with which the reaper does not fill his hand

or the binder of sheaves his bosom,

8 while those who pass by do not say,

“The blessing of the Lord be upon you!

We bless you in the name of the Lord!”

PSALM 130

A Song of Ascents.

1 Out of the depths I cry to thee, O Lord!

2 Lord, hear my voice!

Let thy ears be attentive

to the voice of my supplications!

3 If thou, O Lord, shouldst mark iniquities,

Lord, who could stand?

4 But there is forgiveness with thee,

that thou mayest be feared.

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,

and in his word I hope;

6 my soul waits for the Lord

more than watchmen for the morning,

more than watchmen for the morning.

7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!

For with the Lord there is steadfast love,

and with him is plenteous redemption.

8 And he will redeem Israel

from all his iniquities.

PSALM 131

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

1 O Lord, my heart is not lifted up,

my eyes are not raised too high;

I do not occupy myself with things

too great and too marvelous for me.

2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul,

like a child quieted at its mother’s breast;

like a child that is quieted is my soul.

3 O Israel, hope in the Lord

from this time forth and for evermore.

PSALM 132

A Song of Ascents.

1 Remember, O Lord, in David’s favor,

all the hardships he endured;

2 how he swore to the Lord

and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,

3 “I will not enter my house

or get into my bed;

4 I will not give sleep to my eyes

or slumber to my eyelids,

5 until I find a place for the Lord,

a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

6 Lo, we heard of it in Ephrathah,

we found it in the fields of Jaar.

7 “Let us go to his dwelling place;

let us worship at his footstool!”

8 Arise, O Lord, and go to thy resting place,

thou and the ark of thy might.

9 Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness,

and let thy saints shout for joy.

10 For thy servant David’s sake

do not turn away the face of thy anointed one.

11 The Lord swore to David a sure oath

from which he will not turn back:

“One of the sons of your body

I will set on your throne.

12 If your sons keep my covenant

and my testimonies which I shall teach them,

their sons also for ever

shall sit upon your throne.”

13 For the Lord has chosen Zion;

he has desired it for his habitation:

14 “This is my resting place for ever;

here I will dwell, for I have desired it.

15 I will abundantly bless her provisions;

I will satisfy her poor with bread.

16 Her priests I will clothe with salvation,

and her saints will shout for joy.

17 There I will make a horn to sprout for David;

I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.

18 His enemies I will clothe with shame,

but upon himself his crown will shed its luster.”

PSALM 133

A Song of Ascents.

1 Behold, how good and pleasant it is

when brothers dwell in unity!

2 It is like the precious oil upon the head,

running down upon the beard,

upon the beard of Aaron,

running down on the collar of his robes!

3 It is like the dew of Hermon,

which falls on the mountains of Zion!

For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,

life for evermore.