Psalms 136-142

Psalm 136

¹O GIVE thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

²O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.

³O give thanks unto the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.

⁴To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.

⁵To him that by understanding made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.

⁶To him that spread forth the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.

⁷To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:

⁸The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:

⁹The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.

¹⁰To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:

¹¹And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever:

¹²With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.

¹³To him which divided the Red Sea in sunder: for his mercy endureth for ever:

¹⁴And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:

¹⁵But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.

¹⁶To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever.

¹⁷To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:

¹⁸And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:

¹⁹Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:

²⁰And Og king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever:

²¹And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:

²²Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.

²³Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:

²⁴And hath delivered us from our adversaries: for his mercy endureth for ever.

²⁵He giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.

²⁶O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Psalm 137

¹By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

²Upon the willows in the midst thereof we hanged up our harps.

³For there they that led us captive required of us songs, and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.

⁴How shall we sing the LORD’S song in a strange land?

⁵If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.

⁶Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I remember thee not; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

⁷Remember, O LORD, against the children of Edom the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.

⁸O daughter of Babylon, that art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.

⁹Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the rock.

Psalm 138

¹A Psalm of David. I will give thee thanks with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praises unto thee.

²I will worship toward thy holy temple, and give thanks unto thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

³In the day that I called thou answeredst me, thou didst encourage me with strength in my soul.

⁴All the kings of the earth shall give thee thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of thy mouth.

⁵Yea, they shall sing of the ways of the LORD; for great is the glory of the LORD.

⁶For though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the haughty he knoweth from afar.

⁷Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me; thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.

⁸The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever; forsake not the works of thine own hands.

Psalm 139

¹For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

²Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

³Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

⁴For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

⁵Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

⁶Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

⁷Whither shall I from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

⁸If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou art there.

⁹If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

¹⁰Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

¹¹If I say, Surely the darkness shall overwhelm me, and the light about me shall be night;

¹²Even the darkness hideth not from thee, but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

¹³For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.

¹⁴I will give thanks unto thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: wonderful are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

¹⁵My frame was not hidden from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

¹⁶Thine eyes did see mine unperfect substance, and in thy book were all my members written, which day by day were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

¹⁷How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

¹⁸If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

¹⁹Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloodthirsty men.

²⁰For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

²¹Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

²²I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

²³Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts:

²⁴And see if there be any way of wickedness in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 140

¹For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man; preserve me from the violent man:

²Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually do they gather themselves together for war.

³They have sharpened their tongue like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah

⁴Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man: Who have purposed to thrust aside my steps.

⁵The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the way side; they have set gins for me. Selah

⁶I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: give ear unto the voice of my supplications, O LORD.

⁷O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.

⁸Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; further not his evil device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah

⁹As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

¹⁰Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.

¹¹An evil speaker shall not be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.

¹²I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the needy.

¹³Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

Psalm 141

¹A Psalm of David. LORD, I have called upon thee; make haste unto me: give ear unto my voice, when I call unto thee.

²Let my prayer be set forth as incense before thee; the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

³Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my tips.

⁴Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to be occupied in deeds of wickedness with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.

⁵Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness; and let him reprove me, it shall be as oil upon the head; let not my head refuse it: for even in their wickedness shall my prayer continue.

⁶Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock; and they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.

⁷As when one ploweth and cleaveth the earth, our bones are scattered at the grave’s mouth.

⁸For mine eyes are unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee do I put my trust; leave not my soul destitute.

⁹Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, and from the gins of the workers of iniquity.

¹⁰Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape.

Psalm 142

¹Maschil of David, when he was in the cave; a Prayer. I cry with my voice unto the LORD; with my voice unto the LORD do I make supplication.

²I pour out my complaint before him; I shew before him my trouble.

³When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walk have they hidden a snare for me.

⁴Look on my right hand, and see; for there is no man that knoweth me: refuge hath failed me; no man careth for my soul.

⁵I cried unto thee, O LORD; I said, Thou art my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.

⁶Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.

⁷Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks unto thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.