134:1<A Song of the going up.> Give praise to the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who take your places in the house of the Lord by night. 134:2Give praise to the Lord, lifting up your hands in his holy place. 134:3May the Lord, who made heaven and earth, send you blessing out of Zion,
135:1Let the Lord be praised. O you servants of the Lord, give praise to the name of the Lord. 135:2You who are in the house of the Lord, and in the open spaces of the house of our God, 135:3Give praise to Jah, for he is good: make melody to his name, for it is pleasing. 135:4For the Lord has taken Jacob for himself, and Israel for his property. 135:5I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is greater than all other gods. 135:6The Lord has done whatever was pleasing to him, in heaven, and on the earth, in the seas and in all the deep waters. 135:7He makes the mists go up from the ends of the earth; he makes thunder-flames for the rain; he sends out the winds from his store-houses. 135:8He put to death the first-fruits of Egypt, of man and of beast. 135:9He sent signs and wonders among you, O Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his servants. 135:10He overcame great nations, and put strong kings to death; 135:11Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan; 135:12And gave their land for a heritage, even for a heritage to Israel his people. 135:13O Lord, your name is eternal; and the memory of you will have no end. 135:14For the Lord will be judge of his people's cause; his feelings will be changed to his servants. 135:15The images of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. 135:16They have mouths, but no voice, they have eyes, but they do not see; 135:17They have ears, but no hearing; and there is no breath in their mouths. 135:18Those who make them are like them; and so is everyone who puts his hope in them. 135:19Give praise to the Lord, O children of Israel: give praise to the Lord, O sons of Aaron: 135:20Give praise to the Lord, O sons of Levi: let all the worshippers of the Lord give him praise. 135:21Praise be to the Lord out of Zion, even to the Lord whose house is in Jerusalem, Let the Lord be praised.
136:1O give praise to the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 136:2O give praise to the God of gods: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 136:3O give praise to the Lord of lords: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 136:4To him who only does great wonders: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 136:5To him who by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 136:6To him by whom the earth was stretched out over the waters: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 136:7To him who made great lights: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 136:8The sun to have rule by day: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 136:9The moon and the stars to have rule by night: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 136:10To him who put to death the first-fruits of Egypt: for his mercy is unchanging for ever: 136:11And took out Israel from among them: for his mercy is unchanging for ever: 136:12With a strong hand and an outstretched arm: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 136:13To him who made a way through the Red Sea: for his mercy is unchanging for ever: 136:14And let Israel go through it: for his mercy is unchanging for ever: 136:15By him Pharaoh and his army were overturned in the Red Sea: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 136:16To him who took his people through the waste land: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 136:17To him who overcame great kings: for his mercy is unchanging for ever: 136:18And put noble kings to death: for his mercy is unchanging for ever: 136:19Sihon, king of the Amorites: for his mercy is unchanging for ever: 136:20And Og, king of Bashan: for his mercy is unchanging for ever: 136:21And gave their land to his people for a heritage: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 136:22Even a heritage for his servant Israel: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 136:23Who kept us in mind when we were in trouble: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 136:24And has taken us out of the hands of our haters: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 136:25Who gives food to all flesh: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 136:26O give praise to the God of heaven: for his mercy is unchanging for ever.
137:1By the rivers of Babylon we were seated, weeping at the memory of Zion, 137:2Hanging our instruments of music on the trees by the waterside. 137:3For there those who had taken us prisoners made request for a song; and those who had taken away all we had gave us orders to be glad, saying, Give us one of the songs of Zion. 137:4How may we give the Lord's song in a strange land? 137:5If I keep not your memory, O Jerusalem, let not my right hand keep the memory of its art. 137:6If I let you go out of my thoughts, and if I do not put Jerusalem before my greatest joy, let my tongue be fixed to the roof of my mouth. 137:7O Lord, keep in mind against the children of Edom the day of Jerusalem; how they said, Let it be uncovered, uncovered even to its base. 137:8O daughter of Babylon, whose fate is destruction; happy is the man who does to you what you have done to us. 137:9Happy is the man who takes your little ones, crushing them against the rocks.
138:1<Of David.> I will give you praise with all my heart: I will make melody to you before the gods. 138:2I will give worship before your holy Temple, praising your name for your mercy and for your unchanging faith: for you have made your word greater than all your name. 138:3When my cry came to your ears you gave me an answer, and made me great with strength in my soul. 138:4All the kings of the earth will give you praise, O Lord, when the words of your mouth come to their ears. 138:5They will make songs about the ways of the Lord; for great is the glory of the Lord. 138:6Though the Lord is high, he sees those who are low; and he has knowledge from far off of those who are lifted up. 138:7Even when trouble is round me, you will give me life; your hand will be stretched out against the wrath of my haters, and your right hand will be my salvation. 138:8The Lord will make all things complete for me: O Lord, your mercy is eternal; do not give up the works of your hands.
139:1<To the chief music-maker. A Psalm. Of David.> O Lord, you have knowledge of me, searching out all my secrets. 139:2You have knowledge when I am seated and when I get up, you see my thoughts from far away. 139:3You keep watch over my steps and my sleep, and have knowledge of all my ways. 139:4For there is not a word on my tongue which is not clear to you, O Lord. 139:5I am shut in by you on every side, and you have put your hand on me. 139:6Such knowledge is a wonder greater than my powers; it is so high that I may not come near it. 139:7Where may I go from your spirit? how may I go in flight from you? 139:8If I go up to heaven, you are there: or if I make my bed in the underworld, you are there. 139:9If I take the wings of the morning, and go to the farthest parts of the sea; 139:10Even there will I be guided by your hand, and your right hand will keep me. 139:11If I say, Only let me be covered by the dark, and the light about me be night; 139:12Even the dark is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day: for dark and light are the same to you. 139:13My flesh was made by you, and my parts joined together in my mother's body. 139:14I will give you praise, for I am strangely and delicately formed; your works are great wonders, and of this my soul is fully conscious. 139:15My frame was not unseen by you when I was made secretly, and strangely formed in the lowest parts of the earth. 139:16Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book all my days were recorded, even those which were purposed before they had come into being. 139:17How dear are your thoughts to me, O God! how great is the number of them! 139:18If I made up their number, it would be more than the grains of sand; when I am awake, I am still with you. 139:19If only you would put the sinners to death, O God; go far from me, you men of blood. 139:20For they go against you with evil designs, and your haters make sport of your name. 139:21Are not your haters hated by me, O Lord? are not those who are lifted up against you a cause of grief to me? 139:22My hate for them is complete; my thoughts of them are as if they were making war on me. 139:23O God, let the secrets of my heart be uncovered, and let my wandering thoughts be tested: 139:24See if there is any way of sorrow in me, and be my guide in the eternal way.
140:1<To the chief music-maker. A Psalm. Of David.> O Lord, take me out of the power of the evil man; keep me safe from the violent man: 140:2For their hearts are full of evil designs; and they are ever making ready causes of war. 140:3Their tongues are sharp like the tongue of a snake; the poison of snakes is under their lips. (Selah.) 140:4O Lord, take me out of the hands of sinners; keep me safe from the violent man: for they are designing my downfall. 140:5The men of pride have put secret cords for my feet; stretching nets in my way, so that they may take me with their tricks. (Selah.) 140:6I have said to the Lord, You are my God: give ear, O Lord, to the voice of my prayer. 140:7O Lord God, the strength of my salvation, you have been a cover over my head in the day of the fight. 140:8O Lord, give not the wrongdoer his desire; give him no help in his evil designs, or he may be uplifted in pride. (Selah.) 140:9As for those who come round me, let their heads be covered by the evil of their lips. 140:10Let burning flames come down on them: let them be put into the fire, and into deep waters, so that they may not get up again. 140:11Let not a man of evil tongue be safe on earth: let destruction overtake the violent man with blow on blow. 140:12I am certain that the Lord will take care of the cause of the poor, and of the rights of those who are troubled. 140:13Truly, the upright will give praise to your name: the holy will have a place in your house.
141:1<A Psalm. Of David.> Lord, I have made my cry to you; come to me quickly; give ear to my voice, when it goes up to you. 141:2Let my prayer be ordered before you like a sweet smell; and let the lifting up of my hands be like the evening offering. 141:3O Lord, keep a watch over my mouth; keep the door of my lips. 141:4Keep my heart from desiring any evil thing, or from taking part in the sins of the evil-doers with men who do wrong: and let me have no part in their good things. 141:5Let the upright give me punishment; and let the god-fearing man put me in the right way; but I will not let the oil of sinners come on my head: when they do evil I will give myself to prayer. 141:6When destruction comes to their judges by the side of the rock, they will give ear to my words, for they are sweet. 141:7Our bones are broken up at the mouth of the underworld, as the earth is broken by the plough. 141:8But my eyes are turned to you, O Lord God: my hope is in you; let not my soul be given up to death. 141:9Keep me from the net which they have put down for me, and from the designs of the workers of evil. 141:10Let the sinners be taken in the nets which they themselves have put down, while I go free.
142:1<Maschil. Of David. A prayer when he was in the hole of the rock.> The sound of my cry went up to the Lord; with my voice I made my prayer for grace to the Lord. 142:2I put all my sorrows before him; and made clear to him all my trouble. 142:3When my spirit is overcome, your eyes are on my goings; nets have been secretly placed in the way in which I go. 142:4Looking to my right side, I saw no man who was my friend: I had no safe place; no one had any care for my soul. 142:5I have made my cry to you, O Lord; I have said, You are my safe place, and my heritage in the land of the living. 142:6Give ear to my cry, for I am made very low: take me out of the hands of my haters, for they are stronger than I. 142:7Take my soul out of prison, so that I may give praise to your name: the upright will give praise because of me; for you have given me a full reward.
143:1<A Psalm. Of David.> Let my prayer come to you, O Lord; give ear to my requests for your grace; keep faith with me, and give me an answer in your righteousness; 143:2Let not your servant come before you to be judged; for no man living is upright in your eyes. 143:3The evil man has gone after my soul; my life is crushed down to the earth: he has put me in the dark, like those who have long been dead. 143:4Because of this my spirit is overcome; and my heart is full of fear. 143:5I keep in mind the early days of the past, giving thought to all your acts, even to the work of your hands. 143:6My hands are stretched out to you: my soul is turned to you, like a land in need of water. (Selah.) 143:7Be quick in answering me, O Lord, for the strength of my spirit is gone: let me see your face, so that I may not be like those who go down into the underworld. 143:8Let the story of your mercy come to me in the morning, for my hope is in you: give me knowledge of the way in which I am to go; for my soul is lifted up to you. 143:9O Lord, take me out of the hands of my haters; my soul is waiting for you. 143:10Give me teaching so that I may do your pleasure; for you are my God: let your good Spirit be my guide into the land of righteousness. 143:11Give me life, O Lord, because of your name; in your righteousness take my soul out of trouble. 143:12And in your mercy put an end to my haters, and send destruction on all those who are against my soul; for I am your servant.
144:1<A Psalm. Of David.> Praise be to the God of my strength, teaching my hands the use of the sword, and my fingers the art of fighting: 144:2He is my strength, and my Rock; my high tower, and my saviour; my keeper and my hope: he gives me authority over my people. 144:3Lord, what is man, that you keep him in mind? or the son of man that you take him into account? 144:4Man is like a breath: his life is like a shade which is quickly gone. 144:5Come down, O Lord, from your heavens: at your touch let the mountains give out smoke. 144:6With your storm-flames send them in flight: send out your arrows for their destruction. 144:7Put out your hand from on high; make me free, take me safely out of the great waters, and out of the hands of strange men; 144:8In whose mouths are false words, and whose right hand is a right hand of deceit. 144:9I will make a new song to you, O God; I will make melody to you on an instrument of ten cords. 144:10It is God who gives salvation to kings; and who kept his servant David from the wounding sword. 144:11Make me free, and take me out of the hands of strange men, in whose mouths are false words, and whose right hand is a right hand of deceit. 144:12Our sons are like tall young plants; and our daughters like the shining stones of a king's house; 144:13Our store-houses are full of all good things; and our sheep give birth to thousands and ten thousands in our fields. 144:14Our oxen are well weighted down; our cows give birth safely; there is no going out, and there is no cry of sorrow in our open places. 144:15Happy is the nation whose ways are so ordered: yes, happy is the nation whose God is the Lord.
145:1<A Song of praise. Of David.> Let me give glory to you, O God, my King; and blessing to your name for ever and ever. 145:2Every day will I give you blessing, praising your name for ever and ever. 145:3Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; his power may never be searched out. 145:4One generation after another will give praise to your great acts, and make clear the operation of your strength. 145:5My thoughts will be of the honour and glory of your rule, and of the wonder of your works. 145:6Men will be talking of the power and fear of your acts; I will give word of your glory. 145:7Their sayings will be full of the memory of all your mercy, and they will make songs of your righteousness. 145:8The Lord is full of grace and pity; not quickly angry, but great in mercy. 145:9The Lord is good to all men; and his mercies are over all his works. 145:10All the works of your hands give praise to you, O Lord; and your saints give you blessing. 145:11Their words will be of the glory of your kingdom, and their talk of your strength; 145:12So that the sons of men may have knowledge of his acts of power, and of the great glory of his kingdom. 145:13Your kingdom is an eternal kingdom, and your rule is through all generations. 145:14The Lord is the support of all who are crushed, and the lifter up of all who are bent down. 145:15The eyes of all men are waiting for you; and you give them their food in its time. 145:16By the opening of your hand, every living thing has its desire in full measure. 145:17The Lord is upright in all his ways, and kind in all his works. 145:18The Lord is near all those who give honour to his name; even to all who give honour to him with true hearts. 145:19To his worshippers, he will give their desire; their cry comes to his ears, and he gives them salvation. 145:20The Lord will keep all his worshippers from danger; but he will send destruction on all sinners. 145:21My mouth will give praise to the Lord; let all flesh be blessing his holy name for ever and ever.
146:1Let the Lord be praised. Give praise to the Lord, O my soul. 146:2While I have breath I will give praise to the Lord: I will make melody to my God while I have my being. 146:3Put not your faith in rulers, or in the son of man, in whom there is no salvation. 146:4Man's breath goes out, he is turned back again to dust; in that day all his purposes come to an end. 146:5Happy is the man who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God: 146:6Who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all things in them; who keeps faith for ever: 146:7Who gives their rights to those who are crushed down; and gives food to those who are in need of it: the Lord makes the prisoners free; 146:8The Lord makes open the eyes of the blind; the Lord is the lifter up of those who are bent down; the Lord is a lover of the upright; 146:9The Lord takes care of those who are in a strange land; he gives help to the widow and to the child who has no father; but he sends destruction on the way of sinners. 146:10The Lord will be King for ever; your God, O Zion, will be King through all generations. Praise be to the Lord.
147:1Give praise to the Lord; for it is good to make melody to our God; praise is pleasing and beautiful. 147:2The Lord is building up Jerusalem; he makes all the outlaws of Israel come together. 147:3He makes the broken-hearted well, and puts oil on their wounds. 147:4He sees the number of the stars; he gives them all their names. 147:5Great is our Lord, and great his power; there is no limit to his wisdom. 147:6The Lord gives help to the poor in spirit; but he sends sinners down in shame. 147:7Make songs of praise to the Lord; make melody to our God with instruments of music. 147:8By his hand the heaven is covered with clouds and rain is stored up for the earth; he makes the grass tall on the mountains. 147:9He gives food to every beast, and to the young ravens in answer to their cry. 147:10He has no delight in the strength of a horse; he takes no pleasure in the legs of a man. 147:11The Lord takes pleasure in his worshippers, and in those whose hope is in his mercy. 147:12Give praise to the Lord, O Jerusalem; give praise to your God, O Zion. 147:13He has made strong the iron bands of your doors; he has sent blessings on your children inside your walls. 147:14He gives peace in all your land, making your stores full of fat grain. 147:15He sends out his orders to the earth; his word goes out quickly. 147:16He gives snow like wool; he sends out ice-drops like dust. 147:17He sends down ice like raindrops: water is made hard by his cold. 147:18At the outgoing of his word, the ice is turned to water; when he sends out his wind, there is a flowing of waters. 147:19He makes his word clear to Jacob, teaching Israel his laws and his decisions. 147:20He has not done these things for any other nation: and as for his laws, they have no knowledge of them. Let the Lord be praised.
148:1Give praise to the Lord. Let the Lord be praised from the heavens: give him praise in the skies. 148:2Give praise to him, all you his angels: give praise to him, all his armies. 148:3Give praise to him, you sun and moon: give praise to him, all you stars of light. 148:4Give praise to him, you highest heavens, and you waters which are over the heavens. 148:5Let them give praise to the name of the Lord: for he gave the order, and they were made. 148:6He has put them in their places for ever; he has given them their limits which may not be broken. 148:7Give praise to the Lord from the earth, you great sea-beasts, and deep places: 148:8Fire and rain of ice, snow and mists; storm-wind, doing his word: 148:9Mountains and all hills; fruit-trees and all trees of the mountains: 148:10Beasts and all cattle; insects and winged birds: 148:11Kings of the earth, and all peoples; rulers and all judges of the earth: 148:12Young men and virgins; old men and children: 148:13Let them give glory to the name of the Lord: for his name only is to be praised: his kingdom is over the earth and the heaven. 148:14He has put on high the horn of his people, for the praise of all his saints; even the children of Israel, a people which is near to him. Let the Lord be praised.
149:1Let the Lord be praised. Make a new song to the Lord, let his praise be in the meeting of his saints. 149:2Let Israel have joy in his maker; let the children of Zion be glad in their King. 149:3Let them give praise to his name in the dance: let them make melody to him with instruments of brass and corded instruments of music. 149:4For the Lord has pleasure in his people: he gives the poor in spirit a crown of salvation. 149:5Let the saints have joy and glory: let them give cries of joy on their beds. 149:6Let the high praises of God be in their mouths, and a two-edged sword in their hands; 149:7To give the nations the reward of their sins, and the peoples their punishment; 149:8To put their kings in chains, and their rulers in bands of iron; 149:9To give them the punishment which is in the holy writings: this honour is given to all his saints. Praise be to the Lord.
150:1Let the Lord be praised. Give praise to God in his holy place: give him praise in the heaven of his power. 150:2Give him praise for his acts of power: give him praise in the measure of his great strength. 150:3Give him praise with the sound of the horn: give him praise with corded instruments of music. 150:4Give him praise with instruments of brass and in the dance: give him praise with horns and corded instruments. 150:5Give him praise with the loud brass: give him praise with the high-sounding brass. 150:6Let everything which has breath give praise to the Lord. Let the Lord be praised.
Proverbs
1:1The wise sayings of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel. 1:2To have knowledge of wise teaching; to be clear about the words of reason: 1:3To be trained in the ways of wisdom, in righteousness and judging truly and straight behaviour: 1:4To make the simple-minded sharp, and to give the young man knowledge, and serious purpose: 1:5(The wise man, hearing, will get greater learning, and the acts of the man of good sense will be wisely guided:) 1:6To get the sense of wise sayings and secrets, and of the words of the wise and their dark sayings. 1:7The fear of the Lord is the start of knowledge: but the foolish have no use for wisdom and teaching. 1:8My son, give ear to the training of your father, and do not give up the teaching of your mother: 1:9For they will be a crown of grace for your head, and chain-ornaments about your neck. 1:10My son, if sinners would take you out of the right way, do not go with them. 1:11If they say, Come with us; let us make designs against the good, waiting secretly for the upright, without cause; 1:12Let us overcome them living, like the underworld, and in their strength, as those who go down to death; 1:13Goods of great price will be ours, our houses will be full of wealth; 1:14Take your chance with us, and we will all have one money-bag: 1:15My son, do not go with them; keep your feet from their ways: 1:16For their feet are running after evil, and they are quick to take a man's life. 1:17Truly, to no purpose is the net stretched out before the eyes of the bird: 1:18And they are secretly waiting for their blood and making ready destruction for themselves. 1:19Such is the fate of everyone who goes in search of profit; it takes away the life of its owners. 1:20Wisdom is crying out in the street; her voice is loud in the open places; 1:21Her words are sounding in the meeting-places, and in the doorways of the town: 1:22How long, you simple ones, will foolish things be dear to you? and pride a delight to the haters of authority? how long will the foolish go on hating knowledge? 1:23Be turned again by my sharp words: see, I will send the flow of my spirit on you, and make my words clear to you. 1:24Because your ears were shut to my voice; no one gave attention to my out-stretched hand; 1:25You were not controlled by my guiding, and would have nothing to do with my sharp words: 1:26So in the day of your trouble I will be laughing; I will make sport of your fear; 1:27When your fear comes on you like a storm, and your trouble like a rushing wind; when pain and sorrow come on you. 1:28Then I will give no answer to their cries; searching for me early, they will not see me: 1:29For they were haters of knowledge, and did not give their hearts to the fear of the Lord: 1:30They had no desire for my teaching, and my words of protest were as nothing to them. 1:31So the fruit of their way will be their food, and with the designs of their hearts they will be made full. 1:32For the turning back of the simple from teaching will be the cause of their death, and the peace of the foolish will be their destruction. 1:33But whoever gives ear to me will take his rest safely, living in peace without fear of evil.
2:1My son, if you will take my words to your heart, storing up my laws in your mind; 2:2So that your ear gives attention to wisdom, and your heart is turned to knowledge; 2:3Truly, if you are crying out for good sense, and your request is for knowledge; 2:4If you are looking for her as for silver, and searching for her as for stored-up wealth; 2:5Then the fear of the Lord will be clear to you, and knowledge of God will be yours. 2:6For the Lord gives wisdom; out of his mouth come knowledge and reason: 2:7He has salvation stored up for the upright, he is a breastplate to those in whom there is no evil; 2:8He keeps watch on the ways which are right, and takes care of those who have the fear of him. 2:9Then you will have knowledge of righteousness and right acting, and upright behaviour, even of every good way. 2:10For wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasing to your soul; 2:11Wise purposes will be watching over you, and knowledge will keep you; 2:12Giving you salvation from the evil man, from those whose words are false; 2:13Who give up the way of righteousness, to go by dark roads; 2:14Who take pleasure in wrongdoing, and have joy in the evil designs of the sinner; 2:15Whose ways are not straight, and whose footsteps are turned to evil: 2:16To take you out of the power of the strange woman, who says smooth words with her tongue; 2:17Who is false to the husband of her early years, and does not keep the agreement of her God in mind: 2:18For her house is on the way down to death; her footsteps go down to the shades: 2:19Those who go to her do not come back again; their feet do not keep in the ways of life: 2:20So that you may go in the way of good men, and keep in the footsteps of the upright. 2:21For the upright will be living in the land, and the good will have it for their heritage. 2:22But sinners will be cut off from the land, and those whose acts are false will be uprooted.