By David, son of Jesse
I was the smallest of my brothers,
The youngest of my father’s sons.
He made me shepherd of his flock.
My hands fashioned a lute, my fingers a lyre.
Let me glorify Jehovah, I mused.
The mountains cannot witness God,
Nor can the hills give voice to him.
Who can proclaim the deeds of Jehovah?
Jehovah himself, for he hears everything.
Jehovah sent his prophet, Samuel,
To take me away from my father’s sheep,
To anoint me and endow me with greatness.
My brothers went out to meet him.
Well built and good-looking were they,
Tall of stature with fine heads of hair.
But Jehovah did not chose them.
Instead God made me the leader of his people,
Ruler over the children of the covenant.
I went out to confront the Philistine,
Who cursed me in the name of his idols.
I drew his own sword and cut off his head
And removed the shame from the Israelites.
This supernumerary psalm (generally termed #151), though considered apocryphal, is included in the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Bible, is part of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and is accepted by Orthodox churches as canonical. This translation is a synthesis of several versions existent of the psalm.
Friday, December 27, 2019
Psalm 150
Praise Jehovah. Praise God in his temple.
Praise him in his mighty dome of heaven.
Praise him for his providential power.
Praise him for the magnitude of his greatness.
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet.
Praise with the psaltery and the harp.
Praise him with the timbrel and with dancing.
Praise him with stringed instruments and with flutes.
Praise him with cymbals, resounding cymbals.
Let everything that draws breath praise Jehovah.
Hallelujah!
Praise him in his mighty dome of heaven.
Praise him for his providential power.
Praise him for the magnitude of his greatness.
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet.
Praise with the psaltery and the harp.
Praise him with the timbrel and with dancing.
Praise him with stringed instruments and with flutes.
Praise him with cymbals, resounding cymbals.
Let everything that draws breath praise Jehovah.
Hallelujah!
Psalm 149
Hallelujah! Sing to Jehovah a new song.
Praise him in the congregation of the faithful.
People of Israel rejoice in your creator;
People of Zion exult and celebrate your king.
Let them praise his name with dancing.
Let them praise his name with singing
To the music of timbrel and harp.
For Jehovah takes delight in his people
And bestows upon the meek, salvation.
Let the faithful exult in his glory
And sing in jubilation upon their beds.
May the praise of God be in their throats
And a two-edged sword in their hands
In order to inflict vengeance
Upon the foreign heathen nations
And punishment upon their people,
To put into shackles their kings
And bind their nobles in iron chains,
Executing the sentence written —
An honor for all the faithful.
Hallelujah!
Praise him in the congregation of the faithful.
People of Israel rejoice in your creator;
People of Zion exult and celebrate your king.
Let them praise his name with dancing.
Let them praise his name with singing
To the music of timbrel and harp.
For Jehovah takes delight in his people
And bestows upon the meek, salvation.
Let the faithful exult in his glory
And sing in jubilation upon their beds.
May the praise of God be in their throats
And a two-edged sword in their hands
In order to inflict vengeance
Upon the foreign heathen nations
And punishment upon their people,
To put into shackles their kings
And bind their nobles in iron chains,
Executing the sentence written —
An honor for all the faithful.
Hallelujah!
Psalm 148
Hallelujah! Praise Jehovah,
Praise him from the heavens above;
Praise him in the uppermost heights.
Praise him, all his emissaries.
Praise him, all his heavenly troops.
Praise him, as well, O sun and moon.
Praise him, all you shining stars of night.
Praise him, you highest of heavens.
You waters above heaven’s dome.
Le them give praise to the name of Jehovah,
For at his command they were created.
He established them for eternity.
He made a decree, never to be revoked.
Give praise to Jehovah from the earth,
You sea creatures from the ocean depths.
Lightning and hail and snow and clouds,
Storms and gales obeying his commands,
You mountain peaks and all the hills,
Fruit trees and all the cedar forests
Wild animals and all the livestock,
Crawling creatures and flying birds,
Kings of the earth and all nations,
Rulers and all the world’s judges,
Young men and women, the old and young,
Let them praise the name of Jehovah,
For his name alone is exalted,
His glory, above heaven and earth.
He has raised the stature of his people,
Earning the praise of his faithful followers,
The Israelites, a people close to his heart.
Hallelujah!
Praise him from the heavens above;
Praise him in the uppermost heights.
Praise him, all his emissaries.
Praise him, all his heavenly troops.
Praise him, as well, O sun and moon.
Praise him, all you shining stars of night.
Praise him, you highest of heavens.
You waters above heaven’s dome.
Le them give praise to the name of Jehovah,
For at his command they were created.
He established them for eternity.
He made a decree, never to be revoked.
Give praise to Jehovah from the earth,
You sea creatures from the ocean depths.
Lightning and hail and snow and clouds,
Storms and gales obeying his commands,
You mountain peaks and all the hills,
Fruit trees and all the cedar forests
Wild animals and all the livestock,
Crawling creatures and flying birds,
Kings of the earth and all nations,
Rulers and all the world’s judges,
Young men and women, the old and young,
Let them praise the name of Jehovah,
For his name alone is exalted,
His glory, above heaven and earth.
He has raised the stature of his people,
Earning the praise of his faithful followers,
The Israelites, a people close to his heart.
Hallelujah!
Psalm 147
Praise Jehovah! How good it is to sing
Our praise to our god, pleasant and fitting.
Jehovah is building up Jerusalem
And gathers the exiles of Israel.
He mends their broken hearts and binds up their wounds.
He count the stars and calls each one by name.
Great is our master and mighty in power,
And infinite is his understanding.
Jehovah lifts up the oppressed,
But casts the wicked to the ground.
Sing to Jehovah with thanksgiving.
Play to our god upon the harp.
He covers the heavens with clouds,
And makes ready rain for the earth
So pastures will grow on the hills.
Food he furnishes for the beasts,
And for the young ravens when they call.
He takes no delight in the strength of horses,
Or pleasure in the might of warriors.
Jehovah is pleased by those who revere him,
Who place their hope in his faithful devotion.
Praise Jehovah, O Jerusalem!
Give praise to your god, O Zion!
For he strengthens the bolts of your gates
And blesses your citizens within.
He preserves peace on your borders
And fills you with the finest wheat.
He sends to the earth his commands,
And his word is promptly obeyed.
He spreads the snow like tufts of wool
And scatters the frost like ashes.
He throws down his hail like bread crumbs.
Who can withstand his freezing cold?
Then, at his command, he melts them.
He sends his winds and the waters flow.
His message he has proclaimed to Jacob,
His statutes and decrees to Israel.
No other nation has he treated thus.
For none have had knowledge of his judgments.
Hallelujah!
Our praise to our god, pleasant and fitting.
Jehovah is building up Jerusalem
And gathers the exiles of Israel.
He mends their broken hearts and binds up their wounds.
He count the stars and calls each one by name.
Great is our master and mighty in power,
And infinite is his understanding.
Jehovah lifts up the oppressed,
But casts the wicked to the ground.
Sing to Jehovah with thanksgiving.
Play to our god upon the harp.
He covers the heavens with clouds,
And makes ready rain for the earth
So pastures will grow on the hills.
Food he furnishes for the beasts,
And for the young ravens when they call.
He takes no delight in the strength of horses,
Or pleasure in the might of warriors.
Jehovah is pleased by those who revere him,
Who place their hope in his faithful devotion.
Praise Jehovah, O Jerusalem!
Give praise to your god, O Zion!
For he strengthens the bolts of your gates
And blesses your citizens within.
He preserves peace on your borders
And fills you with the finest wheat.
He sends to the earth his commands,
And his word is promptly obeyed.
He spreads the snow like tufts of wool
And scatters the frost like ashes.
He throws down his hail like bread crumbs.
Who can withstand his freezing cold?
Then, at his command, he melts them.
He sends his winds and the waters flow.
His message he has proclaimed to Jacob,
His statutes and decrees to Israel.
No other nation has he treated thus.
For none have had knowledge of his judgments.
Hallelujah!
Sunday, December 22, 2019
Psalm 146
Hallelujah! Praise Jehovah, O my soul.
I’ll praise Jehovah for as long as I live.
While I exist, I’ll sing praises to my god.
Put not your faith in princes or mortal men,
For in them there can be no salvation.
When the spirit leaves, they return to dust,
And on that day all their plans come to naught.
Blessed he whose help is the god of Jacob,
Whose hope is placed in Jehovah his god.
He is the creator of heaven and earth,
The oceans and all the creatures they contain.
He remains faithful for eternity.
He executes justice for the oppressed,
And furnishes food for those who are hungry.
Jehovah releases those imprisoned.
Jehovah opens the eyes of the blind.
Jehovah raises up those who are bowed down.
Jehovah gives his love to the righteous.
Jehovah protects foreign residents.
He provides support for orphans and widows,
But he impedes the way of the wicked.
Jehovah will reign forever.
He will be your god, O Zion,
Throughout all the generations.
Hallelujah!
I’ll praise Jehovah for as long as I live.
While I exist, I’ll sing praises to my god.
Put not your faith in princes or mortal men,
For in them there can be no salvation.
When the spirit leaves, they return to dust,
And on that day all their plans come to naught.
Blessed he whose help is the god of Jacob,
Whose hope is placed in Jehovah his god.
He is the creator of heaven and earth,
The oceans and all the creatures they contain.
He remains faithful for eternity.
He executes justice for the oppressed,
And furnishes food for those who are hungry.
Jehovah releases those imprisoned.
Jehovah opens the eyes of the blind.
Jehovah raises up those who are bowed down.
Jehovah gives his love to the righteous.
Jehovah protects foreign residents.
He provides support for orphans and widows,
But he impedes the way of the wicked.
Jehovah will reign forever.
He will be your god, O Zion,
Throughout all the generations.
Hallelujah!
Psalm 145
By King David
I will exalt you, my god and my king
And praise your name forever and ever.
Every day will I give praise to you
And bless your name forever and ever.
Great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised.
His greatness is beyond comprehension.
One generation will commend your works
To the next and proclaim your mighty deeds.
Upon your glory, splendor, and majesty
And your wondrous works will I meditate.
Men will speak of the might of your fearsome acts,
While I declare the greatness of your deeds.
They will celebrate your profound goodness
And sing joyfully of your righteousness.
Jehovah is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and abundant in mercy.
Jehovah to all is beneficent,
Bestowing his mercy on all he has made.
All your works will give you thanks, Jehovah.
And your faithful devotees will bless you.
They speak of the glory of your kingdom
And of your power so that all men may know
Your mighty acts and the magnificence
Of your kingdom, an everlasting kingdom.
Your reign endures through the generations.
Jehovah raises up all who fall
And holds up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look up to you,
And, when in need, you give them food.
You open your hand and satisfy
The desires of each living thing.
Jehovah is just in all his ways
And gracious in all that he does.
Jehovah is near to all who call,
To all who call to him truly.
The desires of those who do revere him
He grants, hearing their cries and saving them.
Jehovah waches over those who love him,
But all those who are wicked, he will destroy.
My mouth will speak in praise of Jehovah,
And every living creature will bless
His holy name forever and ever.
I will exalt you, my god and my king
And praise your name forever and ever.
Every day will I give praise to you
And bless your name forever and ever.
Great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised.
His greatness is beyond comprehension.
One generation will commend your works
To the next and proclaim your mighty deeds.
Upon your glory, splendor, and majesty
And your wondrous works will I meditate.
Men will speak of the might of your fearsome acts,
While I declare the greatness of your deeds.
They will celebrate your profound goodness
And sing joyfully of your righteousness.
Jehovah is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and abundant in mercy.
Jehovah to all is beneficent,
Bestowing his mercy on all he has made.
All your works will give you thanks, Jehovah.
And your faithful devotees will bless you.
They speak of the glory of your kingdom
And of your power so that all men may know
Your mighty acts and the magnificence
Of your kingdom, an everlasting kingdom.
Your reign endures through the generations.
Jehovah raises up all who fall
And holds up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look up to you,
And, when in need, you give them food.
You open your hand and satisfy
The desires of each living thing.
Jehovah is just in all his ways
And gracious in all that he does.
Jehovah is near to all who call,
To all who call to him truly.
The desires of those who do revere him
He grants, hearing their cries and saving them.
Jehovah waches over those who love him,
But all those who are wicked, he will destroy.
My mouth will speak in praise of Jehovah,
And every living creature will bless
His holy name forever and ever.
Psalm 144
By King David
Praise be to Jehovah, my rock,
Who instructs my hands in warfare
And trains my fingers for battle.
He is my faithful love and fortress,
My stronghold and deliverer,
My shield behind which I take shelter,
Who conquers nations under me.
Jehovah, what is man that you take note of him?
What is the human race that you have regard for it?
Man is a breath of air, his life, a passing shadow.
Spread open your heavens, O Jehovah, and come down.
Lay hands upon the mountains that they may emit smoke.
Flash forth your lightning bolts and disperse your enemies.
Shoot your arrows at them and drive them to confusion.
Stretch out your arm from your place on high and rescue me.
Save me from deep waters, from the grasp of foreigners.
Whose mouths are full of lies, whose right hand makes false oaths.
I will sing to you, O God, a new song,
Playing music upon a ten-string harp,
To the one who gives victory to kings
And saves his servant David from deadly swords.
Save me, rescue me from the grasp of foreigners,
Whose mouths are full of lies, whose right hand makes false oaths.
Then our sons will be like plants that flourish when young,
And our daughters, corner stones carved to fit a palace.
Our storehouses will be filled with all kinds of produce,
And our flocks in the fields will multiply by thousands,
Even tens of thousands, our oxen, heavy laden.
There will occur no breaching of the city walls,
No going out to war or outcry in the streets.
Blessed are the people who enjoy such a state,
Blessed are the people whose god is Jehovah.
Praise be to Jehovah, my rock,
Who instructs my hands in warfare
And trains my fingers for battle.
He is my faithful love and fortress,
My stronghold and deliverer,
My shield behind which I take shelter,
Who conquers nations under me.
Jehovah, what is man that you take note of him?
What is the human race that you have regard for it?
Man is a breath of air, his life, a passing shadow.
Spread open your heavens, O Jehovah, and come down.
Lay hands upon the mountains that they may emit smoke.
Flash forth your lightning bolts and disperse your enemies.
Shoot your arrows at them and drive them to confusion.
Stretch out your arm from your place on high and rescue me.
Save me from deep waters, from the grasp of foreigners.
Whose mouths are full of lies, whose right hand makes false oaths.
I will sing to you, O God, a new song,
Playing music upon a ten-string harp,
To the one who gives victory to kings
And saves his servant David from deadly swords.
Save me, rescue me from the grasp of foreigners,
Whose mouths are full of lies, whose right hand makes false oaths.
Then our sons will be like plants that flourish when young,
And our daughters, corner stones carved to fit a palace.
Our storehouses will be filled with all kinds of produce,
And our flocks in the fields will multiply by thousands,
Even tens of thousands, our oxen, heavy laden.
There will occur no breaching of the city walls,
No going out to war or outcry in the streets.
Blessed are the people who enjoy such a state,
Blessed are the people whose god is Jehovah.
Psalm 143
By King David
Listen to my prayer, O Jehovah,
Listen to my supplication.
Answer me in your faithfulness,
Answer me in your righteousness.
Do not bring your servant before your judgment,
For no living man is righteous in your eyes.
My enemies have hunted me down,
They have stomped me into the ground,
They have forced me to live in darkness
Like those who have died long ago.
Thus my spirit grows faint within me,
And my heart inside is desolate.
I remember the days of yore,
I meditate on all your works,
I contemplate your handiwork.
I lift my arms to you in prayer.
Like a parched land, I thirst for you.
Make haste to answer me, O Jehovah.
My spirit is failing. Do not hide your face,
Or I be like those fallen into a pit.
Let morning bring news of your faithful love,
For in you have I placed my confidence.
Teach me to know the path I should follow,
For I have upraised my spirit to you.
Save me from my enemies, Jehovah.
For I flee to you to conceal myself.
Teach me to do your will, for you are my god.
May your gracious spirit guide me to firm ground.
For your name’s sake, O Jehovah, revive me.
For your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.
With your faithful love, destroy my enemies.
Wipe out all my foes, for I am your servant.
Listen to my prayer, O Jehovah,
Listen to my supplication.
Answer me in your faithfulness,
Answer me in your righteousness.
Do not bring your servant before your judgment,
For no living man is righteous in your eyes.
My enemies have hunted me down,
They have stomped me into the ground,
They have forced me to live in darkness
Like those who have died long ago.
Thus my spirit grows faint within me,
And my heart inside is desolate.
I remember the days of yore,
I meditate on all your works,
I contemplate your handiwork.
I lift my arms to you in prayer.
Like a parched land, I thirst for you.
Make haste to answer me, O Jehovah.
My spirit is failing. Do not hide your face,
Or I be like those fallen into a pit.
Let morning bring news of your faithful love,
For in you have I placed my confidence.
Teach me to know the path I should follow,
For I have upraised my spirit to you.
Save me from my enemies, Jehovah.
For I flee to you to conceal myself.
Teach me to do your will, for you are my god.
May your gracious spirit guide me to firm ground.
For your name’s sake, O Jehovah, revive me.
For your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.
With your faithful love, destroy my enemies.
Wipe out all my foes, for I am your servant.
Psalm 142
A Maskil of David
(A Prayer when he was in the cave)
I cry aloud to Jehovah
I lift my voice to Jehovah
And to him make supplication.
Before him I pour out my complaint
And confide in him my troubles.
When my spirit grows faint within me,
You know the way I must travel,
For they have hidden snares for me.
Look to my right and you will see:
There is no one accompanying me;
There is no one who is my refuge;
There is no one who guards my life.
I cry out to you, Jehovah,
Saying, “You are my place of refuge.
My inheritance here on earth.”
Heed my cry, for I am despairing —
Rescue me from my persecutors,
For they have become too strong for me,
Liberate me from this prison
That I may give praise to your name.
Because of your bounty to me,
The righteous will gather round me.
(A Prayer when he was in the cave)
I cry aloud to Jehovah
I lift my voice to Jehovah
And to him make supplication.
Before him I pour out my complaint
And confide in him my troubles.
When my spirit grows faint within me,
You know the way I must travel,
For they have hidden snares for me.
Look to my right and you will see:
There is no one accompanying me;
There is no one who is my refuge;
There is no one who guards my life.
I cry out to you, Jehovah,
Saying, “You are my place of refuge.
My inheritance here on earth.”
Heed my cry, for I am despairing —
Rescue me from my persecutors,
For they have become too strong for me,
Liberate me from this prison
That I may give praise to your name.
Because of your bounty to me,
The righteous will gather round me.
Psalm 141
By King David
O Jehovah, I call out to you.
Please listen to me and hurry
To come to me when I call to you.
May my prayer be set before you like incense,
My raised hands like an evening sacrifice.
Put a guard, O Jehovah, over my mouth,
And watch over the parting of my lips.
Let me not be attracted to evil things
Or be involved in corrupt activities
With men who are disposed to iniquity.
Let me not partake of their ill-gotten gains.
If I do, let a righteous man strike me down,
For his rebuke is an act of kindness.
It is oil on the head; I reject it not,
And I ever pray against evil deeds.
When their rulers are dashed against the rocks,
They will hear my words and find them pleasant.
As when one plows the ground, turning up the soil,
So our bones are scattered above the grave.
But my eyes are fixed on you, Master Jehovah.
In you I seek refuge. Don’t leave me defenseless!
Let the wicked be fall into their own nets.
While let me pass by in security.
O Jehovah, I call out to you.
Please listen to me and hurry
To come to me when I call to you.
May my prayer be set before you like incense,
My raised hands like an evening sacrifice.
Put a guard, O Jehovah, over my mouth,
And watch over the parting of my lips.
Let me not be attracted to evil things
Or be involved in corrupt activities
With men who are disposed to iniquity.
Let me not partake of their ill-gotten gains.
If I do, let a righteous man strike me down,
For his rebuke is an act of kindness.
It is oil on the head; I reject it not,
And I ever pray against evil deeds.
When their rulers are dashed against the rocks,
They will hear my words and find them pleasant.
As when one plows the ground, turning up the soil,
So our bones are scattered above the grave.
But my eyes are fixed on you, Master Jehovah.
In you I seek refuge. Don’t leave me defenseless!
Let the wicked be fall into their own nets.
While let me pass by in security.
Psalm 140
By King David
Save me, O Jehovah, from men of evil,
Deliver me from men of violence,
Those who devise evil schemes in their hearts
And are continually stirring up wars.
Their tongues are sharpened like those of serpents
And their words are like a viper’s poison.
Protect me from the hands of the wicked,
Jehovah; keep me safe from violent men
Who are determined to make me stumble.
The arrogant have laid a trap for me;
They have spread a net on the side of the path;
They have set snares for me along my way.
I say to Jehovah, “You are my god.”
Hear, O Jehovah, my pleas for mercy.
Jehovah the Master, my mighty savior,
You shield my head in the day of battle.
Do not grant to the wicked their desires,
O Jehovah; let not their evil schemes
Succeed, so that they may exalt themselves.
As for the leaders of those who beseige me,
Let the evil they speak fall upon them.
May burning embers fall upon their heads;
May they be cast into a pit of flames
Or a bog from which they can never climb out.
Let not slanderers prosper in the land;
Let disaster hunt down violent men
And bring them to a hasty destruction.
I know that Jehovah upholds justice
For the poor and champions those in want.
Surely the righteous are praising your name
And the upright will dwell in your presence.
Save me, O Jehovah, from men of evil,
Deliver me from men of violence,
Those who devise evil schemes in their hearts
And are continually stirring up wars.
Their tongues are sharpened like those of serpents
And their words are like a viper’s poison.
Protect me from the hands of the wicked,
Jehovah; keep me safe from violent men
Who are determined to make me stumble.
The arrogant have laid a trap for me;
They have spread a net on the side of the path;
They have set snares for me along my way.
I say to Jehovah, “You are my god.”
Hear, O Jehovah, my pleas for mercy.
Jehovah the Master, my mighty savior,
You shield my head in the day of battle.
Do not grant to the wicked their desires,
O Jehovah; let not their evil schemes
Succeed, so that they may exalt themselves.
As for the leaders of those who beseige me,
Let the evil they speak fall upon them.
May burning embers fall upon their heads;
May they be cast into a pit of flames
Or a bog from which they can never climb out.
Let not slanderers prosper in the land;
Let disaster hunt down violent men
And bring them to a hasty destruction.
I know that Jehovah upholds justice
For the poor and champions those in want.
Surely the righteous are praising your name
And the upright will dwell in your presence.
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Psalm 139
By King David
O Jehovah, you have examined me.
You know me, know when I sit and when I stand
And from afar you understand my thoughts.
You watch me when I travel and when I rest;
With all my habits you are acquainted.
Even before a word comes to my tongue,
You know all about it, O Jehovah.
You guard my front and have my back
And have laid your hand upon my head.
Such knowledge is too deep for me;
It is too high for me to grasp.
Where can I be free from your spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I rise to heaven, you are there.
Or lie down in the grave, you are there.
If upon the wings of dawn I fly
And set down upon the farthest sea,
Even there your hand will guide me
And your power will protect me.
If I bid the darkness to hide me
And turn the light about me to night,
The darkness will not be dark to me,
For the night will shine like the day,
And darkness be as light to me.
For you formed my innermost being
And molded me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you that you have made me
An awesome and unique creation —
Full well I know how wondrous your works!
My body was not hidden from you
When I was secretly taking shape,
Woven in the depths of the earth:
Your eyes observed my embryo.
All my days were written in your book,
Before one of them could come to pass.
How profound I find your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the number of them!
If I were able to count them
They would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake I am still with you.
If only you, O God, would slay the wicked.
Get away from me, you bloodthirsty men,
For they speak against you blasphemously,
Enemies of yours that take your name in vain.
Do I not hate those who hate you, Jehovah,
And detest those who rise up against you?
With an absolute hatred I hate them
And number them among my enemies.
Examine me, O God, and know my mind.
Put me to the test and learn my concerns.
See if I am on any evil path
And guide me onto the way everlasting.
O Jehovah, you have examined me.
You know me, know when I sit and when I stand
And from afar you understand my thoughts.
You watch me when I travel and when I rest;
With all my habits you are acquainted.
Even before a word comes to my tongue,
You know all about it, O Jehovah.
You guard my front and have my back
And have laid your hand upon my head.
Such knowledge is too deep for me;
It is too high for me to grasp.
Where can I be free from your spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I rise to heaven, you are there.
Or lie down in the grave, you are there.
If upon the wings of dawn I fly
And set down upon the farthest sea,
Even there your hand will guide me
And your power will protect me.
If I bid the darkness to hide me
And turn the light about me to night,
The darkness will not be dark to me,
For the night will shine like the day,
And darkness be as light to me.
For you formed my innermost being
And molded me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you that you have made me
An awesome and unique creation —
Full well I know how wondrous your works!
My body was not hidden from you
When I was secretly taking shape,
Woven in the depths of the earth:
Your eyes observed my embryo.
All my days were written in your book,
Before one of them could come to pass.
How profound I find your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the number of them!
If I were able to count them
They would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake I am still with you.
If only you, O God, would slay the wicked.
Get away from me, you bloodthirsty men,
For they speak against you blasphemously,
Enemies of yours that take your name in vain.
Do I not hate those who hate you, Jehovah,
And detest those who rise up against you?
With an absolute hatred I hate them
And number them among my enemies.
Examine me, O God, and know my mind.
Put me to the test and learn my concerns.
See if I am on any evil path
And guide me onto the way everlasting.
Psalm 138
By King David
I will give thanks to you, Jehovah, with all my heart
And sing your praises before the heavenly beings.
Toward your holy temple I will bow in worship
And praise your name for your devotion and faithfulness.
You have exalted your name and word above all.
When I called to you, you answered me
And gave me confidence and strength.
May all the kings on earth give you thanks,
Jehovah, when they hear your decrees.
May they sing of Jehovah’s ways,
For great is Jehovah’s glory.
Though Jehovah is exalted
He has regard for the lowly,
But from the haughty keeps his distance.
If I walk in the midst of trouble
You raise your had to protect me
And use your power to save me
From the anger of my enemies.
Jehovah will fulfill his purpose for me.
Your kindness lasts forever, O Jehovah.
Do not leave your handiwork unfinished.
I will give thanks to you, Jehovah, with all my heart
And sing your praises before the heavenly beings.
Toward your holy temple I will bow in worship
And praise your name for your devotion and faithfulness.
You have exalted your name and word above all.
When I called to you, you answered me
And gave me confidence and strength.
May all the kings on earth give you thanks,
Jehovah, when they hear your decrees.
May they sing of Jehovah’s ways,
For great is Jehovah’s glory.
Though Jehovah is exalted
He has regard for the lowly,
But from the haughty keeps his distance.
If I walk in the midst of trouble
You raise your had to protect me
And use your power to save me
From the anger of my enemies.
Jehovah will fulfill his purpose for me.
Your kindness lasts forever, O Jehovah.
Do not leave your handiwork unfinished.
Psalm 137
By the rivers of Babylon we sat
And shed tears as we remembered Zion.
There upon poplar boughs we hung our harps,
For our captors demanded a song from us.
Our tormentors wanted a joyful tune.
“Sing to us,” they said, “a song of Zion.”
How, we asked, can we sing a song
Of Zion in a foreign land?
If I forget you, Jerusalem,
May my right hand forget how to play.
May my tongue stick to my palate,
If I do not remember you,
If I do not raise Jerusalem
Above my greatest source of joy.
Remember, O Jehovah, what the people
Of Edom said when Jerusalem was seized.
“Tear it down! Raze it to its foundations.”
O Babylon, doomed to be despoiled,
Blessed is he who repays you
For the things you have done to us.
Blessed who seizes your babies
And dashes them against the rocks.
And shed tears as we remembered Zion.
There upon poplar boughs we hung our harps,
For our captors demanded a song from us.
Our tormentors wanted a joyful tune.
“Sing to us,” they said, “a song of Zion.”
How, we asked, can we sing a song
Of Zion in a foreign land?
If I forget you, Jerusalem,
May my right hand forget how to play.
May my tongue stick to my palate,
If I do not remember you,
If I do not raise Jerusalem
Above my greatest source of joy.
Remember, O Jehovah, what the people
Of Edom said when Jerusalem was seized.
“Tear it down! Raze it to its foundations.”
O Babylon, doomed to be despoiled,
Blessed is he who repays you
For the things you have done to us.
Blessed who seizes your babies
And dashes them against the rocks.
Psalm 136
Thank Jehovah, for he is good
Give your thanks to the god of gods,
Give thanks to the master of masters.
He alone performs great wonders.
With wisdom he made the heavens.
He spread the land upon the waters.
He created the lights in the sky,
He made the sun to rule the day,
The moon and stars to reign by night.
He struck down the firstborn of Egypt
And with firm hand and outstretched arm.
Brought out Israel from among them.
He parted the Red Sea asunder
And led Israel through its midst.
He engulfed Pharaoh and his army
In the waters of the Red Sea.
He led his people through the desert.
He defeated powerful kings
And slew many mighty monarchs,
Sihon, the king of the Amorites
And Og, the ruler of Bashan,
And gave their land as a legacy,
A gift to his servant Israel.
In our despair he remembered us
And delivered us from our foes.
He gives food to all living creatures.
Give thanks to the God of heaven,
For his loyal love lasts forever.*
*this line, evidently as an element of song, is repeated after every previous line. It has been left out to give better sense and continuity to the psalm.
Give your thanks to the god of gods,
Give thanks to the master of masters.
He alone performs great wonders.
With wisdom he made the heavens.
He spread the land upon the waters.
He created the lights in the sky,
He made the sun to rule the day,
The moon and stars to reign by night.
He struck down the firstborn of Egypt
And with firm hand and outstretched arm.
Brought out Israel from among them.
He parted the Red Sea asunder
And led Israel through its midst.
He engulfed Pharaoh and his army
In the waters of the Red Sea.
He led his people through the desert.
He defeated powerful kings
And slew many mighty monarchs,
Sihon, the king of the Amorites
And Og, the ruler of Bashan,
And gave their land as a legacy,
A gift to his servant Israel.
In our despair he remembered us
And delivered us from our foes.
He gives food to all living creatures.
Give thanks to the God of heaven,
For his loyal love lasts forever.*
*this line, evidently as an element of song, is repeated after every previous line. It has been left out to give better sense and continuity to the psalm.
Psalm 135
Praise Jehovah. Praise the name of Jehovah.
Give praise to him, you servants of Jehovah,
You who stand in the house of Jehovah,
In the courtyards of the house of our god.
Praise Jehovah, for Jehovah is good.
Sing praises to his name, for it is pleasant.
Jehovah has chosen Jacob as his own,
And Israel as his own possession.
For I have known that Jehovah is great.
That our Master is above all other gods.
Jehovah does whatever pleases him,
In heaven, on earth, in the sea and its depths.
He makes the clouds arise from the earth’s ends;
He sends lightning to accompany the rain
And brings forth the winds from his storehouses.
He struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
Both of human and animal.
Into your country, O Egypt,
He sent signs and performed wonders
Before Pharaoh and his servants.
He destroyed many foreign nations
And slaughtered many mighty kings —
Sihon, king of the Amorites,
And Og, the monarch of Bashan,
As well as all the kings of Canaan.
To his people of Israel
He bestowed an inheritance,
Their land was their inheritance.
Your name, Jehovah, lasts forever,
Your prestige, throughout the ages.
For Jehovah will judge his people
And show compassion to his servants.
The idols of foreign nations
Are crafted of silver and gold,
The handiwork of human beings.
They have mouths, but they cannot speak;
They have eyes, but they cannot see;
They have ears, but they cannot hear,
Nor is there any breath in their mouths.
Those who make them will be like them
As will all who have faith in them.
O Israelites, praise Jehovah.
O House of Aaron, praise Jehovah.
O House of Levi, praise Jehovah.
All who revere him, praise Jehovah.
And praise Jehovah from Zion.
Praise him who dwells in Jerusalem.
Praise Jehovah!
Give praise to him, you servants of Jehovah,
You who stand in the house of Jehovah,
In the courtyards of the house of our god.
Praise Jehovah, for Jehovah is good.
Sing praises to his name, for it is pleasant.
Jehovah has chosen Jacob as his own,
And Israel as his own possession.
For I have known that Jehovah is great.
That our Master is above all other gods.
Jehovah does whatever pleases him,
In heaven, on earth, in the sea and its depths.
He makes the clouds arise from the earth’s ends;
He sends lightning to accompany the rain
And brings forth the winds from his storehouses.
He struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
Both of human and animal.
Into your country, O Egypt,
He sent signs and performed wonders
Before Pharaoh and his servants.
He destroyed many foreign nations
And slaughtered many mighty kings —
Sihon, king of the Amorites,
And Og, the monarch of Bashan,
As well as all the kings of Canaan.
To his people of Israel
He bestowed an inheritance,
Their land was their inheritance.
Your name, Jehovah, lasts forever,
Your prestige, throughout the ages.
For Jehovah will judge his people
And show compassion to his servants.
The idols of foreign nations
Are crafted of silver and gold,
The handiwork of human beings.
They have mouths, but they cannot speak;
They have eyes, but they cannot see;
They have ears, but they cannot hear,
Nor is there any breath in their mouths.
Those who make them will be like them
As will all who have faith in them.
O Israelites, praise Jehovah.
O House of Aaron, praise Jehovah.
O House of Levi, praise Jehovah.
All who revere him, praise Jehovah.
And praise Jehovah from Zion.
Praise him who dwells in Jerusalem.
Praise Jehovah!
Psalm 134
Praise Jehovah, all you servants of Jehovah,
Those who serve by night in the house of Jehovah.
In holiness lift up your hands and bless Jehovah,
May Jehovah, creator of heaven and earth,
Bless you from Zion!
Those who serve by night in the house of Jehovah.
In holiness lift up your hands and bless Jehovah,
May Jehovah, creator of heaven and earth,
Bless you from Zion!
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Psalm 133
See how good and pleasant it is,
When brothers live in harmony.
It is the precious oil anointing the head,
Running down the beard, even Aaron’s beard,
Flowing down to the hem of his vestments,
Harmony is like the dew of Mount Hermon
Falling down upon the hills of Zion.
It is here that Jehovah has bestowed
His blessings, even life everlasting.
When brothers live in harmony.
It is the precious oil anointing the head,
Running down the beard, even Aaron’s beard,
Flowing down to the hem of his vestments,
Harmony is like the dew of Mount Hermon
Falling down upon the hills of Zion.
It is here that Jehovah has bestowed
His blessings, even life everlasting.
Psalm 132
Remember, O Jehovah, David
And all the hardships that he endured,
How he swore an oath to Jehovah,
The mighty one of Israel:
I will not enter my house or go to bed,
I will not rest my eyes or go to sleep,
Until I find a place for Jehovah,
A dwelling for the mighty one of Jacob.
Behold, we heard that it was in Ephrathah;
We located it in the fields of Jaar.
Let us go to his dwelling place.
Let us worship at his footstool.
Arise, Jehovah. Come to your place of rest,
With the Ark, the symbol of your power.
May your priests be arrayed with righteousness
And your faithful followers cry out with joy.
For the sake of your servant David
Do not reject your anointed one.
Jehovah swore truly to David
An oath that he will never revoke:
“I will set upon your throne a son.
If our sons keep my covenant
And follow the statutes I teach them
Your sons will sit upon your throne
Forever until eternity.”
For Jehovah has chosen Zion
And desired it as his dwelling place.
“This is my resting place forever.
Here is the home of my desire.
I will bless her with provisions
And satisfy her poor with food.
I will clothe her priests with godliness
And her faithful will shout for joy.
Here I will give prestige to David,
And trim a lamp for my anointed.
His enemies I will clothe in shame,
But the crown upon his head will shine.
And all the hardships that he endured,
How he swore an oath to Jehovah,
The mighty one of Israel:
I will not enter my house or go to bed,
I will not rest my eyes or go to sleep,
Until I find a place for Jehovah,
A dwelling for the mighty one of Jacob.
Behold, we heard that it was in Ephrathah;
We located it in the fields of Jaar.
Let us go to his dwelling place.
Let us worship at his footstool.
Arise, Jehovah. Come to your place of rest,
With the Ark, the symbol of your power.
May your priests be arrayed with righteousness
And your faithful followers cry out with joy.
For the sake of your servant David
Do not reject your anointed one.
Jehovah swore truly to David
An oath that he will never revoke:
“I will set upon your throne a son.
If our sons keep my covenant
And follow the statutes I teach them
Your sons will sit upon your throne
Forever until eternity.”
For Jehovah has chosen Zion
And desired it as his dwelling place.
“This is my resting place forever.
Here is the home of my desire.
I will bless her with provisions
And satisfy her poor with food.
I will clothe her priests with godliness
And her faithful will shout for joy.
Here I will give prestige to David,
And trim a lamp for my anointed.
His enemies I will clothe in shame,
But the crown upon his head will shine.
Psalm 131
My heart is not haughty, O Jehovah;
My eyes are not elevated too high;
I do not concern myself with great things
Or matters that are too profound for me.
Instead I am calm and resigned,
Like a weaned child with his mother,
A weaned child is the soul within me.
Israel, have faith in Jehovah
From now until forevermore.
My eyes are not elevated too high;
I do not concern myself with great things
Or matters that are too profound for me.
Instead I am calm and resigned,
Like a weaned child with his mother,
A weaned child is the soul within me.
Israel, have faith in Jehovah
From now until forevermore.
Monday, December 2, 2019
Psalm 130
Out of the depths I call to you, Jehovah.
Hear my voice, listen to my plea for help.
If you have kept a record of our sins,
Who then, Jehovah, can stand before you?
With you, Jehovah, there is forgiveness
That we may worship you with reverence.
I, my whole being, waits for Jehovah
In his word I place my expectations.
My soul has waited for Jehovah,
More than watchmen wait for the dawn,
Yes, more than watchmen wait for the dawn.
Israel, put your hope in Jehovah,
For with Jehovah there is unfailing love
And with him there is abundant redemption.
From its sins it will redeem Israel.
Hear my voice, listen to my plea for help.
If you have kept a record of our sins,
Who then, Jehovah, can stand before you?
With you, Jehovah, there is forgiveness
That we may worship you with reverence.
I, my whole being, waits for Jehovah
In his word I place my expectations.
My soul has waited for Jehovah,
More than watchmen wait for the dawn,
Yes, more than watchmen wait for the dawn.
Israel, put your hope in Jehovah,
For with Jehovah there is unfailing love
And with him there is abundant redemption.
From its sins it will redeem Israel.
Psalm 129
Let Israel now say: from my youngest days
I have been persecuted many times.
From my youth they have much afflicted me,
But they have never prevailed over me.
Plowmen have plowed over my back,
And they have made long their furrows.
Jehovah is just. He has cut me free
From the cords of the wicked that have bound me.
May all who hate Jerusalem
Be confounded and defeated.
May they be like grass on the rooftops
That withers before it can sprout,
Unable to fill a reaper’s hand,
Or the arms of one who binds the sheaves.
Nor do any that will pass by them say,
“May the blessings of Jehovah be on you,
We bless you in the name of Jehovah.”
I have been persecuted many times.
From my youth they have much afflicted me,
But they have never prevailed over me.
Plowmen have plowed over my back,
And they have made long their furrows.
Jehovah is just. He has cut me free
From the cords of the wicked that have bound me.
May all who hate Jerusalem
Be confounded and defeated.
May they be like grass on the rooftops
That withers before it can sprout,
Unable to fill a reaper’s hand,
Or the arms of one who binds the sheaves.
Nor do any that will pass by them say,
“May the blessings of Jehovah be on you,
We bless you in the name of Jehovah.”
Psalm 128
Blessed are all who revere Jehovah,
All who live in accordance with his ways.
You will consume the fruit of your labor;
Happiness and prosperity will be yours.
Your wife, a fruitful vine within your house,
Your children, olive shoots around the table.
In such a way will befall the blessings
Upon the man who reveres Jehovah.
May Jehovah bless you from Zion,
So that all the days of your life
You may see Jerusalem prosper
And may see your children’s children.
May peace be upon Israel!
All who live in accordance with his ways.
You will consume the fruit of your labor;
Happiness and prosperity will be yours.
Your wife, a fruitful vine within your house,
Your children, olive shoots around the table.
In such a way will befall the blessings
Upon the man who reveres Jehovah.
May Jehovah bless you from Zion,
So that all the days of your life
You may see Jerusalem prosper
And may see your children’s children.
May peace be upon Israel!
Psalm 127
Unless Jehovah builds the house,
The builders have labored in vain.
Unless Jehovah guards the city,
Its watchmen stay awake in vain.
When you rise early and stay up late
Toiling for food to eat is in vain,
For he grants sleep to those he loves.
Indeed children are a gift from Jehovah;
The fruit of the womb is a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
Are children who are born to us when we’re young.
Happy the man whose quiver is full with them,
For such men will never be put to shame
When they contend with accusers in court.
The builders have labored in vain.
Unless Jehovah guards the city,
Its watchmen stay awake in vain.
When you rise early and stay up late
Toiling for food to eat is in vain,
For he grants sleep to those he loves.
Indeed children are a gift from Jehovah;
The fruit of the womb is a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
Are children who are born to us when we’re young.
Happy the man whose quiver is full with them,
For such men will never be put to shame
When they contend with accusers in court.
Psalm 126
When Jehovah returned the captives to Zion,
We were as dreamers. Our throats were filled with laughter,
Our mouths with shouts of joy. Among the heathen nations
It was said, “Jehovah has done great things for them.”
Indeed Jehovah has done great things for us. We are glad.
Return our captives, Jehovah,
Like the valley streams in the Negev.
Those who sow in tears will reap in joy.
He who goes out to sow and weeps
While he draws out and scatters his seed
Will surely return rejoicing,
Carrying with him his sheaves of grain.
We were as dreamers. Our throats were filled with laughter,
Our mouths with shouts of joy. Among the heathen nations
It was said, “Jehovah has done great things for them.”
Indeed Jehovah has done great things for us. We are glad.
Return our captives, Jehovah,
Like the valley streams in the Negev.
Those who sow in tears will reap in joy.
He who goes out to sow and weeps
While he draws out and scatters his seed
Will surely return rejoicing,
Carrying with him his sheaves of grain.
Psalm 125
Those who have faith in Jehovah
Are as sturdy as Mount Zion,
Which cannot be shaken or moved,
But which will remain forever.
As mountains surround Jerusalem,
Jehovah surrounds his people,
From this time until forevermore.
For the scepter of the wicked will not rule
Over the land allotted the righteous,
Lest the righteous be tempted to do wrong.
Jehovah, do good to the good,
To those who are upright in heart.
But those who turn to the crooked path,
Like the evildoers, Jehovah
Will banish. Peace be to Israel!
Are as sturdy as Mount Zion,
Which cannot be shaken or moved,
But which will remain forever.
As mountains surround Jerusalem,
Jehovah surrounds his people,
From this time until forevermore.
For the scepter of the wicked will not rule
Over the land allotted the righteous,
Lest the righteous be tempted to do wrong.
Jehovah, do good to the good,
To those who are upright in heart.
But those who turn to the crooked path,
Like the evildoers, Jehovah
Will banish. Peace be to Israel!
Psalm 124
If Jehovah had not been on our side,
Let all Israel declare.
If Jehovah had not been on our side,
When people rose up against us.
When their anger flared against us,
They would have eaten us alive.
The flood waters would have engulfed us
A torrent would have overwhelmed us,
And raging waters swept us away.
Blessed be Jehovah,
Who has not let us be prey to their teeth.
From the snare of the fowlers
We have escaped like a bird.
The net is torn and we have broken free.
Our help is in the name of Jehovah,
Creator of the earth and the heaven.
Let all Israel declare.
If Jehovah had not been on our side,
When people rose up against us.
When their anger flared against us,
They would have eaten us alive.
The flood waters would have engulfed us
A torrent would have overwhelmed us,
And raging waters swept us away.
Blessed be Jehovah,
Who has not let us be prey to their teeth.
From the snare of the fowlers
We have escaped like a bird.
The net is torn and we have broken free.
Our help is in the name of Jehovah,
Creator of the earth and the heaven.
Psalm 123
I lift up my eyes to you,
The one enthroned in heaven.
As the eyes of servants
Look to their master’s hand,
And the eyes of the maid
Look to her mistress’s hand,
So our eyes are fixed upon
Jehovah who is our god,
Until he shows us favor.
Have mercy upon us,
Jehovah, have mercy.
For we suffer a surfeit
Of contempt and disrespect.
We have endured our fill
Of scorn from the arrogant
And mocking from the haughty.
The one enthroned in heaven.
As the eyes of servants
Look to their master’s hand,
And the eyes of the maid
Look to her mistress’s hand,
So our eyes are fixed upon
Jehovah who is our god,
Until he shows us favor.
Have mercy upon us,
Jehovah, have mercy.
For we suffer a surfeit
Of contempt and disrespect.
We have endured our fill
Of scorn from the arrogant
And mocking from the haughty.
Psalm 122
I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to Jehovah’s house.”
And now it is our feet are standing
Within your gates, O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem, constructed to be
A city compact and close-knit,
Where all the tribes of Israel,
The tribes of Jehovah’s people,
Go up to make a pilgrimage
To praise the name of Jehovah —
As the law of Israel demands.
For there are the thrones of judges,
The thrones of the House of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May those who love you be secure!
May there be peace within your walls,
Prosperity in your palaces.”
Because of my family and friends
I will now say, “Peace be with you.”
Because of the house of Jehovah,
Our god, I seek all the best for you.
“Let us go to Jehovah’s house.”
And now it is our feet are standing
Within your gates, O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem, constructed to be
A city compact and close-knit,
Where all the tribes of Israel,
The tribes of Jehovah’s people,
Go up to make a pilgrimage
To praise the name of Jehovah —
As the law of Israel demands.
For there are the thrones of judges,
The thrones of the House of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May those who love you be secure!
May there be peace within your walls,
Prosperity in your palaces.”
Because of my family and friends
I will now say, “Peace be with you.”
Because of the house of Jehovah,
Our god, I seek all the best for you.
Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where will come one to help me?
The one to help me is Jehovah,
The creator of heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to slip.
Your protector will not fall to sleep.
Indeed he who keeps Israel
Will never slumber or be drowsy.
Jehovah is your guardian,
Your protective shade beside you.
By day the sunlight will not harm you,
Nor by night, the rays of the moon.
Jehovah will guard you from all evil.
He will preserve your life.
He will protect you as you come and go,
Both now and forever.
From where will come one to help me?
The one to help me is Jehovah,
The creator of heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to slip.
Your protector will not fall to sleep.
Indeed he who keeps Israel
Will never slumber or be drowsy.
Jehovah is your guardian,
Your protective shade beside you.
By day the sunlight will not harm you,
Nor by night, the rays of the moon.
Jehovah will guard you from all evil.
He will preserve your life.
He will protect you as you come and go,
Both now and forever.
Psalm 120
When I was in distress I cried out
To Jehovah, and he answered me.
Deliver me, O Jehovah,
From lips that lie and tongues that deceive.
What shall be done to you, lying tongue?
What shall be inflicted upon you?
Sharpened arrows from the warrior
And burning coals from the broom tree.
Woe is me that I live in Mesech,
That I dwell in the tents of Kedar,
Too long among those who hate peace.
I myself am in favor of peace,
But when I speak, they are for war.
To Jehovah, and he answered me.
Deliver me, O Jehovah,
From lips that lie and tongues that deceive.
What shall be done to you, lying tongue?
What shall be inflicted upon you?
Sharpened arrows from the warrior
And burning coals from the broom tree.
Woe is me that I live in Mesech,
That I dwell in the tents of Kedar,
Too long among those who hate peace.
I myself am in favor of peace,
But when I speak, they are for war.
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Psalm 119
Blessed are those who lead blameless lives
And follow the laws of Jehovah.
Blessed are those who keep his statutes
And worship him with all their heart.
They do no wrong, but walk in his ways.
You have charged us with the precepts
That should be diligently observed.
Would that my manner of living
Led me to obey your decrees
That I would not be put to shame
When I ponder all your commandments.
I will praise you with a noble heart
As I learn your righteous judgments.
I will abide by your decrees.
Do not completely give up on me!
How can a young man keep his innocence?
Keep it by living according to your word.
It is with my whole heart I have sought you;
Do not let me stray from your commandments.
Your word have I hidden within my heart
That I might not commit a sin against you.
Praise be to you, Jehovah. Teach me your laws.
My lips repeat all the judgments of your mouth.
In them I rejoice as much as in riches.
Upon your precepts I will meditate
And will examine intently your ways.
In your statutes I will find my delight,
And your instructions I will not forget.
So please treat your servant generously
That I may live and keep your commandments.
Open my eyes that I might then perceive
The wondrous things that are contained in your law.
I am a stranger upon the earth.
Hide not your commandments from me.
My heart is at all times consumed
With longing for your ordinances.
You rebuke the proud; they are cursed —
Those who stray from your commandments.
Take away from me reproach and contempt
For I have abided by your decrees.
Though princes gather to speak against me,
Your servant meditates on your statutes,
For your statutes are indeed my delight;
It is they who are my wise counselors.
My soul is stuck, down in the dirt.
Revive me as you have promised.
I told you of my life, you answered.
Instruct me of your ordinances.
Help me understand your precepts,
So I may muse upon your marvels.
My soul melts away with sorrow.
Strengthen me as you have promised.
Turn me from the paths of deceit
And graciously teach me your laws.
I have chosen to be faithful;
I am committed to your tenets.
I embrace your ordinances.
O Jehovah, put me not to shame.
I will pursue your commandments,
For you broaden my understanding.
Teach me, O Jehovah, the way
Prescribed by your ordinances
That I may follow them till the end.
Help me to achieve understanding,
So that I may make sense of your law
And observe it with all my heart.
Bid me to continue walking
On the path of your commandments,
For it is there I find delight.
Incline my heart to your decrees
And not the craving for selfish gain.
Turn my eyes away from vain idols
And revive my soul with your ways.
Keep your promise to your servant
That he may hold you in reverence.
Banish the disgrace I have dread of,
For your judgments are of goodness.
Indeed I long for your precepts;
Revive me with your righteousness.
Give me your faithful love, Jehovah,
And your salvation, as you have vowed.
Then I can answer those who taunt me,
For I can have faith in your word.
Snatch not a word of truth from my mouth,
For I have hope in your judgments.
I will always obey your law,
From now until eternity.
I walk in freedom, for I follow your precepts.
I explain your statutes before kings and feel no shame.
I delight in your commandments because I love them.
I lift up my hands to receive your commandments.
I love them, and upon your decrees I meditate.
Remember the promise you made to your servant;
In it I place my hopes and, in my afflictions,
It is my comfort, for your word has revived me.
The arrogant mock me excessively,
But from your law I do not deviate.
I hold in my mind your judgments of old,
O Jehovah, and I take comfort from them.
A raging indignation has gripped me,
Because of the wicked who reject your law.
Your ordinances are the theme of my songs
In whatever house I make my dwelling.
In the night I recall to mind your name,
O Jehovah, that I may keep your law.
This is my habit, following your precepts.
You are a part of me, O Jehovah.
I have promised to hold on to your words.
With all my heart have I sought your favor;
Be gracious to me, as you have promised.
I have pondered the path my life has taken
And have turned my steps to your instructions.
I have made haste without hesitation
To always comply with your commandments.
Although the wicked may bind me with ropes,
Your law I will not forget or forsake.
In the middle of the night I arise
To thank you for your judgments of righteousness.
I am a friend to all who revere you,
And to all who may follow your precepts.
The earth is filled with your loving devotion.
O Jehovah, teach to me your statutes.
You have treated your servant generously,
As you have promised me, O Jehovah.
Impart to me knowledge and moral judgment,
For I place my trust in your commandments.
Before I was humbled, I went astray,
But now I adhere to your commandments.
You are good and do good; teach me your decrees.
Though the arrogant slander me with lies,
With my whole heart will I keep your precepts.
Their hearts are callous, hard, and unfeeling,
But I am happy with your instructions.
It was good for me that I was humbled,
That I might then come to learn your statutes.
The law you speak is more precious to me
Than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.
Your hands have made me, formed and fashioned me;
Give me the insight to learn your commandments.
Let those who revere you see me and be glad,
Because I have placed my hopes in your word.
I know, Jehovah, your laws are righteous,
And it was just that you afflicted me.
May your faithful love be a comfort to me,
According to the word given your servant.
May I be endowed with your compassion
That I may live, for your law is my delight.
May the arrogant be put to shame
For slandering me with falsehoods —
While I meditate on your precepts.
May those come to me who revere you,
Those who understand your statutes.
May I follow them devotedly
That I may not be put to shame.
My soul hungers for your salvation,
But I place my hopes in your word.
My eyes fail searching for your promise.
“When will you comfort me?” I ask.
I am like a wineskin dried by smoke,
But I do not forget your statutes.
How many days must your servant wait?
When will you punish my tormentors?
The arrogant dig pitfalls for me
In violation of your law.
All your commandments can be trusted.
I am wrongly oppressed. Protect me!
They nearly wiped me off the earth,
But I did not forget your precepts.
Revive me with your devotion,
And I will obey the laws you speak.
Your word, O Jehovah, is eternal
And has been established in the heavens.
Your faithfulness continues through the ages.
You have founded the earth and it endures.
Your ordinances stand until this day,
For all things are subservient to you.
If I had not found delight in your law.
I would have perished from my affliction.
I will never abandon your precepts,
For it is with them that you revived me.
I am yours. Save me. For I have kept your laws.
The wicked wait to destroy me,
But I ponder your instructions.
I see a limit to perfection,
But your commandments know no bounds.
How great is my love for your law!
I meditate on it all day long.
Your commandments are with me always
And make me wiser than my foes.
I have more insight than my teachers,
For I reflect upon your statutes.
I understand more than the elders,
Because I follow your precepts.
To keep your word I have kept my feet
From treading on any evil path.
I have not departed from your laws,
For you yourself have instructed me.
How sweet to the taste are your words,
Sweeter than honey in my mouth.
Your precepts lend me understanding;
Therefore I hate every false way.
Your word is a lamp to my feet,
A light to illuminate my way.
I have sworn — and will confirm it —
That I will keep your righteous laws.
Greatly I suffer, O Jehovah;
Preserve my life as you have promised.
I beg you, Jehovah, accept
My words of praise freely given,
And teach me your ordinances.
Though my life is ever in peril,
I do not forget your teachings.
Though the wicked lay traps for me,
I have not strayed from your precepts.
Your decrees are my heritage
Forever; they are my heart’s delight.
My mind is resolved to keep your laws
Forever, even to the end.
Those with divided loyalties
I despise, but your law I love.
You are my refuge and protector.
I have placed my hopes in your word.
Be gone from me, you evildoers
That I may continue to obey
The commands given by my god.
Sustain me as you have promised
That I may continue to live
Without being ashamed of my hopes.
Hold me up that I may be safe
And always respect your decrees.
You shun those who stray from your decrees,
For their deceitfulness is in vain.
The wicked people of the world
You have discarded like rubish;
That is why I love your statutes.
My flesh quivers in fear of you;
I stand in awe of your judgments.
I have done what is just and right;
Don’t leave me to my oppressors.
Make sure of your servant’s well-being.
Let not the arrogant defame me.
My eyes fail seeking your salvation
And the fulfillment of your promise.
Treat your servant with your gracious love
And instruct me in your statutes.
I am your servant; lend me insight
That I may understand your laws.
It is time to act, Jehovah,
For your law is being broken.
Truly I love your commandments
More than gold, even the purest gold.
Thus I admire all your precepts
And detest every false way.
Your statutes are full of wonder;
That is the reason I obey them.
Revealing your words enlightens
And helps the simple to understand.
I opened my mouth and panted
With longing for your commandments.
Turn to me and show me mercy
As you do those who love your name.
Guide my steps as you have promised
And let not sin take charge of me.
Redeem me from man’s oppression
That I may follow your precepts.
Smile with favor on your servant
And instruct me in your statutes.
Rivers of tears rush from my eyes
Because your law is not obeyed.
You are righteous, O Jehovah,
And your regulations are just.
The statutes that you have laid down
Are fair and wholly reliable.
Indignation has consumed me
Because my foes forget your words.
Your promises have proven true;
That is why your servant loves them.
Though I am humble and despised,
I do not forget your precepts.
Your righteousness is eternal,
And your instructions remain true.
Trouble and distress befall me,
But your commandments give me joy.
Your statutes are forever just.
Give me insight that I may live.
I call out to you with all my heart.
Give me an answer, Jehovah,
And I will obey your statutes.
I call out to you to save me
So that I may keep your decrees.
Rising before dawn, I cry for help;
In your word I have placed my hopes.
I stay awake through the night hours
That I may meditate on your word.
Listen to my voice, Jehovah,
In keeping with your devotion.
Revive me according to your law.
Devisers of mischief draw near,
But distant are they from your law.
Near to me are you, Jehovah,
And all of your commandments are true.
Long ago I learned of your statutes,
That you made them to last forever.
See my suffering and save me,
For I do not forget your law.
Defend my cause and deliver me;
Preserve my life as you have promised.
The wicked are from being saved:
They do not seek out your statutes.
Great is your mercy, O Jehovah.
Revive me as your law decrees.
Many are the foes that hound me,
But I have not turned from your teaching.
On the faithless I look with disdain,
Because they do not keep your word.
Consider how I love your precepts,
O Jehovah. Preserve my life
In accordance with your devotion.
All your words are utterly true;
All your just laws are eternal.
Rulers persecute me without cause,
But my heart respects only your word.
I find pleasure in your promise,
Like one who has found a great treasure.
I have detestation for falsehood,
But have affection for your law.
Seven times a day I praise you
For the justice of your decrees.
Those who love your law know great peace;
Nothing to them is a stumbling block.
I’ve awaited your salvation,
Jehovah, obeying your commands.
I have followed your instructions,
For I love them exceedingly.
I keep your precepts and statutes,
For all my ways are known to you.
Let my cry reach you, Jehovah;
Give me the insight you promised.
Let my supplication reach you;
Rescue me as you have promised.
Let my lips flow with praise for you,
Because you teach me your decrees.
Let my tongue speak out with your word,
Because all your commands are just.
Let your hand be ready to help me,
Because I have chosen your precepts.
I have longed for your salvation,
Jehovah; your law is my delight.
Let me live so I can praise you.
May your divine law sustain me.
I have gone astray like a lost sheep,
So please seek and find your servant,
For I do not forget your commands.
And follow the laws of Jehovah.
Blessed are those who keep his statutes
And worship him with all their heart.
They do no wrong, but walk in his ways.
You have charged us with the precepts
That should be diligently observed.
Would that my manner of living
Led me to obey your decrees
That I would not be put to shame
When I ponder all your commandments.
I will praise you with a noble heart
As I learn your righteous judgments.
I will abide by your decrees.
Do not completely give up on me!
How can a young man keep his innocence?
Keep it by living according to your word.
It is with my whole heart I have sought you;
Do not let me stray from your commandments.
Your word have I hidden within my heart
That I might not commit a sin against you.
Praise be to you, Jehovah. Teach me your laws.
My lips repeat all the judgments of your mouth.
In them I rejoice as much as in riches.
Upon your precepts I will meditate
And will examine intently your ways.
In your statutes I will find my delight,
And your instructions I will not forget.
So please treat your servant generously
That I may live and keep your commandments.
Open my eyes that I might then perceive
The wondrous things that are contained in your law.
I am a stranger upon the earth.
Hide not your commandments from me.
My heart is at all times consumed
With longing for your ordinances.
You rebuke the proud; they are cursed —
Those who stray from your commandments.
Take away from me reproach and contempt
For I have abided by your decrees.
Though princes gather to speak against me,
Your servant meditates on your statutes,
For your statutes are indeed my delight;
It is they who are my wise counselors.
My soul is stuck, down in the dirt.
Revive me as you have promised.
I told you of my life, you answered.
Instruct me of your ordinances.
Help me understand your precepts,
So I may muse upon your marvels.
My soul melts away with sorrow.
Strengthen me as you have promised.
Turn me from the paths of deceit
And graciously teach me your laws.
I have chosen to be faithful;
I am committed to your tenets.
I embrace your ordinances.
O Jehovah, put me not to shame.
I will pursue your commandments,
For you broaden my understanding.
Teach me, O Jehovah, the way
Prescribed by your ordinances
That I may follow them till the end.
Help me to achieve understanding,
So that I may make sense of your law
And observe it with all my heart.
Bid me to continue walking
On the path of your commandments,
For it is there I find delight.
Incline my heart to your decrees
And not the craving for selfish gain.
Turn my eyes away from vain idols
And revive my soul with your ways.
Keep your promise to your servant
That he may hold you in reverence.
Banish the disgrace I have dread of,
For your judgments are of goodness.
Indeed I long for your precepts;
Revive me with your righteousness.
Give me your faithful love, Jehovah,
And your salvation, as you have vowed.
Then I can answer those who taunt me,
For I can have faith in your word.
Snatch not a word of truth from my mouth,
For I have hope in your judgments.
I will always obey your law,
From now until eternity.
I walk in freedom, for I follow your precepts.
I explain your statutes before kings and feel no shame.
I delight in your commandments because I love them.
I lift up my hands to receive your commandments.
I love them, and upon your decrees I meditate.
Remember the promise you made to your servant;
In it I place my hopes and, in my afflictions,
It is my comfort, for your word has revived me.
The arrogant mock me excessively,
But from your law I do not deviate.
I hold in my mind your judgments of old,
O Jehovah, and I take comfort from them.
A raging indignation has gripped me,
Because of the wicked who reject your law.
Your ordinances are the theme of my songs
In whatever house I make my dwelling.
In the night I recall to mind your name,
O Jehovah, that I may keep your law.
This is my habit, following your precepts.
You are a part of me, O Jehovah.
I have promised to hold on to your words.
With all my heart have I sought your favor;
Be gracious to me, as you have promised.
I have pondered the path my life has taken
And have turned my steps to your instructions.
I have made haste without hesitation
To always comply with your commandments.
Although the wicked may bind me with ropes,
Your law I will not forget or forsake.
In the middle of the night I arise
To thank you for your judgments of righteousness.
I am a friend to all who revere you,
And to all who may follow your precepts.
The earth is filled with your loving devotion.
O Jehovah, teach to me your statutes.
You have treated your servant generously,
As you have promised me, O Jehovah.
Impart to me knowledge and moral judgment,
For I place my trust in your commandments.
Before I was humbled, I went astray,
But now I adhere to your commandments.
You are good and do good; teach me your decrees.
Though the arrogant slander me with lies,
With my whole heart will I keep your precepts.
Their hearts are callous, hard, and unfeeling,
But I am happy with your instructions.
It was good for me that I was humbled,
That I might then come to learn your statutes.
The law you speak is more precious to me
Than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.
Your hands have made me, formed and fashioned me;
Give me the insight to learn your commandments.
Let those who revere you see me and be glad,
Because I have placed my hopes in your word.
I know, Jehovah, your laws are righteous,
And it was just that you afflicted me.
May your faithful love be a comfort to me,
According to the word given your servant.
May I be endowed with your compassion
That I may live, for your law is my delight.
May the arrogant be put to shame
For slandering me with falsehoods —
While I meditate on your precepts.
May those come to me who revere you,
Those who understand your statutes.
May I follow them devotedly
That I may not be put to shame.
My soul hungers for your salvation,
But I place my hopes in your word.
My eyes fail searching for your promise.
“When will you comfort me?” I ask.
I am like a wineskin dried by smoke,
But I do not forget your statutes.
How many days must your servant wait?
When will you punish my tormentors?
The arrogant dig pitfalls for me
In violation of your law.
All your commandments can be trusted.
I am wrongly oppressed. Protect me!
They nearly wiped me off the earth,
But I did not forget your precepts.
Revive me with your devotion,
And I will obey the laws you speak.
Your word, O Jehovah, is eternal
And has been established in the heavens.
Your faithfulness continues through the ages.
You have founded the earth and it endures.
Your ordinances stand until this day,
For all things are subservient to you.
If I had not found delight in your law.
I would have perished from my affliction.
I will never abandon your precepts,
For it is with them that you revived me.
I am yours. Save me. For I have kept your laws.
The wicked wait to destroy me,
But I ponder your instructions.
I see a limit to perfection,
But your commandments know no bounds.
How great is my love for your law!
I meditate on it all day long.
Your commandments are with me always
And make me wiser than my foes.
I have more insight than my teachers,
For I reflect upon your statutes.
I understand more than the elders,
Because I follow your precepts.
To keep your word I have kept my feet
From treading on any evil path.
I have not departed from your laws,
For you yourself have instructed me.
How sweet to the taste are your words,
Sweeter than honey in my mouth.
Your precepts lend me understanding;
Therefore I hate every false way.
Your word is a lamp to my feet,
A light to illuminate my way.
I have sworn — and will confirm it —
That I will keep your righteous laws.
Greatly I suffer, O Jehovah;
Preserve my life as you have promised.
I beg you, Jehovah, accept
My words of praise freely given,
And teach me your ordinances.
Though my life is ever in peril,
I do not forget your teachings.
Though the wicked lay traps for me,
I have not strayed from your precepts.
Your decrees are my heritage
Forever; they are my heart’s delight.
My mind is resolved to keep your laws
Forever, even to the end.
Those with divided loyalties
I despise, but your law I love.
You are my refuge and protector.
I have placed my hopes in your word.
Be gone from me, you evildoers
That I may continue to obey
The commands given by my god.
Sustain me as you have promised
That I may continue to live
Without being ashamed of my hopes.
Hold me up that I may be safe
And always respect your decrees.
You shun those who stray from your decrees,
For their deceitfulness is in vain.
The wicked people of the world
You have discarded like rubish;
That is why I love your statutes.
My flesh quivers in fear of you;
I stand in awe of your judgments.
I have done what is just and right;
Don’t leave me to my oppressors.
Make sure of your servant’s well-being.
Let not the arrogant defame me.
My eyes fail seeking your salvation
And the fulfillment of your promise.
Treat your servant with your gracious love
And instruct me in your statutes.
I am your servant; lend me insight
That I may understand your laws.
It is time to act, Jehovah,
For your law is being broken.
Truly I love your commandments
More than gold, even the purest gold.
Thus I admire all your precepts
And detest every false way.
Your statutes are full of wonder;
That is the reason I obey them.
Revealing your words enlightens
And helps the simple to understand.
I opened my mouth and panted
With longing for your commandments.
Turn to me and show me mercy
As you do those who love your name.
Guide my steps as you have promised
And let not sin take charge of me.
Redeem me from man’s oppression
That I may follow your precepts.
Smile with favor on your servant
And instruct me in your statutes.
Rivers of tears rush from my eyes
Because your law is not obeyed.
You are righteous, O Jehovah,
And your regulations are just.
The statutes that you have laid down
Are fair and wholly reliable.
Indignation has consumed me
Because my foes forget your words.
Your promises have proven true;
That is why your servant loves them.
Though I am humble and despised,
I do not forget your precepts.
Your righteousness is eternal,
And your instructions remain true.
Trouble and distress befall me,
But your commandments give me joy.
Your statutes are forever just.
Give me insight that I may live.
I call out to you with all my heart.
Give me an answer, Jehovah,
And I will obey your statutes.
I call out to you to save me
So that I may keep your decrees.
Rising before dawn, I cry for help;
In your word I have placed my hopes.
I stay awake through the night hours
That I may meditate on your word.
Listen to my voice, Jehovah,
In keeping with your devotion.
Revive me according to your law.
Devisers of mischief draw near,
But distant are they from your law.
Near to me are you, Jehovah,
And all of your commandments are true.
Long ago I learned of your statutes,
That you made them to last forever.
See my suffering and save me,
For I do not forget your law.
Defend my cause and deliver me;
Preserve my life as you have promised.
The wicked are from being saved:
They do not seek out your statutes.
Great is your mercy, O Jehovah.
Revive me as your law decrees.
Many are the foes that hound me,
But I have not turned from your teaching.
On the faithless I look with disdain,
Because they do not keep your word.
Consider how I love your precepts,
O Jehovah. Preserve my life
In accordance with your devotion.
All your words are utterly true;
All your just laws are eternal.
Rulers persecute me without cause,
But my heart respects only your word.
I find pleasure in your promise,
Like one who has found a great treasure.
I have detestation for falsehood,
But have affection for your law.
Seven times a day I praise you
For the justice of your decrees.
Those who love your law know great peace;
Nothing to them is a stumbling block.
I’ve awaited your salvation,
Jehovah, obeying your commands.
I have followed your instructions,
For I love them exceedingly.
I keep your precepts and statutes,
For all my ways are known to you.
Let my cry reach you, Jehovah;
Give me the insight you promised.
Let my supplication reach you;
Rescue me as you have promised.
Let my lips flow with praise for you,
Because you teach me your decrees.
Let my tongue speak out with your word,
Because all your commands are just.
Let your hand be ready to help me,
Because I have chosen your precepts.
I have longed for your salvation,
Jehovah; your law is my delight.
Let me live so I can praise you.
May your divine law sustain me.
I have gone astray like a lost sheep,
So please seek and find your servant,
For I do not forget your commands.
Monday, October 28, 2019
Psalm 118
Give thanks to Jehovah, for he is good,
And his faithful love endures forever.
Let the people of Israel say,
“His faithful love endures forever.”
Let the descendants of Aaron say,
“His faithful love endures forever.”
Let those who revere Jehovah say,
“His faithful love endures forever.”
In distress I called to Jehovah.
He answered me and set me free.
Jehovah is with me, I fear not.
What can mortal men do to me?
Jehovah is with me, my helper.
I look down on those who hate me.
Better a refuge with Jehovah
Than placing your trust in humans.
Better a refuge with Jehovah
Than placing your trust in princes.
Hostile nations have surrounded me,
But in the name of Jehovah
I have surely destroyed them all.
They surrounded me on all sides,
Yes, they surrounded me on all sides,
But in the name of Jehovah
I have surely destroyed them all.
They swarmed around me like bees,
But, like thorn bushes in a fire,
They burned and were quickly consumed,
And in the name of Jehovah
I have surely destroyed them all.
I was pushed hard that I nearly fell,
But Jehovah came to my aid.
Jehovah is my strength and my song,
And he has become my salvation.
From the homes of the righteous there resound
Voices raised in rejoicing and triumph.
The power of Jehovah is valiant.
The power of Jehovah is exalted.
The power of Jehovah is valiant.
I will not die, but I will live
To recount the deeds of Jehovah.
Jehovah has chastened me harshly,
But he has not let me perish.
Open for me the gates of the godly
That I might enter and thank Jehovah.
This is the gate that leads to Jehovah,
Through which only the godly may enter.
I will give thanks, for you answered my prayer
And you have become for me, salvation.
A stone rejected by the builders
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This has been done by Jehovah,
And it is a marvel to our eyes.
Today Jehovah has done it.
Let us rejoice and be glad of it.
Jehovah, we pray, save us now
Jehovah, we pray, give us success.
Blessed is he who comes in Jehovah’s name.
From the house of Jehovah we bless you.
Jehovah is God; his light shines upon us.
Bind with cords the festival sacrifice
And tie it to the horns of the altar.
You are my god; I will give praise to you.
You are my god; I will glorify you.
Give thanks to Jehovah, for he is good,
And his faithful love endures forever.
And his faithful love endures forever.
Let the people of Israel say,
“His faithful love endures forever.”
Let the descendants of Aaron say,
“His faithful love endures forever.”
Let those who revere Jehovah say,
“His faithful love endures forever.”
In distress I called to Jehovah.
He answered me and set me free.
Jehovah is with me, I fear not.
What can mortal men do to me?
Jehovah is with me, my helper.
I look down on those who hate me.
Better a refuge with Jehovah
Than placing your trust in humans.
Better a refuge with Jehovah
Than placing your trust in princes.
Hostile nations have surrounded me,
But in the name of Jehovah
I have surely destroyed them all.
They surrounded me on all sides,
Yes, they surrounded me on all sides,
But in the name of Jehovah
I have surely destroyed them all.
They swarmed around me like bees,
But, like thorn bushes in a fire,
They burned and were quickly consumed,
And in the name of Jehovah
I have surely destroyed them all.
I was pushed hard that I nearly fell,
But Jehovah came to my aid.
Jehovah is my strength and my song,
And he has become my salvation.
From the homes of the righteous there resound
Voices raised in rejoicing and triumph.
The power of Jehovah is valiant.
The power of Jehovah is exalted.
The power of Jehovah is valiant.
I will not die, but I will live
To recount the deeds of Jehovah.
Jehovah has chastened me harshly,
But he has not let me perish.
Open for me the gates of the godly
That I might enter and thank Jehovah.
This is the gate that leads to Jehovah,
Through which only the godly may enter.
I will give thanks, for you answered my prayer
And you have become for me, salvation.
A stone rejected by the builders
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This has been done by Jehovah,
And it is a marvel to our eyes.
Today Jehovah has done it.
Let us rejoice and be glad of it.
Jehovah, we pray, save us now
Jehovah, we pray, give us success.
Blessed is he who comes in Jehovah’s name.
From the house of Jehovah we bless you.
Jehovah is God; his light shines upon us.
Bind with cords the festival sacrifice
And tie it to the horns of the altar.
You are my god; I will give praise to you.
You are my god; I will glorify you.
Give thanks to Jehovah, for he is good,
And his faithful love endures forever.
Psalm 117
Praise Jehovah, all you nations,
Glorify him, all you peoples.
For strong is his devotion to us,
And the faithfulness of Jehovah
Is everlasting. Hallelujah!
Glorify him, all you peoples.
For strong is his devotion to us,
And the faithfulness of Jehovah
Is everlasting. Hallelujah!
Psalm 116
I love Jehovah because he hears
My voice and my supplications.
Because he inclines his ear to me,
I’ll call on him as long as I live.
The cords of death were tangled about me
And the torments of the grave possessed me.
I was overcome by trouble and grief.
Then I called upon the name of Jehovah,
“O Jehovah, I pray, deliver my soul!”
How gracious and righteous is Jehovah;
Indeed our god is full of compassion.
Jehovah protects the simple of heart.
When I was brought down, he gave me succor.
Return then to your solace, O my soul,
For Jehovah has given you his bounty.
For you have delivered me from death,
My eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling
That might walk before Jehovah
In the domain of living men.
Therefore, in faith have I spoken,
“I have been greatly afflicted.”
In haste I said, “All men are liars.”
How can I repay Jehovah
For all the good he has done me?
I will raise to him the cup of salvation
And call upon the name of Jehovah.
I will fulfill my vows to Jehovah
In the presence of all his worshipers.
Of much concern to the sight of Jehovah
Is the death of his faithful followers.
Indeed, Jehovah, I am your servant.
I am your servant, son of your maidservant.
You have freed me from my shackles and chains.
To you I will make a thank offering
And call upon the name of Jehovah.
I will fulfill my vows to Jehovah
In the presence of all his worshipers.
In the courts of the house of Jehovah,
In the center of you, Jerusalem.
Hallelujah!
My voice and my supplications.
Because he inclines his ear to me,
I’ll call on him as long as I live.
The cords of death were tangled about me
And the torments of the grave possessed me.
I was overcome by trouble and grief.
Then I called upon the name of Jehovah,
“O Jehovah, I pray, deliver my soul!”
How gracious and righteous is Jehovah;
Indeed our god is full of compassion.
Jehovah protects the simple of heart.
When I was brought down, he gave me succor.
Return then to your solace, O my soul,
For Jehovah has given you his bounty.
For you have delivered me from death,
My eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling
That might walk before Jehovah
In the domain of living men.
Therefore, in faith have I spoken,
“I have been greatly afflicted.”
In haste I said, “All men are liars.”
How can I repay Jehovah
For all the good he has done me?
I will raise to him the cup of salvation
And call upon the name of Jehovah.
I will fulfill my vows to Jehovah
In the presence of all his worshipers.
Of much concern to the sight of Jehovah
Is the death of his faithful followers.
Indeed, Jehovah, I am your servant.
I am your servant, son of your maidservant.
You have freed me from my shackles and chains.
To you I will make a thank offering
And call upon the name of Jehovah.
I will fulfill my vows to Jehovah
In the presence of all his worshipers.
In the courts of the house of Jehovah,
In the center of you, Jerusalem.
Hallelujah!
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Psalm 115
Not to us, Jehovah, not to us,
But to your name goes the glory,
Because of your devoted love
And because of your faithfulness.
Why should the foreign nations ask,
“What, pray, has happened to your god?”
But our god is in the heavens
And he does whatever pleases him.
Their idols are of silver and gold
And are fashioned by the hands of man.
They possess mouths, but cannot speak.
They possess eyes, but cannot see.
They possess ears, but cannot hear.
They possesss noses, but cannot smell.
They possess hands, but cannot feel
They possess feet, but cannot walk.
Nor can they even clear their throats.
Those who make them will become like them,
As will all who believe in them.
All you Israelites, trust Jehovah;
He is your helper and protector.
House of Aaron, trust Jehovah;
He is your helper and protector.
All who revere him, trust Jehovah;
He is your helper and protector.
Jehovah will remember to bless us,
He will bless the people of Israel,
And he will bless the family of Aaron.
He will bless those who revere Jehovah,
Whether they be lowly or if they be great.
May Jehovah bring prosperity
Both to you and to your children.
May you be blessed by Jehovah,
Creator of heaven and earth.
The high heavens belong to Jehovah,
But the earth he has given to mankind.
The dead cannot give praise to Jehovah,
Nor any who descend into silence.
It is we who give praise to Jehovah,
Now and forever more. Praise Jehovah!
But to your name goes the glory,
Because of your devoted love
And because of your faithfulness.
Why should the foreign nations ask,
“What, pray, has happened to your god?”
But our god is in the heavens
And he does whatever pleases him.
Their idols are of silver and gold
And are fashioned by the hands of man.
They possess mouths, but cannot speak.
They possess eyes, but cannot see.
They possess ears, but cannot hear.
They possesss noses, but cannot smell.
They possess hands, but cannot feel
They possess feet, but cannot walk.
Nor can they even clear their throats.
Those who make them will become like them,
As will all who believe in them.
All you Israelites, trust Jehovah;
He is your helper and protector.
House of Aaron, trust Jehovah;
He is your helper and protector.
All who revere him, trust Jehovah;
He is your helper and protector.
Jehovah will remember to bless us,
He will bless the people of Israel,
And he will bless the family of Aaron.
He will bless those who revere Jehovah,
Whether they be lowly or if they be great.
May Jehovah bring prosperity
Both to you and to your children.
May you be blessed by Jehovah,
Creator of heaven and earth.
The high heavens belong to Jehovah,
But the earth he has given to mankind.
The dead cannot give praise to Jehovah,
Nor any who descend into silence.
It is we who give praise to Jehovah,
Now and forever more. Praise Jehovah!
Psalm 114
When the Israelites departed Egypt,
When the family of Jacob escaped
From people who spoke a barbarous tongue,
Judah became the sanctuary of God,
And Israel became his dominion.
When the Red Sea caught sight of them, it fled,
And the flow of the Jordan was reversed.
The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.
Why was it then, O sea, that you took flight?
Why was it, O Jordan, that you turned back?
Why was it, you mountains, that you skip like rams,
And why was it, you hills, that you skipped like lambs.
Tremble, earth, in the presence of Jehovah,
In the presence of the god of Jacob,
Who transformed rock into a pool of water
And turned flint into a flowing fountain.
When the family of Jacob escaped
From people who spoke a barbarous tongue,
Judah became the sanctuary of God,
And Israel became his dominion.
When the Red Sea caught sight of them, it fled,
And the flow of the Jordan was reversed.
The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.
Why was it then, O sea, that you took flight?
Why was it, O Jordan, that you turned back?
Why was it, you mountains, that you skip like rams,
And why was it, you hills, that you skipped like lambs.
Tremble, earth, in the presence of Jehovah,
In the presence of the god of Jacob,
Who transformed rock into a pool of water
And turned flint into a flowing fountain.
Psalm 113
Hallelujah! Give praise to him,
O you servants of Jehovah!
Give praise to the name of Jehovah.
Blessed be the name of Jehovah,
From now until eternity.
From the east where the sun rises
To the west where the sun goes down,
The name of Jehovah is praised.
Jehovah is exulted, raised
High above the foreign nations,
His glory, above the heavens.
Who is like Jehovah, our god?
The one who sits enthroned on high,
Who condescends to look down upon
The things in heaven and on earth.
He raises the poor from the dust,
The needy from the refuse heap,
And seats them among the nobles,
Even the princes of his people.
He settles the childless woman
In her home, the happy mother
Of children. Praise to Jehovah!
O you servants of Jehovah!
Give praise to the name of Jehovah.
Blessed be the name of Jehovah,
From now until eternity.
From the east where the sun rises
To the west where the sun goes down,
The name of Jehovah is praised.
Jehovah is exulted, raised
High above the foreign nations,
His glory, above the heavens.
Who is like Jehovah, our god?
The one who sits enthroned on high,
Who condescends to look down upon
The things in heaven and on earth.
He raises the poor from the dust,
The needy from the refuse heap,
And seats them among the nobles,
Even the princes of his people.
He settles the childless woman
In her home, the happy mother
Of children. Praise to Jehovah!
Psalm 112
Hallelujah! Praise Jehovah!
Blessed is the man who reveres him
And takes delight in his commandments.
His descendants will have earthly success;
An upright generation will be blest.
His family will have wealth and riches.
Light will dawn in the darkness for the godly,
For the gracious, the merciful and righteous.
Good will befall the open-handed man
Who lends freely and is just in his dealings.
Surely such men will never be brought down.
The righteous man will always be remembered.
He is not afraid of evil tidings.
His heart is steadfast, trusting in Jehovah.
His heart is secure. He will know no fear
Until he sees his triumph over his foes.
He dispenses charity to the poor.
His righteousness will endure forever.
His reputation will be exalted.
The wicked man will see this and be outraged.
He will gnash his teeth, consumed by despair,
For the wants of the wicked will come to naught.
Blessed is the man who reveres him
And takes delight in his commandments.
His descendants will have earthly success;
An upright generation will be blest.
His family will have wealth and riches.
Light will dawn in the darkness for the godly,
For the gracious, the merciful and righteous.
Good will befall the open-handed man
Who lends freely and is just in his dealings.
Surely such men will never be brought down.
The righteous man will always be remembered.
He is not afraid of evil tidings.
His heart is steadfast, trusting in Jehovah.
His heart is secure. He will know no fear
Until he sees his triumph over his foes.
He dispenses charity to the poor.
His righteousness will endure forever.
His reputation will be exalted.
The wicked man will see this and be outraged.
He will gnash his teeth, consumed by despair,
For the wants of the wicked will come to naught.
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
Psalm 111
Praise be to Jehovah! --- Heartily will I give him thanks
Whenever good men gather, in private or in public.
Wondrous and awesome are Jehovah's many works and deeds,
A source of much delight to those who will examine them,
For there is glory in them and majesty and beauty.
His justice is everlasting; his mercy, eternal.
His miracles are memorials; he has made them so,
To remind us of his grace, his mercy, and compassion.
Food and sustenance he provides to those who revere him.
For all time will he remember the contract he has made.
To his chosen people he proved his power and his might
By turning over to them the lands of other peoples.
His handiwork is sound and true, his precepts are certain,
Made with integrity, enacted with fidelity,
Devised to last ages, destined to endure forever.
He redeemed his people by freeing them from their bondage
And assuring them his promise would be forever kept.
How his reputation commands our reverence and awe!
Respect for the divine is the well-spring of all wisdom.
By following divine law one gains understanding.
May the praise of Jehovah last forever and ever!
Whenever good men gather, in private or in public.
Wondrous and awesome are Jehovah's many works and deeds,
A source of much delight to those who will examine them,
For there is glory in them and majesty and beauty.
His justice is everlasting; his mercy, eternal.
His miracles are memorials; he has made them so,
To remind us of his grace, his mercy, and compassion.
Food and sustenance he provides to those who revere him.
For all time will he remember the contract he has made.
To his chosen people he proved his power and his might
By turning over to them the lands of other peoples.
His handiwork is sound and true, his precepts are certain,
Made with integrity, enacted with fidelity,
Devised to last ages, destined to endure forever.
He redeemed his people by freeing them from their bondage
And assuring them his promise would be forever kept.
How his reputation commands our reverence and awe!
Respect for the divine is the well-spring of all wisdom.
By following divine law one gains understanding.
May the praise of Jehovah last forever and ever!
Psalm 110
A Psalm of David
Jehovah bid my master, “Sit at my right hand,
Until I will make your enemies your footstool.”
Jehovah will extend your scepter from Zion,
And you will rule in the midst of your enemies.
Your troops will be ready on the day of battle.
Arrayed in the magnificence of holiness,
From the womb of dawn, they are like the morning dew.
Jehovah has sworn and will not go back on his word,
“Forever you are a priest, like Melchizedek.”
God the Master will stand at your right hand.
He will strike down kings on the day of his wrath.
He will pass judgment on the heathen nations,
Filling their lands with bodies of the dead
And crushing rulers throughout the whole earth.
He will take a drink from the wayside brook,
And, because of it, hold his head up high.
Jehovah bid my master, “Sit at my right hand,
Until I will make your enemies your footstool.”
Jehovah will extend your scepter from Zion,
And you will rule in the midst of your enemies.
Your troops will be ready on the day of battle.
Arrayed in the magnificence of holiness,
From the womb of dawn, they are like the morning dew.
Jehovah has sworn and will not go back on his word,
“Forever you are a priest, like Melchizedek.”
God the Master will stand at your right hand.
He will strike down kings on the day of his wrath.
He will pass judgment on the heathen nations,
Filling their lands with bodies of the dead
And crushing rulers throughout the whole earth.
He will take a drink from the wayside brook,
And, because of it, hold his head up high.
Saturday, August 31, 2019
Psalm 109
A Psalm of David
O God, whom I praise, do not be silent.
For the mouths of the evil and deceitful
Are speaking against me with lying tongues.
They have surrounded me with words of hatred
And fight against me without any cause.
They return my friendship by accusing me,
Even as I give myself to pray for them.
They repay me evil for good, hate for love.
Find an evil man to betray him,
An adversary to be his counsel.
When he is tried, let him be guilty,
May his prayer be counted an offence.
Let his days in office be few
And another take his position.
May his children be fatherless,
And his wife become a widow.
May his children be vagabonds,
Driven far from their ruined homes
And reduced to beg for their bread.
May the creditor seize all he owns
And strangers loot his property.
Let there be none to show him kindness
Or pity his fatherless children.
Let his line be cut off and his name
Not passed to the next generation.
Let his father’s iniquities
Be remembered by Jehovah.
Erase not the sins of his mother.
Let them be forever recalled
By Jehovah that he may blot out
The memory of them on earth.
Because he never thought to show kindness:
He persecuted the poor and the needy,
Broke their spirits, even drove them to their graves.
He loved cursings; may they fall upon him.
He hated blessings; may they be far from him.
He wore cursings as if they were a garment.
May they soak into his body like water
And seep into his bones like olive oil.
May they be like a robe clinging to him,
Like a belt girded round him forever.
May these curses be Jehovah’s punishment
For accusers who speak evil of me.
You, O Jehovah, Sovereign Master,
Treat me kindly for the sake of your name,
Deliver me through the goodness of your love,
For I am afflicted and destitute,
And my heart within me is full of pain.
I fade away like an evening shadow.
I have been shaken away like a locust.
My knees are weak and shaky from fasting.
My body is gaunt; I am skin and bones.
I have become an object of scorn to them;
When they look upon me, they shake their heads.
Help me, O Jehovah, my god!
Save me with your loving kindness.
Let them know this is your handiwork,
That you, Jehovah, have done it.
They may curse me, but you will bless me.
Let those who attack me be disgraced,
But your servant, he will rejoice.
Let my accusers be robed with shame,
And may disgrace be their mantle.
With my mouth I give thanks to Jehovah,
And in the midst of many I praise him.
For he stands at the right hand of the needy
To save his soul from his persecutors.
O God, whom I praise, do not be silent.
For the mouths of the evil and deceitful
Are speaking against me with lying tongues.
They have surrounded me with words of hatred
And fight against me without any cause.
They return my friendship by accusing me,
Even as I give myself to pray for them.
They repay me evil for good, hate for love.
Find an evil man to betray him,
An adversary to be his counsel.
When he is tried, let him be guilty,
May his prayer be counted an offence.
Let his days in office be few
And another take his position.
May his children be fatherless,
And his wife become a widow.
May his children be vagabonds,
Driven far from their ruined homes
And reduced to beg for their bread.
May the creditor seize all he owns
And strangers loot his property.
Let there be none to show him kindness
Or pity his fatherless children.
Let his line be cut off and his name
Not passed to the next generation.
Let his father’s iniquities
Be remembered by Jehovah.
Erase not the sins of his mother.
Let them be forever recalled
By Jehovah that he may blot out
The memory of them on earth.
Because he never thought to show kindness:
He persecuted the poor and the needy,
Broke their spirits, even drove them to their graves.
He loved cursings; may they fall upon him.
He hated blessings; may they be far from him.
He wore cursings as if they were a garment.
May they soak into his body like water
And seep into his bones like olive oil.
May they be like a robe clinging to him,
Like a belt girded round him forever.
May these curses be Jehovah’s punishment
For accusers who speak evil of me.
You, O Jehovah, Sovereign Master,
Treat me kindly for the sake of your name,
Deliver me through the goodness of your love,
For I am afflicted and destitute,
And my heart within me is full of pain.
I fade away like an evening shadow.
I have been shaken away like a locust.
My knees are weak and shaky from fasting.
My body is gaunt; I am skin and bones.
I have become an object of scorn to them;
When they look upon me, they shake their heads.
Help me, O Jehovah, my god!
Save me with your loving kindness.
Let them know this is your handiwork,
That you, Jehovah, have done it.
They may curse me, but you will bless me.
Let those who attack me be disgraced,
But your servant, he will rejoice.
Let my accusers be robed with shame,
And may disgrace be their mantle.
With my mouth I give thanks to Jehovah,
And in the midst of many I praise him.
For he stands at the right hand of the needy
To save his soul from his persecutors.
Psalm 108
A Psalm of David
My heart is steadfast in its faith in you, O God,
I will sing and give praise to you with all my soul.
Awaken, O harp and lyre, and bring up the dawn.
I will extol you among the people, Jehovah
And sing your praises among the heathen nations.
For great is your devotion, higher than the heavens,
And your faithfulness reaches to the firmament.
Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens
And may your glory be spread across the whole world
That those who are your beloved may be delivered.
Answer me and save me with your divine power.
God has spoken from his sanctuary,
“With pleasure will I apportion Shechem
And divide up the Valley of Succoth.
Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim, my helmet; Judah, my scepter;
Moab will I use as my washbasin;
Upon Edom do I toss my sandal;
Over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
Who will bring me into the fortress?
Who will lead me into Edom?
Have you not rejected us, O God?
Will you not go out to battle
With our armies any more, O God?
Give us aid against the enemy,
For human help is of no avail.
With God we will fight with valor,
And he will trample down our foes.
My heart is steadfast in its faith in you, O God,
I will sing and give praise to you with all my soul.
Awaken, O harp and lyre, and bring up the dawn.
I will extol you among the people, Jehovah
And sing your praises among the heathen nations.
For great is your devotion, higher than the heavens,
And your faithfulness reaches to the firmament.
Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens
And may your glory be spread across the whole world
That those who are your beloved may be delivered.
Answer me and save me with your divine power.
God has spoken from his sanctuary,
“With pleasure will I apportion Shechem
And divide up the Valley of Succoth.
Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim, my helmet; Judah, my scepter;
Moab will I use as my washbasin;
Upon Edom do I toss my sandal;
Over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
Who will bring me into the fortress?
Who will lead me into Edom?
Have you not rejected us, O God?
Will you not go out to battle
With our armies any more, O God?
Give us aid against the enemy,
For human help is of no avail.
With God we will fight with valor,
And he will trample down our foes.
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Psalm 107
Give thanks to Jehovah, for he is good,
And his constant love endures forever.
Let those redeemed by Jehovah speak out,
Those he rescued from the hand of the foe,
Gathered from east and west, from north and south,
Some wandering in the desert wastes, finding no way
To a city that they might inhabit.
Hungry and thirsty, they were perishing.
In their troubles; they cried out to Jehovah,
And he delivered them from their distress.
He set them aright and put them on the path
To a city that they might inhabit.
Let them thank Jehovah for his devotion
And for the wondrous deeds he has done for them.
He satisfies the thirst of the body
And fills the hungry with good things to eat.
Some sat in darkness, in the shadow of death,
Prisoners in misery, bound by chains,
For they rebelled against the commands of God
And despised the counsel of the Most High.
And so he broke their spirit in hard labor.
When they stumbled, there was no one to help them.
In their troubles, they cried out to Jehovah,
And he delivered them from their distress.
He brought them out of the place of darkness
And death’s shadow and broke their chains apart.
Let them thank Jehovah for his devotion
And for the wondrous deeds he has done for them,
For he has broken down the gates of bronze
And has cut asunder the bars of iron.
Some, made fools because of their transgressions
And afflicted for their iniquities,
Shunned all food and were drawing near to death’s door.
In their troubles, they cried out to Jehovah,
And he delivered them from their distress.
He sent forth his message and thus healed them,
Delivering them from their destruction.
Let them thank Jehovah for his devotion
And for the wondrous deeds he has done for them.
Let them make sacrifices of thanksgiving
And proclaim his acts with songs of rejoicing.
Those that have gone down to the sea in ships,
Engaging in commerce on the oceans,
Have witnessed the handiwork of Jehovah,
The deeds of wonder performed on the deep.
For at his command he would raise a tempest
That would lift high the waves of the ocean.
They would rise to the sky and sink to the depths,
Their courage dissolving in their terror.
They reeled about, staggering like drunken men,
And found all their knowledge useless to them.
In their troubles, they cried out to Jehovah,
And he delivered them from their distress.
He stilled the tempest to a mere whisper
And hushed to silence the waves of the sea.
They rejoiced in the quiet of the waters.
He guided them to the port they were bound for.
Let them thank Jehovah for his devotion
And for the wondrous deeds he has done for them.
Exalt him before the congregation
And praise him in the council of the elders.
He turns rivers into wasteland,
Springs of water into dry ground,
Fruitful land into a salt marsh,
Owing to the sins of its dwellers.
He turns a desert into a pool,
Dry land into springs of water.
He brought the hungry to settle there
And build a city in which to live.
They sowed their fields, planted their vineyards,
Providing a fruitful harvest.
He blessed them and they multiplied,
Nor did he let their herds decrease.
When they were diminished and humbled
By oppression, evil, and sorrow,
He poured out his scorn and disdain
Upon their princes and forced them
To wander in the trackless wastes.
But he lifts the needy from poverty
And, like flocks, increases their families.
The upright will witness it and rejoice,
While all who are wicked will be silenced.
Let he who is wise take heed of these things
And ponder the loving acts of Jehovah.
And his constant love endures forever.
Let those redeemed by Jehovah speak out,
Those he rescued from the hand of the foe,
Gathered from east and west, from north and south,
Some wandering in the desert wastes, finding no way
To a city that they might inhabit.
Hungry and thirsty, they were perishing.
In their troubles; they cried out to Jehovah,
And he delivered them from their distress.
He set them aright and put them on the path
To a city that they might inhabit.
Let them thank Jehovah for his devotion
And for the wondrous deeds he has done for them.
He satisfies the thirst of the body
And fills the hungry with good things to eat.
Some sat in darkness, in the shadow of death,
Prisoners in misery, bound by chains,
For they rebelled against the commands of God
And despised the counsel of the Most High.
And so he broke their spirit in hard labor.
When they stumbled, there was no one to help them.
In their troubles, they cried out to Jehovah,
And he delivered them from their distress.
He brought them out of the place of darkness
And death’s shadow and broke their chains apart.
Let them thank Jehovah for his devotion
And for the wondrous deeds he has done for them,
For he has broken down the gates of bronze
And has cut asunder the bars of iron.
Some, made fools because of their transgressions
And afflicted for their iniquities,
Shunned all food and were drawing near to death’s door.
In their troubles, they cried out to Jehovah,
And he delivered them from their distress.
He sent forth his message and thus healed them,
Delivering them from their destruction.
Let them thank Jehovah for his devotion
And for the wondrous deeds he has done for them.
Let them make sacrifices of thanksgiving
And proclaim his acts with songs of rejoicing.
Those that have gone down to the sea in ships,
Engaging in commerce on the oceans,
Have witnessed the handiwork of Jehovah,
The deeds of wonder performed on the deep.
For at his command he would raise a tempest
That would lift high the waves of the ocean.
They would rise to the sky and sink to the depths,
Their courage dissolving in their terror.
They reeled about, staggering like drunken men,
And found all their knowledge useless to them.
In their troubles, they cried out to Jehovah,
And he delivered them from their distress.
He stilled the tempest to a mere whisper
And hushed to silence the waves of the sea.
They rejoiced in the quiet of the waters.
He guided them to the port they were bound for.
Let them thank Jehovah for his devotion
And for the wondrous deeds he has done for them.
Exalt him before the congregation
And praise him in the council of the elders.
He turns rivers into wasteland,
Springs of water into dry ground,
Fruitful land into a salt marsh,
Owing to the sins of its dwellers.
He turns a desert into a pool,
Dry land into springs of water.
He brought the hungry to settle there
And build a city in which to live.
They sowed their fields, planted their vineyards,
Providing a fruitful harvest.
He blessed them and they multiplied,
Nor did he let their herds decrease.
When they were diminished and humbled
By oppression, evil, and sorrow,
He poured out his scorn and disdain
Upon their princes and forced them
To wander in the trackless wastes.
But he lifts the needy from poverty
And, like flocks, increases their families.
The upright will witness it and rejoice,
While all who are wicked will be silenced.
Let he who is wise take heed of these things
And ponder the loving acts of Jehovah.
Wednesday, July 31, 2019
Psalm 106
Hallelujah, give thanks to Jehovah!
He is good, and his mercy endures always.
Who can proclaim the great deeds of Jehovah
Or give to him his full measure of praise?
Blessed are they who uphold justice
And practice righteousness at all times.
Please remember me, O Jehovah.
When you give favor to your people,
Come to me with your salvation
That I may know the prosperity
Of those who are your chosen ones,
Share in the gladness of your nation,
And celebrate your inheritance.
We have sinned as our fathers have.
We have done wrong, acted wickedly.
Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,
Understood not your miracles,
Remembered not your acts of mercy,
But rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.
Yet he saved them for the sake of his name,
That he might make his mighty power known.
He rebuked the Red Sea and it dried up;
He led them through its deeps as through a desert.
From the power of their foe he saved them;
From their enemy’s might he rescued them.
The waters covered their adversaries,
So that not one of them was left alive.
Then they believed his word and sang his praise.
But quickly did they forget what he had done
And waited not for his plans to be fulfilled.
In the wilderness they gave way to their lusts;
In the desert they tested God’s patience.
He relented and gave them what they wanted —
But sent them a debilitating disease.
In camp they envied Moses and Aaron,
Who were consecrated by Jehovah.
The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan;
It covered the company of Abiram.
A fire broke out amid their assembly
And conflagration consumed the wicked.
At Mount Sinai the people made a calf
And worshiped an idol cast of metal.
They traded the magnificence of their god
For an image of a grass-eating bull.
They forgot the god who was their savior,
Who had achieved such great things in Egypt,
Wondrous miracles in the land of Ham,
And awe-inspiring acts at the Red Sea.
He would have wiped them out had not Moses,
His chosen one, stood before him in the breach,
Averting the wrath that would have destroyed them.
They refused to enter the pleasing land,
Having no faith in the promise he gave them.
Instead they groused and grumbled in their tents
And did not obey the voice of Jehovah.
He lifted up his hand and swore an oath
That he would let them perish in the desert,
Disperse their offspring among foreign nations,
And scatter them throughout the lands of the earth.
They devoted themselves to the baal of Peor
And ate sacrifices made to dead gods.
They aroused the anger of Jehovah
With these acts, and a plague broke out among them.
But Phinehas made a stand and intervened.
The plague was suppressed and he was honored
For his righteousness through the generations.
They, as well, at the waters of Meribah,
Did provoke the anger of Jehovah,
And trouble came to Moses because of them:
Their rebellion made him lose his temper
And he berated them with rash language.
They did not destroy the heathen nations
As Jehovah commanded them to do;
Instead they mingled with other peoples
And they adopted their pagan customs,
Being tricked into worshiping their idols
And sacrificing their sons and daughters
To be slaughtered before devilish idols.
They shed innocent blood, even the blood
Of their sons and daughters they sacrificed,
So that the land was poluted with their blood.
They defiled themselves with their practices
And prostituted themselves by their acts.
Thus Jehovah was angry with his people
And came to abhor his own inheritance.
He delivered them to heathen nations
To have those who hate them rule over them.
Their foes oppressed and crushed them with their power.
Many times he rescued them, but they rebelled
And were sunk by their own iniquity.
Nevertheless, he took note of their distress
Whenever he did hear their cries for help.
For their sake he remembered his covenant
And because of his kindness, he relented.
He caused their captors to treat them with mercy.
Rescue us, Jehovah, our god!
Bring us back from heathen nations
That we may thank your holy name
And glory in your song of praise.
Blessed is Jehovah, god of Israel,
From everlasting to everlasting.
Let all proclaim, “Amen!” and “Hallelujah!”
He is good, and his mercy endures always.
Who can proclaim the great deeds of Jehovah
Or give to him his full measure of praise?
Blessed are they who uphold justice
And practice righteousness at all times.
Please remember me, O Jehovah.
When you give favor to your people,
Come to me with your salvation
That I may know the prosperity
Of those who are your chosen ones,
Share in the gladness of your nation,
And celebrate your inheritance.
We have sinned as our fathers have.
We have done wrong, acted wickedly.
Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,
Understood not your miracles,
Remembered not your acts of mercy,
But rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.
Yet he saved them for the sake of his name,
That he might make his mighty power known.
He rebuked the Red Sea and it dried up;
He led them through its deeps as through a desert.
From the power of their foe he saved them;
From their enemy’s might he rescued them.
The waters covered their adversaries,
So that not one of them was left alive.
Then they believed his word and sang his praise.
But quickly did they forget what he had done
And waited not for his plans to be fulfilled.
In the wilderness they gave way to their lusts;
In the desert they tested God’s patience.
He relented and gave them what they wanted —
But sent them a debilitating disease.
In camp they envied Moses and Aaron,
Who were consecrated by Jehovah.
The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan;
It covered the company of Abiram.
A fire broke out amid their assembly
And conflagration consumed the wicked.
At Mount Sinai the people made a calf
And worshiped an idol cast of metal.
They traded the magnificence of their god
For an image of a grass-eating bull.
They forgot the god who was their savior,
Who had achieved such great things in Egypt,
Wondrous miracles in the land of Ham,
And awe-inspiring acts at the Red Sea.
He would have wiped them out had not Moses,
His chosen one, stood before him in the breach,
Averting the wrath that would have destroyed them.
They refused to enter the pleasing land,
Having no faith in the promise he gave them.
Instead they groused and grumbled in their tents
And did not obey the voice of Jehovah.
He lifted up his hand and swore an oath
That he would let them perish in the desert,
Disperse their offspring among foreign nations,
And scatter them throughout the lands of the earth.
They devoted themselves to the baal of Peor
And ate sacrifices made to dead gods.
They aroused the anger of Jehovah
With these acts, and a plague broke out among them.
But Phinehas made a stand and intervened.
The plague was suppressed and he was honored
For his righteousness through the generations.
They, as well, at the waters of Meribah,
Did provoke the anger of Jehovah,
And trouble came to Moses because of them:
Their rebellion made him lose his temper
And he berated them with rash language.
They did not destroy the heathen nations
As Jehovah commanded them to do;
Instead they mingled with other peoples
And they adopted their pagan customs,
Being tricked into worshiping their idols
And sacrificing their sons and daughters
To be slaughtered before devilish idols.
They shed innocent blood, even the blood
Of their sons and daughters they sacrificed,
So that the land was poluted with their blood.
They defiled themselves with their practices
And prostituted themselves by their acts.
Thus Jehovah was angry with his people
And came to abhor his own inheritance.
He delivered them to heathen nations
To have those who hate them rule over them.
Their foes oppressed and crushed them with their power.
Many times he rescued them, but they rebelled
And were sunk by their own iniquity.
Nevertheless, he took note of their distress
Whenever he did hear their cries for help.
For their sake he remembered his covenant
And because of his kindness, he relented.
He caused their captors to treat them with mercy.
Rescue us, Jehovah, our god!
Bring us back from heathen nations
That we may thank your holy name
And glory in your song of praise.
Blessed is Jehovah, god of Israel,
From everlasting to everlasting.
Let all proclaim, “Amen!” and “Hallelujah!”
Wednesday, July 10, 2019
Psalm 105
Give thanks to Jehovah and proclaim his name.
Make known his achievements among the nations.
Sing to him, yea, sing your praises.
Contemplate all his miracles.
Take glory in his holy name.
Let the hearts of those who seek Jehovah be glad.
Turn to Jehovah and his holy power.
Strive continually to worship him.
Remember the wonders he has performed,
His miracles, the judgments he has pronounced,
You, offspring of Abraham, his servant,
You, sons of Jacob, his chosen people.
He is Jehovah, our god. His divine law
Has jurisdiction over all the earth.
He will keep forever his covenant,
A vow made to a thousand generations,
Pledged to Abraham, an oath swore to Isaac,
Confirmed to Jacob as a divine decree,
An everlasting pact with Israel:
“I set aside for you the land of Canaan,
As the portion of your inheritance.”
This said when they were but few in number,
Just a few strangers dwelling in the land,
Wandering from one nation to another,
From one kingdom to another people’s land.
But he allowed no one to oppress them,
And he rebuked monarchs on their behalf.
“Lay no hand upon my anointed ones
And do no injury to my prophets.”
He brought famine to the land of Canaan
And brought destruction upon their crops of grain.
He sent someone to Egypt ahead of them,
This was Joseph who was sold as a slave.
His feet bruised with shackles, his neck in irons
Until the time his prophecy came to pass
And Jehovah’s word proved that Joseph was true.
The Pharaoh sent for him and set him free;
The ruler of his people released him.
He made him the master of his household
To be in charge of all that he possessed.
To command officials at his pleasure
And to give instructions to his elders.
The sons of Israel entered Egypt,
And Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.
Jehovah made his people prolific,
So they were more numerous than their foes,
Whose hearts he turned to abhor his people
And deviously deal with his servants.
He sent to them his servant Moses
And Aaron, whom he had chosen.
They performed miracles among them
And wonders in the land of Ham.
He sent darkness, made the land dark,
For had they not defied his words?
He turned their water into blood
And caused all of their fish to die.
Their land was overrun with frogs
Even the chambers of the Pharaoh.
He spoke and throughout the country
There swarmed midges and stable flies.
He gave them hail instead of rain
And lightning flashed all over the land.
He struck down their vines and fig trees
And splintered the trees of the country.
He spoke and grasshoppers appeared,
Hopping locusts without number
That devoured the vegetation,
Every green thing in the land
And consumed the fruits of the soil.
Then he struck down the land’s firstborn,
Firstfruits of all their manly vigor.
Jehovah then brought out Israel,
Carrying with them silver and gold,
And none from his tribes straggling behind.
Egypt was glad of their going,
For dread of Israel had seized them.
He spread a cloud as a covering
And fire to light up the night sky.
They asked for food, he brought them quails
And filled them with the bread of Heaven.
He split a rock and water gushed out,
Flowing like a desert river.
For he remembered his holy vow
Made to Abraham, his servant.
He brought out his people with joy,
His chosen ones with rejoicing.
He gave them lands in foreign nations,
To claim the fruit of other’s labor
That they might observe his statutes
And keep his laws. Praise Jehovah!
Make known his achievements among the nations.
Sing to him, yea, sing your praises.
Contemplate all his miracles.
Take glory in his holy name.
Let the hearts of those who seek Jehovah be glad.
Turn to Jehovah and his holy power.
Strive continually to worship him.
Remember the wonders he has performed,
His miracles, the judgments he has pronounced,
You, offspring of Abraham, his servant,
You, sons of Jacob, his chosen people.
He is Jehovah, our god. His divine law
Has jurisdiction over all the earth.
He will keep forever his covenant,
A vow made to a thousand generations,
Pledged to Abraham, an oath swore to Isaac,
Confirmed to Jacob as a divine decree,
An everlasting pact with Israel:
“I set aside for you the land of Canaan,
As the portion of your inheritance.”
This said when they were but few in number,
Just a few strangers dwelling in the land,
Wandering from one nation to another,
From one kingdom to another people’s land.
But he allowed no one to oppress them,
And he rebuked monarchs on their behalf.
“Lay no hand upon my anointed ones
And do no injury to my prophets.”
He brought famine to the land of Canaan
And brought destruction upon their crops of grain.
He sent someone to Egypt ahead of them,
This was Joseph who was sold as a slave.
His feet bruised with shackles, his neck in irons
Until the time his prophecy came to pass
And Jehovah’s word proved that Joseph was true.
The Pharaoh sent for him and set him free;
The ruler of his people released him.
He made him the master of his household
To be in charge of all that he possessed.
To command officials at his pleasure
And to give instructions to his elders.
The sons of Israel entered Egypt,
And Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.
Jehovah made his people prolific,
So they were more numerous than their foes,
Whose hearts he turned to abhor his people
And deviously deal with his servants.
He sent to them his servant Moses
And Aaron, whom he had chosen.
They performed miracles among them
And wonders in the land of Ham.
He sent darkness, made the land dark,
For had they not defied his words?
He turned their water into blood
And caused all of their fish to die.
Their land was overrun with frogs
Even the chambers of the Pharaoh.
He spoke and throughout the country
There swarmed midges and stable flies.
He gave them hail instead of rain
And lightning flashed all over the land.
He struck down their vines and fig trees
And splintered the trees of the country.
He spoke and grasshoppers appeared,
Hopping locusts without number
That devoured the vegetation,
Every green thing in the land
And consumed the fruits of the soil.
Then he struck down the land’s firstborn,
Firstfruits of all their manly vigor.
Jehovah then brought out Israel,
Carrying with them silver and gold,
And none from his tribes straggling behind.
Egypt was glad of their going,
For dread of Israel had seized them.
He spread a cloud as a covering
And fire to light up the night sky.
They asked for food, he brought them quails
And filled them with the bread of Heaven.
He split a rock and water gushed out,
Flowing like a desert river.
For he remembered his holy vow
Made to Abraham, his servant.
He brought out his people with joy,
His chosen ones with rejoicing.
He gave them lands in foreign nations,
To claim the fruit of other’s labor
That they might observe his statutes
And keep his laws. Praise Jehovah!
Thursday, June 20, 2019
Psalm 104
Praise Jehovah, O my soul, Jehovah, my god,
You are of greatness, clothed with splendor and majesty.
He wraps himself in light as if it were a robe.
He stretches the heavens as if it were a tent.
He lays the foundations of his upper chambers
In the rain above and makes the cloud his chariot
To ride upon the wings of the wind. He makes the winds
His messengers and his servants, lightning flashes.
You set the earth upon its foundations
So that, through the ages, it might never move.
You covered it with the sea, like a garment,
The water standing above the mountains.
But at your rebuke the waters receded,
From your voice of thunder they hurried away.
The mountains rose up and the valleys sank,
Assuming the places you decreed for them.
You set the boundaries the waters cannot cross. —-
Never again will they cover the earth.
You make springs gush water into the valleys
So that they may flow between the mountains.
They provide water for the beasts of the field;
The wild donkeys are able to quench their thirst.
Beside them the birds of the sky build nests,
And they sing among the branches of the trees.
He waters the mountains from the heavens;
The earth is filled with the fruit of his making.
He causes the grass to grow for the livestock;
He provides crops for man to cultivate
That he might produce his food from the earth,
Wine to give gladness to the heart of man,
Oil to make the skin of his face glisten,
And bread to give him bodily sustenance.
The trees of Jehovah are well watered —
The cedars of Lebanon he planted.
There the birds find a place to build their nests
And the stork makes its home in the fir trees.
The mountain peaks belong to the wild goats,
And the cliff gives shelter to the hyraxes.
He made the moon to mark off the seasons
And the sun — it knows when it’s time to set.
You bring the darkness and it becomes night,
When all the creatures of the forest prowl.
Lions roar for their prey, hunting food from God,
At sunrise, they go back to their dens to rest.
Man goes to work and labors till evening.
How many are your works, Jehovah.
With wisdom did you make them all;
The earth is full of your creatures.
There is the sea so great and wide,
Teeming with creatures numberless,
Living beings both great and small.
There the ships pass and Leviathan,
Which you created to frolic there.
All the creatures depend on you
To give them their food in due season.
Offer it, and they take it in.
Open your hand, they are well filled.
Hide your face, and they are alarmed.
Take away from them the breath of life,
They expire and turn back into dust.
When you breathe, they are created
And the face of the earth you renew.
May the glory of Jehovah forever endure!
May Jehovah rejoice in all his creations!
He looks upon the earth and it trembles.
He touches the mountains and they smolder.
I will sing to Jehovah all of my life.
I will praise my god as long as I live.
May my meditation be pleasing to him,
Because I will rejoice in Jehovah.
Let the sinners vanish from earth
And may the wicked be no more.
May I bless Jehovah, O my soul,
And may I give praise to Jehovah.
You are of greatness, clothed with splendor and majesty.
He wraps himself in light as if it were a robe.
He stretches the heavens as if it were a tent.
He lays the foundations of his upper chambers
In the rain above and makes the cloud his chariot
To ride upon the wings of the wind. He makes the winds
His messengers and his servants, lightning flashes.
You set the earth upon its foundations
So that, through the ages, it might never move.
You covered it with the sea, like a garment,
The water standing above the mountains.
But at your rebuke the waters receded,
From your voice of thunder they hurried away.
The mountains rose up and the valleys sank,
Assuming the places you decreed for them.
You set the boundaries the waters cannot cross. —-
Never again will they cover the earth.
You make springs gush water into the valleys
So that they may flow between the mountains.
They provide water for the beasts of the field;
The wild donkeys are able to quench their thirst.
Beside them the birds of the sky build nests,
And they sing among the branches of the trees.
He waters the mountains from the heavens;
The earth is filled with the fruit of his making.
He causes the grass to grow for the livestock;
He provides crops for man to cultivate
That he might produce his food from the earth,
Wine to give gladness to the heart of man,
Oil to make the skin of his face glisten,
And bread to give him bodily sustenance.
The trees of Jehovah are well watered —
The cedars of Lebanon he planted.
There the birds find a place to build their nests
And the stork makes its home in the fir trees.
The mountain peaks belong to the wild goats,
And the cliff gives shelter to the hyraxes.
He made the moon to mark off the seasons
And the sun — it knows when it’s time to set.
You bring the darkness and it becomes night,
When all the creatures of the forest prowl.
Lions roar for their prey, hunting food from God,
At sunrise, they go back to their dens to rest.
Man goes to work and labors till evening.
How many are your works, Jehovah.
With wisdom did you make them all;
The earth is full of your creatures.
There is the sea so great and wide,
Teeming with creatures numberless,
Living beings both great and small.
There the ships pass and Leviathan,
Which you created to frolic there.
All the creatures depend on you
To give them their food in due season.
Offer it, and they take it in.
Open your hand, they are well filled.
Hide your face, and they are alarmed.
Take away from them the breath of life,
They expire and turn back into dust.
When you breathe, they are created
And the face of the earth you renew.
May the glory of Jehovah forever endure!
May Jehovah rejoice in all his creations!
He looks upon the earth and it trembles.
He touches the mountains and they smolder.
I will sing to Jehovah all of my life.
I will praise my god as long as I live.
May my meditation be pleasing to him,
Because I will rejoice in Jehovah.
Let the sinners vanish from earth
And may the wicked be no more.
May I bless Jehovah, O my soul,
And may I give praise to Jehovah.
Psalm 103
A Psalm of David
With all my heart, with all that is within me,
May I bless Jehovah and his holy name.
Praise Jehovah, my soul, forgetting not
All the kind services he has provided:
He forgives your sins and heals your ailments,
He saves your life from the pit of death
And showers you with kindness and compassion.
He fills your body with vitality
So that your youth is restored — like an eagle’s.
Jehovah judges with an even hand
And brings justice to all who are oppressed.
He revealed his character to Moses,
His deeds to the people of Israel.
Jehovah is compassionate and gracious,
Slow to anger and full of loving kindness.
He will not constantly admonish us,
Nor will his anger persist forever.
He has not treated us as our sins deserve,
Or punished us according to our guilt.
As high as the heavens are above earth
So great is his love for those who revere him.
As great as is the distance from east to west,
So far has he removed us from our sins.
As a father shows kindness to his children,
Jehovah is kind to those that revere him,
For he knows how we are put together
And is mindful that we are only clay.
As for mortal man, his days are like the grass,
He blossoms like a flower in the field.
When the wind blows through it, it vanishes.
The place it was remembers it no more.
From eternity to eternity
Jehovah’s love is with those who revere him;
His justice is with their children’s children,
With those who abide by his covenant
And remember to keep his commandments.
Jehovah has set his throne in Heaven.
The kingdom he rules is all creation.
Praise Jehovah, you, his emissaries,
You, his mighty ones that do his bidding,
Who hearken to the commands of his voice.
Praise Jehovah, all you armies of Heaven,
Servants of his that carry out his will.
Bless Jehovah, all his works
Everywhere in his domain
Bless Jehovah, O my soul!
With all my heart, with all that is within me,
May I bless Jehovah and his holy name.
Praise Jehovah, my soul, forgetting not
All the kind services he has provided:
He forgives your sins and heals your ailments,
He saves your life from the pit of death
And showers you with kindness and compassion.
He fills your body with vitality
So that your youth is restored — like an eagle’s.
Jehovah judges with an even hand
And brings justice to all who are oppressed.
He revealed his character to Moses,
His deeds to the people of Israel.
Jehovah is compassionate and gracious,
Slow to anger and full of loving kindness.
He will not constantly admonish us,
Nor will his anger persist forever.
He has not treated us as our sins deserve,
Or punished us according to our guilt.
As high as the heavens are above earth
So great is his love for those who revere him.
As great as is the distance from east to west,
So far has he removed us from our sins.
As a father shows kindness to his children,
Jehovah is kind to those that revere him,
For he knows how we are put together
And is mindful that we are only clay.
As for mortal man, his days are like the grass,
He blossoms like a flower in the field.
When the wind blows through it, it vanishes.
The place it was remembers it no more.
From eternity to eternity
Jehovah’s love is with those who revere him;
His justice is with their children’s children,
With those who abide by his covenant
And remember to keep his commandments.
Jehovah has set his throne in Heaven.
The kingdom he rules is all creation.
Praise Jehovah, you, his emissaries,
You, his mighty ones that do his bidding,
Who hearken to the commands of his voice.
Praise Jehovah, all you armies of Heaven,
Servants of his that carry out his will.
Bless Jehovah, all his works
Everywhere in his domain
Bless Jehovah, O my soul!
Thursday, May 16, 2019
Psalm 102
A Prayer of One Afflicted Who Grows Faint
And Voices His Lament Before Jehovah
Hear my prayer, O Jehovah.
Receive my cry for help.
Do not hide your face from me
In my time of trouble.
Listen to me when I call
And answer me quickly.
For my days vanish like smoke.
My bones burn like a furnace.
My heart is afflicted
And has withered like dry grass.
I forget to eat my food.
I groan aloud in agony;
I am but skin and bones.
I am like a pelican
In the desert wilderness,
An owl amid ruins.
I lie awake, sleepless,
Like a lone bird on the roof.
My enemies taunt me all the day long.
Those that mock me use my name as a curse.
My food is ashes, my drink, mixed with tears.
Because of your anger and indignation,
(For you have picked me up and tossed me aside)
My days are lengthening shadows, dry grass.
But you, Jehovah, sit upon your throne forever,
And your renown endures through the generations.
You will rise up and show pity for Jerusalem.
It is time to show her favor; yes, now is the time!
For your servants cherish her stones, even her dust.
Foreign nations will fear the name of Jehovah,
And all the kings of the earth will respect your glory.
For Jehovah will rebuild Jerusalem
And will appear there in all his splendor.
He will answer the prayers of the destitute
And will not ignore their supplications.
Record this for future generations
That people yet unborn may praise Jehovah.
For he looks down from his high sanctuary;
From Heaven Jehovah observes the earth.
Listening to the wails of prisoners,
He rescues those who are condemned to die
That they might proclaim the name of Jehovah
In Zion and praise him in Jerusalem
When the tribes assemble and the kingdoms
Come together to worship Jehovah.
When I was in the prime of life
He broke my strength and shortened my days.
And so I cried out, “O my God,
Take me not in the midst of my life,
You whose years last through the ages.
You established the earth of old;
The heavens are your handiwork.
They will pass away, but you remain.
They will wear out as old clothes do,
And like articles of clothing
You will change them and throw them away.
But you will ever stay the same
And your years go on forever.
The children of those who serve you
Will continue and their descendants,
Under your auspices, will thrive.”
And Voices His Lament Before Jehovah
Hear my prayer, O Jehovah.
Receive my cry for help.
Do not hide your face from me
In my time of trouble.
Listen to me when I call
And answer me quickly.
For my days vanish like smoke.
My bones burn like a furnace.
My heart is afflicted
And has withered like dry grass.
I forget to eat my food.
I groan aloud in agony;
I am but skin and bones.
I am like a pelican
In the desert wilderness,
An owl amid ruins.
I lie awake, sleepless,
Like a lone bird on the roof.
My enemies taunt me all the day long.
Those that mock me use my name as a curse.
My food is ashes, my drink, mixed with tears.
Because of your anger and indignation,
(For you have picked me up and tossed me aside)
My days are lengthening shadows, dry grass.
But you, Jehovah, sit upon your throne forever,
And your renown endures through the generations.
You will rise up and show pity for Jerusalem.
It is time to show her favor; yes, now is the time!
For your servants cherish her stones, even her dust.
Foreign nations will fear the name of Jehovah,
And all the kings of the earth will respect your glory.
For Jehovah will rebuild Jerusalem
And will appear there in all his splendor.
He will answer the prayers of the destitute
And will not ignore their supplications.
Record this for future generations
That people yet unborn may praise Jehovah.
For he looks down from his high sanctuary;
From Heaven Jehovah observes the earth.
Listening to the wails of prisoners,
He rescues those who are condemned to die
That they might proclaim the name of Jehovah
In Zion and praise him in Jerusalem
When the tribes assemble and the kingdoms
Come together to worship Jehovah.
When I was in the prime of life
He broke my strength and shortened my days.
And so I cried out, “O my God,
Take me not in the midst of my life,
You whose years last through the ages.
You established the earth of old;
The heavens are your handiwork.
They will pass away, but you remain.
They will wear out as old clothes do,
And like articles of clothing
You will change them and throw them away.
But you will ever stay the same
And your years go on forever.
The children of those who serve you
Will continue and their descendants,
Under your auspices, will thrive.”
Psalm 101
A Psalm of David
I will sing to you, O Jehovah,
Of loving devotion and justice.
I will sing to you a song of praise.
I will take care to lead a blameless life.
(When will you come to me?) With integrity
Will I conduct the affairs of my household.
I will not countenance what is corrupt.
I hate crookedness; it will not cling to me.
Twisted minds I banish from my presence,
And I will have nothing to do with evil.
He who slanders his neighbor in secret
I will silence, nor will I tolerate
Those with haughty looks and arrogant manners.
I search the land for those who are loyal.
They are the ones I make my companions.
I will be served by those who lead upright lives.
No one deceitful will dwell in my house.
Nor will those that lie stand in my presence.
Every morning I will destroy
Those who are wicked in the land
And banish all evildoers
From the city of Jehovah.
I will sing to you, O Jehovah,
Of loving devotion and justice.
I will sing to you a song of praise.
I will take care to lead a blameless life.
(When will you come to me?) With integrity
Will I conduct the affairs of my household.
I will not countenance what is corrupt.
I hate crookedness; it will not cling to me.
Twisted minds I banish from my presence,
And I will have nothing to do with evil.
He who slanders his neighbor in secret
I will silence, nor will I tolerate
Those with haughty looks and arrogant manners.
I search the land for those who are loyal.
They are the ones I make my companions.
I will be served by those who lead upright lives.
No one deceitful will dwell in my house.
Nor will those that lie stand in my presence.
Every morning I will destroy
Those who are wicked in the land
And banish all evildoers
From the city of Jehovah.
Psalm 100
All on earth, shout out your praises to Jehovah!
Serve him with gladness and come before him singing.
Know that Jehovah is the god who created us.
We are his, his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courtyard with praise.
Express your thanks to him and make his name blessed.
For good is Jehovah; his love lasts forever.
His faithfulness endures through the generations.
Serve him with gladness and come before him singing.
Know that Jehovah is the god who created us.
We are his, his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courtyard with praise.
Express your thanks to him and make his name blessed.
For good is Jehovah; his love lasts forever.
His faithfulness endures through the generations.
Monday, April 29, 2019
Psalm 99
Jehovah reigns, let the peoples tremble.
He sits on his throne beneath the cherubim.
Let the earth quake. In Zion Jehovah
Is great, exalted above all peoples.
They praise your name as great, awesome, and holy.
The “King” is mighty and loves what is right.
He has established justice in Jacob’s land
And has dispensed divine law objectively.
Exalt and extol Jehovah our god.
Worship at his footstool, for he is holy.
Moses and Aaron were among his priests.
Samuel was among those who called on his name.
They called to Jehovah and he answered them.
He spoke to them from a pillar-shaped cloud.
They kept the laws and decrees he gave them.
Jehovah, our god, you answered their prayers.
To Israel you were a forgiving god,
But an avenger of their wicked plots.
Give praise to Jehovah, our god,
Worship him at his holy mount,
For Jehovah, our god, is holy.
He sits on his throne beneath the cherubim.
Let the earth quake. In Zion Jehovah
Is great, exalted above all peoples.
They praise your name as great, awesome, and holy.
The “King” is mighty and loves what is right.
He has established justice in Jacob’s land
And has dispensed divine law objectively.
Exalt and extol Jehovah our god.
Worship at his footstool, for he is holy.
Moses and Aaron were among his priests.
Samuel was among those who called on his name.
They called to Jehovah and he answered them.
He spoke to them from a pillar-shaped cloud.
They kept the laws and decrees he gave them.
Jehovah, our god, you answered their prayers.
To Israel you were a forgiving god,
But an avenger of their wicked plots.
Give praise to Jehovah, our god,
Worship him at his holy mount,
For Jehovah, our god, is holy.
Psalm 98
Sing to Jehovah a new song,
For he has accomplished wonders.
His right hand and arm of holiness
Have achieved his deliverance.
Jehovah proclaimed his salvation
And has revealed his righteousness
In the sight of foreign nations.
He has remembered his mercy
And his faithfulness to Israel.
Every corner of the earth
Has seen the salvation of our god.
Shout joyfully to Jehovah.
All the earth, break out in song.
Cry aloud and sing his praises.
With the harp play music of praise
To Jehovah, and with the lyre
Sing to him melodious songs.
With trumpets and blasts of the shofar
Shout out with a jubilant noise
In front of the king, Jehovah.
Let the sea roar and all that fills it,
The earth and all who live on it.
Let the rivers clap their hands in glee
And the hills sing for joy together.
Let them sing before Jehovah
For he is coming to judge the earth;
He will judge the world with righteousness
And its people with equity.
For he has accomplished wonders.
His right hand and arm of holiness
Have achieved his deliverance.
Jehovah proclaimed his salvation
And has revealed his righteousness
In the sight of foreign nations.
He has remembered his mercy
And his faithfulness to Israel.
Every corner of the earth
Has seen the salvation of our god.
Shout joyfully to Jehovah.
All the earth, break out in song.
Cry aloud and sing his praises.
With the harp play music of praise
To Jehovah, and with the lyre
Sing to him melodious songs.
With trumpets and blasts of the shofar
Shout out with a jubilant noise
In front of the king, Jehovah.
Let the sea roar and all that fills it,
The earth and all who live on it.
Let the rivers clap their hands in glee
And the hills sing for joy together.
Let them sing before Jehovah
For he is coming to judge the earth;
He will judge the world with righteousness
And its people with equity.
Psalm 97
Jehovah reigns, let the world rejoice,
Let the farthest shores be gladdened.
Storm clouds and darkness circle round him.
Righteousness and his divine law
Are the foundation of his throne.
A conflagration precedes him
And consumes his foes on all sides.
His lightning illuminates the world:
The earth sees it and shakes with fear.
The mountains melt away like wax
In the presence of Jehovah,
Who is master of the whole earth.
The heavens proclaim his righteousness;
All peoples have witnessed his glory.
All who serve images are shamed,
Those who adore worthless idols,
All you gods must bow down to him!
Jerusalem has heard and rejoices,
And the villages of Judah exult
Because of your judgments, O Jehovah.
For you are the most high over all the earth,
Exalted far above all other gods.
Let those who love Jehovah hate evil.
He protects the lives of those who are pious,
And saves them from the hands of the wicked.
A light will shine upon the righteous
And gladness upon the pure of heart.
Rejoice in Jehovah, you righteous ones,
And give thanks to honor his holiness.
Let the farthest shores be gladdened.
Storm clouds and darkness circle round him.
Righteousness and his divine law
Are the foundation of his throne.
A conflagration precedes him
And consumes his foes on all sides.
His lightning illuminates the world:
The earth sees it and shakes with fear.
The mountains melt away like wax
In the presence of Jehovah,
Who is master of the whole earth.
The heavens proclaim his righteousness;
All peoples have witnessed his glory.
All who serve images are shamed,
Those who adore worthless idols,
All you gods must bow down to him!
Jerusalem has heard and rejoices,
And the villages of Judah exult
Because of your judgments, O Jehovah.
For you are the most high over all the earth,
Exalted far above all other gods.
Let those who love Jehovah hate evil.
He protects the lives of those who are pious,
And saves them from the hands of the wicked.
A light will shine upon the righteous
And gladness upon the pure of heart.
Rejoice in Jehovah, you righteous ones,
And give thanks to honor his holiness.
Wednesday, April 3, 2019
Psalm 96
Sing to Jehovah a new song.
Sing to Jehovah, all the world.
Sing to Jehovah, praise his name.
Proclaim his salvation each day.
Declare to the nations his glory,
His miracles to all the people.
For Jehovah is great indeed,
Deserving greatly to be praised
And to be feared above all gods.
All the gods of other nations
Are idols; it was Jehovah,
He, that created the heavens.
Honor and grandeur are before him,
Strength and beauty fill his Temple.
Make acknowledgement of Jehovah,
O you families of nations,
Acknowledge his glory and power.
Make acknowledgement to Jehovah
Of the honor that is due his name.
Bring a sacrificial offering
And enter his Temple’s courtyard.
Make obeisance to Jehovah
In sacred vestments of splendor.
Let the earth tremble before him.
Announce to the nations, “Jehovah reigns!”
The earth is established; it cannot be moved.
He will judge its people with equity.
Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad.
Let the sea and all its denizens roar.
Let the fields and all that’s in them exult.
Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy
Before Jehovah — for he is coming.
He is coming to pass judgment on the earth.
He will judge the world by his morality
And its people with evenhanded justice.
Sing to Jehovah, all the world.
Sing to Jehovah, praise his name.
Proclaim his salvation each day.
Declare to the nations his glory,
His miracles to all the people.
For Jehovah is great indeed,
Deserving greatly to be praised
And to be feared above all gods.
All the gods of other nations
Are idols; it was Jehovah,
He, that created the heavens.
Honor and grandeur are before him,
Strength and beauty fill his Temple.
Make acknowledgement of Jehovah,
O you families of nations,
Acknowledge his glory and power.
Make acknowledgement to Jehovah
Of the honor that is due his name.
Bring a sacrificial offering
And enter his Temple’s courtyard.
Make obeisance to Jehovah
In sacred vestments of splendor.
Let the earth tremble before him.
Announce to the nations, “Jehovah reigns!”
The earth is established; it cannot be moved.
He will judge its people with equity.
Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad.
Let the sea and all its denizens roar.
Let the fields and all that’s in them exult.
Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy
Before Jehovah — for he is coming.
He is coming to pass judgment on the earth.
He will judge the world by his morality
And its people with evenhanded justice.
Psalm 95
Come, let us sing with joy to Jehovah.
Let us shout to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving
And praise him in songs of exultation.
For Jehovah is a great god,
The great king above all other gods.
The depths of the earth are in his hand,
And the mountain peaks are his as well.
The sea is his, for he made it,
And his hands fashioned the dry land.
Come let us bow down in worship,
Kneel before Jehovah our maker,
For he, Jehovah, is our god,
And we the people of his pasture,
The sheep that are under his charge.
Today, if only we could hear his voice, —
“Don’t be stubborn as you were at Meribah,
On that day in the desert at Massah,
Where you ancestors tested and tried me,
Although they had already seen my works.
With that generation I was angry
For forty years. I said to myself of them,
‘They are a people whose hearts have gone astray.
They have not been obedient to my ways.’
And so in my anger I made a vow,
‘They shall never enter my place of repose!”
Let us shout to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving
And praise him in songs of exultation.
For Jehovah is a great god,
The great king above all other gods.
The depths of the earth are in his hand,
And the mountain peaks are his as well.
The sea is his, for he made it,
And his hands fashioned the dry land.
Come let us bow down in worship,
Kneel before Jehovah our maker,
For he, Jehovah, is our god,
And we the people of his pasture,
The sheep that are under his charge.
Today, if only we could hear his voice, —
“Don’t be stubborn as you were at Meribah,
On that day in the desert at Massah,
Where you ancestors tested and tried me,
Although they had already seen my works.
With that generation I was angry
For forty years. I said to myself of them,
‘They are a people whose hearts have gone astray.
They have not been obedient to my ways.’
And so in my anger I made a vow,
‘They shall never enter my place of repose!”
Psalm 94
O Jehovah, god of vengeance,
God of vengeance reveal yourself.
Rouse yourself, O judge of the earth,
Render recompense to the proud.
How long, Jehovah, will the wicked,
How long will the wicked exult?
They burst out with arrogant words;
They boast, all the evildoers.
They crush your people, O Jehovah;
And oppress your inheritance.
They slay the widow and the stranger
And they murder the fatherless.
They say, “Jehovah does not see.
The god of Jacob pays no heed.”
Take notice, you stupid people.
You fools, when, oh when, will you get wise?
Does he not hear who affixed the ear?
Does not see who molded the eye?
Does he not mete out punishment,
He who admonishes nations?
Does he not know who teaches man?
Jehovah knows the plans of men
And knows they are futility.
Blessed is the man you discipline,
O Jehovah, and teach from your law
To give him relief from troublous times —-
While a pit is dug for the wicked.
For Jehovah will not forsake his people,
Nor will he abandon his inheritance.
Judgment will again be based on justice,
And the upright in heart will follow it.
Who will stand up for me against the wicked?
Who will stand by me against evildoers?
Had not Jehovah come to my defense
I’d soon be dwelling in the land of silence.
When I would cry out, “My foot is slipping!”
Your unfailing love, Jehovah, holds me up.
When I am overwhelmed by anxiety,
Your consolation brings joy to my soul.
Can a corrupt leader be allied with you,
A leader promoting injustice with his laws?
They band together to oppose the righteous,
And they condemn the innocent to death.
But Jehovah has become my stronghold,
My god is the rock where I find shelter.
He will turn their own evil against them.
He will destroy them for their wickedness.
Jehovah, our god, will put an end to them!
God of vengeance reveal yourself.
Rouse yourself, O judge of the earth,
Render recompense to the proud.
How long, Jehovah, will the wicked,
How long will the wicked exult?
They burst out with arrogant words;
They boast, all the evildoers.
They crush your people, O Jehovah;
And oppress your inheritance.
They slay the widow and the stranger
And they murder the fatherless.
They say, “Jehovah does not see.
The god of Jacob pays no heed.”
Take notice, you stupid people.
You fools, when, oh when, will you get wise?
Does he not hear who affixed the ear?
Does not see who molded the eye?
Does he not mete out punishment,
He who admonishes nations?
Does he not know who teaches man?
Jehovah knows the plans of men
And knows they are futility.
Blessed is the man you discipline,
O Jehovah, and teach from your law
To give him relief from troublous times —-
While a pit is dug for the wicked.
For Jehovah will not forsake his people,
Nor will he abandon his inheritance.
Judgment will again be based on justice,
And the upright in heart will follow it.
Who will stand up for me against the wicked?
Who will stand by me against evildoers?
Had not Jehovah come to my defense
I’d soon be dwelling in the land of silence.
When I would cry out, “My foot is slipping!”
Your unfailing love, Jehovah, holds me up.
When I am overwhelmed by anxiety,
Your consolation brings joy to my soul.
Can a corrupt leader be allied with you,
A leader promoting injustice with his laws?
They band together to oppose the righteous,
And they condemn the innocent to death.
But Jehovah has become my stronghold,
My god is the rock where I find shelter.
He will turn their own evil against them.
He will destroy them for their wickedness.
Jehovah, our god, will put an end to them!
Sunday, February 24, 2019
Psalm 93
Jehovah reigns! He is robed in majesty.
He is robed in majesty and armed with strength.
The world is established and cannot be moved.
Your throne is of old and you, eternal.
The floodwaters have risen, O Jehovah,
The river’s current has raised its rushing voice,
And the seas, the thunder of their crashing waves.
Above the roar of many surging waters,
Above the raging of the ocean’s breakers,
Is the majesty of Jehovah on high.
Your testimonies stand firm, Jehovah,
Holiness graces your house forevermore.
He is robed in majesty and armed with strength.
The world is established and cannot be moved.
Your throne is of old and you, eternal.
The floodwaters have risen, O Jehovah,
The river’s current has raised its rushing voice,
And the seas, the thunder of their crashing waves.
Above the roar of many surging waters,
Above the raging of the ocean’s breakers,
Is the majesty of Jehovah on high.
Your testimonies stand firm, Jehovah,
Holiness graces your house forevermore.
Psalm 92
A Song for the Sabbath
How good it is to give thanks to Jehovah
And to sing in praise your name, O Most High,
To proclaim your kindness in the morning
And your fidelity in the evening.
To play music upon a ten-stringed harp
And upon a lyre of melodious tone.
You gladden me with your deeds, Jehovah.
I sing of your accomplishments with joy.
How great your works, Jehovah, how deep your thoughts!
People without sense do not know,
Nor are fools able to understand
That though the wicked spring up like weeds,
And doers of evil flourish,
They will forever be destroyed.
But you, Jehovah, are forever exalted!
Behold your enemies, Jehovah,
Behold, your enemies will perish,
All evildoers will be scattered.
You have strengthened me like a wild ox.
With fine oil have you anointed me.
I have seen my enemies’ defeat,
And when they attack me, I hear them.
The righteous flourish like a palm tree;
They grow like cedars of Lebanon.
Planted in the house of Jehovah,
They will thrive in the court of our god.
In old age they will still bear fruit
And will remain fertile and green,
Showing that Jehovah is just,
That he is my rock, my protector —
There is no injustice in him.
How good it is to give thanks to Jehovah
And to sing in praise your name, O Most High,
To proclaim your kindness in the morning
And your fidelity in the evening.
To play music upon a ten-stringed harp
And upon a lyre of melodious tone.
You gladden me with your deeds, Jehovah.
I sing of your accomplishments with joy.
How great your works, Jehovah, how deep your thoughts!
People without sense do not know,
Nor are fools able to understand
That though the wicked spring up like weeds,
And doers of evil flourish,
They will forever be destroyed.
But you, Jehovah, are forever exalted!
Behold your enemies, Jehovah,
Behold, your enemies will perish,
All evildoers will be scattered.
You have strengthened me like a wild ox.
With fine oil have you anointed me.
I have seen my enemies’ defeat,
And when they attack me, I hear them.
The righteous flourish like a palm tree;
They grow like cedars of Lebanon.
Planted in the house of Jehovah,
They will thrive in the court of our god.
In old age they will still bear fruit
And will remain fertile and green,
Showing that Jehovah is just,
That he is my rock, my protector —
There is no injustice in him.
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