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.
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