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Psalm 133-139
New King James Version
Psalm 133-139
New King James Version
Blessed Unity of the People of God
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
133 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For (A)brethren to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Running down on the beard,
The beard of Aaron,
Running down on the edge of his garments.
3 It is like the dew of (B)Hermon,
Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
For (C)there the Lord commanded the blessing—
Life forevermore.
Praising the Lord in His House at Night
A Song of Ascents.
134 Behold, bless the Lord,
All you servants of the Lord,
Who by night stand in the house of the Lord!
2 (D)Lift up your hands in the sanctuary,
And bless the Lord.
3 The Lord who made heaven and earth
Bless you from Zion!
Praise to God in Creation and Redemption
135 Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord;
(E)Praise Him, O you servants of the Lord!
2 (F)You who stand in the house of the Lord,
In (G)the courts of the house of our God,
3 Praise the Lord, for (H)the Lord is good;
Sing praises to His name, (I)for it is pleasant.
4 For (J)the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself,
Israel for His [a]special treasure.
5 For I know that (K)the Lord is great,
And our Lord is above all gods.
6 (L)Whatever the Lord pleases He does,
In heaven and in earth,
In the seas and in all deep places.
7 (M)He causes the [b]vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth;
(N)He makes lightning for the rain;
He brings the wind out of His (O)treasuries.
8 (P)He [c]destroyed the firstborn of Egypt,
[d]Both of man and beast.
9 (Q)He sent signs and wonders into the midst of you, O Egypt,
(R)Upon Pharaoh and all his servants.
10 (S)He defeated many nations
And slew mighty kings—
11 Sihon king of the Amorites,
Og king of Bashan,
And (T)all the kingdoms of Canaan—
12 (U)And gave their land as a [e]heritage,
A heritage to Israel His people.
13 (V)Your name, O Lord, endures forever,
Your fame, O Lord, throughout all generations.
14 (W)For the Lord will judge His people,
And He will have compassion on His servants.
15 (X)The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands.
16 They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
17 They have ears, but they do not hear;
Nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.
19 (Y)Bless the Lord, O house of Israel!
Bless the Lord, O house of Aaron!
20 Bless the Lord, O house of Levi!
You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!
21 Blessed be the Lord (Z)out of Zion,
Who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise the Lord!
Thanksgiving to God for His Enduring Mercy
136 Oh, (AA)give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
(AB)For His mercy endures forever.
2 Oh, give thanks to (AC)the God of gods!
For His mercy endures forever.
3 Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!
For His mercy endures forever:
4 To Him (AD)who alone does great wonders,
For His mercy endures forever;
5 (AE)To Him who by wisdom made the heavens,
For His mercy endures forever;
6 (AF)To Him who laid out the earth above the waters,
For His mercy endures forever;
7 (AG)To Him who made great lights,
For His mercy endures forever—
8 (AH)The sun to rule by day,
For His mercy endures forever;
9 The moon and stars to rule by night,
For His mercy endures forever.
10 (AI)To Him who struck Egypt in their firstborn,
For His mercy endures forever;
11 (AJ)And brought out Israel from among them,
For His mercy endures forever;
12 (AK)With a strong hand, and with [f]an outstretched arm,
For His mercy endures forever;
13 (AL)To Him who divided the Red Sea in two,
For His mercy endures forever;
14 And made Israel pass through the midst of it,
For His mercy endures forever;
15 (AM)But overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,
For His mercy endures forever;
16 (AN)To Him who led His people through the wilderness,
For His mercy endures forever;
17 (AO)To Him who struck down great kings,
For His mercy endures forever;
18 (AP)And slew famous kings,
For His mercy endures forever—
19 (AQ)Sihon king of the Amorites,
For His mercy endures forever;
20 (AR)And Og king of Bashan,
For His mercy endures forever—
21 (AS)And gave their land as a [g]heritage,
For His mercy endures forever;
22 A heritage to Israel His servant,
For His mercy endures forever.
23 Who (AT)remembered us in our lowly state,
For His mercy endures forever;
24 And (AU)rescued us from our enemies,
For His mercy endures forever;
25 (AV)Who gives food to all flesh,
For His mercy endures forever.
26 Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven!
For His mercy endures forever.
Longing for Zion in a Foreign Land
137 By the rivers of Babylon,
There we sat down, yea, we wept
When we remembered Zion.
2 We hung our harps
Upon the willows in the midst of it.
3 For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song,
And those who (AW)plundered us requested mirth,
Saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
4 How shall we sing the Lord’s song
In a foreign land?
5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
Let my right hand forget its skill!
6 If I do not remember you,
Let my (AX)tongue cling to the roof of my mouth—
If I do not exalt Jerusalem
Above my chief joy.
7 Remember, O Lord, against (AY)the sons of Edom
The day of Jerusalem,
Who said, [h]“Raze it, raze it,
To its very foundation!”
8 O daughter of Babylon, (AZ)who are to be destroyed,
Happy the one (BA)who repays you as you have served us!
9 Happy the one who takes and (BB)dashes
Your little ones against the rock!
The Lord’s Goodness to the Faithful
A Psalm of David.
138 I will praise You with my whole heart;
(BC)Before the gods I will sing praises to You.
2 (BD)I will worship (BE)toward Your holy temple,
And praise Your name
For Your lovingkindness and Your truth;
For You have (BF)magnified Your word above all Your name.
3 In the day when I cried out, You answered me,
And made me bold with strength in my soul.
4 (BG)All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O Lord,
When they hear the words of Your mouth.
5 Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
For great is the glory of the Lord.
6 (BH)Though the Lord is on high,
Yet (BI)He regards the lowly;
But the proud He knows from afar.
7 (BJ)Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
You will stretch out Your hand
Against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me.
8 (BK)The Lord will [i]perfect that which concerns me;
Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever;
(BL)Do not forsake the works of Your hands.
God’s Perfect Knowledge of Man
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
139 O Lord, (BM)You have searched me and known me.
2 (BN)You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You (BO)understand my thought afar off.
3 (BP)You [j]comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, (BQ)You know it altogether.
5 You have [k]hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
6 (BR)Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.
7 (BS)Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8 (BT)If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
(BU)If I make my bed in [l]hell, behold, You are there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall [m]fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
12 Indeed, (BV)the darkness [n]shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
13 For You formed my inward parts;
You [o]covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You, for [p]I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
15 (BW)My [q]frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
17 (BX)How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.
19 Oh, that You would (BY)slay the wicked, O God!
(BZ)Depart from me, therefore, you [r]bloodthirsty men.
20 For they (CA)speak against You wickedly;
[s]Your enemies take Your name in vain.
21 (CB)Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
22 I hate them with [t]perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.
23 (CC)Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And (CD)lead me in the way everlasting.
Footnotes
- Psalm 135:4 precious possession
- Psalm 135:7 Water vapor
- Psalm 135:8 Lit. struck down
- Psalm 135:8 Lit. From man to beast
- Psalm 135:12 inheritance
- Psalm 136:12 Mighty power
- Psalm 136:21 inheritance
- Psalm 137:7 Lit. Make bare
- Psalm 138:8 complete
- Psalm 139:3 Lit. winnow
- Psalm 139:5 enclosed
- Psalm 139:8 Or Sheol
- Psalm 139:11 Vg., Symmachus cover
- Psalm 139:12 Lit. is not dark
- Psalm 139:13 wove
- Psalm 139:14 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr., Vg. You are fearfully wonderful
- Psalm 139:15 Lit. bones were
- Psalm 139:19 Lit. men of bloodshed
- Psalm 139:20 LXX, Vg. They take Your cities in vain
- Psalm 139:22 complete
Psalm 133-139
New International Version
Psalm 133-139
New International Version
Psalm 133
A song of ascents. Of David.
2 It is like precious oil poured on the head,(C)
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
down on the collar of his robe.
3 It is as if the dew(D) of Hermon(E)
were falling on Mount Zion.(F)
For there the Lord bestows his blessing,(G)
even life forevermore.(H)
Psalm 134
A song of ascents.
1 Praise the Lord, all you servants(I) of the Lord
who minister(J) by night(K) in the house of the Lord.
2 Lift up your hands(L) in the sanctuary(M)
and praise the Lord.(N)
Psalm 135(Q)
1 Praise the Lord.[a]
Praise the name of the Lord;
praise him, you servants(R) of the Lord,
2 you who minister in the house(S) of the Lord,
in the courts(T) of the house of our God.
3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;(U)
sing praise to his name,(V) for that is pleasant.(W)
4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob(X) to be his own,
Israel to be his treasured possession.(Y)
5 I know that the Lord is great,(Z)
that our Lord is greater than all gods.(AA)
6 The Lord does whatever pleases him,(AB)
in the heavens and on the earth,(AC)
in the seas and all their depths.
7 He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth;
he sends lightning with the rain(AD)
and brings out the wind(AE) from his storehouses.(AF)
8 He struck down the firstborn(AG) of Egypt,
the firstborn of people and animals.
9 He sent his signs(AH) and wonders into your midst, Egypt,
against Pharaoh and all his servants.(AI)
10 He struck down many(AJ) nations
and killed mighty kings—
11 Sihon(AK) king of the Amorites,(AL)
Og king of Bashan,(AM)
and all the kings of Canaan(AN)—
12 and he gave their land as an inheritance,(AO)
an inheritance to his people Israel.
13 Your name, Lord, endures forever,(AP)
your renown,(AQ) Lord, through all generations.
14 For the Lord will vindicate his people(AR)
and have compassion on his servants.(AS)
15 The idols of the nations(AT) are silver and gold,
made by human hands.(AU)
16 They have mouths, but cannot speak,(AV)
eyes, but cannot see.
17 They have ears, but cannot hear,
nor is there breath(AW) in their mouths.
18 Those who make them will be like them,
and so will all who trust in them.
19 All you Israelites, praise the Lord;(AX)
house of Aaron, praise the Lord;
20 house of Levi, praise the Lord;
you who fear him, praise the Lord.
21 Praise be to the Lord from Zion,(AY)
to him who dwells in Jerusalem.(AZ)
Praise the Lord.
Psalm 136
1 Give thanks(BA) to the Lord, for he is good.(BB)
His love endures forever.(BC)
2 Give thanks(BD) to the God of gods.(BE)
His love endures forever.
3 Give thanks(BF) to the Lord of lords:(BG)
His love endures forever.
4 to him who alone does great wonders,(BH)
His love endures forever.
5 who by his understanding(BI) made the heavens,(BJ)
His love endures forever.
6 who spread out the earth(BK) upon the waters,(BL)
His love endures forever.
7 who made the great lights(BM)—
His love endures forever.
8 the sun to govern(BN) the day,
His love endures forever.
9 the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.
10 to him who struck down the firstborn(BO) of Egypt
His love endures forever.
11 and brought Israel out(BP) from among them
His love endures forever.
12 with a mighty hand(BQ) and outstretched arm;(BR)
His love endures forever.
13 to him who divided the Red Sea[b](BS) asunder
His love endures forever.
14 and brought Israel through(BT) the midst of it,
His love endures forever.
15 but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;(BU)
His love endures forever.
16 to him who led his people through the wilderness;(BV)
His love endures forever.
17 to him who struck down great kings,(BW)
His love endures forever.
18 and killed mighty kings(BX)—
His love endures forever.
19 Sihon king of the Amorites(BY)
His love endures forever.
20 and Og king of Bashan(BZ)—
His love endures forever.
21 and gave their land(CA) as an inheritance,(CB)
His love endures forever.
22 an inheritance(CC) to his servant Israel.(CD)
His love endures forever.
23 He remembered us(CE) in our low estate
His love endures forever.
24 and freed us(CF) from our enemies.(CG)
His love endures forever.
25 He gives food(CH) to every creature.
His love endures forever.
Psalm 137
1 By the rivers of Babylon(CL) we sat and wept(CM)
when we remembered Zion.(CN)
2 There on the poplars(CO)
we hung our harps,(CP)
3 for there our captors(CQ) asked us for songs,
our tormentors demanded(CR) songs of joy;
they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”(CS)
4 How can we sing the songs of the Lord(CT)
while in a foreign land?
5 If I forget you,(CU) Jerusalem,
may my right hand forget its skill.
6 May my tongue cling to the roof(CV) of my mouth
if I do not remember(CW) you,
if I do not consider Jerusalem(CX)
my highest joy.
7 Remember, Lord, what the Edomites(CY) did
on the day Jerusalem fell.(CZ)
“Tear it down,” they cried,
“tear it down to its foundations!”(DA)
8 Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction,(DB)
happy is the one who repays you
according to what you have done to us.
9 Happy is the one who seizes your infants
and dashes them(DC) against the rocks.
Psalm 138
Of David.
1 I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
before the “gods”(DD) I will sing(DE) your praise.
2 I will bow down toward your holy temple(DF)
and will praise your name(DG)
for your unfailing love and your faithfulness,(DH)
for you have so exalted your solemn decree
that it surpasses your fame.(DI)
3 When I called,(DJ) you answered me;(DK)
you greatly emboldened(DL) me.
4 May all the kings of the earth(DM) praise you, Lord,
when they hear what you have decreed.
5 May they sing(DN) of the ways of the Lord,
for the glory of the Lord(DO) is great.
6 Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;(DP)
though lofty, he sees them(DQ) from afar.
7 Though I walk(DR) in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life.(DS)
You stretch out your hand(DT) against the anger of my foes;(DU)
with your right hand(DV) you save me.(DW)
8 The Lord will vindicate(DX) me;
your love, Lord, endures forever(DY)—
do not abandon(DZ) the works of your hands.(EA)
Psalm 139
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
1 You have searched me,(EB) Lord,
and you know(EC) me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;(ED)
you perceive my thoughts(EE) from afar.
3 You discern my going out(EF) and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.(EG)
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.(EH)
5 You hem me in(EI) behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,(EJ)
too lofty(EK) for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee(EL) from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens,(EM) you are there;
if I make my bed(EN) in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,(EO)
your right hand(EP) will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark(EQ) to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
13 For you created my inmost being;(ER)
you knit me together(ES) in my mother’s womb.(ET)
14 I praise you(EU) because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,(EV)
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made(EW) in the secret place,
when I was woven together(EX) in the depths of the earth.(EY)
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained(EZ) for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts,[c](FA) God!(FB)
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,(FC)
they would outnumber the grains of sand(FD)—
when I awake,(FE) I am still with you.
19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked!(FF)
Away from me,(FG) you who are bloodthirsty!(FH)
20 They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries(FI) misuse your name.(FJ)
21 Do I not hate those(FK) who hate you, Lord,
and abhor(FL) those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.(FM)
23 Search me,(FN) God, and know my heart;(FO)
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way(FP) in me,
and lead me(FQ) in the way everlasting.
Footnotes
- Psalm 135:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verses 3 and 21
- Psalm 136:13 Or the Sea of Reeds; also in verse 15
- Psalm 139:17 Or How amazing are your thoughts concerning me
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.