Bible in 90 Days
Vengeance Invoked upon Adversaries.
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
109 O God of my praise!
Do not keep silent,
2
For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me;
They have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
3
They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,
And have fought against me without a cause.
4
In return for my love, they attack me,
But I am in prayer.
5
They have repaid me evil for good,
And hatred for my love.
6
Appoint a wicked man against him,
And let an attacker stand at his right hand [to kill him].
7
When he enters into dispute, let wickedness come about.
Let his prayer [for help] result [only] in sin.
8
Let his days be few;
And let another take his office.(A)
9
Let his children be fatherless
And his wife a widow.
10
Let his children wander and beg;
Let them seek their food and be driven far from their ruined homes.(B)
11
Let the creditor seize all that he has,
And let strangers plunder the product of his labor.
12
Let there be no one to extend kindness to him,
Nor let anyone be gracious to his fatherless children.
13
Let his descendants be cut off,
And in the following generation let their name be blotted out.
14
Let the wickedness of his fathers be remembered by the Lord;
And do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out.
15
Let them be before the Lord continually,
That He may cut off their memory from the earth;
16
Because the man did not remember to show kindness,
But persecuted the suffering and needy man,
And the brokenhearted, to put them to death.
17
He also loved cursing, and it came [back] to him;
He did not delight in blessing, so it was far from him.
18
He clothed himself with cursing as with his garment,
And it seeped into his inner self like water
And like [anointing] oil into his bones.
19
Let it be to him as a robe with which he covers himself,
And as a sash with which he is constantly bound.
20
Let this be the reward of my attackers from the Lord,
And of those who speak evil against my life.
21
But You, O God, the Lord, show kindness to me, for Your name’s sake;
Because Your lovingkindness (faithfulness, compassion) is good, O rescue me;
22
For I am suffering and needy,
And my heart is wounded within me.
23
I am vanishing like a shadow when it lengthens and fades;
I am shaken off like the locust.
24
My knees are unsteady from fasting;
And my flesh is gaunt and without fatness.
25
I also have become a reproach and an object of taunting to others;
When they see me, they shake their heads [in derision].(C)
26
Help me, O Lord my God;
Save me according to Your lovingkindness—
27
And let them know that this is Your hand;
You, Lord, have done it.
28
Let them curse, but You bless.
When adversaries arise, let them be ashamed,
But let Your servant rejoice.
29
Let my attackers be clothed with dishonor,
And let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.
30
I will give great praise and thanks to the Lord with my mouth;
And in the midst of many I will praise Him.
31
For He will stand at the right hand of the needy,
To save him from those who judge his soul.
The Lord Gives Dominion to the King.
A Psalm of David.
110 The Lord (Father) says to my Lord (the Messiah, His Son),
“Sit at My right hand
Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet [subjugating them into complete submission].”(D)
2
The Lord will send the scepter of Your strength from Zion, saying,
“Rule in the midst of Your enemies.”(E)
3
Your people will offer themselves willingly [to participate in Your battle] in the day of Your power;
In the splendor of holiness, from the womb of the dawn,
Your young men are to You as the dew.
4
The Lord has sworn [an oath] and will not change His mind:
“[a]You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek.”(F)
5
The Lord is at Your right hand,
He [b]will crush kings in the day of His wrath.
6
He will execute judgment [in overwhelming punishment] among the nations;
He will fill them with corpses,
He will crush the chief men over a broad country.(G)
7
He will drink from the brook by the wayside;
Therefore He will lift up His head [triumphantly].
The Lord Praised for His Goodness.
111 Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)
I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart,
In the company of the upright and in the congregation.
2
Great are the works of the Lord,
Studied by all those who delight in them.
3
Splendid and majestic is His work,
And His righteousness endures forever.
4
He has made His wonderful acts to be remembered;
The Lord is gracious and merciful and full of loving compassion.
5
He has given food to those who fear Him [with awe-inspired reverence];
He will remember His covenant forever.(H)
6
He has declared and made known to His people the power of His works,
In giving them the heritage of the nations.
7
The works of His hands are truth and [absolute] justice;
All His precepts are sure (established, reliable, trustworthy).
8
They are upheld forever and ever;
They are done in [absolute] truth and uprightness.
9
He has sent redemption to His people;
He has ordained His covenant forever;
Holy and awesome is His name—[inspiring reverence and godly fear].
10
The [reverent] fear of the Lord is the beginning (the prerequisite, the absolute essential, the alphabet) of wisdom;
A good understanding and a teachable heart are possessed by all those who do the will of the Lord;
His praise endures forever.(I)
Prosperity of the One Who Fears the Lord.
112 Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)
Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who fears the Lord [with awe-inspired reverence and worships Him with obedience],
Who delights greatly in His commandments.(J)
2
His descendants will be mighty on earth;
The generation of the upright will be blessed.
3
Wealth and riches are in his house,
And his righteousness endures forever.
4
Light arises in the darkness for the upright;
He is gracious and compassionate and righteous (upright—in right standing with God).
5
It is well with the man who is gracious and lends;
He conducts his affairs with justice.(K)
6
He will never be shaken;
The righteous will be remembered forever.(L)
7
He will not fear bad news;
His heart is steadfast, trusting [confidently relying on and believing] in the Lord.
8
His heart is upheld, he will not fear
While he looks [with satisfaction] on his adversaries.
9
He has given freely to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever;
His horn will be exalted in honor.(M)
10
The wicked will see it and be angered,
He will gnash his teeth and melt away [in despair and death];
The desire of the wicked will perish and come to nothing.
The Lord Exalts the Humble.
113 [c]Praise the Lord! ([d]Hallelujah!)
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
Praise the name of the Lord.
2
Blessed be the name of the Lord
From this time forth and forever.
3
From the rising of the sun to its setting
The name of the Lord is to be praised [with awe-inspired reverence].
4
The Lord is high above all nations,
And His glory above the heavens.
5
Who is like the Lord our God,
Who is enthroned on high,
6
Who humbles Himself to regard
The heavens and the earth?(N)
7
He raises the poor out of the dust
And lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8
That He may seat them with princes,
With the princes of His people.
9
He makes the barren woman live in the house
As a joyful mother of children.
Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)
God’s Rescue of Israel from Egypt.
114 When Israel came out of Egypt,
The house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
2
Judah became His sanctuary,
And Israel His dominion.(O)
3
The [Red] Sea [e]looked and fled;
The Jordan turned back.(P)
4
The mountains leaped like rams,
The [little] hills, like lambs.
5
What ails you, O sea, that you flee?
O Jordan, that you turn back?
6
O mountains, that you leap like rams,
O [little] hills, like lambs?
7
Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
At the presence of the God of Jacob (Israel),
8
Who turned the rock into a pool of water,
The flint into a fountain of water.(Q)
Pagan Idols Contrasted with the Lord.
115 Not to us, O Lord, not to us,
But to Your name give glory
Because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth and faithfulness.
2
Why should the nations say,
“Where, now, is their God?”
3
But our God is in heaven;
He does whatever He pleases.
4
The idols [of the nations] are silver and gold,
The work of man’s hands.
5
They have mouths, but they cannot speak;
They have eyes, but they cannot see;
6
They have ears, but they cannot hear;
They have noses, but they cannot smell;
7
They have hands, but they cannot feel;
They have feet, but they cannot walk;
Nor can they make a sound with their throats.
8
Those who make them will become like them,
Everyone who trusts in them.(R)
9
O Israel, trust and take refuge in the Lord! [Be confident in Him, cling to Him, rely on His word!]
He is their help and their shield.
10
O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
11
You who [reverently] fear the Lord, trust in Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
12
The Lord has been mindful of us; He will bless,
He will bless the house of Israel;
He will bless the house of Aaron.
13
He will bless those who fear and worship the Lord [with awe-inspired reverence and submissive wonder],
Both the small and the great.(S)
14
May the Lord give you [great] increase,
You and your children.
15
May you be blessed of the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
16
The heavens are the heavens of the Lord,
But the earth He has given to the children of men.
17
The dead do not praise the Lord,
Nor do any who go down into silence;
18
But as for us, we will bless and affectionately and gratefully praise the Lord
From this time forth and forever.
Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)
Thanksgiving for Rescue from Death.
116 I love the Lord, because He hears [and continues to hear]
My voice and my supplications (my pleas, my cries, my specific needs).
2
Because He has inclined His ear to me,
Therefore I will call on Him as long as I live.
3
The cords and sorrows of death encompassed me,
And the terrors of Sheol came upon me;
I found distress and sorrow.
4
Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, please save my life!”
5
Gracious is the Lord, and [consistently] righteous;
Yes, our God is compassionate.
6
[f]The Lord protects the simple (childlike);
I was brought low [humbled and discouraged], and He saved me.
7
Return to your rest, O my soul,
For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.(T)
8
For You have rescued my life from death,
My eyes from tears,
And my feet from stumbling and falling.
9
I will walk [in submissive wonder] before the Lord
In the land of the living.
10
I believed [and clung to my God] when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted.”(U)
11
I said in my alarm,
“All men are liars.”
12
What will I give to the Lord [in return]
For all His benefits toward me?
[How can I repay Him for His precious blessings?]
13
I will lift up the cup of salvation
And call on the name of the Lord.
14
I will pay my vows to the Lord,
Yes, in the presence of all His people.
15
[g]Precious [and of great consequence] in the sight of the Lord
Is the death of His godly ones [so He watches over them].
16
O Lord, truly I am Your servant;
I am Your servant, the son of Your handmaid;
You have unfastened my chains.
17
I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
And will call on the name of the Lord.
18
I will pay my vows to the Lord,
Yes, in the presence of all His people,
19
In the courts of the Lord’s house (temple)—
In the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)
A Psalm of Praise.
117 O praise the Lord, all you nations!
Praise Him, all you people!(V)
2
For His lovingkindness prevails over us [and we triumph and overcome through Him],
And the truth of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)
Thanksgiving for the Lord’s Saving Goodness.
118 O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness endures forever.
2
Oh let Israel say,
“His lovingkindness endures forever.”
3
Oh let the house of Aaron say,
“His lovingkindness endures forever.”
4
Oh let those who [reverently] fear the Lord, say,
“His lovingkindness endures forever.”
5
Out of my distress I called on the Lord;
The Lord answered me and set me free.
6
The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.
What can [mere] man do to me?(W)
7
The Lord is on my side, He is among those who help me;
Therefore I will look [in triumph] on those who hate me.
8
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
Than to trust in man.
9
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
Than to trust in princes.
10
All nations encompassed me;
In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off.
11
They encompassed me, yes, they surrounded me [on every side];
In the name of the Lord I will cut them off.
12
They swarmed around me like bees;
They flare up and are extinguished like a fire of thorns;
In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off.(X)
13
You [my enemy] pushed me violently so that I was falling,
But the Lord helped me.
14
The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.
15
The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous:
The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
16
The right hand of the Lord is exalted;
The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
17
I will not die, but live,
And declare the works and recount the illustrious acts of the Lord.
18
The Lord has disciplined me severely,
But He has not given me over to death.(Y)
19
Open to me the [temple] gates of righteousness;
I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to the Lord.
20
This is the gate of the Lord;
The righteous will enter through it.(Z)
21
I will give thanks to You, for You have heard and answered me;
And You have become my salvation [my Rescuer, my Savior].
22
The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the [h]chief corner stone.
23
This is from the Lord and is His doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.(AA)
24
This [day in which God has saved me] is the day which the Lord has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25
O Lord, save now, we beseech You;
O Lord, we beseech You, send now prosperity and give us success!
26
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord;
We have blessed you from the house of the Lord [you who come into His sanctuary under His guardianship].(AB)
27
The Lord is God, and He has given us light [illuminating us with His grace and freedom and joy].
Bind the festival sacrifices with [i]cords to the horns of the altar.
28
You are my God, and I give thanks to You;
[You are] my God, I extol You.
29
O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness endures forever.
Meditations and Prayers Relating to the Law of God.
[j]Aleph.
119 How blessed and favored by God are those whose way is blameless [those with personal integrity, the upright, the guileless],
Who walk in the law [and who are guided by the precepts and revealed will] of the Lord.
2
Blessed and favored by God are those who keep His testimonies,
And who [consistently] seek Him and long for Him with all their heart.
3
They do no unrighteousness;
They walk in His ways.(AC)
4
You have ordained Your precepts,
That we should follow them with [careful] diligence.
5
Oh, that my ways may be established
To observe and keep Your statutes [obediently accepting and honoring them]!
6
Then I will not be ashamed
When I look [with respect] to all Your commandments [as my guide].
7
I will give thanks to You with an upright heart,
When I learn [through discipline] Your righteous judgments [for my transgressions].
8
I shall keep Your statutes;
Do not utterly abandon me [when I fail].
Beth.
9
How can a young man keep his way pure?
By keeping watch [on himself] according to Your word [conforming his life to Your precepts].
10
With all my heart I have sought You, [inquiring of You and longing for You];
Do not let me wander from Your commandments [neither through ignorance nor by willful disobedience].(AD)
11
Your word I have treasured and stored in my heart,
That I may not sin against You.
12
Blessed and reverently praised are You, O Lord;
Teach me Your statutes.
13
With my lips I have told of
All the ordinances of Your mouth.
14
I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
As much as in all riches.
15
I will meditate on Your precepts
And [thoughtfully] regard Your ways [the path of life established by Your precepts].(AE)
16
I will delight in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your word.
Gimel.
17
Deal bountifully with Your servant,
That I may live and keep Your word [treasuring it and being guided by it day by day].(AF)
18
Open my eyes [to spiritual truth] so that I may behold
Wonderful things from Your law.
19
I am a stranger on the earth;
Do not hide Your commandments from me.(AG)
20
My soul is crushed with longing
For Your ordinances at all times.
21
You rebuke the presumptuous and arrogant, the cursed ones,
Who wander from Your commandments.
22
Take reproach and contempt away from me,
For I observe Your testimonies.
23
Even though princes sit and talk to one another against me,
Your servant meditates on Your statutes.
24
Your testimonies also are my delight
And my counselors.
Daleth.
25
My earthly life clings to the dust;
Revive and refresh me according to Your word.(AH)
26
I have told of my ways, and You have answered me;
Teach me Your statutes.
27
Make me understand the way of Your precepts,
So that I will meditate (focus my thoughts) on Your wonderful works.(AI)
28
My soul dissolves because of grief;
Renew and strengthen me according to [the promises of] Your word.
29
Remove from me the way of falsehood and unfaithfulness,
And graciously grant me Your law.
30
I have chosen the faithful way;
I have placed Your ordinances before me.
31
I cling tightly to Your testimonies;
O Lord, do not put me to shame!
32
I will run the way of Your commandments [with purpose],
For You will give me a heart that is willing.
He.
33
Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes,
And I will [steadfastly] observe it to the end.
34
Give me understanding [a teachable heart and the ability to learn], that I may keep Your law;
And observe it with all my heart.(AJ)
35
Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,
For I delight in it.
36
Incline my heart to Your testimonies
And not to dishonest gain and envy.(AK)
37
Turn my eyes away from vanity [all those worldly, meaningless things that distract—let Your priorities be mine],
And restore me [with renewed energy] in Your ways.
38
Establish Your word and confirm Your promise to Your servant,
As that which produces [awe-inspired] reverence for You.(AL)
39
Turn away my reproach which I dread,
For Your ordinances are good.
40
I long for Your precepts;
Renew me through Your righteousness.
Vav.
41
May Your lovingkindness also come to me, O Lord,
Your salvation according to Your promise;
42
So I will have an answer for the one who taunts me,
For I trust [completely] in Your word [and its reliability].
43
And do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
For I wait for Your ordinances.
44
I will keep Your law continually,
Forever and ever [writing Your precepts on my heart].
45
And I will walk at liberty,
For I seek and deeply long for Your precepts.
46
I will also speak of Your testimonies before kings
And shall not be ashamed.(AM)
47
For I shall delight in Your commandments,
Which I love.
48
And I shall lift up my hands to Your commandments,
Which I love;
And I will meditate on Your statutes.
Zayin.
49
Remember [always] the word and promise to Your servant,
In which You have made me hope.
50
This is my comfort in my affliction,
That Your word has revived me and given me life.(AN)
51
The arrogant utterly ridicule me,
Yet I do not turn away from Your law.
52
I have remembered [carefully] Your ancient ordinances, O Lord,
And I have taken comfort.
53
Burning indignation has seized me because of the wicked,
Who [k]reject Your law.
54
Your statutes are my songs
In the house of my pilgrimage.
55
O Lord, I remember Your name in the night,
And keep Your law.
56
This has become mine [as the gift of Your grace],
That I observe Your precepts [accepting them with loving obedience].
Heth.
57
The Lord is my portion;
I have promised to keep Your words.
58
I sought Your favor with all my heart;
Be merciful and gracious to me according to Your promise.
59
I considered my ways
And turned my feet to [follow and obey] Your testimonies.
60
I hurried and did not delay
To keep Your commandments.
61
The cords of the wicked have encircled and ensnared me,
But I have not forgotten Your law.
62
At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You
Because of Your righteous ordinances.
63
I am a companion of all who [reverently] fear You,
And of those who keep and honor Your precepts.
64
The earth, O Lord, is full of Your lovingkindness and goodness;
Teach me Your statutes.
Teth.
65
You have dealt well with Your servant,
O Lord, according to Your promise.
66
Teach me good judgment (discernment) and knowledge,
For I have believed and trusted and relied on Your commandments.
67
Before I was afflicted I went astray,
But now I keep and honor Your word [with loving obedience].
68
You are good and do good;
Teach me Your statutes.
69
The arrogant have forged a lie against me,
But I will keep Your precepts with all my heart.
70
Their heart is insensitive like fat [their minds are dull and brutal],
But I delight in Your law.
71
It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
That I may learn Your statutes.
72
The law from Your mouth is better to me
Than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
Yodh.
73
Your hands have made me and established me;
Give me understanding and a teachable heart, that I may learn Your commandments.
74
May those who [reverently] fear You see me and be glad,
Because I wait for Your word.
75
I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are fair,
And that in faithfulness You have disciplined me.(AO)
76
O may Your lovingkindness and graciousness comfort me,
According to Your word (promise) to Your servant.
77
Let Your compassion come to me that I may live,
For Your law is my delight.
78
Let the arrogant be ashamed and humiliated, for they sabotage me with a lie;
But I will meditate on Your precepts.
79
May those who fear You [with submissive wonder] turn to me,
Even those who have known Your testimonies.
80
May my heart be blameless in Your statutes,
So that I will not be ashamed.
Kaph.
81
My soul languishes and grows weak for Your salvation;
I wait for Your word.
82
My eyes fail [with longing, watching] for [the fulfillment of] Your promise,
Saying, “When will You comfort me?”
83
For I have become like a wineskin [blackened and shriveled] in the smoke [in which it hangs],
Yet I do not forget Your statutes.
84
How many are the days of Your servant [which he must endure]?
When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?(AP)
85
The arrogant (godless) have dug pits for me,
Men who do not conform to Your law.
86
All Your commandments are faithful and trustworthy.
They have persecuted me with a lie; help me [Lord]!
87
They had almost destroyed me on earth,
But as for me, I did not [l]turn away from Your precepts.
88
According to Your steadfast love refresh me and give me life,
So that I may keep and obey the testimony of Your mouth.
Lamedh.
89
Forever, O Lord,
Your word is settled in heaven [standing firm and unchangeable].(AQ)
90
Your faithfulness continues from generation to generation;
You have established the earth, and it stands [securely].
91
They continue this day according to Your ordinances,
For all things [all parts of the universe] are Your servants.(AR)
92
If Your law had not been my delight,
Then I would have perished in my time of trouble.
93
I will never forget Your precepts,
For by them You have revived me and given me life.
94
I am Yours, save me [as Your own];
For I have [diligently] sought Your precepts and required them [as my greatest need].(AS)
95
The wicked wait for me to destroy me,
But I will consider Your testimonies.
96
I have seen that all [human] perfection has its limits [no matter how grand and perfect and noble];
Your commandment is exceedingly broad and extends without limits [into eternity].(AT)
Mem.
97
Oh, how I love Your law!
It is my meditation all the day.(AU)
98
Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,
For Your words are always with me.
99
I have better understanding and deeper insight than all my teachers [because of Your word],
For Your testimonies are my meditation.(AV)
100
I understand more than the aged [who have not observed Your precepts],
Because I have observed and kept Your precepts.
101
I have restrained my feet from every evil way,
That I may keep Your word.(AW)
102
I have not turned aside from Your ordinances,
For You Yourself have taught me.
103
How sweet are Your words to my taste,
Sweeter than honey to my mouth!(AX)
104
From Your precepts I get understanding;
Therefore I hate every false way.
Nun.
105
Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.(AY)
106
I have sworn [an oath] and have confirmed it,
That I will keep Your righteous ordinances.(AZ)
107
I am greatly afflicted;
Renew and revive me [giving me life], O Lord, according to Your word.
108
Accept and take pleasure in the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord,
And teach me Your ordinances.(BA)
109
My life is continually [m]in my hand,
Yet I do not forget Your law.
110
The wicked have laid a snare for me,
Yet I do not wander from Your precepts.
111
I have taken Your testimonies as a heritage forever,
For they are the joy of my heart.(BB)
112
I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes
Forever, even to the end.
Samekh.
113
I hate those who are double-minded,
But I love and treasure Your law.
114
You are my hiding place and my shield;
I wait for Your word.(BC)
115
Leave me, you evildoers,
That I may keep the commandments of my God [honoring and obeying them].(BD)
116
Uphold me according to Your word [of promise], so that I may live;
And do not let me be ashamed of my hope [in Your great goodness].(BE)
117
Uphold me that I may be safe,
That I may have regard for Your statutes continually.
118
You have turned Your back on all those who wander from Your statutes,
For their deceitfulness is useless.
119
You have removed all the wicked of the earth like dross [for they have no value];
Therefore I love Your testimonies.
120
My flesh trembles in [reverent] fear of You,
And I am afraid and in awe of Your judgments.
Ayin.
121
I have done justice and righteousness;
Do not leave me to those who oppress me.
122
Be the guarantee for Your servant for good [as Judah was the guarantee for Benjamin];
Do not let the arrogant oppress me.(BF)
123
My eyes fail [with longing, watching] for [the fulfillment of] Your salvation,
And for [the fulfillment of] Your righteous word.
124
Deal with Your servant according to Your [gracious] lovingkindness,
And teach me Your statutes.
125
I am Your servant; give me understanding [the ability to learn and a teachable heart]
That I may know Your testimonies.
126
It is time for the Lord to act;
They have broken Your law.
127
Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold,
Yes, more than refined gold.
128
Therefore I esteem as right all Your precepts concerning everything;
I hate every false way.
Pe.
129
Your testimonies are wonderful;
Therefore my soul keeps them.
130
The unfolding of Your [glorious] words give light;
Their unfolding gives understanding to the simple (childlike).
131
I opened my mouth and panted [with anticipation],
Because I longed for Your commandments.
132
Turn to me and be gracious to me and show me favor,
As is Your way to those who love Your name.
133
Establish my footsteps in [the way of] Your word;
Do not let any human weakness have power over me [causing me to be separated from You].
134
Redeem me from the oppression of man;
That I may keep Your precepts.(BG)
135
Make Your face shine [with pleasure] upon Your servant,
And teach me Your statutes.(BH)
136
My eyes weep streams of water
Because people do not keep Your law.
Tsadhe.
137
Righteous are You, O Lord,
And upright are Your judgments.
138
You have commanded Your testimonies in righteousness
And in great faithfulness.
139
My zeal has [completely] consumed me,
Because my enemies have forgotten Your words.
140
Your word is very pure (refined);
Therefore Your servant loves it.
141
I am small and despised,
But I do not forget Your precepts.
142
Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
And Your law is truth.(BI)
143
Trouble and anguish have found me,
Yet Your commandments are my delight and my joy.
144
Your righteous testimonies are everlasting;
Give me understanding [the ability to learn and a teachable heart] that I may live.
Qoph.
145
I cried with all my heart; answer me, O Lord!
I will observe Your statutes.
146
I cried to You; save me
And I will keep Your testimonies.
147
I rise before dawn and cry [in prayer] for help;
I wait for Your word.
148
My eyes anticipate the night watches and I awake before the call of the watchman,
That I may meditate on Your word.
149
Hear my voice according to Your [steadfast] lovingkindness;
O Lord, renew and refresh me according to Your ordinances.
150
Those who follow after wickedness approach;
They are far from Your law.
151
You are near, O Lord,
And all Your commandments are truth.
152
Of old I have known from Your testimonies
That You have founded them forever.(BJ)
Resh.
153
Look upon my agony and rescue me,
For I do not forget Your law.
154
Plead my cause and redeem me;
Revive me and give me life according to [the promise of] Your word.
155
Salvation is far from the wicked,
For they do not seek Your statutes.
156
Great are Your tender mercies and steadfast love, O Lord;
Revive me and give me life according to Your ordinances.
157
Many are my persecutors and my adversaries,
Yet I do not turn away from Your testimonies.
158
I see the treacherous and loathe them,
Because they do not respect Your law.
159
Consider how I love Your precepts;
Revive me and give me life, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness.
160
The sum of Your word is truth [the full meaning of all Your precepts],
And every one of Your righteous ordinances endures forever.
Shin.
161
Princes persecute me without cause,
But my heart stands in [reverent] awe of Your words [so I can expect You to help me].(BK)
162
I rejoice at Your word,
As one who finds great treasure.
163
I hate and detest falsehood,
But I love Your law.
164
[n]Seven times a day I praise You,
Because of Your righteous ordinances.
165
Those who love Your law have great peace;
Nothing makes them stumble.(BL)
166
I hope and wait [with complete confidence] for Your salvation, O Lord,
And I do Your commandments.(BM)
167
My soul keeps Your testimonies [hearing and accepting and obeying them];
I love them greatly.
168
I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies,
For all my ways are [fully known] before You.
Tav.
169
Let my [mournful] cry come before You, O Lord;
Give me understanding [the ability to learn and a teachable heart] according to Your word [of promise].
170
Let my supplication come before You;
Deliver me according to Your word.
171
Let my lips speak praise [with thanksgiving],
For You teach me Your statutes.
172
Let my tongue sing [praise for the fulfillment] of Your word,
For all Your commandments are righteous.
173
Let Your hand be ready to help me,
For I have chosen Your precepts.
174
I long for Your salvation, O Lord,
And Your law is my delight.
175
Let my soul live that it may praise You,
And let Your ordinances help me.
176
I have gone astray like a lost sheep;
Seek Your servant, for I do not forget Your commandments.(BN)
Prayer for Breaking Away from the Treacherous.
A Song of [o]Ascents.
120 In my trouble I cried to the Lord,
And He answered me.
2
Rescue my soul, O Lord, from lying lips,
And from a deceitful tongue.
3
What shall be given to you, and what more shall be done to you,
You deceitful tongue?—
4
Sharp arrows of the warrior,
With the [p]burning coals of the broom tree.
5
Woe to me, for I sojourn in Meshech,
and I live among the tents of Kedar [among hostile people]!(BO)
6
Too long my soul has had its dwelling
With those who hate peace.
7
I am for peace, but when I speak,
They are for war.
The Lord the Keeper of Israel.
A Song of [q]Ascents.
121 I will lift up my eyes to the hills [of Jerusalem]—
From where shall my help come?(BP)
2
My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
3
He will not allow your foot to slip;
He who keeps you will not slumber.(BQ)
4
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Will neither slumber [briefly] nor sleep [soundly].
5
The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade on your right hand.(BR)
6
The sun will not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.(BS)
7
The Lord will protect you from all evil;
He will keep your life.
8
The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in [everything that you do]
From this time forth and forever.(BT)
Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem.
A Song of [r]Ascents. Of David.
122 I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”(BU)
2
Our feet are standing
Within your gates, O Jerusalem,
3
Jerusalem, that is built
As a city that is firmly joined together;
4
To which the [twelve] tribes go up, even the tribes of the Lord,
[As was decreed as] an ordinance for Israel,
To give thanks to the name of the Lord.
5
For there the thrones of judgment were set,
The thrones of the house of David.
6
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you [holy city].
7
“May peace be within your walls
And prosperity within your palaces.”
8
For the sake of my brothers and my friends,
I will now say, “May peace be within you.”
9
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God [which is Jerusalem],
I will seek your (the city’s) good.
Prayer for the Lord’s Help.
A Song of [s]Ascents.
123 Unto you I lift up my eyes,
O You who are enthroned in the heavens!
2
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master,
And as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
So our eyes look to the Lord our God,
Until He is gracious and favorable toward us.
3
Be gracious to us, O Lord, be gracious and favorable toward us,
For we are greatly filled with contempt.
4
Our soul is greatly filled
With the scoffing of those who are at ease,
And with the contempt of the proud [who disregard God’s law].
Praise for Rescue from Enemies.
A Song of [t]Ascents. Of David.
124 “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,”
Let Israel now say,
2
“If it had not been the Lord who was on our side
When men rose up against us,
3
Then they would have [quickly] swallowed us alive,
When their wrath was kindled against us;
4
Then the waters would have engulfed us,
The torrent would have swept over our soul;
5
Then the [u]raging waters would have swept over our soul.”
6
Blessed be the Lord,
Who has not given us as prey to be torn by their teeth.
7
We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers;
The trap is broken and we have escaped.
8
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
The Lord Surrounds His People.
A Song of [v]Ascents.
125 Those who trust in and rely on the Lord [with confident expectation]
Are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but remains forever.
2
As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
So the Lord surrounds His people
From this time forth and forever.
3
For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land of the righteous,
So that the righteous will not reach out their hands to do wrong.
4
Do good, O Lord, to those who are good
And to those who are upright in their hearts.
5
But as for those who turn aside to their crooked ways [in unresponsiveness to God],
The Lord will lead them away with those who do evil.
Peace be upon Israel.
Thanksgiving for Return from Captivity.
A Song of [w]Ascents.
126 When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion (Jerusalem),
We were like those who dream [it seemed so unreal].(BV)
2
Then our mouth was filled with laughter
And our tongue with joyful shouting;
Then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3
The Lord has done great things for us;
We are glad!
4
Restore our [x]captivity, O Lord,
As the stream-beds in the South (the Negev) [are restored by torrents of rain].
5
They who sow in tears shall reap with joyful singing.
6
He who goes back and forth weeping, carrying his bag of seed [for planting],
Will indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
Prosperity Comes from the Lord.
A Song of [y]Ascents. Of Solomon.
127 Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the Lord guards the city,
The watchman keeps awake in vain.(BW)
2
It is vain for you to rise early,
To retire late,
To eat the bread of anxious labors—
For He gives [blessings] to His beloved even in his sleep.
3
Behold, children are a heritage and gift from the Lord,
The fruit of the womb a reward.(BX)
4
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
5
How blessed [happy and fortunate] is the man whose quiver is filled with them;
They will not be ashamed
When they speak with their enemies [in gatherings] at the [city] gate.
Blessedness of the Fear of the Lord.
A Song of [z]Ascents.
128 Blessed [happy and sheltered by God’s favor] is everyone who fears the Lord [and worships Him with obedience],
Who walks in His ways and lives according to His commandments.(BY)
2
For you shall eat the fruit of [the labor of] your hands,
You will be happy and blessed and it will be well with you.
3
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
Within the innermost part of your house;
Your children will be like olive plants
Around your table.
4
Behold, for so shall the man be blessed and divinely favored
Who fears the Lord [and worships Him with obedience].
5
May the Lord bless you from Zion [His holy mountain],
And may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life;
6
Indeed, may you see your [family perpetuated in your] children’s children.
Peace be upon Israel!
Prayer for the Overthrow of Zion’s Enemies.
A Song of [aa]Ascents.
129 “Many times they have persecuted me (Israel) from my youth,”
Let Israel now say,
2
“Many times they have persecuted me from my youth,
Yet they have not prevailed against me.
3
“The [enemies, like] plowers plowed on my back;
They made their furrows [of suffering] long [in Israel].”
4
The Lord is righteous;
He has cut in two the [thick] cords of the wicked [which enslaved the people of Israel].
5
May all who hate Zion
Be put to shame and turned backward [in defeat].
6
Let them be like the grass on the housetops,
Which withers before it grows up,
7
With which the reaper does not fill his hand,
Nor the binder of sheaves his arms,
8
Nor do those who pass by say,
“The blessing of the Lord be upon you;
We bless you in the name of the Lord.”
Hope in the Lord’s Forgiving Love.
A Song of [ab]Ascents.
130 Out of the [ac]depths [of distress] I have cried to You, O Lord.
2
Lord, hear my voice!
Let Your ears be attentive
To the voice of my supplications.
3
If You, Lord, should keep an account of our sins and treat us accordingly,
O Lord, who could stand [before you in judgment and claim innocence]?(BZ)
4
But there is forgiveness with You,
That You may be feared and worshiped [with submissive wonder].(CA)
5
I wait [patiently] for the Lord, my soul [expectantly] waits,
And in His word do I hope.
6
My soul waits for the Lord
More than the watchmen for the morning;
More than the watchmen for the morning.
7
O Israel, hope in the Lord;
For with the Lord there is lovingkindness,
And with Him is abundant redemption.
8
And He will redeem Israel
From all his sins.
Childlike Trust in the Lord.
A Song of [ad]Ascents. Of David.
131 Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty;
Nor do I involve myself in great matters,
Or in things too difficult for me.
2
Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul;
Like a weaned child [resting] with his mother,
My soul is like a weaned child within me [composed and freed from discontent].
3
O Israel, hope in the Lord
From this time forth and forever.
Prayer for the Lord’s Blessing Upon the Sanctuary.
A Song of [ae]Ascents.
132 O Lord, remember on David’s behalf
All his hardship and affliction;
2
How he swore to the Lord
And vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:
3
“I absolutely will not enter my house,
Nor get into my bed—
4
I certainly will not permit my eyes to sleep
Nor my eyelids to slumber,
5
Until I find a place for the Lord,
A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob (Israel).”(CB)
6
Behold, we heard of it at Ephrathah;
We found it in the field of Jaar.(CC)
7
Let us go into His tabernacle;
Let us worship at His footstool.
8
Arise, O Lord, to Your resting place,
You and the ark [the symbol] of Your strength.
9
Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness (right living),
And let Your godly ones shout for joy.
10
For the sake of Your servant David,
Do not turn away the face of Your anointed.
11
The Lord swore to David
A truth from which He will not turn back:
“One of your [af]descendants I will set upon your throne.(CD)
12
“If your children will keep My covenant
And My testimony which I will teach them,
Their children also shall sit upon your throne forever.”
13
For the Lord has chosen Zion;
He has desired it for His dwelling place:
14
“This is My resting place forever” [says the Lord];
“Here will I dwell, for I have desired it.
15
“I will abundantly bless her provisions;
I will satisfy her poor with bread.
16
“Her priests also I will clothe with salvation,
And her godly ones will shout aloud for joy.
17
“There I will make the horn (strength) of David grow;
I have prepared a lamp for My anointed [fulfilling the promises].(CE)
18
“His enemies I will clothe with shame,
But upon himself shall his crown shine.”
The Excellency of Brotherly Unity.
A Song of [ag]Ascents. Of David.
133 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell together in unity!
2
It is like the precious oil [of consecration] poured on the head,
Coming down on the beard,
Even the beard of Aaron,
Coming down upon the edge of his [priestly] robes [consecrating the whole body].(CF)
3
It is like the dew of [Mount] Hermon
Coming down on the hills of Zion;
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing: life forevermore.
Greetings of Night Watchers.
A Song of [ah]Ascents.
134 Behold, bless and praise the Lord, all servants of the Lord (priests, Levites),
Who stand and serve by night in the house of the Lord.(CG)
2
Lift up your hands to the sanctuary
And bless the Lord.
3
May the Lord bless you from Zion,
He who made heaven and earth.
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.