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Psalm 137-139
New International Version
Psalm 137-139
New International Version
Psalm 137
1 By the rivers of Babylon(A) we sat and wept(B)
when we remembered Zion.(C)
2 There on the poplars(D)
we hung our harps,(E)
3 for there our captors(F) asked us for songs,
our tormentors demanded(G) songs of joy;
they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”(H)
4 How can we sing the songs of the Lord(I)
while in a foreign land?
5 If I forget you,(J) Jerusalem,
may my right hand forget its skill.
6 May my tongue cling to the roof(K) of my mouth
if I do not remember(L) you,
if I do not consider Jerusalem(M)
my highest joy.
7 Remember, Lord, what the Edomites(N) did
on the day Jerusalem fell.(O)
“Tear it down,” they cried,
“tear it down to its foundations!”(P)
8 Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction,(Q)
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(R) against the rocks.
Psalm 138
Of David.
1 I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
before the “gods”(S) I will sing(T) your praise.
2 I will bow down toward your holy temple(U)
and will praise your name(V)
for your unfailing love and your faithfulness,(W)
for you have so exalted your solemn decree
that it surpasses your fame.(X)
3 When I called,(Y) you answered me;(Z)
you greatly emboldened(AA) me.
4 May all the kings of the earth(AB) praise you, Lord,
when they hear what you have decreed.
5 May they sing(AC) of the ways of the Lord,
for the glory of the Lord(AD) is great.
6 Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;(AE)
though lofty, he sees them(AF) from afar.
7 Though I walk(AG) in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life.(AH)
You stretch out your hand(AI) against the anger of my foes;(AJ)
with your right hand(AK) you save me.(AL)
8 The Lord will vindicate(AM) me;
your love, Lord, endures forever(AN)—
do not abandon(AO) the works of your hands.(AP)
Psalm 139
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
1 You have searched me,(AQ) Lord,
and you know(AR) me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;(AS)
you perceive my thoughts(AT) from afar.
3 You discern my going out(AU) and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.(AV)
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.(AW)
5 You hem me in(AX) behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,(AY)
too lofty(AZ) for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee(BA) from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens,(BB) you are there;
if I make my bed(BC) 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,(BD)
your right hand(BE) 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(BF) to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
13 For you created my inmost being;(BG)
you knit me together(BH) in my mother’s womb.(BI)
14 I praise you(BJ) because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,(BK)
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made(BL) in the secret place,
when I was woven together(BM) in the depths of the earth.(BN)
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained(BO) for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts,[a](BP) God!(BQ)
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,(BR)
they would outnumber the grains of sand(BS)—
when I awake,(BT) I am still with you.
19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked!(BU)
Away from me,(BV) you who are bloodthirsty!(BW)
20 They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries(BX) misuse your name.(BY)
21 Do I not hate those(BZ) who hate you, Lord,
and abhor(CA) those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.(CB)
23 Search me,(CC) God, and know my heart;(CD)
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way(CE) in me,
and lead me(CF) in the way everlasting.
Footnotes
- Psalm 139:17 Or How amazing are your thoughts concerning me
Psalm 137-139
King James Version
Psalm 137-139
King James Version
137 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
4 How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?
5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.
7 Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.
8 O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.
9 Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.
138 I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
3 In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.
4 All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord, when they hear the words of thy mouth.
5 Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord: for great is the glory of the Lord.
6 Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
8 The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.
139 O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
21 Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 137-139
New King James Version
Psalm 137-139
New King James Version
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 (A)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 (B)tongue cling to the roof of my mouth—
If I do not exalt Jerusalem
Above my chief joy.
7 Remember, O Lord, against (C)the sons of Edom
The day of Jerusalem,
Who said, [a]“Raze it, raze it,
To its very foundation!”
8 O daughter of Babylon, (D)who are to be destroyed,
Happy the one (E)who repays you as you have served us!
9 Happy the one who takes and (F)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;
(G)Before the gods I will sing praises to You.
2 (H)I will worship (I)toward Your holy temple,
And praise Your name
For Your lovingkindness and Your truth;
For You have (J)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 (K)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 (L)Though the Lord is on high,
Yet (M)He regards the lowly;
But the proud He knows from afar.
7 (N)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 (O)The Lord will [b]perfect that which concerns me;
Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever;
(P)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, (Q)You have searched me and known me.
2 (R)You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You (S)understand my thought afar off.
3 (T)You [c]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, (U)You know it altogether.
5 You have [d]hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
6 (V)Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.
7 (W)Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8 (X)If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
(Y)If I make my bed in [e]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 [f]fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
12 Indeed, (Z)the darkness [g]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 [h]covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You, for [i]I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
15 (AA)My [j]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 (AB)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 (AC)slay the wicked, O God!
(AD)Depart from me, therefore, you [k]bloodthirsty men.
20 For they (AE)speak against You wickedly;
[l]Your enemies take Your name in vain.
21 (AF)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 [m]perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.
23 (AG)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 (AH)lead me in the way everlasting.
Footnotes
- 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
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.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.