Font Size
Psalm 128-138
New Living Translation
Psalm 128-138
New Living Translation
Psalm 128
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
1 How joyful are those who fear the Lord—
all who follow his ways!
2 You will enjoy the fruit of your labor.
How joyful and prosperous you will be!
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine,
flourishing within your home.
Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees
as they sit around your table.
4 That is the Lord’s blessing
for those who fear him.
5 May the Lord continually bless you from Zion.
May you see Jerusalem prosper as long as you live.
6 May you live to enjoy your grandchildren.
May Israel have peace!
Psalm 129
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
1 From my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me.
Let all Israel repeat this:
2 From my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me,
but they have never defeated me.
3 My back is covered with cuts,
as if a farmer had plowed long furrows.
4 But the Lord is good;
he has cut me free from the ropes of the ungodly.
5 May all who hate Jerusalem[a]
be turned back in shameful defeat.
6 May they be as useless as grass on a rooftop,
turning yellow when only half grown,
7 ignored by the harvester,
despised by the binder.
8 And may those who pass by
refuse to give them this blessing:
“The Lord bless you;
we bless you in the Lord’s name.”
Psalm 130
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
1 From the depths of despair, O Lord,
I call for your help.
2 Hear my cry, O Lord.
Pay attention to my prayer.
3 Lord, if you kept a record of our sins,
who, O Lord, could ever survive?
4 But you offer forgiveness,
that we might learn to fear you.
5 I am counting on the Lord;
yes, I am counting on him.
I have put my hope in his word.
6 I long for the Lord
more than sentries long for the dawn,
yes, more than sentries long for the dawn.
7 O Israel, hope in the Lord;
for with the Lord there is unfailing love.
His redemption overflows.
8 He himself will redeem Israel
from every kind of sin.
Psalm 131
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. A psalm of David.
1 Lord, my heart is not proud;
my eyes are not haughty.
I don’t concern myself with matters too great
or too awesome for me to grasp.
2 Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself,
like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk.
Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.
3 O Israel, put your hope in the Lord—
now and always.
Psalm 132
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
1 Lord, remember David
and all that he suffered.
2 He made a solemn promise to the Lord.
He vowed to the Mighty One of Israel,[b]
3 “I will not go home;
I will not let myself rest.
4 I will not let my eyes sleep
nor close my eyelids in slumber
5 until I find a place to build a house for the Lord,
a sanctuary for the Mighty One of Israel.”
6 We heard that the Ark was in Ephrathah;
then we found it in the distant countryside of Jaar.
7 Let us go to the sanctuary of the Lord;
let us worship at the footstool of his throne.
8 Arise, O Lord, and enter your resting place,
along with the Ark, the symbol of your power.
9 May your priests be clothed in godliness;
may your loyal servants sing for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David,
do not reject the king you have anointed.
11 The Lord swore an oath to David
with a promise he will never take back:
“I will place one of your descendants
on your throne.
12 If your descendants obey the terms of my covenant
and the laws that I teach them,
then your royal line
will continue forever and ever.”
13 For the Lord has chosen Jerusalem[c];
he has desired it for his home.
14 “This is my resting place forever,” he said.
“I will live here, for this is the home I desired.
15 I will bless this city and make it prosperous;
I will satisfy its poor with food.
16 I will clothe its priests with godliness;
its faithful servants will sing for joy.
17 Here I will increase the power of David;
my anointed one will be a light for my people.
18 I will clothe his enemies with shame,
but he will be a glorious king.”
Psalm 133
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. A psalm of David.
1 How wonderful and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in harmony!
2 For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil
that was poured over Aaron’s head,
that ran down his beard
and onto the border of his robe.
3 Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon
that falls on the mountains of Zion.
And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing,
even life everlasting.
Psalm 134
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
1 Oh, praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
you who serve at night in the house of the Lord.
2 Lift your hands toward the sanctuary,
and praise the Lord.
3 May the Lord, who made heaven and earth,
bless you from Jerusalem.[d]
Psalm 135
1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord!
Praise him, you who serve the Lord,
2 you who serve in the house of the Lord,
in the courts of the house of our God.
3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
celebrate his lovely name with music.
4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel for his own special treasure.
5 I know the greatness of the Lord—
that our Lord is greater than any other god.
6 The Lord does whatever pleases him
throughout all heaven and earth,
and on the seas and in their depths.
7 He causes the clouds to rise over the whole earth.
He sends the lightning with the rain
and releases the wind from his storehouses.
8 He destroyed the firstborn in each Egyptian home,
both people and animals.
9 He performed miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt
against Pharaoh and all his people.
10 He struck down great nations
and slaughtered mighty kings—
11 Sihon king of the Amorites,
Og king of Bashan,
and all the kings of Canaan.
12 He gave their land as an inheritance,
a special possession to his people Israel.
13 Your name, O Lord, endures forever;
your fame, O Lord, is known to every generation.
14 For the Lord will give justice to his people
and have compassion on his servants.
15 The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold,
shaped by human hands.
16 They have mouths but cannot speak,
and eyes but cannot see.
17 They have ears but cannot hear,
and mouths but cannot breathe.
18 And those who make idols are just like them,
as are all who trust in them.
19 O Israel, praise the Lord!
O priests—descendants of Aaron—praise the Lord!
20 O Levites, praise the Lord!
All you who fear the Lord, praise the Lord!
21 The Lord be praised from Zion,
for he lives here in Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 136
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods.
His faithful love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords.
His faithful love endures forever.
4 Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles.
His faithful love endures forever.
5 Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully.
His faithful love endures forever.
6 Give thanks to him who placed the earth among the waters.
His faithful love endures forever.
7 Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights—
His faithful love endures forever.
8 the sun to rule the day,
His faithful love endures forever.
9 and the moon and stars to rule the night.
His faithful love endures forever.
10 Give thanks to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt.
His faithful love endures forever.
11 He brought Israel out of Egypt.
His faithful love endures forever.
12 He acted with a strong hand and powerful arm.
His faithful love endures forever.
13 Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea.[e]
His faithful love endures forever.
14 He led Israel safely through,
His faithful love endures forever.
15 but he hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.
His faithful love endures forever.
16 Give thanks to him who led his people through the wilderness.
His faithful love endures forever.
17 Give thanks to him who struck down mighty kings.
His faithful love endures forever.
18 He killed powerful kings—
His faithful love endures forever.
19 Sihon king of the Amorites,
His faithful love endures forever.
20 and Og king of Bashan.
His faithful love endures forever.
21 God gave the land of these kings as an inheritance—
His faithful love endures forever.
22 a special possession to his servant Israel.
His faithful love endures forever.
23 He remembered us in our weakness.
His faithful love endures forever.
24 He saved us from our enemies.
His faithful love endures forever.
25 He gives food to every living thing.
His faithful love endures forever.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His faithful love endures forever.
Psalm 137
1 Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept
as we thought of Jerusalem.[f]
2 We put away our harps,
hanging them on the branches of poplar trees.
3 For our captors demanded a song from us.
Our tormentors insisted on a joyful hymn:
“Sing us one of those songs of Jerusalem!”
4 But how can we sing the songs of the Lord
while in a pagan land?
5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
let my right hand forget how to play the harp.
6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth
if I fail to remember you,
if I don’t make Jerusalem my greatest joy.
7 O Lord, remember what the Edomites did
on the day the armies of Babylon captured Jerusalem.
“Destroy it!” they yelled.
“Level it to the ground!”
8 O Babylon, you will be destroyed.
Happy is the one who pays you back
for what you have done to us.
9 Happy is the one who takes your babies
and smashes them against the rocks!
Psalm 138
A psalm of David.
1 I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart;
I will sing your praises before the gods.
2 I bow before your holy Temple as I worship.
I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness;
for your promises are backed
by all the honor of your name.
3 As soon as I pray, you answer me;
you encourage me by giving me strength.
4 Every king in all the earth will thank you, Lord,
for all of them will hear your words.
5 Yes, they will sing about the Lord’s ways,
for the glory of the Lord is very great.
6 Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble,
but he keeps his distance from the proud.
7 Though I am surrounded by troubles,
you will protect me from the anger of my enemies.
You reach out your hand,
and the power of your right hand saves me.
8 The Lord will work out his plans for my life—
for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.
Don’t abandon me, for you made me.
Psalm 128-138
New International Version
Psalm 128-138
New International Version
Psalm 128
A song of ascents.
1 Blessed are all who fear the Lord,(A)
who walk in obedience to him.(B)
2 You will eat the fruit of your labor;(C)
blessings and prosperity(D) will be yours.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine(E)
within your house;
your children(F) will be like olive shoots(G)
around your table.
4 Yes, this will be the blessing(H)
for the man who fears the Lord.(I)
5 May the Lord bless you from Zion;(J)
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem(K)
all the days of your life.
6 May you live to see your children’s children—(L)
peace be on Israel.(M)
Psalm 129
A song of ascents.
1 “They have greatly oppressed(N) me from my youth,”(O)
let Israel say;(P)
2 “they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,
but they have not gained the victory(Q) over me.
3 Plowmen have plowed my back
and made their furrows long.
4 But the Lord is righteous;(R)
he has cut me free(S) from the cords of the wicked.”(T)
5 May all who hate Zion(U)
be turned back in shame.(V)
6 May they be like grass on the roof,(W)
which withers(X) before it can grow;
7 a reaper cannot fill his hands with it,(Y)
nor one who gathers fill his arms.
8 May those who pass by not say to them,
“The blessing of the Lord be on you;
we bless you(Z) in the name of the Lord.”
Psalm 130
A song of ascents.
1 Out of the depths(AA) I cry to you,(AB) Lord;
2 Lord, hear my voice.(AC)
Let your ears be attentive(AD)
to my cry for mercy.(AE)
3 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
Lord, who could stand?(AF)
4 But with you there is forgiveness,(AG)
so that we can, with reverence, serve you.(AH)
5 I wait for the Lord,(AI) my whole being waits,(AJ)
and in his word(AK) I put my hope.
6 I wait for the Lord
more than watchmen(AL) wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.(AM)
7 Israel, put your hope(AN) in the Lord,
for with the Lord is unfailing love(AO)
and with him is full redemption.(AP)
8 He himself will redeem(AQ) Israel
from all their sins.(AR)
Psalm 131
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 My heart is not proud,(AS) Lord,
my eyes are not haughty;(AT)
I do not concern myself with great matters(AU)
or things too wonderful for me.(AV)
2 But I have calmed and quieted myself,(AW)
I am like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child I am content.(AX)
Psalm 132(BA)
A song of ascents.
1 Lord, remember David
and all his self-denial.(BB)
2 He swore an oath to the Lord,
he made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:(BC)
3 “I will not enter my house(BD)
or go to my bed,
4 I will allow no sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
5 till I find a place(BE) for the Lord,
a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 We heard it in Ephrathah,(BF)
we came upon it in the fields of Jaar:[a](BG)
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place,(BH)
let us worship at his footstool,(BI) saying,
8 ‘Arise, Lord,(BJ) and come to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might.
9 May your priests be clothed with your righteousness;(BK)
may your faithful people(BL) sing for joy.’”
10 For the sake of your servant David,
do not reject your anointed one.
11 The Lord swore an oath to David,(BM)
a sure oath he will not revoke:
“One of your own descendants(BN)
I will place on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant(BO)
and the statutes I teach them,
then their sons will sit
on your throne(BP) for ever and ever.”
13 For the Lord has chosen Zion,(BQ)
he has desired it for his dwelling,(BR) saying,
14 “This is my resting place for ever and ever;(BS)
here I will sit enthroned,(BT) for I have desired it.
15 I will bless her with abundant provisions;
her poor I will satisfy with food.(BU)
16 I will clothe her priests(BV) with salvation,
and her faithful people will ever sing for joy.(BW)
17 “Here I will make a horn[b] grow(BX) for David
and set up a lamp(BY) for my anointed one.(BZ)
18 I will clothe his enemies with shame,(CA)
but his head will be adorned with a radiant crown.”(CB)
Psalm 133
A song of ascents. Of David.
2 It is like precious oil poured on the head,(CE)
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(CF) of Hermon(CG)
were falling on Mount Zion.(CH)
For there the Lord bestows his blessing,(CI)
even life forevermore.(CJ)
Psalm 134
A song of ascents.
1 Praise the Lord, all you servants(CK) of the Lord
who minister(CL) by night(CM) in the house of the Lord.
2 Lift up your hands(CN) in the sanctuary(CO)
and praise the Lord.(CP)
Psalm 135(CS)
1 Praise the Lord.[c]
Praise the name of the Lord;
praise him, you servants(CT) of the Lord,
2 you who minister in the house(CU) of the Lord,
in the courts(CV) of the house of our God.
3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;(CW)
sing praise to his name,(CX) for that is pleasant.(CY)
4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob(CZ) to be his own,
Israel to be his treasured possession.(DA)
5 I know that the Lord is great,(DB)
that our Lord is greater than all gods.(DC)
6 The Lord does whatever pleases him,(DD)
in the heavens and on the earth,(DE)
in the seas and all their depths.
7 He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth;
he sends lightning with the rain(DF)
and brings out the wind(DG) from his storehouses.(DH)
8 He struck down the firstborn(DI) of Egypt,
the firstborn of people and animals.
9 He sent his signs(DJ) and wonders into your midst, Egypt,
against Pharaoh and all his servants.(DK)
10 He struck down many(DL) nations
and killed mighty kings—
11 Sihon(DM) king of the Amorites,(DN)
Og king of Bashan,(DO)
and all the kings of Canaan(DP)—
12 and he gave their land as an inheritance,(DQ)
an inheritance to his people Israel.
13 Your name, Lord, endures forever,(DR)
your renown,(DS) Lord, through all generations.
14 For the Lord will vindicate his people(DT)
and have compassion on his servants.(DU)
15 The idols of the nations(DV) are silver and gold,
made by human hands.(DW)
16 They have mouths, but cannot speak,(DX)
eyes, but cannot see.
17 They have ears, but cannot hear,
nor is there breath(DY) 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;(DZ)
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,(EA)
to him who dwells in Jerusalem.(EB)
Praise the Lord.
Psalm 136
1 Give thanks(EC) to the Lord, for he is good.(ED)
His love endures forever.(EE)
2 Give thanks(EF) to the God of gods.(EG)
His love endures forever.
3 Give thanks(EH) to the Lord of lords:(EI)
His love endures forever.
4 to him who alone does great wonders,(EJ)
His love endures forever.
5 who by his understanding(EK) made the heavens,(EL)
His love endures forever.
6 who spread out the earth(EM) upon the waters,(EN)
His love endures forever.
7 who made the great lights(EO)—
His love endures forever.
8 the sun to govern(EP) 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(EQ) of Egypt
His love endures forever.
11 and brought Israel out(ER) from among them
His love endures forever.
12 with a mighty hand(ES) and outstretched arm;(ET)
His love endures forever.
13 to him who divided the Red Sea[d](EU) asunder
His love endures forever.
14 and brought Israel through(EV) the midst of it,
His love endures forever.
15 but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;(EW)
His love endures forever.
16 to him who led his people through the wilderness;(EX)
His love endures forever.
17 to him who struck down great kings,(EY)
His love endures forever.
18 and killed mighty kings(EZ)—
His love endures forever.
19 Sihon king of the Amorites(FA)
His love endures forever.
20 and Og king of Bashan(FB)—
His love endures forever.
21 and gave their land(FC) as an inheritance,(FD)
His love endures forever.
22 an inheritance(FE) to his servant Israel.(FF)
His love endures forever.
23 He remembered us(FG) in our low estate
His love endures forever.
24 and freed us(FH) from our enemies.(FI)
His love endures forever.
25 He gives food(FJ) to every creature.
His love endures forever.
Psalm 137
1 By the rivers of Babylon(FN) we sat and wept(FO)
when we remembered Zion.(FP)
2 There on the poplars(FQ)
we hung our harps,(FR)
3 for there our captors(FS) asked us for songs,
our tormentors demanded(FT) songs of joy;
they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”(FU)
4 How can we sing the songs of the Lord(FV)
while in a foreign land?
5 If I forget you,(FW) Jerusalem,
may my right hand forget its skill.
6 May my tongue cling to the roof(FX) of my mouth
if I do not remember(FY) you,
if I do not consider Jerusalem(FZ)
my highest joy.
7 Remember, Lord, what the Edomites(GA) did
on the day Jerusalem fell.(GB)
“Tear it down,” they cried,
“tear it down to its foundations!”(GC)
8 Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction,(GD)
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(GE) against the rocks.
Psalm 138
Of David.
1 I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
before the “gods”(GF) I will sing(GG) your praise.
2 I will bow down toward your holy temple(GH)
and will praise your name(GI)
for your unfailing love and your faithfulness,(GJ)
for you have so exalted your solemn decree
that it surpasses your fame.(GK)
3 When I called,(GL) you answered me;(GM)
you greatly emboldened(GN) me.
4 May all the kings of the earth(GO) praise you, Lord,
when they hear what you have decreed.
5 May they sing(GP) of the ways of the Lord,
for the glory of the Lord(GQ) is great.
6 Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;(GR)
though lofty, he sees them(GS) from afar.
7 Though I walk(GT) in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life.(GU)
You stretch out your hand(GV) against the anger of my foes;(GW)
with your right hand(GX) you save me.(GY)
8 The Lord will vindicate(GZ) me;
your love, Lord, endures forever(HA)—
do not abandon(HB) the works of your hands.(HC)
Footnotes
- Psalm 132:6 Or heard of it in Ephrathah, / we found it in the fields of Jearim. (See 1 Chron. 13:5,6) (And no quotation marks around verses 7-9)
- Psalm 132:17 Horn here symbolizes strong one, that is, king.
- Psalm 135:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verses 3 and 21
- Psalm 136:13 Or the Sea of Reeds; also in verse 15
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. 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.