Psalm 133-139

English Standard Version

When Brothers Dwell in Unity

A Song of ^(A)Ascents. Of David.

133 Behold, how good and pleasant it is
    when ^(B)brothers dwell in unity!^[a]
²It is like the precious ^(C)oil on ^(D)the head,
    running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
    running down on ^(E)the collar of his robes!
³It is like ^(F)the dew of ^(G)Hermon,
    which falls on ^(H)the mountains of Zion!
For there the Lord ^(I)has commanded the blessing,
    life forevermore.

Come, Bless the Lord

A Song of ^(J)Ascents.

134 Come, bless the Lord, all you ^(K)servants of the Lord,
who ^(L)stand ^(M)by night in the house of the Lord!
²^(N)Lift up your hands to ^(O)the holy place
and bless the Lord!

³May the Lord ^(P)bless you ^(Q)from Zion,
he who ^(R)made heaven and earth!

Your Name, O Lord, Endures Forever

135 ^(S)Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord,
    give praise, O ^(T)servants of the Lord,
²who ^(U)stand in the house of the Lord,
    in ^(V)the courts of the house of our God!
³Praise the Lord, for ^(W)the Lord is good;
    sing to his name, ^(X)for it is pleasant!^[b]
⁴For the Lord has ^(Y)chosen Jacob for himself,
    Israel as his ^(Z)own possession.

⁵For I know that ^(AA)the Lord is great,
    and that our Lord is above all gods.
⁶^(AB)Whatever the Lord pleases, he does,
    in heaven and on earth,
    in the seas and all deeps.
⁷^(AC)He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,
    who ^(AD)makes lightnings for the rain
    and brings forth the wind from his ^(AE)storehouses.

⁸He it was who ^(AF)struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
    both of man and of beast;
⁹who in your midst, O Egypt,
    sent ^(AG)signs and wonders
    against Pharaoh and all his servants;
¹⁰^(AH)who struck down many nations
    and killed mighty kings,
¹¹^(AI)Sihon, king of the Amorites,
    and ^(AJ)Og, king of Bashan,
    and ^(AK)all the kingdoms of Canaan,
¹²and ^(AL)gave their land as a heritage,
    a heritage to his people Israel.

¹³^(AM)Your name, O Lord, endures forever,
^(AN)your renown,^[c] O Lord, throughout all ages.
¹⁴^(AO)For the Lord will vindicate his people
and ^(AP)have compassion on his servants.

¹⁵^(AQ)The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
    the work of human hands.
¹⁶They have mouths, but do not speak;
    they have eyes, but do not see;
¹⁷they have ears, but do not hear,
    nor is there any breath in their mouths.
¹⁸Those who make them become like them,
    so do all who trust in them.

¹⁹^(AR)O house of Israel, bless the Lord!
    O house of Aaron, bless the Lord!
²⁰O house of Levi, bless the Lord!
    You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!
²¹Blessed be the Lord ^(AS)from Zion,
    he who ^(AT)dwells in Jerusalem!
^(AU)Praise the Lord!

His Steadfast Love Endures Forever

136 ^(AV)Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
    ^(AW)for his steadfast love endures forever.
²Give thanks to ^(AX)the God of gods,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.
³Give thanks to ^(AY)the Lord of lords,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

⁴to him who alone ^(AZ)does great wonders,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁵to him who ^(BA)by understanding ^(BB)made the heavens,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁶to him who ^(BC)spread out the earth ^(BD)above the waters,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁷to him who ^(BE)made the great lights,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁸the sun to rule over the day,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁹the moon and stars to rule over the night,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

¹⁰to him who ^(BF)struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹¹and ^(BG)brought Israel out from among them,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹²with ^(BH)a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹³to him who ^(BI)divided the Red Sea in two,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁴^(BJ)and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁵but ^(BK)overthrew^[d] Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁶to him who ^(BL)led his people through the wilderness,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

¹⁷to him ^(BM)who struck down great kings,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁸and killed mighty kings,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁹Sihon, king of the Amorites,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
²⁰and Og, king of Bashan,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
²¹and gave their land as a heritage,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
²²a heritage to Israel his ^(BN)servant,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.

²³It is he who ^(BO)remembered us in our low estate,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
²⁴and ^(BP)rescued us from our foes,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
²⁵he who ^(BQ)gives food to all flesh,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.

²⁶Give thanks to ^(BR)the God of heaven,
for his steadfast love endures forever.

How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song?

137 By the waters of Babylon,
    there we sat down and wept,
    when we remembered Zion.
²On the willows^[e] there
    we hung up our lyres.
³For there our captors
    required of us songs,
and our tormentors, mirth, saying,
    “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

⁴^(BS)How shall we sing the Lord's song
    in a foreign land?
⁵If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
    ^(BT)let my right hand forget its skill!
⁶Let my ^(BU)tongue stick to the roof of my mouth,
    if I do not remember you,
if I do not set Jerusalem
    above my highest joy!

⁷Remember, O Lord, against the ^(BV)Edomites
    ^(BW)the day of Jerusalem,
how they said, ^(BX)“Lay it bare, lay it bare,
    down to its foundations!”
⁸O daughter of Babylon, ^(BY)doomed to be destroyed,
    blessed shall he be who ^(BZ)repays you
    with what you have done to us!
⁹Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones
    and ^(CA)dashes them against the rock!

Give Thanks to the Lord

Of David.

138 ^(CB)I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
    before ^(CC)the gods I sing your praise;
²I bow down ^(CD)toward your ^(CE)holy temple
    and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
    for you have exalted above all things
    your name and your word.^[f]
³On the day I called, you answered me;
    my strength of soul you increased.^[g]

⁴^(CF)All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord,
    for they have heard the words of your mouth,
⁵and they shall sing of ^(CG)the ways of the Lord,
    for great is the glory of the Lord.
⁶^(CH)For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly,
    but the haughty he knows from afar.

⁷^(CI)Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
    you ^(CJ)preserve my life;
you ^(CK)stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
    and your ^(CL)right hand delivers me.
⁸The Lord will ^(CM)fulfill his purpose for me;
    ^(CN)your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
    Do not forsake ^(CO)the work of your hands.

Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

139 O Lord, you have ^(CP)searched me and known me!
²You ^(CQ)know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    you ^(CR)discern my thoughts from afar.
³You search out my path and my lying down
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
⁴Even before a word is on my tongue,
    behold, O Lord, ^(CS)you know it altogether.
⁵You ^(CT)hem me in, behind and before,
    and ^(CU)lay your hand upon me.
⁶^(CV)Such knowledge is ^(CW)too wonderful for me;
    it is high; I cannot attain it.

⁷^(CX)Where shall I go from your Spirit?
    Or where ^(CY)shall I flee from your presence?
⁸^(CZ)If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
    ^(DA)If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
⁹If I take the wings of the morning
    and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
¹⁰even there your hand shall ^(DB)lead me,
    and your right hand shall hold me.
¹¹If I say, ^(DC)“Surely the darkness shall cover me,
    and the light about me be night,”
¹²^(DD)even the darkness is not dark to you;
    the night is bright as the day,
    for darkness is as light with you.

¹³For you ^(DE)formed my inward parts;
    you ^(DF)knitted me together in my mother's womb.
¹⁴I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.^[h]
^(DG)Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.
¹⁵^(DH)My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in ^(DI)the depths of the earth.
¹⁶Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your ^(DJ)book were written, every one of them,
    the days that were formed for me,
    when as yet there was none of them.

¹⁷How precious to me are your ^(DK)thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸^(DL)If I would count them, they are more than ^(DM)the sand.
I awake, and I am still with you.

¹⁹Oh that you would ^(DN)slay the wicked, O God!
    O ^(DO)men of blood, ^(DP)depart from me!
²⁰They ^(DQ)speak against you with malicious intent;
    your enemies ^(DR)take your name in vain.^[i]
²¹^(DS)Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?
    And do I not ^(DT)loathe those who ^(DU)rise up against you?
²²I hate them with complete hatred;
    I count them my enemies.

²³Search me, O God, and know my heart!
^(DV)Try me and know my thoughts!^[j]
²⁴And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and ^(DW)lead me in ^(DX)the way everlasting!^[k]

Footnotes

Psalm 133:1 Or dwell together
Psalm 135:3 Or for he is beautiful
Psalm 135:13 Or remembrance
Psalm 136:15 Hebrew shook off
Psalm 137:2 Or poplars
Psalm 138:2 Or you have exalted your word above all your name
Psalm 138:3 Hebrew you made me bold in my soul with strength
Psalm 139:14 Or for I am fearfully set apart
Psalm 139:20 Hebrew lacks your name
Psalm 139:23 Or cares
Psalm 139:24 Or in the ancient way (compare Jeremiah 6:16)

Psalm 133-139

New International Version

Psalm 133

A song of ascents. Of David.

¹How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together^(A) in unity!^(B)

²It 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.
³It 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.

¹Praise the Lord, all you servants^(I) of the Lord
who minister^(J) by night^(K) in the house of the Lord.
²Lift up your hands^(L) in the sanctuary^(M)
and praise the Lord.^(N)

³May the Lord bless you from Zion,^(O)
he who is the Maker of heaven^(P) and earth.

Psalm 135^(Q)

¹Praise the Lord.^[a]

Praise the name of the Lord;
praise him, you servants^(R) of the Lord,
²you who minister in the house^(S) of the Lord,
in the courts^(T) of the house of our God.

³Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;^(U)
sing praise to his name,^(V) for that is pleasant.^(W)
⁴For the Lord has chosen Jacob^(X) to be his own,
Israel to be his treasured possession.^(Y)

⁵I know that the Lord is great,^(Z)
    that our Lord is greater than all gods.^(AA)
⁶The Lord does whatever pleases him,^(AB)
    in the heavens and on the earth,^(AC)
    in the seas and all their depths.
⁷He 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)

⁸He struck down the firstborn^(AG) of Egypt,
    the firstborn of people and animals.
⁹He sent his signs^(AH) and wonders into your midst, Egypt,
    against Pharaoh and all his servants.^(AI)
¹⁰He struck down many^(AJ) nations
    and killed mighty kings—
¹¹Sihon^(AK) king of the Amorites,^(AL)
    Og king of Bashan,^(AM)
    and all the kings of Canaan^(AN)—
¹²and he gave their land as an inheritance,^(AO)
    an inheritance to his people Israel.

¹³Your name, Lord, endures forever,^(AP)
your renown,^(AQ) Lord, through all generations.
¹⁴For the Lord will vindicate his people^(AR)
and have compassion on his servants.^(AS)

¹⁵The idols of the nations^(AT) are silver and gold,
    made by human hands.^(AU)
¹⁶They have mouths, but cannot speak,^(AV)
    eyes, but cannot see.
¹⁷They have ears, but cannot hear,
    nor is there breath^(AW) in their mouths.
¹⁸Those who make them will be like them,
    and so will all who trust in them.

¹⁹All you Israelites, praise the Lord;^(AX)
    house of Aaron, praise the Lord;
²⁰house of Levi, praise the Lord;
    you who fear him, praise the Lord.
²¹Praise be to the Lord from Zion,^(AY)
    to him who dwells in Jerusalem.^(AZ)

Praise the Lord.

Psalm 136

¹Give thanks^(BA) to the Lord, for he is good.^(BB)
His love endures forever.^(BC)
²Give thanks^(BD) to the God of gods.^(BE)
His love endures forever.
³Give thanks^(BF) to the Lord of lords:^(BG)
His love endures forever.

⁴to him who alone does great wonders,^(BH)
His love endures forever.
⁵who by his understanding^(BI) made the heavens,^(BJ)
His love endures forever.
⁶who spread out the earth^(BK) upon the waters,^(BL)
His love endures forever.
⁷who made the great lights^(BM)—
His love endures forever.
⁸the sun to govern^(BN) the day,
His love endures forever.
⁹the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.

¹⁰to him who struck down the firstborn^(BO) of Egypt
His love endures forever.
¹¹and brought Israel out^(BP) from among them
His love endures forever.
¹²with a mighty hand^(BQ) and outstretched arm;^(BR)
His love endures forever.

¹³to him who divided the Red Sea^[b]^(BS) asunder
His love endures forever.
¹⁴and brought Israel through^(BT) the midst of it,
His love endures forever.
¹⁵but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;^(BU)
His love endures forever.

¹⁶to him who led his people through the wilderness;^(BV)
His love endures forever.

¹⁷to him who struck down great kings,^(BW)
His love endures forever.
¹⁸and killed mighty kings^(BX)—
His love endures forever.
¹⁹Sihon king of the Amorites^(BY)
His love endures forever.
²⁰and Og king of Bashan^(BZ)—
His love endures forever.
²¹and gave their land^(CA) as an inheritance,^(CB)
His love endures forever.
²²an inheritance^(CC) to his servant Israel.^(CD)
His love endures forever.

²³He remembered us^(CE) in our low estate
His love endures forever.
²⁴and freed us^(CF) from our enemies.^(CG)
His love endures forever.
²⁵He gives food^(CH) to every creature.
His love endures forever.

²⁶Give thanks^(CI) to the God of heaven.^(CJ)
His love endures forever.^(CK)

Psalm 137

¹By the rivers of Babylon^(CL) we sat and wept^(CM)
    when we remembered Zion.^(CN)
²There on the poplars^(CO)
    we hung our harps,^(CP)
³for 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)

⁴How can we sing the songs of the Lord^(CT)
    while in a foreign land?
⁵If I forget you,^(CU) Jerusalem,
    may my right hand forget its skill.
⁶May 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.

⁷Remember, Lord, what the Edomites^(CY) did
    on the day Jerusalem fell.^(CZ)
“Tear it down,” they cried,
    “tear it down to its foundations!”^(DA)
⁸Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction,^(DB)
    happy is the one who repays you
    according to what you have done to us.
⁹Happy is the one who seizes your infants
    and dashes them^(DC) against the rocks.

Psalm 138

Of David.

¹I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
    before the “gods”^(DD) I will sing^(DE) your praise.
²I 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)
³When I called,^(DJ) you answered me;^(DK)
    you greatly emboldened^(DL) me.

⁴May all the kings of the earth^(DM) praise you, Lord,
when they hear what you have decreed.
⁵May they sing^(DN) of the ways of the Lord,
for the glory of the Lord^(DO) is great.

⁶Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;^(DP)
    though lofty, he sees them^(DQ) from afar.
⁷Though 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)
⁸The 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.

¹You have searched me,^(EB) Lord,
    and you know^(EC) me.
²You know when I sit and when I rise;^(ED)
    you perceive my thoughts^(EE) from afar.
³You discern my going out^(EF) and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.^(EG)
⁴Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.^(EH)
⁵You hem me in^(EI) behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,^(EJ)
    too lofty^(EK) for me to attain.

⁷Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee^(EL) from your presence?
⁸If I go up to the heavens,^(EM) you are there;
    if I make my bed^(EN) in the depths, you are there.
⁹If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰even there your hand will guide me,^(EO)
    your right hand^(EP) will hold me fast.
¹¹If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
¹²even the darkness will not be dark^(EQ) to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

¹³For you created my inmost being;^(ER)
    you knit me together^(ES) in my mother’s womb.^(ET)
¹⁴I praise you^(EU) because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,^(EV)
    I know that full well.
¹⁵My 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)
¹⁶Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained^(EZ) for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
¹⁷How precious to me are your thoughts,^[c]^(FA) God!^(FB)
    How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸Were I to count them,^(FC)
    they would outnumber the grains of sand^(FD)—
    when I awake,^(FE) I am still with you.

¹⁹If only you, God, would slay the wicked!^(FF)
    Away from me,^(FG) you who are bloodthirsty!^(FH)
²⁰They speak of you with evil intent;
    your adversaries^(FI) misuse your name.^(FJ)
²¹Do I not hate those^(FK) who hate you, Lord,
    and abhor^(FL) those who are in rebellion against you?
²²I have nothing but hatred for them;
    I count them my enemies.^(FM)
²³Search me,^(FN) God, and know my heart;^(FO)
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴See 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

English Standard Version (ESV)

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 133-139

English Standard Version

When Brothers Dwell in Unity

A Song of ^(A)Ascents. Of David.

Come, Bless the Lord

A Song of ^(J)Ascents.

Your Name, O Lord, Endures Forever

His Steadfast Love Endures Forever

How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song?

Give Thanks to the Lord

Of David.

Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 133-139

New International Version

Psalm 133

A song of ascents. Of David.

Psalm 134

A song of ascents.

Psalm 135^(Q)

Psalm 136

Psalm 137

Psalm 138

Of David.

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 133-139 English Standard Version

When Brothers Dwell in Unity

A Song of (A)Ascents. Of David.

Come, Bless the Lord

A Song of (J)Ascents.

Your Name, O Lord, Endures Forever

His Steadfast Love Endures Forever

How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song?

Give Thanks to the Lord

Of David.

Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 133-139 New International Version

Psalm 133

A song of ascents. Of David.

Psalm 134

A song of ascents.

Psalm 135(Q)

Psalm 136

Psalm 137

Psalm 138

Of David.

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 133-139

English Standard Version

A Song of ^(A)Ascents. Of David.

A Song of ^(J)Ascents.

Psalm 133-139

New International Version

Psalm 135^(Q)