Beginning
The Impotence of Idols
115 Not to us, Lord, not to us,
but to your name be given glory
on account of your gracious love and faithfulness.
2 Why should the nations ask
“Where now is their God?”
3 when our God is in the heavens
and he does whatever he desires?
4 Their idols are silver and gold,
crafted by human hands.
5 They have mouths, but cannot speak;
they have eyes, but cannot see.
6 They have ears, but cannot hear;
they have noses, but cannot smell.
7 They have hands, but cannot touch;
feet, but cannot walk;
they cannot even groan with their throats.
8 Those who craft them will become like them,
as will all those who trust in them.
9 Israel, trust in the Lord!
He is their helper and shield.
10 House of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
He is their helper and shield.
11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!
He is their helper and shield.
12 The Lord remembers and blesses us.
He will indeed bless the house of Israel;
he will bless the house of Aaron.
13 He will bless those who fear the Lord,
both the important and the insignificant together.
14 May the Lord add to your numbers—
to you and to your descendants.
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
who made the heavens and the earth.
16 The highest heavens[a] belong to the Lord,
but he gave the earth to human beings.
17 Neither can the dead praise the Lord,
nor those who go down into the silence of death.[b]
18 But we will bless the Lord
from now to eternity.
Hallelujah!
God, My Deliverer
116 I love the Lord
because he has heard my prayer for mercy;[c]
2 for he listens to me whenever I call.
3 The ropes of death were wound around me
and the anguish of Sheol[d] came upon me;
I encountered distress and sorrow.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord,
“Lord, please deliver me!”[e]
5 The Lord is gracious and righteous;
our God is compassionate;
6 the Lord watches over the innocent;[f]
I was brought low, and he delivered me.
7 Return to your resting place, my soul,
for the Lord treated you generously.
8 Indeed, you delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from crying,[g]
and my feet from stumbling.
9 I will walk in the Lord’s presence
in the lands of the living.
10 I will continue to believe, even when I say,
“I am greatly afflicted”
11 and speak hastily,
“All people are liars!”
12 What will I return to the Lord
for all his benefits to me?
13 I will raise my cup of deliverance
and invoke the Lord’s name.
14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.
15 In the sight of the Lord,
the death of his faithful ones is valued.
16 Lord, I am indeed your servant.
I am your servant.
I am the son of your handmaid.
You have released my bonds.
17 I will bring you a thanksgiving offering
and call on the name of the Lord!
18 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts of the Lord’s house,
in your midst, Jerusalem.
Hallelujah!
A Call to Praise the Lord
117 Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Exalt him, all you peoples!
2 For great is his gracious love toward us,
and the Lord’s faithfulness is eternal.
Hallelujah!
Thanksgiving to God
118 Give thanks to the Lord,
for he is good;
his gracious love is eternal.
2 Let Israel now say,
“His gracious love is eternal.”
3 Let the house of Aaron now say,
“His gracious love is eternal.”
4 Let those who fear the Lord now say,
“His gracious love is eternal.”
5 I called on the Lord in my distress;
the Lord answered me openly.[h]
6 The Lord is with me.
I will not be afraid.
What can people do to me?
7 With the Lord beside me as my helper,
I will triumph over those who hate me.
8 It is better to take shelter[i] in the Lord
than to trust in people.
9 It is better to take shelter[j] in the Lord
than to trust in princes.
10 All the nations surrounded me;
but in the name of the Lord I will defeat them.
11 They surrounded me, they are around me;
but in the name of the Lord I will defeat them.
12 They surrounded me like bees;
but they will be extinguished like[k] burning thorns.
In the name of the Lord I will defeat them.
13 Indeed, you[l] oppressed me so much that I nearly fell,
but the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord is my strength and protector,[m]
for he has become my deliverer.[n]
15 There’s exultation[o] for deliverance in the tents of the righteous:
“The right hand of the Lord is victorious![p]
16 The right hand of the Lord is exalted!
The right hand of the Lord is victorious!”[q]
17 I will not die, but I will live
to recount the deeds of the Lord.
18 The Lord will discipline me severely,
but he won’t hand me over to die.
19 Open for me the righteous gates
so I may enter through them to give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the Lord’s gate—
The righteous will enter through it.
21 I will praise you because you have answered me
and have become my deliverer.
22 The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
23 This is from the Lord—
it is awesome in our sight.
24 This is the day that the Lord has made;
let’s rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Please Lord, deliver us!
Please Lord, hurry[r] and bring success now!
26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Let us bless you from the Lord’s house.
27 The Lord is God—he will be our light!
Bind the festival sacrifice with ropes
to the horn at the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise you;
my God, and I will exalt you.
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good
and his gracious love is eternal.
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.