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Psalms 136
God’s Love Never Fails
1 O give praise to the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 2 O give praise to the God of gods: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 3 O give praise to the Lord of lords: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 4 To him who only does great wonders: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 5 To him who by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 6 To him by whom the earth was stretched out over the waters: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 7 To him who made great lights: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 8 The sun to have rule by day: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 9 The moon and the stars to have rule by night: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 10 To him who put to death the first-fruits of Egypt: for his mercy is unchanging for ever: 11 And took out Israel from among them: for his mercy is unchanging for ever: 12 With a strong hand and an outstretched arm: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 13 To him who made a way through the Red Sea: for his mercy is unchanging for ever: 14 And let Israel go through it: for his mercy is unchanging for ever: 15 By him Pharaoh and his army were overturned in the Red Sea: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 16 To him who took his people through the waste land: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 17 To him who overcame great kings: for his mercy is unchanging for ever: 18 And put noble kings to death: for his mercy is unchanging for ever: 19 Sihon, king of the Amorites: for his mercy is unchanging for ever: 20 And Og, king of Bashan: for his mercy is unchanging for ever: 21 And gave their land to his people for a heritage: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 22 Even a heritage for his servant Israel: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 23 Who kept us in mind when we were in trouble: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 24 And has taken us out of the hands of our haters: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 25 Who gives food to all flesh: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 26 O give praise to the God of heaven: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. ************
Psalms 137
A Prayer for Revenge
1 By the rivers of Babylon we were seated, weeping at the memory of Zion, 2 Hanging our instruments of music on the trees by the waterside. 3 For there those who had taken us prisoners made request for a song; and those who had taken away all we had gave us orders to be glad, saying, Give us one of the songs of Zion. 4 How may we give the Lord's song in a strange land? 5 If I keep not your memory, O Jerusalem, let not my right hand keep the memory of its art. 6 If I let you go out of my thoughts, and if I do not put Jerusalem before my greatest joy, let my tongue be fixed to the roof of my mouth. 7 O Lord, keep in mind against the children of Edom the day of Jerusalem; how they said, Let it be uncovered, uncovered even to its base. 8 O daughter of Babylon, whose fate is destruction; happy is the man who does to you what you have done to us. 9 Happy is the man who takes your little ones, crushing them against the rocks. ************
Psalms 138
Praise the Lord With All Your Heart
[Of David.] 1 I will give you praise with all my heart: I will make melody to you before the gods. 2 I will give worship before your holy Temple, praising your name for your mercy and for your unchanging faith: for you have made your word greater than all your name. 3 When my cry came to your ears you gave me an answer, and made me great with strength in my soul. 4 All the kings of the earth will give you praise, O Lord, when the words of your mouth come to their ears. 5 They will make songs about the ways of the Lord; for great is the glory of the Lord. 6 Though the Lord is high, he sees those who are low; and he has knowledge from far off of those who are lifted up. 7 Even when trouble is round me, you will give me life; your hand will be stretched out against the wrath of my haters, and your right hand will be my salvation. 8 The Lord will make all things complete for me: O Lord, your mercy is eternal; do not give up the works of your hands. ************
Psalms 139
The Lord is Always Near
[To the chief music-maker. A Psalm. Of David.] 1 O Lord, you have knowledge of me, searching out all my secrets. 2 You have knowledge when I am seated and when I get up, you see my thoughts from far away. 3 You keep watch over my steps and my sleep, and have knowledge of all my ways. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue which is not clear to you, O Lord. 5 I am shut in by you on every side, and you have put your hand on me. 6 Such knowledge is a wonder greater than my powers; it is so high that I may not come near it. 7 Where may I go from your spirit? how may I go in flight from you? 8 If I go up to heaven, you are there: or if I make my bed in the underworld, you are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and go to the farthest parts of the sea; 10 Even there will I be guided by your hand, and your right hand will keep me. 11 If I say, Only let me be covered by the dark, and the light about me be night; 12 Even the dark is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day: for dark and light are the same to you. 13 My flesh was made by you, and my parts joined together in my mother's body. 14 I will give you praise, for I am strangely and delicately formed; your works are great wonders, and of this my soul is fully conscious. 15 My frame was not unseen by you when I was made secretly, and strangely formed in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book all my days were recorded, even those which were purposed before they had come into being. 17 How dear are your thoughts to me, O God! how great is the number of them! 18 If I made up their number, it would be more than the grains of sand; when I am awake, I am still with you. 19 If only you would put the sinners to death, O God; go far from me, you men of blood. 20 For they go against you with evil designs, and your haters make sport of your name. 21 Are not your haters hated by me, O Lord? are not those who are lifted up against you a cause of grief to me? 22 My hate for them is complete; my thoughts of them are as if they were making war on me. 23 O God, let the secrets of my heart be uncovered, and let my wandering thoughts be tested: 24 See if there is any way of sorrow in me, and be my guide in the eternal way. ************
Psalms 140
A Prayer for the Lord’s Help
[To the chief music-maker. A Psalm. Of David.] 1 O Lord, take me out of the power of the evil man; keep me safe from the violent man: 2 For their hearts are full of evil designs; and they are ever making ready causes of war. 3 Their tongues are sharp like the tongue of a snake; the poison of snakes is under their lips. (Selah.) 4 O Lord, take me out of the hands of sinners; keep me safe from the violent man: for they are designing my downfall. 5 The men of pride have put secret cords for my feet; stretching nets in my way, so that they may take me with their tricks. (Selah.) 6 I have said to the Lord, You are my God: give ear, O Lord, to the voice of my prayer. 7 O Lord God, the strength of my salvation, you have been a cover over my head in the day of the fight . 8 O Lord, give not the wrongdoer his desire; give him no help in his evil designs, or he may be uplifted in pride. (Selah.) 9 As for those who come round me, let their heads be covered by the evil of their lips. 10 Let burning flames come down on them: let them be put into the fire, and into deep waters, so that they may not get up again. 11 Let not a man of evil tongue be safe on earth: let destruction overtake the violent man with blow on blow. 12 I am certain that the Lord will take care of the cause of the poor, and of the rights of those who are troubled. 13 Truly, the upright will give praise to your name: the holy will have a place in your house. ************
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