Psalm 139

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

You have searched me,(A) Lord,
    and you know(B) me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;(C)
    you perceive my thoughts(D) from afar.
You discern my going out(E) and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.(F)
Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.(G)
You hem me in(H) behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,(I)
    too lofty(J) for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee(K) from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens,(L) you are there;
    if I make my bed(M) in the depths, you are there.
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,(N)
    your right hand(O) 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(P) to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

13 For you created my inmost being;(Q)
    you knit me together(R) in my mother’s womb.(S)
14 I praise you(T) because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,(U)
    I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made(V) in the secret place,
    when I was woven together(W) in the depths of the earth.(X)
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained(Y) for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts,[a](Z) God!(AA)
    How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,(AB)
    they would outnumber the grains of sand(AC)
    when I awake,(AD) I am still with you.

19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked!(AE)
    Away from me,(AF) you who are bloodthirsty!(AG)
20 They speak of you with evil intent;
    your adversaries(AH) misuse your name.(AI)
21 Do I not hate those(AJ) who hate you, Lord,
    and abhor(AK) those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
    I count them my enemies.(AL)
23 Search me,(AM) God, and know my heart;(AN)
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way(AO) in me,
    and lead me(AP) in the way everlasting.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 139:17 Or How amazing are your thoughts concerning me

139 O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.

Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

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 145[a]

A psalm of praise. Of David.

I will exalt you,(A) my God the King;(B)
    I will praise your name(C) for ever and ever.
Every day I will praise(D) you
    and extol your name(E) for ever and ever.

Great(F) is the Lord and most worthy of praise;(G)
    his greatness no one can fathom.(H)
One generation(I) commends your works to another;
    they tell(J) of your mighty acts.(K)
They speak of the glorious splendor(L) of your majesty—
    and I will meditate on your wonderful works.[b](M)
They tell(N) of the power of your awesome works—(O)
    and I will proclaim(P) your great deeds.(Q)
They celebrate your abundant goodness(R)
    and joyfully sing(S) of your righteousness.(T)

The Lord is gracious and compassionate,(U)
    slow to anger and rich in love.(V)

The Lord is good(W) to all;
    he has compassion(X) on all he has made.
10 All your works praise you,(Y) Lord;
    your faithful people extol(Z) you.(AA)
11 They tell of the glory of your kingdom(AB)
    and speak of your might,(AC)
12 so that all people may know of your mighty acts(AD)
    and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.(AE)
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,(AF)
    and your dominion endures through all generations.

The Lord is trustworthy(AG) in all he promises(AH)
    and faithful in all he does.[c]
14 The Lord upholds(AI) all who fall
    and lifts up all(AJ) who are bowed down.(AK)
15 The eyes of all look to you,
    and you give them their food(AL) at the proper time.
16 You open your hand
    and satisfy the desires(AM) of every living thing.

17 The Lord is righteous(AN) in all his ways
    and faithful in all he does.(AO)
18 The Lord is near(AP) to all who call on him,(AQ)
    to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desires(AR) of those who fear him;(AS)
    he hears their cry(AT) and saves them.(AU)
20 The Lord watches over(AV) all who love him,(AW)
    but all the wicked he will destroy.(AX)

21 My mouth will speak(AY) in praise of the Lord.
    Let every creature(AZ) praise his holy name(BA)
    for ever and ever.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 145:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which (including verse 13b) begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  2. Psalm 145:5 Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac (see also Septuagint); Masoretic Text On the glorious splendor of your majesty / and on your wonderful works I will meditate
  3. Psalm 145:13 One manuscript of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac (see also Septuagint); most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text do not have the last two lines of verse 13.

145 I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.

Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.

One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.

I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.

And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness.

They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.

The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.

The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

10 All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee.

11 They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;

12 To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.

13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.

14 The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.

15 The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.

16 Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.

17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

18 The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.

19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.

20 The Lord preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.

21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.

Psalm 148

Praise the Lord.[a](A)

Praise the Lord from the heavens;(B)
    praise him in the heights above.
Praise him, all his angels;(C)
    praise him, all his heavenly hosts.(D)
Praise him, sun(E) and moon;
    praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, you highest heavens(F)
    and you waters above the skies.(G)

Let them praise the name(H) of the Lord,
    for at his command(I) they were created,
and he established them for ever and ever—
    he issued a decree(J) that will never pass away.

Praise the Lord(K) from the earth,
    you great sea creatures(L) and all ocean depths,(M)
lightning and hail,(N) snow and clouds,
    stormy winds that do his bidding,(O)
you mountains and all hills,(P)
    fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals(Q) and all cattle,
    small creatures and flying birds,
11 kings(R) of the earth and all nations,
    you princes and all rulers on earth,
12 young men and women,
    old men and children.

13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,(S)
    for his name alone is exalted;
    his splendor(T) is above the earth and the heavens.(U)
14 And he has raised up for his people a horn,[b](V)
    the praise(W) of all his faithful servants,(X)
    of Israel, the people close to his heart.(Y)

Praise the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 148:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 14
  2. Psalm 148:14 Horn here symbolizes strength.

148 Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the heights.

Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.

Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.

Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.

Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created.

He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.

Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:

Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word:

Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:

10 Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:

11 Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth:

12 Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:

13 Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.

14 He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the Lord.

Psalm 150

Praise the Lord.[a](A)

Praise God in his sanctuary;(B)
    praise him in his mighty heavens.(C)
Praise him for his acts of power;(D)
    praise him for his surpassing greatness.(E)
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,(F)
    praise him with the harp and lyre,(G)
praise him with timbrel and dancing,(H)
    praise him with the strings(I) and pipe,(J)
praise him with the clash of cymbals,(K)
    praise him with resounding cymbals.

Let everything(L) that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 150:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 6

150 Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.

Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.

Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.

Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.

Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.

Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.