Psalm 131-136
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Psalm 131
Song of Quiet Trust
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
1 O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me.(A)
2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
my soul is like the weaned child that is with me.[a](B)
3 O Israel, hope in the Lord
from this time on and forevermore.(C)
Psalm 132
The Eternal Dwelling of God in Zion
A Song of Ascents.
1 O Lord, remember in David’s favor
all the hardships he endured;
2 how he swore to the Lord
and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,(D)
3 “I will not enter my house
or get into my bed;
4 I will not give sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
5 until I find a place for the Lord,
a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”(E)
6 We heard of it in Ephrathah;
we found it in the fields of Jaar.(F)
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place;
let us worship at his footstool.”(G)
8 Rise up, O Lord, and go to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might.(H)
9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
and let your faithful shout for joy.(I)
10 For your servant David’s sake
do not turn away the face of your anointed one.
11 The Lord swore to David a sure oath
from which he will not turn back:
“One of the sons of your body
I will set on your throne.(J)
12 If your sons keep my covenant
and my decrees that I shall teach them,
their sons also, forevermore,
shall sit on your throne.”(K)
13 For the Lord has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his habitation:(L)
14 “This is my resting place forever;
here I will reside, for I have desired it.
15 I will abundantly bless its provisions;
I will satisfy its poor with bread.(M)
16 Its priests I will clothe with salvation,
and its faithful will shout for joy.
17 There I will cause a horn to sprout up for David;
I have prepared a lamp for my anointed one.(N)
18 His enemies I will clothe with disgrace,
but on him, his crown will gleam.”(O)
Psalm 133
The Blessedness of Unity
A Song of Ascents.
1 How very good and pleasant it is
when kindred live together in unity!(P)
2 It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down upon the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down over the collar of his robes.(Q)
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion.
For there the Lord ordained his blessing,
life forevermore.(R)
Psalm 134
Praise in the Night
A Song of Ascents.
1 Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
who stand by night in the house of the Lord!(S)
2 Lift up your hands to the holy place,
and bless the Lord.(T)
3 May the Lord, maker of heaven and earth,
bless you from Zion.
Psalm 135
Praise for God’s Goodness and Might
1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord;
give praise, O servants of the Lord,
2 you who stand in the house of the Lord,
in the courts of the house of our God.(U)
3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
sing to his name, for he is gracious.(V)
4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel as his own possession.(W)
5 For I know that the Lord is great;
our Lord is above all gods.(X)
6 Whatever the Lord pleases he does,
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all deeps.(Y)
7 He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth;
he makes lightnings for the rain
and brings out the wind from his storehouses.(Z)
8 He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
both humans and animals;(AA)
9 he sent signs and wonders
into your midst, O Egypt,
against Pharaoh and all his servants.(AB)
10 He struck down many nations
and killed mighty kings—(AC)
11 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
and Og, king of Bashan,
and all the kingdoms of Canaan—(AD)
12 and gave their land as a heritage,
a heritage to his people Israel.(AE)
13 Your name, O Lord, endures forever,
your renown, O Lord, throughout all ages.(AF)
14 For the Lord will vindicate his people
and have compassion on his servants.(AG)
15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.(AH)
16 They have mouths, but they do not speak;
they have eyes, but they do not see;
17 they have ears, but they do not hear,
a nose, but there is no breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them
and all who trust them
shall become like them.
19 O house of Israel, bless the Lord!
O house of Aaron, bless the Lord!(AI)
20 O house of Levi, bless the Lord!
You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!(AJ)
21 Blessed be the Lord from Zion,
he who resides in Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord!(AK)
Psalm 136
God’s Work in Creation and in History
1 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.(AL)
2 O give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.(AM)
3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
4 who alone does great wonders,
for his steadfast love endures forever;(AN)
5 who by understanding made the heavens,
for his steadfast love endures forever;(AO)
6 who spread out the earth on the waters,
for his steadfast love endures forever;(AP)
7 who made the great lights,
for his steadfast love endures forever;(AQ)
8 the sun to rule over the day,
for his steadfast love endures forever;(AR)
9 the moon and stars to rule over the night,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
10 who struck Egypt through their firstborn,
for his steadfast love endures forever;(AS)
11 and brought Israel out from among them,
for his steadfast love endures forever;(AT)
12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his steadfast love endures forever;(AU)
13 who divided the Red Sea[b] in two,
for his steadfast love endures forever;(AV)
14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
for his steadfast love endures forever;(AW)
15 but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,[c]
for his steadfast love endures forever;(AX)
16 who led his people through the wilderness,
for his steadfast love endures forever;(AY)
who made water flow from the rock,
for his steadfast love endures forever;[d]
17 who struck down great kings,
for his steadfast love endures forever;(AZ)
18 and killed famous kings,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
20 and Og, king of Bashan,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
21 and gave their land as a heritage,
for his steadfast love endures forever;(BA)
22 a heritage to his servant Israel,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
for his steadfast love endures forever;(BB)
24 and rescued us from our foes,
for his steadfast love endures forever;(BC)
25 who gives food to all flesh,
for his steadfast love endures forever.(BD)
26 O give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.