Psalm 136-138

Common English Bible

Psalm 136

136 Give thanks to the Lord because he is good.
God’s faithful love lasts forever!

²Give thanks to the God of all gods—
    God’s faithful love lasts forever.
³Give thanks to the Lord of all lords—
    God’s faithful love lasts forever.
⁴Give thanks to the only one
who makes great wonders—
    God’s faithful love lasts forever.
⁵Give thanks to the one who made the skies with skill—
    God’s faithful love lasts forever.
⁶Give thanks to the one who shaped the earth on the water—
    God’s faithful love lasts forever.
⁷Give thanks to the one who made the great lights—
    God’s faithful love lasts forever.
⁸The sun to rule the day—
    God’s faithful love lasts forever.
⁹The moon and the stars to rule the night—
    God’s faithful love lasts forever!

¹⁰Give thanks to the one who struck down the Egyptians’ oldest offspring—
    God’s faithful love lasts forever.
¹¹Give thanks to the one who brought Israel out of there—
    God’s faithful love lasts forever.
¹²With a strong hand and outstretched arm—
    God’s faithful love lasts forever!

¹³Give thanks to the one who split the Reed Sea^[a] in two—
    God’s faithful love lasts forever.
¹⁴Give thanks to the one who brought Israel through—
    God’s faithful love lasts forever.
¹⁵And tossed Pharaoh and his army into the Reed Sea—
    God’s faithful love lasts forever!

¹⁶Give thanks to the one who led his people through the desert—
    God’s faithful love lasts forever.
¹⁷Give thanks to the one who struck down great kings—
    God’s faithful love lasts forever.
¹⁸And killed powerful kings—
    God’s faithful love lasts forever.
¹⁹Sihon, the Amorite king—
    God’s faithful love lasts forever.
²⁰Og, king of Bashan—
    God’s faithful love lasts forever.
²¹Handing their land over as an inheritance—
    God’s faithful love lasts forever.
²²As an inheritance to Israel, his servant—
    God’s faithful love lasts forever!

²³God remembered us when we were humiliated—
    God’s faithful love lasts forever.
²⁴God rescued us from our enemies—
    God’s faithful love lasts forever.
²⁵God is the one who provides food for all living things—
    God’s faithful love lasts forever!

²⁶Give thanks to the God of heaven—
God’s faithful love lasts forever!

Psalm 137

137 Alongside Babylon’s streams,
    there we sat down,
    crying because we remembered Zion.
²We hung our lyres up
    in the trees there
³    because that’s where our captors asked us to sing;
    our tormentors requested songs of joy:
    “Sing us a song about Zion!” they said.
⁴But how could we possibly sing
    the Lord’s song on foreign soil?

⁵Jerusalem! If I forget you,
    let my strong hand wither!
⁶Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth
    if I don’t remember you,
    if I don’t make Jerusalem my greatest joy.

⁷Lord, remember what the Edomites did
        on Jerusalem’s dark day:
    “Rip it down, rip it down!
    All the way to its foundations!” they yelled.
⁸Daughter Babylon, you destroyer,^[b]
    a blessing on the one who pays you back
    the very deed you did to us!
⁹    A blessing on the one who seizes your children
    and smashes them against the rock!

Psalm 138

Of David.

138 I give thanks to you with all my heart, Lord.^[c]
    I sing your praise before all other gods.
²I bow toward your holy temple
    and thank your name
    for your loyal love and faithfulness
        because you have made your name and word
        greater than everything else.^[d]
³On the day I cried out, you answered me.
    You encouraged me with inner strength.^[e]

⁴Let all the earth’s rulers give thanks to you, Lord,
    when they hear what you say.
⁵Let them sing about the Lord’s ways
    because the Lord’s glory is so great!
⁶Even though the Lord is high,
    he can still see the lowly,
    but God keeps his distance from the arrogant.

⁷Whenever I am in deep trouble,
    you make me live again;
    you send your power against my enemies’ wrath;
    you save me with your strong hand.
⁸The Lord will do all this for my sake.

Your faithful love lasts forever, Lord!
Don’t let go of what your hands
have made.