Psalm 137-140
Darby Translation
137 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down; yea, we wept when we remembered Zion.
2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that made us wail [required] mirth, [saying,] Sing us [one] of the songs of Zion.
4 How should we sing a song of Jehovah's upon a foreign soil?
5 If I forget thee, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget [its skill];
6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to my palate: if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.
7 Remember, O Jehovah, against the sons of Edom, the day of Jerusalem; who said, Lay [it] bare, Lay [it] bare, down to its foundation!
8 Daughter of Babylon, who art to be laid waste, happy he that rendereth unto thee that which thou hast meted out to us.
9 Happy he that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the rock.
[A Psalm] of David.
138 I will give thee thanks with my whole heart; before the gods will I sing psalms of thee.
2 I will bow down toward the temple of thy holiness, and celebrate thy name for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth; for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
3 In the day when I called thou answeredst me; thou didst encourage me with strength in my soul.
4 All the kings of the earth shall celebrate thee, Jehovah, when they have heard the words of thy mouth;
5 And they shall sing in the ways of Jehovah, for great is the glory of Jehovah.
6 For Jehovah is high; but he looketh upon the lowly, and the proud he knoweth afar off.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou wilt stretch forth thy hand against the anger of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
8 Jehovah will perfect what concerneth me: thy loving-kindness, O Jehovah, [endureth] for ever; forsake not the works of thine own hands.
To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
139 Jehovah, thou hast searched me, and known [me].
2 *Thou* knowest my down-sitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off;
3 Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways;
4 For there is not yet a word on my tongue, [but] lo, O Jehovah, thou knowest it altogether.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thy hand upon me.
6 O knowledge too wonderful for me! it is high, I cannot [attain] unto it.
7 Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? and whither flee from thy presence?
8 If I ascend up into the heavens thou art there; or if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou [art there];
9 [If] I take the wings of the dawn [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 And if I say, Surely darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night;
12 Even darkness hideth not from thee, and the night shineth as the day: the darkness is as the light.
13 For thou hast possessed my reins; thou didst cover me in my mother's womb.
14 I will praise thee, for I am fearfully, wonderfully made. Marvellous are thy works; and [that] my soul knoweth right well.
15 My bones were not hidden from thee when I was made in secret, curiously wrought in the lower parts of the earth.
16 Thine eyes did see my unformed substance, and in thy book all [my members] were written; [during many] days were they fashioned, when [as yet] there was none of them.
17 But how precious are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
18 [If] I would count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I awake, I am still with thee.
19 Oh that thou wouldest slay the wicked, O +God! And ye men of blood, depart from me.
20 For they speak of thee wickedly, they take [thy name] in vain, thine enemies.
21 Do not I hate them, O Jehovah, that hate thee? and do not I loathe them that rise up against thee?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred; I account them mine enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; prove me, and know my thoughts;
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me; and lead me in the way everlasting.
To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
140 Free me, O Jehovah, from the evil man; preserve me from the violent man:
2 Who devise mischiefs in [their] heart; every day are they banded together for war.
3 They sharpen their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.
4 Keep me, O Jehovah, from the hands of the wicked [man], preserve me from the violent man, who devise to overthrow my steps.
5 The proud have hidden a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the way-side; they have set traps for me. Selah.
6 I have said unto Jehovah, Thou art my God: give ear, O Jehovah, to the voice of my supplications.
7 Jehovah, the Lord, is the strength of my salvation: thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
8 Grant not, O Jehovah, the desire of the wicked; further not his device: they would exalt themselves. Selah.
9 [As for] the head of those that encompass me, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
10 Let burning coals fall on them; let them be cast into the fire; into deep waters, that they rise not up again.
11 Let not the man of [evil] tongue be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the man of violence to [his] ruin.
12 I know that Jehovah will maintain the cause of the afflicted one, the right of the needy.
13 Yea, the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name; the upright shall dwell in thy presence.
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