Psalm 137-140

New International Version

Psalm 137

¹By the rivers of Babylon^(A) we sat and wept^(B)
    when we remembered Zion.^(C)
²There on the poplars^(D)
    we hung our harps,^(E)
³for there our captors^(F) asked us for songs,
    our tormentors demanded^(G) songs of joy;
    they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”^(H)

⁴How can we sing the songs of the Lord^(I)
    while in a foreign land?
⁵If I forget you,^(J) Jerusalem,
    may my right hand forget its skill.
⁶May my tongue cling to the roof^(K) of my mouth
    if I do not remember^(L) you,
if I do not consider Jerusalem^(M)
    my highest joy.

⁷Remember, Lord, what the Edomites^(N) did
    on the day Jerusalem fell.^(O)
“Tear it down,” they cried,
    “tear it down to its foundations!”^(P)
⁸Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction,^(Q)
    happy is the one who repays you
    according to what you have done to us.
⁹Happy is the one who seizes your infants
    and dashes them^(R) against the rocks.

Psalm 138

Of David.

¹I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
    before the “gods”^(S) I will sing^(T) your praise.
²I will bow down toward your holy temple^(U)
    and will praise your name^(V)
    for your unfailing love and your faithfulness,^(W)
for you have so exalted your solemn decree
    that it surpasses your fame.^(X)
³When I called,^(Y) you answered me;^(Z)
    you greatly emboldened^(AA) me.

⁴May all the kings of the earth^(AB) praise you, Lord,
when they hear what you have decreed.
⁵May they sing^(AC) of the ways of the Lord,
for the glory of the Lord^(AD) is great.

⁶Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;^(AE)
    though lofty, he sees them^(AF) from afar.
⁷Though I walk^(AG) in the midst of trouble,
    you preserve my life.^(AH)
You stretch out your hand^(AI) against the anger of my foes;^(AJ)
    with your right hand^(AK) you save me.^(AL)
⁸The Lord will vindicate^(AM) me;
    your love, Lord, endures forever^(AN)—
    do not abandon^(AO) the works of your hands.^(AP)

Psalm 139

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

¹You have searched me,^(AQ) Lord,
    and you know^(AR) me.
²You know when I sit and when I rise;^(AS)
    you perceive my thoughts^(AT) from afar.
³You discern my going out^(AU) and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.^(AV)
⁴Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.^(AW)
⁵You hem me in^(AX) behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,^(AY)
    too lofty^(AZ) for me to attain.

⁷Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee^(BA) from your presence?
⁸If I go up to the heavens,^(BB) you are there;
    if I make my bed^(BC) in the depths, you are there.
⁹If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰even there your hand will guide me,^(BD)
    your right hand^(BE) will hold me fast.
¹¹If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
¹²even the darkness will not be dark^(BF) to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

¹³For you created my inmost being;^(BG)
    you knit me together^(BH) in my mother’s womb.^(BI)
¹⁴I praise you^(BJ) because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,^(BK)
    I know that full well.
¹⁵My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made^(BL) in the secret place,
    when I was woven together^(BM) in the depths of the earth.^(BN)
¹⁶Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained^(BO) for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
¹⁷How precious to me are your thoughts,^[a]^(BP) God!^(BQ)
    How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸Were I to count them,^(BR)
    they would outnumber the grains of sand^(BS)—
    when I awake,^(BT) I am still with you.

¹⁹If only you, God, would slay the wicked!^(BU)
    Away from me,^(BV) you who are bloodthirsty!^(BW)
²⁰They speak of you with evil intent;
    your adversaries^(BX) misuse your name.^(BY)
²¹Do I not hate those^(BZ) who hate you, Lord,
    and abhor^(CA) those who are in rebellion against you?
²²I have nothing but hatred for them;
    I count them my enemies.^(CB)
²³Search me,^(CC) God, and know my heart;^(CD)
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴See if there is any offensive way^(CE) in me,
    and lead me^(CF) in the way everlasting.

Psalm 140^[b]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹Rescue me,^(CG) Lord, from evildoers;
    protect me from the violent,^(CH)
²who devise evil plans^(CI) in their hearts
    and stir up war^(CJ) every day.
³They make their tongues as sharp as^(CK) a serpent’s;
    the poison of vipers^(CL) is on their lips.^[c]

⁴Keep me safe,^(CM) Lord, from the hands of the wicked;^(CN)
    protect me from the violent,
    who devise ways to trip my feet.
⁵The arrogant have hidden a snare^(CO) for me;
    they have spread out the cords of their net^(CP)
    and have set traps^(CQ) for me along my path.

⁶I say to the Lord, “You are my God.”^(CR)
    Hear, Lord, my cry for mercy.^(CS)
⁷Sovereign Lord,^(CT) my strong deliverer,
    you shield my head in the day of battle.
⁸Do not grant the wicked^(CU) their desires, Lord;
    do not let their plans succeed.

⁹Those who surround me proudly rear their heads;
    may the mischief of their lips engulf them.^(CV)
¹⁰May burning coals fall on them;
    may they be thrown into the fire,^(CW)
    into miry pits, never to rise.
¹¹May slanderers not be established in the land;
    may disaster hunt down the violent.^(CX)

¹²I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor^(CY)
and upholds the cause^(CZ) of the needy.^(DA)
¹³Surely the righteous will praise your name,^(DB)
and the upright will live^(DC) in your presence.^(DD)

Footnotes

Psalm 139:17 Or How amazing are your thoughts concerning me
Psalm 140:1 In Hebrew texts 140:1-13 is numbered 140:2-14.
Psalm 140:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 5 and 8.