Psalm 131-136
Contemporary English Version
(A song by David for worship.)
Trust the Lord!
1 I am not conceited, Lord,
and I don't waste my time
on impossible schemes.
2 But I have learned to feel safe
and satisfied,
like a young child
in its mother's arms.
3 People of Israel,
you must trust the Lord
now and forever.
(A song for worship.)
The Lord Is Always with His People
1 Our Lord, don't forget David
and how he suffered.
2 Mighty God of Jacob,
remember how he promised:
3 “I won't go home
or crawl into bed
4 or close my eyelids,
5 until I find a home for you,
the mighty Lord God of Jacob.”
6 (A) When we were in Ephrath,
we heard that the sacred chest
was somewhere near Jaar.
7 Then we said, “Let's go
to the throne of the Lord
and worship at his feet.”
8 Come to your new home, Lord,
you and the sacred chest
with all its power.
9 Let victory be like robes
for the priests;
let your faithful people
celebrate and shout.
10 David is your chosen one,
so don't reject him.
11 (B) You made a solemn promise
to David, when you said,
“I, the Lord, promise
that someone in your family
will always be king.
12 If they keep our agreement
and follow my teachings,
then someone in your family
will rule forever.”
13 You have gladly chosen Zion
as your home, our Lord.
14 You said, “This is my home!
I will live here forever.
15 I will bless Zion with food,
and even the poor will eat
until they are full.
16 Victory will be like robes
for the priests,
and its faithful people
will celebrate and shout.
17 (C) I will give mighty power
to the kingdom of David.
Each of my chosen kings
will shine like a lamp
18 and wear a sparkling crown.
But I will disgrace
their enemies.”
(A song for worship.)
Living Together in Peace
1 It is truly wonderful
when the people of God
live together in peace.
2 It is as beautiful as olive oil
poured on Aaron's head[a]
and running down his beard
and the collar of his robe.
3 It is like the dew
from Mount Hermon,
falling on Zion's mountains,
where the Lord has promised
to bless his people
with life forevermore.
(A song for worship.)
Praising the Lord at Night
1 Everyone who serves the Lord,
come and offer praises.
Everyone who has gathered
in his temple tonight,
2 lift your hands in prayer
toward his holy place
and praise the Lord.
3 The Lord is the Creator
of heaven and earth,
and I pray that the Lord
will bless you from Zion.
In Praise of the Lord's Kindness
1 Shout praises to the Lord!
You are his servants,
so praise his name.
2 All who serve in the temple
of the Lord our God,
3 come and shout praises.
Praise the name of the Lord!
He is kind and good.
4 He chose the family of Jacob
and the people of Israel
for his very own.
5 The Lord is much greater
than any other god.
6 He does as he chooses
in heaven and on earth
and deep in the sea.
7 The Lord makes the clouds rise
from far across the earth,
and he makes lightning
to go with the rain.
Then from his secret place
he sends out the wind.
8 The Lord killed the first-born
of people and animals
in the land of Egypt.
9 God used miracles and wonders
to fight the king of Egypt
and all of his officials.
10 He destroyed many nations
and killed powerful kings,
11 including King Sihon
of the Amorites
and King Og of Bashan.
He conquered every kingdom
in the land of Canaan
12 and gave their property
to his people Israel.
13 The name of the Lord
will be remembered forever,
and he will be famous
for all time to come.
14 The Lord will bring justice
and show mercy to all
who serve him.
15 (D) Idols of silver and gold
are made and worshiped
in other nations.
16 They have a mouth and eyes,
but they can't speak or see.
17 They are completely deaf,
and they can't breathe.
18 Everyone who makes idols
and all who trust them
will end up as helpless
as their idols.
19 Everyone in Israel,
come praise the Lord!
All the family of Aaron
20 and all the tribe of Levi,[b]
come praise the Lord!
All of his worshipers,
come praise the Lord.
21 Praise the Lord from Zion!
He lives here in Jerusalem.
Shout praises to the Lord!
God's Love Never Fails
1 (E) Praise the Lord! He is good.
God's love never fails.
2 Praise the God of all gods.
God's love never fails.
3 Praise the Lord of lords.
God's love never fails.
4 Only God works great miracles.[c]
God's love never fails.
5 (F) With wisdom he made the sky.
God's love never fails.
6 (G) The Lord stretched the earth
over the ocean.
God's love never fails.
7 (H) He made the bright lights
in the sky.
God's love never fails.
8 He lets the sun rule each day.
God's love never fails.
9 He lets the moon and the stars
rule each night.
God's love never fails.
10 (I) God struck down the first-born
in every Egyptian family.
God's love never fails.
11 (J) He rescued Israel from Egypt.
God's love never fails.
12 God used his great strength
and his powerful arm.
God's love never fails.
13 (K) He split the Red Sea[d] apart.
God's love never fails.
14 The Lord brought Israel safely
through the sea.
God's love never fails.
15 He destroyed the Egyptian king
and his army there.
God's love never fails.
16 The Lord led his people
through the desert.
God's love never fails.
17 Our God defeated mighty kings.
God's love never fails.
18 And he killed famous kings.
God's love never fails.
19 (L) One of them was Sihon,
king of the Amorites.
God's love never fails.
20 (M) Another was King Og of Bashan.
God's love never fails.
21 God took away their land.
God's love never fails.
22 He gave their land to Israel,
the people who serve him.
God's love never fails.
23 God saw the trouble we were in.
God's love never fails.
24 He rescued us from our enemies.
God's love never fails.
25 He gives food to all who live.
God's love never fails.
26 Praise God in heaven!
God's love never fails.
Footnotes
- 133.2 head: Olive oil was poured on Aaron's head to show that God had chosen him to be the high priest.
- 135.19,20 Aaron … Levi: Aaron was from the tribe of Levi, and all priests were from his family. The temple helpers, singers, and musicians were also from the tribe of Levi.
- 136.4 great miracles: One Hebrew manuscript and one ancient translation have “miracles.”
- 136.13 Red Sea: See the note at 106.7.
Psalm 131-136
New International Version
Psalm 131
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 My heart is not proud,(A) Lord,
my eyes are not haughty;(B)
I do not concern myself with great matters(C)
or things too wonderful for me.(D)
2 But I have calmed and quieted myself,(E)
I am like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child I am content.(F)
Psalm 132(I)
A song of ascents.
1 Lord, remember David
and all his self-denial.(J)
2 He swore an oath to the Lord,
he made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:(K)
3 “I will not enter my house(L)
or go to my bed,
4 I will allow no sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
5 till I find a place(M) for the Lord,
a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 We heard it in Ephrathah,(N)
we came upon it in the fields of Jaar:[a](O)
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place,(P)
let us worship at his footstool,(Q) saying,
8 ‘Arise, Lord,(R) and come to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might.
9 May your priests be clothed with your righteousness;(S)
may your faithful people(T) sing for joy.’”
10 For the sake of your servant David,
do not reject your anointed one.
11 The Lord swore an oath to David,(U)
a sure oath he will not revoke:
“One of your own descendants(V)
I will place on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant(W)
and the statutes I teach them,
then their sons will sit
on your throne(X) for ever and ever.”
13 For the Lord has chosen Zion,(Y)
he has desired it for his dwelling,(Z) saying,
14 “This is my resting place for ever and ever;(AA)
here I will sit enthroned,(AB) for I have desired it.
15 I will bless her with abundant provisions;
her poor I will satisfy with food.(AC)
16 I will clothe her priests(AD) with salvation,
and her faithful people will ever sing for joy.(AE)
17 “Here I will make a horn[b] grow(AF) for David
and set up a lamp(AG) for my anointed one.(AH)
18 I will clothe his enemies with shame,(AI)
but his head will be adorned with a radiant crown.”(AJ)
Psalm 133
A song of ascents. Of David.
2 It is like precious oil poured on the head,(AM)
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
down on the collar of his robe.
3 It is as if the dew(AN) of Hermon(AO)
were falling on Mount Zion.(AP)
For there the Lord bestows his blessing,(AQ)
even life forevermore.(AR)
Psalm 134
A song of ascents.
1 Praise the Lord, all you servants(AS) of the Lord
who minister(AT) by night(AU) in the house of the Lord.
2 Lift up your hands(AV) in the sanctuary(AW)
and praise the Lord.(AX)
Psalm 135(BA)
1 Praise the Lord.[c]
Praise the name of the Lord;
praise him, you servants(BB) of the Lord,
2 you who minister in the house(BC) of the Lord,
in the courts(BD) of the house of our God.
3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;(BE)
sing praise to his name,(BF) for that is pleasant.(BG)
4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob(BH) to be his own,
Israel to be his treasured possession.(BI)
5 I know that the Lord is great,(BJ)
that our Lord is greater than all gods.(BK)
6 The Lord does whatever pleases him,(BL)
in the heavens and on the earth,(BM)
in the seas and all their depths.
7 He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth;
he sends lightning with the rain(BN)
and brings out the wind(BO) from his storehouses.(BP)
8 He struck down the firstborn(BQ) of Egypt,
the firstborn of people and animals.
9 He sent his signs(BR) and wonders into your midst, Egypt,
against Pharaoh and all his servants.(BS)
10 He struck down many(BT) nations
and killed mighty kings—
11 Sihon(BU) king of the Amorites,(BV)
Og king of Bashan,(BW)
and all the kings of Canaan(BX)—
12 and he gave their land as an inheritance,(BY)
an inheritance to his people Israel.
13 Your name, Lord, endures forever,(BZ)
your renown,(CA) Lord, through all generations.
14 For the Lord will vindicate his people(CB)
and have compassion on his servants.(CC)
15 The idols of the nations(CD) are silver and gold,
made by human hands.(CE)
16 They have mouths, but cannot speak,(CF)
eyes, but cannot see.
17 They have ears, but cannot hear,
nor is there breath(CG) in their mouths.
18 Those who make them will be like them,
and so will all who trust in them.
19 All you Israelites, praise the Lord;(CH)
house of Aaron, praise the Lord;
20 house of Levi, praise the Lord;
you who fear him, praise the Lord.
21 Praise be to the Lord from Zion,(CI)
to him who dwells in Jerusalem.(CJ)
Praise the Lord.
Psalm 136
1 Give thanks(CK) to the Lord, for he is good.(CL)
His love endures forever.(CM)
2 Give thanks(CN) to the God of gods.(CO)
His love endures forever.
3 Give thanks(CP) to the Lord of lords:(CQ)
His love endures forever.
4 to him who alone does great wonders,(CR)
His love endures forever.
5 who by his understanding(CS) made the heavens,(CT)
His love endures forever.
6 who spread out the earth(CU) upon the waters,(CV)
His love endures forever.
7 who made the great lights(CW)—
His love endures forever.
8 the sun to govern(CX) the day,
His love endures forever.
9 the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.
10 to him who struck down the firstborn(CY) of Egypt
His love endures forever.
11 and brought Israel out(CZ) from among them
His love endures forever.
12 with a mighty hand(DA) and outstretched arm;(DB)
His love endures forever.
13 to him who divided the Red Sea[d](DC) asunder
His love endures forever.
14 and brought Israel through(DD) the midst of it,
His love endures forever.
15 but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;(DE)
His love endures forever.
16 to him who led his people through the wilderness;(DF)
His love endures forever.
17 to him who struck down great kings,(DG)
His love endures forever.
18 and killed mighty kings(DH)—
His love endures forever.
19 Sihon king of the Amorites(DI)
His love endures forever.
20 and Og king of Bashan(DJ)—
His love endures forever.
21 and gave their land(DK) as an inheritance,(DL)
His love endures forever.
22 an inheritance(DM) to his servant Israel.(DN)
His love endures forever.
Footnotes
- Psalm 132:6 Or heard of it in Ephrathah, / we found it in the fields of Jearim. (See 1 Chron. 13:5,6) (And no quotation marks around verses 7-9)
- Psalm 132:17 Horn here symbolizes strong one, that is, king.
- Psalm 135:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verses 3 and 21
- Psalm 136:13 Or the Sea of Reeds; also in verse 15
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