Restored Bible · 2.2 Hebrew Scriptures / Old Testament
Layer 2 — Scripture
Psalms - Book Five
Psalms - Book Five
This final book answers the darkness of Book III not by restoring an earthly king—but by lifting eyes to a greater Kingdom.
These psalms are not naïve; they know suffering. But they end in joy.
Not because the world is perfect,
but because YHWH is faithful.
Let everything that has breath...
begin to praise.
Oh give thanks to YHWH, for He is good,
for His steadfast love endures forever!
Let the redeemed of YHWH say so,
whom He has redeemed from trouble
and gathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.
Some wandered in desert wastes,
finding no way to a city to dwell in;
hungry and thirsty,
their soul fainted within them.
Then they cried to YHWH in their trouble,
and He delivered them from their distress.
He led them by a straight way
till they reached a city to dwell in.
Let them thank YHWH for His steadfast love,
for His wondrous works to the children of man!
For He satisfies the longing soul,
and the hungry soul He fills with good things.
Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
prisoners in affliction and in irons,
for they had rebelled against the words of God,
and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
So He bowed their hearts down with hard labor;
they fell down, with none to help.
Then they cried to YHWH in their trouble,
and He delivered them from their distress.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
and burst their bonds apart.
Let them thank YHWH for His steadfast love,
for His wondrous works to the children of man!
For He shatters the doors of bronze
and cuts in two the bars of iron.
Some were fools through their sinful ways,
and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;
they loathed any kind of food,
and they drew near to the gates of death.
Then they cried to YHWH in their trouble,
and He delivered them from their distress.
He sent out His word and healed them,
and delivered them from their destruction.
Let them thank YHWH for His steadfast love,
for His wondrous works to the children of man!
And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
and tell of His deeds in songs of joy!
Some went down to the sea in ships,
doing business on the great waters;
they saw the deeds of YHWH,
His wondrous works in the deep.
For He commanded and raised the stormy wind,
which lifted up the waves of the sea.
They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;
their courage melted away in their evil plight;
they reeled and staggered like drunken men
and were at their wits’ end.
Then they cried to YHWH in their trouble,
and He delivered them from their distress.
He made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,
and He brought them to their desired haven.
Let them thank YHWH for His steadfast love,
for His wondrous works to the children of man!
Let them extol Him in the congregation of the people,
and praise Him in the assembly of the elders.
He turns rivers into a desert,
springs of water into thirsty ground,
a fruitful land into a salty waste,
because of the evil of its inhabitants.
He turns a desert into pools of water,
a parched land into springs of water.
And there He lets the hungry dwell,
and they establish a city to live in;
they sow fields and plant vineyards
and get a fruitful yield.
By His blessing they multiply greatly,
and He does not let their livestock diminish.
When they are diminished and brought low
through oppression, evil, and sorrow,
He pours contempt on princes
and makes them wander in trackless wastes;
but He raises up the needy out of affliction
and makes their families like flocks.
The upright see it and are glad,
and all wickedness shuts its mouth.
Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;
let them consider the steadfast love of YHWH.
My heart is steadfast, O God!
I will sing and make melody with all my being!
Awake, O harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn!
I will give thanks to You, O YHWH, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to You among the nations.
For Your steadfast love is great above the heavens;
Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let Your glory be over all the earth!
That Your beloved ones may be delivered,
give salvation by Your right hand and answer me!
God has promised in His holiness:
“With exultation I will divide up Shechem
and portion out the Valley of Sukkoth.
Gilead is Mine; Manasseh is Mine;
Ephraim is My helmet; Judah is My scepter.
Moab is My washbasin;
upon Edom I cast My shoe;
over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
Have You not rejected us, O God?
You do not go out, O God, with our armies.
Oh grant us help against the foe,
for vain is the salvation of man!
With God we shall do valiantly;
it is He who will tread down our foes.
Be not silent, O God of my praise!
For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me,
speaking against me with lying tongues.
They encircle me with words of hate,
and attack me without cause.
In return for my love they accuse me,
but I give myself to prayer.
So they reward me evil for good,
and hatred for my love.
Appoint a wicked man against him;
let an accuser stand at his right hand.
When he is tried, let him come forth guilty;
let his prayer be counted as sin!
Let his days be few;
let another take his office!
Let his children be fatherless
and his wife a widow!
Let his children wander about and beg,
seeking food far from the ruins they inhabit!
Let the creditor seize all he has;
let strangers plunder the fruits of his toil!
Let there be none to extend mercy to him,
nor any to pity his fatherless children!
Let his posterity be cut off;
may his name be blotted out in the next generation!
May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before YHWH,
and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out!
Let them be before YHWH continually,
that He may cut off the memory of them from the earth!
For he did not remember to show kindness,
but pursued the poor and needy
and the brokenhearted, to put them to death.
He loved to curse; let curses come upon him!
He did not delight in blessing; may it be far from him!
He clothed himself with cursing as his coat;
may it soak into his body like water,
like oil into his bones!
May it be like a garment that he wraps around him,
like a belt that he wears every day!
May this be the reward of my accusers from YHWH,
of those who speak evil against my life!
But You, O YHWH my Sovereign,
deal on my behalf for Your name’s sake;
because Your steadfast love is good, deliver me!
For I am poor and needy,
and my heart is stricken within me.
I am gone like a shadow at evening;
I am shaken off like a locust.
My knees are weak through fasting;
my body has become gaunt, without fat.
I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
when they see me, they wag their heads.
Help me, O YHWH my God!
Save me according to Your steadfast love!
Let them know that this is Your hand;
You, YHWH, have done it!
Let them curse, but You will bless!
They arise and are put to shame,
but Your servant will be glad!
May my accusers be clothed with dishonor;
may they cover themselves with their own shame as with a cloak!
With my mouth I will give great thanks to YHWH;
I will praise Him in the midst of the throng.
For He stands at the right hand of the needy one,
to save him from those who condemn his soul to death.
YHWH says to my Master:
“Sit at My right hand,
until I make Your enemies Your footstool.”
YHWH sends forth from Zion
Your mighty scepter.
Rule in the midst of Your enemies!
Your people will offer themselves freely
on the day of Your power,
in holy garments;
from the womb of the morning,
the dew of Your youth will be Yours.
YHWH has sworn
and will not change His mind,
“You are a priest forever
after the order of Melchizedek.”
The Master is at Your right hand;
He will shatter kings on the day of His wrath.
He will execute judgment among the nations,
filling them with corpses;
He will shatter chiefs
over the wide earth.
He will drink from the brook by the way;
therefore He will lift up His head.
Praise YHWH!
I will give thanks to YHWH with my whole heart,
in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
Great are the works of YHWH,
studied by all who delight in them.
Full of splendor and majesty is His work,
and His righteousness endures forever.
He has caused His wondrous works to be remembered;
YHWH is gracious and merciful.
He provides food for those who fear Him;
He remembers His covenant forever.
He has shown His people the power of His works,
in giving them the inheritance of the nations.
The works of His hands are faithful and just;
all His precepts are trustworthy;
they are established forever and ever,
to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
He sent redemption to His people;
He has commanded His covenant forever.
Holy and awesome is His name!
The fear of YHWH is the beginning of wisdom;
all those who practice it have a good understanding.
His praise endures forever!
Praise YHWH!
Blessed is the man who fears YHWH,
who greatly delights in His commandments!
His offspring will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.
Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
who conducts his affairs with justice.
For the righteous will never be moved;
he will be remembered forever.
He is not afraid of bad news;
his heart is firm, trusting in YHWH.
His heart is steady; he will not be afraid,
until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever;
his horn is exalted in honor.
The wicked man sees it and is angry;
he gnashes his teeth and melts away;
the desire of the wicked will perish.
Praise YHWH!
Praise, O servants of YHWH,
praise the name of YHWH!
Blessed be the name of YHWH
from this time forth and forevermore!
From the rising of the sun to its setting,
the name of YHWH is to be praised!
YHWH is high above all nations,
and His glory above the heavens!
Who is like YHWH our God,
who is seated on high,
who looks far down
on the heavens and the earth?
He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit with princes,
with the princes of His people.
He gives the barren woman a home,
making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise YHWH!
When Israel went out from Egypt,
the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
Judah became His sanctuary,
Israel His dominion.
The sea looked and fled;
the Jordan turned back.
The mountains skipped like rams,
the hills like lambs.
What ails you, O sea, that you flee?
O Jordan, that you turn back?
O mountains, that you skip like rams?
O hills, like lambs?
Tremble, O earth, at the presence of YHWH,
at the presence of the God of Jacob,
who turns the rock into a pool of water,
the flint into a spring of water.
Not to us, O YHWH, not to us, but to Your name give glory,
for the sake of Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness!
Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
Our God is in the heavens;
He does all that He pleases.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
They have mouths, but do not speak;
eyes, but do not see.
They have ears, but do not hear;
noses, but do not smell.
They have hands, but do not feel;
feet, but do not walk;
and they do not make a sound in their throat.
Those who make them become like them;
so do all who trust in them.
O Israel, trust in YHWH!
He is their help and their shield!
O house of Aaron, trust in YHWH!
He is their help and their shield!
You who fear YHWH, trust in YHWH!
He is their help and their shield!
YHWH has remembered us; He will bless us;
He will bless the house of Israel;
He will bless the house of Aaron;
He will bless those who fear YHWH,
both the small and the great.
May YHWH give you increase,
you and your children!
May you be blessed by YHWH,
who made heaven and earth!
The heavens are YHWH’s heavens,
but the earth He has given to the children of man.
The dead do not praise YHWH,
nor do any who go down into silence.
But we will bless YHWH
from this time forth and forevermore.
HalleluYah!
I love YHWH, because He has heard
my voice and my pleas for mercy.
Because He inclined His ear to me,
therefore I will call on Him as long as I live.
The cords of death encompassed me;
the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
I suffered distress and anguish.
Then I called on the name of YHWH:
“O YHWH, I pray, deliver my soul!”
Gracious is YHWH, and righteous;
our God is merciful.
YHWH preserves the simple;
when I was brought low, He saved me.
Return, O my soul, to your rest;
for YHWH has dealt bountifully with you.
For You have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling;
I will walk before YHWH
in the land of the living.
I believed, even when I spoke,
“I am greatly afflicted”;
I said in my alarm,
“All mankind are liars.”
What shall I render to YHWH
for all His benefits to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of YHWH,
I will pay my vows to YHWH
in the presence of all His people.
Precious in the sight of YHWH
is the death of His faithful ones.
O YHWH, I am Your servant;
I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant.
You have loosed my bonds.
I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving
and call on the name of YHWH.
I will pay my vows to YHWH
in the presence of all His people,
in the courts of the house of YHWH,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
HalleluYah!
Praise YHWH, all nations!
Extol Him, all peoples!
For great is His steadfast love toward us,
and the faithfulness of YHWH endures forever.
HalleluYah!
Oh give thanks to YHWH, for He is good;
for His steadfast love endures forever!
Let Israel say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
Let those who fear YHWH say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
Out of my distress I called on YHWH;
YHWH answered me and set me free.
YHWH is on my side; I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
YHWH is on my side as my helper;
I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.
It is better to take refuge in YHWH
than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in YHWH
than to trust in princes.
All nations surrounded me;
in the name of YHWH I cut them off!
They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;
in the name of YHWH I cut them off!
They surrounded me like bees;
they went out like a fire among thorns;
in the name of YHWH I cut them off!
I was pushed hard, so that I was falling,
but YHWH helped me.
YHWH is my strength and my song;
He has become my salvation.
Glad songs of salvation
are in the tents of the righteous:
“The right hand of YHWH does valiantly,
the right hand of YHWH exalts,
the right hand of YHWH does valiantly!”
I shall not die, but I shall live,
and recount the deeds of YHWH.
YHWH has disciplined me severely,
but He has not given me over to death.
Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them
and give thanks to YHWH.
This is the gate of YHWH;
the righteous shall enter through it.
I thank You that You have answered me
and have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
This is YHWH’s doing;
it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day that YHWH has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Save us, we pray, O YHWH!
YHWH, we pray, give us success!
Blessed is He who comes in the name of YHWH!
We bless You from the house of YHWH.
YHWH is God, and He has made His light to shine upon us.
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
up to the horns of the altar!
You are my God, and I will give thanks to You;
You are my God; I will extol You.
Oh give thanks to YHWH, for He is good;
for His steadfast love endures forever!
Psalm 119 is the longest and most intricately structured psalm in the entire collection.
It is arranged as an acrostic, with each of its 22 stanzas beginning with a consecutive letter of the Hebrew alphabet (from Aleph to Tav). Each stanza contains 8 verses, and nearly every verse contains a reference to God’s instruction, using words like:
Torah (law/instruction)
Edut (testimonies)
Pikkudim (precepts)
Chukim (statutes)
Mitzvot (commandments)
Mishpatim (judgments)
Derek (way/path)
Imrah/Davar (word/promise)
Psalm 119 is not a cold legal treatise—it is a passionate love song to the Word of God, breathed from the soul of one who delights in every command and weeps when he forgets.
Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the instruction of YHWH.
Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
who seek Him with all their heart,
who also do no wrong,
but walk in His ways.
You have commanded Your precepts
to be kept diligently.
Oh that my ways may be steadfast
in keeping Your statutes!
Then I shall not be put to shame,
having my eyes fixed on all Your commandments.
I will praise You with an upright heart,
when I learn Your righteous judgments.
I will keep Your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me!
How can a young man keep his path pure?
By guarding it according to Your word.
With my whole heart I seek You;
let me not wander from Your commandments!
I have stored up Your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against You.
Blessed are You, O YHWH;
teach me Your statutes!
With my lips I declare
all the judgments of Your mouth.
In the way of Your testimonies I delight
as much as in all riches.
I will meditate on Your precepts
and fix my eyes on Your ways.
I will delight in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your word.
Deal bountifully with Your servant,
that I may live and keep Your word.
Open my eyes, that I may behold
wondrous things out of Your instruction.
I am a sojourner on the earth;
hide not Your commandments from me!
My soul is consumed with longing
for Your judgments at all times.
You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones,
who wander from Your commandments.
Take away from me scorn and contempt,
for I have kept Your testimonies.
Even though princes sit plotting against me,
Your servant meditates on Your statutes.
Your testimonies are my delight;
they are my counselors.
My soul clings to the dust;
give me life according to Your word!
When I told of my ways, You answered me;
teach me Your statutes!
Make me understand the way of Your precepts,
and I will meditate on Your wondrous works.
My soul melts away for sorrow;
strengthen me according to Your word!
Put false ways far from me
and graciously teach me Your instruction.
I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
I set Your judgments before me.
I cling to Your testimonies, O YHWH;
let me not be put to shame!
I will run in the way of Your commandments
when You enlarge my heart!
Teach me, O YHWH, the way of Your statutes,
and I will keep it to the end.
Give me understanding, that I may keep Your instruction
and observe it with my whole heart.
Lead me in the path of Your commandments,
for I delight in it.
Incline my heart to Your testimonies,
and not to selfish gain!
Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
and give me life in Your ways.
Confirm to Your servant Your promise,
that You may be feared.
Turn away the reproach that I dread,
for Your judgments are good.
Behold, I long for Your precepts;
in Your righteousness give me life!
Let Your steadfast love come to me, O YHWH,
Your salvation according to Your promise;
then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me,
for I trust in Your word.
And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
for my hope is in Your judgments.
I will keep Your instruction continually,
forever and ever,
and I shall walk in a wide place,
for I have sought Your precepts.
I will also speak of Your testimonies before kings
and shall not be put to shame,
for I find my delight in Your commandments,
which I love.
I will lift up my hands toward Your commandments, which I love,
and I will meditate on Your statutes.
Remember Your word to Your servant,
in which You have made me hope.
This is my comfort in my affliction,
that Your promise gives me life.
The insolent utterly deride me,
but I do not turn away from Your instruction.
When I think of Your judgments from of old,
I take comfort, O YHWH.
Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked,
who forsake Your instruction.
Your statutes have been my songs
in the house of my sojourning.
I remember Your name in the night, O YHWH,
and keep Your instruction.
This blessing has fallen to me,
that I have kept Your precepts.
YHWH is my portion;
I promise to keep Your words.
I entreat Your favor with all my heart;
be gracious to me according to Your promise.
When I think on my ways,
I turn my feet to Your testimonies;
I hasten and do not delay
to keep Your commandments.
Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me,
I do not forget Your instruction.
At midnight I rise to praise You,
because of Your righteous judgments.
I am a companion of all who fear You,
of those who keep Your precepts.
The earth, O YHWH, is full of Your steadfast love;
teach me Your statutes!
You have dealt well with Your servant,
O YHWH, according to Your word.
Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
for I believe in Your commandments.
Before I was afflicted I went astray,
but now I keep Your word.
You are good and do good;
teach me Your statutes.
The insolent smear me with lies,
but with my whole heart I keep Your precepts.
Their heart is unfeeling like fat,
but I delight in Your instruction.
It is good for me that I was afflicted,
that I might learn Your statutes.
The instruction of Your mouth is better to me
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
Your hands have made and fashioned me;
give me understanding that I may learn Your commandments.
Those who fear You shall see me and rejoice,
because I have hoped in Your word.
I know, O YHWH, that Your judgments are righteous,
and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.
Let Your steadfast love comfort me
according to Your promise to Your servant.
Let Your mercy come to me, that I may live;
for Your instruction is my delight.
Let the insolent be put to shame,
because they have wronged me with falsehood;
as for me, I will meditate on Your precepts.
Let those who fear You turn to me,
that they may know Your testimonies.
May my heart be blameless in Your statutes,
that I may not be put to shame!
My soul longs for Your salvation;
I hope in Your word.
My eyes fail from watching for Your promise;
I ask, “When will You comfort me?”
For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke,
yet I have not forgotten Your statutes.
How long must Your servant endure?
When will You judge those who persecute me?
The insolent have dug pitfalls for me;
they do not live according to Your instruction.
All Your commandments are sure;
they persecute me with falsehood—help me!
They have almost made an end of me on earth,
but I have not forsaken Your precepts.
In Your steadfast love give me life,
that I may keep the testimonies of Your mouth.
Forever, O YHWH,
Your word is firmly fixed in the heavens.
Your faithfulness endures to all generations;
You established the earth, and it stands fast.
By Your appointment they stand this day,
for all things are Your servants.
If Your instruction had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction.
I will never forget Your precepts,
for by them You have given me life.
I am Yours; save me,
for I have sought Your precepts.
The wicked lie in wait to destroy me,
but I consider Your testimonies.
I have seen a limit to all perfection,
but Your commandment is exceedingly broad.
Oh how I love Your instruction!
It is my meditation all the day.
Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,
for they are always with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers,
for Your testimonies are my meditation.
I understand more than the aged,
for I keep Your precepts.
I hold back my feet from every evil way,
in order to keep Your word.
I do not turn aside from Your judgments,
for You Yourself have taught me.
How sweet are Your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Through Your precepts I get understanding;
therefore I hate every false way.
Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.
I have sworn an oath and confirmed it,
to keep Your righteous judgments.
I am severely afflicted;
give me life, O YHWH, according to Your word!
Accept my freewill offerings of praise, O YHWH,
and teach me Your judgments!
I hold my life in my hand continually,
but I do not forget Your instruction.
The wicked have laid a snare for me,
but I do not stray from Your precepts.
Your testimonies are my heritage forever,
for they are the joy of my heart.
I incline my heart to perform Your statutes
forever, to the end.
I hate the double-minded,
but I love Your instruction.
You are my hiding place and my shield;
I hope in Your word.
Depart from me, you evildoers,
that I may keep the commandments of my God.
Uphold me according to Your promise, that I may live,
and let me not be put to shame in my hope!
Hold me up, that I may be safe
and have regard for Your statutes continually!
You spurn all who go astray from Your statutes,
for their cunning is in vain.
All the wicked of the earth You discard like dross;
therefore I love Your testimonies.
My flesh trembles for fear of You,
and I am afraid of Your judgments.
I have done what is just and right;
do not leave me to my oppressors.
Give Your servant a pledge of good;
let not the insolent oppress me.
My eyes long for Your salvation
and for the fulfillment of Your righteous promise.
Deal with Your servant according to Your steadfast love,
and teach me Your statutes.
I am Your servant; give me understanding,
that I may know Your testimonies!
It is time for YHWH to act,
for Your instruction has been broken.
Therefore I love Your commandments
above gold, above fine gold.
Therefore I consider all Your precepts to be right;
I hate every false way.
Your testimonies are wonderful;
therefore my soul keeps them.
The unfolding of Your words gives light;
it gives understanding to the simple.
I open my mouth and pant,
because I long for Your commandments.
Turn to me and be gracious to me,
as is Your way with those who love Your name.
Keep steady my steps according to Your promise,
and let no iniquity gain dominion over me.
Redeem me from human oppression,
that I may keep Your precepts.
Make Your face shine upon Your servant,
and teach me Your statutes.
My eyes shed streams of tears,
because people do not keep Your instruction.
Righteous are You, O YHWH,
and right are Your judgments.
You have appointed Your testimonies in righteousness
and in all faithfulness.
My zeal consumes me,
because my foes forget Your words.
Your word is very pure;
therefore Your servant loves it.
I am small and despised,
yet I do not forget Your precepts.
Your righteousness is righteous forever,
and Your instruction is true.
Trouble and anguish have found me out,
but Your commandments are my delight.
Your testimonies are righteous forever;
give me understanding that I may live.
With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O YHWH!
I will keep Your statutes.
I call to You; save me,
that I may observe Your testimonies.
I rise before dawn and cry for help;
I hope in Your words.
My eyes are awake before the watches of the night,
that I may meditate on Your promise.
Hear my voice according to Your steadfast love;
O YHWH, according to Your justice give me life.
They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose;
they are far from Your instruction.
But You are near, O YHWH,
and all Your commandments are true.
Long have I known from Your testimonies
that You have founded them forever.
Look on my affliction and deliver me,
for I do not forget Your instruction.
Plead my cause and redeem me;
give me life according to Your word!
Salvation is far from the wicked,
for they do not seek Your statutes.
Great is Your mercy, O YHWH;
give me life according to Your judgments.
Many are my persecutors and my adversaries,
but I do not swerve from Your testimonies.
I look at the faithless with disgust,
because they do not keep Your word.
Consider how I love Your precepts!
Give me life according to Your steadfast love.
The sum of Your word is truth,
and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.
Princes persecute me without cause,
but my heart stands in awe of Your words.
I rejoice at Your word
like one who finds great spoil.
I hate and abhor falsehood,
but I love Your instruction.
Seven times a day I praise You
for Your righteous judgments.
Great peace have those who love Your law;
nothing can make them stumble.
I hope for Your salvation, O YHWH,
and I do Your commandments.
My soul keeps Your testimonies;
I love them exceedingly.
I keep Your precepts and testimonies,
for all my ways are before You.
Let my cry come before You, O YHWH;
give me understanding according to Your word!
Let my plea come before You;
deliver me according to Your word.
My lips will pour forth praise,
for You teach me Your statutes.
My tongue will sing of Your word,
for all Your commandments are right.
Let Your hand be ready to help me,
for I have chosen Your precepts.
I long for Your salvation, O YHWH,
and Your law is my delight.
Let my soul live and praise You,
and let Your judgments help me.
I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant,
for I do not forget Your commandments.
These 15 psalms were sung by pilgrims traveling “up” to Jerusalem.
From cries of distress to visions of blessing, they map the soul’s journey
from exile and fear to worship and unity in the presence of God.
A Song of Ascents.
In my distress I called to YHWH,
and He answered me.
Deliver me, YHWH,
from lying lips,
from a deceitful tongue.
What shall be given to you,
and what more shall be done to you,
you deceitful tongue?
A warrior’s sharp arrows,
with glowing coals of the broom tree!
Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech,
that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
Too long have I had my dwelling
among those who hate peace.
I am for peace,
but when I speak, they are for war.
A Song of Ascents.
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from YHWH,
maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
YHWH is your keeper;
YHWH is your shade on your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
YHWH will keep you from all evil;
He will keep your life.
YHWH will keep your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to the house of YHWH!”
Our feet have been standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem!
Jerusalem—built as a city
that is bound firmly together,
to which the tribes go up,
the tribes of YHWH,
as was decreed for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of YHWH.
There thrones for judgment were set,
the thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
“May they be secure who love you!
Peace be within your walls
and security within your towers!”
For the sake of my brothers and companions,
I will say, “Peace be within you!”
For the sake of the house of YHWH our God,
I will seek your good.
A Song of Ascents.
To You I lift up my eyes,
O You who are enthroned in the heavens!
Behold, as the eyes of servants
look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maidservant
to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to YHWH our God,
till He has mercy upon us.
Have mercy upon us, O YHWH, have mercy upon us,
for we have had more than enough of contempt.
Our soul has had more than enough
of the scorn of those who are at ease,
of the contempt of the proud.
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
If it had not been YHWH who was on our side—
let Israel now say—
if it had not been YHWH who was on our side
when people rose up against us,
then they would have swallowed us up alive,
when their anger was kindled against us;
then the flood would have swept us away,
the torrent would have gone over us;
then over us would have gone
the raging waters.
Blessed be YHWH,
who has not given us
as prey to their teeth!
We have escaped like a bird
from the snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken, and we have escaped!
Our help is in the name of YHWH,
maker of heaven and earth.
A Song of Ascents.
Those who trust in YHWH
are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so YHWH surrounds His people,
from this time forth and forevermore.
For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
on the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous stretch out
their hands to do wrong.
Do good, O YHWH, to those who are good,
and to those who are upright in their hearts!
But those who turn aside to their crooked ways
YHWH will lead away with evildoers!
Peace be upon Israel!
A Song of Ascents.
When YHWH restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
“YHWH has done great things for them.”
YHWH has done great things for us;
we are glad.
Restore our fortunes, O YHWH,
like streams in the Negev!
Those who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy!
He who goes out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.
A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.
Unless YHWH builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless YHWH watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for He gives to His beloved sleep.
Behold, children are a heritage from YHWH,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
A Song of Ascents.
Blessed is everyone who fears YHWH,
who walks in His ways!
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.
Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
who fears YHWH.
YHWH bless you from Zion!
May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life!
May you see your children's children!
Peace be upon Israel!
A Song of Ascents.
“Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth”—
let Israel now say—
“Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth,
yet they have not prevailed against me.
The plowers plowed upon my back;
they made long their furrows.”
YHWH is righteous;
He has cut the cords of the wicked.
Let all who hate Zion
be put to shame and turned backward!
Let them be like the grass on the housetops,
which withers before it grows up,
with which the reaper does not fill his hand
nor the binder of sheaves his arms,
nor do those who pass by say,
“The blessing of YHWH be upon you!
We bless you in the name of YHWH!”
A Song of Ascents.
Out of the depths I cry to You, O YHWH!
O Lord, hear my voice!
Let Your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!
If You, YHWH, should mark iniquities,
O Master, who could stand?
But with You there is forgiveness,
that You may be revered.
I wait for YHWH, my soul waits,
and in His word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
O Israel, hope in YHWH!
For with YHWH there is steadfast love,
and with Him is plentiful redemption.
And He will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
O YHWH, 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.
But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
O Israel, hope in YHWH
from this time forth and forevermore.
A Song of Ascents.
Remember, O YHWH, in David’s favor,
all the hardships he endured,
how he swore to YHWH
and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
“I will not enter my house
or get into my bed,
I will not give sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
until I find a place for YHWH,
a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
we found it in the fields of Jaar.
“Let us go to His dwelling place;
let us worship at His footstool!”
Arise, O YHWH, and go to Your resting place,
You and the ark of Your might.
Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness,
and let Your faithful ones shout for joy.
For the sake of Your servant David,
do not turn away the face of Your anointed one.
YHWH 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.
If your sons keep My covenant
and My testimonies that I shall teach them,
their sons also forever
shall sit on your throne.”
For YHWH has chosen Zion;
He has desired it for His dwelling place:
“This is My resting place forever;
here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
I will abundantly bless her provisions;
I will satisfy her poor with bread.
Her priests I will clothe with salvation,
and her faithful will shout for joy.
There I will make a horn to sprout for David;
I have prepared a lamp for My anointed.
His enemies I will clothe with shame,
but on him his crown will shine.”
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity!
It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down on the collar of his robes!
It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there YHWH has commanded the blessing,
life forevermore.
A Song of Ascents.
Come, bless YHWH, all you servants of YHWH,
who stand by night in the house of YHWH!
Lift up your hands to the holy place
and bless YHWH!
May YHWH bless you from Zion,
He who made heaven and earth!
Praise YHWH!
Praise the name of YHWH,
give praise, O servants of YHWH,
you who stand in the house of YHWH,
in the courts of the house of our God!
Praise YHWH, for YHWH is good;
sing to His name, for it is pleasant!
For YHWH has chosen Jacob for Himself,
Israel as His treasured possession.
For I know that YHWH is great,
and that our Master is above all gods.
Whatever YHWH pleases, He does,
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all deeps.
He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,
who makes lightnings for the rain
and brings forth the wind from His storehouses.
He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
both of man and of beast;
who in your midst, O Egypt,
sent signs and wonders
against Pharaoh and all his servants;
who struck down many nations
and killed mighty kings,
Sihon, king of the Amorites,
and Og, king of Bashan,
and all the kingdoms of Canaan,
and gave their land as a heritage,
a heritage to His people Israel.
Your name, O YHWH, endures forever,
Your renown, O YHWH, throughout all ages.
For YHWH will vindicate His people
and have compassion on His servants.
The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
They have mouths, but do not speak;
they have eyes, but do not see;
they have ears, but do not hear,
nor is there any breath in their mouths.
Those who make them become like them,
so do all who trust in them.
O house of Israel, bless YHWH!
O house of Aaron, bless YHWH!
O house of Levi, bless YHWH!
You who fear YHWH, bless YHWH!
Blessed be YHWH from Zion,
He who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise YHWH!
Give thanks to YHWH, for He is good,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
To Him who alone does great wonders,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
To Him who by understanding made the heavens,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
To Him who spread out the earth above the waters,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
To Him who made the great lights,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
The sun to rule over the day,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
The moon and stars to rule over the night,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
To Him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
And brought Israel out from among them,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
With a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
To Him who divided the Red Sea in two,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
And made Israel pass through the midst of it,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
To Him who led His people through the wilderness,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
To Him who struck down great kings,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
And killed mighty kings,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
And Og, king of Bashan,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
And gave their land as a heritage,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
A heritage to Israel His servant,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
It is He who remembered us in our low estate,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
And rescued us from our foes,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
He who gives food to all flesh,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
By the waters of Babylon,
there we sat down and wept,
when we remembered Zion.
On the willows there
we hung up our lyres.
For there our captors required of us songs,
and our tormentors, mirth, saying,
“Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
How shall we sing YHWH’s song
in a foreign land?
If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
let my right hand forget its skill!
Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth,
if I do not remember you,
if I do not set Jerusalem
above my highest joy!
Remember, O YHWH, against the Edomites
the day of Jerusalem,
how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare,
down to its foundations!”
O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed,
blessed shall he be who repays you
with what you have done to us!
Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones
and dashes them against the rock!
Of David.
I give You thanks, O YHWH, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing Your praise;
I bow down toward Your holy temple
and give thanks to Your name
for Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness,
for You have exalted above all things
Your name and Your word.
On the day I called, You answered me;
You increased the strength of my soul.
All the kings of the earth shall give You thanks, O YHWH,
for they have heard the words of Your mouth,
and they shall sing of the ways of YHWH,
for great is the glory of YHWH.
For though YHWH is high, He regards the lowly,
but the haughty He knows from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
You preserve my life;
You stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
and Your right hand delivers me.
YHWH will fulfill His purpose for me;
Your steadfast love, O YHWH, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of Your hands.
To the lead musician. A Psalm of David.
O YHWH, You have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O YHWH, You know it altogether.
You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.
Where shall I go from Your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, You are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, You are there!
If I take the wings of the dawn
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there Your hand shall lead me,
and Your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light about me be night,”
even the darkness is not dark to You;
the night is bright as the day,
for darkness is as light with You.
For You formed my inward parts;
You knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are Your works;
my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in Your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.
How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
I awake, and I am still with You.
Oh that You would slay the wicked, O God!
O men of blood, depart from me!
They speak against You with malicious intent;
Your enemies take Your name in vain!
Do I not hate those who hate You, O YHWH?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
I hate them with complete hatred;
I count them my enemies.
Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
To the lead musician. A Psalm of David.
Deliver me, O YHWH, from evil men;
preserve me from violent men,
who plan evil things in their heart
and stir up wars continually.
They make their tongue sharp as a serpent’s,
and under their lips is the poison of vipers.
Selah.
Guard me, O YHWH, from the hands of the wicked;
preserve me from violent men,
who have planned to trip up my feet.
The arrogant have hidden a trap for me,
and with cords they have spread a net;
beside the path they have set snares for me.
Selah.
I say to YHWH, “You are my God;
give ear to the voice of my pleas, O YHWH!”
O YHWH, my Lord, the strength of my salvation,
You have covered my head in the day of battle.
Grant not, O YHWH, the desires of the wicked;
do not further their evil plot, or they will be exalted!
Selah.
As for the head of those who surround me,
let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!
Let burning coals fall upon them!
Let them be cast into fire,
into miry pits, no more to rise!
Let not the slanderer be established in the land;
let evil hunt down the violent man speedily!
I know that YHWH will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
and will execute justice for the needy.
Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name;
the upright shall dwell in Your presence.
A Psalm of David.
O YHWH, I call upon You; hasten to me!
Give ear to my voice when I call to You!
Let my prayer be counted as incense before You,
and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!
Set a guard, O YHWH, over my mouth;
keep watch over the door of my lips!
Do not let my heart incline to any evil,
to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with men who work iniquity,
and let me not eat of their delicacies!
Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;
let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head;
let my head not refuse it.
Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.
When their judges are thrown over the cliff,
then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant.
As when one plows and breaks up the earth,
so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
But my eyes are toward You, O YHWH, my Lord;
in You I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!
Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me
and from the snares of evildoers!
Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
while I pass by safely.
A Maskil of David, when he was in the cave. A Prayer.
With my voice I cry out to YHWH;
with my voice I plead for mercy to YHWH.
I pour out my complaint before Him;
I tell my trouble before Him.
When my spirit faints within me,
You know my way!
In the path where I walk
they have hidden a trap for me.
Look to the right and see:
there is none who takes notice of me;
no refuge remains to me;
no one cares for my soul.
I cry to You, O YHWH;
I say, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.”
Attend to my cry,
for I am brought very low!
Deliver me from my persecutors,
for they are too strong for me!
Bring me out of prison,
that I may give thanks to Your name!
The righteous will surround me,
for You will deal bountifully with me.
A Psalm of David.
Hear my prayer, O YHWH;
give ear to my pleas for mercy!
In Your faithfulness answer me,
in Your righteousness!
Enter not into judgment with Your servant,
for no one living is righteous before You.
For the enemy has pursued my soul;
he has crushed my life to the ground;
he has made me sit in darkness
like those long dead.
Therefore my spirit faints within me;
my heart within me is appalled.
I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all that You have done;
I ponder the work of Your hands.
I stretch out my hands to You;
my soul thirsts for You like a parched land.
Selah.
Answer me quickly, O YHWH!
My spirit fails!
Hide not Your face from me,
lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
Let me hear in the morning of Your steadfast love,
for in You I trust.
Make me know the way I should go,
for to You I lift up my soul.
Deliver me from my enemies, O YHWH!
I have fled to You for refuge!
Teach me to do Your will,
for You are my God!
Let Your good Spirit lead me
on level ground!
For Your name’s sake, O YHWH, preserve my life!
In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!
And in Your steadfast love You will cut off my enemies,
and You will destroy all the adversaries of my soul,
for I am Your servant.
Of David.
Blessed be YHWH, my rock,
who trains my hands for war,
and my fingers for battle;
He is my steadfast love and my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield and He in whom I take refuge,
who subdues peoples under me.
O YHWH, what is man that You regard him,
or the son of man that You think of him?
Man is like a breath;
his days are like a passing shadow.
Bow Your heavens, O YHWH, and come down!
Touch the mountains so that they smoke!
Flash forth the lightning and scatter them;
send out Your arrows and rout them!
Stretch out Your hand from on high;
rescue me and deliver me
from the many waters,
from the hand of foreigners,
whose mouths speak lies
and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
I will sing a new song to You, O God;
upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to You,
who gives victory to kings,
who rescues David His servant from the cruel sword.
Rescue me and deliver me
from the hand of foreigners,
whose mouths speak lies
and whose right hand is false.
May our sons in their youth
be like plants full grown,
our daughters like corner pillars
cut for the structure of a palace;
may our granaries be full,
providing all kinds of produce;
may our sheep bring forth thousands
and ten thousands in our fields;
may our cattle be heavy with young,
suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;
may there be no cry of distress in our streets!
Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall!
Blessed are the people whose God is YHWH!
A Song of Praise. Of David.
I will exalt You, my God and King,
and bless Your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless You
and praise Your name forever and ever.
Great is YHWH, and greatly to be praised,
and His greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall commend Your works to another,
and shall declare Your mighty acts.
On the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
and on Your wondrous works, I will meditate.
They shall speak of the might of Your awesome deeds,
and I will declare Your greatness.
They shall pour forth the fame of Your abundant goodness
and shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
YHWH is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
YHWH is good to all,
and His mercy is over all that He has made.
All Your works shall give thanks to You, O YHWH,
and all Your faithful shall bless You!
They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom
and tell of Your power,
to make known to the children of man Your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of Your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and Your dominion endures throughout all generations.
YHWH is faithful in all His words
and kind in all His works.
YHWH upholds all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to You,
and You give them their food in due season.
You open Your hand;
You satisfy the desire of every living thing.
YHWH is righteous in all His ways
and kind in all His works.
YHWH is near to all who call on Him,
to all who call on Him in truth.
He fulfills the desire of those who fear Him;
He also hears their cry and saves them.
YHWH preserves all who love Him,
but all the wicked He will destroy.
My mouth will speak the praise of YHWH,
and let all flesh bless His holy name
forever and ever.
These five psalms close the entire book with pure praise, each beginning and ending with “HalleluYah” — Praise YHWH.
They are a fitting finale to the Psalter’s journey from lament to joy, exile to restoration, silence to song.
HalleluYah!
Praise YHWH, O my soul!
I will praise YHWH as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
on that very day his plans perish.
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in YHWH his God,
who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
who executes justice for the oppressed,
who gives food to the hungry.
YHWH sets the prisoners free;
YHWH opens the eyes of the blind.
YHWH lifts up those who are bowed down;
YHWH loves the righteous.
YHWH watches over the sojourners;
He upholds the widow and the fatherless,
but the way of the wicked He brings to ruin.
YHWH will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, to all generations.
HalleluYah!
HalleluYah!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
YHWH builds up Jerusalem;
He gathers the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He determines the number of the stars;
He gives to all of them their names.
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
His understanding is beyond measure.
YHWH lifts up the humble;
He casts the wicked to the ground.
Sing to YHWH with thanksgiving;
make melody to our God on the lyre!
He covers the heavens with clouds;
He prepares rain for the earth;
He makes grass grow on the hills.
He gives to the beasts their food,
and to the young ravens that cry.
His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
nor His pleasure in the legs of a man,
but YHWH takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
in those who hope in His steadfast love.
Praise YHWH, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
For He strengthens the bars of your gates;
He blesses your children within you.
He makes peace in your borders;
He fills you with the finest of wheat.
He sends out His command to the earth;
His word runs swiftly.
He gives snow like wool;
He scatters frost like ashes.
He hurls down His crystals of ice like crumbs;
who can stand before His cold?
He sends out His word, and melts them;
He makes His wind blow and the waters flow.
He declares His word to Jacob,
His statutes and judgments to Israel.
He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
they do not know His judgments.
HalleluYah!
HalleluYah!
Praise YHWH from the heavens;
praise Him in the heights!
Praise Him, all His messengers;
praise Him, all His hosts!
Praise Him, sun and moon;
praise Him, all you shining stars!
Praise Him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!
Let them praise the name of YHWH!
For He commanded and they were created.
And He established them forever and ever;
He gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.
Praise YHWH from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all deeps,
fire and hail, snow and mist,
stormy wind fulfilling His word!
Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
Beasts and all livestock,
creeping things and flying birds!
Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!
Young men and maidens together,
old men and children!
Let them praise the name of YHWH,
for His name alone is exalted;
His majesty is above earth and heaven.
He has raised up a horn for His people,
praise for all His faithful ones,
for the people of Israel who are near to Him.
HalleluYah!
HalleluYah!
Sing to YHWH a new song,
His praise in the assembly of the faithful!
Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!
Let them praise His name with dancing,
making melody to Him with tambourine and lyre!
For YHWH takes pleasure in His people;
He adorns the humble with salvation.
Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy on their beds.
Let the high praises of God be in their throats
and two-edged swords in their hands,
to execute vengeance on the nations
and punishments on the peoples,
to bind their kings with chains
and their nobles with fetters of iron,
to execute on them the judgment written!
This is honor for all His faithful ones.
HalleluYah!
HalleluYah!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
praise Him in His mighty heavens!
Praise Him for His mighty deeds;
praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
Praise Him with trumpet sound;
praise Him with harp and lyre!
Praise Him with tambourine and dance;
praise Him with strings and pipe!
Praise Him with sounding cymbals;
praise Him with loud clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise YHWH!
HalleluYah!