Psalms 137-139

Psalm 137

¹By the rivers of Babylon we were seated, weeping at the memory of Zion,

²Hanging our instruments of music on the trees by the waterside.

³For there those who had taken us prisoners made request for a song; and those who had taken away all we had gave us orders to be glad, saying, Give us one of the songs of Zion.

⁴How may we give the Lord's song in a strange land?

⁵If I keep not your memory, O Jerusalem, let not my right hand keep the memory of its art.

⁶If I let you go out of my thoughts, and if I do not put Jerusalem before my greatest joy, let my tongue be fixed to the roof of my mouth.

⁷O Lord, keep in mind against the children of Edom the day of Jerusalem; how they said, Let it be uncovered, uncovered even to its base.

⁸O daughter of Babylon, whose fate is destruction; happy is the man who does to you what you have done to us.

⁹Happy is the man who takes your little ones, crushing them against the rocks.

Psalm 138

¹Of David. I will give you praise with all my heart: I will make melody to you before the gods.

²I will give worship before your holy Temple, praising your name for your mercy and for your unchanging faith: for you have made your word greater than all your name.

³When my cry came to your ears you gave me an answer, and made me great with strength in my soul.

⁴All the kings of the earth will give you praise, O Lord, when the words of your mouth come to their ears.

⁵They will make songs about the ways of the Lord; for great is the glory of the Lord.

⁶Though the Lord is high, he sees those who are low; and he has knowledge from far off of those who are lifted up.

⁷Even when trouble is round me, you will give me life; your hand will be stretched out against the wrath of my haters, and your right hand will be my salvation.

⁸The Lord will make all things complete for me: O Lord, your mercy is eternal; do not give up the works of your hands.

Psalm 139

¹To the chief music-maker. A Psalm. Of David. O Lord, you have knowledge of me, searching out all my secrets.

²You have knowledge when I am seated and when I get up, you see my thoughts from far away.

³You keep watch over my steps and my sleep, and have knowledge of all my ways.

⁴For there is not a word on my tongue which is not clear to you, O Lord.

⁵I am shut in by you on every side, and you have put your hand on me.

⁶Such knowledge is a wonder greater than my powers; it is so high that I may not come near it.

⁷Where may I go from your spirit? how may I go in flight from you?

⁸If I go up to heaven, you are there: or if I make my bed in the underworld, you are there.

⁹If I take the wings of the morning, and go to the farthest parts of the sea;

¹⁰Even there will I be guided by your hand, and your right hand will keep me.

¹¹If I say, Only let me be covered by the dark, and the light about me be night;

¹²Even the dark is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day: for dark and light are the same to you.

¹³My flesh was made by you, and my parts joined together in my mother's body.

¹⁴I will give you praise, for I am strangely and delicately formed; your works are great wonders, and of this my soul is fully conscious.

¹⁵My frame was not unseen by you when I was made secretly, and strangely formed in the lowest parts of the earth.

¹⁶Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book all my days were recorded, even those which were purposed before they had come into being.

¹⁷How dear are your thoughts to me, O God! how great is the number of them!

¹⁸If I made up their number, it would be more than the grains of sand; when I am awake, I am still with you.

¹⁹If only you would put the sinners to death, O God; go far from me, you men of blood.

²⁰For they go against you with evil designs, and your haters make sport of your name.

²¹Are not your haters hated by me, O Lord? are not those who are lifted up against you a cause of grief to me?

²²My hate for them is complete; my thoughts of them are as if they were making war on me.

²³O God, let the secrets of my heart be uncovered, and let my wandering thoughts be tested:

²⁴See if there is any way of sorrow in me, and be my guide in the eternal way.