Psalms 141-150

Psalm 141

A Psalm by David.

Yahweh, I have called on you.: Come to me quickly!; Listen to my voice when I call to you.
Let my prayer be set before you like incense;: the lifting up of my hands like the evening sacrifice.
Set a watch, Yahweh, before my mouth.: Keep the door of my lips.
Don’t incline my heart to any evil thing,: to practice deeds of wickedness with men who work iniquity.; Don’t let me eat of their delicacies.
Let the righteous strike me, it is kindness;: let him reprove me, it is like oil on the head;; don’t let my head refuse it;; Yet my prayer is always against evil deeds.
Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock.: They will hear my words, for they are well spoken.
“As when one plows and breaks up the earth,: our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.”
For my eyes are on you, Yahweh, the Lord.: In you, I take refuge.; Don’t leave my soul destitute.
Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me,: from the traps of the workers of iniquity.
Let the wicked fall together into their own nets,: while I pass by.

Psalm 142

A contemplation by David, when he was in the cave. A Prayer.

I cry with my voice to Yahweh.: With my voice, I ask Yahweh for mercy.
I pour out my complaint before him.: I tell him my troubles.
When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,: you knew my path.
In the way in which I walk,: they have hidden a snare for me.
Look on my right, and see;: for there is no one who is concerned for me.; Refuge has fled from me.; No one cares for my soul.
I cried to you, Yahweh.: I said, “You are my refuge,; my portion in the land of the living.”
Listen to my cry,: for I am in desperate need.
deliver me from my persecutors,: For they are stronger than me.
Bring my soul out of prison,: that I may give thanks to your name.
The righteous will surround me,: for you will be good to me.

Psalm 143

A Psalm by David.

Hear my prayer, Yahweh.: Listen to my petitions.; In your faithfulness and righteousness, relieve me.
Don’t enter into judgment with your servant,: for in your sight no man living is righteous.
For the enemy pursues my soul.: He has struck my life down to the ground.; He has made me live in dark places, as those who have been long dead.
Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me.: My heart within me is desolate.
I remember the days of old.: I meditate on all your doings.; I contemplate the work of your hands.
I spread forth my hands to you.: My soul thirsts for you, like a parched land.
Selah.
Hurry to answer me, Yahweh.: My spirit fails.
Don’t hide your face from me,: so that I don’t become like those who go down into the pit.
Cause me to hear your loving kindness in the morning,: for I trust in you.
Cause me to know the way in which I should walk,: for I lift up my soul to you.
Deliver me, Yahweh, from my enemies.: I flee to you to hide me.
Teach me to do your will,: for you are my God.
Your Spirit is good.: Lead me in the land of uprightness.
Revive me, Yahweh, for your name’s sake.: In your righteousness, bring my soul out of trouble.
In your loving kindness, cut off my enemies,: and destroy all those who afflict my soul,; For I am your servant.

Psalm 144

By David.

Blessed be Yahweh, my rock,: who teaches my hands to war,; and my fingers to battle:
my loving kindness, my fortress,: my high tower, my deliverer,; my shield, and he in whom I take refuge;; who subdues my people under me.
Yahweh, what is man, that you care for him?: Or the son of man, that you think of him?
Man is like a breath.: His days are like a shadow that passes away.
Part your heavens, Yahweh, and come down.: Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.
Throw out lightning, and scatter them.: Send out your arrows, and rout them.
Stretch out your hand from above,: rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters,; out of the hands of foreigners;; whose mouths speak deceit,; Whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
I will sing a new song to you, God.: On a ten-stringed lyre, I will sing praises to you.
You are he who gives salvation to kings,: who rescues David, his servant, from the deadly sword.
Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hands of foreigners,: whose mouths speak deceit,; whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

Then our sons will be like well-nurtured plants,: our daughters like pillars carved to adorn a palace.
Our barns are full, filled with all kinds of provision.: Our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields.
Our oxen will pull heavy loads.: There is no breaking in, and no going away,; and no outcry in our streets.
Happy are the people who are in such a situation.: Happy are the people whose God is Yahweh.

Psalm 145

A praise psalm by David.^*

I will exalt you, my God, the King.: I will praise your name forever and ever.
Every day I will praise you.: I will extol your name forever and ever.
Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised!: His greatness is unsearchable.
One generation will commend your works to another,: and will declare your mighty acts.
Of the glorious majesty of your honor,: of your wondrous works, I will meditate.
Men will speak of the might of your awesome acts.: I will declare your greatness.
They will utter the memory of your great goodness,: and will sing of your righteousness.
Yahweh is gracious, merciful,: slow to anger, and of great loving kindness.
Yahweh is good to all.: His tender mercies are over all his works.
All your works will give thanks to you, Yahweh.: Your saints will extol you.
They will speak of the glory of your kingdom,: and talk about your power;
to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts,: the glory of the majesty of his kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.: Your dominion endures throughout all generations.
Yahweh is faithful in all his words,: and loving in all his deeds.
Yahweh upholds all who fall,: and raises up all those who are bowed down.
The eyes of all wait for you.: You give them their food in due season.
You open your hand,: and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
Yahweh is righteous in all his ways,: and gracious in all his works.
Yahweh is near to all those who call on him,: to all who call on him in truth.
He will fulfill the desire of those who fear him.: He also will hear their cry, and will save them.
Yahweh preserves all those who love him,: but all the wicked he will destroy.
My mouth will speak the praise of Yahweh.: Let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

Psalm 146

Praise Yah!: Praise Yahweh, my soul.
While I live, I will praise Yahweh.: I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist.
Don’t put your trust in princes,: each a son of man in whom there is no help.
His spirit departs, and he returns to the earth.: In that very day, his thoughts perish.
Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,: whose hope is in Yahweh, his God:
who made heaven and earth,: the sea, and all that is in them;; who keeps truth forever;
who executes justice for the oppressed;: who gives food to the hungry.
Yahweh frees the prisoners.: Yahweh opens the eyes of the blind.; Yahweh raises up those who are bowed down.; Yahweh loves the righteous.
Yahweh preserves the foreigners.: He upholds the fatherless and widow,; but the way of the wicked he turns upside down.
Yahweh will reign forever;: your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise Yah!

Psalm 147

Praise Yah,: for it is good to sing praises to our God;; for it is pleasant and fitting to praise him.
Yahweh builds up Jerusalem.: He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the broken in heart,: and binds up their wounds.
He counts the number of the stars.: He calls them all by their names.
Great is our Lord, and mighty in power.: His understanding is infinite.
Yahweh upholds the humble.: He brings the wicked down to the ground.
Sing to Yahweh with thanksgiving.: Sing praises on the harp to our God,
who covers the sky with clouds,: who prepares rain for the earth,; who makes grass grow on the mountains.
He provides food for the livestock,: and for the young ravens when they call.
He doesn’t delight in the strength of the horse.: He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
Yahweh takes pleasure in those who fear him,: in those who hope in his loving kindness.
Praise Yahweh, Jerusalem!: Praise your God, Zion!
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates.: He has blessed your children within you.
He makes peace in your borders.: He fills you with the finest of the wheat.
He sends out his commandment to the earth.: His word runs very swiftly.
He gives snow like wool,: and scatters frost like ashes.
He hurls down his hail like pebbles.: Who can stand before his cold?
He sends out his word, and melts them.: He causes his wind to blow, and the waters flow.
He shows his word to Jacob;: his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
He has not done this for just any nation.: They don’t know his ordinances.
Praise Yah!

Psalm 148

Praise Yah!: Praise Yahweh from the heavens!; Praise him in the heights!
Praise him, all his angels!: Praise him, all his army!
Praise him, sun and moon!: Praise him, all you shining stars!
Praise him, you heavens of heavens,: You waters that are above the heavens.
Let them praise the name of Yahweh,: For he commanded, and they were created.
He has also established them forever and ever.: He has made a decree which will not pass away.
Praise Yahweh from the earth,: you great sea creatures, and all depths!
Lightning and hail, snow and clouds;: stormy wind, fulfilling his word;
mountains and all hills;: fruit trees and all cedars;
wild animals and all livestock;: small creatures and flying birds;
kings of the earth and all peoples;: princes and all judges of the earth;
both young men and maidens;: old men and children:
let them praise the name of Yahweh,: for his name alone is exalted.; His glory is above the earth and the heavens.
He has lifted up the horn of his people,: the praise of all his saints;; even of the children of Israel, a people near to him.
Praise Yah!

Psalm 149

Praise Yahweh!: Sing to Yahweh a new song,; his praise in the assembly of the saints.
Let Israel rejoice in him who made them.: Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
Let them praise his name in the dance!: Let them sing praises to him with tambourine and harp!
For Yahweh takes pleasure in his people.: He crowns the humble with salvation.
Let the saints rejoice in honor.: Let them sing for joy on their beds.
May the high praises of God be in their mouths,: and a two-edged sword in their hand;
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 written judgment.: All his saints have this honor.
Praise Yah!