Category: PSALMS

The Bible – Old Testament

Psalms

Index

Int. 1. 2. … 143. 144. 145. … 149. 150.

Chapter 144

1

¹ Of David. ² Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war;

2

My safe guard and my fortress, my stronghold, my deliverer, My shield, in whom I trust, who subdues peoples under me.

3

³ LORD, what are mortals that you notice them; human beings, that you take thought of them?

4

⁴ They are but a breath; their days are like a passing shadow.

5

⁵ LORD, incline your heavens and come; touch the mountains and make them smoke.

6

Flash forth lightning and scatter my foes; shoot your arrows and rout them.

7

Reach out your hand from on high; deliver me from the many waters; rescue me from the hands of foreign foes.

8

⁶ Their mouths speak untruth; their right hands are raised in lying oaths.

9

O God, a new song I will sing to you; on a ten-stringed lyre I will play for you.

10

You give victory to kings; you delivered David your servant. From the menacing sword

11

deliver me; rescue me from the hands of foreign foes. Their mouths speak untruth; their right hands are raised in lying oaths.

12

May our sons be like plants well nurtured from their youth, Our daughters, like carved columns, shapely as those of the temple.

13

May our barns be full with every kind of store. May our sheep increase by thousands, by tens of thousands in our fields; may our oxen be well fattened.

14

May there be no breach in the walls, no exile, no outcry in our streets.

15

Happy the people so blessed; happy the people whose God is the LORD.

1 [1] The psalm may reflect a ceremony in which the king, as leader of the army, asked God’s help (⇒ Psalm 144:1-8). In ⇒ Psalm 144:9 the poem shifts abruptly from pleading to thanksgiving, and (except for ⇒ Psalm 144:11) shifts again to prayer for the people. The first section (⇒ Psalm 144:1-2) is a prayer of thanks for victory; the second (⇒ Psalm 144:3-7a), a humble acknowledgment of human nothingness and a supplication that God show forth saving power; the third (⇒ Psalm 144:9-11), a promise of future thanksgiving; the fourth (⇒ Psalm 144:12-15), a wish for prosperity and peace. A prayer for deliverance from treacherous foes serves as a refrain after the second and third sections (⇒ Psalm 144:7b-8, ⇒ 11). Except for its final section, the psalm is made up almost entirely of verses from other psalms.

2 [1-2] Composed of phrases from ⇒ Psalm 18:3, ⇒ 35, ⇒ 47-48.

3 [3] Similar to ⇒ Psalm 8:5.

4 [4] Composed of phrases from ⇒ Psalm 39:6; ⇒ 102:12.

5 [5-7] Adapted in large part from ⇒ Psalm 18:10, ⇒ 15, ⇒ 17; ⇒ 104:32.

6 [8b,11b] Their right hands are raised in lying oaths: the psalmist’s enemies give false testimony.

The Bible – Old Testament

Psalms

Index

Int. 1. 2. … 143. 144. 145. … 149. 150.

The Bible – Old Testament

Psalms

Index

Int. 1. 2. 3. … 32. 33. 34. … 149. 150.

Chapter 33

1

¹ Rejoice, you just, in the LORD; praise from the upright is fitting.

2

Give thanks to the LORD on the harp; on the ten-stringed lyre offer praise.

3

Sing to God a new song; skillfully play with joyful chant.

4

For the LORD’S word is true; all his works are trustworthy.

5

The LORD loves justice and right and fills the earth with goodness.

6

² By the LORD’S word the heavens were made; by the breath of his mouth all their host.

7

³ The waters of the sea were gathered as in a bowl; in cellars the deep was confined.

8

Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all who dwell in the world show reverence.

9

For he spoke, and it came to be, commanded, and it stood in place.

10

The LORD foils the plan of nations, frustrates the designs of peoples.

11

But the plan of the LORD stands forever, wise designs through all generations.

12

Happy the nation whose God is the LORD, the people chosen as his very own.

13

From heaven the LORD looks down and observes the whole human race,

14

Surveying from the royal throne all who dwell on earth.

15

The one who fashioned the hearts of them all knows all their works.

16

A king is not saved by a mighty army, nor a warrior delivered by great strength.

17

Useless is the horse for safety; its great strength, no sure escape.

18

But the LORD’S eyes are upon the reverent, upon those who hope for his gracious help,

19

Delivering them from death, keeping them alive in times of famine.

20

Our soul waits for the LORD, who is our help and shield.

21

For in God our hearts rejoice; in your holy name we trust.

22

May your kindness, LORD, be upon us; we have put our hope in you.

1 [Psalm 33] A hymn in which the just are invited (⇒ Psalm 33:1-3) to praise God, who by a mere word (⇒ Psalm 33:4-5) created the three-tiered universe of the heavens, the cosmic waters, and the earth (⇒ Psalm 33:6-9). Human words, in contrast, effect nothing (⇒ Psalm 33:10-11). The greatness of human beings consists in God’s choosing them as a special people and their faithful response (⇒ Psalm 33:12-22).

2 [6] All their host: the stars of the sky are commonly viewed as a vast army, e.g., ⇒ Nehemiah 9:6; ⇒ Isaiah 40:26; ⇒ 45:12; ⇒ Jeremiah 33:22.

3 [7] The waters . . . as in a bowl: ancients sometimes attributed the power keeping the seas from overwhelming land to a primordial victory of the storm-god over personified Sea. God confines the seas as easily as one puts water in a bowl.

The Bible – Old Testament

Psalms

Index

Int. 1. 2. 3. … 32. 33. 34. … 149. 150.

OLD TESTAMENT

THE GOSPELS

NEW TESTAMENT

The Bible – Old Testament

Psalms

Index

Int. 1. 2. … 117. 118. 119. … 149. 150.

Chapter 118

1

¹ Give thanks to the LORD, who is good, whose love endures forever.

2

Let the house of Israel say: God’s love endures forever.

3

Let the house of Aaron say, God’s love endures forever.

4

Let those who fear the LORD say, God’s love endures forever.

5

In danger I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free.

6

The LORD is with me; I am not afraid; what can mortals do against me?

7

The LORD is with me as my helper; I shall look in triumph on my foes.

8

Better to take refuge in the LORD than to put one’s trust in mortals.

9

Better to take refuge in the LORD than to put one’s trust in princes.

10

All the nations surrounded me; in the LORD’S name I crushed them.

11

They surrounded me on every side; in the LORD’S name I crushed them.

12

They surrounded me like bees; they blazed like fire among thorns; in the LORD’S name I crushed them.

13

I was hard pressed and falling, but the LORD came to my help.

14

The LORD, my strength and might, came to me as savior.

15

The joyful shout of deliverance is heard in the tents of the victors: “The LORD’S right hand strikes with power;

16

the LORD’S right hand is raised; the LORD’S right hand strikes with power.”

17

I shall not die but live and declare the deeds of the LORD.

18

The LORD chastised me harshly, but did not hand me over to death.

19

Open the gates of victory; I will enter and thank the LORD.

20

² This is the LORD’S own gate, where the victors enter.

21

I thank you for you answered me; you have been my savior.

22

³ The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

23

By the LORD has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes.

24

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad.

25

⁴ LORD, grant salvation! LORD, grant good fortune!

26

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. We bless you from the LORD’S house.

27

The LORD is God and has given us light. Join in procession with leafy branches up to the horns of the altar.

28

You are my God, I give you thanks; my God, I offer you praise.

29

Give thanks to the LORD, who is good, whose love endures forever.

1 [Psalm118] A thanksgiving liturgy accompanying a victory procession of the king and the people into the temple precincts. After an invocation in the form of a litany (⇒ Psalm 118:1-4), the psalmist (very likely speaking in the name of the community) describes how the people confidently implored God’s help (⇒ Psalm 118:5-9) when hostile peoples threatened its life (⇒ Psalm 118:10-14); vividly God’s rescue is recounted (⇒ Psalm 118:15-18). Then follows a dialogue at the temple gates between the priests and the psalmist as the latter enters to offer the thanksgiving sacrifice (⇒ Psalm 118:19-25). Finally, the priests impart their blessing (⇒ Psalm 118:26-27), and the psalmist sings in gratitude (⇒ Psalm 118:28-29).

2 [20] Where the victors enter: their victory has demonstrated that God favors them; they are “just” in the biblical sense.

3 [22] The stone the builders rejected: a proverb: what is insignificant to human beings has become great through divine election. The “stone” may originally have meant the foundation stone or capstone of the temple. The New Testament interpreted the verse as referring to the death and resurrection of Christ (⇒ Matthew 21:42; ⇒ Acts 4:11; cf ⇒ Isaiah 28:16 and ⇒ Romans 9: 3; ⇒ 1 Peter 2:7).

4 [25] Grant salvation: the Hebrew for this cry has come into English as “Hosanna.” This cry and the words in ⇒  Psalm 118:26 were used in the gospels to welcome Jesus entering the temple on Palm Sunday (⇒ Mark 11:9-10).

The Bible – Old Testament

Psalms

Int. 1. 2. … 117. 118. 119. … 149. 150.

The Bible – Old Testament

Psalms

Index

Int. 1. 2. … 114. 115. 116. … 149. 150.

Chapter 115

1

¹ Not to us, LORD, not to us but to your name give glory because of your faithfulness and love.

2

² Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”

3

Our God is in heaven; whatever God wills is done.

4

Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.

5

They have mouths but do not speak, eyes but do not see.

6

They have ears but do not hear, noses but do not smell.

7

They have hands but do not feel, feet but do not walk, and no sound rises from their throats.

8

Their makers shall be like them, all who trust in them.

9

³ The house of Israel trusts in the LORD, who is their help and shield.

10

The house of Aaron trusts in the LORD, who is their help and shield.

11

Those who fear the LORD trust in the LORD, who is their help and shield.

12

The LORD remembers us and will bless us, will bless the house of Israel, will bless the house of Aaron,

13

Will bless those who fear the LORD, small and great alike.

14

May the LORD increase your number, you and your descendants.

15

May you be blessed by the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

16

⁴ The heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth is given to us.

17

⁵ The dead do not praise the LORD, all those gone down into silence.

18

It is we who bless the LORD, both now and forever. Hallelujah!

1 [Psalm 115] A response to the enemy taunt, “Where is your God?” This hymn to the glory of Israel’s God (⇒ Psalm 115:1-3) ridicules the lifeless idols of the nations (⇒ Psalm 115:4-8), expresses in a litany the trust of the various classes of the people in God (⇒ Psalm 115:9-11), invokes God’s blessing on them as they invoke the divine name (⇒ Psalm 115:12-15), and concludes as it began with praise of God. ⇒ Psalm 135:15-18 similarly mocks the Gentile gods and has a similar litany and hymn (⇒ Psalm 135:19-21).

2 [2] Where is their God?: implies that God cannot help them.

3 [9-11] The house of Israel . . . the house of Aaron . . . those fear the LORD: the laity of Israelite birth, the priests, and the converts to Judaism. Cf ⇒ Psalm 118:2-4; ⇒ 135:19-21. In the New Testament likewise “those who fear the Lord” means converts to Judaism (cf ⇒ Acts 10:2, ⇒ 22, ⇒ 35; ⇒ 13:16, ⇒ 26).

4 [16] The heavens: literally “the heaven of heavens” or “the highest heavens,” i.e., above the firmament. See note on ⇒ Psalm 148:4.

5 [17] See note on ⇒ Psalm 6:5.

The Bible – Old Testament

Psalms

Index

Int. 1. 2. … 114. 115. 116. … 149. 150.

The Bible – Old Testament

Psalms

Index

Int. 1. 2. 3. … 27. 28. 29. … 149. 150.

Chapter 28

1

Of David. To you, LORD, I call; my Rock, do not be deaf to me. If you fail to answer me, I will join those who go down to the pit.

2

¹ Hear the sound of my pleading when I cry to you, lifting my hands toward your holy place.

3

Do not drag me off with the wicked, with those who do wrong, Who speak peace to their neighbors though evil is in their hearts.

4

Repay them for their deeds, for the evil that they do. For the work of their hands repay them; give them what they deserve.

5

They pay no heed to the LORD’S works, to the deeds of God’s hands. God will tear them down, never to be rebuilt.

6

² Blessed be the LORD, who has heard the sound of my pleading.

7

The LORD is my strength and my shield, in whom my heart trusted and found help. So my heart rejoices; with my song I praise my God.

8

³ LORD, you are the strength of your people, the saving refuge of your anointed king.

9

Save your people, bless your inheritance; feed and sustain them forever!

1 [2] Your holy place: the innermost part of the temple, the holy of holies, containing the ark. Cf ⇒ 1 Kings 6:16, ⇒ 19-23; ⇒ 8:6-8.

2 [6] The psalmist shifts to fervent thanksgiving, probably responding to a priestly or prophetic oracle in ⇒ Psalm 28:5cd (not usually transmitted) assuring the worshiper that the prayer has been heard.

3 [8] Your people . . . your anointed king: salvation is more than individual, affecting all the people and their God-given leader.

Index

Int. 1. 2. 3. … 27. 28. 29. … 149. 150.