THE BOOK OF PSALMS

 

Psalms 144-146

A Psalm of David.

1 ¶ Blessed be the LORD my strength, who teaches my hands to fight, and my fingers to do battle:

2 He is my steadfast love, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and the one in whom I trust; who subdues peoples under me.

3 LORD, what is man, that you should care about him! or the son of man, that you should think about him!

4 Man is like a vapor: his days are like a shadow that passes away.

5 Bow your heavens low, O LORD, and come down: touch the mountains, and they will smoke.

6 Hurl out lightning, and scatter them: shoot your arrows, and destroy them.

7 Stretch out your hands from above; snatch me, and rescue me from a great flood, from the hand of foreign people;

8 Who tell lies, and with their right hand affirm lies.

9 ¶ I will sing a new song for you, O God: on a lute with ten strings will I sing praises to you.

10 It is he who gives victory to kings: who rescued his servant David from the murderous sword.

11 Snatch me, and rescue me from the hand of foreign people, whose mouth speaks lies, and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood:

12 That our sons may be like plants nurtured from their youth; that our daughters may be like corner stones, polished like those of a palace:

13 That our storehouses may be full, supplying all kinds of produce: and our sheep may increase by thousands and tens of thousands in our open fields:

14 That our oxen may be strong for work; with no enemies breaking in, no men going out to war; and no one crying in our streets.

15 Happy is that people, with whom this is so: yea, happy is the people, whose God is the LORD.

 

Psalm 145

David’s Psalm of praise.

1 ¶ I will extol you, my God, O king; and I will bless your name for ever and ever.

2 Every day will I bless you; and I will praise your name for ever and ever.

3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is beyond our comprehension.

4 One generation will praise to the next the things you have done, and will tell about your mighty acts.

5 I will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and of the wonderful things you have done.

6 And men will tell about the power of your terrifying deeds: and I will declare your greatness.

7 They will pour forth what they remember of your great goodness, and will sing of your righteousness.

8 The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.

9 The LORD is good to everyone: and shows compassion on everything he made.

10 ¶ All your works will praise you, O LORD; and your saints will bless you.

11 They will talk of the glory of your kingdom, and tell of your power;

12 To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the wonderful glory of his kingdom.

13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and you rule through all ages.

14 The LORD holds up those who are falling, and lifts up all those who are bowed down.

15 The eyes of all wait upon you; and you give them their food in due season.

16 You open your hand, and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

18 The LORD is near to all those who call upon him, to all who truly call upon him.

19 He will fulfil the desire of those who fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.

20 The LORD preserves all those who love him: but he will destroy all the wicked.

21 My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.

 

Psalm 146

1 ¶ Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.

2 While I live I will praise the LORD: I will sing praises to my God as long as I have being.

3 Do not put your trust in princes, or in human beings, who cannot save.

4 For when a man stops breathing, he returns to the earth; on that very day his thoughts perish.

5 ¶ Blessed is he who has the God of Jacob as his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:

6 Who made heaven, and earth, the sea, and everything in them: who will always be faithful:

7 Who executes judgment for the oppressed: who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free:

8 The LORD opens the eyes of the blind: the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down: the LORD loves the righteous:

9 The LORD protects strangers; he makes the fatherless and widow happy again: but brings to ruin the way of the wicked.

10 The LORD will rule forever, your God, O Zion, will rule throughout all ages. Praise the LORD.