Psalm 133

One of David’s songs for going up to the temple.

¹Oh how good and pleasant it is when brothers can sit together, truly united! ²It is like the sweet smelling oil poured over Aaron’s head, running down into his beard which flows down over his special clothes. ³It is like a gentle rain* from Mount Hermon falling on Mount Zion.* ⁴Why? Because it was at Zion that the Lord gave his blessing, the blessing of eternal life.

gentle rain Or, “mist, snow.” The Hebrew can mean either, “the oil is like the mist…,” or “Aaron's beard is like the snow…” Mount Zion Or, “the mountain range of Zion,” or possibly “the dry mountains.”

Psalm 134

A song for going up to the temple.

¹Praise the Lord, all of his servants! You servants served in the temple all night. ²Servants, lift your arms and bless the Lord. ³And may the Lord bless you from Zion.* The Lord made heaven and earth.

Zion The southeast part of the mountain Jerusalem is built on. Sometimes it means the people of God living in Jerusalem.

Psalm 135

¹Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord! Servants of the Lord, praise him! ²Praise him, you people that are standing in the Lord’s temple, in the courtyard of the temple of our God. ³Praise the Lord, because he is good. Praise his name, because it is pleasant. ⁴The Lord chose Jacob.* Israel belongs to God. ⁵I know the Lord is great! Our Master is greater than all the gods! ⁶The Lord does anything he wants, in heaven and earth, in the seas and deep oceans. ⁷God makes the clouds all over the earth. God makes the lightning and rain. And God makes the wind.* ⁸God destroyed all the firstborn men and all the firstborn animals in Egypt. ⁹God did many wonders and miracles in Egypt. God made those things happen to Pharaoh and his officials. ¹⁰God defeated many nations. God killed powerful kings. ¹¹God defeated Sihon, king of the Amorites. God defeated Og, king of Bashan. God defeated all the nations in Canaan. ¹²And God gave their land to Israel. God gave that land to his people. ¹³Lord, your name will be famous forever! Lord, people will remember you forever and ever. ¹⁴The Lord punished the nations. But the Lord was kind to his servants. ¹⁵The gods of the other people were only gold and silver statues. Their gods were only statues that people made. ¹⁶The statues had mouths, but couldn’t speak. The statues had eyes, but couldn’t see. ¹⁷The statues had ears, but couldn’t hear. The statues had noses, but couldn’t smell. ¹⁸And the people who made the statues will become just like them! Why? Because they trusted those statues to help them. ¹⁹Family of Israel, bless the Lord! Aaron’s family, bless the Lord! ²⁰Levi’s family, bless the Lord! Followers of the Lord, bless the Lord! ²¹The Lord is blessed from Zion, from Jerusalem, his home. Praise the Lord!

Jacob Another name for Israel. See Gen. 32:22–28. makes the wind Literally, “brings the wind out of the storehouses.”

Psalm 136

¹Praise the Lord because he is good. His true love continues forever. ²Praise the God of gods! His true love continues forever. ³Praise the Lord of lords! His true love continues forever. ⁴Praise God, who alone does wonderful miracles! His true love continues forever. ⁵Praise God, the One that used wisdom to make the skies! His true love continues forever. ⁶God put the dry land on the sea. His true love continues forever. ⁷God made the great lights. His true love continues forever. ⁸God made the sun to rule the day. His true love continues forever. ⁹God made the moon and stars to rule the night. His true love continues forever. ¹⁰God killed the firstborn men and animals in Egypt. His true love continues forever. ¹¹God took Israel out of Egypt. His true love continues forever. ¹²God showed his great power and strength. His true love continues forever. ¹³God split the Red Sea into two parts. His true love continues forever. ¹⁴God led Israel through the sea. His true love continues forever. ¹⁵God drowned Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea. His true love continues forever. ¹⁶God led his people through the desert. His true love continues forever. ¹⁷God defeated powerful kings. His true love continues forever. ¹⁸God defeated strong kings. His true love continues forever. ¹⁹God defeated Sihon, king of the Amorites. His true love continues forever. ²⁰God defeated Og, king of Bashan. His true love continues forever. ²¹God gave their land to Israel. His true love continues forever. ²²God gave that land for a gift to Israel. His true love continues forever. ²³God remembered us when we were defeated. His true love continues forever. ²⁴God saved us from our enemies. His true love continues forever. ²⁵God gives food to every person. His true love continues forever. ²⁶Praise the God of heaven! His true love continues forever.

Psalm 137

¹We sat by the rivers in Babylon and cried as we remembered Zion.* ²We hung our harps on the willow trees nearby.* ³In Babylon, the people who captured us told us to sing. They told us to sing happy songs. They told us to sing songs about Zion.* ⁴But we can’t sing the Lord’s songs in a foreign country! ⁵Jerusalem, if I ever forget you, then I hope I never play a song again. ⁶Jerusalem, if I ever forget you, then I hope I never sing again. I promise, I will never forget you. ⁷I promise, Jerusalem will always be my greatest joy! ⁸Babylon, you will be destroyed! Bless the man who gives you the punishment you should get. Bless the man who hurts you like you hurt us. ⁹Bless the man who grabs your babies and smashes them against a rock.

Zion The southeast part of the mountain Jerusalem is built on. Sometimes it means the people of God living in Jerusalem. We hung our harps … nearby These instruments were used to praise God in the temple in Jerusalem. Since the temple was destroyed, these people had no reason to play the songs.

Psalm 138

A song of David.*

¹God, I praise you with all my heart. I will sing your songs before all the gods. ²God, I bow down toward your holy temple. I praise your name, your true love, and your loyalty. You are famous {for the power of} your word. Now you have made it even greater! ³God, I called to you for help. And you answered me! You gave me strength. ⁴Lord, all the kings on earth will praise you when they hear what you say. ⁵They will sing about the Lord’s way because the Glory of the Lord is very great. ⁶God is very important, but he still cares for humble people. God knows what proud people do, but he stays far away from them. ⁷God, if I am in trouble, keep me alive. If my enemies are angry at me, save me from them. ⁸Lord, give me the things you promised. Lord, your true love continues forever. Lord, you made us, so don’t leave us!

A song of David Or, “A song dedicated to David.”

Psalm 139

To the director.* One of David’s songs of praise.

¹Lord, you tested me. You know all about me. ²You know when I sit down and when I get up. You know my thoughts from far away. ³Lord, you know where I am going and when I am lying down. You know everything I do. ⁴Lord, you know what I want to say, even before the words leave my mouth. ⁵Lord, you are all around me—in front and in back of me. You gently put your hand on me. ⁶I am amazed at what you know. It is too much for me to understand. ⁷Your Spirit is in every place I go. Lord, I can’t escape you. ⁸Lord, if I go up to heaven, you are there. If I go down to the place of death, you are there. ⁹Lord, if I go east where the sun rises, you are there. If I go west to the sea, you are there. ¹⁰Even there your right hand holds me, and you lead me by the hand. ¹¹Lord, I might try to hide from you and say, “The day has changed to night. Surely the darkness will hide me.” ¹²But even darkness is not dark to you, Lord, The night is as bright as day to you. ¹³Lord, you made my whole body.* You knew all about me while I was still in my mother’s body. ¹⁴Lord, I praise you! You made me in an amazing and wonderful way. I know very well that what you did is wonderful! ¹⁵You know all about me. You watched my bones grow while my body took shape, hidden in my mother’s body.* ¹⁶You watched my body parts grow. You listed them all in your book. You watched me every day. Not one of them {is missing}. ¹⁷Your thoughts are important to me. God, you know so much! ¹⁸If I could count them, they would be more than all the grains of sand. And when I finished, I would still be with you. ¹⁹God, kill the wicked people. Take those murderers away from me. ²⁰They say bad things about you. They say bad things about your name.* ²¹Lord, I hate the people who hate you. I hate the people who turn against you. ²²I hate them completely! Your enemies are also my enemies. ²³Lord, look at me and know my heart. Test me and know my thoughts. ²⁴See if I have any evil thoughts. And guide me on the path that continues forever.*

director Or, “performer.” whole body Literally, “kidneys.” The ancient Israelites also thought the emotions were centered in the kidneys. So this probably also means God knew how this person felt, even before he was born. mother’s body Literally, “deepest parts of the earth.” This is a way of saying a place we know nothing about. They say bad things about your name The meaning of the Hebrew here is not clear. guide … forever Or, “Guide on the ancient path.”