PSALM CXXXV-THE LORD IS GREAT 1047 3 Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant. 4 For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure. 5 For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. 6 Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places. 7 He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries. 8 Who smote the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast. 9 Who sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his servants. 10 Who smote great nations, and slew mighty kings; 11 Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan; 12 And gave their land for an heritage, an heritage unto Israel his people. 13 Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations. 14 For the LORD will judge his people, and he will repent himself concerning his servants. 15 The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. 16 They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; 17 They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths. 18 They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them. 19 Bless the LORD, O house of Israel: bless the LORD, O house of Aaron: 20 Bless the LORD, O house of Levi: ye that fear the LORD, bless the LORD. 21 Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD. Psalm 136 An exhortation to give thanks to God for particular mercies. GIVE thanks unto the LORD: for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. 2 O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. 3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever. 1048 PSALM CXXXVI—A HYMN OF THANKS 4 To him who alone doeth great wonders; for his mercy endureth for ever. 5 To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever. 6 To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever. 7 To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever: 8 The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever: 9 The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever. 10 To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever: 11 And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy dureth for ever: 12 With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever. 13 To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever: 14 And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever: 15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever. 16 To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever. 17 To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever: 18 And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever: 19 Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever: 20 And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever: 21 And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever: 22 Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever. 23 Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever: 24 And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever. 25 Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever. 26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever. Psalm 137 1 The constancy of the Jews in captivity. 7 The prophet curseth Edom and Babel. thereof. Y the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Žion. 2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst 3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a David, the Psalmist BY WILHELM EBBINGHAUS, A GERMAN ARTIST OF "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly."-Ps. 1, 1. K ING David was the great lyric poet of the ancient psalms which has come down to us, we can not tell which of the songs, if any, are preserved just as David composed them; for they were not gathered into the present collection until centuries after the singer's death. The introductory notes to the various psalms attribute nearly half of them to David; but these notes are not regarded as belonging strictly to the Bible and sharing its divine inspiration. They merely present ancient Hebrew traditions as to the origin, the purpose, and the method of singing of the Traditionally, then, most of the psalms are David's, and assuredly they are echoes of his thought, modified in wording by the centuries through which they were handed down, but still breathing the spirit of the great psalmist, still throbbing with his love and faith. songs. The first psalm serves as introduction to the rest. It describes the character to which a reader of the book should aspire, the mood in which such a man approaches the songs. "His delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." |