The Living Bible (201 page)

Psalm
137

Weeping, we sat beside the rivers of Babylon thinking of Jerusalem.
²
 We have put away our lyres, hanging them upon the branches of the willow trees,
^3-4
 for how can we sing? Yet our captors, our tormentors, demand that we sing for them the happy songs of Zion!
^5-6
 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill upon the harp. If I fail to love her more than my highest joy, let me never sing again.

    
⁷
 O Jehovah, do not forget what these Edomites did on that day when the armies of Babylon captured Jerusalem. “Raze her to the ground!” they yelled.
⁸
 O Babylon, evil beast, you shall be destroyed. Blessed is the man who destroys you as you have destroyed us.
⁹
 Blessed is the man who takes your babies and smashes them against the rocks!
*

Psalm
138

Lord, with all my heart I thank you. I will sing your praises before the armies of angels.
*
²
 I face your Temple as I worship, giving thanks to you for all your loving-kindness and your faithfulness, for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.
*
³
 When I pray, you answer me and encourage me by giving me the strength I need.

    
⁴
 Every king in all the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord, for all of them shall hear your voice.
⁵
 Yes, they shall sing about Jehovah’s glorious ways, for his glory is very great.
⁶
 Yet though he is so great, he respects the humble, but proud men must keep their distance.
⁷
 Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will bring me safely through them. You will clench your fist against my angry enemies! Your power will save me.
⁸
 The Lord will work out his plans for my life—for your loving-kindness, Lord, continues forever. Don’t abandon me—for you made me.

Psalm
139

O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.
²
 You know when I sit or stand. When far away you know my every thought.
³
 You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am.
⁴
 You know what I am going to say before I even say it.
⁵
 You both precede and follow me and place your hand of blessing on my head.

    
⁶
 This is too glorious, too wonderful to believe!
⁷
 I can
never
be lost to your Spirit! I can
never
get away from my God!
⁸
 If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the place of the dead, you are there.
⁹
 If I ride the morning winds to the farthest oceans,
¹⁰
 even there your hand will guide me, your strength will support me.
¹¹
 If I try to hide in the darkness, the night becomes light around me.
¹²
 For even darkness cannot hide from God; to you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are both alike to you.

    
¹³
 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit them together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴
 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! It is amazing to think about. Your workmanship is marvelous—and how well I know it.
¹⁵
 You were there while I was being formed in utter seclusion!
¹⁶
 You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book!

    
^17-18
 How precious it is, Lord, to realize that you are thinking about me constantly! I can’t even count how many times a day your thoughts turn toward me.
*
And when I waken in the morning, you are still thinking of me!

    
¹⁹
 Surely you will slay the wicked, Lord! Away, bloodthirsty men! Begone!
²⁰
 They blaspheme your name and stand in arrogance against you—how silly can they be?
²¹
 O Lord, shouldn’t I hate those who hate you? Shouldn’t I be grieved with them?
²²
 Yes, I hate them, for your enemies are my enemies too.

    
²³
 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test my thoughts.
²⁴
 Point out anything you find in me that makes you sad, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Psalm
140

O Lord, deliver me from evil men. Preserve me from the violent,
²
 who plot and stir up trouble all day long.
³
 Their words sting like poisonous snakes.
⁴
 Keep me out of their power. Preserve me from their violence, for they are plotting against me.
⁵
 These proud men have set a trap to catch me, a noose to yank me up and leave me dangling in the air; they wait in ambush with a net to throw over and hold me helpless in its meshes.

    
^6-8
 O Jehovah, my Lord and Savior, my God and my shield—hear me as I pray! Don’t let these wicked men succeed; don’t let them prosper and be proud.
⁹
 Let their plots boomerang! Let them be destroyed by the very evil they have planned for me.
¹⁰
 Let burning coals fall down upon their heads, or throw them into the fire or into deep pits from which they can’t escape.

    
¹¹
 Don’t let liars prosper here in our land; quickly punish them.
¹²
 But the Lord will surely help those they persecute; he will maintain the rights of the poor.
¹³
 Surely the godly are thanking you, for they shall live in your presence.

Psalm
141

Quick, Lord, answer me—for I have prayed. Listen when I cry to you for help!
²
 Regard my prayer as my evening sacrifice and as incense wafting up to you.

    
³
 Help me, Lord, to keep my mouth shut and my lips sealed.
⁴
 Take away my lust for evil things; don’t let me want to be with sinners, doing what they do, sharing their delicacies.
⁵
 Let the godly smite me! It will be a kindness! If they reprove me, it is medicine! Don’t let me refuse it. But I am in constant prayer against the wicked and their deeds.
^6-7
 When their leaders are condemned, and their bones are strewn across the ground,
*
then these men will finally listen to me and know that I am trying to help them.

    
⁸
 I look to you for help, O Lord God. You are my refuge. Don’t let them slay me.
⁹
 Keep me out of their traps.
¹⁰
 Let them fall into their own snares, while I escape.

Psalm
142

How I plead with God, how I implore his mercy, pouring out my troubles before him.
³
 For I am overwhelmed and desperate, and you alone know which way I ought to turn to miss the traps my enemies have set for me.
⁴
 (There’s one—just over there to the right!) No one gives me a passing thought. No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me.
⁵
 Then I prayed to Jehovah. “Lord,” I pled, “you are my only place of refuge. Only you can keep me safe.

    
⁶
 “Hear my cry, for I am very low. Rescue me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me.
⁷
 Bring me out of prison so that I can thank you. The godly will rejoice with me for all your help.”