Good News Translation (GNT)

A Prayer against Israel’s Enemies

1 Israel, tell us how your enemies have persecuted you

ever since you were young.

2 “Ever since I was young,

my enemies have persecuted me cruelly,

but they have not overcome me.

3 They cut deep wounds in my back

and made it like a plowed field.

4 But the Lord, the righteous one,

has freed me from slavery.”

5 May everyone who hates Zion

be defeated and driven back.

6 May they all be like grass growing on the housetops,

which dries up before it can grow;

7 no one gathers it up

or carries it away in bundles.

8 No one who passes by will say,

“May the Lord bless you!

We bless you in the name of the Lord.”

—https://cdn-youversionapi.global.ssl.fastly.net/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/129-ec975a8ae4cd46f6fa62b8ff3cd2af71.mp3?version_id=68—

A Prayer for Help

1 From the depths of my despair I call to you, Lord.

2 Hear my cry, O Lord;

listen to my call for help!

3 If you kept a record of our sins,

who could escape being condemned?

4 But you forgive us,

so that we should stand in awe of you.

5 I wait eagerly for the Lord’s help,

and in his word I trust.

6 I wait for the Lord

more eagerly than sentries wait for the dawn—

than sentries wait for the dawn.

7 Israel, trust in the Lord,

because his love is constant

and he is always willing to save.

8 He will save his people Israel

from all their sins.

—https://cdn-youversionapi.global.ssl.fastly.net/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/130-1487cbbb94c6a52c193a2889ca80168d.mp3?version_id=68—

A Prayer of Humble Trust

1 Lord, I have given up my pride

and turned away from my arrogance.

I am not concerned with great matters

or with subjects too difficult for me.

2 Instead, I am content and at peace.

As a child lies quietly in its mother’s arms,

so my heart is quiet within me.

3 Israel, trust in the Lord

now and forever!

—https://cdn-youversionapi.global.ssl.fastly.net/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/131-bc8cee123196efba8683d3bb560821b6.mp3?version_id=68—

In Praise of the Temple

1 Lord, do not forget David

and all the hardships he endured.

2 Remember, Lord, what he promised,

the vow he made to you, the Mighty God of Jacob:

3 “I will not go home or go to bed;

4 I will not rest or sleep,

5 until I provide a place for the Lord,

a home for the Mighty God of Jacob.”

6 In Bethlehem we heard about the Covenant Box,

and we found it in the fields of Jearim.

7 We said, “Let us go to the Lord’s house;

let us worship before his throne.”

8 Come to the Temple, Lord, with the Covenant Box,

the symbol of your power,

and stay here forever.

9 May your priests do always what is right;

may your people shout for joy!

10 You made a promise to your servant David;

do not reject your chosen king, Lord.

11 You made a solemn promise to David—

a promise you will not take back:

“I will make one of your sons king,

and he will rule after you.

12 If your sons are true to my covenant

and to the commands I give them,

their sons, also, will succeed you for all time as kings.”

13 The Lord has chosen Zion;

he wants to make it his home:

14 “This is where I will live forever;

this is where I want to rule.

15 I will richly provide Zion with all she needs;

I will satisfy her poor with food.

16 I will bless her priests in all they do,

and her people will sing and shout for joy.

17 Here I will make one of David’s descendants a great king;

here I will preserve the rule of my chosen king.

18 I will cover his enemies with shame,

but his kingdom will prosper and flourish.”

—https://cdn-youversionapi.global.ssl.fastly.net/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/132-9f10548ae395557909e3aba1a0b5cf7a.mp3?version_id=68—

In Praise of Living in Peace

1 How wonderful it is, how pleasant,

for God’s people to live together in harmony!

2 It is like the precious anointing oil

running down from Aaron’s head and beard,

down to the collar of his robes.

3 It is like the dew on Mount Hermon,

falling on the hills of Zion.

That is where the Lord has promised his blessing—

life that never ends.

—https://cdn-youversionapi.global.ssl.fastly.net/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/133-2f2faa78c1b0d75fbba1af1a6c5bcf6b.mp3?version_id=68—

A Call to Praise God

1 Come, praise the Lord,

all his servants,

all who serve in his Temple at night.

2 Raise your hands in prayer in the Temple,

and praise the Lord!

3 May the Lord, who made heaven and earth,

bless you from Zion!

—https://cdn-youversionapi.global.ssl.fastly.net/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/134-519df86d42ddc4c592603aed8f8bd444.mp3?version_id=68—

A Hymn of Praise

1 Praise the Lord!

Praise his name, you servants of the Lord,

2 who stand in the Lord’s house,

in the Temple of our God.

3 Praise the Lord, because he is good;

sing praises to his name, because he is kind.

4 He chose Jacob for himself,

the people of Israel for his own.

5 I know that our Lord is great,

greater than all the gods.

6 He does whatever he wishes

in heaven and on earth,

in the seas and in the depths below.

7 He brings storm clouds from the ends of the earth;

he makes lightning for the storms,

and he brings out the wind from his storeroom.

8 In Egypt he killed all the first-born

of people and animals alike.

9 There he performed miracles and wonders

to punish the king and all his officials.

10 He destroyed many nations

and killed powerful kings:

11 Sihon, king of the Amorites,

Og, king of Bashan,

and all the kings in Canaan.

12 He gave their lands to his people;

he gave them to Israel.

13 Lord, you will always be proclaimed as God;

all generations will remember you.

14 The Lord will defend his people;

he will take pity on his servants.

15 The gods of the nations are made of silver and gold;

they are formed by human hands.

16 They have mouths, but cannot speak,

and eyes, but cannot see.

17 They have ears, but cannot hear;

they are not even able to breathe.

18 May all who made them and who trust in them

becomelike the idols they have made!

19 Praise the Lord, people of Israel;

praise him, you priests of God!

20 Praise the Lord, you Levites;

praise him, all you that worship him!

21 Praise the Lord in Zion,

in Jerusalem, his home.

Praise the Lord!

—https://cdn-youversionapi.global.ssl.fastly.net/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/135-22003be03238c1d691c82ac5192cb212.mp3?version_id=68—

A Hymn of Thanksgiving

1 Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good;

his love is eternal.

2 Give thanks to the greatest of all gods;

his love is eternal.

3 Give thanks to the mightiest of all lords;

his love is eternal.

4 He alone performs great miracles;

his love is eternal.

5 By his wisdom he made the heavens;

his love is eternal;

6 he built the earth on the deep waters;

his love is eternal.

7 He made the sun and the moon;

his love is eternal;

8 the sun to rule over the day;

his love is eternal;

9 the moon and the stars to rule over the night;

his love is eternal.

10 He killed the first-born sons of the Egyptians;

his love is eternal.

11 He led the people of Israel out of Egypt;

his love is eternal;

12 with his strong hand, his powerful arm;

his love is eternal.

13 He divided the Red Sea;

his love is eternal;

14 he led his people through it;

his love is eternal;

15 but he drowned the king of Egypt and his army;

his love is eternal.

16 He led his people through the desert;

his love is eternal.

17 He killed powerful kings;

his love is eternal;

18 he killed famous kings;

his love is eternal;

19 Sihon, king of the Amorites;

his love is eternal;

20 and Og, king of Bashan;

his love is eternal.

21 He gave their lands to his people;

his love is eternal;

22 he gave them to Israel, his servant;

his love is eternal.

23 He did not forget us when we were defeated;

his love is eternal;

24 he freed us from our enemies;

his love is eternal.

25 He gives food to every living creature;

his love is eternal.

26 Give thanks to the God of heaven;

his love is eternal.

—https://cdn-youversionapi.global.ssl.fastly.net/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/136-583986cca46c36f65529a98021dcfcfc.mp3?version_id=68—

A Lament of Israelites in Exile

1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat down;

there we wept when we remembered Zion.

2 On the willows near by

we hung up our harps.

3 Those who captured us told us to sing;

they told us to entertain them:

“Sing us a song about Zion.”

4 How can we sing a song to the Lord

in a foreign land?

5 May I never be able to play the harp again

if I forget you, Jerusalem!

6 May I never be able to sing again

if I do not remember you,

if I do not think of you as my greatest joy!

7 Remember, Lord, what the Edomites did

the day Jerusalem was captured.

Remember how they kept saying,

“Tear it down to the ground!”

8 Babylon, you will be destroyed.

Happy are those who pay you back

for what you have done to us—

9 who take your babies

and smash them against a rock.

—https://cdn-youversionapi.global.ssl.fastly.net/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/137-751d4692b871cfefd866e42c2af54097.mp3?version_id=68—

A Prayer of Thanksgiving

1 I thank you, Lord, with all my heart;

I sing praise to you before the gods.

2 I face your holy Temple,

bow down, and praise your name

because of your constant love and faithfulness,

because you have shown that your name and your commands are supreme.

3 You answered me when I called to you;

with your strength you strengthened me.

4 All the kings in the world will praise you, Lord,

because they have heard your promises.

5 They will sing about what you have done

and about your great glory.

6 Even though you are so high above,

you care for the lowly,

and the proud cannot hide from you.

7 When I am surrounded by troubles,

you keep me safe.

You oppose my angry enemies

and save me by your power.

8 You will do everything you have promised;

Lord, your love is eternal.

Complete the work that you have begun.

—https://cdn-youversionapi.global.ssl.fastly.net/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/138-2d1008da1d2ac43647c63bab8a49b166.mp3?version_id=68—