Psalms 136–140 — Search Me and Know My Heart

¹Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

²Give thanks to the God of gods, for his loving kindness endures forever.

³Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his loving kindness endures forever;

⁴to him who alone does great wonders, for his loving kindness endures forever;

⁵to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his loving kindness endures forever;

⁶to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his loving kindness endures forever;

⁷to him who made the great lights, for his loving kindness endures forever;

⁸the sun to rule by day, for his loving kindness endures forever;

⁹the moon and stars to rule by night, for his loving kindness endures forever;

¹⁰to him who struck down the Egyptian firstborn, for his loving kindness endures forever;

¹¹and brought out Israel from among them, for his loving kindness endures forever;

¹²with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, for his loving kindness endures forever;

¹³to him who divided the Red Sea apart, for his loving kindness endures forever;

¹⁴and made Israel to pass through the middle of it, for his loving kindness endures forever;

¹⁵but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, for his loving kindness endures forever;

¹⁶to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his loving kindness endures forever;

¹⁷to him who struck great kings, for his loving kindness endures forever;

¹⁸and killed mighty kings, for his loving kindness endures forever;

¹⁹Sihon king of the Amorites, for his loving kindness endures forever;

²⁰Og king of Bashan, for his loving kindness endures forever;

²¹and gave their land as an inheritance, for his loving kindness endures forever;

²²even a heritage to Israel his servant, for his loving kindness endures forever;

²³who remembered us in our low estate, for his loving kindness endures forever;

²⁴and has delivered us from our adversaries, for his loving kindness endures forever;

²⁵who gives food to every creature, for his loving kindness endures forever.

²⁶Oh give thanks to the God of heaven, for his loving kindness endures forever.

¹By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yes, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

²On the willows in that land, we hung up our harps.

³For there, those who led us captive asked us for songs. Those who tormented us demanded songs of joy: “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

⁴How can we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land?

⁵If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill.

⁶Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you, if I don’t prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy.

⁷Remember, LORD, against the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem, who said, “Raze it! Raze it even to its foundation!”

⁸Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, he will be happy who repays you, as you have done to us.

⁹Happy shall he be, who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock.

¹I will give you thanks with my whole heart. Before the gods, I will sing praises to you.

²I will bow down toward your holy temple, and give thanks to your Name for your loving kindness and for your truth; for you have exalted your Name and your Word above all.

³In the day that I called, you answered me. You encouraged me with strength in my soul.

⁴All the kings of the earth will give you thanks, LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth.

⁵Yes, they will sing of the ways of the LORD, for the LORD’s glory is great!

⁶For though the LORD is high, yet he looks after the lowly; but he knows the proud from afar.

⁷Though I walk in the middle of trouble, you will revive me. You will stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies. Your right hand will save me.

⁸The LORD will fulfill that which concerns me. Your loving kindness, LORD, endures forever. Don’t forsake the works of your own hands.

¹LORD, you have searched me, and you know me.

²You know my sitting down and my rising up. You perceive my thoughts from afar.

³You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.

⁴For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, LORD, you know it altogether.

⁵You hem me in behind and before. You laid your hand on me.

⁶This knowledge is beyond me. It’s lofty. I can’t attain it.

⁷Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence?

⁸If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there!

⁹If I take the wings of the dawn, and settle in the uttermost parts of the sea,

¹⁰even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will hold me.

¹¹If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me. The light around me will be night,”

¹²even the darkness doesn’t hide from you, but the night shines as the day. The darkness is like light to you.

¹³For you formed my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother’s womb.

¹⁴I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. My soul knows that very well.

¹⁵My frame wasn’t hidden from you, when I was made in secret, woven together in the depths of the earth.

¹⁶Your eyes saw my body. In your book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there were none of them.

¹⁷How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is their sum!

¹⁸If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I wake up, I am still with you.

¹⁹If only you, God, would kill the wicked. Get away from me, you bloodthirsty men!

²⁰For they speak against you wickedly. Your enemies take your name in vain.

²¹LORD, don’t I hate those who hate you? Am I not grieved with those who rise up against you?

²²I hate them with perfect hatred. They have become my enemies.

²³Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts.

²⁴See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.

¹Deliver me, LORD, from evil men. Preserve me from violent men:

²those who devise mischief in their hearts. They continually gather themselves together for war.

³They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent. Viper’s poison is under their lips. Selah.

⁴LORD, keep me from the hands of the wicked. Preserve me from the violent men who have determined to trip my feet.

⁵The proud have hidden a snare for me, they have spread the cords of a net by the path. They have set traps for me. Selah.

⁶I said to the LORD, “You are my God.” Listen to the cry of my petitions, LORD.

⁷LORD, the Lord, the strength of my salvation, you have covered my head in the day of battle.

⁸LORD, don’t grant the desires of the wicked. Don’t let their evil plans succeed, or they will become proud. Selah.

⁹As for the head of those who surround me, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

¹⁰Let burning coals fall on them. Let them be thrown into the fire, into miry pits, from where they never rise.

¹¹An evil speaker won’t be established on the earth. Evil will hunt the violent man to overthrow him.

¹²I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the needy.

¹³Surely the righteous will give thanks to your name. The upright will dwell in your presence.