PSALM V

{Psalm of hope.— We know that our very good Father always hears us. Let us fix our eyes on the Lord without tiring until he says, “Your faith has saved you.”}

°1 To you I lift up my eyes,

to you whose throne is in heaven.

°2 As the eyes of servants look

to the hand of their master,

as the eyes of maids look

to the hand of their mistress,

so our eyes look to the Lord our God,

till he shows us his mercy.

°3 Have mercy on us, O Lord,

have mercy on us,

for we have our fill of contempt.

°4 Too long have our souls been filled

with the scorn of the arrogant,

with the ridicule of the insolent.

PSALM ¤124 {123}

{We have escaped from the hunter’s snare.— “The very hairs of your head are numbered, you are worth much more than the birds.”}

°1 Had not the Lord been on our side –

let Israel say –

°2 had not the Lord been on our side,

when people rose up against us,

°3 then they would have swallowed us alive;

such was their anger against us.

°4 A bit more and the flood would have engulfed us,

the torrent would have swept over us,

°5 the raging waters would have swept us away.

°6 Blessed be the Lord,

who did not let us be devoured.

°7 Like a bird our soul escaped

from the snare of the fowler;

the snare was broken and we were freed.

°8 Our help is in the name of the Lord,

who made heaven and earth.

PSALM ¤125 {124}

§ Trust in the Lord.

°1 Those who trust in the Lord

are like Mount Zion,

immovable, it stands forever.

°2 As mountains surround Jerusalem,

so the Lord encompasses his people.

°3 The scepter of the wicked will not remain

over the land allotted to the upright,

for then the upright might be led

to put their hands to evil deeds.

°4 Be good, O Lord, to those who are good,

to those who are upright in heart.

°5 But those who turn to crooked ways,

the Lord will drive out with the evildoers.

May peace remain upon Israel.

PSALM ¤126 {125}

{They will come back in joy carrying their sheaves.— The mystery of life springing up from death. Hope for the afflicted, for those who are disappointed because of the little fruit of their labor.}

°1 When the Lord brought the exiles back to Zion,

we were like those moving in a dream.

°2 Then our mouths were filled with laughter,

and our tongues with songs of joy.

Among the nations it was said,

“The Lord has done great things for them.”

°3 The Lord had done great things for us,

and we were glad indeed.

°4 Bring back our exiles, O Lord,

like fresh streams in the desert.

°5 Those who sow in tears

will reap with songs and shouts of joy.

°6 They went forth weeping,

bearing the seeds for sowing,

they will come home with joyful shouts,

bringing their harvested sheaves.

PSALM ¤127 {126}

{What is built without God is lost time.— It is useless spending all our days in search of security for the future, if blind and unresponsive, we pass by the events and joys that the present moment has in store for us.}

°1 Unless the Lord builds the house,

in vain do its builders labor.

Unless the Lord guards the city,

in vain does the guard stay awake.

°2 It is in vain that you rise early

and stay up late, putting off your rest,

toiling for your hard-earned bread;

God gives it to his loved ones, and they sleep.

°3 Sons are a gift from the Lord;

the fruit of the womb is a reward.

°4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior

are the sons of one’s youth.

°5 Blessed is the man who has filled

his quiver with arrows of this kind,

their foes will not silence them

when they contend in court.

PSALM ¤128 {127}

{The blessing of the home.— In contrast to those who are anxious and impatient, the believer tries to see the good side of life. He recognizes the blessings God has given his home. A large family is God’s blessing for those who have chosen it and have accepted its responsibilities.}

°1 Blessed are you who fear the Lord

and walk in his ways.

°2 You will eat the fruit of your toil;

you will be blessed and favored.

°3 Your wife, like a vine,

will bear fruits in your home;

your children, like olive shoots

will stand around your table.

°4 Such are the blessings bestowed

upon the man who fears the Lord.

°5 May the Lord bless you from Zion.

May you see Jerusalem prosperous

all the days of your life.

°6 May you see your children’s children,

and Israel at peace!

PSALM ¤129 {128}

{From its youth, the people of God were persecuted.— In the end, their enemies were dispersed, but they remained. To hold on in spite of the difficulties of life is a form of true hope.}

°1 How they have oppressed me from my youth –

let Israel say,

°2 how they have oppressed me from my youth –

they have not put me down.

°3 Upon my back plowers have plowed

long and deep furrows

°4 But the Lord, who is just,

has shattered the yoke of the wicked.

°5 May all who hate Zion

be thrown into confusion.

°6 May they be like grass in the garden,

which withers before you uproot it.

°7 No reaper sets his hands on it,

no one gathers it to fill his arms,

°8 nor says of them the passersby,

“The blessing of the Lord be upon you!”

We bless you in the name of the Lord!

PSALM ¤130 {129}

{From the depths I cry to you.— A penitential psalm, but above all, a prayer of trust in God.}

°1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord,

°2 O Lord, hear my voice!

Let your ears pay attention

to the voice of my supplication.

°3 If you should mark our evil,

O Lord, who could stand?

°4 But with you is forgiveness,

and for that you are revered.

°5 I waited for the Lord, my soul waits,

and I put my hope in his word.

°6 My soul expects the Lord

more than watchmen the dawn.

°7 O Israel, hope in the Lord,

for with him is unfailing love

and with him full deliverance.

°8 He will deliver Israel

from all its sins.

PSALM ¤131 {130}

{Childlike trust in God.— A simple and humble prayer full of trust, which reminds us of the serenity of a child in its mother’s arms. Is not this what Jesus praised and is God less mother than father? }

°1 O Lord, my heart is not proud

nor do I have arrogant eyes.

I am not engrossed in ambitious matters,

nor in things too great for me.

°2 I have quieted and stilled my soul

like a weaned child on its mother’s lap;

like a contented child is my soul.

°3 Hope in the Lord, O Israel,

now and forever.

PSALM ¤132 {131}

§ Do not forget the descendants of your servant David.

°1 Remember David, O Lord, and all his readiness, °2 how he swore an oath to the Lord, to the Mighty One of Jacob.

°3 “I will not enter my house nor get into my bed,

°4 I will give no sleep to my eyes, no slumber to my eyelids, °5 until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

°6 Then came the news, “The Ark is in Ephrathah, we found it in the fields of Jaar.”

°7 Let us go to where he dwells and worship at his footstool!

°8 Arise, O Lord, and come to your rest, you and the ark of your might.

°9 May your priests be arrayed in glorious mantle; may your faithful ones shout in gladness.

°10 For the sake of your servant, David, do not turn away the face of your anointed.

°11 The Lord swore to David a promise, and he will remain true to it: “I will keep your descendance on your throne.

°12 If your sons keep my covenant and the decrees I have taught them, their sons, too, will sit forever upon your throne.”

°13 For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling:

°14 “This is my resting place forever; this I prefer, here will I dwell.

°15 I will bless its fruits, its bread, and the poor will be satisfied.

°16 I will clothe its priests with glory and its faithful will sing in gladness.

°17 From here a savior shall come forth, a son of David; here shall shine forever the lamp of my anointed.

°18 In shame will I clothe his enemies, but upon his head a crown shall shine.”

PSALM ¤133 {132}

{What a marvel: fraternal love!— Our unity in God’s service as well as Christian friendship that is lasting and deep are gifts of the Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts. “Love and be united so that the world may believe.”}

°1 How good and delightful to see

kindred living together in unity!

°2 It is like precious oil poured

upon Aaron’s head,

running down his beard

onto the collar of his robes.

°3 It is like the dew of Hermon

coming down the mountains of Zion,

where the Lord confers his blessing:

life everlasting.

PSALM ¤134 {133}

{A song of praise.— This was perhaps used in the Temple during a night ceremony, when the priests replaced each other in praising God.}

°1 Come, bless the Lord,

all you servants of the Lord,

who minister by night in the house of the Lord,

in the courts of the house of our God.

°2 Raise your hands to the sanctuary

and bless the Lord.

°3 May the Lord bless you from Zion,

he who made heaven and earth.

PSALM ¤135 {134}

§ Praise the Lord who chose us for himself.

°1 Alleluia!

Praise the name of the Lord. O servants of the Lord, °2 praise him, you who serve in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.

°3 Praise the Lord, for he is good, praise his name, for it is beautiful;

°4 for the Lord has chosen Jacob as his own, Israel as his possession.

°5 I know that the Lord is great, that our Lord is above all gods.

°6 Whatever the Lord pleases, he does – in heaven and on earth, in the seas and in their depths.

°7 He raises clouds from the ends of the earth; he hurls down lightning with the rain; and from his vaults he lets loose the wind.

°8 It was he who killed the firstborn in Egypt, both people and beasts.

°9 It was he who worked signs and wonders in your land, O Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his officers.

°10 He destroyed mighty nations and slew powerful kings –

°11 Sihon, king of the Amorites, Og, king of Bashan, all the kings of Canaan.

°12 He gave their land as an inheritance to Israel, his people.

°13 Your name, O Lord, will endure forever; your renown, O Lord, throughout the ages.

°14 For the Lord vindicates his people and shows mercy to his servants.

°15 The nations’ idols are but gold and silver, the work of human hands.

°16 They have mouths that cannot speak, eyes that cannot see, °17 ears that cannot hear; neither is there breath in their mouths.

°18 Their makers will be like them, so will all who trust in them.

°19 Bless the Lord, house of Israel; bless the Lord, house of Aaron; °20 bless the Lord, house of Levi; bless the Lord, all you who fear him.

°21 Blessed be the Lord from Zion, he who dwells in Jerusalem.

PSALM ¤136 {135}

{Give thanks to the Lord.— Thanksgiving hymn used for the Passover, feast of the liberation of God’s people. }

°1 Alleluia!

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,

his kindness endures forever.

°2 Give thanks to the God of gods,

his kindness endures forever.

°3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,

his kindness endures forever.

°4 He alone does great marvels,

his kindness endures forever.

°5 In wisdom he made the heavens,

his kindness endures forever.

°6 He set the earth upon the waters,

his kindness endures forever.

°7 He made the great lights,

his kindness endures forever,

°8 the sun to rule over the day,

his kindness endures forever,

°9 the moon and stars to rule the night,

his kindness endures forever.

°10 He slew the firstborn of Egypt,

his kindness endures forever,

°11 and brought Israel out,

his kindness endures forever,

°12 with strong hand and outstretched arm,

his kindness endures forever.

°13 He split the Sea of Reeds,

his kindness endures forever,

°14 and made Israel pass through it,

his kindness endures forever,

°15 drowning Pharaoh and his army,

his kindness endures forever,

°16 and led his people through the desert,

his kindness endures forever.

°17 He struck down great kings,

his kindness endures forever,

°18 and killed mighty kings,

his kindness endures forever,

°19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,

his kindness endures forever,

°20 and Og, king of Bashan,

his kindness endures forever.

°21 He gave their land as an inheritance,

his kindness endures forever,

°22 a heritage to Israel his servant,

his kindness endures forever.

°23 He remembered us in our humiliation,

his kindness endures forever,

°24 and freed us from our oppressors,

his kindness endures forever,

°25 he who gives food to all creatures,

his kindness endures forever.

°26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,

his kindness endures forever!

PSALM ¤137 {136}

§ Could I forget you, Jerusalem?

°1 By the streams of Babylon,

we sat and then wept

as we remembered Zion.

°2 When on the poplars

we hung our harps

°3 our captors asked for song.

Our tormentors wanted songs of joy:

“Sing to us one of the songs of Zion!”

°4 How could we sing the Lord’s song

in a strange and alien land?

°5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

may my right hand fall useless!

°6 May my tongue cleave to my palate

if I remember you not,

if Jerusalem is not the first of my joys.

°7 Remember, Lord, the Edomites

– what did they do when Jerusalem fell?

They said, “Tear the city down,

tear it down to its foundations!”

°8 O daughter of Babylon, you will be sacked

happy is he who repays you

and does to you what you have done to us!

°9 Happy is who seizes your infants

and dashes them against the rocks!

PSALM ¤138 {137}

{Your hands lead all for my good.— A prayer for the times when we are pleased with God and we would like heaven and earth to share our joy and thanksgiving.}

°1 I thank you, O Lord, with all my heart,

for you have heard the word of my lips.

I sing your praise in the presence of the gods.

°2 I bow down towards your holy temple

and give thanks to your name,

for your love and faithfulness,

for your word which exceeds everything.

°3 You answered me when I called;

you restored my soul and made me strong.

°4 O Lord, all kings on earth will give you praise,

when they have heard your words.

°5 They will celebrate the ways of the Lord,

“great is the glory of the Lord!”

°6 From above, the Lord watches over the lowly;

from afar, he marks down the haughty.

°7 If I walk in the midst of trouble,

you give me life.

With outstretched arm,

you save me from the wrath of my foes,

with your right hand you deliver me.

°8 How the Lord cares for me!

Your kindness, O Lord, endures forever.

Forsake not the work of your hands.

PSALM ¤139 {138}

{God everywhere, in all, knows all.— A prayer filled with admiration of God’s wisdom: “Everything is exposed and open to the eyes of him to whom we are accountable” (Heb 4:13).}

°1 O Lord, you know me:

you have scrutinized me.

°2 You know when I sit and when I rise;

beforehand you discern my thoughts.

°3 You observe my activities and times of rest;

you are familiar with all my ways.

°4 Before a word is formed in my mouth,

you know what it is all about, O Lord.

°5 From front to back you hedge me round,

shielding me with your protecting hand.

°6 Your knowledge leaves me astounded,

it is too high for me to reach.

°7 Where else could I go from your Spirit?

Where could I flee from your presence?

°8 You are there if I ascend the heavens;

you are there if I descend to the depths.

°9 If I ride on the wings of the dawn

and settle on the far side of the sea,

°10 even there your hand shall guide me

and your right hand shall hold me safely.

°11 Shall I say, “Let darkness hide me,

I prefer the night as my light?”

°12 But darkness for you is not dark

and night for you shines as the day.

°13 It was you who formed my inmost part

and knit me together in my mother’s womb.

°14 I thank you for these wonders you have done,

and my heart praises you for your marvelous deeds.

°15 Even my bones were known to you

when I was being formed in secret,

fashioned in the depths of the earth.

°16 Your eyes saw the course of my days;

they were all recorded in your book

before any of them came to be.

°17 How difficult it is to grasp your thoughts, O God!

Their number cannot be counted.

°18 If I tried to do so, they would outnumber the sands;

I am never finished with you.

°19 If only you would slay the wicked, O God,

and drive away from me the violent!

°20 They rebel falseheartedly,

your foes blaspheme your name.

°21 I hate those who hate you, O Lord,

and loathe those who defy you.

°22 I hate them deeply,

they have become my foes.

°23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;

try me and know my thoughts.

°24 See if my steps are going astray,

and lead me in your eternal way.

PSALM ¤140 {139}

§ Free me from the wicked.

°2 O Lord, deliver me from the evil one, protect me from violent people, °3 forever plotting evil and stirring up strife.

°4 They have tongues sharp as a serpent’s and venomous lips.

°5 Save me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked, preserve me from the hands of the violent, who have planned to trip my feet.

°6 The arrogant have set a snare for me; they have spread out their nets to entrap me along my path.

°7 I say to the Lord, “You are my God.” Hear, O Lord, my voice in supplication.

°8 O God, my Lord, my strength and salvation, in the day of battle you shield my head.

°9 Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked; do not let their evil schemes succeed.

°10 Let my attackers be overwhelmed by the mischief they prepared and not lift up their heads.

°11 Let burning coals rain upon them; let them be cast into the depths, never to rise again.

°12 Do not let the slanderer thrive on earth; let disaster hunt down the violent.

°13 I know that the Lord upholds the cause of the afflicted, and justice will be done to the poor.

°14 The just shall praise your name, the upright shall dwell in your presence.

PSALM ¤141 {140}

{Do not lead us into temptation.— May God grant us that we resist the seduction of the world around us but that also we listen to those who correct us.}

°1 Lord, I call on you, hasten to help me! Listen to my plea when I call to you.

°2 Let my prayer rise to you like incense, as I lift up my hands as in an evening sacrifice.

°3 O Lord, set a guard at my mouth, keep watch at the gate of my lips.

°4 Let not my heart be drawn to evil; let me not be enticed into evil acts in company with sinners, and let me not partake of their delights.

°5 Rather the reproach and the just scourge, than the oil of the wicked anointing my head.

°6 When their rulers are flung upon the rock, only then will these wicked learn that I was tolerant with them,

°7 when the earth opens to swallow them and their bones are scattered at the edge of the netherworld.

°8 But my eyes are turned to you, O God, my Lord; strip me not of life, for you are my refuge.

°9 Keep me from the trap they have set for me, keep me from the net laid by evildoers.

°10 Let the wicked fall into their own snares, while I alone escape safe and free.

PSALM ¤142 {141}

{Prayer during trials.— The prayer of someone in the most dire poverty. This psalm is applicable to the passion of Christ and St. Francis of Assisi prayed it when he was dying.}

°2 I cry aloud to the Lord,

in a loud voice I beseech the Lord.

°3 Before him I pour out my sorrows,

before him I lay bare my troubles

°4 and my spirit grows faint.

But you know my path.

Along the way I walk

they have hidden a trap for me.

°5 Look to my right and see:

no one recognizes me.

I have lost all means of escape;

no one wants to help me.

°6 I cry to you, O Lord;

I say, “You are my refuge,

my portion in the land of the living.”

°7 Listen to my groaning,

for I am in deep despair.

Rescue me from my pursuers,

for they are too strong for me.

°8 O, set me free from captivity,

that I may praise your name!

Then the righteous will gather about me

when they see that you took care of me.

PSALM ¤143 {142}

§ Repetition of preceding psalm.

°1 O Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; answer me, you who are righteous and faithful.

°2 Do not bring your servant to judgment, for no mortal is just in your sight.

°3 The enemy has pursued me, crushing my life to the ground, sending me to darkness with those long dead.

°4 And so my spirit fails me, my heart is full of fear.

°5 I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on what you have done and consider the work of your hand.

°6 I stretch out my hands to you, and thirst for you like a parched land.

°7 O Lord, answer me quickly: my spirit is faint with yearning. Do not hide your face from me; save me from going down to the pit.

°8 Let the dawn bring me word of your love, for in you alone I put my trust. Show me the way I should walk, for to you I lift up my soul.

°9 Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord, for to you I flee for refuge.

°10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Let your Spirit lead me on a safe path.

°11 Preserve me, O Lord, for your name’s sake; free me from distress, in your justice.

°12 You who are merciful, crush my enemies and destroy all my foes, for I am your servant.

PSALM ¤144 {143}

{Happy the people whose God is the Lord!— The first part of this psalm repeats verses of other psalms, especially Psalm 18. The second part, with simple images, reflects a yearning for heaven, where there will be no more tears or grief. }

°1 Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle – °2 my loving God, my fortress; my protector and deliverer, my shield where I take refuge, who conquers nations and subjects them to my rule.

°3 O Lord, what are humans that you should be mindful of them, the race of Adam, that you should care for them?

°4 They are like a breath, their days pass like a shadow on earth.

°5 Bend your heavens, O Lord, and come down; touch the mountain and make it smoke.

°6 Flash forth lightning and rout the foe; shoot your arrows and scatter them.

°7 From above, reach down and draw me out of the deep waters, from the hands of foreigners °8 whose mouths speak falsehood, whose words are full of deceit.

°9 I will sing a new song to you, O God, I will make music on the ten-stringed harp, °10 for you who give victory to kings and deliver David, your servant.

°11 Rescue me from the evil sword and from the hands of foreigners, whose mouths speak falsehood, whose words are full of deceit.

°12 May our sons be like plants well-nurtured and full grown, and our daughters like pillars that adorn the corners of the temple.

°13 May our barns be full, with every kind of provision.

May our sheep increase by thousands, even by tens of thousands, in our pastures.

°14 May our cattle be strong and fruitful; and may there be an end to raids and exile, to cries of distress in our streets.

°15 Happy are the people so blessed; happy the people whose God is the Lord!

PSALM ¤145 {144}

{Bless the Lord forever.— This psalm is like a litany: God is justice, faithfulness, goodness, the author of wonders. It invites us to discover the immense riches of God in his work and his revelation in the person of Christ.}

°1 I will extol you, my God and King; I will bless your name forever.

°2 I will praise you day after day and exalt your name forever.

°3 Great is the Lord, most worthy of praise; and his deeds are beyond measure.

°4 Parents commend your works to their children and tell them your feats.

°5 They proclaim the splendor of your majesty and recall your wondrous works.

°6 People will proclaim your mighty deeds, and I will declare your greatness.

°7 They will celebrate your abundant kindness, and rejoice in singing of your justice.

°8 Compassionate and gracious is the Lord, slow to anger and abounding in love.

°9 The Lord is good to everyone; his mercy embraces all his creation.

°10 All your works will give you thanks; all your saints, O Lord, will praise you.

°11 They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your power, °12 that all may know of your mighty deeds, your reign and its glorious splendor.

°13 Your reign is from age to age; your dominion endures from generation to generation.

The Lord is true to his promises and lets his mercy show in all he does.

°14 The Lord lifts up those who are falling and raises those who are beaten down.

°15 All creatures look to you to be fed in due season; °16 with open hand you satisfy the living according to their needs.

°17 Righteous is the Lord in all his ways, his mercy shows in all his deeds.

°18 He is near those who call on him, who call trustfully upon his name.

°19 He fulfills the wish of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.

°20 For those who love him, the Lord has compassion; but the wicked, he will destroy.

°21 Let my mouth speak in praise of the Lord, let every creature bless his holy name, for ever and ever.

PSALM ¤146 {145}

{The Lord frees the oppressed.— The extent of human anguish – the hungry, the prisoners, the oppressed – has reached such a point that the powerful of this earth alone are incapable of finding a solution for it. Only God can give the world justice, peace, and hope. He has sent me to give Good News to the poor, to announce freedom to prisoners…}

°1 Alleluia!

Praise the Lord, my soul!

°2 I will sing to the Lord all my life;

I will sing praise to God while I live.

°3 Do not put your trust in princes,

in a great one who cannot save.

°4 Not sooner his spirit has left,

that he goes back to the earth;

on that very day, any plan comes to nothing.

°5 Blessed are they whose help is the God of Jacob,

whose hope is in the Lord their God,

°6 maker of heaven and earth,

the sea and all they contain.

The Lord is forever faithful;

°7 he gives justice to the oppressed

and gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets the prisoners free.

°8 The Lord gives sight to the blind,

the Lord straightens the bent.

°9 The Lord protects the stranger,

sustains the widow and the orphan.

{°8c} The Lord loves the virtuous,

but he brings to ruin the way of the wicked.

°10 The Lord will reign forever,

your God, O Zion,

from generation to generation. Alleluia!

PSALM ¤147 {146-147}

{Rejoice, Jerusalem!— Let the Church rejoice because the Lord has “strengthened the bars of her gates.” The powers of evil and death will not overcome her. The Lord blessed her children and gave them his peace, not that of the world. He feeds his Church with his word and the best of wheat: his body-made-bread of life.}

°1 Alleluia!

How good it is to sing to our God,

how sweet and befitting to praise him!

°2 The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem;

he gathers the exiles of Israel;

°3 he heals their broken hearts

and binds up their wounds.

°4 He determines the number of stars,

he calls each of them by name.

°5 The Lord is great and mighty in power;

his wisdom is beyond measure.

°6 The Lord lifts up the humble,

but casts the wicked to the ground.

°7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving,

make music on the harp for our God.

°8 With clouds he covers the sky,

and provides the earth with rain;

he covers the hills with grass,

and with plants for man to cultivate.

°9 He provides food for the cattle,

even for the young ravens when they call.

°10 He is not concerned with the strength of a horse;

nor is he pleased in the speed of a runner;

°11 The Lord delights in those who fear him

and expect him to care for them.

°12 Exalt the Lord, O Jerusalem;

praise your God, O Zion!

°13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates

and blesses your children within you.

°14 He grants peace on your borders

and feeds you with the finest grain.

°15 He sends his command to the earth

and swiftly runs his word.

°16 He spreads snow like wool;

he scatters frost like ashes.

°17 He hurls down hail like pebbles;

who will stand before his icy blasts?

°18 But he sends his word and melts the snow;

he makes his breeze blow,

and again the waters flow.

°19 It is he who tells Jacob his words,

his laws and decrees to Israel.

°20 This he has not done for other nations,

so his laws remain unknown to them.

Alleluia!

PSALM ¤148

§ Alleluia!

°1 Alleluia!

Praise the Lord from the heavens;

praise him in the heavenly heights.

°2 Praise him, all his angels;

praise him, all his heavenly hosts.

°3 Praise him, sun and moon;

praise him, all you shining stars.

°4 Praise him, you highest heavens

and you waters above the skies.

°5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,

at whose command they were made.

°6 He established them forever

and gave each a fixed and lasting duty.

°7 Praise the Lord from the earth,

you sea creatures and all the depths,

°8 clouds and snow, hail and lightning,

storm winds that do his bidding,

°9 you mountains and all you hills,

you fruit trees and cedars,

°10 you wild beasts and tame animals,

you creeping things and winged fowl.

°11 Kings of the earth and nations,

princes and all rulers of the world,

°12 young men and maidens,

old and young together –

°13 let them praise the name of the Lord.

For his name alone is exalted;

his majesty is above earth and heaven.

°14 He has given his people glory;

he has given a praise to his faithful,

to Israel, the people close to him.

Alleluia.

PSALM ¤149

{National hymn.— The people of God know that they are called to glory and happiness. They will be the instruments of God’s justice. God uses his poor, gathered by Christ, to judge the world and bring it to salvation.}

°1 Alleluia!

Sing to the Lord a new song,

sing his praise in the assembly of his saints.

°2 Let Israel rejoice in his Maker,

let the people of Zion glory in their King!

°3 Let them dance in praise of his name

and make music for him with harp and timbrel.

°4 For the Lord delights in his people;

he crowns the lowly with victory.

°5 The saints will exult in triumph;

even at night on their couches.

°6 Let the praise of God be on their lips,