LORD!
Praise the LORD, my soul.
2 While I live, I will praise the LORD.
I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist.
3 Don’t put your trust in princes,
in a son of man in whom there is no help.
4 His spirit departs, and he returns to the earth.
In that very day, his thoughts perish.
5 Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,
whose hope is in the LORD, his God,
6 who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them;
who keeps truth forever;
7 who executes justice for the oppressed;
who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD frees the prisoners.
8 The LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD raises up those who are bowed down.
The LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD preserves the foreigners.
He upholds the fatherless and widow,
but he turns the way of the wicked upside down.
10 The LORD will reign forever;
your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the LORD!

Psalm 147
1 Praise the LORD,
for it is good to sing praises to our God;
for it is pleasant and fitting to praise him.
2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem.
He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the broken in heart,
and binds up their wounds.
4 He counts the number of the stars.
He calls them all by their names.
5 Great is our Lord, and mighty in power.
His understanding is infinite.
6 The LORD upholds the humble.
He brings the wicked down to the ground.
7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving.
Sing praises on the harp to our God,
8 who covers the sky with clouds,
who prepares rain for the earth,
who makes grass grow on the mountains.
9 He provides food for the livestock,
and for the young ravens when they call.
10 He doesn’t delight in the strength of the horse.
He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
11 The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who hope in his loving kindness.
12 Praise the LORD, Jerusalem!
Praise your God, Zion!
13 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates.
He has blessed your children within you.
14 He makes peace in your borders.
He fills you with the finest of the wheat.
15 He sends out his commandment to the earth.
His word runs very swiftly.
16 He gives snow like wool,
and scatters frost like ashes.
17 He hurls down his hail like pebbles.
Who can stand before his cold?
18 He sends out his word, and melts them.
He causes his wind to blow, and the waters flow.
19 He shows his word to Jacob,
his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
20 He has not done this for just any nation.
They don’t know his ordinances.
Praise the LORD!

Psalm 148
1 Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens!
Praise him in the heights!
2 Praise him, all his angels!
Praise him, all his army!
3 Praise him, sun and moon!
Praise him, all you shining stars!
4 Praise him, you heavens of heavens,
you waters that are above the heavens.
5 Let them praise the LORD’s name,
for he commanded, and they were created.
6 He has also established them forever and ever.
He has made a decree which will not pass away.
7 Praise the LORD from the earth,
you great sea creatures, and all depths,
8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
stormy wind, fulfilling his word,
9 mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals and all livestock,
small creatures and flying birds,
11 kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all judges of the earth,
12 both young men and maidens,
old men and children.
13 Let them praise the LORD’s name,
for his name alone is exalted.
His glory is above the earth and the heavens.
14 He has lifted up the horn of his people,
the praise of all his holy ones,
even of the children of Israel, a people near to him.
Praise the LORD!

Psalm 149
1 Praise the LORD!
Sing to the LORD a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the holy ones.
2 Let Israel rejoice in him who made them.
Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
3 Let them praise his name in the dance!
Let them sing praises to him with tambourine and harp!
4 For the LORD takes pleasure in his people.
He crowns the humble with salvation [yeshu`ah].
5 Let the holy ones rejoice in honor.
Let them sing for joy on their beds.
6 May the high praises of God be in their mouths,
and a two-edged sword in their hand,
7 to execute vengeance on the nations,
and punishments on the peoples;
8 to bind their kings with chains,
and their nobles with fetters of iron;
9 to execute on them the written judgment.
All his holy ones have this honor.
Praise the LORD!

Psalm 150
1 Praise the LORD!
Praise God in his sanctuary!
Praise him in his heavens for his acts of power!
2 Praise him for his mighty acts!
Praise him according to his excellent greatness!
3 Praise him with the sounding of the shofar!
Praise him with harp and lyre!
4 Praise him with tambourine and dancing!
Praise him with stringed instruments and flute!
5 Praise him with loud cymbals!
Praise him with resounding cymbals!
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD!

† 1:2 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name.

† 2:2 The word “Anointed” is the same as the word for “Messiah” or “Christ”

‡ 2:4 The word translated “Lord” (mixed case) is “Adonai.”

§ 2:12 or, Kiss the son

† 3:2 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).

† 6:5 Sheol is the place of the dead.

† 7:14 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.

† 8:5 Hebrew: Elohim. The word Elohim, used here, usually means “God”, but can also mean “gods”, “princes”, or “angels”. The Septuagint reads “angels” here. See also the quote from the Septuagint in Hebrews 2:7.

† 9:17 Sheol is the place of the dead.

† 16:10 Sheol is the place of the dead.

† 18:5 Sheol is the place of the dead.

‡ 18:50 or, seed

† 22:16 So Dead Sea Scrolls. Masoretic Text reads, “Like a lion, they pin my hands and feet.”

† 30:3 Sheol is the place of the dead.

† 31:17 Sheol is the place of the dead.

† 34:1 Psalm 34 is an acrostic poem, with each verse starting with a letter of the alphabet (ordered from Alef to Tav).

† 42:1 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).

‡ 42:8 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name.

† 44:23 The word translated “Lord” (mixed case) is “Adonai.”

† 46: Alamoth is a musical term.

† 49:14 Sheol is the place of the dead.

‡ 49:14 Sheol is the place of the dead.

§ 49:15 Sheol is the place of the dead.

† 55:15 Sheol is the place of the dead.

† 73:1 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).

‡ 73:20 The word translated “Lord” (mixed case) is “Adonai.”

§ 73:28 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name.

† 86:13 Sheol is the place of the dead.

† 87:4 Rahab is a reference to Egypt.

† 88:3 Sheol is the place of the dead.

† 89:48 Sheol is the place of the dead.

† 90: The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).

‡ 90:1 The word translated “Lord” (mixed case) is “Adonai.”

§ 90:13 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name.

† 97:7 LXX reads “angels” instead of “gods”.

† 98:6 or, trumpets

† 104:4 or, angels

† 107:1 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name.

‡ 107:11 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).

† 109:21 The word translated “Lord” (mixed case) is “Adonai.”

† 111:1 Psalm 111 is an acrostic poem, with each verse after the initial “Praise the LORD!” starting with a letter of the alphabet (ordered from Alef to Tav).

† 112:1 Psalm 112 is an acrostic poem, with each verse after the initial “Praise the LORD!” starting with a letter of the alphabet (ordered from Alef to Tav).

† 116:3 Sheol is the place of the dead.

† 118:22 Literally, head of the corner

† 138:1 The word elohim, used here, usually means “God” but can also mean “gods”, “princes”, or “angels”.

† 139:8 Sheol is the place of the dead.

† 141:7 Sheol is the place of the dead.

† 145: This is an acrostic psalm, with every verse (including the second half of verse 13) starting with a consecutive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

‡ 145:13 Some manuscripts omit these last two lines.

Proverbs

The Proverbs

1
1 The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:
2 to know wisdom and instruction;
to discern the words of understanding;
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing,
in righteousness, justice, and equity;
4 to give prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young man—
5 that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning;
that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel;
6 to understand a proverb and parables,
the words and riddles of the wise.

7 The fear of the LORD† is the beginning of knowledge,
but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
8 My son, listen to your father’s instruction,
and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching;
9 for they will be a garland to grace your head,
and chains around your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you,
don’t consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us.
Let’s lie in wait for blood.
Let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause.
12 Let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol,‡
and whole, like those who go down into the pit.
13 We’ll find all valuable wealth.
We’ll fill our houses with plunder.
14 You shall cast your lot among us.
We’ll all have one purse”—
15 my son, don’t walk on the path with them.
Keep your foot from their path,
16 for their feet run to evil.
They hurry to shed blood.
17 For the net is spread in vain in the sight of any bird;
18 but these lay in wait for their