112 1 He praiseth the felicity of them that fear God, 10 and condemneth the cursed state of the contemners of God.

Praise ye the Lord.

Blessed is the man that [a]feareth the Lord, and delighteth greatly in his commandments.

His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the righteous shall be blessed.

[b]Riches and treasures shall be in his house, and his righteousness endureth forever.

Unto the [c]righteous ariseth light in darkness: he is merciful and full of compassion and righteous.

A good man is merciful, and [d]lendeth, and will measure his affairs by judgment.

Surely he shall never be moved: but the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance.

He will not be afraid of evil tidings: for his heart is fixed, and believeth in the Lord.

His heart is established: therefore he will not fear, until he see his desire upon his enemies.

He hath [e]distributed and given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth forever: his [f]horn shall be exalted with glory.

10 The wicked shall see it, and be angry: he shall gnash with his teeth, and [g]consume away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.

113 1 An exhortation to praise the Lord for his providence 7 in that that contrary to the course of nature he worketh in his Church.

Praise ye the Lord.

Praise, O ye servants of the Lord, [h]praise the Name of the Lord.

Blessed be the Name of the Lord from henceforth and forever.

The Lord’s Name is praised from the rising of the sun, unto the going down of the same.

The Lord is high above all [i]nations, and his glory above the heavens.

Who is like unto the Lord our God, that hath his dwelling on high.

Who abaseth himself to behold things in the heavens and in the earth!

He raiseth the needy out of the dust, and lifteth up the [j]poor out of the dung,

That he may set him with the princes, even with the princes of his people.

He maketh the barren woman to dwell with a family, and a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.

114 1 How the Israelites were delivered forth of Egypt, and of the wonderful miracles that God wrought at that time. Which put us in remembrance of God’s great mercy toward his Church, who when the course of nature faileth, preserveth his miraculously. 

When (A)Israel went out of Egypt, and the house of Jacob from the [k]barbarous people,

Judah was his [l]sanctification, and Israel his dominion.

The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was turned back.

The [m]mountains leaped like rams, and the hills as lambs!

What ailed thee, O sea, that thou fleddest? O Jordan, why wast thou turned back?

Ye mountains why leaped ye like rams, and ye hills as lambs?

The [n]earth trembled at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob,

Which [o]turneth the rock into waterpools, and the flint into a fountain of water.

115 1 A prayer of the faithful oppressed by idolatrous tyrants, against whom they desire that God would succor them,  9 trusting most constantly that God will preserve them in this their need, seeing, that he hath adopted and received them into his favor. 13 Promising finally that they will not be unmindful of so great a benefit if it would please God to hear their prayer, and deliver them by his omnipotent power.

Not [p]unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name give the glory for thy loving mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.

Wherefore shall the heathen say, [q]Where is now their God?

But our God is in heaven: he doeth whatsoever he [r]will.

Their idols are [s]silver and gold, even the work of men’s hands.

They have a mouth, and speak not: they have eyes, and see not.

They have ears, and hear not: they have noses and smell not.

They have [t]hands, and touch not: they have feet, and walk not: neither make they a sound with their throat.

They that make them are [u]like unto them: so are all that trust in them.

O Israel, trust thou in the Lord: for he is their help, and their shield.

10 [v]O house of Aaron trust ye in the Lord, for he is their help, and their shield.

11 Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord: for he is their helper, and their shield.

12 The Lord hath been mindful of us, he will bless, he [w]will bless the house of Israel, he will bless the house of Aaron.

13 He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great.

14 The Lord will increase his graces toward you, even toward you, and toward your children.

15 Ye are blessed of the Lord, which [x]made the heaven and the earth.

16 The [y]heavens, even the heavens are the Lord’s: but he hath given the earth to the sons of men.

17 The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that [z]go down into the place of silence.

18 But we will praise the Lord from henceforth and forever. Praise ye the Lord.

116 1 David being in great danger of Saul in the desert of M[…], perceiving the great and inestimable love of God toward him, magnifieth such great mercies, 13 and protesteth that he will be thankful for the same.

I [aa]love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my prayers.

For he hath inclined his ear unto me, when I did call upon him [ab]in my days.

When the snares of death compassed me, and the griefs of the grave caught me: When I found trouble and sorrow.

Then I called upon the Name of the Lord, saying, I beseech thee, O Lord, deliver my soul.

The Lord is [ac]merciful and righteous, and our God is full of compassion.

The Lord preserveth the simple: I was in misery, and he saved me.

Return unto thy rest, O [ad]my soul: for the Lord hath been beneficial unto thee,

Because thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.

I shall [ae]walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

10 [af]I believed, therefore did I speak: for I was sore troubled.

11 I said in my [ag]fear, All men are liars.

12 What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?

13 I will [ah]take the cup of salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord.

14 I will pay my vows unto the Lord, even now in the presence of all his people.

15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the [ai]death of his Saints.

16 Behold, Lord: for I am thy servant, I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast broken my bonds.

17 I will offer to thee a sacrifice of praise, and will call upon the Name of the Lord.

18 I will pay my [aj]vows unto the Lord, even now in the presence of all his people,

19 In the courts of the Lord’s house, even in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord.

117 1 He exhorteth the Gentiles to praise God, because he hath accomplished as well to them as to the Jews, the promise of life everlasting by Jesus Christ.

All (B)nations, praise ye the Lord: all ye people, praise him.

For his loving kindness is great toward us, and the [ak]truth of the Lord endureth forever. Praise ye the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 112:1 He meaneth that reverent fear, which is in the children of God, which causeth them to delight only in the word of God.
  2. Psalm 112:3 The godly shall have abundance, and contentment, because their heart is satisfied in God only.
  3. Psalm 112:4 The faithful in all their adversities, know that all shall go well with them, for God will be merciful and just.
  4. Psalm 112:5 He showeth what is the fruit of mercy to lend freely; and not for gain; and so to measure his doings that he may be able to help where need requireth, and not to bestow all on himself.
  5. Psalm 112:9 The godly pinch not niggardly, but distribute liberally, as the necessity of the poor requireth, and as his power is able.
  6. Psalm 112:9 His power and prosperous estate.
  7. Psalm 112:10 The blessings of God upon his children shall cause the wicked to die for envy.
  8. Psalm 113:1 By this oft repetition he stirreth up our cold dullness to praise God, seeing his works are so wonderful, and that we are created for the same cause.
  9. Psalm 113:4 If God’s glory shine through all the world, and therefore of all ought to be praised, what great condemnation were it to his people, among whom chiefly it shineth, if they should not earnestly extol his Name?
  10. Psalm 113:7 By preferring the poor to high honor and giving the barren children, he showeth that God worketh not only in his Church by ordinary means, but also by miracles.
  11. Psalm 114:1 That is, from them that were of a strange language.
  12. Psalm 114:2 The whole people were witnesses of his holy majesty, in adopting them, and of his mighty power in delivering them.
  13. Psalm 114:4 Seeing that these dead creatures felt God’s power, and after a sort saw it, much more his people ought to consider it, and glorify him for the same.
  14. Psalm 114:7 Ought then his people to be insensible when they see his power and majesty?
  15. Psalm 114:8 That is, caused miraculously water to come out of the rock in most abundance, Exod. 17:6.
  16. Psalm 115:1 Because God promised to deliver them, not for their sakes, but for his Name, Isa. 48:11, therefore they ground their prayer upon this promise.
  17. Psalm 115:2 When the wicked see that God accomplisheth not his promise as they imagine, they think there is no God.
  18. Psalm 115:3 No impediments can let his work, but he useth even the impediments to serve his will.
  19. Psalm 115:4 Seeing that neither the matter nor the form can commend their idols, it followeth that there is nothing why they should be esteemed.
  20. Psalm 115:7 He showeth what great vanity it is to ask help of them, which not only have no help in them, but lack sense and reason.
  21. Psalm 115:8 As much without sense, as blocks and stones.
  22. Psalm 115:10 For they were appointed by God as instructors and teachers of faith and religion for others to follow.
  23. Psalm 115:12 That is, he will continue his graces toward his people.
  24. Psalm 115:15 And therefore doth still govern and continue all things therein.
  25. Psalm 115:16 And they declare enough his sufficiency, so that the world serveth him nothing, but to show his fatherly care toward men.
  26. Psalm 115:17 Though the dead set forth God’s glory, yet he meaneth here, that they praise him not in his Church and Congregation.
  27. Psalm 116:1 He granteth that no pleasure is so great as to feel God’s help in our necessity, neither that anything more stirreth up our love toward him.
  28. Psalm 116:2 That is in convenient time to seek help, which was when he was in distress.
  29. Psalm 116:5 He showeth forth the fruit of his love in calling upon him, confessing him to be just and merciful, and to help them that are destitute of aid and counsel.
  30. Psalm 116:7 Which was unquieted before, now rest upon the Lord, for he hath been beneficial towards thee.
  31. Psalm 116:9 The Lord will preserve me, and save my life.
  32. Psalm 116:10 I felt all these things, and therefore was moved by faith to confess them, 2 Cor. 4:13.
  33. Psalm 116:11 In my great distress I thought God would not regard man, which is but lies and vanity, yet I overcame this tentation, and felt the contrary.
  34. Psalm 116:13 In the Law they used to make a banquet when they gave solemn thanks to God, and to take the cup and drink in sign of thanksgiving.
  35. Psalm 116:15 I perceive that God hath a care over his, so that he both disposeth their death, and taketh an account.
  36. Psalm 116:18 I will thank him for his benefits, for that is a just payment, to confess that we owe all to God.
  37. Psalm 117:2 That is, the most certain and continual testimonies of his Fatherly graces.

Psalm 112[a]

Praise the Lord.[b](A)

Blessed are those(B) who fear the Lord,(C)
    who find great delight(D) in his commands.

Their children(E) will be mighty in the land;
    the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches(F) are in their houses,
    and their righteousness endures(G) forever.
Even in darkness light dawns(H) for the upright,
    for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.(I)
Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,(J)
    who conduct their affairs with justice.

Surely the righteous will never be shaken;(K)
    they will be remembered(L) forever.
They will have no fear of bad news;
    their hearts are steadfast,(M) trusting in the Lord.(N)
Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;(O)
    in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.(P)
They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,(Q)
    their righteousness endures(R) forever;
    their horn[c] will be lifted(S) high in honor.

10 The wicked will see(T) and be vexed,
    they will gnash their teeth(U) and waste away;(V)
    the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.(W)

Psalm 113

Praise the Lord.[d](X)

Praise the Lord, you his servants;(Y)
    praise the name of the Lord.
Let the name of the Lord be praised,(Z)
    both now and forevermore.(AA)
From the rising of the sun(AB) to the place where it sets,
    the name of the Lord is to be praised.

The Lord is exalted(AC) over all the nations,
    his glory above the heavens.(AD)
Who is like the Lord our God,(AE)
    the One who sits enthroned(AF) on high,(AG)
who stoops down to look(AH)
    on the heavens and the earth?

He raises the poor(AI) from the dust
    and lifts the needy(AJ) from the ash heap;
he seats them(AK) with princes,
    with the princes of his people.
He settles the childless(AL) woman in her home
    as a happy mother of children.

Praise the Lord.

Psalm 114

When Israel came out of Egypt,(AM)
    Jacob from a people of foreign tongue,
Judah(AN) became God’s sanctuary,(AO)
    Israel his dominion.

The sea looked and fled,(AP)
    the Jordan turned back;(AQ)
the mountains leaped(AR) like rams,
    the hills like lambs.

Why was it, sea, that you fled?(AS)
    Why, Jordan, did you turn back?
Why, mountains, did you leap like rams,
    you hills, like lambs?

Tremble, earth,(AT) at the presence of the Lord,
    at the presence of the God of Jacob,
who turned the rock into a pool,
    the hard rock into springs of water.(AU)

Psalm 115(AV)

Not to us, Lord, not to us
    but to your name be the glory,(AW)
    because of your love and faithfulness.(AX)

Why do the nations say,
    “Where is their God?”(AY)
Our God is in heaven;(AZ)
    he does whatever pleases him.(BA)
But their idols are silver and gold,(BB)
    made by human hands.(BC)
They have mouths, but cannot speak,(BD)
    eyes, but cannot see.
They have ears, but cannot hear,
    noses, but cannot smell.
They have hands, but cannot feel,
    feet, but cannot walk,
    nor can they utter a sound with their throats.
Those who make them will be like them,
    and so will all who trust in them.

All you Israelites, trust(BE) in the Lord
    he is their help and shield.
10 House of Aaron,(BF) trust in the Lord
    he is their help and shield.
11 You who fear him,(BG) trust in the Lord
    he is their help and shield.

12 The Lord remembers(BH) us and will bless us:(BI)
    He will bless his people Israel,
    he will bless the house of Aaron,
13 he will bless those who fear(BJ) the Lord
    small and great alike.

14 May the Lord cause you to flourish,(BK)
    both you and your children.
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven(BL) and earth.

16 The highest heavens belong to the Lord,(BM)
    but the earth he has given(BN) to mankind.
17 It is not the dead(BO) who praise the Lord,
    those who go down to the place of silence;
18 it is we who extol the Lord,(BP)
    both now and forevermore.(BQ)

Praise the Lord.[e](BR)

Psalm 116

I love the Lord,(BS) for he heard my voice;
    he heard my cry(BT) for mercy.(BU)
Because he turned his ear(BV) to me,
    I will call on him as long as I live.

The cords of death(BW) entangled me,
    the anguish of the grave came over me;
    I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
Then I called on the name(BX) of the Lord:
    Lord, save me!(BY)

The Lord is gracious and righteous;(BZ)
    our God is full of compassion.(CA)
The Lord protects the unwary;
    when I was brought low,(CB) he saved me.(CC)

Return to your rest,(CD) my soul,
    for the Lord has been good(CE) to you.

For you, Lord, have delivered me(CF) from death,
    my eyes from tears,
    my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before the Lord(CG)
    in the land of the living.(CH)

10 I trusted(CI) in the Lord when I said,
    “I am greatly afflicted”;(CJ)
11 in my alarm I said,
    “Everyone is a liar.”(CK)

12 What shall I return to the Lord
    for all his goodness(CL) to me?

13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
    and call on the name(CM) of the Lord.
14 I will fulfill my vows(CN) to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people.

15 Precious in the sight(CO) of the Lord
    is the death of his faithful servants.(CP)
16 Truly I am your servant, Lord;(CQ)
    I serve you just as my mother did;(CR)
    you have freed me from my chains.(CS)

17 I will sacrifice a thank offering(CT) to you
    and call on the name of the Lord.
18 I will fulfill my vows(CU) to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts(CV) of the house of the Lord
    in your midst, Jerusalem.(CW)

Praise the Lord.[f]

Psalm 117

Praise the Lord,(CX) all you nations;(CY)
    extol him, all you peoples.
For great is his love(CZ) toward us,
    and the faithfulness of the Lord(DA) endures forever.

Praise the Lord.[g]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 112:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the lines of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  2. Psalm 112:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah
  3. Psalm 112:9 Horn here symbolizes dignity.
  4. Psalm 113:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 9
  5. Psalm 115:18 Hebrew Hallelu Yah
  6. Psalm 116:19 Hebrew Hallelu Yah
  7. Psalm 117:2 Hebrew Hallelu Yah