Psalm 24

The King of Glory

A psalm of David.

1The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.

The world and all its people belong to him.

2For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas

and built it on the ocean depths.

3Who may climb the mountain of the Lord?

Who may stand in his holy place?

4Only those whose hands and hearts are pure,

who do not worship idols

and never tell lies.

5They will receive the Lord’s blessing

and have a right relationship with God their savior.

6Such people may seek you

and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob.*24:6 As in two Hebrew manuscripts and Greek and Syriac versions; most Hebrew manuscripts read O Jacob.

Interlude

7Open up, ancient gates!

Open up, ancient doors,

and let the King of glory enter.

8Who is the King of glory?

The Lord, strong and mighty;

the Lord, invincible in battle.

9Open up, ancient gates!

Open up, ancient doors,

and let the King of glory enter.

10Who is the King of glory?

The Lord of Heaven’s Armies—

he is the King of glory.

Interlude

Psalm 63

Longing for God in the Wilderness

A psalm of David, regarding a time when David was in the wilderness of Judah.

1O God, you are my God;

I earnestly search for you.

My soul thirsts for you;

my whole body longs for you

in this parched and weary land

where there is no water.

2I have seen you in your sanctuary

and gazed upon your power and glory.

3Your unfailing love is better than life itself;

how I praise you!

4I will praise you as long as I live,

lifting up my hands to you in prayer.

5You satisfy me more than the richest feast.

I will praise you with songs of joy.

6I lie awake thinking of you,

meditating on you through the night.

7Because you are my helper,

I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.

8I cling to you;

your strong right hand holds me securely.

9But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin.

They will go down into the depths of the earth.

10They will die by the sword

and become the food of jackals.

11But the king will rejoice in God.

All who swear to tell the truth will praise him,

while liars will be silenced.

Psalm 118

A Day of Thanksgiving for Victory

1Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!

His faithful love endures forever.

2Let all Israel repeat:

“His faithful love endures forever.”

3Let Aaron’s descendants, the priests, repeat:

“His faithful love endures forever.”

4Let all who fear the Lord repeat:

“His faithful love endures forever.”

5In my distress I prayed to the Lord,

and the Lord answered me and set me free.

6The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear.

What can mere people do to me?

7Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me.

I will look in triumph at those who hate me.

8It is better to take refuge in the Lord

than to trust in people.

9It is better to take refuge in the Lord

than to trust in princes.

10Though hostile nations surrounded me,

I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.

11Yes, they surrounded and attacked me,

but I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.

12They swarmed around me like bees;

they blazed against me like a crackling fire.

But I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.

13My enemies did their best to kill me,

but the Lord rescued me.

14The Lord is my strength and my song;

he has given me victory.

15Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly.

The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things!

16The strong right arm of the Lord is raised in triumph.

The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things!

17I will not die; instead, I will live

to tell what the Lord has done.

18The Lord has punished me severely,

but he did not let me die.

19Open for me the gates where the righteous enter,

and I will go in and thank the Lord.

20These gates lead to the presence of the Lord,

and the godly enter there.

21I thank you for answering my prayer

and giving me victory!

22The stone that the builders rejected

has now become the cornerstone.

23This is the Lord’s doing,

and it is wonderful to see.

24This is the day the Lord has made.

We will rejoice and be glad in it.

25Please, Lord, please save us.

Please, Lord, please give us success.

26Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord.

We bless you from the house of the Lord.

27The Lord is God, shining upon us.

Take the sacrifice and bind it with cords on the altar.

28You are my God, and I will praise you!

You are my God, and I will exalt you!

29Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!

His faithful love endures forever.

Psalm 150

Praise with Musical Instruments

1Praise the Lord!

Praise God in his sanctuary;

praise him in his mighty heaven!

2Praise him for his mighty works;

praise his unequaled greatness!

3Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn;

praise him with the lyre and harp!

4Praise him with the tambourine and dancing;

praise him with strings and flutes!

5Praise him with a clash of cymbals;

praise him with loud clanging cymbals.

6Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

Gimel

17Be good to your servant,

that I may live and obey your word.

18Open my eyes to see

the wonderful truths in your instructions.

19I am only a foreigner in the land.

Don’t hide your commands from me!

20I am always overwhelmed

with a desire for your regulations.

21You rebuke the arrogant;

those who wander from your commands are cursed.

22Don’t let them scorn and insult me,

for I have obeyed your laws.

23Even princes sit and speak against me,

but I will meditate on your decrees.

24Your laws please me;

they give me wise advice.