Psalm 84

Longing for the Lord’s Temple

For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah, to be accompanied by a stringed instrument.*84: title Hebrew according to the gittith.

1How lovely is your dwelling place,

O Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

2I long, yes, I faint with longing

to enter the courts of the Lord.

With my whole being, body and soul,

I will shout joyfully to the living God.

3Even the sparrow finds a home,

and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young

at a place near your altar,

O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, my King and my God!

4What joy for those who can live in your house,

always singing your praises.

Interlude

5What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord,

who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

6When they walk through the Valley of Weeping,*84:6 Or Valley of Poplars; Hebrew reads valley of Baca.

it will become a place of refreshing springs.

The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings.

7They will continue to grow stronger,

and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.*84:7 Hebrew Zion.

8O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, hear my prayer.

Listen, O God of Jacob.

Interlude

9O God, look with favor upon the king, our shield!

Show favor to the one you have anointed.

10A single day in your courts

is better than a thousand anywhere else!

I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God

than live the good life in the homes of the wicked.

11For the Lord God is our sun and our shield.

He gives us grace and glory.

The Lord will withhold no good thing

from those who do what is right.

12O Lord of Heaven’s Armies,

what joy for those who trust in you.

Psalm 145*145 This psalm is a Hebrew acrostic poem; each verse (including 13b) begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

The Lord Is Merciful and Compassionate

A psalm of praise of David.

1I will exalt you, my God and King,

and praise your name forever and ever.

2I will praise you every day;

yes, I will praise you forever.

3Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!

No one can measure his greatness.

4Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts;

let them proclaim your power.

5I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor

and your wonderful miracles.

6Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue;

I will proclaim your greatness.

7Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness;

they will sing with joy about your righteousness.

8The Lord is merciful and compassionate,

slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.

9The Lord is good to everyone.

He showers compassion on all his creation.

10All of your works will thank you, Lord,

and your faithful followers will praise you.

11They will speak of the glory of your kingdom;

they will give examples of your power.

12They will tell about your mighty deeds

and about the majesty and glory of your reign.

13For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.

You rule throughout all generations.

The Lord always keeps his promises;

he is gracious in all he does.*145:13 As in Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek and Syriac versions; the Masoretic Text lacks the final two lines of this verse.

14The Lord helps the fallen

and lifts those bent beneath their loads.

15The eyes of all look to you in hope;

you give them their food as they need it.

16When you open your hand,

you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.

17The Lord is righteous in everything he does;

he is filled with kindness.

18The Lord is close to all who call on him,

yes, to all who call on him in truth.

19He grants the desires of those who fear him;

he hears their cries for help and rescues them.

20The Lord protects all those who love him,

but he destroys the wicked.

21I will praise the Lord,

and may everyone on earth bless his holy name

forever and ever.