The Mourning of the Exiles in Babylon

1371 By the rivers of Babylon we were seated, weeping at the memory of Zion, 2 Hanging our instruments of music on the trees by the waterside. 3 For there those who had taken us prisoners made request for a song; and those who had taken away all we had gave us orders to be glad, saying, Give us one of the songs of Zion. 4 How may we give the Lord's song in a strange land? 5 If I keep not your memory, O Jerusalem, let not my right hand keep the memory of its art. 6 If I let you go out of my thoughts, and if I do not put Jerusalem before my greatest joy, let my tongue be fixed to the roof of my mouth.

7 O Lord, keep in mind against the children of Edom the day of Jerusalem; how they said, Let it be uncovered, uncovered even to its base. 8 O daughter of Babylon, whose fate is destruction; happy is the man who does to you what you have done to us. 9 Happy is the man who takes your little ones, crushing them against the rocks.

Thanksgiving for the LORD's Favor

1381 I will give you praise with all my heart: I will make melody to you before the gods. 2 I will give worship before your holy Temple, praising your name for your mercy and for your unchanging faith: for you have made your word greater than all your name. 3 When my cry came to your ears you gave me an answer, and made me great with strength in my soul. 4 All the kings of the earth will give you praise, O Lord, when the words of your mouth come to their ears. 5 They will make songs about the ways of the Lord; for great is the glory of the Lord.

6 Though the Lord is high, he sees those who are low; and he has knowledge from far off of those who are lifted up. 7 Even when trouble is round me, you will give me life; your hand will be stretched out against the wrath of my haters, and your right hand will be my salvation. 8 The Lord will make all things complete for me: O Lord, your mercy is eternal; do not give up the works of your hands.

God's Omnipresence and Omniscience

1391 O Lord, you have knowledge of me, searching out all my secrets. 2 You have knowledge when I am seated and when I get up, you see my thoughts from far away. 3 You keep watch over my steps and my sleep, and have knowledge of all my ways. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue which is not clear to you, O Lord. 5 I am shut in by you on every side, and you have put your hand on me. 6 Such knowledge is a wonder greater than my powers; it is so high that I may not come near it.

7 Where may I go from your spirit? how may I go in flight from you? 8 If I go up to heaven, you are there: or if I make my bed in the underworld, you are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and go to the farthest parts of the sea; 10 Even there will I be guided by your hand, and your right hand will keep me. 11 If I say, Only let me be covered by the dark, and the light about me be night; 12 Even the dark is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day: for dark and light are the same to you. 13 My flesh was made by you, and my parts joined together in my mother's body. 14 I will give you praise, for I am strangely and delicately formed; your works are great wonders, and of this my soul is fully conscious. 15 My frame was not unseen by you when I was made secretly, and strangely formed in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book all my days were recorded, even those which were purposed before they had come into being.

17 How dear are your thoughts to me, O God! how great is the number of them! 18 If I made up their number, it would be more than the grains of sand; when I am awake, I am still with you. 19 If only you would put the sinners to death, O God; go far from me, you men of blood. 20 For they go against you with evil designs, and your haters make sport of your name. 21 Are not your haters hated by me, O Lord? are not those who are lifted up against you a cause of grief to me? 22 My hate for them is complete; my thoughts of them are as if they were making war on me. 23 O God, let the secrets of my heart be uncovered, and let my wandering thoughts be tested: 24 See if there is any way of sorrow in me, and be my guide in the eternal way.

Love

131 If I make use of the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am like sounding brass, or a loud-tongued bell. 2 And if I have a prophet's power, and have knowledge of all secret things; and if I have all faith, by which mountains may be moved from their place, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my goods to the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it is of no profit to me.

4 Love is never tired of waiting; love is kind; love has no envy; love has no high opinion of itself, love has no pride; 5 Love's ways are ever fair, it takes no thought for itself; it is not quickly made angry, it takes no account of evil; 6 It takes no pleasure in wrongdoing, but has joy in what is true; 7 Love has the power of undergoing all things, having faith in all things, hoping all things.

8 Though the prophet's word may come to an end, tongues come to nothing, and knowledge have no more value, love has no end. 9 For our knowledge is only in part, and the prophet's word gives only a part of what is true: 10 But when that which is complete is come, then that which is in part will be no longer necessary. 11 When I was a child, I made use of a child's language, I had a child's feelings and a child's thoughts: now that I am a man, I have put away the things of a child. 12 For now we see things in a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now my knowledge is in part; then it will be complete, even as God's knowledge of me. 13 But now we still have faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.