1 Of David himself. O Lord, I will confess to you with my whole heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth. I will sing psalms to you in the sight of the Angels. 2 I will adore before your holy temple, and I will confess your name: it is above your mercy and your truth. For you have magnified your holy name above all. 3 On whatever day that I will call upon you: hear me. You will multiply virtue in my soul. 4 May all the kings of the earth confess to you, O Lord. For they have heard all the words of your mouth. 5 And let them sing in accordance with the ways of the Lord. For great is the glory of the Lord. 6 For the Lord is exalted, and he looks with favor on the humble. But the lofty he knows from a distance. 7 If I wander into the midst of tribulation, you will revive me. For you extended your hand against the wrath of my enemies. And your right hand has accomplished my salvation. 8 The Lord will provide retribution on my behalf. O Lord, your mercy is forever. Do not disdain the works of your hands.
Psalms · Catholic Public Domain Version
Psalm 137 (138) Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · Psalm 138 · About the recordings
Notes on this text (4)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
- Psalms follow the Greek/Latin numbering, with the psalm titles counted as verse 1 (as in the Vulgate).
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
Cross references (8)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info. References use English (Hebrew-based) verse numbers; links open the passage in CPDV.
- 1 Psalm 111:1; Psalm 95:3; 1 Corinthians 14:15; Psalm 86:12–13; Psalm 96:4
- 2 Matthew 5:18; Psalm 56:10; Isaiah 42:21; Matthew 24:35; Psalm 56:4
- 3 1 Peter 5:10; Psalm 18:6; Psalm 34:4–6; Isaiah 40:29–31; Zechariah 10:12
- 4 Psalm 102:15; Psalm 72:11; Psalm 22:22; Psalm 22:27; Psalm 102:22
- 5 Revelation 4:11; Psalm 21:5; Revelation 7:12; Malachi 1:11; Exodus 15:11
- 6 Psalm 113:5–6; Isaiah 57:15; 1 Samuel 2:7–8; Proverbs 3:34; James 4:6
- 7 Isaiah 41:10; Psalm 23:3–4; Psalm 71:20–21; Psalm 85:6; Acts 2:33
- 8 Philippians 1:6; Psalm 57:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:24; Isaiah 26:12; Psalm 136:1
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations). Verse numbers below follow the Hebrew/English numbering: 138.
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
But to-day we have sung, "By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept, when we remembered Sion" (ver. 1).... 2. Observe "the waters of Babylon." "The waters of Babylon" are all things which here are loved, and pass away.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)