Psalms 151-155

from W. Wright, Some Apocryphal Psalms in Syriac,
Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, Vol. 9
(1886-7) pp.257-258, 264-6


Psalm 151 - A Thanksgiving of David
 
1I was the youngest among my brethren, and a youth in my father's house. I used to feed my father's flock, and I found a lion and a wolf, and slew them and rent them. 2My hands made an organ, and my fingers fashioned a harp.3 Who will show me my Lord? He, my Lord, is become my God. 4He sent His angel and took me away from my father's flock, and anointed me with the oil of anointing. 5My brethren, the fair and the tall, in them the Lord had no pleasure. 6And I went forth to meet the Philistine, and he cursed me by his idols. 7But I drew his sword and cut off his head, and took away the reproach from the children of Israel.
 
Psalm 152 - The Prayer of Hezekiah when enemies surrounded him
 
1With a loud voice glorify ye God; in the assembly of many proclaim ye His glory. 2Amid the multitude of the upright glorify His praise; and speak of His glory with the righteous. 3Join yourselves (literally, your soul) to the good and to the perfect, to glorify the Most High. 4Gather yourselves together to make known His strength; and be not slow in showing forth His deliverance [and His strength] and His glory to all babes. 5That the honour of the Lord may be known, wisdom hath been given; and to tell of His works it hath been made known to men: 6to make known unto babes His strength, and to make them that lack understanding (literally, heart) to comprehend His glory; 7who are far from His entrances and distant from His gates: 8because the Lord of Jacob is exalted, and His glory is upon all His works. 9And a man who glorifies the Most High, in him will He take pleasure; as in one who offers fine meal, and as in one who offers he-goats and calves; 10and as in one who makes fat the altar with a multitude of burnt offerings; and as the smell of incense from the hands of the just. 11From thy upright gates shall be heard His voice, and from the voice of the upright admonition. 12And in their eating shall be satisfying in truth, and in their drinking, when they share together. 13Their dwelling is in the law of the Most High, and their speech is to make known His strength. 14How far from the wicked is speech of Him, and from all transgressors to know Him! 15Lo, the eye of the Lord taketh pity on the good, and unto them that glorify Him will He multiply mercy, and from the time of evil will He deliver their soul. 16Blessed be the Lord, who hath delivered the wretched from the hand of the wicked; who raiseth up a horn out of Jacob and a judge of the nations out of Israel; 17that He may prolong His dwelling in Zion, and may adorn our age in Jerusalem.
 
Psalm 153 - When the People obtained permission from Cyrus to return home
 
1O Lord, I have cried unto Thee; hearken Thou unto me. 2I have lifted up my hands to Thy holy dwelling-place; incline Thine ear unto me. 3And grant me my request; my prayer withhold not from me. 4Build up my soul, and destroy it not; and lay it not bare before the wicked. 5Them that recompense evil things turn Thou away from me, O judge of truth. 6O Lord, judge me not according to my sins, because no flesh is innocent before Thee. 7Make plain to me, O Lord, Thy law, and teach me Thy judgments; 8and many shall hear of Thy works, and the nations shall praise Thine honour. 9Remember me and forget me not; and lead me not into things that be too hard for me. 10The sins of my youth make Thou to pass from me, and my chastisement let them not remember against me. 11Cleanse me, O Lord, from the evil leprosy, and let it no more come unto me. 12Dry up its roots in (literally, from) me, and let not its leaves sprout within me. 13Great art Thou, O Lord; therefore my request shall be fulfilled from before Thee. 14To whom shall I complain that he may give unto me? and what can the strength of men add [unto me]? 15From before Thee, O Lord, is my confidence; I cried unto the Lord and He heard me, and healed the breaking of my heart. 16I slumbered and slept; I dreamed and was helped, and the Lord sustained me. 17They sorely pained my heart; I will return thanks because the Lord delivered me. 18Now will I rejoice in their shame; I have hoped in Thee, and I shall not be ashamed. 19Give Thou honour for ever, even for ever and ever. 20Deliver Israel Thine elect, and them of the house of Jacob Thy proved one.
 
Psalm 154 - Spoken by David when he was contending with the lion and the wolf
which took a sheep from his flock
 
1O God, O God, come to my aid; help Thou me and save me; deliver Thou my soul from the slayer. 2Shall I go down to Sheol by the mouth of the lion? or shall the wolf confound me? 3Was it not enough for them that they lay in wait for my father's flock, and rent in pieces a sheep of my father's drove, but they were wishing also to destroy my soul? 4Have pity, O Lord, and save Thy holy one from destruction; that he may rehearse Thy glories in all his times, and may praise Thy great name: 5when Thou hast delivered him from the hands of the destroying lion and of the ravening wolf, and when Thou hast rescued my captivity from the hands of the wild beasts. 6Quickly, O my Lord (Adonai), send from before Thee a deliverer, and draw me out of the gaping pit, which imprisons me in its depths.
 
Psalm 155 - Spoken by David when returning thanks to God,
who had delivered him from the lion and the wolf and he had slain both of them
 
1Praise the Lord, all ye nations; glorify Him, and bless His name: 2Who rescued the soul of His elect from the hands of death, and delivered His holy one from destruction: 3and saved me from the nets of Sheol, and my soul from the pit that cannot be fathomed. 4Because, ere my deliverance could go forth from before Him, I was well nigh rent in two pieces by two wild beasts. 5But He sent His angel, and shut up from me the gaping mouths, and rescued my life from destruction. 6My soul shall glorify Him and exalt Him, because of all His kindnesses which He hath done and will do unto me.

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