Psalm 115

1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us,

but to your name goes all the glory

for your unfailing love and faithfulness.

2 Why let the nations say,

“Where is their God?”

3 Our God is in the heavens,

and he does as he wishes.

4 Their idols are merely things of silver and gold,

shaped by human hands.

5 They have mouths but cannot speak,

and eyes but cannot see.

6 They have ears but cannot hear,

and mouths but cannot breathe.

7 They have hands but cannot feel,

and feet but cannot walk,

and throats but cannot make a sound.

8 And those who make idols are just like them,

as are all who trust in them.

9 O Israel, trust the Lord!

He is your helper and your shield.

10 O priests, descendants of Aaron, trust the Lord!

He is your helper and your shield.

11 All you who fear the Lord, trust the Lord!

He is your helper and your shield.

12 The Lord remembers us and will bless us.

He will bless the people of Israel

and bless the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

13 He will bless those who fear the Lord,

both great and lowly.

14 May the Lord richly bless

both you and your children.

15 May you be blessed by the Lord,

who made heaven and earth.

16 The heavens belong to the Lord,

but he has given the earth to all humanity.

17 The dead cannot sing praises to the Lord,

for they have gone into the silence of the grave.

18 But we can praise the Lord

both now and forever!

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 116

1 I love the Lord because he hears my voice

and my prayer for mercy.

2 Because he bends down to listen,

I will pray as long as I have breath!

3 Death wrapped its ropes around me;

the terrors of the grave* overtook me.

I saw only trouble and sorrow.

4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:

“Please, Lord, save me!”

5 How kind the Lord is! How good he is!

So merciful, this God of ours!

6 The Lord protects those of childlike faith;

I was facing death, and he saved me.

7 Let my soul be at rest again,

for the Lord has been good to me.

8 He has saved me from death,

my eyes from tears,

my feet from stumbling.

9 And so I walk in the Lord’s presence

as I live here on earth!

10 I believed in you, so I said,

“I am deeply troubled, Lord.”

11 In my anxiety I cried out to you,

“These people are all liars!”

12 What can I offer the Lord

for all he has done for me?

13 I will lift up the cup of salvation

and praise the Lord’s name for saving me.

14 I will keep my promises to the Lord

in the presence of all his people.

15 The Lord cares deeply

when his loved ones die.

16 O Lord, I am your servant;

yes, I am your servant, born into your household;

you have freed me from my chains.

17 I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving

and call on the name of the Lord.

18 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord

in the presence of all his people—

19 in the house of the Lord

in the heart of Jerusalem.

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 117

1 Praise the Lord, all you nations.

Praise him, all you people of the earth.

2 For his unfailing love for us is powerful;

the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever.

Praise the Lord!