Psalms  ◦   Chapter 135

1Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord’s character of love;
praise him, all you who serve the Lord,

2you who stand watch in the Lord’s house of healing,
in the courts of the Lord’s treatment center — his temple.

3Praise the Lord, for he is good;
sing praises to his perfect character of love, for it is delightful.

4For the Lord has chosen Jacob to be his treatment team,
Israel as the avenue for his treasured Remedy.

5I know that the Lord is great — he created all reality,
and thus the Lord is greater than all gods.

6The Lord delighted in creating the entire universe,
the heavens and the earth,
the seas and all the deep oceans — all upon the principle of love.

7He designed the waters to rise and form clouds all across the earth
to bring rain along with lightning;
from his treasury of living plants, he brings the air we breathe.

8Yet he put the firstborn of Egypt in the grave —
the firstborn of both people and animals.

9He sent abundant evidence and amazing miracles revealing the truth to you, O Egypt —
to Pharaoh and all who worshipped him.

10He defeated many pagan nations
and destroyed the might of those worldly kings —

11Sihon king of the Amorites,
Og king of Bashan,
and all the kings of Canaan —

12and gave their land to others to possess;
to possess by Israel, his spiritual health-care team.

13O Lord, your character of love endures forever;
your reputation, O Lord, through all generations.

14The Lord will accurately diagnose his people
and take comfort in healing those who trust and serve him.

15The idols of other nations are nothing but non-living matter — just silver and gold,
molded and shaped by their own human hands.

16They have carved mouths that cannot speak,
sculpted eyes that cannot see;

17they have engraved ears that cannot hear,
and they do not breathe.

18Those who make them will become like them,
as will all who worship and trust in them.

19O people called by God, praise the Lord;
O worship leaders, praise the Lord;

20O priesthood of believers, praise the Lord;
all who revere him, praise the Lord.

21Praise be to the Lord from Zion —
to him who established the foundation of peace.
Praise the Lord.