137 Super flumina

1 By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept, *
when we remembered you, O Zion.

2 As for our harps, we hung them up *
on the trees in the midst of that land.

3 For those who led us away captive asked us for a song,
and our oppressors called for mirth: *
"Sing us one of the songs of Zion."

4 How shall we sing the Lord's song *
upon an alien soil?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, *
let my right hand forget its skill.

6 Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth
if I do not remember you, *
if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy.

(7 Remember the day of Jerusalem, O Lord,
against the people of Edom, *
who said, "Down with it! down with it!
even to the ground!"

8 O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, *
happy the one who pays you back
for what you have done to us!

9 Happy shall he be who takes your little ones, *
and dashes them against the rock!)

144 Benedictus Dominus

1 Blessed be the Lord my rock! *
who trains my hands to fight and my fingers to battle;

2 My help and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, *
my shield in whom I trust,
who subdues the peoples under me.

3 O Lord, what are we that you should care for us? *
mere mortals that you should think of us?

4 We are like a puff of wind; *
our days are like a passing shadow.

5 Bow your heavens, O Lord, and come down; *
touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.

6 Hurl the lightning and scatter them; *
shoot out your arrows and rout them.

7 Stretch out your hand from on high; *
rescue me and deliver me from the great waters,
from the hand of foreign peoples,

8 Whose mouths speak deceitfully *
and whose right hand is raised in falsehood.

9 O God, I will sing to you a new song; *
I will play to you on a ten-stringed lyre.

10 You give victory to kings *
and have rescued David your servant.

11 Rescue me from the hurtful sword *
and deliver me from the hand of foreign peoples,

12 Whose mouths speak deceitfully *
and whose right hand is raised in falsehood.

13 May our sons be like plants well nurtured from their youth, *
and our daughters like sculptured corners of a palace.

14 May our barns be filled to overflowing with all manner of crops; *
may the flocks in our pastures increase by thousands and tens of thousands;
may our cattle be fat and sleek.

15 May there be no breaching of the walls, no going into exile, *
no wailing in the public squares.

16 Happy are the people of whom this is so! *
happy are the people whose God is the Lord!

Web Author: Charles Wohlers
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