Psalms 136-138 from my new book:

A NEW LOOK AT THE OLD PSALMS

Praying the Psalms: a modern interpretation

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I present here a new perspective on the psalms. I have rewritten them from a New 
Testament Christ-centered point of view. I did not try to capture the poetry of the 
psalms – I leave that to more gifted writers – but I attempted to capture their message
with a more modern interpretation.

God bless,

John

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Psalm 136

L

et us acknowledge the goodness of the Lord, *for his love and compassion endure forever.

Let us give thanks to him who…

— is the one true God, *

— is the King of kings, *

— is the great miracle worker, *

— created the planets and stars with his great wisdom, *

— created the earth and surrounded it with oceans and seas, *

— created the sun to rule the day and the moon and the stars to govern the night, *

— compelled Egypt to submit to his will, *

— liberated his people from slavery in Egypt with his great strength, *

— parted the Red Sea for his people to pass through safely, *

— closed the waters to drown Pharaoh and his army, *

— guided his people through the desert, *

— caused water to spring forth from a rock, *

— defeated mighty rulers and destroyed great kings who opposed his people, *

— bequeathed their lands to the Israelites and their descendants, *

— was mindful of his people’s humiliation and rescued them from their enemies, *

— feeds all his creatures, *

Let us give thanks to God in heaven, for his love and compassion endure forever.

Let us give thanks to the King of kings, for his love and compassion endure forever. Alleluia!

Psalm 137

L

ord, it grieves us to be exiled in this world so far from our home in heaven. We are strangers in a foreign land where people abhor us and persecute us, but we would rather lose the use of a hand or our ability to speak than give up our belief in you. Nor could any earthly pleasure distract us from our heavenly goal.

Remember your children, Lord, and see how much we are tormented by the wicked. We praise you, for we know you will deliver justice to those who have treated us so unfairly. You will give us eternal joy in heaven as a reward for all the hardships we have suffered on earth. You, Lord, will have the last word in the fullness of time when good prevails over evil, and the wicked are condemned to eternal separation from your love. Amen.

Psalm 138

I

will thank you, Lord, from the bottom of my heart for having heard my prayer. I will praise your name before the heavenly court and kneel down and worship you before the Tabernacle on the altar of your Church. I will thank you for your love, compassion, and truth that you revealed in your Son, Jesus. Because of your faithfulness to your promise, your name is exalted above every other name. I know that whenever the time comes that I need your help, you will answer me quickly. Your powerful right arm will protect me from harm.

Lord, may all the rulers of nations adore you. They have learned that all your promises are true. Let them praise you for all the wonderful works you have done, for they see that your glory is great. Although you live in highest heaven, you stoop down to care for the lowly. But you leave the proud who do not trust in you to their own devices.

When I am in trouble, you protect me. Your strong right hand will reach out to save me from my enemies. You will deliver justice for me to those who seek to harm me. Lord, your mercy is unending. Do not abandon me, for I am your child, created by your own hand. Amen. 

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Cover image: Christ the Saviour (Pantokrator)." Web. 25 Sept 2016.
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"Creative Commons License." Web. 18 May 2016.
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This book and other books I have written are posted for your reading pleasure at Booksie.

Scriptural quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 

copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
60189. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2016 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must 

be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is 

offered to the public free of charge for the glory of God.