THE APOCRYPHAL PSALMS
Here are the full versions of the Apocryphal Psalms 151-155 along with their sources.
Psalm 151
This psalm is found in the Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. It's included in some manuscripts of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
"I was small among my brothers, and the youngest in my father's house; I tended my father's sheep. My hands made a harp, my fingers fashioned a lyre. And who will tell my Lord? The Lord himself; it is he who hears. It was he who sent his messenger and took me from my father's sheep, and anointed me with his anointing oil. My brothers were handsome and tall, but the Lord was not pleased with them. I went out to meet the Philistine, and he cursed me by his idols. But I drew his own sword; I beheaded him, and removed reproach from the children of Israel."
Psalm 152
This psalm is attributed to the Prayer of Manasseh, which is found in some versions of the Old Testament Apocrypha.
"O Lord, I have sinned, I have transgressed, and I have sinned against Your commandments. I have set up idols and worshipped them. But now I bend the knee of my heart, begging for Your kindness. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge my transgressions. Absolve me, O Lord, absolve me, and destroy me not with my transgressions. Do not be angry with me forever, nor store up evil for me. Do not condemn me to the depths of the earth. For You, O Lord, are the God of those who repent, and in me You will show all Your goodness. For unworthy as I am, You will save me in Your great mercy. And I will praise You continually all the days of my life. For all the host of heaven sings Your praise, and Yours is the glory forever. Amen."
Psalm 153
This psalm is part of the Syriac Psalter and can be found in some other apocryphal collections.
"Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord. Turn away from evil and do good, and dwell forever in the land. For the Lord loves justice and will not forsake his faithful ones. The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever. The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just. The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip."
Psalm 154
This psalm is also part of the Syriac Psalter and can be found in some other apocryphal collections.
"The mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. For the Lord has redeemed Jacob and will be glorified in Israel. Shout for joy, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains. For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them. Let the wilderness and its towns raise their voices; let the settlements where Kedar lives rejoice. Let the people of Sela sing for joy; let them shout from the mountaintops."
Psalm 155
This psalm is part of the Syriac Psalter and is found in some other apocryphal collections.
"O Lord, I call to you; come quickly to me. Hear my voice when I call to you. May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice. Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies. Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—it is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it. Yet my prayer is ever against the deeds of evildoers; their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs, and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken. They will say, ‘As one plows and breaks up the earth, so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of the grave.’ But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death. Keep me from the snares they have laid for me, from the traps set by evildoers. Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by in safety."
Sources
1. The Septuagint: A Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible that includes Psalm 151.
2. The Dead Sea Scrolls: Ancient Jewish manuscripts found in the Qumran Caves near the Dead Sea.
3. The Syriac Psalter: A collection of psalms used in the Syriac Christian tradition, including Psalms 152-155.
4. Old Testament Apocrypha: Various texts considered canonical by some Christian traditions but not included in the Hebrew Bible or most Protestant Bibles.