PSALMS
CHAPTER 1
1 Happy are those who reject the advice of evil people, who do not follow the example of sinners or join those who have no use for God. 2 Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the Lord, and they study it day and night. 3 They are like trees that grow beside a stream, that bear fruit at the right time, and whose leaves do not dry up. They succeed in everything they do. 4 But evil people are not like this at all; they are like straw that the wind blows away. 5 Sinners will be condemned by God and kept apart from God's own people. 6 The righteous are guided and protected by the Lord, but the evil are on the way to their doom.
CHAPTER 2
1 Why do the nations plan rebellion? Why do people make their useless plots? 2 Their kings revolt, their rulers plot together against the Lord and against the king he chose. 3 "Let us free ourselves from their rule," they say; "let us throw off their control." 4 From his throne in heaven the Lord laughs and mocks their feeble plans. 5 Then he warns them in anger and terrifies them with his fury. 6 "On Zion, my sacred hill," he says, "I have installed my king." 7 "I will announce," says the king, "what the Lord has declared. He said to me: "You are my son; today I have become your father. 8 Ask, and I will give you all the nations; the whole earth will be yours. 9 You will break them with an iron rod; you will shatter them in pieces like a clay pot.' " 10 Now listen to this warning, you kings; learn this lesson, you rulers of the world: 11 Serve the Lord with fear; tremble 12 and bow down to him; or else his anger will be quickly aroused, and you will suddenly die. Happy are all who go to him for protection.
CHAPTER 3
1 I have so many enemies, Lord, so many who turn against me! 2 They talk about me and say, "God will not help him." 3 But you, O Lord, are always my shield from danger; you give me victory and restore my courage. 4 I call to the Lord for help, and from his sacred hill he answers me. 5 I lie down and sleep, and all night long the Lord protects me. 6 I am not afraid of the thousands of enemies who surround me on every side. 7 Come, Lord! Save me, my God! You punish all my enemies and leave them powerless to harm me. 8 Victory comes from the Lord - may he bless his people.
CHAPTER 4
1 Answer me when I pray, O God, my defender! When I was in trouble, you helped me. Be kind to me now and hear my prayer. 2 How long will you people insult me? How long will you love what is worthless and go after what is false? 3 Remember that the Lord has chosen the righteous for his own, and he hears me when I call to him. 4 Tremble with fear and stop sinning; think deeply about this, when you lie in silence on your beds. 5 Offer the right sacrifices to the Lord, and put your trust in him. 6 There are many who pray: "Give us more blessings, O Lord. Look on us with kindness!" 7 But the joy that you have given me is more than they will ever have with all their grain and wine. 8 When I lie down, I go to sleep in peace; you alone, O Lord, keep me perfectly safe.
CHAPTER 5
1 Listen to my words, O Lord, and hear my sighs. 2 Listen to my cry for help, my God and king! I pray to you, O Lord; 3 you hear my voice in the morning; at sunrise I offer my prayer and wait for your answer. 4 You are not a God who is pleased with wrongdoing; you allow no evil in your presence. 5 You cannot stand the sight of the proud; you hate all wicked people. 6 You destroy all liars and despise violent, deceitful people. 7 But because of your great love I can come into your house; I can worship in your holy Temple and bow down to you in reverence. 8 Lord, I have so many enemies! Lead me to do your will; make your way plain for me to follow. 9 What my enemies say can never be trusted; they only want to destroy. Their words are flattering and smooth, but full of deadly deceit. 10 Condemn and punish them, O God; may their own plots cause their ruin. Drive them out of your presence because of their many sins and their rebellion against you. 11 But all who find safety in you will rejoice; they can always sing for joy. Protect those who love you; because of you they are truly happy. 12 You bless those who obey you, Lord; your love protects them like a shield.
CHAPTER 6
1 Lord, don't be angry and rebuke me! Don't punish me in your anger! 2 I am worn out, O Lord; have pity on me! Give me strength; I am completely exhausted 3 and my whole being is deeply troubled. How long, O Lord, will you wait to help me? 4 Come and save me, Lord; in your mercy rescue me from death. 5 In the world of the dead you are not remembered; no one can praise you there. 6 I am worn out with grief; every night my bed is damp from my weeping; my pillow is soaked with tears. 7 I can hardly see; my eyes are so swollen from the weeping caused by my enemies. 8 Keep away from me, you evil people! The Lord hears my weeping; 9 he listens to my cry for help and will answer my prayer. 10 My enemies will know the bitter shame of defeat; in sudden confusion they will be driven away.
CHAPTER 7
1 O Lord, my God, I come to you for protection; rescue me and save me from all who pursue me, 2 or else like a lion they will carry me off where no one can save me, and there they will tear me to pieces. 3 O Lord, my God, if I have wronged anyone, if I have betrayed a friend or without cause done violence to my enemy - if I have done any of these things - 5 then let my enemies pursue me and catch me, let them cut me down and kill me and leave me lifeless on the ground! 6 Rise in your anger, O Lord! Stand up against the fury of my enemies; rouse yourself and help me! Justice is what you demand, 7 so bring together all the peoples around you, and rule over them from above. 8 You are the judge of all people. Judge in my favor, O Lord; you know that I am innocent. 9 You are a righteous God and judge our thoughts and desires. Stop the wickedness of evildoers and reward those who are good. 10 God is my protector; he saves those who obey him. 11 God is a righteous judge and always condemns the wicked. 12 If they do not change their ways, God will sharpen his sword. He bends his bow and makes it ready; 13 he takes up his deadly weapons and aims his burning arrows. 14 See how wicked people think up evil; they plan trouble and practice deception. 15 But in the traps they set for others, they themselves get caught. 16 So they are punished by their own evil and are hurt by their own violence. 17 I thank the Lord for his justice; I sing praises to the Lord, the Most High.
CHAPTER 8
1 O Lord, our Lord, your greatness is seen in all the world! Your praise reaches up to the heavens; 2 it is sung by children and babies. You are safe and secure from all your enemies; you stop anyone who opposes you. 3 When I look at the sky, which you have made, at the moon and the stars, which you set in their places - 4 what are human beings, that you think of them; mere mortals, that you care for them? 5 Yet you made them inferior only to yourself; you crowned them with glory and honor. 6 You appointed them rulers over everything you made; you placed them over all creation: 7 sheep and cattle, and the wild animals too; 8 the birds and the fish and the creatures in the seas. 9 O Lord, our Lord, your greatness is seen in all the world!
CHAPTER 9
1 I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the wonderful things you have done. 2 I will sing with joy because of you. I will sing praise to you, Almighty God. 3 My enemies turn back when you appear; they fall down and die. 4 You are fair and honest in your judgments, and you have judged in my favor. 5 You have condemned the heathen and destroyed the wicked; they will be remembered no more. 6 Our enemies are finished forever; you have destroyed their cities, and they are completely forgotten. 7 But the Lord is king forever; he has set up his throne for judgment. 8 He rules the world with righteousness; he judges the nations with justice. 9 The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a place of safety in times of trouble. 10 Those who know you, Lord, will trust you; you do not abandon anyone who comes to you. 11 Sing praise to the Lord, who rules in Zion! Tell every nation what he has done! 12 God remembers those who suffer; he does not forget their cry, and he punishes those who wrong them. 13 Be merciful to me, O Lord! See the sufferings my enemies cause me! Rescue me from death, O Lord, 14 that I may stand before the people of Jerusalem and tell them all the things for which I praise you. I will rejoice because you saved me. 15 The heathen have dug a pit and fallen in; they have been caught in their own trap. 16 The Lord has revealed himself by his righteous judgments, and the wicked are trapped by their own deeds. 17 Death is the destiny of all the wicked, of all those who reject God. 18 The needy will not always be neglected; the hope of the poor will not be crushed forever. 19 Come, Lord! Do not let anyone defy you! Bring the heathen before you and pronounce judgment on them. 20 Make them afraid, O Lord; make them know that they are only mortal beings.
CHAPTER 10
1 Why are you so far away, O Lord? Why do you hide yourself when we are in trouble? 2 The wicked are proud and persecute the poor; catch them in the traps they have made. 3 The wicked are proud of their evil desires; the greedy curse and reject the Lord. 4 The wicked do not care about the Lord; in their pride they think that God doesn't matter. 5 The wicked succeed in everything. They cannot understand God's judgments; they sneer at their enemies. 6 They say to themselves, "We will never fail; we will never be in trouble." 7 Their speech is filled with curses, lies, and threats; they are quick to speak hateful, evil words. 8 They hide themselves in the villages, waiting to murder innocent people. They spy on their helpless victims; 9 they wait in their hiding place like lions. They lie in wait for the poor; they catch them in their traps and drag them away. 10 The helpless victims lie crushed; brute strength has defeated them. 11 The wicked say to themselves, "God doesn't care! He has closed his eyes and will never see me!" 12 O Lord, punish those wicked people! Remember those who are suffering! 13 How can the wicked despise God and say to themselves, "He will not punish me"? 14 But you do see; you take notice of trouble and suffering and are always ready to help. The helpless commit themselves to you; you have always helped the needy. 15 Break the power of wicked and evil people; punish them for the wrong they have done until they do it no more. 16 The Lord is king forever and ever. Those who worship other gods will vanish from his land. 17 You will listen, O Lord, to the prayers of the lowly; you will give them courage. 18 You will hear the cries of the oppressed and the orphans; you will judge in their favor, so that mortal men may cause terror no more.
CHAPTER 11
1 I trust in the Lord for safety. How foolish of you to say to me, "Fly away like a bird to the mountains, 2 because the wicked have drawn their bows and aimed their arrows to shoot from the shadows at good people. 3 There is nothing a good person can do when everything falls apart." 4 The Lord is in his holy temple; he has his throne in heaven. He watches people everywhere and knows what they are doing. 5 He examines the good and the wicked alike; the lawless he hates with all his heart. 6 He sends down flaming coals and burning sulfur on the wicked; he punishes them with scorching winds. 7 The Lord is righteous and loves good deeds; those who do them will live in his presence.
CHAPTER 12
1 Help us, Lord! There is not a good person left; honest people can no longer be found. 2 All of them lie to one another; they deceive each other with flattery. 3 Silence those flattering tongues, O Lord! Close those boastful mouths that say, 4 "With our words we get what we want. We will say what we wish, and no one can stop us." 5 "But now I will come," says the Lord, "because the needy are oppressed and the persecuted groan in pain. I will give them the security they long for." 6 The promises of the Lord can be trusted; they are as genuine as silver refined seven times in the furnace. 7 The wicked are everywhere, and everyone praises what is evil. Keep us always safe, O Lord, and preserve us from such people.
CHAPTER 13
1 How much longer will you forget me, Lord? Forever? How much longer will you hide yourself from me? 2 How long must I endure trouble? How long will sorrow fill my heart day and night? How long will my enemies triumph over me? 3 Look at me, O Lord my God, and answer me. Restore my strength; don't let me die. 4 Don't let my enemies say, "We have defeated him." Don't let them gloat over my downfall. 5 I rely on your constant love; I will be glad, because you will rescue me. 6 I will sing to you, O Lord, because you have been good to me.
CHAPTER 14
1 Fools say to themselves, "There is no God!" They are all corrupt, and they have done terrible things; there is no one who does what is right. 2 The Lord looks down from heaven at us humans to see if there are any who are wise, any who worship him. 3 But they have all gone wrong; they are all equally bad. Not one of them does what is right, not a single one. 4 "Don't they know?" asks the Lord. "Are all these evildoers ignorant? They live by robbing my people, and they never pray to me." 5 But then they will be terrified, for God is with those who obey him. 6 Evildoers frustrate the plans of the humble, but the Lord is their protection. 7 How I pray that victory will come to Israel from Zion. How happy the people of Israel will be when the Lord makes them prosperous again!
CHAPTER 15
1 Lord, who may enter your Temple? Who may worship on Zion, your sacred hill? 2 Those who obey God in everything and always do what is right, whose words are true and sincere, 3 and who do not slander others. They do no wrong to their friends nor spread rumors about their neighbors. 4 They despise those whom God rejects, but honor those who obey the Lord. They always do what they promise, no matter how much it may cost. 5 They make loans without charging interest and cannot be bribed to testify against the innocent. Whoever does these things will always be secure.
CHAPTER 16
1 Protect me, O God; I trust in you for safety. 2 I say to the Lord, "You are my Lord; all the good things I have come from you." 3 How excellent are the Lord's faithful people! My greatest pleasure is to be with them. 4 Those who rush to other gods bring many troubles on themselves. I will not take part in their sacrifices; I will not worship their gods. 5 You, Lord, are all I have, and you give me all I need; my future is in your hands. 6 How wonderful are your gifts to me; how good they are! 7 I praise the Lord, because he guides me, and in the night my conscience warns me. 8 I am always aware of the Lord's presence; he is near, and nothing can shake me. 9 And so I am thankful and glad, and I feel completely secure, 10 because you protect me from the power of death. I have served you faithfully, and you will not abandon me to the world of the dead. 11 You will show me the path that leads to life; your presence fills me with joy and brings me pleasure forever.
CHAPTER 17
1 Listen, O Lord, to my plea for justice; pay attention to my cry for help! Listen to my honest prayer. 2 You will judge in my favor, because you know what is right. 3 You know my heart. You have come to me at night; you have examined me completely and found no evil desire in me. I speak no evil, 4 as others do; I have obeyed your command and have not followed paths of violence. 5 I have always walked in your way and have never strayed from it. 6 I pray to you, O God, because you answer me; so turn to me and listen to my words. 7 Reveal your wonderful love and save me; at your side I am safe from my enemies. 8 Protect me as you would your very eyes; hide me in the shadow of your wings 9 from the attacks of the wicked. Deadly enemies surround me; 10 they have no pity and speak proudly. 11 They are around me now, wherever I turn, watching for a chance to pull me down. 12 They are like lions, waiting for me, wanting to tear me to pieces. 13 Come, Lord! Oppose my enemies and defeat them! Save me from the wicked by your sword; 14 save me from those who in this life have all they want. Punish them with the sufferings you have stored up for them; may there be enough for their children and some left over for their children's children! 15 But I will see you, because I have done no wrong; and when I awake, your presence will fill me with joy.
CHAPTER 18
1 How I love you, Lord! You are my defender. 2 The Lord is my protector; he is my strong fortress. My God is my protection, and with him I am safe. He protects me like a shield; he defends me and keeps me safe. 3 I call to the Lord, and he saves me from my enemies. Praise the Lord! 4 The danger of death was all around me; the waves of destruction rolled over me. 5 The danger of death was around me, and the grave set its trap for me. 6 In my trouble I called to the Lord; I called to my God for help. In his temple he heard my voice; he listened to my cry for help. 7 Then the earth trembled and shook; the foundations of the mountains rocked and quivered, because God was angry. 8 Smoke poured out of his nostrils, a consuming flame and burning coals from his mouth. 9 He tore the sky open and came down with a dark cloud under his feet. 10 He flew swiftly on his winged creature; he traveled on the wings of the wind. 11 He covered himself with darkness; thick clouds, full of water, surrounded him. 12 Hailstones and flashes of fire came from the lightning before him and broke through the dark clouds. 13 Then the Lord thundered from the sky; and the voice of the Most High was heard. 14 He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies; with flashes of lightning he sent them running. 15 The floor of the ocean was laid bare, and the foundations of the earth were uncovered, when you rebuked your enemies, Lord, and roared at them in anger. 16 The Lord reached down from above and took hold of me; he pulled me out of the deep waters. 17 He rescued me from my powerful enemies and from all those who hate me - they were too strong for me. 18 When I was in trouble, they attacked me, but the Lord protected me. 19 He helped me out of danger; he saved me because he was pleased with me. 20 The Lord rewards me because I do what is right; he blesses me because I am innocent. 21 I have obeyed the law of the Lord; I have not turned away from my God. 22 I have observed all his laws; I have not disobeyed his commands. 23 He knows that I am faultless, that I have kept myself from doing wrong. 24 And so he rewards me because I do what is right, because he knows that I am innocent. 25 O Lord, you are faithful to those who are faithful to you; completely good to those who are perfect. 26 You are pure to those who are pure, but hostile to those who are wicked. 27 You save those who are humble, but you humble those who are proud. 28 O Lord, you give me light; you dispel my darkness. 29 You give me strength to attack my enemies and power to overcome their defenses. 30 This God - how perfect are his deeds! How dependable his words! He is like a shield for all who seek his protection. 31 The Lord alone is God; God alone is our defense. 32 He is the God who makes me strong, who makes my pathway safe. 33 He makes me sure-footed as a deer; he keeps me safe on the mountains. 34 He trains me for battle, so that I can use the strongest bow. 35 O Lord, you protect me and save me; your care has made me great, and your power has kept me safe. 36 You have kept me from being captured, and I have never fallen. 37 I pursue my enemies and catch them; I do not stop until I destroy them. 38 I strike them down, and they cannot rise; they lie defeated before me. 39 You give me strength for the battle and victory over my enemies. 40 You make my enemies run from me; I destroy those who hate me. 41 They cry for help, but no one saves them; they call to the Lord, but he does not answer. 42 I crush them, so that they become like dust which the wind blows away. I trample on them like mud in the streets. 43 You saved me from a rebellious people and made me ruler over the nations; people I did not know have now become my subjects. 44 Foreigners bow before me; when they hear me, they obey. 45 They lose their courage and come trembling from their fortresses. 46 The Lord lives! Praise my defender! Proclaim the greatness of the God who saves me. 47 He gives me victory over my enemies; he subdues the nations under me 48 and saves me from my foes. O Lord, you give me victory over my enemies and protect me from violent people. 49 And so I praise you among the nations; I sing praises to you. 50 God gives great victories to his king; he shows constant love to the one he has chosen, to David and his descendants forever.
CHAPTER 19
1 How clearly the sky reveals God's glory! How plainly it shows what he has done! 2 Each day announces it to the following day; each night repeats it to the next. 3 No speech or words are used, no sound is heard; 4 yet their message goes out to all the world and is heard to the ends of the earth. God made a home in the sky for the sun; 5 it comes out in the morning like a happy bridegroom, like an athlete eager to run a race. 6 It starts at one end of the sky and goes across to the other. Nothing can hide from its heat. 7 The law of the Lord is perfect; it gives new strength. The commands of the Lord are trustworthy, giving wisdom to those who lack it. 8 The laws of the Lord are right, and those who obey them are happy. The commands of the Lord are just and give understanding to the mind. 9 Reverence for the Lord is good; it will continue forever. The judgments of the Lord are just; they are always fair. 10 They are more desirable than the finest gold; they are sweeter than the purest honey. 11 They give knowledge to me, your servant; I am rewarded for obeying them. 12 None of us can see our own errors; deliver me, Lord, from hidden faults! 13 Keep me safe, also, from willful sins; don't let them rule over me. Then I shall be perfect and free from the evil of sin. 14 May my words and my thoughts be acceptable to you, O Lord, my refuge and my redeemer!
CHAPTER 20
1 May the Lord answer you when you are in trouble! May the God of Jacob protect you! 2 May he send you help from his Temple and give you aid from Mount Zion. 3 May he accept all your offerings and be pleased with all your sacrifices. 4 May he give you what you desire and make all your plans succeed. 5 Then we will shout for joy over your victory and celebrate your triumph by praising our God. May the Lord answer all your requests. 6 Now I know that the Lord gives victory to his chosen king; he answers him from his holy heaven and by his power gives him great victories. 7 Some trust in their war chariots and others in their horses, but we trust in the power of the Lord our God. 8 Such people will stumble and fall, but we will rise and stand firm. 9 Give victory to the king, O Lord; answer us when we call.
CHAPTER 21
1 The king is glad, O Lord, because you gave him strength; he rejoices because you made him victorious. 2 You have given him his heart's desire; you have answered his request. 3 You came to him with great blessings and set a crown of gold on his head. 4 He asked for life, and you gave it, a long and lasting life. 5 His glory is great because of your help; you have given him fame and majesty. 6 Your blessings are with him forever, and your presence fills him with joy. 7 The king trusts in the Lord Almighty; and because of the Lord's constant love he will always be secure. 8 The king will capture all his enemies; he will capture everyone who hates him. 9 He will destroy them like a blazing fire when he appears. The Lord will devour them in his anger, and fire will consume them. 10 None of their descendants will survive; the king will kill them all. 11 They make their plans, and plot against him, but they will not succeed. 12 He will shoot his arrows at them and make them turn and run. 13 We praise you, Lord, for your great strength! We will sing and praise your power.
CHAPTER 22
1 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? I have cried desperately for help, but still it does not come. 2 During the day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer; I call at night, but get no rest. 3 But you are enthroned as the Holy One, the one whom Israel praises. 4 Our ancestors put their trust in you; they trusted you, and you saved them. 5 They called to you and escaped from danger; they trusted you and were not disappointed. 6 But I am no longer a human being; I am a worm, despised and scorned by everyone! 7 All who see me make fun of me; they stick out their tongues and shake their heads. 8 "You relied on the Lord," they say. "Why doesn't he save you? If the Lord likes you, why doesn't he help you?" 9 It was you who brought me safely through birth, and when I was a baby, you kept me safe. 10 I have relied on you since the day I was born, and you have always been my God. 11 Do not stay away from me! Trouble is near, and there is no one to help. 12 Many enemies surround me like bulls; they are all around me, like fierce bulls from the land of Bashan. 13 They open their mouths like lions, roaring and tearing at me. 14 My strength is gone, gone like water spilled on the ground. All my bones are out of joint; my heart is like melted wax. 15 My throat is as dry as dust, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have left me for dead in the dust. 16 An evil gang is around me; like a pack of dogs they close in on me; they tear at my hands and feet. 17 All my bones can be seen. My enemies look at me and stare. 18 They gamble for my clothes and divide them among themselves. 19 O Lord, don't stay away from me! Come quickly to my rescue! 20 Save me from the sword; save my life from these dogs. 21 Rescue me from these lions; I am helpless before these wild bulls. 22 I will tell my people what you have done; I will praise you in their assembly: 23 "Praise him, you servants of the Lord! Honor him, you descendants of Jacob! Worship him, you people of Israel! 24 He does not neglect the poor or ignore their suffering; he does not turn away from them, but answers when they call for help." 25 In the full assembly I will praise you for what you have done; in the presence of those who worship you I will offer the sacrifices I promised. 26 The poor will eat as much as they want; those who come to the Lord will praise him. May they prosper forever! 27 All nations will remember the Lord. From every part of the world they will turn to him; all races will worship him. 28 The Lord is king, and he rules the nations. 29 All proud people will bow down to him; all mortals will bow down before him. 30 Future generations will serve him; they will speak of the Lord to the coming generation. 31 People not yet born will be told: "The Lord saved his people."
CHAPTER 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need. 2 He lets me rest in fields of green grass and leads me to quiet pools of fresh water. 3 He gives me new strength. He guides me in the right paths, as he has promised. 4 Even if I go through the deepest darkness, I will not be afraid, Lord, for you are with me. Your shepherd's rod and staff protect me 5 You prepare a banquet for me, where all my enemies can see me; you welcome me as an honored guest and fill my cup to the brim. 6 I know that your goodness and love will be with me all my life; and your house will be my home as long as I live.
CHAPTER 24
1 The world and all that is in it belong to the Lord; the earth and all who live on it are his. 2 He built it on the deep waters beneath the earth and laid its foundations in the ocean depths. 3 Who has the right to go up the Lord's hill? Who may enter his holy Temple? 4 Those who are pure in act and in thought, who do not worship idols or make false promises. 5 The Lord will bless them and save them; God will declare them innocent. 6 Such are the people who come to God, who come into the presence of the God of Jacob. 7 Fling wide the gates, open the ancient doors, and the great king will come in. 8 Who is this great king? He is the Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, victorious in battle. 9 Fling wide the gates, open the ancient doors, and the great king will come in. 10 Who is this great king? The triumphant Lord - he is the great king!
CHAPTER 25
1 To you, O Lord, I offer my prayer; 2 in you, my God, I trust. Save me from the shame of defeat; don't let my enemies gloat over me! 3 Defeat does not come to those who trust in you, but to those who are quick to rebel against you. 4 Teach me your ways, O Lord; make them known to me. 5 Teach me to live according to your truth, for you are my God, who saves me. I always trust in you. 6 Remember, O Lord, your kindness and constant love which you have shown from long ago. 7 Forgive the sins and errors of my youth. In your constant love and goodness, remember me, Lord! 8 Because the Lord is righteous and good, he teaches sinners the path they should follow. 9 He leads the humble in the right way and teaches them his will. 10 With faithfulness and love he leads all who keep his covenant and obey his commands. 11 Keep your promise, Lord, and forgive my sins, for they are many. 12 Those who have reverence for the Lord will learn from him the path they should follow. 13 They will always be prosperous, and their children will possess the land. 14 The Lord is the friend of those who obey him and he affirms his covenant with them. 15 I look to the Lord for help at all times, and he rescues me from danger. 16 Turn to me, Lord, and be merciful to me, because I am lonely and weak. 17 Relieve me of my worries and save me from all my troubles. 18 Consider my distress and suffering and forgive all my sins. 19 See how many enemies I have; see how much they hate me. 20 Protect me and save me; keep me from defeat. I come to you for safety. 21 May my goodness and honesty preserve me, because I trust in you. 22 From all their troubles, O God, save your people Israel!
CHAPTER 26
1 Declare me innocent, O Lord, because I do what is right and trust you completely. 2 Examine me and test me, Lord; judge my desires and thoughts. 3 Your constant love is my guide; your faithfulness always leads me. 4 I do not keep company with worthless people; I have nothing to do with hypocrites. 5 I hate the company of the evil and avoid the wicked. 6 Lord, I wash my hands to show that I am innocent and march in worship around your altar. 7 I sing a hymn of thanksgiving and tell of all your wonderful deeds. 8 I love the house where you live, O Lord, the place where your glory dwells. 9 Do not destroy me with the sinners; spare me from the fate of murderers - 10 those who do evil all the time and are always ready to take bribes. 11 As for me, I do what is right; be merciful to me and save me! 12 I am safe from all dangers; in the assembly of his people I praise the Lord.
CHAPTER 27
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; I will fear no one. The Lord protects me from all danger; I will never be afraid. 2 When evil people attack me and try to kill me, they stumble and fall. 3 Even if a whole army surrounds me, I will not be afraid; even if enemies attack me, I will still trust God. 4 I have asked the Lord for one thing; one thing only do I want: to live in the Lord's house all my life, to marvel there at his goodness, and to ask for his guidance. 5 In times of trouble he will shelter me; he will keep me safe in his Temple and make me secure on a high rock. 6 So I will triumph over my enemies around me. With shouts of joy I will offer sacrifices in his Temple; I will sing, I will praise the Lord. 7 Hear me, Lord, when I call to you! Be merciful and answer me! 8 When you said, "Come worship me," I answered, "I will come, Lord." 9 Don't hide yourself from me! Don't be angry with me; don't turn your servant away. You have been my help; don't leave me, don't abandon me, O God, my savior. 10 My father and mother may abandon me, but the Lord will take care of me. 11 Teach me, Lord, what you want me to do, and lead me along a safe path, because I have many enemies. 12 Don't abandon me to my enemies, who attack me with lies and threats. 13 I know that I will live to see the Lord's goodness in this present life. 14 Trust in the Lord. Have faith, do not despair. Trust in the Lord.
CHAPTER 28
1 O Lord, my defender, I call to you. Listen to my cry! If you do not answer me, I will be among those who go down to the world of the dead. 2 Hear me when I cry to you for help, when I lift my hands toward your holy Temple. 3 Do not condemn me with the wicked, with those who do evil - those whose words are friendly, but who have hatred in their hearts. 4 Punish them for what they have done, for the evil they have committed. Punish them for all their deeds; give them what they deserve! 5 They take no notice of what the Lord has done or of what he has made; so he will punish them and destroy them forever. 6 Give praise to the Lord; he has heard my cry for help. 7 The Lord protects and defends me; I trust in him. He gives me help and makes me glad; I praise him with joyful songs. 8 The Lord protects his people; he defends and saves his chosen king. 9 Save your people, Lord, and bless those who are yours. Be their shepherd, and take care of them forever.
CHAPTER 29
1 Praise the Lord, you heavenly beings; praise his glory and power. 2 Praise the Lord's glorious name; bow down before the Holy One when he appears. 3 The voice of the Lord is heard on the seas; the glorious God thunders, and his voice echoes over the ocean. 4 The voice of the Lord is heard in all its might and majesty. 5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars, even the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He makes the mountains of Lebanon jump like calves and makes Mount Hermon leap like a young bull. 7 The voice of the Lord makes the lightning flash. 8 His voice makes the desert shake; he shakes the desert of Kadesh. 9 The Lord's voice shakes the oaks and strips the leaves from the trees while everyone in his Temple shouts, "Glory to God!" 10 The Lord rules over the deep waters; he rules as king forever. 11 The Lord gives strength to his people and blesses them with peace.
CHAPTER 30
1 I praise you, Lord, because you have saved me and kept my enemies from gloating over me. 2 I cried to you for help, O Lord my God, and you healed me; 3 you kept me from the grave. I was on my way to the depths below, but you restored my life. 4 Sing praise to the Lord, all his faithful people! Remember what the Holy One has done, and give him thanks! 5 His anger lasts only a moment, his goodness for a lifetime. Tears may flow in the night, but joy comes in the morning. 6 I felt secure and said to myself, "I will never be defeated." 7 You were good to me, Lord; you protected me like a mountain fortress. But then you hid yourself from me, and I was afraid. 8 I called to you, Lord; I begged for your help: 9 "What will you gain from my death? What profit from my going to the grave? Are dead people able to praise you? Can they proclaim your unfailing goodness? 10 Hear me, Lord, and be merciful! Help me, Lord!" 11 You have changed my sadness into a joyful dance; you have taken away my sorrow and surrounded me with joy. 12 So I will not be silent; I will sing praise to you. Lord, you are my God; I will give you thanks forever.
CHAPTER 31
1 I come to you, Lord, for protection; never let me be defeated. You are a righteous God; save me, I pray! 2 Hear me! Save me now! Be my refuge to protect me; my defense to save me. 3 You are my refuge and defense; guide me and lead me as you have promised. 4 Keep me safe from the trap that has been set for me; shelter me from danger. 5 I place myself in your care. You will save me, Lord; you are a faithful God. 6 You hate those who worship false gods, but I trust in you. 7 I will be glad and rejoice because of your constant love. You see my suffering; you know my trouble. 8 You have not let my enemies capture me; you have given me freedom to go where I wish. 9 Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in trouble; my eyes are tired from so much crying; I am completely worn out. 10 I am exhausted by sorrow, and weeping has shortened my life. I am weak from all my troubles; even my bones are wasting away. 11 All my enemies, and especially my neighbors, treat me with contempt. Those who know me are afraid of me; when they see me in the street, they run away. 12 Everyone has forgotten me, as though I were dead; I am like something thrown away. 13 I hear many enemies whispering; terror is all around me. They are making plans against me, plotting to kill me. 14 But my trust is in you, O Lord; you are my God. 15 I am always in your care; save me from my enemies, from those who persecute me. 16 Look on your servant with kindness; save me in your constant love. 17 I call to you, Lord; don't let me be disgraced. May the wicked be disgraced; may they go silently down to the world of the dead. 18 Silence those liars - all the proud and arrogant who speak with contempt about the righteous. 19 How wonderful are the good things you keep for those who honor you! Everyone knows how good you are, how securely you protect those who trust you. 20 You hide them in the safety of your presence from the plots of others; in a safe shelter you hide them from the insults of their enemies. 21 Praise the Lord! How wonderfully he showed his love for me when I was surrounded and attacked! 22 I was afraid and thought that he had driven me out of his presence. But he heard my cry, when I called to him for help. 23 Love the Lord, all his faithful people. The Lord protects the faithful, but punishes the proud as they deserve. 24 Be strong, be courageous, all you that hope in the Lord.
CHAPTER 32
1 Happy are those whose sins are forgiven, whose wrongs are pardoned. 2 Happy is the one whom the Lord does not accuse of doing wrong and who is free from all deceit. 3 When I did not confess my sins, I was worn out from crying all day long. 4 Day and night you punished me, Lord; my strength was completely drained, as moisture is dried up by the summer heat. 5 Then I confessed my sins to you; I did not conceal my wrongdoings. I decided to confess them to you, and you forgave all my sins. 6 So all your loyal people should pray to you in times of need; when a great flood of trouble comes rushing in, it will not reach them. 7 You are my hiding place; you will save me from trouble. I sing aloud of your salvation, because you protect me. 8 The Lord says, "I will teach you the way you should go; I will instruct you and advise you. 9 Don't be stupid like a horse or a mule, which must be controlled with a bit and bridle to make it submit." 10 The wicked will have to suffer, but those who trust in the Lord are protected by his constant love. 11 You that are righteous, be glad and rejoice because of what the Lord has done. You that obey him, shout for joy!
CHAPTER 33
1 All you that are righteous, shout for joy for what the Lord has done; praise him, all you that obey him. 2 Give thanks to the Lord with harps, sing to him with stringed instruments. 3 Sing a new song to him, play the harp with skill, and shout for joy! 4 The words of the Lord are true, and all his works are dependable. 5 The Lord loves what is righteous and just; his constant love fills the earth. 6 The Lord created the heavens by his command, the sun, moon, and stars by his spoken word. 7 He gathered all the seas into one place; he shut up the ocean depths in storerooms. 8 Worship the Lord, all the earth! Honor him, all peoples of the world! 9 When he spoke, the world was created; at his command everything appeared. 10 The Lord frustrates the purposes of the nations; he keeps them from carrying out their plans. 11 But his plans endure forever; his purposes last eternally. 12 Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord; happy are the people he has chosen for his own! 13 The Lord looks down from heaven and sees all of us humans. 14 From where he rules, he looks down on all who live on earth. 15 He forms all their thoughts and knows everything they do. 16 A king does not win because of his powerful army; a soldier does not triumph because of his strength. 17 War horses are useless for victory; their great strength cannot save. 18 The Lord watches over those who obey him, those who trust in his constant love. 19 He saves them from death; he keeps them alive in times of famine. 20 We put our hope in the Lord; he is our protector and our help. 21 We are glad because of him; we trust in his holy name. 22 May your constant love be with us, Lord, as we put our hope in you.
CHAPTER 34
1 I will always thank the Lord; I will never stop praising him. 2 I will praise him for what he has done; may all who are oppressed listen and be glad! 3 Proclaim with me the Lord's greatness; let us praise his name together! 4 I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me; he freed me from all my fears. 5 The oppressed look to him and are glad; they will never be disappointed. 6 The helpless call to him, and he answers; he saves them from all their troubles. 7 His angel guards those who honor the Lord and rescues them from danger. 8 Find out for yourself how good the Lord is. Happy are those who find safety with him. 9 Honor the Lord, all his people; those who obey him have all they need. 10 Even lions go hungry for lack of food, but those who obey the Lord lack nothing good. 11 Come, my young friends, and listen to me, and I will teach you to honor the Lord. 12 Would you like to enjoy life? Do you want long life and happiness? 13 Then keep from speaking evil and from telling lies. 14 Turn away from evil and do good; strive for peace with all your heart. 15 The Lord watches over the righteous and listens to their cries; 16 but he opposes those who do evil, so that when they die, they are soon forgotten. 17 The righteous call to the Lord, and he listens; he rescues them from all their troubles. 18 The Lord is near to those who are discouraged; he saves those who have lost all hope. 19 Good people suffer many troubles, but the Lord saves them from them all; 20 the Lord preserves them completely; not one of their bones is broken. 21 Evil will kill the wicked; those who hate the righteous will be punished. 22 The Lord will save his people; those who go to him for protection will be spared.
CHAPTER 35
1 Oppose those who oppose me, Lord, and fight those who fight against me! 2 Take your shield and armor and come to my rescue. 3 Lift up your spear and war ax against those who pursue me. Promise that you will save me. 4 May those who try to kill me be defeated and disgraced! May those who plot against me be turned back and confused! 5 May they be like straw blown by the wind as the angel of the Lord pursues them! 6 May their path be dark and slippery while the angel of the Lord strikes them down! 7 Without any reason they laid a trap for me and dug a deep hole to catch me. 8 But destruction will catch them before they know it; they will be caught in their own trap and fall to their destruction! 9 Then I will be glad because of the Lord; I will be happy because he saved me. 10 With all my heart I will say to the Lord, "There is no one like you. You protect the weak from the strong, the poor from the oppressor." 11 Evil people testify against me and accuse me of crimes I know nothing about. 12 They pay me back evil for good, and I sink in despair. 13 But when they were sick, I dressed in mourning; I deprived myself of food; I prayed with my head bowed low, 14 as I would pray for a friend or a brother. I went around bent over in mourning, as one who mourns for his mother. 15 But when I was in trouble, they were all glad and gathered around to make fun of me; strangers beat me and kept striking me. 16 Like those who would mock a cripple, they glared at me with hate. 17 How much longer, Lord, will you just look on? Rescue me from their attacks; save my life from these lions! 18 Then I will thank you in the assembly of your people; I will praise you before them all. 19 Don't let my enemies, those liars, gloat over my defeat. Don't let those who hate me for no reason smirk with delight over my sorrow. 20 They do not speak in a friendly way; instead they invent all kinds of lies about peace-loving people. 21 They accuse me, shouting, "We saw what you did!" 22 But you, O Lord, have seen this. So don't be silent, Lord; don't keep yourself far away! 23 Rouse yourself, O Lord, and defend me; rise up, my God, and plead my cause. 24 You are righteous, O Lord, so declare me innocent; don't let my enemies gloat over me. 25 Don't let them say to themselves, "We are rid of him! That's just what we wanted!" 26 May those who gloat over my suffering be completely defeated and confused; may those who claim to be better than I am be covered with shame and disgrace. 27 May those who want to see me acquitted shout for joy and say again and again, "How great is the Lord! He is pleased with the success of his servant." 28 Then I will proclaim your righteousness, and I will praise you all day long.
CHAPTER 36
1 Sin speaks to the wicked deep in their hearts; they reject God and do not have reverence for him. 2 Because they think so highly of themselves, they think that God will not discover their sin and condemn it. 3 Their speech is wicked and full of lies; they no longer do what is wise and good. 4 They make evil plans as they lie in bed; nothing they do is good, and they never reject anything evil. 5 Lord, your constant love reaches the heavens; your faithfulness extends to the skies. 6 Your righteousness is towering like the mountains; your justice is like the depths of the sea. People and animals are in your care. 7 How precious, O God, is your constant love! We find protection under the shadow of your wings. 8 We feast on the abundant food you provide; you let us drink from the river of your goodness. 9 You are the source of all life, and because of your light we see the light. 10 Continue to love those who know you and to do good to those who are righteous. 11 Do not let proud people attack me or the wicked make me run away. 12 See where evil people have fallen. There they lie, unable to rise.
CHAPTER 37
1 Don't be worried on account of the wicked; don't be jealous of those who do wrong. 2 They will soon disappear like grass that dries up; they will die like plants that wither. 3 Trust in the Lord and do good; live in the land and be safe. 4 Seek your happiness in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desire. 5 Give yourself to the Lord; trust in him, and he will help you; 6 he will make your righteousness shine like the noonday sun. 7 Be patient and wait for the Lord to act; don't be worried about those who prosper or those who succeed in their evil plans. 8 Don't give in to worry or anger; it only leads to trouble. 9 Those who trust in the Lord will possess the land, but the wicked will be driven out. 10 Soon the wicked will disappear; you may look for them, but you won't find them; 11 but the humble will possess the land and enjoy prosperity and peace. 12 The wicked plot against good people and glare at them with hate. 13 But the Lord laughs at wicked people, because he knows they will soon be destroyed. 14 The wicked draw their swords and bend their bows to kill the poor and needy, to slaughter those who do what is right; 15 but they will be killed by their own swords, and their bows will be smashed. 16 The little that a good person owns is worth more than the wealth of all the wicked, 17 because the Lord will take away the strength of the wicked, but protect those who are good. 18 The Lord takes care of those who obey him, and the land will be theirs forever. 19 They will not suffer when times are bad; they will have enough in time of famine. 20 But the wicked will die; the enemies of the Lord will vanish like wild flowers; they will disappear like smoke. 21 The wicked borrow and never pay back, but good people are generous with their gifts. 22 Those who are blessed by the Lord will possess the land, but those who are cursed by him will be driven out. 23 The Lord guides us in the way we should go and protects those who please him. 24 If they fall, they will not stay down, because the Lord will help them up. 25 I am old now; I have lived a long time, but I have never seen good people abandoned by the Lord or their children begging for food. 26 At all times they give freely and lend to others, and their children are a blessing. 27 Turn away from evil and do good, and your descendants will always live in the land; 28 for the Lord loves what is right and does not abandon his faithful people. He protects them forever, but the descendants of the wicked will be driven out. 29 The righteous will possess the land and live in it forever. 30 The words of good people are wise, and they are always fair. 31 They keep the law of their God in their hearts and never depart from it. 32 Wicked people watch good people and try to kill them; 33 but the Lord will not abandon them to their enemy's power or let them be condemned when they are on trial. 34 Put your hope in the Lord and obey his commands; he will honor you by giving you the land, and you will see the wicked driven out. 35 I once knew someone wicked who was a tyrant; he towered over everyone like a cedar of Lebanon; 36 but later I passed by, and he wasn't there; I looked for him, but couldn't find him. 37 Notice good people, observe the righteous; peaceful people have descendants, 38 but sinners are completely destroyed, and their descendants are wiped out. 39 The Lord saves the righteous and protects them in times of trouble. 40 He helps them and rescues them; he saves them from the wicked, because they go to him for protection.
CHAPTER 38
1 O Lord, don't punish me in your anger! 2 You have wounded me with your arrows; you have struck me down. 3 Because of your anger, I am in great pain; my whole body is diseased because of my sins. 4 I am drowning in the flood of my sins; they are a burden too heavy to bear. 5 Because I have been foolish, my sores stink and rot. 6 I am bent over, I am crushed; I mourn all day long. 7 I am burning with fever and I am near death. 8 I am worn out and utterly crushed; my heart is troubled, and I groan with pain. 9 O Lord, you know what I long for; you hear all my groans. 10 My heart is pounding, my strength is gone, and my eyes have lost their brightness. 11 My friends and neighbors will not come near me, because of my sores; even my family keeps away from me. 12 Those who want to kill me lay traps for me, and those who want to hurt me threaten to ruin me; they never stop plotting against me. 13 I am like the deaf and cannot hear, like the dumb and cannot speak. 14 I am like those who do not answer, because they cannot hear. 15 But I trust in you, O Lord; and you, O Lord my God, will answer me. 16 Don't let my enemies gloat over my distress; don't let them boast about my downfall! 17 I am about to fall and am in constant pain. 18 I confess my sins; they fill me with anxiety. 19 My enemies are healthy and strong; there are many who hate me for no reason. 20 Those who pay back evil for good are against me because I try to do right. 21 Do not abandon me, O Lord; do not stay away, my God! 22 Help me now, O Lord my savior!
CHAPTER 39
1 I said, "I will be careful about what I do and will not let my tongue make me sin; I will not say anything while evil people are near." 2 I kept quiet, not saying a word, not even about anything good! But my suffering only grew worse, 3 and I was overcome with anxiety. The more I thought, the more troubled I became; I could not keep from asking: 4 "Lord, how long will I live? When will I die? Tell me how soon my life will end." 5 How short you have made my life! In your sight my lifetime seems nothing. Indeed every living being is no more than a puff of wind, 6 no more than a shadow. All we do is for nothing; we gather wealth, but don't know who will get it. 7 What, then, can I hope for, Lord? I put my hope in you. 8 Save me from all my sins, and don't let fools make fun of me. 9 I will keep quiet, I will not say a word, for you are the one who made me suffer like this. 10 Don't punish me any more! I am about to die from your blows. 11 You punish our sins by your rebukes, and like a moth you destroy what we love. Indeed we are no more than a puff of wind! 12 Hear my prayer, Lord, and listen to my cry; come to my aid when I weep. Like all my ancestors I am only your guest for a little while. 13 Leave me alone so that I may have some happiness before I go away and am no more.
CHAPTER 40
1 I waited patiently for the Lord's help; then he listened to me and heard my cry. 2 He pulled me out of a dangerous pit, out of the deadly quicksand. He set me safely on a rock and made me secure. 3 He taught me to sing a new song, a song of praise to our God. Many who see this will take warning and will put their trust in the Lord. 4 Happy are those who trust the Lord, who do not turn to idols or join those who worship false gods. 5 You have done many things for us, O Lord our God; there is no one like you! You have made many wonderful plans for us. I could never speak of them all - their number is so great! 6 You do not want sacrifices and offerings; you do not ask for animals burned whole on the altar or for sacrifices to take away sins. Instead, you have given me ears to hear you, 7 and so I answered, "Here I am; your instructions for me are in the book of the Law. 8 How I love to do your will, my God! I keep your teaching in my heart." 9 In the assembly of all your people, Lord, I told the good news that you save us. You know that I will never stop telling it. 10 I have not kept the news of salvation to myself; I have always spoken of your faithfulness and help. In the assembly of all your people I have not been silent about your loyalty and constant love. 11 Lord, I know you will never stop being merciful to me. Your love and loyalty will always keep me safe. 12 I am surrounded by many troubles - too many to count! My sins have caught up with me, and I can no longer see; they are more than the hairs of my head, and I have lost my courage. 13 Save me, Lord! Help me now! 14 May those who try to kill me be completely defeated and confused. May those who are happy because of my troubles be turned back and disgraced. 15 May those who make fun of me be dismayed by their defeat. 16 May all who come to you be glad and joyful. May all who are thankful for your salvation always say, "How great is the Lord!" 17 I am weak and poor, O Lord, but you have not forgotten me. You are my savior and my God - hurry to my aid!
CHAPTER 41
1 Happy are those who are concerned for the poor; the Lord will help them when they are in trouble. 2 The Lord will protect them and preserve their lives; he will make them happy in the land; he will not abandon them to the power of their enemies. 3 The Lord will help them when they are sick and will restore them to health. 4 I said, "I have sinned against you, Lord; be merciful to me and heal me." 5 My enemies say cruel things about me. They want me to die and be forgotten. 6 Those who come to see me are not sincere; they gather bad news about me and then go out and tell it everywhere. 7 All who hate me whisper to each other about me, they imagine the worst about me. 8 They say, "He is fatally ill; he will never leave his bed again." 9 Even my best friend, the one I trusted most, the one who shared my food, has turned against me. 10 Be merciful to me, Lord, and restore my health, and I will pay my enemies back. 11 They will not triumph over me, and I will know that you are pleased with me. 12 You will help me, because I do what is right; you will keep me in your presence forever. 13 Praise the Lord, the God of Israel! Praise him now and forever! Amen! Amen!
CHAPTER 42
1 As a deer longs for a stream of cool water, so I long for you, O God. 2 I thirst for you, the living God. When can I go and worship in your presence? 3 Day and night I cry, and tears are my only food; all the time my enemies ask me, "Where is your God?" 4 My heart breaks when I remember the past, when I went with the crowds to the house of God and led them as they walked along, a happy crowd, singing and shouting praise to God. 5 Why am I so sad? Why am I so troubled? I will put my hope in God, and once again I will praise him, my savior and my God. 6 Here in exile my heart is breaking, and so I turn my thoughts to him. He has sent waves of sorrow over my soul; chaos roars at me like a flood, like waterfalls thundering down to the Jordan from Mount Hermon and Mount Mizar. 8 May the Lord show his constant love during the day, so that I may have a song at night, a prayer to the God of my life. 9 To God, my defender, I say, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go on suffering from the cruelty of my enemies?" 10 I am crushed by their insults, as they keep on asking me, "Where is your God?" 11 Why am I so sad? Why am I so troubled? I will put my hope in God, and once again I will praise him, my savior and my God.
CHAPTER 43
1 O God, declare me innocent, and defend my cause against the ungodly; deliver me from lying and evil people! 2 You are my protector; why have you abandoned me? Why must I go on suffering from the cruelty of my enemies? 3 Send your light and your truth; may they lead me and bring me back to Zion, your sacred hill, and to your Temple, where you live. 4 Then I will go to your altar, O God; you are the source of my happiness. I will play my harp and sing praise to you, O God, my God. 5 Why am I so sad? Why am I so troubled? I will put my hope in God, and once again I will praise him, my savior and my God.
CHAPTER 44
1 With our own ears we have heard it, O God - our ancestors have told us about it, about the great things you did in their time, in the days of long ago: 2 how you yourself drove out the heathen and established your people in their land; how you punished the other nations and caused your own to prosper. 3 Your people did not conquer the land with their swords; they did not win it by their own power; it was by your power and your strength, by the assurance of your presence, which showed that you loved them. 4 You are my king and my God; you give victory to your people, 5 and by your power we defeat our enemies. 6 I do not trust in my bow or in my sword to save me; 7 but you have saved us from our enemies and defeated those who hate us. 8 We will always praise you and give thanks to you forever. 9 But now you have rejected us and let us be defeated; you no longer march out with our armies. 10 You made us run from our enemies, and they took for themselves what was ours. 11 You allowed us to be slaughtered like sheep; you scattered us in foreign countries. 12 You sold your own people for a small price as though they had little value. 13 Our neighbors see what you did to us, and they mock us and laugh at us. 14 You have made us a joke among the nations; they shake their heads at us in scorn. 15 I am always in disgrace; I am covered with shame 16 from hearing the sneers and insults of my enemies and those who hate me. 17 All this has happened to us, even though we have not forgotten you or broken the covenant you made with us. 18 We have not been disloyal to you; we have not disobeyed your commands. 19 Yet you left us helpless among wild animals; you abandoned us in deepest darkness. 20 If we had stopped worshiping our God and prayed to a foreign god, 21 you would surely have discovered it, because you know our secret thoughts. 22 But it is on your account that we are being killed all the time, that we are treated like sheep to be slaughtered. 23 Wake up, Lord! Why are you asleep? Rouse yourself! Don't reject us forever! 24 Why are you hiding from us? Don't forget our suffering and trouble! 25 We fall crushed to the ground; we lie defeated in the dust. 26 Come to our aid! Because of your constant love save us!
CHAPTER 45
1 Beautiful words fill my mind, as I compose this song for the king. Like the pen of a good writer my tongue is ready with a poem. 2 You are the most handsome of men; you are an eloquent speaker. God has always blessed you. 3 Buckle on your sword, mighty king; you are glorious and majestic. 4 Ride on in majesty to victory for the defense of truth and justice! Your strength will win you great victories! 5 Your arrows are sharp, they pierce the hearts of your enemies; nations fall down at your feet. 6 The kingdom that God has given you will last forever and ever. You rule over your people with justice; 7 you love what is right and hate what is evil. That is why God, your God, has chosen you and has poured out more happiness on you than on any other king. 8 The perfume of myrrh and aloes is on your clothes; musicians entertain you in palaces decorated with ivory. 9 Among the women of your court are daughters of kings, and at the right of your throne stands the queen, wearing ornaments of finest gold. 10 Bride of the king, listen to what I say - forget your people and your relatives. 11 Your beauty will make the king desire you; he is your master, so you must obey him. 12 The people of Tyre will bring you gifts; rich people will try to win your favor. 13 The princess is in the palace - how beautiful she is! Her gown is made of gold thread. 14 In her colorful gown she is led to the king, followed by her bridesmaids, and they also are brought to him. 15 With joy and gladness they come and enter the king's palace. 16 You, my king, will have many sons to succeed your ancestors as kings, and you will make them rulers over the whole earth. 17 My song will keep your fame alive forever, and everyone will praise you for all time to come.
CHAPTER 46
1 God is our shelter and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. 2 So we will not be afraid, even if the earth is shaken and mountains fall into the ocean depths; 3 even if the seas roar and rage, and the hills are shaken by the violence. 4 There is a river that brings joy to the city of God, to the sacred house of the Most High. 5 God is in that city, and it will never be destroyed; at early dawn he will come to its aid. 6 Nations are terrified, kingdoms are shaken; God thunders, and the earth dissolves. 7 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. 8 Come and see what the Lord has done. See what amazing things he has done on earth. 9 He stops wars all over the world; he breaks bows, destroys spears, and sets shields on fire. 10 "Stop fighting," he says, "and know that I am God, supreme among the nations, supreme over the world." 11 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.
CHAPTER 47
1 Clap your hands for joy, all peoples! Praise God with loud songs! 2 The Lord, the Most High, is to be feared; he is a great king, ruling over all the world. 3 He gave us victory over the peoples; he made us rule over the nations. 4 He chose for us the land where we live, the proud possession of his people, whom he loves. 5 God goes up to his throne. There are shouts of joy and the blast of trumpets, as the Lord goes up. 6 Sing praise to God; sing praise to our king! 7 God is king over all the world; praise him with songs! 8 God sits on his sacred throne; he rules over the nations. 9 The rulers of the nations assemble with the people of the God of Abraham. More powerful than all armies is he; he rules supreme.
CHAPTER 48
1 The Lord is great and is to be highly praised in the city of our God, on his sacred hill. 2 Zion, the mountain of God, is high and beautiful; the city of the great king brings joy to all the world. 3 God has shown that there is safety with him inside the fortresses of the city. 4 The kings gathered together and came to attack Mount Zion. 5 But when they saw it, they were amazed; they were afraid and ran away. 6 There they were seized with fear and anguish, like a woman about to bear a child, 7 like ships tossing in a furious storm. 8 We have heard what God has done, and now we have seen it in the city of our God, the Lord Almighty; he will keep the city safe forever. 9 Inside your Temple, O God, we think of your constant love. 10 You are praised by people everywhere, and your fame extends over all the earth. You rule with justice; 11 let the people of Zion be glad! You give right judgments; let there be joy in the cities of Judah! 12 People of God, walk around Zion and count the towers; 13 take notice of the walls and examine the fortresses, so that you may tell the next generation: 14 "This God is our God forever and ever; he will lead us for all time to come."
CHAPTER 49
1 Hear this, everyone! Listen, all people everywhere, 2 great and small alike, rich and poor together. 3 My thoughts will be clear; I will speak words of wisdom. 4 I will turn my attention to proverbs and explain their meaning as I play the harp. 5 I am not afraid in times of danger when I am surrounded by enemies, 6 by evil people who trust in their riches and boast of their great wealth. 7 We can never redeem ourselves; we cannot pay God the price for our lives, 8 because the payment for a human life is too great. What we could pay would never be enough 9 to keep us from the grave, to let us live forever. 10 Anyone can see that even the wise die, as well as the foolish and stupid. They all leave their riches to their descendants. 11 Their graves are their homes forever; there they stay for all time, though they once had lands of their own. 12 Our greatness cannot keep us from death; we will still die like the animals. 13 See what happens to those who trust in themselves, the fate of those who are satisfied with their wealth - 14 they are doomed to die like sheep, and Death will be their shepherd. The righteous will triumph over them, as their bodies quickly decay in the world of the dead far from their homes. 15 But God will rescue me; he will save me from the power of death. 16 Don't be upset when someone becomes rich, when his wealth grows even greater; 17 he cannot take it with him when he dies; his wealth will not go with him to the grave. 18 Even if someone is satisfied with this life and is praised because he is successful, 19 he will join all his ancestors in death, where the darkness lasts forever. 20 Our greatness cannot keep us from death; we will still die like the animals.
CHAPTER 50
1 The Almighty God, the Lord, speaks; he calls to the whole earth from east to west. 2 God shines from Zion, the city perfect in its beauty. 3 Our God is coming, but not in silence; a raging fire is in front of him, a furious storm around him. 4 He calls heaven and earth as witnesses to see him judge his people. 5 He says, "Gather my faithful people to me, those who made a covenant with me by offering a sacrifice." 6 The heavens proclaim that God is righteous, that he himself is judge. 7 "Listen, my people, and I will speak; I will testify against you, Israel. I am God, your God. 8 I do not reprimand you because of your sacrifices and the burnt offerings you always bring me. 9 And yet I do not need bulls from your farms or goats from your flocks; 10 all the animals in the forest are mine and the cattle on thousands of hills. 11 All the wild birds are mine and all living things in the fields. 12 "If I were hungry, I would not ask you for food, for the world and everything in it is mine. 13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? 14 Let the giving of thanks be your sacrifice to God, and give the Almighty all that you promised. 15 Call to me when trouble comes; I will save you, and you will praise me." 16 But God says to the wicked, "Why should you recite my commandments? Why should you talk about my covenant? 17 You refuse to let me correct you; you reject my commands. 18 You become the friend of every thief you see, and you associate with adulterers. 19 "You are always ready to speak evil; you never hesitate to tell lies. 20 You are ready to accuse your own relatives and to find fault with them. 21 You have done all this, and I have said nothing, so you thought that I am like you. But now I reprimand you and make the matter plain to you. 22 "Listen to this, you that ignore me, or I will destroy you, and there will be no one to save you. 23 Giving thanks is the sacrifice that honors me, and I will surely save all who obey me."
CHAPTER 51
1 Be merciful to me, O God, because of your constant love. Because of your great mercy wipe away my sins! 2 Wash away all my evil and make me clean from my sin! 3 I recognize my faults; I am always conscious of my sins. 4 I have sinned against you - only against you - and done what you consider evil. So you are right in judging me; you are justified in condemning me. 5 I have been evil from the day I was born; from the time I was conceived, I have been sinful. 6 Sincerity and truth are what you require; fill my mind with your wisdom. 7 Remove my sin, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness; and though you have crushed me and broken me, I will be happy once again. 9 Close your eyes to my sins and wipe out all my evil. 10 Create a pure heart in me, O God, and put a new and loyal spirit in me. 11 Do not banish me from your presence; do not take your holy spirit away from me. 12 Give me again the joy that comes from your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. 13 Then I will teach sinners your commands, and they will turn back to you. 14 Spare my life, O God, and save me, and I will gladly proclaim your righteousness. 15 Help me to speak, Lord, and I will praise you. 16 You do not want sacrifices, or I would offer them; you are not pleased with burnt offerings. 17 My sacrifice is a humble spirit, O God; you will not reject a humble and repentant heart. 18 O God, be kind to Zion and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then you will be pleased with proper sacrifices and with our burnt offerings; and bulls will be sacrificed on your altar.
CHAPTER 52
1 Why do you boast, great one, of your evil? God's faithfulness is eternal. 2 You make plans to ruin others; your tongue is like a sharp razor. You are always inventing lies. 3 You love evil more than good and falsehood more than truth. 4 You love to hurt people with your words, you liar! 5 So God will ruin you forever; he will take hold of you and snatch you from your home; he will remove you from the world of the living. 6 Righteous people will see this and be afraid; then they will laugh at you and say, 7 "Look, here is someone who did not depend on God for safety, but trusted instead in great wealth and looked for security in being wicked." 8 But I am like an olive tree growing in the house of God; I trust in his constant love forever and ever. 9 I will always thank you, God, for what you have done; in the presence of your people I will proclaim that you are good.
CHAPTER 53
1 Fools say to themselves, "There is no God." They are all corrupt, and they have done terrible things; there is no one who does what is right. 2 God looks down from heaven at people to see if there are any who are wise, any who worship him. 3 But they have all turned away; they are all equally bad. Not one of them does what is right, not a single one. 4 "Don't they know?" God asks. "Are these evildoers ignorant? They live by robbing my people, and they never pray to me." 5 But then they will become terrified, as they have never been before, for God will scatter the bones of the enemies of his people. God has rejected them, and so Israel will totally defeat them. 6 How I pray that victory will come to Israel from Zion. How happy the people of Israel will be when God makes them prosperous again!
CHAPTER 54
1 Save me by your power, O God; set me free by your might! 2 Hear my prayer, O God; listen to my words! 3 Proud people are coming to attack me; cruel people are trying to kill me - those who do not care about God. 4 But God is my helper. The Lord is my defender. 5 May God use their own evil to punish my enemies. He will destroy them because he is faithful. 6 I will gladly offer you a sacrifice, O Lord; I will give you thanks because you are good. 7 You have rescued me from all my troubles, and I have seen my enemies defeated.
CHAPTER 55
1 Hear my prayer, O God; don't turn away from my plea! 2 Listen to me and answer me; I am worn out by my worries. 3 I am terrified by the threats of my enemies, crushed by the oppression of the wicked. They bring trouble on me; they are angry with me and hate me. 4 I am terrified, and the terrors of death crush me. 5 I am gripped by fear and trembling; I am overcome with horror. 6 I wish I had wings like a dove. I would fly away and find rest. 7 I would fly far away and make my home in the desert. 8 I would hurry and find myself a shelter from the raging wind and the storm. 9 Confuse the speech of my enemies, O Lord! I see violence and riots in the city, 10 surrounding it day and night, filling it with crime and trouble. 11 There is destruction everywhere; the streets are full of oppression and fraud. 12 If it were an enemy making fun of me, I could endure it; if it were an opponent boasting over me, I could hide myself from him. 13 But it is you, my companion, my colleague and close friend. 14 We had intimate talks with each other and worshiped together in the Temple. 15 May my enemies die before their time; may they go down alive into the world of the dead! Evil is in their homes and in their hearts. 16 But I call to the Lord God for help, and he will save me. 17 Morning, noon, and night my complaints and groans go up to him, and he will hear my voice. 18 He will bring me safely back from the battles that I fight against so many enemies. 19 God, who has ruled from eternity, will hear me and defeat them; for they refuse to change, and they do not fear him. 20 My former companion attacked his friends; he broke his promises. 21 His words were smoother than cream, but there was hatred in his heart; his words were as soothing as oil, but they cut like sharp swords. 22 Leave your troubles with the Lord, and he will defend you; he never lets honest people be defeated. 23 But you, O God, will bring those murderers and liars to their graves before half their life is over. As for me, I will trust in you.
CHAPTER 56
1 Be merciful to me, O God, because I am under attack; my enemies persecute me all the time. 2 All day long my opponents attack me. There are so many who fight against me. 3 When I am afraid, O Lord Almighty, I put my trust in you. 4 I trust in God and am not afraid; I praise him for what he has promised. What can a mere human being do to me? 5 My enemies make trouble for me all day long; they are always thinking up some way to hurt me! 6 They gather in hiding places and watch everything I do, hoping to kill me. 7 Punish them, O God, for their evil; defeat those people in your anger! 8 You know how troubled I am; you have kept a record of my tears. Aren't they listed in your book? 9 The day I call to you, my enemies will be turned back. I know this: God is on my side - 10 the Lord, whose promises I praise. 11 In him I trust, and I will not be afraid. What can a mere human being do to me? 12 O God, I will offer you what I have promised; I will give you my offering of thanksgiving, 13 because you have rescued me from death and kept me from defeat. And so I walk in the presence of God, in the light that shines on the living.
CHAPTER 57
1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful, because I come to you for safety. In the shadow of your wings I find protection until the raging storms are over. 2 I call to God, the Most High, to God, who supplies my every need. 3 He will answer from heaven and save me; he will defeat my oppressors. God will show me his constant love and faithfulness. 4 I am surrounded by enemies, who are like lions hungry for human flesh. Their teeth are like spears and arrows; their tongues are like sharp swords. 5 Show your greatness in the sky, O God, and your glory over all the earth. 6 My enemies have spread a net to catch me; I am overcome with distress. They dug a pit in my path, but fell into it themselves. 7 I have complete confidence, O God; I will sing and praise you! 8 Wake up, my soul! Wake up, my harp and lyre! I will wake up the sun. 9 I will thank you, O Lord, among the nations. I will praise you among the peoples. 10 Your constant love reaches the heavens; your faithfulness touches the skies. 11 Show your greatness in the sky, O God, and your glory over all the earth.
CHAPTER 58
1 Do you rulers ever give a just decision? Do you judge everyone fairly? 2 No! You think only of the evil you can do, and commit crimes of violence in the land. 3 Evildoers go wrong all their lives; they tell lies from the day they are born. 4 They are full of poison like snakes; they stop up their ears like a deaf cobra, 5 which does not hear the voice of the snake charmer, or the chant of the clever magician. 6 Break the teeth of these fierce lions, O God. 7 May they disappear like water draining away; may they be crushed like weeds on a path. 8 May they be like snails that dissolve into slime; may they be like a baby born dead that never sees the light. 9 Before they know it, they are cut down like weeds; in his fierce anger God will blow them away while they are still living. 10 The righteous will be glad when they see sinners punished; they will wade through the blood of the wicked. 11 People will say, "The righteous are indeed rewarded; there is indeed a God who judges the world."
CHAPTER 59
1 Save me from my enemies, my God; protect me from those who attack me! 2 Save me from those evil people; rescue me from those murderers! 3 Look! They are waiting to kill me; cruel people are gathering against me. It is not because of any sin or wrong I have done, 4 nor because of any fault of mine, O Lord, that they hurry to their places. 5 Rise, Lord God Almighty, and come to my aid; see for yourself, God of Israel! Wake up and punish the heathen; show no mercy to evil traitors! 6 They come back in the evening, snarling like dogs as they go about the city. 7 Listen to their insults and threats. Their tongues are like swords in their mouths, yet they think that no one hears them. 8 But you laugh at them, Lord; you mock all the heathen. 9 I have confidence in your strength; you are my refuge, O God. 10 My God loves me and will come to me; he will let me see my enemies defeated. 11 Do not kill them, O God, or my people may forget. Scatter them by your strength and defeat them, O Lord, our protector. 12 Sin is on their lips; all their words are sinful; may they be caught in their pride! Because they curse and lie, 13 destroy them in your anger; destroy them completely. Then everyone will know that God rules in Israel, that his rule extends over all the earth. 14 My enemies come back in the evening, snarling like dogs as they go about the city, 15 like dogs roaming about for food and growling if they do not find enough. 16 But I will sing about your strength; every morning I will sing aloud of your constant love. You have been a refuge for me, a shelter in my time of trouble. 17 I will praise you, my defender. My refuge is God, the God who loves me.
CHAPTER 60
1 You have rejected us, God, and defeated us; you have been angry with us - but now turn back to us. 2 You have made the land tremble, and you have cut it open; now heal its wounds, because it is falling apart. 3 You have made your people suffer greatly; we stagger around as though we were drunk. 4 You have warned those who have reverence for you, so that they might escape destruction. 5 Save us by your might; answer our prayer, so that the people you love may be rescued. 6 From his sanctuary God has said, "In triumph I will divide Shechem and distribute Sukkoth Valley to my people. 7 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh too; Ephraim is my helmet and Judah my royal scepter. 8 But I will use Moab as my washbowl, and I will throw my sandals on Edom, as a sign that I own it. Did the Philistines think they would shout in triumph over me?" 9 Who, O God, will take me into the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom? 10 Have you really rejected us? Aren't you going to march out with our armies? 11 Help us against the enemy; human help is worthless. 12 With God on our side we will win; he will defeat our enemies.
CHAPTER 61
1 Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer! 2 In despair and far from home I call to you! Take me to a safe refuge, 3 for you are my protector, my strong defense against my enemies. 4 Let me live in your sanctuary all my life; let me find safety under your wings. 5 You have heard my promises, O God, and you have given me what belongs to those who honor you. 6 Add many years to the king's life; let him live on and on! 7 May he rule forever in your presence, O God; protect him with your constant love and faithfulness. 8 So I will always sing praises to you, as I offer you daily what I have promised.
CHAPTER 62
1 I wait patiently for God to save me; I depend on him alone. 2 He alone protects and saves me; he is my defender, and I shall never be defeated. 3 How much longer will all of you attack someone who is no stronger than a broken-down fence? 4 You only want to bring him down from his place of honor; you take pleasure in lies. You speak words of blessing, but in your heart you curse him. 5 I depend on God alone; I put my hope in him. 6 He alone protects and saves me; he is my defender, and I shall never be defeated. 7 My salvation and honor depend on God; he is my strong protector; he is my shelter. 8 Trust in God at all times, my people. Tell him all your troubles, for he is our refuge. 9 Human beings are all like a puff of breath; great and small alike are worthless. Put them on the scales, and they weigh nothing; they are lighter than a mere breath. 10 Don't put your trust in violence; don't hope to gain anything by robbery; even if your riches increase, don't depend on them. 11 More than once I have heard God say that power belongs to him 12 and that his love is constant. You yourself, O Lord, reward everyone according to their deeds.
CHAPTER 63
1 O God, you are my God, and I long for you. My whole being desires you; like a dry, worn-out, and waterless land, my soul is thirsty for you. 2 Let me see you in the sanctuary; let me see how mighty and glorious you are. 3 Your constant love is better than life itself, and so I will praise you. 4 I will give you thanks as long as I live; I will raise my hands to you in prayer. 5 My soul will feast and be satisfied, and I will sing glad songs of praise to you. 6 As I lie in bed, I remember you; all night long I think of you, 7 because you have always been my help. In the shadow of your wings I sing for joy. 8 I cling to you, and your hand keeps me safe. 9 Those who are trying to kill me will go down into the world of the dead. 10 They will be killed in battle, and their bodies eaten by wolves. 11 Because God gives him victory, the king will rejoice. Those who make promises in God's name will praise him, but the mouths of liars will be shut.
CHAPTER 64
1 I am in trouble, God - listen to my prayer! I am afraid of my enemies - save my life! 2 Protect me from the plots of the wicked, from mobs of evil people. 3 They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim cruel words like arrows. 4 They are quick to spread their shameless lies; they destroy good people with cowardly slander. 5 They encourage each other in their evil plots; they talk about where they will place their traps. "No one can see them," they say. 6 They make evil plans and say, "We have planned a perfect crime." The human heart and mind are a mystery. 7 But God shoots his arrows at them, and suddenly they are wounded. 8 He will destroy them because of those words; all who see them will shake their heads. 9 They will all be afraid; they will think about what God has done and tell about his deeds. 10 All righteous people will rejoice because of what the Lord has done. They will find safety in him; all good people will praise him.
CHAPTER 65
1 O God, it is right for us to praise you in Zion and keep our promises to you, 2 because you answer prayers. People everywhere will come to you 3 on account of their sins. Our faults defeat us, but you forgive them. 4 Happy are those whom you choose, whom you bring to live in your sanctuary. We shall be satisfied with the good things of your house, the blessings of your sacred Temple. 5 You answer us by giving us victory, and you do wonderful things to save us. People all over the world and across the distant seas trust in you. 6 You set the mountains in place by your strength, showing your mighty power. 7 You calm the roar of the seas and the noise of the waves; you calm the uproar of the peoples. 8 The whole world stands in awe of the great things that you have done. Your deeds bring shouts of joy from one end of the earth to the other. 9 You show your care for the land by sending rain; you make it rich and fertile. You fill the streams with water; you provide the earth with crops. This is how you do it: 10 you send abundant rain on the plowed fields and soak them with water; you soften the soil with showers and cause the young plants to grow. 11 What a rich harvest your goodness provides! Wherever you go there is plenty. 12 The pastures are filled with flocks; the hillsides are full of joy. 13 The fields are covered with sheep; the valleys are full of wheat. Everything shouts and sings for joy.
CHAPTER 66
1 Praise God with shouts of joy, all people! 2 Sing to the glory of his name; offer him glorious praise! 3 Say to God, "How wonderful are the things you do! Your power is so great that your enemies bow down in fear before you. 4 Everyone on earth worships you; they sing praises to you, they sing praises to your name." 5 Come and see what God has done, his wonderful acts among people. 6 He changed the sea into dry land; our ancestors crossed the river on foot. There we rejoiced because of what he did. 7 He rules forever by his might and keeps his eyes on the nations. Let no rebels rise against him. 8 Praise our God, all nations; let your praise be heard. 9 He has kept us alive and has not allowed us to fall. 10 You have put us to the test, God; as silver is purified by fire, so you have tested us. 11 You let us fall into a trap and placed heavy burdens on our backs. 12 You let our enemies trample us; we went through fire and flood, but now you have brought us to a place of safety. 13 I will bring burnt offerings to your house; I will offer you what I promised. 14 I will give you what I said I would when I was in trouble. 15 I will offer sheep to be burned on the altar; I will sacrifice bulls and goats, and the smoke will go up to the sky. 16 Come and listen, all who honor God, and I will tell you what he has done for me. 17 I cried to him for help; I praised him with songs. 18 If I had ignored my sins, the Lord would not have listened to me. 19 But God has indeed heard me; he has listened to my prayer. 20 I praise God, because he did not reject my prayer or keep back his constant love from me.
CHAPTER 67
1 God, be merciful to us and bless us; look on us with kindness, 2 so that the whole world may know your will; so that all nations may know your salvation. 3 May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you! 4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy, because you judge the peoples with justice and guide every nation on earth. 5 May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you! 6 The land has produced its harvest; God, our God, has blessed us. 7 God has blessed us; may all people everywhere honor him.
CHAPTER 68
1 God rises up and scatters his enemies. Those who hate him run away in defeat. 2 As smoke is blown away, so he drives them off; as wax melts in front of the fire, so do the wicked perish in God's presence. 3 But the righteous are glad and rejoice in his presence; they are happy and shout for joy. 4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name; prepare a way for him who rides on the clouds. His name is the Lord - be glad in his presence! 5 God, who lives in his sacred Temple, cares for orphans and protects widows. 6 He gives the lonely a home to live in and leads prisoners out into happy freedom, but rebels will have to live in a desolate land. 7 O God, when you led your people, when you marched across the desert, 8 the earth shook, and the sky poured down rain, because of the coming of the God of Sinai, the coming of the God of Israel. 9 You caused abundant rain to fall and restored your worn-out land; 10 your people made their home there; in your goodness you provided for the poor. 11 The Lord gave the command, and many women carried the news: 12 "Kings and their armies are running away!" The women at home divided what was captured: 13 figures of doves covered with silver, whose wings glittered with fine gold. (Why did some of you stay among the sheep pens on the day of battle?) 14 When Almighty God scattered the kings on Mount Zalmon, he caused snow to fall there. 15 What a mighty mountain is Bashan, a mountain of many peaks! 16 Why from your mighty peaks do you look with scorn on the mountain on which God chose to live? The Lord will live there forever! 17 With his many thousands of mighty chariots the Lord comes from Sinai into the holy place. 18 He goes up to the heights, taking many captives with him; he receives gifts from rebellious people. The Lord God will live there. 19 Praise the Lord, who carries our burdens day after day; he is the God who saves us. 20 Our God is a God who saves; he is the Lord, our Lord, who rescues us from death. 21 God will surely break the heads of his enemies, of those who persist in their sinful ways. 22 The Lord has said, "I will bring your enemies back from Bashan; I will bring them back from the depths of the ocean, 23 so that you may wade in their blood, and your dogs may lap up as much as they want." 24 O God, your march of triumph is seen by all, the procession of God, my king, into his sanctuary. 25 The singers are in front, the musicians are behind, in between are the young women beating the tambourines. 26 "Praise God in the meeting of his people; praise the Lord, all you descendants of Jacob!" 27 First comes Benjamin, the smallest tribe, then the leaders of Judah with their group, followed by the leaders of Zebulun and Naphtali. 28 Show your power, O God, the power you have used on our behalf 29 from your Temple in Jerusalem, where kings bring gifts to you. 30 Rebuke Egypt, that wild animal in the reeds; rebuke the nations, that herd of bulls with their calves, until they all bow down and offer you their silver. Scatter those people who love to make war! 31 Ambassadors will come from Egypt; the Ethiopians will raise their hands in prayer to God. 32 Sing to God, kingdoms of the world, sing praise to the Lord, 33 to him who rides in the sky, the ancient sky. Listen to him shout with a mighty roar. 34 Proclaim God's power; his majesty is over Israel, his might is in the skies. 35 How awesome is God as he comes from his sanctuary - the God of Israel! He gives strength and power to his people. Praise God!
CHAPTER 69
1 Save me, O God! The water is up to my neck; 2 I am sinking in deep mud, and there is no solid ground; I am out in deep water, and the waves are about to drown me. 3 I am worn out from calling for help, and my throat is aching. I have strained my eyes, looking for your help. 4 Those who hate me for no reason are more numerous than the hairs of my head. My enemies tell lies against me; they are strong and want to kill me. They made me give back things I did not steal. 5 My sins, O God, are not hidden from you; you know how foolish I have been. 6 Don't let me bring shame on those who trust in you, Sovereign Lord Almighty! Don't let me bring disgrace to those who worship you, O God of Israel! 7 It is for your sake that I have been insulted and that I am covered with shame. 8 I am like a stranger to my relatives, like a foreigner to my family. 9 My devotion to your Temple burns in me like a fire; the insults which are hurled at you fall on me. 10 I humble myself by fasting, and people insult me; 11 I dress myself in clothes of mourning, and they laugh at me. 12 They talk about me in the streets, and drunkards make up songs about me. 13 But as for me, I will pray to you, Lord; answer me, God, at a time you choose. Answer me because of your great love, because you keep your promise to save. 14 Save me from sinking in the mud; keep me safe from my enemies, safe from the deep water. 15 Don't let the flood come over me; don't let me drown in the depths or sink into the grave. 16 Answer me, Lord, in the goodness of your constant love; in your great compassion turn to me! 17 Don't hide yourself from your servant; I am in great trouble - answer me now! 18 Come to me and save me; rescue me from my enemies. 19 You know how I am insulted, how I am disgraced and dishonored; you see all my enemies. 20 Insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. I had hoped for sympathy, but there was none; for comfort, but I found none. 21 When I was hungry, they gave me poison; when I was thirsty, they offered me vinegar. 22 May their banquets cause their ruin; may their sacred feasts cause their downfall. 23 Strike them with blindness! Make their backs always weak! 24 Pour out your anger on them; let your indignation overtake them. 25 May their camps be left deserted; may no one be left alive in their tents. 26 They persecute those whom you have punished; they talk about the sufferings of those you have wounded. 27 Keep a record of all their sins; don't let them have any part in your salvation. 28 May their names be erased from the book of the living; may they not be included in the list of your people. 29 But I am in pain and despair; lift me up, O God, and save me! 30 I will praise God with a song; I will proclaim his greatness by giving him thanks. 31 This will please the Lord more than offering him cattle, more than sacrificing a full-grown bull. 32 When the oppressed see this, they will be glad; those who worship God will be encouraged. 33 The Lord listens to those in need and does not forget his people in prison. 34 Praise God, O heaven and earth, seas and all creatures in them. 35 He will save Jerusalem and rebuild the towns of Judah. His people will live there and possess the land; 36 the descendants of his servants will inherit it, and those who love him will live there.
CHAPTER 70
1 Save me, O God! Lord, help me now! 2 May those who try to kill me be defeated and confused. May those who are happy because of my troubles be turned back and disgraced. 3 May those who make fun of me be dismayed by their defeat. 4 May all who come to you be glad and joyful. May all who are thankful for your salvation always say, "How great is God!" 5 I am weak and poor; come to me quickly, O God. You are my savior and my Lord - hurry to my aid!
CHAPTER 71
1 Lord, I have come to you for protection; never let me be defeated! 2 Because you are righteous, help me and rescue me. Listen to me and save me! 3 Be my secure shelter and a strong fortress to protect me; you are my refuge and defense. 4 My God, rescue me from wicked people, from the power of cruel and evil people. 5 Sovereign Lord, I put my hope in you; I have trusted in you since I was young. 6 I have relied on you all my life; you have protected me since the day I was born. I will always praise you. 7 My life has been an example to many, because you have been my strong defender. 8 All day long I praise you and proclaim your glory. 9 Do not reject me now that I am old; do not abandon me now that I am feeble. 10 My enemies want to kill me; they talk and plot against me. 11 They say, "God has abandoned him; let's go after him and catch him; there is no one to rescue him." 12 Don't stay so far away, O God; my God, hurry to my aid! 13 May those who attack me be defeated and destroyed. May those who try to hurt me be shamed and disgraced. 14 I will always put my hope in you; I will praise you more and more. 15 I will tell of your goodness; all day long I will speak of your salvation, though it is more than I can understand. 16 I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will proclaim your goodness, yours alone. 17 You have taught me ever since I was young, and I still tell of your wonderful acts. 18 Now that I am old and my hair is gray, do not abandon me, O God! Be with me while I proclaim your power and might to all generations to come. 19 Your righteousness, God, reaches the skies. You have done great things; there is no one like you. 20 You have sent troubles and suffering on me, but you will restore my strength; you will keep me from the grave. 21 You will make me greater than ever; you will comfort me again. 22 I will indeed praise you with the harp; I will praise your faithfulness, my God. On my harp I will play hymns to you, the Holy One of Israel. 23 I will shout for joy as I play for you; with my whole being I will sing because you have saved me. 24 I will speak of your righteousness all day long, because those who tried to harm me have been defeated and disgraced.
CHAPTER 72
1 Teach the king to judge with your righteousness, O God; share with him your own justice, 2 so that he will rule over your people with justice and govern the oppressed with righteousness. 3 May the land enjoy prosperity; may it experience righteousness. 4 May the king judge the poor fairly; may he help the needy and defeat their oppressors. 5 May your people worship you as long as the sun shines, as long as the moon gives light, for ages to come. 6 May the king be like rain on the fields, like showers falling on the land. 7 May righteousness flourish in his lifetime, and may prosperity last as long as the moon gives light. 8 His kingdom will reach from sea to sea, from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth. 9 The peoples of the desert will bow down before him; his enemies will throw themselves to the ground. 10 The kings of Spain and of the islands will offer him gifts; the kings of Sheba and Seba will bring him offerings. 11 All kings will bow down before him; all nations will serve him. 12 He rescues the poor who call to him, and those who are needy and neglected. 13 He has pity on the weak and poor; he saves the lives of those in need. 14 He rescues them from oppression and violence; their lives are precious to him. 15 Long live the king! May he be given gold from Sheba; may prayers be said for him at all times; may God's blessings be on him always! 16 May there be plenty of grain in the land; may the hills be covered with crops, as fruitful as those of Lebanon. May the cities be filled with people, like fields full of grass. 17 May the king's name never be forgotten; may his fame last as long as the sun. May all nations ask God to bless them as he has blessed the king. 18 Praise the Lord, the God of Israel! He alone does these wonderful things. 19 Praise his glorious name forever! May his glory fill the whole world. Amen! Amen! 20 This is the end of the prayers of David son of Jesse.
CHAPTER 73
1 God is indeed good to Israel, to those who have pure hearts. 2 But I had nearly lost confidence; my faith was almost gone 3 because I was jealous of the proud when I saw that things go well for the wicked. 4 They do not suffer pain; they are strong and healthy. 5 They do not suffer as other people do; they do not have the troubles that others have. 6 And so they wear pride like a necklace and violence like a robe; 7 their hearts pour out evil, and their minds are busy with wicked schemes. 8 They laugh at other people and speak of evil things; they are proud and make plans to oppress others. 9 They speak evil of God in heaven and give arrogant orders to everyone on earth, 10 so that even God's people turn to them and eagerly believe whatever they say. 11 They say, "God will not know; the Most High will not find out." 12 That is what the wicked are like. They have plenty and are always getting more. 13 Is it for nothing, then, that I have kept myself pure and have not committed sin? 14 O God, you have made me suffer all day long; every morning you have punished me. 15 If I had said such things, I would not be acting as one of your people. 16 I tried to think this problem through, but it was too difficult for me 17 until I went into your Temple. Then I understood what will happen to the wicked. 18 You will put them in slippery places and make them fall to destruction! 19 They are instantly destroyed; they go down to a horrible end. 20 They are like a dream that goes away in the morning; when you rouse yourself, O Lord, they disappear. 21 When my thoughts were bitter and my feelings were hurt, 22 I was as stupid as an animal; I did not understand you. 23 Yet I always stay close to you, and you hold me by the hand. 24 You guide me with your instruction and at the end you will receive me with honor. 25 What else do I have in heaven but you? Since I have you, what else could I want on earth? 26 My mind and my body may grow weak, but God is my strength; he is all I ever need. 27 Those who abandon you will certainly perish; you will destroy those who are unfaithful to you. 28 But as for me, how wonderful to be near God, to find protection with the Sovereign Lord and to proclaim all that he has done!
CHAPTER 74
1 Why have you abandoned us like this, O God? Will you be angry with your own people forever? 2 Remember your people, whom you chose for yourself long ago, whom you brought out of slavery to be your own tribe. Remember Mount Zion, where once you lived. 3 Walk over these total ruins; our enemies have destroyed everything in the Temple. 4 Your enemies have shouted in triumph in your Temple; they have placed their flags there as signs of victory. 5 They looked like woodsmen cutting down trees with their axes. 6 They smashed all the wooden panels with their axes and sledge hammers. 7 They wrecked your Temple and set it on fire; they desecrated the place where you are worshiped. 8 They wanted to crush us completely; they burned down every holy place in the land. 9 All our sacred symbols are gone; there are no prophets left, and no one knows how long this will last. 10 How long, O God, will our enemies laugh at you? Will they insult your name forever? 11 Why have you refused to help us? Why do you keep your hands behind you? 12 But you have been our king from the beginning, O God; you have saved us many times. 13 With your mighty strength you divided the sea and smashed the heads of the sea monsters; 14 you crushed the heads of the monster Leviathan and fed his body to desert animals. 15 You made springs and fountains flow; you dried up large rivers. 16 You created the day and the night; you set the sun and the moon in their places; 17 you set the limits of the earth; you made summer and winter. 18 But remember, O Lord, that your enemies laugh at you, that they are godless and despise you. 19 Don't abandon your helpless people to their cruel enemies; don't forget your persecuted people! 20 Remember the covenant you made with us. There is violence in every dark corner of the land. 21 Don't let the oppressed be put to shame; let those poor and needy people praise you. 22 Rouse yourself, God, and defend your cause! Remember that godless people laugh at you all day long. 23 Don't forget the angry shouts of your enemies, the continuous noise made by your foes.
CHAPTER 75
1 We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks to you! We proclaim how great you are and tell of the wonderful things you have done. 2 "I have set a time for judgment," says God, "and I will judge with fairness. 3 Though every living creature tremble and the earth itself be shaken, I will keep its foundations firm. 4 I tell the wicked not to be arrogant; 5 I tell them to stop their boasting." 6 Judgment does not come from the east or from the west, from the north or from the south; 7 it is God who is the judge, condemning some and acquitting others. 8 The Lord holds a cup in his hand, filled with the strong wine of his anger. He pours it out, and all the wicked drink it; they drink it down to the last drop. 9 But I will never stop speaking of the God of Jacob or singing praises to him. 10 He will break the power of the wicked, but the power of the righteous will be increased.
CHAPTER 76
1 God is known in Judah; his name is honored in Israel. 2 He has his home in Jerusalem; he lives on Mount Zion. 3 There he broke the arrows of the enemy, their shields and swords, yes, all their weapons. 4 How glorious you are, O God! How majestic, as you return from the mountains where you defeated your foes. 5 Their brave soldiers have been stripped of all they had and now are sleeping the sleep of death; all their strength and skill was useless. 6 When you threatened them, O God of Jacob, the horses and their riders fell dead. 7 But you, Lord, are feared by all. No one can stand in your presence when you are angry. 8 You made your judgment known from heaven; the world was afraid and kept silent, 9 when you rose up to pronounce judgment, to save all the oppressed on earth. 10 Human anger only results in more praise for you; those who survive the wars will keep your festivals. 11 Give the Lord your God what you promised him; bring gifts to him, all you nearby nations. God makes everyone fear him; 12 he humbles proud princes and terrifies great kings.
CHAPTER 77
1 I cry aloud to God; I cry aloud, and he hears me. 2 In times of trouble I pray to the Lord; all night long I lift my hands in prayer, but I cannot find comfort. 3 When I think of God, I sigh; when I meditate, I feel discouraged. 4 He keeps me awake all night; I am so worried that I cannot speak. 5 I think of days gone by and remember years of long ago. 6 I spend the night in deep thought; I meditate, and this is what I ask myself: 7 "Will the Lord always reject us? Will he never again be pleased with us? 8 Has he stopped loving us? Does his promise no longer stand? 9 Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has anger taken the place of his compassion?" 10 Then I said, "What hurts me most is this - that God is no longer powerful." 11 I will remember your great deeds, Lord; I will recall the wonders you did in the past. 12 I will think about all that you have done; I will meditate on all your mighty acts. 13 Everything you do, O God, is holy. No god is as great as you. 14 You are the God who works miracles; you showed your might among the nations. 15 By your power you saved your people, the descendants of Jacob and of Joseph. 16 When the waters saw you, O God, they were afraid, and the depths of the sea trembled. 17 The clouds poured down rain; thunder crashed from the sky, and lightning flashed in all directions. 18 The crash of your thunder rolled out, and flashes of lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and shook. 19 You walked through the waves; you crossed the deep sea, but your footprints could not be seen. 20 You led your people like a shepherd, with Moses and Aaron in charge.
CHAPTER 78
1 Listen, my people, to my teaching, and pay attention to what I say. 2 I am going to use wise sayings and explain mysteries from the past, 3 things we have heard and known, things that our ancestors told us. 4 We will not keep them from our children; we will tell the next generation about the Lord's power and his great deeds and the wonderful things he has done. 5 He gave laws to the people of Israel and commandments to the descendants of Jacob. He instructed our ancestors to teach his laws to their children, 6 so that the next generation might learn them and in turn should tell their children. 7 In this way they also will put their trust in God and not forget what he has done, but always obey his commandments. 8 They will not be like their ancestors, a rebellious and disobedient people, whose trust in God was never firm and who did not remain faithful to him. 9 The Ephraimites, armed with bows and arrows, ran away on the day of battle. 10 They did not keep their covenant with God; they refused to obey his law. 11 They forgot what he had done, the miracles they had seen him perform. 12 While their ancestors watched, God performed miracles in the plain of Zoan in the land of Egypt. 13 He divided the sea and took them through it; he made the waters stand like walls. 14 By day he led them with a cloud and all night long with the light of a fire. 15 He split rocks open in the desert and gave them water from the depths. 16 He caused a stream to come out of the rock and made water flow like a river. 17 But they continued to sin against God, and in the desert they rebelled against the Most High. 18 They deliberately put God to the test by demanding the food they wanted. 19 They spoke against God and said, "Can God supply food in the desert? 20 It is true that he struck the rock, and water flowed out in a torrent; but can he also provide us with bread and give his people meat?" 21 And so the Lord was angry when he heard them; he attacked his people with fire, and his anger against them grew, 22 because they had no faith in him and did not believe that he would save them. 23 But he spoke to the sky above and commanded its doors to open; 24 he gave them grain from heaven, by sending down manna for them to eat. 25 So they ate the food of angels, and God gave them all they wanted. 26 He also caused the east wind to blow, and by his power he stirred up the south wind; 27 and to his people he sent down birds, as many as the grains of sand on the shore; 28 they fell in the middle of the camp all around the tents. 29 So the people ate and were satisfied; God gave them what they wanted. 30 But they had not yet satisfied their craving and were still eating, 31 when God became angry with them and killed their strongest men, the best young men of Israel. 32 In spite of all this the people kept sinning; in spite of his miracles they did not trust him. 33 So he ended their days like a breath and their lives with sudden disaster. 34 Whenever he killed some of them, the rest would turn to him; they would repent and pray earnestly to him. 35 They remembered that God was their protector, that the Almighty came to their aid. 36 But their words were all lies; nothing they said was sincere. 37 They were not loyal to him; they were not faithful to their covenant with him. 38 But God was merciful to his people. He forgave their sin and did not destroy them. Many times he held back his anger and restrained his fury. 39 He remembered that they were only mortal beings, like a wind that blows by and is gone. 40 How often they rebelled against him in the desert; how many times they made him sad! 41 Again and again they put God to the test and brought pain to the Holy God of Israel. 42 They forgot his great power and the day when he saved them from their enemies 43 and performed his mighty acts and miracles in the plain of Zoan in the land of Egypt. 44 He turned the rivers into blood, and the Egyptians had no water to drink. 45 He sent flies among them, that tormented them, and frogs that ruined their land. 46 He sent locusts to eat their crops and to destroy their fields. 47 He killed their grapevines with hail and their fig trees with frost. 48 He killed their cattle with hail and their flocks with lightning. 49 He caused them great distress by pouring out his anger and fierce rage, which came as messengers of death. 50 He did not restrain his anger or spare their lives, but killed them with a plague. 51 He killed the first-born sons of all the families of Egypt. 52 Then he led his people out like a shepherd and guided them through the desert. 53 He led them safely, and they were not afraid; but the sea came rolling over their enemies. 54 He brought them to his holy land, to the mountains which he himself conquered. 55 He drove out the inhabitants as his people advanced; he divided their land among the tribes of Israel and gave their homes to his people. 56 But they rebelled against Almighty God and put him to the test. They did not obey his commandments, 57 but were rebellious and disloyal like their ancestors, unreliable as a crooked arrow. 58 They angered him with their heathen places of worship, and with their idols they made him furious. 59 God was angry when he saw it, so he rejected his people completely. 60 He abandoned his tent in Shiloh, the home where he had lived among us. 61 He allowed our enemies to capture the Covenant Box, the symbol of his power and glory. 62 He was angry with his own people and let them be killed by their enemies. 63 Young men were killed in war, and young women had no one to marry. 64 Priests died by violence, and their widows were not allowed to mourn. 65 At last the Lord woke up as though from sleep; he was like a strong man excited by wine. 66 He drove his enemies back in lasting and shameful defeat. 67 But he rejected the descendants of Joseph; he did not select the tribe of Ephraim. 68 Instead he chose the tribe of Judah and Mount Zion, which he dearly loves. 69 There he built his Temple like his home in heaven; he made it firm like the earth itself, secure for all time. 70 He chose his servant David; he took him from the pastures, 71 where he looked after his flocks, and he made him king of Israel, the shepherd of the people of God. 72 David took care of them with unselfish devotion and led them with skill.
CHAPTER 79
1 O God, the heathen have invaded your land. They have desecrated your holy Temple and left Jerusalem in ruins. 2 They left the bodies of your people for the vultures, the bodies of your servants for wild animals to eat. 3 They shed your people's blood like water; blood flowed like water all through Jerusalem, and no one was left to bury the dead. 4 The surrounding nations insult us; they laugh at us and mock us. 5 Lord, will you be angry with us forever? Will your anger continue to burn like fire? 6 Turn your anger on the nations that do not worship you, on the people who do not pray to you. 7 For they have killed your people; they have ruined your country. 8 Do not punish us for the sins of our ancestors. Have mercy on us now; we have lost all hope. 9 Help us, O God, and save us; rescue us and forgive our sins for the sake of your own honor. 10 Why should the nations ask us, "Where is your God?" Let us see you punish the nations for shedding the blood of your servants. 11 Listen to the groans of the prisoners, and by your great power free those who are condemned to die. 12 Lord, pay the other nations back seven times for all the insults they have hurled at you. 13 Then we, your people, the sheep of your flock, will thank you forever and praise you for all time to come.
CHAPTER 80
1 Listen to us, O Shepherd of Israel; hear us, leader of your flock. Seated on your throne above the winged creatures, 2 reveal yourself to the tribes of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh. Show us your strength; come and save us! 3 Bring us back, O God! Show us your mercy, and we will be saved! 4 How much longer, Lord God Almighty, will you be angry with your people's prayers? 5 You have given us sorrow to eat, a large cup of tears to drink. 6 You let the surrounding nations fight over our land; our enemies insult us. 7 Bring us back, Almighty God! Show us your mercy, and we will be saved! 8 You brought a grapevine out of Egypt; you drove out other nations and planted it in their land. 9 You cleared a place for it to grow; its roots went deep, and it spread out over the whole land. 10 It covered the hills with its shade; its branches overshadowed the giant cedars. 11 It extended its branches to the Mediterranean Sea and as far as the Euphrates River. 12 Why did you break down the fences around it? Now anyone passing by can steal its grapes; 13 wild hogs trample it down, and wild animals feed on it. 14 Turn to us, Almighty God! Look down from heaven at us; come and save your people! 15 Come and save this grapevine that you planted, this young vine you made grow so strong! 16 Our enemies have set it on fire and cut it down; look at them in anger and destroy them! 17 Preserve and protect the people you have chosen, the nation you made so strong. 18 We will never turn away from you again; keep us alive, and we will praise you. 19 Bring us back, Lord God Almighty. Show us your mercy, and we will be saved.
CHAPTER 81
1 Shout for joy to God our defender; sing praise to the God of Jacob! 2 Start the music and beat the tambourines; play pleasant music on the harps and the lyres. 3 Blow the trumpet for the festival, when the moon is new and when the moon is full. 4 This is the law in Israel, an order from the God of Jacob. 5 He gave it to the people of Israel when he attacked the land of Egypt. I hear an unknown voice saying, 6 "I took the burdens off your backs; I let you put down your loads of bricks. 7 When you were in trouble, you called to me, and I saved you. From my hiding place in the storm, I answered you. I put you to the test at the springs of Meribah. 8 Listen, my people, to my warning; Israel, how I wish you would listen to me! 9 You must never worship another god. 10 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt. Open your mouth, and I will feed you. 11 "But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not obey me. 12 So I let them go their stubborn ways and do whatever they wanted. 13 How I wish my people would listen to me; how I wish they would obey me! 14 I would quickly defeat their enemies and conquer all their foes. 15 Those who hate me would bow in fear before me; their punishment would last forever. 16 But I would feed you with the finest wheat and satisfy you with wild honey."
CHAPTER 82
1 God presides in the heavenly council; in the assembly of the gods he gives his decision: 2 "You must stop judging unjustly; you must no longer be partial to the wicked! 3 Defend the rights of the poor and the orphans; be fair to the needy and the helpless. 4 Rescue them from the power of evil people. 5 "How ignorant you are! How stupid! You are completely corrupt, and justice has disappeared from the world. 6 "You are gods,' I said; "all of you are children of the Most High.' 7 But you will die like mortals; your life will end like that of any prince." 8 Come, O God, and rule the world; all the nations are yours.
CHAPTER 83
1 O God, do not keep silent; do not be still, do not be quiet! 2 Look! Your enemies are in revolt, and those who hate you are rebelling. 3 They are making secret plans against your people; they are plotting against those you protect. 4 "Come," they say, "let us destroy their nation, so that Israel will be forgotten forever." 5 They agree on their plan and form an alliance against you: 6 the people of Edom and the Ishmaelites; the people of Moab and the Hagrites; 7 the people of Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek, and of Philistia and Tyre. 8 Assyria has also joined them as a strong ally of the Ammonites and Moabites, the descendants of Lot. 9 Do to them what you did to the Midianites, and to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River. 10 You defeated them at Endor, and their bodies rotted on the ground. 11 Do to their leaders what you did to Oreb and Zeeb; defeat all their rulers as you did Zebah and Zalmunna, 12 who said, "We will take for our own the land that belongs to God." 13 Scatter them like dust, O God, like straw blown away by the wind. 14 As fire burns the forest, as flames set the hills on fire, 15 chase them away with your storm and terrify them with your fierce winds. 16 Cover their faces with shame, O Lord, and make them acknowledge your power. 17 May they be defeated and terrified forever; may they die in complete disgrace. 18 May they know that you alone are the Lord, supreme ruler over all the earth.
CHAPTER 84
1 How I love your Temple, Lord Almighty! 2 How I want to be there! I long to be in the Lord's Temple. With my whole being I sing for joy to the living God. 3 Even the sparrows have built a nest, and the swallows have their own home; they keep their young near your altars, Lord Almighty, my king and my God. 4 How happy are those who live in your Temple, always singing praise to you. 5 How happy are those whose strength comes from you, who are eager to make the pilgrimage to Mount Zion. 6 As they pass through the dry valley of Baca, it becomes a place of springs; the autumn rain fills it with pools. 7 They grow stronger as they go; they will see the God of gods on Zion. 8 Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty. Listen, O God of Jacob! 9 Bless our king, O God, the king you have chosen. 10 One day spent in your Temple is better than a thousand anywhere else; I would rather stand at the gate of the house of my God than live in the homes of the wicked. 11 The Lord is our protector and glorious king, blessing us with kindness and honor. He does not refuse any good thing to those who do what is right. 12 Lord Almighty, how happy are those who trust in you!
CHAPTER 85
1 Lord, you have been merciful to your land; you have made Israel prosperous again. 2 You have forgiven your people's sins and pardoned all their wrongs. 3 You stopped being angry with them and held back your furious rage. 4 Bring us back, O God our savior, and stop being displeased with us! 5 Will you be angry with us forever? Will your anger never cease? 6 Make us strong again, and we, your people, will praise you. 7 Show us your constant love, O Lord, and give us your saving help. 8 I am listening to what the Lord God is saying; he promises peace to us, his own people, if we do not go back to our foolish ways. 9 Surely he is ready to save those who honor him, and his saving presence will remain in our land. 10 Love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will embrace. 11 Human loyalty will reach up from the earth, and God's righteousness will look down from heaven. 12 The Lord will make us prosperous, and our land will produce rich harvests. 13 Righteousness will go before the Lord and prepare the path for him.
CHAPTER 86
1 Listen to me, Lord, and answer me, for I am helpless and weak. 2 Save me from death, because I am loyal to you; save me, for I am your servant and I trust in you. 3 You are my God, so be merciful to me; I pray to you all day long. 4 Make your servant glad, O Lord, because my prayers go up to you. 5 You are good to us and forgiving, full of constant love for all who pray to you. 6 Listen, Lord, to my prayer; hear my cries for help. 7 I call to you in times of trouble, because you answer my prayers. 8 There is no god like you, O Lord, not one has done what you have done. 9 All the nations that you have created will come and bow down to you; they will praise your greatness. 10 You are mighty and do wonderful things; you alone are God. 11 Teach me, Lord, what you want me to do, and I will obey you faithfully; teach me to serve you with complete devotion. 12 I will praise you with all my heart, O Lord my God; I will proclaim your greatness forever. 13 How great is your constant love for me! You have saved me from the grave itself. 14 Proud people are coming against me, O God; a cruel gang is trying to kill me - people who pay no attention to you. 15 But you, O Lord, are a merciful and loving God, always patient, always kind and faithful. 16 Turn to me and have mercy on me; strengthen me and save me, because I serve you just as my mother did. 17 Show me proof of your goodness, Lord; those who hate me will be ashamed when they see that you have given me comfort and help.
CHAPTER 87
1 The Lord built his city on the sacred hill; 2 more than any other place in Israel he loves the city of Jerusalem. 3 Listen, city of God, to the wonderful things he says about you: 4 "I will include Egypt and Babylonia when I list the nations that obey me; the people of Philistia, Tyre, and Ethiopia I will number among the inhabitants of Jerusalem." 5 Of Zion it will be said that all nations belong there and that the Almighty will make her strong. 6 The Lord will write a list of the peoples and include them all as citizens of Jerusalem. 7 They dance and sing, "In Zion is the source of all our blessings."
CHAPTER 88
1 Lord God, my savior, I cry out all day, and at night I come before you. 2 Hear my prayer; listen to my cry for help! 3 So many troubles have fallen on me that I am close to death. 4 I am like all others who are about to die; all my strength is gone. 5 I am abandoned among the dead; I am like the slain lying in their graves, those you have forgotten completely, who are beyond your help. 6 You have thrown me into the depths of the tomb, into the darkest and deepest pit. 7 Your anger lies heavy on me, and I am crushed beneath its waves. 8 You have caused my friends to abandon me; you have made me repulsive to them. I am closed in and cannot escape; 9 my eyes are weak from suffering. Lord, every day I call to you and lift my hands to you in prayer. 10 Do you perform miracles for the dead? Do they rise up and praise you? 11 Is your constant love spoken of in the grave or your faithfulness in the place of destruction? 12 Are your miracles seen in that place of darkness or your goodness in the land of the forgotten? 13 Lord, I call to you for help; every morning I pray to you. 14 Why do you reject me, Lord? Why do you turn away from me? 15 Ever since I was young, I have suffered and been near death; I am worn out from the burden of your punishments. 16 Your furious anger crushes me; your terrible attacks destroy me. 17 All day long they surround me like a flood; they close in on me from every side. 18 You have made even my closest friends abandon me, and darkness is my only companion.
CHAPTER 89
1 O Lord, I will always sing of your constant love; I will proclaim your faithfulness forever. 2 I know that your love will last for all time, that your faithfulness is as permanent as the sky. 3 You said, "I have made a covenant with the man I chose; I have promised my servant David, 4 "A descendant of yours will always be king; I will preserve your dynasty forever.' " 5 The heavens sing of the wonderful things you do; the holy ones sing of your faithfulness, Lord. 6 No one in heaven is like you, Lord; none of the heavenly beings is your equal. 7 You are feared in the council of the holy ones; they all stand in awe of you. 8 Lord God Almighty, none is as mighty as you; in all things you are faithful, O Lord. 9 You rule over the powerful sea; you calm its angry waves. 10 You crushed the monster Rahab and killed it; with your mighty strength you defeated your enemies. 11 Heaven is yours, the earth also; you made the world and everything in it. 12 You created the north and the south; Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon sing to you for joy. 13 How powerful you are! How great is your strength! 14 Your kingdom is founded on righteousness and justice; love and faithfulness are shown in all you do. 15 How happy are the people who worship you with songs, who live in the light of your kindness! 16 Because of you they rejoice all day long, and they praise you for your goodness. 17 You give us great victories; in your love you make us triumphant. 18 You, O Lord, chose our protector; you, the Holy God of Israel, gave us our king. 19 In a vision long ago you said to your faithful servants, "I have given help to a famous soldier; I have given the throne to one I chose from the people. 20 I have made my servant David king by anointing him with holy oil. 21 My strength will always be with him, my power will make him strong. 22 His enemies will never succeed against him; the wicked will not defeat him. 23 I will crush his foes and kill everyone who hates him. 24 I will love him and be loyal to him; I will make him always victorious. 25 I will extend his kingdom from the Mediterranean to the Euphrates River. 26 He will say to me, "You are my father and my God; you are my protector and savior.' 27 I will make him my first-born son, the greatest of all kings. 28 I will always keep my promise to him, and my covenant with him will last forever. 29 His dynasty will be as permanent as the sky; a descendant of his will always be king. 30 "But if his descendants disobey my law and do not live according to my commands, 31 if they disregard my instructions and do not keep my commandments, 32 then I will punish them for their sins; I will make them suffer for their wrongs. 33 But I will not stop loving David or fail to keep my promise to him. 34 I will not break my covenant with him or take back even one promise I made him. 35 "Once and for all I have promised by my holy name: I will never lie to David. 36 He will always have descendants, and I will watch over his kingdom as long as the sun shines. 37 It will be as permanent as the moon, that faithful witness in the sky." 38 But you are angry with your chosen king; you have deserted and rejected him. 39 You have broken your covenant with your servant and thrown his crown in the dirt. 40 You have torn down the walls of his city and left his forts in ruins. 41 All who pass by steal his belongings; all his neighbors laugh at him. 42 You have given the victory to his enemies; you have made them all happy. 43 You have made his weapons useless and let him be defeated in battle. 44 You have taken away his royal scepter and knocked his throne to the ground. 45 You have made him old before his time and covered him with disgrace. 46 Lord, will you hide yourself forever? How long will your anger burn like fire? 47 Remember how short my life is; remember that you created all of us mortal! 48 Who can live and never die? How can we humans keep ourselves from the grave? 49 Lord, where are the former proofs of your love? Where are the promises you made to David? 50 Don't forget how I, your servant, am insulted, how I endure all the curses of the heathen. 51 Your enemies insult your chosen king, O Lord! They insult him wherever he goes. 52 Praise the Lord forever! Amen! Amen!
CHAPTER 90
1 O Lord, you have always been our home. 2 Before you created the hills or brought the world into being, you were eternally God, and will be God forever. 3 You tell us to return to what we were; you change us back to dust. 4 A thousand years to you are like one day; they are like yesterday, already gone, like a short hour in the night. 5 You carry us away like a flood; we last no longer than a dream. We are like weeds that sprout in the morning, 6 that grow and burst into bloom, then dry up and die in the evening. 7 We are destroyed by your anger; we are terrified by your fury. 8 You place our sins before you, our secret sins where you can see them. 9 Our life is cut short by your anger; it fades away like a whisper. 10 Seventy years is all we have - eighty years, if we are strong; yet all they bring us is trouble and sorrow; life is soon over, and we are gone. 11 Who has felt the full power of your anger? Who knows what fear your fury can bring? 12 Teach us how short our life is, so that we may become wise. 13 How much longer will your anger last? Have pity, O Lord, on your servants! 14 Fill us each morning with your constant love, so that we may sing and be glad all our life. 15 Give us now as much happiness as the sadness you gave us during all our years of misery. 16 Let us, your servants, see your mighty deeds; let our descendants see your glorious might. 17 Lord our God, may your blessings be with us. Give us success in all we do!
CHAPTER 91
1 Whoever goes to the Lord for safety, whoever remains under the protection of the Almighty, 2 can say to him, "You are my defender and protector. You are my God; in you I trust." 3 He will keep you safe from all hidden dangers and from all deadly diseases. 4 He will cover you with his wings; you will be safe in his care; his faithfulness will protect and defend you. 5 You need not fear any dangers at night or sudden attacks during the day 6 or the plagues that strike in the dark or the evils that kill in daylight. 7 A thousand may fall dead beside you, ten thousand all around you, but you will not be harmed. 8 You will look and see how the wicked are punished. 9 You have made the Lord your defender, the Most High your protector, 10 and so no disaster will strike you, no violence will come near your home. 11 God will put his angels in charge of you to protect you wherever you go. 12 They will hold you up with their hands to keep you from hurting your feet on the stones. 13 You will trample down lions and snakes, fierce lions and poisonous snakes. 14 God says, "I will save those who love me and will protect those who acknowledge me as Lord. 15 When they call to me, I will answer them; when they are in trouble, I will be with them. I will rescue them and honor them. 16 I will reward them with long life; I will save them."
CHAPTER 92
1 How good it is to give thanks to you, O Lord, to sing in your honor, O Most High God, 2 to proclaim your constant love every morning and your faithfulness every night, 3 with the music of stringed instruments and with melody on the harp. 4 Your mighty deeds, O Lord, make me glad; because of what you have done, I sing for joy. 5 How great are your actions, Lord! How deep are your thoughts! 6 This is something a fool cannot know; someone who is stupid cannot understand: 7 the wicked may grow like weeds, those who do wrong may prosper; yet they will be totally destroyed, 8 because you, Lord, are supreme forever. 9 We know that your enemies will die, and all the wicked will be defeated. 10 You have made me as strong as a wild ox; you have blessed me with happiness. 11 I have seen the defeat of my enemies and heard the cries of the wicked. 12 The righteous will flourish like palm trees; they will grow like the cedars of Lebanon. 13 They are like trees planted in the house of the Lord, that flourish in the Temple of our God, 14 that still bear fruit in old age and are always green and strong. 15 This shows that the Lord is just, that there is no wrong in my protector.
CHAPTER 93
1 The Lord is king. He is clothed with majesty and strength. The earth is set firmly in place and cannot be moved. 2 Your throne, O Lord, has been firm from the beginning, and you existed before time began. 3 The ocean depths raise their voice, O Lord; they raise their voice and roar. 4 The Lord rules supreme in heaven, greater than the roar of the ocean, more powerful than the waves of the sea. 5 Your laws are eternal, Lord, and your Temple is holy indeed, forever and ever.
CHAPTER 94
1 Lord, you are a God who punishes; reveal your anger! 2 You are the judge of us all; rise and give the proud what they deserve! 3 How much longer will the wicked be glad? How much longer, Lord? 4 How much longer will criminals be proud and boast about their crimes? 5 They crush your people, Lord; they oppress those who belong to you. 6 They kill widows and orphans, and murder the strangers who live in our land. 7 They say, "The Lord does not see us; the God of Israel does not notice." 8 My people, how can you be such stupid fools? When will you ever learn? 9 God made our ears - can't he hear? He made our eyes - can't he see? 10 He scolds the nations - won't he punish them? He is the teacher of us all - hasn't he any knowledge? 11 The Lord knows what we think; he knows how senseless our reasoning is. 12 Lord, how happy are those you instruct, the ones to whom you teach your law! 13 You give them rest from days of trouble until a pit is dug to trap the wicked. 14 The Lord will not abandon his people; he will not desert those who belong to him. 15 Justice will again be found in the courts, and all righteous people will support it. 16 Who stood up for me against the wicked? Who took my side against the evildoers? 17 If the Lord had not helped me, I would have gone quickly to the land of silence. 18 I said, "I am falling"; but your constant love, O Lord, held me up. 19 Whenever I am anxious and worried, you comfort me and make me glad. 20 You have nothing to do with corrupt judges, who make injustice legal, 21 who plot against good people and sentence the innocent to death. 22 But the Lord defends me; my God protects me. 23 He will punish them for their wickedness and destroy them for their sins; the Lord our God will destroy them.
CHAPTER 95
1 Come, let us praise the Lord! Let us sing for joy to God, who protects us! 2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and sing joyful songs of praise. 3 For the Lord is a mighty God, a mighty king over all the gods. 4 He rules over the whole earth, from the deepest caves to the highest hills. 5 He rules over the sea, which he made; the land also, which he himself formed. 6 Come, let us bow down and worship him; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! 7 He is our God; we are the people he cares for, the flock for which he provides. Listen today to what he says: 8 "Don't be stubborn, as your ancestors were at Meribah, as they were that day in the desert at Massah. 9 There they put me to the test and tried me, although they had seen what I did for them. 10 For forty years I was disgusted with those people. I said, "How disloyal they are! They refuse to obey my commands.' 11 I was angry and made a solemn promise: "You will never enter the land where I would have given you rest.' "
CHAPTER 96
1 Sing a new song to the Lord! Sing to the Lord, all the world! 2 Sing to the Lord, and praise him! Proclaim every day the good news that he has saved us. 3 Proclaim his glory to the nations, his mighty deeds to all peoples. 4 The Lord is great and is to be highly praised; he is to be honored more than all the gods. 5 The gods of all other nations are only idols, but the Lord created the heavens. 6 Glory and majesty surround him; power and beauty fill his Temple. 7 Praise the Lord, all people on earth; praise his glory and might. 8 Praise the Lord's glorious name; bring an offering and come into his Temple. 9 Bow down before the Holy One when he appears; tremble before him, all the earth! 10 Say to all the nations, "The Lord is king! The earth is set firmly in place and cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with justice." 11 Be glad, earth and sky! Roar, sea, and every creature in you; 12 be glad, fields, and everything in you! The trees in the woods will shout for joy 13 when the Lord comes to rule the earth. He will rule the peoples of the world with justice and fairness.
CHAPTER 97
1 The Lord is king! Earth, be glad! Rejoice, you islands of the seas! 2 Clouds and darkness surround him; he rules with righteousness and justice. 3 Fire goes in front of him and burns up his enemies around him. 4 His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees it and trembles. 5 The hills melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the nations see his glory. 7 Everyone who worships idols is put to shame; all the gods bow down before the Lord. 8 The people of Zion are glad, and the cities of Judah rejoice because of your judgments, O Lord. 9 Lord Almighty, you are ruler of all the earth; you are much greater than all the gods. 10 The Lord loves those who hate evil; he protects the lives of his people; he rescues them from the power of the wicked. 11 Light shines on the righteous, and gladness on the good. 12 All you that are righteous be glad because of what the Lord has done! Remember what the holy God has done, and give thanks to him.
CHAPTER 98
1 Sing a new song to the Lord; he has done wonderful things! By his own power and holy strength he has won the victory. 2 The Lord announced his victory; he made his saving power known to the nations. 3 He kept his promise to the people of Israel with loyalty and constant love for them. All people everywhere have seen the victory of our God. 4 Sing for joy to the Lord, all the earth; praise him with songs and shouts of joy! 5 Sing praises to the Lord! Play music on the harps! 6 Blow trumpets and horns, and shout for joy to the Lord, our king. 7 Roar, sea, and every creature in you; sing, earth, and all who live on you! 8 Clap your hands, you rivers; you hills, sing together with joy before the Lord, 9 because he comes to rule the earth. He will rule the peoples of the world with justice and fairness.
CHAPTER 99
1 The Lord is king, and the people tremble. He sits on his throne above the winged creatures, and the earth shakes. 2 The Lord is mighty in Zion; he is supreme over all the nations. 3 Everyone will praise his great and majestic name. Holy is he! 4 Mighty king, you love what is right; you have established justice in Israel; you have brought righteousness and fairness. 5 Praise the Lord our God; worship before his throne! Holy is he! 6 Moses and Aaron were his priests, and Samuel was one who prayed to him; they called to the Lord, and he answered them. 7 He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud; they obeyed the laws and commands that he gave them. 8 O Lord, our God, you answered your people; you showed them that you are a God who forgives, even though you punished them for their sins. 9 Praise the Lord our God, and worship at his sacred hill! The Lord our God is holy.
CHAPTER 100
1 Sing to the Lord, all the world! 2 Worship the Lord with joy; come before him with happy songs! 3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God. He made us, and we belong to him; we are his people, we are his flock. 4 Enter the Temple gates with thanksgiving; go into its courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise him. 5 The Lord is good; his love is eternal and his faithfulness lasts forever.
CHAPTER 101
1 My song is about loyalty and justice, and I sing it to you, O Lord. 2 My conduct will be faultless. When will you come to me? I will live a pure life in my house 3 and will never tolerate evil. I hate the actions of those who turn away from God; I will have nothing to do with them. 4 I will not be dishonest and will have no dealings with evil. 5 I will get rid of anyone who whispers evil things about someone else; I will not tolerate anyone who is proud and arrogant. 6 I will approve of those who are faithful to God and will let them live in my palace. Those who are completely honest will be allowed to serve me. 7 No liar will live in my palace; no hypocrite will remain in my presence. 8 Day after day I will destroy the wicked in our land; I will expel all who are evil from the city of the Lord.
CHAPTER 102
1 Listen to my prayer, O Lord, and hear my cry for help! 2 When I am in trouble, don't turn away from me! Listen to me, and answer me quickly when I call! 3 My life is disappearing like smoke; my body is burning like fire. 4 I am beaten down like dry grass; I have lost my desire for food. 5 I groan aloud; I am nothing but skin and bones. 6 I am like a wild bird in the desert, like an owl in abandoned ruins. 7 I lie awake; I am like a lonely bird on a housetop. 8 All day long my enemies insult me; those who mock me use my name in cursing. 9 Because of your anger and fury, ashes are my food, and my tears are mixed with my drink. You picked me up and threw me away. 11 My life is like the evening shadows; I am like dry grass. 12 But you, O Lord, are king forever; all generations will remember you. 13 You will rise and take pity on Zion; the time has come to have mercy on her; this is the right time. 14 Your servants love her, even though she is destroyed; they have pity on her, even though she is in ruins. 15 The nations will fear the Lord; all the kings of the earth will fear his power. 16 When the Lord rebuilds Zion, he will reveal his greatness. 17 He will hear his forsaken people and listen to their prayer. 18 Write down for the coming generation what the Lord has done, so that people not yet born will praise him. 19 The Lord looked down from his holy place on high, he looked down from heaven to earth. 20 He heard the groans of prisoners and set free those who were condemned to die. 21 And so his name will be proclaimed in Zion, and he will be praised in Jerusalem 22 when nations and kingdoms come together and worship the Lord. 23 The Lord has made me weak while I am still young; he has shortened my life. 24 O God, do not take me away now before I grow old. O Lord, you live forever; 25 long ago you created the earth, and with your own hands you made the heavens. 26 They will disappear, but you will remain; they will all wear out like clothes. You will discard them like clothes, and they will vanish. 27 But you are always the same, and your life never ends. 28 Our children will live in safety, and under your protection their descendants will be secure.
CHAPTER 103
1 Praise the Lord, my soul! All my being, praise his holy name! 2 Praise the Lord, my soul, and do not forget how kind he is. 3 He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. 4 He keeps me from the grave and blesses me with love and mercy. 5 He fills my life with good things, so that I stay young and strong like an eagle. 6 The Lord judges in favor of the oppressed and gives them their rights. 7 He revealed his plans to Moses and let the people of Israel see his mighty deeds. 8 The Lord is merciful and loving, slow to become angry and full of constant love. 9 He does not keep on rebuking; he is not angry forever. 10 He does not punish us as we deserve or repay us according to our sins and wrongs. 11 As high as the sky is above the earth, so great is his love for those who honor him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our sins from us. 13 As a father is kind to his children, so the Lord is kind to those who honor him. 14 He knows what we are made of; he remembers that we are dust. 15 As for us, our life is like grass. We grow and flourish like a wild flower; 16 then the wind blows on it, and it is gone - no one sees it again. 17 But for those who honor the Lord, his love lasts forever, and his goodness endures for all generations 18 of those who are true to his covenant and who faithfully obey his commands. 19 The Lord placed his throne in heaven; he is king over all. 20 Praise the Lord, you strong and mighty angels, who obey his commands, who listen to what he says. 21 Praise the Lord, all you heavenly powers, you servants of his, who do his will! 22 Praise the Lord, all his creatures in all the places he rules. Praise the Lord, my soul!
CHAPTER 104
1 Praise the Lord, my soul! O Lord, my God, how great you are! You are clothed with majesty and glory; 2 you cover yourself with light. You have spread out the heavens like a tent 3 and built your home on the waters above. You use the clouds as your chariot and ride on the wings of the wind. 4 You use the winds as your messengers and flashes of lightning as your servants. 5 You have set the earth firmly on its foundations, and it will never be moved. 6 You placed the ocean over it like a robe, and the water covered the mountains. 7 When you rebuked the waters, they fled; they rushed away when they heard your shout of command. 8 They flowed over the mountains and into the valleys, to the place you had made for them. 9 You set a boundary they can never pass, to keep them from covering the earth again. 10 You make springs flow in the valleys, and rivers run between the hills. 11 They provide water for the wild animals; there the wild donkeys quench their thirst. 12 In the trees near by, the birds make their nests and sing. 13 From the sky you send rain on the hills, and the earth is filled with your blessings. 14 You make grass grow for the cattle and plants for us to use, so that we can grow our crops 15 and produce wine to make us happy, olive oil to make us cheerful, and bread to give us strength. 16 The cedars of Lebanon get plenty of rain - the Lord's own trees, which he planted. 17 There the birds build their nests; the storks nest in the fir trees. 18 The wild goats live in the high mountains, and the rock badgers hide in the cliffs. 19 You created the moon to mark the months; the sun knows the time to set. 20 You made the night, and in the darkness all the wild animals come out. 21 The young lions roar while they hunt, looking for the food that God provides. 22 When the sun rises, they go back and lie down in their dens. 23 Then people go out to do their work and keep working until evening. 24 Lord, you have made so many things! How wisely you made them all! The earth is filled with your creatures. 25 There is the ocean, large and wide, where countless creatures live, large and small alike. 26 The ships sail on it, and in it plays Leviathan, that sea monster which you made. 27 All of them depend on you to give them food when they need it. 28 You give it to them, and they eat it; you provide food, and they are satisfied. 29 When you turn away, they are afraid; when you take away your breath, they die and go back to the dust from which they came. 30 But when you give them breath, they are created; you give new life to the earth. 31 May the glory of the Lord last forever! May the Lord be happy with what he has made! 32 He looks at the earth, and it trembles; he touches the mountains, and they pour out smoke. 33 I will sing to the Lord all my life; as long as I live I will sing praises to my God. 34 May he be pleased with my song, for my gladness comes from him. 35 May sinners be destroyed from the earth; may the wicked be no more. Praise the Lord, my soul! Praise the Lord!
CHAPTER 105
1 Give thanks to the Lord, proclaim his greatness; tell the nations what he has done. 2 Sing praise to the Lord; tell the wonderful things he has done. 3 Be glad that we belong to him; let all who worship him rejoice. 4 Go to the Lord for help; and worship him continually. 5 You descendants of Abraham, his servant; you descendants of Jacob, the man he chose: remember the miracles that God performed and the judgments that he gave. 7 The Lord is our God; his commands are for all the world. 8 He will keep his covenant forever, his promises for a thousand generations. 9 He will keep the agreement he made with Abraham and his promise to Isaac. 10 The Lord made a covenant with Jacob, one that will last forever. 11 "I will give you the land of Canaan," he said. "It will be your own possession." 12 God's people were few in number, strangers in the land of Canaan. 13 They wandered from country to country, from one kingdom to another. 14 But God let no one oppress them; to protect them, he warned the kings: 15 "Don't harm my chosen servants; do not touch my prophets." 16 The Lord sent famine to their country and took away all their food. 17 But he sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who had been sold as a slave. 18 His feet were kept in chains, and an iron collar was around his neck, 19 until what he had predicted came true. The word of the Lord proved him right. 20 Then the king of Egypt had him released; the ruler of nations set him free. 21 He put him in charge of his government and made him ruler over all the land, 22 with power over the king's officials and authority to instruct his advisers. 23 Then Jacob went to Egypt and settled in that country. 24 The Lord gave many children to his people and made them stronger than their enemies. 25 He made the Egyptians hate his people and treat his servants with deceit. 26 Then he sent his servant Moses, and Aaron, whom he had chosen. 27 They did God's mighty acts and performed miracles in Egypt. 28 God sent darkness on the country, but the Egyptians did not obey his command. 29 He turned their rivers into blood and killed all their fish. 30 Their country was overrun with frogs; even the palace was filled with them. 31 God commanded, and flies and gnats swarmed throughout the whole country. 32 He sent hail and lightning on their land instead of rain; 33 he destroyed their grapevines and fig trees and broke down all the trees. 34 He commanded, and the locusts came, countless millions of them; 35 they ate all the plants in the land; they ate all the crops. 36 He killed the first-born sons of all the families of Egypt. 37 Then he led the Israelites out; they carried silver and gold, and all of them were healthy and strong. 38 The Egyptians were afraid of them and were glad when they left. 39 God put a cloud over his people and a fire at night to give them light. 40 They asked, and he sent quails; he gave them food from heaven to satisfy them. 41 He opened a rock, and water gushed out, flowing through the desert like a river. 42 He remembered his sacred promise to Abraham his servant. 43 So he led his chosen people out, and they sang and shouted for joy. 44 He gave them the lands of other peoples and let them take over their fields, 45 so that his people would obey his laws and keep all his commands. Praise the Lord!
CHAPTER 106
1 Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good; his love is eternal. 2 Who can tell all the great things he has done? Who can praise him enough? 3 Happy are those who obey his commands, who always do what is right. 4 Remember me, Lord, when you help your people; include me when you save them. 5 Let me see the prosperity of your people and share in the happiness of your nation, in the glad pride of those who belong to you. 6 We have sinned as our ancestors did; we have been wicked and evil. 7 Our ancestors in Egypt did not understand God's wonderful acts; they forgot the many times he showed them his love, and they rebelled against the Almighty at the Red Sea. 8 But he saved them, as he had promised, in order to show his great power. 9 He gave a command to the Red Sea, and it dried up; he led his people across on dry land. 10 He saved them from those who hated them; he rescued them from their enemies. 11 But the water drowned their enemies; not one of them was left. 12 Then his people believed his promises and sang praises to him. 13 But they quickly forgot what he had done and acted without waiting for his advice. 14 They were filled with craving in the desert and put God to the test; 15 so he gave them what they asked for, but also sent a terrible disease among them. 16 There in the desert they were jealous of Moses and of Aaron, the Lord's holy servant. 17 Then the earth opened up and swallowed Dathan and buried Abiram and his family; 18 fire came down on their followers and burned up those wicked people. 19 They made a gold bull-calf at Sinai and worshiped that idol; 20 they exchanged the glory of God for the image of an animal that eats grass. 21 They forgot the God who had saved them by his mighty acts in Egypt. 22 What wonderful things he did there! What amazing things at the Red Sea! 23 When God said that he would destroy his people, his chosen servant, Moses, stood up against God and kept his anger from destroying them. 24 Then they rejected the pleasant land, because they did not believe God's promise. 25 They stayed in their tents and grumbled and would not listen to the Lord. 26 So he gave them a solemn warning that he would make them die in the desert 27 and scatter their descendants among the heathen, letting them die in foreign countries. 28 Then at Peor, God's people joined in the worship of Baal and ate sacrifices offered to dead gods. 29 They stirred up the Lord's anger by their actions, and a terrible disease broke out among them. 30 But Phinehas stood up and punished the guilty, and the plague was stopped. 31 This has been remembered in his favor ever since and will be for all time to come. 32 At the springs of Meribah the people made the Lord angry, and Moses was in trouble on their account. 33 They made him so bitter that he spoke without stopping to think. 34 They did not kill the heathen, as the Lord had commanded them to do, 35 but they intermarried with them and adopted their pagan ways. 36 God's people worshiped idols, and this caused their destruction. 37 They offered their own sons and daughters as sacrifices to the idols of Canaan. 38 They killed those innocent children, and the land was defiled by those murders. 39 They made themselves impure by their actions and were unfaithful to God. 40 So the Lord was angry with his people; he was disgusted with them. 41 He abandoned them to the power of the heathen, and their enemies ruled over them. 42 They were oppressed by their enemies and were in complete subjection to them. 43 Many times the Lord rescued his people, but they chose to rebel against him and sank deeper into sin. 44 Yet the Lord heard them when they cried out, and he took notice of their distress. 45 For their sake he remembered his covenant, and because of his great love he relented. 46 He made all their oppressors feel sorry for them. 47 Save us, O Lord our God, and bring us back from among the nations, so that we may be thankful and praise your holy name. 48 Praise the Lord, the God of Israel; praise him now and forever! Let everyone say, "Amen!" Praise the Lord!
CHAPTER 107
1 "Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good; his love is eternal!" 2 Repeat these words in praise to the Lord, all you whom he has saved. He has rescued you from your enemies 3 and has brought you back from foreign countries, from east and west, from north and south. 4 Some wandered in the trackless desert and could not find their way to a city to live in. 5 They were hungry and thirsty and had given up all hope. 6 Then in their trouble they called to the Lord, and he saved them from their distress. 7 He led them by a straight road to a city where they could live. 8 They must thank the Lord for his constant love, for the wonderful things he did for them. 9 He satisfies those who are thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. 10 Some were living in gloom and darkness, prisoners suffering in chains, 11 because they had rebelled against the commands of Almighty God and had rejected his instructions. 12 They were worn out from hard work; they would fall down, and no one would help. 13 Then in their trouble they called to the Lord, and he saved them from their distress. 14 He brought them out of their gloom and darkness and broke their chains in pieces. 15 They must thank the Lord for his constant love, for the wonderful things he did for them. 16 He breaks down doors of bronze and smashes iron bars. 17 Some were fools, suffering because of their sins and because of their evil; 18 they couldn't stand the sight of food and were close to death. 19 Then in their trouble they called to the Lord, and he saved them from their distress. 20 He healed them with his command and saved them from the grave. 21 They must thank the Lord for his constant love, for the wonderful things he did for them. 22 They must thank him with sacrifices, and with songs of joy must tell all that he has done. 23 Some sailed over the ocean in ships, earning their living on the seas. 24 They saw what the Lord can do, his wonderful acts on the seas. 25 He commanded, and a mighty wind began to blow and stirred up the waves. 26 The ships were lifted high in the air and plunged down into the depths. In such danger the sailors lost their courage; 27 they stumbled and staggered like drunks - all their skill was useless. 28 Then in their trouble they called to the Lord, and he saved them from their distress. 29 He calmed the raging storm, and the waves became quiet. 30 They were glad because of the calm, and he brought them safe to the port they wanted. 31 They must thank the Lord for his constant love, for the wonderful things he did for them. 32 They must proclaim his greatness in the assembly of the people and praise him before the council of the leaders. 33 The Lord made rivers dry up completely and stopped springs from flowing. 34 He made rich soil become a salty wasteland because of the wickedness of those who lived there. 35 He changed deserts into pools of water and dry land into flowing springs. 36 He let hungry people settle there, and they built a city to live in. 37 They sowed the fields and planted grapevines and reaped an abundant harvest. 38 He blessed his people, and they had many children; he kept their herds of cattle from decreasing. 39 When God's people were defeated and humiliated by cruel oppression and suffering, 40 he showed contempt for their oppressors and made them wander in trackless deserts. 41 But he rescued the needy from their misery and made their families increase like flocks. 42 The righteous see this and are glad, but all the wicked are put to silence. 43 May those who are wise think about these things; may they consider the Lord's constant love.
CHAPTER 108
1 I have complete confidence, O God! I will sing and praise you! Wake up, my soul! 2 Wake up, my harp and lyre! I will wake up the sun. 3 I will thank you, O Lord, among the nations. I will praise you among the peoples. 4 Your constant love reaches above the heavens; your faithfulness touches the skies. 5 Show your greatness in the sky, O God, and your glory over all the earth. 6 Save us by your might; answer my prayer, so that the people you love may be rescued. 7 From his sanctuary God has said, "In triumph I will divide Shechem and distribute Sukkoth Valley to my people. 8 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh too; Ephraim is my helmet and Judah my royal scepter. 9 But I will use Moab as my washbowl, and I will throw my sandals on Edom, as a sign that I own it. I will shout in triumph over the Philistines." 10 Who, O God, will take me into the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom? 11 Have you really rejected us? Aren't you going to march out with our armies? 12 Help us against the enemy; human help is worthless. 13 With God on our side we will win; he will defeat our enemies.
CHAPTER 109
1 I praise you, God; don't remain silent! 2 Wicked people and liars have attacked me. They tell lies about me, 3 and they say evil things about me, attacking me for no reason. 4 They oppose me, even though I love them and have prayed for them. 5 They pay me back evil for good and hatred for love. 6 Choose some corrupt judge to try my enemy, and let one of his own enemies accuse him. 7 May he be tried and found guilty; may even his prayer be considered a crime! 8 May his life soon be ended; may someone else take his job! 9 May his children become orphans, and his wife a widow! 10 May his children be homeless beggars; may they be driven from the ruins they live in! 11 May his creditors take away all his property, and may strangers get everything he worked for. 12 May no one ever be kind to him or care for the orphans he leaves behind. 13 May all his descendants die, and may his name be forgotten in the next generation. 14 May the Lord remember the evil of his ancestors and never forgive his mother's sins. 15 May the Lord always remember their sins, but may they themselves be completely forgotten! 16 That man never thought of being kind; he persecuted and killed the poor, the needy, and the helpless. 17 He loved to curse - may he be cursed! He hated to give blessings - may no one bless him! 18 He cursed as naturally as he dressed himself; may his own curses soak into his body like water and into his bones like oil! 19 May they cover him like clothes and always be around him like a belt! 20 Lord, punish my enemies in that way - those who say such evil things against me! 21 But my Sovereign Lord, help me as you have promised, and rescue me because of the goodness of your love. 22 I am poor and needy; I am hurt to the depths of my heart. 23 Like an evening shadow I am about to vanish; I am blown away like an insect. 24 My knees are weak from lack of food; I am nothing but skin and bones. 25 When people see me, they laugh at me; they shake their heads in scorn. 26 Help me, O Lord my God; because of your constant love, save me! 27 Make my enemies know that you are the one who saves me. 28 They may curse me, but you will bless me. May my persecutors be defeated, and may I, your servant, be glad. 29 May my enemies be covered with disgrace; may they wear their shame like a robe. 30 I will give loud thanks to the Lord; I will praise him in the assembly of the people, 31 because he defends the poor and saves them from those who condemn them to death.
CHAPTER 110
1 The Lord said to my lord, "Sit here at my right side until I put your enemies under your feet." 2 From Zion the Lord will extend your royal power. "Rule over your enemies," he says. 3 On the day you fight your enemies, your people will volunteer. Like the dew of early morning your young men will come to you on the sacred hills. 4 The Lord made a solemn promise and will not take it back: "You will be a priest forever in the priestly order of Melchizedek." 5 The Lord is at your right side; when he becomes angry, he will defeat kings. 6 He will pass judgment on the nations and fill the battlefield with corpses; he will defeat kings all over the earth. 7 The king will drink from the stream by the road, and strengthened, he will stand victorious.
CHAPTER 111
1 Praise the Lord! With all my heart I will thank the Lord in the assembly of his people. 2 How wonderful are the things the Lord does! All who are delighted with them want to understand them. 3 All he does is full of honor and majesty; his righteousness is eternal. 4 The Lord does not let us forget his wonderful actions; he is kind and merciful. 5 He provides food for those who honor him; he never forgets his covenant. 6 He has shown his power to his people by giving them the lands of foreigners. 7 In all he does he is faithful and just; all his commands are dependable. 8 They last for all time; they were given in truth and righteousness. 9 He set his people free and made an eternal covenant with them. Holy and mighty is he! 10 The way to become wise is to honor the Lord; he gives sound judgment to all who obey his commands. He is to be praised forever.
CHAPTER 112
1 Praise the Lord! Happy is the person who honors the Lord, who takes pleasure in obeying his commands. 2 The good man's children will be powerful in the land; his descendants will be blessed. 3 His family will be wealthy and rich, and he will be prosperous forever. 4 Light shines in the darkness for good people, for those who are merciful, kind, and just. 5 Happy is the person who is generous with his loans, who runs his business honestly. 6 A good person will never fail; he will always be remembered. 7 He is not afraid of receiving bad news; his faith is strong, and he trusts in the Lord. 8 He is not worried or afraid; he is certain to see his enemies defeated. 9 He gives generously to the needy, and his kindness never fails; he will be powerful and respected. 10 The wicked see this and are angry; they glare in hate and disappear; their hopes are gone forever.
CHAPTER 113
1 Praise the Lord! You servants of the Lord, praise his name! 2 May his name be praised, now and forever. 3 From the east to the west praise the name of the Lord! 4 The Lord rules over all nations; his glory is above the heavens. 5 There is no one like the Lord our God. He lives in the heights above, 6 but he bends down to see the heavens and the earth. 7 He raises the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from their misery 8 and makes them companions of princes, the princes of his people. 9 He honors the childless wife in her home; he makes her happy by giving her children. Praise the Lord!
CHAPTER 114
1 When the people of Israel left Egypt, when Jacob's descendants left that foreign land, 2 Judah became the Lord's holy people, Israel became his own possession. 3 The Red Sea looked and ran away; the Jordan River stopped flowing. 4 The mountains skipped like goats; the hills jumped around like lambs. 5 What happened, Sea, to make you run away? And you, O Jordan, why did you stop flowing? 6 You mountains, why did you skip like goats? You hills, why did you jump around like lambs? 7 Tremble, earth, at the Lord's coming, at the presence of the God of Jacob, 8 who changes rocks into pools of water and solid cliffs into flowing springs.
CHAPTER 115
1 To you alone, O Lord, to you alone, and not to us, must glory be given because of your constant love and faithfulness. 2 Why should the nations ask us, "Where is your God?" 3 Our God is in heaven; he does whatever he wishes. 4 Their gods are made of silver and gold, formed by human hands. 5 They have mouths, but cannot speak, and eyes, but cannot see. 6 They have ears, but cannot hear, and noses, but cannot smell. 7 They have hands, but cannot feel, and feet, but cannot walk; they cannot make a sound. 8 May all who made them and who trust in them become like the idols they have made. 9 Trust in the Lord, you people of Israel. He helps you and protects you. 10 Trust in the Lord, you priests of God. He helps you and protects you. 11 Trust in the Lord, all you that worship him. He helps you and protects you. 12 The Lord remembers us and will bless us; he will bless the people of Israel and all the priests of God. 13 He will bless everyone who honors him, the great and the small alike. 14 May the Lord give you children - you and your descendants! 15 May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth! 16 Heaven belongs to the Lord alone, but he gave the earth to us humans. 17 The Lord is not praised by the dead, by any who go down to the land of silence. 18 But we, the living, will give thanks to him now and forever. Praise the Lord!
CHAPTER 116
1 I love the Lord, because he hears me; he listens to my prayers. 2 He listens to me every time I call to him. 3 The danger of death was all around me; the horrors of the grave closed in on me; I was filled with fear and anxiety. 4 Then I called to the Lord, "I beg you, Lord, save me!" 5 The Lord is merciful and good; our God is compassionate. 6 The Lord protects the helpless; when I was in danger, he saved me. 7 Be confident, my heart, because the Lord has been good to me. 8 The Lord saved me from death; he stopped my tears and kept me from defeat. 9 And so I walk in the presence of the Lord in the world of the living. 10 I kept on believing, even when I said, "I am completely crushed," 11 even when I was afraid and said, "No one can be trusted." 12 What can I offer the Lord for all his goodness to me? 13 I will bring a wine offering to the Lord, to thank him for saving me. 14 In the assembly of all his people I will give him what I have promised. 15 How painful it is to the Lord when one of his people dies! 16 I am your servant, Lord; I serve you just as my mother did. You have saved me from death. 17 I will give you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and offer my prayer to you. 18 In the assembly of all your people, in the sanctuary of your Temple in Jerusalem, I will give you what I have promised. Praise the Lord!
CHAPTER 117
1 Praise the Lord, all nations! Praise him, all peoples! 2 His love for us is strong, and his faithfulness is eternal. Praise the Lord!
CHAPTER 118
1 Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good, and his love is eternal. 2 Let the people of Israel say, "His love is eternal." 3 Let the priests of God say, "His love is eternal." 4 Let all who worship him say, "His love is eternal." 5 In my distress I called to the Lord; he answered me and set me free. 6 The Lord is with me, I will not be afraid; what can anyone do to me? 7 It is the Lord who helps me, and I will see my enemies defeated. 8 It is better to trust in the Lord than to depend on people. 9 It is better to trust in the Lord than to depend on human leaders. 10 Many enemies were around me; but I destroyed them by the power of the Lord! 11 They were around me on every side; but I destroyed them by the power of the Lord! 12 They swarmed around me like bees, but they burned out as quickly as a brush fire; by the power of the Lord I destroyed them. 13 I was fiercely attacked and was being defeated, but the Lord helped me. 14 The Lord makes me powerful and strong; he has saved me. 15 Listen to the glad shouts of victory in the tents of God's people: "The Lord's mighty power has done it! 16 His power has brought us victory - his mighty power in battle!" 17 I will not die; instead, I will live and proclaim what the Lord has done. 18 He has punished me severely, but he has not let me die. 19 Open to me the gates of the Temple; I will go in and give thanks to the Lord! 20 This is the gate of the Lord; only the righteous can come in. 21 I praise you, Lord, because you heard me, because you have given me victory. 22 The stone which the builders rejected as worthless turned out to be the most important of all. 23 This was done by the Lord; what a wonderful sight it is! 24 This is the day of the Lord's victory; let us be happy, let us celebrate! 25 Save us, Lord, save us! Give us success, O Lord! 26 May God bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord! From the Temple of the Lord we bless you. 27 The Lord is God; he has been good to us. With branches in your hands, start the festival and march around the altar. 28 You are my God, and I give you thanks; I will proclaim your greatness. 29 Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good, and his love is eternal.
CHAPTER 119
1 Happy are those whose lives are faultless, who live according to the law of the Lord. 2 Happy are those who follow his commands, who obey him with all their heart. 3 They never do wrong; they walk in the Lord's ways. 4 Lord, you have given us your laws and told us to obey them faithfully. 5 How I hope that I shall be faithful in keeping your instructions! 6 If I pay attention to all your commands, then I will not be put to shame. 7 As I learn your righteous judgments, I will praise you with a pure heart. 8 I will obey your laws; never abandon me! 9 How can young people keep their lives pure? By obeying your commands. 10 With all my heart I try to serve you; keep me from disobeying your commandments. 11 I keep your law in my heart, so that I will not sin against you. 12 I praise you, O Lord; teach me your ways. 13 I will repeat aloud all the laws you have given. 14 I delight in following your commands more than in having great wealth. 15 I study your instructions; I examine your teachings. 16 I take pleasure in your laws; your commands I will not forget. 17 Be good to me, your servant, so that I may live and obey your teachings. 18 Open my eyes, so that I may see the wonderful truths in your law. 19 I am here on earth for just a little while; do not hide your commands from me. 20 My heart aches with longing; I want to know your judgments at all times. 21 You reprimand the proud; cursed are those who disobey your commands. 22 Free me from their insults and scorn, because I have kept your laws. 23 The rulers meet and plot against me, but I will study your teachings. 24 Your instructions give me pleasure; they are my advisers. 25 I lie defeated in the dust; revive me, as you have promised. 26 I confessed all I have done, and you answered me; teach me your ways. 27 Help me to understand your laws, and I will meditate on your wonderful teachings. 28 I am overcome by sorrow; strengthen me, as you have promised. 29 Keep me from going the wrong way, and in your goodness teach me your law. 30 I have chosen to be obedient; I have paid attention to your judgments. 31 I have followed your instructions, Lord; don't let me be put to shame. 32 I will eagerly obey your commands, because you will give me more understanding. 33 Teach me, Lord, the meaning of your laws, and I will obey them at all times. 34 Explain your law to me, and I will obey it; I will keep it with all my heart. 35 Keep me obedient to your commandments, because in them I find happiness. 36 Give me the desire to obey your laws rather than to get rich. 37 Keep me from paying attention to what is worthless; be good to me, as you have promised. 38 Keep your promise to me, your servant - the promise you make to those who obey you. 39 Save me from the insults I fear; how wonderful are your judgments! 40 I want to obey your commands; give me new life, for you are righteous. 41 Show me how much you love me, Lord, and save me according to your promise. 42 Then I can answer those who insult me because I trust in your word. 43 Enable me to speak the truth at all times, because my hope is in your judgments. 44 I will always obey your law, forever and ever. 45 I will live in perfect freedom, because I try to obey your teachings. 46 I will announce your commands to kings and I will not be ashamed. 47 I find pleasure in obeying your commands, because I love them. 48 I respect and love your commandments; I will meditate on your instructions. 49 Remember your promise to me, your servant; it has given me hope. 50 Even in my suffering I was comforted because your promise gave me life. 51 The proud are always scornful of me, but I have not departed from your law. 52 I remember your judgments of long ago, and they bring me comfort, O Lord. 53 When I see the wicked breaking your law, I am filled with anger. 54 During my brief earthly life I compose songs about your commands. 55 In the night I remember you, Lord, and I think about your law. 56 I find my happiness in obeying your commands. 57 You are all I want, O Lord; I promise to obey your laws. 58 I ask you with all my heart to have mercy on me, as you have promised! 59 I have considered my conduct, and I promise to follow your instructions. 60 Without delay I hurry to obey your commands. 61 The wicked have laid a trap for me, but I do not forget your law. 62 In the middle of the night I wake up to praise you for your righteous judgments. 63 I am a friend of all who serve you, of all who obey your laws. 64 Lord, the earth is full of your constant love; teach me your commandments. 65 You have kept your promise, Lord, and you are good to me, your servant. 66 Give me wisdom and knowledge, because I trust in your commands. 67 Before you punished me, I used to go wrong, but now I obey your word. 68 How good you are - how kind! Teach me your commands. 69 The proud have told lies about me, but with all my heart I obey your instructions. 70 They have no understanding, but I find pleasure in your law. 71 My punishment was good for me, because it made me learn your commands. 72 The law that you gave means more to me than all the money in the world. 73 You created me, and you keep me safe; give me understanding, so that I may learn your laws. 74 Those who honor you will be glad when they see me, because I trust in your promise. 75 I know that your judgments are righteous, Lord, and that you punished me because you are faithful. 76 Let your constant love comfort me, as you have promised me, your servant. 77 Have mercy on me, and I will live because I take pleasure in your law. 78 May the proud be ashamed for falsely accusing me; as for me, I will meditate on your instructions. 79 May those who honor you come to me - all those who know your commands. 80 May I perfectly obey your commandments and be spared the shame of defeat. 81 I am worn out, Lord, waiting for you to save me; I place my trust in your word. 82 My eyes are tired from watching for what you promised, while I ask, "When will you help me?" 83 I am as useless as a discarded wineskin; yet I have not forgotten your commands. 84 How much longer must I wait? When will you punish those who persecute me? 85 The proud, who do not obey your law, have dug pits to trap me. 86 Your commandments are all trustworthy; people persecute me with lies - help me! 87 They have almost succeeded in killing me, but I have not neglected your commands. 88 Because of your constant love be good to me, so that I may obey your laws. 89 Your word, O Lord, will last forever; it is eternal in heaven. 90 Your faithfulness endures through all the ages; you have set the earth in place, and it remains. 91 All things remain to this day because of your command, because they are all your servants. 92 If your law had not been the source of my joy, I would have died from my sufferings. 93 I will never neglect your instructions, because by them you have kept me alive. 94 I am yours - save me! I have tried to obey your commands. 95 The wicked are waiting to kill me, but I will meditate on your laws. 96 I have learned that everything has limits; but your commandment is perfect. 97 How I love your law! I think about it all day long. 98 Your commandment is with me all the time and makes me wiser than my enemies. 99 I understand more than all my teachers, because I meditate on your instructions. 100 I have greater wisdom than those who are old, because I obey your commands. 101 I have avoided all evil conduct, because I want to obey your word. 102 I have not neglected your instructions, because you yourself are my teacher. 103 How sweet is the taste of your instructions - sweeter even than honey! 104 I gain wisdom from your laws, and so I hate all bad conduct. 105 Your word is a lamp to guide me and a light for my path. 106 I will keep my solemn promise to obey your just instructions. 107 My sufferings, Lord, are terrible indeed; keep me alive, as you have promised. 108 Accept my prayer of thanks, O Lord, and teach me your commands. 109 I am always ready to risk my life; I have not forgotten your law. 110 The wicked lay a trap for me, but I have not disobeyed your commands. 111 Your commandments are my eternal possession; they are the joy of my heart. 112 I have decided to obey your laws until the day I die. 113 I hate those who are not completely loyal to you, but I love your law. 114 You are my defender and protector; I put my hope in your promise. 115 Go away from me, you sinful people. I will obey the commands of my God. 116 Give me strength, as you promised, and I shall live; don't let me be disappointed in my hope! 117 Hold me, and I will be safe, and I will always pay attention to your commands. 118 You reject everyone who disobeys your laws; their deceitful schemes are useless. 119 You treat all the wicked like rubbish, and so I love your instructions. 120 Because of you I am afraid; I am filled with fear because of your judgments. 121 I have done what is right and good; don't abandon me to my enemies! 122 Promise that you will help your servant; don't let the arrogant oppress me! 123 My eyes are tired from watching for your saving help, for the deliverance you promised. 124 Treat me according to your constant love, and teach me your commands. 125 I am your servant; give me understanding, so that I may know your teachings. 126 Lord, it is time for you to act, because people are disobeying your law. 127 I love your commands more than gold, more than the finest gold. 128 And so I follow all your instructions; I hate all wrong ways. 129 Your teachings are wonderful; I obey them with all my heart. 130 The explanation of your teachings gives light and brings wisdom to the ignorant. 131 In my desire for your commands I pant with open mouth. 132 Turn to me and have mercy on me as you do on all those who love you. 133 As you have promised, keep me from falling; don't let me be overcome by evil. 134 Save me from those who oppress me, so that I may obey your commands. 135 Bless me with your presence and teach me your laws. 136 My tears pour down like a river, because people do not obey your law. 137 You are righteous, Lord, and your laws are just. 138 The rules that you have given are completely fair and right. 139 My anger burns in me like a fire, because my enemies disregard your commands. 140 How certain your promise is! How I love it! 141 I am unimportant and despised, but I do not neglect your teachings. 142 Your righteousness will last forever, and your law is always true. 143 I am filled with trouble and anxiety, but your commandments bring me joy. 144 Your instructions are always just; give me understanding, and I shall live. 145 With all my heart I call to you; answer me, Lord, and I will obey your commands! 146 I call to you; save me, and I will keep your laws. 147 Before sunrise I call to you for help; I place my hope in your promise. 148 All night long I lie awake, to meditate on your instructions. 149 Because your love is constant, hear me, O Lord; show your mercy, and preserve my life! 150 My cruel persecutors are coming closer, people who never keep your law. 151 But you are near to me, Lord, and all your commands are permanent. 152 Long ago I learned about your instructions; you made them to last forever. 153 Look at my suffering, and save me, because I have not neglected your law. 154 Defend my cause, and set me free; save me, as you have promised. 155 The wicked will not be saved, for they do not obey your laws. 156 But your compassion, Lord, is great; show your mercy and save me! 157 I have many enemies and oppressors, but I do not fail to obey your laws. 158 When I look at those traitors, I am filled with disgust, because they do not keep your commands. 159 See how I love your instructions, Lord. Your love never changes, so save me! 160 The heart of your law is truth, and all your righteous judgments are eternal. 161 Powerful people attack me unjustly, but I respect your law. 162 How happy I am because of your promises - as happy as someone who finds rich treasure. 163 I hate and detest all lies, but I love your law. 164 Seven times each day I thank you for your righteous judgments. 165 Those who love your law have perfect security, and there is nothing that can make them fall. 166 I wait for you to save me, Lord, and I do what you command. 167 I obey your teachings; I love them with all my heart. 168 I obey your commands and your instructions; you see everything I do. 169 Let my cry for help reach you, Lord! Give me understanding, as you have promised. 170 Listen to my prayer, and save me according to your promise! 171 I will always praise you, because you teach me your laws. 172 I will sing about your law, because your commands are just. 173 Always be ready to help me, because I follow your commands. 174 How I long for your saving help, O Lord! I find happiness in your law. 175 Give me life, so that I may praise you; may your instructions help me. 176 I wander about like a lost sheep; so come and look for me, your servant, because I have not neglected your laws.
CHAPTER 120
1 When I was in trouble, I called to the Lord, and he answered me. 2 Save me, Lord, from liars and deceivers. 3 You liars, what will God do to you? How will he punish you? 4 With a soldier's sharp arrows, with red-hot coals! 5 Living among you is as bad as living in Meshech or among the people of Kedar. 6 I have lived too long with people who hate peace! 7 When I speak of peace, they are for war.
CHAPTER 121
1 I look to the mountains; where will my help come from? 2 My help will come from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not let you fall; your protector is always awake. 4 The protector of Israel never dozes or sleeps. 5 The Lord will guard you; he is by your side to protect you. 6 The sun will not hurt you during the day, nor the moon during the night. 7 The Lord will protect you from all danger; he will keep you safe. 8 He will protect you as you come and go now and forever.
CHAPTER 122
1 I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the Lord's house." 2 And now we are here, standing inside the gates of Jerusalem! 3 Jerusalem is a city restored in beautiful order and harmony. 4 This is where the tribes come, the tribes of Israel, to give thanks to the Lord according to his command. 5 Here the kings of Israel sat to judge their people. 6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May those who love you prosper. 7 May there be peace inside your walls and safety in your palaces." 8 For the sake of my relatives and friends I say to Jerusalem, "Peace be with you!" 9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God I pray for your prosperity.
CHAPTER 123
1 Lord, I look up to you, up to heaven, where you rule. 2 As a servant depends on his master, as a maid depends on her mistress, so we will keep looking to you, O Lord our God, until you have mercy on us. 3 Be merciful to us, Lord, be merciful; we have been treated with so much contempt. 4 We have been mocked too long by the rich and scorned by proud oppressors.
CHAPTER 124
1 What if the Lord had not been on our side? Answer, O Israel! 2 "If the Lord had not been on our side when our enemies attacked us, 3 then they would have swallowed us alive in their furious anger against us; 4 then the flood would have carried us away, the water would have covered us, 5 the raging torrent would have drowned us." 6 Let us thank the Lord, who has not let our enemies destroy us. 7 We have escaped like a bird from a hunter's trap; the trap is broken, and we are free! 8 Our help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
CHAPTER 125
1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which can never be shaken, never be moved. 2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, now and forever. 3 The wicked will not always rule over the land of the righteous; if they did, the righteous themselves might do evil. 4 Lord, do good to those who are good, to those who obey your commands. 5 But when you punish the wicked, punish also those who abandon your ways. Peace be with Israel!
CHAPTER 126
1 When the Lord brought us back to Jerusalem, it was like a dream! 2 How we laughed, how we sang for joy! Then the other nations said about us, "The Lord did great things for them." 3 Indeed he did great things for us; how happy we were! 4 Lord, make us prosperous again, just as the rain brings water back to dry riverbeds. 5 Let those who wept as they planted their crops, gather the harvest with joy! 6 Those who wept as they went out carrying the seed will come back singing for joy, as they bring in the harvest.
CHAPTER 127
1 If the Lord does not build the house, the work of the builders is useless; if the Lord does not protect the city, it does no good for the sentries to stand guard. 2 It is useless to work so hard for a living, getting up early and going to bed late. For the Lord provides for those he loves, while they are asleep. 3 Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a real blessing. 4 The sons a man has when he is young are like arrows in a soldier's hand. 5 Happy is the man who has many such arrows. He will never be defeated when he meets his enemies in the place of judgment.
CHAPTER 128
1 Happy are those who obey the Lord, who live by his commands. 2 Your work will provide for your needs; you will be happy and prosperous. 3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine in your home, and your children will be like young olive trees around your table. 4 A man who obeys the Lord will surely be blessed like this. 5 May the Lord bless you from Zion! May you see Jerusalem prosper all the days of your life! 6 May you live to see your grandchildren! Peace be with Israel!
CHAPTER 129
1 Israel, tell us how your enemies have persecuted you ever since you were young. 2 "Ever since I was young, my enemies have persecuted me cruelly, but they have not overcome me. 3 They cut deep wounds in my back and made it like a plowed field. 4 But the Lord, the righteous one, has freed me from slavery." 5 May everyone who hates Zion be defeated and driven back. 6 May they all be like grass growing on the housetops, which dries up before it can grow; 7 no one gathers it up or carries it away in bundles. 8 No one who passes by will say, "May the Lord bless you! We bless you in the name of the Lord."
CHAPTER 130
1 From the depths of my despair I call to you, Lord. 2 Hear my cry, O Lord; listen to my call for help! 3 If you kept a record of our sins, who could escape being condemned? 4 But you forgive us, so that we should stand in awe of you. 5 I wait eagerly for the Lord's help, and in his word I trust. 6 I wait for the Lord more eagerly than sentries wait for the dawn - than sentries wait for the dawn. 7 Israel, trust in the Lord, because his love is constant and he is always willing to save. 8 He will save his people Israel from all their sins.
CHAPTER 131
1 Lord, I have given up my pride and turned away from my arrogance. I am not concerned with great matters or with subjects too difficult for me. 2 Instead, I am content and at peace. As a child lies quietly in its mother's arms, so my heart is quiet within me. 3 Israel, trust in the Lord now and forever!
CHAPTER 132
1 Lord, do not forget David and all the hardships he endured. 2 Remember, Lord, what he promised, the vow he made to you, the Mighty God of Jacob: 3 "I will not go home or go to bed; 4 I will not rest or sleep, 5 until I provide a place for the Lord, a home for the Mighty God of Jacob." 6 In Bethlehem we heard about the Covenant Box, and we found it in the fields of Jearim. 7 We said, "Let us go to the Lord's house; let us worship before his throne." 8 Come to the Temple, Lord, with the Covenant Box, the symbol of your power, and stay here forever. 9 May your priests do always what is right; may your people shout for joy! 10 You made a promise to your servant David; do not reject your chosen king, Lord. 11 You made a solemn promise to David - a promise you will not take back: "I will make one of your sons king, and he will rule after you. 12 If your sons are true to my covenant and to the commands I give them, their sons, also, will succeed you for all time as kings." 13 The Lord has chosen Zion; he wants to make it his home: 14 "This is where I will live forever; this is where I want to rule. 15 I will richly provide Zion with all she needs; I will satisfy her poor with food. 16 I will bless her priests in all they do, and her people will sing and shout for joy. 17 Here I will make one of David's descendants a great king; here I will preserve the rule of my chosen king. 18 I will cover his enemies with shame, but his kingdom will prosper and flourish."
CHAPTER 133
1 How wonderful it is, how pleasant, for God's people to live together in harmony! 2 It is like the precious anointing oil running down from Aaron's head and beard, down to the collar of his robes. 3 It is like the dew on Mount Hermon, falling on the hills of Zion. That is where the Lord has promised his blessing - life that never ends.
CHAPTER 134
1 Come, praise the Lord, all his servants, all who serve in his Temple at night. 2 Raise your hands in prayer in the Temple, and praise the Lord! 3 May the Lord, who made heaven and earth, bless you from Zion!
CHAPTER 135
1 Praise the Lord! Praise his name, you servants of the Lord, 2 who stand in the Lord's house, in the Temple of our God. 3 Praise the Lord, because he is good; sing praises to his name, because he is kind. 4 He chose Jacob for himself, the people of Israel for his own. 5 I know that our Lord is great, greater than all the gods. 6 He does whatever he wishes in heaven and on earth, in the seas and in the depths below. 7 He brings storm clouds from the ends of the earth; he makes lightning for the storms, and he brings out the wind from his storeroom. 8 In Egypt he killed all the first-born of people and animals alike. 9 There he performed miracles and wonders to punish the king and all his officials. 10 He destroyed many nations and killed powerful kings: 11 Sihon, king of the Amorites, Og, king of Bashan, and all the kings in Canaan. 12 He gave their lands to his people; he gave them to Israel. 13 Lord, you will always be proclaimed as God; all generations will remember you. 14 The Lord will defend his people; he will take pity on his servants. 15 The gods of the nations are made of silver and gold; they are formed by human hands. 16 They have mouths, but cannot speak, and eyes, but cannot see. 17 They have ears, but cannot hear; they are not even able to breathe. 18 May all who made them and who trust in them become like the idols they have made! 19 Praise the Lord, people of Israel; praise him, you priests of God! 20 Praise the Lord, you Levites; praise him, all you that worship him! 21 Praise the Lord in Zion, in Jerusalem, his home. Praise the Lord!
CHAPTER 136
1 Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good; his love is eternal. 2 Give thanks to the greatest of all gods; his love is eternal. 3 Give thanks to the mightiest of all lords; his love is eternal. 4 He alone performs great miracles; his love is eternal. 5 By his wisdom he made the heavens; his love is eternal; 6 he built the earth on the deep waters; his love is eternal. 7 He made the sun and the moon; his love is eternal; 8 the sun to rule over the day; his love is eternal; 9 the moon and the stars to rule over the night; his love is eternal. 10 He killed the first-born sons of the Egyptians; his love is eternal. 11 He led the people of Israel out of Egypt; his love is eternal; 12 with his strong hand, his powerful arm; his love is eternal. 13 He divided the Red Sea; his love is eternal; 14 he led his people through it; his love is eternal; 15 but he drowned the king of Egypt and his army; his love is eternal. 16 He led his people through the desert; his love is eternal. 17 He killed powerful kings; his love is eternal; 18 he killed famous kings; his love is eternal; 19 Sihon, king of the Amorites; his love is eternal; 20 and Og, king of Bashan; his love is eternal. 21 He gave their lands to his people; his love is eternal; 22 he gave them to Israel, his servant; his love is eternal. 23 He did not forget us when we were defeated; his love is eternal; 24 he freed us from our enemies; his love is eternal. 25 He gives food to every living creature; his love is eternal. 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven; his love is eternal.
CHAPTER 137
1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat down; there we wept when we remembered Zion. 2 On the willows near by we hung up our harps. 3 Those who captured us told us to sing; they told us to entertain them: "Sing us a song about Zion." 4 How can we sing a song to the Lord in a foreign land? 5 May I never be able to play the harp again if I forget you, Jerusalem! 6 May I never be able to sing again if I do not remember you, if I do not think of you as my greatest joy! 7 Remember, Lord, what the Edomites did the day Jerusalem was captured. Remember how they kept saying, "Tear it down to the ground!" 8 Babylon, you will be destroyed. Happy are those who pay you back for what you have done to us - 9 who take your babies and smash them against a rock.
CHAPTER 138
1 I thank you, Lord, with all my heart; I sing praise to you before the gods. 2 I face your holy Temple, bow down, and praise your name because of your constant love and faithfulness, because you have shown that your name and your commands are supreme. 3 You answered me when I called to you; with your strength you strengthened me. 4 All the kings in the world will praise you, Lord, because they have heard your promises. 5 They will sing about what you have done and about your great glory. 6 Even though you are so high above, you care for the lowly, and the proud cannot hide from you. 7 When I am surrounded by troubles, you keep me safe. You oppose my angry enemies and save me by your power. 8 You will do everything you have promised; Lord, your love is eternal. Complete the work that you have begun.
CHAPTER 139
1 Lord, you have examined me and you know me. 2 You know everything I do; from far away you understand all my thoughts. 3 You see me, whether I am working or resting; you know all my actions. 4 Even before I speak, you already know what I will say. 5 You are all around me on every side; you protect me with your power. 6 Your knowledge of me is too deep; it is beyond my understanding. 7 Where could I go to escape from you? Where could I get away from your presence? 8 If I went up to heaven, you would be there; if I lay down in the world of the dead, you would be there. 9 If I flew away beyond the east or lived in the farthest place in the west, 10 you would be there to lead me, you would be there to help me. 11 I could ask the darkness to hide me or the light around me to turn into night, 12 but even darkness is not dark for you, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are the same to you. 13 You created every part of me; you put me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you because you are to be feared; all you do is strange and wonderful. I know it with all my heart. 15 When my bones were being formed, carefully put together in my mother's womb, when I was growing there in secret, you knew that I was there - 16 you saw me before I was born. The days allotted to me had all been recorded in your book, before any of them ever began. 17 O God, how difficult I find your thoughts; how many of them there are! 18 If I counted them, they would be more than the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you. 19 O God, how I wish you would kill the wicked! How I wish violent people would leave me alone! 20 They say wicked things about you; they speak evil things against your name. 21 O Lord, how I hate those who hate you! How I despise those who rebel against you! 22 I hate them with a total hatred; I regard them as my enemies. 23 Examine me, O God, and know my mind; test me, and discover my thoughts. 24 Find out if there is any evil in me and guide me in the everlasting way.
CHAPTER 140
1 Save me, Lord, from evildoers; keep me safe from violent people. 2 They are always plotting evil, always stirring up quarrels. 3 Their tongues are like deadly snakes; their words are like a cobra's poison. 4 Protect me, Lord, from the power of the wicked; keep me safe from violent people who plot my downfall. 5 The proud have set a trap for me; they have laid their snares, and along the path they have set traps to catch me. 6 I say to the Lord, "You are my God." Hear my cry for help, Lord! 7 My Sovereign Lord, my strong defender, you have protected me in battle. 8 Lord, don't give the wicked what they want; don't let their plots succeed. 9 Don't let my enemies be victorious; make their threats against me fall back on them. 10 May red-hot coals fall on them; may they be thrown into a pit and never get out. 11 May those who accuse others falsely not succeed; may evil overtake violent people and destroy them. 12 Lord, I know that you defend the cause of the poor and the rights of the needy. 13 The righteous will praise you indeed; they will live in your presence.
CHAPTER 141
1 I call to you, Lord; help me now! Listen to me when I call to you. 2 Receive my prayer as incense, my uplifted hands as an evening sacrifice. 3 Lord, place a guard at my mouth, a sentry at the door of my lips. 4 Keep me from wanting to do wrong and from joining evil people in their wickedness. May I never take part in their feasts. 5 Good people may punish me and rebuke me in kindness, but I will never accept honor from evil people, because I am always praying against their evil deeds. 6 When their rulers are thrown down from rocky cliffs, the people will admit that my words were true. 7 Like wood that is split and chopped into bits, so their bones are scattered at the edge of the grave. 8 But I keep trusting in you, my Sovereign Lord. I seek your protection; don't let me die! 9 Protect me from the traps they have set for me, from the snares of those evildoers. 10 May the wicked fall into their own traps while I go by unharmed.
CHAPTER 142
1 I call to the Lord for help; I plead with him. 2 I bring him all my complaints; I tell him all my troubles. 3 When I am ready to give up, he knows what I should do. In the path where I walk, my enemies have hidden a trap for me. 4 When I look beside me, I see that there is no one to help me, no one to protect me. No one cares for me. 5 Lord, I cry to you for help; you, Lord, are my protector; you are all I want in this life. 6 Listen to my cry for help, for I am sunk in despair. Save me from my enemies; they are too strong for me. 7 Set me free from my distress; then in the assembly of your people I will praise you because of your goodness to me.
CHAPTER 143
1 Lord, hear my prayer! In your righteousness listen to my plea; answer me in your faithfulness! 2 Don't put me, your servant, on trial; no one is innocent in your sight. 3 My enemies have hunted me down and completely defeated me. They have put me in a dark prison, and I am like those who died long ago. 4 So I am ready to give up; I am in deep despair. 5 I remember the days gone by; I think about all that you have done, I bring to mind all your deeds. 6 I lift up my hands to you in prayer; like dry ground my soul is thirsty for you. 7 Answer me now, Lord! I have lost all hope. Don't hide yourself from me, or I will be among those who go down to the world of the dead. 8 Remind me each morning of your constant love, for I put my trust in you. My prayers go up to you; show me the way I should go. 9 I go to you for protection, Lord; rescue me from my enemies. 10 You are my God; teach me to do your will. Be good to me, and guide me on a safe path. 11 Rescue me, Lord, as you have promised; in your goodness save me from my troubles! 12 Because of your love for me, kill my enemies and destroy all my oppressors, for I am your servant.
CHAPTER 144
1 Praise the Lord, my protector! He trains me for battle and prepares me for war. 2 He is my protector and defender, my shelter and savior, in whom I trust for safety. He subdues the nations under me. 3 Lord, what are mortals, that you notice them; mere mortals, that you pay attention to us? 4 We are like a puff of wind; our days are like a passing shadow. 5 O Lord, tear the sky open and come down; touch the mountains, and they will pour out smoke. 6 Send flashes of lightning and scatter your enemies; shoot your arrows and send them running. 7 Reach down from above, pull me out of the deep water, and rescue me; save me from the power of foreigners, 8 who never tell the truth and lie even under oath. 9 I will sing you a new song, O God; I will play the harp and sing to you. 10 You give victory to kings and rescue your servant David. 11 Save me from my cruel enemies; rescue me from the power of foreigners, who never tell the truth and lie even under oath. 12 May our sons in their youth be like plants that grow up strong. May our daughters be like stately columns which adorn the corners of a palace. 13 May our barns be filled with crops of every kind. May the sheep in our fields bear young by the tens of thousands. 14 May our cattle reproduce plentifully without miscarriage or loss. May there be no cries of distress in our streets. 15 Happy is the nation of whom this is true; happy are the people whose God is the Lord!
CHAPTER 145
1 I will proclaim your greatness, my God and king; I will thank you forever and ever. 2 Every day I will thank you; I will praise you forever and ever. 3 The Lord is great and is to be highly praised; his greatness is beyond understanding. 4 What you have done will be praised from one generation to the next; they will proclaim your mighty acts. 5 They will speak of your glory and majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful deeds. 6 People will speak of your mighty deeds, and I will proclaim your greatness. 7 They will tell about all your goodness and sing about your kindness. 8 The Lord is loving and merciful, slow to become angry and full of constant love. 9 He is good to everyone and has compassion on all he made. 10 All your creatures, Lord, will praise you, and all your people will give you thanks. 11 They will speak of the glory of your royal power and tell of your might, 12 so that everyone will know your mighty deeds and the glorious majesty of your kingdom. 13 Your rule is eternal, and you are king forever. The Lord is faithful to his promises; he is merciful in all his acts. 14 He helps those who are in trouble; he lifts those who have fallen. 15 All living things look hopefully to you, and you give them food when they need it. 16 You give them enough and satisfy the needs of all. 17 The Lord is righteous in all he does, merciful in all his acts. 18 He is near to those who call to him, who call to him with sincerity. 19 He supplies the needs of those who honor him; he hears their cries and saves them. 20 He protects everyone who loves him, but he will destroy the wicked. 21 I will always praise the Lord; let all his creatures praise his holy name forever.
CHAPTER 146
1 Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, my soul! 2 I will praise him as long as I live; I will sing to my God all my life. 3 Don't put your trust in human leaders; no human being can save you. 4 When they die, they return to the dust; on that day all their plans come to an end. 5 Happy are those who have the God of Jacob to help them and who depend on the Lord their God, 6 the Creator of heaven, earth, and sea, and all that is in them. He always keeps his promises; 7 he judges in favor of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free 8 and gives sight to the blind. He lifts those who have fallen; he loves his righteous people. 9 He protects the strangers who live in our land; he helps widows and orphans, but takes the wicked to their ruin. 10 The Lord is king forever. Your God, O Zion, will reign for all time. Praise the Lord!
CHAPTER 147
1 Praise the Lord! It is good to sing praise to our God; it is pleasant and right to praise him. 2 The Lord is restoring Jerusalem; he is bringing back the exiles. 3 He heals the broken-hearted and bandages their wounds. 4 He has decided the number of the stars and calls each one by name. 5 Great and mighty is our Lord; his wisdom cannot be measured. 6 He raises the humble, but crushes the wicked to the ground. 7 Sing hymns of praise to the Lord; play music on the harp to our God. 8 He spreads clouds over the sky; he provides rain for the earth and makes grass grow on the hills. 9 He gives animals their food and feeds the young ravens when they call. 10 His pleasure is not in strong horses, nor his delight in brave soldiers; 11 but he takes pleasure in those who honor him, in those who trust in his constant love. 12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion! 13 He keeps your gates strong; he blesses your people. 14 He keeps your borders safe and satisfies you with the finest wheat. 15 He gives a command to the earth, and what he says is quickly done. 16 He spreads snow like a blanket and scatters frost like dust. 17 He sends hail like gravel; no one can endure the cold he sends! 18 Then he gives a command, and the ice melts; he sends the wind, and the water flows. 19 He gives his message to his people, his instructions and laws to Israel. 20 He has not done this for other nations; they do not know his laws. Praise the Lord!
CHAPTER 148
1 Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from heaven, you that live in the heights above. 2 Praise him, all his angels, all his heavenly armies. 3 Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, shining stars. 4 Praise him, highest heavens, and the waters above the sky. 5 Let them all praise the name of the Lord! He commanded, and they were created; 6 by his command they were fixed in their places forever, and they cannot disobey. 7 Praise the Lord from the earth, sea monsters and all ocean depths; 8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds, strong winds that obey his command. 9 Praise him, hills and mountains, fruit trees and forests; 10 all animals, tame and wild, reptiles and birds. 11 Praise him, kings and all peoples, princes and all other rulers; 12 young women and young men, old people and children too. 13 Let them all praise the name of the Lord! His name is greater than all others; his glory is above earth and heaven. 14 He made his nation strong, so that all his people praise him - the people of Israel, so dear to him. Praise the Lord!
CHAPTER 149
1 Praise the Lord! Sing a new song to the Lord; praise him in the assembly of his faithful people! 2 Be glad, Israel, because of your Creator; rejoice, people of Zion, because of your king! 3 Praise his name with dancing; play drums and harps in praise of him. 4 The Lord takes pleasure in his people; he honors the humble with victory. 5 Let God's people rejoice in their triumph and sing joyfully all night long. 6 Let them shout aloud as they praise God, with their sharp swords in their hands 7 to defeat the nations and to punish the peoples; 8 to bind their kings in chains, their leaders in chains of iron; 9 to punish the nations as God has commanded. This is the victory of God's people. Praise the Lord!
CHAPTER 150
1 Praise the Lord! Praise God in his Temple! Praise his strength in heaven! 2 Praise him for the mighty things he has done. Praise his supreme greatness. 3 Praise him with trumpets. Praise him with harps and lyres. 4 Praise him with drums and dancing. Praise him with harps and flutes. 5 Praise him with cymbals. Praise him with loud cymbals. 6 Praise the Lord, all living creatures! Praise the Lord!