Psalms 66

1 For the choirmaster. A song. A Psalm. Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth!

To the chief music-maker. A Song. A Psalm. Send up a glad cry to God, all the earth:

2 Sing the glory of His name; make His praise glorious.

Make a song in honour of his name: give praise and glory to him.

3 Say to God, “How awesome are Your deeds! So great is Your power that Your enemies cower before You.

Say to God, How greatly to be feared are your works! because of your great power your haters are forced to put themselves under your feet.

4 All the earth bows down to You; they sing praise to You; they sing praise to Your name.”

Let all the earth give you worship, and make songs to you; let them make songs to your name. (Selah)

5 Come and see the works of God; how awesome are His deeds toward mankind.

Come and see the works of God: he is to be feared in all he does to the children of men.

6 He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the waters on foot; there we rejoiced in Him.

The sea was turned into dry land: they went through the river on foot: there did we have joy in him.

7 He rules forever by His power; His eyes watch the nations. Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves.

He is ruling in power for ever; his eyes are watching the nations: may his haters have no strength against him. (Selah)

8 Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of His praise be heard.

Give blessings to our God, O you peoples, let the voice of his praise be loud;

9 He preserves our lives and keeps our feet from slipping.

Because he gives us life, and has not let our feet be moved.

10 For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us like silver.

For you, O God, have put us to the test: testing us by fire like silver.

11 You led us into the net; You laid burdens on our backs.

You let us be put in prison; chains were put on our legs.

12 You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but You brought us into abundance.

You let men go driving over our heads; we went through fire and through water; but you took us out into a wide place.

13 I will enter Your house with burnt offerings; I will fulfill my vows to You—

I will come into your house with burned offerings, I will make payment of my debt to you,

14 the vows that my lips promised and my mouth spoke in my distress.

Keeping the word which came from my lips, and which my mouth said, when I was in trouble.

15 I will offer You fatlings as burnt offerings, with the fragrant smoke of rams; I will offer bulls and goats.

I will give you burned offerings of fat beasts, and the smoke of sheep; I will make offerings of oxen and goats. (Selah)

16 Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for me.

Come, give ear to me, all you God-fearing men, so that I may make clear to you what he has done for my soul.

17 I cried out to Him with my mouth and praised Him with my tongue.

My voice went up to him, and I was lifted up from the underworld.

18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

I said in my heart, The Lord will not give ear to me:

19 But God has surely heard; He has attended to the sound of my prayer.

But truly God's ear has been open; he has give attention to the voice of my prayer.

20 Blessed be God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld from me His loving devotion!

Praise be to God who has not taken away his good faith and his mercy from me.