Psalms 66

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

For the leader. A song. A psalm. Shout to God, all the earth,

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

sing praise to his glorious name, sing his glorious praise.

3 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.

Say to God, “How dread are your works, so great is your might that your enemies cringe to you.

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

All the earth does homage to you, singing praises to you, singing praise to your name.” (Selah)

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

Come and see what God has done, awe-inspiring is he in his works among people.

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

He turns the sea into dry land, and people cross the river on foot. Let us therefore rejoice in him,

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

the mighty Ruler eternal, whose eyes keep watch on the nations, that no rebel lift up his head. (Selah)

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

O bless our God, you peoples; sound aloud his praise,

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

who keeps us in life, and keeps our feet from slipping.

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

For you, God, have tested us, have tried us, as silver is tried.

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

You did bring us into prison, and put chains upon us,

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

you did let people ride over our head. We went through fire and through water, but you led us out to a spacious place.

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

I will enter your house with burnt-offerings, I will pay to you my vows,

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

which my open lips have uttered, arid my mouth has declared in my straits.

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

I will offer you offerings of fatlings, with the odour of burning rams, I will sacrifice bullocks with goats. (Selah)

16 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.

Come and hear my story all who fear God – of what he has done for me.

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

For my mouth had no sooner invoked him than his praise was under my tongue.

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

Had I cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would never have listened.

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

But assuredly God has listened, and attended to my loud prayer.

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

Blessed be God, who turned not aside my prayer, nor withdrew his kindness from me.