Psalms 66
1 For the music director. A song. A psalm. Everyone on earth, shout for joy to God!
“To the chief musician, a song or psalm.” Shout joyfully unto God, all ye lands:
2 Sing about his marvelous reputation; praise him for his goodness!
Sing forth the glory of his name; make glorious his praise.
3 Tell God, “What you do is awesome! Your enemies are forced to bow before you because of your power.
Say unto God, How fear-inspiring is every one of thy works! through the greatness of thy strength will thy enemies yield feigned obedience unto thee.
4 Everyone on earth worships you, singing your praises—singing praises because of who you are.” (Selah)
All the lands shall bow themselves down unto thee, and shall sing praises unto thee; they shall sing praises to thy name. (Selah)
5 Come and see what God has done! What he does for people is truly awesome!
Come and see the deeds of God: fear-inspiring is his doing toward the children of men.
6 He turned the Red Sea into dry land, and his people walked across through the waters. We celebrated there because of what he did.
He changed the sea into dry land: through the river they went on foot: there did we rejoice in him.
7 He rules forever through his power. He keeps an eye on the nations, watching to make sure no rebels rise up in opposition. (Selah)
He ruleth by his might for ever; his eyes look upon the nations: the rebellious—these shall not be exalted. (Selah)
8 Let all people everywhere bless our God, and loudly sing praises to him.
Bless, O ye people, our God, and cause the voice of his praise to be heard:
9 He has kept us alive, and he has not let us fall.
Who hath appointed our soul to life, and hath not suffered our foot to slip.
10 God, you have tested us, refining us like silver.
For thou hast proved us, O God: thou hast refined us, as silver is refined.
11 You caught us in your net; you placed heavy burdens on our backs.
Thou hast brought us into the net; thou hast placed fetters upon our loins.
12 You let people ride roughshod over us; we suffered through fire and flooding, but you brought us to a safe place.
Thou hast caused men to ride on our head: we entered into fire and into water; but thou broughtest us out to [the enjoyment] of overflowing plenty. a
13 I will come to your Temple with burnt offerings; I will fulfill my promises to you,
I will enter thy house with burnt-offerings: I will pay unto thee my vows,
14 the promises I made when I was in trouble.
Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in distress.
15 I will sacrifice burnt offerings to you of fattened livestock—the smoke of the sacrifice of rams, offerings of bulls and goats. (Selah)
Burnt-offerings of fatlings will I offer up unto thee, with the incense of rams; I will prepare steers with he-goats. (Selah)
16 Come and listen, everyone who honors God, and I will tell you all he has done for me.
Come, hear, and I will relate, all ye that fear God, what he hath done for my soul.
17 I called out to him, and praised him with my voice.
Unto him I cried with my mouth, and a song of extolling was on my tongue.
18 If my thinking had been sinful, the Lord would not have listened to me.
If I had looked on wickedness with my heart, the Lord would not have heard;
19 But God did hear me! He listened to what I had to say in my prayer!
But verily God hath heard; he hath listened to the voice of my prayer.
20 Praise God, who did not disregard my prayer or take his trustworthy love from me.
Blessed be God, who hath not removed my prayer [from him], nor his kindness from me.
