Psalms 33

1 Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: [for] praise is comely for the upright.

Shout for joy in the Lord, you righteous: praise for the upright is seemly.

2 Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery [and] an instrument of ten strings.

Give thanks to the Lord on the lyre, play to him on a ten-stringed harp.

3 Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.

Sing to him a new song, play skilfully and shout merrily.

4 For the word of the LORD [is] right; and all his works [are done] in truth.

For the Lord is straight in his promise; and all that he does is in faithfulness.

5 He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.

Justice and right he loves; the earth is full of his kindness.

6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

By his word the heavens were made, all their host by the breath of his mouth.

7 He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses.

He gathers the sea in a bottle, the ocean he puts into store-houses.

8 Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

Let the whole world honour the Lord, let all who live on earth be in awe.

9 For he spake, and it was [done; ] he commanded, and it stood fast.

For at his word it came into being, at his command it stood forth.

10 The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.

The Lord frustrates the designs of the nations, what the peoples have purposed, he brings to nought,

11 The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

but the Lord’s own design will stand forever, and what his heart has purposed, through all generations.

12 Blessed [is] the nation whose God [is] the LORD; [and] the people [whom] he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

Happy the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for himself as his own.

13 The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.

The Lord looks down from heaven, he sees all of humanity;

14 From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.

from where he rules he gazes on all who inhabit the earth.

15 He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works.

He fashions the hearts of them all, and gives heed to all that they do.

16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.

It is not by great armies that kings are victorious, it is not by great strength that a warrior saves himself;

17 An horse [is] a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver [any] by his great strength.

false hope is the war-horse to usher in victory, for all its great might it can provide no escape.

18 Behold, the eye of the LORD [is] upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;

See! The eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his kindness;

19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.

to deliver their life from death, and to keep them alive in famine.

20 Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he [is] our help and our shield.

We wait for the Lord: he is our help and our shield.

21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.

For in him our heart is glad, we trust in his holy name.

22 Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.

Let your kindness, O Lord, be upon us, as is our hope in you.