Psalms 66

1 To the Chief Musician. A Melodious Song. Make a joyful noise unto God, all the earth;

[Tell] everyone on the earth that they should sing joyfully to praise God!

2 Praise ye in song the glory of his Name, Celebrate the glory of his praise:

They should sing songs that say that God [MTY] is very great, and they should tell everyone that he is very glorious!

3 Say unto God—How fearful in thy doings, Through the abounding of thy power, shall thy foes come cringing unto thee;

They should say to God, “The things that you do are awesome! You are very powerful, with the result that your enemies (cringe/bow down) in front of you.”

4 All the earth, shall bow themselves down to thee, And sing praises unto thee, Shall praise in song thy Name. (Selah)

Everyone on the earth [should] worship God and sing to praise him and honor him [MTY].

5 Come and see the doings of God, —Fearful in deed toward the sons of men:

Come and think about what God has done! Think about the awesome things that he has done.

6 He turned the sea into dry land, Through the stream, crossed they over on foot, There did we rejoice in him:

He caused the [Red] Sea to become dry land, [with the result that our] ancestors were able to walk right through it. There we rejoiced because of what he [had done].

7 Who ruleth, in his might, unto times age abiding, His eyes, over the nations, keep watch, The rebellious, let them not exalt themselves. (Selah)

By his great power he rules forever, and he keeps watching all the nations [to see what things they do], [so] those nations that want to rebel [against him] should not be proud.

8 Bless our God, O ye peoples, And cause to be heard, the sound of his praise; —

You people [of all nations], praise our God! Praise him loudly in order that people will hear you as you praise him.

9 Who hath set our soul among the living, And hath not suffered, our foot, to slip.

He has kept us alive, and he has not allowed us to (stumble/be defeated).

10 For thou didst prove us, O God, Thou didst refine us, according to the refining of silver:

God, you have tested us; you have allowed us to experience great difficulties [to make our lives become pure] as [people] put precious metals in a hot fire [to burn out what is impure] [MET].

11 Thou didst bring us into the hunter’s net, Thou didst lay a load upon our loins;

[It is as if] you allowed us to fall into traps [MET], and you [forced us to endure difficult things which were like] putting heavy loads on our backs [MET].

12 Thou didst let men ride at our head; We went into fire and into water, But thou didst bring us forth into freedom.

You allowed [our] enemies to trample on us; we [experienced difficulties/troubles that were like] [MET] walking through fires and floods, but now you have brought us into a place where we have plenty.

13 I will enter thy house with ascending-sacrifices, I will pay unto thee my vows,

[Yahweh], I will bring to your temple offerings that are to be completely burned [on the altar]; I will offer to you what I promised.

14 Which my lips uttered, And my mouth spake, in my distress.

When I was experiencing [much] trouble, I said that I would bring offerings to you [if you rescued me]; [and you did rescue me, so] I will bring to you what I promised.

15 Ascending-sacrifices of fatlings, will I cause to ascend unto thee, With the perfume of rams, I will offer bulls, with he-goats. (Selah)

I will bring sheep to be burned on the altar, and I will [also] sacrifice bulls and goats, and when they are burning, [you will be pleased when] the smoke [rises up] ([to you/to the sky]).

16 Come! hearken—that I may recount, all ye reverers of God, What he hath done for my soul: —

All you [people] who revere God, come and listen, and I will tell you what he has done for me.

17 Unto him—with my mouth, did I cry, And high praise was under my tongue.

I called out to him to help me, and I praised him while I was speaking to him [MTY].

18 If, iniquity, I had cared for in my heart, My Lord, had not heard me!

If I had ignored the sins that I had committed, the Lord would not have paid any attention to me.

19 But in truth, God hath heard, He hath attended to the voice of my prayer.

But because [I confessed my sins], God has listened to me and he paid attention to my prayers.

20 Blessed be God, Who hath not turned away my prayer, Nor his own lovingkindness from me.

I praise God because he has not ignored my prayers or stopped faithfully loving me.