< Psalms 66 >
1 [Tell] everyone on the earth that they should sing joyfully to praise God!
Unto the end, a canticle of a psalm of the resurrection. Shout with joy to God, all the earth,
2 They should sing songs that say that God [MTY] is very great, and they should tell everyone that he is very glorious!
Sing ye a psalm to his name; give glory to his praise.
3 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.”
Say unto God, How terrible are thy works, O Lord! in the multitude of thy strength thy enemies shall lie to thee.
4 Everyone on the earth [should] worship God and sing to praise him and honor him [MTY].
Let all the earth adore thee, and sing to thee: let it sing a psalm to thy name.
5 Come and think about what God has done! Think about the awesome things that he has done.
Come and see the works of God; who is terrible in his counsels over the sons of men.
6 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].
Who turneth the sea into dry land, in the river they shall pass on foot: there shall we rejoice in him.
7 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.
Who by his power ruleth for ever: his eyes behold the nations; let not them that provoke him he exalted in themselves.
8 You people [of all nations], praise our God! Praise him loudly in order that people will hear you as you praise him.
O bless our God, ye Gentiles: and make the voice of his praise to be heard.
9 He has kept us alive, and he has not allowed us to (stumble/be defeated).
Who hath set my soul to live: and hath not suffered my feet to be moved:
10 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].
For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us by fire, as silver is tried.
11 [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].
Thou hast brought us into a net, thou hast laid afflictions on our back:
12 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.
Thou hast set men over our heads. We have passed through tire and water, and thou hast brought us out into a refreshment.
13 [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.
I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows,
14 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.
Which my lips have uttered, And my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.
15 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]).
I will offer up to thee holocausts full of marrow, with burnt offerings of rams: I will offer to thee bullocks with goats.
16 All you [people] who revere God, come and listen, and I will tell you what he has done for me.
Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what great things he hath done for my soul.
17 I called out to him to help me, and I praised him while I was speaking to him [MTY].
I cried to him with my mouth: and I extolled him with my tongue.
18 If I had ignored the sins that I had committed, the Lord would not have paid any attention to me.
If I have looked at iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.
19 But because [I confessed my sins], God has listened to me and he paid attention to my prayers.
Therefore hath God heard me, and hath attended to the voice of my supplication.
20 I praise God because he has not ignored my prayers or stopped faithfully loving me.
Blessed be God, who hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.