Psalms 66

1 For the Chief Musician. A song. A Psalm. Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth!

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

2 Sing to the glory of his name! Offer glory and praise!

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

3 Tell God, “How awesome are your deeds! Through the greatness of your power, your enemies submit themselves to you.

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.

4 All the earth will worship you, and will sing to you; they will sing to your name.” (Selah)

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

5 Come, and see God’s deeds— awesome work on behalf of the children of men.

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

6 He turned the sea into dry land. They went through the river on foot. There, we rejoiced in him.

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

7 He rules by his might forever. His eyes watch the nations. Don’t let the rebellious rise up against him. (Selah)

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

8 Praise our God, you peoples! Make the sound of his praise heard,

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

9 who preserves our life among the living, and doesn’t allow our feet to be moved.

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

10 For you, God, have tested us. You have refined us, as silver is refined.

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

11 You brought us into prison. You laid a burden on our backs.

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

12 You allowed men to ride over our heads. We went through fire and through water, but you brought us to the place of abundance.

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

13 I will come into your temple with burnt offerings. I will pay my vows to you,

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

14 which my lips promised, and my mouth spoke, when I was in distress.

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

15 I will offer to you burnt offerings of fat animals, with the offering of rams, I will offer bulls with goats. (Selah)

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

16 Come and hear, all you who fear God. I will declare what he has done for my soul.

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.

17 I cried to him with my mouth. He was extolled with my tongue.

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

18 If I cherished sin in my heart, the Lord wouldn’t have listened.

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

19 But most certainly, God has listened. He has heard the voice of my prayer.

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

20 Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer, nor his loving kindness from me.

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