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(A psalm by David for the music leader.)

Celebrate because of the Lord

Listen to my concerns, God,
and protect me
    from my enemies' threats.
Keep me safe from secret plots
    of corrupt and evil gangs.
Their words cut like swords,
and their cruel remarks
    sting like sharp arrows.
They fearlessly ambush
    and shoot innocent people.

They are determined to do evil,
    and they tell themselves,
“Let's set traps!
    No one can see us.”[a]
They make evil plans and say,
“We'll commit a perfect crime.
    No one knows our thoughts.”[b]

But God will shoot his arrows
    and quickly wound them.
They will be destroyed
    by their own words,
and everyone who sees them
    will tremble with fear.[c]
They will be afraid and say,
“Look at what God has done
    and keep it all in mind.”

10 May the Lord bless his people
with peace and happiness
    and let them celebrate.

(A psalm by David and a song for the music leader.)

God Answers Prayer

Our God, you deserve[d] praise
in Zion, where we keep
    our promises to you.
Everyone will come to you
    because you answer prayer.
When our sins get us down,
    you forgive us.
You bless your chosen ones,
    and you invite them
to live near you
    in your temple.
We will enjoy your house,
    the sacred temple.

Our God, you save us,
and your fearsome deeds answer
    our prayers for justice!
You give hope to people
everywhere on earth,
    even those across the sea.
You are strong,
and your mighty power
    put the mountains in place.
You silence the roaring waves
and the noisy shouts
    of the nations.
People far away marvel
    at your fearsome deeds,
and all who live under the sun
celebrate and sing
    because of you.

You take care of the earth
and send rain to help the soil
    grow all kinds of crops.
Your rivers never run dry,
and you prepare the earth
    to produce abundant grain.
10 You water all its fields
    and level the lumpy ground.
You send showers of rain
to soften the soil
    and help the plants sprout.
11 Wherever your footsteps
touch the earth,
    a rich harvest is gathered.
12 Desert pastures blossom,
    and mountains celebrate.
13 Meadows are filled
    with sheep and goats;
valleys overflow with grain
    and echo with joyful songs.

(A song and a psalm for the music leader.)

Shout Praises to God

Tell everyone on this earth
    to shout praises to God!
Sing about his glorious name.
    Honor him with praises.
Say to God, “Everything you do
    is fearsome,
and your mighty power makes
    your enemies come crawling.
You are worshiped by everyone!
    We all sing praises to you.”

Come and see the fearsome things
    our God has done!
(A) When God made the sea dry up,
    our people walked across,
and because of him,
    we celebrated there.
His mighty power rules forever,
    and nothing the nations do
can be hidden from him.
    So don't turn against God.

All of you people,
come praise our God!
    Let his praises be heard.
God protects us from death
    and keeps us steady.

10 Our God, you tested us,
    just as silver is tested.
11 You trapped us in a net
    and gave us heavy burdens.
12 You sent war chariots
    to crush our skulls.
We traveled through fire
    and through floods,
but you brought us
    to a land of plenty.

13 I will bring sacrifices
    into your house, my God,
and I will do what I promised
14     when I was in trouble.
15 I will sacrifice my best sheep
and offer bulls and goats
    on your altar.

16 All who worship God,
    come here and listen;
I will tell you everything
    God has done for me.
17 I prayed to the Lord,
    and I praised him.
18 If my thoughts had been sinful,
he would have refused
    to hear me.
19 But God did listen
    and answered my prayer.
20 Let's praise God!
He listened when I prayed,
    and he is always kind.

Footnotes

  1. 64.5 us: One ancient translation; Hebrew “them.”
  2. 64.6 thoughts: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 6.
  3. 64.8 tremble with fear: Or “turn and run.”
  4. 65.1 deserve: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

Psalm 64[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint;(A)
    protect my life from the threat of the enemy.(B)

Hide me from the conspiracy(C) of the wicked,(D)
    from the plots of evildoers.
They sharpen their tongues like swords(E)
    and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.(F)
They shoot from ambush at the innocent;(G)
    they shoot suddenly, without fear.(H)

They encourage each other in evil plans,
    they talk about hiding their snares;(I)
    they say, “Who will see it[b]?”(J)
They plot injustice and say,
    “We have devised a perfect plan!”
    Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.

But God will shoot them with his arrows;
    they will suddenly be struck down.
He will turn their own tongues against them(K)
    and bring them to ruin;
    all who see them will shake their heads(L) in scorn.(M)
All people will fear;(N)
    they will proclaim the works of God
    and ponder what he has done.(O)

10 The righteous will rejoice in the Lord(P)
    and take refuge in him;(Q)
    all the upright in heart will glory in him!(R)

Psalm 65[c]

For the director of music. A psalm of David. A song.

Praise awaits[d] you, our God, in Zion;(S)
    to you our vows will be fulfilled.(T)
You who answer prayer,
    to you all people will come.(U)
When we were overwhelmed by sins,(V)
    you forgave[e] our transgressions.(W)
Blessed are those you choose(X)
    and bring near(Y) to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,(Z)
    of your holy temple.

You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,(AA)
    God our Savior,(AB)
the hope of all the ends of the earth(AC)
    and of the farthest seas,(AD)
who formed the mountains(AE) by your power,
    having armed yourself with strength,(AF)
who stilled the roaring of the seas,(AG)
    the roaring of their waves,
    and the turmoil of the nations.(AH)
The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
    where morning dawns, where evening fades,
    you call forth songs of joy.(AI)

You care for the land and water it;(AJ)
    you enrich it abundantly.(AK)
The streams of God are filled with water
    to provide the people with grain,(AL)
    for so you have ordained it.[f]
10 You drench its furrows and level its ridges;
    you soften it with showers(AM) and bless its crops.
11 You crown the year with your bounty,(AN)
    and your carts overflow with abundance.(AO)
12 The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;(AP)
    the hills are clothed with gladness.(AQ)
13 The meadows are covered with flocks(AR)
    and the valleys are mantled with grain;(AS)
    they shout for joy and sing.(AT)

Psalm 66

For the director of music. A song. A psalm.

Shout for joy to God, all the earth!(AU)
    Sing the glory of his name;(AV)
    make his praise glorious.(AW)
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!(AX)
    So great is your power
    that your enemies cringe(AY) before you.
All the earth bows down(AZ) to you;
    they sing praise(BA) to you,
    they sing the praises of your name.”[g]

Come and see what God has done,
    his awesome deeds(BB) for mankind!
He turned the sea into dry land,(BC)
    they passed through(BD) the waters on foot—
    come, let us rejoice(BE) in him.
He rules forever(BF) by his power,
    his eyes watch(BG) the nations—
    let not the rebellious(BH) rise up against him.

Praise(BI) our God, all peoples,
    let the sound of his praise be heard;
he has preserved our lives(BJ)
    and kept our feet from slipping.(BK)
10 For you, God, tested(BL) us;
    you refined us like silver.(BM)
11 You brought us into prison(BN)
    and laid burdens(BO) on our backs.
12 You let people ride over our heads;(BP)
    we went through fire and water,
    but you brought us to a place of abundance.(BQ)

13 I will come to your temple with burnt offerings(BR)
    and fulfill my vows(BS) to you—
14 vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke
    when I was in trouble.
15 I will sacrifice fat animals to you
    and an offering of rams;
    I will offer bulls and goats.(BT)

16 Come and hear,(BU) all you who fear God;
    let me tell(BV) you what he has done for me.
17 I cried out to him with my mouth;
    his praise was on my tongue.
18 If I had cherished sin in my heart,
    the Lord would not have listened;(BW)
19 but God has surely listened
    and has heard(BX) my prayer.
20 Praise be to God,
    who has not rejected(BY) my prayer
    or withheld his love from me!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 64:1 In Hebrew texts 64:1-10 is numbered 64:2-11.
  2. Psalm 64:5 Or us
  3. Psalm 65:1 In Hebrew texts 65:1-13 is numbered 65:2-14.
  4. Psalm 65:1 Or befits; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  5. Psalm 65:3 Or made atonement for
  6. Psalm 65:9 Or for that is how you prepare the land
  7. Psalm 66:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 7 and 15.