A Cry in Distress

1021 Hear my prayer, Yahweh!
Let my cry come to you. 2 Don’t hide your face from me in the day of my distress.
Turn your ear to me.
Answer me quickly in the day when I call. 3 For my days consume away like smoke.
My bones are burned as a torch. 4 My heart is blighted like grass, and withered,
for I forget to eat my bread. 5 By reason of the voice of my groaning,
my bones stick to my skin. 6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness.
I have become as an owl of the waste places. 7 I watch, and have become like a sparrow that is alone on the housetop. 8 My enemies reproach me all day.
Those who are mad at me use my name as a curse. 9 For I have eaten ashes like bread,
and mixed my drink with tears, 10 Because of your indignation and your wrath,
for you have taken me up, and thrown me away. 11 My days are like a long shadow.
I have withered like grass.

12 But you, Yahweh, will abide forever;
your renown endures to all generations. 13 You will arise and have mercy on Zion;
for it is time to have pity on her.
Yes, the set time has come. 14 For your servants take pleasure in her stones,
and have pity on her dust. 15 So the nations will fear the name of Yahweh;
all the kings of the earth your glory. 16 For Yahweh has built up Zion.
He has appeared in his glory. 17 He has responded to the prayer of the destitute,
and has not despised their prayer. 18 This will be written for the generation to come.
A people which will be created will praise Yah. 19 For he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary.
From heaven, Yahweh saw the earth; 20 to hear the groans of the prisoner;
to free those who are condemned to death; 21 that men may declare the name of Yahweh in Zion,
and his praise in Jerusalem; 22 when the peoples are gathered together,
the kingdoms, to serve Yahweh.

23 He weakened my strength along the course.
He shortened my days. 24 I said, “My God, don’t take me away in the midst of my days.
Your years are throughout all generations. 25 Of old, you laid the foundation of the earth.
The heavens are the work of your hands. 26 They will perish, but you will endure.
Yes, all of them will wear out like a garment.
You will change them like a cloak, and they will be changed. 27 But you are the same.
Your years will have no end. 28 The children of your servants will continue.
Their seed will be established before you.”

Praise for the LORD's Benefits

1031 Praise Yahweh, my soul!
All that is within me, praise his holy name! 2 Praise Yahweh, my soul,
and don’t forget all his benefits; 3 who forgives all your sins;
who heals all your diseases; 4 who redeems your life from destruction;
who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies; 5 who satisfies your desire with good things,
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

6 Yahweh executes righteous acts,
and justice for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the children of Israel. 8 Yahweh is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness. 9 He will not always accuse;
neither will he stay angry forever. 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
nor repaid us for our iniquities. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us. 13 Like a father has compassion on his children,
so Yahweh has compassion on those who fear him. 14 For he knows how we are made.
He remembers that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass.
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. 16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone.
Its place remembers it no more. 17 But Yahweh’s loving kindness is from everlasting to everlasting with those who fear him,
his righteousness to children’s children; 18 to those who keep his covenant,
to those who remember to obey his precepts.

19 Yahweh has established his throne in the heavens.
His kingdom rules over all. 20 Praise Yahweh, you angels of his,
who are mighty in strength, who fulfill his word,
obeying the voice of his word. 21 Praise Yahweh, all you armies of his,
you servants of his, who do his pleasure. 22 Praise Yahweh, all you works of his,
in all places of his dominion.
Praise Yahweh, my soul!

The LORD's Care for His Creation

1041 Bless Yahweh, my soul.
Yahweh, my God, you are very great.
You are clothed with honor and majesty. 2 He covers himself with light as with a garment.
He stretches out the heavens like a curtain. 3 He lays the beams of his chambers in the waters.
He makes the clouds his chariot.
He walks on the wings of the wind. 4 He makes his messengers [1] winds;
his servants flames of fire. 5 He laid the foundations of the earth,
that it should not be moved forever. 6 You covered it with the deep as with a cloak.
The waters stood above the mountains. 7 At your rebuke they fled.
At the voice of your thunder they hurried away. 8 The mountains rose,
the valleys sank down,
to the place which you had assigned to them. 9 You have set a boundary that they may not pass over;
that they don’t turn again to cover the earth.

10 He sends forth springs into the valleys.
They run among the mountains. 11 They give drink to every animal of the field.
The wild donkeys quench their thirst. 12 The birds of the sky nest by them.
They sing among the branches. 13 He waters the mountains from his chambers.
The earth is filled with the fruit of your works. 14 He causes the grass to grow for the livestock,
and plants for man to cultivate,
that he may bring forth food out of the earth: 15 wine that makes glad the heart of man,
oil to make his face to shine,
and bread that strengthens man’s heart. 16 Yahweh’s trees are well watered,
the cedars of Lebanon, which he has planted; 17 where the birds make their nests.
The stork makes its home in the fir trees. 18 The high mountains are for the wild goats.
The rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.

19 He appointed the moon for seasons.
The sun knows when to set. 20 You make darkness, and it is night,
in which all the animals of the forest prowl. 21 The young lions roar after their prey,
and seek their food from God. 22 The sun rises, and they steal away,
and lay down in their dens. 23 Man goes forth to his work,
to his labor until the evening. 24 Yahweh, how many are your works!
In wisdom have you made them all.
The earth is full of your riches. 25 There is the sea, great and wide,
in which are innumerable living things,
both small and large animals. 26 There the ships go,
and leviathan, whom you formed to play there. 27 These all wait for you,
that you may give them their food in due season. 28 You give to them; they gather.
You open your hand; they are satisfied with good. 29 You hide your face: they are troubled;
you take away their breath: they die, and return to the dust. 30 You send forth your Spirit: they are created.
You renew the face of the ground.

31 Let the glory of Yahweh endure forever.
Let Yahweh rejoice in his works. 32 He looks at the earth, and it trembles.
He touches the mountains, and they smoke. 33 I will sing to Yahweh as long as I live.
I will sing praise to my God while I have any being. 34 Let your meditation be sweet to him.
I will rejoice in Yahweh. 35 Let sinners be consumed out of the earth.
Let the wicked be no more.
Bless Yahweh, my soul.
Praise Yah!