God Is Our Refuge and Strength

461 God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we won’t be afraid, though the earth changes,
though the mountains are shaken into the heart of the seas; 3 though its waters roar and are troubled,
though the mountains tremble with their swelling. Selah. 4 There is a river, the streams of which make the city of God glad,
the holy place of the tents of the Most High. 5 God is in her midst. She shall not be moved.
God will help her at dawn.

6 The nations raged. The kingdoms were moved.
He lifted his voice, and the earth melted. 7 Yahweh of Armies is with us.
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. 8 Come, see Yahweh’s works,
what desolations he has made in the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth.
He breaks the bow, and shatters the spear.
He burns the chariots in the fire. 10 “Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations.
I will be exalted in the earth.” 11 Yahweh of Armies is with us.
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

God Is the King of All the Earth

471 Oh clap your hands, all you nations.
Shout to God with the voice of triumph! 2 For Yahweh Most High is awesome.
He is a great King over all the earth. 3 He subdues nations under us,
and peoples under our feet. 4 He chooses our inheritance for us,
the glory of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.

5 God has gone up with a shout,
Yahweh with the sound of a trumpet. 6 Sing praise to God, sing praises.
Sing praises to our King, sing praises. 7 For God is the King of all the earth.
Sing praises with understanding. 8 God reigns over the nations.
God sits on his holy throne. 9 The princes of the peoples are gathered together,
the people of the God of Abraham.
For the shields of the earth belong to God.
He is greatly exalted!

The Beauty and Glory of Zion

481 Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised,
in the city of our God, in his holy mountain. 2 Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth,
is Mount Zion, on the north sides,
the city of the great King. 3 God has shown himself in her citadels as a refuge. 4 For, behold, the kings assembled themselves,
they passed by together. 5 They saw it, then they were amazed.
They were dismayed.
They hurried away. 6 Trembling took hold of them there,
pain, as of a woman in travail. 7 With the east wind, you break the ships of Tarshish.

8 As we have heard, so we have seen,
in the city of Yahweh of Armies, in the city of our God.
God will establish it forever. Selah. 9 We have thought about your loving kindness, God,
in the midst of your temple. 10 As is your name, God,
so is your praise to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is full of righteousness. 11 Let Mount Zion be glad!
Let the daughters of Judah rejoice,
Because of your judgments. 12 Walk about Zion, and go around her.
Number its towers. 13 Mark well her bulwarks.
Consider her palaces,
that you may tell it to the next generation. 14 For this God is our God forever and ever.
He will be our guide even to death.

The Folly of Trusting in Riches

491 Hear this, all you peoples.
Listen, all you inhabitants of the world, 2 both low and high,
rich and poor together. 3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom.
My heart shall utter understanding. 4 I will incline my ear to a proverb.
I will open my riddle on the harp. 5 Why should I fear in the days of evil,
when iniquity at my heels surrounds me?

6 Those who trust in their wealth,
and boast in the multitude of their riches— 7 none of them can by any means redeem his brother,
nor give God a ransom for him. 8 For the redemption of their life is costly,
no payment is ever enough, 9 That he should live on forever,
that he should not see corruption. 10 For he sees that wise men die;
likewise the fool and the senseless perish,
and leave their wealth to others. 11 Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever,
and their dwelling places to all generations.
They name their lands after themselves. 12 But man, despite his riches, doesn’t endure.
He is like the animals that perish. 13 This is the destiny of those who are foolish,
and of those who approve their sayings. Selah. 14 They are appointed as a flock for Sheol.
Death shall be their shepherd.
The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning.
Their beauty shall decay in Sheol,
far from their mansion.

15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol,
for he will receive me. Selah. 16 Don’t be afraid when a man is made rich,
when the glory of his house is increased. 17 For when he dies he shall carry nothing away.
His glory shall not descend after him. 18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul—
and men praise you when you do well for yourself— 19 he shall go to the generation of his fathers.
They shall never see the light. 20 A man who has riches without understanding,
is like the animals that perish.

God Is the Judge

501 The Mighty One, God, Yahweh, speaks,
and calls the earth from sunrise to sunset. 2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God shines forth. 3 Our God comes, and does not keep silent.
A fire devours before him.
It is very stormy around him. 4 He calls to the heavens above,
to the earth, that he may judge his people: 5 “Gather my saints together to me,
those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” 6 The heavens shall declare his righteousness,
for God himself is judge. Selah.

7 “Hear, my people, and I will speak;
Israel, and I will testify against you.
I am God, your God. 8 I don’t rebuke you for your sacrifices.
Your burnt offerings are continually before me. 9 I have no need for a bull from your stall,
nor male goats from your pens. 10 For every animal of the forest is mine,
and the livestock on a thousand hills. 11 I know all the birds of the mountains.
The wild animals of the field are mine. 12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for the world is mine, and all that is in it. 13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls,
or drink the blood of goats? 14 Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving.
Pay your vows to the Most High. 15 Call on me in the day of trouble.
I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”

16 But to the wicked God says,
“What right do you have to declare my statutes,
that you have taken my covenant on your lips, 17 seeing you hate instruction,
and throw my words behind you? 18 When you saw a thief, you consented with him,
and have participated with adulterers. 19 “You give your mouth to evil.
Your tongue frames deceit. 20 You sit and speak against your brother.
You slander your own mother’s son. 21 You have done these things, and I kept silent.
You thought that the I was just like you.
I will rebuke you, and accuse you in front of your eyes. 22 “Now consider this, you who forget God,
lest I tear you into pieces, and there be none to deliver. 23 Whoever offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies me,
and prepares his way so that I will show God’s salvation to him.”