Praise for God's Mighty Deeds

661 Shout ye to God, all the earth. 2 Praise ye the honour of His name, Make ye honourable His praise. 3 Say to God, 'How fearful 'are' Thy works, By the abundance of Thy strength, Thine enemies feign obedience to Thee. 4 All the earth do bow to Thee, They sing praise to Thee, they praise Thy name.' Selah. 5 Come ye, and see the works of God, Fearful acts toward the sons of men. 6 He hath turned a sea to dry land, Through a river they pass over on foot, There do we rejoice in Him. 7 Ruling by His might to the age, His eyes among the nations do watch, The refractory exalt not themselves. Selah.

8 Bless, ye peoples, our God, And sound the voice of His praise, 9 Who hath placed our soul in life, And suffered not our feet to be moved. 10 For Thou hast tried us, O God, Thou hast refined us as the refining of silver. 11 Thou hast brought us into a net, Thou hast placed pressure on our loins. 12 Thou hast caused man to ride at our head. We have entered into fire and into water, And Thou bringest us out to a watered place.

13 I enter Thy house with burnt-offerings, I complete to Thee my vows, 14 For opened were my lips, And my mouth spake in my distress: 15 'Burnt-offerings of fatlings I offer to Thee, With perfume of rams, I prepare a bullock with he-goats.' Selah. 16 Come, hear, all ye who fear God, And I recount what he did for my soul. 17 Unto Him 'with' my mouth I have called, And exaltation 'is' under my tongue. 18 Iniquity, if I have seen in my heart, The Lord doth not hear. 19 But God hath heard, He hath attended to the voice of my prayer. 20 Blessed 'is' God, Who hath not turned aside my prayer, And His loving-kindness, from me!

The Nations Exhorted to Praise God

671 God doth favour us and bless us, Doth cause His face to shine with us. Selah. 2 For the knowledge in earth of Thy way, among all nations of Thy salvation. 3 Praise Thee do peoples, O God, Praise Thee do peoples, all of them. 4 Rejoice and sing do nations, For Thou judgest peoples uprightly, And peoples on earth comfortest. Selah. 5 Confess Thee do peoples, O God, Confess Thee do peoples—all of them. 6 Earth hath given her increase, God doth bless us—our God, 7 God doth bless us, and all ends of earth fear Him!

The God of Sinai and of the Sanctuary

681 Rise doth God—scattered are His enemies! And those hating Him flee from His face. 2 As the driving away of smoke Thou drivest away, As the melting of wax before fire, The wicked perish at the presence of God. 3 And the righteous rejoice, they exult before God, And they joy with gladness. 4 Sing ye to God—praise His name, Raise up a highway for Him who is riding in deserts, In Jah 'is' His name, and exult before Him. 5 Father of the fatherless, and judge of the widows, 'Is' God in His holy habitation. 6 God—causing the lonely to dwell at home, Bringing out bound ones into prosperity, Only—the refractory have inhabited a dry place.

7 O God, in Thy going forth before Thy people, In Thy stepping through the wilderness, Selah. 8 The earth hath shaken, Yea, the heavens have dropped before God, This Sinai—before God, the God of Israel. 9 A shower of free-will gifts thou shakest out, O God. Thine inheritance, when it hath been weary, Thou hast established it. 10 Thy company have dwelt in it, Thou preparest in Thy goodness for the poor, O God. 11 The Lord doth give the saying, The female proclaimers 'are' a numerous host. 12 Kings of hosts flee utterly away, And a female inhabitant of the house apportioneth spoil. 13 Though ye do lie between two boundaries, Wings of a dove covered with silver, And her pinions with yellow gold. 14 When the Mighty spreadeth kings in it, It doth snow in Salmon.

15 A hill of God 'is' the hill of Bashan, A hill of heights 'is' the hill of Bashan. 16 Why do ye envy, O high hills, The hill God hath desired for His seat? Jehovah also doth tabernacle for ever. 17 The chariots of God 'are' myriads, thousands of changes, The Lord 'is' among them, in Sinai, in the sanctuary. 18 Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast taken captive captivity, Thou hast taken gifts for men, That even the refractory may rest, O Jah God. 19 Blessed 'is' the Lord, day by day He layeth on us. God Himself 'is' our salvation. Selah. 20 God Himself 'is' to us a God for deliverances, And Jehovah Lord hath the outgoings of death. 21 Only—God doth smite The head of His enemies, The hairy crown of a habitual walker in his guilt.

22 The Lord said: 'From Bashan I bring back, I bring back from the depths of the sea. 23 So that thou dashest thy foot in blood, 'In the blood of' enemies—the tongue of Thy dogs.' 24 They have seen Thy goings, O God, Goings of my God, my king, in the sanctuary. 25 Singers have been before, Behind 'are' players on instruments, In the midst virgins playing with timbrels. 26 In assemblies bless ye God, The Lord—from the fountain of Israel. 27 There 'is' little Benjamin their ruler, Heads of Judah their defence, Heads of Zebulun—heads of Naphtali. 28 Thy God hath commanded thy strength, Be strong, O God, this Thou hast wrought for us. 29 Because of Thy temple at Jerusalem, To Thee do kings bring a present. 30 Rebuke a beast of the reeds, a company of bulls, With calves of the peoples, Each humbling himself with pieces of silver, Scatter Thou peoples delighting in conflicts. 31 Come do fat ones out of Egypt, Cush causeth her hands to run to God.

32 Kingdoms of the earth, sing ye to God, Praise ye the Lord. Selah. 33 To him who is riding on the heavens of the heavens of old, Lo, He giveth with His voice a strong voice. 34 Ascribe ye strength to God, Over Israel 'is' His excellency, and His strength in the clouds. 35 Fearful, O God, out of Thy sanctuaries, The God of Israel Himself, Giving strength and might to the people. Blessed 'is' God!

A Cry of Distress

691 To the Overseer.—'On the Lilies,' by David. Save me, O God, for come have waters unto the soul. 2 I have sunk in deep mire, And there is no standing, I have come into the depths of the waters, And a flood hath overflown me. 3 I have been wearied with my calling, Burnt hath been my throat, Consumed have been mine eyes, waiting for my God. 4 Those hating me without cause Have been more than the hairs of my head, Mighty have been my destroyers, My lying enemies, That which I took not away—I bring back. 5 O God, Thou—Thou hast known Concerning my overturn, And my desolations from Thee have not been hid. 6 Let not those waiting on Thee be ashamed because of me, O Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, Let not those seeking Thee Blush because of me, O God of Israel. 7 For because of Thee I have borne reproach, Shame hath covered my face. 8 A stranger I have been to my brother, And a foreigner to sons of my mother. 9 For zeal for Thy house hath consumed me, And the reproaches of Thy reproachers Have fallen upon me. 10 And I weep in the fasting of my soul, And it is for a reproach to me. 11 And I make my clothing sackcloth, And I am to them for a simile. 12 Those sitting at the gate meditate concerning me, And those drinking strong drink, Play on instruments.

13 And I—my prayer 'is' to Thee, O Jehovah, A time of good pleasure, O God, In the abundance of Thy kindness, Answer me in the truth of Thy salvation. 14 Deliver me from the mire, and let me not sink, Let me be delivered from those hating me, And from deep places of waters. 15 Let not a flood of waters overflow me, Nor let the deep swallow me up, Nor let the pit shut her mouth upon me. 16 Answer me, O Jehovah, for good 'is' Thy kindness, According to the abundance Of Thy mercies turn Thou unto me, 17 And hide not Thy face from Thy servant, For I am in distress—haste, answer me. 18 Be near unto my soul—redeem it, Because of mine enemies ransom me. 19 Thou—Thou hast known my reproach, And my shame, and my blushing, Before Thee 'are' all mine adversaries. 20 Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am sick, And I look for a bemoaner, and there is none, And for comforters, and I have found none. 21 And they give for my food gall, And for my thirst cause me to drink vinegar.

22 Their table before them is for a snare, And for a recompence—for a trap. 23 Darkened are their eyes from seeing, And their loins continually shake Thou. 24 Pour upon them Thine indignation, And the fierceness of Thine anger doth seize them. 25 Their tower is desolated, In their tents there is no dweller. 26 For they have pursued him Thou hast smitten, And recount of the pain of Thy pierced ones. 27 Give punishment for their iniquity, And they enter not into Thy righteousness. 28 They are blotted out of the book of life, And with the righteous are not written. 29 And I 'am' afflicted and pained, Thy salvation, O God, doth set me on high.

30 I praise the name of God with a song, And I magnify Him with thanksgiving, 31 And it is better to Jehovah than an ox, A bullock—horned—hoofed. 32 The humble have seen—they rejoice, Ye who seek God—and your heart liveth. 33 For Jehovah hearkeneth unto the needy, And His bound ones He hath not despised. 34 The heavens and earth do praise Him, Seas, and every moving thing in them. 35 For God doth save Zion, And doth build the cities of Judah, And they have dwelt there, and possess it. 36 And the seed of His servants inherit it, And those loving His name dwell in it!