Psalm 66

1  MAKE A joyful noise unto God, all the earth;2  Sing forth the honor and glory of His name; make His praise glorious!3  Say to God, How awesome and fearfully glorious are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power shall Your enemies submit themselves to You [with feigned and reluctant obedience].4  All the earth shall bow down to You and sing [praises] to You; they shall praise Your name in song. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!5  Come and see the works of God; see how [to save His people He smites their foes; He is] terrible in His doings toward the children of men.6  He turned the sea into dry land, they crossed through the river on foot; there did we rejoice in Him.7  He rules by His might forever, His eyes observe and keep watch over the nations; let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!8  Bless our God, O peoples, give Him grateful thanks and make the voice of His praise be heard,9  Who put and kept us among the living, and has not allowed our feet to slip.10  For You, O God, have proved us; You have tried us as silver is tried, refined, and purified.11  You brought us into the net (the prison fortress, the dungeon); You laid a heavy burden upon our loins.12  You caused men to ride over our heads [when we were prostrate]; we went through fire and through water, but You brought us out into a broad, moist place [to abundance and refreshment and the open air].13  I will come into Your house with burnt offerings [of entire consecration]; I will pay You my vows,14  Which my lips uttered and my mouth promised when I was in distress.15  I will offer to You burnt offerings of fat lambs, with rams consumed in sweet-smelling smoke; I will offer bullocks and he-goats. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!16  Come and hear, all you who reverently and worshipfully fear God, and I will declare what He has done for me!17  I cried aloud to Him; He was extolled and high praise was under my tongue.18  If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me; 19  But certainly God has heard me; He has given heed to the voice of my prayer.20  Blessed be God, Who has not rejected my prayer nor removed His mercy and loving-kindness from being [as it always is] with me.

Psalm 66

For the music director; a song, a psalm.

1 Shout out praise to God, all the earth!

2 Sing praises about the majesty of his reputation!
Give him the honor he deserves!

3 Say to God:
“How awesome are your deeds!
Because of your great power your enemies cower in fear before you.

4 All the earth worships you
and sings praises to you!
They sing praises to your name!” (Selah)

5 Come and witness God’s exploits!
His acts on behalf of people are awesome!

6 He turned the sea into dry land;
they passed through the river on foot.
Let us rejoice in him there!

7 He rules by his power forever;
he watches the nations.
Stubborn rebels should not exalt themselves. (Selah)

8 Praise our God, you nations!
Loudly proclaim his praise!

9 He preserves our lives
and does not allow our feet to slip.

10 For you, O God, tested us;
you purified us like refined silver.

11 You led us into a trap;
you caused us to suffer.

12 You allowed men to ride over our heads;
we passed through fire and water,
but you brought us out into a wide open place.

13 I will enter your temple with burnt sacrifices;
I will fulfill the vows I made to you,

14 which my lips uttered
and my mouth spoke when I was in trouble.

15 I will offer up to you fattened animals as burnt sacrifices,
along with the smell of sacrificial rams.
I will offer cattle and goats. (Selah)

16 Come! Listen, all you who are loyal to God!
I will declare what he has done for me.

17 I cried out to him for help
and praised him with my tongue.

18 If I had harbored sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.

19 However, God heard;
he listened to my prayer.

20 God deserves praise,
for he did not reject my prayer
or abandon his love for me!