^3 (A) They are like trees
    growing beside a stream,
trees that produce
fruit in season
    and always have leaves.
Those people succeed
    in everything they do.

⁴ That isn't true of those
    who are evil—
they are like straw
    blown by the wind.
⁵ Sinners won't have an excuse
    on the day of judgment,
and they won't have a place
    with the people of God.
⁶ The Lord protects everyone
    who follows him,
but the wicked follow a road
    that leads to ruin.

⁴ In heaven the Lord laughs
as he sits on his throne,
    making fun of the nations.
⁵ The Lord becomes furious
    and threatens them.
His anger terrifies them
    as he says,
⁶ “I've put my king on Zion,
    my sacred hill.”

^7 (C) I will tell the promise
    that the Lord made to me:
“You are my son, because today
    I have become your father.
⁸ Ask me for the nations,
and every nation on earth
    will belong to you.
^9 (D) You will smash them
    with an iron rod
and shatter them
    like dishes of clay.”

¹⁰ Be smart, all you rulers,
    and pay close attention.
¹¹ Serve and honor the Lord;
    be glad and tremble.
¹² Show respect to his son
    because if you don't,
the Lord might become furious
    and suddenly destroy you.^[c]
But he blesses and protects
    everyone who runs to him.

² Only those who obey God
    and do as they should.
They speak the truth
³     and don't spread gossip;
they treat others fairly
    and don't say cruel things.

⁴ They hate worthless people,
but show respect for all
    who worship the Lord.
And they keep their promises,
    no matter what the cost.
⁵ They lend their money
    without charging interest,
and they don't take bribes
    to hurt the innocent.

Those who do these things
    will always stand firm.

³ Yet you are the holy God,
ruling from your throne
    and praised by Israel.
^4 (B) Our ancestors trusted you,
    and you rescued them.
⁵ When they cried out for help,
    you saved them,
and you did not let them down
    when they depended on you.

⁶ But I am merely a worm,
    far less than human,
and I am hated and rejected
    by people everywhere.
^7 (C) Everyone who sees me
    makes fun and sneers.
They shake their heads,
^{8     (D)} and say, “Trust the Lord!
If you are his favorite,
let him protect you
    and keep you safe.”

⁹ You, Lord, brought me
    safely through birth,
and you protected me
when I was a baby
    at my mother's breast.
¹⁰ From the day I was born,
    I have been in your care,
and from the time of my birth,
    you have been my God.

¹¹ Don't stay far off
when I am in trouble
    with no one to help me.
¹² Enemies are all around
    like a herd of wild bulls.
Powerful bulls from Bashan^[a]
    are everywhere.
¹³ My enemies are like lions
roaring and attacking
    with jaws open wide.

¹⁴ I have no more strength
    than a few drops of water.
All my bones are out of joint;
    my heart is like melted wax.
¹⁵ My strength has dried up
    like a broken clay pot,
and my tongue sticks
    to the roof of my mouth.
You, God, have left me
    to die in the dirt.

¹⁶ Brutal enemies attack me
    like a pack of dogs,
tearing at^[b] my hands
    and my feet.
¹⁷ I can count all my bones,
and my enemies just stare
    and sneer at me.
^18 (E) They took my clothes
    and gambled for them.

¹⁹ Don't stay far away, Lord!
My strength comes from you,
    so hurry and help.
²⁰ Rescue me from enemy swords
and save me from those dogs.
²¹     Don't let lions eat me.

You rescued me from the horns
    of wild bulls,
^22 (F) and when your people meet,
    I will praise you, Lord.

²³ All who worship the Lord,
    now praise him!
You belong to Jacob's family
and to the people of Israel,
    so fear and honor the Lord!
²⁴ The Lord doesn't hate
or despise the helpless
    in all of their troubles.
When I cried out, he listened
    and did not turn away.

²⁵ When your people meet,
you will fill my heart
    with your praises, Lord,
and everyone will see me
    keep my promises to you.
²⁶ The poor will eat and be full,
and all who worship you
    will be thankful
    and live in hope.

²⁷ Everyone on this earth
    will remember you, Lord.
People all over the world
    will turn and worship you,
²⁸ because you are in control,
    the ruler of all nations.

²⁹ All who are rich
and have more than enough
    will bow down to you, Lord.
Even those who are dying
and almost in the grave
    will come and bow down.
³⁰ In the future, everyone
will worship and learn
    about you, our Lord.
³¹ People not yet born
will be told,
    “The Lord has saved us!”

You are true to your name,
and you lead me
    along the right paths.
⁴ I may walk through valleys
as dark as death,
    but I won't be afraid.
You are with me,
and your shepherd's rod^[c]
    makes me feel safe.

⁵ You treat me to a feast,
    while my enemies watch.
You honor me as your guest,
and you fill my cup
    until it overflows.
⁶ Your kindness and love
will always be with me
    each day of my life,
and I will live forever
    in your house, Lord.

³ Who may climb the Lord's hill^[d]
    or stand in his holy temple?
^4 (I) Only those who do right
    for the right reasons,
and don't worship idols
    or tell lies under oath.
⁵ The Lord God, who saves them,
    will bless and reward them,
⁶ because they worship and serve
    the God of Jacob.^[e]
7 Open the ancient gates,
so that the glorious king
    may come in.

⁸ Who is this glorious king?
He is our Lord, a strong
    and mighty warrior.

⁹ Open the ancient gates,
so that the glorious king
    may come in.

¹⁰ Who is this glorious king?
He is our Lord,
    the All-Powerful!

⁵ God goes up to his throne,
as people shout
    and trumpets blast.
⁶ Sing praises to God our King,
⁷ the ruler of all the earth!
    Praise God with songs.

⁸ God rules the nations
    from his sacred throne.
⁹ Their leaders come together
and are now the people
    of Abraham's God.
All rulers on earth
surrender their weapons,
    and God is greatly praised!

⁴ Our God, you are the one
who rides on the clouds,^[a]
    and we praise you.
Your name is the Lord,
and we celebrate
    as we worship you.

⁵ Our God, from your sacred home
you take care of orphans
    and protect widows.
⁶ You find families
    for those who are lonely.
You set prisoners free
    and let them prosper,^[b]
but all who rebel will live
    in a scorching desert.

⁷ You set your people free,
and you led them
    through the desert.
^8 (A) God of Israel,
the earth trembled,
    and rain poured down.
You alone are the God
    who rules from Mount Sinai.
⁹ When your land was thirsty,
you sent showers
    to refresh it.
¹⁰ Your people settled there,
and you were generous
    to everyone in need.

¹¹ You gave the command, Lord,
and a chorus of women told
    what had happened:
¹² “Kings and their armies
    retreated and ran,
and everything they left
    is now being divided.
¹³ And for those who stayed back
    to guard the sheep,
there are metal doves
with silver-coated wings
    and shiny gold feathers.”

¹⁴ God All-Powerful, you scattered
the kings like snow falling
    on Mount Zalmon.^[c]

¹⁵ Our Lord and our God,
Bashan is a mighty mountain
    covered with peaks.
¹⁶ Why is it jealous of Zion,
the mountain you chose
    as your home forever?

¹⁷ When you, Lord God, appeared
    to your people^[d] at Sinai,
you came with thousands
    of mighty chariots.
^18 (B) When you climbed
    the high mountain,
you took prisoners with you
    and were given gifts.
Your enemies didn't want you
to live there,
    but they gave you gifts.

¹⁹ We praise you, Lord God!
You treat us with kindness
    day after day,
    and you rescue us.
²⁰ You always protect us
    and save us from death.

²¹ Our Lord and our God,
your terrible enemies
    are ready for war,^[e]
but you will crush
    their skulls.
²² You promised to bring them
from Bashan
    and from the deepest sea.
²³ Then we could wash our feet
    in their blood,
and our dogs could chew
    on their bones.

²⁴ We have seen crowds marching
to your place of worship,
    our God and King.
²⁵ Singers come first,
    and then the musicians,
surrounded by young women
    playing tambourines.
²⁶ They come shouting,
“People of Israel,
    praise the Lord God!”
²⁷ The small tribe of Benjamin
    leads the way,
followed by the leaders
    from Judah.
Then come the leaders
    from Zebulun and Naphtali.

²⁸ Our God, show your strength!
    Show us once again.
²⁹ Then kings will bring gifts
to your temple
    in Jerusalem.^[f]

³⁰ Punish that animal
    that lives in the swamp!^[g]
Punish that nation
whose leaders and people
    are like wild bulls.
Make them come crawling
    with gifts of silver.
Scatter those nations
    that enjoy making war.^[h]
31 Force the Egyptians to bring
    gifts of bronze;
make the Ethiopians^[i] hurry
    to offer presents.^[j]

³² Now sing praises to God!
Every kingdom on earth,
    sing to the Lord!
³³ Praise the one who rides
    across the ancient skies;
listen as he speaks
    with a mighty voice.

³⁴ Tell about God's power!
He is honored in Israel,
    and he rules the skies.
³⁵ The God of Israel is fearsome
    in his temple,
and he makes us strong.
    Let's praise our God!