How good it is to sing praises to our God,
    how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

² The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
    he gathers the exiles of Israel.
³ He heals the brokenhearted
    and binds up their wounds.
⁴ He determines the number of the stars
    and calls them each by name.
⁵ Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
    his understanding has no limit.
⁶ The Lord sustains the humble
    but casts the wicked to the ground.

⁷ Sing to the Lord with grateful praise;
    make music to our God on the harp.

⁸ He covers the sky with clouds;
    he supplies the earth with rain
    and makes grass grow on the hills.
⁹ He provides food for the cattle
    and for the young ravens when they call.

¹⁰ His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
    nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;
¹¹ the Lord delights in those who fear him,
    who put their hope in his unfailing love.

²⁰ He has done this for no other nation;
    they do not know his laws.^[a]

Praise the Lord.

² “Bear with me a little longer and I will show you
    that there is more to be said in God’s behalf.
³ I get my knowledge from afar;
    I will ascribe justice to my Maker.
⁴ Be assured that my words are not false;
    one who has perfect knowledge is with you.

⁵ “God is mighty, but despises no one;
    he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.
⁶ He does not keep the wicked alive
    but gives the afflicted their rights.
⁷ He does not take his eyes off the righteous;
    he enthrones them with kings
    and exalts them forever.
⁸ But if people are bound in chains,
    held fast by cords of affliction,
⁹ he tells them what they have done—
    that they have sinned arrogantly.
¹⁰ He makes them listen to correction
    and commands them to repent of their evil.
¹¹ If they obey and serve him,
    they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity
    and their years in contentment.
¹² But if they do not listen,
    they will perish by the sword^[a]
    and die without knowledge.

¹³ “The godless in heart harbor resentment;
    even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.
¹⁴ They die in their youth,
    among male prostitutes of the shrines.
¹⁵ But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering;
    he speaks to them in their affliction.

¹⁶ “He is wooing you from the jaws of distress
    to a spacious place free from restriction,
    to the comfort of your table laden with choice food.
¹⁷ But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked;
    judgment and justice have taken hold of you.
¹⁸ Be careful that no one entices you by riches;
    do not let a large bribe turn you aside.
¹⁹ Would your wealth or even all your mighty efforts
    sustain you so you would not be in distress?
²⁰ Do not long for the night,
    to drag people away from their homes.^[b]
21 Beware of turning to evil,
    which you seem to prefer to affliction.

²² “God is exalted in his power.
    Who is a teacher like him?
²³ Who has prescribed his ways for him,
    or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’?