¹² The nation whose God is the Lord,
    the people whom God has chosen as his possession,
    is truly happy!
¹³ The Lord looks down from heaven;
    he sees every human being.
¹⁴ From his dwelling place God observes
    all who live on earth.
¹⁵ God is the one who made all their hearts,
    the one who knows everything they do.

¹⁶ Kings aren’t saved by the strength of their armies;
    warriors aren’t rescued by how much power they have.
¹⁷ A warhorse is a bad bet for victory;
    it can’t save despite its great strength.
¹⁸ But look here: the Lord’s eyes watch all who honor him,
    all who wait for his faithful love,
¹⁹     to deliver their lives^[a] from death
    and keep them alive during a famine.

²⁰ We put our hope in the Lord.
    He is our help and our shield.
²¹ Our heart rejoices in God
    because we trust his holy name.
²² Lord, let your faithful love surround us
    because we wait for you.

37 Oh, my mind is disturbed by this
    and is more troubled than usual.
² Listen closely to the rumble of his voice,
    the roar issuing from his mouth.
³ He looses it under the whole sky,
    his lightning on earth’s edges.
⁴ After it, a voice roars;
    he thunders with a mighty voice,
    and no one can stop it
    when his voice is heard.
⁵ God roars with his wondrous voice;
    he does great things we can’t know.
⁶ He says to the snow, “Fall to earth,”
    and to the downpour of rain, “Be a mighty shower.”
⁷ He stamps the hand of every person
    so all can know his work.^[a]
8 The wild beast enters its lair,
    lies down in its den.
⁹ The storm comes from its chamber,
    the cold from the north wind.
¹⁰ By God’s breath ice forms;
    water’s expanse becomes solid.
¹¹ He also fills clouds with moisture;
    his lightning scatters clouds.
¹² He overturns the circling clouds;^[b]
    by his guidance they do^[c] their work,
    doing everything he commands over the entire earth.
¹³ Whether for punishment, for his world,
        or for kindness,
    God makes it all happen.