Beginning

96 Sing a new song to the Lord.
    All you people of the earth, sing to the Lord.
² Sing to the Lord. Praise him.
    Day after day tell about how he saves us.
³ Tell the nations about his glory.
    Tell all people about the wonderful things he has done.

⁴ The Lord is great. He is really worthy of praise.
    People should have respect for him as the greatest God of all.
⁵ All the gods of the nations are like their statues.
    They can’t do anything.
    But the Lord made the heavens.
⁶ Glory and majesty are all around him.
    Strength and glory can be seen in his temple.

⁷ Praise the Lord, all you nations.
    Praise the Lord for his glory and strength.
⁸ Praise the Lord for the glory that belongs to him.
    Bring an offering and come into the courtyards of his temple.
⁹ Worship the Lord because of his beauty and holiness.
    All you people of the earth, tremble when you are with him.

¹⁰ Say to the nations, “The Lord rules.”
    The world is firmly set in place. It can’t be moved.
    The Lord will judge the people of the world fairly.
¹¹ Let the heavens be full of joy. Let the earth be glad.
    Let the ocean and everything in it roar.
¹²     Let the fields and everything in them be glad.
Let all the trees in the forest sing for joy.
¹³     Let all creation be full of joy in front of the Lord,
    because he is coming to judge the earth.
He will faithfully judge the people of the world
    in keeping with what is right.

97 The Lord rules. Let the earth be glad.
    Let countries that are far away be full of joy.

² Clouds and thick darkness surround him.
    His rule is built on what is right and fair.
³ The Lord sends fire ahead of him.
    It burns up his enemies all around him.
⁴ His lightning lights up the world.
    The earth sees it and trembles.
⁵ The mountains melt like wax when the Lord is near.
    He is the Lord of the whole earth.
⁶ The heavens announce that what he does is right.
    All people everywhere see his glory.

⁷ All who worship statues of gods or brag about them are put to shame.
    All you gods, worship the Lord!

⁸ Zion hears about it and is filled with joy.
    Lord, the villages of Judah are glad
    because of how you judge.
⁹ Lord, you are the Most High God.
    You rule over the whole earth.
    You are honored much more than all gods.

¹⁰ Let those who love the Lord hate evil.
    He guards the lives of those who are faithful to him.
    He saves them from the power of sinful people.
¹¹ Good things come to those who do what is right.
    Joy comes to those whose hearts are honest.
¹² You who are godly, be glad because of what the Lord has done.
    Praise him, because his name is holy.

⁴ Shout for joy to the Lord, everyone on earth.
    Burst into joyful songs and make music.
⁵ Make music to the Lord with the harp.
    Sing and make music with the harp.
⁶ Blow the trumpets. Give a blast on the ram’s horn.
    Shout for joy to the Lord. He is the King.

⁷ Let the ocean and everything in it roar.
    Let the world and all who live in it shout.
⁸ Let the rivers clap their hands.
    Let the mountains sing together with joy.
⁹ Let them sing to the Lord,
    because he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the nations of the world
    in keeping with what is right and fair.

99 The Lord rules.
    Let the nations tremble.
He sits on his throne between the cherubim.
    Let the earth shake.
² Great is the Lord in Zion.
    He is honored over all the nations.
³ Let them praise his great and wonderful name.
    He is holy.

⁴ The King is mighty and loves justice.
    He has set up the rules for fairness.
He has done what is right and fair
    for the people of Jacob.
⁵ Honor the Lord our God.
    Worship at his feet.
    He is holy.

⁶ Moses and Aaron were two of his priests.
    Samuel was one of those who worshiped him.
They called out to the Lord.
    And he answered them.
⁷ He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud.
    They obeyed his laws and the orders he gave them.

⁸ Lord our God, you answered them.
    You showed Israel that you are a God who forgives.
    But when they did wrong, you punished them.
⁹ Honor the Lord our God.
    Worship at his holy mountain.
    The Lord our God is holy.

⁴ Give thanks as you enter the gates of his temple.
    Give praise as you enter its courtyards.
    Give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵ The Lord is good. His faithful love continues forever.
    It will last for all time to come.

In my own home I will lead a life
    that is without blame.
³     I won’t look at anything that is evil and call it good.

I hate the acts of people who aren’t faithful to you.
    I won’t have anything to do with those things.
⁴ I will stay away from those whose hearts are twisted.
    I won’t have anything to do with what is evil.

⁵ I will get rid of anyone
    who tells lies about their neighbor in secret.
I won’t put up with anyone
    whose eyes and heart are proud.

⁶ I will look with favor on the faithful people in the land.
    They will live with me.
    Those whose lives are without blame will serve me.

⁷ No one who lies and cheats
    will live in my house.
No one who tells lies
    will serve me.

⁸ Every morning I will get rid of
    all the sinful people in the land.
I will remove from the city of the Lord
    everyone who does what is evil.

³ My days are disappearing like smoke.
    My body burns like glowing coals.
⁴ My strength has dried up like grass.
    I even forget to eat my food.
⁵ I groan out loud because of my suffering.
    I’m nothing but skin and bones.
⁶ I’m like a desert owl.
    I’m like an owl among destroyed buildings.
⁷ I can’t sleep. I’ve become
    like a bird alone on a roof.
⁸ All day long my enemies laugh at me.
    Those who make fun of me use my name as a curse.
⁹ I eat ashes as my food.
    My tears fall into what I’m drinking.
¹⁰ You were very angry with me.
    So you picked me up and threw me away.
¹¹ The days of my life are like an evening shadow.
    I dry up like grass.

¹² But Lord, you are seated on your throne forever.
    Your fame will continue for all time to come.
¹³ You will rise up and show deep concern for Zion.
    The time has come for you to help Zion.
¹⁴ The stones of your destroyed city are priceless to us.
    Even its dust brings deep concern to us.
¹⁵ The nations will worship the Lord.
    All the kings on earth will respect his glorious power.
¹⁶ The Lord will build Zion again.
    He will appear in his glory.
¹⁷ He will answer the prayer of those who don’t have anything.
    He won’t say no to their cry for help.

¹⁸ Let this be written down for those born after us.
    Then people who are not yet born can praise the Lord.
¹⁹ Here is what should be written.
    “The Lord looked down from his temple in heaven.
    From heaven he viewed the earth.
²⁰ He heard the groans of the prisoners.
    He set free those who were sentenced to death.”
²¹ So people will talk about him in Zion.
    They will praise him in Jerusalem.
²² Nations and kingdoms
    will gather there to worship the Lord.

²³ When I was still young, he took away my strength.
    He wasn’t going to let me live much longer.
²⁴ So I said, “My God, don’t let me die in the middle of my life.
    You will live for all time to come.
²⁵ In the beginning you made the earth secure.
    You placed it on its foundations.
    Your hands created the heavens.
²⁶ They will pass away. But you will remain.
    They will all wear out like a piece of clothing.
You will make them like clothes
    that are taken off and thrown away.
²⁷ But you remain the same.
    Your years will never end.
²⁸ Our children will live with you.
    Their sons and daughters will be safe in your care.”