Praise to the Creator and Deliverer

1Rejoice in the LORD, righteous ones;

for the praise of the upright is beautiful.

2With the lyre, give thanks to the LORD;

with the ten stringed harp, play music to him;

3with a new song, sing to him;

with shouts of joy, play skillfully.

4For the word of the LORD is upright;

and all his works are done in faithfulness.

5He loves righteousness and justice;

the world is filled with the gracious love of the LORD.

6By the word of the LORD the heavens were made;

all the heavenly bodiesa by the breath of his mouth.

7He gathered the oceans into a single place;

he put the deep water into storehouses.

8Let all the world fear the LORD;

let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him;

9because he spoke and it came to be,

because he commanded, it stood firm.

10The LORD makes void the counsel of nations;

he frustrates the plans of peoples.

11But the LORD’s counsel stands firm forever,

the plans in his mind for all generations.

12How blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,

the people he has chosen as his own inheritance.

13When the LORD looks down from heaven,

he observes every human being.

14From his dwelling place,

he looks down on all the inhabitants of the earth.

15He formed the hearts of them all;

he understands everything they do.

16A king is not saved by a large army;

a mighty soldier is not delivered by his great strength.

17It is vain to trust in a horse for deliverance,

even with its great strength, it cannot deliver.

18Indeed, the LORD watches those who fear him;

those who trust in his gracious love

19to deliver them from death;

to keep them alive in times of famine.

20We wait on the LORD;

he is our help and our shield.

21Indeed, our heart will rejoice in him,

because we have placed our trust in his holy name.

22LORD, may your gracious love be upon us,

even as we hope in you.