We shout for joy to God! We sing the glory of your name and make your praise glorious! How awesome are your deeds! How great is your power; you enemies cringe before you. All the earth bows down to you and sing the praises of your name. You have done awesome deeds for mankind, like turning the sea into dry land, and we rejoice in you. You rule forever by your power; your eyes watch the nations. You see the nations that seek to operate according to your Kingdom principles and those who do not. We pray in the name of Jesus that those who seek to rebel against or corrupt your righteous ways and your Truth would not be able to rise up against you, your People, and your Church. We praise you who have preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping. Even when you tested us, refining us like silver, and when you brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs – even when we went through fire and water – you brought us to a place of abundance. We come to you in grateful worship for all you have done for us when we’ve cried out to you. Your praise is on our tongue. We do not cherish sin in our hearts but know you have listened and heard our prayers. Praise be to God, who has not rejected our prayers or withheld his love from us! Amen and amen!
Psalm 66
For the director of music. A song. A psalm.
1
Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
2
Sing the glory of his name;
make his praise glorious.
3
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power
that your enemies cringe before you.
4
All the earth bows down to you;
they sing praise to you,
they sing the praises of your name.”
5
Come and see what God has done,
his awesome deeds for mankind!
6
He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the waters on foot—
come, let us rejoice in him.
7
He rules forever by his power,
his eyes watch the nations—
let not the rebellious rise up against him.
8
Praise our God, all peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;
9
he has preserved our lives
and kept our feet from slipping.
10
For you, God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.
11
You brought us into prison
and laid burdens on our backs.
12
You let people ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance.
13
I will come to your temple with burnt offerings
and fulfill my vows to you—
14
vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke
when I was in trouble.
15
I will sacrifice fat animals to you
and an offering of rams;
I will offer bulls and goats.
16
Come and hear, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.
17
I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.
18
If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;
19
but God has surely listened
and has heard my prayer.
20
Praise be to God,
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me!