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Praise for God’s Mighty Deeds and for His Answer to Prayer.
To the Chief Musician. A Song. A Psalm.
1 Shout joyfully to God, all the earth;
2 Sing of the honor and glory and magnificence of His name;
Make His praise glorious.
3 Say to God, “How awesome and fearfully glorious are Your works!
Because of the greatness of Your power Your enemies will pretend to be obedient to You.
4 “All the earth will [bow down to] worship You [in submissive wonder],
And will sing praises to You;
They will praise Your name in song.” Selah.
5 Come and see the works of God,
He is awesome in His deeds toward the children of men.
6 He turned the sea into dry land;
They crossed through the river on foot;
There we rejoiced in Him. [Ex 14-15]
7 Who rules by His might forever,
His eyes keep watch on the nations;
Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.
8 Bless our God, O peoples,
And make the sound of His praise be heard abroad,
9 Who keeps us among the living,
And does not allow our feet to slip or stumble.
10 For You have tested us, O God;
You have refined us as silver is refined.
11 You brought us into the net;
You laid a heavy burden [of servitude] on us.
12 You made men (charioteers) ride over our heads [in defeat];
We went through fire and through water,
Yet You brought us out into a [broad] place of abundance [to be refreshed].
13 I shall come into Your house with burnt offerings;
I shall pay You my vows,
14 Which my lips uttered
And my mouth spoke as a promise when I was in distress.
15 I shall offer to You burnt offerings of fat lambs,
With the [sweet] smoke of rams;
I will offer bulls with male goats. Selah.
16 Come and hear, all who fear God [and worship Him with awe-inspired reverence and obedience],
And I will tell what He has done for me.
17 I cried aloud to Him;
He was highly praised with my tongue.
18 If I regard sin and baseness in my heart [that is, if I know it is there and do nothing about it],
The Lord will not hear [me]; [Prov 15:29; 28:9; Is 1:15; John 9:31; James 4:3]
19 But certainly God has heard [me];
He has given heed to the voice of my prayer.
20 Blessed be God,
Who has not turned away my prayer
Nor His lovingkindness from me.