Psalm 66

Praise for God’s Care for His People

For the choir director: A song. A psalm.

1Shout joyful praises to God, all the earth!

2Sing about the glory of his name!

Tell the world how glorious he is.

3Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!

Your enemies cringe before your mighty power.

4Everything on earth will worship you;

they will sing your praises,

shouting your name in glorious songs.”

Interlude

5Come and see what our God has done,

what awesome miracles he performs for people!

6He made a dry path through the Red Sea,*66:6 Hebrew the sea.

and his people went across on foot.

There we rejoiced in him.

7For by his great power he rules forever.

He watches every movement of the nations;

let no rebel rise in defiance.

Interlude

8Let the whole world bless our God

and loudly sing his praises.

9Our lives are in his hands,

and he keeps our feet from stumbling.

10You have tested us, O God;

you have purified us like silver.

11You captured us in your net

and laid the burden of slavery on our backs.

12Then you put a leader over us.*66:12 Or You made people ride over our heads.

We went through fire and flood,

but you brought us to a place of great abundance.

13Now I come to your Temple with burnt offerings

to fulfill the vows I made to you—

14yes, the sacred vows that I made

when I was in deep trouble.

15That is why I am sacrificing burnt offerings to you—

the best of my rams as a pleasing aroma,

and a sacrifice of bulls and male goats.

Interlude

16Come and listen, all you who fear God,

and I will tell you what he did for me.

17For I cried out to him for help,

praising him as I spoke.

18If I had not confessed the sin in my heart,

the Lord would not have listened.

19But God did listen!

He paid attention to my prayer.

20Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer

or withdraw his unfailing love from me.

Psalm 30

From Mourning to Joy

A psalm of David. A song for the dedication of the Temple.

1I will exalt you, Lord, for you rescued me.

You refused to let my enemies triumph over me.

2O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,

and you restored my health.

3You brought me up from the grave,*30:3 Hebrew from Sheol. O Lord.

You kept me from falling into the pit of death.

4Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones!

Praise his holy name.

5For his anger lasts only a moment,

but his favor lasts a lifetime!

Weeping may last through the night,

but joy comes with the morning.

6When I was prosperous, I said,

“Nothing can stop me now!”

7Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain.

Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered.

8I cried out to you, O Lord.

I begged the Lord for mercy, saying,

9“What will you gain if I die,

if I sink into the grave?

Can my dust praise you?

Can it tell of your faithfulness?

10Hear me, Lord, and have mercy on me.

Help me, O Lord.”

11You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.

You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,

12that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.

O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!