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For the music director. A song. A psalm.
1 Everyone on earth, shout for joy to God!
2 Sing about his marvelous reputation; praise him for his goodness!
3 Tell God, “What you do is awesome! Your enemies are forced to bow before you because of your power.
4 Everyone on earth worships you, singing your praises—singing praises because of who you are.”*Literally, “your name.” Selah.
5 Come and see what God has done! What he does for people is truly awesome!
6 He turned the Red Sea into dry land, and his people walked across through the waters. We celebrated there because of what he did.
7 He rules forever through his power. He keeps an eye on the nations, watching to make sure no rebels rise up in opposition. Selah.
8 Let all people everywhere bless our God, and loudly sing praises to him.
9 He has kept us alive, and he has not let us fall.
10 God, you have tested us, refining us like silver.
11 You caught us in your net; you placed heavy burdens on our backs.
12 You let people ride roughshod over us;†The image is of an enemy army overwhelming them. we suffered through fire and flooding, but you brought us to a safe place.
13 I will come to your Temple with burnt offerings; I will fulfill my promises to you,
14 the promises I made when I was in trouble.
15 I will sacrifice burnt offerings to you of fattened livestock—the smoke of the sacrifice of rams, offerings of bulls and goats. Selah.
16 Come and listen, everyone who honors God, and I will tell you all he has done for me.
17 I called out to him, and praised him with my voice.
18 If my thinking had been sinful,‡Literally, “If I had seen evil in my heart.” It was believed that it was in the heart that thinking happened. the Lord would not have listened to me.
19 But God did hear me! He listened to what I had to say in my prayer!
20 Praise God, who did not disregard my prayer or take his trustworthy love from me.