Month: December 2019

In Praise of the Creator

1 Praise theLord, my soul!

OLord, my God, how great you are!

You are clothed with majesty and glory;

2 you cover yourself with light.

You have spread out the heavens like a tent

3 and built your home on the waters above.

You use the clouds as your chariot

and ride on the wings of the wind.

4 You use the winds as your messengers

and flashes of lightning as your servants.

5 You have set the earth firmly on its foundations,

and it will never be moved.

6 You placed the ocean over it like a robe,

and the water covered the mountains.

7 When you rebuked the waters, they fled;

they rushed away when they heard your shout of command.

8 They flowed over the mountains and into the valleys,

to the place you had made for them.

9 You set a boundary they can never pass,

to keep them from covering the earth again.

10 You make springs flow in the valleys,

and rivers run between the hills.

11 They provide water for the wild animals;

there the wild donkeys quench their thirst.

12 In the trees near by,

the birds make their nests and sing.

13 From the sky you send rain on the hills,

and the earth is filled with your blessings.

14 You make grass grow for the cattle

and plants for us to use,

so that we can grow our crops

15 and produce wine to make us happy,

olive oil to make us cheerful,

and bread to give us strength.

16 The cedars of Lebanon get plenty of rain—

theLord’s own trees, which he planted.

17 There the birds build their nests;

the storks nest in the fir trees.

18 The wild goats live in the high mountains,

and the rock badgers hide in the cliffs.

19 You created the moon to mark the months;

the sun knows the time to set.

20 You made the night, and in the darkness

all the wild animals come out.

21 The young lions roar while they hunt,

looking for the food that God provides.

22 When the sun rises, they go back

and lie down in their dens.

23 Then people go out to do their work

and keep working until evening.

24 Lord, you have made so many things!

How wisely you made them all!

The earth is filled with your creatures.

25 There is the ocean, large and wide,

where countless creatures live,

large and small alike.

26 The ships sail on it, and in it plays Leviathan,

that sea monster which you made.

27 All of them depend on you

to give them food when they need it.

28 You give it to them, and they eat it;

you provide food, and they are satisfied.

29 When you turn away, they are afraid;

when you take away your breath, they die

and go back to the dust from which they came.

30 But when you give them breath,they are created;

you give new life to the earth.

31 May the glory of theLordlast forever!

May theLordbe happy with what he has made!

32 He looks at the earth, and it trembles;

he touches the mountains, and they pour out smoke.

33 I will sing to theLordall my life;

as long as I live I will sing praises to my God.

34 May he be pleased with my song,

for my gladness comes from him.

35 May sinners be destroyed from the earth;

may the wicked be no more.

Praise theLord, my soul!

Praise theLord!

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/104-895007c6702f68a5f87afae581090c4f.mp3?version_id=68—

God and His People

1 Give thanks to theLord,

proclaim his greatness;

tell the nations what he has done.

2 Sing praise to theLord;

tell the wonderful things he has done.

3 Be glad that we belong to him;

let all who worship him rejoice.

4 Go to theLordfor help;

and worship him continually.

5-6 You descendants of Abraham, his servant;

you descendants of Jacob, the man he chose:

remember the miracles that God performed

and the judgments that he gave.

7 TheLordis our God;

his commands are for all the world.

8 He will keep his covenant forever,

his promises for a thousand generations.

9 He will keep the agreement he made with Abraham

and his promise to Isaac.

10 TheLordmade a covenant with Jacob,

one that will last forever.

11 “I will give you the land of Canaan,” he said.

“It will be your own possession.”

12 God’s people were few in number,

strangers in the land of Canaan.

13 They wandered from country to country,

from one kingdom to another.

14 But God let no one oppress them;

to protect them, he warned the kings:

15 “Don’t harm my chosen servants;

do not touch my prophets.”

16 TheLordsent famine to their country

and took away all their food.

17 But he sent a man ahead of them,

Joseph, who had been sold as a slave.

18 His feet were kept in chains,

and an iron collar was around his neck,

19 until what he had predicted came true.

The word of theLordproved him right.

20 Then the king of Egypt had him released;

the ruler of nations set him free.

21 He put him in charge of his government

and made him ruler over all the land,

22 with power over the king’s officials

and authority to instruct his advisers.

23 Then Jacob went to Egypt

and settled in that country.

24 TheLordgave many children to his people

and made them stronger than their enemies.

25 He made the Egyptians hate his people

and treat his servants with deceit.

26 Then he sent his servant Moses,

and Aaron, whom he had chosen.

27 They did God’s mighty acts

and performed miracles in Egypt.

28 God sent darkness on the country,

but the Egyptians did not obeyhis command.

29 He turned their rivers into blood

and killed all their fish.

30 Their country was overrun with frogs;

even the palace was filled with them.

31 God commanded, and flies and gnats

swarmed throughout the whole country.

32 He sent hail and lightning on their land

instead of rain;

33 he destroyed their grapevines and fig trees

and broke down all the trees.

34 He commanded, and the locusts came,

countless millions of them;

35 they ate all the plants in the land;

they ate all the crops.

36 He killed the first-born sons

of all the families of Egypt.

37 Then he led the Israelites out;

they carried silver and gold,

and all of them were healthy and strong.

38 The Egyptians were afraid of them

and were glad when they left.

39 God put a cloud over his people

and a fire at night to give them light.

40 Theyasked, and he sent quails;

he gave them food from heaven to satisfy them.

41 He opened a rock, and water gushed out,

flowing through the desert like a river.

42 He remembered his sacred promise

to Abraham his servant.

43 So he led his chosen people out,

and they sang and shouted for joy.

44 He gave them the lands of other peoples

and let them take over their fields,

45 so that his people would obey his laws

and keep all his commands.

Praise theLord!

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/105-620dd7922c82e9d3073a0ea6ab95152b.mp3?version_id=68—

The Lord’s Goodness to His People

1 Praise theLord!

Give thanks to theLord, because he is good;

his love is eternal.

2 Who can tell all the great things he has done?

Who can praise him enough?

3 Happy are those who obey his commands,

who always do what is right.

4 Remember me,Lord, when you help your people;

include me when you save them.

5 Let me see the prosperity of your people

and share in the happiness of your nation,

in the glad pride of those who belong to you.

6 We have sinned as our ancestors did;

we have been wicked and evil.

7 Our ancestors in Egypt did not understand God’s wonderful acts;

they forgot the many times he showed them his love,

and they rebelled against the Almightyat the Red Sea.

8 But he saved them, as he had promised,

in order to show his great power.

9 He gave a command to the Red Sea,

and it dried up;

he led his people across on dry land.

10 He saved them from those who hated them;

he rescued them from their enemies.

11 But the water drowned their enemies;

not one of them was left.

12 Then his people believed his promises

and sang praises to him.

13 But they quickly forgot what he had done

and acted without waiting for his advice.

14 They were filled with craving in the desert

and put God to the test;

15 so he gave them what they asked for,

but also sent a terrible disease among them.

16 There in the desert they were jealous of Moses

and of Aaron, theLord’s holy servant.

17 Then the earth opened up and swallowed Dathan

and buried Abiram and his family;

18 fire came down on their followers

and burned up those wicked people.

19 They made a gold bull-calf at Sinai

and worshiped that idol;

20 they exchanged the glory of God

for the image of an animal that eats grass.

21 They forgot the God who had saved them

by his mighty acts in Egypt.

22 What wonderful things he did there!

What amazing things at the Red Sea!

23 When God said that he would destroy his people,

his chosen servant, Moses, stood up against God

and kept his anger from destroying them.

24 Then they rejected the pleasant land,

because they did not believe God’s promise.

25 They stayed in their tents and grumbled

and would not listen to theLord.

26 So he gave them a solemn warning

that he would make them die in the desert

27 and scatter their descendants among the heathen,

letting them die in foreign countries.

28 Then at Peor, God’s people joined in the worship of Baal

and ate sacrifices offered to dead gods.

29 They stirred up theLord’s anger by their actions,

and a terrible disease broke out among them.

30 But Phinehas stood up and punished the guilty,

and the plague was stopped.

31 This has been remembered in his favor ever since

and will be for all time to come.

32 At the springs of Meribah the people made theLordangry,

and Moses was in trouble on their account.

33 They made him so bitter

that he spoke without stopping to think.

34 They did not kill the heathen,

as theLordhad commanded them to do,

35 but they intermarried with them

and adopted their pagan ways.

36 God’s people worshiped idols,

and this caused their destruction.

37 They offered their own sons and daughters

as sacrifices to the idols of Canaan.

38 They killed those innocent children,

and the land was defiled by those murders.

39 They made themselves impure by their actions

and were unfaithful to God.

40 So theLordwas angry with his people;

he was disgusted with them.

41 He abandoned them to the power of the heathen,

and their enemies ruled over them.

42 They were oppressed by their enemies

and were in complete subjection to them.

43 Many times theLordrescued his people,

but they chose to rebel against him

and sank deeper into sin.

44 Yet theLordheard them when they cried out,

and he took notice of their distress.

45 For their sake he remembered his covenant,

and because of his great love he relented.

46 He made all their oppressors

feel sorry for them.

47 Save us, OLordour God,

and bring us back from among the nations,

so that we may be thankful

and praise your holy name.

48 Praise theLord, the God of Israel;

praise him now and forever!

Let everyone say, “Amen!”

Praise theLord!

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/106-bc51bdb5f6dc26fc583834c805d5c970.mp3?version_id=68—

In Praise of God’s Goodness

1 “Give thanks to theLord, because he is good;

his love is eternal!”

2 Repeat these words in praise to theLord,

all you whom he has saved.

He has rescued you from your enemies

3 and has brought you back from foreign countries,

from east and west, from north and south.

4 Some wandered in the trackless desert

and could not find their way to a city to live in.

5 They were hungry and thirsty

and had given up all hope.

6 Then in their trouble they called to theLord,

and he saved them from their distress.

7 He led them by a straight road

to a city where they could live.

8 They must thank theLordfor his constant love,

for the wonderful things he did for them.

9 He satisfies those who are thirsty

and fills the hungry with good things.

10 Some were living in gloom and darkness,

prisoners suffering in chains,

11 because they had rebelled against the commands of Almighty God

and had rejected his instructions.

12 They were worn out from hard work;

they would fall down, and no one would help.

13 Then in their trouble they called to theLord,

and he saved them from their distress.

14 He brought them out of their gloom and darkness

and broke their chains in pieces.

15 They must thank theLordfor his constant love,

for the wonderful things he did for them.

16 He breaks down doors of bronze

and smashes iron bars.

17 Some were fools, suffering because of their sins

and because of their evil;

18 they couldn’t stand the sight of food

and were close to death.

19 Then in their trouble they called to theLord,

and he saved them from their distress.

20 He healed them with his command

and saved them from the grave.

21 They must thank theLordfor his constant love,

for the wonderful things he did for them.

22 They must thank him with sacrifices,

and with songs of joy must tell all that he has done.

23 Some sailed over the ocean in ships,

earning their living on the seas.

24 They saw what theLordcan do,

his wonderful acts on the seas.

25 He commanded, and a mighty wind began to blow

and stirred up the waves.

26 The ships were lifted high in the air

and plunged down into the depths.

In such danger the sailors lost their courage;

27 they stumbled and staggered like drunks—

all their skill was useless.

28 Then in their trouble they called to theLord,

and he saved them from their distress.

29 He calmed the raging storm,

and the waves became quiet.

30 They were glad because of the calm,

and he brought them safe to the port they wanted.

31 They must thank theLordfor his constant love,

for the wonderful things he did for them.

32 They must proclaim his greatness in the assembly of the people

and praise him before the council of the leaders.

33 TheLordmade rivers dry up completely

and stopped springs from flowing.

34 He made rich soil become a salty wasteland

because of the wickedness of those who lived there.

35 He changed deserts into pools of water

and dry land into flowing springs.

36 He let hungry people settle there,

and they built a city to live in.

37 They sowed the fields and planted grapevines

and reaped an abundant harvest.

38 He blessed his people, and they had many children;

he kept their herds of cattle from decreasing.

39 When God’s people were defeated and humiliated

by cruel oppression and suffering,

40 he showed contempt for their oppressors

and made them wander in trackless deserts.

41 But he rescued the needy from their misery

and made their families increase like flocks.

42 The righteous see this and are glad,

but all the wicked are put to silence.

43 May those who are wise think about these things;

may they consider theLord’s constant love.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/107-d8a6a7fdec531ece6d83d0dc6a1bd645.mp3?version_id=68—

A Prayer for Help against Enemies

1 I have complete confidence, O God!

I will sing and praise you!

Wake up, my soul!

2 Wake up, my harp and lyre!

I will wake up the sun.

3 I will thank you, OLord, among the nations.

I will praise you among the peoples.

4 Your constant love reaches above the heavens;

your faithfulness touches the skies.

5 Show your greatness in the sky, O God,

and your glory over all the earth.

6 Save us by your might; answer my prayer,

so that the people you love may be rescued.

7 From his sanctuaryGod has said,

“In triumph I will divide Shechem

and distribute Sukkoth Valley to my people.

8 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh too;

Ephraim is my helmet

and Judah my royal scepter.

9 But I will use Moab as my washbowl,

and I will throw my sandals on Edom,

as a sign that I own it.

I will shout in triumph over the Philistines.”

10 Who, O God, will take me into the fortified city?

Who will lead me to Edom?

11 Have you really rejected us?

Aren’t you going to march out with our armies?

12 Help us against the enemy;

human help is worthless.

13 With God on our side we will win;

he will defeat our enemies.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/108-40b2412d972144edc4b6707bc8bbe01d.mp3?version_id=68—

The Complaint of Someone in Trouble

1 I praise you, God; don’t remain silent!

2 Wicked people and liars have attacked me.

They tell lies about me,

3 and they say evil things about me,

attacking me for no reason.

4 They oppose me, even though I love them

and have prayed for them.

5 They pay me back evil for good

and hatred for love.

6 Choose some corrupt judge to try my enemy,

and let one of his own enemies accuse him.

7 May he be tried and found guilty;

may even his prayer be considered a crime!

8 May his life soon be ended;

may someone else take his job!

9 May his children become orphans,

and his wife a widow!

10 May his children be homeless beggars;

may they be driven fromthe ruins they live in!

11 May his creditors take away all his property,

and may strangers get everything he worked for.

12 May no one ever be kind to him

or care for the orphans he leaves behind.

13 May all his descendants die,

and may his name be forgotten in the next generation.

14 May theLordremember the evil of his ancestors

and never forgive his mother’s sins.

15 May theLordalways remember their sins,

but may they themselves be completely forgotten!

16 That man never thought of being kind;

he persecuted and killed

the poor, the needy, and the helpless.

17 He loved to curse—may he be cursed!

He hated to give blessings—may no one bless him!

18 He cursed as naturally as he dressed himself;

may his own curses soak into his body like water

and into his bones like oil!

19 May they cover him like clothes

and always be around him like a belt!

20 Lord, punish my enemies in that way—

those who say such evil things against me!

21 But my SovereignLord, help me as you have promised,

and rescue me because of the goodness of your love.

22 I am poor and needy;

I am hurt to the depths of my heart.

23 Like an evening shadow I am about to vanish;

I am blown away like an insect.

24 My knees are weak from lack of food;

I am nothing but skin and bones.

25 When people see me, they laugh at me;

they shake their heads in scorn.

26 Help me, OLordmy God;

because of your constant love, save me!

27 Make my enemies know

that you are the one who saves me.

28 They may curse me, but you will bless me.

May my persecutors be defeated,

and may I, your servant, be glad.

29 May my enemies be covered with disgrace;

may they wear their shame like a robe.

30 I will give loud thanks to theLord;

I will praise him in the assembly of the people,

31 because he defends the poor

and saves them from those who condemn them to death.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/109-d13bd17dacadef49a64b46e5ea9a566a.mp3?version_id=68—

The Lord and His Chosen King

1 TheLordsaid to my lord,

“Sit here at my right side

until I put your enemies under your feet.”

2 From Zion theLordwill extend your royal power.

“Rule over your enemies,” he says.

3 On the day you fight your enemies,

your people will volunteer.

Like the dew of early morning

your young men will come to you on the sacred hills.

4 TheLordmade a solemn promise and will not take it back:

“You will be a priest forever

in the priestly order of Melchizedek.”

5 The Lord is at your right side;

when he becomes angry, he will defeat kings.

6 He will pass judgment on the nations

and fill the battlefield with corpses;

he will defeat kings all over the earth.

7 The king will drink from the stream by the road,

and strengthened, he will stand victorious.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/110-ffe574cf1b50bbca344f9f5d1899b7ff.mp3?version_id=68—

In Praise of the Lord

1 Praise theLord!

With all my heart I will thank theLord

in the assembly of his people.

2 How wonderful are the things theLorddoes!

All who are delighted with them want to understand them.

3 All he does is full of honor and majesty;

his righteousness is eternal.

4 TheLorddoes not let us forget his wonderful actions;

he is kind and merciful.

5 He provides food for those who honor him;

he never forgets his covenant.

6 He has shown his power to his people

by giving them the lands of foreigners.

7 In all he does he is faithful and just;

all his commands are dependable.

8 They last for all time;

they were given in truth and righteousness.

9 He set his people free

and made an eternal covenant with them.

Holy and mighty is he!

10 The way to become wise is to honor theLord;

he gives sound judgment to all who obey his commands.

He is to be praised forever.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/111-f070dee78cef4b36f6c0045a24600abe.mp3?version_id=68—

The Happiness of a Good Person

1 Praise theLord!

Happy is the person who honors theLord,

who takes pleasure in obeying his commands.

2 The good man’s children will be powerful in the land;

his descendants will be blessed.

3 His family will be wealthy and rich,

and he will be prosperous forever.

4 Light shines in the darkness for good people,

for those who are merciful, kind, and just.

5 Happy is the person who is generous with his loans,

who runs his business honestly.

6 A good person will never fail;

he will always be remembered.

7 He is not afraid of receiving bad news;

his faith is strong, and he trusts in theLord.

8 He is not worried or afraid;

he is certain to see his enemies defeated.

9 He gives generously to the needy,

and his kindness never fails;

he will be powerful and respected.

10 The wicked see this and are angry;

they glare in hate and disappear;

their hopes are gone forever.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/112-0f19fa23aed189d56b788f8a7f413acb.mp3?version_id=68—

In Praise of the Lord’s Goodness

1 Praise theLord!

You servants of theLord,

praise his name!

2 May his name be praised,

now and forever.

3 From the east to the west

praise the name of theLord!

4 TheLordrules over all nations;

his glory is above the heavens.

5 There is no one like theLordour God.

He lives in the heights above,

6 but he bends down

to see the heavens and the earth.

7 He raises the poor from the dust;

he lifts the needy from their misery

8 and makes them companions of princes,

the princes of his people.

9 He honors the childless wife in her home;

he makes her happy by giving her children.

Praise theLord!

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/113-ead9c36f4355db96129ef106b128577b.mp3?version_id=68—