1REJOICE IN the Lord, O you [uncompromisingly] righteous [you upright in right standing with God]; for praise is becoming and appropriate for those who are upright [in heart].
2Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; sing praises to Him with the harp of ten strings.
3Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully [on the strings] with a loud and joyful sound.
4For the word of the Lord is right; and all His work is done in faithfulness.
5He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the loving-kindness of the Lord.
6By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all their host by the breath of His mouth. [Heb. 11:3; II Pet. 3:5.]
7He gathers the waters of the sea as in a bottle; He puts the deeps in storage places.
8Let all the earth fear the Lord [revere and worship Him]; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
9For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.
10The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nought; He makes the thoughts and plans of the peoples of no effect.
11The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the thoughts of His heart through all generations.
12Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His heritage.
13The Lord looks from heaven, He beholds all the sons of men;
14From His dwelling place He looks [intently] upon all the inhabitants of the earth--
15He Who fashions the hearts of them all, Who considers all their doings.
16No king is saved by the great size and power of his army; a mighty man is not delivered by [his] much strength.
17A horse is devoid of value for victory; neither does he deliver any by his great power.
18Behold, the Lord's eye is upon those who fear Him [who revere and worship Him with awe], who wait for Him and hope in His mercy and loving-kindness,
19To deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.
20Our inner selves wait [earnestly] for the Lord; He is our Help and our Shield.
21For in Him does our heart rejoice, because we have trusted (relied on and been confident) in His holy name.
22Let Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us, in proportion to our waiting and hoping for You.