Psalm 66

1 To the choirmaster.
A song. A psalm.
Shout for joy to God,
all you inhabitants of the earth!
2 Sing of the glory of his name,
honour him with your praise!
3 Say to God: ‘How awesome are your works!
Because of the greatness of your power, your enemies will flatter you.
4 All the earth shall bow down before you and sing to you,
sing to your name’. [Pause]
5 Come and behold the works of God;
he is awesome in his deeds towards the children of men.
6 He turned the sea into dry land;
the people crossed the river on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
7 He reigns for ever by his power;
his eyes watch over the nations;
the rebellious cannot rise up against him! [Pause]
8 Bless our God, O peoples,
and sing his praise with a full voice!
9 He has kept our souls alive,
and has not let our feet slip.
10 For you have tested us,
O God, you have put us through the crucible like silver.
11 You have cast us into the net,
you have laid a heavy burden upon our shoulders.
12 You have let men ride upon our heads;
we have gone through fire and water,
but then you have brought us out into a place of refreshment.
13 I will enter your house with burnt offerings,
I will fulfil my vows,
14 the vows my lips have uttered,
which my mouth has spoken in times of trouble.
15 I will offer you burnt offerings of fattened cattle,
and the fragrance of rams;
I will sacrifice bulls and goats. [Pause]
16 Come and listen, all you who fear God!
I will tell you what he has done for my soul.
17 I called upon him with my mouth
and my tongue praised him.
18 If I had harboured evil in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened to me.
19 But God has listened;
he has heeded the voice of my prayer.
20 Blessed be God,
who has not rejected my prayer
nor withheld his grace from me.