Psalm 33–34

Praise to Yahweh for His Character and Creation

33Exult in Yahweh, O you righteous,

for praise is fitting for the upright.

²Give thanks to Yahweh with the lyre;

with a harp of ten strings play to him.

³Sing to him a new song;

play skillfully with jubilant shout.

⁴For the word of Yahweh is upright,

and all his work is done in faithfulness.

⁵He loves righteousness and justice.

The earth is full of the loyal love of Yahweh.

⁶By the word of Yahweh the heavens were made,

and by the breath of his mouth all their host.

⁷He gathered the waters of the sea like a heap.

He put the deeps in storehouses.

⁸Let all the earth fear Yahweh.

Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

⁹For he himself spoke^a and it came to pass.

He himself commanded^b and it stood firm.

¹⁰Yahweh brings to nothing^c the plan of nations;

he frustrates^d the intents of peoples.

¹¹The plan of Yahweh stands firm forever,

the intents of his heart from one generation to the next.^e

¹²Blessed is the nation whose God is Yahweh,

the people he has chosen for his inheritance.

¹³From heaven Yahweh looks;

he sees all the children of humankind.

¹⁴From his dwelling place^f he gazes

on all the inhabitants of the earth,

¹⁵he who fashions altogether their heart,

he who understands all their works.

¹⁶The king is not saved by the greatness of an army.

The warrior is not delivered by the greatness of strength.

¹⁷The horse is a false hope for victory,

nor can it save by the greatness of its power.

¹⁸Behold, the eye of Yahweh is on those who fear him,

on those who hope^g for his loyal love

¹⁹to deliver their soul from death

and to keep them alive in famine.

²⁰Our soul waits for Yahweh;

he is our help and our shield.

²¹For in him our heart rejoices

because in his holy name we trust.

²²Let your loyal love, O Yahweh, be upon us,

even as^h we hope in you.

Thanksgiving for Yahweh’s Deliverance

34Of David, when he pretended to be crazy^a in front of Abimelech^b

so that he drove him out, and so he departed.^c

¹I will bless Yahweh at all times;

his praise shall be in my mouth continually.

²My soul makes its boast in Yahweh;

let the humble hear and be glad.

³Magnify Yahweh with me,

and let us exalt his name together.

⁴I sought Yahweh and he answered me,

and from all my terrors he delivered me.

⁵They looked to him and were radiant,

and their faces shall not be ashamed.^d

⁶This poor man called and Yahweh heard,

and saved him from all his troubles.

⁷The angel of Yahweh encamps

around those who fear him,

and he rescues them.

⁸Taste and see that Yahweh is good;

blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

⁹Fear Yahweh, you his saints,^e

for there is no lack for those who fear him.

¹⁰The young lions are in want and suffer hunger,

but those who seek Yahweh will not lack for any good thing.

¹¹Come, you children, listen to me;

I will teach you the fear of Yahweh.

¹²Who is the man who desires life,

who loves many days in order to see good?

¹³Keep your tongue from evil

and your lips from speaking deceit.

¹⁴Turn from evil and do good.

Seek peace and pursue it.

¹⁵The eyes of Yahweh are toward the righteous,

and his ears toward their cry for help.

¹⁶The face of Yahweh is against evildoers,

to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

¹⁷They^f cry out and Yahweh hears

and delivers them from all of their troubles.

¹⁸Yahweh is near to those who are heartbroken

and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

¹⁹Many are the distresses of the righteous,

but Yahweh delivers him out of them all.

²⁰He protects all his bones;

not one of them is broken.

²¹Evil will slay the wicked,

and those who hate the righteous will incur guilt.

²²Yahweh redeems the life of his servants,

and none who take refuge in him will incur guilt.