Psalm 33–34

Psalm 33

¹You who are godly, sing with joy to the Lord.

It is right for honest people to praise him.

²Praise the Lord with the harp.

Make music to him on the lyre that has ten strings.

³Sing a new song to him.

Play with skill, and shout with joy.

⁴What the Lord says is right and true.

He is faithful in everything he does.

⁵The Lord loves what is right and fair.

The earth is full of his faithful love.

⁶The heavens were made when the Lord commanded it to happen.

All of the stars were created by the breath of his mouth.

⁷He gathers the waters of the sea together.

He puts the oceans in their places.

⁸Let the whole earth have respect for the Lord.

Let all of the people in the world honor him.

⁹He spoke, and the world came into being.

He commanded, and it stood firm.

¹⁰The Lord blocks the sinful plans of the nations.

He keeps them from doing what they want to do.

¹¹But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever.

What he wants to do will last for all time.

¹²Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.

Blessed are the people he chose to be his own.

¹³From heaven the Lord looks down

and sees everyone.

¹⁴From his throne he watches

all those who live on the earth.

¹⁵He creates the hearts of all people.

He is aware of everything they do.

¹⁶A king isn’t saved just because his army is big.

A soldier doesn’t escape just because he is very strong.

¹⁷People can’t trust a horse to save them either.

Though it is very strong, it can’t save them.

¹⁸But the Lord looks with favor on those who respect him.

He watches over those who put their hope in his faithful love.

¹⁹He watches over them to save them from death.

He wants to keep them alive when there is no food in the land.

²⁰We wait in hope for the Lord.

He helps us. He is like a shield that keeps us safe.

²¹Our hearts are full of joy because of him.

We trust in him, because he is holy.

²²Lord, may your faithful love rest on us.

We put our hope in you.

Psalm 34

A psalm of David when he was in front of Abimelech and pretended to be out of his mind. Abimelech drove him away, and he left.

¹I will thank the Lord at all times.

My lips will always praise him.

²I will honor the Lord.

Let those who are hurting hear and be joyful.

³Join me in giving glory to the Lord.

Let us honor him together.

⁴I looked to the Lord, and he answered me.

He saved me from everything I was afraid of.

⁵Those who look to him beam with joy.

They are never put to shame.

⁶This poor man called out, and the Lord heard him.

He saved him out of all of his troubles.

⁷The angel of the Lord stands guard

around those who have respect for him.

And he saves them.

⁸Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Blessed is the man who goes to him for safety.

⁹You people of God, have respect for the Lord.

Those who respect him have everything they need.

¹⁰The lions may grow weak and hungry.

But those who look to the Lord have every good thing they need.

¹¹My children, come. Listen to me.

I will teach you to have respect for the Lord.

¹²Do you love life

and want to see many good days?

¹³Then keep your tongues from speaking evil.

Keep your lips from telling lies.

¹⁴Turn away from evil, and do good.

Look for peace, and go after it.

¹⁵The Lord looks with favor on those who are godly.

His ears are open to their cry.

¹⁶The Lord doesn’t look with favor on those who do evil.

He removes all memory of them from the earth.

¹⁷Godly people cry out, and the Lord hears them.

He saves them from all of their troubles.

¹⁸The Lord is close to those whose hearts have been broken.

He saves those whose spirits have been crushed.

¹⁹Anyone who does what is right may have many troubles.

But the Lord saves him from all of them.

²⁰The Lord watches over all of his bones.

Not one of them will be broken.

²¹Sinners will be killed by their own evil.

The enemies of godly people will be judged.

²²The Lord sets those who serve him free.

No one who goes to him for safety will be judged.