Psalm 97:1–99:9

¹The Lord rules. Let the earth be glad.

Let countries that are far away be full of joy.

²Clouds and thick darkness surround him.

His rule is built on what is right and fair.

³The Lord sends fire ahead of him.

It burns up his enemies all around him.

⁴His lightning lights up the world.

The earth sees it and trembles.

⁵The mountains melt like wax when the Lord is near.

He is the Lord of the whole earth.

⁶The heavens announce that what he does is right.

All people everywhere see his glory.

⁷All who worship statues of gods or brag about them are put to shame.

All you gods, worship the Lord!

⁸Zion hears about it and is filled with joy.

Lord, the villages of Judah are glad

because of how you judge.

⁹Lord, you are the Most High God.

You rule over the whole earth.

You are honored much more than all gods.

¹⁰Let those who love the Lord hate evil.

He guards the lives of those who are faithful to him.

He saves them from the power of sinful people.

¹¹The light of his favor shines on those who do what is right.

Joy comes to those whose hearts are honest.

¹²You who are godly, be glad because of what the Lord has done.

Praise him, because his name is holy.

Psalm 98

A psalm.

¹Sing a new song to the Lord.

He has done wonderful things.

By the power of his right hand and his holy arm

he has saved his people.

²The Lord has made known his power to save.

He has shown the nations that he does what is right.

³He has shown his faithful love

to the people of Israel.

People from one end of the earth to the other

have seen that our God has saved us.

⁴Shout to the Lord with joy, everyone on earth.

Burst into joyful songs and make music.

⁵Make music to the Lord with the harp.

Sing and make music with the harp.

⁶Blow the trumpets. Give a blast on the ram’s horn.

Shout to the Lord with joy. He is the King.

⁷Let the ocean and everything in it roar.

Let the world and all who live in it shout.

⁸Let the rivers clap their hands.

Let the mountains sing together with joy.

⁹Let them sing to the Lord,

because he is coming to judge the earth.

He will judge the nations of the world

in keeping with what is right and fair.

Psalm 99

¹The Lord rules.

Let the nations tremble.

He sits on his throne between the cherubim.

Let the earth shake.

²Great is the Lord in Zion.

He is honored over all of the nations.

³Let them praise his great and wonderful name.

He is holy.

⁴The King is mighty. He loves what is fair.

He has set up the rules for fairness.

He has done what is right and fair

for the people of Jacob.

⁵Honor the Lord our God.

Worship at his feet.

He is holy.

⁶Moses and Aaron were two of his priests.

Samuel was one of those who worshiped him.

They called out to the Lord.

And he answered them.

⁷He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud.

They obeyed his laws and the orders he gave them.

⁸Lord our God, you answered them.

You showed Israel that you are a God who forgives.

But when they did wrong, you punished them.

⁹Honor the Lord our God.

Worship at his holy mountain.

The Lord our God is holy.