Psalm 97–99

Psalm 97

¹The Lord is king!

Let the earth rejoice!

Let the farthest coastlands be glad.

²Dark clouds surround him.

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

³Fire spreads ahead of him

and burns up all his foes.

⁴His lightning flashes out across the world.

The earth sees and trembles.

⁵The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,

before the Lord of all the earth.

⁶The heavens proclaim his righteousness;

every nation sees his glory.

⁷Those who worship idols are disgraced—

all who brag about their worthless gods—

for every god must bow to him.

⁸Jerusalem has heard and rejoiced,

and all the towns of Judah are glad

because of your justice, O Lord!

⁹For you, O Lord, are supreme over all the earth;

you are exalted far above all gods.

¹⁰You who love the Lord, hate evil!

He protects the lives of his godly people

and rescues them from the power of the wicked.

¹¹Light shines on the godly,

and joy on those whose hearts are right.

¹²May all who are godly rejoice in the Lord

and praise his holy name!

Psalm 98

A psalm.

¹Sing a new song to the Lord,

for he has done wonderful deeds.

His right hand has won a mighty victory;

his holy arm has shown his saving power!

²The Lord has announced his victory

and has revealed his righteousness to every nation!

³He has remembered his promise to love and be faithful to Israel.

The ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.

⁴Shout to the Lord, all the earth;

break out in praise and sing for joy!

⁵Sing your praise to the Lord with the harp,

with the harp and melodious song,

⁶with trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn.

Make a joyful symphony before the Lord, the King!

⁷Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!

Let the earth and all living things join in.

⁸Let the rivers clap their hands in glee!

Let the hills sing out their songs of joy

⁹before the Lord,

for he is coming to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with justice,

and the nations with fairness.

Psalm 99

¹The Lord is king!

Let the nations tremble!

He sits on his throne between the cherubim.

Let the whole earth quake!

²The Lord sits in majesty in Jerusalem,

exalted above all the nations.

³Let them praise your great and awesome name.

Your name is holy!

⁴Mighty King, lover of justice,

you have established fairness.

You have acted with justice

and righteousness throughout Israel.

⁵Exalt the Lord our God!

Bow low before his feet, for he is holy!

⁶Moses and Aaron were among his priests;

Samuel also called on his name.

They cried to the Lord for help,

and he answered them.

⁷He spoke to Israel from the pillar of cloud,

and they followed the laws and decrees he gave them.

⁸O Lord our God, you answered them.

You were a forgiving God to them,

but you punished them when they went wrong.

⁹Exalt the Lord our God,

and worship at his holy mountain in Jerusalem,

for the Lord our God is holy!