Praise to the Creator

(Psalm 148:1–14)

¹Rejoice in the LORD, O righteous ones;

it is fitting for the upright to praise Him.

²Praise the LORD with the harp;

make music to Him with ten strings.

³Sing to Him a new song;

play skillfully with a shout of joy.

⁴For the word of the LORD is upright,

and all His work is trustworthy.

⁵The LORD loves righteousness and justice;

the earth is full of His loving devotion.

⁶By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,

and all the stars by the breath of His mouth.

⁷He piles up the waters of the sea;

He puts the depths into storehouses.

⁸Let all the earth fear the LORD;

let all the people of the world revere Him.

⁹For He spoke, and it came to be;

He commanded, and it stood firm.

¹⁰The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations;

He thwarts the devices of the peoples.

¹¹The counsel of the LORD stands forever,

the purposes of His heart to all generations.

¹²Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,

the people He has chosen as His inheritance!

¹³The LORD looks down from heaven;

He sees all the sons of men.

¹⁴From His dwelling place He gazes

on all who inhabit the earth.

¹⁵He shapes the hearts of each;

He considers all their works.

¹⁶No king is saved by his vast army;

no warrior is delivered by his great strength.

¹⁷A horse is a vain hope for salvation;

even its great strength cannot save.

¹⁸Surely the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear Him,

on those whose hope is in His loving devotion

¹⁹to deliver them from death

and keep them alive in famine.

²⁰Our soul waits for the LORD;

He is our help and our shield.

²¹For our hearts rejoice in Him,

since we trust in His holy name.

²²May Your loving devotion rest on us, O LORD,

as we put our hope in You.