Psalms

¹ Thank God! Pray to him by name! Tell everyone you meet what he has done!

² translate his wonders into music!

³ you who seek God. Live a happy life!

⁴ be alert for signs of his presence.

⁵ his miracles, and the verdicts he's rendered—

⁶ O child of Jacob, his chosen.

⁷ in charge of the whole earth.

⁸ for a thousand generations he's been as good as his word.

⁹ the same oath he swore to Isaac,

¹⁰ the eternal Covenant with Israel,

¹¹ Canaan is your hill-country inheritance."

¹² a mere handful, and strangers at that,

¹³ drifting from pillar to post,

¹⁴ He told kings to keep their hands off:

¹⁵ don't hurt a hair on the heads of my prophets."

¹⁶ he broke every last blade of wheat.

¹⁷ Joseph, sold as a slave.

¹⁸ an iron collar around his neck,

¹⁹ and God confirmed his promise.

²⁰ The Pharaoh set Joseph free;

²¹ put him in charge of all his business

²² and train his advisors in wisdom.

²³ Jacob immigrated to the Land of Ham.

²⁴ soon their numbers alarmed their foes.

²⁵ they abused and cheated God's servants.

²⁶ and Aaron, whom he also chose.

²⁷ miracles in the Land of Ham.

²⁸ they couldn't see what they were doing.

²⁹ so that all their fish died;

³⁰ even into the king's bedroom;

³¹ gnats filled the air.

³² he stabbed their land with lightning;

³³ smashed their groves of trees to splinters;

³⁴ millions of locusts, armies of locusts;

³⁵ and picked the ground clean of produce;

³⁶ the first fruits of their virile powers.

³⁷ and not one among his tribes even stumbled.

³⁸ they were scared to death of them.

³⁹ and a fire to light their way through the night;

⁴⁰ filled them with the bread of heaven;

⁴¹ it flowed like a river through that desert—

⁴² his promise to Abraham, his servant.

⁴³ his chosen people marched, singing their hearts out!

⁴⁴ helped them seize the wealth of the nations

⁴⁵ could follow his instructions to the letter. Hallelujah!