Good News Translation (GNT)

The Voice of the Lord in the Storm

1 Praise the Lord, you heavenly beings;

praise his glory and power.

2 Praise the Lord’s glorious name;

bow down before the Holy One when he appears.

3 The voice of the Lord is heard on the seas;

the glorious God thunders,

and his voice echoes over the ocean.

4 The voice of the Lord is heard

in all its might and majesty.

5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars,

even the cedars of Lebanon.

6 He makes the mountains of Lebanon jump like calves

and makes Mount Hermon leap like a young bull.

7 The voice of the Lord makes the lightning flash.

8 His voice makes the desert shake;

he shakes the desert of Kadesh.

9 The Lord’s voice shakes the oaks

and strips the leaves from the trees

while everyone in his Temple shouts, “Glory to God!”

10 The Lord rules over the deep waters;

he rules as king forever.

11 The Lord gives strength to his people

and blesses them with peace.

—https://cdn-youversionapi.global.ssl.fastly.net/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/29-e7b6f3c18906e5d9c1a5e91fc261ed76.mp3?version_id=68—

A Prayer of Thanksgiving

1 I praise you, Lord, because you have saved me

and kept my enemies from gloating over me.

2 I cried to you for help, O Lord my God,

and you healed me;

3 you kept me from the grave.

I was on my way to the depths below,

but you restored my life.

4 Sing praise to the Lord,

all his faithful people!

Remember what the Holy One has done,

and give him thanks!

5 His anger lasts only a moment,

his goodness for a lifetime.

Tears may flow in the night,

but joy comes in the morning.

6 I felt secure and said to myself,

“I will never be defeated.”

7 You were good to me, Lord;

you protected me like a mountain fortress.

But then you hid yourself from me,

and I was afraid.

8 I called to you, Lord;

I begged for your help:

9 “What will you gain from my death?

What profit from my going to the grave?

Are dead people able to praise you?

Can they proclaim your unfailing goodness?

10 Hear me, Lord, and be merciful!

Help me, Lord!”

11 You have changed my sadness into a joyful dance;

you have taken away my sorrow

and surrounded me with joy.

12 So I will not be silent;

I will sing praise to you.

Lord, you are my God;

I will give you thanks forever.

—https://cdn-youversionapi.global.ssl.fastly.net/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/30-d9fad7a4715dd36b52d02f6342331f3a.mp3?version_id=68—

A Prayer of Trust in God

1 I come to you, Lord, for protection;

never let me be defeated.

You are a righteous God;

save me, I pray!

2 Hear me! Save me now!

Be my refuge to protect me;

my defense to save me.

3 You are my refuge and defense;

guide me and lead me as you have promised.

4 Keep me safe from the trap that has been set for me;

shelter me from danger.

5 I place myself in your care.

You will save me, Lord;

you are a faithful God.

6 You hate those who worship false gods,

but I trust in you.

7 I will be glad and rejoice

because of your constant love.

You see my suffering;

you know my trouble.

8 You have not let my enemies capture me;

you have given me freedom to go where I wish.

9 Be merciful to me, Lord,

for I am in trouble;

my eyes are tired from so much crying;

I am completely worn out.

10 I am exhausted by sorrow,

and weeping has shortened my life.

I am weak from all my troubles;

even my bones are wasting away.

11 All my enemies, and especially my neighbors,

treat me with contempt.

Those who know me are afraid of me;

when they see me in the street, they run away.

12 Everyone has forgotten me, as though I were dead;

I am like something thrown away.

13 I hear many enemies whispering;

terror is all around me.

They are making plans against me,

plotting to kill me.

14 But my trust is in you, O Lord;

you are my God.

15 I am always in your care;

save me from my enemies,

from those who persecute me.

16 Look on your servant with kindness;

save me in your constant love.

17 I call to you, Lord;

don’t let me be disgraced.

May the wicked be disgraced;

may they go silently down to the world of the dead.

18 Silence those liars—

all the proud and arrogant

who speak with contempt about the righteous.

19 How wonderful are the good things

you keep for those who honor you!

Everyone knows how good you are,

how securely you protect those who trust you.

20 You hide them in the safety of your presence

from the plots of others;

in a safe shelter you hide them

from the insults of their enemies.

21 Praise the Lord!

How wonderfully he showed his love for me

when I was surrounded and attacked!

22 I was afraid and thought

that he had driven me out of his presence.

But he heard my cry,

when I called to him for help.

23 Love the Lord, all his faithful people.

The Lord protects the faithful,

but punishes the proud as they deserve.

24 Be strong, be courageous,

all you that hope in the Lord.

—https://cdn-youversionapi.global.ssl.fastly.net/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/31-f3db16635d2fb5c0b40eeb93508bfc29.mp3?version_id=68—

Confession and Forgiveness

1 Happy are those whose sins are forgiven,

whose wrongs are pardoned.

2 Happy is the one whom the Lord does not accuse of doing wrong

and who is free from all deceit.

3 When I did not confess my sins,

I was worn out from crying all day long.

4 Day and night you punished me, Lord;

my strength was completely drained,

as moisture is dried up by the summer heat.

5 Then I confessed my sins to you;

I did not conceal my wrongdoings.

I decided to confess them to you,

and you forgave all my sins.

6 So all your loyal people should pray to you in times of need;

when a great flood of trouble comes rushing in,

it will not reach them.

7 You are my hiding place;

you will save me from trouble.

I sing aloud of your salvation,

because you protect me.

8 The Lord says, “I will teach you the way you should go;

I will instruct you and advise you.

9 Don’t be stupid like a horse or a mule,

which must be controlled with a bit and bridle

to make it submit.”

10 The wicked will have to suffer,

but those who trust in the Lord

are protected by his constant love.

11 You that are righteous, be glad and rejoice

because of what the Lord has done.

You that obey him, shout for joy!

—https://cdn-youversionapi.global.ssl.fastly.net/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/32-42a30e2f618109b413586a2e3023cbf1.mp3?version_id=68—

A Song of Praise

1 All you that are righteous,

shout for joy for what the Lord has done;

praise him, all you that obey him.

2 Give thanks to the Lord with harps,

sing to him with stringed instruments.

3 Sing a new song to him,

play the harp with skill, and shout for joy!

4 The words of the Lord are true,

and all his works are dependable.

5 The Lord loves what is righteous and just;

his constant love fills the earth.

6 The Lord created the heavens by his command,

the sun, moon, and stars by his spoken word.

7 He gathered all the seas into one place;

he shut up the ocean depths in storerooms.

8 Worship the Lord, all the earth!

Honor him, all peoples of the world!

9 When he spoke, the world was created;

at his command everything appeared.

10 The Lord frustrates the purposes of the nations;

he keeps them from carrying out their plans.

11 But his plans endure forever;

his purposes last eternally.

12 Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord;

happy are the people he has chosen for his own!

13 The Lord looks down from heaven

and sees all of us humans.

14 From where he rules, he looks down

on all who live on earth.

15 He forms all their thoughts

and knows everything they do.

16 A king does not win because of his powerful army;

a soldier does not triumph because of his strength.

17 War horses are useless for victory;

their great strength cannot save.

18 The Lord watches over those who obey him,

those who trust in his constant love.

19 He saves them from death;

he keeps them alive in times of famine.

20 We put our hope in the Lord;

he is our protector and our help.

21 We are glad because of him;

we trust in his holy name.

22 May your constant love be with us, Lord,

as we put our hope in you.

—https://cdn-youversionapi.global.ssl.fastly.net/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/33-573e47ecafceb6bf29a91dab68edc10f.mp3?version_id=68—

In Praise of God’s Goodness

1 I will always thank the Lord;

I will never stop praising him.

2 I will praise him for what he has done;

may all who are oppressed listen and be glad!

3 Proclaim with me the Lord’s greatness;

let us praise his name together!

4 I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me;

he freed me from all my fears.

5 The oppressed look to him and are glad;

they will never be disappointed.

6 The helpless call to him, and he answers;

he saves them from all their troubles.

7 His angel guards those who honor the Lord

and rescues them from danger.

8 Find out for yourself how good the Lord is.

Happy are those who find safety with him.

9 Honor the Lord, all his people;

those who obey him have all they need.

10 Even lions go hungry for lack of food,

but those who obey the Lord lack nothing good.

11 Come, my young friends, and listen to me,

and I will teach you to honor the Lord.

12 Would you like to enjoy life?

Do you want long life and happiness?

13 Then keep from speaking evil

and from telling lies.

14 Turn away from evil and do good;

strive for peace with all your heart.

15 The Lord watches over the righteous

and listens to their cries;

16 but he opposes those who do evil,

so that when they die, they are soon forgotten.

17 The righteous call to the Lord, and he listens;

he rescues them from all their troubles.

18 The Lord is near to those who are discouraged;

he saves those who have lost all hope.

19 Good people suffer many troubles,

but the Lord saves them from them all;

20 the Lord preserves them completely;

not one of their bones is broken.

21 Evil will kill the wicked;

those who hate the righteous will be punished.

22 The Lord will save his people;

those who go to him for protection will be spared.

—https://cdn-youversionapi.global.ssl.fastly.net/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/34-5472c209bdbef0c2b01c97111ad11e5c.mp3?version_id=68—

A Prayer for Help

1 Oppose those who oppose me, Lord,

and fight those who fight against me!

2 Take your shield and armor

and come to my rescue.

3 Lift up your spear and war ax

against those who pursue me.

Promise that you will save me.

4 May those who try to kill me

be defeated and disgraced!

May those who plot against me

be turned back and confused!

5 May they be like straw blown by the wind

as the angel of the Lord pursues them!

6 May their path be dark and slippery

while the angel of the Lord strikes them down!

7 Without any reason they laid a trap for me

and dug a deep hole to catch me.

8 But destruction will catch them before they know it;

they will be caught in their own trap

and fall to their destruction!

9 Then I will be glad because of the Lord;

I will be happy because he saved me.

10 With all my heart I will say to the Lord,

“There is no one like you.

You protect the weak from the strong,

the poor from the oppressor.”

11 Evil people testify against me

and accuse me of crimes I know nothing about.

12 They pay me back evil for good,

and I sink in despair.

13 But when they were sick, I dressed in mourning;

I deprived myself of food;

I prayed with my head bowed low,

14 as I would pray for a friend or a brother.

I went around bent over in mourning,

as one who mourns for his mother.

15 But when I was in trouble, they were all glad

and gathered around to make fun of me;

strangers beat me

and kept striking me.

16 Like those who would mock a cripple,

they glared at me with hate.

17 How much longer, Lord, will you just look on?

Rescue me from their attacks;

save my life from these lions!

18 Then I will thank you in the assembly of your people;

I will praise you before them all.

19 Don’t let my enemies, those liars,

gloat over my defeat.

Don’t let those who hate me for no reason

smirk with delight over my sorrow.

20 They do not speak in a friendly way;

instead they invent all kinds of lies about peace-loving people.

21 They accuse me, shouting,

“We saw what you did!”

22 But you, O Lord, have seen this.

So don’t be silent, Lord;

don’t keep yourself far away!

23 Rouse yourself, O Lord, and defend me;

rise up, my God, and plead my cause.

24 You are righteous, O Lord, so declare me innocent;

don’t let my enemies gloat over me.

25 Don’t let them say to themselves,

“We are rid of him!

That’s just what we wanted!”

26 May those who gloat over my suffering

be completely defeated and confused;

may those who claim to be better than I am

be covered with shame and disgrace.

27 May those who want to see me acquitted

shout for joy and say again and again,

“How great is the Lord!

He is pleased with the success of his servant.”

28 Then I will proclaim your righteousness,

and I will praise you all day long.

—https://cdn-youversionapi.global.ssl.fastly.net/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/35-c29e051f62980284523908785289d11f.mp3?version_id=68—

Human Wickedness

1 Sin speaks to the wicked deep in their hearts;

they reject God and do not have reverence for him.

2 Because they think so highly of themselves,

they think that God will not discover their sin and condemn it.

3 Their speech is wicked and full of lies;

they no longer do what is wise and good.

4 They make evil plans as they lie in bed;

nothing they do is good,

and they never reject anything evil.

The Goodness of God

5 Lord, your constant love reaches the heavens;

your faithfulness extends to the skies.

6 Your righteousness is towering like the mountains;

your justice is like the depths of the sea.

People and animals are in your care.

7 How precious, O God, is your constant love!

We findprotection under the shadow of your wings.

8 We feast on the abundant food you provide;

you let us drink from the river of your goodness.

9 You are the source of all life,

and because of your light we see the light.

10 Continue to love those who know you

and to do good to those who are righteous.

11 Do not let proud people attack me

or the wicked make me run away.

12 See where evil people have fallen.

There they lie, unable to rise.

—https://cdn-youversionapi.global.ssl.fastly.net/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/36-10a961ceebe217c9a6e4c7e2cfc15eb7.mp3?version_id=68—

The Destiny of the Wicked and of the Good

1 Don’t be worried on account of the wicked;

don’t be jealous of those who do wrong.

2 They will soon disappear like grass that dries up;

they will die like plants that wither.

3 Trust in the Lord and do good;

live in the land and be safe.

4 Seek your happiness in the Lord,

and he will give you your heart’s desire.

5 Give yourself to the Lord;

trust in him, and he will help you;

6 he will make your righteousness shine like the noonday sun.

7 Be patient and wait for the Lord to act;

don’t be worried about those who prosper

or those who succeed in their evil plans.

8 Don’t give in to worry or anger;

it only leads to trouble.

9 Those who trust in the Lord will possess the land,

but the wicked will be driven out.

10 Soon the wicked will disappear;

you may look for them, but you won’t find them;

11 but the humble will possess the land

and enjoy prosperity and peace.

12 The wicked plot against good people

and glare at them with hate.

13 But the Lord laughs at wicked people,

because he knows they will soon be destroyed.

14 The wicked draw their swords and bend their bows

to kill the poor and needy,

to slaughter those who do what is right;

15 but they will be killed by their own swords,

and their bows will be smashed.

16 The little that a good person owns

is worth more than the wealth of all the wicked,

17 because the Lord will take away the strength of the wicked,

but protect those who are good.

18 The Lord takes care of those who obey him,

and the land will be theirs forever.

19 They will not suffer when times are bad;

they will have enough in time of famine.

20 But the wicked will die;

the enemies of the Lord will vanish like wild flowers;

they will disappear like smoke.

21 The wicked borrow and never pay back,

but good people are generous with their gifts.

22 Those who are blessed by the Lord will possess the land,

but those who are cursed by him will be driven out.

23 The Lord guides us in the way we should go

and protects those who please him.

24 If they fall, they will not stay down,

because the Lord will help them up.

25 I am old now; I have lived a long time,

but I have never seen good people abandoned by the Lord

or their children begging for food.

26 At all times they give freely and lend to others,

and their children are a blessing.

27 Turn away from evil and do good,

and your descendants will always live in the land;

28 for the Lord loves what is right

and does not abandon his faithful people.

He protects them forever,

but the descendants of the wicked will be driven out.

29 The righteous will possess the land

and live in it forever.

30 The words of good people are wise,

and they are always fair.

31 They keep the law of their God in their hearts

and never depart from it.

32 Wicked people watch good people

and try to kill them;

33 but the Lord will not abandon them to their enemy’s power

or let them be condemned when they are on trial.

34 Put your hope in the Lord and obey his commands;

he will honor you by giving you the land,

and you will see the wicked driven out.

35 I once knew someone wicked who was a tyrant;

he towered over everyone like a cedar of Lebanon;

36 but later Ipassed by, and he wasn’t there;

I looked for him, but couldn’t find him.

37 Notice good people, observe the righteous;

peaceful people have descendants,

38 but sinners are completely destroyed,

and their descendants are wiped out.

39 The Lord saves the righteous

and protects them in times of trouble.

40 He helps them and rescues them;

he saves them from the wicked,

because they go to him for protection.

—https://cdn-youversionapi.global.ssl.fastly.net/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/37-9c55fa2201c7349fb385f309ca88684d.mp3?version_id=68—

The Prayer of a Sufferer

1 O Lord, don’t punish me in your anger!

2 You have wounded me with your arrows;

you have struck me down.

3 Because of your anger, I am in great pain;

my whole body is diseased because of my sins.

4 I am drowning in the flood of my sins;

they are a burden too heavy to bear.

5 Because I have been foolish,

my sores stink and rot.

6 I am bent over, I am crushed;

I mourn all day long.

7 I am burning with fever

and I am near death.

8 I am worn out and utterly crushed;

my heart is troubled, and I groan with pain.

9 O Lord, you know what I long for;

you hear all my groans.

10 My heart is pounding, my strength is gone,

and my eyes have lost their brightness.

11 My friends and neighbors will not come near me,

because of my sores;

even my family keeps away from me.

12 Those who want to kill me lay traps for me,

and those who want to hurt me threaten to ruin me;

they never stop plotting against me.

13 I am like the deaf and cannot hear,

like the dumb and cannot speak.

14 I am like those who do not answer,

because they cannot hear.

15 But I trust in you, O Lord;

and you, O Lord my God, will answer me.

16 Don’t let my enemies gloat over my distress;

don’t let them boast about my downfall!

17 I am about to fall

and am in constant pain.

18 I confess my sins;

they fill me with anxiety.

19 My enemies are healthy and strong;

there are many who hate me for no reason.

20 Those who pay back evil for good

are against me because I try to do right.

21 Do not abandon me, O Lord;

do not stay away, my God!

22 Help me now, O Lord my savior!

—https://cdn-youversionapi.global.ssl.fastly.net/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/PSA/38-a41daf09f37ad0885432694e38acc9c9.mp3?version_id=68—