The leader of the community is at the head of the procession: he thanks God who has freed his people of their trials.
① 1Shout with joy to God, all you on earth;
2sing to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
3Say to God, “How great are your deeds!
How formidable your power
that makes your enemies cower!
4All the earth bows down to you,
making music in praise of you,
singing in honor of your name.”
5Come and see God’s wonders,
his deeds awesome for humans.
6He has turned the sea into dry land,
and the river was crossed on foot.
Let us, therefore, rejoice in him.
7He rules by his might forever,
his eyes keeping watch on the peoples,
his arm holding the rebels in check.
8Praise our God, O nations,
let the sound of his praise be heard,
9for he has preserved us among the living
and kept our feet from stumbling.
10Why did you test us, O God;
and refine us like silver?
11You let us fall into the snare;
you burdened us with disgrace.
12You allowed a nobody to rule over us,
and we have gone through fire and water,
but you have brought us to safety at last.
13I will bring offerings to your house
in fulfillment of my vows –
14Those I made when assailed with troubles.
15I will offer holocausts of fatlings,
sending up smoke of burning rams,
and a sacrifice of goats and bulls.
16All you who fear God, come and listen;
let me tell you what he has done.
17I cried aloud to him,
extolling him with my tongue.
18If I had nurtured wickedness in my heart,
then he would not have heard.
19But God has listened;
he gave heed to my prayer.
20May God be blessed!
He has not rejected my prayer;
nor withheld his love from me.
- The psalmist knows that God has not only created nature but that he protects his people from a hostile world, and he recalls his saving wonders.
“We thank you, Lord God, Master of the universe, who are and who were, for you have begun your reign, making use of your invincible power. The nations raged but your wrath has come, the time to judge the dead and reward your servants the prophets, the saints and those who honor your Name – whether great or small – and destroy those who destroy the earth” (Rev 11:17-18).
