[1] I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done. [2] I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High. [3] My enemies retreated; they staggered and died when you appeared. [4] For you have judged in my favor; from your throne you have judged with fairness. [5] You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; you have erased their names forever. [6] The enemy is finished, in endless ruins; the cities you uprooted are now forgotten. [7] But the LORD reigns forever, executing judgment from his throne. [8] He will judge the world with justice and rule the nations with fairness. [9] The LORD is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. [10] Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O LORD, do not abandon those who search for you. [11] Sing praises to the LORD who reigns in Jerusalem. Tell the world about his unforgettable deeds. [12] For he who avenges murder cares for the helpless. He does not ignore the cries of those who suffer. [13] LORD, have mercy on me. See how my enemies torment me. Snatch me back from the jaws of death. [14] Save me so I can praise you publicly at Jerusalem's gates, so I can rejoice that you have rescued me. [15] The nations have fallen into the pit they dug for others. Their own feet have been caught in the trap they set. [16] The LORD is known for his justice. The wicked are trapped by their own deeds. Quiet Interlude [17] The wicked will go down to the grave. This is the fate of all the nations who ignore God. [18] But the needy will not be ignored forever; the hopes of the poor will not always be crushed. [19] Arise, O LORD! Do not let mere mortals defy you! Judge the nations! [20] Make them tremble in fear, O LORD. Let the nations know they are merely human. Interlude
