Read the Bible

¹ Our Lord, I will sing
    of your love forever.
Everyone yet to be born
    will hear me praise
    your faithfulness.
² I will tell them,
"God's love
    can always be trusted,
    and his faithfulness lasts
    as long as the heavens."

³ You said, "David, my servant,
    is my chosen one,
    and this is the agreement
    I made with him:
⁴ David, one of your descendants
    will always be king."

⁵ Our Lord, let the heavens
    now praise your miracles,
    and let all of your angels
    praise your faithfulness.

⁶ None who live in the heavens
    can compare with you.
⁷ You are the most fearsome
    of all who live in heaven;
    all the others fear
    and greatly honor you.
⁸ You are Lord God All-Powerful!
    No one is as loving
    and faithful as you are.
⁹ You rule the roaring sea
    and calm its waves.
¹⁰ You crushed the monster Rahab,^[a]
and with your powerful arm
    you scattered your enemies.
¹¹ The heavens and the earth
    belong to you.
And so does the world
    with all its people
    because you created them
¹²     and everything else.^[b]

Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon
    gladly praise you.
¹³     You are strong and mighty!
¹⁴ Your kingdom is ruled
    by justice and fairness
    with love and faithfulness
    leading the way.

¹⁵ Our Lord, you bless those
    who join in the festival
    and walk in the brightness
    of your presence.
¹⁶ We are happy all day
    because of you,
    and your saving power
    brings honor to us.
¹⁷ Your own glorious power
    makes us strong,
    and because of your kindness,
    our strength increases.
¹⁸ Our Lord and our King,
the Holy One of Israel,
    you are truly our shield.

¹⁹ In a vision, you once said
    to your faithful followers:
"I have helped a mighty hero.
    I chose him from my people
    and made him famous.
²⁰ David, my servant, is the one
    I chose to be king,
²¹     and I will always be there
    to help and strengthen him.

²² "No enemy will outsmart David,
    and he won't be defeated
    by any hateful people.
²³ I will strike down and crush
    his troublesome enemies.
²⁴ He will always be able
    to depend on my love,
    and I will make him strong
    with my own power.
²⁵ I will let him rule the lands
    across the rivers and seas.
²⁶ He will say to me,
‘You are my Father
    and my God,
    as well as the mighty rock^[c]
    where I am safe.'

²⁷ "I have chosen David
    as my first-born son,
    and he will be the ruler
    of all kings on earth.
²⁸ My love for him will last,
    and my agreement with him
    will never be broken.

²⁹ "One of David's descendants
    will always be king,
    and his family will rule
    until the sky disappears.
³⁰ Suppose some of his children
should reject my Law
    and refuse my instructions.
³¹ Or suppose they should disobey
    all of my teachings.
³² Then I will correct
and punish them
    because of their sins.
³³ But I will always love David
    and faithfully keep all
    of my promises to him.

³⁴ "I won't break my agreement
    or go back on my word.
³⁵ I have sworn once and for all
by my own holy name,
    and I won't lie to David.
³⁶ His family will always rule.
    I will let his kingdom last
    as long as the sun ³⁷ and moon
    appear in the sky."

³⁸ You are now angry, God,
    and you have turned your back
    on your chosen king.
³⁹ You broke off your agreement
    with your servant, the king,
    and you completely destroyed
    his kingdom.
⁴⁰ The walls of his city
    have been broken through,
    and every fortress
    now lies in ruin.
⁴¹ All who pass by
    take what they want,
    and nations everywhere
    joke about the king.

⁴² You made his enemies powerful
    and let them celebrate.
⁴³ But you forced him to retreat
    because you did not fight
    on his side.
⁴⁴ You took his crown^[d]
and threw his throne
    in the dirt.
⁴⁵     You made an old man of him
    and put him to shame.

⁴⁶ How much longer, Lord?
    Will you hide forever?
How long will your anger
    keep burning like fire?
⁴⁷     Remember, life is short!^[e]
Why did you empty our lives
    of all meaning?
⁴⁸     No one can escape the power
    of death and the grave.

⁴⁹ Our Lord, where is the love
    you have always shown
    and that you promised
    so faithfully to David?
⁵⁰ Remember your servant, Lord!
    People make jokes about me,
    and I suffer many insults.
⁵¹ I am your chosen one,
    but your enemies chase
    and make fun of me.

⁵² Our Lord, we praise you
    forever. Amen and amen.