Day 30 of the 30-day Psalter: Morning and Evening

Blessed be the LORD my rock! *

who trains my hands to fight and my fingers to battle;

My help and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, *

my shield in whom I trust,

who subdues the peoples under me.

O LORD, what are we that you should care for us? *

mere mortals that you should think of us?

We are like a puff of wind; *

our days are like a passing shadow.

Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down; *

touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.

Hurl the lightning and scatter them; *

shoot out your arrows and rout them.

Stretch out your hand from on high; *

rescue me and deliver me from the great waters,

from the hand of foreign peoples,

Whose mouths speak deceitfully *

and whose right hand is raised in falsehood.

O God, I will sing to you a new song; *

I will play to you on a ten-stringed lyre.

You give victory to kings *

and have rescued David your servant.

Rescue me from the hurtful sword *

and deliver me from the hand of foreign peoples,

Whose mouths speak deceitfully *

and whose right hand is raised in falsehood.

May our sons be like plants well nurtured from their youth, *

and our daughters like sculptured corners of a palace.

May our barns be filled to overflowing with all manner of crops; *

may the flocks in our pastures increase by thousands and tens of thousands;

may our cattle be fat and sleek.

May there be no breaching of the walls, no going into exile, *

no wailing in the public squares.

Happy are the people of whom this is so! *

happy are the people whose God is the LORD!

I will exalt you, O God my King, *

and bless your Name for ever and ever.

Every day will I bless you *

and praise your Name for ever and ever.

Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; *

there is no end to his greatness.

One generation shall praise your works to another *

and shall declare your power.

I will ponder the glorious splendor of your majesty *

and all your marvelous works.

They shall speak of the might of your wondrous acts, *

and I will tell of your greatness.

They shall publish the remembrance of your great goodness; *

they shall sing of your righteous deeds.

The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, *

slow to anger and of great kindness.

The LORD is loving to everyone *

and his compassion is over all his works.

All your works praise you, O LORD, *

and your faithful servants bless you.

They make known the glory of your kingdom *

and speak of your power;

That the peoples may know of your power *

and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; *

your dominion endures throughout all ages.

The LORD is faithful in all his words *

and merciful in all his deeds.

The LORD upholds all those who fall; *

he lifts up those who are bowed down.

The eyes of all wait upon you, O LORD, *

and you give them their food in due season.

You open wide your hand *

and satisfy the needs of every living creature.

The LORD is righteous in all his ways *

and loving in all his works.

The LORD is near to those who call upon him, *

to all who call upon him faithfully.

He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; *

he hears their cry and helps them.

The LORD preserves all those who love him, *

but he destroys all the wicked.

My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD; *

let all flesh bless his holy Name for ever and ever.

Hallelujah!

Praise the LORD, O my soul! *

I will praise the LORD as long as I live;

I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

Put not your trust in rulers, nor in any child of earth, *

for there is no help in them.

When they breathe their last, they return to earth, *

and in that day their thoughts perish.

Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help! *

whose hope is in the LORD their God;

Who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them; *

who keeps his promise for ever;

Who gives justice to those who are oppressed, *

and food to those who hunger.

The LORD sets the prisoners free;

the LORD opens the eyes of the blind; *

the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;

The LORD loves the righteous;

the LORD cares for the stranger; *

he sustains the orphan and widow,

but frustrates the way of the wicked.

The LORD shall reign for ever, *

your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

How good it is to sing praises to our God! *

how pleasant it is to honor him with praise!

The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem; *

he gathers the exiles of Israel.

He heals the brokenhearted *

and binds up their wounds.

He counts the number of the stars *

and calls them all by their names.

Great is our LORD and mighty in power; *

there is no limit to his wisdom.

The LORD lifts up the lowly, *

but casts the wicked to the ground.

Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; *

make music to our God upon the harp.

He covers the heavens with clouds *

and prepares rain for the earth;

He makes grass to grow upon the mountains *

and green plants to serve mankind.

He provides food for flocks and herds *

and for the young ravens when they cry.

He is not impressed by the might of a horse; *

he has no pleasure in the strength of a man;

But the LORD has pleasure in those who fear him, *

in those who await his gracious favor.

Worship the LORD, O Jerusalem; *

praise your God, O Zion;

For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; *

he has blessed your children within you.

He has established peace on your borders; *

he satisfies you with the finest wheat.

He sends out his command to the earth, *

and his word runs very swiftly.

He gives snow like wool; *

he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.

He scatters his hail like bread crumbs; *

who can stand against his cold?

He sends forth his word and melts them; *

he blows with his wind, and the waters flow.

He declares his word to Jacob, *

his statutes and his judgments to Israel.

He has not done so to any other nation; *

to them he has not revealed his judgments.

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

Praise the LORD from the heavens; *

praise him in the heights.

Praise him, all you angels of his; *

praise him, all his host.

Praise him, sun and moon; *

praise him, all you shining stars.

Praise him, heaven of heavens, *

and you waters above the heavens.

Let them praise the Name of the LORD; *

for he commanded, and they were created.

He made them stand fast for ever and ever; *

he gave them a law which shall not pass away.

Praise the LORD from the earth, *

you sea-monsters and all deeps;

Fire and hail, snow and fog, *

tempestuous wind, doing his will;

Mountains and all hills, *

fruit trees and all cedars;

Wild beasts and all cattle, *

creeping things and wingèd birds;

Kings of the earth and all peoples, *

princes and all rulers of the world;

Young men and maidens, *

old and young together.

Let them praise the Name of the LORD, *

for his Name only is exalted,

his splendor is over earth and heaven.

He has raised up strength for his people

and praise for all his loyal servants, *

the children of Israel, a people who are near him.

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

Sing to the LORD a new song; *

sing his praise in the congregation of the faithful.

Let Israel rejoice in his Maker; *

let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.

Let them praise his Name in the dance; *

let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.

For the LORD takes pleasure in his people *

and adorns the poor with victory.

Let the faithful rejoice in triumph; *

let them be joyful on their beds.

Let the praises of God be in their throat *

and a two-edged sword in their hand;

To wreak vengeance on the nations *

and punishment on the peoples;

To bind their kings in chains *

and their nobles with links of iron;

To inflict on them the judgment decreed; *

this is glory for all his faithful people.

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

Praise God in his holy temple; *

praise him in the firmament of his power.

Praise him for his mighty acts; *

praise him for his excellent greatness.

Praise him with the blast of the ram's-horn; *

praise him with lyre and harp.

Praise him with timbrel and dance; *

praise him with strings and pipe.

Praise him with resounding cymbals; *

praise him with loud-clanging cymbals.

Let everything that has breath *

praise the Lord.

Hallelujah!