To The Word – Day 218

₁Why do the nations plan rebellion?

Why do people make their useless plots?

₂Their kings revolt,

their rulers plot together against the LORD

and against the king he chose.

₃“Let us free ourselves from their rule,” they say;

“let us throw off their control.”

₄From his throne in heaven the Lord laughs

and mocks their feeble plans.

₅Then he warns them in anger

and terrifies them with his fury.

₆“On Zion, my sacred hill,” he says,

“I have installed my king.”

₇“I will announce,” says the king, “what the LORD has declared.

He said to me: ‘You are my son;

today I have become your father.

₈Ask, and I will give you all the nations;

the whole earth will be yours.

₉You will break them with an iron rod;

you will shatter them in pieces like a clay pot.’ ”

₁₀Now listen to this warning, you kings;

learn this lesson, you rulers of the world:

₁₁Serve the LORD with fear;

₁₂tremble and bow down to him;

or else his anger will be quickly aroused,

and you will suddenly die.

Happy are all who go to him for protection.

₁The LORD is king.

He is clothed with majesty and strength.

The earth is set firmly in place

and cannot be moved.

₂Your throne, O LORD, has been firm from the beginning,

and you existed before time began.

₃The ocean depths raise their voice, O LORD;

they raise their voice and roar.

₄The LORD rules supreme in heaven,

greater than the roar of the ocean,

more powerful than the waves of the sea.

₅Your laws are eternal, LORD,

and your Temple is holy indeed,

for ever and ever.

₁The LORD is king! Earth, be glad!

Rejoice, you islands of the seas!

₂Clouds and darkness surround him;

he rules with righteousness and justice.

₃Fire goes in front of him

and burns up his enemies round him.

₄His lightning lights up the world;

the earth sees it and trembles.

₅The hills melt like wax before the LORD,

before the Lord of all the earth.

₆The heavens proclaim his righteousness,

and all the nations see his glory.

₇Everyone who worships idols is put to shame;

all the gods bow down before the LORD.

₈The people of Zion are glad,

and the cities of Judah rejoice

because of your judgements, O LORD.

₉LORD Almighty, you are ruler of all the earth;

you are much greater than all the gods.

₁₀The LORD loves those who hate evil;

he protects the lives of his people;

he rescues them from the power of the wicked.

₁₁Light shines on the righteous,

and gladness on the good.

₁₂All you that are righteous be glad

because of what the LORD has done!

Remember what the holy God has done,

and give thanks to him.

₁Sing a new song to the LORD;

he has done wonderful things!

By his own power and holy strength

he has won the victory.

₂The LORD announced his victory;

he made his saving power known to the nations.

₃He kept his promise to the people of Israel

with loyalty and constant love for them.

All people everywhere have seen the victory of our God.

₄Sing for joy to the LORD, all the earth;

praise him with songs and shouts of joy!

₅Sing praises to the LORD!

Play music on the harps!

₆Blow trumpets and horns,

and shout for joy to the LORD, our king.

₇Roar, sea, and every creature in you;

sing, earth, and all who live on you!

₈Clap your hands, you rivers;

you hills, sing together with joy before the LORD,

₉because he comes to rule the earth.

He will rule the peoples of the world

with justice and fairness.

₁The LORD is king;

and the people tremble.

He is enthroned above the winged creatures

and the earth shakes.

₂The LORD is mighty in Zion;

he is supreme over all the nations.

₃Everyone will praise his great and majestic name.

Holy is he!

₄Mighty king, you love what is right;

you have established justice in Israel;

you have brought righteousness and fairness.

₅Praise the LORD our God;

worship before his throne!

Holy is he!

₆Moses and Aaron were his priests,

and Samuel was one who prayed to him;

they called to the LORD, and he answered them.

₇He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud;

they obeyed the laws and commands that he gave them.

₈O LORD, our God, you answered your people;

you showed them that you are a God who forgives,

even though you punished them for their sins.

₉Praise the LORD our God,

and worship at his sacred hill!

The LORD our God is holy.

₁The LORD said to my lord,

“Sit here at my right

until I put your enemies under your feet.”

₂From Zion the LORD will extend your royal power.

“Rule over your enemies,” he says.

₃On the day you fight your enemies,

your people will volunteer.

Like the dew of early morning

your young men will come to you on the sacred hills.

₄The LORD made a solemn promise and will not take it back:

“You will be a priest for ever

in the priestly order of Melchizedek.”

₅The Lord is at your right side;

when he becomes angry, he will defeat kings.

₆He will pass judgement on the nations

and fill the battlefield with corpses;

he will defeat kings all over the earth.

₇The king will drink from the stream by the road,

and strengthened, he will stand victorious.