Book 2

4   Sing the praises of God, raise a psalm to his name,
  extol him who rides over the desert plains. ^note
Be joyful ^note and exult before him,
   5   father of the fatherless, the widow's champion—
    God in his holy dwelling-place.
6   God gives the friendless a home
  and brings out the prisoner safe and sound;
but rebels must live in the scorching desert.


   7   O God, when thou didst go forth before thy people,
    marching across the wilderness,
8   earth trembled, the very heavens quaked
before God the lord of Sinai, before God the God of Israel.


   9   Of thy bounty, O God, thou dost refresh with rain
    thy own land in its weariness,
    the land which thou thyself didst provide,
   10   where thy own people made their home,
which thou, O God, in thy goodness providest for the poor.


11    12    13   The Lord proclaims good news: ^note
‘Kings with their armies have fled headlong.’
O mighty host, will you linger among the sheepfolds
  while the women in your tents divide the spoil—
  an image of a dove, its wings sheathed in silver
  and its pinions in yellow gold—
   14   while the Almighty scatters kings far and wide
    like snowflakes falling on Zalmon?


     15   The hill of Bashan is a hill of God indeed,
    a hill of many peaks is Bashan's hill.
16   But, O hill of many peaks, why gaze in envy
at the hill where the Lord delights to dwell,
where the Lord himself will live for ever?
   17   Twice ten thousand were God's chariots, thousands upon thousands, ^note
when the Lord came in holiness from Sinai. ^note
18   Thou didst go up to thy lofty home with captives in thy train,
  having received tribute from men;
in the presence of the Lord God no rebel could live. ^note

Book 2

     19   Blessed is the Lord:
  he carries us day by day,
    God our salvation.
20   Our God is a God who saves us,
in the Lord God's hand lies escape from death. ^note
21   God himself will smite ^note the head of his enemies,
  those proud sinners with their flowing locks.
22   The Lord says, ‘I will return from the Dragon, ^note
    I will return from the depths of the sea,
23   that you may dabble your feet in blood,
  while the tongues of your dogs are eager ^note for it.’


   24   Thy procession, O God, comes into view,
  the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary:
25   at its head the singers, next come minstrels,
  girls among them playing on tambourines.
   26   In the great concourse they bless God,
  all Israel assembled ^note bless the Lord.
27   There is the little tribe of Benjamin leading them,
  there the company of Judah's princes,
  the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.


   28   O God, in virtue of thy power ^note—
  that godlike power which has acted for us—
29   command kings to bring gifts to thee
    for the honour of thy temple in Jerusalem.
30   Rebuke those wild beasts of the reeds, that herd of bulls,
    the bull-calf warriors of the nations; ^note
scatter these nations which revel in war;
   31   make them bring tribute ^note from Egypt,
  precious stones and silver from Pathros; ^note
let Nubia stretch out ^note her hands to God.


32   All you kingdoms of the world, sing praises to God,
    sing psalms to the Lord,
   33   to him who rides on the heavens, the ancient heavens.
Hark! he speaks in the mighty thunder.
34   Ascribe all might to God, Israel's High God,
  Israel's pride and might throned in the skies.

Book 2
   35   Terrible is God as he comes from his ^note sanctuary;
  he is Israel's own God,
who gives to his ^note people might and abundant power.


    Blessed be God.

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