The wicked succeed in everything. They cannot understand God's judgments; they sneer at their enemies.

Your mighty deeds, O LORD, make me glad; because of what you have done, I sing for joy.

This is something a fool cannot know; someone who is stupid cannot understand:

LORD, you have made so many things! How wisely you made them all! The earth is filled with your creatures.

How wonderful are the things the LORD does! All who are delighted with them want to understand them.

The LORD does not let us forget his wonderful actions; he is kind and merciful.

He punishes sinners where all can see it,

because they have stopped following him and ignored all his commands.

At your feasts you have harps and tambourines and flutes---and wine. But you don't understand what the LORD is doing,

you built a reservoir inside the city to hold the water flowing down from the old pool. But you paid no attention to God, who planned all this long ago and who caused it to happen.

At night I long for you with all my heart; when you judge the earth and its people, they will all learn what justice is.

Your enemies do not know that you will punish them. LORD, put them to shame and let them suffer; let them suffer the punishment you have prepared. Show them how much you love your people.

May those who are wise understand what is written here, and may they take it to heart. The LORD's ways are right, and righteous people live by following them, but sinners stumble and fall because they ignore them.

Even though he had performed all these miracles in their presence, they did not believe in him,

Ever since God created the world, his invisible qualities, both his eternal power and his divine nature, have been clearly seen; they are perceived in the things that God has made. So those people have no excuse at all!

Because those people refuse to keep in mind the true knowledge about God, he has given them over to corrupted minds, so that they do the things that they should not do.

When I look at the sky, which you have made, at the moon and the stars, which you set in their places---

How clearly the sky reveals God's glory! How plainly it shows what he has done!

Each day announces it to the following day; each night repeats it to the next.

There is no magic charm, no witchcraft, That can be used against the nation of Israel. Now people will say about Israel, 'Look what God has done!'

Look up at the sky! Who created the stars you see? The one who leads them out like an army, he knows how many there are and calls each one by name! His power is so great--- not one of them is ever missing!

I will send victory from the sky like rain; the earth will open to receive it and will blossom with freedom and justice. I, the LORD, will make this happen."

I am the one who made the earth and created human beings to live there. By my power I stretched out the heavens; I control the sun, the moon, and the stars.

The LORD created the heavens--- he is the one who is God! He formed and made the earth--- he made it firm and lasting. He did not make it a desolate waste, but a place for people to live. It is he who says, "I am the LORD, and there is no other god.

The LORD made the earth by his power; by his wisdom he created the world and stretched out the heavens.

At his command the waters above the sky roar; he brings clouds from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning flash in the rain and sends the wind from his storeroom.

and how very great is his power at work in us who believe. This power working in us is the same as the mighty strength

Christ rules there above all heavenly rulers, authorities, powers, and lords; he has a title superior to all titles of authority in this world and in the next.

He will be the one to build a temple for me, and I will make sure that his dynasty continues forever.

LORD Almighty, God of Israel! I have the courage to pray this prayer to you, because you have revealed all this to me, your servant, and have told me that you will make my descendants kings.

If you obey me completely, live by my laws, and win my approval by doing what I command, as my servant David did, I will always be with you. I will make you king of Israel and will make sure that your descendants rule after you, just as I have done for David.

Once again I will rebuild you. Once again you will take up your tambourines and dance joyfully.

Long ago you performed miracles and wonders in Egypt, and you have continued to perform them to this day, both in Israel and among all the other nations, so that you are now known everywhere.

By means of miracles and wonders that terrified our enemies, you used your power and might to bring your people Israel out of Egypt.