¹Lord! I’m bursting with joy over what you’ve done for me!

My lips are full of perpetual praise.

²I’m boasting of you and all your works,

so let all who are discouraged take heart.

³Join me, everyone! Let’s praise the Lord together.

Let’s make him famous!

Let’s make his name glorious to all.

⁴Listen to my testimony: I cried to God in my distress

and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears!

⁵Gaze upon him, join your life with his, and joy will come.

Your faces will glisten with glory.

You’ll never wear that shame-face again.

⁶When I had nothing, desperate and defeated,

I cried out to the Lord and he heard me,

bringing his miracle-deliverance when I needed it most.

⁷The angel of Yahweh stooped down to listen as I prayed,

encircling me, empowering me, and showing me how to escape.

He will do this for everyone who fears God.

⁸Drink deeply of the pleasures of this God.[#34:8 Many translations read “Taste and see.” The Hebrew root word for “see” is taken from a word that means “to drink deeply.”]

Experience for yourself the joyous mercies he gives

to all who turn to hide themselves in him.

⁹Worship in awe and wonder, all you who’ve been made holy!

For all who fear him will feast with plenty.

¹⁰Even the strong and the wealthy grow weak and hungry,[#34:10 Following the ancient versions (Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate), this phrase is translated “rich ones.” Modern translations read “young lions.”]

but those who passionately pursue the Lord

will never lack any good thing.

¹¹Come, children of God, and listen to me.

I’ll share the lesson I’ve learned of fearing the Lord:

^12-13Do you want to live a long, good life,

enjoying the beauty that fills each day?

Then never speak a lie or allow wicked words

to come from your mouth.

¹⁴Keep turning your back on every sin,

and make “peace” your life motto.

Practice being at peace with everyone.

¹⁵The Lord sees all we do;

he watches over his friends day and night.

His godly ones receive the answers they seek

whenever they cry out to him.

¹⁶But the Lord has made up his mind to oppose evildoers

and to wipe out even the memory of them

from the face of the earth.

¹⁷Yet when holy lovers of God cry out

to him with all their hearts,

the Lord will hear them and come to rescue them

from all their troubles.

¹⁸The Lord is close to all whose hearts are crushed by pain,

and he is always ready to restore the repentant one.

¹⁹Even when bad things happen to the good and godly ones,

the Lord will save them and not let them be defeated

by what they face.

²⁰God will be your bodyguard to protect you

when trouble is near.

Not one bone will be broken.

²¹Evil will cause the death of the wicked,

for they hate and persecute the devoted lovers of God.

Make no mistake about it:

God will hold them guilty and punish them;

they will pay the penalty!

²²But the Lord has paid for the freedom of his servants,

and he will freely pardon those who love him.

He will declare them free and innocent

when they turn to hide themselves in him.