New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous. Praise befits the upright.
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Be glad in the Lord, O doers of righteousness; for praise is beautiful for the upright.
2 Praise the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings.
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Give praise to the Lord on the corded instrument; make melody to him with instruments of music.
3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
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Make a new song to him; playing expertly with a loud noise.
4 For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.
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For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his works are certain.
5 He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.
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His delight is in righteousness and wisdom; the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.
6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth.
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By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the army of heaven by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathered the waters of the sea as in a bottle; he put the deeps in storehouses.
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He makes the waters of the sea come together in a mass; he keeps the deep seas in store-houses.
8 Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
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Let the earth be full of the fear of the Lord; let all the people of the world be in holy fear of him.
9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.
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For he gave the word, and it was done; by his order it was fixed for ever.
10 The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
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The Lord undoes the designs of the nations; he makes the thoughts of the peoples without effect.
11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
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The Lord's purpose is eternal, the designs of his heart go on through all the generations of man.
12 Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage.
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Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he has taken for his heritage.
13 The Lord looks down from heaven; he sees all humankind.
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The Lord is looking down from heaven; he sees all the sons of men;
14 From where he sits enthroned he watches all the inhabitants of the earth—
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From his house he keeps watch on all who are living on the earth;
15 he who fashions the hearts of them all, and observes all their deeds.
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He makes all their hearts; their works are clear to him.
16 A king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
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A king's salvation is not in the power of his army; a strong man does not get free by his great strength.
17 The war horse is a vain hope for victory, and by its great might it cannot save.
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A horse is a false hope; his great power will not make any man free from danger.
18 Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,
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See, the eye of the Lord is on those in whose hearts is the fear of him, on those whose hope is in his mercy;
19 to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
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To keep their souls from death; and to keep them living in time of need.
20 Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and shield.
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Our souls are waiting for the Lord; he is our help and our salvation.
21 Our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.
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For in him our hearts have joy; in his holy name is our hope.
22 Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.
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Let your mercy be on us, O Lord, as we are waiting for you.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.