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BOOK I

(Psalms 1–41)

The Way to Happiness

God blesses those people
    who refuse evil advice
    and won't follow sinners
    or join in sneering at God.
Instead, they find happiness
    in the Teaching of the Lord,
and they think about it
    day and night.

(A) They are like trees
    growing beside a stream,
trees that produce
fruit in season
    and always have leaves.
Those people succeed
    in everything they do.

That isn't true of those
    who are evil—
they are like straw
    blown by the wind.
Sinners won't have an excuse
    on the day of judgment,
and they won't have a place
    with the people of God.
The Lord protects everyone
    who follows him,
but the wicked follow a road
    that leads to ruin.

The Lord's Chosen King

(B) Why do the nations plot,[a]
and why do their people
    make useless plans?[b]
The kings of this earth
    have all joined together
to turn against the Lord
    and his chosen king.
They say, “Let's cut the ropes
    and set ourselves free!”

In heaven the Lord laughs
as he sits on his throne,
    making fun of the nations.
The Lord becomes furious
    and threatens them.
His anger terrifies them
    as he says,
“I've put my king on Zion,
    my sacred hill.”

(C) I will tell the promise
    that the Lord made to me:
“You are my son, because today
    I have become your father.
Ask me for the nations,
and every nation on earth
    will belong to you.
(D) You will smash them
    with an iron rod
and shatter them
    like dishes of clay.”

10 Be smart, all you rulers,
    and pay close attention.
11 Serve and honor the Lord;
    be glad and tremble.
12 Show respect to his son
    because if you don't,
the Lord might become furious
    and suddenly destroy you.[c]
But he blesses and protects
    everyone who runs to him.

Footnotes

  1. 2.1 Why … plot: Or “Why are the nations restless?”
  2. 2.1 make useless plans: Or “grumble uselessly.”
  3. 2.11,12 Serve … you: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verses 11,12.

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