Psalms

Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.

1Praise the LORD, my soul. LORD my God, you are very great. You are dressed in honor and majesty, like royal robes.

2Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:

2You wrap yourself in light like a coat. You spread out the sky the way someone spreads out a tent.

3Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:

3You set the beams of your high rooms on the waters above. You make the clouds your chariot and ride on the wings of the wind.

4Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:

4He makes the winds his messengers. He makes flames of fire his servants.

NoteThe KJV says "angels" and "spirits" here. The Hebrew word for "spirit" also means "wind," and the word for "angel" means "messenger," which is why most modern translations read "winds" and "messengers."

5Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.

5He set the earth firmly on its foundations, so it will never be shaken loose.

6Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.

6You covered the earth with the deep sea like a blanket. The waters stood higher than the mountains.

7At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.

7You spoke sharply, and the waters ran. At the sound of your thunder they rushed away.

8They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.

8The mountains rose up and the valleys sank down, to the places you had set for them.

9Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.

9You set a border the waters cannot cross. They will never cover the whole earth again.

10He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.

10He sends springs of water into the valleys. They run down between the hills.

11They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.

11They give a drink to every wild animal. Even the wild donkeys stop being thirsty.

12By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.

12Birds build their nests beside those waters. They sing among the branches.

13He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.

13He waters the hills with rain from his high rooms. The earth has plenty because of the work he does.

14He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;

14He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to farm, so that food comes up out of the ground.

15And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.

15There is wine to make people glad, oil to make a face shine, and bread to make a person strong.

16The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;

16The LORD's trees get all the water they need. So do the cedar trees of Lebanon, which he planted.

17Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house.

17Birds build their nests there. The stork makes her home in the fir trees.

18The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies.

18The high hills are a safe place for wild goats. The rocks are a safe place for rock badgers.

NoteThe KJV word "conies" means rock badgers, small furry animals that live among the cliffs. It does not mean rabbits.

19He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.

19He made the moon to mark the seasons. The sun knows exactly when to set.

20Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.

20You bring the darkness, and it becomes night. Then all the animals of the forest come out.

21The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.

21The young lions roar as they hunt. They are looking to God for their food.

22The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.

22When the sun comes up, they slip away together and lie down in their dens.

23Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.

23Then people go out to their jobs and work until evening.

24O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

24LORD, you have made so many things! You made them all with wisdom. The earth is full of what you made.

25So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.

25Look at the sea, huge and wide. It is packed with creatures too many to count, both small and large.

26There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.

26Ships sail across it. And there is Leviathan, the great sea creature you made to play there.

NoteLeviathan is a huge sea creature. The Bible names it in several places without describing exactly what it is.

27These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.

27All of them look to you to give them their food at the right time.

28That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.

28When you give it, they gather it up. When you open your hand, they get their fill of good things.

29Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.

29When you hide your face, they are afraid. When you take away their breath, they die and go back to dust.

30Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.

30When you send out your Spirit, new life is made. You make the face of the earth new again.

31The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works.

31May the glory of the LORD last forever. May the LORD be glad about the things he has made.

32He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.

32He looks at the earth, and it shakes. He touches the mountains, and they smoke.

33I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

33I will sing to the LORD my whole life. I will sing praise to my God as long as I exist.

34My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.

34May my thoughts about him please him. I am glad because of the LORD.

35Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.

35May sinners disappear from the earth, and may the wicked be gone. Praise the LORD, my soul. Praise the LORD!