Praise the Lord!
Praise Him in His holy place, His mighty heav’n above
Praise Him for His mighty acts, surpassing greatness laud
Sound forth the shofar, lute and harp
Let all things bless our God.
Praise with tambourine and dance, with flutes and horns and strings
Cymbals crashing long and loud their joyful noise supply
Let every living, breathing thing
Sing praise to Adonai.
© J Dan Small
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord ye heavens in the heights
Praise Him all angels, heaven’s hosts, sun, moon, and stars so bright
Ye clouds and vapors high above by His command take flight
By His decree their bound’ries set, established day and night.
And from the earth and ocean depths all creatures too must praise
His word fulfill ye stormy blast, hail, snow, and fires that blaze
Mountains and hills, all kinds of trees, and all the beasts that graze
The creeping things and birds that fly must all their voices raise.
Kings, princes, rulers of the earth, young men and maidens, too
The children, elders of the land, His glorious works review
All praise the name of Adonai who has exalted you
We praise the Lord who brings us near and gives us strength anew.
© J Dan Small
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! How good to sing to God
‘Tis fitting, pleasant, beautiful, when saints, His works applaud.
He gathers in the outcast ones and heals their broken hearts
He binds their wounds, rebuilds their lives, and to them hope imparts.
This glorious God knows all the stars, calls each one out by name
His wisdom far beyond our own, His greatness we proclaim.
The wicked He casts to the ground, the humble He sustains
Take up your harp with thanksgiving, sing out melodious strains.
He spreads the clouds across the skies, sends rain for crops to grow
He feeds young ravens and the beasts, their needs He doth bestow.
He takes no pleasure in the strength of horse or human might
But in all those who hope in Him He does take great delight.
Praise the Lord, ye chosen ones, for all the ways He’s blessed
The finest wheat your children eat, enjoying peace and rest.
With just a word He sends forth snow and frost and hail and cold
Then sends a word and melts it all, ‘tis all by Him controlled.
How special that you hear His word, His statutes, rules and ways
No other people have a God who thus Himself displays.
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! How good to sing to God
‘Tis fitting, pleasant, beautiful, when saints, His works applaud.
© J Dan Small
My God, O King, I bless Your name,
Each day extol and praise
Forever I’ll declare Your fame
You cease not to amaze!
Great is the Lord, worthy of praise
Beyond what minds can know
Each generation thus displays
Your pow’rful acts they show.
Majestic, glorious miracles
Declared by every tongue
Your goodness every spirit thrills
And joyful songs are sung.
Gracious, full of compassion, Lord
And slow to anger, too
By all Your works You are adored
We all give thanks to You.
With goodness and unfailing love
In glory You now reign
Your mighty acts we will speak of
Forever You remain.
The Lord lifts up all those who fall
And those bent low with cares
The Lord Is near to all who call
He hears their feeble prayers.
The eyes of all look to Your hand
Their needs You will supply
All living things wait Your command
Their wants You satisfy.
All the Lord’s deeds are right and kind
As those who fear Him know
The wicked are to death confined
Destroyed and filled with woe.
The Lord preserves all who love Him
Our mouths proclaim His praise
His name we bless with this our hymn
And shall through endless days.
© J Dan Small
Sing praise to the name of the Lord
Praise, all you servants of the Lord
You who stand in His house, in the courtyard of God
Praise His name, He is good, praise the Lord.
He has chosen you to be His own
As His treasure you have become known
Adonai is so great, far above other gods
Ruling over the world from His throne.
Sov’reign Creator o’er skies and the seas
In heaven and earth does whatever He please
Causing clouds to arise, sending lightning and breeze
All out of His vast treasuries.
Victorious o’er Egypt’s firstborn
Signs and wonders He gave them to warn
Many nations and kings were defeated, cast down
Gave their land to His people as sworn.
Your name, O Lord, doth endure
Your fame and renown, Lord, is sure
Generations will see that You take pity
Your judgments are true, right, and pure.
The gods of the nations around
Have ears but they can’t hear a sound
Eyes that can’t see and no breath in their mouths
All who trust them, like them will be found.
Bless the Lord, ye people of God
All who rev’rence and fear Him, applaud
From Zion He reigns, so bless His great name
Hallelujah! By all He is awed.
© J Dan Small
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
With thanks my heart o’erflows
Amazed, I have His works explored
This song for Him composed.
Words can’t describe His glorious deeds
Exploring brings delight
Majestic splendor far exceeds
And all He does is right.
Beyond His works His grace displayed
In mercy doth provide
Keeping the promise He has made
The Lord is on our side.
His every act is good and just
His words forever true
His precepts we must always trust
And earnestly pursue.
He ransomed us, our souls reclaimed
Eternal cov’nant signed
Holy and awesome is His name
Gracious, and good, and kind.
True wisdom comes from fearing God
And walking in His way
Praise Him for’ere, His works applaud
You’ll grow as you obey.
© 2014 J Dan Small
O God, my heart is set on praise –to lift my voice to You
At break of dawn I’ll sing and play a melody that’s new
All peoples hear my song of thanks, my praises as they rise
To You whose love and faithfulness is higher than the skies.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens
May the radiance of Your glory fill the earth
In the midst of battle, hear, and bring salvation
By Your strong right hand deliver those You love.
In Your holiness You gave Your word of promise
“I’ll divide the land and give each one their portion
Every tribe will know their place and play a role
O’er your foes I cast my shoe and shout in triumph.”
But You, O God, have cast us off and left us on our own
How can we take the fortresses and break through Edom’s walls?
Mere human help is sure to fail, please help against our foes
With You we can do valiantly ‘gainst all who do oppose.
© 2014 J Dan Small
Bless the Lord, O my soul
Sing His praise, His might extol
Bless the Lord, O my soul
Note His wonders on your scroll.
Lord my God, how great Thou art
Clothed with glory, set apart
Robed in light and majesty
Stretching out the galaxies.
Make the heavens Your abode
Ride the clouds, on winds You strode
Sending angels with Your word
Wind and fire Your servants gird.
Built the earth’s foundations firm
It shall stand unmoved long-term
Once with flooding waters filled
O’er the mountain tops they spilled.
Then, at Your command they fled
Heard Your thund’ring voice and sped
Mountains, valleys, and the sea
Took their place at Your decree.
Set their bound’ry at the shore
That the earth may flood no more
Springs and streams You have dispersed
That the beasts may quench their thirst.
And the birds sing in the trees
With Your works the earth is pleased
Cattle graze, men till the soil
Wine makes glad, the fruit of toil.
‘Mongst the trees birds make their home
High on mountains goats can roam
Trees and cliffs each play their role
Sun and moon ‘neath Your control.
Darkness comes young lions prowl
Then, at dawn, in dens they sprawl
With the rising of the sun
People off to work must run.
Your creation doth amaze
Such variety displays
Earth and seas with creatures fill
Displays wisdom, pow’r, and skill.
Ships can sail o’er ocean waves
‘Neath them great Leviathan plays
All You made on You relies
You supply and satisfy.
When You take away their breath
Then they lie in dust of death
But the face of earth renews
When Your breath new life imbues.
May Your glory long endure
All You made bring much pleasure
At Your touch the mountains smoke
Trembling quakes Your glance evokes.
All my life my song I’ll raise
My last breath will be to praise
May these thoughts bring Him delight
And be pleasing in His sight.
Depart ye sinners from God’s earth
You know not the Lord’s great worth
With great joy I will extol
Bless the Lord with all my soul.
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord
By creation now adored
Blessings, praises we impart
Lord our God, how great Thou art.
© 2014 J Dan Small
O sing to the Lord a new song
For He has done wonderful things
By His right hand and His holy command
He saved us and now our heart sings.
His righteousness has been displayed
In faithfulness promise fulfilled
The whole world can see His great victory
No wonder our hearts are so thrilled.
Shout joyfully all of the earth
Break forth, sing for joy and sing praise
Tune the horn and the strings, play your song to the King
Joyful shouts and ovations we raise.
With justice the Lord comes to judge
Let the seas and all peoples rejoice
Clap your hands, streams and creeks, sing for joy, mountain peaks
To the Lord, the great Judge, lift your voice.
© 2014 J Dan Small
I run to You, O Adonai, to rescue me from shame
Be Thou my Refuge, shelt’ring Rock, hide me in Thy great name
Your righteousness is sure to save, my constant hiding place
Deliver me from all my foes and trials that I face.
When I was in my mother’s womb You watched and cared for me
No wonder I’ve made You my hope, my praise continually
In awe and wonder others see the way that You protect
And I, in worship, all day long Your glory recollect.
As I get older my strength fails, please don’t abandon me
The enemies who seek my life think You no longer see
So hurry, God, oppose the proud and put them in their place
May all who seek to harm me end in shame and much disgrace.
But as for me, I’ll not lose hope, I’ll praise You more and more
I can’t keep count of Your great works, O Lord, whom I adore
There is no one like our great God who saves in righteousness
Day after day, continually, with my mouth I’ll confess.
O God, You’ve taught me from my youth, and now I’m old and gray
Do not forsake me now, O God, I’ve so much more to say
I’ll make sure each new generation learns about Your deeds
So they will know that they can trust in You for all their needs.
Your ways are right because You see from heaven far above
Who is like You, O Lord my God, so faithful in Your love?
Tho You have let me see deep trials, You bring me up again
You raise me from disgrace and pain and comfort as a friend.
Break out the instruments of praise, I’ll sing to You, my God
My lips will shout, my tongue exclaim, your faithfulness applaud
You rescued me from vicious foes, I can’t stop praising You
And those who tried to do me harm are utterly subdued.
© 2014 J Dan Small
Finally, then . . . 