Shout for joy to the Lord all you lands
As gladly in worship before Him you stand
Declare Him as God, your Creator and Lord
As His sheep, your Great Shepherd adore.
He made us, to Him we belong
We enter His gates with thanksgiving in song
For His truth and His mercy endure evermore
For His goodness our thanks we outpour.
© 2014 J Dan Small
It is good to give thanks to the Lord
To Your name, O Most High, sing my praise
Every morning I declare Your lovingkindness
And Your faithfulness at night my soul surveys.
With our strings, harp, and lute we rejoice
Sing for joy at the works of Your hand
All You’ve done fills our hearts with such happiness
Your great works and deep thoughts we understand.
But the fool cannot know You like this
Like the grass they will wither and fade
For a moment they may prosper and flourish
But the grave and destruction can’t evade.
You, O Lord, reign forever on high
All Your foes You consume and destroy
But the righteous will flourish like the palm tree
All the blessings of the Lord they will enjoy.
You’ve anointed my head with fresh oil
Like the ox and the bull made me strong
I rejoice in the downfall of the enemy
As You scatter all the wicked who do wrong.
Planted in the house of Adonai
We flourish in the courts of our God
Fresh and green, bearing fruit even when we are old
The Lord our Rock, who is righteous, we applaud!
© 2014 J Dan Small
To You, O God, in Zion,
Our praises now are due
We’ll keep the vows which we have made
As all flesh comes to You.
You hear our every prayer
When sinful deeds abound
You will atone for all our crimes
Forgiveness there is found.
What joy for those You choose
Within Your courts to dwell
Your goodness satisfying us
Much more than we could tell.
You answer every prayer
With great and awesome deeds
In You all men will put their trust
As You meet every need.
By Your almighty pow’r
You formed the mountains tall
You quieted the raging seas
The oceans noisy squall.
The tumult of the peoples
At Your command is stilled
Your wonders all the earth can see
Their hearts with awe are filled.
From morning until evening
With gladness we o’erflow
You water all our crops and fields
And cause them all to grow.
Because of You, O God
The desert comes alive
Your river flows abundantly
So e’en the pathways thrive.
The hills around rejoice
With flocks of sheep they’re dressed
The valleys filled with grain all shout
Behold how we are blest!
© 2014 J Dan Small
Finally, then . . . 