Psalm 150

Modern version by Nicaraguan-born Ernesto Cardenal


Praise be to the Lord of the Cosmos
Space is His Temple
extending over billions
of light-years.

Praise be
to the lord of the Stars
and of interstellar space.

Praise be
to the Lord of the Milky Ways
and what lies between.

Praise be to the Lord of the atoms
and the the emptiness surrounding them.
Praise Him
with violins, flutes,
and saxophones.

Praise Him
with clarinets and English horn,
with French horns and trombones,
with flugelhorns and trumpets.

Praise Him
with violas and violoncelli,
with pianos and pianolas.

Praise Him
with Blues and Jazz,
with symphony orchestras,
with Negro spirituals
and Beethoven's Fifth,
with guitars and saxophones.
.
Praise Him
with record players and cassette recorders.

Let everything that hath breath,
every living cell,
Praise the Lord.

Hallelujah!


From "Psalm" by Ernesto Cardenal
(Crossroad 1981; Sheed and Ward 1981)


And here's the original, for comparison


Praise ye the Lord.
Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
Praise him for his mighty acts:
Praise him according to his excellent greatness.
Praise him with the sound of the trumpet:
Praise him with the psaltery and harp.
Praise him with the timbrel and dance:
Praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.
- Psalm 150

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November 1998