12 Once more I will set forth my theme to shine like the moon in its fullness!

13 Listen, my faithful children: open up your petals, like roses planted near running waters;

14 Send up the sweet odor of incense, break forth in blossoms like the lily. Send up the sweet odor of your hymn of praise; bless the LORD for all he has done!

15 Proclaim the greatness of his name, loudly sing his praises, With music on the harp and all stringed instruments; sing out with joy as you proclaim:

16 The works of God are all of them good; in its own time every need is supplied.

17 At his word the waters become still as in a flask; he had but to speak and the reservoirs were made.

18 He has but to command and his will is done; nothing can limit his achievement.

19 The works of all mankind are present to him; not a thing escapes his eye.

20 His gaze spans all the ages; to him there is nothing unexpected.

21 No cause then to say: “What is the purpose of this?” Everything is chosen to satisfy a need.

22 His blessing overflows like the Nile; like the Euphrates it enriches the surface of the earth.

23 Again, his wrath expels the nations and turns fertile land into a salt marsh.

24 For the virtuous his paths are level, to the haughty they are steep;

25 Good things for the good he provided from the beginning, but for the wicked good things and bad.

26 Chief of all needs for human life are water and fire, iron and salt, The heart of the wheat, milk and honey, the blood of the grape, and oil, and cloth;

27 For the good all these are good, but for the wicked they turn out evil.

28 There are storm winds created to punish, which in their fury can dislodge mountains; When destruction must be, they hurl all their force and appease the anger of their Maker.

29 In his treasury also, kept for the proper time, are fire and hail, famine, disease,

30 Ravenous beasts, scorpions, vipers, and the avenging sword to exterminate the wicked;

31 In doing his bidding they rejoice, in their assignments they disobey not his command.

32 So from the first I took my stand, and wrote down as my theme:

33 The works of God are all of them good; every need when it comes he fills.

34 No cause then to say: “This is not as good as that”; for each shows its worth at the proper time.