- 1Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.
- 2Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord, or fully declare all his praise?
- 3Blessed are those who keep justice. Blessed is one who does what is right at all times.
- 4Remember me, the Lord, with the favor that you show to your people. Visit me with your salvation,
- 5that I may see the prosperity of your chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance.
- 6We have sinned with our fathers. We have committed iniquity. We have done wickedly.
- 7Our fathers didn’t understand your wonders in Egypt. They didn’t remember the multitude of your loving kindnesses, but were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea.
- 8Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power known.
- 9He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up; so he led them through the depths, as through a desert.
- 10He saved them from the hand of him who hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
- 11The waters covered their adversaries. There was not one of them left.
- 12Then they believed his words. They sang his praise.
- 13They soon forgot his works. They didn’t wait for his counsel,
- 14but gave in to craving in the desert, and tested God in the wasteland.
- 15He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul.
- 16They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron, the Lord’s saint.
- 17The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.
- 18A fire was kindled in their company. The flame burned up the wicked.
- 19They made a calf in Horeb, and worshiped a molten image.
- 20Thus they exchanged their glory for an image of a bull that eats grass.
- 21They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt,
- 22Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome things by the Red Sea.
- 23Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had Moses, his chosen, not stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, so that he wouldn’t destroy them.
- 24Yes, they despised the pleasant land. They didn’t believe his word,
- 25but murmured in their tents, and didn’t listen to the Lord’s voice.
- 26Therefore he swore to them that he would overthrow them in the wilderness,
- 27that he would overthrow their seed among the nations, and scatter them in the lands.
- 28They joined themselves also to Baal Peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.
- 29Thus they provoked him to anger with their deeds. The plague broke in on them.
- 30Then Phinehas stood up, and executed judgment, so the plague was stopped.
- 31That was credited to him for righteousness, for all generations to come.
- 32They angered him also at the waters of Meribah, so that Moses was troubled for their sakes;
- 33because they were rebellious against his spirit, he spoke rashly with his lips.
- 34They didn’t destroy the peoples, as the Lord commanded them,
- 35but mixed themselves with the nations, and learned their works.
- 36They served their idols, which became a snare to them.
- 37Yes, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.
- 38They shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan. The land was polluted with blood.
- 39Thus were they defiled with their works, and prostituted themselves in their deeds.
- 40Therefore the Lord burned with anger against his people. He abhorred his inheritance.
- 41He gave them into the hand of the nations. Those who hated them ruled over them.
- 42Their enemies also oppressed them. They were brought into subjection under their hand.
- 43Many times he delivered them, but they were rebellious in their counsel, and were brought low in their iniquity.
- 44Nevertheless he regarded their distress, when he heard their cry.
- 45He remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.
- 46He made them also to be pitied by all those who carried them captive.
- 47Save us, the Lord, our God, gather us from among the nations, to give thanks to your holy name, to triumph in your praise!
- 48Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting even to everlasting! Let all the people say, “Amen.” Praise Yah!