| 1 | Praise the LORD! O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. |
| 2 | Who can utter the mighty doings of the LORD, or declare all his praise? |
| 3 | Happy are those who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times. |
| 4 | Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people; help me when you deliver them; |
| 5 | that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory in your heritage. |
| 6 | Both we and our ancestors have sinned; we have committed iniquity, have done wickedly. |
| 7 | Our ancestors, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wonderful works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled against the Most High at the Red Sea. |
| 8 | Yet he saved them for his name’s sake, so that he might make known his mighty power. |
| 9 | He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry; he led them through the deep as through a desert. |
| 10 | So he saved them from the hand of the foe, and delivered them from the hand of the enemy. |
| 11 | The waters covered their adversaries; not one of them was left. |
| 12 | Then they believed his words; they sang his praise. |
| 13 | But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel. |
| 14 | But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness, and put God to the test in the desert; |
| 15 | he gave them what they asked, but sent a wasting disease among them. |
| 16 | They were jealous of Moses in the camp, and of Aaron, the holy one of the LORD. |
| 17 | The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the faction of Abiram. |
| 18 | Fire also broke out in their company; the flame burned up the wicked. |
| 19 | They made a calf at Horeb and worshiped a cast image. |
| 20 | They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass. |
| 21 | They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt, |
| 22 | wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea. |
| 23 | Therefore he said he would destroy them — had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him, to turn away his wrath from destroying them. |
| 24 | Then they despised the pleasant land, having no faith in his promise. |
| 25 | They grumbled in their tents, and did not obey the voice of the LORD. |
| 26 | Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them that he would make them fall in the wilderness, |
| 27 | and would disperse their descendants among the nations, scattering them over the lands. |
| 28 | Then they attached themselves to the Baal of Peor, and ate sacrifices offered to the dead; |
| 29 | they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds, and a plague broke out among them. |
| 30 | Then Phinehas stood up and interceded, and the plague was stopped. |
| 31 | And that has been reckoned to him as righteousness from generation to generation forever. |
| 32 | They angered the LORD at the waters of Meribah, and it went ill with Moses on their account; |
| 33 | for they made his spirit bitter, and he spoke words that were rash. |
| 34 | They did not destroy the peoples, as the LORD commanded them, |
| 35 | but they mingled with the nations and learned to do as they did. |
| 36 | They served their idols, which became a snare to them. |
| 37 | They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons; |
| 38 | they poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; and the land was polluted with blood. |
| 39 | Thus they became unclean by their acts, and prostituted themselves in their doings. |
| 40 | Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people, and he abhorred his heritage; |
| 41 | he gave them into the hand of the nations, so that those who hated them ruled over them. |
| 42 | Their enemies oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their power. |
| 43 | Many times he delivered them, but they were rebellious in their purposes, and were brought low through their iniquity. |
| 44 | Nevertheless he regarded their distress when he heard their cry. |
| 45 | For their sake he remembered his covenant, and showed compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love. |
| 46 | He caused them to be pitied by all who held them captive. |
| 47 | Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise. |
| 48 | Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. And let all the people say, “Amen.” Praise the LORD! |