The Rebelliousness of Israel

1061 Let the Lord be praised. O give praise to the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 2 Who is able to give an account of the great acts of the Lord, or to make clear all his praise? 3 Happy are they whose decisions are upright, and he who does righteousness at all times. 4 Keep me in mind, O Lord, when you are good to your people; O let your salvation come to me; 5 So that I may see the well-being of the people of your selection, and have a part in the joy of your nation, and take pride in your heritage.

6 We are sinners like our fathers, we have done wrong, our acts are evil. 7 Our fathers did not give thought to your wonders in Egypt; they did not keep in memory the great number of your mercies, but gave you cause for wrath at the sea, even at the Red Sea. 8 But he was their saviour because of his name, so that men might see his great power. 9 By his word the Red Sea was made dry: and he took them through the deep waters as through the waste land. 10 And he took them safely out of the hands of their haters, and kept them from the attacks of those who were against them. 11 And the waters went over their haters; all of them came to an end. 12 Then they had faith in his words; they gave him songs of praise.

13 But their memory of his works was short; not waiting to be guided by him, 14 They gave way to their evil desires in the waste land, and put God to the test in the dry places. 15 And he gave them their request, but sent a wasting disease into their souls. 16 They were full of envy against Moses among the tents, and against Aaron, the holy one of the Lord. 17 The earth opening put an end to Dathan, covering up Abiram and his band. 18 And a fire was lighted among their tents; the sinners were burned up by the flames. 19 They made a young ox in Horeb, and gave worship to an image of gold. 20 And their glory was changed into the image of an ox, whose food is grass. 21 They had no memory of God their saviour, who had done great things in Egypt; 22 Works of wonder in the land of Ham, and things of fear by the Red Sea. 23 And he was purposing to put an end to them if Moses, his special servant, had not gone up before him, between him and his people, turning back his wrath, to keep them from destruction. 24 They were disgusted with the good land; they had no belief in his word; 25 Talking against him secretly in their tents, they did not give ear to the voice of the Lord. 26 So he made an oath against them, to put an end to them in the waste land: 27 That their children might be mixed among the nations, and sent away into other lands. 28 And they were joined to Baal-peor, and took part in the offerings to the dead. 29 So they made him angry by their behaviour; and he sent disease on them. 30 Then Phinehas got up, and made prayer for them; and the disease went no farther. 31 And all the generations coming after him kept the memory of his righteousness for ever. 32 They made God angry again at the waters of Meribah, so that Moses was troubled because of them; 33 For they made his spirit bitter, and he said unwise things.

34 They did not put an end to the peoples, as the Lord had said; 35 But they were joined to the nations, learning their works. 36 And they gave worship to images; which were a danger to them: 37 They even made offerings of their sons and their daughters to evil spirits, 38 And gave the blood of their sons and their daughters who had done no wrong, offering them to the images of Canaan; and the land was made unclean with blood. 39 So they became unclean through their works, going after their evil desires. 40 Then the wrath of the Lord was burning against his people, and he was angry with his heritage. 41 And he gave them into the hands of the nations; and they were ruled by their haters. 42 By them they were crushed, and made low under their hands. 43 Again and again he made them free; but their hearts were turned against his purpose, and they were overcome by their sins. 44 But when their cry came to his ears, he had pity on their trouble: 45 And kept in mind his agreement with them, and in his great mercy gave them forgiveness. 46 He put pity into the hearts of those who made them prisoners. 47 Be our saviour, O Lord our God, and let us come back together from among the nations, so that we may give honour to your holy name, and have glory in your praise. 48 Praise be to the Lord God of Israel for ever and for ever; and let all the people say, So be it. Give praise to the Lord.

The LORD Delivers from Trouble

1071 O give praise to the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. 2 Let those whose cause the Lord has taken up say so, his people whom he has taken out of the hands of their haters; 3 Making them come together out of all the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. 4 They were wandering in the waste places; they saw no way to a resting-place. 5 Their souls became feeble for need of food and drink. 6 Then they sent up their cry to the Lord in their sorrow, and he gave them salvation out of all their troubles; 7 Guiding them in the right way, so that they might come into the town of their resting-place. 8 Let men give praise to the Lord for his mercy, and for the wonders which he does for the children of men! 9 He gives its desire to the unresting soul, so that it is full of good things.

10 Those who were in the dark, in the black night, in chains of sorrow and iron; 11 Because they went against the words of God, and gave no thought to the laws of the Most High: 12 So that he made their hearts weighted down with grief; they were falling, and had no helper. 13 Then they sent up their cry to the Lord in their sorrow, and he gave them salvation out of all their troubles. 14 He took them out of the dark and the black night, and all their chains were broken. 15 Let men give praise to the Lord for his mercy, and for the wonders which he does for the children of men! 16 The doors of brass are broken by his arm, and the bands of iron are cut in two.

17 Foolish men, because of their sins, and because of their wrongdoing, are troubled; 18 They are disgusted by all food, and they come near to the doors of death. 19 Then they send up their cry to the Lord in their sorrow, and he gives them salvation out of all their troubles. 20 He sent his word and made them well, and kept them safe from the underworld. 21 Let men give praise to the Lord for his mercy, and for the wonders which he does for the children of men! 22 Let them make offerings of praise, giving news of his works with cries of joy.

23 Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business in the great waters; 24 They see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep. 25 For at his word comes up the storm-wind, lifting high the waves. 26 The sailors go up to heaven, and down into the deep; their souls are wasted because of their trouble. 27 They are turned here and there, rolling like a man who is full of wine; and all their wisdom comes to nothing. 28 Then they send up their cry to the Lord in their sorrow, and he gives them salvation out of all their troubles. 29 He makes the storm into a calm, so that the waves are at peace. 30 Then they are glad, because the sea is quiet, and he takes them to the harbour of their desire. 31 Let men give praise to the Lord for his mercy, and for the wonders which he does for the children of men! 32 Let them give glory to him in the meeting of the people, and praise among the chiefs.

33 He makes rivers into waste places, and springs of water into a dry land; 34 He makes a fertile country into a salt waste, because of the sins of those who are living there. 35 He makes a waste land into a place of water, and a dry land into water-springs. 36 And there he gives the poor a resting-place, so that they may make themselves a town; 37 And put seed in the fields and make vine-gardens, to give them fruit. 38 He gives them his blessing so that they are increased greatly, and their cattle do not become less. 39 And when they are made low, and crushed by trouble and sorrow, 40 He puts an end to the pride of kings, and sends them wandering in the waste lands where there is no way. 41 But he puts the poor man on high from his troubles, and gives him families like a flock. 42 The upright see it and are glad: the mouth of the sinner is stopped. 43 Let the wise give thought to these things, and see the mercies of the Lord.