Psalm 106

Praise the LORD! Extol his goodness!

for his love endures always.

Who can tell his mighty actions,

or in full declare his praise?

Blessed are those whose way is right,

acting justly in his sight.

When you show your people favour,

then, O LORD, remember me.

Help me when you come to save them;

let me know prosperity—

Joyful with your chosen race,

joining them in giving praise.

We have sinned, just like our fathers;

we have done what was not right.

When our fathers were in Egypt

they despised your deeds of might.

All your mercies they ignored—

at the Red Sea spurned the LORD.

Yet for his name’s sake he saved them

and revealed his mighty hand.

By his word the Sea he parted,

led them through as on dry land—

From the hand of foes set free,

rescued from the enemy.

Then their adversaries foundered;

not a single one survived.

So the people sang his praises,

and his promises believed;

But his works they soon forgot,

and his counsel set at nought.

In the desert they surrendered

to their unremitting greed;

In the wasteland they provoked him,

craving meat they did not need.

So he gave them what they sought,

but on them disease he brought.

In the camp they envied Moses,

Aaron too—God’s priest was he.

Earth was split and swallowed Dathan

and Abiram’s company;

There they fell, consumed by flame—

those who had abused God’s name.

Then they made a calf at Horeb—

served an idol cast in clay;

They exchanged their highest Glory

for a bull that feeds on hay.

God their saviour they forgot,

who for them great things had wrought.

They forgot his deeds in Egypt,

marvels in the land of Ham.

So he said he would destroy them—

had not Moses, his own man,

Stood before God in the path,

shielding them from righteous wrath.

Then they scorned the land of plenty;

they did not believe his word.

In their tents they grumbled at him,

and did not obey the LORD.

So he vowed, with upraised hand,

they would fall in desert sand.

Their descendants he would punish—

scatter over lands abroad.

Yet they yoked themselves to Baal,

worshipping a lifeless god.

Their transgressions God abhorred;

so a plague came from the LORD.

But when Phinehas took action

and ungodliness defied,

Then the deadly plague was halted,

and his deed was ratified

By the LORD as rightly done,

for the ages yet to come.

Then at Meribah’s still waters

they provoked the LORD again.

They rebelled against God’s Spirit,

causing Moses bitter pain—

For he spoke, possessed by grief,

rashly and in unbelief.

They did not destroy the peoples

in accord with God’s command,

But they mixed with them, and followed

all the customs of the land,

Worshipping the idols there,

which to them became a snare.

Sons they sacrificed and daughters

to a Canaanitish god;

Thus the land was desecrated

by the stain of guiltless blood.

By their acts they were defiled—

into filthiness beguiled.

So the LORD was angry with them

and his people he abhorred—

Gave them over to the nations,

and their foe became their lord.

Subject to their enemy,

they were treated cruelly.

Many times he showed his power

by delivering his own,

But they set their heart on sinning

and rebelled against his throne.

In their sin they chose to stay

and they wasted quite away.

But when they appealed for mercy,

he took note in heaven above;

He recalled his cov’nant with them

and relented in his love.

So he made their captors all

pity those they held in thrall.

Gather us, LORD, from the nations;

save us, and your name we’ll praise.

Blessèd be the God of Israel;

may his glory last always.

Let the LORD be praised again!

Let the people say, “Amen!”