1Hallelujah! Give thanks to the LORD because he is good, because his mercy endures forever.

2Who can speak about all the mighty things the LORD has done? Who can announce all the things for which he is worthy of praise?

3Blessed are those who defend justice and do what is right at all times.

4Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people. Come to help me with your salvation

5so that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones, find joy in our people's happiness, and brag with the people who belong to you.

6We have sinned, and so did our ancestors. We have done wrong. We are guilty.

7When our ancestors were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles. They did not remember your numerous acts of mercy, so they rebelled at the sea, the Red Sea.

8He saved them because of his reputation so that he could make his mighty power known.

9He angrily commanded the Red Sea, and it dried up. He led them through deep water as though it were a desert.

10He rescued them from the power of the one who hated them. He rescued them from the enemy.

11Water covered their adversaries. Not one Egyptian survived.

12Then our ancestors believed what he said. They sang his praise.

13They quickly forgot what he did. They did not wait for his advice.

14They had an unreasonable desire [for food]in the wilderness.[In the desert they tested God.]

15He gave them what they asked for. He [also] gave them a degenerative disease.

16In the camp certain men became envious of Moses. They also became envious of Aaron, the LORD's holy one.

17The ground split open and swallowed Dathan. It buried Abiram's followers.

18A fire broke out among their followers. Flames burned up wicked people.

19At Mount Horeb they made [a statue of] a calf. They worshiped an idol made of metal.

20They traded their glorious God for the statue of a bull that eats grass.

21They forgot God, their savior, the one who did spectacular things in Egypt,

22miracles in the land of Ham, and terrifying things at the Red Sea.

23God said he was going to destroy them, but Moses, his chosen one, stood in his way to prevent him from exterminating them.

24They refused [to enter] the pleasant land. They did not believe what he said.

25They complained in their tents. They did not obey the LORD.

26Raising his hand, he swore that he would kill them in the wilderness,

27kill their descendants among the nations, and scatter them throughout various lands.

28They joined in worshiping the god Baal while they were at Peor, and they ate what was sacrificed to the dead.

29They infuriated God by what they did, and a plague broke out among them.

30Then Phinehas stood between God and the people, and the plague was stopped.

31Because of this, Phinehas was considered righteous forever, throughout every generation.

32They made God angry by the water at Meribah. Things turned out badly for Moses because of what they did,

33since they made him bitter so that he spoke recklessly.

34They did not destroy the people as the LORD had told them.

35Instead, they intermarried with other nations. They learned to do what other nations did,

36and they worshiped their idols, which became a trap for them.

37They sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons.

38They shed innocent blood, the blood of their own sons and daughters whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan. The land became polluted with blood.

39They became filthy because of what they did. They behaved like prostitutes.

40The LORD burned with anger against his own people. He was disgusted with those who belonged to him.

41He handed them over to other nations, and those who hated them ruled them.

42Their enemies oppressed them and made them subject to their power.

43He rescued them many times, but they continued to plot rebellion against him and to sink deeper because of their sin.

44He saw that they were suffering when he heard their cry for help.

45He remembered his promise to them. In keeping with his rich mercy, he changed his plans.

46He let them find compassion from all those who held them captive.

47Rescue us, O LORD our God, and gather us from the nations so that we may give thanks to your holy name and make your praise our glory.

48Thanks be to the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say amen. Hallelujah!