1Praise Yahweh! Thank Yahweh, because he is good; his faithful love lasts forever.
2Who can describe Yahweh's powerful acts, or fully praise him?
3Happy are those who act with justice. Happy is anyone who always does what is right.
4Yahweh, remember me with the kindness you show your people. Rescue me with your salvation,
5so that I may see your chosen people prosper, and rejoice in the happiness of your nation, and boast with your inheritance.
6We have sinned, just like our ancestors. We have done wrong; we have acted wickedly.
7Our ancestors in Egypt did not understand your miracles. They did not remember your many acts of faithful love, but they rebelled at the sea, even at the Red Sea.
8Even so, he saved them for his own reputation, to show his mighty power.
9He commanded the Red Sea, and it dried up; he led them through the deep waters as if it were a desert.
10He saved them from those who hated them, and rescued them from their enemies.
11The waters covered their enemies; not one of them was left.
12Then they believed his words. They sang his praise.
13But they quickly forgot his actions. They did not wait for his advice,
14but gave in to their craving in the desert, and tested God in that desolate land.
15He gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting sickness upon them.
16In the camp, they also became jealous of Moses and Aaron, Yahweh's holy one.
17The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan, and covered the group of Abiram.
18A fire blazed among their group. The flames burned up the wicked.
19They made a calf at Mount Horeb and worshiped a metal idol.
20So they traded their glorious God for an idol shaped like a bull that eats grass.
21They forgot God, their rescuer, who had done amazing things in Egypt,
22Wonderful acts in the land of Ham, and awe-inspiring deeds by the Red Sea.
23Because of this, God said he would destroy them, but Moses, his chosen one, stood in the way to stop his anger, so that he would not destroy them.
24Yes, they rejected the pleasant land. They did not believe his promise,
25Instead, they complained in their tents and did not listen to Yahweh’s voice.
26Therefore, he swore to them that he would defeat them in the wilderness,
27And that he would scatter their descendants among the nations and spread them out in other lands.
28They also joined themselves to Baal Peor and ate sacrifices offered to the dead.
29In doing so, their actions made him angry, and a plague broke out among them.
30Then Phinehas stood up and carried out justice, which stopped the plague.
31This act was credited to him as righteousness for all future generations.
32They also made God angry at the waters of Meribah, causing trouble for Moses because of them;
33Because they rebelled against God’s spirit, Moses spoke carelessly with his lips.
34They did not destroy the people living there, as Yahweh had commanded them,
35Instead, they mixed with the nations and learned their ways.
36They served the idols of these nations, which became a trap for them.
37Yes, they 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 was polluted with blood.
39In this way, they became unclean by their actions and were unfaithful through their deeds.
40Therefore, Yahweh became very angry with his people. He hated what belonged to him.
41He handed them over to other nations, and those who hated them ruled over them.
42Their enemies also made life hard for them, and they were forced to obey them.
43He rescued them many times, but they kept rebelling against his advice, and their wrongdoing brought them low.
44Nevertheless, he still noticed their trouble when he heard their cries for help.
45He remembered his agreement with them and changed his mind because of his great love.
46He also made all the people who took them captive feel sorry for them.
47Save us, Yahweh, our God! Gather us from among the nations, so we can give thanks to your holy name and triumph in your praise!
48Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Let all the people say, “Amen.” Praise Yah!