Psalm 106

Melody

O thank the LORD, bring him your praise,
extol his goodness all your days;
his steadfast love endures forever.
Who can proclaim his deeds of might?
Blest those who constantly endeavour
to keep to what is just and right.
When you deliver Israel,
O LORD, remember me as well.
Come to my aid and show your favour,
that with your flock I may engage
in praising you, O gracious Giver,
and glory with your heritage.
We, as our fathers did before,
have done what you, O LORD, abhor;
we all are guilty of transgression.
Your chosen ones in Egypt’s land
forgot your kindness and compassion,
ignored the wonders of your hand.
Though at the Red Sea they rebelled,
with mighty hand he them upheld
and for his name’s sake aid provided.
At his rebuke the waters fled;
his own, as through a desert guided,
were through the deep to safety led.
God in his mercy set them free,
redeemed them from the enemy.
Before his wrath all Egypt cowered;
not one escaped his anger’s blaze.
His people’s foes the sea devoured.
Then they believed and sang his praise.
His mighty works they soon forgot;
his counsel they no longer sought
but him with lustful cravings taunted.
His people boldly challenged him,
and so he gave them all they wanted
but sent a plague to punish them.
Some in their pride and envy rose
God’s chosen leaders to oppose.
The earth then opened up and swallowed
all who with Dathan had conspired
and who Abiram’s lead had followed.
The wicked perished in the fire.
At Horeb’s mount a calf they made
and to a metal image prayed;
for this they traded God’s great splendour,
the glory nothing can surpass.
They, scorning him, their great defender,
revered a bull that feeds on grass.
Their God and Saviour they forgot,
who wondrous things for them had wrought,
astounding Egypt by his power;
whose deeds of might and majesty
caused all the land of Ham to cower,
struck them with terror by the sea.
His people he would then have slain,
for they continued to complain,
but Moses, whom he greatly favoured,
stood in the breach, confronting him.
So they were from God’s wrath delivered,
from the destruction threat’ning them.
Then they despised the pleasant land,
bestowed on them by God’s own hand.
His steadfast promise not believing,
they sulked and grumbled in their tents.
God with their disobed’ence grieving,
they stubbornly would not repent.
He swore that he would slay them all,
that in the desert they would fall
because of all their provocations,
and that their sons at his command
would be dispersed among the nations
and scattered over all the lands.
By Baal-Peor’s lure misled,
they ate from off’rings for the dead,
and so provoked the LORD to anger.
He saw their deeds; his wrath arose.
He let a plague among them linger
because they lifeless idols chose.
Then Phin’has rose to intervene;
the plague was stopped when God had seen
how, acting with determination,
he put an end to wickedness.
Thus he for endless generations
was credited with righteousness.
At Meribah they spurned God’s will,
and there with Moses it went ill.
The people by their profanations
caused Moses rashly to provoke
the LORD their God to indignation,
for he with undue anger spoke.
They disobeyed the LORD’s command
to slay the peoples of the land,
but, mingling with the heathen nations,
they learned their wicked customs there,
served Canaan’s vain abominations;
its gods became for them a snare.
To heathen wickedness enticed,
they to the demons sacrificed
their own beloved sons and daughters,
poured out their children’s guiltless blood.
They sought by such abhorrent slaughter
to satisfy some pagan god.
To Canaan’s idols, gods of vice,
they gave their sons as sacrifice;
the land was with their blood polluted.
God’s chosen people openly
themselves defiled and prostituted
by unclean acts for all to see.
Therefore the LORD stood up in rage
and he abhorred his heritage.
He turned them over to the nations;
to slav’ry did the LORD condemn
those who had roused his indignation.
Their enemies ruled over them.
Time after time he set them free,
though they refused to bow their knee;
bent on rebellion, they defied him.
They sank into iniquity;
God made their enemies deride them
till they lamented bitterly.
Then he took note of their distress;
he heard their cry and gave redress.
God in his steadfast love relented;
no longer did he those condemn
who of their evil had repented.
He caused their foes to pity them.
Save us, O LORD our God, we pray;
bring back your people gone astray,
and take us from among the nations,
that to your great and holy name
we may give thanks with jubilation
and glory in your wondrous fame.
Blest be the God of Israel,
whose deeds in majesty excel.
Extol his holy name forever;
let never-ending praise ring out.
Blest be the LORD who fails us never.
Let all the people “Amen!” shout.