Study Desk

Give praise to the Lord ,^(b) proclaim his name;^(c) make known among the nations what he has done.

Sing to him,^(d) sing praise to him;^(e) tell of all his wonderful acts.^(f)

Glory in his holy name;^(g) let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face^(h) always.

Remember the wonders⁽ⁱ⁾ he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,^(j)

you his servants, the descendants of Abraham,^(k) his chosen^(l) ones, the children of Jacob.

He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth.

He remembers his covenant^(m) forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations,

the covenant he made with Abraham,⁽ⁿ⁾ the oath he swore to Isaac.

He confirmed it^(o) to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant:^(p)

"To you I will give the land of Canaan^(q) as the portion you will inherit."^(r)

When they were but few in number,^(s) few indeed, and strangers in it,^(t)

they wandered from nation to nation,^(u) from one kingdom to another.

He allowed no one to oppress^(v) them; for their sake he rebuked kings:^(w)

"Do not touch^(x) my anointed ones; do my prophets^(y) no harm."

He called down famine^(z) on the land and destroyed all their supplies of food;

and he sent a man before them— Joseph, sold as a slave.^(aa)

They bruised his feet with shackles,^(ab) his neck was put in irons,

till what he foretold^(ac) came to pass, till the word^(ad) of the Lord proved him true.

The king sent and released him, the ruler of peoples set him free.^(ae)

He made him master of his household, ruler over all he possessed,

to instruct his princes^(af) as he pleased and teach his elders wisdom.^(ag)

Then Israel entered Egypt;^(ah) Jacob resided^(ai) as a foreigner in the land of Ham.^(aj)

The Lord made his people very fruitful; he made them too numerous^(ak) for their foes,

whose hearts he turned^(al) to hate his people, to conspire^(am) against his servants.

He sent Moses^(an) his servant, and Aaron,^(ao) whom he had chosen.^(ap)

They performed^(aq) his signs^(ar) among them, his wonders^(as) in the land of Ham.

He sent darkness^(at) and made the land dark— for had they not rebelled against^(au) his words?

He turned their waters into blood,^(av) causing their fish to die.^(aw)

Their land teemed with frogs,^(ax) which went up into the bedrooms of their rulers.

He spoke,^(ay) and there came swarms of flies,^(az) and gnats^(ba) throughout their country.

He turned their rain into hail,^(bb) with lightning throughout their land;

he struck down their vines^(bc) and fig trees^(bd) and shattered the trees of their country.

He spoke,^(be) and the locusts came,^(bf) grasshoppers^(bg) without number;^(bh)

they ate up every green thing in their land, ate up the produce of their soil.

Then he struck down all the firstborn^(bi) in their land, the firstfruits of all their manhood.

He brought out Israel, laden with silver and gold,^(bj) and from among their tribes no one faltered.

Egypt was glad when they left, because dread of Israel^(bk) had fallen on them.

He spread out a cloud^(bl) as a covering, and a fire to give light at night.^(bm)

They asked,^(bn) and he brought them quail;^(bo) he fed them well with the bread of heaven.^(bp)

He opened the rock,^(bq) and water gushed out; it flowed like a river in the desert.

For he remembered his holy promise^(br) given to his servant Abraham.

He brought out his people with rejoicing,^(bs) his chosen ones with shouts of joy;

he gave them the lands of the nations,^(bt) and they fell heir to what others had toiled^(bu) for—

that they might keep his precepts and observe his laws.^(bv) Praise the Lord .^[a](bw)

Praise the Lord .^[a](b) Give thanks to the Lord , for he is good;^(c) his love endures forever.^(d)

Who can proclaim the mighty acts^(e) of the Lord or fully declare his praise?

Blessed are those who act justly,^(f) who always do what is right.^(g)

Remember me,^(h) Lord , when you show favor⁽ⁱ⁾ to your people, come to my aid^(j) when you save them,

that I may enjoy the prosperity^(k) of your chosen ones,^(l) that I may share in the joy^(m) of your nation and join your inheritance⁽ⁿ⁾ in giving praise.

We have sinned,^(o) even as our ancestors^(p) did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly.^(q)

When our ancestors were in Egypt, they gave no thought^(r) to your miracles; they did not remember^(s) your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea,^(t) the Red Sea.^[b]

Yet he saved them^(u) for his name's sake,^(v) to make his mighty power^(w) known.

He rebuked^(x) the Red Sea, and it dried up;^(y) he led them through^(z) the depths as through a desert.

He saved them^(aa) from the hand of the foe;^(ab) from the hand of the enemy he redeemed them.^(ac)

The waters covered^(ad) their adversaries; not one of them survived.

Then they believed his promises and sang his praise.^(ae)

But they soon forgot^(af) what he had done and did not wait for his plan to unfold.^(ag)

In the desert^(ah) they gave in to their craving; in the wilderness^(ai) they put God to the test.^(aj)

So he gave them^(ak) what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease^(al) among them.

In the camp they grew envious^(am) of Moses and of Aaron, who was consecrated to the Lord .

The earth opened^(an) up and swallowed Dathan;^(ao) it buried the company of Abiram.^(ap)

Fire blazed^(aq) among their followers; a flame consumed the wicked.

At Horeb they made a calf^(ar) and worshiped an idol cast from metal.

They exchanged their glorious God^(as) for an image of a bull, which eats grass.

They forgot the God^(at) who saved them, who had done great things^(au) in Egypt,

miracles in the land of Ham^(av) and awesome deeds^(aw) by the Red Sea.

So he said he would destroy^(ax) them— had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach^(ay) before him to keep his wrath from destroying them.

Then they despised^(az) the pleasant land;^(ba) they did not believe^(bb) his promise.

They grumbled^(bc) in their tents and did not obey the Lord .

So he swore^(bd) to them with uplifted hand that he would make them fall in the wilderness,^(be)

make their descendants fall among the nations and scatter^(bf) them throughout the lands.

They yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor^(bg) and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods;

they aroused the Lord 's anger^(bh) by their wicked deeds,^(bi) and a plague^(bj) broke out among them.

But Phinehas^(bk) stood up and intervened, and the plague was checked.^(bl)

This was credited to him^(bm) as righteousness for endless generations^(bn) to come.

By the waters of Meribah^(bo) they angered the Lord , and trouble came to Moses because of them;

for they rebelled^(bp) against the Spirit^(bq) of God, and rash words came from Moses' lips.^[c](br)

They did not destroy^(bs) the peoples as the Lord had commanded^(bt) them,

but they mingled^(bu) with the nations and adopted their customs.

They worshiped their idols,^(bv) which became a snare^(bw) to them.

They sacrificed their sons^(bx) and their daughters to false gods.^(by)

They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons^(bz) and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood.

They defiled themselves^(ca) by what they did; by their deeds they prostituted^(cb) themselves.

Therefore the Lord was angry^(cc) with his people and abhorred his inheritance.^(cd)

He gave them into the hands^(ce) of the nations, and their foes ruled over them.

Their enemies oppressed^(cf) them and subjected them to their power.

Many times he delivered them,^(cg) but they were bent on rebellion^(ch) and they wasted away in their sin.

Yet he took note of their distress when he heard their cry;^(ci)

for their sake he remembered his covenant^(cj) and out of his great love^(ck) he relented.^(cl)

He caused all who held them captive to show them mercy.^(cm)

Save us,^(cn) Lord our God, and gather us^(co) from the nations, that we may give thanks^(cp) to your holy name^(cq) and glory in your praise.

Praise be to the Lord , the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, "Amen!"^(cr) Praise the Lord .

BOOK V

Psalms 107–150

Give thanks to the Lord ,^(a) for he is good;^(b) his love endures forever.

Let the redeemed^(c) of the Lord tell their story— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,

those he gathered^(d) from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.^[a]

Some wandered in desert^(e) wastelands, finding no way to a city^(f) where they could settle.

They were hungry^(g) and thirsty,^(h) and their lives ebbed away.

Then they cried out⁽ⁱ⁾ to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.

He led them by a straight way^(j) to a city^(k) where they could settle.

Let them give thanks^(l) to the Lord for his unfailing love^(m) and his wonderful deeds⁽ⁿ⁾ for mankind,

for he satisfies^(o) the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.^(p)

Some sat in darkness,^(q) in utter darkness, prisoners suffering^(r) in iron chains,^(s)

because they rebelled^(t) against God's commands and despised^(u) the plans^(v) of the Most High.

So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help.^(w)

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them^(x) from their distress.

He brought them out of darkness,^(y) the utter darkness,^(z) and broke away their chains.^(aa)

Let them give thanks^(ab) to the Lord for his unfailing love^(ac) and his wonderful deeds^(ad) for mankind,

for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.

Some became fools^(ae) through their rebellious ways^(af) and suffered affliction^(ag) because of their iniquities.

They loathed all food^(ah) and drew near the gates of death.^(ai)

Then they cried^(aj) to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them^(ak) from their distress.

He sent out his word^(al) and healed them;^(am) he rescued^(an) them from the grave.^(ao)

Let them give thanks^(ap) to the Lord for his unfailing love^(aq) and his wonderful deeds^(ar) for mankind.

Let them sacrifice thank offerings^(as) and tell of his works^(at) with songs of joy.^(au)

Some went out on the sea^(av) in ships;^(aw) they were merchants on the mighty waters.

They saw the works of the Lord ,^(ax) his wonderful deeds in the deep.

For he spoke^(ay) and stirred up a tempest^(az) that lifted high the waves.^(ba)

They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril^(bb) their courage melted^(bc) away.

They reeled^(bd) and staggered like drunkards; they were at their wits' end.

Then they cried^(be) out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.^(bf)

He stilled the storm^(bg) to a whisper; the waves^(bh) of the sea^[b] were hushed.^(bi)

They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them^(bj) to their desired haven.

Let them give thanks^(bk) to the Lord for his unfailing love^(bl) and his wonderful deeds^(bm) for mankind.

Let them exalt^(bn) him in the assembly^(bo) of the people and praise him in the council of the elders.

He turned rivers into a desert,^(bp) flowing springs^(bq) into thirsty ground,

and fruitful land into a salt waste,^(br) because of the wickedness of those who lived there.

He turned the desert into pools of water^(bs) and the parched ground into flowing springs;^(bt)

there he brought the hungry to live, and they founded a city where they could settle.

They sowed fields and planted vineyards^(bu) that yielded a fruitful harvest;

he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,^(bv) and he did not let their herds diminish.^(bw)

Then their numbers decreased,^(bx) and they were humbled^(by) by oppression, calamity and sorrow;

he who pours contempt on nobles^(bz) made them wander in a trackless waste.^(ca)

But he lifted the needy^(cb) out of their affliction and increased their families like flocks.^(cc)

The upright see and rejoice,^(cd) but all the wicked shut their mouths.^(ce)

Let the one who is wise^(cf) heed these things and ponder the loving deeds^(cg) of the Lord .