Study Desk

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 .

Praise the Lord .^[b] I will extol the Lord ^(a) with all my heart^(b) in the council^(c) of the upright and in the assembly.^(d)

Great are the works^(e) of the Lord ; they are pondered by all^(f) who delight in them.

Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures^(g) forever.

He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and compassionate.^(h)

He provides food⁽ⁱ⁾ for those who fear him;^(j) he remembers his covenant^(k) forever.

He has shown his people the power of his works,^(l) giving them the lands of other nations.^(m)

The works of his hands⁽ⁿ⁾ are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy.^(o)

They are established for ever^(p) and ever, enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.

He provided redemption^(q) for his people; he ordained his covenant forever— holy and awesome^(r) is his name.

The fear of the Lord ^(s) is the beginning of wisdom;^(t) all who follow his precepts have good understanding.^(u) To him belongs eternal praise.^(v)

Praise the Lord .^[b](a) Blessed are those^(b) who fear the Lord ,^(c) who find great delight^(d) in his commands.

Their children^(e) will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.

Wealth and riches^(f) are in their houses, and their righteousness endures^(g) forever.

Even in darkness light dawns^(h) for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.⁽ⁱ⁾

Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,^(j) who conduct their affairs with justice.

Surely the righteous will never be shaken;^(k) they will be remembered^(l) forever.

They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast,^(m) trusting in the Lord .⁽ⁿ⁾

Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;^(o) in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.^(p)

They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,^(q) their righteousness endures^(r) forever; their horn^[c] will be lifted^(s) high in honor.

The wicked will see^(t) and be vexed, they will gnash their teeth^(u) and waste away;^(v) the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.^(w)