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 .

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 .