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1 Praise Yahweh.
Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good,
for his covenant faithfulness endures forever.
2 Who can recount the mighty acts of Yahweh
or proclaim in full all his praiseworthy deeds?
3 Blessed are those who do what is right,
and whose deeds are always just.
4 Call me to mind, Yahweh, when you show favor to your people;
help me when you save them.
5 Then I will see the prosperity of your chosen,
rejoice in the gladness of your nation,
and glory with your inheritance.
6 We have sinned like our ancestors;
we have done wrong, and we have done evil.
7 Our fathers did not appreciate your marvelous deeds in Egypt;
they ignored your many acts of covenant faithfulness;
they were rebellious at the sea, the Sea of Reeds.
8 Nevertheless, he saved them for his name's sake
so that he might reveal his power.
9 He rebuked the Sea of Reeds, and it dried up.
Then he led them through the depths, as through a wilderness.
10 He saved them from the hand of those who hated them,
and he rescued them from the hand of the enemy.
11 But the waters covered their adversaries;
not one of them survived.
12 Then they believed his words,
and they sang his praise.
13 But they quickly forgot what he had done;
they did not wait for his instructions.
14 They had insatiable cravings in the wilderness,
and they challenged God in the desert.
15 So he gave them what they requested,
but he sent a horrible disease upon them.
16 In the camp they became jealous of Moses
and Aaron, the holy priest of Yahweh.
17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan
and covered the followers of Abiram.
18 Fire broke out among them;
the fire consumed the wicked.
19 They made a calf at Horeb
and worshiped a cast metal figure.
20 They traded the glory of God
for the image of a bull that eats grass.
21 They forgot God their Savior,
who had done great deeds in Egypt.
22 He had done wonderful things in the land of Ham
and mighty acts at the Sea of Reeds.
23 So he said he would destroy them—
had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him,
to turn away his anger from destroying them.
24 Then they despised the fruitful land;
they did not believe his promise,
25 but grumbled in their tents,
and did not obey Yahweh.
26 Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them
that he would let them die in the desert,
27 scatter their descendants among the nations,
and scatter them in foreign lands.
28 They worshiped the Baal of Peor
and ate the sacrifices offered to the dead.
29 They provoked him to anger with their actions,
and a plague broke out among them.
30 Then Phinehas rose to intervene,
and the plague subsided.
31 It was counted to him as a righteous deed
to all generations forever.
32 They also angered Yahweh at the waters of Meribah,
and Moses suffered because of them.
33 They made Moses bitter,
and he spoke rashly.
34 They did not destroy the nations
as Yahweh had commanded them,
35 but they mingled with the nations
and learned their ways
36 and worshiped their idols,
which became a snare to them.
37 They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.
38 They shed innocent blood,
the blood of their sons and of their daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,
desecrating the land with blood.
39 They were defiled by their deeds;
in their actions they were like prostitutes.
40 So Yahweh was angry with his people,
and he despised his own people.
41 He gave them into the hand of the nations,
and those who hated them ruled over them.
42 Their enemies oppressed them,
and they were brought into subjection to their authority.
43 Many times he came to help them,
but they kept rebelling
and were brought low by their own sin.
44 Nevertheless, he paid attention to their distress
when he heard their cry for help.
45 He called to mind his covenant with them
and relented because of his steadfast love.
46 He caused all their conquerers
to have pity on them.
47 Save us, Yahweh, our God.
Gather us from among the nations
so that we may give thanks to your holy name
and glory in your praises.
48 May Yahweh, the God of Israel, be praised
from everlasting to everlasting.
All the people said, “Amen.”
Praise Yahweh.
Book Five