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¹ PRAISE the Lord. O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his mercy endures for ever.² Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? Who can show forth all his praise?³ Blessed are they that keep his judgments, and they that do righteousness at all times.⁴ Remember us, O LORD, with the favor that thou bearest to thy people; O visit us with thy salvation,⁵ That we may see the good of thy chosen, that we may rejoice in thy joy, and be glorified with thine inheritance.

⁶ We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.⁷ Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red Sea.⁸ Nevertheless he saved them for his names sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.⁹ He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up; so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.¹⁰ And he saved them from the hand of the enemy and delivered them from the hand of the oppressor.¹¹ And the waters covered their enemies; there was not one of them left.¹² Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.

¹³ But they soon forgot God; they trusted not in his counsel,¹⁴ But craved exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert.¹⁵ And he gave them their request; and he supplied them with abundance.¹⁶ They plotted against Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the LORD.¹⁷ The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.¹⁸ And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked.¹⁹ They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image.²⁰ Thus they changed their Glorious One into the likeness of an ox that eats grass.²¹ They forgot God their Saviour, who had done great things in Egypt,²² Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red Sea.²³ Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.²⁴ Yea, they despised the desired land, they believed not his word,²⁵ But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not to the voice of the LORD.²⁶ Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to scatter them among the Gentiles,²⁷ To scatter their descendants also among the nations, and to lose them in the lands.²⁸ They worshipped also the idols of Baal-peor, and ate sacrifices offered for the dead.²⁹ Thus they provoked him to anger with their acts; they made him angry with their images, and the plague came upon them suddenly.³⁰ Then Phinehas stood up and prayed, and so the plague was stopped.³¹ And that was counted to him for a victory to all generations for evermore.³² They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes,³³ Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spoke unadvisedly with his lips.

³⁴ And they did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them;³⁵ But they were mingled among the Gentiles, and learned their works.³⁶ And they served their idols, which were a snare to them.³⁷ Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons,³⁸ And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; and the land was polluted with blood.³⁹ Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went awhoring with their own inventions.⁴⁰ Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance.⁴¹ And he gave them into the hand of the Gentiles; and they that hated them ruled over them.⁴² Their enemies also subdued them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand.⁴³ Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were humbled for their iniquity.⁴⁴ Nevertheless he regarded their affliction and heard their prayer.⁴⁵ And he remembered his covenant, and pitied them, and led them according to the multitude of his mercies.⁴⁶ He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives.⁴⁷ Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and be glorified in thine inheritance.⁴⁸ Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting; and let all the people say, Amen and Amen. Praise the LORD.