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The Lord is good![a]

106 Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
Thank the Lord, because he is good.
    His faithful love will always be with us.
The great things that the Lord has done
    are too many to tell!
Nobody can praise him enough.
God has blessed the people who obey his commands.
    They always do what is right.
Lord, when you help your people,
    please remember me!
Do not forget to help me,
    when you come to rescue them.
I want to enjoy the good things
    that you give to the people that you have chosen.
I want to be happy together with them.
I want to join with the people who belong to you,
    and praise you as you deserve.

We have done bad things,
    as our ancestors also did.
We have done things that are wicked and evil.
When our ancestors were in Egypt,
    they did not understand your miracles.
They forgot the many ways that you showed them your faithful love.
When they arrived at the Red Sea,
    they turned against you, Lord.
But the Lord rescued them,
    to show that his name is great.
He showed that he was very powerful.
He shouted at the Red Sea,
    and it became dry.
He led his people through the middle of the deep water,
    as if they walked in a desert!
10 He rescued them from the people who hated them.
    He saved them from their enemy's power.
11 The water of the sea drowned their enemies,
    so that none of them remained alive.[b]
12 Then God's people believed his promises.
    They sang songs to praise him.[c]

13 But they soon forgot
    what the Lord had done to help them.
They did not wait for him to tell them what to do.
14 In the wilderness they wanted better food.
    They tested God to see what he would do.
15 He gave them the food that they asked for,
    but he also sent a bad disease on them.[d]
16 The people became jealous of Moses,
    and Aaron, the Lord's special priest.
17 So God made the earth break open,
    so that Dathan fell into it.
It also destroyed Abiram and his people.
18 Fire burned all their group,
    and it killed those wicked people.[e]
19 At Horeb, the Israelites used gold to make a cow,
    and they worshipped it.
20 They turned away from their great God.
Instead, they worshipped the statue of a cow,
    an animal that eats grass![f]
21 They forgot the God who had saved them,
    when he did great miracles in Egypt.
22 He had done powerful things in the land of Ham's descendants,
    and at the shore of the Red Sea.
His people forgot about all that!
23 So God said that he would destroy them.
But God's servant, Moses, spoke on their behalf.
He asked God not to be angry with his people,
    and God agreed.
24 Later, they did not believe God's promise
    to take them safely into the beautiful land of Canaan.
25 They spoke against the Lord in their tents,
    and they did not obey him.
26 So he made a strong promise
    that he would cause them to die in the desert.
27 He promised that he would chase their descendants away,
    so that they died in foreign countries.[g]
28 After that, they started to worship the false god, Baal of Peor.
They ate the food from sacrifices
    that people gave to dead idols.
29 The Lord became angry
    because of what his people did.
He sent a bad disease among them.
30 Then Phinehas punished the guilty people,
    so that the disease stopped killing people.[h]
31 So we remember that Phinehas was a righteous man,
    and that will be true for ever.
32 At Meribah springs, the Israelites made God angry.
    What they did there caused Moses to have trouble.
33 Moses was so upset that he spoke in a careless way.[i]

34 The Lord commanded his people
    to destroy the nations of Canaan,
But they did not obey the Lord's command.
35 Instead, they mixed with those nations
    and they learned their way of life.
36 They worshipped their idols
    which caught them in a trap.
37 They even killed their sons and their daughters
    as sacrifices for those idols of demons!
38 Their sons and their daughters did not deserve to die,
    but they killed them as sacrifices for the idols of Canaan.
Those murders made the land unclean.
39 The things that the Lord's people did
    made them unclean.
They were not faithful to the Lord,
    like a wife who is not faithful to her husband.
40 So the Lord became angry with his people.
They belonged to him
    but he turned away from them.
41 He let other nations have power over them.
    Their enemies ruled over them.
42 Their enemies had power to hurt them,
    and they were cruel to them.
43 Many times, the Lord rescued his people,
    but they had decided not to obey him.
Their sins made them weaker and weaker.
44 But the Lord still saw when they were in trouble.
    He answered them when they called to him for help.
45 He remembered the covenant that he had made with them.
Because of his faithful love for his people,
    he stopped punishing them.
46 He caused all their enemies to be kind to them.

47 Lord, our God, please save us!
Bring us safely home from among the other nations.[j]
Then we will thank you!
    We will shout aloud to praise your holy name.

48 Praise the Lord, Israel's God,
    as he deserves!
Praise him now and for ever!
Let everybody say, ‘Amen! We agree!’
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord![k]

Footnotes

  1. 106:1 The writer remembers that the Israelites have often turned against God. God has done many great things to rescue them, but they have still not obeyed him.
  2. 106:11 See Exodus 14.
  3. 106:12 They sang songs to praise God, but they soon forgot how God had saved them.
  4. 106:15 See Numbers 11:33-34.
  5. 106:18 See Numbers 16:1-40.
  6. 106:20 See Exodus 32. Horeb is another name for Sinai mountain.
  7. 106:27 See Numbers 13—14.
  8. 106:30 See Numbers 25:7-8.
  9. 106:33 See Numbers 20:1-13.
  10. 106:47 The writer prays that God will take his people home to Judah from Babylon and other places.
  11. 106:48 This verse shows the end of Book 4, Psalms 90-106.

106 Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? who can shew forth all his praise?

Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.

Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation;

That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.

We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.

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.

Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.

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 him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

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 They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel:

14 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert.

15 And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.

16 They envied 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 glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.

21 They forgat God their saviour, which 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 pleasant land, they believed not his word:

25 But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord.

26 Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness:

27 To overthrow their seed also among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands.

28 They joined themselves also unto Baalpeor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.

29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them.

30 Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed.

31 And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto 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 spake unadvisedly with his lips.

34 They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the Lord commanded them:

35 But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.

36 And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.

37 Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,

38 And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.

39 Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring 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 heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them.

42 Their enemies also oppressed 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 brought low for their iniquity.

44 Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry:

45 And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented 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 heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise.

48 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord.

Joy in Forgiveness of Israel’s Sins

106 Praise[a] the Lord!

(A)Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.

Who can [b]utter the mighty acts of the Lord?
Who can declare all His praise?
Blessed are those who keep justice,
And [c]he who (B)does righteousness at (C)all times!

(D)Remember me, O Lord, with the favor You have toward Your people.
Oh, visit me with Your salvation,
That I may see the benefit of Your chosen ones,
That I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation,
That I may glory with [d]Your inheritance.

(E)We have sinned with our fathers,
We have committed iniquity,
We have done wickedly.
Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders;
They did not remember the multitude of Your mercies,
(F)But rebelled by the sea—the Red Sea.

Nevertheless He saved them for His name’s sake,
(G)That He might make His mighty power known.
(H)He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it dried up;
So (I)He led them through the depths,
As through the wilderness.
10 He (J)saved them from the hand of him who hated them,
And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
11 (K)The waters covered their enemies;
There was not one of them left.
12 (L)Then they believed His words;
They sang His praise.

13 (M)They soon forgot His works;
They did not wait for His counsel,
14 (N)But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness,
And tested God in the desert.
15 (O)And He gave them their request,
But (P)sent leanness into their soul.

16 When (Q)they envied Moses in the camp,
And Aaron the saint of the Lord,
17 (R)The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan,
And covered the faction of Abiram.
18 (S)A fire was kindled in their company;
The flame burned up the wicked.

19 (T)They made a calf in Horeb,
And worshiped the molded image.
20 Thus (U)they changed their glory
Into the image of an ox that eats grass.
21 They forgot God their Savior,
Who had done great things in Egypt,
22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham,
Awesome things by the Red Sea.
23 (V)Therefore He said that He would destroy them,
Had not Moses His chosen one (W)stood before Him in the breach,
To turn away His wrath, lest He destroy them.

24 Then they despised (X)the pleasant land;
They (Y)did not believe His word,
25 (Z)But complained in their tents,
And did not heed the voice of the Lord.
26 (AA)Therefore He raised His hand in an oath against them,
(AB)To [e]overthrow them in the wilderness,
27 (AC)To [f]overthrow their descendants among the [g]nations,
And to scatter them in the lands.

28 (AD)They joined themselves also to Baal of Peor,
And ate sacrifices [h]made to the dead.
29 Thus they provoked Him to anger with their deeds,
And the plague broke out among them.
30 (AE)Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,
And the plague was stopped.
31 And that was accounted to him (AF)for righteousness
To all generations forevermore.

32 (AG)They angered Him also at the waters of [i]strife,
(AH)So that it went ill with Moses on account of them;
33 (AI)Because they rebelled against His Spirit,
So that he spoke rashly with his lips.

34 (AJ)They did not destroy the peoples,
(AK)Concerning whom the Lord had commanded them,
35 (AL)But they mingled with the Gentiles
And learned their works;
36 (AM)They served their idols,
(AN)Which became a snare to them.
37 (AO)They even sacrificed their sons
And their daughters to (AP)demons,
38 And shed innocent blood,
The blood of their sons and daughters,
Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan;
And (AQ)the land was polluted with blood.
39 Thus they [j]were (AR)defiled by their own works,
And (AS)played[k] the harlot by their own deeds.

40 Therefore (AT)the wrath of the Lord was kindled against His people,
So that He abhorred (AU)His own inheritance.
41 And (AV)He gave them into the hand of the Gentiles,
And those who hated them ruled over them.
42 Their enemies also oppressed them,
And they were brought into subjection under their hand.
43 (AW)Many times He delivered them;
But they rebelled in their counsel,
And were brought low for their iniquity.

44 Nevertheless He regarded their affliction,
When (AX)He heard their cry;
45 (AY)And for their sake He remembered His covenant,
And (AZ)relented (BA)according to the multitude of His mercies.
46 (BB)He also made them to be pitied
By all those who carried them away captive.

47 (BC)Save us, O Lord our God,
And gather us from among the Gentiles,
To give thanks to Your holy name,
To triumph in Your praise.

48 (BD)Blessed be the Lord God of Israel
From everlasting to everlasting!
And let all the people say, “Amen!”

[l]Praise the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 106:1 Heb. Hallelujah
  2. Psalm 106:2 express
  3. Psalm 106:3 LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. those who do
  4. Psalm 106:5 The people of Your inheritance
  5. Psalm 106:26 make them fall
  6. Psalm 106:27 make their descendants fall also
  7. Psalm 106:27 Gentiles
  8. Psalm 106:28 offered
  9. Psalm 106:32 Or Meribah
  10. Psalm 106:39 became unclean
  11. Psalm 106:39 Were unfaithful
  12. Psalm 106:48 Heb. Hallelujah