19 At Horeb they made a calf(A)
    and worshiped an idol cast from metal.
20 They exchanged their glorious God(B)
    for an image of a bull, which eats grass.
21 They forgot the God(C) who saved them,
    who had done great things(D) in Egypt,
22 miracles in the land of Ham(E)
    and awesome deeds(F) by the Red Sea.
23 So he said he would destroy(G) them—
    had not Moses, his chosen one,
stood in the breach(H) before him
    to keep his wrath from destroying them.

24 Then they despised(I) the pleasant land;(J)
    they did not believe(K) his promise.
25 They grumbled(L) in their tents
    and did not obey the Lord.
26 So he swore(M) to them with uplifted hand
    that he would make them fall in the wilderness,(N)
27 make their descendants fall among the nations
    and scatter(O) them throughout the lands.

28 They yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor(P)
    and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods;
29 they aroused the Lord’s anger(Q) by their wicked deeds,(R)
    and a plague(S) broke out among them.
30 But Phinehas(T) stood up and intervened,
    and the plague was checked.(U)
31 This was credited to him(V) as righteousness
    for endless generations(W) to come.
32 By the waters of Meribah(X) they angered the Lord,
    and trouble came to Moses because of them;
33 for they rebelled(Y) against the Spirit(Z) of God,
    and rash words came from Moses’ lips.[a](AA)

34 They did not destroy(AB) the peoples
    as the Lord had commanded(AC) them,
35 but they mingled(AD) with the nations
    and adopted their customs.
36 They worshiped their idols,(AE)
    which became a snare(AF) to them.
37 They sacrificed their sons(AG)
    and their daughters to false gods.(AH)
38 They shed innocent blood,
    the blood of their sons(AI) and daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,
    and the land was desecrated by their blood.
39 They defiled themselves(AJ) by what they did;
    by their deeds they prostituted(AK) themselves.

40 Therefore the Lord was angry(AL) with his people
    and abhorred his inheritance.(AM)
41 He gave them into the hands(AN) of the nations,
    and their foes ruled over them.
42 Their enemies oppressed(AO) them
    and subjected them to their power.
43 Many times he delivered them,(AP)
    but they were bent on rebellion(AQ)
    and they wasted away in their sin.
44 Yet he took note of their distress
    when he heard their cry;(AR)
45 for their sake he remembered his covenant(AS)
    and out of his great love(AT) he relented.(AU)
46 He caused all who held them captive
    to show them mercy.(AV)

47 Save us,(AW) Lord our God,
    and gather us(AX) from the nations,
that we may give thanks(AY) to your holy name(AZ)
    and glory in your praise.

48 Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting.

Let all the people say, “Amen!”(BA)

Praise the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 106:33 Or against his spirit, / and rash words came from his lips

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