Give Thanks to the Lord, for He Is Good

106 (A)Praise the Lord!
(B)Oh give thanks to the Lord, (C)for he is good,
    (D)for his steadfast love endures forever!
Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord,
    or declare all his praise?
Blessed are they who observe justice,
    who (E)do righteousness at all times!

(F)Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people;
    help me when you save them,[a]
that I may look upon the prosperity of your (G)chosen ones,
    that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,
    that I may glory with your inheritance.

(H)Both we and (I)our fathers have sinned;
    we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.
Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,
    did not consider your wondrous works;
they (J)did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,
    but (K)rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.
Yet he saved them (L)for his name's sake,
    (M)that he might make known his mighty power.
He (N)rebuked the Red Sea, and it (O)became dry,
    and he (P)led them through the deep as through a desert.
10 So he (Q)saved them from the hand of the foe
    and (R)redeemed them from the power of the enemy.
11 And (S)the waters covered their adversaries;
    not one of them was left.
12 Then (T)they believed his words;
    they (U)sang his praise.

13 But they soon (V)forgot his works;
    they did not wait for (W)his counsel.
14 But they had (X)a wanton craving in the wilderness,
    and (Y)put God to the test in the desert;
15 he (Z)gave them what they asked,
    but sent (AA)a wasting disease among them.

16 When men in the camp (AB)were jealous of Moses
    and Aaron, (AC)the holy one of the Lord,
17 (AD)the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,
    and covered the company of Abiram.
18 (AE)Fire also broke out in their company;
    the flame burned up the wicked.

19 They (AF)made a calf in Horeb
    and worshiped a metal image.
20 They (AG)exchanged the glory of God[b]
    for the image of an ox that eats grass.
21 They (AH)forgot God, their Savior,
    who had done great things in Egypt,
22 wondrous works in (AI)the land of Ham,
    and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.
23 Therefore (AJ)he said he would destroy them—
    had not Moses, his (AK)chosen one,
(AL)stood in the breach before him,
    to turn away his wrath from destroying them.

24 Then they (AM)despised (AN)the pleasant land,
    having (AO)no faith in his promise.
25 They (AP)murmured in their tents,
    and did not obey the voice of the Lord.
26 Therefore he (AQ)raised his hand and swore to them
    that he would make them fall in the wilderness,
27 and would make their offspring fall among the nations,
    (AR)scattering them among the lands.

28 Then they (AS)yoked themselves to the (AT)Baal of Peor,
    and ate sacrifices offered to (AU)the dead;
29 they provoked the Lord to anger with their deeds,
    and a plague broke out among them.
30 Then (AV)Phinehas stood up and intervened,
    and the plague was stayed.
31 And that was (AW)counted to him as righteousness
    from generation to generation forever.

32 They (AX)angered him at the waters of Meribah,
    and it went ill with Moses on their account,
33 for they (AY)made his spirit bitter,[c]
    and he (AZ)spoke rashly with his lips.

34 They did not (BA)destroy the peoples,
    (BB)as the Lord commanded them,
35 but they (BC)mixed with the nations
    and learned to do as they did.
36 They served their idols,
    which became (BD)a snare to them.
37 They (BE)sacrificed their sons
    and their daughters to (BF)the demons;
38 they poured out innocent blood,
    the blood of their sons and daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,
    and the land was (BG)polluted with blood.
39 Thus they (BH)became unclean by their acts,
    and (BI)played the whore in their deeds.

40 Then (BJ)the anger of the Lord was kindled against (BK)his people,
    and he abhorred his (BL)heritage;
41 he (BM)gave them into the hand of the nations,
    so that those who hated them ruled over them.
42 Their enemies (BN)oppressed them,
    and they were brought into subjection under their power.
43 (BO)Many times he delivered them,
    but they were rebellious in their (BP)purposes
    and were (BQ)brought low through their iniquity.

44 Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress,
    when he (BR)heard their cry.
45 For their sake he (BS)remembered his covenant,
    and (BT)relented according to (BU)the abundance of his steadfast love.
46 He caused them to be (BV)pitied
    by all those who held them captive.

47 (BW)Save us, O Lord our God,
    and (BX)gather us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
    and glory in your praise.

48 (BY)Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting!
(BZ)And let all the people say, “Amen!”
    (CA)Praise the Lord!

Book Five

Let the Redeemed of the Lord Say So

107 (CB)Oh give thanks to the Lord, (CC)for he is good,
    for his steadfast love endures forever!
Let (CD)the redeemed of the Lord say so,
    whom he has (CE)redeemed from trouble[d]
and (CF)gathered in from the lands,
    from the east and from the west,
    from the north and from the south.

Some (CG)wandered in desert wastes,
    finding no way (CH)to a city to dwell in;
hungry and thirsty,
    their soul (CI)fainted within them.
Then they (CJ)cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them by (CK)a straight way
    till they reached (CL)a city to dwell in.
(CM)Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
    for his wondrous works to the children of man!
For he (CN)satisfies the longing soul,
    (CO)and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

10 (CP)Some sat in darkness and in (CQ)the shadow of death,
    prisoners in (CR)affliction and in irons,
11 for they (CS)had rebelled against the words of God,
    and (CT)spurned the counsel of the Most High.
12 So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor;
    they fell down, (CU)with none to help.
13 (CV)Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
14 He brought them out of (CW)darkness and the shadow of death,
    and (CX)burst their bonds apart.
15 (CY)Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
    for his wondrous works to the children of man!
16 For he (CZ)shatters the doors of bronze
    and cuts in two the bars of iron.

17 Some were (DA)fools through their sinful ways,
    and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;
18 (DB)they loathed any kind of food,
    and they (DC)drew near to (DD)the gates of death.
19 (DE)Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
20 He (DF)sent out his word and (DG)healed them,
    and (DH)delivered them from their destruction.
21 (DI)Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
    for his wondrous works to the children of man!
22 And let them (DJ)offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
    and (DK)tell of his deeds in (DL)songs of joy!

23 Some (DM)went down to the sea in ships,
    doing business on the great waters;
24 they saw the deeds of the Lord,
    his wondrous works in the deep.
25 For he (DN)commanded and (DO)raised the stormy wind,
    which lifted up the waves of the sea.
26 They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;
    their courage (DP)melted away in their evil plight;
27 they reeled and (DQ)staggered like drunken men
    and (DR)were at their wits' end.[e]
28 (DS)Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
29 He (DT)made the storm be still,
    and the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 Then they were glad that the waters[f] were quiet,
    and he brought them to their desired haven.
31 (DU)Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
    for his wondrous works to the children of man!
32 Let them (DV)extol him in (DW)the congregation of the people,
    and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

33 He (DX)turns rivers into a desert,
    springs of water into thirsty ground,
34 (DY)a fruitful land into a salty waste,
    because of the evil of its inhabitants.
35 He (DZ)turns a desert into pools of water,
    (EA)a parched land into springs of water.
36 And there he lets the hungry dwell,
    and they establish (EB)a city to live in;
37 they sow fields and plant vineyards
    and get a fruitful yield.
38 (EC)By his blessing they multiply greatly,
    and he does not let their livestock diminish.

39 When they are diminished and brought low
    through oppression, evil, and sorrow,
40 (ED)he pours contempt on princes
    and (EE)makes them wander (EF)in trackless wastes;
41 but (EG)he raises up the needy out of affliction
    and (EH)makes their families like flocks.
42 (EI)The upright see it and are glad,
    and (EJ)all wickedness shuts its mouth.

43 (EK)Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;
    let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 106:4 Or Remember me, O Lord, with the favor you show to your people; help me with your salvation
  2. Psalm 106:20 Hebrew exchanged their glory
  3. Psalm 106:33 Or they rebelled against God's Spirit
  4. Psalm 107:2 Or from the hand of the foe
  5. Psalm 107:27 Hebrew and all their wisdom was swallowed up
  6. Psalm 107:30 Hebrew they

Psalm 106(A)

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.
10 He saved them(AA) from the hand of the foe;(AB)
    from the hand of the enemy he redeemed them.(AC)
11 The waters covered(AD) their adversaries;
    not one of them survived.
12 Then they believed his promises
    and sang his praise.(AE)

13 But they soon forgot(AF) what he had done
    and did not wait for his plan to unfold.(AG)
14 In the desert(AH) they gave in to their craving;
    in the wilderness(AI) they put God to the test.(AJ)
15 So he gave them(AK) what they asked for,
    but sent a wasting disease(AL) among them.

16 In the camp they grew envious(AM) of Moses
    and of Aaron, who was consecrated to the Lord.
17 The earth opened(AN) up and swallowed Dathan;(AO)
    it buried the company of Abiram.(AP)
18 Fire blazed(AQ) among their followers;
    a flame consumed the wicked.
19 At Horeb they made a calf(AR)
    and worshiped an idol cast from metal.
20 They exchanged their glorious God(AS)
    for an image of a bull, which eats grass.
21 They forgot the God(AT) who saved them,
    who had done great things(AU) in Egypt,
22 miracles in the land of Ham(AV)
    and awesome deeds(AW) by the Red Sea.
23 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.

24 Then they despised(AZ) the pleasant land;(BA)
    they did not believe(BB) his promise.
25 They grumbled(BC) in their tents
    and did not obey the Lord.
26 So he swore(BD) to them with uplifted hand
    that he would make them fall in the wilderness,(BE)
27 make their descendants fall among the nations
    and scatter(BF) them throughout the lands.

28 They yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor(BG)
    and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods;
29 they aroused the Lord’s anger(BH) by their wicked deeds,(BI)
    and a plague(BJ) broke out among them.
30 But Phinehas(BK) stood up and intervened,
    and the plague was checked.(BL)
31 This was credited to him(BM) as righteousness
    for endless generations(BN) to come.
32 By the waters of Meribah(BO) they angered the Lord,
    and trouble came to Moses because of them;
33 for they rebelled(BP) against the Spirit(BQ) of God,
    and rash words came from Moses’ lips.[c](BR)

34 They did not destroy(BS) the peoples
    as the Lord had commanded(BT) them,
35 but they mingled(BU) with the nations
    and adopted their customs.
36 They worshiped their idols,(BV)
    which became a snare(BW) to them.
37 They sacrificed their sons(BX)
    and their daughters to false gods.(BY)
38 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.
39 They defiled themselves(CA) by what they did;
    by their deeds they prostituted(CB) themselves.

40 Therefore the Lord was angry(CC) with his people
    and abhorred his inheritance.(CD)
41 He gave them into the hands(CE) of the nations,
    and their foes ruled over them.
42 Their enemies oppressed(CF) them
    and subjected them to their power.
43 Many times he delivered them,(CG)
    but they were bent on rebellion(CH)
    and they wasted away in their sin.
44 Yet he took note of their distress
    when he heard their cry;(CI)
45 for their sake he remembered his covenant(CJ)
    and out of his great love(CK) he relented.(CL)
46 He caused all who held them captive
    to show them mercy.(CM)

47 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.

48 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

Psalm 107

Give thanks to the Lord,(CS) for he is good;(CT)
    his love endures forever.

Let the redeemed(CU) of the Lord tell their story—
    those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
those he gathered(CV) from the lands,
    from east and west, from north and south.[d]

Some wandered in desert(CW) wastelands,
    finding no way to a city(CX) where they could settle.
They were hungry(CY) and thirsty,(CZ)
    and their lives ebbed away.
Then they cried out(DA) to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them by a straight way(DB)
    to a city(DC) where they could settle.
Let them give thanks(DD) to the Lord for his unfailing love(DE)
    and his wonderful deeds(DF) for mankind,
for he satisfies(DG) the thirsty
    and fills the hungry with good things.(DH)

10 Some sat in darkness,(DI) in utter darkness,
    prisoners suffering(DJ) in iron chains,(DK)
11 because they rebelled(DL) against God’s commands
    and despised(DM) the plans(DN) of the Most High.
12 So he subjected them to bitter labor;
    they stumbled, and there was no one to help.(DO)
13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he saved them(DP) from their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness,(DQ) the utter darkness,(DR)
    and broke away their chains.(DS)
15 Let them give thanks(DT) to the Lord for his unfailing love(DU)
    and his wonderful deeds(DV) for mankind,
16 for he breaks down gates of bronze
    and cuts through bars of iron.

17 Some became fools(DW) through their rebellious ways(DX)
    and suffered affliction(DY) because of their iniquities.
18 They loathed all food(DZ)
    and drew near the gates of death.(EA)
19 Then they cried(EB) to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he saved them(EC) from their distress.
20 He sent out his word(ED) and healed them;(EE)
    he rescued(EF) them from the grave.(EG)
21 Let them give thanks(EH) to the Lord for his unfailing love(EI)
    and his wonderful deeds(EJ) for mankind.
22 Let them sacrifice thank offerings(EK)
    and tell of his works(EL) with songs of joy.(EM)

23 Some went out on the sea(EN) in ships;(EO)
    they were merchants on the mighty waters.
24 They saw the works of the Lord,(EP)
    his wonderful deeds in the deep.
25 For he spoke(EQ) and stirred up a tempest(ER)
    that lifted high the waves.(ES)
26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
    in their peril(ET) their courage melted(EU) away.
27 They reeled(EV) and staggered like drunkards;
    they were at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cried(EW) out to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he brought them out of their distress.(EX)
29 He stilled the storm(EY) to a whisper;
    the waves(EZ) of the sea[e] were hushed.(FA)
30 They were glad when it grew calm,
    and he guided them(FB) to their desired haven.
31 Let them give thanks(FC) to the Lord for his unfailing love(FD)
    and his wonderful deeds(FE) for mankind.
32 Let them exalt(FF) him in the assembly(FG) of the people
    and praise him in the council of the elders.

33 He turned rivers into a desert,(FH)
    flowing springs(FI) into thirsty ground,
34 and fruitful land into a salt waste,(FJ)
    because of the wickedness of those who lived there.
35 He turned the desert into pools of water(FK)
    and the parched ground into flowing springs;(FL)
36 there he brought the hungry to live,
    and they founded a city where they could settle.
37 They sowed fields and planted vineyards(FM)
    that yielded a fruitful harvest;
38 he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,(FN)
    and he did not let their herds diminish.(FO)

39 Then their numbers decreased,(FP) and they were humbled(FQ)
    by oppression, calamity and sorrow;
40 he who pours contempt on nobles(FR)
    made them wander in a trackless waste.(FS)
41 But he lifted the needy(FT) out of their affliction
    and increased their families like flocks.(FU)
42 The upright see and rejoice,(FV)
    but all the wicked shut their mouths.(FW)

43 Let the one who is wise(FX) heed these things
    and ponder the loving deeds(FY) of the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 106:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 48
  2. Psalm 106:7 Or the Sea of Reeds; also in verses 9 and 22
  3. Psalm 106:33 Or against his spirit, / and rash words came from his lips
  4. Psalm 107:3 Hebrew north and the sea
  5. Psalm 107:29 Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text / their waves

The Collection for Christians in Jerusalem

Now (A)it is superfluous for me to write to you about (B)the ministry for the saints, for I know your readiness, (C)of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready (D)since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them. But (E)I am sending[a] the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove empty in this matter, so that you may be ready, (F)as I said you would be. Otherwise, if some Macedonians (G)come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—for being so confident. So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the (H)gift[b] you have promised, so that it may be ready (I)as a willing gift, (J)not as an exaction.[c]

The Cheerful Giver

The point is this: (K)whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully[d] will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, (L)not reluctantly or under compulsion, for (M)God loves a cheerful giver. And (N)God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency[e] in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written,

(O)“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
    his righteousness endures forever.”

10 He who supplies (P)seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and (Q)increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 (R)You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which (S)through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying (T)the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 13 By their approval of this service, (U)they[f] will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your (V)confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 (W)Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 9:3 Or I have sent
  2. 2 Corinthians 9:5 Greek blessing; twice in this verse
  3. 2 Corinthians 9:5 Or a gift expecting something in return; Greek greed
  4. 2 Corinthians 9:6 Greek with blessings; twice in this verse
  5. 2 Corinthians 9:8 Or all contentment
  6. 2 Corinthians 9:13 Or you

There is no need(A) for me to write to you about this service(B) to the Lord’s people.(C) For I know your eagerness to help,(D) and I have been boasting(E) about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year(F) you in Achaia(G) were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. But I am sending the brothers(H) in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be.(I) For if any Macedonians(J) come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having been so confident. So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers(K) to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift,(L) not as one grudgingly given.(M)

Generosity Encouraged

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.(N) Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give,(O) not reluctantly or under compulsion,(P) for God loves a cheerful giver.(Q) And God is able(R) to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need,(S) you will abound in every good work. As it is written:

“They have freely scattered their gifts(T) to the poor;
    their righteousness endures forever.”[a](U)

10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food(V) will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.(W) 11 You will be enriched(X) in every way so that you can be generous(Y) on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.(Z)

12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs(AA) of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.(AB) 13 Because of the service(AC) by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God(AD) for the obedience that accompanies your confession(AE) of the gospel of Christ,(AF) and for your generosity(AG) in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God(AH) for his indescribable gift!(AI)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 9:9 Psalm 112:9