Add parallel Print Page Options

Psalm 106

A Confession of Israel’s Sins

Praise the Lord!
    O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.(A)
Who can utter the mighty doings of the Lord
    or declare all his praise?(B)
Happy are those who observe justice,
    who do righteousness at all times.(C)

Remember us,[a] O Lord, when you show favor to your people;
    help us[b] when you deliver them,(D)
that we may see the prosperity of your chosen ones,
    that we may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,
    that we may glory in your heritage.(E)

Both we and our ancestors have sinned;
    we have committed iniquity, have done wickedly.(F)
Our ancestors, when they were in Egypt,
    did not consider your wonderful works;
they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love
    but rebelled against the Most High[c] at the Red Sea.[d](G)
Yet he saved them for his name’s sake,
    so that he might make known his mighty power.(H)
He rebuked the Red Sea,[e] and it became dry;
    he led them through the deep as through a desert.(I)
10 So he saved them from the hand of the foe
    and delivered them from the hand of the enemy.(J)
11 The waters covered their adversaries;
    not one of them was left.(K)
12 Then they believed his words;
    they sang his praise.(L)

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

16 They were jealous of Moses in the camp
    and of Aaron, the holy one of the Lord.(P)
17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan
    and covered the faction of Abiram.(Q)
18 Fire also broke out in their company;
    the flame burned up the wicked.(R)

19 They made a calf at Horeb
    and worshiped a cast image.(S)
20 They exchanged the glory of God[f]
    for the image of an ox that eats grass.(T)
21 They forgot God, their Savior,
    who had done great things in Egypt,(U)
22 wondrous works in the land of Ham,
    and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.[g](V)
23 Therefore he said he would destroy them—
    had not Moses, his chosen one,
stood in the breach before him,
    to turn away his wrath from destroying them.(W)

24 Then they despised the pleasant land,
    having no faith in his promise.(X)
25 They grumbled in their tents
    and did not obey the voice of the Lord.(Y)
26 Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them
    that he would make them fall in the wilderness(Z)
27 and would disperse[h] their descendants among the nations,
    scattering them over the lands.(AA)

28 Then they attached themselves to the Baal of Peor
    and ate sacrifices offered to the dead;(AB)
29 they provoked the Lord to anger with their deeds,
    and a plague broke out among them.
30 Then Phinehas stood up and interceded,
    and the plague was stopped.(AC)
31 And that has been reckoned to him as righteousness
    from generation to generation forever.(AD)

32 They angered the Lord[i] at the waters of Meribah,
    and it went ill with Moses on their account,(AE)
33 for they made his spirit bitter,
    and he spoke words that were rash.(AF)

34 They did not destroy the peoples,
    as the Lord had commanded them,(AG)
35 but they mingled with the nations
    and learned to do as they did.(AH)
36 They served their idols,
    which became a snare to them.(AI)
37 They sacrificed their sons
    and their daughters to the demons;(AJ)
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 polluted with blood.(AK)
39 Thus they became unclean by their acts
    and prostituted themselves in their doings.(AL)

40 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against his people,
    and he abhorred his heritage;(AM)
41 he gave them into the hand of the nations,
    so that those who hated them ruled over them.(AN)
42 Their enemies oppressed them,
    and they were brought into subjection under their power.
43 Many times he delivered them,
    but they were rebellious in their purposes
    and were brought low through their iniquity.(AO)
44 Nevertheless, he regarded their distress
    when he heard their cry.(AP)
45 For their sake he remembered his covenant
    and showed compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love.(AQ)
46 He caused them to be pitied
    by all who held them captive.(AR)

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

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

Footnotes

  1. 106.4 Heb mss Gk: MT me
  2. 106.4 Heb mss Gk: MT me
  3. 106.7 Cn: Heb rebelled at the sea
  4. 106.7 Or Sea of Reeds
  5. 106.9 Or Sea of Reeds
  6. 106.20 Compare Gk mss: Heb exchanged their glory
  7. 106.22 Or Sea of Reeds
  8. 106.27 Syr: Heb cause to fall
  9. 106.32 Heb him

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.

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