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Israel’s Failure to Trust God

106 Praise the Lord!

Thank the Lord because he is good.
    His ·love [loyalty] continues forever.
·No one [L Who…?] can tell all the mighty things the Lord has done;
    ·no one [L who…?] can ·speak [declare] all his praise.
·Happy [Blessed] are those who ·do [keep; observe; guard] ·right [justice],
    who do what is ·fair [righteous] at all times.

Lord, remember me when you ·are kind [show favor] to your people;
    ·help [come to] me when you ·save them [give them victory].
Let me see the ·good things you do for [prosperity of] your chosen people.
    Let me ·be happy [rejoice] along with your ·happy [rejoicing] nation;
let me join your ·own people [inheritance] in praising you.

We have sinned just as our ·ancestors [fathers] did.
    We have done wrong; we have done evil.
Our ·ancestors [fathers] in Egypt
    did not ·learn [grow in wisdom] from your ·miracles [wonderful acts].
They did not remember all your ·kindnesses [loyalty],
    so they ·turned [rebelled] against you at the ·Red [or Reed] Sea [78:13; Ex. 14–15].
But the Lord ·saved them [gave them victory] ·for his own sake [L because of his name],
    to ·show [reveal] his great power.
He ·commanded [reprimanded; rebuked] the ·Red [or Reed] Sea [v. 7], and it dried up.
    He led them through the deep sea as if it were a ·desert [wilderness].
10 He ·saved them [gave them victory over] from those who hated them.
    He ·saved [redeemed] them from the ·power [hand] of their enemies,
11 and the water covered their foes.
    Not one of them ·escaped [L was left].
12 Then the people ·believed what the Lord said [L had faith in his word],
    and they sang praises to him.

13 But they quickly forgot what he had done;
    they did not wait for his ·advice [counsel].
14 They ·became greedy for food [developed deep cravings] in the ·desert [wilderness; Num. 11],
    and they tested God ·there [L in desolate places; Ex. 17:7].
15 So he gave them what they ·wanted [asked for],
    but he also sent ·a terrible disease [a wasting sickness; emaciation] among them [Num. 11:33–35].

16 The people in the camp were jealous of Moses
    and of Aaron, the holy ·priest [one] of the Lord.
17 Then the ground opened up and swallowed Dathan
    and closed over Abiram’s ·group [assembly].
18 A fire burned among their ·followers [congregation],
    and flames burned up the wicked [Num. 16].

19 The people made a gold calf at ·Mount Sinai [L Horeb; C another name for Sinai]
    and ·worshiped [bowed down to] a metal statue [Ex. 32; Deut. 9:7–17].
20 They exchanged their ·glorious God [L glory; C God’s manifest presence]
    for ·a statue [the image] of a bull that eats grass.
21 They forgot the God who ·saved them [had given them victory],
    who had done great things in Egypt,
22 who had done miracles in the land of Ham [C Egypt]
    and amazing things by the ·Red [or Reed] Sea [v. 7].
23 So God said he would destroy them.
    But Moses, his chosen one, stood ·before him [L in the breech before him]
and ·stopped God’s anger from destroying them [calmed his destructive wrath; Ex. 32:30—33:23; Deut. 9:18–21].

24 Then they refused to go into the ·beautiful land of Canaan [desired/coveted land];
    they did not ·believe what God promised [L trust his word; Num. 14:1–12].
25 They ·grumbled [complained] in their tents [Deut. 1:27; 1 Cor. 10:10]
    and did not ·obey [L listen to] the Lord.
26 So he ·swore [L lifted his hand; C an oath-taking gesture] to them
    that ·they would die [L he would make them fall] in the ·desert [wilderness].
27 He ·said their children would be killed by [L would make their seed fall to] other nations
    and that they would be scattered among other countries [C as happened in the exile; Num. 14:27–35].

28 They ·joined in worshiping [L yoked themselves to] Baal at Peor
    and ate ·meat that had been sacrificed to lifeless statues [L sacrifices to the dead; Num. 25].
29 They ·made the Lord angry [L provoked him] by what they did,
    so ·many people became sick with a terrible disease [plague broke out among them].
30 But Phinehas ·prayed to the Lord [L stood and prayed],
    and the ·disease [plague] ·stopped [was restrained; Num. 25:6–9].
31 ·Phinehas did what was right [L It was counted/credited to him as righteousness],
    ·and it will be remembered from now on [L throughout the generations, forever; Num. 25:10–13; Mal. 2:4–6].

32 The people also made the Lord angry at Meribah [81:7; 95:8],
    and Moses was in trouble because of them.
33 The people ·turned [rebelled] against ·the Spirit of God [L his Spirit/spirit],
    so Moses ·spoke without stopping to think [L chattered with his lips; Num. 20:10–11].

34 The people did not destroy the other nations
    as the Lord had told them to do [Deut. 7:16; 20:17–18].
35 Instead, they mixed with the other nations
    and learned their ·customs [deeds; Judg. 3:5–6].
36 They ·worshiped [L served] other nations’ idols [Judg. 2:19]
    and were ·trapped by them [L a snare to them].
37 They even killed their sons and daughters
    as sacrifices to demons [Lev. 18:21; Deut. 12:31; 2 Kin. 16:1; 21:6; 23:10; Jer. 7:31; Ezek. 16:20–21; 20:31; 1 Cor. 10:20].
38 They ·killed [L spilled the blood of] innocent people,
    their own sons and daughters,
as sacrifices to the idols of Canaan [Jer. 19:4].
    So the land was ·made unholy [polluted] by their blood.
39 The people became ·unholy [unclean; C ritually] by their ·sins [L acts];
    they ·were unfaithful to God in [prostituted themselves by] what they did.

40 So the Lord became angry with his people
    and ·hated [was disgusted with] his own ·children [L inheritance].
41 He ·handed them over to [L gave them over to the hand/power of] other nations
    and let ·their enemies [L those who hated them] ·rule over [dominate] them.
42 Their enemies ·were cruel to [oppressed] them
    and ·kept them [they were brought into subjection] under their ·power [L hand].
43 The Lord ·saved [rescued] his people many times,
    but they continued to ·turn [rebel] against him.
So they ·became even more wicked [L were brought low by their iniquity].

44 But God saw their ·misery [distress]
    when he heard their cry.
45 He remembered his ·agreement [treaty; covenant] with them,
    and he felt ·sorry [compassion] for them because of his great ·love [loyalty].
46 He caused them to be ·pitied [shown mercy/compassion]
    by those who held them captive.

47 Lord our God, ·save us [give us victory]
    and ·bring us back [gather us] from other nations [C perhaps from the exile].
Then we will ·thank [praise] ·you [L your holy name]
    and will ·gladly praise you [glory in your praise].

48 ·Praise [Bless] the Lord, the God of Israel.
    He ·always was and always will be [is from everlasting to everlasting].
Let all the people say, “Amen!”

Praise the Lord!

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