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

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.

10 When they came to Geliloth(A) near the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an imposing altar(B) there by the Jordan. 11 And when the Israelites heard that they had built the altar on the border of Canaan at Geliloth near the Jordan on the Israelite side, 12 the whole assembly of Israel gathered at Shiloh(C) to go to war against them.

13 So the Israelites sent Phinehas(D) son of Eleazar,(E) the priest, to the land of Gilead—to Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 14 With him they sent ten of the chief men, one from each of the tribes of Israel, each the head of a family division among the Israelite clans.(F)

15 When they went to Gilead—to Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh—they said to them: 16 “The whole assembly of the Lord says: ‘How could you break faith(G) with the God of Israel like this? How could you turn away from the Lord and build yourselves an altar in rebellion(H) against him now? 17 Was not the sin of Peor(I) enough for us? Up to this very day we have not cleansed ourselves from that sin, even though a plague fell on the community of the Lord! 18 And are you now turning away from the Lord?

“‘If you rebel against the Lord today, tomorrow he will be angry with the whole community(J) of Israel. 19 If the land you possess is defiled, come over to the Lord’s land, where the Lord’s tabernacle(K) stands, and share the land with us. But do not rebel against the Lord or against us by building an altar(L) for yourselves, other than the altar of the Lord our God. 20 When Achan son of Zerah was unfaithful in regard to the devoted things,[a](M) did not wrath(N) come on the whole community(O) of Israel? He was not the only one who died for his sin.’”(P)

21 Then Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh replied to the heads of the clans of Israel: 22 “The Mighty One, God, the Lord! The Mighty One, God,(Q) the Lord!(R) He knows!(S) And let Israel know! If this has been in rebellion or disobedience to the Lord, do not spare us this day. 23 If we have built our own altar to turn away from the Lord and to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings,(T) or to sacrifice fellowship offerings on it, may the Lord himself call us to account.(U)

24 “No! We did it for fear that some day your descendants might say to ours, ‘What do you have to do with the Lord, the God of Israel? 25 The Lord has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you—you Reubenites and Gadites! You have no share in the Lord.’ So your descendants might cause ours to stop fearing the Lord.

26 “That is why we said, ‘Let us get ready and build an altar—but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.’ 27 On the contrary, it is to be a witness(V) between us and you and the generations that follow, that we will worship the Lord at his sanctuary with our burnt offerings, sacrifices and fellowship offerings.(W) Then in the future your descendants will not be able to say to ours, ‘You have no share in the Lord.’

28 “And we said, ‘If they ever say this to us, or to our descendants, we will answer: Look at the replica of the Lord’s altar, which our ancestors built, not for burnt offerings and sacrifices, but as a witness(X) between us and you.’

29 “Far be it from us to rebel(Y) against the Lord and turn away from him today by building an altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings and sacrifices, other than the altar of the Lord our God that stands before his tabernacle.(Z)

30 When Phinehas the priest and the leaders of the community—the heads of the clans of the Israelites—heard what Reuben, Gad and Manasseh had to say, they were pleased. 31 And Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, said to Reuben, Gad and Manasseh, “Today we know that the Lord is with us,(AA) because you have not been unfaithful to the Lord in this matter. Now you have rescued the Israelites from the Lord’s hand.”

32 Then Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, and the leaders returned to Canaan from their meeting with the Reubenites and Gadites in Gilead and reported to the Israelites.(AB) 33 They were glad to hear the report and praised God.(AC) And they talked no more about going to war against them to devastate the country where the Reubenites and the Gadites lived.

34 And the Reubenites and the Gadites gave the altar this name: A Witness(AD) Between Us—that the Lord is God.

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Footnotes

  1. Joshua 22:20 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.

10 And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to.

11 And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over against the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan, at the passage of the children of Israel.

12 And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them.

13 And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest,

14 And with him ten princes, of each chief house a prince throughout all the tribes of Israel; and each one was an head of the house of their fathers among the thousands of Israel.

15 And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and they spake with them, saying,

16 Thus saith the whole congregation of the Lord, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the Lord, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this day against the Lord?

17 Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the Lord,

18 But that ye must turn away this day from following the Lord? and it will be, seeing ye rebel to day against the Lord, that to morrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel.

19 Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of the Lord, wherein the Lord's tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not against the Lord, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar beside the altar of the Lord our God.

20 Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity.

21 Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered, and said unto the heads of the thousands of Israel,

22 The Lord God of gods, the Lord God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the Lord, (save us not this day,)

23 That we have built us an altar to turn from following the Lord, or if to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let the Lord himself require it;

24 And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing, saying, In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with the Lord God of Israel?

25 For the Lord hath made Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no part in the Lord: so shall your children make our children cease from fearing the Lord.

26 Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice:

27 But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of the Lord before him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in the Lord.

28 Therefore said we, that it shall be, when they should so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say again, Behold the pattern of the altar of the Lord, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you.

29 God forbid that we should rebel against the Lord, and turn this day from following the Lord, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for meat offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of the Lord our God that is before his tabernacle.

30 And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel which were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spake, it pleased them.

31 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we perceive that the Lord is among us, because ye have not committed this trespass against the Lord: now ye have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the Lord.

32 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again.

33 And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and did not intend to go up against them in battle, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt.

34 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed: for it shall be a witness between us that the Lord is God.

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