A nation asks for forgiveness

1We will celebrate106.1: 1 Ch 16.34; 2 Ch 5.13; 7.3; Ezra 3.11; Ps 100.5; 107.1; 118.1; 136.1; Jr 33.11.

and praise you, LORD!

You are good to us,

and your love never fails.

2No one can praise you enough

for all the mighty things

you have done.

3You bless those people

who are honest and fair

in everything they do.

4Remember me, LORD,

when you show kindness

by saving your people.

5Let me prosper with the rest

of your chosen ones,

as they celebrate with pride

because they belong to you.

6We and our ancestors

have sinned terribly.

7When they were in Egypt,106.7: Ex 14.10-12.

they paid no attention

to your marvellous deeds

or your wonderful love.

And they turned against you

at the Red Sea.106.7 Red Sea: Hebrew yam suph “Sea of Reeds”, one of the marshes or fresh water lakes near the eastern part of the Nile Delta. This identification is based on Exodus 13.17—14.9, which lists the towns on the route of the Israelites before crossing the sea. In the Greek translation of the Scriptures made about 200 BC, the “Sea of Reeds” was named “Red Sea”.

8But you were true to your name,

and you rescued them to prove

how mighty you are.

9You said to the Red Sea,106.9 Red Sea: See the note at 106.7.106.9-12: Ex 14.21-31.

“Dry up!”

Then you led your people across

on land as dry as a desert.

10You saved all of them

11and drowned every one

of their enemies.

12Then your people trusted you106.12: Ex 15.1-21.

and sang your praises.

13But they soon forgot

what you had done

and rejected your advice.

14They became greedy for food106.14,15: Nu 11.4-34.

and tested you there

in the desert.

15So you gave them

what they wanted,

but later you destroyed them

with a horrible disease.

16Everyone in camp was jealous106.16-18: Nu 16.1-35.

of Moses and of Aaron,

your chosen priest.

17Dathan and Abiram rebelled,

and the earth opened up

and swallowed them.

18Then fire broke out

and destroyed all

of their followers.

19At Horeb your people106.19-23: Ex 32.1-14.

made and worshipped the statue

20of a bull, instead of you,

their glorious God.

21You worked powerful miracles

to save them from Egypt,

but they forgot about you

22and the fearsome things

you did at the Red Sea.106.22 Red Sea: See the note at 106.7.

23You were angry and started

to destroy them,

but Moses, your chosen leader,

begged you not to do it.

24They would not trust106.24-26: Nu 14.1-35.

you, LORD,

and they did not like

the promised land.

25They would not obey you,

and they grumbled

in their tents.

26So you threatened them

by saying, “I'll kill you

out here in the desert!

27I'll scatter your children106.27: Lv 26.33.

everywhere in the world.”

28Your people became followers106.28-31: Nu 25.1-13.

of a god named Baal-Peor,

and they ate sacrifices

offered to the dead.106.28 the dead: Or “lifeless idols”.

29They did such terrible things

that you punished them

with a deadly disease.

30But Phinehas106.30 Phinehas: The grandson of Aaron, who put two people to death and kept the Lord from being angry with the rest of his people (see Numbers 25.1-13). helped them,

and the sickness stopped.

31Now he will always

be highly honoured.

32At Meribah Spring106.32 Meribah Spring: See the note at 81.7.106.32,33: Nu 20.2-13.

they turned against you

and made you furious.

33Then Moses got into trouble

for speaking in anger.

34Our LORD, they disobeyed you106.34-36: Jg 2.1-3; 3.5,6.

by refusing to destroy

the nations.

35Instead they were friendly

with those foreigners

and followed their customs.

36Then they fell into the trap

of worshipping idols.

37They sacrificed their sons106.37: 2 K 17.17.

and their daughters to demons

38and to the gods of Canaan.106.38: Nu 35.33.

Then they poured out the blood

of these innocent children

and made the land filthy.

39By doing such gruesome things,

they also became filthy.

40Finally, LORD, you were angry106.40-46: Jg 2.14-18.

and terribly disgusted

with your people.

41So you put them in the power

of nations that hated them.

42They were ill-treated and abused

by their enemies,

43but you saved them

time after time.

They were determined to rebel,

and their sins caused

their downfall.

44You answered their prayers

when they were in trouble.

45You kept your agreement

and were so merciful

46that their enemies

had pity on them.

47Save us, LORD God!106.47,48: 1 Ch 16.35,36.

Bring us back

from among the nations.

Let us celebrate and shout

in praise of your holy name.

48LORD God of Israel,

you deserve to be praised

for ever and ever.

Let everyone say, “Amen!

Shout praises to the LORD!”