1Alleluia. Give thanks to the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endures for ever.

2Who shall tell the mighty acts of the Lord? who shall cause all his praises to be heard?

3Blessed are they that keep judgment, and do righteousness at all times.

4Remember us, O Lord, with the favour thou hast to thy people: visit us with thy salvation;

5that we may behold the good of thine elect, that we may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that we may glory with thine inheritance.

6We have sinned with our fathers, we have transgressed, we have done unrighteously.

7Our fathers in Egypt understood not thy wonders, and remembered not the multitude of thy mercy; but provoked him as they went up by the Red Sea.

8Yet he saved them for his name's sake, that he might cause his mighty power to be known.

9And he rebuked the Red Sea, and it was dried up: so he led them through the deep as through the wilderness.

10And he saved them out of the hand of them that hated them, and redeemed them out of the hand of the enemy.

11The water covered those that oppressed them: there was not one of them left.

12Then they believed his words, and celebrated his praise.

13They made haste, they forgot his works; they waited not for his counsel.

14And they lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the dry land.

15And he gave them their request, and sent fulness into their souls.

16They provoked Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the holy one of the Lord.

17The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and closed upon the congregation of Abiron.

18And a fire was kindled in their congregation, and a flame burnt up the sinners.

19And they made a calf in Choreb, and worshipped the graven image,

20and they changed their glory into the similitude of a calf that feeds on grass.

21They forgot God that saved them, who had wrought great deeds in Egypt;

22wondrous works in the land of Cham, and terrible things at the Red Sea.

23So he said that he would have destroyed them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn him away from the fierceness of his anger, so that he should not destroy them.

24Moreover they set at nought the desirable land, and believed not his word.

25And they murmured in their tents: they hearkened not to the voice of the Lord.

26So he lifted up his hand against them, to cast them down in the wilderness;

27and to cast down their seed among the nations, and to scatter them in the countries.

28They were joined also to Beelphegor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead. And they provoked him with their devices;

29and destruction was multiplied among them.

30Then Phinees stood up, and made atonement: and the plague ceased.

31And it was counted to him for righteousness, to all generations for ever.

32They provoked him also at the water of Strife, and Moses was hurt for their sakes;

33for they provoked his spirit, and he ¹⁹⁷spoke unadvisedly with his lips.

34They destroyed not the nations which the Lord told them to destroy;

35but were mingled with the heathen, and learned their works.

36And they served their graven images; and it became an offence to them.

37And they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to devils,

38and shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Chanaan; and the land was ¹⁹⁸defiled with blood,

39and was polluted with their works; and they went a whoring with their own devices.

40So the Lord was very angry with his people, and he abhorred his inheritance.

41And he delivered them into the hands of their enemies; and they that hated them ruled over them.

42And their enemies oppressed them, and they were brought down under their hands.

43Many a time he delivered them; but they provoked him by their counsel, and they were brought low by their iniquities.

44Yet the Lord looked upon their affliction, when he heard their petition.

45And he remembered his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercy.

46And he caused them to be pitied in the sight of all who carried them captive.

47Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, that we may glory in thy praise.

48Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting and to everlasting; and all the people shall say, Amen, Amen.