Praise ye the Lord, give thanks to him

Verse 1

Praise ye the Lord, give thanks to him; He's good; his mercy ne'er decays.

Verse 2

Who can his mighty acts declare? Or who can show forth all his praise?

Verse 3

Blessed are they that keep his laws; And always do the thing that's right.

Verse 4

Think on me Lord, and favor me, As one in whom thou dost delight.

Verse 5

With thy salvation visit me, To see thy chosen's good advance; That I thy nations joy may share, Glory with thine inheritance.

Verse 6

We, from our father's days, have erred, And, like them, from thy paths have gone; Our deeds have been perversely wrong, Against thee impiously we've done.

Verse 7

Thy wonders, they in Egypt saw, Our fathers did not understand; Thy many mercies they forgot, Provoked thee, at the Red Sea's strand.

Verse 8

Yet them he saved, for his name's sake; The fame of his mighty power to spread,

Verse 9

He checked the sea, and up it dried; And them, through deeps, as plains, he led.

Verse 10

So, from the malice of their foes, Who close pursued, he them did save; And from their enemies vengeful arm, To them complete redemption gave.

Verse 11

But o'er their foes the waters rowled; Not one of them escaped alive.

Verse 12

Then they, a while, believed his word, And praise, in songs, to him did give.

Verse 13

Bat soon they all his works forgot; Nor would they for his counsel wait.

Verse 14

They lusted in the wilderness; And tempted God, by asking meat.

Verse 15

He granted their too rash request; But leanness in their soul was thrown.

Verse 16

They envied Moses in the camp, And Aaron God's choice holy one.

Verse 17

The gaping earth Dathan devoured; Closed on Abiram's, factious crew.

Verse 18

The fire on their companions seized; The Flame their bold abettors slew.

Verse 19

Then they a calf, in Horeb made; And did the idol homage pay:

Verse 20

Their glory, to the likeness, changed Of a dull ox, that eateth hay.

Verse 21

Their God, and Savior, they forgot; Who had, in Egypt great things done:

Verse 22

Wrought wonders, in the land of Ham; His terrors, by the Red Sea, shown.

Verse 23

He said, he would destroy them quite; But Moses, then, before him stood. And filled the breach, to turn his wrath; Lest he his threatening should make good.

Verse 24

Yea; they the pleasant land despised; And gave no credit to his word:

Verse 25

But murmured in their tents; nor heard The voice of their most gracious Lord.

Verse 26

Then sware he, there, they ne'er should come; But perish in the desert sands:

Verse 27

Nations should prey upon their seed, And scatter them in distant lands.

Verse 28

Yea, they to Baal-Peor joined; And eat the offerings of the dead.

Verse 29

These works did so provoke his wrath, The dreadful plague among them spread.

Verse 30

Then Phineas rose, and judgment wrought; The plague was stayed, the guilty slain.

Verse 31

This justice was in him esteemed; His race the high rewards did gain.

Verse 32

They angered him, at Meribah; That Moses suffered for their sake.

Verse 33

For they his spirit so provoked, With unadvised lips he spake.

Verse 34

The nations they did not destroy; As God had given them command.

Verse 35

But mingled with the heathen were, And learned the manners of their land.

Verse 36

Yea, their vain idol gods they served; Which them, in woeful mischief, snared.

Verse 37

In sacrifice to demons, they, Their offspring, cruelly prepared.

Verse 38

And guiltless blood they shed; the blood Of their own sons, and daughters, slain In sacrifice to Canaan's gods; The gore did the whole land distain.

Verse 39

Thus greatly were their souls defiled, While they on their own works were bent; After their own inventions, they, With lustful hearts, a whoring went.

Verse 40

For this, against his people, flamed. The indignation of the Lord; That those who, his inheritance, Before had been, he now abhorred.

Verse 41

He gave them up to heathen powers; Their haters ruled with rods of Sseel.

Verse 42

Their foes then greatly them oppressed; And made them subject to their will.

Verse 43

He saved them oft, but they as oft. Through their bad counsels, did rebel, And moved his wrath; until, beneath The weight of their own crimes, they fell.

Verse 44

Yet, in the time of their distress, His kind regards to them were shown; His bowels with compassion moved. When e'er he heard their piteous moan.

Verse 45

His covenant he recalled to mind; In his great goodness did relent.

Verse 46

He made them pitied be of all, Where they, as captives had been sent.

Verse 47

Now save thou us, O Lord, our God, And from among the heathen bring; That we may thank thine holy name, And songs of praises to thee sing.

Verse 48

Blessed be Jehovah, Israel's God, Eternally; with one accord, Let all the people hearty join, And say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord.