Psalms 106

1Praise the LORD! Give thanks to the LORD — because the LORD is good! The LORD's faithful loyal love lasts forever!

2Who is able to put into words all the powerful acts of the LORD? Who can fully show all that the LORD deserves to be praised for?

3Oh how happy and honored are the people who hold on to what is right and fair — who keep doing what is right every single day — all the time.

4LORD — remember me! Show me the same kindness that you show to your people. Come to me, LORD — bring me your salvation!

5Let me see the goodness and blessing of the people God has chosen. Let me share in the joy of God's nation. Let me celebrate and boast with pride — together with God's own people.

6We — Israel — confess: We have sinned. Just like our ancestors sinned before us — we have done wrong. We have twisted what is right. We have acted wickedly.

7Israel's ancestors did not truly understand God's miracles in Egypt. They did not remember how many times God showed faithful loyal love to them. Instead they stubbornly rebelled against God — right at the Red Sea — even after all God had done for them!

8But even so — God saved Israel anyway — not because Israel deserved it — but for God's own name's sake — so that God's mighty power would be known and shown to everyone.

9God gave the Red Sea a direct command — and it dried up. God led Israel through the deep waters as if they were walking through a dry flat desert.

10God rescued Israel from the power of Egypt — those who hated Israel. God bought Israel's freedom from the grip of their enemy.

11The waters of the Red Sea completely covered Pharaoh's army. Not one Egyptian soldier survived. Every single one was gone.

12After seeing all that — then Israel finally believed God's words. And Israel sang God's praise.

13But Israel forgot fast. Israel did not wait for God's plan to unfold. Israel rushed ahead without God.

14Israel craved and craved in the wilderness — overwhelming, out-of-control craving. And Israel dared to challenge God in the desert — testing whether God could provide.

15God gave Israel exactly what Israel demanded. But at the same time God sent a wasting sickness into their inner being — their souls became dry, thin, and empty.

16Israel also burned with jealousy against Moses in the camp — and against Aaron — the one set apart as holy to the LORD.

17The ground opened up and swallowed Dathan alive. The earth closed over Abiram and his whole group — buried them alive.

18A fire broke out and burned through the rebel group. The flame destroyed the wicked people who had led the rebellion.

19While Moses was on the mountain at Horeb — Mount Sinai — Israel made a golden calf idol. They bowed down and worshipped a melted and poured metal statue.

20Israel traded away their most glorious thing — the living God — and replaced God with the image of a bull that eats grass. They gave up the greatest thing for the most worthless thing.

21Israel forgot the LORD God — their Rescuer — the one who had done great and mighty things in Egypt on Israel's behalf.

22God had done breathtaking miracles in the land of Ham — that is Egypt — and awe-striking, overwhelming acts at the Red Sea. And Israel forgot all of it.

23Because of this God said God would completely destroy Israel. But Moses — whom God had chosen — stepped in. Moses stood in the gap — like a soldier defending a broken-down wall — and turned God's burning anger away from destroying Israel.

24Then Israel looked down on and rejected the beautiful land God had promised them — the Promised Land. Israel refused to believe God's word.

25Instead of trusting God — Israel grumbled bitterly and secretly inside their tents. And Israel refused to listen to the voice of the LORD.

26Because of this — God raised God's hand and swore an oath against Israel — promising that Israel would fall and die in the wilderness.

27And God vowed to throw and scatter Israel's children — their future generations — among the nations of the world — spreading them far across every land.

28Israel locked themselves together with Baal-Peor — a pagan false god — yoked to it like an animal yoked at the neck. Israel ate food sacrificed to dead, lifeless idols.

29By doing these things Israel made God burn with anger. And a deadly plague burst out and spread through Israel's camp.

30Then Phinehas stepped forward and took action — he carried out justice in the camp. And the plague stopped.

31And God credited that act to Phinehas as righteousness — as right standing before God — and it was remembered that way for every generation after him — forever.

32Israel also made God angry at the waters of Meribah — and because of Israel's rebellion — things went badly for Moses. Moses suffered because of Israel's behavior.

33Because Israel crushed Moses' spirit and made him bitter inside — Moses lost control and said things with his lips that he should not have said. Israel's rebellion pushed Moses into sin.

34The LORD commanded Israel to destroy the evil nations in Canaan. But the people of Israel refused to obey Him.

35Instead Israel mixed themselves in with the pagan nations around them and started learning and copying the evil practices of those nations.

36Israel served and worshipped the idols of those nations. The idols trapped Israel like an animal in a hidden net.

37Israel sacrificed their own sons and daughters to demons. These were evil spirits behind the false gods.

38Israel poured out innocent blood. They killed their own sons and daughters. They sacrificed them to the idols of Canaan. Their blood polluted the land with murder.

39Israel made themselves filthy by doing all this. They were unfaithful to God, like a wife cheating on her husband. They chased after their own man-made idols and evil ways.

40Because of all this, the LORD's anger burned against His own people. He was disgusted by the people He had claimed as His own.

41God handed Israel over to enemy nations. Nations that hated Israel took control and ruled over them.

42Israel's enemies pressed them down hard and crushed them. Israel was forced to submit under the enemies' power.

43Many times He rescued Israel. But they kept stubbornly following their own plans. They refused God's way. Their twisted sin brought them crashing down.

44But even after all that, He looked at their pain and suffering. He listened when they cried out.

45He remembered His sacred covenant with Israel. He kept His promise. Because of His faithful, loyal love, He chose mercy instead of judgment.

46He also changed the hearts of Israel's captors. He made their enemies feel compassion and pity toward them.

47Rescue us, LORD our God! Bring us back together. Gather us from all the nations where we were scattered. Then we can thank Your holy name. We can shout with joy in Your praise!

48Praise the LORD, the God of Israel, forever and ever! Let all the people say: Amen! Praise the LORD!