Monday, November 10, 2008

Psalm 106

This psalm being the last of Book IV has a doxology at the end. Who is the speaker in the italicized sections?
Hallelu Yah
Give thanks to יְהוָה for he is good
for to the age is his kindness
who will speak of the mighty deeds of יְהוָה
or make heard all his praise
happy those keeping judgment
doing righteousness at all times

remember me יְהוָה in the acceptance of your people
visit me in your salvation
to see the good of your chosen
to take pleasure in the joy of your nation
to praise with your inheritance

we have sinned with our fathers
we have been perverse
we are guilty
our fathers in Egypt did not understand your wonders
they did not remember the greatness of your kindness
but they rebelled at the sea
at that sea of reeds
but he saved them for the sake of his name
to make known his mighty deeds

and he rebuked the sea of reeds and it was dried up
and he led them in the depths as in a desert
and he saved them from the hand of hatred
and he redeemed them from the hand of an enemy
and the waters covered their troublers
not one of them remaining
and they believed his words
and they sang his praise

they quickly forgot his works
they did not wait for his counsel
but they desired intensely in the desert
and tempted God in a desolate place
and he gave them their requests
but he sent leanness to their being

and they were jealous of Moses
in the camp of Aaron set apart for יְהוָה
the land opened and swallowed Dathan
and covered over the assembly of Abiram
and a fire was kindled in their assembly
flame burned the wicked

they made a calf in Horeb
and they bowed down before the image
and they exchanged their glory into the form of an ox eating grass
they forgot God their Saviour
doing great things in Egypt
wonderful things in the land of Ham
fearful things at the sea of reeds
and he said to destroy them
except Moses his chosen stood in the breach
in his presence to turn away his heat to destroy

and they rejected a pleasant land
they did not believe his word
and they nattered in their tents
not did they listen to the voice of יְהוָה
and he lifted up his hand against them
to overthrow them in the wilderness
to overthrow their seed among the nations
and to seed them in any land

and they attached themselves to Baal-peor
and they ate the offerings of the dead
and they grieved him with their actions
and a plague broke out among them
and Phinehas stood up and intervened and stopped the plague
and it was imputed to him as righteousness
from generation to generation for ever

and they provoked at the waters of Meribah
and it was evil for Moses for their sakes
for they made his spirit rebel
and he spoke rashly with his lips

they did not exterminate the peoples as יְהוָה instructed them
but they intermingled with the nations
and they learned their doings
and they served their idols
and they became a trap to them

then they offered their sons and their daughters to demons
and spilled innocent blood
the blood of their sons and daughters
which they sacrificed to idols of Canaan
and polluted the land with blood

and they became unclean through their own doings
and were unfaithful through their own actions
and the wrath of יְהוָה was kindled against his people
and he abhorred his inheritance

and he gave them into the hand of the nations
and those hating them ruled over them
and their enemies oppressed them
and they were humbled under their hand

time after time he delivered them
but they rebelled with their counsel
they were brought low in their iniquity
still he saw their affliction when he heard their cry
and he remembered his covenant with them
and he sighed for all his kindness
and he showed compassion for them
in the presence of all who carried them away

save us יְהוָה our God and gather us from the nations
to give thanks to your holy name
to carry on your praises
Bless יְהוָה the God of Israel from this age to every age
and let all the people say Amen
Hallelu Yah

Note - carry on praises is not a new movie - those who made them captive שבה sounds like the triumph שבח in praise. It's the same word letter-wise so I pulled the carry on rabbit out of my hat.

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