Open English Translation PSA Chapter 106

106 Praise Yah. Give thanks to Yahweh because he’s good,

because his loyal commitment never ends.

2 Who can recount everything that Yahweh’s done?

Can anyone list all his praises?

3 Those who promote justice will be blessed,

as will those who always do what is right.

4 When you help your people, Yahweh, remember me.

Help me when you rescue them.

5 I want to see your chosen people prosper—

be happy that your nation is happy

and share the splendour of your inheritance.

6 We have disobeyed God like our ancestors did.

≈ We have done things that were wrong, and have acted wickedly.

7 Our ancestors didn’t appreciate the miracles you did in Egypt (Heb. Mitsrayim).[ref]

They just forgot about your display of loyal commitment,

and instead they rebelled down there at the Red Sea.

8 However, he saved them for the sake of his reputation—

to make his incredible power known to the world.

9 He commanded the Red Sea and it dried up,

then he led them through its depths as if it was ordinary land[ref]

10 and saved them from the forces of those who hated them—

yes, he rescued them from their enemy’s power.

11 The water came back over their enemies—

there wasn’t a single one of them left.

12 Then they finally believed his words,[ref]

and they sang praises to him.

13 But they soon forgot what he’d done.

They didn’t bother waiting for his advice.

14 They had intense cravings for meat in the wilderness,[ref]

≈ and they challenged God right there in the desert.

15 So he gave them what they asked for

but he sent them a horrible disease with it.

16 Then in the camp, they became jealous of Mosheh (Moses),[ref]

≈ and Aharon (Aaron), Yahweh’s chosen priest.

17 The earth opened up and swallowed Datan,

≈ and covered over Aviram’s followers.

18 Then fire blazed among them,

≈ and the flames burnt up the wicked people.

19 They made a gold calf at Horev,[ref]

≈ and worshipped the metal statue there.

20 They traded the splendour of their God,

with a statue image of a bull that eats grass. ☺

21 They forgot about their saviour god

who’d done incredible miracles in Egypt (Heb. Mitsrayim),

22 ≈ had done amazing feats in the land of Ham (i.e., Egypt),

≈ and had demonstrated powerful forces at the Red Sea.

23 So he said that he’d destroy them,

except that his chosen servant Mosheh stood as intermediary,

to turn him away from his severe anger and plan to destroy.

24 Then they despised that desirable region—[ref]

≈ they didn’t believe his promise.

25 Instead they grumbled in their tents

and didn’t listen to what Yahweh said.

26 So he made his decision against them:

that they’d drop dead there in the wilderness,

27 and he’d disperse their descendants across many countries[ref]

≈ and scatter them in distant lands.

28 They submitted to the Baal of Peor,[ref]

and ate sacrifices that had been offered to the dead.

29 They provoked him to anger with their actions,

and a plague broke out among them.

30 Then Pinehas took a stand and intervened

and stopped the plague.

31 That godly action was credited to him,

for all the generations to come.

32 They also made Yahweh angry at the Merivah springs,[ref]

and that led to trouble for Mosheh (Moses),

33 because they’d rebelled against his spirit,

and then he ended up speaking rashly.

34 They didn’t destroy those people groups[ref]

as Yahweh had told them to do.

35 Instead they mingled with those other groups,

and imitated their ungodly activities

36 and worshipped their idols

which then became the reason for their destruction.

37 They sacrificed their sons and daughters to the demons.[ref]

38 Yes, they shed innocent blood[ref]—

the blood of their sons and daughters

that they sacrificed to the idols and polluted the land with blood.

39 Their actions made them unacceptable to worship God,

having prostituted themselves to other gods.

40 So Yahweh got angry with his own people,[ref]

≈ and he despised his own inheritance.

41 He allowed other countries to control them,

≈ and those who hated them ruled over them.

42 Their enemies oppressed them,

≈ and subdued them under their control.

43 He rescued them many times,

but they kept rebelling in their minds,

and were brought down by their own sin.

44 Nevertheless, he paid attention to their distress

when he heard their cry for help.

45 He thought about his agreement with them,

and he relented because of the strength of his loyal commitment to them.

46 He caused their conquerors to have pity on them.

47 Save us Yahweh our god,[ref]

and gather us back from among other nations

so that we can give thanks for your sacred reputation,

and praise you with real gladness.

48 May Yisrael’s god Yahweh be praised throughout the ages,

and all the people said, “Yes, let it be so.”

Praise Yah.