Confitemini Domino.
A confession of the manifold sins and ingratitudes of the Israelites.
Alleluia.
105:1. Give glory to the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth
for ever.
105:2. Who shall declare the powers of the Lord? who shall set forth
all his praises?
105:3. Blessed are they that keep judgment, and do justice at all
times.
105:4. Remember us, O Lord, in the favour of thy people: visit us with
thy salvation.
105:5. That we may see the good of thy chosen, that we may rejoice in
the joy of thy nation: that thou mayst be praised with thy inheritance.
105:6. We have sinned with our fathers: we have acted unjustly, we have
wrought iniquity.
105:7. Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt: they remembered
not the multitude of thy mercies: And they provoked to wrath going up
to the sea, even the Red Sea.
105:8. And he saved them for his own name's sake: that he might make
his power known.
105:9. And he rebuked the Red Sea and it was dried up: and he led them
through the depths, as in a wilderness.
105:10. And he saved them from the hand of them that hated them: and he
redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
105:11. And the water covered them that afflicted them: there was not
one of them left.
105:12. And they believed his words: and they sang his praises.
105:13. They had quickly done, they forgot his works: and they waited
not for his counsel.
105:14. And they coveted their desire in the desert: and they tempted
God in the place without water.
105:15. And he gave them their request: and sent fulness into their
souls.
105:16. And they provoked Moses in the camp, Aaron the holy one of the
Lord.
105:17. The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan: and covered the
congregation of Abiron.
105:18. And a fire was kindled in their congregation: the flame burned
the wicked.
105:19. They made also a calf in Horeb: and they adored the graven
thing.
105:20. And they changed their glory into the likeness of a calf that
eateth grass.
105:21. They forgot God, who saved them, who had done great things in
Egypt,
105:22. Wondrous works in the land of Cham: terrible things in the Red
Sea.
105:23. And he said that he would destroy them: had not Moses his
chosen stood before him in the breach: To turn away his wrath, lest he
should destroy them.
105:24. And they set at nought the desirable land. They believed not
his word,
105:25. And they murmured in their tents: they hearkened not to the
voice of the Lord.
105:26. And he lifted up his hand over them: to overthrow them in the
desert;
105:27. And to cast down their seed among the nations, and to scatter
them in the countries.
105:28. They also were initiated to Beelphegor: and ate the sacrifices
of the dead.
Initiated. . .That is, they dedicated, or consecrated themselves to the
idol of the Moabites and Madianites, called Beelphegor, or Baal-Peor.
Num. 25.3.--Ibid. The dead. . .Viz., idols without life.
105:29. And they provoked him with their inventions: and destruction
was multiplied among them.
105:30. Then Phinees stood up, and pacified him: and the slaughter
ceased.
105:31. And it was reputed to him unto justice, to generation and
generation for evermore.
105:32. They provoked him also at the waters of contradiction: and
Moses was afflicted for their sakes:
105:33. Because they exasperated his spirit. And he distinguished with
his lips.
He distinguished with his lips. . .Moses, by occasion of the people's
rebellion and incredulity, was guilty of distinguishing with his lips;
when, instead of speaking to the rock, as God had commanded, he said to
the people, with a certain hesitation in his faith, Hear ye, rebellious
and incredulous: Can we from this rock bring out water for you? Num.
20.10.
105:34. They did not destroy the nations of which the Lord spoke unto
them.
105:35. And they were mingled among the heathens, and learned their
works:
105:36. And served their idols, and it became a stumblingblock to them.
105:37. And they sacrificed their sons, and their daughters to devils.
105:38. And they shed innocent blood: the blood of their sons and of
their daughters which they sacrificed to the idols of Chanaan. And the
land was polluted with blood,
105:39. And was defiled with their works: and they went aside after
their own inventions.
105:40. And the Lord was exceedingly angry with his people: and he
abhorred his inheritance.
105:41. And he delivered them into the hands of the nations: and they
that hated them had dominion over them.
105:42. And their enemies afflicted them: and they were humbled under
their hands:
105:43. Many times did he deliver them. But they provoked him with
their counsel: and they were brought low by their iniquities.
105:44. And he saw when they were in tribulation: and he heard their
prayer.
105:45. And he was mindful of his covenant: and repented according to
the multitude of his mercies.
105:46. And he gave them unto mercies, in the sight of all those that
had made them captives.
105:47. Save us, O Lord, our God: and gather us from among the nations:
That we may give thanks to thy holy name, and may glory in thy praise.
105:48. Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, from everlasting to
everlasting: and let all the people say: So be it, so be it.