God and his People

(1 Chr 16.8–22)

1Give thanks to the LORD, proclaim his greatness;

tell the nations what he has done.

2Sing praise to the LORD;

tell of the wonderful things he has done.

3Be glad that we belong to him;

let all who worship him rejoice.

4Go to the LORD for help;

and worship him continually.

5-6You descendants of Abraham, his servant;

you descendants of Jacob, the man he chose:

remember the miracles that God performed

and the judgements that he gave.

7The LORD is our God;

his commands are for all the world.

8He will keep his covenant for ever,

his promises for a thousand generations.

9105.9: Gen 12.7; 17.8; 26.3He will keep the agreement he made with Abraham

and his promise to Isaac.

10105.10–11: Gen 28.13The LORD made a covenant with Jacob,

one that will last for ever.

11“I will give you the land of Canaan,” he said.

“It will be your own possession.”

12God's people were few in number,

strangers in the land of Canaan.

13They wandered from country to country,

from one kingdom to another.

14105.14–15: Gen 20.3–7But God let no one oppress them;

to protect them, he warned the kings:

15“Don't harm my chosen servants;

do not touch my prophets.”

16105.16: Gen 41.53–57The LORD sent famine to their country

and took away all their food.

17105.17: Gen 37.28; 45.5But he sent a man ahead of them,

Joseph, who had been sold as a slave.

18105.18–19: Gen 39.20—40.23His feet were kept in chains,

and an iron collar was round his neck,

19until what he had predicted came true.

The word of the LORD proved him right.

20105.20: Gen 41.14Then the king of Egypt had him released;

the ruler of nations set him free.

21105.21: Gen 41.39–41He put him in charge of his government

and made him ruler over all the land,

22with power over the king's officials

and authority to instruct his advisers.

23105.23: Gen 46.6; 47.11Then Jacob went to Egypt

and settled in that country.

24105.24–25: Ex 1.7–14The LORD gave many children to his people

and made them stronger than their enemies.

25He made the Egyptians hate his people

and treat his servants with deceit.

26105.26: Ex 3.1—4.17Then he sent his servant Moses,

and Aaron, whom he had chosen.

27They did God's mighty acts

and performed miracles in Egypt.

28105.28: Ex 10.21–23God sent darkness on the country,

but the Egyptians did not obey105.28 Some ancient translations did not obey; Hebrew obeyed. his command.

29105.29: Ex 7.17–21He turned their rivers into blood

and killed all their fish.

30105.30: Ex 8.1–6Their country was overrun with frogs,

even the palace was filled with them.

31105.31: Ex 8.16–17, 20–24God commanded, and flies and gnats

swarmed throughout the whole country.

32105.32–33: Ex 9.22–25He sent hail and lightning on their land

instead of rain;

33he destroyed their grapevines and fig trees

and broke down all the trees.

34105.34–35: Ex 10.12–15He commanded, and the locusts came,

countless millions of them;

35they ate all the plants in the land;

they ate all the crops.

36105.36: Ex 12.29He killed the firstborn sons

of all the families of Egypt.

37105.37–38: Ex 12.33–36Then he led the Israelites out;

they carried silver and gold,

and all of them were healthy and strong.

38The Egyptians were afraid of them

and were glad when they left.

39105.39: Ex 13.21–22God put a cloud over his people

and a fire at night to give them light.

40105.40: Ex 16.2–15They105.40 Some ancient translations They; Hebrew He. asked, and he sent quails;

he gave them food from heaven to satisfy them.

41105.41: Ex 17.1–7; Num 20.2–13He opened a rock, and water gushed out,

flowing through the desert like a river.

42He remembered his sacred promise

to Abraham his servant.

43So he led his chosen people out,

and they sang and shouted for joy.

44105.44: Josh 11.16–23He gave them the lands of other peoples

and let them take over their fields,

45so that his people would obey his laws

and keep all his commands.

Praise the LORD!