Which were a snare unto them. Yea, they sacrificed their sons And their daughters unto devils, Even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, Whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: And the land was polluted with blood. Thus were they defiled with their own works, And went a whoring with their own inventions. Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people, Insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance. And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; And they that hated them ruled over them. Their enemies also oppressed them, And they were brought into subjection under their hand. Many times did he deliver them; But they provoked him with their counsel, And he remembered for them his covenant, mercies. He made them also to be pitied Of all those that carried them captives. Save us, O Lord our God, And gather us from among the heathen, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: And let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord. CVII O Give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: For his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the en emy; And gathered them out of the lands, From the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; They found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, Their soul fainted in them. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, That they might go to a city of habitation. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, And for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, And filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, Because they rebelled against the words of God, He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, And brake their bands in sunder. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, And cut the bars of iron in sunder. And because of their iniquities, are afflicted. He sent his word, and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, And for his wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, They that go down to the sea in ships, These see the works of the Lord, And his wonders in the deep. For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, Which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: Their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wit's end. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, So that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; And praise him in the assembly of the elders. And the watersprings into dry ground; A fruitful land into barrenness, For the wickedness of them that dwell therein. And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; And suffereth not their cattle to decrease. And causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way. Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, And all iniquity shall stop her mouth. Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, Even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord. |