Call out his name.
Tell the nations what he has done.
<2> Sing to the Lord.
Sing praises to him.
Tell about the amazing things he has done.
<3> Be proud of the Lord's holy name.
You people came looking for the Lord.
Be happy!
<4> Go to the Lord for strength.
Always go to him for help.
<5> Remember the amazing things he does.
Remember his miracles and wise decisions.
<6> You are descendants of his servant Abraham.
You are descendants of Jacob,
the one God chose.[548]
<7> The Lord is our God.
The Lord rules the whole world.[549]
<8> God will remember his agreement forever.
He will keep his word to his people for a thousand generations!
<9> He will keep the agreement he made with Abraham,
the promise he made to Isaac.
<10> He gave it as a law to Jacob.
He gave it to Israel as an agreement that will last forever!
<11> He said,
"I will give you the land of Canaan.
That land will belong to you."
<12> He made that promise
when Abraham's family was small.
They were only strangers there.
<13> They traveled from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another.
<14> But God did not let people mistreat them.
He warned kings not to hurt them.
<15> He said, "Don't hurt my chosen people.
Don't harm my prophets.[550]"
<16> He caused a famine[551] in that country.
People did not have enough food to eat.
<17> But he sent a man named Joseph to go ahead of them.
Joseph was sold like a slave.
<18> They tied a rope around Joseph's feet
and put an iron ring around his neck.
<19> Joseph was a slave until what he said really happened.
The Lord's message proved that Joseph was right.
<20> So the king of Egypt set him free.
That nation's leader let him out of jail.
<21> He put Joseph in charge of his house.
Joseph took care of everything he owned.
<22> Joseph gave instructions to the other leaders.
He taught the older men.
<23> Then Israel came to Egypt.
Jacob lived in Ham's country.[552]
<24> Jacob's family became very large
and more powerful than their enemies.
<25> So the Egyptians began to hate his people.
They made plans against his servants.
<26> So God sent his servant, Moses,
and Aaron, God's chosen priest.
<27> He used Moses and Aaron
to do many miracles in Ham's country.
<28> He sent that deep darkness,
but the Egyptians did not listen to him.
<29> So God changed the water into blood,
and all their fish died.
<30> Their country was filled with frogs.
Frogs were even in the king's bedroom.
<31> God gave the command,
and the flies and gnats came.
They were everywhere!
<32> He made the rain become hail.
Lightning struck throughout their country.
<33> He destroyed their vines and fig trees.
He destroyed every tree in their country.
<34> He gave the command,
and the locusts and grasshoppers came.
There were too many to count!
<35> They ate all the plants in the country
and all the crops in the fields.
<36> And then God killed every firstborn[553] in their country.
He killed their oldest sons.
<37> Then God took his people out of Egypt.
They brought gold and silver with them.
None of his people stumbled and fell.
<38> Egypt was happy to see God's people go,
because they were afraid of them.
<39> God spread out his cloud like a blanket.
He used his column of fire to give his people light at night.
<40> The people asked for food,
and God brought them quail to eat.
He also gave them plenty of bread from heaven.
<41> He split the rock,
and water came bubbling out.
A river began flowing in the desert!
<42> God remembered his holy promise
that he had made to his servant Abraham.
<43> He brought his people out of Egypt.
The people came out rejoicing
and singing their happy songs!
<44> Then God gave his people the country
where other people were living.
His people got what other people
had worked for.
<45> Why did God do this?
So his people would obey his laws.
So they would carefully obey his teachings.
Praise the Lord!
© Copyright 2004 World Bible Translation Center.