Nehemiah 9

“Stand and shout praises

to your LORD,

the eternal God!

Praise his wonderful name,

though he is greater

than words can express.”

₆You alone are the LORD,

Creator of the heavens

and all the stars,

Creator of the earth

and those who live on it,

Creator of the ocean

and all its creatures.

You are the source of life,

praised by the stars

that fill the heavens.

₇You are the LORD our God,

the one who chose Abram—

you brought him from Ur

in Babylonia

and named him Abraham.

₈Because he was faithful,

you made an agreement

to give his descendants

the land of the Canaanites

and Hittites,

of the Amorites and Perizzites,

and of the Jebusites

and Girgashites.

Now you have kept your promise,

just as you always do.

₉When our ancestors

were in Egypt,

you saw their suffering;

when they were at the Red Sea,

you heard their cry for help.

₁₀You knew that the King of Egypt

and his officials and his nation

had ill-treated your people.

So you worked fearsome miracles

against the Egyptians

and earned a reputation

that still remains.

₁₁You divided the deep sea,

and your people walked through

on dry land.

But you tossed their enemies in,

and they sank down

like a heavy stone.

₁₂Each day you led your people

with a thick cloud,

and at night you showed the way

with a flaming fire.

₁₃At Sinai you came down

from heaven,

and you gave your people

good laws and teachings

that are fair and honest.

₁₄You commanded them to respect

your holy Sabbath,

and you instructed

your servant Moses

to teach them your laws.

₁₅When they were hungry,

you sent bread from heaven,

and when they were thirsty,

you let water flow

from a rock.

Then you commanded them

to capture the land

that you had solemnly promised.

_16-17Our stubborn ancestors

refused to obey—

they forgot about the miracles

you had worked for them,

and they were determined

to return to Egypt

and become slaves again.

But, our God, you are merciful

and quick to forgive;

you are loving, kind,

and very patient.

So you never turned away

from them—

₁₈not even when they made

an idol shaped like a calf

and insulted you by claiming,

“This is the god who rescued us

from Egypt.”

₁₉Because of your great mercy,

you never abandoned them

in the desert.

And you always guided them

with a cloud by day

and a fire at night.

₂₀Your gentle Spirit

instructed them,

and you gave them manna to eat

and water to drink.

₂₁You took good care of them,

and for forty years

they never lacked a thing.

Their shoes didn't wear out,

and their feet were never swollen.

₂₂You let them conquer kings

and take their land,

including King Sihon of Heshbon

and King Og of Bashan.

₂₃You brought them into the land

that you had promised

their ancestors,

and you blessed their nation

with people who outnumbered

the stars in the sky.

₂₄Then their descendants

conquered the land.

You helped them defeat

the kings and nations

and treat their enemies

however they wished.

₂₅They captured strong cities

and rich farmland;

they took furnished houses,

as well as cisterns,

vineyards, olive orchards,

and numerous fruit trees.

They ate till they were satisfied,

and they celebrated

your abundant blessings.

₂₆In spite of this, they rebelled

and disobeyed your laws.

They killed your prophets,

who warned them

to turn back to you,

and they cursed your name.

₂₇So you handed them over

to their enemies,

who treated them terribly.

But in their sufferings,

they begged you to help.

From heaven you listened

to their prayers

and because of your great mercy,

you sent leaders to rescue them.

₂₈But when they were at peace,

they would turn against you,

and you would hand them over

to their enemies.

Then they would beg for help,

and because you are merciful,

you rescued them

over and over again.

₂₉You warned them to turn back

and discover true life

by obeying your laws.

But they stubbornly refused

and continued to sin.

₃₀For years, you were patient,

and your Spirit warned them

with messages spoken

by your prophets.

Still they refused to listen,

and you handed them over

to their enemies.

₃₁But you are merciful and kind,

and so you never forgot them

or let them be destroyed.

₃₂Our God, you are powerful,

fearsome, and faithful,

always true to your word.

So please keep in mind

the terrible sufferings

of our people, kings, leaders,

priests, and prophets,

from the time Assyria ruled

until this very day.

₃₃You have always been fair

when you punished us

for our sins.

₃₄Our kings, leaders, and priests

have never obeyed your commands

or heeded your warnings.

₃₅You blessed them with a kingdom

and with an abundance

of rich, fertile land,

but they refused to worship you

or turn from their evil.

₃₆Now we are slaves

in this fruitful land

you gave to our ancestors.

₃₇Its plentiful harvest is taken

by kings you placed over us

because of our sins.

Our suffering is unbearable,

because they do as they wish

to us and our livestock.