URC Daily Devotion 21st July 2019

1 Praise the LORD! Extol his goodness!
for his love endures always.
2 Who can tell his mighty actions,
or in full declare his praise?
3 Blessed are those whose way is right,
acting justly in his sight.

4 When you show your people favour,
then, O LORD, remember me.
Help me when you come to save them;
5 let me know prosperity—
Joyful with your chosen race,
joining them in giving praise.

6 We have sinned, just like our fathers;
we have done what was not right.
7 When our fathers were in Egypt
they despised your deeds of might.
All your mercies they ignored—
at the Red Sea spurned the LORD.

8 Yet for his name’s sake he saved them
and revealed his mighty hand.
9 By his word the Sea he parted,
led them through as on dry land—
10 From the hand of foes set free,
rescued from the enemy.

11 Then their adversaries foundered;
not a single one survived.
12 So the people sang his praises,
and his promises believed;
13 But his works they soon forgot,
and his counsel set at nought.

14 In the desert they surrendered
to their unremitting greed;
In the wasteland they provoked him,
craving meat they did not need.
15 So he gave them what they sought,
but on them disease he brought.

16 In the camp they envied Moses,
Aaron too—God’s priest was he.
17 Earth was split and swallowed Dathan
and Abiram’s company;
18 There they fell, consumed by flame—
those who had abused God’s name.

19 Then they made a calf at Horeb—
served an idol cast in clay;
20 They exchanged their highest Glory
for a bull that feeds on hay.
21 God their saviour they forgot,
who for them great things had wrought.

The Editors of Sing Psalms suggest various tunes for this but as it is set to an unusual meter – 878777 – it’s not been possible to find any recordings.