Remembering the past can be a prayer if we try to see the work of God and thank him for it.
1Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known his works among the nations.
2Sing to him, sing his praise, proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
3Glory in his holy name; let those who seek the Lord rejoice.
4Look to the Lord and be strong; seek his face always.
5Remember his wonderful works, his miracles and his judgments,
6you descendants of his servant Abraham, you sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
7He is the Lord our God; his judgments reach the whole world.
8He remembers his covenant forever, his promise to a thousand generations, 9the covenant he made with Abraham, the promise he swore to Isaac.
10He confirmed his decree to Jacob, to Israel his eternal covenant:
11“To you I will give the land of Canaan as part of your inheritance.”
12When they were few in number, strangers in the land, 13wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another, 14he allowed no one to oppress them, and for their sake he rebuked kings:
15“Touch not my anointed ones,” he warned, “do my prophets no harm!”
16Then he sent a famine and ruined the crop that sustained the land; 17he sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave;
18his feet in shackles, his neck in irons 19till what he foretold came to pass, and the Lord’s word proved him true.
20The king sent for him, set him free, the ruler of the peoples released him. 21He put him in charge of his household and made him ruler of all his possessions, 22that he might train his princes and teach his elders wisdom.
23Then Israel came to Egypt, Jacob settled in the land of Ham. 24The Lord made his people fruitful and much stronger than their foes, 25whose hearts he turned to hate his people, to deal deceitfully with his servants.
26Then he sent Moses his servant and Aaron whom he had chosen.
27They performed his signs among them, his miracles in the land of Ham.
28He sent darkness to the land, but they rebelled against his words.
29He turned their waters into blood, causing their fish to die.
30Their land teemed with frogs, invading even the king’s bedroom.
31He spoke, and flies and gnats swarmed throughout the country.
32He gave them hail for rain, and lightning flashed over the land.
33He blighted their vines and fig trees, shattered the trees in the countryside.
34He spoke and locusts came, grass hoppers without number; 35they devoured all the vegetation and the produce of the soil; 36then he smote all the firstborn, the first fruits of their manhood.
37He led Israel out of the alien land, laden with silver and gold, and none were left behind.
38Egypt was glad when they departed, so filled were they with dread.
39He spread a cloud as covering, and fire to give them light at night.
40They asked for food; he gave them quails and fed them with bread from heaven.
41He opened the rock, and water gushed out, flowing like a river through the desert.
42For he remembered his promise to Abraham, his servant.
43So he led forth his people with joy, his chosen ones with singing.
44He gave them the lands of the nations, and let them take the fruit of others’ toil,
45that they might keep his statutes and remain obedient to his laws.
