Confitemini Domino. A confession of the manifold sins and ingratitudes of the Israelites. Alleluia.

 1 Alleluia. Give glory to the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.  2 Who shall declare the powers of the Lord? who shall set forth all his praises?  3 Blessed are they that keep judgment, and do justice at all times.  4 Remember us, O Lord, in the favour of thy people: visit us with thy salvation.  5 That we may see the good of thy chosen, that we may rejoice in the joy of thy nation: that thou mayst be praised with thy inheritance.

 6 We have sinned with our fathers: we have acted unjustly, we have wrought iniquity.  7 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt: they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies: And they provoked to wrath going up to the sea, even the Red Sea.  8 And he saved them for his own name's sake: that he might make his power known.  9 And he rebuked the Red Sea, and it was dried up: and he led them through the depths, as in a wilderness.  10 And he saved them from the hand of them that hated them: and he redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

 11 And the water covered them that afflicted them: there was not one of them left.  12 And they believed his words: and they sang his praises.  13 They had quickly done, they forgot his works: and they waited not for his counsels.  14 And they coveted their desire in the desert: and they tempted God in the place without water.  15 And he gave them their request: and sent fulness into their souls.

 16 And they provoked Moses in the camp, Aaron the holy one of the Lord.  17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan: and covered the congregation of Abiron.  18 And a fire was kindled in their congregation: the flame burned the wicked.  19 They made also a calf in Horeb: and they adored the graven thing.  20 And they changed their glory into the likeness of a calf that eateth grass.

 21 They forgot God, who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt,  22 Wondrous works in the land of Cham: terrible things in the Red Sea.  23 And he said that he would destroy them: had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach: To turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.  24 And they set at nought the desirable land. They believed not his word,  25 And they murmured in their tents: they hearkened not to the voice of the Lord.

 26 And he lifted up his hand over them: to overthrow them in the desert;  27 And to cast down their seed among the nations, and to scatter them in the countries.  28 They also were initiated to Beelphegor: and ate the sacrifices of the dead.  29 And they provoked him with their inventions: and destruction was multiplied among them.  30 Then Phinees stood up, and pacified him: and the slaughter ceased.

[28] "Initiated": That is, they dedicated, or consecrated themselves to the idol of the Moabites and Madianites, called Beelphegor, or Baal-Peor. Num. 25. 3.-- Ibid.

[28] "The dead": Viz., idols without life.

 31 And it was reputed to him unto justice, to generation and generation for evermore.  32 They provoked him also at the waters of contradiction: and Moses was afflicted for their sakes:  33 Because they exasperated his spirit. And he distinguished with his lips.  34 They did not destroy the nations of which the Lord spoke unto them.  35 And they were mingled among the heathens, and learned their works:

[33] "He distinguished with his lips": Moses, by occasion of the people's rebellion and incredulity, was guilty of distinguishing with his lips; when, instead of speaking to the rock, as God had commanded, he said to the people, with a certain hesitation in his faith, Hear ye, rebellious and incredulous: Can we from this rock bring out water for you? Num. 20. 10.

 36 And served their idols, and it became a stumblingblock to them.  37 And they sacrificed their sons, and their daughters to devils.  38 And they shed innocent blood: the blood of their sons and of their daughters which they sacrificed to the idols of Chanaan. And the land was polluted with blood,  39 And was defiled with their works: and they went aside after their own inventions.  40 And the Lord was exceedingly angry with his people: and he abhorred his inheritance.

 41 And he delivered them into the hands of the nations: and they that hated them had dominion over them.  42 And their enemies afflicted them: and they were humbled under their hands:  43 Many times did he deliver them. But they provoked him with their counsel: and they were brought low by their iniquities.  44 And he saw when they were in tribulation: and he heard their prayer.  45 And he was mindful of his covenant: and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.

 46 And he gave them unto mercies, in the sight of all those that had made them captives.  47 Save us, O Lord, our God: and gather us from among nations: That we may give thanks to thy holy name, and may glory in thy praise.  48 Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say: So be it, so be it.