[1] Thank the Lord. Worship his name. Tell the nations about the wonderful things he does.
[2] Sing to the Lord. Sing praises to him. Tell about all the amazing things he does.
[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 man God chose.
[7] The Lord is our God. The Lord rules the whole world.
[8] Remember God’s Agreement forever. Remember his commands for 1,000 generations!
[9] God made an Agreement with Abraham. God made a promise to Isaac.
[10] Then he made it a law for Jacob. God made his Agreement with Israel. It will continue forever!
[11] God said, ”I will give you the land of Canaan. That land will belong to you.”
[12] God made that promise when Abraham’s family was small. They were only strangers spending time there.
[13] They traveled from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another.
[14] But God did not let people mistreat them. God warned kings not to hurt them.
[15] God said, ”Don’t hurt my chosen people. Don’t do anything bad to my prophets.”
[16] God caused a famine in that country. People did not have enough food to eat.
[17] But God 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. They put an iron ring around his neck.
[19] Joseph was a slave until the things 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. Joseph taught the older men.
[23] Then Israel came to Egypt. Jacob lived in Ham’s country.
[24] Jacob’s family became very large. They became more powerful than their enemies.
[25] So the Egyptians began to hate Jacob’s family. They made plans against their slaves.
[26] So God sent his servant, Moses, and Aaron, God’s chosen priest.
[27] God used Moses and Aaron to do many miracles in Ham’s country.
[28] God sent the very dark 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] God made the rain become hail. Lightning struck throughout their country.
[33] God destroyed their vines and fig trees. God destroyed every tree in their country.
[34] God gave the command, and the locusts and grasshoppers came. There were too many to count!
[35] The locusts and grasshoppers ate all the plants in the country. They ate all the crops in the fields.
[36] And then God killed every firstborn in their country. God killed their oldest sons.
[37] Then God took his people out of Egypt. They brought gold and silver with them. None of God’s people stumbled and fell.
[38] Egypt was happy to see God’s people go, because they were afraid of God’s people.
[39] God spread out his cloud like a blanket. God used his column of fire to give his people light at night.
[40] The people asked for food, and God brought them quail. God gave them plenty of bread from heaven.
[41] God split the rock, and water came bubbling out. A river began flowing in the desert!
[42] God remembered his holy promise. God remembered the promise he had made to his servant Abraham.
[43] God brought his people out from Egypt. The people came out rejoicing and singing their happy songs!
[44] Then God gave his people the country where other people were living. God’s people got the things other people had worked for.
[45] Why did God do this? So his people could obey his laws. So they could carefully obey his teachings. Praise the Lord!