Bible Browser

Tobit’s Thanksgiving to God

13Then Tobit^* said:
‘Blessed be God who lives for ever,
   because his kingdom^* lasts throughout all ages.
² For he afflicts, and he shows mercy;
   he leads down to Hades in the lowest regions of the earth,
   and he brings up from the great abyss,^*
   and there is nothing that can escape his hand.
³ Acknowledge him before the nations, O children of Israel;
   for he has scattered you among them.
⁴   He has shown you his greatness even there.
Exalt him in the presence of every living being,
   because he is our Lord and he is our God;
   he is our Father and he is God for ever.
⁵ He will afflict^* you for your iniquities,
   but he will again show mercy on all of you.
He will gather you from all the nations
   among whom you have been scattered.
⁶ If you turn to him with all your heart and with all your soul,
   to do what is true before him,
then he will turn to you
   and will no longer hide his face from you.
So now see what he has done for you;
   acknowledge him at the top of your voice.
Bless the Lord of righteousness,
   and exalt the King of the ages.^*
In the land of my exile I acknowledge him,
   and show his power and majesty to a nation of sinners:
“Turn back, you sinners, and do what is right before him;
   perhaps he may look with favour upon you and show you mercy.”
⁷ As for me, I exalt my God,
   and my soul rejoices in the King of heaven.

32Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak;
   let the earth hear the words of my mouth.
² May my teaching drop like the rain,
   my speech condense like the dew;
like gentle rain on grass,
   like showers on new growth.
³ For I will proclaim the name of the Lord;
   ascribe greatness to our God!

⁴ The Rock, his work is perfect,
   and all his ways are just.
A faithful God, without deceit,
   just and upright is he;
⁵ yet his degenerate children have dealt falsely with him,^*
   a perverse and crooked generation.
⁶ Do you thus repay the Lord,
   O foolish and senseless people?
Is not he your father, who created you,
   who made you and established you?
⁷ Remember the days of old,
   consider the years long past;
ask your father, and he will inform you;
   your elders, and they will tell you.
⁸ When the Most High^* apportioned the nations,
   when he divided humankind,
he fixed the boundaries of the peoples
   according to the number of the gods;^*
9 the Lord’s own portion was his people,
   Jacob his allotted share.