18. Even after they had cast an image of a calffor themselves and said,“This is your God who brought you out of Egypt,” and they had committed terrible blasphemies,
19. You did not abandon them in the wildernessbecause of Your great compassion.During the day the pillar of cloudnever turned away from them,guiding them on their journey.And during the night the pillar of fireilluminated the way they should go.
20. You sent Your good Spirit to instruct them.You did not withhold Your manna from their mouths,and You gave them water for their thirst.
21. You provided for them in the wilderness 40 years and they lacked nothing.Their clothes did not wear out,and their feet did not swell.
22. You gave them kingdoms and peoplesand assigned them to be a boundary.They took possessionof the land of Sihon king of Heshbonand of the land of Og king of Bashan.
23. You multiplied their descendantslike the stars of heaven and brought them to the landYou told their ancestors to go in and take possession of it.
24. So their descendants went in and possessed the land:You subdued the Canaanites who inhabited the land before themand handed their kings and the surrounding peoples over to them, to do as they pleased with them.
25. They captured fortified cities and fertile landand took possession of well-supplied houses,cisterns cut out of rock, vineyards,olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. They ate, were filled,became prosperous, and delighted in Your great goodness.
26. But they were disobedient and rebelled against You.They flung Your law behind their backs and killed Your prophets who warned themin order to turn them back to You.They committed terrible blasphemies.
27. So You handed them over to their enemies,who oppressed them.In their time of distress, they cried out to You,and You heard from heaven.In Your abundant compassionYou gave them deliverers, who rescued themfrom the power of their enemies.
28. But as soon as they had relief,they again did what was evil in Your sight.So You abandoned them to the power of their enemies,who dominated them.When they cried out to You again,You heard from heaven and rescued themmany times in Your compassion.
29. You warned them to turn back to Your law,but they acted arrogantlyand would not obey Your commands.They sinned against Your ordinances,which a person will live by if he does them. They stubbornly resisted, stiffened their necks, and would not obey.
30. You were patient with them for many years,and Your Spirit warned them through Your prophets, but they would not listen.Therefore, You handed them over to the surrounding peoples.
31. However, in Your abundant compassion,You did not destroy them or abandon them, for You are a gracious and compassionate God.
32. So now, our God — the great, mighty,and awe-inspiring God who keeps His gracious covenant —do not view lightly all the hardships that have afflicted us,our kings and leaders,our priests and prophets,our ancestors and all Your people,from the days of the Assyrian kings until today.