“When Israel was a child, I loved him

and called him out of Egypt as my son.

₂But the more I called to him,

the more he turned away from me.

My people sacrificed to Baal;

they burnt incense to idols.

₃Yet I was the one who taught Israel to walk.

I took my people up in my arms,

but they did not acknowledge that I took care of them.

₄I drew them to me with affection and love.

I picked them up and held them to my cheek;

I bent down to them and fed them.

₈“How can I give you up, Israel?

How can I abandon you?

Could I ever destroy you as I did Admah,

or treat you as I did Zeboiim?

My heart will not let me do it!

My love for you is too strong.

₉I will not punish you in my anger;

I will not destroy Israel again.

For I am God and not a human being.

I, the Holy One, am with you.

I will not come to you in anger.

₁“Give thanks to the LORD, because he is good;

his love is eternal!”

₂Repeat these words in praise to the LORD,

all you whom he has saved.

He has rescued you from your enemies

₃and has brought you back from foreign countries,

from east and west, from north and south.

₄Some wandered in the trackless desert

and could not find their way to a city to live in.

₅They were hungry and thirsty

and had given up all hope.

₆Then in their trouble they called to the LORD,

and he saved them from their distress.

₇He led them by a straight road

to a city where they could live.

₈They must thank the LORD for his constant love,

for the wonderful things he did for them.

₉He satisfies those who are thirsty

and fills the hungry with good things.

₄₃May those who are wise think about these things;

may they consider the LORD's constant love.