The Skeptics Annotated Bible (467 page)

23 Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.

24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works!
in wisdom hast thou made them all
: the earth is full of thy riches.

(104.24)
“In wisdom hast thou made them all.”

25 So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.

26 There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.

27 These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.

28 That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.

29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.

30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.

31 The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works.

32 He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.

33 I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

34 My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.

35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.

1
O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.

2 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works.

3 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.

4 Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.

5 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;

6 O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.

7 He is the LORD our God: his judgments are in all the earth.

8 He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.

9 Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac;

10 And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:

11 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance:

12 When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it.

13 When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people;

14 He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes;

15 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.

16 Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread.

17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:

18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:

19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.

20 The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free.

21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:

22 To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom.

23 Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.

24 And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies.

25 He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly with his servants.

26 He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen.

27 They shewed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.

28 He sent darkness, and made it dark; and they rebelled not against his word.

(105.29-36) The psalmist recounts God’s treatment of the Egyptians: “He smote the firstborn in their land.” See Ex.12.29-30 for the gory details.

29
He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish
.

(105.29)
“He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish.”

30
Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of their kings.

(105.30)
“Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of their kings.”

31
He spake, and there came divers sorts of flies, and lice in all their coasts.

(105.31)
“He spake, and there came divers sorts of flies, and lice in all their coasts.”

32
He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land
.

(105.32)
“He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land.”

33
He smote
their vines also and
their fig trees
; and brake the trees of their coasts.

(105.33)
“He smote … their fig trees.”
(God hates figs)

34
He spake, and the locusts came, and caterpillers, and that without number
,

(105.34)
“He spake, and the locusts came, and caterpillers, and that without number.”

35
And did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground.

(105.35)
“And did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground.”

36
He smote also all the firstborn in their land
, the chief of all their strength.

(105.36)
“He smote also all the firstborn in their land.”

37 He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.

38 Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them.

39 He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night.

40 The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.

41 He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.

42 For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant.

43 And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness:

44 And gave them the lands of the heathen: and they inherited the labour of the people;

45 That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the LORD.

1
Praise ye the LORD. O
give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

(106.1) “Give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” Then why is the Bible so full of cruelties either committed or commanded by God?
120 Is God merciful?

2 Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? who can shew forth all his praise?

3 Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.

4 Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation;

5 That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.

6 We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.

7 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea.

8 Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.