Tobit's Song of Praise
1 Then Tobit prayed:
“Praise the eternal God,
praise the one who rules.
2 He punishes us; then he shows us mercy.
He sends us down to the world of the dead,
then he brings us up from the grave.
No one can escape his power.
3 “People of Israel, give thanks among the nations,
where he sent you into exile;
4 even there he showed his great power.
Let all who live hear your praise.
The Lord is our God and father forever.
5 “Though he punished you for your wickedness,
he will be merciful and bring you home
from among the nations where he scattered you.
6 “Turn to him with all your heart and soul,
live in loyal obedience to him.
Then he will turn to you to help you
and will no longer hide himself.
Remember what God has done for you,
and give thanks with all your heart.
Praise the righteous Lord;
honor the eternal King.
“Although I live in exile in a foreign land,
I will give thanks to the Lord
and will speak of his great strength to a nation of sinners.
‘Turn away from your sins, and do what pleases God!
Perhaps he will be gracious
and show you his mercy.’
7 “I praise my God and rejoice in his greatness;
my whole being honors the King of heaven.
8 “Let everyone tell of his greatness
and sing his praises in Jerusalem.
9 “Jerusalem, Holy City of our God,
he will punish you for the sins of your people,
but he will be merciful to all who do right.
10 So give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
Praise the eternal King.
Your Temple will be rebuilt,
and your people will be happy again.
“May the Lord make all your exiles glad,
may he take care of your suffering people
for as long as time shall last.
11 “Jerusalem, your light will shine brightly for all the world,
and from far away many nations will come to you.
Their people will come to honor the Lord your God,
they will bring gifts for the King of heaven.
In your streets many generations will sing joyful praise,
your name will endure forever as God's chosen city.
12 A curse will be on all who make threats against you,
on all who destroy you and tear down your walls,
on all who demolish your towers and burn your homes.
But all who honor you will be blessed forever.
13 “Rejoice, Jerusalem, because of your righteous people;
they will be gathered together from exile
to praise the Lord of the ages.
14 “Happy are all who love you
and are pleased to see you prosper.
Those who mourn over your suffering now
will one day be happy;
your happiness will bring them joy forever.
15 “I praise the Lord, the great King;
16 Jerusalem will be rebuilt
and will be his home forever.
“Jerusalem, how happy I will be
when my descendants can see your splendor
and give thanks to the King of heaven.
“Your gates will be built with sapphires and emeralds,
and all your walls with precious stones.
Your towers will be made of gold,
and their fortifications of pure gold.
17 Your streets will be paved with rubies and precious jewels.
18 Joyful songs will ring out from your gates,
and from all your houses people will shout,
‘Praise the Lord! Praise the God of Israel!’
“Jerusalem, God will bless your people,
and they will praise his holy name forever.”
With these words Tobit ended his song of praise.
1 Then Tobit wrote a prayer of rejoicing, and said, Blessed be God that liveth for ever, and blessed be his kingdom.
2 For he doth scourge, and hath mercy: he leadeth down to hell, and bringeth up again: neither is there any that can avoid his hand.
3 Confess him before the Gentiles, ye children of Israel: for he hath scattered us among them.
4 There declare his greatness, and extol him before all the living: for he is our Lord, and he is the God our Father for ever.
5 And he will scourge us for our iniquities, and will have mercy again, and will gather us out of all nations, among whom he hath scattered us.
6 If ye turn to him with your whole heart, and with your whole mind, and deal uprightly before him, then will he turn unto you, and will not hide his face from you. Therefore see what he will do with you, and confess him with your whole mouth, and praise the Lord of might, and extol the everlasting King. In the land of my captivity do I praise him, and declare his might and majesty to a sinful nation. O ye sinners, turn and do justice before him: who can tell if he will accept you, and have mercy on you?
7 I will extol my God, and my soul shall praise the King of heaven, and shall rejoice in his greatness.
8 Let all men speak, and let all praise him for his righteousness.
9 O Jerusalem, the holy city, he will scourge thee for thy children’s works, and will have mercy again on the sons of the righteous.
10 Give praise to the Lord, for he is good: and praise the everlasting King, that his tabernacle may be builded in thee again with joy, and let him make joyful there in thee those that are captives, and love in thee for ever those that are miserable.
11 Many nations shall come from far to the name of the Lord God with gifts in their hands, even gifts to the King of heaven; all generations shall praise thee with great joy.
12 Cursed are all they which hate thee, and blessed shall all be which love thee for ever.
13 Rejoice and be glad for the children of the just: for they shall be gathered together, and shall bless the Lord of the just.
14 O blessed are they which love thee, for they shall rejoice in thy peace: blessed are they which have been sorrowful for all thy scourges; for they shall rejoice for thee, when they have seen all thy glory, and shall be glad for ever.
15 Let my soul bless God the great King.
16 For Jerusalem shall be built up with sapphires and emeralds, and precious stone: thy walls and towers and battlements with pure gold.
17 And the streets of Jerusalem shall be paved with beryl and carbuncle and stones of Ophir.
18 And all her streets shall say, Alleluia; and they shall praise him, saying, Blessed be God, which hath extolled it for ever.