4. Look to the Lord and to his strength. Always look to him.
5. Remember the wonderful things he has done. Remember his miracles and how he judged our enemies.
6. Remember what he has done, you children of his servant Abraham. Remember it, you people of Jacob, God's chosen ones.
7. He is the Lord our God. He judges the whole earth.
8. He will keep his covenant forever. He will keep his promise for all time to come.
9. He will keep the covenant he made with Abraham. He will keep the oath he took when he made his promise to Isaac.
10. He made it stand as a law for Jacob. He made it stand as a covenant for Israel. It will last forever.
11. He said, "I will give you the land of Canaan. It will belong to you."
12. At first there weren't very many of God's people. There were only a few. And they were strangers in the land.
13. They wandered from nation to nation. They wandered from one kingdom to another.
14. But God didn't allow anyone to beat them down. To keep them safe, he gave a command to kings.
15. He said to them, "Do not touch my anointed ones. Do not harm my prophets."
16. He made the people in the land go hungry. He destroyed all their food supplies.
17. He sent a man ahead of them into Egypt. That man was Joseph. He had been sold as a slave.
18. The Egyptians put his feet in chains. They put an iron collar around his neck.
19. He was in prison until what he said would happen came true. The word of the Lord proved that he was right.
20. The king of Egypt sent for Joseph and let him out of prison. The ruler of many nations set him free.
21. He put Joseph in charge of his palace. He made him ruler over everything he owned.
22. Joseph was in charge of teaching the princes. He taught the elders how to think and live wisely.
23. Then the rest of Jacob's family went to Egypt. The people of Israel lived as outsiders in the land of Ham.