Tobit’s Hymn of Thanksgiving
About This Entry
The book of Tobit is a novella containing elements of folklore and romance as well as numerous hymns and prayers. It tells the story of a pious man named Tobit who suffers many hardships, including blindness, and is eventually healed by his son, Tobias, with the aid of the angel Raphael. At the end of the tale, Raphael commands Tobit and Tobias to “bless God and acknowledge him in the presence of all the living for the good things he has done for you” (12:6). The hymn exhorts all Israelites in exile to be faithful, because God will again rebuild Jerusalem and gather in his people in the sight of the nations. God afflicts but in the end shows mercy.
Chapter 12
22They kept blessing God and singing his praises, and they acknowledged God for these marvelous deeds of his, when an angel of God had appeared to them.
Chapter 13
1Then Tobit said:
“Blessed be God who lives forever,
because his kingdom lasts throughout all ages.
2For he afflicts, and he shows mercy;
he leads down to Hades in the lowest regions of the earth,
and he brings up from the great abyss,
and there is nothing that can escape his hand.
3Acknowledge him before the nations, O children of Israel;
for he has scattered you among them.
4He has shown you his greatness even there.
Exalt him in the presence of every living being,
because he is our Lord and he is our God;
he is our Father and he is God forever.
5He will afflict you for your iniquities,
but he will again show mercy on all of you.
He will gather you from all the nations
among whom you have been scattered.
6If you turn to him with all your heart and with all your soul,
to do what is true before him,
then he will turn to you
and will no longer hide his face from you.
So now see what he has done for you;
acknowledge him at the top of your voice.
Bless the Lord of righteousness,
and exalt the King of the ages.
In the land of my exile I acknowledge him,
and show his power and majesty to a nation of sinners:
‘Turn back, you sinners, and do what is right before him;
perhaps he may look with favor upon you and show you mercy.’
7As for me, I exalt my God,
and my soul rejoices in the King of heaven.
8Let all people speak of his majesty,
and acknowledge him in Jerusalem.
9O Jerusalem, the holy city,
he afflicted you for the deeds of your hands,
but will again have mercy on the children of the righteous.
10Acknowledge the Lord, for he is good,
and bless the King of the ages,
so that his tent may be rebuilt in you in joy.
May he cheer all those within you who are captives,
and love all those within you who are distressed,
to all generations forever.
11A bright light will shine to all the ends of the earth;
many nations will come to you from far away,
the inhabitants of the remotest parts of the earth to your holy name,
bearing gifts in their hands for the King of heaven.
Generation after generation will give joyful praise in you;
the name of the chosen city will endure forever.
12Cursed are all who speak a harsh word against you;
cursed are all who conquer you
and pull down your walls,
all who overthrow your towers
and set your homes on fire.
But blessed forever will be all who revere you.
13Go, then, and rejoice over the children of the righteous,
for they will be gathered together
and will praise the Lord of the ages.
14Happy are those who love you,
and happy are those who rejoice in your prosperity.
Happy also are all people who grieve with you
because of your afflictions;
for they will rejoice with you
and witness all your glory forever.
15My soul blesses the Lord, the great King!
16For Jerusalem will be built as his house for all ages.
How happy I will be if a remnant of my descendants should survive
to see your glory and acknowledge the King of heaven.
The gates of Jerusalem will be built with sapphire and emerald,
and all your walls with precious stones.
The towers of Jerusalem will be built with gold,
and their battlements with pure gold.
The streets of Jerusalem will be paved
with ruby and with stones of Ophir.
17The gates of Jerusalem will sing hymns of joy,
and all her houses will cry, ‘Hallelujah!
Blessed be the God of Israel!’
and the blessed will bless the holy name forever and ever.”
Translation from the New Revised Standard Version.
We’re sorry. The Posen Library’s licensing agreements prevent this text from being printed or downloaded.
Credits
New Revised Standard Version Bible copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 2: Emerging Judaism.
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