1. Now allow us to praisefamous people and our ancestors,generation by generation.
2. The Lord created great glory,his majesty from eternity.
3. They ruled in their kingdoms,and made a name with their power,some giving counselby their intelligence;some making pronouncementsin prophecies;
4. some leading the peopleby their deliberations,and by their understandingof the people’s learning,giving wise words in their instruction;
5. others devising musical melodies,and composing poems;
6. rich people endowed with strength,living in peace in their dwellings—
7. all of these were honoredin their generation,a source of pride in their time.
8. Some of them left behind a nameso that their praises might be told.
9. For some there is no memory,and they perished as thoughthey hadn’t existed.These have become as thoughthey hadn’t been born,they and even their children after them.
10. But these were compassionate peoplewhose righteous deedshaven’t been forgotten.
11. This will persist with their children;their descendantswill be a good legacy.
12. Their descendants standby the covenants,and their children also, for their sake.
13. Their descendants will last forever,and their glory will never be erased.
14. Their bodies were buried in peace,but their name lives for generations.
15. The people will tell of their wisdom,and the congregationwill proclaim their praise.
16. Enoch pleased the Lordand was transferred,an example of a changed heartand mind for generations.
17. Noah was found perfect and righteous;in a time of anger,he was selected in exchangefor the ungodly.Because of him,a few survivors remained on the earthwhen the flood happened.
18. Eternal covenants were made with himso that all living things would not be wiped out by a flood again.
19. Abraham was the great fatherof a multitude of nations,and there was no smudge on his glory.
20. He kept the laws of the Most High,and he entered into a covenant with him.He established a covenant in his flesh,and when he was tested,he proved faithful.
21. Therefore, the Lord certified for Abrahamwith a solemn pledgethat he would bless nationsthrough his descendants,that he would make him increaselike the dust of the earth,exalt his descendants like the stars,and give them an inheritancefrom sea to seaand from the river to the endof the earth.
22. He made the same commitment to Isaacbecause of Abraham his father.He made a blessing for all humanityand a covenant
23. to rest on Jacob’s head.The Lord acknowledged himwith his blessings;he gave him an inheritance,divided his shares,and allotted themamong the twelve tribes.The Lord brought forward out of Jacoba man of mercy,who found favor with all living beings,