This Psalm is an earnest song of penance and repentance.  In the repeated relapses of the Jewish people we are to recognize and lament our own sins and faults.  Together with them we read the verse (6) that forms the theme of the whole song for us:  "We have sinned with our fathers."

Praise God's mercy and power

Confitémini Dómino, quóniam bonus: * quóniam in sæculum misericórdia ejus.
2  Quis loquétur poténtias Dómini, * audítas fáciet omnes laudes ejus?
3  Beáti, qui custódiunt judícium, * et fáciunt justítiam in omni témpore.
4  Meménto nostri, Dómine, in beneplácito pópuli tui: * vísita nos in salutári tuo:
5  Ad vidéndum in bonitáte electórum tuórum, ad lætándum in lætítia gentis tuæ: * ut laudéris cum hereditáte tua.
6  Peccávimus cum pátribus nostris: * injúste égimus, iniquitátem fécimus.

O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is gracious, * for his mercy endureth for ever.
2  Who shall declare the powers of the Lord, * or shew forth all his praise?
3  Blessed are they that keep judgment, * and do justice at all times.
4  Remember us, O Lord, according to the favour that thou bearest unto thy people; * O visit us with thy salvation;
5  That we may see the good of thy chosen, and rejoice in the gladness of thy people, * that thou mayest be praised with thine inheritance.
6  We have sinned with our fathers; * we have acted unjustly, we have wrought iniquity.

1.  In the exodus

7  Patres nostri in Ægypto non intellexérunt mirabília tua: * non fuérunt mémores multitúdinis misericórdiæ tuæ.
8  Et irritavérunt ascendéntes in mare, * Mare Rubrum.
9  Et salvávit eos propter nomen suum: * ut notam fáceret poténtiam suam.
10  Et incrépuit Mare Rubrum, et exsiccátum est, * et dedúxit eos in abyssis sicut in desérto.
11  Et salvávit eos de manu odiéntium: * et redémit eos de manu inimíci.
12  Et opéruit aqua tribulántes eos: * unus ex eis non remánsit.
13  Et credidérunt verbis ejus: * et laudavérunt laudem ejus.

7  Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt, * neither kept they the multitude of thy mercies in remembrance.
8  And they provoked to wrath going up to the sea, * even to the Red Sea.
9  And he saved them for his Name's sake, * that he might make his power to be known.
10  He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up; * and he led them through the deep, as through a wilderness.
11  And he saved them from the hand of them that hated them, * and delivered them from the hand of the enemy.
12  And the waters overwhelmed them that afflicted them : *  there was not one of them left.
13  Then believed they his words, * and sang praise unto him.

2.  In the wilderness
a)  Flesh-pots of Egypt

14  Cito fecérunt, oblíti sunt óperum ejus: * et non sustinuérunt consílium ejus.
15  Et concupiérunt concupiscéntiam in desérto: * et tentavérunt Deum in inaquóso.
16  Et dedit eis petitiónem ipsórum: * et misit saturitátem in ánimas eórum.

14  But within a while they forgat his works, * and would not abide his counsel.
15  And they coveted their desire in the wilderness, * and they tempted God in the desert.
16  And he gave them their desire, * and sent fulness withal into their soul.

b)  Disobedience to Moses

17  Et irritavérunt Móysen in castris: * Aaron, sanctum Dómini.
18  Apérta est terra, et deglutívit Dathan: * et opéruit super congregatiónem Abíron.
19  Et exársit ignis in synagóga eórum: * flamma combússit peccatóres.

17  They angered Moses also in the camp, * and Aaron the saint of the Lord.
18  The earth opened, and swallowed up Dathan, * and covered the congregation of Abiram.
19  And a fire was kindled in their company; * the flame burnt up the ungodly.

c)  The golden calf

20  Et fecérunt vítulum in Horeb: * et adoravérunt scúlptile.
21  Et mutavérunt glóriam suam * in similitúdine vítuli comedéntis fœnum.
22  Oblíti sunt Deum, qui salvávit eos, * qui fecit magnália in Ægypto, mirabília in terra Cham: terribília in Mari Rubro.
23  Et dixit ut dispérderet eos: * si non Móyses, eléctus ejus, stetísset in confractióne in conspéctu ejus:
24  Ut avérteret iram ejus ne dispérderet eos: * et pro níhilo habuérunt terram desiderábilem:

20  They made a calf in Horeb, * and worshipped the graven image.
21  Thus they turned their glory * into the similitude of a calf that eateth grass.
22  And they forgat God their Saviour, * who had done so great things in Egypt, wondrous works in the land of Ham, and fearful things by the Red Sea.
23  And he said that he would destroy them, * had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach:
24  To turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them * and they set at nought the pleasant land.

d)  The scouts

25  Non credidérunt verbo ejus, et murmuravérunt in tabernáculis suis: * non exaudiérunt vocem Dómini.
26  Et elevávit manum suam super eos: * ut prostérneret eos in desérto:
27  Et ut dejíceret semen eórum in natiónibus: * et dispérgeret eos in regiónibus.

25  They gave no credence unto his word, and murmured in their tents : * they hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord.
26  Then lift he up his hand against them, * to overthrow them in the wilderness;
27  And to cast out their seed among the nations, * and to scatter them in the lands.

e)  Idolatry

28  Et initiáti sunt Beélphegor: * et comedérunt sacrifícia mortuórum.
29  Et irritavérunt eum in adinventiónibus suis: * et multiplicáta est in eis ruína.
30  Et stetit Phínees, et placávit: * et cessávit quassátio.
31  Et reputátum est ei in justítiam: * in generatiónem et generatiónem usque in sempitérnum.

28  They joined themselves unto Beelphegor, * and ate the offerings of the dead.
29  And they provoked him to anger with their own inventions; * and destruction was great among them.
30  Then stood up Phinees, and prayed; * and so the slaughter ceased.
31  And that was counted unto him for righteousness, * among all posterities for evermore.

f)  The waters of strife

32  Et irritavérunt eum ad Aquas contradictiónis: * et vexátus est Móyses propter eos: quia exacerbavérunt spíritum ejus.
33  Et distínxit in lábiis suis: * non disperdidérunt Gentes, quas dixit Dóminus illis.

32  They angered him also at the waters of strife, * so that Moses was afflicted for their sakes; because they provoked his spirit.
33  And he distinguished with his lips : * they did not destroy the heathen, as the Lord commanded them.

3.  In the Holy Land

34  Et commísti sunt inter Gentes, et didicérunt ópera eórum: et serviérunt sculptílibus eórum: * et factum est illis in scándalum.
35  Et immolavérunt fílios suos, * et filias suas dæmóniis.
36  Et effudérunt sánguinem innocéntem: * sánguinem filiórum suórum et filiárum suárum, quas sacrificavérunt sculptílibus Chánaan.
37  Et infécta est terra in sanguínibus, et contamináta est in opéribus eórum: * et fornicáti sunt in adinventiónibus suis.
38  Et irátus est furóre Dóminus in pópulum suum: * et abominátus est hereditátem suam.
39  Et trádidit eos in manus Géntium: * et domináti sunt eórum qui odérunt eos.
40  Et tribulavérunt eos inimíci eórum, et humiliáti sunt sub mánibus eórum: * sæpe liberávit eos.
41  Ipsi autem exacerbavérunt eum in consílio suo: * et humiliáti sunt in iniquitátibus suis.
42  Et vidit, cum tribularéntur: * et audívit oratiónem eórum.
43  Et memor fuit testaménti sui: * et pœnítuit eum secúndum multitúdinem misericórdiæ suæ.
44  Et dedit eos in misericórdias * in conspéctu ómnium qui céperant eos.

34  But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works; and they served their idols : * and it became unto them a stumbling block.
35  And they offered their sons * and their daughters unto devils.
36  And they shed innocent blood, * even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they offered unto the idols of Canaan.
37  And the land was defiled with blood, and was polluted with their own works, * and went a whoring with their own inventions.
38  And the wrath of the Lord was kindled against his people, * and he abhorred his own inheritance.
39  And he gave them over into the hand of the heathen; * and they that hated them were lords over them.
40  And their enemies afflicted them, and they were had in subjection beneath their hands : * many a time did he deliver them.
41  But they provoked him with their counsel : * and they were brought down by their wickedness.
42  And he saw when they were in adversity, * and he heard their prayer.
43  And he was mindful of his covenant, * and repented, according unto the multitude of his mercies.
44  And he gave them unto mercies * in the sight of all those that had made them captive.

Plea for return from exile

45  Salvos nos fac, Dómine, Deus noster: * et cóngrega nos de natiónibus:
46  Ut confiteámur nómini sancto tuo: * et gloriémur in laude tua.

45  Save us, O Lord our God, * and gather us from among the nations.
46  That we may give thanks unto thy holy Name, * and may glory in thy praise.

Finale (end of Book 4 of Psalms)

47  Benedíctus Dóminus, Deus Israël, a sæculo et usque in sæculum: * et dicet omnis pópulus: Fiat, fiat.

47  Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting, and world without end. * And let all the people say, Amen, Amen.