Psalms - Chapter 78

1<Maschil. Of Asaph.> Give ear, O my people, to my law; let your ears be bent down to the words of my mouth. 2Opening my mouth I will give out a story, even the dark sayings of old times; 3Which have come to our hearing and our knowledge, as they were given to us by our fathers. 4We will not keep them secret from our children; we will make clear to the coming generation the praises of the Lord and his strength, and the great works of wonder which he has done. 5He put up a witness in Jacob, and made a law in Israel; which he gave to our fathers so that they might give knowledge of them to their children; 6So that the generation to come might have knowledge of them, even the children of the future, who would give word of them to their children; 7So that they might put their hope in God, and not let God's works go out of their minds, but keep his laws; 8And not be like their fathers, a stiff-necked and uncontrolled generation; a generation whose heart was hard, whose spirit was not true to God. 9The children of Ephraim, armed with bows, were turned back on the day of the fight. 10They were not ruled by God's word, and they would not go in the way of his law; 11They let his works go out of their memory, and the wonders which he had made them see. 12He did great works before the eyes of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan. 13The sea was cut in two so that they might go through; the waters were massed together on this side and on that. 14In the daytime he was guiding them in the cloud, and all through the night with a light of fire. 15The rocks of the waste land were broken by his power, and he gave them drink as out of the deep waters. 16He made streams come out of the rock; and waters came flowing down like rivers. 17And they went on sinning against him even more, turning away from the Most High in the waste land; 18Testing God in their hearts, requesting meat for their desire. 19They said bitter words against God, saying, Is God able to make ready a table in the waste land? 20See, the rock was cut open by his power, so that the water came rushing out, and overflowing streams; is he able to give us bread? is he able to get meat for his people? 21So these things came to the Lord's ears, and he was angry; and a fire was lighted against Jacob, and wrath came up against Israel; 22Because they had no faith in God, and no hope in his salvation. 23And he gave orders to the clouds on high, and the doors of heaven were open; 24And he sent down manna like rain for their food, and gave them the grain of heaven. 25Man took part in the food of strong ones; he sent them meat in full measure. 26He sent an east wind from heaven, driving on the south wind by his power. 27He sent down meat on them like dust, and feathered birds like the sand of the sea, 28And he let it come down into their resting-place, round about their tents. 29So they had food and were full; for he gave them their desire; 30But they were not turned from their desires; and while the food was still in their mouths, 31The wrath of God came on them, and put to death the fattest of them, and put an end to the young men of Israel. 32For all this they went on sinning even more, and had no faith in his great wonders. 33So their days were wasted like a breath, and their years in trouble. 34When he sent death on them, then they made search for him; turning to him and looking for him with care; 35In the memory that God was their Rock, and the Most High God their saviour. 36But their lips were false to him, and their tongues were untrue to him; 37And their hearts were not right with him, and they did not keep their agreement with him. 38But he, being full of pity, has forgiveness for sin, and does not put an end to man: frequently turning back his wrath, and not being violently angry. 39So he kept in mind that they were only flesh; a breath which is quickly gone, and will not come again. 40How frequently did they go against him in the waste land, and give him cause for grief in the dry places! 41Again they put God to the test, and gave pain to the Holy One of Israel. 42They did not keep in mind the work of his hand, or the day when he took them from the power of their haters; 43How he had done his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan; 44So that their rivers were turned to blood, and they were not able to get drink from their streams. 45He sent different sorts of flies among them, poisoning their flesh; and frogs for their destruction. 46He gave the increase of their fields to worms, the fruits of their industry to the locusts. 47He sent ice for the destruction of their vines; their trees were damaged by the bitter cold. 48Ice was rained down on their cattle; thunderstorms sent destruction among the flocks. 49He sent on them the heat of his wrath, his bitter disgust, letting loose evil angels among them. 50He let his wrath have its way; he did not keep back their soul from death, but gave their life to disease. 51He gave to destruction all the first sons of Egypt; the first-fruits of their strength in the tents of Ham; 52But he took his people out like sheep, guiding them in the waste land like a flock. 53He took them on safely so that they had no fear; but their haters were covered by the sea. 54And he was their guide to his holy land, even to the mountain, which his right hand had made his; 55Driving out nations before them, marking out the line of their heritage, and giving the people of Israel their tents for a resting-place. 56But they were bitter against the Most High God, testing him, and not keeping his laws; 57Their hearts were turned back and untrue like their fathers; they were turned to one side like a twisted bow. 58They made him angry with their high places; moving him to wrath with their images. 59When this came to God's ears he was very angry, and gave up Israel completely; 60So that he went away from the holy place in Shiloh, the tent which he had put among men; 61And he let his strength be taken prisoner, and gave his glory into the hands of his hater. 62He gave his people up to the sword, and was angry with his heritage. 63Their young men were burned in the fire; and their virgins were not praised in the bride-song. 64Their priests were put to death by the sword, and their widows made no weeping for them. 65Then was the Lord like one awaking from sleep, and like a strong man crying out because of wine. 66His haters were turned back by his blows and shamed for ever. 67And he put the tent of Joseph on one side, and took not the tribe of Ephraim; 68But he took the tribe of Judah for himself, and the mountain of Zion, in which he had pleasure. 69And he made his holy place like the high heaven, like the earth which is fixed by him for ever. 70He took David to be his servant, taking him from the place of the flocks; 71From looking after the sheep which were giving milk, he took him to give food to Jacob his people, and to Israel his heritage. 72So he gave them food with an upright heart, guiding them by the wisdom of his hands.