Psalms 78
1 A Maskil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my instruction; listen to the words of my mouth.
| מַשְׂכִּיל לְאָסָף הַאֲזִינָה עַמִּי תּוֹרָתִי הַטּוּ אָזְנְכֶם לְאִמְרֵי־פִֽי׃ |
2 I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the beginning,
| אֶפְתְּחָה בְמָשָׁל פִּי אַבִּיעָה חִידוֹת מִנִּי־קֶֽדֶם׃ |
3 that we have heard and known and our fathers have relayed to us.
| אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַעְנוּ וַנֵּדָעֵם וַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ סִפְּרוּ־לָֽנוּ׃ |
4 We will not hide them from their children, but will declare to the next generation the praises of the LORD and His might, and the wonders He has performed.
| לֹא נְכַחֵד ׀ מִבְּנֵיהֶם לְדוֹר אַחֲרוֹן מְֽסַפְּרִים תְּהִלּוֹת יְהוָה וֶעֱזוּזוֹ וְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר עָשָֽׂה׃ |
5 For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to teach to their children,
| וַיָּקֶם עֵדוּת ׀ בְּֽיַעֲקֹב וְתוֹרָה שָׂם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה אֶת־אֲבוֹתֵינוּ לְהוֹדִיעָם לִבְנֵיהֶֽם׃ |
6 that the coming generation would know them— even children yet to be born— to arise and tell their own children
| לְמַעַן יֵדְעוּ ׀ דּוֹר אַחֲרוֹן בָּנִים יִוָּלֵדוּ יָקֻמוּ וִֽיסַפְּרוּ לִבְנֵיהֶֽם׃ |
7 that they should put their confidence in God, not forgetting His works, but keeping His commandments.
| וְיָשִׂימוּ בֵֽאלֹהִים כִּסְלָם וְלֹא יִשְׁכְּחוּ מַֽעַלְלֵי־אֵל וּמִצְוֺתָיו יִנְצֹֽרוּ׃ |
8 Then they will not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose heart was not loyal, whose spirit was not faithful to God.
| וְלֹא יִהְיוּ ׀ כַּאֲבוֹתָם דּוֹר סוֹרֵר וּמֹרֶה דּוֹר לֹא־הֵכִין לִבּוֹ וְלֹא־נֶאֶמְנָה אֶת־אֵל רוּחֽוֹ׃ |
9 The archers of Ephraim turned back on the day of battle.
| בְּֽנֵי־אֶפְרַיִם נוֹשְׁקֵי רוֹמֵי־קָשֶׁת הָפְכוּ בְּיוֹם קְרָֽב׃ |
10 They failed to keep God’s covenant and refused to live by His law.
| לֹא שָׁמְרוּ בְּרִית אֱלֹהִים וּבְתוֹרָתוֹ מֵאֲנוּ לָלֶֽכֶת׃ |
11 They forgot what He had done, the wonders He had shown them.
| וַיִּשְׁכְּחוּ עֲלִילוֹתָיו וְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר הֶרְאָֽם׃ |
12 He worked wonders before their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan.
| נֶגֶד אֲבוֹתָם עָשָׂה פֶלֶא בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם שְׂדֵה־צֹֽעַן׃ |
13 He split the sea and brought them through; He set the waters upright like a wall.
| בָּקַע יָם וַיַּֽעֲבִירֵם וַֽיַּצֶּב־מַיִם כְּמוֹ־נֵֽד׃ |
14 He led them with a cloud by day and with a light of fire all night.
| וַיַּנְחֵם בֶּעָנָן יוֹמָם וְכָל־הַלַּיְלָה בְּאוֹר אֵֽשׁ׃ |
15 He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink as abundant as the seas.
| יְבַקַּע צֻרִים בַּמִּדְבָּר וַיַּשְׁקְ כִּתְהֹמוֹת רַבָּֽה׃ |
16 He brought streams from the stone and made water flow down like rivers.
| וַיּוֹצִא נוֹזְלִים מִסָּלַע וַיּוֹרֶד כַּנְּהָרוֹת מָֽיִם׃ |
17 But they continued to sin against Him, rebelling in the desert against the Most High.
| וַיּוֹסִיפוּ עוֹד לַחֲטֹא־לוֹ לַֽמְרוֹת עֶלְיוֹן בַּצִּיָּֽה׃ |
18 They willfully tested God by demanding the food they craved.
| וַיְנַסּוּ־אֵל בִּלְבָבָם לִֽשְׁאָל־אֹכֶל לְנַפְשָֽׁם׃ |
19 They spoke against God, saying, “Can God really prepare a table in the wilderness?
| וַֽיְדַבְּרוּ בֵּֽאלֹהִים אָמְרוּ הֲיוּכַל אֵל לַעֲרֹךְ שֻׁלְחָן בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃ |
20 When He struck the rock, water gushed out and torrents raged. But can He also give bread or supply His people with meat?”
| הֵן הִכָּה־צוּר ׀ וַיָּזוּבוּ מַיִם וּנְחָלִים יִשְׁטֹפוּ הֲגַם־לֶחֶם יוּכַל תֵּת אִם־יָכִין שְׁאֵר לְעַמּֽוֹ׃ |
21 Therefore the LORD heard and was filled with wrath; so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and His anger flared against Israel,
| לָכֵן ׀ שָׁמַע יְהוָה וַֽיִּתְעַבָּר וְאֵשׁ נִשְּׂקָה בְיַעֲקֹב וְגַם־אַף עָלָה בְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ |
22 because they did not believe God or rely on His salvation.
| כִּי לֹא הֶאֱמִינוּ בֵּאלֹהִים וְלֹא בָטְחוּ בִּֽישׁוּעָתֽוֹ׃ |
23 Yet He commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of the heavens.
| וַיְצַו שְׁחָקִים מִמָּעַל וְדַלְתֵי שָׁמַיִם פָּתָֽח׃ |
24 He rained down manna for them to eat; He gave them grain from heaven.
| וַיַּמְטֵר עֲלֵיהֶם מָן לֶאֱכֹל וּדְגַן־שָׁמַיִם נָתַן לָֽמוֹ׃ |
25 Man ate the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance.
| לֶחֶם אַבִּירִים אָכַל אִישׁ צֵידָה שָׁלַח לָהֶם לָשֹֽׂבַע׃ |
26 He stirred the east wind from the heavens and drove the south wind by His might.
| יַסַּע קָדִים בַּשָּׁמָיִם וַיְנַהֵג בְּעֻזּוֹ תֵימָֽן׃ |
27 He rained meat on them like dust, and winged birds like the sand of the sea.
| וַיַּמְטֵר עֲלֵיהֶם כֶּעָפָר שְׁאֵר וּֽכְחוֹל יַמִּים עוֹף כָּנָֽף׃ |
28 He felled them in the midst of their camp, all around their dwellings.
| וַיַּפֵּל בְּקֶרֶב מַחֲנֵהוּ סָבִיב לְמִשְׁכְּנֹתָֽיו׃ |
29 So they ate and were well filled, for He gave them what they craved.
| וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׂבְּעוּ מְאֹד וְתַֽאֲוָתָם יָבִא לָהֶֽם׃ |
30 Yet before they had filled their desire, with the food still in their mouths,
| לֹא־זָרוּ מִתַּאֲוָתָם עוֹד אָכְלָם בְּפִיהֶֽם׃ |
31 God’s anger flared against them, and He put to death their strongest and subdued the young men of Israel.
| וְאַף אֱלֹהִים ׀ עָלָה בָהֶם וַֽיַּהֲרֹג בְּמִשְׁמַנֵּיהֶם וּבַחוּרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הִכְרִֽיעַ׃ |
32 In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; despite His wonderful works, they did not believe.
| בְּכָל־זֹאת חָֽטְאוּ־עוֹד וְלֹֽא־הֶאֱמִינוּ בְּנִפְלְאוֹתָֽיו׃ |
33 So He ended their days in futility, and their years in sudden terror.
| וַיְכַל־בַּהֶבֶל יְמֵיהֶם וּשְׁנוֹתָם בַּבֶּהָלָֽה׃ |
34 When He slew them, they would seek Him; they repented and searched for God.
| אִם־הֲרָגָם וּדְרָשׁוּהוּ וְשָׁבוּ וְשִֽׁחֲרוּ־אֵֽל׃ |
35 And they remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.
| וַֽיִּזְכְּרוּ כִּֽי־אֱלֹהִים צוּרָם וְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן גֹּאֲלָֽם׃ |
36 But they deceived Him with their mouths, and lied to Him with their tongues.
| וַיְפַתּוּהוּ בְּפִיהֶם וּבִלְשׁוֹנָם יְכַזְּבוּ־לֽוֹ׃ |
37 Their hearts were disloyal to Him, and they were unfaithful to His covenant.
| וְלִבָּם לֹא־נָכוֹן עִמּוֹ וְלֹא נֶאֶמְנוּ בִּבְרִיתֽוֹ׃ |
38 And yet He was compassionate; He forgave their iniquity and did not destroy them. He often restrained His anger and did not unleash His full wrath.
| וְהוּא רַחוּם ׀ יְכַפֵּר עָוֺן וְֽלֹא־יַשְׁחִית וְהִרְבָּה לְהָשִׁיב אַפּוֹ וְלֹֽא־יָעִיר כָּל־חֲמָתֽוֹ׃ |
39 He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return.
| וַיִּזְכֹּר כִּי־בָשָׂר הֵמָּה רוּחַ הוֹלֵךְ וְלֹא יָשֽׁוּב׃ |
40 How often they disobeyed Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert!
| כַּמָּה יַמְרוּהוּ בַמִּדְבָּר יַעֲצִיבוּהוּ בִּֽישִׁימֽוֹן׃ |
41 Again and again they tested God and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
| וַיָּשׁוּבוּ וַיְנַסּוּ אֵל וּקְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל הִתְווּ׃ |
42 They did not remember His power — the day He redeemed them from the adversary,
| לֹא־זָכְרוּ אֶת־יָדוֹ יוֹם אֲֽשֶׁר־פָּדָם מִנִּי־צָֽר׃ |
43 when He performed His signs in Egypt and His wonders in the fields of Zoan.
| אֲשֶׁר־שָׂם בְּמִצְרַיִם אֹֽתוֹתָיו וּמוֹפְתָיו בִּשְׂדֵה־צֹֽעַן׃ |
44 He turned their rivers to blood, and from their streams they could not drink.
| וַיַּהֲפֹךְ לְדָם יְאֹרֵיהֶם וְנֹזְלֵיהֶם בַּל־יִשְׁתָּיֽוּן׃ |
45 He sent swarms of flies that devoured them, and frogs that devastated them.
| יְשַׁלַּח בָּהֶם עָרֹב וַיֹּאכְלֵם וּצְפַרְדֵּעַ וַתַּשְׁחִיתֵֽם׃ |
46 He gave their crops to the grasshopper, the fruit of their labor to the locust.
| וַיִּתֵּן לֶחָסִיל יְבוּלָם וִֽיגִיעָם לָאַרְבֶּֽה׃ |
47 He killed their vines with hailstones and their sycamore-figs with sleet.
| יַהֲרֹג בַּבָּרָד גַּפְנָם וְשִׁקְמוֹתָם בַּֽחֲנָמַֽל׃ |
48 He abandoned their cattle to the hail and their livestock to bolts of lightning.
| וַיַּסְגֵּר לַבָּרָד בְּעִירָם וּמִקְנֵיהֶם לָרְשָׁפִֽים׃ |
49 He unleashed His fury against them, wrath, indignation, and calamity— a band of destroying angels.
| יְשַׁלַּח־בָּם ׀ חֲרוֹן אַפּוֹ עֶבְרָה וָזַעַם וְצָרָה מִשְׁלַחַת מַלְאֲכֵי רָעִֽים׃ |
50 He cleared a path for His anger; He did not spare them from death but delivered their lives to the plague.
| יְפַלֵּס נָתִיב לְאַפּוֹ לֹא־חָשַׂךְ מִמָּוֶת נַפְשָׁם וְחַיָּתָם לַדֶּבֶר הִסְגִּֽיר׃ |
51 He struck all the firstborn of Egypt, the virility in the tents of Ham.
| וַיַּךְ כָּל־בְּכוֹר בְּמִצְרָיִם רֵאשִׁית אוֹנִים בְּאָהֳלֵי־חָֽם׃ |
52 He led out His people like sheep and guided them like a flock in the wilderness.
| וַיַּסַּע כַּצֹּאן עַמּוֹ וַֽיְנַהֲגֵם כַּעֵדֶר בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃ |
53 He led them safely, so they did not fear, but the sea engulfed their enemies.
| וַיַּנְחֵם לָבֶטַח וְלֹא פָחָדוּ וְאֶת־אוֹיְבֵיהֶם כִּסָּה הַיָּֽם׃ |
54 He brought them to His holy land, to the mountain His right hand had acquired.
| וַיְבִיאֵם אֶל־גְּבוּל קָדְשׁוֹ הַר־זֶה קָנְתָה יְמִינֽוֹ׃ |
55 He drove out nations before them and apportioned their inheritance; He settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
| וַיְגָרֶשׁ מִפְּנֵיהֶם ׀ גּוֹיִם וַֽיַּפִּילֵם בְּחֶבֶל נַחֲלָה וַיַּשְׁכֵּן בְּאָהֳלֵיהֶם שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ |
56 But they tested and disobeyed God Most High, for they did not keep His decrees.
| וַיְנַסּוּ וַיַּמְרוּ אֶת־אֱלֹהִים עֶלְיוֹן וְעֵדוֹתָיו לֹא שָׁמָֽרוּ׃ |
57 They turned back and were faithless like their fathers, twisted like a faulty bow.
| וַיִּסֹּגוּ וַֽיִּבְגְּדוּ כַּאֲבוֹתָם נֶהְפְּכוּ כְּקֶשֶׁת רְמִיָּֽה׃ |
58 They enraged Him with their high places and provoked His jealousy with their idols.
| וַיַּכְעִיסוּהוּ בְּבָמוֹתָם וּבִפְסִילֵיהֶם יַקְנִיאֽוּהוּ׃ |
59 On hearing it, God was furious and rejected Israel completely.
| שָׁמַע אֱלֹהִים וַֽיִּתְעַבָּר וַיִּמְאַס מְאֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ |
60 He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent He had pitched among men.
| וַיִּטֹּשׁ מִשְׁכַּן שִׁלוֹ אֹהֶל שִׁכֵּן בָּאָדָֽם׃ |
61 He delivered His strength to captivity, and His splendor to the hand of the adversary.
| וַיִּתֵּן לַשְּׁבִי עֻזּוֹ וְֽתִפְאַרְתּוֹ בְיַד־צָֽר׃ |
62 He surrendered His people to the sword because He was enraged by His heritage.
| וַיַּסְגֵּר לַחֶרֶב עַמּוֹ וּבְנַחֲלָתוֹ הִתְעַבָּֽר׃ |
63 Fire consumed His young men, and their maidens were left without wedding songs.
| בַּחוּרָיו אָֽכְלָה־אֵשׁ וּבְתוּלֹתָיו לֹא הוּלָּֽלוּ׃ |
64 His priests fell by the sword, but their widows could not lament.
| כֹּהֲנָיו בַּחֶרֶב נָפָלוּ וְאַלְמְנֹתָיו לֹא תִבְכֶּֽינָה׃ |
65 Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, like a mighty warrior overcome by wine.
| וַיִּקַץ כְּיָשֵׁן ׀ אֲדֹנָי כְּגִבּוֹר מִתְרוֹנֵן מִיָּֽיִן׃ |
66 He beat back His foes; He put them to everlasting shame.
| וַיַּךְ־צָרָיו אָחוֹר חֶרְפַּת עוֹלָם נָתַן לָֽמוֹ׃ |
67 He rejected the tent of Joseph and refused the tribe of Ephraim.
| וַיִּמְאַס בְּאֹהֶל יוֹסֵף וּֽבְשֵׁבֶט אֶפְרַיִם לֹא בָחָֽר׃ |
68 But He chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which He loved.
| וַיִּבְחַר אֶת־שֵׁבֶט יְהוּדָה אֶֽת־הַר צִיּוֹן אֲשֶׁר אָהֵֽב׃ |
69 He built His sanctuary like the heights, like the earth He has established forever.
| וַיִּבֶן כְּמוֹ־רָמִים מִקְדָּשׁוֹ כְּאֶרֶץ יְסָדָהּ לְעוֹלָֽם׃ |
70 He chose David His servant and took him from the sheepfolds;
| וַיִּבְחַר בְּדָוִד עַבְדּוֹ וַיִּקָּחֵהוּ מִֽמִּכְלְאֹת צֹֽאן׃ |
71 from tending the ewes He brought him to be shepherd of His people Jacob, of Israel His inheritance.
| מֵאַחַר עָלוֹת הֱבִיאוֹ לִרְעוֹת בְּיַעֲקֹב עַמּוֹ וּבְיִשְׂרָאֵל נַחֲלָתֽוֹ׃ |
72 So David shepherded them with integrity of heart and guided them with skillful hands.
| וַיִּרְעֵם כְּתֹם לְבָבוֹ וּבִתְבוּנוֹת כַּפָּיו יַנְחֵֽם׃ |
