Psalms 78

1 A Psalme to give instruction committed to Asaph. Heare my doctrine, O my people: incline your eares vnto the wordes of my mouth.

Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will declare high sentences of olde.

I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:

3 Which we haue heard and knowen, and our fathers haue tolde vs.

Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.

4 Wee will not hide them from their children but to the generation to come we wil shewe the praises of the Lord his power also, and his wonderful woorkes that he hath done:

We will not hide them from their children, showing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he has done.

5 How he established a testimonie in Iaakob, and ordeined a Law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they shoulde teache their children:

For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:

6 That the posteritie might knowe it, and the children, which should be borne, should stand vp, and declare it to their children:

That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:

7 That they might set their hope on God, and not forget the workes of God but keepe his commandements:

That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:

8 And not to bee as their fathers, a disobedient and rebellious generation: a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirite was not faithfull vnto God.

And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God.

9 The children of Ephraim being armed and shooting with the bowe, turned backe in the day of battell.

The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.

10 They kept not the couenant of God, but refused to walke in his Lawe,

They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;

11 And forgate his Actes, and his wonderfull woorkes that he had shewed them.

And forgotten about his works, and his wonders that he had showed them.

12 Hee did marueilous thinges in the sight of their fathers in the lande of Egypt: euen in the fielde of Zoan.

Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

13 He deuided the Sea, and led them through: he made also the waters to stand as an heape.

He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.

14 In the day time also hee led them with a cloude, and all the night with a light of fire.

In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.

15 He claue the rockes in the wildernes, and gaue them drinke as of the great depths.

He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.

16 He brought floods also out of the stonie rocke; so that hee made the waters to descend like the riuers.

He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.

17 Yet they sinned stil against him, and prouoked the Highest in the wildernesse,

And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.

18 And tempted God in their heartes in requiring meate for their lust.

And they tempted God in their heart by asking food for their lust.

19 They spake against God also, saying, Can God prepare a table in the wildernesse?

Yea, they spoke against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?

20 Behold, he smote the rocke, that the water gushed out, and the streames ouerflowed: can hee giue bread also? or prepare flesh for his people?

Behold, he stroke the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?

21 Therefore the Lord heard and was angrie, and the fire was kindled in Iaakob, and also wrath came vpon Israel,

Therefore the LORD heard this, and was angry: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;

22 Because they beleeued not in God, and trusted not in his helpe.

Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:

23 Yet he had comanded the clouds aboue, and had opened the doores of heauen,

Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,

24 And had rained downe MAN vpon them for to eate, and had giuen them of the wheate of heauen.

And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.

25 Man did eate the bread of Angels: hee sent them meate ynough.

Man did eat angels' food: he sent them food to the full.

26 He caused the Eastwinde to passe in the heauen, and through his power he brought in the Southwinde.

He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.

27 Hee rained flesh also vpon them as dust, and feathered foule as the sand of the sea.

He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like the sand of the sea:

28 And hee made it fall in the middes of their campe euen round about their habitations.

And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.

29 So they did eate and were well filled: for he gaue them their desire.

So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;

30 They were not turned from their lust, but the meate was yet in their mouthes,

They were not cut off from their lust. But while their food was yet in their mouths,

31 When the wrath of God came euen vpon them, and slew the strongest of them, and smote downe the chosen men in Israel.

The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and stroke down the chosen men of Israel.

32 For all this, they sinned stil, and beleeued not his wonderous woorkes.

For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.

33 Therefore their daies did hee consume in vanitie, and their yeeres hastily.

Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.

34 And when hee slewe them, they sought him and they returned, and sought God earely.

When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God.

35 And they remembred that God was their strength, and the most high God their redeemer.

And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.

36 But they flattered him with their mouth, and dissembled with him with their tongue.

Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.

37 For their heart was not vpright with him: neither were they faithfull in his couenant.

For their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant.

38 Yet he being merciful forgaue their iniquitie, and destroied them not, but oft times called backe his anger, and did not stirre vp all his wrath.

But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

39 For he remembered that they were flesh: yea, a winde that passeth and commeth not againe.

For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passes away, and comes not again.

40 How oft did they prouoke him in the wildernes? and grieue him in the desert?

How often did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!

41 Yea, they returned, and tempted God, and limited the Holie one of Israel.

Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.

42 They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he deliuered them from the enemie,

They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.

43 Nor him that set his signes in Egypt, and his wonders in the fielde of Zoan,

How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan.

44 And turned their riuers into blood, and their floods, that they could not drinke.

And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.

45 Hee sent a swarme of flies among them, which deuoured them, and frogs, which destroyed them.

He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.

46 He gaue also their fruites vnto the caterpiller, and their labour vnto the grassehopper.

He gave also their increase unto the caterpillar, and their labour unto the locust.

47 He destroied their vines with haile, and their wilde figge trees with the hailestone.

He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.

48 He gaue their cattell also to the haile, and their flockes to the thunderboltes.

He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

49 Hee cast vpon them the fiercenesse of his anger, indignation and wrath, and vexation by the sending out of euill Angels.

He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.

50 He made a way to his anger: he spared not their soule from death, but gaue their life to the pestilence,

He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;

51 And smote al the firstborne in Egypt, euen the beginning of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham.

And stroke all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:

52 But hee made his people to goe out like sheepe, and led them in the wildernes like a flocke.

But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

53 Yea, he caried them out safely, and they feared not, and the Sea couered their enemies.

And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

54 And he brought them vnto the borders of his Sanctuarie: euen to this Mountaine, which his right hand purchased.

And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.

55 He cast out the heathe also before them, and caused them to fall to the lot of his inheritance, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tabernacles.

He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.

56 Yet they tempted, and prouoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies,

Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:

57 But turned backe and delt falsely like their fathers: they turned like a deceitfull bowe.

But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

58 And they prouoked him to anger with their high places, and mooued him to wrath with their grauen images.

For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.

59 God heard this and was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel,

When God heard this, he was angry, and greatly abhorred Israel:

60 So that hee forsooke the habitation of Shilo, euen the Tabernacle where hee dwelt among men,

So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;

61 And deliuered his power into captiuitie, and his beautie into the enemies hand.

And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand.

62 And hee gaue vp his people to the sworde, and was angrie with his inheritance.

He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was angry with his inheritance.

63 The fire deuoured their chosen men, and their maides were not praised.

The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.

64 Their Priestes fell by the sworde, and their widowes lamented not.

Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.

65 But the Lord awaked as one out of sleepe, and as a strong man that after his wine crieth out,

Then the LORD awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouts by reason of wine.

66 And smote his enemies in the hinder parts, and put them to a perpetuall shame.

And he stroke his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.

67 Yet he refused the tabernacle of Ioseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:

Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:

68 But chose the tribe of Iudah, and mount Zion which he loued.

But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.

69 And he built his Sanctuarie as an high palace, like the earth, which he stablished for euer.

And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he has established for ever.

70 He chose Dauid also his seruant, and tooke him from the shepefolds.

He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:

71 Euen from behinde the ewes with yong brought he him to feede his people in Iaakob, and his inheritance in Israel.

From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

72 So he fed them according to the simplicitie of his heart, and guided them by the discretion of his hands.

So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.