Psalms 78

1 “A Maskil of Assaph.” Give ear, O my people, to my instruction: incline thy ear to the words of my mouth.

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

2 I will open with a parable my mouth: I will utter riddles out of ancient times;

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

3 Which we have heard and know, and which our fathers have related unto us.

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

4 We will not conceal them from their children, relating to the latest generation the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful deeds which 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 Yea, he established a testimony in Jacob, and instituted a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to 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 In order that the latest generation might know them, even the children that are to be born; that they may arise and relate them 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 may place in God their hope, and not forget the doings of God, but observe his commandments;

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

8 And that they may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that had not directed their heart firmly, and whose spirit was not faithful to 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, like well-armed archers, that turn round on the day of battle,

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

10 Kept not the covenant of God, and in his law they refused to walk;

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

11 And they forgot his deeds, as also his wonders, which he had permitted them to see.

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

12 In the presence of their fathers did he do wonders, in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zo'an.

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

13 He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters stand upright as a wall.

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

14 And he led them with the cloud by day, 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 split rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the mighty deep.

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

16 And he brought forth running streams out of the rock, and caused water to run down like rivers.

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

17 But they repeated to sin yet more against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert.

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

18 And they tempted God in their heart, by asking food for their desire.

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

19 Yea, they spoke against God: they said, Will God be able to set in order a table in the wilderness?

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

20 Behold, he smote the rock, so that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed: shall he also be able to give bread? or can he provide flesh for his people?

Behold, he smote 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, when the Lord heard this, he became wroth: and a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also ascended against Israel,

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

22 Because they had not believed in God, and had not trusted in his salvation.

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

23 Then he ordained the skies from above, and the doors of heaven he opened;

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

24 And he let rain down upon them manna to eat, and the corn of heaven gave he unto them.

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

25 Angels' bread did man eat: he sent them provision to satisfaction.

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

26 He caused an east wind to pass along the heavens; and he led forth by his strength the south wind.

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

27 And he let rain upon them flesh [as plentiful] as the dust, and winged birds like the sand of the sea;

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

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

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

29 And they ate, and were greatly satisfied, and what they longed for he brought unto them.

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

30 They were not estranged from their longing, yet was their food in their mouth:

They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,

31 When the wrath of God ascended against them, and he slew some of the fattest of them, and the young men of Israel did he strike down.

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

32 With all this they sinned again, and believed not in his wonders.

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

33 Therefore he caused their days to come to an end in nought, and their years in dread.

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

34 When he slew them, then did they seek him, and they returned and inquired earnestly after God.

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

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

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

36 Nevertheless they prayed insincerely to him with their mouth, and with their tongue they lied unto him.

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

37 For their heart was not firm with him, and they were not faithful in his covenant.

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

38 But he, being merciful, forgave the iniquity, and destroyed [them] not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not awaken all his fury.

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

39 And he remembered that they are but flesh, a spirit that passeth away, and returneth not again.

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

40 How oft did they rebel against him in the wilderness, grieve him in the desert!

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

41 Yea, they once more tempted God, and set limits to the Holy One of Israel.

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

42 They remembered not his hand, the day when he ransomed them from the adversary;

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

43 When he displayed in Egypt his signs, and his wonderful tokens in the fields of Zo'an.

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

44 And he changed their rivers into blood; and their running streams, that they could not drink [of them].

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

45 He sent out among them various wild beasts, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.

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

46 And he gave unto the cricket their products, and their labor unto the locust.

He gave also their increase to the caterpillar, and their labor to the locust.

47 He slew with hail their vines, and their sycamore-trees with ice-bolts.

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

48 And he surrendered to the hail their cattle, and their herds to the lightning's flashes.

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

49 He let loose against them the fierceness of his anger, wrath and indignation, and distress, a host of angels of misfortune.

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

50 He leveled a path for his anger; he withheld not from death their soul, and their life he surrendered 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 he smote all the first-born in Egypt; the first of their strength in the tents of Ham;

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

52 But he caused his own people to depart like flocks, and guided them like a drove in the wilderness.

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

53 And he led them in safety, so that they felt no dread; but the sea covered over their enemies.

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

54 And he brought them to his holy territory, even to this mount, which his right hand had acquired.

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

55 And he drove out from before them nations, and divided them by the measuring-line as an inheritance, and he caused to dwell in their tents the tribes of Israel.

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 rebelled against the most high God, and his testimonies they kept not;

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

57 But swerved aside, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers; they turned about like a deceitful bow.

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

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

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

59 God heard this, and he became wroth, and felt greatly disgusted with Israel;

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

60 And he cast off the dwelling at Shiloh, the tabernacle where he had dwelt among men;

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

61 And he gave up his strength unto captivity, and his glory into the adversary's hand.

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

62 And he surrendered his people unto the sword; and with his inheritance was he wroth.

He gave his people over also to the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.

63 His young men the fire devoured; and his virgins were not demanded in marriage.

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

64 His priests fell by the sword; and his widows did not weep.

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

65 Then awoke the Lord as one that sleepeth, like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.

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

66 And he smote his enemies backward: a perpetual disgrace on them.

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

67 Yet was he disgusted with the tent of Joseph, and of the tribe of Ephraim he made not choice;

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

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

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

69 And he built like high [mountains] his sanctuary, like the earth which he hath founded for ever.

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

70 And he made choice of David his servant, and took him from the sheep-folds:

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

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

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

72 And he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and by the skilfulness of his hands did he lead them.

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