Psalms 78

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

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

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

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:

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;

7 That they may place in God their hope, and not forget the doings of God, but observe 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.

9 The children of Ephraim, like well-armed archers, that turn round on the day of battle,

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

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

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

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

14 And he led them with the cloud by day, 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

50 He leveled a path for his anger; he withheld not from death their soul, and their life he surrendered to the pestilence;

51 And he smote all the first-born in Egypt; the first of their strength in the tents of Ham;

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

68 But he 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.

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

71 From following the ewes 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.