Psalms 78

1 My friends, listen to what I am going to teach you; pay careful attention [IDM] to what I say.

An Instruction of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law, Incline your ear to sayings of my mouth.

2 I am going to give you some sayings that wise people have said. They will be sayings about things that happened long ago, things that were difficult to understand [MET],

I open with a simile my mouth, I bring forth hidden things of old,

3 things that we have heard and known previously, things that our parents and grandparents told us.

That we have heard and do know, And our fathers have recounted to us.

4 We will tell these things to our children [LIT], and we will also tell to our grandchildren [about] Yahweh’s power and the glorious/great things that he has done.

We do not hide from their sons, To a later generation recounting praises of Jehovah, And His strength, and His wonders that He hath done.

5 He gave laws and commandments to the Israeli people, [those who are the descendants of] Jacob [DOU], and he told our ancestors to teach them to their children

And He raiseth up a testimony in Jacob, And a law hath placed in Israel, That He commanded our fathers, To make them known to their sons.

6 in order that their children would [also] know them and then they would teach them to their children.

So that a later generation doth know, Sons who are born, do rise and recount to their sons,

7 In that way, they also would trust in God, and not forget the things that he has done; instead, they would obey his commandments.

And place in God their confidence, And forget not the doings of God, But keep His commands.

8 They would not be like their ancestors, who were very stubborn and kept rebelling [against God]; they did not continue firmly trusting in God, and they did not worship only him.

And they are not like their fathers, A generation apostate and rebellious, A generation! it hath not prepared its heart, Nor stedfast with God [is] its spirit.

9 [The soldiers of] the tribe of Ephraim had bows [and arrows] but they ran away [from their enemies] on the day that they fought a battle with their enemies.

Sons of Ephraim — armed bearers of bow, Have turned in a day of conflict.

10 They did not do what they had agreed with God that they would do; they refused to obey his laws.

They have not kept the covenant of God, And in His law they have refused to walk,

11 They forgot what he had done; they forgot about the miracles that they had seen him perform.

And they forget His doings, And His wonders that He shewed them.

12 While our ancestors were watching, God performed miracles in the area around Zoan [city] in Egypt.

Before their fathers He hath done wonders, In the land of Egypt — the field of Zoan.

13 [Then] he caused the [Red] Sea to divide, causing the water [on each side] to pile up like a wall, with the result that [our ancestors] walked through it [on dry ground].

He cleft a sea, and causeth them to pass over, Yea, He causeth waters to stand as a heap.

14 He led them by a [bright] cloud during the day and by a fiery light during the night.

And leadeth them with a cloud by day, And all the night with a light of fire.

15 He split rocks open in the desert, giving to our ancestors plenty of water from deep inside the earth.

He cleaveth rocks in a wilderness, And giveth drink — as the great deep.

16 He caused a stream of water to flow from the rock; the water flowed like a river [DOU].

And bringeth out streams from a rock, And causeth waters to come down as rivers.

17 But [our ancestors] continued to sin against God; in the desert they rebelled against the one who is greater than any other god.

And they add still to sin against Him, To provoke the Most High in the dry place.

18 By demanding that God give them the food that they desired, they tried to find out if he would always do what they requested him to do.

And they try God in their heart, To ask food for their lust.

19 They insulted God by saying, “We don’t think he can supply food for us [here] in this desert!

And they speak against God — they said: 'Is God able to array a table in a wilderness?'

20 [It is true that] he struck the rock, with the result that water gushed/flowed out, [but] (can he also provide bread and meat for [us], his people?/we doubt that he can also provide bread and meat for us, his people.)” [RHQ]

Lo, He hath smitten a rock, And waters flow, yea, streams overflow. 'Also — bread [is] He able to give? Doth He prepare flesh for His people?'

21 So, when Yahweh heard that, he became very angry, and he sent a fire to burn up [some of] his Israeli [people]. [MTY, DOU]

Therefore hath Jehovah heard, And He sheweth Himself wroth, And fire hath been kindled against Jacob, And anger also hath gone up against Israel,

22 [He did that] because they did not trust in him, and they did not believe that he would rescue them.

For they have not believed in God, Nor have they trusted in His salvation.

23 But God spoke to the sky above them; he commanded it to open [like] a door,

And He commandeth clouds from above, Yea, doors of the heavens He hath opened.

24 and [then food] fell down like rain, [food which they named] ‘manna’; God gave them grain from (heaven/the sky).

And He raineth on them manna to eat, Yea, corn of heaven He hath given to them.

25 [So] the people ate the food that angels eat, [and] God gave to them all the manna that they wanted.

Food of the mighty hath each eaten, Venison He sent to them to satiety.

26 [Later], he caused the wind to blow from the east, and by his power he also sent wind from the south,

He causeth an east wind to journey in the heavens, And leadeth by His strength a south wind,

27 and the wind brought birds which were as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore.

And He raineth on them flesh as dust, And as sand of the seas — winged fowl,

28 God caused those birds to fall [dead] in the middle of (their camp)/the area where the people had put up their tents. [There were dead birds] all around their tents.

And causeth [it] to fall in the midst of His camp, Round about His tabernacles.

29 [So] the people [cooked the birds and] ate the meat and their stomachs were full, because God had given them what they wanted.

And they eat, and are greatly satisfied, And their desire He bringeth to them.

30 But before they had eaten all that they wanted, and while they were still eating it,

They have not been estranged from their desire, Yet [is] their food in their mouth,

31 God was [still] very angry with them, and he caused their strongest men to die; he got rid of [many of] the finest [young] Israeli men.

And the anger of God hath gone up against them, And He slayeth among their fat ones, And youths of Israel He caused to bend.

32 In spite of all that, the people continued to sin; in spite of all the miracles that God had performed, they still did not trust that he [would take care of them].

With all this they have sinned again, And have not believed in His wonders.

33 So, he caused their lives to end as quickly as a puff of wind ends; they died when disasters suddenly struck them.

And He consumeth in vanity their days, And their years in trouble.

34 When God caused [some of] them to die, [the others] turned to God; they repented and earnestly asked God [to save them].

If He slew them, then they sought Him, And turned back, and sought God earnestly,

35 They remembered that God is [like] a huge rock ledge [under which they would be safe] [MET], and that he, who was greater than any other god, is the one who protected/rescued them.

And they remember that God [is] their rock, And God Most High their redeemer.

36 But they [tried to] deceive God by what they said [MTY]; their words [MTY] were [all] lies.

And — they deceive Him with their mouth, And with their tongue do lie to Him,

37 They were not loyal to him; they disregarded/ignored the agreement that he had made with them.

And their heart hath not been right with Him, And they have not been stedfast in His covenant.

38 But God was merciful to his people. He forgave them for having sinned and did not get rid of them. Many times he refrained from becoming angry [with them] and restrained from furiously/severely [punishing them] [MTY].

And He — the Merciful One, Pardoneth iniquity, and destroyeth not, And hath often turned back His anger, And waketh not up all His fury.

39 He remembered/considered that they were only humans who die; they [disappear quickly] [SIM], like a wind that blows by and then is gone.

And He remembereth that they [are] flesh, A wind going on — and it returneth not.

40 Many times our ancestors rebelled against God in the desert and caused him to become very sad.

How often do they provoke Him in the wilderness, Grieve Him in the desolate place?

41 Many times they did evil things, to find out [if they could do those things without God punishing them]. They frequently caused the holy God of Israel to become disgusted/sad.

Yea, they turn back, and try God, And the Holy One of Israel have limited.

42 They forgot about his [great] power, and they (forgot/did not think) about the time when he rescued them from their enemies.

They have not remembered His hand The day He ransomed them from the adversary.

43 They forgot about when he performed many miracles in the area near Zoan [city] in Egypt.

When He set His signs in Egypt, And His wonders in the field of Zoan,

44 He caused the [Nile] River (OR, their sources of water) to become [red like] blood, with the result that the people of Egypt had no water to drink.

And He turneth to blood their streams, And their floods they drink not.

45 He sent among the people of Egypt swarms of flies that bit them, and he sent frogs that ate up everything.

He sendeth among them the beetle, and it consumeth them, And the frog, and it destroyeth them,

46 He sent locusts to eat their crops and the other things that grew in their fields.

And giveth to the caterpillar their increase, And their labour to the locust.

47 He sent hail that destroyed the grapevines, and sent frost that ruined the figs.

He destroyeth with hail their vine, And their sycamores with frost,

48 He sent hail that killed their cattle and sent lightning that killed their sheep and cows.

And delivereth up to the hail their beasts, And their cattle to the burning flames.

49 Because God was fiercely angry with the people of Egypt, he caused them to be very distressed. The disasters that struck them were like a group of angels that destroyed [everything].

He sendeth on them the fury of His anger, Wrath, and indignation, and distress — A discharge of evil messengers.

50 He did not lessen his being angry [with them], and he did not (spare their lives/prevent them from dying); he sent a (plague/serious illness) that killed [many of] them.

He pondereth a path for His anger, He kept not back their soul from death, Yea, their life to the pestilence He delivered up.

51 He also caused all the firstborn sons of the people of Egypt to die.

And He smiteth every first-born in Egypt, The first-fruit of the strong in tents of Ham.

52 Then he led his people out [of Egypt] like [a shepherd leads] his sheep [SIM], and he guided them [while they walked] through the desert.

And causeth His people to journey as a flock, And guideth them as a drove in a wilderness,

53 He led them safely, and they were not afraid, but their enemies were drowned in the sea.

And He leadeth them confidently, And they have not been afraid, And their enemies hath the sea covered.

54 [Later] he brought them to [Canaan], his sacred land, to [Zion] Hill (OR, the hilly area) and by his power [MTY] he enabled them to conquer [the people who were living there].

And He bringeth them in unto the border of His sanctuary, This mountain His right hand had got,

55 He expelled the people-groups while his people were advancing; he allotted part of the land for [each tribe] to possess, and he gave to the Israeli people the houses of those people who had been expelled.

And casteth out nations from before them, And causeth them to fall in the line of inheritance, And causeth the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents,

56 However, the Israeli people rebelled against God, who is greater than any other god, and they did many evil things to see if they could do those things without God punishing them, and they did not obey his commandments.

And they tempt and provoke God Most High, And His testimonies have not kept.

57 Instead, like their ancestors did, they rebelled against God and (were not loyal to/did not faithfully [obey]) him; they were as [unreliable as] a crooked arrow [that does not go straight] [SIM].

And they turn back, And deal treacherously like their fathers, They have been turned like a deceitful bow,

58 Because they [worshiped] carved images of their gods on the tops of hills, they caused God to become angry [DOU].

And make Him angry with their high places, And with their graven images make Him zealous,

59 He saw what they were doing and became very angry, so he rejected the Israeli people.

God hath heard, and sheweth Himself wroth. And kicketh exceedingly against Israel.

60 He no longer appeared to them at Shiloh in the tent where he had lived among them.

And He leaveth the tabernacle of Shiloh, The tent He had placed among men,

61 He allowed their enemies to capture [the sacred chest], [which was the symbol of] his power and his glory.

And He giveth His strength to captivity, And His beauty into the hand of an adversary,

62 Because he was angry with his people, he allowed them to be killed [MTY] [by their enemies].

And delivereth up to the sword His people, And with His inheritance shewed Himself angry.

63 Young men were killed in battles, with the result that the young women had no one to marry.

His young men hath fire consumed, And His virgins have not been praised.

64 [Many] priests were killed by [their enemies’] swords, and (the people did not allow the priests’ widows/the priests’ widows were not allowed) to mourn.

His priests by the sword have fallen, And their widows weep not.

65 Later, [it was as though] the Lord awoke from sleeping; he was like a strong man who (became stimulated/felt that he was strong) by (OR, became sober after) [drinking] a lot of wine [SIM].

And the Lord waketh as a sleeper, As a mighty one crying aloud from wine.

66 He pushed their enemies back and caused them to be [very] ashamed for a long time [HYP] [because they had been defeated].

And He smiteth His adversaries backward, A reproach age-during He hath put on them,

67 [But] he did not set up his tent where [the people of] the tribe of Ephraim lived; he did not choose their area [to do that].

And He kicketh against the tent of Joseph, And on the tribe of Ephraim hath not fixed.

68 Instead he chose [the area where] the tribe of Judah [lived]; he chose Zion Hill, which he loves.

And He chooseth the tribe of Judah, With mount Zion that He loved,

69 He [decided to have] his temple built [there], high up, like [his home in] heaven; he caused it to be firm, [and intended that] his temple would last forever, like the earth.

And buildeth His sanctuary as a high place, Like the earth, He founded it to the age.

70 He chose David, who served him [faithfully], and took him from the pastures

And He fixeth on David His servant, And taketh him from the folds of a flock,

71 where he was taking care of his [father’s] sheep, and appointed him to be the leader [MET] of the Israeli people, the people who belong to God.

From behind suckling ones He hath brought him in, To rule over Jacob His people, And over Israel His inheritance.

72 David took care of the Israeli people sincerely and wholeheartedly, and guided them skillfully/wisely.

And he ruleth them according to the integrity of his heart, And by the skilfulness of his hands leadeth them!