Psalms 78
1 Maschil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ear to the words of my mouth.
A contemplation by Asaph. Hear my teaching, my people. Turn your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
I will open my mouth in a parable. I will utter dark sayings of old,
3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
4 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 hath done.
We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, his strength, and his wondrous deeds that he has done.
5 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:
For he established a covenant in Jacob, and appointed a teaching in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children;
6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children who should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
that the generation to come might know, even the children who should be born; who should arise and tell their children,
7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
that they might set their hope in God, and not forget God’s deeds, but keep his commandments,
8 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.
and might not be as their fathers— a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that didn’t make their hearts loyal, whose spirit was not steadfast with God.
9 The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.
The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.
10 They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;
They didn’t keep God’s covenant, and refused to walk in his law.
11 And forgot his works, and his wonders that he had shown them.
They forgot his doings, his wondrous deeds that he had shown them.
12 Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
He did marvelous things 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 to stand as an heap.
He split the sea, and caused them to pass through. He made the waters stand as a heap.
14 In the day time also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
In the daytime he also led them with a cloud, and all night with a light of fire.
15 He split the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.
He split rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink abundantly as out of the depths.
16 He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
17 And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
Yet they still went on to sin against him, to rebel against the Most High in the desert.
18 And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
They tempted God in their heart by asking food according to their desire.
19 Yea, they spoke against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?
Yes, they spoke against God. They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?
20 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?
Behold, he struck the rock, so that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed. Can he give bread also? Will he provide meat for his people?”
21 Therefore the LORD heard this, and was full of wrath: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;
Therefore the LORD heard, and was angry. A fire was kindled against Jacob, anger also went up against Israel,
22 Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:
because they didn’t believe in God, and didn’t trust in his salvation.
23 Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,
Yet he commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven.
24 And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the grain of heaven.
He rained down manna on them to eat, and gave them food from the sky.
25 Man ate angels’ food: he sent them food to the full.
Man ate the bread of angels. He sent them food to the full.
26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.
He caused the east wind to blow in the sky. By his power he guided the south wind.
27 He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:
He also rained meat on them as the dust, winged birds as the sand of the seas.
28 And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, around their habitations.
He let them fall in the middle of their camp, around their habitations.
29 So they ate, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;
So they ate, and were well filled. He gave them their own desire.
30 They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,
They didn’t turn from their cravings. Their food was yet in their mouths,
31 The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.
when the anger of God went up against them, killed some of their strongest, and struck down the young men of Israel.
32 For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.
For all this they still sinned, and didn’t believe in his wondrous works.
33 Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.
Therefore he consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror.
34 When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God.
When he killed them, then they inquired after him. They returned and sought God earnestly.
35 And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.
They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God, their redeemer.
36 Nevertheless they would flatter him with their mouth, and they lied to him with their tongues.
But they flattered him with their mouth, and lied to him with their tongue.
37 For their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant.
For their heart was not right with him, neither were they faithful in his covenant.
38 But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time he turned his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.
But he, being merciful, forgave iniquity, and didn’t destroy them. Yes, many times he turned his anger away, and didn’t stir up all his wrath.
39 For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.
He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes away, and doesn’t come again.
40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!
How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness, and grieved him in the desert!
41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.
They turned again and tempted God, and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
42 They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.
They didn’t remember his hand, nor the day when he redeemed them from the adversary;
43 How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:
how he set his signs in Egypt, his wonders in the field of Zoan,
44 And had turned their rivers into blood; and their streams, that they could not drink.
he turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, so that they could not drink.
45 He sent swarms of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.
He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.
46 He gave also their increase to the caterpiller, and their labour to the locust.
He also gave their increase to the caterpillar, and their labor to the locust.
47 He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycamore trees with frost.
He destroyed their vines with hail, their sycamore fig trees with frost.
48 He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.
He also gave over their livestock to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.
49 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.
He threw on them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, indignation, and trouble, and a band of angels of evil.
50 He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;
He made a path for his anger. He didn’t spare their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence,
51 And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:
and struck all the firstborn in Egypt, the chief of their strength in the tents of Ham.
52 But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
But he led out his own people like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
53 And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
He led them safely, so that they weren’t afraid, but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
54 And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.
He brought them to the border of his sanctuary, to this mountain, which his right hand had taken.
55 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.
He also drove out the nations before them, allotted them for an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
56 Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:
Yet they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God, and didn’t keep his testimonies,
57 But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.
but turned back, and dealt treacherously like their fathers. They were twisted like a deceitful bow.
58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.
For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their engraved images.
59 When God heard this, he was filled with wrath, and greatly abhorred Israel:
When God heard this, he was angry, and greatly abhorred Israel,
60 So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;
so that he abandoned the tent of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men,
61 And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy’s hand.
and delivered his strength into captivity, his glory into the adversary’s hand.
62 He gave over his people also to the sword; and was filled with wrath with his inheritance.
He also gave his people over to the sword, and was angry with his inheritance.
63 The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.
Fire devoured their young men. Their virgins had no wedding song.
64 Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.
Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows couldn’t weep.
65 Then the Lord awoke as if from sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.
Then the Lord awakened as one out of sleep, like a mighty man who shouts by reason of wine.
66 And he smote his enemies in the hinder part: he put them to a perpetual reproach.
He struck his adversaries backward. He put them to a perpetual reproach.
67 Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:
Moreover he rejected the tent of Joseph, and didn’t choose the tribe of Ephraim,
68 But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.
But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which he loved.
69 And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.
He built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth which he has established forever.
70 He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheep folds:
He also chose David his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds;
71 From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
from following the ewes that have their young, he brought him to be the shepherd of Jacob, his people, and Israel, his inheritance.
72 So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.
So he was their shepherd according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.
