Psalms 78

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

AN INSTRUCTION OF ASAPH. Give ear, O my people, to my law, Incline your ear to sayings of my mouth.

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

I open my mouth with an allegory, I bring forth hidden things of old,

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

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

4 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.

We do not hide from their sons, Recounting praises of YHWH to a later generation, And His strength, and His wonders that He has done.

5 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.

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

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

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

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

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

8 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.

And they are not like their fathers, A generation apostatizing and being rebellious, A generation—it has not prepared its heart, Nor [is] its spirit steadfast with God.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He has done wonders before their fathers, In the land of Egypt—the field of Zoan.

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

He cleft a sea, and causes them to pass over, Indeed, He causes waters to stand as a heap.

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

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

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

He cleaves rocks in a wilderness, And gives drink—as the great deep.

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

And brings out streams from a rock, And causes waters to come down as rivers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

20 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?'

Behold, He has struck a rock, And waters flow, indeed, streams overflow. “Also, [is] He able to give bread? Does He prepare flesh for His people?”

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

Therefore YHWH has heard, And He shows Himself angry, And fire has been kindled against Jacob, And anger has also gone up against Israel,

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

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

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

And He commands clouds from above, Indeed, He has opened doors of the heavens.

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

And He rains manna on them to eat, Indeed, He has given grain of the heavens to them.

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

Each has eaten food of the mighty, He sent provision to them to satiety.

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

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

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

And He rains on them flesh as dust, And as sand of the seas—winged bird,

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

And causes [it] to fall in the midst of His camp, Around His dwelling places.

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

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

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

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

31 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And their heart has not been right with Him, And they have not been steadfast in His covenant.

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

And He, the Merciful One, pardons iniquity, and does not destroy, And has often turned back His anger, And does not awaken all His fury.

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

And He remembers that they [are] flesh, A wind going on—and it does not return.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He sends among them the beetle, and it consumes them, And the frog, and it destroys them,

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

And gives their increase to the caterpillar, And their labor to the locust.

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

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

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

And delivers their beasts up to the hail, And their livestock to the burning flames.

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

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

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

He ponders a path for His anger, He did not keep back their soul from death, Indeed, He delivered up their life to the pestilence.

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

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

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

And causes His people to journey as a flock, And guides them as a drove in a wilderness,

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

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

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

And He brings them to the border of His sanctuary, This mountain His right hand had acquired,

55 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,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

God has heard, and shows Himself angry. And kicks exceedingly against Israel.

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

And He leaves the Dwelling Place of Shiloh, The tent He had placed among men,

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

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

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

And delivers His people up to the sword, And showed Himself angry with His inheritance.

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

Fire has consumed His young men, And His virgins have not been praised.

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

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

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

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

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

And He strikes His adversaries backward, He has put a continuous reproach on them,

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

And He kicks against the tent of Joseph, And has not fixed on the tribe of Ephraim.

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

And He chooses the tribe of Judah, With Mount Zion that He loved,

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

And builds His sanctuary as a high place, Like the earth, He founded it for all time.

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

And He fixes on His servant David, And takes him from the folds of a flock,

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

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

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

And he rules them according to the integrity of his heart, And leads them by the skillfulness of his hands!