Psalms 78
1. <<Maschil * of Asaph.>> Give ear * , O my people, to my law: incline * your ears to the words of my mouth.
2. 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.
4. We will not hide * them from their children, shewing * to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works * that he hath 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:
6. 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 might set * their hope in God, and not forget * the works of God, 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 stedfast * with God.
9. 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;
11. And forgat * his works, and his wonders * that he had shewed * them.
12. Marvellous 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 to stand * as an heap.
14. In the daytime also he led * them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
15. He clave * the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink * as out of the great depths.
16. 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.
18. And they tempted * God in their heart by asking * meat for their lust.
19. Yea, they spake * against God; they said * , Can * God furnish * 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?
21. 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 believed * not in God, and trusted * not in his salvation:
23. Though he had commanded * the clouds from above, and opened * the doors of heaven,
24. And had rained down * manna upon them to eat * , and had given * them of the corn of heaven.
25. Man did eat * angels' food:he sent * them meat to the full.
26. He caused an east wind to blow * in the heaven: and by his power he brought in * the south wind.
27. He rained * flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:
28. And he let it fall * in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.
29. So they did eat * , and were well filled * : for he gave * them their own desire;
30. They were not estranged * from their lust. But while their meat 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.
32. For all this they sinned * still, and believed * not for his wondrous works * .
33. Therefore their days did he consume * in vanity, and their years in trouble.
34. When he slew * them, then they sought * him: and they returned * and enquired early * after God.
35. And they remembered * that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer * .
36. Nevertheless they did flatter * him with their mouth, and they lied * unto him with their tongues.
37. For their heart was not right * with him, neither were they stedfast * in his covenant.
38. But he, being full of compassion, forgave * their iniquity, and destroyed * them not: yea, many a time * turned * he his anger away * , and did not stir up * all his wrath.
39. For he remembered * that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away * , and cometh not again * .
40. How oft did they provoke * him in the wilderness, and grieve * him in the desert !
41. Yea, they turned back * and tempted * God, and limited * the Holy One of Israel.
42. They remembered * not his hand, nor the day when he delivered * them from the enemy.
43. How he had wrought * his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:
44. And had turned * their rivers into blood; and their floods * , that they could not drink * .
45. He sent * divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured * them; and frogs, which destroyed * them.
46. He gave * also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust.
47. He destroyed * their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.
48. He gave up * their cattle also 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.
50. He made * a way to his anger; he spared * not 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:
52. But made his own people to go forth * 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 * .
54. And he brought * them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased * .
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.
56. Yet they tempted * and provoked * the most high God, and kept * not his testimonies:
57. But turned back * , and dealt unfaithfully * like their fathers: they were turned aside * like a deceitful bow.
58. For they provoked him to anger * with their high places, and moved him to jealousy * with their graven images.
59. When God heard * this, he was wroth * , and greatly abhorred * Israel:
60. So that he forsook * the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed * among men;
61. And delivered * his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand.
62. He gave * his people over * also unto the sword; and was wroth * with his inheritance.
63. The fire consumed * their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage * .
64. Their priests fell * by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation * .
65. Then the Lord awaked * as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth * by reason of wine.
66. And he smote * his enemies in the hinder parts: he put * them to a perpetual reproach.
67. Moreover he refused * the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose * not the tribe of Ephraim:
68. But chose * the tribe of Judah,the mount Zion which he loved * .
69. And he built * his sanctuary like high * palaces, like the earth which he hath established * for ever.
70. He chose * David also 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.
72. So he fed * them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided * them by the skilfulness of his hands.
