Psalms 78

1 Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

Maschil. Of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law; let your ears be bent down to the words of my mouth.

2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:

Opening my mouth I will give out a story, even the dark sayings of old times;

3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.

Which have come to our hearing and our knowledge, as they were given to us by our fathers.

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 has done.

We will not keep them secret from our children; we will make clear to the coming generation the praises of the Lord and his strength, and the great works of wonder which 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:

He put up a witness in Jacob, and made a law in Israel; which he gave to our fathers so that they might give knowledge of them 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:

So that the generation to come might have knowledge of them, even the children of the future, who would give word of them to their children;

7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:

So that they might put their hope in God, and not let God's works go out of their minds, but keep his laws;

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 not be like their fathers, a stiff-necked and uncontrolled generation; a generation whose heart was hard, whose spirit was not true to God.

9 The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.

The children of Ephraim, armed with bows, were turned back on the day of the fight.

10 They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;

They were not ruled by God's word, and they would not go in the way of his law;

11 And forgot his works, and his wonders that he had showed them.

They let his works go out of their memory, and the wonders which he had made them see.

12 Marvelous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

He did great works before the eyes of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan.

13 He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.

The sea was cut in two so that they might go through; the waters were massed together on this side and on that.

14 In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.

In the daytime he was guiding them in the cloud, and all through the night with a light of fire.

15 He split the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.

The rocks of the waste land were broken by his power, and he gave them drink as out of the deep waters.

16 He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.

He made streams come out of the rock; and waters came flowing down like rivers.

17 And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.

And they went on sinning against him even more, turning away from the Most High in the waste land;

18 And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.

Testing God in their hearts, requesting meat for their desire.

19 Yes, they spoke against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?

They said bitter words against God, saying, Is God able to make ready a table in the waste land?

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?

See, the rock was cut open by his power, so that the water came rushing out, and overflowing streams; is he able to give us bread? is he able to get meat 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;

So these things came to the Lord's ears, and he was angry; and a fire was lighted against Jacob, and wrath came up against Israel;

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

Because they had no faith in God, and no hope in his salvation.

23 Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,

And he gave orders to the clouds on high, and the doors of heaven were open;

24 And had rained down manna on them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.

And he sent down manna like rain for their food, and gave them the grain of heaven.

25 Man did eat angels’ food: he sent them meat to the full.

Man took part in the food of strong ones; he sent them meat in full measure.

26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.

He sent an east wind from heaven, driving on the south wind by his power.

27 He rained flesh also on them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:

He sent down meat on them like dust, and feathered birds like the sand of the sea,

28 And he let it fall in the middle of their camp, round about their habitations.

And he let it come down into their resting-place, round about their tents.

29 So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;

So they had food and were full; for he gave them their desire;

30 They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,

But they were not turned from their desires; and while the food was still in their mouths,

31 The wrath of God came on them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.

The wrath of God came on them, and put to death the fattest of them, and put an end to the young men of Israel.

32 For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.

For all this they went on sinning even more, and had no faith in his great wonders.

33 Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.

So their days were wasted like a breath, and their years in trouble.

34 When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and inquired early after God.

When he sent death on them, then they made search for him; turning to him and looking for him with care;

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

In the memory that God was their Rock, and the Most High God their saviour.

36 Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied to him with their tongues.

But their lips were false to him, and their tongues were untrue to him;

37 For their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant.

And their hearts were not right with him, and they did not keep their agreement with him.

38 But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yes, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

But he, being full of pity, has forgiveness for sin, and does not put an end to man: frequently turning back his wrath, and not being violently angry.

39 For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passes away, and comes not again.

So he kept in mind that they were only flesh; a breath which is quickly gone, and will not come again.

40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!

How frequently did they go against him in the waste land, and give him cause for grief in the dry places!

41 Yes, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.

Again they put God to the test, and gave pain to the Holy One of Israel.

42 They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.

They did not keep in mind the work of his hand, or the day when he took them from the power of their haters;

43 How he had worked his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan.

How he had done 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.

So that their rivers were turned to blood, and they were not able to get drink from their streams.

45 He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.

He sent different sorts of flies among them, poisoning their flesh; and frogs for their destruction.

46 He gave also their increase to the caterpillar, and their labor to the locust.

He gave the increase of their fields to worms, the fruits of their industry to the locusts.

47 He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.

He sent ice for the destruction of their vines; their trees were damaged by the bitter cold.

48 He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

Ice was rained down on their cattle; thunderstorms sent destruction among the flocks.

49 He cast on them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.

He sent on them the heat of his wrath, his bitter disgust, letting loose 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;

He let his wrath have its way; he did not keep back their soul from death, but gave their life to disease.

51 And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:

He gave to destruction all the first sons of Egypt; the first-fruits 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 took his people out like sheep, guiding them in the waste land like a flock.

53 And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

He took them on safely so that they had no fear; but their haters were covered by the sea.

54 And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.

And he was their guide to his holy land, even to the mountain, which his right hand had made his;

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.

Driving out nations before them, marking out the line of their heritage, and giving the people of Israel their tents for a resting-place.

56 Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:

But they were bitter against the Most High God, testing him, and not keeping his laws;

57 But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

Their hearts were turned back and untrue like their fathers; they were turned to one side like a twisted bow.

58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.

They made him angry with their high places; moving him to wrath with their images.

59 When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:

When this came to God's ears he was very angry, and gave up Israel completely;

60 So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;

So that he went away from the holy place in Shiloh, the tent which he had put among men;

61 And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy’s hand.

And he let his strength be taken prisoner, and gave his glory into the hands of his hater.

62 He gave his people over also to the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.

He gave his people up to the sword, and was angry with his heritage.

63 The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.

Their young men were burned in the fire; and their virgins were not praised in the bride-song.

64 Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.

Their priests were put to death by the sword, and their widows made no weeping for them.

65 Then the LORD awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouts by reason of wine.

Then was the Lord like one awaking from sleep, and like a strong man crying out because of wine.

66 And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.

His haters were turned back by his blows and shamed for ever.

67 Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:

And he put the tent of Joseph on one side, and took not the tribe of Ephraim;

68 But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.

But he took the tribe of Judah for himself, and the mountain of Zion, in which he had pleasure.

69 And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he has established for ever.

And he made his holy place like the high heaven, like the earth which is fixed by him for ever.

70 He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:

He took David to be his servant, taking him from the place of the flocks;

71 From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

From looking after the sheep which were giving milk, he took him to give food to Jacob his people, and to Israel his heritage.

72 So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

So he gave them food with an upright heart, guiding them by the wisdom of his hands.