Psalms 78

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

A poem of Asaph give ear to! O people my instruction my incline ear your to [the] words of mouth my.

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 will open in a parable mouth my I will pour forth riddles from antiquity.

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

Which we have heard and we have known them and ancestors our they 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.

Not we will hide - from descendants their to a generation later recounting [the] praises of Yahweh and might his and wonders his which he has 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 established a testimony - in Jacob and a law he appointed in Israel which he commanded ancestors our to make known them to children their.

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

So that they may know - a generation later children [who] they will be born they will arise and may they recount [them] to children their.

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.

So they may put in God confidence their and not they will forget [the] deeds of God and commandments his they will observe.

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 not they will be - like ancestors their a generation stubborn and rebellious a generation [which] not it directed heart its and [which] not it was faithful with God spirit its.

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.

[the] people of Ephraim [were] equipped of shooters of a bow they turned back on [the] day of battle.

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

Not they kept [the] covenant of God and in law his they refused to walk.

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

And they forgot deeds his and wonders his which he had shown them.

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

Before ancestors their he did wonder[s] in [the] land of Egypt [the] region 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 split open [the] sea and he brought through them and he made to stand up [the] waters like a heap.

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

And he guided them by the cloud by day and all the night by [the] light of a fire.

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

He split open rocks in the wilderness and he gave [them] to drink like deeps much.

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

And he brought out streams from a rock and he made to flow down like rivers water.

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 repeated again to sin to him by rebelling against [the] Most High in the dry region.

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 put to [the] test God in heart their by requesting food for selves their.

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

And they spoke against God they said ¿ is he able God to arrange a table in the 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]

There! he struck a rock - and they flowed out waters and torrents they overflowed ¿ also food is he able to give or? will he prepare meat for people his.

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 - he heard Yahweh and he was furious and fire it was kindled in Jacob and also anger it went up in Israel.

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

For not they trusted in God and not they trusted in salvation his.

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

And he commanded clouds above and [the] doors of heaven he opened.

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

And he rained down on them manna to eat and [the] grain of heaven he gave to them.

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

Bread of mighty [ones] he ate everyone food 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 led out an east wind in the heavens and he led forth by strength his a south wind.

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

And he rained down on them like dust meat and like [the] sand of [the] seas bird[s] of wing.

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 he made [them] fall in [the] midst of camp his around dwelling his.

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 ate and they were satisfied exceedingly and desire their he brought to them.

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

Not they had become estranged from desire their still food their [was] in mouth their.

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 - it went up in them and he killed among vigorous ones their and [the] young men of Israel he made bow down.

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].

In all this they sinned again and not they believed in wonders his.

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 brought to an end in futility days their and years their in sudden terror.

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 killed them and they sought him and they returned and they sought earnestly God.

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 remembered that God [was] rock their and God Most High [was] redeemer their.

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

And they deceived him with mouth their and with tongue their they lied to him.

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

And heart their not [was] steadfast with him and not they were faithful in covenant his.

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 [was] compassionate - he atoned for iniquity and not he destroyed [them] and he increased to turn back anger his and not he stirred up all rage his.

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 remembered that [were] flesh they a wind [which] goes and not it returns.

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

How often! they rebelled against him in the wilderness they grieved him in a 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.

And they returned and they put to [the] test God and [the] holy [one] of Israel they pained.

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

Not they remembered hand his [the] day when he ransomed them from [the] opponent.

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

When he performed in Egypt signs his and wonders his in [the] region 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 turned into blood canals their and streams their not they drank!

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

He sent among them a swarm of flies and it devoured them and frog[s] and it ruined them.

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

And he gave to the locust produce their and [the] result of toil their to the locust.

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

He killed with hail vine[s] their and sycamore-fig trees their with a flood.

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

And he delivered up to hail cattle their and livestock their to lightning bolts.

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 sent on them - [the] burning of anger his fury and indignation and trouble a band of angels of calamities.

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 made level a path for anger his not he kept back from death life their and life their to the pestilence he delivered up.

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

And he struck down every firstborn in Egypt [the] beginning of manly vigor in [the] 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 he led out like sheep people his and he led them like flock in the wilderness.

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

And he guided them to security and not they were afraid and enemies their it covered the sea.

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 brought them to [the] territory of holiness his [the] mountain which it had acquired right [hand] his.

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 he drove out from before them - nations and he made fall them by a measuring-line of inheritance and he caused to dwell in tents their [the] tribes of Israel.

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 put to [the] test and they rebelled against God Most High and testimonies his not they 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 turned back and they acted treacherously like ancestors their they changed like a bow of deceit.

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

And they provoked to anger him by high places their and by idols their they made jealous him.

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

He heard God and he was furious and he rejected exceedingly Israel.

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

And he abandoned [the] tabernacle of Shiloh [the] tent [which] he had pitched among humankind.

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

And he gave to captivity strength his and splendor his in [the] hand of [the] opponent.

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

And he delivered up to the sword people his and with inheritance his he was furious.

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

Young men its it consumed fire and young women its not they were 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.

Priests its by the sword they fell and widows its not they wept.

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 he awoke like a sleeper - [the] Lord like a warrior overcome 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 struck opponents his backwards a reproach of perpetuity he gave to 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 rejected [the] tent of Joseph and [the] tribe of Ephraim not he chose.

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

And he chose [the] tribe of Judah [the] mountain of Zion which 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 he built like [the] high [things] sanctuary his like [the] earth [which] he founded it for ever.

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

And he chose David servant his and he took him from [the] folds of sheep.

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 after nursing [sheep] he brought him to shepherd Jacob people his and Israel inheritance his.

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

And he shepherded them according to [the] integrity of heart his and with [the] skill of hands his he led them.