‏ Psalms 78

PSALM 78

Generations Shall Praise The LORD

A contemplation to  Asaph.

1Take heed, O my people,   to my law! Lean   your ear to the words   of my mouth! 2I will open [²in ³parables   ¹my mouth]; I will utter riddles from the beginning; 3as many as we heard and we know them, and   our fathers described to us. 4They were not hidden from   their children for [²generation ¹another]; but are reporting the praises of the lord, and   his dominations, and   his wonders which he did. 5For he raised up a testimony in Jacob, and [²a law ¹he put] in Israel, which he gave charge to  our fathers,   to make them known to  their sons; 6so that [³should know ²generation ¹another] -- the sons   being birthed. And they shall rise up and report them to  their sons, 7that they should put [²upon   ³God   ¹their hope], and should not forget the works   of God, but   [²of his commandments ¹shall inquire]; 8that they should not become as   their fathers -- [⁴generation ¹a crooked ²and ³greatly embittered]; a generation which did not straightened out   its own heart, and [²was not ³trustworthy ⁴with   ⁵God   ¹its spirit]. 9The sons of Ephraim stretching tight and shooting with bows, turned back  in the day of battle. 10They did not guard the covenant   of God, and [⁴by   ⁵his law ¹they did not ²want ³to go]. 11And they forgot   his good works, and   his wonders which he showed to them, 12before   their fathers; what [²he did ¹wonders] in the land of Egypt in the plain of Tanis. 13How he tore up the sea, and led them through; and he stood the waters as a water bag. 14And he guided them with a cloud by day, and the entire   night with the illumination of fire. 15He tore open the rock in the wilderness, and he gave them a drink as in [²deep ¹a vast]. 16And he brought water from the rock, and he led it down as rivers of waters. 17And they proceeded still   to sin against him; they greatly embittered the highest in a waterless place. 18And they put God to the test in   their hearts,   to ask foods   for their lives. 19And they spoke ill   of God. And they said, Shall God be able to prepare a table in the wilderness? 20For when he struck the rock, and there flowed waters, and rushing streams inundated, shall also [³bread ¹he be able ²to give] or prepare a table for  his people? 21On account of this the lord heard, and was raised in anger. And a fire was lit in Jacob, and anger ascended upon   Israel. 22For they did not trust in   God, nor did they hope upon   his deliverance. 23And he gave charge to clouds far above, and the doors of heaven were opened, 24and [²rained upon ³them ¹manna] to eat; and [³the bread ⁴of heaven ¹he gave ²to them]. 25[³bread ⁴of angels ²ate ¹Man]; [³provisions ¹he sent ²to them] in fullness. 26He departed the south wind  from heaven, and he brought on by   his power the southwest wind. 27And he rained [²upon ³them ⁴as ⁵dust ¹flesh]; even [³as ⁴the sand ⁵of the seas ²winged creatures ¹feathered]. 28And they fell in the midst   of their camp round about   their tents. 29And they ate, and were filled up exceedingly. And   [²their desire ¹he brought] to them. 30They were not deprived of   their desire; but   food was  in   their mouth, 31and the anger   of God ascended upon them; and he killed in   their plenty; and the chosen ones   of Israel he impeded. 32In all these things  they sinned still, and did not trust in   his wonders. 33And [²ended ³in ⁴folly   ¹their days], and   their years with haste. 34Whenever he killed them, then they sought him; and they turned and rose early to search for    God. 35And they remembered that   God [²their helper ¹is], and   God the Highest [²ransomer ¹is their]. 36And they loved him by   their mouth, but   by their tongue they lied to him. 37  And their heart was not straight with him, nor did they trust in   his covenant. 38But he is one pitying, and he shall atone   their sins, and he will not utterly destroy. And he will fill the turning   of his rage, and shall not kindle all   his anger. 39And he remembered that they are flesh; a wind going forth and not returning. 40How often they greatly embittered him in the wilderness; they provoked him to anger in [²land ¹a waterless]. 41And they turned and tested   God; even the holy one   of Israel they provoked. 42They did not remember   his hand the day of which he ransomed them from out of the hand of one afflicting; 43or how he made [²in ³Egypt   ¹his signs], and   his miracles in the plain of Tanis; 44and he converted [²into ³blood   ¹their rivers], and   their showers so as to not drink. 45He sent to them the dog-fly, and it devoured them; and the frog, and it ruined them. 46And he appointed the blight   for their fruits; and   [³for their miseries ¹the ²locust]. 47He killed [²by ³hail   ¹their grapevine], and   their sycamine trees by the frost. 48And he delivered up [²unto ³hail   ¹their cattle], and   their possessions to the fire. 49He sent out to them the anger of his rage; rage and anger and affliction; a commission through [²angels ¹wicked]. 50He opened the road   of his anger; he did not spare [²from ³death   ¹their souls]; and   [²their cattle ³to ⁴death ¹he consigned]. 51And he struck every first-born in the land of Egypt; first-fruit of all their toil in the tents of Ham. 52And he departed [²as ³sheep   ¹his people]; and he led them up as a flock in the wilderness. 53And he guided them with hope; and they were not timid, and   [³their enemies ²covered ¹the sea]. 54And he brought them into [²mountain ¹his sanctified]; this mountain which [²acquired   ¹his right hand]. 55And he cast out [²before ³their face ¹nations], and he allotted them by a line of inheritance. And he encamped [⁴among   ⁵their tents ¹the ²tribes   ³of Israel]. 56And they tested and greatly embittered   God the highest; and   his testimonies they did not keep. 57And they turned and annulled, as also   their fathers converted into [²bow ¹a crooked]. 58And they provoked him to anger in   their hills; and in   their carvings they provoked him to jealousy. 59God heard, and he overlooked; and he treated [²with contempt ³exceedingly   ¹Israel]. 60And he thrust away the tent of Shiloh, the tent in which he encamped among men. 61And he delivered up [²into ³captivity   ¹their strength], and   their beauty into the hands of the enemies. 62And he consigned [²by ³the broadsword   ¹his people]; and   his inheritance he overlooked. 63  Their young men were devoured by fire, and   their virgins were not mourned for. 64  Their priests [²by ³the broadsword ¹fell], and   their widows shall not be wept over. 65And [²awakened ³as   ⁴from sleep ¹the lord]; as a mighty one being dizzy from wine. 66And he struck   his enemies unto the rear; [⁴scorn ³for eternal ¹he appointed ²them]. 67And he thrust away the tent of Joseph; and the tribe of Ephraim he did not choose. 68He chose the tribe of Judah,   mount   Zion which he loved. 69And he built [²as ³the unicorn   ¹his sanctuary] in the earth; he laid its foundation into the eon. 70And he chose David   his servant; and he took him from out of the flocks of the sheep; 71even from behind the ones giving birth he took him, to tend Jacob   his servant, and Israel   his inheritance. 72And he tended them in the innocence   of his heart; and in the skillfulness   of his hands he guided them.