Psalm 78

1 Listen, my people, to my instruction. Hear ^{b78:1 Lit. Stretch out your ear} the words of my mouth.ISV — Psalm 78:1

2 I will tell ^{c78:2 Lit. will open my mouth in} a parable, speaking riddles from long ago—ISV — Psalm 78:2

3 things that we have heard and known and that our ancestors related to us.ISV — Psalm 78:3

4 We will not withhold them from their descendants; we’ll declare to the next generation the praises of the LORD— his might and awesome deeds that he has performed.ISV — Psalm 78:4

5 He established a decree in Jacob, and established the Law in Israel, that he commanded our ancestors to reveal to their childrenISV — Psalm 78:5

6 in order that the next generation— children yet to be born— will know them and in turn teach them to their children.ISV — Psalm 78:6

7 Then they will put their trust in God and they will not forget his awesome deeds. Instead, they will keep his commandments.ISV — Psalm 78:7

8 They will not be like the rebellious generation of their ancestors, a rebellious generation, whose heart was not steadfast, and whose spirits were unfaithful to God.ISV — Psalm 78:8

9 The descendants of Ephraim were sharp shooters with the bow, but they retreated in the day of battle.ISV — Psalm 78:9

10 They did not keep God’s covenant, and refused to live by his Law.ISV — Psalm 78:10

11 They have forgotten what he has done, his awesome deeds that they witnessed.ISV — Psalm 78:11

12 He performed marvelous things in the presence of their ancestors in the land of Egypt— in the fields of Zoan.ISV — Psalm 78:12

13 He divided the sea so that they were able to cross; he caused the water to stand in a single location.ISV — Psalm 78:13

14 He led them with a cloud during the day, and during the night with light from the fire.ISV — Psalm 78:14

15 He caused the rocks to split in the wilderness, and gave them water ^{d78:15 Lit. drink} as from an abundant sea.ISV — Psalm 78:15

16 He brought streams from rock, causing water to flow like a river.ISV — Psalm 78:16

17 But time and again, they sinned against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert.ISV — Psalm 78:17

18 To test God was in their minds, when they demanded food to satisfy their cravings. ^{e78:18 Lit. food for their soul}ISV — Psalm 78:18

19 They spoke against God by asking, “Is God able to prepare a feast ^{f78:19 Or table} in the desert?ISV — Psalm 78:19

20 It’s true that ^{g78:20 Lit. Indeed,} Moses ^{h78:20 Lit. he} struck the rock so that water flowed forth and torrents of water gushed out, but is he also able to give bread or to supply meat for his people?”ISV — Psalm 78:20

21 Therefore, when the LORD heard this, he was angry, and fire broke out against Jacob. Moreover, his anger flared against Israel,ISV — Psalm 78:21

22 because they didn’t believe in God and didn’t trust in his deliverance.ISV — Psalm 78:22

23 Yet he commanded the skies above and the doors of the heavens to open,ISV — Psalm 78:23

24 so that manna rained down on them for food and he sent them the grain of heaven.ISV — Psalm 78:24

25 Mortal men ^{i78:25 Lit. A man} ate the food of angels; he sent provision to them in abundance.ISV — Psalm 78:25

26 He stirred up the east wind in the heavens and drove the south wind by his might.ISV — Psalm 78:26

27 He caused meat to rain on them like dust and winged birds as the sand of the sea.ISV — Psalm 78:27

28 He caused these to fall in the middle of the camp and all around their tents.ISV — Psalm 78:28

29 So they ate and were very satisfied, because he granted their desire.ISV — Psalm 78:29

30 However, before they had fulfilled their desire, while their food was still in their mouths,ISV — Psalm 78:30

31 the anger of God flared against them, and he killed the strongest men and humbled Israel’s young men.ISV — Psalm 78:31

32 In spite of all of this, they kept on sinning and didn’t believe in his marvelous deeds.ISV — Psalm 78:32

33 So he made their days end in futility, and their years with sudden terror.ISV — Psalm 78:33

34 When he struck them, they sought him; they repented, and eagerly sought God.ISV — Psalm 78:34

35 Then they remembered that God was their rock, and the Most High God was their deliverer.ISV — Psalm 78:35

36 But they deceived him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues.ISV — Psalm 78:36

37 For their hearts weren’t committed to him, and they weren’t faithful to his covenant.ISV — Psalm 78:37

38 But he, being merciful, forgave their iniquity and didn’t destroy them; He restrained his anger and didn’t vent all his wrath.ISV — Psalm 78:38

39 For he remembered that they were only flesh, a passing wind that doesn’t return.ISV — Psalm 78:39

40 How they rebelled against him in the desert, grieving him in the wilderness!ISV — Psalm 78:40

41 They tested God again and again, provoking the Holy One of Israel.ISV — Psalm 78:41

42 They did not remember his power— the day he delivered them from their adversary,ISV — Psalm 78:42

43 when he set his signs in Egypt and his wonders in the plain of Zoan.ISV — Psalm 78:43

44 He turned their rivers into blood and made their streams undrinkable.ISV — Psalm 78:44

45 He sent swarms of insects to bite them and frogs to destroy them.ISV — Psalm 78:45

46 He gave their crops to caterpillars and what they worked for to locusts.ISV — Psalm 78:46

47 He destroyed their vines with hail and their sycamore ^{j78:47 The sycamore fruit tree native to Israel bears figs} trees with frost.ISV — Psalm 78:47

48 He delivered their beasts to hail and their livestock to lightning bolts.ISV — Psalm 78:48

49 He inflicted his burning anger, wrath, indignation, and distress, sending destroying angels among them.ISV — Psalm 78:49

50 He blazed a path for his anger; he did not stop short from killing them, but handed them over to pestilence.ISV — Psalm 78:50

51 He struck every firstborn in Egypt, the first fruits of their manhood in the tents of Ham.ISV — Psalm 78:51

52 Yet he led out his people like sheep, guiding them like a flock in the desert.ISV — Psalm 78:52

53 He led them to safety so they would not fear. As for their enemies, the sea covered them.ISV — Psalm 78:53

54 He brought the people ^{k78:54 Lit. brought them} to the border of his holy mountain, which he acquired by his might.ISV — Psalm 78:54

55 He drove out nations before them and allotted their tribal inheritance, settling the tribes of Israel in their tents.ISV — Psalm 78:55

56 But they tested the Most High God by rebelling against him, and they did not obey his statutes.ISV — Psalm 78:56

57 They fell away and were as disloyal as their ancestors. They became unreliable, like a defective bow;ISV — Psalm 78:57

58 they angered him with their high places and with their carved images they made him jealous.ISV — Psalm 78:58

59 God heard and became furious, and he completely rejected Israel.ISV — Psalm 78:59

60 He abandoned the tent at Shiloh, the tent that he established among mankind.ISV — Psalm 78:60

61 Then he sent his might ^{l78:61 i.e. the Ark of the Covenant} into captivity and his glory into the control of the adversary.ISV — Psalm 78:61

62 He delivered his people over to the sword and was angry with his possession.ISV — Psalm 78:62

63 The young men were consumed by fire, and the virgins had no marriage celebrations. ^{m78:63 Lit. virgins sang no wedding song}ISV — Psalm 78:63

64 The priests fell by the sword, yet their widows couldn’t weep.ISV — Psalm 78:64

65 The LORD awoke as though from sleep, like a mighty warrior stimulated by wine.ISV — Psalm 78:65

66 He beat back his adversaries, permanently disgracing them.ISV — Psalm 78:66

67 He rejected the clan ^{n78:67 Lit. tent} of Joseph; and the tribe of Ephraim he did not choose.ISV — Psalm 78:67

68 But he chose the tribe of Judah, the mountain of Zion, which he loves.ISV — Psalm 78:68

69 He built his sanctuary, high as the heavens, like the earth that he established forever.ISV — Psalm 78:69

70 Then he chose his servant David, whom he took from the sheepfold.ISV — Psalm 78:70

71 He brought him from birthing sheep to care for Jacob, his people, Israel, his possession.ISV — Psalm 78:71

72 David ^{o78:72 Lit. He} shepherded them with a devoted heart, and led them with skillful hands.ISV — Psalm 78:72