Psalm 78

1 <A contemplation by Asaph. > Hear my teaching, my people. Turn your ears to the words of my mouth.NHEB — Psalm 78:1

2 I will open my mouth in a parable. I will utter dark sayings since the beginning of the world,NHEB — Psalm 78:2

3 which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.NHEB — Psalm 78:3

4 We will not hide them from their descendants, telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, his strength, and his wondrous works that he has done.NHEB — Psalm 78:4

5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a teaching in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children;NHEB — Psalm 78:5

6 that the generation to come might know it, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell their children,NHEB — Psalm 78:6

7 that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments,NHEB — Psalm 78:7

8 and might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not make their hearts loyal, whose spirit was not steadfast with God.NHEB — Psalm 78:8

9 The people of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.NHEB — Psalm 78:9

10 They did not keep God's covenant, and refused to walk by his Law.NHEB — Psalm 78:10

11 They forgot his doings, his wondrous works that he had shown them.NHEB — Psalm 78:11

12 He did marvelous things in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.NHEB — Psalm 78:12

13 He split the sea, and caused them to pass through. He made the waters stand as a heap.NHEB — Psalm 78:13

14 In the daytime he also led them with a cloud, and all night with a light of fire.NHEB — Psalm 78:14

15 He split rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink abundantly as out of the depths.NHEB — Psalm 78:15

16 He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.NHEB — Psalm 78:16

17 Yet they still went on to sin against him, to rebel against the Most High in the desert.NHEB — Psalm 78:17

18 They tempted God in their heart by asking food according to their desire.NHEB — Psalm 78:18

19 Yes, they spoke against God. They said, "Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?NHEB — Psalm 78:19

20 Look, he struck the rock, so that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed. Can he give bread also? Will he provide flesh for his people?"NHEB — Psalm 78:20

21 Therefore the LORD heard, and was angry. A fire was kindled against Jacob, anger also went up against Israel,NHEB — Psalm 78:21

22 because they did not believe in God, and did not trust in his salvation.NHEB — Psalm 78:22

23 Yet he commanded the clouds above, and opened the doors of heaven.NHEB — Psalm 78:23

24 He rained down manna on them to eat, and gave them bread from heaven.NHEB — Psalm 78:24

25 Man ate the bread of the mighty ones. He sent them food to the full.NHEB — Psalm 78:25

26 He caused the east wind to blow in the sky. By his power he guided the south wind.NHEB — Psalm 78:26

27 He rained also flesh on them as the dust; winged birds as the sand of the seas.NHEB — Psalm 78:27

28 He let it fall in the midst of his camp, all around his tent.NHEB — Psalm 78:28

29 So they ate, and were well filled. He gave them their own desire.NHEB — Psalm 78:29

30 They did not turn from their cravings. Their food was yet in their mouths,NHEB — Psalm 78:30

31 when the anger of God went up against them, killed some of the fattest of them, and struck down the young men of Israel.NHEB — Psalm 78:31

32 For all this they still sinned, and did not believe in his wondrous works.NHEB — Psalm 78:32

33 Therefore he consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror.NHEB — Psalm 78:33

34 When he killed them, then they inquired after him. They returned and sought God earnestly.NHEB — Psalm 78:34

35 They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God, their redeemer.NHEB — Psalm 78:35

36 But they flattered him with their mouth, and lied to him with their tongue.NHEB — Psalm 78:36

37 For their heart was not right with him, neither were they faithful in his covenant.NHEB — Psalm 78:37

38 But he, being merciful, forgave iniquity, and did not destroy them. Yes, many times he turned his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.NHEB — Psalm 78:38

39 He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes away, and doesn't come again.NHEB — Psalm 78:39

40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness, and grieved him in the desert.NHEB — Psalm 78:40

41 They turned again and tempted God, and gave pain to the Holy One of Israel.NHEB — Psalm 78:41

42 They did not remember his hand, nor the day when he redeemed them from the adversary;NHEB — Psalm 78:42

43 how he set his signs in Egypt, his wonders in the field of Zoan,NHEB — Psalm 78:43

44 he turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, so that they could not drink.NHEB — Psalm 78:44

45 He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.NHEB — Psalm 78:45

46 He gave also their increase to the caterpillar, and their labor to the locust.NHEB — Psalm 78:46

47 He destroyed their vines with hail, their sycamore fig trees with frost.NHEB — Psalm 78:47

48 He gave over their livestock also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.NHEB — Psalm 78:48

49 He threw on them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, indignation, and trouble, and a band of destroying angels.NHEB — Psalm 78:49

50 He made a path for his anger. He did not spare their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence,NHEB — Psalm 78:50

51 and struck all the firstborn in Egypt, the chief of their strength in the tents of Ham.NHEB — Psalm 78:51

52 But he led forth his own people like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.NHEB — Psalm 78:52

53 He led them safely, so that they weren't afraid, but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.NHEB — Psalm 78:53

54 He brought them to the border of his sanctuary, to this mountain, which his right hand had taken.NHEB — Psalm 78:54

55 He also drove out the nations before them, allotted them for an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.NHEB — Psalm 78:55

56 Yet they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God, and did not keep his testimonies;NHEB — Psalm 78:56

57 but turned back, and dealt treacherously like their fathers. They were turned aside like a deceitful bow.NHEB — Psalm 78:57

58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their engraved images.NHEB — Psalm 78:58

59 When God heard this, he was angry, and greatly abhorred Israel;NHEB — Psalm 78:59

60 So that he forsook the tabernacle at Shiloh, the tent where he dwelt among men;NHEB — Psalm 78:60

61 and delivered his strength into captivity, his glory into the adversary's hand.NHEB — Psalm 78:61

62 He also gave his people over to the sword, and was angry with his inheritance.NHEB — Psalm 78:62

63 Fire devoured their young men. Their virgins had no wedding song.NHEB — Psalm 78:63

64 Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows couldn't weep.NHEB — Psalm 78:64

65 Then the Lord awakened as one out of sleep, like a mighty man who shouts by reason of wine.NHEB — Psalm 78:65

66 He struck his adversaries backward. He made them a permanent shame.NHEB — Psalm 78:66

67 Moreover he rejected the tent of Joseph, and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,NHEB — Psalm 78:67

68 But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which he loved.NHEB — Psalm 78:68

69 He built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth which he has established forever.NHEB — Psalm 78:69

70 He also chose David his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds;NHEB — Psalm 78:70

71 from following the ewes that have their young, he brought him to be the shepherd of Jacob his servant, and Israel his inheritance.NHEB — Psalm 78:71

72 So he was their shepherd according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.NHEB — Psalm 78:72